Posts Tagged ‘twitter’
Box Scores, Jan. 11-17 – “Surprises, Entourage & Rockstars”
That’s right, it’s Monday morning and we’ve got some gems for you in our weekly Box Scores. To clear the air, you may recall that I mentioned a little something about a big OTA Sessions announcement last week. Well, while that announcement has yet to come, the good news is that we actually will be revealing some huge news within the next 48 hours. And that’s a fact, Jack! So, start off your week by reading these great posts from the blogosphere last week. Then get ready for…OTA.
There’s a reason Julien Smith has co-written a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestseller. Because he’s good. And this advice from him to you follows suit. If you want to succeed, you have to find success in places that others won’t. As he so eloquently puts it, “This quote, by the Spanish poet Antonio Machado, punched me in the face when I heard it: ‘Traveler, there is no path. Paths are made by walking.’”
Every once in awhile you go to a concert and you walk away more anxious to buy the opening band’s album than the closing band’s. Is it what you expected? Of course not. Is it usually a pleasant (and sometimes BIG) surprise? Yes. Well according to Narciso over at Method + Moxie, part of that surprise comes because the band is willing to go all out and leave everything on stage. So…do you do that in your life every day? As Narciso puts it, “We’ve got so many things that get in the way of our own true strengths.” So stop that. Go surprise someone. Today. Now.
-“What Entourage Can Teach You About Successful Freelancing”
If you’ve never seen HBO’s Entourage, chances are you’ve dreamed about it. One man rises to fame and fortune and brings his best friends along for the ride. Sounds like a blast, right? Well Copyblogger’s Julie Roads realized how similar Entourage is to freelancing, and her points are well-made. If you’re already an Entourage fan, you’ll enjoy this quite a bit. If you’ve never seen Entourage, you just might want to after checking out this stellar post.
-“What makes your advocates feel like rockstars?”
Spike Jones knows a thing or two about building community and igniting movements. It’s sort of why he gets paid. Rather than writing another worn-out “how to be a rockstar” post, Spike takes a different (and probably more important) approach to the rockstar concept – making your supporters feel like rockstars. If you don’t quite understand what “Empower with responsibility” means, you should read this. You’ll be glad you did.
-“My language is just grating!”
This post from Drew McLellan is a two-step reminder not to fall into a rut with your creative language and writing as far as content goes. The first step is the reminder not to do it. The second step is a fun and challenging exercise to help you make sure you’re not doing it. A point to ponder from Drew: “Whether you are a copywriter day in and day out, a business owner who crafts an occasional flier or an exec who writes 10 e-mails and memos a day…your audience deserves your best words.” Truth. Do you give them yours?
And so ends another week of Deep Bench Box Scores. Hopefully you got as much out of these insightful posts as we did. Let us know what you thought by leaving a comment below or tell us if we missed any posts worth including by leaving a link or telling us over on our Facebook page. We collect Box Scores each week for you and would love to hear what you have to say.
Oh, don’t forget…we’ve got exciting news coming very, VERY soon, so get pumped and be ready to buy your OTA Sessions ticket. One glance at the concept (and a second glance at the speaker list) might cause more excitement than you’re prepared for. Be ready, and we’ll be ready for you. See you soon!
Photo (“Rockstar”) by N1NJ4. Thanks N1NJ4!
How To Make A True Community…Graphic.ly
If you’re a part of the marketing/advertising/PR/social media industry, it’s possible and likely that you read 1-7 posts a day on “being real” and “building community.” These posts are written and, presumably, read by you and many other people in this industry.
So why, when I ask for a beta invite to some “social media” app or program, do the informational emails read as follows:
“Hey Mike,
Welcome to ______, a super awesome, well-rounded, and all-powerful social media app that literally does EVERYTHING you want it to do. That’s right. It runs Twitter. And Facebook integration is COMING SOON [Ed. note: This means it does not, in fact, do everything.]. And we’re doing 10 million things to make it better in the next week so that it totally rocks your face off and you love us and we’re awesome and la da da da da….
Thanks for joining our “community,” Mike. We love you and we’re your best friends forever now! P.S. – Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter for a bunch of updates we’ll be emailing you anyway. Hooray social media!
-The ______ Team”
I’ll be honest. These emails almost make my brain explode. And not in a “this is so awesome, I’ll brainsplode from the awesomeness” sort of way. More of a “did they just copy and paste this from the last ‘Generic Social Media App Team’ email I received?” brainsplosion.
And then the always honest, always open Micah Baldwin blew those stereotypical emails away with his beta invite to Graphic.ly. While I’d love to discuss Graphic.ly in detail (seeing as it’s a digital comics platform and I love comics like NBC execs love being stupid), I’m going to focus on something important:
The “Welcome to Graphic.ly” email that Micah sent.
First, after sending the email from HIS actual account (not no-reply@randomapp.com or support@fakeapp.com, but a legitimate, to-Micah’s-inbox email address), Micah says this [with a few parts clipped a little bit]:
“The Graphic.ly Baby Beta is unique in that we are truly giving you a product before it has matured. IT WILL SUCK BADLY….
We decided to give you the Baby Beta because we know that you care about building a really kick ass product, and we know that we must crawl before we can walk. If we dont get you involved now, the end product will just, well, suck badly.
You will be disappointed. A lot, and I mean A LOT, of features are not working yet. We have included only 2 books (all free), which I bet you have read. But the plan was not to wow you with catalog (we have hundreds and hundreds of books and merchandise to upload), but to let you understand what we will be when we are all grown up. We want, when you finally see the final product, to see your fingerprints on it. To be able to tell your friends, “I built that.”
He eventually goes on to explain what beta testers will find, what they’ll think (which is that it will need work, according to Micah) and what we beta testers will do to make it better. He does NOT just go on to say that Graphic.ly is the greatest app/program/whatever ever and will only get better and better and better. He’s REALISTIC about things. Which is so refreshing.
Of course, he’s not done there. Micah then gets super crazy on us and shares not only his personal email address, but also throws out his IM name, his Gtalk name, and his phone number. All of those things.
Granted, it’s not as if the Graphic.ly community is loaded up with spammers that are going to bombard him with annoying messages/thoughts, but I can’t tell you how many apps I’ve received beta invites for and I can’t even name one person who works for them. Typically, a robot sends an email, I glance at it, disregard it and move on. The fact that, if I really wanted to, I could contact Micah himself to discuss improvements to Graphic.ly is so much more real and tangible than any invites I’ve received thus far.
Maybe I’m overreacting. Maybe I just haven’t been a part of the “right” communities and programs. But I checked my inbox on about the last six I’ve received, and Micah’s Graphic.ly email was the only one that compelled me to do more than read it and disregard it.
So, if you’re looking for a lesson on being real and authentically engaging with your community, I’m throwing this out as a prime example. The fact of the matter is that I’m already spending time on Graphic.ly and I’m looking for ways to improve it. Does it help that I’m a fan of comics and do pretty much anything I can to support Marvel Comics (a partner in this effort)? Of course.
But does it matter more that Micah and the Graphic.ly folks made me feel like I’m a true, genuine part of this team? Definitely.
Good work, Micah. I look forward to contributing to this effort and improving it. Hopefully more companies trying to “build community” look at what you and your team at Graphic.ly are doing and try to improve their efforts as well.
It could be a spectacular change for everyone.
What do you think? Does stuff like Micah’s email really even matter? Is it more of a formality no matter how “personal” it feels? Are there other great examples we’ve missed out on? Share your thoughts in the comments below or join the discussion over on our Facebook page. And, to subscribe to the Deep Bench RSS feed and have our content delivered right to you, click here.
Box Scores, Dec. 21-27 – “Objectives, Mothers & Gangs With Axes”
Well, we’re midway through the “holidays” portion of “Happy Holidays” and we here at the Deep Bench office have a special holiday gift for you to help celebrate. That’s right, it’s Monday morning, it’s the start of a fresh, new week and we’ve got Box Scores wrapped up in a nice little post (and if we could add an internet bow, we probably would). Also, our condolences go out to any/all who were subjected to the #snowmaggedon over the past few days. We know how you feel. Anyway, onward and upward!
