Author: Brian Lee

Getting in your own way

Posted on by Brian Lee

I’ve previously stated why media training is important. Today at the Wisconsin Early Stage Symposium, I sat on a panel that talked about messaging and saw firsthand what can go wrong.

A woman from the audience stood up to talk about her product, and it was clear that she was struggling. When asked twice about her qualifications in producing the product, she failed to truly answer the question, saying how the guy who came up with the idea didn’t want to deal with the liabilities and just wanted to sit in his basement and collect royalties.

I’m both surprised and not surprised by that response. How a person can’t even say something simple like “because I believe in this product’s value to society” is baffling, yet it happens ALL THE TIME.

I felt bad for this woman, because her inability to speak clearly and concisely was getting in the way of an otherwise wonderful product. That could hurt her in terms of marketing and attracting investors. I hope she hires a consultant to help her with her messaging strategy!

Mobile Marketing Industry to Face Stricter Regulations

Posted on by Brian Lee

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Oct. 11, 2013

Contact

Kay-Tee Franke, (608) 575-7819

Mobile Marketing Industry to Face Stricter Regulations

(MADISON, Wis.)—Companies that run mobile (SMS) marketing campaigns will face a new hurdle on Wednesday when the FCC’s update to the Telephone Consumer Protection Act takes effect.

The law will now require advertisers to obtain and hold unambiguous written consent from current and future subscribers before initiating any telemarketing call or text message.

“Most SMS opt-in procedures will have to be revised,” Kay-Tee Franke, president of mobile marketing consulting firm Engaging Results Communications, said. “Unfortunately, the FCC didn’t provide much notice on the new law, so many companies may be out of compliance on day one.”

The FCC is hoping to protect consumers from receiving unsolicited mobile marketing messages, often from unscrupulous companies, according to Franke. Penalties range from $500-$1,500 per call or text message.

“A key takeaway is that any past or current relationship with subscribers doesn’t necessarily equal consent,” Franke said. “That means it will be a large and time-consuming challenge for businesses engaged in mobile marketing to ensure they’re compliant.”

For more information on TCPA compliance, visit www.ercsms.com/services/2013-tcpa-compliance.

Engaging Results Communications aims to help businesses engage with their audiences both effectively and efficiently. It provides mobile technology and services that allow businesses to communicate directly with their audiences anytime, anywhere. The company is based in Madison, Wis. For more information, please visit ercsms.com.

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Resulting media coverage

  • http://www.wisbusiness.com/index.iml?Content=82
  • http://www.thewheelerreport.com/
  • http://technews.tmcnet.com/news/2013/10/13/7475329.htm
  • http://www.auto-mobi.info/content/view/557992/55/
  • http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/1522049
  • http://joan1911.wordpress.com/2013/10/14/mobile-marketing-industry-to-face-stricter-regulations/
  • http://localmobilebusiness.ca/mobile-marketing-industry-to-face-stricter-regulations-2/
  • http://www.jsonline.com/business/pressrelease/national-press-releases/mobile-marketing-industry-to-face-stricter-regulations-227584491.html
  • http://www.virtual-strategy.com/2013/10/13/mobile-marketing-industry-face-stricter-regulations
  • http://www.abc27.com/story/23679714/mobile-marketing-industry-to-face-stricter-regulations
  • http://www.watchlistnews.com/2013/10/13/mobile-marketing-industry-to-face-stricter-regulations/

Communicator of the Year and Best of Show

Posted on by Brian Lee

Revelation PR, Advertising & Social Media took home two top honors at the annual PRSA-Madison Alchemy Awards held Thursday night.

For the third consecutive year, we won an Award of Excellence, this time in the category of media relations. The campaign also tied for “Best of Show,” which was a pleasant surprise, especially because the of the quality of campaign entries this year.

I was deeply honored to be named the 2013 Communicator of the Year. It’s been quite the year, with some accomplishments including hosting a TV show, launching a coworking space and launching an online newspaper. As I said in my speech last night, I’ve had an incredible journey through the world of public relations, and I’m grateful to the many people who helped me along the way.