Monday, August 29, 2011

The Three Immutable Laws Of Crisis Communications

Editor's Note:  The following is a guest Marketing Mulligans post by Dan Harvey, a former BBC and ITN journalist, and now director of marketing and client relations at HarveyLeach Media Training, a U.K.-based media training firm which prepares executives for conducting speaking engagements and handling print, online, and broadcast interviews. Crisis communications is one of the most challenging public relations disciplines for many reasons, and certain crises, such as the BP oil spill, can be overwhelming and beyond difficult to manage. However, regardless of the situation, there are certain dynamics which NEVER change, and should be readily adopted by all companies working through such scenarios in order to safeguard their respective brands and reputations. This is excellent advice for any firm, no matter the size, in preparing for a crisis. Harvey explains below.
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Although social media may have added a whole new dimension to the discipline of media relations, it's interesting to note that many of the key principles haven't really changed at all. This is particularly true in the field of crisis communications.

Three of the most important rules of crisis communications for traditional press and broadcast media are just as relevant to social media. They are:


1. Be Quick
It has always been vital to respond to a crisis proactively rather than reactively. This means getting your message out there either before the story breaks or as soon as possible afterward.

When there were just daily newspapers and scheduled news programs, your deadlines were clearly defined, but with the advent of rolling news and citizen journalism, the faster you can be, the better. It may be tempting to delay things by saying "no comment" or just staying silent, but this makes it much easier for the media and public to assume the worst.

It can also be tempting to spend valuable time refining your message, running it through committees and approval processes. Don't. The most important thing is that you put your head above the parapet and give a reasonable response.


2. Be Helpful
It is vital to keep the media and public on your side. Ideally, this process will have started before any crisis occurs, through fostering relationships with journalists, bloggers and, of course, your customers.

Once the crisis has occurred, you keep them on your side by being helpful and giving them the information for which they ask. Let them know what you are doing to fix the situation and how long it will take.

Issuing regular statements and calling press conferences have traditionally been the way to do this. Now, social media platforms such as Twitter and YouTube enable you to be proactive in getting this information out to the widest possible audience.


3. Be Open
Don't try to put a positive spin on a crisis situation or deny responsibility when your organization is clearly at fault. Even the slightest hint that you might be hiding the truth will greatly damage your credibility.

The public has always been expert at spotting dishonesty. The difference now with social media is that your dishonesty will be discussed in great detail by thousands of people.

In addition, don't be afraid to let your emotions show. If you are genuinely upset by a crisis, let people see that. It is always a good thing to show that you are human, too.

© 2011 Ragan Communications, Inc.

Friday, August 26, 2011

Dilbert Pokes Fun At PR Firms, Ethical Standards

The world of public relations firms, where I spent the majority of my career, is a very interesting place, and one that is not for the faint of heart. I'll save some war stories for another day, but it's a realm where ethical lines are often crossed, intentionally or unintentionally. Therefore, ethical behavior remains a major focus of the profession even today, and the largest association, PRSA, is aggressively pushing the adoption of its comprehensive ethics charter...and for good reason.

I wouldn't normally make light of ethical issues in the profession I love, but I saw this "Dilbert" strip the other day and had to share...just for fun, and because I thought it was humorous. The fact the subject matter is borrowed from a recent scandal involving a large global PR agency and a major technology brand only makes it more titillating. "Dilbert" creator Scott Adams always has a unique take on certain issues, and PR is certainly no different.
You can also view this directly on the "Dilbert" site here.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

The Power Of Word Of Mouth: A Viable Online Marketing Strategy

Much has been discussed and written about the effectiveness of word-of-mouth marketing (or buzz marketing, as it used to be known, and a term which is still occasionally used today) and how these principles now extend to the social media realm and best practices in viral marketing. 

As my friend Emanuel Rosen initially outlined in his seminal work, The Anatomy of Buzz, word-of-mouth marketing successfully leverages the power and credibility of influencers, and recruits these prominent individuals and companies to become brand ambassadors for your business and its offerings. If you're not familiar with Rosen, who is referred to as "The Godfather of Social Networks," I highly encourage you to read his book, which is now in its third edition and has sold over 100,000 copies worldwide in 12 languages. It's well worth the time to read, and much of the material in his new version (The Anatomy of Buzz Revisited) specifically deals with social media and viral marketing strategies. Also make sure to follow Rosen on Twitter (@EmanuelRosen) or the latest on buzz marketing techniques.

