2010 June — Get In Front Communications

Media Pro or News Blogger Wanna-Be? 10 Ways to Tell the Difference

News breaks first on Twitter. Not everyone likes to admit that, especially trained reporters who are now forced to scour feeds, chats and learn technology. They may have an underlying fear that they will never “scoop” another piece of breaking news again. Everything in the field of news, journalism and media has shifted. Hey wait a minute–that’s happened in virtually every other industry too. Hmmm. Reporters may feel they’ve lost the thrill of their jobs to a Social Media geek who doesn’t know the names Edward R. Murrow or Peter Jennings.

Who can we trust for our news? Who are your sources for news? Is it someone on Twitter with the handle “SweetieBrittney” who thinks she may have seen a bank robbery, can’t name the capitals of 10 states and considers Jon Stewart old?

Granted there’s plenty to say about media bias and sensationalist journalism (“if it bleeds it leads”), but that’s for another day. Way too embarrassing and controversial for my liking. I spent years in a radio newsroom as a reporter and news director. I know the thrill of getting a call from the Prosecutor’s Office that there’s a big press conference. I know what it feels like to see the AP newswire spitting out copy and one line of breaking news. I broke stories on the air when the space shuttle Challenger exploded, Pan Am Flight 103 was bombed and Mike Tyson was arrested in our community. I’m still stumped as to why so many people suddenly want to be in the news business.

Here are 10 ways to help you distinguish a trained news reporter or media pro from a news wanna-be who dabbles in Social Media:

1. Trained media pros stay away from Blog Talk Radio and blip.fm. We’ve hosted talk shows and DJ’ed on the air long before Twitter came around.

2. Trained news reporters and decision-makers don’t ponder in chats if accuracy trumps speed in “getting the story out there.” Media pros learned this in Journalism 101 in college.

3. Trained reporters always cite sources. Attribution was also on the Journalism 101 syllabus.

4. Trained reporters can share at least 10 stories in 10 seconds about how they worked the overnight shift for $3 a week to get experience, including birthdays and Christmas. And yes, I did sleep on the table in the conference room at WDHA Radio in Morristown, NJ during a blizzard.

5. Trained reporters have actually used the phrase “off the record.”

6. Trained media folks can tune into radio and TV and know the programming clock and backtiming that’s going on behind the scenes.

7. Trained media pros rarely run out of content for blog posts. Good reporters are trained to be “Life’s Little Observer.” The world is our post.

8. Trained media pros know the sound bite or quote as soon as they hear it or see it. Our eyes glaze over in a peculiar kind of way.

9. Trained media pros ask the same question in different ways to try and get to the heart of the matter (a.k.a. “the truth”)

10. Trained media pros often get offended when they see bloggers with press passes who don’t understand the “hurry up and wait” mentality as the press is getting herded into an off-beat place clamoring for an interview with someone “official.”

Yes, it’s good to share news, resources and links in Social Media and online networking. I look at much of the information that’s tweeted, posted and appears to be “Gospel” with a discerning eye. Regardless of your experience, anyone who publishes something in the public domain (Internet) must be sure it is accurate. The next time you Retweet a post or share a link—read the content first to make sure it’s correct and attributed to the right people.

Throwing a bunch of crap out there is just…well- a bunch of crap.

Filed Under: Blogging, Business, Communication, media, News, publicity, Social Media, Social Networking, Writing Tagged With: Blogging, Communication, credibility, media, networking, News, PR, rapport, reporters, Social Media, technology, Twitter, Writing

The Secret to Building Sales is in Communication

by Susan Young at 5:17 pm 2 Comments

Connecting the proverbial dots. To be successful in sales, grow your business and make more money, you must have outstanding communication skills.

One expert who knows and lives this is Bob Burg, co-author of the international best selling book, The Go-Giver. I interviewed Bob about The Go-Giver and his new book, Go-Givers Sell More. Bob told me the secret to being a top-notch sales professional is to always put the other person first. This must be communicated in all of your words and actions.

“…When you’re simply out there to make a sale it’s all about you and your product. When you’re out there to create the environment where a sale is made, now your focus is on the other person. You need to be able to genuinely and authentically help people to feel good about themselves. And at that point be able to help them make the connection between their need, want and desire and your product or service.”

One Step Further

Readers of this space know my background is in communication and news. Bob agrees with me that listening is important but there’s one additional and critical step. “That person who can listen and communicate that they are listening, it’s not just that you can “do the thing’, you’ve got to be able to communicate that you are doing it, those are the ones who are most effective.”

I hate to sound like an infomercial, but “WAIT! THERE’S MORE!!!”

There’s another dot that has be connected in this communication and sales cycle. Hint: According to Bob, it starts with the letter T.

“Right now we live in a very low trust society. The good thing is that if you’re the person who knows how to develop that sense of trust, to communicate your trustworthiness and do that in a fairly quick period of time, you’re that person who is going to get the business. It’s important that they like you; it’s even more important that they trust you.”

The bottom line is that when we shift our attention away from ourselves and onto the other person—to help them overcome challenges and succeed–we are Go-Givers. The dots are connected. All is well.

