New PR Insights

Fellow PRSA member and CEO of Pure Performance Communications, Deirdre Breakenridge, is authoring her fifth book  titled “Social Media and Public Relations: Eight New Practices for the PR Professional.” 

The book is available in February 2012 and will be available through retail, in digital formats as well as via print on demand.

“Shifting your mindset to marry communications and technology is a critical first step and it’s at the heart of the PR expansion movement.  Adopting a new attitude naturally leads to expanding your focus and daily activities; several practices that were not a part of the PR person’s past responsibilities,” said Breakenridge.  

The book focuses on eight new practices for PR pros, as a result of social media including: 

• The PR Policymaker.
• Internal Collaboration Generator.
• PR Technology Tester, Communications.
• Process Originator.
• The Pre-Crisis Doctor.
• The Relationship Analyzer.
• Reputation Task Force Member.
• Master of the Metrics.

 Deirdre's books include “Putting the Public Back in Public Relations” and “PR 2.0, New Media, New Tools, New Audiences.”  Earlier works include The New PR Toolkit and Cyberbranding: Brand Building in the Digital Economy.  

Deirdre writes wirh uncommon wisdom so keep watch for her next book.

Disney Story Telling Secrets

Recently I heard the Creative Executive of the Disney Company,  Joe Rohde, talk about Disney's approach to turning raw ideas into  commercial success.

The Disney Company has built its success on storytelling to become one of the world's great brands. It uses compelling narratives in film, theme parks, resorts and other ways  to engage global audiences.  And, it has been doing this for generations.

Joe spoke about how Disney translates ideas into reality through themes.

A theme is a simple statement that distills the essence of an idea and infuses it with spirit and feeling. 
 
Similar to a brand statement but more than a mission statement or key message, a theme is the fundamental building block for the communications and business decisions surrounding a new project.

Once Disney selects a theme it cascades downwards to guide the design and shape of a  project. At a working level it gives Disney's people a framework to add, modify or reject suggestions.

Themes lead to stories.  And here Disney taps into the ancient art of story telling.
 
Stories help us make sense of the world around about us. They allow us to find the familiar patterns of life.  Joe is quick to add that stories- any story - needs fresh information or insights to keep our interest. 

The stories it selects (within a given theme) and the telling of them make Disney so successful, so different.  They inspire Disney staff to venture into new ways of thinking in pursuit of creative difference.

Disney is continually researching, seeking new information and challenging its people to enter new corridors of thinking rather than ambling down the predictable hallways of the mind. 

So is Disney approach to themes be relevant to you and me?

Perhaps it might encourage us to look for the themes that best sum up what we and companies do.  And to seek out the compelling stories that we can use to engage one another and the wider world.

Pizza Partnership Hits 10 Years

My friend Scott Anthony owns a Pizza Shop in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania and holds an annual fund raiser for the local  fire department.

Scott donates the proceeds of all pizza sales one day each year to the Punxsutawney Fire Department.  Last year his efforts raised $30,000.

He has now been doing this for 10 years and everyone benefits.  The fire company receives much needed donations for new equipment, pizza buyers make a contribution to essential services in their community and Scott gets tons of positive media attention which puts him top of mind with customers when they think about takeaway food.

That's a triple win situation, so congratulations Scott on the 10 year anniversary of this innovative business idea.  

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Direct Mail Versus Social Media and Email

Digging For Victory Interview

Digging For Victory - ABC Canberra - Australian Broadcasting Corporation

(Listen to my interview with ABC Radio.)

I'm currently involved in a wartime Australian garden with a novel twist.

In 1942 Australian families were encouraged to grow their own fruit and vegetables as part of the national war effort. The Dig for Victory campaign proved highly successful. 

As part of Floriade 2011 the Australian War Memorial is recreating a wartime backyard garden which hopefully inspires today's gardening family with an eye on the environment and looking to be more self sustaining.

More details.

Is Ten A Magic Marketing Number?

