PowerPoint Makes Us Stupid

Brian Hall
May 4th, 2010

I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry when I read recently in the New York Times that PowerPoint was causing huge productivity and communication issues for the U.S. military.

“PowerPoint makes us stupid,” declared Gen. James N. Mattis of the Marine Corps.

However, senior military officers did see a value for the slides when the intended goal is to obscure information. “The news media sessions often last 25 minutes, with 5 minutes left at the end for questions from anyone still awake,” is how the article described some press briefings. 

Of course we all know these same issues hold true in the corporate world as well.

How many times have you sat through a 30-minute presentation in which the slides contained all text and bullets that allowed the speaker to go on auto-pilot?

Or a show and tell from techies who want their work deliberately shrouded in mystery in order to maintain their hero status?

As communications pros, we all know all too well the faults of PowerPoint – or perhaps more accurately how most executives are using it. But, how do we overcome this when it is so ingrained in most corporate cultures?

One answer was served up over drinks with a few folks after work one night. Actually, it was underneath the drinks.

One colleague pointed me in the direction of a really fun article about great ideas (and some folk lore) that originated through drawings or notes on cocktail napkins, among other things.

And while we laughed at first, the more we thought about it, the more the “cocktail napkin” concept makes sense for PowerPoint.

We thought of two basic rules:

  1. For images, graphics, etc., they should be simple enough that you could have drawn them on a cocktail napkin yourself (or at least sketched them out).
  2. For text, never put more on a slide than you could write legibly on a cocktail napkin.

Here’s an example of the idea at work.

Remember Tim Russert’s “Florida! Florida! Florida!” whiteboard from the 2000 Presidential Election? It’s now housed at the Smithsonian Institution.

So maybe there’s something to the cocktail napkin strategy.

Or are we just spending too many nights enjoying Happy Hour a little too much?

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A Blooming Good Launch Strategy

Ron Loch
February 28th, 2010

Last week, Bloom Energy Corporation officially introduced its much anticipated “Bloom Box” fuel cell technology.  We got a preview of the technology on Sunday when Leslie Stahl of 60 Minutes ran a story about K.R. Sridhar, the CEO of Bloom Energy and his promising technology. 

In it, Stahl calls Sridhar an “idealist” because he believes that his technology will be in every home in America, to which he responds, “It’s about seeing the world as what it can be, not what it is.” 

That forest-for-the -trees thinking is not only refreshing, but also necessary for innovation to thrive.  However, from a communications standpoint, it often has a very short shelf-life.  It captures attention and inspires hope, but then it can quickly expire to be replaced by skepticism which may even turn to derision. 

Forget “what have you done for me lately,” we have become a “what are you doing for me now society.”  This makes launching new technology extremely difficult.  Launch too soon and you risk inviting an avalanche of skepticism about price, scalability and performance.  Launch too late and you risk losing financing or a competitive advantage.

Bloom seems to have taken a good approach.  Their official coming out party featured a list of impressive customers including eBay, Google, Bank of America, Fed-Ex.  Too often new technology companies, particularly in the greentech arena, launch at the concept or prototype stage to great fanfare only to find that their technology isn’t commercially scalable.  Maybe Bloom’s financial backer, Kleiner Perkins Caulfield & Byers, learned an important lesson from the launch of Segway, which it also funded. 

Segway garnered nearly the same amount of media interest as Bloom at launch, but had no customers, was seen as an “expensive high-tech scooter” and was relying on communities to change their pedestrian laws to ensure market penetration.  Subsequently, Segway is looked at as an interesting niche technology that never lived up to the hype.  Bloom’s fuel cell is also expensive and high tech, but by keeping quiet until it proved its concept with major brand owners before launch, it hits the stage with a level of credibility that can blunt skepticism that typically accompanies major technology launches. 

The inspiration for the Bloom fuel cell technology was an oxygen-producing device Sridhar invented for NASA to help future astronauts breathe on Mars.  That proposed Mars mission involved a layover on the Moon.  It appears Bloom is taking a similar layover strategy by having first established a base with large businesses before venturing on to the consumer market. That too will be a long expensive and perilous journey, but at least they’ve had a successful launch.  I think it’s a model other greentech startups should consider.

