Social Networking in the Workplace |
A recent U.S. study showed concern among business executives that the use of social networking in the workplace can lead to undesirable outcomes, citing productivity and damaged brand reputation as the leading reasons. As a result, many employers are blocking employees from specific social networking sites, but what they may be missing out on is the opportunity for employees to utilize social networking to build relationships and a company’s brand. It’s a double-edged sword with very sharp edges. The study found that 40 percent of companies technically block their employees from accessing social media while at work, while paradoxically, the overwhelming majority of executives feel social networking sites are an important business tool. (Source: Russell Herder And Ethos Business Law, August 2009) Highlights of the survey:
The use of sites like LinkedIn can be very useful for employees and business executives alike, as this site is aimed more at a business audience than a recreational one. For example, I recently received a voicemail about a possible new business opportunity. I took the name and number down, searched the contact on LinkedIn and instantly had a business background about the person contacted that me. From their page, I was able to view link to their company’s website (which was not coming up on a Google search) and return the call within a half an hour with at least a rudimentary knowledge of the company’s business. Being in the client service industry, this is a valuable tool which I would like all my employees to have access to. I also want my employees to talk to their contacts about the new and innovative things happening here, as it builds our reputation and our brand. It can become a tool for recruiting and endorsement. Ah, but there’s the other edge of that sword, disgruntled employees can also demean and defame the brand. So each company exec needs to weight the pluses against the minuses; potential lost productivity through overuse and abuse and possible brand damage vs. possible increased business intelligence and brand reputation enhancement. Social media like any other business tool (such as internet access, phone calls, photocopier, etc.) should be part of a formalized policy to ensure the privilege is not abused with clear parameters for use regarding when and how these sites can be accessed as well as what content can be posted while on company time. It won’t be perfect, but we have to start somewhere. - Jim Kabrajee, Partner, jimk@marshall-fenn.com |
Archive
The Article Says What? |
You did your research and pitched the story. A journalist bit, so you set-up the interview with your client. After a couple rounds of media training, your client is ready for the interview. The big day arrives and everything moves flawlessly; the conversation is jovial and both the client and the journalist leave the room happy. A few days later, the piece appears in the media… and it’s not what you were expecting. Worse, it wasn’t what your client was expecting. Bad press happens. That’s not going to change. What has changed is the options open to PR people. Where a tightly-worded letter to the editor used to be a PR go-to, the expansion of interaction on the Internet and Social Media have enabled PR people to engage in a conversation created by the media. Most print/broadcast publications have an online version and most media Web sites allow for user comments. Disagree with something that’s said in a piece? Create a post that: 1) Identifies yourself 2) Outlines your perspective 3) Provides facts to support your case Properly executed, you can watch as the conversation in the comments section digests your post and – sometimes – turns around in your favour. Not strong enough? Have you considered recording – and publishing – the interview yourself (http://theflack.blogspot.com/2009/12/pr-insurance.html)? Of course, you need to make sure all parties are aware of your intention to do this well in advance. Modern resources have expanded a PR professional’s tool belt to the point that their actions after publication can have as big an impact as the original piece. - Chad Heard, Senior Consultant, chadh@marshall-fenn.com |
Your Mobile Phone is Now Your Debit Card |
In Asia and Europe, mobile phone users have enjoyed advanced features not yet available to those of us in North America. One of those features is making debit payments directly from a mobile phone. That feature is about to expand into North America. Google’s Android mobile operating system, for example, will soon offer a new debit system called mPayy that will simplify the purchasing process down to a press of a button on your smart phone. For some, this kind of transaction may seem unsecure, but the developers promise a level of encryption that’s better than traditional debit cards and meets a higher standard than that used by credit cards such as Visa and MasterCard. mPayy and its ilk will be a huge opportunity for mobile web sites that wish to conduct e-commerce transactions but cannot afford to build an extensive financial back-end. As more people access the web through their mobile device, we can only expect more commerce to be conducted there and, where there is commerce, there is advertising. The small screen is moving beyond a simple phone to become your computer, your TV and your ATM; that’s a lot of power in every pocket or purse. Our buying patterns are going change too as we will be able to purchase any item over the mobile web whenever and wherever it fancies us. It won’t be long before your date — over a latte at Starbucks — says: “Hey look, I just bought that killer 60-inch plasma screen TV I wanted. Can you pass the sugar please?” According to research firm IDC, an estimated $8-trillion of global commerce took place over the internet in 2009. That figure is expected to double by 2013 and much of that growth will be traced to mobile. Stay tuned to see where this is all heading. The next few years are going to have us looking at our mobile devices more and more and the marketing industry is going to have to stay on top of emerging trends. Maybe we should also be on the lookout for thumb exercises. - Jim Kabrajee, Partner, jimk@marshall-fenn.com |
