Maurilio Amorim

Category: communication

  • If You Tweet It, They Will Come OR Branding, Buzz, And Getting People In

    CrossPoint Church Worship Night Nashville

    Social media works. Period.

    Savvy churches are now using social media to fund raise, organize events, and bring people to Christ.

    The old adage that dictated that the pastor of a church had to use the stage for all formal announcements is over. Churches and their communities are plugged in. Communication 101: reach people where they are. And for a large demographic in today’s world that most likely means via social media.

    Cross Point Church here in Nashville held an overwhelmingly successful night of praise this week that was completely announced via social media and an impressive 1,500 people showed up to the event. No emails, no church bulletins, no announcements were made. This was pure buzz generated solely via social media. Using powerful imagery and graphics and promoting the event with the hashtags #WorshipNight #OneNightOneVoice, Cross Point built up excitement. By posting on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, they spread their message efficiently and effectively.

    Some may argue that social media causes people to feel isolated, but it can also be used by the Church to listen, lift up and love on their communities. By effectively leveraging social media, the Church can build community and engage with people who normally resist setting foot on a church campus, but who are open to watching a live worship cast on their iPad.

    Social media is just that – social. It is possible to build meaningful online relationships that lead to meaningful IRL relationships. Millennials especially want that digital connection.

    Churches can no longer ignore the power of social media engagement. How is your church adapting to the digital age?

  • Selling Tomorrow’s Ideas to Yesterday’s Generation

    “How do I convince my boss to try new ideas and technology?” That is  one of the most popular questions I get during my speaking engagements. It’s often the young staff from businesses, churches, and organizations wanting to venture out into a social media campaign or a dynamic new mobile tool or app who face push back from leaders who don’t understand or are threatened by the new and unfamiliar. So how do you get your point across to yesterday’s generation without frustrating them and getting shut down?

    If I have learned anything in 20 years of marketing is this: you must speak the language of your target audience. And that goes for the people you have to help adopt a new vision or strategy.

    Often you have to use yesterday’s language to sell today’s idea to accomplish tomorrow’s mission.

    Church marketing is a perfect illustration for this principle. While some  leaders might argue whether or not churches should be in the marketing business, most will agree that every church should be in the evangelism business. Often in my conversations with church leaders I speak of an outreach, or an evangelism plan instead of a marketing and branding campaign. At their core they are the same–how can we reach more people with the message of the Gospel–but language makes a huge impact in the way an audience responds to them.

    If you’re having a difficult time getting buy in for your idea, try rethinking the way you’re communicating it. Describe your new concept in a way that resonates with your audience. Use a frame of reference that makes sense to them. While you might need to revamp your website, what you are ultimately trying to do is to reach and connect with more people. It’s hard for someone to shoot down “digital evangelism” or the creation of a stronger “sales channel,” as you make the  case for an e-commerce site. In certain circles, a social media campaign, might be framed as a “new acquisition strategy.” Don’t underestimate the power words have to persuade.

    What has been your experience in selling new ideas to an older generation?

  • Persuasion and the Two Types of Motivation

    What motivates you? That’s the fundamental question for every communicator, sales person and for all us in marketing and communication. While there are a lot of different motivators in our lives, we all fit in two big general motivation categories:

    1.  Those who look at what they can gain from life: what can I get out of this?

    2. Those who look at what not to lose in life: what am I missing and how can I avoid loss?

    two types of motivation

    Often both groups  of people will come up to the same conclusion and course of action, but they will arrive at their decision through completely different motivations.

    This classification goes beyond the “half-full or half-empty glass” perspective of positive and negative people. In my experience, those who look at life for what it has to offer them are always trying to push their personal and professional boundaries in search of the next best thing. Their motivation is tied to achievement and gain. They went to college to gain knowledge and experience and to prepare themselves for a better future. They are always interested in the possibilities and taking chances in search of greater returns for their investments. When I meet people in this category I usually say something like “imagine if we could improve efficiency and reach more people. Look at what this kind of growth this new tool could produce.”

