Posted in twitter

10 comments

26/05 2009

The Black Plague of Twitter and How To Be Vaccinated

There is a black plague sweeping across the Twitter world… a force threatening to destroy the very piece of personality that we all love..The black plague fills up your inbox with dank… meaningless fodder and then throws your account into a chaotic mess. We are all infected with this disease… at least once or twice a day.

We have all experienced it.. The Hard-Sell Auto DM

The virus looks something like this:

BoyIwantMoney: Welcome, thanks for following me. Generate A Massive Following On twitter..http://www.thinkpowerfulnow…

We are just not getting to the bottom of the HS-ADM virus. Unfortunately there are some 25 million people infected with this virus on a daily basis. What are we to do? Well… let me tell you my friend… you are lucky that a vaccination has been developed to help rid you of the HS-ADM virus. We have developed a 5 step method to help. If you receive an Auto-DM that has anything to do with multi-level marketing, power juice, or building your following you 60,000… the following steps are for you.

5 Steps to Ridding Yourself of the HS-ADM Virus

1. Respond to the “infected” by replying (@BoyIwantMoney) to them in the open Twitter sphere. Make sure the world knows that they are using Auto-DM. Also make sure you are very clear to the culprit that you would appreciate them NOT using HS-ADM. This may not deter other individuals from sending an Auto-DM but it will help.

2. Send an DM back to the culprit and tell them that you do not appreciate them spreading HS-ADM and you would be grateful if they STOPPED!

3. After receiving an HS-ADM un-follow the infected IMMEDIATELY and tell them why you are un-following them.

4. Send the infected this link from TweeterBlog: Tweetlater Opt Out Instructions. And please… do it yourself.

5. Sign my Auto-DM Petition here. Click here to sign.

There are a few strands of HS-ADM that are okay. If the infected tries to sell you something via direct message… you need to enact the 5 steps. Now, if it is a welcome message that says hello and thanks for following.. it is okay… even though they are still infected. Make sure you judge accordingly.

Hopefully we will all be able to rid ourselves of the HS-ADM. If not.. God help us all.

Five Twitter Do’s and Five Twitter Don’ts (sciencetext.com)
Using Twitter as an Attraction Marketing Strategy: 4 Simple Steps (dreamteamformula.com)
A few tweets of advise to someone new to twitter: (pulverblog.pulver.com)
Pig plague and Twitter: The terrifying truth (theregister.co.uk)

Posted in indianapolis, small business, social media

2 comments

22/05 2009

Jason Falls to Visit Indianapolis to talk Social Media

Don’t forget, social media expert Jason Falls of SocialMediaExplorer.com is speaking at the Confluence NorthNetwork on Wednesday, May 27 at 3:00 pm at the Blu Martini at 96th and Gray Rd. This is a really big deal for us, because Jason is a nationally-known speaker on social media, and he’s going to be here in Indianapolis for just a few hours.

His topic will be “The Future of Social Media for Corporations.” If you’re part of a corporation or organization who’s wondering whether to get into social media, and what it’s going to look like in the next few years, this is a must-see.

Besides being a social media geek’s idol, Jason is the director of social media for Doe-Anderson, a brand-building agency in Louisville. He is also the co-founder of the Social Media Club Louisville. Jason is a widely-respected speaker at conferences and special events throughout the country. He speaks about how social media can build corporate brands, and how corporations and organizations can use social media. His blog is one of the leading blogs on the subject of social media.

Registration begins at 2:30, and Jason will begin speaking at 3:00. The cost for the event is $20, and you can purchase tickets at the Confluence website. The event will be at the Blu Martini, at 96th & Gray Rd.

Jason Falls to Speak at Special Event in Indianapolis! (kylelacy.com)
Would Advertising Offend You? (socialmediaexplorer.com)
People-Powered Louisville (beingpeterkim.com)
SMCQuestion of the Week: Popularity Contest or Relationship? (socialmediaclub.org)

Posted in Micro-Blogging, Reputation Management, Social Media Community, Social Media Expert, productivity, relationship, small business, social media marketing, social media mission

3 comments

22/05 2009

Sometimes You Should Just Walk Away and Simplify

It is important to understand when to walk away.

There has been times in my short career (3 years) where I have needed to walk away from my desk, from Twitter, from Facebook, from website design and graphic design… to just step away and re-evaluate where I was headed and where I wanted to go. We all work as hard as we can to get ahead in life and yet the best thing we can do sometimes… is to walk away.

The communication and technology worlds are creating an explosive.. fast paced world. Everyone is trying to stay on top of the trends and trying to pull ahead. I want to encourage everyone to slow down and look internally before deciding how to communicate with the external market. Sometimes you need to simplify before you maximize.