It Starts and Ends with the Brief. But What’s in the Middle? |
I was asked last week: “What is the process you use to develop advertising ideas?” If I’d had an ounce of integrity I’d have answered: “Actually, there is no process.” There may be a process for developing a strategy; there may be a process for developing a media plan; but there is no process for giving birth to an idea. There never has been and there never will be. If clients knew that, they might almost be as scared witless as creative guys are when we sit down and start with a blank page. What helps, of course, is a tight brief. Clients who are used to seeing good ideas are also used to spending the time up front with the strategists and the account folk. They try to get the brief right. Because the brief helps us evaluate the merit of each idea. The best briefs are focused. There’s a consumer insight. There’s a tone that’s unique to the brand. There’s a single message with support points that prove it. And everyone agrees to it. I am sure some clients would prefer things if we had a more proven method. Maybe we could reveal it on a fancy chart with arrows and boxes and buckets and silos and feedback loops and checkpoints and all manner of obfuscatory baloney. The chart could have a very important sounding title, like “Developmental Matrix” and it could show how, through consumer ethnographic analysis, the idea starts as a small phrenological stimulus and then by some highly-evolved, labarynthine system it’s transmogrified into a grand, unifying concept. But that would be bunch of BS. How it really happens is like this: a writer and art director are locked in a cage. The creative director opens the cage door just wide enough to throw in five pounds of briefing documents, memos, research reports, and old ads. He slams the door, yells “I need this stuff by Thursday, and it better be good” and runs off to lunch with his assistant. (Well, okay, I don’t actually have an assistant. But you get the point.) So maybe what I should have said is: “Just bloody hard work.” - James Dunlop, Creative Director, jamesd@marshall-fenn.com |
3 Ways Online Videos Fail |
The popularity of YouTube is no secret. Reviewing the success of YouTube has already been done by the experts and won’t be repeated here. Suffice to say, it’s become a household name with hundreds of millions of videos viewed on the hosting site every day (http://www.youtube.com/t/fact_sheet) as people search to learn and be entertained. Should viewers find something that truly stands-out, they pass a link to their friends, post it to blogs, Facebook, etc. and, suddenly, the video becomes “viral”. Marketers everywhere salivate at the thought of millions of self-motivated people passing along a video with a corporate message to their friends and family. But, similar to creating any marketing material, creating a video that lands online with a “thud” is a lot easier than capturing the attention of the Web community. How do you keep your video project from falling into the Internet abyss? 1) Your video must serve the viewer’s needs, not yours. If you’re looking for maximum eyeballs, heavy handed messaging will tune people out. But if it’s funny, educational, controversial or fascinating, you increase your chances for success. Approach the video concept the way you would a new product or service: What can you provide that people want? Sometimes you can catch someone’s attention while promoting a product at the same time (http://www.willitblend.com/). 2) Promote the video. As with anything else a company does, a communications push should be behind the launch of something new. That said, the traditional rules of communication still apply, so choose your words carefully. For instance, marketing/advertising blogger Steve Hall (http://www.adrants.com) questions companies that call a recently-launched video “viral” in press releases before the success of the video can be evaluated (http://www.adrants.com/2005/07/viral-advertising-is-a-response-not-a.php). Always stick to the facts and leave the editorial to the recipient. 3) Play nice with others. If you can’t produce a world-conquering video on your own, maybe someone else can. A well-run promotion asking the public to submit – and vote on – their own videos based on your criteria can simultaneously take your company into the online video world, create content quickly and encourage people to pass their work on to others. There are risks, of course, but with the right pain threshold, user generated content promotions are a boon for brand recognition. While it’s tempting to just jump right in, success with online video is no different than any other marketing initiative: Requiring the establishment of objectives, effective execution, follow-up and management. - Chad Heard, Senior Consultant, chadh@marshall-fenn.com Next entry: The recession of 08/09 may be over, but what does that mean for marketers? |
