Yes! Yes! Yes! How One Word Should Change How You Think About Social Storytelling
I’m giving friend and fellow solo counselor, Dan Farkas, the floor today. I’ve had the good fortune to meet Dan twice in person–both times at the Solo PR Summit the last two years. Dan and I share a love for sports (although he’s typically on the wrong side of the discussion 🙂 and teaching (Dan teaches at Ohio University). And despite his love for pro wrestling, I thought I’d let him share his perspective today. Take a peek.
Yes. Wrestling isn’t real. I get it.
So as World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) hones in on the biggest wrestling event of its calendar, there is a movement that should make everyone think about how they communicate. And yes, the man at the center of this is this guy.
Even though professional wrestling has fake/predetermined outcomes, Bryan’s story has real world implications that should change how your brand does business.
Make It Simple
Bryan’s gimmick revolves around one word. That’s it. Listen to the crowd react. This isn’t Shakespeare, though the crowd reaction might be louder.
Keep in mind, the bad guy hasn’t show up yet.
Yes, there is beauty within strategic communication to develop creatively brilliant messaging aligned on multiple platforms with staggered start times. But in this attempt to outdo other agencies, seek awards and maybe get a big blog mention, sometimes we forget about the power of simplicity. Â Yes, too often, we miss the point.
- In 2014, one-step conversion matters.
- In 2014, we still like good guys outsmarting the bad guys.
- In 2014, simple messaging is the best messaging. Just ask Michigan State.
Your Audience Knows More About Your Brand Than You Think
Mike Whaling made this point years ago to me. If you’re not sure what customers want, ask them. When they tell you, listen.
Daniel Bryan lost the big wrestling title to another guy. This is video of the belt presentation to the other guy. Yes, you should know what happens by now.
Bryan isn’t as tall, strong, tan or photogenic as many of the people in that ring. He doesn’t look like The Rock or talk like Hulk Hogan. It doesn’t matter. The customers spoke. Yes, it was loud. That’s what customers do. Will your brand hear what is said or truly listen?
Ride The Wave
Because of this controlled chaos, Bryan will be in the main event of the WWE’s biggest annual show, WrestleMania. Nobody knows how long this craze will last. Maybe it’s wrestling’s next Gangnam Style. Maybe it’s wrestling’s next U2. USA Today seems to think there’s some run with this “Yes” thing.
Today, people care. A lot. Yes, it might make zero sense to some rational humans. Brands spend years trying to catch a “viral” wave. When it arrives, ride it for as long as possible.
Yes, we won’t confuse Daniel Bryan with Daniel Edelman anytime soon. But do I think one word in a weird world should influence your universe today? I’ll let these folks answer for me.
Dan Farkas is an Instructor of Strategic Communication at Ohio University who also owns Dan Farkas Interactive and tries to corral two children under four. Yes, he likes coffee. Yes, you can reach him @danfarkas on Twitter or connect with him on LinkedIn.
- Published in Content Strategy, Guest Posts
Buffer: Customer Service and Heroes
Corina Manea is one of the many wonderful people I’ve met through this blog over the years. And the best part? She’s from Spain! Yet another example of technology connecting like-minded people from across the world. Corina has thoughtfully commented on my blog many times in the last couple years, so I thought I’d give her the floor today. She has an interesting–and inspiring–story to tell about her experience with Buffer.Â
When I first found out about Buffer (few months ago), it was by chance, but I liked what I read about it and I said I´d give it a shot. So, I signed up for the free option and started using it for my social profiles. I did not expect to be so easy to use and my first question (to myself, of course) was: “That’s it? That’s all I have to do to schedule my posts?”
One day I discovered I had problems to login and I decided to write to Buffer and see what they had to say. What I did not expect was they would answer within 5 minutes from sending the email.
I enclose the answer received, so you have a better idea of what I am talking about:
Â
Needless to say, that after exchanging a couple of emails, my problem was solved.
What stuck with me was the absolute excellent customer service Buffer has.  And it all starts with the way they see themselves. From the “happiness hero” to the “weekend warrior” or “android hacker” and even “life saver”, the roles in the company are 100% client oriented. They are not there to sell, they are there to help you, the customer.
Now please show me another company that has this approach! I am not saying they are the only ones, I am saying they are among few that have understood how to thrive in customer service.