I recorded this video last year when Brandswag was still working out of my apartment. Ahhh the days of a start-up. It talks about simplifying your life in order to reconnect with why you started your business or job in the first place.

Please ignore the spray can in the back.. behind my head.

How do we overcome obscurity in this age of abundance? (ac-idealog.blogspot.com)
Twitter is our id, Facebook is our Ego (informationarbitrage.com)
Words Of Wisdom For Twitter: Integrate Facebook Connect (allfacebook.com)
Why Twitter is the better Facebook (jenslapinski.wordpress.com)

Viral Marketing, social media, social networking, twitter

3 comments

21/05 2009

29,000 Reasons To Use Video for Social Media Marketing

According to Mashable there are 20 hours of video uploaded every minute to Youtube.

Hold on one second.. Let me rephrase that for you.

Approximately 29,000 hours of online video content are uploaded to YouTube every.. single.. day.

This rising trend in uploading of video content is showing a transition with how people are communicating. We are demanding more visually stimulating information other than the blog posts, twitter tweets, and facebook messages. The truth of the matter is this…

You are not going to be uploading video to YouTube in hopes of people searching for and finding the content inside of the site… You are going to be uploading the content to YouTube in order to broadcast it on other communication mediums (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIN, Myspace, and more importantly.. your website).

So what is the best way for a business to use online video? There are two steps:

1. Find a video production company that can help with filming your video or buy a Flip Cam and record it yourself.

2. Call your best clients and ask them if you can feature them on your website.

Get your clients excited about becoming referral sources for your business and use video to push that message. We are stimulated by the visual representation of the emotion WE want to feel.. Give your potential clients that feeling.

Getting Started With Social Media Technologies (slideshare.net)
Connecting Up Hs Sm To Engage (slideshare.net)
How To Optimize Your Social Media Data Flow for All Networks (slideshare.net)
Twitter surged pass Digg, LinkedIn and NYTimes – and that’s just visits to its website (isiria.wordpress.com)

Social Media Community, Social Media Expert, blogging, small business, social media, social media marketing, social media mission

28 comments

20/05 2009

10 Reasons You Should Not Be On Social Media

I have been researching, reading, and listening for awhile now to the small business world in regards to social media and blogging. There are plenty of business owners and professionals in the world who accept social media as a new form of communications… and plenty who do not.

I decided to write a small guide for business owners to gauge whether or not they should be in social media.

10 Reasons You Should Not Be on Social Media As a Business

1. You would rather not change your business model of communication. You are content with direct mail and email marketing. You are right, they will be around in 5 years.

2. The only computer you have in your office is the black and green screen MAC.

3. You purchased a dial-up modem to “save money.”

4. You are still struggling with the reply and forward functions in e-mail.

5. You are convinced that the only people using social media are college kids and pot smokers.

6. You feel that the newspaper is still a valuable form of advertising.

7. You designed your logo in powerpoint or publisher and all brochures were designed in the same programs.

8. When asked about time commitment you whine about an extra 30 mins a day to grow your business.

9. Your website was designed pre-2005 and has not been updated.

10. You find that building “trust” in a marketplace is a waste of time.

If you fit any of the following criteria… do me a favor and stay off social media.

The Enduring Newspaper: Advertisers still bullish on print (financialpost.com)
Social Media Ad Buy Standards Released (marketingpilgrim.com)
How powerful is your social media? (christopherspenn.com)
The One Way to Be Successful at Social Media (kylelacy.com)
What is the first question you often get asked about your business? (insights-group.com)

My Life, blogging, social media

7 comments

19/05 2009

Ranked #183 of Top 200 Social Media Blogs

Sometimes you just need a little pick me up. I received it last night when I got word I was listed as number 183 of 200 top social media blogs on the Internet. You have to look under the top 100 to download the 200 list. Still makes me feel good though. ha.

Shameless self-promotion isn’t so bad if you do it less than promoting others. Kind of funny after my post this morning.

Here is the link to the list: Top 200 Social Media Blogs

Marketing, Public Relations, customer evangelist, social media, social media marketing

4 comments

19/05 2009

10 Steps To Turning Customers into Evangelists Using Social Media

Yesterday we talked about the value of turning customers into evangelists when using social media. I wanted to give you a few pointers on how to accomplish the task.

25 Steps to Turning Customers into Evangelists Using Social Media

1. First. Make sure you prepare yourself for the focused effort of turning happy customers to loyal promoters and evangelists. Prepare your mind. Maybe yoga?

2. You have an email list right? Use your email list to make sure you are connected to your customers on the social sites you use frequently.

Importing and Exporting Contacts Using:

Facebook, LinkedIN, Twitter, and Plaxo.

3. After you have imported your contacts into the social media sites of your choosing… make sure you add and contact them through the sites.

