Teaching old dogs new tricks

7 tips to training an illiterate social media client

As shocking as it might sound, not everyone in the world is as well versed in the language of social media as the rest of us. While it’s true that according to a Nielsen report in 2011 Americans spent 23% of their online time on social networking sites, many have never gazed upon the glowing blue screen of Facebook or the over-capacity whale of Twitter.

Like I said, shocking. 

During my time at Bohlsen Group, I have trained many social media novices on the basics, best practices and strategy behind different social media outlets. On my journey of transforming these newcomers into social media aces, I have accumulated quite the assortment of social media training truths.

•       Patience is the key to success

As cheesy as it sounds, it’s true. Just because you don’t see the difficulty in creating a fan page or increasing your follower count, doesn’t mean that everyone finds it easy. I’ve learned that teaching brand-new concepts can be frustrating to both parties, but a little bit of empathy can go a long way. I like to give all my clients the attention and respect that I would give my grandparents.

•       Know your stuff

The social media vocabulary and landscape is constantly changing. Keeping yourself updated on new features, trends, displays, etc. will keep your trainings relevant and will positively reinforce your credibility as a social media trainer.

•       Know your client

I like to conduct an audit of my client’s social media knowledge before I shape the content of my trainings. You need to make sure you aren’t wasting their time by teaching information that’s too basic for their current skill set, but you also need to make sure you’re not moving too fast.

•       Break it down

If a neurosurgeon tried to explain the intricacies of her job, most of us would be 100% mind-blown. Anyone that needs social media training is most likely similarly unfamiliar with the content matter, and they need explanations to be broken down into graspable concepts. Throwing around such words as hashtags and hyperlinks can be overwhelming for new users.

•       Provide encouragement

Who doesn’t love some good ol’ positive affirmation? When something clicks with your client, praise them. The more praise you give, the more likely your client will continue to work hard at understanding new concepts.

•       Monitor/report progress

We are all driven by results. Show weekly progress reports to your trainee. Seeing numbers that show success will keep them motivated to learn more. Social media can be difficult to measure, but showing simple metrics such as increases in Facebook likes and Twitter followers can be beneficial. For a more intensive list on how to show your client a positive ROI for social media marketing, check out Jeff Bullas’ blog post.

•       Keep the end goal in mind

When you are hired to train a client on social media, you have to remember that your main goal is to make them feel comfortable with the basics so they can keep the social media ball rolling after your time with them has ended.

As students in our respective professions, we can all appreciate learning new things. At one point for each of us, social media was new and unfamiliar. Guiding a client through new territory is never easy, but with these seven tips, your journey will be off to a good start. 

Is this 1983?

The art of making people care

In 1983, I was a third grader in Rushville, Ind. I began my love for music much younger than this, but there were two albums released in 1983 that changed the game for me, Michael Jackson’s Thriller and Van Halen’s 1984 (yes, it was released in 1983).

Both albums feature Indiana-born singers at the top of their game. One of the premiere songs on Thriller was “Beat It,” which features a blistering guitar solo by Eddie Van Halen. The 1984 album was the last record to feature David Lee Roth on vocals until last week, when Van Halen released “A Different Kind of Truth,” which sees Roth back on vocals.

So what does all of this have to do with anything?

Two events this month at Bankers Life Fieldhouse have brought back 1983 for me. Bohlsen Group is assisting with publicity for Van Halen on Feb. 22 and Michael Jackson THE IMMORTAL by Cirque du Soleil, Feb. 24 and 25. The shows have caused a question to start rolling over in my mind: Why did I care so much about this music back in 1983? Why do I still care? And what is it that makes people care?

In 1983, people really cared about Thriller and 1984. It was the height of MTV, and Michael and Van Halen were bursting into living rooms across the globe. They were creating a new foundation for the importance of music as a visual medium in pop culture. Each group had all the elements: great songs, a great look and the ability to truly identify with their audience – elements still crucial today, but too often overlooked.

Successful? You bet. 1984 has sold more than 10 million albums in the U.S. alone, while Thriller has sold an astonishing 110 million copies.

Now, how do we persuade people to attend these shows in 2012?

In order to move them to purchase, you have to take an emotional approach. Re-identify the fans who remember when “Jump” and “Billie Jean” mattered. At the same time, work the angles to engage those who missed it the first time, were too young or weren’t even born yet.

Translation? MAKE THEM CARE. 

How do we do this? By educating the media outside of the obvious categories and convincing the public that each event is an opportunity and not an option.

So, in mulling over my memories of why I was convinced to care about Van Halen and Michael Jackson at a young age, I realized that it was the individuals orchestrating the brands behind the scenes who are ultimately responsible for leading me to follow.

And, in the case of how Bohlsen Group approaches events … this is exactly what we focus on. 

Students: It's time to SWOT yourself

Ever heard of a SWOT analysis? (If your answer to this is something like, “Why no, Hannah, I’ve never heard of such a thing,” please follow this flowchart made for your convenience.)

They aren’t just for evaluating companies or clients – they’re a good tool for evaluating yourself as an internship candidate as well as determining what industry would be a good fit for you. If you did answer “no” to the above question, never fear – MindTool.com explains it well here.

If you’re in the market for an internship, here are some tips on how to analyze yourself:

Strengths: The answer to the question, “What are your strengths?” should be as much of a no-brainer as someone asking your name. But you don’t have to wait for someone to ask – put your strengths in your Twitter/blog bio or list them in your cover letter.

Having a hard time articulating your strengths? Put yourself in my stilettos (or the less-fabulous shoes of the internship coordinator that will be interviewing you) and think about the skills you would look for if you were the one doing the hiring.

