Want to know more about content marketing? You’ve come to the right place. For starters, imagine you’re in a room full of people. You’re networking – and attempting to make meaningful connections.

You strike up a conversation with someone who tells you how important he is. In his words, he makes lots of big decisions that change the world and looks good doing it. He tells you about all his friends. They are prominent and successful friends who think he’s cool. Before pushing his business card on you, he reminds you that you’d be wise to keep in touch – because he’s going places. You’re going places, too. You’re going far away from him.

Later, you spot the familiar face of someone you’ve heard great things about and want to meet. You go over to say hello and are greeted warmly. She is as interested in you as you are in her. Questions and answers flow easily. Compliments and affirmations fly. The conversation is laced with authentic, mutual admiration. You tell her about a close friend that would benefit greatly from her services and offer to make an introduction. She accepts, and you make plans to meet again for coffee.

Still with me? Good, because content marketing, which isn’t new, follows the basic rules of networking. Successful content marketers will tell you content marketing is the business of building relationships. They also will tell you (accurately) that as the digital media universe continues to expand, producing countless marketing options and complexities, content marketing is one of the most important communication strategies to engage and grow target audiences. And don’t be surprised when the experts remind you that mastering content marketing doesn’t have to be difficult or overwhelming, as you likely already know the basics, which take their shape from effective networking principles.

Recognizing that consumers control which brands they want to engage with, 89 percent of B2B marketers and 86 percent of B2C marketers use content marketing to increase leads and drive brand awareness, according to Content Marketing Institute. Increasingly, brands that provide genuine value, listen and deliver on the needs of their consumers are the ones poised for successful consumer engagement. A recent survey by OneSpot found that 87 percent of consumers say personally relevant content positively influences how they feel about a brand.

If the world is a room filled with millions of consumers and brands, the best consumer-brand conversations are laced with authentic, mutual admiration. The questions and answers flow easily. There’s follow-up and follow-through. Compliments and affirmations fly. Sound familiar?

Here are a handful of networking reminders that also can also be applied to your content marketing strategies this year (and beyond).

1. Get to the party on timeIt’s tempting to wait until just the right moment, but the perfect moment may never arrive. Maybe you aren’t sure how to start a blog or what part of your business story needs telling. Preparation is always advisable, but waiting too long means others will get there before you, and it’s much harder to make an impression when the market is overcrowded. Don’t be afraid to dive in. Create a few realistic goals and set deadlines to achieve them. Then, figure out how you will execute by identifying your resources, including an online course, tapping an employee’s underused skills or even hiring a PR agency.
2. Ditch the sales pitchNobody likes a showboat. Businesses can’t just proclaim what makes them special. They must add authentic value to the conversation. The most successful networkers make other people feel special, and the same goes for successful content marketing practices where the content identifies solutions, connects like-minded people and demonstrates why a product or service really is invaluable.
3. Ask questions AND pay attention to the answersYou ditched the sales pitch, now what? Be an active, interested conversationalist. Content marketing should be a dialogue between companies and consumers. Brands must ask insightful questions and collect data to better understand consumer needs, likes/dislikes, feelings about marketing efforts and preferences for receiving information. But, they shouldn’t stop there. They must act! Real engagement is achieved when companies listen AND respond. These days, everyone seems willing to share an opinion. Companies should deliver action when they reach and connect with audiences on a personal level.
4. Share your passionBuilding relationships means finding your tribe and connecting with members on similar levels. What makes you passionate about your industry? Why did you get into the business? Why is your product or service important to you personally? Speak up! Chances are, others share your same passion and want to engage. These are your people, your audience. Make it easy for them to find you by talking about your passion loud and often.
5. SmilePeople respond to positivity. The best stories tell an intriguing narrative and leave listeners with a warm feeling, a chuckle, a deeper understanding of an issue or a move toward action. Humor goes a long way, but messages don’t always have to be funny to elicit a smile and make a lasting impression. The goal with any content should be to leave your audience in a better place than before they engaged with you.
6. Follow upKeep in touch – whether to make a new connection or respond to a question from someone you already know. Nothing kills a relationship faster than communication darkness. Respond in a timely manner, and if your communication isn’t constant, at least make it regular. Identify your targets’ preferred method of communication and send updates, reminders, suggestions or just say hello. Vary your approach with email, newsletters and social media to help you stay connected while giving audiences the opportunity to engage on their terms.

