Keeping Perspective: A Nation at War

Has there ever been a time in human history in which a populace is less affected, more insulated from the horrors and ravages of war?  Here we are – a nation at war, for 8+ years, with a stateless enemy on multiple, global fronts (the mountains of Afghanistan, the deserts of Iraq and Yemen, and in madrashes, mosques, dorms the world over). How can we measure success?  Both Afghanistan and Iraq have held free, yet questionable public elections.

But with the news of three American service personnel killed today in Pakistan (yet another front, forever tied to Afghanistan) and scores more dead outside Karbala, Iraq from a female suicide bomber, where are we in our War on Terror?

In the movie Lions for Lambs, Tom Cruise’s character – US Senator Jasper Irving – presses Meryl Streep as a  Washington reporter: Do you want to win the War on Terror or not?

Almost a decade into this distant, perilous fight, one wonders, “Will we ever win a war on an abstraction?”

Along with the three Americans killed in Pakistan, three school girls are dead.  Three girls who were at school, trying to learn, in a country and region long hostile to women’s rights, are now among the hundreds of thousand innocent victims of this seemingly endless war.

The enemy can never be eradicated for he – the idea of unbridled, relentless fear – is a sad part of human existence.  The enemy’s soldiers care not for our ideals, they care not for their fellow citizens, and they care not for this world.  Death becomes them and that is why this war will never end until the forces of hate, fear, and intolerance run out of fodder.

10 Ways to Engage Your Facebook Fans

Over 700,000 businesses have created Facebook pages.  Of them, how many are your competitors?  This article examines 10 ways any business, no matter if it has five or five thousand employees, can engage its Facebook fan base.  Use even a few of these methods and you will create brand awareness and interest, customer advocacy, and viral marketing streams.

1. Initial Thank You Messages

The “Thank You” note may be the most underrated business tool ever.  Let’s be honest; we sometimes send “Thank You” notes in order to sustain or extend business relationships.  Certainly, these messages are about gratitude, but more importantly, they are about showing each fan that your business recognizes her enthusiasm and cares about her opinions and ideas.

“Thank You” messages are best sent directly to fans.  While some Facebook users have Walls open to the public for posting, the majority will only allow contact through a direct message.  If a fan is in the minority, posting to the Wall is still inadvisable because it may anger your new fan.

Remember, make “Thank You” messages personal, transparent, and do not assume for information than you should.  For example, a profile photo of a baby may not mean the fan has a newborn, but rather that his brother does.  Don’t turn the fan off by assuming he is a father.

Finally, timing is important.  Send initial “Thank You” messages within a day, but not within hours, of a person becoming a new fan.  It is a delicate balance between responsiveness and looking like a spammer.

2. Wall Posts with Questions and Links

Facebook users become fans of pages they believe will have content relevant to their lives and interests.  Pages that consider this fact will post meaningful content with links to further reading and/or source materials.  Also, pages show their desire for engagement when they incorporate open-ended questions for fan response.

Facebook Insights can be useful analytics tools, but we caution you to accept the assessments of your posts without being offended if Facebook decides your quality is low.  Without fan interaction, great posts get lower rankings.  The Insights section becomes much more meaningful as your fan base grows and continues to interact with the page.  Once this happens, you can evaluate fan demographics as well as the number of comments, posts, and likes.

3. Timely, Thoughtful Responses to Fan Posts

Fans who post to your page’s Wall, write comments to your posts, participate in discussions, and hit the “like” button to items on your page are your best online advocates.  Their activity (depending on profile settings) can go viral across their own Facebook networks, alerting potential new fans that their friend has found something worthwhile on your page.

Responding to fans who participate with your page should be quick, but thoughtful.  Whoever responds to a comment or post should do so in a positive, helpful manner.

4. Community Content – Local Civic Events

Fans of small business Facebook pages are more likely to be local and loyal customers.  These are the Facebook users who know your business, but also know your community.  The odds are these customers will be encouraged to find news outside the realm of your business featured on your site.