4. Once you have connected to most of your customers start communicating on a daily basis with them. We are not talking about sending sales information or product information but asking about their day… etc.

5. Create a list of your high level and value customers. It helps to have a list in place to set some goals toward customer evangelists. Start out with 5 people or companies.

6. Set up Twitter Searches for your valued client’s industries or services. For example, if you have an accountant as a valued client make sure you setup a Twitter search feed for accountant or tax advice. When someone ask for advice make sure you reccomend your client.

Disclaimer: You do not have to always monitor the Twitter search but it is good to have around. I know we all have about 5 mins of free time a day.

7. If the client has an event or seminar coming up in the area make sure you share that link with the multitudes of your followers online.

Share it as an RT in Twitter

Share it on your Facebook Wall

Share it as a status update on LinkedIN

8. Recommend your client on LinkedIN. Why recommend on LinkedIN? It is simple. If you want recommended by a client on LinkedIN it is always better to recommend first. Do it and see the benefits.

9. Share an exciting story about your client’s business to your contacts. It is important to share the quality information even if it does not relate you your business.

10. Ask for the recommendation. It never hurts to ask. Encourage your best clients and friends to tell YOUR story across the masses.

Remember it is important to give before you receive. If you help your clients become thought leadership in their industries or grow their business using the Internet they WILL become your evangelists.

Corporate Strategy, Micro-Blogging, Social Strategy, customer service, small business, social media, social networking, twitter

1 comment

18/05 2009

Redefining Your Customers with Social Media

There are many applications for social media when it comes to your business. We can talk about everything from content sharing, increase of qualified search traffic, or content creation. There is still one way that ranks in the top 5 reasons to use social media…

Turning Your Customers into Evangelists

We all hear the term… customer evangelists and to be honest, we have no idea what that truly means. Social media tools and the medium itself has finally created a way to truly reap the benefits of global communication with your best clients and friends.

You have the ability to use social media to empower your customers. You are creating a medium that turns your customers into the sounding board for your business story… and ultimately your business growth.

The next time you start to define your social media marketing plan… remember to include turning your customers into evangelists… one link at a time.

How powerful is your social media? (christopherspenn.com)
Distributed Storytelling: Waxing Philosophical With Bad Metaphors (themodernjournalist.com)
Social Gets Local: Annie E. Casey Foundation (graymatterminute.com)
Social Media Rules For Journalists (avc.com)
Top 3 ways to get that social media project you always dreamed of. (directmarketingobservations.com)

Social Media Community, Social Strategy, social media marketing, social networking

6 comments

18/05 2009

The 4-Touch Points of Productivity in Social Media

This is an old post that I have re-formatted because it still fits in with small business social media and social media strategy.

—-

Use the 4-Points Model to be Productive in Social Media

When using social media you should keep in mind the 4-points model. There are 4 points social media applications should touch in regards to your daily life: Business, Local Business Networking, Social, and Information. Choose four main networks where you spend the most of your time.

I use LinkedIn for business applications, Smaller Indiana for local business networking, Facebook for social application, and Twitter for information. LinkedIn can be described as my connection rolodex. Facebook is to keep me updated on my friends and acquaintances from college and high school. FriendFeed is a wonderful information aggregation tool where you can follow influential people and the information they share. Smaller Indiana is a great place to connect to local professionals and share ideas on how to make Indiana a better place.

We have rounded out the four touch points to a more “proactive” arrangement: Business Interaction, Business Productivity, Social Development, and Education/Information. An example of each can be seen below:

Are We Less Social With Social Media? (socialmediatoday.com)
#1 Reason Why Small Biz Should Use Social Media (kylelacy.com)
Facebook Isn’t For Your Kids Anymore (kylelacy.com)
If your friends told you to do something, would you? (insights-group.com)

Marketing, social media

0 comments

15/05 2009

Amplifying Human Desire with Social Media

What do all marketers strive for when creating a campaign? Is it a creative ad? Of course. Is it a funny jingle? Sometimes. Is it a memorable moment? They try.

Overall all else… marketers live and breathe for the opportunity to create a campaign that will move people. It is moving you to action through the drive of emotion… We all try to reach that point of peaking human desire.

Meeting with clients and potential clients today I was moved by their desire and pure drive for their companies to succeed. They were thrilled with the concept of creating a campaign that drove the base of human emotion.. something that thrilled to the point of action.

Social media brings a new platform that encourages the pursuit of that emotional campaign. In all honesty it IS THE PLATFORM to create this thrill.

There is no other medium on earth that allows for the human connection quite like social media. You can drive evangelists of your product to bring others to your door in a fraction of a second.You can encourage individuals all over the world to communicate and help… make.. your service or product better.

How are you encouraging communication between current and potential clients? Isn’t it about time to start?