Every interaction with the outside world is an opportunity to build your brand. Even those mundane interactions. One could argue that the “mundane” actually offers one of the best opportunities to stand out, since others are tracking to the status quo. This often leads to template communications, the opposite of communications guided by storytelling techniques. …more
I participated on a panel called “Creating and Leveraging Epic Content” at the UBM Electronics Marketing Summit last week. An earlier session at the Summit flashed the following words: It’s really hard to write quality content. Note the slide didn’t say “It’s really hard to write content.” Anyone can write content. That’s easy. It’s the …more
In a world where anyone can conjure a digital pulpit for storytelling, the credibility that comes from third-party media coverage still counts. Communicators can benefit from studying journalism with sites such as Nieman Labs and Poynter offering open windows. It also doesn’t hurt to take a periodic look behind the curtain. For example, the post …more
Business communicators can learn from novelists and their storytelling techniques. I’ve always been partial to the Kurt Vonnegut advice: “Be a sadist. No matter how sweet and innocent your leading characters, make awful things happen to them – in order that the reader may see what they are made of.” It’s never easy for a …more
What if I told you there’s an easy way to gain visibility in many media properties with relevance to your company, even mainstream publications? You don’t need to exhaust time pitching your story to a journalist who decides whether it’s a “go” or a “no go.” In fact, you completely control the storytelling even though …more
We still categorize ourselves as a PR agency, but that’s only because the vast majority of prospects and RFPs use the term. Once we engage with clients, our actions reflect a “communications consultancy.” Is there a difference? Public Relations Society of American (PRSA) defines PR as: “Public relations is a strategic communication process that builds …more
Every once in a while I’ll get an email or comment from someone calling me out for passing myself off as a storyteller. They’re right. I’m not a storyteller. My passion lies as a student of storytelling and applying the techniques that underpin storytelling in business communications. There’s a huge difference between the two. For …more
A recent post by Chris Brogan focused on a simple question, “How do I get people to care?” We are bombarded with information 24 X 7, often self-induced (hello, smartphone). Trying to cut through the noise often feels like a trek through a jungle with a dull pocket knife. Chris’s answer to the challenge – …more
Every company is a media company. Tom Foremski, ex Financial Times Silicon Valley bureau head before starting Silicon Valley Watcher, made this statement years ago. Intel has hired journalists to man the Intel Free Press. Cisco has gone down a similar path with an owned media platform called “The Network.” Observing from afar, one might …more
