Posts Tagged ‘Marketing’
Why Corporation's Don't Get Social Media
This has been on mind for some time now, why corporations don’t get social media. I may be way off base here but there are primarily two or three reasons why they don’t or can’t wrap their brians around what’s happening in the new way marketing.
1.) They haven’t tried, touched, or even asked what the meaning of Social Media is or is not.
2.) Don’t have a clear understanding of Outbound & Inbound Marketing concepts.
3.) Only know how to Broadcast – push, sell products & services.
4.) View a relationship as a sale only.
I’m sure this list could be longer but it’s clear to me that unless there is a simple way of helping the highly educated (constipated) executives, this isn’t going to change anytime soon. Why do a very small few get it and the majority don’t? Fear of Change, Fear of Loss, Fear of not seeing the big picture due to a poor understanding of what they are being asked to participate in.
I know a particular business owner who has been picking my brain, wants to understand the details first, make sure he experiences somekind of ROI before commiting to this new marketing environment. This would lead me to item #5 – CONTROL – there is a fear of losing control like never before, look at the music industry, a prime example of the fear of losing money. Eventually, music will be free, or at least some kind of Collective License that allows for a mutual interest rather than a monopoly.
It’s not all the business owners & executives fault. The fault lies with those who consider themselves experts in this Social Media environment, provide poor information and relate the message that only confuses them more.
This has been written about before, I’m not saying anything new here. The truth is it will never change, just as there are criminals, Internet Marketers and Social Media Experts…there will always be people looking to find a short cut to success. Most people don’t want to wait, have patience and or do the work, they just want to cash grab and do as little as possible. Knowing that, I’m not shocked or surprised at how business owners respond when the topic of Social Media comes up.
So what’s the answer? Do your homework, get a good understanding of what your prospect or client is asking, learn what Social Media is, learn Social Media’s place in the marketing mix, and above all….if you don’t know, shut your mouth or say I don’t know but I’ll find out. Don’t spew crap so you don’t look bad, tell the truth and go on the journey with your prospective client, better yet, invite someone who does understand to the meeting. This problem #6 – poor representation which means the wrong information is being shared.
I’ve ranted enough on the topic, there’s a Social Media Mess out there and it’s up to us to clean it up. If Social Media is putting the power back into the hands of we the people, then let’s make sure we are using that power correctly and for good.
Why Corporation’s Don’t Get Social Media? You tell me, I’m just one voice, one person listening to business owners in my area, what are you coming up against and how are you being part of the solution?
Should CIO's Own The Corporate Social Media Policy?
Anjuan Simmons
I felt it best to answer Anjuan’s statement of, ” CIO’s Should Own The Corporate Social Media Policy? ” here rather than on FaceBook, I’ve added a few other comments to. Anjuan touches on so many nerve endings in his article that I couldn’t bring myself to keep it short. : )
On the surface it would appear the CIO is a great candidate to be the owner of a Social Media Policy, but only on the surface. A few of the questions to be asking before assigning this responsibility are, who is responsible for crafting the consistent message of the organization? How is that message integrated into all communications, and who is responsible for executing it? Who is responsible for the metrics and tracking them? Who is responsible for the role of listening to who is saying what about an organization? I suspect not the CIO.
The CIO does own the Acceptable use or Internet Policy, so a Social Media Policy really isn’t necassary. This policy may be touched upon in a Non-Disclosure Agreement and or Code of Conduct document all staff must sign when hired. But not likely. Begging the question, isn’t that an HR responsibility?
Anyway, In the example of a Virus entering the organizations network via Facebook or any other Internet source is not a Social Media Policy issue. It’s not even an Internet Policy or Acceptable use policy issue, that would be assigning responsibility to the wrong place. It is however a security issue which is handled by the I.T. Manager’s Security & Network Administrator’s. It is already assumed that these virus attacks are going to happen and are common place anyway, the CIO only wants to know that the I.T. Manager’s Security & Network personal are looking after this problem before it happens. (That’s an assumption of course)
The CIO should however, recommend to Upper Executives a Social Media Team be formed and that they are in compliance with the Internet & Acceptable Use Policy. This team resides within the Marketing / PR Departments, not I.T. The Policy Monitoring should be entrusted to all Executives / Managers / Department Heads. To be completely honest, as a former CIO I wouldn’t want that job for all the tea in China; I am more interested in more high level issues, like where technology is going, how and what do we use it for, how does technology help us meet company goals, not worrying about violator’s & monitoring chatter.
