universal positive » Media Relations

MVP of Communications: Your friend, Twitter

Roger Darnell — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 03:41:56 +0000

Most of my friends are well aware that I spent a couple of days last week at this year’s Boards Summit conference in New York. The publishers and editors of Boards Magazine have been producing this event for 10 years now, to support and help lead people from all points around the globe who are actively involved in the commercial production industry, and other sectors directly engaged in creating breakthrough marketing initiatives. The organizers outdid themselves this year, at a time when changes are playing out faster than ever, requiring us all to rethink, revisit, and then redouble efforts to seize any potentially viable opportunities, even those where there is little or no expectation of profit.

For my part, I’ve seen that success is demanding a great deal of effort. Fortunately, I’ve been ready, willing and able to step up — and happily, very good things are happening for me, my clients, and many of my friends and colleagues. I’m very excited about where things are heading, and while the commitments of my business can at times seem overwhelming, I feel it’s my willingness to persist in facing them that is my key to success. As a businessman, I’ve had to manage my interpersonal communications at a new level over the past several months, in order to incorporate and maximize a new communications channel of which I am becoming increasingly fond. I am referring to what has been the most important aspect of my professional growth, and my marketing efforts, over the past eight months: Twitter.

Thank you for bearing with me to this point — I aim to reward you for your interest. I’ve developed some more developed thoughts on this subject, but for the moment, and for whatever they may be worth, here are my top-level thoughts in favor of going ahead and beginning your business or personal use of Twitter, if you have not already.

. If you’re already using Facebook, by adding a feature called Facebook Connect, you can easily enable your Twitter account to automically update your Facebook profile… so while Twitter is seen by many as being something “extra” that they are certain they don’t have time for, Twitter can actually enhance your use of Facebook in a direct way, that’s pretty fun to use and easy to set up.

. Twitter offers you a way to actually connect with people you want to know in a meaningful way. As shown in the funny “Twouble with Twitters,” it may seem dumb for people to publicly share very brief thoughts with a group of friends and semi-acquaintances, but depending upon your interests and your personality, you can probably think of some things you’d like to share with — or learn from — at least some people in the world, and by looking at what others are sharing using this service, it often winds up being a very interesting way to pursue your interests and socialize.

. Going to this recent business conference, I found that virtually all the really sharp people are using Twitter… and it may even be safe to say that part of the reason they come across as being so well-informed and in-the-know is because of their willingness to be “open” to this very rich communications channel.

. I also learned about people and businesses who are missing real opportunities because they have avoided Twitter. That’s a shame to me, considering that it’s such an easy hurdle overcome by just playing around with it a bit. While Twitter can get complicated with all its add-on applications, I just use it in the simplest ways, and I’ve still experienced many benefits in my education, connectedness, and communications capabilities.

. Many people seem to be waiting for Twitter to go away. It very well might, but I feel that a much better approach is to jump in and see if it may be a fit for you. You never know, it might be just the thing to help you achieve your dreams.

. Finally, I want to admit that I delayed using Twitter for over two years after first hearing about it. After attending this recent business conference, I came away feeling like those individuals who are currently actively using Facebook and Twitter are some of the smartest people in business… and being able to share these experiences with them as a common interest put me in very good company.

This past week, Twitter launched a new ability to make Lists, where you can use your Twitter account to curate lists of users according to your interests. I spent a little time and made a list of the Twitter feeds of the companies and people I hooked up with at the 2009 Boards Summit, and another one unifying Twitter feeds of industry jobs. By taking a look at my personal Twitter feed below and the two lists referenced here, hopefully you’ll see something that gives you some sense of Twitter use being a worthwhile investment of your time.

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We Are Plus relaunches, drives positive brand movement worldwide

Roger Darnell — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:52:03 +0000

Since first launching Plus et Plus in New York City in 2002, company founder Jeremy Hollister, his co-creative director Judy Wellfare, projects director Zu Al-Kadiri and their colleagues have built a reputation as a go-to company for fashion brands seeking to create sexy, marketing-savvy visual content for high-profile promotional uses ranging from live and in-store events to online, offline and traditional broadcast marketing campaigns. Recently relaunched as We Are Plus, over the past several months the company has delivered innovative projects for AMC, Shu Uemura Cosmetics, and Kidrobot, among many others.

“Over the years, by consistently coming through for marketing executives behind top-flight fashion brands like Aveda, MAC Cosmetics, Laforet, Artful Dodger and Dr. Martens, and for crossover sports brands like Nike and Asics, we’ve had a lot of opportunities to go to bat, get up to speed quickly, and produce content to connect with many different types of audiences,” said Hollister.

Earlier this month, We Are Plus announced the launch of a first-of-its-kind QR Code-based scavenger hunt in Manhattan for the 2009 Dunny Series toys from Kidrobot, planet Earth’s premier creator and retailer of limited edition toys, clothing, artwork and books. News of the promotion sparked worldwide interest in Kidrobot and the Dunny Series based on niche and mainstream media coverage, including timely stories in MediaPost, Boards, Creativity, Fast Company, PSFK.com and elsewhere.

