Content marketing works, but there’s too much of it out there and engagement is dropping.
The world of content marketing is saturated and people only have time to read insightful articles tailored just for them. This is what we do at Words.
We help businesses engage professional copywriters for services ranging from website content to proofreading and editing. Our parent company, Mutant Communications, is a leading public relations and content marketing agency. However, the digital consumer is evolving, so we’re adapting with a site solely dedicated to your Words.
So, why should you trust us with your content?
To save you time, Words Content Manager, Jane Leung, sat down with Words CEO, Joseph Barratt, to grill him on why clients should be using our service.
JL: Joe can I bother you for a sec?
JB: Well, I’m actually-
JL: It’s about Words!
JB: Oh, what’s up?
JL: Can you tell me why you started Words? How does it differ from what we do at Mutant?
JB: Well, Words is targeted for clients who need ad-hoc and on-demand content. It’s for businesses who don’t necessarily want to jump into a full-blown PR package immediately, but could still use the wit of our wordsmiths to better articulate their brand messages.
JL: Sounds good. Remind me why we’re the best again?
JB: The content at Words can be produced quickly, with an average turnaround of 3-5 days. We only use in-house, experienced former journalists and media professionals like yourself, who know how to research content to help brands scale their content marketing strategy.
JL: What’s special about Words?
JB: You tell me, you’re the Content Manager
JL: Well, we’re real human beings writing words for real human beings.
The concept of personal branding has been thrown around the web a fair bit in the last few years. But how much do we actually know about it? What does it mean? Why would someone need it? And how do we create it?
Put simply, your personal brand is how others view you and what they associate you with. Think about your favourite (or least favourite) celebrity, and then ask yourself why you like them. Or, why do you dislike them? Essentially, it all comes down to the image and aspects of their lives that they put forward for us to see. In the celebrity world, personal branding is a very strategic game –their brand is how they get work and become successful. We could all learn a thing or two from them.
My personal favourites include Jennifer Lawrence and David Beckham.
Over the past 12 months, Jennifer Lawrence’s profile and career has simply skyrocketed. With leading roles in some of Hollywood’s top blockbusters, Ms Lawrence is the talk of Tinsletown. She has worked so hard to create this lovable, girl-next door image for herself. She loves pizza, she loves wine and is just an all-round cool chick… an ideal friend. We feel we can relate to her on a deeper level, and as well as her killer acting skills, she is an absolute delight in interviews and on the Red Carpet.
Watch this video – she’s fantastic:
But what’s important to know, is that her publicist plays a key role in what we think of her. Her team will strategically craft what she says and how she says it and through this, she’s clearly shown us all that she has brains, beauty and great banter!
On a similar level, we have David Beckham. I know I’ve written about him before, but he is seriously on point when it comes to his personal branding. Ex-football superstar, husband to Posh Spice and loving father of four beautiful children – life as Becks seems pretty darn sweet.
I was watching a documentary the other night called Into the Unknown. It was about his recent travels into the Amazon where Becks and his three good mates rode through Brazil’s remote lands on their motorcycles. The footage delved into a side of him that you don’t normally see, but what stuck out to me the most was the footage and commentary surrounding his family.
Becks heavily brands himself as a devoted family man and in the documentary, they made room to show him emotionally reading some letters from his children and placing pictures of Victoria and the kids on his bedside table. He also made a point to say that he carries family letters and pictures everywhere he travels.
Then it got me thinking – of course his PR team made sure that this was clearly shown. Beckham’s team have found a sweet spot, and have trained him to portray this everywhere he goes. And because of this, the Beckhams remain a global power couple, and have done so for at least the last ten years! They are the ideal couple – classy, sophisticated and timeless!
Through great personal branding, celebrities create a myriad of opportunities for themselves, ranging from endorsements, to top movie deals, right through to all sorts of collaborations. They are selling their ‘personality’ to better their careers.
So what about the corporate world? In an ideal world, everyone should have a strong personal brand. We should always be looking at creating new and exciting opportunities for ourselves.
Personal branding is a result of who you are, what you stand for, what you want to be known for and how you express yourself. The trick is to be strategic with the information you share with your target audience and how you position it.
Here are three quick ways to help you make a brand for yourself:
Discover yourself
Like a company brand, a personal brand should also have a clear set of objectives, goals, interests and areas of expertise. Work out what you want to be known for and where you can contribute – what is your niche?
Once people know who you are, they will begin to identify you with a specific area of understanding or expertise. You will likely be the go-to person for industry commentary and knowledge.
Create your brand
The next step is to create your brand. Start by having an online presence. LinkedIn, for example, provides a great platform to share your pearls of wisdom and connect with like-minded individuals. Set up a website or blog, update your resume, partner with businesses or industry groups that align with your values and remember to assess your wardrobe – your image counts.
