BUSINESS Archives

Uncategorized

Boost Productivity with these Five Favorite Google Apps and Extensions

I’ve found that whenever something frustrates me or slows me down in my digital workspace (which is pretty much 100% Google Chrome) — there’s an app for that! Chances are, if I’m getting tripped up time and again, someone else has had the same problem and a solution is out there. The Internet ecosystem includes hundreds of helpful and creative Gmail and Chrome browser extensions that make work life easier. Over the years I’ve installed

Laura Balboni May 21, 2019

Thought Leadership

The Recipe for Landing Your First (PR) Job

The holiday season is a wonderful and magical time. It’s a time for making lasting memories, and a wonderful time for spending time with loved ones. Can it be a magical time for landing your first real job? Yes! From personal experience, I am most grateful for my new job during this holiday season at Catapult PR in Boulder, one of the top B2B high-tech PR agencies. Some of you may have been wondering why

Jacob Harvey November 29, 2018

Strategic Narrative

We’re Celebrating Our 19th Anniversary as a High Tech PR Firm

Wow – it’s hard to believe that we’re celebrating 19 years in business. Time flies when you’re having fun – and boy do we know how to have fun. As we reflect over almost two decades of hard work and success, we can’t help but feel a sense of pride as we think about all the good work we’ve done to help our tech company friends build awareness, thought leadership and create attention-grabbing positioning and

Terri Douglas September 11, 2018

Market Leadership

Catapult Adds Zype to B2B High Tech Client Roster

We are pleased to announce that Catapult has been retained by Zype, a video content and distribution company out of New York, for PR and Strategic Narrative Marketing services. Through our Narrative Practice service offering, we will help position Zype as a market category owner in the rapidly growing direct-to-consumer streaming video market. Zype CEO, Ed Laczynski, shared his thoughts on this new partnership: “We’re excited to position Zype as an industry leader with Catapult’s narrative

Christin Jeffers August 30, 2018

Strategic Narrative

Brand Leadership And The Narrative Economy

The following is an excerpt from an article by Guy Murrel titled, “Brand Leadership and the Narrative Economy,” that was originally published on Forbes.com While just “words,” the power of narrative is now a force to be reckoned with — from politics and pop culture to social movements and business. All too often, we now see narrative take down the mighty and powerful and, at the same time, expose the once obscure to great fame.

Guy Murrel August 28, 2018

Top Quotes on PR and Narrative from Catapult

In a previous blog, I shared some tips on what I learned from my first couple of weeks in the PR industry. One thing I learned after joining the Catapult team is that, “Tips from co-workers are the best… if a co-worker gives you any information on how to make your time more productive or to make others in the office happier, take it. Many of my co-workers at Catapult have helped me with this.” Shouldn’t

Megan Scharf August 22, 2018

Market Leadership

Collaboration: the Ultimate Win/Win for Everyone

Think about it. What is it about certain people or environments that make you enjoy your work more? You probably feel empowered, that there is an open exchange of ideas, and encouragement to express your thoughts, ideas and suggestions. Whether it’s personal or in the business world, it is clear. The more collaboration, the greater the trust, learning, growth and innovation. According to Wikipedia, collaboration is “the process of two or more people or organizations

Terri Douglas August 15, 2018

Market Leadership

Anchor Your B2B Content Marketing Strategy with a Strategic Narrative

Your content is only as good as your B2B content marketing strategy. Evidence supports this theory in the Content Marketing Institute’s 2018 B2B Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets and Trends report. According to the report, 91 percent of respondents use content marketing. However, similar to previous years’ reports, it’s the organizations with documented content marketing strategies who report higher levels of content marketing success. Yet, only 37 percent of respondents have a documented strategy. A top reason

Christin Jeffers July 16, 2018

Strategic Narrative

Achieve Strategic Company Alignment with a Strategic Narrative

Every business leader wants their company to be strategically aligned. It creates unity among teams and delivers a consistent, clear message of who the company is and what it stands for. Unfortunately, achieving this sort of alignment from the top down and across every facet of the organization is complicated because a lot of companies struggle with their positioning and messaging. What is strategic business alignment? Jonathan Trevor and Barry Varcoe do a great job

Christin Jeffers June 14, 2018

Market Leadership

Why You Shouldn’t Leave it up to the Industry Analysts to Define and Claim Your Market Category

If you are in the tech space, you are familiar with all the industry research firms who tout their worth and value when it comes to defining who your company is and where you fit within their various market categories. Companies pay a LOT of money to get on analysts’ radar screens and utilize their advice and services. There’s nothing really wrong with this approach. There is definitely certain value you get out of paid

Terri Douglas May 24, 2018

Thought Leadership

We’ve Come Full Circle: Email is Dead.