I recently read an academic paper that theorized that committed activists in  10% of the population, over time, could change the attitudes of the remaining community.

At least that is what I think it meant.  Crammed wall to wall with graphs, equations and symbols the paper was barely readable.

In the Rogers and Hammerstein song "Stout Hearted Men", the late Nelson Eddy calls for ten brave men to join him and change the course of history.  And for centuries military structures  have used ten as the basic building block for sections and squads,  the fundamental units involved in action.

So is ten some knind of magic number or tipping point when it comes to communicating ideas and generating action?

What do you think?

Great Use Of Marketing By Mobile Phone

Great Advice for Not For Profit Social Media Newbies

Last Friday I shared a speaking spot with Stephen Fox of Melbourne-based digital company Reactive at the annual YMCA marketing forum.

A social media guru if ever there was one, Stephen offered great advice for not for profits embarking on social media.  He suggested they need to get the fundamentals right upfront including: 

• Setting a social media governance framework with clear boundaries. 
• Resourcing social media efforts and train those who manage social media platforms. 
• Monitoring and listen in to social media platforms before you start to advocate. 
• Using a personal voice because corporate speak does not cut it in social media. 
• Engaging, supporting and responding to others with valuable information.

Of particular interest Stephen shared tips  to raise funds or advocate an issue on social media:

• Give people a simple call to action – something they can easily do online to contribute or participate.
• Provide fresh content as the campaign unfolds.
• Tell people your targets and graphically show how and where you are achieving them. 
• Show who else is involved.
• People appreciate acknowledgement so find a way to recognise those who donate dollars, time, and effort or otherwise support your cause.      

Based on Stephen’s knowledge and enthusiasm, I think his company would be a natural fit for any Melbourne not for profit wanting a social media campaign with integrity.

Great Word Of Mouth Starts With Great Topics

Effective word of mouth marketing needs topics, talkers, tools, time and tracking.  But perhaps the critical start point is your topic.  

Want word of mouth to work for you? Then give people something to talk about. 

A complex or boring message rarely works so when you step out in public your topics must spark interest and cause conversations.  And that only comes about because they are new, different or useful to your audience.  

Your messages must be simple and uncluttered otherwise people beyond your organisation will not understand them and struggle to tell others when they connect with them over the phone, on-line or face to face.

True, your first topic could be about what your organisation does.  But you need to build on this with new, relevant and engaging conversations that are reflect the  value your organisation brings.  People will not share stale or repetitive content so your marketing imperative is to continually refresh, reinvent and represent your information. 

Stories make great topics.  While most of us have little time to be marketed to, we will make time to hear a story. These could be stories about achievements, who you helped or better still those generated by supporters willing to craft and pass on their personal testaments to others (user generated content.)  

A great word of mouth campaign requires simple topics people can relate to and willingly share.  And generally these have one of two key ingredients humans respond to: humour and emotion.

How Not For Profits Can Use Social Media

14 Ways Charities Can Use Facebook

 Facebook offers not for profits an easy to use and low cost opportunity to provide a digital meeting place for your supporters, staff and clients. Through your page they can swap information, ideas, images, vision and sound on almost any subject.  And Facebook’s feed-in feature automatically provides information updates to people following the page.

14 common ways to use Facebook to promote your issue are:

• Allowing people to make on-line donations. 
• Encouraging people to follow you by linking with your other social media platforms. 
• Coaching visitors on lobbying business or politicians on your issue. 
• Linking to media releases and news reports. 
• Marketing your courses or products. 
• Polling supporters about your issue. 
• Posting general and area-specific status updates on your organisation. 
• Profiling the work of inspirational staff or volunteers. 
• Promoting an information session, rally or event. 
• Reporting the progress you are making on a cause or what influential organizations or individuals think about your issue. 
• Running a competition so users can create content for your cause. 
• Sharing educational content through words, images, video or case studies. 
• Thanking supporters and donors for their involvement. 
• Using case studies that show your services helping others.

