Thanks to Patrick Schwerdtfeger’s Saturday seminar on Social Media, I was alerted to a startling viral video on YouTube. United Breaks Guitars was written and performed by Canadian C&W singer Dave Carroll in response to an unfortunate mishap at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport. The story goes like this:

How the Guitar was broken

In the spring of 2008, Dave was on tour with his band, the Sons of Maxwell. They were traveling to Nebraska for a one-week tour and his beloved Taylor guitar was seen by other passengers being thrown around by United Airlines baggage handlers on the tarmac in Chicago. He discovered later that the $3500 guitar was severely damaged. United didn’t deny the experience occurred but for nine months the various customer service representatives he communicated with put the responsibility for dealing with the damage on everyone other than themselves and finally said they would do nothing to compensate him for his loss.

YouTube speaks louder than words

Dave promised to the last person at United to finally say no to compensation (a hapless Ms. Irlweg) that he would write and produce three songs about his experience with United Airlines and post videos online to be viewed by anyone in the world who might consider flying the friendly skies. This is the first video – it was posted on July 6 2009 and in six weeks nearly five million people have viewed it.

As Joel Postman writes in SocialCorp:

“Negative buzz about your company is not something to be squelched but rather an opportunity to regain control of the agenda.”

United Airlines Responds

Within a day or so of the video being posted, the United Airlines Twitter feed reported that they were in contact with Dave. They issued a sincere apology, sprinkled in some humor, and even said they plan to use the video for training purposes:

The next day, Dave posted a video update on YouTube. This has only been seen by 200,000 viewers. So, as Marketing 101 tells us, less than 5% of customers hear good news about your product or service to those who will hear bad news. In this video, he graciously accepts United’s belated apology and requests they donate the money for the damaged guitar to charity.

The moral of the story is that it is possible to rescue a damaged corporate reputation, but only if the company engages with Social Media as a form of response. To United’s credit their Twitter feed allowed them to do this.

Meanwhile, you don’t want to search YouTube for “Hitler Finds Out United Breaks Guitars”. Trust me. Only fans of Monty Python will find that video of the slightest interest.

Dentists and Social Media

I recently attended a full day seminar on social media presented by Patrick Schwerdtfeger, the author of Webify Your Business who I profiled on this blog back in July.

After the event, I caught up with Sheila Dobee, DDS who is based in Fremont, CA and asked her how dentists might use Social Media like Facebook and blogs.

To hear what Dr. Dobee told me, click on the podcast icon below.

Social Media and video offer distinctive and creative ways to differentiate yourself.

Job seekers benefit when they profile their skills and capabilities in ways that go beyond the plain-text resume and cookie-cutter LinkedIn profile. They are heard above the noise of other candidates and promote their value to employers in ways that stand out.

Short, informational videos highlighting skills and experience with contact information and a photo can be embedded in emails to recruiters or tied into Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook postings.

Videos like this one that I produced in conjunction with Grace Hu-Morley, who is an experienced marketing professional who lives in Silicon Valley.

Donald R. Hunter has been totally blind since seven due to a medication reaction to sulfa drugs. He has been a CEO, consultant, product marketing manager, software developer, public speaker, and financial planner during the past two decades of his corporate and entrepreneurial career.

Donald has a burning passion for helping business owners get control over financial matters in their firms so that he can help them grow their business through financing and raising capital from investors.

People who hear him speak from the platform often say that Donald is the “professor of finance” because his speaking style is more from the college lecture genre. Donald is currently a certified financial planner and the CEO of his commercial finance company – Donald Hunter Financial. He has a masters of business administration from the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Donald speaks to chamber groups and financial planning and real estate associations, and helps real estate and other financial professionals understand how commercial finance guidelines and programs work for their clients.

You can contact Donald via email at info@donaldhunterfinancial.com or by calling 877-905-0258.

To hear a podcast interview with Donald, click on the icon below.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 5:47 — 1.3MB)

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | RSS

At the recent National Speakers Association (NSA) Convention in Phoenix, AZ I had the opportunity to see Michael Soon Lee, MBA, CSP, give a talk on ways a speaker can re-market their expertise to a new industry.

In his presentation “Shift Your Expertise to a New Industry in Less than a Week!” Michael discusses the expertise speakers need to succeed in a given niche.

He asks the audience to evaluate if the industry they’ve become an expert in has slowed or even disappeared?

Michael then explains how to identify which industries will survive and thrive in this economy and become a leading authority in a new field. Quoting personal experience, he teaches how to quickly transfer your knowledge to a new industry by developing instant credibility, powerful partnerships and high visibility.

An audio recording of the complete presentation can be ordered from the Softconference website.

A small sample of Michael’s advice is shown in the edited highlight video I posted on YouTube (with his express permission).

At the recent National Speakers Association (NSA) Convention in Phoenix, AZ I had the opportunity to see Patricia Fripp, CSP, CPAE, give a talk on storytelling.

