New year, new challenges: How do we prepare for new laws?

5 min read

“What!? More new requirements and regulations from the start of next year? Why am I just hearing about this now?”

Despite government ministries’ increasingly effective engagement efforts, this kind of startled reaction when reading the news is not uncommon. Small business owners and startups, in particular, often focus all their energy on building their businesses or managing day-to-day operations that keep the lights on. Unfortunately, this isn’t just a concern for beginners—overlooking new regulatory processes happens even in the best-run companies. It’s entirely fair to admit that staying on top of everything isn’t always possible, nor is it necessary. But it’s undeniably frustrating when surprises like these arise.

Wouldn’t it be more practical if experts kept an eye on regulatory changes—just as they do with climate change? Whether it’s an in-house legal advisor, an industry association, or an agency that specializes in tracking sector-specific developments, these professionals have the tools and methods to monitor important updates effectively.

“There’s a draft bill in Parliament that directly impacts us—we need to act quickly and bring in some help! (P.S. Who even voted for these people!?)”

Many can relate to discovering a critical update in their inbox—perhaps an overlooked notification from an industry association or an alert about a bill in Parliament. Worse still, it might significantly impact current business operations, whether it’s a new obligation, regulation, or tax. By the time a bill is under parliamentary review, it’s often too late to amend or reverse it.

While META Advisory has seen successful last-minute advocacy efforts, effective government relations require a longer-term, well-thought-out strategy. Scrambling at the last stage of the process can do more harm than good, particularly when considering future relationships. In Estonia—a democratic country with relatively straightforward legislative procedures—there’s enough time and opportunity to communicate clear messages to decision-makers, ideally at earlier stages. These messages can be critical or supportive, depending on whether the legal framework needs more clarity or stricter rules to ensure a level playing field.

“Sure, the ministry is at it again, but as long as the same rules apply to everyone, it doesn’t matter—they don’t listen to us anyway.”

Estonian entrepreneurs (and people in general) tend to be highly tolerant. Most will endure hardships as long as competitors face the same challenges. Protests and flipped cars aren’t standard methods for expressing dissatisfaction here. However, passive indifference isn’t constructive, either. While rules may apply equally to everyone, the starting points and competitiveness vary significantly.

Estonia is also characterized by its horizontal structure. Along with its relatively flat geography, the country’s power structure is remarkably accessible. With enough determination and reasoning, anyone can secure a meeting with a minister or high-ranking official. The real question is whether this opportunity is used effectively. Many META consultants have previously worked in government roles, giving us a deep understanding of who to approach, when, and how to ensure entrepreneurs’ legitimate interests are heard.

“I heard the EU imposed yet another set of pointless regulations on our industry. At least we get subsidies from them.”

Our expertise isn’t limited to Estonia. We are well-versed in European Union processes and the institutions involved. No EU rule or regulation appears overnight, leaving local officials scrambling to adapt them to Estonian law. Yes, there’s been a lot lately, and our small country’s administrative capacity has been put to the test. However, every EU legislative act goes through a lengthy process before approval, during which stakeholders can participate and voice their opinions. The best time to engage is when the EU calls for public consultation.

EU decision-making can seem complex, and it often feels like decisions are made in a “black box,” impossible to understand or influence. This isn’t true. It’s worth remembering that many officials in Europe or Estonia lack practical field experience. That’s why government relations are essential—not just for advocacy’s sake but for creating a better legal framework overall.

“My team at META handles that!”

Ultimately, there’s another option: delegate. It’s most efficient when entrepreneurs focus on running their businesses, leaders ensure the execution of business plans, and government relations consultants ensure that the correct information reaches the right decision-makers at the right time. Every business is unique, and competition in an open world is fierce. That’s why people should focus on what they do best—whether running a company or navigating these seemingly vague processes. One thing is sure: we’re ready to tackle any challenge head-on. Contact us!

5 communication essentials for startup success

4 min read

The success of many startups often lies in strategic communication, which not only makes the brand visible but also builds trust. In a highly competitive landscape, clear, targeted communication provides startups a key advantage, helping them stand out. Every step in building a strategy matters, from understanding investor perspectives to raising brand awareness.

