Tag Archives: Internet Marketing
CTRL ALT DELETE: @MitchJoel On Leadership,Sexy Marketing In A Digital Age | VIDEO
Article by Mila Araujo Google Profile+
Its time for a new age and a new approach.
Business “as usual” exists no more. As business owners, executives and upcoming professionals look to make sense of the current environment, Mitch Joel‘s latest book could not come at a better time. Ctrl Alt Delete reviews the essential aspects of what businesses must focus on to succeed and excel through this transitional time which he labels “purgatory”.
Mitch provides a valuable introspective that will benefit anyone, but perhaps the audience who will benefit most are those CEO’s and business leaders who are struggling with reservations about online investment, or those who do not “get it” at all.
This is not a book about social media, Facebook and Twitter. It’s about real business concerns. The stuff in the trenches, the stuff that produces profit and dollars. It’s serious.
At a time where the next steps seem unclear to many this book puts forth compelling examples and clarifies concepts as to why focus must shift for business to survive.
Mitch Joel is an author, podcaster and President of Twist Image – one of the largest independent Digital Marketing agencies in North America. He is known as a marketing and communications visionary, interactive expert and community leader. When I heard about his upcoming book, I expected to delve into Mitch’s brilliant marketing mind, but the book was far richer and focused on the essential mindset shifts required for business leaders to succeed in our evolving “business-scape”. This is not a book about marketing, this is a book about success, about adapting and understanding what it takes to serve the modern consumer. It is well suited to entrepreneurs, professionals, business owners and anyone looking to strengthen their business to respond to the needs of consumers in this ultra connected time.
Utilitarian Marketing is Sexy
Everyone wants to know what the next big thing will be. When it comes to marketing, Mitch discusses the need for businesses to embrace a “kind” culture and focus energy on looking for ways to enhance their consumers lives through their marketing efforts: give them something they need. In the video below, filmed during his presentation at 140 Montreal in May 2012, Mitch highlights one of the stories found in the book. It supports a key concept that he presents as Utilitarian Marketing.
If businesses can find ways to make their customers lives easier, remove the friction from their experiences, while keeping things as simple as possible, they will succeed and move forward through this “purgatory”. An important take away is the fact that people have moved from multiple screens to “One Screen” and that the majority of the consumers are on mobile, the key strategy needs to be to create something that the consumer must have. Taking advantage of the potential reach to the mobile consumer, companies will be fighting for valuable digital real estate, the app on their consumer’s phones.
A key piece of advice: It doesn’t have to be complicated.
The book warns people that perhaps too often, businesses have gotten so mixed into things that the levels of complication they have created are what hinder them. The answer: review, revise and keep it simple – do one or two things great. Reboot!
On Leadership & Charting The Path For the Future
Going into the second half of the book, I wasn’t sure what to expect, however I was pleasantly surprised. This section addresses a critical area of need in most businesses today: mindshift . As with any strong business approach, Mitch dissects the core of what is at the heart of any business: the individuals working within it. Although the book’s basis is in marketing, it doesn’t take long to realize that what is really needed to succeed in today’s environment is a complete switch of mindset to what he refers to as a digital first posture. A switch that must take it’s roots in the leadership of any organization and extend through to every single player.
From a personal perspective, having had numerous conversations with many leaders in the community and business owners from across Canada and the US, Mitch couldn’t be more on target. I’ve discussed similar concepts in previous posts here and here. We see this challenge every day, people who are resting on the laurels of how business was always done, not realizing that the consumer is changing. Pockets of people who stay away from our technological advancements, leaning on the excuse that “face to face” is the only way to go, are sadly misguided not realizing that indeed there is no substitute for face to face conversation and relationship building, but what the consumer is demanding, and where they are connecting and feeling value is through the little things that help them in their day to day lives.
Utilitarian marketing is not about taking away “relationships” and replacing them with computers, it’s completely separate. It is about reaching your consumers where they are, and giving them something they need. Tell me this is not where the core of value will be.
For those still on the fence, and not knowing where to go next, Mitch invites you into a personal dialogue and conversation via Ctrl Alt Delete, he takes the time to share with you many case studies, examples and even personal stories that help switch the reader’s perspective to understand what the implications are of the changes we are seeing in society. Clarifying what it will take within organizations to make that jump out of purgatory and into rolling success.
I strongly recommend this book, and look forward to hearing your comments and insights below.
- For those of you who are lost, pick this up for direction.
- For those of you who work for an organization who do not work on culture and think sales gimmicks or Facebook alone will save the business, pick this up and give it to the CEO. Not only will they thank you, but you’ll assure yourself a better work environment with an innovative culture for years to come.
- For those who miss the boat, or who wish to stay in the dark, enjoy the slow ride downwards because while others will reboot, adapt and shine, you’ll be left behind and as you look at your cell phone wondering why the lines aren’t ringing at your business you may look back and finally realize it’s because you chose to look another way.
