This weekend is my annual girls getaway weekend with my two best friends from college. Since we graduated five years ago, we have made an effort to get together every year for a fun-packed weekend where we enjoy pampering mani/pedis, renting beach cruiser bicycles, eating dessert for dinner and dancing in front of the hotel mirror. This year we are going to the annual Tulip Festival in Northern Washington, which takes place every year at the end of April. It should be a great year for the tulips as Washington has received its fair share of rain this season.
My upcoming trip has got me thinking….not only about flowers, but on relationships once again, and what it takes to make them grow and the impact they make on us, here at Impetus. Working in public relations, we focus on building new relationships, reaching out, getting new clients and creating new contacts. Although these are extremely important, I think one of the most important aspects of relationship building is nurturing existing clients and relations. The truth is that my relationships with my best girl friends living across the country are much more meaningful than most other relationships I will make even if we have to spend months in advance planning for a weekend getaway.
There is nothing more valuable to a business than its existing clients. They are your first thought in the morning when you step into work and the last thing you think about before you pack up for the evening. They are also one of your best marketing tools available. By nurturing your relationships and taking care of them, they will recommend your services to others and in turn, generate more clients for you.
Here are a few ways you can give special attention and respect to the client relationships that really matter:
Listen and Learn – By listening you might learn a few thing that will help you better serve their needs. Trust me, they’ll notice your attention to detail in all that you do for them.
Take an Interest in Something Personal – Ask you clients about their personal hobbies and interests at the beginning or end of your meetings. Chances are, they are much more likely to smile when you ask them, and it gives you an opportunity to learn more about the people you’re working with!
Be Responsive – Make it a point to contact and check-in with your clients. The more you interact, the more likely you will get their approval and achieve project success.
Refer and Introduce – Just as you hope your clients will pass on a positive report on your firm, do the same for them.
Show Them Your Face – Let your clients get to know you. It will make a lasting impression and most likely, a happier client.
That’s right, social media experts don’t exist. Sounds strange coming from the manager of an agency’s social media department, right? Well, it shouldn’t.
Expertise is specific, not general. There are simply too many facets of social media for any one person to be an expert in all of them. The field is too broad. Too new. The term “social media expert” means nothing.
Like anyone invested in their craft, I can only handle so much ridiculousness before the mental elastic parts with a snap. Anyone who fancies themself an “expert” because they have 10K followers is trying to sell you some beach front property in Arizona. It’s the modern day version of the children’s tale, The Emperor’s New Clothes.
Does having a blog ranked in the Technorati Top 50 make you an expert? An expert on creating a successful blog, sure. A social media expert? Now that’s a whole different story. In many cases that’s exactly who companies look to for advice and insight on social media marketing. But ask yourself this: How does writing a blog qualify someone to help you build a multi-platform customer service center? How does chatting up friends on Twitter qualify someone to both engineer and execute the inevitable and incredibly complex change management process that comes with the integration of a Social Media program across a global organization?
Are there solid bloggers out there? Yes. Are there people who know to sell themselves as “dudes who were there” before social media blew up? Yes. Are there people who can speak intelligently about social media and how it helps businesses? Of course.
But none of this qualifies someone who uses social media to develop, manage and measure a company’s social media campaign.
An accomplished blogger may make a fantastic Community Manager for day-to-day activity, but be completely out of their depth when a serious PR crisis hits. They may understand how to build communities but not how to integrate business development and marketing strategy into what they do. A Twitter kingpin may be completely incapable of navigating the inner politics of an organization to put his ideas into practice. Change management is hard. No amount of tweeting, posting or public speaking can prepare you for the dysfunctional politics and red tape of a conservative, risk-averse client.
Labeling someone a social media expert because they’re active on one or two platforms is a result of a larger misconception within this field: a company’s social media strategy exists to drive social media. The purpose of a Social Media program should be to serve the company’s business objectives, not itself. Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying an objective of gaining 10K followers is bad, so long as that number of followers can help accomplish a business goal. In other words, the number of “likes” and followers should not measure the success of a social media program. Success hinges on what you’re able to do with that audience now that you have them. Like every other facet of marketing, social media is merely a means to an end, not the end itself.
