My mom was good at her job. And she was regularly being rewarded for her performance, winning company accolades and sales incentive prizes. One day, I asked her how she did it; how she could walk into new places, introduce herself and SELL things to mere strangers.

She said, “Oh, it’s easy. You just sell them things you KNOW they need. You’re actually helping solve a problem for them.” Immediately, I felt a shift in the way I saw her job and a sales career. What brilliance! Of course this made sense…because we all buy stuff, right? And if we need it…

What I didn’t think about at the time is that occasionally, people are asked to sell the stuff that, well, people don’t necessarily need. Instead, they’re ‘nice to haves.’ And another thing I realized is that sometimes, even though people are selling things that people need, they simply aren’t good at selling.

In many ways, public relations can be very similar to sales as a career…this isn’t uncommon knowledge. But the similarities I’ve really started to notice in these bad sales experiences are the human nuances that are critical, but often ignored. Things like personal body language that glaringly says ‘I don’t believe in what I’m selling you,’ or ‘you could never afford this.’ Or, even sales representatives who don’t understand me, as their customer, and the signs I’m providing that say ‘I’m not interested.’

Elements I believe are the source of these kinds of ‘sales inaccuracies’ are things I consistently preach to my clients and they have to do with personal values, passion and people. If your personal values don’t align, or if you don’t have passion for what it is you’re selling, then you probably shouldn’t do it. Even if there are customers who need your product, but YOU wouldn’t buy what you’re selling, then you’re doing your company and yourself a huge disservice. Are you selling an eco-conscious brand, but don’t believe in recycling? Are you selling bikes, but don’t ever plan to own one?

This could mean you’re out of alignment with what you’re doing. Why is this important? Because sales, like PR, is ‘relating to your publics’ and if you are working in a job or career that isn’t in alignment with your personal values, people will sense it…and it could likely mean they won’t buy from you. As in every conversation, customers are watching for non-verbal cues to determine whether or not to trust the other individual. Primal instincts don’t disappear just because we’re at work. And although you may not TELL others you don’t own a bike, something about your energy will reveal a disconnect that will turn people off.

You might have a sales title, but really, your job is to make relationships…and this requires trust, authenticity and even some passion for making others’ lives better through your product or service. Truly believing in what you’re selling means you believe in the CAUSE. Ultimately, encouraging others to buy from you means you’d do no less for yourself and suddenly, it becomes about relating and not selling.

At this, Mom has always been a pro. Happy Mother’s Day, Mom!

What would you say if I said that this perspective could be one of our biggest professional and personal limitations? Take a moment to consider someone with whom you work who always seems to be unhappy and unhelpful…and a supreme delegator to seemingly ‘do nothing’. In your day-to-day operations, do you avoid this person as much as possible? If you ever needed to recruit someone for a project, would this person even make the long list? Probably not.

Now, take a moment to think about someone with whom you work who seems to be shockingly happy and un-phased by set backs, missed deadlines and bad moods. When asked to help, does this person typically respond with “…sure, I’d be happy to help”? Even further, if this person commits to a project, does he usually return a solid product on deadline (or even earlier) and within budget?

Right. I know what you’re thinking…while this second person can make the rest of us feel, well, like a jerk on our worst days…isn’t he the kind of individual with whom it’s a pleasure to do business?

I believe the distinction to be this:  Gratitude. When one is grateful for having a job, for having the opportunity to gain knowledge through their work environment, for receiving the ‘lessons’ provided by the more challenging situations, and certainly for an income…it infiltrates everything he does.

Many of us already apply this concept of being grateful to our personal lives and often it bleeds over to all aspects of our lives, but how often is it proactively considered relevant to our careers? When a potential client with a small budget comes your way, do you say “I’m not interested; the budget is too small?” Do you ever find yourself saying, “It isn’t my job,” or “They don’t pay me enough,” or “I don’t represent these kinds of clients”?

You’re not alone. But I’m suggesting that a simple shift in thinking could actually mean more, and even MORE LUCRATIVE business. I’m not proposing that you pursue dead-end opportunities. This is more about approaching everything with a curiosity and intention to assist, no matter the outcome for you. If it won’t work, then so be it, but consider that there may be a hidden benefit from the interaction. Be appreciative of the outreach.

