After the #WomensMarch is over…..

Not too long ago a friend of mine was in a bad marriage and before the whole ugly truth unraveled she attempted reconciliation as her faith and conscience guided her.
This isolated her, friends turned their back and reviled her. What did this accomplish? It placed her and her children more firmly in the hands of a monster by stripping her of her most powerful resource, the love and support of her family and friends.
Fortunately a few stood by her and she did break away.
This is what I hope the #WomensMarch will help us do, stop judging, start talking, and provide the support needed for all women to strive and thrive.
P.S. She lived in “perfect suburbia” and it took her spouse less than 24 hours after finding out she was divorcing him to strip her of all financial resources. She was a stay at home mom for over 10 years. It took her nearly a year to find work after she left, a time when the husband withheld support for the kids until a judge forced it. So please, now that the march is over, #SupportYourSisters .

More help to excel at social media marketing!

Earlier I have been posting my own adventures and research on social media and social media marketing but here I just want to post the link to The Social Observer, a great blog built by marketing students that has some fresh ideas and provides great links to resources that will help any small business up their marketing game! Check it out!

Future Implications

I have spent the last several months taking an in depth look at social media. If you have been following me you know that I was a novice, basically a social media voyeur not a participant. My journey has changed my opinion of the value of social media and has helped me understand the applications extend beyond LOL Cats. I bet The Cure never imagined their music being used for this!

So now I am talking about the future and here are my predictions.

Video content is going to become more prevalent, we are going to stop typing and load video streams to share and comment, several sites have this capability so it is only a matter of time. Hopefully with this evolution we as users are going to pay attention to the legalese of the sites we use and understand that when we use them we are often giving them unfettered access to our content FOREVER! #WhatHappensOnTheInternetStaysOnTheInternet

We are going to become more involved with our favorite brands and treat them as part of our personal social circle. Companies are going to have their work cut out for them crafting marketing and social media strategies as the lines between businesses and their customers blur.

Mind reading, companies are going to get better at predicting your behavior and responses. We already see examples of this when we shop on sites like Amazon and we are presented with options based on previous purchases or recommendation from Netflix based on earlier viewing. I think as analytics and  big data grow, smart devices become more prevalent, and social media use increases companies will be able to create algorithms that anticipate our wants, maybe before we consciously decide we want it.

All I really know is the future is terrifying and exhilarating and even if all of my predictions are wrong it will definitely be interesting!

Follow me!

Viral Marketing Initiatives

While the term viral sounds a bit ominous it has become part of our cultural lexicon because the very nature of the web allows information to replicate and spread very much like a virus. A truly viral message tends to start small, a few people “see” it on the web and share with their audience, who shares with their audience, who shares, well, and you get the picture.

A post on Instagram can circle the globe many times over in the space of hours through the vast sharing network created by social media. This process can happen organically, like the viral video, Evolution of Dance uploaded in 2006. This upload of a motivational comedian dancing to some of the most recognized hits of the last century went out to a small audience and to date is up to 294,303,546 views but this is the exception, not the rule. Out of the millions of videos, blogs, Tweets, posts, and pics posted daily only a very few reach more than a handful of people so companies tend to look for a more targeted approach to get their message to a wider audience. Companies like viral marketing campaigns because when they are successful they tend to be low budget, mobilize their loyal followers, and reach well beyond the audience a more traditional marketing campaign can touch.

So what is one of the key steps to going viral? Well, you have to get the right people’s attention. One very cool example is how the company Omaze is getting donations for charity. Star Wars is one of the most anticipated movies in recent years, the reforming of many of the original cast members is driving excitement among the millions of Star Wars fans. Omaze reached out to the cast of Star Wars and had them pick their favorite charities and worked with the franchise to develop a list of rewards for donations. Pretty cool right? But now they have to get the word out and keep the cost low. Omaze set up Skype calls with members of their donor list all over the world that had a few key elements in common,

• They are Star Wars fans
• They have a social media following
• They have donated in the past

Once they had them on the line they started out asking a few questions about their Star Wars passion then had Harrison Ford come on the call and personally tell them about the campaign and the amazing grand prize, tickets to the premier and the opportunity to meet the cast. Not only is the campaign gaining momentum on multiple social media sites but many of the rewards levels for donations have sold out, and it all started with a few Star Wars fans! Check out the Star Wars cast charity campaign and then see Harrison Ford get the ball rolling! 

