Call it the Vegemite effect but you have to wonder when you read press and blog statements such as “…one of the biggest ever crowdsource fails” or “the creative industry embraces crowdsourcing”, (emphasis mine).

Then there are those who think the barbarians are actually at the gate. In a story about “Dewmocracy”, Pepsi’s trial outsourcing of creative to a shop that is selected in part, by consumers, raises alarms for the creative community. Whether or not this will be successful (by what measure, we’ll have to wait and see), the hand wringing seems to be a function of the issue of agency fees, suggesting crowdsourcing and agency fee structures as undergoing ‘experimentation’ as the quality of some creative is being eclipsed by the fees being charged for business value delivered.

Experimentation indeed. Just because one or two agencies decide to build a business model around crowdsourcing (yet to make a rupee of profit) or Mars goes looking for 18-34 year old males to submit videos starring a Snickers bar, it’s all very, very notional at this stage.
 
Most poignant was Dorritos, who, according to a recent story in AdWeek, was spending money to create awareness but really looking to repurpose adspend dollars. So it’s not really about saving money, it’s about something we’re all familiar with - focus groups. Well, crowdsourcing is about employing one big undifferentiated mass without paying a lot in return for a bunch of ideas that may or may not hit the mark - like being at a advertising roulette table.

Is this simply a case of those with crumbling business models hoping for some magic potion to lift their business out of this advertising depression or are some of us simply overdosing on the nectar of all things social media?

At the end of all this, don’t be surprised if some prolific texting GenY brand manager stands up and says “We need to segment and do some target marketing”. Hard and costly lessons have already been learned: Kraft went back to opinion polling to seek out the ideas of a target consumer market as “Vegemite 2.0” was the laughing stock of the Aussie morning breakfast consumer, thanks to the well-intentioned ideas of the undifferentiated masses.

So before we champion the arrival of crowdsourcing on the advertising world let us heed the words of the Greek King Epirus, who defeated Roman armies at Asculum, in 280 B.C. "One more such victory and we are lost."

Blog-Off II is here and we're searching for the best social media and marketing experts who know how to command top online social media and marketing performance. Would you like to know how well you rank compared to other marketing and social media bloggers? Would you like to be independently recognized as a thought leader? If the answer is yes, enter Blog-Off II, it's a contest for professionals who meet and exceed the standards they set for their clients and employers in online leadership.

Stage 1. Enter and Qualify
Entrants will be evaluated by judges for contest entry. Note in the comment section below:
- What is your area of expertise in social media and/or marketing. How long have you been practicing?
- What is your best online accomplishments in blogging?
- How did you achieve your best result? Explain.
- What topics would you be writing about for the contest?
- Links to past blogs or content and a personal profile.

Stage 2. Qualified Entrants Will Be Notified
Our esteemed panel of 4 judges will evaluate contestants and notify you at least 3 days before the contest start date. Once notified you will be issued a access to Google Analytics to track some of your statistics and see how fellow competitors are performing.

Stage 3. Compete
The contest will last over 2 weeks. A minimum of 2 posts within the Community Marketing Blog are required to qualify as a contestant. Blog-off writers may publish up to 8 articles within the Community Marketing Blog: traffic and dialog with audiences are expected for each post. Two performance reports will be issued for the 1st and 2nd week to let you know your ranking. Contestants will be able access Google Analytics for daily updates at their discretion.

Stage 4. Enjoy Your Victory
Within 3 weeks of the contest completion we will issue press releases and notify our 1.5 million audience members of the top 5 performers. A phone conference will be open to all Blog-Off II contestants on December 16 at 12:00 EST enabling people to share their stories, learning and make first hand contact with each other. Blog-off II judges will evaluate which writers they will extend membership to for joining our community and announce this in outgoing communications.


What Is The Community Marketing Blog?

The Community Marketing Blog is a group of 12 writers that believes there is strength in cooperatively building one brand and creating a competitive communication advantage together in a noisy online world. Over the past 6 months topics have mainly trended on social media. Going into 2010 the Community Marketing Blog will return to a wider mix of marketing and social media to assist a wider scope of readers.

To see statistics on who reads the Community Marketing Blog and our performance achievements click here.


About Our Panel Of Judges For Blog-Off II

For more information click on any person to go to the judges biography page.

