A New Marketing Commentator

7. Overcome the social media “dip.”

A common mistake made by many business folks is to think that social media will be an instant cure for what ails their traditional marketing activities. And while in many cases it can and will have an overwhelmingly positive effect on an organization’s ability to connect with its constituency, it’s not a panacea for an inferior product, poor PR, inept communications or a lackluster brand.

The truth is that it’s a long and winding road to social media success. And as anyone who’s been blogging, tweeting and the like for a long time knows, it’s often an uphill climb, too.

But if you can tough it out – listening, creating, engaging and opening up to others – for an indefinite period of time, making sure that social media is part and parcel of everything you do in business, not a silo, then the odds are pretty good that you’ll be a hit on the grid.

As I wrote in a previous blog post (The Importance of Getting Past the Social Media “Dip”)…

If you ask me, the key to being successful with social media is patience, perseverance and pushing past the so-called “Dip,” a difficult stretch of time (invariably the beginning) when the going can be tough and the rewards may appear few.
 
The Dip, of course, is the title of one of Seth Godin’s many best-selling books. On the front flap of the book, the “Dip” is referred to as “a temporary setback that you will overcome if you keep pushing.”

But the definition of the “Dip” I like best is written on page 17 of the book, where Seth describes it as “the long slog between starting and mastery.” My experience tells me that that’s just the juncture, too, where almost everyone involved in social media gets caught up in the “Dip,” where people – and brands – have to decide for themselves whether their seemingly Herculean efforts are worth it.

This is the seventh in a 10-post series on how to succeed in social media. Over the course of the next couple of months or so, I’ll publish the balance of the series, one post at a time (not necessarily consecutively), here on my blog, A New Marketing Commentator. Please stay tuned. And if you have any feedback on this series for me, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment. Thanks.

Previous Posts in This Series…

10 Ways to Succeed in Social Media, Part One
Adopt the right company culture.
10 Ways to Succeed in Social Media, Part Two
Set realistic expectations.
10 Ways to Succeed in Social Media, Part Three
Create enough quality content.
10 Ways to Succeed in Social Media, Part Four
Stand for your brand.
10 Ways to Succeed in Social Media, Part Five
Work as a team.
10 Ways to Succeed in Social Media, Part Six
Leverage a number of channels.

Bob Cargill Blogging, Facebook, LinkedIn, Marketing, Public Relations, Social Media, Twitter, YouTube

The following guest post was written by Kristin Dziadul, a recent Graduate of Western New England College who already has her own blog, YouTube channel, Twitter account and a large network of friends in social media, including myself.

The idea for this guest blog post all stemmed from this direct message that I received from Bob Cargill on Twitter…

Kristin, I signed up for this event tonight — http://soxup.eventbrite.com. Check it out. Maybe we could meet up for a chat there. — Bob (11:14 PM Feb 3rd)

Bob and I then kept in touch purely via Twitter up to the day of the event on February 25, while also finding other people on Twitter who would be in attendance simply by using the Twitter hashtag, #soxup.

Yes, the nature of networking has changed dramatically. So many conversations, relationships, events, and meetings stem from the Twitterverse and then trickle down to in-person meetings.

Networking has become much easier while using an online resource such as Twitter since you can connect with people quite easily based on interest, industry, location, job position, hobby, etc., all without leaving the comfort of your computer desk (or handheld smartphone device for that matter).

Bob and I were both able to utilize the #soxup hashtag on our respective Twitter posts on a regular basis to poll people to see if they would be in attendance that evening – and then we were able to begin a conversation with those people. Personally, I found that this made networking during the event itself much easier. I was able to recognize people based on having seen their Twitter avatars or by looking at their Twitter usernames on their name tags, and then I could jump into a conversation started originally on Twitter. I found it much easier to converse with others by already knowing who they were, having spoken to them briefly online about our common interests. I noticed that as I exchanged business cards with people, they had their Twitter usernames right on their cards like I did so that once we returned home, we could start following each other on Twitter and continue the conversations. I have kept in touch with about five of the people I met at the #soxup event, and plan to continue those relationships.

