The Burrito King

This will be a short episode of Social CSI but I found these two articles to be interesting reads about how social media is impacting your life and how one should think before they post.

First is an interesting article on how social media can increase identity theft.  Dan Nystedt http://tech.yahoo.com/news/pcworld/20091012/tc_pcworld/researchersadvisecyberselfdefenseinthecloud

The second is how a poor girl lost her waitress job after twittering about an actor who stiffed her. So now a person is getting fired for telling the truth….check out the story at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/06/jane-adams-waiter-jon-bar_n_310783.html?page=2&show_comment_id=32354015#comment_32354015 

Look out the social Laurence Fishburne may be hiding around your next tweet.

Another snafu from the stream of consciousness we call twitter/blogging. In a recent post/twit by Jeremiah Owyang a Forrester Research analyst he posted “Mzinga is having financial difficulties. They need to brief me immediately.” He also suggested that Mzinga clients and prospects “stall any additional movement till they brief me”

These types of comments were made without even speaking with the client to identify what the potential problem may be.

Not the best action for a research analyst but in today’s social media frenzy to share your every thought and day’s activity to show how smart we all are and that we can use the new social media tools I can understand how he might have posted this with little thought of the action.

The post prompted nearly 100 comments, mostly negative about the post and of course from Mzinga employees all the way up to the chairman.

On the following day, Jeremiah issued a public apology “I posted without complete enough information, which was a mistake on my part.”

In the end there was some news that Mzinga needed to layoff some employees and a couple executives left. This is nothing unusual in this market or in the marketing world. But the post unfortunately causing a negative stir for Mzinga and a small black eye for Forrester and Jeremiah.

This is just another reminder of how Social CSI can find you….

As I was shopping in the Circuit City liquidation craze yesterday I was prompted to write about how difficult these times may be for businesses but more so how the ones that are still around can take advantage of the time to secure their future.

Businesses today need to be thinking about how to differentiate their business and capture customer loyalty today in order to ride the wave of spending that will come in the future or grab the dollars that are in the market today. Consumer spending will turn around in the future and when it does will they choose you?

Studies have shown that building a relationship with customer can increase your business double digits and who wouldn’t want that. Can social marketing help you with this? YES. Just consider some of these numbers from companies that have implemented programs.

Dell – Dell’s forums and message boards have received over 1,000 ideas of howto better their products. They have over 4,000 conversations about consumer problems.

Sony – Sony’s Backstage 101, Digital Darkroom and Frontline Focus Groups reported that 78% of their users are more likely to buy Sony and reported sales increasing 16% yoy.

Dollar Rent a Car – even with a shrinking market and strong competition, in the first four months of the campaign Dollar’s revenues at La Guardia were up 20% compared with the previous four months. Revenues in 2007 grew 24% year over year.

So what can your marketing departments do in 2009 to engage your consumers and turn that relationship into buying power and brand advocates for your brand? Even with marketing departments cutting budgets some 15-30%  you should be considering re-arranging the existing marketing budgets to incorporate some of the below programs that have proved successful for others.

            Forums & Message Boards– do you have forums on your site to help with:

a.       Customer service issues and avoid an expensive service call

b.      Gathering customer feedback, ideas to better your products

c.       Start to build your community and gather data on consumers

Content – instead of building one TV commercial consider the below and syndicate that content across the web.

a.       Content that helps users understand how to get the most out of category of products.

b.      Develop content to support your top 20 Service Call Issues

c.       How-to guides about how to use your product in their lives. This is not about speed/feeds or set-up it’s about how to take the best outdoor photo or restore an old photo.

Embed your brand into social networks – this is not a sales pitch or about setting up a Product Fan Page. It’s about providing relevant information and getting feedback.

a.       Set up a twitter account and provide industry information, case studies, discounts, etc.

b.      Facebook/MySpace – set up sponsored groups/fan pages about your industry or category that can help users. Dell set up a Social Media guide for small business on FB. Visa set up a business network for small businesses to share information about their companies and find partners.

c.       Do a blog if relevant or if you have heavy content create your own Youtube channel.

Branded Communities – depending on your product/category try creating one or all of the following.

a.       Research community – an online focus group can not only gain valuable insight but can begin to build your community

b.      Education-Social Network Community – set up a community around key categories within your industry. Like a digital photography community, scrapbooking, SMB issues, fitness, finances, etc.

c.       Employee/Vendor communities – these can share best practices from other divisions, improve performance and sharing documents, answering questions, etc.

Theses are just some of the things you can do today to engage your consumers, improve brand loyalty and gain key insights that will help you get the most of the dollars spent in the market today and prepare yourself to be the brand of choice when spending increases in the future.