As much as possible, promote the events of other important businesses, community service organizations, chambers of commerce, and development associations.  As well, promotion of cultural events – local plays, music concerts, art exhibits, fundraisers – is a fantastic way of showing fans that your business cares about things important to local residents.

If yours is a larger, well-known business, promoting community events is still a great idea.  Those in your management will need to decide the scope and areas of your Facebook page’s civic news.

5. Community Content – Local School Events

Much like my advice in the previous section, community content pertaining to schools can be a powerful engagement tool for Facebook fans.  With the decline of traditional media sources, newspapers and local TV news, residents are losing outlets for educational reporting.

Content production for this idea and the previous idea about civic news can be a daunting task.  If an internal employee is responsible, posting even daily updates about high school/civic news may be unfeasible.  Without a budget for more personnel, making connections with local secondary schools and colleges is an important step to seeing this goal to fruition.

The most your business can do in this effort is show the students, teachers and administrators valid reasons for their participation.  Student writers can be published in the public sphere, teachers can utilize a taboo tool (Facebook) in a positive manner, and administrators can increase awareness of and support for their schools and programs.

6. Fan Incentives – Free Give-Away Events

Who doesn’t like getting something for free?  And yes, there are truly free things these days.  Automobile dealerships can give away oil changes.  Restaurants can offer fans a free appetizer with a meal.

The trick is to offer fans things they want.  One simple, always popular give-away item is an iTunes gift card.  These give-away events offer great opportunities for cross-promotions with other businesses (whether they are on Facebook or not).

7. Fan Incentives – A Facebook or Community Treasure Hunt

Another way to engage fans and guarantee true interaction with the page is a Facebook/Community Treasure Hunt.  Your business, on the Facebook page, can lead fans on a treasure hunt through Facebook or a local community (or a combination of both).

Again, the incentive is essential.  For committed engagement from fans – multiple posts, time spent offline finding clues, etc. – your business should offer a fantastic prize.  If you are a local jeweler, consider the amount of excitement and traffic you could get if you offer a diamond ring at wholesale to the winner of a month-long treasure hunt.  Consider the word-of-mouth advertising and the future business the winner will do at your store.

8. Fan Incentives – Exchange of Favors

Of all the fan incentives, this is the riskiest, but possibly the most powerful.  The reason it is risky is some fans may find this favor as intrusive and unwarranted.  They may not want to trouble their Facebook friends with your page.  Therefore, be certain you frame this favor in terms that show the fan he has much to gain (a $9.95 oil change, complimentary 15-minute massage with makeover, etc.).  If you receive no response from the fan, leave it at that.

Your business can trade a product or service to fans who suggest your page to their Facebook network.  There are ways of measuring the number of new fans this method gleans.  The most effective way is to have the new fans post a message to the wall, indicating who suggested the page to them.  The reasons this is a stellar method of tracking is that you now have an opportunity to engage this new fan.  She may even ask if you are offering the deal you gave her friend to others.

9. Employee Photos and 150-word Biographies

Businesses with small to moderate numbers of employees should use this method.  On the Facebook page, there should be a photos tab.  Each employee should be shown in his/her element.  All employees should be encouraged to write or outline their own biography in approximately 150-words.

Depending on your business, it is advisable that these biographies be interesting, engaging, funny, and short.  The biographies should be highly personal, but also reflect the overall business ethos.  The more human photographs you have available, the more human your business becomes to fans.

10. YouTube Videos

By now, many who read this will have heard – YouTube is the 2^nd busiest search engine on the web.  Businesses that are not producing prodigious amounts of film are missing out.  With the inexpensive camera technology available, even the smallest Mom and Pop outfit has a healthy budget for internet marketing.

So start shooting videos today.  Make them informative.  Make them exciting.  Make them irreverent and whimsical.  But please make them interesting and brief!

Of course, Facebook links to YouTube.  All videos on your channel can easily be uploaded to your page.  The vertical integration with fan incentives is endless – trivia questions, treasure hunt clues, instructions for inviting friends, and on and on.

