• How to Eliminate Weak Links

    June 26th, 2011

    One of the big challenges in any company is successful and consistent execution. After all, that’s what it’s all about ultimately.

    One simple way to improve your batting average to plan an exhaustive discussion of the weak links.  Examine what will get in the way.  Yes, you want to cheerlead, but now is the time to be realistic.  Consider:

    Are people  ready to do this?

    Are you ready?

    What skills do you and others need to learn?

    What’s plan “B” when it looks like the yogurt is hitting the fan?

     

    The best time to consider these questions is in your planning process.  We discuss this when we help corporations, small businesses, and TV stations developing their strategies.

    Posted in Multimedia Journalism, Power Tools for TV Journalists, Web Video | No Comments »

  • Power Tool to Break from the Past

    June 26th, 2011

    We developed a powerful tool to help companies execute innovative initiatives.

    It’s surprisingly simple, but many managers rave about it because it leaves the past behind, accelerating execution.

    This is for reporters at one TV station.  But it works for marketing managers, CEOs, multimedia journalists, and anyone wanting to innovate or lead a team trying to implement new initiatives.

     

    Posted in Multimedia Journalism, Power Tools for TV Journalists, Social Media Video | No Comments »

  • Use This Tool To Succeed Faster

    June 26th, 2011

    Use this execution tool to get projects done. It’s simple, yet powerful.  Whether you’re a manager, a CEO, or a multimedia journalist, divide your goal into steps.  Lumping everything together overwhelms.  But this way you can make progress, step by step.

    This is an actual example of a partially filled in template for a powerful franchise, Crimetracker, which alerts viewers to crime trends so they can protect themselves.  Most stations tell us they want to launch Crimetracker because it pulls viewer in.  But they usually flounder because they don’t divide it into steps.  This is just the first page of a series of steps, but you likely get the point.

    This is one of several tools we help clients “install” as part of strategic planning or simply answering the question:  “Why is it so hard to get things done?”

    Posted in Multimedia Journalism, Power Tools for TV Journalists, TV news training | No Comments »

  • How to Put an Exciting Spin on Your Brand

    June 26th, 2011

    No matter what your business, this creative video by Perrier shows how to add excitement. It’s not the most exciting product in the world, so it goes to show if the possibilities of creative, interactive video. Perrier anyone? Partying anyone? Get ready for some excitement that might stimulate your creative video storytelling.

     

     

    Posted in Multimedia Journalism, Social Media Video, TV news training, Web Video | No Comments »

  • What Did You Learn Today?

    June 25th, 2011

    You learn alot by listening. In traveling the country and abroad, conducting workshops for multimedia journalists and leading strategic planning sessions, I get to see ” best practices” and some that aren’t so good.

    The quick lesson is to avoid this kind of “It’s All About Me” thinking.

    While we all like to be the enter of attention, and we sometimes think everything revolves around us, point your attention toward the people you meet.

    This simple advice works.  You learn very little by talking.  You do by listening and asking questions.

    This advice works not just for multimedia media journalists and business people, but for everyone.

    A couple of my MBA students at the University of Dallas College of Business took my suggested approach when visiting an advertising agency. Instead of pitching for a job, they asked a lot of questions, learned about the company, and discovered insights they could apply immediately.

    Result:  They were invited back.  The executive they spoke with was intrigued by their zest for knowledge and their ability to ask great, relevant questions.  “That’s the kind of person we hire,” he said.  And one of the students got the agency job.

    When I asked her “So what’s the lesson learned?”  She responded:  “You learn a lot by being curious, and you’ll stand out from everyone else.”

    For multimedia journalists, it should be part of your DNA.  For the growing number of business people reading this blog, you learn about your clients’ and prospects’ needs by asking.  Otherwise, you’re just guessing.

