Q&A with Borshoff
Here at GIPC, we take pride in developing private-public connections to promote the progress of the City. GIPC Member Organization, Borshoff, has been creating research-based connections between organizations and stakeholders for nearly 40 years! To discuss the company’s history and upcoming anniversary, we spoke with Borshoff’s Crisis & Community Relations Partner, Jennifer Dzwonar.
Can you share more about your history with Borshoff?
I joined Borshoff 30 years ago – thinking I’d be here 2-3 years and then would go work in a corporate setting and live overseas. Little did I know, I’d fall in love with the owners (Myra Borshoff, Erik Johnson and Susan Matthews) and with the wide variety of clients and work, and later would be invited to become an owner, which I did in 2007. I now have two other fabulous partners, Karen Alter and Katherine Coble. Borshoff has been a proud Women Business Enterprise (WBE) since our founding in 1984, which was exceptional in the mid ‘80s and is still meaningful today.
What services does Borshoff offer?
We are a full-service advertising, marketing and public relations agency, with in-house Creative services (including video, web, graphic design, multimedia), Media services (digital and traditional media planning, buying, analytics), and Account services (strategy, planning, implementation). We partner with clients in various industries, including Education, Utilities, Healthcare, Sports/Entertainment and Banking. I lead the Public Relations/Crisis Communications area, a foundation of the agency since Myra started the company 40 years ago.
How is the office planning for the 40th year anniversary?
When we realized it was 40 weeks from the beginning of the year until our actual anniversary on October 1, we decided to embark on 40 Acts of Purpose. Throughout the year we have been hosting and participating in activities, including delivering treats to our neighbors in the building (most of whom we don’t know), collecting thousands of pop tabs for the Ronald McDonald House, providing social media support for the Indy Youth Film Festival, and packing hundreds of meals for Pack Away Hunger as part of United Way’s Day of Caring.
In late September, we will host our annual Shofftoberfest party for clients, vendors/partners and employees past and current with special 40th anniversary flair. We will also commemorate this milestone throughout the month of October with social posts and walks down memory lane.
What advice would you give GIPC members who want to further engage with their stakeholders?
Take the time at least once a year to sit down with your leadership team and assess: Who are our key audiences and stakeholders and what are we doing to effectively communicate with them? Even informal communications planning can go far and can help identify what your team is/isn’t able to do, and where you might need outside assistance to reach some key audiences.
Internal audiences are often at the top of that list who are not receiving optimal communications, and that can affect talent recruitment, retention and engagement.
We do our best work when clients come to us with a challenge, e.g. How can we reach this particular audience? With no prescribed ideas for what needs to be done, but with a problem that needs solutions.
It’s also a good idea to periodically ask your key stakeholders how you’re doing, where you can improve, and how their needs are evolving.
Anything else you would like to add? Thank you!
Every organization needs a crisis communications plan. If your crisis or business continuity plan doesn’t address internal and external communications, revisit it, and if you need help, we’re here.