For more insight from Mitch, you can subscribe to his weekly podcast here or follow his blog here. Ctrl Alt Delete is available on Kindle and through order on Amazon here, pick it up and start rebooting your business and your life. It’s time to move into the digital age with some solid leadership and innovation, this book maps a solid path and is a must read.
- Go…now & prosper.
Related articles
Stay tuned for my post appearing this week in the #BEALEADER community where I focus on the leadership aspect of the book & the benefits of being “Squiggly”. You can also check out the articles below, as well as Mark Schaefer’s post from today: Carving a path through leadership “hell” with Mitch Joel.
Breaking Down Social Media : Finding a Soul in Brands
The term social media is largely misused and misunderstood.
You can’t have one social media strategy, or just decide to “do social media”. You have to realize what the term represents, that’s the first challenge I see when I speak with most people considering social for their businesses.
The Basis of Media
When you are speaking about using social media as an outreach tool in the general public the first thing you have to realize is that none of those people are reading “these” articles – the dialogue we all have about it on-line , its of no interest to them.
The people you are trying to reach are living their lives. Reaching them becomes marketing – just as you try and do in magazines or radio ads or newspapers. That’s the media part of the term.
In turn, from a business owner’s stand point, making decisions about social media use has to come from understanding deeper objectives and being in touch with your organization as a whole. Social media is not a new marketing strategy or sales vessel. It’s not a substitute for customer service. It’s not about broadcasting a new logo or flooding a channel with messages, it’s about a mindset.
What is the “Social” Really About?
Social is about this ability for consumers, employees, and all people to be connected. People using the on-line space to further their knowledge, interact with others, do research, play games, express themselves, grow, laugh, be entertained and of course throughout all this to share… The social part is about where you are reaching them and it’s the entire basis of all these pillars of social marketing success.
I think sometimes businesses, people looking into social and marketers forget the why of why you have to be genuine, or why the goal is
Social Connections | To Friend or Not To Friend : You had me at Subscribe
My friend and Social Media Consultant, Linda Bernstein came up with a good question on her Facebook status, she wanted to know if people friend people whom they do not know. It’s a great question that many people have varied perspectives on. Some people think of Facebook as a place they are building a community, whereas others keep it simple including only “real life” friends, in some cases, colleagues and co-workers.
Facebook is a very particular social network, and the way one handles it, should be different in strategy as compared to a Google +, Linked In, or Twitter.
Social Strategist and Consultant Gigi Peterkin had a great comment to add to the discussion. You can check her out at http://gigipeterkin.com
Who will you let into your inner circle?
In this post, I am going to focus on the Facebook question as it pertains to individual accounts and not pages.
The first thing I want to clarify here is that Facebook has privacy settings that allow you to keep your information private. Facebook also allows
Social Media Changes You and Society – The Human Connection
A knock came at my door about an hour ago while I was having a good and valued discussion with my daughter… My daughter went to look to see who it was, coming back to report she thought it might be some religious group. I got up to check for myself – I don’t really appreciate people knocking on my door – mainly because of special times like this, having a good discussion – then someone tries to just step in.
Usually I would have ignored it, but when I saw the girl on the other side, I could tell it wasn’t a “religious intervention” visit, and thought, let me see what she wants.
Changing The Buzz Words in Social Business: “The Impact Equation” Delivers #ImpactEQ
The Impact Equation by New York Times bestselling authors Chris Brogan & Julien Smith is set for release on October 25th. I was thrilled to get an advance copy for review and am so honored to be able to share my experience in reading it with you here.
First things first, a little Q&A on who should read this book. In case you’re wondering if this book has something in it for you.
Q1: I’m just a business person, not a social media expert, is this book right for me?
A: Yes. It’s perfect for you. No social media mumbo-jumbo here. Just practical, real life information that you can understand and apply to your life and business right away.
Q2: I’m in the field, I’m already a “social media expert”, why would I read this?
Social Media Timing is Everything: Understanding Automation’s Role in Community Engagement
Robot (Photo credit: ewen and donabel)
Are You a Robot?
We have heard a lot of talk lately about the risks of automation in social media. Many people seem to believe that automating tweets, or posts work against social media best practices. In particular, genuine communication.
I think that the key to assessing this is in knowing the objective of your social media activities. In addition, the role that your social accounts are playing for the community they serve.
Manpower is a huge issue in this as well. Do you have a community manager who is dedicated to only running social media, or do you have social media as a “part” of the person’s role?
Automation used right doesn’t mean “impersonal”
There are positive ways that automation can be used which also respect and maintain the human touch. Here are some examples:
1. Scheduling Updates that contain photos, videos or your own posts to strategically appropriate times on both Facebook and Twitter
This content should be generally in line with your objectives, and the message you want to share within your community. There is no reason not to schedule these things. It allows you to be consistent. A huge factor in establishing a strong social media presence.
2. Scheduling distribution of articles via Twitter or Facebook so that the proper exposure is attained on peak hours in multiple time zones.
3. Automation responds to various needs and can help teams work together
Automation lends a Helping Hand in Time Management
Where “Automation Is Anti-Social” – What Not to Do.
