Think About It

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2009-11-22T11:04:00.001-08:00

How Another Uses Social Media to Market their Company

2009-11-09T12:33:00.000-08:00

1. Tell me a little about your position and the type of company you workfor

DAN: I'm head of the Creative Services Department for Chocolate DeliverySystems, which is a company comprised of 4 independent incorporations thatsells products to different market segments of the food crafting industry,including supermarkets, craft stores and mass market retailers.

2. Do you think Internet Marketing is important to your business? Why or why not?

DAN: Internet marketing is just becoming important for our business.Currenlty, it is an untapped opportunity we are addressing.

3. Do you think Social Networking is important to your business? Why or why not?

DAN: Again, Social Networking is an untapped opportunity that we have justbegun to explore in the last few months.

4. What types of Internet Marketing tactics are used by your company?

DAN: We send out e-newletters whose goal is to drive traffic to our website.Our goal is that our website will become a resource for our customers, bothestablished and new, to learn about candymaking and food crafting. We hopethat they will visit to become inspired, learn how to use, and eventuallybuy.

5. Does your company belong to any Social Media sites? Which ones and why?

DAN: We've established a Twitter account and a Facebook page, which we useto drive traffic to our website.

6. Do you think Internet Marketing and Social Media have influenced your company either positively or negatively? Please Explain.

DAN: At this point, its too early to tell what the effect has been. We'veestablished about 130 friends on Facebook (in only a few weeks) and lessthan 50 followers on Twitter. We will probably evaluate after 6 months andthen again in a year to see what the effect of our efforts have been.

How One Person Likes to use Social Media

2009-11-09T12:09:00.000-08:00

How Rick Itzkowich, co-founder of Productive Learning & Leisure uses social media

"I am marketing QuoteActions and another product I created called LinkedIn Referral Success Program as my primary emphasis for Social Networking. I am also building my visibility and credibility online which is helping me market Productive Learning & Leisure indirectly.

This is another step I use as part of my Social Networking strategy. i send the following message to people after my initial connection:

Now that we are connected here in LinkedIn, I look forward to getting to know you better and see how we might be able to help each other out. I'm a firm believer that you must first give to receive. This "giver's gain" approach has proven to be very effective for me in my face-to-face networking. Since I would like to continue to build our relationship, I'd like to offer you a gift- something that is very near and dear to my heart.

My gift is an invitation to receive QuoteActions. It consists of short e-mail containing an interesting or inspirational quote followed by a recommended action to help brighten your day.

Example: "Talent without discipline is like an octopus on roller skates. There's plenty of movement, but you never know if it's going to be forward, backwards or sideways." Writer, H. Jackson Brown Jr.

your action for today is to finish a project you have been procrastinating on.

These messages contain no sales or promotional materials. you will only receive them if you decide to opt-in and your e-mail will never be sold or shared with anyone for any reason.

Using Social Media in Government Affairs

2009-11-09T11:50:00.000-08:00

November 9, 2009
Questions and Answers with Curt Mercadante, Principal of Merc Strategy Group
With Permission

Q: How can an organization justify the time commitment of updating and following social media?

A: Engaging with social media tools is no more an extra time commitment than writing a press release, meeting with your members, or engaging in any other activity that fulfills the core mission of your organization. If you took a half hour to write a press release- would you question that expenditure of time? If you spent an hour on the phone calling through your media list, would that be an extra time commitment? Of course not. Communications departments need to hit the "reset" button on how they do business- embracing the new tools that allow them to do their jobs more efficiently and effectively. Social media tools are no different than a cell phone, e-mail or even a typewriter. They are simply communications tools. How you use them will ultimately determine if you are wasting your time or getting a return on investment of that time.

Q:Do you suggest companies hire an outside consultant, or hire a younger "expert" to help execute online efforts if they are unfamiliar?

A: As a consultant, I am certainly a proponent of hiring a consultant to help you with your communications needs! That being said, I am a strong believer that your existing communications staff either has to embrace these online tools — or find new jobs. The days of a public relations professional simply relying on a phone and and a fax machine are long gone. Your communications executive needs to become your chief content producer — producing regular, compelling content that tells your organization’s unique story and then using a variety of communications tools to help disseminate that story. If a PR flak can produce a 400-word press release, he or she can certainly produce a 140-character tweet and a status update on Facebook. If you can work a video camera, you can certainly post short, simple video interviews to post on YouTube. Remember — it’s about the content, not the tools and technology. And content is (or should be) the responsibility of your communications department (just because it involves the “Interwebz” does not make it the responsibility of your IT department.)