Share your personality
So you’ve decided how you want to be perceived, now it’s time to show the world what you’re made of. Start writing content, secure relevant speaking slots, introduce yourself to the media and any industry groups, network with relevant people, and contribute your knowledge to topics that you specialise in. Essentially, become a thought-leader in your field. It can do wonders for your personal opportunities but also for the company you work for, or the brand/s you align yourself with.
If you need help building your personal brand please get in touch with us at hello@mutant.com.sg.
At the speed of digital trends, do you want a PR agency that’s agile like a fox or sturdy like a buffalo?
Big PR firms have the manpower, resources, and contacts to execute campaigns quickly, but advances in technology means brands need the flexibility to pivot to suit the mood of today’s on-demand audience.
Here are a couple reasons why you should hire a boutique agency over a big firm:
Skilled Staff
More manpower doesn’t mean a higher quality of work. At some larger agencies, smaller accounts may be handed down to junior members or even interns.
At a boutique agency, there is a specialist for everything. By nature, these smaller companies follow lean organisational structures stripped of multiple management levels and stringent systems and constant revision. This makes the team more nimble, enough to weave past unnecessary approval processes that eat up your billable hours.
They’re part of the ‘hacker generation’
Smaller companies tend to have a startup mentality: Fearless, resourceful, unorthodox problem solvers.
They are known to approach barriers from the outside and sometimes, through the backdoor instead of waiting for the higher-ups to approve a solution. On top of that, staff at leaner agencies enjoy taking the unconventional routes that keeps them on track with or sometimes even ahead of the consumers.
They thrive on change
Change is the constant of boutique PR firms, and they are well-equipped to move along with key industry trends and developments. Rather than fearing new technology, smaller agencies race to be the first to use a new platform or tackle a new social media trend.
With fewer people, revisions are also easier for boutique agencies. If an internal structure is holding back results, managers at small agencies will not hesitate to remove or reform them, to power your business and theirs forward.
Skilled Staff
With the internet bubbling over with too much information, brands need more creativity, quicker.
It’s become clear that advertising is no longer just the business of selling your product or services. Instead, it is now all about making their brand a part of the customer’s everyday life. In order to be there with the customer every step of the way, brands need to be able to tailor strategy at the very last minute.
This is typically where the big players have struggled to keep up, given their internal business reglementations put in place to ensure consistent organisational structures.
What I feel is imperative for businesses today, is to steer themselves away from the traditional view of how bigger or more is better. This can be done through re-evaluating business goals and looking further into what the boutiques can bring to their table, helping business owners get the best bang for their buck.
Need more advice on choosing the right agency for your business? Contact us at hello@mutant.com.sg
Media pitching takes tact and research. It’s a means to much of what the public sees today, whether it’s a published news story, a successful media event or the general hype surrounding a brand or product.
Securing a media placement can be the best feeling in the world, but here’s what happens along the way that no one will tell you about:
Journalists want to know how you can help them
Not the other way around. When pitching a story make sure you tell the journalist how your product or service can benefit their readers. With multiple editorial deadlines looming above their heads, journalists are no-nonsense individuals.
To make things easier for both of you, avoid engaging in too much small talk when you’re on the phone. Cut to the chase on what you have to offer.
Don’t pitch between 9 and 11am
You’ve got a piece of news you’re so excited about and you just want to pitch it over the phone first thing in the morning. But guess what? The newsrooms are the busiest in the morning, as editors and journalists come together and work hard to gather all the news to be published or broadcasted.
This also means that no one’s going to be available to pick up your call – for a couple of hours at least.
The trick to get around this is to drop a pitch email early enough in the morning, so journalists can pick the story up and bring it into the newsroom. Who knows this could even mean your story gets picked up without much pitching or following up!
Skip the pitch on a Friday
Like you and I, journalists wrap up for their week on Fridays, getting themselves ready to wind down for the weekend. Even if it’s just a pitch email, a seasoned PR pro will know to stay clear of Fridays.
Unless it’s breaking news, the probability of journalists looking into your pitch is almost non-existent. By Monday, your pitch would have been drowned out by hundreds of other fresh pitches for the week.
Pitch at your own risk!
A friend on the inside helps
Cultivating a healthy friendship with a member of the media can help with achieving far greater results in a shorter amount of time – think picking up the phone and sharing a story with a friend.
When you’ve established that relationship, your media friend will be more open about sharing with you the reasons your pitch wasn’t picked up, or even what they’re looking for to supplement their stories.
Do however be mindful that not every journalist is comfortable or open to becoming your best buddy. Respect their boundaries when the time comes and remain professional.
