PR Crisis? Response is Everything

When it comes to historic public relations crises’ there are a few that come to mind. The Bhopal chemical explosion in December of 1984, where thousands died after a leak of deadly gas reached people living near a Union Carbide plant in Bhopal, India. Another historical one was in 1982 when a killer was lacing Tylenol capsules with cyanide killing seven people. Finally, the Three Mile Island disaster in 1979 was a near-catastrophic event. The public relations crisis’ that came about because of these events were handled with varying success. How Johnson & Johnson, the parent company of Tylenol handled the pill tampering tragedy is said to be one of the great public relations crisis success stories in history. It was all about transparency and the willingness to take a large short-term financial loss to have a long-term recovery and future success.

The one that was handled terribly was the Three Mile Island disaster. Nuclear meltdowns are the biggest fear of citizens that reside near these facilities and the public at large. The lesson of this was that no information is worse than unsettling information because people underreact and overreact. Each reaction creating a dangerous situation.

A recent one (or two) is the situation regarding two Boeing 737 Max air crashes this year. After the first crash, a Lion Air 737 Max, Boeing officials stated that the aircraft was safe and that the solution was more training for the pilots. Then a second crash occurred killing all on board and Boeing doubled down on the training explanation. According to Sandy Sucher of the Harvard Business Review, in her article, How Boeing Should Have Responded to the 737 Max Safety Crisis, Boeing should have said, “This is a technical problem that we do not fully understand. In light of that uncertainty, we recommend grounding the 737 Max 8s and 9s until we can be sure we know what is causing these crashes and can satisfy ourselves and all of the global regulators that the plane is safe to fly again.” Sucher contends that it is all in the framing of the message.

In these times, I am truly amazed more at the bad handling of organizational crisis than I am impressed with good handling of it. It seems that the examples we have had in our rearview mirrors have provided enough quality examples of how to handle these situations. Although more

elements are in play in our current media world.

One of the reasons that organizations continue to struggle with poor handling of Crisis PR is social media. When Johnson & Johnson was going through its Tylenol crisis companies had more control of information that relayed to the public. J & J officials were able to go on TV programs such as Ted Koppel’s Nightline where viewers were given daily updates on the progress of the ongoing criminal case and what they were doing to protect consumers. This was during a time of low media fragmentation so millions could be reached during one broadcast. Now with multiple TV channels and video outlets with varying agendas, it is difficult to get the same message out to many people.

The biggest reason, however, for the lack of control of information is social media. Never in time has there been so many outlets that information can be spread with no filters to separate accurate from inaccurate.

One that has definitely changed in recent years is that the PR crisis is created because of the “hot button” political or social issues combined with social media. In the case of Gillette and their move from “The Best a Man Can Be” traditional tagline to their 2018 campaign tagline, “The Best Men Can Be,” the company that has been known for years to brand their products for men decided without warning to take on men’s past behavior and how to be a man in current times. While well-meaning, the campaign came off as preachy and was a shock to traditional male Gillette product consumers. Also, with the division that some have interpreted as identity politics, and the fact that these ads that were typically aired during Sunday afternoon NFL games, many were not happy with Gillette intrusion on their routine by making men examine their place in society. 

https://hbr.org/2019/03/how-boeing-should-have-responded-to-the-737-max-safety-crisis

https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1982/10/11/tylenols-maker-shows-how-to-respond-to-crisis/bc8df898-3fcf-443f-bc2f-e6fbd639a5a3/

Linking Traditional and New Media for Advertisers

Having worked in media sales for more than 24 years, I have seen how advertising tools and methods have changed. Some of the change has come quickly. However, it has been a slow process in some business categories. At the beginning of my career, newspapers were the main source of selling cars. Auto dealers loved watching potential customers bring in the newspaper ad when they would come to test-drive a car. It would tell them immediately if they were there to buy and it told them that their advertising was working. This changed around the year 2000 when the World Wide Web was taking hold.

Forward-thinking auto groups wanted all in on the internet, even forgoing traditional forms of advertising such as billboards, TV, Radio, and of course newspapers. A few of them moved too quickly on this not understanding that they had to continue branding their products and advertising their web address. Many of them went back to some forms of traditional media although newspapers never recovered. Looking back it was interesting to witness the beginning of this new way of advertising. Many knew it would change everything but few knew how it would work.