You might say: they are a tech company, they can do anything. Wrong! They are a company that put the client first, a company that has a message to deliver and found a unique way to do so, along with an outstanding customer service.
Someone once told me: the “x” product is not cool enough to communicate. Well, you are the storyteller, it’s in your hands to find ingenious ways to communicate an uncool product or service. It’s up to you to make people fall in love with your product and your company. But you know what: you have to fall in love with the product/service/company first. If you don´t believe in it, nobody will. And Buffer believes in their mission to help people spread the news in social media.
Buffer sums it all: they have a great product, easy to use (we all want those, don´t we?!), they are a cool company and found an innovative way to communicate their message out there.
I believe Buffer sets a trend soon to be followed by many: put your client first, put your employees first and everything else will follow.
Every message you get from them whether it is an answer to your emails or from using the app, are positive, personalized and meant to cheer you up. Tell me it doesn´t make you smile the message bellow!
You feel good when receiving this kind of messages, you feel “heard” and probably most important, you feel ready to got to buffer app and schedule some posts.
Customer care, whether you work in PR, tech, accounting or railway (you get the point) is the most important part of a company and the most undervalued nowadays. No matter how great is your product, if you are not able to communicate well and give outstanding customer care service, you’ll loose big time.
What Buffer does different is it personalizes and humanizes the relationship with the client. From every email or message you receive, you are treated as a human being, not as a number, not as a machine and, above all, they really put in the effort to solve your problem and quickly.
I always say that if you care about your customer you put in the effort, you make that extra step to make him/her happy and willing to come back or recommend you.
Treat people with respect and genuine kindness and you will win them forever. They will gladly do stuffs for you. This is pure psychology. Whether you are in PR or customer care you can apply it on a daily basis.
Way to go Buffer for taking customer care service to the next level!
Corina Manea is a Madrid based PR professional with more than 10 years experience in banking and communications. Passionate about PR, social media and traveling, she blogs at Nuts About PR (her blog), is a contributor for Everything PR, covering Communication and PR news from Spain, and travel news on Argophilia.
- Published in Guest Posts
Guest post: What’s next is in the past
The following post is from friend and colleague, Kasey Skala, who’s a digital communications manager by day over at Great Clips. Kasey and I actually disagree on a regular basis–on social media marketing, on sports takes, on the greatness of coffee (the guy doesn’t drink hot liquids!). But, there’s one thing we can agree on–the over-abundance and ridiculousness of the “prediction” posts we see this time of year. Instead, I’m giving Kasey the floor today to talk about what he sees in 2014–and guess what, it has nothing to do with mobile, “social business” or “real-time marketing.”
With the holiday season upon us, it’s usually around this time that we begin to see the “2014 predictions” posts pop up across the interwebs. These posts will likely be summed up a few common and unoriginal thoughts: mobile, data, Snapchat (they really mean disposable content) and wearable technology. While I think these “trends” are important, it’s my belief that “what’s next” for 2014 is actually what’s behind us.
It’s obvious that digital has changed the way we live our lives — both personally and professionally. From a marketing standpoint, it’s no longer about price or location for 99.9% of brands. Access and obtainability is no longer a differentiator. Brands that are going to succeed in 2014, and beyond, are those that appeal to emotional experiences. Cecelia Wogan-Silva, the director of creative agency development at Google, was recently quoted in FastCompany as saying “something extraordinary is usually something that touches consumers and tells a story, it’s not just technology alone that builds a brand.”
Coca-Cola is taking this approach with their “corporate websites are dead” stance and the launch of Coca-Cola Journey. Unilever just launched Project Sunlight. Dove’s ongoing Campaign for Real Beauty was one the most talked about ads, as was Nike’s Find your Greatness. None of these examples talk about product, price or place. The focus is on emotional storytelling that connects with consumers on a deeper and personal level.
Which brings be back to my 2014 prediction — we’ll see more brands focus on what’s behind us. Content isn’t new — heck, content strategy was one of the most overused buzzwords last year. While all brands are struggling to figure out content, I think 2014 will see a rejuvenated push toward emotional content. We’ll see more brands filling marketing roles with journalists and non-traditional writers. And, unfortunately, this is going to be an expensive trend for brands.
