I would like to enter the crowded world of acronyms in order to offer a few thoughts about your brand. Today, we will look at the battle between Point of View (POV) and Share of Mind (SOM).

In interpersonal communication, we often place far too much emphasis on our POV instead of considering the POV of the receiver. We want to bring people over to our understanding of the world. Talk radio is a perfect example. It’s full of monologue, but very little dialogue. The same can be said of most marketing communications. Sharing your brand’s point of view is often more focused on what you want to say instead of what your audience may want to hear. In the same way that we often form our responses in our mind while we are listening to someone speak (poor listening technique, btw), we enter brand conversations with an agenda of what to say to the audience with limited thought given to what they are saying to us (what they might need to hear).

Considering SOM in conversations as well as brand communications creates a sense of advocacy for the audience. Where are they coming from? What do they need to know in order for your product or service to be of help? What information would create a lasting impression for them and make a difference in what they do each day? How might you approach communication differently if you really considered your audience first?

In the long run, there really is no contest. Share of mind will influence a purchase decision every time. A focus only on your point of view might simply be dismissed as clutter or sales noise.

Today’s world is more crowded with information than ever. Take time to consider the mindset of whom you’re talking to before you create and deliver sales messages. What would you like your brand share of mind to be? Owning a share of mind is the lasting solution to positive impressions.

When you think of well-designed web sites, you probably don’t think of the web site of a wood veneer manufacturer. HOW Interactive did, though, and our client, Miller Veneers, recently had their web site featured in the Inspiration section of HOW Interactive Design’s web site.

This summer, Miller Veneers approached us with that exact challenge: how to design a web site for a premier manufacturer of high-quality wood veneers since 1929 and convey their quality and experience in the design. At the time, they had no web site and were falling behind their competition in their customer reach.

The wood veneer industry is a broad one, but Miller Veneers’ customers are discriminating buyers—people who know quality wood veneer when they see it—and Miller Veneers wanted to speak to them specifically. To us, that meant incorporating those traits into the web site design and showcasing Miller Veneers’ meticulous process, their innovative manufacturing techniques, their long history of service to the industry, and of course their commitment to quality.

We felt the site should evoke the pride and craftsmanship that Miller Veneers puts into their products. To that end, our design team, copywriter, and photographer made several visits to their manufacturing facilities here in Indianapolis to immerse themselves in the wood veneer manufacturing process, and we put this experience to work when building the site.

Smart design and attention to detail has paid off for Miller Veneers’ web site. It’s caught the attention of design industry sites, such as the HOW Interactive article, which increased the site’s search engine rankings for certain search terms. More importantly, however, it’s elevated Miller Veneers in the eyes of its customers, enhancing their reputation as a top-level supplier of quality wood veneer.

Outside Source Design is a multimedia design firm based in Indianapolis, IN. We are seeking an interactive developer with experience developing full-scale applications on the iOS platform.​ We are particularly interested in individuals possessing a quality-oriented attitude, attention to detail and the capacity to debug their own code.​ If you are looking for an opportunity to join a team of extremely talented programmers and designers with an aim to create exciting new consumer mobile products, then we should talk.​

Responsibilities:

• Develop new iOS apps
• Maintain existing iOS apps
• Assist in the ideation of apps
• Assist in the creation of information architecture and wireframes of apps

Requirements:

• 1+ Years experience developing iOS apps using Objective C / Cocoa
• 2+ Years of software development experience
• Ability to show and explain example code
• Strong ambition to adapt and learn new development technologies
• Ability to effectively communicate and work in a team
• Strong attention to detail

Other desired skills:

• Strong understanding of OOP principles and design patterns
• Experience developing with Adobe Flash, Flash Builder, and ActionScript
• Experience developing cross-platform apps using Adobe AIR
• Experience developing Android apps using Java
• Experience developing with Unity3D
• Experience developing with JavaScript / AJAX
• Experience developing with PHP / MySQL
• Experience developing with Microsoft .​NET (C#) / MsSQL
• Experience implementing 3rd party APIs (Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, etc)

The salary for this position commensurate with experience.  In addition, OSD provides a competitive benefits package, including 401k with company contribution, profit sharing, merit-based bonuses and more.

