Specializing in social marketing and business communications training

12 insights from Seth Godin on the emotional marketing revolution

godinWant to learn from one of the best social media marketers and business leaders?

Today, best-selling author Seth Godin shared his thoughts on social media marketing, creativity, and business relationships. Godin was the guest on a webinar organized by Vocus, a provider of cloud marketing software.

Godin says the Energy, Industrial, and Mass Media revolutions have given way to the “revolution of our time, the revolution of connection.”

Here are 12 takeaways on the human connection in digital marketing:

  1. “The only asset you can build on the Internet is the connection to people. Connection, the idea that someone knows you, trusts you, and works with you, is not new. It’s 1,000 years old, but it’s new because the people marketing Burger King and Procter and Gamble in 1980 didn’t have this ability to hear back from customers.”
  2. “Highlight and cater to small groups of people who care desperately.”
  3. “Marketing and advertising are not the same things. Marketing is making a product or service that’s worth talking about it. Marketing is about telling a story that spreads and resonates with people. We need to think deeply about feelings.”
  4. “The essence of marketing today is to tell a story to people who want to hear it, in a way that resonates with them so they are likely to either respond or connect to you, or tell their friends.”
  5. “Don’t yell to the masses; whisper to a few. People will choose to talk about it. Give away your ideas. When your ideas are widespread and you are trusted, you don’t have trouble making a living.”
  6. “If you’re not ranked first, second, or third on search pages, you’re invisible.”
  7. “What products are you going to make that are worth talking about?”
  8. “Permission marketing is real permission—the privilege, not the right but the privilege—of delivering personal, anticipated, and  relevant stories to people who want to get them. Not to everyone, not by spam or exploiting your company’s privacy policies. But instead by earning one person at a time; it’s the privilege of showing up. Here’s the measure: If the recipient thinks it’s spam, then it’s spam…Here’s how you know if you have the privilege: ‘Would we miss you if you were gone?’”
  9. “The Internet takes word-of-mouth and leverages it by a factor of 1,000…every single day.”
  10. “Remarkable means worth making a remark about.  Not you making a remark because you work for the company. It’s about people making a remark because they choose to, they want to, because they can.”
  11. “We can’t sell everything to everyone. The market has fractured. Instead of radically shifting the way the media has, most companies and charities have only shifted a little. The fast-growing public or private companies who have made a huge impact in the last five years (e-Bay, Instagram, Facebook, and Amazon), are built around connecting tribes. Connecting people who share a passion and interest. All human beings want to feel like we are a part of something.”
  12. “If we expect to build connections, we have to expect to be generous. There are no secrets or shortcuts. No one wants to connect to the selfish person.”

Nos. 5 and 8 are among my favorites.

Which points can you relate to? Which ones do you need to improve?

 

(Image via)

 

10 communication things every entrepreneur must know

guitar in bar in CCIt’s been 4,745 days of being self-employed.  In April, 2001, I started my PR and communications company.   

A few years ago, my accountant, who is also self-employed, shared his definition of an entrepreneur:

“I am a self-employed individual working for a lunatic.”

As I mark this proud milestone, I have taken time to reflect on the entrepreneurial roller coaster I have ridden.

Here are 10 communication tactics every small business owner must know:

1. You must know how to sell. Too many people decide to hang their shingle out only to learn they don’t know bubkus about sales. Entrepreneurs must be diligent at developing the self-confidence, attitude,   discipline, and perseverance to ask people to hand over their hard-earned money.

 2. You must live the ‘publish or perish’ mentality. In my pre-blogging days, I wrote bylined articles for trade publications and membership newsletters. Early on, I landed a spot as a columnist for the Princeton (NJ) Business Journal. I generated content and built my credibility. My volunteer gig lasted more than two years, and ended when the paper merged with another publication.   

 3. You must be willing to speak in public. You were brave enough to launch a small business. There’s no time for being shy or nervous. Partner with a networking group to be the guest expert at a meeting, conference, or webinar. You’ll be front and center with dozens of potential prospects interested in your topic. Beats cold-calling.  