Tailor your pitches like an Armani suit
Before picking up the phone, write down the name of the journalist, their title, their beat, the publication, and your angle.
The secret formula to landing a news story is to never get started without any prior research about whom you’re calling. By research, I mean reading up about the journalist you’re pitching to, learning more about what they write about, and what they’ve just written about.
Grow thicker skin
Rejection can be a tough pill to swallow, but it’s nothing personal. There are a number of reasons why you got turned down: The angle doesn’t fit with the editorial brand or audience, it had already been covered, or there is just no sellable angle.
At the end of the day, this will all mould you into the toughest PR pro who can remain unfazed in face of rejection. Don’t be dejected, pick up the phone and keep dialing.
With the increasing global smartphone ownership, social media surrounds us. It’s inescapable, and for businesses, it means we can interact with anyone at any time.
Having said that, it’s a common misconception that brands need to be on every social media channel possible to achieve mass coverage. I’ve seen businesses get excited and set up accounts across all the major social media platforms expecting a wave of new business overnight. And then… nothing!
Like a content marketing strategy, social media takes focus and dedicated long-term commitment – there is no overnight success. Let’s take a look at Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest. Each social media platform is targeting a unique audience with a dedicated engagement purpose:
So, how do you go about selecting what is right for your brand? Well, to make it simple, here are some handy tips to get you thinking about how to make the most of your social media.
1 – Start with purpose
Goal tracking matters! There must be a purpose to your online presence. Write down why you are actually using social media and what it is you would like to achieve. What is the business goal of your strategy? Hint: It’s the things your CEO or investors want.
Get everything down on paper, as chances are, you’ll more likely stick to your goals!
2 – Be strategic
Most companies can’t be perfect on every platform so, instead of being average at all of them, select a couple that match your business goals and rock them! Here are a couple of things to think about:
Who is your target audience and how will you reach them?
How does your social media strategy help you reach your core business objectives?
How will you nurture your followers in order to convert them?
You need to have a clear social media strategy and work out a plan to realistically implement it. Set up a schedule for each week and stick to it – and you can always review it as you go.
3 – Allocate your resources and budget
Do you have time to work on your social media? Or do you plan to outsource this? Whether it’s yourself or someone else working on it, there needs to be significant time dedicated to social media posts and engagement every day.
The intensity of your posts depends on your goals but ensure that you have a solid structure in place in the form of a content calendar that will help you keep track of everything. Allocate a budget that you are comfortable in spending to boost or advertise your posts as this will also help you widen your reach and, is cost effective at the same time.
4 – Keep calm and be patient
Be persistent and don’t freak out if you aren’t an instant overnight success. Remember that a solid social media strategy takes time and patience. The more time you dedicate to your social media strategy, the better outcomes you will get!
Brands have a massive opportunity to utilise social media and if your business does not have some sort of social media presence, chances are you are still living in the dark ages. Step out from under that rock and embrace the social world…it’s truly powerful, and a great and cost effective way to engage with your target audience.
Be careful though, if you don’t have a dedicated in-house social media specialist, there is absolutely no benefit to having any channels linked to your business. In 2016, social media is a full time job. Keep it simple and remember that less is more! Only pick what’s right for your business!
Looking for some structure and strategy around your social media campaign? Get in touch with us at hello@mutant.com.sg
Whether you’re preparing to launch a new business venture or you’re already up and running, a public relations strategy to boost the exposure of your brand should sit snugly inside your long-term business plans.
When we work with new clients, before delving into the nitty gritty process of media pitching, we help companies to write and prepare a media kit, or press kit, to help introduce them to members of the media.
Of course, this is something you can do yourself, although we would recommend engaging an agency to assist you in the process. We deal with the media on a daily basis, and know exactly what they need and what they’re looking for!
What is a press kit?
A physical or digital press kit is a thoughtful curation of vital information about your brand and organisation – from a company biography, biographies of key business leaders and photos.
A digital press kit is everyone’s preferred method of information distribution, as this makes it easy to send out to journalists. Its content can also be updated quickly when the need arises. A physical press kit offers more room for creativity, and is generally used when you’re meeting members of the press face-to-face.
When on a budget, forget about the fancy, extravagant physical kits that may cost a little to design. Begin with something simple like a Dropbox or a Google Drive folder.
Put yourself in the shoes of a journalist
With packed schedules, journalists rarely have the luxury of time to sift through a massive amount of information to piece their stories together.
It’s never good news if they have to look beyond your press kit to get basic information, even for details like your store address or your opening hours. This is why the information in your media kit needs to be clear, concise and easy to access.
There are a range of things that can go into your press kit, but make sure you don’t forget the following essentials:
Your company biography
Imagine telling someone the story of your business. Share how you started, when you started, what sparked your business idea, and the gaps or problems you address through your solutions or products.