This post is brought to you by Jamie Brant, Account Executive
This week marked our second monthly Motivation Monday, here at the Impetus Agency. Motivation Monday was a great idea sparked from the Partners of getting the entire office together once a month to share new initiatives and ideas to motivate each other at work, home or in the community. I immediately loved this idea. We can all use a little motivation every once in awhile, especially on a Monday, right?
This last Motivation Monday hosted a guest speaker, Rick Reviglio. He and his family have been a big part of the Northern Nevada community for years and are big advocates of giving back and paying it forward. I had not had the pleasure of hearing Rick speak before, and I’m told it’s a rare occurrence, so I was very excited to have him be a part of our Motivation Monday. I was blown away of course by the content and message behind his speech, but also by his enthusiasm, passion and energy. Sometimes just listening to someone like that is motivating in and of itself; would you believe he’s at work every morning at 3am sharp?
He spoke about Give Back Like Jack, a partnership of key organizations shaped by their relationships with the late Jack Reviglio (Rick’s father) and the Reviglio family that honors Jack’s legacy by inspiring the community to “Give Back Like Jack” through deeds, service, and neighborly kindness.
He spoke about how some of the biggest occasions where he’s truly made a difference, are not instances where he’s handed over a check, they’re when he’s given his time and energy. This is an important message for those who think they can’t contribute because they can’t give monetary contributions; there’s much more we can all do. He also talked about having passion for the causes you back. We can sit on Boards and be a part of organizations, but if it’s something we’re truly passionate about, then we’ll simply get more done.
Here are a couple notes of inspiration he shared with us as well:
When I was young and free and my imagination had no limits, I dreamed of changing the world. As I grew older and wiser, I discovered the world would not change, so I shortened my sights somewhat and decided to change only my country.
But it, too, seemed immovable.
As I grew into my twilight years, in one last desperate attempt, I settled for changing only my family, those closest to me, but alas, they would have none of it.
And now as I lie on my deathbed, I suddenly realize: If I had only changed my self first, then by example I would have changed my family.
From their inspiration and encouragement, I would then have been able to better my country and, who knows, I may have even changed the world.
Much like writing and pitching media, I’ll keep things short, simple and sweet. While professionals in our industry tend to write well already, it never hurts to brush up on writing skills and technique. In honor of March Madness, below are Sweet 16 writing tips:
Try not to edit your first draft as you write.
Write your thoughts, take a break, and return to it later for edits and revisions.
Don’t be afraid to edit more than once! Sometimes writing a piece and setting it aside for a few days can be helpful and brings a whole new wave of ideas and structure.
Eliminate repetitive words and phrases.
Expand your vocabulary as much as possible.
Don’t be afraid to right click for the Thesaurus!
Get to the point and cut out unnecessary verbiage.
Regularly read others’ writings, news articles, columns, books, etc. for inspiration!
Avoid long sentences and keep things clean and simple.
Read your work aloud. Sometimes hearing your words rather than just reading them can make all the difference.
Ask others to read your work. An extra set of eyes never hurts!
Use action words to paint a picture.
In press releases, always begin with the 5 W’s (who, what, where, when, why).
Keep your writing clear and consistent.
Use persuasive words. Convince the reader to believe what they are reading.
Keep an AP Style book on hand!
And a few words from the wise…
“Substitute ‘damn’ every time you’re inclined to write ‘very’; your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be.” - Mark Twain
I spend an absurd amount of time on Facebook. I do. I probably clock around the same amount of hours a die-hard FarmVille player does, but I don’t play FarmVille. FarmVille faithful, please know I’m not knocking your game. If you want to breed and trade virtual cows and chickens, more power to you. There are far worse ways to spend your time.
