How To Get Found Online: 7 Steps

Thinking about how to get found online? This blog article titled 7 Steps To Get Found Online: It Matters As Never Before! may be just what you need...

I'd love to hear what you think!

Thanks for reading.

Best,

C.B.

Business Growth Summit: 9/12-23/11 For Strategies About Increasing Profits

If you are looking for insights and inspiration on how to improve your business success and profitability, look no further than Business Growth Summit, a free online event featuring leading business strategy experts. It takes place September 12 through 23, 2011.

I'm very pleased to be included in this event with a presentation about 'Getting Found Online'.

Here's a link to the recent release: Business Marketing Strategies Addressed During Business Growth Summit.

Business Growth Summit launched yesterday with a video from Guy Kawasaki, serial entrepreneur and author, whose latest book is Enchantment: The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions.

You'll find a few more videos featured today, and the rest released Wednesday.

Register for the event and experience for yourself the advice Business Growth Summit presenters have to share with you. Then, let me know what resonates the most with you and what you consider most actionable.

Best,

C.B.
 

Unhappy Customers, Lead Generation, Guy Winch, MarketingProfs B2B Forum 2011

Imagine my delight when I discovered that Guy Winch, author of The Squeaky Wheel: Complaining the Right Way to Get Results, Improve Your Relationships, and Enhance Self-Esteem, would be a keynote speaker at the MarketingProfs B2B Forum 2011 in Boston, June 14-15.

You see, I did a blog interview with Guy on Flooring The Consumer in a post titled Guy Winch: How To Complain & Get Results - The Squeaky Wheel.

That post forms the basis for my recent MarketingProfs article titled How an Unhappy Customer Can (Paradoxically) Help Your Business.

Intriguing, don't you think? And very relevant, too. I'm looking forward to hearing Guy and meeting him in person.

As you may know, I'll be presenting with Kipp Bodnar from Hubspot about How to Generate More Leads With Social Media. It's been intense preparing [especially given a hard drive crash that wiped out one brilliant version of my presentation], but I'm looking forward to generating discussion about a topic that perplexes many savvy marketers and business people.

I am eternally grateful to several wonderful friends - Bill Buyok, Pam Kozelka, Valerie Fritz, Mike Klassen and Michael Cohn - who shared with me their lead generation experiences.

If you haven't yet registered, you can do so by clicking on this link which will take you to the MProfs B2B Forum 2011 site with details on speakers and topics.  When you register, be sure to enter discount code SPEAK100 to save $100 on the registration fee.

While you are at MProfs B2B Forum, plan on attending a live #Blogchat with Mack Collier. Here are details: Live #Blogchat is Coming to the Marketing Profs B2B Forum!

And, if you can't make it in person, don't fear! There's a virtual option!

Click on this link for more information from Ann Handley, MarketingProfs Chief Content Officer. [Try the SPEAK100 discount code; it should work.]

I'll definitely share with you what I learn about Unhappy Customers, Lead Generation, Guy Winch all at the MarketingProfs B2B Forum 2011 and would love to include your perspectives.

Any chance you'll come?

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Generate More Leads With Social Media: MarketingProfs B2B Forum Presentation Offers Advice

For Immediate Release: May 24, 2011

Curious About Generating More Leads With Social Media?

MarketingProfs B2B Forum 2011 Presentation Offers Advice

Kinnelon, NJ – At the upcoming MarketingProfs 2011 B2B Forum – the premiere event for B2B marketers – on June 13-15 in Boston, Christine B. Whittemore, chief simplifier of Simple Marketing Now LLC, and Kipp Bodnar, inbound marketing manager for Hubspot, will present “Generating Lower Cost Leads With Social Media”. The presentation takes place June 14, 2011 from 1:45pm to 3pm EST.

“Generating Lower Cost Leads With Social Media” will offer advice on how B2B businesses can integrate social media as a lead generation tool into their business model. The session offers best practices for generating leads through social media and examines case study examples of how B2B marketers are using social media to generate leads.

“Social media tools are valuable for building brand awareness and demonstrating thought leadership,” says Whittemore. “They can also help B2B businesses generate high quality leads. This session will not only explore how, but also explain how to do so effectively.”

Whittemore has been immersed in social media since 2006 – personally, for a brand and for her business. She is the author of Flooring The Consumer – a highly acclaimed weblog about the customer retail experience and marketing to women and an AdAge Power 150 Marketing Blog. She also writes the Simple Marketing Blog, a Junta42 Top 42 Content Marketing Blog and contributes to MarketingProfs.

Bodnar is Inbound Marketing Manager at HubSpot, a leader in marketing software for small and medium-sized businesses. He leads HubSpot's content marketing team—the group of marketers that uses social media, content and search engine optimization to get HubSpot found by prospective customers.

To learn more about MarketingProfs B2B Forum 2011 and register for the event, visit http://www.marketingprofs.com/events/business-to-business-forum-2011/conference. Use speaker discount code SPEAK100 to save $100 on the registration fee.

