Understanding the power and importance of telling a visually compelling story and incorporating it into a presentation on a rush deadline are very different things.  When I faced the challenge recently, it reminded me of the Chinese proverb, “If we do not change direction we are likely to end up where we are headed."

Going back to the same old place is not good in the fast changing world of social media.  Failing to become familiar with and use new tools whenever you have the chance only postpones the change for another day. And in the social media world, stalling doesn’t work.

The moment came for me when I was invited to discuss crisis management and the impact of social media at a partner meeting of Tatum Consultants in Seattle.  After some initial anxiety, I tossed out my old Power Point presentations and vowed to use my new iPad for the show. I also decided that I would not use a single visual that could be mistaken for a page from a textbook.

Knowing my technology learning curve can be a little steep and wanting to avoid the last minute anxiety that can produce; I retained Paul Schmid of Kayak Consulting (pwschmid@gmail.com) to help with my first effort. He’s a presentation specialist who also works at the Bellevue Apple Store so it was a perfect fit. He took me at my word that I wanted the visuals to be interesting, interactive and engaging for my audience.  He also asked good questions about what I wanted to accomplish and insisted that I have a hands-on role in making changes as the presentation came together.

The results exceeded my expectations. The audience was attentive and engaged, the discussion was lively, attendees asked me to share parts of it and most important, I can't wait for next time. And I'm ready for next time.

If you want to see the full-animated version, I’d be happy to meet you for coffee, iPad in hand.

With entries at an all time high and 650 in attendance its clear many organizations realize it's important to focus on employees' loyalty, especially when tough economic times require belt-tightening and layoffs.   No doubt the companies honored Thursday have faced economic challenges.  However, with employee response surveys playing a critical role in the selection process, they have done a pretty good job of keeping employee goodwill.

Knowing the Baker Boyer story and hearing stories of the other winners, I saw three themes stand out.  First, Best Companies encourage two way communication and act on what they hear.  Baker Boyer did not make the risky residential and commercial real estate loans that brought down so many of their competitors. After careful consultation with their loan officers, the leadership team made the decision to stay away from loans that didn't make sense even though it meant lower profits in the short term.

Second, Best Companies never lose sight of their customers.  Even when their customers were literally walking in the door because of Baker Boyer's stability and soundness, President and CEO Megan Clubb continued to press for and supported ongoing customer improvement efforts.

Finally, Best Companies innovate.  At Baker Boyer that meant increasing the time spent interviewing prospective employees.  A committed customer service team felt that picking the right people was so critical they had to support it with time and money.  And management did, even when others in the industry didn't see it as important.

Here's hoping even more people attend the Best Places to Work awards next year. It will be a sign that more companies recognize the value of the employee team, regardless of the economic climate. In clear proof that Best Places to Work can have great financial performance as well, Baker Boyer was ranked 24th nationally the U.S. Banker Magazine's most recent list of top performers among community banks over the past two years. As Megan Clubb said when she accepted the award on behalf of Baker Boyer Bank. “We think the future is really bright for our customers and our employees.”

To read about the awards and see a list of 10 characteristics of a Best Company to Work for go to tinyurl.com/3kpqtpu

In an article on the front page of its October 2 edition, The Seattle Times hailed it as “$30 billion in Fresh Hope." The Washington Bureau of bizjournals.com said to expect a "boom in Small Business Administration Lending in the fourth quarter, thanks to passage of the legislation."

Yet some community bankers privately express concern about participating given the controversy that still swirls around the TARP program, reluctance to deal with more regulations, and doubts about finding qualified prospects.

This could be a unique opportunity to manage your reputation and grow. This is a chance that has not been available for a while. To determine if this approach is right for you, VHPR can help you evaluate the opportunities and risks, and develop a comprehensive messaging and reputation management plan for moving forward. We also develop compelling, consistent messaging to tell your story to all your key audiences.

This is also a perfect topic for engaging the growing number of younger business owners who rely on their website, word of mouth marketing, and sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter to make their business connections.

Today we start with Aggregators. Wikipedia defines a news aggregator as “a computer, software, or website that aggregates (collects) news from other news sources.” That sounds pretty simple for something that’s having a huge impact on how and where your company’s story is being told. Attention is often focused on how aggregators have caused negative stories to go viral, causing major problems for many organizations. But it's important to remember that aggregators can also be a huge force for good.