Andrew Ballenthin, Community Marketing Blog Founder. President, Sol Solutions.
Andrew Jenkins, Founder of Volterra Consulting.
Julie Tyios, CEO, Red Juice Media.
Mark Sinclair, Executive Producer, YourBusinessChannel.com
Ted Morris, Marketing expert, quoted in Advertising Age, CNN Money, etc.



To Contact Us
Prize Donations for Winners Welcome

Email contest director for Blog-Off II Andrew Ballenthin. Allow up to 48 hours for reply.
If you would like to be a sponsor and donate prizes please contact Andrew Ballenthin.

Let's Get Started.
Enter the requested information in Stage 1 above in the Comment section below.

Indemnification: All bloggers that publish content on the Community Marketing Blog will be solely responsible for the accuracy, correctness and copyright protection of their own content. The Community Marketing Blog does not endorse, censor or edit author’s contributions but reserve the right to remove blogs that may be offensive in nature or posted for the sole purpose of self-promotion or other reasons deemed professionally inappropriate. All authors are fully responsible for any legal issues that may arise from their content and hold the Community Marketing Blog and it’s founders harmless and indemnified against any action which may result from content posted. The Community Marketing Blog and its founders reserves the right to expand or alter indemnification clauses without notice. By entering your name in the Comment section below you are acknowledging that you agree to these terms. The Community Marketing Blog reserves the right to change contest terms at it's discretion without notification but will endeavor to not deviate from the original terms made public.,

There has been so much written and recorded about social media in historic and social media channels.  The coverage in the various blogs and tweets runs the gamut between opportunism and relevance. You’ll find the 3, 5 or 10 things you need to know about twitter etiquette, making the most of twitter, how to drive traffic to you blog, how to get thousands of followers in a matter of days or weeks and, most importantly, how to make money using social media. 

1. I am not going to tell you that it’s easy because it’s not. It’s hard work. In recent presentations by Gary Vaynerchuk (@garyvee from Winelibrary.com) and the people behind the Doritos Guru Campaign they both mentioned how much effort was required. This is not a get rich quick scheme. In Gary’s case, it’s a relentless and highly focused effort to establish and maintain engagement with his audience. With Doritos, they were accustomed to creating an ad and running it with little to no effort required once the ad was ready but with social media-based campaigns they must remain engaged and staff appropriately for the duration of the campaign to handle the volume of interactions and content accumulation.
2. I am not going to tell you that it’s complicated because it’s not. It’s simple. I know what you’re thinking. I just finished saying that it wasn’t easy. What I mean is that it’s hard work but it’s not complicated work. Some social media gurus might take offense to that statement. Calm down. I am not trying to offend anyone but the underlying principles of social media are not complicated. Sharing, communicating, relevancy, transparency and being helpful are not difficult to understand. The difficulties or complexities seem to come from the inability of people or brands to be comfortable sharing, communicating, providing relevant content, being transparent, and being helpful.
3. I’m not going to tell you that things won’t go wrong because they can and, possibly, will go wrong. There are numerous examples where social media tools were used to publicly shame organizations like Dell, Dominos, United Airlines, Comcast, and Amazon when they screwed up. The key is to be prepared for such events, take responsibility quickly and own it. Admit you were wrong and explain what you are going to do to make it right. Even if you weren’t wrong but someone is raising a concern then at least acknowledge the concern and commit to investigating it in pursuit of a satisfactory resolution. Silence and/or indifference will not be tolerated so be prepared to step up.
4. I’m not going to tell you that you’ll get rich quickly because you won’t. Doing anything in social media requires a great deal of time and effort. Do you have the patience and stamina to stick with it for a payoff that may not come for a while or, even it when it comes, is not as big as you hoped for? Building trusting relationships takes time and commitment. There are plenty of people promoting social media for getting rich quickly but it is and always will be about quality of relationships over quantity of followers and friends.
5. I’m not going to tell you that anyone can do social media because that’s not true. Not everyone is comfortable with all of the aspects of social media. Some people are not comfortable sharing like others do. Organizations are uneasy about the lack of control. Incorporate only what feels right because the discomfort will be evident if you try to do it all only to fall short in some areas. There is also the risk of making a mistake and having that mistake broadcast which is, I’m sure, not your objective. So if you are a better writer than talker then blog. If you are better talker than writer then do podcasts. If brevity is your thing then tweet. If you want to do more or all of it then outsource, delegate, or give a partner whatever you are not good at or not comfortable with.