Now, we understand that the majority of businesses do not have the time to execute even half of these engagement methods.  At Xspond, we can.  Our social media staff can implement these ideas and all the other ones we develop with you.  Let us show you how at www.xspond.com.

Random Thoughts on a Restless Nightb

• The reason for insomnia is a restless passion that craves all energy, even that used to shut one’s eyes and snore.
• Megadeth and Slayer were supposed to be the last bands to play Cobo Hall before the arena is destroyed.  Due to a Megadeth member’s back injury or surgery, that distinction rightfully belongs to Phish.  The Vermont quartet toured in November and stopped by Detroit for the first time in their 20+ year career.  Sure, they had played the Palace of Auburn Hills and Ann Arbor (an amazing show 14 years ago, almost to the day, on 11.16.94 at Hill Auditorium), but never have the Kings of Improvisational Rock played the D.  The show was a musical throwdown, the type of jam only Phish puts on.  Long live Cobo.  Long live Phish.
• The Supreme Court’s decision on campaign finance law is a shocking reversal of precedence.  Where are the Repulican critics screaming about activist courts now?  The Roberts Court has now put something on judicial record – the 1st Amendment rights of corporations and unions – that was only theoretically true.  People are already making the reductionist argument that corporations should be allowed to marry other corporations or humans for that matter, run in political campaigns themselves, and own firearms.  After all, Exxon should be able to defend itself.  The UAW should be able to use deadly force if cheap Chinese laborers try to take their jobs (De tuck er jerbs!).  Think I am kidding? http://bit.ly/aJ4ldC (The sidenote about gerbils is quite weird and funny.)
• The Asian carp is knocking at the door of the Great Lakes (now there is a stupid-sounding metaphor).  Asian carp DNA has already been found at the mouth of the Chicago River emptying into Lake Michigan.  Some wildlife experts warn the carp, which can grow to be 100 pounds and jump up to 10 feet in the air, will devastate the GL’s ecosystem.  I am pretty freaked out for our lakes when I saw this: http://bit.ly/aw4DsA
• I am owed $30 for winning the point total in two separate weeks during my fantasy football league.  Brent L., where are my earnings?  I would have won sixty if it wasn’t for Jared Allen’s safety of Aaron Rodgers and Matthew Stafford’s fifth INT being returning for a TD in two separate weeks.
• If you are not from Indiana or currently living in the state of Indiana (or a Colts’ player, player’s family member, player’s close friend) and you are NOT rooting for the Saints in the Super Bowl, what the hell is wrong with you?
• The major University of Michigan men’s sports programs have been either mediocre or poor for too long.  Red Berenson, as accomplished as he may be, should be passing the torch at Yost Ice Arena.  John Beilein has done a solid job in recruiting and coaching.  This year’s team is underachieving, but the Big Ten is as good as it has been in 25 years.  The football team must go to a bowl and the NCAA must find no wrongdoing for RichRod to keep the reigns in the Big House.  Anything less, one or the other, and he should be sent packing.
• For a sport with 1/1000th of the press as the U of M football team, the golf team continues to show improvement.  I had the pleasure of watching sophomore Matt Thompson play both rounds of the State final tournament at Eagle Crest.  The kid has grit, talent, and guts.
• The five year anniversary of the Good Doctor’s suicide is coming up (2.20.10).  We could of used some Gonzo journalism in the final years of Cheney/Bush.  We could really use some of Thompson’s eloquence and searing wit during these days of Birthers, Death Panels, and Rahm “F@%*ing Retarded” Emmanuel.

But alas, Mr. Duke has gone to meet his Maker.  I can only imagine how God is handling the job of keeping that drug fiend occupied and away from dangerous heavenly weapons.  Selah, Big Guy, you have my best wishes for success.

The Slight Edge: Doing Just a Little More than Your Competition

The Great Recession of 2008-2009 has made one thing abundantly clear: business will be more competitive than ever in 2010. So what does this mean for you, the small business owner? What does it mean for America’s entrepreneurs?