(Guest contributor Ron Loch is a senior vice president at Gibbs & Soell Public Relations.)

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Hold the Popcorn. Where’s My Epiphany?

Brian Hall
January 26th, 2010

My wife and I recently went to see a movie that’s generating hype, hype and more hype as “the defining movie of our time.” Expecting some sort of religious experience, we were both really excited to see it.

My review? I liked it. It was fine. But absent was the choir of angels to herald the arrival of my eureka moment.

Denied my life-altering epiphany, I felt compelled to tell everyone not to expect too much from this movie. And right in my hand was my iPhone with its arsenal of apps beckoning to have me do just that.

I resisted the urge, just barely.

A week later we set some sort of “married-couples-with-young-kids” record by seeing another non-animated movie. This time it was a comedy that had received its fair share of publicity, positive reviews and award nominations, but had not been promoted in such grandiose terms.

We loved it. Once again, I really wanted to share that experience with friends. My wife did too – heck, she was on Facebook before we even left the theatre.

If businesses learned anything over the past year, it’s that people are more skeptical than ever and cranky enough to do something about promises going undelivered.

Over-hype may pay off initially with a few extra sales (and maybe even a few Golden Globes), but the masses will surely slap you back to reality — and are empowered to do so — if you don’t meet their expectations and even if your product is pretty darn good.

Set the appropriate expectations, and you’ll win fans that will happily advocate on your behalf.

Earning advocacy still happens over time, but gains momentum as interactions speed up with the use of technology and the lowering of thresholds to share information. Many of your customers are becoming more willing to share experiences – personal and professional – with their community of family, friends and business contacts.

This time, they might be telling others to hold the popcorn. Disappoint them again, and they’ll be telling others to hold a boycott, rally, referendum, emergency shareholders meeting, etc.

You get it. It’s a dangerous, butter-flavored slippery slope.

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Any Bold Predictions for 2010 Game-Changers?

Brian Hall
December 16th, 2009

I wanted my last blog of 2009 to be unique and memorable, so here you go: It’s not about Tiger Woods! That alone should separate me from every other PR flak writing a blog this month…

What a year it’s been for the PR and communications profession. It’s hard to believe that one year ago I didn’t have a Facebook account and didn’t even know what Twitter was. Now I am Tweeting in real time as part of my daily routine. And I’ve reconnected with dozens of “friends” on Facebook I had forgotten I ever had. I didn’t have an iPhone until August — now I could not and would not ever live without it.

It got me thinking — what is out there right now that I don’t currently know much about or employ in my daily routine, but that will have a major impact on our professional and personal lives in 2010?

Is it an emerging social media site? Could it have something to do with geolocation? Or maybe it’s a new device that we won’t be able to live without. Someone at a communications industry networking event last week suggested it could be the increased use of social bookmarking. I could buy into that theory.

What do you think? Any and all bold predictions welcome!

Also, Happy Holidays to all of our readers and best wishes for a prosperous 2010.

Posted in Digital Dialogue, Media and Marketing, Outside Insights | 1 Comment »

Of Highlight Reels and the Very Real Significance of "What’s Happening"

Brian Hall
December 1st, 2009

It may have only seemed like a minor blip on the radar to most people, but I think the change in Twitter’s basic question — from “What are you doing” to “What’s happening” — is actually pretty significant for B2B communicators.

This rings especially true for me after attending the Association of Equipment Manufacturers Annual Conference last month. Digital media was the biggest theme of the educational sessions during the event, and was certainly the buzz of the various networking receptions I attended. And I had to smile because I kept hearing that common phrase I’ve heard so often from social media skeptics — it always goes something like: “I just don’t care if you are going to the store, going to the bathroom or going to bed… !”

But the change in Twitter’s basic question seems to reflect the increasing transition of that platform from a social site that promotes personal dialogue (or as many seem to think — individual narcissism) to a forum for sharing relevant business and professional information. (Shameless plug — follow me at @manufacturingpr to learn more.)