I  was recently intrigued by a blog post from a notable social media monitoring company. The post was about the rationale for brand engagement and the issues related to responding to online brand mentions. As I understood it, one of the main assumptions was that consumers only wish to speak to other consumers online about their respective brand experiences.

Forums in particular are consumer communities that are formed on an ‘opt in’ basis by people who share a particular interest in an issue (re. high cholesterol), how to manage a process such as product usage or looking for a product such as shopping for a new vehicle. Forums are typically moderated by an individual who acts as gatekeeper to the conversation in order to ensure flow, continuity and balanced participation from the forum members. You usually have to register to become a member of a forum, so as to ensure legitimacy and authentication of participants and to keep out undesirables such as those who like to engage in ‘brand bashing’.

Which takes us back to some of the rules of engagement: Forum participants, whether they are brand loyalists, detractors, lapsed customers or dissatisfied consumers, do welcome participation by outside agents. This is especially true when consumers are trying to resolve a complaint or source product. I remember one forum in which an automotive brand was being discussed and there was an interest in a specific exterior finish. My client, once having been permitted to participate in the forum, clarified which colors were indeed available. Forum members subsequently commented on how nice it was for a manufacturer to take the time to participate and inform – a nice change from the usual ‘corporate speak’ communications.

There are many opportunities on the Internet for brands and consumers to have discussions and to co-exist. Though a brand mention is an indication of awareness, it’s not a request for response. On the other hand, where there are clear stated interests in products and the problems they might solve, the door is wide open for a healthy B2C2C conversation.

By Andrew Ballenthin
October 20, 2009
President, Sol Solutions
Biography

Connect.Follow.Network.

Despite having a time line that stretches over a decade it seems that it's only over the past few years that social media consultants and guru's have become popular new job titles. How is one to measure what their level of expertise is if their is no national or internationally standard for measuring quality standards and professional competency?

4. What is your past business experience in the communications industry? Note: a solid business background is a good indicator of business sense for your needs.

5. What is your specialism and how has that lead to your greatest achievement in social media?  Note: social media is a broad discipline and one size does not fit all or every business.

I am sure we can all think of a time when we screwed up by failing to plan ahead. I can think of countless examples in my life, most in the distant past, of course, when I realized that a little bit of planning ahead would have saved me a lot of time and aggravation. How many of you, for example, have not taken the time to get complete destination addresses or directions, failed to confirm appointments, or realized that a deadline is drawing near/or has come and gone for something you should have done?

One graphic example of this failure to plan is in the movie Alice in Wonderland when Alice asks for directions from the Cheshire Cat and does not know where she is going; the Cheshire Cat tells Alice that if she doesn’t know where she is going, it really doesn't matter which way she goes.

Unfortunately, in the world of marketing, failing to plan can result in missed opportunities, lack of employee motivation and strategic direction, ultimately resulting in lost profit for the company.

All companies must take the time to create a strategic marketing plan, preferably with each level of employee involved, which clearly spells out goals for the year, responsibilities of each employee, and timeframes for completion.

It is my belief that most employees want to do their job well,  but in order to do that- they need clear guidance on what they are supposed to do, when they are supposed to do it, and must be given feedback at various stages in the implementation process.

Management needs to involve employees in the process of creating marketing goals, especially those close to the customer, to get buy-in and to benefit from and acknowledge their perspective and glean fresh ideas. Failure to create and implement a marketing plan is a failure of management and will often result in finger pointing. As everyone tries to figure out what went wrong, it eventually becomes apparent that a more thorough plan should have been created, and ultimately the manager is responsible for the achievement of all of the work unit goals, as well as staff motivation and morale.

Here are some tips for creating and implementing a marketing plan:

1.  Plan a retreat at least once a year to create a yearly marketing plan, an activity schedule, and schedule time to review the plan throughout the year.

2.  Involve all levels of employees in the plan. Each employee is a representative of your organization, and believe me, with social networking sites more prevalent they are talking to people about the company, other personnel, and their career.

3.  Project some marketing goals beyond the one year span of time. You can always revise this later.

4.  Create some visual way of showing progress on the achievement of milestones as this can really serve to motivate staff.

