Tag: viewers

9 ways to increase your social capital

– Posted on Feb 25, 2011 by Margie Albert

Today, our value is being assessed by employers, clients, viewers, and users. If you want to be perceived as a TV expert or separate yourself from the pack try increasing your social capital. Here are some ways to do that:

  1. Read and respond – look for articles and blogs online that are pertinent to your advertisers, users or viewers. Be where they are and comment consistently
  2. Start your own blog with helpful information for your readers. Go to Squidoo to get started. It’s free and easy. To increase readership promote it by including it on your email signature. Post your blog on facebook and twitter
  3. Participate in discussions on LinkedIn. Join appropriate groups and pay attention
  4. Start conversations on LinkedIn.
  5. Search twitter for conversations where you can professionally add your knowledge
  6. Post helpful information on facebook
  7. Network face to face, add social media as a method of staying in touch. Check out their connections and expand your network
  8. Ask your customers if you can connect with them on LinkedIn, facebook and twitter. If you do connect be sure to pay attention to their posts.
  9. Get involved with local social media organizations. Here in Phoenix I suggest AZIMA (AZ Interactive Marketing Assoc.) and SocialMediaAZ. There are many others.

We used to base our TV capital on number of years in the business, number of stations or markets we worked in, etc. Today it’s less about TV knowledge and experience and more about our ability to survive and thrive in our new world.

Social Media is here to stay. Want to grow ratings and revenue? Increase your social capital.

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Broadcasters – 6 customer service rules

– Posted on Dec 28, 2010 by Margie Albert

We all have unhappy customers occasionally. TV Stations are no exception. Viewers complain, advertisers complain and employees complain. Yes, viewers, advertisers and employees are all customers. Therefore, from the General Manager on through the organization, we all need to be aware of how we handle unhappy customers.

Here are 6 rules easy to write but not always easy to live!

1.       Listen, pay attention and don’t interrupt. Complainers need time. Give it to them.

2.       Apologize even if the customer is off base. “I’m sorry you feel this way. Let’s see what we can do together to make this better for you.”

3.       Ask questions to get to the root of the problem and try to remove the emotion. Refer back to #1.

4.       Put yourself in their shoes. How would you react if this situation happened to you? What would you need to feel whole again?

5.       Treat every complainer as if they were your most important viewer, advertiser, employee, etc. They may not be your favorite but at that moment you need to treat them as if they are.

6.       Laugh – when appropriate! The goal is to not only resolve the issue but deepen the relationship. Nothing does that better than a smile or a laugh.

What other rules do you find helpful at your television station?

(a special thanks to Hal DeKeyser – met him on twitter and he offered me some great writing advice. Very “social” guy and much appreciated by this amateur writer!)

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The Big “WOW”

– Posted on Jun 04, 2010 by Margie Albert

Oftentimes when I speak in front of groups or with my Broadcast clients I ask them, “What is your big WOW?” That question can be applied to your personal “big WOW” or your organization’s “big WOW.”  

To succeed in this world full of distractions and new competition how are you remarkably different?

Here are some simple ways to determine your “Big WOW:”

  1. Are you as an individual special? List what makes you truly different
  2. Are you as an employee special? List what makes you truly different
  3. Are you as an organization special? List what makes you truly different
  4. Are you as a provider of information to your customers/viewers special? List what makes you truly different

These are not easy questions – for best results, be brutally honest.

Now, the tough part. Go ask your friends, co-workers, clients, viewers/users the same questions and see what you get. Is there a match?

Remember, perception is reality. If aligned, you are doing great! If not what are you going to do to change? Your friends, co-workers, clients and viewers aren’t going to change to match you! Either really let us know and feel your “big WOW” or find it. As Seth Godin in The Purple Cow said, “Transform your business (and yourself) by being remarkable.”

OK, time to put my words into actions (SCARY!). What do you think is my “big WOW” as an individual, as an organization and provider of information? Please tell me how you think I can become REMARKABLE. Post your comments here.

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