 

 

 

Differentiation: Ye Olde Apple vs Android

Apple and Android are very much in the differentiation

game, in fact Apple has historically focused its marketing efforts on building a near cult following that highlights why Apple users are cooler, hipper, even smarter. Android users would disagree, strongly, and would argue that Apple users are not cool and not very smart. When you mix Apple and Android people things can get ugly, with intense one up -manship and insults being thrown, it’s like asking Cowboys and Steelers fans to get along during playoffs, not-gonna-happen.

So what are they arguing about? I don’t speak geek so to be honest I have no clue whether or why an iOS based device is better than an Android based device. Even though I have no real clue I am a diehard Apple user because to me Apple is easier and more user friendly. I stopped trying to explain this to Android users a long time ago because I don’t enjoy 2 hour lectures with PowerPoint presentation explaining just how wrong I am and why I should go to the dark side (Android) immediately. I can’t even get upset because I do the same thing to those poor misguided Android users. No matter whose cult, I mean brand, you believe in one of the spaces you can see a real difference is how they approach and use social media.

Twitter is a good place to compare these two mobile giant’s approach to social media marketing. Android actually has a few Twitter feed accounts, some targeted at the general consumer, others at the app development community, but a common theme is the logo  that has become synonymous with all Android based products.

Android uses fun images and keeps the feed light and friendly, .

Apple does not have a dedicated Twitter feed for iOS,

only for its app store and its iTunes application, but with dozens of individuals out there building and maintaining Twitter accounts dedicated to all things iOS. Android has many fan created sites as well but does Apple need to be more proactive with its Twitter feed? Is letting the Twitter crowd control this segment of its brand the best option? Is the risk to the brand outweighed by the power of the crowd in an age when we rely more on what our peers tell us about a product, brand, or service than what the company tells us? Maybe Apple is just a little bit complacent and feels the brand and products stand on their own.

I don’t know if there will ever be a winner in the Android vs Apple wars but it sure be fun to watch!

Blog, blog, blog…….

So far the focus here has been how the telecommunications industry uses the major Social Media sites like Facebook but to round out the conversation we need to take a look at blogs and micro-blogs.  Blogs, along with all other types of Social Media, have evolved from their beginnings as online diaries to an increasingly formal branch of the marketing industry. There are blogs on every topic imaginable and more and more people are making a living as professional bloggers, this has in turn spawned a growing market to teach “How to earn money as a professional blogger.”

The world of fashion has certainly recognized and embraced the power of the blogger and provides support for bloggers with a strong fan base in the form of cash, gifts, and access to exclusive events. Fashion is not the only industry reaping the rewards of bloggers, the “mom industry,” which includes products focused on children and moms, books and resources, travel, and food. 

Now let’s face it, most industries are not as sexy, as the fashion industry or as relatable as the mom industry so how can the other guys take advantage of this powerful resource? There are a several options but to make the most of the Social Media investment organizations need to play it smart.

Even though the major telecom players have followed Apple’s lead and worked to upgrade their image to appeal to an increasingly tech savvy market most of the traffic and buzz is around devices and apps not the company and network that drives them. Virgin Mobile’s CEO Richard Branson

is probably the lone exception as his image has become an integral part of the brand.  Verizon’s little know CEO Lowell C. McAdam, or AT&T’s low key Randall Stephenson , unlike Richard Branson, are not synonymous with the brand they serve so there may not be much value in creating a Social Media presence built around either man, so how can they leverage the power of the blog?

• Watch for trending bloggers that appeal to your target market
  • Since there are bloggers out there on every topic the big telecom companies can identify bloggers that are popular with their target market and look for co-branding and sponsorship opportunities.
• Leverage what should be the most powerful group of promoters, the employees
  • Partner with employees who are already strong bloggers and give them support and a voice
• Identify charismatic leaders in the company and encourage them to develop a positive Social Media presence
  • AT&T’s Ralph de la Vega is a strong leader in the Mobile industry as well as a charismatic person in his own right.