5.  Use a project management software such as Basecamp and Severa to track activity completion.

6.  Include in your annual agency budget projected marketing costs for the year. I have seen budgets ranging from 1% to 20% of gross sales. This number tends to be higher in start-ups and new product launches. And some businesses determine their marketing budget by looking at what their competitor is doing and matching or exceeding that number.

Accordingly, if you take the time to plan which way you want to go- you can arrive at your destination quickly and have fun in the process. But as you have learned from life experience -if you do not know exactly where you are going, you are wasting time and energy, negatively affecting your reputation as a manager, and causing undue stress for yourself and others.

Questions For You

1. Do you have any examples of creative ways to motivate employees to accomplish a marketing goal?

2. What project management software or strategies do you use?

3. Do you have anything else to add to the discussion?

Plenty of reasons for people being at this stage and age is a symptom, the key reason is our ever increasing dependency on technology and the rate of technological evolution. The direct consequences is judging present and future employees for their mastery of technology, hence associating youth with newer skills and making life experience redundant at an ever-increasing rate.

A common advice to people looking for work is “start networking” which is a pity, because if you start networking when you are looking for work, then it is unfortunately the wrong time to do it. This is the point in time where your social network should be all set up to support you. The advice should be “use networking”, meaning, “you have been connected to so many people and, among other things, spent hours helping others with advice, introductions, job offers, mentoring etc. It is time to see if these people remember you.” Because if they do not support you, then you probably should have done a better job in evolving your social network.

Whether you are employed or unemployed, “top gun” or an ordinary “working bee”, in white or blue-collar profession, I urge you to start social networking frequently and beyond your immediate circle of friends. Social networking is not abut becoming closer to your existing circle but about getting connected with a wider circles of society. And society is not always people who are like minded, live in your city or are potential future employers or customers.

If you are employed, as most of us are, then now is the best time to widen your social circle, you are likely to have the least to ask for and the most to contribute. Have an extra eye open for people who are TYTR as these contacts may be your best contribution to yourself. TYTR are likely to be the most appreciative, the most likely to be actively reaching out (see above) and help you widen your social network. Eventually, TYTR will land on their feet; most will find a job and be there to help you. And judging by the rate technology is evolving, you may be in danger of becoming TYTR at a younger age then these people are.

If you are not employed, aka TYTR, then my heart goes out to you. It is a lousy time to be TYTR. You may have the right to be pessimistic but you do not have the luxury of self-pity as it will not make you any more qualified, and it will not make you feel any younger. My advice is, widen your social network and be pro-active in expending your horizons. Social Networking for TYTR is not another way to send your resume to people; and it is not about marketing yourself. Try pushing your resume too early and you are likely to fail. However, there are plenty of good reasons for social networking, and staying current with technology, where this post started, being one of them. Evolving your on-line social network, using blogs, forums, twitting, LinkedIn group discussions etc. will get you exposure to the latest technology, where you skill-set may be a little short. It will give you new ideas for reaching your objective of becoming more technology savvy. And, as said earlier, the key is having the latest skill-sets, because this is what employers require, for solid reasons.

Some employers are using age as an initial screening mechanism under the assumption that if you are already at certain age then you don’t have the required technology background. At the same time, if you can show that you have the current skill-set, then you may be over the barriers of entry and guess what, their will be less people because now the evaluation is based on technological skills and not life experience.  As a bonus, in social networking, you may be introduced to someone who has the need for a person with latest skill set, but consider this a bonus and not as the ultimate reason for social networking. Good luck!

By: Yoram Shalmon

By Andrew Ballenthin
October 20, 2009
President, Sol Solutions
Biography

Connect.Follow.Network.

Free: job posting, surveys, networking, search engine profiling, news posting, supplier and client matching, group discussions and much more. Where? LinkedIn. For who? Over 50 million members. Wow... when you think about it LinkedIn has an online population greater than Australia or Spain all engaging in "free trade". That's a huge amount of commerce with no strings attached.

For many LinkedIn is an online rolodex for keeping track of your business contacts. For others it's the occassional place to drop-in to check for job posts or seek advice in group discussions. For sales people it's one of the best resources for researching a prospect's background and looking for leads. But... have you ever stopped to think about how much commerce and opportunity goes on everyday in this global village?

