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Real-Time Marketing and PR: How to Instantly Engage Your Market, Connect with Customers, and Create Products that Grow Your Business Now

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Peter Drucker, who Jack Welch called "the greatest management thinker of the last century," suggested that businesspeople have clear answers to the following three questions:

1. What is your business?

2. Who is your customer?

3. What does your customer consider value?

In "Real-Time Marketing & PR," bestselling author David Meerman Scott urges businesspeople to consider a fourth question:

"How can you deliver value faster?"

With changes brought on by the internet and other forms of technology, the concept of delivering value faster has become, for many, a governing competitive advantage.

In this new effort, Scott (who, in full disclosure, is a client and friend) tells the stories of people and organizations that have acted on real-time opportunities, or have built cultures based on delivering value at breakneck speed.

Scott writes, for instance, about how TMZ and Politico regularly scoop larger news sources, because TMZ and Politico operate on a model that focuses almost exclusively on "breaking news and instant analysis." He tells us, too, about how ClickSquared gets better open-rates and more upsells when the emails they send are triggered by what's happening to recipients in the moment. Also, in an in depth analysis of the "United Breaks Guitars" story, he discusses how Taylor Guitars and Calton Cases grabbed attention for their brands by taking prompt action on a piece of the whole.

If you've read other books by Scott, you know he provides readers with plenty of tactics. This book is no different. In it, you'll learn about using social media, crowdsourcing, videos, mobile devices, media alerts, communications guidelines, and other tools, which will speed up the way you collect and act upon information.

The book's greatest service, however, isn't in its tactics. Instead, it's in helping readers develop a "now" mindset - one that will help them take action in a situation as it's happening -- when acting matters most.

Once you read Scott's sage counsel and entertaining stories, you'll likely see your business environment in new ways. With speed as a lens, you'll spot opportunities and take action with a swiftness that may surprise you.

David Meerman Scott specialises in real-time marketing.

His main point is that we live in an "Always On" world. We encounter opportunities all day long as we meet people and interact via social media and as a result we need to be fleet-footed and flexible enough to seize those chances whenever they appear. Waiting to run ideas past the board is going to cost you dear in the "Always On" world.

As someone with a background in 24 hour news, this makes perfect sense. If a story drops on the newswires you need to check it, verify it and broadcast it as soon as possible, because if you don't, another channel will.

News did not always move this fast. There was a time when a journalist would be given one story to write first thing in the morning, and they'd have all day to write it. No more.

In his book "Real-time marketing and PR" David Meerman Scott exhorts us to both live and respond in the here and now. There's no point sitting around scratching your head about an opportunity that comes your way. You need to respond instantaneously and have the clearance and the confidence of your boss/clients to do that.

This means listening to conversations online to find out what is current and acting on it - engaging the media about what they are going to write, not what they have already written - and using your social media relationships to make the most of all opportunities.

In a world which is always on, can you afford not to be too?

Length:: 1:47 Mins

No book in the marketplace is more current or more relevant to marketing or PR pros.

I'll admit, I avoid business books more than I read them. I grow weary of the latest "paradigm" or proverb circulating through the hallways of corporate America. So often they are re-shaping the obvious and/or advocating an "expert" with pedigree. So few offer a practioner's view with insightful case studies and/or tangible recipes that can be acted on NOW. And, "social media" is not immune from being watered-down by so-called gurus.

REAL-TIME MARKETING & PR is a welcome break from the business book formula.

David Meerman Scott ably and with insight offers realism, suggestions that can be applied and a steady-diet of examples that let the reader know that it is possible to change mind-sets, actions and results. He "pulls no punches" and encourages each of us in business to listen more, act rapidly, adjust often and be willing to be authentic in success (and failure...or, learning moments ;-)).

As David states, success is about changing mind-set. No tool, model or corporate policy can make that happen or hold it back...

Certainly, a timely book and worth the read.

David Meerman Scott delivers yet another well-written book for 2010. Real-Time Marketing & PR is a must read for any business, both small firms and enterprises, that want to get ahead of the pack. If you aren't dealing with the public in real-time, with strong customer service and monitoring, then you will fall behind. This book offers recent case studies and research that prove David's points and has actionable advice for businesses.

David Meerman Scott's latest book, "Real-Time Marketing & PR," is just what many companies - large and small - need right now.

The truth is, there are not many companies out there who operate with a real-time mindset, even part of the time. And that has to change.

What's stopping so many companies from being quicker on the trigger to take action? Why not do something that can bring about a better experience for customers, as well as better PR results and relationships with media and bloggers?