Know your investors and their expectations

Communication must be clear, well-considered, and tailored to specific target audiences. For many startups, investors are a crucial audience, so it’s essential to put yourself in their shoes and understand what they need to know. What do they already know about your company? What should they know? Where are they likely to look for information, and how might they interpret what they find?

Answering these questions allows you to create a strategy that enhances visibility and supports fundraising efforts. Remember, one PR activity rarely reaches all desired audiences at once. Instead, focusing each action – whether a social media post or an article – on a core message for a specific audience is often more effective and impactful.

“Remember, one PR activity rarely reaches all desired audiences at once. Instead, focusing each action – whether a social media post or an article – on a core message for a specific audience is often more effective and impactful.”

Your strategy must be substantial and well thought-out, with messages centered on what truly matters. Core messages should be consistent, clear, and woven into communication efforts to support business goals. Chasing constant novelty doesn’t help build a coherent and understandable narrative about your business.

LinkedIn: the business world’s Google

LinkedIn is becoming an increasingly crucial channel and cannot be ignored. In Estonia, over 370,000 people use LinkedIn, and globally, it has more than 830 million users. It’s the “Google of the business world” where interested parties look for company information. Therefore, it’s essential to ensure your company’s profile is polished, relevant, and filled with meaningful posts. Key team members’ profiles should also be professional and clearly showcase their expertise, the value they bring, and the mission they support. This makes it easier for potential investors to understand the company’s strengths.

Build trust through media exposure

A strong way to attract potential investors and build trust is to feature in (industry) media. News portal coverage ranks high in search engines, helps maintain a top-of-mind position, and keeps you in investors’ awareness. Media exposure supports credibility.

“A strong way to attract potential investors and build trust is to feature in (industry) media.”

If the goal is to catch investors’ attention, consider which channels and media outlets in which countries to prioritise. For example, targeting US investors means aiming for visibility in US publications. If the next funding round is likely from Estonia, focus on the local market.

Owned channels reflect your efficiency

Don’t overlook your owned channels as part of your communication efforts. If your website or social media was last updated a year ago, filled with outdated information or photos of former employees, it signals inactivity and inflexibility. Regularly check your owned channels, update recent news, and ensure all information aligns with your communication strategy.

Building a reliable brand is a marathon, not a sprint

Never assume your target audience knows everything about you or fully understands your solution. Being immersed in your field can make it feel like everyone already knows what you do, but that’s rarely the case. Building brand awareness and staying memorable requires long-term strategic work. Often, a single appearance in a news portal’s feed isn’t enough to make a lasting impression. Good communication rests on thorough planning, persistence, and engaging with your audience in ways they understand.

Three tips for international media relations

4 min read

Years ago, I gained my first experience in international media relations while working as a press officer at the French Embassy in Estonia. French journalists coming to Estonia to cover stories often sought help finding spokespeople and additional context about their topics of interest. I saw firsthand the amount of preparation journalists put into their work before the story got published.

From a PR consultant perspective, international media relations have become increasingly crucial for Estonian companies. With a wish to expand into foreign markets comes a need to introduce the company itself, their products, and their services. What should one remember when attempting to get on the pages of an international media outlet?

1. Know the journalist (and the publication)

Understanding a journalist’s style and interests is also crucial for pitching stories to Estonian media, but it’s even more critical internationally. Journalists receive an overwhelming number of pitches daily. The “spray and pray” approach doesn’t typically work in international media relations. To stand out, you must know what matters to the journalist.

“The “spray and pray” approach doesn’t typically work in international media relations. To stand out, you must know what matters to the journalist.”

It’s also vital to understand the publication they work for. There’s a big difference between pitching to a business news portal and a popular science magazine. The angle you choose for your story depends on this—the more generic your message, the higher the chance it ends up in the spam folder.

But how do you find the right publication and journalist? Tools like Google and ChatGPT may only sometimes be adequate for this purpose. At Meta Advisory, we are using an international media monitoring system called Meltwater. This tool allows us to analyse over 270,000 global media outlets and map activity across over 15 social media platforms, podcasts, and print publications.

With Meltwater, you can identify relevant outlets and journalists based on specific keywords, topics, and regions. The tool is especially crucial for crisis communication. One of our clients recently had a case where potentially damaging information spread like wildfire in the international media. Meltwater helped us monitor coverage and provided contacts for journalists covering the topic, enabling us to send clarifications to many outlets promptly.

