Image copyright of starfleetyachts.com.

“Whatever you can do, or dream you can do, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.”

So tell me, what’s holding you back?

In a field where social media has opened up instant doors to an international knowledge base, I think something holding many of us back is the questioning. We question whether a.) We are smart enough b.) experienced enough c.) or afraid to go against the norm.

Insight can come from all levels of experience – and no one should ever feel shunned because they ask a question or make a suggestion. Listening is the first step. What we should be doing is evolving a natural curiosity and pushing ourselves past the limit. Easier said than done, right?

Don’t View Life as Strategy

Business Model. Strategy. Target Demographic. (Insert Marketing Principle Here.) We live our professional lives by terms and objectives. Don’t let it influence your personal life or your learning style. Being creative is being able to break out from stipulations and outside forces. Define yourself, then seek out other thought. Find your passions. If you try to learn with an open slate, you are exposed to other ideas and trains of thought.

Be an Explorer

Step 1: Be open to new ideas and thought leadership. It could come from those with 10 more years of experience or from a peer. Study charts, read books and devour statistics. The foundation base for knowledge will help you delve into deeper subjects . Sometimes the best ideas come from crappy beginnings.

Step 2: Be willing to admit when you don’t know something. It’s ok to ask questions and press for more information. Form your own conclusions and build upon it. Build relationships with those who will both motivate and challenge you. Opposites attract, especially in mentor/friend type relationships.

Know that You Can Have Magic

It’s easy to feel beaten down. We’ve all been there. Surround yourself only with those that make a difference in your life. Time is an investment, and it’s not worth it to waste on those who could care less. The mistake we often make as public relations professionals is to think that everyone should be listening to us. Choose your audience carefully - there are some that will misconstrue the person you are and tell everyone what they believe. Think of it as people viral marketing – or that old game of telephone.

Be a Genius in Your Own Right

There are so many different levels of genius, it’s incredible. The best teams that work together are the ones that challenge but think cohesively.  We all think differently, and while I might see life in color and a puzzle to discover, you might see black/white and varying principles. It’s ok to think differently. It’s ok to put yourself out there. It’s ok to challenge thought leadership – and if you’re wrong, learn from it. Why do you keep hitting yourself over and over in the head with a hammer when innovation is happening all around you?

“Be yourself. Above all, let who you are, what you are and what you believe, shine through every sentence you write, every piece you finish.”

Do we let limitations define us? When is it not ok to compromise?

LAF Note: This post was written by regular contributor Scott Bishop.

We all want to be part of a group.

Yes even you Gothic rebellious teen (look around you, all of your friends aren’t “conforming” either…which pretty much makes all of you the same).  The need for similar companionship is ok, it’s a good thing.  I know everyone is instantly flashing back to high school, don’t.  You don’t need to…because social media is high-school x 10.

Well, kind of.

Social media has become the genesis of cliques.  We have the Gen-Y’s, foodies, vegans, the 20-somethings, the 30-somethings, the mommys, the under 30, the conservatives, the liberals.  Even the athletes come together (there is a big Runners presence on Twitter).  And there are hundreds more you can add.

There are tremendous upsides to associating yourself with a group.  They’re a great way to find news and information that you’re interested in.  Groups help you get noticed by others in your field or demographic, and they help expose you to new writers and people you normally wouldn’t with similar interests.

We feel comfortable in these virtual spaces surrounded by peers that like reading and associating with paradigms we already think and value.  But we run a risk if we never venture out from these comfortable waters.

Join a group, but don’t let yourself become confined to them.  Adventure out.  Get awkward and uncomfortable.  Find new crowds.

Break Free From Your Virtual Comfort Zone…here’s why:

New Projects

Your talents are going to lie in differnet areas than those from a completely different group.  This leads to tremendous opportunities to join up on new projects.  Become active and engaged, look for opportunities to help.  You’ll be surprised where they can take you.

New Paradigms

If you’re used to interacting with people that already think like you…you limit the intellectual exchanges you need for continuous growth.  You don’t need people to change your opinions, but it’s always beneficial to engage in discussions that push the way you view or look at a situation.

New Tools & Technologies

There are thousands of tools available on the internet, and new tools coming out each day.  Joining new crowds and exploring how they interact and solve challenges can open doors for you.  Find tools that work for them, then see if there is any way to apply them in your world.

New Events = New Faces

I love going to events.  But if you’re learning about events from your comfort crowd, you begin to see the same faces over and over.  Even if they’re good faces, as a practice, you should make it a goal to continually meet new people.  Get involved in new events…or help start your own like I did.

