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Casual Articles - The Brand Story - A Tale Worth Telling
Workflow refers to the operational portion of a work procedure. It has several aspects: how tasks are structured, who performs them, what their relative order is, how they are synchronized, how information flows to support the tasks and how tasks are being tracked.In business, particularly, workflow is concerned with scheduling task executions, ensuring dependencies.In traditional terms this means moving the paper, processing the order, issuing the invoice. It could also mean filling the order from the warehouse, assembling documents, parts, tools, and people to repair a complex system, or manufacturing the complex device.In the last 15 years, tools that manage workflow have been developed. More than just procedural documents, workflow process is defined formally in a workflow computer system. The process is managed by a computer program that assigns the work, passes it on, and tracks its progress.That’s why today, workflow also refers to the automation of a business process, in whole or part, during which documents, information or ta
"Content is Not Communication"
Web experts are always talking about 'content' and how 'content is king' on the Web, but as Curt Cloninger wrote in his article 'A Case for Web Storytelling' "content is not communication."
Content just lies there until it is delivered in some proactive manner, and plain text content on your website is as far from proactive as you can get. Stories must be communicated effectively if you want to deliver your intended message. Left alone, y
I am not interested in a theory of management. I am interested in the practice of management. I am interested in having managers fulfill their purpose. And their purpose is that the jobs get done more and more effectively with them there than without them there.That needs to begin with an honest look at how we are as managers.The Distinction ‘Most-Manager’There is a class of management….equivalent, say, to 2nd and 1st lieutenants. They have no real management authority. They often cannot even make recommendations.They may have supervisors report to them (or even very low level managers). They have between 8 and 40 people directly and indirectly below them. They may have their own administrative assistant, though usually the administrative assistant is shared.This is the critical one: They are almost always promoted from the ranks. If not, that is their genealogy. They receive no management training… Or, if they do, it has virtually nothing to do with their jobs. I say this is so for most managers…and so I class this c
Everybody likes a good story and why not? Stories are entertaining, instructive, engaging and above all human; they connect people to people, and businesses to customers. Stories are about communication and communication is the essence of marketing.
We have at our disposal the greatest communication tool the world has ever known, the Internet, and we are wasting it. Websites are used as if they were corporate brochures. The techno-experts would even have us remove its visual and kinetic elements, and turn it into an academic-style journal to please the SEO gurus. We've been there and done that. Search engine optimization is great, but who is going to go to your website if it's boring to view, and tedious to operate. It's time to move on.
A Communication Venue For The Rest of Us
The Web is a multimedia communication venue, and with increased bandwidth and high-speed connections we can use it effectively to deliver our marketing messages. But communication is a funny thing, just because we talk, write and present information, doesn't mean we are communicating.
Since I am advocating storytelling as a means of delivering your marketing messages, I will illustrate my point - you guessed it - with a story. In his book 'Information Anxiety,' Richard Saul Wurman relates the following story attributed to U.S. Representative Pat Swindall, of Georgia.
"A woman seeking a divorce went to visit her attorney. The first question he asked her was, 'Do you have grounds?'
She replied, 'Yes, about two acres.'
'Perhaps I'm not making myself clear,' he said, 'Do you have a grudge?'
'No, but we have a carport,' she responded.
'Let me try again. Does your husband beat you up?' he said impatiently.
'No, generally I get up before he does,' she said.
At this point the attorney decided to try a different tack. 'Ma'am, are you sure you really want a divorce?'
'I don't want one at all, but my husband does. He claims we have difficulty communicating.'"
It's a great story; it delivers everything a good story should communicate: a appoint-of-view, information, emotion, and truth about the human condition. The only thing that would make this story more effective is if it was delivered by a human voice that could add character, emphasis, and personality.
Marketing is nothing more than telling your story in an effective way that embeds your identity into the minds of your audience, connecting and communicating who you are, what you do, and why your audience should be doing it with you. Branding and positioning are the results, not the process.
So Tell Me A Story - It's All In the Delivery
One of the great storytellers of the last forty years is radio broadcaster and commentator, Paul Harvey. In his hay-day he had everything a great storyteller needed to make a memorable impression: the voice, the cadence, the attitude, the writing, and the 'schtick.'