-“How To Create Measurable Objectives”
Amber Naslund has shown that she’s got the chops to keep making the Box Scores cut, and this post on creating measurable objectives certainly fits what we look for in Box Scores. Discussing goals, objectives, strategies and tactics, Amber presents some complex information in an easy-to-understand format, which means that everyone can learn from it. Don’t be one of the folks who misses out.
-“On Dying, Mothers, and Fighting For Your Ideas”
Deep is probably an understatement on this one. So is powerful. And inspiring. The point is that you should read it, and soak in every heartfelt word that Copyblogger’s Jon Morrow put into this post. There’s a reason Jon fights for everything in his life. Part of that reason is because he has no choice. Part of it is because his mother fought so hard for him. And part of it…well…as he puts it, “If my mother could ignore a doctor who would condemn me to death, then I can ignore my inner demons who tell me I’ll never make it as a writer.” Read it. Be inspired.
-“It’s about the journey – NOT the money!”
While we’re on the subject of inspiring and personal posts, check out this hit from Jim Connolly on the importance of why your life journey is what matters, not the money you make along the way. And if you weren’t interested in the post before, here’s this: “By the time I was just 10 years old, I had witnessed 3 murders and at age 17, I was left for dead after being attacked by a gang armed with axes!” So…yeah…there’s that. It’s worth a read.
-“Pepsi to Skip Super Bowl Ads in Favor of $20M Social Media Campaign”
A few months ago, The Onion did what it does best and wrote a (fake) news article on Pepsi ceasing all advertising. Consequently, we at Deep Bench wrote a blog post questioning what that would or wouldn’t mean for Pepsi in the long run if it ever happened. Then, this story from Mashable came along and mentioned that Pepsi will be skipping its Super Bowl ads for a social media campaign instead. We’d like to hear your thoughts on this one, so drop a comment in the comments section below and say what’s on your mind. Is this a good call from Pepsi? A groundbreaking effort? A stupid decision? Let us know.
-“Forbes: A Year In Review: 2009 Social Marketing Trends”
This is just a great recap of…well…social marketing trends. Jeremiah Owyang wrote this post for Forbes, and it’s full of all the intelligence and insight you’d expect from Mr. Owyang. Whether discussing companies that slashed print and TV budgets to focus on social media or discussing his key point that “This year, consumers are more connected, and moving faster than brands,” Jeremiah brings up some great points in this article that organizations should make note of as they head into 2010.
On that note, we’ll close out the final Box Scores of 2009. It’s been a great year here at Deep Bench and we hope you’ve gotten as much out of reading Box Scores as we’ve gotten out of researching and sharing the posts we include. For that matter, we hope you just had a fantastic 2009 regardless, and we look forward to sharing more with you and learning more from you in the upcoming year. Make your New Year’s a good one and we’ll hope to see you on the interwebs sometime soon.
Thanks for everything this year. It’s been a blast.
-The Deep Bench Team
P.S. – If you’d like to share your thoughts on any/all of these Box Scores, drop us a line in the comments below or hit us up over on our Facebook page. We’d love to hear what you have to say. Also, if you’d like to head into 2010 by automatically getting our Deep Bench blog posts delivered right to your RSS reader, go ahead and subscribe here. Happy Holidays!
Photo (“winter wonderland”) c/o planetlight. Thank you much, planet light!
Box Scores, Dec. 14-20 – “Loyalty, Magic & More Time”
Well folks, the holidays are in full swing and that makes for some exciting news. We’re giving you the gift of our weekly Box Score updates to provide some insight and knowledge from the blogosphere’s best. That’s right, last week led to some great content and we figured we’d stick with the holiday giving spirit by passing these posts along. So read up, learn a little bit, and enjoy the rest of your holidays.
-“Frequency Does Not Necessarily Equal Loyalty”
Coming to you first is Spike Jones on the Brains on Fire blog with a short and to-the-point post that is as beneficial to businesses and corporations as it is to the marketing/advertising/PR community. As Spike puts it, “…This is just a simple reminder that if your customers are frequent purchasers of your product or service, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you have their undying loyalty.” His post gives a crystal clear demonstration of why that’s the case. We suggest you read it.
-“Twitter Reveals Most Discussed Topics of 2009”
For those folks who thoroughly enjoy stats and information, Mashable has pulled together Twitter’s most discussed topics of 2009. Conveniently placed in categories like “movies,” “tech,” and “TV shows” (Harry Potter, Google Wave, and American Idol, respectively), the results are definitely interesting and are worth reading through. Any topics you were surprised to see make the cut? Any that you expected to see but didn’t? Let us know in the comments section below.
-“Accentuate Your Differentiation Point”
Adam Singer gives some great advice on how to stand out and distinguishing yourself with your blogging. From “Don’t write about Twitter” to “Don’t sound like a white paper,” Adam gives some solid advice that’s worth reading if you’re blogging or thinking about starting a blog. And really, the point of the post is pretty much applicable to life in general, not only blogging. Just so you know.
-“The magic of keeping in touch”
Jim Connolly’s blog efforts are full of intelligent and actionable content, and this recent post certainly follows that pattern. Jim gives advice not only on WHY it’s important to keep in touch with customers and clients, but also HOW you can do it (and do it well). So listen to his advice – including tidbits like “it’s called a newsletter and not a salesletter” – and make sure you do some work to keep in touch with your clients heading into the new year.
-“How to Be A More Productive Blogger [And Add 37 Minutes to Every Hour!]
There’s a reason Darren Rowse is known as the Problogger. He’s good. Courtesy of Darren, here’s a simple way to increase your blogging (or work) productivity by cutting just a few minutes’ worth of bad habits from your day. The result? Adding 37 minutes to an hour. That’s a lot of minutes. Definitely, definitely worth the read. Trust us.
So there we have it. Some great posts from some great bloggers as we head into this great holiday week. Hopefully you get as much from these posts as we got, and we hope that you get a chance to enjoy at least one or two relaxing days (or in the case of some of our Deep Bench crew, one or two chaotic days) with friends and family. Either way, we’ll be back next week with more Box Scores for you, as always. Happy holidays!
Like what this week had to offer? Are there any posts that you feel should have been included? Care to share your holiday plans with us? Leave a note in the comments section below or drop us a line on our Facebook page. We’d be happy to hear what you have to say!
Photo (“Distinctively Red”) c/o pshutterbug. Thanks Prabhu!
Show Me Some Personality (Or Forget-Me-Now)
Last week I spent an evening with a five people I didn’t know at all and one person I sort of knew. Having moved frequently growing up, I wasn’t as intimidated as others might be, but it’s still not all that fun to be the “new guy” in a group.
Luckily, early on, something fantastic happened. One of the guys in the group quoted part of a line from Arrested Development. On cue, I followed up with the second half of the quote and everyone in the room who had seen Arrested had a good laugh. For the rest of the night, my fellow AD fan and I got along like we’d known each other for months. Or at least weeks.
Here’s the important thing for online marketers to realize: EVERY DAY, your brand has a chance to make a similar connection with potential fans or customers or your target audiences or whatever cliché marketing term you want to use.
Whether you’re the “new guy” in your industry or just want to establish that “we’ve been friends forever” feel with your organization’s customers or fan base, social media and online efforts are a fantastic way to create that connection.
Of course, it won’t just happen magically. You have to show that your organization has a personality, and the best way to show that is by connecting in places beyond the cash register or check out cart. Can you imagine how loyal I’d be to a brand that responded to me on Twitter with the missing half of an Arrested Development (or Seinfeld/Dumb & Dumber/Anchorman) quote? Much, much more loyal than some company that jumped into my Twitter stream with “Great deals on _____ (usually teeth whitening), Click here!!!” Britney spam-bot style.
Obviously, online media and marketing must have a sales focus. But, as far as I’m concerned, you won’t make it to the “sale” part of the relationship with me until I have a reason to trust you and like you. What better way to earn my trust than becoming my friend right out of the gate?
As a kid that’s moved around my entire life, I know that some of the most lasting connections and friendships start with a shared experience or an icebreaking laugh. Why not take the time to build out similar connections between your consumers/fans and your organization or brand?