Q:Since you say open rates for e-newsletters are at a low number, what would you suggest instead?
A: E-newsletters may look nice, allow you to stick to a weekly schedule, and provide a ready-made template for you to use — but that doesn’t mean they are effective. Instead of building your program around a regular schedule, build it around your content.
In short — send emails to your network when you have something compelling to say. This goes back to the first step of developing your content strategy.
Further, rather than simply providing a rundown of news and updates, the emails you send to your network should be personalized, short, and include a clear call to action.
Tink of it in these terms: when you want to communicate with your friends or family, do you send them an e-newsletter? Of course not, you write them a personal note. Do the very same thing with emails you send your network.

2009-11-06T20:01:00.000-08:00

Social Media on the Clock?

A lot of debate has been started on whether or not social media, like Twitter and Facebook should be allowed in the work place. Some people have set opinions, either it indefinitely should or should not. But are there exceptions to the rule? Perhaps my opinion will change when I get out into the real world, but at this point I see it as better off if the company only allows access to those responsible for the company’s own personal accounts.

There are and should be exceptions to the rule. According to Rebecca Kelley’s recent blog on “Why Companies Shouldn’t Block Social Media in the Work Place,” “94 percent of companies are continuing to invest in online communities and social media,” yet over half of US companies block social media sites. If their reasoning is because it will deter work production, then managers might as well block all websites un-related to the field. People are going to find things to distract them whether it’s checking someone’s new Facebook photo album or engaging in conversation with co-workers.

Allow those who know how to handle social media. People in a marketing or communications department should first be allowed the access to social media. Typically they understand the online tools and are aware of what’s to come if something negative is posted.
Phase the privilege into work day activity. Setting specific rules and regulations to workers before allowing them access may impede on the amount of negative or potentially threatening comments. If they are using it for their own personal use, perhaps a specific amount of time should be suggested? After all, workers need breaks and time to refocus. Kelley thinks the use of social media in the work place can:
1. Help Morale
2. Build a knowledge of social media
3. Help solve work problems and answer questions
4. Serve as great marketing for the company

Well maybe in a perfect world would that work, but thinking about certain co-workers and people I have come across, I think about their negative comments and disregard for anything they post. Look at some of the girls that pretty much post “soft-core pornography” on their pages. If someone was looking at a friend’s album in the office, would another person be offended? Not to mention the fact that it would not be accepted if it was another website.

Consider your business. There should not be on set standard for use across all types of business in all types of positions. For example, someone sitting at a desk working in a customer service position would be completely different than a security officer.

Consider your employees. Different businesses have different office dynamics and different types of relationships. If, as a boss or manager, you feel comfortable and close with your employees maybe you would be better to judge their work performance and whether or not it should be allowed. As it has been said, computer use for personal business on the clock would be a privilege and not a right. Therefore it could, and should be taken away if people abuse it. Companies pay their workers to do work-related business, period. No one is entitled to using Twitter, Facebook and websites alike for personal use during work hours. Anyone who can’t understand this should get over themselves and realize updating your status or commenting on someone’s page isn’t imperative in the first place.

Amplifying your Marketing Communications Plans with Social Media Releases

2009-10-28T14:06:00.000-07:00

After interviewing two successful and knowledgeable social media marketers from the United Service Organizations, I have found that some businesses are relying less on press releases and more on social media releases. Why is that you may ask? Well, look where people get their news – social media.

Brian Solis has evaluated the new theories and ideas on writing a social media release (SMR) and brought up many interesting and crucial points that all public relations specialists should know and thoroughly understand before getting on the bandwagon.

First and most importantly, not everyone is fit for SMRs. Like Solis cleverly noted, PR practitioners still have the “used car salesmen” reputation and no one would like that to continue into social media releases. So for those involved in “selling rather than talking, spinning rather than explaining, blasting instead of focusing, and most importantly not understanding the venues publications, blogs, sites, etc. or who they reach before spamming them,” SMRS are not for you.
Social media and social media releases will not fix a company’s whole marketing plan, but should be used in conjunction with traditional releases, company blog posts and if you’re lucky, releases written by customers, posted online, that tell a story of their experience. Using Twitter, in this case would make the most sense.

In general, just like social media in general, a release should be able to get a conversation started. Whether it’s a picture or news story that evokes emotion, re-tweets, tags or Diggs, your overall goal should be to get people talking and get people to take action- if that’s what your goal is. To beat the misconception of a used car salesmen, social media releases should be honest, up front and told in a timely manner. Think transparency.

Social media releases, in my opinion, may soon take over the typical release. After all, it only makes sense to start sending releases, written in short brief sentences to the most influential writers and websites out. Whether we want to admit it or not, online news is where most go to get their information these days. So in this case, the influencers may not have a journalism degree but share the same power as those with the degree.

