Monthly Archives: July 2013

July 10, 2013 · 10:09 am

Think Like A Reporter

One unit I used to teach way back when was on journalism.  Even though it was a long time ago and everyone’s access to information has changed significantly, the basic principles haven’t.  The reason I mention this is that it’s also a critical factor in being a good executive and managing your business.  So first some general points and then an example.

Old News - canon rebel t2i

(Photo credit: @Doug88888)

I used to tell the students to doubt everything.  If they hear a “fact” it was their job to find another source to confirm it.  If it came out of research, look into who did the research and why for signs of inherent bias.  It they heard or read it from an individual, ask questions – how do you know this, where did you learn it, do you have proof it’s true.  I’d remind them of something that I think is even more true now:  reporters are supposed to be “fair.”    There is supposed to be some objectivity in what they do and critical thinking – separating fact from fiction – is key.

We used to spend time on news vs. opinion and discuss how news informs while opinion persuades.  News presents all the facts; opinion presents only those that support the position taken.  One is objective; the other subjective.  As an aside, this is probably the biggest difference with almost all “news” today.

Example:  the plane crash in SF last weekend.  Within minutes, social media was filled with photos, witness reports, and statements by people allegedly on the flight.  I assume that the folks at the news networks follow Twitter and other sources yet nothing was said by any of them for 15-20 minutes.  Is that a failure?  Not in my eyes.  Clearly SOMETHING was going on but what?  Was it a crash or a training exercise or a movie shoot?  Saying “there’s a lot of activity on social media about something going on at SFO” is factually correct but says nothing.  So they waited to verify the information and then acted.

All of the above is critical when you’re in business.  I’m sure you see dozens of “facts” every day, whether they’re memoranda, data, presentations, or just conversations.  Acting on any of that information without thinking like a reporter can be fatal.  We need to make informed decisions and having the wrong information will make those decisions suffer.  You agree?

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July 9, 2013 · 10:15 am

The Heart Of The Matter

I’ve officially named this day of the week TunesDay. Just as Fridays are for food-related screeds, I’m going to try to stick to music on this day of the week. Forewarned is forearmed!

Don Henley

Of course, since it’s a music day, let me talk about sports (hard to keep up with me, isn’t it?). I read a piece yesterday about Michael Dyer, a former running back who played for Auburn. He was suspended by Auburn in December 2011, late in his sophomore season, for failing a drug test. He’s never been convicted of a crime but has made some incredibly stupid decisions about his friends.  I bring this up because this kid, who has 2 years of eligibility left and is a top player, can’t get a sniff from any school to go play football. Too risky. Too many other choices out there. He damaged his brand and now needs forgiveness.

Which leads to today’s song (you knew I’d get here!).  One of my favorite songs comes from Don Henley and is called “The Heart Of The Matter.”  A live performance is below.  The song is about someone screwing up and asking for forgiveness – not to wipe away the transgression but to heal the wound:

I’ve been tryin’ to get down
To the heart of the matter
But my will gets weak
And my thoughts seem to scatter
But I think it’s about…forgiveness
Forgiveness
Even if, even if you don’t love me anymore

I think it’s a beautiful, heartfelt  soliloquy on the subject.  That’s what Dyer is seeking and I think it’s what many businesses end up seeking as well.  The problem is that it’s not always forthcoming, even if the business knew how to ask in terms even half as wonderful as these.

Some business people with whom I’ve worked have felt the “better to ask for forgiveness instead of permission” approach is the preferable way to go.  I disagree.  We live in an age when consumers and clients have access to multiple sources for virtually anything.  Schools can find great running backs – thank you web-based recruiting sites – and vet them carefully.  Who needs to take the risk that an entire program suffers due to one bad apple?

As a brand and a business, the heart of the matter is that behaving honorably – transparently, respecting privacy, keeping the customer’s perspective – negates the need to ask for forgiveness.  It’s not something you want to do, even in terms as nice as these.

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July 8, 2013 · 11:04 am

Something For Nothing

Let’s start the week with a little bit of common sense backed up by some research.

Mobile-phone-advertising

(Photo credit: Wikipedia)

You might categorize the recent study released by Millward Brown, in partnership with SessionM, in the “duh” bin and you wouldn’t be far off but it serves as a good reminder of some basic marketing thoughts.  The study is called Exploring the Role of Value in Mobile Advertising and it talks about how to break through low favorability of mobile advertising by offering more tangible value in brands’ marketing content.  You can read the study here (pdf) if you want but mobile ads are close to the bottom of consumer‘s likes. Only 9% of people have a favorable attitude toward them (opt-in email tops the rankings at 28%, showing that mobile advertising in general has a problem).

Here is the “duh” part that carried over to just about anything you’re doing in marketing:

  • Consumers presently reward brands that deliver on that value in exchange for their loyalty
  • Reward-based mobile advertising succeeds when  the advertising execution is timely, chosen &  relevant and the reward is predictable, tangible & chosen.
  • Advertisers need to be mindful of the value exchange they offer through their mobile marketing efforts and make certain it is commensurate with their audience’s expectations.

In other words, answer the “why do I care” question and make sure your answer is coming from the consumer’s point of view.  Make sure that any time the consumer is spending on you is paid back many times over.  Look to surprise them and in a way that’s meaningful to them.  Be visible but unintrusive – show ads at natural break points (we all hate pop-ups that stop us from reading or video ads – TV or steaming – that interrupt our experience).  You have to give them something for their attention and engagement – you can’t get something (their loyalty) for nothing.

Where we fail as marketers is the place where our branding needs climb over those of our consumers or potential consumers.  We need to avoid that place like the plague, whether it’s on mobile devices or anyplace else.  This research shows it yet again but one would hope that common sense – and the ability to approach marketing as a consumer and not a brand maven – has us there already.  Does it?

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