Tag: content marketing

The Four Critical Levels of Being a Great Communicator & Why They Matter

Written by Assistant on August 8, 2023. Posted in Blog, Leadership, Vocal Leadership. No Comments on The Four Critical Levels of Being a Great Communicator & Why They Matter

By Jess Todtfeld, President of Success In Media, Inc.

As we navigate the ever-evolving digital landscape, it's crucial to remember the significance of personal connection, especially in leadership roles.

After dedicating the past 18 years to teaching media training skills and presentation skills, I've come to realize that the essence of leadership is found in speaking – in connecting with people face-to-face, or in today's climate, virtually. Yes, we've adapted, we've embraced technology, but as leaders, we must not forget that at the heart of every interaction, there's a human need to connect.

woman speaking in front of crowd with a microphone

The modern world presents a unique challenge: How do we maintain this essential human connection amidst the screens and devices that dominate our lives? The answer lies in understanding the power of speech in leadership and harnessing it effectively.

Speaking as a leader isn’t just about giving orders or delegating tasks. It’s about engaging people, sharing visions, inspiring actions, and fostering a spirit of teamwork. And achieving these goals requires mastering The Four Critical Levels of Being a Great Communicator: Understanding, Remembering, Action, and Passing on to Others. These stages serve as the foundation of impactful leadership speaking.

Understanding: The first step to effective communication is making sure your message is understood. This requires clear, concise language free from jargon or complicated concepts. As a leader, you need to deliver your message in a way that your team, clients, or audience can easily grasp. The clearer your message, the better the understanding, and the stronger the connection you can establish.
Remembering: A message that's understood but quickly forgotten will achieve little. To make your message stick, stories are invaluable. They weave a narrative around your message, turning it from mere information into a memorable journey. Remember, people may forget statistics or figures, but they rarely forget a compelling story.
Action: Great communication isn’t passive; it drives action. Once people understand and remember your message, they should feel motivated to act upon it. As a leader, your words should empower others, giving them the tools or knowledge they need to improve their lives or make a difference.
Passing on to Others: The ultimate level of communication is when your message is shared by those who heard it. Word of mouth is one of the most powerful forms of communication. When someone shares your message, it signifies a deep connection – they found your words impactful enough to pass on to others.

In a world where face-to-face interactions are increasingly being replaced by face-to-screen encounters, the need for leaders to effectively communicate and connect with others has never been more paramount. True leaders don’t just speak – they connect, inspire, and motivate. They use their words to create shared understanding, memorable narratives, actionable insights, and messages that resonate deeply enough to be passed on.

Here’s some good news…

Pie Chart in newspaper with people looking from all around to see it

We have more opportunities than ever to speak and connect. These include:

Podcasts: In an era where multimedia content is increasingly popular, starting your own podcast can be a great way to share your insights, experiences, and messages. Podcasts create a personal, intimate setting, allowing for more in-depth discussions and providing an opportunity to connect with your audience on a deeper level. They offer a unique space where you can share your stories, inspire action, and get your messages passed on.

Social Media Videos: Platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and TikTok have become vital tools for modern leaders. Social media videos allow for dynamic, engaging communication. You can share short motivational messages, elaborate on complex ideas, or give behind-the-scenes glimpses into your leadership journey. These videos are easy to share, increasing the chances of your message being passed on and reaching a wider audience.

Webinars and Virtual Events: As we adapt to a more remote way of working, webinars and virtual events have become commonplace. These platforms offer an opportunity to reach larger, global audiences. They also allow for real-time interaction, Q&As, and instant feedback, helping you gauge understanding and tweak your communication strategies accordingly.

Communication Apps: Apps such as Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Zoom have revolutionized the way we connect with our teams and peers. These apps provide a space for both formal and informal communication, promoting transparency and fostering a sense of community.

Blogs and Articles: Writing blogs and articles for your own website or guest posting on other platforms is another way to connect. You can delve into subjects in more detail and leave a permanent resource for others to refer back to.

Online Courses and E-Learning Platforms: Sharing your expertise through online courses or e-learning platforms can help inspire action. You can educate your audience on a particular subject, provide them with the tools to make positive changes, and continue to foster their growth long after they've finished your course.

LinkedIn Live and Clubhouse: Platforms like LinkedIn Live and Clubhouse offer live audio and video broadcasting opportunities. They allow real-time conversations with audiences, which can lead to lively discussions, idea exchanges, and networking opportunities.

