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?

 

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5 communication quotes from ‘the mother of media psychology,’ Dr. Joyce Brothers

PBDJOBR EC017She has been dubbed “the mother of media psychology.”   

Dr. Joyce Brothers, a licensed psychologist who passed away on Monday, has been described by CNN as having “a reassuring and calming demeanor” that boosted her self-titled local talk show to syndication in the 1960s.

Dr. Brothers’ affable personality and willingness to talk about taboo subjects such as marriage, relationships, and families made her a household name for decades. Remember, this was a time when married couples on TV were sleeping in separate beds. The word ‘pregnant’ wasn’t uttered on television, either. 

According to NBC News, “Her television show would soon make her a pop culture fixture. She made nearly 100 appearances on Johnny Carson’s The Tonight Show. Her frequent public appearances propelled her to become one of the most admired women in America, appearing on Gallup’s list of most admired American women.”

Here are five insights on communication and media from Dr. Joyce Brothers:

  1. “There is such a thing as bad publicity.”
  2. Listening, not imitation, may be the sincerest form of flattery.”
  3. “If Shakespeare had to go on an author tour to promote Romeo and Juliet, he never would have written Macbeth.”
  4. “Anger repressed can poison a relationship as surely as the cruelest words.”
  5. “I invented media psychology. I was the first. The founding mother.” (1989)

Years ago, not everyone jumped on the media psychologist bandwagon.

“Dispensing advice on public airwaves didn’t please all of her colleagues,” reports CNN. “Some members of the American Psychological Association asked early in her media career that her membership be revoked because they didn’t think dispensing advice outside a one-on-one setting was appropriate.” However, the APA’s website says that media psychology became part of the organization’s structure in 1986.

Admittedly, I’m a bit troubled thinking that this wonderful talent paved the way for today’s sensationalist personalities like Dr. Phil and Dr. Drew Pinsky. 

But as we recall Dr. Brothers’ intelligence and accomplishments, we also note that she was fun. In the 1950s, Dr. Brothers was a TV game show contestant, winning more than $134,000 in prize money.  She made several cameo appearances in movies, including a parody in The Naked Gun. On the small screen, she was featured on Happy Days, The Simpsons, and Entourage.

Rest in peace, Dr. Joyce Brothers. You were a gifted media pioneer with talents that stretched across print, radio, television, and movies.

 

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Secrets to pitching major news media

safe dialHow do you gain trust and influence with reporters at big time news outlets?

Joe Connolly receives hundreds of pitches and press releases every week. He’s The Wall Street Journal Business Correspondent for CBS Radio in New York.

Like Connolly, I have been on the receiving end of pitches from businesses, government agencies, and nonprofits. Some days you don’t know whether to laugh or cry.

In a recent interview, I asked Connolly to share some dos and don’ts when pitching stories. For example, Connolly admits he has a hang-up with the word ‘announce.’

“If the release says ‘so-and-so is pleased to announce,’ I don’t read any further. I don’t want self-serving. The headline and lead have got to ring true.”

The secret sauce

You may be surprised, but Connolly suggests that anyone writing a news release start two-to-three months in advance. “Follow your local paper, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, television and radio until you see or hear something about your industry. Look for things that you think are really good, really on the mark, and really accurate.  Then call or e-mail that reporter saying you saw the article or interview. Tell them, ‘I’m exactly like XXXX, you might be interested to know we are also doing such and such…’”

Connolly goes on to remind us about the importance of complimenting reporters. “They are just like anybody else. They want to get positive feedback and they’ll think, ‘Wow, this is a really sharp person.’  A lot of my frequent contacts are people who reached out to me because they heard me talking about something that rang a bell in their industry.”

The best opening line for a phone pitch 

Like so many other reporters, Connolly’s pet peeve when getting pitched on the phone is in the opening line. “If I answer the phone, don’t ask me how I am.  Just say, ‘Hi Joe, this is xx from X Company, are you on deadline?’ That’s the best opening line of all. I just think that’s the greatest way to open a call with a reporter.”  Note to self: Connolly prefers e-mail pitches.

