On Brand with Nick Westergaard

"It's not about crisis preparedness. It's about how culture approaches challenges." Social media has created a powerful new dynamic for brands of all shapes and sizes. When things are going great, it can be an incredible business communications tool. When things go badly, they call crisis communications expert Melissa Agnes. We discussed crisis planning, culture, responsiveness, and more on this week's episode of the On Brand podcast.About Melissa AgnesPresident and co-founder of Agnes + Day Inc., Melissa Agnes helps global brands and governments prevent and manage a wide range of issues and crises. Her client list includes financial organizations, technology companies, healthcare organizations, government agencies, cities and municipalities, energy companies, global non-profits, and many others.Melissa speaks worldwide to audiences including NATO, Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Ministries of Foreign Defense, Ministries of Health, as well as a wide range of private and public companies, universities and non-profit organizations. She has been honored to share the stage with members of the Ukraine government and the International Committee of the Red Cross. In 2015, Melissa gave a TEDx talk in Los Angeles where she discussed the secret to successful crisis management in the 21st century.Melissa’s recent press coverage includes Forbes, WSJ, VIBE Magazine, USA Today and more. She is the editor of the highly acclaimed Crisis Intelligence Blog, and the host of the internationally recognized Crisis Intelligence videos and podcast. Published regularly and followed by government agencies and Fortune companies alike, her blog, videos and podcast help organizations manage issues and crises in today’s connected and real-time world.When she isn’t managing crises or speaking in front of an audience, Melissa enjoys adventuring around the world (usually on a sailboat), reading, writing and sipping champagne in good company.Episode HighlightsHow does one embark upon a career as an expert in crisis? "Growing up my dad always said to me 'Paranoia will destroy 'ya.'" Jokes aside, Melissa notes that she is someone who can be paranoid but she's harnessed this into a powerful tool for helping organizations navigate today's tricky digital marketing waters.You don't have a 'social media crisis.' Melissa used to agree with the buzzword 'social media crisis' but not anymore. "It sounds like you have an issue that's a result of social media or that's confined to social media." In many cases, the true impact is much bigger than social media.What does it mean to be a crisis ready? "It's a lot of different things. It's a mindset for the corporate culture. You have to create a plan but it's not always just about working those steps. Things can get very emotional — and very impactful — very fast. We have to be ready for that and that's not easy. It involves a lot of education.How to analyze the potential virality of a crisis. "We never know if something's going to go viral but I always look for two things — emotional impact and relatability." What brand has made Melissa smile recently? “Wells Fargo — that's a crisis of corporate culture." We kept pivoting back to the importance of culture in managing a crisis. Melissa smiled — shaking her head in disbelief — at Wells Fargo's crisis response. "They blamed their customers, their employees — everything except owning their own role in it."To learn more, follow Melissa on Twitter and check out her website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“SEO isn’t done unless your done growing.” Growth is something that John Jantsch has helped countless small businesses with in his decades of experience. As the author of the classic Duct Tape Marketing and founder of the Duct Tape Marketing Consultant Network, Janstch has written five books on marketing. His latest, SEO for Growth, asks marketers and brand builders to rethink how they think about SEO.About John JantschJohn Jantsch is a marketing consultant, speaker and author of Duct Tape Marketing, Duct Tape Selling, The Commitment Engine, and The Referral Engine and the founder of the Duct Tape Marketing Consultant Network. His latest book, SEO for Growth - The Ultimate Guide for Marketers, Web Designers, and Entrepreneurs, is changing the way the world thinks about SEO.Episode HighlightsWhy SEO? Why now? John noted that he gets this question a lot. “I wanted to change the mindset around this. SEO is a huge driver of growth. PR is a channel, content is a channel — so is SEO.” Yet too many view SEO as tactical. Something done after the fact. “They say, ‘we’re done with the campaign — now it’s time to SEO it.’"SEO for growth starts strategically. "You have to know who your customer is. You have to do keyword research and spend time on forums, Wikipedia, Google’s keyword manager, KeywordTool.io, and more.” SEO is not an easy box to check.What about SEO and branding? “Take out everything like the logo and the real workhorse of branding is messaging.” That gets you back to SEO. How do you position your brand around the people and problems that you serve?"We overcomplicate SEO.” While many SEO firms focus on how complex Google’s search factors are, Jantsch asks businesses to get strategic and systematic with SEO. How do we get started? “Make an editorial calendar for the year. Map out your topics and themes by month. This leaves you with both a content and an SEO asset. It’s like the confluence of rivers — when they merge there’s something new."What brand has made John smile recently? “The Hello Happiness Card Company makes me smile so much — I’m wearing their shirt today!” John loves reading the adventures of the founders via their email newsletter. I know I’ll be subscribing to this quirky company.To learn more, go to ducttapemarketing.com and SEOforGrowth.