I’m not one to jump on trends. If something brings actual value, then I’m all for it. If it feels like it’s all style over substance, it probably is. Business development in the B2B tech sector for public relations companies is often a timely convergence of need, trends and luck. In the age of email lists – bought and sold like bizdev currency – it is tempting to get stuck in the blast loop, trying

Charles Trowbridge May 9, 2018

Strategic Narrative

Introducing the Strategic Narrative Assessment

Today we are excited to announce the launch of our Strategic Narrative Assessment that is now available on Catapult’s new and improved homepage. The assessment looks at a company’s core messaging and offers feedback and a scorecard detailing how it translates to the market, stacks up to competitors and addresses industry mega-trends and leadership. And, it’s completely free of charge! Here’s what our co-founder Terri Douglas shared about the assessment: “Strategic Narrative Marketing helps companies change

Christin Jeffers March 14, 2018

Market Leadership

Narrative Spotlight: How Apple Dominated the Resolution Conversation with Retina Display

Catapult has recently been shining the spotlight on companies that understand how to lead the market by creating industry narratives and vision. These are companies that have hit the narrative mark. This means their communications follow the principles of Strategic Narrative Marketing. We started with a post on Patagonia, outdoor adventure retailer, and its move over the last couple of years to take a political stance and align the company around advocacy for public lands.

Laura Balboni February 22, 2018

Market Leadership

Narrative Spotlight: Mavenlink

The narrative movement is gaining traction among industry leaders. An industry narrative is higher-level than storytelling and that alone forces companies to think differently. By participating in this movement, companies have the opportunity to offer a unique voice and contribute to the overall betterment of the industry. What we’re talking about rises above products and services. It is the essence of who a company is and its vision for the industry. Many companies that have

Christin Jeffers February 14, 2018

Strategic Narrative

It’s Budget Time. . . .

And you know what that means. Looking at what you spent last year and seeing what worked, what didn’t (and why) Investigating ways to streamline resources, budget, yet get more impact Seeing where to invest to ‘move the needle’ so your organization/company can get more sales, be acquired, raise more money Let’s be honest. It’s stressful. Boards want justification for the money you (your company) spent and why. Investors want the same, but, they want

Terri Douglas November 20, 2017

Thought Leadership

Practicing DevOps with Your Public Relations Agency: Tips for a Successful Relationship

Let’s face it – in today’s digital world, you are probably working for an organization that runs on software in some way. Even if you aren’t working directly with the software part of your business, there is a chance that you have heard the term “DevOps” buzzing around over the past several years. Not ringing any bells? DevOps, while many may dispute a concrete definition, is a term used in the software delivery industry to

Olivia Heel September 12, 2017

Strategic Narrative

Catapult Wins TWO National Industry Awards for Strategic Narrative Marketing

We are honored to share that we recently received two national awards for our Strategic Narrative Marketing (SNM) messaging framework that helps organizations define and own categories. We are now the proud owners of a Gold Stevie Award for PR Innovation in the 2017 American Business Awards™, and Silver for New Products and Services in Advertising, Marketing and Public Relations in the 2017 Golden Bridge Awards. “This is a big milestone for Catapult as we work

Christin Jeffers August 18, 2017

Strategic Narrative

The More You Give, the More You Get

I generally find that the saying “the more you give the more you get” holds true when applied in life and business. In life, the rewards of giving are more intangible and somewhat spiritual – feeling good inside, aligned and centered, and riding the wave of a positive force. It’s more of a karma thing. But what about in business? How much should you give and share with the market, even competitors? When I look

Guy Murrel June 22, 2017

Market Leadership

The (Only) Three Questions to Ask Your PR Firm

After being in the PR business for more than 30 years, it’s been an interesting ride to see how it’s evolved, morphed and changed. Yet, while PR has been around for a while, it still is a mystery for many CEOs, CMOs and marketing folks. Oftentimes, they don’t understand what kind of results they should expect and, if they are hiring a PR firm, how they operate. We often get asked the standard questions when

Terri Douglas May 1, 2017

Market Leadership

Strategically Targeting Analysts as Key Influencers: AR is a Two-Way Street

Analyst relations (AR) and public relations are usually closely paired within the marketing functions of today’s businesses. At Catapult, we run AR programs for most of our clients, in addition to PR. This makes sense because in some ways, analysts function like journalists—although more technical, specialized and usually with prior firsthand industry experience. Analysts formally report on the movements they see within particular markets. They evaluate and review vendors, provide recommendations and forecast future growth