Not only is the Internet changing the way business is done, how we research products, and how we buy, but it is truly changing the way we meet and keep in touch with people who can start as complete strangers and eventually become close contacts and friends.

Bob Cargill and Kristin Dziadul at the #SoxUp

Bob Cargill Social Media, Twitter #SoxUp

6. Leverage a number of channels.

It’s one thing to tweet a few times a week, write a blog post once a month and update your profile on LinkedIn if you happen to land a new job. But it’s quite another to be active on a handful of social media channels on a daily basis.

That’s right, the most accomplished social media mavens don’t occasionally go online. They practically live online.

Instead of checking email and voice mail, they’re responding to a steady, endless stream of comments, questions and requests from their friends, fans and followers.

Instead of sitting in meetings all day, they’re sitting in front of a variety of screens, tap, tap, tapping away in the name of meaningful engagement with their constituencies.

Instead of working nine to five, they’re on call morning, noon and night, whenever they’re near their Blackberries, iPhones, laptops and notebooks.

But it’s not just a matter of putting in all this time. To succeed in social media means to be active in more places than one.

Are you writing a new blog post at least once a week? Are you using Facebook for both personal and professional reasons? On LinkedIn, are you writing recommendations of others, sharing your presentations and participating in groups? Are you logging on to Twitter at least several times a day? Do you have your own YouTube channel? How about FriendFeed, Delicious, Google Reader and Buzz?

Sure, for a number of reasons – time and talent, chief among them – not every social media channel is for everyone. But let’s face it, if you’re only using one or two of them, you’re barely scratching the surface.

This is the sixth in a 10-post series on how to succeed in social media. Over the course of the next few months, I’ll publish the balance of the series, one post at a time (not necessarily consecutively), here on my blog, A New Marketing Commentator. Please stay tuned. And if you have any feedback on this series for me, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment. Thanks.

Previous Posts in This Series…

10 Ways to Succeed in Social Media, Part One
Adopt the right company culture.
10 Ways to Succeed in Social Media, Part Two
Set realistic expectations.
10 Ways to Succeed in Social Media, Part Three
Create enough quality content.
10 Ways to Succeed in Social Media, Part Four
Stand for your brand.
10 Ways to Succeed in Social Media, Part Five
Work as a team.

Bob Cargill Blogging, Facebook, LinkedIn, Marketing, Public Relations, Social Media, Twitter, YouTube

5. Work as a team.

While most social media programs have a single champion at the helm, the best among them have a crew to provide support.

Never mind the extraordinary demands of the job on almost a 24/7/365 basis. From project management to PR, customer service to marketing, creative to analytics, there are simply too many different skills required for one person alone to be successful on the grid on behalf of a big brand.

As I wrote in a previous blog post (Social Media is a Team Sport, Not a Solo Act)… 

An exceptional writer with a strong body of knowledge, a charismatic personality and a boatload of enthusiasm can make a huge social splash – don’t get me wrong. But to sustain an effective strategy for an indefinite period of time requires the input and output of a collaborative, cross-functional group, a small team of people with complementary skills who can tag-team the initiative.

If you’re faced with budget constraints or a shortage of talent, that’s one thing. But if you’re serious about social media, you’re going to want a handful of professionals working the beat – strategizing, scheduling, listening, responding, creating, engaging, measuring, you name it. One way or another, you’re going to want to work as a team.

This is the fifth in a 10-post series on how to succeed in social media. Over the course of the next few months, I’ll publish the balance of the series, one post at a time (not necessarily consecutively), here on my blog, A New Marketing Commentator. Please stay tuned. And if you have any feedback on this series for me, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment. Thanks.

Previous Posts in This Series…

10 Ways to Succeed in Social Media, Part One
Adopt the right company culture.
10 Ways to Succeed in Social Media, Part Two
Set realistic expectations.
10 Ways to Succeed in Social Media, Part Three
Create enough quality content.
10 Ways to Succeed in Social Media, Part Four
Stand for your brand.