Today, I see businesses continue to use traditional media and forms of “new media” or “advanced platforms.” In fact, utilizing metrics, it can be proven that media such as TV with online provides lift in website visits, conversions, along with time spent viewing online content. In his article in Business Magazine, Andreas Rivera states that “Video is also a growing medium for advertising that's catching people's attention. According to a Kissmetrics blog post, video on social media gets much more engagement than non-video ads.” This engagement includes sharing online videos. Rivera goes on to write that video on phones is 1.4 times more likely shared than static forms of media such as online display ads.   

There are, in fact, guidelines to follow that can ensure the best chance for success with all marketing and advertising campaigns:

1) Use multiple forms of contact with consumers as methods to stay connected to them. For example, “Like us on Facebook or retweet this message on Twitter” for a special offer or an invitation to a special event. In other words, reward them for a follow on Instragram, Facebook and other social media platforms. Find ways to get them to stay connected. 

2) Search Engine Optimization and Search Engine Marketing is not an end-all for your advertising dollars. It is a great way to get people to find a business when they are searching for a product. However, SEO and SEM only work when people are interested in your type of product. If a consumer wants to buy a mid-sized vehicle but do not know if they want to buy a Toyota or Nissan, what will get them to do a search for a specific car or dealership? TV advertising is an example of a traditional media format that will marry well with online search efforts. TV will not only get consumers to Google search the dealership; they will do organic searches, which means that they will be entering the direct web address to the dealership.

3) Social media works. It may seem obvious but utilizing social media is the newest, best way to market a company message and extend a brand. In addition, in most instances, social media reaches a younger market that trusts advertising more than boomers and traditionals. There are pharmaceutical ads on Facebook and ads for traditional products and services such as UPS and airlines that reach the boomer and traditional crowd. However, if a company wants to reach millennials and gen Xers, they must use social media platforms. In addition, if they want to advertise shared on social media sites it must be video and must be compelling.

4)  Blend traditional and social media efforts together for the best outcome. The most efficient way to utilize advertising dollars is to make it work for all platforms. When video content is produced for a TV commercial, use that same spot in for social media advertising. Link your Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms to your banner ads click-through instead of your website when an event or special offer is coming. This will allow updates of information anytime it is warranted. Be creative when thinking of the most efficient ways to use advertising content.

5)  Do plenty of homework when selecting new and traditional media opportunities. Company owners and those buying media are inundated with media sellers. Find what works from others in the business. In addition, get research specific to this type of business. Do not depend on outdated research such as Nielsen and Arbitron ratings when placing TV buys. The best question to ask internally is what does my customer look like, and externally, how do I find my customer. Then find the media format that works best for targeting these consumers. Also, utilize media sellers that can be trusted to be long-term partners and not after the quick sale.

Finding that “special sauce” that will get customers to engage with a company is a huge challenge. This is not just because finding the right message is difficult but finding the correct platforms with all of the options is daunting. Information is the key to making an effective transition to the best outcome.

Media is changing so quickly there is no room to set strategic marketing plans more than one year out without room for adjustments. In the past, many companies that I would work with would make their plans for the next year by October of the current one. After that, nothing would change until the next October. There was no reason to pivot on these plans unless business conditions drastically changed.

Today, media departments and business owners much be ready to change along with technology and new opportunities. They must have a plan in place but always assume that something that can help them will becoming along that can give them that competitive advantage in the marketplace.

https://www.business.com/articles/how-technology-is-changing-online-advertising/

Professional Blog #5

Leadership for All

I remember in the movie Jerry McGuire where Tom Cruise’s character asks his co-workers repeatedly “who’s coming with me?” In the scene, he is in a desperate situation and quickly attempts to come up with reasons why people (and a goldfish) should leave their secure job and “take a leap of faith” with him. He is in a no-win situation because he is fired but instead of just walking out, he has his mission statement and he has no choice but to run with it and take believers with him.

Being a leader is not always this dramatic and certainly doesn’t always mean you must write a late-night treatise on your beliefs and the direction of your personal and professional life.