In "Real-Time Marketing & PR," Scott makes a great case for that mindset shift inside the walls of corporations down to sole proprieters. Scott examines the factors holding many businesses of all sizes back from being more involved in real-time activities, provides plenty of examples of businesses that have scored wins with real-time activities, how a real-time approach works before and during a crisis, and how you can evangelize the real-time mindset in your surroundings to bring about change.

Scott says,"Clearly, research, planning, and teamwork are essential. The problem is that speed and agility are too often sacrificed for the sake of "process"... Developing a real-time mind-set is not an either/or proposition... The smart answer is to develop a both/and approach... Recognize when you need to throw the playbook aside, and develop the capacity to react quickly."

Disclosure: I received this book free from Wiley, with no predetermined expectation of positive coverage of its content. I write impartial reviews based on my opinion of a book, not the publisher's. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

I read an advanced copy of David's newest book on a round trip flight to Cincinnatti. It is a must read for any company that has any interest in the potential of 'real time marketing'. If you think it is for someone else or social networking doesn't apply to your company - you're wrong. This book has so many great examples of how it can impact YOU. If you are a business of 'one' or the largest of corporations (Delta Airlines) - it applies to you. This is a tidal wave and being an early adoptor will give you a 'career advantage'. Jump aboard, learn, have fun and make a difference! Thank you David - what's next?

Even though social media was something that I needed to know and do, I was left flustered because I did not know how or have the successful mind set behind it. Real-Time Marketing & PR has set my Social Media Efforts on FIRE! What impressed me most was his promote response to my tweet. Thanks Scott! There is nothing like a fit person practicing what they preach. I've purchased the book and audio book on Audible.com. Defiantly recommend this book if you want your business to grow! [...]

"Real-time" marketing calls for promotion and public relations activities that move as fast as contemporary business. Time-consuming planning and procedures must yield to rapid action and reaction. Online news business and marketing expert David Meerman Scott explains how to plan and conduct marketing and public relations activities that move as quickly as the audience they seek and the competition they have to beat. getAbstract recommends Scott as a trusty guide for leading the uninitiated through the online marketing wilderness. His book offers much for businesspeople, especially marketers, who want to develop implementation in real time. Now.

Bottom Line: I studied Real Time Marketing & PR from cover-to-cover. And, I highly recommend purchasing it as a key resource in your digital marketing library.

1. The New Competitive Advantage is Speed & Agility

Leverage and Respond to Real-Time News Events. Companies and individuals who leverage current news events to instantaneously communicate with customers (as these events unfold) hold a distinct competitive advantage over larger, bigger budget rivals. These larger rivals value size and scale (not speed). And, that distinction provides significant opportunity for competitive differentiation.

Real-Time Responsiveness Differentiates Important Service Capabilities. Applications of real-time competitive differentiation include:

* Using direct and swift communications in customer service
* Preparing for and moving quickly in crisis communications (aka disaster recovery situations)
* Developing and testing new products / service offerings
* Creating an organizational culture valuing speed and open communications

The Link to Important Business Objectives. All of the aforementioned capabilities achieve one or several of the following business objectives:

* Driving sales revenues
* Saving money (i.e., lower customer acquistion costs)
* Acquiring new customers (e.g., enabiling additional lead generation)
* Strengthening existing customer relationships

2. Real-Time Mindset = Valuing Speed + Moving Quickly at the Right Time

Blinking Means Losing the Advantage. Gaining (or losing) the competitive advantage depends on WHEN you react/respond to breaking news events. Pages 29 thru 31 explain two important concepts why ultra-fast, first movers win in real-time tactics:

* The Real-Time Marketing & PR Power Law
* The Real-Time Law of Normal Distribution

3. Select Your Real-Time Platforms Carefully

Real-Time Differentiation and Capability Isn't Always Obvious - Just Ask Twitter Co-Founder Evan Williams. I conducted a back-of-the-envelope analysis of the real-time tools most often cited in Real-Time Marketing & PR. Hands-down, the real-time winner is Twitter.

But, Twitter's differentiating niche wasn't always obvious from its beginnings in July 2006. From FastCompany's November 2010 article, I Want My Twitter TV!, Williams says:

"We didn't know what we were at first. I think it's pretty clear now that Twitter is a real-time information network (e.g., any previous confusion about Twitter being a social network or Facebook is now over)."

