Recently, I experienced the power of social media. I lost all applications on my BlackBerry when I installed a major operating system upgrade. Yes, I backed up my smartphone prior to the upgrade, and it didn’t restore anything. Three of the applications came from one company, and I contacted the company because I couldn’t download and install the apps even though I had all the activation numbers.

First, I went to the company website and searched its frequently asked questions. Nothing there. Next, I submitted a trouble ticket. No reply within a reasonable amount of time. Then, I tweeted a message that mentioned the company. A representative replied within minutes and solved the problem within an hour. After that, I tweeted kudos to the company.

Every business makes mistakes. How they handle those mistakes makes the biggest impact. Learn how ServiceNow, a software-as-a-service company, incorporates social media into its corporate strategy and has tapped into the power of being connected.

Professional Services Journal: Why do you use social media?

Rhett Glauser: ServiceNow uses social media to engage its community comprised of customers and IT professionals.

PSJ: How does your company incorporate social media into its overall strategy?

RG: Almost every area of our business includes some aspect of social media. Other areas where we use social media include marketing, customer support, customer engagement and recruiting.

ServiceNow understands the power of being social and has built social functionality called Live into its IT management software. Our IT customers use it to provide better service to businesses.

We drink our own champagne, and the entire company collaborates on our company Live stream. Employees ask questions and rapidly get answers: developers at headquarters support sales people in the field and employees share knowledge and freely give help. It has made us a more efficient, transparent and connected company.

PSJ: What social media tools do you use (Twitter, LinkedIn, forums, etc.), and how do you use each one?

This page
http://www.service-now.com/social-networks.do highlights the company’s social nature. As a company, we use the following social media tools:

• Twitter: We use Twitter for community engagement, marketing promotion, corporate awareness, relationship building, customer support, knowledge sharing and recruiting.
• Facebook: We also use Facebook for community engagement, marketing promotion, corporate awareness, relationship building.
• LinkedIn: While we have groups and much presence on LinkedIn, our official use has been relegated to a Rolodex for staying in touch and recruiting.
• Community: People visit our blogs, forums and our user-group platform.
• Marketing blog: This is a place where we share our secret sauce with the rest of the world in an attempt to promote discussion and establish market thought leadership.
• Specific channels: We have channels on YouTube, SlideShare, Flickr for video, presentations and photo file sharing.

PSJ: What are the business results and benefits from using social media?

Aside from the high number of followers or likes, it’s quality, not quantity. Externally, customer engagement and knowledge-sharing are huge benefits. Any customer has access to any ServiceNow developer through various social channels.

Internally, ServiceNow company collaboration has exploded to match the company’s growth. The ServiceNow Live stream allows us to keep up with ourselves.

PSJ: What advice do you have for others considering social media?

Start by watching and following others first and figure out how you want to get involved. From there, I have a few rules that work for me, and I’ve seen work for others.

It all comes down to having good manners and interacting with people in the social world just as you would in the real world. Legitimacy plus authenticity results in valuable relationships with real people. To this point:

• Be transparent (identify yourself).
• Be respectful (attribute your comments).
• Beware of stranger danger (everybody has an agenda, figure out who you are dealing with before you engage).
• Add value (don’t tell us what you are doing because nobody cares; tell us what you are thinking and why it matters).
• Understand that permanency can be good and bad (be careful, and don’t post something you’ll regret).
• Stay relevant (time is of the essence on the social networks; news from one minute ago is old news).
• Don’t be tedious (be interesting and have a personality; what works in the real world will work in the social world).

PSJ: Any advice for those new to social media?

Being social takes effort, thoughtfulness and consistency. Keep at it.

PSJ: Please share a memorable interaction that happened in social media.

Check out the sequence of tweets below. This is a good example of customer engagement and vendor transparency made possible only through social media. This is what it’s all about.

How does your company use social media? What positive social media experiences have you had as a customer or employee? Share your experience in the comments.

About Rhett Glauser

Google “Rhett Glauser” for his social profile, check out his Twitter stream at http://twitter.com/rglauser, peruse his blog at http://blog.service-now.com or find him on Linkedin. If that scares you, here is a more traditional bio: Glauser has spent a decade talking and writing about the IT management industry for companies like Symantec and Altiris and the last three years at Service-now.com. Most of his time is spent helping journalists from publications like The Wall Street Journal, Reuters, InformationWeek and CIO Magazine understand complex IT management trends and technologies.

With springtime comes blooming flowers and the start of a new baseball season. After the first rendition of “Take Me out to the Ballgame,” picture yourself sitting in a large stadium looking down on the bright green diamond and undisturbed brown dirt.

The home team hits the field. There’s the pitcher ready to throw the ball and set the play in motion. At the other end waiting for the pitch is the catcher who prepares to stop whatever the batter doesn’t hit. The visiting team’s batter marches toward the batter’s box looking confident and determined to whack whatever the pitcher throws to take his team’s first offensive move toward its overall strategy to win the game.

For businesses with a social media strategy, Twitter is the pitcher, Facebook is the catcher and LinkedIn is the batter. You may substitute the catcher with a different social network tactic. Twitter and the other social networks are not a strategy. They’re tools and tactics to support a company’s social media or marketing strategy.

Whatever you include in your social media lineup, you want to coach your Twitter player to succeed in using the tools to help the team win with its strategy, especially in the areas of self-promotion and monitoring.

Twitter is much more than monitoring and self-promotion. The reason for the focus on these two is that not every business feels it needs to be active in Twitter. Every business must at least listen in on Twitter. As for promotion, every business wants to promote its products and services, and that alone can affect the outcome of the game.

Monitor people’s experiences

People talk about your company and your competitors all the time. If they run into a problem with a product or service, they’ll tweet about it. If they have a bad experience with customer service, they’ll tweet that, too. Don’t fret — not all tweets are negative. People tweet about amazing experiences and why they love JKL company.

If someone struggles to find answers to a problem, he or she’ll ask for help in Twitter. Imagine what would happen if you solve that person’s problem without mentioning your product or service. You may find a new evangelist for your company. Tweets like “I’m looking into ABC and XYZ. Which do you like better? Why?” appear all the time. You don’t want to miss them when someone mentions you or your competitor.

Also keep in mind that your company can recover from negative tweets. In one case, a customer tweeted her disappointment in a company’s lack of response to her email requesting help after she had already looked for answers on her own. Within a few minutes, the company responded with a link so she could submit a trouble ticket. It took only 15 minutes from her first tweet to get the problem solved. After that, she wrote two positive tweets about the company. Two positive tweets to one negative; that’s a good deal.

As soon as you find a complaint or negative tweet mentioning your company, acknowledge the tweet even if you don’t have a solution right away. Then, use follow up tweets as needed to resolve the problem. Every situation is different. You want to be listening and ready to respond.

Limit self-promotion

Every major league baseball stadium has posted ads. But they don’t dominate the baseball experience. If they do, it’ll turn off fans who want to watch the game without too many distractions. Businesses on Twitter, of course, want to promote their products, services and content. You can do that as long as it doesn’t take over the Twitter game.

Several experienced social media users share their help and self-promotion ratio, but no one rule stands out. One expert says he tweets one self-promotion for every 10 tweets. Another uses the 80/20 principle with 20 percent of the tweets being self-promos and 80 percent devoted to helping others, sharing expertise (without selling) and posting useful resources.

People always break rules in social media. You will find Twitter accounts that do nothing but tweet the latest articles and blog entries from their own websites. Often, the people behind the website or company have separate Twitter accounts for engaging and helping others.

You can make your self-promotion tweets more helpful. For example, if you want to share your company’s latest blog post, don’t just tweet the post title and link. Give people a reason to check it out by telling them what’s in it for them. (Yes, the old standby of “what’s in it for me” (WIIFM) applies to Twitter!)

Be human like Babe Ruth

Twitter gives companies the chance to show the people behind social media who like to help and want to share valuable information with others. It’s harder to say no to a person who answers your question than to a company that talks to no one and only talks about itself.

Use Twitter to listen, engage and help while limiting the self-promotion. Go the distance, ease their pains and people will come to you and your company.

Meryl K. Evans is senior editor at InternetVIZ and the content maven behind the IT Solutions Journal, Connected Digest and Professional Services Journal. Follow her on Twitter @merylkevans.

Recently, Adam Kleinberg, CEO of Traction, attended the iMedia Agency Summit where he tweeted a running commentary. He made sure he used the conference hashtag because he gets a lot of interaction from other conference attendees and followers. He received a message from someone who said, “I love your tweets. We’ve got to connect when I get there.”

It turned out that person was not only a great guy and a keynote speaker at the event, but also the head of digital for a giant global energy drink brand. The two met up at the conference, and two months later, Kleinberg’s agency began working on a project for him.

