social media

building it: Canadian Football League

At the end of last month I wrote a post called build it.  At the end of that post I said that I would be highlighting what Canada’s most popular sports team is doing to engage with its community.

I have to apologize.  It was not my next post.  And it’s not this post.  But it’s coming.  There are some videos involved, so it’s taking a bit longer than I would like. (I hate editing)

In the meantime, I want to share with you what the Canadian Football League is doing.  Out of all the professional sports teams/leagues here in Canada, the CFL, in my opinion, work the hardest when it comes to creating and engaging with their community:

However, the CFL is also engaged with groups across the country.  They’re asking these groups what they can do to excite different demographics.

One of these groups is one I belong to: Toronto’s social media community.

The following videos show the CFL giving our community an experience that we will never forget.  It is also an experience that will forever make this blogger thankful for the opportunity; As well as a lifelong supporter and booster of Canadian football.

I hope you enjoy:

At CFL headquarters in Toronto – Part One:

[youtube=http://youtube.com/watch?v=qMUv1arMXzg]

Part Two:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNlQeKcO1Xw]

Then we got a sideline tour prior to the 2010 Home Opener for the Toronto Argos:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xHDog-Y0aTM]

social media

SMS episode 1

This is episode 1 of my new show.

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/8663361

It’s called SMS (Social Media Show). 

Hosts

Karim Kanji – Twitter

Guests

Casie Stewart – Twitter – Blog
Saul Colt – Twitter – Blog

Producer

Stephen Thomas

Episode Description

This Week on SMS: First episode of the brand new Social Media Show on Perpetual Radio Networks. Karim interviews Casie Stewart and Saul Colt and discusses TweetGasmTO and Old Spice.

Topics

http://www.ustream.tv/recorded/8663361

social media

two weeks on foursquare

I don’t own a smartphone. Well, technically I do.  It’s an old BlackBerry but it’s dumb because it lacks a data package. Not smart, I know.  I’m waiting to switch to an Android device once my contract with Rogers ends.

However, from time to time I get blessed with a smartphone to test drive.  The latest one was a Sony Ericsson X10 mini.  It’s an Android-powered touchscreen phone that sits in the palm of your hand.  For the past two weeks, its been a joy to use.

I took this opportunity to not just test the phone but also a popular app called Foursquare.

According to Wikipedia, “Foursquare is a location-based social networking website, software for mobile devices, and also a game. Users “check-in” at venues using a mobile website, text messaging or a device-specific application. They are then awarded points and sometimes “badges.””

People within the marketing and digital space, such as Mitch Joel and Chris Brogan, have opined about Foursquare recently. 

Now it’s my turn.  Here are some observations from my two weeks with Foursquare:

  1. 3rd Party Apps.  Some people didn’t like it when I my check-in’s on Foursquare were posted on my Twitter feed.  Okay, only one person actually told me.  I can’t say for sure if anyone else was upset.  My Twitter followers increased by more than 200 during the time period I was using Foursquare.  But that doesn’t mean there is any correlation between the two.  I understand not everyone is going to like everything I tweet about.  To say that 3rd party apps is annoying is baseless, I feel.  What’s the difference if I tweet: “I’m at work” rather than using Foursquare to say the same thing?  I don’t see the difference.  Maybe it’s just a personal preference.
  2. Weird locations.  Why people have to create locations about their partner’s body parts is beyond me.
  3. Value of badges and Mayoralships.  I’ve heard that Starbucks gives free coffee to “mayors” and I’ve seen Freshii give discounts as well.  However, what is the real value of having badges such as “25 check-ins” or being the mayor of a gas station?  There are locations, brands and company’s that may not be fully in-tune with Foursquare.  Heck, many are still figuring out the why and how about Facebook.  Nevertheless, I think there can be great value if a brand sponsors a badge or recognizes someone who is the mayor of their location.  Imagine getting free food if you’re the mayor of your local pizza store?  Or getting a signed jersey if you’re the mayor of the Air Canada Centre?
  4. Employee Check in.  Is your boss paying you based on what time you check in on Foursquare at work?  If brands want to reward people through Foursquare, then having employees check-in us counterproductive.
  5. Tips.  Many of the places I checked into had no tips.  And the ones that did have tips were not so useful.  I do know that the city of Chicago uses the Tip section to educate and encourage visitors and tourists to see various locations throughout the city.  More brands need to take ownership of this feature to let their consumers and fans know what is going on.  Theaters and cinemas would be well advised to at least put show times and other show information in this section.
  6. Only for smartphones.  Although Foursquare is popular it has yet to grow at the same rate as other more recent social media tools.  My thoughts: only people with smartphones can really use Foursquare.  You can’t use it via SMS or even if you login to your account via your desktop.  I think Foursquare should invest in SMS technology.  Why?  Gaining a share in this market can only lead to more use by consumers and more adoption by brands.  Foursquare can only win.
  7. Goldmine.  Although most brands may not have figured out how to take advantage of consumers using Foursquare, marketers can and should be.  Location-based social networking apps like Foursquare and Gowalla may (or may not) be the next marketing frontier.  Those who find a cool, fun and innovative way to engage with users and consumers will benefit from being at the forefront.

