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Spin Sucks: The Book
It’s official!
During the holidays, I submitted and signed a contract to write Spin Sucks.
I know I said I wasn’t going to write another book so quickly, but the opportunity presented itself and this is the book I’ve always wanted to write (at least for the past six years).
It’ll come out in December of this year, but my first deadline is one month away!
Therefore, I need your help.
Because we have such an awesome community here and you’ve all been involved in content creation, I’d like your participation in parts of the book.
Following is the table of contents, with chapter descriptions for each.
Read through it and tell me what you think. If you’d prefer to send me a note, that’s cool, too.
Part One: Tell Your Story without Sex or Extortion
1. Sex Sells
It’s no surprise sex sells. And so do shootings and train wrecks and car accidents (both literally and figuratively). How do organizations compete with that in today’s 24/7 news cycle without embellishing or stretching the truth? This chapter will introduce an earned and owned media strategy that works together to compete with far more “compelling” stories.
2. The Google Extortion
When Google released its Panda and Penguin updates, fresh content became the number one catalyst for higher search rankings, followed closely by social media shares that drive traffic to those new pages. Of course, if you use YouTube and/or Google+, your content will be ranked higher than those who use the other social networks (or none at all). This chapter explains these updates, helps readers understand how content affects their search rankings, and how to manage it most effectively and efficiently.
3. Shareable and Valuable Content Creation
This chapter looks at how earned media (traditional public relations) and owned media (something you create and host on your website) work together to tell your story without sex or extortion. It provides tips and tools for working with the Google guidelines to increase search rankings, provide valuable content people are compelled to share, and create your brand’s story online so people are talking about you (good and bad…the bad we’ll revisit in later chapters).
Part Two: Shysters, Liars, and Beggars
4. Whisper Campaigns and Anonymous Attackers
This chapter is about the PR firms and/or professionals that are hired to create “whisper campaigns” to say negative and untrue things about their competitors online. It details the organizations that have been caught doing this (Facebook did it to Google) and what happens as a result. It teaches readers how to handle something like this if faced with it in their own organization.
This chapter is about the perceived ethics of the media and the bias each outlet has to political views. It discusses how to work with reporters (and bloggers) in the most effective way, without manipulating them to tell your story. It provides tips and tools for building relationships that provide your organization with the best earned media.
6. Content Farms and Black Hats
It used to be all we had to worry about where finding the search engine optimization consultants that did white hat (or ethical) work. Now we have to worry about organizations that scrape (or steal) your content from the web. In a controversial case study involving an international shipping company earlier this year, this chapter will look at how to prevent content scraping and black hat tactics throughout your entire organization and extending to consultants and partners.
Part Three: Your Brand; Your Customers
7. The Communication Gap
For many organizations, there is a big gap between what they think the brand message is and how their customers perceive it. For some, it’s an operational issue and others it’s lack of communications. This chapter will help readers understand which challenge they are facing and how to fix it, both internally and externally.
8. Your Customers Control the Brand
It used to be organizations would create their annual corporate messaging, their advertising campaigns, and their once a month media briefings to tell their stories and mold their brands. Now a brand is what your customer says it is…and that could change every day if you’re not completely aligned internally. This chapter will discuss how to work with your customers to tell your brand’s story and maintain its consistency day after day.
Part Four: Spin Sucks
9. Preparation, Messaging, and Engagement
Even though the world has changed and canned messages are no more, it’s still important to be prepared, to be consistent in your messaging, and to engage with individual customers. This chapter gives readers the tips, tools, and tricks for using the web to engage with your customers in a consistent and powerful way that allows you to celebrate the brand ambassadors and turn critics into fans.
10. Crisis Communications: Trolls, Critics, and Detractors
Unfortunately we live in a world where people want something for nothing. And, because the web provides an easy (and sometimes anonymous) way to criticize an organization, readers must be prepared for the inevitable hit on their organizations. This chapter looks at companies, such as the pizza restaurant in Florida that received negative reviews on Yelp because he hugged POTUS during a campaign stop, that have had to deal with this, even though they weren’t looking for the limelight. It provides tips and tools for dealing with trolls, critics, and detractors.
11. The Shoemaker’s Children
It’s widely been said the shoemaker’s children doesn’t have shoes. This is true for PR firms that don’t do their own PR, web development firms that don’t have a website, and insurance companies that don’t provide benefits to its employees. Because technology is changing so quickly, and providing new and interesting ways for us to tell our stories nearly daily, it’s important organizations do their own communications internally – as a test and to create benchmarks – before launching externally. This chapter will explore how to do that, what to test, and know when it’s time to go external.