It’s a trend that everyone in the equipment industry — and many others, by the way — should really take note of. I have to say I was pretty surprised by just how little it seems the equipment companies have adopted digital media to this point. Yes, it’s a very “old school” industry. But it’s a sector that also includes some really large companies with sophisticated PR and marketing communications departments. And you just can’t ignore the trends showing that nearly every professional audience — from farmers to engineers — is beginning to embrace digital/social media. OK, even if those customers aren’t right there today, they probably will be soon.

The good news for these companies is that they remain on a level playing field. Even if they haven’t begun using these tools just yet, neither has their competition. And that’s where the opportunity lies.

Perhaps the best presentation of the event, even if it was only about 15 minutes, came from Geoff Craig, the leader behind the groundbreaking Dove Campaign for Real Beauty campaign, which features one of the best-ever YouTube videos. He encouraged his team at Unilever, and everyone at the AEM conference, to “create their own highlight reel” by “doing something remarkable.” One such “highlight reel” performance comes from CWS Toilets, which produced this exceptional and hilarious viral video to market its new product. Now if a toilet company can do something this creative and effective, then an equipment manufacturer definitely can.

 

It will be interesting to see which equipment company is the first to make that exceptional play that ends up on the highlight reel at future industry and marketing conferences. I know I’ll be watching [listen to the ESPN Sportscenter "da-da-da da-da-da" theme music here for added effect!].

Posted in Digital Dialogue, Media and Marketing | 1 Comment »

Back to the Future — In Digital Era, News Release Still Rules

Brian Hall
November 2nd, 2009

I have spent a heck of a lot of time this year talking and writing about digital and social media. But a conversation I had recently with Rich Jefferson, Sr. Director of PR at the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, reminded me that even in this era of “new” media, the news release remains one of the most important tools in our arsenal.

Rich should know — his two-person PR team at AEM has distributed more than 100 news releases so far this year. So when the 20+ year PR veteran says things like “the news release is the most important, flexible, multi-faceted, communications tool we have going” or “the better the news release the better your business,” you know he really, really believes it.

And as AEM helps its members push for legislative support for funding to build the next generation of roads, bridges and rail through grassroots efforts like the Start Us Up USA! campaign, Rich says a news release-focused strategy has helped build a communications foundation that has put the association “on the map” during the past two years by creating a constant flow of news about the association in the media and online.

Key #1 is thinking beyond the journalist and segmenting your audience. “Not every news release is intended to generate coverage in the Washington Post,” he said. Some releases are meant to reach a smaller, more targeted list of trade media, for example.

Equally important in today’s online world, he said, the news release is a powerful tool for reaching your target audience directly. I couldn’t agree more — I frequently recommend SEO-friendly, multimedia news releases as a way to generate traditional and online coverage and reach audiences directly in a powerful way.

Having a library of news releases essentially creates your own searchable online database. And while Rich and I agree that the incorporation of key words can be a bit “clunky” from a journalistic standpoint, it is a great way to ensure people find your news via Google, Yahoo, Bing and other search engines — where most consumers and professional begin any search for information these days.

News Release Key #2 from Rich — be at the table where decisions are made and strategies are defined. PR people have to start “pounding their drums,” he said, letting executives know they should bring PR pros into strategic planning instead of just contacting the PR department or firm as an afterthought and having them draft a release. “Getting PR involved up front can not only streamline the process — it can lead to the creation of content that can generate profits.”

By the way, just because Rich advocates for frequent use of news releases does not mean he doesn’t believe in digital and social media as well. He is involved in many online communities and distributes news releases and other information via LinkedIn and other channels to ensure he is reaching his target audience as well as possible.

Rich’s News Release Key #3: As Gatorade says — “Be Like Mike.”

“What did Michael Jordan do to practice? He dribbled. He shot. He focused on footwork. The basics. That’s what a news release is. It is so basic, yet so important at the same time.”

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Open Houses Illuminate Solar Tour

Brian Hall
October 6th, 2009

I have to say that I’ve typically avoided open houses ever since a quick visit to one just to humor my wife resulted in the single biggest impulse buy of our lives. However, my personal and professional curiosity got me out — and momentarily away from the marathon sports viewing I’d planned — to join the National Solar Tour this weekend.

