Indianapolis Ranks the Best and Brightest

The 7th annual Indy’s Best and Brightest awards will be held on Wednesday, October 6,2010  to recognize Central Indiana’s 10 finalists, age 40 and under. The event will take place at the Indianapolis City Market and is expected to have 600 attendees. The Indy’s Brightest and Best website features all the finalists to be honored. When you visit the website you can take a look at past years finalists and sponsors of the event. I’m completely honored to be included in the list.

What makes this event interesting is why these people were chosen. The selection criteria is as follows:

• Be no older than 40 years of age as the date of event
• Reside or work in select Indiana counties
• Have meaningful professional accomplishments
• Positively influence others around them
• Demonstrate leadership qualities in the workplace or community

Once the committee selects 100 finalists they narrow it down from 100 to ten finalists from each industry category.

The 10 different industry categories are:  Accounting; Banking & Financial Services; Education & Nonprofit; Government; Health& Life Sciences; Law; Manufacturing, Retail & Services; Media, Entertainment & Sports; Real Estate Development & Construction; and Technology. All finalists will receive an award and the winner of each category will be announced.

This event’s proceeds go to the Junior Achievement of Central Indiana,Inc. It’s a great organization that aims to educate and inspire Indiana’s youth to value business, free enterprise and economics to improve the quality of their lives. Needless to say, this organization is important for the future leaders of our community.

Hospitality Industry Changing with Social Media

Hotels and the Hospitality industry as a whole has undergone some changes due to the rise and growth of social media. The industry has largely been changing because of  social media with the advantage and disadvantage of unfiltered feedback.  If a customer experienced a bad stay…watch out. We live in a world where an individual could make a large problem for an industry who aims to please.

People now go straight to various social sites to find good deals, customer reviews and more. Hotels have no choice but to go full speed ahead with integrating social media into their marketing efforts. Customers use their “voice” (more like a bull horn) when dealing with this industry and can be brutally honest. There are thousands of reviews to be read and hotels must listen… in order to provide the best service possible. If there are reviews out there… it is safe to say that other customers are probably reading them.  Through the use of social media hotels can now focus their efforts by reading online reviews through Facebook and Twitter versus searching all over the web.

Facebook and Twitter are also great ways to drive users to the hotel’s website. Usually potential customers are new to your brand name and can be beneficial when measuring social media success. Also, hotels can set themselves apart by showing expertise (knowledge capital). Consider setting up a blog that details trips and activities to do near or at the hotel. Customers go where they feel secure.

When it comes to the dreaded negative comment… Social Media allows hotels to act quickly and be responsive. Instead of deleting negative reviews… highlight the positive ones. After reading the first 10 positive reviews people tend to quit reading the rest anyway. Another benefit for hotels is the ability to keep tabs on what their competitor is doing. Essentially, social media has given the Hospitality industry more value when marketing their services. Instead of people questioning where to stay, hotels can now market effectively with its other sites backing up its claims.

4 Tips on Writing Great Stories for Your Brand

When telling a story how do you make it a worthwhile read? How do you captivate your audience? Reflect on your daily activities to look for life experiences to help reach and engage with your audience. How do your use your life experiences to shape your story?

One thing to keep in mind when writing your story is the focus. As storytellers we can easily go off on tangents and get distracted. Stay on track by sticking to the focus of your story. If your having trouble finding your focus then stop and think….

and think…

It’s easy to forget a fundamental key in storytelling…thinking.

After some reflection and thought the focus may come to you once the story’s been told. The focus is what the story is about…why it was told.

Ask yourself four questions when preparing your story:

1. Why does my story matter? Why are you telling your story? You think it matters but who else does? This goes hand and hand with understanding your audience and telling them a story they’d connect with… emotionally.

2.What’s the point? What’s the purpose of the story. To teach something? To share an experience that changed you? This is your focus. You should be able to define what that is with only a few words.

3.Why am I telling the story? Original content comes from people who are simply willing to tell their story not attention seekers. So what’s your motivation behind the story?

4.What does this story say about me? Does it reflect you in a good light? Does it tell you audience who you are? Does the story flow? Is there a clear understanding? You want to make your story understandable and relatable. You want to be liked but you want to leave them with something to chew on.

