Being heard above the noise

The world of social media is noisy. As users and practitioners, we are consistently hit from all platforms with what can only be described as "noise". How does one group of social media marketers, in particular, insure that their message is heard above all others?

Nonprofits are just such a group. They must struggle, on very limited resources, getting their message heard. 

Simply having a presence on social media does not automatically make their voices any louder. One of the biggest mistakes being made by nonprofits is that they make the attempt to start a conversation among their followers but rarely participate fully in that conversation. They will post or tweet an event notice or a link to a relevant article with the hope that it will take on a life of its own. As marketers, we know this is not the case.

However, for profit businesses have the edge on the nonprofits. They have the resources to hire marketing professionals to lead and drive the online conversations. Nonprofits, more often than not, must rely on limited resources; both in terms of manpower and financial capital.

So, how does a nonprofit make itself heard?  How does one differentiate itself from another? How do they promote their prime objectives without coming across as desperate and obtrusive?

1. Make sure everyone is on the same page when it comes to its social media objective. If the nonprofit's board of directors, executive director, paid staff and, even, volunteers are not in agreement on the social media marketing plan; all attempts to be heard will fall on deaf ears.

2. Simply creating a Facebook page, a Google Plus page or a Twitter account for the sake of having one does not create the conversation necessary to promote the nonprofit's objectives. There must be someone, whether a paid staffer or a volunteer, whose primary function is to market on social media.  Many nonprofits, again due to staffing and/or financial restrictions, assign this task to those that are already overwhelmed with their primary job responsibilities. If one person is tasked with both payroll and marketing functions; it is a given that the payroll functions will trump all other tasks.

3. The nonprofit needs to actively partner with community pages in their area. Not only does it promote the nonprofit, it builds the reputation of the entire community. Facebook community pages which promote a town or city are continually on the lookout for events and causes to showcase that shed a positive light on their locale.  Unfortunately, without these partnerships, they usually find themselves scrambling for meaningful content. These partnerships are a win-win situation for all involved.

These three simple steps are a start in enabling nonprofits to raise their voices; to make some noise of their own. Noise worth paying attention to.

Is Facebook failing us or are we failing Facebook?

First, let me get it out in the open that I strongly believe in the power of Facebook when it comes to branding, marketing and overall connection with friends and family. However, as I look back on this election season, I have to admit that I am torn over whether Facebook failed or whether it was our preconceived notion of our role as users that failed our entire social, political and religious belief system.

A majority of Facebook users interact with friends and family who hold the same set of political, social and religious beliefs as they do. A vast number of users will share links that correspond with these sets of beliefs; and most often with their security settings adjusted to share to friends and family only. Many of us make a conscious choice of who we share posts with. Having been the victim of internet trolls more times than I can count; I purposely decide on my audience before each and every post on Facebook. Is this selective posting process, under the guise of internet security, preventing the dissemination of important social, political and religious issues to a wider, more diverse audience?

Granted, Facebook is not the ultimate deciding factor in political elections, charitable donations or religious enlightenment.  However, are we shortchanging the issues we believe in through this avoidance of online confrontation with those who believe differently than we do? To those that put themselves out there without fear of confrontation, I commend you all.  As for myself and others, we have allowed ourselves to become so self conscious of how we are perceived by fellow Facebook users that we are failing, not only Facebook, but ourselves and our own belief systems.

When did we decide being positive was a "thing"?

There have been an overwhelming amount of local, national and international issues that are acknowledged, discussed and debated on social media. All too often, many find themselves getting so caught up in the negative posts that they fail to see anything positive in the world around them.

For every negative or hateful post that we share, comment on or retweet, though our intentions are good; is actually helping to spread the negativity to a much broader audience. We are inadvertently forcing the hate and negativity upon our Facebook friends, Google connections or Twitter followers. The haters are essentially winning.

There's been much written about the overwhelming amount of negative posts made on Facebook, Google Plus, Twitter, etc. and their effects on the social media experience.  Lately, even being a positive poster has become a "thing". So much so, that many, including myself, are called out for putting positive, cheerful twists on a large majority of our posts.

We have been chastised both publicly and privately for not caring about what is happening on the world stage; we have been called to task for posting too much fluff and not enough substance.