Although B2B companies accept social media as a valuable tool to provide customer service and find new customers, they continue to struggle to develop a strategy and see results — and the connections — that Kleinberg experienced. In the following interview, Adam Kleinberg clarifies many of the gray areas while showing what does work for B2B in social media.

Professional Services Journal: While B2Bs accept social media and make it part of their strategy, they’re struggling to define and execute the strategy. What advice do you have for B2Bs?

Adam Kleinberg: B2Bs typically make two mistakes when approaching social media strategy.

1. They start with tactics instead of strategy, as in “I need to do something on Facebook.” My advice is to start by asking why before you jump to how. What are you trying to accomplish? If you show up with a preconceived notion of how you’ll succeed before you even define your problem, you’re likely to spend a lot of time in the dark.
2. They define social media as one silo. It’s not, just like digital media is not. Social is now embedded in every part of how people connect and communicate online. It touches every part of your business. The infographic below shows how Strategy, Marketing, Customer Care, Outreach and Empowering the team are all part of the social media pie. They are very distinct activities that companies should address individually.

PSJ: Many companies struggle to see results from their social media efforts. Furthermore, not all companies have a big enough name to find people talking about them or their competitors. What does it take for B2Bs to get results from social media?

AK: Even if you’re too small to use social monitoring effectively as a tool, you can still create contextually relevant content that provides value to audiences. The “right” channels might not be what you think they are. Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter are big oceans to swim in.

An article you publish in an online trade journal that is sharable in those other networks might be a more effective way of getting your thought leadership in front of the right eyeballs than a build-it-and-they-will-come page on Twitter or Facebook.

PSJ: The B2B SM examples you present involve big companies with big resources. How can a small to medium B2B successfully use social media?

AK: There are plenty of ways small companies can outthink the competition rather than outspend them:

• Build out a LinkedIn Companies page and invite your customers to post recommendations for your services.
• Use Twitter to follow potential customers or reporters and engage with them to build relationships. Those relationships you build are real.
• Answer questions related to your line of business on LinkedIn Answers, Focus.com or Quora.com (a hot new social property). You can even set up a feed to have relevant questions on LinkedIn Answers sent straight to your RSS reader.

PSJ: Should B2B companies bother with LinkedIn Groups (not company pages) and Facebook pages? Why or why not?

AK: LinkedIn Groups can be valuable if focused enough. Most are a waste of time (OK, so you’re in the social media gurus group. Now what?).

However, I find some value in relevant networks I’m in like Cornell Alumni in Marketing & Advertising in the Bay Area.

LinkedIn Companies, however, has been overhauled and is very valuable. Every B2B should take advantage of it. I wrote an article on how to optimize your company’s LinkedIn profile and provided a free LinkedIn Companies Toolkit.

Facebook pages may worth having. Maybe not. Ask yourself why first. What do you want to achieve? Then figure out the resources (money and manpower) you can dedicate and ask if it makes sense. Last, ask if it’s the BEST way to achieve your goals. If the answer is yes, a Facebook page is a great idea.

PSJ: What three common denominators work for a majority of B2Bs when it comes to social media?

AK:

1. Authenticity works. Social media offers you a chance to set aside marketing speak and put a human face to your brand. People don’t come to trust brochures, but they do come to trust other people.
2. View social as an opportunity to extend or syndicate the reach of content you create so people can consume it on their terms. You can use a tool like Tumblr, so every time you write a blog post, it’s distributed to Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, RSS and a dozen others.
3. Insight is out there. Just look for it. People are talking. Listen in.

Want to connect to more prospects? If you really embrace social media, it works.

In 2001, he and some friends started Traction. Traction calls itself an interactive agency, but it believes everything is interactive. It’s part advertising agency, part innovation consultancy. Traction aligns psychology and technology to create ideas that solve business problems. That’s the reason it’s been named the top interactive agency in the country. BtoB Magazine named Traction the interactive agency of the year in 2009 and has twice included Kleinberg in its “Who’s Who in B2B.” Kleinberg has written many articles for industry publications including Mashable and iMediaConnection.

Yet, I have to do something since I’m his manager. Should I give him a never-ending supply of chewing gum or is there a more tactful way to handle this?

— Manager 

Most of us have done it. We sit in a one-to-one meeting in a coworker’s small cubicle. Every time the coworker speaks, coffee breath floats up your nose — not exactly the same delightful aroma you detect when fresh coffee brews. 

We don’t want to offend the colleague, so we subtly move back while nonchalantly bringing a hand near the nose to block the scent. Maybe it works for a minute, but not enough. (The nose is an excellent detective who won’t quit working.) 

Keep in mind that bad breath may be the cause of many jokes and embarrassing situations, but it can signal a health problem. The National Institutes of Health has a long list of potential causes of breath odor. Here are a few: 

• Periodontal disease, which can irritate the gums and eventually cause tooth decay.
• Ketoacidosis, a side effect of diabetes when the body doesn’t have enough insulin and instead uses fat.
• Diseases such as chronic kidney disease, lung problems, liver failure and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
• Temporary illnesses including sinus infections, bronchitis and upper respiratory infections.  

So what can you do? Everyone agrees that you need to tell the employee. Here are two approaches to take: 

• Be honest.
• Use humor. 

Of course, if you have other advice, please share it in the comments, or if you face a different challenge, please tell us about it so we can post it and ask for advice. 

Be honest 

Dan Michalko tells a story of what happens when you offer mints or gum. “‘Good morning, Brad.’ (Manager takes out a pack of breath mints.) ‘Have a breath mint.’” Brad thanks the manager. The manager encourages Brad to take the rest of them. Brad turns down the mints. “The Manager responds, ‘I’d really like you to have them. I want you to maintain a professional image to go with the great work you do.’” 

Michalko makes a good point in that the employee may just think the manager is being nice, not pointing out a problem. After getting over the hump of letting the employee know about bad breath, encourage the employee to visit a website like WebMD.com and search for “bad breath.” 

It’s a shame the issue of bad breath embarrasses everyone, both the offender and offendee. Since this could be a health issue, someone needs to speak up with tact and sensitivity to help the employee. In addition to taking a gentle approach, a reader advises letting the employee know it is a confidential conversation. A reader offers a good statement to use with the Brads out there. “Brad, I want to bring something to your attention. I’m telling you this because I respect you … if it was ME I would want someone to tell me.” 

Another reader believes that the fixable situation could affect Brad’s career if he doesn’t do something about it. “Make sure that you tell Brad you value his contribution,” says the reader. 

Manon Labrecque, a member Material Technician, Toolroom/Sourcing CPPM with GE Aviation, has dealt with the issue of body odor with a male and a female employee. Labrecque reports that the employees appreciated the feedback. In another instance, an employee with bad breath had a medical issue, and surgery took care of it. 

Another idea is to use the term “halitosis” instead of “bad breath.” Using a clinical term may make it easier to talk about it. Plus, you take out the negative connotation of “bad breath.” 

Use humor 

Humor defuses the tension, and this harmless topic is a stressful one for the person with the offended schnoz. A reader proposes not only using humor, but to be self-deprecating. 

“Hey Brad, I need to advise you of a problem I have. Due to the fact that we both smoke cigarettes like maniacs, we both need to ensure we hit the Tic-Tacs on a regular basis. Believe me on this … If I miss my regular dose of breath fresheners, I have the ability to peel paint. Think of all the children, have a mint, Bro ,” says the reader. You’re smiling, aren’t you? 

Maybe share a story — or make one up if you can’t recall a situation — when someone did you a favor and pointed out a bad breath problem or another sensitive issue. And end that story by expressing gratitude that someone pointed it out to you, and you’re trying to do the same. 

“In showing the courage to talk with him, you’ll likely project an aura of strength and resolve,” says Jeff Deutsch, life coach and presenter, A SPLINT (ASPies LInking with NTs). The embarrassment lasts for minutes, but the results will be long-lasting like any good quality gum.

Have you dealt with bad breath, body odors or another embarrassing issue? How did you handle it? Please join the discussion in the comments because your voice matters. 

Got a challenge of your own you need help solving? Submit your question. You can remain anonymous, if you prefer. 

Meryl K. Evans is senior editor at InternetVIZ and the content maven behind the Connected Digest, B2B Social Media Digest, IT Solutions Journal and Professional Services Journal. Follow her on Twitter @merylkevans.

We have a business-casual dress code in our organization, with casual day on Friday. However, a colleague dresses a little too casually on a daily basis. We’ve asked her to turn it up a notch, but she still wears shorts on Friday instead of jeans like most folks, short skirts or low-cut blouses that reveal too much. How can we encourage her to dress appropriately, especially since our first attempt to convince her failed? Or should we leave it alone and hope karma does its job?

