Monthly Archives: February 2009
People You Should Know – Sonny Gill
It’s been too long since my last People You Should Know feature. I’ve been meeting a lot of great people lately and one of those happens to be Sonny Gill. Currently residing in Virginia Beach, Sonny shares my love for all things social media. He started blogging back in December 2007 and shares great insight over on Twitter.
Be sure to check him out and link up, thanks Sonny!
-Scott
*Next post will be on Feb. 23
You’re got over 1,600 followers on Twitter. Give us some insight on how you manage your conversation stream.
Sonny Gill
SG: The thing with having such a deep community around me, which I’m lucky to be a part of and learn from every day, is that engaging them has become second nature. There are lots of posts, articles, messages, etc. that are being tweeted every single minute and though I admit, it takes a lot of time and effort to stay afloat of the conversations, immersing yourself within the community and showing that you put conversation over broadcasting will show your commitment to connecting with them and make it reciprocal.
Engagement really becomes a two-way street and once you build value in your own stream through conversation and sharing relevant information, your community will build off this and want to engage with you as well, thus building a mutually beneficial relationship.
2008 seemed to be the year when CEOs and executives finally started to open up to the value of social media. What aspect of social media do you foresee being the hot topic of conversation by the time 2010 rolls around?
SG: What I think the conversation will be centered on this whole year, as 2010 comes closer is Community. We’re immersed in social communities on a daily basis but what 2009 will bring is the evolution of corporate communities. 2008 was the ‘shiny-toy syndrome’ boom, where many companies were engulfed in the tools vs. understanding the strategies that were needed to utilize these tools and to make them work.
As talked about already, engaging your community and initiating the conversation is vital in building those relationships. We as consumers have become smarter and evolved along with these new strategies, as we now want human contact with companies and to be the voice for them. That’s really what social media is about – the communication you have with your community and the relationships built within. As companies begin to let go of control and allow their community’s voice to be heard, advocates will be born and will be more than willing to evangelize your company.
In addition to Community, will be the growth of the Community Manager (only fitting, right?). Communities for Apple and Coke are typically created with little effort, but we’re not all Apple or Coke. For small and big businesses alike, having a Community Manager that helps implement these social media tools and strategies will be a big hire (as it has been already) this year. They’ll be there to help cultivate these communities but to also be the customer support for any issues or problems that a community member may have.
Social media can seem overwhelming if you’re not actively engaged. What are three tips you provide to newbies looking to get started?
SG: Well, the first tip I’d recommend is to observe and see what is being talked about on the network you’re looking to join. Getting a feel for the community, the people you look to connect with and understanding the social norms that come with that network (many have crashed and burned without having a full grasp of this), will be helpful before jumping right in.
Next, dive in! Get your feet wet and check it out. You’ve taken a look at what’s happening on Twitter, FriendFeed, etc. – now connect with those influential people you look up to, your friends, your colleagues. Don’t be afraid to chat it up or reach out to people you don’t even know. That’s the beauty of social media – you’re connecting with new people every day, building new relationships and yes, even making friends (I know I have).
Lastly, take it easy. There’s no need to have the heaviest social media tool belt in the land. Signing up for every social network won’t get you anywhere and will end up burning you out – quick. Get a grasp of one specific network, let’s say Twitter for example, and understand the ins and outs and build your community there. Focus on bringing value to your followers and building on those relationships.
The value you bring to the table will be evident and will help nurture future communities you aim to build, as you will be more recognized and respected from your presence on Twitter than you would have with creating a profile on 20 different networks.
The Power of “Hello”
By: Johnny Yanok
It’s just one word. “Hello.”
But, that one word can make or break a customer’s experience. In Chicago and other big cities, it’s easy to get lost in the crowd, go about your own thing and not think much about the fact that strangers rarely ever say “hello” to one another.
This past weekend, I was shopping in Jewel when an employee that was stocking shelves approached me, said “hello” and asked how I was doing. It occurred to me that it was the first time in four years of shopping at that particular Jewel that an employee (aside from checkout line workers) had actually greeted me. Intrigued, I quickly looked to see if the man was the Store Manager, but confirmed that he was in fact just a regular employee.
We chatted for a few minutes before I went on my way but I was immediately in a better mood despite the crowded aisles. It seems funny that such a basic encounter would spin my entire shopping experience, but it did.
Just Say It
Yes, it’s customer relations 101, but there is way more at stake than is initially perceived when you first connect with a customer. A pleasant greeting immediately softens the perception of a brand or company and makes a customer realize that you care about the forthcoming interaction and their pending experience.
Want to Know How to Get It Right?
Visit the Caribou Coffee at Kingsbury & Ontario in Chicago. Not only will you be greeted but employees will know your name, interests and desired order after a couple visits…and they don’t forget. They go above and beyond to make sure you have the best possible experience from the moment you step foot in the door until you leave. A sincere customer experience and relationship – that’s why people pay $4 for a mocha.
Go ahead and try it, but take it a step further. Next time you’re dealing with your customers, don’t just say hello. Say hello, ask how they are doing and listen. By listening intently, you’re going to gather a whole wealth of feedback and knowledge that will benefit your customer’s next experience ten fold. It’s the most basic step to start building strong customer relations.
-Scott
Sometimes It’s Just For Fun
PR and marketing pros are always looking for case studies and proven strategies to guide their own client strategy development. If something has worked, you might as well put your own twist on it and see if you can make it work as well.
The fact of the matter is that sometimes there is a very basic explanation as to why something catches on. It’s fun.
Plain and simple.
TweetBomb is a great example. There are a lot of people that would probably pay to have 6,100 followers on Twitter. Each day, the guys behind TweetBomb pick a random person to “bomb.” At 3:33 p.m. each day, all TweetBomb followers are supposed to send a reply to the lucky individual that let’s them know they’ve been “TweetBombed.” The reply also includes the #tweetbomb hashtag to see how many people participate.
If you want the full story on the origins of TweetBomb and to find out more behind the founders, check out this post.
The point being that we all need to remember that a significant reason we all like to interact and engage with each other online is because it’s fun. It makes life interesting.
Another good example is the “25 Random Things” meme that has snowballed across Facebook. The concept is as simple as it gets. Write 25 random things about yourself, post it as a note in Facebook and tag 25 of your friends asking them to do the same. In other words, it’s the new electronic chain letter.
TIME, the NY Times along with hordes of bloggers have been caught up in the mix and spreading the word. TIME reports that an estimated
5 million of these notes have been posted. Repeat, 5 million.
Yes, from the outside it seems a bit absurd (I have yet to do it myself) but it makes complete sense in consideration of the following basic principals of communication:
A) When others open up and share information about themselves, we feel compelled and motivated to do the same.
B) Even though we may initially resist on the outside, we all love a sense of community and belonging on the inside.
C) We all love honesty, transparency and authenticity. It takes us straight to the heart of the matter.
So the next time you and your team are banging heads during a brainstorm, don’t forget to recall the basics and keep in mind that often the core of any successful marketing/PR approach is a good ole touch of fun.
Happy Friday,
Scott