Aggregators exist because they can very cost-effectively attract individuals with a common interest—anything from ant farming to zebra grooming. They develop a community of followers by providing information otherwise available on multiple sites.

The West Seattle Blog http://westseattleblog.com/ is a successful local news aggregator. While their reporters cover the community, it has a whole cadre of volunteer reporters who also post news. It accepts content and provides a forum for debate on a range of issues.

In the financial world “The Fly on the Wall” http://www.theflyonthewall.com/splashPage.php?action=main&arg=A, is a typical aggregator. They provide a range of information about the financial performance of banks.

Now, consider this example from Washington Federal, http://www.washingtonfederal.com. As a successful publicly traded financial institution, they produce information for investors and the news media on a predictable schedule. Recently, a positive story about the company received considerable coverage due entirely to aggregators.

A New York investment firm, Cantor Fitzgerald, reported that they were now ‘following’ the stock and also predicted an increase in the company’s share price. The story was not generated by Washington Federal and was not carried on any of the national business wires. It moved primarily through the aggregators, gathering a large number of readers along the way. There were several Twitter postings, and it was featured on multiple blogs ranging from “The Fly on the Wall.com” to WSJ.com.

Here are three simple lessons from this example. First, your company needs to know what information the aggregators are posting about you. That means utilizing a media monitoring service to do the checking for you, or having someone using multiple Google or Bing alerts to do it for you. I think you'll be amazed at the chatter.

Second, as you watch the flow of information in this community, I think you'll find that there are some people who might benefit from more attention from you. Whether you add them to your media list, set them up for a keep-in-touch program or utilize them as a possible focus group participant, they have already shown an interest in you that's worth watching.

Finally, reaching out to the best of the aggregators takes some of the fear of the unknown away and will help your executive team begin the real work of planning their overall strategy for the digital (social media) world. That means finding ways to engage customers and build community, become more adept at telling your story yourself on all the channels available and setting programs in place to truly engage critical audiences.

In reality, most small and mid-sized companies are not likely to find themselves the focus of a massive online crisis nor will they post a You Tube video that brings them thousands of new customers. Those chances are right up there with winning the lottery. More likely, they may find that good company news spreads more quickly and widely thanks to some cooperative aggregators who find your story of interest. And in the end, that is probably worth even more.

With great equipment, clean facilities, a friendly staff, great classes and trainers, and reasonable dues, it’s the best of several clubs we've belonged to. I thought our experience was worth sharing, since there seems to be a common perception that the Bravern, and any business in the complex, is "toast" thanks to their ill-fated opening in the worst economy most can remember. A good number of the people I hear pronouncing it toast have never even been there.

I can't speak to how the complex is doing financially, but I think anyone who has clients, runs a business or works for one can learn from what is happening at the Bravern where many businesses, including the David Barton Gym, really are "trying harder.” It’s a lesson we can all benefit from.

I'm rooting for the complex to make it because the employees who I have met at the David Barton Gym are genuinely nice, hard working people who don’t need to be added to our unemployment lines.

Second, for many members, the attraction of the gym is just good old customer service, a friendly attitude and attention to detail. When an organization gets consistently quality service from a young staff, it's worth noting. And the satisfied customers include a decent-sized group of Baby Boomers.

Finally, this is no time for business as usual; they seem to know that and are constantly trying new approaches to attract and retain their members. Consider this: I recently received an invitation from a Barton member who is Marketing Manager for Gene Juarez Salons and Spa in the Bellevue Galleria, a few blocks from the Bravern. I was invited to their first-ever "Happy Hour for Men's Event" at the salon. For a reasonable price you were offered a haircut, (okay, so that one's pretty easy for me), facial, nail treatment, chair massage, micro-brews, and discounts and freebies from their partners. Partners included a golf supply company, two companies providing men's products, a brewery and the David Barton Gym.

I know it was a big success, even though I didn't go. Why? Because by the time I got around to signing up, it was completely sold out. The joint promotion fits perfectly into the new world of social media. First, it was marketed almost completely by e-mail and Word of Mouth (WOM). Second, it was one of many such partnerships David Barton uses to build a community for its members by bringing them speakers, entertainment and programs that fit their interests.

So give yourself a gift. Take advantage of the six hours of free parking and wander through the Bravern complex. Check out the merchants, see what kinds of deals you can find and note what they are doing to engage you. You might find some approaches you can use with your own customers.