During periods of uncertainty and polarity, such as the past year of political transition, it is natural for business leaders to take a backseat while things “play out.” Typically, they may fear rubbing others the wrong way, and no one wants to upset their constituents or their prospects. Since many executives are not overtly political in their public lives, this can be very common.

Business leaders also may shy away during periods of disruption from the perceived risk of providing inaccurate information or giving advice that may not be relevant after the next inevitable change in direction which could come at any minute.

We’ve seen this unfold during the recent tax reform debate. Though the subject has been front and center since 2015 when it appeared on the campaign trail, and the President’s team unveiled a highly publicized single-page set of principles in early 2017, we still have no idea what the future holds for the tax code as we enter the final quarter of the year. What’s a conscientious, thought-leading CPA to do? Even more, how should communications professionals counsel tax experts about their visibility and the commentary they make available for public consumption?

Sticking to the old playbook, providing formulaic advice and trying to predict the future by using traditional methods is, at best, unwise. At worst, it’s unethical. The tendency may be to stick your head in the sand like an ostrich when you don’t understand the rules and don’t know the game. However, as the media continues to cover the tax reform debate from all angles, just like it does with healthcare, gun control, immigration and other “sticky subjects,” the public will maintain interest. The demand for tax-planning guidance won’t go away. In fact, it will skyrocket during periods of transition, so ghosting the audience is quite a disservice. But there is another way.

Without taking a stance on a specific tax policy, four simple questions allow tax professionals to confidently go on record and explain to the world in simple terms:

1. What is at stake?

2. What are the main issues that clients are asking about?

3. What are the key things to pay attention to as the disruption unfolds?

4. How can people prepare under a variety of outcomes?

For thought leaders, no matter what field they are in, it’s important to stay engaged during times of uncertainty. Subject matter experts must remember they are not being counted on to stir political debate, just lead their industries, which is where people need them the most.

Today, there are more platforms than ever before for brands to communicate with their constituents, and modern public relations now presents myriad opportunities for agencies to serve clients, especially through the explosive advent of social media.

Of course, the list of social media channels, which seems to be growing daily, allows the world to communicate back, and this relatively new two-way engagement has charted new territory for PR practitioners. It’s also created a proverbial double-edged sword. On the one hand, social media allows brands to craft, control and amplify their messages. On the other hand, however, brands are left vulnerable to a negative backlash, competing social media campaigns, disgruntled employees, unsatisfied customers, internet trolls and even opportunistic politicians.

In the world of financial services, where HKA supports some of the best and brightest companies, there’s an additional threat giving reason for concern – the regulators.

Providers of financial services are watched closely by an array of government agencies, and there are specific things advisory companies can say and things they cannot say, such as whether an investment will make a client any money. Basically, in finance nothing can be guaranteed, which makes sense when one considers how the capital markets work. When it comes to marketing investor relations, the grip on communications is tight. With social media, though, it’s practically hermetically sealed.

Especially for fiduciaries, the fear of getting dinged by the SEC is enough to scare many well-intentioned, marketing-minded wealth managers out of social media altogether, which is unfortunate because there’s so much to be gained (by posters and readers) from using social media channels properly. To help strike the right balance between Great Depression-era SEC standards and modern-day social media opportunities, consider the following:

