One of my very good friends is a prominent business owner in the North East, who is just getting acclimated with using social media for business. Awesome for the company, as it obviously increases exposure. Not so awesome when he decides to have a meltdown on Facebook about the stability of the company!

Ok, ok, it wasn’t so much as a meltdown as it was a questioning of the future. Tomato. Tumato.

He uses Facebook for fun AND business, so pretty much all of his friends saw that comment. Granted, he didn’t realize that his momentary lapse in confidence would spark a 10-day whirlwind of phone calls and emails to me abotu his situation, but that’s what happened.

I can guarantee that he’ll think twice in the future, but that really could have jeopardized his credibility as a business owner. When branding is a huge aspect of your target audience’s buying style, why would you give them a reason to second guess you? Especially when there are 25 contenders waiting in the shadows for even a chance at capitalizing on reasonable doubt.

When  incorporating social media in your marketing and PR plan, it is essential you maintain the upmost positive attitude. Even if behind closed doors you’re putting out 1000 fires, don’t make public cries of despair, unless you want a handful of new issues to address. Or, if you’re at your last phase and are ready to go public with the problem.

Otherwise, you risk destroying that brand your PR and marketing team workes so hard to create.

(Image source: www.lawyermeltdown.com)

Found this book by Davide Seaman today at Barnes and Noble and pretty much read through the whole thing in a sitting. For those of you looking to augment your brand’s identity or just learn a few tricks about what to do while doing a radio interview, this is a great book. The format is simple and straightforward and loaded with tips only known to PR insiders. Get people talking about your company!

Time and time again, new clients will come to me in need of marketing and PR help. More often than not, it’s after spending a ridiculous amount of money on advertising, without ONE response. By shelling out so much cash for an ad in the newspaper, they think leads are guaranteed. As many of us know, this is not so, especially if your company is not branded properly.

After this happening a number of times, I think I’ve figured out the problem: they’re in a rush and feeling anxious to increase their revenue stream. So much so, that they just jump in and try out a few ideas without setting themselves up properly.

One company brought me in to assess their current situation, and after reviewing all their efforts, budget, etc. I suggested we sit down and set up a marketing plan. It didn’t even have to be very time consuming or daunting, just a simple description of their goals and a generalized plan of how to move forward. Nope. The guys just wanted to move forward with some programs as quickly as possible, not taking into account the current economic forecast and their target audience’s psychographics and demographics. Pretty key if you ask me.

I’m a pretty spontaneous person, so I’m not against throwing up a Hail Mary, and seeing what comes of it. But not repeatedly with no vision or direction. Frankly, that’s a bad choice.

As with anything, if you want to achieve a goal, you first have to know what that goal is. Then, you need to outline what tactics are involved to achieve it. Yes, this means writing out each step-by-step detail of what you’re going to do and how. This is crucial because not only does it allow you to measure your steps, but it keeps you on track without feeling overwhelmed. When you’re wearing multiple hats for your business, streamlining your life with processes and defined purpose is key!

And, really, a marketing plan doesn’t have to be all that scary. For some reason, you add the word “plan” to anything and people run, as though it’s an impossible task. Even if you did extensive research, coming up with a viable marketing plan won’t take up all that much of your time. If anything, it will save you time, AND MONEY, by preventing thoughtless actions that amount to an empty wallet and meager clientele list!

Get started today, you won’t regret it!

What do Aesop, Shakespeare, and Dr. Seuss have in common? Yes, of course, they’re writers. What’s beyond that?

In short, they command attention. Now, you may pull the covers up a little higher after the second line of iambic pentameter. Of course, this is understandable, because Shakespeare’s not for everyone. But eternal glorification and permanence in our canon obviously means he did something right. He, along with his previously mentioned colleagues, pulls us in with mesmerizing words, characters, and plots that harness minds.

Why do you care?

This should matter to you because the techniques of the sages are what you can use to etch your place in your industry. The use of storytelling has been an inherent element in every culture, not only to entertain, but to teach and retain autonomy and character of the people. Take a lesson from history.
Whether on your website and brochure, or interviews and articles, you can capture your audience’s attention with a story carefully designed to impart the chosen information. Look at your marketing and PR material at little more closely today. Where is the story in your information? What is unique about you, your product, or services? What will people remember?

Whether you’re in the PR industry, a company CEO, or just grinding out a 9 to 5, one thing is for sure: much of your success depends on the ability to communicate effectively. You can’t go into a client meeting, mumble your way through, stare at the floor, and constantly interrupt the other parties and expect to walk out the door in a better situation than when you entered. If anything, you should have just pulled up the covers and rolled over, because at least then you’ve not left the other person with a negative belief about your personal presentation.

Yes, personal presentation, the 24/7 phenomenon, which you control, that directs the different outcomes of your life. Having a degree in communications, I learned that it’s not only what you say, but how you relay this message that determines whether the other party fully receives the intended output. Myriad factors have a way of skewing our perception or diverting our attention, resulting in the true context and content of the dialogue.

Many of my clients are CEOs at prosperous companies, strong, determined men and women, who may have a stellar resume, but lack the real communication skills to lead the organization to a higher potential.

