I was interviewed recently for a blog on the use of perks to drive social media engagement. It’s an interesting topic and judging from the proliferation of such contests and competitions online an important one. Aside from questions related to the efficacy of such competitions, businesses should also be aware of–and knowledgeable about–the impact of these perks on their desired brand image and the laws related to contests, sweepstakes and lotteries.
Tag: Brand Management
Are You Listening to — and Learning From — Your Web and Social Media Analytics?
I spent my first 10 years in the field of direct marketing which, at that time, was very measurable compared to other forms of advertising. Today, online marketing allows marketers to gather even better and more immediate results on how they’re doing. Surprisingly, though, (at least to me) there are still a number of organizations–large and small–that are not using analytics to evaluate how they are doing in terms of connecting with, engaging and influencing their target audiences. And, in some cases, they are not acting on the information they attain.
Continue reading “Are You Listening to — and Learning From — Your Web and Social Media Analytics?”
Brand Matters!
While doing some online research recently I came across an article on branding that I wrote back in 1997! Clearly it’s a topic that I’ve been interested in for some time. Two things struck me about coming across this piece:
1) Wow! The Internet was still in its infancy in the late 90’s, yet content from “way back then” is online.
2) Everything I said about branding back in 1997 Continue reading “Brand Matters!”
Clever Name Conveys Message Without Violating Trademark
Speaking of names…sometimes I’m struck by what appear to be brilliant solutions to vexing problems and I came across such an example recently when I heard of a company called ‘Preneur.
What struck me is that I recall, not long ago, a big brouhaha over the magazine Entrepreneur and its successful fight to protect its name through trademark even though most of us would agree that the word “entrepreneur” Continue reading “Clever Name Conveys Message Without Violating Trademark”
Creating a Lasting Brand Image
Why do some brands become cultural legends that stand the test of time, while others ebb, flow and eventually sink? The brand is the cornerstone of any business and is, unfortunately, often misunderstood. That is possibly why the brand is also often so mismanaged. Brands are not, are not, ARE NOT logos, taglines or corporate colors. Brands are not advertisements. Brands are not Facebook pages. Continue reading “Creating a Lasting Brand Image”
How to Meet Senior Managers’ Expectations for Corporate Communications
What are senior managers across the globe and across multiple industries concerned about these days? Reputation. So says a recent study conducted by Spencer Stuart and Weber Shandwick. Not surprising given the hit that many companies have taken over recent years in terms of their reputation, credibility and trust among consumers. So what are senior leaders’ expectations of the communications function according to the study? Continue reading “How to Meet Senior Managers’ Expectations for Corporate Communications”
Do Happy Employees = Happy Customers? No!
Common wisdom suggests that there is a direct correlation between employee and customer satisfaction. Common wisdom, of course, is often flawed. Just ask a couple of my favorite business authors, Dan Ariely (Predictably Irrational) and Steven Levitt (Freakonomics). Sometimes the things that we believe to be true, simply aren’t.
A few years ago an article in the Harvard Business Review Continue reading “Do Happy Employees = Happy Customers? No!”
What to do When You Make an Online Mistake
Whether managing your personal account or updating an employer or client account you’re responsible for, making an online mistake can be embarrassing to say the least. Online mistakes can also be costly in terms of damage done to an individual or firm’s reputation. As many celebrities and newsies have discovered sometimes what they felt was an innocuous statement can become quickly controversial and viral.
A client recently asked me how to deal with an error that went out in a post. There is no “easy answer” to this type of question, of course. The answer is really “it depends.” It depends on what the “oops” was, how many people are likely to see it, what the potential negative ramifications might be and–importantly–whether a follow up message might bring more attention to the issue rather than defusing it. Believe it or not Continue reading “What to do When You Make an Online Mistake”
Leveraging Consumer Feedback – Even When It’s Negative
In the old days, communicators communicated to their audiences. These days communicators, if they’re communicating online, are communicating with their audiences–whether they realize it or not. The old “conversations” were generally cloaked in privacy. When I saw a television ad that generated some kind of response from me, I might share it with the few people I was watching the commercial with, or talk about it later with friends. But, my response was fairly limited.
Enter social media. Today Continue reading “Leveraging Consumer Feedback – Even When It’s Negative”
Twitter Profile Best Practices
I’ve been spending a lot of time on Twitter lately – both on my own accounts and working with clients to help build and leverage theirs. On Twitter, as with other social media, your profile rules. Those few words you say about yourself really help to position you in the social media space and send an important message to followers and potential followers. One of the most common – and sometimes puzzling – errors I see on Twitter (interestingly, not quite so often on LinkedIn) is Continue reading “Twitter Profile Best Practices”