• Edit closely: Make sure your social media content does not overtly endorse your own products or services – or those of your clients. Posts need to be crafted with extreme caution, applying the adage: “When in doubt, leave it out.” Missing out on favorable content is tough for a communications strategist to swallow, but it’s much easier to be self-disciplined than to be disciplined by regulators.
• Block what you can: On some platforms, the functions that allow members of the public to interact with the brand can be disabled. While this defeats the whole point of social media, it’s an easy solution to the troll problem. Some channels, including Facebook, require users to “Like” the page to view content. However, Facebook also lets page administrators select certain words to disqualify a comment from public consumption, consequently blocking unwelcome public comments without preventing people from engaging with the page.
• Leverage third-party credibility: One of the most effective social media practices is implying how great you are – without the baggage that comes with having to explicitly say it yourself. This can best be done by sharing favorable media placements. If a local newspaper declares your financial services company as the best place to work in the county, there is nothing audacious about sharing that positive news with your social media network. This approach gives brands control of what messages are spread through social media, and if they originate from a trusted media outlet, rather than the brand’s own marketing department, the messages are much more credible and authoritative.
• Promote company culture: Posting about business successes and corporate achievements works well. Meticulously crafted messages to attract new clients can be very effective. However, business development content, no matter how compliant, should not monopolize a social media account. At a minimum, one out of every four posts should promote corporate culture. Every office birthday party, philanthropic endeavor, holiday celebration, employee milestone and team excursion is fodder for social media. Especially in financial services, where much of the industry has an unfair reputation for being pedestrian, posts about a fun “Hawaiian Shirt Day” will go a long way toward changing minds. Business prospects and potential employees will be glad to see your human side.

Without a doubt, inspiring is one of the most overused words in any vocabulary. We say we are inspired by everything from beautiful sunsets to a disabled person overcoming challenges to achieve success. Perhaps we feel inspired because it allows us to feel hope. We feel more confident in the world around us, whether it’s our tiny sphere of influence or the sprawling, unruly universe of humanity.

I bring this up because I, too, tend to indiscriminately use the word inspiring. And so, I am a bit sheepish as I pen this blog because there really is no other word for it.

A few days ago I attended the Young Entrepreneurs Summit. You might assume I saw college students engrossed in technology endeavors. Nope, not even close. Nary an app in sight. What I saw was a roomful of young girls – some as young as 7, most between 9 and 11, and one “oldster” at 16. They had just concluded a series of workshops given by a 13-year-old. No, that’s not a typo. Really, she’s 13. The subtitle of the event: “They’re not just kids, they’re future leaders!” And boy, was this the truth.

You may have heard of Anika Ortiz of Anika’s Pink Closet fame. She is an entrepreneur herself, as well as a motivational speaker. She continues to pile up awards. I first met Anika when she was 11 and winning the Youth Award at National Philanthropy Day. Her acceptance speech had the crowd of 900+ standing, clapping and cheering. I’ve followed her exploits ever since and now, at the ripe old age of 13, she is inspiring – yes, there’s that word again – other young girls to reach for the stars.

The Young Entrepreneurs Summit was the culmination of Anika’s workshops. The setting was a donated karate studio in Santa Ana with tables lining the perimeter. Twenty girls stood behind their tables, selling wares to shoppers eager to support earnest endeavors. The girls figured out what their “store” would sell, and then Anika taught them about pricing, branding and marketing.

Some baked, some sewed, some bought wholesale and resold retail. They had designed their own logos and now flashed snazzy business cards. They sold everything from handmade decorative pillows (Lilly’s Pillow Palace) to custom skateboard gear (Pretty Gnarly) to homemade cupcakes and cake pops (Valerie’s Flour Power). Most items cost between $1 and $10.

Moms, brothers and sisters were on hand to help but honestly, most needed no help at all. They pointed shoppers to websites where a more extensive list of items could be found. They explained how they came up with their idea for their store and proudly disclosed who would get a percentage of their profits.

Yes, that’s the other inspiring part. These young girls learned they could become entrepreneurs and also about giving back. Taking a cue from Anika, certainly a philanthropist extraordinaire, each selected a nonprofit to receive 10 percent of their sales. The list of nonprofits reads like a who’s who of local community groups, such as Child Abuse Prevention Center, Laura’s House, The Wooden Floor, Pretend City Children’s Museum and Mariposa Women & Family Center.

