It's been a busy New Year. Sorry about the delay.
I'm a practical kind of person. I'm fortunate enough to get this technological "revolution" that people are so crazy over. In all honesty, I'm pretty crazy over it, too. I just don't see it the way a lot of people do. I've never seen the whole "The future is here and it is now-or-whatever-else-will-scare-people" perspective behind this new medium of communication. I really thought most of us would have seen a lot of this coming. But no matter, it's here. Now, people, organizations, businesses - they have to decide what to do with it.
Rupert Murdoch is loony. Seriously, if you haven't figured it out for yourself yet, people will get the content they want online, and they won't pay for it. The media model, specifically the newspaper, is dying and dead. There are even proponents of magazine success that seem blindly sure that a money-for-content model will continue to be viable into the future of digital media.
There are two major flaws in this mindset: 1.) Information is widely available via free Internet sources, whether it be via user-generated or freemium-based platforms. There is so much information available, and so much of it comes to the user as a value-added benefit of association with a given source. Often, user-generated content is more relevant, more accurate, and more timely than that sourced from the traditional information mediums. And if people can get better information for free, why would they pay for it? 2.) Users who generate their own content recognize the benefit in providing value to their readers/subscribers and will continue to provide better information at no cost in order to improve their own recognition. And why shouldn't they? The sphere is full of bloggers and writers and tweeters who are trying to grow their audience, and they will do so by increasing the value of what they are disseminating. The traditional print media model cannot compete with that kind of a value proposition.
Solution? Empowerment. The media model needs to empower these independent information-generation sources with what they need to stay relevant to their sphere of influence. By doing so, and harnessing the creative power of these people, the media powers-that-be can stay relevant to their audiences.
Showing posts with label social media marketing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label social media marketing. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Saturday, January 2, 2010
"Please, let's be formal..."
How did you find your barber? Or your stylist? Or the girl who does your nails? Or how about the fellows who mow your grass?
These are services that require an immense amount of trust to be placed in the service provider. When shears or clippers get near your head, you'd better have a fair amount of confidence in the guy or gal holding them.
With few exceptions, you probably found these services through a conversation with a friend, relative or co-worker. I'd wager a guess that you weren't huddled around a conference table in a stuffy office with a legal pad in front of you, diligently taking notes on the pros and cons of the decision you're about to make.
If you did, you need help.
Chances are good, and this is just speculation, that you were swapping stories over a cup of coffee or maybe an after-work drink. A comment was made in passing about a new hair-cut or nail job, and a recommendation was passed along. On that recommendation, without fact-checking and asking for references, you made a purchasing decision. And you continue to make that same, informal decision every two weeks to keep your curly (or straight) locks in perfect order.
There is nothing wrong with this. It's the way most consumers do business.
It also happens to be the way that social media works. People talk about a lot of things on the web. They talk about books they're reading, coffee they're sipping, politicians they're hating, and people they're missing. They talk, and other people listen. They discuss these things. They form opinions and eventually make decisions. It's the same dynamic that has been happing in conversation for eons, only now it's happening on the Internet.
Making your brand a part of this terribly informal conversation is...duh.
Monday, December 14, 2009
What works?
http://thesocialosophy.blogspot.com/2009/10/getting-back-what-you-have-in.htmlThere are so many questions swirling around the social media phenomenon lately. It's the proverbial new kid on the block (although, relatively, social media as a communication function has been in use for a while) and everyone wants to get in on the hype.
But what do we do with it once our Facebook pages are built and our Twitters are tweeting and our connections are growing? Where do we go? How do we know what is a viable course of action for what we want to accomplish? There are a lot of things out there that work and provide good results. While this is encouraging for the growth of the technology and innovation, it makes it difficult for us to narrow down what works, and what best practices are.
However, as with all things, there those principles that, when applied, will point you in the general direction that you need to go. Here are a couple of things that you can be doing right now as you figure out specifically where you want your social media strategy to be heading.
1.) Offer Value.
The people who will engage with you will do so because of what they receive in return. Simply telling your potential consumer base that you make the best widgets in town will not be reason enough for them to spend their money on your product. They are being told the same thing by every other widget maker on the block. But if they know that your widget Facebook page gets them great news on widget technology, offers them specials for being engaged with you, and provides them with unrelated content like X-Games videos and interesting swine flu articles, they will consider you a resource, and you will be the obvious choice for their next widget purchase.
