Tag Archives: Advertising

As both a PR teacher and professional journalist for many years,

I was blown away when I found the perfect new text:

Making News in the Digital Era

If elections were held today for Social Media Expert, David gets my vote. His 2009 narrative/guidebook is perfect for helping learners on all levels understand — and properly apply — Best Communication Practices in this whole new social media world of ours.

Technology is changing our lifestyles on a daily basis . . .

so many would agree that claiming “Expert” status has to be “qualified,” i.e., conditional based on the newest data.

But let’s consider “qualified” in its other sense as well.

If anyone has built the chops to thoroughly discuss the news business, journalism, public relations, and social media marketing, then David Henderson qualifies:

Emmy Award–winning CBS News correspondent and public relations executive for dozens of years, David has been online with his blog www.DavidHenderson.com since 2003.

Some of David’s best advice:

Let go of Old Ways and embrace Change.
Present ideas for developing a company’s reputation with communication approaches that underscore transparency, openness, and credibility.
Messages need to focus on audience benefits, not talking about the greatness of an organization.
Avoid jargon and “gobbledygook” and use clear, direct, easy-to-understand language.
Key communication practices: Listening, engaging, story-telling, and always speaking the truth.
Today’s executives must be involved in online strategies that require inspiration, passion, purpose, and focus.
Forego Mission Statements and carefully create a concise and appropriate Positioning Statement.

“Strategic communications in today’s fiercely competitive world mandates clever positioning, understanding audience needs and knowing how to craft timely and meaningful messages that excite people and create results” [p. 23]

My opinion: This is a book that ought to be used both in university public relations/communications courses as well as in the offices of every public relations organization and department.

Further posts from David E. Henderson’s book will feature tips, best practices, and insights on the following topics:

A) Media relations

B) CEO blogging

C) Online newsrooms and other PR 2.0 strategies

Thanks, David, we need this handbook. Lots of PR and business execs don’t know where to start, and your book will surely help them.

Convince your boss to GO SOCIAL

September 3, 2009 Shari Weiss 8 Comments

While it’s true that we are clearly in the “early adopter” stage of Social Media for Business, that does not mean that your gut feeling is wrong: SOCIAL MEDIA/INTERNET MARKETING is the Way We Will Do Business.

So the sooner your organization hops onboard, the faster you will be able to build the customer-concentric community that will inevitably lead to a more profitable business.

Here are some ideas on how to convince your boss that he’ll learn a whole lot on social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook:

Ten Step Program

1. Listen and hear what people think about your company and your industry.

2. Discover that fear of public opinion is unjustified; your community simply wants transparency and authenticity.

3. With thousands of bright minds online, you’ll get lots of ideas and help formulating solutions for problems in your marketplace.

4. Honesty and generosity cost little, but reap Huge Rewards.

5. Garner “brownie points” just for being “out there.”

6. Experimenting is fun, necessary, creative, and guaranteed to produce positive results.

7. Successful companies will all be customer-centric.

8. Prospects will become customers; customers become loyalists; loyalists are your new influencers. You can’t buy that kind of advertising.

9. Get the jump on the competition. Everyone will be “out there”‘ get out sooner.

10. Finally, realize that isolation from your community cannot be a model for profitability.
JUST DO IT!

And for those of you who have DONE IT, please add to this list of ways to convince the boss.

Facebook

Is Social Media THE ANSWER when traditional marketing “sucks”?

August 31, 2009 Shari Weiss 15 Comments

Five incredibly talented and deeply entrenched social media THOUGHT LEADERS fielded questions about “How to get the word out” and win more business now that there’s so much FREE stuff out there.

THE VENUE: Grand Hyatt in San Francisco

THE SPONSOR: San Francisco chapter of the American Marketing Association

THE “WHY”: To discuss whether or not today’s marketing and PR “sucks,” and, if so, What To Do About It.

THE PANEL OF NOTABLES:

Moderator & Alltop creator: Guy Kawasaki

The Silicon Valley Blogger: Louis Gray

French entrepreneur: Loic Le Meur

Community builder: Renee Blodgett

LinkedIn Sales VP: Steve Patrizi

Super Tweeter Guy Kawasaki

QUESTIONS POSED TO PANEL MEMBERS:

What would you do if you had a great product in a niche and zero dollars in marketing?