At the end of the day the Blog verse can help or hurt a company, be smart and make sure they help.

 

Socializing and the (Tele) Communications Industry go together like peanut butter and jelly! Well at least they should.

It seems like a natural fit, social media and telecommunications, what could make more sense right? Social media is all about expanding communication, entertainment, and sharing. Telecommunications is all about providing the network, tools, and content for communication, entertainment, and sharing. Yet if you look at the various social media platforms the telecom giants (and it is not just the U.S. based companies) use, they are just not getting it. In my last post I talked about the dumping ground for negative comments Facebook has become for these providers and the limited use of Twitter to talk about the company and what they are about beyond the obvious.

Part of the problem may be the sheer size and scope of what many of these telecom giants do and where they operate! So, is it really a good idea for these big sprawling companies to use social media to advance their brand? At this point it would impossible for them not to and anyone of them that does not invest in a solid social media presence will be left behind, (Pozin, 2014). In fact the first of the telecomm giants that figures out how to make social media work for them will have a competitive advantage gained by increased customer engagement,  (Kaplan, 2012).

So who should they look to for inspiration on how to make it work? The companies that have impressive social media sites that actually engage their target population instead of just getting “Likes” or complaints have a few things in common. The sites are focused and the sites are community oriented.

and both do a great job with this.

provides content and links that drives traffic to its app for things like free downloads, which leverages its partnership with iTunes, (Pozin, 2014).

 has multiple product lines within its space so they dedicate pages to specific popular topics like wine, cheese, specialty foods, and allows each of its store locations to maintain its own page to increase community involvement with posts that target the community they serve. Take a look at main  Twitter presence compared to a community Twitter page for , an area that is newly launched and does not have an established brand presence and you can see a big difference that can also be seen in the performance of the two competitors.

Both Starbucks and Wholefoods place a focus on what is going on in the community and provides benefits beyond the services and products they sell.  So what should this look like for the telecomm giants?

1. Take a look at who the target audience is for the main product pages and tailor them based on the goals for the page, (Schaefer, 2014). If the idea is to use Facebook as a customer service extension then drive those customers to a page that actually applies to their issue, rather than one page for all.
2. Individual pages for each community that is served with content and information that is relevant in that area, (Schaefer, 2014). For example, AT&T Birmingham could have its own SM sites that include enterprise wide content but focuses on community content like local events and community activities.
3. Use the SM sites to show the great things the people at these organizations do in their community. AT&T’s has a large group of employees that are actively engaged in making their communities a better place through volunteering.
4. Tie the company app and Social Media together, at least some content and posts should directly link and drive traffic to the company app, (Schaefer, 2014).

These are the basics, let’s see how the telecomm giants take it to the next level!

**Note – Clicking pictures will open links in a new window**

Kaplan, A. M. (2012). If you love something, let it go mobile: Mobile marketing and mobile social media 4×4. Business Horizons, 55(2), 129-139. Retrieved from http://pn8vx3lh2h.search.serialssolution.com/?ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&ctx_enc=info:ofi/enc:UTF-8&rfr_id=info:sid/ProQ%3Aabiglobal&rft_val_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:journal&rft.genre=article&rft.jtitle=Business+Horizons&rft.atitle=If+you+love+something%2C+let+i

Pozin, I. (2014, March 6). 20 companies you should be following on social media. Forbes.com, p. (online version). Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/ilyapozin/2014/03/06/20-companies-you-should-be-following-on-social-media/

Schaefer, M. W. (2014). The Tao of Twitter, Revised and Expanded New Edition: Changing Your Life and Business 140 Charachters at a Time. New York: McGraw-Hill.

To sell or not to sell, that is the question…..

Continuing the conversation on the impact of SMM (Social Media Marketing) in the telecom world means looking at the actual business impact. Are these organizations using their SMM platforms to actually drive customer traffic and purchases to products and services or are they using them only as customer service extentions?

I went through the Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Google + sites for the four major US telecom carriers as their top pay as you go competitors. I looked at AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, Metro PCS, Virgin Mobile, and Cricket and I saw a common thread;

• Facebook is a customer service extension – complaints, questions and kudos are posted and answered with some interesting or fun articles tossed in

ALERT – SOME OF THESE CARRIERS DELETE NEGATIVE POSTS! BAD IDEA! And BTW it’s not AT&T or Verizon!

