Wednesday
03Mar2010

Harassment, it's not just for the telephone in 2010

DateWednesday, March 3, 2010 at 8:47PM

In the past week, I've had four salespeople contact me through Twitter to ask how they can get more business out of me. No warm-up, no wait to see if I'd start following them, just Tweeting with @zanehagy or @z11comm in the message, and trying to assist me with clients.

For those of you using Twitter, do you remember when it was cool? Talking about the things you liked, disliked, promoted....I tried to keep 80% of it personal, and sprinkle in a few pieces of data that I thought people would find worthwhile.

Now, it seems that most of the folks online have one  of two goals. To move product, or to sell you on the idea of how to get more followers. I have no idea why I'd want to buy more followers that'll try to sell me things, but I guess it could make me feel loved.

Harassment from the sales call used to be restricted to the phone, but those days are gone. I'm just waiting for the FCC to put forth a DO NOT TWEET list, so that people can't talk about me if they only want to push something on me.

AuthorRingleader | CommentPost a Comment |
Saturday
27Feb2010

Retweeting, the sincerest form of gossip

DateSaturday, February 27, 2010 at 8:07PM

Not long ago, I remember reading a reference that a 'retweet' had become the newest form of flattery. The statement has some truth to it. I'll admit, I get warm fuzzies when I see others reference things I've said. Going beyond flattery, however, the retweet is also one of the fastest way to spread rumors and gossip. 

In the past week, I've seen two highly-skilled communications professionals retweet posts that simply weren't accurate, essentially spreading false data. I'm not implying that anyone posted false data purposefully, just pointing out how things can spread. 

If you're going to retweet someone, make sure you at least verify that they know what they're talking about. Don't just strive to be the first person to repeat the information. And, once you verify the data, consider posting your own comment and helping the conversation grow, rather than just pushing the same peanut forward.

AuthorRingleader | CommentPost a Comment |
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Saturday
20Feb2010

It’s not a fad, it’s communication

DateSaturday, February 20, 2010 at 10:06PM
Social media. I’m tired of the topic, but it’s not going away anytime soon. 
Every few seconds, someone like myself is publishing a blog article about social media usage. Then they’ll Tweet about it, post it to Facebook, make a vlog, Buzz it, and do one of several other things to it. This will build to the ever-increasing stockpile of proof that social media is a fad or revolution of sorts.
I hate to jump on an overloaded bandwagon, but in a sense, there is a revolution underway. Once upon a time, people such as myself crafted messages and then spent fortunes trying to take these messages to the public. Those days are gone. Now, the public is easily accessible, and they’re already talking about every message that we can conceive. The new goal is to catch these waves of communication, and ride them to shore. 
Ignoring social media channels would be similar to not installing a telephone because you consider it a fad. However, it’s simply one tiny component in your communications strategy. You still have to reach out properly and manage your brand. Social media will not replace other necessary tasks.
If you’re one of the folks that haven’t moved into the social media realm yet, it’s very likely that you’ll have to. However, you don’t have to do it today. Develop a strategy first, identify goals that you can measure, and hire a professional to assist you if needed. 
Social media isn’t going away. The phone didn’t. Television hasn’t. But social media isn’t a magic bullet either. Make it a part of your overall strategy. Think first, then act.
AuthorRingleader | Comment1 Comment |
Friday
05Feb2010

UT Federal Credit Union, orange is in your corner

DateFriday, February 5, 2010 at 5:59AM

We don't usually use the blog to show individual pieces of work, but we're simply loving the new UT Federal Credit Union "I Love Orange" campaign. 

Throughout the year, watch for variations on this theme, and see all the ways that UT Federal Credit Union is on your side.

AuthorRingleader | CommentPost a Comment |
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Sunday
17Jan2010

Fancy Food Show

DateSunday, January 17, 2010 at 8:56AM

Today, I'm wandering aimlessly at the Fancy Food Show in San Francisco. Luckily, I have the opportunity to join Papaw Tom's Foods here as they reach out to retailers.

I've been somewhat surprised at the lack of social media knowledge in the crowd, but they're certainly working to blow through the learning curve.

Pictures of our excellent Papaw Tom's packaging, as well as other examples of good design, will be posted soon.

AuthorRingleader | CommentPost a Comment |
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