by Daria Steigman on July 22, 2010
This recession has not been kind to marketers and other communications pros. Especially at the senior level.
Frankly, I’m not surprised.
Just look at how we typically refer to ourselves. Marketer. Public Affairs Specialist. Writer. Editor. Media Relations Manager. Videographer. It’s all task-based.
IABC has the word “business” in it, but our titles rarely do. And too often we haven’t made the case that storytelling is key to selling widgets (or sneakers, politicians, goodwill, or support for your cause). That communications is a core business function, as necessary to organizational success as product designers and the sales team.
We talk about transparency and authenticity. Our bosses care about sales, opportunity costs, and ROI.
I’ve heard a lot of hand wringing about how communicators don’t have a seat at the table. Yada, Yada, Yada. Feel better?
Now, what are we going to do about it?
The comments are yours.
Note: This post originally appeared on IABC’s Communication World blog.
Photo by Randy Son of Robert (Flickr).
Tagged as:
authenticity,
Business,
Communications,
IABC,
marketing,
PR,
Strategy,
Transparency
by Daria Steigman on May 17, 2010
I was on the receiving end of a push poll on Saturday afternoon involving Washington’s mayoral race. In case you don’t know what a push poll is, Wikipedia describes it as:
A political campaign technique in which an individual or organization attempts to influence or alter the view of respondents under the guise of conducting a poll… The push poll is a form of telemarketing-based propaganda and rumor mongering, masquerading as a poll… They are generally viewed as a form of negative campaigning.
The mayoral race in our capital city is shaping up as a two-man contest between an arrogant mayor with an interesting take on ethics and transparency (can you say paid Dubai junket?) and a city council chair who’s real claim to fame is that he’s now “the other guy.”
But I digress. The poll asked one question: Which of the two would I vote for? I said I was waiting to see who else was running. Then I heard, “Vincent Gray for Mayor” and a hang-up. Then I got mad–and immediately called Gray’s campaign office to tell them so.
The problem with push polls is that they assume people are stupid. But we’re not, and the insult makes us mad. That’s poor marketing which will lead to bad PR. Plus, in my case, it has me questioning Gray’s judgment and his fitness to lead. How does that help his campaign?
Photo by Steve Weaver (Flickr).
Tagged as:
Adrian Fenty,
marketing,
PR,
push poll,
Vincent Gray
by Daria Steigman on January 18, 2010
What happens when you put smart people on a dais together and ask them about trends in their profession? If they are Shashi Bellamconda, Torod Neptune, Paul Sherman, and John Taylor, then we’re in for some great insights.
I had the pleasure of moderating last Thursday’s IABC/Washington panel discussion. Between asking questions and keeping the conversation on track, I also took a few notes. So if you missed the conversation, here are a few highlights:
- The most dramatic change in the communications landscape in the last decade? Torod Neptune said it was “commoditization” (with fewer people seeing communications as a specialty). Paul Sherman pointed to user-generated content, the elimination of gatekeepers, and the power of a person’s network. John Taylor said the implications of social media mean that he increasingly sees himself “as a business person who does communications.” Shashi Bellamkonda said that people were no longer anonymous online; rather, it is now the norm to establish a virtual presence and to promote your personal brand by helping someone else.
- How do communicators stay relevant in 2010? While PR hasn’t changed, Neptune noted that “the nature of influence has.” [See also Guy Kawasaki’s comment about “build[ing] a critical mass of nobodies.”] Taylor talked about reaching out quickly to correct mistakes and address problems, and stressed that face-to-face meetings are still important. Bellamkonda said that the new landscape has leveled the playing field, pointing out that small companies today are just as likely to be in the news as bigger ones.
- How should companies manage their reputations? Companies need to be “comfortable being naked,” said Neptune in response to a question about the blurring lines between our professional and personal lives. Taylor pointed to one of the simplest corporate social media policies; what he termed Hair Cuttery’s “don’t mess up our brand” policy.
- What’s the impact of mobile (particularly in the context of the first large-scale use of text messaging for micro-philanthropy)? Taylor cited some revealing statistics about the growth of mobile: a 37% increase in wireless data use and 730 billion text messages among U.S. wireless subscribers in the first half of 2009; and over $5 million for Haiti earthquake relief via text in just two days (including $3 million to the Red Cross in $10 donations). [The Washington Post has a great article and more stats here.]
- What skills do today’s communicators need? Sherman said the biggest skill is the ability to identify the real influencers. Neptune stressed that good writing skills are still important. Bellamkonda said that the most important qualification is “someone who can tell a story.”
The last insight goes to Taylor, in response to a question about community—and how the concept is changing. Taylor suggested that values remain constant, because people have always valued transparency and authenticity. What has changed, he said, is how these values are expressed and rewarded.
What would you add to this conversation?
Photo by Shashi Bellamkonda/Network Solutions.
Tagged as:
Communications,
IABC/Washington,
John Taylor,
Paul Sherman,
PR,
Shashi Bellamkonda,
Social Media,
Torod Neptune
by Daria Steigman on January 15, 2009
Companies make mistakes. After all, they’re run by people–and we’re not perfect. But those that “get” customer service understand that it’s how you respond after the fact that truly leaves an impact. Good or bad. Yesterday, Comcast responded in a way that says: We’re not that cable guy company anymore.
Here’s what happened. I had a service appointment set up for yesterday between 11 a.m.-2 p.m. As anyone who has waited for a technician can tell you, it never turns out to be a great time to be tied to your home. For me, I had to reschedule one appointment and push back a conference call. So when 1:30 p.m. rolled around, I figured I should call and check when the technician might be there. That’s when I learned that Comcast had me down for service the following Wednesday.
The customer service representative was very nice, but there was nothing she could do to help me except give me another 3-hour window on another day. I set up the appointment, hung up, and was feeling pretty frustrated. That’s when I sent a DM (Twitterspeak for a private message) to Frank Eliason, the public face of Comcast’s customer service operation, asking if he had two minutes to talk. I didn’t expect him to be able to do anything for me; I just wanted someone to feel my pain.
I got a phone call almost immediately from @ComcastBill, who’s a member of Frank’s team. He took the details, asked how long I would be home, and said he’d try to get a technician over there before I had to leave two hours later. I then received four calls from Pat Carroll, a manager in the local office (one to tell me he was sending one of his best tech guys to my home, the second to verify that his technician had arrived, and two voicemail messages to make sure the problem had been resolved). Bill also followed up to close the loop.
This is my Comcast story. Others have their own, and I’m sure not all have such happy endings. But I think it’s important to acknowledge when people go above and beyond to be helpful. We scream a lot when we’re things go wrong; it’s only fair we share the love when things go right.
What’s your customer service story?
Tagged as:
Comcast,
Customer Service,
PR
This recession has not been kind to marketers and other communications pros. Especially at the senior level.
