The Engaging Brand

Power of the People - Business Strategy Graphic

Great social media marketing fuses the power of business to reach the world and also power of the people to shout about your brand for you....it gives you the power to speak to customers, it gives customer the chance to be heard....it gives social business the chance to show a personality and it gives the customer the chance to shape their brand experience. But what does this all mean for business strategy?

It reminds me of a wonderful passage from Lao Tsu in 700BC.....to help us understand 'Bob' has rewritten it for the networked economy.

How to Become a Social Business

Humans outside work are social beings. We join social communities, we love meeting up with friends, we love a good chat about what we think is wrong with the world.....

So why when we are faced with being social at work do we transform from being human to being business-like?

I think it comes down to the word professsionalism....we believe that to be professional you need to sound like a business, when in fact to be professional is to be authentic, to be true and to see the value you can create for others that will flow into your business. To create a social business you need to be ...social!

When you look at the fundamentals of being professional, they are also the fundamentals of being human.

So when we are social networking, when we are social marketing, when we are wanting to create a great customer experience we need to be human. We need to think like a human and act like a human. Now there are many human's on the planet...so which human?

The human that you should be is ....you. After all that is the person you know most, that you can be most like! If you the person is contrary to the brand, then you work for the wrong business....

Actions are a result of how we think so always remember.....in social media to act socially, think socially to transform from a business to a social business that customers want to connect to each day.

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Why you need to become a rebel

Social media for business has often been likened to the printing press....inthe way it has given the consumer's a voice.

Why social media marketing is so important...is not in the what we do, for me it is how it changes society.

So what is social media?

For me at the individual level, it is society's tool to break down control and authority. We can rebel, we can voice, we can create a cause for change.

At the business level, it is tool to become more open, more inclusive and encourage freedom.

If we were to accept that social media has changed the way we communicate, changed what we communicate upon, where we communicate and how we network...then we are accepting that social media is more than a 'thing' it is a sociatal wave of change. We either retreat or jump on board!

Why did the printing press, the locomotive, the radio have such a big effect...because it opened up travel, knowledge and information...away from the few to the many.

Social media is doing the same...it is not different in terms of reason, it is just different in delivery.

People always rail against control and authority...I mean just watch a child who wants the pack of sweets! 

Social media in marketing is effective when it feeds the rebellion...not in the sense of overturning a government but in opening up, giving consumers an insight and letting them choose, empowering employees to have the freedom to represent the brand....by rebelling themselves against a top down approach....

We are all rebels now....are you feeding the rebellion or building a brand fortress to repel the market force!

 

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4 Things to Think About Your Business Today

Many have tried to term the age we live in:- the knowledge economy, the digital economy, the experience economy, the Internet, the list goes on... but the one I use is the connected or network economy. 

There is a social change in the economy today and we can be fooled into thinking that the change is all about the Internet....however that is one piece of the jigsaw behind our thinking about economic development.

For a business there are four ways to look at what is happening and to start a business around these factors or to evolve your customer management of your existing business.

The four factors are interlinked but they do need you to see the subtle differences between them.

1. Technological. The most obvious and therefore won't expand too much! But the technology is changing the way that people communicate, where they communicate, why the communicate and how they communicate. Think about technological change
2. Social.  As our living habits change, our needs as consumers change. We have developed over the century from a localised, family based community to a global, transient population. Our work may be at home, we may live "alone, yet in a highly populated city", we may struggle to balance family and work because of communting times or working hours. In general people have a social need that no longer gets filled by close by family or friends. We are not inherently more social, I would argue we are inherently in need of social because of the way we live our lives. Think about the social change
3. Economical. In my Dad's day his marketplace was relatively local but now most businesses have global competitors. The global economy has changed our business model and made profit harder to find...but not impossible. We need to recognise that the global competition problem is offset by opportunities. Niche markets, online delivery, less fixed costs, greater word of mouth, more market testing etc etc. We must not focus on what is eroding our profit, but on what is creating opportunities for profit if we change our traditional mindset. Think about the economic model
4. Networkable. The top down approach to selling, leadership is changing to what I term cyclone-ship. The power and strength of companies relies on your ability to connect, to network, to develop relationships....not just with consumers but employees, suppliers, talent, ideas, supply chain management. We need to evolve from hierarchical, chain like process to a networked eco-system.....Think about the structure and talent

The key for business is to think about how technology can help you deliver and maximise the other three factors. 

How can we help fill the social need of modern consumers?

How can we use technology to create value for the business?

How can we develop skills that will enhance our network capability?

