3.082016

Brand Book Bites from Mastering the New Media Landscape

– the book:  Mastering the New Media Landscape: Embrace the Micromedia Mindset — an informative, timely book about how to navigate and breakthrough in today’s media environmentmastering the new media landscape

– the brains:  Barbara Cave Henricks and Rusty Shelton — they are respectively the heads of the PR firm Cave Henricks and digital marketing agency Shelton Interactive.  Between the two of them, they’ve spearheaded PR and marketing campaigns for business book authors including Jack Welch, Marcus Buckingham, Sally Hogshead, and yours truly.

– the best bits:   Mastering the New Media Landscape combines

  • insights about the current media environment
  • recommended strategies for leveraging the three most influential categories of media — earned, rented, and owned
  • practical tips for using new digital and social channels

Insights:  Barbara and Rusty introduce the concept of “micromedia — digital outlets hosted by individuals and brands that feature blogs, podcasts, webinars, and other content tailored to a very specific group of readers.”  They explain:

“Millions can now get their messages heard by micromedia, starting small, gaining traction, and then growing loud and large enough to command the attention of the traditional outlets whose impact remains important.  The challenge of using micromedia for this purpose demands a dedicated willingness to participate.”

“Everyone who consumes media will continue to demand more…We all want more, better, faster content that is customized to our interests and needs…We devise our own menu of media, picking and choosing among the options and diminishing the editorial control once wielded by traditional media.”

Strategies:  The book suggests that to determine which media channels to use, ask “Which channel provides the best intersection between my skills/passion and my audience’s attention?

And, to determine how do use them, ask “whether is the social media channel you’re considering is a relationship sustainer or a relationship builder” and “focus your time and energy on the end of the spectrum that best reflects the size of your audience.

To get the attention of reporters and traditional media gatekeepers, “Tell the world who you are, be compelling and clear about your background and experience, and make sure the messages you showcase in the digital world mirror those you want amplified by them media. Confusion carries a high price tag, as journalists simply move on when they can’t easily discern if something matches their needs.

Tips:  In the book, you’ll learn:

  • how to conduct an online brand audit
  • the optimal mix of blog content topics
  • use Twitter data mining to build meaningful relationships with your readers
  • how to amplify your speaking engagements with social media
  • ways to gain influence on LinkedIn

– the brand story:  One of people Rusty and Barbara write about is Carol Sanford, author of the book The Responsible Business.  Her story is an instructive one about not dismissing media you don’t understand.

When Carol first approached Rusty and Barbara to help launch her book, Rusty’s suggestion to prioritize Twitter over Facebook was met with silence.  When Carol finally broke the silence, she said “Twitter?  I don’t think anyone cares what I ate for lunch.”  But Rusty responded that “Twitter isn’t about updates or tweets — it’s about relationships” and convinced Carol to give it a try.

Soon thereafter, Carol connected on Twitter with Sam Ford, a popular blogger at Fast Company.  After engaging with Sam over time, Carol was able to secure his endorsement for her book.  She also self-generated coverage in Inc. magazine, appeared at a Fast Company conference, and hosted her own conference.

She concluded, “I thought all social media was just shallow…What I found was some of the most interesting thinkers in the world.

– the bottom line:  If you aspire to be a thought-leader, Mastering the New Media Landscape is a vital resource for you.

Listen to my conversation with Barbara and Rusty to learn:

  • how new media outlets give you a way of getting message out without control of traditional media gatekeepers
  • why trying to decide between traditional & social media reflects a dated understanding of media landscape
  • how to make yourself discoverable

more brand book bites:

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