0|\|L1|\|3 $P34|< or Online Speak – a Guide to Webisms |
Have plans to increase your presence online and communicate with the public? It makes sense to become familiar with some of the terms that your customers may be using. There need not be changes to the key messages you want to convey – it’s simply where they are being communicated (online, on a multitude of websites) and how (appropriate writing style for your company). Take a look at the following for some terms or Webisms that might come in handy: RT – retweet of someone else’s message on Twitter Tweeps – Twitter followers, based on the word “peeps” for people RSS – “Really Simple Syndication” alerts users/subscribers to recently published works especially those that are frequently updated, such as blog entries, news headlines, etc Creeping – closely monitoring someone’s activity on Facebook by looking at pictures and wall, usually of someone known only as an acquaintance. Sniping – waiting to the last second to bid on an auction site Trolling – going on message boards, just to make fun of people Leet or 1337 speak – an internet language, using substitutions of numerals, characters, or letters, to represent a letter or letters in a word (as in the title of this article). It was created to be unique to the community using it. According to Urban dictionary, 1337 was first created by people wanting to talk in a forum without any outsiders barging in. This may seem strange at first glance, but we do need to have some understanding of the language in order to communicate with these groups. Click here to see a chart of the alphabet. Vlog – a blog containing video material Web 2.0 – a website is created -like Flickr- which depends on users to populate it Widget – an on-screen tool or gadget, eg. calculator, dictionary, converter, iTunes album artwork Webisode – a TV show that can be seen through a website P2P – peer to peer <3 – not an ice cream cone, it’s a heart. See something you don’t understand online? An excellent source for answers is The Urban Dictionary. - Erin Farquharson, Account Executive, erinf@marshall-fenn.com Next week, check out our new blog entry on Three Ways Videos Fail and our recommendations to avoid this. |
Here’s my Phone Number, E-mail Address and Facebook Profile |
With the continuous development of social media networks, PR professionals – as natural communicators – are jumping onboard. Their reasons are many, but most are a combination of professional and personal curiosity. Yet, an interesting dynamic occurs when the professional and personal lives collide on sites like Facebook. Originally intended to help college students connect with one another on campus, Facebook has grown beyond its humble beginnings and (particularly in Canada) has become nearly ubiquitous. While companies around the globe grapple with whether they should restrict employee access to social media sites, PR folk will eventually have to decide if they want their personal lives on Social Media networks to meld with their professional world. Services like Twitter have proven to be easier to integrate into the professional communicator’s world, but there’s an argument to adding a PR person’s Facebook profile Web link to business cards and e-mail signatures. This goes double for those in close-knit industries where relationships with journalists are often a key to success. But also consider the future. There’s a growing demographic for whom Social Media isn’t simply a place to share photos and stories; it’s as integral a communications tool as the mobile phone or e-mail. Effective media relations has always necessitated organizations identify an easily accessible contact to provide a prompt response to a journalist with a need. But where deadlines used to be measured in days or hours, with the advent of blogs and online publications they’re now measured in minutes, even seconds. For a new generation of journalists, bloggers and online influencers, services such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace are critical tools that help them drive eyeballs to their paid professional work. They also serve as a platform to develop new forms of dialogue (such as Twitter chats) with consumers, raising their profile with the public and, by extension, those in the PR world. So where does one draw the line? Do you accept a Facebook friend request from a journalist you just met? What about one you spent a week with on a media trip? What if it’s two people in a client-agency relationship? Do you create a profile for business and a profile for your friends and family? Or is it a moderated melding of both? At its core, Social Media is about providing avenues and opportunities for conversations between groups of like-minded people. It used to be that PR would speak to the public through media relations during regular business hours. More and more, though, PR is expected to join a limitless online conversation facilitated by someone with a measureable online presence. The job of getting the message right is still there, it’s just that the mouth piece has become louder and everything that’s said goes on record – verbatim – for all to consume. Whether it’s a crisis or an opportunity, how long does the PR profession have before the media not only expects an immediate response, but one using the same medium as the question was delivered? How we approach and manage this phenomenon requires as much forethought and planning as developing the message itself. - Chad Heard, Senior Consultant, chadh@marshall-fenn.com |