2.) Ask for Engagement.
Good, quality content will generate organic engagement, all on its own. But the guy who sets up a hot dog stand and opens his newspaper will not do nearly as much business as the guy who opens his cart then pulls out a mega-phone and begins hollering about the virtue of his franks. Do not be afraid to ask people for feedback. Let them know that you want their opinions, questions, comments, and queries. They will respond in turn.
3.) Follow Through
If you are going to pull out your megaphone, be prepared for the onslaught, and decide ahead of time how you are going to respond to positive and negative feedback. Then respond. Leave no comment unanswered, no question unacknowledged, and no message unattended. Give people a return on their investment, and you'll see a Return on Engagement.
But what do we do with it once our Facebook pages are built and our Twitters are tweeting and our connections are growing? Where do we go? How do we know what is a viable course of action for what we want to accomplish? There are a lot of things out there that work and provide good results. While this is encouraging for the growth of the technology and innovation, it makes it difficult for us to narrow down what works, and what best practices are.
However, as with all things, there those principles that, when applied, will point you in the general direction that you need to go. Here are a couple of things that you can be doing right now as you figure out specifically where you want your social media strategy to be heading.
1.) Offer Value.
The people who will engage with you will do so because of what they receive in return. Simply telling your potential consumer base that you make the best widgets in town will not be reason enough for them to spend their money on your product. They are being told the same thing by every other widget maker on the block. But if they know that your widget Facebook page gets them great news on widget technology, offers them specials for being engaged with you, and provides them with unrelated content like X-Games videos and interesting swine flu articles, they will consider you a resource, and you will be the obvious choice for their next widget purchase.
2.) Ask for Engagement.
Good, quality content will generate organic engagement, all on its own. But the guy who sets up a hot dog stand and opens his newspaper will not do nearly as much business as the guy who opens his cart then pulls out a mega-phone and begins hollering about the virtue of his franks. Do not be afraid to ask people for feedback. Let them know that you want their opinions, questions, comments, and queries. They will respond in turn.
3.) Follow Through
If you are going to pull out your megaphone, be prepared for the onslaught, and decide ahead of time how you are going to respond to positive and negative feedback. Then respond. Leave no comment unanswered, no question unacknowledged, and no message unattended. Give people a return on their investment, and you'll see a Return on Engagement.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Set the Example
Ever watch a street performer? I lived just outside of Chicago for a year, and I spent a lot of time in the city. Uptown, on the north side of the city, just of Lakeshore Blvd., there were always a few street magicians, musicians, and assorted other performers, trying to peddle a few bucks from the passers-by. On a couple of occasions, I found myself on those streets early in the morning, as the would-be stars were setting up for the day. I noticed that they all had an interesting habit. They would set out there collection apparatus, whether it be a hat, an instrument case, a plastic bucket, and they would pull a few dollars out of their own pocket and toss it in. As I watched, people would come up to listen or watch, and, before throwing a little change or a few bucks in, they would look to see if there was any there already.
It's interesting how this phenomenon transfers to the world around us, and, particularly, to the world of social media and the virtual market. People are terrified of making poor choices. Often, that fear alone is not enough to deter bad decision-making, but the fear exists nonetheless. Perception is everything to most people, and the thought of contributing a few dollars to a performance that no one else enjoyed is anathema. So they check.
People behave the same way in today's social market. They check to see how others have reacted before they dive in with open wallets and checkbooks. If the sentiment is popular, they feel better about their investment. If it's not, they run scared. The street performers understood this, and they were proactive, investing a little of their own, to initiate a return from others.
We ought to be doing the same. If we are afraid to invest our own resources in what we are trying to sell, why would other people want to get on board. Talking about the virtue of charitable giving, and refusing to join the ranks of givers, come off more than a little disingenuous. Making claims about the incredible value of a particular investment, but not investing yourself, is outright hypocrisy.
People, for the most part are followers. Sales, in any market, is leadership. You can't "boss" people into buying and expect to be successful. That is the reason so many car salesmen have such terrible reputations. You have to lead them to a decision. Leadership is example. Showing them the way, the ups and downs, the benefits and detractors, and showing them through actual performance, gives them the peace of mind that those street spectators look for when peering into a plastic bucket or guitar case.
How do you sell by example?
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Pick your sandbox.
