How The World Has Changed!

So, where were you Sunday night when you heard the news about the death of Bin Laden?  Actually, a more pertinent question should be, HOW did you hear about the death of Bin Laden?  This question matters because it reflects how technology has fundamentally changed how we receive information.  Again, this isn't a newsflash like lightning from the sky.  Technology has a history of changing information gathering and dissemination.

It started with the printing press, moved along into radio, then television and ultimately computers.  There's no denying that smartphones have been the next evolution in that process.  But what happened Sunday night was surprising. 

 

I started a tweet...that started the whole world cheering!

I actually found out from a post on Facebook.  A friend of mine works in a Washington D.C. newsroom and posted the news on his Facebook page just minutes before I received the breaking news alert on my iPhone.  I was watching some cable TV show, blissfully unaware of the world-changing events taking place.  But once I saw the FB post, I immediately switched to the networks in an effort to make sure it was real. 

Being the news junky I am, I switched between CBS, ABC, FOX (always interesting to see how they handle their news).  I even took a moment to peek at ESPN, just to see how they might be handling the information.  Remember, this was about 40 minutes before President Obama made the official announcement on television. 

Of course, the networks were all over the breaking story.  However the most fascinating moment of the night for me emerged from Philadelphia, where the Mets and Philly's were playing a usual early-season nighttime game.  Suddenly and without warning, a buzz started to rise from the crowd of 40-thousand in attendance.  Within minutes, the crowd erupted into an impromptu chant of "U-S-A, U-S-A!"  There had been no official announcement made over the P.A. system, or flashed across the scoreboard at that point.  Just thousands of folks receiving the news on their smartphones.

Instead of waiting to hear the news on network TV, instead of dealing with vague rumors until the President confirmed the facts, Americans, heck, the world, was flashing the news as quickly as millions of fingers could type and hit send.

An Avalanche of Tweets

And the numbers back this up.  According to Twitter on Monday, a record 12.4 million Tweets were sent per hour following the revelation that Bin Laden had been killed.  Mashable.com noted the following from Twitter:

"At 11pm ET, just beore Obama's speech, users generated 5,106 tweets PER SECOND, the highest single volume of tweets during the night.  At 11:45pm, just when he finished his speech, Twitter users were sending 5,008 tweets per second."

Even the average from 10:45 pm to 12:30 am ET, three-thousand per second, resulted in a whopping 27,900,000 tweets in just two hours and 35 minutes.  That's impressive, no doubt.  But, like everything else, these numbers need to be placed in context.

There's no doubt that the flood of Tweets prove, once again, that it is a powerful tool to relay information.  It's easy to type in a few keystrokes, hit send and now someone else knows what you know.  But what happens to that information?  Certainly getting the news at light speed is valuable, however what happens after that initial blast of information remains crucial.

News has been changed forever by Twitter and Facebook and other social media sites.  But ask yourself what you did immediately after you heard the news.  The majority of individuals, when possible, did what I did; turn to a news network to get more information. 

Twitter hasn't destroyed news.  In a way it's enhanced it.  It has opened the lines of communications between newsroom and the average Joe.  It increased the speed in which we get news headlines.  What it hasn't done is replaced news itself.  In the end, all Twitter can do is provide headlines.  While those may catch the eye and raise interest, we still need those headlines, those bits of information to be filled out with details and context.

I didn't sit around waiting for more Tweets to tell me what had happened.  I went to my BBC app on my iPhone right away for any details.  I then checked out my AP app., all while switching around the networks to get more information.  Twitter can only raise the flag, it can't tell the whole story.


So what does this all mean?

From a news standpoint, it's a bit comforting.  When news breaks, it alerts folks to tune into their local tv stations or check out the networks, or news websites for more details.  And as long as the headlines continue to be newsworthy, people will continue to tune in. 

Ultimately, though, it means that despite the power and the reach of social media sites like Twitter and Facebook, they're only good up to a point.  At some point you have to provide them with the meat of the story.  FB and Twitter can tease and inform, but they can't tell the whole story. 

As a small business or non-profit, you should pay attention to this point.  It really comes down to the old problem with advertising.  If you advertise one thing, and the product or service is completely different, eventually consumers will get wise.  The same thing goes for quality.  You may do a great job getting people to try out your latest dish, but if it's not good, you can be sure they won't be coming back.  Worse yet, they'll tell everyone they know how awful it was.

If you're using Twitter to get information out about your latest special or deal or interesting tidbit, you have to follow up on that tweet with real quality.  If you tweet about a blog, that blog had better be worth reading, otherwise, it will eventually be ignored and your readership will decline. 

What we did after we saw the initial tweets about Bin Laden's death is typical of what folks do when they see an interesting tweet about any topic.  The first thing they do is to check it out.  People are cynical, they are cautious, particularly when it comes to their pocketbook.  Your tweet may get them to check out your website, business, non-profit, blog, YouTube site, etc., but if you don't have the quality to back up your Twitter headline, you'll lose those followers and Twitter will become useless to you.

Don't think of Twitter as a singular marketing tool.  Think of it more like one part of a bigger machine.  Before you can even begin to use Twitter effectively, you HAVE to spend time creating your product or service.  You have to make sure your blog is interesting.  You have to make sure that the final destination is worth the trip. 

Because remember this.  Twitter can be used by larger entities to get the message out.  But it's at its most powerful when in the hands of the individual user.  You may get your tweet out to thousand of people, but that is only the beginning.  Once those people have tested your product, they'll have the last word.  If they liked it, they'll tweet their friends and let them know.  They may even retweet your future tweets. 

If they didn't like what you're selling?  Then you could be in trouble.  Because just as they'll tell friends if they like you, they'll tell EVERYONE who will listen if they don't like you.  That aspect hasn't changed, despite the influx of technology.  In fact, it's just enhanced that typically human behavior. 

In the end, if you can't produce what your Twitter headline promises you could end up in the worst place of all, and that's simply being ignored.  If people are complaining, they're at least talking about you and you have a chance to answer the critics.  If you are ignored, your organization becomes persona-non-grata.  And on Twitter, there's nothing worse.

The New Media

Relationships...

It's a simple word.  It's a simple concept.  Relationships matter in business, they matter in your personal life, they matter in your public relations and social media efforts as well.  An interesting turn of events reminded me of just HOW important relationships are when it comes to getting your message across to the audience you're targeting.

As part of my responsibilities handling public relations for my clients, I work hard to build relationship between my clients and local newsrooms.  My clients are small business and non-profits.  They rarely have met a reporter, almost never have been in a newsroom, let alone built a working relationship with a journalist.  Part of my job is to get them in front of reporters, producers and editors that can, ultimately, help them tell their stories.

Unfortunately, building relationship with the media is harder today than it has ever been before.  There are a number of reasons for this, but regardless of the hurdles facing small businesses and non-profits, it IS possible, you just have to be diligent, creative and smart.

Things Have Changed:

One of the biggest reasons why building media relationships is so much harder today is due to the economics of news.  20 years ago, when I started working in news, payrolls were tight.  Expense accounts were smaller, less time was being devoted to investigative and in-depth stories that took longer and cost more to produce. 

At the time, there was angst among journalists that the nature of news and reporting was changing, and not for the better.  It's not like news was a treasure trove of riches at any point in history.  But it seemed as if the money was disappearing at a historic rate.  Despite the warning signs, reporters still took time to chat with potential experts, spend time with individuals that might make good stories at some point, linger just a bit longer while covering stories.  They did this because they had a bit more time, but more importantly, it was part of their job.

Digging for stories was vital to their success.  And digging took time.  They understood that great stories don't always just walk in through the front door.  They had to go find them.  That meant building relationships of all kinds. 

