Twitter and the Telegram

     Is Twitter a part of your business social media plan?  It needs to be.  The latest figures show there are some 100 million active users.
     Now, granted, you can only Tweet a message of 140 characters or less, so economy and phrasing of message are paramount here.  For over 155 years, a telegram would have been the closest thing to Twitter.  Economy and phrasing of message ruled, since most telegram carriers charged by the word.  A Tweet costs nothing in the relative scheme of things, but that's still no reason to be a Chatty Cathy in its use.
     That being said, what's the best use of Twitter in your business social media portfolio?   Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey opines that "Social is just one part of what we do.  We think of it as an information utility...you don't have to tweet at all.  The biggest value is finding out what's happening in your world in real time."
     Use Twitter to promote your brand and get your message out to your followers.  Use it in conjunction with email campaigns and other methods of business social media. 140 characters can cover a lot of ground if you map out your message and get right to the point.  Unlike the old school telegram, Twitter is instant, is delivered to millions of people at the same time, and has virtually no costs associated.
     Oh, and if you're still old school, I have some bad news --Western Union shut down its telegram services on January 31, 2006.

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Tweets and Disaster

    
    The recent Costa Concordia disaster off the coast of Italy brings a staggering lesson to light:  how well would your company deal with a crisis?
    We'll skip over the captain's explanations ("it was a blackout"  "it was a technical error"  "what rock?") and move forward to your business social media team.  Gone are the days when you had time to prepare a statement for the press and the public.  Now, the event can and will overtake you before you've had time to gather your thoughts.  This means that your team needs to be on board, on the ball, watching the world and NOT getting caught with their collective pants down.
     One of the world's leading public relations firms is Burson-Marsteller.  Their chief global strategist Dallas Lawrence has some thoughts on how your team perform damage control quickly and efficiently, but more importantly, effectively.  His complete article can be found here:
http://mashable.com/2012/01/17/twitter-crises-tips/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Mashable+%28Mashable%29
and it would be worth your while to read it before you need it.  In the interim, here are Dallas' six important thoughts on managing a crisis in the Twitter age.
1)  Begin with the basics
    Vince Lombardi, when he took over coaching duties at the Green Bay Packers, famously told his squad they would begin at the beginning.  He held up a football and said "This, gentlemen, is a football."   Can't get much more basic than that.  In our world, the basic is that YOU ARE ON LINE.  If you company doesn't have a Twitter account, isn't on Facebook, stop reading NOW and GO DO IT.   And remember, one account isn't all you need.  In your need for branding, etc., you will need extra accounts.  
2)  The media is on Twitter
     Yep, the media uses Twitter as a method of obtaining stories and facts.  Wire services like Reuters and Associated Press use Twitter, as do many journalists.  Do you know which journalists cover your business and others like it and why?  These are the folks you need to get a handle on and communicate with.  It will pay big dividends when and if the time for damage and spin control comes.
3)  Check your headline
    Here's one that was an actual newspaper headline:  "Most Homicide Victims Don't Talk to Police."   Really?  I guess the cops don't want to engage with the homicide victims that WILL talk to them.  The point is, your headline on Twitter is very important.  Many sites utilize an auto populate function that will continue to perpetrate a headline that, if taken out of context, may well do more harm than good.
4)  It's a video world
    If you don't think video isn't important, let your mind wander back to the unfortunate incident late last year in which a FedEx deliveryman was captured tossing an expensive monitor over a fence.  FedEx reacted quickly, including video from the senior vice president of US operations who offered an apology.  You can read about it and see it here:http://digitaljournal.com/article/316524   
     A rapid response video posted on Twitter can head off a lot of problems, but the key is RAPID RESPONSE.
5)  Watch for squatters
     Yes, squatters can and do sit on things cyber other than websites.  They also lurk around Twitter, and it's going to be a lot easier to get rid of them BEFORE a crisis than during and after.  Here's a link to Twitter's copyright and trademark protection policy that you should put into play if you see squatters hanging about your fringe.https://support.twitter.com/articles/18367-trademark-policy
6)  Add up your advertisements
     Sometimes it seems the entire world is one big advertisement.  And to a large degree, it is. Are you getting your fair share of it?  There are an estimated 250 million Tweets daily.  If you're not out there promoting yourself on Twitter, start now.  It's the only way you'll stay in, and ahead of, the game.

