15 Reasons Random Acts of Marketing & Social Media (RAMs) Don’t Work!

random acts of marketing social media rams

There you sit in the executive conference room watching everyone nod their heads about the latest idea from the new executive on the block. He or she has a new idea that is going to “save the company.” It could be anything from a random LinkedIn group, social media campaign, planned “go viral” video” or who knows what.

The sad thing is nobody in the conference room has the guts to state the obvious… that there is no budget, time, or resources to implement the new random act of marketing or social media with any level of success.

So, everyone in the conference room nods their heads, takes notes and smiles as if they are excited about the project. Under their breath they are thinking “how on earth am I going to get this #$@$%@ thing done!??

58 Things Social Media Newbies Say & Maybe You Said too!?

social media newbie

There comes a time in life when you must acknowledge social media, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn are all here to stay. Yes, the social network platforms may change. Facebook will eventually become the Myspace of yesterday. However, one thing is certain, social media, mobile phones, iPad evolution and technology in general is not going away.

Social Media Friends: 50 Tips to Rock Social Love & Advocacy

social media friend advocacy

You know the old saying “be a friend, to get a friend.” Social media creates amazing opportunities to connect with real people. It doesn’t have to be a fake world as some assume. I have personally met people on the social streams who I am now tightly partnered with based on life changing relationships.

It is true that social media is about the people. It is something that I have preached since the minute I hopped on Twitter. However, you can’t just say it’s about the people and do nothing about it. Many people think if they just sit all day on Twitter and Facebook and talk to the “people” about “whatever” that it will bring result.

For real results both personally and professionally, you need some skin in the game. This includes having a plan, objectives, understanding your audience etc.

Social Media Consultant Gone Bad… Real Bad!

Social Media Consultant Gone Bad Real Bad

There are some things in life and business that don’t need a long introduction or fancy brand story before cutting to the chase. This blog post is one of them. This week I received an email from a self proclaimed “social media expert.”  I’ve been subscribed to her email list for quite some time. To [...]

Want Facebook Business Results? Get Off of Facebook!

Facebook for Business Success

So you have a Facebook business page. You may have had it for months or even years. Or for you it might be a new shiny object you just started playing with.

Many have big hopes and dreams when it comes to social media and Facebook business pages. They dream of a blue and white platform that is going to solve all of their business problems. They dream of being the most popular kid on the block. You know the one. The one who has all the likes, comments and highest edge rank.

Social Media Tools & Tech – 15 Tips to Not Lose Your Mind!

social media sanity

With all this tech evolution it is important we not lose sight of why you are spending time on social in the first place!

As I wasted my night away in social slacker land with all my fellow slacker geeks I was amazed at how many people are simply losing their mind. I guess I am so close to all of it that I forget how many business leaders, entrepreneurs and consumers are still learning.

I saw everything from spammy Facebook, Pinterest & LinkedIn pages to a landing page that guaranteed me a first page Google ranking.

The Only Way to Become a Social Business in 2012

smart kid small

What would you do if I told you that the only way to become a social business in 2012 is to not do social media?  There is a big difference between “doing social media” and “becoming a social business”. There are plenty of self proclaimed social media gurus and experts ready to tell and sell [...]

Social Business: It’s NOT About the Next BIG Thing!

Not the next best thing

A new network, tool or feature launches on a social network and we all flock to it.  Business leaders attend social media class after social media class searching for the social media “guru” who will once and for all be able to show them the magic answer to social media ROI. I don’t think I [...]

Walgreens Case Study – Humanizing Social Business

humanizing social business

When was the last time a big national brand made you feel special via the social waves? Are we starting to lose the hope we once had in social media of humanizing brands? The hope of the brand coming out from behind the logo and showing they care and want to connect with real people? The possibility of them actually demonstrating their brand promise via social media versus just plaster the words on their Facebook page?

Are some brands falling prey to traditional mass marketing methods that are simply masked with a coat of new paint in red and marked with a K+ and called social media? Are some fooling themselves into thinking they are engaging by leveraging only automated tweets, retweets, and direct messages?