2. “Go big or go home” is not the best approach in international media relations

Landing a story in prestigious publications like the Financial Times, Bloomberg, or The Guardian is undoubtedly a worthwhile goal, but it’s not always the most reasonable strategy. Instead of persistently pitching TIER 1 outlets with stories that lead nowhere, try approaching trade publications. While these often have smaller audiences, they are closely followed by other journalists and might be a doorway to TIER 1 publications.

“Instead of persistently pitching TIER 1 outlets with stories that lead nowhere, try approaching trade publications.”

Trade publications are more accessible, and their quality tends to be relatively high because they focus exclusively on specific fields. Something extraordinary must happen in Estonia to catch the attention of world-renowned publications. Local news from small countries rarely meets their standards.

A few months ago, I pitched a story about a client’s multi-hundred-million-euro investment in Western Europe to a TIER 1 publication journalist. The response was “Interesting, but not newsworthy enough for us.” In Estonia, this story had been the most important news of the day.

Recently, we helped a client connect with an international journalist specializing in space topics. The interview was published in a space-focused publication and quickly gained traction, being referenced in over ten international media outlets. This example highlights the strategic value of niche industry media for businesses looking to amplify their message.

That doesn’t mean major outlets are out of reach for Estonian companies, far from it. However, achieving this requires consistent effort. Sending a press release once or twice a year won’t cut it.

Additionally, don’t expect press releases to be copy-pasted as news in international outlets. A press release is one of many tools for building systematic international media relations.

3. Be patient

Supporting the communications for several international events over recent years has taught me patience. Stories don’t happen in days — or even weeks. In one case, it took four months from the first contact with a journalist to the actual coverage. I received the journalist’s initial response within a week of reaching out, but scheduling the interview, preparing for it, navigating internal editorial processes, and finalising the story took time.

“Stories don’t happen in days — or even weeks. In one case, it took four months from the first contact with a journalist to the actual coverage.”

Long lead times are the norm, not the exception, in international media relations. Starting your media efforts weeks, if not months, in advance for important topics or events is wise. But for that first contact to be fruitful, you must do your homework to reach the right person at the publication. It all comes back to knowing the journalist you are reaching out to.

The EU’s new promise: less bureaucracy, a stronger industry

7 min read

The European Union has historically been known for its bureaucracy and numerous regulations. However, Ursula von der Leyen’s second term promises to focus on reducing bureaucracy and supporting economic growth and investment. Her goal is to reduce companies’ reporting obligations and to adapt major policies, such as the Green Deal, to economic realities. In the mission letters sent to commissioners, she even added a separate chapter titled: Making Europe simpler and faster. Still, there are fears that the Commission might create more bureaucracy while trying not to.

Before the new Commission can take office, the commissioner-designates must go through hearings in the European Parliament, which have been concluded by now. Not all future Commissioners have received Parliament’s approval as of today, but political analysts believe that the entire College will nevertheless be appointed next week. To better prepare the commissioners for the upcoming term, President von der Leyen sent mission letters to all commissioner candidates, providing insights into the new Commission’s policies. The tasks set for the commissioners are largely based on the Mario Draghi report on EU competitiveness published in September, which painted a rather bleak picture of Europe’s future if concrete steps are not taken.

Although the mission letters are quite general, and details will emerge during the term, it is clear that the so-called umbrella policy will be the Clean Industrial Deal which will focus on attracting investments and simplifying public procurement rules.

The responsibility for presenting the Clean Industrial Deal lies with the Frenchman Stéphane Séjourné, who has been nominated for Executive Vice-President in charge of Prosperity and Industrial Strategy. His main task is indeed to develop Europe’s new industrial strategy. He must create conditions for industries to invest, aiming for greater (technological) sovereignty in Europe. Innovation, research, and technology are central to his portfolio.

Séjourné is also partially responsible for the European Competitiveness Fund and reviewing public procurement directives to ensure Europe can access critical technologies. Implementing and advancing the Critical Raw Materials Act is also one of his tasks. He will propose new specific measures such as a Circular Economy Act, a new Chemicals Industry Package, a European Biotech Act, a steel and metals action plan, and a Standardisation Regulation.

