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Visibility, Credibility, and Growth.

From media strategy to reputation management, we explore the trends shaping public perception and share the approaches that drive measurable results for growing brands.

Storytelling: The Power of Persuading an Audience

I would like to share with you a recent article I read about effective persuasion by Lisa Lai, an advisor, consultant and coach for some of the world’s most successful leaders. Lai argues that in order to persuade an audience you must focus on either winning their hearts or their minds – and that to do both at the same time actually makes you less influential. If that sounds confusing, read on.

In her article, Lai suggests that you can persuade an audience by either:

 

  • Connecting with people emotionally, on a personal level, to your idea or position.
  • Using logic, well-articulated positioning and analysis in favor of your idea.

 

She recommends that you should heavily focus your argument on using just one technique, depending on the circumstances of the situation. Doing both at the same time ultimately makes you less convincing because you won’t have a solid foundation to build your argument from.

The article and Lai’s recommendations really got me thinking about the art of persuasion. Like other art forms there are many ways to practice it and you can get results by using a variety of techniques, just as artists do. Artists always have a plan when they conceive a piece of work, but may use many techniques to create it. For example, a painter may hold a paintbrush a certain way to achieve his desired stroke on a canvas, while another painter may hold the same paintbrush a different way, but achieve the same brush stroke – the same result, a different approach.

Lai’s recommendations are solid, but sometimes your technique for persuading your audience won’t always be so black and white.

Take storytelling, for example. Storytelling is inherent to what we do in PR, and crafting a clear story that compels journalists and their readers to probe deeper into a company or a product I represent is what I love to do. Often this requires appealing to my audiences’ hearts and minds.

For example, in a recent pitch that I sent to a journalist, I researched news, studies, statistics and data (logic) that would prove as evidence for why my client’s products/services benefited a particular audience, and then I tied that research and data to something that the audience could relate to; that the readers (of the journalist’s publication) would ultimately care about (emotional). Journalists tell stories that their readers care about, but they also want evidence to back it up. The pitch was effective and persuasive because it landed an article about my client’s services in front of their target audience.

Whether you’re actually speaking with someone verbally or using written form (e.g., email) as the vehicle for communicating with your audience, here are three tips that I’ve learned along the way for developing a persuasive story:

 

  • Blend data with an emotional hook. In my experience, sometimes it’s the emotional aspect of a story that draws people in, but it’s the numbers or data that convinces them that your story is legitimate.
  • Think critically and creatively. I have learned that bringing key story elements together and then breaking them apart, again and again can help you get down to the core of the story.
  • Know your audience. No matter how I go about my creative process I always have a plan of where I want to go with a story, where I envision it will end, what it will look like, the overarching thesis of the story, as well as an idea of who my audience will be. Knowing who your audience is, and the best way to reach them, is key.

 

MAIN TAKEAWAY – There are a variety of approaches you can use to persuade an audience and using the power of storytelling can be an effective tool. Ultimately, in order to persuade your audience, you have to make them care.

 

For more of information and perspective on effective storytelling, check out these posts:

 

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One-Two Punch of Product and Corporate News Results in Knockout Coverage for Smartsheet

 

April and May were incredibly busy months for our client Smartsheet, a fast-growing Eastside company that has been a client of Communiqué’s for more than three years.

Smartsheet makes a spreadsheet-inspired collaborative work management tool that is used by millions of people worldwide. Its software pairs the familiar, easy to use spreadsheet interface with capabilities like file sharing, work automation, Gantt chart features and integration with cloud productivity tools.  More than 61,000 companies use Smartsheet (including Communiqué PR!) to collaborate, plan and execute activities such as marketing campaigns, product launches, business operations, manufacturing processes, strategic planning and HR initiatives.

To set the stage, let’s look at some of the major announcements from April and May:

  • In April, the company issued a customer round-up announcement highlighting how event planners in the sporting world are using Smartsheet to manage large-scale events like the Super Bowl, NCAA Final Four, Mayweather/Pacquiao, and others.
  • This was followed by Smartsheet’s participation at Microsoft’s popular Build conference in San Francisco, where Smartsheet launched the beta version of Smartsheet for Outlook, which was showcased in the Microsoft Office keynote address.
  • Mark Mader, Smartsheet’s CEO and president, was selected as a semi-finalist for the prestigious EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® 2015 Award in the Pacific Northwest region.
  • Smartsheet was selected as a “Cool Vendor” in the Program and Portfolio (PPM) report by Gartner.
  • Smartsheet issued a corporate milestone announcement (“Smartsheet Achieves 80 Percent YoY Increase for Fifth Straight Year, Increases Footprint in Enterprise Accounts”) highlighting revenue and corporate growth, and customer wins/expansions.

