0Posted by Nate Ludens on February 27, 2011 at 10:19 pm
The other night, I was reading a really wonderful blog post by the great Chris Brogan, titled An Insider’s Guide to Social Media Etiquette. It really got me thinking, and here’s what’s missing: a guide for bigger companies using Social Media. Here’s a start.
It’s okay to use a logo. In this case, you’re not a person, you’re a company. I’m fairly certain your followers know this. There are exceptions, but for the most part, you’re the virtual “face of the company,” and it’s a huge responsibility. You represent all of your co-workers, bosses and shareholders. Many very good corporate entities are doing social media very well “disguised” as logos. Here in Las Vegas, the Wynn does a great job on twitter, and they do social media by committee. You see it sometimes by the ^Initials at the end of the tweets. Totally cool with everyone I know.
Respect traditional public relations. If you can, buddy-up with a PR pro or take a class. The fundamentals of crisis control, patiently waiting for stories to develop, tone, and strategy cross over to social media more than many of the nu-social media experts care to admit.
Be appropriate. Don’t tell jokes or do #FollowFridays if you’re a police department or a doctor’s office. Please?
Be helpful. Corporations are on twitter and facebook to put money in the bank. Just because they’re using social media doesn’t mean they don’t want your dough. The best ones embrace the personality of the company. They allow creativity to shine and have some fun while keeping relevant ideas in readers’ minds that relate to the company at hand. A corporate account such as Ford or Nike tweeting about having a slice of pizza or what they’re watching on TV (from the corporate avatar) is just weird, I think. Be cool to people and you’ll build relationships – it sounds tacky, but that’s the name of the game.”The less you be a dbag, and if you treat people like humans, the more you’ll get done and succeed.” – @ManyaS – friend and experienced business twitter guru.
Leave the adspeak in your ads. Your company has an advertising budget, so let that do its job, and please don’t tweet like a radio commercial for a race. (Sunday! Sunday! Sunday!) My friends who tweet for companies always try to be helpful and cater to the people who want the updates. Hey, they already clicked follow or Like, right? My point? Quit dating and start mating.
Be nimble when you’re wearing your Customer Service Representative hat. If someone has a problem with your business and took the time to tweet about it – it’s somewhat of a compliment. You want to take care of that customer as soon as possible. If you have a customer service center on email or phone, but not twitter – note it on your page or bio. (Do they use rotary phones, too? Just curious).
Don’t delete negative posts. If I have to tell you this, go back to 2009 social media 101. There’s several great people to learn from. I started with the afore-mentioned Chris Brogan’s book, Trust Agents. Guy Kawasaki, Tony Hseih, and Gary Vaynerchuk all have awesome books to get you off on the right foot.
Do some quick research when there’s someone calling you out, and be careful not to bite when you’re being baited. Hey, just because someone tweets, doesn’t make them customer of the year anymore. There are trolls on twitter that complain constantly in hopes of getting a free lunch. These creeps are on facebook, too. Block them if they’re a pain in the butt, and don’t be afraid to say no. Use caution, though – mob mentality is one rude response away. One interesting response (I haven’t tried it yet) would be to post a reply, while signed on as your business – on their personal facebook profile. Could be risky, but might help avoid the mob mentality. Let me get back to you on that one. Heh.
Don’t be afraid to have multiple accounts. Managing more than one account isn’t difficult with the software available today. One CEO that I follow has one twitter handle where he can (and does) drop F-Bombs all day long. His company’s handle is much more businesslike. I follow both. If you have the content to back it up, create a help account, a sales account, one for media, etc.
NOTE: This post is a work in progress, so please check back and see how it develops. What did I miss? Was I way off target? Please feel free to comment and let’s discuss it. This doesn’t necessarily reflect my current employer’s opinions in any way.
Every time there’s an exhibition game in Las Vegas involving pro sports teams, there’s an influx of news reports that “Las Vegas gets hopes up for Pro Team” Here’s one.
I’m a baseball, football and hockey fan, and I would love it. But it’s a long ways off until a few things change. No, I’m not talking about the economy.
