One of the better presentations (and there were many) at BlogWorld Los Angeles 2011 was Peter Shankman’s keynote.
Shankman (below) is best known as the founder of an online service called HARO (‘Help A Reporter Out’).
He is an absolute showman, but at his heart he’s an entrepreneur who intuitively understands PR and marketing in today’s hyper-connected social age.
Here are some of the tips Shankman dangled in front of the packed BlogWorld crowd.
- Everyone talks about having a back-up plan for when you fail. Shankman, however, suggests having a back-up plan for when you succeed and your business idea goes viral.
- “You don’t control the direction of your company - your customers do” ... “Shut the hell up and listen to your audience.”
- “If you screw up, own it!” – be transparent, say you’ve screwed up and say how you’re going to fix the situation.
- “Having an audience is a privilege, not a right” (be relevant!).
- Ring your personal and business contacts on a regular basis simply to say "hi"; ask them how they’re going, what they're up to – you’ll be surprised how such actions can lead to business opportunities.
- Break out of your comfort zone – “eat your fear”.
- Do something so great that people will sit up and take notice and start talking positively about you and your brand.
Click here for more details about Shankman’s book - CUSTOMER SERVICE: NEW RULES FOR A SOCIAL MEDIA WORLD