New Audience

At some point you’re going to tap out your resources with any group.  There’s only so many times the same people can ReTweet your links and posts.  There’s only so many pitches you can make to the same people before the “yes” have already said “yes”.  Eventually, you need to drink from a new well.

So as comforting as it is to lay on the same blanket day after day…learn to try out something new.  Even if it’s scratch at first, you’ll rarely be disappointed.

Scott S. Bishop is editor for Real Time Marketer and a marketing strategist with a specialty in social media.  He is an avid blogger and active across the net.  He is @thescottbishop on Twitter.

Speaker panels nowadays seem to bring together like-minded individuals on a topic they feel passionate about. They work together to produce content, answer questions and bring awareness.

But where’s the contrarian?

As Edward Boches pointed out last week, panels like that “bore the hell out of their audience.” (kudos to EB for the blog topic idea.)

Do panels come together based on similar thought because a.) they want to look knowledgeable and b.) they don’t want to flounder on stage if in debate form?

True creativity and passion comes out when you have to push the restraints ‘inside the box’ – other ideas that make you think past what you believe to be the case, and reach a compromise (or not) that will show your audience both sides of the coin. Are you cheating yourself and the industry if you don’t have challenges?

David Spinks and I rarely agree – it’s what makes #u30pro work so well. What we do agree on is presenting knowledge to our community and providing feedback. Brilliance comes in all shapes and form, and those that you surround yourself with shouldn’t all be clones of thought.

The creative brainstorm should bring all levels of thought, because even the most simple solution can turn into something big. A contrarian isn’t a bully, even if that’s the portrayal. Some of the best ideas come from an individual’s idea foundation, and built upon by a contrarian. Instead of A to B, you are doing A to B + C.

So what should happen behind the scenes? Many presume compromise is always the name of the game, but let’s work on that. What can we do to fix it?

Present your Opinion with Class

There is no reason that you have to be an arrogant ogre when stating thought. Pick out 1-2 areas that stand out with other panel speakers, and build upon it. Engage with the moderator and ask best practices. It’s very easy to turn an idea that someone had and present it as if the conclusion was reached together. Think of it as more educating and enhancing an idea, rather than educating the ignorant. You might learn something too.

Stand for your Opinion

At the end of the day, you represent your agency/corporation and yourself. Every presentation that you make has an underlying tag of your brand (both company and personal) on it. If what you’re saying doesn’t jive with what the brand stands for, or what you tell clients? You’re doing it wrong. Don’t be intimidated, and don’t go with the crowd. You have great ideas, so show them.

He Said, She Said

There aren’t any rules to panel speaking that say you have to present one concise thought. Talk with your fellow presenters and see what they think about two differing opinions answering a question. Have a ‘partner’ on your panel, and if one person is asked a question, they can then say ‘But John has a few thoughts on a different approach’ and pass the mic.

Think of it this way: You are there to educate and engage with an audience. The spotlight isn’t on you. A panel is a group of individuals whose minds on a similar topic need to be knowledgeable and interesting.

Similar thought doesn’t drive those results – you just aren’t pushing each other as much.

Do you agree? Disagree? What type of panels do you enjoy listening to?

Image copyright of Life.com.

I finally got to watch SPINdustry last night – and frankly, I normally don’t talk “hot topic” type posts, but I’m a little irritated some of my colleagues reaction to this show. Was it justified? Maybe. I’m not really sure.

A big chunk of my internships were spent in entertainment public relations, working for two major motion pictures studios. The reason I don’t tell people? It’s because similar reactions happen to what I’ve been reading all week. They make assumptions when I say I would fetch water/food, take press from place to place, sit in on interviews with my boss to make sure they went smoothly, and cold call for a big portion of the day for event promotion.

That isn’t everything, and the entertainment publicists I know work their tails off on a daily and weekend basis. Many on the entertainment side have an advertising degree and background. The traditional public relations aspect of this industry is crafting media alerts, press releases, putting together clip books and pitching media to get them to events constantly. (Who wants to tune in to that?)

It taught me about building relationships, understanding media and putting your client first. The strategy learning and tactics came during my first entry level job at a tech PR firm.

Yes, Spin is a horrid word and does not describe this industry. However, it’s a reality show on E! Television that is going to show drama, OMG moments and fun.  A lot of the boring footage is on the cutting room floor. I don’t want to tune into a TV show where I watch them craft media lists, news releases and cold call all day. The TV demographic/audience they are trying to reach isn’t interested in that.