 4. You must be able to validate others.  Validation is an acknowledgement that the other person (your prospect or client) is being heard. Validation is proof that you are listening. For example:  “I can imagine that the loss of your vendor has been difficult.”  

 5. You must know how to ask for what you need.  No one expects you to know everything. That’s why there are contact lists, databases, and rolodexes filled with names of people who can provide products and services to you. Get rid of this self-induced pressure and be willing to speak up. Asking for help is a sign of a true leader.

 6. You must be able to identify your ideal customers. This is accomplished by self-communication. Ask yourself: Who do I enjoy working with? What niche am I passionate about? Who needs my expertise? Do these people have the budget or resources to pay me?

 7. You must have thick skin. People can be awfully mean. They say crap that’s not helpful or positive. Entrepreneurs are so fully vested in their own businesses that it’s hard not to take things personally. Don’t take the BS to heart.

8. You must communicate patience when educating people. Clients do business with you because you offer a valuable product or service that they want or need.  You, on the other hand, are entrenched in your niche or business and will have to slow down to educate those who don’t know all the ins and outs like you do.

 9. You must develop charisma. Charisma is that special charm or personality trait that draws people to you. Self-confidence, along with a friendly and easy demeanor, will take you a long way in business.

 10. You must be willing to reinvent yourself. Chances are you are planning to be self-employed for a long time. Businesses and people change. It’s a given. How can you effectively communicate changes in your messages and direction, without alienating people?

Cheers to the brave small business owners around the world! What have you learned along the journey?

What does social media mean to you?

fence graffitiCommunication, conversation, and connection.

These are just a few of the words used by 10 Twitter stars who I asked to define social media.  Don’t mind the abbreviations; the goal was to offer a definition in 140 characters or less. 

Feel free to comment below and share your own 140 character snippet.

1. SM allows me to participate in discussions about entrepreneurship that I hope will one day change the world. I also get to give back. @BrianMoran

2. Social=meaning friendly gathering. Media=form of communication. Reminding us to gather friendly when we communicate with others. @JessicaNorthey

3. SM has totally shifted the way that small & large businesses connect with audience. It is about the hand shake, conversation, relationship online. @MamaBritt

4. Social Media = Global Diversity – The ability to have a local, national or global & inclusive conversation. Do you have what it takes? @FleeJack

5. Social media is a great way to share insight & connect with people globally. It’s the perfect give & get communications medium. @Rieva

6. Welcome to the ‘Age of Influence,’ where anyone can build an audience, build relationships, effect change… and make a difference. @TedRubin

7. Social media is a great way to connect and inspire your target audience. It is also a great place to build real relationships with those you want. @RayHigdon

8. It’s an opportunity to ‘meet’ people you would have never met otherwise, to share what you know and learn some too! @LeadToday

9. SM is an unprecedented opportunity 2 elevate/expand ur influence. Each tweet/share is a chance 2B more informed, amazed & appreciative. @AngelaMaiers

10. SM gives me the ability to make wonderful connections with people that would be all but impossible in an analog world. @MackCollier

Be sure to follow these folks on Twitter and other social channels. They are smart, savvy, and succinct!

10 PR stars reveal secrets for social media success in 2013

Seats at a tableWant to kick-start your social media optimization in 2013? Of course you do. 

I asked 10 distinguished PR and social media pros to share their views on how it can be done. 

Here are their responses, with my appreciation for their insights!

Margo Mateas, Founder, The PR Trainer:  “PR pros need to remember to take time to become part of the communities they want to reach, and not just engage in ‘driveby’ social media. It only takes a second to ‘Like’ someone else’s post or to leave a supportive comment. This strengthens trust and makes it more likely for them reciprocate the next time you’re promoting something.”

Deirdre Breakenridge, CEO, Pure Performance Communications:  “Take the best of your communications past into 2013; your ethics, accountability, critical thinking and great communications skills. At the same time, be open to different types of engagement through social media, by experimenting and embracing new technology to build stronger relationships with stakeholders. You need to be 10 steps ahead to counsel senior executives about the changing media landscape, and on the same page with savvy, wired consumers to understand their preferences and to better serve their needs.”  