Remember junior high school? The first week was full of stress and anxiety, not because of classes or homework, but because of lunch. The table to which you would find yourself relegated had the potential of changing the face of your entire socio-academic career. It was never a decision you could make for yourself, at least, that was the case for most of us. Our peers, those who had come before us, they chose our table. It was all a matter of waiting, wondering what would happen, what would THEY think of us?
The social media phenomenon feels a lot like a junior high school lunch room, especially for those who are getting on board at this relatively late stage in the game. There is so much to learn, to process, to formulate and make a decision on, it seems just a little simpler to let someone else decide for us at which table we should sit. After all, we don't have time to spend worrying about all of this do we? There is too much else going on. Isn't there?
The question you ought to be asking yourself is whether or not you truly understand what is happening. If you don't, you have to be up front and honest about that. And then you have to educate yourself. The difference between this new media landscape and those smelly lunchrooms is that nobody here wants to be your friend. They want the money that your consumers would otherwise spend with you. And they will pick your table for you. They will relegate you to that table in the corner where people who don't meet the acceptable standard sit.
You have an opportunity, much like you had when you were much younger, to pick, not which table you sit at, but which sandbox you play in. As a child, you simply brought what tools you had to the sandbox and built your own castle. Social politics aside, he who could build the biggest castle was king. So bring your tools to the sandbox and start building. Learn, educate, discover, and adapt. Make yourself organic, growing with your surroundings, and changing as is necessary.
Social media provides the single greatest opportunity to date for effective communication with your consumer audience. They crave interaction from you, and will gladly spend their money with you when you meet that social need. The old rule to live by was "Pay to Play." You're not effective anymore unless you are willing to actually play. No more arm chair quarterbacks with fat marketing budgets. Now you've got to put on the pads and make it happen.
\
The wonderful thing about this shift socio-economic dynamics is that it puts you in control of your own destiny. You finally get to pick your own table. And guess what? You get to bring your sand castle.
The social media phenomenon feels a lot like a junior high school lunch room, especially for those who are getting on board at this relatively late stage in the game. There is so much to learn, to process, to formulate and make a decision on, it seems just a little simpler to let someone else decide for us at which table we should sit. After all, we don't have time to spend worrying about all of this do we? There is too much else going on. Isn't there?
The question you ought to be asking yourself is whether or not you truly understand what is happening. If you don't, you have to be up front and honest about that. And then you have to educate yourself. The difference between this new media landscape and those smelly lunchrooms is that nobody here wants to be your friend. They want the money that your consumers would otherwise spend with you. And they will pick your table for you. They will relegate you to that table in the corner where people who don't meet the acceptable standard sit.
You have an opportunity, much like you had when you were much younger, to pick, not which table you sit at, but which sandbox you play in. As a child, you simply brought what tools you had to the sandbox and built your own castle. Social politics aside, he who could build the biggest castle was king. So bring your tools to the sandbox and start building. Learn, educate, discover, and adapt. Make yourself organic, growing with your surroundings, and changing as is necessary.
Social media provides the single greatest opportunity to date for effective communication with your consumer audience. They crave interaction from you, and will gladly spend their money with you when you meet that social need. The old rule to live by was "Pay to Play." You're not effective anymore unless you are willing to actually play. No more arm chair quarterbacks with fat marketing budgets. Now you've got to put on the pads and make it happen.
\
The wonderful thing about this shift socio-economic dynamics is that it puts you in control of your own destiny. You finally get to pick your own table. And guess what? You get to bring your sand castle.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Getting Back What You Have In
Remember the days of books and pencils and graphing calculators and stressful group projects that was business school? Remember the endless lectures and charts and situational problems that gave us nightmares and made us wonder why we hadn't just chosen an art major instead? It was there amidst the dark halls and windowless classrooms and dreams of power suits and corner offices that we were instructed, nay indoctrinated, with the search for the grail of ROI.
The catalyst of success. The denominator of power. The fascinating and elusive factor that would make or break our fragile careers.
But the game has changed, has it not? The rules are different now. Somehow, the world of structure and order that gave us so much security while we dreamed of it in our dorms and studio apartments has been over-run by a society that relies on word-of-blog advertising and social networks for news. People don't care as much about the ads we spend millions to create as they do about what their favorite blogger has to say. They figure that if Mashup! isn't talking about it, it must be passe'.
