The hype around social media is beginning to die down. Now it's time to
get serious. If you are going to make use of social media in your
business (and you don't have to), then you need to have a strategy, a
plan to measure the results, regular checkpoints, and a willingness to
put some resource behind your efforts.
Here are a few tips to crank up
the volume on your social media campaigns.
* Make sure you can measure your results. If you can't measure, you
can't judge how well you are doing. There are plenty of tools available.
* Behave professionally. Don't leave your Twitter feed to the office junior (unless they are very good).
* Get your internal people trained, so they are confident to use social media responsibly.
* Look for niches and special areas where your customers are speaking. You don't need a presence on every social network.
* Don't hide your involvement. It's no longer the time for limited test sites. Go mainstream.
Finally, don't believe what external advisors and consultants tell you
without reviewing their evidence. By now, anyone who advises on social
media policy should have a track record of success. If you're serious
about social media, you need solid professional advice.
Building a brilliant reputation isn't easy, but the benefits are
immense. Your reputation is your biggest marketing asset, and will help
you to win business in even the toughest times. Here are seven tips to
help you become a company that everyone wants to work with.
1) Do the basics brilliantly You need to build on a solid
foundation. Whatever business you are in, you need to to the simple
things really well. People won't notice if you get them right, but if
you get them wrong, they will complain bitterly.
2) Do little things that others don't Small touches can make a
huge difference. It's not about delivering expensive add-ons, it's about
unexpected delights. It's not the chocolate on the pillow, it's the
"welcome back' from the receptionist when you haven't stayed there for
years.
3) Make sure everyone delivers great service Everyone in your
organisation is a reputation manager. It takes only one bad rude
exchange or poor delivery to cause immense damage. Everyone needs to be
trained, and given the responsibility, to offer exceptional service.
4) Make it personal This works both ways. People love to be
recognised and addressed by name, and they also like to see the "face of
the company". Who is your Richard Branson?
5) Fix mistakes quickly In every organisation, things go wrong.
Everyone realises that. you need to take responsibility and fix things
fast. Your reputation will be enhanced if people know that, should bad
things sometimes happen, you will look after them.
6) Talk to the media You don't need to over-promote, but you do
need to be available for comment. If you're delivering exceptional
service, your comments will be sought, and you must be prepared to give
them.
7) Have fun People love companies that inject humour into what they do. Aim to leave people with a smile, every time.
It's too late to challenge Jimmy Savile, and Lance Armstrong seems unlikely to recant, so we can only draw our own conclusions about who lied to whom about what. It seems undeniable that iconic public figures such as Jimmy Savile and Lance Armstrong created a web of lies so complex that we may never know the full extent of their duplicity. We all lie from time to time, whether it's to our children about the tooth fairy, to our friends when they ask us out and we're just too tired, or to our partners when they ask us whether they're looking overweight. We tell ourselves that these lies don't matter, since they are well-meant, and no damage is done. However, when people tell really big lies, as in the cases of Jimmy Savile or Lance Armstrong, people do get hurt, both physically and emotionally. It's not just the initial liars themselves who must bear the responsibility, since in both cases other people either knew of the misbehaviour, or turned a deaf ear to the rumours and allegations. Now that their actions have become public knowledge, there's a queue of people explaining the reason why they kept quiet at the time. Of course, I don't blame any of the abused victims of Jimmy Savile. They have suffered not only from the initial assaults, but from the guilt and fear of disbelief that they have lived with for decades. I do blame those who witnessed such acts and kept silent, or who heard the allegations and did nothing. I also blame the cyclists and team members who acted with Lance Armstrong to maintain a shroud of secrecy over many years of doping. Yes, it can be hard to speak out when it could threaten your career. It may also be that if you don't have enough evidence, you aren't believed, and the misbehaviour continues. But put yourself in the position of those who knew about abuse or drug use. Would you have kept quiet? I hope not. As a speaker myself, and as one who helps others communicate, I talk a lot about authenticity. That's about not only being true to yourself and your principles, but also about being honest. The thing is, it is never the initial lie that brings people down, it's the complex measures undertaken to keep the lie hidden. In the cases of both Jimmy Savile and Lance Armstrong, the effort taken to keep the lid on things was enormous. There's no easy way back from a big lie. The only thing to do is not go there in the first place, or stop immediately and try to implement a recovery strategy for everyone involved. I strongly urge the former.
UPDATE: I have just received an email from Peerindex offering two free tickets for Skyfall at a time and place we choose. Well handled, Peerindex. The cautionary tale below should be read in that context.
