News & Ideas

Recruitment Branding

Mon, 13 Oct 2014 21:29:42 Z

You know a good candidate when you meet one. But how do you attract the right people?

Recruit the best candidates by setting your organization apart with recruitment branding that:

Leverages the best advertising and marketing principles
Incorporates a mix of media to reach your target audience
Shares the faces and voices of your employees as ambassadors for your workplace experience

As with any branding effort, your recruitment brand must be authentic, distinctive and compelling to the audience — your right-fit talent.

We invite you to listen as Will Ruch, CEO of Versant, discusses the 7 requirements for successful recruitment branding:

Think like the candidate
Define right-fit talent
Communicate the WHY of work
Introduce short employee videos
Give content to brand ambassadors
Go mobile and social
Measure the results

Are these steps part of your recruiting process?

MCTS: Bringing Customers On Board With Change

Tue, 07 Oct 2014 20:38:04 Z

Last week, our client, the Milwaukee County Transit System, launched the MCTS M•CARD to the public. The new reusable smart card technology allows riders to hop on, scan their card, and enjoy their ride without dealing with cash or change on the bus.

When fully implemented on over 60 routes with an average daily ridership of approximately 151,000, the MCTS M•CARD will have a significant impact on and benefit to riders and the transit system.

The challenge: the smart card is very different from what riders are used to. Getting thousands of riders “on-board” with this new technology is no small task. Critical to success is effective marketing and communication that invites riders to get excited about the MCTS M•CARD, and then walks them through the process of using it.

For MCTS, key elements include breaking the change into small steps for riders, training customer-facing personnel to assist riders, and widespread marketing to raise awareness and detail the benefits of this new technology. Our multimedia marketing plan ensures ongoing outreach to riders to introduce them to and make them want to use the MCTS M•CARD.

Change is constant, but it’s not easy. Marketing strategy and execution must communicate the features of a new process or product, and invite customers to experience the benefits. It can be the difference between keeping and losing existing customers.

Create Your Next Breakthrough

Mon, 24 Mar 2014 00:36:33 Z

Registration is now open for our HR.com webinar, "Create Your Next Breakthrough by Partnering with Marketing," on Thursday, March 27.

I will be leading this webinar, along with my "HR and Marketing Power Partners” co-author, Pat Nazemetz.

Join us to hear from leaders at top companies, including Associated Bank, Lincoln Financial Group, McDonald's, Presidio, Royal Philips and Sartori Cheese. We will be sharing next practices on recruitment marketing, on re-recruiting and engaging employees, and creating a partnership between HR and marketing.

Register today!

Will Ruch is the president and CEO of Versant. Whether guiding strategy for high-impact marketing campaigns or helping major corporations leverage internal communications to align employees and drive results, Will brings a client-centric approach to all aspects of Versant's business. He is also an engaging speaker, having presented at more than 100 national seminars and conferences. - See more at: http://versantsolutions.com/news-ideas/posts/2014/01/15/six-content-marketing-resolutions#sthash.NeWBUHxR.dpufWill Ruch is the president and CEO of Versant. Whether guiding strategy for high-impact marketing campaigns or helping major corporations leverage internal communications to align employees and drive results, Will brings a client-centric approach to all aspects of Versant's business. He is also an engaging speaker, having presented at more than 100 national seminars and conferences.

OWN IT

Wed, 22 Jan 2014 21:05:09 Z

Accountability is one of the most important attributes for internal and external engagement and growth. As we kick off 2014, Versant has introduced a new business philosophy that demonstrates our commitment to doing great work that gets results:

Six Content Marketing Resolutions

Wed, 15 Jan 2014 16:39:06 Z

Last week, I had the chance to hear a presentation by content marketing evangelist Joe Pulizzi at the BMA Milwaukee January keynote event. The presentation was centered on Joe’s resolutions for content marketing, which really resonated with me and led me to reexamine Versant’s, and my own, content marketing efforts.

A Look Back on 2013

Tue, 17 Dec 2013 17:28:46 Z

The end of 2013 is upon us, and what a wonderful year it has been! As we look forward to the New Year, I always make a point to think back to all that has happened in the past 12 months. Like all organizations, Versant has gone through many changes this past year, as we continue evolving in today’s business world, and there have been so many great opportunities as a result.

Becoming a Destination Workplace in Today’s Connected World: The HR-Marketing Partnership

Mon, 09 Dec 2013 19:32:56 Z

How does an organization become known as a destination workplace? It starts with—and requires—a partnership between human resources and marketing. The story of the workplace experience must accurately reflect a compelling employee experience, and work in harmony with the external brand.

Becoming a Destination Workplace in Today’s Connected World: The Importance of the Employer Brand

Wed, 04 Dec 2013 16:05:01 Z

Attracting the best and brightest talent to our workplaces has long been a goal for all of us who own businesses. While employers can almost always find someone to fill a job, they know that finding high-caliber employees who believe in their organization and work hard to achieve its goals is critical to growth and success.

Giving Thanks

Tue, 26 Nov 2013 16:54:22 Z

As we close in on another Thanksgiving, I’d like to take a little time to give thanks for the organizations and the people that make Versant the strong company it has become.