Because if you think about how much you enjoy working with “person #2,” guess what?….so does everyone else. Let me say that again:  SO DOES EVERYONE ELSE. A sense of ‘professional gratitude’ will draw people to you. A positive attitude, which means expecting…and accepting of…the good with the bad equates to a higher brand resonance as well as more customers. And then they’ll be inspired to tell others about you. Try it out and see what happens.

Most people can’t even commit to a marriage for that long, so we figured it must be good. But actually, it wasn’t the case. Before proceeding, however, let me be clear:  I am not a complainer…mostly, to a fault…so take this into perspective.

When we pulled up to the tiny strip mall, I didn’t flinch. I’ve been to a number of salons in strip malls, so it didn’t send up red flags. Walking inside, I immediately noticed that there were no massage chairs and the décor was aged. I figured I’m usually not that crazy about the pointed, unintuitive massages given by inanimate objects, so again, it seemed fine. And who’s to judge décor? It was their style, and a style not uncommon in smaller salons.

There were two nail technicians. And there were three of us (including my 4-year-old daughter). Shortly after choosing our colors, we were informed that the owner’s husband would be arriving to do my daughter’s nails. Knowing this wouldn’t be an easy proposition for my daughter, I asked the technician to start with her first, which would ensure the husband would be doing MY nails. Then, I started to notice details, such as:

• She didn’t clean under my daughter’s nails. Sure, little girls don’t usually get a full manicure, but this seemed too basic to ignore…particularly with a child who, ahem, doesn’t have very tidy nails.
• There were old fingernails on the carpet. It’s true…and a major no-no in a nail salon, in case you weren’t aware.
• When her husband arrived, I quickly noticed that his finger tips were like something out of Plants vs. Zombies. Based on the disintegrating nature of his skin and nails, I wasn’t sure if he was a farmer or a zombie. He clacked his dentures through my entire manicure.

In the end, the manicures really weren’t even satisfactory. They were priced less than usual, but I honestly would have paid more for a better job.

Here’s how this relates to marketing. During my pedicure, I had a conversation with the owner. She told me business was declining, so I took the opportunity to ask her why. She noted that customers had moved away, that some people didn’t like her location and that many people also didn’t know she was at that location.

Should she consider marketing her business to draw new customers and educate others on her location? Absolutely NOT. Clearly, the reason her business is declining is not because of a lack of marketing, but because of their poor service and environment. The reality is that if your business is dropping off, it may just BE YOU.

Pay attention. Always be analyzing your business and yourself IN your business. Sales are dropping and marketing is working to recover your losses? Then I suggest you gather an advisory committee to share honest feedback about the experience you provide. Send surveys to clients and customers. Take a hard, honest look at yourself and your business.

Because you can’t market something that isn’t worthy of a referral. Your efforts to market will only backfire, leaving you frustrated and without customers.

But I believe this is changing. Let me clarify…this scenario may exist well beyond my lifetime, but to me, it’s the value of what this image represents that’s changing. Social media is helping to pull that big, green curtain aside while also inspiring today’s consumers to seek out a different relationship with the companies from which they buy. More and more, buying from a ‘brand’ means buying from people. I see this is a good thing.

Taking this trend a step further, it seems that the growing desire for deeper connections to brand is commanding the use of video. Budgets for video advertising campaigns are rising dramatically and statistics continue to prove that click-through rates (CTR’s) on video ads are dramatically higher.

To us, the entrepreneurs, solopreneurs and in-house marketers, it’s important to pay attention. How can you, or your brand put this into practice? Here are some suggestions:

• Place an introduction video on your website. Being able to see a ‘real person’ on a website is a commitment-phobe’s dream. Let them check you out and get a feel for your personality without having to expose themselves…this will likely sell much more than your content will.
• Develop short tutorials of the service you typically provide to your clients. You can consider them ‘teasers’ to your deeper knowledge, inspiring an interest in learning more about you.
• Put your product into action. If you sell something, show people how to use it, particularly if you can share innovative ways to utilize a well-known product.
• Post business updates through your Facebook page, or even better, create a YouTube channel or join Tout.com, a social video sharing site.
• Include video testimonials on your website and through your social media channels – seeing authenticity in someone’s experience will resonate more than their written comment.

Utilizing video allows your fans, followers and potential customers/clients to see the real wizard behind the great curtain. Only this time, it doesn’t reveal an insecure man operating buttons and levers, but YOU, and the essence of your talents. It removes the barrier of traditional corporate celebrity status and welcomes the opportunity for a relationship.