This one-two punch of customer/corporate momentum combined with product news proved to be a knockout for Smartsheet in terms of media interest and coverage.

We were also able to leverage some really unique customer use cases for Smartsheet in our media outreach, such as Top Rank Boxing, the promotions/production house behind the hugely anticipated Mayweather/Pacquiao match. In a customer profile in FierceCIO, Brad Jacobs of Top Rank explained that he relies on Smartsheet to manage more than 250 critical tasks associated with producing an event, including items like making sure that an ambulance – and a backup ambulance – are scheduled before boxing matches get underway.

The coverage mix for Smartsheet in April and May spanned national press, local outlets and tech/trade press, which helped to reach the wide array of organizations using the tool, as well as prospects considering it. Many Windows and Microsoft-focused outlets covered the Smartsheet for Outlook launch, with local media, including the Seattle Times and The Puget Sound Business Journal, covering the corporate momentum news.

There was also an executive profile in Business Insider of Smartsheet’s co-founder and CMO Brent Frei.  Enterprise reporter Eugene Kim spoke with Frei about his experience growing up on a farm in Idaho and discussed how much of what Frei learned as a farmer could be easily applied to his life now, at a tech company.  For example, putting in hard day’s work, being creative with whatever tools you have on hand, and having broad, versatile knowledge that can be applied in different areas, are just a few of the attributes that Frei brings to his work at Smartsheet.

Here’s a snapshot of some of the great coverage Communiqué secured for Smartsheet in April and May:

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Uber-Cool Creative Campaigns

Perhaps one of the most enjoyable tactics in the PR and marketing tool bag is the creative campaign. We’ve all seen brilliant examples of well-produced, creative brand campaigns which lead to massive brand awareness and adoption.

Possibly the most successful creative campaign in recent history is “The Man Your Man Could Smell Like,” conceived by Weiden + Kennedy and launched in 2010 in an effort to transform Old Spice from a fuddy-duddy brand into one that’s cool and hip.

The campaign launched as a series of TV commercials over Super Bowl weekend and continued as a combined video / Tweet campaign. After all was said and done, campaign impressions topped 1 billion and sales soared. In fact, the company claimed “more people watched its videos in 24 hours than those who watched Obama’s presidential victory speech.”

The one company today who consistently uses creative campaigns as a means to drive market share and mindshare – and does it brilliantly – is Uber. It’s hard to believe that this $41 billion powerhouse began just six years ago, when its founder, Travis Kalanick, had difficulty locating a taxi in Paris during a trade show. Since that time, Uber has taken the world by storm, thanks to creative marketing, dogged persistence and an uncanny ability to understand and deliver just what their target markets want. Here are a few of my favorite Uber campaigns:

#uberKITTENS

In October 2013 and 2014, Uber teamed up with local ASPCA organizations in large metropolitan cities to deliver kittens ($30 for 15 minutes of cuddle time), with proceeds benefiting local animal shelters. And of course, patrons were given the option of adopting the kittens.

#UberSpringCleaning

A recent campaign email that made the rounds at the Communiqué offices was the May Spring Cleaning partnership between Uber and Goodwill. Uber users in over 50 cities in the U.S. were offered free pick- up and delivery to Goodwill of items for donation. A win-win-win situation.

UberAngels

In response to low smartphone penetration in Columbia, Uber came up with a unique campaign to help combat alcohol-related traffic fatalities while at the same time gaining market share. Called UberAngels, the service operated during peak night-time hours and offered patrons a ride home in their own car. Cost for the service: 10,000 Columbian pesos, or the equivalent of $4.50.

UberEats

In December 2014, after almost constant opposition from policy-makers and taxi companies, Uber all but ceased operations in Spain. But then the company came up with a new idea: food delivery. Based on UberFresh, a similar service offered by Uber in California, Barcelona-based Uber drivers now deliver fresh, prepared meals for about €10 plus €2.50 delivery fee (or less than $15).

UberSuperCar

In order to make inroads in Singapore, with its sophisticated public transit system and large number of high net worth individuals, Uber came up with the idea of UberSuperCar. For S$165 to S$200 (approximately $125 to $150) patrons were offered a 15-minute ride in a Maserati or Lamborghini, and then S$7 (or $5) per minute thereafter.