For me, it’s part of my job to keep my Facebook tab open most of the day and actively engage with our clients’ Facebook fans. This includes a laundry list of various interactions (e.g., answering fan questions, responding to fan concerns, removing spam, ensuring each fan abides by the rules and regulations.) You get the picture. These are all staples of my daily agenda, but here’s what interests me most: what motivates an individual to participate on Facebook?
More specifically, what drives Facebook fans to interact with brands?
After much observation, I believe brands need to create content that falls under one of the following categories, if not all of them:
Simplicity
Size
Share
Support
Simplicity: There are hundreds of updates, stories, messages, invites etc. flooding a Facebook user during any given minute of the day. So, when creating content for your brand that you want your fans to interact with, it’s critical that it be simplistic.
Example: Click “LIKE” if your *insert something you think your fans value* is *insert something your fans can easily agree with*.
It’s that easy, and, if you’ve selected correctly, don’t be surprised to see 20 + interactions depending on the size of your current fan base.
Size: There’s a reason Twitter limited its users to 140 characters. Brands should keep that in mind when posting their Facebook statuses. These posts need to be concise, and, as a rule of thumb, relatively short.
Ask yourself this: When using Facebook during your leisure time, do you tend to avoid posts that look like paragraphs? If you answered yes, you’re not alone. Again, with all that’s available at a given moment on Facebook, the last thing a fan wants to do is read a long post discussing your brand’s new product launch. Instead, tell your fans about that product launch concisely, with a sentence and a link for their consideration.
Example: Did you hear? We’re launching *insert your brand’s ridiculously cool new product* in *insert amount of time* at *insert location if applicable*. Take a look!
*Include link to your brand’s “must see” media release or story about the event*.
Share: For brands to be effective on Facebook, content should be created that their fans want to share with other Facebook users. Brands will also want to create content that invites their fans to share photos, stories, even videos on the brand’s Facebook Wall or Timeline. Now, this doesn’t mean every post you create for your brand will or should be shared. If you held yourself to that standard, you’d be sadly disappointed. Instead, consider what your fans would like to share (this may take some investigating on other Facebook brand pages which offer products or services that are similar to yours.) Then, bounce the idea off colleagues, friends or family members. Ask them if the post you’ve created on behalf of your brand is something they would want to share with their Facebook friends.
Remember, I’m not just talking about the “Share” option on Facebook here; I’m also reminding you that your brand’s content should invite your readers to post on your brand’s page.
Example 1: TGIF! Let’s have some fun! What’s your favorite *insert something that relates to your brand* movie? Let’s get a list going!
Example 2: I love St. Patty’s Day, and it’s almost here! “Share” this post if this applies to you!
*Include snazzy photo of your brand’s hot product in green.*
Example 3: Mondays are the worst, so let’s lighten things up! Post a picture of your favorite *insert something your fans value that relates to your brand*.
You’ll find, as I have, that once one fan posts to your Wall, and in essence breaks the ice, other fans will follow suit. Soon, your brand will have a variety of positive interactions. Not to mention, those interactions (photos in the case above) will accumulate interactions of their own (e.g., fans commenting on and liking other fan photos.)
Support: Yes, you want your fans to support your brand, but no, that’s not what this category is about, at least, not entirely. When I say support, I mean you want your fans to support your brand’s content. If your fans support your brand’s content, they’re likely to support your brand. In essence, you want them to see your brand like another one of their friends on Facebook.
Say you post an interesting video about your brand on your page- how was it received? Did it accumulate positive comments and likes? Was it shared? This is how you gauge whether or not your content is supported. If you’re noticing limited fan engagement, or a complete lack thereof, try to identify the problem.
It could be that you just don’t have the fan base to support your content. If you only have 50 fans, but you post something daily, you shouldn’t be surprised to see limited interactions. In this circumstance, consider using Facebook ads to build a base of fans. The more people viewing your brand’s content, the better.
Another issue may be the delivery of your brand’s content. To help with this, consider the other categories already mentioned. Are your posts simple to understand and easy to interact with? Are they too long? Are your posts appealing and would you share them yourself or are they more like sales pitches? (Note: Posts can promote sales and product features, just be subtle about it.)