True leaders, however, can change the course of people’s lives. In the Psychology Today article Leadership Management, Ravi Chandra says that Great leaders are often credited with possessing high social intelligence, a zest for change, and above all, the ability to set their sights on the things that truly merit attention.  

Good leaders set the tone for what is possible. They have a vision and a strong belief in the direction they are taking us. Moreover, they make decisions that may not always be popular but do it for the greater good and want you to believe so you will come along for the ride. There are a number of aspects of being a leader. 

Here are some that we may or may not think of when we consider leadership:

1)     Leaders are not always born, sometimes they find themselves in a leadership position. Although it’s true that most leaders are socially active and take on the vocal role of a team, sometimes a leader doesn’t speak until he or she sees that it is needed. It reminds me of the strong leader on a sports team that works hard and displays belief in a system but only steps up to be vocal when it’s needed and no one else will do it. Team members don’t want to be led by the loudest, they want to be led by the one they respect the most.

2)     Leaders have a vision. I have heard many times since I was a child whether it be at church, school or business that in order to grow there must be a vision. Leaders not only create the vision but also show others a road map to getting there. In his Observer magazine article, Jon Gordon writes that “some scoff when leaders share bold ideas, imaginative goals, and seemingly impossible dreams, but ideas, imagination, and dreams are the fabric positive leaders weave together to create the future and change the world (2017).” Therefore, sharing the vision is not good enough. True leaders find ways to make their vision real to others.

3)     True leaders are humble and want to learn everything they can about how to lead. These people learn by listening, reading, and taking in any information they can apply to their vision. It seems a cliché but many coaches read books about past generals, world and business leaders. They want ideas of how to lead a group of men and women from those who have done it and left a road map behind. There has been much written about the roadmap to leadership and many so-called leadership gurus that have made a lot of money on weekend leadership seminars. In reality, it all comes down to this, it is hard work to fulfill one’s duties as a leader. It is a humble task of learning what it takes and getting others to put in the work to make it happen.

4)     Leaders are always willing to learn how things work in order to be a proper leader. In fact, many future leaders take “grunt” work while they are progressing with their education or just starting out with a company. Walmart CEO, Doug McMillon began his stint by loading trucks at the distribution center. Former Goldman-Sachs CEO, Sidney Weinberg began as a janitor’s helper that worked hard and made an impression on those that saw him doing his job and Margaret Keane, CEO of Synchrony Financial started as a debt collector. Many times leaders are brought in to change a poor culture to a successful one. One of the main ways for this to happen for them to learn how others do their jobs. 

5)     Finally, leaders must always stick with the plan and restate it constantly. In addition, every innovation diffused to other employees must be done with the vision in mind. Doing this is the only way that it is not forgotten and those late to come on board realize that it’s not going to change. According to David Shedd in Business Insider, leaders must be consistent in mood, behavior, and decision-making (2011).

As one that has worked for various large corporations that have been swallowed up by larger corporations, I have seen many focused directives and whole-sell changes come and go. Many of directives that were going “change the way we do business,” went by the wayside without much thought. They just disappeared. Some of this occurred because large companies move so slowly that by the time procedures and long-term goals were changed it was time for a new one. I do believe though that many times long term goals and visions were not brought to fruition because there were many managers and few leaders.

The visions turned into, make your budget, don’t lose a dime this quarter and oh yeah, make these wholesale changes while doing it, and don’t tell anyone why we are doing it.

I have to say the most impressive leader I have ever met was an instructor for a night class in management that I took at Hillsborough Community College in Tampa, Florida. I saw this man walk into my classroom for the first time wearing a flight suit and carrying a briefcase. He turned out to be a squadron leader at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa and started teaching management courses. I saw him and immediately thought the worst because I didn’t want a military experience preached to me. I wanted to learn the course, graduate then move on in my career.

What I soon learned was that I couldn’t wait to get to class and learn from this man that made life and death decisions in the air every day and then came to my campus to teach me what he knew about leading people. Not only did I learn much from him, but he also taught in a manner that made learning easy. He taught us how to take a leader's vision and then take the day to day tasks to make the vision come true. He never talked about following a leader blindly but only about following those that could change your life and make a difference. Aspiring leaders should be so lucky to learn from someone like this.