I’m fiercely loyal to a few individuals and organizations (bloggers, Marvel Comics, certain musicians, etc.) because they’ve reached out to me and connected with personalities, not sales pitches. I’ve discarded just as many (in fact, probably way more) companies that have tried to assault me with ads or selfish interests. It’s safe to say that the groups with personality, for the most part, have won out in the long run.
Because if you connect with me as a person and not just a consumer, it will have a much longer lasting affect than your 50% off coupon or your humorous – but easily forgettable – commercial.
Really, it’s the difference between being my friend and slipping me a Forget-Me-Now.
-Mike
What do you think? Does an organization need a personality to connect with you or are companies too focused on finding their “online voice” and not focused enough on pushing business? Which companies do you think do a good job of engaging online? Which companies would you like to see more from? Let us know by sharing your thoughts in the comments below or by dropping us a line on our Facebook page.
Photo (“George Oscar Bluth”) c/o LDRBRS.
Guest Post on Kareem Ahmed’s “Social Media, SEO & Online Marketing Strategy” Blog
Our own Offensive Coordinator Mike Billeter got a chance to guest post over on Kareem Ahmed’s blog on insider language in the online marketing world (and why it should be avoided), so go check out Mike’s post and share your thoughts over there.
Just so you know, Kareem is an Interactive Marketing Specialist and Account Executive at Risdall Marketing Group in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. He’s generally awesome and does a solid job of integrating his work life with his personal life online. He’s definitely worth connecting with, so hit him up on Twitter and check out the rest of his blog when you’re done reading Mike’s guest post on his site.
Also, thanks to Kareem (from Mike) for featuring the post.
Photo (“Guest spot”) c/o Stephen Cummings. Thanks Stephen!
Box Scores, Nov. 23-29 – “SM Purists, Conversations & Serendipity”
Well after a thankful week full of Thanksgiving thankfulness (and a weekend spent learning about ice fishing for/from one of our awesome clients), the Deep Bench crew is pleased to bring you this week’s edition of Box Scores. We’ve got some stellar posts from some top notch pros, so read up on their wisdom and give thanks that, even after Thanksgiving is over, people are still providing fantastic content we can all learn from.
-“Why Social Media Purists Won’t Last”
A great start to Box Scores comes from Jason Falls at his blog, Social Media Explorer. Jason shares his thoughts on the increasingly-popular “social media’s great, but you need to make money too” mindset. In his words, “Conversations do not ring the cash register.” The good thing is he supports his point with solid logic and a pretty “kick-in-the-butt” inspiring attitude. Read up. Your profits-driven bosses will be happier, and you just might be too.
-“Are You Getting Off Track With Your Readers”
This one is for our fellow writers (both copywriters and blog writers) and comes from the ever-informative Copyblogger blog. James Chartrand explains why keeping your readers engaged with a tight focus can really make a difference for them and for you. Read up if you want to make sure you aren’t losing your readers with rambling paragraphs and seemingly-innocent (or “funny”) tangents.
Drifiting Creatives have a pretty fantastic story that’s worth reading up on when you have the time if you haven’t heard it yet. For now, however, we’ll share this post with you and let you do the background research on your own. As creatives, they’ve got a tough task of connecting with clients quickly and easily. Questions do this, but as they put it, “Asking questions is pretty easy, but asking the right questions can be freakin’ hard.” Then they share how they overcome that hurdle. Which begs the question… do you ask the right questions?
-“Careful what you share, it just may start a conversation”
Having seen the topic of this post unfold live on Twitter, this Communications Conversations blog post from Arik Hanson was a fun one. It may or may not involve an individual who brought a massive Mac desktop into a Caribou coffee shop, but more importantly is this fact that Arik points out: “You never know what’s going to interest your community or spark a conversation.” He then lists some great ways to spark conversation with YOUR community. Read them and, in the tradition of last week, be thankful.
-“Why Serendipity Shouldn’t Matter”
You know any post that starts off with “I’ll be contrarian to my good friend Chris Brogan” better be a good one with the fierce loyalty Broganites show. Luckily, Christopher S. Penn brings up some great points in this post on serendipity and how much of our “luck” we truly do control. His concept he presents is a cool one and, as he puts it, “More than a few spirits perked up as they [people doing a certain exercise] realized just how much of a hand they had in their “luck.” Your luck starts with you and the efforts you take on to make luck happen. Read Christopher’s post, remember that fact and then make yourself lucky.
And with that, we cap off this week’s Box Scores. Hopefully you enjoyed the mix of inspiration, insight, and introspection. More importantly, we hope you had a great Thanksgiving and we hope you’re as ready as we are to rock some socks off and change the world this week. Nothing like coming off a break well-rested and prepared to make a difference.
Make sure you let us know what you think of this week’s posts by leaving a note in the comments section or speaking up on our Facebook page. And just in case we missed any great posts you feel are worth being included, let our community know by sharing a link below or on Facebook. We certainly appreciate your input.
Photo (“Give thanks!”) c/o KevinDooley. Thanks Kevin!
Box Scores, Nov. 16-22 – “Risks, Twitter Sins & The Year Of Nothing”
Time flies when you’re having fun, and we’ve been having a blast at the Deep Bench office this week, so Box Scores crept up on us before we even knew what happened. Fortunately, getting to recap some of the week’s best blog posts is always an enjoyable duty. We just hope you get as much out of these great posts as we did.
-“15 Ways PR Agencies Can Help Companies With Social Media”
We’ll kick things off with this great Dave Fleet post that pretty much tells you exactly what the headline suggests. It’s also conveniently broken down into four sections: Getting Started, Strategic Planning, Execution, Full-service. Read the post for the full flavor of the title’s 15 ways.
Joseph Jaffe comes with his latest Adweek column and it’s certainly an encouraging read. The post’s subtitle is “How do you plan to make sure next year is better than this one” and it’s a good question. Mr. Jaffe’s breakdown of ’09 and advice heading into 2010 are worth your consideration. Read up and see why Joseph thinks 2010 could be our “Year of Something.”
-“Over-Delivering For Your Client Starts With These 5 Questions”
A solid 5 questions from AJ Vaynerchuk on the Vaynermedia blog. We agree that all five questions are worth asking, and #5 might be the best of all: “What Can’t We Do? Knowing what you ‘can’ do is actually limiting and a waste of time. Believe it or not, knowing what you can’t do gives you creative freedom.” Smart answer and a solid post overall.
-“Agencies: 15 Risks You Can’t Afford Not to Take”
Our second list of 15, this AdAge post comes from Tim Williams and it’s worth your read. Rather than give all his tips away, we’ll let you read the post for yourself. Just know that it’s worth your time if you’re part of an agency looking to move forward rather than stay stagnant in the current marketing/advertising environment.
The writer in me likes this post. A lot. This is simply a quick guide to writing better paragraphs and, consequently, writing better in general. Plus, sub-headings like “Is it a two-headed baby?” and “Are there on ramps and off ramps?” keep things interesting while you’re reading. Read up, write better, and thank Jon Morrow at Copyblogger for the bit of paragraphic insight.
We’ll end this week’s Box Scores with a Scott Stratten Un-Marketing post. This is a fun one that points out some of the “sins” people commit on Twitter. Not much need for explanation, but seeing his explanation of how people display “Greed” and “Sloth” on Twitter is worth your read.
And that wraps up Box Scores. Quite a few this week, but all of them are solid. The internets do wonderful things to make us smarter. Our advice is that you take advantage of the blogosphere’s generous offering and get some wisdom from the folks who write these fantastic posts. That’s why we collect the Box Scores in the first place. Just make sure you tell us what you think about the posts by leaving a comment below or filling us in on our Facebook fan page.
Oh, and if you like what you’re reading, make sure you subscribe to our RSS feed and get all of our content delivered straight to your RSS reader. Booyah.
Photo c/o spettacolopuro. Thanks Andrea!
What A Rapper Can Teach You About ‘Joining The Conversation’
I’ve read dozens of posts in the past few months discussing how companies and brands can build loyalty by “joining the conversation.” Raise your hand if you’ve heard this analogy before: “You don’t want to be the guy at the party who shows up and just starts talking about how great you are.”
