February is a prime time for job seekers, as companies kick off the year with fresh budgets and big plans, making it one of the busiest months for new job postings. Thinking of making a shift? Job hunting is more than just finding your dream role or securing a paycheck - it’s about finding a place where you can thrive, grow, and feel supported. But just like any relationship you enter, it’s important to know what you’re looking for in a potential employer. So, how do you spot a workplace that truly values its people? Here are five things to keep an eye out for when evaluating your next career move. 1. Benefits That Support the Whole You Sure, health insurance and a 401(k) are great, but a people-first employer takes it a step further. Look for companies that offer perks tailored to real-life needs—like wellness reimbursements for gym memberships, therapy, pet wellness and childcare. Bonus points if they support life’s big moments, like family planning or buying your first home. These big extras show that a company sees you as more than just an employee—they see you as a whole person. Pro Tip: Ask about benefits that grow with tenure. Some companies reward loyalty with increased perks over time, which is a great sign they’re invested in their people for the long haul. 2. Opportunities to Grow (and Shine) A great employer doesn’t just want you to do your job—they want you to grow in it. Look for companies that offer leadership workshops, access to industry events, and regular feedback. And don’t forget to ask how they celebrate achievements. Whether it’s spot bonuses or employee of the month, recognition goes a long way in creating a positive work environment. Pro Tip: During interviews, ask about the company’s approach to professional development. A clear path for growth is a sign of a workplace that’s invested in your future. 3. Flexibility That Respects Your Time We all hear about work-life balance, but what about considering work-life presence (a term coined by our CEO, Megan Driscoll) instead? Work and life are feeling more blended than ever, and it’s become even more important to be intentional about being present for both work and life. That means when you are in a meeting at work, you aren’t multitasking and planning your next vacation online. And when you’re with friends or family, don’t answer emails that can wait. This simple reframe acknowledges that life is happening and it’s important to give those moments in life their fair due. A people-first employer will offer options like hybrid work, flexible PTO, or even early Fridays in the summer. Why It Matters: Flexibility allows you to show up fully, both at work and in your personal life. These perks aren’t just about convenience—they’re about respecting your time and trusting you to manage it. 4. A Culture That Reflects Its Values Buzzwords like “inclusive” and “supportive” are great, but actions speak louder than words. Does the company have programs that back up their values? For example, do they offer paid leave for life’s tougher moments, like reproductive loss? Does the company offer benefits that support women’s health or gender-affirming care? Do they celebrate diversity with meaningful initiatives, workshops, and programs? Why It Matters: A workplace that prioritizes DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) isn’t just checking a box—it’s creating a space where everyone can thrive. When a company actively supports women’s rights and marginalized communities, it shows they’re committed to making a difference, even when it feels like no one else is. 5. A Heart for Giving Back The best companies don’t just care about their bottom line—they care about their community. Whether it’s volunteering as a team or donating a portion of profits to meaningful causes, a people-first employer finds ways to make a positive impact. Feel-Good Factor: Working for a company that gives back isn’t just rewarding—it’s a sign that they prioritize empathy and kindness in everything they do. Ready to find your perfect match? As you navigate the job market, start by reflecting on what matters most to you in a workplace. Is it inclusivity? Flexibility? Opportunities for growth? And if you’re curious about what a people-first culture looks like in action, check out our social channels. Who knows? Your next great opportunity might just be waiting for you.