Fripp discussed the inside secrets of how you can tell totally awesome stories to emotionally connect with the audience. She revealed three story formulas; the importance of great opening lines; and how speakers can go from good to great.

An audio recording of the complete presentation is available for order from the Softconference website.

A small sample of Fripp’s advice is shown in the edited highlight video I posted on YouTube (with Fripp’s express permission).

Webinar and Conference Call, Wednesday, July 29, 5:00- 6:00pm PST – with Ian Griffin and Jim Carrillo begin_of_the_skype_highlighting     end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Make sense of Social Networking with practical tips you can implement today. Tech wizard Jim Carrillo and I will present a roadmap to the most useful Social Networking tools: Blogs, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube and podcasting.

Jim is a fellow member of the Northern California Chapter of the National Speakers Association. He’s a self-proclaimed “Geek Whisperer” who has a knack for being able to relate technical obscurities in everyday language. His mission is to make technology meaningful to real people. Jim will cover the technical details and I’ll cover the content creation side of Social Media.

By attending this webinar you’ll learn how an integrated approach between all the Social Media tools can help grow your brand and your business. Don’t be intimidated. Learn practical strategies that maximize business results. This one-hour overview will explain the basics of Social Networking and clearly show you what you can do to get started.

Plan to attend the class and you’ll:

• Understand differences between a Blog, a Website and a Social Network Profile.
• Set up and refine your own LinkedIn and Facebook Profile.
• Prevent yourself from making the same mistake 90% of others always make.
• Learn what to post, and what to keep private.
• We guarantee you’ll be online, or we won’t sleep till you are!

Register today for only $29.99.

In two days I’m off to Phoenix for my 5th National Speakers Convention. This one is being held at the JW Marriott Desert Ridge Resort & Spa where it’s 112-degrees and only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun.

Five years after my first convention I’ve learned that advanced planning is a necessity. So, in addition to following some great tips on attending conferences and lining up informal meetings with business partners and friends, I have planned my personal agenda. I’ve chosen from among the dozens of different break-out sessions that are on offer on the full agenda.

In addition to the main tent sessions at the start and end of each day, here’s where I’ll be spending my time. If you’ll be at the convention be sure to get in touch and say Hi.

Sunday July 19

2:00pm – 3:15pm

Shift Your Expertise to a New Industry… in Less than a Week! Michael Soon Lee, MBA, CSP

Has the industry you’ve become an expert in slowed or even disappeared? Find out how to identify which industries will survive and thrive in this economy and become a leading authority in a new field. You will learn how to quickly transfer your knowledge to a new industry by developing instant credibility, powerful partnerships and high visibility. Don’t miss out on this practical and career-changing program. By attending this session, you will identify industries that are likely to survive the economic slowdown; learn to quickly develop credibility and visibility in a new industry; and learn how to partner with associations to increase speaking and product sales.

(Michael is a super-successful NSA member from our Northern California Chapter who switched his focus when his own business needed a boost.)

3:45pm – 5:00pm

Make Millions as the Expert, Brendon Burchard

How do you position yourself, promote yourself and get paid like an expert? What are the “money-models” behind the business of the industry’s greatest stars including Tony Robbins, John Gray, and Jack Canfield? Brendon Burchard will reveal his and other guru secrets he’s learned in creating Experts Academy and developing his own multi-million dollar expert empire. By attending this session, you will learn the seven things real experts do; the 11 points of million-dollar positioning; five secret wealth strategies that most experts fail to leverage; how to improve your positioning, market like a master and charge high fees now.

(Sounds like it’s very bottom-line oriented. And that’s where my attention is in today’s economy.)

Monday July 20

10:00am – 11:15am

Anatomy of a Sales Call, Deanna Turner, CSP

Take away the guesswork in selling. Learn exactly what you need to say to “open” sales conversations so they start on a positive note. Face-to-face, on the phone, one-on-one or with a group, this simple process makes certain that your prospects will be interested in learning more! Get to the point where your skill of opening becomes effective — and perhaps even pleasurable! – because you know what to do. By attending this session you will learn what you must do first…before you’ve earned the right to make a call; discover four easy steps to successfully open sales conversations (including motivators that get prospects to take action); create an opening for a current prospect, get feedback to perfect it and it’s ready to use when you leave!; receive a handout on “Avoiding the Most Lethal Mistakes that Sales People Make.”

(We’re all in sales…and I need all the help I get to sell my services.)

2:15pm – 3:30pm

Stepping Up from the TOP: Make Your Best Stories Better, Max Dixon

Do you ever feel your favorite stories need a breath of fresh air? Are you interested in new insights, methods and exercises for fine tuning a story? Would you like your stories to speak to your listeners’ learning brain? If you said “yes” to any of these questions, then this session is designed for you. Bring one or two or three of your current stories to consider during the session. By attending this session, you will learn how to make your compelling characters unforgettable and their stories irresistible through fully sensory language; learn how to embed your “callbacks” in your teaching points leading to dynamite conclusion; learn how to shape metaphors that endure and relate to the lives of your audiences, which are specifically designed to facilitate change.

