Cara Posey | Change Agent

Redesigned Flickr will not take value away from Pinterest

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:39:00 -0500

Seriously, people. As much as we like to talk about tools, do we stop and think about the purpose behind them? Just because Flickr is getting redesigned and may look more like Pinterest does not mean they are competition. To be fair to Mashable author Zoe Fox, she does not suggest this will happen in her article. But I have seen plenty of articles or posts about Pinterest killing Flickr, Pinterest combining Flickr and Delicious, etc and this is not even mentioning the Twitter stream.

While you could theoretically use Pinterest in the way you use Flickr, that isn’t in my opinion what it’s set up for. Flickr allows users to upload and share photos, create albums, etc. I can then share photos on behalf of my company, or share pictures of Piper’s birthday to the masses. The cross over here, perhaps, is for artists that may post their photography on Flickr and then also create a Pinterest page to share their work.

Personally, I don’t WANT Flickr to try to be Pinterest. I love the focus on a more visual interface, and more power to you on the redesign. But what I love about Pinterest is the ability to visually share ideas. I can share products I love, which can also serve as a bookmarked visual list of things I love to buy and where to buy them. I can share home decor items that all visually go together but are collected from hundreds of different websites. And no matter whether the item is still available from that store or retailer, I have an idea of what it looked like and possibly what it was called or who made it so I can search elsewhere.

Then, there is the wonderful Pinterest stream. I can view Home Decor again, for example, but this time see all of the other things thousands of Pinterest users are posting. It is a great way to expose yourself to new items AND new retailers. I think Pinterest will turn into an excellent referral source for online retailers. While some of these home decor items, such as furnishings, are quite expensive…I still have my handy Pinterest board that I can reference later.

So do I see new Flickr taking away value from Pinterest? Not in the slightest. Do I see Pinterest “killing” Flickr? No, not really. I think there could be some crossover, but given the fundamental idea of sharing that is engrained in Pinterest, I only see crossover for professionals and why wouldn’t they keep both sites?

Lately, you’ve probably seen every guru come out of the woodwork trying to explain how you can use Pinterest for a business purpose. I would caution that while you can think of ways to use this for any business, the current greatest value is in online retail. For instance, check out how one of my favorite home decor websites, Layla Grace, is using Pinterest to share ideas and vignettes with users.

What do you think the greatest value is for Pinterest? And what is it’s greatest threat?

My Blog Post from Training that Sticks on Creating Delight

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 13:32:46 -0500

My Blog Post from Training that Sticks on Creating Delight:

Some times customers ask us whether Signature Worldwide company get-togethers can really be as much fun as our training sessions. We will leave it to you to decide whether delight was created during this extra special closing ceremony, featuring the Signature Worldwide Air Symphony’s rendition of Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture.

Signature Worldwide is known for training classes and business solutions that are inspiring and fun, results-driven, and stick with participants for years to come. Now we can add our musical abilities to the list!

Hiring Social Media Workers Not Wannabes

Tue, 13 Sep 2011 12:14:00 -0400

It always amazes me how people can get jobs by purporting themselves to know things, rather than having actual abilities. I know I have made hiring mistakes with people like this…have you? When hiring, it is imperative that you make sure someone knows how to DO the work. What if it was their manager or editor or coworker? What if their portfolio has been heavily edited by someone else or is full of pieces by the “department” but not by the individual?

Always get multiple references from reliable sources and unless you have first hand knowledge of their abilities, give them a test. Check them out on LinkedIn…who do you know that they know? Do they have a lot of referrals? What do their personal social media profiles look like? Why did they leave their last job? Don’t just rely on that person’s answer, dig deeper into who this person is by asking mutual contacts for details. The best case scenario is that everyone says the person is awesome. Worst case scenario is that you save yourself time, money, and liability by not hiring a dud.

Perhaps the candidate wowed you in their interview by using all the right words. They said things like “SEO” and “target audiences” and “integrated strategies.” Sometimes the biggest duds can give the best first impressions. Unless you are hiring for a bullshitter, then by all means, just go on first impressions. Otherwise, test your candidates! Can they spell? Can they make good strategic decisions? Would you trust them with your dog, let alone your company Facebook page?Design your test based not in a live environment, but based on a situation they may encounter.