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's Social Sound Bite – recorded live at the KXIC studios in Iowa City – Jay and I discussed a recent article from Adweek, which noted that social platforms like Facebook, Snapchat, and Twitter are getting away from the 'social' label. Listen for the full sound bite and enjoy these useful links to the news, trends, and tips included in this week's show.Beyond the Sound Bite Why Snapchat, Facebook and Other Platforms Are Trying to Shed the 'Social' Label — with diversification comes a new mindset (Adweek). Remember, the Social Sound Bite is just the appetizer! On Monday morning we'll serve up a fresh new episode of the On Brand Podcast. Last but not least … Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via iTunes, Stitcher, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to iTunes and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Until next week, see you on the Internet! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“Brands don’t have stories. People have stories.” Paul Smith is an acclaimed speaker and expert trainer. Specifically his work focuses on how stories and storytelling can influence leadership and life. His latest book, Sell with a Story, looks at the impact stories have on the processes of selling. We discussed all of this and more on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast.Enjoy This Episode Now Download Episode Subscribe via iTunes Subscribe via Stitcher About Paul SmithPaul Smith is a popular speaker and expert trainer on business storytelling techniques. A former Procter & Gamble executive, his clients include Hewlett Packard, Bayer Medical, Progressive Insurance, Walmart, and other distinguished companies. As the author of Lead with a Story and Parenting with a Story, he has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Inc., Time, Forbes, The Washington Post, Success, and Investor’s Business Daily. His latest book Sell with a Story, focuses on how to capture attention, build trust, and close the sale. He lives in Mason, Ohio.Episode HighlightsFrom Lead with a Story, Parenting with a Story, and now Sell with a Story, Paul has developed a powerful personal brand through his books. How did this happen? “I wish I could tell you I had a master plan. The first one exceeded expectations so we just kept going.”What makes stories such powerful tools? “They tap into the emotional center of the mind — the irrational part of our brain. Stories are emotional delivery vehicles.”How do stories help deliver leadership? “When we look at leadership, we’re talking about change, collaboration, and feedback.” Stories are powerful tools in driving those actions. “Those are leadership tasks. You lead people. They aren’t management tasks.”What are some examples of stories that all salespeople need? “I outline 25 different stories that salespeople need in Sell with a Story. There’s the ‘value-adding story.'” Paul then shared a fascinating story he was told about a piece of art he ended up buying. The story added the value. He also talked about the “problem story,” which he gave an example of by telling — you guessed it — another story.What brand has made Paul smile recently? “Backroads is like a combination of a travel agent and sherpa guide.” Paul shared several smiles as he used stories to tell us why this company is one of his favorite vacation resources.To learn more, you can follow Paul on Twitter and learn more on the Lead with a Story website. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“I always say it's not that a brand can't be successful. It's that they have already self-selected unsuccessful." As a Moz Associate, Ronell Smith helps brand builders at organizations big and small overcome obstacles in digital marketing today. He's also an advocate for being a generalist when it comes to marketing skills. We discussed all of this and more on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast.About Ronell SmithMoz Associate Ronell Smith, a business strategist with more than decade of experience helping businesses online and offline, assists companies looking to create a user experience their customers will recognize, appreciate, and reward them for with their business. His passion is for removing the obstacles keeping individuals and businesses from reaching their full potential, in large part by helping them think strategically about how search, social, and content work together successfully.Episode Highlights"Search isn't about getting found. It's about getting chosen." This is a big distinction. How does one bridge this critical gap? Through branding at "every touchpoint. They should see #1 and think, 'By God, no