In today’s day and age, we rely heavily on the internet for our source of news. That is why we need to use it to our advantage and ensure that we are up-to-date on any news or media that could impact our clients. Today, I want to discuss how we can ensure we are receiving alerts and using the information to our advantage.
Keeping Up With Sources
With that being said, there are many resources that can allow us to stay as up-to-date as possible. Sure, some things may slip through the cracks but the majority of the time, we will be prepared for that next discussion. Some beneficial resources I have found include;
To me, this is a very important piece that should go hand-in-hand with onboarding a client. We need to stay up-to-date on the latest events that may impact our clients in a negative OR positive way. I’ll be the first to admit that this wasn’t at the forefront of my mind when I first became an Account Manager over four years ago. Then one day, I was speaking to a client and was clueless about an event that was plastered across the news. Was it a big deal that I hadn’t heard? No. But if I would have seen the information sooner, I would have had the opportunity to be proactive, create a plan of action, and be the sounding board that the client needed.
- Google Alerts: This is where I start. You type in the content you are interested in, whether that be an industry or client name. Then after creating the alert, Google will inform you anytime your search appears as news across Google.
- Google News: Here, you can’t set alerts, but you can do additional research on news that you are aware of.
- Client Newsletters: If it’s impacting your client, there is a chance they are addressing how it impacts them. I always sign-up for clients newsletters.
Note: Signing up for newsletters is also a great way to learn about upcoming promotions and other events that you may not be aware of. This will give you more time to plan!
What To Do With The Information You Have
Now that you are prepared to receive updates, let’s talk about what to do with that information. Scenarios will differ depending on how serious the news may be and the nature of the industry you are working with. Below I have listed steps that you can take but note that they all will not apply to every situation;
- First, stop and ask yourself if it impacts your client and if so, how.
- Next, discuss it with your client via email or phone conversation. This lets them know that you are aware of the situation and allows them to give additional information that you may need. Matt Umbro wrote this great article about being proactive in client communication that offers some great tips; 5 Tips for Proactive Client Communication.
- Lastly, plan out any action items that need to be complete. For example;
- Launch new creative in the event that the news needs to be included. For example, if a product you sell has been recalled, creative may include information about the recall and an alternative product.
- Pause campaigns or keywords.
- Closely monitor search terms to ensure that your ad isn’t showing up for search terms that don’t align with your brand.
Conclusion
With all of that being said, it’s important to not go overboard and assume that all news and media will impact our clients. That is why we should always take a step back and think about the impact prior to getting others involved. At the same time, as an extension to our client’s internal marketing teams, we need to be aware of the news and media and not take everything with a grain of salt in the event that something could have a major impact on one of our clients.
