Creating messages for your company? Don’t be too specific. Because your message needs to last at least a year if you want it to penetrate the minds of your target audiences. Got six separate product messages? Great. They all ladder up to … [Read more...] about Don’t limit yourself
Tell me more…
My genius friend has the best way of dealing with people who bring dumb, nonsensical or useless ideas to her. She just says, “Tell me more” and then watches them tie themselves into knots trying to add depth and justification to an idea when there’s … [Read more...] about Tell me more…
Don’t drown in the details
“Don't confuse me with the facts!” “The confused customer does not buy.” When you make your prospective customer feel stupid, when you drown them in details, they will find a way to make it YOUR fault that they don’t understand. And it IS your … [Read more...] about Don’t drown in the details
What should I do first?
You want to become a better communicator. But there are so many things to work on. Where should you start? With your audience. To be more specific: with how what you do/know really helps your audience. I have worked with people who are super … [Read more...] about What should I do first?
Overcoming a failure of imagination
Right now in the tech industry everyone is up to their eyeballs trying to envision how generative AI will change their businesses. As ChatGPT and large language models get embedded into and change the things we use every day, the companies who … [Read more...] about Overcoming a failure of imagination
AI needs elastic messages
847 years ago when we at Sun Microsystems launched the Java technology, not long after Netscape launched the first browser, one of our biggest worries was creating messages for something that was too new to define. As the PR person, I had to create … [Read more...] about AI needs elastic messages
Notice what’s wrong
Bad bosses and bad business decisions can be such incredible teachers. Right now in the tech industry we’re seeing the “correction” of so many leaders’ mistakes. Every mistake is an opportunity to learn. ‘Oh, I don't want to be the leader who does … [Read more...] about Notice what’s wrong
Embrace the pivot
Great spokespersons know that the ONLY thing you have any control over in a media interview is what comes out of your mouth. When you sit down with a reporter you have no control over how prepared the reporter is, what questions the reporter asks, … [Read more...] about Embrace the pivot
Change is hard!
Brains like patterns. Our brains are wired to lay down neural pathways and then to encourage us, via clever deployment of hormones like cortisol and dopamine, to stick to those pathways. Your brain knows that if you do what has kept you safe before … [Read more...] about Change is hard!
Earned, Owned, Paid
We continue to debate and evolve our definitions of paid, earned, and owned media. For a marketing person, these distinctions may be vital, but my advice as a communications coach to clients is the same no matter which channel they’re … [Read more...] about Earned, Owned, Paid
