Social Media Tips to be Engaging on Valentine’s Day and Everyday

Today, for Valentine’s Day, I’d like to share social media tips from some amazing members of the Twitterverse. Thanks to Twitter, I have met wonderful people who share their insights and converse on a daily basis. So, in the spirit of my favorite tweet from @ValaAfshar (“Don’t be social, be SOCIAL: sincere, open, collaborative, interested, authentic, and likeable), thanks to the following tweeps and please enjoy!

Anna Rydne (@CoSkills): Be the real you! Even if you’re promoting a brand, speak with an authentic voice. Forget corporate language. Build relationships by talking like a true person. Social media is not a channel where you place your ad and leave. You must interact with your audience.

Martin Jones (@martinjonesaz): The number of followers one has does not equate to social media success; the quality, relationship, and engagement of the followers you have equates with social media success.

Jennifer Kane (@JenKaneCo): Not listening is not an option. Even if you feel like communicating via social media isn’t a great fit for your company, it’s still wise to have a basic system set up for monitoring mentions of, and conversations, about your brand.

Keri Francek Jaehnig (@connectyou): Your social platforms are not a broadcasting channel. They are meant to create two-way dialogue and exchange. Take the opportunity to get a fresh view, look what’s going on around you, and participate in some new conversations. If all you’re doing is the same ole, or sticking to your own turf, you’ll inhibit attracting customers to you, which is one of the goals of social media.

Randy Bowden (@bowden2bowden): It’s not about trying to build a profile. Authenticity comes more from giving, not getting. True authentics are people who share with the world.

Robert Caruso (@fondalo): Content leads to conversations, conversations build relationships, and relationships result in ROI. Have a content strategy that draws your community to engage YOU.

Ray Hiltz (@newraycom): If you’re going to invest in social media, be sure that you have a business culture to support it. Social media platforms are not so much platforms as they are channels through which companies share, listen, and collaborate.

Michael Diamond (@michael_diamond): Social media is a “way” of interacting with others, but it works best when there is an underlying “why.” Worry more about the “why” than the “way.”

Jessica Ann (@itsjessicann): Invest the time to understand the social media space, and remember that it’s a tool for conversations. Think of it like learning how to program a new flat screen TV. One channel may be all you need in the beginning, but sooner or later, you’ll want to explore other channels. You’ll need the remote, and you’ll need to know how to use the remote to listen and explore the many channels.

Jeff Howell (@JeffHowell76): As with all relationships, social media relationships take time to cultivate. You wouldn’t get married a day after meeting someone, nor should you expect close social media relationships to be developed the same way. Take time to engage properly and let the relationships develop naturally.

Jason Coffee (@CoffeeCupNews): Every now and then ask for critical feedback from your core audience. Critical feedback will help you grow in a way that little else will. When you ask for the feedback, don’t just settle for “Great job!” Dig deeper. Some of the feedback might be a little painful to hear, but those are just growing pains. You’re either growing or shrinking – there is no static in social content.

David Schwartz (@brand_education): You need to give in order to receive. Be helpful, share, and support your followers. Build friendships and trust, and then good things will follow.

Phil Gerbyshak (@PhilGerb): Measure what really matters. Instead of likes, followers, engagement, Klout scores, PeerIndex points, or other meaningless numbers, focus on what really matters. What really matters? Leads and sales, and how everything else gets you leads and sales. Figure out how to connect what you do to the bottom line, and do more of what drives the bottom line and less of what doesn’t. This isn’t to say that engagement on social media isn’t important. It is – just not as important as your bottom line is.

Ross Simmonds (@thecoolestcool): Use reactive storytelling. It’s the combination of a top of mind idea, event, or audience relevant story combined with a marketing message to increase your chances of going viral on social media.

Do YOU have a social media tip to share?

Is the Super Bowl Now the Twitter Bowl?

With the lights out at the Super Bowl, Oreo posted a memorable Tweet.

Earlier this week, I shared commentary about many of the ads from this year's Super Bowl telecast and also featured one of my marketing colleagues, Julia Carcamo from St. Louis. With this post, I will analyze Twitter’s impact, share some memorable tweets, and predict how Twitter just might be the focus for marketing attention and ad budgets and for next year's Super Bowl's Brand Bowl.

As last week’s game began, viewers noticed and commented on social media channels that the ads were not measuring up to the quality of previous years’ ads. But the truth is, when a company creates amazing and memorable ads, viewers then want future ads to exceed expectations. How could Volkswagen ever surpass the success of its ad from two years ago, “The Force,” featuring a cute little boy dressed and acting as Darth Vader?

