Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs about 123,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services.
Lockheed Martin is also a highly communications-focused organization when it comes to building overall brand awareness. Mary Phillips, Sr. Manager, Communications, in the Lockheed Martin Information Systems & Global Solutions (IS&GS) division, supports these efforts by developing and executing strategic marketing programs to advance technology thought leadership for IS&GS.
Mary is also a user of Market Connections’ Federal Media & Marketing Study (FMMS) online tool, which follows the news and information habits of government executives. The annual study measures readership by government decision makers of more than 35 federal and general news publications, frequency of visits to more than 50 different web sites, social media and mobile tool usage.
We recently spoke with Mary, who shared how the media study tool allows users to prioritize their communications efforts.
FedConnects: Tell us about Lockheed Martin Information Systems & Global Solutions.
Phillips: Most people think of Lockheed Martin as an aerospace company, but we actually have four divisions and are very diversified. I work for the IS&GS division, which is comprised of 23,000 professionals, and we offer a wide range of IT solutions to federal government and commercial organizations. As result of our efforts, we have been named to the Washington Technology Top 100 for 18 years in a row. We have also been growing our business in the commercial sector, primarily in the energy, transportation, banking and health IT sectors.
FedConnects: What kinds of PR efforts do you manage for Lockheed Martin?
Phillips: I manage the PR efforts that mainly fall under the office of the Chief Technology Officer, so we focus on areas like cyber security, big data, cloud computing and mobility, which are all key technology priorities for government.
FedConnects: Why is it important for you to effectively target government decision makers in your PR efforts?
Phillips: All of our efforts have to target government IT leaders who are tasked with procuring the technology and support needed for agencies to be more effective and achieve their missions. As such, we aim to raise awareness about our offerings and make sure the IS&GS division is known for solving government’s complex challenges to drive IT efficiency and affordability.
FedConnects: How do you use the Federal Media & Marketing Study for your PR efforts?
Phillips: We have a number of tools in-house for tracking press coverage, and we definitely put a high value on trade and government IT media. The FMMS allows us to augment these efforts by seeing what media outlets are truly read by government decision makers. In addition, we receive a number of inquiries from new, and often unknown, content providers. If we get a query from a content provider that does not rank high on the FMMS, we may not pursue the opportunity with them. Overall, the FMMS gives us the big picture perspective we need to make sure we are truly targeting the media that matters in our PR efforts.
FedConnects: Would you recommend other companies marketing to government use this type of tool?
Phillips: Yes. I think it is important for all communications professionals to have the right tools at their fingertips to do their jobs well. The FMMS enables users to execute strategically on their communications programs, and not just be tactical and reactionary in their approaches. It is also important to note that not all media outlets are created equal and the FMMS helps you prioritize where to spend your time and money.
We would like to thank Mary for spending time with us and sharing her insights into the value of targeted, strategic communications. Visit www.marketconnectionsinc.com/mediastudy for more information about the federal media study tool.
Check out the full FedConnects post here.
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