How to apply:

Send cover letter, resume and samples to careers@outsidesource.com.

Health Literacy Matters is a grass-roots initiative of advocates from many of the major consumer / patient “touch points” within Lilly who are coming together to raise corporate awareness on how better health communications helps us improve patient adherence and therefore, achieve better health outcomes. Lilly also wanted to align their efforts with the National Action Plan to Improve Health Literacy and their principles of “(1) everyone has the right to health information that helps them make informed decisions and (2) health services should be delivered in ways that are understandable and beneficial to health, longevity, and quality of life.”

With this objective in mind, Lilly contacted Outside Source Design (OSD) as they began considering how to visually represent their campaign. Design recommendations such as “simple and clean” were given, as well as a wealth of information about the program and goals. Of note, the “conversation” that needs to place at all levels, from employees to doctor’s to consumers, surfaced as a key factor of health literacy education.

OSD’s solution was a logo that tells a story with simplicity and clarity. Health literacy is depicted through the use of a book, a common symbol of education and knowledge. ‘Conversation bubbles’ are integrated seamlessly into the book graphic as pages. Combined, the logo depicts health literacy through printed literature and verbal communication.

“The team loved the logo….so it’s a keeper exactly as is!”
–Lori, USMD Health Education, Lilly USA

Last summer I attended a popular art fair with my wife and children, ages 3 and 5. The fair was hosted at a small neighborhood park and offered exposure to a wide variety of regional artists. Each artist displayed their art in small tents or booths, of sorts. Included in the mix of artist booths was a tent sponsored by The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis. Hmmm. A museum booth at an art fair? Within their tent they were offering kids the opportunity to create their own art. They had paint and paper and brushes, everything a child needed to create a masterpiece. Each kid got to create his or her own masterpiece. For the parents they offered information about membership and upcoming exhibits. But most importantly, they offered parents a brief break and an activity for restless children. The museum staff was friendly and engaging. They actively recruited children to participate and walked them through the process. As the kids were painting, they courteously asked about our knowledge of the museum. We were already members, so they bypassed the membership spiel and casually offered information about upcoming exhibit information. They also asked if we had any questions for them.

The result was a social engagement. Our kids interacted with an activity, and my wife and I interacted with museum staff regarding upcoming exhibits. In the end our children walked away with a nice little painting and my wife and left with information and a feeling that our investment in the museum was worthwhile.

So here is my question. Other than venue, what is different about this experience and what we should expect from online Social Media? The answer is nothing. Social Media should be the online equivalent of the Children’s Museum booth at the art fair. The objectives of Social Media can be many, but in the end, they should ultimately, establish goodwill, create loyalty or broaden exposure. Likewise, your metrics for success should be aligned with these objectives as well. Product sales and lead generation are probably not the best metrics for Social Media. The same can be said about limiting metrics to basic Social Media statistics such as Twitter followers and Facebook likes. While those are certainly measurable aspects of your Social Media plan, they shouldn’t be the only measure of success.

And this is where marketers fail. They don’t understand how Social Media fits within the entire marketing plan. They treat it as just another media channel and try to force-fit traditional tactics and messages. While Social Media can certainly employ traditional tactics, it should only be done when it fits the objective. For example, the Children’s Museum booth offered information brochures about membership – a traditional print tactic, used in a social engagement.

Marketers who strictly use Social Media to broadcast promotional messages are missing the point. More of the same is not necessarily better. Consumers will tune these messages out faster through Social Media channels because they are simply not social in nature. Social Media is an online conversation of sorts.

Let’s use an example: If a group of friends were conversing at a cocktail party and a person representing a popular fast food restaurant interrupted the conversation by announcing a new sandwich, my guess is that the stranger would be met with strange looks and the message would not be well received. And after a few more attempts, the fast food rep would be ushered from the party. Same with Social Media. People use Social Media to be social, so as a marketer you have to meet your consumers on these terms.