First, let us consider these words from Danilo Dolci, the Greek social activist: “It’s important to know that words don’t move mountains. Work, exacting work, moves mountains.”

What mountain are you intent on moving? Think about a specific goal and imagine the work necessary for achieving it. Now imagine the thousands of people who share this same intention. How will you beat them to it?

The answer: by doing just a little bit more, just a little bit better, just a little bit faster, and just a little bit more efficiently.

What is interesting about applying Dolci’s quote to the work we do in business, especially internet marketing, is that oftentimes work means employing words. However, the difference between talking the talk and walking the walk is not our concern here.

Our concern is that “exacting work” mentioned by Dolci. How did Ben Hogan become the greatest golfer of his era? His “exacting work” on the driving range. How did Gary Vaynerchuk build a wine empire? His “exacting work” on social media platforms.

The top two definitions for the word “exacting” on www.dictionary.com are:

1. Adj. Rigid or severe in demands, requirements, and
2. Adj. Requiring close application and attention.

Rigidity is usually something away from which I would steer people. But being rigid in your work ethic may be the difference between you as a captain of industry and you languishing in obscurity.
Severity of demands – this is an ominous-sounding phrase, but an important consideration.

Is your work severe in its requirements? Do you hold yourself to high standards for the quality of your work?

Both parts of the first definition are applicable to your need to do “exacting work”.

The slight edge is not just about quantity of work, but also about the quality and efficiency of your efforts.

“Exacting” also means that your efforts require close attention. This relates directly back to quality and efficiency. Are you completing tasks with other responsibilities clouding the process? Are you evenly dividing your work day? What tasks are occupying more time than is necessary? Which tasks are being neglected?

Working more is great; working better is king. Also, assessing your work’s quality and the time needed to complete it support your “just a little bit more” efforts. Combined, these are the elements of gaining a slight edge on the competition.

To see how Xspond can help your business do “exacting work” in social media marketing, web application, and VDP Direct Mail, call us at 810-225-8350 or visit us at www.xspond.com.

Headshots, Plogos, and Brand Consistency

Quick…what is the most important thing on your Facebook page?  And your Twitter account?  LinkedIn?  How about your blog?

I hope you are thinking “my photo”.

“What?” you say.  The photograph is the most important thing on my social media pages?

Yes.  To be blunt, if I don’t like the way you look I am not going to listen to what you have to say.  The focus of this article is the individual inside a business who is closely tied to social media marketing efforts.  As the most public of all employees, this individual’s headshots on various sites must consistently convey brand message and a sense of the entire culture of his business.

To illustrate my argument, let me use an example from the corporate world.  Apple is the world’s hottest technology company, evidenced by the world-shaking launch of an affordable tablet-style computer.

The brand’s image can be described in terms any company would envy: cutting edge, technologically savvy, futuristic.  Apple’s marketing efforts are consistent – they feature white backgrounds with products melding into the white, emphasizing the Apple logo, or standing in stark colorfulness against the blank background.  In successful commercial campaigns, Apple is personified by a young, hip 20-something white male.  He is confident, yet reserved.  When customers flock to him, he is gracious and thankful for their patronage.

So what does this have to do with headshots?  All Apple employees should have a consistent basic setup for headshots.  White backgrounds should be standard, individuals should show personality and earnestness through their appearance, and perhaps a close look at the white background reveals the famous Apple silhouette.

With this unified brand appearance, Apple’s social media team will build credibility as experts within the company.  When customers interact with these employees, they will not only feel a sense of comfort, but the pride of knowing “an insider”.  And let’s face it, we all love to know someone important.

Apple’s social media personnel can send me a check for my advice on brand consistency.  For the rest of us, here are some quick tips for creating vibrant, successful headshots and plogos on your social media sites:

Personality

The personality of your photo on any site needs to match you as a person, but also be suited to your purposes on social media.  For example, the photos used by an accountant and a painter should both convey a simple, yet completely different message.

