What’s a QR Code? Using Technology to Promote Your Organization/Product

QR Code Stick-on Tattoo. Image by scott_bl8ke via Flickr

As a marketing/communications consultant, I’m interested in using innovative ways to promote, publicize, motivate and inspire. In this post, we will be looking at uses of QR code technology as a marketing tool.

A QR code is a type of barcode that can be used to promote organizations or products by communicating information that engages the public. This technology has been used to build excitement around a brand, motivate potential customers, and inspire recruits to join organizations.

Edmonton Journal ScanLife Launch. With the upcoming election, which political party will be the first to use QR? Image by mastermaq via Flickr

QR stands for “Quick Response” because it allows the public quick access to information by scanning the black and white bar code with a smart phone.  The encoded information may be text, contact information,  or a direct link to a webpage.

QR was originally developed in Japan in 1994 by Toyota subsidiary Denso-Wave to track parts in vehicle manufacturing. Today QR codes have a certain cachet that create buzz around a product or issue.  The use of QR codes, also known as “mobile tagging”, appeals to non-traditional early adopters and technology savvy youth because it’s fun and interactive.

University of Guelph uses mobile tagging to recruit prospective students. Image via Wikipedia

Uses of this technology for promoting and marketing seem endless. Last fall, for example, University of Guelph added QR codes to the 2011 admissions handbook making it one of the first institutions in Canada to use the new technology. When scanned, the QR connects prospective students to videos of current students sharing their experiences at the university. It’s a cool and powerful combination: new technology with video endorsements to promote the university and recruit new students.  It’s brilliant.

Mobile scanning could also be used to promote events. Organizers of a chocolate festival in the UK, for example, commissioned a local supplier to create a giant dark and white chocolate QR that is scanable and edible. When scanned this QR directs the public to a website where they can learn more about the festival schedule and events.

Image by mastermaq via Flickr

Newspapers, such as the National Post and the Edmonton Journal, also use mobile scanning as a way to engage readers with additional, up-to-the-moment content that is updated on their websites. 

Mobile scanning engages customers by allowing them 24/7 access to websites and can be a useful method of bookmarking information for later consumption. A car dealership in the US, for example, prints QR codes on vehicle window stickers to give customers access to a virtual brochure that includes photos, lists of accessories, specs, pricing information, and a special manager’s coupon. Customers can use this information later when comparison shopping.

Classic Salads, a Canadian produce supplier, prints a QR code on retail bags of organic salads to direct consumers to a web page with product information and recipes. Linking from a real object, such as a bag of lettuce, through a QR to a webpage is known as a “hardlink” or a “physical world hyperlink”

Image by evilsciencechick via Flickr

One UK hotel chain prints the code directly onto its restaurant menus. Diners are directed to a video showing the ‘dish of the month’ being prepared and cooked by one of the hotel chefs.                                                                                       

Image by NickJ365 via Flickr

QR codes have been used in ads in magazines and on buses to sell product. Posters advertising concerts, exhibits, apartments for rent, and even lost dogs have used mobile scanning to give the public quick access to websites, photo albums, and online ticketing. Contest participants can scan a QR code to find out if they’ve won promo prizes. It’s also used on business cards, in-store displays, trade-shows and conferences, print ads, direct mail campaigns, email marketing, and as a way to access coupons and discounts.

QR codes can even be used on billboards because they’re readable from any direction, at any reasonable distance, aim, or angle, ensuring high speed scanning.

Image by atmasphere via Flickr

Organizations that use QR benefit in four ways. First, QR codes are interactive giving users the ability to collect data used to measure response rates so that the marketing ROI may be calculated. Second, information accessed through a mobile device could cut the cost of printed promotional material as we have seen in the example of the dealership brochures. Third, mobile scanning could increase sales because users get immediate access to website information or can store product information on their mobile devices. Finally, although difficult to measure, the cachet surrounding use of the latest technology–the chic factor–could assist non profits with recruitment as in the case of the University of Guelph.

QR codes may be generated in minutes for free at various websites such as http://uqr.me/. To download the app needed to read QR codes, go to www.getscanlife.com.

A word of warning: to avoid activating malware, only scan QR codes from  a reliable source.

PCWM: historic first, interactive t-shirts. Image by shersteve via Flickr

As we have seen, a QR code is a unique tool that can be used in a variety of ways to engage and inspire the public.  Does your organization use QR technology? Can you think of other uses of QR to promote, publicize, motivate and inspire? 