Present all of that information in a succinct paragraph or two of text, and drop them in your press kit. While this information may not always be published as part of a journalist’s content, it offers clear insights to your company’s background and of course, to what you do. It will also help them decide whether you are someone they might want to interview for articles they have coming up.
Biographies of key company representatives
You need to introduce your business’s key founder or spokespeople, so the media know who the best people are to interview. Include the profiles of any key players whose profiles you’d like to raise through their biographies – such as the founder, the CEO, or the MD.
Don’t forget to include their photographs, as well as succinct information about their professional histories and one or two more personal details. This will give the media a good all-around idea of who they are.
Your brand logo
Include this in various colours, sizes, resolutions and formats, if you can!
This will allow journalists to publish your logo along with their content in the most suitable form, whether it’s in the print or online medium – or if you’re lucky, on both platforms.
Any relevant existing company press releases
From a product launch announcement to the introduction of a new member in the organisation – if you’ve got it, include it. The key here, though, is to ensure any press releases are relevant.
They can be a fantastic point of reference for the journalists to work off for their stories, and past releases can also be filed away as the journalists’ own sources. When the potential opportunity for a story relevant to your product or expertise arises, your company stays at the top of the journalists’ minds.
Your contact details
Think about who the media should contact, over the phone or email, should they have any queries pertaining to your business or press materials. This person needs to be someone who is knowledgeable about your products, easily contactable, and can also quickly revert to the media in the shortest time frame.
Other relevant product photos
If you’re launching a new product or have existing products, consider including some professionally taken product photos. Hire a proper photographer if you can – no journalist will want to publish dimly lit or poorly taken iPhone snaps.
These photos can also be reused for other purposes such as on your website or for social media purposes, so it’s usually worth the investment.
If you would like help launching a PR strategy for your business or startup, get in touch with us at hello@mutant.com.sg
Over the last 12 months, content has become the cool, hip kid on the block.
Comprising of everything from blogs and e-books, through to social media posts and viral videos, marketers can’t get enough of it… and for good reason. It produces results!
But an often overlooked aspect of great content is visual graphics. These branded images, short videos, infographics and more also fall under the content banner, and should be a permanent addition to any content marketing strategy.
As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words, and people are more likely to absorb visual content. Particularly with the copious amount of information we are exposed to on a daily basis, it becomes hard to absorb everything, so the simpler and more concise the information, the better for the targeted audience.
Only 10% of people remember what they hear, 20% remember what they read and 80% of people remember what they see. (Source)
This means content teams must ensure they are creatively presenting information with more visual appeal, and coming up with campaigns that lend themselves to pictorial and graphical ideas.
Infographics are one of the more popular pieces of visual content around. They’re not only easy on the eye, but also educate the audience in a simple and effective manner. A good infographic has a consistent and sequential flow of information that is presented in easy to absorb facts. Take a look at some snippets of my favourites below:
What makes them so good? They tell a story quickly in an entertaining way, with useful facts to draw from.
Here are a few quick tips to get your visual content in tip top shape.
Less is more
The biggest flaw is trying to fit in way too much information; it very quickly stops being effective. The idea of visual content is to be clever with how the information is presented, otherwise you might just as well write an article or blog.
You want your readers to remember what you are presenting to them, and keeping it simple and to the point means they are more likely to absorb and retain the information.
Get factual
Decide on a timeline of events or a process for how you want your audience to read the information. Then, pull out only the key facts and present only this through a series of illustrations, graphics or videos.
You might have a ton of data, but only use what’s relevant and easy to comprehend.
Colours and content
Colours matter a lot when it comes to visual content. Ensure your graphics are suited to the type of information you are presenting.
Brighter red, blue and green shades are more likely to stand out and get noticed, but darker colours such as black or navy can be just as effective in representing sophistication or something concerning.
Hopefully now you have a bit more of an understanding about presenting visual content. Try and incorporate these tips into your content marketing strategy, and to help you come up with cool and creative ways to present information to educate and inspire.
If you need help with your visual content please get in touch with me at hello@mutant.com.sg
Pretty much all great orators – the ones who can talk to 10,000 people while giving off that ‘just having a casual chat with my mate on the sofa’ vibe – can do what they do because they have a lot of practice under their belts. Many have also probably had media training.
Public speaking with impact takes practice and planning. All companies worth their salt understand the importance their ambassadors have in representing their brand, and invest in experts like us at Mutant to help develop confident and compelling delivery.
However, we’ve seen plenty of people who have decided to jump in front of an audience without proper training, thinking they know what they’re doing (can anyone say crash and burn?)
Here are five of the most effective but un-obvious ways to completely lose your audience.