He presented his commentaries as if he was reading the newspaper, even, reading off the page numbers when he came back from commercial, "Page Two." He would craft his stories by introducing the listener to a character in the most casual way, perhaps by referring to him or her by a diminutive first name. By the end of the story, he would tell you who this person really was and invariably it was someone famous, and the story he told revealed something unusual or hidden in this person's background. Each story had a strong point-of-view, and each commentary was ended with the tag line, "… and now you know the rest of the story." Paul Harvey's little radio commentaries are a quintessential example of Sonic Personality©
"Content is Not Communication"
Web experts are always talking about 'content' and how 'content is king' on the Web, but as Curt Cloninger wrote in his article 'A Case for Web Storytelling' "content is not communication."
Content just lies there until it is delivered in some proactive manner, and plain text content on your website is as far from proactive as you can get. Stories must be communicated effectively if you want to deliver your intended message. Left alone, yo
Overcome lackluster signature boxes with merely your name, address, and email listed. Instead use the "passion approach." Give your product's or service's promise. Name benefits. Stop missing sales because of weak copy. Include your signature box on every email you send out. Your signature or resource box, usually 4-7 lines, is your billboard to let people know who you are, the benefits they will receive, and what expertise and products you have to assist them. Without a strong signature box, you are guaranteed no action, subscribers, or sales. Your signature box is more important than your article, email, or ezine's message. Be sure to put some thought and time into it. Be willing to edit it at least 5 times. Remember your resource box is a call to action. Write it so your reader takes action-- either to subscribe for a free ezine, receive a free report, send an email, phone you, or visit your Web site. Once you get a reaction, it's up to you to make the next communication powerful and convincing. It's a good idea to have your si
The Web is a multimedia communication venue, and with increased bandwidth and high-speed connections we can use it effectively to deliver our marketing messages. But communication is a funny thing, just because we talk, write and present information, doesn't mean we are communicating.
Since I am advocating storytelling as a means of delivering your marketing messages, I will illustrate my point - you guessed it - with a story. In his book 'Information Anxiety,' Richard Saul Wurman relates the following story attributed to U.S. Representative Pat Swindall, of Georgia.
"A woman seeking a divorce went to visit her attorney. The first question he asked her was, 'Do you have grounds?'
She replied, 'Yes, about two acres.'
'Perhaps I'm not making myself clear,' he said, 'Do you have a grudge?'
'No, but we have a carport,' she responded.
'Let me try again. Does your husband beat you up?' he said impatiently.
'No, generally I get up before he does,' she said.
At this point the attorney decided to try a different tack. 'Ma'am, are you sure you really want a divorce?'
'I don't want one at all, but my husband does. He claims we have difficulty communicating.'"
It's a great story; it delivers everything a good story should communicate: a appoint-of-view, information, emotion, and truth about the human condition. The only thing that would make this story more effective is if it was delivered by a human voice that could add character, emphasis, and personality.
Marketing is nothing more than telling your story in an effective way that embeds your identity into the minds of your audience, connecting and communicating who you are, what you do, and why your audience should be doing it with you. Branding and positioning are the results, not the process.
So Tell Me A Story - It's All In the Delivery
One of the great storytellers of the last forty years is radio broadcaster and commentator, Paul Harvey. In his hay-day he had everything a great storyteller needed to make a memorable impression: the voice, the cadence, the attitude, the writing, and the 'schtick.'
He presented his commentaries as if he was reading the newspaper, even, reading off the page numbers when he came back from commercial, "Page Two." He would craft his stories by introducing the listener to a character in the most casual way, perhaps by referring to him or her by a diminutive first name. By the end of the story, he would tell you who this person really was and invariably it was someone famous, and the story he told revealed something unusual or hidden in this person's background. Each story had a strong point-of-view, and each commentary was ended with the tag line, "… and now you know the rest of the story." Paul Harvey's little radio commentaries are a quintessential example of Sonic Personality©
"Content is Not Communication"
Web experts are always talking about 'content' and how 'content is king' on the Web, but as Curt Cloninger wrote in his article 'A Case for Web Storytelling' "content is not communication."
