Micropersuasion and your obsessed fans, take note. Five shiny stars for this pitch from Jason. Let’s review what makes it work:
- Personalized- says he’s long-time fan (and how can I disprove that, right?)
- His subject header is brilliant: “Opening myself up to your pointed criticism.” That makes me feel like he wants my critique not my gratuitous plug. Big difference. Totally caught my attention, and I scan e-mail at best.
- Low key. Jokes. Calls me “marketing big shot.”
- Sounds like an e-mail. Not a press release. Uses words like “thanks for the time, man.”
Learn from this, dear PR people. Especially you 1.0 PR people that are still sending bloggers press releases. That is so 2002. Mind you, I sat on this for weeks and haven’t exactly been to the websites below. But I trust the campaign is the most progressive one ever for a brand, and Jason can put that in his client binder. The dude even followed it up with a gentle nudge this week (knowing how bad I am about e-mail).
Subject header: “Opening myself up to your pointed criticism!”
Hey Kevin,
I’m the social media guy for Beam Global and long-time admirer. We’ve just launched a campaign (hoping to soon call it a “movement” though now that I think about that, I need a thesaurus) that I’d love your feedback on if you can spare a moment or two. Figured since you’re a marketing big shot who gets Web 2.0, it might raise your eyebrows.
Jim Beam is spending its budget this year marketing people who exhibit the brand persona, not the brand itself. (Bear with me, dude. It’ll make sense in a sec.) We’ve found an initial group of people who exhibit true character, integrity, perseverance through struggle, etc., (The Stuff Inside) and we’re marketing them — helping them because it’s the right thing to do. We’re walking the talk. One such subject is even a comedy troupe you might enjoy called Summer of Tears. Good videos.
Social Media Release: http://www.thestuffinside.com/socialmediarelease/
Site: http://www.thestuffinside.com
I developed the social media strategies. Beam’s being kinda brave changing the way they market themselves. I’d just love to get your feedback on it all.
Thanks for the time, man.
Jason
Okay. I went to the site now. It moved horizontally, and reminds me of the AMeetingWithPhil site, only it has a more goeey web 2.0 feel. And everything worked well, which is a nice surprise when you’ve seen your share of bloated flashturbation sites. Check out SummerofTears, one of the many artists the site features. They’re funny and drink Jim Beam responsibly of course.