This is the 2nd year that I’ve published my social media resolutions. Reading over last year’s resolutions I’m proud to say that I stay committed to each of them fairly well, though I some I outright failed at doing one of them. That said, I am glad I wrote my resolutions for 2011 as it gave me focus. Here’s my 2011 scorecard:

√ Fine Tune Karma for Business: I kept at this social media mantra this year and it worked for me and it worked for my clients. I’ll keep doing it.

∞ Beyond The Numbers: I definitely worked with people to think beyond follower counts, but I’m not completely satisfied with my own goal to build more scaleable social media programs. I think there is definitely more room for growth here.

√ Tell the Story Better: Yes! I’m pleased with the social media story telling this year. However, I’d like to do more, better.

∞ Write more: I said I would write 2X/week in my blog. I failed. But I’m getting back on the horse…watch me ride! Yahooo!!

√ Social media is the Farm, not the Silo: This message is being heard and I’m thrilled to have been a part of it. My personal clients and others are starting to see the light and I couldn’t be happier. Check.

√ Show more personality in Social Media: I did this, and I’m glad I did, but it could have been even better. I’ll call this one “ongoing”

Since several of those resolutions are ongoing and I’ll continue to keep these on my radar, I’ve developed a (shorter) list of resolutions for 2012 that I intend to focus on as well.

Think outside the blog:

Don’t get me wrong, this blog remains my number one love in terms of content creation, however, there are so many opportunities to create content, its a shame to limit it to the blog only. I’ve dipped my feet into Vimeo and Slideshare this year and I’d like to continue to utilize those two platforms more regularly. From a business perspective, both of those two platforms work for me. But more importantly, they make me push up against my normal communication style (of writing). Because I am not a fantastic movie editor or graphic designer, using these mediums will require me to be creative. Creative is good. It also means that I’ll be living by the mantra that it doesn’t always have to be perfect. That’s OK too..although a little harder to swallow.

What platforms will you use in 2012 that are you aren’t making the most of right now?

Distinguish my social media profiles:

I’ve been using Facebook and Twitter for years and with the introduction of Google+ (which I am enjoying) I’ll be defining what information you’ll see where. What I share on the three social networks will be different and I’ll be spending sometime experimenting and defining that better for myself and my audiences.  Along those lines, I’ll be making better use of my businesses Facebook page and Google+Page. I’m seriously considering limiting the posting of my blog on my personal profiles (with the exception of Twitter) and leaving the blog promotion strictly to the pages, allowing my personal presence to be more..well, personal, on my profiles.

Have you given thought to what you share and where you share it? How are your audiences different on each platform?

Participate. Support. More.

This is a totally loaded gun, but I’m going to say it: I want more conversation. I’ll be making a better effort to converse with people and do more outreach. I’ve gotten a little lazy, especially on Twitter, about STARTING the conversation. I participate in a lot of convos, but I don’t necessarily start them. That’s a crummy way to create relationships. I don’t like that I’ve gotten lazy and its going to stop. I’ll also be dropping by more blogs and writing more comments where I have something to share. Truth is, I read a lot of blogs, but sometimes I am too lazy to comment. I’m also going to be seeking out the blogs of people who aren’t “famous.” Seems we all read a lot of the same stuff, I’d like to find people who others aren’t necessarily reading and support them. I also want to find more blogs with viewpoints different from my own. As I said earlier this year “I need to spend less time with people who think like me and more time with people who don’t.” To that end, if you see something you hear you don’t like or agree with, feel free to challenge me. I’m up for it and you won’t get crucified by me.

How do you use your social media currency to support others?

What Social Media Resolutions do YOU have for 2012?  Can’t wait to hear! You can also let me know here, on G+ Look forward to hearing from you…and HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE! 

 Photo: Creative Commons

Having thousands of social media friends is fun, but honestly, doesn’t it get a little hard to keep track of it all?  Not only that, but let’s face it, there are some people, whether they be clients, friends or business associates with whom we are closer and may meet off-line. And then, there are those with whom we are developing a relationship. Wouldn’t it be cool if you could track your interactions with others whether it be real life, email or a social connection on Twitter?

