Stop Marketing, Start A Movement!

Starting A Movement, Good For Business Or Just A Gimmick?

Sykia Media — Tue, 26 Jul 2011 08:22:33 +0000

I recently received an email from someone who questioned the wholesome motives behind starting a movement and claimed it was really just praying on unaware suckers. No that’s called advertising and sales. Starting a movement isn’t a side thing you do to draw attention, it’s a complete shift in how you communicate with your customers and how you position your company. You no longer just sell things, instead you are here to change your corner of the world & make peoples lives better with your solutions, resources and information. Your products and services are part of that solution but now the scope of how you interact with your customers and the world has dramatically expanded. You are no longer just a supplier, manufacturer or business –you are the expert, the game changer in your market. Starting a movement based on your own genuine story and passion is about something real. Not everyone will “get” your passion and the purpose behind what you do but the ones who do will instantly connect with your message and never let go. Are there any loyal APPLE followers out there? If you don’t think Steve Jobs at Apple has a movement then you really don’t “get it” because Apple only has loyal followers, the “I love only Apple and will never have anything else!” followers. Followers that brag and brag and brag about their “iwhatever”. It’s irrelevant if you agree with them, the Apple movement is big.

Starting a Movement isn’t separate from your business. It is how you market, sell, advertise and promote what you do. It’s integrated into your business DNA. Everything you do has your movement written all over it. So it’s a method and strategy not a gimmick to suck people in. It’s also not a “mission statement” that’s filled with empty promises and lacks complete dedication to it.

The typical marketing and sales message lacks real emotion, the message is usually about value, features and how you’re stuff is better than the other guy–even if it’s not. Starting a movement means, instead of selling sports shoes your passion is about helping all people know what’s it’s like to find a shoe that fits better than any shoe they’ve ever had and help them become the athlete they always hoped they could be. Taking this approach means yes, you want to sell shoes but you want to sell the right shoe to the right people. Because you have a passion for this, you offer education on improving your customers’ athletic performance and you donate shoes to local schools’ sports programs. You call your customers athletes and your employees trainers because your focus is on your movement not just your product. You can’t fake real passion because it will come through in everything you do. On-lookers will see that you don’t just say you care, you really act on it. Passion is infectious, if it starts at the top it trickles all the way down.

If this seems a bit “pollyanna” for some of you then you haven’t really seen this approach in action. How about the CEO who put his cell phone number on all packaging because of their passion to have the freshest cereal on the market, if it wasn’t fresh he said, “call me” (Me and Goji Cereal). Or what about the technology company who decided to share all their secrets on how to run a successful company and how they produce their project management software just to help educate their audience & customers–did I mention they’re a multi-million dollar company? (Company is called 37 signals)

There are hundreds of examples that illustrate how this approach works. The focus is the opposite of deception, it’s about being transparent to your customers and proving to them daily (not just in your mission statement) that you have a passion for what you do. Frankly, if you don’t have passion, then you need to find something else to do because if you’re not passionate about what you do, I can assure you your customers and employees will lack passion for what you do also.

For those nay-sayers I challenge you to stop your marketing and sales as usual. Ask yourself, why do I do what I do? We all work to make money, so to pay the bills isn’t an answer. The real question is why do you do THIS work and not something else?

Going Against the Social Crowd, “IS” the Secret To Success

Sykia Media — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 21:07:26 +0000

The easy or well traveled path usually takes you nowhere worthwhile or get’s you off the “right” path. Doing what’s “right” may upset the equilibrium in your work, home or community because you are going against the crowd. In this day in age “the crowd” is a powerful force and to go against it takes guts. This is what we call leadership. In this social age, I’m not sure anyone really knows what this is anymore.

Most extraordinary ideas, were first rule breakers or contrary to popular opinion

Just because everyone is doing “it” doesn’t mean that’s how you should do it, especially in business. When we follow the crowd in how we market, interact, communicate or invent we unknowingly dilute our own authenticity and ability to create enormous success for ourselves. Take ques from the crowd but let your own imagination drip all over what the crowd is doing. Rework it, add to it, delete, reshape it, take it apart and find ways to put it back together completely different.

What the world, economy and society needs right now are leaders who can invent and believe in their own ability to imagine something extraordinary. Leaders and visionaries willing to go out on a limb and try something completely new. Not just another Facebook, Twitter or Apple disguised as something new. Create your own flavor that people will be addicted to. However, don’t be surprised if at first people will say you’re crazy or give you one eyebrow raised and say “You’re doing what?”–and that’s your sign that you might already be ON the right path.