Sample scenario: Our company is launching a new Facebook game. It’s targeted to this demographic. Take two hours to research and present me with: a social media launch plan, a web advertising plan, and include sample tweets, Facebook posts, web ad copy, and keywords to target.

Then sit them in a cube outside your office and tell them to get to work. If they know what they are doing, they should at least have an idea of where to start. If they panic, run for the hills, or give you a cut and paste document with paragraphs from Wikipedia…well then you may have a problem.

Making a bad hiring decision costs you money and time…two things that are so precious when it comes to promoting a company, engaging customers, and maintaining a positive online reputation. Don’t take your chances and go with your gut…back up your intuition with facts.

What do you think? Any other advice for hiring in the social media or digital marketing arena?

Ohio Social Media Policy & Guidelines 2010

Fri, 10 Jun 2011 09:11:00 -0400

Ohio Social Media Policy & Guidelines 2010:

Ohio’s social media policy was created in 2010 to provide guidelines to State of Ohio employees on the use of social media and the integration of gov 2.0 (or #gov20) in state government.

This was a collaboration with Ohio Governor Ted Strickland’s office, the Ohio Department of Commerce (Cara [Keithley] Posey), Ohio Department of Administrative Services (Ron Sylvester), and the Ohio CIO’s office.

LongHorn Steakhouse social media response in less than half a...

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 17:35:24 -0400

LongHorn Steakhouse social media response in less than half a day…from a staff member from the specific location I referenced

I Count on You to Reward Good Service

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 13:37:00 -0400

My customer loyalty means something to you. If it doesn’t, it should. After all, Forrester Research says loyal customers are more reluctant to switch companies, willing to buy more products, and are more likely to recommend your company.

I want you to consider my loyalty a sign. Obviously you are doing something right, whether it’s as simple as you have a great location to the fact that you offer an awesome product or you have killer customer service. I also want you to know that while I am likely to recommend you to everyone I know, I’m not the type to answer the survey at the bottom of a receipt. So I expect you to do some leg work and figure out what it is that makes me, your loyal customer, happy. And when you find the answer, reward it and replicate it.

While at my first week at Signature Worldwide, I went to lunch with my boss at LongHorn Steakhouse. I don’t know how many years it had been since I’d been to a LongHorn…I had no real positive or negative feelings about the brand. But my boss told me that they had good salads, so I ordered an entree salad and was pleasantly surprised at how good it was.

I generally do not go out for lunch. I eat every day at my desk while working or checking Facebook or reading the news. I opt for quick lunch options that fit in with my schedule, but there is only so much fast food anyone can take. I decided to give LongHorn carryout a try. I walked in to order at the bar and was greeted by a smiling blonde bartender named June. June took my order and offered me a free Diet Coke. She put my dressing on the side and made sure I had warm bread and sent me on my way with a smile in less than ten minutes. I returned to my desk at work to enjoy my warm bread and crisp salad and thought fondly of my lunch experience. It was certainly worth the $9.99, which was higher than what I’d pay at a fast food restaurant, but the level of service and the product made it worth it to me.

Over the coming months, I started ordering salads to go from LongHorn at least once a week. I always looked forward to seeing June and knowing that she would never forget my dressing and would always send me back to work feeling happy. I even started to go to LongHorn with my family once every few weeks, introducing them to my new-found restaurant of choice.

Today, however, I walked in and was not greeted by the hostesses as usual. The bar was busy and June was rushed. She still greeted me with a smile, but no free Diet Coke today. She got my order, packed to perfection, and still sent me on my way in 10 minutes or less. I left feeling a little disappointed…not in June, but in the restaurant. Something seemed amiss today, and I wanted to smack anyone who had caused sweet June to deliver less than awesome service. I wondered if anyone knew that I came to LongHorn because of the service I received? Because June gave me a free Diet Coke and made me feel valued for choosing them over another takeout option? Because the hostesses always thanked me and opened the door for me, even when I just got a salad to go?