Enter: Hashable. I’ve been using Hashable for about 6 weeks now. It was released in all its glory at 2011 SXSW. The idea behind Hashable is to allow you to track the depth of your interactions with others. This can be a particularly useful tool for small businesses and individual brands who are having lots of conversations in many different forums. Essentially the idea is that by using predefined hashtags within a tweet or email, you’ll be able to track the depth of relationships. The beauty lies in the fact that it isn’t limited to online engagements. Hashtags like  #coffeewith exist to enable users to give their off-line life authority in identifying the depth of a relationship. Also, if you’d like to track other types of engagement, you can easily add your own hashtags by cc’ing Hashable in email or a Tweet. Hashable suggests that using it can be basically be a CRM program for small businesses. I’m not sure I’d go THAT far yet, but it is a useful tool that shows even more promise.

How COULD small businesses be using Hashable? I see several opportunities:

Tracking Influencer Conversations: If you are working on creating a relationship with an influencer, using Hashable to track each of your engagements whether they be through email or Twitter is a great way to see the relationship develop.

Bloggers: I have a custom hashtag of #blogconvo for those who are actively commenting on my blog. Its a great way for me to track those who are consistently commenting on my blog and lets me see at a glance when its someone’s first time.

Events: Creating and urging those at an event to use a particular Hashtag (as we do now), but including Hashable on the tweet is a great way to see participants of an event. In fact, hopefully, it’ll be easier for events and brands to register Hashtags at Hashable so they can use Hashable in a larger, more scaleable way.

Community Managers: Much in the way that tracking influencer relationships is easy on Hashable, so it is for Community Managers to see their most active Twitter followers and those who engage.

Customer Service: Companies who use Twitter for customer service can go back and see their engagements over the last 30 days or so and touch base with those people again to create a feel good touch point.

Overall, I really dig Hashable. I think its smart and fun and insanely simple. But here’s my official “Likes” and “Mehs”

Like:

The overall concept: Its a great idea to track the depth of your relationships and see them at a glance.

Great interface and easy to use. Particularly if you are using a pre-identified hashtag, it couldn’t be easier to track your Twitter conversations.

Ability to track offline meetings: Yes! What can I say! Hopefully we all have vibrant off-line lives.

Inner Circle: The inner circle group is that group of people who you allow to see your interactions and also you see theirs, even when it has nothing to do with you. Great for identifying potential synergies.

Great Iphone App: To make it easier to use on-the-go the Iphone app roooocks! I also love that from the app you can send “send a business card” with someone you’ve #justmet

Meh:

Email integration only works with webmail: Not necessarily business friendly. Plus, I have to cc: hashable on my actual email if I am using a unique hashtag. Its one thing to cc: Hashable on a Tweet that is already public. Its quite another to cc: Hashable on an email. As I am not a techie, I don’t know the solution, but I don’t see myself doing this. Ever.

I don’t really “get” how to use it with Facebook: I’m not a huge fan of using hashtags on Facebook. I think its alienating to the Facebook audience who may or may not “get” hashtags. Plus, it doesn’t work with Facebook Pages, which is very important for businesses. Surely there is a Hashable Facebook app in development. Right?

Make it easier to register Hashtags: it would be great if you could register a Hashtag for public or private use. More public hashtags would eliminate the need to cc: @hashable on Twitter – which takes up valuable character space. And for brands and business, the ability to reserve a hashtag could be invaluable..and something even worth paying for?!

Sometime hard to remember to use in real life: I have so many apps I use when I am out and about, sometimes its hard to remember to do it when I am with someone. But Hashable lets you do it later, so they’ve got that covered.

So what do you think? Have you been using Hashable? Do you like it? Will you try it now?

More about Hashable:

Business Week Article April 29, 2011

Mashable Topic: Hashable

When you are at a party..and you look around, who do you want to talk to? The people who look interesting or the people who are sitting by themselves? Do you look at what people are wearing at this point and make a judgment about them? Whether we like it or not, the exterior says a lot about us and people make decisions about the exterior. Deep down, we know this, so we usually spend some time cultivating the exterior. When someone approaches us, we probably also have a our “party personality” front in center. This is our best foot forward, the person who laughs at other’s jokes, searches for things in common, is conscientious about the other’s feelings and listens; in part this makes us a good party guest.