Successful Consumer Engagement on Twitter |
It is almost a certainty that the later years of this decade will be remembered for the rise of social media and its affect on communications. Communicators must now (at the very least) monitor social media sites to gain an understanding of their company’s perception online; however, it is now becoming essential to be part of the conversation. Many wonder if communications on a social media site like Twitter can translate into profits and help engage the consumer in a healthy dialogue? Rumours can certainly move quickly on Twitter and can quickly poison reputations; on the other hand, interesting stories and ideas can move your message just as quickly. As with any successful communication tactic, joining the conversation on Twitter will need to be strategically planned and carefully executed. Sound strategic planning outlying clear objectives can lead to online success. Here are a few large companies that have established a successful presence on Twitter, communicated effectively and a brief summary of the objective they met: Dell – http://twitter.com/DellOutlet The computer giant recently attributed more than $3 million in sales to Twitter since launching in 2007. The company has more than 800,000 followers on Twitter and regularly “tweets” coupons, clearance events and sales on refurbished products. Objective accomplished: increase sales of refurbished product. Comcast –http://twitter.com/comcastcares Engaging the customer directly through Twitter, the company has used the social networking site as a direct “help” desk and put a face to its communications by hiring a Director of Digital Care to respond directly to inquires. So far, the company has had online conversations with thousands of customers. Objective accomplished: improved customer service reputation. Whole Foods – http://twitter.com/WholeFoods A chain of supermarkets, which specializes in organic and natural foods, have used Twitter not only to provide updates on the products which they have available, but also to post links on articles relating to health, recipes and diet. The constant dialogue is creating conversations with customers Objective accomplished: enhance dialogue with customers by creating an active online community. These examples are only a few of the bigger companies utilizing Twitter, but there are many smaller businesses with niche products creating engaged customers online. Small companies are finding Twitter a comfortable way to provide tips, trouble-shooting and updates to their customers. Twitter currently has more than 14 million web savvy consumers to be reached and the conversations on the site move at a faster pace than email. Twitter also has a high rate of users who only log on regularly for only a brief period, so the attention span is short. The key to the successful Twitter interaction is much like meeting someone at a party, if you can’t offer an interesting conversation, the party guest will move on. Effective response times is measured in minutes, not hours, so entering into the Twitter communication world is not something to be done frivolously. Like any other successful tactic, it needs to be maintained, monitored and nuanced to fit into an overall strategic plan. Our next blog will examine media relations through social media and how public relations practitioners are adapting social media into their personal social media lives. - Trell Huether, Account Director, trellh@marshell-fenn.com |
Four Different Ways to Engage the Consumer Through Social Media |
On a daily basis the media is constantly buzzing with stories about the major social media networking sites, Twitter and Facebook, but they might not be the right fit for your company. Or they may only be just the beginning of your social media communications strategy. Exploring the wide variety of options can help you gain a better understanding the tools available to deliver your message. The wide variety of new social media sites can provide many opportunities to engage potential consumers in an online conversation. Examine the options closely and establish which sites might best suit your company’s needs and how they fit into your overall strategic plan. Social media, though it moves faster than tradition public relations tactics and is less controllable, still should work to achieve your overall strategic goals. Here are four other social networking sites which Marshall Fenn recommends you consider monitoring and possibly utilizing: Ning (http://www.ning.com/) – A platform which allows people to create their own social media networks, Ning offers a range of opportunities. Opening a public or private group about a topic such as a product or issue can lead to some interesting discussions with potential customers and current customers. While this might not work for low-price consumer items like a pencil or a widget, big-ticket items are more likely to create a dialogue potential or current customers. Here are a few examples of active networks for cars (http://volvotrucksspotlight.ning.com/) or