As a homeowner, I was most interested in the family who is using solar panels to power their furnace/AC and water heater. They cut their energy bills in half, and expect to recoup their investment in about nine years — all while being more sustainable, of course.

As a PR pro, I was equally interested in the great event ASES put together. Getting thousands of passionate supporters to open their homes and tell others about the specific benefits they are seeing from solar power — wow, definitely a powerful way to connect with consumers.

It occurred to me that this is exactly the type of “voice-of-the-customer” communication that is often missing from B2B marketing programs. In particular it got me thinking about the upcoming Solar Power International 2009, and how B2B companies in this field can connect with customers and prospects in an equally effective way.

As I look at the roster of exhibitors, one thing is clear: the B2B supply chain for solar is extremely complex. It includes everything from developers of large-scale solar plants to suppliers of components ranging from glass to fluids and films. To generate marketing and sales success during the show — and in the marketplace in general — exhibitors must really understand their specific audience segment and communicate ultra-targeted, customer-centric messages. Even the big brand-name companies entering this dynamic market must really hone their message to gain industry-specific credibility and awareness among target customers.

Better use of digital media tools can help create stronger B2B customer connections as well. Webinars and online video, for example, are very practical ways to showcase real-world success. And outreach via blogs, Twitter, content syndication and other Web 2.0 tools will certainly continue to be an ever-more important way to foster ongoing dialogue with these audiences.

I’m looking forward to learning more about solar during the event, and talking with industry thought leaders about strategic messaging, digital/social media and other communications topics.

And when I get home, it will be time to get serious about my own personal solar installation.

Stay tuned to The Spark for updates on both fronts.

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Shooting Par on the Course Toward Renewable Energy

Brian Hall
September 8th, 2009

Visiting Central Illinois recently to play a little golf with my dad, I was excited that the course had a view of a wind farm. Although my own enthusiasm for the scenery was somewhat hindered by a disappointing back nine, to me the wind turbines are a sign of real progress in the battle against climate change.

 

As highlighted in recent Wall Street Journal and USA Today stories, however, those turbines are whipping up brisk winds of “not in my backyard” among local residents and environmentalists. Recent headlines regarding the markets for renewable energy have been mixed as well — with positive news about wind energy and the U.S. government’s program to stimulate renewable energy investment balanced against reports such as the one showing biofuels aren’t fairing as well due to the recession and falling oil prices.

 

For communicators in this sector, breaking through the clutter of mixed news, green hype and opposition is probably more challenging than it is for me to break 90. And while traditional PR certainly can and should play a role, it seems like the opportunity is ripe for digital and social media, especially as channels to reach business, regional and niche audiences.

 

Among the supporters of renewable energy are many passionate fans who believe strongly in the cause. Providing them with the tools and forums to carry your message can be more credible and effective than any company-sponsored communication could ever be. In addition, search engines, blogs, YouTube, Twitter, webinars and other digital media yield increasing influence over business decision makers. And getting your supporters involved in generating positive dialogue is a great way to address the critics — and even begin to bring them on your side.

It appears industry marketers are embracing these tools. Initial results from our “Renewable Energy Digital and Social Media Pulse Check” show the majority are using digital media to communicate with their target audiences.

 

Of course, having a powerful medium at your disposal means nothing if you don’t also have a powerful message that resonates with your target audience. Messages with more aspirational themes have been less successful. The key is to position these offerings as real and practical on an individual level.

 

The critical combination of clear messaging and precise outreach is what I plan to explore during my upcoming speaking engagement at the Renewable Energy Markets Conference in Atlanta (shameless plug: come see me on the “Media and Perception” panel at 1:30, Tuesday, Sept. 15).

 

Stay tuned for additional insight from our “Pulse Check.” I will unveil final results during the conference. Afterward we’ll share the results via The Spark and e-mail as well.

Posted in "Shovel-Ready", Digital Dialogue, Going Green, Media and Marketing | 1 Comment »

Of Football and Forgiveness

Brian Hall
August 24th, 2009

I love this time of year. The first hints of fall begin to show, and I start to really look forward to the upcoming football season. This year I am looking more forward to it than usual, since my beloved Cubs are in a total freefall and show no signs they will make the playoffs. So, go Bears!