You need to actively market your Facebook page within and beyond you organization so people know about it.  Simple ways to do this include:

• Ask users and potential users to spread your information. 
• Add an icon to your webpage to connect people directly with your Facebook page. 
• Askg users to link their websites to your page. 
• Include your Facebook URL in emails, media releases, in advertising and in print. 
• Use Facebook ads to draw particular demographics or communities of interest to your page.

Communicators Must Adapt Slowly or Perish Quickly

 I have just finished Adapt: Why Success Always Starts With Failure by British author Tim Harford.

A well written and highly engaging book, Adapt questions why organisations and individuals fail to change as their circumstances shift. It debunks conventional wisdom that leaders with big visions and authorities and experts armed with data can chart a successful way forward for the rest of us.  

Life it seems is too complicated and inter-connected to rely on giant leaps forward to bring lasting solutions. We just need to look at the range of current world issues to see the truth in this - the Afghanistan War, Climate Change, the Global Financial Crisis, #Hackgate in the UK etc. There are no simple strategies for any of these issues and if ever there were silver bullets, we fired them off long ago.

Adapt suggests we learn from how species of life have evolved over millions of years.  Change has been gradual with slow and steady adaptation and continuous experimentation. Obviously we have not got the luxury of waiting that long but what we should do is take baby steps rather giant strides and learn from the failures which will invariably confront us. 

Although not specifically written for PR and marketing professionals, Adapt holds valuable insights for communicators.  Perhaps we can earn success by following the advice of early Communist-era engineer, Peter Palchinsky.  After studying in Russia and abroad, Palchinsky determined the best way to innovate and change is to:

• Continually seek out new ideas and try new things.
• Introduce scaled change so when new ideas fail - as they often will - our organisations will survive.
• Learn from mistakes and continually and consciously adjust and improve.

It is difficult to change the communications patterns of large or well entrenched organisations. Often they are entrapped within their status quo.  When they try big changes and fall short,  those who fear innovation and draw comfort from the familiar are exonerated.  But not to change as the world turns, puts us on a pathway to perish.

The value of this book is to offer up a framework to try new things, progressively learn and build from our mistakes and settle for gradual, sustained improvement over spectacular advances that too often end in costly failure.

The Needle Has Barely Moved For Social Media

This Friday we finished the last of our pro bono, not for profit workshops for 2011. Again it has been a privilege working with local charities and community groups sharing ideas on improving their marketing efforts. 

Despite the fact well known and successful organisations attended, it became apparent that few have ventured in the social media space when it came to marketing.  In the seven years we have run these workshops it seems the needle has barely moved when it comes to local not for profits using social media. We know the financial costs of the new technologies are small, so perhaps the organisational barriers are just too big to scale. 

I am a social media advocate but that doesn't mean everyone is an enthusiast.  That's why I feel not for profits should consider the following issues before deciding if the world of Web2.0  should be part of their marketing futures:

• Are your clients, staff, volunteers and others you wish to engage using these new platforms?  If not and now, should you? 

• There are no gatekeepers in social media and people freely share information and opinions  without restraint.  In cyberspace they can comment on anything, including how your organization performs.  If you want to succeed in this freewheeling universe you must engage in, not try to control, the conversation with your on-line audience.  If your communications style is traditional and based on command and control it may be just too unsettling to embrace social media.  Can you handle the participation and democracy of the new communications as well as its technologies?

• Social media is a space of informal conversation.  There is no room for insider talk, corporate speak or jargon.  Sure, never dumb down your information but the nature of social media means it must be uncomplicated to be effective. Are you ready to be simple?

•  Measurement is easy with social media.  People leave behind digital footprints as they upload content or visit digital spaces.  Their conversations and level of engagement can be tracked and recorded.  Are you prepared to measure the quality of your social media relationships?  While people may follow you or become a fan or a connection, can you translate their on-line support into the real world where their involvement may be critical? 