So, this post is for LongHorn and every other brand. I count on you to reward good service. I count on you to recognize that little things like a free Diet Coke make a huge difference in me feeling valued to you. I count on you to notice that June builds personal relationships with those of us at the bar and makes us feel special, even though we just stop by for a takeout lunch. I count on you to give her credit…heck, give June a raise. At the end of the day, she coupled with the good food I never knew you had, are what keep me coming back.

Now, back to my salad…

Google Alerts for Client Research & Social Media

Tue, 12 Apr 2011 14:10:06 -0400

Google Alerts is one of the best free listening tools on the web. Many business professionals still do not understand the value that these alerts can bring them when they do client research and build content for their own social media voices. (This is important for everyone…not just for those professionals “in charge” of social media.)

You define what’s interesting and Google Alerts finds it and brings it to your inbox as it happens, daily, or weekly. If you don’t know how to set one up, visit www.google.com/alerts and enter your search terms, decide what you want to see (type), how often you want to see it, and how much you want to see (volume.) Depending on the subject, you may only want news or you may want to also get blogs and videos, it’s all up to you. You also may want to receive this information daily or weekly or narrow it down to what Google considers the best stuff, but for reputation related searches I suggest as-it-happens and all results. I certainly want to know everything said or posted about me or my brand.

How Can I Use Alerts for Client Research?

Identify the clients you want to monitor.
What do you want to know? (Examples: awards, openings, reviews, etc.)
Monitor client successes to give you a reason for contacting them.
Monitor for client failures to help you in making sales.

Consider not only what’s relevant to you, but what’s relevant to the client.

Monitor industry news so you know what’s relevant to them.
Monitor location business news so you know what’s relevant to their business climate.

How Can I Use Alerts for Social Media?

Who is your social media audience and who do you want it to be?
What content can you provide that is relevant to this audience?
This is value-added content that has nothing to do, in most cases, with your specific company.

Monitor alerts for relevant content and consider sharing on social media.

Which social media voice is appropriate for this content?
Has someone already shared the same content? I can still re-share or re-tweet.
Does this content inspire me to create something for my company, such as a blog post or video?

Keep yourself in check.

Is what I am sharing relevant to the audience?
Is what I am sharing appropriate for the audience?

Share good ideas and content internally.

Take the time to forward good links and relevant content to other employees or on the employee Facebook page or intranet.
Share ideas on generating new social media content to the relevant social media leaders in your company.

Final Thoughts

Google Alerts are one of the best free listening tools for the web.
Add and refine alerts as needed to help you on a daily basis or to help with specific projects or initiatives. They are customizable to your needs!
If you do nothing else today, create Google Alerts for your name and for your company name. This is essential to reputation management.

Cara Posey, Director of Marketing for Signature Worldwide

Sat, 12 Mar 2011 10:23:01 -0500

Cara Posey, Director of Marketing for Signature Worldwide

Moving On Up

Sat, 12 Mar 2011 10:18:54 -0500

Moving On Up:

I have left the world of government for a new challenge. I am now the Director of Marketing for Signature Worldwide, a training and business solutions company. Check us out on Facebook. I will still be talking about government and higher education, but also about customer service, sales, training, social media, and more. Just think of it as extending my horizon.

Mayor Shows Government Leaders How to Use Social Media in a Crisis

Tue, 28 Dec 2010 12:10:53 -0500

Mayor Shows Government Leaders How to Use Social Media in a Crisis:

Government leaders have a thing or two to learn about using social media in a crisis from Mayor Cory Booker of Newark New Jersey. First lesson: use social media to listen to and help your citizens. Social media is not just another push communications channel for your campaign messages. Second lesson: people will remember you for how you respond in a crisis. Personal responses garner so much more goodwill than generic ones (see the difference, comparing Booker with NYC Mayor Bloomberg in this Village Voice blog post calling Booker the hero of the snowpocalypse.)

Government staff and campaign staff alike should take note of this example of leadership.

Five Reasons Public Sector Employees Are Great Hires

Tue, 07 Dec 2010 10:09:28 -0500

I heard recently about a local private sector leader who is very skeptical of hiring public sector folks. Many public sector employees are looking for work right now nationwide due to the recent election and various changes of administration. This prejudice seems so unfounded to me, as I know many public sector employees who are exactly the kind of people I’d want to hire. I hope that this person and others like her will reconsider their misconceptions and interview some of these potential candidates.