Invest in your consumers today so that they will invest in you tomorrow.

I wrote in November about social media affect in criminal, character and career. This month Austriala supreme court ruled that Facebook is an acceptable way to serve legal documents to defendants that could not be found. It’s kind of like your own virtual ‘Dog the Bounty Hunter’.

I can’t wait to hear about the first person who gives their deposition via the ‘Deposition Super Wall’……..

You can read a little about it in this small article: http://www.reuters.com/article/oddlyEnoughNews/idUSTRE4BG6TU20081217?rpc=60

There has been a lot of buzz in the last couple weeks about some new tools from Facebook, My Space and Google. While there are differences between their services, MySpace is more of anopen environment (possible integrating with Google Friend Connect while Facebook Connect will be more central to Facebook.  For more detail check out some of the following article from Mashables:

Facebook connect http://mashable.com/2008/12/04/facebook-connect-identity-management/

My Space ID vs Facebook  http://mashable.com/2008/12/09/myspace-id/

Some also have started to argue that a larger piece of the puzzle is the battle for demograhpics online and the extra traffic that will benefit the sites that integrate with them.

While this all starts to work itself out there will be some great benefits to sites to integrate with them to drive traffic and syndicate content and great benefit to FB, MS and Google from behavioral data on their users and potential marketing opportunity for brands.

I wonder how the adoption rate will be by users. In the past many have been worried about privacy issues and this may be no different. Only time will tell. Can’t wait.

We had meetings today with two potential clients that sparked me to write this quick posting. The social community is quick to point out how brands should use all the new Web 2.0 social tools to engage with the consumers and create a branded social experience. The community is also quick to point out that content is the key elements that will spell success for the social program.

But today reinforced for me that the social tools we have today and the content we put in them is no different then the website tools we have at our disposal and the content we put in the sites or the outlet for television for commercials. It’s really about the ‘Concept’. The creative minds that develop the ideas that spawn into larger than life programs, ads, websites, social media.

This brought me back to a recent article I read about the 4c’s of community article I read in Ad Age by David Armano of Critical Mass. While I agreed with most of the article I feel it left off one big ‘C’, the Concept.

For those that know me you will know I am fan of 5 and/or 3 points for summaries, goals, etc. It is in that it seemed only fitting that there would be 4c’s(content, context, connectivity and continuity) so that I could add a 5th. My 5th is the ‘Concept’.

With today’s hard to reach consumer the concept is key. Without it’s just technology. Think about it, some of the most successful social ‘marketing’ programs had killer concepts behind them. The technology was just the vehicle to get the concept out. So while you are thinking about developing your social program, hiring a social media/marketing company make sure they can come up with the killer concept or for all you music lovers (I have too get a music shout out in, I live in Austin it’s a city law…..) a killer hook that will bring them back.

Ad Age recently published an article on AT&T and iJustine trying to create a viral video program to connect with the digital youth that flopped. The 11 espisodes that were created by Tremor Media did not hit the mark. Mainly because they were more about AT&T products than anything relevant.

That was the idea behind AT&T’s “Lost in America” campaign with iJustine (Justine Ezarik) and blogger Karen Nguyen. But the result is an example of how YouTube fame tends not to translate outside the world of “Fred,” “kevjumba” and “sxephil.”

This is why brands and agencies need help when it comes to how to use Social Media and what to expect. So here are my three rules for AT&T and Tremor Media to consider before their next social media program (Besides hiring us of course….)

1. Content is king – If you are trying to create a social video program to reach the digital youth make it relevant. Key number one it is not about your brand it is about how your product can make their lives easier, fun, exciting, cool, etc. Don’t try to pimp your product, they will get it…..

2. You can’t create viral – you can not determine what will go viral. The consumer will decide what is cool enough to pass to their friends and if the content ain’t up to par your viral program will bomb. Create your best campaign/idea and all the tools to help it spread if it does go viral (widgets, apps, pokes, website, youtube, etc.)  Something not in this program….

3. Participate, learn quick and adjust – Social media programs give you instant feedback that can help you react and change which usually will get the community all fired up that you listened. So if you think you can just put it out there your wrong. You have to participate just as much as your consumer.

I always like to see brands trying to particpate in social media because it is one of the best marketing programs to integrate into your marketing plans but hate when it is done poorly and gives a bad name to a great medium.

It more than ’Crime Scene’ it’s also Character and Career. Brands have been increasingly concerned over social media, their brand image and how to control the conversation but, people using these social tools for their own personal branding should be concerned as they are increasingly exposing their social life and views to the world. What you post could be used against you in a court of law….or just screw up your public image or get you fired (‘Dooced’ as the bloggers would call it) from your job.

