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?

3 reasons email interviews stink

 Audrey Hepburn

When a reporter or blogger is looking for a source, it’s important to recognize there are significant disadvantages to participating in an email interview and not a typical phone interview.

Are e-mail interviews the lazy person’s way to get information? Many media requests listed on HARO (Help a Reporter Out) stipulate interviews will be conducted via e-mail.

It seems a growing number of people skip the human element of exchanging pleasantries and instead hide behind their keyboards. For me, it’s simple. I prefer to talk rather than type. You?

Sure,  in our busy worlds, there’s a certain convenience to receiving information electronically. But e-mail interviews lack a critical communication dynamic that’s present when a reporter takes the time to speak with a source.

Without dialogue, the art of give-and-take doesn’t exist at a deep level.

Nudging our curiosity

We must also recognize the role that our natural curiosity plays in the interview process. Even if 10 rounds of e-mails are traded, the content will never match that of a human conversation.

The reason?  E-mail deprives a reporter or blogger the opportunity to spark their own curiosity and possibly uncover new insights and content. Nudging our curiosity is essential in developing content and learning new things. Curiosity and education go hand-in-hand.    

E-mail interviews detract from the fundamental news-gathering process because they:

Lack the human exchange and conversation that gives life to interviews.  I have interviewed thousands of people, from homeless individuals to presidents. Each was conducted in-person or on the telephone. And each response within a conversation typically sparked a follow-up question or slight tangent that I, as a trained journalist and news reporter, could never have anticipated. This is why scripted Q&A doesn’t compare with live interviews. E-mail misses our communication nuances, speech patterns, and vocal vitality. These live exchanges—fueled by a natural curiosity—improved the quality of information I had been gathering that simply cannot exist in an e-mail interview.  

Fail to capture the essence of the source that’s being interviewed. Based on the perspectives I have shared above, we now turn to the actual writing of the story. When a reporter or blogger is finished gathering material and is ready to sit down and write, I wonder if they can truly capture the essence of a story in the same way a counterpart could who spoke with a source.   Yes, any reporter can miss the mark and fail to truly “get” the story. But why increase the odds?  

Keep people from using their communication skills. Typing responses to a series of questions limits our verbal communication and rapport building skills. We have all sent and received electronic messages that were misconstrued in some way.  In phone interviews, tone of voice, rhythm, pacing, pauses, and enthusiasm help reporters grasp a story and the person behind it. Human to human. Some reporters even prefer to Skype with sources, as the visual adds an additional layer of valuable communication. Skype and in-person interviews allow the reporter or blogger to observe a source’s body language, which is a significant factor in our verbal and nonverbal communication. 

Do you agree or have an experience to share? Your comments are welcome.  

PS: Want to learn tons of tips and ideas for pitching news stories and working with the media? Order my new Kindle book, The Badass Book of Social Media and Business Communication.

Communicators: You are in sales

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Don’t be shocked, but marketing, PR, and communications pros are in sales.

Think about it.

We are:    

  • Selling messages to clients
  • Selling ourselves to execs in the C-suite
  • Selling (pitching) stories to the media
  • Selling our time
  • Selling our intellectual capital
  • Selling our creativity
  • Selling access to our media and social contacts

 

To be a holistic business communicator, it’s time to stop selling and start building. Build your listening skills and relationships with prospects, the C-suite, colleagues, and reporters. We must move away from the “What can we get?” attitude to “What can we give?”

The holistic communicator

In a typical day, people are trying to get our e-mail addresses. They are trying to get us to sign-up for something. They are trying to get our hard-earned money. They are trying to get access to our personal information. They are often trying to get over on us. Get, get, get. This approach only brings short-lived success.  

The flip side of get, get, get is give, give, give. 

The most successful people in business are those who focus on what they can give to others, and not what they can get, get, get. High achievers are comfortable in deflecting attention away from themselves. These givers have absolute faith that by being tuned in to others, success will one day come to them. Individuals who live by this mindset aren’t in a hurry to get the deal. Instead, their priority is to build relationships and give value. The givers trust that they will be rewarded with abundance because that’s the way the universe works.

The proof of this is most evident in sales. When people in sales stop chasing money and shift their attention to genuinely helping a prospect, they won’t have to sell anything. Prospects will want to buy from them based on the generosity of the relationship. 

Say what?

Our attention is a hot commodity.

The concept of silent listening is the genesis of holistic business. Silent listening requires us to mentally slow down and quiet the unrelenting soundtrack that plays in our heads 24/7. Silent listening requires our undivided attention, free of distractions, judgments, and response planning. It calls for us to be fully present and in the moment.