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How Businesses Can Benefit BIG from Google+ [INFOGRAPHIC]

Google+ is more than just Google’s answer to Facebook. It is no longer the “ghost town” many have perceived it to be, with more than 500 million users.

There are many additional benefits of Google+ for businesses, especially when it comes to SEO which this infographic outlines...so here are the  7 key benefits that Google+ has to offer businesses both large and small.

This is a guest post  from search engine marketing firm Search Mojo , which specialize in search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click (PPC), online reputation management (ORM) and social media advertising.

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Are we becoming more machine like than human on the web?

Sometimes I wonder who is the machine - us or the computer?

1. It is an internet tool that suggest our connections - not us.
2. It is an internet tool that judges our worth - not us through ranking.
3. It is an internet tool that goes away and decides which sites suit our web search

Valeria Maltoni wrote an intersting post on evolution of social. It made me think that the internet in some ways switching places with us?

OK so we can say well humans are working the tools behind the scenes and evolving technology but do we need to assess our role in the digital economy?

If we merely post and consume content, then are we not in danger of becoming less human? Isn't the beauty of social media the chance to share ideas with our friends? Isn't the sharing of ideas and discussing together feeding our human needs for conversation, for respect, for learning?

When I sat and thought about what Valeria was saying I thought

If all we do is use social media to pass along and share blog posts - then machines can do that...they know who we connect with, they know who we read....we are just becoming machine like?

If we don't use social media to add the social element and get to know each other and add value to our relationship - then isn't it just media?

If I believe in the power of social marketing.....and I do...then how do I turn my drift towards a machine like approach to consuming content to a human social approach which shows the creator how much I appreciate their work?

I wanted to share these thoughts because it is vital that we lead the technology not succomb to it. The internet is wonderful, inspiring, fascinating.....but only because of the human element. 

What can we do today, next week, this year to add the human element to our consumption? Can we leave a review, a comment, a suggestion, a real world invite or even a thank you for nothing more than being you.....

How Social Sites Spot an Unwilling Sharer

Ever been at a restaurant when your partner says "No, I don't think I will have any dessert", you choose the gooey chocolate cake with cream and are looking forward to it...and then as you are about to dig in...they say "Oooh that looks gorgeous, can I try some!"

Now politeness means we share, however the share is forced on us and in fact it isn't really sharing, it is sharing under duress and everyone can see it.

Sharing under duress can always be spotted, the face gives it away....and on social sites the same is true. 

We live in a connected economy, in a world where knowledge is expected to be shared....is wanted to be shared.

The problem established, traditional companies and brands face is in the past, when access to knowledge was controlled...they thrived by being the informant to consumers. This mindset is now redundant and in actual fact, more than that, breeds a lack of trust.

Sharing is a mindset...whereby anyone can be the informer and anyone can be the recipient if they are willing to both listen and accept this power change.

Social marketing is a mirror into where your mindset lies...

• Are you the reluctant sharing who really wants to keep the dessert to yourself?
• Or have you adjusted to the new world where sharing is not a choice it is the price of entry - (and you anticipate and order the platter of desserts for two)?

The Pareto principle and cross-channel marketing

Life is lopsided, whether it be in business, software development or coming up with good ideas for your own personal betterment. We all know of areas in our lives that seem off balance. It's this reality on which the Pareto principle is based. Even those who can't think of the principle offhand will likely recognize the spirit behind the principle under a more commonly recognized term: the 80-20 rule.

Examples of the Pareto principle

One example of the 80-20 rule is 80 percent of profits are made through 20 percent of customers. This ratio continues to repeat itself when applied to profits and customers, complaints and customers and sales to sales staff. It's also commonly referred to when describing the distribution of wealth: the richest 20 percent control 80 percent of the gross national product. Clearly, it's important for businesses to cater to some customers and clients more than some of the others.

The rule of 80-20 and cross-channel marketing

Cross-channel marketing is just one of many areas where the Pareto principle remains alive and well. In any given business, it's important to have an effective strategy that generates sales. After all, without sales there is no profit. For example, if you make pogo sticks, you might spend 80 percent of your time and money manufacturing your product and 20 percent on marketing and promotion. Without putting that effort in, you might lose 80 percent of your business.

It's also important to know how to divide up your marketing efforts across different marketing channels in order to best reach those customers that bring you your most business. It's that 20 percent of customers that will bring you repeat business, as well as refer you to their social circles as someone they should trust and count on for similar needs.

In Internet marketing alone, there is much subdivision, including email newsletter marketing, blog subscriptions, popular social networking sites and even specialized social networking. On top of that, there are other Internet ads, television, radio, newspaper, magazine and direct mail. Ask yourself who your most loyal customer is and how they prefer to be informed about your product or service. It may sound complex, but the right software can help you identify your marketing priorities and maximize your profits.

