Posted by Nate Ludens on May 5, 2013 at 3:07 pm
I have had very little success with polls on any of the dozens of pages I have managed on Facebook, so I have always had a hunch they were kind of a flawed product. Tonight I had an eye opening discovery… Check this out.
Coke has 64 Million Likes and couldn’t get 200 people to give their opinions on this poll. Granted, only a minuscule 1.16 million of them are actually engaging with the Page at the time I’m writing this.
Point is – find a different way to get information out of your fans. Because Facebook Polls can’t seem to navigate their way through the almighty EdgeRank. (Few can).
My constructive advice would be to utilize your email database and incorporate something like Survey Monkey to datamine your community. Alternatives: Twitter Hashtag contest. Standard post on Facebook. Promoted post on Facebook. Host a chat on Twitter. Pick up the phone and call a sampling of them. Host an event and invite a cross section of your customers. My personal favorite: Give ‘em a Wedgie.
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Posted by Nate Ludens on November 26, 2012 at 9:15 am
Tuesday, December 4th the Adobe User Group is having it’s annual Holiday Party and Software Raffle at the stunning and very unique The Lady Silvia in downtown Vegas from 6-9pm. (21+).
There will be food from the delicious Pop Up Pizza. (RSVP so we get enough food. Ya dig?)
3 copies of Adobe Creative Suite 6 Web or Design Premium, Mac or PC
Any questions? Connect with us on twitter @LVAdobe or on Facebook (fb.com/vegasadobeusers)
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Posted by Nate Ludens on October 6, 2012 at 10:10 am
You know how you “get into” something? As in – go through phases? For example, you watch a ton of football or do lots of yardwork or listen to a band for a spell, then kind of phase out of it?
My new thing: being fearless. I truly get off on learning new shit. Maybe it’s a phase, maybe it’s a long term thing. Not sure. Maybe it’s too soon to tell. I’m not exactly known for my patience, so it’s sort of a punk rock methodology. Sort of like: Just do it, dammit.
3 months ago, I had never met most of the team that I work with at Digital Royalty. We put in crazy hours last month but nobody really seemed to count how many, because we were zeroed in – and having fun. None of us had even attempted some of the projects at hand. We proudly tackled them anyway. This is only possible under certain circumstances. Successful progressive change is a huge testament to the leadership at Digital Royalty and Digital Royalty University for putting the right (Read: ROCKSTAR) pieces in place to “make it happen.” A little credit to luck, too. There’s something to the serendipitous “mojo” going on right now in Downtown Las Vegas. I swear, the Downtown Project is legit, and it’s pretty freakin’ sweet being involved in it every day.
Gretzky once said that “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.”
Don’t know how to do something? Google it. Ask somebody. Dive in. It’s worth it.
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Posted by Nate Ludens on September 18, 2012 at 9:21 pm
I got a pre-sale ticket package in the mail today from a band I’m going to see next month. No names necessary, I’m sure they didn’t intend to miss out on an opportunity to be awesome.
Enclosed was what was supposed to be a very cool letter to the fans. It read something like this:
Dear Fan,
Blah blah… The band was very happy to offer this to their online community.
See you at the show!
Self-Fulfilling Management / Ticketing Company {blah blah}
===
How much cooler is that band if that photocopied letter read like this instead?
====
What’s up gang!
All of us in the band are stoked that you got in on the pre-sale while it lasted. We are looking forward to rocking you next month in Vegas!
We salute you -
[photocopied (or not) band signatures]
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Posted by Nate Ludens on September 11, 2012 at 6:35 pm
I was working from home this rainy afternoon, so I took advantage and spun some classic LPs.
First I buzzed through side 1 of ZZ Top’s Eliminator LP. A legendary record with a phenomenal bass line in nearly every tune. Those guys are way more than just southern rockers with long beards. Underrated for sure. I only listened to side 1 today because I flipped it like six times the other night. Time to mix shit up.
I cued up Metallica’s epic Master Of Puppets next. I can’t seem to get a decent quality version of this record!!! If you know it, you know that one cannot listen to Orion with skips in it. Effing blasphemy. Bummer. Back in the sleeve.
Ozzy’s No Rest For The Wicked spun next. Twice actually. This record gets a lot of shit because it was when Ozzy was doing the guyliner and Aqua Net thing, but it’s honestly my 2nd favorite post-Sabbath Ozzy record. (Anyone have a copy of No More Tears on Vinyl? I’m hot for that one. email me if you do) Zakk Wylde shreds his ass off on this LP, but again – my copy is a little fuzzy. I’ll clean it again before I start hunting for a better version.