Keep in mind- these categories lend themselves to a variety of different posts. Sharing a link about a breakthrough in clean energy and accompanying that link with just the words: “Your thoughts?” is very simplistic (Simple) and could be extremely effective for a brand that sales environmentally friendly products. Not to mention, it’s very brief (Size), it would likely generate a good response from fans (Support) and the link might even be shared (Share).
That covers all four categories… a BINGO, if you will.
So there you have it, my model for creating top-notch content for brands on Facebook.
A few months ago I came across a very validating fact. 40 percent of smartphone and tablet owners check their social sites, email, etc. while they are watching TV.
Thank you, Mashable for helping me feel like a normal person.
I can’t sit through a half hour TV show without checking all the apps on my phone. It’s more of an impulse than anything else. I don’t miss Facebook, and I know nothing exciting has happened since I last checked… it’s just muscle memory, or something.
This became especially apparent during the Oscars. I was watching about 20 minutes behind on my TiVo, and kept ruining the surprise of who won, because I kept absentmindedly checking Twitter. However, this also led me to a realization: I follow A LOT of brands on Facebook.
Granted, it is my job to be interested in how brands are using Facebook and other social media sites. And because of my interest in fashion, it makes sense that this particular event led to a red carpet explosion on my News Feed. But throughout the night, as I reached for my phone again and again, I only saw updates from brand pages. My friends’ posts couldn’t make it through the noise.
This was the first time I have ever been annoyed by the number of brands I follow or by the abundance of posts they make.
As an avid Mashable reader, and someone who manages brands’ social presence for my job, I know it is considered “best practice” to post only so often that one (1) of your brand’s posts show up in fans’ News Feeds at any given moment. The thought process being, posting too often is annoying and will drive fans away. There is a complicated algorithm you can use to determine when your post leaves the feed. But usually one post every 24 hours is sufficient.
Most of the brands I follow break this rule with abandon. And usually it doesn’t bug me too much. (And I am in control, after all, the ‘Unlike” button is only a few clicks away!) Most of these pages are blogs and magazines, with a lot of original content, and I don’t typically find the posts annoying.
Now I’m curious… to those who are not as obsessed with Facebook as I am, how often do you think brands should post? What makes you follow certain pages on Facebook? Are you looking for deals, pictures, a first look at new stuff? Or do you use it more as an RSS feed, like I do?
While it may sound obvious, it’s important to know the difference between advertising and public relations. Many business owners lump everything under marketing when in fact there are very distinct differences between these and other communication methods, their uses and their results.
Advertising.
While it’s apparent to some, many owners or managers not directly involved in marketing are not fully aware of the division. Advertising is paying to have your message seen whether it be an ad in a newspaper or magazine or on a website or a TV commercial or billboard. These platforms can be very effective for certain types of businesses and specific messages. But, advertising is not a one-size fits all and a billboard is not for everyone. It’s important to understand your business and your target customer and know how they want to receive information and where in order to determine which method is right for you.
PR.
Public relations, or PR as it is commonly referred as, is getting others to talk about your company in a positive light and building reputations. This is done through non-advertising techniques such as being featured in the news, public speaking, writing expert columns and today includes numerous platforms in social media. One of the biggest benefits to PR is that it is a third-party endorsement and thus viewed by consumers as more credible than advertisements, which they know are paid for. A good PR firm or campaign can get you featured in stories relevant to your business and make sure you are viewed as an expert in your field. PR can build your reputation better than other communication methods. But, like advertising, PR is more effective for certain businesses and goals but cannot communicate all messages such as sales, promotions and discounts, which are not newsworthy and should be advertised.
Which Agency is for You?