Again, I think mobile and data are important. They play a big role in the future of digital. However, I like to think bigger picture and get beneath the surface. Technology changes. Technology evolves. The one constant: people. And that’s where my focus in 2014 will be. What about you?
- Published in Guest Posts, Online marketing strategy
What Most Professionals Are Forgetting: Test Your Social Media Strategies First
I’m taking a rare week “off”–which means I’m also trying to unplug for 9 days (we’ll see if I’m successful). So, I thought I’d ask some other smart people to post here in my stead–starting with Tyler Orchard, who’s going to talk about testing your social strategies. Here’s hist post.
We operate in a world that is both unpredictable and uncertain. We strive to minimize loss, failure and waste by being prepared, ready and deliberate. Planning begets success – isn’t that the reality of this industry? Preparation, research and calculated risk are the standard operating procedures to remain innovative and forward thinking.
Strategic planning is akin to a roadmap that has planned every move, decision and action. While some may argue detail isn’t always an aid, it is a necessary function within any industry. What people have forgot is that although ideas, strategies and tactics may seem disreputable on paper or the whiteboard, what evidence do we have that proves the assumptions at its core?
Testing can be perceived as a tactic that isn’t fitting for larger companies or creative campaigns. Many believe it should be preserved for startups. However, the assumptions that one holds should not be perceived as definite—that is until proven to be more than mere hypotheses and unqualified beliefs.
The benefits of social media are vast, but they are not guaranteed—nor are they static and predictable. They are malleable, fluid and never the same. Many companies perceive social media to be a sales function; to others it may be used for crisis management, market research or thought leadership. While each strategy may be appropriate, they are all born on assumptions.
A Company’s Assumptions
Whether it is consciously identified with or not, a company will hold certain assumptions that influence decisions. These assumptions—or hypotheses—are necessary for innovation because they are unique, cutting-edge and focused on growth. For example, the company that wants to become the industry’s thought leader chooses to employ a social media strategy that occupies LinkedIn and a blog. This company is taking significant action on numerous assumptions, which include:
- The company has content that adds value to the conversation,
- People want to learn about the company’s insights, views and ideas,
- LinkedIn/blog is a better source than Twitter, Youtube and Facebook,
- A robust thought leadership profile will yield benefits that matter to the company,
- Social media is a better platform than other means.
While this list is not finite, it presents several high-level assumptions that, if incorrect, would result in a waste of resources and diminish ROI in its entirety.
How to Approach Assumptions
Everyone has assumptions that they believe to be true. Many decisions within an organization are made based on those assumptions—others are grounded in evidence. Some of those ideas and decisions may in fact revolutionize industries, markets and products. However, in order to limit waste (capital, human and time) success is dependent on whether that assumption was correct in the first place.
Therefore, we need to test these assumptions in a way that allows a company to learn. If these tests indicate that the assumption (or idea) is correct, a company can implement a strategy that it can be comfortable will yield benefits. However, if the tests indicate that the initial assumption was wrong, it can absorb that data in an effort to either reconstruct the model or abandon the initial idea and shift towards a new objective. It’s much like employing a trial run that generates two streams of action.
Testing
The company who seeks to increase their thought leadership through LinkedIn and a blog can in fact test their assumptions in a way that reveals significant insight, but only requires a minimum level of implementation (number below correspond to the assumptions above).
- Run a simple SWOT analysis that identifies areas of current saturation and opportunity. If the company’s thought leadership content and ideas fall within the saturated side of the equation, the strategy needs to be adjusted. However, if the current content is operating in a field of its own, there is a prospect to pursue.
- Listen and learn from what is currently going on in this space and analyze if there is even a desire from the audience to consume this type of content.
- Compare Twitter/Facebook/YouTube to LinkedIn/blogs. What are the strengths and weaknesses of both? What does it mean to the company?
- Employ a weeklong pilot program. One for LinkedIn, perhaps focusing on answering questions on a daily basis. Another for blogging, perhaps a guest post. This allows the company to test content, receptiveness and its value-add index.
- Consolidate the data/insight from pervious thought leadership marketing strategies and compare them to the limited offering from point four. If the company can only choose one strategy, why is it choosing social media? Remember, it comes down to creating value for the company.
Strategy Development
It is counterintuitive to deploy a multichannel content strategy that is based solely on an assumption. A person wouldn’t invest in a company without performing due diligence, so why don’t companies take the same precautions with social media?
