Blubbering Blogger

Today’s guest post is by Melissa Mattingly. Melissa is a graduate from Depauw University in 2007 and works for the Indianapolis Convention & Visitors Association in the membership department. She is a cheer coach at Speedway High School and lives within walking distance to the Indy 500 withhusband Eric, and crazy mutt, Knuckles.

It takes me approximately 4 minutes to decide what I want to order when I go to McDonalds even though the dollar menu is probably my favorite “cookbook.” Sit me down in a fancy restaurant; you can bump it up to 15. Put me in a department store fitting room and you’d think I might have been taken hostage. Holy cow, it can take me an hour to decide what I (@MelMatto if you’re interested) should tweet!  Ask me to write a post about social media and the blog might be extinct by the time I’m done. Alright, I’m not that bad – but when Kyle said my timeframe for completion was “as soon as possible…450 words or less” I almost fainted.

Within this past year I thought I really wanted to start a blog. The problem I ran into is that I didn’t know why. Was it just for myself? Was I hoping to throw insight to helpless followers? I didn’t know what I wanted out of it and I still feel like that should be rule #1 when starting a blog. If you can’t even fill out the “about” section how are you suppose to have a successful blog?  I know some people just wing it and as the blog ages, it grows into something with meaning – but I’m way too OCD for that. I’m more of a step-by-step kind of gal. Give me a recipe; I’ll bake you a cake. Give me instructions; I’ll build the best Lego castle you’ve ever seen. But simply throwing food and Lego’s at me will only result in one colorful, crunchy lump of dough.

I even went as far as creating a page (seen here) but never started because I knew when I started I would have to keep up with it and what if I ran out of ideas? What if – gasp! – no one cared what I had to say but my mom. Most importantly, does the web really need another blogger? Does the web really need another so called “professional” to give their opinion on a topic they may have minute experience with? I remember around 10 years ago when the only bloggers were tweens with an open heart diary. Now there are so many conflicting opinions to process it’s turning into a psychological disease. “Information Overload,” according to Wikipedia, states: “As the world moves into a new era of globalization, an increasing number of people are connecting to the Internet to conduct their own research and are given the ability to produce as well as consume the data accessed on an increasing number of websites. Users are now classified as active users because more people in society are participating in the Digital and Information Age. This flow has created a new life where we are now dependent on access to information. Therefore we see an information overload from the access to so much information, almost instantaneously, without knowing the validity of the content and the risk of misinformation. When the individual is plunged into a fast and irregularly changing situation or a novelty-loaded context … his predictive accuracy plummets. He can no longer make the reasonably correct assessments on which rational behavior is dependent.”

Now again, Wikipedia (in a sense) could be seen as another blogger so maybe this statement has no warrant to some of you but where does it stop? I’m proud to be an American and believe in free speech to its’ fullest but can blogging dumb people down? Does it cause people to rely too much on what others say instead of making their own decisions? I, for one, honestly don’t have any answers. But if I do – maybe that would be a good topic to start my blog.

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Social Media Creates TRUE Networking

I have talked at length about the value of combining your offline and online networking. I have been believer in the absolute value of social networking sites being the pinnacle of true networking… the pinnacle of creating a valuable relationship between two people.

I was reading a post at the Winnepeg Sun called The Re-Wired Generation. Although this article was written about the Internet driven Generation Y it had an excerpt from University of Toronto sociology professor, Berry Wellman:

“Far from replacing face to face time and breeding a generation of reclusives, Facebook and Twitter are actually enhancing interpersonal relationships offline…

The Internet is complementing, continuing and maintains relationships,” he said. “It’s letting weaker relationships stay in contact.”

There was a time in the business world where you would meet individuals at networking events and forget them the next day. The faces and names would be categorized into a business card pile and shoved into a dark desk drawer. This “networking for forgetting” has been all but erased if the two people are connected on a social media platform  like LinkedIn. The personal development between an individual and their client is based on touch-points. The more touch-points you have with a person the greater the relationship (we would like to think so). The essence of social media is built around the touch-points on the Internet. Can you connect to prospect using LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook? The wealth of information given to you in a single sitting is exponential!

