Jeff Esposito

JUNE 11, 2012

We all love social media and we are all known to use a buzzword or two. Can you find all 50 social media buzz words in this puzzle ? Click picture for larger search or to print.

Social Media 49

Social Media 49

Jeff Esposito

AUGUST 29, 2012

This post originally ran on Vistaprint’s Small Business Blog. We’ve talked a lot about engagement on Facebook with best practices for using Facebook for your small business. While we think there was some great content in there (hopefully, you agree), we have gotten some feedback asking if investing time on social media sites (including Facebook ) is worth it for micro and small business owners.

Small Business 49

Small Business Social Media Foursquare Statistics 49

Jeff Esposito

APRIL 29, 2012

This is a guest post from Elissa Freeman. Should PR pros take white collar crime more seriously when developing crisis communications plans? Have we been failing our clients by not doing a better job of warning them upfront of the potential reputational hit resulting from knowingly breaking the law? Ever since I read about the recent Walmart debacle in Gini Dietrich’s Spin Sucks blog , I couldn’t help but think how the role of crisis communications may need to evolve.

Reputation 49

Reputation Influencer Course Company 49

Jeff Esposito

JULY 18, 2012

You know what this is right? Earlier this week, my pal Gini Dietrich (even though she has zero skills in Draw Something , we are still cool) wrote a post showcasing social media usage by CEOs in the Fortune 500. Unsurprisingly the usage in this group was quite low: 3.8% of Fortune 500 CEOs use Twitter. 7.6% of these CEOs are on Facebook. 25.9% of them are on LinkedIn – not surprising given their role in partnerships and recruiting.8% are on Google+ – Larry Page is the leader in the clubhou

Social Media 48

Social Media Report Consultant Skills 48

Jeff Esposito

JANUARY 30, 2012

You never get a second chance at a first impression. And perception is reality. We all know this but often miss opportunities to capitalize on them as do companies. One of the reasons for this is that at times, we cannot communicate with everyone successfully. For businesses this is where logos come in. A lot of money is spent to identify the heart and soul of what the business is.

Video 48

Video Company YouTube Brands 48

Jeff Esposito

AUGUST 27, 2012

As I have discussed on this blog on a number of occasions, LinkedIn is really one of those networks in the social media space that I would like to know more about. If you are like me and always head over there weekly staring at ways that you can better leverage the network, you should pick up a copy of Brian Carter ‘s LinkedIn for Business. The book is a thorough outline of all things LinkedIn, and should be a must-read for folks in sales or consulting.

LinkedIn 48

LinkedIn Consultant Review Social Media 48

Jeff Esposito

OCTOBER 15, 2012

Last week I attended an off-site meeting for work. At the beginning of the meeting, we were given the ice-breaker question If you were a brand, which one would you be? As the group went around the table a lot of brands were thrown out there (Nike, Converse, Harley Davidson, and Dodge). When it came to me, I blurted out Sesame Street. The reason behind this was tri-fold.

Brands 47

Brands Exercises Meeting Groups 47

Jeff Esposito

JULY 23, 2012

Social media is going to be a big part of the corporate marketing mix in the future but right now it is still in that awkward pre-puberty stage. You know, the stage where girls are yucky and guys don’t wear deodorant yet, but really should. It is a time period filled with experimentation, awkwardness and – most of all – fear. Rather than embracing this awkward and exciting period of change, many find it scary and play the role of the ostrich.

Social Media 47

Social Media Policies Authentication Team 47

Jeff Esposito

JUNE 27, 2012

Over the past few weeks I have been thinking about Social Business. Sure it is a buzzword right now, but I do believe that it is going to become business as usual. Unfortunately, this is going to take some time. I tried writing out this post three times now and could not make the words mesh with my thoughts, so I hopped behind the camera for a brain dump.