What would you now do if you now had $10,000 in marketing? How would you put it to use?

What is the role of agencies in today’s environment? Should companies simply do their own marketing?

Headlines from the discussion:

PR NEEDS A NEW NAME

NO TRUST IS OBSTACLE FOR PR & ADVERTISING

CROWDSOURCING IS THE NEW INFLUENCER

KNOW WHAT YOU WANT TO BE

BECOME AN EXPERT IN A UNIQUE NICHE

“TRUTH IN MARKETING”: [Who’d a thunk?]

EVERYONE IN YOUR COMPANY WILL BE FINDABLE

BE YOUR OWN MOUTHPIECE

PR AGENCIES ARE PASSÈ

Selected clips from the discussion

: Silicon Valley blogger Louis Gray

“For marketing on a shoestring: Tap into personal network for word of mouth. Leverage the people who are your biggest fans.”

Seesmic founder: Loic Le Meur
“The problem with old styles of marketing is No Trust. What I trust are my friends telling me about products they like.”

“Twenty years ago there were 20 influencers. Today there are 6,000.”

“When you engage with customers on Twitter, you can learn what problems need to be resolved.”

“Social Media Marketing: Find the fight people in the right places and offer the right message.”

Steve Patrizi and Renee Blodgett round out the panel of experts

“Online Social Media: No difference between personal and professional.”

“Professionally distributed news releases may only be necessary with major launches.”

“Break out of old marketing by teaching your people to LISTEN and then to RESPOND.”
“The speed of innovation is directly related to the speed at which we are sharing information.”
“Rules are different for social media platforms: MySpace is like your neighborhood bar. Facebook is the backyard BBQ. LinkedIn is your office. You’ll need to act accordingly.”

WHAT DID THE ATTENDEES HAVE TO SAY?

Mark Evans, SFAMA President
Marketing is going through a revolution. The SFAMA is here to embrace this change and help bring together all the moving parts. — Mark

Julia Francis - Ubiquity PR, Wendy Fisher - Moxie Mtkg, Sharon Lee - Shamiko Design, Kelly Connelly - Kelly Connelly Design
MARKETING AND PR “SUCK”? — People will always need them, suck or not. It depends on the approach for them “not to suck”: Change the name of PR to a more friendly and real term like SOCIAL CONNECT, for instance. — Sharon

Bill Bralye
After listening to the panel, I want to devote more time identifying best practices used by companies that are effectively widening their marketing tactics by adding social media to the mix. — Bill

Deb Kockos
I can tell you that most people do not spend their day online exposed to ads or blogs about certain products. Most of the world doesn’t even know what Web 2.0 means. When referencing a conversation on LinkedIn during a recent presentation, the audience looked at me like I was nuts. No one even knew about LinkedIn. We’re definitely in the early adopter stage here. — Deb

John Meyer - UC Berkeley, Laura Dantes - Engagement Strategies
We do need to filter the Hype and remember basic marketing principles. As Renee put it, “What is the problem we are trying to solve?” Focus on strategy, messaging, and reaching the right stakeholder groups using multiple channels. I don’t believe the zero budget Twitter solution is sustainable. — Laura

Cory O'Brien
Marketing and PR don’t suck. They’re just changing rapidly, and the companies that can’t keep up with the changing environment are using marketing and PR methods that “suck.” Social media has closed the gap between the company and the consumer, and there’s a level of speed, honesty, and transparency that is required to play in this field that many companies are not yet comfortable with. — Cory
FOR THOSE WHO’D LIKE TO VIEW GUY’S QUESTIONS AND THE PANEL RESPONSES AND DISCUSSION:
Here are links to several short YouTube videos:
Do Marketing & PR suck? Guy Kawasaki introduces panel.
Louis Gray says BE YOUR OWN MOUTHPIECE
Loic Le Meur says problem with ads is LACK OF TRUST
Renee Blodgett advises companies to ask What They Want to Be
Steve Patrizi says that companies still need ads
Guy Kawasaki asks panel How to Market with $10,000
Renee Blodgett has tip to spike video views
QUICKY: Not much can be done with $10K
Louis Gray says, YES, $10K can fund successful marketing plan
Are PR agencies still necessary and relevant?
Steve Patrizi: Companies will continue to need help getting the word out
PR needs a New Name, according to Loic
TRUTH IN MARKETING: Who would have thought of those 3 words together?
What if your customers are not on Twitter?