One note of CAUTION:  Video is a different beast. Simple as it sounds, tiny nuances that are acceptable in everyday conversation can be a deterrent in a video. If you aren’t someone who easily speaks to the lens of a camera, work with a professional who can capture your best qualities.

In the near future, I’ll be introducing some video projects of my own. I can’t wait to tell you about it.

So, why not talk about it? Isn’t that what this social revolution is all about? Transparency? Let’s take a step back and consider some of the mishaps we’ve seen, or even made. It’s likely that many of us have tripped over at least one of these manholes, so why not put up a warning sign? And if you’re someone who would like to get started on a social media strategy, but can answer ‘NO’ to any of the following, you should give your effort some thought before committing:

• Do you have a website? Social media isn’t a ‘free’ solution to building a website; it helps to drive people to one. If you don’t have one, build one.
• Do you see the value in social media? If you’re one of those individuals who still says “…but I really don’t care to know what my best friend from high school is having for breakfast,” you may not understand the potential. Watch this video – and reconsider your thinking.
• Do you understand it? Social media can be confusing and for many, a little bit scary. Reach out and find resources to educate yourself. Ask your friends. Take a look at what other companies are doing and compare them. Who gets a lot of traction? Who doesn’t?
• Do you know why your business exists? If you’re the owner, CEO, director of marketing, or company spokesperson, it’s important for you to understand the why of what you’re doing. One should be impassioned about the pursuit of their company…otherwise, you will find it difficult to connect with your customers (and really, this applies to any form of marketing, but it’s especially true with social media). Being nicely steeped in your company’s mission will enable you to speak more fluidly to your audiences, avoiding robotic, sales-y, empty posts.
• Do you have the time? It doesn’t need to overwhelm your day, but it takes more time than you think and consistency is critical.
• Would you delegate social media outreach to anyone but an intern? Social media plays a significant part in most marketing strategies and will greatly magnify the visibility of your brand. Entrust this responsibility with someone who understands the importance, ‘speaks your brand,’ and knows how to engage your customers.
• Do you believe Facebook/Twitter/Pinterest are merely free places to post your latest offering, announcement, or ‘deal’? Through social media, we’ve been presented an opportunity to speak to our customers and supporters. Get their opinions. Ask them if they like what you sell. Get to know them and ultimately, you will offer a better product.

This time, it came to me when reading the popularized New York Times Op Ed piece from last week. The submission was written by an ex-employee of Goldman Sachs who, over his 12-year stint with the global financial firm, became disenchanted with the ‘modus operandi.’ Have you read it?

If you haven’t, in a nutshell, Greg Smith (which I am guessing is an alias) said that by the end of his career there, he felt the company had morphed from being client-oriented to profits focused. He also shared that at one point, he’d been one of the biggest advocates for Goldman and had even recruited and mentored incoming candidates. Apparently, Greg had excelled at his career, managing an asset base of more than a trillion dollars by the time he left.

Essentially, Greg chose to unleash his anger while getting revenge on his former employer. And as you can imagine, his sharing of disrespect for the financial industry was fueled even further by the already-present disdain for the financial industry and movements such as Occupy Wall Street and ‘I am the 99%.’

It’s interesting to listen to the varied opinions about his actions, and from a public relations perspective, it’s even more fascinating…from both sides:

• Does Greg ever wish to work in the financial industry again? Perhaps he’s ‘set’ for life, but if not, I hope he’s focusing on a career change.
• Was it really necessary to defame Goldman Sachs and its leaders?
• Was this merely a case of ‘growing up’ in a corporate environment? Aren’t the majority of our corporate conglomerates focused on profits anyway?
• What did Greg actually gain from doing this…and could the same result have been achieved in other ways?

…and on the flip side:

• Shame on Goldman Sachs, right? How is it that large corporations so quickly forget the customer…when it was the customer who made them what they are today?
• Why didn’t they counsel and try to retain such a valuable employee?
• What about Goldman Sachs’ response to ‘the world’?

Essentially, this is a PR nightmare on all fronts. Because here is the bottom line:  What goes around, comes around. There is a reason these cliché’d statements were coined in the first place, and they’re not forgotten in the professional realm. If anything, they’re magnified by the sheer presence of the organization, its reputation and the collective reputation of its employees.

To me, the public relations moral of this story is to treat people with respect at all times, or at least as often as possible. What do you think?