In the social media domain, influencers carry far more weight, and exhibit much more reach, simply by retweeting specific content, additional sharing and postings on other networks, and having their followers hanging on their every word. But the key is to connect with them in the first place. If you're successful in that regard, you can forge a direct connection to your customer base through the influencer conduit. While Facebook has it share, Twitter is full of influencers, and this impact is more noticable on Twitter...perhaps more than any other network...because of its open nature. Therefore, by tweeting promotions and product review requests to influencers on Twitter, you’ll be able to tap into a powerful word-of-mouth marketing source that is just not available anywhere else.

Just how important is word-of-mouth marketing via social media? Peruse the intriguing facts and figures below, courtesy of search engine optimization company CapSEO:
Click here to view large image of this summary.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Corporate Snapshot: Employee Usage Of Social Media In The Workplace

While many companies, large and small, across the land are embracing social media and encouraging their associates to use a broad range of platforms to communicate with stakeholders, others are doing just the opposite and shutting off the hose completely.

Why? Primarily because of recent scandals and crises created by intentional and inadvertent posts that have resulted in some form of reputational damage, lost sales, credibility hits, client departures, and so on. Furthermore, the line between where one's personal life ends, and his professional existence begins, continues to become murkier and murkier. This is why the need for a comprehensive social media policy is so great, but it's a moot point for those companies that block access altogether.

So where do things currently stand in Corporate America? According to a recent survey of companies conducted by Mindflash and Column Five, 70.7 percent block all social networking sites in the workplace, while 55 percent of firms have some social media policies in place. For 44 percent of companies, these policies govern social media usage both inside and outside of the workplace, presumably to prevent unhappy employees from badmouthing their employers. The survey's findings also reveal that more than 50% of all companies believe in the value and benefits of social media when used for business purposes, but also has some downside when it is not.

A complete summary of the results follows below:
If you're a marketing executive or a business owner who wants to further leverage social media communications for a variety of purposes, but has not yet crafted a thorough usage policy, you should definitely pay attention to the approaches outlined here and the suggested guidelines and training recommendations. These can make the difference between a successful program and adherence to policy adherence, as opposed to having to clean up some sort of crisis down the line.

Check out a larger version of this image here, or to save this to your marketing resources archive.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

The White House Checks In To Foursquare

Out of all the social media platforms I use, Foursquare is probably the most fun, and the one of the best ways to secure valuable promotions and discounts from consumer-focused businesses.

Not familiar with Foursquare? It's a location-based social networking site, designed to be accessed via smartphones, that enables users to "check in" to a physical location, such as a business, park, or historical landmark, and then announce to their friends that you are there. The individual who checks in to a given location the most times is known as the mayor, although that status can be fleeting if you don't visit a location often enough. When checking in, a user can also offer a tip to other visitors, such as "Try the ahi tuna; it's delicious!" or "Make sure to have Ted brew your latte since he's the best barista EVER!" Users rack up points for every check-in, and also earn special badges for engaging in specific behaviors and for visiting certain locations at certain times. For example, I earned the JetSetter badge for checking in to a total five different airports, and the Crunked Badge for making four stops in one night.

While it's fun, Foursquare is a great tool for small businesses, which can design promotions and discounts exclusively for Foursquare users, and in particular, mayors. When checking in to a location, a user will see an icon on his phone that says "Special Here" or "Specials Nearby," and it's usually a pretty good deal. If you like Chili's, check in on your next visit, and you will get FREE chips and salsa. No joke!

With Foursquare's rapidly-growing following, and his administration's savvy use of social media, President Obama has authorized an official White House account on Foursquare, which went live a week ago. According to the official post on The White House Blog, users can follow the White House on Foursquare (I did) to see tips on the places the President and administration officials visit around the country and the world, follow news and events by location, and learn about the White House and its history. Of course, if you're visiting the White House itself in Washington D.C., or attending a town hall meeting with the President, you can physically check in.