In addition to the above, there are countless other creative campaigns Uber has implemented, many on a global scale. The popularity of these campaigns and the resulting buzz generated in the media and on social channels ensures that Uber is top of mind. It’s no wonder the company name is now used as a verb! Check out UberIceCream, UberTree, and UberSleigh for more super cool ideas.

Uber Spin Offs

Given the success of Uber, it’s not surprising that there are a multitude of copycats out there. The New York Times recently ran a story with the headline, “There’s an Uber for Everything Now”, and indeed it seems there is.

From the article: “Washio is for having someone do your laundry, Sprig and SpoonRocket cook your dinner and Shyp will mail things out so you don’t have to brave the post office. Zeel delivers a massage therapist (complete with table). Heal sends a doctor on a house call, while Saucey will rush over alcohol. And by Jeeves, cutesy names are part of the schtick—Dufl will pack your suitcase and Eaze will re-up a medical marijuana supply.”

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Uber should really be feeling the love.

What are your favorite creative campaigns? Drop us a line and let us know!

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Reflecting on Our Work With Mobidia

Losing a client can be a tough pill to swallow, but knowing that the loss is due to the client’s successful transition or achievement of a significant milestone can provide the spoonful of sugar to make the medicine go down easier. Such was the case with Mobidia, a leading provider of mobile measurement and analytics and one of Communiqué PR’s valued clients over the past eight or so years.

Coming off an enormously successful 2014—which saw placement for Mobidia in over 180 articles and in many national press outlets such as Forbes, the Wall Street Journal, FierceWireless, TechCrunch and Telecompetitor—we were saddened last month to receive word that our firm would no longer be working to drive awareness of its mobile data platform and consumer app, My Data Manager. The company was in the final stages of negotiations around the terms of an acquisition, and we recently learned that Mobidia was joining the corporate family of its direct competitor—App Annie. We had always known that acquisition was an end goal for Mobidia, so while we experienced the disappointment of an unexpected breakup, we were also excited for our friends at the company and proud that our work contributed to this next stage in its life cycle.

Our relationship with Mobidia began in 2008, providing project work to the startup, which at the time wanted to promote its data software platform to mobile telecoms in order to increase network efficiency and enhance subscriber and service policy solutions. During this early stage of our engagement, we helped the company drive awareness by providing strategic counsel, developing press releases around the performance results of its software platform carrier trials, and conducting outreach to media around key news. We also implemented an analyst relations campaign to help increase the company’s profile leading up to Mobile World Congress 2009, securing briefings with eight analysts and analyst quotes that Mobidia Senior Vice President Chris Hill considered “instrumental” in helping the company prepare for its campaign at the event. For more about this effort, check out “Mobidia & Our Results Working with Industry Analysts.”

Over time, our work with Mobidia expanded in conjunction with mobile subscribers’ increased reliance on data-driven tools such as smartphones and tablets. Responding to this growing cultural trend, Mobidia pivoted its marketing efforts from targeting telecoms, with which it had successfully built strong relationships, to providing tools to wireless subscribers that help to monitor data usage and prevent bill shock. In 2010 we helped Mobidia build its foundation by developing key messages, successfully continued our analyst campaign, and began positioning executives as thought leaders by placing byline articles about solutions for mobile operators to manage the growth in data traffic.

Mobidia’s main commodity both for industry and consumer audiences is the data it gathers from users of its My Data Manager app. Capitalizing on this valuable information and the rise of mobile apps, we continued to expand our strategies, incorporating the pursuit of awards and proactive pitching to journalists who actively write using mobile usage data. By employing this mix of strategies and building on what we had learned from previous years, we were able to drive increased coverage for Mobidia year over year, culminating in the previously mentioned 180 articles in 2014. In addition, we secured 10 briefings with journalists and analysts in 2014—excluding company or product news—many of which contributed to increased sales of the company’s data.

While we will miss the opportunity to continue achieving great coverage for Mobidia, we are proud to know that our efforts contributed to its reputation as a respected leader in the mobile data space and, ultimately, an attractive acquisition for App Annie. We look forward to watching as Mobidia’s role in the App Annie family continues to evolve and wish the team all the best in the future.

To learn more about the strategies we employed on behalf of Mobidia over the years, we have highlighted our work and key milestones for the company in numerous blog posts available on the Communiqué PR website.

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Will Facebook’s “Instant Articles” Change How We Consume the News?