one could ever do this better than these guys.'"Sounds simple, right? "To use the old quote, 'If it was easy than everybody'd be doing it.'" Truer words were never spoken.So what is the single biggest obstacle marketers today face? “It's about having the right butts in the right seats. Too often, we focus on product and process. We have to remember that it should go people, process, product."In praise of the marketing generalist. Ronell reminded us that we often focus on being a specialist — "an inch wide and a mile deep" — on a particular subject. "You have to have enough skills to know what's what and to know what you can and should do and what you should hire out. In truth it takes a little bit of everything."What brand has made Ronell smile recently? "Does it have to be a search marketing brand?" Of course not! Ronell shared a Twitter ad from Wendy's that made him smile.To learn more, you can follow Ronell on Twitter.As We Wrap …Before we go, I want to flip the microphone around to our community … Recently Mitch Matthews had me on his Dream, Think, Do podcast, which he shared out again this past week. Thanks Mitch!Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via iTunes, Stitcher, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to iTunes and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Remember – On Brand is brought to you by my new book — Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. Order now at Amazon and check out GetScrappyBook.com for special offers and extras. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“If you’re not amplifying the positive stories around your brand, you’re missing out on a huge opportunity.” This past week, I had the pleasure of speaking at the Social Media Rockstar event in Minnesota alongside last week’s guest Lee Odden. Also speaking at the event was Aaron Weiche, CMO of GetFiveStars, an online review platform. I couldn’t wait to share his insights with you on this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast.Enjoy This Episode Now Download Episode Subscribe via iTunes Subscribe via Stitcher About Aaron WeicheA passionate, design oriented problem solver, Aaron has been involved in web design, development, and online marketing since 1998. In having helped grow 3 different digital agencies in the Minneapolis area, Aaron has helped launch over 350 websites for small business on up to Fortune 100 companies. In growing multiple agencies past the $2M mark in founder and executive roles, Aaron has a strong sense of brand, team building, user experience and the full digital life-cycle a campaign and its assets must deliver.Joining GetFiveStars in 2015, Aaron has led the marketing, sales, and product UX initiatives helping the platform serve over 18,000 businesses globally and growing. The platform is a customer feedback and online review platform that helps brands and businesses listen, evaluate, and market their customer’s experiences. GetFiveStars automates the customer feedback process while capturing their Net Promoter Score and encouraging and monitoring online reviews.Outside of his direct client experience, Aaron is a frequent conference speaker nationally on a variety of online marketing topics. His in-depth experience with web design, mobile, SEO, local search, and online reviews has led him to speaking at SMX events, SearchFest, MOZ events, MnSearch, SCORE, and many others. He helped launch Local University as a faculty partner, launched the MnSearch organization as a founding board member and has been an expert on the Local Search Ranking Factors report since 2010.When not online, Aaron is a husband and a father to 4 kids. He can be found snowboarding, boating, watching college football, and the Minnesota Twins.Episode HighlightsSo what is GetFiveStars? “It’s a simple-to-implement online platform for gathering customer feedback. Previously we lacked a way of doing this as brands.”“Gathering online reviews is like farming …” Aaron shared a great mindset for marketers thinking about online rating and reviews. “You have to plant seeds that you are listening — that you care about customer feedback.”What about that one-star review? I couldn’t wait to ask Aaron the million-dollar question that businesses of all shapes and sizes struggle with. What do you do with that less-than-ideal one-star review. “Most want it taken down but realize they can’t. You have to ask everyone else to leave a review. That (negative review) can’t be the only online representation of your brand.”Criticism is hard to take. “Small business owners wear many hats. We’re built to be defensive right away.” Aaron shared that GetFiveStars has actually built an innovative feature into the platform that holds responses so they don’t get sent in anger while emotions run high (a pretty smart response to human nature).What’s one thing marketers should be more focused on with online reviews? “Complete your Google My Business page.” That’s a critical step to capturing customer feedback that you can’t skip.What brand has made Aaron smile recently? Aaron told a great story about a little something extra — a smile after the sale — he got from the smart folks at Cambria countertops.To learn more, go to the GetFiveStars website as well as his personal site. You can also