The other 80 percent

Some may think it's unfair to give so much attention to a small percent of customers using tactics like special discounts or priority treatment when it comes to some sales. But consider this: it's these people who fuel your business and advertise for you with their likes and shares. Would you think of denying one of your top salespeople their commission?

Of course, just because you need to make your prime customers feel special and appreciated, it doesn't mean you should ignore the other 80 percent. A certain amount of specials for new and occasional customers may lead them to either become one of those coveted 20 percent or lead someone else to do the same.

Today in a guest post from the wonderful Joseph Baker, a true friend to The Engaging Brand. Joe works at Professional Intern

Why Creativity is Working Formula for Facebook Ads

Now if online marketing was easy, it wouldn't be any fun anymore - would it?

However, when you’re dealing with a massive social network like Facebook, it does seem as if there are only a few brands out there with the mass appeal that everyone truly hopes for. So what is it about those brands that just seems to bring people in by the truckload?

Could it be that they’re spending more money than everyone else? Is it something in the psychology of users to only go with huge brands instead of following smaller brands?

Well, while those things do have their place in marketing, the truth of the matter is simply that not every low to mid-level Facebook marketer is creative enough to build up a thorough base of loyal fans.

Creativity is exactly what sells on Facebook, and if you’re not willing and ready to be creative, you’re not going to have success.Because of new features like Sponsored Stories, and due to the site’s enormous potential for social context, only the most creative ads bring in conversions.

Creative Ad Campaigns to Draw Inspiration From

 To understand what sells on Facebook and why, you first have to look at how the creative ad campaigns out there are enticing people to sign up for promotions and contests, to submit their photos and email addresses, to provide feedback and support for a product or feature, etc. In other words, creative ad campaigns are involving users with brands in creative ways.

1. Electronic Arts UK EA’s creative campaigning idea was to leverage events to get people interested in the ad campaign. Of course, this brand was large enough and had enough resources to actually host six separate events at UK shopping malls, but even a small business could emulate this formula by offering a small-scale live event somewhere, or even by handing out gift certificates to lucky winners.
2.  Vitamin Water Although Vitamin Water is a large company, they had a brilliant idea that any company of any size can employ. Instead of creating a new flavor of beverage in the labs and then testing it out on the public and attempting to market it to everyone, they instead asked Facebook users to submit their suggestions on what the new flavor should be. This is a play on something M&Ms did a long time ago, and it’s something you could easily do with your business. 
3. Dominos The Dominos Superfans promotion was an application that allowed the biggest and boldest fans of the pizza giant to receive coupons and various promotional codes for huge savings. This was creative due to the app and th
   e process in general, not necessarily because of the promotions. 

So remember that creativity always needs to lead the way. The more creative you’re willing to be in a campaign, the more fans you’re ultimately going to pick up. Facebook users appreciate diversity in the brands. So remember there’s a fine line between drawing inspiration and plagiarizing.

If you are looking for other factors to insure the success for your Facebook campaign, check out this article that includes a checklist. 

Guest post from Craig Robinson, Editor for the Facebook Ad campaign tool Qwaya.com and who  writes about other Social Media trends and social context on Internet.

5 Common Mistakes with Social Media

I do a lot of talks and seminars with companies who want to learn about social media and how it can grow their business. Here are 5 areas which are the most common mistakes I have come across and as it is often the most asked question, I thought I would share with you

1. Doing social media because everyone else does - Social media is a tactic just like any other marketing technique. It needs a goal, a plan and measurement to ensure it is delivering against the business goals.
2. Not understanding who your customer is and being afraid to claim a niche. Thereby trying to be everything to everyone- There are many companies fighting for business, you need to identify your specific value and who would benefit...then use social media to connect with them. Your goal is not everything to everyone but something to someone.
3. Thinking there is not enough time in the day - Everyone is busy trying to juggle work/life balance. The key is to have a social media plan - use downtime such as waiting for something to print out, waiting for a train, travelling, etc to execute that plan. It is not about finding time, it is about using time effectively.
4. Writing about yourself, writing about your product and services rather than what problem people have in their lives, which are causing them to google. You need to write content that identifys the problem...they are the words being used in Google by potential customers.
5. Be consistent over the long term. People go hell for leather for 2 weeks expecting social media to suddenly launch their marketing campaigns. It is about slow, consistently great content that brings value to people. Social media is not a short term tactic, it takes time to develop relationships....just like in your own life. People won't know what value you can bring unless you reach out and find those people!

Hope this helps bring value to your business!