      

  

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/leadership

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/15-ceos-expertly-worked-way-201138013.html

https://realbusiness.co.uk/5-business-leaders-who-worked-their-way-from-bottom-to-top/

https://www.businessinsider.com/3-areas-where-consistency-from-a-leader-is-critical-2011-4

Just Tell Us

When I was a child and got to a “certain” age, my parents would give me a new rule or remind me of an old one. If it did not make sense or if it was something I didn’t like I would invariably ask why? Asking why is sort of a rite of passage for children to the point where it’s a cliché. There were six children in my family so I am sure my parents didn’t want to give us to in-depth of a reason or that is how they would occupy their time exclusively.  I don’t remember being a problem child but remember sometimes reaching a point where if things didn’t make sense I would get frustrated. That is when I would ask why.

I remember my father replying to my request for a reason by stating, “Because I said so.” I can remember the compounding frustration I felt when I wasn’t receiving a satisfactory answer. These days, I am not sure how parents answer this question from their children. I have never done this to mine because I remember how angry it would make me.

Midway through my career, I was having a discussion with direct manager, with whom I had a good relationship, about an account and I ask him why we were handling a situation in the manner that we were. I asked him in a respectful manner. I didn’t want him to think I was questioning his judgment or authority. I was very surprised when he jumped out of his chair, red-faced, and yelled, “Because I said so!” I didn’t know who to be embarrassed for more him or me.

In the corporate world, “because I said so,” is a phrase one will rarely hear. However, in the realm of internal communications, companies many times expect new innovations, policy changes, and rules, in general, to be accepted without explanation of the purpose. In the Harvard Business Review article, “Don’t Just Tell Employees Organizational Changes are Coming, Explain Why,” Morgan Galbraith states, “Executives and those responsible for leading change cannot assume that employees understand the reasoning behind them. You must spend time explaining the changes and why they are important (HBR 2018).” Many times the answer may be about saving revenue, it could be about staying ahead of technology changes and potential issues “down the line,” if we don’t take care of this innovation now. It’s ok, just tell us.

Many times the diffusion of innovation and the reasons for the change seem to come down from the top to mid-management then stops. The change is directed to staff members but the reasoning why is never mentioned. I’ve brought this up to mid-level and upper management when surveys prompted a response on job satisfaction. I have also talked to human resource professionals about this and received a tepid response. It was as if they had never heard this question before. As Galbraith says if executives and I will add front-line management don’t disseminate the information employees won’t understand the reasons and most likely won’t be on board with it.  Information on the innovation is as important as the change itself.

Supervisors and managers are responsible for this. Phil Robinowitz states, “If supervision is seen -- and practiced -- as supportive and helpful, a way to continually enhance the quality of one's work, then internal communication is more likely to flourish. Another role that supervision plays here is that it can help staff and volunteers to examine and improve their own communication, and thus improve communication within the organization.” (Community Toolbox Blog  2010).” In other words, it is the management’s responsibility to set the tone for the flow of communications. Staff members learn to be good communicators by the example that is set for them by management.

Even if changes will be painful for a while, it is important, to be honest about this and again, why these changes are being made must be part of the discussion.

Something I would add is don’t assume you know how the change will affect your team unless you understand the processes of how things are actually done. This reminds me of a recent meeting where a leadership group was explaining a major change in the way we would affect the sales process to our system. Upper management thought that one of the supposed benefits of the change was going to be that we would save time processing sales orders. They believed that there would be one less process when in fact it added a redundancy they never knew would be the case.  This occurred because those that were involved with the task of order entry were never asked how they would be affected by the change. In addition, they were never told why the change was being made.

In other words, don’t sugar-coat and make up reasons why we will love these changes, we won’t. Just tell us what it is and tell us why and we will accept it. Maybe grudgingly but we will keep moving forward with respect for those giving us the information.

In his Forbes article, “Eight Steps for Helping Your Employees Accept Change,” Brent Gleeson writes about the importance of transparency when change is coming. “Everyone wants to know the purpose behind the organizational change. In my last company, we decided that we needed a better project management solution and better data as to where people were spending their time. This would lead to improved financial decisions and efficiencies. So we rolled out new software and a time-tracking tool. Holy hell! Let’s just say that this threw everyone for a loop. It became very apparent that we needed to be doing a better job explaining the “why.” Once the team understood the reasoning behind this change and that the goal was to improve their work balance, the revolt slowly subsided (Forbes 2016).”