Take last weekend’s Frozen Fury – the annual pre-season hockey game at MGM Grand between LA and Colorado pro hockey teams. This game is soooo far from a regular season game…. and I think the attendees know it. It’s a Fan-Appreciation Party for Kings season ticket holders. For Las Vegas – and MGM Grand in particular, it’s specifically designed for LA-to-LV traffic directly into the MGM Grand casino floor. The game itself is secondary, I believe, and this is the tunnel vision that’s keeping the city from having a pro team. Corporate involvement of Sports Marketing in Vegas always seems to involve a competitive slant, fear of losing slot revenue or high rollers while they’re enjoying themselves someplace else. Newsflash: today’s consumer knows what’s on the other side of the street.
So, really… Why can’t it work? Here’s what I think:
Most locals who wish for a pro team don’t currently show up at the sporting events they do have. It’s apples and oranges, I know. But it’s all we have to benchmark so far.
Corporate team owners don’t know how to market to locals.
From my experience, the marketing strategy of the Wranglers is to cold call ex-ticket buyers and sometimes offer them free shit on “special” games. The 51′s strategy is a carbon copy. A few phone calls to invite you to the “special” games and a billboard. Bobblehead dolls can only go so far. (Note: I can’t speak for Arena Football, because I have yet to attend one. I hear great things – and it appears that they have an improved strategy over their counterpart sports: I know when the games are without a google search).
I think it’s important to note that this isn’t a testament to the on-field (or on -ice) product. Every single game I have attended was well worth the price and an entirely enjoyable time. No exceptions. I say all the time that these are the two most valuable experiences one can have for under $20 in Vegas, and I stand by that.
Ever the constructive critic, I’ll offer a few ideas for sports marketing in Las Vegas. First – build culture. Teams should lobby for and support more pre-game, post-game events and locations. The Wranglers are present at McMullans Irish Pub across the street after every game – this is an example of how to make your players more visible to fans and non-fans to build familiarity and conversion. Free, or low-cost shuttles to and from games would encourage attendance and responsibility on their respective $1 Beer nights (highest attended games). Pep-rally mentality does exist, but it’s not nearly visible enough to sound like fun to someone who’s not already in the know.
The single largest thing holding back Las Vegas from having a sports franchise: Giving back to Las Vegas. The city’s largest businesses must be involved with ticket blocks. I don’t know or care what the bulk rate is to have a NV Energy, Cox, Zappos, Harrah’s or MGM section at each Vegas sports arena, but it needs to happen. Casino VIP players will love it, employees and their families will love it, and the Las Vegas valley will benefit for years to come.
I’m extending a special invitation to the Las Vegas Creative Community about this event because I think its very important that Vegas steps it up a notch. In order to step up our game, we need to see what’s going on in creative communities globally. The days of picking up a publication and expecting design inspiration are soooo 1990s.
This is the official event information. I hope you’ll attend.
…An exhibition and idea exchange
with 30 design ambassadors
Spend an amazing transglobal
evening socializing, exchanging ideas and crossing cultures. Thirty Chinese
graphic design professionals exhibit their latest work in advertising,
packaging, book design, posters, photography and contemporary Chinese
calligraphy.It’s a true cultural
exchange where we’ll share the flavor of Fabulous Las Vegas with our visitors,
while getting a glimpse into the design sensibilities of their vast and
fast-developing market.
Las Vegas is distinguished to be one of only four U.S.
cities on the 11-day tour that also includes Washington, D.C., San Francisco
and San Diego.
Hosted by the Center for CrossCultural Design, which fosters greater communication between designers across cultures, and a better understanding of the interwoven experience of design and culture.
EVENT PRESENTERS
City of Las Vegas
Center for
CrossCultural Design
Colors of Lupus Nevada
Las Vegas Chinese Association
Las Vegas-Clark
County Library Foundation
EVENT PARTNERS
AIGA Las Vegas
International Association of Business Communicators
Las Vegas Cultural Corridor Coalition
The Neon Museum Las Vegas
Studio J Photography
EVENT SUPPORTERS
American Advertising Federation
Association of Students in Communication, UNLV
Student Association of Graphic Arts, UNLV
Produced by eurie creative
Watch for new Event Partner and Event Support listings as additional sponsors come on board
For information about being
an event partner, contact Victor at victor@euriecreative.com,
or call him at 702-383-9805.