Bob Cargill Blogging, Facebook, LinkedIn, Marketing, Public Relations, Social Media, Twitter, YouTube

In case you missed it, John Cass and Toby Bloomberg pulled together an exhaustive joint post recently on how agencies, consultants and freelancers handle the notion of transparency when using social media on behalf of their clients.

They reached out to dozens of their colleagues in the industry (myself included), asking them how they dealt with this issue while not only providing social media content for their clients, but in many cases posting that content for them as well.

I applaud John and Toby for spearheading this initiative. It was a considerable undertaking on their part, the result being a diverse range of opinions from those on the cutting edge of social media, a body of work of great value to the industry.

In my opinion, if a brand doesn’t have the capabilities in-house, it makes perfect sense to outsource its social media activities to someone else. It’s not only acceptable, it’s actually quite common. (I ought to know. It’s what I’m doing a lot of for clients lately…helping them to maintain a social media presence.)

But there are definitely shades of grey when it comes to a human being having someone else serve as his or her social media presence.

That’s my short answer to the question about transparency. Here — in its entirety — is a more comprehensive answer, the one that I provided to John and Toby…

Having worked on the agency side for most of my career, I’ve earned my livelihood by writing content – direct mail, email, ads, etc. – for my clients. And in that traditional marketing world, there was never much talk about being transparent in communications. It just wasn’t an issue.

In the world of social media, however, transparency and authenticity are essential. The more capable an organization is of keeping it real on the grid, the more successful it usually is in the blogosphere, on Facebook, Twitter and everywhere else it maintains a social media presence.

But not everyone has the bandwidth, capability or desire to use social media themselves. Or they may need a little help getting started. Each of these barriers to entry represents a tremendous opportunity for agencies, consultants and freelancers to provide assistance to their clients. So yes, I think it’s perfectly acceptable for an external resource to write and post social media content under the aegis of a brand. The client representative just needs to be mindful to speak in the first person plural, “we,” as he or she is communicating on behalf of the brand as a whole, not as an individual.

I don’t believe in posting for another human being, though. “Ghost” tweeting and blogging is verboten in my book. I know it’s done. And I don’t pass judgment on anyone who does it. But if there’s a name and photo attached to a blog post, tweet or any other activity in social media, I think the words should be coming from that particular person and not someone else.

That doesn’t mean that one can’t receive a lot of help behind the scenes. Those who aren’t the best writers in the world or who have more important priorities can have someone provide them with ideas and even draft posts, tweets and updates. Shared thoughts and opinions should reflect the account holder’s views, however, and – ideally – should be posted by him or her, too. That’s the only way to really get anything out of social media anyway – to be immersed in it yourself, not to have someone acting as your proxy.

When you have a few minutes, check out both John’s and Toby’s posts on this issue. It’ll be well worth your time…

To read “30+ Diverse Opinions On Social Media Agency Transparency” by John Cass, click here.

To read “Where Does ‘Transparency’ Fit In The New Social Media Marketing Model?” by Toby Bloomberg, click here.

Bob Cargill Blogging, Facebook, LinkedIn, Marketing, Public Relations, Social Media, Twitter, YouTube

4. Stand for your brand.

As much as you need to be yourself in social media, it’s even more important to be a positive, well-suited reflection of the organization you represent.

So before you blog, tweet or record that YouTube video, take pause and ask yourself if you’re actually capable of embodying the very best characteristics associated with your brand. Even if you’re your own boss, you may find it more than just a little challenging to come across as a trustworthy, authoritative and engaging spokesperson.

The truth is that some of the most successful social media practitioners are those with extraordinarily good people skills. They’re evangelists, diplomats and envoys, folks who live and breathe the topics and issues bandied about among their respective business circles. Their strong sense of corporate identify is eclipsed only by their personal character and integrity. In the best interests of their constituents as much as their employers and clients, they say what they mean and mean what they say. They’re natural brand ambassadors.