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Nine Steps to Greater Creativity

1.  Make Change

Often people experience a lack of creativity because they’ve fallen into a rut. They’re locked into a life pattern that doesn’t leave a lot of space for creativity. Nothing squelches

creativity more effectively than routine. To counteract the effects of routine, consider introducing change just for the sake of it. Rearrange your workspace. Move the furniture. Drink a new flavour of tea. Take a different route home. Have lunch in a new spot. Take the stairs. Take a vacation. Explore a place you’ve never before visited. Creativity needs refreshing. Creativity needs change.

2.  Brainstorm

No one person can know everything. Generate some new ideas by organizing a brainstorming group. In order for brainstorming to be effective, the group must be made up of people who are supportive and interested but unbiased. An atmosphere of trust must first be established amongst the group. Cynical or critical participants are not welcome. The rules of the game are that every idea is a good idea until it’s replaced by a better idea. In a safe environment and with the right people in the room, brainstorming can be a very effective way of generating new ideas around an issue.

3.  Expose yourself to creativity

Creative ideas are not generated in a vacuum. We learn from each other. Maybe you’ll take a technique that someone else perfected and apply it in a entirely new way. Or maybe exposure to someone else’s creativity will spark something completely new in you. Check out the great creative work of Ze Frank. Attend an online TED seminar. Let Stumbleupon surprise and inspire you.  Learn more about the world’s top creatives. Explore outstanding English and foreign language advertisements. Let beautiful photography get your creative juices flowing.

4.  Diversify your reading material

Image via Wikipedia

Consider exploring a new genre. If you only ever read fiction, try nonfiction and vice versa. Gain a new perspective by subscribing to an online news service you don’t usually follow such as the BBC. Peruse Mashable, a news website and internet news blog. Read a biography online or get inspired by a scientific article.

5.  R & R

Studies have shown that sleep facilitates insight and lack of sleep impairs creativity. Some people claim that they’ve woken up in the night with the solution to a problem all worked out. Others get inspiration from their dreams. Consider keeping a journal next to your bed so that you can jot down your dreams and even the abstract impressions that come to you in the night.

While rest is important, so is relaxation. Take some time away from the demands of others by turning off and stepping away from all online and electronic devices. Go outside. Take a walk. Get some fresh air. Clear your mind and look to nature for inspiration.

6.  Road Trips

Image via Wikipedia

Get out of town. What are you curious about? Organize a day trip to a museum, art show, product launch, book signing, a sporting event, seminar, art house movie, technology exhibition, festival, or lecture. Meet the Writer in Residence at your local library. Explore a nearby town.

Image via Wikipedia

7.  Writer’s Block

Entrepreneurs and scientists experience writer’s block as often as writers. It’s that moment when you need a solution to a problem that isn’t obvious and requires some thinking. Instead of staring at a blank computer screen, go low-tech. Pull out a pen and paper and begin jotting down your ideas. Fill the page with something—anything. Don’t worry that it’s not flowing in a cohesive, chronological order. Focus on getting your ideas on the paper. Even doodling is more constructive than staring at a blank screen. Later, you’ll be able to organize your ideas into something that makes sense.

8.  Join

Take a course and learn a new skill: a language course, kickboxing, art history, curling—whatever interests you. Or join a club and meet new people. Expand your network of friends and expose yourself to new ideas and worldviews. Meeting new people means engaging in unpredictable conversations that afford you the opportunity to learn something new and to get inspired.

9.  Upside Down & Inside Out

Image via Wikipedia

Flip it upside down. Find new uses. Juxtapose odd things. Creativity is dependent on our ability to see things in a new way. Check out the reverse atlas to gain a new perspective of the way we think about the earth. The invention of Gutenberg’s printing press was inspired by the screw press which was used to press grapes to make wine. What about hemorrhoid ointment? It’s made with 3% shark liver oil. Who thought of that?  Leonardo da Vinci, the great Italian Renaissance architect, musician, scientist, mathematician, engineer, inventor, anatomist, geologist, cartographer, botanist, writer, sculptor and painter wrote most of his journals using mirror writing. To what end? Some argue that he used it as a cipher or that it was easier for him because he was left-handed. I think this man of “unquenchable curiosity” and “feverishly inventive imagination” used mirror writing to keep his mind nimble. It forced him to think. And that’s the point, isn’t it? We’re trying new things and looking for ways to get our creative juices flowing, to think outside of the box and increase our creativity.