connect with him on Twitter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“There's a gravity to shiny new objects and tactics that people can easily fall prey to." As CEO of TopRank Marketing, Lee Odden helps both B2B and B2C clients overcome the obstacles of today's shiny new things. He's also the author of Optimize and an expert on influencer marketing. We discussed all of this and more on this week’s episode of the podcast.About Lee OddenLee Odden is the CEO of TopRank Marketing, a Minneapolis based digital marketing agency specializing in strategic internet marketing consulting services including: Content Marketing, Influencer Marketing, Organic and Paid Search Marketing, Organic and Paid Social Media, Online PR, Email and Conversion Optimization.Odden and his team have provided digital marketing consulting and services for some of the leading B2B and B2C companies including: McKesson, BT Syntegra, Virgin Pulse, Marketo, LinkedIn, Dell, Henry Schein, HP, Microsoft, Staples, General Mills, Content Marketing Institute, Copyblogger Media, and MarketingProfs.Odden has been frequently cited for his digital marketing and PR expertise by leading industry and business publications including Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Economist, Entrepreneur, and Fortune Magazine. Lee is author of, Optimize: How to Attract and Engage More Customers by Integrating SEO, Social Media and Content Marketing.A sought after public speaker, Odden has keynoted numerous digital marketing industry conferences and has given nearly 200 presentations in 13 different countries over the past 10 years.Episode HighlightsThe trouble with strategy. I'm a huge fan of Lee's book Optimize. The first part focuses on developing a marketing strategy. While most marketers acknowledge the importance of strategy, few devote appropriate time and resources. "Strategy is like the Loch Ness Monster of Marketing. There are sightings but it's hard to find!"Where to start with strategy? With Q4 on the horizon and a strategy deficit, many may be wondering where to start for the new year ahead. "Start by getting some clarity around your organizational goals and your customer needs. Then you can think about how to develop marketing that solves your business problems."How do you know when influencer marketing is a good fit? Lee is also an expert on the topic of influencer marketing. Like strategy, many like the idea of influencer marketing but few know where to begin. "Start with 'why.' Why does it make sense to partner and co-create content? Especially if it's for free?" With the right influencer relations in place, you can find the right people to help you create content that is the "best answer" for your community.What's next in marketing? Lee pointed to Scott Brinker's infographic featuring over 3,800 martech solutions! (Below.) In short, marketers today are overwhelmed but help could be getting closer as Lee points to increases in participatory marketing. "Participation makes marketing more scalable — more efficient and effective."What brand has made Lee smile recently? While in Cleveland, Lee had an amazing Uber experience riding in a BMW 7 series. "It was like getting in a spaceship. That made me smile!"To learn more, go to the Top Rank Marketing website. You can also connect with him on Twitter and LinkedIn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this week's Social Sound Bite – recorded live at the KXIC studios in Iowa City – Jay and I discussed new data on Facebook video length from Q2. Best practices usually remind us to keep videos short and sweet but that may not be the best advice. Listen for the full sound bite and enjoy these useful links to the news, trends, and tips included in this week's show.Beyond the Sound Bite What Video Ad Length Is Best on Facebook? (eMarketer). Registration is now open for Social Brand Forum 2016 featuring Jay Baer, Joe Pulizzi, Gini Dietrich, Andy Crestodina, Kristen Craft, Melanie Deziel, Carlos Gil, Mike Smith, more. KXIC listeners save by using promo code KXIC. Register now and save! Remember, the Social Sound Bite is just the appetizer! On Monday morning we'll serve up a fresh new episode of the On Brand Podcast.Last but not least … Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via iTunes, Stitcher, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to iTunes and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Until next week, see you on the Internet! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week, we have something a little different for our podcast listeners. Recently, I was asked to do a reading of my new book, Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small at Prairie Lights Bookstore in Iowa City. Prairie Lights is something of a literary institution — both in the region and beyond. I was delighted to read from my book and answer a few questions. I thought I'd share the audio from the event as a special live episode. Next week, we'll be back with a full-length brand builder interview. In the meantime, enjoy this week's special episode.About Nick WestergaardLook at this! I'm a guest on my own podcast! If you don't already know ... Nick Westergaard is Chief Brand Strategist at Brand Driven Digital, where he helps build better brands