Online Learning Recap: Engage Employees to Deliver Your Brand

Tue, 19 Nov 2013 23:38:09 Z

Thank you to those who joined us live for our first Google Hangout, a live online learning event on engaging employees to deliver your brand and grow your business.

Live Online Learning Event: Engage Employees to Deliver Your Brand

Fri, 15 Nov 2013 21:27:21 Z

Every action an employee takes has the opportunity to either reinforce or diminish your brand. When HR and marketing join together, employees can become brand ambassadors.

Versant Raises Funds for United Way of Greater Milwaukee

Tue, 12 Nov 2013 21:57:46 Z

United Way of Greater Milwaukee is a nonprofit organization focused on local solutions for local problems. It advances the common good as the largest community-based investor in education, income and health – the building blocks for a good quality of life.

The Latest Generation of Workers – Millennials

Thu, 07 Nov 2013 19:48:19 Z

Earlier this week, I shared some of the conversation around internships, apprenticeships and mentorships that fellow panelists and I discussed at the recent Get Smarter Talent Development Conference in Milwaukee. We were also asked to give our general observations about the latest generation of workers – millennials. What makes them unique or special? And what makes them tick?

Internships, Apprenticeships and Mentorships

Tue, 05 Nov 2013 19:43:07 Z

A smarter Milwaukee is a better Milwaukee. I heard this line several times at the recent Get Smarter Talent Development Conference, where I spoke with a panel of local industry experts. In his opening, Peter J. Holbrook, dean of the College of Business and Management at Cardinal Stritch University and one of the panelists, said, we need to awaken the potential that exists in our community. We talked about young people – students and the latest generation of workers. Specifically, we focused on internships, apprenticeships and mentorships that lead young people to find the right jobs.

Diversity in a Global Corporate Culture

Thu, 24 Oct 2013 19:06:57 Z

When Versant partnered with business leaders for an “HR and Marketing Power Partners” panel discussion in front of the Greater Milwaukee Committee, we were incredibly excited to be joined in the discussion by the president of ManpowerGroup, Jonas Prising.

The Get Smarter Talent Development Conference

Tue, 15 Oct 2013 15:41:32 Z

With today's multi-generational workforce, your organization will benefit from learning how to apply strategies that empower your employees and leverage the skill sets of your team.

Podcast: Creating Contagious Content

Fri, 11 Oct 2013 14:42:17 Z

Thursday Thought is a weekly “lunch and learn” session at Versant, where we gather as a group to discuss relevant branding, marketing and communications topics. Our sessions vary from listening to podcasts, watching videos and having vendor presentations to general knowledge sharing among the group. It’s a great way for us to stay on top of trends and brainstorm how we can apply new ideas and learning to our client work.

Hiring Great People and Keeping Them Happy

Fri, 04 Oct 2013 21:02:50 Z

Last week, I moderated a session at a Growth, Leadership and Human Capital Conference hosted by the Wisconsin chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG). Speakers included John Qudeen, VP of global recruiting operations at Thomson Reuters and a long-time Versant client, and Kevin Wheeler, president and founder of the Future of Talent Institute.

Association for Corporate Growth Event on Sept. 24

Fri, 20 Sep 2013 13:50:17 Z

The Wisconsin chapter of the Association for Corporate Growth (ACG) is the region’s premier organization dedicated to profiling, promoting and celebrating corporate growth. I am proud to say that I’ve served as an ACG board member for the past several years.

Social Media as a Recruiting Tool

Mon, 09 Sep 2013 17:39:20 Z

Versant has worked with HR professional Susan Quackenbush for more than 15 years. In her current role as chief human resources officer at Presidio, Susan leads an HR team that supports more than 2,000 employees in more than 50 offices across the U.S. She is also responsible for developing programs and policies that advance the Presidio talent base in support of the company’s business strategy.

Make a Name, Make an Impact

Wed, 04 Sep 2013 14:41:42 Z

Learn how to grow your business and brand at an interactive session tomorrow morning at the Woman’s Club of Wisconsin. Registration is still open until noon today. I’ll be speaking with three other local business leaders who have written books and used them as marketing tools.

"It ain't over till it's over!"

Thu, 29 Aug 2013 20:25:48 Z

Well, it’s over … our softball season, that is. The 2013 United Adworkers league ended last night, with Brand X taking the No. 1 spot. Team Versant’s season came to an end last Wednesday in a playoff game loss against the team that won it all.

Business Leaders: What do your employees think of you?

Mon, 19 Aug 2013 18:06:49 Z

In a recent Harvard Business Review article titled, “Connect, Then Lead,” the three authors ask the question, “Is it better to be loved or feared?” They say putting competence before warmth undermines leadership...

The Business Impact of Writing a Book

Thu, 08 Aug 2013 16:40:31 Z

Ever since writing “HR and Marketing Power Partners” with Pat Nazemetz, there are two questions I get asked all the time: “What did it take to write a business book?” and “What has it done for you?”

Meet Sam Mueller

Thu, 11 Jul 2013 20:11:00 Z

We are so excited to welcome our newest intern, Sam Mueller! Check out his message and questionnaire below.