For information about Simple Marketing Now, visit http://SimpleMarketingNow.com. Or, simply contact Whittemore at cbwhittemore@SimpleMarketingNow.com.

# # #

About Simple Marketing Now LLC

Simple Marketing Now, a marketing communications consultancy, helps organizations integrate social media and content marketing with traditional marketing to better connect with customers and improve business profitability.

Simple Marketing Now issues the Social Flooring Index which monitors the social state of the Flooring Industry and Flooring The Consumer about marketing to women and the retail experience.

About MarketingProfs

MarketingProfs is a rich and trusted resource that offers actionable know-how to help you market your products and services both smarter and better. Entrepreneurs, small-business owners and marketers in the world’s largest corporations make up its 383,000 subscribers, making it the largest in its category. Through the MarketingProfs Web site, newsletters, conferences, seminars, forums and so on… we help you navigate your way to market your business and keep you informed of the newest and best tools. Think of us as a beacon of light illuminating the path through the clutter.

For more information, visit http://www.marketingprofs.com/

Social, Mobile, Legal: NY Law School 2011 Conference

On April 4th, 2011, I participated in New York Law School's lecture series conference entitled "Advertising & Media Law: Spring Rush. Are YOU In?" to share marketplace insights. Not only did the conference explore how social media is affecting advertising and media law, but it also addressed mobile and legal.

The New York Law School 2011 conference included three panel discussions:

• Getting the Most Bang Out of a Social Media Boom

• Rolling Out a Multi-National Advertising & Promotional Campaign

• The Genius Behind Brand Integration, Brand Recognition, and Fantastic Tie-Ins

Other than serving as an expert witness, I have had limited professional dealings with lawyers. When Michael Rubin recommended me as a panelist to Anthony diFrancesca, New York Law School adjunct professor in the Advertising & Media Law section of Job Track - a certification program in the Institute for Information Law and Policy geared toward students pursuing careers in various areas of intellectual property law, including media & advertising, fashion law, video game law, and music law - I was intrigued.

After all, social media is still evolving and laws haven't kept up. We're figuring out what's right with respect to  privacy, contests, reputation management, customer expectations and intellectual property - to name just a few topics. The legal preference - to err on the side of caution and control - tends to come into direct conflict with social and community based preferences. In other words, it's a bit of a Wild West!

Anthony invited me to join the panel, "Getting the Most Bang Out of a Social Media Boom" given my social media and content marketing expertise. We considered issues such as legal implications, deciding which platforms to run on, how to get the most for your money, performing consumer research, when campaigns go "viral" and the evolution of social media. Here's the official list of Social Media panelists:

• Jeffrey Greenbaum, Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz
• David Binkowski, EVP, Digital Marketing, Lippe Taylor
• Christine Whittemore, Chief Simplifier, Social Media Marketing Consultant, Content Marketing Strategist at Simple Marketing Now LLC

Unfortunately, Michael Rubin, First Third National Bank could not join us as he had planned to do. He, David and I would have been the few non-lawyers present.

The other New York Law School conference panels included:

Rolling Out a Multi-National Advertising & Promotional Campaign addressed how to ensure the knowledge of all international laws and regulations, navigating through cultural and governmental differences, hiring local counsel and identifying target markets.

• Joseph Lewczak, Davis & Gilbert LLP
• Ted Lazarus, Senior Counsel, Google

The Genius Behind Brand Integration, Brand Recognition, and Fantastic Tie-Ins explored 'doing the deal' and  what are some common sticking points when negotiating brand integration deals? What are some of the intricacies of these types of deals (i.e., how much of the label do you show?). Avoiding brand overkill: How much is too much…of the brand? What does the future hold for these types of promotions?

• Kesari Ruza, Senior Counsel, HBO
• Iris Temple, Counsel, Legal Affairs, Rainbow Media Holdings LLC
• Dan Malasky, Senior Counsel, Professional Tennis, United States Tennis Association

CB Whittemore presenting at New York Law School

There were the highlights that stuck with me:

Particularly for big brands, bring in the legal team early. We're in the midst of an evolution; the government has issued rules where there weren't many. For example, Section 5 of the FTC Act prohibits "unfair or deceptive acts or practices".

An endorsement is "any advertising message that consumers are likely to believe represents the opinions, beliefs, findings or experience of a party other than the sponsoring advertiser."

ERSP says that you can't advertise untypical performance.

Understand legal risk. Saying 'I'm sorry' too often has legal implications; it could lead to a class action lawsuit [!]. [By the way, Zappos' decision to honor a $1.6 million pricing error sure puts into perspective legal risk and being true to your customers.]

Every social property has its own promotion guidelines. For example, Facebook says you can't ask people to like you to get free product. Twitter says they aren't responsible. Furthermore, the rules change regularly.