So we changed out game. We built our Facebook pages and started our Twitters and launched our blogs and it was all exciting and fun and new and wonderful.
But then...silently and ruthlessly, a thought crept into our minds. We ignored it for a moment, tried not think about it for another. But we could not shut out the voice, the nagging fear in our minds. In a world where communication is the agent of marketing, where we build and cultivate fluid, non-contractual relationships, how will we track our ROI? How will we know if this, this juggernaut of change, is working? Where are the numbers? How do you put Twitter into a spreadsheet?
Quiet your worried minds and silence your irrational, community college-driven fears. I believe that we are looking at the problem from the wrong angle. It is not investment that we are gaining a return on. Much of the new media is free. The investment made is time. And time, like furniture and telephones and carpeting, is not an item we expect an ROI figure from.
The calculable factor is relationship. We have to start finding our Return on Engagement. As we invest time into building relationships with our consumers and their networks, as we build our brand and create an atmosphere and an expectation around that brand, as we make it easy and productive for people to engage us, we begin to see profit, we begin to see a return.
Ask the right questions. Has my social media straetgy over the last six months grown my virtual networks? Has user-generated contribution risen since my latest addition? Has my brand awareness grown in the extended networks of my consumers?
Change your glasses, open the windows, and leave the halls of lower learning for the open fields of the New Social Market.
Return on Investment.
The catalyst of success. The denominator of power. The fascinating and elusive factor that would make or break our fragile careers.
But the game has changed, has it not? The rules are different now. Somehow, the world of structure and order that gave us so much security while we dreamed of it in our dorms and studio apartments has been over-run by a society that relies on word-of-blog advertising and social networks for news. People don't care as much about the ads we spend millions to create as they do about what their favorite blogger has to say. They figure that if Mashup! isn't talking about it, it must be passe'.
So we changed out game. We built our Facebook pages and started our Twitters and launched our blogs and it was all exciting and fun and new and wonderful.
But then...silently and ruthlessly, a thought crept into our minds. We ignored it for a moment, tried not think about it for another. But we could not shut out the voice, the nagging fear in our minds. In a world where communication is the agent of marketing, where we build and cultivate fluid, non-contractual relationships, how will we track our ROI? How will we know if this, this juggernaut of change, is working? Where are the numbers? How do you put Twitter into a spreadsheet?
Quiet your worried minds and silence your irrational, community college-driven fears. I believe that we are looking at the problem from the wrong angle. It is not investment that we are gaining a return on. Much of the new media is free. The investment made is time. And time, like furniture and telephones and carpeting, is not an item we expect an ROI figure from.
The calculable factor is relationship. We have to start finding our Return on Engagement. As we invest time into building relationships with our consumers and their networks, as we build our brand and create an atmosphere and an expectation around that brand, as we make it easy and productive for people to engage us, we begin to see profit, we begin to see a return.
Ask the right questions. Has my social media straetgy over the last six months grown my virtual networks? Has user-generated contribution risen since my latest addition? Has my brand awareness grown in the extended networks of my consumers?
Change your glasses, open the windows, and leave the halls of lower learning for the open fields of the New Social Market.
Friday, October 2, 2009
Friday Blogwatch
Here's a new staple for The Socialosophy. These are the things I think you should be reading this week! Enjoy!
http://bit.ly/U366t
Digital Tonto
- Great article on why companies fail. Worth checking out. We all need these kind of reminders now and then. Tonto has good information on a variety of subjects.
http://bit.ly/13zBVy
Elainegantzwright
- Elaine explores how non-profits and charity organizations are using social networking to promote social change. In this article, she explores Seth Godin's condemantion of non-profit's resistance to social media and the new methods of communication we see springing up all around us. A very introspective article. Kuddo's, Elaine.
http://bit.ly/2zv4CB
NuReach Global
- Good article on "social media netiquette". Do's and don'ts for the noobs.
http://bit.ly/hCrvs
Jennifer Van Grove on Mashable!
