The Emmy Awards & The Social Media Red Carpet

Ryan Seacrest is notorious for tweeting every chance he gets - especially when he was chilling out with his celebs on the Academy Awards' red carpet.

Now it was Jimmy Fallon's turn - as he tweeted with the best of them at the Emmy Awards last night. Hollywood was buzzing with social media mania last night as tweeters and Facebookers shot off the latest updates on their social media sites.

NBC was on top of their social media game last night! By the way, big congrats to my favorite show, Mad Men, and actor Jon Hamm (please call me, Mr.  Hamm, if you should end up single or without a publicist!)

The big players are smart - using social media to increase their ratings. The power of social media is definitely making a bit hit on the airwaves these days.

So how many TV celebs did you stalk on Twitter last night?

Twiffienciency Not So Twifficient - Bordering Spammy!

Have you heard about Twifficiency?

Yes, another new Twitter app that calculates your Tweety-ness, or in this case your "Twifficiency."

Since it launched last week, Twitter streams have been bombarded with tweeters' rates. It has been touted as a "rogue" application and has received criticism - that even techno savvy users can be tricked into spamming (it blasts out everyone's score via tweets). It helps to read the fine print.

It turns out it was a young emo-esque lad from Scotland didn't think his app would take off and be this popular - let alone turn into a Spam Fest on Twitter. Even Google execs failed the Twiffiency exam - read the full scoop here.

http://techcrunch.com/2010/08/17/twifficiency/

Check Your Ego at the Door - How Social Media Lost Its Manners

What happened to common courtesy? More specifically, what happened to professionalism and good manners on social media platforms?

I'm not even talking about Facebook (not that I'm excusing anyone who uses Facebook to blast and criticize others!) It's time for people to start checking their ego at the door because there is no room in professional social networking for huge egos and negativity. It's turned into one big slam fest. I've written about this topic before but it seems to have grown worse over the summer months.

Why are these people so bitter? Did they lose their job? Do they hate the economy and give into all the negative hype in our world right now? Do they need a good dose of Deepak Chopra and Tony Robbins? What's up with their bad 'tudes?

It has turned into a "look at me, look at me!" show-down where these supposed business professionals try to one up each other. I've met some amazing people on LinkedIn and have found clients on there so the power of LinkedIn works - when people actually USE it in a positive way and aren't such Debbie and Danny Downers.

Competition is good - don't get me wrong. However, telling people they suck or people's posts are "just sad" (direct quote from a marketing professional on there who shall remain nameless) is beyond rude and unprofessional. As a freelancer, I always try to put my best "face" forward especially when my words represent who I am and my business brand. 

It's not surprising that people are getting fired from their jobs based on what they write on social media sites. If I had employees and saw the horrible things they wrote to other business professionals on LinkedIn, they would be fired - no questions asked.

So for all the egomaniacs who post on professional networking sites such as LinkedIn, I have one question for you: do you talk to your mother like that? I didn't think so!

My advice - skip over groups that don't interest you and keep your negativity to yourself. There's no need to harass, threaten, put down, criticize or chastize others because they don't have the same type of experience you have or GASP, they repeated the same information that someone just posted ten posts ago. 

If some of these egos are checked at the door - maybe just maybe - social media can find its manners again. I'm hopeful.

The Soft Sell Technique - How to Make Lasting Impressions & Relationships

As a fundraiser who met with corporate executives on a regular basis, I learned that going in for the kill (aka the ASK, as we called it in fundraising) was NOT the way to cultivate relationships.

The term "soft sell" was common lingo in my fundraising world. I was selling awareness - bottom line. It wasn't about going in there and asking for a huge chunk of change. Why would these corporate big whigs want to become a corporate sponsor for my golf tournament? What was in it for them? The benefits?

Preparation was the key and research! Lots of research! I dug out my Book of Lists and spent time researching their philanthropy history. I never went into that initial meeting blindly. I learned names - and who made the ultimate decision.

So what can the fundraising "soft sell" technique teach you? It's all about taking the soft approach with your clients and customers. People aren't going to part with their money just like that! They need a reason and a good reason to invest their money and their time into a worthwhile cause. In your case, you want people to find a good reason to invest in your product or service.

I massaged a lot of relationships during my non-profit days and many did not donate right away or they donated something even more valuable - their time and their employees' time (volunteering is worth its weight in gold!)

Traditional sales and marketing tout that the only way to make the sale is that you MUST go in for the KILL. That's the fastest and easiest way to turn off people and lose customers for good. Who wants an aggressive, fire-breathing salesperson in your face or on the phone with you 24,7?

If you want to make a lasting impression and build long-lasting relationships, it's all about cultivation and massaging that relationship - and it may take two months or it might take a year. Be genuine and don't shine on people with a "waste their time" dog and pony show.