Do you or have you used Foursquare?  I would love to hear your thoughts on this tool.  Please feel free to comment.

social media, sports

build it

…and they will come.  Remember the line from Field of Dreams?  In the movie, Kevin Costner’s character builds a baseball diamond in the middle of his cornfield.  Why?  Well, I don’t want to spoil the movie (you still haven’t seen it?!) but he believes that baseball players will come to play on his diamond.  He just has to build it. 

It’s something the Toronto Blue Jays have been trying to do since the lockout in 1994/5.

I must give them credit.  They’ve tried almost everything.

Flashback Fridays, All You Can Eat campaigns, 80s night, Tweeting Tuesdays, new field turf, setting up Twitter and Facebook accounts and filling it with content, Jr. Jays games on Saturdays, Father’s Day camp-outs, School Day deals in the summer, Flex Packs, $100 season tickets, signing free agents, season ticket holder gatherings, and I could go on and on.  But you get the point.

Before I continue let me address one point.  Winning won’t solve this.  Here’s why:  Winning will only happen AFTER people become fans who attend games.  It is clear Rogers will only fund the Jays payroll to a level in direct proportion to the revenues generated from ticket sales.  So, let’s move onto getting asses (sorry I swore Mom) into seats.

ENGAGE IRL.

Engage In Real Life.  It’s the key (at least a BIG key) to social media and modern marketing today.  Especially when we talk about live sporting events.  And don’t just engage with anyone.  It’s important to reach out to all your fans.  Young and old.  But I would also suggest focusing on engaging the INFLUENCERS.

Influencers are the people who will get the people to come to the park.  They are the big mouths, the party hosts.  They are the one’s that can mobilize a movement.  Malcolm Gladwell talks about connectors, mavens and persuaders.  Influencers are a combination of all three.

Influencers can connect people; they can share with people; and they are charismatic.

It’s not about the technology alone.  Things like Tweet Ups, Meet Ups, and other social media events are popular and the place to be NOT because of Twitter, Facebook, etc.  They are popular because people are engaged WITH each other on a personal level and not just on a pixel level.

We are not living in a technological age.  We are living in a social age. Time to stop hiding behind Jays Care, @BlueJays and the corporate desk. Let’s get social.

So, Mr. Blue Jays, get in contact with these “community leaders” and let them work with you.  They are great at listening to people and mobilizing them.  They, and everyone else, wants the Toronto Blue Jays to succeed at the gate and in the standings.

They may not be able to fill a roster but they will make sure that the blue seats don’t out-number the Blue fans.

**My next blog post will illustrate what the most popular professional sports team in Canada is doing to engage with its community despite being the hardest ticket to get in town.**

What are your thoughts?  Do you agree? Do you think my idea is something out of left field? Feel free to comment below.

social media

recommend before reference

I love introducing people to each other.  And I wish I could do it more often.

On a weekly basis I make it a point to try to properly introduce two people to each other.  Mind you, not just any type of introduction.  A professional and business introduction that will hopefully be of a lasting benefit to the both of them.

Just yesterday, I spoke with a company based in Montreal that mobilizes websites for companies.  I was hooking them up with a pretty web savvy Realtor here in Toronto.  And then I got to thinking:

What if I could introduce both of these people to other people in my network automatically? The answer:

LinkedIn.

LinkedIn allows people to recommend their connections.  So I can now recommend this mobile app company (via the people who work and run the company) to everyone in my network and to everyone who is on LinkedIn. 

HR professionals can also use this cool feature when looking to hire prospective employees.  No need to ask for references.  Just ask for their LinkedIn profile url.

So here’s what I would suggest:

  • Create (if you haven’t already) a LinkedIn profile.
  • Link with as many co-workers, friends, and business acquaintances as possible.
  • If you’ve worked with anyone ask them to recommend you.
  • Recommend people who you have worked with.

How can we use these recommendations?

  • Create links on your corporate website that point to these recommendations.  Next time someone looks you up they may see someone in common who has used your company and their recommendation.
  • If someone has recommended you, you may want to ask them to help you meet someone they are associated with.

How do you use LinkedIn?  Have you had any success with their recommendation feature?

social media, twitter

klout vs clout

It seems that while I was away a new kid on the social media block came onto the scene: Klout.

For those of you who don’t know, here’s what Klout does:

Our goal is to accurately measure that influence and provide context around who a person influences and the specific topics they are most influential on.

You can visit there website for all the details.  However, one thing stands out.  There website mentions only Twitter.  That’s it! Twitter.

Now don’t get me wrong.  I use Twitter. A lot. Maybe too much.  But I’ve received tons of business leads and personal satisfaction out of using Twitter. 

But there is more to clout/Klout than Twitter.  Nevermind the other social and digital tools like Facebook, YouTube, blogs and podcasts.

