Category Archives: Social Media

posted by Cathy

Aug 03, 2011 @ 5:12pm

Spotify: A Reason for Hope in the World

Between 24-hour news cycles and the sorry economy and the terrifying and distasteful catfight over the debt ceiling, it’s no wonder many people are feeling a bit downtrodden. I’ve been thinking a bit about that lately and want to offer this different perspective:

I find something new to be excited about every single day.

Today it’s spotify.com, an on demand digital music service with more than 15 million tracks you can play instantly on your computer, your cell phone or your home audio system—for free. The service is supported by all the major labels, so there are not many content gaps. You can build your own playlists, see what your friends are listening to, and maintain your account via cloud so it can travel with you.

How extraordinary is it that we live in world in which a music library of 15 million tracks is available at the click of a button, wherever you are?

It’s the same in this business. In the old days (last year?), our work was all about interruption. But today, the toolbox is filled with countless options for actually creating connection.

Think about that for a moment. Whether you are a nonprofit or a marketer or a business owner looking at this from the side of brand, or an individual looking at it from the side of the consumer (and we’re all both at one time or another, aren’t we?), connection is a wonderful goal with a consequential outcome. Connection offers a meaningful exchange—and getting a bit dramatic, but still— isn’t connection the point of life?

I’m excited, everyday, to find new ways to connect brands and causes to the people who will embrace them, to those whose lives will be enhanced because of the connection. I think it’s one of the most beautiful things about our world right now.

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posted by Apprentices

Jun 28, 2011 @ 3:00pm

Moe’s and Social Media: The Fast-Casual Options

Working with our client, Moe’s Southwest Grill, has helped convert me into a social media believer. Moe’s has a very distinct brand identity. Their messaging is very tongue-in-cheek, pop culture affluent and slightly irreverent. They remain popular with the school-age crowd, but are tailor-made for families with young mothers, who appreciate the fun while keeping it family friendly. All of this means social media is the perfect avenue for Moe’s to communicate with its customer base. Social media is decidedly informal and playful, and lends itself to instantaneity.

We help keep Moe’s highly active on the social media front, posting witty (well, depending on who you ask), timely updates not just for the purpose of advertising a daily special or promotion, but to stay top of mind and engaged with our audience. Customers typically respond very well. In Columbia, we’ve cultivated a fan base of nearly 13,000 followers, many who respond to our posts and proclaim their affection for the Moe’s brand. It makes sense: the young, social-media affluent, typical Facebook and Twitter user falls in line precisely with the Moe’s customer base. It’s a match made in heaven. And when something does interrupt the love-fest—say an unpleasant dining experience or an unredeemed coupon—we can receive feedback, pass it along to store managers, and remedy the situation at the blink of an eye, a speed only accessible with social media. No need for customer complaint cards, 1-800 hotlines or formal corporate responses. We acknowledge the error, fix it at once and compensate the affected party for their trouble.

While Facebook and Twitter fit Moe’s like a glove, social media is not the most suitable means of communication for all brands. I see car dealership commercials lately encouraging viewers, “Follow us on Twitter!” or, “Like us on Facebook!” I appreciate the effort to get with the times, but buying lunch and financing a car are two different things entirely, requiring completely separate levels of seriousness. Facebook has never been admired for its formality. A brand selling big-ticket items needs to acknowledge this truth and realize Facebook and Twitter do not lend the necessary gravity their services require. To these brands I recommend: stick to traditional media. But to those existing in a more playful market niche: embrace social media. It is not a trend or passing fad. It is the principal tool of the new consumer—informed, empowered and opinionated—and it will serve you well as a means of engaging your customer base for years to come.

–Pete Anderson

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posted by Apprentices

Jun 16, 2011 @ 1:56pm

Social Strategy: Make Yourself Useful

Last month, I jetted off to the West coast to explore Portland for a long weekend. I didn’t stay at a hotel. Instead, I rented my accommodations from Airbnb, an online service that allows regular individuals to rent their private residences to travelers. There are a number of reasons to choose Airbnb over a traditional hotel when traveling, but here’s the most appealing to me: its innately social nature makes traveling a totally different experience.