Traditional media is different. I’ll watch commercials on TV, because as a consumer I understand that’s how I get to view the programming. It’s an exchange. But through Social Media channels, I’m there to have fun. To relate to other humans as humans… if you want to market to me using Social Media, you better do it in a social manner.

So how do marketers achieve Social Media success? My advice is to think of your Social Media plan as a booth at a community fair, just like that of the Children’s Museum. If you hosted a tent, what would you offer? Samples, advice, tips, activities, customer support? Consider how your company can align with the theme of the event. The Children’s Museum offered a painting activity for kids because the event itself was all about art. The museum is about fostering imagination and creativity, so it was a perfect fit. Not all venues or events are a perfect fit. Same with Social Media. Not all Social Media tactics are applicable; so don’t feel the need to shoehorn them into your plan. If you can’t figure out how Facebook will work in your plan, leave it out.

Once you’ve planned your booth then try to convert those tactics to the online world. If you offered an activity involving your product, how could that activity be converted to an online tool? Perhaps it’s a custom Facebook application? If you would use your booth opportunity to address consumer questions, then how can you convert this experience to the web? Again, it’s all about engaging the consumer with what they are interested in, not with what you are interested in.

Ultimately, if you cannot put together a cohesive plan for hosting a booth at a community event, then chances are you have no business marketing through Social Media. Save your money. And don’t feel bad. Social Media is not for every company. Just as certain traditional advertising tactics may not apply to your marketing objectives, Social Media may not apply either.

But for those companies that feel Social Media has a place in the marketing mix, there are other factors to consider. Those companies who have reaped the most success from Social Media benefit from several things; the most important is leadership support. Successful Social Media plans are supported from top down. If you need to convince hesitant leadership, you may be in for a difficult journey. It’s not to say it’s impossible, but certainly more difficult.

Lastly, Social Media requires constant attention. It’s ongoing and evolutionary. Unlike traditional media that you can broadcast on auto-pilot, Social Media requires continual involvement. That usually requires a dedicated staffer (or vendor) who will manage it all. It also usually requires a continual flow of new content – sometimes different from the content generated for mainstream media. All of this adds up to $. So be prepared to spend some money. People think Social Media is free, and that is a huge misconception. While there are Social Media tactics that have no cost in and of itself, there is a cost to manage it all.

So in a nutshell:

1. Determine audience(s)
2. Establish objectives
3. Create your plan (Plan your booth)
   • Solve audience problems
   • Decide how to fulfill content
   • Budget accordingly for staff and content
4. Establish deployment timeline
   • Initial
   • Ongoing
5. Evaluate & adapt

Remember, Social Media is not for every marketer. Sure it’s popular and some companies are using it successfully, but most are not. Most companies are using it as a platform for blasting out the same ol’ one-way messages… and while it is media, it’s certainly not social.

Dan Brinkruff is the Video Editor/Animator at Outside Source Design.

Is it just me, or are there a lot of bad corporate branded YouTube channels out there? With more and more advertisers focusing on social media, why is it that so many of these top-tier companies have poorly executed YouTube Channels or no YouTube presence at all? Now I’m not talking about Joe Schmo’s personal channel with his latest reviews of breakfast cereals. We expect those to be bad. I’m talking about top brands — companies such as Amazon and Pfizer.  It’s amazing how many branded channels are poorly executed, sporadically updated, and have very few followers. Beyond that, some big brands like Visa and McDonald’s don’t appear to have a channel at all. Are they missing the boat or just choosing to promote themselves elsewhere?

On the other hand, there are quite a few brands out there that do get it. The following examples demonstrate why McDonald’s and others are missing out on a big opportunity.  These guys show how a YouTube channel doesn’t have to merely be a vehicle for repurposing old TV spots.  It can house interactive storytelling, games, behind-the-scenes stories, and alternative marketing campaigns with more creative freedom – stuff you wouldn’t be able to do on broadcast television. Regardless, if these examples prove anything, it’s that YouTube channels are all about the content.

Old Spice

The Old Spice YouTube channel is included in this list for one reason — excellent use of a viral and hot marketing campaign to draw viewers, add recognition, and create conversations.