It's wise to have a social media policy.

For the record, undercover marketing is unethical. [It's also plain stupid from a social media marketing perspective. Just in case you had any notions.] Be sure to communicate with customers. Let them know you are advertising to them.

I particularly enjoyed Google's Ted Lazarus' comments relating to mobile:  93% in the US have mobile devices. By the end of 2011, 50% will have a smartphone. Think about what is being done via those phones: searching, researching, emailing, purchasing, networking, taking photos and video... 79% of people are using their phone when buying; 74% are buying with their phones and yet 79% of large online advertisers have not optimized for mobile!

He referred to the "oracle of mobile", Mary Meeker. Here is a link to Mary Meeker's Latest Amazing Presentation About the Future of Tech which is filled with delicious mobile details!

Something to keep in mind: mobile does not just mean a phone. It also applies to tablets and other cordless computers where the device untethers us...

About location-based marketing, he brought up the following:

1 in 3 mobile searches have to do with local resources, to contact a business and visit a specific location.  15% of apps in the app store are local. This is useful, but sensitive information. Which rules apply? No statute or regulation precisely addresses the use of location within context of mobile marketing.

Using location based options has to be opt-in to take into account privacy concerns.  It must allow choice, selective termination where feasible and revocation.

The last panel discussion includes fascinating details about how to promote and protect brands and enforce intellectual property, from the US Open, Mad Men and HBO.

Thank you, Anthony, Andra Dallas, Dhyana Estephan, my fellow panelists and all those involved in organizing the New York Law School 2011 Conference! I enjoyed the experience.

If you'd like to experience the entire New York Law School 2011 lecture series conference "Advertising & Media Law: Spring Rush. Are YOU In?", click on this link.

By the way, New York Law School writes the Ad Nauseum Blog.

Having read all this, and possibly even listened to the conference, what are you reactions to social, mobile and legal? How do you see navigating the marketplace given all of the changes taking place?

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Recapping NJ AMA 5/10/11 Presentation: Managing Your Reputation in a Social World

I really enjoyed my 5/10/11 NJ American Marketing Association (NJ AMA) Presentation: Managing Your Reputation in a Social World.

I had been looking forward to meeting Natalie Piccotti, vice-president of programming for NJ AMA, in person given our intense exchanges of emails, phone calls and tweets. However, I didn't expect to see Mary Ann Blackburn whom I first met on May 25th, 2010 at Social Media Club North Jersey: Customer Feedback In a Social World. And, I didn't expect to meet so many interesting marketers who brought such diverse perspectives to this discussion on social media marketing and social reputation management - from pharmaceuticals, to non-profit, branding, associations, finance, medical and a few more in-between.

Here are the slides from my presentation  Managing Your Reputation in a Social World! If you're interested in some of the articles I refer to, you'll find the links in this post titled Highlights from the MarketingProfs online seminar about Managing Your Social Reputation.

Managing Your Reputation in a Social World - American Marketing Association - New Jersey Chapter

View more presentations from NJAMA

CB Whittemore with NJ AMA President Elect Andre Paquin

During my presentation, I referred to several authors and their books. Here they are with links directly to Amazon:

• Age of Conversation 3: It's Time to Get Busy! (The Age of Conversation). For more perspective on this global project to which I contributed a chapter to each volume, read Blog Action Day: Water and AOC3, AOC2: Don't Be Myopic About Social Media! and The Age of Conversation: The Conversation Age Enabled.
• The Cluetrain Manifesto: 10th Anniversary Edition
• From David Meerman Scott: The New Rules of Marketing & PR: How to Use Social Media, Online Video, Mobile Applications, Blogs, News Releases, and Viral Marketing to Reach Buyer
• From Paco Underhill: Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping--Updated and Revised for the Internet, the Global Consumer, and Beyond and What Women Want: The Global Market Turns Female Friendly
• From John Jantsch: Duct Tape Marketing: The World's Most Practical Small Business Marketing Guide

I think you'll also enjoy these authors who are friends and talented marketers:

CB Whittemore with NJ AMA President Sandra Ghezzi

From Ann Handley and C.C. Chapman: Content Rules: How to Create Killer Blogs, Podcasts, Videos, Ebooks, Webinars (and More) That Engage Customers and Ignite Your Business (New Rules Social Media Series)

From David Rogers: The Network Is Your Customer: Five Strategies to Thrive in a Digital Age

Finally, here is a link to my *timely* Content Marketing Institute article titled 6 Ways to Manage Your Online Reputation.

Thank you, Sandra Ghezzi and Andre Paquin, for inviting me to speak.

Thank you to all the New Jersey chapter of the American Marketing Association (AMA) members and guests who attended the 5/10/11 presentation for your warm welcome and wonderful questions. I really enjoyed myself!

If you have questions relating to Managing Your Reputation in a Social World, please don't hesitate to ask.