For a company, the exterior and “party personality” are known as the brand. Years ago, the brand was a logo or an icon, maybe a character. Then later, the brand was a feeling that customers had when they thought of or used the product. Today the idea of brand has evolved. Its a combination of a company’s culture, the public’s perception and yes, the emotions the brand elicits from customers and potential customers. Brand =Company Identity. “Brand” is a single word for a complicated mix of elements that a company knowingly or unknowingly emits to its potential customers. Brand is also what sets you apart from the herd; distinguishes you in the mix of options customers have today. Most businesses would like to have control over that. Big companies spend millions on branding initiatives that include advertising, events, social media, and PR.

How important is the brand to small and medium sized businesses? Its equally as important to develop your brand. Don’t you want your customers to have a strong (positive) emotional reaction when they buy your product, visit your store or website? Wouldn’t you like to have customers come to you over your competitor because they trust you more? Because they just feel better buying your product?

But for the average small to medium business, millions of marketing expenditures for branding (as opposed to call to action) are not in the budget. Which is ironically, why so many businesses turn to social media; social media is perceived as free. Except its not. Social media should be part of your overall mix, but you shouldn’t consider it free. The TOOLS are free. But here’s what isn’t free:  time investment in developing a strong social media presence, in participating in conversations, in creating a strategy for your social media.

A well developed brand is extremely important in all kinds of marketing endeavors, but never is that more true than in interactive mediums like events and social media. The more evolved the brand, the easier it is to be consistent in voice, the easier it is to participate in conversations. The easier it will be to create live in-person experiences that your customers will enjoy.  Further, when the brand puts on its party hat and joins the conversation of social media and the engagement of event marketing it will need to do all the same things that the good party guest does. As important as listening is, you’ll still need to participate in the conversation. What WILL the brand say?

An extremely important part of a well developed brand is your story. What’s the history of the company? What makes it special?  If you think of a company’s story as the backbone to a brand, now you can begin to imagine what a brand might be for your company. When did it start? How did it start? Why? Who were the first employees and where are they now? What tools were necessary for the job then and how is that different (or not) from now? What’s the personality of your company and who is its driving force? What makes the company special – no, not what’s your value proposition, but what really makes your company stand out? More importantly, how do customers feel about your company and products? Are they passionate? Indifferent?

With a well developed brand, suddenly, many things become possible. There is suddenly lots to share and say about the company, while at the same time, sharing information that your customers might be interested in. A solid brand gives the business a voice, and identity.  Maybe your brand isn’t well developed (yet) but you want it to be. Social media is a great outlet for that (in most cases). With social media, you can identify your brand advocates. You can solidify the image of your company through conversation and information sharing.

So, before you start your social media program, give some thought to your brand. It will help you develop a more well-rounded, integrated and most importantly, successful social media campaign.

Social media and events have so much in common: they bring people together, they have the potential to inspire and most importantly, both have story-telling potential. Really these two forms of marketing are long-lost cousins.

A recent study by Ad-ology shows some surprising (to me) results: event marketers specifically, exhibition managers, aren’t utilizing social media to its full potential, although its showing promise, I’m still surprised at the reliance of traditional media.  I’ve noticed this too in conferences I’ve been or registered for. I still get direct mail for a conference I last went to over 5 years ago (talk about barrel scraping), yet the conferences that I show the most interest in, aren’t aware of it yet, even through I tweet, blog and generally promote topics relevant to the conference, because I am not on their mailing list. Event marketers state that email is one of its most effective tools; not surprising, but what IS surprising is that they don’t appear to be integrating their email activities with their social media activities.

Event marketers are using social media, but not to its fullest potential. The Ad-ology findings show that:

Before an event takes place, the top online promotional activities include email marketing (39%), online advertising (45%) and Google ad words (36%). During the event, the strategy shifts and marketers use online games (43%) and SMS mobility. Looking to extend impact, marketers then turn to audio downloads or podcasts (40%) following the event.

This group of marketers indicates that social media is best employed as a strategy to extend the reach of marketing efforts (49%) and engage the target audience (25%). Far fewer, 9%, use the format to generate leads.

