Authenticity: It's measured by what you do!

Search #authenticity on Twitter and see what you find...

• Always be yourself; everyone else is taken! #authenticity
• Authenticity is priceless. #authenticity
• “Only the truth of who you are, if realized, will set you free.” ― Eckhart Tolle #authenticity
• Lead while no one is watching and serve when no one expects.  #authenticity

Authenticity is important in social media, no different than in business and life. When you share your beliefs, desires and purpose you will showcase your authentic self. When disciplined to do so you will find others who can relate will be attracted to you. 

There's no need to "leap tall buildings with a single bound", or boast that "your company is the greatest thing...since sliced bread". We can see what you do...and we can see when there is a disconnect. 

What businesses, and which people come across as truly authentic? 

2 months in, are you on track?

On track with your marketing plan.

Does your marketing message clearly define your purpose as a business, or are you still using the tactics of a commodity based business?

Have you implemented all aspects of your 2012 plan?

What's working well...what can you do better? What has changed?

Is there a buzz about your brand?

Are these things important to you?

I'll check in every few months until I become an annoyance.

Brands and beliefs...can easily go viral

Social media has opened the door for authors who seek outlets to share their content. Today I feel compelled to share a few paragraphs from blogger Meagan Visser and her blog "Where Creative Business and Motherhood Unite". This jumped off the page and bit me in the cheek:

"People are so sick of businesses. Businesses aren't living, breathing beings. You can’t connect with a business in a personal way. On the other hand, people are drawn to other people. That’s why being your brand is so important. People want to see you, talk to you, & hear from you. They want to agree or disagree with you. They want to support you. They want to promote & share you with their friends.

Technology has given you the ability to be your brand & to engage with those who want a relationship with you… if you use it correctly."

Amen Meagan! You are taking conventional wisdom and bending it to make sense for many of us.

We are drawn to people who believe what we believe. Meagan would not have entered my world without social media. Today, she has a new believer.

When you take the time to share your brand and beliefs...anything can happen. What's keeping you from doing so?

Redefining "mainstream" media

I am a talk radio junkie. I love monitoring politics and current events.

An over used (and increasingly lame) term is "mainstream media" referring to the old standbys of ABC, CBS, NBC, The New York Times and so on.

With all due respect to these hallowed institutions I take issue with their mainstream label. They were mainstream before cable, mainstream before the internet, mainstream before podcasts and last but not least, mainstream before social media.

If you haven't noticed we have lots of "supply" relating to news outlets. People have choices. Mainstream media had its hay day when consumers had few choices.

What is your first source of news and information when you awake? Why is it your favorite? If you are turning to options other than those listed above they will soon become extinct media.

$64,000,000 Question

Your resume tells us what you have done and in some cases...how you have done it.

Here's the 64 million dollar question:

Why do you do what you do?

"to make money" is a result...not the why.

The key to differentiating yourself will lie in your answer.

With questions...contact me!

Social Media and President's Day

What if social media existed during Pearl Harbor, the bombing of Hiroshima, the Cuban Missile Crisis? What would have been written in the first tweets and Facebook posts?

As we honor President's Day we can ponder how much the world has changed because of lightning fast communication. Would Presidents during the aforementioned eras benefit from social media...or was it advantageous to have a delay in news reporting?

For better or worse, the President should embrace social media because the world has embraced it. "When the people lead...the leaders will follow."

JFK relied on communicating his message through the evening news. As the evening news dinosaur dies a slow death, we now hear from our leaders where and when we want to hear from them!

Are you nuts...about Southwest?

Work should be fun. Marketing should be fun. And now, Social Media should be fun.

Southwest Airlines fits the name of this blog as they are a company that embraces social media. If you don't smile and laugh while reviewing their blog (aptly named Nuts About Southwest)...have your sense of humor checked. They love to engage with their customers. Better yet, their customers love to talk about Southwest.

On my first flight with Southwest the aircraft was barely off the ground and the flight attendants sitting in front began throwing bags of peanuts down the aisle while capitalizing on the pitch of the ascending aircraft. Everyone was laughing and making sure that their neighbor received a bag. I had not seen that before.

Their social media presence reflects the personality I experienced on my first flight. They are the airline of the common man. They use a no frills approach that suits the traveler who doesn't want flying to be a painful experience. They have just been named as America's Most Desired brand by Forbes.

The lesson to learn from Southwest is important. Be clear about the personality of your brand...make sure your marketing, operations and your employees buy in to the personality. It's rare when companies can pull it off. Southwest does it with flying colors...and nuts!

5 Key Words in (Social Media) Marketing

Enhance...Protect...Build...Facilitate...Drive!

These words pop up in most discussions about marketing strategy. It relates to your brand awareness, reputation, PR, customer service and research and development.

