by Lisa Wedmann | Jun 13, 2013 | Advertising, Business Success, Creative, Latest
A few years ago I was having a conversation with a photographer friend of mine. We were talking about business and giving each other tips on how we could become more effective. At one point in the conversation he turned to me and said, “There’s always time to do it over but there’s never time to do it right in the first place.”
I wondered what point he was trying to make since this statement seemed contradictory. Then he told me his story. A long-time client of his was on a tight deadline and needed a high priority, rush shoot. His assignment was to go to a busy street and shoot the crowd. Sound easy? You would think so.
He rushed over, took the shot and raced back to the client. He couldn’t wait to show them. He was proud of himself and was positive they would be happy. At that time he didn’t know about his BIG MISTAKE, he was still caught up in the delight of meeting his deadline.
What he didn’t know was there was a large billboard in the background of the photo. So what, many busy streets have billboards. Well, it wasn’t the billboard that was the problem, it was the competitor’s name on the billboard that was. And do you know what happened next?
He had time to do it over.
If he had taken the time to think through his assignment this wouldn’t have happened. And the moral of the story… the client never hired him again.
When we are rushing to meet deadlines we often jump in without thought. When we jump in without assessing the environment we make big mistakes and the consequence is we have to do it over and like my friend you may lose a client. So how do you do it right when you are faced with seemingly impossible deadlines?
DON’T GET CAUGHT IN THE HYSTERIA
In order to do it right from the beginning do not get caught in the hysteria of the moment. You need a clear head to determine how you will get the job done. You look out of control when you run around screaming “I have to meet a deadline” and it can be infuriating for others who are trying to get their own work done.
As my friend felt about his photo, not a pretty picture. Instead, pause and take that spot of time where you would have been running around to plan your approach. Those few minutes can make all the difference.
ASK QUESTIONS
Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Make sure that you know and understand what is required. Ask what is the purpose and what you are intended to accomplish. Obtain as much detail as you can. This information will steer you in the right direction and provide answer questions that you don’t have time to ask.
One question you might not think to ask is why is there such a tight deadline? Is this deadline final or is there any wiggle room? Is the deadline for a specific time of day? If it is at the close of one day you might be able to squeeze in some extra time by asking to provide your deliverable in the morning of the next day.
Just remember doing it right from the beginning will save you time in the long run.
by Stephanie Fasulo | Jun 12, 2013 | Branding, Interactive, Latest, Social Media
As most people have heard, former CIA technical assistant Edward Snowden became an overnight household name and acclaimed “whistle blower” when he decided to inform the public about a government database that collects our private information.
Any analyst at any time can target anyone,” Snowden said. “I, sitting at my desk, had the authority to wiretap anyone, from you or your accountant to a federal judge to even the president if I had a personal email.”
A million different thoughts ran through my mind. But mostly, I wasn’t surprised at all. The government has always been one step ahead, collecting our information for years to protect us.
But you can’t deny that social media helps government agencies collect our information much more efficiently as we give it right to them. But it’s not only government officials whom have our seemingly private information at their fingertips.
Private companies – big online businesses – Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn have our information because we are freely giving it to them. At any time these multi-million dollar companies know which cities we live in, what we’re interested in and who our friends and family are. Oh, and that picture of your meal you posted from the restaurant down the street? You just told them where you are.
Everything is uploaded to a giant server in a private company where we only assume the information is protected and our lives are private, as possible.
But as people working in a social media environment, making our money influencing each other on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn – is it too late to turn back? Could you give up the social influence you’ve built on the Internet? The businesses we’ve built, the reputations and our clients? Would we be okay giving up social media if it ever inflicted on our overall privacy and wellbeing?
A part of me thinks it may be too late. Too late to step back and unplug social media from our lives even though we know it brings a sense of danger to our personal security. There are start-up companies every day, building and being inquired, all promising to bring social media to corporate environments. As ethical as these practices may be, we have to at least be aware of the possibility of every company dipping into social media our private information is being spread further and further away from us.
