Archives For Marketing

IMG_1180

It Is Ok To Be Uncomfortable

February 22, 2013 — Leave a comment

We all create some form of content for others. Whether it is oral or written, a full-length book or 140 characters, we all have our way to communicate. And, for many, a niche is developed that is comfortable. At the same time, it is good to mix it up every so often. I recently did that, unintentionally.

I am comfortable speaking in front of crowds, small or large. I am comfortable teaching a class. I am comfortable arguing in a courtroom. I am comfortable putting my writing out for others to read. I have become used to this.

Over the past few weeks, I had some new opportunities that initially moved me away from that comfort zone. This was through video and audio recording. I was interviewed on camera for this LXBN piece and this LexisNexis video. I did a live recorded webcast for the Ohio State Bar Association, and a podcast on creativity with my friend David Bowman from the Ohlmann Group.

Why were these different for me? Because, you really only get one chance to convey the information and it is generally not rehearsed. You also lack the immediate audience interaction with what you are saying. If a perceived joke works or bombs, you cannot see the crowd and adjust. If you misspeak during a live presentation, it is easily fixable and perhaps forgotten quickly. After a live talk is over, you can have discussions with those present. On the writing side, you can edit and edit to your heart’s content before publishing.

The real difference perhaps is self-criticism. With a video or audio recording, we will individually tend to pick the performance apart – and, can do it over and over again. Plus, who really likes to hear the sound of their voice recorded?

That all said, these experiences make me want to do a regular podcast. It is no longer uncomfortable. Who wouldn’t want to listen to me while working out or driving in their car? Don’t answer that.

What have you done lately that is uncomfortable? Give something to a try, you might be surprised.

[Feature photo note: not Ella’s real teeth, but it made you uncomfortable wondering, huh?]

In Leadership, Marketing , , ,
permalink
6290003115_7788c41563

Explain to Me, Should I Be Using LinkedIn More?

January 7, 2013 — Leave a comment

About once a month, I get the feeling that I am leaving something on the table when it comes to LinkedIn. I ponder whether to re-vamp my profile and otherwise spend more time in the platform. I usually make a little tweak here and there but that is about it. Here is how I use it:

  • My profile is somewhat comprehensive and up-to-date (feel free to disagree);
  • I connect with people I meet through different media and in person;
  • I post this blog as updates;
  • Occasionally I reach out to people through the messaging system if I do not have their email handy;
  • It serves as a good tool to research the professional background of folks, including job candidates; and
  • I can see who has viewed my profile (which is kind of fun).

To date, I do not:

  • Mine people’s profiles for contacts;
  • Critically analyze whether to accept an invitation or not, and just accept the invite (even if the invitation is not customized as I keep reading you are supposed to do — and I generally do not customize invites); or
  • Use the platform as a regular learning tool because people tend to post the same links on Twitter and Facebook and the same information pops up on Zite.

So, my take is that you need a decent presence (including a profile that does not make you look like a spammer, stalker, etc.) and that is about it. If you do not have a profile or it is incredibly barebones, then are you not real? Perhaps I am using LinkedIn enough.

Am I missing something?

Photo credit: Sheila Scarborough

In Marketing , , , , , ,
permalink

They Are All Watching You, So Think Before You Act

December 19, 2012 — Leave a comment

As soon as you put yourself in the public forum, it is game on. Whether it is the nature of your business or you engage in online efforts for marketing, every step you take on the web is being watched — closely. There is a need to think many steps ahead about the ramifications of an action or decision not to act. This has always been true, but, now, the blemishes of such a move are exposed immediately.

Two prime examples have emerged over the past week:

Instagram. Customer agreements previously were private, somewhat, in that the contract was printed on paper and signed by each party. User agreements or terms and conditions nowadays are often online. When changes to those agreements are made, the world knows it instantly. The blogs will blow up with criticism. Social media will be beat this to a pulp.

Instagram learned that this week. They announced changes to their terms and conditions to allow for the potential sale of user’s photographs to third parties for what appears to be innovative marketing techniques. Once the world exploded, Instagram has now backtracked to save face and explain there was no intention to do this. The CEO has explained that the terms will be revised so that they will not explicitly sell photographs of that unappetizing looking meal you just made and shared with us through a 1977 filter (okay, he used slightly different words).

Quite frankly, Instagram can feel free to sell this image of the cranberry-like material I posted on Thanksgiving (at least I put a border on it, right?).

IMG_1332

Whether Instagram intended to sell user images to third parties or not, the backlash was felt immediately. A thoughtful scrubbing of the new proposed terms from the perspective of user sentiment could have prevented this. Is this the death of Instragram? Probably not. Remember all those people who were indignant over the new Facebook timeline and how it made your posts from 2006 more readily available to your current, more mature, group of friends? Yep, they are still active users. On a somewhat related note, Twitter’s recent release of filters for photos had great timing. Moving on…

The NRA (stay with me, it is actually related). In the wake of the Connecticut shooting, the NRA went radio silent on social media. They, typically, have active Twitter and Facebook accounts. The NRA has learned from past mistakes. For example, an errant tweet after the Aurora movie theater shooting caused significant backlash.

Instead of allowing criticism of their organization to play out on a very public Facebook page (responding in real time), the NRA shut it down. Whether you approve of this strategy or not (or are a fan of the NRA in general), the point is that they thoughtfully controlled the message. They released a public statement and have scheduled a press conference. The NRA demonstrated that this is not their first rodeo and that thinking ahead is critical from a PR perspective. We shall see how this plays out.

These two examples continue to demonstrate that action, or inaction, can be an instant viral sensation. Instagram acted and decided to update their terms and conditions, which a responsible company should do from time to time. However, it appears that the backlash of those new terms was not properly vetted. On the other hand, the NRA stepped back and chose not to act or respond immediately in the wake of a tragedy. This silence was deafening for many, but, the alternative of immediate engagement probably would have been worse.

It is easy to tell people to think twice before clicking “send” on an email, status update or the like, but this extends to anything published, including contracts. Good or bad, the world will know, immediately. And, clearly, your biggest fans and critics will let you know their feelings, immediately.

In Leadership, Marketing , , , , ,
permalink