What a month. The Alaska State Legislature is in full swing, COVID-19 vaccines are becoming increasingly available, and the sun actually emits heat when it hits your face—all good signs as we head into spring. This month, we take a look at what it means to work with influencers, which is probably easier than you think. We also explain how savvy organizations jumped on the “Bernie’s mittens” bandwagon successfully to earn some free publicity. Hopefully, and if the latest predictions are true, Alaska could return to “normal” in the next few months. This will create a huge shift in how customers and clients work and consume information. The time to prepare for that shift is now. Of course, we are here to help. Consultations are always free.
Sarah Erkmann Ward, APR
President, Blueprint Alaska
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The Leaderboard
Daniel McDonald, Comms Director, Alaska State Legislature Senate Majority
As the Alaska State Legislature Senate Majority's communications director, Daniel reports to fourteen legislators. Sarah sat down with the father of two to discuss how he manages working with a diverse group of people during Alaska's fast-paced legislative session.
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Click to watch Daniel McDonald's interview with Sarah Erkmann Ward.
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Pay It Forward
The Alaska Department of Health and Social Services called upon Alaskans to Pay It Forward with random acts of kindness to strangers, loved ones, or people within their communities. Our team joined the effort of being #WithYouAlaska with the following acts of kindness:
- Sarah helped her daughter, Susie, make super trendy hot cocoa bombs, which they then delivered to guests at Catholic Social Services’s Clare House.
- Coach Cassi’s North Star 16U girls team wrote letters to family and friends expressing their appreciation for years of love and support.
- Tony paid in advance for the stranger behind him in the coffee line.
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How to incorporate influencers into your strategy
Social media is essential for marketing and communications in business. Whether it's Facebook, LinkedIn, or another platform, maintaining a robust digital presence is an effective way to communicate with your audience. Is your business planning an upcoming event or preparing to launch a new product? Tapping into influencer marketing can help you successfully reach new costumers. Our latest blog breaks down influencer marketing 101.
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What Bernie's mittens can teach us about newsjacking
Unless you live under a rock, chances are you saw the image of Sen. Bernie Sanders, sitting uncomfortably outside in a chair at the presidential
inauguration, bundled up and wearing homemade, knitted mittens. The image went viral, and Sen. Sanders quickly became a meme. Many organizations newsjacked the image, but is the practice right for everyone?
Check out our latest blog to help determine whether your company should newsjack the next trend. |
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The perfect social media posting schedule for your business in 2021
Social media’s rules of engagement change all the time, and can be tough to follow. Even though an organization may post pictures with witty captions, those posts might underperform, leading to the inevitable question: “Why are we even doing this?” Timing is everything. Planning an effective social media schedule is key to successful social media campaigns. Social Media Today breaks down the best days and times to post on a variety of platforms.
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Hilcorp takes the plunge
Hilcorp Alaska joined the Special Olympics Alaska’s virtual Plunge Challenge last December, emerging on top with the highest corporate fundraising total. In all, Hilcorp employees gifted more than $25,000 to Alaska’s Special Olympics program. Hilcorp Alaska's Senior Vice President, Dave Wilkins, promised employees he would subject himself to a dunk tank if they won. Watch the video below of Ayesha and Matt, two Special Olympics athletes, delivering the winning shot!
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Click to watch.
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People. Pride. Petroleum.
AKOG, a resource designed for Alaska's oil and gas industry employees, took a simple, yet strong stance following the new administration’s announcement banning lease sales on U.S. federal lands and waters. “American oil on American soil” became a huge hit on social media, allowing employees to share publicly their support for the energy industry.
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What can Blueprint Alaska do for you?
- Public affairs campaigns
- Strategic communication
- Reputation management
- Crisis communication
- Political strategy and campaigns
- Stakeholder/influencer outreach and engagement
- Coalition building and development
- Media relations and training
- Strategic social media campaigns
- Employee advocacy and engagement
- Copywriting
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Blueprint Alaska is an advocacy and strategic communications firm headquartered in Anchorage. The firm works with a range of Alaskan industries from oil and gas to healthcare.
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