Bullies on CNN and In Life

Sykia Media — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 21:15:35 +0000

I was recently reading an article on CNN.com, about a man standing up for how he believed religiously in Hollywood. I was so amazed at the nasty comments to the story. Why can’t we just read something and not become so “personally” charged by it? None of the people commenting saw the ‘bigger” picture here, not his religious beliefs, but the story of a man who stood his ground and succeeded. Can’t we all learn from this lesson?

Why is it that when someone is trying to make a stand for what they believe in, there’s always people pointing out their flaws and focusing on pulling them down? WE KNOW, even the greatest of heroes or inspirational people are not perfect. They have made mistakes in the past, have fallen off course and may still continue–they are human not perfect. Who among us thinks they are so different? Then why do you jump to judgement, when another states their opinion or chooses to live their life differently than you? When have you been guilty of this? Don’t say never.

It has always puzzled me why in politics, religion, race, sex, news, even within families and life most people take an “us against them” attitude, if you don’t agree with someone you push them into the “THEM” category. And then the very same people wonder why we all just can’t get along. Isn’t this a form of being a bully? Maybe a more sophisticated one, but still when you get down to the basics it’s still pushing and shoving another person hoping they fall down, while you laugh.

I understand you need to voice your opinion, to be heard and not be ignored. But in many cases your need to be vocal is your firery desire to change the minds of others. You can’t change others with your nasty and debating comments–would that change your mind? However, you can change how you perceive and interact with others–which in time may actually change the people around you.

I challenge all of you to go for 30 DAYS and not take sides, to listen to the ones you don’t agree with and compassionately try to understand them- instead of trying to CHANGE them (which most of you think you can do) just understand them, you don’t have to agree. Drop your guard and realize we are ALL just trying to live life in the best way we can. And yes, it’s a given that for some their best means good choices, bad choices, mistakes, victories, getting off course or succeeding. What others are doing or not doing doesn’t matter to you– at the end of the day you can only change YOU & lets hope after one week you grow as a person and lose some of that instinct to judge, criticize, be bitter and stop trying to change others.

Let’s try to be better human beings than the ones you see fighting on TV in politics, Hollywood, Online, Reality TV, News Programs and even in your own community & family. If we don’t raise the bar on how we behave and work together, no one will.

Let me know if you are brave enough to take this challenge. I have dared to do this and it is difficult but life changing. I learned more about why I wanted to change the minds of others or why I couldn’t see the other person’s perspective. I learned I was just as much of the problem as they were. Email me about your journey.

Shari

Shari Kingston Adams

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In 2011 You Can Do Things Afraid

Sykia Media — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 18:42:44 +0000

Most of my life I thought I had to wait until I was confident in my skills, ability, plan or strategies before I took action. The harsh reality is when I want to make big changes or create my big idea I’m rarely 100% confident. Anyone who has achieved great success in a business, movement or anything was usually scared to death on the inside but put the confident mask on to go out into the real world.

If all of you would just choose the new years resolution, “do things afraid in 2011″, imagine what you could accomplish. What people don’t realize is when someone chooses to be bold or courageous in their actions simply means they feel the fear and do it anyway.

Do you think the heroes in war, tragedy or revolutions do what they do without fear?

Of course not, but they do it anyway. Why? Because of their conviction to follow what they believe in.

Running a business, non-profit or following a dream is about balancing following your conviction and listening to your fear. Fear sometimes is an alarm indicating danger and the need to correct the course you’re on. However, many times fear is an alarm that you’re approaching something different and unknown (not necessarily dangerous or guaranteed failure). You have to know the difference, but how? Follow your conviction of what you believe in. Your aim doesn’t have to be high but you must take action towards your conviction. Taking small steps in fear is just as monumental as taking big steps.

Give yourself permission to do things afraid and with doubt. Don’t fear failure.

Isn’t failure better than regret, failures you heal from– regret lasts all your life.

Happy New Year to All of You!

Shari…..I’m going to do things afraid in 2011.

Entrepreneurs Start Your Own “Livestrong” Movement

Sykia Media — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 19:04:36 +0000

Lance Armstrong has overcome cancer, the Tour de France and nagging allegations of drug use to become one of the world’s

best-paid athletes and a sought-after spokesperson. He’s also the leader of the “Livestrong Movement.”