As leaders, it's our responsibility to bridge the digital divide and maintain the human connection that's so vital in our world today. By mastering these four levels of communication, we can transcend the boundaries of the screen and connect with people in meaningful, impactful ways. And in the process, we can redefine what it means to be a leader in the digital age.

What most surprised you, or what do you still want to know? Let us know your thoughts below!

More About Jess Todtfeld

Jess Todtfeld is the President of Success in Media, one of the leading communication and media training authorities in the U.S. With more than 15 years as a media trainer and consultant, Todtfeld helps CEOs, business executives, spokespersons, public relations representatives, experts, and authors to become more confident, more in control, and to create more results from their speaking engagements and media appearances.

If you want to learn more about Jess Todtfeld, you can visit his training site or his Guaranteed Publicity agency, Media Ambassadors.

Talking All Things Podcasts…On A Podcast [Podcast]

Written by Robin Thompson on September 2, 2020. Posted in Business Development, Leadership, Marketing, Podcast, Podcasting, Vocal Leadership.

Podcasting has exploded in the B2B realm. During this episode of the B2B Marketing Exchange Podcast, we talk about all things podcasts.(Podcast on B2B Marketing Exchange, June 3, 2020)

Podcasting has exploded in the B2B realm. We’ve seen brands across industries and of all sizes use podcasting to share their unique thought leadership and interview experts in their field. But how is this area of the media landscape evolving as more brands create podcasts, and as more buyers rely on them? During this episode, we sit down with Tina Dietz, Founder of Twin Flames Studios, to get her take on how podcasting is evolving. Together, Tina and hosts Alicia Esposito and Klaudia Tirico go through:

New podcasting formats and approaches;
Creating strategies for the middle and bottom of the funnel;
The “murkiness” of podcasting metrics; and
How to use podcasting to build company culture.

Click here to listen to the podcast

RELATED LINKS

Learn more about Twin Flames Studios
Listen to Tina on a B2BMX panel about podcasting

Interested in talking more about about all things podcasts?

What’s Next for Podcasting in B2B? [Podcast]

Written by Robin Thompson on August 18, 2020. Posted in Business Development, Leadership, Marketing, Podcast, Podcasting, Vocal Leadership.

With 59% of marketers acknowledging the value of podcasts, what's next for podcasting in B2B? We cover it all in this B2BMX Podcast episode. Tune in!

We’ve seen brands across industries, of all sizes, use podcasting to share their unique thought leadership and have meaningful conversations with experts in their field. Shows like the #FlipMyFunnel Podcast and The Marketer’s Journey are a goldmine for marketers of every breed looking to up their game. And with 59% of marketers acknowledging the value of podcasts in the early stages of the buying process, you’d be remiss not to consider developing a (relevant and informative) podcast for your own brand.

Things got a little meta on this week’s episode of the B2BMX Podcast when hosts Alicia Esposito and Klaudia Tirico sat down with Twin Flames Studios‘ Tina Dietz to get her take on how podcasting is evolving. As Tina explains in the episode, podcasting is about much more than having a good idea or topic to talk about—it’s about building relationships with your listeners, too.

Check out the episode now to hear:

New podcasting formats and approaches
Why finding the right host matters just as much as the content
How to use podcasting to build company culture

Click here to listen to the podcast

Want to learn more about what’s next for podcasting in B2B?

How (And Why) To Get Started In The Podcast Space

Written by Robin Thompson on May 21, 2020. Posted in Blog, Business Development, Leadership, Marketing, Podcasting, Vocal Leadership, Voice.

When thinking about getting into the podcast space, business leaders and companies can consider several low-risk ways to make use of this powerful communication and marketing medium.

When computers and the internet were first becoming popular, they began to change the way we do business — ranging from advertising and marketing to obtaining clients, taking payments, record-keeping and everything in between.

And with the advent of email, all of a sudden, we could send information to our clients and colleagues quickly and easily at any time of the day or night. Email assisted us in the rapid transmission of important documents, as well as gradually replacing phone calls to document information (or confirming the content of conversations after the fact).

Fast forward a couple of decades: Computers have infiltrated virtually every aspect of our lives to the point where we carry a hand-held version with us everywhere. Smartphones are not phones that also happen to have some computer features. They are computers that also happen to be phones.