If you consider yourself a rock music fan – you should treat yourself to a Sinners show. They do tribute tunes and originals. I saw them cover Guns N’ Roses Appetite For Destruction a while back – and I was hooked. I have seen them at Ovation at Green Valley Ranch, as well as Club Madrid at Sunset Station. Both are awesome places to catch a great free concert. I’m not just saying that because I work for Station Casinos, either. In fact, you can catch the Sinners with Nawgahyde (don’t miss those whacky rockers, either) opening for Great White at the end of July at Sunset Station.
I have been involved in the “Facebook is Big Brother” privacy discussion about 5 times this week, and I’m frankly, bored with it. I understand the risks of saying this aloud on a blog – but I’m going to do it anyway: Lay off Facebook! Yeah, I said it.
There’s privacy risk involved in uploading anything to the web, akin to driving a car on a freeway. You see, it’s not up to Facebook to determine what’s on your profile so quit blaming them for that shot of you at your bachelorette party dancing on the bar. You uploaded it to the web, sister. Period.
Frankly, I think the integration of the “like” button on other sites is VERY cool. We’re in an era where peer reviews sell products moreso than ads. I think it’s helpful for us all to see who likes products, especially your friends. I’ll tap them for a review, increasingly holding product sellers accountable for having a good product. And regarding privacy – again – your user settings allow it.
Look, could Facebook turn off a few buttons on default? Sure they could – they may have to, if the government gets more involved. But, as I pointed out a few times this week via twitter, there’s no OPT in default Opt-Ins – by definition. They do encourage you to edit your privacy settings, which is pretty fantastic, considering what it meanst to their bottom line.
We live in a society that likes to “set it and forget it” when it comes to preferences online. Not anymore. Set ‘em! Change ‘em! Control your own data.
At the end of the day, Facebook is a company. Companies like to make money. No amount of people are going to change that. So, save the “Yeah, but they’re making money off our information!” argument. It doesn’t hold water. Do you think your TV watching habits, magazine subscriptions, web clicks, and credit scores aren’t being bought and sold? You bet they are! My wife and I had free diapers in the mailbox the day we arrived home from the hospital after my son was born. In years past, I’ve bought lists from the post office for direct mail pieces, targeting men who subscribe to certain magaines who own pools in a certain zip code. Companies buy and sell your data every day without your knowledge of it.
The two types of information carriers in existence are 1) pay for access (SIRIUS/XM Radio, Cable & Satellite TV) and 2) free and full of ads (terrestrial radio, Super Saver Newspapers by the door at the grocery store). This isn’t new. You can’t have a free information carrier without Ads – even MySpace has that figured out. Where MySpace screws up is sporting a nauseating user experience, which has helped Facebook flourish into the #1 visited site and more importantly – the 7-minutes-plus on average that people spend each visit. Facebook users are very lucky their Ads are not intrusive and even let you close an ad and ask why you closed it.
You’ve seen the groups “1,000,000 strong to say NO to paying for Facebook” and the like. It won’t happen as long as Facebook continues to evolve as an information carrier. Because they’ll sell ads. And – let me tell you – these are the most effective, super targeted advertising system in history. Because of the information YOU gave them.
If you’re in the creative industry, (unless you live under a rock) you have probably noticed in the last few years or so, most professional Graphic Designers have successfully adpoted the use of quality photography and the way it is utilized in advertising. We rarely see low-resolution photos in print anymore, and more often than not, the images are using correct exposure and beautiful depth of field, therefore lending great imagery to commercial projects. Now, I’m issuing a challenge on behalf of designers: Photographers, its time to raise your design game.
This is the week the WPPI (Wedding & Portrait Photographers) Convention comes here to Vegas. It’s always a great show. On behalf of my city, I’d like to welcome some of the best photographic talent in the world.
I have attended the last 3 or 4 WPPI conventions, and it’s clear that my email and mailing address has been cycled through several mailing lists. Let me tell you – there’s something awry with much of this massive load of photo-promotions. It’s not just email marketing, either. Many of the trade publications, sites, signage, and mail pieces, too. Most of it’s really, really poor.