    Those who look at life from an avoiding loss mindset often will take the same course of action as the previous group but will do so not to be left behind and to avoid failing at their business, job or calling. Their fear of loss, irrelevance, or failure will drive them to take risks. People with aversion to loss usually go to college not so much to prepare themselves for an adventurous future but to make sure they don’t end up digging ditches or flipping burgers. Often when talking with people whose motivation starts from an avoiding loss perspective I might have a conversation that starts with something like: “the consequences of not moving forward could cause you to begin to lose ground, but if we close the back door and reach more people we can make some great strides soon.”

    Understanding the person you’re communicating with and their natural bent will help you be more persuasive and get your point across in a way that has the most impact.

    Which type of motivation do you lean towards?

  • Managing Expectations: The Difference Between Success or Failure

    I love to say “YES.” It’s more than just the salesman in me who wants to promise the moon in order to get the deal. I thrive on the challenge to help someone accomplish a goal or seize an opportunity. I specially love tell “yes” to my clients on projects that I know will make a difference in people’s lives. But behind every “yes” there are moving parts, deadlines, budgets and deliverables that most often are beyond my control. I’ve struggled over the years to balance my can-d0 attitude with the realities of resources and realistic time lines. But over the years in business I have come to believe while my clients appreciate my willingness to understand and even share in their sense of urgency, they appreciate even more my honesty on what can realistic be done.  Managing expectations has been the most difficult lesson for me to learn, but it has been one  the most important

    Managing expectations

    Early on in my business career, I was often quick to promise solutions to my clients without much thought on how to deliver them. Sometimes it worked, often it backfired. I was constantly putting my team at a disadvantage because of the unrealistic expectations I had setup with clients. Honestly, I haven’t changed. I still want to say “yes” to every request, but here’s some safeguards I have put in place in order to manage expectations:

    Know what you know. I usually get in trouble when I find myself in a space I don’t have any expertise in. The variables I know I can speak confidently about, but when I make the mistake of promising something outside my comfort zone, I’m in for trouble. Take, for example, my first stab at developing an iPhone App. I charged the client 8 times less than it cost to develop it.

    Build in safeguards. No matter how excited I am about a project, I can no longer agree on a deliver date. I always make sure I get a firm commitment with the people who’s actually delivering the product or service before a timeline is finalized. This action alone has saved me a lot of grief.

    Stand your ground. Sometimes an over-eager potential client will push back and want to manage or even dictate every aspect of a project. I have regretted every single time I’ve given in to demands I knew were unreasonable for the sake of  getting the business. Unreasonable people are like spoiled, undisciplined children who, no matter what you give them, always want more from you and are never satisfied or grateful. If they’re not willing to work with you on the front end, then you’re in for a tough time for the remainder of the relationship. If you blindly give in, you’ll lose the project, the relationship and the money. There are no winners here.

    The bigger the stakes the bigger the trust. My best projects and products have been forged during the mutual exchange between our clients and my team. Without mutual trust and honest exchange, projects take an ugly turn where stakeholders watch out for miscues and mistakes. But when you let them know from the beginning that this is “collaborative effort” and that “we’re together in this” grace abounds and instead of blame, people focus on solution. This never happens without trust.

    I’m sure this list could be longer. How do you manage expectations?

  • The Art of Selling Creative Services

    Selling new ideas can be tough. If you are a creative type, that’s even tougher. Usually people who need your services realize they need help but often don’t trust the young, creative professional because, by and large, creative people scare them. From the way you dress, to the language you use, all the way to your non-corporate haircut, you can make your potential client nervous. The sooner you realize this dynamic, the sooner you can overcome it. It happens to me quite often. I’m creative, opinionated, and Brazilian. I make a lot of people nervous. Here’s a simple strategy I use when dealing with those non-creative professionals.