The digital world has never been louder. In 2025, consumers are bombarded with news, ads, and digital content—from social media posts to blogs, websites, and paid ads—making it harder than ever for brands to cut through the chaos. For marketers, the challenge is clear: how do you stand out when it can feel like shouting into the void? The answer isn’t simply to add more content to the mix—it’s to create meaningful Noise. At EvolveMKD, we define Noise as more than just volume; it’s about whether your audience is truly listening. While tools like our proprietary BrandWave™ offer a unique way to understand and optimize engagement, the principles behind creating meaningful Noise are universal and can guide any brand toward stronger audience connections. -------- Strategies to Create Meaningful Content The overwhelming volume of digital content means broad, generic messaging will likely fall flat. To break through, brands need to shift their focus from how much content they create to how well their messaging resonates with their audience’s needs, habits, emotions, and values. Creating Noise that resonates isn’t just about creativity—it’s about strategy and an insight-driven approach. Here’s how to ensure your brand connects with your audience in 2025: 1. Elevate Authentic Voices Consumers trust people more than brands. Partner with influencers, thought leaders, and industry experts who genuinely align with your brand’s values and who can bring credibility and authenticity to your messaging. At the same time, quality trumps quantity—fewer, well-crafted pieces of content tailored to your audience’s values, beliefs, and concerns will drive stronger engagement than an overwhelming volume of generic assets. Actionable Tip: Focus on micro-influencers and subject-matter experts, who often deliver higher engagement rates and who have done the work to build rapport with their audience in a way that mega-influencers often fall short. 2. Understand Your Audience Beyond the Platform The recent swirl around the TikTok ban is a crucial reminder that understanding your audience on a deeper level is non-negotiable. But it’s not just about one platform—it’s about the entire digital ecosystem. Audiences don’t stay in one place; they move between social media, email, websites, and search engines, interacting with brands across multiple touchpoints. Understanding these behaviors is key to creating seamless and meaningful connections at every point in your audience’s journey. Actionable Tip: Leverage audience segmentation, email marketing platforms, and social listening to better understand how consumers currently relate or engage with your brand, and tailor content to meet them where they are. Tools like BrandWave™ can help you analyze patterns and fine-tune your messaging to ensure it lands. 3. Leverage Data to Optimize Insights should go beyond vanity metrics like impressions or likes and dig into brand health, sentiment, and channel usage. Understanding what drives your audience, from their first interaction to loyalty, allows you to optimize messaging and refine your strategy. Actionable Tip: Use tools like BrandWave™ or other analytics platforms to identify patterns in audience behavior. What’s working? What’s falling flat? What channels are your loyal consumers utilizing, and how does that differ from those you are hoping to reach? --------- Turning Challenges Into Opportunities As the digital landscape continues to evolve, brands face a choice: struggle to keep up with the noise or create Noise that resonates. By understanding your audience, refining your messaging, and staying agile, you can rise above the chaos and forge meaningful connections. Ask Yourself: Does our content reflect what our audience values today? Are we prepared for shifts in the digital landscape, like the TikTok ban, and agile enough to adapt? Are we leveraging data to refine our messaging and engagement strategies? Are we creating content that stands out—not just in volume, but in value? Let’s turn down the volume on digital chaos and turn up the resonance in your marketing. Want to create Noise that lasts? Reach out to EvolveMKD today to learn how we can help you refine your strategy and connect with your audience in 2025 and beyond.

Finding your top performing audiences In digital marketing, audience testing is a cornerstone for success, particularly in the Aesthetics vertical, where often messaging and creative have severe regulatory limitations. Aesthetics marketers face unique challenges and opportunities when it comes to reaching their target audience. Digital marketers have historically looked for large audiences to maximize awareness metrics like reach and impressions. In 2025 and beyond, consumers will be constantly presented with advertising that meets their exact needs and wants.  In 2024 digital ads have been proven more effective than ever despite the competition for consumer ad space. The savviest marketers are using varying degrees of personalization to connect with consumers and drive better marketing efficiency. While in aesthetics marketing, there can be limitations that keep us from hyper-personalization, we can use audience testing to create specific audience sub-segements that we can tailor our content to for dramatic efficiency improvements.  