Direct Marketing Observations

MAY 22, 2012

The beauty of social media isn’t in the online connections. OK, maybe it is to marketers, but that’s because they operate from a different perspective. No the beauty of social media is in it’s potential. It’s not about the numbers, never has been.

Social Media 178

Social Media Avatar Journal Conference 178

Direct Marketing Observations

DECEMBER 19, 2011

As 2011 winds down, it’s time for me to reflect on the state of my social media world in 2011. Things that I thought I knew about social media in 2011: 1) That I knew what I was talking about. They’re ready as long as they have their social media policies in place. It’s actually a start. The problem?

Social Media 228

Social Media Policies Consultant ROI 228

Direct Marketing Observations

MARCH 23, 2015

The world of the content marketer/social media marketer is changing. What that tells us and what a lot of old school social media marketers will tell you (old school being about eight years… ) is that the art of engagement has now become a science. The conversations, have been lost.

Activities 100

Activities Social Media Conversation Engagement 100

Direct Marketing Observations

AUGUST 24, 2011

If you’ve been in this business for any length of time, then its time to take your collective aggregate knowledge of social media and add it to the overall mix of what you know and do. We’re at least five years in and I want you to quit being a social media specialist, because you aren’t one any longer.

Social Media 199

Social Media Skills SEO Aggregator 199

Direct Marketing Observations

DECEMBER 23, 2010

A few weeks ago I was selected as one of the Top Social Media Strategists to Watch in 2011. We’re excited to have you on our list of “ Top Social Media Strategists to Watch in 2011.” Dancing Deer is a philanthropic brand at heart and donates to charities year round, especially during the holiday season. Sure it is.

Social Media 223

Social Media Project Groups Groups 223

Direct Marketing Observations

OCTOBER 28, 2010

I worry about the expectations that some people have for social media success versus the actual results. In some cases, we the consultants and champions of social media are just as bad and as guilty as the snake oil salesmen in pumping up and promising instant, magical results from social media.

Social Media 189

Social Media Consultant SEO Training 189

Direct Marketing Observations

DECEMBER 1, 2011

Before organizations can begin to think about having or being a social brand or a social business, they have to back up and temper their opinions or notions of what they think they know. Let’s take social out of the equation and think about fear for a second and how it motivates companies. What’s the difference?

Organization 212

Organization Social Media Training Policies 212

Direct Marketing Observations

OCTOBER 12, 2010

Unfortunately given the trying economic times, sometimes big brands think that a wholesale change in look and feel, brand identity and messaging is the thing that will pump new life into a company. Throughout all the major social media platforms and channels of course. Gap sales were off 4%. It’s the Gap.

Social Media 209

Social Media Crowdsourcing Retail UGC 209

Direct Marketing Observations

FEBRUARY 8, 2011

Now let’s think about the brand experience. Before the age of social media, we really didn’t talk about the brand experience. It was just marketers trying to sell something. That’s all I wanted to do. I didn’t need presents. Well maybe one or two but…. It didn’t really have a name. Great customer service?

Brands 162

Brands Loyalty Buy Conversation 162

Direct Marketing Observations

APRIL 13, 2011

What does social credibility look like on the brand side? An internal social media strategy ? A go to market strategy? Hiring a social media director? What should credibility look like for a brand in the not so new social space? At what point is a brand legit in social media?

Brands 148

Brands Social Media Strategy Twitter 148

Direct Marketing Observations

JANUARY 21, 2011

If you’re new to social media marketing, you might feel like you’re a little late to the game. However, fear not, there are some who have actually been slogging through social media so long without any discernible results that they might as well have started yesterday. What is the reality? Too fast it seems.

Social Media 166

Social Media Social Networking Class Case Study 166

Direct Marketing Observations

OCTOBER 12, 2012

Recently, my work required that I evaluate some of the top global brands in a certain industry in regards to internal b2b social media usage. I’ve used upwards of 7-10 free and paid social media monitoring and measurement tools to do it. Organizations are resourced challenged. And the biggest gap?

Social Media 187

Social Media Engagement B2B Small Business 187

Direct Marketing Observations

FEBRUARY 1, 2011

But let’s talk about social media icons. Just because we see them, doesn’t mean that those companies are “social&# , that they are engaged, fully engaged or partly engaged. It’s 2011 and brands are going all in when it comes to social. This might be the year social takes the Super Bowl by storm.