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The War of Art: Winning the Inner Creative Battle

Presumably if you’re reading this blog you’re not dead yet. That’s good news for your insurance company. It’s good news for you too because that means it’s not too late!

It’s not too late for you to write the novel that’s already written inside your head. It’s not too late to launch the business you dream about or to find the solution to that environmental problem that keeps you up at night.

Okay, what has this to do with “traditional and innovative storytelling techniques and communication issues” you may be wondering.

I would like to share with you a little book that I pull out every couple of years. I’ve read it four times. Steven Pressfield’s “The War of Art” is the kick in the seat of the pants I need to remind me of my raison d’être.

Resistance

Image via Wikipedia

According to Pressfield, the first step toward realizing your full potential is identifying the obstacles that stand in your way. The obstacles he calls Resistance and they could take the form of fear, self-doubt, criticism, self-dramatization, self-medication, rationalization, procrastination and a whole lot more. Resistance is like a negative force field that prevents people from accomplishing that which they dream of doing.

Before the writer scratches out a single word, or the entrepreneur moves from vision to venture, or the philanthropist rescues a single scrawny orphan, he must first overcome Resistance—the ultimate enemy. There would be no RIM, no “Book of Negroes”, no Winged Victory of Samothrace if their creators hadn’t first battled Resistance.

Going Pro

The antidote to Resistance is professionalism. It means adopting an attitude that is immune to all the aforementioned obstacles. The professional gymnast turns up at the gym every day regardless of whatever obstacles Resistance throws her way: a cold, a hangover, a broken toe. Going pro is all about getting your work done—no excuses.

Pressfield knows of that which he speaks. After 17 years of trying, he landed his first professional writing job as a screenwriter on a film called King Kong Lives. It tanked. Even his friends didn’t show up to the after party. After five years in Hollywood he wrote nine screenplays, none of which sold. Then, after more than ten years of writing he published a novel, “The Legend of Bagger Vance” (1995). Heard of it?

A novel written in your head, regardless of how detailed are the story ideas, is not a novel. It’s just an idea. Novels are made of paper and kept on bookshelves not inside people’s heads. If you have a novel in your head, it’s time to go pro and write the thing down.

Calling on your Muse

Why does the new mother weep in awe at the new life in her arms? She knows that the child came out of her but not from her. So too, Pressfield argues, is the writer, innovator, entrepreneur, and artist merely a vehicle. They don’t create the new life, they only bear it.

Have you ever felt that way? Has the solution to a problem suddenly hit you while you were in the shower? Did you ever read over a manuscript you had written and wondered from whence came your creativity?

Pressfield argues that the right attitude for the artist/inventor is that of humility and gratefulness that you alone have been created to be the vehicle of this great work. It is a privilege.

And so, call on your Muse, tap into the positive energy in the universe, say a prayer to God and do the work that you were born to do.

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Saving the Best ‘Til Last

Delaying gratification is the life principle behind why we were never allowed to eat dessert first. But saving the best ’til last has other applications besides ensuring a balanced diet. Saving the best ’til last can be the secret to great public speaking. Saving the best ’til last is exactly what happens when a comedian delivers the punch line. Delaying gratification is a writing/communication technique that can improve your corporate copy, speech writing, fundraising appeals, comedy, suspense and even lyric writing.

As a point of grammar, this concept is called the periodic sentence. This is getting boring, you’re thinking. Keep reading. This isn’t complicated. Here’s how it works…

The periodic sentence positions the main clause in a sentence at the end. Usually the subject and verb are widely separated and the verb is as near the end as possible. As a result, the sentence has more dramatic impact. There’s a build up of tension so that readers feel compelled to keep reading.

Nonprofits may find this technique a helpful way to capture donors’ attention in their fundraising letters. As you will see, the periodic sentence builds tension and generates an emotional connection between the reader and the subject. Here’s an example,

After walking for many days through LRA territory with no map, no food, no water and only a fading glimmer of hope, the children arrived safely at the orphanage.

In this example, the many dangers and obstacles precede the resolution. This sentence construction builds suspense and serves to capture the reader’s interest to the end. Suppose we had re-arranged the word order as in,

The children arrived safely at the orphanage, after walking for many days through LRA territory with no map, no food, no water and only a fading glimmer of hope.

Here the resolution precedes the obstacles and the result is a lack of tension, no suspense and no compelling reason to keep reading. Someone should have shouted “SPOILER ALERT”.