Laura Balboni April 26, 2017

Market Leadership

Raise Your Brand Volume with Execution-as-a-Strategy

One of the best ways to beat your competition is to out execute them. This is especially true when it comes to PR and marketing. All too often companies get bogged down when it comes to PR cadence and frequency. Activities are done in fits and starts. Then, long lags in time occur as the company goes “quiet.” Meanwhile, the leaders in the market seem to be communication machines – frequently and consistently posting social

Guy Murrel April 21, 2017

Strategic Narrative

Championing a Narrative in the On-Demand Economy

The ability to have immediate access to goods and services through a digital marketplace is in turn causing radical, disruptive effects on businesses across the world. What’s more? My generation (Millennial) and the generations hereafter are starting to (almost) exclusively use on-demand services for numerous facets of our lives – from shopping and transportation to news and entertainment. Previous generations are making the migration as well. So, how are businesses leveraging public relations in the

Jeremy Douglas March 17, 2017

Thought Leadership

Why B2B Executives Need to Engage on LinkedIn

LinkedIn is the number one social media platform used by CEOs today and there are many reasons why. As the branded “professional” social network, LinkedIn differs from Facebook or Twitter in that it is a digital resume. It’s not a place to share baby pictures or invite friends to your birthday party, it’s a tool for growing one’s professional career. Many leaders in the business world are using LinkedIn as a platform for connecting with

Laura Balboni March 1, 2017

Market Leadership

The New Standard for Quality Content

My son, a kindergartner, is learning how to read and write. He tends to rush through his assignments so he can move on to more important things, like recess. His teacher, on the other hand, is a big proponent of “quality work.” She encourages him to take his time. My husband and I (also supporters of quality work), make him slow down when we practice with him outside of school but, he doesn’t quite get

Christin Jeffers December 16, 2016

Market Leadership

Strategic Narrative Development: Elements of Success |Part 7

In our previous Strategic Narrative Marketing Series post, we discussed the value of conducting a discovery workshop to uncover raw, honest insights into your company’s view and vision for the industry. Without having any experience, these discovery sessions can be difficult to conduct and it’s easy to fall off course. We highly recommend looking into an expert third party to conduct the workshop for you. But, if you are determined to go at it alone,

Guy Murrel December 8, 2016

Market Leadership

Unwrap Your Company’s Strategic Narrative | Part 6

If you’ve been following along with our Strategic Narrative Marketing blog series, you’ve learned how your organization has a unique opportunity to be heard in the face of today’s oversaturated content and digital marketing channels. You’ve learned how a Strategic Narrative can help elevate your organization above the competition with a higher-level, strategic approach to positioning and messaging. You’ve also learned some of the key building blocks of a Strategic Narrative – including tenets to

Guy Murrel November 15, 2016

Market Leadership

The Rules of Engagement: PR Edition

rule of en·gage·ment noun “A directive issued by a military authority specifying the circumstances and limitations under which forces will engage in combat with the enemy.” The [PR] rules of engagement (ROE) are standing orders to public relations firms (and individual PR professionals) that define the circumstances, conditions, degree, and manner in which the use of pitching, writing or socializing may be applied. These rules provide authorization for and/or limits on, among other things, the

Jeremy Douglas November 10, 2016

Market Leadership

Strategic Narrative Marketing: Core Tenets of an Industry Narrative | Part 5

Today we are diving into Part 5 of our Strategic Narrative Marketing Blog series. To guide you through this new, unique approach to company messaging and strategy, we’ve broken down the key pillars of what makes up a marketing-based Strategic Narrative. Our aim is twofold: 1) help those of us in charge of “messaging” create a more industry level industry narrative and, 2) provide a guide that is open and available to make a meaningful

Guy Murrel November 7, 2016

Market Leadership

Drop Your Mission Statement, Pick Up a Strategic Narrative | Part 2

We all have that “one” friend. The one we dread inviting over for dinner or out to brunch because we know all they will do is talk about themselves. While we wait for a natural pause to interject our own thoughts, we begin to lose interest in what they are saying and perhaps begin daydreaming, watching the final cares we have drift away. Think of this friend as the traditional approach to positioning and messaging.

Guy Murrel October 14, 2016

Market Leadership

What Is a Strategic Narrative Workshop?