The experience varies with the host, but generally, Airbnb hosts (and guests) are interested in sharing highly personalized recommendations. In Portland, I got to stay in the heart of the city, with people who know the city intimately. They pointed us to the best food trucks in town, gave us an insider’s tour of the Oregon coast, and chatted with us over locally roasted espresso. It was a pretty perfect introduction to Airbnb. I’d recommend both my Portland host and Airbnb to my friends. But let’s say a casual college acquaintance of mine decides to visit Portland next year. I probably won’t even know she’s going, so I won’t be able to tell her where to stay in Portland. Enter Airbnb’s latest smart decision: Airbnb Social Connections.

Now, when you browse Airbnb, you can choose to link your Facebook profile to Airbnb search. Instantly, Airbnb will generate a list of accommodations that are personally connected to you. You can view fascinating connections like hosts who are friends of your friends, places your friends have stayed, or people who attended your alma mater. I linked my profile and found the results amazing. I was connected to people I have never met in Barcelona, San Francisco, and more—all via my real life Facebook friends. Genius.

This was a brilliant move by Airbnb because, most importantly, it adds a layer of trust to the search for accommodations, an element that’s missing for first-timers. But more than just putting wary travelers at ease, Social Connections was a good decision because it’s social in all the right ways. Rather than just yammering about themselves on Twitter or Facebook, Airbnb’s social strategy focuses on the people who are actually using their brand.

Integrating Facebook to Airbnb search is smart marketing because it quietly encourages people to travel more while raising Airbnb brand awareness. However, what makes Social Connections so great is that it actually benefits consumers. It’s a social networking function that makes using Airbnb easier. And when your social strategy is about making people better at something they want to be better at, you’re headed in a good direction. If you want to build a strong social network of brand champions, stop focusing on the latest gimmicks to attract more followers. Instead, ask yourself: how can our brand add value to our fans’ lives? Then get busy on that.

Airbnb, you’re doing it right. Let’s all take notes.

 

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posted by Apprentices

May 10, 2011 @ 4:29pm

The Magic Happens in the Audience

Over a recent lunch with my coworkers, the subject of social media came up. Since we’re all young enough to be classified as digital natives, I was surprised to find they were somewhat disillusioned with social media. “Most of it feels like someone sat down, wrote a bunch of stuff, fired it off, and hoped someone would ‘Like’ it,” one coworker said.

I know what he means. In this world of likes and followers, it’s easy to focus your efforts on numbers. You can measure network growth and plot it neatly in a spreadsheet. Sure, gaining fans and followers is validating. “Look, they like us!”  But before you grab your megaphone and starting broadcasting marketing copy (nicely packaged in 140 characters), consider this: what is the value of your social network? If you have 5,000 Facebook fans or 500 Twitter followers, but they remain largely unengaged (they only liked you for that free pizza deal anyway), your social success is over-valued.

Scrolling through my personal Twitter stream a few days ago, I stumbled across this little gem from the always-smart Seth Simonds:

He reminded me what makes social media magical. It’s not the fact that it’s free, or that it’s “easy” (hah), or that it’s a fantastic tool for reaching a lot of people in real-time. Social media is powerful because it’s interactive. It moves brands from monologue to conversation. New Economy Consumers—especially members of the Millennial generation—expect brands to be authentic. So stop churning out marketing copy. Brands are like people, complete with individual personalities, voice, and habits of expression. Give your audience a chance to get to know you by getting to know them.

You don’t develop real life relationships by rattling off a rote stream of information about yourself. You strengthen your connection over time, through a steady exchange of ideas. When you’re building relationships with people, you pay attention to them. You ask them questions. You talk to them about things they find interesting or meaningful. You listen. You make yourself available. This is the definition of a great social strategy.

Bowers & Wilkins, maker of quality home theater, hi-fi, and personal audio products, recently jumped into the deep blue waters of Twitter as @BWNorthAmerica. To build their network, they’re currently running a giveaway, requiring Twitter users to respond to a question and include “@BWNorthAmerica” in their tweet. This is a pretty standard strategy for launching a social network, but here’s what makes them different and delightful: They’re asking people “What are you listening to right now?”, and when they get a response, they follow up with another question, a personalized recommendation, or a thoughtful remark. They’re communicating authentic interest in the people who are talking to them. You can check out the conversation over here.

Back to those 5,000 pizza-lovin’ Facebook fans. What is their favorite kind of pizza? Maybe you should ask them. And then tell them yours.