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5/10/11 NJ American Marketing Association Presentation: Managing Your Reputation in a Social World

Exciting News! The New Jersey Chapter of the American Marketing Association [AMA] has invited me to present "Managing Your Reputation in a Social World" on Tuesday, May 10th, 2011, at the Marriott Hanover in Whippany, NJ. The event starts at 5:30pm and ends at 8:30pm.

You may remember that this is the topic I addressed during my MarketingProfs inaugural online seminar on March 10th - "Managing Your Reputation in a Social World". For reference, here is my summary of  links and references: Managing Your Social Reputation: Highlights.

I'm looking forward to doing this event in person and hearing what questions come up.

The Agenda for the 5/10/11 New Jersey AMA Presentation is as follows:

5:30 – Registration Opens
5:30 – 7 pm Dinner and Networking
7:00 – 7:15 AMANJ Meeting
7:15 – 8:15 Presentation
8:15 – 8:30 Q&A

To register for the event, visit EventBrite for Managing Your Reputation in a Social World.

Pricing is as follows:

• $40 for current AMA members
• $35 for students with a valid current student ID
• $55 for guests

NOTE: If you aren't a member of AMA, but would like to attend as my guest, simply enter VIPGuest when you register and you'll be eligible for the AMA rate rather than the guest rate.

Please let me know if you have any questions. The EventBrite registration page includes a great deal of information on the event. If you'd like to read more, here's a link to the press release: NJ AMA Presents 'How To Manage Your Company’s Reputation in a Social World' 5/10, Marriott Hanover.

Thank you and I look forward to seeing you at the Marriott Hanover!

Best,

C.B.

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FCA Network Annual Convention Presentations

FCA Network's Olga Robertson
Photo courtesy of FCNews

As I announced in FCA Network 2011 Annual Convention Focused on ‘Getting More for Less’, I had the honor of meeting & interacting with, and presenting to, the members of the FCA Network, an alliance of floor covering retailers, at their annual convention which took place March 27 & 28 in Chicago.

I had a blast!

I particularly enjoyed working with Olga Robertson, president, FCA Network, pictured on the left. She is passionate about providing her members with the support they need to compete and win and brought to life the convention theme of 'Getting More For Less'; she's also fascinating to talk to and one of few women leaders in the flooring industry.

Maxine Lauer from Sphere Trending set the stage with her high energy, thought-provoking observations about technology, the rapidly evolving consumer marketplace and how to keep up. [If you've never heard Maxine - or even if you have - do check out her SphereTrending website, the SpereTrending LimeLight Blog and subscribe to her weekly Lunch/Learn email.]

John Godwin from Shaw presented information about the consumer marketplace and residential flooring trends, highlighting the foreclosure process and the implications for floor covering retailers.

Sadly, I missed both Maxine's and John's presentations. However, everyone who heard them speak was abuzz with ideas and ready to share with me their observations during that first evening. That's also when I finally - after almost bumping into her several times over the past year+ - met Emily Hooper from Floor Covering News, who has brought FCN to life on Facebook, Twitter and via the FloorCoveringNews Blog.

The next day, I got to discuss my favorite topics: the retail experience & marketing to women - I definitely channeled Paco Underhill - and how to increase your digital visibility to better connect with  customers.

FCA Network's Planet Network

CB in action! Photo courtesy of FCNews

In preparation for my presentations, I spoke with three FCA Network members who graciously described their experiences connecting with customers in this economic environment and navigating through the rapidly evolving digital world.

Special thanks to:

• Daryl Ciokiewicz from FloorCrafters Inc. in Onalaska, WI [whose sister checked me out online and said I was OK :-)] 
• Don Lovato from Carpet Source USA in Albuquerque, New Mexico
• Katie Altman from Jakor Flooring & Design Center in Denver, CO

Thanks to Emily, here is a brief video clip from one of my presentations. You can find it on floorcoveringnews or view it directly on YouTube by clicking on the link titled Why social networking is not new and scary technology.



Here is Emily's article on the event: FCA Network Convention defines today's consumer.

Finally, can you guess why I took this photo?  It sure warmed this Simplifier's heart ;-)

Thank you, Olga, Bob Hill, the FCA Network staff and the many gracious and wonderful FCA Network members I met for inviting me and making me feel so welcome.

I hope you'll let me know about your successes trying new digital approaches for connecting with customers and how you enhance your retail experience to better connect with women customers.

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How To Improve Your Digital Visibility: Coverings 2011

At Coverings 2011 in Las Vegas [see Press Release: Coverings 11 - Practical Marketing & Business Survival Highlighted], I addressed how to improve  digital visibility during two presentations. One with Paul Friederichsen from BrandBiz [check out his BrandBiz Blog], and one on my own.

During both presentations, I had a blast! I love to discuss practical marketing approaches with small business owners and managers. Inevitably, the audience brings up success stories and interesting ideas to share with one another. I was rewarded with terrific questions and lengthy, involved conversations afterwards.

