Tag: social media

  • Navigating the social media currents, together in NH

    When working with any emerging approaches to business (and technologies), understanding what’s working for people and where things are going is a constant challenge. There are self-professed experts willing to sell you a “package solution” to get you up to speed. I’ll skip getting into a discussion of the pitfalls and ethical questions people raise…

  • Rule #3: Be The Gatekeeper

    When you’re engaging with anyone online, rule #3 is “Be The Gatekeeper” You should never be a roadblock. Give customers a clear path. Just being there isn’t enough. Communication has to go both ways. You now have access to incredible feedback you used to have to pay a lot of money for. Lead customers to…

  • Rule #2: Address The Need

    When you’re engaging with anyone online, rule #2 is “Address The Need”. Everyone needs something.  We listen, we may even understand what we’re being asked — but it that what they really need?  If you’re engaging online, make sure you’re actually addressing the need. I’ve been thinking about this a lot recently after a discussion…

  • Rule#1: Be Real

    When you’re engaging with anyone online, rule #1 is “Be Real”. The world is full of bots (both human and digital.)  Your customers are people, it’s ok to be a person t00. Be a face, not a name (or logo) Don’t just broadcast, have a conversation Be open and honest Be Yourself!

  • Social media: swarm vs. strategy?

    So you’ve listened and maybe engaged in social media, now what? It’s important to be there since the conversations are already happening, but have you integrated that work into your overall strategy?  I was on a call Friday with a PR firm talking about social media strategy.  When I think about what many of us…

  • When is it ok to ignore a comment, tweet, etc?

    There’s a ton of advice out there that you ignore social media (blogs, Twitter, Facebook, etc.) at your own peril.  I’m having a difficult time finding best practices on when you may need to use ignoring as an approach — or is it something you should never do? I’d love to know how you feel…

  • Personal fulfillment through effective communication.

    Communicating your organization’s message, whether that message pertains to a sales, marketing or support function should always take your audiences needs into consideration. The problem tends to be that professionals write professionally. Now, don’t get me wrong, there is a place for technical jargon, buzzwords and catch phrases – but unless your message is specific…

  • Are you encouraging or discouraging online communication?

    When I was studying interpersonal communication at Ithaca College in the early 90s, one of the concepts we looked at was whether your environment encouraged or discouraged communication.  The terms I learned were: sociopetal (environment encourages communication) and sociofugal (environment discourages communication.) Determining if a physical environment encourages or discourages communication is a pretty straightforward…

  • Kev’s Rules–3 Rules for Online Community Engagement

    For the September, 2009 Social Media Breakfast NH (#smbnh) at the Manchester, NH Public Library I gave this talk about my rules for community.  I call it ‘Kev’s Rules for Community’. I try to live these rules every day–whether I’m engaging online via twitter, blogs, or any other tools.  The rules are simple: Be Real (don’t be…

  • Tips for getting your social media job application process off to a good start.

    As someone reviewing resumes for a Social Media & Web Marketing Specialist position, I’d like to share some tips.  In the first 48 hours I had about 100 people email me.  I’m guessing other employers are having similar experiences.  Some of these tips really aren’t social media specific, but take my advice: Everyone wants to…