Here’s five reasons why public sector employees are great hires:

Loyalty - Public sector employees are trained to protect their agency or organization. Especially at the senior staff level, you will find employees who know how to give 100% support to leadership regardless of their personal opinions.
Management Skills - Many public sector employees have the opportunity to manage people. This often means they have extensive experience with hiring and firing, disciplining staff, working with unions, and keeping up on HR rules and laws. These employees are not scared of managing and generally know how to work with levels above and below them to keep the peace and move things forward.
Crisis Control - Whether it’s handling a crisis communications situation or preparing a pandemic flu plan, public sector employees are experienced in preparedness. These employees can help you navigate through unexpected challenges, keeping your business running smoothly and your reputation intact. I’ve never met a group of communications professionals who were more adept at handling investigative reporters than those in the public sector. Any normal business would be astounded by the number of media calls and records requests we receive monthly (hundreds.)
Big Picture Perspective - Public sector employees know that they are employed to serve their constituency, whether that means a nation, state, city, etc. We are constantly reminded of the true purpose of our work. These employees also have to regularly balance the wants and needs of stakeholders, legislators, and partners in with those of citizens. Public sector employees will understand that you have multiple reporting lines, a board, stakeholders, lawyers, employees, and customers all in the mix and it won’t faze them.
Commitment - Employees in the public sector generally don’t job hop every year. They look for stable job opportunities where they can do good work and be treated fairly for a competitive wage. They value good benefits and reasonable work hours. This is not to say they won’t work more than a 40 hour work week—public sector employees have the same challenges as private sector. We have outreach events, projects, or crises that keep us late into the evening. All we generally want is recognition for our commitment and praise for a job well done. Not so much to ask to gain a stable, loyal, committed employee.

These five reasons are based on my personal experience. What else would you add? I know there are even more reasons why public sector employees can be tremendous assets in other sectors.

Transitioning to Gov 2.0: Post-Election

Fri, 05 Nov 2010 12:02:04 -0400

While candidates may understand the purpose of using social media for campaigning, if they haven’t been in office the past two years, they may not know a thing about Gov 2.0. I blogged the other day about how candidates used social media in the mid-term elections, but actually transitioning that use into administrative use is a whole other thing.

For those politicians that aren’t aware, there’s been a big movement to actually use social media in daily government to engage with citizens. This means that citizens can have an online relationship with programs and initiatives that matter to them: state parks, veterans services, travel and tourism, education, etc. We’ve also worked to improve transparency and efficiency: providing information online, creating web forms, and more.

So when you walk in and take over the office in January, I suggest you consider the following:

Is there an existing social media policy or guidelines for your state, city, agency, division, etc.?
Who developed this policy and is anyone still around that knows anything about it? (you might ask this question before you clean house, otherwise your social media expertise will probably need to be replaced.)
Who is empowered with the ability to use social media for business purposes? If these people are now no longer there, is someone going to take the reigns of maintaining online outposts and relationships? (Interns do not count here. You need people who actually understand what you do and can adequately engage with the public on your behalf.)
If there is no policy in place, or social media is not currently used, are you going develop this as part of your administration? This is a priority you should discuss up front with your IT, communications, and program staff.

From my standpoint, using social media as part of government is becoming far less a value-added feature and far more an expectation. Check out GovTwit and you’ll see there are over 3,100 people or entities at all levels of government that are already active. Check Twitter and search for #gov20 and see what’s going on out there…the level of involvement and discussion may surprise you.

I guess my point is, you’re not the first administration or individual to grapple with the idea of using social media in government. While you may not even realize the opportunity of using it within your administration or organization at this time, it benefits you to consider this sooner rather than later. Find out what’s already been done. See how you can actually build upon this to make government better and help serve citizens more efficiently. Create more transparency.

Because, in the end, wasn’t the point of running for office to actually create positive changes and make things better? I hope you’ll consider how Gov 2.0 will be part of that equation.

Social Media Echo Chamber of Politics

Wed, 03 Nov 2010 17:06:40 -0400

The mid-term elections have been exhausting for most of us for a variety of reasons. Whether you’re sick of emails or robo calls, or your job was on the line, chances are you are ready to take a well deserved breather. I’m not going to talk about any specifics today…I’ll leave that to the pundits who want to dissect what went wrong or right for each candidate. What I want to talk about is the social media echo chamber many of us witnessed this political season.