at organizations of all sizes — from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies to the President’s Jobs Council. He’s also the author o fGet Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. An in-demand speaker at conferences throughout the world, he also teaches branding and marketing at the University of Iowa and hosts the popular On Brand podcast. Nick lives with his family in Coralville, Iowa.As We Wrap …Did you hear something you liked on this episode or another? Do you have a question you’d like our guests to answer? Let me know on Twitter using the hashtag #OnBrandPodcast and you may just hear your thoughts here on the show. Subscribe to the podcast – You can subscribe to the show via iTunes, Stitcher, and RSS. Rate and review the show – If you like what you’re hearing, head over to iTunes and click that 5-star button to rate the show. And if you have a few extra seconds, write a couple of sentences and submit a review. This helps others find the podcast. OK. How do you rate and review a podcast? Need a quick tutorial on leaving a rating/review in iTunes? Check this out. Remember – On Brand is brought to you by my new book — Get Scrappy: Smarter Digital Marketing for Businesses Big and Small. Order now at Amazon and check out GetScrappyBook.com for special offers and extras. And finally a reminder that On Brand is brought to you by the Social Brand Forum. This premier digital marketing experience takes place September 22-23 in beautiful Iowa City, Iowa. Learn from experts like Jay Baer, Joe Pulizzi, and Gini Dietrtich in the heart of the heartland. Listeners of the show get the best rate when they register using promo code ONBRAND at socialbrandforum.com. Until next week, I’ll see you on the Internet! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“The new normal is that there is no normal.” Geoffrey Colon opened this week’s episode of the On Brand podcast with these daunting words. Colon, a self-described data punk, DJ, podcaster, and author, serves as a communications designer and Microsoft. He also just released a new book on this very topic Disruptive Marketing. We discussed all of this and more on this week’s episode of the podcast. About Geoffrey ColonGeoffrey Colon works at the intersection of marketing, tech, and popular culture. Data punk, DJ, podcaster, and author, Geoffrey is a communications designer at Microsoft, where he markets search advertising products for Bing. He has written for The Futurist, Advertising Age, and Fast Company, and been quoted in the Wall Street Journal, Billboard Magazine, The Guardian andThe Los Angeles Times. He has also appeared on NPR and Cheddar TV.Colon has written his first book Disruptive Marketing: What Growth Hackers, Data Punks, and Other Hybrid Thinkers Can Teach Us About Navigating the New Normal (AMACOM) out now on Kindle, Audio and Hardcover.Prior to joining Microsoft in 2013, Geoffrey was vice president of digital strategy at Ogilvy & Mather, digital community supervisor at 360i, and social media strategist at Bond Strategy and Influence in New York City. Colon has done work for and with several of the most influential brands including Spotify, Netflix, American Express, IBM, The Economist, USA Network, WWE, History Channel and Red Bull. He also has worked with several high profile music artists including Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, The White Stripes, and Moby. He is a graduate of Lehigh University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Journalism and Mass Communication.Geoffrey is host of the weekly marketing podcast for eccentric minds Disruptive FM, producer and host of video blog series The Disruptive Marketer and regularly writes on LinkedIn, Medium, DisruptiveMarketer.net and the Microsoft Search Advertising blog. He is an avid speaker on the global marketing conference circuit.Episode HighlightsForget the technology. After scaring us about the new normal and the constant disruptions marketers today face, Colon reminded us not to start with the technology. It’s easy to get distracted by these bright, shiny things.Segmenting or stereotyping? “Sometimes we focus too much on demographics. On millennials and baby boomers. Instead of on interests and roles. Both B2B and B2C marketers can do this.”Why engagement matters. At times, digital engagement can be a buzzword in marketing. However, Colon cautions us not to under-estimate simple engagement. “This can be entry-level predictive analysis. They want to hear from you. What really motivates your audience?”What business brands can learn from celebrity brands. Colon has worked with many artists and musicians. Due to the disruptions around us, both business brands and celebrity brands have to constantly adapt to stay ahead. Celebrities are small, scrappy, and fearless. This makes them open to trying new things, experimenting, and even failing. You’ve still learned something — even from a failure.What brand has made Geoffrey smile recently? “Aerie. They’re now creating digital ads that use real women instead of models. As a father with daughters that really makes me smile.”To learn more, go to his website geoffreycolon.net. You can also connect with him on Twitterand LinkedIn. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices