Rule number one was never taught by a CEO or CMO.
I work for many of them.
Rule number one was never taught by a technology vendor.
Rule Number One was not taught by a broadcast or audio/ video vendor.
Rule number one was never taught to me by an alliance partner.
I work with many of them.
Rule number one is violated in all walks of life.
It can come with consequences if you break it.
Most new audio and video, broadcast-quality, tech equipment buyers seeking to develop their own in-house content haven't heard of Rule Number One.
It is a fact.
I am certain that I can count on the number of CEOs and CMOs who have taught their teams of corporate marketers, inside sellers, external business developers, executives, public relations people, product marketers, and media personnel. It's possible that five is the correct number.
It is important because we are all on camera and behind microphones every day.
Somewhere should have told you about Rule Number One because you are spending a lot of money on media toys and studios.
I'll do it for nothing. Continue to read.
That's right.
A recent New York Times article stated that companies are now spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on audio/ video equipment, its installation and usage, and the design of new studio space in order to meet the demands of more corporate content.
Finally, it's time. It's about time. It's time to join the party.
Millions of dollars are being spent on in-house media. Vendors of audio/visual equipment are happy!
I have long been critical of those CMOs who pick up the phone and call their favorite ad agency with every single media need because they themselves can't create effective content and write, edit, and proof necessary copy and script. There are events around a conference. They can launch a product or their own sales kick off. For other things, that is just for now.
Many are left wondering why the decade-old song and dance of the erosion of the CMO tenure is still playing on the radio. Why don't executives care about marketing?
If you want to know why, read the above.
I've never been taught Rule Number One by the CMO.
Call the ad agency if you need any help with anything.
Money is being spent on media equipment to save money on content. The CEOs are on the way. The initiatives are bankrolled by investors.
No investor taught me Rule Number One.
Many CEOs claim to be all-in on efficiency. The rest comes second.
There are more lights and cameras.
What is the level of efficiency?
You would think that someone should have told you about Rule Number One when you were spending so much money on media toys and studios.
Also.
It takes a lot of effort to use that equipment and those studios to produce positive business outcomes.
I will do it for nothing. Continue to read.
That's right.
There are no production or content rules after you get past rule number one.
10cc released a song called "I'm Not in Love". The classic has been around for nearly 50 years. The vocals and audio tape were used to produce the background sound. There's a piece of tape. Modern software is not what it is. There's a lot of creativity in the studio. In 1974- 1975, it was recorded.
The song was on the radio in Chicago. It was in mono. There are people who would like to eliminate AM radio from new cars.
10cc used their secretary to say be quiet. The big boys don't cry. Corporate media talent is in-house.
The first live and on-demand streaming media channel for the global customer loyalty industry was created in 2000 by my team and I am eternally grateful. The first non-broadcast media outlet to go live from the marketsite was us.
There was no plan to start an in-house media effort. We don't know what to do in the right direction. It wasn't included in any job description.
dial up phone lines were used to tune into programming.
Not only did we discover we had people in-house with media talent, but we also had people in-house with exceptional media talent. We worked with the best in the business outside of the company in order to make history.
There isn't a definition for a podcasts today. There is no rule. At my last convention, I learned that. A one minute show can be uploaded on the video sharing website. 75 minutes of audio and video can be uploaded to the internet. There isn't a definition to what a podcasts is. Whatever you want it to be, it is.
Modern software, mobile technology, hosted platforms, social media, and lightning-fast connections are some of the things that serve podcasts today.
It evolved from 1975 to Y2K.
There is a problem with the vast majority of business podcasts. A long-winded introduction, bios, fade-in and out musical openings and a 58-minute talk followed. The talk show is on Sunday mornings.
Sonic branding lessons are still being taught after 50 years.
Business media creativity and initiative can be produced when you dial in to the internet.
Your business has just purchased a media toolkit filled with equipment and software that can interact with the market in a variety of ways. Don't settle for longwinded cookie-cutter podcasts and webinars that feature text-laden slides.
There are no rules to what you can do with your equipment once you understand rule number one. You can use what you have to differentiate yourself and your company.
That's right.
Rule Number One… The Microphone is Always On
If it's on, treat it as if it's on. It is broadcasting, streaming, and recording It should be stapled to every microphone your company buys.
There aren't any beyond this rule. There is no limit to what you can do. There is no rule.
There are best practices when it comes to what you do with your studio space. You should prepare your teams for being in front of cameras. Public speaking and presentation skills should be prepared and practiced frequently. Both physical and vocal skills are required. You should ask and answer questions when working with those programs. Sales, marketing, and executive teams should be challenged to improve their skills in live, in-person, virtual, remote, and hybrid scenarios.
I don't consider these rules to be great best practices for making the most out of audio/visual equipment. No one has to do any of these.
Look at your CEO and your chief marketing officer. They probably haven't done anything for a long time.
That's right.
Then There’s that One Question
One question is bound to be asked when someone bankrolls the purchase and usage of your new media equipment in that newly designed studio space.
How much did we get for those expenditures?
The quarter is almost done. If you say so, it always is.
You need to be able to give a good answer.
That should not be surprising to anyone.
Tony is a graduate of Loyola University Chicago with a degree in communication. Over the past 30 years, he has held a number of marketing and business leadership positions.
You are welcome to listen to the first season of his show.