Do you know why you’ve heard that analogy before? Because it’s true and extremely accurate. The problem is that it’s easier said than done. Or so it seems.
Add-2 is a rapper from Chicago. It’s possible you’ve never heard of him. I hadn’t either 8 months ago. But, due to a Twitter conversation I had with a different rapper, Add-2 (@ADD2theMC) apparently thought I was someone worth following and I decided to follow him back.
Now (sadly), I have a MySpace account. I’ve received the dozens of “HEy cheCk oUt my **NEW Album** over at myspace.com/GenERicRapperNAMe” messages you get when you’re “MySpace friends” with actually-talented musicians. But Add didn’t do that. He just listened (or read, I guess) and then he responded – with a REAL personality – to some my tweets. So I checked him out and clicked the link to his MySpace page in his Twitter bio.
Needless to say, I was impressed. Very impressed. Impressed enough to download his (free) mixtape, “A Tale of Two’s City: Volume 2.” And then I was more impressed after I listened to that. So I told other people to download his music (which he, smartly, shares for free…but that’s a whole different post to come in the future).
I’ve communicated with Add-2 pretty frequently online, but here’s the important thing: if he’d jumped into my Twitter stream with “DOWNLOAD MY MIXTAPE” tweets, I’d have unfollowed him after the 2nd 1st one of them. Instead, he cultivated an online conversation and let me discover his talent for myself.
Needless to say, I’ll be buying his first album whenever he does get signed by a record label (which is an opportunity I firmly believe he’ll have someday). I’ll pay the $9.99 or $12.99 or whatever it is when it comes out. And I’ll tell all my friends to do it too. All because Add-2 joined the conversation and developed a relationship that led to me becoming an evangelist for his music.
In the marketing/PR/social media world, we call that *BUZZWORD ALERT* brand loyalty. And brand loyalty is what takes your product or service (or your client’s product or service) from commodity to necessity in someone’s life. Don’t waste an opportunity to build that base of evangelists by trying to force your message into people’s heads. That won’t work. Let it develop naturally.
Add-2 never asked me to support him. And here I am, on my (work) blog, using him as an example of the proverbial “build a relationship” mantra that we espouse in social media. If you do things right, your product (or your client’s product) could build a loyal base of supporters in the exact same way.
And then you and your clients win.
How about you? Have you experienced a similar process with a company’s product or service? Do you think Add-2 could’ve done something differently as a musical artist in order to engage new fans or do you think he went about it the right way? Share your comments below or tell us your thoughts over on our Facebook fan page.
Oh, and I’ll go ahead and embed one of the many displays of Add’s talent here while I’m at it…
Why You Better Wake Yourself Up Now…
Have you ever had to wake up a sleeping person? It’s easy, right? You walk into the room, say their name, poke/shake them, possibly even pull the covers off the bed. Maybe I’m just coldhearted, but I usually find humor in this process.
Buuut…how awful is it when you’re the one being woken up? When you feel that shake and you drop the cliché “But moommmm, I don’t wanna go to school today” or a grumpy grunt and roll-over as you try to avoid opening your eyes for fear the sunlight will turn you into dust, vampire-style.
That’s the problem with being a marketing/social media strategist. It’s easy for us to advise others and help them get projects rolling. We can counsel all day long on the importance of creating content and engaging. Create videos, write blog posts, build your online community and brand…these phrases become an internal mantra when building out a strategic plan for clients.
Buuut…when the day is done and we realize we need to create our own content…well then it’s not so easy. All of the sudden our thought process switches over to “Awww…I just helped a client make two videos today…I don’t wanna record my own” and “I don’t have time to talk on Twitter but I’ll post a few of these links so people know I’m here.”
The point? Take some time to genuinely follow your own advice. Put forth a legitimate effort to set and, more importantly, achieve goals in the same way you would advise a client to set and achieve goals. It’s easy to force other people out of bed. It’s not quite as easy when we have to stop hitting the snooze button and wake ourselves up. And the more time you spend avoiding your wake-up call, the more you’ll miss out on down the line.
How about you? Have you struggled with these issues in the past? Do you find it harder or easier to work for your own company or personal brand after putting forth lots of work for other clients? How do you keep yourself motivated to place goals and accomplish them? Tell us by leaving a comment below or by giving us your thoughts over on our Facebook page.
Oh, and if you like what you’re reading, don’t be afraid to subscribe to our RSS feed too.
Photo c/o illuminator999. Thanks Yaira!
Box Scores: Oct. 19-25 – “Thought Leadership, Seinfeld & Selling Ethically”
At this point in your day, you’ve probably figured out that it’s Monday. And whether you think that’s an excitement-inducing opportunity or a depressing fact of life, I’ve got good news for you – Box Scores are in and they are waiting for your eyes and your brain to give them a good read. So get excited for some great posts from around the web the past week and use what you learn from them as this week continues. You’ll be glad you did.
Up first, Dave fleet with some insight on how you share your message…
Sometimes we do what we think we’re supposed to do “because that’s how it’s been done.” But every once in awhile, a shift from the norm could end up making a big difference in the lives of your clients (and more importantly, their customers). In discussing the benefits of an audio book over a traditional book in his life and why more companies should consider diversifying their media outlets, Dave Fleet mentions this: “Part of that is reaching your target audience wherever they inhabit, so each person can consume information in the way in which they choose.” Smart advice. Are you listening/reading?
-“What Seinfeld can teach you about social media”
Lots of people like Seinfeld (the show and the comedian himself). Not many of those people can write a very fitting, very appropriate post relating Seinfeld to social media. Christopher S. Penn is one of the few that can, and does so masterfully in this post. Check it out to see how a “show about nothing” relates to an industry that, like show, is far from being about nothing.
If the thought of conducting business “ethically” makes you cringe like Eric at the end of Billy Madison, this post from Johnny B. Truant on Copyblogger may not be worth reading. However, we here at Deep Bench rock the “Work. Play. Do Good.” mantra for a reason and hope you’d consider operating under a similar system. This post explains how you can write persuasive copy for sales without having to cheat, lie, and connive to get the job done, so read up and put his advice to good use.
-“Twitter Use Up Among Social Networks, Mobile, and Younger Users”
The headline isn’t shocking news, but there are definitely some interesting facts and statistics worth looking into. ReadWriteWeb has posted some thoughts on Pew’s latest Twitter research and the results are important to note (specifically the jump in numbers for younger people using Twitter). Statistician or not, paying attention to the trends and changes keeps all of us on top of things, so check out the post and make sure you know what’s changing in the social media world.
Now, if you’re reading this on Monday (which we would hope you are), there’s good news: You have a full week to start implementing the insight you’ve gained from the posts above. If you’re reading it later in the week, there’s still good news: these posts totally fall into the “better late than never” category. So now that you’ve seen some of the good stuff the internet had to offer last week, tell us what you think of this week’s Box Scores by leaving a comment below or jumping over to our Facebook page and discussing them there.
Photo c/o PlayfulLibrarian. Thanks Amanda!
Box Scores: Oct. 5-11 – “October Snow, Carp & Verizon’s Revenge”
It’s Monday, October 12th, and if you live in normal places, it’s probably brisk autumn day. If you, like us here at Deep Bench, live in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, there’s snow on the ground. But just like the trusty mailman, we’re here to deliver Box Scores so you can start your week off right. Rain or shine, sleet or snow, nothing would keep our beloved Box Scores from you. So, read up, learn a bit, and tell us what you think the comments below.
-“Are you Seeking Value, or Waiting for it?”
Kicking off Box Scores this week is David Spinks. David compares many of the people in the social media industry to…a bunch of carp. And manages to make perfect sense while doing so. Read up, and do your best not to be one of the carp in this industry (or life in general).
Julien Smith reminds us that it’s easy to see other people’s success as luck rather than hard work. Then he reminds us that successful people faced the same obstacles most of us face today. They just overcame them. Will you overcome your obstacles?