Understanding Audience Testing Audience testing, in essence, involves experimenting with different segments of your target audience to determine which demographic, psychographic, or behavioral profiles respond best to your advertising efforts. This can include variations in age, gender, location, interests, and behaviors, among other factors. Through testing, healthcare marketers can identify the most promising audience segments and refine their campaigns accordingly, leading to higher engagement and conversion rates. While several healthcare marketing platforms are designed to target users specifically by diagnosis or prescription history, this is typically done with modeled data to protect user privacy. While these models are powerful and can drive highly targeted users, CPM rates are typically 2-10x more than Meta and engagement rates are much worse, making metrics like Cost- Per-Click orders of magnitude more expensive.   Why Audience Testing is Crucial in Aesthetic Marketing 1. Precision in Targeting Aesthetic product manufacturers and service providers cater to specific needs and conditions, making precision in targeting essential. Audience testing allows Aesthetics marketers to pinpoint the exact demographics most likely to benefit from their services. For example, with cosmetic fillers we have found meaningful performance differences in different age demographics depending on the area of treatment being marketed (lipstick lines vs laugh lines). In 2025, broad marketing will continue to become more expensive and less impactful. The new focus of savvy aesthetic marketing is to find the highest level of alignment between the audience and the treatment being marketed.  2. Optimizing Your Aesthetic Marketing Budget Effective budget allocation is a critical aspect of maximizing your digital marketing outcomes. Without audience testing, an aesthetic marketer might spend a significant portion of their budget on ineffective ads. Many are quick to blame the ad creative or messaging when it is actually a misalignment of the ad and audience.  By identifying and focusing on audience segments, marketers can segment their ad spend against each audience side and ensure that every dollar is invested wisely. This not only improves return on investment (ROI) but also maximizes the impact of the advertising campaign. 4. Enhancing Aesthetics Consumer Engagement Engagement is a key metric in any advertising campaign. In Aesthetics, engaging with potential patients in a meaningful way can lead to increased trust and, ultimately, conversions. Audience testing allows marketers to experiment with different messages and formats to see what resonates most with their target audience. Whether it's through educational content, testimonials, or interactive elements, testing helps refine strategies to enhance patient engagement. Steps to Effective Audience Testing 1. Define Clear Objectives Before beginning any audience testing, it's important to define clear objectives. What do you hope to achieve? Are you looking to increase brand awareness, drive appointments, or promote a specific service? Clear objectives will guide your testing process and help measure success effectively. 2. Segment Your Audience Segment your audience based on various factors such as demographics, interests, behaviors, and more. Use tools available on meta advertising platforms to create these segments. When structuring your tests it can be helpful to test new segments against a high-performing baseline, often a look-a-like audience based on site visitors or email lists.  Meta is not very transparent about the full scope of audiences so try to test as many clear demographic and behavioral differences to try and limit the overlap of the audiences being tested.  3. Use  Varied Placements Types Often times in Aesthetics marketing it can be a challenge to get multiple ad themes created and approved for legal compliance reasons. As an alternative consider taking one content theme and building it in multiple ad creative types. You may find that Instagram stories perform better if the demographic target for your audience skews younger, where Reels and Carousel placements of the same theme perform best with older audiences. Make sure you are maximizing your placements and optimizing to serve the best ad placement types for the audiences you are testing.  4. Run Tests and Gather Data Deploy your ads across different segments and monitor their performance. Use metrics such as CPM, click-through rates (CTR), conversion rates, and engagement metrics to assess the effectiveness of each ad. Gather as much data as possible to inform your decisions. While lower funnel metrics like conversion rate can take a long time to gather meaningful data you can start to see performance differences in engagement and click through metrics that are statistically significant within 2 weeks. 5. Analyze and Refine Once you've collected sufficient data, analyze the results to identify which segments and content performed best. Use these insights to refine your targeting and content strategies. Continuously iterate and test to ensure ongoing optimization. Audience testing in Meta advertising is not just a strategy but a necessity for Aesthetic Marketers. By broad definitions, most aesthetics and beauty brands are aimed at the same audience. How do you cut through the noise and make sure your brand connects? Using audience testing, you can find more tightly defined sub-segments of the general beauty audience and create ads that appeal to them at a significantly higher rate than more general assets designed for a mass market. In 2025 and beyond, consumers expect personalization in marketing, they are looking for products and services that specifically speak to them. The best way to refine that personalization is through rigorous audience testing.  Want to learn more about EvolveMKD and how we can help you find your ideal audience?  Reach out to us to learn more.