By the way, Bob Burg is my guest on “Winning Ways”, a 30 minute news interview series on success. Details at http://www.getinfrontcommunications.com/aces

(Photo Credit: Kathy Cassidy)

Filed Under: Business, Communication, customer service, Interpersonal Relationships, listening, Motivation, rapport, sales, Self-Confidence, Success Tagged With: Attitude, Business, business growth, Communication, customers, Interpersonal Communication, listening, Motivation, rapport, sales, Success

The Impact of Video Blogs to Promote Your Business

by Susan Young at 10:21 pm 9 Comments

Video blogs have a powerful reach and help you truly engage with your audience. Is it time for you to branch out? Find out what I’ve learned….

Filed Under: Blogging, Business, Communication, Interpersonal Relationships, Marketing, media, Online Marketing, publicity, rapport, Social Media Tagged With: Blogging, blogs, Business, Communication, Interpersonal Communication, Marketing, message, Relationships, Social Media, technology, Video blogs

10 Ways to Build Rapport with People

by Susan Young at 8:31 pm 21 Comments

Building rapport and engaging with people-whether it’s in person or online- takes practice. Much of it is based on intuition. It’s about creating a bond, link, connection, and understanding.

The goal is to connect with others and get them thinking, feeling, reacting, and involved. It doesn’t matter if you’re in sales, own a business, or work for someone else. Rapport building is an art and skill in communication that’s used daily in all of our relationships.

Here are 10 tips to help you get in sync with others and build rapport:

1. Be approachable. In person, carry yourself in such a way that is easy-going, friendly, and confident. When you’re online, have a welcoming and intriguing profile. Use an avatar of your smiling face

2. Ask good questions. People love to talk about themselves. Asking questions and paying attention to the answers helps you learn more about the other person and shows that you have a genuine interest in them. The key is in your follow-up. This is how they’ll know you are truly catching their details.

3. Use their name. In person, the sweetest sound to anyone is the sound of their own name. Sprinkle it into a conversation. Online, using Twitter as an example, if the person’s name is not in their handle, click on their profile and get their name. It will take only a few seconds but sends that wonderful message of, “I care; I took the time to find out.”

4. Understand that you can still have rapport with someone even though you disagree. If you don’t see eye-to-eye, you can be respectful and appreciate differing opinions. Communication and relationships are based on compromise. With both in person and online communication, you don’t have to agree. A simple acknowledgement is usually sufficient–and appreciated.

5. Stay upbeat. No one likes to be around a complaining, negative victim. It’s awfully difficult to connect and engage with people who are leaking poison. Be known for your positive attitude and willingness to help others (yes, even strangers). Remember, easy-going and approachable.

6. Discover the fine art of small talk. This will help in person and online-especially if you feel shy or nervous. Have a few “conversation starters” up your sleeve in case you run into a snag. Always be looking for opportunities that connect you with others-it can be something as basic as liking the same sports team, having the same kind of SUV, or ordering the same lunch. Focus on similarities, not differences.

7. Notice how others handle information. This is especially important in live conversations. It may be at a networking breakfast, on Skype, or a u-Stream video. Does the other person like “the big picture” or do they prefer the fine details? As you speak, feed back information in the size they prefer.

8. Learn communication modalities. If someone is a visual communicator, they will say things like, “Looks good to me” or “I get the picture.” An auditory person will say things like, “ That sounds good to me” or “Listen to this.” Pay attention to the clues the person drops you (in person or online) and follow their modality. It will bring a subliminal sense of comfort to them and instantly builds rapport. These “modality clues” will be evident in your live conversations and in social networking. This is called NLP-Neurolinguistic Programming.

9. Pick up on favorite words and phrases. In a subtle way, intersperse them into your conversation. This will help you bond. It also brings a sense of comfort to the individual you’re speaking with—in person or online.

10. Watch and listen to people. Pay attention to those you admire who seem to easily connect and engage with others, particularly strangers. Whether it’s in person or online, observe the conversations, posts, and Tweets. What works for them? How do they break the ice and bond with others? How do people respond to them?

Rapport is about making a two-way connection. How do you know that’s happened? You experience a genuine sense of trust and respect with another human being. You easily engage with them, regardless of how different the two of you may be. You feel like you are listening and being listened to. That’s rapport.

Filed Under: Communication, Interpersonal Relationships, listening, NLP, rapport, Social Networking Tagged With: Attitude, Business, Communication, listening, networking, rapport, Relationships, Self-Confidence, Social Media, Success, technology

The Branding, Marketing and Business Message of Lady Blah Blah

by Susan Young at 4:09 pm 6 Comments

Several years ago, there was a young go-go dancer in Manhattan named Stefani Germanotta. She tells a story of how she was performing in a bar and was being ignored by the crowd. Stefani didn’t want to be ignored, so she undressed down to her lingerie and started playing piano. Seems everyone began to notice Stefani Germanotta. Now the world is watching Stefani, who is better known as Lady Gaga.