-“Enough With the Social Media Guru Attacks”
There seems to be a consistent amount of talk in the social media realm regarding the “posers” of social media who call themselves “experts” or “gurus.” Lots of people can’t stand that. And then there are some people who are tired of people getting upset and worked up over the people who call themselves “experts” and “gurus.” Jason Falls brings up some good points in this post (although one of the embedded videos has a bit of NSFW content). Either way, his point of “do good work and stop worrying” is worthwhile advice.
-“Storytelling: Actionable Insight from Analytics”
Julie from Top Rank’s Online Marketing Blog shares a recap of the MIMA Summit breakout session “Storytelling: Actionable Insight from Analytics.” As she puts it, “The need to better understand the value and application of web analytics data as well as social media measurement is critical for companies that want to compete online.” We agree. Read her post to see more insight and thoughts on the matter.
-“Verizon to iPhone Users: ‘Want Five Times More 3G Coverage? There’s a Map for That.’”
While we at Deep Bench don’t typically think anti-competitor ads are the most effective way to promote your company, this Verizon ad manages to do just that in a clever way. Living in iPhone-less South Dakota, this spot brought a vengeful smile to our faces. What do you think of the ad?
-“Culture Shock: Defining Moments in an Agency’s History”
Bottom line: this Advertising Age post from Phil Johnson is worth a read. The post’s subtitle reads “It’s Not What Your Office Looks Like; It’s What’s Inside That Counts,” and Phil does a great job of explaining, from personal experience, how true this is.
This week’s Box Scores brought a solid variety to the table. From fish to social media gurus, iPhone mockery to the excitement of analytics, we offered up quite a mix. What do you think? Did any (or all) of the Box Scores posts rock your face off? Were there any posts from the blogosphere you felt should’ve been included that weren’t? Let us know in the comments below or tell us on our Facebook page.
Photo by katmere.
Box Scores: Sept 21-27 – “Retweets, A-Listers and Sweet Slideshows”
I’ve got good news and I’ve got great news. The good news is it’s Monday, and that means you’ve got a fresh opportunity to start dominating the next five days (and the rest of your life, frankly). The great news is that we’ve collected some great posts from the blogosphere and they’re summed up in this week’s Box Scores to help you kick off your newfound dominance. So read the posts, learn from them and use what you learn throughout the week. First up is some great advice from Louis Gray. Enjoy.
-“Stop Talking About Social Media and Go Do It Already”
Louis Gray guest posts on Brian Solis’s blog PR 2.0 with a post that truly reflects its title. Louis discusses the importance of recognizing that social media is a set of tools, not the be-all, end-all of a marketing strategy or plan. This post also inspired a Deep Bench post we put up last Friday sharing some further thoughts on the subject of social media vs. traditional media. (Hint: it’s not versus…it’s WITH.)
-“Report: Nine Scientifically Proven Ways to Get Retweeted on Twitter”
This post comes from Fast Company’s blog and examines research that Dan Zarrella put together on retweets and how to increase your likelihood of being retweeted on Twitter. From “Least and Most Retweetable Words” to “Punctuation type,” if you are someone who shares content (or philosophical ideas) on Twitter, this post is certainly worth the read.
-“How to calculate your social media influencer value”
Christopher S. Penn comes through on this post to help social media professionals find a better grasp of their skill set and how much it’s worth. According to Christopher, “The reason we have so much trouble with social media ROI begins with not having any idea what our value is.” Chris spouts some wisdom on the subject and throws out some insight on how you can start resolving the issue. Not that you need to start charging friends for lunch meetings, but, as Chris puts it, “You don’t have to charge your friends, but you must know the value of what you are giving them, especially if they’re representing a company in their request.” Very true. Very, very true.
Very good topic of discussion coming from Danny Brown as he debates the question of how we determine an “A-lister” and his/her status. In his words, “The point is, A-lists and those on them are relevant to the audience.” So the question becomes, do you provide A-list value to your audience, friends, and anyone else that matters in your world? Read the post – especially the inspirational final paragraph – and you’ll see what truly distinguishes the A-listers in life from the average folks. (Hint: it’s not just having 20,000 Twitter followers or blog subscribers.)
-“9 social media presentations for PR pros”
This great post from Arik Hanson is pretty much exactly what it says it is. Nine different slideshow presentations from some of the brightest minds in the industry, all conveniently gathered on Arik’s blog for your viewing (and learning) pleasure. Check ‘em out, put ‘em to good use, and let Arik know what you thought of them by leaving a comment for him on his blog.
Which reminds me…Box Scores are done for the day, so you should leave us a comment below and share your thoughts on this week’s batch. Any great posts we should’ve included? Any that completely rocked your face off? Let us know below, join the discussion on Facebook, or let us know on Twitter. Also, in the event your face was literally rocked off by one of these posts, Twitpic that stuff for sure. As the old saying goes, pics or it didn’t happen!
(Speaking of pics, the photo comes from kevindooley.)
Box Scores: Sept. 14-20 – “Control, Inspiration and Burger King”
The weekend is over and that means that for most folks, it’s time to kick off a whole new week full of opportunities and possibilities. And we wouldn’t want to you to head into the week’s upcoming excitement without some knowledge of what the blogosphere’s brilliance had to share throughout the past week. To prove it, we have Box Scores for you here, but we have one announcement to make first.
If you guys missed it Friday afternoon, Deep Bench is proud to announce the OTA Sessions. We want the creative talents and passion of this region to receive its due, and we’re not holding back with our plans. Check out the new site here to see what’s going on. Hopefully it makes all of you as excited as it makes us.
Anyway, back to Box Scores. First up, some inspiration from Chris Brogan.
-“Finding Your Inspirational Code”
This post from Chris discusses some of the inspirations in his life. While it’s interesting to see who has influenced him in his path to becoming who he is now, the final points he makes are the best part of the post. From “Find people who inspire you, especially outside your field” to “Test, experiment, enact what you’re learning. Learning without execution is a big engine with no wheels,” Chris’s advice is certainly worth taking.
-“The Three Spheres of Web Strategy – Updated for 2009”
This is an impressive post for many reasons, one of them being that Jeremiah Owyang put together the post’s diagram graphic way back in 2006 (and it’s still very applicable). His breakdown of each sphere is worth the read, so pull it up and read his thoughts on what it takes to be a good web strategist.
-“Social Media and the Reality of Control”
Amber Naslund comes through with a smart post on why companies want to control the message (and why it’s somewhat foolish to assume they can). As she puts it, “You can’t dictate how people think, period…You can present yourself and hope to influence that perception, but you cannot control it.” There’s certainly more to it than that, so read up and be ready to discuss it the next time your boss complains that you can’t “control your brand” if you’re using social media.
-“The Complete Newbie’s Guide to Marketing”
Copyblogger has done a great job of creating both writing-centered content as well as overall marketing and advertising industry insight. This one falls into the marketing/ad industry insight category, and it’s a post that everyone in the industry should read. For many, it will simply be refresher, but for others, it could be much more helpful than that. Read up on Sonia Simone’s thoughts, newbie or not, and let us know what you think in the comments below.
-“Burger King’s School of Endorsements”
This post from Rohit Bhargava discusses how to pick the right celebrity to endorse your product, but it could just as easily apply to the marketing industry in general. Focusing on Burger King’s recent campaign featuring Tony Stewart, Eric Estrada and Carrot Top, Rohit breaks down the “three big reasons that brands so often choose the wrong people to endorse their products, and launch ineffective marketing campaigns around this mistake without realizing it until it’s too late.” Don’t be that brand. Learn from Rohit and see if you’re able to apply his insight soon.
-“21 Must-Follow Tips For Optimizing Time Spent in Social Media”
This is a smart list from Adam Singer on the Online Marketing Blog. From easy ones like “Learn to skim” to downright blasphemous tips like “Unfollow those who don’t add value,” Adam provides a ton of great tips (with appropriate explanation for each) in an easy-to–read list that is certainly worth checking out. It’ll be a great way to start your Monday with a better social media time management schedule for the rest of the week.
Box Scores are done (and, as usual, worth reading in full), so read the posts and then share your thoughts with us in our comments section, start a discussion on our Facebook fan page, or send us a tweet and we’ll talk on that Twitter thing the kids keep talking about.