Your Turn
Is there anything you see missing? Is it compelling enough to get you to buy a copy if you see it in a bookstore? What else would you add?
Thanks to Jay Dolan for the awesome comic.
(Ignore this, I’m testing something with SEO: Connect with Gini on Google+.)
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161 Comments on "Spin Sucks: The Book"
Really looking forward to this, and actually surprised this wasn’t your first book. Just makes sense. I hope colleges pick this up as a text book! On a first pass, the outline looks great!
@KenMueller Yeah? There isn’t anything you’d change or add?
@ginidietrich not on first pass. I need to spend some time looking through this. I think in my mind, part three is where I would have started the book, but I’m sure you could explain why you ordered it the way you did.
@KenMueller Interesting…I’ll think about that.
@ginidietrich I’m thinking in terms of the reading audience. Giving professionals who are reading this to be educated on something, a basis for the WHY of everything else, and a lot of it, comes from the content in section three. But that’s me speaking from my experience when I work with clients and students. They need to understand how and why things work the way they do online before we move on to the other stuff. And the idea of customers controlling the brand, and the gap, is often a good place to start.
@KenMueller This is why I made it public. Many heads are better than my one. Thank you!
@ginidietrich well, i don’t think there is one right answer. And I think it’s very cool that you made it public. You’re braver than I am!
Do you want some pics of me to include in it?
Good luck; of course, I’ll be buying it, pics or no pics…………
@bdorman264 I’ve already asked the Mrs. to send me a few.
@ginidietrich @bdorman264 I have the damaging pics, and the bidding starts at 50 cents.
@Adam | Customer Experience @bdorman264 50 cents!? Try a dime!
Where is the chapter about Dallas Kincaid?
@DallasK The Dallas demands his own chapter!
@RebeccaTodd @DallasK I think its the right thing to do.
@DallasK @RebeccaTodd Oh dear.
All I can think is: Ground Hog Day 🙂 Didn’t we just do this book thing? Seriously, this is your book Gini; no one can tell the Spin Sucks story better than you that’s for sure.
@PattiRoseKnight Groundhog Day is right! Oy.
I like the TOC Gini, looks pretty damn smart. You cover a pretty broad spectrum here and it’s important to keep up on the latest ways to battle and attack each of the topics you cover. It will be a great reference, but probably out of date within a matter of months after publishing. Which of course, bodes well for a foray into part deux of your series, Spin Sucked: The Sequel.
Look forward to reading it and like @KenMueller I think I need some time to digest before making any recommendations. Congrats to you!
@John_Trader1 I’m going to try to keep it evergreen (as evergreen as I can) so its shelf life is a bit longer. While some of the case studies may date it, some I’m thinking of using are years old and they still fit the lessons so hopefully…we’ll see.
@ginidietrich What’s next, “Spin Sucker: The Movie?” Starring Anne Hathaway as Gini, of course.
So awesome! Many congrats Gini. I love the structure and the sections. I’ll take a deeper look for sure.
Most happy for you — I think this has a lot of potential for a wide audience!
@Adam | Customer Experience Thank you, Adam!
Yahoo!!! This is amazing. Huge congrats to you! This book will be indispensable. Let me think more after coffee.
@RebeccaTodd I hope so! I’ve only been writing for six years on the topic so we’ll see what I can do with the book.
Congrats, @ginidietrich! Love the idea of getting feedback and opinions at the earliest stage. Makes so much sense — not only from the perspective of creating the content for the book but from the sales and marketing steps to come, too. You’ll be building fabulous anticipation and eager readers from the very start!
Still, most would be too afraid to open themselves to questions, vulnerabilities and (possibly) even snark. Shows your tremendous savvy and talent, and also how deep and connected your social networks are. Good luck!
@BeckyGaylord I’d be lying if I didn’t say it was scary to hit publish! And I found myself getting a little defensive a couple of times. But I’m keeping an open mind and there have been some really good suggestions!
@ginidietrich You’re an inspiration, Gini. You go!
@Anthony_Rodriguez I think I’ll use this for the summary of the book. 🙂
@DaveThackeray I don’t know about superstardom – there is always something more to be done – but thank you! And thank you for the Google Wave link. I’ll check it out!