Embedding 47

Embedding Study Review Influencer 47

Jeff Esposito

AUGUST 13, 2012

Last week, I read this blog post from Digital Trends about Facebook’s testing of Facedeals, a service that checks you into a location using facial recognition and gives you coupons based on interest. Here are some of my thoughts on the concept/test: The video below shows the technology in action. What say you, McCreepy or pretty damn cool?

Trends 47

Trends Video Facebook Social Media 47

Jeff Esposito

JULY 16, 2012

My memory is pretty awful for things like dates and names, which is pretty embarrassing at times. I am sure some of you reading this post are in the same boat. Back at South by Southwest this past year, I heard about Moonwalking with Einstein and how the author learned some tricks on improving memory that anyone could do to increase their memory.

Compete 47

Compete Training Review Report 47

Jeff Esposito

NOVEMBER 26, 2012

I like to consider myself pretty tech and social media savvy. However, I have recently found myself pondering how many networks I could realistically handle on a personal basis. In my day job, I am constantly evaluating networks and what resources would be needed to add them to the company’s mix. Unfortunately, that due diligence and tightening of the belt rarely happens when I am farting around with my phone or playing on a computer.

Social Networking 47

Social Networking Foursquare Privacy Travel 47

Jeff Esposito

JUNE 18, 2012

How hard can this social media stuff be? I’m a ninja. In the social media space everyone is trying to skim some green off the cash cow. Whether it is a $47 webinar, a company running a Twitter exclusive sale or someone charging local businesses to set up a fan page on Facebook, everyone seems to be getting in on the action. For the most part, I have no problem with it and make my share of money working within the social media space.

Social Media 47

Social Media Press Release Conference Class 47

Jeff Esposito

DECEMBER 10, 2012

From time to time we’re all faced with something that completely drains us of any motivation. This can be anything from a pending project, meeting with a boss, deflating commentary or waking up on the wrong side of the bed. The list could go on forever, but you know what I am getting at. I like to refer to these kinds of detractors as the Suck (unoriginal I know), because they leave you in a rut that can kill productivity and destroy ambition.

Project 46

Project Meeting Issues Groups 46

Jeff Esposito

FEBRUARY 21, 2012

To get to your Insights click on the "Insights" link on the left hand side of your fan page. If you manage a Facebook page for a company, entity or personal blog you are probably aware that Facebook has rolled out a new Insights tool. Instead of the bare bones metrics from the old Insights tool, the new tool offers more data than most folks truthfully need.

Facebook 46

Facebook Metrics Comparison Data 46

Jeff Esposito

JANUARY 8, 2012

There’s nothing more powerful in the PR arsenal than the use of the embargo ( click here for a sample embargo ). Reporters hate them. PR pros love them. It’s the ultimate tool of professional manipulation. On the one hand, it’s pretty ballsy to think anyone can control the media’s distribution of a story—especially if you’re a reporter or working the general assignment desk.

Sample 46

Sample Samples Conference Report 46

Jeff Esposito

JUNE 6, 2012

I like getting free stuff. I am not ashamed and in all honesty it is one of the few reasons why I keep my account with Klout. According to their algorithm, I am influential enough to have brands send me things. Not entirely sure how it works, but I’ve gotten some truly random things from them that I have used or given to friends and co-workers. Overall, I there have only been a few promotions that were truly been relevant to me, so when I received an email that OneHopeWine.com was giving me $25

Klout 45

Klout Influencer Research Company 45

Jeff Esposito

APRIL 8, 2012

This post contains video, click here if you cannot view. Over the weekend I picked up a 12-pack of Magic Hat for a family birthday party for my son. While loading up the cooler, I noticed some interesting packaging where the brewery invites consumers into their online community. During the sampling of the brews, I noticed on that had a QR code on it, leading to an online profile of the beer ( click here to see site).

Case Study 45

Case Study Study Sample Samples 45

Jeff Esposito

APRIL 1, 2012

Do you work around the clock, seven days a week? Take a second to consider the answer. I am sure that for the most part that the answer is no. While the question might seem a no-brainer, it is actually one that I have seen debated time and time again within the community management and social media fields. Sure debate is good, but when it comes to this question I often find myself in a state of conflict whether to laugh or feel sad for people.