It’s because social media seems simple and the benefits easily obtainable.
Before kicking off a strategy that looks great on the whiteboard, break it down into its assumptions. Then, test those hypotheses through quantitative and empirical research to gain the insight that can inform a finalized decision.
Tyler is the Manager of Strategy and Social Media at Zync in Toronto, an award-winning brand and marketing communications agency. He also is the founder of Back Rank. After finishing his Masters degree, he spent time in political PR. Connect with him on Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, his Blog or the Zync blog.
Note: Photo courtesy James Raymond via FlickR Creative Commons.
- Published in Guest Posts
Does an online degree make you suitable for a real-world job?
Little off-topic today, but it’s an interesting discussion. Can on online degree help you find a *real* job? Like many, I’m a bit skeptical of online degrees. I know University of Phoenix this. Capella University that. But, I just tend to think you get a whole lot more from that classroom interaction. I’m happy to be proved wrong–and, keep in mind, just my opinion. Like I said, it’s an interesting discussion. Would love to hear your thoughts. Let’s hear what today’s guest poster, Tess Pajaron has to say…
In a world of ever increasing digital access from smartphones to tablets and wi-fi everywhere, the shift to online trends is inevitable. And while some people fear this shift, others are making it with leaps and bounds taking advantage of every opportunity they can get to work and live in a digital setting. The dream of accessing your office or classroom from a laptop in a coffee shop or on the beach is a real one for many people in upcoming generations, and for this reason it is no wonder why so many people have opted to free themselves from set hours to work and study how they choose.
Online classrooms have popped up all across the internet. With them has come the doubt that anyone can actually get a decent education without the interaction from a professor or other classmates. And while this may be true, online classrooms are actually gaining a positive reputation that they will be put in closer touch with other students and teachers and can collaborate more effectively online.
The benefits are plentiful for this method of learning, but one other fear that strikes the hearts of every student is whether an online degree can lead to a real world job. While they may enjoy the flexibility of being able to study behind a computer screen, they would prefer to get out and work in an office or in a profession doing what they love. So can an online degree lead to a real world job?
Here are a few reasons why the answer to that question is a resounding yes!
Show off your smarts by picking the right school
While we do live in an age with enhanced digital communications, it does not mean that every institute that pops up on the internet is a valid one. An employer will want to know where you got your degree, and while letting them know it was through an online degree program will not affect how they perceive your education, telling them where the degree was earned from will.
Many well-respected institutions provide their students with options to obtain an online degree. You must do your homework and determine if the place where you want to earn your online degree is one that will make you look like an innovative, outstanding student or one that will hold you back from future employment. To help boost the credibility behind the institution you choose, always add accreditation to your resume to show your employer you did your research.
Online learning is still hands-on
Throughout your class via the internet, you will not be left out in the open to fend for yourself. Instead, you will still work with other students via web-based collaboration. This method of working together and completing projects is one that will be carried into the real world as well.
With more companies doing business online and bridging the geographic gap through internet-based collaboration, you can show your future employers that you have a leg up on the competition because of your already real-world experience working in this setting. In the cover letter and in your interview be sure to make mention of how applicable an online degree is to real world working experience. This will get you a better shot at landing your dream job because of your ability to be versatile in the workplace and innovative in new solutions.
More options for your job search
In the real world, it is expected that people know how to use the internet, can adapt quickly to new technology situations, and are digitally streamlined to work in this day and age. With an online degree, you immediately put your experience into real world job requirements. This experience can open up more doors for you than people who have stuck with a more traditional classroom approach.
Corporations are sending their employees to school to receive certifications and trainings online. This is perceived as leading edge and a more cost-effective time saving approach. With your experience proving that you not only have the ability to earn a degree online, but that you were innovative enough to recognize the benefits to how it could help potential future employers, you will stand out from the crowd.
Don’t be afraid to take your classroom online and work in the digital age. If you choose the right college, your ability to be flexible as well as smart about your approach to schooling will open more doors for you in the long run on the job market.
Tess Pajaron is part of the team behind OpenColleges. She holds a background in business administrative management and a social media enthusiast. She can be also seen on her social media profile at Google+.
Note: Photo courtesy of ax2groin via FlickR Creative Commons.
- Published in Guest Posts