By answering the four basic questions… your audience may be able to make a real connection with your story and ultimately you (your brand).

Why is it important to focus? Because we want to know what the story was about.

We want to know why that story was shared.

We want to take something away from it… connect with it.

Stories are Life. Marketers are Failing.

Stories are life. Stories are built off of every day occurences and the little things that happen in life. Where did we… as marketers… go wrong when telling the story? All businesses and products are built off of a story. What is the main point of marketing… Is it fulfilling a need? Is it creating a product that actually helps an individual? Is it selling your wares… period?

A story is something that creates a safe haven for an individual. You are building a message that should be involved in the story of your customer’s life. It should (and must be) the connection that brings in additional customer and evangelists for your brand.

You want your customer to get to a place… a place where they agree with your terms and conditions. A place where they say, “Yes. I do need, want, or should have that product or service.”

A place where they approve your service and believe/know it will work for them… in any capacity.

What is the series of events that drive a person to a specific point: buying your product. What are you telling your customers? Is your story bland… Boring… Normal?

I see normal marketing everywhere. Brochures… Smiling billboards… Postcards… Facebook updates…It is normal and plain. There are no new story lines. There is nothing to pull me into the brand. The stock photography you bought in 1980 is not going to sell me on buying a house. The telemarketer that just left a message on my cell phone is not going to trick me into buying your magazine subscription.

And… the direct mail piece you just sent me asking me about my retirement plans… is definitely not going to pull me into your luncheon.

My friends and MY preferences are going to sell me on your product. I want to pull your information at MY will… at MY discretion. Notice a trend here?

It is about me… how are you speaking to me? Nay… how are you listening? Do you know what I want as an individual… are you allowing me to interact?

If you are not…

You have a long way to go… shift that paradigm and interact.

Social Media is NOT Scary. Read the Stats.

For some reason social media for business is still in question as a marketing tool. Sometimes… I feel like I’m beating a dead horse here. Individuals are still not sure whether it’s truly worth the time. Their not sure if it will actually yield desired results. However, if you are anything like me… you don’t yearn for success… you expect it. That being said social media (if used correctly) can match your expectations with little exception.

For starters, do not be scared of social media. It may bark but it will not bite. It may bite depending on where your judgement is being placed. From a marketing perspective you can look at both systems as being either negative or positive. I would like to think we are passed the point of talking about ignoring.

Although you may not understand every nuance… do not live in fear of it. The only way to conquer any fear is to face it. Therefore, learn about it. See what you can do with it and what will work for you or your company.  Here’s some stats to back this up from the blog Why Executives HATE Social Media (which I also recommend reading).

• In the last 7 years, Internet usage has increased 70% PER YEAR. Spending for digital advertising this year will be more than $25 billion and surpass print advertising spending (forever)
• Lenovo has experienced a 20% reduction in activity to their call center since they launched their community website for customers
• Blendtec quintupled sales with its “Will it Blend” series on YouTube
• Only 18% of traditional TV campaigns generate a positive ROI
• Dell has already made over $7 million in sales via Twitter
• 37% of Generation Y heard about the Ford Fiesta via social media BEFORE its launch in the US and currently 25% of Ford’s marketing budget is spent on digital/social media

(Sources for Statistics: meyersreport.com lenovosocial.com George Wright Blendtec Mashable.com econsultancy.com businessweek.com )

Social Media has clearly made it’s mark on industries all over the world.  When questioning if it’s worth the time… quickly note that Facebook alone has 500 million users not to mention Twitter is becoming a  rapidly growing source for news and insight into companies and customer interaction. When people are talking it is extremely important that you are listening as a brand. Social Media offers unsolicited feedback. By simply setting up a Twitter account for your company, department or personal brand you can receive instant and honest opinions from customers you’ve never interacted with before. The opportunity for you to cater to the needs of the customer outweigh the time spent. Customers are not dismissible. They are the fuel that keeps your company running. Therefore, time needs to be spent finding how to offer them better service and where you can improve. This is only one aspect of the many reasons  why Social Media is not a waste of time.