Enter Toastmasters. Or, really, any organization that provides an environment that fosters the growth of leadership and communication skills. I recently attended a meeting of a local chapter and was blown away by the way this very diverse group of people came together to offer encouragement and advice on enhancing one’s speaking abilities.

For those unaware, Toastmasters is an international organization dedicated to teaching members how to springboard their public speaking from shoddy to national speaking events (if that person so chooses to make that effort). My group leader informed me yesterday that as a result of engaging in the program, the organization has received countless messages about participants receiving promotions, winning contests, and improving self-confidence. One woman received four promotions in the span of a year!

Improve your relationships, your career, and your personal presentation by seeking out a group to challenge and assist you in, not only finding the right words, but the right avenue.

Recently, there has been an onslaught of blog posts covering the importance of rapport, but not so many defining what it’s not. The term seems so hypnotic that anyone can use it and automatically define themselves as a person entering relationships with integrity. You and I both know this isn’t true.

What does it mean to have rapport with someone? Does it mean that you develop a relationship based on falsehoods? If someone never realizes that you’ve conned them into believing this façade, is that rapport?

Whether in business or daily lives, we are confronted by fake individuals. You know the kind; they pose as one thing when they really are another. The motive is not so much a concern for this argument, but the results can be detrimental. This is especially true when it’s an individual in your industry or circle, because, ultimately, you are associated with this person, either by profession or acquaintances. (How many PR professionals out there have been branded spin doctors, when their whole practice has been honest and value-driven? HINT: If you’re in PR, raise your hand.)

Unfortunately, I’ve experienced this situation recently with someone claiming to be a seasoned professional, but yet having no background or training, save the few books and blogs he’s read. In the relationships in which he engages, he speaks of his “lengthy” experience, deceiving the targeted clients. Later, in other circles, he claims to have “solid rapport” with these poor victims. How is that rapport?
It’s not!

If you’re coming to the conversation with, not just an ace, but a deck in the hole, you’re not only cheating those misguided souls who trust you. You’re cheating yourself.

In NLP, we discuss opening honest and reciprocal lines of communication to yield rapport. Basing the conversation on falsehoods only jeopardizes your legitimacy in the long run and can be very damaging, financially and mentally, for those subjected to this kind of abuse. When seeking to build relationships with others, start from a place of honesty and commitment to values. The moment a client realizes the lie, you’re entire investment will be destroyed.

Composed of how one walks, talks, acts, and dresses, communications studies show that image, how others perceive a person, plays a major role in his or her success in life. Even the simplest or seemingly absurd details, like how many pieces of jewelry you wear to an interview, can determine which doors open and which remain triple padlocked. Because of this, we, as a society, carefully choose what we wear to work, on a date, or to church, etc., to coincide with the how we want others to see us.

In fact, our culture goes to such extremes to procure the best reputation that we spend millions of dollars every year on courses, workshops, and consultants dedicated solely to this purpose! Most times, we are prejudged based on the aforementioned traits, and the truth about our real personalities gets lost in the mix. Instead, what remains are the opinions others form based where we stand in their paradigm. Whether we like it or not, perception matters.

And the business world is no different.

Customer beliefs and views of a company and its product directly correlate to whether the finances stay in the black or fall into the red. Take the once-popular Mexican food restaurant, Chi-Chi’s, known for its signature margaritas and reasonable prices. After a hepatitis outbreak in Pittsburgh in 2003, allegedly due to a bad case of green onions, the food-chain suffered tremendous losses. Despite proactive efforts by the organization to ensure the safety of all the restaurants, patronage fell and stayed down. Where once you were guaranteed to find a Chi-Chi’s in most cities, the notoriously yellow-painted buildings closed their doors. Sadly, I’ve yet to see one open today.

The lesson to be taken from this is that the public’s perception of a company can determine how strong of a player it is in the marketplace. However, that’s not to say that business owners are at the mercy of the customer, with no control in the situation. Through strategic public relations campaigns, consisting of publicity, promotions, and crisis management (something Chi-Chi’s could have used), companies can take a proactive approach to forming a positive position in the industry.

Without constant dedication to create and maintain this identity, organizations can, and have, fallen to the wayside, letting others that understand the value of image, control the market. For Nike spends hundreds of millions of dollars annually promoting its image globally. Year after year, the athletic gear giant commands one of the highest portions of its sports-centric market. The reason is not necessarily because Nike shoes are better than all the other footwear. The reason is because we, the consumers, are led to believe in the strong, dedicated attitude of the brand. We believe in the image, and that’s what sells us.

You may have great products and great employees, but if your customer service leaves people less than thrilled to be doing business with you, ultimately your brand will suffer. Consumers have to trust your company to be loyal, but first, they have to feel appreciated and valued. Without this, they’ll be willing to switch to any other company who offers comparable goods and services—one that goes out of its way for each and every person.

Sound like a lot? Maybe not so much if you’re a little guy, but when you’re dealing with thousands of individuals every day, it tends to add up. For this purpose, you need to have systems in place that dictate how you will take proactive stances to ensuring your customers keep coming back time and time again. These are set methodologies you’ll use to show each and every person how you appreciate their business.