Instead of dismissing social media and using the old forms of communication. Try developing your weaker business or personal relationships using an online model. You may be pleasantly surprised.

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B2B Marketing through Social Media and Blogging

What is the one thing that comes up time and time again in our educational sessions at Brandswag? B2B use of social media. I have heard plenty of reasons why social media could not… should not.. be used to sell the B2B world.

What do many B2B companies do right now for marketing? Direct Mail? Newspaper Advertising? E-Newsletters? Many of the outbound forms of marketing still work for B2B sales but blogging (in my mind) has taken a mainstream stance when building trust and thought-leadership in a specific industry.

There are some truths to the thought that content can build trust between individuals. Many of us look at B2B marketing as fundamentally different from B2C marketing. Honestly….. (in my humble opinion) there is hardly any difference.

We are selling to people.

Business to business based companies are still selling to people. The CEO of a distribution company is still a person despite the fact he deals with companies instead of an individual.

If you are sitting at the helm in a B2B company remember to start a blog that contains content, daily interactions, client thoughts/opinions and industry news. Your purpose is to create an informational powerhouse that keeps people reading…

And involved them in your story… your brand… your legacy.

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140 Bite Sized Ideas to Help Your Business

I have been searching for books that contain leadership information and content that I can use on Twitter when it comes to sharing information about leading companies. Kevin Eikenberry, renowned author and speaker, recently sent me a Twitter book that fulfilled all my desires. The book is called #LeadershipTweet and is filled to the brim with noteworthy leadership quotes to get me through the day. (I’m not kidding… I did love the book). I thought I would write a brief review of the book while listing some of the leadership tweets he has documented over the past couple of years.

The book breaks down into 4 sections plus a short foreword by the one and only, Chris Brogan. The sections include leadership actions, thoughts, inspiration, and how we can learn from one another to become better leaders.

I wanted to list 15 of my favorite leadership tweets from the book.

1. Remarkable leaders translate vision into reality

2. People don’t resist change; they resist being changed

3. Want better ideas? Create MORE ideas

4. Strive to be a leader who learns and a learner who leads

5. Remarkable leaders have formed a habit of doing things that average leaders don’t like to do

6. Remarkable leaders are willing to make bold decisions

7. Make a choice to make a different. Make a choice to lead

8. Great listening starts with an open heart and a curious mind

9. Your belief in someone’s potential is the first step towards helping them develop it

10. Be authentic–you will be a more successful leader (and person)

11. Remarkable leaders are network builders

12. Remarkable leaders are accountable for their actions

13. Remarkable leaders communicate with others in a way that is best for the other person

14. Remarkable learders communicate powerfully through stories.

15. Resistance is energy that leaders use to move change forward.

As you can already tell… the book is packed full of great ideas for leadership for 2010! You should definitely go check out the book. Follow this link to read thoughts, ideas, and inspiration from Kevin Eikenberry and the world of Twitter!

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Brandswag featured in the Oklahoma City Journal Record

It may be a surprise to many people that my company… Brandswag has an office in Oklahoma City. The OKC Office is managed by my business partner, Brandon Coon. I am excited to announce that Brandswag is being featured in the Oklahoma City Journal today. Thank you so much to the individuals who have helped us grow in the Oklahoma City market. We could not have done it without you!

Social media marketers tagged for ‘Dummies’

OKLAHOMA CITY – Starting and maintaining a business in today’s world is brave entrepreneurship. Writing a book in the middle of that process is icing on the cake.

Kyle Lacy and Brandon Coon started BrandSwag, a social media marketing firm, in 2007. Just when they’d gotten their feet wet, the Dummies came calling. The line of books touting expertise in a digestible format wanted a Twitter Marketing for Dummies tome, and Lacy won the contract. In six short weeks, he wrote the book, which will ship to bookstores in two weeks.

Lacy, CEO of BrandSwag, heads the Indianapolis office of the company, and Coon, president, oversees the Oklahoma City office. The Dummies project was too good to pass up because its content came straight from their business strategy.

“It’s hard for me to say that everyone already knows what social media marketing means. In reality, I’m part of the minority,” Lacy said. “But this book doesn’t dumb it down; it makes it easier to learn and apply to what you’re doing in your business life.”