Because of the many benefits of “virtual offices,” especially when employees can be anywhere in the world, we are more reliant than ever on video consultations for business meetings. In our increasingly isolated lives, we are turning to social visits on video, too. And of course, there are the countless hours that disappear into the black hole of social media (which is sometimes business-related, though often is not).

With 28% of Americans saying they’re “almost constantly” online, according to a Pew Research Center poll, I believe we are overloaded with technology. As a result, some of us are trying to mitigate the impact screen time can have on us mentally, physically, emotionally and socially. “Screen-Free Week” is just one example of efforts to rediscover the joys of life beyond screens.

At the same time, our interest in listening to podcasts has been rising steadily over the past few years. According to Edison Research’s Infinite Dial report, The Podcast Consumer 2019, the percentage of people who have ever listened to a podcast increased to 51% in 2019, which equates to an estimated 144 million people. In 2010, that percentage was only at 23%.

Why podcasts?

As the owner of a company that specializes in audiobook publishing, podcasting and publicity, I’ve seen there are several reasons why some people find podcasts to be much more appealing than video. First, there’s the portability aspect. Audio is available when you can’t read or watch anything, which increases the likelihood that the message is actually being heard.

Second, many listeners appreciate being able to enjoy podcasts while doing other tasks, such as commuting to and from work, doing household chores or working out. Podcasts can also be highly engaging, with 52% of people listening to entire episodes and 41% listening to most of them, according to that same report by Edison Research. Considering it’s often reported that our attention spans are shrinking, this is impressive for long-form media content.

Podcasts can help you build relationships with your audiences and explore topics on a deeper level. In my experience, they’re also easier to distribute and quicker to produce. In the two or three hours it might take to shoot a high-quality video, between three and five podcast episodes could be recorded (depending on how long you want each episode to be).

Hosting a professional, high-quality video requires a special skill set that not everyone has. This is why some find it much easier to feel relaxed, comfortable and authentic when there isn’t the pressure of a camera. When recording a podcast, you don’t have to be concerned with how you look or whether the lighting, background or angle is just right; you just have to show up and deliver great content.

How To Start A Podcast Yourself

When considering getting started with podcasting, business leaders and companies can consider several low-risk ways to make use of this medium.

1. Encourage your executives and senior leaders to share their knowledge as guests on podcasts. Many podcast hosts are actively seeking powerful stories and advice to share with their audiences. I’ve also found that the experience that leaders receive in preparing and learning to be expert guests elevates communication skills that transfer back to the boardroom and team leadership.

2. Start an internal podcast. This can help enhance communication, build culture and showcase the talents and accomplishments of your team and clients. Companies like Trader Joe’s, American Airlines and JP Morgan have all taken this approach.

3. Consider producing a shorter podcast series. These short series can consist of eight to 10 episodes around a central theme. In the end, you’ll have a complete set of content your marketing team can share and repurpose in a myriad of ways.

That said, there are some challenges leaders face that you could consider before entering the world of podcasting. For example, I’ve found some leaders don’t like the sound of their own voice, so they’re reluctant to record anything. Leaders are also very busy, and podcasting can add to your already-packed daily schedule, which leads to a third common challenge: the return on investment. If you don’t see the expected ROI right away, you might become discouraged.

Soon, I’ll write in-depth on how you can overcome these challenges. In the meantime, consider which of the three options above is the best fit for you and your company to start making the most of this powerful medium. Consider for yourself: What are the stories your company or brand has to share with the world?

There is no denying that the interest in podcasts has only been steadily increasing since its inception. With nearly 30 million podcast episodes and 90 million monthly listeners in 2019, there is something for everyone. By taking action on one of the areas listed above (and keeping some of the challenges you might face in mind), you can begin your own podcast journey and connect with potential clients, your team and current customers.

Want to learn more about podcasting for your business?

Engaging Influencers in Your Content Marketing: 5 New Rules for The Influence Game

Written by Robin Thompson on April 30, 2020. Posted in Blog, Business Development, Leadership, Marketing, Networking, Vocal Leadership.

No one was ready for influencer marketing. Almost overnight, through the power of social media, everyone from fitness models to grumpy cats had millions of eyes on them. Here's how to make influencer marketing work for you.

No one was ready for influencer marketing. Almost overnight, through the power of social media, everyone from fitness models to grumpy cats had millions of eyes on them. Best of all, they did it with a $600 smartphone and an internet connection.

Companies rushed to capitalize; the newly minted “influencers” rushed to monetize; companies spending millions on 30-second Super Bowl ads were left scratching their heads.