• Twitter is used to give shout outs and Tweet industry impacting events and news
• YouTube is used as a product demonstration site and a repository of company media
• Google + seems to be a combination of the others with a bit of everything. Google + is also more segmented with some sites geared towards business and others to consumers.

The other common thread is there are few if any actual product or service marketing attempts on the SM sites. Is this good or bad? Should these companies be doing more to leverage the SM site visitors and followers into buyers? Why aren’t they cashing in on the million + “likes”?

It could be that these giants are not sure how to combine SM engagement and M or E commerce, it could also be fear of alienating

How are these telecom giants seen?

their followers by commecializing these sites and being seen as more greedy than public perception currently paints most large businesses.

Should they make the effort to proactively promote specific products and services or reserve these sites as a “goodwill” endevor? This is hard to answer because a review also shows that the vast majority of actual site traffic is to leave negative comments and complaints, how much more angry will these people be if marketing takes over the sites?

I think for now these companies need to focus on engaging consumers and businesses with their SM sites, keep using them to leverage a dialogue and over time build a more positive image then make the leap to the more direct SMM efforts. 

It’s a small world after all……

One of the outcries against social media is that it is pervasive and severs the personal connections that we would otherwise  make.  Here’s a story about social media connecting people face-to-face, then making business connections 5,000 miles away. 

So here I sit waiting to pick up dinner and trudge back to my hotel room for the night. FaceTime the family, do homework, and pack. A women who is also waiting for food has a lovely flower in her hair. When I complimented her she said she is from Hawaii. This led to a discussion about my dad who also lives in Hawaii and is  a photographer. From there I learned she’s been looking at metal prints of lava flows. I whipped out myself own pulled up my dad’s Twitter and Facebook and showed her his work. Now she has his Twitter and Facebook follow him and just going to look him up when she gets home! 

Isn’t it great social media makes connections even in person! 

An Egg, A Kraken, And An Omlette….

Do you think that in 1876 when the first 3 sentence telephone conversation took place anyone envisioned where the telecommunications industry would be today? From an idea that hatched well over 100 years ago an industry has been born that impacts every person on the planet in some form or fashion.

What started out as American Telegraph and Telephone (AT&T) now provides the backbone for internet, wireless applications, cloud solutions,

Modern Telecommunications Companies

media and entertainment, cars and planes that connect, and of course the millions of apps that are in use everyday.

So what do the leading telecom companies do with social media they built this incredible system to support? They pretty much use it all, Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and YouTube to name a few and sadly they all look a lot alike!

AT&T and Verizon are easily the largest telecom providers in the U.S. and they both have dedicated pages on the most popular SM sites. While I like the continuity of look and message across the various sites what I don’t like is how similar they are to each other. If you pull up their pages and look through them it would be hard to tell them apart other than the logos. They have a few articles, some photos, and long feeds of customer kudos’ or complaints and the responses. This may be necessary part of SM engagement but, YAWN! I actually found this across the 15 different providers whose pages I looked at…yikes!

In the fiercely competitive and rapidly evolving telecom industry does it make any sense to have this homogeneity? Why would these multi-national conglomerates that service millions all have the same bland look and feel in what should be the most engaging platform and marketing opportunity available? I mean a plain egg white omelet may be good for you but why not add some color and spice? It doesn’t make sense so I thought maybe I was missing something and kept digging and what I found is that when you look at their YouTube channels you finally see where they shine and make a real attempt to set themselves apart.

AT&T’s YouTube page has links that lead to content and pages that showcase the varied business units. There are links to commercials, help videos, news, community messages, and many of the innovations that AT&T is taking part in. Verizon has taken a slightly different approach by segmenting its business units into different pages but the available content includes Verizon commercials, help videos, and top stories that Verizon’s customers may be interested in.

It seems that the largest SMM investment being made by the telecom industry is in video sharing platforms while using formats like Twitter and Facebook to have conversations. Not a bad engagement strategy! Take a minute to check out the YouTube sites and tell me what you think.