Lacy signed a contract to write Twitter Marketing for Dummies, but BrandSwag also plans to buy the books wholesale and resell them, Lacy said. More than financial gain, however, the book is about brand power, he said.

“It adds instant credibility to us as business owners, especially as young 25- and 26-year-olds,” Lacy said.

To read the rest of the article… click here: Oklahoma City Social Media Marketers’ tagged for Dummies

Talk About Who You Are Not What You Do

It can seem pretty simple right?

Talk about who you are… how you go about your daily routine… how YOU sell your product, service, or brand…

It seems fairly simple.. and yet.. it is one of the harder things for entrepreneurs and sales professionals. I am speaking from experience here! It is so hard to write about yourself instead of your industry. An industry is proven. An industry has research reports, professional opinions, and hundreds of pages of content.

There is only one of YOU… which is the point of this blog post.

There are millions of individuals in your business… in your industry. A portion of the individuals are writing content to spread over the many corners of the web. They are writing about the same thing… over and over… and over… and over again. Where do you differentiate yourself? How do you write and distribute content that will stand out.. that will drive business?

I will always resort back to the line inspired by Getting To Yes!: Customers are people first. People buy from people. Remember that they next time you sit down to write a blog post.

Write about what you do! There is only one of you… and thousands of them.

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10 Ways to Stand Out from the Crowd and Win

In today’s turbulent economy it is extremely important for every business (both large and small) to stand out from the crowd. Brand awareness is huge in the competitive world. It is no longer good enough to deliver a superior product or customer service experience…. you need to be known as well.

How do you use the tools on the Internet (mainly social media) to increase your brand awareness and drive the competition into oblivion? And by oblivion I mean… the junkyard of dead businesses.

1. Start a Blog

In my opinion, starting a blog is the center point to all marketing activity online. If you are going to be spending time in social media it is extremely important that you have a central location for all of your content. People want to connect with you on a completely different level once you have started the communication process. Use WordPress to start a blog. When writing content it is important to schedule blog posts ahead in order to be completely successful at managing your time.

2. Develop An Outstanding Identity

Branding is huge when standing out from your competition. If your logo and brand identity have a unique twist from a quality design firm… you will be able to reap the rewards.

3. Use a Flip Cam to Record Customer Testimonials

Flip cam is a unique video camera that allows you to record up to 60 minutes of high-quality HD footage. The Flip cams are small enough they can be taken anywhere… anytime. You never know when you might have the chance to record a customer or an employee talking about your company. Upload the videos to YouTube and play them on your website.

4. Start a Referral Program with your Current and Past Customers

5. Tell stories about your daily routine

Many customers (both potential and current) want to learn about your company from the actual individuals running and working behind the brand. Tell stories about the daily encounters inside the firm. Did you have a trip to a local amusement park? Did an employee win a race or a exhibition league championship? Business is personal again.. now is the time to shift the way you communicate with the world.

6. Create a Facebook FanPage to Showcase Your Ideas to Your Fans

Facebook FanPages are amazing tools withing Facebook that will add onto the human capital value of your company. Ben McConnell from the Church of the Customer gives an excellent idea surrounding Facebook FanPage marketing:

When fans interact with a fan page on Facebook, that interaction is sent through the fan’s news feed, which goes to all their friends, practically daring a chunk of them to see what the page is about.

7. Use Email Marketing to Stay in Front of Prospects

Email Marketing is not dead and it will give you an edge over the competition if done right. I will leave this up to the professionals over at Delivera: If You are Going to Win. You Have to Play the Game!

8. Sponsor a Tweetup or Social Media Meetup

I know.. I know.. Tweetup sounds like a complete GEEK fest! If can be a huge source of potential clients depending on your demographic. There are many small business and c-level employees who have started to attend Tweetups. I have yet to see a local Tweetup sponsored by a company. If you are wondering how many Twitter users are in your general area try Twellowhood.

9. Fully Utilize LinkedIN Recommendations

In my opinion there is nothing more powerful than a LinkedIN recommendation. Why is that? You can only get so real (other than video) in the world of the Internet. A LinkedIN recommendation gives your happy customers the ability to give you the KUDOS your company deserves.

