A further sign of fiscal desperation in the newspaper industry?

I love my iPad. 

I have become hooked on reading my morning issue of The Washington Post on my iPad. And the digital access hasn't cost anything extra to our home delivery subscription of the paper.

But of course, the home delivery is now costing us over $60 every eight weeks, while a household digital subscription by itself would cost only $30 for that same period.

So, over the past few months I have lobbied my wife for us to make the change. She is certainly no digital Luddite. She has balked at the proposal because, rightfully so, she has been unhappy with the look and function of the digital version of The Post on her smaller-screened Kindle.

Obvious husband solution: buy her an iPad for Xmas. To which, together with my daughter, we did.

Susanne loves her new iPad (btw, ahem, hers has a retina screen which mine doesn't . . .), and I just got the green light from her to switch the household to the money-saving digital subscription of The Post.

So I called the Post's subscription line, and everything proceeded fine with the rep on the other end of the phone. Then, to my surprise, she offered the following: She said that since we've been such loyal customers (ok, ok), she could offer us a special promotion, valid til Dec. 31st, where we could get the digital subscription AND keep the home delivery, for a year, at a cost that works out to less that $11.50 per month -- yeah, about $3.50 less per month than the digital subscription alone.

Huh? Well, once I confirmed that there were no catches, and discussed it with my wife, I took the offer. (Ok, yes, we do feel a bit guilty about the additional trees we'll be killing, but they are now at least using some recycled material for the printed paper)

Why is The Post offering to give us both services for less than the digital alone?

Well, my wife got it quicker than I. She said it's because this arrangement allows The Post to officially count us as both a print and a digital subscriber -- which is important to them when presenting to potential advertisers. 

Now, we've been getting free copies delivered to us of the Sunday issue of The Baltimore Sun for awhile now, but what does it say about the newspaper industry's present business model that The Post feels they have to in effect, pay us, to take the printed issue?

Whew, thank god, I guess, at least for The Washington Post's sake, that someone with deep pockets, online savvy, and patience, like Amazon's Jeff Bezos is taking over the helm.

Oh, and P.S. he may want to do something to address my wife's concerns about how The Post functions on her Kindle.

P.P.S. In talking with my daughter (the Economics major) about this, she said, "Well, the physical paper can act as a "brand reminder" that you have a digital Post account, what with so many free online sources for news available." Hmmm, I can see that Mr. Bezos indeed has a BIG challenge on his hands to make money with this new generation of young adults.

Some Tips for Improving Your Writing

At one of my recent presentations about online marketing, someone in the audience asked for some advice on improving her writing. Here are some tips I passed along:

* First, I complimented the person who asked the question on being able to make that assessment of herself. And I also congratulated her on her desire to do something about it. There are far too many people who delude themselves otherwise.

* My foremost bit of advice is the same that we tell our kids: Read. Read anything you want . . . just READ. There is a huge correlation between voracious readers and good writers. And it's never too late to start.

* Take advantage of today's technologies and have a way to start a scratch document whenever and wherever the Muse strikes you. I personally like the cloud note application, Evernote. I write a sales and marketing column for a media industry association, and whenever an idea or a paragraph comes into my head, I can access Evernote on any of my devices.

* When you get to the point of writing that first draft, try to do it during a time and at a place where you are not feeling pressured. I realize that office settings and deadlines may limit your ability to control this, but be creative. Some suggestions that work for me: Write during the noon hour when others are out of the office at lunch and the phone is less likely to ring. If need be, find a space where you can get some privacy, like an unoccupied conference room. If the document is large, such as a proposal, see if you can telecommute and write from home for awhile before heading into the office

* When writing, err on the side of using more paragraphs, at least during the first draft. You can always consolidate them later if needed. You will find that this helps keep you laser-focused on what you are trying to say. This is a good tip to keep in mind when you are writing for the web as well. Studies have shown that readers on the web tend to click away when they see large blocks of text.

* Take advantage of the capabilities of the modern-day word processor and edit, edit, edit.  True geniuses might be able to write masterpieces in one take, but the rest of us mere mortals are served well when we take the time to edit carefully. Accept this concept. It's ok.

* Make a game of editing. Since the goal is to use as few words as possible, find some clever way to reward yourself for every word you extract. (For me, when I'm working on one of my columns, every fifty words I cut out entitles me to buy another song on iTunes.)

* Intersperse your writing and editing with breaks. Fresh eyes will help you catch errors or awkward phrasing. I like to put drafts away for overnight if possible. If the situation won't allow for that (like when writing emails), then I get up for a few minutes or move on to something else for awhile before returning to the piece.