— Team Lead

Some predict 2011 will see the merging of Twitter and Facebook and the death of Foursquare. Michael Brenner shares his thoughts on what 2011 holds for B2B marketing in various areas and especially social media.

What do you think 2011 holds for B2B marketers?

[ Read original article ]

Grasshopper Group is the company behind the 5,000 campaign, a rebranding campaign that included sending five green chocolate-covered grasshoppers to 5,000 influencers. The company used FedEx to create a sense of urgency and authenticity. A glossy white bag with an attached hangtag appeared inside each envelope. The hangtag had a URL leading to a video about the power of entrepreneurship.

Chocolate-covered grasshoppers may not be an American delicacy, yet the campaign compelled influencers like Guy Kawasaki to tweet about the campaign. The result:  The switch from the GotVmail brand to the new brand of Grasshopper worked. Who thinks of GotVmail after receiving grasshoppers in the mail?

Social media strategy

Grasshopper Group helps start and grow businesses. The startup company began growing its own product and moved on to help other entrepreneurs — then added a few more products.

Grasshopper aims to create a fun environment for employees. Since many of them already interacted with social media sites for personal reasons, it was natural for the company to take an official step toward social media and encourage employees to meld personal and work life online.

“We thought that employees could take their already strong online influence and act as proud company ambassadors,” says Stephanie Bullis, ambassador of buzz at Grasshopper Group. “Since our original plunge into social media, things have become slightly more organized; however, we have zero and never will have any sort of social policy,” she says.

The company saw that customers, the entrepreneurs using its products, were already engaged in social media. This compelled the company to join the online conversation to ensure that people could find the company and interact with employees.

Since Grasshopper focuses on entrepreneurs, a group that tends to be technically savvy, the company knew it’d be a wise move to adopt social media and tools with the following strategies in mind.

• Use social media as a way to communicate a cohesive message across multiple platforms.
• Make connections with customers, media, influencers, etc., that may not otherwise be possible. Start by building relationships online that later translate into more powerful offline relationships.
• Connect as real people. Bridging from business to business (B2B) to peer to peer (P2P) provides a more personal identity for the corporate brand.
• Share relevant information such as articles, tips, infographics, resources, events, etc.
• Empower 1 million entrepreneurs to succeed, by providing them with invaluable tools for their businesses.
• Support entrepreneurs beyond a product suite.
• Educate entrepreneurs that Grasshopper Group-like products exist. People start businesses every day that need affordable solutions to get up and running.

Building the business case

Sometimes, social media doesn’t make sense for businesses. Grasshopper knew it could find its main audiences on social media, where they collect information and connect with others. Social media makes it possible to engage with customers on a more personal basis.

Grasshopper Group employees find that it’s easier to track social media than traditional marketing efforts like radio and TV ads. Allison Canty, social media coordinator with Grasshopper Group, says, “You see the conversations happening about your brand, and you can influence them.”

People will talk about your brand and ask questions whether or not your company appears on social media. Better to be there as a resource, or others may negatively influence opinions of your brand.

Measuring success

Grasshopper looks at its connections, which is the number of people following the company’s Twitter account, subscribing to its blogs or “liking” the Facebook page. However, these numbers mean little if no one interacts. The company studies interactions through retweets, mentions, shared-information Facebook status tags (when people “tag” the company on their walls), and comments on blogs and wall posts.

Another important factor is influence based on the company’s reach through its posts — who talks about them and where. Of course, conversion is the fourth element of measuring social media success. Conversion is based on sales, revenue, referrals, and traffic driven to company and product sites.

In monitoring Twitter for specific keywords, Bullis saw a tweet from someone asking about a virtual PBX solution. Rather than just responding to check out Grasshopper, she also provided two Twitter IDs of customers using the service. One tweet led to a phone call and the person became a customer. Not only that, but also the customer had an online radio show and invited Bullis to be a guest. He also acts as a Twitter referral whenever someone asks about Grasshopper and its products.

When Twitter’s “fail whale” (for the uninitiated: a picture of a whale appears when Twitter is down) keeps showing up as people attempt to connect to Twitter, they grow frustrated and spread that onto other networks. Oh, the irony. Grasshopper has turned technical difficulties — something that can happen to any company — into a positive experience thanks to social media.

For example, during a brief outage with the company’s phone system, the staff hopped on the social networks to provide regular updates on the outage. Customers knew exactly when the service was back up. A company that doesn’t join conversations could easily experience a publicity nightmare. Because the company provided consistent information and updates, customers never had a chance to become frustrated and instead saw a company that provided fast, thorough customer service.

Advice to businesses

Many companies enjoying social media success have said this, and it deserves repeating: no company should dive into social media just because everyone is doing it. Social media takes time and planning to be successful in engaging prospects.

The two biggest hurdles Grasshopper Group faced in entering social media were finding the time to do it and figuring how much time to invest. The staff doesn’t have a rule for this, and like most people, some days they spend more time in social media than others. “Things happen very fast, and if you’re not constantly monitoring to some degree, you can miss out on important conversations,” Canty says. The more customer conversations that occur in social media, the more time staff spend engaging and listening.

Social media can open the door and cultivate relationships. Where the real value comes in is taking the conversations outside of social media using the phone or meeting in person to make a personal connection. “People trust you more and realize that you’re a real person and not just a corporate brand hiding behind a computer screen looking to make sales,” Bullis says.

Almost every company experiencing success in social media says it began by looking at its target market, where customers and prospects interact and set expectations before engaging. Canty says, “Determine what your communication with them will be (platform, tone, frequency) and what your communication will be from them.” The Grasshopper team continues to learn from companies that excel in social media and mimic their efforts while retaining the company’s own voice.

Social media elements

Goal: The company aims to spread three messages: “We are empowering entrepreneurs to succeed with a suite of products they love to use,” “We’re a brand for entrepreneurs” and “We’re a trusted resource.” 

Social media tools: Grasshopper’s staff takes social media seriously and has fun doing it through these social tools:

1. Twitter. The Grasshopper Group has various Twitter IDs to share information specific to the product or business, including @ghgroup and @grasshopper. Employees use Twitter to engage with their target markets for each Twitter ID because that’s where they can find and interact with their audience to share information and extend their reach. Founders and CEOs tweet with customers and prospects using personal Twitter handles and don’t hide behind a corporate logo.
2. Facebook. The company has pages for Grasshopper Group, Grasshopper.com and Chargify. It uses Facebook for personal interaction with customers and fans and provides updates including new features, events attending, news, blog posts and anything else involving the company.
3. LinkedIn. Grasshopper posts blogs on the company’s LinkedIn page as well as uses LinkedIn as a platform to connect with professionals, network, recruit, answer questions, join related groups and participate in discussions.
4. YouTube. GetGrasshopper’s channel is loaded with how-to videos and caught wildfire with the company’s conceived New Dork video. It hired the Pantless Knights to create this video that helped generate brand awareness and fun for entrepreneurs.
5. Blogs. Staff use blogs to tell customer stories, discuss related topics such as startups and entrepreneurs, host guest bloggers, and share information regarding products.
6. Flickr. Photo albums show pictures of the office, events and outings.

All these activities help the company influence brand loyalists and encourage happy customers to want to talk about products. Staff gain input on how to do their jobs better.

Results: While Grasshopper sees comments on blog posts and content retweeted in Twitter, the company knows social media is working when customers report they chose Grasshopper over competitors because of its social media presence.

The company created National Entrepreneurs Day to recognize entrepreneurs and encourage others to sign a petition to compel President Barack Obama to recognize the day. This is a 100 percent Twitter campaign. Soon, the campaign grew on blogs and Facebook so much that Kaufman Foundation took notice and recognized the company in its Global Entrepreneurship Week.

Almost daily, Grasshopper staff sees tweets asking for recommendations for services or similar services. Thanks to Grasshopper’s brand loyalist customers on Twitter and its social media monitoring due diligence, it can influence these conversations and help people with buying decisions. People sign up for services based on the staff’s immediate responses and help on Twitter.

Because of creative campaigns and social media, the company has more than 35,000 customers and has empowered more than 100,000 entrepreneurs. It has accomplished what most would consider impossible for a company with zero sales representatives. “We get to know our customers, their stories and their passions. With this information, we can help promote their story to our entire audience of online followers and influential media contacts,” Bullis says.

About the interviewees

Stephanie Bullis is the ambassador of buzz at Grasshopper Group. She is passionate about fostering relationships with entrepreneurs and connecting with the startup community. You can find Bullis on Twitter @srbullis or via email at sbullis@grasshoppergroup.com.