I'm particularly grateful to Bill Buyok from Avente Tile [check out the Avente Tile Talk Blog] who graciously welcomed regular conversations about his business and how he uses social media.  Bill contributed valuable perspectives during both sessions.

For those of you interested in improving your digital visibility, here is a recording of my session, Practical Marketing - Digital Visibility for Small Businesses [note: this is a 60min session]:



While you listen, you can also follow along with the slide presentation which includes reference to some of the research questions we asked in anticipation of our Surfaces 2011 presentation:

Coverings2011: Practical Marketing - Digital Visibility for Small Businesses

View more presentations from Simple Marketing Now LLC

What have you found particularly valuable for improving your digital visibility? Which tools have you had the most success with? How are you using them to connect with customers? Which tools do you consider less valuable for your marketplace? I'd love to hear.

If you like what you've read, would you consider subscribing via email or RSS to the Simple Marketing Blog?  Thanks.


Photo Credit: Thank you, Josh @Coverings, for capturing me in action and sharing the photo on Twitter!

Press Release: New York Law School Panel Discussion 4/4/2011

For Immediate Release: March 29, 2011

New York Law School Panel Discussion Addresses ‘Getting the Most Bang Out of a Social Media Boom’

Whittemore Shares Marketplace Insights

Kinnelon, NJ – The Institute for Information Law & Policy at New York Law School has organized a half day lecture series conference entitled “Advertising & Media Law ‘Spring Rush’: Are YOU In?” on April 4th, 2011 from 2 to 5pm at New York Law School in New York City. Christine Whittemore, chief simplifier of Simple Marketing Now, has been invited to share marketplace insights.

“Advertising & Media Law ‘Spring Rush’: Are YOU In?" is relevant for legal and marketing professionals in the advertising field as well as students. The event includes a networking reception and three panel discussions as follows:

• Getting the Most Bang Out of a Social Media Boom
• Rolling Out a Multi-National Advertising and Promotional Campaign
• The Genius Behind Brand Integration, Brand Recognition and Fantastic Tie-Ins

Whittemore will participate in the opening panel discussion “Getting the Most Bank Out of a Social Media Boom” and joins Jeffrey Greenbaum from Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz, Michael Rubin, social media strategist, Fifth Third Bank and David Binkowski, executive vice president, digital marketing, Lippe Taylor.

To attend the April 4th conference, contact Naomi Allen as soon as possible via email at naomi.allen@nyls.edu. For any visitors attending, a table will be set up in the entrance of the New York Law School (185 W. Broadway) to direct them to the event venue.

For information about Simple Marketing Now, visit http://SimpleMarketingNow.com. Or, simply contact Whittemore at cbwhittemore@SimpleMarketingNow.com.

# # #

About Simple Marketing Now LLC
Simple Marketing Now, a marketing communications consultancy, helps organizations integrate social media and content marketing with traditional marketing to better connect with customers and improve business profitability.

Simple Marketing Now issues the Social Flooring Index which monitors the social state of the Flooring Industry and Flooring The Consumer about marketing to women and the retail experience.

For more information, visit http://SimpleMarketingNow.com.


About New York Law School
Founded in 1891, New York Law School is an independent law school located in lower Manhattan near the city’s centers of law, government, and finance. New York Law School’s renowned faculty of prolific scholars has built the School’s strength in such areas as constitutional law, civil and human rights, labor and employment law, media and information law, urban legal studies, international and comparative law, and a number of interdisciplinary fields. The School is noted for its nine academic centers: Center on Business Law & Policy, Center on Financial Services Law, Center for International Law, Center for New York City Law, Center for Professional Values and Practice, Center for Real Estate Studies, Diane Abbey Law Center for Children and Families, Institute for Information Law & Policy, and Justice Action Center. New York Law School has more than 13,000 graduates and enrolls some 1,500 students in its full- and part-time J.D. program and its four advanced degree programs in financial services law, real estate, tax, and mental disability law studies. www.nyls.edu

Managing Your Social Reputation: Highlights

I can't thank you enough for making my inaugural MarketingProfs online seminar titled "Managing Your Reputation in a Social World" so successful! I was blown away by the enthusiasm that seminar participants expressed in the online chat as well as the #MProfsPRO Twitter chat and thoroughly enjoyed the questions - not to mention the awesome feedback!

Several similar questions have come up this week during my Coverings seminars and I plan to address them in a separate post.

[Click on this link for the #MProfsPRO Twitter chat transcript for the event.]

Special thanks to my friends at MarketingProfs - Kathy Bushman, Anne Schweitzer and Valerie Witt - for their expert guidance.

If you missed the presentation you can still experience it via the seminar recording of Managing Your Reputation in a Social World. Be sure to listen through to the end since the Q&A session conversation was lively.

I consider the topic of reputation management fascinating - not to mention hugely relevant - and thought I would recap here the links that I shared in my presentation.