Twitter 223

Twitter Brands Engagement Strategy 223

Direct Marketing Observations

AUGUST 13, 2010

That if they had their druthers, they would outsource their social media activities. Because what they won’t admit is that social media is a big time suck and furthermore, they might not even admit that they are tired of “engaging&# every day. To outsource your social media activities.

Social Media 180

Social Media Aggregator Activities Fashion 180

Direct Marketing Observations

NOVEMBER 24, 2010

What’s right in social media? It started with an eye catching commercial developed by Wieden + Kennedy and ended with videos that have been viewed more than 40 million times and total brand views on the web that have been estimated to have surpassed 110 million. What’s wrong with social media?

Social Media 201

Social Media Mashup Yahoo Mobile 201

Direct Marketing Observations

JUNE 7, 2011

My graph is not totally untrue for those of you that play in the space, but I was reading a post by Tom Webster today titled, The Uneasy Relationship between Twitter and Social Media Measurement and I knew exactly where he was going with it. If the answer is yes, this troubles me.

Crimson Hexagon 189

Crimson Hexagon Social Media Radian6 Klout 189

Direct Marketing Observations

FEBRUARY 11, 2010

If you are a marketer thinking about social media marketing then there is a good chance, if you have not done anything yet, that its because you just don’t have enough information yet. In this post I want to address those issues so that you can get started with social media marketing.

Social Media 174

Social Media Conference Policies Social Networking 174

Direct Marketing Observations

MAY 3, 2010

Meanwhile, back at the ranch where the real work happens, consumers are still being marketed online. Inevitably the same marketer or communications person does what they know and starts blasting messages. As a result, the consumers that you were trying to get closer to actually end up further away. How could this be?

Lurker 138

Lurker Social Media Hashtag Curation 138

Direct Marketing Observations

SEPTEMBER 29, 2015

About four years ago I wrote a post/checklist on what you should require when you hire your next social media rockstar. Do you understand how social media fits into the overall marketing plans and goals of any organization regardless of industry? Can you drive social media work for clients?

Social Media 100

Social Media Collaboration Team Resources 100

Direct Marketing Observations

DECEMBER 14, 2011

Last week in a very thought provoking Tweetchat hosted by Lisa Petrilli , the discussion, though swirling around how an introvert uses social media, somehow segued into driving website traffic. Marketers and brands will need to land the plane in 2012. Can you be found through search and social? Guess what?

Brands 176

Brands Discount Sites SEO 176

Direct Marketing Observations

JUNE 25, 2010

According to a May 2010 study by Digital Brand Expressions , 59% of social marketers are operating “without a game plan.” I’m not sure who is at more fault here, the marketer or the company they work for? No plan for HR and it’s social media recruitment and vetting of candidates.

Company 159

Company Social Media Study YouTube 159

Direct Marketing Observations

NOVEMBER 10, 2011

Businesses are starting to realize and understand that social provides or could provide another way to extend brand identity and establish a better connection to internal and external communities. Social is enhancing personalized interactions. Companies shouldn’t be forced into a proactive approach to anything.

Social Media 168

Social Media Reputation Policies Influencer 168

Direct Marketing Observations

JUNE 17, 2010

According to ESPN the Indians have established a 10-seat section in left field for bloggers and social media users in an effort to engage fans and further the Indians’ brand in the social media space. It’s called the Tribe Social Deck. Hmmm… I think I like the idea. This could be a problem.

Social Media 166

Social Media Sports Policies Press Release 166

Direct Marketing Observations

JUNE 28, 2010

Below is an email response I gave to someone I did not know who is determined to reinvent themselves and reposition their very talented skills in the social media arena. But before you can start selling yourself as a social media consultant. Don’t do that. Be transparent. Be authentic. and try some different things.

Consultant 171

Consultant Social Media Posterous Authentication 171

Direct Marketing Observations

DECEMBER 14, 2010

In social networks and social media, every time we join a new shiny network, or register for something online, we give up a little piece of our privacy, like a sculptor chipping away at a piece of marble. Sometimes knowingly, sometimes not, we’re giving up who we are to marketers and brands.

