Always a Wrong Number

     Well, I don't know how it is where you may be reading this, but today is the first day of school here in Dallas, Texas.  While we've spent a lot of time talking about business social media here, let's take a moment to talk business social media cellphone safety - and that message is:
     NO PHONE CALL OR TEXT MESSAGE IS WORTH THE LIFE OF A CHILD.  PERIOD.
     Those warning signs near schools are up for a reason.  You should never be updating your business social media while you are driving, anyway, but you should especially never do it while you are in a school zone.  The first week of school, kids are thinking about everything except watching out for you.
     So fold up those phones in the car, folks.  The extra five minutes you might save while texting and driving isn't worth the cost in a life or in a fine.  Pull into a Starbucks.  Have a cup of joe.  And text to your heart's content.
     Just don't do it in a school zone, because that's always going to be a wrong number.
   

Where Have All the Craftsmen Gone?

     Perhaps the title of this posting should be "Were Have All The Craftsman Gone".    Did you catch the two errors in my restatement of the title?
     Let's say you have been working really long and hard on your business social media skills.  You've got people following you.  You've got the right message.   Too bad yur speling skils and punctuashion arent' up to the task.
     There is an old adage about "you never get a second chance to make a first impression."  Why, with all the work you are doing, would you not use that nice little tool up in your toolbar called "spell check"?  For that matter, why would you have someone doing your postings who can't spell in the first place, and thinks the Chicago Book of Style is a fashion catalogue?  (We won't even go into the Associated Press style guide)
      Here are the three most common errors I see in posts.

     1) Incorrect use (or no use) of the apostrophe.  "It's going to rain" has an apostrophe.   Not "Its going to rain."  However, "Its hands were dirty" is a correct use without an apostrophe. (Ok, maybe that sentence could be used in a Stephen King novel)  The apostrophe is also used incorrectly in words or sentences, like "We're selling rose's." "Rose's" does not have an apostrophe in this use, unless it's a person named Rose and you're selling off her stuff!
     2) Incorrect use of "their" "they're" "there".  Here's a sentence using those three words correctly, along with the two uses of "it's" and "its" as well.  "They're taking their car over there to the garage because it's not running well and its air filter may be dirty."
     3) Incorrect use of "your" and "you're".  Here's a sentence with correct usage: "You're nobody until your Uncle Dan gives you the keys to his Porsche!"

     Let the computer double check for you.  It's not infallible, but it's better than nothing.  A second set of eyes doesn't hurt either.
     You really dont' want people reeding your posts and wondering "Were have all the craftsman gone?"

Who's a TV Star? You Are!

     Today's "Non Sequitur" strip by Wiley pretty much says it all about our current lifestyle.   Whether it's TV, a video on your website, a video on YouTube, a blog, or anything else --- do you really exist if you aren't out there?
     According to Wikipedia, television advertising made its debut in July of 1941.  The watchmaker Bulova paid $9 for a placement on New York station WNBT during a major league baseball game.  Until about twenty years ago, video advertising was an expensive proposition, but the power of desktop computers and video editing software is putting it within reach of just about anyone.
    Are you using video as part of your business social media?  It doesn't take that much to get a nice video up and running on your website; perhaps a brief introduction to your business, or a snappy show and tell of your past projects for customers.  It's not within the scope of this blog to tell you how to produce said video.  Let it suffice that you need to find someone who knows what the heck they are doing.  A badly produced and edited video can do much more harm than good.
    Also, don't forget free local TV advertising.  While it's going to be a one-shot deal, if you are really interesting, or have something very unique - there's probably a market with your local television broadcasters.  More and more stations are running multiple hour morning news blocks, starting as early as 4:30 AM in some markets.  Additionally, there are also post news block locally originated morning programs.  They interview local authors, celebrities, chefs, people fronting causes like MADD; if you know someone at a local station, ask them.  If not, find out who runs the morning assignment desk, or is a particular program's booker or producer.
     Record your appearance, get it to a video editor, and hey presto! Something nice to put on your website, as seen on WXYZ TV!  
     Who's a TV star?  You are!

Get an "A"!

                                                                     


     Remember the three "R's" -- readin', (w)ritin', and 'rithmetic?   Well, yeah, you should still have a handle on all three of those, even if you do use a calculator and spell check.  However, there is another set of consonants that you should also have a grip on - the four "A's".
     Today's blog is adapted from one by Kayla Hutzler on Luxury Daily,  The News Leader in Luxury Marketing.  Here it is, for those who wish to read it in its entirety:  http://www.luxurydaily.com/social-video-can-build-awareness-advocacy-for-luxury-brands/
      Hutzler talks about Awareness, Advocacy, Attention and (call to) Action.  These are four vitally important aspects of any luxury brand marketing.  However, even if you aren't selling a Lexus or Breitling watch, it should still apply to you.
     Awareness:  do your customers know who you are?  What you are?  What you are selling?  Are you out there in the marketplace on FaceBook, on Twitter, on any of the other burgeoning social media networks?  Hey, don't forget the old standbys, either.  The demise of newspaper  and magazine ads are, much like the infamous report of Mark Twain's death, greatly exaggerated.
     Advocacy:  are your customers sticking up for you and your brand?  Hey, I grocery shop at Tom Thumb, and at one Tom Thumb in particular.  I drive a few miles to get there, but I like it and the people who work in the store.  And I tell people about it.  This is an example of consumer advocacy. (I'm also a big fan of Lionel Electric Trains, but we won't go into that here!)
     Attention:  are you calling attention to yourself, and in a good way?  Heaven knows we've seen PLENTY of examples of brands calling attention to themselves in the wrong way.  To get attention, though, be it good or bad, you've got to work at making yourself known to consumers.  I'm happy for you that your company has developed a flash drive that also doubles as a mini-micro mighty mite computer with six times the speed of my MacBook Pro.  Too bad no one has ever heard of you...
     Action:  are you telling your customers to get with it and purchase your product?  In the many years that I worked in broadcast news, our mantra was:  Tell them what you're going to tell them.  Tell them.  Tell them what you told them.  
     Practice these four "A's" and get an "A" on your business social media report card!