The White House communications staff launched the Foursquare initiative in conjunction with President Obama's economic bus tour of the Midwest, which also began on Monday, August 15. At the very least, it adds yet another effective communication platform for Obama during a difficult period, and it underscores the administration's knowledge and sophistication in the use of social media to deliver key messages to the American public.

Monday, August 22, 2011

10 Event Planning Essentials Learned From Crashing An Ad Agency's Party


Editor's Note:  The following is a guest Marketing Mulligans post by Jessica Levco, a staff writer at Ragan.com and the editor of Ragan's Health Care Communication News, and that originally appeared on Ragan.com's events channel. There's a ton of planning and attention to detail that goes into the orchestration of a successful event, whether it's purely a social affair such as the one described in this article, a press conference, a media and analyst tour, or a high-end dinner for important clients. So what are some of the most important elements of an effective event? Read on to find out.
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Recently, I attended (read: crashed) an ad agency party Chicago. Every year, Optimus, a big ad firm, throws a "block party" for its clients and employees.






I figured this would be a perfect opportunity to get a glimpse of what it would be like to enter Don Draper's world, 21st Century style. (Note: It involves a lot of plaid and aviator sunglasses.)

Waltzing into the party was easier than expected. After saying the name of my employer and getting my ID checked, I was given a wristband and was greeted by throngs of artsy-types: digital media directors, graphic designers, and copywriters. I watched them all checking out each other's texting ability, color sense, and grammar, respectively.

But as it turns out, I wasn't the only party crasher. Apparently, everybody else was, too. This party was open to the public—including a few tourists, who said they just happened to stumble into the party and had no idea what it was for.

Slightly disappointed that I didn't technically crash a party, there was only one thing left I could do —report.

If you want to throw a kick-ass company party, here's what I learned:

1. Invite Everyone
Limiting a "work party" to just "work" people isn't much fun. Just imagine the conversations you and your co-workers can have when you open up your party to the streets of Chicago. Ok, that might be a bit much, but you get the idea.

2. Theme
Picking a theme for your party is essential. Go with something that shows the vibrancy of your company. The Optimus party centered on that feel-good neighborhood block vibe, with lots of hot dogs and beer. In a city of more than two million people, this block party felt very homey.

3. Timeliness
The party was on a Friday night, on the eve of Lollapoolza, a three-day music fest in Grant Park. Already, the environment was ripe for dancing, talking and listening to music. If you're going to throw a party, don't just pick an arbitrary date. Plan wisely.

4. Swag That Stays
Not only did I write this story on a free notepad and pen from the agency, but I also took home a beer koozie and a fake tattoo. If you want people to leave with a positive impression of your company, give them a tchotchke they can show their friends.

5.  Special Guests
Each year, Optimus invites a guest to attend the party. Illinois ex-governor Rod Blagojevich went to the party last year. This year, party-goers were entertained by the Chicagoan who won the U.S. Air Guitar Championships. Why promise a special guest? Because the buzz and anticipation lasts longer than two glasses of Chardonnay. Your guests want to stick around and see who it will be.

6. Be Transparent
If you really want to show off your company, open your doors. I was free to roam the ad agency's headquarters, peek into offices, and sit in the cafeteria. Inviting people in is a great way to give people a feel for your company's culture.

7. Clever Signage
Even though the block party was in a confined area, there were a lot of signs to point out the essentials: bathroom, food and beer.

8. Crowd Control
Friendly staff in blue shirts helped party-goers find the bathroom or beer, just in case they couldn't read.

9. Brand Ambassador
One person at the party was unmistakable:  a guy dressed in a brown bear costume. Word on the block says the "bear" attends the party yearly. Make sure your party has someone that party-goers can look forward to seeing every year. You want someone who stands out — against the vintage tees and plaid shirts.

10. Free Beer and Wine
Need I say more?

© 2011 Ragan Communications, Inc.

Friday, August 19, 2011

Twitter Psychology 101: An Explanation Of Tweeting Behavior

Remember taking your psychology 101 course in college, and then using your newly-acquired knowledge to explain, and even rationalize, all sorts of normal (and since it was college, probably abnormal) behavior you saw on campus? Me, too, and I remember it being a series of eye-opening revelations.

