Posterous theme by Cory Watilo

#trust30: Wholly Strange and New

The moment I began to cut my own path was the same moment I realized my intentions were not my own. It felt scary, dangerous, thrilling and empowering all at once. I felt alive for the first time in a while.

Wholly Strange and New by Bridget Pilloud When good is near you, when you have life in yourself, it is not by any known or accustomed way; you shall not discern the foot-prints of any other; you shall not see the face of man; you shall not hear any name;——the way, the thought, the good, shall be wholly strange and new. -Ralph Waldo Emerson Can you remember a moment in your life when you had life in yourself and it was wholly strange and new? Can you remember the moment when you stopped walking a path of someone else, and started cutting your own? Write about that moment. And if you haven’t experienced it yet, let the miracle play out in your mind’s eye and write about that moment in your future. (Author: Bridget Pilloud

A Packrat Win: Found My Copy of Gobbledygook Manifesto

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 I tend to packrat when it comes to school stuff, notes, books and such.  Every so often I get the urge to purge and that's when I find a gem like this:  The Gobbledygook Manifesto by David Meerman Scott.

 But the four words that stuck out for me today when I read it again:  Write For Your Buyers.  Although it was written in 2007 (or at least my printout was), it still holds mightily true today.  Funny how social media didn't really change the whole jargon factor.  In some ways, maybe it even made things worse.  More places to write "cutting edge" and "world class". 

All of the latest books, Content Rules, The Now Revolution, etc. all have this idea in them too.  Why?  Because it works!  As David says, "Your buyers (and the media that cover your company) want to know what specific problems your product solves, and they want proof that it works - in plain language."

I still see companies, big and small, wasting their time talking about the benefits and never even defining the problem they're supposed to be helping me with.  So what happens next, the kiss of death.  I read how 'best in class' and 'experienced' you are and go, "Ok, cool."  Then I move on, click away and find something else to interest me.

Social media, Web 2.0, 3D movies, YouTube or iPads... the tools are changing all the time but the one constant: human beings.  Your products and services help solve problems for humans.  Be human when you write and get to the point.  What problem are you solving?  Now I'm paying attention.

For more of DMS' ebooks (and yes, they're free): http://www.davidmeermanscott.com/products_ebooks.htm

Ok, back to purging....

 

Two Words for Content Marketing

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I'm in the midst of reading Content Rules by CC Chapman and Ann Handley. (Sorry for no link atm typing on tablet.) Two words have been swirling around in my head since last night: Write differently.

If I get nothing else from this book, it's to "write differently." This comes from a passage where the practice of using 'lorem ipsum' to design websites is examined. The book quotes another author, Kristina Halvorson of 'Content Strategy for the Web', as being against the priority of design over content. Funny, I've used Lorem Ipsum many times. But she is absolutely right. Kristina explains, "What kills me heree is that we're talking about creating a user experience that will (whether we like it or not) be driven by words." After this passage is the gem by CC & Ann: "Words matter. Write differently."

By write differently they mean to give your online corporate voice a human tone. Too much of what we read is overdone and overused. If I hear 'state of the art' one more time, I think I'll scream. There are plenty of examples of companies who can promote their mission and deliver it on the personable human voice of a VP or a director or the guy who takes customer calls. I think it's especially important for small businesses and solopreneurs.

You don't have a big staff or a giant marketing machine, so don't hide behind buzz words and vague vanilla corporate descriptions. You service the local community online or off. Because you're small, you speak to a niche.

PR pros, we know that Public Relations is about building relationships with our publics. Whether in B2B or B2C, you can't build a relationship while wearing a crusty corporate mask. We shouldn't let our clients do this either. Even if it means trying to get the leadership to step out of their comfort zone, you should encourage them to be real in their words and find their company's genuine voice. Online communications is about the words. Then comes the pictures and video. But if the headline doesn't grab me, I won't press play on the video. Words DO matter. My new mantra: "Write Differently." What do you think?

Communicator or Biz Leader?

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As communicators, we're all known around the office as the one who is outgoing, curious and knows all the latest news in the world. Definitely not your shrinking violet. But are you thought of as a business leader?

Probably not. But aren't we taught in PR 101 that the Public Relations role is essential and integrated with management? Even in NIMS & ICS (crisis management models) the Public Information function is part of the administration.

It's important to see yourself as the trusted counsel for management. It's a good thing to have an opinion and to share it. Management should see that you have a point of view and that you are knowledgeable about your business, your industry and your customers. Having a solid understanding of the bigger picture only helps you do your job better. In an article about the C-Suite, Thomas Mattia states: "Good communicators continuously look for new ways to engage their people and energize the business." You can't do that if you don't take the time to understand how it all works.

Even if you're consulting for several clients in different industries, you need to be familiar with each business. Then you can be the trusted counsel that the Public Relations role is supposed to fill. You have a unique perspective as the PR pro.

You can step back from manufacturing, finance and legal. You can take all the modules and mix them all together to see them in a fresh way. That's what we are good at it. Telling the story that engages and building those relationships between an organization and the public it serves.

The benefit of being so involved is that you will be present for management decisions. You won't have to worry about justifying your role. It will be seen as an essential part of doing business the right way. Communicator? Yes. Business Leader? Definitely.