LAWRENCE HALL OF SCIENCE INSPIRES YOUNG INNOVATORS WITH NEW EXHIBIT, IMAGINATE, FEB. 4 – APR. 29

Berkeley, CA, February 7, 2012 – It’s easy to identify innovators, particularly in the Bay Area where organizations such as Apple, Facebook, and our universities offer inspiration almost daily. But, harnessing our own innovative capacity isn’t always so simple. Aiming to demystify the process toward innovation by making its principles accessible, replicable and fun, Imaginate, makes its world debut at the Lawrence Hall of Science February 4 – April 29, 2012.

Imaginate is an exhibit meant to inspire the spirit and practice of innovation through science. It identifies five guiding themes everyone can use as pathways to innovation, including: Dream Big, Expect the Unexpected, Collaborate or Compete, Try, Try and Try Again and Look To the World. Each theme is explored through a number of hands-on, interactive exhibit activities, encouraging participants to immerse themselves in the methods of innovative and critical thinking.

“Math and science can be perceived as difficult or rigid, without much room for creativity. Imaginate shows how using science and math in the process of innovation is creative, fun and engaging.” said Gretchen Walker, Public Science Center Director at The Lawrence Hall of Science “The exhibits in Imaginate are designed using light, sound, and unique materials that inspire creativity and allow visitors to apply it to science and engineering. It’s a deeply engrossing experience and kids and adults are spending hours engaged in the activities.”
Within the exhibit are more than twenty activities that appeal to a wide range of interests and ages: In Sound Lab visitors can jump and move as they collaborate to make music mixes using giant light up sound panels, In Racing Irons, they test the speed of surfaces ranging from Teflon to aluminum foam, and kids and adults of all ages can see if they can come up with new inventions like a hat to wear underwater or a shoe to walk on the moon in Create Something New.

“When we were developing the exhibit, our goal was to shift people’s perception away from the idea that innovation is meant for the ‘elite’, which can be intimidating,” said Mary Jane Conboy, Director of Science Content and Design for the Ontario Science Centre in Ontario, Canada that developed Imaginate. “We’ve left a lot of the experiences very open-ended, so each person will approach them in their own way, and can create something totally unique. ”

Imaginate is part of an exciting year of exhibition programming at Lawrence Hall of Science. Following Imaginate will be Tony Hawk Rad Science, May 26 – September 2, 2012 and Math Midway, September 15, 2012- January 6, 2013.

The museum is open daily from 10 am to 5 pm. Admission for Lawrence Hall of Science members and UC Berkeley students and staff is free, and general admission is $6-12. Children under 3 receive complimentary admission. For more information, call 510-642-5132 or visit www.lawrencehallofscience.org. Lawrence Hall of Science can be found on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LawrenceHallofScience

The Lawrence Hall of Science:
The Lawrence Hall of Science at the University of California, Berkeley investigates, creates, and evaluates educational materials and methods, professional development programs, and hands-on learning experiences for science centers, schools, community organizations, and homes. Every year programs from the Hall serve millions of students, over 165,000 visitors, and more then 20,000 teachers nationally and internationally. The Hall is committed to providing every person access to high quality, effective science and mathematics learning opportunities to enrich lives, inform communities, and advance society. For more information visit lawrencehallofscience.org

The general consensus is that NO, the press release isn’t dead. But, what certainly is dead are the days of weekly-releases-for-each-minor-announcement ‘to stay in front of the journalist’. This type of behavior is considered careless and can even serve as a detriment to your outreach efforts. Be purposeful with your press releases and ensure a focused approach by considering the following five items:

1. Is it a worthwhile subject? The fact that you exist is not. Worthwhile subjects include major announcements such as significant management changes, openings, business acquisitions, disasters, etc. Keep in mind that in general, releases are used for reference – your release isn’t the story, but provides information from which a journalist can write their story. It should be written to the audience, not your CEO.

2. Can it contribute to your SEO efforts? Likely the most valuable aspect of your release will be its searchability, ultimately, driving people to your site. Work at incorporating your key words without sounding clunky.

3. Have you considered how you’ll distribute your news? Utilize technology and PR support services to increase your visibility. For small business, I recommend using pitchengine for posting and PRWeb for distribution.

4. How will you share your news with the media? Remember, your pitch…connecting with the most appropriate journalists…is much more important than the release itself. Again, the journalist will use the release for reference, so the words you use in your email to the journalist can carry more weight than the release itself.