Well, the good folks at WhiteFireSEO, a Utah-based a Utah search engine optimizer with years of experience creating popular content and optimizing websites, are equally as captivated by psychology, and decided to apply that curiosity to the petri dish that is Twitter. The company polled hundreds of marketers about their Twitter usage habits, and their rationale behind such common activities as following and unfollowing other users, retweeting content, and sharing frequency.

In some cases, the results are hardly surprising. For example, Twitter users tend to unfollow others for tweeting too much, appearing automated, or talking about themselves all the time. or being too self-promotional In other words, if you're annoying in some way, you will lose followers in a New York minute.

In other instances, the survey yielded some interesting insights, which are summarized in the infographic to the left. I was surprised at the low percentage of respondents who rely on Follow Friday to find other users of interest. That is because I use Follow Friday to recognize others that I find compelling, and to recommend them to our follower base. The same goes for people who follow me, and suggest to others to do the same. It's actually a pretty useful tool, as is Marketer Monday, but I'm careful not to overuse it, and I'm also selective about whom I recommend.

Some other findings of note:  36 tweets per day constitutes oversharing, and interesting content and humor are the best ways to garner retweets. A very good example of a power Twitter user whose content is almost always interesting and humorous is world-renowned Apple fellow, venture capitalist, and best-selling author Guy Kawasaki. With nearly 100,000 tweets to date, and a stable of approximately 400,000 followers, Kawasaki has attracted a massive audience by tweeting quirky, intriguing, and just downright funny stuff that appeals to people of all walks of life. Make sure to follow Kawasaki to see what I mean.

In the end, check out WhiteFireSEO's survey takeaway:  tweeps don’t care if you give them things or ask them to help; they’ll retweet you if they like your stuff or think you’re funny.

Amen to that.

To peruse a larger version of this image, please click here.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Measuring Social Media Strategy Effectiveness: A Step-By-Step Guide

As with all marketing strategies and supporting tactics, the only tried-and-true means of knowing what works...and what doesn't...is to scientifically measure a program's effectiveness on several different dimensions.

Why on multiple levels? Because a single measurement tool usually does not give the marketer a sufficiently clear picture of a program's impact (or lack thereof). In most cases, it is necessary to employ a variety of metrics, such as unaided brand recall, individual unit sales, leads generated, media placements, website traffic, in-store traffic, coupon redemption rates,  and so on, to deliver a comprehensive verdict on whether a campaign delivered in significant return on investment (ROI).

Measuring ROI in the social media realm has been a much-debated issue now for several years. Not because it can't be done, but because approaches tend to differ dramatically from one company to the next   ― and with varying degrees of clarity. Inevitably, the same measurement-related questions arise. What methodology should be used? How can a social media campaign be directly tied to sales, if at all? Are there automated measurement software applications that can be employed? How can results be packaged and presented so that they're understandable to senior management? Can a "social" marketing channel even be quantified?

If you need help in this area, then look no further than this excellent step-by-step, how-to guide to social media strategy measurement from elisaDBI, a U.K.-based interactive marketing agency which provides cutting-edge digital solutions to European companies:


To view a larger version of this guide, please click here. Good luck with your strategy!

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

The Gift That Keeps On Giving: Anatomy Of The Perfect Corporate Gift

If you've ever had to purchase a meaningful thank-you, service appreciation, or holiday gift for your boss, a co-worker, or a valuable client, then you know exactly how difficult a task it can be!

The wrong gift, even if expensive and carefully chosen, can send the wrong message. For example, a wine basket may be inappropriate if the individual does not imbibe. A collection of cookies or candies could be a poor choice for someone who is diabetic or hypoglycemic. A gift card, even to a retailer or restaurant that you know the person likes, may appear like you didn't put any thought into the gift-giving process. And funny gifts may fall flat if the recipient does not understand or appreciate your humor. In other words, you have to REALLY know the person to whom you are giving the gift in order to make the best possible selection. So what to do?

Our friends at Flowtown, a social media marketing focused on delivering solid return on investment, came up with this humorous image of the perfect corporate gift, which essentially combines every possible option so that you cover all your bases!
It truly is the perfect SUPER gift!

O.K., this is all in good fun, but seriously...if you do have to buy a business gift for an individual of important, please make sure to evaluate his/her likes and dislike, and allow yourself enough time to evaluate a broad range of appropriate options. As the saying goes, "Choose wisely."