The Tools: Again, as long as all departments and or staff follows the Internet & Acceptable Use Policy, I don’t care which tools they use. The department head’s might care, but I don’t. The role of the CIO is not to police or babysit, it is to ensure that the IT department is doing what the organization needs purely from a technical perspective. HR can monitor the Internet Policy as it’s probably packaged with the NDA and Code of Conduct anyway. I.T. will have monitoring software that can spit out reports for HR if needed, HR can then deal with the violating staff person and inform the head of I.T., NOT the CIO, unless a crime has been committed.
When it’s all said and done, the CIO is responsible for the technology needs of the organization and to see that technology align’s with the organizations business processes (needs). He is also tasked with educating executives and the organization as a whole on new technologies that may be of value or are being implemented. They may make a direct improvement to the bottom line or automate an existing process. Assuming the CIO get’s involved in the details or the tasks his Manger’s should be handling would be poor use of the CIO’s time.
The Internet Policy & Acceptable Use Policy will already have covered the Social Media aspect of the Internet, Social Media is not new, Instant Messaging and Blogging forced organizations to address these types environments years ago. What you say on the Internet could be a violation of the company Code of Conduct, NDA, Internet & Acceptable Use Policy.
I hope this helps, and I hope it makes you ask more questions, I love a good debate now and then, some of us will agree and many
will disagree but that’s OK. Thanks Anjuan for getting it started. Anjuan, you are on the right track, but remember, Social Media
is about giving up control and embracing ambiguity and sharing. Social Media is also the new CRM (Customer Relations Management). A seperate Policy for Social Media will be confusing and overlap the above mentioned Policy’s.
So, should CIO’s own the corporate Social Media Policy? My answer is….No.
The 3 P's of Social Media
I was working on a project today and found myself being distracted, sometimes you have these epiphany’s that give you a perspective you never had before right smack in the middle of working hard. You know what I’m talking about, the subconscious never stops, we day dream, we scheme, we plan and sometimes we get deep. So here it is, I stopped working to write this because it wouldn’t leave me alone!
The 3 P’s of Social Media
- Presence
- Placement
- Participation
Presence
It’s not that complicated, we do these three without giving them a second thought or give them the credit they deserve. We all have presence at some level or another here on the Internet, some are very influential through their presence and become high profile, maybe you. Each organization, group or person has a different strategy to ensure that presence. Some may even be misleading, but I like to believe most are honest and true to their mission and vision. Doing the right thing right, being honest, having integrity, the very things required to be of value and trust worthy. Without those qualities your presence could be damaged without you knowing about it.
I wrote about the three parts of a social media marketer back in June:
- Marketing Knowledge
- They are Entertainer’s
- A dynamic personality.
Those three components add up to people that are, savvy, have trust and brand. Don’t take my word for it, follow them, watch, listen and learn.
The 3 P’s are really a platform those three parts leverage, we could go deep six on characteristics and personality profiling but that’s not what this is about.
The dictionary’s definition of Presence:
– the state or fact of being present, as with others or in a place.
In order to be successful in anything you must have presence, you must be present, you have to show up! Showing up is 90% of success in my humble opinion. What you do with that presence sets you apart from everyone, why? There is only one you!
Placement
In order to have presence you have be present somewhere, to be seen or heard, that’s where placement play’s it’s role. It’s part of your strategy in building a presence, in your marketing efforts, and is the playing field to which your brand can have success in the top of mind awareness game.
The definition of Placement:
– the act of placing
– the state of being placed
Where do place your presence? The Internet is the platform that allows all players a level playing field, but not all understand the power of how to leverage the Internet. The Internet is home to a new thing called Social Media, to be frank, Social Media is old news really, it’s always been around under different names and activities. There are literally hundreds of Social Media Networks, you probably know many of them, Twitter, FaceBook, YouTube, Tumblr, FriendFeed and so on. The principles of these networks are primarily the same, how you participate is the critical thing. Give considerable thought to how you present yourself, because it impacts your Social currency and only you can ensure that currency brings value.