The words imply action that will generate a desired result.

When you review your marketing plan what action words do you use? Are you committed to take action? Is your focus on enhancing awareness for your brand, or is building a community of advocates more important?

I love marketing because I see it as an equation. The equation begins using these five words that take the form of action steps (strategy) that will generate a result. When the result isn't good you go back and tweak the equation. When the result is good...you look for ways to make it better and more efficient.

Is your equation ending with a positive result?

Bored?...Start a Movement

It's easier now than ever!

Did you know that tomorrow is Generosity Day? Sasha Dichter had the idea. All he needed was a blog, Facebook page and Twitter account. He asks that the day be about love, action and human connection..."because we can do better than smarmy greeting cards, overpriced roses, and stressed-out couples trying to create romantic meals on the fly."

What is your movement? And why is it important? 

Does your marketing inspire or manipulate?

This question has more to do with marketing strategy than social media marketing. Depending on how you answer this question will determine how you will use social media.

I owe this topic to Simon Sinek, author of Start With Why. His book looks at the tactics used in advertising to motivate consumers to buy.

During the holiday season a noted national retailer featured daily ads with offers such as: "Buy one suit and get 4 shirts absolutely free". The next day it was 4 shirts and 2 pair of pants. By now they must be paying customers to take their goods. The timing and offer manipulate you to act now...while getting used to receiving a lot of free stuff.

When I use the term manipulation I use it in a "nice" way. Manipulation on its face sounds evil. By no means does this advertiser, nor others using this strategy fit that label.

Let's consider a contrasting message. My favorite charity is the Wounded Warrior Project. Their ad, voiced by country star Trace Adkins features our veterans coming home from war with missing limbs and needing a wide range of services to allow them to transition back to society. WWP asks for a monthly donation to help their cause. If you have any appreciation for the military and the sacrifices they make, you may be inspired to help.

My sense is that marketing that inspires will generate more loyalty than marketing that manipulates. Watch this year's political ads and ask yourself...inspiring or manipulative?

What was the last thing you bought solely because you were inspired?

Does this subject Pinterest you?

This is not a typo. The P really should be there.

You may have interest in Pinterest, a relatively new social media platform.

Modeled after the bulletin board in the kitchen or office, Pinterest has emerged as a B2B tool where you can share images of your products in specific categories. It serves as another way to drive traffic to your website. The site has seen massive growth in unique visitors in the past few months. It's worth venturing onto when you have a moment...and sampling to see if you can capture a new audience.

Pinterest is like other social platforms in the sense that is stresses engagement, not aggressive selling and promotion. You will need to set up a profile with the intent that some of your pinnings(?) will go viral. The best part of social media is that you can monitor how others are using the site in order to get ideas.

Check out Pinterest. The visuals will attract you and make you want to see more. Enjoy.

Please share a Pinteresting story if you have one!

Facebook's IPO: The most important lesson

Few news stories have garnered more attention this week than Facebook filing for an I.P.O. The numbers are staggering...845 million users, 5 billion dollars being raised.

“Facebook’s I.P.O. marks another stage of the Internet’s evolution,” said Charlene Li, founder of the Altimeter Group, a technology consulting firm. “It’s so valuable, because it’s not just about content, it’s about our connections.”

Our society is hyper-focused on the definition of fairness in life. 1% vs. 99%. "He or she doesn't pay their fair share." The haves and the have nots. Yada yada yada. 

Mark Zuckerberg skipped all the hand wringing about fairness and developed an idea based on the human being's desire to make connections. As a result of his ingenuity he has changed the world. His grand kids' grand kids will be financially set for life. I still call that pursuing, and experiencing the American dream. 

It's time to celebrate Mr. Zuckerberg's contribution to society. It's also time to look in the mirror to contemplate our freedom and the potential of our own contributions. 

To the good people at JETS...thank you for what you taught me!

When given the opportunity to speak publicly I cherish the chance to learn from my audience. Today, I spoke at the JETS (Jewish Employment Transition Services) group in West Hartford. It was another wonderful learning experience.

We discussed personal branding and social media. We focused on using these tools in your job search and career re-evaluation.

What I learned from the group today was quite inspiring.

• People want to learn how to differentiate themselves from others when competing for the same job. 
• People want to be perceived as having "depth". Depth is often expressed in their unique attributes, passions and interests. We struggle to demonstrate these qualities in a traditional resume.  
• People are intrigued by the importance of telling good stories and being conversational. This aspect of managing your career is often what creates the best opportunities. 

Judy Rosenthal, Ellen Cartledge and the staff associated with JETS create an atmosphere of quality networking and sharing information. These are gifts that they give to the community. Well done! 

Thank you for the wonderful experience. I look forward to having ongoing conversations with all who attended.