Delaying the main point to the end is an effective persuasive technique that public speakers use because it allows listeners to mull over the evidence, to think through the argument before asking them to take action. Obviously, it must be used sparingly and may not be appropriate for most pedestrian speeches.

However, consider Winston Churchill’s persuasive speech:

“Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous states have fallen or may fall into the grasp of the Gestapo and all the odious apparatus of Nazi rule, we shall not flag or fall.”

If the speaker’s goal is to build excitement, to rally support and inspire, this kind of sentence construction can be a very powerful rhetorical tool.

For example, Patrick Henry’s “Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death” (1775) speech to the Virginia Convention:

“If we wish to be free, if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending, if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained, we must fight!”

Here the speaker builds tension and inspires listeners with one argument stacked upon another. He delays the call to action until the very end where it becomes a battle cry.

Screenwriting guru Robert McKee also notes the merits of saving the best ’til last. His example,

“Excellent film dialogue tends to shape itself into the periodic sentence: ‘If you didn’t want me to do it, why’d you give me that …’ Look? Gun? Kiss? The periodic sentence is the suspense sentence. Its meaning is delayed until the very last word.”

Consider the impact of word order on the chorus to Hawksley Workman’s “Your Beauty Must be Rubbing Off”. Although not a periodic sentence, Workman hits the listener with an unexpected twist at the very end of the chorus:

Your Beauty Must be Rubbing Off

Look at those buggers who are looting the crash site

taking the ring off your sweet little finger

that I gave to you, when we got married

you’re under water now,

you’re back where you came from

no stealing of beauty that would naturally flow

from the center of all that you are, all that you are

Your beauty must be rubbing off

Your beauty must be rubbing off on me

(Hawksley Workman clip)

“Your beauty must be rubbing off” seems a callous way to conclude what appears to be a dirge! But then Workman redeems the sentiment by adding a surprise at the end of the sentence: your beauty must be rubbing off “on me”.

That the woman’s beauty is rubbing off suddenly becomes a compliment. Her beauty is having a positive impact on someone else. The word order Workman uses changes the meaning completely.

Finally, comedy writing also holds the reader in a suspended state of gratification by building toward a climax at the end that never concludes as expected.

Consider this joke written by Gene Perret:

I overheard a couple in the hotel room adjoining mine. The wife told the husband, “take off my dress.” Then, “take off my shoes.” Then, “take off my bra.” Then, “and don’t let me ever catch you wearing them again!”

Admit it, there was no way you were going to stop reading in the middle of that joke. That’s because you know that Perret is delaying gratification. You know that if you’re patient, you will be rewarded with a punch line.

Saving the best ’til last by rearranging word order or by making use of the periodic sentence functions in the same way as the punch line to a joke. The reader/listener suffers through the build up of tensions, obstacles, arguments and details until the end because they know that the payoff is coming.

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Social Storytelling

How would you describe the ideal party? For me, the ideal party is populated with people eager to entertain. In my opinion, meeting someone at a party who is a good storyteller is like finding lost treasure. Wouldn’t it be great if everyone you met at a party told you an entertaining story?

How You Can Become a Great Storyteller

Ideally, you want to take responsibility for making someone else’s evening enjoyable by telling them a funny, interesting story. Me? I could never be a great storyteller, you may be thinking. Yes, you can. Everyone has at least one great story that they could tell. Most people have lots but lack the confidence to tell those stories. Storytelling is a gift that we give to others. You don’t have to be born with a special talent. You only need to have the desire to make someone else smile. The truth is that storytelling is a skill that may be learned and improved by practicing.

Identifying a Great Story

Put simply, a great story consists of a three fundamental elements:  a beginning with a clearly defined goal, a middle outlining the obstacles that stand in the way of success, and an ending that describes that which was accomplished, achieved or overcome in order to reach the desired goal. Regardless of the topic, these three elements constitute the essence of a story.

Once you’ve chosen a story that includes these elements, you can go about filling in the essential details that make your story memorable, interesting and/or funny.

Creating the Story

Choosing which and how many details to include is the tricky part. Storytelling falls short when the speaker fails to weed out essential details from tedious minutiae.  Only include in your story the details that are necessary to move the story forward. Does it matter to your story what time of day you ran into your long lost high school sweetheart? Probably not. Leave that detail out. Focus on the important parts of your story and leave the boring bits out. Remember, you want to tell a story that captures people’s imagination. Leave out some of the details so that your listener’s imagination has something to do.