Allison Canty is the social media coordinator at Grasshopper Group. She is responsible for managing Grasshopper Group’s online social presence and is passionate about Internet and social media marketing. You can connect with Canty via Twitter at @AliCanty.

Meryl K. Evans is senior editor at InternetVIZ and the content maven behind the Connected Digest, B2B Social Media Digest and Professional Services Journal. Follow her on Twitter @merylkevans, LinkedIn or Facebook.

Sometimes it feels like marketing and sales are on opposing corners like Republicans and Democrats. Never mind that research shows that aligning the two makes a difference. Instead, are they debating the right issues? Instead of function-oriented debates, try changing it into buyer-oriented one.

What do you think about reframing the aligning around buyer orientation?

[ Read original article ]

Articles about the use of social media in B2B companies heavily focus on how to connect with customers and generate leads. Many forget that marketing internally also matters. Internal market focuses on educating employees about its marketing programs, the company’s customers and prospects and so on. Every single employee can affect your company, so you need to ensure they all send the same messages.

How are you making sure employees represent the company in a unified way?

[ Read original article ]

How many times have you heard that a business uses social media to build its brand? (Yawn.) That’s a given. This article shows how nonprofits like hospitals can use social media to build a community while respecting strict privacy rules. The interview also contains advice on getting started with social media.

How does your business use social media?

[ Read original article ]

Some B2Bs have found success in using Facebook to interact with customers and prospects. So it is possible. Just look at Cisco. This article offers a variety of ideas on how to use Facebook pages for B2Bs.

How do you use Facebook for business? Or if you don’t, why not?

[ Read original article ]

Doing more with less is the norm. In my opinion, employees should be thankful they have a job with decent pay. Yet, my staff continues to insist on raises even though we can’t afford them. Should I cave in and give the raises, putting my business at risk? Or should I hold firm, and let them find a better job if they want more money?

— Manager

Content Marketing Institute has released a report that 8 out of 10 marketers use social media, but only three believe it’s working for them. Turn that around with these seven ways to make your social media work smarter for your business.

What has worked for you in social media?

[ Read original article ]

It’s easy to collect a lot of data. The hard part comes in making sense of it so you can act on it. The author offers up a solution in social intelligence, which involves gleaning insights from social communities.

What is an example of social intelligence?

[ Read original article ]

This ebook provides insights and suggestions to close the sales and marketing gap. As a result of bringing the two teams together, they’ll better define qualified lead and processes for generation and nurturing them. The eBook includes insights from various b2b marketing experts.

What is most valuable advice you’ve picked up from the ebook?

[ Read original article ]

Personal use of social media is widespread and is exploding in popularity. Business use is growing and evolving. Are nonprofits like hospitals involved? Yes, and more will participate as time and budgets allow.

From this recent article in Bio-Tech Digest featuring an interview with Frank Barry, Internet strategy manager at Blackbaud, you’ll gain some valuable insights on social media and nonprofit and hospital participation. Through his sage advice, you’ll:

• Learn how social media is evolving.
• See some actual examples of effective social media use.
• Discover a fantastic website where you can see and analyze what hospitals do.
• Learn five basic decisions you need to make before you start a social media program
• Get a helpful white paper on social media use by healthcare organizations.
• Be able to attend a prerecorded webinar on social media.

[ Read more ]

Beware Peter Shankman uses strong words to make his point, but they’re important points marketers and executives need to hear. Asking how to get more followers, fans or likes isn’t the right question to ask. It’s about engaging and be there for your customers. Yes, engagement can bring in revenue. Just make sure your customer facing employees have flexibility to help.

How do you engage in social media?

[ Read original article ]

One of my employees, let’s say Brad, has bad breath. Unfortunately, it’s not a temporary issue. I’ve tried all the subtle ways to adapt and change, but nothing works, and the idea of talking to Brad about his breath makes me uncomfortable.

Yet, I have to do something since I’m his manager. Should I give him a never-ending supply of chewing gum, or is there a more tactful way to handle this?

— Manager

Think back 25 years. Can you believe we didn’t have cell phones and a computer in every home and on every desk? The precursor to personal digital assistants, the Palm Pilot didn’t debut until 1996!

The networking company, Cisco Systems, is celebrating 25 years. (Can you believe the company didn’t exist before 1984?)

What do you see in 25 years? The innovative company has a CiscoIn25 video contest, which appears on its Facebook page with over 100,000 fans. The big question behind the contest is “How do you think technology will evolve in the next 25 years?”

The human network strategy

As you look at Cisco’s Facebook page, you can tell the company is having fun with social media and bolstering its “Together we are the human network” campaign. Employees managing the page know they represent a business and balance fun with business (see the evidence on the Facebook Page Guidelines).

Yet developing a human network requires more than fun — widespread resolve. Cisco integrates its social media strategy into every aspect of the company from product development and sales to human resources and communications. The company relies on social media to interact with employees, customers, potential employees, press, investors and analysts.

From an organizational chart perspective, two teams manage these efforts. Although the two teams have separate objectives and audiences, they work together on social media governance and training.

The social media communications team falls under corporate communications, and John Earnhardt, director of social media communications, leads the team. This team manages the overall content and strategy across Cisco corporate social channels including Corporate Newsroom, @CiscoSystems Twitter feed, Cisco Facebook page, Flickr and YouTube.

“The social media communications team focuses on those ‘influencers’ who, if you will, get a vote against our uber-company goal of being the most important technology company in the world,” says Earnhardt.

Jeanette Gibson (@jeanetteg) leads the other team, the social media marketing team housed in the central marketing organization. This team oversees integrated social media campaigns, lead generation, online brand strategy and overall monitoring and listening programs for the company. Its focus is on customers and lead generation.

Earnhardt says, “We both use the same tools, although they tend to focus on smaller communities that may lead customers or prospects into the sales funnel. In communications, we certainly point to our products and communities if people want to go there, but we don’t measure how much revenue we impact or leads we create.”

Building the business case

Using social media is a no brainer for a technology company like Cisco. The fun began with the company’s first external blog in 2005. “It was an experiment to ‘extend’ the experience and voice of our public policy team members within our government affairs group,” Cisco Senior Social Media Strategist Autumn Truong says.

“We’ve learned that we can have richer and more engaging conversations through social media. We are a customer-centric company that doesn’t fall in love with any specific technology. We ask customers and deliver what they want. Social media helps us listen and respond.”

The company added its YouTube channel in 2007, its Twitter account two years later and the Facebook page in 2009. The business case needed no help when the proof was in the conversation.

Measuring success

For Cisco, social media is about interactions. Truong says, “Regardless of your respective social media programs, engagement is at the heart of what we want to measure and achieve. Whether it’s as simple as someone retweeting your content or as involved as commenting or blogging — these connections provide great insight into the level of interest people have on a particular topic. If we can help our community engage and participate in the conversations, based on the content and information we share across our social media channels, that’s a win for us.”

To facilitate an upcoming redesign, Cisco plans to fine-tune and redefine how it measures content engagement on its site and across all its social networks. In fact, the company will use the redesign opportunity to ask readers if it should have a new name for News@Cisco in its blog and to receive suggestions from Facebook fans. A poll in Facebook will provide valuable information.

Currently, the company is experimenting with coupons on its Facebook page. It rewards new fans with a discount on two of the company’s products. This effort is helping the company gauge its Facebook community engagement.

Advice to businesses

Employees know that social media is still new from a business perspective. Cisco’s social media teams continue to learn while sharing insight and best practices, especially on its blogs. The company also shares its Social Media Guidelines handbook.

Social media’s low barrier to entry makes it easy for B2B companies to dive into it. Cisco believes that — after identifying your audience, goals and proof of success — you “Just do it.” You learn by doing and making mistakes.

A word of warning: Cisco used to rely on anonymous bloggers, and employees have talked about stuff they should not have revealed in public. These types of things can be damaging, but may ultimately hurt the employee more than the company.

Earnhardt says, “Fundamentally, employee training should be along the simple and clear lines of ‘offline and online rules are the same.’ For example, if policy says don’t talk to the media on the phone without your PR team, then certainly don’t talk to them on Twitter or Facebook.”

The teams rely on valuable online resources like Mashable for social media advice, but nothing replaces figuring these things out for yourself.

Social media elements

Goal: The company’s vision is “changing the way we work, live, play and learn.” You may see this as a big, hairy, audacious goal or as Cisco affectionately calls it, BHAG. Earnhardt says, “We believe it’s something that networking technology inherently does. We connect. We make the world a smaller place through video and collaborative technology. We bring people together.”