- Really practical article on social media policies. Having problems with your employees and their Facebook? Read what she has to say, and see what you can steal! ;)
http://bit.ly/6uuOp
Michael Brito
- Michael talks about new search engine LeapFish. Apparently, he likes it...
http://bit.ly/U366t
Digital Tonto
- Great article on why companies fail. Worth checking out. We all need these kind of reminders now and then. Tonto has good information on a variety of subjects.
http://bit.ly/13zBVy
Elainegantzwright
- Elaine explores how non-profits and charity organizations are using social networking to promote social change. In this article, she explores Seth Godin's condemantion of non-profit's resistance to social media and the new methods of communication we see springing up all around us. A very introspective article. Kuddo's, Elaine.
http://bit.ly/2zv4CB
NuReach Global
- Good article on "social media netiquette". Do's and don'ts for the noobs.
http://bit.ly/hCrvs
Jennifer Van Grove on Mashable!
- Really practical article on social media policies. Having problems with your employees and their Facebook? Read what she has to say, and see what you can steal! ;)
http://bit.ly/6uuOp
Michael Brito
- Michael talks about new search engine LeapFish. Apparently, he likes it...
Monday, September 28, 2009
How to Create a Group in Facebook
(Reposted from WikiHow)
Have you just joined Facebook and discovered the wonder that is a personalized group? Follow these easy steps to create your own piece of Facebook reality.
Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Create a New Facebook Group. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.
How to Create a New Facebook Group
from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can EditHave you just joined Facebook and discovered the wonder that is a personalized group? Follow these easy steps to create your own piece of Facebook reality.
Steps
- Come up with an original idea for a group.
- Login to Facebook or create an account if you don't have one yet.
- Type some key words for your group idea in the "Search" box in the left hand column. You'll want to see whether or not you've actually had an original idea before you create your group.
- Click Profile at the top.
- Click Info from your profile.
- Scroll to the bottom and to the right of Groups, click See All.
- Click "Create a group" at the top of that page.
- Give your group a name.
- Choose a network.
- Will your group be accessible only to those in your region or school? If so, choose the region or school from the drop down list of networks to which you belong.
- Will your group be accessible to everyone on Facebook? If so, choose "Global."
- Will your group be accessible only to those in your region or school? If so, choose the region or school from the drop down list of networks to which you belong.
- Describe your group in the "Description" area. Be specific, as keyword searches will match anything you have written in this text box.
- Choose a category and sub-category. Once again, be specific, as those who are browsing will find your group only if it is in the correct category.
- Fill out the contact information such as a street address, country and website.
- Choose your privacy settings.
- Click "Create group".
- Click "Browse" to upload a group image. Keep copyright rules in mind when doing this.
- Click "Upload picture" or "Skip this step" if you prefer to add a photo later.
- Invite your friends by selecting them from your current friend list or typing their name into the box that is provided.
Tips
- Be original, invite your friends, and have fun !!!!
- Inviting friends to a group is okay once in a while. Beware of "spam-viting"--that is, creating many groups a day and inviting every friend to each one. Instead, take your time and think about who might actually want to join your group before you send them an invitation.
- Only fill out personal information if you are SURE you want the group to see personal information - like your street address.
Related wikiHows
- How to Make a New Facebook Account
- How to Quit Facebook
- How to View Your Facebook Notifications
- How to Check Your Message Inbox on Facebook
- How to Avoid Getting Caught on Facebook
Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Create a New Facebook Group. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.
Friday, September 18, 2009
North by Northwest
I met with Tom Fulmer of Space Coast Entrepreneurs this morning to record a podcast for his show, "Extra Mile Radio". It was a really great time with a lot of good insights and information. We discussed social media, its role in the modern marketing mindset, and the affect it is having on the new way we do business. He asked me an interesting question, "What do you feel is the greatest need of small business owners in today's economy?"
The answer, to my way of thinking, is simple.
Direction.
Our world is full of ideas. I find that most business-people I come into contact with are doing everything they can just to keep their head above water in the deluge on information, technology, and applications. They have all the tools, many times without even knowing what they are for. They just have them because someone has told them that they ought to.
But what they need, what will really allow them the freedom and security and confidence to plunge ahead with their new-found armament is direction. When my wife and I got married we took our honeymoon in the mountains of Tennessee. For a beach boy like me and an L.A.-born city girl like my wife, the winding roads and rolling hills of that beautiful state were fairly daunting! Fortunately, my parents were nice enough to loan us their Garmin for our trip, and we found our way. That little gadget, with its monotone, female voice and brightly-lit LCD screen, gave us something that, without it, would have made our trip just terrible. It gave us direction. It guided us through unfamiliar territory, taking the pressure of left and right turns off of our shoulders and allowing us to focus on enjoyable things like where to eat and what shows to see!