Participation
The strategy is done and the presence component has been determined, also where that presence will be maximized, and now you have to heed the call to action…you have to participate. Without this action of participating you have a strategy going no where, it looks good on paper and that’s just where it will stay. Once you have determined placement, you will participate with consistency, persistence and deliver a message that is compelling and powerful.
The definition of Participation:
– the fact of taking part, as in some action or attempt: participation in a celebration
– an act or instance of participating.
Now I know you’re thinking these things are common sense and you are right. We do these things without thinking really, like breathing. The problem isn’t doing them, the problem is not giving these things the respect they deserve, they need their 15 minutes of fame. That’s what I’m doing here, oh sure you could probably explain this better than I but, this is my epiphany 🙂
Take inventory of your strategy and make sure you have given the 3 P’s it’s due attention.
Are Real Estate Agents Obsolete?
I’ve met with a number of Real Estate Agents and Broker’s the past few months and I’m not surprised they view Social Media as a waste of time. Don’t get me wrong, I have found a few that get it, they have taken the risk and setup virtual offices and even opened accounts with FaceBook & Twitter. Some use these Social networks well and some just say they use them effectively, my research here in Canada reveals that most aren’t practicing what they preach.
I’ve made recommendations and suggested radical approaches to how an agent prospects and wastes a huge amount of time with tire kickers at open house events. They look at me with those puppy eyes and say I couldn’t do that, I don’t know how, that sounds like too much work. I think it’s harder the way they do things now, but they’re stuck! If you’re an agent or a broker that’s been in the industry longer than 10 years, you may have a tougher time making the paradigm shift. I’m not saying you can’t or don’t have the ability, but I am saying if you don’t, life is going to get very interesting when the new tech savvy up and comers produce at a high level with a very different kind of effort. How will you compete and survive?
Let me give you an example of one thing you could do and have fun doing it. I’ll look at the old school traditional agent first, then the new tech savvy agent.
Old School Agent
The old school agent would sit on the phone rounding up prospects for hours on end, then would set up 4 or 5 walk abouts and even a few open house events two weekends in a row. A lot of time and effort goes into this type of selling, hard work is important but with today’s technology why would you do this? Organizing and worrying about how may or may not show up, worse yet, having to go and pick them to ensure you do have a prospect. Getting flier’s out and setting up sign’s, the list goes on. The advertising costs can be staggering too, time spent networking, convincing people they should come and see this house and so on.
The New Tech Savvy Agent
The new tech savvy agent sits at the desk and decides which homes to work on this week, then prepares how they would sell the dream of the home on video. This agent goes out and buys a Flip MinoHD Camcorder 2nd Generation
This new agent let’s the prospect qualify themselves and let’s them contact him or her when they’re ready, this agent is thinking about the prospect not themselves.
As you can see the new tech savvy agent takes a different risk, invests their time giving what prospects want and then makes it ridiculously easy for them. The prospect that calls the new tech savvy agent back just qualified themselves, less work than the old school way of handling the same task. This is just one opportunity to start making the shift to Real Estate Selling with Social Media, if you don’t take baby steps now and don’t learn how to do some of these techie things. I have to wonder if Real Estate Brokers won’t become obsolete, Broker / Owners at some point will figure out they can handle inventory in a less complicated way. By the way, people complicate things not flip cams and iPhones.
Are Real Estate Agents Obsolete? Maybe not yet, and maybe not all, but more than you think.
Owen's ROCK STARS
I’ve been around the NET a while and I find myself gravitating to a chosen few time and time again, I like you tend to go back to places I find useful. I spend at least 6 – 8 hours of my day online, probably more, and I just love connecting with people, having great debates on topics I’m passionate about, if you’re like me, you tend to mix it up with those who are just as passionate.
I like to surround myself with quality people, online as well, and I have no idea if these folks respect me but I thought I would share some of my favorite online ROCKSTAR’S with you, here are a few people you should connect with and follow to enhance your time on the NET:
1.) Olivier Blanchard – Olivier is very smart and has a sense of humor that knocks you on your butt, he is the go to guy when you want the best advice on Social Media ROI. What I love most about Olivier, his willingness to help others and he has the most unique point of view that makes you have those Ah-Ha moments. I have come to admire Olivier for his heart, but he’ll deny it if you ask him about his soft side 🙂 Oh, and watch-out for Chico!