The final tip

For important media, call and pitch the story yourself. You are the business owner, says Connolly. “Whatever you do, don’t have a summer intern call around with news releases. That is an insult unless they are calling a 23-year-old reporter who is starting out.”

Send your pitches to Connolly@cbsnewyork.com.

PS: I invite you to take a peek at my new Kindle book, The Badass Book of Social Media and Business Communication. It’s packed with tips and insights on creating news, blogging, communication, and more!

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?

How ‘breaking news’ got broken

snakeoilHow exactly did the process of gathering news get to this point? 

We have allowed news readers to go on-the-air and vomit ambiguous language that holds no one accountable.

This is not the first time we have witnessed the media—with its authoritative voice and sheer power—destroy its own credibility.

The reporting of terrorism this week at the Boston Marathon, and the subsequent manhunt for the two suspects, left many ordinary people miffed about how news is gathered and shared. 

These past few years, I have watched breaking news stories and 24-hour channels that have repeatedly made sloppy assumptions that mainstream media should never have allowed. 

But it’s gotten so bad this week that people with no behind-the-scenes knowledge of how news decisions are made, have been mortified. I’ve worked as a news director and news reporter. I am beyond mortified.  

These five phrases have contributed to our damaged news coverage: 

1. “We believe that it’s likely…” My take: Accuracy trumps vague.  

2. “We are trying to follow-up on unconfirmed reports…” My take: Action trumps words. 

3. “There’s speculation from a variety of unnamed sources…” My take: Fact trumps speculation.

4. “We are just as confused as you are as we try to put the pieces together…” My take: Clarity trumps confusion.

5. “We have no new information.” My take: New information trumps empty words.

Veteran network newsman and strategist David Henderson writes:  

“The media–especially cable TV–is like a drunk on a binge, and cannot control their near-insane rush for dramatic announcements, replete with bold red warnings of apocalyptic disaster on the screen. Everything is an ‘Alert’ or ‘Breaking News.’ Yet, it seldom is. Wolf Blitzer saying over and over that John King has ‘exclusive information’ is not news. It’s promotion, publicity, boasting. As it turned in the Boston terror story, King’s ‘exclusive’ information was wrong. King was a font of misinformation … gossip.”

People around the world have been offering prayers for the victims and people of Boston.

Let us also extend a prayer for the pained news media. 

 

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10 PR and social media cheers and jeers from the Boston Marathon tragedy

boston marathon croppedMoments after the two initial explosions that rocked the finish line at Monday’s Boston Marathon, social media, bloggers, and traditional reporters took to various networks to ‘cover’ the unfolding story. Another opportunity for citizen journalists.  

I have watched the live coverage, video clips, tweets, and news broadcasts and have been struck by the following:  

Cheers to the people who immediately cancelled their automated tweets and postings.

Cheers to the ‘real’ PR pros that didn’t bother to call newsrooms, send releases, or pitch stories that have no obvious connection to the marathon. 

Cheers to people on Twitter who quoted their source or offered a link to a new development. Information without a source flies in the face of journalism. Well, it used to be that way. 

Cheers to people on the scene who used disclaimers when posting graphic visuals.

Cheers to the reporters who were running in the marathon for jumping into “media mode” amidst the chaos and fright.

Jeers to the chat organizers who plan to “carry on” as usual tonight.

Jeers to people posting non-related motivational quotes on Twitter. Really? 

Jeers to those playing up the Sandy Hook victims angle. Yes, there were relatives near the finish line and yes, the victims were remembered at the start of the marathon, but these folks have had enough. Leave them alone. 

Jeers to the reporters who complained on line that their assignments were changed at the last minute and they had to travel to Boston. 

Jeers to people tweeting about the Jodi Arias trial.  

Anything you would like to add?

Prayers and blessings to everyone affected by these senseless acts.