How many times have you asked someone a question that you were genuinely interested in and as soon as they responded, your mind was jumping around aimlessly with random thoughts?

These mental interruptions occur in a flash. They pull us away from conversations and leave us at a disadvantage as we miss important information that is essential to connecting with people.

For example, you are meeting with a prospect about doing PR for their credit union. Someone mentions that they have ‘service centers,’ not branches. If you write up a proposal to promote their 18 branches, you lose. A split second distraction becomes a costly lesson. 

Silent listening is an essential business skill. It shows people that you are fully engaged, and care about the message.

Welcome to sales. 

PS: I invite you to take a peek at my new Kindle book, published today!

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4 reasons text messages are killing our communication

Twenty years ago today, the first text message was sent. My, how the 160-character Short Message Service (SMS) has rocked our communication.

Yes, there is a convenience to being able to access your peeps in a flash. I can’t count the number of times I’ve sent or received texts in the grocery store about items missing from the shopping list. Very important.

But communicators and parents alike know that the art and science of texting is impacting our social and education systems in ways that could never have been imagined.

Think about these four reasons text messages are killing our communication:

1. Reduce the need for in-depth conversations. Have you texted people as a form of avoidance? A few abbreviated words keep people from meaningful dialogues and face-to-face communication. This also diminishes the importance of body language in our communication. :( (

2. Dumb down spelling and grammar. ‘Txtspk’ leads to deficiencies in basic language skills. Shortcuts with spelling, punctuation, and emoticons aren’t helping children and teenagers learn the necessary writing and communication skills they need for college and the workforce. Are these convenient shortcuts, acronyms, and abbreviations giving way to generations of lazy and sloppy communicators? (Gr8)

3. Distract us from being fully present. Earlier this year, the industry association representing wireless communications (CTIA) reported that more than 184 billion text messages were sent a month in the U.S. These messages interrupt our brain functions and attention. Texting pulls our focus away from the people and tasks we are experiencing at the moment, depriving us of being completely present in our lives. (IRL=In Real Life)

4. Invite ambiguity. Joel Willans writes on Nokia.com: “The format of 160 characters was determined in 1993 by a communications researcher, Friedham Hillebrand. While trying to standardize the technology that would allow cell phones to transmit and display messages, he discovered that the average sentence or question needed just 160 characters.” This leaves too many opportunities to mistakenly read between the lines. (SWYP=So What’s Your Problem)

Thx 4 readng. Comment b-low.

5 secrets to relationship-based selling online

Communicating online isn’t about technology. It’s about tapping into technology to connect with human beings.

With all the typing and tablets — and the absence of seeing a human face — it’s easy to forget that your online credibility is directly linked to relationship-based selling.

Don’t think numbers, think people.

Relationship-based selling is about helping people and organizations solve their business problems without the hard sales push that all of us loathe. It’s about truly putting the needs of others before your own.

This is the secret to building credibility in your social media circles. The digital landscape is vast, yet there is no room for selfish.

Yes, you have a mortgage to pay. Yes, your car needs an unexpected repair. Yes, your kids need new sneakers.

But when you’re able to put these challenges aside and not be driven by your own drama, you will come from a place of service and gratitude.  Conversely, when you chase numbers, you almost always fall short.

Remember that desperation is very unappealing in business.

How do you let followers, friends, and connections know that you care deeply about their success?

Consider these five social media tips to build your credibility and relationships

1. Listen to the conversations. Don’t throw yourself into an online chat or dialogue until you have a sense of the players and personalities. The benefits of this are two-fold. First, you will determine if this particular forum is appropriate and hits your target audience. Second, you will gain insights about the players and their interests, areas of expertise, and work.  When you do your homework, your posts, tweets and content clearly show readers that you “get it.”

2. Stay up-to-date. Pay attention to industry twists, turns and trends. By keeping your finger on the pulse of the HR and recruiting industries, you will quickly discover the hot topics and issues your prospects are paying attention to. To save time, subscribe to e-newsletters, RSS feeds, and Google Alerts that filter important information from the Web.        

3. Focus on solutions. Write for the reader and forget the sales pitch. It’s easy to outline problems, but people are looking for answers. Be willing to offer your knowledge without the expectation of receiving anything back. Your day will come. That’s the way the universe works.

4. Share good information from other people.  Forget ulterior motives. The content you provide can — and should — come from other people and sources. Your generosity will be noticed — and appreciated. This also takes the pressure off of you to be the sole creator of content.  To ensure your credibility is being boosted, check the link and content for accuracy before sharing.   

