Inflation Nation

President Biden last week signed the Inflation Reduction Act into law, cementing the latest victory for his party after a series of high-profile bipartisan policy wins and successful partisan maneuvering to pass the capstone achievement – Biden’s tax and spending package.

The administration now intends to spend much of the time leading up to the midterm elections promoting its historic achievements, sending cabinet officials on the road to "promote the benefits of the president’s accomplishments and the Inflation Reduction Act to the American people and highlight the contrast with Congressional Republicans’ vision," according to a White House memo.

According to the most recent Morning Consult – Politico National Tracking Poll, Biden’s public approval ratings are already seeing a modest improvement, up three points to 42% for August 12-14, before the Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law. With more than 80 days until the midterm elections, experts agree that anything could happen, but the administration’s hard-fought efforts appear to be paying off.

The U.S. economy, however, continues to send conflicting messages. After two consecutive quarters of negative growth, many economists continue to assess that a recession is likely later this year or early next. And that, of course, could upend the political landscape.

Reporters respond to about three percent of pitches they receive, according to a recent analysis. While there is no one-size-fits-all approach, here are a few important tips from our Health Media Insights newsletter to help your next pitch break through the noise. 

• Make a strong first impression. Make sure your pitch shows you’ve done your homework. Reporters are more likely to respond to pitches if they’re personalized and relevant to their beats, interests and/or previous coverage.

• Keep it short and sweet. Pitches tend to be more successful when the subject line is fewer than five words, according to the analysis. On a similar note, reporters are also more likely to respond to a shorter pitch. In fact, the sweet spot is anywhere between 50 and 150 words.

• Link out to additional resources. Reporters are also more likely to respond to pitches that include links embedded in the body of an email. Linking to additional resources, such as studies or relevant news articles, can also help cut down on word count. Additionally, providing examples of recent media coverage about your company or featuring your spokesperson can be a great way to show broader interest in the topic.

To sign up for FGS’ Health Media Insights newsletter, email health@fgsglobal.com.

The days of pure, regulated top-down corporate communication are over. When it comes to internal comms, employee participation is key to successfully reaching target groups and supporting corporate goals. Employee input in the form of opinions, feedback and ideas can be used to make internal communication more effective, boost employee engagement, and improve business decisions.

Our insights team talked to 17 internal communication executives and gathered a list of challenges and solutions. Here’s what they learned: 

The Challenges 

• New competencies are needed. Internal communication must take on a new role of moderator and enabler – facilitating dialogue, supporting negotiation and strengthening the communication skills of management and employees.  

• Strategic options aren’t yet fully exploited. Employee participation is solicited on topics such as value, vision processes, communicating corporate strategy and organizational change. But there’s room for development around digital transformation and innovation – an area where internal communication still gives precedence to HR and IT. 

• Employees are hesitant. Employees’ reluctance to take advantage of participation opportunities may stem from hierarchical structures or management’s influence on corporate culture. To foster participation opportunities, internal communication must enable a culture change. 

The Solutions

• Define a clear target picture. Moderating these conversations means relinquishing some degree of control. To plan participation strategically, internal communicators must reflect on their own attitude and define objectives and opportunities for employee participation. 

• Ensure a well-thought-out participation offer. To encourage employee involvement, offers of participation need to demonstrate credibility and relevance to employee interests and needs. Invest time and patience.Overcoming cultural hurdles and fostering the trust required for employee participation is a process that will take time and patience.