Comcast and Customer Service

One of the questions we are going to continue to encounter as we engage clients on social media is ROI. How do we demonstrate that the money we put into it didn't just go down the drain? Customer satisfaction is certainly one appropriate metric to consider, and in this case with Comcast, their Twitter efforts directly contributed to an improved customer satisfaction score.

HOWS THAT FOR ROI?

Jack in the Box

I think this is another great case study about what social media can bring to a company. What I like about this story is that Jack in the Box joined the social media world willing to be authentic and transparent. They almost had to be as consumers were coming to their Web site and posting comments -- some negative and some positive. Despite the smarmy tone this reporter takes toward their program, it's definitely commendable and one worth keeping in mind as you talk to clients about social media.

Social Media and B2B - GREAT STATS

It's getting increasingly more difficult for B2B brands to say they aren't interested in social media because their stakeholders don't read blogs, or use Twitter, or don't have Facebook accounts. Forrester released some great data on how buyers in the B2B space are using social technologies. This one is particularly noteworthy:

91% of these technology decision-makers were Spectators. This means you can count on the fact that your buyers are reading blogs, watching user generated video, and participating in other social media. Note that 69% of them said they were using this technology for business purposes.

Questions to ask our clients about social media

I suppose this is in the spirit of the trusted advisor conversations we've been having...Scott Hepburn, who works for the PR Store contributed this post on Amber Naslund's blog about how to turn the tables on your clients that are asking about social media. Some good questions here that we can probably use.

Six ways to make Web 2.0 work

An interesting report from McKinsey Quarterly about how companies can make Web 2.0 technologies work for them. Over the course of time they have interviewed about 50 "early adopters" of this technology and have distilled those thoughts into six key criterion for success.

Is social media changing communications or not?

A fascinating debate is developing in social media: Social media is changing the foundations of public relations versus social media is just another vehicle to deliver a message (the fundamentals are still the same. You get two posts for the price of one today. The first is from Bill Sledzik from Kent who argues that much of what we see in social media is PR 101. The second is from Amber Naslund who argues that social media is indeed changing how PR is practiced. Where do you fall?

Are we expecting too much of people in social media?

The question is an interesting one to ponder, especially as the economy continues to go into the toilet. Should we be expecting people to engage us (our clients) in tasks like creating videos for a contest when they are worried about whether or not they will have a job tomorrow? something to chew on anyway...

Leveraging your Newsroom

These are some great thoughts on how companies can leverage their newsroom using social media tools.

Social Media is NOT for Everyone

Shannon Paul is in charge of new media for the Detroit Red Wings. Check out her blog...it makes a lot of sense. This post is particularly good. The harsh reality is that social media probably isn't for everybody and it definitely is NOT easy. The best brands using social media are those that "cultivate" their audiences. Think Marriot, Whole Foods, H&R Block, Wachovia, Ford, Dell, among many others.

Social Media Guide

I love the title of this..."Just An Online Minute... Your Guide To Not Being An Idiot." Evidently Fleishman held a social media panel yesterday with some interesting commentary.

Tools of the trade

This is sort of basic, but it's helpful to see people's perspectives on the tools of the social media trade. This is just one person's take on the tools necessary to begin engaging in social media. Many of these we already use, but it couldn't hurt to know more about each tool.

Banks Using Social Media

Since we have some bank clients I thought this was worth passing along. Some thoughts on how banks can use social media from Jesse Torres, banker, author and social media expert

What's Old is New

If you follow some of the social media "heavyweights" on Twitter you might get the impression that they were the inventors of this thing called social media. While they absolutely helped create what social media is now, they definitely didn't invent it. Check out the most recent post from Shel Holtz making the point that many of the old school concepts are just being reinvented for social media and being called "new."

The Death of Non-Social Media

I've read this post from David Schumacher a few times and I'm not entirely sure how I feel about it. Yes, he's right in that the traditional media is dying a VERY slow death. What i'm not sure about is the statement that at some point all media will be social.

http://www.imediaconnection.com/content/21807.asp#article

Can you build an online community without any off-line support

Jason Falls would say no. This post is centered around a presentation he was creating for Makers Mark on how to utilize Web 2.0 technologies. I think this quote says it best:

“Social media and Web 2.0 are great, but not pure play. If you don’t already have a community built around your brand, you may as well set your Internet marketing budget on fire, because you’re faking it.”

By the way, it's definitely worth following Jason's blog and his Twitter profile. Almost always great stuff.

http://www.socialmediaexplorer.com/2009/01/26/building-on-line-community-starts-off-line/

Social Media Resources

Trying to make the case to someone on the benefits of using social media? Maybe a boss or a client or a co-worker who’s a little resistant? Maybe a lot resistant? Check out the link below for a great list of articles that could help you "make the case."

http://www.interactiveinsightsgroup.com/blog1/how-to-sell-social-media-to-cynics-skeptics-luddites-tips-resources-advice/

An all-or-nothing proposition

I think I've mentioned how much I like this blog -- Altitude Branding -- written by Amber Naslund. Today's post is no exception. Check it out. I think, quite accurately, notes that just because you start down the social media path doesnt mean you are stuck with it forever. You can bow out of the process gracefully, particularly if it isnt working as you had hoped.

Social Media and the Opera?

Who knew anybody could make a connection between social media and classical music, but somebody has. Yesterday's post on the blog Altitude Branding did just that. She ties some lessons she learned in music school to social media. Worth checking out.

Chris Brogan

If I were to recommend one person to follow to new Twitter users it would be Chris Brogan. He always has some interesting and really value-added things to say.

Chris Brogan is President of New Marketing Labs, a new media marketing agency, as well as the home of the New Marketing Summit conferences and New Marketing Bootcamp educational events. He helps large and mid-sized businesses understand how to use social media tools like blogging, social networks, community platforms, and more to build business value for marketers, sales organizations, and internal collaboration in general.

His blog usually has some great content as well and today is no exception. Check out the link below. Chris opines a little about how you align social media within a business.

http://www.chrisbrogan.com/aligning-social-media-within-companies/

Social Media Gut Check

This is a great list of questions that we (our clients) need to be asking before suggesting to clients that they dive into the social media pool

Why is social media of interest to us?
What obstacles do we see in front of us related to social media?
Do we communicate well internally?
Who is leading the charge?
What are our expectations as the social media advocates? Are those expectations the same with our peers, colleagues, and mangement?
Are we willing to spend money on this?
What happens if we stumble?
What happens if we succeed?
What will we do with what we learn?

http://altitudebranding.com/2009/01/a-social-media-gut-check/