1. Inflate that ego, Narcissus.
“I really really want the audience to like me!”
If you want to alienate your audience and make them instantly dislike you, put yourself before them.
Essentially, your approach to public speaking is all wrong if you aren’t considering what your audience is going to get out of your speech or presentation. You should be asking yourself, “what do I want the audience to leave with, and how do I make this as easy for them to understand as possible?”
A presentation should be planned, written and practised with the audience in mind. This might include:
– Explaining to the audience why you are there and what you are going to present
– Speak important points slowly and repeat them if necessary – but not to the point of condescension
– Conclude by recapping on salient point.
Just remember your audience likely doesn’t know the content as well as you do, so be nice, personable and make your presentation an enjoyable experience – not something they have to survive through.
2. Have absolutely no idea who you’re talking to
Who are your audience? Are they industry leaders? Experienced professionals? Media? Or fresh-faced young talent with a blank slate and open minds? Let the audience inform your delivery.
If they are experts in your field, feel free to dive deep on the detail, acronyms and jargon. If not, calibrate accordingly. It’s surprising how many people get this wrong.
3. Keep it boring, stale, and loooooooooooooong
Even if you’re speaking to a room of industry heavyweights, don’t make the mistake of trying to show superior intelligence by being verbose. Using impenetrable language and stretching one point into five alienates your audience, turns them off and bores them to death. At worst, you might make them think you have something to hide (I could have used the word obfuscate but then, but I chose not to, precisely for this reason.)
TED speakers aren’t allowed to exceed 18 minutes for their presentations. You have a precious time limit for the audience’s attention, who will probably only leave remembering three of your points. Choose them wisely and give them impact.
4. Leave them wanting…less?
“A good speech should be like a woman’s skirt; long enough to cover the subject and short enough to create interest.” – Winston Churchill
Thanks for the typically uncouth quote Winston, but you get the point. This massively applies to a presentation where you want to signpost the audience onto something else. It could be to a product, another event or even an interview with your client. Spill all of the beans and they wont have any need to pursue it further.
5. Over rely on scripts and slides
“I’ll read from my script. That way I’ll avoid the risk of saying the wrong thing or forgetting my point.”
No, no, and no. A speech, presentation or interview is about having a conversation. Even if you’re the only one talking on stage, you’re trying to create a dialogue – not a monologue – between yourself and the audience, and the only way to do that is to talk, not read, and be engaging while you do it.
You want people to walk away believing two things:
a) You believe in your stuff
b) You know your stuff
Yes, it’s good to prepare. But to rely on a script equals less engagement and snoring audiences. Your whole tone and body language changes when you read, rather than talk, and it’s highly obvious. Plus, there are the technicalities to be concerned with. What if the projector doesn’t work on the day? What if someone wants to interview you afterwards to clarify or repeat a point? Knowing your key themes and messages will allow you avoid having to re-wind the tape and start over again.
Learn two or three key points you want to convey from each slide and practice making each point off the cuff without crutches. This will make you more natural, relaxed and ultimately more compelling.
Want to learn more about how to better conduct yourself in front of media? Get in touch with us at hello@mutant.com.sg
It shouldn’t matter, and you shouldn’t care what other people think of you, but we all know how hard negativity is to ignore.
When you get a negative or unfavourable comment on your personal social media page, you can choose to deal with it as you please – delete it, ignore it, report it, or reply with a string of expletives.
But things are different when you are managing a corporate business page. There are certain protocols that need to be adhered to, especially when it comes to dealing with feedback.
It’s a delicate issue. Likes and positivity are easy to deal with, but when the dark, ominous cloud of negativity looms, it becomes a true test of sustenance. Sometimes all it takes is one bad comment to override all the good ones.
Handling negativity professionally is an important asset and skill to have, offline and online, as more consumers turning to social media to communicate and share feedback about brands.
Due to perceived efficiency and visibility, consumers often resort to social media to get in touch with a brand. Studies have shown that 67% of consumers have used a company’s social media site for servicing, while 33% of users prefer to contact brands using social media rather than the telephone.
Knowing how to deal with with criticism, or even just haters trolling comments is necessary – because online, everyone is watching.
DO – Acknowledge
Good or bad, make sure you reply to a comment and acknowledge its presence. ‘Ignorance is bliss’ does not apply in this situation. Expectations are set high these days – and they’re even higher (sometimes bordering on unreasonable) when a customer is upset or has an urgent request. They want an answer right away and won’t hesitate to make you look incompetent for not being able to respond immediately.
DON’T – Give a template answer
Yes, people can see through your lack of authenticity. It takes a bit more effort to type in a response from scratch, but at least you will sound sincere – a genuine response will take you far. If you know you’re going to be held back on what you can respond with due to corporate policy, try and outline a few key messages and potential responses you might need to use before putting your crisis plan into place. You’ll sound like more of a person and less of a robot, and people will appreciate it.