Now I have the Dead Weather’s Sea Of Cowards on the turntable. It’s a little more synthesized than most of Jack White’s other projects. Still – it’s good & grimy. Great new rock n roll. There’s a ton of great stuff out there today – most will say otherwise – but I usually prefer the classics. Though, who’s to say this DW album won’t be something I’m spinning in 20 years?
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Posted by Nate Ludens on August 26, 2012 at 12:59 pm
My remodel of the home office is almost complete. Here’s some fun photos of the process. I’ll add more after the artwork is hung, the closet and doors are done, and the shelves are finished.
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Posted by Nate Ludens on July 23, 2012 at 11:07 pm
You know what they say about assumptions… So then, why do we continue to be flooded by these assumptions from social media experts? Because many don’t speak the same “front of house” language that the rest of your company does.
This is a factor in the slow adoption of social media by some brands: Too much jargon. Too much shoving of information. Not enough listening / learning. Too many clever infographics without explanation or relevancy.
Examples:
Only young people are on Facebook.
Only women use pinterest.
You have to post X many times a week.
Nobody uses MySpace / Google+ / Foursquare.
These are assumptions “expert” bloggers, businesses (and consultants) have been making daily. My opinion is that a) some are sensationalists who just look to write a good headline to get web traffic; b) some have something to sell; c) some have access to limited data, and formulate these opinions based on speculation from incomplete or irrelevant data. All. Wrong.
In the interest of being constructive, and as someone who is & has been at the front line, back of house, and planning arenas, here’s a different set of “best-practices” to try.
Set primary objectives in alignment with your business model. Identify custom Key Performance Indicators (KPI) that are relevant and trackable. Tip: don’t count fans & followers.
Test. Constantly.
Listen more than you post.
Be there. You must be on the front lines. Taste it. Smell it.
Identify experts IRL. Celebrate them. Train them to be online guides to your products.
Be interesting.
Collaborate & contribute. Don’t clutter & clog news feeds with noise.
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Posted by Nate Ludens on July 19, 2012 at 6:49 pm
Pull up a stool, partner. This is about keeping it real at the core of your social media strategy.
A check in special is really just a digital version of what already exists in every neighborhood pub in America. Let’s say I check in 5 times and I get a free dessert, drink or a meal. Well, maybe that happens when loyal customers show up 5 times in a given time span anyway. I mean: shouldn’t it? How many free beers did Sammy buy Cliffy and Norm on Cheers? See what I’m saying?
That’s why I think the “social media” label is a terrible title (several respected Social Media Pros have totally agreed with me on this). Look: they could have picked a better name… really. Because it’s just real.
Here’s three ramblings I recorded the other day while driving home.
- Social Media isn’t a new trend, but a reminder of something many businesses forgot. Treat your loyal clients best. Give them love, the way your folks did back in the day. Something to think about.
- When you do repeat offers and value-add things with social space, don’t try too hard. Don’t create something that didn’t exist in the first place. It will tank. I promise.
- Your loyalty program should be an extension or an amplification of your existing brick and mortar core strategy. That’s how you’ll find success with social media marketing.
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Posted by Nate Ludens on July 7, 2012 at 2:46 pm
I shoot shows. Lots of them. You probably already know that if we met on a social network and you read my bio. I love it! There’s nothing like the energy of a live show – ask a performer. There’s a huge adrenaline rush that comes from performing for a room or arena full of maniacs. I encourage everyone to support the artists and attend a show a month – or a week – if you can. I live in Vegas. That’s easy.
Here’s what’s got my attention today: Where does this show live? Is the Entertainment Industry facing the music? (sorry for the pun). Really. Let’s get with the times and make sure that shows are 2012-friendly, and not living in the 1970′s where “3-songs no flash” actually meant the artists could control their image.
Were you there?
The great entertainment teams that I have the pleasure of working with are tired of me beating this point to death, probably. Isn’t it time to allow professional photographers to gain the trust of the performers on stage and their management? After all, it’s the pros in front with the talent, training and thousands invested in camera gear who really control what goes to the media. Let them shoot enough of the show to get what they need. Likewise for your video crew. Get ‘em the good seats!
I once heard from a performer who shall remain nameless that this antiquated policy of “three songs no flash” is to ensure no photos of them sweating would “get out there.” Dude. That’s not very “Metal…”
Besides, do you really want to be remembered as a blurry, overexposed white spot in someones iPhone footage on YouTube?
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