Just the Facts

At the beginning of this post I talked about being entertained. As a storyteller, you’re an entertainer not the fact checker at Encyclopedia Britannica so don’t let a few facts get in the way of a good story. Am I advocating telling bare-faced lies? Not at all! However, don’t be afraid to embellish. “That fish must’ve weighed 50 pounds!” Really? Fifty pounds? Likely not and your listener knows that because of the sparkle in your eye. It’s part of the fun.

The Emotional Core

A successful story is emotionally moving. You want your listener to feel an emotional connection to your story. You probably don’t want to move your listener to tears but you probably do want to make them laugh. That will only happen if they’ve become convinced that the goal you identified at the beginning is worthy and if they can identify with your desire to obtain it.

Storytelling Technique

Expert oral storytellers make use of dramatic timing. Not the “dramatic” type? You don’t need to be. But you do need to understand dramatic timing. For example, even the most taciturn storytellers will benefit from including a pregnant pause in their stories. There’s a rhythm to the way in which good storytellers let their stories unfold.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Now that you’ve chosen which story to tell, decided on the essential details, relaxed a little about facts, found your story’s emotional core and given some thought to dramatic timing, take the time to practice telling it. Tell your story to your spouse and/or your best friend. Practice, practice, practice. Then tell it with confidence.

Remember, your listeners are hoping to be entertained. They want you to succeed. So, relax and have fun.

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Successful Party Networking

So you’ve dusted off your goofy Christmas tie or tried on that little black dress. Now your thoughts turn to mingling. For some people, holiday parties can be very stressful. How do I start a conversation with a stranger? How do I avoid getting trapped in a conversation that’s going nowhere? Below are some tips to help you get through the holiday party circuit.

Think Positive

There are lots of potential positive outcomes from a holiday party. You could meet your new best friend or the love of your life! You could make a fabulous business connection that will benefit your career! You could forget about the stresses in your life for one evening and have a lot of fun! The first step to make any of those or other desirable outcomes happen is to think positive.

Adjust your Body Language

Enter the party with a smile. You won’t need to worry about approaching strangers—they will approach you! Uncross your arms. Crossed arms combined with a worried or bored expression will guarantee that no one approaches you. But a beaming smile and sparkling eyes will draw people to you.

Small Talk

For some people, the idea of having to make small talk is abhorrent. Generally, the brighter a person is, the less interested they are in small talk. Why? Because intelligent, accomplished people are accustomed to making big talk and small talk seems like useless chatter. Small talk is not about facts or words. It’s about putting people at their ease. These opening lines are the comforting efforts we make as we enter into a conversation to gauge our listener’s mood and interest. But what should you say after hello? Almost anything as long as the intention is to empathize with the listener. The goal isn’t to impress your listener from the minute you open your mouth with your vast intelligence and wit. This is a holiday party not speed dating! Any banal (but positive) observation or question will serve as an opening. You could mention the venue, the food, the décor, the organization, the host/hostess, the guest of honour, or your listener. For example, you could open with a very generic comment such as,

• “I can’t believe how beautiful/dark/crowded/etc/it is in here.”
• “The hostess has prepared a fabulous spread, don’t you agree?”
• “Isn’t this [type of food you are eating] delicious?”
• “I’m so glad I skipped lunch. The buffet table looks amazing!”

Then follow with a more specific question such as,

• “How do you know the host/hostess?”
• “Are you a member of this group/political party/organization?”
• “How could I get involved with this group?”

Follow up your listener’s answer by sharing how you know the organizers of the party.

The Listener’s Mood

Your listener’s body language and their answers to your opening volley will tell you a lot about how best to proceed. As any good salesperson knows, matching the client’s mood is crucial. A reflective, composed listener will likely not respond well to a back-slapping speaker–at least, not at first. If you’re an outgoing storyteller, you’ll need to gradually work up to the point where your listener will be ready to hear you tell your great stories.

Listen Actively

Active listening is like cheerleading. Your body language tells the speaker that you’re interested and enthusiastic about what’s being said and encourages the speaker. An active listener nods in agreement, maintains eye contact, smiles in response, inserts a “yes” or “uh-huh” appropriately, and asks relevant questions.

The Secret to Exiting a Conversation Graciously

If your goal is to mingle, then you want to spend no more than 10 minutes with each person at the party. However, some people are such easy, fabulous conversationalists that you may find yourself tempted to spend the entire evening with that one person. But eventually all good things must come to an end.