Content just lies there until it is delivered in some proactive manner, and plain text content on your website is as far from proactive as you can get. Stories must be communicated effectively if you want to deliver your intended message. Left alone, y
Guerilla marketing, targeted PR, SEO, electronic mail and online advertising give clients looking for media exposure a new arsenal for branding their firms that is diverse, inexpensive and effective--if handled the right way. These latest electronic branding techniques, combined with traditional PR methods have brought corporate visibility to a new level. Now any company can become newsworthy and every company can be in the consumer's eye.But getting the most for your marketing dollar still means staying focused. Maybe even more so now then when the most important tool used to spread news was the press release. That’s because there are so many options out there. And with complexity comes confusion.First, lets take a look at the evolution of the press release. There was a time when top-tier PR distribution companies changed annual membership. That meant putting out a release to editors and reporters who matter cost companies and PR agencies up to $1,000 or more per release.With a few exceptions, that’s all changed. But expect to pay as much a
'Let me try again. Does your husband beat you up?' he said impatiently.
'No, generally I get up before he does,' she said.
At this point the attorney decided to try a different tack. 'Ma'am, are you sure you really want a divorce?'
'I don't want one at all, but my husband does. He claims we have difficulty communicating.'"
It's a great story; it delivers everything a good story should communicate: a appoint-of-view, information, emotion, and truth about the human condition. The only thing that would make this story more effective is if it was delivered by a human voice that could add character, emphasis, and personality.
Marketing is nothing more than telling your story in an effective way that embeds your identity into the minds of your audience, connecting and communicating who you are, what you do, and why your audience should be doing it with you. Branding and positioning are the results, not the process.
So Tell Me A Story - It's All In the Delivery
One of the great storytellers of the last forty years is radio broadcaster and commentator, Paul Harvey. In his hay-day he had everything a great storyteller needed to make a memorable impression: the voice, the cadence, the attitude, the writing, and the 'schtick.'
He presented his commentaries as if he was reading the newspaper, even, reading off the page numbers when he came back from commercial, "Page Two." He would craft his stories by introducing the listener to a character in the most casual way, perhaps by referring to him or her by a diminutive first name. By the end of the story, he would tell you who this person really was and invariably it was someone famous, and the story he told revealed something unusual or hidden in this person's background. Each story had a strong point-of-view, and each commentary was ended with the tag line, "… and now you know the rest of the story." Paul Harvey's little radio commentaries are a quintessential example of Sonic Personality©
"Content is Not Communication"
Web experts are always talking about 'content' and how 'content is king' on the Web, but as Curt Cloninger wrote in his article 'A Case for Web Storytelling' "content is not communication."
Content just lies there until it is delivered in some proactive manner, and plain text content on your website is as far from proactive as you can get. Stories must be communicated effectively if you want to deliver your intended message. Left alone, y
The things that medical billing people take for granted. Open up your software, push a button, login. Push another button, get a patient menu. Push another button, pull up a patient. Click, click, click and the process goes on and on. Medical billers have no clue what is actually going on behind the scenes of their software. In the following installments and this is mainly for you tech heads, we're going to show you exactly what goes on behind the scenes with your medical billing software with the main parts of the system. To cover everything would take a lifetime.We'll be covering how patient files get put into the system and how they are ultimately access by a biller and placed into a work order to be billed. While this seems like a very simple process, it is actually quite complex and requires a lot of indexing and cross-referencing.Another thing we're going to cover is how a claim gets sent electronically. This is one of the mysteries of medical billing as this whole process is actually invisible. While you can see a patient being pul
So Tell Me A Story - It's All In the Delivery
One of the great storytellers of the last forty years is radio broadcaster and commentator, Paul Harvey. In his hay-day he had everything a great storyteller needed to make a memorable impression: the voice, the cadence, the attitude, the writing, and the 'schtick.'
He presented his commentaries as if he was reading the newspaper, even, reading off the page numbers when he came back from commercial, "Page Two." He would craft his stories by introducing the listener to a character in the most casual way, perhaps by referring to him or her by a diminutive first name. By the end of the story, he would tell you who this person really was and invariably it was someone famous, and the story he told revealed something unusual or hidden in this person's background. Each story had a strong point-of-view, and each commentary was ended with the tag line, "… and now you know the rest of the story." Paul Harvey's little radio commentaries are a quintessential example of Sonic Personality©
"Content is Not Communication"
Web experts are always talking about 'content' and how 'content is king' on the Web, but as Curt Cloninger wrote in his article 'A Case for Web Storytelling' "content is not communication."