It today's technological wilderness, we often need a Garmin to guide us. What so few people realize, however, is that often they have it within themselves to find that direction and guidance. Proper planning and goal-setting coupled with a little education on how new technologies are being used will help clear the smoke and allow you to find your path. If you already know where you want to end up, and the achievements you want to make along the way, you simply need to learn how those goals and plans sync with the tools you have aquired, and suddenly you will find that all of this "Internet stuff" isn't as hard as you thought!
The answer, to my way of thinking, is simple.
Direction.
Our world is full of ideas. I find that most business-people I come into contact with are doing everything they can just to keep their head above water in the deluge on information, technology, and applications. They have all the tools, many times without even knowing what they are for. They just have them because someone has told them that they ought to.
But what they need, what will really allow them the freedom and security and confidence to plunge ahead with their new-found armament is direction. When my wife and I got married we took our honeymoon in the mountains of Tennessee. For a beach boy like me and an L.A.-born city girl like my wife, the winding roads and rolling hills of that beautiful state were fairly daunting! Fortunately, my parents were nice enough to loan us their Garmin for our trip, and we found our way. That little gadget, with its monotone, female voice and brightly-lit LCD screen, gave us something that, without it, would have made our trip just terrible. It gave us direction. It guided us through unfamiliar territory, taking the pressure of left and right turns off of our shoulders and allowing us to focus on enjoyable things like where to eat and what shows to see!
It today's technological wilderness, we often need a Garmin to guide us. What so few people realize, however, is that often they have it within themselves to find that direction and guidance. Proper planning and goal-setting coupled with a little education on how new technologies are being used will help clear the smoke and allow you to find your path. If you already know where you want to end up, and the achievements you want to make along the way, you simply need to learn how those goals and plans sync with the tools you have aquired, and suddenly you will find that all of this "Internet stuff" isn't as hard as you thought!
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
The Socialosophy
Ever hear of a paradigm? Stephen Covey's book 7 Habits of Highly Effective People covers the paradigm principle in wonderful detail, and in that book, Mr. Covey relates the concept of a paradigm shift. A fundamental change, due to circumstances or previously unknown information, in the way we look at the world. It is a phenomenon that occurs every single day in each of our lives.Have you ever driven past a fast food establishment with no intention of a purchase, until you noticed the marquee that advertised 2 for 1 of your favorite snack? Suddenly, you're hungry and ready to eat! Your perspective has been completely altered, and you make a choice based on that persepctive.
In most cases, these shifts in our views happen involuntarily and with no thought or planning. They sneak up on us, take us by surprise, and force us to adjust our thinking and decision-making accordingly. However, the prepared and intelligent individual takes stock of the world around him or her, sees the trends that are growing, and self-adjusts his world paradigm to match the situation he will find himself in. In this way, he is ready for the challenges that will come his way and is able to meet them head on.
The world we live in has changed fundamentally. It is not changing. It is not going to change. It has already happened. People in today's economy work, act, react, and think differently than they ever have before. Before the introduction of the printing press, the concept of widely disseminated information was myth and dream. Mr. Gutnberg, however, could never have imagined the speeds at which we communicate today, nor the volume of information we pass along to one another.
This video, by Socialnomics.com really illustrates the effect that today's method communication, social media specifically, has affected our mindsets:
Times have changed. This sensation is not going to go away. It is not a fad. It is the way the world now works. You have the opportunity to fundamentally change your philosophy of communication, or you will have it changed for you.
The Socialosophy is a mindset, a paradigm for communication, marketing, networking, and building relationships. It is embracing the revolution of social media and making it work for you. I want to help you do that. I want to show you how to not just make money or increase revenue, but how to communicate effectively across a medium that is largely new and untested. If you're willing to jump in now, you will be miles ahead of the pack when the rest of the boys and girls finally realize there is a party going on.
So, here's the question: Are you ready to embrace The Socialosophy?
In most cases, these shifts in our views happen involuntarily and with no thought or planning. They sneak up on us, take us by surprise, and force us to adjust our thinking and decision-making accordingly. However, the prepared and intelligent individual takes stock of the world around him or her, sees the trends that are growing, and self-adjusts his world paradigm to match the situation he will find himself in. In this way, he is ready for the challenges that will come his way and is able to meet them head on.
