There Will Be Blood

Why do so many companies struggle with Digital Marketing, the Internet and the mobile platform?
If this Blog has done anything over the years, it has grappled with the question

above. At a macro level… at a micro level… and at every point in between. We’ve looked at specific platforms, dissected trends and even looked into the crystal ball to ponder what the Marketing world will be. It is incredibly frustrating to watch one individual talk to a room full of senior marketers and explain – in a couple of sentences – why most brands grapple with the Internet and Digital Marketing as much as they do.

I hate Avinash Kaushik.
Kaushik is the Analytics Evangelist at Google, Blogger over at Occam’s Razor and

the best-selling business book author of Web Analytics – An Hour A Day and the recently released, Web Analytics 2.0 (he’s also a semi-regular guest on my Six Pixels of Separation Podcast). And, I hate him because he did just that… in
magnificent form. Last week at the Canadian Marketing Association (CMA) National

Convention (of which I was the co-chair), Kaushik (who was the opening keynote speaker) gave a very passionate presentation to a select few senior marketers during the President’s Dinner, and he helped crystallize this brand struggle perfectly:
“The Web has been around forever and yet it is not in the blood of the executives who staff the top echelons of companies. Make no mistake, they are smart, they are successful and they want to do better. But the web is such a paradigm shift that if it is not in your blood it is very difficult to imagine its power and how to use it for good. How do you demand innovation & creativity & radical rethink if you can’t imagine it?”

I love Avinash Kaushik.
This isn’t about hiring young talent. This isn’t about outsourcing all of your Digital Marketing needs. This is about shifting attitudes, embracing the very real reality of what the Internet has done to business and holding everybody within the organization accountable for their marketing actions online. “I must admit up front that I am as hard core as any evangelical born again Christian in my passion when it comes to the web. The raw innovation and empowerment that a connected digital world has unleashed is the reason I lovingly refer to it as ‘God’s gift to humanity’.”
While those are the words that Avinash used to open up his speech (and words
that I choose to live by as well), it is how every member of your team should be

thinking too (from the senior most executives to the latest newbies). For brands to be successful, they need the Internet to be in their blood. Period. End of story. Case closed.
…and there’s more where that came from. Avinash published his comments as a Blog post today titled, Online Marketing Still A Faith Based Initiative. Why? What’s The Fix? Read it now and pass it on to your entire team. It is an important read.

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Life Is Marketing

We often forget that everything we do is Marketing.

Even if we don’t like the term “marketing.” Even if it doesn’t have the word “marketing” on your business card or in your job description… you’re in marketing.

It sometimes takes the wise words of someone who is super-successful and doesn’t consider themselves a “Marketer” to make that type of realization. I had a pretty cool week. The Canadian Marketing Association (CMA) held their National Convention in Toronto (and I was honored to be the Co-Chair of the event). In helping to put together the stellar line-up of speakers, we scored Howie Mandel (comedian, actor and host of Deal Or No Deal and this season’s America’s Got Talent). Beyond his on-screen public persona, he’s also an author (Here’s The Deal: Don’t Touch Me), producer and manages many different angles of the entertainment and content business. He’s funny… and he’s razor sharp when it comes to business. In thinking aloud as to why he was invited to be the closing keynote speaker for the second day of this Marketing conference, he suggested that everything we do, all of the time is marketing.

“Life is Marketing,” said Mandel… and he’s right.

From trying to get an idea across in a meeting to closing a deal to going out on a Friday night to meet someone, we all spend our days trying to market ourselves, our ideas and the work we do. Don’t believe me (or Howie Mandel)? Think about the last time you had to fight for a promotion or a raise? What were you really doing? You were marketing yourself. Think about the last time you tried to get an idea across in a meeting. What were you really doing? You were marketing the idea to your peers.

So, should everyone be on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, TV, in books, etc…?

According to Howie… yes! (while I might argue that one should have a strategy in place before simply diving in). Howie’s take is this: in a world where there are so many choices – from a multitude of channels and books to millions of people creating and sharing content online – that brands need to not only be where the people are, but to be doing things in enough places that they get noticed.

It’s a little bit of a mass media concept, but it makes a lot of sense.

Depending on the type of brand you have and how you need it to connect to your consumers, Mandel is spot on: the more findable you are and the more valuable the content that you are creating is, the more likelihood you will have of building a strong and vibrant brand. The brands that stick to one thing (and that includes TV and/or the Internet) are the ones, according to Howie, that are not paying attention to “what’s going ‘out there'” and being open to new and, potentially, life-changing opportunities.

And that’s no joke.

“Life is Marketing”… it feels nice to say that.

The New Rules of Networking Online: There Aren’t Any

I became a student of how to effectively network at business functions when I met my good friend Mac McIntosh in 2001.

Mac, I discovered, was the consummate face-to-face networker and was a joy to watch. When I bumped into him at local marketing events, he would be quick to introduce me to influential people in the room.