San Francisco AMA members: Please add your comments below, and everyone else “out there”: DO YOU THINK TODAY’S TRADITIONAL MARKETING SUCKS, and WHAT SHOULD BE DONE ABOUT IT?
Can’t get enough of thought leaders in panel discussions? Here’s my report on Steve Rubel, Michael Brito, Richard Brewer-Hay, and Angela LoSasso discussing “Beyond the Hype: Roadmap for Social Media”
Next post: HOW TO CONVINCE YOUR BOSS TO GO SOCIAL

Sharisax Is Out There

SFSU Alum John Gumas came back to school and changed our course of study . . . and our lives

August 26, 2009 Shari Weiss 3 Comments

When I invited John Gumas to participate on a panel for my advertising students at San Francisco State back in February, I had no idea that his views and insights were going to change the direction of my life.

That panel discussion and the meeting I had with John and the other panel members opened my eyes to the huge changes in the world of advertising and marketing.

I put aside my textbook and relied on marketing professionals like John, as well as Internet Ebooks, blog posts, webinars, podcasts, and news stories to help me blaze a trail down the Social Media Revolutionary Road.

SFSU Grad JOHN GUMAS Heads Strategic Marketing Firm GEARED to the Future

Right after graduation in 1984 with his College of Business degree in advertising and marketing, John Gumas opened his advertising agency to serve the needs of Challenger Brands — companies that were being out-spent by larger, more established competitors.

“It was clear to me that Challenger Brand companies needed to be marketed differently. How could these organizations compete?”
“They couldn’t out-spend or out-research the Goliaths. We’ve built our business helping these companies grow profits by distinguishing them in ways that set them apart from their competitors.”
“It was all about helping them play to their strong points, especially those that resonated with their target customers.”

Today, Gumas Advertising is an award-winning strategic marketing, advertising and interactive marketing agency with a host of regional, national, and international clients.

“Cultural Relevance”:

Companies must understand the new world of marketing

John acknowledges that things are changing faster than ever before, but not the basic strategy:

“Marketing is all about anticipating change so your programs are ahead of that change. When brands and companies don’t realize that their offering, messaging, or marketing strategies no longer match the needs of the marketplace, they fall behind the pack.”
“It is all about understanding when you have to do things differently.”

Integrated & Targeted Marketing is the future for advertisers

You have to provide relevant content, and your message is key.
The vehicles to deliver that content are changing all the time.
People want to be courted.
They want to make decisions on their own.
Consumers still want to be sold to, but in a different way.
Marketers need to think more deeply to reach their target consumers.
You can’t be everything to everyone: You must STAND OUT.
You figure out what is working, and what isn’t. Drop the Bad and do more of the Good.

John’s first lesson was his Best Lesson

John loved what he was doing when he first began, and he continues to love it to this day:

“Figure out early on that if you are passionate about what you do, you’ll never have to work a day in your life.”

John’s advice to students:

1) Know who you are and what you want to do.

2) Don’t get a job for the wrong reasons, like money or prestige. Do a job because you are passionate about it.

3) Find an internship to test the waters. It’s the greatest experience you can have.

His advice to clients:

1) Have a vision.

2) Make a commitment.

3) Commit to make it happen.

NEXT POST: My report on the Great Panel Discussion DOES PR SUCK? with Guy Kowasaki, Louis Gray, Loic Le Meur, Renee Blodgett, and Steve Patrizi

Guest Post

Advertising or Entertainment via Online Video — What’s the difference?

August 16, 2009 Shari Weiss 3 Comments

Many “fortune-tellers” are saying that the Future of Advertising is on YouTube, and some of my PR students from this semester agree.

In fact, surveys show that Online Video is the Focus of Digital Marketing for 2009. Two reasons: Videos build brand awareness and enhance customer engagement.

Here is the third in a series of student guest posts:

THE FUTURE OF ADVERTISING ON YOUTUBE

by Osvaldo Munoz

So what lies ahead for YouTube? Can we say three-dimensional interactive ads. YouTube has unveiled a stereoscopic imaging platform that allows users to view videos in three dimensions, but the today’s technology requires us to take small steps first as Google [who bought Yahoo in 2006] keeps trying to find ways to generate more revenue from the video-sharing site.

