How Brands Listen

by on January 27, 2012 in Facebook, Google+, Infographic, LinkedIn, Reputation Management

There’s an old saying “When God gave us two ears and one mouth, he was trying to tell us something”

Listening is important - there’s no denying it. Its half of the online conversation. In fact, judging by the number of people that just read and lurk, listening is arguably the most important part of the conversation. It is easily more important for businesses in today’s world than ever before, because more people are talking and reacting in public than ever before.

The value of listening is obvious to brands according to Forrester Research. Though only 50% of brands responded that social media  was a core function of their marketing program, nine out of ten have some form of monitoring program in place. Eight out of ten respond to customer feedback online and almost 70% incorporate customer ideas to their business process. Brands as well as consumers are constantly watching Facebook, Google+, Twitter, LinkedIn and other social channels to determine what their customers think and how they are expressing their satisfaction- or the lack of it!

With the ROI of social media still an elusive concept for many businesses, there seems strong agreement that the key to determining the value of your social media efforts is to be found through the listening process. But differnet industries use different channels as part of the process.

Here’s a great infographic from our friends at ColumnFive and GetSatisfaction about how brands listen in the online space.

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Four Steps to Exploring the Future

by on January 25, 2012 in Commentary, Facebook, Flickr, Google+, LinkedIn, technology

Historically (recent history anyway) disruptive technologies have made huge impacts on industries.

People buy and sell stocks online, taking stock brokers out of the equation. As little as 15 years ago, travel agents were  making the travel arrangements we make for ourselves today using sites like Orbitz, Hotwire, Hipmunk and others. An even better example of the transformative use of technology is Amazon, who changed the buying habits of the world, first through their online store and then through the distribution of the first mass market ebook reader (making the publication of eBooks a new profit center for themselves and publishers). Netflix challenged the movie rental and pay television industry first by delivery of DVDs to customers directly, and then by streaming a large library of high quality video for a low monthly fee.

The success of all of these models leads us to believe that every new technological business model will not only impact the industry it is aimed at, but potentially be one of those models that changes the industry deeply and profoundly. The truth, of course, is a different matter, and we are faced with determining how we can embrace change and new technology without creating unintended negative results in our business.

Here are four guideline businesses and professionals can use to maximize their potential for success while minimizing the impact of failure.

  1. Keep Your Head on a swivel - Like a basketball player dribbling a ball in a fast moving high pressure game, spend more time watching what’s going on around you in the game than worrying about the moves you know you’re going to make with the ball you have in your hand. Don’t spend all your time focusing on the technology you’ve already adopted and put in place, make sure you know what new entries there are in the business, and what new tools are available for your consideration. Change is rapid and impactful, be ready to keep up the pace.
  2. Every new thing isn’t necessarily the next great thing - Don’t let enthusiasm for a new concept or a new product run away with your common sense. You know how your business works (or you should) and you should look at all sides of a new idea to see where its week and where its strong. Be as analytical as possible  (while avoiding “paralysis by analysis”) in not only determining what technology to use, but how you are going to execute that technology. Great ideas with poor execution are sadly handicapped.
  3. Don’t Just Follow the Crowd - In a world where there are over hundreds of millions of  people sharing their lives and decisions on Facebook , LinkedIn, Twitter and other social channels, the power of social proof – the “herd instinct” is huge. If everyone in your business is getting a Facebook business page, you want a Facebook business page. If everyone seems to be talking about using their Pinterest subscription for business, you want to use your the same way. If everyone else has a Google+ account then you need a Google+ account. After all if it works for them, it should work for you, right? Wrong! Don’t do anything that doesn’t have a clear business purpose for your business – and make sure that whatever you are doing, its sustainable and affordable – both in terms of financial cost, time and effort. 
  4. Prepare for failure  - You should be trying lots of new things, but be prepared for some of them to fail. Its far worse to never try anything than it is to try a bunch of things and have some work better than others. Have a Plan “B” in case the product or service doesn’t do what you need. Adopting new software? Run your old software in tandem for a period of time to assure that the new system does everything you want it to. Trying a new site for your marketing efforts? Measure your results and be prepared to adjust your efforts, increasing or decreasing your other activities as you get a better understanding of how the new effort has impacted your overall success. Businesses are constantly evolving entities – don’t be afraid of the natural selection process. If you try something and it doesn’t work after a fair trial, don’t be afraid to let it go and try something new.