Managing Your Reputation in a Social World - References

I referred several times to the Socialnomics Social Media Revolution Refresh video. It's packed with good data and perspective, not least of which is a reference to Dale Carnegie who, as far back as 1936 with his bestseller How To Win Friends and Influence People, urged us to "listen first, sell second."

The benefits of participating in social media:

• Charlene Li and the Altimeter group study: Deep brand engagement correlates to financial performance
• Check out the Real-time marketing and PR webinar by the wonderful David Meerman Scott.
• From eMarketer 121016: Social Media Increases Small Business Exposure
• I love these charts from Hubspot: Study Shows Small Businesses That Blog Get 55% More Website Visitors.

About conflict in the marketplace:

• Retail Experience Issues and Paco Underhill
• Financial Marketers: Get In Touch With Your Feminine Side - Wells Fargo research
• Don't miss The Break Up. I'm amazed that this was released in 2007 and yet remains so relevant.
• Digital Visibility: The Reason Behind Content Marketing
• The Network in Your Customer by David Rogers
• [Definitely check out Sheena Iyengar & the Power of Choice.]

Extremes in the marketplace:

• Zappos Uses Social to Share Culture
• Citibank are you listening?

Age of Conversation Opportunities

• Fiskateers: Fiskars: 360 Years Young & Innovating with Customers and CMO 2.0 Conversation About The Fiskateers.
• CME group / notes from MProfs Digital Mixer 2009 - Twitter Success Stories
• Sandy Carter Integrates Social Media Into The Marketing Mix

What About Negative Feedback?

• "Sorry Pumpkin" - The Labcorp Saga Continues
• Reference: AdAge “The Right Way to Make Your Social Media Mea Culpa” 5/10/10
• Boeing's Social-Media Lesson
• [Story related to Nestle: 7 social media lessons from Nestle's Facebook missteps and When Social Goes Wrong: Customer Relations Fiascos]
• United Breaks Guitars - also check out Dave Carrol's website
• HBS Cases: United Breaks Guitars
• How Do I? Deal With Negative Comments

Guidelines:

• IBM Social Computing guidelines
• [Related story: Why You Need a Social Media Policy]
• How Do I? Start With Social Media Guidelines

Managing Your Social Reputation

• Interview with Kodak's Chief Listening Officer
• [I love this story about how Staples Keeps Customers 'Following' on Twitter because it is paying attention to customers and thinking about the service implications.]
• From AdAge: Listen Up! Six Things You Need to Know About Social Listening. Note references to listening for intelligence, customer service and action.
• Develop a plan to deal with complaining tweets, posts
• Five Tools for Tracking, Measuring, and Evaluating Your Personal Brand Online
• Defeating the Dark Side of Social Networking
• 'I Hate My Room," The Traveler Tweeted. Ka-Boom! An Upgrade!

Anticipating the Worst:

• Scenario Planning: Kami Huyse's 3 Rs of Crisis Management
• Beware snark attacks - Connie Reece from Every Dot Connects
• Social Media Response Chart, Ohio State Medical Center
• Dealing with Haters, Potty Mouths on your Newsroom Facebook Page

Negative Reviews Aren't All Bad!

• 6 Reasons To Not Fear Negative Reviews
• [Related story: Setting the record straight on online reviews: An interview with Bazaarvoice's Ian Greenleigh from Mack Collier.]
• Social Media Explorer: 101 Social Media Stats to make your spirits bright and your head spin

Managing Your Reputation in a Social World Means:

• Forrester's Augie Ray: 7 Things Your Organization Must Do Because of Social Media
• 11 Unwritten Laws of Reputation Management
• Blogger Outreach: 8 Tips for Managing Brand Promoters & Detractors

Just Spotted on the subject of Managing Your Social Reputation:

• From Danny Brown, Of Comment Trolls and Flash Mobs
• Troll, Reveal Thyself on why anonymous comments should be banished

Thanks again!

Best,

C.B.

Managing Your Reputation in a Social World: MarketingProfs Online Seminar

I've been working feverishly these past few weeks preparing my inaugural MarketingProfs online seminar. It's titled "Managing Your Reputation in a Social World" and is now listed on the MarketingProfs website. Pretty exciting stuff!

This online seminar takes place March 10th, 2011 from 12 noon EST to 1:30pm.

The description for Managing Your Reputation in a Social World reads as follows:

"Businesses must take social interactions seriously because:

+ 70 to 90% of people start the purchase process at a search engine window
+ If a business can't be found online, it doesn't exist
+ Whether or not a company participates in digital conversations about its brand, business, or category, the conversations will take place

Many companies fear interacting with their customers digitally because of the social media horror stories they've heard. And, yet, when companies don't engage, they miss out on unheard of opportunities to connect with customers online, obtain feedback from them, and develop long-term relationships. There's more to be gained from participating—and actively managing one's social reputation—than not. By participating in digital conversations, businesses have a chance to guide the interaction, share perspective, and more importantly, learn and obtain unique insights that can only improve a company's competitiveness!