One way to find out is by sharing your story. Let's send a thank-you to the hardworking team at LinkedIn in Mountain View California by talking about what LinkedIn has meant to you. Please comment below with your own story about how you have benefited from this understated hero.

Personally I'm thankful to LinkedIn for:
- Finding new clients
- The best source of traffic for sharing my blogs (over 85,000 page views in 10 months)
- Finding 10 writers who have joined this blog
- Learning from hundreds of comments from those who participated in Discussions
- Finding partners and connections that have become valuable strategic alliances
- Gaining press connections and interviewing with The Wall Street Journal This Morning
- Being contacted by Pearson and closing a deal for writing a book in 2009
- Helping others by sharing information and networking
- Growing over 5,000 new direct connections in 2009 on LinkedIn
- and much more

What's your story? What has LinkedIn done for you as an individual, your career, your cause or your company? Share your comment below. After this week I'll notify LinkedIn management of this blog and pass your thanks on to their team.

_______________________________________________________________________

Comments from LinkedIn Members


Just this week I landed a new client through LinkedIn. Thank you, LI. 
Mary Tod, Ph.D. - Editor and proofreader at Dr. Tod Editing Services


LinkedIn has allowed me to reconnect with many past co-workers and friends. It has also inspired me to upload a complete professional profile that can easily be transferred into a resume, if need be, as well as to obtain many wonderful references from the aforementioned individuals and present co-workers also. I am quite happy with my current career, but in these difficult times, it pays to be prepared. Lastly, LinkedIn has connected me with many like-minded individuals with whom I have enjoyed many great e-conversations. The only downside to LinkedIn that I can see is that I think I may be slightly addicted, LOL
Andrea Blackford - Right-of-Way Agent at Sarasota County Real Property


Easy and quick connectability to other professionals. Joining discussions. Asking and answering questions. It is just beginning.
Frank Scotti - Presenter at Whizbang Creative Seminars, Chief Idea Officer at Whizbang, Author, Consultant, Artist


For job searching, LinkedIn has been invaluable and worked just like it is supposed to do. On 3 occasions, I applied on line through a company's web site. In these situations, one often loses their resume formatting, since it cannot upload a PDF. Through LinkedIn, I have been able to get my resume and cover letter into the "right hands", resulting in the initial interview.
Steve Wezerek - International MBA - Sales Executive - Direct & Channel Sales of Products and Solutions - Spanish Speaking


Added new and valuable business associates during my search. The information and connections are eye-opening in some instances... Great resource for all new and veteran members...Thanks
Bob Cavagnaro - VP of Sales and Marketing in CPG looking to utilize my expertise to create a profitable and sustainable business unit.


It has facilitated great social networking, fine discussions, interesting debates, cultivated business partnerships and relationships. The sharing of interesting business information.
Allows one to grow their confidence and find their voice if you find the correct Network Group that supports this. What you put in you get out, occasionally you may have to try out a few Networks to find the one that suits you best.
Mostly for me, it has been a lot of fun.
Imelda McGrattan - Sales Strategist


Social Media in general has expanded exposure for my business like no other medium has or can... however, LinkedIn has been far more productive in creating "real" alliances and opportunities for future business. Once I learned how to truely use the power of LinkedIn- I was off to the races. I have met- both online and offline- professionals of all industries who have been interesting, insightful as well as so willing to help.
When I conduct LinkedIn training sessions, I describe LinkedIn as networking on steroids. Think of it as walking into a networking function as you normally would- but with millions of people to connect with. The key to success on LInkedIn is to create meaningful alliances while also being a resource for others.
Kathleen Dorsey - SEO/ Social Media Strategist, Trainer & Speaker / Founder ROMG's Women In Business Group/Board Member NAWBO and ROMG


It has facilitated Getting closer to people, through various modes,nothing great than Relationship Building.
Amit Kumar Garg - Retail Professional with Diverse Exposure


Many, many benefits and kudos to LinkedIn for reaching the 50 million mark. How awesome is that!
Here are a few of my benefits:
- Generating new business leads, many of which have become clients
- Finding new thought leaders and big thinkers
- Keeping my finger on the pulse of industries in real-time
- Finding people with common interest who would never have been part of my life before LI
I send all of my colleagues to LinkedIn and have taught many people how to use the services for meaningful business development. Thanks, LinkedIn, and Thanks Andrew for collecting these comments.
Kae Groshong Wagner - President, North Star Marketing, National Speaker, Author, Star Speakers Founder


