This White House Tour brought to you by ...

During the Space Shuttle Program, I often wondered why NASA didn't sell ad space on the boosters and shuttle itself. Like NASCAR. It sure could have generated a lot of money.

I have no doubt, that given the chance Apple or Microsoft would have paid plenty to have their logo on the side of the Space Shuttle.

In these days of "Sequestration" the idea is worth revisiting. The White House has cancelled public tours due to cost cutting brought on my sequestration. Or so they claim.

Donald Trump, among others offered to pick up the tab and open the White House, owned by you and me to ...you and me. The White House said no.

So we ask, why?

The government also warns of delays in opening many of our national parks for the season. The key word being OUR national parks. So why not offer sponsorships? I bet any number of businesses would jump at the chance to sponsor Old Faithful at Yellowstone. Park Rangers could wear sponsor patches on their uniforms just like NASCAR drivers do.

The NFL and NASCAR have made sponsorship an art form. So why not the White House or Old Faithful?

"This tour of the White House is sponsored by Home Depot." Or, "This next eruption of Old Faithful is brought to you in part by Coca-Cola." (Because geysers and things go better with Coke!)

In business it's important to maximize revenue and reduce costs. Government doesn't operate that way. We lose. Over and over again.

That's why we can't tour our White House and might not be able to see Old Faithful this summer. All avoidable.

So what should it be? Sequestration or Sponsorships? I'll take the latter. Government needs to re-think the way it operates. So we again ask, why not sponsorships?

Brian Olson
Owner/Consultant
Conversation Starters Public Relations
"We start the conversation about you"

It's not your brand anymore. It's "Ours"

I attended a Social Media Summit produced by Ragan Communications (Which I heartily recommend) earlier this year and came away with several knowledge nuggets including the fact that companies really don't "own" their brands anymore. In this age of social media which empowers consumers like never before, it's "We the digital people" that own the brand.

A few days afterwards I shared this with the CEO of a company that had an increasingly bad reputation on the Internet, a rep growing worse every day. He scoffed at the concept that anyone but he owned the brand. Analog thinking in a digital age.

A few months later the company was OOB. You can't run and you can't hide anymore. Treat a customer poorly, and if you don't make good, they'll post about it on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Others of the same opinion will soon share it and voila, a movement begins. Just ask the TSA. Heard any stories about junk being grabbed lately?

It can work in a positive way too. One of the biggest fan pages on Facebook is for Coca-Cola. It's not run by Coke, but by fans of the brand. The site has tons of followers. Some friends of mine have started a social media campaign for their chain of restaurants. Their food and service is good, they're nice folks so I click the "like" button anytime I see a post.

Social Media can also protect the brand reputation. Should someone complain about you online, engage them and try and solve the problem. Social Media can be a great fire break, before the fire breaks out. An established social media presence can also act as a 'Future Shock-Shock Absorber" when un-fair attacks are made.

Good product and service remain the golden rules of business. Ignore your customers and they'll do anything but ignore you. Take them for granted and they'll take you right out of business. It just takes a few clicks.

They own the brand. Get used to it.

Brian Olson
Conversation Starters Public Relations
"We start the conversation about you"

Video for Social Media 101

Video has become a key element of social media outreach and thanks to technology and very affordable prices, a good fit for any company regardless of size. Earlier this year I attended a Ragan Communications seminar on social media hosted by the folks at Coca-Cola in Atlanta. Among the many things discussed is how Coca-Cola uses Flipcams distributed all over the company for employees to shoot and post videos about what they do.

If it works for Coke it can work for you. If you already use a video camera, or are thinking about it, here are some tips to produce some pretty good looking videos. Remember, you're not shooting a major motion picture here, just some quick shots to tell your story. As the folks at Coke told us, "Good enough is good enough." That said:

1. Avoid being "shaky." Today's video cameras are very light, which makes them more prone to jittery video. Use both hands whenever possible. Hold the camera with one hand, support it with the other. Become "one" with your camera. Practice.

2. Available light. If you can afford a lighting kit and have the time and expertise to use it, go for it. If you don't, use the light you have. Keep the light in front of your subject, not behind. Today's cameras shoot wonderful quality video with natural light. Again, practice makes perfect. Experiment.

3. Natural Sound. "Nat-Sound" can be a very effective way of telling your story. If for instance it's a shot of kids having great fun with a toy or project, no amount of voice-over can beat it. NBC's Bob Dotson taught me years ago, listen first before you shoot video.

4. You can get great sound from your interview subject with the onboard microphones on today's cameras. But if the background noise is loud and distracting, move your subject to a quiet place for best quality. Other than asking a question you want included in your video, don't talk! This is especially important when shooting your "Nat Sound" clips.

5. Shot composition. Look for interesting ways to shoot your video. Certainly keep your company logo in the background when interviewing someone if possible. It's all about branding. Avoid shooting downward at subject matter. If you have to get down on one knee, do so. Think in terms of how the video will look when your target audience sees it on their computer or PDA.

6. Flipcams are great fun. But for a few hundred dollars more you get get a very high quality HD Camera which will provide you with excellent results. Video editing programs like iMovie are very intuitive and easy to use. It takes a little longer to edit and post your video, but the results are worth it.

7. Shorter is better. Keep your video short and to the point. You can tell your story in less than two minutes once you get the hang of it. With the exception of basketball, short is good.

Above all, go for it. Get a camera and start shooting and posting. Empower other members of your team to do so. Get everyone involved. When the next customer raves about your product or service, be ready to ask them, "Would you mind saying that on camera?"

Shoot it. Post it. Have fun.

Brian Olson
Conversation Starters LLC
"We start the conversation about you" (Video is a great way to do just that)

Brand Ambassadorship

I've been listening to podcasts since the series of finale of LOST. Plus I've read more than a few articles. While the series wrapped up things generally, it didn't wrap up everything so it makes for interesting listening and reading. Two podcasts I listen to plan to continue on for months, maybe years.

Mentioned more than a few times is the upcoming release of the DVD package of the series. ABC and the producers of the hit show aren't paying a dime for any of this. Wow, imagine reaching huge audiences to market your product for free.

It reminds me of what I heard earlier this year in Atlanta at a Social Media Summit. The folks at Coca Cola (which hosted the event) talked about a Facebook fan page for Coke. It has almost 500 thousand members. But Coke didn't create it. Two fans did.

Customers and fans of your brand, can be your best "Brand Ambassadors." They post on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. They create fan pages.

IF...they like your product and customer service. It can just as easily work the opposite. Mistreat or mislead your customer base and they'll let you have it digitally, big-time.

Then there are cases where good companies get a bad rap on the Internet for no other reason that while the great thing about the Internet is everyone has access to it, the bad thing about the Internet is everyone has access to it.

As one psychologist said, "The Internet has provided a platform for the hateful." Usually, most of these types post anonymously, but believe it or not, some people believe them.

We specialize in helping you make the most out of your brand ambassadors, and how to deal with those who have nothing better to do than pick on you unfairly. There's a time and a place for everything on the Internet, especially when it comes to your brand's reputation.

Let us help you manage your brand in the ever-evolving world of Social Media.

Brian Olson
CEO and Founder
Conversation Starters LLC