The campaign is so far credited with contributing to a 45% sales increase of Dunnys compared with the first 10 days of availability last year, with keeping Kidrobot top-of-mind in regard to innovative marketing techniques and creative strategies, and for earning this praise from Paul Budnitz, Kidrobot’s founder:

“We Are Plus has been a brilliant partner. They’ve handled the strategic, creative, technical, and PR aspects with us. It’s amazing to have such a creative company to work with.”

Following his presentation earlier this week at Imprint Culture Lab 2009, Budnitz will next appear as a featured speaker at the 2009 Boards Summit, which is set for Oct. 26 and 27, 2009 at the Grand Hyatt New York. More information on the Boards Summit is available at www.BoardsSummit.com.

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Persuasion as artful science….

Roger Darnell — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 11:27:00 +0000

In my experience, I have learned that there are certain approaches and activities which, when followed, are likely to produce superior results compared to those expected when the approaches and activities are handled otherwise. And yet, as my mother recently reminded me, my late Uncle Tuny had an expression which casts a different light on this type of thinking, in that he was very fond of saying, “Be reasonable — do it my way,” from behind a wide Cheshire grin. All this is to say, although I often feel very confident about the right ways to handle certain affairs, I am also very aware that for any activity or approach involving others to be considered well handled, everyone involved must be acknowledged, honored — and persuaded of the soundness of the proposed course of action. In past days when I spent more time working directly with emerging high-tech companies, I became a big fan of Guy Kawasaki, and I just enjoyed a piece he wrote for the American Express OPEN Forum Blog entitled “How to Be Persuasive” — and another really interesting story Guy linked to on PILOTed, the blog for the company Academic Business Advisors, entitled “What I Learned Buying a Rug in Turkey.” Both pieces reference the expertise of Robert Cialdini, the man behind the books “Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion” and “Yes! 50 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be Persuasive,” which Mr. Cialdini co-authored with Noah J. Goldstein and Steven J. Martin.

Both the American Express and PILOTed pieces relate colorful examples which very effectively point-up principles these books cite as being at the heart of effective persuasion. For an enlightening experience, I encourage you to read both posts, and in the meantime, here are a few of the well-established guideposts we can all use to be more persuasive. If one works for you, please try another — every little step in the right direction can make a big difference….
. People often make decisions based on others’ actions.
. Offering fewer options often facilitates better decision-making.
. Many people prefer to choose something that falls between the basic and luxury options.
. Helping others is a great way to earn their reciprocal assistance; being extra thoughtful and considerate invites even greater appreciation.
. Inviting small responses often gets effective results.
. Most of us are deeply interested in being consistent in our decision-making and what we commit to.
. Scarcity increases interest.
. Authorities perceived as being genuine are usually respected and followed.

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Tips from the pros to reassess your website…

Roger Darnell — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 12:45:00 +0000

iMedia Connection recently published an article from Lisa Wehr, the founder and CEO of search engine optimization and marketing company Oneupweb, entitled “15 Ways to Get Your Website in Gear.” Through her expertise, Lisa provides an excellent framework for analysis and assessment of your current website, while also offering a lot of valuable insights into the imperatives modern sites objectively need to fulfill. While I recommend reading the full story, as a head start, I’m providing guideposts below for the main areas you should be considering to ensure your website continues to deliver maximum results.

Style
Q. Does your site’s look and feel reflect the personality of your company?

Design
Q. At first glance, does the site visually convey your company’s look and feel?

Organization
Q. Can visitors easily find information on your products and services?

Navigation
Q. Can an average computer user easily move through your site?

Interface/customer friendliness
Q. Is all relevant information presented in a customer-friendly way, and can customers easily contact you?

Technology/architecture
Q. Does your use of technology help or hinder communication?

Security/privacy
Q. Do customers feel safe on your site — and are they?

Ease of purchase
Q. Can your improve your checkout procedure — and/or optimize it to aid sales?

PR/community relations
Q. Is it clear to members of the media and investment communities who they should contact for inquiries, and is it easy for them to do so?

Online corporate perception
Q. Are you doing enough to monitor and protect your online reputation, and to maximize user-generated media opportunities?

Analytics
Q. Based upon web traffic statistical analyses, can you improve sales conversions or other targeted visitor interactions on my site?

Search engine positioning
Q. Where is your site ranked on various search engines, and what can you do to improve rankings?

Overall best practices analysis
Q. Are there other design considerations (for example, use of Flash animations) or content offerings (podcasts, blogs) you can offer to make your website more valuable or interesting to your customers?

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Confessions from a dangerous media mind…

Roger Darnell — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 12:32:00 +0000

Over the past 40 years, Max Clifford has made his mark on society and the world as a key influencer of the global media. After a brief career as a music journalist, he joined EMI at the age of 19 and went on to craft publicity campaigns for The Beatles, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Diana Ross, the Four Tops, the Temptations and the Jackson Five — among many others. Through his firm Max Clifford Associates, he continues representing prominent celebrities — as well as many large organizations and companies. In a recent interview with Start Your Business Magazine, he reveals much — including these pearls of wisdom from his life as a phenomenally successful media maven.

. (How would you describe your role within PR?) Promotion and protection! The media is a minefield; it can make or break careers and reputations…. My role is to create the best possible image for a client, whether they are a bank or a pop star. This means promoting them, but at the same time you need to protect them from the media….

. Damage limitation is an ever increasingly important part of PR – if something negative appears in a newspaper, it can ultimately ruin a career or ruin a business. Because of this, I would say that the best form of damage limitation is anticipation….

. The very nature of PR necessitates a very close working relationship with the people you represent. In other words, I can only do as good a job as you let me – if I don’t know about something, then I can’t do anything about it. If you’re open and honest then I can help you….

. (Do you think there is any truth in the saying ‘there is no such thing as bad publicity’?) No, that is definitely not true. People have had their lives and careers destroyed by bad publicity….

. My job is forever changing – it is always interesting, stimulating and challenging, and no two days are the same. With all of my different clients and the different situations, it’s like playing a dozen games of chess all at once. To me, the public relations industry is an ever changing adventure and I hope this adventure lasts as long as possible, as it certainly beats working for a living.

For more from Mr. Clifford, check out his recent book from Virgin Books: Max Clifford: Read All About It.

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Roger D’s tips for superior public and media relations: Getting started…

Roger Darnell — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 13:10:00 +0000

As a public relations (PR) professional, I see a lot of edgy cross-chatter about my field in the blogosphere, and while I don’t feel it’s worthwhile to get into any of the e-debates, occasionally, something will get under my skin. That happened a few weeks ago when Rohit Bhargava wrote a piece on his Influential Interactive Marketing blog with the subject line of “The Future of PR Means Dumping The Inferiority Complex.” Rohit backed-up his antagonizing claim by writing that PR is rising in importance at least in part because “…it is about more powerfully articulating where a client needs to go and becoming the partner that gets them there.” Next week, I will be off on vacation with my family, giving thanks for a sensational 2007; due in part to this virtual jab from Rohit, the process of gathering my thoughts for this post has led me to realize that my knowledge, expertise and talents in the field of public and media relations definitely are worth shouting about. I regularly hear from both established and emerging entrepreneurs seeking my counsel in promoting their businesses, I have the respect of the unique businesspeople who retain me to support and strategically promote their endeavors — as well as many influential journalists, media executives and pundits — and I count among my close friends other PR professionals whom I consider to be America’s best. At the same time, even if there is abundant evidence for well-crafted PR campaigns contributing significantly to the success of many businesses (among them, my clients), PR is an area of business that is not generally well understood. New seminars, workshops and books are offered constantly to try to enlighten people on its tenets and practices, and with the number of creative industry professionals who contact me expressing interest, articles like the recently published “The Art of PR” from Digital Arts are obviously very important. With this as my paradigm, I have compiled a practical list of tips for companies seeking to enlist the best that PR has to offer. It’s the basis I use for dialogues with those I work with, and my hope is that it will help you better understand what PR professionals do and put you in the best position to maximize your relationships with us.

Step 1. Among your colleagues responsible for company management, sales and marketing, determine what your marketing objectives are for your company. If possible, complete a Marketing Plan covering the immediate future through the end of the year to come.
Step 2. Part of a sound marketing plan is a competitive analysis. Be sure to investigate the marketing tactics of your main competitors and determine what is worth emulating and what should be avoided.
Step 3. Among your colleagues or based upon your research, identify possible PR partners. Remember that success is often only possible when teams work together and communicate effectively, so look for partners where affinities like positive past working experiences exist.
Step 4. Bear in mind that the quality of PR partner you will have access to will have much to do with your commitment to a PR campaign, including the budget, time and other resources you are willing to allocate for it.
Step 5. Provide your marketing plan — or at least your main objectives for what you’re seeking to accomplish, a short list of your competitors and some “Dos” and “Don’ts” in terms of your marketing ideas and preferences — to your potential PR partner.
Step 6. Your potential PR partner will provide you with a proposal, most likely offering a menu of choices for ways they can support your business and giving a strong feeling for how they will communicate on your behalf if hired.
Step 7. Know that most PR professionals will provide you with a contract laying out terms of the working relationship.
Step 8. Once in business together, ensure that your management team and your designated liaison(s) work closely with your PR partner to strategize and develop a specific action plan for what’s to come.
Step 9. In setting objectives and beginning to pursue them, consider that solid PR campaigns are built upon effective positioning for a company, and make the creation of that language and the preparation of targeted contact lists for campaign activities your first priorities.
Step 10. As your campaign gets up-to-speed, the dialogue between PR partner and liaison should include discussing results and using them to steer future activities.

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