Public relations companies and employees should take this into consideration. In doing so, consider who you’re sending the message to! Solis brings up a good point to only send the information out to those who you follow online already and those who have some correlation with the information you are trying to convey. Personally, if I was a blogger and some random person tried sending me information that did not apply to what I write about or what I am affiliated with, I would make sure to disconnect them from any of my networks. And if that ends up being the case, the company really won’t get their message out.

I compare press release, both traditional and social to a cover letter. If you are applying for a job, you cater the message to the company you want to work for. Otherwise, you just look like a fool who is too lazy to switch a few words and names here and there. A good job applicant and a good press release writer will look at who they are sending the message to and tailor it to them. After all they are your business just like the company you are applying for could possibly be your source of income. So watch what you do. Perception is everything.

The Brains Behind One of the Best Nonprofits

2009-10-27T08:55:00.000-07:00

Why the USO Uses Social Media:

Mark Phillips, Vice President for Communications

Em Hall, Web developer

What is the main purpose for using social media?

To increase USO stakeholders because more people are affected than they think.

One step closer to the USO mission of supporting every military personnel

Bring the USO into everyone's daily activity instead of waiting for them to come to their website or offices.

Gives the company the ability to listen, increase customer service and quickly respond and connect to stakeholders

What Types of social media do you use the most?

Facebook and Twitter

Do you ever get overwhelmed by it all?

No because the benefit to social media is that other people can act on behalf of the USO in answering questions people may have
If someone asks where they can volunteer or donate items for example, someone else on Twitter can read that and answer back to them

Where do you find all of the information you tweet about?

RSS Feeds, Google Alerts and other USO office tweets along with current events and news within the USO headquarters

As a communications/marketing department would you say you are transitioning over from traditional to social media or are you still maintaining a balance of both?

Still using traditional media for donation requests and some press releases

USO is mostly sending out social media releases in order to quickly and efficiently get messages out to a wide variety of people

Social media releases can be tailored but typically will include a headline in 140 characters or less to be posted to Twitter and Facebook along side pictures or video that corresponds.

Social Media as a Potential Threat to Defense Department?

2009-10-18T18:12:00.000-07:00

After talking to Mike Andrews, who has worked in the Department of Defense the past four years after 21 in active duty in the Navy, he has sparked my interest in wondering what’s best for the Defense Department. From what I have been hearing from businessmen and social-media experts, I would have thought that using social media is best for every company. It’s an easy way to disseminate information. But when talking about federal and defense agencies, the conversation of security comes into play. To protect the safety of those working for the DoD, would it be best for once if a business didn’t involve themselves in social media?

Those working under the Department need to know they are receiving information from the right people. It’s also important that American citizens are getting the right information from the right people. The first thing that comes to mind is imposters on Twitter, pretending they are celebrities. We don’t need that same thing happening with government agencies. Another issue that I could initially see with government workers using social media is the chance that they could divulge confidential information that may threaten the security of the nation.

Andrews said, “the DoD currently does not have a formal policy on the use of social media, but realities are going to force that point very soon.” According to “DoD social-media policy review nears completion,” from Government Computer News, the Department should come to a conclusion on balancing social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter by the end of October 2009.

Some departments, like the United States Marine Corps, ban social media on government computers. Without a purpose and waiver from the Marine Corps, civilians and Marines are not allowed to use social media on government time, said Ray Letteer, senior information assurance official for the Marine Corps (DoD and Marine Corps Speak Out on Social Media Ban). Letteer said the Corps has abided by the DoD policy since it was enacted in February of 2007. He said the Corps wants to “move in smartly, carefully and do it the right way the first time.”
Civilians and military personnel are, however allowed to use social media on their own personal computers, including the ones available to troops overseas, Letteer said. But will everyone know how use it?

Jeremy Mishkin, attorney and expert in e-commerce and web-based businesses, brought up a good point in the GCN article that the government first needs to determine what security problems it has with social media and then teach employees how to move it from “toy to tool.”
Government agencies, particularly the DoD, could capitalize on the ability to disseminate information rapidly when using social media while meetings its citizens where they already are.
It’s a tough topic and I don’t really know if there’s one right or wrong answer. If allowed, the social media outlets used by government officials will have to be heavily over sought. After all, we want to be safe and make sure our daily “updates” are not compromising national security. Hopefully, once it becomes the norm, people will understand the dos and don’ts of communicating and be sensitive to the needs of the “old guard,” and less oversight will be needed.