* When you think it's all ready, read your final draft out loud one last time. Yes, out loud (quietly if in the presence of others). The point is to move your lips. If you stumble, it's usually a sign that a phrase or sentence is awkwardly worded. Fix it.

* A note about presentation. Ok, I am not rabid about this, but I urge folks to write using Arial or Helvetica or some similar font. Here's my hypothesis on this: If you think of black text as being resistance to eye flow, then a non-serif type allows for faster reading.

* Finally, you should have in your library of reference books, "On Writing Well - The Classic Guide to Writing Nonfiction," by William Zinsser. It's available on Amazon for less than $10. Most of what I have written above stems from his insights and tips. And he has plenty more to share.

There's a prize at the end of all this . . . It's called, FUN. Yes, once you lose the fear and get your writing on track, you start enjoying it. And don't think your readers won't start noticing that. It won't be long before you too earn the reputation of being a good writer.

Are You Staying Curious -- About the Tech?

adapted from my "Sales and Marketing Minute" column for the quarterly TIVA newsletter.

Recently I wrote an article concentrating on the importance of staying genuinely curious about other people in order to enhance your sales activities.

In this article I want to once again write about being curious -- but this time with a focus on your approach toward expanding your tech knowledge.

I believe we are today in the midst of unprecedented change within the media field, much like the evolving role of personal computing in the 80’s, the expansion of appliances after World War II, cars in the 1920’s, electricity in the 1890’s, trains in the 1870’s . . . you get my point.

In each one of the above, there was first a speculative bubble that quickly burst, and then from the ashes slowly rose a phoenix of unprecedented change and growth.  Sound familiar to what happened in our industry with the internet boom and bust ten years ago . . . and today?

When I got into the media field as a producer and director, one could contemplate having a successful career in the media field without being too technical.  In fact, one might actually have felt discouraged from having an interest in the tech side back then.  It was often considered the purview of a select geek fraternity . . . a feeling further bolstered sometimes by crazy union rules.  Plus money was not as tight as it is today, so strong divisions between the producers / directors units and production / engineering teams could be tolerated.

But that has all changed.

With the democratization of media technology, relaxation of union rules, and today’s financial pressures, one cannot succeed if they are a Luddite when it comes to technology. For example, most stations and production companies today want to hire producers who can at least do their own rough-cut editing – if not also be able to shoot as well.

But how about today’s salesperson? 

I read an article in the Washington Post Business section last year that I thought was most  insightful.  It was titled, “Death of a Salesman.  Of lots and lots of them, actually.” In it, writer James Ledbetter said that from a sociological viewpoint, as the middle class that our parents knew continues to shrink in our society, the “classic” salesperson – those who can make reasonably high salaries “but [who] typically don’t require technical training or other specialized skills” is also shrinking.

Ledbetter goes on to say that the biggest reason for the drop in salespeople now is of course the internet.  That has eliminated one of the historical sacred roles of “classic” salespersons, that of being a gatekeeper, the guild-like exclusivity of access to information and products.   But now once online, people can get almost any information they desire (usually for free) and go right to the manufacturer online, bypassing any middle person.

So for today’s salesperson to be successful, he or she has to bring added value to any equation.  And in addition to delivering exceptional customer service, that means also being a reliable technical advisor.

I am not saying media salespeople have to now have an electrical engineering or computer science degree (although having those would certainly be an advantage), but I do believe we need to “up our game” quite a bit. For example, I have a rule of thumb that we need to be able to answer at least four initial tech questions from prospects before invoking the phrase “let me get one of our technical staff to join us in the conversation.”

And the goal should then be to make it five questions, six, etc. until you can answer all of a prospect’s tech questions by yourself.

OK, so you may not be a bonafide geek, and you may not have an advanced technical certification or degree.  But you at least want to be curious.  So ask questions of your staff engineers and production staff, cultivate your own network of tech gurus, read articles, and challenge yourself to attend tech-oriented networking events.  Don’t worry, no one is going to laugh at you.  Today, chances are your interest will be appreciated, and guess what, you will soon likely have a reputation as a “tech-savvy salesperson.”

David Ryan is the Marketing Director for Chesapeake Systems, an East Coast-based IT-centric media systems integrator.

Are You Staying Curious?

adapted from my "Sales and Marketing Minute" column for the quarterly TIVA newsletter.

Somehow there exists the stereotypical notion that gregarious, extroverted people make for the best salespeople.

Mind you, there is nothing wrong with being gregarious or extroverted, but I would argue that success as a salesperson is determined more by another trait, that of being curious.

I am talking about a mindset where one is excited to learn new things, which includes a genuine (appropriate of course) interest about other people.