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posted by Guests

Mar 03, 2011 @ 4:56pm

The Social Media Starter Guide

First Five Things You Can Do to Start Off on the Right Foot

Anyone can open a Facebook page or Twitter account, but far too often, we see companies and organizations do this for all the wrong reasons. Consumers can sniff out a marketer from a mile away, and as soon as they figure out your game, you’re toast…hidden from the news feed, unliked, unfollowed, or even blocked. So what is a marketer to do in this new economy where consumers have the power to choose the information they consume? Here are a few tips I’ve figured out along the way from the front lines.

1. Look at Him, Look at Her, Then Look at Me
First things first, don’t market yourself all the time. Start your Facebook page and Twitter account, but have a microblogging strategy first. Microblogging is the art of promoting others’ articles and links in your news feeds. No one has the time to blog original material every day, so stay in the news feed by positioning yourself as a go-to resource and expert in your field by reading industry publications and sharing the best stories with your audience. Your followers will then be much more likely to click on your links when you slide in your own occasional campaign promotion.

2. Your Foundation = Your Resources
Use Twitter hashtags to find relevant conversations going on in your industry category. You will find the best-of-the-best twitters, bloggers, and news sources out there. Follow them. Retweet them. Share their articles in your Facebook page’s newsfeed. Build your blogroll so you will always have a foundation of resources to fall back on, and microblog from it regularly.

3. List It to Keep Up with It
You can easily begin to drown in social media once you are following 500 people on Twitter, have 1,000 Facebook friends and 2,000 Linkedin connections. Begin building lists to keep up with everything. In Twitter, I typically have a list of industry experts I follow, online influencers I reach out to, and media professionals I follow to nurture PR relationships. In Facebook, I have my list of “Real Friends,” “Professional Friends,” “Social Media Experts” and more. Lists help filter your newsfeed information by what is most important to you at the time.

4. Online Influencers Are Real People
Social media networks are simply real networks on steroids. They should not be used to replace real relationships, but they can be used to nurture them. The quickest way to make something go viral is to have others share it, so develop a handful of good relationships with real people who have a large social media reach, and enlist them to help you spread the word about your next campaign.

5. The Hook
I once suggested a Facebook page to over 1,000 of my friends, and it resulted in three new page likes. Not a very good conversion rate. Then, we slapped a creative competition with a great incentive on it, and voila… 500 new Facebook likes. Always, always, always ask yourself, “What’s in it for them?” If you answer that question well, you have the hook you need to see better results.

~ Keely Saye

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posted by Apprentices

Feb 17, 2011 @ 3:00pm

A Roadmap for Twitter

Here’s what I won’t tell you: be human.

If you’re reading this, I guarantee you’ve been advised to “be human” before—and really, how helpful is advice that obvious?  I’d rather tell you some things I’ve learned about Twitter along my journey.

When I started at Riggs Partners, my boss and mentor (that’s @cathymonetti to you) handed me the @RiggsPartners Twitter account and told me to go. After several months of developing, curating, and managing content for our agency’s contributions to the Twittersphere, I can say it’s been an educational road trip. We’ve got good destinations in sight, so I thought I’d share my road map for professional Twitter accounts with you (do forgive the coffee rings):

Establish the purpose.

If you’re ready to claim your Twitter handle and get going, pause. What is your purpose for opening this channel of social media? Anything worth doing has a purpose. Before you start firing off tweets, make sure that Twitter fits into your organization’s marketing strategy—and determine how it will strengthen that strategy.

Consider your audience.

This is the most important lesson you can learn: your Twitter account is not about you.  Critically evaluate your target audience and provide content that will be meaningful and relevant to them.  Or, as my friend Grant says, “Twitter is not your diary.”

Cultivate your voice.

Most likely, one or two people at most will be constructing/managing your tweets. It’s important that those tweets reflect the company in style, content, and tone. For us, this means striking a balance between tweeting original content, interesting/thoughtful links, and peeks into our world. What is unique about the things you say and the way you say them? Find that sweet spot and park.

Use the tools.

Twitter is a powerful tool for engagement, with a lot of functionality. Be smart and tweet strategically:

  • Use relevant #hashtags so your target audience can find you. A word on hashtags: #doesn’t #this #get #annoying? Don’t overload your tweets with hashtags.
  • Use lists. Twitter allows you to create up to twenty lists, where you can monitor other Twitter users without following them. Lists help you stay abreast with industry experts, online influencers, or whoever sparks your interest without clogging your home stream.
  • Follow with respect. You can read lengthy ideas about Twitter etiquette elsewhere, so I’ll say simply: There are connections worth building; organic growth is best.