Fast forward 20 years and the scorched landscape of news looks like the aftermath of some kind of financial armageddon.  Staffs have been slashed to truly the bare bones.  Time constraints are tighter than ever before.  Journalists simply don't have the time to go digging for stories and build relationsips, they're merely trying to survive.

Some of this is due to the competition from new information outlets and the explosion of social media.  But most of the problem is that journalists are doing jobs that, even just a few years ago, they weren't being asked to do. 

For instance, in Denver, a top feeder market in the U.S., is now asking many of their reporters to shoot their own stories.  Reporters and producers are being asked in some cases to edit their stories as well.  Nearly every discussion I've had with fellow journalists has centered around the increased workload and spike in stress.

One photographer lamented to me, "They even asked us to report on stories at one point..." he said laughing.  "We're photogs, not reporters, that's how bad it's getting."

What this means is that, whereas in the past small business owners, pillars of their communities, the ones who live, work and play in the local neighborhoods, simply don't have the access to journalists they used to in the past.  This lack of access ultimately makes it difficult for small businesses and non-profits to grow the kind of relationship that can help them in their PR efforts.

Tight Security:

There was a time when PR pro's were able to walk into newsrooms, shake some hands, drop off a case of beer or a couple of pizzas and leave behind some press releases or clever media kits.  Reporters would stop by, say hello, munch on some food and get a chance to meet the client as well as the PR person. 

Today, with budgets tight and competition fiercer than ever before, not to mention the rising violence rate against journalists, strangers in newsrooms raise flags and set off alarms.  This was brought home to me this past week as I took a client around to all the local newsrooms to promote a new campaign.  My group included me, two lovely ladies from HOOTERS and my client.  We came armed with envelopes containing press releases and other campaign/client info., as well as boxes of Buffalo wings.

In years past, this alone would have granted me access to just about every newsroom in the city.  Last week, I was able to walk into only two of them.  Fortunately, the two newsrooms I was able to enter happen to be the two most popular news outlets in town.  But the point still hit home. 

New rules and procedures kept me and my group from getting into newsrooms I ordinarily would have simply walked into.  When the two HOOTERS gals asked me why the security was so tight around these newsrooms, the answer sounded lame.  Sadly it's true.  The reason for the increased security is the result of competition and fear.

Competition with an increasingly growing number of information outlets, all battling for a smaller piece of the audience pie, is one main aspect.  Each newsroom likes to think it has secrets that, if found out by their competitors, could destroy them.  The working journalists know this isn't true, but the fear of spies remains high in most newsrooms, especially on the local level.

Of course, the rising violence against journalists is legitimate fear, and one that I understand, having lived through a newsroom shooting while working at a local TV station ten years ago.  Limiting access to complete strangers makes sense.  Limiting access to experienced and qualified professionals, doesn't.

Get Lucky:

Fortunately, I got lucky and was able to call in a favor at one station.  This individual managed to wrangle a representative to come down and spend some time with me and my group.  We had a wonderful conversation, arranged a future meeting and left the station feeling as if we'd accomplished something.  In one newsroom, they didn't allow us to leave our food.  At a third station, we lucked out and I managed to run into an old colleague who just happened to be one of the individuals I'll be pitching the campaign to.  She was busy, so I didn't take much of her time.  It was enough that I ran into her, said hi, left her the release and the wings and let her do her job. 

The point is, if a seasoned PR pro with longstanding newsroom relationships who also happens to be a former journalist has problems getting into newsrooms, what chance does a small business person or non-profit director have with no connections at all?  The answer, not much.

But that doesn't mean you shouldn't continue to try to develop those relationships.  Here are a few tips on gaining access to newsrooms even in this era of closed doors, tight security and overworked journalists who just don't have the time they once did to meet with the public and build relationships.

1.  Target specific journalists to begin a dialogue with:  This could be a reporter or a producer or an editor.  It doesn't matter.  What you want and what you need is someone who will carry your flag (story) into the news meetings and fight for you.  Obviously they won't be able to do this all the time, but if you give them a good story, they'll fight for it to receive coverage. 

2.  Start your dialogue with an email, a press release, a hello, almost anything will do:  In many cases, you'll start with a press release.  But you can also simply send a small electronic media packet with a short note that introduces your organization to them.  Let them know who you are, what you do and that you'd like to hopefully work with them in the future on a quality story.

3.  Be respectful:  If they know that you understand their business, their time constraints and their deadlines, they will be much more likely to respond to you.  Don't pressure them too much, particularly in the beginning.  You don't have to call them, or send a ton of emails.  Start with your introductory email and follow up when you think you have a good story to pitch.  The better the story, the more they'll take notice of you.  Even if they don't pick your story up, they'll at least know that you understand how to pitch and what to pitch.  Remember, news decisions are made by committee in many instances.  They may have fought for your story but it was turned down.  Keep your lines of communication open.  Keep pitching them good stories and eventually, you'll hit one.

4.  Invite them over for drinks:  Okay, this isn't as creepy as it sounds.  At some point, like many businesses, you'll want to consider a special "media night" where you offer specials and deals specifically for members of the media.  You can throw a party and invite members of the media to take a look at your new location, or new product or sample your food and drinks.  You DON'T want to say something like, "I would love to meet you some time, let me buy you dinner sometime."  That sounds a bit stalker-ish, and your emails will most likely end up directly in the junk pile.  Wait a bit, and then invite them to a night when all the media is invited to attend.  And remember this; if and when you Do manage to entice members of the media to a party or special event, don't hound them with pitches or just talk shop.  Just talk with them like ordinary people, because that's what they are.  Share a drink, tell some stories, get to know them and let them get to know you.  They'll appreciate not having to talk work.  Let them relax and enjoy themselves.  Oh, and if you REALLY want to get the media to your event, offer an open bar.  Seriously, an open bar works.

5.  Take advantage of the coverage:  If after all your pitching you finally get a story covered, you'll at least end up with a photographer on your doorstep to take photos or shoot video.  The reporter may or may not be in attendance.  However, if you're lucky, the reporter will show up as well, or at the very least, spend time interviewing you on the phone.  If it's a phone interview, don't wander in the conversation.  Answer the questions, thank them for their time, and at the end, simply say something like, "I really look forward to meeting you sometime, thank you for the story."  If they show up in person, you have a much better chance to chat while the photographer sets up.  Be casual, just talk to them, compliment them on a recent story they covered.  Flattery, like bribery, works.  You don't have to roll out the red carpet for them.  Just be nice and be respectful.  Don't fawn all over them, and treat them like you would want to be treated.  They have a job, let them do it.  But if you see an opening to chat with them about life in general, take it.

Because newsrooms are trying to do more with less, you have to know that stories that would have been covered just a few years ago, simply aren't getting covered today.  They don't have the resources they once had.  Because of this, even really good story pitches aren't making it into rundowns.  Don't get discouraged.  It takes time to build these relationships, but if you persevere, you WILL be able to make a connection.  You probably will never be best friends with these folks, and that's okay, you don't need to be.  You DO need to have a professional relationship with them.  One where they know who you are, trust you enough to listen to your pitches and respects you enough to fight for your story if they like it. 

It's not always easy, and it won't happen overnight.  But if you work at it, you CAN make a connection.  And once you do, don't abuse that relationship.  Ultimately, you need these individuals and these newsrooms to help you get your message out to the public at large.  Now, go out and buy a case of beer, a box of wings and a cute greeting card with an insert that says, "My name is _____, will you be my friend?"

Okay, forget the card, but the beer and wings are still a good idea.  Journalists may be overworked, underpaid and stressed to the hilt, but they'll always appreciate a quality tribute.  And that, my friends, could be the start of a beautiful friendship.