I wish readers of this blog could watch me dropping the microphone for Mr. Gleeson.

https://hbr.org/2018/10/dont-just-tell-employees-organizational-changes-are-coming-explain-why

https://ctb.ku.edu/en/table-of-contents/leadership/effective-manager/internal-communication/main

https://www.forbes.com/sites/brentgleeson/2016/10/17/8-steps-for-helping-your-employees-accept-change/#2f6fe69229f2

I Need This Job

During the years of a typical career, the true self comes out. Strengths and weaknesses are on display for everyone nearby to witness. At times, we are hailed as heroes when we make that extra sale, solve that annoying IT issue, or have the correct answer when a question is asked in a large meeting of colleagues. However, many times, it can be quite ugly and for those who cannot handle the stress of everyday work situations, it makes for a really bad day.

I have been working full time since the early ’80s. I even finished my undergraduate degree while working nights. It was a lot of work and not much sleep but definitely worth it. I remember learning a lot during those days and had great respect for my professors and instructors. Listening to what they could teach me about their careers in the field of Public Relations and Journalism was very interesting and I wanted to learn all I could.

When I started my “after college” career, I was doing marketing and technical writing for a manufacturing company that builds textile machinery. The listening took on a new meaning because I was suddenly working with engineers and technicians and I knew nothing about this world. My position in marketing was to produce collateral material for trade shows and for sales personnel to leave with their customers during sales calls. In my technical writing role, I was involved with writing technical manuals for the machines that my company built and sold.

I had no experience writing manuals nor did I possess the skills to do so. I could write a script for a radio or TV spot, a press release, even a newspaper article but if you are talking about a weakness, mine was writing material that people had to read in order to learn how to operate or repair a multi-million dollar machine.

In addition, it did cross my mind that these same machine operators could potentially stick a finger somewhere they shouldn’t and have it cut off. Moreover, it would probably be my fault. I needed the job but found myself wondering how I got to that point in my career. I was very nervous. Of course, I had a department head that was in charge of the finished product but I was one of the writers that had to produce.

My task for contributing to the manual writing process was to interview the engineers that developed and built these machines and learn as much as possible so I could write an operator's manual. I assumed and was right that these people knew everything about electrical and mechanical engineering. I certainly did not. I was a liberal art major in college and could barely operate a word processor (that’s what we used back in the day).

This is when I knew that I had to use all of the techniques available to survive and keep my job. I quickly learned that practicing active listening was my key to success. According to the grammarly.com blog, How to Talk to Engineers, Kimberly Joki writes that one must build sincere trust and get to know engineers and how they talk. Engineers use a lot of jargon. In addition, it was important to respect their time. In my position, I wanted to be around these people as little as possible because they were intimidating. However, I knew that I had to do my due diligence if I was going to get the information that I needed.

After a while, I was able to listen actively and understand enough to ask good questions. I would request to sit in on engineering meetings so I could further understand the process of manufacturing, costs, and customer deadlines they were dealing with. I never asked questions in these meetings but listened intently. It was like learning a foreign language but soon I could write in a manner that made some technical sense. At that point, I knew that when I would ask a question it would be considered a somewhat intelligent one and I wouldn’t get an impatient look and a quick answer. 

I had learned to think like an engineer and this was going to get me where I needed to be. In his article in Engineering Management Institute, Anthony Fasano writes about the importance of listening to communications for an engineer. He states that “a key to verbal communication is listening.” He writes that one method for this is, when listening, make mental notes of the key points that the speaker is stating, and then when you speak you can discuss the key points and confirm their importance.

This was all part of the process of what Dr. John Kline calls Informative Listening. This is when you are listening to learn a procedure or process. Kline wrote a book called Listening Effectively while serving as provost for the U.S. Air Force Air University. In many parts of the book, Kline writes about how listening and communications were vital to keeping aircraft airborne. My situation as a technical writer could only cost a finger while Kline’s readers could cost a life if precise communication was not practiced.  Kline is in agreement with Fasano when he writes the importance of focus and understanding the key points of the speaker.