Who is Generation Z and why has there been a huge shift in marketing focus towards this emerging group? Move over millennials; Generation Z, people born between 1996-2010, is set to become the largest living generation and an emerging segment driving purchasing power. We examine why brands need to pay attention to what makes Gen Z “tick”, especially when it comes to campaigns rooted in corporate social responsibility after COVID-19. Gen Z is Diverse and Tech Savvy Many important qualities and circumstances set members of Generation Z apart from previous generations. They are digital natives who have little or no memory of the world as it existed before smartphones and are on track to become the most educated generation yet1. They are more racially and ethnically diverse: one-in-four Gen Z-ers are Hispanic, 14% are Black, 6% are Asian, and 5% are some other race or two or more races. In fact, according to the Census Bureau, this generation is projected to become majority nonwhite by 2026. The most significant data to look at is Gen Z-ers close relationship with technology, with 97% using at least one of seven major online platformshttps://www.pewsocialtrends.org/essay/on-the-cusp-of-adulthood-and-facing-an-uncertain-future-what-we-know-about-gen-z-so-far/. Gen Z Wants to Put Money Towards Social Causes In order to capture this generation’s attention, brands need to pivot their strategy to be more socially responsible. In fact, 75% of Gen Z stands ready to support companies that care in a variety of ways by putting money where their values are. “Gen Z consumers experience an increase in positive feelings about a brand because of an association with a social cause, and 58% said such an association could spur a purchase”https://www.marketingdive.com/news/study-gen-z-cares-about-issues-and-is-skeptical-of-brands/555782. Gen Z values the potential for a product to solve societal needs and this will ultimately determine their purchasing decision over another product. Gen Z — right behind millennials — are most likely to speak up for change and want to support companies that do the same. Buying power is a key vehicle to do so. Brands Can Find An Opportunity to Be More Socially Focused Post-COVID-19 While Gen Z is more likely to support a company attached to a social cause, brands should do this thoughtfully. This generation is more likely to trust that large companies are operating in society’s best interests through the company's actions. During the pandemic Gen Z has looked for brands that are benefitting their community, while 89% said that COVID-19 has impacted their purchasing decision. In fact Gen Z is three times more likely than previous generations to say that the purpose of a business is to “serve communities and society”, with 68% expecting brands to contribute to societyhttps://blog.hootsuite.com/generation-z-statistics-social-marketers/. Companies need to implement thoughtful strategies such that they appear authentic to the Gen Z audience. These tactics can include: ? Standing up for Gen Z values and beliefs ? Viewing Gen Z as active co-creators to help shape conversations ? Standing up for those left out ? Acting as a platform for the personal journeys of Gen Z-ers ? Speaking honestly about brand’s strategies and challenges Gen Z consumers want brands to do more than just make and sell products, and brands currently have a huge opportunity to engage in a meaningful way during this uneasy time. In fact, a study from DoSomething Strategic found that 75% of Gen Z consumers could name a brand they loved more because of how they’re responding to the crisis, including Starbucks and Nordstrom; conversely, 42% named a brand they liked less for their lack of response to COVID-19, including Walmart, Amazon and Sephora. With Generation Z being the largest and most-educated generation who strongly cares about social causes, marketers and brands have a long list to address in order to secure Gen Z’s attention and dollars. Gen Z is watching to see how your brand reacts to the crisis, what initiatives you implement, and how transparent you are with society before investing their money in you. We’re entering a new era where social responsibility reigns supreme. By: Erick Edwing, Amy Peterson, Emily Carothers

People will tell you not to take the business of business personally. But as CEO of EvolveMKD, a fast-growing public relations and digital marketing agency based in NYC, I do take it personally. I’ve learned that it is possible to sustain a growing profitable company and consider what’s in the best interests of your employees and clients while staying true to a value-based mission. Here’s how it’s done: 1. Lead with Your Personal Ethics. I put people above profits and believe these practices should be a part of every company’s ethos. My team and I put in long hours, so to make it easier to balance work and life, I offer unlimited vacation days and sick leave, Summer Fridays from Memorial Day to Labor Day and an early leave time on Fridays year-round. Responsible adults are capable of balancing their work and life themselves. Why should people lose pay if their illness lasts longer than the five days most companies allow, or why should people feel guilty about leaving a few hours early on a Summer Friday to catch a train or bus for a weekend getaway? Yes, at times I’ve had to be more rigid in my expectations of behavior and provide stricter guidance to some. But, providing this personal flexibility has created a loyal workforce of professionals who share my drive for success and mutual respect. 