Solving the Charlie Sheen Riddle

In case you haven't noticed, there's been a bit of a buzz the past week or so about an actor with a rich acting family tradition and a list of movie and television hits to his own credit.  You might have heard of him.  His name is Charlie Sheen and he's apparently composed of tiger blood and adonis DNA.

Now, if you're like most people, you're probably a bit fed up with the all-Sheen-all-the-time coverage on what seems to be every television station across the cable dial.  He's been interviewed, quoted, mocked, been the butt of late night talk show jokes and he's been burning up Facebook and Twitter like a mid-summer wildfire on drought-ridden Colorado mountain.  In other words, it feels a bit out of control.  You want to avoid it.  You try to ignore it.  But it's everywhere...you just can't.

Chicks, money, drugs...Duh...WINNING!

We all know some folks who've actually tried to stay above the fray.  And yet, one-by-one they fall.  Just today, I ran across two Facebook posts from friends who finally gave in and posted something about the Sheen-ster. 

The problem is, it's just so invasive.  No matter what you do, you simply can't get away from the hurricane that has become Charlie Sheen coverage.  It's part of the national consciousness by now and it's not only THE conversation that people are having, it's become a cultural, nearly iconic monster.

Yes, it's insane, it's confusing, it's infuriating.  But from a PR standpoint, there is a lesson to be learned from all of this, and it's NOT the old standby that any PR is good PR.


Asking the "What-Ifs"

From a PR standpoint, it's hard to imagine something like this happening without a plan or at the very least some kind of handler in the background working tirelessly to manage damage control.  And yet, at every turn, Sheen has popped up on talk shows of all stripes.  And more remarkably, he's been just as crazy, if not moreso in each follow up interview.  Now, as anyone knows, actors, especially big-time actors, have agents, handlers, PR experts and image consultants that are constantly working behind the scenes to manage every public appearance, monitor every word and dictate the message.  Actors associated with major production outlets have an extra layer of handlers doing pretty much the same thing, only on behalf of the production company.  This is TWO layers of handlers for an actor to fight through to let his or her own personality shine, or explode, whichever it may be.

So when an actor does go off the reservation and gets wild or does ANYTHING to tarnish their image and reputation, or that of their production bosses, there's often an army of handlers scrambling behind the scenes to put a cork on the problem, spin away the issues and begin to fix anything that may have been broken.

Yet, surprisingly, this hasn't happened in Sheen's case.  Not only have the handlers apparently sat by idly while Sheen ran rampant all over the public airwaves, it seems as if they've encouraged his behavior by booking him on every show known to man with either little or no coaching whatsoever.

I don't know about you, but this seems a bit odd.  More than odd, it's almost criminally negligent.  IF Sheen is doing this all on his own, and his handlers are sitting back doing nothing, they should be fired, then sued, then thrown in jail for stealing money from Sheen.

However, if this is, instead, some kind of a larger plan, then it would seem that they have done their job.  Not because they unleashed a wild and crazy actor onto an unsuspecting public, but because, if this was all planned, it was, in a word, brilliant.  Brilliant because the whole thing began so spontaneously.  It didn't feel concocted or contrived.  One minute Sheen was dealing with some very serious personal legal issues, and the next moment, he is the cover boy for "Insane Weekly."

As a former journalist, Sheen's actions look like the very real ravings of a man on the edge.  From a PR perspective, this entire situation feels like part of something much bigger.  The inaction of his PR team sends up red flags to me.  No one, and I mean NO ONE, would allow their client to perform like this under the glare of the media and public spotlight without either having given up completely or having a plan in place. 

Why Does It Matter?

One of the biggest questions I've heard over the past couple of weeks is from clients and friends alike who simply want to know why.  Why has the Charlie Sheen spectacle taken over our broadcasts?  Why has it invaded our social consciousness?  Why is it suddenly our cultural touchstone?  Most importantly; why is the media continuing to make this an even bigger media circus than it already was?

The answers are pretty simple actually.  Let's take a look back at the elements of what makes a good news story.  You have proximity, impact, timeliness, relevance and WOW factor.  Breaking down these elements into this particular story, it's easy to see that timeliness and WOW factor are the driving forces behind this continuing story.

Sure, it has little to no impact on our daily lives, for most of us, there is little relevance.  Although some news organizations are using this epic implosion to focus on mental illness, drug abuse and domestic violence, which is noble.  And while we all might feel like we know Sheen at least a little because we have seen so many of his movies and TV shows, there's really no proximity. 

That leaves us with timeliness, which is and easy one, since this story grows bigger with each passing interview.  He goes on the Howard Stern show on a Thursday, and by Thursday afternoon, he's headline news again and the social media platforms are burning up with his quotes. 

But it's the WOW factor that is the real meat of this story.  It's part voyeurism, part fireworks show.  Many following the story do so because they enjoy watching someone rich and famous crumble right before our eyes.  Others follow because they are simply amazed or dumbfounded by his actions.  Even others follow the story because it's fascinating to see a person who seemingly had it all, throw it all away.  Americans like to root for the underdog, we also like winners (WINNING!) and then, at some point, we eat our own.  We eventually like to see our hero's fail because there's something satisfying in watching someone richer, or more famous, talented, good-looking, etc, fail.  It makes us feel better about ourselves on some level. 

Story Matters Here:

This is something newsrooms know all too well.  Journalists know that the American public likes to see people fall from high places.  It's even better when they do it to themselves and even better than that if they do it in such a way that leaves a flaming heap of personal debris along the way.  It's why the Michael Jackson stories were so big.  It's why newsrooms followed the Brittney Spears story so closely. 

Sure, entertainment may be seen as a diversion to those who prefer to keep an eye on events in Libya, Iraq and Russia.  But those problems always seem so far away and removed to an American public that prefers to watch American Idol to the BBC.  The Charlie Sheen story may not have the impact or oomph that the chaos in the Middle East may have, but it is certainly more entertaining and it has all the elements of a tragic story that appeals so much to the average person.

And it's those story elements that would make even Shakespeare proud.  You have it all.  Character, plot twists, intrigue, tragedy, comedy, love, hate, a moral.  In Sheen you have a talented, but deeply flawed individual who is adored by many, is well known, who seems to have everything. 

And, like any good Shakespearean play, the main character tragically tumbles from his ivory tower through a series of poor choices and myopia.  You see, journalists know a good story when they see one, and this one is as good as it gets.  There's a reason why Shakespeare was so popular, why romance novels routinely outsell NY Times Bestseller books and why "reality" TV watched more than PBS. 

So, What Can I Learn?

Like every other exercise here at RPR, the purpose is to take real-life events and glean valuable knowledge whenever possible.  So in this case, you might be wondering, "What can I learn from the Sheen overload that can help my small business or non-profit?" 

First, we hope you learned what NOT to do in an effort to get noticed.  You should NOT make outrageous statements that hint at massive drug abuse, misogyny and a blatant disregard for the law on your behalf.  While it certainly may get attention, the fact is, you're not Charlie Sheen and it likely won't help your business grow and prosper. 

However, there ARE some elements of the "Sheen Incident" that you CAN use for your future social media efforts. First and foremost, you should recognize the elements of WHY the Sheen story has captured our imagination.  As mentioned above, you have two things happening here.


1.  Some of the elements of news, including WOW factor
2.  All the elements of a great story

Now realize this; you don't have to publicly implode in order to get attention.  However, in order to catch the eye of folks on Social Media and in the press, you DO need a good story and you have to have some elements of news. 

Obviously, most of us don't have the name-recognition that a Charlie Sheen does.  But we DO all have great stories to tell.  You can tell a story with character, with plot twists and movement, with a moral with intrigue.  Your story can be funny or it can be a tragedy, but you HAVE to have a story to tell. 