CNN reported some social media reactions to the CIA whistleblower: http://www.cnn.com/2013/06/07/tech/social-media/snooping-web-reaction/index.html
@mattdizwhitlock #NSACalledtoTellMe that after 4 trial memberships on eHarmony I probably should just give up.
@IIzThatIIz #NSACalledtoTellMe What Happens in Vegas, stays in our Utah data center.
@andishehnouraee The most important question: How will my presence on #PRISIM affect my @klout score?
It’s a scary thought to think that it may be too late to turn back from the social media presence we all work towards daily. If we monitor what information we put online, maybe you can better protect yourself but it’s always best to stay informed. So, what do you think?
by Miriam Hara | May 27, 2013 | Advertising, Business Success, Latest
Twenty five years ago when I started 3H Communications , the specialty question always came up. This was one main hurdle to constantly overcome. We are lucky to say, 25 years later, we specialize in a multitude of industries because we positioned ourselves as a marketing specialty agency. With that in mind, marketing is our specialty; the industry is only the playground.
It is our business to bring relevant and forward thinking to any project we undertake, whether it be branding, packaging, web design, advertising campaigns or corporate communications. And for all industries. Variety is key to a growing company, and getting caught in a silo of expertise can sometimes kill business, and new business, quicker than a negative tweet.
When I mention specialty agency, I don’t mean specialized as in digital agencies. This, in my opinion is not a specialty agency…it’s a channel. As I have said before modern agencies have to have classic techniques and a well-integrated digital front. Gone is the traditional media versus new media. The new media is now traditional. It’s part of every plan. It is important for your team to be creative, flexible and have a solid research base. The only limit is the one your set for your business. More than ever having a holistic approach is fundamental to success for business.
The specialty I refer to specifically in this post, is industry-specific – such as pharmaceuticals, food, retail, financial or apparel. My belief is that the more exposure an agency has to a variety of industries and mandates, the better equipped they are in exceeding objectives via creative thought and design articulation.
Before any specialized agency became specialized, they had to learn and understand the industry. At that point, they probably challenged the “norm”, By being too specialized, too niche, specialty agencies have a wealth of knowledge in one industry… and they risk becoming to complacent. They understand the issues that the industry is faced with, and its limitations…. and they stopped challenging because they did that already, and it didn’t work, or it wasn’t accepted. Not a good thing… especially in the marketing industry! .Agencies that are too steeped in one industry will begin to get a single/narrow focus, and creativity could be slighted.
If your agency constantly exercises in different terrains, you are flexing different muscles, working different cells…constantly learning The result? A strong marketing agency willing to be different, willing NOT to accept the norm…not just challenging it, but working within the limitations to exceed beyond the expected.
by Stephanie Fasulo | May 23, 2013 | Business Success, Latest, Social Media, Uncategorized
If you decide to take your company online you’re joining a community of teachers, learners, explorers, and open-minded people who are trying new marketing communications tools that are changing every day. Just this week alone I received numerous emails about my analytics on Facebook changing… yet again. The most frustrating change Facebook Analytics did was remove the Social Reach reference when monitoring Facebook Ads, in the Full Report mode ! Working around this new development, I was still able to find the necessary metrics I needed, in a less efficient way… a needless to say, a tad more stressful! This got me wondering on how any of us can keep up with our work while the platforms we work on everyday change so often!
Don’t get we wrong, I totally accept that being in social media, it’s what we signed up for, this diverse, ever-changing, community of social people. But how do we keep it up when there are so many other priorities in the day-to-day business of doing? Rather than depending on email updates or announcements, there are a few ways we can deal with the ever evolving ground of social media. Based on your brand’s vision and more importantly, goals that you establish, here are a few alternatives in how you can manage your social media initiatives. Picking the right one for your business will make the difference between how well you navigate the many transitions that are sure to come!
Hire someone: Hiring a designated person to handle your company’s social media specifically regardless of company size is that you can maintain a steady, unwavering pulse on social media and all the changes that happen so often. You can start off my hiring a part-time full-time person. This will allow the person to get a read on the business culture and brand voice so that they can communicate effectively.