Nobody's Business

  


    Marketers know there are two approaches to the job they are assigned.  Throw a bunch of stuff at the wall and see if it sticks,  or target a specific audience.  Which do you think works better?  Which do you think is cheaper in the long run?  Yes, I know it costs practically nothing to dash off a Tweet or an email blast.  BUT - how many of us get hit by unwanted Tweets and emails every day?  When the extraordinary becomes ordinary, we tune it out.  Yawn.  Another Tweet.  *delete*   Yawn.  Another sale email.  *delete*
      Are you taking the time in your business social media to accurately line up customers with your message?  Customers will TELL you that they want your messages.  How many of us have filled out cards at brick and mortar shops and restaurants that ask for our email?  Maybe our birthday?  Hey, look, Yummy Restaurant sent me a coupon for a free dessert on my birthday!  Hey, look, there's a sale that's got just what I'm looking for at Joe's Store!
     Is a light bulb going off?  Take the time to mine your database.  Heat up that pick and shovel and dig out what your customer wants from you.
     Then deliver it like nobody's business.   In a short time it WILL be nobody's business -- nobody's business but yours, that is!

He Knows When You've Been Bad or Good...

     Remember as kids...the imminent threat of disaster looming overhead in the guise of Santa Claus?  Remember?  "He knows when you've been naughty...he knows when you've been nice..."  Well, Santa Claus still knows these things...only now, he's checking ALL of your social media and business social media postings!
     More and more prospective employers are conducting social media background checks.  What are they looking at?  Facebook, Flickr, YouTube, Twitter - anywhere that you might have committed an unpardonable act of expression.  What are they looking for?  Racist comments...displays of drug use..displays of behavior that are not compatible with daily business life.  You used to have to only worry about the face to face interview...now, a much more focused picture of you can come via your social media postings.
     But wait, you say, that's an invasion of my privacy!  Nope.  The Federal Trade Commission has ruled that companies researching your background of personal time, hobbies, etc. DO NOT violate your privacy.  Here's a fact you may not know:  there's an outfit out there called Social Intelligence.  It searches the Internet for pictures, comments and other information that you freely give to the world.  And then it sells that info to prospective employers.
     But don't worry too much  (you AREN'T worrying, are you?) There's another company called Reputation.Com that may help you present a better image to the world.  This blog does not endorse this action; it's merely here as information.
     So what can you do?  Well, for starters, don't be stupid.  And if that bit of advice has to be explained to you, then you are probably beyond help.  In the meantime, keep a sharp eye on what's out there.  Monitor your Facebook, your Twitter accounts closely.  Check your privacy settings.  Delete things that may be detrimental to your professional life.
    And - yes, this IS a blog about business social media.  So maybe you already have a job while you are reading this.  Everything above goes TRIPLE for you.  Any posting you make, reflects not only on you, but your employer.  And maybe your employer doesn't subscribe to the same views you have.   Advocating anarchy while working for the CIA is usually a good way to get fired.  Get the picture?
     For you literati out there, remember George Orwell's 1984.  Big Brother is watching you.
     For those who prefer a simpler reminder of the same message, well..."he knows when you've been bad or good, so be good for goodness' sake...."

Be Decent at All Times

     The death of singer Amy Winehouse is undoubtedly a tragedy.  It's something the world has seen before; immense talent, uncontrollable addictions.  This blog is not the forum for discussing the former.  What we should be interested in for business social media is the incredible, INCREDIBLE  Microsoft goof in their twitter stream.  Here it is - http://www.cnn.com/2011/TECH/social.media/07/25/apology.winehouse.tweet.mashable/index.html
This is unbelievable, and Microsoft can do as much damage control as they want to - but it's kind of like trying to avoid the iceberg after you've already hit it and are sinking.  WHAT WERE THEY THINKING?  Remember Amy Winehouse by purchasing an album from our site?
     We have touched on this before - your tweets, your blogs, your facebook posts - who are you sending them to?  How will they be received?  In this case, someone at Microsoft took a tragedy and tried to make a buck off of it.  Not unheard of, of course.  The difference in this case is it was on a wider scale than the guy hawking t-shirts down on the corner.
     The point is, whoever is in charge of your outgoing public information needs to always stop and think before sending anything.  While your marketing studies may indicate that what you are sending is the right thing to do, sometimes it's not.  You just never know how the public is going to react.  Anyone here ever served on a jury?  Maybe the prosecution made a slam-dunk case, but the jury became offended by the prosecuting attorney's closing arguments, or any number of other things, and voted to acquit the defendant.  It happens.
     Be proactive, by all means.  Be professionally reactive when you have to (and someday, despite your best efforts, you will).
     But please. be decent at all times.