Social Media 166

Social Media Privacy Foursquare Policies 166

Direct Marketing Observations

DECEMBER 8, 2011

When Jason first called me, he was looking for ways to brand his previous company. 14) Businesses, brands and companies should incorporate tweetchats into their marketing mix. At the time, the Tweetchat, “ Journchat “, was on fire and that was our inspiration. No two are the same.

Social Media 218

Social Media Hosting Hashtag Collaboration 218

Direct Marketing Observations

JULY 20, 2010

For those of you that have been dialed into social media for awhile, this is significant for a number of reasons and you’ll know why. Can some of you even count the number of times you might have used ComcastCares as one of your social media “examples&# 2 years ago. What does the company do? Well guess what?

Company 187

Company Case Study Brands Posterous 187

Direct Marketing Observations

MAY 26, 2010

I came across Tlists when I showed up on one of it’s lists of “The most listed Tweeters on 921 lists about Social Media&#. Social Media Marketing GPS: A New Media Roadmap For Creating A Social Media Strategy. - Social Media Marketing GPS: A New Media Roadmap For Creating A Social Media Strategy.

Sites 148

Sites Social Media GPS Construction 148

Direct Marketing Observations

NOVEMBER 15, 2011

Do big brands actually have conversations with the people/customers/prospects that friend, follow and fan them? Before we answer that, let’s talk about the dynamics of what we the consumer “feel” if a brand does talk to us. Do they want to share what the brand says? Happiness? What should happen after the like?

Conversation 187

Conversation Brands Banking Compete 187

Direct Marketing Observations

AUGUST 27, 2010

I was recently directed by Tom Martin to read an updated post by Rohit Bhargava on Social Media Optimization and while it did get me thinking again about something I had not given much thought to in a while, it, like many other blog posts, opens up another footlocker of thoughts. SEO and Social Media are inextricably joined at the hip.

SEO 162

SEO Social Media Reputation Mashup 162

Direct Marketing Observations

APRIL 21, 2010

This past Monday, I sat on a panel in Naples Florida where we talked about social media and children. Accountability-Social media has now made everyone accountable for what they do and what they say now. Yet children do not realize the larger implications of their online actions and interactions in social networks.

Education 177

Education Social Media Wikipedia Social Networking 177

Direct Marketing Observations

JUNE 10, 2011

At best, the end game from the brand perspective should be transactional. In the interim, it should be me engaged with them building towards a transaction, and possibly sharing that engagement or brand experience with my friends. Why do I or should I follow, friend, fan or like a brand? I have a modus operandi. That’s it.

Brands 166

Brands Buy Engagement Data 166

Direct Marketing Observations

OCTOBER 5, 2011

I’m the biggest proponent of social media that you could possibly find but I am also the one that told my daughter that she doesn’t need Facebook. I also told a group of 400 parents and educators that anyone under the age of 16 doesn’t need to be on a social network. She’s 14. Why the flip-flop?

Social Media 152

Social Media Aggregator Loyalty Social Networking 152

Direct Marketing Observations

JANUARY 28, 2010

In our never ending and ongoing series of social media thoughts, we bring you the corporate social media adoption conundrum. As a large company, should you embrace the personal brands within your organization that might be thriving in the social media world? What’s the worst that could happen?

Social Media 122

Social Media Social Networking Organization Examples 122

Direct Marketing Observations

AUGUST 19, 2010

The essence of social media-talking to people. It’s why we gushed about social media in the first place. But far too many of us have preached to others about using Twitter to have conversations with brands and customers etc. Tags: Twitter blogging marc meyer social media. The effect?

Social Media 180

Social Media Strategy Conversation Meeting 180

Direct Marketing Observations

JULY 15, 2011

The biggest mystery however lies with marketers trying to get inside the heads of the users to determine how they can turn them into loyal brand advocates. “likes”, “friending”, and “follows”-We still have the power to really define them in the ways that we want to treat them. Stay tuned.

Social Media 168

Social Media Startup Engineering System 168

Direct Marketing Observations

MAY 13, 2022

With that said, I’ll start by going out on a relatively sturdy limb and say that social media, as a source for information, disinformation, and entertainment, in all its various shapes and forms, has been the absolute center of our global universe for the last five years. Social resets every day. Both real and imagined.

B2B 112

B2B Social Media Conversation Platform 112