Today my wife and I set off to see the new Bond film, Skyfall. We were looking forward to it, especially since the nice people at PeerIndex had sent us a couple of vouchers which read; "Take this voucher to your local Picturehouse cinema to get free entry to the movie of your choice. Enjoy!" Well, that's an offer which is hard to resist. Of course, there was some small print, which read; "Terms and Conditions. This voucher is valid only until 01/11/2012 and redeemable at Picturehouse cinemas only, and cannot be used to book online or by phone. Excludes all opera, live satellite and premium-priced events. Standard terms of admission apply - see Picturehouse website for details."
Well, that all sounded fine. Our nearest Picturehouse cinema is in Stratford, close to the Olympic site. It's a few stops on the central line from our home. Since we couldn't book online or by phone, we set off this afternoon, aiming for the 3pm performance. When we arrived at 2.45pm, there were half a dozen people in the queue. It was clear that the showing would be far from full. A good sign. I reached the front of the queue, handed over the vouchers and asked for two tickets to Skyfall. The cashier looked at the vouchers and read them carefully. She said "I've never seen these before, I need to call someone" She meant it literally, shouting into the foyer for the manager.She also decided to call his phone, and as the queue was now building behind us, asked me to step to one side.
After an embarrassing (for us) wait, the manager arrived and reviewed the tickets, shaking his head. He said "I'm sorry, I can't let you in with these, since the Terms of Admission say that they aren't valid for this film. If you want to complain, contact Sony - it's their film." That was it. No admittance. We left to the stares of the queue, and I felt almost as though I'd been caught trying to cheat. There was no indication anywhere that the vouchers couldn't be used for any particular film. We'd had a round trip of an hour, spent a fiver each on tube fares and ended up being both disappointed and embarrassed. Naturally, I checked the terms of admission on the Picturehouse website when I got home. It took quite a time, since they are over two thousand words long. I finally found the relevant rule, 5.14, which states: "5.14. Complimentary tickets cannot be used for free-list-suspended films. These are films whose distributors have suspended the use of complimentary tickets during the opening week(s). This restriction does not apply to Members' free tickets." Clearly, Skyfall is currently a "free-list suspended film". But who is to know? The fact is not mentioned anywhere on the Picturehouse website. The only way to discover it is to go to the cinema, stand in a queue for tickets, and then be turned away. It's a daft way to behave. I'd have been perfectly happy to be made aware that certain films weren't included in the offer, and provided with a list to check. It wasn't about the potential for free tickets - we'd happily pay to go and see Skyfall, and instead of the cinema, we ended up going to a restaurant. The frustration was the fact that we had an unavoidable pointless journey, on the basis of receiving a "reward". I wonder what Bond would have done?
I've just set up an organisation called Hyperbole Anonymous or HA! for short.
The objective is to help victims afflicted by excessive overstatement,
inappropriate hyperbole and overblown claims. Hyperbole can affect lives
by making people look and sound ridiculous, damaging both their
business and personal relationships. In some parts of the world, it is already endemic,
and the aim of HA! is to stop it spreading further.
The signs of early-onset hyperbole are easy to spot. If you notice
anyone using certain phrases, try to calm them down with a cup of sugary
tea while persuading them to seek help.
Some of the tell-tale phrases are:
"It was awesome..."
"I'm the country's leading practitioner of...."
"You can be anything you can dream...."
"This is the most unbelievable offer ever...
"Make millions working at home in four hours a week...."
Fortunately, there is a cure. I am able to offer free coaching and
therapy sessions for a small number of individuals. The sessions are
brief but effective, and use the technique of slaps in the face with a
large wet fish every time hyperbole is used. A few sessions usually sort
things out.
If you, or anyone you know, is suffering from this debilitating ailment, don't hesitate to get in touch.
Social media is a big con trick. In fact it's at least three cons; Conversation, Content and Consistency.
Conversation - You need to get involved. It's no use
simply posting messages saying how wonderful your company is, or what an
interesting blog you have just written. You need to respond to
questions, add to debates, and offer a point of view on issues. That's
what engages people. Don't be scared of getting into a debate and then
leaving it again, since it may run for days or weeks. Simply add to the
debate while you are there.
Content - You need to offer something useful and of
interest. This may seem contrary to what I said above (I'm even debating
with myself here), but if you post an interesting and valuable article,
other people will publicise it for you. Your comments on other people's
blogs may also offer useful content, so don't simply say "I agree" or
"This is rubbish".
Consistency - you need to make regular appearances. That
does not mean every day, and certainly not every hour. However, if you
only appear once or twice a month, post a ton of material and then
disappear again, you won't attract many friends. Small, regular postings
seem to be much more effective than rare long ones. Little and often -
that's the way.
Of course, there is also Connecting, Confidence, Consideration, Congratulating, etc.
Are you always who you really are? I know, it's a silly question. Of course you are. But think again. Do you post in a different way on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter? Many people do, since the advice from "experts" is that you should treat different audiences in different ways. I'd tend to agree, if it wasn't for the fact that the people I know on LinkedIn are often the same people I know on Facebook and Twitter. OK, I can hear you muttering "Come on Alan, LinkedIn is for business networking. It's full of serious business people. Those guys don't want to know that I just enjoyed watching X Factor, or that I finished 3,478th in the Great North Run".
I beg to differ. People do business with people they like. More often than not, the first few minutes of any business meeting are taken up with what is wrongly called "small talk". In fact, this apparently idle chat about holidays, shared friends and experiences is the social glue that holds society together. We do need to get down to the serious stuff, but not until we feel comfortable with the people we're getting serious with. Provided you lead a fairly blameless life (you do, don't you?), than sharing your photos of family barbeques and tweets from rock concerts is not going to lose you any business. Quite the reverse, in fact. I used to find it was quite stressful to remember what sort of content I could post where. Can I put a blog about business strategy on Facebook? Can I mention a great film on LinkedIn? Is it OK to have a conversation about business in the public Twitter stream? In just about every case, I now think the answer is "yes". Sure, you wouldn't breach any confidences, or make personal remarks, but that's always been the case. So here's an idea. Why not, just for a day or two, not worry about what content you post to what social network. Just be yourself. You may be surprised to see that the reaction is positive, and good for business too.
Being the Master of Ceremonies (MC, which I use to cover both
genders) is a critical task at any event. I took on the role at the
recent Professional Speaking Association convention, and received some great feedback, so I thought
I'd offer some tips on being the person who links everything together on
stage.
Firstly, and most importantly, the job of the MC is to make the
other speakers look as good as possible. It's not about stealing the
show. You aren't there to tell jokes and stories (unless you have to
fill, but more of that in a moment). Preparation, as ever, is very
important. As soon as the speakers have been selected, make contact,
explain your role, and ask them to supply an introduction. Be sure to
ask if there are any matters that are concerning them, such as
rehearsals and audio-visual requirements. It isn't your job to resolve
these issues, but you should act as a go-between to ensure that
everything is covered.
There will usually be an event organiser who will arrange a
timetable for the event. They are a critical contact for you, and you
should keep in close communication with them at all times. When the
speakers arrive for their rehearsal, you should be there with them to
check their introduction, handover, and what to do if the technology
fails. You will be expected to literally step in and cover if anything
should go wrong.
It's perfectly acceptable (in fact essential) for the MC to take
notes on stage. There may be formal announcements, or a precise form of
words that a speaker insists on. You don't have to learn their
introduction, but you should practice the technique of reading a phrase
at a time and looking at the audience when delivering it. Ideally, you
should mention the name of the speaker only at the end.
During the speech, you need to keep an eye on timing, and alert
the speaker with a pre-agreed signal if time is running out. Your job as
a professional is to keep the event on time. If that means shortening a
break, that's what you do. Slippage through a day is a common fault,
and is disrespectful to both the audience and the later speakers.
Finally, ensure that everyone is thanked before the event closes. Then
you can relax and have that refreshing beverage you've been looking
forward to all day.
Ed Miliband needed to nail this one. He decided to take on the mantle of a former Tory Prime Minister, Benjamin Disraeli, who became known as a "One Nation" Tory 140 years ago. Mr Miliband's theme was 'One Nation" Labour, in an attempt to position himself as the leader of a party that represents everyone (and by implication, not a party representing a particular class). The "elitism" of the other parties was a theme that was threaded through the speech, either explicitly or by implication.
Like at a Jimmy Carr gig, the pre-speech visuals warmed up the audience and delivered generous applause. The video was like a minature Olympic opening cermony (images of the Olympics mandatory). His opening lines.. "It is great to be in Labour Manchester" were followed by a few comedic (or at least intended to be comedic) asides. He adopted a very conversational style, and told a story about his three-year-old son, Daniel on a trip to the park. Daniel asked for "flying dinosaurs", and then hit a very poor punch line about "predators last year". By the way, his tie is the same colour as the one Nick Clegg wore last week. Is purple the new yellow and red? He used the classic technique of the personal history; "My family hasn’t sat under the same oak tree for the last five hundred
years. My parents came to Britain as immigrants, Jewish refugees from
the Nazis." He developed his theme; "I was born at my local NHS hospital, the same hospital where my two sons
were born. And I went to my local school with people from all
backgrounds". For a while, it was a bit like an episode of "Who do you think you are?". Despite being "improvised", it was clear that much of his speech had been memorised. He overdid a few phrases, especially "but you know what?" and "that is who I am". Most of all, he repeatedly used the words "us", "we" "we the British people", and especially "one Nation".
