Tag Archives: Social media

It’s 2013 And Back to Basics

It’s 2013 and the economy remains tough, and competition remains tougher.  Clients — whether consumer, b2b, government, non-profit — are all discussing how to navigate troubled waters.  And many are taking Social Media seriously, often for the first time.  

It may be time for many of these organizations to trade in their wishes-to-be-past-the-fiscal-cliff for the basics of how to work within this atmosphere.  Social Media can be a great tool to use to build relationships with your targets, but it has no short-cuts.  Relationships — real or virtual — must be built on trust.

Your Social Media guide starts with WOMMA (Word of Mouth Marketing Association).  

Image

 

From an actionable code of ethics to disclosure guidelines to a proposed authenticity guidelines, WOMMA (www.womma.org) will keep your actions ethical and your relationships positive and healthy.  Visit WOMMA and refresh your commitment and solidify the foundation of your actions.

1 Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

It Doesn’t Matter Where You Are; What Matters Is That You’re Present

As much as social networks have given us some golden opportunities — instant access to friends worldwide, long-lost friendships renewed or finally “our say” in the world — it’s obvious everyone’s still learning how these networks fit in (or change) their lives.

Just a few months ago I was marveling about how some social media savvy folk were still so mired in “real world” data and needs.  For example, the telephone number on my business card is from Google Voice.  The area code (Phoenix) has nothing to do with where I now live (Wisconsin).  And my cell phone area code has everything to do with where I used to live (NYC).  Those two phone numbers have flummoxed some clients and prospects who either know where I live or have no need for my physical presence to do my work.

What is necessary is for me, or other consultants, is to be much more nimble in how we can travel to see our clients.  Friend and colleague, Jay Baer, even moved to the Midwest so that he could simplify his travel and maintain a great lifestyle for his family.  It doesn’t matter where you are — it matters how accessible you are.

Which, to me, points out that sometimes we’re focused on the wrong things in the virtual world and the real world.  Sure, it’s going to take us more time to “shake out” what stays and goes of our virtual activities.  But, ideally, social networking should mean we’re more present in the real world — whether traveling or home.  It’s about using social networks to enhance our lives; build our friendships.  It’s not about using these networks as an escape from our lives or friendships.

Kansas City Chief Quarterback Brady Quinn said it well after this weekend’s tragic murder-suicide of his teammate, Jovan Belcher.  Watch his clip (he’s up second in the post-game comments):  Brady Quinn.  He shares a good life lesson – whether real or virtual – that we all should think about.

 

Leave a Comment

Filed under Social Networks, Uncategorized

What’s The Future of the Digital Workplace?

Yesterday I had the pleasure of being a part of the first blogger event of TDS, one of my clients.  TDS crew — including CEO Dave Wittwer — and six bloggers discussed the question:  What’s the Future of the Digital Workplace?

ImageBloggers Thomas Clifford, Tommytrc.com; Don Stanley, 3rhinomedia.com; Catherine Morgan, A to B Transitions; Paul Gibler, ibmadison.com; Tom Snyder, Triveraguy.com; and Kris Cain, Little Tech Girl offered ideas, commentary and plenty of tweets about the topics.

Prompted by the new book, The Digital Workplace, How Technology is Liberating Work by Paul Miller, the group heard presentations and had discussions about:

  • How you stay and feel connected in the digital workplace
  • TDS’ managedIP demo as an example of how your workplace tools can help employees manage and keep customers happy
  • What will be the most productive way to work in the future
  • And how to get your corporate culture to shift to accept digital workplace changes

Wittwer, John Roach, CEO of Roach Video Productions and Gary Testa, VP Global Service of Polycom, shared viewpoints and factoids with the bloggers.  Five morsels that were tweet-worthy:

  1. By 2016, it’s estimated that 63 million people will work from home — or 43% of the workforce
  2. The belief that CEO’s are scared of the unknown (i.e., digital workplace, social media) and they are losing out on brand advocates
  3. Mobile device proliferation will increase from 64 million to 320 million by 2015
  4. Only 6% of the 3 billion emails daily are “real” v. spam