email vs. Twitter

 

   Stop and think for a moment:  which carries the greater impact?
   A:  being bombarded by ping-pong balls, one ball at a time, all day.
   B:  having a single 14 pound bowling ball dropped on your head.
   If you answered B you'd be correct.  Answer A can be irritating, of course, but you'll remember the bowling ball for days to come!
   That's kind of like it is in the continuing battle between email and Twitter or any other kind of business social media you may use.  The business social media is great for keeping up on a day to day and moment to moment account, but who saves twits and other such messages?
    The old fashioned email should be in play at your corporation as a mass market medium.  It's the electronic version of the old blast-fax.  Emails tend to stick around after they are read.  Emails with coupons or other items will be printed.
    Emails are also more likely to be trusted.  Would you correspond with your bank through Facebook?  And while we're on the subject, you should rarely if ever communicate thoughts, processes, ideas with company colleagues through Twitter.  Email is the only way to go here.
    This has been a short post, but it has a quick point: don't relegate email to the back burner.  Make it a part of your business social media strategy.  Reach your customers in every way you can.
    To quote an old cyber thought from days gone by:
     "You've got mail!"

Brave New World

   

   2012 is here!  I hope everyone's year is getting off to a great start.  I enjoyed taking some downtime during the holidays, but now it's back to work on a new year of business social media blogging.

   First, "Cyber Monday" following "Black Friday" was huge.  More money was spent on that day than on Black Friday -- which should be a warning shot to everyone not practising their business social media.  If you're not online, you're offline.  And that means you're flatlined.  DOA.  Kaput.  Finished.

   More people than ever are connected via smart phones.  There is just NO EXCUSE for any business not to have a cyber presence in 2012.  Is your website up to speed and updated?  Are you sending out emails to customers and prospects?  Are you giving them a reason to click on your site?

   Advertising Age's digital magazine lists five facts to look for in social media this year.  The full article can and should be read here:  http://adage.com/article/digitalnext/social-media-facts-bank-2012/231859/

   For the quick takeaway, here's what to expect in 2012 from writer Matt Wurst.

  1) Facebook is going to continue to evolve.  The major fracas over changes a couple of months ago has quieted down now, but there are more changes on the way.  If you don't keep up with them, you're going to be more lost than the cast of a past show that crash landed on a desert island.

  2)  Google+ has passed the 65 million user mark.  Still not up with Facebook, but certainly a force to be reckoned with this year.  Is Google+ really something you should be interested in?  Well, think about this: When was the last time you heard someone say "I'll Facebook it" when they were looking for information?

  3)  It's time to get serious about paid media support for your Facebook and other pages.  A media strategy that combines fan acquisition and fan engagement tactics is now a must-have.

  4)  Mobile, mobile, mobile.  Your customers are no longer tied down to a home computer.  They haven't been for some time now, but the massive move toward smartphones has really set them free.  They expect to get things from you EVERYWHERE, and that means EVERYWHERE THEY ARE AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT.  Time is money?  Yes, but mobility is more money.

   5)  Lead, follow, or get out of the way.  It's an old saying, but it's true in today's digital business social media world.  You cannot set your yearly outlook and then stick with it no matter what.  It's got to change and adapt moment by moment.  Tattoo this thought on your soul:  business social media is a LIVING BEING that is CONSTANTLY in a STATE OF FLUX.   A shark that stops swimming sinks - and a business that stops monitoring their digital business will follow suit.

   Have a great and prosperous 2012, and keep your business social media running at full speed!   

It's not your mother's Black Friday anymore!

