Idea Market

What was it that Talking Heads said so eloquently in their song “Psycho Killer”?

“fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa fa better
Run run run run run run run away
OH OH OH
AY AY AY AY AY WOO”

No, not that part – this one:

“You’re talking a lot, but you’re not saying anything.”

If you’re not careful, that can be exactly what happens on social media. An example of this was brought to my attention on Twitter recently. I noticed a user that was kind of irritating with their updates; it was to the point where I questioned the value of their efforts. Then I reasoned that it maybe that was OK for them as long as it was outweighed by the benefits. So I checked their follower list to see who they were potentially talking to. The list was small: well under 100. Looking more closely, it became obvious that most of their list was filled with spam accounts, competitors, other businesses looking for follow-backs and other irrelevant users. How many were real, actual people? About seven. How many of those might really, actually care about what they’re saying? I’m guessing one or two, max. I know for a fact that their negative tweeting habits have turned off more people than that.

I’m not saying that social media or Twitter is a waste of time; far from it. I’m saying that you have to think about what you’re doing, how you do it and who you’re doing it to. And that the number of followers or friends you have can be deceptive. Take a closer look.

I get it. Someone in your life doesn’t understand the appeal of Twitter or social media, in general. You want to explain the benefits. Or maybe it’s you that doesn’t get it! That’s okay… like every tool out there, for any purpose, there are going to be ones you prefer over others. I didn’t get it myself until I started using the tools.

So let me make a case for why I like using it. If I had to distill it into one word it would be: relationships. It’s incredibly easy to build relationships between people, between people and brands, and so on, through social media. (more…)

If you’re interested in getting to know and take part in social media, Twitter is an excellent place to start.

What is it?
Microblogging. Short messages, links, conversations (140 characters) to/with a dedicated audience (your “followers”).

Why it seems useless: because you don’t care, nor have time for, what so-and-so had for dinner.

Why that’s a misconception:

• What you put in = what you get out. Sure there are vapid and useless “Tweeps” (or “Twitterers” or even “Twits”) out there. Don’t follow them.
• Instead follow people in the same industry (your peers) who you can learn from. Follow people who would be interested in your product/experience/ideas (Hopefully they follow you back). Follow people in your city, follow those you admire. Just stop following people that make you want you to leave the site and follow those that make it worthwhile.
• Practice what you preach. Don’t tweet about vapid and useless things (all the time, at least- I doubt one link to a cute cat video would send followers flocking to the “unfollow” option). Like blogging, keep your content fresh and as relevant as possible. (more…)

Finally a post-modern self-referential blog entry. Let’s cut to the chase (people on the internet are akin to those with ADD) and start off by saying, “There is a point to blogging.”

What blogging looks like: A self-indulgent past-time to applaud yourself and your projects/skills/conquests.

Why it’s actually more than that: (more…)

I just got back from yet another great Travel Alberta Industry Conference where I learned a lot, ate extremely fancy food and rode a mechanical bull. I have the notes, the extra pounds and the giant bruise to prove it. But probably the highlight of the conference was a keynote talk by Scott Stratten, of UnMarketing (un)fame.

His book, consistently entitled UnMarketing is about re-evaluating traditional marketing, focusing instead on relationships and making meaningful connections with people. That makes it sound a bit unInteresting – trust me, it’s not. As proof, here’s a random sampling of quotes from his talk:

• “Cold calling is lazy. Plus, you’re a jackass.”
• “If you suck, you just suck harder on social media.”
• “If business is relationships, you need to make relationships your business.”
• “What’s the ROI of Twitter? What the return on relationships?”
• “When you’re authentic, you have no competition.”

If you’re serious about marketing in a new and different (and better) way, check out Stratten’s blog and book. Or, you know – just keep doing the same old stuff that your competition is doing. Either or.

AKA How To Use Social Media Effectively: A Guide.

Social media. You’ve heard of it. The internets are all a-buzz with the Twitter and the Facebook. It’s more than just what people you know (or don’t) had for dinner, but how do you make it work for your business, band, bocce club or even just yourself?

The good news: You get back what you put in.
The bad news: You have to do the work.

Merely opening a Twitter account is not enough to expect a return. Social media isn’t a magic solution, it’s a tool. And you have to use the tool to reap the benefits. I’ll be going into further detail about specifics later on,  but  for right now, consider the following suggestions as an overview and applicable to all the social media outlets.

If you follow just one piece of advice I give you, please make it be this one:

BE A HUMAN.

• don’t spam.
• send out the kinds of messages that you would want to see and are relevant to your audience.
• don’t spam. Dare I elaborate? Don’t send out too many messages about the same thing. You blogged? Great. Don’t saturate the medium with that news. You have 20 concert dates coming up? Great. Don’t send out 20 messages and fill up my twitter/facebook feeds or my inbox.

If you happen to have some more time and would like some other general tips, read on! (more…)