Throughout his book, David provides several examples describing how Twitter, TweetDeck and HootSuite are used for important real-time functions:

* Monitoring conversations
* Responding directly to current customers or new, potential customers
* Directing Twitter audience members to long form channels (i.e., the company blog orYouTube) for more details

The New Media Life Cycle Helps in Evaluating the Right Real-Time Platforms (and Avoiding the Wrong Ones). Pages 131 to 135 highlight input and data from Andrew Davis, Chief Strategy Officer at Tippingpoint Labs. Davis explains the New Media Life Cycle as the adoption of any platform (blogging, microblogging, photo sharing, or live video streaming) or content distribution channel (YouTube.com, Slideshare.com, Flickr.com, or Twitter.com).

The New Media Life Cycle openly tracks and analyzes an online platform's current life cycle phase in seven (7) distinct phases:

1. Experiment
2. Adopt
3. Gestate
4. Escalate
5. Monetize
6. Consolidate
7. Maintain

Early Adopters / First Movers Win. Early adopters understand The New Media Life Cycle, and exploit it to their competitive advantage. They know participating early in an emerging social network matters. Page 134 expains the secret to becoming well known on a social media network is to participate in one that's growing quickly, but is still in the early stage. A perfect example is the fast-growing Empire Avenue - The Social Media Exchange.

Remember Second Life? They're not a Real-Time Player (but Twitter is). Tippingpoint Labs and Google Insights provide data driven examples showing why Second Life is already past its prime (page 134). But, Twitter continues growing and is an outstanding real-time platform (page 135).

4. Managing Crisis Communications Means Real-Time Speed

The Money Insights of Real-Time Marketing & PR. The insights shared on crisis communications and disaster recovery are worth the purchase price alone. Why? The situations described in the book can happen to all of us. No one is immune in a digital age.
In my opinion, these sections require careful study:

* Chapter 7: Crisis Communications and the Media (pages 71-81)
* Chapter 8: What are People Saying About You This Instant? (pages 92-94)
* Chapter 10: Real-Time Customer Connection (pages 124-126)

Build Your Media and Journalist Contacts NOW. David explains how too few organizations (particularly the larger ones) fail to build media and journalist relationships before they need them (i.e., contacts with analysts, editors, and reporters).
Credibility and Trust with Media Contacts Requires Time. A communications crisis requires speed and focus (so you have little to no time). In addition, you compound risk by introducing yourself to your media contacts for the first time.

Five Ways to Build Media and Journalist Relationships. Build your media and journalist relationships before you need them. David provides the following suggestions:

1. Follow the Publications and Its Journalists
2. Comment on Their Stories and Blog Posts
3. Introduce Yourself Via Email
4. Follow Journalists on Twitter and Engage Them in Conversation
5. Earn Their Respect by Providing Valuable Content and Information (e.g. No Spam)

When Disaster Strikes, Refer to the Real-Time Communications Checklist. David provides a 9-Point Crisis Communications Checklist. All of his suggestions should be implemented before the crisis hits:

* Assigning a crisis communications team
* Gathering and storing key contact information inside and outside your organization
* Delegating who's the organization's lead communicator
* Responding through multiple real-time, online channels (i.e., company blog, Twitter, Facebook, etc.)

IMPORTANT: Respond in the same online medium spawning the crisis. If the event happened in YouTube, respond with your own YouTube video.

5. Real-Time Organizations Have Communication Guidelines

Developing Real-Time Communications Guidelines and Roles in Your Organization. Pages 171 -172 provide an 8-Step Checklist for creating and implementing guidelines. In addition on pages 175 - 176, David introduces his take on a new senior executive position: Chief Real Time Communications Officer. On page 176, he explains the job description in a 14-point bulleted list.

IBM, The U.S. Air Force, and Telstra Succeed as Real-Time Communicators. Pages 161 - 173 describe how each organization uses real-time communications, empowers their employees, and publicly shares their guidelines. IBM's guidelines are shared on pages 162 - 170.

CONCLUSION

Fortune 500 Executives Please Read This Book. Real-Time Marketing & PR is essential and required reading for C-Level executives, communications, marketing, and public relations professionals. As stated earlier, the disaster recovery and crisis communications advice shared makes it a worthwhile investment (especially if you hold that responsibility for a Fortune 500 organization).

Leaders of Small or Medium-Sized Can Outflank the Fortune 500. David describes how small and medium-sized businesses are practicing real-time communications and ringing their respective cash registers. Their commitment to real-time marketing and PR is how they're outflanking larger Fortune 500 competitors.