Twitter: @thebrandbuilder
Website: http://thebrandbuilder.wordpress.com
2.) Trey Pennington – A true professional, you will enjoy his interviews with leaders of Social Media and Marketing. Most of all, he’s a great guy who loves to help others. He’s an encourager and a supporter, those are qualities that I admire & respect. He hangs his hat on Blog Talk Radio where he broadcasts his powerful interviews, follow him and his show.
Twitter: @treypennington
Website: http://treypennington.com
3.) Kris Colvin – One word comes to mind when I think of Kris, ALIVE! Every time I have an exchange with her, I think, the force is strong with this one. Kris is a sensitive, loving, caring person, I have never met her in person but that’s what I get from her when we chat online. Did I mention she specializes in Design, visit her site and be sure to use Twitterface.com while your at it. I should mention she & Olivier are Nutella addicts.
Twitter: @KrisColvin
Website: http://www.Kriscolvin.com
4.) Chris Penner – Chris is local to me here in Abbotsford, B.C., Canada. We met online via Twitter, I invited him for coffee and the rest is now history, he comes to every TweetUp I hold at the Bat Cave. Chris is an avid Water Ski Freak, it’s his passion for sure because he can go on for hours on the topic and never get tired of it. Chris is also in Real Estate, he is doing some very interesting things that will put him at the top of his game soon.
Twitter: @chrispenner
Website: http://www.askchris.ca
5.) Louis Gray & Mike Fruchter – I was pleasantly surprised to find one day that me & my Blog were recognized by these two notables this past summer. Louis listed my Blog as one of the Top 5 Blogs Under The Radar, Louis is in Silicon Valley and works for an unnamed company in Silicon Valley. Mike was kind enough to list me as one of the Top 10 People To Follow on FriendFeed, Mike is with Pierson Grant Public Relations in Florida. I am forever grateful, be sure to keep an eye on them as well.
Twitter: @louisgray @fruchter
6.) Chris Brogan – Chris is everyone’s Rock Star it seems, recently I’ve found myself going back to his Blog regularly, and I have quoted him often, plus, enjoyed his book Trust Agents so much I am promoting it on my Blog. Get your copy and make Chris rise to the top of the best seller charts. Chris was kind enough to participate on an older post called Your Best Social Media Tips. I still haven’t found the right words to describe him so I’ll just say you need to invest some time in his Blog.
Twitter: @chrisbrogan
Website: http://www.chrisbrogan.com
7.) Scott Stratten – A fellow Canadian, I love his boldness and directness when he speaks, if you want it candy coated he’s not your man. His company name is frankly brilliant, Un-Marketing, don’t you love it? His slogan – Stop Marketing and Start Engaging! With a mantra like that you can’t help but like him, be sure to follow him on Twitter he’s a riot.
Twitter: @unmarketing
Website: http://www.un-marketing.com
8.) Robert Scoble – If you haven’t heard of him, you must be living under a rock! He is very popular online and was raised in Silicon Valley, well connected and has a very interesting point of view when it comes to everything technology. I have tried more software I would have never heard of since following, interacting and chatting with Robert, he’s in the know in the land of Silicon. A very likable man but I’m not sure why he like’s Mike Arrington 🙂
Twitter: @scobleizer
Website: http://scobleizer.com/
9.) Mack Collier – He holds the #blogchat, a very active person when it comes to discussing Social Media & Blogging, just to name a few. Mack is clever and is know as a thinking man, always deep in thought and asks very poignant questions all the time. Another great person for profound, timely information, visit his site and follow him around for awhile on Twitter. A very engaging fellow.
Twitter: @mackcollier
Website: http://www.mackcollier.com
10.) Ken Peters, Ronda Payne, Marty McPadden, Bill Mitchell, Rob Cairns, John Lusher, Sharon Hayes, Lisa Johnson, (Twitter Links) and so many more, these are the people I spend time with here online. Forgive me for not listing everyone but I think you’re getting the idea, it’s about relationships and engagement. You can’t possibly manage thousands of relationships in these Social Media Networks, but you can over time. I so appreciate everyone of you that thinks enough of me to spend time chatting, debating things that matter, and to just hang out shooting the breeze.
These are just few people I consider Rock Stars in my online world, people I learn from, have fun with and truly value their friendship. I thank you and hope that I can be of service to all those that visit me here on my Blog.