The future is waiting for all of us.If you are alert, flexible, bold and thoughtful,the future will become the key to your company’s growth and to your success, but its all in your hands.

How will you explore the future?

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Is Hyper-Local Dead?

by on January 19, 2012 in FourSquare, Location Based Services, Social Networking

I really don’t like the term “hyper-local”.

If a writer concentrates on a specific geography, that seems to me to be local – not hyper. But I’m a minority (well,  Teresa Boardman and I are a minority) , and hyper-local blogging has become very popular among small businesses and professionals that serve a specific geography.  A few years ago, Google and other search engines began adopting hyper-local search (again with the extra word!) which provies you with the closest geographic results of your search.

Now, an inevitable evolution has developed which provides us with a new buzzword SoLoMo – the convergence of social search and local search (couponing like groupon or location based services like Yelp or FourSquare) using mobile applications. This combination of technologies and business strategies may be the next best disruptive  event in your business. The problem however, as always, is not in the idea, but in the execution.

On FourSquare, everyone from large brands to  individuals can create lists of locations and tips to share with others. At this writing there are 504 pages of lists available for FourSquare users, enabling thousands on individuals and brands to be noticed by local users. Each individual tip or notice is insignificant, but the impact of seeing the same logo or name again and again is huge.  Yelp also allows the creation of lists, and the same benefits obviously accrue.

Just as real estate professionals adopted Hyper-Local blogging  early, developing blogs for small communities and neighborhoods all around the country, some forward thinking companies and individuals are using this convergence to identify themselves with their geography in the most interesting methods.

Dreamtown Realty in Chicago took the simplest strategy- the made a Gruopon offer which allowed sellers to buy a coupon that they could redeem if they sold. Corcoran Real Estate in Manhattan has been using Foursquare tips and participation in Foodspotiing to establish an identification with local eateries and points of interest. If you get check in at Miami International, you will be greeted by a tip from Ines Hedegus-Garcia , offering to help you with your real estate needs in Miami.

Other local businesses can benefit from the same types of branding. A local independent bookstore might benefit from providing lists of places of literary significance, places where authors lived or worked, or locations used in books or movies. Local businesses could help locate emergency resources, community buildings, or recreational facilities. Art Galleries could pinpoint museums, monuments and statues.  The possibilities and potential are endless.

The challenge is to remember the social aspect of this new convergence is the most critical. A simple online coupon is a straight commercial engagement, and well written reviews on sites like Yelp or Foodspotting are appreciated by everyone, but the foursquare tips are another matter. If people find the tips to be more promotional than useful, they will be less well inclined to do business with you.

How could your business use SoLoMo?

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Teen Safety on the Internet

by on January 17, 2012 in Commentary, Infographic, Social Networking

Usually our posts are written for small businesses and professionals, but the issue of teen cruelty and teen safety on the internet is one that deserves our attention. With the immersion of teen in the web every day, we as parents, family and friends need to understand the world they face.

According to the Pew Research Center, the adult perception of the internet is that most people (85%) are kind , the internet as it is experienced by teens is quite different, with one in five feeling that people are mostly unkind. As with any problem, the first step in fighting an issue is understanding it, and thanks to Column Five and Zone Alarm, I’m able to share with you today an infographic with some startling statistics and some actionable steps to take to help make this situation better. I hope you find it as worthwhile as I do.

 

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How to Spot a Yelp User

by on January 12, 2012 in Infographic, Social Networking

As businesses and professionals seem to obsess about social marketing, the social review process has become an important consideration. Consumers are empowered to provide their thoughts and reactions to all of their experiences 24 hours a day, and in doing so have illuminated a path for others who follow after them, helping to craft the consumer experience for others.

Yelp is possibly the best known review site, covering everything from Pizza places to auto repair shops to Realtors. Reviewers add ratings, reviews, and photos, connecting with their friends to communicate the best and worst experiences of their daily business interactions.

But what does the Yelp reviewer look like? How does Yelping impact their lives? The imaginations of Flowtown and Column Five have provided us with these answers to these burning questions. I know I recognized a little bit of myself here. Do you?

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