Depending on your business, your best approach might be to incorporate both into your overall marketing plan. This is where the selection part comes into play. Very few agencies are a one-stop-shop for all your needs. Most specialize in techniques or even industries. As you can tell from this special section, there are a plethora of agencies in northern Nevada. But, I firmly believe you are best served by selecting agencies that do specialize and have niches. If you just need a website and search engine optimizations, there are firms much better at that than others. And, even further, depending on whether you need a very complex website with custom features or a very simple one- there are other agencies better for those. If you need a really nice TV spot, there are a couple agencies in town who are best at that. If you don’t need high-quality production- most TV stations will produce your spot for free as part of your buy. Same goes for graphic design, outdoor advertising, PR and social media. There is no problem working with multiple agencies.
Selecting the Agency.
Once you’ve determined what your goals are and which channels will be best to communicate with your audience, then do your homework. Ask around. Ask other business owners and manages you trust. Seek out agencies whose work for other clients you find impressive. Research online. Call and interview agencies.
Questions to Ask.
In your selection process there are some questions you should ask of the agency representative you are talking to. You should inquire about the following:
Relevant experience.
Niche experience in the industry or platform you are interested in.
Specifically who will be working on your account and how much experience they have.
How the process works; how many people work on my account, how am I reported to on status updates, how often do we meet, what’s required of you.
Recent examples of successes.
Size of the agency and years in business.
Fees.
Case Studies.
References.
10. Deliverables- what measures success.
Hope this helps. By the way, our agency specializes in PR and Social Media.
Written by: Tierra Bonaldi, Founder and a Principal of The Impetus Agency overseeing emerging communication, campaign strategy, and new business development.
Inspired by one of our signature “Motivation Monday” meetings, I decided it was time to change things up a little bit. There is no doubt that social media has had an impact on most people, whether they are using it or not. So I decided if social media was going to have an influence on me that I would have something to say about it. I wanted to add my own spin to the social way of life that has been coming up around us.
How, you might ask? Well, I have had a Facebook account for as long as I can remember. But is that really enough? No. I needed to take the plunge. First with Instagram and Tumblr because they allow for a creative outlet that other social media sites do not. Sometimes you cannot express what you want to say in words, and these two platforms are the perfect outlet. However, when all I have are words? I head to Twitter. Where I can add the little blurbs of information that come across my mind in a sometimes scattered fashion.
Conveniently, all these networks are available through apps I have on my cell phone, so I can easily update wherever I am.. My cell phone is attached to my hip. I never leave home without it, and if I do, I drive all the way back home just to get it. Many people I know feel the same way. We feel connected to the world with cell phone in hand. A simple message is just a text away. Maps and directions are just a few screen taps away in my phone’s browser. Work, play, it does everything! Even when I was on vacation, I was trying to figure out ways to stay connected. I needed my Internet fix! I needed to let everyone know I was still out there, “Hey, don’t forget about me!”
Keeping up with all these social networks can seem like you’ve put your head in a whirlwind! Does this sound familiar to you? How has the Internet and social media effected your life? How do you keep up with social media? Have you completely taken the plunge or are you teetering on the edge of the abyss with just an email or Facebook account you rarely use? Post your replies here. ☺
Love is in the air with only a few more days until Valentine’s Day! This is one of my favorite holidays because yes, I love celebrating relationships. But I also find it encompasses so many of my favorite things in life…. hearts, ribbon, shades of pink and red, dessert, lace, bows, and sprinkles.
I am also reminded at this time every year to really reflect on and cherish all the types of relationships I have built in my life during the previous year: the new ones I have created, the ones I’ve made stronger, and the ones I am excited to continuing growing. In our profession of Public Relations, building relationships is so important it’s the name of what we do! There are three critical steps in which public relations specialists can cultivate relationships with the media.
Initiate a Conversation: The best way to get to know someone is to talk to them. Ask them questions. Think of it as a first date. You are obviously interested in them or what they are doing so let them know. You won’t be able to build your relationship if you don’t put yourself out there. Get to know them and find common ground. Journalists will get to know your name and recognize your face. That’s a great start.
Building the Relationship: When the media receives an email or phone call, you want them to be excited to hear from you and what you have going on. Continue to engage with the media you work with to foster the relationship you are building. Do your research learning exactly what they want and need from you or how you can help them by looking at work they have done in the past. Be sure to tailor your story or pitch and make it personal. You’ll build stronger relationships with reporters when you give them what they need to satisfy the public.