Ok, you just KNOW I’ll be all over the Media chapter. LOL Just need time to digest. So excited for you!!
@belllindsay You heard it here first, folks! Lindsay is going to write that chapter for me!
You may be the first author to write a business book through the process of collaboration with your colleagues and readers. I wonder how collaboration and the topic of your first book weaves into this?
@rdopping Good question…I don’t know yet!
Wheeeeeeee!
@jasonkonopinski LOL!
I.am.EXCITED. That is all.
@yvettepistorio You should be since you’re going to be intimately involved in helping me get through the next six months!
Your boyfriends suggested chapter called “Childhood” and “Little Ninja.” You can guess who said what.
Congratulations!!!! Very excited.
AND Chapter 8 will be my favorite. 🙂
@jeanniecw Do you think they could write those chapters for me?
Awesome all around. Really deep, relevant topics. Congratulations! Can’t wait to see it.
@markwschaefer Thank you, Mark!
It sounds really good to me, I could see picking it up.
@Joshua Wilner/A Writer Writes If you didn’t, I’d break your knees!
I want to read it already! Congrats Gini!
@rachaelseda Now THAT is a ringing endorsement!
So excited for you and your new book. Oh, and I love the word shyster. Happy writing!
@Andrea Pecoraro I kind of love the word too! Thanks AP!
I would love if you included the phrase, “douche canoe” somewhere…maybe in with the shysters. Good luck! Congratulations!
@KevinVandever Challenge. Accepted.
@ginidietrich @KevinVandever I’m going to hold you to this.
Congratulations on your new project, I’m sure it will be just as successful as all of your projects. I’ll re-read this list and send you my comments later, but from this list, I’m looking forward to reading it.
@Rodriguez247 Thank you so much! And, if you have feedback, I’d love to hear it!
Very exciting. Love the chapter topics. Looking forward to reading it when it’s done.
@spinchick Thank you! xoxo
So excited for you @ginidietrich . As a member of the media, I look forward to you explaining to people how to approach the media. That said, calling the chapter on working with reporters and bloggers “Media Manipulation” seems to set the relationship as adversarial right off the bat–that in order to get media coverage you have to resort to manipulation (which strikes me as dishonest), rather than establishing an open and honest relationship with reporters. The kind of relationship you in fact have.
@Rieva Good point. I did that because there is a VERY popular book that talks about how to manipulate the media and it disgusts me. So I wrote it that way to be controversial, but I see your point and don’t want it to be taken as “you should manipulate the media.”
@ginidietrich I know you wouldn’t because that’s not your style.
@ginidietrich @Rieva That chapter interests me for sure. I read the book and know you will tear it’s arguments apart.
@Frank_Strong @ginidietrich @Rieva I loath that guy. (Not Frank. The guy who write that book!)
@Frank_Strong @Rieva I’m reading it now…just to prep for showing the other (and ethical) side.
Hey Gini … so great! It’s really probably already “written” right? That certainly doesn’t mean you don’t have tons of work to do. I like all the topics … the entire outline. I’m wondering, Gini, about doing a chapter on the history, present, and future of PR. Maybe predictions about the direction would be too risky but coupling it with history and present would certainly be interesting to me!
Very happy for you! 🙂
@Carmelo THAT is a very interesting idea! I’m adding it to my list. Thank you!
Huge congratulations @ginidietrich that’s fantastic news for you. Look forward to reading what else you’ll have to say.
Love the chapter titles. The “Sex Sells” chapter would also fit nicely into the “Buzz Marketing” boon that everyone seems to be talking about. Good luck with the writing!
@rainbowclaire Thank you so much! Yeah…the sex sells probably could fit the latest and greatest buzzwords, huh?
@ginidietrich Exactly! Forget Omi-Shambles. I think “Sex Sells” should be the phrase of 2012…!
Congratulations Gini — always thought that would be a great book title. I have notes for #2, but I don’t want to stick my nose in if you have access to data sources on that already. 🙂
@Tinu Stick your nose in!
Hey Gini and a huge congratulations on the next big thing. I guess I would ask who the target audience is before I comment on the content. I personally like what I see and I could see a wide appeal.
@hackmanj the target is aerospace engineers working on the next generation crew module for the moon base she is building with Donald Trump.
@hackmanj I think it’s business leaders as much as PR pros. I’m writing it with the business leader in mind.
@ginidietrich Then the content is excellent and needed. Can’t wait!