Riding with 31 other cyclists, our group covered 480 miles in a circle from the little town of Republic in northeastern Washington into Canada and back to Republic. During the ride we pedaled for seven straight days, crossed five mountain passes and pulled 28,000 feet of climbing.

It was an area of Washington State previously unknown to me and, I suspect, many long time residents. Based heavily on timber and mining, the region has fallen on some hard times, but the residents were proud of their little towns, friendly to strangers (even those on bicycles), and intent on making life work in a new world.

The Canadian portion of the trip featured some spectacular mountain passes, Lake Kootenay (which took almost a full day to ride along), two beautiful free ferries, a hot springs that wound deep into a mountainside, and some outstanding breweries.

For many of my fellow cyclists, my dream trip was only one of three or four such adventures they will undertake this summer, including some that involve camping out in tents for a fair number of nights – ugh.

I can't resist sharing a few observations about how it relates to the day-to-day communication challenges we face at VHPR in helping our clients deal with a changing world.

• You really do need to use all of the channels. The challenge of riding 60-90 miles per day with 5,000 feet of climb did not leave as much time as I had hoped for photos and videos. However, I made the time and have to say the photos were the best way to convey the trip to family and friends. I'm trying to use my camera every day.
• Chopping a big challenge into manageable parts really does help. I never thought "how am I going to do all I have to today?” Rather I had a strategy for making it to the first rest stop, then a plan to make it over the mountain pass, then a strategy for getting to the next rest stop, followed by looking forward to the relaxing hot springs at the end. Before you knew it, another day was successfully completed.
• You need to define your own joy from such an undertaking and don't look to others to provide you with your "way to go." While I wasn't the first man to make it to the top of the pass, I celebrated my own success and gave myself ample praise for my success. In fact, several weeks later it still feels great.

For a link to our itinerary, you can check out Cascade Bicycle Club's website at www.cascade.org/EandR/tours/tour_wa-bc.cfm.

Boyd's summer 2010 bike ride - Washington to Canada

Boyd and his bike on the ferry

A beautiful day at Lake Kootenay.

A long slog up Kootenay Pass.

More pictures of Kootenay Pass.

Leaving Colville, Washington on the way to Kettle Falls.

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Ken Gillgren is our guest blog author this month. He is founder of Gillgren Communication Services. Gillgren Communication Services, Inc. seeks to unlock the power of new media and social technologies to serve the resurgence of community in all its forms. We provide practical guidance in the strategic use of online systems and tools, including software installation, configuration and usage, in the context of a comprehensive, community-oriented communications ecosystem.
 

It’s important to consider these kinds of indicators as well, because they are a sign it's time to think about ramping up your efforts. Too many firms are going to be in for a big surprise when they decide to ramp up their marketing, public relations and employee communications to capture new business. Why? Because how, where, and when you communicate to your critical audiences has gone through a massive change the last two years.

The change can be described in two terms: engagement and social media. While they are clearly related, they apply equally to those who tell their story online as well as those using traditional media.

Social and online media are the preferred channels for the widely discussed Millennial (or Gen Y) generation, those born after 1978 and now as old as 31. Clearly, they are a huge group impacting the workforce and the consumer mindset, with their impact crosses all industries.

The tools they embrace to communicate instantly with each other and “engage” in matters important to them have now moved to the mainstream as indicated by the explosion of the use of Facebook, Twitter, You Tube, LinkedIn and ranking sites like Foursquare and Yelp for business purposes. These tools must be among the channels you consider as you plan any new marketing, public relations or workplace outreach campaign.

However, before deciding what channel to use, I hope that you take the time to step back and ask some critical questions:

1. How have your customers and their expectations changed over the last two years?
2. How have the channels you use to tell your story to customers and employees changed? (Hint – if print media or television were an important part of your mix, you’ll find that many of the sources you used for advertising and public relations have radically changed.)
3. Do you understand the rules for using Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, You Tube, Yelp and Four Square?
4. What specific approaches do you have in place to connect with and engage your customer and employees?

Armed with the answers to these questions you have almost limitless options for telling a story that will set you apart and help you connect with audiences who can help you grow.

So what is Phase II in social media adaption? I believe it's when you stop Phase 1 – studying, learning and complaining – and start doing. Sad to say, I find way too many organizations stuck in Phase 1. And it's going to have a serious impact on their future.