Of course, there’s more to learn (there always is), but working in the constraints of 140 characters has taught me to say what needs to be said—and move ahead.

–@kathrynwhite_

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posted by Cathy

Feb 09, 2011 @ 7:18pm

Discovering the perfect brand experience, freewheeling through Etsy

I’ve always longed to take a freewheeling road trip. You know, the kind of journey where you head out, no real destination in mind, no particular route to follow. You just go, following the option that looks most interesting at the moment.

Where would it lead, I wonder? Where would I end up?

I made that journey last week, albeit vicariously. Sitting right on my sofa, right in my pretty little keeping room, I jumped into a blog I love, saw something interesting, clicked on a link, which lead to a link, which lead to a link, which lead to a link, and before I knew it, I was joyfully lost amidst the wild DIY wonderland that is Etsy.

There were beautiful treasures everywhere I clicked. Such creativity. Such originality. Such inspiration. I wandered. And then I landed at Jaros Designs. Every pretty offering spoke to me.

my heart's desire

I wanted that pair of Vintage Valentine Red Freshwater Pearl and Antique Brass Drop Earrings! And the Mixed Metal Petal hoops. And that sweet, pretty Ocean Droplet Pearl Seafoam Necklace. I needed them. They needed me! And so I ordered, and just two days later, the little box of boxes arrived on my doorstep. I tore into it.

The joy of a simple blue bow. There they were—a collection of pretty little chocolate brown jewelry boxes, each with simple, gorgeous, happy blue bows. And suddenly my shopping spree (oh, the guilt!) became a wonderful indulgence (presents for me!)

Inside, the pretty treasures were wonderfully cocooned within fold after fold of tissue paper, secured with yet another pretty bow. Analisa Jaros had included a handwritten note, thanking me for my purchase. “That’s the difference in handmade,” I thought. “There’s a human being on the other end of this purchase.”

the complete package

Minding the details. The package from Jaros Designs made me think about the power of an exceptional brand experience. I landed rather randomly on Analisa Jaros’ Etsy shop, but in the midst of my freewheeling click click click excursion, something about her merchandise, and its mouthwatering photographic presentation, made me stop. And stay. And buy, even though that night’s cyberspace journey was begun with no conscious intention to shop. Analisa’s personal touch and attention to the tiniest details brought her Etsy “handcrafted jewelry” brand promise home to me, full circle. I loved buying from an artist who included a personal note and with whom I have now had several pleasant email exchanges.

That, I believe, is a brand experience done right—well defined, differentiating, consistent, relational, and intentional. Nicely done, Jaros Designs.

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posted by Cathy

Jan 21, 2011 @ 5:35pm

Moe is We

Pete, Ryon, Kevin, Teresa and Cathy after their power lunch at Moe's

There’s nothing I love better than a Friday lunch with my RP pals, made better when we’re patronizing a client. Today we headed to Moe’s in West Columbia, and it was the highlight of a really great week.

After loading up with a Joey Jr. and more than my fair share of salsa, I joined the RP crew at the table for some fascinating conversation and a lot of laughing. We planned a series of Explore Meeting excursions, took a couple of phone calls from The-Work-Goes-On Tom Barr, got great news from CreateAthon Evangelist Peyton Rowe, and had a great idea for a new Moe’s Facebook promo. And just for good measure, we named every Moe’s poster non-rock star dead rock star in the room. (Did you know Moe’s stands for Musicians, Outlaws and Entertainers?)

It was the best kind of impromptu lunch — productive and fun. Isn’t that a great reminder to get out from behind the computer and out into the world every now and then?

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posted by Teresa

Jan 12, 2011 @ 9:00pm

Health care + social media + crisis:
friend or foe?

Understanding how to integrate social media into a healthcare system’s crisis PR plan can be the difference between a brand performing at its absolute best vs. a brand that falls on its face. It’s that simple.

If the preference for your healthcare brand is the former, stand up, put your hand over your heart, and take the following pledge with me, now. Not after a committee meeting.

I promise to embrace the good within social media. Contrary to the belief that still exists in certain C-suites, social media is not the dark side. People just aren’t sitting at home waiting for you to open the lines of communications so they can destroy your brand. They’ve got better things to do. They will, however, immediately tap into your social channels the very moment there is a community crisis for information and assurance from a trusted source. Be there for them as a good friend.