He’s turned his non-profit, the Lance Armstrong Foundation, better known as Livestrong, into one of the top 10 groups funding cancer research in the United States. It’s also become a movement among millions of people. Since its inception in 1997 it has raised more than $325 million, and become synonymous with the 72 million yellow bracelets it has sold bearing the Livestrong name.

Many foundations support cancer research but none has been so successful in getting people to publicly show their support, than those Livestrong yellow bracelets. Armstrong’s movement has become something more than just about cancer. The message of LIVESTRONG has taken on an individual meaning for each person who wears the bracelets. For some IT IS about cancer but for many others it’s a proclamation of how they want to live their life.

To start a movement you must begin with an emotional message and a story that people can easily connect with. But you also need a leader many people want to cheer for. People like winners and Armstrong has won the battle with cancer and then went on to do something that no one ever thought he could accomplish–he won the Tour de France 7 times. With Armstrong he has all the makings of a great “movement” leader.

Forbes recently named him the most influential athlete in the US and his appeal reaches far beyond his bike. Lance Armstrong touches the lay person like no other athlete. Many people wearing his bracelets never even heard of the Tour de France before he showed up. He now has over 2.5 million people following him on Twitter. This my friend is the perfect storm for a movement, not a marketing campaign.

A movement is something that people embrace as a way of life, an attitude, an insight to their own story or even a statement to the world. When people wear one of his bracelets, it says something about them beyond “I donated money to cancer research”. This brand has taken on a life of its own. This “living” quality is a vital ingredient of a movement and something that a marketing campaign could NEVER accomplish.

Now I understand that most of us don’t have a story like Lance Armstrong, but we do have a story. How can you create a story, message or purpose that inspires people to embrace it as something that makes them feel STRONG, empowered and proud to be a part of it? Remember, LiveStrong has shown us that simply branding your company doesn’t achieve this, if it were that easy people would be getting Pepsi or Walmart tattoos on them. People committ to movements, not brands, so creating a strong BRAND MESSAGE isn’t the answer. However, creating a story that people connect with emotionally, can create fans from all over the world because they don’t just want to “buy” what you have, they really BUY IN to who you are & what you stand for. Everyone has a movement, you just may need to uncover it within you’re own collection of stories, motivations, failures and victories.

At Sykia Media we are proud of the fact that we DON’T help you market your company, we help you START A Movement!

Be your own Public Relations Firm and Create BUZZ

Sykia Media — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 08:14:46 +0000

So Why is PR better than Advertising???

Advertising is clearly understood by your audience as coming directly from the sponsoring business and, as a result, is usually taken with a grain of salt. So anything you say or write is always thought of as a “sales pitch”.

However, an article initiated (or “placed”) by publicity efforts is viewed as the product of the reporter who wrote it – an objective, third party observer whose positive comments about your business will carry great weight. Not to mention it doesn’t cost you anything to get articles written or to get interviewed it just takes your time.

“If I was down to my last dollar, I’d spend it on public relations.”
- Bill Gates, Microsoft Founder

So how do you do this if you’re not a PR professional?

What’s the secret to getting free publicity? It’s not a fancy press kit. It’s not having a superstar spokesperson. It’s not hiring the world’s biggest PR firm.

Actually, the ultimate insider secret is quite simple:

You need to think like a reporter.

That’s it. Told you it was simple.

Of course, this is ”easier said than done”. Most of us are too tied-up in our own world to really look at our businesses objectively and come up with a newsworthy story angle that can lead to free publicity.

That’s why millions of trees are needlessly slaughtered each year to produce press releases that will never lead to a single news story. Reporters have a special place in their circular file for fluff and sales pitches. If you want to avoid this fate, then you must learn to think like a reporter.

What does that mean?

Being able to separate real news about your company from promotional fluff
Being able to deliver a sharp story angle that will be of real interest to the news reporter or viewing public
Being able to deliver this angle in a professional, courteous way.

Some Basic Truths
Here are some truths that you ignore at your own risk:

Reporters typically don’t want to talk to you
Reporters get calls from PR people all day
Reporters don’t care about what you’re selling or what’s new with you…..UNLESS…….

…..you are providing something that helps make their job easier — that is, a really good story.

In that case:

Reporters love you.

Reporters are happy to take your call.

Reporters are fascinated by your website, your book, your products and maybe even your life story.

So what’s the bottom line here?

At the same time you design your public relations campaign or develop your angles or develop your media materials or begin contacting the press, always think:

“What can I do at this step that will make this more useful to a journalist?”