This seminar will examine the good and the bad, contrast customer and business perspectives, highlight best practices and strategies for managing your reputation in a social world, and offer guidelines on how to make the most out of conversations with customers."

Managing Your Reputation in a Social World continues the conversation started last year during Social Media Club North Jersey: Customer Feedback in a Social World.

I invite you to attend the seminar. It's free for MarketingProfs PRO members or $129 for non members. [Personally, I recommend that you become a PRO member if you aren't already. I have been a member since 2004 and can't imagine life without MarketingProfs.]

If you know of anyone who might benefit from this online seminar, I'd appreciate your help in getting the word out.  The content is relevant to anyone new to social media, in need of a back-to-basics refresher, or looking to transition digital social efforts from product promotion to customer connection.

For more information, click on Managing Your Reputation in a Social World.

I hope to 'see' you on March 10th.

In the meantime, what are your thoughts about managing your reputation in a social world?

Best,

C.B.

Connecting With Customers: Nufloors Advice

How do you go about connecting with customers, establishing relationships with them and then figuring out how to best stay in touch - particularly in categories where the replacement cycle takes years rather than days? These were some of the questions explored this past September 2010 during my visit with Canada Nufloors Group members in Kelowna, British Columbia.

[If you remember from Press Release: Nufloors Turning Flooring Customers Into Advocates, Canada Nufloors Group Inc., represents leading Canadian floor covering retailers with locations in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario.]

In addition to sharing my presentation titled "Retail Hospitality or Customer Service Before, During and After the Sale" about connecting with customers, I got to hear wise advice from Cynthia Dean, General Manager of Nufloors Coquitlam, as she shared her experiences ‘Turning Flooring Customers Into Advocates’

Here are points she addressed that particularly resonated with me.

Survey your customers.  You'll find out that you don't know what you think you know. You'll also discover that customers are passionate about you and will give feedback.

Share what you learn from customers with your entire organization. Make everyone a part of the solution. From analyzing the responses, create an action plan that you implement. Then repeat the process. Be sure to measure results. What you measure, you can manage & improve. Furthermore, the process creates a halo effect from focusing on customers on an ongoing basis.

Simple ideas are effective in delighting customers. For example, have umbrellas with Nufloors imprinted available when it rains. Then, walk your customer to her car with the umbrella deployed!

From a practical perspective, Cynthia recommended the following process for dealing with customer survey results:

• Once you get feedback, don't get overwhelmed.
• Take the easy ones first
• Stay focused on 2 or 3 to work on
• Be sure to research so you have hard data vs. gut feel
• Develop an action plan.  Tackle problems at their root cause. Make one person responsible for the action plan. Monitor progress once a month, and stay committed.

[A theme that has been coming up repeatedly lately is the importance of focusing and prioritizing.] 

Here are my presentation slides:

Retail Hospitality or Customer Service Before, During & After the Sale

View more presentations from Simple Marketing Now LLC.

Finally, several resources in case you'd like to dive deeper into the subject of Connecting With Customers.

Customer Service [aka Retail Hospitality] Articles

From Tom Peters' marvelous free resources, a document titled "The Independent Retailer Edge: 49 Points of Potential Dramatic Difference."

A Good Hug is Worth based on a presentation by Jack Mitchell, author of Hug Your Customers: The Proven Way to Personalize Sales and Achieve Astounding Results.

Businesses find benefits in giving customers the white-glove treatment.

Wharton: WOM Customers 16% More Valuable

Excerpt from The Gender Intelligent Retailer: Discover the Connection Between Women Consumers and Business Growth, by Joanne Thomas Yaccato

Statistics-Customer Service & Quality

Why Customer Service Buzz is the New Marketing

Will You Recommend This Article to a Friend?

Why Your Customers Don't Want to Talk to You

Classics on Connecting With Customers

• Why We Buy: The Science of Shopping--Updated and Revised for the Internet, the Global Consumer, and Beyond by Paco Underhill 
• Marketing to Women: How to Increase Your Share of the World's Largest Market by Marti Barletta
• You Just Don't Understand: Women and Men in Conversation by Deborah Tannen

As you read through all of this, what comes to mind for connecting with customers? What have you found most successful? How do you establish relationships and develop them consistently over time?

By the way, Kelowna is as magical a place as Rob Banks led me to believe, with vineyards, orchards, mythical beings - if you look carefully in the photo, you'll catch a glimpse of the Ogopogo, cousin to LockNess and active on Facebook and Twitter, who has promised to eat me next time I visit - and unexpected encounters. It's definitely worth a visit to savor marvelous wines - we visited Ex Nihilo Vineyards, Gray Monk and Arrowleaf Cellars - and feast your eyes on brilliant scenery.