Brad Phillips, Mr. Media Training, author, The Media Training Bible: 101 Things You Absolutely, Positively Need to Know Before Your Next Interview: “Few public relations professionals can keep up with all of the new social networking sites that seem to pop up on a monthly basis. So as a New Year’s resolution, PR pros should try to familiarize themselves with each of the platforms—and then commit to participating in the one that is most likely to help them reach their audiences and accomplish their goals.” 

Amy D. Howell, CEO, Howell Marketing Strategies, LLC “Our firm will be measuring how the social posts are driving more traffic to client websites and how that is helping their SEO. We have completed upgrades to client websites to include integration of social platforms.”  

Jeff Domansky, The PR Coach & Principal, Peak Communications: ”I’m excited about 2013. It will be the year of the ‘visual.’ Whether you’re storytelling, blogging, content marketing, doing media relations or social PR, great pics and video will drive your success. And everything you do better work on mobile, too.”

Ann Handley, Chief Content Officer, MarketingProfs: “Focus less on what you think you ‘have’ to do to maintain a social presence. Focus more on what is meaningful for your brand.”

Stacey Acevero, Social Media Manager, Vocus/PRWeb: “Think about social media as a book, or a timeline of the story of your business. But it’s not storytelling, it’s telling a true story well–so write social media posts that inspire conversation, share thoughts and real outcomes that resonate with your audience. Be less ‘braggy’ and involve the insights of others in your PR story.”

Joan Stewart, aka The Publicity Hound: ”Recycle your content, create it in multiple formats, and share it on the social media sites. Example: Take a how-to blog post and turn it into an MP3, and then a video (record yourself offering 3 tips from the article), and then a slideshow for LinkedIn, and then a series of photos for a Pinterest board. Note to self: Do this in 2013 and stop creating content from scratch!”   

Michael Cherenson,  APR, Executive VP, Success Communications Group; 2009, Chair and CEO, PRSA: “Social media is public relations and today’s professionals, to better serve their clients and help advance their own careers, need to invest in training and learn how to re-learn the art of communications. Every public relations professional must become an active participant, native to various social media platforms. And PR pros need to recognize Google’s algorithm is now one of our most important publics; your content needs to entice your audience and Google’s search engine.”

Shonali Burke, Principal, Shonali Burke Consulting, Inc.:  “I see far too many PR pros functioning in a bubble. Offline, they live and work in the bubble of the agency world, and online they don’t interact with people from different industries and walks of life. One of the best things about social media is the way it can connect you with just about anyone else in the world who is using that platform. It’s amazing what we can learn from people so very different from us. So as we embark on 2013, let’s rediscover what makes social media so wonderful-the ability to converse with literally just about anyone.”

Which piece of advice will you be focusing on in 2013?

5 (more) things every social content marketer must know how to do

In business, 2012 has been a banner year for social content and marketing. How have you fared, and where are you heading in 2013?

The Content Marketing Institute’s latest report, B2B Content Marketing: 2012 Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends concludes that marketing on the major social channels grew approximately 15-20 percent as compared to 2011. 

As more of us jump on the social content bandwagon, I wanted to share some thoughts and resources that can help.

Here are five things social content marketers must know how to do:   

 1. Repurpose and reimagine your content. This means curation, updating older posts, and much, much more. 

How to build and operate a content marketing machine

Two funnels, two types of content marketing 

2. Embrace visuals.  Prospects like to see things. Remember show-and-tell in grade school? Effective online marketers know that the ‘show’ element rules.  Think beyond infographics.  Consider video testimonials and fun images. And yes, charts and graphs with hard data are part of the mix, too. 

12 ways to visualize data, without infographics

 64 Pinterest marketing tips and tactics

Photo sharing for your B2B online marketing

3.  Use keywords to create quality content for your target audience. If it’s B2B or B2C, you must have a constant handle on the trends and challenges affecting prospects and clients. If conversion rates are on your mind, the following links will come in handy.