Overlay ads, which last about 10 seconds and are semi-transparent, have started the trend for new ways to advertise without upsetting YouTube viewers. Other recent additions have been e-commerce platforms and the introduction of sponsored videos.

The e-commerce platform is based on a click-to-buy option that allows YouTubers to directly link with corresponding affiliates like iTunes and Amazon — and be able to buy or download a song or video game.

But plans are to offer more products soon. In his blog post on the subject, Glenn Brown, YouTube’s Strategic Partner Development Manager wrote:

This is just the beginning of building a broad, viable e-commerce platform for users and partners on YouTube. Our vision is to help partners across all industries — from music, to film, to print, to TV — offer useful and relevant products to a large, yet targeted audience, and generate additional revenue from their content on YouTube beyond the advertising we serve against their videos.

Google is not finished with its platform as it is still in test mode and only available in the United States. Glenn Brown also suggested that YouTube built its sponsored video platfom on its search and discovery system like how Google uses Adwords so that they will provide “useful, appealing content, available to advertisers of all kinds.”

But how do sponsored videos work?

In essence, you place bids on keywords. Then after a user searches using those keywords, your video will appear clearly labeled as a sponsored video. These are charged on a cost-per-click basis, meaning the advertiser pays every time a user clicks on the ad. It’s not all positive though because an advertiser still has to be able to create content that will keep the user interested enough to convert from viewer to buyer.

YouTube has just begun to break into the ad game and there seems to be a lot more in store: YouTube should continue to push the e-commerce platform, partnering up with more affiliates and expand its product range.

I can see a cell phone promo or even a runway model fashion show with a click-to-buy link for its users.

On a similar note, sponsored videos will be able to expand with the development of YouTube XL, a site created to optimize viewing on any large screen. Furthermore the extension of YouTube into gaming consoles like Playstation 3 and Wii will be able to provide advertisers with a wider reach and maybe even seek out niche markets.

Here are a few recent online opinions on YouTube advertising:

How do you feel? Do you think that EVERYONE “can” and “ought” to advertise through video? What will happen to TV if ad dollars leave? Will online ads make us buy . . . or buy more?
Next post: Marty Nemko’s career advice related to Social Media practice

Sharisax Is Out There

What Info is HOT on my computer screen today?

August 1, 2009 Shari Weiss 4 Comments

Remember when Saturday morning meant cartoons?

This BabyBoomer does. But nowadays Saturday morning seems to be a great time to catch up on a lot of web stuff that’s going to get me thinking about the FUTURE . . . of marketing, advertising, PR, media and our lives.

So I figured I’d share some of what I liked this morning:

1) Seth’s Blog: “Fidelity vs. Convenience” – Seth commented on a new book that shows us that successful new products/services must EXCEL [x10] vs. their competition in either Performance [fidelity] or Convenience, e.g. movie theater vs Netflix.

2) Future of Advertising slide show by Paul Isakson: One of my favorite quotes tells us that Revolutions Happen When Society Changes Its Behaviors, Not Its Tools.

3) Ad Age story on how Advertising Will Change Forever: The OLD ways do take a long time to “die,” but the future is clearly digital and social.

4) Viral Video: The Ulltimate Word of Mouth. 17-year-old sparks huge sales of Web Cams – Logitech paid $0 for advertising.

5) 21 Tips for Twitter from Forbe’s Mag: (a) short & direct; (b) coupons; (c) viral; (d) customer service; (e) focus groups — to name a few. You can even let customers know their deliveries will be delayed. And don’t forget Employee Recruitment is another use, i.e., publicizing open positions.

6) Creating Newsletters that Work: 5 steps: (a) Plan; (b) Don’t sell too hard; (c) Offer value; (d) Be consistent; (e) Make it interactive.

7. Nourishing Web Relationships: I actually read this blog post a few days ago, but Adam Singer’s “The Future Buzz” is my favorite blog, so I wanted to include this. I love his take on current — as well as “evergreen” — ideas and strategies. As a teacher of public relations, I do know it truly is All About Relationships. Do check out The Future Buzz.