    How to sell your creative ideas to non creative people

    Understand where their pain is. What do they “think” they need from me? Sometimes what they need and their perception of the need are not the same. Regardless, you must always start from their perspective, no matter your assessment of the situation.

    Speak their language. I met with a CPA firm not long ago. I knew better than to talk about “the customers’ stories intersecting the company’s storyline thus creating a rich new narrative.” That kind of talk would have me escorted off the premises.

    Alleviate their pain with your solution. After you understood what their felt needs are and figured out how they want to get the information, then it’s time to connect the dots for them. But you can only do that by starting at their pain point and using the language they are accustomed to hearing. Most people lose the deal at this point. Contextualization is not just a missional term, it’s a business one as well. The right solution presented in a way that’s foreign to your audience will get voted down every time.

    What other help would you offer to creatives working with non-creatives?

  • Know Your Audience and Improvise: A Lesson from a Restaurant Server

    Understanding your audience’s motivation is key in finding opportunities to reach them. That point was driven home a while back during dinner at J. Alexander’s in north Atlanta. Our server, Jimmy, did something I haven’t seen done much lately in a restaurant. He assessed the situation and improvised, getting our gratitude as well as up-selling us another course.

    audience jimmy kibler
    Jimmy Kiblere understands his audience

    As I looked at the description for the sea bass special, the words “puddle of brown butter sauce” got my attention. I told Jimmy I was trying to eat clean and if there were an alternative to my butter dilemma. Shortly after our exchange he asked if we wanted an appetizer. Since our options were fried, cheesy, or fried and cheesy, I declined. Thinking on his feet, literally, Jimmy asked, “What about our seared Ahi tuna appetizer?”

    Interestingly there was not an Ahi tuna appetizer on the menu. “It’s not there, but I can make a special one.” Sold.

    Not only did I feel special and cared for, but Jimmy quickly up-sold me when I was already determined not to have anything that was high in calorie or high in fat and had decided to bypass the first course.

    When you understand your audience’s motivation, in my case eating clean, and improvise to tap into such motivation, the seared tuna with greens, then  you have a win/win combination. I wonder what the growth in sales across the entire J. Alexander’s restaurant chain would be if servers were tuned into their patrons’ motivations, were able to improvise and adjust the menu to offer them what they were really looking for. Not only would the customer satisfaction index go up, the economic impact would be significant, I’m certain.

    How aware are you of your audience? In a world of customization, are you able to improvise to serve your clients and your bottom line?

  • An Immigrant and the Best Political Commercial

    A few days ago I saw a very effective political commercial. I have grown tired of attack ads where the opposing candidate is depicted in black and white while the foreboding music plays in the background and the ominous voice-over tells of his or her evil plot to ruin our lives. This commercial was different. It was created and financed by self-made billionaire Thomas Peterffy.

    Mr. Peterffy, who pioneered electronic trading practices in U.S. markets and now leads discount-brokerage giant Interactive Brokers, embodies the rags-to-riches American dream. Born during World War II in Hungary, he spent his childhood behind the Iron Curtain, where he says the country’s national spirit was eroded by a system that took away the drive of its people to work hard, build businesses, and create jobs. He left for the U.S. as a young man and today his net worth has been estimated at more than $4 billion.

    The ad is powerful because it is not only Mr. Peterffy’s perspective, it’s narrated by him in broken English and shown on TV with subtitles. He doesn’t attack the current administration but makes his case from the heart and from personal experience.

    Whether you agree with his conclusions is not important. What’s important is that you are compelled to listen and try to understand what he is saying. He opens the commercial by saying, “I grew up in a socialist country, and I have seen what that does to people. There is no hope, no freedom, no pride in achievement. The nation became poorer and poorer. And that’s what I see happening here.” One of my favorite lines is: “in socialism the richer will be poorer but the poorer will also be poorer.”

    Just in a few seconds you hear the word poor mentioned many times. While it might not be great writing or very subtle, it’s quite effective in driving his message home.