Amen to that! @ginidietrich @hackmanj
hi Gini – I enjoy reading your blog but first time commenting. I’m not exactly in the pr field but do have to do communications in my work. The reason I read your blog is because of part 4, chapter 9. This is also the reason I’d buy the book. I wish that chapter was the entire book 🙂 I’m not speaking for any industry or demographic – just a reader sharing my 2 cents.
@Vishnu’s Virtues You know…maybe I could write a series of blog posts on that topic since I can’t write an entire book about it. I like the idea!
Congratulations, Gini. Wish you well with this new book!
@geoffliving Thanks, pen pal!
Can’t you just download your blog posts from the last 2 years and hit publish and be done?
Or I can help you cut and paste them, then let me edit them before you send to the publishers. I work cheap.
@HowieG That’s why she has me. 🙂
@belllindsay @HowieG Totally! Lindsay is already on it!
I am so excited for the book to come out. Congratulations!!
@Kristinesimpson Why thank you!
I think it sounds like a fantastic read. Well done.
@ExtremelyAvg Thanks Brian!
Love the outline Gini, it’s very compelling. Brainstorm: maybe it’s the intro, or the conclusion, or another chapter, but I wonder if there isn’t an overarching philosophy about why in fact, spin sucks.
@Frank_Strong Yeah – I have that in the intro. I should have included that here. Don’t know why I didn’t.
Congratulations! Love it!
@vanhoosear Woo hoo! Thank you!
Way to go, Gini. You may have this in mind under Crisis Communications, but discussion as to how to address activist groups/activists that aim to cripple corporations and/or brands via social media would be helpful. Refer to the Occupy movement (… Wall Street, …Monsanto, etc.), Lean Finely Textured Beef and Bettina Siegel’s Change.org, Chick-Fil-A, etc.
Best wishes.
@Sousa7 Ah yes! Very good input. Thank you!
Sounds great. Looking forward to reading it!
@John Fitzgerald Why thank you, sir!
Happy to see you writing this, Gini!
@NateStPierre Is that because I have small feet?
@ginidietrich Sigh
@NateStPierre @ginidietrich If I had a dollar for every time I said that to Gini …
Congrats! But stop writing books & let the rest of us catch up with you! 😉
@AmyVernon No way! You have Facebook subscribers. I have books.
@ginidietrich I’d rather have the books! 🙂 Seriously, though, so excited for you!
@AmyVernon Thank you, wife!
Full disclosure time: I haven’t read Marketing in the Round yet.
But a book with more of a PR focus? I would totes read that one since it falls more within my purview.
@bradmarley You and your disclosures crack me up!
I think this looks really great Gini-san. I haven’t read the other 90,000 comments so this may have been mentioned already, but are you going to treat the integration of PR with other marketing tactics at all? I know primarily this is for PR professionals, but the message of integration is still significant.
@margieclayman I’m actually not tackling that in this book. This is more about how to communicate ethically and honestly so integration with the other marketing tactics is a completely different subject. Perhaps with Marketing in the Round? 🙂 I’m also not tackling measurement in this. I want it to be true to the topic of Spin Sucks.
@ginidietrich By being true to the topic of Spin Sucks (and like @margieclayman I haven’t read the other 90,000 comments), is the intent to have the book be a spinoff of the blog, or to expand upon past blog posts and community reactions?
@Ari Herzog It’s a little bit of both – while I won’t have duplicate content in there from the blog, there will be some case studies and theories I expand on that we’ve talked about here, but that will be as close as it gets to being similar.
Can you puh-leeese put something in about how community management is not:
* PR (or a substitute for PR)
* Customer service (or a sugar-free substitute for customer service)
* Marketing (or a way to force marketing messages down your customers’ throats after tricking them into joining your “community?”)
@jelenawoehr Um. No?
@ginidietrich Damn. Guess I have to write that one?
@ginidietrich Seriously, though. The “companies who think they need a community manager when they actually need marketing/PR/customer service” trend is out of control. “Community manager wanted, should have 3-5 years’ experience in email support.” THAT IS NOT COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT. “Community manager wanted, should be experienced in corporate communications and outbound PR.” ALSO NOT COMMUNITY MANAGEMENT. Rabble. Rabble!
@jelenawoehr LMAO! I see your point. Perhaps I could fit that in somehow. On the scale of douchecanoe being at the top, where does this fit?
@ginidietrich Maybe douchepontoon.