2. Be Kind, Don't Suck. Choose your team of like-minded people. My entire team shares our performance-based culture of respect and kindness. We don't hire mean people. One thing I've had to learn, however, is that I can't just assume all people have that ethic of hard work and respect built into their core. Leading by example and being careful about whom I hire helps mitigate this business truth. And, the few times someone has slipped through the cracks, they've been let go quickly. We respect each other's work and time and we show up every day to do and be our best. 3. Choose clients that align with your personal values. I also show my team members just how much I respect them by taking on only those clients that show us the same respect we show them. Every other place I've worked has put the client on a pedestal. We do respect and revere our clients, but the relationship needs to be an equal partnership. Before we take on a new client, we meet with them to determine if our values sync up and that everyone agrees on what is realistic, both in budget and results. Because we primarily deal with innovators, we also make sure our clients’ developments or advancements are legitimate and the claims we will be promoting are sound. We know our agency’s reputation is also on the line with every client we represent. As my business evolves, continuing to make smart choices with my personal ethics deeply ingrained in every decision ensures we’re growing in the direction I envision for my company. By being personal, your business too can thrive! By Megan Driscoll, CEO & Founder, EvolveMKD

When global panic occurs in the age of digitization, it is crucial for media and communications agencies to listen, learn and adapt to the changing landscape. By telling stories, businesses can garner peoples' attention making them listen, remember and eventually share that message with others. We have seen how businesses quickly adjusted amid the pandemic and they will need to continue to re-prioritize their value propositions as new information unfolds. Through storytelling, we can create a brand message that connects with our core audience. Here are a few key factors to take into consideration: Consider your customers’ needs: The COVID-19 pandemic has shifted consumer behavior towards the digital world but as we enter the recovery phase – businesses are changing at the core and therefore the messaging and stories surrounding their business are changing. As the world changes, industries must pivot as well. For instance, during the pandemic smart companies began to look at their customers' needs rather than their wants and changed their brand’s story using media. To create a new message you need take a step back to think about how your offerings fit into your consumer’s new lifestyle. Influencer Marketing is here to stay: Since the pandemic, branding has shifted from showing the aspirational to targeting nostalgia and comfort. Data shows that in a crisis, media consumption goes up and today we see that is especially prevalent with social media. The need to consume social media results from people’s desire to connect with each other to feel comfort. Many businesses have opted to sponsor more influencer marketing posts and tell their story through an influencer’s platform. This is because consumer priorities have shifted in the pandemic and influencers can use their human connection to reach their audience more meaningfully. Influencers are hyper-connected and can turn around content much faster than others to create a new story for brands. Do something functionally or emotionally tangible when telling a story: In a crisis, brands need to listen to their audiences’ sentiments to ensure their campaigns are tasteful, sensitive and easily digestible. In times of crisis our brains perceive information differently. Our brain begins to narrow down what it thinks is fundamental and can cause concentration levels to go down. The brain becomes more impulsive and less decisive to help deal with the uncertainty, stress and grief. With that behavior in mind, we must speak to what our target audience knows and what is relatable to them. The powers of nostalgia, humor and novelty are key to developing a connection with audiences in these challenging times. Through nostalgia you can encourage familiarity. Through humor you can provide a healing effect to share positivity. And novelty can help you find familiarity in the new landscape. Successful storytelling is possible in a crisis if you analyze your consumer and adapt to the changes in behavior. As we continue to maneuver through the pandemic, we must not only manage the current issue at hand but equip ourselves with tools for a new future. At the end of the day, people are still people and we want to build a connection with them. Through the stories we tell, we can continue to relate to our consumers, help provide them new information, and make an impact on the world. By: Sarah Bouzine, Margaret Molloy, Christina Monteleone

Many traditional public relations and social media agencies don’t invest in their employees. They have what I call a "burnout culture" devoid of longevity or loyalty. Bring in young workers, burn them out, and cast them off. Bring in the next group. Repeat. That method might benefit the bottom line when business is booming, but how does it hold up in a crisis when company loyalty becomes the glue holding things together? If you invest in your employees during the long haul, you can expect that they'll return the love when things get dicey. Here's how: Remember, Loyalty Is a Two-Way Street Too many small businesses claim they put people first and promote work-life balance, but then offer bare minimum bereavement, sick leave, and inflexible or nonexistent parental leave policies. If you want to attract and retain loyal staff, treat them the way you'd like to be treated. But how do you provide the benefits, compensation, and high levels of flexibility that employees value without getting taken advantage of? It doesn't just happen randomly. You have to carefully hire people who you know are responsible adults and who won't take advantage of flexible policies. You also have to lead by example. Set the tone for all employees to follow, showing that you support true work/life balance. If an employee needs time