Another trick: Examine the internship description and figure out which requirements apply to you and why (but be honest, or we’ll find out). Or ask yourself:

• What do you do better than anyone else you know?
• What would we be missing out on by not hiring you?

Weaknesses: I’ll be frank: If I hear one more canned response about how your weakness as a perfectionist is also one of your greatest strengths, I might scream (and that’d be awkward for everyone within earshot). Clearly, don’t tell me you can’t meet deadlines or you’re more concerned about your Twitter followers than completing assignments, but try a compromise: Tell me how you recognize that x is your weakness but that you’re implementing a y approach to turn it into a positive.

For more guidance, see the Harvard Business Review’s tips on answering what they call the worst interview question.

Opportunities: Now that you’ve identified your strengths and weaknesses, it’s time to fit the pieces together. What positions are out there that would play up your strengths? Which ones can help you work on your weaknesses?

Other questions to ask yourself:

• How can you leverage yourself using social media, a blog or a personal website?
• How can your professors, fellow students, advisors or professionals in the industry help?
• How can you stay ahead of your competitors? What are they not doing that you can take advantage of?

Threats: You know that one kid who’s always answering questions first in class or buttering up the professor? She’s probably annoying – but there’s a good chance she’s also got her act together and has the ability to beat you out for that position you’ve got your eye on.

Internships can get cutthroat, and unfortunately, there usually aren’t enough to go around. Know how you measure up against the competition:

• Ask your professors for the top five students in your class they’d hire. Are you one of them? What are the others doing better than you?
• Stalk students (in the most non-invasive, uncreepy way) from nearby schools on social media. What are they tweeting about? Do they have a website or blog? Who are they connecting with?
• Find out which students professionals in the industry keep up with on social media. How can you learn from what they’re doing? (Read: Learn from, not copy.) 

Think your strengths or weaknesses would be a good fit for Bohlsen Group? Check out our internship opportunity here. (And start thinking how to minimize those who could be a threat!)

If you're happy and you know it, join the movement Feb. 11

I just finished watching a documentary called “Happy” by Roko Belic. The movie premieres worldwide at 600 locations in 60 countries on all seven continents this Saturday, Feb. 11. I was tickled (no pun intended) by some of the things I learned from watching this advance screening:

• Only 10% of our happiness comes from socioeconomic factors – our marital status, career and/or housing situation.

• Experts say that 50% of our ability to be happy is genetic.

These statistics have been researched and agreed on by experts all over the world. So, based on these proven numbers, this leaves 40% of our propensity to be happy up to ourselves. The way I look at it, this means that statistically, nearly everyone could be happy. You just have to choose it. 

What makes you happy?

If we spend time every day doing regular tasks that get food on the table and clean clothes on our body, why can’t we take time to do what can help toward the daily chore of being happy? If it’s exercise you need – just do it. If it’s doing something nice for someone else – all the better. If it’s being with family and friends – enjoy.

I know it makes me smile when I see a joyful person. And I bet people prefer to be around me when I’m in a good mood.  I mean, “love makes the world go around” – right?

The producers of “Happy” are declaring Feb. 11 “World Happy Day,” and I hope everyone will participate. It would be amazing to see what the world would be like if everyone smiled at each other, performed random acts of kindness and just chose to do something that made them feel content, at peace, overjoyed.

Please accept this challenge and do something that would make me happy: Tell your friends, family, co-workers, postal carrier and random strangers about the day. 

Let’s see what can happen on Feb. 11.

Join the movement.

Advance just means ahead of time, right?

Not with multi-day events

By Andy Wilson

The Super Bowl Host Committee hired Bohlsen Group to handle the PR and publicity for the artists performing on the Verizon and Pepsi stages in the Super Bowl Village. This includes performances that started Jan. 27 through game day Feb. 5.

Yes, a 10-day event. With nearly 80 bands.

Handling publicity for multi-day, multi-featured events can be tricky. It is all about advance media and continually educating the public about what’s happening.

With multi-day events, “advance” media continues throughout the run of the event. This is much different than a one-night engagement, where there is a clear difference between advance and day-of-show media.

‘Give us Bret Michaels’

Naturally, the media want to focus on and interview the biggest-name artists. As the event publicist, though, you have to be creative to spread the wealth and maximize the coverage.

We worked with artists’ publicists to secure nearly 50 advance stories through print, online, TV and radio coverage in all corners of Indiana, the Midwest and beyond with representatives from the Host Committee and performers Darius Rucker, Bret Michaels (pictured), Fitz and the Tantrums, O.A.R., Dierks Bentley, Big Head Todd and the Monsters, and many more.

Then, once the Super Village opened, Bohlsen Group was busy lining up artists for media outlets to interview on-site within a 30- to 60-minute window each day.

These opportunities fueled advance coverage throughout the event, adding to the excitement of the Super Bowl Village for the days ahead. We secured on-site interviews for Bret Michaels, Will Hoge, Big Head Todd and the Monsters, Healing Sixes, Stereo Deluxe, Hunter Smith Band, Morris Day, O.A.R., Edwin McCain, Fuel, Jon McLaughlin and more.

The advance and multi-day event media coverage is all rooted in relationships with the media, the artists and the artists’ representatives, and never focusing just on the obvious names and stories, but brainstorming continued news items for the media to consider.

P.S. Leverage your other relationships, too

We brought another, seemingly unrelated, great relationship into the mix for everyone’s benefit. Bohlsen Group arranged for the bands Fuel and Big Head Todd and the Monsters to be seated courtside at an Indiana Pacers game. The announcer then introduced the bands – featured on the big screen – and told the crowd about their Super Bowl Village performances. A great treat for basketball fans, and a perfect cross-promotional opportunity!