The key to it all?  An attitude of embracing the possibilities of a digital workplace will get beyond issues of trust, security and more.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

5 Good Reads

ImageThink there’s too much to read out there in the social media universe?  You’re right.  But here’s five worth taking a look:

1.  Learn from McDonald’s:  http://www.ragan.com/Main/Articles/44902.aspx

2.  Don’t cut off your nose…:  http://searchengineland.com/the-social-funnel-what-you-lose-when-you-ignore-it-121120

3.  How to use Facebook ads:  http://www.bizreport.com/2012/05/wildfire-study-reveals-best-type-of-social-campaign.html

4.  How to use Twitter:  http://www.ragan.com/Main/Articles/44888.aspx

5.  A daily cartoon to make you smile:  http://gapingvoid.com/

Leave a Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

Still Aren’t Sure About Social Media?

Many small and mid-sized companies are still hemming and hawing about Social Media, as they feel they don’t know enough about it to judge an agency or consultant. Well, here’s your chance to bone up on the subject — without leaving your desk. Check out the Social Media Summit:  http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/socialmedia12/

Leave a Comment

Filed under Uncategorized

QR to the Nth Degree

eMarketer has a great case study today about Toyota and QR codes.  

If you are bored by QR codes, or don’t know what could be accomplished through them — take a look because Toyota has taken QR codes to the next level.  QR codes have been all about providing more brand information (than will fit in an ad or poster or product packaging or…) —  if you scan the code.  It’s been about the opportunity to predominantly both share more information and connect the consumer to your site or other Social Media platform.

Toyota worked with a QR code vendor to develop a branded mobile barcode, ToyoTag.  That connected Toyota’s real and virtual worlds with their targeted, younger audience.  Check out the case:  http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?R=1008733&ecid=a6506033675d47f881651943c21c5ed4

In September, the ToyoTag leveraged Toyota’s Hatsune Miku augmented reality experience in California to launch its 2012 Corolla.  Consumers were encouraged to use their mobile phones;  snap the ToyoTag; and download the Toyota Shopping Tool app for iPhone or Android.  Once they did that, they were rewarded with a video featuring Hatsune singing on a virtual stage next to the 2012 Corolla.

Talk about augmented reality.  Toyota not only did what typical QR codes do — offer more information and connect the  consumer to their site, etc.  – but got even more bang for their buck.  They tapped into:

  • their target audience’s passions (technology, music, anime)
  •  enough incentive for consumers to take action (downloads, site traffic, sharing)
  • how their target enjoys an event — participating
  • haloing the 2012 Corolla with modern works of art.

Even the “Dream Harmonic” Toyota YouTube video has seen increased views because of the ripple effect — to the tune of 1,511,265.    Check it out:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E15PE7iGT0U

What some expect from a QR code may never be the same again.

Leave a Comment

Filed under QR Codes

3 Don’ts to Use as a Checklist at Your Next Social Media Meeting

What’s the old speech maxim?  Tell them what you’re going to tell them; tell them; tell them what you just told them.

I guess the same should be said about Social Media counsel, because there seems to be a need for a lot of reinforcement.

I’ve come to that conclusion because some Social Media  meetings seem to be like deja vu when it comes to plans for action.  Here are three mistakes that happen so often, you should come up with a list of don’ts and make sure you follow them:

1.  Don’t  say” Let’s Tweet It”!  Or “Let’s Put It on Facebook!” without a plan

The common answer to working with Social Media seems to be to tweet or post about the opportunity or problem without an objective or strategy.  Just willy-nilly comments without thought to how it fits into your brand’s image or goals.  The next time you get the urge to say that, stop.  Instead stand back and ask:  do we have a proper Social Media strategy?  Does this idea fit into it?  Then go from there.

2.  Don’t kick off a Social Media plan without measurement goal(s)

Today I read at least 3 articles about how brands don’t have any idea how to analyze or measure what they’re doing with Social Media.  But they promise to start figuring it out.  So, start right now.  Some first attempts at measurement can be simple.  Or there are analysis companies to tap.  Look into it.