technology (http://iphonedev.ning.com/) Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wiki) – No Wikipedia page on your company? Why not set one-up and ensure accuracy? Like it or not, people look at the collaborative Wikipedia as an accurate online source for information. What better way to ensure your messaging is consistent and clear by contributing to your own Wikipedia page? It will also provide an excellent opportunity to clear up any misconceptions about your company. Be forewarned, however, that if page reads a brochure you will be challenged on its validity and neutrality, so just stick to the facts. Yelp – (http://www.yelp.ca/) – A more traditional social media site in the vein of tripadvisor.com which is gaining in popularity in the Canadian market. More than 22 million people in North America are looking up all kinds of businesses on Yelp. Is there any better way to deal with an upset customer then by engaging them head on? Remember, the squeaky wheel is the one that gets the attention. By attempting to satisfy and contact an irate customer, you might significantly lessen the chance of that consumer damaging your reputation. From events to restaurants to attractions, yelp has the potential to grow into a larger information exchange. Just have a quick look at the amount of Toronto restaurant reviews already posted: http://www.yelp.ca/c/toronto/restaurants Reddit (http://www.reddit.com/) – Had some positive media coverage on your company? Spread the word around on Reddit. This social media news site provides contributors the opportunity to vote on the interest of the story causing the story to appear more or less prominently on the home page. On a daily basis, thousands of stories are discussed and voted upon in numerous categories. For example, the technology feed on Reddit has more than 100,000 subscribers logging in on a daily basis, so by submitting an interesting story you may be able to get more eyeballs reading about your company. These are just a few of the social media options available. Remember the key to successful online communications is no different than successful face-to-face communications. Successful interaction is achieved by intersecting with the customer at the right time in the right place with the appropriate message. Next blog we will take a look at successfully engaging consumers on Twitter. - Trell Huether, Account Director, trellh@marshell-fenn.com |
SOCIAL MEDIA – A New Name for an Old PR Tactic |
Everyone is trying to make sense, and keep abreast, of the opportunities offered by the burgeoning social media outlets. Understanding the mechanics of social media and how to use them as an individual are not difficult, but figuring out how to use them corporately can be confounding. Is it guerrilla marketing? Is it direct advertising? Is it even marketing at all? And who should have responsibility for it within your organization? It’s really not that complicated. It is, quite simply, evolving public relations. In fact, public relations professionals have known about social media for decades, it’s just that we used to call it “Community Relations.” The old Town Hall meeting is now held in cyberspace. Community Relations has always been about establishing a dialogue and monitoring community sentiment, trends and obstacles. The original purpose of Community Relations was to get out in the field and establish a conversation with stakeholders. It wasn’t so much about influencing the influencers as it was about engaging them. Today, the influencers may be more easily reached – but there are many more of them and they may be harder to find initially. But if you think of Social Media as Community Relations, you’ll be a lot further along in successfully implementing the tactics because the basic tenets of good Community Relations have not changed. Open, honest, direct contacts were the hallmarks of Community Relations. Meetings with stakeholder groups were not about selling, they were about creating consent. The same is true of Social Media. It should not be viewed as a direct sales tool just as you wouldn’t try selling your product or service at a meeting of concerned ratepayers. You are creating consent, establishing a dialogue, listening, reacting and engaging. The major difference between Social Media and traditional Community Relations is speed. In a dispute or crisis situation it has always been true that the side which establishes the vocabulary of the exchange ultimately has the upper hand. Now, however, it has to be done with lightning speed which is why having an established presence on Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites is imperative. Social Media should not be mysterious, confusing or intimidating from a corporate perspective. Traditional, sound public relations practices developed over decades haven’t changed. “Creating Consent” through community relations is as true today as it was in the 60s, we just have more, newer, faster tools at our disposal. When you step back from the confusion created by the withering pace of online advancements and review the basic strategy, you will see that the basics of good communication have not changed. When you see Social Media as a public relations tool for better community relations, you’re half way to solving the mystery. In future blogs we’ll explore the effective use of selected social media sites. - Paul Chater, Partner, paulc@marshall-fenn.com |