What Is Influencer Marketing?

Influencer marketing refers to promoting a brand by partnering with an “influencer”—a person with a popular personal brand and a large social media following.

Many companies that play the influencer game do it wrong because they don’t understand the new unspoken rules. As influence marketing matures into the commercial landscape, here are five new rules to engage influencers in your content marketing.

1. Pick the Right Influencers

It used to be that hundreds of thousands of followers on Facebook or Instagram was enough of an indicator of influence. This is no longer the case. Users can and do pad their follower count to make themselves look more popular.

Instead, look for user engagement. A social media personality has millions of followers? How many people have liked or commented on his/her recent posts? Do people respond when they ask questions in their stories? How fawning and enthusiastic are the replies?

If you identify a genuine influencer, make sure your brand resonantes with the influencer’s brand. Otherwise the influencer will not want to do business with you.

“But I’ll pay you” doesn’t cut it with an influencer. If their followers see them as inauthentic or a shill, a pitchman for off-brand products, their image will be tarnished, their influence decreased. Influence is lightning in a bottle, and a true influencer won’t risk losing it for a little bit of money.

2. Give First, Then Get

Reciprocity is key to cultivating influencer relationships. Remember, an influencer doesn’t need to help you. They have to want to help you.

Before you ask favors of an influencer, like social media mentions or a collaboration, give back first. Start by engaging with their social content—likes, comments, views, etc. Engage with multi-word comments.

Give them anything of value you can—freebies, tips, exclusive access … especially if it’s something they can turn into content for their audience. Engaging content is the gold standard of social media influence.If the influencer sells products or services, consider becoming a customer. Reciprocal business is big in the influence game.

3. Deal With Them Directly

Even if it seems like the appropriate point of contact, influencers don’t want to deal with your PR department. They want to deal with you, the founder, the CEO, the senior manager, the beating heart of the organization.

Influencers build brands by sharing freely of themselves in public. They attract engaged viewers by being authentic. Give of yourself authentically, and you are speaking their language.

PRO TIP: Try for facetime with an influencer. See they publicize their upcoming attendance at an event, convention, party, or meetup. Can you attend as well? Nothing engages an influencer like face-to-face contact. In fact, that applies to everyone, not just influencers.

4. Give Them a Good Story

Influencers aren’t impressed by great marketing copy; they want to tell a story.

Social media channels are like personal TV channels. People watch them for the programs, not the commercials. You want to be one of the influencer’s programs, not one of the commercials.

You can do that by offering the influencer your brand’s story or narrative. Whether it’s the story of your founding, a recent milestone, a customer interaction or other breakthrough, influencers can use interesting stories to provide value to their audience. That’s what they remain relevant.

5. Make Them Look Good

Many influencers make their bones by being “cool” or “hot” or “aspirational,” or at the very least authentic. Don’t undermine that, or they won’t be interested.

When you start asking an influencer to collaborate or pitch your product, make sure you present yourself in a way that flatters them, not just you. They should look savvy and “in the know” because of their involvement with you.

Interested in developing a strategy to play the new influencers game?

The Tremendous Power Of The Pause In…Your Leadership

Written by Robin Thompson on April 3, 2020. Posted in Blog, Personal Development, Video, Vocal Leadership, Voice.

During these extraordinary times, I invite you to find and embrace the tremendous power of the pause in…your leadership. Take a look

We are living extraordinary times. Times of change where we are all being asked to stop, to observe ourselves with more intention, to act with more kindness. From a distance.

This is a time where we have the opportunity to consider what we have been taking for granted and make some choices.

I invite you to consider making a small shift. A small shift that carries huge change and opportunities with it.

Hey, it's Tina Dietz coming to you live from my office studio here after a long day of having many conversations with leaders from all over the US and Canada.

And what's on everybody's mind?

How are we going to keep doing business as usual when nothing is business as usual?

And here's the opportunity.

We live in extraordinary times.Which gives us the opportunity to be extraordinary leaders.

Now, what does that mean? Does it sound like a lot of pressure?Do you say to yourself “Oh, I'm already a leader, and now I just got to figure this out.”

Well, I would request that right here right now in this moment that you actually just pause.

There is so much power in taking a pause.For your mind.For your spirit.And for whoever you're communicating with.

We live in a world where we are very uncomfortable with silence.

Even in a moment of silence, you're thinking to yourself “What are they going to say next? What are they going to do next? What am I going to say next? What am I going to do next?”