As you’ve been reading in our blog, Strategic Narrative Marketing is an entirely new approach to what some folks refer to as “storytelling” or traditional “positioning and messaging.” Strategic Narrative Marketing elevates both of these to a much higher industry level that gets companies out of talking about themselves, their products, services, bits and bytes, and instead focuses on important issues taking place in their industries. It is a way for companies to not only

Terri Douglas October 12, 2016

Market Leadership

Find Your Voice with Strategic Narrative Marketing | Part 1

How loud is your company’s voice? No matter the industry, I’d be willing to bet that the vast majority of us are seeing heavy saturation when it comes to online publishing and content marketing. The noise has its advantages and disadvantages. While you have the opportunity to disrupt the marketplace on platforms that can reach big audiences through PR and marketing, you might find it difficult to make an impact amongst the noise. Here’s an

Guy Murrel October 6, 2016

Market Leadership

Public Relations Isn’t Dead

I’ll be honest with you – I started my journey in public relations having very little idea of what public relations actually entailed. Coming into my current company at first as an intern, I was looking to get my feet wet in an industry that close friends and family thought I would always be good at, but had never pursued. I was a blank slate. Blanker than a newly opened Word Doc. News releases, media

Olivia Heel September 30, 2016

Market Leadership

Strategic Narratives: How Industry Vision Creates Leadership and New Messaging Spaces

All too often businesses struggle with having something unique and compelling to say in their marketplace. Now, with the rise of content marketing as a means of connecting with customers and standing out in the market, the challenge of “what to say” seems to increase daily. If you’re looking for new, fertile messaging ground to build your story, *stop looking inward* and at “how to” topics, and look upward at the larger scope of your

Guy Murrel September 22, 2016

Market Leadership

Life of a Ghostwriter

In a crowded, self-publishing digital world an organization will be noticed if they present a strong industry narrative through quality content. Most marketers would agree that good content goes a long way – and other stakeholders within organizations are starting to recognize its value as well. This is evident in the time and resources directed towards content development and marketing across industries. For many businesses, the content marketing strategy calls for thought leadership content “from”

Christin Jeffers September 16, 2016

Market Leadership

Cheers to 17 Years for Catapult in the high-tech PR trenches!

Today Catapult PR is celebrating 17 years as a boutique public relations firm in the high-tech B2B market. Since 1999, this agency has ridden the highs and lows of the tech industry. We’ve helped numerous companies lead markets, build and own categories and, in many instances, get purchased or lead to successful IPOs. Over the years, we’ve become a leader in developing our clients’ strategic narratives; increasing their visibility among industry influencers and their audiences;

Jeremy Douglas September 9, 2016

Market Leadership

Is your marketing content helping you lead your market?

Whether you are a content or digital marketer, branding guru, PR professional or C-level executive, the content you put out there matters. You probably want your content to be seen. You might even want your content to be strong enough to secure leads and engage your audience. If all those things are true, I’m willing to bet that you want to be recognized in your industry as a leader. So how is it going? Has

Guy Murrel September 9, 2016

Market Leadership

Telling the Same Story? Look Higher at an Industry Narrative

Every brand has a story to tell. Content and digital marketing teams spend hours toiling over ways they can capture the hearts of their audience through storytelling. While there is a clear value in storytelling when it works, it’s not easy to come up with a compelling, sustainable and unique story that will grab your audience’s attention and make a difference in the marketplace. This is especially true for many B2B tech companies. Despite the

Christin Jeffers September 1, 2016

Market Leadership

Market Confusion – Obstacle or Opportunity?

Market confusion brought on by disruptive mega-trends, new legislation or shifting industry norms can be difficult. However, this confusion also can present a wonderful opportunity to stand out as an industry leader by actively clarifying any misperceptions that are adversely impacting your industry. Companies that lead markets will always play an active role in shaping a positive industry narrative, and proactively and consistently educating the market about the overall benefits, advancements and evolution of the

Guy Murrel May 25, 2016

Strategic Narrative Marketing-Be Unique-Catapult PR-IR

Market Leadership

Avoid Blind Spots with an Industry Strategic Narrative

At Catapult we run industry Strategic Narrative workshops that help organizations dig deep into mega trends, category dynamics, transformational shifts and future possibilities – focused primarily on leading industry success and maturity. Our intent is to create a higher-level messaging framework that defines and leads categories, and goes beyond storytelling to guide all forms of marketing. However, the process also serves as a forcing function to address key issues that ultimately guide the strategic direction

Guy Murrel May 20, 2016

Market Leadership

Three Reasons CEOs Need an Industry Strategic Narrative

Every great company benefits from clear vision and leadership. The dynamics of an organization’s culture is set at the top, and it is the job of every CEO to connect and inspire people to effectively move toward a common strategic goal. Here are 3 reasons why every CEO should have a strategic narrative that outlines the current state of the industry, vision for the category and role the organization will play to advance the overall

Guy Murrel May 10, 2016

Recent Posts:

get in touch