The Commission’s largest share of new tasks has undoubtedly gone to the Spaniard Teresa Ribera Rodríguez, who has been nominated as Executive Vice-President responsible for a Clean, Just and Competitive Transition.

Her task is to update EU policies to support European companies in global competition and contribute to broader competitiveness, sustainability, and security goals. Since von der Leyen’s idea in the new Commission is to reduce personal fiefdoms and thereby ensure greater college cooperation, the responsibilities and even titles of the commissioners largely overlap.

Under the Clean Industrial Deal, Ribera must also focus on developing a framework to simplify new state aid rules to accelerate renewable energy adoption, tackle industrial carbon emissions reduction, and ensure adequate production capacities.

She will also focus on the challenges facing SMEs and oversee the implementation of the European Competitiveness Fund, and under it, make proposals for so-called Important Projects of Common Interest in strategic sectors. The classic competition portfolio elements such as assessing the impact of major mergers on competition, also remains under her purview. There, she must also consider the changed defence and security landscape.

In light of the changed security situation, the position of Defence Commissioner has been created to be filled by former Lithuanian Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius. His task is to create a European Defence Union in close cooperation with member states and NATO. Within the first 100 days he is expected, in collaboration with High Representative Kaja Kallas, to produce a White Paper on the Future of European Defence, which will shape a new approach to defence and identify investment needs. Kubilius will also be responsible for creating a Single Market for Defence products and services to increase production capacities in Europe and encourage joint procurements. In the new term, the Commission will also pay special attention to SMEs and propose ways to improve their integration into supply chains.

Kubilius will also be responsible for developing a European cyber defence common project, implementing and monitoring the European Defense Industry Programme, and strengthening the European Defence Fund to increase investments in high-level defence capabilities in critical areas such as naval, air combat, and space-based early warning systems. In the space domain, he will promote the space industry by creating common standards and regulations.

The digital portfolio, a favourite topic among Estonians, will be managed by Finnish Henna Virkkunen, who has been nominated for the position of Executive Vice-President responsible for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy. Her broader task is to lead Europe out of the situation where only four of the world’s 50 largest technology companies are from Europe.

Virkkunen must foster AI innovation and, within the first 100 days, ensure access to tailored supercomputing capacity for AI start-ups and industry through the AI Factories initiative. She will also establish a European AI Research Council.

Virkkunen’s new responsibilities include drafting the EU Cloud and AI Development Act and the EU Data Union Strategy. She will continue developing the existing Chips Act but also propose a long-term EU Quantum Chips plan.

Work in Europe will continue with secure, fast, and reliable connectivity – for this, she will introduce a new Digital Networks Act. The Digital Services Act, Digital Markets Act, and the EU Wallet adopted in the previous mandate must be better enforced. She will also be responsible for greater digitalisation and cyber resilience of the Commission as an institution.

Energy will be handled by Dutchman Wopke Hoekstra, nominated as Commissioner for Climate, Net Zero, and Clean Growth, and Dane Dan Jørgensen, nominated as Commissioner for Energy and Housing. Hoekstra will focus on issues related to decarbonisation, such as meeting emission reduction targets under a European Climate Law, establishing an Industrial Decarbonisation Accelerator Act, creating net zero infrastructure, and phase out fossil fuel subsidies. At the same time, Jørgensen is tasked with completing the Energy Union. Among other things, the rules for establishing the Energy Union should lower energy prices, increase investment in clean energy production, and develop grid infrastructure. An action plan to end energy imports from Russia is also to be submitted. Europe wants to accelerate the adoption of small modular reactors and address carbon capture and storage issues.

Setting the goal for commissioners to reduce administrative burdens and simplify legislation is, of course, a response to public pressure. Large companies who do have the resources to comply with regulations have also criticised Brussels for fragmentation, unpredictability, and being anti-innovation. Mario Draghi has pointed out that since 2019, the EU has adopted 13,000 pieces of legislation, while the US has adopted about 3,000 over the same period. As can be seen, even the abovementioned six commissioners out of 27 have substantial tasks ahead with both existing and new laws. Creating regulations, with all the associated strategic dialogues, impact assessments and consultations, is indeed the work of the Commission. It would likely be challenging to make a mark by doing nothing.