People aren't dumb and they can smell a fake a mile away.

So forget any hard sales tactics you've learned along the way and opt for the soft sell. Be consistent and keep it real!

Mobile Marketing - The Power of Text Messages

I recently took a breather and have enjoyed a few vacations recently. At the airport, I noticed that a LOT of people were using mobile devices to check their email or to update their Facebook (not to mention my friends and family members who are iPhone and Blackberry addicts!)

Like my fellow travelers, I probably use text messaging far more than my email these days and makes running my life and business a lot easier!

As I thought about HOW many people use a cell phone with text features, I realized that if businesses really want to capture live audiences, then mobile marketing is the way to go these days! 

As the world goes "mobile," it makes sense to incorporate mobile marketing campaigns into your marketing and promotions strategies. 

Benefits of mobile marketing include:

- Quickly reaches a HUGE global audience 

- Mobile users respond faster to text messages compared to standard email campaigns 

- Use mobile marketing to blast out special deals and giveaways (especially if you are in the sales and/or retail industry!)

- Cost-effective and efficient - you don't have to break the bank to implement mobile marketing.

It also helps to stay on top of the latest technology trends and mobile apps (the iPhone comes out with new apps daily!) 

Happy Texting! 

Copywriting Vs Copyrighting - No, It's Not About Books

As a copywriter, I am asked all the time: "Do you work with books?" I actually did work in publishing many moons ago, but I don't "copyright" books. I write sales and promotional copy for websites, email campaigns, white papers, marketing/sales collateral, etc. I also write press releases, articles and blogs.

Just a quick lesson on copywriting and copywriters:

• Wikipedia's definition - "Copywriting is the use of words to promote a person, business, opinion or idea. Although the word copy may be applied to any content intended for printing (as in the body of a newspaper article or book), the term copywriter is generally limited to such promotional situations, regardless of media."
  

• A copywriter is hired to write advertising, sales or publicity-based copy.

A copywriter CAN write articles and probably knows AP-Style like the back of their hand. Like me, some of us copywriters have journalism backgrounds but that's not always the case. 

Don't assume that a copywriter also DESIGNS websites. Some freelance copywriters are knowledgeable in HTML and some offer two-fold services - copywriting and web design but that's usually not the case. Don't always assume a copywriter is a designer and vice versa - designers aren't copywriters either!

Before hiring a freelance copywriter, check out their writing samples and always ask for references. Be wary of hiring a copywriter through freelance bidding sites - you get what you pay for and content writers are NOT copywriters. There is a HUGE difference. There's a certain trick and talent when it comes to writing effective sales copy. 

If you hire a copywriter, please take their work and efforts seriously. If you think YOU can do a better job writing copy, then don't hire a professional copywriter. 

IF you want to increase sales and  profits, improve your branding, add SEO copy to your social media and websites or take your marketing campaign to a new level- think about taking the pressure off your shoulders! Hire marketing professionals and copywriters to do the hard work for you.

There's a reason why us copywriters are out there - it's our job to make you sound great without sounding too gimmicky or fluffy.

Don't pretend you're a writer when you aren't. We all have our strengths and weaknesses. If you are trying to save a buck and write the copy yourself - you actually could put yourself out of business. The written word sends a powerful message and your reputation is always on the line (especially ONLINE!)

Seminars, Classes & Events - What's Your Real ROI?

Recently, a friend asked my advice about teaming up with a few colleagues for a joint event/class. She was dealing with some issues regarding expenses and her ROI based on the time and energy she put into the class's preparations.

I think joint partnerships and cross-promotions are an excellent idea. After years of event planning and working in non-profit, I highly recommend joint special events (especially if you want to save a few marketing dollars!) It can save all parties involved time and money; however, there are few pitfalls you need to avoid from a marketing viewpoint.

1. Sign a contract. I know that sounds a bit stringent but make sure you have everything in writing with all speakers involved. Make sure that you divide your profits equally (dependent upon the role/participation of each speaker).

2. Agree upon a reasonable fee and make sure you make a profit from the fees you charge. If your expenses are more than your fees, you may need to re-adjust your fees. Think about your expenses: room rental and miscellaneous costs such as food and beverages, printing, marketing, etc.

3. Look for cost-effective ways to reduce your expenses. Does one of the speakers have a conference room that you can use for free?

4. Don't go overboard with what you present to guests/attendees. Don't bombard your audiences with information overload. Keep the presentations to a minimum allotted time and don't make them fall asleep with too much or boring information!

5. Always survey your guests. Ask guests to fill out a quick questionnaire to see what part of the class they liked/disliked. This is a great way to target your audience even better, and present them with valuable information at your next class/seminar!