5. Is your press release truly a valuable resource? Include the most relevant information at the top and go ‘backwards’ from there, incorporating more descriptive details further down in the release.

If at a minimum, you employ these five tips, you’ll be off to a good start with your releases. One last thing: Keep in mind that a press release is rarely your first line of defense. Often, getting your ‘story’ out there can be accomplished with an email or even a phone call.

That alone was enough to kill anyone’s buzz. So it was wonderful when I initially met Johannes (inserting new, exotic name to protect the innocent). I felt invigorated and at the time, highly valued his intriguing ideas, interesting business concepts and professional energy. He was the kind of person who could transcend that soul-sucking environment and seemed as if he had it all…traveled the world, worked on sustainable projects with large, reputable partners. In fact, it was so ideal that something seemed fishy.

Then, Johannes handed me his business card [WARNING:  This may be offensive to some readers. Don’t be defensive, but by all means, be objective…]. Subtly…well, almost lacking consciousness entirely…three elements of his card revealed some things about Johannes that had me slowly retreating. Do you know what they were?

1. Perforated edges (are you laughing?):  Johannes had bought the rip-apart business cards from an office supply store. Yes, I know that this is likely a budget-conscious decision, but if this is absolutely the only choice you have, you’re better off cutting them out yourself. Even better, make them at home and if you have a big event coming up, enlist the time of a couple friends to help. Your own unique touch will send a significantly better message than Avery ever intends to do on your behalf.
2. Thin paper:  Similar to the aforementioned, thin paper can come across as cheap and lacking in attention to your own business and reputation. I wanted to say, “Johannes, this is the ONLY thing people will have to remind them of you when they go home. It deserves a little more thought.” Did Johannes want to do business because it was a good opportunity for both of us, or merely because he needed money?
3. Shoddy printing and design:  “Is this a temporary company?” I wanted to ask. While he’d presented concepts that sounded exotic, his logo screamed ‘H & R Block.’ It didn’t represent his message, his passion or even business perspective. One is better off handing out a card simply with a name and phone number…or even with something slightly ‘mysterious’ like @nateballard has done by merely including his Twitter handle.

This may seem minor in the grand scheme, or perhaps some people may even think I’m rude, but please trust me. Or better, admit that you’ve had similar thoughts and join me in joking about marketing’s dark side. Business cards are important. They are a mini physical representation of your business and are often the only things reminding your contact – who just might be a significant client – that you exist. If you don’t think this matters, you might as well network in your pajamas. As for Johannes? Tell me how you think that story ended…

Why do you think this worked? One of the largest reasons is because people are motivated in different ways and by utilizing a sort of personality ‘compass,’ she was able to identify nuances about her staff that in most employment circles, goes completely unnoticed. Well, and let’s be honest…in many company cultures, ‘honor and appreciation’ merely comes in the form of a paycheck. It’s a bad economy, right? You should be glad you have a job…

I’m not proposing that Schwab send out a survey amongst its teams to find out how many dogs, rats and dragons they having working in their midst, but I do think it’s valuable to consider exactly what you’re doing to reward the people who, every day, roll out of bed to leave their families, pets and personal passions to dedicate hours to your inspiration.

Because, at the end of the day here’s how it relates to your public relations efforts and your bottom line:  People talk about their work. Often, the first thing we do when we get home is we share with a spouse, roommate, or friend about how our day was, right? Taking that a step further, I’ll bet you could list a handful of individuals right now who hate where they work. Any time you speak with them, their story is some form of the one before.

Maybe your friend feels underappreciated…or, maybe the corporate culture is nonexistent…or, maybe your husband is amongst a group of people who are overworked and underappreciated. Now, think about each of their employers. How interested are you in patronizing their businesses? If your underappreciated friend works at Schwab (for the sake of conversation here, folks…I’m sure they’re amazing), would you be inspired to invest your money with them? Perhaps, but they might have to work a bit harder to win your trust and money.

Employees need to be the number one fans of their employers because they are the number one source for word-of-mouth marketing, as I noted in my previous post. If they’re not happy at work, guess what they’re saying when they go home? Come to think of it, what are YOU saying when you go home at the end of the day? Are your comments inspiring others to buy from you and are your employees enticing potential customers with their raving comments…or are they telling them to run the other way?