DO – Be sincere in your apology
It’s everyone’s favourite thing to hear, or in this case, read. And since they took the time off to get in touch, you can do the same. Read what they have to say, and respectfully answer their questions. Don’t hold back on using that magic word – “sorry” – if you have messed up. It goes a long, long way in retaining customer loyalty.
DON’T – Lead them to another “feedback link”
We all know how frustrating this is; it’s like taking two steps back. Don’t pile yet another task on them, especially if chances are that there is going to be even more waiting time with no follow up.
DO – Try your best to solve the problem
Some situations may vary, but do try your best, and provide regular updates on your progress. This is also a good chance to reflect and discover ways of improving to serve customers better, leading to less complaints – online or offline.
It’s a simple solution, but also the hardest. It’s all about being authentic and sincere.
Some other quick helpful tips:
Timeliness: Reply as quick as you can. People generally don’t like waiting, especially if they’re upset.
Offline vs Online: Decide if the situation calls for an open discussion online, or a private message. Each problem varies, and needs to be handled differently. A well-managed crisis can earn you positive word of mouth by other punters online.
Not all feedback is constructive: There are many trolls and keyboard warriors who enjoy making personal attacks – they’re not worth your time. It’s best to ignore these responses, keep your chin up, and focus on the wrongs that you can right.
Haters, be gone!
Get in touch with us at hello@mutant.com.sg if you’d like to find out more about integrating a social media strategy into your PR campaign.
You might think gangster rap and the PR industry have little to do with each other, but if Straight Outta Compton has taught me anything, it’s that with the right attitude, you can do anything you want.
(You know, like creating the above photo to accompany this blog…)
The long-awaited biopic about N.W.A (Ni**az Wit Attitude) only hit Singapore screens earlier this month (thanks to The Projector for making it happen!). When news broke that we would, in fact, be able to see this movie locally, me and Mutant’s resident hiphop head, Rebecca, aka The Erratic Conquerer, were preeeeeetty excited.
Overall, it was a decent bio; a little predictable, and evidently biased as both Ice Cube and Dr. Dre – two of the founding members of N.W.A – were producers of the movie.
For those of you who aren’t familiar with the subject matter, Straight Outta Compton is a movie about the iconic and game-changing gangster rap group N.W.A, who forever changed the face of the music scene with their album of the same name. Emerging from the ghettos in the 1980s, the main characters of the show – MCs Eazy E, Ice Cube and producer Dr. Dre – were a trinity of messiahs who got together in Compton, California. They were later joined by DJ Yella and MC Ren, to form the original members of N.W.A (they left Arabian Prince out, but more on that here).
At the peak of their fame, still thriving on unadulterated talent and raw passion, music – the common thread that bound them together – also became the catalyst to tear them apart. It was a spectacle of industry debauchery, political dissent and raw emotions conveyed through poetry and spoken word.
Caught in the manipulative web of the music industry, it was a combination of intuition, street smarts and personal ethics that most of the characters possessed. Each had different beliefs, but stood so strongly by them right or wrong.
Call me crazy, but there were a few messages I took away from this biopic that I think we can all apply to a professional career in PR.
In the movie, Compton is a figurative (and oftentimes literal) battlefield that is the working industry, and it’s all about rising from the ashes to become the best you can be.
Beware of spoilers ahead!
1. Eazy-E: [doing a rap song] “Cruising down the street in my ’64…” Dr. Dre: “That was dope, E. That s**t was dope, man!”
Stuck in a creative rut and under pressure from his crew, Eazy E was forced to come forth to record a track in the studio – with no prior experience in rap. It was afterall, a business. His business, with his own money invested in the record label – that was strong enough of an encouragement to take the leap and do it.
Boyz-n-the-hood ended up a being single on the label’s debut, Eazy-Duz-It, which charted on two different charts and went 2x Platinum in the United States.
Lesson: It is all about taking risks and challenging yourself. Get in front of the microphone, get out there and don’t be afraid of trying out new things, and make lots of money.
2. Ice Cube: “Speak a little truth and people lose their minds.”
…which is why most people tend to lie and get away with it. It’s easier to deal with.
Have you ever avoided speaking your mind, often biting the bullet to a client’s unreasonable requests, only to kick yourself about your lack of judgement later? Sometimes, we become too much of a pushover that we forget standing up for our own principals, clients, colleagues or otherwise.
It can also stop us from remember that we are the experts. Your clients might have very set ideas on what they want, but you are the professional they are paying to tell them if you think that’s a bad idea, and why.