With Sheen, we already all knew the backstory.  So we basically started in the middle, with his career blowup.  All great stories have a backstory.  But that backstory should be able to be told in a few, short sentences so that the audience can get right to the meat of the matter. 

For instance, if you're telling the story of a war veteran who has lost his house, you can tell his backstory in a quick two-sentence summary.  Man serves his country, loves his wife and children, follows the rules, and then, after returning home from service in a war zone, finds himself in financial trouble and at odds with his bank.  You have a main character, a bad guy which sets up conflict, you start in the middle with his return home and his struggles to keep his home and provide for his family.  It tugs at the heartstrings, it's a tragedy and audiences everywhere can relate to the the issues.

This is why it's so important to really put some thought into your story.  You have a good story, you have a great shot at grabbing the attention of readers, friends, followers and the media. 

The other element at work here is the WOW factor.  This is often very hard for small businesses and non-profits to generate.  You just don't have the cache that movie stars, sports stars and politicians have.  There's nothing wrong with that, but still the question persists...how can you use the WOW factor to enhance the profile of your business or non-profit?

Use Your Power Wisely:

Ultimately, WOW factor can either be celebrity focused, OR it can involve something so unique or eye-catching that people simply have to see it.  Online, this is what normally passes for viral videos.  A piano playing cat, a merengue-dancing dog, a waterskiing squirrel, these videos get viewed millions of times on YouTube because they're funny, unique and incredible.  But it doesn't always have to be dogs.  People can get in on the act as well.

In Denver 30 years ago, a man gained attention and fame by doing a series of stunts for charity.  He sat in every seat in Mile High Stadium.  He swam a lake 100 times, he used a pogo-stick to cross the state of Colorado.  All of these stunts grabbed the attention of the press and ultimately the public.

Think about how others grab attention.  They sit on a billboard for weeks at a time.  They stage protests, they organize things like massive bike rides through the center of town, disrupting traffic.  All of these things are headline grabbers.  Not all of them, however, will work to enhance the image of your organization.

Clearly, the WOW factor is great at getting attention.  But it's also risky.  If you do it in such a way that goes against your image or grabs attention in a negative way, then you risk damaging your organization.  You may, in the short term, gain notariety for your organization, but in the long run, bad publicity will cost you customers. 

What you want to do is grab attention by doing something big, something positive, something that fits into the image and values of your organization.  If you can do this, you CAN raise your profile and give yourself a pulpit from which to spread your message.

One example of this is a man who I used to cover when working in radio.  Ever year, starting right after Thanksgiving, this man would begin pitching his story to newsrooms across Denver.  He would drive his semi-truck around town, and then, dressed like a superhero Santa, complete with a mask so nobody knew who he was, would stand on top of his semi, encouraging people to bring him presents which he would later give to children.  This became an annual tradition and after a few years, the masked Santa was a local hit. 

While this story did have proximity and impact as well as timeliness, it was the WOW factor of being a "mysterious Santa" that garnered him much more coverage than the multitude of other toy drives taking place in the city at the same time.

In the end, as we watch "The Man They Call Charlie" continue his plummet into celebrity hell, we can look at it and understand why it's such a big story.  But more importantly, we can watch it and learn from his actions, his mistakes and the hidden strokes of genius.  You can learn what not to do, and take from this story the elements of story, news and character that you can use to make your efforts a success. 

And if that doesn't work, you can always go out and get yourself some tiger blood, fists of fire and adonis DNA. 

Join The Club

Human beings are interesting creatures.  Of course, like snowflakes, none of us is like anyone else.  We're all unique.  But as different as we all may be, there are still some similarities that binds us all together as a species.  For instance, everyone eats, everyone poops (someone wrote a book about that), everyone sleeps and loves and laughs and cries.  These are things that we can all relate to because we all do these things.  But sometimes what binds us together is a group, race, religion, culture, gender.  We may all be unique, but at the same time, we're all looking to belong...to something.

The need to belong to a group, something larger than ourselves, is very real for most of us.  People like to be around others that have similar interests, backgrounds, likes and dislikes.  It's this desire to be with others that have common interests that can have a major impact on your social media efforts.

 

I want you to help me grow my business!

Think about it.  Regardless of whether you're a small business or a non-profit, you most likely already have a base of customers you deal with regularly.  They are, in essence, part of your club, your gang, your posse, if you want to be a bit more "hip". 

Some businesses have actually raised this mindset to a virtual art form.  We've all heard the term, "Membership has its privileges."  American Express has created a kind of exclusive club that many of us wish to belong to, but not all of us can.  AMEX has made it clear that we want to be part of their club, because members enjoy certain perks that the rest of us don't. 

Like a good nightclub that has a line stretching out the door, being exclusive can go a long way towards creating buzz and grabbing attention.  We all want to know what the big deal is.  What are the perks?  Why does everyone want to go into THAT particular club?  Eventually those questions turn into statements like, "I want to be a member, " or "I just HAVE to get into that club." 

You can use this same kind of marketing strategy to push your social media efforts and create buzz about your organization.  And you don't even have to be exclusive to be successful at it.

The Popular Kids:

Remember High School?  There were all kinds of cliques, ranging from nerds, to goths to jocks to the popular kids.  Some folks were able to mix easily with members of most cliques.  Some simply stayed put in their comfort zone.  But regardless of who you were or what clique you belonged to, you always wanted to hang out with some of the "popular kids".  Being seen with them instantly raised your credibility and stature among the rest of the kids dancing around the proverbial campfire.

The world of marketing and PR isn't much different.  It's why so many organizations latch onto certain celebrities to promote their cause or business.  At least that's how it used to be under the old school system.  Sure, businesses still rely on celebrity endorsements for the bulk of their advertising.  But in the world of social media, celebrities have very little impact.

What DOES have an impact is finding the social media personalities that already have established themselves and have major followings.  In most cases, these Facebook, Twitter and Blog pages have grown because the content is interesting, informative and fun.  In the world of "New Media," these are the new "popular kids" on the block, and you want to be associated with them in some way.

In a lot of ways, it's easy to hitch your wagon to these individuals.  You can simply follow them, or friend them if you're talking about Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn.  If it's a blog, subscribe to the blog and then participate in discussions.  Become a regular reader and responder.  It's a bit like trying to pick up on the waitress at the bar.  You don't just go in and ask her out, you have to get to know her, she has to trust you, you have to make a connection before you can do anything with her.

Blogs are kind of like that.  We've discussed this before in this space.  It takes a little time, but getting to know the author of a popular blog can do wonders for your hit rate.

By connecting with these "popular" profiles, you wedge your way into their club.  You now have an opportunity to reach many more individuals with your message and posts.  Be clear, though, about the audience for the particular profiles you friend or follow.  Make sure that you're reaching a group of people that are either interested in your product, service or cause, or MIGHT be interested.  While it's always a good idea to go after groups of people that fall outside of your traditional audience, you still have to make sure that your posts will have an impact, otherwise, you'll still be shouting into the wilderness, despite how many friends or followers your new contact may have.

Let's Start A Club:

Up to now, we've discussed how to join existing groups or "clubs" on social media platforms.  But you can have just as much of an impact, maybe even more, by starting your own club or group.  There are a few ways to do this.  You can actually start a group or club page on Facebook, start a blog for that group or club, set up a Twitter account for said club or group.  This is the most obvious way to establish your group or club, but certainly not the only way, or even the most effective.

When I was in college in Boulder, I used to go to Old Chicago, on Pearl Street quite often.  I also went to a bar called Potters every Saturday night.  With all the bars in Boulder, why did I choose those places over all the rest?  Quite simply, I liked the atmosphere, the clientele and more importantly, I was part of their beer drinking club.  As a card-carrying member, I received discounts on beers at those locations.  The more I went, the more I saves, plus I racked up points that rewarded me with perks like mugs, t-shirts, etc.  Like the saying goes, membership has its privileges.

