Self Promotion in the Internet age

I have been reading a fair amount of Seth Godin's writings lately*, so naturally I have been thinking a lot about how things have changed with in the age of the Internet.  One of the things that has changed, or evolved, is the common criticism that marketers used to face is that they were lousy about marketing themselves. 

I think that there are many reasons for this.  Primarily though, most of us are by nature shy about tooting our own horn.  As marketers, we are used to putting the brand, the company, the client, and/or the CEO out front, as we stand behind them and whisper in their ear.  Stepping out into the spotlight seemed inappropriate somehow. 

Things have changed a bit now in this wired world of the internet with its many variations and iterations.  Now it is easier than ever for us to "market ourselves" by showcasing our work.  No longer does self-promotion need to be about passnig out variations of your resume.  Now, via blogs or websites you can showcase the work you have done and make sure those who are interested know it was you who created it.  Now, via networking sites such as LinkedIn, you can update your contacts on your achievements without having to worry about shoving a vitae in their faces.  You can even have your contacts pubicly recommend you.

Make no mistake, self promotion is still extremely important.  Good self promotion also still takes effort and attention.  Its just that the focus can now be more on the work you do, which is something I think many of us feel more comfortable with!

* If you consider yourself a marketer and are not reading Seth Godin these days, you should probably reconsider!

It's all about relationships

It really all comes down to relationships.  Everything.  I am fond of saying that everything is marketing (hence the name of this blog) and since marketing is really about developing relationships, everything really is about relationships.  If you have a solid relationship with your customers, they will

• more readily believe what you say
• trust your products or services
• more easily forgive customer service gaffes or the occassional faulty product
• provide you with the holy grail of marketing - positive word-of-mouth messages

If you don't have a solid relationship with your customers, or if you damage that relationship, you will

• have to spend a lot more in time and resources to get your message accross
• will be at a competitive disadvantage, even compared to unknown products and brands
• find out just how ineffective marketing can be in the absence of a connection to the customer
• risk experiencing the definition of marketing hell -- negative word-of-mouth messages

There are few investments that have a better long-term ROI than investments in genuine, positive relationships with customers.

Palin: Marketing Genius or Public Spectacle

One of the questions that arise from the barrage of media attention Sarah Palin is getting for her book, Going Rogue, is whether she is a media clown or a PR genius.  Most of the political ilk would love to command the media attention that she is getting (although many from both sides of the political spectrum will tell you how they would make better use of that attention.) Meanwhile many in the general public don't know quite to make of the former governor.  Nevertheless, they eagerly watch every video clip and read every news story that has her name in the headline. 

I have to confess that I am of two minds on the subject of Governor Palin's publicity.  Few in the public eye can generate the meda attention that Gov. Palin has, especially with virtually no specific objective other than to sell her book (and the persisitant question of whether she is auditioning for Obama's job or Oprah's?)  She seems to have mastered the ability to generate the viral soundbite or videoclip.  Both get passed around with fervor and passion by supporters and detracotors alike.  Nevertheless, it seems to me that her media attenition has a definate half-life.  Since so much of her book and the subsequent press is about past events and her response to those past events, there is little substance left for a second or third act. 

Like Governor Palin, if your company or organization wants a sustainable media presence, you need a couple of things.  First, like Gov. Palin, it is helpful to have some element (a reputation, a product, an event, a leader) that captures the attention of the public and (perhaps more importantly) the meida.  Second, you need to have a message or a story that you share.  If your story, like Gov. Palin's, is focused primarily on the past, (here's what we've done, these are the awards we've won, etc.) the attention you generate will be short-lived.  However, if you focus on the future (this is what we are going to do for you, Mr. Customer) then the media "buzz" you generate will have some life to it.  That is the marketing difference between Going Rogue and The Audacity of Hope.  The first looks backward and the second looks forward.

The Power of a Smile

There are few customer service tools as powerful as a smile.  Smile when you are dealing with a customer and it will make a difference.  I don't care if you are talking with them face-to-face, talking on the phone, or drafting an e-mail.  If you are smiling, you are providing better service.  It is virtually impossible to write an angry letter or e-mail if you are genuinely smiling.  And if you can't genuinely smile, smile anyway.  It will infect your mood too!

Have a nice day!  :)

When 8-year-olds grow up

My wife and I recently attended one of my daughter's choral concerts at her high school.  It was the first such concert of the year.  The music was fantastic.  But my wife and I were floored by the number of younger siblings of our children's friends were in the choir and had grown-up and no longer the 8-year olds that we remembered them as.  Now they were tall, mature young adults.  In our minds, they were still 8-years old because they were the last we had seen them.

The same is true for your customers and former customers.  Most customers remember your company as it was when they last saw you.  If you have grown, improved or changed, they won't know that know that if they last worked with you before that growth or those improvements and changes.  The challenge is to stay in front of your most valuable customers and stakeholders so they know who you are today.

Thoughts from a weekend conference...

I participated in a panel this weekend on the value of communications professionals to a school district.  Some thoughts and reflections from that experience:

• If your organization is facing a crisis and your communications team is also in crisis, they haven't done their job.  A good communications professional anticipates and plans for crises.  You may not be able to predict what type of crisis you will face, but you should know that eventually you will face one.
• Double or triple redundancy on technolgy all too often isn't redundant but event-saving.
• In conferences with concurrent sessions, you should remember that each member of your audience has made a choice to attend your session.  Treat them with the respect they deserve by choosing to spend time with you.  Give them content that is worthwhile, actionable, and practical.
• Audiences will almost always surprise you with how carefully they are listening.  I have almost never faced a Q&A session where someone will ask you about some detail you mentioned 35 PowerPoint slides ago!
• Communications is something everyone can and should do.  Managing communications is something few can do well.
• The best way to connect with an audience is to know your material and believe in what you are saying.  The second best way is to tell jokes or show cartoons!

Ripple Effects

The other night I got yet another fundraising phone call from a theater company with which I had recently been a subscriber. Much to the chagrin of my wife, I have not yet developed the "Thank them and hang up" reflex that she uses so well with these types of calls.

The woman on the call started her pitch, and I interrupted her and explained in reasonably general terms, why we wouldn't be donating.

Then something happened that made this call blog worthy. She listened. She responded to what I said with kindness, interest and empathy. (What I said to her was not dramatic or tragic in any way.) While she tried gently to offer another donation option, she did it in a way that made me feel that she understood what I had just told her. She made me believe, if only for a few seconds, that I wasn't just talking to a script on the other side of the phone. She acted like, and treated me like, a human being. Isn't it interesting that that makes the call worthy of comment?

I know that because of the way she responded, I am more likely to give to that organization sooner than I would otherwise. I know that because of the way she responded, I have a more favorable impression of that organization.

Even the little things we do have ripple effects. Mind your ripples!

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