I'm honestly not sure. I have valued the discussions etc.. but have not yet had any financial pay off from my involvement with LinkedIn. I have been involved for a year or more.
Miriam Pia Larrison Okrongli Smith - Freelance Writer


It has allowed me to connect with people who share my enthusiasm for success.
Alex A. Kecskes - SEO web content & articles writer/journalist


Well I have met a boatload of talented people on this site. I have place my music in a few music libraries. Met a screenwriter that i might collaborate with. Met a wonderful person in Thiland looking to get my music placed overseas. LinkedIn is an awesome place. Plus I have posted many a "silly" post but alwasy recieved wonderful advice of of it! Thanks LinkedIn.
Michael Trapp - Guitarist/Vocalist for CrimsonFaced, also a philosopher, film composer, geek, singer, songwriter, musical genius :-)...


I have managed to re-establish links I thought I'd lost - which has resulted in several invitations to events and introductions to new opportunities.
Tim Lea - Working Capital Specialist. Partner at Cash Stream Financial.


I'm thankful for:
- Being able to create a group of approximately 3,000 high-level business executives and marketing professionals around the world to advance best practices in "Corporate Planning & Global Industry Segmentation"
Alan S. Michaels - President, eCompetitors Inc


Linkedin has been a very valuable tool for my business. I’m based in Singapore running a boutique PR company and have been contacted through Linkedin by companies from the US, UK, Australia and other parts of Asia.
I’ve had the opportunity to work with some major clients who I would never normally had access too. As well as form some strategic alliances with other small PR companies in other countries.
I’ve also been able to make recommendations for people and help their business; connect people all around the world and to receive valuable testimonials. The individuals on Linkedin are all professionals and take both their business and other businesses seriously.
On a personal note, I’ve joined some groups that support my favourite causes and been able to share news and brainstorm on a range of topics from conservation to environmental issues.
Put simply Linkedin is terrific!
Linda Ruck - Director Linda Ruck Communications, Public Relations & Branding, Journalist, Events, Media Campaigns


Kudos to you for coordinating a thank you note to the great folks at LinkedIn! Not enough people say thank you these days, so thank YOU for taking the time to do this.
I'm reading your blog post now. Rock on!
Melanie Deardorff - Vice President, Marketing, J.P. Morgan Retirement Plan Services


Within 30 days, I learned information that I didn't know about contacts that I have known for years... I met and have begun networking with contacts that I would never have met without Linkedin, and I have been able to network connections for my son in a field that I know little about. Pretty amazing.. and I have gotten a job offer. Amazing!
MJ Reynolds - Independent Writer, Editor, Media Promoter


My business has totally changed course because of it, and by that I mean because of demand, I now train on LinkedIn, both public workshops and within companies. It is a very powerful and under utilised tool.
Linda Coles - Owner, Social Media Trainer, Speaker and SEO Consultant at Blue Banana Ltd


A great way to stay in touch with my former colleagues, clients and co-workers in a non-intrusive way
Roberto Gerdes - Principal at My CMO


On one occasion I found the right person for the job through LinkedIn, and it's been useful making connections. I WISH however that when people post notices, jobs etc. that there was a field that forced them to say where they are based - not everyone on LinkedIn is in the US, yet a lot of people posting assume you are.
Miranda Harrison - Head of Editorial and Production


I have been approached more than once with employment opportunities. While none have yet resulted in employment, clearly LI provided the opportunity, which is just what it aims to do.
Monica Rodriguez - Technologically savvy editor of educational texts


Andrew, I'd be lost without LinkedIn. Quite simply, it is essentially my professional home page. I probably spend more time searching on LinkedIn than I do on Google.
I am thankful for the ability to create and cultivate my network, to find and connect (and stay connected!) with new and old contacts, to be found by potential partners, clients and employers, to research companies of interest and seek connections there, to read and participate in discussions on innumerable topics of interest with thoughtful professionals around the world, to request and provide information, advice and contacts, to join and participate in groups, to create and build an alumni network for my former employer that has helped our members succeed.
Thanks, LinkedIn!
Larry Robiner - Experienced Business Development Executive and Strategic Marketing Consultant


