Earlier this month I had the opportunity to guest lecture at my alma mater, Washington State University. I learned that … Lecturing sucks. Conversations are better. My guest lecture focused on how to read & analyze marketing data. These students had seen data before in the form of qualitative market research and statistics throughout their coursework, but most had never seen a data platform such as Google Analytics at work.  To be honest, I wasn’t quite sure how they would react, especially as I presented this information via Google Hangouts and couldn’t physically be in the classroom. And guess what? They ate it up! I held the lecture in a more casual, conversational manner to encourage each student to speak up, ask questions and challenge my authority. And they did just that throughout the course of the lecture and the ensuing in-class data analysis activity. With that in mind, I wanted to share some of their astute questions they asked and insights they delivered, which included: Which media channel is driving the most revenue? Why? Why is [campaign x] producing revenue while the similar one next to it is not? How come [campaign z] had the most site visits but didn’t generate any revenue? Additionally, one of the students inadvertently brought up the value of brand advertising and how it influences other channels within the overall marketing funnel, a question I could never even conceive during my time in college! So what did I personally walk away with after my first instructor experience? Off the top of my head, I learned: Chose an Anchor: One student in the front of the room became my anchor, meaning anytime I heard crickets or needed to spur the class into discussion I prodded him to get the conversation rolling. Become a Student of Life: I never went to after-class events during college; never thought I had the time. But seeing these students reminded me that even though I’m not 19 years old anymore, it’s never too late to keep learning. Make time to continue the pursuit of education. Practice Makes Perfect: I’m a big fan of ‘winging it’ through presentations, but boy am I glad that I at least practiced this lecture once (should have done so 4 or 5 times). No matter how ‘spontaneously awesome’ you think you are, practice will make you a better communicator. What is your lecturing experience? Any tips I missed...

In the past 9 months, I’ve discovered that the art of story telling has become the most essential tool in my toolbox. Without developing my storytelling skills, I might be broke. Without developing my storytelling skills, my favorite co-worker might be out of a job. And without developing my storytelling skills, I don’t know how I’d keep my most fabulous girlfriend happy and entertained all the time! Here are my three thoughts on why storytelling should be essential in your life too: Learn How to Communicate Value Professionally: We have successful client relationships when we effectively communicate value of our clients’ products & services. Understanding Decision Points: What triggers lead to a decision being made? How can you more effectively communicate these decision points to other people? Root with ‘Em, not Against ‘Em: In most situations, I’ve learned that the majority of folks on this earth are inherently good people. They want to get behind you, your company or the cause that you promote … So make it easy for them to root with you! How do you use storytelling in your everyday...

Quite a few people have asked me the following question: How am I supposed to write a blog post? Is there a ‘best practices’ guide, out there for me to reference? The quick answer to that question is: YES! To answer that question, I’d like to share an infographic from Derek Halpern of Social Triggers that shows exactly how to write and lay out what he’s calling ‘the Perfect Blog Post’.  Check it out below! Like this description of how to write the perfect blog post? Then let Derek via Twitter by clicking here. Tell him Mike Krass sent ya! — Aside from being the CEO at MKG Media Group, Mike is a dark beer aficionado with a healthy appetite for travel and pushing personal boundaries. A proud graduate of Washington State University, Mike currently calls San Francisco home. Twitter // Google+ //...

Do you know what trait all great communicators share? They’re fantastic listeners Great communicators listen to the individual(s) that they are communicating with. One of best communicators of our time, Larry King, used to only script two or three questions for each interview. So how did he fill that 60 minutes of air time every day? He would actively listen to the guests of his show, digest to their responses and react with additional follow up questions based upon their initial thoughts & answers. In his book How to Talk to Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere: The Secrets of Good Communication, King shared four bits of advice to become a better communicator when having an in-person conversation: Make Eye Contact: Don’t get distracted with your cell phone or shiny objects! Great communicators look their conversation partner in the eyes when speaking with them Lean Forward: Try leaning in on one elbow when speaking with your conversation partner to show that you they have your 100% undivided attention Use Silence to Your Advantage: When there is a natural pause in the conversation, try using silence to your advantage to encourage your conversation partner to continue with their thought Hand Gestures: The Italians were really on to something! Similar to silence, use hand gestures to encourage your conversation partner to continue speaking their mind But what if you aren’t in the same room? If you aren’t in the same room with your conversation partner, try the following tips to become a better communicator: Use Post It Notes: Tape a post it note to your computer or telephone that says ‘LISTEN’ or ‘SHUT IT’ … Every time you attempt to speak out over your conversation partner, look at the note to keep yourself quiet Use Call Tracking Software: Try using a conference software like UberConference that delivers a speaking report to your inbox every time you get off a phone. This will show you who is speaking the most during your phone calls. Ask More Questions: Regardless if you’re in person or on the phone, one sure fire way to guarantee you will listen more is … ask more questions! What tips help you be a better communicator? — Aside from being the CEO at MKG Media Group, Mike is a dark beer aficionado with a healthy appetite for travel and pushing personal boundaries. A proud graduate of Washington State University, Mike currently calls San Francisco home. Twitter // Google+ //...

 Sometimes, you just have one of those days where you walk out of the office and say … I can’t believe this s#!%. Maybe it’s time to throw in the towel once and for all … Starting a company is extremely taxing on you as a human being. Your heart, soul, mental & financial well being are all being throw into the mix. And guess what? There’s no guarantee that you’ll make it out the other side! I can honestly say I had one of those days in the not so recent past. Lucky for me, I ran into a recent Business Insider article that had some great bits of advice from successful start up founders. It was here that I read the comments above from Zach Coelius, founder of Triggit, an advertising technology company here in San Francisco, that totally lifted me back up. Next time you’re down, read Zach’s comments above and repeat the following: Regardless of how bad things might be, I should always remember how insanely lucky I am to get to do this and I should enjoy it while I can Fill your life with perspective. Take deep breaths. And get back to work 🙂 — Aside from being the CEO at MKG Media Group, Mike is a dark beer aficionado with a healthy appetite for travel and pushing personal boundaries. A proud graduate of Washington State University, Mike currently calls San Francisco home. Twitter // Google+ //...