31 easy ideas to create content your customers want

Tools and resources for keyword search  

4.  Cross promote your content. Cross channel marketing, which includes online and offline, mobile, display ads, and e-mail campaigns, ought to be the centerpiece of your strategy. Businesses and brands that use this approach on a regular basis will lead the content marketing pack in 2013. 

6 steps to a cross channel marketing plan

Report: Cross Channel Marketing in 2012

5 lessons in cross channel marketing

5. Be sticky. Malcolm Gladwell covered this in his best-selling book, The Tipping Point. What makes some websites, blogs, products, and brands explode and stay on top for the long-haul?  

Let’s get sticky!

Is your website deliciously sticky?

5 secrets of shareable content

Finally, here’s a gem from Gary Friedman of Restoration Hardware. ”Great brands don’t chase customers; customers chase great brands.” 

 

New jobs as Chief Digital Officers emerging

What do Gannett, New York City and Columbia University have in common? 

Each has a Chief Digital Officer, or CDO, to bring together strategic business practices, technology, skilled leadership and internal and external communications. Most CDOs can be found inside of media companies, sitting just a seat or two away from the CEO.

Two years ago, there were lively conversations that CDOs were those who didn’t get the coveted title of President. Others maintained organizations that supported the CDO position were advocating for silos, the curse in marketing and communications. Today, demand for CDOs is outpacing supply.  

A complex blend of talent and leadership

Chief Digital Officers are not self-described social media gurus or community managers. CDOs have competencies in the convergence of technology, business, boards, and organizational development. 

“Business strategies now must be seamlessly interwoven with ever-expanding digital strategies that address not only the web but also mobile, social, local and whatever innovation there may be around the corner,” write Rhys Grossman and Jana Rich of Russell Reynolds Associates, a global executive search firm. In their article titled, The Rise of the Chief Digital Officer, Grossman and Rich state: ”To help meet these challenges, companies are increasingly looking for a Chief Digital Officer who can oversee the full range of digital strategies and drive change across the organization.”

To lead a business through a technological transformation is no easy task. CDOs are innovators despite internal skeptics who whisper and rant about the pitfalls of social media.  

CDOs must have the following five competencies: 

1. They must be comfortable as a possible successor to the CEO. CDOs must be able to lead a global culture and drive an online presence. He or she must be experienced in business operations, management and recruiting and retaining top talent. A CDO is a visionary, especially in our technology-based world.  

2. They must act as agents of change and grasp the underlying psychology of consensus-building and conflict resolution.   

3. They must have Board experience and solid communication skills. After all, they are the conduit between stakeholders and the C-suite.

4.  They must know how to set sound business strategies have seasoned project managers to implement them.

5. They must possess deep knowledge of technology, e-commerce, consumer behavior, and social media. This is especially important for media organizations, as CDOs are often charged with transforming analog to digital. 

Where is this person?

You may be wondering: Does such a person exist? Where do organizations find one individual who encompasses this blend of talent? 

And if you work in PR, marketing or communications, you may be curious if you have what it takes to be a Chief Digital Officer. 

Grossman and Rich maintain that people considering CDO positions “may be reluctant to join established organizations, viewing them as old fashioned.” The co-authors note that “many candidates come from cutting-edge, entrepreneurial organizations.”

Here’s another solid point that Grossman and Rich offer. ”Companies … have to move very quickly when they find and meet talent that has potential. The current state of supply and demand almost guarantees that other opportunities will be available to talented candidates.”

The bottom line about the evolving role of CDOs brings us to the real bottom line in business. Chief Digital Officers are leading new revenue streams through digital channels that can leave many people and employees feeling uneasy. 

If the CDO is unable to succeed in brand management, e-commerce, transactions, and customer engagement efforts, his or her organization can be faced with a financial disaster.

 

Scary Communication Tactics for Halloween: Beware!

Green Ghoul

It doesn’t take a Halloween Fright Fest to scare me. I get frightened when I encounter the following business and communication “shenanigans” that stop me dead in my tracks and make me want to scratch my head. How about you?