Lesson: It is important to listen, please and deliver, but also to be fair to both yourself and the client by sharing some sound advice. You will be surprised how people will react and appreciate your honesty.
3. Ice Cube: “ I ain’t mad – you’re just doing your job. I’m a journalist just like you.”
This was Ice Cube’s comeback to a journalist’s futile attempt to pull a fast one with a question. It must come with being a wordsmith, but Ice Cube is incredibly charming, eloquent and, in an absurd way, a media trainer’s dream.
He carries himself incredibly well and is always prepared even for the toughest questions. He’s a little blunt in his approach, but always confident and coherent.
Lesson: It’s good to prepare yourself before an interview by doing a bit of research on the media, the writer or presenter, and think about questions you could be asked and expected to answer. It’s easy to get intimidated by bright lights and camera, but a little bravado sometimes goes a long way. You are in front of the camera for a good reason – give them something to talk about!
4. Jerry Heller: “Let me tell you what I see here: a lot of raw talent. Swagger. Bravado. People are scared of you guys. They think you’re dangerous, but the world needs to hear it.”
Music Manager Jerry Heller’s character is a little ambiguous, and his relationship with the group at the end of the show left little to be desired. But he’s a businessman – an incredible one who took risks and chances at managing nascent rap groups and bands.
Lesson: This is an intuitive one, where you listen to your gut feeling, which might sometimes pull you away from doing the ‘right thing’. Trust your instincts but don’t be impulsive. It’s a delicate balance, but teaching yourself when to listen to your head versus your heart is an important skill in the land of PR.
5. Ice Cube: [Smashing up the office] “You should’ve kept the word, Bryan.”
In this scene, Ice Cube is demanding his cheque for his work. When he wasn’t paid, he went crazy with a baseball bat in his manager’s office.
Lesson: Pay your clients, bills and employees on time.
Interested in chatting further about how a public relations campaign could help grow your business or event? Get in touch with us at hello@mutant.com.sg
Congratulations! You’ve created an Instagram page for your business. Now what?
Since acquiring Instagram in 2012, Facebook has kept this simple photo-sharing app going from strength to strength.
With developers tirelessly rolling out updates to enhance its existing features, marketers and business owners alike need to ensure they are keeping up with the changes and learning to use the functionalities to their advantage.
Earlier this year, Instagram shifted its focus to its search function, giving users an even more comprehensive experience. This function was later made available on Instagram’s website, making the Instagram’s explore function one of its strongest suits at the moment – excellent news for users seeking out new content!
I’d like to present you with 3 simple, yet frequently overlooked, habits I promise will amplify your content’s visibility on Instagram.
They require little effort and time, and – best of all – there’s no cost attached to help make your content more discoverable (unless, of course, you’re wanting to explore Instagram’s latest developments – advertising – which is taking off around the globe!)
Geotag your content
Geotag: To Include the specific location of your photograph at the moment you upload it.
Essentially, geotagging stores your current location – longitude and latitude – along with your photo, and this data is accessible to Instagram with your permission. You can also choose to add a location to your photo through the “Name this location” option, meaning you can tell people where you are at any time – a restaurant, a shop, an event or a business headquarters.
It’s simple and effective, but most businesses don’t make proper use of this very simple function.
Having your business as a location option allows people who come by your business, whatever it may be, to choose it as a location. This means customers can ‘check in’ at your location, and it allows other used to follow the location link and see other people’s posts related to the same location. This is an incredible effective way to showcase your product or venue and reach new customers. If you’re a shop on a busy street, it can be a great way for tourists to find out about you, for example.
It also gives you the option of regramming (re-posting) the images your customers are sharing to your official business Instagram, if it aligns with your branding and tone. This opens up lines of communication between your business and customers, which is always a positive.
Using hashtags
Another way to enhance discovery on Instagram is to keep up with the #hashtag game.
Please note that I am not encouraging you #to #hashtag #every #little #thing – too many people do this, and it’s a strong indication that they don’t understand the actual usage of hashtags. Too many hashtags will distract your content from its key message and gain invaluable traction.
A good rule of thumb is to stick to one hashtag unique for your business (such as your brand name), along with two to five other hashtags made up of keywords relevantto your content. Not hashtags that will get you as many “likes” on your post as possible. (i.e very generic terms that can be linked to something else entirely.)
Pairing good content with inappropriate hashtags is like putting a snake and a mongoose together – it’s painful to watch, and the mongoose has no chance.
Over time, relevant and appropriate hashtags can create a following of their own, allowing users to search for it and find out more about your business. The more specific you can get with your hashtag, the more targeted your audience will can, which ultimately leads to better engagement.