Slow Down to Speed Up – 10 Tips for Social Business Success

social business slow down to speed up

Many businesses feel like they are the last to get online. They decide they want to “do social” and all of a sudden it becomes an emergency.Often times the CEO or other executive attends a one off social media training event such as a class for LinkedIn or Facebook and next thing you know all corporate business priorities are put on hold. Within days there is now only one priority and that is “doing social.” Nobody really knows why other than that executive management said it’s the priority.

Social Trust Factor: 10 Tips to Establish Credibility

social trust factor

When building an online persona and brand usually we start with the most basic aspects including over arching brand, logo, colors, core messages etc. All of these are foundational to success. We develop our plan, develop our platform, create and launch our brand presence, integrate social with our business goals and start the social media engagement. However, after a few months goes by we realize nobody is buying from us. Nobody is opting in to our email lists. What has happened? Why don’t they want to further engage with our brand? Do they not trust us? Do they not think that we could bring them value?

Stop the Social Puppetry for Klout and Other Influence Metrics!

klout social influence puppetry

If you have been online Twitter or Facebook this week it would be hard to miss the chatter on Klout and their new algorithm. We are not social puppets. We must refuse to behave like puppets for any score. We are not defined as a human being by our Klout or any other score. What you do in the lives of others offline is what matters. Social media is simply a way for us to impact business and lives. It’s how we use it and what we use it for that will determine our influence. Our influence in reality is not measured by +Ks, topic lists or other.

Entrepreneur Success: 15 Tips to Zoom Business and Life

entrepreneur success tips

Approximately 80% of small businesses fail within the first year. How many of the people you know who have started a business have truly succeeded? How many of them put on a happy face yet are still at every networking meeting looking for business?

People Don’t Buy Things, They Join Things

social media community

Humans are creatures of habits. Often times our behaviors are predictable. Old habits are hard to break, good or bad. Why would we expect social media to be any different? Why should we expect that just because marketers can now connect with anyone across they world in a simple 140 character tweet that they will by default do it any different than the days of email spam, direct mail and traditional broadcast marketing advertising.

Be Your Own Social Duck: 10 Tips To Differentiate with Results

be your own social duck

People are moving by the masses to social communities and platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+ and Twitter. There is much pressure to have a page as cool as your competitors, clients, partners and colleagues. There are many experts who tell you how to talk, how to tweet, what to say, when to say it, [...]

41 Signs You Are NOT a Social Business

like me on facebook please

We’ve all seen the begging pleas of the wanna be social business:

-like me on Facebook
-I need likes, come visit my page
-I’ll like you if you like me
-let’s take the conversation to Facebook
-Many of us have at one time done them. The smart ones eventually stop such behavior.

What these people are not getting is that I must have a reason to “like you.” WHY should I like you? There are a million other pages also asking for my time and for me to like them. And take what conversation to Facebook? I am not having a conversation with you to begin with? Give me a reason to want to talk with you, please.

How to Enable Facebook Timeline NOW!

facebook timeline cover photo

One of the many new features Facebook announced this week at F8 is the new Facebook timeline.

Are you one who doesn’t have it, but wish you did!? Here are a few easy steps to turn the timeline on.

Zoom Your Tweets in 7 Easy Steps!

twitter tweet zoom

You have sent a few tweets but just don’t know what’s wrong. Something isn’t working. You don’t feel the confidence you wish you had. You know the tools enough to be dangerous. However, getting a retweet that leads to actual engagement or relationship building is a different story.

Open Message to New Social Networks & UNTHINK Unveiling

social network marketing trickery

Dear new social network getting ready to launch,

This message is to the new social network who has made, is making or will make plans to take over Facebook and the rest of the social media world as we know it.

Every week there seems to be a new social network popping up. I am not saying new networks are bad. I love innovation. However, I will boldly state that their marketing and social network takeover strategies and messages are not working.

A new social networking platform, UNTHINK was unveiled yesterday. It is yet another platform where the founders are claiming to be the Facebook killer, the best thing since sliced bread and Myspace.