Content just lies there until it is delivered in some proactive manner, and plain text content on your website is as far from proactive as you can get. Stories must be communicated effectively if you want to deliver your intended message. Left alone, y
If you have good team members then you can afford to rely on them to do their part, micromanagement will only bring grief. Most of us have a tendency to constantly check up on others to make sure the job is done correctly. I know at home most of us walk behind our children and try to get them to see it your way. This is a form of micromanagement and it should be left at home when you go into the office. If you are working with a Power Team, they are in business because they can do the job and do it right. Instead of putting on the micromanagement hat, try asking questions that will let you relax and let them get on with the job. The best way to do this is to set milestones for the project. These milestones will act as reminders of where you should be (and the team member) in the process. Your team member may also want to know what you are doing to support their work. The easiest route to take is to only use dependable people on your Power Team, use reminders and milestones for checking progress, and follow-through with any reporting. You should also m
"Content is Not Communication"
Web experts are always talking about 'content' and how 'content is king' on the Web, but as Curt Cloninger wrote in his article 'A Case for Web Storytelling' "content is not communication."
Content just lies there until it is delivered in some proactive manner, and plain text content on your website is as far from proactive as you can get. Stories must be communicated effectively if you want to deliver your intended message. Left alone, your audience will scan, skip, misinterpret and generally overlook the point you are trying to convey. The only effective way to make sure your audience doesn't misconstrue the message of your story is to deliver it in a human voice: one with character, cadence, accent, language, and an attitude that represents who you are. A story well told creates expectations and relevance; it creates image and identity, and it focuses on the business promise you must fulfill.
Fakers Need Not Apply
As good as your storyteller is, he or she cannot overcome a fake. You must be honest to who you are, and what you really do. Every business has a character, and an operational ethos. Trying to communicate a message that conflicts with that corporate character is a prescription for failure. Apple and Dell are both good companies, but Apple Computer is cutting-edge; Dell is not. Walmart and The Gap are both successful companies, but The Gap is cool and Walmart is Walmart. No matter how hard a company tries, they can't be something they are not, and trying can only create false expectations, confusion and failure.
A Blueprint for Creating Your Brand Story
Whether you write the story yourself, or you hire someone to write it for you, you must first gather the necessary material. The easiest way to collect material is to create a series of questions that when answered reveal the Brand Story. Think of the process as an interview.
The Brand Story Interview 1. What was the original vision of the company? 2. Who were the company's founding fathers? 3. How was the company started? 4. What was the guiding entrepreneurial philosophy? 5. Is there a creative genius or technical wizard behind your vision? 6. What is the big idea behind your product or service? 7. What does your product or service do for your target audience? 8. Does your vision rely on quality, cost, or uniqueness of your a. Products, b. Services, c. Knowledge, or d. Delivery system? 9. Has your focus changed since the company was founded? 10. What is your vision for the future?
Once the material is collected it must then be put into story form. You are not writing a research paper, nor are you creating ad copy. You are telling a story, and as such, it should be written as a story. If as suggested you're delivering the story using audio, you should write it for the spoken word and not for print. There are a variety of multimedia styles that can be used ranging from the radio commentary style of Paul Harvey to the PBS documentary style of Ken Burns featuring accompanying graphics and photography.
It's Not Just The Story, It's How You Tell It
If you've ever tried to tell a joke you heard from a professional comedian and messed it up, you know how important the telling of a story is. It's not just the words; it's the rhythm, cadence, accent, intonation, point-of-view, and attitude that makes the story funny, memorable, interesting or instructive.
Our previous article entitled 'The Sound of Business' goes into detail on how the concept of Sonic Personality© delivers marketing messages and Brand Stories in a compelling, inventive, entertaining, and memorable way. It explains the power of the human voice and the necessity of integrating it into your website.
The Medium Is the Message
It is hard to believe that there are
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