Following your followers (and non-followers)
If you’re unsure of who to start following, try making use of Instagram’s search function to carry out either a location-based search, or a hashtag search. The search will lead you to images that will help you locate people who have interests similar to yours.
Look through a list of people with interests aligned with your brand’s, or people whose demographics are closest to that of your intended audience. (Their bios and posts would be a good indication of their personalities, to a certain extent.)
If you already have a following, you may want to consider following your followers back. Alternatively, you can go through your competitor’s followers, and identify those you would like to follow.
Following people is almost like an open invitation into their lives, allowing you to find out more about what people are talking about and what they care about. You will also be able to identify social media trends taking place and better craft content around that trend to stay relevant!
If you’d like to speak about your brand’s social media strategy, please feel free to reach out at hello@mutant.com.sg.
The growth and popularity of social media has been incredible. As consumers, we use a multitude of platforms to keep in touch with people across the globe and to access information about products, events or brands, while the end goal for businesses is to make sales and connect to a target audience.
Many brands splash big bucks on social media spend in hope of explosive engagement, but many fail to ever get the traction they desire. They just seem to miss what their audience really wants to see, and too often lack personality and structure to their plans.
Celebrities are some of the best brands out there. They’re everywhere. Yes, they typically have a team of people shaping the way are seen to the public, but the biggest celebs in the world have an innate understanding of their appeal, their target audience, and the key messages then ensure they’re presented in the way they wish to be seen. And they do it damn well.
So, how can companies get their brand to become insta-famous? Gaining a little bit of inspiration from E!, I’ve outlined some of the best tips we can take away from our A-list mates.
Watch your tone
This may seem simple enough. Companies know what their brand stands for, right? Consumers generally respond when they feel the brand is talking directly to them, appealing to their needs.
While it’s nice to boast about your success, this gets old quickly. Instead, write like you would speak and include content that resonates with the audience.
Take actor Ryan Reynolds, whose lovable personality, humility and humour is showcased so well on social media. This recent Twitter post really made me laugh – he’s personable, funny and relatable, making me want to read more from him (luckily his posts just get better by the day).
Be recognisable
Ok, so before you judge me for my next comment, I’d like to make it clear that I do not support the Kardashians, nor do I actually really like them, but there is something about that family that makes me (and the rest of the world!) pay attention. You have to give it to them – their social media following is through the roof! Between Kim, Khloe and Kourtney, the girls have a collective Instagram following in excess of 100 million – yep that’s right!
What makes their profiles work is their content. Take Kim Kardashian – just do me a favour and visit her Instagram profile. It’s filled with selfies, an act she has damn well perfected and more or less claimed as her own. It’s what her fans recognise her for! Kim’s narcissistic personality has worked in her favour (not an easy feat) but she also showcases behind-the-scenes shots and a glimpse into the crazy world that is Kim and her husband, Kanye West.
While companies might not be able to compare themselves to the Kardashians, you can learn a lot about building a recognisable brand, giving the customers what they want, and constantly, constantly engaging with them.
Avoid the sales pitch and bring out your personality
Too often I stumble across a Facebook or Instagram page where a sales pitch is just screaming at me. And yes, these platforms are great for getting directly in front of the customer, but there are more subtle ways of doing this.
Musician Taylor Swift has become a social media master. This savvy artist has an excess of 140 million followers across all her social media platforms. How does she do it? Well, she doesn’t sell her music directly – instead, she ‘sells’ her personality.
This video she uploaded to Facebook is just brilliant (click on the image below to view). Her likeable personality and ‘girl next door’ attitude is what people love her for, and she knows it.
Similarly, let’s consider Lady Gaga, who’s ‘Little Monsters’ follow her every move. She loves her fans, shows genuine appreciation for her success and knows what works where. By showcasing her personality and letting her fans into her life through social media, Lady Gaga is indirectly selling records.
Brands need to understand that providing consumers with quality content is more likely to generate sales than direct marketing alone.
Learn the difference
Each social media platform is different and caters to a different audience. I’m sure many of you are thinking, “well that’s pretty obvious” but it’s important to mention, because too many companies are still posting the exact same content in the same manner across all their social platforms – a big no no!
Since retiring from professional football, David Beckham’s popularity has risen to new heights. Of course, being one half of ‘The Beckhams’ helps, but his social media presence really demonstrates who he is – something many professional sports personalities fail to do.
Go through some of his accounts and you’ll see a trend. We see more of his charitable side on Facebook, his adoration for his kids on Instagram, and constant support for his wife’s career on Twitter. With each social network that David Beckham joins, he finds new and unique ways to engage with his fans. He is strategically growing the Beckham social media empire by allowing fans to, in a way, experience life in the Beckham family.
Looking for some structure and strategy around your social media campaign? Get in touch with us at hello@mutant.com.sg