Education 45

Education Company Social Media Resources 45

Jeff Esposito

AUGUST 15, 2012

Get your mind out of the gutter… this isn’t that kind of post. Now that I have to apologize for deviating from the main messaging of this blog to ask you to consider peeping out some panels for SXSW 2013 that me and some of my coworkers at Vistaprint are on. Read on if you are interested, or click here for a post that might be more to your liking. Thanks in advance for your consideration, your regularly scheduled programming will resume on Friday with this week’s installment of Five for Friday.

Products 44

Products Proposal Small Business Communities 44

Jeff Esposito

JULY 30, 2012

Social technologies have given consumers a voice and platform to communicate with brands. It has also given brands the opportunity to better understand their customers’ needs, wants, and demographics. If you work with social media in some way, this probably excites you. You probably think that everyone in your company should be jumping on the social bandwagon with the same enthusiasm.

Team 44

Team Resources Buy Examples 44

Jeff Esposito

JUNE 25, 2012

In sports, there is typically only one winner. Unless you count the BCS, there is always a champion and countless teams who fell just short. Despite that, sports teams will achieve a level of brand affinity that the late Steve Jobs could only dream about. If you disagree, go count the number of shirts, jerseys and hats that you’ve purchased over the course of your lifetime.

Sports 44

Sports Proposal Case Study Apple 44

Jeff Esposito

MAY 9, 2012

What’s your story? It is probably a phrase that you have heard dozens if not hundreds of times over the course of the past few months. Hell you have probably uttered it to people you’ve met as well. Question is, do you really think about what your story is? You don’t have to answer that now. But knowing your story and why others should care is something that everyone participating in social media, blogging or managing a brand’s social presence or community should do.

Sports 44

Sports Statistics Small Business Communities 44

Jeff Esposito

MAY 16, 2012

This post contains video, click here if you are having trouble viewing. When I heard that friends Gini Dietrich and Geoff Livingston were writing a book together, I was happy for them. Throughout the process, I knew that Marketing in the Round would be good, but did not think that it was going to be something that would take readers out of their comfort zone.

Marketing 44

Marketing Discount Process Social Media 44

Jeff Esposito

APRIL 10, 2012

Why bother trying when you get the same result? Think differently. March 29, 2012 9:49 am via Twitter for iPhone Reply Retweet Favorite @geoffliving Geoff Livingston. A few weeks ago, the Tweet above inspired a pretty good conversation with Geoff Livingston. While some saw as passive aggressive, I saw it as an inspiration to dealing with roadblocks and changing perceptions.

Construction 44

Construction Template Templates iPhone 44

Jeff Esposito

JUNE 13, 2012

Do you ever wonder what you were doing on this exact day a year ago? If you are like me, it is probably something that has crossed your mind a couple hundred times. If you fit the bill, don’t worry, there is an app for that – Timehop. Each morning the application fires off an email to you outlining your foursquare check-ins, Tweets, Facebook updates and Instagram images from a year ago along with fun facts about the date and a quip like the one below.

Foursquare 44

Foursquare Applications Instagram Social Media 44

Jeff Esposito

MAY 2, 2012

It took a split second for Joel Ward to become a playoff hero to Washington Capitals fans. By the time the Capitals were done celebrating Ward’s overtime goal that knocked the Boston Bruins out of the playoffs; Ward was the center of a different emotion online. Immediately following the goal Ward, who is a black Canadian player, was the target of irate fans using racial epitaphs and slurs on Twitter.

Twitter 44

Twitter Privacy Social Networking Price 44

Jeff Esposito

SEPTEMBER 17, 2012

A few weeks back the folks over at Wiley passed me a copy of Lee Odden’s Optimize to do a video book review. The book itself is an outline for using content, social media and search engine optimization together to maximize success. Kind of like a big gooey PB&J sandwich. My full review is below: This post contains video, click here if you are having trouble viewing.