If your unsure of Social Media in terms of results then feel free to source the statistics from above. The tool may not launch your company into a whole new tax bracket but what it will do is create relationships. A business does not exist without relationships and without these relationships there are no tangible results.. In order to have a successful experience on social networking sites one must remember to be authentic, responsive and engaged.

If your still unsure on whether or not to implement Social Media then expect to get lost in the noise. In order to stay relevant one must stay current. Social Media may not be the answer to all your problems but if anything it will bridge the gap between the corporation and its consumers. That alone should offer value enough.

Is Email More Important than Social Networks?

The business debate rages on about email marketing and social networks (social media). Should businesses focus more attention on their social media accounts like Twitter and Facebook…or email interactions? I tend to land right in the middle. Frankly, I’m pretty tired of people just arguing for the sake of arguing. What does the customer want? How does the customer want to receive YOUR information? Sometimes businesses fall short and forget the simple age old rule: Customers First. I don’t care if you don’t want to spend time on Twitter or you think it is stupid. I don’t care if email takes way tooooo long. If a customer has subscribed to your email, follows your tweets and has liked your fan page… they must want to be contacted through these channels (maybe).  The debate continues on… which one to use… when and for what?

When deciding how to share information with your customers you must first  understand how customers view each and every channel.

According to MediaPost Publications, the majority of costumers view email as the least intrusive way for companies to engage . Customers trust email more than social networks. Period. They believe they know how to avoid being scammed in email but do not fully understand the risks in social networks. Email is also viewed as being a good source for detailed information or when looking for exclusive deals.

Facebook engagement is more for entertainment purposes. Although customers can still get information and access to deals it offers a fun, different experience with the company.

Twitter is simple and to the point. It also fosters a relationship between the brand and the customer… which can generate brand loyalty and trust.  Like the people, like the brand.

So, which reigns as king? There really is no channel that surpasses the other. However, there are channels that are more appropriately suited  for delivering different messages to the consumer.  If we can agree that Facebook is more for entertainment then let loose a little (have fun with your fans on Facebook). Email your customers when you need to share some updates or detailed information.  An email is private. Twitter is perfect for engaging in a conversation with your customers. Get to know them and let them get to know the company on a more personal level.

Customers (for the most part) haven’t changed but there communication expectations have… thanks to social media and the Internet.

Top 10 Reasons Why Social Media Marketing is Exploding

Kait is a recent college graduate, newfound entrepreneur and working on her IMBA on her spare time.  She is avidly unique and confronts life with precocity attributable to her coffee addiction.  Her passions include running, writing, the mountains and social media marketing.   Visit: KaitVinson.com or @TheRealKait

Top 10 Reasons Why Social Media Marketing is Exploding:

There has been a lot of buzz recently about the future of marketing and social media.  The emergence of social media networks and social media managers has been in astounding numbers.  I did a little research as to why this was happening at such as rapid rate and this is what I found.

HootSuite Offers New Features for Customer Interaction

There is no denying that the relationship between customers and business have changed due to the evolution of social media.. This evolution has created a new customer to business relationship. Customers aren’t only seeking interactions they are expecting it. However exciting this is, it’s difficult for a business to produce consistent  communication and spread consistent themes. This in part is due to the overwhelmingly amount of social media channels. Hootsuite, a social media dashboard, has taken notice and is ready to help.

Hootsuite has recently added new tools for businesses to better serve their customers. These tools help businesses to offer assistance, provide information relevant to its audience and socially manage campaigns.

Are you looking to find out who in your network is most influential? Hootsuite allows you to filter columns by influence score. This will show which followers are ideal for campaign candidates or are a response priority. Essentially, you can learn which followers are most beneficial to maintain for your business reach.

Are you struggling with message overload? You can focus your columns by keywords. Simply type in words that center on what’s most relevant to you and remove all the unnecessary clutter. This tool is helpful when looking to track a topic or look for prospective clients. Wanting to get to know your audience better? Hootsuite offers an “insights” tab where you get access to your contact’s social profile links, images occupations and titles all in one view.

