Let’s Get Real: How and Why Your Organization and Clients Must Communicate Authentically Today or Suffer the Consequences

Let’s Get Real:How and Why Your Organization and Clients

Must Communicate AuthenticallyToday or Suffer the Consequences

#iabchr10#iabcgetreal

Real or not?

Real or not?

Real or not?

Takeaway # 1

• It’s hard to tell what’s real any more. Sometimes, the “fake” is more authentic than what’s real.

#iabchr10

#iabcgetreal

Why it matters

• “Authenticity is the benchmark against which all brands are measured.”— John Grant, The New Marketing Manifesto

Why it matters

• “If you can fake authenticity, the rest will take care of itself.”

— Seth Godin, Permission Marketing

Why it matters

• “If you can fake authenticity, the rest will take care of itself.”

— Seth Godin, Permission Marketing

Authenticity: What it means

• Your story isrooted in fact


• Your story isshared by a fluent storyteller


• You continuallyread youraudience toensure you’reconnected


• Rick Dias, Chief Operating Officer at Thermos,“cited blogger commentary as the leading cause of their decision to change the plastic again, to a mixture that is a bit more pliable but is not quite as heat tolerant.”

— Z Recommends consumer research blog

Takeaway #2

• An authentic story is rooted in fact, shared by a fluent storyteller and continually adjusted to resonate with your audience.


Authenticity: Why it matters

Authenticity: Why it matters• United Breaks Guitars

QuickTime™ and a decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

Authenticity: Why it matters• Too many more examples to name . . .

Takeaway #3• On the Internet, no

one knows you’rea dog. But they knowif you’re dishonestand they will punishyou for it.


Authenticity: How to get it• "Always be a first-rate

version of yourself,instead of a second-rateversion of somebody else.”

— Judy Garland

Authenticity: Assess yourself!• You are who you are, not who you claim

to be.

• ‘As part of that effort,Volvo will try to searchfor "a clear definitionof what the brand stands for," theGerman-born Mr. Jacoby said.’

Assess yourself? How?• Remember? Rooted in fact.• A method: The Five Burning Questions

Assess yourself? How?1. Business purpose• It’s not all about the money

Assess yourself? How?2. Market need/opportunity• It’s not about you. It’s about your

customer. It’s about both of you together.

Assess yourself? How?3. Position• Fill in the blank: Are you Hertz, or are

you . . .

Assess yourself? How?4. Communication channels and

methods• Are you “reading your audience?”

Assess yourself? How?5. Message and

call to action• Are you engaging

your audience?

Takeaway #4• Authenticity means going to market with

a story of who you are, not who you want to be.

#iabchr10

#iabcgetreal

So who are you anyway?• The importance of an authentic

archetype

Why it matters• Reaching the “old brain”

Why it matters• Reaching the “old brain”

Why it matters• Our old brains struggle in a new world

How you do it• Adapt old, authentic archetypes

How you do it• Create new, authentic archetypes

Takeaway #5: Your payoff• “Stories create connections for people.

Stories create the emotional context people need to locate themselves in a larger experience.”

— Scott Bedbury, Brandstream(formerly led Nike and Starbucks marketing)


Some tools for you• Five Burning Questions Assessment

Some tools for you• Mapping your authentic story

Some tools for you• Charting your authentic story plot

Authenticity and social media• Truth or consequences in 140 characters

Authenticity and social media• Truth or consequences in 140 characters

Takeaway #6• For social media success, you must first

be authentic, or you will learn the meaning of #epicfail.

#iabchr10

#iabcgetreal

Thank you!Paul Furiga, ABC

President

WordWrite Communications LLC

10475 Perry Highway Suite 104

Wexford, PA 15090-9213http://card.ly/wordwritepr

[email protected]

http://www.linkedin.com/in/paulfuriga

http://www.twitter.com/paulfuriga