Here are three ideas to get you started:
• Pre-sale – Maybe you’ve only spoken with Bob, either in person or on the phone. Now is a great time to show them how you’ll go the extra mile. Send Bob something, nonthreatening, that you know will be of interest. If he randomly mentioned just buying a rare Swiss Mountain Dog and how there is minimal information about training that breed, find an article of relevance and send it to him! Every time Bob thinks of his training his puppy, which will be all the time with the indoor bathroom adventures, he’ll remember your kind gesture!

• During the work – My general rule is go above and beyond, in any way possible. Say a client wants to have a PR campaign, I’ll quote them a week, and then, if my schedule permits, turn around the work in only three days. The first thing I always here is, “Wow, you didn’t need to get it to me that quickly, but I really appreciate it!” While they may not think you have a life, they will know you take their patronage seriously!

• Post sale – What are you doing to re-ensure your customer that his or her purchase was a valuable decision? This is a critical time to remind her of your unique market niche and why Susan should feel good about her choice. Doing so will position you in her mind for the next time she requires similar services. I like to send my clients a gift card to a store I know they’ll like, such as Starbucks, a thank you card for their services, and a coupon for their next round. Not only will they save money by returning to you, they’ll be happy because of that Venti Mocha Frapp! Everyone wins!

(Image modified from go.pressconnect.com.au)

As someone who places great emphasis on developing quality, long-term relationships with my clients and network contacts, I recently have faced the hard-nosed question of where to draw the line. These past few months, the majority of my clients have failed to pay me, bounced checks, made promises, and seemingly ignored invoices, yet all with an apologetic, sometimes melancholy, response. Then, when I do receive payment, they come with low eyes, a monotone voice, and a frustrated look, gripping the check with white knuckles. This leaves me feeling guilty that I’m asking for compensation for the services I provided. (What, Jaylyn?!?)

Yeah, after collecting a two-month old payment yesterday, I spent the following three hours feeling as though I’d done something wrong. Did I not go the extra mile for this person? Didn’t I allow him to spread out the payments, only to have them bounce in my account, and charging me for the fee? Didn’t I do work and cut my prices? What else could I have done?

My goal is to support my customers as much as possible to 1. Keep a working relationship, and 2. Maintain the established friendship. But is this possible when difficult situations regarding money come into play? How much are you to sacrifice your well being for that of your clients?

During a speech I gave this past weekend on PR secrets and techniques, we touched on the importance of business owners’ participation in the social media stratosphere. As we were discussing the issues with which many people are faced, one attendee brought up a different problem related to this subject. It wasn’t her ignorance or fear about using these platforms, but her inability to step away! More often than not, when she sits down in the morning to log on, hours fly by, and her husband has to send a search party to go in looking for her. The more people I talk to, I learn that many have this issue. There are endless blogs and tips on how to use these sites effectively, yet I’ve not run across too many articles concerning how to walk away in a timely manner. Thus, I thought of the following tips to help pathological users find freedom and a new world beyond their computer. Notice that I’ve kept the tips to a minimum for a reason!

1. Define Your Objective – Before jumping onto Facebook, determine what it is you wish to accomplish. Are you logging on for personal reasons or business? Do you intend simply to respond to your messages and send a few off to your friends or will you also respond or begin a thread on a specific topic? Knowing what you want makes it easy to remove your hand from the mouse once you’ve completed the task.

2. Establish a Schedule – Allotting an amount of time every day, at a specific time, will help you control how much time you spend Twittering. If you are like me and running in 20 different directions at the same time, it’s hard to get anything done without living by a daily planner. Make this tool work for you by picking some free time (what’s that? Haha) and setting half an hour to an hour aside for social media

3. Manage All Your Sites from One Platform – Scan my blog for my article on Flock, but I’ve been using this for a couple weeks now, and it saves me so much time and energy. I love (!) having everything right in front of me all at the same time

4. Set a Timer – Go to the dollar store and pick the loudest most obnoxious timer there, bring it home, and set it for the time you’ve decided in #2. It’s easy to say “Oh, I’ll just stay on for twenty minutes.” But more often than not, twenty minutes turns into thirty then an hour, and then two. The timer will remind you when to remove yourself from MySpace and serve as your source which to direct your resentment…I’m sure all loved ones will be happy to relieve themselves of this role! J (Thanks to Shelby, who suggested this one)

5. Write Down Your Plan and Stick with It – Nothing works better to ensure we follow through with a desired task or goal than to write it down. I have mine on a large Post-It in the back of my daily planner, again the keeper of my life, so I don’t lose it, and I see it every day.

Now, I understand this may be painful at first, but think of all the benefits that will come from it! Your family will revel in all this free time you have, the house won’t look like a tornado stopped by, and your skin will rejoice from being a ghostly white to slightly beige color once you reconnect with the sun. Try this for a month and see how it goes. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised at how much you accomplish without spending days in the social media black hole!

(Image source: samerowdycrowd.wordpress.com)