It’s not all glitz and glamour

The whole getting bottle water for the paps? I can recall a time where I had to fetch FIJI water (No Dasani, please!) at the request of a celebrity – in addition to his 3 page request list faxed in for his PA Tour. Much of that industry encompasses catering to celebrities and their publicists. It might seem easy, but it is a part of the job – just as checking Google Alerts might seem menial, but it all adds into the foundation of this field. It adds into to the press tours, the red carpet events, and the positive trade coverage.

It’s a Friends type industry

The media that covers these clients is small, and publicists know them very well. There isn’t usually a need for a media list, because you know them. You instead work on building relationships, calling and e-mailing them frequently to catch up, and making small talk at events you attend. The scene where Jonathan is texting to see where they are at? This is typical behavior. Those in entertainment PR are some of the most personable folks I know.

Most celebrity publicists are close friends, and might not have training in this specific industry. They do, however, understand the celebrity’s personal brand, how they will react at events and their strengths. They will be your biggest ally when it comes to coordinating events.

The Bibles

For Command PR (Warning: Lots of Flash), it’s about the pictures at their events – that’s the confirmation that the event was a success. They are an L.A. based company, and that is a big chunk of the media they work with. For the clients I interned for in Dallas (in field offices) the publicity coordinators would get to the office between 5-6 a.m. on a Friday to check trades. Any mentions had to be cut out, scanned and sent to the studio by 9 a.m. CST.  Most I know in traditional make it to the office by 8:30, especially on a Friday.

Women in Public Relations

We aren’t all perfect – and we aren’t all clones of each other. Is it fair to judge someone based on their personality, and say they are making women in public relations look bad? I focus daily on educating, informing and helping others to see what this field is all about. I go to networking events outside of this industry so others, and potential clients, know what I’m all about. What other people do? That’s their thing. It’s exhausting trying to change others and be high and mighty that I’m *somehow* better. (Not.)

Before pointing fingers, we should point it at ourselves and make call to actions on what we can improve – bad pitching, presentation of brand on social media, strategy and improving tactics.

PR is water (crisis communications and strategy management) marketing is heart, sales is fire (driving sales)… You get the picture.

Yes, all of these entities do more. It’s an analogy.

Those that work on the corporate side have worked with a sales force a time or two. Those in the agency world, though, need to understand the dynamic of marketing and sales that work together, and find ways to further strengthen as integrated marketing communications takes the front seat.

Do I know everything about sales strategy? No. Is it something that we should be discussing, educating and learning about? Absolutely.

Characteristics of a Sales Team (and why you should know them)

1. Intuitive nature based on their knowledge of a specific demographic and sales-oriented tactics
2.  Open and personable, and/or quiet and instinct/listening oriented.
3. Unique perspective and knowledge of a demographic and consumer
4. Knowledge of case studies to help strengthen marketing strategy
4. Inside-out thinking v. outside-in Thinking (depends on who you talk to)
(inside-out thinking is ‘if we build, they will come’ v. ‘if we listen then build, they are already there.’ )

So, how do you get on the same level of playing field? These are just ideas, so add your own thoughts to the conversation. Brilliance comes in all shapes and sizes in the form of ideas. Something simple = powerful in this industry.

Don’t Change – Evolve

It’s very difficult to change habits. In the past, sales didn’t really have to work with marketing. It was a different avenue, different goals, even if the overarching line is always about driving sales and building brand recognition. Sales team, even if young, are managed by many who live by engrained ways. Don’t try to change them – but work with them. Ask questions about their field, why they do what they do. Build on tactics and strategy and use yours as an enhancement – buy-in will be more efficient and easy.

What do they get out of it?

Sales oriented minds (and market oriented with a sales twist) will be attracted to platforms that can help drive the purchase – so even if you tout engagement, make sure the bottom line is about more commission and more product being placed. Encourage the sales force to dive into LinkedIn, making connections and building relationships through recommendations. Customer testimonials is a great way to leverage buy-in.

I Heart Technology

Most of the sales people I meet are obsessed with the shiny, the new, and just love technology.  It showcases to customers that they understand market, market value and identify with having the best to serve their target demographic. As most are visual learners, demonstrate on a smart phone or tablet how it can improve their in place tactics – and show proven success stories and case studies.

Hey, Let’s Sit Down

Have you ever actually talked to your sales team outside of work? Be their compadre on a professional level. The stereotype of ’sleazy car salesman’ might stop you, but they aren’t all like that. Get to know them. Build relationships – it’s what we are good at, right? – and truly educate yourself in this field. Read a few books. Ask questions. Show your interest. People will respond better if you value them before you value shoving new tactics down their throat.

Integration is happening at a rapid pace – and marketing is a piece of a gigantic puzzle.