1. An employee who says “It’s our policy.” Just fix it or do something that seems like you may be remotely interested in me- your valued customer.

2. The phrase “You’ll have to.” I’m the customer. I don’t “have to” do anything.

3. Tweets and posts that embarrass or call people out on things. That’s the purpose of  DMs and private messages.

4. Seminar participants who complain after the program that they couldn’t see when they could have easily moved to a nearby empty chair.

5. People who don’t know me but want me to make gobs of money with them online (or whiten my teeth).

6. Restaurant staff that says they ran out of a common item that’s readily available at the grocery store 10 feet away.

7. People that work on tips who ask, ”Would you like your change back?”

8.  The waitress who remarked to my 17-year-old daughter, “Boy you really chowed down that chocolate dessert.”

9. The hair stylist who told my 15-year-old son when she was shaving the back of his neck that he was going to be a hairy monster when he got older (serious considerations of no tips for # 8 and #9.)

10. An employee who says he’s busy with other customers. What the hell am I?

11. The pimply-faced 17-year-old “team member” who tells me in the store that they are out of stock on the TV I want and I should shop online.  Hello: I am standing here with cold hard cash ready to buy.

12. The customer service rep from across the globe that is reading a scripted sales phone pitch and ignores me three different times in two minutes when I say I’m not interested.

13. The store clerk who sees a long line of customers at her colleague’s register, is “futzing around” and 10 minutes later shuffles over to her register and drearily calls the next person in line.

14. Someone who hands you a receipt and says “Here you go.” I bet they meant to say “Thank you.”

15. Loud people who curse while on their cell phones. I just don’t want to hear it.

16. The phrase “I’ll try.” Try a bit harder and I bet you can do it.

17. The chiropractor or dentist who sneezes, wipes his nose, and immediately continues working on me.

18. The clerk at the phone store who used the pinky on his right hand to dig into his ear, observe what he yanked out, and proceed to wipe it on his shirt. My transaction came to a screeching halt for this archaeological dig. By the way, his nametag said “Manager”. Just plain grotesque.

19. Flashy, continuous pop-up boxes on websites that declare I am the chosen 100th million visitor and am entitled to a prize! Yippee!

20. The news anchor that starts out with “Another tragic story to share with you” or “It’ll be another dreary day in…”  Click.

Wait a minute, am I getting grumpy in my old age? Talk about scary.

Oh, Happy Halloween!



(Photo Credit: JR Webb)

How Web 2.0 is Impacting PR and Business

“Everything is real time.” 

That’s just one of the many technology observations from David Pogue, the personal technology columnist for The New York Times.  

Pogue delivered a dynamic closing keynote at a conference on communications, PR, and HR, which was organized by Ragan Communications.

I interviewed Pogue after his remarks, and asked him how engaging the public online is impacting public relations.  

“It has a huge impact. This Web 2.0 social media thing comes with a built- in trustworthiness in terms of mass market.  The customer feels like he has a direct line to the top brass instead of being separated by layers of middle men. Right now, it feels very real. These companies who are exploiting Facebook, Twitter, and so on are finding enormous PR advantages. ”

Pogue points out that with Web 2.0 technology, website creators are providing a place for the public to post their material. ”It’s the audience that’s providing the actual content on sites like Craigslist, Tumblr, and Flikr.” 

What are a few intriguing new sites to check out?  Pogue suggests:

  1. Edmunds.com-Find out what the car dealer actuallly paid for a vehicle and you’ll know his real mark-up. Huge negotiation tool.  
  2. Domystuff.com-People bid on your grunt work projects and you hire the lowest bidder. 
  3. Prosper.com-Small business loans without the bank and steep interest rates.
  4. Whoissick.com-When the doctor says, “The flu is going around,” you’ll be able to look at a map of your neighborhood to see who is sick. 

Pogue says, “Things splinter; they don’t replace.”  He believes Web 2.0 won’t replace any technology we are currently using. It will be added to our social media toolbox. 

It’s time to learn.