3.  Don’t let the 24/7 nature of  Social Media commandeer your day OR limit your ideas.

It’s a huge temptation to check in and stay tuned to everything happening on the Web.   Thus many Social Media ideas stop when someone at the decision table decides this effort will become overwhelming.  It doesn’t have to be.  You can set aside a couple times of day for monitoring, or you can assign monitoring to someone else (who can be equally as efficient in checking only a certain number of times per day).   You can be effective with your efforts and your time.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Social Media

Three Things To Remember When Hiring Social Media Experts

So you want to hire a social media expert?

The topic can be very misunderstood and somewhat controversial – for a number of reasons.  Some businesses believe a social media expert is somewhat like a god.  Supposedly the experts know a world that they don’t  or don’t have time to know.  Which could be true.  But the social media world is a microcosm of the bigger marketing world.

Some online influencers (bloggers) think the term social media expert is laughable.   There’s not a lot of trust that the experts really are experts.  But there are really good ones.

The reality is that before you hire an expert, you have to know what you’re hiring him or her for:

1.  It’s all about marketing.  You’re not hiring a social media expert to come up with your brand’s positioning and strategy — you’re hiring the expert to help you deliver your messages and consumer conversations to stay on strategy.  If you want to think your Social Media expert is a god or goddess — fine.  But s/he is the god or goddess of delivery tools, not your marketing and communications plans.  Your god or goddess can play an important role in your strategy and program development, even be the driver at times — but s/he’s not your marketing VP.

2.  It’s not social media v. traditional media.  You have to remember — it’s all media.  And whether traditional or social, each  is a tool or path to reach your target consumer.  Both traditional media and social media exist.  And most consumers read / watch both.   You need someone who works with you to determine the best mix.

3.  Social media doesn’t work in a vacuum.  Following the theory of No. 1 and 2, keep in mind that social media does not work alone.  You may have a great Facebook page, but you need to be talking about it — whether that’s through media, events, advertising, etc. —  in many places to entice consumers to visit.  Creating a push-pull of both traditional and social media  is the best way to gain more chatter about your brand.  Sometimes a story in The New York Times will push bloggers to write about your brand.  Some times bloggers talking about your product will prompt The New York Times to pay attention.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Public Relations, Social Media, social media experts, strategy, Uncategorized

Get local customers excited about your product

I was about to write my weekly post about Social Media, when I saw this video coverage on Social Media Examiner.  Watch the video — smart advice, without having to read through one of my posts!

http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/how-to-turn-your-local-customers-into-raving-fans/

Leave a Comment

Filed under Facebook, FourSquare, Social Media, Twitter

PR, Social Media Measurement: Setting Expectations

The entire PR and Social Media industries are always looking for new and better ways to measure success for programs and projects.  We’ve become quite refined over the years.  And where we’re not refined, we at least have qualitative scores or values that are of high merit.

But let’s remember three key things when you embark on a program:

1.  Set measurement goals at the outset and agree to them.  Whether you are working with internal departments or an agency or consultant — get an understanding of what the norms are.  Then set your standards to meet or beat those norms for your company.

For example, if the average open rate of an email campaign is a range of 0-20%, be content if you get 16% open rate.  If it’s a 24% open rate – be ecstatic.  It may not sound like much to you, but it’s the best you’re going to do within the tactic you chose.  If percentages like that seem to low for what you want to achieve — it’s best to say upfront that you’d like to go about this a different way.

2.  PR and Social Media are not guaranteed.  As much as you want total control of your message and its placement — PR and Social Media can’t do that.  Only paid advertising has that type of control.  However, try to remember what PR and Social Media do offer you:  a conversation with your consumers/customers and an ability to get out quality messages that would be too long for advertising.

3.  Manage your own expectations.  Timing, as they say, can be everything.  So remember what atmosphere you’re working in at all times.   I heard some colleagues complaining over the past two weeks that their programs didn’t do as well as expected.  Hello — royal wedding and Osama bin Laden…   When big national or global news hits…be ready to swallow hard and figure out plan b.

Leave a Comment

Filed under Advertising, Public Relations, Social Media