    This is the first political commercial I’ve seen in years that has got my attention and spoken to me. Perhaps because like Mr. Peterffy, I came to America to pursue my dream and, like him, I want to preserve what has made this country a place I chose to call home for the past 30 years.

    What is your take on this commercial?

  • More Bad Church Signs

    I’m sure whoever created these church signs had good intentions. But as you and I know, intentions aren’t the only thing that count. Instead of something profound and inspiring, why not start the week with the  mindless and fun instead?  I present to you really, really bad church signs. If one of these happens to be your church, thank you for the smiles and call my office.

    Methinks I’ve heard him preach. And they’re not kidding!
    So much wrong here. I don't even know what to say about this one.
    So much wrong here. I don't even know what to say about this one.
    bad church signs 11th hour
    I’m confused. I’m seeking God at the eleventh hour but I died at 10:30. So the eleventh hour is really 10:15? Is this a plot from the movie “Inception?”
    bad church sign wine
    Our Pastor is really boring, but check our communion wine! Score.
    bad church sign
    Church people can kill you way faster than worry. Trust me, I know.
    bad church signs
    At least they didn’t call people some other kind of bag.

    What’s the worst church sign you’ve ever seen? 

  • The Problem With Over Communicating

    I used to believe one could not over communicate in a volunteer organization, specially church members, volunteers, or leadership, but I have changed my mind on that.

    over-communication

    Early in my career, communicating with a large group of constituents meant sending them letters, newsletter or post cards in the mail and for church members that would include a blurb in the bulletin and an announcement from the pulpit. The rule of thumb was that you needed to communicate seven times the same message before the majority of people would even become aware of it.

    Today we have more channels: email, text messages, social media to ad to the mix. But like anything else in life, sometimes more is not better but more is just, more noise, more junk mail, more interruptions. And instead of getting our message through, we become a nuisance to those we want to engage.

    So how should we communicate the needs and opportunities of a growing and multifaceted organization without alienating our volunteer base? It’s a simple strategy, but hard to implement: be strategic and brief!

    It’s easier said than done. I get that. But before your next letter or email blast goes out, consider this:

    Segment your database. Not everyone needs to know everything that is going on in your organization. Make sure the information you are sending me is something I want and need to know. If I’m single professional,  I don’t need to know about the pre-school cookie drive or the senior adults trip to the botanical gardens.

    Say no to verbosity. In the days of print-only communication, words were costly; after all they occupy physical space on paper. In the digital world we are no longer limited by our “page count.” Unfortunately that has given some license to say more than they should. Say the minimum possible to get people all they need to know but no more.

    Limit communication. More than one or maybe two touch points a week from any organization is too much. I love my church but if I get more than 2 emails from the staff a week, I’ll stop opening them, specially if there’s too much information and it’s not relevant to me.

    Have you been over-communicated? How do you handle it?

  • Technology, Communication and Travel

    I have been saying for a while now that technology and communication have fused into one discipline. I don’t think you can communicate effectively in our culture without using digital media. I was reminded of that Saturday night during my late dinner in a tiny Armenian restaurant in Madrid.

    Vartan restaurant Madrid

    Restaurant Vartan has been in business for over 33 years. It does not have a website and it is tucked away in a side street away from the city crowded streets. If you do not look for it diligently, you’ll miss it altogether. The fact that I have never been to Madrid and that there are over 3,000 sit-down restaurants in the city to choose from, and that I found my way into Vartan was a feat against all odds.

    While the establishment does not have a web presence, I found great reviews on the Trip Advisor app on my iPhone. From there it mapped a route from my hotel straight to the restaurant’s doors. After my arrival its owner and operator, the same man who started the place over three decades ago, was very helpful guiding me through the menu. But what I didn’t expect was for him to pull out his smart phone and flip through pictures of all his best dishes.

    The food was terrific and the overall experience quite pleasant. While some might argue that technology had nothing to do with the quality of food or the friendliness of the staff, I will argue that it had everything to do with a successful outing.

    How have you used technology in your travels?