So while most of this year’s ads were not memorable, the power outage at the onset of the third quarter became the trending topic in social media. But you cannot just talk about a power outage – that would be boring. So, people in the Twitterverse put their creative hats on and made Twitter much more memorable than those 15-second, 30-second, and 60-second TV spots.

Here are the highlights from brands via Twitter:

Oreo:

Power out? No problem. [Photo: You can still dunk in the dark.]

Walgreens:

We do carry candles. #SuperBowl

…we also sell lights. #SuperBowl

Lowe’s:

Hey dome operators at the Big Game, there are a few Lowe’s nearby if you need some generators.

Audi:

Sending some LEDs to the @MBUSA Superdome right now…

Tide:

We can’t get your #blackout, but we can get your stains out. #SuperBowl #TidePower

The lights are back on, now you can see our #MiracleStain

PBS:

This might be a good time to think about alternative programing. #SuperBowlBlackOut

Here are some of my favorite comments via members of the Twitterverse:

From @ZPeachTree:

We expected Superbowl XXI to blackout, but Superbowl XLVII? Come on Superbowl, you’re 47, drink responsibly.

From @FNSLP:

I’m picturing the Harbaugh Thanksgivings for years to come. “You only won because the lights went out.”

From @jrlevine:

FYI lights are still on at Puppy Bowl stadium.

I hope somebody wrote down the score before the scoreboard lost power.

From @jscanl:

Note to self: Do not build a data center in New Orleans.

From @Doc__Ad:

Yeah everyone is worried a NY #Superbowl could be trouble bc of snow but instead we have to deal with a blackout?

From @gweeds:

Tweets about the #poweroutage have been better than the commercials.

For 2014, I predict that more brands will have teams seated around conference tables during the Super Bowl with hopes of becoming the next Oreo success story – ready to act in real time based on whatever happens in the game or in social media. The ability to tailor comments, target audiences, and engage with viewers is an incredible advantage over static television ads.

What would you have done with your brand if you had been in Oreo’s shoes?

When Ads Take Center Stage: A Post-Game Review of the Brand Bowl

There is no dispute that the annual Super Bowl game is one of the most-watched television events around the world. But for those of us who live and breathe all things marketing, the final football showdown each season provides a different focus, and that focus costs a pretty penny. The incredibly high priced ads that grace the TV screen during the game have become known as the Brand Bowl, and I'm thrilled to reprise a review of these ads with Julia Carcamo.

As a brand marketing professional, I recall the majority of the ads. What about you? Read about my faves and flops, and then Julia chimes in. A few quick notes before we begin: Julia's bio precedes her comments below for those who don't recall last year's post, and I encourage you to visit her blog and connect on Twitter; if you missed any of the ads, a link listing all ads is provided at the very end of our joint post; and lastly, tune in later this week for my analysis of memorable tweets and how Twitter may be the place to focus ad dollars for next year's Super Bowl.

Since enough has been said and written about the power outage, here we go...

My favorite ad was "Brotherhood" from Budweiser. The Clydesdales always tug at the heartstrings, and this ad harkened back to the post-9/11 ad as well as the one where the Dalmatian taught a colt to become a member of the Clydesdales traveling team. This ad did not disappoint.

I was also impressed by Jeep's "Whole Again" ad with a voiceover by Oprah (although notably absent from Chrysler advertising was Clint Eastwood - was this due to the chair performance at the Republican Convention?). The ad thanked America's armed forces.

Best Buy's "Asking Amy" ad with Amy Poehler was entertaining because she asked questions that many customers probably want to ask but are too embarrassed to ask.

GoDaddy's "YourBigIdea.co" ad worked well because it showcased exactly what the product was. GoDaddy should have stopped with that ad because its other ad "The Kiss" was too far removed from the product's message.

Oreo's "Creme vs. Cookie" ad was cute, and since there was an amazing Twitter follow-up during the power outage, Oreo scored a touchdown. But more about that later this week.

But this year, there seemed to be more flops than faves...

Since I recently gave up my BlackBerry for an iPhone, I was eager to see the BlackBerry ad. But, it disappointed since the focus was what it could NOT do vs. what set it apart from the competition. iPhones and Androids, it doesn't look like you have much to worry about.

VW made a lot of pre-game noise with its "Get In. Get Happy" ad, and I won't get involved in the discussion about whether or not it was inappropriate. I will simply ask, what happened with the creativity seen in ads during the last two years?