I must say as a technical writer during those years I learned a lot about listening and it was not easy. It was hard work. I had to be focused, and in a frame of mind, that would allow active listening without distractions and purpose in mind of what I was to accomplish.

On a lighter note. I always thought that the humorous part of the process was when I was taking manual drafts to the engineers to have them proof them for accuracy. They would agree to this, then after a few days, I would go back to them to collect the proofed draft. Invariably they would hand it to me and state that it was approved. I would then hand them a form for them to sign stating that the proof they read was correct. They would then take the proof back from me and state that they wanted to read it “one more time.”

I would always have a good laugh over this later when I was out of view.

Now that I have been in media sales for so many years I remember some of those lessons of listening with a purpose. Now it is with my customers, internal colleagues, and management. Listening is always a part of life, whether it be in our personal or professional lives. It is hard work but makes us better communicators and people.

Lighter note part two:

Last June I took my daughter and her boyfriend to see Blink182 in Jacksonville, FL. The "warm-up" band was rap artist, Lil Wayne. I have been to many types of concerts but this was a first for me. This picture shows my "dad perspective" of the performance.

https://www.grammarly.com/blog/how-to-talk-to-engineers/

https://engineeringmanagementinstitute.org/communication-engineers-important/

https://media.defense.gov/2017/Jun/12/2001761382/-1/-1/0/AU-4.PDF

Influencing is a Real Job

When talking to a prospective client, I most likely will broach the subject of how they advertise their business and what is their philosophy of effective marketing. Since I am in the advertising sales business and I sell video advertising, my ears would love to hear “TV advertising is the best tool ever for promoting my business.” Of course, this has never happened and probably won’t, no matter how much I dream. Even if this potential client is leaning toward utilizing TV, the most frequently heard answer to this question is “word of mouth.” It could be a garage selling tires to a vacuum cleaner company or a great new Italian restaurant.

I used to believe that this answer was just an excuse not to pursue a TV advertising discussion. Although I am sure, at times this has been part of it. However, the more I heard this, the more I started to believe it. Maybe word of mouth was truly the best marketing tool available to a business owner. However, I have never sold word of mouth advertising so I had to come up with something not only to agree with the business owner’s statement but also to add value to it. I had to ask myself what I thought was the best method for expanding the concept of word of mouth advertising and it all came down to something very closely related, testimonials.

A testimonial is the ultimate form of word of mouth advertising. When it is done in person, it mostly works because the message is usually VERY positive, the source is trusted, and emotion is a huge part of the interaction. This is also true of the TV advertisement testimonials. It is positive, it is emotional, and it is easy to find a trusted source. One could be a local or national celebrity that is well-liked or a person that has an emotional connection to the product and is good at showing that connection.

Being a student of advertising and getting my mind wrapped around this advanced platform of digital marketing, I have found that social media and blogs are a part of the new wave in word of mouth marketing. Actually, it is not so new. I learned about blogs many years ago from non-other then my wife.

For someone that says she can’t remember the last time, she’s paid attention to a TV or radio ad she definitely remembers social media influencers and bloggers. In fact, we owe much of our home remodels and upgrades to Instagram/Insta stories. We also eat the recipes, take the day trips, and take interest in these influencer’s lives on a weekly basis. At least she does. I have always played the game of a disinterested partner when she discusses where her favorite blogger goes on vacation and what restaurant is the best in Savannah, according to you-know-who.

She says that she mostly likes this particular blogger/influencer because she is southern, doesn’t have “click through to buy” options on her blogs so she must be trustworthy :/, and she has great taste in decorating. I have been briefed on this person’s life for the past twelve years and know about her husband’s career changes and her kid’s growth spurts.  At times, I have mentioned the possibility that this person’s life seems so perfect that surely she is some type of robot and can’t possibly be a real person. That was until a month ago when my wife was on a business trip to LaGrange, Ga and ran into her influencer/blogger (hero) in the Panera Bread in Macon. Her announcement of this grand event came over my phone in a text with whistles blowing and confetti falling. Then what followed was a selfie of my wife with her new, closest best friend. She was a real person.

How did we become so influenced by seemingly everyday people? These are regular people with kids, jobs, bills to pay, and even though they go to Disney World too often for a normal family (I’m sure this is where the pay portion of her blog comes in) have a normal existence.