I have been one of the more active voices in Ohio advocating for the value of social media in government and, by relation, in politics. But I must say I’m disappointed in how social media was used by all sides. Somewhere along the line I think people got the impression that the Obama campaign used social media only to push messages. To be fair, that may be somewhat true, but they also inspired people to share and push messages to their friends. Even this week, did you notice how many people encouraged each other to vote on Facebook and Twitter? The Obama campaign made things like this cool and exciting to participate in.

But what was lost on certain political staffers and advisors is how social media works best. Things have changed in the past two years. Social media participants generally expect more than one way communications these days. They may follow your political tweet stream because they support you…but if you already have these votes, what are you gaining? At most, perhaps a retweet here and there. And your staff, who enjoy sharing every flaw of the opposing team, are surely quite vocal. But they have hardly any followers, fans, etc. And all of the ones they have are also the already converted. So they spend most of the time talking to each other and getting each other hyped up. This is the social media political echo chamber, and it’s not particularly useful for advancing your campaign.

Some politicians will wake up this morning and begin making the transition from campaigning via social media to the world of government 2.0. Many more politicians are waking up this morning and know they have a few years before they make another go at any type of office. Social media will continue to be a huge part of people’s lives, and campaigns should keep it central to their communications and outreach strategy. But here are a few tips for building value through social media in the political world:

Learn the space you want to participate in. This does not just mean 6 months or 6 weeks before an election. How do people communicate and what types of communications provide the most value to users?
Figure out who to follow and how to target potential followers/converts. Imagine instead of just tweeting to each other if you found people with actual concerns or questions in the social media space and reached out to them and answered them or engaged them in conversation. Think how much more likely they are to go tell their friends about their experience. This is similar to the idea of having a candidate knock on doors—but they don’t even have to leave their desk.
Be real. I understand that candidates or leaders cannot always participate on social media as themselves. However, many other politicians do it. Really. Consider participating as yourself on a regular basis (even once or twice a week is a start!) And learn to use a smart phone to update Facebook and Twitter. It’s not that hard and people will think you’re more ”with it.”
Social media is not just for the campaign trail. If you want to build a lasting presence and relationship with people, make social media a part of your professional life, your campaign strategy, and your official use once in office. Citizens are present on these channels 365 days a year and you will learn alot about yourself, the way you present your issues, and the way you govern. It may spur positive changes on all fronts.

What have I missed? I’m sure there are things you’ve noticed this season. Please add your comments.

"There’s not a lot of news when [a] company takes responsibility and moves on. The good..."

Tue, 07 Sep 2010 12:15:00 -0400

“There’s not a lot of news when [a] company takes responsibility and moves on. The good crisis-management examples rarely end waving the flag of victory. They end with a whisper, and it’s over in a day or two.”

- James Donnelly, senior vice president for crisis management at the public relations colossus Ketchum quoted in a recent N.Y. Times article on crisis communication In Case of Emergency: What Not to Do

Social Media is Getting Schooled

Thu, 26 Aug 2010 10:01:29 -0400

Social Media is Getting Schooled:

Interesting post from Ogilvy PR regarding a recent finding from the Society for New Communications Research: higher education is outpacing the Fortune 500 in social media adoption by more than 2 to 1.

Four Steps for Personal Crisis Management

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 13:09:15 -0400

So, the shoe has dropped. You messed up, you’ve been thrown under the bus, and you’re filled with that feeling of dread. What do you do now? The next decisions you make are crucial to managing your personal crisis.

Step One: Think Before You Speak

Take the time to breathe. Listen to what the other party has to say. If your boss or someone else is mad at you about this crisis issue, try very hard to hear what they are saying. Resist the urge to become defensive. Defending yourself right now is not likely to change the person’s opinion. Their goal is to tell you why they are angry and they want to make sure you are listening to them, not formulating excuses.

The best case scenario is to be alerted to the crisis prior to confrontation. In this case, think about your position. What is your excuse or reasoning? How would it be perceived by your boss or the public? Take the time to anticipate what questions or accusations you might be met with and draft a few brief responses. Consider what your goal is in your communication: clarity, apology, etc.