Social media tools: Cisco uses every social network with fervor. It doesn’t simply set up at Facebook page and forget about it. Staff updates content regularly and engages with its audiences in five different touchpoints:

1. Corporate newsroom: The corporate newsroom takes the form of a blog with the latest news. It also seamlessly integrates Cisco’s other blogs giving visitors a quick overview of each.
2. Twitter: The @ciscosystems Twitter feed — managed by John Earnhardt — tweets news and information about Cisco and its executives. The account’s bio includes a link to Cisco’s support page.
3. Facebook: Cisco Facebook page doesn’t just provide information and news. The company has Facebook Page Guidelines, posts a fun contest, provides an offer and links to its other social network pages.
4. Flickr: Cisco’s flickr photostream has over 50 pages of images and photos related to company events, executives and other interesting photos like the Doobie Brothers showing up at Cisco. There’s that fun thing again.
5. YouTube: CSCOPR YouTube channel contains over 800 videos including a series by Greg Justice, who calls himself the company’s “World’s Most Interesting Intern” where he raps about his experience at Cisco — meeting the president of Russia, sitting in an ergonomic chair and sounding like C-3P0 spouting out corporate acronyms.

“There are so many conversations going on in the technology space, and we want our voice to be relevant and important in those conversations,” says Earnhardt. More important, the team considers listening to be a critical part of the social media formula. Its Facebook page not only polls fans about Cisco’s News@Cisco name and favorite Cisco Internet video, but also asks about Facebook privacy changes and favorite holiday movie. (We like It’s a Wonderful Life.)

Results: Cisco’s social media success is easy to see. Just look at its impressive numbers across the social media board. However, numbers only tell you part of the story. After all, people can easily follow a company, but it doesn’t mean they’re listening. So look to the multi-way conversations happening on the various networks. “While we still have a lot to learn and to uncover about the power of social media,” Truong says, “we’ve seen early success in terms of volume and the type of people we reach and impact in a real-time environment.”

A transparent engagement tool

To Cisco, social media isn’t a business driver, but a transparent tool to communicate with its audiences. Truong says, “At Cisco, social media is viewed similarly to corporate social responsibility … It doesn’t necessarily have a direct business impact, but it is good for business.”

The company is implementing many social media behind the firewall that the company calls the “quad,” an enterprise collaboration tool that borrows from Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. The quad helps employees better collaborate, build teams and share information. When these products start to be monetized, that’s the ultimate measure of their efficacy.

All of this makes you wonder: Which company is forming today that will be known by 2035? What technology are we living without right now?

Think about it. Today, 25 years is what 100 years was in the 1800s. Things that didn’t exist 10 years ago: Wikipedia (2001), iPod (2001), BlackBerry smartphone (2002) and Nintendo GameCube (2001).

What a difference a decade makes.

About the interviewees

John Earnhardt is director of social media communications at Cisco where he manages the social media team responsible for the award-winning News@Cisco news site, the corporate blog and Facebook pages, and the Twitter @CiscoSystems, Ustream and Flickr sites. Follow him at @urnhart.

Autumn Truong is a senior social media strategist at Cisco leading amplification, community management and influencer engagement programs within the corporate communications department. She works closely with various organizations within Cisco to drive alignment on social media measurement, strategy, policy and governance. Follow her at @autumntt.

About the author

Meryl K. Evans is senior editor at InternetVIZ and the content maven behind the Connected Digest, B2B Social Media Digest and Professional Services Journal. Follow her on Twitter @merylkevans, LinkedIn or on Facebook.

— Christine

When was the last time your boss gave you an “atta girl” or “atta boy?” Bet some of you remember exactly when because many businesses today fail to recognize employees for their good work. So who wants to share credit at a time like this?

If the coworker took some of the credit without lifting a finger for the project, it’s a sad state that a person has to resort to dishonesty. If you face a credit thief, readers and experts recommend:

• Let it go.
• Plan for next time.
• Tell the boss.

Of course, if you have other advice, please share it in the comments, or if you face a different challenge, please tell us about it so we can post it and ask for advice.

Let it go

Whether you believe in it or not, people think karma will restore balance. If not, a reader gives another good reason for taking the high road. “Be gracious and let it go. Perhaps, he’ll owe you one.”

Need more convincing to take this approach? Thomas McClintock, chief operations officer of NSI Partners, says, “Actions speak louder than words in these situations, and people know a lot more than they let on. Spending your time ‘thwarting’ ties you up on the inside and on the outside. Moving on to the next project is better for your organization, your career and your peace of mind. If you want to invest energy in this, be direct with Ed, privately. If you do that selflessly, you’ll both benefit, and so will other legitimate thunder-makers in the future.”

Plan for next time

It may make the situation worse if you try to do something about it instead of just moving on. Aricia E. LaFrance says, “At this point, if you say anything, you’ll probably sound like a tattletale so it’s time to take a step back and plan for next time. In the future, keep all communications to email or text and include a cc to a colleague or manager on anything pertinent as to who does what. This can help keep people honest.”

Donna Lubrano, corporate sales with Improv Asylum, lists six questions to ask before taking action. They will help you think through the situation and be prepared for next time:

1. What purpose will getting sole credit serve? Make yourself look good? Get a raise? Advance your career? Make the other person look bad? Be careful what you wish for — it might come true!
2. This person barely wanted to help you this time. What happens if you call him on the credit theft and then need his help again? It will not be pretty.
3. What does this say about you to the powers that be? Does a great job but can’t share the spotlight with others? Today, companies emphasize collaboration, so think how you want others to perceive you.
4. Will being a little more generous get you more of what you want? Perhaps, you’ll get more help next time?
5. Did no one help because staff knew you would take all the credit for yourself and not acknowledge their contributions?
6. Is this your leadership style? Companies want leaders who can share the spotlight and inspire others to do great work.

“Acknowledge the other’s contribution and move on — and hope it inspires others to work with you so you won’t have to do it alone — that’s what impresses everyone,” Lubrano says.

Tattling doesn’t belong in the workplace. The least you can do is learn from this experience to avoid a “next time.”

Tell the boss

For some, silence might lead to more frustration. Barry Maher suggests telling the boss using an upbeat tone, “‘You know I really enjoyed doing that last project. And to be fair, Ed contributed to it as well. He [detail exactly what Ed did]. So he certainly deserves credit for that.’ No matter what the Polyannas might tell you, truth, goodness and light don’t always win in the end. Sometimes they need a bit of help,” Maher says.

Have you dealt with credit-hogging coworkers? How did you handle it? Please join the discussion in the comments because your voice matters.

Got a challenge of your own you need help solving? Submit your question. You can remain anonymous, if you prefer.

Meryl K. Evans is senior editor at InternetVIZ and the content maven behind the Connected Digest, B2B Social Media Digest, IT Solutions Journal and Professional Services Journal. Follow her on Twitter @merylkevans.

The article reviews a survey that looks at how lead generation management (LGM) systems affect the roles of marketing and sales. In a nutshell: organizations where marketing takes an active role in the lead generation effort, technology is an enabler for marketing and helps the two work together better.

What solution, if any, is your organization using in lead generation?

[ Read original article ]

Love how Rod Sloane uses cold war as an analogy in describing sales and marketing alignment, or lack thereof. Cut the detente’ and see better results.

When was the last time you focused on aligning sales and marketing in your company?

[ Read original article ]

Often, companies cite brand awareness as the reason they use social media. Yes, it helps, but is it the most important goal? What about lead generation? Customer retention?

What’s your organization’s main goal for social media and why?

[ Read original article ]

We’re not going to tell you to just jump in. However, we know that social media is scary and overwhelming for b2bs trying to get into it for the first time. Learn how one organization helped its employees enter the social media realm.

What fears, if any, do you have about social media for business? Or how did you jump in?

[ Read original article ]

Recently, I worked hard on a project alone. The only help I received was from my coworker, Ed — but it was with resentment and, believe me, very minimal. The manager asked Ed who worked on the project. Ed said that I did it with his help. How can I get sole credit? Should I leave this situation alone or do something about it?

— Christine

Yet as social media has grown and become a business necessity, more employees have started to hang out on these sites — and not always for work. Am I going overboard in wanting to control the amount of time employees spend online for personal surfing? How can I trust them to get the work done without curtailing this personal web browsing? Or does it really save productivity since they get the mental break they need?

— Nathan

Managers constantly battle for their employees’ attention. The opponent isn’t short attention spans or even co-workers. The enemy is technology. Employees have phones with games and Internet connections. If that isn’t bad enough, they have a direct connection to the Internet from their work computers.

As social media and online resources become an important part of doing business, managing Internet use grows difficult. But you may want to rethink your company’s policy after reading what readers and experts have to say about the issue.

1. Trust employees.
2. Focus on performance.
3. Let employees get involved with social media.
4. Use tools to monitor Internet use.