In our interactions with others, we can usually sense whether someone is pretending to be interested in what we do or not.  It’s hard to fake it.  We might call such people self-centered, pompous, egotistical, insincere or elitist . . . not good adjectives for a salesperson.

Conversely, when someone shows genuine interest in what we do, we can pick up on that as well.  And we tend to think positively about such people.  We might say there are friendly, unassuming, understanding or appreciative.

We also might say that person is a good listener. 

Bingo.  I think that’s one of the best compliments anyone can receive.  You can’t be genuinely curious without also being a good listener.

It’s relatively easy to show interest within our inner circle of family, friends and co-workers, but successful marketers and salespersons need to have that same level of genuine interest when meeting people they have never met before.

One of my marketing & sales “gurus,” Robert Middleton of Action Plan Marketing, (www.actionplan.com) has a phrase he uses when talking about sales attitude.  His mantra is, “It’s not about me, it’s about you.”

And I add to that, “Everyone, yes, everyone has an interesting story to tell.”

(And let’s be honest here. This isn’t really something new.  The essence of what Robert and I are talking about was first made popular by Dale Carnegie in his 1936 book, “How to Win Friends & Influence People.”  We’ve both just added our own modern-day experiences to that formula.)

Here’s a practical example of how I apply my “stay curious” philosophy:

Do you like to attend networking events?  When I ask this at seminars or panels, there usually are not a lot of hands that get raised.  Most people don’t like networking events because 1) they fear having to interact with a whole bunch of strangers and 2) they dread that they’ll have to “perform” and recite their elevator speech with false excitement, ad nauseum.

I approach networking events totally differently.

Instead of thinking of it as being like a dreaded fraternity or sorority rush party where one is judged, I consider such events more like going to the library and having to choose between a whole table full of new interesting titles to read.

And with that attitude, what does being gregarious or outgoing have to do with choosing an exciting book?

In fact, I posit that introverted folks may actually do better at networking events, because they might be best suited to let others do most of the talking.  The important thing is to be genuinely curious while listening. 

Don’t worry, the opportunity will arise soon enough where you can talk about what you do.  And by that time in the conversation, you can probably talk about yourself in a more relaxed manner than having to spout out a canned elevator speech.  The end result is that when you hand out your card while ending the conversation, people will likely ascribe to you the positive, not negative, adjectives I mentioned above. The result will be one more positive addition to your growing network.

Feel free to comment below or write me at dryan@chesa.com.

When the Sun Got Stuck: A Fable for Leaders and Their Teams

My good friend Richard Russey has just released a 28-page book that can serve as an excellent starting point for any group discussion about leadership styles.

The title of the book is, "When the Sun Got Stuck - A Fable for Leaders and Their Teams," and I highly recommend you check it out.

It's available on Amazon (both Kindle and print - the Kindle version is $6.99 and allows you to preview the book).

I had the pleasure of working with Richard for a period of over six years when he was a client of mine starting back around 2000.

He was the leader of a team managing a wide range of services for the Head Start Bureau, and I was the point person for a company that supported Richard's efforts by producing informational videos and live training videoconferences.

We all have a tendency to categorize clients in some fashion. A popular taxonomy is labeling a client "A", "B", or "C."

Throughout our professional relationship, I considered Richard an "A" client because:

• He knew what he wanted,
• But he was always open to suggestions.
• Yet when the time came, he wasn't afraid to make decisions.
• And finally, while watchful of budget, he knew the difference between the lowest price and the best value.

And I assure you, while it may not be as tough as combat, live television to thousands of downlinks around the country, transmitting concurrently in both English and Spanish, has a way of testing leadership skills. Throughout it all, Richard was a true gentleman and professional, and he earned my utmost respect.

By coincidence, I have been reading Walter Isaacson's biography of Steve Jobs, and while there is a tendency to idolize the latter's accomplishments, I can't help thinking that the life-changing effects he brought about didn't have to leave so much antipathy and "carnage." In other words, you don't have to be a jerk to be a successful leader.

Again, Richard's book is not a lengthy tome dissecting leadership. There are plenty of college textbooks, military training manuals and best-selling self-help books that do that. Richard's fable instead might best be seen as good required reading before a half-day seminar or retreat - or before he speaks at your next event. (Yes, Richard is a veteran speaker about leadership styles to a wide range of groups).

Readers will see that Richard kindly acknowledges my influence on his writing, along with others, at the beginning of his book by thanking me "for wisely suggesting I write a blog as a means of helping to productively fill the hours, days, and months during a time of painful unemployment." Again, a sign of a good leader - to my second point above, one who is always open to suggestions. Good leaders are not afraid to take stock and reinvent themselves, and this book by Richard is a testament to his ability to do that.