Look, typography is a science in itself, so don’t be surprised to learn that cute font that came with your wife’s Dell just doesn’t cut it. While you were in the darkroom, Designers were in their second semester of color theory. Look at the “big guys” at the trade show. They have beautiful booklets, great logos and packed booths. Not a coincidence.
Investing in porfessional design shouldn’t be hard to grasp for shutterbugs. And its certainly not meant to sound condescending or offensive. All of us creatives need to check our egos and take a critique from time to time. The experienced Designer’s mantra is identical to yours, Photographers: when your clients hire true, experienced professionals, they get top-notch results. Designers carry the same responsibilities as Photographers, too. Deliver results on behalf of your client, or your phone may not ring again for awhile. In this, the era of facebook and twitter… word gets out about poor service in a short moment.
I’m as aware as anyone of the financial challenges both industries face, so my advice is this: Buddy up. Professional photographers should seek partnerships with Professional Designers and vice versa. Build it in the budget. Find a way. Work out trade deals, retainers, industry-rates… hell, issue frequent flyer miles if you have to!
Tonight I had some fun playing with a logo redesign for a band. Good friends, Slow To Surface called last week to see if I could help with a shirt design based on their recent album, The Reason We Do This. (Available on iTunes- pick it up, you won’t be sorry). I designed the CD last spring for the band – see below. (For the record, I like their current logo, but it could use a little more “edge” to match their new style, in my opinion).
Here’s a sped-up version of the process. The first thing I did was (duh) put on the album. Then I started to search through my database of fonts from recent projects. Probably about 375 selections. Most are completely incompatible… but I narrow it down to a typeface that conveys their style of music – I settled on Dirty & Classic by one of my favorite artists and fontographers, Billy Argel. I tweaked it until it was easier to read at a smaller size (from a distance, in this particular application), but still gets across the “vibe” I was going for.
Check out this video I made using Jing (killer app!) and let me know what you think. Starts out a little slow (no pun intended).
Wow. My head is spinning with so much new info. It seems like Thursday’s sessions were a month ago.
I’ll keep this short, because I’m hardly an aficianado for BlogWorld09, it was my first year attending, after all. Personally, I went to bwe09 to learn about social trending, get some help with a few problems, and peek into what’s next for new media. Each of these were answered, and I think my company is on target for big success. Being a corporate blogger, with B to C (Business to Consumer) priority, there were few courses aimed at us – didn’t matter. My team was able to flex and see many other sides of our next phases into social networking. Moving ahead, I’m interested in trending for travel, retail, entertainment and gaming (Vegas, remember), and I got a great insight into some other areas, as well.
If there were any repeating trends, it’s a very positive report for consumers. Maybe because it has to be. Consumers hold a ton of power now that well, hasn’t been the case in recent memory. Conversational, Two-way marketing initiatives are the way to go, if your company isn’t doing it already. Getting to know your _________________ (insert: segment, demographic, target, guests, clients, customers, etc) is now easier than ever using blogs, facebook and twitter. It seems like the only big fat losers are the poor market research companies who do used to organize focus groups and get paid handsomely for it. Oh, and MySpace. (Who?)
What was missing? Not much. It would have been nice to see a keynote from Facebook or Twitter representatives. Perhaps it’s not the proper place. Maybe I just don’t know where that convention is yet. I would love to see a Facebook Damage Control panel, but that might make it seem okay to violate Facebook Policies.
I picked up a ton of new followers on Twitter this week, which I appreciate. I also picked up Chris Brogan’s book, Trust Agents, and I’m tearing through it this week. I’m only about 40 pages into it, and I can say this: Buy the damn book.
For sale as a body or as a package. Email me for more information: info (at) blackdiamonddigital.com.
Here’s Canon’s Product Page for this awesome camera. It treated me well for 2 years, typically in a studio environment. Just bought the new 5D Mark II and had this cleaned by Canon Service Center in Irvine, CA. (I have the official paperwork to go with it). Has not been used since it’s return from Canon, except to pose for this shot.