and space to mourn a loved one or a working parent needs a combination of flexible options after returning from parental leave, find ways to balance the workload amongst the entire team, which might include yourself. When employees know they're supported, they go the extra mile in return. Loyal Staff Foster Loyal Clients When your staff is loyal, you retain long-term employees and high levels of expertise. That expertise is crucial to a client's trust in your work. You can't overestimate how important trust and continuing long-term relationships are when things get bumpy. When you're in danger of losing clients, strong relationships keep them on board long enough for you to make adjustments to provide the next outstanding campaign, product launch, or service. Support Employee Causes This one isn't as obvious, but investing in employees also means supporting causes that they care about. Numerous studies show that companies with socially conscious strategies are more profitable. 77% of consumers are more motivated to purchase from companies committed to making the world better. Give a small percent of your profits annually to charities chosen by your employees and provide in-service days to support their favorite causes. When employees share a mission of giving back, it strengthens company loyalty and attracts new employees and clients who have similar values. Many lessons come out of shared experiences in crisis. One that will resonate with the COVID-19 pandemic is how fragile our economic powerhouse really is and that taking care of our employees and our communities is paramount to our shared success. By Megan Driscoll, CEO & Founder, EvolveMKD

Creating quality content is more essential than ever for brands trying to build a strong online and digital presence. The content creation process for social media marketing in particular can seem daunting and expensive, especially for those with a small budget or who are just starting out. These simple tips and tricks can be used to help create content that not only resonates with your target audience, but is also cost efficient. Organization and planning come first with any project. Before creating content, stop and think about what kind of aesthetic and message you are trying to get across and if it is feasible. Some companies outsource content creation to photographers and graphic designers, but being your own content hub is the quickest way to cut costs and ensure that the quality is on brand. Although being a one-stop shop can be time consuming, it won’t be as overwhelming as you think with the right strategies in place. A few strategies to ensure producing content is a success include utilizing the assets, props, and relationships that you already have. Start by sourcing a free-shoot location with a backdrop that is on brand. Instead of an actual shoot location, you may just need to invest in a good light box. Once you have the venue or backdrop set, reach out to contacts in your network, including employees, who wouldn’t mind modeling for the shoot. Before beginning, connect with everyone you have recruited and discuss what props or materials they may be able to bring (you’d be surprised at what people have laying around the house)! During the shoot, have fun and don’t rush the process. Since folks are already spending their time and energy, make sure you are taking many different shots and angles to ensure you are capturing a variety of content that gets your messaging across. By incorporating a wide range of props and outfit changes, you will be able to create a variety of diverse content in a single shoot to be spread out over time. For additional assets, leverage your network further by tapping into friends or influencers with social media pages that have an on-brand aesthetic and encourage them to capture more content. The easiest way to do this is by sending branded product mailers. Sending a branded package with on point messaging encourages contacts to take photos while re-sharing and promoting the brand to their audience. Repurposing content from others is also an easy way to create image diversity in your feed, incorporate fresh faces, and take some of the work off of your shoulders. If you are just starting out, targeting friends and smaller scale influencers may achieve the best results or, if anything, help you to iron out a few kinks in the branded mailer process before expanding to larger scale influencers and people outside of your network. People are willing to collaborate — it’s all about the approach! With these tips and tricks all stemming from your network and direct resources, creating quality content on a budget does not have to be a troubling task! People you know are almost always willing to step in and help once a clear plan is presented. By: Lisa Faiella, Megan Duffy & Juliana Martins

When I started in public relations 17+ years ago, press releases were paramount as a way to create a splash for clients. Let’s face it, people were still saying “Any PR is good PR”. Today, public relations is less about who you’re pitching and even what you’re pitching. It’s asking yourself the question: “How are communications improving your client’s bottom line?” Today's clients want and need analytics and outcomes showing a return on investment, and only a dynamic approach can fuel the best results. While traditional PR mainstays like the press release- born from necessity more than a century ago - can be resurrected if done with a tailored approach, it’s more so about using a cross-medium marketing strategy that shares the right message for the right channel at the right time. Whether you’re an agency looking to elevate your offerings beyond the clipbook deliverable or a company interested in seeing what’s changed in the sphere of public relations: Here are 5 methods PR professionals should implement in a campaign or strategy that go beyond the standard press release: 1. Create measurable Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) with your client From the onset of your relationship with a client, create KPIs that are realistic and also rooted in improving sales. This should stem from the courageous question during brand planning where you ask: “Can I see your sales data and consumer purchase metrics?” 