Of course, if you have other advice, please share it in the comments, or if you’re facing a different challenge, please tell us about it so we can post it and ask for advice.

Trust employees

Sometimes managers need to step back and trust their employees to do the right thing. It doesn’t mean the manager should do nothing.

Kimberly McCabe, marketing consultant, Oshyn, Inc., says, “Employees feel more empowered when their managers trust them to make the right decisions. If you feel they are unclear about how to spend their time on social media sites during working hours, send out a short and sweet email giving ideas on how to make their time effective. Or engage them and ask them to send you their ‘best practices’ for managing their time in social media to share with the whole group.”

Focus on performance

A good manager can determine whether an employee performs below expectations. Lowell Bike, president and co-founder of MyAutoTips.com, lets employees surf the web because the alternative can do more harm. Bike says, “If they do not get their work done, or the quality of the work is subpar, I will know it. When a company spends money in the form of software and on IT personnel who monitor the activities of employees, the company is telling employees that it does not trust them and feels they will not do their jobs unless forced to focus on them.”

Consider that even if a company blocks specific websites, employees can still get to such websites using their phones. So why not build a better relationship with employees by showing them you trust them and let their performance do the talking? “It doesn’t matter whether the person is web surfing, talking at the water cooler or making personal phone calls. What does matter is that she or he gets the job done. If the employee has clear goals and expectations, is engaged at work and is held accountable, the rest falls into place. In short, focus on performance expectations,” says Linda M. Duffy, president, Leadership Habitude.

“If employees fulfill their tasks in a successful way and still have time to vent/recoup/socialize or maybe even discover new useful tools for the business on the Internet, it creates a healthy and productive environment where the employee and (and the boss) is happy,” says Zachary Weiner, CEO of Luxuryreach. Giving employees a little freedom can lead to happiness and job satisfaction. That may be worth the sacrifice of surfing time.

Michelle Gamble-Risley, president of M Communications/3L Publishing, can’t see her employees because her business is virtual. “I don’t care what they spend their days doing as long as they do not miss my deadlines. When I hire people, I am upfront about this requirement,” Gamble-Risley says.

Let employees get involved with social media

Maybe the manager needs to look at social media in a different way. Instead of considering it a time waster, think of it as a way to extend the company’s brand. “Your employees can be your best brand ambassadors, promoting your products and services across their social networks with potential prospects, partners, investors and recruits,” says Rick Clancy, senior director, public relations with Covario.

Clancy explains that involved employees may provide insight from the community that the company would not otherwise know about. “In these times of tight marketing budgets, I would encourage you to empower and trust your employees on the social media front rather than curtail them. As a result, I’m sure you’ll see the benefits greatly outweigh the risks,” Clancy says.

Gamble-Risley, sees social media interactions as positive. “In fact, if they’re on social media and making great business connections, that’s even better for my business.”

Use tools to monitor Internet use

Employees may spend time on websites that have nothing to do with social media. Maybe they’re shopping, taking an online class or catching up with an old friend. These activities are best left for lunch breaks, but some may get carried away as the Internet is quite the temptress.

Obie Fernandez, CEO and founder, Hashrocket, recommends RescueTime. The application can monitor Internet use and report activity by teams and individuals. Fernandez points to a downside of controlling Internet use. “I’ve found that severely curtailing Internet usage at work usually prevents you from hiring and retaining the best and brightest employees out there. It’s better to keep an eye on the situation and deal with problem people individually instead of punishing everyone,” Fernandez says.

Siva Sanmuga, owner, Callture.com, uses a free and open-source solution called Untangle to manage which sites the company allows or doesn’t allow. Sanmuga says, “The most important thing is that the same rule should apply to you as well. Communicate it openly to employees.”

If you take the monitoring route, James C. Roberts advises consulting with a human resources lawyer regarding the implications of using the software because there may be privacy issues.

Managers are not babysitters. They’re leaders who trust employees and empower them to do their best and succeed. Let their work do the talking rather than micromanaging them to the point where it could affect morale. Encouraging them to get involved in social media may do wonders for your organization.

But if employees are not performing, and non-work related activities like surfing the Internet are the cause, you have the option to monitor Internet use. A word of caution: Take care in using such tools because they may lead to negative results.

Have you dealt with Internet policies? How did you handle it? Please join the discussion in the comments because we want to hear from you. Got a challenge of your own you’d like to help solving? Submit your question. You don’t have to share your name if you prefer to remain anonymous.

Meryl K. Evans is senior editor at InternetVIZ and the content maven behind the Connected Digest, B2B Social Media Digest, IT Solutions Journal and Professional Services Journal. Follow her on Twitter @merylkevans.

Although it’s harder to get started because of size, approvals, layers of decision makers and other complications, more big corporations than ever use social media today.

That’s no secret. But how to do it right depends on commitment and strategy.

Frost & Sullivan, a giant company with 40 offices and 1,800 employees uses social media effectively. Its strategies are to start small, be consistent, be relevant and don’t be afraid.

Frost & Sullivan social media strategy

Frost & Sullivan raises awareness of the company and its brand by building a presence on several social media sites and through the company blogs. These activities provide stepping stones toward its target audience that result in new and repeat business.

Sarah Saatzer, corporate communications associate for Frost & Sullivan, lists three audiences the company wants to reach with social media:

• Clients. The company updates clients on the analysts’ work and activities.
• Prospects. In connecting with potential clients, the company shares industry coverage and builds relationships to generate interest and business.
• Media. Frost & Sullivan works to be a resource for reporters by sharing analysts’ coverage areas so the analysts can be a resource for future stories.

The team knows that sometimes prospects won’t contact them. “Even if they see a post and don’t reach out to us, we are still raising awareness of our company and coverage areas that they may reference later or pass along to someone else,” says Saatzer. Social networks provide a starting point for conversations. “We want to let them know what we do and how we can help their company and get them in contact with the appropriate research team to make that happen.”

Building a business case for social media

The drumbeat of social media began growing louder when Jake Wengroff, global director of corporate communications, joined the company in June 2008. At this time, several department heads and executives were asking questions about how to best handle and leverage social media.

Complimentary eBook Social Media Marketing GPS – 91 Page eBook Social Media Marketing GPS Detailed description Get complimentary ebook will tell you the why and how to use social media for marketing, one tweet at a time. You’ll learn the essentials in digestible little spoonfuls. The focus is on how to leverage social media as a vehicle to build and nurture stronger business relationships. Get your copy at no charge.

The corporate communications team took the lead, creating identities on Twitter and SlideShare by August 2008, and learned as it went along. The team didn’t need to worry about making a business case since this didn’t involve a purchase order or request for funds.

The team worked to incorporate messages, postings and tweets into its daily work and knew that social media would take time.

Outside of the corporate communications team, the company also launched analyst blogs in January 2010 for clients as “a walled garden,” meaning only clients had access. These blogs went public in August 2010.

The preferred social media tools

Like most successful social media users, Frost & Sullivan combines its social network efforts. For example, when staff posts a presentation on SlideShare, they follow it up with a tweet on the Frost & Sullivan Twitter account and post it on the Facebook fan page wall. The company relies on the following five social resources:

1. Blogs. Originally, the company managed blogs within a wall, but it recently opened its blogs to the public. Each business unit has its own blog for analysts to share market insights, trends or react to news relevant to the industry.
2. LinkedIn. While the company doesn’t have a LinkedIn page, many employees promote Frost & Sullivan on their own LinkedIn pages.
3. Facebook. The company uses a Facebook Fan page for linking to presentations and upcoming analyst briefings and to reference media mentions.
4. Twitter. The company has a Twitter ID to share the same information offered on Facebook.
5. Slideshare. The company also has a Slideshare account for posting presentations that analysts create to brief webinars or presentations from tradeshows or events.

Measuring success

The corporate communication team tracks social media statistics weekly:

• Facebook Page — Weekly updates on number of fans, page visits, comments and wall posts.
• Twitter — Number of followers, tweets and retweets.
• Slideshare — Number of uploaded presentations, comments and people who liked each.

These stats continue to support that more people are becoming familiar the brand, and the company’s social media presence is growing.

Advice to businesses

At first, corporate communications faced obstacles that many businesses do when trying to convince executives about the return on investment of social networking. “Resistance came from senior executives concerned that we would release sensitive client information, or premium data, through social networks. However, we assuaged these fears, and they soon realized that clients were increasingly expecting us to maintain a social footprint, especially those in our technology practice — our largest business unit,” says Wengroff.