Musical taste aside, let’s explore the fact that Lady Gaga is not a blathering marketing kook who stumbled on some luck and hit it big. She communicates her message as a business model that we can all learn from. You don’t have to arrive in an egg to learn some slessons here.

How are you communicating your business, brand, and image? Are you Lady (or Mister) Blah Blah, or do you have powerful message that’s drawing people to you?

Above the Noise

In 2009, Forbes Magazine music writer Dirk Smillie wrote an article on Lady Gaga’s business model. Here are some insights that can be applied to people like us. After all, it’s either Blah Blah, or rise above the noise.

1. This is not an accident. Forbes says Lady Gaga’s every dance move, step and expression are “debauchery that is is purposeful fodder for social media and the mainstream press..by showing up wearing a bird’s nest or a model of the solar system on her head, every Gaga appearance becomes an item (11,500 mainstream media stories cite her in 2009).” You may not parade into the next Chamber meeting or Tweet-up with a bird’s nest on your head, but you can still create a buzz…in a professional way of course. For us, it’s called charisma.

2. This is edgy. Magazine industry veteran Simon Dumencohe says, “She’s a perv, but Lady Gaga understands viral marketing better than anyone on the pop scene today. She is directing every frame of her music and her life, imagining how clips will appear on YouTube, and what people will tweet after she appears on the Video Music Awards.” Do you visualize success before it happens, seeing the positive end result and then making it reality? Do you dare to make a blockbuster “mental movie” or is yours a sleeper in the same league as Warren Beatty’s 1987 ”Ishtar”?

3. This is not left to last minute. Reporter Smillie from Forbes writes, “She’s meticulous about imagery, especially the sets of her live shows.” Do you choreograph your business, speeches, and meetings? Can you use the word meticulous, or are you cutting corners and taking the easy way out?

4. This is not just music. In 2010, Lady Gaga had more than 1.6 million Twitter followers. She tweets about hairspray and her father. She reveals her personal side. Do you weave in your personality when appropriate? Are you using all the available social media channels to reach your people?

5. This is not about secrets. No, whatever you think or don’t think of Gaga, consider this. Cassie Schmidt is a staff columnist for an independent newspaper at the University of Connecticut. In March 2010, she wrote, “Lady Gaga won’t be going anywhere soon. The image she has created and publicized is one for the ages. She sparks controversy and conversations around the water cooler that the best of reality TV couldn’t get going.” Have you created an image that’s ”one for the ages?” Does your brand and business spark conversation when you’re not in the room?

To some, she is the brilliant and talented Lady Gaga. To others, she is Lady Blah Blah, an untalented twisted sexual something who needs extensive therapy. But no one can argue she has created a marketing allure that is nothing short of genius. Way to go, Stefani.

Filed Under: Business, Marketing, media, Online Marketing, Social Media, Success Tagged With: brand, Business, Communication, Marketing, Social Media

How to Master the Art of Business Communication

by Susan Young at 2:42 pm 4 Comments

Business communication covers a lot of ground. You may learn public speaking in high school and college. You may learn how to write solid reports and letters at the beginning of your career. You may come to understand marketing and public relations when you have to network at business events. You may be forced to deal with conflicts regardless of where you work or how old you are.

All of these facets of communication–and a few more–involve new experiences coupled with ongoing education. It’s the process of learning. It’s not one single event. The process is how we change, grow and evolve. I write articles and blog about these topics and trends all the time. Many of you who are regular readers have been kind enough to share wonderful feedback, comments and Retweets–which are always appreciated.

Successful people, like yourself, are dedicated to the learning process. Successful people are always on a journey of education. Don’t panic, this doesn’t mean you have to return to college. It means that you’re willing to take advantage of the resources and tools that are available to help you learn and grow.

If you want to master the art of business communication, it’s time to make a commitment to your education and success. The information I’ve shared with you is going to a new and exciting level! My new “Aces” program will fast-track your journey. Aces is a membership program packed with benefits for you.

Every month you will receive:

“Monday Morning Marketing” is a Tip of the Week to help you create a buzz in the marketplace and promote your organization.

On Wednesdays, check your in-box for “Just A Thought”, a quick motivational quote to inspire your success.

Every Thursday, you’ll receive “The Weekly Buzz”, a short news nugget of 250 words on professional and personal development.

The “PR Buzz” arrives the last Friday of each month. It’s a newsletter with ready-to-use tips and strategies on Public Relations, Marketing and Social Media.

“Winning Ways” is a new interview series and Teleseminar that features conversations with successful leaders and media pros who share their insights and strategies to help you reach your own goals.

Special video blogs and “members only” video segments on timely topics

Monthly resource guides including the hottest websites, articles, chats and books.

My e-book “Communicating with Confidence”

Discounts on 15 and 30 minute speed coaching calls

4 Teleseminars/Webinars throughout the year

I invite you to join the journey to success with Aces- register at www.getinfrontcommunications.com/aces

If you want to kind of check things out first, take advantage of my free 21-day video series “Speaking of Communication.” Welcome to the “Sue Young Experience.”

(Photo Credit: Nu2photography)