(Max is an old friend and I always enjoy his presentations, although I would also like to see Laurie Brown and Robert Bradford in this timeslot as well…)

4:00pm – 5:15pm

20/20 Lightning Talks: Using 20 Slides for 20 Seconds Each (Short and Sweet Presentations by 11 NSA Members), Facilitated by Brian Walter, CSP

Just how good are you at your speaking craft? Let’s find out. Be one of 11 specially featured NSA members to present for exactly six minutes and 40 seconds. Each speaker will create and talk through his or her own 20-slide PowerPoint deck timed to advance automatically at 20 seconds. These tightly written and produced presentations can be on any topic.

(Looking forward to the ‘TED Talks’ format. Short and sweet is better than the alternative any day.)

Tuesday July 21

10:00am – 11:15am

New Online Survival Strategies: How to Find Real Value in an Overloaded World, Michael Benidt and Sheryl Kay begin_of_the_skype_highlighting     end_of_the_skype_highlighting

Does it ever seem that you’ve optimized, adworded and blogged until the cows come home and still need customers? Are Fakebook, LinkedOut and Fritter making you feel completely anti-social? Then you need this session on the real value of the Internet. Especially in tough economic times you can’t afford to wait for business—you need to go out and find it. This session is for people of all ability levels, from the technically adept to the completely hopeless. By attending this session, you will spend less time and money online and get more out of it; find new and unique content to power the priceless message only you can deliver; and learn how to protect yourself from online hype and hucksterism.

(I volunteered for room monitor duty to help Michael and Sheryl who have a refreshing and innovative approach to Social Media. This year’s convention has a dozen sessions on Social Media. This is the one I’ve chosen to attend.)

2:15pm – 3:30pm

From Zero to Six Figures in Two Years, Jim Mathis, CSP, Mdiv

Hear about the simple, easy-to-follow steps Jim used to grow his business in two years. This session includes phone scripts, motivation to market, Web site tips, publicity tools and experiences shared by Jim. If you want to market yourself and build a successful business, don’t miss this session! By attending this session, you will get focused on your value and positioning within the market place; learn successful scripts and find sources to make cold and warm calls; and discover money-saving publicity and Web design tips you can use immediately.

(Another bottom-line oriented presentation. I’ve been hitting the phones recently to drum up business. The phone scripts and value proposition focus are just what I need to hear more about.)

4:00pm – 5:15pm

Open Space

After three days of intense listening, learning and libations, it is time to take a deep breath. What happened? Can I make sense of it for myself? Only you know what you need at this point and that is the reason for ending with a shortened “Open Space” opportunity. Open Space has been called a coffee break on steroids. It is an opportunity to get together as a group and discuss the topics that are important to you. Facilitated by Steve Epner, CSP, this will be a one-of-a-kind session and a great way to end the Convention.

(I attended an Open Space summary session at the NSA Fall Conference. This will be a powerful way to wrap things up before I jump on a flight back to Oakland. I’m giving my first Vistage workshop in Petaluma on Wednesday morning so I’ll miss the Black Tie Awards Ceremony and closing dinner.)

Speaking to Reach Your Audience is a reciprocal interview by Pat Lynch of Women’s Radio who I podcast on June 15th. Pat asked me about the history of speechwriting in politics and the corporate world and how someone could become a speechwriter.

I addressed the issue of how a speechwriter like Ted Sorensen can write in the ‘voice’ of the person they are writing for.

We also discussed the use of podcasting to repurpose speeches where many times the number of people can be reached once the podcast takes the speech outside the walls of the room. Speeches now live on the internet far beyond the limited moment in time in which they were delivered.

Pat’s Audio Acrobat solution brings podcasting within everyone’s reach.

Debra Russell: giving artists their edge

Last week I attended a presentation given at the Sandbox Suites by Debra Russell. Debra is the founder of Artist’s EDGE. She uses her business knowledge and ability to facilitate change and growth to help small business owners create a prosperous and sustainable living doing what they love. Debra specializes in small business and the Arts and Entertainment Industry and has presented innovative programs for industry trade conferences across the country.

In ‘Niche Marketing’ she discusses why many business owners are afraid to define their niche on the mistaken premise that they will lose business as a result. The truth is just the opposite. Designing your marketing around a niche can enable you to have a major impact on a small budget. Since most business owners are working with a limited to non-existent marketing budget Niche Marketing can give you a tremendous advantage over your competition.

In this video Debra discusses the concept of a niche and how it applies to your business. Specifically:

• The 8 steps of business income
• Finding a niche
• What aspects of a niche to research
• How to use Google and Yahoo Groups to develop a relationship with your niche market
• Best ways to use LinkedIn to connect with a niche
• How to combine Niche marketing with Social Networking to deliver high impact results with a very low investment

Parts of this presentation are based on the book Multiple Streams of Coaching Income by Andrea Lee.