Posted by Rahna on June 20, 2008 under Uncategorized | 
Is there anything low-tech that you are doing right now? Â Anybody who reads my newsletter as well as my blog knows that I am a big proponent of all of the changes and opportunities that have been developed because of the surge of digital penetration and variety of Web 2.0 executions available to a marketer today. Â
But I don’t want to forget the tried and true. I was working with a client, reading about the results from the sampling that they did at a movie screening college. As I look at the photos and saw a lot of kids engaged with the brand, I was reminded of how sometimes, it is the low-tech options that can be really good and that can do a lot for you. Door hangers, windshield flyers, branded premiums, and “Tupperwareâ€-type parties are all still very viable. Are there any low-tech opportunities that you are passing by or turning your nose up at because it doesn’t seem “sexy†enough, because it is not on the “cutting edge of coolâ€? Don’t pass up on an opportunity just because it is not high-tech. In addition, maybe there are ways to make it high-tech, to tie it to all of the new media that is available. Maybe you do a postering campaign or a billboard campaign that has been around forever. So you add text messaging. Maybe you offer a printed piece of paper but you direct your consumers to a website where they can get free downloads. The possibilities are endless.  Just make sure you are not high-tech snob.   Â
Posted by Rahna on June 16, 2008 under Personal Branding |
One of the things I do is teach people about personal branding. I encourage everyone to discover what is unique and wonderful about them, what excites and motivates them so that they can figure out how to spend more of their time doing work that they love. I firmly believe that doing what you love, what you are naturally good at, draws success to you and builds a stronger personal brand.Â
A perfect example of this is the recently departed Tim Russert, a man with unbridled enthusiasm in all that he did. Talk about a HUGE personal brand. Tim Russert, may he rest in peace, loved what he did and he did it with his own personal flair. He interviewed with interest, asking the questions you and I were thinking in our heads. He trusted his own innovative instincts, setting the standard in his industry…and if the occasion called for it, he used a whiteboard.
Here’s a good way to honor his memory: Be unique. Love what you do. Do it with infectious enthusiasm. Trust your instincts for what you do. And if the occasion calls for it, use a whiteboard.
Posted by Rahna on June 12, 2008 under Social Media |
I came across a video that explains “Social Media in Plain English,†done by Commoncraft.com. It clearly shows the basics of social media, its development and benefits. If you read some of the comments, there are a few pieces it misses, but overall, it’s a very nice description worth viewing at:
http://www.commoncraft.com/socialmedia
You’ll also find other worthwhile videos about twitter, wikis, and other “New Mediaâ€Â Check it out!
Posted by Rahna on June 9, 2008 under Social Media |
I think we are only scratching the surface on the opportunities that social media provides. An interesting exercise would be to ask yourself (or your marketing team) what opportunities there are for your organization. Here are a few questions to spark conversation:Â
How can you use social media as a research tool?Â
Just as you can do a Google search to find those websites that are talking about the “guitar lessons†that you would like to find for your son or “how many miles the Amazon River isâ€, there are computer programs that will monitor discussions going on about your brands, about your industry, about your competitors, and about you.Â
Conducting a social media audit is an immediate way to listen in to the great American water cooler of America.  What are people thinking about at your industry? What are people saying about you? You need to find out. I am not saying that a social media audit replaces traditional research. You should still conduct quantitative research.  However, social media audits can supplement the work going on now, can supplement your research efforts that adds additional insight into whatever it is that you need to find out.Â
How can you use social media to talk to your customers? Social media is also an opportunity to engage with consumers as never before. It used to be that TV was the way for you to have a conversation. Primarily, it was a one-way conversation (you telling your consumers whatever you wanted them to know).  There are companies out there that hire brand ambassadors to get the right message out there. There are those that would rather take a more organic approach, not willing or able to spend the money to have someone else spread that word. Then there are some lucky ones who can tap in to existing communities to launch that message. Â
How about you? What are you doing about it?Â
Posted by Rahna on June 5, 2008 under Uncategorized |
I gave a talk today on Building Brands and Brand Ambassadors to a group of executives in the financial services industry. The main thrust of my talk was to talk about the importance of marketing fundamentals and how savvy marketers are finding new ways to communicate their brand messages.Â
The interesting thing about this presentation was the reaction that most participants had. Â
None of the people in the room had ever heard of Twitter. Â
These were not ancient executives on their way out. These were people on the top of their game, in charge of new product development, in charge of managing their brands. Â
I talked to them about the availability of “social media audits†and the strategy of hiring brand ambassadors to communicate your brand message in the digital world. These executives were unaware that you could hire people to do such things.Â
So, for those of you who are selling services in the digital world, your message is not getting out there enough. Â
For those of you who are managing brands and are not factoring in the role of social media as a research tool, as a marketing tool, as an overall communication tool, you are missing the boat. Â
In short, there is lots of opportunity, endless opportunity for both buyers and sellers of such services.Â
Posted by Rahna on June 2, 2008 under Consumer Engagement, Social Media |
Did anybody see this week’s Business Week article, cover story on “Beyond Blogs: What Business Needs to Know.â€Â This article is a recap or an update to a cover story done three years ago that stated “Blogs Will Change Your Business.â€Â  The article talks about how technology has dramatically changed over the last three years. Anyone following media can see how quickly social media has blossomed and is changing. The major forces of YouTube, iTunes, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and Wikipedia are all discussed briefly. If you are not up to speed on any of these digital phenomenon, if you are not figuring out how you can incorporate these into your marketing efforts, you are completely missing the boat.      I highly recommend this article. But understand that it only scratches the surface. There is so much now that can be done with social media marketing ; where are you engaging with your customers?