I've built an on-line resume allowing former bosses and former/current clients to easily give me recommendations.
Pat Fischer - Writer / Editor / Print and Web / Marketing Communications: with a passion for customer focus


Where to start? LinkedIn has allowed me to re-new some long lost professional relationships, make new ones and enter into some ealthy arguments about every facets of the business, Although we (the members) are not always in agreement about everything, it is good to see other people poit of view and sometimes, learn that yoy might be just wrong. And just for that, it is all worth it.
Frenchy Gloder - MD,Flicknife Records/MG2MUSIC


Linked In is now part of my daily business life. It has allowed me to meet people, all be it virtually. Created business opportunities and provided tons of invaluable information. Best of all through the site I ave been able to prove and confirm that product design and definition and product acceptance on a world wide basis.
With Linked In the World is a smaller place and working across boarders is suddenly easy.
Mark Alford - Director at StorePOINT International Ltd


I have re-connected with colleagues that I lost touch with years ago and now that I'm connected with them through LinkedIn, it is much less likely that I will lose touch with them again.
If LinkedIn had been available before I left school, my first level network would be enormous, never mind my second and third levels.
David Houston - Development Centre Manager at SkillSoft


I am relatively new to this group. But in the short span of time, I have been connected to many great people from various corners of the world. Results are yet to come.
Pavithran Kandy - General Manager at Shriram EPC Limited


I have managed to re-establish links I thought I'd lost - which has resulted in several invitations to events and introductions to new opportunities.
Tim Lea - Working Capital Specialist. Partner at Cash Stream Financial.

1. Let’s start with what really matters the most: get out of the Social Media cloud. Online customer conversations about your brand, viral marketing campaigns, and digital media are simply technologies and processes that enable customer to company relationships. This new medium of the Internet adds tremendous complexity to the existing brand ecosystem and requires an informed approach, not rose colored glasses.

2. Understand whether or not your brand or your company should undertake a business strategy that includes the digital medium as a key element of its operations. Bear in mind, for instance, that digital ad spend is a very small slice of a very large pie dominated by broadcast television and other conventional media platforms that work very effectively in building brand awareness and influencing customer behaviour.

3. Take stock of what the company is currently doing about the way in which customer relationships are managed. Begin by understanding whether or not you operate in a B2B, B2C environment and the extent to which your brand and customers are right for a new initiative. For example, if your company sells industrial transformers vs. shampoo how ‘close to the customer’ do you get now?

4. Consider the culture – is your company already ‘customer-centric’? Does the company’s leadership openly discuss the importance of customer relationships? Does the company capture, use and share customer information across the enterprise to make improvements? If not, you’re going to be starting from ground zero, with a low likelihood of any measureable success.

5. Benchmark with other companies that have decided to leverage online customer conversations – what worked, what did not and why? Stay away from self-styled consultants and “social media” experts. The online environment is too nascent for anyone to be a legitimate expert – technologies and applications are in such a state of flux, major changes can take place, in a very short period of time relegating new tools to the trash bin of technological rust buckets.

6.  Understand how much, if anything, is being said about your company or brand. Set up some online conversation monitoring and test out the extent of and quality of online conversation at a basic level, over 3 months. Try a 3-4 monitoring vendors and see if they come up with comparable results based on the same research objectives. Moreover, make sure they have the right capabilities such as separating real conversations from spam, shills, hate groups and imposters (14 year old posting about $60,000 BMWs).

7. Timing is everything. Is your company, winning or losing market share? Does your company have a winning value proposition? Are current product offerings outdated, service delivery faltering and value delivery weak? If so, the ‘wisdom of mobs’ might take your company down an accelerated slippery slope and discourage the organization from re-inventing and undertaking transformational change.

As you can see, these 7 habits are not really about diving into the deep end of the “Social Media” pool. On the contrary, this is really about not getting caught up in the current “cycle of hype” and taking a clear, rational and informed approach to customer relationship management in a digital world. The notion of engaging in customer conversations is as old as the days when commerce was conducted in the village square, so listen and learn, then get into action. - Ted Morris ©4ScreenMedia  www.twitter.com/morristed