Flexible Consistency

Headshots need not be exactly the same across social media.  In fact, what a great way to mix messages about you or your business.  A social media representative’s  Facebook profile picture should be much different than his LinkedIn and Twitter pictures.

The Facebook photo can be a clear picture of the person from a short distance.  On LinkedIn, the picture should be closer, from the chest up with a clear view of the person’s face and more professional.  Finally, Twitter needs to be the closest picture yet, close cropped and bursting with positive energy.

Strategic Use of Color

Color use is a key component of brand consistency.  A good example would be a company like Best Buy.  The brand colors are yellow and blue.  Employee headshots should feature color schemes that match the colors of this retailer.

The Benefit of Plogos

Plogos, or photographs that feature logos, are appropriate for some businesses and not for others.  An example of a service industry I would discourage from using plogos would be realtors.  However, for many other businesses, the plogo is an interesting option.  To take another look at Best Buy, their technology service, Geek Squad, would benefit from a creative plogo for its service technicians.

Subliminal Placement

Plogo or no plogo, a subliminally-placed imageis a great idea if executed with care.  For a photo from a distance, wear a company shirt to show your pride and sneak your logo into a viewer’s mind.

Most importantly, make sure your business considers carefully the headshots of its employees.  The importance of conveying a consistent brand message to your potential and current customers cannot be understated.  Finally, have fun with the process; your enthusiasm will shine through in the finished product.

Help Your Business Cultivate Real Facebook Fan Relationships

Millions of businesses are now scrambling to use Facebook and other social media sites to their competitive advantage. In the rush to be the most connected and the most responsive businesses, some lose sight of the real power of social media. They focus on inflated Facebook fan counts and numbers of Twitter followers rather than on creating new, lasting relationships with individual customers.

So how do you do this?

I have included three basic strategies for Facebook page administrators to create real relationships with the truly engaged customers.

1. Start with What You Already Have

No matter the size of your business, really effective social media efforts are shared across the organization. Find out which employees are using social media, especially Facebook. Make certain that these employees have profiles that transparently state they work for your dealership. Have these employees invite friends to become fans of your page and post a message on their personal walls explaining the benefits of being a fan (information on your brand, community news, etc.).

2. Highly Personalized Direct Messages to New Fans

Direct messages thanking new fans can be a tricky method of cultivating a relationship. Facebook users are mostly technology- savvy and can spot a stock message a mile away.

Make certain you only send direct messages to new fans that are engaging and highly personal. To give a clear example how to do so properly, imagine a fan who uses a newborn baby as his profile photograph. To make this a personalized message, you might write, “Jason, congratulations on the new baby! We appreciate your support of our fan page. Please write on the wall any time you have a questions, concern, or comment.”

However, this assumes that Jason is the father of this tyke. This may not be the case. Perhaps the baby is his nephew or maybe it is Jason’s own baby photo. A better way to frame this personalized message would be to write: “Jason, that’s a cute baby in the profile photograph. We appreciate your support of our fan page. Please write on the wall any time you have a questions, concern, or comment.”

Be sure you phrase these messages in a way that does not assume information you do not have. When executed efficiently, highly personalized direct messages show fans (your customers) that you care about them as individuals.

3. Listen, Listen, Listen some more

Social media is a conversation and the most important voice is the customer who just spoke. Businesses that treat their social media platforms as PA systems miss the point of these technologies. Never more easily can a business identify and address customer issues. It is rapid response customer service, but only for those who truly listen.

Commit yourself to spending time every day listening to what your customers say about you, what they say about competitors, and what they are saying in places they do not involve your business at all.

Listen when a customer has a comment or complaint about your business. You should respond as soon as you can, always providing support and admitting fault if appropriate. Listen when a customer praises or disparages a competitor and learn vicariously how your business can better serve her. And listen to what Bob has to say in a discussion about fly fishing. Later, when contacting Bob directly, you can ask him how the trout are biting this spring.

These are some ideas for how your business can cultivate real, lasting relationships with Facebook fan bases. Keep in mind that these are templates for action. Always use common sense and respect when interacting with fans and followers. They are a class of consumers more demanding than any in history.