5. Be a guest. Offer to be a guest blogger on a popular website. Offer to be the guest expert on a Twitter chat or webinar. Put yourself out there with the single goal of openly sharing your expertise and insights.

When you position yourself as a credible expert in your field, people will want to buy from you. You won’t have to sell anything.

 

10 everyday decisions for social media success

Verrazano Bridge, Brooklyn, NY

Every day, we make hundreds of decisions. Most are so mundane that we don’t even think about them. Things like hitting the snooze button, what shoes to wear, which bathroom stall to enter. I would hope that our business decisions take a bit more consideration.

What decisions and choices can you make daily that will impact your social media relationships, activities, and business results?

 Here are 10 ideas:

  1. Decide to stretch yourself. Mentally and emotionally. The results will appear in every area of your life, including online.
  2. Decide to join a new chat or online group that can help you learn more about your industry.
  3. Decide to share useful information from someone else, because it’s that good.
  4. Decide to explore (and even try) new technology that’s relevant to your work. 
  5. Decide to listen and observe more than you type. It’s OK to be a fly on the social media wall.
  6. Decide to work your lists, categorizing people with mutual interests and industries, and getting rid of those who you never interact with. You know, the retired lady in Montana who quilts and posts pictures of her grandbabies. She may not be the best fit for your business.
  7. Decide to respond to every comment or post on your blog or profile pages, and write meaningful and relevant comments on other posts and walls. This does not mean, “Great post, I really liked it.”  Decide that mediocrity is for someone else.
  8. Decide to think and add value to every interaction.  Hint: This also works IRL.
  9. Decide to find your voice.  If you want to be a mime, go to the French Quarter in New Orleans.
  10. Decide to be the most enthusiastic, sincere, and helpful person in the world.

Bonus: Decide to use this checklist as a map for the new year.

2 Reasons Your Company Needs Brand Ambassadors in Social Media

Who is the president of your fan club? You know, your biggest cheerleader. Who is the person with fierce loyalty who absolutely believes in what you represent? (Let’s exclude relatives from this.)

In our world, these fan club presidents and cheerleaders are also known as your brand ambassadors. Regardless of their title, social media channels will help them cheer you on and tout your business far and wide. They market for you when you are asleep, in meetings, driving your  car, or coaching soccer with the kids.

I recently interviewed Shel Holtz, an online communication authority with more than 30 years of experience consulting with companies including PepsiCo and National Geographic. He told me that its essential employees in small and large companies have access to the Internet and social media channels while at work.  Shel maintains if they don’t, you’re missing huge opportunities. 

1. “Superficially, organizations might think they’re protecting themselves, but in keeping employees from networking in ways that they’re comfortable doing it, it prevents employees from engaging on behalf of the organization. I don’t mean as official spokespeople, but to talk enthusiastically about where they work.”

2. “There is no better way to get someone to believe in a company’s product than employees being enthused when talking to their social networks about the quality of the products and services that they work on.  There are countless ways that employees can improve a company’s bottom line by engaging with their own networks.  So this really means that there has to be a shift away from preventing contact with employees to educating employees how to behave in those kinds of contacts.  There is no better recruiting tool.”

Consider these brand ambassadors the new way of gathering testimonials or business references. The greatest difference is that brand ambassadors do what they do without being asked. Talk about authenticity and credibility.

Unsolicited testimonials from people who think you’re the best thing since sliced bread are priceless. 

The Reason Helicopter Parents Succeed Online: 5 Ways to Hover

hovering helicopterI’m coming clean here. I am a Helicopter Mom.

My kids are now 17 and 15. They are from a new world and generation of fear and freedom that my husband and I never experienced growing up.

As a Helicopter Mom, I have ”hovered” while my Stephanie and Danny attended birthday parties, school festivities, and sporting events. As they’ve  gotten older, I’ve conveniently hovered over the computer to sneak a glance at their Facebook conversations. This has nothing to do with having a uterus. My husband has done the same. Just not as often, and in his own special way.

I’m happy to report this parental hovering has served me well in Social Media. Yes there is a connection. We observe. We listen and read. We watch patiently.

Here are five benefits that being a Helicopter Parent offers us in Social Media networking, such as LinkedIn questions, forums, and especially online chats.

1. Case the joint. No, the chat is not akin to Dragnet or Adam-12. I don’t recommend sneaking around corners and hiding in shrubbery (Yes, I did that when the kids were in pre-school; just checking that they weren’t playing alone in the sandbox).  Call it lurking or call it listening. The key is to simply hang around before the chat gets underway. Most people don’t arrive “fashionably late”; they start assembling well before the content starts buzzing. Note to self: Identify a few movers and shakers.