The Real Secret to Business Growth and Making More Money

writingYesterday in Part One of my interview with Nametag Scott, he shared insights on creating a “reservoir full of ideas that never run dry.”  Today in Part Two, Scott says when trying to drum up new ideas, products and services, the “build it and they’ll come” model doesn’t work.

“It’s easy to get caught up in this idea of ‘if you build it they will come’.”  That’s a lie. I would substitute, ‘if you write it they will come.” Everything I’ve done in my business is because I have written something. Every dollar I have made is because I wrote something and someone read it, and they found me. So my philosophy is if you write it they will come. Now obviously you have to write it well and it has to be written in a way that evokes a response. There are certain things that increase probability. The secret is you can’t make people come to you, can’t make customers buy, and you can’t make people talk about you. If you want to spread the word, build remarkability into your product from the beginning.”

Scott and I also talked about how to attract new business. He says this is not about selling.

“Ultimately selling isn’t selling; it’s solving. It’s positioning yourself as the answer and solving pervasive, expensive, urgent, and relevant problems for your customer. The secret is to position yourself as the problem-solver. You look the customer in the eye and ask,  ’Is it of value to solve this problem for you?’ and they say ‘well yes of course I’d love to solve my problem’ …and you respond ‘well great, I’m the answer…sign here.’’

Thank you Scott for reminding us that being a problem-solver and not a salesman will pay longterm dividends.


(Photo Credit: churl)

5 Ways to Move From Bland to Brand

spicesBland. Dull. Sleeping Pill.

Is that what your message, company, and website represent? Why do some business brands fall flat while others are over the edge exciting, compelling, and intriguing?  Don’t you want to be considered exciting, compelling, and intriguing? Don’t you want to create an identity that draws in consumers and prospects? What are you communicating?

The charisma contained in your marketing material directly impacts your bottom line. It’s time to move away from bland, and build your brand.

Think about what we do when eating a meal. Do you automatically add salt and pepper without tasting the food, expecting that it will need more flavor? Do you anticipate bland? Or do you taste the food first and then add something to spice it?

Here are 5 tips to help you create a “brand buzz” in the marketplace:

1. Look at the first few sentences of your website, blog (if you have one) and marketing material. Would you describe the initial message and visuals as relevant, creative, and forward-thinking? If you worked with a focus group five years ago, you’re long overdue for a branding and marketing facelift. If you’re too entrenched in this, hire a consultant. It’s that important.

2. Consider the colors, layout and design. Are the graphics and visuals effective, stimulating, and congruent with your written words? What would draw people to your site and content? Does your material reflect positive energy? In our “crazy busy” world, it’s a race against the clock for you to quickly grab someone’s attention and keep their interest. Bland pushes people away–in droves.

3. Identify the writing style and language. If it’s all about your company, your history, and your experience, then it’s bland. People visiting your site don’t give a rat’s ass about where you went to school or your stuffy mission statement. That’s bland and boring because they don’t care about you—they care about themselves. Position yourself as a business that focuses on being the solution to your customers. It’s all about them- their needs, challenges, issues, and success. If you don’t believe me, look at Zappos and Nordstrom.

4. Stay current. We’re moving at warp speed. A blog post that’s dated three weeks ago is bland. An article or press release that was printed in 2007 belongs in the Smithsonian. Build your brand by staying on the cutting edge of your industry and trends. Be sharp and bold.  Brand yourself as a leader in your field. Become the “go-to guy”. That’s not bland.

5. Create and know your brand personality. What mental images and perceptions are conjured up when someone sees your logo, tagline or company name? Does it inspire, bring a smile, a sense of comfort? Does your message generate excitement? Or is there confusion over acronyms, mixed messages and your own identity crisis? Clarity is critical.

You don’t have to be in the travel industry to build a buzz that’s attractive and engaging. Funeral homes also have to effectively brand themselves to welcome prospects into their pipeline. What kind of first impression and experience are you offering to the public?

Successful brands distinguish value and build loyalty. Have you built bland—or brand?


(Photo Credit: almostbunnies)