• New social media tools hit the market at a bewildering rate. Most not for profits would be better off choosing social networking platforms that have already gained community traction before experimenting with new applications.  What platforms should you invest in and what do you let pass by?

• In new media, like traditional media, it takes time, effort and persistence to succeed. Do you have the time, effort and energy to try, operationalise and integrate new ways of communicating  into your marketing?   

Finally , is your organisation risk averse? If you feel uncomfortable or nervous about things beyond your control, then social media may not be a good marketing option at this point in your organizational journey.  

7 Steps To Promoting Your Event Through Social Media

Here's seven ways to get social media working for you when it comes to promoting your event:

• Set up your social media infrastructure by opening accounts on popular platforms such as Facebook,Twitter, YouTube and Linked-in. Also search for and open accounts in chat rooms, forums and other niche digital areas where potential audiences for your event gather online.

• Monitor the conversations on these platforms to identify the opinion shapers, what content is carried, what topics are popular and how people express themselves. Generally six to eight week monitoring period is sufficient to get a good understanding of how a site really works.

• Provide advice on your upcoming event plus educational content on the issue it is associated with. Do this through your own social media accounts, post information to others that support you as well as any forums and links you share with others.

• Contribute information about your event on a regular basis while avoiding the perception of either dominating the conversation or appearing boring. Change the wording of your updates so content arrives fresh every time it is posted. 

•  Be prepared to answer questions about the content you post or additional event information people may request.

•  Link all your digital accounts so information posted to one platform automatically migrates to others. In most cases this simply involves checking the account settings sections of your Facebook, Twitter or other accounts.

Above all successful promotion means keeping the conversation going, sharing your thoughts and being open to feedback. 

Credit to the Cvent authors of the recently released Event Marketing 2.0 e-book.

5 Reasons To Use Social Media For Events

What are the benefits in using social media to promote events?

• People on social media platforms can network before, during and after the event and build a richer personal experience.

• Planners can share educational content on their issue in the lead up to an event on social media platforms. And after the event this content remains as an online library.

•  You can get feedback on the planning and execution of your event to make future activities even better.

• You can crowd source for creative ideas from friends and followers to find that 'wow' factor that makes your event different and engaging. 

• Social media platforms provide another and cheaper way to reach people beyond advertising, fliers etc. Word of mouth through social media platforms can potentially reach anyone anywhere.

Credit to the Cvent authors of the recently released Event Marketing 2.0 e-book.

Science Of Twitter and Facebook Updates

Last week the US PR podcast "On The Record" interviewed Dan Zarrella of Hubspot about the science of timing Facebook and Twitter updates. 

Zarrella has studied when people are most effective on these platforms by drawing on data from two years of quantitative research.Although his material mostly covers US data, it reveals interesting insights, particularly about Twitter.  It seems:

•You stand a better chance of getting your content retweeted, if you tweet later in the day or on a Friday.

•To get click throughs, Thursday and Friday are popular days to sprinkle links in your tweets. 

•When tweeting your own content, it's OK to tweet the same information multiple times. For example tweet once in the morning, in the afternoon and then again in the evening. This exposes your message to the greatest number of people, many of whom may miss your original tweet. However the trick is to change the wording of each tweet over the course of the day so, although information is the same, each post appears slightly different.

Zarrella's Facebook insights are also interesting:

•Avoid posting too often to Facebook because feeds tend to stay around a lot longer on this platform than Twitter and you can annoy people by updating too frequently. Twitter users tend to have more followers than Facebook friends so Facebook posts come through an account at a slower rate and are visible longer. 

•People who post once every other day seem to attract more friends. 

•When brands publish on weekends they tend to get more "likes" because apparently there is less competition from other brands as business updates slow over the weekend. 

•Videos tend to work much better on Facebook because they are easier to watch than on Twitter. 

It would be interesting to see Australian stats on the how's and when's of engaging others on-line.

Credit to Eric Schwartzman and Dan Zarrella.