Does that describe you or anyone on your payroll?

This is the fourth in a 10-post series on how to succeed in social media. Over the course of the next few months, I’ll publish the balance of the series, one post at a time (not necessarily consecutively), here on my blog, A New Marketing Commentator. Please stay tuned. And if you have any feedback on this series for me, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment. Thanks.

Previous Posts in This Series…
10 Ways to Succeed in Social Media, Part One
Adopt the right company culture.
10 Ways to Succeed in Social Media, Part Two
Set realistic expectations.
10 Ways to Succeed in Social Media, Part Three
Create enough quality content.

Bob Cargill Blogging, Facebook, LinkedIn, Marketing, Public Relations, Social Media, Twitter, YouTube Social Media

3. Create enough quality content.

One of the most common mistakes I see people and businesses make in social media is jumping into it without having anywhere near enough original, quality content to stay in it for the long haul. Either they underestimate just how critical it is to be able to offer news, information and opinion for an indefinite period of time or they simply don’t care about being fully engaged. 

Whatever the case, these folks invariably run short of content and ultimately have no idea what to say anymore. So relationships are interrupted. Momentum is lost. And their constituents are left wondering why the “brand” they look up to is suddenly so silent in social media.

But it doesn’t have to be that way.   

Before dipping your toes in the social media waters, it behooves you to have an arsenal of content ready and waiting for launch. But you also need to be prepared to create and share (sometimes on the fly) an endless stream of new content – blog posts, human interest stories, opinion pieces, instructional videos, status updates, etc. – via such social media channels as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and the like.

Social media is a labor of love, an inexhaustible work in progress, something you do day in and day out, not only when it’s convenient for you.

Social media is not a commitment to be taken lightly. It’s a serious, long-term obligation you have to your friends, fans and followers – both your internal and external stakeholders – from the get-go. So don’t go into it prematurely.

This is the third in a 10-post series on how to succeed in social media. Over the course of the next few months, I’ll publish the balance of the series, one post at a time (not necessarily consecutively), here on my blog, A New Marketing Commentator. Please stay tuned. And if you have any feedback on this series for me, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment. Thanks.

Previous Posts in This Series…
10 Ways to Succeed in Social Media, Part One
10 Ways to Succeed in Social Media, Part Two

Bob Cargill Blogging, Facebook, LinkedIn, Marketing, Public Relations, Social Media, Twitter, YouTube Social Media

On April 19, 2010, I’ll be pounding the pavement once again from Hopkinton to Boston, determinedly putting one foot in front of the other for more than 26 long, arduous miles.

It’ll be the 10th time I’ve taken this same exhausting journey.  And I’ll be tired and sore most of the way.  But as I’ve said before, it doesn’t get any more exciting than to cross the finish line of what is arguably the most prestigious road race in the world, the Boston Marathon. 

And given the fact that I’m running to help kids — and their families — who are fighting cancer, it doesn’t get any more important.

Dan Durkin and Bob Cargill, the two members of the Christopher's Haven Boston Marathon team.

This year I’m running on behalf of Christopher’s Haven, a home away from home for children being treated for cancer at MassGeneral Hospital for Children in Boston. And this year I’m training with the only other member of the Christopher’s Haven marathon team, my good friend and neighbor, Dan Durkin. A dynamic duo, that’s us. 

Christopher’s Haven was founded in 2001 by Dan Olsen, a local actor, singer-songwriter and three-time cancer survivor. While receiving treatments at Massachusetts General Hospital, Dan met families struggling to care for a child battling cancer while also facing the staggering costs of extended stays near the hospital. After surviving his third bout with the disease, Dan committed himself to doing something to help families like those he’d met. He envisioned a haven for young cancer patients and their families, a place that would free them from concerns about lodging and allow them to focus on their child’s treatment and recovery. He envisioned Christopher’s Haven.