2. Pay attention. Hover and watch as the conversations unfold. This gives you insight into personalities, style, and expertise.  Note to self: Jot down names and handles of people you can follow-up with after the chat. Who would you like to eventually connect with offline?

3. Look for clues. If you pay close attention before jumping into conversations, you’ll notice who the naysayers and rebels are. Who are the stronger personalities that may clash with others? Do you want to engage with them during the chat or could it be an effort in futility? Some people know everything. That’s nice. Note to self: Avoid toxicity whenever possible.

4. Recognize the BFF’s. When you hover, you’ll notice those who have the friendly and long-time relationships. Look for history. Look for clues, like :) )), !!!!, OMG, and . Do you want to try and jump into these conversations and inside jokes with the Best Friends Forever? It could be awkward. Note to self: There are cliques of people everywhere. Enter at your own risk.

5. Watch their language. If your goal is to learn more about an ancillary or vertical niche that you’re not well-versed in, notice the lingo, acronyms, and industry jargon that’s being thrown around.  Note to self: Do your homework. Read trade publications and subscribe to blogs and e-zines.

You can learn plenty from being a fly on the wall and hovering for 10 or 15 minutes. These tips lead to building rapport, interpersonal relationships, and business.

PS: I’m getting rave reviews from people who have subscribed to my 21-day free video series, “Speaking of Communication.”  Topics include PR, creating content, Social Media, public speaking and sales. Sign up here!



(Photo Credit: Michael Ransburg)

8 Best Practices for Pitching Your Story to a Blogger

P8100101Many people in the blogosphere are uncertain about how to pitch their story, product or service to a blogger or journalist. In a recent chat on blogging, this mysterious topic had people rattled. It’s time to clear the air.

One quick note:  The overall mindset and approach I offer here can be applied to pitching stories to reporters in print, radio and TV news. I’ve been on both sides of the fence; a news decision maker in radio newsrooms who was subjected to lousy pitches every day.  And I’ve been on the PR side; pitching stories and training people on how to get publicity.   It comes down to do your homework,don’t ask for favors, and build relationships.

Here are 8 best practices for pitching to a blogger:

1. Know your story. Don’t pitch a concept you don’t thoroughly understand. If you don’t get it, how can you possibly explain it to someone else?

2. Identify your target audience. Determine where your ideal client “hangs out” online, i.e. chats, groups, and friends. What newsletters or websites do they read? Research the movers and shakers. These are bloggers and journalists who are respected, involved, and have large followings.

3. Pay attention to these influential and cutting-edge bloggers. Read their posts, add comments, listen to their interviews, and know their sweet spots. While researching, also find out if they allow guest bloggers. This is another huge opportunity. Find out where they ”hang out” online.   This is called doing your homework.

4. Observe for a while. Watch their conversations and who they engage with. Follow them. Retweet their messages, a nice form of flattery. You’ll soon be on their radar screen. One note: be genuine. Don’t go on a retweeting rampage to be self-serving. Go for long-term relationships, building trust, and sharing solid content.

5. Find a natural opportunity to connect. If you did your homework, you’ll be able to start a conversation or jump into one without feeling awkward. Let them know, in a subtle way, that you’ve been watching, reading, and enjoying their material. The good news is this process may only take a day or two.

6. Move the conversation offline. Once you connect with the blogger, invite them to follow you so you can send a private message. Continue to build rapport by finding similarities between the two of you. Preferably this should be work-related, such as you agree with their opinion on yesterday’s post, you were both on the same chat, or you shared their article in your office.  If they seem receptive and engaged over the next 48-72 hours, ask for their e-mail address so you can send a short note with “an idea.”

7. Go for it!  Compose a carefully worded 2-3 line e-mail pitch with a compelling and succinct overview of your story. Focus on how it helps their target audience. Build your credibility. If you’re self-serving, you’re toast. You just wasted everyone’s time.

8. Give them what they ask for. If you’re able to pique the interest of your new blogger friend, they will likely ask for more details. Be prepared with a one page press release or background sheet. Don’t send them to a website filled with BS. Friends help friends.

Once your story is picked up by a blogger, remember to cross promote it. Mention it in all of your Social Media channels and newsletter. Link it to your site. E-mail it to prospects and clients. If you do it right, other bloggers and journalists will contact you. Publicity has a cascading effect.

Oh, and remember to thank them. Friends do that.


P.S. Here’s a free resource for you. Take advantage of my 21-day video series “Speaking of Communication.” It focuses on Social Media, blogging, PR, writing and communication themes. Click on this link now for instant access http://www.getinfrontcommunications.com/