The Perception of Social Media Marketing: It’s a Free Lunch | Social Media Today

It's all very well for an organisation to use social media to spread the word, but how many have a social media policy or editorial calender to guide their efforts?

Not many many, if you read the latest research on social media use coming from a survey of 70 Belgian communications professionals.

This article is certainly worth a read. The Perception of Social Media Marketing: It’s a Free Lunch | Social Media Today

Why run when you can walk? The evolution of the walkathon

Walkathons are popular fund raisers.

But with so many charity walking and running events, how effective is this form of money raiser today?

This blog post draws on Canadian examples to conclude the walkathon is a still a winner for not for profits.

Click here Why run when you can walk? The evolution of the walkathon

Four Motivations For PR People

"We always have time enough if we will but use it right."
Johann Van Goethe

"No matter what the level of your ability you have more potential than you can ever develop in a lifetime."
James T McKay

"Do not wait; the time will never be just right. Start where you stand, and work with whatever tools you may have at your command, and better tools will be found as you go along."
Napoleon Hill

"PR is about resourcefulness not resources."
Anon

Ten ‘Must Have’ Mobile Apps for PR (Part Two) - PRNewser

Ten ‘Must Have’ Mobile Apps for PR (Part Two) - PRNewser

New PR Book for Not For Profits

I am now in the final stages of completing my new book PR on a Tiny Budget: How Not For Profits Can Win Attention. 

It covers the tools, tactics and templates for low cost but effective PR and the communications planning that sits behind success.  It will be available through Amazon shortly.

It is for those who volunteer or work in small to medium-size not for profit organisations, and are keen to tell their communities about their ambitions and activities.  That could well be you.

You probably have a tiny, tiny PR and marketing budget and not much experience in this area. However you are intensely proud of what your not for profit does and eager to let clients, supporters, governments, donors and others know about its achievements.

This book is based on PR and marketing workshops I have been running for Australian not for profits for the past eight years. 

In that time people from over 200 charity, community, emergency services, sporting, environmental and other groups have attended half and full day sessions learning the communications skills to get their important messages out there.  Each workshop has been lively, challenging and a true sharing experience and I probably learned more than anyone else.

It is dedicated to staff and volunteers in the not for profits on main street who devote their time, energy and skill to building better, safer and sustainable neighbourhoods and communities. 

Pitching to the Media: Tips from Vicki Robb, APR

Seven Things A Media Spokesperson Should Be

 A key part in setting up a media relations program is selecting a spokesperson(s) to be the public face of your organisation when the media calls.  This is a very important job and most agencies, businesses or not for profits identify the CEO, Chairperson or person responsible for communications to fill this role.

Irrespective of the choice, your spokesperson(s) should:

• Know the topic you are presenting to the media.
• Be able to speak with authority about what your organization does and answer general as well as specific questions.
• Be well-groomed and dress suitably.
• Uses plain language and speak clearly and simply.
• Be continually contactable by mobile or cell phone.
• Be reasonably flexible about when and where to be interviewed.
• Be available by phone or email for any follow-up questions after the interview.

 Journalists do not expect not for profits or smaller businesses to have well trained media spokespersons, but they do expect them to be represent your organization, provide information and be able to tell a good story.   

Training in media interview skills is not really necessary unless your issue is controversial, you plan to talk to the media often or your spokespersons are not comfortable performing this important job.  If so consider investing in professional media training for your spokespersons because good media coverage is so important to the future health of your organisation.  

The Media Are Hungry For Pictures

 

A picture is worth a thousand words

Today our lives are so busy and time poor we rely on images as short cuts to help us process information and make decisions.

Media organisations have a constant appetite for images for their screens, on-line pages and portals.  Even radio station websites cry out for pictures.  That means a not for profit, business or agency that can offer compelling video or digital imagery to communicate its cause increases the likelihood of getting its story told.