My favorite ads in the past have come from Coca-Cola, but not this year. In addition to using an old ad, "Security Camera," I have to ask, where were the polar bears? Someone somewhere suggested using the mirage theme and three competing groups. But, Coke's servers got overloaded and crashed during the Super Bowl, so the Twitterverse couldn't even vote online for a favorite group.

I also wondered during the game, where were Ford, Chevrolet, and even Facebook and Google?

Now, please welcome Julia Carcamo back to my blog. After last year's Super Bowl, we shared a joint post on my blog and also on hers. While we watched the ads from miles apart, we have discussed which were hits and misses. Julia is the Vice President of Brand Marketing for Isle of Capri Casinos, one of the most seasoned companies in the regional gaming entertainment industry, operating 15 casinos in the US, and she's part of the team responsible for the strategic planning behind the reintroduction of the iconic Lady Luck brand as well as the repositioning and creation of other Isle brands. Without further ado, here's Julia...

There are a number of reasons why this year's big game was important to me. First and most important, there is the economic impact of the game on my hometown of New Orleans. Second is the opportunity to once again review the collection of ads in this year's game with Debbie Laskey. My winners are a mix of ads that moved me, ads that I felt were on brand strategy, ads that made me smile, ads that reminded me how much I miss New Orleans, and the ads my fellow co-workers found to be the best. Here they go, in no particular order.

Taco Bell's interpretation of “Cocoon” made me smile, and it made an entire bar full of people stand up and cheer. For that I say, "Viva Young."

Hyundai's ad "Stuck" spoke to me every single time I've been behind someone on the road leaving behind mementos of their time in front of you. I usually try to drop back a little further. Now I see there is another turbocharged option.

Hyundai scores again in this homage to “Ferris Beuller's Day Off." Who wouldn't want to give their family an Epic Playdate?

Bravo Jared and Bravo to Subway for delivering the point that always seems to be the downfall of the diet du jour...keeping it off. No flash. No sizzle. Just the heart of the message.

Was it a good commercial, or do I just love the vibe of New Orleans? Either way, I'm in for the Mercedes CLS Soul spot...so much so that I might even forgive the billboard across from Napoleon House.

It used to be that the first break was the marquee spot. Chrysler, however, has repositioned halftime as the "it" placement. Most purists would argue that they are forgoing a spotlight on their products. Some might say they are positioning themselves as the all-American option. Ford, anyone?

In a past life, I sold radio. That station featured a segment by Paul Harvey. Chrysler's Dodge Ram salute to American Farmers was very moving to me.

My tearjerkers: I'm not a St. Louisan, but the Budweiser Clydesdale spots have always been among my favorites. There is just something about them that makes me feel un-American if I don't cry. This spot seemed to be a hit among most of the marketers I work with on a daily basis.

As the officials on the field say, "Failed to convert." That penalty goes to Go Daddy (even though they did somewhat redeem themselves with "Your Next Big Idea." Go Daddy's Perfect Match spot just made me feel a little dirty. Even if you weren’t in the same room, the sound of that kiss was enough to send shivers down my spine. To quote one of the marketing directors I work with, "I don't like the way they subjugate web developers." Also, missing the point was Toyota. I guess Kaley Cuoco is the latest hot property but I was so unmoved that I had the name of the car make and model wrong when I wrote this sentence. Sorry Toyota. I guess your wish wasn't granted. Honorable mention goes to Kia's Space Babies. Babylandia looks so much more interesting than being slung in a sheet flying through the air on the beak of a stork!

Of course, this Super Bowl will go down in the record books for creating the biggest delay during the game due to a power outage. Although media maven and social media expert alike always tout extending your ad buys into social, Oreo and Tide were fast to take advantage of the hiccup. Clever, timely, and on brand, they might be my winners for the night.

A big thanks to Julia Carcamo for sharing her comments, and we both look forward to the Snow Bowl of 2014, I mean Super Bowl - and, of course, the Brand Bowl!

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Here's the link if you'd like to watch the ads again:

http://www.nfl.com/superbowl/47/commercials

Connect with Julia on Twitter: http://twitter.com/jccarcamo

Check out Julia’s Blog: http://juliacarcamo.wordpress.com

Last year’s review of the Super Bowl Ads:

http://debbielaskey.blogspot.com/2012/02/which-of-super-bowl-ads-do-you-remember.html

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Image Credit: Thanks to Tom Fishburne for use of his cartoon with this post. Tom is the Founder and CEO of Marketoon Studios, a content marketing studio that helps businesses reach their audiences with cartoons. Check out his work at http://tomfishburne.com.