You could begin a similar kind of program for your customers or donors.  This isn't a new marketing technique.  Discount books or cards have been part of the marketing world for decades.  And as they say, if it isn't broke, don't fix it. 

There's another way to create a club atmosphere around your organization that can be even more successful than either of the above methods; Build a nation.


Nation Building:

We've all heard of the Steeler Nation, the Packer Nation, Arnie's Army.  While these are sports-oriented groups, the simply fact is that everyone who belongs to these groups are fans.  And fans matter.  I'm working with a client now that is trying to increase traffic to their veterinary clinic.  One of the ways they're trying to do this is to increase the number of spays and neuters they do every week.  As part of the campaign, we have created, "NOOTER NATION."  The spelling is a take off of HOOTERS, which is a partner in the effort.  Everyone who gets their pet spayed or neutered becomes part of "NOOTER NATION" and receives discounts on food and drinks at HOOTERS. 

Another client is considering starting "Amy's Army" to recruit volunteers to help trap and release feral cats in Denver.  By starting these various nations and army's, these organizations are calling for individuals who want to be part of something they believe in.  They can rally around a cause and feel part of a group with a name and a hierarchy and a vision.  Plus, once you create your nation or army or club or group, you can begin to market it as a way to help market your product, service or cause. 

People want to feel like they belong to a group or an organization that holds their same beliefs, has their same values.  If you own a restaurant, start the "Hoagie Hangout" or "Carnivore Club".  You own a theater, how about the "Actor's Circle," where regular attendees receive discounts on shows or refreshments.  The purpose of beginning a club based on your business is towfold.  First, you reward customers who use your service or buy your product.  The other purpose is to draw in others who may otherwise not have been interested or even aware of your organization.

In the end, you want people to take advantage of your service or product or donate to your cause.  By establishing a club or group, you give your potential customers something to latch onto, and a club, group or nation is just that something.

So get out there and start a club.  Ask folks to join and make it worth their while.  You'll find that, like the saying goes, "If you build it, they will come."  And that's a good thing.

We're Only Human!

Sometimes, as has been pointed out in this space numerous times, lessons can be learned from watching other people's mistakes.  And let me be very clear on this, we ALL make mistakes.  Journalists are just as human as you are and, as you have probably noticed from time to time, they make mistakes.

This isn't a posting about how to overcome mistakes in your PR or social media efforts.  You're going to make them.  In most cases, these mistakes are going to be minor in nature and you'll be able to overcome them with thought and diligence.

No, this is more like, storytime with Real Public Relations.  By the end, you'll hopefully have a bit of insight into the way newsrooms work, about how personalities can get in the way of doing good work, and how that can all have an impact on your pitches and PR efforts.

A couple of examples:

Ever make a mistake in your job?  Of course you have.  Usually when you do, the only one that notices is your boss, maybe your co-workers.  What you DON'T have is the general public breathing down your neck, pointing, laughing, cursing.  When a journalist goofs, that's exactly what happens.  Plus, mistakes don't do much for the reputation, which is basically all that journalists have to rely on.  But it happens, a lot.  Take this story for instance:

WESH News Van Gets Jammed Under Orlando Overpass:


 
A WESH news van got stuck under an Orlando overpass on Wednesday after the vehicle’s mast had been accidentally raised.
Reporter Greg Fox was riding in the van along with photographer Frank Burt when the raised mast struck the underside of a highway overpass, tipping the vehicle onto two wheels.
A fire rescue crew was called to the scene, according to the Orlando Sentinel, and rescue workers steadied the van using jacks so that Fox and Burt could exit safely.
Orlando CBS-affiliate WKMG reported on its rivals’ misfortune during the station’s  7 p.m. newscast.
The WESH crew told officials that the van had successfully passed under another overpass before the accident, leading them to believe that the mast’s deployment was a technical malfunction.

Here's another one:  Have you ever worked in an office with someone you don't get along with? Have you had to deal with that person under extremely tight deadlines, forced teamwork and unrealistic expectation all in an environment of pressure-cooker proportions?  No?  Well, journalists often have to deal with these types of situations.  And this can be the result:

Newsroom Brawl Lands WCCB Anchor Brien Blakely in Hospital


 
Anchor Brien Blakely spent Tuesday evening at a Charlotte emergency room instead of the WCCB anchor desk after getting into a violent altercation with a news producer.
Moments before WCCB’s 10 p.m. newscast, Blakely got into an argument with a producer that escalated into a physical brawl.  During the fight, Blakely, who joined the Charlotte Fox-affiliate in 2005, was sent flying over a desk.  His nose was badly cut during the fall and he was rushed to an area hospital for treatment.
Police were called to the scene but no charges were filed.
“I was protecting the honor and integrity of our station,” Blakely told the Charlotte Observer about the fight.
The news producer walked out of the station after the altercation as Blakely went to the hospital.  Both men were not at work on Wednesday.
WCCB has had its fair share of turmoil recently.  In December, news director Ken Whitewas arrested for walking off with a bag of groceries at an area supermarket.
While the station is not commenting on the fight, Blakely says that the incident is behind him.
“These things happen,” he told the Observer. “It’s over. We’re buddies again.”

Take a look at that last sentence.  "It's over.  We're buddies again."  Sounds ludicrous, right?  That two grown men got into a fight in a newsroom in the first place, but then, after one of them ends up in the hospital, that they could be "buddies".  But it's true, it happens.  I know from personal experience.

Rumble In The Rockies:

There happens to be a newsroom culture that is kind of hard to explain.  But put simply, it's a high-stress, fast-paced environment full of strong personalities.  Things get tense, tempers flare, people clash, there are arguments.  Sometimes these arguments get very, ahem, heated.  But here's what you have to understand.  It's not personal.  Unlike politics and religion, the newsroom wars are typically short, intense explosions that burn out quickly.  Afterwards, you shake hands and you go out for beers together.

I've had several clashes with co-workers while working in news.  For instance:

When I was in radio, we used to have an area called, "The Pit" where all the producers and talk show hosts used to be located.  We'd discuss news of the day, as we all tried to put our shows together.  The arguments used to get so heated and loud that management issued several memorandums telling us, in essence, to keep quiet.

One morning, my host, Peter Boyles, and I got into a short but heated argument about which topic we were going to start the show off with.  We disagreed vehemently and at 4am tempers flared.  He told me to "F" off, I flipped him the bird, words were exchanged, he threw a piece of his bagel at me.  Fortunately, we were separated by several inches of soundproof glass as I was in the booth and he was in the studio.

Fast forward several years and I had just moved from one TV station to another.  I was producing the morning news and our show had been experiencing some serious technical difficulties.  As a producer who had spent hours crafting the rundown, writing copy, organizing guests, there's nothing more frustrating than technical issues.  From the booth I continued to press the technical and editing staff to get them on the ball.  Of course, they didn't take that well.  Immediately after the show, I made a beeline to the technical room downstairs and sought out the senior editor on shift that morning.

He defended his crew, I defended mine.  Again, words were exchanged, and an offer to "take it outside" was made.  We nearly went, too.  Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed.  We were ushered down to the News Director's office and reprimanded severely.  The fact is, by the time we reached the ND's office, we were fine.  We realized how stupid we had acted and it was completely forgotten.  There truly were no hard feelings.  To this day, that man is one of my favorite individuals that I worked with at that station.