Sometimes it happens that you get cornered. You’re innocently nibbling a canapé and enjoying the ambiance when someone fixes you with an unblinking stare and the onslaught begins. You feel stuck and your mind races to find some plausible excuse for why you need to walk away. Why is exiting a conversation so hard for some people? It’s difficult because we don’t want to hurt other people’s feelings. We want people to like us. We’re programmed to be polite.

You can exit any conversation graciously. It’s easy. With these nine words, you can politely and confidently walk away with no fear of reprisal. Simply, smile, make eye contact, extend your hand and say, “It was a pleasure to meet you. Excuse me.” It’s that easy. The trick is all in the delivery. If you smile, make eye contact, extend a hand and articulate those nine words with sincerity, no one will be able to accuse you of being anything less than gracious and polite.

Storytellers and Standup Comics

How would you describe the ideal party? For me, the ideal party is entertaining. That means that I’m smiling all the way home at a funny story, some witty comments, a quick comeback, or someone’s humour or comical impressions. Some people are natural storytellers and standup comics. They seem to tell one great story after another effortlessly. But the truth is that these people have likely told these same stories over and over at other parties. In effect, they’ve practiced telling their stories. All that practice has made them experts. As a result, they’re able to launch into new stories—stories about things that just happened to them yesterday—because they’re confident and the rhythms and patterns of telling a good story are second nature to them.

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In my next post: How you can become a great storyteller

Get the Story: Tips for Improving Your Interviewing Skills

Interviewing people and writing their stories is one of the most enjoyable parts of my job as a writer. Generally, people are flattered to be interviewed and will work hard to try to get you the sound bites they know you need. Most people enjoy talking about themselves and, if you’re able to put them at ease, the interview can be very enjoyable for them as well. Here are some tips to help you get the story.

1)      Do your homework. Learn as much as you can about the subject and the topic of the story in advance of the interview. If the story is about a technology that’s new or complex, for example, take the time to read up about it. You don’t need to be an expert, but the subject will appreciate the research you do.

2)      Interview the person in a setting that is relevant to the story. It will help to create the appropriate tone and atmosphere for your story.

3)      Bring a micro recorder just in case. Some people are so enthusiastic about being interviewed that it’s almost impossible to take accurate notes. Generally, I don’t need to use it. But it has proven very helpful in some cases. If you find that you do need to use it, ask permission.

4)      Use your eyes, ears and even nose. What can you learn by looking around? What does this setting tell you about the subject?

• Is the person a collector?
• Obsessively neat?
• Did the subject prepare for your arrival?
• Is the subject squeezing you in between a lot of other things they have to do that day?
• Is their home/office a quiet, peaceful place or does chaos reign?

Try to include some reference to the setting in your story so that your readers will experience what you’re experiencing.

5)      Put the subject at ease by making positive small talk at first. Identify something that you have in common at the outset. Tell the interviewee how interested you are in hearing their story.

6)      Ask open-ended questions. You don’t want yes/no answers so you need to ask questions that begin with “What do you think about…”, “How did you feel when…”, “How does this work…”, “Tell me about the process involved with…” and so on.

7)      If the answer to a question is vague or inconclusive come back to the question later and ask questions from a slightly different angle.

8)      Keep your readers in mind. What do they want to know about this subject or topic?

9)      As the subject is speaking, observe their body language. Is the subject nervous/holding back/enthusiastic about their story?

10)   Ask a few “value” questions such as, Why is this important to you? What compels you to care about this topic? The answer to this kind of question is often the sound bite you’re looking for.

11)   Don’t be afraid of silence. It’s the interviewer’s job to ask the questions and it’s the subject’s job to do the talking and your subject knows that. Let your subject fill in the blanks of an awkward silence.

12)   At the end of the interview, ask the subject if they could wait while you check over your notes. With the subject still sitting in front of you, take the time to make sure that you haven’t skipped something. It’s possible that something that was said at the beginning of the interview now no longer makes sense. This is your opportunity to double check your notes.

13)   If you’re taking a photo, try to catch some of the background in the frame especially if it helps explain who the person is. However, you want a head shot not a body shot unless showing the subject’s entire body is relevant to the story. Choose an angle that is flattering to the subject and different from the angles that you typically take. Natural light is best.

14)   Ask the subject if there is some important part of this story that you didn’t talk about.

15)   Ask permission to contact the subject again if you have further questions about the story.

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