There is no doubt that technology is impacting every aspect of the way we live our lives. It not only affects our personal lives, but extends to the way businesses operate and how they connect with their target audience — most fundamentally in how they brand themselves.
It’s nearly impossible to suggest that a business in this day and age can successfully develop, maintain and expand its brand without utilizing technology. However, it is crucial to fully understand who your business is at its core to ensure you will win the hearts and minds of consumers before introducing the latest technology innovations. It’s about reverting back to the basics and the power of discussion by offering two-way communication to your consumers. I take a deeper look at this approach in my article [cover story “Selling You: Branding in the Age of Technology” starts on page 22] by drawing a parallel between a company’s emotional connection to its consumers and its use of technology.
While technology continues to evolve new mechanisms for reaching and connecting with an audience, the core elements of a business’s message remain tethered to basic human nature. For the cover story this month, several of my colleagues in the local public relations arena join me in discussing this and the way it plays out for businesses.
How important is technology in the workplace environment? To the millennial generation, it can be a deciding factor in where they choose to work. The Briefs article “Millennial Employees and Their Digital Demands” may be a wake-up call to employers.
Having the ability to evolve with trends and innovations is essential for business survival. In his feature Leadership article, Dr. Glenn Varney discusses how businesses can properly and fully diagnosis organizational issues, helping them avoid the hastily and often poorly executed change made without properly assessing their situation that results in failure nearly 70 percent of the time.
The Legal feature examines the headline topic of sexual harassment. Local Fennemore Craig attorneys Jessica Post and Dena Sanders discuss the likelihood of an increase in sexual harassment claims, and how employers can prepare to deal with them.
From startups to commercial real estate to where to take that power-lunch meeting, each issue of In Business Magazine covers the relevant topics that help our business community grow. Also in this issue is the annual Meetings & Conventions Guide, the Valley’s most comprehensive guide to event venues. I’m pleased to help bring you this February issue, and hope you enjoy the read.
Sincerely,
Scott Harkey
President
OH Partners
As president of OH Partners, Scott Harkey leads marketing and strategy efforts for the agency’s robust account roster. His extensive experience in media as well as traditional and digital marketing uniquely qualify him to spearhead integration initiatives for brands on a national level. Harkey has guided the agency onto Inc. 500’s list for Fastest Growing Private Companies the last three years and secured the agency as one of the Top 100 Fastest Growing Adverting Agencies in the country.