Appreciate the ones you love: Once Journalists and PR Specialists can reach this level of relationship, they are able to work really well together and understand how to make the other’s job a bit more rewarding. Once you have reached this point it is important to maintain your relationship. When you’re sending out holiday cards, for example, be sure to send them one as well. Go out of your way to remind them of how important they are to you.
Just as in any relationship, a PR Specialist’s relationship with journalists and the media can take work. If you learn what you can do to help them, they will do the same for you. These relationships can also offer many rewards. After all, that is what love is all about.
It comes but once a year. It’s what all the big-boy advertisers lie back in their leather desk chairs and dream about. For the last 364 days they’ve fought a losing battle against TiVo, ADD, and the proverbial bathroom break. But not this day. This is the day their ads are met with anticipation and excitement, instead of the fast-forward button. This is the day where people pay just as much attention to the commercials as the actual program. This is the Super Bowl – the red carpet of advertising.
Throughout the years, there have been a ton of groundbreaking spots. Sure, there are a few stinkers here and there, but those aren’t nearly as fun to write about, or re-watch for that matter. There might not be too many surprises come Sunday thanks to the spoiler alerts from VW, Honda and Acura, but hey, a dude can hope (don’t let me down, eTrade baby). In any case, I asked each member of the team to select his/her all-time favorite commercial and briefly explain why. So without further ado, I present the All-Time Greatest Super Bowl Commercials… according to us.
Fed Ex “We Apologize” (1998)
“Amidst all the high-end filming, expensive sets, and ridiculous amounts of money spent on production, this ad stood out to me more than any other because of its simplistic brilliance. Much like Orson Welles War of the Worlds radio broadcast interruption in 1938, it caught your attention as if the emergency broadcast system had been initiated. One idea that was so great it required nothing further than a concept.” – Tierra Bonaldi, Principal
Coca-Cola “Mean Joe Greene” (1980)
“I was a 7-year-old kid, and remember Greene as a legendary defensive player for the dominant Pittsburgh Steelers. He was know for his ferocious image, and in this spot was shown on a really bad day that ended with “a Coke and a Smile” as a young fan gave the star his Coke, and in return Greene tossed him his jersey. I’m a sap and love the “feel good” spots, but this commercial still brings a smile to my face and drums up some great old memories! Can’t wait to see Downey’s remake of this classic for Super Bowl 2012!” – Julie Rowe, Principal
Volkswagen “The Force” (2011)
“I’m the mom of a little boy. This is irresistible.” – Meagan Noin, Managing Director
Pepsi Britney Spears (2002)
“Because it reminds me of a time when I had respect for Britney… those were the days.” – Kerry Sutherland, Director of Brand Strategy
Budweiser “Respect” (2002)
America, f*#k yeah! – Yours Truly, Social Media Manager
Emerald Nuts “Boogeyman” (2007)
“I just go nuts over it.” – Jamie Brant, Account Executive
Victoria’s Secret (2002)
“Because if this doesn’t get a sport-obsessed man’s attention… I’m not sure what will.” – Jill O’Driscoll, Account Executive
Career Builder “Heart” (2008)
“Because it reminds people to follow their heart, a message we can all be reminded of!” – Carlie Wilhite, Account Coordinator
Budweiser “Wassup” (2000)
“The commercial is utterly goofy yet it created a social phenomenon; for weeks people were saying wassup to each other on the phone, in person… it was hilarious and fun to be a part of.” – Zach Hausauer, Community Manager
Budweiser “Clydesdale Training” (2008)
“Because it was the cutest one ever, duh.” – Brooke Gersich, Account Coordinator
Dove “You Are a Man” (2010)
“It made me laugh. But what I really liked was that you didn’t know exactly what brand it’s for until the end. The commercial really played to guys, and at the end it was for Dove, a brand I think most people associate with women. Very cool.” – Alli Cernoch, Content Developer