Instead of handing out a business card, Mac always had something of value — a copy of his newsletter, his little calendar card you can tuck into your wallet, etc.

Most important, he always amazed me with the details he remembered about people.

I remember thinking, “Man, I want to be like him!”

So I read lots of books, such as Dig Your Well Before You’re Thirsty and Endless Referrals.

I repurposed my online newsletter articles to make them look like pages from a magazine and would hand those out versus my business card. I even took my online newsletter and made it a print publication for a couple of years — and would hand that out, too. (It also made a great direct mail piece.)

I got to know people and tried hard to connect faces with names. (That’s my one failing. I don’t remember people’s names but I always seem to remember their details.)

I made myself useful and volunteered for committees.

It worked. I went from not knowing a single soul when I moved to the east coast in 1998 to having the extensive network I enjoy today.

You can find lots of information about social media and the new marketing rules, but here is the one simple truth:

The same good manners you used when you networked face-to-face still hold true when you network online.

• Be polite and charming.
• Have a firm handshake.
• Look people in the eye.
• Be generous and introduce people to others.
• Become known as someone who refers people to others — it will come back to you in spades.
• Don’t interrupt the conversation in order to talk about yourself.
• Ask lots of questions.
• Be helpful by directing people to information / resources.
• Dress appropriately.
• Know your alcohol limits — i.e. don’t embarrass yourself.
• Hand write your thank-you notes — people will remember this thoughtful detail.
• Don’t air your dirty laundry or speak ill of others.

A good rule of thumb for being an effective online networker is this: if you wouldn’t do it, say it, or wear it at an offline business function– or if your mother wouldn’t approve — then don’t do it online.

Do you have tips for successfully networking online? Post them here.

The Social Business Manifesto

Just happened to come across a blog written way back in 2005. Not just any blog—it was called "The Social Customer Manifesto". I found it to be so interesting and compelling, that I felt the need to update you about my read, and 5 years later.. how true it still stands. Thank you Chris for your foresightedness and insight. An extract from the Manifesto stands as: • We will no longer view you as "consumers". Instead, you are co-creators, participants, and advocates.• We will actively listen, and participate authentically because we know you demand nothing less. • We will meet you on your terms, not ours. • We will provide value, not noise. • We will evolve our workforce to meet the changing demands of a networked economy. • We will focus on your needs vs. our messages. • We will build relationships that connect us in ways where we all benefit. • We will act ethically and transparently, because it’s no longer a choice. • We will respond to changes quickly—we will adapt. • We will move forward with you, not without you, because you are our future. Welcome! and Let the Karaoke begin. 🙂

“We Can’t Do Social Media — We’re a B2B Company”

You hear lots of excuses reasons why B2B companies can’t participate in social media. One reason I hear frequently . . . “We’re a B2B company.” This is code for, “We’re a traditional company,” “We sell widgets,” “Our products don’t lend themselves to social media,” “Our company is run by staid old men who don’t ‘get’ it,” “Social media won’t give us the leads we need,” or “There’s no real ROI.” True, true. I recently stumbled across Rabbi Jon Spira-Savett, of Temple Beth Abraham in Nashua, New Hampshire, who is using social media to reach out to busy congregants. A little bit of back story: as with many organized religions, Jewish congregations struggle to reach people who are very busy with work, kids, etc. Education and learning is the lifeblood of Judaism — but getting people to temple on Saturdays, when kids have their athletic events and other activities, is difficult (even more so when parents of pre-teen kids have to schlep them to Hebrew school on Sunday mornings — who wants to blow off two weekend mornings at temple?). Instead of making people feel guilty about not attending temple, or banging his head trying to develop “innovative” programming designed to get people in the door, Rabbi Jon has developed a series of weekly blog posts and monthly podcasts to reach people where they congregate — online. Think about what this outreach does: It helps congregants feel connected to the temple, the Rabbi and the community and instead of a full meal, it gives people “bites” that they can consume in between dealing with kids and work. It helps those people shopping for a new temple to get to know Rabbi Jon and his philosophies before they even set foot in the door. Even better, however, it helps draw people back into the temple — for holidays, for events, and for Saturday services. Why is that? Because people feel engaged and connected. Think about how you can use social media to help prospects and customers feel connected with your company. Instead of saying, “We’re traditional,” use social media to become a little bit untraditional, the way Infor is doing with its “Big ERP” campaign. Instead of saying, “Our products don’t lend themselves to social media,” look for ways to educate people about your industry and help solve their challenges / problems through information-rich content. Instead of worrying about ROI, start engaging your prospects. Use social media to meet people where they congregate — online! — and get to know them. Offer them the content they need to make purchasing decisions, answer their questions, and introduce them to others in your network. Once they feel engaged and connected with you and your company, they have a much higher chance of becoming long-term customers. Related content: B2B Social Media Strategies for Small Business: Get Your Feet Wet Grasshopper Engages People in Order to Build a Global Brand Social Media: It’s About Engagement, Not Page Views