Review 44

Review Video Engineering Social Media 44

Jeff Esposito

NOVEMBER 19, 2012

A while back I saw an update or email from the Community Roundtable mentioning an open Q&A with Sarah Robinson on her now book Fierce Loyalty. While the topic sounded interesting, I could not make the chat (damn conflicts) and picked up a copy of the book. When it arrived, I was kind of shocked at the thin stature of the book, but packed it in my bag for a flight to Vegas last week.

Loyalty 44

Loyalty Review Communities Social Media 44

Jeff Esposito

SEPTEMBER 20, 2012

Yesterday I got some fishy emails from eBay noting that I had printed a boat ton of shipping labels and was charged for them. Upon checking my eBay and PayPal accounts, there was nothing there so, I figured it was just a phishing scheme… unfortunately it was not. My account got hacked and I got charged close to $400 for shipping labels for something that I had shipped out in July.

Team 43

Team Sites List Twitter 43

Jeff Esposito

JUNE 20, 2012

Last week a conversation in my office really got under my skin. My coworkers Cristina and Karen were discussing that a large retailer asked them if they wanted to be green and have their store receipt emailed over to them. Now on the surface this seems very logical, less paper equals less trees being cut down. But as we all know, marketers are not that environmentally conscious.

Sports 44

Sports Retail SMS Marketing 44

Jeff Esposito

MAY 21, 2012

This post contains video, click here if you are having trouble viewing. I am a huge fan of Hugh MacLeod in both of his mediums. On one hand, I’ve got a few prints up of his (including the one below) and on the other, I love his writing style. So when I heard that book #3 was coming out, I preordered it quickly. I am glad I did. In Freedom is Blogging in Your Underwear ( Amazon affiliate link) , MacLeod penned up a thought-provoking book that you can read in a sitting or before your flight

Video 44

Video Review 44

Jeff Esposito

SEPTEMBER 20, 2012

Welcome to Week 3 of the NFL season. Hope your team is showing some promise, or at least giving you hope that good things are on the horizon. If you have been picking the week’s winners each week, I am sure that you’ve had a few games that made you scratch your head. I know that I sure have, especially since I’ve been selecting each week’s winners using buzz from social media plugged into some math formulas ( click here for more info).

Social Media 43

Social Media Compete Team Video 43

Jeff Esposito

MARCH 20, 2012

This post contains video, please click here if you are having trouble viewing. A couple of months back, I was in a discussion over my head on social television with some folks. Many of them were pro social TV and I was of the mindset that it was an up-and-coming trend. So when Mike Proulx entered the conversation on the subject, I think I made the comment along the lines of it is way to early to have a book on the topic.

Mobile 43

Mobile Trends Advertising Social Media 43

Jeff Esposito

APRIL 3, 2012

It is rare for me to get geeked out about a product launch for a brand. Maybe it’s because I am getting older or maybe I am desensitized to the over-hyping of marketing machines. So when a brand evokes the kid in a candy store feeling in me, I get excited. One of these rare instances happened on Tuesday afternoon when I came across this video from Nike as a teaser for the roll-out of their apparel contract with the NFL: After watching the video, not only did I get super amped about the NFL, but

Apparel 43

Apparel Case Study Sports Study 43

Jeff Esposito

JANUARY 2, 2012

Exactly one year ago today, I read Arik Hanson ’s blog post on the 26 books that he planned to read over the course of the year. It inspired me to give it a whirl and see if I could read that many. When the dust and grime from the books settled, wound up reading 31 over the course of the year. You might ask yourself why anyone would devote their time to finishing a book and start a new one every two weeks and it is a perfectly good question.

Review 43

Review Case Study ROI Course 43

Jeff Esposito

APRIL 15, 2012

This post contains video, click here if you can’t view it. Does your sales pitch have the same confidence and bravado of Jim Henson? If not, watch the video above to learn something.

Video 43

Video Brands 43