Bookworm

I have a massive pile of “to-read” books/magazines/articles sitting on my coffee table at the moment. I am a quick reader and thought I could tackle it all over my two week break but alas I was wrong. I also received another 4 books for Christmas and my birthday, and $170 worth of book vouchers. Phew!
I do want to buy “Tribes” by Seth Godin, but can anyone recommend any other books? Marketing or otherwise?

Social Media Experts

This post is reproduced from Beth Harte’s blog. It puts forward 25 points on how to tell if your social media expert really knows what they’re doing!

 

Written by Geoff Livingston and me and originally posted on The Buzz Bin.

The bad economy has brought to bear one unwelcome change.  With a desire to use more cost effective communication forms, companies are looking to social media.  As a result, there are many, many companies, agencies and consultants rushing to offer social media services. Unfortunately, they don’t know what they’re doing.

Companies need to turn a discerning eye onto their potential social media partners. Here’s a quick list of some ways to vet potential social media experts.

1. When asked about listening, gives you a blank stare.
2. Converses at people instead of with them on social networks
3. No tangible past experience delivering return on investment either for themselves or others
4. Doesn’t understand how social media integrates into larger corporate communications or business strategy
5. First recommendation is to blog
6. Believes in delivering messages
7. Will ghostwrite blog posts and other social content for you
8. Is willing to impersonate you online in social networks
9. Trots in “social media expert” for sales meeting
10. Their blog is less than six months old or has no comments
11. Blog only has links to traditional 1.0 media sites
12. Cannot host conversation without constantly interjecting self into said conversation
13. Talks about cultivating your personal brand
14. Will not allow employees to participate in larger conversation
15. Will guarantee results without any prior experiences
16. Just added new social media department
17. Recommends Facebook Group as first tactic
18. Defines social media as only tools (Facebook, blogs, Flickr <INSERT SHINY OBJECT HERE>) as opposed to conversations with communities
19. First campaign involves a contest without a strategy
20. Doesn’t know what Technorati is
21. Talks about applying mass communications theory
22. Posts less than five times a month on their blog
23. Thinks social media is about creating content
24. Suggests publishing promotional copy as social content
25. Believes social media is the sole terrain of either PR or advertising

 

 

 

Keeping an eye on the conversation

I wrote this post back in October, and at the very end I mentioned the Eagle Boys Pizza brand.
A couple of days later, I was surprised when I saw that a subscriber of mine was actually from Eagle Boys – well done to them! I’d love to see more brands keeping an eye on the conversation that people are having about them.

Social Media ‘rules’?

An interesting thought about social media, and one that has been bothering me for the last few days – who made the rules  for social media? Who said you need to be authentic, transparent, engaging, and steer clear of one-way messages?
Of course, I am all for these ‘rules’ – I think social media is a different way of marketing when compared to the traditional advertising mediums. But how did they come about? Who started all these expectations??

One thing I have learnt in business…

is that the business strategy, goals, and sometimes even products/services that you start out with, will change and evolve over time.

Why am I still studying?

Auchmuty Library, University of Newcastle. Photo credit: Wikipedia

I have often questioned myself as to why I am actually at uni – it was never planned, it just happened. After receiving high marks at TAFE from my Cert IV Business Marketing course, the University of Newcastle offered me a place at their uni, doing a course of my choice. Naturally, I chose Bachelor of Business with a Marketing Major. At first I was very excited to embark on this new education, but have since been very disappointed with the out of date education system, especially when it came to my Marketing Major.

So why do it?
Why pay, on average, $1000 per subject to do something that has not helped at all in my business career?

Don’t get me wrong – for students who haven’t a clue about marketing, it would be a decent course – it goes back to basics, but I feel it is a little too basic and does not encompass new technology like social media. Last semester a lecturer was talking about the use of the internet for marketing – the only thing he spoke about was websites and banner ads. When I mentioned social media, I was responded to with a blank look and then he changed the topic. The education system (at least the one at Newcastle Uni) is preparing students for traditional marketing only – and further to that, only teaches academic theories. I have not seen a real case-study yet.

So why do it?
To get the piece of paper at the end. Yes I am stubborn and a little egotistical, but I will finish what I have started. I know that I will probably never show a future employer my degree as I am determined to always own my own business, but at least I know that I committed myself to it and received something at the end

On a further note, my views are very similar to that of fellow student Zac Martin, check out his post on Education 2.0.

 

This post was not intended to offend anyone who is currently studying at uni (and enjoying it!), this is my view only, coming from someone who has worked in marketing for the past 5 years and who’s life is all about new technology.

A bit of a personal passion…

Animals.
For as long as I can remember, I have been passionate about them. I grew up with them, and I now own three little fur-children, two who were rescued & one purebred.
It absolutely breaks my heart to see any kind of animal cruelty or homelessness, so I have made a promise to help them in any way I can. I think the RSPCA & PetRescue are great organisations & if anyone can help them, whether monetary or not, then we are one step closer to saving the animals.

Yes this post is a little off topic, but I am trying to help them in any way I can – and hey, I’m doing my bit to market them aren’t I?

One of my rescued babies - Staffy X Kelpie 3 weeks old

Surviving an Unstable Economy

 

 

Many businesses flounder when it comes to down to knowing how to survive an unstable economy, so I’ve put together ten tips to surviving – even thriving – during times like these…

• Focus on building customer relationships – the establishment of these relationships can help to maintain positive thoughts about your brand as well as developing loyalty.
• Further to that, seek out your best customers and make them feel like royalty
• Know what your specific niche is, don’t try and interact with everyone otherwise you’ll spread yourself too thin…it only takes a small group to do great things.
• Be something that they think they can’t live without – your product doesn’t necessarily need to be a ‘need’, but you need to market it like it is.
• Whatever you do, don’t stop marketing!! Consistently get your name out there, so when the market is thriving you’re the first they think of….
• If you haven’t already, get involved with social media – very cheap way to market compared to traditional methods, as well as contributing to those customer relationships. Avenues may include Twitter, blogging, Second Life, Facebook groups/fanpages – it all depends on where your customers are.
• Build relationships with bloggers – these people have the power of word-of-mouth, utilise them. If they love what you’re about, you may be lucky enough to be mentioned in one of their blog posts – and depending on the blogger’s readers and influence, this could reach a LOT of people.
• Cut down some costs in your business – Kirsty Dunphey has written a great post on simple ways to save money in your business
• Personalise personalise personalise…this could be as simple as calling your customer by their first name, or sending a handwritten thank-you card. Constantly be switched on to facts about your clients that they may reveal - their (or their child’s) birthday, anniversary, good news regarding their business, etc – write it down and use it as a conversation starter next time you see them (hairdresser’s utilise this very well!!), it will make your client feel like they are important.
• Be remarkable – remarkable product, remarkable service, remarkable staff…

Advertising Quote

I’m not exactly sure where this quote came from, but I love it:

“if you talked to people the way advertising talked to people, they’d punch you in the face”

An Inspiring Slideshow

A big heads up to MediaHunter for sharing this presentation.
It is well worth a look.

http://www.slideshare.net/neilperkin/goodness-and-happiness-why-generosity-is-the-future-of-marketing-strategy-presentation?type=powerpoint

NB. I apolagise for not embedding this slideshow into this post – for some reason it is not wanting to work for me!!