Think about the imagery associated with your story before even approaching journalists  You can supply your own photos and video to the media. This can work well with local papers and other small outlets with limited staff, however it rarely satisfies larger media organizations that need broadcast or print quality imagery.  The best approach with them is to set up deliberate opportunities at your event for their news photographers and TV crews to get good pictures.

Good imagery - whether video or photographs – graphically and emotionally depicts what your organisation does.  It might show a client using a service, staff helping someone or some picture-worthy aspect of your operation.  The more emotion an image sends, the more likely the media will use it and the more likely they will report your story.   

Imagery is so important you need to think through about what you can provide and then how you could describe your imagery over the phone to a TV producer or reporter. If you plan to send imagery to a local outlet regularly it is certainly a good investment in time and money to get a commercial photographer to help you or build up your own in-house skills.

What The Royal Wedding Teaches About Events

Today Royals William and Kate get married and the world is abuzz with excitement.

There is nothing like an event to bring people together, get them talking and spread the news.

In this age of disconnected digital conversations, events continue to be a powerful communication tactics.

While most events lack the glam of the Royal wedding, or the celebrity of the Oscars, any event planned well and based on a wow idea is certain to draw attention to your organization.

So put as much thought into how to create buzz as you put into the mechanics of planning your next event.

Automation Poses PR Risk For Qantas

If you recently travelled Qantas from Sydney, you will have used the airline's automated check-in and bag drop services. 

The DIY check-in has been around a while but the self serve bag drop is new. 

Qantas seems hell bent on using automation to contain costs and remain competitive. For example it is cheaper to book a Qantas ticket online than over the phone. Hopefully all this results in better priced travel. 

Of course technology is replacing people in many industries. But is it the best strategy? The more hi-tech our world becomes, the more we crave hi-touch. As humans we want to engage with others when we travel, bank or are otherwise involved in transactions where making errors can cost us. Rightly or wrongly we think dealing with people is less risky than dealing with microchips. 

With the new automated bag drops (which are clumsy to use) aircrews may now be the only Qantas staff most people ever meet. That means the pressure is firmly on hard worked cabin staff to carry forward the company brand. 

In recent times how often have you remarked on improved service when you fly?  Probably not very often. Increasingly air travel is a frustrating experience. Airport parking fees are exorbitant, restrooms are smelly and on planes and terminals you pay high prices for everything including the coffee. 10 years on from September 11 security checks remain onerous. 

By removing people-facing staff, Qantas has embarked on a high risk strategy. How will the cumulative effect  of these changes be seen by customers? Will they be happy dealing with machines or do they prefer the friendly staff for which QANTAS has become rightly famous? The accountants might be happy but the marketers must be holding their breath.

It will be interesting to see the data on Qantas' customer satisfaction levels 12 months from now. My feeling is the new measures will be as popular as going through airport security.

In previous times Australians used to applaud the pilot when the plane landed safely.  However in less than a generation air travel has gone from an experience to a commodity.

Defence In Communications War

If the Australian Defence Force loosened its control over communications it would gain more control over its public image. 

I say this as the Australian Defence Academy is embroiled in a sex scandal which Australia's media is reporting in detail.This latest incident follows a litany of problems with the public image of Defence. These include claims of ongoing equipment cost blow-outs, inappropriate behavior by service personnel, poor maintenance and pay glitches suffered by frontline troops. 

Defence is known for keeping an iron grip on its media relations and communications with the public. This must frustrate the thousands of servicemen and women who perform creditably each day often in tough, tough circumstances. They really deserve to have their efforts recognized. 

Occasionally we learn about their work but mostly it is rare for Australians to meet a serviceman  or woman in the course of a normal year and hear or see what they do. 

I also know a lack of information from Defence has frustrated the generation of journalists I have worked with. 

Australians have a deep affection for their soldiers, sailors, airmen and women stemming from the legend of the ANZACs. So perhaps Defence would be better served sharing their stories in a open, transparent way with rest of us rather than only communicating  when faced with scandal.

Disclaimer: I served 30 plus in the Australian Army including as the Army's first Director of Public Affairs.

Selling A City

This past week I have been at the Australian Tourism Exchange. It is the annual gathering where international travel companies come to see what holiday experiences Australia offers global travelers.

Over 1500 Australian companies exhibit in the hope of attracting business. Their brochures are beautiful, their imagery is rich and they offer delegates first class hospitality To exhibit costs money, time and effort. It is an expensive undertaking.

I have been working with a smaller size exhibitor marketing Australia's national capital - Canberra - and its cultural attractions. We don't have the budget to match the efforts of big states and large corporate players. However I'd like to think we compensate by passion for our city and its tourism products And we use the ancient power of the story to sell the City.

While big bucks back the marketing that others do, our promotional efforts are fueled by people, passion and stories. Using that simple but proven mix we hope to strike through the clutter that must swamp international delegates.

It is international marketing on a modest budget: one delegate at a time, one story at a time, one conversion at a time.

Write Well And Win Attention

I was in the military for years so I grew up with a stiff, formal and jargon-laden writing style.

I had to change when I entered PR but it took years to bring a more relaxed tone to my writing.

Five things I learned along the way are:

•Always opt for simple language over formal structures and if given the choice select a 25 cent word over a $10 one every time. 25 cent words are the simple words we use in everyday conversation.

• Shorter sentences are punchier sentences. Keep sentences short and certainly to 25 words or less. Sentences with too many words drain the energy from readers.

• Write in the active rather than passive voice. This helps to convey a sense of urgency, impact and energy. Passive language tends to clog up communication.

• Each word and every sentence must justify its existence. Eliminate unnecessary language.

• Get an independent assessment of your writing. I routinely use the Flesch-Kincaid readability tool in Microsoft Word and the UK software, StyleWriter, to rate my writing. And often I will ask someone to review an important piece of work before I send it off.

We are under enormous time pressures these days, so clear writing is at a premium.

Get Content Get Customers: Book Review

Get Content Get Customers: Turn Prospects into Buyers with Content Marketing by Joe Pulizzi and Newt Barrett

 

‘Content is king’ is an old marketing maxim.  According to US authors Joe Pulizzi and Newt Barrett, content is now the undisputed monarch when it comes to successful marketing.

With so much choice and so little difference between many product and service offerings, the best way to engage and keep customers is to give them valuable information that will enrich their experience with your organisation.

Internet-savy customers look everywhere for information before making their buying decisions.  Selling to them has become more difficult and traditional media channels are less influential.  Pulizzi and Barrett are urging companies to take advantage of new digital technologies to become their own publishing houses and deliver high quality editorial content to the people who matter most – clients and customers. In over 250 pages of delightfully simple to understand language they show the reader how to develop and follow through on a content marketing mindset.

A content-based approach starts with knowing what customers want, similar to traditional marketing.  Who are my customers and what do they need from my product now and in the long-term?  What and when is the best way to engage them are questions that demand better answers than merely reaching in the bottom drawer for another tired advertising schedule. In today’s environment it is totally about ‘them, not me and you.’

Pulizzi and Barrett identify how companies can deliver information straight to customers.  Their communications menu includes websites, on-line forums, social media, e-books, white papers, webcasts, digital magazines, blogs, podcasts, videos, road shows and face to face contact.  Corporate magazines and newsletters get a new lease of life under a content marketing strategy and the authors identify 15 tips to repurpose information from a traditional company magazine to increase the return on investment on each story.  

One of the book’s real strengths is the 15 case studies showing companies in different industries using content marketing to drive sales and increase market share. They include a couple of Australian examples, a rare find in US marketing books. It seems Melbourne-based, website developer Bitemark is using content marketing to create leads and drive sales and giant American manufacturer has strengthened ties to Australian customers through a print and on-line program that bridges business cultures.

Marketing instinctively know the importance of credible information.  Get Content Get Customers shows how to develop that information and deliver it directly to customers to get short and long-term impact.   

Get the book because this is a worthwhile read.