10. Encourage Your Sales Team to Use Social Media for Lead Generation

Driving Leads Through Facebook and Twitter Seminar

Brandswag will be hosting a seminar dedicated to teaching the fundamentals of increasing lead generation and MAKING MORE MONEY on Twitter and Facebook.

You’ve heard the buzz around the micro-blogging site Twitter and the social networking site Facebook… but now is the time to make it work for your business! We will teach you how to intimately use 5 of the main key tools of both Twitter and Facebook. You will learn how to create and facilitate relationships with your current and potential clients!

Other tips you will learn:

• How to increase your close rate using Twitter, Facebook, and social media
• How to drive an increase in lead generation using social media
• Make more money… period.

You will be able to leave the meeting and apply the concepts that very day!

Sell by Educating Through Social Media

Seth Godin had a great blog post yesterday talking about the fear of apples and the top two reasons people are not buying your product:

1. They don’t know about it.

2. They’re afraid of it.

Haven’t we been dealing with fear quite a bit this year? If you are a sales person (which most small business owners are) you may have seen the effects of this fear on your bottom line. The down economy has been killing the “risk-taking” gene of many professionals from corporate level employee to small business owner. The “risk-taking” gene is that diamond in the rough that allows for business to exist… to flourish. It reminds me on the William Shedd quote: A ship is safe in harbor, but that’s not what ships are for.

Are your clients clamming up? Are potential customers not buying because they do not know about your product or service…. or they are just… afraid?

Companies that use social media for lead generation and product information have a huge advantage over the companies that do not use the tools. Social media gives you the ability to inform your potential clients on products with stories! What better way to inform?

Be honest with me… would you rather read a story or boring product/service information?

I would rather read a story… every… single… time.

What stories are you telling your clients?What about your potential clients? Do you have a blog where you are writing your business stories? The marketing for your business should read like a book… a book of stories… a book where your potential leads learn about your company.

When the time comes to buy on a product or service… who do you think they are going to call? You or the business who doesn’t care about educating through stories?

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Quantify and then Qualify Your Social Media Relationships

Corvida has an awesome post on Chris Brogan’s blog called Decreasing Our Connections While Increasing Our Networks. The basic rundown of the post (which you should go read) is her exasperation over the amount of “friends” she has over various networks and the lack of a deeper and real connection. This conversation surfaces quite a bit when I am speaking to groups of people about social media. Where do you draw the line on relationship building in the social media environment?

From the post:

Maybe growth on some of these networks isn’t the best thing in the world. Should there be self-imposed limits on how many people you befriend? No because in the end, while your network growth may increase, your connection with your network still increases. However, the rate at which the connection can increase actually decreases. Did that make sense? Unless your friends are constantly questioning you or keeping tabs on you, it’s going to take a lot longer to make deeper connections the more your network grows.

We have been talking a lot about creating deeper relationships through social media. When you are adding hundreds of people on networks like Twitter, Facebook, and other networks it is hard to make the same connection as before! I wrote recently about turning friends, followers, and subscribers into a deeper connection. After all the purpose of sharing in a community driven environment should be relationship building whether for business or personal use.

The question has been presented: How do you take the massive amount of users on social networks and par them down to create meaningful relationships online? Quantify and Qualify.

Quantifying Your Social Media Experience

There are some networks where a huge following is necessary to gain the full experience of the site. Some would argue that Twitter is the site to use for a massive follower base. I am still torn over the notion of having a huge amount of followers on any site. I tend to use Facebook and Twitter to quantify my follower based. I want people to experience my personal side . Quantifying in a social media world basically means I gain an increased quality of experience based on the quantity of the people I am following.

Qualifying Your Social Media Experience

I qualify my niche networks in social media. I have found that I have an increase in quality without necessary having a huge quantity of followers on my geographically direct communities. Smaller Indiana and LinkedIN have been my niche quality sites for my social media experience. Smaller Indiana is a geographically located social network for people in Indiana. And for LinkedIN? I only tend to add people I have met in an offline environment on LinkedIN. My niche networks tend to be the place where there is a direct form of quality conversations.

How do you manage your networks? Do you find you get more or less quality based on the quantity of your friends or subscribers?

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