Successful startup investment begins with thoughtful communication

5 min read

Securing investments often depends on a startup’s public presentation and visibility. According to Robert Martin, investment manager at SmartCap, and Gregor Sibold, senior consultant at META Alpha, strategic communication gives companies an advantage when raising funds.

The process of securing investments is lengthy and can start in various ways. However, once a startup catches an investor’s attention or initial contact is made, the real research begins, specifically with a background check of the company. According to Martin, the first step is often a simple Google search. “When I hear the name of a company I’m unfamiliar with, the first thing I do is Google it to get an idea of who’s on the team and what they do. This information can usually be found on their website or LinkedIn, or for Estonian companies, the business register,” he said.

The next step involves the investor assessing whether the company aligns with their investment strategy. “If it’s a deep-tech company, I check if there are any previous media or blog articles explaining what they do and where they aim to go,” said Martin, noting that he views media coverage with a slightly more critical eye, as it’s often aimed at a broader audience.

LinkedIn and the company’s website serve as its digital business cards

Martin emphasised that a company’s website is crucial for creating the first impression for a potential investor. “A poorly constructed website or one lacking information raises doubts,” he said, adding that a professional presence on social media is a strong signal to investors that the company knows what it’s doing. “When I see a company making a conscious effort to stay visible, I sense that it’s a strategically thinking team. In Estonia, personal branding, or self-promotion, is often overlooked, but it should be much more widespread,” he noted.

In addition to the website, Martin emphasised the importance of the company’s LinkedIn profile. “If a company is well-represented on LinkedIn, it shows they understand the importance of their image,” said the investment manager. He added that if the information on the profile is sparse or inaccurate, it raises the question of whether the company has something to hide.

Early-stage startups often have empty LinkedIn profiles. “The profile seems hastily put together – there’s a one-liner and the founder has listed that they’ve been working at the company since, say, 2023. The rest of the profile and news feed are empty,” he noted. According to Martin, this suggests that the company either hasn’t started actively using LinkedIn yet or doesn’t consider it important. “Such a case is neutral to me, but it certainly doesn’t send a positive signal,” he said.

Numerous instances show that poor-quality channels or PR often lead investors to move on to other companies to save time. Martin noted that this is common among startups that haven’t previously raised capital. “If the channels are poorly set up and the information is hard to find, that’s a red flag. Even if the business model is interesting. If an investor has to choose between two similar companies and one has all its channels presented professionally, it’s likely they’ll choose the latter,” he said.

*SmartCap investment manager Robert Martin.*

“If the channels are poorly set up and the information is hard to find, that’s a red flag. Even if the business model is interesting. If an investor has to choose between two similar companies and one has all its channels presented professionally, it’s likely they’ll choose the latter.”

Clear communication is key

According to Sibold, a startup’s representation in both traditional and social media plays a critical role in raising funds. “Put yourself in the investor’s shoes and think about what they know, don’t know, need to know, and where they will start looking for information about your company. You need to take a strategic approach,” he explained.

Sibold considers a startup’s active presence on LinkedIn to be crucial for catching the attention of investors, where there are approximately 370,000 users in Estonia, as well as nearly all foreign investors. “A strong narrative, clear messaging, and employee personal branding – these illustrate the company’s value proposition and show trustworthiness,” he said.

It’s equally important to maintain visibility in the media. “Regular media coverage signals to investors that the company is a thought leader and expert in its field. Media exposure opens doors for startups that might otherwise remain closed,” said Sibold. He added that companies should seize opportunities to comment on relevant current events and, where possible, create their own news. When investors are mapping out startups in a particular field, it’s vital for any founder that their company name and story come up first in a Google search. Media exposure increases the chances of this.

Successful communication always relies on a long-term strategy that must be reflected in all the company’s messages, Sibold noted. That’s why PR agencies focus daily on ensuring their clients’ messages stand out and provide value to the media. “Ultimately, all startup’s public activities should follow the same fundamental principle – clear and impactful communication from the beginning is the cornerstone of raising funds,” he said.