Since the advent of the Internet, news outlets have been looking for innovative ways to monetize their content and cope with readers transitioning to digital news consumption. The rise of digital content coupled with increased social media use has led to a shift in how people consume the news today.

Capitalizing on the changing consumption preferences, Facebook recently announced Instant Articles, a feature that will directly host articles from news publications. Thus far, five American publications and four European outlets have agreed to the deal—these include NBC News, BuzzFeed, National Geographic, The Atlantic, The Times, The Guardian, BBC News, Bild and Spiegel Online.

According to Facebook, Instant Articles was designed “to give publishers control over their stories, brand experience and monetization opportunities.” The new feature will give publishers the ability to track data and traffic through comScore and other analytics tools, a considerable opportunity given the 1.4 billion users Facebook boasts. Instant Articles will also allow readers to view the articles up to ten times faster since they will appear directly in news feeds, as opposed to requiring users to click a link to load a different site—possibly incentivizing users to actually read more articles.

Despite these seemingly robust opportunities, this change has brought about mixed emotions, similar to that of the transition from print to digital. Publishers are wary of losing control of their content and are particularly skeptical of Facebook’s “autonomous” algorithm, which has seen quite a few changes in recent years. However, directly hosting content on social media platforms illustrates a previously untapped resource for news outlets. This is an opportunity for publishers to utilize the platforms to push their content to users who are already on the social media sites.

Social media has become quite a powerful tool. Twitter and Facebook are two of the largest discovery channels, and many people use both as resources for current events. In fact, according to a survey last year by the Pew Research Center, 48 percent of American Internet users accessed political and governmental news on Facebook during the course of a week, nearly the same as those who viewed this news on local television.

Clearly digital content and social media are having a large impact on how we consume news, and while publishers may be wary of Instant Articles and Facebook’s true motives, there’s an opportunity to capitalize on the changing landscape and stay ahead of the curve. I am interested to see how the early adopters fare, what the implications will be for journalists, and if this will change how PR pros interact with the media.

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Should Your Next Pitch Target an Algorithm Rather Than a Human?

With just one month left in the quarter, corporate earnings season is right around the corner and chances are the next quarterly earnings article you read will not be written by a business reporter, but by automation software.

In 2014, The Associated Press (AP) began using a platform called Wordsmith to automate the writing of earnings reports. Wordsmith, which was developed by Automated Insights, uses natural language generation to turn raw earnings data from Zacks Investment Research into a story, in AP style no less.

Before Wordsmith, the AP estimated that it was producing quarterly earnings coverage for approximately 300 companies. For context, at the end of 2013 there were approximately 5,000 public companies traded on major U.S. stock exchanges, each required by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to file their quarterly and annual corporate earnings reports.

With the new automated system, the AP has been able to produce 3,750 earnings reports every quarter – more than 10 times its usual capacity. Of those, only a fraction need a human touch, either by updating the original story or by writing a separate follow-up article.

Recently, NPR put Wordsmith to the test, going head to head against the algorithm to recap Denny’s Corporation’s first quarter earnings report. Following below are the two stories – one written by veteran NPR reporter Scott Horsley in seven minutes, the other written by Wordsmith in two minutes:

Which Denny’s earnings story did you like better? The differences are pretty obvious, but spoiler alert: the first story was written by Wordsmith and the second by Horsley.

Earlier this year, the AP announced it would further streamline its reporting by using Wordsmith to write sports stories as well, mainly college baseball and some college basketball and football stories.

So will platforms like Wordsmith mean an end to journalism? Not so fast.

On the surface, it may seem like Wordsmith could easily do the job of a business or sports reporter. For data-driven, just-the-facts reporting, automating stories like earnings reports and game summaries would seem like a logical progression and Wordsmith clearly does the job.

However, articles requiring any kind of “color” still require a journalist’s expertise, intuition and uncanny ability to tell a story. According to the AP, automation has “freed up valuable reporting time and reduced the amount of data-processing type work.” In turn, automation could allow reporters to focus on writing bigger stories.

Where automation could have greater impact is in the general arena of content creation. As a result of the escalating need for content and the increasing appetite to consume it, Wordsmith now generates millions of content pieces every week for partners that include Allstate, Comcast and Yahoo!

A quote from Automated Insights CEO Robbie Allen in a March 2015 WIRED article sums up best where the future of content creation could be headed:

“We sort of flip the traditional content creation model on its head. Instead of one story with a million page view[s], we’ll have a million stories with one page view each.”

How do you think technologies like Wordsmith will impact journalists and/or content creators?

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