Sh** Happens:

Sometimes, however, mistakes simply happen.  You'd be surprised how often the issue of a non-retracted tower plagues a newsroom, whether it be radio or TV.  Fortunately, the stations I worked at had the good sense to keep me from driving around any sensitive or expensive equipment.  I was relegated to holding a microphone or staying back at the station to report and write.  But I've witnessed some real doozies.

One Halloween night our station had decided it would be a great idea to broadcast live from the Denver Press Club, one of the most haunted places (reportedly) in Denver.  The shows were great radio.  Seances, wonderful interviews, compelling storytelling.  At 9pm sharp, the host signed off and the truck operator began to pack things up.  All the wires were coiled, the equipment placed and locked down.  Everything seemed in order.  With one big exception, the mast was still up.

As the truck pulled away, it carried off the awning in front of the building.  An awning that had survived fires, vandalism and a century of wear, tear and weather, was simply no match for a radio truck with a 20-foot broadcast mast.

The repercussions were swift and terrible.  We all had to train on the truck and learn the secrets of the mast.  Plus, suspensions were threatened if it happened again.  Of course, the next time a big remote was planned, the truck was operated by the manager of the department himself.  It was a great remote, again wonderful radio.  It was just after Thanksgiving and the show that aired right after mine decided to broadcast live from a hilltop above Golden where a man calling himself the "Real Santa Clause" resided.  He raised reindeer, lived in a wooden shack and dressed like Kris Kringle.

Once again, the show was a hit.  After signing off, the crew wrapped up.  With the manager in charge of things, no one thought twice to think about the truck mast.  of COURSE it had been retracted.  In a moment of serendipity, someone took a photo of the manager standing outside the truck, with the producer and talk show host sitting just inside getting ready to go.  In the background, you could see the mast clearly still raised.

Within minutes, the truck was on its way and promptly ran smack dab into several power lines directly overhead.  The power lines snapped and fell to the ground, some landed on top of the van.  This kept the crew in the van trapped inside as thousands of volts of electricity coursed through the van and into the ground.  They were safe as long as they stayed inside, but once they stepped outside, if they touched the van, they would have been torched.

Sadly, the mast also pulled some power lines out of the box at Santa Clause's shack, starting a fire.  Within ten minutes the shack was ablaze, and Clause was trying to put out the inferno with a water hose, which quickly melted.

Below, at the bottom of the hill, the fire department could see the flames.  The producer of the show told me later that she could see the firemen walk out of the firehouse and looking up at the fire, pointing and wondering what in the world was going on.  About an hour later the fire had been put out, the power lines had been cleared and the truck was back on the road.

The following morning, the picture that had been taken moments before the mishap mysteriously appeared on the door of the manager's office.  Someone had written in a thought balloon, "Hmmm, what am I forgetting?" with an arrow pointing to the still-erect mast.

True to their word, however, the manager was suspended for two days. 

Don't Judge:

There are a million stories just like those.  I alone could spend hours telling of similar events based solely on my experiences.  The point to all this is that everyone makes mistakes.  Reporters, editors, producers, they're only human.  They will, from time to time, mess up on a fact, not check a critical piece of equipment or simply misspell a name. 

I've heard many complaints in my time about how a newsroom got their name wrong, misquoted them or didn't get the right address for their business.  In some cases a wrong logo was put up, or the story simply didn't run when it was supposed to.  This happens.  Your best bet to deal with these types of mistakes is to be patient.  Don't lose your cool, get angry, yell or beat down the door. 

You can try to prevent these mistakes from happening by following up with the newsroom.  Email them the correct information in simple, easy to read fonts and short sentences.  Make sure they received the information and then follow up again to make sure they have everything correct.  Even then, it may not end up correct on the air or in the paper. 

When this happens, calmly and coolly contact the reporter or producer and let them know the information was wrong.  Ask them to make a correction and then, let it go.  Trust me, they'll feel bad about the mistake and do what they can to fix it.  By being professional about it, you'll earn way more points with the newsroom than if you yell and scream.  Because even though journalists are able to fight with a coworker and then immediately forget about the conflict, when it comes to people outside the newsroom, they have memories like elephants.  They'll remember how you treated them and the next time you pitch a story, you just won't be worth the time or effort.

You can learn something from the newsroom culture in this respect.  It's okay to disagree, even get upset, but don't make it personal and then, when it's done, forget about it.  Move on and focus on other more important things.  If you can do this, you'll quickly earn a reputation as someone who really cares about their business, but is easy to work with and handles things professionally.  Even if the mistake is completely theirs, it's best to chalk it up as an honest mistake and cheerfully thank them for their time before pitching them again in the future.  Trust me on this.  I mean, we're only human, right?

Today's Post brought to you by the word: Transparency

I'm a football fan.  I also happen to be a native of Colorado; born and raised.  I learned how to ski at a young age, I remember when LoDo was a dump and spent my formative years cheering for the old "Orange Crush" Bronco defense when before Lyle Alzado went all Raider on us.

To say I'm a fan of John Elway is like saying Russians like their vodka.  So you can imagine my delight when old No. 7 took over the reigns of my beloved Broncos.  For one, it signaled the true end of the disaster that was Josh McDaniels.  But more importantly, it meant that the team I grew up loving was returning to its roots, its traditions. 

And yet, oddly enough, even as the team was starting to return to it's rich history,  a new, fresh image was being born.  Suddenly the secrecy and closed door policy that is so often a part of NFL culture was giving way to a more open, honest and transparent culture not seen in these parts since Red Miller prowled the sidelines and Tom Jackson was calling John Madden "The Fat Man."

What, you might ask, does this have to do with small business and non-profit PR and social media?  In a word...everything.

A Modern Culture:

It's often been said that knowledge is king.  In today's world of instant gratification and constant information overload, it can seem like secrets are a thing of the past and everyone knows what everyone else is doing.  But look closely and you'll see that the organizations that have the most success with social media are the ones that not only use it regularly, but they're also the ones who know exactly the kind of information to release.

Success with social media isn't just about making regular postings, daily tweets and maximizing your groups, friends and followers.  Certainly those are important, but no matter how efficient and active you are, if you don't provide the RIGHT kind of information, your campaign will ultimately fail.

We've discussed in this space before the need to make your posts informative, fun and interesting.  We've talked about adding value to your posts across all of your platforms.  But there is another element of social media content that most organizations simply overlook, an element that can help you build a massive following.

Pull Back the Covers:

I've always thought that some enterprising local TV station ought to place cameras in their newsrooms and conference rooms and let the world see the day-to-day operations.  Of course, that is nearly impossible.  But why not stream the daily news meetings?  Let the world take a peek into the workings of how news decisions are actually made.  I think people would be surprised at how passionately stories are debated. 

While that hasn't happened yet, and probably won't for many years, some local TV stations ARE using Twitter to let their followers know which stories are being discussed for later broadcasts.  I follow these newsrooms every day so I can get a jump on pitching a client if they're a right match for a story being considered. 

Clearly, some newsrooms get it.  They understand that times have changed and it's no longer just 20 people sitting around a table making news decisions, separate from a majority of public input.  Today, there is an interactivity never before seen in news.  Producers and editors are constantly updating stories, producers are using social media to gather feedback, track down guests, and dig for information.  At the same time, the public has more access to journalists through Twitter and Facebook giving them a feeling of being part of the news that impacts their daily lives.

The covers have been pulled back a bit, letting anyone who's interested see a bit of the process that takes place in newsrooms everyday.  In a similar move, Elway and the Broncos have started using Twitter to reconnect to the thousands of fans that felt betrayed and disappointed by the Josh McDaniels era.