Toyota Sienna

The Toyota Sienna brand developed their channel based off the popularity of it’s “Swagger Wagon” TV spots.  But they didn’t just repost their ads, they created new content including a music video that got over 9 million hits. These guys get it.

Disney Parks

The Disney Parks YouTube channel includes the colors and graphics you’d expect from the world’s most popular family vacation destination, but it’s included in this list for the great use of links in the top navigation bar and the design of those links that make it very clear where visitors will go if they click on them.  These are the destinations you’d expect visitors to be most interested in going to after viewing the Disney Parks’ video content

Kraft Foods

The Kraft Foods YouTube channel is included on this list because of the two navigation bars of links at the top of the page, which take visitors to a variety of useful information.  Also, the content in the Kraft Foods videos is incredibly useful and includes recipes, cooking demonstrations, and more, all of which are appropriate matches to the Kraft brand promise.

Gillette ProGlide

Gillette makes the list not only for its innovative UI, but also for its use of a custom integrated Google Maps feature that allows users to post their own Gillette stories and compete in sponsored competitions.

YouTube may not be a viable strategy for all advertisers, but some companies may be missing the boat. Regardless of product or service offered, there is one undeniable truth, if you’re going to be on YouTube, it’s all about the content.

Signing off with conviction

Emotional intent can easily be overlooked when creating an email message. However, be assured an emotion is registered with the recipient. Every person you send a message to will find information as well and read emotional intent within your message. Today, let’s focus on the art of signing off.

In every letter or email, it is usually understood that a valediction will be part of the message.  A valediction is a complimentary close to a message. In years past, when formality was routine, messages might be closed as follows:

I remain, your humble servant

(Insert name here)

Today, a closing such as this one would not resonate and might create the wrong impression.

To illustrate, here are a few common valedictions today. Which ones do you find as courteous or collaborative and which ones might contain a formality that seems neutral, demanding or even curt?

Yours sincerely,

Please advise,

Yours truly

Take care

Best,

Kind regards,

For me, ‘please advise’ is the sign off that poses the most risk of sending the wrong emotional intent. When I get an email closed in this way it seems to say, “I don’t expect you to respond, so I need to remind you to do so.”  How do you emotionally connect with the signatures of messages you receive? Perhaps there are others that rub you the wrong way.

Be sure to consider your audience and your intent before you put yourself out there. Don’t simply sign off an email without considering how it might be received. Sign off with conviction that you will be heard and correctly understood.

All the best,

Mike

Emotional intelligence

In the world of email, the poker face does not exist. That’s right, you can try but you cannot hide. Your message content will give you away every time.

When you send an email, your reader will glean an emotional reaction to your message and draw conclusions on intent. Without the benefit of eye contact, active listening or other interpersonal skills, your email message stands alone. It is subject to the mood and interpretation of the reader. It is subject to the educational frames he/she might bring to every encounter. And, these impressions are immediate and create a lasting filter of understanding.

Does it really matter? It certainly does. Given the speed of communication, the speed of first impressions follows right along. Trust erodes quickly when someone infers something in your message unintended. As trust is eroded, future emails from you are subject to the same filters.

Have you ever written or responded to a message when you were angry? Chances are the reader felt your anger despite your intent to hide it.

How can we be more emotionally intelligent with email messages? First, if you are responding to an email, create a draft and read it one more time after 5 or 10 minutes after writing. Read your response as if you were the recipient instead of the sender. Next, write as conversationally as you can. Avoid jargon or email speak. Write as if you were talking directly to the person. In most cases, this will cause you to engender respect, etc. When in doubt, ask a coworker to read it over. A fresh set of eyes can uncover things you may have missed.

The world of email can easily be place where trust is built and relationships strengthened. The key is to ensure that the message sent is the message received.

Let’s be honest; we are far too tethered to email. Frankly, it’s hard to look away from your smart phone or laptop when the little red number shows up noting that messages await. You just have to look. Resistance is futile.

However, just because we are more connected, it does not mean that we communicate more clearly. In fact, I would wager that sending messages faster only yields more confusion. In an effort to respond quickly we only make things more difficult in the long run. The content of your message is the key to communicating clearly.