Strategic communication tips for startups:

Build a thoughtful and informative website
Maintain an active and comprehensive LinkedIn profile
Ensure regular media presence and visibility
Adopt a clear and consistent communication strategy across all public messages

How to build your personal brand on LinkedIn

5 min read

LinkedIn and personal branding are not exactly the same, but using the platform wisely can significantly enhance your expert image.

There are very mixed opinions about LinkedIn. Some see it as one of the favourite platforms for self-admirers, where people can freely talk about their achievements, completed courses, micro-degrees, and being named Employee of the Year. As a result, many people tend to stay away from LinkedIn.

However, some consciously use LinkedIn to strengthen their brand, sell their company’s product or service, and position themselves as opinion leaders.

The difference between these two groups lies in the content: some talk about themselves, while others focus on what is valuable to their audience. Shameless self-promotion should be left in the past because the platform can be used much more skillfully.

Where to start with LinkedIn content creation and how?

1. Decide what you want to be known for

Your personal brand is what people say about you when you’re not in the room. It all starts with your skills, values, and how people perceive you. We all have a personal brand, whether we’ve worked on it consciously or not.

The good news is that you can shape your personal brand yourself. Ask yourself: what do you want to be known for? Positioning yourself as an expert is challenging, and you should first clarify your expertise. Think about what you want to convey to people. Why should they trust you? What results have you already achieved? What have you learned in the process? A unique personality certainly gives you an edge.

2. Who is your audience?

Next, define the target group you want to reach as precisely as possible. Are they marketing managers, engineers, or developers? After determining your audience, think about their current challenges so that your content can help them be more successful in solving their problems. Understanding your audience is a prerequisite for creating valuable content, and understanding begins with active listening.

To create good content, it’s essential to understand your audience’s pain points, goals, problems, and opportunities. Only then can you start creating high-quality content.

3. Be original

Whatever you do, don’t forget that artificial statements don’t yield results. Be authentic! Real people, real stories, including mistakes and failures. Be brave enough to talk about them. Those who succeed on LinkedIn have found their unique voice and know how to tell a story.

It’s easy to tell when people take the path of least resistance and rely entirely on AI for their content creation. I’m not talking about using ChatGPT to bounce ideas around or getting a language check on a post. That’s entirely welcome and helps create more robust content. But it’s best to avoid bureaucratic language, awkward expressions, empty sentences, and even more so, AI-generated comments.

4. Write as you speak

Remember that social media posts don’t need to be long and complex. They should be easy for your audience to understand without effort. The clearer the message, the quicker it resonates. Remember that people’s attention spans are getting shorter, so avoid writing long and rambling texts. Try to break down your content and use LinkedIn’s article format for longer pieces.

5. Your profile should reflect the same message

Unclear messages are one of the most significant barriers to LinkedIn profiles and content not working. Optimize your profile: make sure it reflects what you want. Does your audience understand what you’re offering? Check your profile picture, and pay attention to your headline and banner. Use all available options to showcase your experience, especially the “About” section, where you can summarize your story comprehensively.

6. Consistency is key to success

Many people give up on LinkedIn after three to four months of trying. Give yourself time to succeed. Building a LinkedIn following takes time. Be consistent and stay visible, both in posting your content and commenting on your followers’ posts.

Sponsorships in 2024: how to make them truly support business

8 min read

The ongoing EOK (Estonian Olympic Committee) presidential elections seem to be once again centred around money — or rather, the lack thereof. However, if we look at larger sponsorship collaborations in sports, the picture seems different: Estonian companies have plenty of money. Unfortunately, while funds are allocated, collaboration opportunities are not maximised.

Imagine investing 15% of your marketing budget in a campaign but not measuring or adjusting the results along the way. It sounds unreasonable, right? Unfortunately, this is still quite common in sponsorship collaborations. The sad reality is that many are just “present.” The full potential of sponsorship is achieved when the brand not only displays its logo but engages the audience, creates value, and measures how the investment actually yields results.

The sad reality is that many are just “present.”

Collaboration with various events or individuals generally consists of three stages:

Selection of collaboration projects and preliminary research.
Development and implementation of a sponsorship activation strategy.
Measuring effectiveness.

Who to collaborate with?