Last week, before I heard it on the radio, before I saw it on SportsCenter, before I caught in on my local nightly newscast, I heard about the hiring of Denver's new head coach, John Fox, through Twitter.  But this tweet didn't come from a friend in a newsroom or someone who heard it through the grapevine.  No, it came from John Elway himself.  It was short, simple and to the point.  "The Denver Broncos have hired John Fox to be our next head coach."

The next day, this quote from Patrick Smyth, the Broncos' executive director of media relations appeared in the Denver Post: (click on the link to read the entire article)

"It was important to us to reach our fans directly and in the most personal way, and it was important to restore some of the credibility in our organization that might have been lost in a challenging season," Smyth said. "We owe that to our fans."

As a fan, I felt closer to my team than I ever have before, and this is coming from a guy who stood on the field of old Mile High Stadium covering the Broncos Superbowl celebration for local radio, rubbing elbows with the players and coaches, the Lombardi trophy just a few feet away.  Such is the power of social media.  It has the ability to inform, entertain, and most importantly, connect.

Reality Social Media:

With the popularity of reality television, more and more people want access to the inner sanctum of their favorite organizations.  They not only want that access, they feel they deserve it.  So why not give your customers, potential customers and supporters that access?

Remember, your business, like most small businesses, is rooted in the neighborhood in which you operate.  Your organization is more than just a name over a door and a collection of individuals.  You are, hopefully, a trusted entity in your neighborhood.  If you're brand new, you want to reach that status as quickly as possible.  One of the best ways to let potential customers or supporters get to know you is to let them see you in action.

I'm not necessarily talking about setting up cameras all over your office or store and streaming live video 24/7.  But why not tell your story online?  Why not let the world see the interesting and fun characters you have working for you?  Why not allow them access to your decision making processes so they can understand the effort you put in to make your customers happy?  By posting this kind of information, you achieve a couple of things:


1.  You build trust - People can see that you're not skimping on product or effort.  They can see exactly what they're getting for their money or time.


2.  You build familiarity - The more the public knows about you, the more likely they are to view you as someone they are comfortable with.  The old adage, you do friends with people you like" holds true. 


3.  You build interest - If your posts are interesting enough, you'll start to attract followers, friends and supporters based solely on the strength of your content.  Your existing friends, followers and customers will tell their friends about you and direct them to your pages, thus growing your base.

Elements of Transparency:

Again, transparency can be easier said than done.  But you CAN be more transparent and open to your constituency, and without divulging your trade secrets or putting your customers at risk.  For example, if you own a bakery, why not post a video once a week that shows you making one of your special sticky buns or perhaps an easy to make holiday treat for kids?  It's like your own little cooking show, only without the commercials.  You don't have to show your baking secrets, but parents would likely appreciate seeing you make your bread or sweets, so they know exactly what is in them.

If you're a dry cleaners, why not offer tips on removing stains, something special that only your shop does.  Bars can show virtual tours of their kitchens or let folks see how they decide on what beers to serve.  There are a million things you can post that gives the public more insight to your operation, letting them feel like they know you a bit better and in turn attracting their business.

Yes, this means you have to shoot some video, and do some minor editing.  It also means you have to post regularly and really make sure your content is valuable, entertaining and informative.  But really, if you plan on having a successful social media campaign, you should be doing these things already. 

What we're talking about here is the KIND of content that you're putting up.  To that end, let's look at some of the elements you'll need to run an effective transparency campaign.

1.  A good story - Just like putting together your release, you want to make sure you're pointing out the most interesting and unique parts of your story.  Unlike your press release, this isn't about telling your history, but letting folks know how you operate on a day to day basis.  What is happening in your office?  What kind of decisions are being made and how will the general public benefit from these decisions?


2.  A good character - This isn't absolutely essential, but it helps.  If you have some colorful characters in your office, let the world see them in action.  Do you have an employee that sings?  Someone who is a great artist or a whiz with computers or machinery?  Highlight them and let the world see the talent you have on your staff.


3.  Video - You can write all you want, but people really want to watch interesting video.  For example, we have a video shoot for a client coming up that shows a day at a veterinarian clinic through the eyes of a dog that is visiting for a day.  People will get to see the dog get checked in, go through the grooming, get neutered, receive follow up treatment and then go home.  It will be split up into a series of short videos.  This kind of video takes a day to shoot and a day to edit, but you get weeks worth of video out of it and it lets the world see how this clinic cares for the cats and dogs brought in for treatment.


4.  Follow the rules - Just like before, you still have to make your posts worth something.  They have to have value, be entertaining, fun, informative.  This is where a lot of businesses fall short.  So often businesses use their social media platforms to just talk about an upcoming sale or special.  That's talking TO the public.  This doesn't open the door for conversation, and a conversation is what makes a good social media campaign so effective.


5.  Be personal - One of the things that makes social media so special is that it can give people a window into the feelings, thoughts and actions of others.  I can read about a daily deal or about how the weather sucks anywhere.  But I CAN'T read about how the weather makes you feel, or how happy you are that your organization just received a prestigious award.  Don't just tell me that you got the award, tell me how you feel and what you're going to do to celebrate.

I understand that this will be harder for some than others.  Being open feels risky, particularly in this age of scammers and hackers.  And you certainly need to be aware and cautious.  You don't want to go telling the world about your trade secrets.  But you DO want the world to feel as if they know you better than they know your competitors. 

It's this kind of openness and familiarity that can truly have a positive impact on your bottom line.  So get out there, beat your chest and bang the drum and pull back the curtain.  Let the world see you in all your glory.  Take a hint from Elway and be more transparent.  You'll be surprised at how freeing, and successful, it can be.

An Air of Mystery

Greetings all!  It's been a while since I've posted last.  I promise it won't be nearly as long between posts for quite some time.  I decided to take a little time off during the holidays to catch up on some work, as well as with friends and family.  It was a nice, much needed break, but I'm back and ready to get back to work helping small businesses and non-profits create and maintain their PR and social media efforts.  So with that said, let's jump right into today's topic.

The Mystery Campaign!

First, let's begin by saying that the "Mystery Campaign" is not new.  It's also not really a PR campaign.  You won't have much luck pitching a media outlet a mystery story.  Journalists have a bad habit of wanting to know details and the like.  However, as a marketing strategy, more to the point, as a social media marketing strategy, it can be real boost to your overall efforts.

Before we move forward, ask yourself this...what is one of mankind's most enduring traits?  The answer is, of course, curiosity.  We are a curious species.  When presented with something unknown, we nearly always go out of our way to satisfy that curiosity.  For decades, marketers have banked on our natural curiosity to promote products, services and businesses.  And, like the old saying goes, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Currently, in Denver, a series of billboards caused a minor stir when they appeared of the skyline of the Mile High City.  If you live in or around Denver, you've probably seen them.  They're big and red all over, with a single, yellow spoon situated just off to the right of center. 

There's no copy, no hint as to what it might be promoting, no message hitting commuters over the head as they go to and from work.  It's a simple, basic picture and nothing else.  What is it?  People asked.  What does it mean?  Who did it?  What's the point?  Within a week, people's curiosity was piqued. 

I spend a lot of time online doing research for my clients, as well as for this blog.  I read the papers, and the news outlets online and within a short period of time I began to see the question pop up all over the place, wondering about the giant red billboard with the yellow spoon. 

It didn't take long, about two weeks, before the answer was out and the public curiosity was satiated.  It turns out the billboards were part of a new promotion for McDonald's breakfasts.  This is just a single example of this kind of mystery campaign being used to raise awareness and generate interest in a product or service.

Those of you old enough to remember the 80's will recall fondly, maybe, the very first Apple commercial that aired in 1984.  If you don't remember, or weren't around to watch it the first go-around, here it is.



This ad ran during the Superbowl and confused millions of viewers who basically had no idea what the commercial was about.  It created waves of interest as the general public tried to figure out what they had just seen and what it was supposed to say.