That means:

developing story angles from a reporter’s perspective, not a business owner’s
conduct yourself in a manner free of hype, clichés and sales fluffery
Using proper etiquette when contacting a reporter or editor (when and how you contact them is a whole other article and can make our break your success)

What does it mean to “develop a story angle from a reporter’s perspective”?

Have you ever met someone who has gotten way too absorbed by his/her hobby? He can go on for hours about his car collection or his coin collection. He can’t possibly imagine why you, or anyone else, wouldn’t be riveted by his in-depth discussion of Peruvian 19th century coinage.

He’s far too close to his hobby to be objective. As it turns out, most business owners are the same way about their company. If you spend all day absorbed in the world of art, health, nonprofits or selling your widgets — you can lose sight of the realization that most of the rest of the world doesn’t really care.

Public relations opportunities exist not only in traditional print and TV but now with the internet there are thousands of places you can get publicity. The internet has transformed the PR industry and this transformation has opened the doors for “do it yourself” PR experts.

We provide training on “how” you can be your own PR agency and take the guess work out, contact us to talk about what works for you.

How many of us are really playing to WIN?

Sykia Media — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 00:10:50 +0000

There’s no shortage of people saying what they want out of life but how many are actually achieving it? There once was a time when I believed luck, connections and circumstances dictated where I was or wasn’t in life. I’M HERE TO SAY, BOY WAS I WRONG! I discovered a new recipe for success that determines where you are in life.

YOUR LEVEL OF FOCUS……….YOUR LEVEL OF PLANNING……AND MOST IMPORTANT…….YOUR LEVEL OF CONSISTANT ACTION…AND THEN REPEAT!

I discovered that when I didn’t do any one of these things regularly, I didn’t get what I was trying to achieve. Lack of focus is a big problem in the world today. We can’t keep ourselves focused on one thing for very long and when things get uncomfortable, we bail out or move onto something else. To achieve anything you have to stay focused on it long enough to finish it. What if you didn’t stay focused on going to the bathroom? What a mess that would be. Life is about focus, like it or not….everyday you choose to stay focused or not. Do I stay on Facebook longer or actually get some work done? Focus has always been a tough one for me because I seem to have so many ideas, it’s hard to just think about just one for an extended period of time.

Get a plan. This one people go to the extremes of one or the other. Are you a ”NO plan” animal who flys by the seat of your pants in all you do. Or are you like me, you have a plan that is explored & laid out in detail, in spreadsheets, notebooks, lists and in a constant running ticker tape in your brain? It doesn’t matter, the goal here is to find balance and don’t wait to have it ALL figured out to take action. Back to our bathroom scenario. If you’re at a concert and you have to go to the bathroom and you don’t know where it is, do you stay in your seat until you have the exact plan of how to get there? NO! You walk or run as fast as you can asking everyone you see where the nearest bathroom is. The only plan you have is, find a bathroom and in this situation that’s all the planning needed. Find balance in your planning stages.

The last thing you need to do to achieve anything is……DO IT. Start taking action. Even if you don’t know what to do take action to find out how to do it. Run around like you’re looking for a bathroom. Remember, if you focused and planned correctly then your action will be correct. It’s pathetic how many people just don’t want to take action. It’s too hard or they think it should all magically come to them. There’s a book out called The Four Hour Work Week and it was a NYTimes best seller. WHY? Simple, people want to become millionaires by simply working 4 hours a week. The only person becoming a millionaire from this book is the guy who wrote it.

The simple truth is achieving your biggest dreams won’t be easy, but I guarantee they will be worth it!

Where You are today, is a product of who you were in the past

Sykia Media — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 05:41:23 +0000

I heard a quote a few days ago that said that where you are today, (broke, unsuccessful, overweight) is really a product of the person you used to be, not necessarily who you are today. That caused me to stop. It was an AH HA moment for me. Just think about this. Have you evolved, learned your lesson or changed your lifestyle for the better, yet still beat yourself up for the way you used to be –as if you are still doing things wrong?

People don’t buy “what” you sell, but “why” you sell it!

Sykia Media — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 18:34:47 +0000

If you want to sell something, I can’t help you. If you want to start a movement, that inspires people to buy, well then, I can help you. In this new economy and digital age people don’t take action from sales pitches anymore. They buy into real life stories, ideas and purpose. They want their purchases to mean something. This means that people want to feel something by buying.

This blog is dedicated to people who want to change the world with what they do. You can learn more about who we are at our website sykiagroup.com