And, one more time, don’t forget to check out the OTA Sessions and tell us your thoughts after you’ve given them a look.
Happy Monday, everyone. Let’s make this an awesome, awesome week.
Photo (“Deep Impact on Planet Color”) by spettacolopuro.
Box Scores: Sept. 6-13 – “Willy Wonka, Fear and Mediocrity”
It’s Monday morning and that means it’s time for Box Scores. We’re guessing you’re as excited as we are, and with good reason. So go ahead and read up to see some of the best posts the internet had to offer last week, courtesy of the bright minds of the online marketing and social media industry. Their insight will be a great start to an even greater week for you, so read up, learn a bit, and be inspired to rock and roll this week. First up is a great post from Alex Bogusky on fear.
-“If you have to be afraid of something, then fear mediocrity.”
This Alex Bogusky post on Posterous is a late addition to Box Scores, as in it should have been included last week, but it’s so good it’s worth sharing now anyway. Read it. That’s pretty much all that needs to be said.
-“Willy Wonka had it right: Offer an experience instead of cash”
Andy Sernovitz makes another appearance in Box Scores with his Willy Wonka . Why did he bring up Willy Wonka? Because too many companies want to give away cash and, as he puts it, “A much better prize is an experience or event that only your business can offer. Make it something that only you can give, and make it worth talking about.” The rest of the post has some great tips on how to make that happen, and it’s certainly worth the read.
Here’s a very important bit of insight from Adam Singer on social media: “…I don’t think brands need social media experts, they need good marketers. By now, marketers worth their salt understand all media, and if they are really good, they also have their finger on the pulse of where this is all headed.” That’s an interesting thought to consider. Keep it in mind when examining your current marketing strategy.
-“How To: Backup your Tweets and Make Them Searchable with Google Calendar”
This is just one of those posts from Steve Rubel that’s worth reading and considering. It’s simple, explanatory, and flat-out helpful if you care to back up your tweets and make sure you can access them later. Hope you all find it helpful too.
-“A piece of home on the road”
Christopher S. Penn comes in with his awesome style of having very unique posts that are almost as much life lessons and tips as they are business lessons and tips. This post talks about bringing together some small reminders of the important things in your life (the post explains better than I do), but here’s one of the best parts: “It doesn’t have to be big or obvious – you can even keep it in a desk drawer if need be, but make it a place that you use to remind you of what you stand for, what your true power is, and what you want to achieve in the world.” Deep stuff. Definitely worth the read.
-“How Passion Can Transform Your Blog”
Problogger receives a guest post from brilliant blogging professional Leo Babuata from Zen Habits. In the post, Leo talks about the importance of passion when writing your blog, and he lists some great ways to make that happen. From “Write what you’re passionate about” to “Pump up the jams,” Leo’s tips and insight are worth the read. Especially if your creative juices need a boost.
From fearing mediocrity to Willy Wonka (and that wonderful Chocolate Factory experience), Box Scores have you covered on some of last week’s best posts and online content. We’ve shared what we found important, so tell us what you think by leaving us a comment below, dropping us a line on Twitter, or sharing your thoughts on our Facebook fan page.
On a final note, we’ve still got 6 days left in our Deep Bench 9-9-09 “9 Hour Giveaway,” so check out this post to see how you could win 9 free hours of Deep Bench’s work for you (or someone/somewhere important to you). It’s definitely worth the effort. We promise.
Someday
Fact: Someday doesn’t exist.
Someday is ethereal. Someday is what we say when we aren’t quite ready to move forward on something. I’ll start video blogging…someday. We’ll get better at updating our Facebook fan page…someday. We’ll get all of this client work squared away and then we’ll come up with an awesome redesign for our own company website…someday.
I’ll achieve all of my career goals…someday.
No matter how close someday may seem, someday is always just out of reach.
A focused plan that helps you reach an overall goal? That’s different. That’s a plan. That’s the future.
Someday is smoke in the wind or water in a clenched fist. You know it’s there, but you can’t quite get your hands on it.
Don’t let someday be your goal. Let the future be your goal. Because one step at a time all the way through the finish will be much more successful than always planning to take those steps…someday.
What ’s your someday? How will you turn your “someday” into your future? Let us know by leaving a comment, dropping letting us know on our Facebook fan page, or tweeting us.
Photo (and great poem) by Schristia.
Box Scores: Aug. 30 – Sept. 6 – “Vampire Words, Windshield Cracks & More”
It may be Labor Day, but that doesn’t mean we won’t give you eager readers some Box Scores to help kick off your week. We’ve got some great posts from the blogosphere, ranging from just flat-out cool to valuable (not voluble) insight.
We’re going to kick things off with the “flat-out cool” we mentioned way back in the previous paragraph. Enjoy (and tell us what you think once you’re done reading by leaving a comment).
-“HOW TO: Find the Name of That Song”
This post from Mashable lists some ways to – you guessed it – find the name of that song. Although some of them are obvious (Google searching), the Midomi search engine Mashable highlights is totally worth checking out and testing. You just sing or hum a few seconds’ worth of whatever song you’re looking for and the search engine (typically) recognizes it. It worked for us and it’s great to see how we as humans are constantly developing awesome technology.
This post from Todd Defren on the PR-Squared blog discusses how creating valuable content is a much more effective way to reach customers than providing a substantial amount of average content. In his words, “Focus on being valuable: what types of content get shared (downloaded, re-tweeted, shared on Facebook, etc.) most often amongst your prospects and customers? Figure that out and spend more energy making that type of content…”
**To add more sauce to “the great content and marketing” discussion, Darren Rowse at Problogger has some thoughts on how, no matter how much we’d like it to, great content isn’t all it takes to have an impact. In his words, “The reality is that many blogs produce quality content that doesn’t get read. The reason isn’t that the blog’s not worth reading – but in many cases it’s because nobody knows to go read it.” His post, “The Myth of ‘Great Content’ Marketing Itself,” is certainly worth the read as well.
-“Do Long Blog Posts Scare Away Readers?”
This is a question that, if you blog, you’ve probably asked yourself more than once. Coppyblogger’s Jon Morrow tackles the question with a pretty common sense answer. In two easy steps, Jon explains it this way:
Here’s what matters:
1. Writing something that’s interesting
2. Taking out everything that’s not interesting
That’s it.
What do you think of Jon’s assessment? Let us know in the comments section below.
-“Are Vampire Words Sucking the Life Out of Your Writing?”
We’re hitting you with a 1-2 Copyblogger punch courtesy of this solid post from Ali Hale. Ali explains how vampire words (“quite,” “fairly,” “often,” etc.) can kill your writing if you don’t kill them first. The logic is solid and worth making a note of if you are interested in taking your writing to the next level. It’s quite a fairly good solution that may be worth reading if you often feel the need to write. Or, as Ali would put it, read it and become a better writer.
-“STATS: Young People Are Flocking To Twitter”
A second Mashable post invades Box Scores this week. This one from Adam Ostrow discusses a shift in the Twitter mindset of “teens don’t tweet” due to more and more teenagers joining the online conversation of Twitter. What do you think about the increase in teenagers using Twitter? Good, bad, both or neither? Do you think it will change how companies engage on Twitter or do you think the rising number of teens will have no effect on Twitter as it is?
This is simply one of those “read and be inspired” posts coming from one of the blogosphere’s best, Christopher S. Penn. The post is about realizing what you can achieve once you have some confidence, and it’s certainly worth the read. As Christopher puts it, “Whatever your limitations are, know that once you make even the tiniest crack in them, as long as you keep driving, momentum will be on your side, and your barriers can be shattered.” The post makes that point even clearer, but it is still worth the read, so read up, be inspired, and achieve something great. Whether you have the confidence to do it or not.
And so, on this fine Labor Day, we wrap up Box Scores and anxiously await your thoughts and comments. Do you have an opinion on the content marketing discussion? Let us know. Have you experienced a “crack in the glass” experience? Tell us your story in the comments below. Or, you can always hit us up on that Twitter thing or that Facebook we keep hearing about.
Photo by ocean yamaha.