     Are you ready?  Black Friday is upon us!  For many businesses, this is the make it or break it beginning to the make it or break it shopping season.
     In the old days, your mother's Black Friday depended solely on foot traffic at the brick and mortar stores.  It still does, judging by the crowds we'll see at Best Buy, Target, WalMart and etc.  But now -- if your business social media isn't addressing Black Friday, you're going to be missing out on a lot more traffic.
     Every year, the number of people who do their shopping online increases exponentially.  Those people who are glutted on turkey and dressing and pumpkin pie are going to be couch potatoes, but they won't be alone.
     No, they'll be armed with their smart phones.
     Merchants are offering online only deals (see the last blog entry on coupons) and are expecting to reap huge benefits from them, as well.  Hopefully your business is among that number.  Online only outfits like Rue La La, Amazon, Gilt and HSN will be competing for that shopping dollar - even as folks stand in line to get into the stores.  What could be better?  Shopping WHILE you are standing in line???
     Did you know that almost ten percent of of e-commerce purchases made in October came through mobile devices?  That's up about 3 percent from last year, according to research from IBM Coremetrics.
     AND -- about 43 percent of Americans with cell phone service own smart phones.   Amazon says the number of its American customers shopping on smart phones has nearly tripled since last year.
     So...get out there and sell through your business social media.   The brick and mortar stores are adding salespeople -- and now, you need to think about adding IT people, as well.  Punch that message out there, and don't be shy about doing it, either.
     It's not your mother's Black Friday sale anymore.

Let's Make a Deal!!!!

     In these wonderful economic times, who doesn't want a good deal?  Your customers certainly do and they are looking for you to provide it through your business social media.
   
     A recent study posted in Online Media Daily says that deals remain the top economic driver to bring people to business social media postings.
   
     The study, by Nielsen/McKinsey's NM Incite reveals that a whopping 60% of Americans hit social networks looking for coupons and other promotional bargains.  Of that number, 23% say they do it on a weekly basis!  And maybe you thought only Donald Trump was interested in the art of the deal!  Need more proof of the interest in the search for a good deal?  Did you pay attention to Groupon's IPO on NASDAQ?
   
     On a global basis, consumers of all ages said that getting discounts and special offers was their main reason for liking or following a brand.  (Remember in the past we've discussed your need to get out their on Facebook and Twitter?  Are you there yet?)
   
     There is one demographic item of note in the study:  consumers aged 55 - 59 and those under the age of 20 were less likely to follow brands for this reason - but these folks are NOT the biggest spenders for most brands, either.
   
    Here's the real kicker, though.  Across a study of ten major markets, including the United States, what do you think is going on with these business social media consumers?  Nearly 40% of these active Web users were hitting the promotion and coupon sites like Groupon and others from their home AND WORK computers this past September.  If you want more, here's the complete study. http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/161754/study-deals-remain-top-social-marketing-driver.html         

     Your online presence and your business social media effort is your most tireless salesperson, working 24/7/365.  Are you giving this dynamo the tools it needs to complete your sales?  To drive people to your site?  If not....well....

     Ever see anyone compete in NASCAR without gasoline?

     It isn't pretty.
 

When Your Blackberry Customer is Buried

     The recent Blackberry out of service disaster appears to be over, for the time being - though it remains to be seen if Research In Motion can recover, especially in the wake of Apple selling four million plus of the new iPhone while RIM was trying to restore service.
   You, as someone who practices business social media, know how important it is to get your message out to your adoring public - but what do you do when the medium for your message goes south, like Blackberry?  How many of your customers are using iPhones, Androids, etc. and how many are sticking with the Blackberry?  How many folks MISSED your message?
     RIM has stated it will hand out free apps to try and appease customers (good luck with that) but what will you do?  Did you send out a message on a special one time only sale that didn't get through?  An important message about upcoming business functions that didn't get through during the RIM outage?    How are you going to take care of your customers?  How should you take care of your customers?
     Do you re-run the message?  Do you re-do the sale?
     Enquiring minds want to know.  Let us know your thoughts on this conundrum that is absolutely no fault of your own, but requires your instant attention for your customer base.
     And this time, let's hope the message gets out.