2. Incorporate experiential marketing With more and more consumers preferring experience over products, it may be high time to create something that incorporates both. Invite long-lead editors, bloggers, and influencers in the field to interactive events that showcase the brand where they can personally experience the products or service but in a unique way that builds brand affinity. 3. Always support “mediable” activations with digital amplification Yes, events create buzz, especially the experiential ones I just mentioned, but it’s important to build sustainable buzz once press/influencers leave your venue door. Every activation needs to have a content strategy to adapt that experience beyond your event attendees and to your audience online. One way is to use images from your event accompanied with social copy that includes a call to action to learn more about your product/service on your owned website. 4. Capitalize on brand-relevant moments in time Create a campaign that capitalizes on national holidays or a moment in time that aligns with the product (and no, I’m not talking about Mother’s Day). Create messaging that encourages your consumers to think there’s a need for your product or service such as a sweat-reducing treatment during the summer months or launch a CBD product during 4/20 and Earth Day. 5. Personalize your relationships & your pitches PR is a people’s business, so building your media relationships outside of that press release you drafted in Microsoft Office is a must. By creating real-life connections with writers and influencers, you are understanding what makes them tick, what they don’t or do like about your client in a candid manner, and lastly – you’re not as anxious to pitch them that one out-of-the-box idea. Yes, people still create and send press releases with the desire to create awareness, but public relations itself as a profession has evolved and it’s time to look into a multi-disciplinary approach that creates tangible impact for business. By Megan Driscoll, CEO & Founder, EvolveMKD

We get the same great, but complex question repeatedly from our clients: “What are the benchmarks that we should measure ourselves against?” Unfortunately, there isn’t a tool available that has a database of hundreds of metrics across thousands of industries and hundreds of thousands of companies that can easily provide us up-to-date benchmark data. (Though if anyone has heard of one, please let us know!) Without a comprehensive tool we instead apply a custom approach to understanding and developing benchmarks unique to our client’s goals — which is actually the first step in our five-step benchmark approach. Before we even dive into data collection, it is important to take a step back and first understand what success means for your business or client(s). Success can be defined as: • Spreading awareness for your brand, products, or your mission statement • Community building and building brand loyalty • Increase in sales • And many others! Once we understand exactly what success looks like, the second step is to identify the correct industry and competitive set. This process could involve discussing the following questions at length: • Are we aiming to measure success against our direct peers or aspirational brands? • What are important industry-related considerations that may impact our success? • Are there trends or regulations that have an impact on us now, or in the future? After determining the correct industry and competitive set, the next step is crucial to get the most benefits out of the data – do not look at benchmark metrics in isolation! Surface level metrics rarely give the full picture, and it’s important to consider the relationship between various metrics to identify patterns. For instance, certain types of social media posts may directly tie to comments, while others are more likely to result in likes. Benchmarking means being mindful of the relationships that are most important to reach our defined goals. The fourth step is to take an unbiased (we know, this is HARD!) look at your own role in the market. Gaining followers is a great goal, but ask yourself, what is the creative space you plan to own once you have them? When developing benchmarks it's important to consider your brand voice, your focus for the year, and whether you are an inspirational or relatable brand. Then take an unbiased look at your competitors: what are common themes in competitor content, what is their visual style and focus, and what do they do well? Finally, is there a whitespace you can own and if not, try revisiting the data and looking for new patterns and opportunities. The fifth and final step is reflection. Yes, you defined our goals, looked at the right industry and competitors, understood the relationship between various metrics, and defined your role in the overall landscape, but you aren’t done yet! Has anything happened that requires us to shift our approach (hello COVID-19!), has a competitor switched focus and why, did a new privacy law completely change how we interact on social media? These are important questions we need to ask even after benchmarks are developed and reporting has started. Here at EvolveMKD, we understand that measurement is what helps inform current and future business decisions, which is why we establish KPIs and benchmarks during our onboarding process and continue to evaluate our progress and goals throughout our partnership with our clients. Want to discuss more? Contact us! By: Katie Tatulli, Nikki Abraham, and Alex Christian

