Community Marketing Blog

Is Social Media part of your strategy or is it your whole strategy?

Companies are still struggling to understand social media and where it could fit into what they do and how they do it.  Many organizations act too quickly or don’t act at all and face the consequences.

It’s not just about them understanding social media either.  Companies need to understand their current situation, where they want to go and determine the appropriateness of incorporating social media in their efforts to get there.

You're Only as Good as Your Last Brand Impression

One of the things that comes to mind when I'm working on a branding piece is a slogan I found once on a website: you're only as good as your last brand impression. How true this is. For example, think of a restaurant - when you have a great experience, that's what sticks with you: the service, the food, the value, etc. Now, imagine having a bad experience at that same restaurant. That's what sticks with you: the haphazard service, the subpar food, the exhorbitant prices, etc. The point is that there is no such thing as a do-over. Case in point - Domino's Pizza. Can you pick up the phone and order a pizza without remembering the video shot by a disgruntled employee? Neither can I.

Community Marketing Blog Begins Micro Community

I live in a pretty big neighborhood.  There are thousands of houses, which means people in all different ages, walks of life, interests etc.  Some people play tennis, some do golf, so have small kids, some play cards, some knit, while others watch football.

So instead of having events tailored to everybody... we developed small social groups to fit specific interests.  The first Monday of the month is Bingo night.  So everyone who likes that game comes.  So you pair up with people with common interests.

$463,000 Raised With Social Media Support: School Programs Saved

This story is a great example of social media collaboration. On Monday August 25 I asked LinkedIn members for social media success stories for my current book research. Elizabeth Rajs left a comment on my blog for this story the next day. On Wednesday I posted her story about raising $463,000 using social media back to LinkedIn groups which caused quite a flurry of questions and comments across several groups all day.

News Release: Marketing Thought Leaders Find Growth And Strength In Numbers

Group Utilizing Leading Edge Strategies to Follow "Groundswell Principles"

Toronto, Ontario - The Community Marketing Blog (http://communitymarketing.typepad.com) is expanding the marketing thought leadership community and creating an open dialog, assisting leading writers, marketers and social media professionals in developing their audience and applying the principles facilitated with clients and respective businesses.

Book Research: Q3. What Are Your Business Social Media/Networking Successes?

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

Connect.Follow.Network.

I'm in the process of writing a book for Pearson on best practices for monetizing social media as part of a company's holistic growth strategy. I'm interested in learning what works for your business. Thank-you sharing with me and many others the good things you have learned and accomplished.

Book Research Update:
- Q1. What Social Media/Networks Work Best For You? There are over 120 comments in response to this research question. Further additions are welcome.
- Q2. New - What Works?  What Principles Have Helped You Make Money Directly Or Indirectly With Social Media/Networking? Not yet publicised: feel free to add your input.

___________________________________________________________________________

Please share your views for "What Are Your Business Social Media/Networking Successes? in the Comments section below. Thanks for your contribution.

Book Research: Q2. What Works? What Principles Have Helped You Make Money Directly Or Indirectly With Social Media/Networking?

I'm in the process of writing a book for Pearson on best practices for monetizing social media as part of a company's holistic growth strategy. I'm interested in learning what works for your business. Thank-you sharing with me and many others the good things you have learned and accomplished.

Book Research Update:
- Q1. What Social Media/Networks Work Best For You? There are over 120 comments in response to this research question. Further additions are welcome.
- Q3. New - What Are Your Business Social Media/Networking Success?

___________________________________________________________________________

Please share your views for "What Principles Have Helped You Make Money Directly/Indirectly With Social Media/Networking?" in the Comments section below. Thanks for your contribution.

Internet Marketing and SEO Using Linkedin: Add Your Company Business Page

Many people are not aware that in addition to being a personal branding, business networking, and joint venture catalyst, Linkedin can serve as another touch point for your business branding efforts. In addition to your personal profile on Linkedin you can post a company business page.

Here’s how to do it:

Simply go to your main Linkedin profile page, click on the blue “Companies” link at the top of the page, and then click on the “Add a Company” link on the top right hand side of the screen. It will then prompt you to insert your detailed company information. Just as you would do with your website, your blog, and other online branding elements- you should optimize your company page with both frequently searched keywords, and long-tail keyword phrases which will enable both your customers and the search engines to find you. You can use a free keyword search tool like the Google Keyword Tool  or one of the fee based tools like Wordtracker.  You can also add your company logo to your Linkedin page, but note that your logo image resolution must be no greater than 100kb or it will be rejected.

Personal Branding as a Corporate Communication Function

I've been contemplating recently on the concept of 'personal branding.'

In particular, the concept of ‘social media personal branding as a method of enhancing ones corporate brand reputation.’

Every company has a public-anyone who has an interest in a company. Since the dawn of commercialism, a company would try to influence their public, whether that’s through advertising, pr marketing, etc. The essential function of these communication channels was to influence the overall impression, or reputation that a company has with its public. Traditional communication campaigns attempted to ‘blast’ a message to its public with the hopes of influencing their opinion.

Does Your Company Need a Counter-Twitterism Unit?

With the increasing dominance of social media and the growing number of companies experiencing bad publicity because of that dominance, organizations may wish to consider the establishment of a counter-twitterism unit.  It can be literal or figurative but the idea is to identify someone or some people to monitor the social media footprint of the organization, establish a level of preparedness should issues arise that require a response, and, most importantly,  make the response quickly and appropriately.  Just acknowledging that concerns have been heard may be enough to calm the situation.