Dear BAMf Podcast: Episode 25 with Ted Dillon

Dear BAMf // Episode 25: Ted Dillon of Clean Energy Ventures explains competitive benchmarking and how to leverage trade media.

In this week's episode of the Dear BAMf podcast, we speak with Ted Dillon, Director of Marketing at Clean Energy Ventures. Ted advises early-stage advanced energy companies on how to effectively market and communicate with their important customer and stakeholder audiences. Over the past decade, Ted has developed a passion for transforming complex technologies in complex markets into simple, compelling messages and engagement with those who can benefit from these technologies the most. In this episode, Ted answers some tough marketing and PR questions from our listeners, including this one about competitors:

Dear BAMf,

My client's main competitors are consistently in their target trade press outlets and it frustrates me and my client to no end. With that said, this competitor in particular has been steadily building its profile in the press for several years and my client is just dipping their toes into PR now. I know it's going to take some time to increase my client's market share and close the gap. How do I let the client know this without it sounding like an excuse? That's the pushback I've had before. I want to take extreme ownership, but in this case, we're starting at square one and things aren't moving fast enough for our client from their perspective.

Listen now to hear how Ted advises this writer to move forward.

Dear BAMf: Episode 25

Episode 25 highlights:

• (01:00) How can we prove to the client that they don't need a freelancer and an agency? Understanding the 'why' behind the company having a freelancer is the first step that you want to take. Is it because of a relationship or is the freelancer specialized in a specific industry? Go directly to the freelancer and get the context around the landscape, so the potential for conflict is minimized. Be transparent and avoid confrontation.
• (06:31) How to implement a social media policy for employees & CEOs? Have a plan and proactive management for a social media policy that applies to everyone. Make sure the same rules apply to the employees & CEO, unless it is readily understood across the company that the CEO's social media engagement is a part of your marketing strategy. Otherwise this could lead to discontentment amongst employee and CEO relationships.  
• (11:20) Competitors are landing in your client's target trade press outlets and your client doesn't think you are moving fast enough. Make sure to set expectations on how long it takes to get press and educate your client about the process. Benchmark your competitors using metrics and use this to your benefit. Take the opportunity to differentiate yourself from your competition. If your competitors are landing in trade pubs, focus on social media, for example.

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