What you Talking ‘bout Willis?

November 18, 2008

Written by Karen D. Swim

As if we had not tortured and twisted the American language enough, an entire new lexicon has arisen as a result of social media. Our language is now populated by pop culture colloquialisms, abbreviated text speak and social media-isms. Add industry jargon to the mix and you have a communication nightmare.

What Say You?

Me: Here in MI our local ABC station follows that practice, it’s great.

Twitter Friend: I’m new to twitter speak, what’s MI?

In the above exchange I used the standard postal abbreviation for Michigan – MI - assuming that I was being inclusive with my language choice. Think again. We have become so accustomed to strange abbreviations and new words on Twitter that MI could have stood for anything.

Another example:

Travis: I’ll work on the feed and get it corrected, thanks for your help.
Me: No problem, ping me when it’s fixed and I’ll add you to my reader.
Travis: Oh, I don’t use Ping yet but I know I should learn
Me: No, not Ping.fm the service, I meant email or IM me to let me know when it’s done

See how confusing our language has become. We have created a virtual tower of Babel where it’s a wonder that we are still able to carry on conversations. We are friending, tweeting, linking, plurking, kwipping, blogging, shouting, skyping and on occasion hitting each other on our cellies. No wonder, even Dutch words have taken on a familiarity for me of late. These days I am as comfortable with unfamiliar foreign languages as my native tongue of English.

Think Before you Speak or Text

Yes, your mother was right. I have stuck my foot in my mouth more times than I care to admit when I have not taken a moment to think before opening my big fat mouth.  The removal of facial gestures and inflections makes communicating in writing even more hazardous. Pause before you hit the send button and make sure that your message will be read as intended.

So What Does That Have to Do with The Tea In China?

Now more than ever it is important to strive for clear communication. It is easier to have our words taken out of context, misunderstood or even unknowingly offend. Clear and simple language, free of jargon will foster understanding when communicating with a large and diverse audience.

Regional language and colloquial phrases are a wonderful way to add color to your communications but use them wisely. Phrases that are appropriate on one platform can be easily misunderstood on another.

I am going to make a greater effort to not be Misunderstood in MI, after all the whole point of social media is to communicate which implies being understood.

How do you manage our bourgeoning language? Do you have any personal practices or tips to share?

The Walking Wounded and Socially Fatigued

November 14, 2008

Written by Karen D. Swim

The other day I received an email notification that one of my Twitter followers was no longer following me. I clicked through to the follower’s twitter page and the most recent tweet (message) indicated that he was changing his twitter account un-following everyone and only following those who could have a direct impact on his business.

I was not offended by the un-follow but questioned the strategy. Is it possible to know who will impact our business? Human relationships are not linear so it is impossible to predict the trajectory of an interaction with someone you consider “unessential.” One of the benefits of having a broad social network, online or offline is the access to people beyond our immediate circle of influence. A social network like Twitter affords you the opportunity to be visible to a broad, diverse group and all those who follow them. That is both the benefit and the problem.

The interactions suddenly swell to a high level of noise and you look for ways to tone down the volume. Some are like me and simply take the occasional break from online interactions. Others may un-follow or quit networks altogether. Many have chosen to limit the interaction by shutting off their Facebook Wall or Blog Comments. Those who have a true need/desire can simply send a message or email.

With the rise of social networks we ripped the lid from Pandora’s box and unleashed a beast whose tentacles reach far and wide. As we choke on the glut of social interaction, we begin to question our previous adoration of those shiny new tools. Is it too late to tame this social beast?

The reality is we really do need people. We require some level of interaction in our personal and professional lives. Unfortunately, we cannot control how people choose to interact with us, or respond to us when we try to establish boundaries.

My advice is to look carefully before you leap into any social network. The honeymoon period will come to an end and you will be left with a relationship to manage. Is it worth your long term commitment?

Are you among the socially fatigued? How are you managing the balance?