Step Two: Imagine a Neutral Party

Part of what can be so difficult when handling a personal crisis is that you may have anger towards the person(s) confronting you. Your emotions towards this person or group of people will shine through in your response and your handling of the situation and this is not likely to help you. Instead, try to imagine a neutral party who is also in a position of power…perhaps the president instead of the vice president or another director or manager. Imagine that this party is the one addressing you with the same concerns or issues. How would you respond to them? This will help you maintain your composure and stay professional at all times. This will also help you realize that perhaps there are things you could have done differently to avoid the crisis in the first place.

Step Three: Resolve the Crisis

How can you resolve the crisis at hand? Unless you have to resign, do not leave your job. Avoid taking a “personal” day or calling in sick, as this will just make you look worse. You do not want people to think you have a bad attitude or that you are abandoning your job. Instead, keep a low profile and keep working. Do not stop doing any aspects of your job unless instructed.

Consider the crisis from the other party’s point of view—what do they want you to do? Generally, you will need to acknowledge the mistake(s), apologize for your actions or lack of action, and define what steps you are taking to avoid repeating these mistakes. If the crisis is something fixable, then offer to fix it or work with someone who can. If the problem is water under the bridge, focus on moving forward and doing good work. Remember that you can’t control how other people feel, but you can control your work product and your attitude.

Step Four: Learn Your Lesson

It is difficult to accept mistakes or that we may simply just not be good at something. Take the time to truly try to learn from the situation. Perhaps you’ve learned that this job is not a good fit for your skills or personality. Or perhaps you’ve learned not to over share or trust too much. Maybe you’ve learned that nothing is truly off the record. Whatever the case may be, even if you lost your job over the mistake, you have to find the strength to learn and move on. It’s similar to “Keep Calm and Carry On,” but I encourage you to remain professional, confident, and committed to quality work. If you give yourself permission to move on from the crisis, others will too.

PS. If you do happen to get fired, just smile and say thank you. Then go pack up your stuff. Your composure will really throw people for a loop.

Marketing Like a Superbrand Doesn’t Make Sense in Government and Higher Education

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 12:55:00 -0400

Let’s be clear up front, you’re brand is probably not Coca Cola or Apple. Unless of course you are Coca Cola and Apple, then welcome. But, more than likely, the group of people that relate to your organization as a brand is different than your potential customer group. This is especially true in government and higher education.

While you might have your NASA or your Harvard, where people would proudly where shirts emblazoned with logos prior to building a relationship with you, chances are this is not the case. Your regular government agency or university is not “sexy.” And there are so many other agencies or universities that your constituents or potential students probably don’t even know for sure the immense variety of what you do or offer.

It is easier to spend marketing dollars on name recognition, however if no one knows what you offer them, what are you hoping to get in return for this investment? The same goes for social media, it is harder to build a community with a group of people who do not already know and understand your core brand.

In order to get the most bang for your buck, take a look at the programs and services you offer. Do you have a top notch state park system? Do you have a PR program that is resonating with a whole new demographic? These are the things that will resonate with specific groups of constituents. If you identify areas to strategically market towards or build communities around, chances are you will be more successful and develop more engaged long-term relationships.

Remember, people care about what your brand/organization means to them…not necessarily what you want them to care about.

To Friend or Be Friended on Social Media

Wed, 16 Jun 2010 17:10:00 -0400

Some questions or revelations about social media come out of how you personally relate to businesses and companies. As I was driving in a small Columbus, Ohio suburb passed several resale shops, I thought to myself about a local shop that I have a relationship with. I have bought items there and even sold items there. Several times, the owner has encouraged me to send them pictures of the furniture in our house or to join their Facebook group to share. Still, I have yet to make the effort. It doesn’t mean I don’t like the shop or wouldn’t recommend them to someone. I have just not found any personal reason or benefit to build an online relationship with this business at this time.

I then thought to myself that while I have not friended or liked this business, if they sent me a friend or fan request, I would probably approve it. Should I expect this business to be proactive? No, but it might be beneficial to them.