As many of you know, I’ve run Boston for charity a number of times in the past. Six times to be exact. The other three times I ran Boston were as an unofficial entrant. And I’ve run other marathons, too — New York in 1984 and 1987 as well as one in Amherst, MA in 1980.

My goal is to raise $5,000 for Christopher’s Haven. To contribute to this cause, simply go to my Firstgiving fundraising page at http://www.firstgiving.com/bobcargill, where you can make a secure online donation with a credit card. Or, if you prefer, you may donate by check — please make it payable to Christopher’s Haven and return it to my attention at 33 Oakwood Avenue, Sudbury, MA 01776.

Your help will mean a great deal to me, but it’ll mean much more to the many boys and girls being treated for cancer at MassGeneral Hospital for Children and their families who are staying with them at Christopher’s Haven.

It is for these young cancer patients and their families that I’ll be running the Boston Marathon on April 19, 2010.  And it is on their behalf that I ask you from the bottom of my heart to give as much as you possibly can to Christopher’s Haven today.  Thank you.

Bob Cargill and Dan Durkin

By the way, back in 2005-2006, I wrote quite a bit about running the Boston Marathon for charity right here on this blog…

Running the Boston Marathon for Charity: A Personal Fundraising Initiative (Part One) 
January 18, 2005
Running the Boston Marathon for Charity: A Personal Fundraising Initiative (Part Two) 
January 24, 2005
Running the Boston Marathon for Charity: A Personal Fundraising Initiative (Part Three) 
January 31, 2005
Running the Boston Marathon for Charity: A Personal Fundraising Initiative (Part Four) 
February 7, 2005
Running the Boston Marathon for Charity: A Personal Fundraising Initiative (Update) 
April 12, 2005
Running the Boston Marathon for Children’s Hospital Boston — and Hailey 
October 31, 2005 
Running the Boston Marathon for Children’s Hospital Boston — Update 
January 30, 2006
Please Sponsor Bob’s Boston Marathon Run for Children’s Hospital Boston 
April 6, 2006
A Memorable Boston Marathon for More Reasons Than One 
April 19, 2006

And, finally, if you’re interested in watching some of the videos that I recorded last year when I ran Boston for MassGeneral Hospital for Children, check out my YouTube channel, BobRuns4Charity. I’ll be putting up some new videos there soon. Thanks.

Bob Cargill Fundraising Boston Marathon, Christopher's Haven

2. Set realistic expectations.

Using social media to communicate with others isn’t that difficult. But if you expect your posts, tweets, status updates and videos to result in any new leads or business opportunities, you had better be more than a little patient and perseverant.

As I wrote in a previous blog post, The Importance of Getting Past the Social Media “Dip”…

…social media shouldn’t ever be looked at as a fast track or short cut to success.  Mastering social media requires a long-term, strategic investment that needs to be looked at as part and parcel of almost everything else you do as an organization, not as a quick fix or panacea for an inability to find common ground with your constituency in the first place.

Don’t disappoint yourself. Be realistic with your expectations. To put together an effective social media program, you need to be as prolific as you are informed, as personable as you are inspirational, capable of producing a stream of original content on a steady, uninterrupted basis that your constituents will find not just interesting, but worth their valuable time.   

The fact is that the most successful practitioners in this space are specialists, authorities and knowledge leaders, people who are renowned for their expertise wherever they go.

Are you one of those people? Does your organization have folks like that at its disposal? If so, then you have every reason to believe that your social media efforts will bear fruit.

This is the second in a 10-post series on how to succeed in social media. Over the course of the next few months, I’ll publish the balance of the series, one post at a time (not necessarily consecutively), here on my blog, A New Marketing Commentator. Please stay tuned. And if you have any feedback on this series for me, please don’t hesitate to leave a comment. Thanks.

Previous Posts in This Series…
10 Ways to Succeed in Social Media, Part One

Bob Cargill Blogging, Facebook, LinkedIn, Marketing, Public Relations, Social Media, Twitter, YouTube Social Media