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Entrepreneurs: 4 ways to use press releases for publicity

car 003One of the most confusing parts of a small business owner’s marketing plan is the press release. While virtually all entrepreneurs understand that marketing and publicity are essential to business success, how and when to write a press release is baffling.

In the social media landscape, many wonder if press releases are still relevant. As a former radio news reporter and news director, I say, yes they are relevant. But ONLY when used to announce something that’s newsworthy. 

Therein lies the confusion. How do you know what’s newsworthy? What do reporters and bloggers look for and cover?

Here are four press release strategies for small business owners:

1.      Avoid self-promotion. Remember that in the word “newsworthy” is the word “new.” When writing a press release or a pitch, be sure you have a fresh angle on a story, trend, or issue. Your announcement must be timely, relevant, and compelling to the public. It must fit with the reporter’s niche or demographic. Sales pitches are for the advertising department, not the newsroom. Hire a PR coach or read books on how to write and frame your story. Many of my blog posts cover this topic. Discover how you can help reporters and editors. The key is to build relationships and become a trusted resource. Before you begin writing a press release, ask yourself, “Who cares?” If your announcement doesn’t impact the public, you’re on the wrong path.

 2.      Keep your news antennae up. News is about people. People love great stories. You have great stories right under your nose but you’re busy running your graphic design company, staffing firm, or retail shop. And of course you’re consumed with learning social media. Take your ear buds out and pay attention to what’s happening around you.  What trends can you comment on? Is your company celebrating an anniversary? Have you recently expanded or gotten a small business grant? How have you helped a client to succeed? Do you have an interesting hobby or talent that’s out of the ordinary?

3.      Think multimedia. Reporters expect to see more than words; they want images, action, and video. They want to hear something. Have you considered using a flip cam to record your press release or pitch? These tools allow the reporter to get to know you by hearing you explain your story and watching your body language. Think about how a Pinterest board can visually tell your story. We live in a creative space. Stand out by inviting news decision makers to connect with you on an exciting and deeper level.

4.      Write tip-sheet style releases. To build your credibility, help people solve their problems. Position yourself as the expert in your industry. People have a pain and you have the medicine that will ease their discomfort. The tip-sheet format (like this list) is effective because it’s reader-friendly in our crazy, busy world.  The bullet points allow readers to skim the content and glean nuggets of information. Our cognitive bandwidth is more limited than ever. Brief tips are usually appreciated. 

Once you have a few press releases, think about how you can repurpose them into blog posts, short video clips, and content for e-zines. Minor tweaks to the format can easily create new content and marketing pieces.    

The bottom line: Your presence affects your prosperity. Don’t be the best-kept secret!

PS: If you want lots of tips like the ones above, you’ll want to see this! Hot off the Press: My new Kindle book, The Badass Book of Social Media and Business Communication.  It’s packed with hundreds of pointers and strategies on PR, news interviews, pitches, writing, blogging, and social media.

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.

5 secrets to successfully pitch a Mediabistro editor

Patrick Coffee is the Editor of PRNewser, a daily blog published by Mediabistro.com.  Coffee and his team write about news, trends, and announcements in PR. He is based in New York.

Here are highlights from our recent conversation: 

On contacting him:  I get lots and lots of e-mail pitches every day. They come from most of the major PR firms, especially in New York City. Occasionally I’ll get phone calls, but it’s very rare, and that’s a good thing. I personally want e-mail. The more often someone calls me the less likely I am to run their story.

On subject lines: The most important part of an e-mail pitch is having an effective subject line. It has to get my attention without pandering or telling me, ‘I must read this.’ Writing subject lines is a subtle art form. It’s similar to Twitter, where there’s a limited space to get your message across. In terms of tone, convey to me there’s something interesting for me in the e-mail, without being too pushy about it.