He used the "no notes" technique as a way of making an impression (actually, we professional speakers never use notes, but never mind). That meant no copies of his text for the assembled hacks, which appeared to make them pay close attention. As Channel 4's Jon Snow tweeted from the hall, it made reporters listen to what he said, rather than how he said it. There was no podium or lectern either - a good move in my view.
He had the alliterative slogan - "the forgotten fifty per cent who do not go to university" (with perhaps an implied criticism of former leader Tony Blair and his "fifty per cent to university" pledge). He also had a lot of choreographed gestures; You (points at audience), Me (points to himself), This party (points to the floor). He delivered the tributes to the Olympic and Paralympic gamesmakers (thanks, Ed, that's me), the army and the police. He still has the political empty phrases "I say this" and "I tell you this", but so do many politicians these days. There was a huge cheer for his criticism of Andrew Mitchell, followed by a jibe at the "born to rule" government, and a very good rising cadence of a list designed to evoke applause (what the speech expert Max Atkinson calls a "claptrap") - a clearly rehearsed sound bite. He followed it up with a few decent comic remarks. Never a comedian, but not bad for a politician. Rhetorically speaking, he was on form with "those with the broadest shoulders will always bear the greatest burden" and "We can't go back to old Labour....we must be the party as much of the private and the public sector....south just as much as north......as much of the squeezed middle as those in poverty". Nice example of anaphora there. He had a good tricolon: "A one nation party, a one nation government to build a one nation Britain" and a neat example of chiasmus "we need banks that serve the country, not a country that serves its banks"
He focused on one of his most potent weapons - the National Health Service, and a great piece of call and response with the audience. It was Obama-like. His conclusion was a personal one "this is where I am, this is who I am, this is my faith". He told a story of his Polish roots, and said "Britain has given my family everything.....it falls to us to re-build Britain". His final phrase: "One nation - a country for all with everyone playing their part, a Britain we re-build together"
His real task, of course, was to convince voters that he is a credible Prime Minister in waiting. He made no spending commitments. He announced no new policies. This was about Ed Miliband as himself. It was a clear pitch for the centre ground, and an attempt to marginalise the coalition government as unrepresentative. My assessment - his best speech so far as leader. Eight out of ten.
Storytelling is a great way to engage an audience, but you need to be
careful about the stories you tell. I was reminded of this today when an
email arrived from a client I've been coaching on speech construction
and delivery. She recounted a visit to a political event last week when
two speakers told the lighthouse story. A few years ago, I was working
in the US with Stephen Covey, and he opened his speech with the
lighthouse story too. In fact, I must have heard the story directly, or
second hand hundreds of times.
There are a number of stories which fall into this category. They include:
1) The lighthouse story, where a night-time conversation between a US
warship and another "vessel" builds up, with each asking the other to
change course. It ends with the line "We're a lighthouse - your call"
2) The starfish story, where a man meets a boy throwing beached starfish
back into the sea. He say "With so many starfish, how can you hope to
make a difference?" The boy replies "It made a difference to that one".
Even Barack Obama has been caught telling that yarn, attributing it
(wrongly) to an original experience of Ed Kennedy.
3) The boiling frog story, where we're told that a frog placed in
boiling water will jump out, but one placed in cold water that is then
boiled will die, because it doesn't notice the change. Charles Handy
used to tell that one many years ago.
There are many more - the three bricklayers, the shoe salesman in
Africa, the lipstick on the mirror, etc, etc. They may have happened
once, but they won't have happened to the storyteller. What's worse,
they are used so often, they have lost their impact.
Professional speakers don't use these types of stories. They use their
own, because they won't have been heard before, they are easy to tell,
and they can still make a strong point, For example, I talk about
founding a pirate radio station in 1967, playing a Glaswegian shopkeeper
on Italian TV, and being the holder of an unbreakable TV Guinness world
record. No-one else can tell those stories (and if they do, I will be
after them).
So if you use stories in your speeches, as I hope you do, use your own. It's the professional thing to do.
Panel debates often feature on broadcast news channels or may be
set up to give audiences a chance to ask questions of politicians. If
you find yourself on a panel, here are a few tips which may help:
Find out who else is on the panel, and do some research on their opinions
Prepare a couple of stories that make your point
Never interrupt. Listen and plan your response
Lift your hand to indicate you wish to speak
Address your responses in general to the person chairing the debate.
If you speak directly to the audience, make it brief.
Never insult another panellist, or use abusive language
Respect the views of others. Don't react. Directors love reaction shots.
Stay calm, even if others become angry
Have a prepared and powerful statement to finish on
Finally, stick around after the debate to chat to the presenter
(if they have time) or production team members. You could find that you
are asked for a one-to-one interview.