There are people whose digital life only exists on Twitter and they have a high Klout score.  Yet, in real life they are not growing.  On the other hand, there are people who have a large digital footprint across many online platforms.  They also have thriving businesses that work in conjunction with their online properties.  Yet this later group has a small Klout score. (I have purposely left out names so as to not piss people off.  But I invite you to experiment yourself)

So here’s the thing:  Forget about Klout.  I’m sure they’ll adapt and start to measure more things.  The important thing to remember though is this:

What is your purpose?  Why do you tweet? Blog? If you are fulfilling your purpose (business, personal, otherwise) then don’t worry about what your Klout is.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on Klout and other “influence measurement” tools out there? What say you?


Uncategorized

wear your pants

You’ve heard the saying “Wear your heart on your sleeve.”  Now comes a new one:

Wear your pants.

It was inspired by friend, #agencyball teammate and all around smart marketing genius Saul Colt.

In an age of social media this and digital marketing that, it is sometimes refreshing that good old word of mouth can be simple and effective.

Saul spoke yesterday in New York at an event called Word of Mouth Supergenius.  It was put on by the good folks at gaspedal.  Now, I wasn’t there to hear Saul speak.  However, I have heard him speak on numerous occasions.  And I’ve been lucky enough to be on the receiving end of an outlet pass from him on the court.  So I think I know a little bit about how he operates.

Saul is a marketing genius.  He understands (I think) that to make a mark a brand needs to employ the element of surprise.  He knows that people will remember and (maybe more importantly) tweet about moments of “Ah Ha!”

For example, he’s bought a free-loading client a bottle of wine, put the SkyDome up for sale and has taken pictures with Santa in the middle of summer.  All “Wow!” moments to say the least.

And the companies he’s worked for have benefited from his wacky antics.  Freshbooks, Zip.ca, Zoocasa and Thoora.com are all better off because Saul has been on their payroll.

But here’s the important thing.  The thing that separates marketing professionals from people like Saul who are marketing geniuses: Even when Saul is not “working” he’s working.  Whether it’s the insanity of some of his tweets or the clothes he wears, Saul has figured out that the element of surprise doesn’t stop when he leaves the office.

He literally wears his heart on his sleeve.  Or in Saul’s case, he likes to wear his pants.  Or something like that.

Do you walk your talk?

blog, social media

make money blogging

Yes you can!

Make money blogging.  It’s a question my friend, Joallore Alon recently asked on Twitter.  The bigger question is not “Can someone make money blogging?”  It’s “Can someone make money in a business where blogging is a part of a bigger marketing strategy?” 

The answer to that question is yes.

(It is also important to acknowledge that there are some people and companies that make money where the actual product is a blog.)

Writing a blog gives your community a place to read your thoughts and ideas.  It gives you a place to show your community that you are the expert in your industry. Translating these posts into conversation then gives your community the chance to use your product and order your service.

Blogging can also play an important part in your website’s overall search marketing strategy.

This is how people and brands can make money blogging.

It is, however, important to remember this: Just like all marketing strategies blogging (and other forms of social media marketing initiatives) takes time and effort.  Creating a community does not happen overnight.

Do you make money blogging?

social media, Uncategorized

old spice

If you read this blog then you’re probably familiar with the latest “internet sensation” Isaiah Mustafa.  If that name doesn’t ring a bell, he’s the one-time football player who has been starring in the recent Old Spice YouTube and Twitter campaign. 

Toronto-based self-professed tech-geek Maurice Cacho, from GeekTown.ca, recently penned an article about this campaign.  In his piece Moe asks whether or not the popular online campaign resulted in any increased sales:

Given that the videos had hundreds of thousands of views and everybody is talking about it – did it help sales?  I contacted P & G this afternoon – they’re staying mum because they’re in the “quiet period prior to declaring earnings on August 3.”

I like Moe, so please don’t take the rest of this blog as an attack on him.  (Plus, he’s got bigger biceps than me and could crush me anytime so why would I attack him?)

The question Moe asks rarely ever gets asked of other marketing campaigns.  We watch the cool Super Bowl ads every year but never ask if GoDaddy saw increased sales by showing half-naked women on their commercials.  Why not?  It costs a cool $1 million to advertise on the Big Game.  We never ask whether more traditional marketing programs directly increase a brands profits or sales.

But we ask this question of social media.  Why?

Because it’s the new kid on the block.

A person and even a company can set up an account on almost any social media site at no cost.  And traditionally they’ve been told that to “make money you have to invest money.”  So I think it’s hard for people to think that something “free” can result in increased sales.

Here’s the deal.  Social media is not free.  That’s because social media (and I’m talking about social media as a part of marketing here) is not only telling the world what you ate for lunch.  Like I said in my previous pot, it’s about engagement.  and that takes time and effort and smart people who can make things happen.  That’s why Old Spice (Proctor and Gamble) hired a firm to create the Old Spice campaign.

Secondly, social media should not be measured in isolation from a company’s overall marketing, sales and customer service strategy.  It’s a part of a bigger animal.

But it’s an important part.

What did you think of the Old Spice YouTube campaign? Do you think social media success should be measured in isolation?