On behalf of all the positive posters on social media, I would like to set the record straight:

• Are we oblivious to what is going on in the world around us?  For the most part; no, we are not.  We would rather promote the organizations and events that address the inequalities and injustices through positive action, than bring attention to the negative and often misinformed views of the haters. Many of us care as much as the next person. We would rather promote how to combat the negative through positive and productive means than to perpetuate the hate.
• Don't you get tired been upbeat all the time?  One thing many people tend to take for granted is that positive posters are positive 24/7 both online and off. That is far from the case. There are many times when we are as moody as the rest of the online community. We make a conscious effort to put forth a certain public positiveness while we deal privately with whatever may be bothering us at a particular moment in time.  We are not heartless or uncaring. Sometimes we may even find ourselves caring too much.
• Don't you feel guilty when you do, on occasion, post something of a negative nature? Yes, there are times we may have something to gripe about or simply share that may not be our usual positive post. That is just part of life's reality. We do our best not to dwell on it and move on to what we hope is a more pleasant and positive topic. However, that does not mean that we don't continue to work toward a common resolution in our real, offline lives. 

There are enough online forums for people to spew their hate and venom either about us, our friends, our community or the world, in general.  We refuse to allow it to seep into our online personal space. It that too much to expect? Are we being unrealistic? Maybe so; but we would rather face that world with the figurative smile on our faces and bounce in our steps; then not face it at all. All we ask is that you don't make it a "thing".

How Engaging Are You?

As I delve further into the world of Social Media, I am dumbfounded as to the quality; and in many cases, the lack of customer interaction by local and national businesses and organizations. I realize that I have touched on this topic in previous posts. However, recent events have compelled me to expand on my original thoughts.

Corporate America has jumped on the social media bandwagon in order to build its client base and drive up sales.  Nothing wrong with that; so far so good.  We also know that the larger your client base the more likely you will receive complaints along with the compliments. No business is perfect. There is always going to be something the consumer is going to complain about; whether it be pricing, product quality, etc.  It is the nature of doing business.  

Engaging and interacting with your client base in a positive and forthright manner is one the tried and true ways to build both your online and offline brand reputations. Copying and pasting the same "canned" corporate approved response to each and every complaint and comment posted to social media platforms does not qualify as sincere customer engagement. It only serves to add credence to the original complaints due to its lack of sincerity and originality. 

I am of the old school where personal interaction always takes precedence when dealing with both established and potential clients.  Many of those same tried and true techniques are easily transferable to the social media environment.  It has become apparent that many administrators of these various platforms are not skilled in these time honored customer engagement skills.  We can blame it on corporate downsizing resulting in the loss of veteran employees or simply that these "newbies" in the field just are not being mentored properly in these skills.

When something goes awry whether it be with a product or messaging, acknowledge the mistake and share the corrective actions that you plan on taking.  Many times, we do not learn of the mistake until someone points it out; usually in a very public setting.  The tendency is to immediately go on the defensive. Do your best to avoid the urge. Becoming defensive and redistributing the blame is as bad as responding with a canned corporate response

Businesses and organizations that continue on this track will eventually end up with no one to engage with.   

The Microfiche of the New Millenium

Before Facebook, Twitter and other online media sites, sources for news and information were newspapers, radio, and grainy images on roof antenna tuned black & white televisions.  To satisfy their curiosity about a certain subject, people made their way to the library, browsed the card catalog, and actually opened books and periodicals. Many a student had a "love-hate" relationship with Encyclopedia Britannica and the Dewey Decimal System.  The closest thing to computer monitors was the microfiche.  Endless hours were spent scrolling through screen after screen of ancient images and text.  It could be argued that it was a much simpler time; or was it?  

Fast forward to the 21st century and the means of obtaining information has changed dramatically.  While there’s still print media, radio and television; a vast majority of the information is obtained via online sources. There is no time to comprehend a posting before the next bit of information is online ready to be viewed.  Is this need for instantaneous information,  a byproduct of man’s technological advancement, doing the world a disservice?

Imagine how the events of the past would have been perceived if they were transmitted via the Internet.  Would the NY Jets' 1969 Super Bowl win have been as exciting?  How fast would images of the Bill Buckner’s error during the 1986 World Series have trended on Twitter? Would YouTube videos depicting neighborhood children waving at the moon to astronauts in July of 1969 gone viral? Would the massive civil rights, anti-war and equal rights protests have simply been relegated to online petition campaigns such as moveon.org and change.org?  If so, would their historic significance have been diminished or increased?