Now let’s say your problem is tech support. Well, don’t worry anymore. Your customer service conundrums are the least of your worries with the help of Zendesk, a help desk app.

Hootsuite also offers Team Collaboration tools that help users add extensive networks. This allows you to manage you network by showing your contacts on each network while allowing you to add more on one view. If your interested in this click the Owl, go to settings, then My Organizations.

Hootsuite aims to help businesses get their messages heard, monitor conversations and track results. Now, they are offering paid plans that grant premium users access to extra features. However, users in general still have access to 95% of all Hootsuite features. The paid plans are yet to be releases but will offer unlimited social networks, unlimited RSS feeds, advanced analytics and reports and also expedited support.

Do People Use Email and Facebook?

I was scanning over the latest news on Mashable.com and came across an article that really got me thinking. The article titled,What Do You Check First: Email or Facebook?, was based on a study from ExactTarget, email and social media marketing company located in Indianapolis, IN. The article gave some interesting insight into why people choose to either check their Facebook or Email first. The article began with this line “Where you start your digital day says a lot about you…” This first line is what got the wheels in my head turning. Essentially logging on has become a necessity in starting the day Where do we go first? Twitter, Facebook, Email?

The underlying question here is how do we prioritize? Furthermore, how do we prioritize the time spent on social media sites? For instance, if our morning begins with Facebook… what does that say about us? Are we fixated on our friends or updating our profiles? Is this our priority? I’m just wondering if priorities have taken a shift since the explosion of social media. Are we afraid of what will happen if we don’t check our sites immediately every morning?

This isn’t necessarily what’s so intriguing to me. It’s the fact that social media has now become such an integrated part of our morning routine. Much like brushing your teeth or eating breakfast would be.  It is no longer an obsession or an addiction, it’s a healthy habit. Or is it?

Here’s one stat from the study that stood out to me

More than 50% of U.S. online consumers check their email before visiting other websites when they start the day.

Now the study was focused on brand interaction online and so forth….However, what does this statistic also show? That we are logging on in preparation for the day ahead. We are in a state of constant communication. Whether we are checking out the latest news, offering a digital good morning or sharing a story from last night.

We are tuned in at all times.

10 Ways to Build and Focus on Passionate Content

I was reading a post by Jay Baer titled the 14 Things I Think I Think About Social Media (Great title huh?) and one of the fourteen points hit me pretty hard.

“Social media is fueled by passion, and too many companies try to take elements of their company that aren’t passion-worthy, and attempt to build a social media program around it.”

How do you go about defining passion-worthy elements within your company? What does it mean to have passion filled content to share across the expanse of the Internet and the tools afforded through social media?

I don’t know if companies knowingly choose elements that “aren’t passion-worthy”… maybe they have no idea? They have been rooted for years in this centralized brand strategy… rooted in the belief that they (in the ivory towers) understand what makes their product or service passionate.

How do you go about creating passionate content or choosing “passion-worthy” elements within your company?

10 Ways to Build and Focus on Passionate Content

1. Tell the story of founding the company or your first week at the company. What sites and sounds did you experience? What made you love what you did that first 72 hours?

2. Tell the story of a client. Who is your best client? Who makes the world go round for your company? We all have them. Tell THEIR sorry… now THAT is passionate content.

3. Better yet.. get your client to tell the story for you! Ask your best client to write a guest post. They are the passionate user.

4. Include your own opinions and arguments about popular trends. Great writing moves people and inspires them.

5. Ask your employees what makes them passionate. Does it have to do with the overall company product or service? Heavens no! Your employees are as much of the brand as your overpriced logo on the side of your overpriced building.

6. Remember… your customers and employees are the most important part of your passion worthy content. Let them tell the story for you.

7. Great user/customer experience creates passion-worthy content. What does it feel like when an individual walks into your store? What is the experience when someone clicks through your website?

8. Check out the 4 cornerstones to creating great content from Rand (SEOmoz).

9. Keep tabs on your blog content creation guidelines. How are you creating your blog content? How are you systematically telling your story?

10. Leave no question behind your motives.  Create transparent content that elicits a response. If you have multiple writers in your company… be very sure you have a system and policy in place to allow them to write authentically.