First, do no harm

With all due respect to this maxim of medical ethics, the intent applies here. When you are creating a message it may be advisable to carefully consider the subjects you raise and how you raise them in order to avoid creating problems. Don’t raise issues that are not germane to the topic. If you are responding to a thread, stay focused on what is topical, not something deep in the email history. Communication is an opportunity to create understanding. Do not complicate the process by intervening in areas that are not to the point at hand.

Check your tone at the door

The tone of a message is how the reader interprets your attitude. Your choice of words will set a tone of collaboration, helpfulness, sarcasm, ire or satisfaction. Take time to consider how someone might read your message with no context to the history of the conversation. Consider the difference between these three email sentences:

“Please help me understand your intent.”

“I would enjoy learning more about your approach.”

“What were you thinking with this?”

What is the sender’s intent or attitude in each of these? How would you respond to them? It’s important to remember that without the emotional cues—body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice—it’s easy to misinterpret the writer’s intent.

Say it as simply as you can

Email is not the place for side conversations. Think of the number of messages you process every day.  It is a daunting task to read, process, file and respond to the message overload we all face. Thus, when you create your message, say it as simply and clearly as you can. Try to avoid the euphemisms and text jargon that are all around our culture. Use complete sentences and state your point. Try to be as simple and respectful as possible.

Ask for action

Be sure to have a clear call to action in your message. What are you asking the reader to do? What kind of action or steps do you need them to take? Is the message simply for clarification of information? If so, then offer to the reader that you are available to answer any questions. Are you confirming action items? Then simply list them. Are you building consensus? Then use the helpful phrase, “Just to confirm.” Think about what you want from the reader before you start. Then, close your message with your request.

I rely on my email and smart phone for more and more each day. Often times I find myself on the receiving end of messages that create more confusion than clarity. Put content tone and intent at the heart of your next message. Keep things clear and simple while keeping content king. You’ll be glad you did—and so will your readers.

Just because we can transmit messages at the speed of light doesn’t mean we should create messages with as much haste. Taking a few extra seconds to craft a thoughtful message will yield many benefits. As I am sure we have all experienced, email is a difficult medium to convey emotion and as a result it’s easy to confuse the emotional intent of a message. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve received a hostile-sounding message only to discover the sender was just in a hurry and wasn’t angry at all. So how can we prevent these miscommunications?

First off, let’s talk about the subject line in email messages. I know the subject line is often an afterthought, but honestly, that is the source of the problem. Your current email habits may be creating communication gaps with your audiences, yet a well-crafted subject will set the context and tone for your message and capture a reader’s attention.

Here are what I think are three best practices to consider when you title your next email message.

1) Think of the subject line as searchable content; because it is.

I have a friend who has saved most emails from the past 7 years. If you ask about an old email, he will search by subject title content rather than by sender. This search delivers a much smaller sample size and saves time. As you create your subject line, reference the main point of the message and think of the subject line as a title or executive summary of the point of the email. In many ways it is a page description or a meta tag for the message to come. Preview what you are going to say in the subject and then say it clearly in the message body.

2) Keep the subject clear and simple.

In order to keep the subject line simple, take a tip from news journalists and draft your email message first then create your subject line as it were a headline to a news story. Just as news headlines are created to grab your attention, they must also succinctly capture the essence of the message. The same goes for email subject lines.

3) The subject is not the message.

I recently received a message with nothing in the body, but with the following subject line:

Need to re-sched for later this month. No news. EOM.

Translation: “I have a conflict with our upcoming meeting and need to reschedule. Later in the month would be better. I have no immediate input on when the new meeting can take place. This is the end of the message.”

It’s almost never a good idea to put the your entire message in the subject line. In the case of the above, I had my email window reduced as I worked on other things and could only see the words, “Need to…”. When I actually opened the message, the body text was blank and I had to eventually stumble on the intent. The sender created a barrier to very important information by not simply taking a few extra seconds to write email content. Please avoid this trap. Hitting send faster does not always ensure the message is received.

We will be talking more about how your habits in the world of email impact clear communication. For now, start with a subject line that tees up your conversation and think about your audience before you create the title of your message.