Outsource: Like everything else in business, if you outsource to your social media initiatives to the right partner, your social media becomes their priority…and seeing that they are in the business of social media, they not only have a pulse on the changes, but they are the at the forefront of the changes and their potential impact on your business’ social initiatives. More care would have to be taken to ensure that the business culture and voice is portrayed consistently.
DIY: . I’m not saying not to do it yourself! You can be successful if you immerse yourself. You just have to know that you need to be involved with the image and online brand being shared all over the world every minute of every day. If your company is small, it can be fun and exciting to do it yourself because you can see your fan base and community build…in real time! You have to ask yourself though… is the time you are taking to do it yourself, taking you away from “your real job”…and thus short-changing the business goals?
Don’t get involved: Let’s face it, there’s always those who jump in with both feet…that would be the early adopters. And then there are those that really take a long time to get on board…and that would be the slow movers. In some cases, there are those that don’t ever get on board! I ‘m not sure if that’s even an option in today’s marketing and business landscape. After all, social media isn’t just Facebook…it’s LinkedIn, Google+, Twitter, Pinterest, MosiacHub, Reddit,Social Media Today and GuestBlog…to name a few.
If you are reading this right now you are already apart of the social media community where we all learn from each other. If there is a problem, challenge or question, online communicators… we social communicators don’t have to go very far for answers. Social Media has made us pioneers of sorts and we are all part of the same community, constantly learning and reaching out…and in fact keeping up with social media!
by Miriam Hara | May 22, 2013 | Branding, Business Success, Latest
Ever wonder how Google came up with its name? Did they think the name Google would become synonymous with information sourcing, referencing, mapping and everything in between? Is there some sort of history behind the name, or was it just a random choice?
Many business start-ups make much ado about what they should name their business… and so they should. Like everything else in business, you need to go through a process:
1) Define your business. What is it? What makes it unique?
2) Define your 3 to 5 year business objective. If you’re a consultant, it could be that using your own name is a good start…but what about after you start? If you want to eventually provide more than one to one consulting, maybe your name just won’t cut it.
3) Who is your target group? What’s their demographics…and don’t forget their psychographics.
4) Research the competition and see what names are out there in the same industry and geographical area. (Just Google it!)
5) Brainstorm and come up with a list of 10 names.
6) Take these 10 names and verify to see if the URL is taken, and if so by whom.
7) Verify if the name is trademarked within your industry and within your geographical area.
8) Get objective feedback for your top 4 names. Research for start-ups has become more affordable for business start-ups with software such as Survey Monkey and panel online advertising.
There’s much ado about the naming of businesses. I am of the opinion that the name is important, but what you do with that name is even more so. How are you launching? What media channels are you using? What’s your brand character, brand voice and how is that represented in your communications. Being first to market and being very visible when you are first to market is definitely the best approach to reap the benefits of longevity and recognition. Just to name a few: Kleenex, Coke…. and of course Google!
And just to close the opening thought of this post, I actually googled how Google got its name. Like all things in Google-like, I had many sources to choose from. The first link I clicked on was http://www.question.com/how-did-google-get-its-name-10903.html. Interestingly, I learnt that the definition of Google is quite appropriate for Google. The name Google is based on the mathematical term “googol”, coined in 1938 to equal 10100, a number larger than any practical counting operation would require.
From a wiki.answers.com, I also got more of an anecdotal story: In September, 1997, so the story goes, some Stanford grad students were helping Larry Page choose a name for his search engine. “Googolplex,” said Sean Anderson. (They’d already sensed how big this could become.) “Googol,” Page replied. Anderson, checking to see if the name was taken, typed g-o-o-g-l-e into his browser and made the most famous spelling mistake since p-o-t-a-t-o-e. Page registered the name within hours, and today, Google isn’t a typo, it’s a verb, one with a market cap of about $160 billion.
Fact or fiction, it doesn’t really matter…what matters is that Google provided an innovative product that revolutionized how information was being delivered to the masses… I doubt the notoriety or the business outcome would of been different if their name was Googol.