*A special thanks to Mike Andrews for inspiring and helping guide my post

Another Vote for Social Media in Expanding a Network and Consumer Base

2009-10-18T18:09:00.000-07:00

After requesting to be a part of “A US Government Relations & Public Affairs Group,” on LinkedIn, I was led to Jeffrey Taylor, SVP for Fleishman-Hillard (Washington D.C) who explained why he uses social media.
Taylor said he didn’t originally believe in social media at first until he received a message from someone in Singapore asking a question about the company’s services. He directed him to a co-worker but told the co-worker to not spend too much time on this man. Afterwards, he found out that the man from Singapore just sold the company $ 250,000 worth of patent work. Afterwards, he began connecting with everyone he could. LinkedIn has provided the B2B company with more connections and more business partners than he could have imagined before. He has included recommendations from previous customers and an extensive profile of credentials.
His recommended to fill your profile with keywords that help people find you when searching and to expand your network to accurately reflect the people you know and may do business with in the future. He also suggested researching companies to see if you can make connections on LinkedIn.
As a new found fan of LinkedIn, I will definitely be able to take his advice and put it to good use. Though I won’t be doing business with anyone for a while, it will be an asset to understand the uses and benefits of social media. As an aspiring public affairs officer, it is difficult to build a large network. After doing research and connecting with people on LinkedIn, I’m already able to see how they can be of use.
It seems that a lot of people from older generations tend to follow what they know, and what they know is traditional media. Sometimes these people are too afraid to branch out and embrace the changing ways of communications. Taylor was actually able to see a direct relationship with social media and sales. But if he didn’t, would he be using LinkedIn as much as he does now? I’m happy he was able to use social media to expand his business and raise awareness of Fleishman-Hillard, in the same way I am marketing myself.

Those Who Tweet and Tweet Well

2009-10-18T18:06:00.000-07:00

From a consumer’s standpoint, I still cannot figure out if businesses using Twitter to get their message across is a good thing or not. I understand marketers are able to get to their level and meet their particular audience where they already are, but will it just become another form of advertising that we begin to ignore? After reading a blog on “40 of the Best Twitter Brands and the People Behind Them,” by Jennifer Van Grove, I can see the effective and tactful way that companies can use Twitter. It can be used as another tool to strengthen the relationship between the company and its consumers, but I still remain skeptical.
Five main purposes a company would use Twitter would be to:
1. Brand the company in its truest form to show personality
2. Connect with brand-loyal customers and potential customers
3. Converse with consumers and potential business partners
4. Offer discounts to its audience to bring them into the business
5. To listen to the customers' experiences and perceptions of the business

But when does too much of this become a problem? Take for example the issue KFC had when they offered to give away free meals. Oprah then advertised this deal and people flocked in herds to the store. This would have been great if KFC was able to accommodate the large number of people who took the company up on the offer. A company could lose a substantial amount of credibility for not keeping the promises they post.
Other companies, like The Marriott and Jet Blue, are providing a friendly, more personal face to the name when using Twitter. Jet Blue respects the wants and needs of its customers. According to Van Grove's article, the purpose of Jet Blue tweeting is to do so as its customers see fit. The official tweeter, Morgan Johnston, says, "our role on Twitter is driven by the requests of our followers. Twitter is a great way to talk to many, but even better for listening." Jet Blue has it right, in order to remain respected and respectful, they must make themselves present even if someone is not planning a trip, but take a step back and let the consumer’s guide its business plans. Companies can learn of consumers' personal experiences without bothering them to fill out a survey, for example. Companies do not have to force themselves into a consumer's day-to-day life but rather remain present as a personal acquaintance. Plus, the weather and flight updates don't hurt either.
Marriott can also be seen as a company who knows how to tweet, even in a crisis situation. An average day tweet can include video updates of newly-renovated rooms, but when the Islamabad hotel was attacked, the senior director of public relations knew just how to handle the situation. Because he was able to quickly and efficiently reach a world-wide audience, John Wolf used Twitter to send updates. The more information they received, the more they tweeted. It was a way for them to talk to everyone concerned and also a way to carry on a two-way conversation between numerous people. Wolf praised social media after the situation occurred because people were able to reply and send direct messages sending their prayers and sympathy.
After listening to these stories and seeing how companies can accurately use the social media to accomplish their business goals, I remain hopeful.

2009-10-05T17:53:00.000-07:00

Better late than never...

I finally learned how to use Twitter and set up a blog for myself. I am looking forward to spending more time linking all of my accounts on to each other so it is easy for people to see my blogs, tweets and Facebook page. I am making a goal to consistently update my blogs and Tweets so that people keep following me.

I would like to spend a lot of time polishing the blog so that I can put it on a business card or resume, and hopefully appeal to more employers. It's about time I jump on the bandwagon so that more people know about me and can learn what I'm all about. I really hope this will help in searching for a job come next year!

2009-10-05T16:58:00.000-07:00

Excited to start sharing my thoughts on Integrated Marketing Communications and what matters most to me.