8. A Brief and Informal Twitter Etiquette Guide: I like DM’s for 1-to-1 plans, rather than: broadcasting personal business to everyone. And . . . not every DM or @mention requires a reply. We don’t return every phone message, do we?

9. Five Ways Traditional Media are Using Video: This idea is my understanding of the Future of Advertising, so I was really interested. What I read, however, was a bit disappointing . . . for me. It shouldn’t have been, though, when I thought about it. The Mashable article simply outlined the ways that traditional media are using video . . . to advertise their “wares”: e.g., magazines with private online video channels and publishers using online videos to promote literary works.

10. Social Media Marketing slide show: Pretty basic, but good principles, examples, and tips. Shows what Wal-Mart has done wrong by trying to “control” the process. Also points out how offline activities translate online for entrepreneurs: large and small.

TEN social media marketing slices is a pretty filling meal for one post. But I think I’ll try this again. Let me know what you think. What was most interesting to you. What other sites have you read lately that you’d suggest?

Next post: What to blog?

If you enjoyed this article, please consider leaving a comment or sharing it with your followers on Twitter! You can also subscribe by email for more cool interviews and articles from Sharisax is Out There.

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Interview

Business will rebound when firms learn and use today’s new resources for marketing

June 19, 2009 Shari Weiss 12 Comments

Strategic thinker & Brand Specialist: Russell Volckmann

Everyone wants to work for — or own — a successful company. And we are all looking forward to a positive turn for our global economy.

The news, whether from the beleaguered mass media or the intrepid bloggers and Tweeters, continues to depress us with seemingly insurmountable challenges from foreclosures to furloughs to bankruptcies.

It should be obvious that old systems are broken, and business people must figure out how to tap new resources for strategies and tactics that will benefit everyone.

Too many companies — and industries — are wasting money, time and other valuable resources by relying on metrics, customer profiling and science, according to Russell Volckmann, a marketing professional in the Bay Area of California. Russell was one of the five participants in a panel discussion that introduced me and my 48 advertising students at San Francisco State University to the overwhelming upheaval in the world of marketing.

Russell is a strategic thinker, storyteller, and positioner, who has helped entrepreneurs, small companies, Fortune 500 firms, and global organizations tell their stories and build their brands. He is currently the Executive Producer and Creative Principal at Volckmann (& friends), now focusing entirely on branding, visual identity, brand experience.

When Russell hears the cries that “Advertising is Dead,” his first reaction is that advertisers and their agencies are lazy:

They’re not creating branded experiences and other mechanisms that connect brands to people in meaningful ways. Instead, they continue to rely on the same tired old barking ad techniques that they’ve been using for the past 50 years.

“They also continue to rely increasingly on metrics that are decreasingly relevant,” explained Russell who blogs about Brand 3.0.

Since companies use the same metrics, we get the same kind of failed ad campaigns:

We need only look at the auto companies for an example of allowing MBA numbers to drive their business into the ground.

Russel’s new agency offers an 8-point brand audit process:

Brand Research
Brand Strategy
Brand Positioning
Standards & Systems
Brand Marketing
Organization Brand Building
Brand Extension
Employee Brand Competency

In addition, Russell is Executive Creative Director at partner agency Origami Tactical Creative & Branding (Montreal-based) now, and helping spearhead the new San Francisco office.

Why is Russell doing branding and branding-related experiences instead of advertising?

In 1965, thirty-four percent of consumers could name a brand advertised on a TV show. Thirty years later, only eight percent could do so. Consumers decreasingly find ads useful, informative, relevant, or differentiating.

Did you know that only six percent of people believe an ad is generally telling the truth? With numbers like these, it is no wonder even established brands are failing.

And with evidence like Russell provides, is it any wonder that our Advertising and Marketing textbooks are “incredibly impractical” as Seth Godin wrote in his recent blog post Textbook Rant. My SFSU students, as well as industry professionals, need to study “Today 101” while organizations that want marketing success — not marketing waste — will need to work with those marketers who are continuous learners.

Next post: Les Ross suggests putting websites on autopilot

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Twitter

Twitter does NOT have to be STUPID: Twitter 101 – Lesson ONE

May 17, 2009 Shari Weiss 39 Comments

Stupid is such a loaded word: you never know how someone else will react if they hear the word

So let’s begin TWITTER WEEK 101 with an agreement that 10 million+ users can’t be All Wrong. They’ve learned it’s all about How You Choose To Use The Power of Twitter. [BTW, as of Dec 2009, the total Tweeple is now at 68 million!!]