Let’s suppose the company takes the time to invite new customers to like them on Facebook;
The new customer, having had a hopefully positive experience, may be more likely to accept the request and potentially build on the relationship.
The customer may find out more about the business that would increase their patronage, or they may share information about the business with other friends.
This step happens far more quickly than relying on the customer to take the initiative to search and “like” the business on their own.

Sure, this is an ok idea for a small business, but how would you feel about a large corporation doing this? Would it annoy you if Apple immediately asked you to like them after you bought your iPad? Or if Travelocity wants you to like their travel gnome after you book that flight to Vegas?

What about Government? Would it creep you out if a state park asked you to like them after you stayed over night at a park lodge? What about after you renewed your plates at the BMV (you bought the new license plate, so know they ask you to like it.) What about the IRS after you pay your taxes? Ok, perhaps that goes a little too far…

I do see the potential benefit for Higher Ed. A student comes for a college visit or enrolls for the first time, and they receive a Twitter follow or a Facebook request. Somehow that doesn’t seem as threatening. Now the student is able to build a relationship with the University and other students.

So what do you think? Is it more authentic and more valuable to let the customers come to you? Or, does it make sense for companies and organizations to be proactive and find their potential friends/fans online first?

Specialists and Strategists: Finding Balance

Fri, 04 Jun 2010 12:31:50 -0400

Providing value to your organization or team means different things at different times. In my opinion, an employee is most valuable being a specialist and “doing” things as well as being a strategist and thinking about doing things differently or better. While I value the specialization of having someone who just sees the nuts and bolts or someone who just sees big picture, these folks may make blind decisions. What happens if a politician makes promises that are impossible to keep? Or a worker fails to see to the possibility of innovation?

This yin and yang is sometimes frustrating. The specialists may feel that they have heard all these big ideas before and that they are a waste of time. The strategists may feel limited and oppressed by the specialist’s lack of vision. I don’t think it’s possible to find a 50/50 equilibrium. But I do encourage strategists to not lose sight of their speciality. If you know how to do web design or marketing or media relations or whatever you did before…try to find ways to still use these skills.

Tips for the strategist to find and maintain balance:

Commit to maintain your skill sets. Don’t lose your aptitude for your specialty just because you were promoted.
Talk to the people who are specialists. Especially those who report to you! Know what is going on in the industry, what the problems are, and what the areas are for improvement. You might come up with a great idea.
Cross train employees. Having your specialists gain a broader perspective for organization functions helps improve workflow and communication. Again, you may find that ideas are born just from getting another perspective on a project or task.
Serve as a back up. When a specialist takes a vacation or is off sick, cover their duties. This gives you an opportunity to keep your skills sharp and provides a balance to your big picture strategy. This also helps you maintain relationships with contacts and vendors.

How do you maintain balance in your job between strategy and specialization? What did I miss?

What Happened to the Leaders of the Email Revolution?

Tue, 11 May 2010 13:02:16 -0400

Once upon a time in business, government, higher ed, non-profits…somebody somewhere must have been responsible for encouraging organizations to adopt email. This post dates me, but I imagine a time in the 1980’s when businesses still relied on carbon copies, phone calls, and letters. And maybe people had personal word processors…but hardly anyone had networked, online computer systems. (I seem to remember my parents starting to use computers at work in the early 1990’s.)

Who were the people that stood up within these respective fields and said “There’s this thing called email and we need to look at the business implications”? And why are we not hearing their stories or advice more? I, personally, would love to know how these advocates and evangelists convinced people that email was a good thing. I want to know, were there immediately guidelines issued for email use? What were the roadblocks or crisis communications situations that occurred?

I have yet to meet any self-identified email evangelists. I have to believe they are out there…but I have no hard proof. What happened to them? Have they retired, moved on to other innovations, etc. I think there are things we could learn from them about social media and the potential stumbling blocks we face. We are trying to change the way we do business, just like these email evangelists must have done.

If you have encountered any of these thought leaders from the email revolution, I have a few questions:

Who was responsible for helping government and higher education see the light? How long of a process was it to gain buy-in and adoption?
If you have talked with these people, where are they now and what advice have they given you regarding social media? Do they support social media in business?

What do you think we could learn from the email revolution?