When I tell business people they need to bring out their inner actor in order to connect with customers and employees, someone (usually a lawyer) will inevitably ask, “What do you mean you want us to act? You want us to fake it? To pretend?” Absolutely not. That is not what acting is about. Not modern … Read more
It’s been said that people buy on emotion and justify with logic. I don’t have any facts to back up that assertion, but I believe it in my heart. Actually there’s been study after study showing how emotion often trumps reason when it comes to decision-making. So tapping into emotion is an important way to connect with audiences … Read more
I went to see the Book of Mormon on Sunday and it was as hilarious as everyone has said. But I was just as struck by something I saw in the program. It’s no secret that the church takes a lot of heat in this show. And this was their response: a series of full-page … Read more
The Internet has ruined quotations for me. I love inspirational quotes as much as the next guy. I even collected a bunch of them on the subject of communications and put them in a video. But enough is enough. Some people’s Twitter and Facebook feeds consist of nothing but famous quotations, often pasted over stirring … Read more
Such sad news this weekend. Josh Brent, a Dallas Cowboys football player, got into an accident that killed his best friend. On one hand, it’s another all-too-ordinary story of a drunk driving fatality. But something extraordinary happened. Something you hardly ever see when an individual or a company is accused of a crime. Brent immediately … Read more
I honestly don’t know how some social media “stars” keep up with it — tweeting, blogging, Facebooking constantly throughout the day. I’m fortunate to work for myself, and on days when I’m not in meetings or on a hot deadline, I can keep up okay. But in the past couple of months I’ve been traveling … Read more
SNL producer Lorne Michaels once famously said, “We don’t go on [the air] because we’re ready, we go on because it’s 11:30.” I cited that in my book as a lesson for business: big public events drive accountability. Too often it’s easy to let deadlines slide, but when you’re standing up in front of shareholders … Read more
Marketing, of course, is all about knowing your audience. And there’s probably nothing that takes more sensitivity than marketing to families who have lost a loved one. This is a solicitation I received promoting video/photography services at Arlington National Cemetery, where my father will be buried next month. I can’t figure out if it offends … Read more
LinkedIn Answers is a pretty neat tool. People post questions on certain topics, like PR or Writing, and the LinkedIn universe offers answers. It’s a great way to get your questions answered and it’s useful for people who want to position themselves as experts (and enjoy the karmic benefits of helping others). Sometimes people post … Read more
I’ll be on the radio this morning (Thursday the 26th) talking Act Like You Mean Business on All Sides with Ann Fisher (WOSU Columbus Public Radio). We’ll be going for an hour and taking questions from callers. You can listen online and hear some of the best lessons from the book brought to life. Tune in at … Read more