My next social media blog will tackle the issue of plogos and profile photographs. What is best for your brand?

Is Social Media Real? Dumb question, right?

My short article on the importance of social media was published this morning on Ezine Articles. Read it at http://bit.ly/cBY7zB.

RSS Subscribers – Why It is the Most Important Metric of All

This is a concise artle (http://bit.ly/cNju9F) about the need to cultivate your RSS subscriber count.  Why?  They care enough to read what you have to say.  Most of them read it every day.

So how do you grow the RSS Subscriber #?  Simple: write great content!

“It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but ourselves” – The Bard

Thank you to Sandi Maki and Allan Curtis at InSights Group

Absolutely charged up would be a good way to describe me after my meeting with Allan Curtis and Sandi Maki at InSights Group in Brighton.

Thanks Allan and Sandi for your conversation and insights on LinkedIn. I now have a strategic plan for my clients to leverage this social media site into new and lasting relationships.

As well, I have a dozen ideas for blog posts and Ezine Articles. Congrats on your upcoming whirlwind trip around the country, InSights. 2010 is your and our best year yet.

Tough Loss but No Lack of Pride for Big Blue

The University of Michigan deserved a victory tonight versus arch-rivals, Michigan State. And they also deserved to get blown out.

The Wolverines fell 57-56 in a game that included an injured referee, an intentional elbow, and a swallowed whistle at the end of the game.

In the first half, one of the three refs left the game, suffering from back spasms. Seeing his gut, I was not surprised.

Later, Kalen Lucas, the talented leader of Michigan State’s high powered offense, was at the top of the key with the ball. Lavell Lucas-Perry (no relation) was playing tight defense.

Protecting the basketball on his left side, Kalen Lucas took a moment to size up the space between him and the defender. He then swung the right elbow with ease, catching Lavell’s lip.

The two remaining refs looked at the play, but turned a blind eye. The announcers relayed that Kalen Lucas was pleading, “I didn’t mean to do it!”

“Lair, liar,” says this author.

Michigan should have been down by a large margin according to the stats. The Wolverines shot an abysmal 29% in the first half.

But they forced 11 turnovers, playing some of their best defense of the year. At half, spirits were high, if cautious, in Chrisler Arena.

Jalen Rose and Jimmy King were in attendance. In fact, Jalen – who sported a conspicuous rose sports coat – was honored at halftime for his work with Michigan charities.

In the 2nd half, the themes continued. Michigan’s shots, other than Sims’ sizzling stroke, clanged more iron than all the blacksmiths in medieval Britain.

The Wolverines continued to outhustle the more talented Spartans. Raymar Morgan was simply too good for Michigan’s undersized front court. Morgan displayed his NBA-caliber skills. (Another good example of why Manny Harris should stay in school.)

The Wolverines deserved to win based on hustle and heart, but their atrocious offensive sets and overall poor execution cost them the game.

The final two plays were indicative of Michigan’s season. They play aggressive defense, forcing Kalen Lucas to travel. Instead, a phantom foul is called. It is the 2nd stroke of lucky genius for the Sparty guard.

Lucas goes on to make the winning shot.

Michigan inbounds the ball to Sims who is intentionally fouled (not called). On the final play, the defender all but holds down Sims’ arms. Still, he almost made a last-second layup.

So the Wolverines lose their seventy-fifth straight game to Michigan State or something along those lines. And the football team has lost two in a row. And our hockey team is weak.

In times like this, I remind myself that there is more to the University of Michigan than its sports teams – a world-class hospital, the best concert venue in America, a cutting-edge life sciences campus, and a tradition unrivaled among public universities.

Ah, see, already I am over this loss. Bring on Sparty at home. Whether we pull of a ridiculous upset or get beat by 30, it is all the same to me. I will just remember:

MSU has the Red Cedar and couch burning.

U of M has Ashley’s Pub and Hill Auditorium.

It is my way of winning when my teams can’t.