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Weird Science: Even In Social Media, Timing Is Everything

As I've noted numerous times before here on Marketing Mulligans, content plays an obvious and critical role in the success (or failure!) of any social media campaign. However, so does timing, and and so does how that content is shared. For several years now, these dynamics have been extensively researched by brands and marketing professionals, with varying results.

Enter the latest round of data from KISSmetrics concerning the best times of the day when your social channel audiences are most likely paying attention, and when you can generate the best possible exposure for your updates and content.

The research, which focuses only on American users, reveals some intriguing insights. For example, on Twitter, combined users in the Eastern and Central time zones represent almost 80% of the U.S. population; approximately 6% of all retweets occur at 5:00 p.m. ET; and higher click-through rates can be secured by tweeting 1-4 times and hour, midweek or on weekends, and either at noon or 6:00 p.m. ET. On Facebook, Saturday, by far, is the best day for sharing content; noon is the optimum time; and 0.5 posts per day is the most effective frequency for sharing.

For a full run-down of the research, check out the infographic below:
Based on my four years of experience using Twitter, I find it best share my most important content twice per day:  once in the morning, from 8:00 - 11:00 a.m., in your own time zone, and then again about six hours later. This means my tweets are seen by my followers in my geography in prime time, and also by colleagues in other time zones when they're online. Obviously, with the high volume of tweets and users these days, there's never a guarantee that all of my content will be seen, but it's all about being in the right place at the right time to maximize visibility.

You should give this strategy a try by adjusting your posts accordingly!

Monday, August 15, 2011

How To Protect Your Business's Identity On Twitter

Editor's Note:  The following is a guest Marketing Mulligans post by Christina Warren, a writer, speaker, podcaster, and video host at Mashable, and a frequent writer about the intersection of new media and technology. This article, which explains how businesses can protect their intellectual property on Twitter, originally appeared in Amex OPEN Forum. This information is beyond important because most small businesses don't take sufficient steps online to safeguard their trademarks, copyrights, and reputation...until it's too late. Instead, small business owners can be prepared well in advance by taking these simple precautions. You can follow Warren on Twitter at film_girl.
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Small and medium business owners are increasingly turning to Twitter as a tool to engage with customers, offer support and market their products and services.

Twitter has a dedicated landing page for businesses, including tips and tricks on getting started with the service, various advertising opportunities and case studies.

Protecting identity and reputation are essential for a small business, especially online. Although Twitter isn’t currently offering small business users a way to verify their accounts, there are still things business owners can do to give their accounts better visibility and make it clear that they are “official.”

1. Link Your Accounts and Profiles
Twitter’s username policy does not allow users to “reserve” a username; it’s first come, first served. As a result, business owners who have a more generic company name might find that the desired Twitter handle is already taken.

That’s not the end of the world, in fact, it can be an opportunity to better distinguish your brand or business, especially if the business name is more common.

Additionally, users can add a URL to their Twitter profile pointing to their business website and add links on their business site to their official Twitter account. Noting “official Twitter account for Business Name” in your Twitter biography can also make the account’s identity more clear.

Likewise, if you have a verified page on Facebook, Foursquare or Google Places, you can add links to your Twitter account on those services, too.

2. Protect Your Trademark and Logos
For small business owners who hold the trademarks over a business name, Twitter has a more nuanced policy.

If I own the trademark for “Cafe Christina” and a Twitter account for @cafe_christina or @cafechristina is causing intentional or unintentional confusion with my business, Twitter might be able to help.

If another Twitter account in question is using your trademark or logo in a way that is trying to confuse others, users can submit a help ticket requesting help. Twitter will look at the situation, and if it finds that the other party is trying to mislead, it may suspend that user (and grant you ownership of the account).

If the account is confusing to users, but isn’t intended to mislead, Twitter will give the account holder the opportunity to work things out and may ultimately release the username to the trademark holder.

Remember, if someone is using a name you have trademarked in a way that has nothing to do with your product or service, Twitter is not obligated to intervene.


3. Customize Your Profile
Small businesses can make their business affiliation even more clear by customizing their Twitter profile to match their branding, logo and color scheme.

©2005-2011 Mashable, Inc.