I spent about an hour visiting each table and chatting with the girls, soaking up – you guessed it –inspiration, and hope for the future. I have no doubt some of these girls will be leading the charge in the years ahead.

Oh, and I did spend $15 and left happily with two beautiful pillows from nine-year-old Lilly.

At the risk of plunging into political waters, which I have no intention of doing, I feel compelled to comment on the current plethora of fake news. My amazement is two-fold: at the outraged cry “Fake News!” as well as the actual fake news itself.

Certainly, there have always been news stories that slanted a little (or a lot) too much in one direction or another. “Yellow journalism” began and proliferated in the late 1800s, when Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst willingly bent the truth to battle each other selling their newspapers in New York City. Bold headlines screamed false stories, selling street editions and also influencing world events, such as fanning flames that led to the Spanish American War.

I suppose we can say that the term yellow journalism has evolved into today’s term “fake news.” Stories that aren’t completely kosher are not new, but are cropping up not only in expected spots such as TMZ, supermarket tabloids and social media sites, but also finding their way into mainstream newspapers, TV and radio news programs.

The line between news and opinion is increasingly blurry. I like reading news stories that I can feel confident are objective and I like reading opinion pieces to see what commentators think about the issues. But when I can’t tell them apart, that troubles me.

Curious about the current hubbub over “fake news” I checked Google. No less than 193,000 entries popped up, mostly from 2016 and early 2017 – and who knows how many more inches were written that didn’t fit the Google algorithm?

I’m not entirely sure what this means to our society – or to journalism itself – but I am concerned. Increasingly, the average American is wary of news reports, even from the most reputable news sources. A Pew Research Center survey in December showed 88% of Americans believe fake news causes “a great deal” or “some” confusion about current events. It’s no wonder: deliberate fake news sites are proliferating and their lies are picked up, believed (!) and spread virally through social media. But the Internet, and the flood of accompanying social media and online news sites, also cause legitimate news organizations to scramble frantically to be first. Sometimes, the scrambles have unintentionally led to mistakes even by the most reputable news organizations. Sometimes, the mistakes are quite intentional.

I’m concerned about the state of journalism from several vantage points. I’m concerned so many veteran journalists have willingly, or not, left their posts. Print journalism, in particular, continues to slide and news staffs are getting smaller and greener. I’m concerned the White House already is battling the press corps. This can only lead to a more contentious relationship between press and government, additional cries of “fake news” against reports that are legitimate and the further restricting of media access which hinders the public’s “right to know.”

I certainly don’t have any answers, only questions. I’m glad to see some changes coming, such as the Facebook decision to outside fact-check and then label the most egregious “Disputed.”

I certainly welcome your thoughts as this issue is not going away any time soon.

An effective leader develops very different ways of achieving job satisfaction. Personally, when the work of others I manage receives kudos from clients, it feels good. My own ego takes a backseat – and I’m just fine with that.

I’ve been leading our team for three decades and this is certainly not a new thought nor an innovative insight. I didn’t learn it overnight, but gradually it became second-nature that my team’s wins were my wins, whether I was on the front line or not.

Recently, this way of thinking struck me all over again. It was in the pre-dawn hours when I checked my email account before heading to the gym. First, a Google Alert caught my attention, showing me a client feature just published in the local daily – a monster lead story that spread across much of Page 1 before jumping inside and spreading across two more pages. I beamed with pride at our team’s success. Next, I began seeing a flurry of emails from another client, starting with our East Coast marketing contact and followed soon after by company executives on the West Coast. Each applauded the flood of prominent and relevant press coverage the HKA team had secured for five consecutive days. I did a fist pump – yay team! I was proud of our client teams that performed amazing work.

If you manage a team, whether directly or indirectly, it is this pride in work well done that generates the fuel for your own engine. And when your team handles a particularly perplexing challenge, the reward is even sweeter. Sometimes I miss being the one who hits the homerun, but usually I’m glad to be the manager in the dugout. Yay team!