Start by acknowledging that as “simple” as Twitter is to use, to really understand its power will take time and participation. I recently read a post on the Four Stages of the Average Twitter User:

(1) Confusion — and the feelings that it is “stupid” to read about someone going to get a pizza;

(2) The first “AHA moment” when you realize there’s more to this than first meets the eye, e.g., for me, it was when I thought about using the technology to have my English students write something of substance to me in 140 characters AND THEN when I found out how easy it was to gather tons of information on the future of marketing;

(3) Remembering to Tweet was listed as a stage when users simply keep reading and reading without adding their own content. Actually this didn’t happen to me exactly. Rather, I was so excited about the things I was reading, that I immediately “RETWEETED” — in other words, copied the link and broadcast it to my followers.

. . . which reminds me that these “Stages” did not include the All Important Terms: Update, Followers, and Following:

UPDATE: Your Home page begins with the question: “What are you doing?” When new [and old] users simply answer that question, you do find out personal info that may or most probably won’t be the “Best of Twitter.” However, most people do NOT answer that question; they simply disregard it and write about an interesting discovery online, in the news, OR BEST . . . to my mind . . . is a personal insight they want to share.

FOLLOWING: These are the Tweeple [i.e. people who use Twitter] you will choose to follow because you either know them, know of them, or have found out that they like to talk about things of interest to you. More about Who To Follow in next post.

FOLLOWERS: This is “cute.” Either you can invite people you know to receive your Tweets [that was how I first got on Twitter] or people will simply find you in cyberspace, and that can be Really Cool — when absolute strangers all of a sudden start following you, it’s a real charge! You’ll learn that there are myriads of ways to collect 1000’s of followers — but the jury is out on whether that is a good or bad thing.

4) Final of Four Stages: You’re hooked. And I was — to the point that I could barely pull myself away from my Twitter Page, to the point where my husband called me Tweetie Bird.

. . . two more points in Stage Four:

Tweetdeck – an application that you can download to help you categorize your actions on Twitter [more about this only after you’ve had some initial experience.[ See my Tweetdeck post]

The power of search.twitter.com – where you can look up just about anything whether it is “future of advertising” or “Adam Lambert” or “dog grooming” and find out what people are saying about that subject Right Now — it’s also a good way to find people to follow who like the subjects you like.

5) My Stage Five: I learned that I can still get a lot out of Twitter even if I happen to miss an “important” Tweet. Most of the good ones are Re-Tweeted. And I, personally, am ready to find out how to Use Twitter for Business.

So, if you are a budding Social Media Marketer like me, stay tuned for reports on Hints, Tips, Tools, and Strategies for using Twitter for Business.

In the meantime, you can check out Novice Primer for getting started in Twitter and Top Ten Twitter Tips

The REAL SECRET is Just DO it! And if you have any questions and/or good tips for beginners and/or your own great Beginner’s Stories, please add them to this post.

Next post: Whom to Follow

Facebook, Guest Post, LinkedIn

Marketing student compares Facebook & LinkedIn for class back in 2009

May 8, 2009 Shari Weiss 2 Comments

**GUEST POST** San Francisco State University senior Roxanne Cobbs has been an active member of this semester’s public relations class — and has functioned as a very responsible leader for two small groups, the 2nd of which investigated the topic of “Facebook for Business.”

Roxanne’s group put together an excellent power point presentation, and she agreed to write a Guest Post for my blog. She told me she’s having fun observing the social media craze and hopes to play a role in changing the world of advertising.

Facebook is COOL, but it has a way to go to reach the polish and professionalism of LinkedIn

As the world of SM keeps growing, so does my desire to obtain more knowledge about it. Every day I learn something new, enforcing the message that I need SM in my life if I want to be cutting-edge in the business world.

Having just completed a group project advocating the use of Facebook for business, I’ve gathered some interesting tidbits to add to my ever-growing list of SM need-to-knows.

So why use Facebook for business?

One key reason is its viral nature. Facebook can further assist companies in finding their target market by browsing or searching personal profiles through keyword usage. It’s also great for advertising because of its amazing reach — 276 million members and growing daily.

