I shared the first half of my favorite posts from 2012 on Monday. I say “favorite” because I based the selection on what I found amusing, not most views. The second part of the list follows: 6. Why Journalists Get Cranky About PR I didn’t throw the junior account person under the bus, but I did …more
It’s been a good year for storytelling. One can argue storytelling has become the “new black.” If that’s true and you buy into the premise that a rising tide lifts all vessels including the humble canoe, then that explains our readership increasing by more than 50 percent. Many thanks for stopping by. In the spirit …more
I’m always on the lookout for information that explains the science behind why storytelling resonates. The article in Lifehacker, “Why Telling a Story is the Most Powerful Way to Activate Our Brains” by Leo Widrich does exactly that. And you don’t need to be cognitive neurologist to understand it. Here’s the thrust: “If we listen …more
Everyone knows that compelling content – storytelling with a point of view – brings readers to a blog. Everyone knows that applying search engine optimization (SEO) expands readership for a blog. But no one talks about patience. I suppose patience isn’t very glamorous. Our society gravitates toward instant gratification and speed. Usain Bolt has become …more
There’s a certain “cycle of life” in business. Companies are born, struggle, grow … and grow some more. Then the decline sets in, which typically culminates with the company dying, merging or being acquired. This keeps the investment bankers busy, befitting the thousands of transactions that take place each year. This also means thousands of …more
The largest semiconductor in the world runs a story depicting tattoos with “Intel” as part of the deisgn. Caterpillar produces a video about the role of their tractors in uniting the country of Madagascar. Visual storytelling can be an effective means to show a company’s humanity to the outside world. It’s tough for B2B companies …more
I am a big fan of The New York Times Dining section. Donut drama. Importing Mom instead of the pasta. Hunting for “treasures” in restaurant laundry. And the list goes on. The NYT Dining journalists know how to shape story lines beyond the – “chef showed restraint, allowing the flavor of the fresh [fill in …more
In preparing for a storytelling workshop in Asia last week, I spoke with six different journalists from blue-chip properties like Reuters and The Next Web. I asked a simple question – How do you prepare for an executive interview? While each journalist has formulated his or her own approach to due diligence, two common denominators …more
We’ve all done it. We sandwich the most vanilla verb with a noun or two and gushing adjectives and end up with an executive quote that communicates absolutely nothing. It’s such a waste, particularly in today’s media environment in which journalists are moving so quickly they increasingly need a quick way to plug in a …more