     

    Posted in Multimedia Journalism, Social Media Video, TV news training | No Comments »

  • What You Can Learn from This Investment Video

    June 21st, 2011

    Clients not only want to know “Best Practices,” but but web video approaches to avoid. When you watch this short video from Putnam Investments’ website, you’ll quickly see several “don’ts.” Obvious to us because this is our specialty based on years of viewer research.

    In fairness, they are experts in investing, but obviously new to web video. In fact, give them credit for getting into the game. Better to be generating web videos based on a strategy than to wait on the sidelines.

    Posted in Multimedia Journalism, Social Media, Social Media Video, Web Video | No Comments »

  • What You Can Learn from a Merrill Lynch Video

    June 19th, 2011

    You can learn alot from this video appearing on Merrill Lynch’s website. Rather than the expected commercial, the investment firm tells a story focusing on a couple’s financial challenges.  You’ll see how cleverly the role of the Merrill Lynch adviser weaves through the story.

     

     

    More and more companies are unleashing the power of web videos distributed via social media to build their brands. Using our knowledge, we’re shooting videos and developing a social media video marketing strategy to spread the word.

    Posted in Bob Kaplitz video, Multimedia Journalism, Power Tools for TV Journalists, Social Media | No Comments »

  • Breaking Through What’s Holding You Back

    June 19th, 2011

    A news director, seeing the investigative “Watchdog” reporting about the government trying to hide where tax money goes, asked why it’s so difficult for reporters to cover these stories. He points out many MMJs have trouble with the basics and with going the extra step, and wants a solution.


    My response:

    Great question. Best practices point to seeing your station as a learning organization, looking at staff members as individuals in different stages of their development.  The idea is to identify where each person is in their learning/development, what their next step is, and to help them get there. Otherwise, many people flounder.

    A basic way of looking at it is “What’s holding each person back?” This is very clear as I lead a team across the country training new multimedia journalists. Each person is at a different level. Get them to the next level, and the improvement is obvious. Many of the learning videos on my blog address just that issue.

    For example, some reporters’ stories are weak because they lack a news hook. That’s why you’ll see several videos on developing sources, which generate more relevant stories, which engage viewers. If you go to www.kaplitzblog.com, you’ll see a search box just above Recent Posts where you can search “enterprise.”

    News directors who critique on a daily basis, sharing the best examples of people’s work and challenges at least weekly, find they can accelerate learning. Plus clients call on me to conference with small groups in person or by phone, so we can identify specific flash points and tackle them.

    You can see the original report the news director liked and is sharing with his staff:  Investigate Where Your Tax Money Goes

    And follow me on Twitter.  Search for “bobkaplitz,” and “Follow.”  Here are examples of tweets.  The links will be live at the Twitter site:

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    If you’re a multimedia journalist and news manager not getting the feedback you need to succeed, don’t complain. Ask for it.  Every news director I know welcomes those opportunities.

    You’re the one ultimately responsible for your own development, which builds your value and your personal brand.  Take advantage of every opportunity.

    Posted in Multimedia Journalism, Power Tools for TV Journalists, TV news training, Twitter | No Comments »

  • Investigate Where Your Tax Money Goes

    June 15th, 2011

    Viewers go out of their way to watch stories revealing where their tax money goes. This is especially the case when the people in charge want to keep information secret. This story represents a good example of revealing where the money goes while showing the news gathering process.

    ——-
    About Bob Kaplitz: He knows something about investigative reporting. Back when he was a reporter, Bob was honored as Best TV Investigative Reporter in the U.S. and Canada by the Radio-TV News Directors Association. Many of his stories appeared on the CBS Evening News.

    Posted in Bob Kaplitz video, broadcast journalism, Multimedia Journalism, Power Tools for TV Journalists | 1 Comment »

  • Getting Viewers to Create Videos

    June 14th, 2011

    Great if you can get others to generate  content. Here’s an example from American Airlines, tapping into the goodwill of their frequent flyers.  It’s a smart approach if you can pull it off.
     

    Posted in Bob Kaplitz video, Multimedia Journalism, Power Tools for TV Journalists, Social Media | No Comments »

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