And that is a lost opportunity.

Because it is only in the listening of ourselves, and in the listening of others that we truly have an opportunity to create something new.

Our brains chatter the same thing about 85% of the time. By the time you're thirty, your personality is pretty well solidified. You have very similar vocal patterns. You have very similar mental pattern. Not that we don't learn new things; we do. But our personalities get kind of firmed up. And now, with all of the change happening, we have the ability and the opportunity to consider what we have been taking for granted. And maybe make some choices around making small shifts.

So, the small shift I'm asking you to make today is to give yourself more room to pause, and more room for silence.In your own life, and the conversations that you're having.

Before you respond to something somebody says —you're in a team meeting, you're in a conversation, you're running the meeting and you feel like you have to have all the answers— take a deep breath with everybody.

Invite everybody to take a pause together.“Let's just take a minute, and give this a little thought. Let's just take a moment and consider what was just said. Let's just take a moment to take a deep breath together. How are you guys doing?”

And let the moment settle before you get into a checklist, before you get into who's doing what and when and how, in that agile daily huddle rapid speed delivery that we all have.

So, that is what I'd love for you to consider today. in upping your leadership game. Particularly, your vocal leadership game, is the power of the pause.

There's a lot more ways that we can use pauses in our vocal leadership and in our delivery and in our presence to make a difference with our teams to engage, and inspire, and inform, and create beautiful, beautiful levels of performance in others as a leader.

We can talk about that if you want.Send me a message and we can talk more about that. You can learn more in some of the articles below.

And just enjoy as much as possible in all of the fracas that we're dealing with now.

Take a moment.

You deserve it. Your people deserve it.

We're All in This Together. Take care.

How much are you allowing yourself (and your team) to pause?

7 Ways to Re-purpose Podcast Interviews Into Marketing Gold

Written by Robin Thompson on March 17, 2020. Posted in Business Development, Leadership, Marketing, Podcast, Podcasting, Sales, Voice.

Let’s explore the ways you can re-purpose podcast interviews and use this invaluable content to create content marketing assets for your business(Article on Pioneering Collective, March 6, 2020)

So you got interviewed on a podcast as an expert. Now what?

Rather than simply letting the host of the podcast be 100% responsible for sharing and promoting that podcast episode, let’s explore the ways you can use this invaluable content to create content marketing assets for your brand and/or business.

Repurposing your content in different ways will also help more people find you, based on their preferences of consuming media. An ideal client may not have heard of the podcast you were on, but they may be avid readers of LinkedIn Pulse and find a repurposed article from you. Or, perhaps your Audiogram catches the eye of one of your contacts on LinkedIn, and they get excited to learn and hear more.

Tina Dietz, Vocal Leadership and Influence Marketing Expert at Twin Flames Studios, shares 7 ways they have repurposed content for themselves and their podcasting clients.

Create blog posts on your website using the image and show notes from the original show, and also link to the original content. EXAMPLE
Use services like MissingLettr to then create social media posts automatically from those show notes.
Make your social media content evergreen for about 12 months using SmarterQueue, Social Jukebox, etc. You can copy/paste posts from MissingLettr into one of these other tools.
Add the original link and description of your podcast interview to the Publications section of your LinkedIn profile.
Take an excerpt of your audio and turn it into a quick audiogram for eye-catching sharing on social media.
Create longer blog posts and articles for outlets like LinkedIn Pulse or industry publications based on your content, either by listening back to your interview and taking notes, or getting your interview transcribed by machine or live person.
For each interview you do, take 1 juicy point you discussed and create a 2-minute video talking about that topic and sending people to the interview/podcast you were on for more information.
1. Import your video to Headliner and it will transcribe and caption it for you for free.
2. Share your video on social media and make sure to tag the host of the show!

The possibilities are amazing! Fortunately, these are also tasks that lend themselves well to outsourcing and delegation. If this list seems like a lot to add to your workflows, start with just one or two of the above to get started and then you can always add on more as you develop your podcasting and repurposing prowess.

Tina Dietz is an internationally acclaimed speaker, podcaster, audio publisher, and vocal leadership maven. Visit her at Twin Flames Studios

Pioneering Collective is a membership-based executive communications organization. We invite leaders to engage broadly, tell their authentic stories, and stretch beyond the status quo to connect and drive impact.

Interested in learning more about podcasting andhow we can help you share your voice with the world?