Prior to the Internet, news came at a pace comfortable enough for people to readily absorb and subsequently formulate their own opinions. Information is now received so quickly that many are unable to form objective opinions. The wave of information is streaming to laptops, tablets and smart phones at a record pace. Opinions have become more subjective and from gut instinct.

Granted, the Internet does offer more options than the library of the mid-twentieth century ever could.  Even so, how many take the time to Google or Bing a topic prior to posting their commentary?  These are questions that should be answered.  Can the answers be found before the next breaking news post since the Internet waits for no one?

Are You Marketing Socially?

As a social media marketer, do you find yourself simply marketing on social media platforms or are you marketing socially? Many may ask, what's the difference? There is a big difference; one that determines whether your social media marketing campaign is a successful one or not.

Social media is all about connections and conversations. This is what sets social media marketing apart from print, radio and television advertising. While they are one-way streets, social media platforms allow us to have two-way conversations. Conversations that enable us to engage with our followers (or customers). 

These conversations; however, are important to develop relationships more so than selling a product or brand. Many social media marketers tend to forget this. Developing a personal rapport with your followers and customers should be a priority in all your social media marketing campaigns.

As a marketer for several different brands, businesses and organizations; I can tell you it takes a lot of trial and error to find the right mix for each one. What works for one organization may not necessarily work for another. However, there are some basic tips that, if followed, will help anyone either just starting out or reevaluating their social media marketing strategies.

1. Keep it simple - When posting about your product, brand, organization or community, keep it simple. Users of social media platforms are not apt to read through paragraphs of product descriptions or reasons why they should like your brand. They will probably lose interest after the first couple of sentences and move on to something else.

2. Personalize it - Posting images of the organization's staff out in the community will draw your followers into the conversation. Of course, the appropriateness of the image must always be considered. An image of your human resources director partying it up at a local bar is probably not as appropriate as an image of them attending a employee benefits workshop. 

3. Keep the conversation going - This is probably the most important tip of all. You have gotten a conversation going whether it is on Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus or any of the many other social media platforms. Followers are commenting, sharing or retweeting. Acknowledge this engagement. Reply to their comments; both positive and negative. 

Unlike a 30 second television commercial, social media marketing has an unlimited life span. It is up the the social media marketer to continue to breathe life into it.

Page Manager's Biggest Fear: No One Showing Up to the Party

Your event, sales or fundraising team has come up with the best (in their minds, at least) event concept ever. The date, time and venue are set. Now, it is on your shoulders to promote it via your social media channels and get the people to walk in the door.

You create the event; putting in the extra effort of including an eye catching event image and a captivating event description. You even remember to invite your personal online connections. You are confident that people will be knocking down the doors to attend; you may even have to have the event budget adjusted to include the cost of a bouncer.

A little too optimistic?  Of course it is. Anyone who has set up an event on social media knows that 9 times out of 10; a majority of the people that say they are going to attend an event never show up.  

So, what is a page manager to do? While, no one tip or technique is a surefire cure all; there are a few things you can do (and not do) to increase your chances of success.

1. Utilize the social media platform that is appropriate for your event. Industry or professional specific events are best shared on LinkedIn. A workshop on the bioethics is not going to garner the too much interest on Facebook as it would on a bioethics group on LinkedIn.  Conversely, sale events at a local business would garner more traffic on Facebook than it would on LinkedIn.
2. Encourage traffic to the event page; especially on Facebook, by posting updates and images about the event. It will draw those who have already accepted their invitations to the page; an action which will then show up on their friends' news feeds and tickers.
3. Tag community or business partners in as many ways as you can. Their fans will have their curiosity peaked. However, do not fall into the trap of sharing the event on every single community page as you can. There are clearly certain events that do not belong on certain pages.  Posting the link to a political rally on a business' page will not only not help your cause but also may harm the business by alienating some of their followers.
4. Never wait until the last minute. Creating the event online too close to the date is never a good idea. First, it tends to look like you and your organization waited until the last minute; even though months may have gone into the planning. Second, we all lead very active lives between work, school, family and social activities. Finding the perfect date to hold an event is never easy. The sooner you begin to promote your event, the better.
5. If you are also sending out email or snail mail invitations, include the link to your online event so the invitees can keep up to date on any last minute changes.  
6. Always acknowledge and respond to any and all comments made on the event page. Make your guests feel welcome and appreciated. 
7. Post pictures during and after the event. Nothing says success better than images of people enjoying themselves.

Do you have any tricks on increasing attendance at your events? If so, please feel free in sharing them.