 

Is Your Elevator Speech "About Me"?

from my Sales & Marketing Minute column for the TIVA newsletter 

We all know what an elevator speech is, right?

It's based on the premise that you have a brief time (the length of an elevator ride) to tell someone about yourself and what you do, in an impactful way.

But if you have been following my marketing musings over the years, you know that seems to fly right into the face of my main credo, "It's not about me, it's about you."

So, am I against elevator speeches? 

Certainly not, because there is a way to make an elevator speech (and in fact, one that's more effective) that follows my guiding tenet.

Compare the two following answers to the question, "So, I hear you are from Washington, DC. What do you do?"

A: "I am a video producer with over 20 years experience creating award-winning high-end programs for broadcast, corporate, government and association clients."

B: "We work with a diverse range of clients, and we help get them unstuck when they are frustrated in trying to get complex messages out to the public. We specialize in doing that through video, with results ranging from a 50% to 100% increase in website traffic."

Which one do you think will elicit the question, "Hmm, that sounds interesting, tell me more?" At first read, there seems nothing wrong with "A", right? Might actually sound likes what's on your resume. But alas, look at it again . . . It's a dud. It's screams, "about ME!"

"B" is much better because: 1) it deflects the attention from "me" (Oh, and notice I used the royal "we" to emphasize that further) 2) it clearly states a problem that is solved, and 3) it states results. Who wouldn't be interested in hearing more about increasing traffic to their website by 50% - 100%?

Still a bit unclear? Ok, Here's another approach I have found to be successful in helping folks develop an effective elevator speech:

Get yourself into an almost meditative state, and concentrate on the following terms: "pain relief" and "disaster avoidance." Keep asking yourself, "What do I do that addresses either one or both of those two phrases for my clients?"

(Hint: Think of home cleaning services. Their "pain relief" is obvious. 24-hour plumbers? Again, "pain relief." People who sell business security systems? "Disaster avoidance." Tax preparers? Both "pain relief" and "disaster avoidance" providers. OK, you get the picture.)

Now, while your services in the media field may not be as "critical" as a plumber's during a sewage back-up, you still want to find a way to phrase your elevator speech in those terms. Again, what "pain relief" or "disaster avoidance" services do you provide?

In conclusion, sure, creating an effective elevator speech is not easy. We are most comfortable talking about ourselves, and so it's counter-intuitive not to do so when asked, "What do you do?" But I assure you, if you keep honing a message that:

* takes the emphasis away from "me" and concentrates on the type of client you work with

* clarifies what pain you relieve and/or disaster you prevent

* and states measurable results you can deliver

you will start to view the elevator speech, and marketing in general, in a whole new light.

What is the difference between Sales and Marketing?

adapted from my "Sales and Marketing Minute" column for the quarterly TIVA newsletter.

Answering this can be a bit tough. It’s kind of like the question we media folks often get asked at family gatherings, “So tell me, David, what really is the difference between a Producer and a Director?"

Nevertheless, there are lots of analogies people use to explain the difference between sales and marketing. One of the marketing gurus I follow, Robert Middleton of Action Plan Marketing, likens the process to a baseball diamond, with marketing being the challenge of getting from home to second base, at which point the sales process takes over and further develops as one rounds third and slides into home.

Here’s another analogy that I often use: I am a history nut, so I like to present an example from our colonial heritage and our leading founding father, George Washington. 

We all remember from our school days that George Washington as a young man was a surveyor and militia leader out in western Virginia and Maryland. He routinely traveled back to the colonial capital of Williamsburg to make official reports. Now, imagine the tall, confident young man at the tavern during those evenings in Williamsburg. Was he marketing or selling when he told about the fertile lands to the west with robust rivers and abundant game? 

He was marketing. 

Washington actually owned many tracts of that land. So when people decided to move west and were interested in settling on his properties, he then became a salesperson. 

(Anyone who has studied Washington’s life closely knows that it wasn’t that simple or easy for him, but you get the idea.)

You can start to see how marketing might be more obtuse, more of a challenge to “wrap your head around.” We’ve heard it before from our CEOs, especially in this current economy: “We need to concentrate more on sales and less on marketing right now!” I can certainly understand that sentiment. 

But I maintain that it is critical to continue both activities in order to be successful.

As you work with clients over the next few weeks, keep asking yourself, “Is this activity marketing or sales?” Recognizing the difference is an excellent first step. 

Feel free to comment below or write me at dryan@chesa.com.