Communicating is Key to Marketing Success

Learning the tools of the trade is relatively simple. Sure, the platforms and apps change all of the time and there are always new networks to keep up with, but as evidenced by young kids learning how to use them in a few minutes, there isn't a high barrier to entry.

Keeping up with the trends is also pretty straight forward. It merely requires you to take the time to pay attention to what is happening outside of your little bubble.

And finally, content creation isn't really rocket-science, either. Paying attention, learning how to write, shoot, and edit, researching and investing in any equipment to improve your output...once again, it takes time and practice, but learning isn't that hard.

What IS hard, though, is learning how to be a good communicator. It seems like it should be the easiest thing to do as we all engage in communication every day - with our family, friends, coworkers, clients, and strangers. But funny enough, it is almost always the place where marketing efforts break down.

Good communicators are rare, but you remember them. They stand out. Their messages stick. You understand what they do, say, and care about. They have the ability to not only help you understand complex ideas, but also CARE about those ideas. Their message cuts through the clutter. Being a good communicator means that it doesn't matter if you know how to use the tools, know the trends, and produce high-quality content - people will listen. And if you DO know how to use the tools, keep up with the trends, and produce high-quality content, you are a quadruple threat.

This week and next, I am talking about communication. This week's video focuses on the foundation of becoming a better communicator and I'm working on next week's, which will cover how to present an idea. Let me know if you have any other questions or ideas you would like me to explore.

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Truly Social is a web series that you can share with your boss or client when they're not really "getting" social. It's also the name of my company - where we work with clients on helping them develop their own content series.

I've been working on this social stuff for over 18 years and I've been a participant in the social web since 1992. My videos (usually) come out every week ...with ~5 minute "lessons" on what are truly social practices (and what are NOT).