The Times article profiled several successful special interest and community blogs/websites in Seattle – everything from the Crosscut to the West Seattle Blog. All are building loyal followers, growing and doing the types of communication our major media outlets used to do. If you are in Phase 2 in social media, ask yourself three questions about the sites profiled:

1. Are my current and potential customers coming here?
2. Could I provide them with content that fits their audience or become one of their resident experts?
3. Would an investment in a page or link sponsorship or advertisement help me test out social media and get results I could share with management?

And the third idea from the eye specialist/restaurateur was this. He has utilized his website, Facebook and Twitter to build his fan base and communicate with customers. His revelation? All comments made to review site Yelp go directly to his i-Phone so he can respond to them quickly. Think about the message that sends to employees and customers. Earthshaking? No. But how many other restaurant owners do you think are using it to react instantaneously to customer complaints? So action steps for embracing Phase 2 of Social Media?

• Accept it
• Embrace it
• Plan it (as a part of a multi channel strategy)
• Use it for engaging customers and in workplace communications

Happy New Year! I'm definitely on the list of folks who was delighted to see 2009 fade into history. Although my personal life was enriched by a new granddaughter, a new son-in-law and some great family and cycling time, let's face it, the business climate was lousy.

I believe we can see better days in 2010, but it's going to take some fresh thinking and accepting that "better days" doesn't mean what it did even back in 2008. This New Year will look and feel very different. That's where behavior styles, social media and a glass half full attitude come in.

I have developed a strategic working relationship with the Effectiveness Institute, a long time and highly respected management training organization headquartered in Redmond. While organizations in the midst of major change usually need better communication, they also need to invest in training for their staff to help them cope with the new world. To fully understand their approach, I attended one of their two day seminars on Behavioral Styles recently. Click on Behavioral Styles at http://effectivenessinstitute.com/ to learn more.

Working closely with a varied group of high energy professionals from a variety of industries was very enjoyable and also gave me a valuable new perspective on what I do. The program on Behavior Styles is built on identifying four key operating styles and helping you understand how differently people with the four styles work. Looking at the world in terms of Controllers, Persuaders, Analyzers and Stabilizers was a great reminder of the different styles we all deal with every day, and how important it is to acknowledge these styles when you are encouraging corporations to take on major change. For my clients, that major change is getting involved in social media.

I have resolved to do a better job of framing my recommendations in ways that address the very different needs of my audience – whatever combination of controllers, persuaders, analyzers or stabilizers they represent. It also brought me valuable perspective to the task of helping companies put together teams to lead them into the world of social media, and on what it takes to get started, with several legitimate options to choose from. And those persuaders? They need to see real life examples of how social media impacts their organization before getting on board too. The best way to do that is to get in the game yourself, whether with a FaceBook, Twitter or LinkedIn presence.

So how does this tie to my "Glass Half Full" approach? There's no question that we've been whiplashed the last year or so, but we survived – and it's time to move on. Unfortunately you can't do that until you decide your glass is half full and you are going to do your best to get it filled to the top. Attitudes can be catching, and we need more people agreeing to try new things rather than continuing to wring their hands talking about how awful it is. I'd rather try to make it better. So that is my resolution: work harder to understand the styles of those I work with so I can persuade them to make the changes they need to make to keep their organizations moving ahead. And despite the daily "ain’t it awful" proclamations coming from every sector, I'm going to operate on the assumption that my glass is already half full and it will be filled even more in 2010. Would love to hear your thoughts and Happy New Year.

Recent conversations with folks representing a wide range of industries tells me the jury is still out on how much of an economic upturn we'll see in 2010. Banks are still slow to lend, construction is at a standstill and excess buildings are still under construction. That being said, there are signs that in some industries companies are ramping up their plans for hiring and spending. I will be more than happy to see 2009 end, so let's talk about what those companies that are ramping up will find.

First, they will find more competitors fighting for the limited pool of business and some will be fighting the only way they know how, on price. To avoid getting caught in that trap, your organization needs to understand what differentiates you from the crowd. Then you have to bring your story to life with real life examples of why it matters to each of your customers. And with the increased competition, you can't miss an opportunity to tell your story. One VHPR client recently challenged every employee in the company to develop their personal version of the company story and to tell it to people who would be great referral prospects. The company divided into teams and made it a competition. The result? New contacts were made with several hundred prospects, and employees at all levels feel much more comfortable with telling the company story. And yes, business increased!