It’s all about Balance
- Time for Blogging or other content creation
- Time for broadcasting the content
- Time for dialog and interaction based on the content & Identifying Opportunities for engagement elsewhere (ex: Social Search) <;- The most important aspects
- Time for analysis of interaction and results
The Appropriate Use of Automation
Automation does not Equal Auto-Pilot
- What is the acceptable delay to respond to comments on Facebook, Twitter, Your Blog?
- This will depend on the nature of your business, and the role your sites play.
- Itemize the type of content your organization is willing to automate.
- Example, blog posts, photos, videos, status updates, Direct Messages. Make sure to answer the question for yourself, what value does automating the selected items give your public, and your company. What are the potential risks?
- Ensure that there is a regular check point to follow through on these automated posts.
- Will it be every day, every hour? Set an expectation so you don’t lose yourself in the automated process. You want to respect the whole reason you are using automation – to stay connected. Leaving it on Auto-Pilot is not acceptable, and in theory does not meet the reasons you are doing it in the first place!
Providing Value
Do you use automation to expand your capabilities in social, or were you thinking it could just put your activities on auto- pilot while you head out to the beach?
What do you think?
Do you have any tips to add?
When Search Engine Giants Turn to Print – Your Marketing Strategy
Fading printers sign on an old stone wall – is print a thing of the past?
According to a recent infographic focusing on the demographics of online users, over 66% of adults are connected to a social network. According to Internet World Stats, as of Dec 31, 2011 over 78% of the North American Population is connected online. With information like this, it’s clear why there has been a surge in internet marketing, social media marketing strategy and a rush of forward thinking companies looking to find ways to reach the population in these areas.
The challenge for companies working on marketing strategies is balancing the investment into the online world with traditional media. Many are of the mind set that traditional media is dead, or soon will be. However, we need to consider that although everyone may be online, they still live in our offline world which is scattered with opportunity. When building a brand, or reinforcing one, it has never been sufficient
Fast Track Marketing: QR Code Driving Fans Closer |Strategy|Engagement
QR Codes are a tough sell in social media circles. Despite this, the average consumer surely sees multiple codes a day scattered on business cards, ads on walls, magazines, newspapers, billboards, TV ads, and even restaurant menus. In recent research from ScanLife, a popular QR Scanning App, the data not only shows consumers scanning when they are on the go, but even when they are at home! If that doesn’t indicate increasing comfort with the convenience of the QR method of communication, I am not sure what does.
Why do so many oppose them in the social marketing field? The QR code may seem “boring” to a graphic artist, or annoying to a social marketer, but to the average consumer armed with a smart phone and a scan app, I’d go as far as say it can be magical. You never know what lies behind the code until you see it.
Go ahead, scan me 
~Wasn’t that fun?
The State of Mobile
According to Cisco‘s Mobile Forecast Highlights, in North America, the number of smartphones grew 58% during 2011, reaching 138 million in number. They further predict, in their VNI Mobile Forecast Highlights, 2011 – 2016 that in North America, the number of smartphones will grow 1.8-fold between 2011 and 2016, reaching 253 million. Why is the potential application of QR coding important? Look at it as your added opportunity to entice the mobile user, to connect somewhere that everyone is becoming increasingly more comfortable.
According to a recent Scanlife report in the second quarter of 2012, the company’s QR codes got 16 million scans, almost 10 million more than what it saw in the second quarter of 2011. in addition the rate of scans per minute Scanlife is seeing has increased by 5 times compared to the same time last year. You can check out a pretty awesome infographic here.
Why Aren’t You Seizing The Opportunity?
QR Codes are one of the easiest ways for consumers to easily respond to an ad, and get the information they are looking for. They allow the
Seduced by the numbers? The Honeymoon is Over.The Value of a Facebook Like {Casestudy}
The biggest challenge faced by social media professionals entering an organization who is at the onset of social media integration will be confronting the popular misconception that “likes” on Facebook & followers on Twitter is the measure of social media success.
When social media first started to gain attention as a new business opportunity, it stands to reason that in absence of true measurement tools, the only number a business or organization could understand easily, and “measure” would be the number of followers, or fans.
Many organizations, due to lack of familiarity or understanding of social, are convinced that there is success in the numbers; that “likes” or followers equal reach, and that if they attain high subscription – whether it be on Twitter, Google Plus, or Facebook – that this will equal success.
The Wrong Numbers.
Social business is still in the early stages, as new technology and strategy intertwine to find stronger measures of success on various levels –
7 Days to Breaking the Barrier To Blogging
Whether you are a social media professional, or a business person working on understanding social media, blogging is a key area that needs to be worked into your strategy.
Not Another Blogging Post
This post isn’t about the benefits blogging will bring when you incorporate SEO. This post isn’t about the fact that by blogging intelligently in your field, you can establish authority and build your reputation on a larger scale than just in your limited social circle (IRL). This post isn’t even going to touch on blogging best practices, content length, the importance of pictures or any of that. This post is addressing the very basics: How do you start to blog when you have no idea where to begin? How do you help push to break the barrier stopping you from blogging?