On the e-mail pitch: The message has to be very clear and interesting to me.  Make it clear to me why my readers would be interested in the story, why does it stand out?  E-mail pitches should be personalized, beyond just copying and pasting my name and a greeting. A certain degree of personalization in the first couple of sentences is a very good idea. Tell me why you thought of me for this story and the people who may like this story. What is appealing about it? I always appreciate a quick summary of what the entire story is about in just a couple of sentences.

On building a community through blogging:  A lot of my readers come from my Twitter feed.  I tweet a lot and that attracts readers. For anyone who blogs, there has to be some degree of interaction. Everyone loves when someone responds to something they say. I’m not a big fan of people begging for attention. If you write a blog you’ll take some satisfaction knowing that people are not just looking at what you do, but that they are thinking about it and that they are responding to it in their own way. You can encourage that by retweeting what they have to say and following them back. 

On PR and social media: A lot of people in PR are very familiar and comfortable with social media. One concern is they are too comfortable. When working to promote a client or your own brand, you have to be disciplined in your message. It gets too casual sometimes, like with automated messaging. You want to be sure people know there’s a live person behind your account.

Final thought: Always think multimedia.  

PS: Do you want hundreds of tips on news pitches, PR, blogging, and content development? Get my new book, The Badass Book of Social Media and Business Communication. 

8 classic quotes from New York Mayor Ed Koch

kochThe beloved former Mayor of New York City, Ed Koch passed away early today.

He may be gone, but he leaves behind a trove of sound bites and quotes for us to enjoy. 

Koch was a three-term mayor in New York (1978-1989), a time defined by near financial ruin, government corruption, and AIDS. He was an author and activist. He even appeared on The People’s Court.

A man who often asked people, ”How’m I doin’?,”  Koch has been described as acid-tongued, feisty, and pretentious. He was an iconic New Yorker. 

I remember Ed Koch’s press conferences and interviews being laced with ‘ah’s’ and ‘ums’. These are the cardinal sins of Toastmasters and professional speakers.

But for Ed Koch, his vocal habits weren’t sinful. They defined him as being real. Mayor Koch spoke his mind. There was nothing tricky about him. Koch’s press conferences showed him without a jacket, sporting a wrinkled shirt, and rolled-up sleeves. Watch out.

Maybe you followed him on Twitter @Mayoredkoch

Here are some classics to shed light on how Mayor Koch communicated and lived:  

1. “I know many writers who first dictate passages, then polish what they have dictated. I speak, then I polish. Occasionally I do windows.”

 2. “You punch me, I punch back. I do not believe it’s good for one’s self-respect to be a punching bag.”

3. “Tone can be as important as text.”

4. His advice to young people: “Enjoy what you’re doing or don’t do it. That doesn’t mean it isn’t difficult or won’t challenge you, but if you are involved in something that’s causing you to say, ‘Why am I doing this?’ then you’re in the wrong business.”

5. The Mayor, who had never married, was asked by reporters about his sexuality. His response: ”My answer to questions on this subject is simply, ‘F— off.’ There have to be some private matters left.”

6. Koch’s spokesman George Arzt remembered Hizzoner’s sense of humor. “I got into the car and said I couldn’t believe how a kid who grew up in Williamsburg was now sitting next to the mayor. Then the mayor said: “Oh shut, up. Everybody comes from somewhere.”

7. In one of his last interviews, Koch told Vanity Fair Magazine: “At age 88, I wake up every morning and say to myself, ‘Well, I’m still in New York. Thank you, God.’”  

8. In 1983, Mayor Koch bought a burial plot at the Trinity Church Cemetery. It was the only cemetery in Manhattan that still had space. Koch, who was Jewish, told the Associated Press: ”I don’t want to leave Manhattan, even when I’m gone. This is my home. The thought of having to go to New Jersey was so distressing to me.” Soon after he purchased the burial plot, Mayor Koch had an engraved marker placed at the site. It has the last words of slain journalist Daniel Pearl: ”"My father is Jewish, my mother is Jewish, I am Jewish.”

 Rest in peace, Mayor Koch. 

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