Flooring Your Consumer: Luxury Marketing Council Presentation

Many thanks to Chris Ramey, president of Affluent Insights and chairman of The Luxury Marketing Council Florida, and Victoria Cerrone from Bobosart, who invited me to present "Flooring the Consumer: Developing Community and Delivering Wow!" at the April 28, 2010 Luxury Marketing Council in Orlando.

[Details listed in Press Release: Whittemore Addresses The Luxury Marketing Council Orlando.]

Here's how Chris described the presentation in his meeting invitation:

It's a wow or woe world for marketers. 

Women, who make or influence over 80% of purchase decisions, are rethinking their relationships with brands, products and services.  They're searching for meaningful relationships.  Are you prepared to serve them?  As their purses slowly open again it's imperative to provide a community to which they have an affinity.  Christine will share the best of the best, and then discuss how you can develop your community and deliver Wow! to ensure your success.

In this presentation, I address many of the points that I write about in Flooring The Consumer, my marketing blog about the consumer retail experience and marketing to women. These are also themes that I've developed in my Flooring The Consumer column with Floor Covering Weekly.  We have so many opportunities for building relationships with our customers when we carefully craft a memorable brand or retail experience that truly focuses on our consumers' needs.

Here is the Slideshare of my presentation:

Flooring The Consumer: Developing Community & Delivering Wow!

View more presentations from Simple Marketing Now LLC.

For your reference, here are a few books specifically about Marketing to Women that I recommend for further reading:  

• Marketing to Women: How to Increase Your Share of the World's Largest Market
• You Just Don't Understand: Women and Men in Conversation
• The First Sex: The Natural Talents of Women and How They Are Changing the World
• Don't Think Pink: What Really Makes Women Buy -- and How to Increase Your Share of This Crucial Market 
• Re-Imagine!: Business Excellence in a Disruptive Age

I'm particularly honored that, as a result of my experience with The Luxury Marketing Council, I have become a member of the distinguished Luxury Marketing Council Florida Fellows. Here's more:

The Luxury Marketing Council Florida Fellowship was created to recognize those who have demonstrated distinction in the luxury segment and to The Luxury Marketing Council Florida.  Elevation to Luxury Marketing Council Florida Fellowship requires and acknowledges:

• Professional achievement
• The highest level of ethics
• Respect bestowed by colleagues
• Leadership and mentorship across categories
• Open sharing of knowledge, research and insight for the advancement of effective marketing and seat-holders’ business acumen 

Thank you, Chris and Victoria, for this honor!

Thanks, too, for the opportunity for insightful conversation and questions about the importance of listening carefully to customers to develop a loyal community and deliver consistent Wow!

Social Media Club North Jersey: Customer Feedback In a Social World

My Social Media Club North Jersey presentation, titled "I love you. I hate you. Customer Feedback in a Social World." attracted an intimate yet passionate crowd on May 25th, 2010 in Secaucus, NJ. Many thanks to those there for participating and contributing such valuable perspectives and insights!

Janet Sullivan from JKS Webdesign shared her experiences with Viking. Chris Kieff from 1 Good Reason took us through the Nestle Social Media Meltdown Case Study and Devon Valenti shared learnings and best practices from CoPilot Live North America. A very special thank you to Carly Pearson from Axiom Communications Inc. for her help in making the event a success! Thanks, too, to Mike Menche, whom we missed, for his gracious support.

We touched on learnings from past Social Media Club North Jersey events. Namely, Urban Outfitters and Why Companies Should Consider Adopting a Social Media Policy, as Suzanne Herrmann Brock explained in April.

We also had a fascinating discussion around expectations of customer service responsiveness via social media - as consumers and as business people. Chris Kieff [Twitter: @ckieff] asked his Twitter followers who offered the following feedback:

From @AGARDINA:
@ckieff Depending on the industry, 2-3 business days. Some longer, especially if you know there's a lot of red tape around your answer.

From @kimberlydenz:
@ckieff If they have twitter and fb, they need a social media policy. I expect a response within a few hours. Making me wait a day is rude.

From @SweetSoaps:
@ckieff answer in 24 hours no excuse

From @sherrilynne:
@ckieff 24 hours tops.

From @ggertz:
Less than 4 hours - or they are dead to me RT @ckieff: Any more comments on how quickly you expect a company to respond via social media?

@ckieff Familiar with the sunset rule? Respond to all incoming communications before the end of they day

From @mattyouens:
@ckieff my experience has been a response in either a few hours or not at all.

Our offline group expressed a bit more time tolerance, although we all emphatically stated that we expect acknowledgment and followup.

What's your take on the question?

While you're thinking, here is the presentation itself. I hope to add a video link with highlights from the presentation in the near future.

I love you. I hate you. Customer Feedback in a Social World

View more presentations from Simple Marketing Now LLC.

Note: you can find links to the videos I played in Simplifying Social Media. For Research, Connection & Differentiation.