He and Saatzer offer the following advice to businesses considering social networking:

• Start small, be consistent. Don’t jump in and create a handful of IDs for multiple social networks. Instead, start with one account and post new content on a regular basis while responding to comments. With each new identity, ensure that branding remains consistent for easier recognition.
• Be relevant. Yes, you need to let others know what your company does, but also tie it to current news and media reports. Blog posts, tweets and other content related to a hot topic often attract the most interest.
• Don’t be afraid. Naturally, a company fears that opening itself to the public could lead to negative comments. Saatzer says, “Many times these comments encourage healthy dialogue between our analysts and a company, which sometimes even leads to a sale. It can give the company a chance to let our analysts know what they are up to and give both parties a new perspective on a topic.”

Wengroff adds, “Another obstacle we had to overcome was that managers were concerned we would create and distribute all of this content, without a way to track its performance and ‘convert’ it to sales leads. As the social web is composed mostly of passive browsers, we have had to demonstrate that we do receive some sales leads from our efforts and that individuals are sharing and favoring our content, which are good indicators that we provide valuable, useful information.”

Frost & Sullivan social media upshot

Goal: Frost & Sullivan’s primary goal is to raise awareness of its brand that people associate with market research or consulting services. “Social media gives us a unified presence and gets our name, logo and coverage areas out there,” Saatzer says. “All of our social media identities are branded with the same logo, images and text.”

Results: The team knows social media has paid off because journalists have contacted them in response to tweets or presentations on SlideShare. Frost & Sullivan also knows it reaches potential clients when hearing from people who ask for more information because of a Facebook comment or a SlideShare presentation. Social networks have helped these potential clients learn about the areas that Frost & Sullivan covers. These contacts regularly lead to a sale or a vendor briefing. Wengroff says, “Success in social media often requires the ability to explain the rules of new media to those who are confused or impatient. Stay the course, keep focused and communicate your results, no matter how small.”

The size of the company shouldn’t deter large firms from using social media. Size has its advantages, and social media is no exception. A bigger base of clients and prospects to start with, a recognized name and brand, a large scope of content and events — all allow big companies to start the social media engine faster.

Meryl K. Evans is senior editor at InternetVIZ and the content maven behind the Connected Digest, B2B Social Media Digest and Professional Services Journal. Follow her on Twitter @merylkevans, LinkedIn or on Facebook.

Five Challenges for Sales and Marketing

Yet another article showing the importance of aligning marketing and sales. “A brand is merely the promise of an experience.  In order to experience the brand, one must generally purchase the product or service of the brand.  In order to purchase the product or service of the brand, you need to provide a selling channel.”

Marketing is about branding. Sales is about revenue. Putting both in the same boat and paddling in the same direction will make those a reality. But of course, there are challenges in getting them in the same boat going in the same direction.

What other challenges do you see in aligning marketing and sales?

[ Read original article ]

Sales and Marketing Alignment

Download the free 20-page guide on how to create a marketing plan that incorporates personas, builds a team and uses different demand generation approaches. The guide also includes tips for building a sales and marketing machine, staffing, timeline and budgets.

What do you think of the advice given in the blueprint?

[ Read original article ]

Business and Social Media

The article reports that Forbes and Google conducted a survey of 354 executives and found that over 50 percent of the under 40 have a work-related blog, show on up Twitter and visit social networks often.

Valeria connected with experts to ask them for their thoughts on why and how B2B companies benefit from including social media in their marketing strategies.

What’s your experience with B2B social media?

[ Read original article ]

Social Media Resources

This great list sorts the resources into categories including how-to, case studies, networking and presentations. What are your favorite go to resources for B2B social media?

[ Read original article ]

Virtual Events

The concept of the virtual event, long a notion prompting predictions and fears of live events’ demise, has achieved an ironic feat. Far from threatening the vitality and existence of traditional events, virtual events bolstered by social media have strengthened the appeal of in-person professional gatherings across all industries, and will soon be crucial to most brick-and-mortar trade shows. 

Integrating the new with the best of the old 

The transformation of the live event through virtual elements has come about from the perfection of communications technologies such as streaming video and the emergence of communications channels such as social media. In concert, these factors have given rise to hybrid events. By combining offline and online elements with the multifaceted physical and virtual experience, hybrid events teem with interactivity on many levels. 

This evolution is already underway on the most forward-thinking trade show floors, where smart trade show producers blend the best of the new with the best of the old. Virtual technologies, along with complementary social media, will increasingly infiltrate the trade show floor, coexisting peacefully with good, old-fashioned hand-shaking and eye-to-eye contact. 

New research backs this prediction. Whether as an attendee, exhibitor, producer or supplier/vendor, over 75 percent of trade show and event insiders plan to attend a virtual trade show in the next 12 months, according to a recent Trade Show News Network (TSNN) and Onstream Media Corporation survey of 800 professionals. 

More telling, 75 percent of these same professionals consider a virtual trade show as an add-on or extension to an existing show or physical event. It’s not difficult to infer that the industry is embracing hybrid events as a viable way to enhance, rather than detract from, live events. 

The template: TS² 2010 

Take TS², an annual trade show about trade show marketing — and a good place, logically to gauge where the trade show industry is headed. In July, TS² 2010: Total Solutions Marketing for the Exhibit and Event Professional occurred at the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center, where over 1,500 attendees enjoyed in-person, tactile opportunities to physically interact with exhibitors and learn about trade show marketing face-to-face. 

The show’s traditional aspects were a hit. Yet central to the success of this year’s TS² was the IN Zone Lounge and Networking Center, an interactive pavilion that debuted live on the show floor to a positive reception. The center embodied hybrid events’ ability to energize and augment traditional trade shows. A creation of The Expo Group (Twitter: @TheExpoGroup), the IN Zone supported, facilitated and encouraged an array of new media–related activities. For instance, impromptu tweet-ups drew together offline attendees and online observers of TS² to the IN Zone’s comfortable lounge to share their latest thinking on all things trade show–marketing related; conversations revolved around the ability of social media and virtual events to augment the live event experience for all. 

Adjacent to these gatherings, professional trade show presenter and virtual event host Emilie Barta (@EmilieBarta) conducted a series of candid, talk show–style interviews with several industry thought leaders. Passersby on the trade show floor could view and hear these interviews by line-of-site or on a large plasma video screen, and a virtual audience watched streaming video online. 

Further promoting interaction between and among in-person, virtual attendees and TS² itself were representatives from 3D Media Group who roamed the trade show floor to shoot short video spots on attendees’ thoughts regarding TS². Later, they posted the videos online for all to see. Additionally, virtual attendees were encouraged to go viral by submitting a video for a TS²-associated contest. 

The social media ‘glue’ 

The success of hybrid events relies on crucial social media tools, along with a strategy to employ them. Even a live event bereft of any hybrid qualities becomes better when the show’s producers embrace social media. Why? Social media adds another dimension to interactivity among in-person attendees and online participants. 

A parallel scene unfolds alongside the event as social media channels enhance everyone’s experience. People bristle with chatter relevant to the event and of interest to anyone attending physically or virtually. This chatter instantly provides the event’s producers with real-time feedback and a long tail of organic visibility online. 

TS²‘s use of Twitter offers an example of the possibilities. In using Twitter effectively, TS² established and cultivated a presence there (@ts2show) long before the live event. Additionally, showing how hashtags can enhance the brand and increase visibility on Twitter, TS² created one branded for the show (#ts2show), and included other industry-relevant hashtags in as many tweets as possible. Examples of these hashtags are#eventprofs, the shared hashtag for a group of trade show industry thought leaders who maintain a highly active conversation on Twitter, and #tradeshow, which acts as a trade show indicator for anyone on Twitter searching for trade show information. 

These tactics combined social media search optimization with brand-building efforts and set the stage for optimizing TS²‘s social media at the event. In the weeks preceding the show and during the live event, TS² encouraged attendees and participants to add #ts2show in every tweet pertaining to TS². The IN Zone held its own outreach by asking attendees to include #InZone in every tweet. As an additional incentive for everyone to do so, the IN Zone posted all tweets incorporating these hashtags on its large plasma video screen, for all to see. This setup allowed Twitter observers to easily follow the hashtags and conversation. 

Rounding out its social media presence, TS² carved a presence on other common social media outposts during the many months leading to the event. For instance, TS² used Facebook and LinkedIn to announce contests related to the event and to foster an online conversation on issues affecting the trade show industry. These two channels, along with Twitter and others, promise to fuel TS²‘s drive to encourage a continual sense of community and render an annual gathering where stakeholders can meet and share, face-to-face, the ideas they contribute year-round. 

It takes a virtual village to revive in-person events 

Hybrid events and the technologies that facilitate, complement and augment them have rescued live events from self-inflicted inertia and stagnation. These new amalgams of in-person and virtual interaction have expanded live events’ shelf life to provide a meaningful experience to attendees, exhibitors and other stakeholders “24-7-365.” Furthermore, they transform the live event itself into a pilgrimage, where everything observed through the multifaceted, year-round experience culminates annually. Smart producers of live events are embracing virtual and hybrid events, along with the technologies that support and enhance them. 