It is that connection that people have with others in their culture that can be of influence.

Whether it is Instagram influencers or billion-dollar companies, influence, and engagement is the key. When Starbucks uses social media to promote their brand, it’s about coffee presented in a manner that induces engagement. However, it is also about reaching people that fit into that Starbucks culture. Using celebrities like Ellen DeGeneres and others trusted by Starbucks consumers to Tweet mentions about an event or connection is getting consumers immersed in the Starbucks culture. These are celebrities with millions of Twitter followers and have an enormous influence on any brand they are involved with. These are easily measurable engagements and that is the only way a company like Starbucks will do social media. It must be influential, engaging, and measurable.

Finally, it comes down to trust. Remembering the simple notion of word of mouth advertising, it all comes down to who is telling you the story about these wonderful products and why you should try them. It could be a good word about that locally owned Italian restaurant, Starbucks coffee, or my wife’s funny obsession with her blogger “closest friend.” It’s about the stories from the people you trust.

By the way, if my wife reads this she will remember and laugh at all of the things I have said about bloggers in the early years. She heard all of my rantings about bloggers and the type of people I said who would do this for a living (influencing is not a real job, is it?). My Son told her the same thing. I am a bad influence on him. However, I have learned that these people are smarter than I and I now see that they can build a house, tear it down and rebuild it with the latest home décor and make a good living at it. I am definitely late to the party.

Small and Large Business - It's the Details

Adding Value to the Relationship with my Clients

My name is Steve and I am a 24-year professional in media sales and the advertising agency business. My experience includes presenting creative ideas to local and regional businesses and having them move forward with a marketing plan that includes video content. Expectations and goals are the most important question I have always asked a client. Over the years, I have worked with very small family businesses to large multi-rooftop automotive groups.

I traveled to Atlanta this week for an Automotive Summit. This a meeting with known experts in the field that share information on how to help our automotive customers do things that will help them sell more cars. In addition, we were presented a global view on the automotive business for the next five years.

After listening for a few hours at our speaker, it was evident that we had a good amount of information we could share with our clients. Information we learned included easy corrections to client’s websites, Google search and Google business listing. These are items we don’t sell but is just simple information we can offer to get them more online visits and conversions. As I was driving home Wednesday afternoon I was thinking of the difference between my smaller and larger clients over the years and why the smaller ones usually do better with technology and innovations.

After many years of working with customers, the thing that surprises me continues to be that most small customers are better at utilizing the tools they have access to better than larger companies. These small businesses spend the time to learn how to use Google analytics and other tools to increase website views and conversions, and how to be effective with social media. Many of these tools are free and small businesses are great at using free tools to be most efficient. The owners of these businesses are very good at multitasking and knowing how various elements of running a business work together. In addition, these individuals are the ones doing the work.

In regards to the Diffusion of Innovations, in my experience I see those small business owners are more likely to be innovators and early adopters when an idea is simple and easy to use, and most important if they can see observable results. They are always looking for an economic edge. Small businesses have a minimal marketing budget and small dollars have to work and be observable because there is a lot at stake in a short amount of time.

Larger companies hire an individual or a team that either do the work or hires it out and observes the results over time. What is surprising is that when you look at the seemingly basic work done by these companies, for example keeping Google business settings updated, the information is incorrect much of the time. These are large companies that spend thousands of dollars per week on advertising and marketing, not to mention staff performing these functions.

It seems that many times the big picture of marketing is maintained. The dollars are being spent, the creative is interesting and the media plan is executed. Unfortunately, the effectiveness is compromised because leads and conversions are not gathered efficiently.

My group has actually set up client events for this. An auto dealer GM or internet manager will attend, bring their computers and go step-by-step through the process of utilizing all of the free tools available to them. Within the next month and Account Executive meets with the client and shows them the results. This will not only reinforce their belief in doing the simple things correctly, but it will also prove to them that they can trust our company to help them. As a result, a peer-to-peer conversation is created and should continue in the future.

The main thought that went through my head during the long drive on I-16 from Macon to Savannah coming home on Wednesday night was that I should continue to educate myself on the easy things a client can do to improve. Then present these ideas as an expert to help them. It is really the only way to offer value and set me apart from those that are transactional sellers and not true business partners.