Even before the first game of the regular season, the NFL is proving to be quite a spectacle from a PR perspective.
It began with the Philadelphia Eagles signing of quarterback Michael Vick, fresh off a prison stint for his involvement in an illegal dog fighting operation. I happen to believe the guy deserves a second chance professionally. But no matter how you feel about that issue, you can definitely appreciate the PR challenges having him on your team creates. Vick began his image re-building campaign with what seemed like an overly rehearsed interview on 60 Minutes (they even showed the team that media trained him for the interview!). He is also working with the Humane Society to educate the public about the issue of dog fighting. But if you want a glimpse of the PR challenge he faces, just check out the comments on the 60 Minutes site.

The Eagles have responded by introducing him at a very controlled press conference; since then, the Philadelphia Daily News reports, they have kept him away from the media. I have to agree with writer John Smallwood, who says that’s not a very sustainable scenario. Eventually, he is going to have to do what every athlete does — face the media on an ongoing basis. Eagles fans will likely judge him based on his performance on the field. The general public will judge him according to how well he plays in front of the cameras.
Then there’s Brett Favre, who decided to suit up again (surprise, surprise), this time for the Vikings. This guy waffles so much he has absolutely no credibility left. Yes, at the end of this season he will tell us once again he is retired, and at the beginning of the 2010 season he’ll probably be putting on the pads for yet another team.

As a Bears fan, I’m not supposed to say this… but I actually used to like Brett Favre. But saying one thing and doing another over and over again has definitely tarnished his image. Has he also now alienated his most loyal fans by playing for an arch-rival of his former team the Green Bay Packers?

Like professional football, business can be an unforgiving sport. Some successful executives are like these two stadium warriors. Some have colossal egos, say one thing yet do another, engage in illegal activity, and can generally make life difficult for those of us charged with protecting and enhancing reputations of organizations, brands or individuals.

As a football fan it will be interesting to see how these two guys perform on the field. As a PR pro, it will be equally interesting to see how their performances in the arena of public perception may hasten or derail their journeys toward reputation redemption.
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Keeping it Real on the Back Porch

Brian Hall
August 18th, 2009

I took a road trip last weekend to visit a couple of life-long friends. Both are very successful professionals — one is a mechanical engineer at a major manufacturing company, the other is a financial planner who owns his own practice.

 

As always, we had a blast together; in fact, we really let loose. We sat on the back porch for hours eating great food, drinking a few too many beers, telling stories and laughing about old times. Reminiscing really got to the financial planner, as he channeled his inner Bon Jovi, “rocking out” via Guitar Hero on Wii. It was quite sight.

 

On the four-hour drive home, I thought about my buddies as I finished reading “World Wide Rave” by David Meerman Scott (yes, my wife was driving). He says that building a big loyal audience through social media requires an approach that both engages and entertains audiences in a manner that compels them to share our story with others. If you succeed, they will spread your message to others through blogs, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube etc.

 

OK, that concept seems easy enough. We’ve all seen great marketing campaigns that have become “viral” or as Meerman Scott calls it a “World Wide Rave.” But very few campaigns — especially in the B2B world — actually achieve that level of success.

 

Why is that? Have we in the B2B community grown to accept the “we’re boring” label and condemned ourselves to uninspiring geek speak?

 

We need to think of those two professionals I so enjoyed hanging out with all weekend. To remember that an engineer we may be targeting with a PR campaign isn’t just a professional who needs technical specs and details. He may also be the guy who enjoys barbecuing on his ultra-fancy grill and talking football. The financial professional isn’t just a numbers guy. He may also be the weekend rock star who enjoys jamming to power ballads on the Wii. [Insert your own audience reference here!]

 

Yes, our B2B audiences all have a job to do. At the same, they also want and expect to be entertained and have fun.  

 

I mean, how many of us actually look forward to sitting through PowerPoint presentations crammed with data presented in miniscule font sizes and 27 bullet points per slide?

 

As communicators, we embrace our responsibilities to inform and educate. But the next time we prepare a keynote address or develop an internal communications strategy, let’s remind ourselves about connecting with those guys chilling out on the back porch.

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