The world we live in has changed fundamentally. It is not changing. It is not going to change. It has already happened. People in today's economy work, act, react, and think differently than they ever have before. Before the introduction of the printing press, the concept of widely disseminated information was myth and dream. Mr. Gutnberg, however, could never have imagined the speeds at which we communicate today, nor the volume of information we pass along to one another.
This video, by Socialnomics.com really illustrates the effect that today's method communication, social media specifically, has affected our mindsets:
Times have changed. This sensation is not going to go away. It is not a fad. It is the way the world now works. You have the opportunity to fundamentally change your philosophy of communication, or you will have it changed for you.
The Socialosophy is a mindset, a paradigm for communication, marketing, networking, and building relationships. It is embracing the revolution of social media and making it work for you. I want to help you do that. I want to show you how to not just make money or increase revenue, but how to communicate effectively across a medium that is largely new and untested. If you're willing to jump in now, you will be miles ahead of the pack when the rest of the boys and girls finally realize there is a party going on.
So, here's the question: Are you ready to embrace The Socialosophy?
Monday, August 31, 2009
It's All in the Approach
Social media is taking over the marketing landscape of the modern business world, and there isn't really anything that is going to stop the revolution. Just as industrial progress was a rolling mammoth that obliterated all opposition from 1750 to nearly 1850, so will Generation Y and Z see the transformation of the modern business landscape and it will be powered by the social media phenomenon.
So what is the businessperson supposed to do with this new technology? Should the old ways be scrapped in favor of this new methodology? Should we rise up and fight the winds of change no matter the futility?
I think either extreme is excessive. In fact, there has to be a healthy and informed approach to this new perspective on business or the extremes will win and you and your organization will be left behind, wondering what happened. If you approach these new methods, this new philosophy, without the proper preparation, you won't know how to function within a culture that has very rigid structure and very specific expectations.
It's time to indoctrinate yourself with the Socialosophy.
So what is the businessperson supposed to do with this new technology? Should the old ways be scrapped in favor of this new methodology? Should we rise up and fight the winds of change no matter the futility?
I think either extreme is excessive. In fact, there has to be a healthy and informed approach to this new perspective on business or the extremes will win and you and your organization will be left behind, wondering what happened. If you approach these new methods, this new philosophy, without the proper preparation, you won't know how to function within a culture that has very rigid structure and very specific expectations.
It's time to indoctrinate yourself with the Socialosophy.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
What's your perspective?
Welcome to Business @ Now, the official blog of the e-marketing department of The Gall Group, Inc.
There are so many philosophies out there regarding the best practices in business, and whether or not, and to what degree, we are all following them. The passive-aggressive approach would be to say that each of us should find what works for ourselves and then enjoy our separate individual existences in harmonial bliss.
But the truth is, and this is always a rub, there is what works and what doesn't. And if what doesn't is what you find comfortable, you will be a very comfortable loser.
The world of business is changing. Instant gratification for the consumer has reached a new level, a new definition, of demand in the marketplace. People communcate at the speed of light, and they expect the markets where they invest their money to keep up.
Are you?
There is no question that doing business by referral is the best way to do business. But the approach to relationship marketing is radically different than it has been for the last twenty years. Today people create relationships without ever meeting one another, they get married after having been introduced, not by a friend or family member, but by a website. These relationships are real and viable.
It's time to jump in and change the way you see the your world of business. Want to do Business @ Now?
There are so many philosophies out there regarding the best practices in business, and whether or not, and to what degree, we are all following them. The passive-aggressive approach would be to say that each of us should find what works for ourselves and then enjoy our separate individual existences in harmonial bliss.
But the truth is, and this is always a rub, there is what works and what doesn't. And if what doesn't is what you find comfortable, you will be a very comfortable loser.
The world of business is changing. Instant gratification for the consumer has reached a new level, a new definition, of demand in the marketplace. People communcate at the speed of light, and they expect the markets where they invest their money to keep up.
Are you?
There is no question that doing business by referral is the best way to do business. But the approach to relationship marketing is radically different than it has been for the last twenty years. Today people create relationships without ever meeting one another, they get married after having been introduced, not by a friend or family member, but by a website. These relationships are real and viable.
It's time to jump in and change the way you see the your world of business. Want to do Business @ Now?
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