Now Hare This: Tortoise Tales

The tortoise and the hare is a well-known Aesop’s Fable. The boastful hare leaves the starting line in a blinding flash, destined to cross the finish line way before the painfully slow tortoise.

But does he? Of course not! The foolish, over-confident hare stops to nap en route and when he awakens, discovers the plodding tortoise has won the race. This was one of my favorite childhood stories (perhaps I identified with the tortoise as a child).

As I sat down to write something, once again, about my Ruby’s Raiders team that fundraises for the MS Society, I flashed on this childhood fable.

When it comes to fundraising, I consider myself the tortoise. Just like the tortoise, I make slow but good progress and eventually get the job done – often ahead of those who start at warp speed. I’m consistent and persistent. Tortoises are reliable; hares, well, not so much.

Let’s look back. My first MS Walk in Orange County, in 1999, turned out to be the year before my mom, Ruby, died, having suffered with severe Multiple Sclerosis for more than two decades. I walked with my husband, just the two of us. Later that day, we visited mom and showed her our MS T-shirts and the little medals given as we crossed the finish line. She smiled. We raised just $100 that year.

The next year, we did it again. This time we fielded a small team, mostly co-workers, and called ourselves Ruby’s Raiders. Mom would have liked that name. We raised a little more, about $2,000. Compared to the big teams, our fundraising was like the tortoise.

I won’t go through our progress, year by year, but this year, 2016, Ruby’s Raiders walked for its 17th year. I don’t know our final tally (I don’t think we quite reached our $7,500 goal), but it doesn’t really matter. We are still tortoise-like in comparison to the big teams. But we keep moving forward. We keep coming back. We keep raising money to help the mission of finding a cure – and meanwhile, helping patients and families. And every dollar counts.

Over the years, we have raised more than $100,000 for the MS society. That’s a number I’m proud of. Perhaps it’s obvious that longevity is a trait I value, considering it is HKA’s 31st year in business. Our Ruby’s Raiders’ numbers have added up like the tortoise adds steps, a little bit every year. Each year and every team has been different, but each has been rewarding and cherished. And so, I continue on the same path, one small step in front of the other.

Is the immediacy of today’s business world making us more productive — or just more crazy?need for speed

I don’t know about you, but I think about this a lot.

Sometimes it’s someone else asking me for an immediate response. If their question lingers in my inbox for too long (hours rather than minutes) they are likely to become impatient. Sometimes it’s ME asking for immediacy. And I’m the one who gets impatient. I see both sides. Either way, our expectations for speed are off the chart.

I used to think that sending and receiving email from my computer was fast enough. It definitely beats snail mail. It flows quickly into my inbox and just as quickly can flow out again – if I’m paying close attention.

But I was wrong. When not sitting at my desk and looking at my computer, a sea of emails could arrive, unannounced and unanswered. Minutes, hours or even DAYS could go by. Not so immediate.

Moving forward, the next big thing was funneling emails into our cell phones. No need to sit at a desk. No laptop needed. We could see and handle emails ALL THE TIME. Potentially, we could be on-call 24-7 with NO DOWN TIME.

Good news? Not really. I wasn’t too enamored with this immediacy but hey, that’s what technology delivered so I’ve adapted. The era of having down time while we are out of the office is illusive. Are we more productive? Sure, in a crisis situation. It’s useful to be able to reach people more easily with urgent messages. Otherwise, I have to think having down time ultimately made us more productive.

And just when I thought it couldn’t get any more immediate, it did. Today, if we know someone’s cell number and there is urgency, texting is the way to go. In our personal lives we can control the speed with which we respond. But at work, ignoring a text from a client or an employer is worse than ignoring an email on your cell phone. Even a busy CEO is likely to respond to a text – yet he or she may not return a call or an email.

Back to my original musing. Are we more productive? Or just more crazy?