It is crucial to choose collaboration partners who share the company’s values and goals. Poor planning and expectation management often lead to unsuccessful collaborations. Here, the event or individual seeking sponsorship plays a significant role, as they must provide a clear value proposition and an overview of the target audience. Sometimes, even event organisers are unaware of their participants’ profiles and whom they are actually addressing.

Additionally, focus is essential. Just as we don’t trust influencers who collaborate with everyone, there’s little sympathy for companies that seem to support everything but offer nothing substantial. Focus is vital in sponsorships as well.

Just as we don’t trust influencers who collaborate with everyone, there’s little sympathy for companies that seem to support everything but offer nothing substantial.

The initiative must come from both sides

I have long been responsible for marketing various sporting events and communities (e.g., IRONMAN Tallinn and the Biathlon World Cup in Otepää), including managing sponsorship collaborations. Often, I found myself wanting to work with companies that might even give less money but were passionate about the cause. Unfortunately, 70% of the collaborations were more in the format of “you get cucumbers, I get money.” The primary output was limited to a few banners, logos in the competition guide, and a promotional video on social media.

The proposed list often had more topics, but unfortunately, these opportunities were frequently left untapped. This was because the company would have had to put in additional effort. The reasons varied but mainly revolved around a lack of commitment or time. It could also happen that the decision to support came from higher up, leaving the marketing manager to simply accept that their company was now a sponsor of a particular event or individual.

What value can sponsorship collaboration bring?

The brand collaboration aimed at customers:

increasing brand awareness;
positioning the brand among competitors and maintaining the brand image;
developing the brand’s community;
increase purchase intent and directly advertise products/services to the target audience.

A good example is the collaboration with Farmi during the Biathlon World Cup, where they aimed to reach a younger target group. They supported the construction of children’s tent at the supporter area, had different activities and provided it with all their new products therefore reaching to their needed audience.

Employer branding and internal communication:

showing employees that the company values an active lifestyle;
building the company’s image in the job market;
involving employees in sponsorship collaborations;
offering added value to both existing and potential employees.

Swedbank has shown significant benefits in sports projects, elevating its image as an attractive employer through its collaboration with the Tallinn Marathon, both internally and externally.

Developing partnerships:

demonstrating commitment and enhancing the image among partners;
different events’ VIP areas are excellent opportunities to host partner and client events.

It is proven that sponsors who invest in effective activation strategies for their sponsorships can achieve greater visibility, thereby increasing awareness of their sponsorships (Quester & Thompson 2001; Wakefield et al. 2007).

Community and dedicated fans

Fans care about brands that are deeply connected to local communities, not just during major moments. There is enormous potential at the local level that is currently untapped. For example, sports events often offer the opportunity to create branded emotional points through sponsorship. It’s as simple as setting up a few flags or banners, playing music, and gathering a crowd — no more is needed. The emotions participants get are invaluable. That feeling that someone is cheering them on and supporting them during the toughest moments of a marathon stays with them. If this is tied to a brand, there is a tendency to choose that brand’s products or services in the future.

At the IRONMAN event, these places were even offered for free because the organisers also wanted many people along the course and for participants to have valuable experiences. The company, in turn, can nicely display its brand.

In other words, sponsors need to make an effort to increase their visibility and make an impact. Just a banner is no longer enough; the company must genuinely show interest.

Sponsorship collaborations can be measured, too

Although very few do this. A survey by the market research agency MKTG revealed that just under 20% of surveyed companies’ sponsorship managers had developed a method to measure the return on investment (ROI) of their sponsorships. 73% of them stated that the main goal is “brand awareness,” and ROI was not the main focus of sponsorship. This trend indicates that while investments are increasing, many companies may not fully utilise their sponsorship opportunities.

Once again, collaboration with the event organiser is crucial for measuring effectiveness. Often, proactive communication with the organiser opens up various ways to further measure effectiveness. Naturally, it is impossible to quantify the entire collaboration, but saying it’s all just for brand spreading is simply lazy. Collaboration no longer involves placing logos on banners. As mentioned in the article, there are many ways to maximize collaboration. Even for direct advertising, solutions exist, starting with newsletters, which are among the most widely read emails (about 80-85% of participants usually read the content).In Estonia, sponsorship relationships are still in their infancy, whether it’s about supporting various events or athletes. They often depend on whether the marketing manager is passionate about leading projects. Good collaborations come from mutual initiative. Sponsorship is not charity but a bilateral strategic partnership!

