We’d all love to get more advocates for our company. But we might be trying to cultivate them in the wrong way:

• Inform: create relevant campaigns and collateral with all the facts—assuming that “to know me is to support me.”
• Invite: provide open-ended opportunities to get involved—assuming that “if I open the door, people will come to me.”
• Offer incentives: appeal to their rational self-interest—assuming that “money talks—and so will they.”

These approaches are completely logical, and sometimes get short-term results—but so often they end up just looking a little too corporate.

A smarter approach to building advocacy is to think a lot less about what WE want people to do, and focus almost exclusively on what makes people want to do things on their own. Read More »

Dear CEC Members,

I’ve learned a lot about you all recently. In the past six weeks I have visited every single one of your company newsrooms. (This task falls into the “you never know where life will take you” category—but still a very educational experience.) And let me tell you, you’ve got some work to do. No worries though—we’re going to do it together. First, I’ve got 10 “yes or no” questions for you: Read More »

I am not a journalist (but I blog and tweet). And in most cases, I am not a shareholder (but I could be once my next bonus comes in.) But, one thing I am is a consumer—of information that is. In the last few years of my life I’ve been transitioning from my old, academic self to my real world, professional self. The old me enjoyed debates over issues and theories. The new me craves information about the products I buy, the companies I support, the trends of industries I care about, and, oh yeah—trying to keep up with the political world of Washington DC right outside my window.

The NYT is my homepage and, after Facebook, Google is my most visited site. And let’s say this time I’m looking for information about you. What are you? My cable company? My energy provider? My favorite retailer? It doesn’t really matter, but let’s pretend earlier today I had an interaction with one your frontline staff and said to myself, “Hm, haven’t heard much about them recently. I wonder what they’re up to.”

You didn’t make the NY Times this month and I haven’t seen you in my Twitter feed, so obviously I go to Google—“Company name, news.” Great, first item, Company name—Newsroom. (I really hope it doesn’t say ‘Company name—Pressroom’ and you’re hoping I’ll find information there. I’m not the press. It must not be for me.) Read More »

Free Willy was one of my all-time favorite childhood movies. In addition to a love for MJ’s classic song “Will You Be There,” this movie established my lifelong dream to swim with the orcas.  Willy was anything but “Killer,” and it’s hard to believe “Shamu” would be either.

I’ve been following the story of the recent tragic death of SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau—both due to my personal interest in the relationships between humans and animals in captivity, and my professional interest in how SeaWorld would respond to this crisis situation.  As a curious millennial, the first thing I did was log on to the SeaWorld website to see what they had to say about the incident.

Day 1 after the incident, I visit the SeaWorld press room—nothing.
Day 2, I try the press room again—still nothing.
Read More »