References:

• Pandora’s box
• Shannon Paul - How to Participate in Social Media Without Being That Guy
• Beth Kanter - Tips on Managing Multi-Memberships in Social Networks

How Comfortable Are Your Customers?

November 5, 2008

Written by Karen D. Swim

Well, today is November 5th and in case you missed it, the United States has elected Barack Obama as its 44th President.  I did not want to allow the day to pass without acknowledging the historical significance of this moment. Yet, when I tried to form words this morning, I simply could not. Everything sounded trite or cheesy. I am quite frankly still absorbing the weight of America’s decision.

I have been fascinated this election season by the marketing campaigns, lessons in communications and of course the comments, opinions and reactions of voters.  As a writer and marketer, this has been akin to hitting the inspiration lottery.  I could devote several hundred posts to the nuggets of wisdom from this election but today I shall focus on the one thought that dominates - Discomfort leads to action.

I moved to Michigan from California a few years ago. Michigan has been in a one state recession long before the economy went south in the rest of the country.  Most Americans were still happily spending and going about their business unaware of the declining economy in our little neck of the woods. However, that recession spread. Fuel prices soared, layoffs increased, financial institutions collapsed and wall street became a nauseating roller coaster ride. Suddenly, everyone was checking their wallet in search of the thief that was stealing the value of their dollar.

In short, many people became uncomfortable. We humans are funny, creatures of habit. Some of us like constant change and will mix it up “just because.” Most will stay the course until something shakes us up and forces us to change.  Dave Navarrro wisely articulated this in a recent post on the impact of the wake up call. When we’re comfortable, we don’t rock the boat but discomfort leads us to action.

America became uncomfortable. Barack Obama tapped into that discomfort and offered a prescription for relief.  People registered to vote, others who had not bothered to vote stood in line to cast their ballot. Obama reminded us that we were not comfortable, many had a wake up call and took action.

Pain. Discomfort. These words have great meaning to those in sales. You want to uncover pain and discomfort and offer your customers a prescription to make it all better.  You are always offering the cure or the prevention to pain and discomfort. Always. You may have the best product/service/source of knowledge but if you can’t sell it then it’s worthless.

Whether you are an employee fighting to recession proof your job or a business owner seeking to stay alive, you are selling and pain is your key. How can you help your customer / employer avoid or relieve pain? Answering that question will take you far. If you don’t believe me, check out America’s next President.

A Design for a New Day

October 22, 2008

Written by Karen D. Swim

How often have you questioned a process and heard “I don’t know, we’ve always done it this way” in response? Corporations are often like rusty old trains with an inability to stop on a dime, check out new scenery or even change directions. People and companies go along following processes and procedures just because they exist, most never questioning until a consultant comes in and replaces their round hole with a square peg.  The story below is a funny illustration, courtesy of a client, Jeremiah Josey.

A newly married couple were in the kitchen one Sunday. The wife was preparing a piece of lamb for roasting and the husband was preparing the vegetables. The husband observed as the wife placed the piece of lamb onto the chopping block and promptly chopped 4 inches from each end, discarded the pieces into the bin. She then placed the lamb into the center of the large baking tray, around which the husband began to place the vegetables.

The husband asks, “Why did you do that darling, that looked like perfectly good lamb you through away?”

“Oh, I never think of it”, she replied. “Mother always did it and that’s what she taught me. We can ask her when we visit her for roast dinner next Sunday.”

So, that next Sunday they visited Mother for her Sunday roast and were served roast lamb and vegetables. Looking at the roast they could both see clearly that the ends had been cut off.

The daughter asked, “Mother, why are then ends missing from the roast?”

“It’s because… I honestly don’t know”, replied Mother. “I’ve always done it that way, just like my mother taught me. She is visiting next week so come for dinner again and we can ask her”.

So, another week passed and they were all seated at the table for Sunday roast, this time Grand Mother is present. And, like last week, the roast with its ends removed appears from the kitchen.

“Grand Mother,” begins the husband, “I’ve seen both your daughter and your grand daughter cut both ends of a perfectly good roast before they cook it, and I was wondering why you taught them to do it that way.”

“That is a very good question Grand Son.” says Grand Mother. “For many years when my daughter was growing up, we lived in a small apartment in New York. In that apartment we had a very small oven with a very small door, and the only way for me to cook my Sunday roast was to cut the ends off so it would fit into the small baking tray I used to fit into the oven. I stopped doing that years ago, ever since I got a larger oven - after my daughter left home I recall. Why waste perfectly good meat?”

# # #

Jeremiah’s story illustrates the insanity of repeating a process without question. However, changing from a round hole to a square peg is also not always the right answer.  Rather, we must assess our processes and actions and create solutions that fit, sometimes that will be a round hole and at other times it may be a combination.  The innovation is not always in the solution but the approach - a willingness to try something that has never been done to look beyond your company and industry for ideas and solutions.

This integrated approach is called Design Thinking.  This video explains it in greater detail.

As we move forward it is clear that the “same old way” will get us the same old results. As you look at your own company or business,  are there things you do out of habit and routine? Do they still make sense? Simply asking the question can pave the way for innovation.

So what do you think of this integrated approach? Is this something you are already doing? Let’s learn from one another. Share your thoughts, and ideas in the comments.

Thanks to Society for Word of Mouth for the article and resources on Design Thinking that prompted this post!

References:

• US Treasury Secretary on Design Thinking
• New York Times Article on Design Thinking
• Wikipedia Overview of Design Thinking

You’ve Got the Sizzle Baby but Where’s the Steak?

October 20, 2008

Written by Karen D. Swim

Last week we talked about improving your marketing by adding a little sizzle. The combination of sizzle and substance will satisfy your market and entice them back for seconds.  The market can be forgiving of a lack of sizzle when the company has substance and high visibility.  Consider Google, who from the inception has focused on technical savvy and functionality rather than visually pleasing aesthetics. Craigslist is a visual nightmare but that has not stood in the way of worldwide use of the site.  Sizzle combined with substance provides a competitive advantage. On the other hand, a lack of substance is a guaranteed way to leave your readers hungry and searching for fulfillment elsewhere.

Here are three tips to help you fill your customer’s plate:

Pay attention to your content. You may believe that in this day when everyone skims rather than reads that you can let your content slide. Wrong! I visited a site last week that was breathtaking in its design aesthetics. Wanting to learn more about the company, I made the mistake of reading the content. I had to force myself not to rip my eyes out of my head.  The grammatical errors made me cringe. Instead of articulate, easy to read sentences there were run on paragraphs of buzzwords. It was obvious the company had intended to appeal to their market with “inside” language but the words hung together like puzzle pieces that were not in their proper place.  Even the press releases were a disaster! Please realize that your website, brochure or one-sheet may be your potential customer’s introduction to you and your company. Take the time to ensure that it is well written because many wil take time to actually read it.

Consider your market, and not your personal preferences. I recently worked with a client on a re-branding effort. His previous marketing materials including his website reflected his own personal tastes. The problem, however is that the marketing messages and images were completely unaligned with his company’s brand. The messages did not appeal to his target audience and the images clashed with the content. The result was an ineffective mess.  Your marketing should reflect some personality but ensure that you do so in a way that is not out of line with your market or brand image.

Tell them what, why and how in simple language.  When your potential customers read your words, they are essentially having a conversation with your company.  As you write, think of what you would say to Joe The Plumber or Shawna the Soccer Mom if they asked “What does your company do?” Will you answer them with industry acronyms or search optimized phrases? Or will you give than an easy to understand  explanation of how you help your market?  If you sell Pizza don’t tell them that you take dough, shape it into a sphere and lovingly cover it with freshly pureed tomatoes. Tell them you make pizza!

Your marketing does not have to be perfect to be effective.  A reader may forgive a typo (it happens in spite of our best efforts) but is unlikely to forgive unintentional grammatical errors, or wordy sentences that say nothing.  Treat your market with respect by delivering substance.

Have you ever made a purchase based on sizzle and been disappointed with the results?  Did it change the way you evaluate purchases?  Feel free to share your experiences, insights, or questions in the comments.  If you have specific questions you would like to see answered in a future post, shoot me an email at karenswim [at] gmail [dot] com.

5 Sizzling Tips to Fire Up Your Marketing

October 13, 2008

Written by Karen D. Swim

Have you heard the expression “All sizzle and no steak?” It is an old saying that means lots of flash or style but no substance.  Sales people are admonished to sell the sizzle not the steak! However, in business, sizzle may attract initial interest but you have to back it up with steak or you will not be able to keep your customers at the dinner table!

However all steak and no sizzle is just as bad! Steak without the presentation can come across as dry and boring. Many educators have learned this lesson and find ways to add a little entertainment and relevance to difficult material to engage their students. The substance does not change but adding style enhances the content and draws in the reader or listener.

Let’s face it packaging matters. You can put pretty words on a dull package and buyers are likely to pass it by for the more attractive package. A highly credentialed job seeker with a flat, boring resume is unlikely to get an interview. Sizzle matters folks. Purists may try to sell the value of substance and having the right stuff but without the packaging, your marketing is going nowhere.

So how do you dress it up without “dumbing” it down? Glad you asked!

1. Use images. Powerful images tell a story and evoke an emotional response. An image that aligns with your brand can leave a powerful, positive impression. Have you ever viewed a photo in a travel brochure that made you sigh aloud with desire? How often has a delectable food photo awakened a sudden craving? This is sizzle baby at its finest! An image that gets the senses firing until the reader is touching, tasting and feeling the experience.
2. Make it visually appealing. A visually appealing layout will enhance your marketing message. The key is to make the layout attractive but not distracting. The use of white space, clean lines and clear focal points can make your message dazzling rather than dizzying.
3. Seduce them with words.  Your words can wrap themselves around the reader like a cashmere wrap causing them to purr with delight. Food, travel and luxury writers have a deep understanding about the art of seduction in writing. They romance you with words that melt your insides. They paint a picture with words: “A storm had come through the night I arrived, and the following morning was brilliant—hard cornflower blue sky, light that brought out the folds and pleats of the landscape, and a wind like the wake of a wide-body.” (Walther, Gary, New Tuscan Trio, May/June 2008)
4. Engage your audience with storytelling. Wrap your facts and benefits in a story that makes your audience experience your product or service on a deeper level.  Make them laugh, cry, giggle or get angry but by golly lead them to action with a good story.
5. Tastefully accessorize. A pair of jeans can from ho hum to hot with a great belt and a sizzling pair of shoes. You may not have a Madison Avenue marketing budget but you can add sizzle with the right accessory.  Your accessory can become your signature touch and can be as simple as a decorative font for your name, a signature sign-off or even a color. Accessories can personalize your marketing and enforce your brand even on a shoe-string budget.

So go ahead and add a little sass and flash, you can never go wrong when you serve up your steak with a little sizzle!

Have you ever been enticed to buy something because of the sizzle? How do you add sizzle to your own marketing efforts? Please feel free to share your comments, questions or tips in the comment box. If you have a marketing issue and need one-on-one help contact me by email at karenswim at gmail dot com.

Resources:

Bob Younce’s Series on Food Bloggers - Helpful tips and techniques that you can apply to any writing style

Joe Vitale - Industry expert in hypnotic marketing techniques

5 Tips to Spice Up Your Business

October 8, 2008

Written by Karen D. Swim

Growing up my mom was big on seasonal meals. We ate fruits and veggies in season, often from our own garden.  Summer was a season of lightness, where crisp cool fruits and vegetables took center stage. Fall was the beginning of foods that warmed your body and comforted your heart. Steaming bowls of chili, soups and stews accompanied by fresh homemade cornbread. Even now I can close my eyes and smell the rich aromas of mom’s stew, all of the tasty vegetables combining in a savory combination of love and goodness.

The pattern of business also follows seasonal shifts.  In summer, we tend to lighten the load as we make time for play.  We put off complex projects that are not essential and opt for a more casual pace.  The arrival of September signals a change, time to get back to work.  We may find that we are ready to add new textures and tastes to our own business stew. We may expand with new products or services or delve into new avenues of marketing.  We mix it up and in so doing we create a richer, more flavorful dish.  Below are a few ingredients that you can add to your spice shelf. Add one or two or try them all to create your own tasty selection.

Face to face marketing. We have become so spoiled by the ease and efficiency of web marketing that we often forget that we can still use some of the traditional methods. Go to a local networking meeting, visit your chamber of commerce or set up appointments with local businesses who need your services. In these trying economic times, a little face time can be just the reassurance a potential customer needs to buy.

Add new media. Enrich your business with new forms of content delivery such as video, audio, photos or animation. Record a series of podcasts with tips in your area of expertise. You can upload them to iTunes and add them to your website.  Use video to share information and tips and post it on YouTube, Hulu or your own website. If you like Powerpoint, prepare a presentation and upload it to Slideshare.  You can even have your own radio or TV program using sites such as BlogTalkRadio and UStream TV.

Grab a partner. Work with someone in your area of expertise to create a joint offering, or partner with someone that offers complemntary services. Partnerships can help you to create deeper client engagements by expanding your portfolio of services. It can also help all involved to share the load of creating, testing and breaking through to a new space.  For example, Writers can team up with photographers, marekting agencies, videographers, SEO consultants, graphic designers, printers and more. Think outside the box.

Teach, coach, consult.  You can add another layer to your business by teaching rather than doing. Develop self directed e-courses or on demand webinars, add coaching and consulting to your service offerings.  All of these services are fairly easy to add to your portfolio and have the potential to expand your client base and revenue stream.

Step into the Spotlight. Pump up your marketing and increase your visibility with interviews. Radio, tv, newspapers and magazines are all within your reach. Join HARO (Help a Reporter Out) for free and you will receive three emails per day chock full of leads of people seeking experts.  I have countless friends who have been featured in stories as a result of HARO, including friend and colleague, Trish Lambert.  If you need publicity tips, Jeff Crilley, Joan Stewart and Sanyika Calloway Boyce have excellent resources to get you started.

Great cooks are not afraid to experiment with textures and flavors, and neither should you.  Don’t be afraid to mix it up a little, as you may be surprised with the dish you create!

We would love to hear from you. Do you have any spices to add to the list? Any sources to recommend? Let’s share our knowledge as we all grow and succeed together. Add your comments in the comment box or wherever you happen to read this message.

Remember that if you need a little help with your marketing strategy you can always give me a call!

Guest Post Today at Word Sell

August 28, 2008

Written by Karen D. Swim

Brad Shorr in a moment of either sheer genius or pure insanity (you be the judge) graciously invited me to post on his blog today.  Brad is not only a terrific writer but a truly gracious blogger who actively supports the community. You may recall he was the mastermind behind this week’s Joanna Young Welcome Back party.

Please  join me over at Word Sell today as we discuss social media myths.  It should be fun!

Perception and Art

August 27, 2008

Written by Karen D. Swim

The picture to the right is a Rorschach ink blot. I became quite familiar with Rorschach as a Psychobiology major in college.

Rorschach ink blots (developed by Hermann Rorschach) are a projective psychometric test. The theory is that when you show the ink blots to patients, each individual will  project his or her real personality into the ink blot via the interpretation.  The results were to provide a clue into the person’s psyche.

It is fascinating to see how differently each person will interpret an ink blot. What do you see in the photo to the right - the silhouette of a woman, armadillos crawling along a desert, kidneys? Each person will see something slightly different. As we view the ink blot we impose our own perspective shaped by our life experiences.

The efficacy of the ink blot has been questioned but the underlying theory that we can look at the same thing and see something different is incontrovertible.  Law enforcement officers understand this theory well. If multiple people witness an incident,  there will be some commonalities but each version will be slightly different.

We bring our perceptions to everything we read, see, hear and touch.  For the writer, artist, photographer or marketer it is a truth that we must not only recognize but embrace.  The interpretation of our words, paintings, sculptures, and photographs belong entirely to the beholder.  This is the beauty and challenge of our work.  In a Writer’s Digest interview, Isabel Allende offered these thoughts:

“I’m not the one who invents the stories; I’m like a radio that picks up the waves. Somehow if I move the dial very carefully, I’ll pick up the wave and get the story. But the story doesn’t belong to me; it’s somewhere out there floating. That’s very liberating.” (Writer’s Digest, Oct. 2008)

The story, photo, painting, novel, marketing message or even blog post does not belong to the creator but to those who will shape it, interpret it and experience it through the lens of their perception. As we create we bear the burden of this knowledge. No matter how clearly we seek to articulate our ideas, thoughts and concepts not everyone will see them as presented. Once created, we must find the liberation that Allende alludes to by simply letting go.

I take comfort in  knowing that in this way all truth has its own element of fiction.  I release the responsibility of attaining perfection and yield myself to being the receptor of the waves intended for me.  I am the vessel and not the creator. I can let go and take pleasure watching the work float “out there” free to become what each reader wants and needs it to be.  Liberating? Indeed.

Now over to you reader, it’s your post, share your interpretation. The comment box is open and it’s your turn at the mic.

The 5 Marketing Lessons I Learned From Don Cheadle

August 19, 2008

Written by Karen D. Swim

Don Cheadle is a fabulous actor. In fact he is so good you may not recognize his name. It is this incredible talent that makes Cheadle a role model for awesome, knock your socks off marketing.

Cheadle allows his role to be the star. Cheadle lets the character and dialogue speak. He yields himself as a vessel never taking center stage.  In this same way, you should not upstage your marketing. If your copy is all about YOU, then you have failed at Cheadle lesson number 1 - it’s not about you.

Cheadle makes you feel it. We know the rule - engage their emotions, but Cheadle shows us how to master the technique. Cheadle’s roles get under your skin and stay there for a long time. I remain haunted by Hotel Rwanda. I was pulled into the story as though Cheadle reached out from the big screen and offered me his hand.  Because I was all in,  heart pounding, mind racing I did not forget.  Hotel Rwanda led to a passionate activism on behalf of Darfur. Your marketing copy should make your customers feel and do. The words should wrap around your customers, caressing their senses and inviting them into the story.

Cheadle has a clear brand identity. Cheadle is an actor period. His life, interests and pursuits have not sullied or overshadowed his brand. If you know his name, you’re not thinking “guy who only eats green M&Ms,” or co-mingling his name with some too skinny starlet. Nope, he’s an actor. You can articulate his brand. The dude has a clear identity. Watch and learn dear marketers.

Cheadle does not use cheap gimmicks. Cheadle is very good at his job and that is his calling card. He did not have to create a strange persona, adopt an addiiction and create a new 12 step program, date someone several cards short of a full deck or jump on a couch. Cheadle is an actor who can act.  When you can do what you claim, well that really is the best kind of marketing of all.
Cheadle is consistent. In role after role, he delivers the goods. It doesn’t matter if the movie is a blockbuster, academy award winner or a little known film. You can count on Cheadle to be a good actor. Your marketing messages will of course change but your core values and your commitment to quality should remain steadfast and true. Your customers should be able to count on you today and tomorrow.

Cheadle may not be the biggest named star in Hollywood, but he definitely has sustainability. Anyone can be a flash in the pan hottie but it takes real talent to build and sustain a brand.

What are your tips for marketing success? Have you gained any insight from your favorite actors?

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