Crisis Communication: How to Prepare for a Storm and Protect Your Reputation

6 min read

Imagine a situation where your company finds itself at the centre of an unexpected scandal. Perhaps a product has turned out to be dangerous, an employee has behaved unethically, or there has been a data breach. Regardless of the nature of the crisis, one thing is certain: the trust relationship with stakeholders is at risk, and so is the reputation of the entire organisation.

The frequency and scale of crises have increased. This is due to several reasons. Social activity has grown, and the media environment has changed. Stakeholders are more aware of their rights, and societal expectations towards organisations have risen. As a result of increased media coverage, crises now develop and spread faster — information travels quickly, making the escalation of crises more likely. Global pandemics, natural disasters, technological failures and even social media scandals can instantly derail a company’s operations.

Crises are inevitable in today’s business world. What happens, happens. The crucial part is how you respond in a crisis situation and how much attention is paid to communicating with your audience. Why is this critical?

What happens, happens. The crucial part is how you respond in a crisis situation and how much attention is paid to communicating with your audience.

Thoughtful communication, that is, interacting with your primary audience, makes crisis resolution efforts visible and understandable to them and reflects the efforts being made to resolve the crisis. In cases of accidents, it is essential to provide accurate instructions so that people can protect themselves or their property. Well-organised crisis communication can help a company protect its reputation, restore trust, and even emerge stronger from the crisis. Leaving key target groups, such as employees, customers, and partners, in the dark can worsen the situation, causing irreversible damage to the company’s reputation and financial results.

Where is the line between a crisis and a particularly challenging workday?

A crisis is an unexpected event or situation that threatens an organisation’s operations, reputation, or stakeholders. This could be a natural disaster, a workplace accident, a product failure, a cyberattack, a financial crisis, or even negative media coverage. Crises are characterised by their suddenness, rapid development and potentially significant impact.

While the potential effects of accidents are often clearer — such as significant financial loss, disrupted supply chains, or operational standstills — it can be harder to gauge the potential impact of so-called reputation crises in their early stages, even though their effects may be far more extensive. These can lead to employee strikes, a sharp change in market position due to brand damage, or even regulatory changes that significantly harm the company’s business objectives.

Preparation and being ready

A crisis cannot be predicted exactly. The best way to get ready for a crisis is to be prepared. This means developing a crisis management plan, forming a team, and conducting regular training and simulations. A crisis management plan should include clear roles and responsibilities, communication protocols, and messages to be used in crisis situations.

Being mentally prepared should not be considered less important than practical preparation. Crisis situations are stressful, and it’s crucial that the team remains calm and makes quick and effective decisions even under pressure. Regular training and simulations help the crisis team develop mental resilience — practicing necessary skills and maintaining confidence.

Regular training and simulations help the crisis team develop mental resilience — practicing necessary skills and maintaining confidence.

Rapid and transparent communication

The first 24 hours in a crisis are critical, and the initial response of the organisation can significantly influence the course of the crisis and its impact. Unfortunately, the main problem organisations and individuals face in crises is often indifference. Instead, the approach should be to take the initiative and act with the mindset that the consequences of the crisis could be severe for the organisation. Typically, organisations are not judged publicly based on the cause of the crisis but on their ability to respond.

The first step is to assess the extent of the crisis and gather the crisis team. The team should collect all available information, assess the situation and decide on further actions. It’s also important to inform all relevant stakeholders, including employees, customers, partners and the media.

Transparent communication is crucial during a crisis. The organisation must provide relevant information, even if not all facts are known. It is important to acknowledge the problem, express regret in proportion to the responsibility and explain what is being done to resolve the situation. Companies often initially deny or downplay their responsibility in a crisis, but lying always makes the situation worse and damages the reputation.

It is important to acknowledge the problem, express regret in proportion to the responsibility and explain what is being done to resolve the situation.

Crises cannot be prevented. Preparation is needed for the impact of the crisis—the loss of trust—and for regaining it. The ability to act and communicate with your audience in a crisis situation will determine whether, after the situation is resolved, the company can continue as before or if poor crisis communication management will haunt the organisation for a long time.