@creativeoncall I know. It sucks, doesn’t it? 🙂
Actually, I”m glad you asked! There will be a subtitle, but I haven’t decided what it’ll be yet. We’re going to crowdsource that, too. Later, though.
@ginidietrich Spin Suck is great, it grabs, it nails the problem. A good subtitle needs to nail the solution/benefit. To me, adding “The Book” is a bit too much of an in joke aimed at all of us who are going to buy it anyway. Let the crowdsourcing begin!
Woo hoo!
The chapter titles are enough to make me wait the whole year. It’s great news that you Gini will write this book.
I’m glad to see the word “consistent” appear more than once but had it been up to me I’d include it in every chapter. This could make some business leaders realise that not only are there ethical issues around spin but that it’s also less effective than honest and consistent communication.
@Pawel Banaszak Maybe I could write “consistent” for every chapter? 🙂
Gini–Congrats and best of luck writing the book. Happy marketing, Heidi Cohen
@HeidiCohen Thanks so much, Heidi!
Good luck on wirting. It will be hard work. Hopefully, you will have enough time left for Jack
Cheers from Germany
Hansjörg
@HLeichsenring Are you kidding? That darn dog loves to sleep at my feet while I write!
@ginidietrich @HLeichsenring My friend Jack isn’t a ‘dam’ dog.!
@Fenya_the_Dog @ginidietrich
Fenya, this is a serious discussion here. Don’t disturb it
@Fenya_the_Dog You’re right, Fenya. I love him very much. Thank you for defending him! @HLeichsenring
I would suggest a section devoted to customer service as part of the customer controlling the brand. I often see examples of companies who win and lose customers based on how they interact with them on Twitter and other channels. I think this is eventually (maybe in 2013) going to be a game changer. So far, companies have gotten away with it, but it won’t be forever. Eventually, a tweet will be more important than a telephone call from a customer!
@clarade I’ve been thinking about this all day. You’re right – eventually a tweet will be more important. I just have to figure out how to weave that into a book about PR. Thank you!
@clarade This is awesome! Thank you for the examples.
Really looking forward to Part 3 considering our own focus (and Crisis Communications in Part 4). And if you need me to be available for Part 1, section 1…like sexy Heckler or something…I’ll free up the calendar. In fact, maybe the book sells with a SpinSucks pinup calendar from “subjects” in the SpinSucks community ;). That should ensure we do not get stuck in a calendar with somebody like Jay Cutler or something…
Seriously, I’m looking forward to the book. I just wrapped up Marketing in the Round and definitely appreciate your communication style in book long-form and this blog.
@dbvickery HEY I love Jay Cutler….just saying!
@PattiRoseKnight Just baiting the Chicago Cutler-ites…you know who you are.
Denver still thanks Chicago for our roundabout acquisition of Peyton Manning via the Tebow Train.
@dbvickery A Cutler-ite – I like that. I am a proud Cutler-ite 🙂 My oldest son is a Payton Manning fan so now that my beloved Bears have no chance I am rooting for the Broncos ALL THE WAY!!!! I wore my Bears gear through Indiana over the holiday and got quite a bit of grief from Colts fans but would respond with a Go Payton Manning and then they’s shut-up 🙂 GO BRONCOS!!!
@dbvickery Here’s what I think we should do…have a pinup calendar for the book launch. You can be January.
@ginidietrich OK, but I *AM* a Valentines baby…just sayin’
@dbvickery Shut up! I’m the 10th!
@ginidietrich @dbvickery I think your editor’s daughter, who’s birthday is the the 12th, should be that month. Hmmmm???
@Katherine Bull @dbvickery Alright. So Brian in January and M in February.
I haven’t read through the comments Gini, so excuse me if this has been addressed: How do you define the audience for this book? (I mean, other than me…) 🙂
@barrettrossie While it’s a PR book, I’m going to write it with business leaders in mind. My thinking is the ethical and honest communication has to come from the top so I want to get their buy-in.
A very belated congrats, my friend! So excited to see this come to fruition – I think it’s going to make one heck of a book!
And, I really like #11 – I think that is so true, especially when it comes to more traditional PR firms. How in the world will a company want to hire you if you don’t have your own stuff in order?! I’ll let you know if I think of anything you need to add, but this looks like a pretty complete list to me!
@lauraclick Thank you so much, Laura! My first deadline is on February 1 and I haven’t started yet. Oy.