So before you post on your blog, twitter, Facebook, etc. think about that photo or statement as it may land you in trouble with the Social CSI (Criminal, Character and Career Scene Investigators). That being sad I think the benefits of personal branding through social media far out way the dangers, a recent headline in my local paper sparked me to write about it.

I live in Austin and it is hard to miss the sea of burnt orange on game day (especially when you are not wearing it) it is also hard to escape the watchful eye the community places on the schools sports programs. Recently a UT Football player posted a comment on his Facebook page that was considered racists about our new President and he was kicked off the team, exposed by all the media and life turned upside down at 19.

Now let me say I don’t condone what was said and don’t know the whole truth. The player states he received the message as a texted from a friend and immaturely posted it on his page. But this one act of immaturity cost him a scholarship to one of the top college in the country and at least for now labeled racists.

And, he isn’t the only one. Even cheerleaders aren’t exempt. A New England cheerleader was fired after embarrassing photos appeared on her Facebook page. Even in Canada, a grocery store employee was fired for creating a spoof site about the company that employed him. A couple weeks ago 13 Virgin Atlantic employees were fired, after posting negative messages about the company. And now city police are getting in on the act using tools like tweetscan.com to monitor events and possibly setting up DUI check points after reading of parties.

Consider overlaying that with some of the GPS/location based social network applications that will also allow you to show where you are or have been. I can see the future now when you’re suppose to be working but your LBS app shows your at a golf course, on the beach, at a bar or a lawyer pulls your history to prove you weren’t where you say you were or met with someone you may not want them to know.

All of these have been great tools to help productivity, stay in touch and market products and your own personal brand. You just need to use some common sense when using them.

Have you ever been in a meeting and posted something like “I am in a very long boring meeting” or “I think these people ate stupid for breakfast”. Have you ever been at an event and twitted about panelists that may one day be a potential client/boss or if you were a panelist like Sarah Lacy’s at SXSW who tweeted ”Seriously screw all you guys……”. Have you ever posted those fun pictures from the lake or Halloween that may be a little too racy? Did you ever twitter or post something about a client or a client meeting; be honest…..

And lastly I have heard of competitors watching other companies activities. Two examples I have heard of are: A case of an agency was posting about a pitch and when a competitor sorted out who it was they were pitching they used that information to get into the pitch process. The second, a company was hiring a new top executive role and was twitting about interviewing for a specific role and soon after a few of the executives LinkedIn with that person prior to an offer and early in the process. That was a tip for anyone following the company or persons the person was interviewing with the company.

The point is if you are not using these tools to improve your own personal brand you should be but just use some common sense and these three tips.

1. Don’t post any statement you wouldn’t say to someone’s face, want you HR/Boss to see or want a lawyer to use against you.

2. Don’t post any photos/videos you wouldn’t want your Mom/Dad, Husband/Wife, HR department or boss to see.

3. be careful what and when you post your competition may be following you.

Now go out and socialize.

You looking for ideas of how others are using Social Media today. Peter Kim www.beingpeterkim.com has compiled a good list and I picked out a few of my favorites from the list. A few of which are programs I was fortunate enought to work on.

• Absolut Vodka:
  • Social networks:  Top Bartender page on Facebook.⁵⁶
• Acura:
  • Widgets: Acura RDX Traffic on Yahoo.
• Adidas.  Social networks: adidas soccer on myspace; 70% of ROI driven by pass-along, aka “never-ending friending.”
• Bank of America:
  • Social networks: Small Business Community
• Best Buy:
  • Social networks: Created Blue Shirt Nation to allow retail employees to support each other.
• Blendtec.  Online video: YouTube channel has almost 100,000 subscribers and over 2.2 million views, helps sell B2B products to a consumer base.
• Dell:
  • Crowdsourcing: Ideastorm allows users to suggest and vote on ideas, has generated 9,800+ ideas.  Employee storm, internal idea community has generated over 2,700 ideas.³
• Jeep:
  • Online video: YouTube Jeep channel.
  • Photo sharing:  Flickr pool.
  • Social networks: Facebook fan page. MySpace page. Jeep community.²
• Nokia. Social networks: MOSH.²⁰
• Paramount Pictures.  Social networks:  Stop Loss Facebook application.⁵⁶
• Reebok.  Social networks: Run Easy community. Facebook fan page.
• Sony Electronics.  Blogging: Sony Electronics blog Backstage 101 program, Digital Dark Room and Frontline