I promise to start the conversation today. Relationships are never built in a crisis; but they can be torn down overnight. That’s why it’s critical to develop and nurture social media initiatives now, in a way that can help you build a community of brand ambassadors and a bank of goodwill in the event of a crisis. Just remember: incessant online self-promotion does not constitute a conversation.

I promise to give social media the respect it deserves. It’s not a toy. It’s not a tactic. It’s a powerful communications tool that will only be well executed if there is a very high level of strategic planning behind it. It’s not enough to just have the networks sitting there as a broadcast channel in the event of a crisis. You must know exactly how each channel should work, for which audience, and to what end.

I promise to make social media a part of our communications culture. Again, it’s not enough to establish the networks, create some promotional content, and go into your boss’s office with a check mark by social media. Healthcare organizations that are viewed as progressive communicators are those in which marketing directors have facilitated the immersion of social media into the very culture of the organization. This means working with other departments to consider how social media can help meet critical communications objectives throughout the system, from recruiting physicians and driving internal communications to responding to the need for public information in a crisis.

I promise to set up the crisis infrastructure now. Just as in offline days, you must develop multiple crisis scenarios and begin to build an arsenal of communications tools that can be readily edited and deployed. For example, the fact sheet templates of old should be replaced with “dark sites.” These are microsites that are created — but not yet posted online — that address specific types of crises the organization could potentially face.

There are many other items on the advance checklist, to be sure. But one more thing while I have your ear: apply your traditional media relations prowess to developing relationships with bloggers. Find them, introduce yourself to them, take them on a date.  Whatever you do, don’t underestimate their necessity.

There is a whole new set of tools and cast of characters out there. Bring them to your brand now to ensure a smooth and effective working relationship when crisis comes your way.

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posted by Cathy

Dec 27, 2010 @ 7:30am

Fathers, and sons, and the elegance of civilized commerce

The very, very, very best part of my job is getting to meet people, from various walks of life, who inspire me.

This inspiration takes many forms. It is a thrill, as a creative, to rub elbows with greats in our industry who produce work that literally changes our culture. (And then to discover that they are, surprisingly, human.) As a professional whose work often intersects the nonprofit arena, I am constantly humbled by the generous spirits of those who dedicate their lives to social good. As a community servant, it is a privilege to work with intelligent, committed and conscientious men and women who bring passion and smarts to board rooms and workrooms around the Midlands.

But last week, I had the unexpected joy of not one encounter — but two — that left me . . . changed.

Here’s what happened. In my role as board member, Central Carolina Community Foundation Executive Director JoAnn Turnquist and I are seeking support for Talk About Giving, an initiative (developed by Riggs Partners during CreateAthon), to encourage conversation about philanthropy in homes throughout our community. Our first two meetings were scheduled for the same day, two hours apart. In both cases, we met with well established and highly respected corporations headquartered here in the Midlands. And in each case, we met with two generations of corporate leadership: patriarch, and son.

I won’t name the companies or the people in this post; I am quite certain that none of the four relishes that kind of personal spotlight. But I will say I was struck, and deeply moved, by the similarities of the meetings and the dynamics, in each case, between father and son. From the moment we shook hands in greeting, these men paid careful and thoughtful attention to the story we had to share. They listened generously. They asked questions. They engaged. And while each of them is, no doubt, extremely busy with very important work to do (they are, after all, leaders of major corporations), not one checked a Blackberry or stole a look at his watch or rushed us in any way.

We finished our presentation, and business completed, stood to leave. In both cases, we were escorted TO THE FRONT DOOR by these gracious executives, in one case detouring slightly for homemade holiday cookies along the way.

I left both meetings on top of the world, completely validated, as if what I had to say to these Heads of Industry was the most important item on their complex agenda that day.

Isn’t that an invaluable lesson? Isn’t it a reminder of the power of common courtesy, which is not so common today? Isn’t it just good business?

Here’s the other thing. In both instances, the son, who plays a significant role in the running of the corporation (and has for many years), honored his father with a level of respect I found humbling and refreshing.

There’s no doubt we are all competing in a how-fast-can-it-be-done economy; speed is the name of the game in today’s business environment. Be we seem to have forgotten that even in the rush, there is simply no substitute for good, old-fashioned manners.

Just ask those who have achieved the kind of success that lasts, generation to generation.

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