Editor’s note: relationSearch partners, Skinner’s company, helped TS² develop its social media plan. 

Brent Skinner is CEO of relationSearch partners, a company that focuses on helping clients find and be found by target audiences with whom they may forge relationships. Whether the need is to form strategic partnerships, tap social media, improve organic search engine optimization or combine all these and more, relationSearch partners develop programs that feed the lead pipeline and drive sales. Visit http://www.relationsearchpartners.com/, follow Brent on Twitter @RSpartners or email bskinner@relationSearchpartners.com. 

A white paper that distills the many findings of the recent survey by TSNN and Onstream Media Corporation, Virtual Trade Show Report: Insights & Trends from Industry Insiders, is scheduled to be available this fall. Visit www.TSNN.com for more information.

— Ed, Manager

I Need More Time

If the world could magically add more hours in the day, we’d probably still run into this lack of time problem. Having too much to do is one of those vicious cycles that won’t stop turning until we fix how we manage our work.

“Being up against a no-win situation is depressing and demoralizing. You’ve got to take your power back and restructure your work day so you can accomplish something of value to you and your firm,” says Elene Cafasso, founder and president, Enerpace, Inc.

Ready to shuck depression and take the reins back? While this list works as a step-by-step guide to better managing your work, you can skip some or modify it to your liking:

1. Make a list
2. Dump non-essentials.
3. Prioritize the keepers.
4. Delegate where possible.
5. Prepare ahead.
6. Resist distractions.
7. Use tools.

Make a list

Stop drowning at the thought of all the things you need to do and make a list of exactly what you must do so you can prioritize tasks. Add everything without judgment.

Meet List Junky Marisha Morris, owner/chief exec designer at Done Beautifully, Inc. “I send myself text messages and use sticky notes, chalk boards and the dry erase board to make my lists.” It doesn’t matter what tool you use, or if you use one or more. Capture those tasks in writing first.

Dump non-essentials

Building habits helps you stick with the program. Yet habits can hold you back as the tasks you do on a regular basis lose importance, such as regularly scheduled meetings and reports.

Brandie Kajino, chief solutionist, SOHO Solutionist, looks deep into the task. Kajino says, “I ask questions, and clarify with people making requests — Is it critical, can it wait or be eliminated? Once in a while, when things get completely out of hand, I sit down and figure out what isn’t helping in the overall picture. Then, I eliminate it.”

“Qualify your sales and think about your bottom line,” says Teri Hurley, owner/operator of Endless Love Travel. “Don’t take on anything that won’t keep you in business, or you soon won’t be. Stick to your area of expertise as you have a better success rate of selling in these areas.”

When someone asks you to do something, and it’s not essential, just say no. Avoid falling into the trap of landing a task you don’t need.

Prioritize the keepers

How do you know where to begin if you don’t know what’s more urgent or has a deadline? Randy Pausch, author of The Last Lecture, shares a simple four-quadrant system from his famous lecture based on Stephen R. Covey’s The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.

Go through your task list and put 1, 2, 3 or 4 next to each one. Then do the most important things first and plan for when you’ll do the least important tasks.

Delegate where possible

Consider delegating tasks, even if you’re not a manager with direct reports. You may be afraid to assign a task to someone else because you know exactly what you want and need. Do you need to attend all the meetings you have? How about sending someone in your place?

Loretta Love Huff, president, Emerald Harvest Consulting, explains how to transfer a task to someone else. “Figure out who would be the best person to take the task. Document the process you use to complete those tasks. Meet with the person and explain what you want him or her to take over and how it will benefit that person (and you) to start doing the task(s). Ask what questions or concerns staff has about taking on the task, then address the questions/concerns,” says Huff.

Prepare ahead

Now that you have a prioritized task list and have dropped unimportant tasks, let someone else take care of others and stay in control by preparing ahead like Hugh M. Ryan, president of Ryan Wellnitz, does. “Every morning, I write down the three things I must accomplish that day, following General Norman Schwarzkopf’s advice. He says he did this every day throughout his career, and required his direct reports to do likewise. I pick out the task I enjoy least and want most to postpone, and do it first (allowing for client-service necessities, of course),” Ryan says.

Huff adds a way to go home happy so you can relax and not worry about anything until the next day. “Before you leave at night, do two things:

1. Straighten your desk up.
2. Make a list of your most important items to accomplish the following day.

“When you get in the morning, start working on the list. Don’t open your email. Work on the top two things on your most important list for at least an hour, if not two. If people drop by during those first two hours, unless it’s an emergency (or your boss), ask if you can get back to that person later in the day.”

People have times of the day when they work best and when they don’t work so well. Think about your own energy levels and when you’re most effective with specific types of tasks.

“Arrange activities to take advantage of these rhythms. For example, you might want to return calls first thing in the morning, and catch up on industry news when you have less energy. Creative or analytic work is best done when you’re refreshed and unlikely to be distracted,” says Joellyn Sargent, president, BrandSprout.

Resist distractions

“You’ve got mail.” Ding. New message indicator. Turn off the sounds, visuals, anything and everything that lets you know you have new messages, whether voice mail or email. This works for Daniel K. O’Leary, vice president at LincWare, LLC. “I’ve implemented a system where I only check my email five times a day. I know, it sounds crazy, but it works. I do it at the beginning and end of the day, in the midmorning, after lunch, typically once before going to bed.”

Think about your last few phone calls. During how many of those did you get right to business and hang up as soon as you finished talking business? Of course, you want to be friendly and avoid rudeness. Come up with a few phrases that you can use and make them a habit. “I need to go because I have a meeting to prepare for.” You probably have a meeting to prepare for within the next few months. “Oh, it looks like a coworker needs me. Nice talking to you.”

What about people dropping by your office? Think of phrases you can use for unwanted drop-ins to help you shake the interruption and get back to your task.

Use tools

You may prefer old-fashioned pen and paper, or use an app that synchronizes with your mobile device. Support tools aren’t limited to the list-making kind.

Adding a second monitor can make a difference as it does for your editor. Many do this, including Brandon Laughridge, chief operation officer, RothIRA.com. “Not having to change windows to reference emails or instant messages is a huge time saver. I’m also not afraid to shut off those very nuisances I put on that monitor, things like instant messenger, email, twitter, etc.,” says Laughridge.

You may know about Stephen R. Covey’s book and maybe even David Allen’s Getting Things Done. Writer and Creative Director Kevin Fenton believes that time management issues are procrastination issues in disguise and recommends Neil A. Fiore’s The Now Habit to overcome this.

Chris Curtis, executive director, Web Business Ownership, LLC, automates tasks and uses apps to send stuff to her phone. “Now information is delivered electronically, instead of me having to get it myself,” Curtis says.

Two tools help Akira Hirai, managing director, Cayenne Consulting, LLC, stay organized. Hirai uses Fujitsu ScanSnap, a scanner to convert paper into searchable PDF files, and OneNote, an information organizer.

Do you answer the same questions repeatedly? That sounds like a job for frequently asked questions. Teri Hurley uses the company website to help clients help themselves. The website includes FAQs, testimonials and other resources.

Another way to look at the whole busy, busy picture is to think of it as a mindset. “‘Time’ and ‘being busy’ are mindsets. We are born into these constructs. We’ve made up the notion of time to structure our lives. But since we are defined by two time notations (our date of birth and the date of our passing), we live as if it is real. The key is to establish a more positive relationship with time so you have more of it,” says author Christine Louise Hohlbaum. In other words, “Time rocks!” Now go reward yourself for taking control and go relax a little before you get busy.

Meryl K. Evans is senior editor at InternetVIZ and the content maven behind the Connected Digest, B2B Social Media Digest and Professional Services Journal. Follow her on Twitter @merylkevans.

Am I too strict with our Internet policy?

At our company, most employees have Internet access at their workstations. Ordinarily, I don’t mind a few minutes of web browsing here and there for a break or even a little personal business. It’s the same as a quick water cooler conversation.

Yet as social media has grown and become a business necessity, more employees have started to hang out on these sites — and not always for work. Am I going overboard in wanting to control the amount of time employees spend online for personal surfing? How can I trust them to get the work done without curtailing this personal web browsing? Or does it really save productivity since they get the mental break they need?

— Nathan

Align Sales and Lead Flow

This article takes you through the process of aligning sales and marketing in the lead flow process. It also identifies alignment problems and how to work through them to gain qualified leads and close the deal. And aligning marketing and sales is indeed a journey, not a destination.

What do you think of the article’s approach?

[ Read original article ]