As far as pre-event marketing, I find this interesting since social media is a rich place to mine for event attendees, depending on the event. But most industries have an influential group of people using social media; listening and engaging will reveal these people quickly.  Apparently some event marketers are still scoffing at the “I’m BIG on Twitter” crowd, but event marketers are really missing the opportunity to create evangelists for their brand by not engaging these folks. Identifying influencials and bloggers are also a potentially key component for event marketers. Find people who have an audience and invite them to be involved and watch how they endorse the event and therefore, bring others along. Also really surprising to me is that the relationship between sponsorship and social media just doesn’t seem to be taking off.

When it comes to adding value for sponsors. I can think of plenty of ways to add value for a sponsor through social media, in particular Twitter and Influencials like bloggers (again) but event marketers apparently aren’t there yet. Sponsor shout-outs before the event are a no-brainer, but having them host tweet chats or other interactive pre-event conversations (about a relevant topic-be careful that this isn’t approached as one long commercial) on Facebook are great ways to raise the profile of sponsors. The use of hashtags during the event can create a fun, interactive campaign for sponsors and attendees alike.

Post event opportunities abound:  extending the reach of an event is definitely important and downloads and podcasts are great tools for that (still less than half employ this technique, again, why create content if you don’t want others to see it?!)  but why not hold tweet chats in the weeks following your event with your speakers and give attendees one last chance to engage? What about asking your attendees through social media outlets for feedback or recommendations for next year? Since engagement is the goal with both events and social media, be looking for ways to involve them both.

Finally, as with all social media programs, event marketers really need to be thinking of ways to integrate social media into all their pre, during and post event efforts.

Who says its hard to do business in Hawaii? Pssshaw. Who says that there is always someone who ruins the party? Naaaaah.

Well, at least not in the fantasy world I live in. But, apparently, in the paradise I live it, marketing and fun are illegal….or at least by one group’s interpretation. Outdoor Circle (who I won’t give kudos to by linking) has decided that there is nothing better to do than denounce the Weiner Mobile’s tour through Hawaii.

Outdoor Circle is local nonprofit who over a century ago, was responsible for banning billboards in Hawaii in an effort to ensure that Hawaii’s outdoor splendor isn’t marred by intrusive advertising.  Hawaii is one of 4 states that ban billboard advertising. Nobel goal indeed (preserving the beauty of Hawaii). Their mission thus full-filled over a 100 years ago, they set about ensuring that the good folks at Outdoor Circle always have jobs…and today the good people at Outdoor Circle spend their days finding reasons to justify their existence

Not only do they seek to enforce the law in an over-reaching way, but perhaps more sadly they do so in a threatening manner. Outdoor Circle wouldn’t know Aloha if it hit them over the head with a billboard…but no threat of that happening anytime soon.

Its a good thing that Outdoor Circle doesn’t have plans to expand to the mainland anytime soon, or Hawaii’s highly successful national bus tour would be banned too!

Like I always say: “If you can mar-ket here, you can market annnnnywhere….”

Read about it here: Pacific Biz Journal

Twitter. Everyone is doing it. Social media has reached the masses.

Does anyone else think its interesting that Twitter, the hottest social media network today, is generating events? Ah, events. They just won’t go away, despite the trendiness of the web.

Prediction: tomorrow’s event, event marketing and sponsorship opportunity is with “Tweet-ups” where like-minded Twitter-peeps meet up to meet each other in person.

While these “Tweet-Ups” are excited when 100 people show up, here’s the rub: its a group of like-minded connected people who share what they know with others, meaning for each of the people who you reach at a Tweet-Up, your really reaching at least another 50 – and maybe thousands. While these Tweet-ups are small and before they reach critical mass, now is the time to get involved and start sponsoring. Here’s the great thing: by their very nature, Twitter-peeps share something in common, making it a very powerful marketing tool. You can’t sponsor Twitter – but you can sponsor Twitter-ups. The NHL is already using this Twitter extension to connect its brand with fans.

When will tradeshows start hosting Tweet-ups around the country to build momentum for their events? Will brands start holding Tweet-ups for their followers that are sponsored?

I think so. Its just a matter of time. This is just one of the new bright and shiny business opportunities in the gray economy.

Here’s a couple of interesting Twitter-Up resources:

http://tweetups.org/

http://tweetups.org/

Don’t forget: when you Twitter about this, use hashtag: #tweetup

Twitter. Everyone is doing it. Social media has reached the masses.

Does anyone else think its interesting that Twitter, the hottest social media network today, is generating events? Ah, events. They just won’t go away, despite the trendiness of the web.