Second, it's a great time to really look at how things have changed while your company has been hunkered down. These changes impact how you can get in front of your critical audiences. Hint -- mass audience print publications and television networks continue to decline, being replaced by a myriad of online channels for launching your message. What do you need to add to your marketing mix to respond?

Finally, make 2010 the year you really engage in social media. And it's best if you take the time to get it right. That means getting buy-in at the senior level, making sure the organization understands social media, and developing a long-term plan. And that plan must spell out goals for what you want to accomplish and how you will measure your success on reaching those goals within a realistic timeline.

This is not the time for gently dipping your toe in the water and backing out. You need to be implementing a social media strategy now!

The first link is to a Canadian newspaper reporting on a mayor who established a Facebook page so residents could express their opinions on the site that had been chosen for a new Costco store. His enthusiasm and excitement almost jumped off the pages.

http://dailygleaner.canadaeast.com/cityregion/article/601959

Then check out the second link. Opponents of the project quickly mobilized and began overwhelming the site with their votes. His experience, as shared in the second article, makes it clear he didn’t understand social media and failed to use it as one of a range of tools to gauge community opinion. How about you—what do you take away from these two articles? We’d love to hear.

http://dailygleaner.canadaeast.com/canadaworld/article/605631

The Northwest Entrepreneur Network had to feel like they struck gold with their February Think Tank Exchange on “Integrating social media into your marketing plan” on February 24.  All the seats in Schaffer Auditorium at Seattle University filled quickly and participants spilled out into the aisles and up the stairs. The wide ranging Q&A made it clear that the crowd was diverse and included many from traditional industries like banking, professional services, training and health care.

At VHPR we define social media/networking as your participation in the online communities where people increasingly go to get information, network with others and make decisions about who they want to work for and do business with.

I’ve listed the eight comments I found most relevant.  I’ve also attached links to the speakers and the Northwest Entrepreneur Network for further review.

http://www.konnects.com/ http://blog.npost.com/ http://www.portentinteractive.com/

http://www.nwen.org/

Tips Worth Stealing

·         Call it Social Networking with a Purpose -- know what you want to accomplish.

·         Start by making friends. If you sell too hard, people will flee.

·         Social media should support, not replace current marketing and customer service efforts.

·         Be patient. Engaging your audience takes time.

·         Don’t look for the home run -- shoot for singles and doubles.  Social media efforts drive business over time. It’s just one tool!

·         Before jumping on to Facebook or YouTube make sure your own website engages visitors and keeps them coming back.

·         Always use social media for listening to customers, prospects and employees.

·         This is another channel for telling your story.

    As always, comments, ideas and suggestions are welcome.

As budget and staff cutbacks spread in companies and government agencies, it can be tempting to put new ideas, such as making greater use of social media, on hold. That is not a good idea. Here’s why.First, regardless of the economy, a growing number of employees and customers are using social media sites to meet with others, get information, and make decisions on products. They aren’t stopping because of the economy and neither should you.  In 2008, the largest percentage growth in Facebook users in was in the 35-50 age group.

Second, the basic premise behind social media – engaging with your key audiences instead of selling to them – is more important than ever in these challenging economic times. Everyone, from individual consumers to businesses of all sizes, is keeping a tight grip on their wallets. If you can engage them and participate in their dialogue, you have a chance to set yourself apart from all that competition. Here is an example of what Antioch College is doing to reach the critical student market. You can start slowly with your own website.http://antiochalumniblog.com

I’ve been saying for some time that your homepage must be put to work as social media central for your company. Establishing and maintaining interactive tools on the homepage pays off in many ways. Your website is a place where you can tell your story yourself. It is instantaneous, and material posted there can be used in a variety of other ways as well. The attached links from Horizon Bank and Frontier Bank are examples of organizations that are putting social media to work quickly and cost effectively. I’d be interested in what you are doing. Frontier Bank has recently added sections to their webpage allowing customers to hear from the President/CEO, get answers from Frontier Bank management and view press releases on events such as earnings reports: Frontier Bank Horizon Bank has applied a similar approach, with their “Community Message” feature that they have recently added to their website: horizonbank.com

•  It contains an advertisement, article explaining the program in brief and a profile of the agency. Click the links above to to see all
  three or e-mail Info@vhpr.com for a copy.

11 Business Benifits to using Facebook