Box Scores: Aug 24-30 – “Candyland, Social Media ROI and Motivation”
Lots of people aren’t big fans of Mondays. We tend to assume those are the people in this world who still haven’t found Box Scores. Being in favor of making the world a happier place on Monday mornings, we’ve got a fresh set of Box Scores this week for you, and we’d encourage you to pass them along to a friend or two so we can all kick off this week on a great note.
Speaking of kicking things off on a great note, we’ll start with this great post from Andy Sernovitz…we’re guessing you (and your inner-child) will be glad we pointed it out…
-“Candyland: A larger-than-life publicity stunt”
Candyland recently celebrated its 60th Anniversary. How, you ask? By turning an entire street into a Candyland board game, obviously. In the words of Andy Sernovitz (who wrote the post), “it’s a fantastic example of a great publicity stunt.” We’d go so far as to say it’s a great example of building relationships (sorta like that social media thing) and endearing people of all ages to your brand/product. Definitely check out the videos, as they are the best part and really show you how awesome the effort was.
-“Competing with the singleminded”
Some people would view singlemindedness as a fatal business flaw. Some guy very intelligent person named Seth Godin seems to think otherwise. As he puts it, “When you have someone who is willing to accomplish A without worrying about B and C, they will almost always defeat you in accomplishing A.” The post gives more detail, and it’s worth the read.
This post is a solid one from Gavin Heaton, but the most important portion comes from a fantastic slideshow from Olivier Blanchard. The key sentence from Gavin’s post is this: “Olivier shows exactly how you can measure the intangibles that come with social media to show how they are impacting the growth in your revenues or reductions in your costs.” If that doesn’t compel you to check out the post (and the slideshow), I’d go so far as to say that you’re making a serious mistake. Read. Learn. Use it.
-“Importance of Details In Design”
This post comes from a dear friend of ours (and fellow coworker), Andrew Brynjulson. On his recently unveiled website, Andrew shares an important struggle that creatives fight on a daily basis. Of course, this post is almost MORE important for the account executives and project managers than it is for the designers themselves, but we’ll just recommend that everyone give it a read.
-“Why you’re not motivated (and maybe how to fix that)”
It’s easy to point out problems. What’s not so easy is offering solutions to the problems you come across. Thankfully, Christopher S. Penn decides to offer solutions in this post and they are certainly worth a few minutes of your time. We don’t even want to give you a summary quote on this one. We’d just prefer you open it up, give it a read, and start making your day more productive.
-“Social Media’s Top 10 Dirty Little Secrets”
David Armano is always good for a bit of wisdom here and there, and he doesn’t disappoint with this post on some (not really) insider information on the social media industry. Armano’s thoughts are similar to the ones you may have thought once or twice but never vocalized (or textualized), and reading through them would be beneficial to you. Mostly just to reaffirm the thoughts running through your head when you see articles about “social media rockstars” or get frustrated with the 33rd location-based social media platform to come out this week.
And with that, this week’s Deep Bench Box Scores are done. It is our sincere hope that you got some use from the posts we linked to above. It’s our even more sincere hope that they not only gave you some use, but also rocked your socks clean off. If they did do that (or if there’s anything we should’ve included this week and forgot), tell us in the comments section, on Facebook or on Twitter. Happy Monday, and enjoy your week!
Photo by calmenda.
Box Scores: Aug 17-23 – “Repeat Tweets, Mirror Neurons & Being Wrong”
We’re coming at you on this fine, August Monday morning with a new set of Box Scores for you to check up on. Some great posts from industry thought leaders to help you kick off your Monday in style. Then again, according to our first post from Christopher S. Penn, it might not be such a good idea to agree with these “thought leaders,” so read up and see why it wouldn’t hurt to disagree every once in awhile. And if you disagree with anything in Box Scores, don’t be afraid to let us know in the comments section. After you’ve given them a read, of course…
-“What if no one tells you that you’re wrong?”
Christopher S. Penn comes at us with an interesting dilemma developing in the social media realm. It’s the issue of people agreeing with ideas and concepts simply because the popular “thought leaders” discuss or write about them. Unfortunately, this mindset isn’t good for social media folks (or anyone in ANY business). As Chris puts it, “too many people are afraid to disagree with ‘thought leaders’ and ‘social media superstars’…no matter how valuable you perceive someone is, the folks who you perceive as leaders desperately need you to call BS on us when we are wrong (me especially), so that we can continue to think critically, to learn, to grow ourselves.” We’d ask you to do the same for us here at Deep Bench.
-“Don’t Do These 12 Things When Writing Headlines”
The thought-provoking pros at Copyblogger come to us with another set of tips to help blog writers successfully write good headlines. The tips really make you think (mostly because they sound almost backward) and they’re worth checking out. It’s not every day that you read tips like “Don’t be original” and “Don’t be clever,” so give these and see why they’re actually reasonable this time around.
-“Social Media Marketers’ Best Kept Secret: Mirror Neurons”
This first official post from Derek at Social Triggers presents an interesting concept for evoking responses in people by using mirror neurons. As he explains it, “When people see someone perform an action on video, they will think they just performed the action themselves.” Derek goes on to explain how giving people this sensation can be beneficial (and how it can be done with or without video). He claims he’s got plenty more posts coming in the future. After reading this one, we’re looking forward to what Derek has to say.
-“How To Drive Traffic with Repeat Tweets”
This one comes from a fairly well-known online figure who goes by the name of Guy Kawasaki. Guy did some analysis of a specific tweet and the various results he received from sharing it on Twitter more than only one time. The results and Guy’s explanation are worth reading up on. You know, if you trust the research and statistics from one of the most popular Twitter users around.
-“Social Media Marketing Basics: Facebook & Blog Promotion”
This post from Lee Odden at TopRank Online Marketing shares some great insight from a great resource and thought leader. Lee examines various ways to promote Facebook fan pages and blogs and focuses strongly on the strategy involved rather than the tools themselves (which is an approach we certainly respect here at Deep Bench). As Lee explains, “The key to answering the ‘how do we promote our social participation’ question is directly tied to goals, audience, tactics and resources.” We agree. How about you?
-“Simple Touchpoints of Loyalty”
Plenty of people know how to build strong relationships, both real-world and online. However, not many of them have made it an essential part of their livelihoods the way Chris Brogan has. This 9-point list is easy to work through, and is certainly worth the effort. We recommend you give it a read (and consider taking him up on his first point on the list). You – and we – will be glad that you did.
So there are your Box Scores for the week. Read up, get smarter, and let us know what you thought by leaving a comment below, hitting us up on our Facebook fan page, or dropping us a line (or tweet) on Twitter.
Photo by Will Hybrid
Are You Making The Most Of Now?
A few months ago I came across a song that made me stop and think. It’s not the greatest song ever, and it’s not the deepest song ever, but it has some thought-provoking lines and an upbeat tune, and sometimes that’s all it takes to rock my world.
Watch (or just listen to) this video. After that, I’ve got a question for you.
My question is this: Do you make the most of every day?
In the first verse, Adams states,
“Some make it happen and they make the most, and some get shot down, forced to close…as long as I’ve got this breath to breathe, I’ve gotta get to livin’ my legacy…”
When you get to work on a Friday, is the above thought your mindset? Or is it simply a matter of “only a few more hours until the weekend?” When Monday rolls around, do you walk in the door to “live your legacy,” or are you simply hoping to survive the week?
The song’s title is “Such A Time.” The chorus simply states, “For such a time as this…right here, for such a time…”
This is a time when anybody with a blog or a Twitter account can change the world. So…will you take advantage of such a time as this, or simply spend your life “surviving each week?”
“Sometimes I feel like I’m doomed, I wanna give up, wanna go home soon… I lose my faith and jump off the track, don’t wanna wait I’d rather overreact now… Think ‘bout the next man and his joys and prize, and lose my voice and forfeit my pride…render me useless in a world of wax, but deep down I know I’m not all about that, no.”
We here at Deep Bench aren’t all about that either. How about you?
What do you do to keep your excitement and passion high? Is it the clients you work with, the projects you undertake, or simply the people you interact with on a daily basis? We’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback, so leave us a comment below, tweet us on Twitter or hit us up on our Facebook fan page.