The "Mystery Campaign" has even been used successfully in animated TV shows.  Anyone remember the "Gabbo's Coming!" commercials from the Simpsons over 10 years ago?  Who is Gabbo?  Why is he coming?  What will he do when he gets here?  Hell, as a casual watcher of the program I was intrigued to find out who this "Gabbo" character was. 

Why it works:

I've already explained one reason why the "Mystery Campaign" works; simple curiosity.  But that alone isn't enough to make a campaign successful.  More than anything, the successful campaigns capture the imagination of potential clients and customers.  They also provide a promise of some kind that appeals to the base desires of your potential audience.  The question is, how can you do that with your social media campaign?  Let's break it down.

The elements:

Let's get this out in the beginning; the mystery campaign doesn't work for everything.  Generally they work best when unveiling something new, something innovative, something unique.  If you're promoting a dry cleaners or widget, you might want to consider a different approach. 

But if you have an event, an opening night, an unveiling, you'll want to start with an angle.  Remember when we discussed news angles?  This isn't much different.  The goal is to build a mystique, a mystery, not just to ask question, but to truly get people's attention and tickle their imagination.

Just like in everything else you do, you also want to tease your potential customers or clients with the promise of something exciting, special, unique, wonderful.  Use any adjective you wish, but you want your audience to be waiting in anticipation, believing that what they're waiting for will benefit them some way, either materialistically, financially or emotionally. 

Let's look at the tools you need to make this work:

1.  A date - No, I'm not talking about someone you ask to the prom.  This is more like a deadline, a specific time frame in which to weave your web.  In order to build anticipation, you need to let the public know when to expect the big event.  Without a deadline or end date, you'll have a hard time creating buzz.  You can only string the public along for so long.  Eventually the excitement will wear off, they'll lose interest and move on to something else. 


2.  Appeal to the base wants and needs - What do people want?  Money, love, happiness, security?  Whatever it is, your campaign needs to give the promise of meeting at least one of their wants or needs.  Let's say you're promoting a new sandwich at your restaurant.  Give it a name, call it, the Bronson.  Then, as part of your campaign you can say something like, "Bronson is coming, and you'll never be hungry again..."  Hey, that sounds good.  Of course, as a reader, I'll be asking, "Who the heck is Bronson, and why won't I ever be hungry again?"  You have my interest.  Now all you need is...


3.  Follow up - What makes a great mystery campaign great is that it ends up being everywhere.  It gets people talking.  They start asking their friends and co-workers about the mystery.  Posters begin appearing on streetcorners, posts end up flooding Facebook, the Twitterverse is abuzz with contemplation and excitement.  But this doesn't happen without some work.  YOU have to be constantly posting online, spreading the word, going into chat rooms and asking questions about the very campaign you have created.  It takes some vigilance and effort to make a mystery campaign successful, moreso than your typical social media efforts.  But if you put in the time, you'll begin to create the kind of buzz that will pay off big in the end.


4.  Watch your timing - This is one of the most important elements of this kind of campaign.  If you start too far in advance of your big unveiling, you'll lose the interest of the public and the buzz will fizzle out.  Start too close to the end date, and you won't have enough time to build the kind of activity you want.  A general rule is to not start your campaign more than a month in advance.  Figure it will take about a week for people to actually start paying attention.  Then two weeks for the buzz to reach a crescendo.  The final week will be all about driving folks to either purchase tickets to your event, or get them excited enough to show up to your unveiling.  This is called the 3 stages and I'll cover them in just a couple of paragraphs.


5.  Have a point - It's great to catch people's attention, but once you have it, you have to do something with it.  In other words, you want to drive the folks online to a website, a Facebook page, a Youtube page, or give them a call to action of some kind.  Maybe it's to show up at a specific location at a set time for the unveiling where you'll toss out swag and have a party.  Whatever it is, you have to tell people what you want them to do.


6.  Be visual - Of course, words say a lot, but we all know the old adage, a picture is worth a thousand words.  Take the McDonalds billboard mentioned above.  A big red billboard with a simple, single yellow spoon laid against it does more to grab attention than a billboard full of words.  The same holds true online.  Even a picture of the date with a simple, short tagline can be effective.  In order for your efforts to be successful, you will want to use pictures, graphic elements, even video to help build excitement and buzz. 


7.  Be diverse - In other words, don't have one single picture or one single video.  People will tire of the same visuals very quickly.  You want to have several different visual elements, each with a slightly different message or targeted at a different audience.  For example, one of my most recent projects involves the opening night of a Shakespearean theatrical group.  They know they'll attract more traditional theater goers.  But in order to be special they need to attract those that might otherwise not pay money to watch live Shakespeare.  To reach those audiences, we created a series of videos, some that appealed to those who enjoy action and adventure, blood and fights.  At the same time we released a video that highlighted the more...sexy...elements of the show.  All the while we are keeping the entire venture wrapped in a veil of secrecy.  All these readers know is that something fun, sexy, new and exciting is coming on 1.14.2011.  Plus, by having a handful of different visual elements, you'll be able to post and repost these photos and videos over and over to catch those who might have missed them the first time around.

If your campaign has all of those basic elements, your efforts will likely be successful.  Again, you have to stay on top of this kind of campaign more than usual, which is just one other reasons why you shouldn't launch this kind of campaign too far in advance.  You simply won't have the time to truly stay on top of it all and still manage the rest of your responsibilities.  But three to four weeks of hard work and vigilance will net you some major results.

Which finally leads us to the the three stages of the "Mystery Campaign."  Let's assume you are starting your efforts one month before the end date.  As mentioned above, you can break your four weeks into three stages.  But this works with a three week advance, and, if you're desperate, even a two week advance.  Any less lead time than that and you're likely wasting your time.

1.  Launch - This is where you make a splash.  You can leak your best stuff, your most attention grabbing stuff out online over the course of the first stage.  This is the part where you want folks to sit up and ask, "What is this about?"  It's during this time that you will be posting the most content on your various social media platforms.


2.  Maintenance - Once you have their attention, you have to maintain it.  You can do this one of two ways.  A) You can continue to post constantly in an effort to build momentum quickly.  Or B) You can begin to release your material in a more measured way, designed to keep it in front of people, but still make it a bit of a mystery.  If you suddenly pull back a bit, it will get people wondering what is happening and keep them on the edge of their seat, so to speak.  Either way can be successful.


3.  Tapering Down - The final week leading up to your big event is really your make or break moment.  On one hand you can, in an effort to reap some PR bounce from your campaign, unwrap the mystery a day or so beforehand.  This is risky since you take the chance that you will kill the suspense for some folks and lose some potential customers or clients before your big unveiling.  The better move is to keep the suspense going until the very last moment.  The only change you'll likely make at this stage is to focus not so much on the mystery, but on the date and the call to action.  If your efforts up to this point has been to highlight the promise and the mystery, at this stage you'll want to really hammer the end date and what you want people to do at that time.  By this stage, people will just be starting to tire of being in the dark.  By giving them something to do on the date in question, you rekindle their excitement, knowing that their curiosity will soon be quenched.

Of course, you'll likely never make the kind of splash that Apple did in 1984, or that McDonalds did in Denver, but you can still reach thousands upon thousands of folks who otherwise might never have heard of your business or non-profit. 

Also, keep in mind, that while we're talking about something potentially viral (isn't everything online "potentially" viral?) that isn't necessarily your goal here.  Your goal is to get people questioning and talking, yes, but you don't need it to circulate around the world in forwarded emails.  What you DO want to do is get your immediate community of potential customers and clients to take notice of you.  And when it comes to grabbing attention, really, nothing does it better than a well-developed Mystery Campaign.