Facebook has a huge assortment of business applications like the demographic filtering which allows extreme precision in targeting your desired market. Of the more than 15 apps we researched, I chose my top three to help you and your business:

RSS Connect

Promote your blog — with RSS feed you can add your blog or any RSS feeds to your wall, with feeds being updated automatically and easily shared.

IEndorse

Use this app to help build relationships and your personal reputation by sending and collecting endorsements, and then post them on your Facebook Professional Profile.

My LinkedIn Profile

Keep the networking system flowing with the use of this cross-promotion app. Input your LinkedIn url or profile name and a LinkedIn badge will appear on your Facebook profile.

Though my research taught me that Facebook can be a good SNS for business purposes, I remain by my opinion that LinkedIn is much superior. LinkedIn is a polished site that resonates professionalism. It lacks the clutter and distractions of Facebook, focusing solely on professional connections — and the experts available on the site. It is not a personal, social site with information about your friends and families, but rather a site where you can network with other professionals who can aid you in your business endeavors.

by Roxanne Cobbs

Click link for an upclose and personal view of the team’s research on Facebook for Business.

Next post: Social Media Strategy works in everyday life, too.

Facebook

Is Facebook better for your business than your social life?

May 6, 2009 Shari Weiss 7 Comments

So, once again, is Facebook a waste of time?

Last post we tried to address the responses of naysayers — the “non early adopters,” the social media non-initiates.

Common challenges in any evolutionary cycle.
But the fact remains that life does change, and so do we.

And nowhere are these changes more dramatic than with engaged students in our colleges and universities. I’m seeing this “Ah-Ha Awareness” particularly strong among scores of individuals in my Public Relations and Advertising classes at San Francisco State University where many are hearing of this revolution in marketing for the very first time.

After 10+ weeks immersed in All Things Social Media, I asked the students to comment on this experience. Here following are the thoughts of Yoshiko Hill who is currently on a team studying the future of radio advertising:

I had no idea that social media was impacting the advertising, and entire marketing, world in such a significant way. I now realize that social media is being fully utilized by companies as a more cost-effective, targeted method of reaching customers.
Social media creates a dialogue with customers that most traditional media lack. It is especially attractive as an alternative to costly traditional advertisements — especially given the current state of our economy.
Social media is no longer your sibling’s hobby. It is a rapidly evolving revolutionary tool, and if more businesses do not begin to embrace it, they will soon be left behind. — Yoshiko Hill 5-5-09

Hey Businesspeople — small and large:

Are you listening?
Listening to the marketplace in general?
Listening to your customers in particular?

If you aren’t, as Yoshiko warns above, you will be left behind.

Next post: Poetic look at Changing World

Sharisax Is Out There

Tag Archives: Advertising

Is Social Media THE ANSWER when traditional marketing “sucks”?

Super Tweeter Guy Kawasaki

Headlines from the discussion:

Selected clips from the discussion

WHAT DID THE ATTENDEES HAVE TO SAY?

SFSU Alum John Gumas came back to school and changed our course of study . . . and our lives

SFSU Grad JOHN GUMAS Heads Strategic Marketing Firm GEARED to the Future

“Cultural Relevance”:

Companies must understand the new world of marketing

“Figure out early on that if you are passionate about what you do, you’ll never have to work a day in your life.”

Advertising or Entertainment via Online Video — What’s the difference?

THE FUTURE OF ADVERTISING ON YOUTUBE

What Info is HOT on my computer screen today?

Twitter does NOT have to be STUPID: Twitter 101 – Lesson ONE

Stupid is such a loaded word: you never know how someone else will react if they hear the word

Is Facebook better for your business than your social life?

So, once again, is Facebook a waste of time?

I had no idea that social media was impacting the advertising, and entire marketing, world in such a significant way. I now realize that social media is being fully utilized by companies as a more cost-effective, targeted method of reaching customers.

Social media creates a dialogue with customers that most traditional media lack. It is especially attractive as an alternative to costly traditional advertisements — especially given the current state of our economy.

Social media is no longer your sibling’s hobby. It is a rapidly evolving revolutionary tool, and if more businesses do not begin to embrace it, they will soon be left behind. — Yoshiko Hill 5-5-09

Going BEYOND the Social Media Revolution