Workforce Engagement and Motivational Secrets

I'd like to introduce Mark Herbert to my blog. I met Mark through his social media contributions in 2011. Mark shares useful business insights on Twitter and his blog gained from more than 30 years of experience as a human resources executive, author, and management consultant in a variety of organizational settings ranging from entrepreneurial to Fortune 100. Currently, Mark is a Principal for New Paradigms, a management consulting firm in Arizona that helps companies embrace change to engage their employees. As 2013 begins, I thought it would be a great idea to discuss workforce engagement with Mark. His comments may assist you in accomplishing one of your New Year's resolutions: to create a more engaged workforce.

DEBBIE LASKEY: How do you define workforce engagement?
MARK HERBERT: I define workforce engagement as essentially alignment. People are able to see a direct connection between their individual goals and aspirations and those of the organization. There is an environment based on shared values, trust, and mutual respect so that a synergistic environment occurs. People commit rather than comply.

DL: What are the three key elements that a leadership team can do to create and maintain a positive corporate culture?
MH: I think once you have established clear value propositions of what you want the organization to accomplish, the three key elements I stress are congruency, trust, and respect.

Congruency comes from values alignment while trust operates at multiple levels.

Many times, we over-rely on institutional trust or trust that comes from authority or policy. Real trust is more intimate and visceral. When I believe you value me as a person and will keep my interests in mind and be fair and objective, I invest much more.

Respect means I respect your personhood. I value you as a whole person not just the skills and attributes you rent to me. As a result, I provide you with clear expectations, constructive feedback,  and equitable rewards. I am not codependent with you. I treat you like an adult and expect you to act like one.

DL: What are the best ways to motivate employees?
MH: This may sound silly, but you can’t motivate another person on a sustained basis. The key is creating an environment where people motivate themselves. They see alignment with their personal and professional goals and that of the organization. They feel trusted and respected. They feel valued. People tend to file lawsuits and other activities like that because they feel invalidated or disrespected. If you're careful about hiring and selecting people who share your values and you behave in a manner that is consistent with your stated values, you don’t usually run into huge issues.
 
People seek clarity. They want to know how they are doing and how to build a bridge to their own goals. When you violate their trust boundaries or treat them disrespectfully you get problems. The other is that there is no single best culture, but bringing someone into your culture who doesn’t share the values or tolerating behavior that is inconsistent with your values causes dissension, agitation, and distrust.

DL: If an employee wants to make suggestions but doesn’t believe anyone listens, what do you recommend he/she do (other than change jobs)?
MH: Whenever I give someone feedback, I generally ask for permission or respond to a request. I try to use neutral or objective language. I also ask them what the best way to provide them with information is. Some people are visual, others are thinkers/processors, and people have differing levels of their ability to manage change. I also recognize that trust is earned over time. Covey said, “First seek to understand, and then seek to be understood." We operate on three levels intellectual (I think), emotional (I feel), and visceral (I am).

In many cases when we present suggestions or ideas, we take into account only the intellectual. Studies show that our emotions and visceral reactions outweigh our intellectual responses 85% of the time. Some of it is timing. We present our suggestions at a time and place that an individual or organization is not “ready” to hear it, or in a medium they are not comfortable with. I spent six years in an organization trying to facilitate change. The first 4 and a half I got almost nowhere.

DL: If there is a huge conflict between departments within a business, how do you recommend resolving the conflict?
MH: Sometimes, department heads don’t know or don’t care, but I have found there is a third reason that is much more common: they don’t have the skill set or tools to resolve the issue. My approach is usually to start with creating recognition of the issue and attempting to create an upside for identifying and addressing the root causes - not the presenting issue. I look for common benefits to all parties. I also don’t make any assumptions about the motives behind the behavior unless I have quantified them. I usually ask for the input of the other party first and try to create a mutual understanding and benefit. I also try to build on what we agree on - rather than on what we disagree on. Because there is rarely a single way to address an issue, I try not to get overly invested in my solution. 

In many cases, I find conflicts arise out of fear and uncertainty or lack of information. By starting from an objective place and always striving to maintain a respectful perspective, I am usually able to get at least a willingness to have a dialogue. The most successful conflict resolutions are always win-win rather than win-lose. When I create a clear upside for all parties, there is more buy in. When I recommend change "with people" rather than "to people," employees get a chance to participate in crafting the solution. 

Everyone can agree with this scenario: Implementing a solution that has my fingerprints on it is much more rewarding than a solution that is imposed on me.
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Mark's Blog: http://newparadigmsllc.com/wordpress

Mark on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/NewParadigmer
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Image Credit: Thanks to Ted Goff for use of his cartoon with this post. Check out Ted's work at http://www.tedgoff.com.