EvolveMKD instilled the motto “Be Kind, Don’t Suck” as its doors opened five years ago, and still lives by those words today. As the team members at EvolveMKD navigate the world of media, client needs and overall business partnerships, this narrative plays in their mind similar to the tune of their favorite songs. As the country has been adjusting to a “new normal” amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, not only has Evolve’s motto been held to an even higher standard, but it has become the pillar of empathy to ensure that the Evolve team is not only taking their personal lives and needs into account, but also providing quality work to its clients during a period of unknown. During Social Media Week 2020, the Evolve team attended sessions virtually and were able to get a first look at how executives are recommending the industry adapt during this time. The most important elements put into play and suggested by top Social Media Week speakers are: Treating Employees Like Family When COVID-19 hit the US in full force, EvolveMKD’s CEO, Megan Driscoll, put working from home into effect immediately and scheduled two daily check-ins in order to make sure that the team was doing well mentally and physically. In order to make sure that the team stays positive and clear-minded, Evolve began scheduling weekly virtual workouts and yoga/meditation sessions. The team has also been reminded frequently of their Unlimited PTO and to take mental health days when needed. Taking Control As the team adjusted to a new reality of working from home, Evolve has taken control over anything that is “controllable” during this questionable time, including providing excellent service to clients even from the comfort of a couch. The team has been able to tackle initiating human-first social media content, hosting virtual client events for new product launches, creating and managing materials for FDA approvals and launches, and even securing new business opportunities. Showing Gratitude One key takeaway from Social Media Week is the importance of showcasing a human-first experience in all client initiatives. This time has been a challenge for agencies and clients alike. It’s important for agencies to provide guidance and act as a reliable partner that clients can count on. The best way to be a leader and provide high-touch client service during a time of crisis is to be a human first. We are all living through unprecedented times and are finding common ground where we can, be it through social media or virtual meetings. When a company instills compassion, empathy, and listening into their business model, the best client work comes to fruition. By: Sherria Cotton & Chelsea Kelsey

Relaxed beauty trends are a visible reflection of our current pandemic reality. Working from home has blurred personal and professional lines for millions of Americans. We’ve seen the insides of each other’s living rooms and home offices in newscasts and our daily WFH video conferences. There’s a new and welcomed intimacy as we’ve become closer and learned to care for one another in more genuine ways. We can expect a more connected, empathetic society long after COVID-19 with less emphasis on formal boundaries. “The value of comfort—both physical and emotional—will become really important,” according to Mintel Trend. With customer expectations shifted towards an informal yet empathetic vibe, aesthetic brands will be wise to focus on more personalized customer comfort. Pandemic Pampering Beauty therapy is the #1 activity consumers are most looking forward to as COVID-19 restrictions are allowing salons and aesthetic treatment centers to open in various parts of the country. Everything from haircuts to nails to elective cosmetic procedures like BOTOX® Cosmetic. People miss their pampering. I know my team does! Aesthetic-care, done with care, can be safe––and is slowly rebounding. As the CEO and founder of EvolveMKD, a digital communications and PR agency headquartered in NYC, I lead my teams to track trends and predict outcomes. We develop 360-degree campaigns for innovators who are making a real difference in people’s lives—often in the beauty, medical, and lifestyle sectors. A trend we’re hearing pretty consistently from media and influencers all over the country is that one of the first items on their beauty to-do list is BOTOX® Cosmetic injections. While some patients are still hesitant, doctors have shared that most are anxious for their wrinkle reduction treatments and are beginning once again to schedule appointments. Recently, some of the nation’s top dermatologists, plastic surgeons, and infectious diseases doctors organized the Skinbetter Science Institute and developed a set of guidelines, known as the AesCert Guidance, to help practices re-open and resume aesthetic treatments. According to the AesCert Guidance, getting a Botox injection is considered safe even amid the pandemic. We now know that we may be living within a pandemic for some time. Consumers are gauging how to live their best quality of life while taking appropriate precautions. The pandemic has drastically shifted customer experience expectations. Brands that demonstrate their understanding and adjust their customer experience to address new attitudes will stand out and earn brand love. Consumers want to feel safe and expect the customer experience to accommodate and protect their needs. A visit to the salon will now look much more like outpatient surgery with gloves, masks, and temperature screenings. While looking our best does go a long way in making us feel better, the pandemic has forced us to become more comfortable with visible roots and less-stylized, more natural looks. Some cosmetic surgeons speculate that in a post-COVID world, the overt cosmetically altered look may go out of fashion with more subdued natural looks coming into vogue. Follow me on LinkedIn. Check out my website. By Megan Driscoll, CEO & Founder, EvolveMKD THIS ARTICLE WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON FORBES.COM