-Mike
Fiesta Mission 5 – We want YOUR help!
As we move into month five of the Ford Fiesta Movement campaign, Deep Bench’s favorite Fiesta Agent, Hugh Weber, has received his next mission. The potential for this mission is nearly limitless, so we need your help in narrowing down what exactly it is Hugh should do. Watch the clip below, and when you’re finished, share your ideas in the comments section. Or, you can throw thoughts at Hugh on Twitter or on our Facebook fan page. Thanks!
Box Scores: Aug 3-9 – “Horrible Blog Posts and Rapping About Twitter”
Happy Monday! We’ve got a heaping pile of delicious Box Scores for you to read for breakfast this fine morning, so we hope you’re excited. We’ve got some great stuff, from horrible blog posts to rap songs about Twitter. So read up on some of the best the blogosphere had to offer last week, and don’t forget to let us know what you thought about them when you’re done. First up, the most horrible blog post ever…
-“The Most Horrible Blog Post Ever”
This post is brilliant and is a fantastic way to kick off the week for Box Scores. Coming from Michelle Russell at Copyblogger, it is neither a horrible post (obviously) nor a critique on a horrible post (somewhat surprisingly). No, Michelle simply explains that, no matter how terrible you think the blog post YOU are writing may be, it’s probably not “the most horrible blog post ever.” In her words, “…your readers aren’t looking for the “perfect” blog post. They’re looking for the blog post that’s perfect for them. Your job is to write it.” Sage wisdom from an excellent writer. Read up, get smarter…then write something.
-“Get More Twitter Followers TODAY”
In a blog post that starts off dripping with the sarcasm we’d all love to unleash upon the loathsome “get hundreds of Twitter followers in one day” spammers, Chris Brogan eventually shares some genuine, legitimate ideas for getting more followers on Twitter (though not necessarily hundreds per day). As of the week’s end, the post was one of Chris’s most popular as of late, so give it a read and let us know what you think about his post (and feel free to tell him on his own blog too, if you’d like).
This post from Narciso at Method + Moxie encourages us to find the inner kindergarten psyche which allows us to do that which truly makes us happy (often resulting in some fun and exciting creativity). He does this by listing some songs that help him tap into the impulsive kindergarten psyche that spurs his creativity along. The logic is sound, and, as he puts it, “…music has often worked in helping me step outside of myself to just enjoy the moment…which has, ultimately, given me a breather from life and some quality time with my creativity.” So…what inspires you to find your happy, inner kindergartner?
Amber Naslund over at Altitude Branding takes a closer look at why Dunbar’s Number may not be as restrictive as it implies. Rather than the 150 relationship maximum Dunbar believes humans can maintain, Amber looks at it this way: “I believe the fabric that group of 150 is dynamic. In other words, people move in and out of that circle over time. It’s an ebb and flow.” To her, this dynamic ebb and flow encourages relationship-forming and, equally as important, relationship connecting. The potential in human relationships is boundless…and that makes it quite powerful.
-“Form and Content, Not Length, Key to Online Video’s Future”
This AdAge article discusses the future of online video and criticizes the mindset that “the medium is growing up” due to an increase in longer-form (longer than 2 minute) videos. Writer Matt Wasserlauf emphasizes the quality of the videos and their entertainment value as the means to attract an audience (not necessarily the length). What do you think? Is it length that gets you to watch a video, or is it what you expect to see as entertainment that is the key factor?
-“MySpace is to Facebook as Twitter is to ______”
This insightful post from Cody Brown compares the current incantation of Twitter to MySpace in its prime. Unfortunately for Twitter, Cody’s comparison also includes why MySpace is now struggling to succeed and how Twitter could follow suit. The post is worth reading, and we’d love to know whether you feel his claims about/vision for Twitter’s future are reasonable. Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
-“Mistah F.A.B. – Hit Me On Twitter”
Our final post comes from our Minneapolis friend Kareem, who works for a great agency in Minneapolis called Risdall Marketing Group. Kareem recently posted the new Mistah F.A.B. song called “Hit Me On Twitter.” We’re embedding the video below, but wanted to credit Kareem for the early find. What do you think…will we see more music about Twitter in the future? Is Mistah F.A.B. simply jumping on a trend while it’s hot or is he serving as a trendsetter in the industry? Watch the video and let us know what you think.
And another week ends with a stellar selection of posts from last week in the blogosphere. We here at Deep Bench had a great week and plan to make this one even better, so we hope you plan to do the same (and hopefully this week’s Box Scores serve as a way to help you kick things off right). Let us know what you thought (or if we forgot any posts worth mentioning) by leaving a comment below, hitting us up on Twitter, or dropping us a line on our Facebook fan page.
“Happy Monday Rainbow Sky” photo by Pink Sherbet Photography.
Do you find solutions (or just complain about problems)?
I used to live in College Station, Texas. I now live in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. Consequently, I don’t often run into old friends up here in Sioux Falls. So when my friend from College Station said his roommate’s band was playing in Sioux Falls and he was going to travel up with them, my excitement grew.
As a result, I ended up at Nutty’s North on Wednesday night to hang out with my long-lost friend and hear his roommate’s band (Flawless Escape…which was awesome) and a more nationally-renowned band called Flyleaf (which also rocked).
And then I realized something. I’m a hypocrite.
I often find myself complaining that I don’t particularly feel like there’s a “lot of stuff to do” in Sioux Falls. That, after having lived in larger “college towns,” the Sioux Falls landscape isn’t really aimed at engaging the 18-24 year old demographic in which I currently fall. That I wish I were in a city like Minneapolis or another place full of ways to have fun.
Here’s the hypocrisy: I’m not trying to change things. I’m not trying to make a difference. I’m simply complaining about a situation I’m fully capable of changing/adjusting. It’s just easier not to.
How often do we as marketing and social media strategists fall into that trap? How often do we complain that “We could do that campaign so much better!” or ask ourselves “What were they thinking when they made that ad?”
But do we follow that up by going out and changing things? Do we ever step up and say, “Their campaign is awful…let’s show them how we can do it better!”?
Because, until we’ve done that, we’re all just being hypocrites.
I mentioned earlier that I went to a concert Wednesday night. I’ll openly admit that I would have NEVER gone to the show if my buddy wouldn’t have been in town. But, while I may complain about a “lack of ways to have fun,” it’s obvious that this city has plenty of opportunities to provide for a fun night. It’s just a matter of whether I choose to whine about the limitations or choose to take advantage of (or create) those opportunities.
Learn from my mistake. Don’t be a hypocrite. Come up with solutions rather than complaints. That’s when change happens. That’s when we up the ante and transform the industry in a positive way.
And that freakin’ rocks.
How about you? Have you seen opportunities to improve (rather than complain) and then taken advantage of those opportunities? Have you done something fun lately that you had never done before and care to recommend it? Disagree with the post entirely? Let us know by leaving us a comment below, hitting us up on Twitter, or dropping us a line on our Facebook fan page.
-Mike
P.S. – Here’s some video footage from Flawless Escape’s performance at Nutty’s North (straight killing it, fo sho)…
P.P.S. – That sick photo is by Barry Dolton.
The time has come… Ask Deep Bench!
It’s “Ask a question to Deep Bench” day. You asked for it, we’re providing it, and the world will be a better place as a result.
You can ask any question you’d like and we here at the Deep Bench office will bust out some video and broadcast our answer to the world.
So…what we need from you are questions you want answered. Just leave your inquiry in the comments section below, and we will do our best to answer that question for the world to see.
Some great questions from you, some stellar answers from us. It’ll be beautiful. Or at least it’ll be something. Hopefully something beautiful. And insightful. And funny.
It’ll be amazing.
We’ll be kicking things off with the often-asked, “What is Deep Bench?” so tune in later today to see our answer to the question we’ve heard millions hundreds of times.
For now, leave your question (or general comments) in the comment section below, send us a tweet, or drop us a line on our Facebook fan page. We may not answer every single question, but we’ll do our best to answer the questions that mean something to us, and, more importantly, may provide some value for you. Either way, we encourage you to let us know what you want to know so we’ll all know what it is we want to know.
Trust us. It’ll rock. We know.