Posts Tagged ‘social media’
Thursday, February 2nd, 2012
This is what happens when I try to be social. Someone I don’t know well asked for a LinkedIn connection. He’s in our community so I said yes. Within 24 hours, I’m getting spam e-mail about an event I couldn’t care less about. Asked him twice to take me off his list. He finally did and apologized. I’m happy with the conclusion.
This situation did leave me with some big questions. Now that I know LinkedIn is handing out my email with every connection, should I limit who I connect with? Do you limit your community to only those you know and, if so, how do you “meet” new people? Where is the balance between meeting new people and being too vulnerable to those who harvest e-mail addresses for affiliate purposes? I bet I’m not the only one grappling with this issue. What do you think?
Tags: conversations, social media, strategy, Vickie Sullivan
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Thursday, November 3rd, 2011
You’re spending a lot of time on Facebook — might as well take advantage and promote your brand, right? This cool infographic has some great ideas that will help you channel all that enthusiasm from your fans. My favorite part: the different ways a fan can like you.
Moral of the story: let’s get past the novelty of social media and be strategic. If we spent just 25% of our Facebook time thinking about how to use the dang thing strategically, how much ROI could we create? Again, we’re spending the time anyway…
Tags: branding, experts, social media, strategy, Vickie Sullivan
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Thursday, October 27th, 2011
The best thing I’ve learned in social media is how to have a conversation with people I disagree with. I’m happy to report that I can go to threads and respond without thinking someone is an idiot. (Well, most of the time.)
That said, I have come to believe that in the spirit of promotion, many of us have become too clever for our own good. For those of you doing the below, please know that the rest of us know you are just trying to promote yourself at our expense:
- Asking a provocative question and then pointing to your article: if you can’t give me insights in your post, I’m not clicking to learn more.
- Answer a question by saying, “hire me and find out.” Yes, I have seen several of these. Some even go the extra mile to say, “I’ve checked your website / video / material. It’s pretty bad, but I can still help.” I don’t even bother responding to these posts.
- Use the same answer for every question. One person was passionate about presentation skills. So guess how he answered every question? With generic platitudes about the importance of these skills. Poor man didn’t realize that if he had just given some specific ideas, folks would’ve seen him as a resource.
It’s tempting to justify all the time we spend on these discussions with slick tricks to promote our blogs and offers. My vote: don’t do it. Instead, if we focus on posting specifics with insights, both the participants and the lurkers will reach out.
Tags: consultants, conversations, experts, Marketing, positioning, social media, strategy, Vickie Sullivan
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Tuesday, September 27th, 2011
Do you post content on social media and then…hear crickets chirping in the background? Here’s an interesting study on Facebook pages from Facebook and journalists with findings about what gets commented on and what doesn’t. My favorite findings:
- Posts with questions generate 70% more comments than the average post. Other top producers: clever language (120% increase) and asking for input (also a 120% increase). My thinking: these ideas are simple and can be implemented now. Major bang for our social media buck.
- Passionate debates and touching emotional stories generate two to three times the increase in feedback. My vote: the former is easier to implement than the latter for B2B experts. B2C experts do need more emotional posts.
- Checking in happens around the workday: morning, noon, after work, and late at night. My observation: those in the entrepreneurial space will find traffic on the weekends, too.
Many thanks to Dale Collie, who graciously shared this study via SpeakerNet News.
Analytical study on Facebook page from journalists
Tags: experts, Marketing, positioning, social media, strategy, Vickie Sullivan
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Thursday, September 15th, 2011
When I get on Facebook and LinkedIn, time evaporates. When I look up and see hours have disappeared I wonder, did I really spend my time wisely? With this simple and handy guide from HubSpot, I can do better.
Those who are well-versed in social media will probably see this guide as basic. But for those non-techie folks who focus on the conversations and not the tactics (guilty as charged), I found this 34-page ebook easy to read and understand. My new favorite word: twidiot.
Click here for the guide and ask yourself: how many of these ideas am I implementing? Take time to implement just a few ideas and see what happens.
Tags: branding, education, experts, positioning, social media, strategy, Vickie Sullivan
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Thursday, August 18th, 2011
Do you think virtual attendees — those who attend conferences from the comfort of their cubicle — multi-task more than the audience you speak to right in front of you? Nope — everyone (over 80%) is checking their email during your presentation, according to this fascinating study about meeting attendees both virtually and face-to-face.
Conducted in May by PCMA (Professional Conference Management Association), so this data is pretty fresh. Most interesting finding: the different motivations between virtual and physical attendees. The former signs on for the value of the content (97%) and ease of use (90%). The latter gets on a plane to meet with the speakers and colleagues (68%) and to meet more customers and prospects (56%). And everyone (over 80%) seems very comfortable networking with strangers both online and off. (Thank you, social media!)
Pay attention to this finding: content marketing and distribution needs are not being met. Distribution on all devices — yes, that means smart phones — is now expected. Getting information before, during, and after the event is important to both types of attendees. Content is still king; the demands for searchability and availability are a given. And we’re not just talking white papers either. Videos and other interactive formats make a difference.
As experts who speak, we always want to know more about our audiences. This report is a treasure trove of cool information. Click here to get the report (sign in is required).
Tags: events, experts, Marketing, meetings, positioning, seminars, social media, speakers, Speaking, strategy, technology, trends, Vickie Sullivan
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Tuesday, July 26th, 2011
Young and Rubicam Brands Company released their consumer spending and attitude study last month and of course created a new buzzword: the spend shift movement. Yea, we know all about wanting quality and affordability. The best news: the rise in community, purpose and connection. The biggest challenge in Corporate America: confidence in both big business and big government has dropped by nearly half in just two years. Add a buying public savvy in search tools and social media…Houston, they have a problem.
Why do we care? Because if consumers want it, we can help organizations give it to them. So pay attention to the connection part. Corporate America will turn on the community-building machine in a big way. Watch for more opportunities to bring “value” (in all its definitions) to the market. This is an issue with a big budget behind it. Check out Booz Allen’s article on this report by clicking here.
Tags: branding, budgets, Marketing, positioning, social media, strategy, Vickie Sullivan
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Thursday, July 21st, 2011
I just love color commentary from boots on the ground. And that’s exactly what Andrew Warden at Cisco gave last month’s Corporate Social Media Summit. As head of Strategy and Communications Emerging Markets Services, his update: Cisco is using internal tools to embrace social media as an internal communications system. His prediction: internal social media tools will disrupt current work environments at all levels of the organization.
Folks, this is HUGE. And not just for social media experts. Think about it: Managers have a new way to keep their finger on the pulse of their staff — what they need to perform, how processes are working in real time, and most importantly…a key tool for creating a killer corporate culture. Experts of all stripes will have plenty to contribute. This is a train leaving the station. Let’s figure out how we can help.
Click here to see the four reasons why social media will reshape the world of work.
Tags: consultants, experts, social media, strategy, Vickie Sullivan
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Tuesday, March 23rd, 2010
Social media experts can look forward to a killer year. Why? Because Corporate America is throwing major money into their fear that bloggers and face-bookers are out there bashing their brand. So they are tossing ROI (return on investment) overboard and spending money on social media. According to this Marketing Budgets 2010 study, 70% of respondents are decreasing offline marketing efforts and investing in online social media. The make up of respondents are also interesting: a majority of the professional side is BtoB, showing that social media is going beyond the consumer realm. The study not only cites a priority to protecting the brands but also a gap in understanding the power of social media on ROI. That’s where the experts can really make a difference. Look for this topic — determining ROI on social media — to be very popular at industry events.
Tags: branding, Marketing, social media, strategy, Vickie Sullivan
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