Prediction: tomorrow’s event, event marketing and sponsorship opportunity is with “Tweet-ups” where like-minded Twitter-peeps meet up to meet each other in person.

While these “Tweet-Ups” are excited when 100 people show up, here’s the rub: its a group of like-minded connected people who share what they know with others, meaning for each of the people who you reach at a Tweet-Up, your really reaching at least another 50 – and maybe thousands. While these Tweet-ups are small and before they reach critical mass, now is the time to get involved and start sponsoring. Here’s the great thing: by their very nature, Twitter-peeps share something in common, making it a very powerful marketing tool. You can’t sponsor Twitter – but you can sponsor Twitter-ups. The NHL is already using this Twitter extension to connect its brand with fans.

When will tradeshows start hosting Tweet-ups around the country to build momentum for their events? Will brands start holding Tweet-ups for their followers that are sponsored?

I think so. Its just a matter of time. This is just one of the new bright and shiny business opportunities in the gray economy.

Here’s a couple of interesting Twitter-Up resources:

http://tweetups.org/

http://tweetups.org/

Don’t forget: when you Twitter about this, use hashtag: #tweetup

Jack Welch supports events and their business uses.

Although the economic crisis is having a critical impact on tourism and travel, Marriott and its Hawaiian business partners aren’t letting it stop them from one very successful marketing campaign. The campaign, a road tour, dubbed the “Spirit of Aloha” includes Hawaiian travel and tourism executives, 3 dancers & 2 musicians on loan from the Polynesian Cultural Center as well as Maui’s Camile Velasco of American Idol fame.

The group got lots of together time as they moved along middle America on a 45-foot bus. The cost of the campaign was approximately $350,000 with Marriott covering hotel expenses and partner Hawaiian airlines covering flights. Once the team was on the mainland, it was “all bus, all day” as the caucus went from early morning local shows to day-time meetings with travel and tourism promoters bringing Aloha and sunshine at each stop. One of the more colorful venues included a bowl-a-thon with Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) members. To stir up interest with the consumer side of things, stops along the way included Costco to hand out shell leis.

Originally, the plan included visits along the California coast (where many of Hawaii’s domestic U.S. visitors originate from) including San Diego and San Francisco, but the results were so immediate the tour was extended to a total of 6 1/2 weeks and included stops across the country including Chicago and Washington, D.C.; it wrapped up February 26th.

Along the way, Spirit of Aloha gathered such interest, they started a blog, to keep everyone up to date. The entire program generated much interest in tourism circles.

The result? Marriott Hawaii bookings are up 40%. Maybe travel and tourism will will be the next segment to utilize the power of event marketing.

P.S. The bus is already onto it’s next adventure: a NASCAR driver is using it.

Although the economic crisis is having a critical impact on tourism and travel, Marriott and its Hawaiian business partners aren’t letting it stop them from one very successful marketing campaign. The campaign, a road tour, dubbed the “Spirit of Aloha” includes Hawaiian travel and tourism executives, 3 dancers & 2 musicians on loan from the Polynesian Cultural Center as well as Maui’s Camile Velasco of American Idol fame.

The group got lots of together time as they moved along middle America on a 45-foot bus. The cost of the campaign was approximately $350,000 with Marriott covering hotel expenses and partner Hawaiian airlines covering flights. Once the team was on the mainland, it was “all bus, all day” as the caucus went from early morning local shows to day-time meetings with travel and tourism promoters bringing Aloha and sunshine at each stop. One of the more colorful venues included a bowl-a-thon with Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA) members. To stir up interest with the consumer side of things, stops along the way included Costco to hand out shell leis.

Originally, the plan included visits along the California coast (where many of Hawaii’s domestic U.S. visitors originate from) including San Diego and San Francisco, but the results were so immediate the tour was extended to a total of 6 1/2 weeks and included stops across the country including Chicago and Washington, D.C.; it wrapped up February 26th.

Along the way, Spirit of Aloha gathered such interest, they started a blog, to keep everyone up to date. The entire program generated much interest in tourism circles.

The result? Marriott Hawaii bookings are up 40%. Maybe travel and tourism will will be the next segment to utilize the power of event marketing.

P.S. The bus is already onto it’s next adventure: a NASCAR driver is using it.