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?

social media, twitter

its about engagement

I’ve recently come back from a fantastic holiday in East Africa (which included a quick getaway to South Africa to watch Ghana spank USA during the Round of 16).

I had the opportunity to meet many business people and entrepreneurs in Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya and even South Africa.  One of the questions I got asked was, “I don’t get Twitter. Why should I bother reading what people are eating for breakfast?!”  Good point.

Allow me to make my point now:  Being on Twitter is not the same as being engaged on Twitter.

Now let’s discuss this.

The most popular accounts on Twitter are people you and I will probably never meet on a one-on-one basis.  Movie stars and TV personalities have huge followings because of the nature of their industry.  But they are not engaged with you and you are not really engaged with them.  They tell you what they have for lunch and you think that’s the reason Twitter was invented.

On the flip side, there are real people making real connections on Twitter.  It’s not the number of followers you have.  Instead, it’s about the depth of conversations you have on Twitter.

I use Twitter to brand myself.  I tweet about what I’m doing like waiting in the hospital for malaria tests.  But I also use it as a feed for my articles I write on Techvibes as well as on this blog.  And I also promote links to other tweets (called ReTweets) and articles that I find interesting.

Finally, I use Twitter to crowdsource help and ideas.  In fact, I can safely say that most of the people I’ve connected with IRL (In Real Life) in 2010 in Toronto and Kenya were people I first “met” via Twitter.

So the value of Twitter is not in the tool or software.  The value of Twitter, and other social media tools, is determined by the user and the level of engagement they pursue.

By the way, I had a peanut butter sandwich and orange juice for breakfast.

What say you?

books, reading

six pixels of separation: book review

I could not have picked a better book to read on my travels to East Africa than Mitch Joel’s Six Pixels of Separation. 

Although it was published in 2009 (which probably means it was written much earlier) there is still a ton of great points and nuggets that are applicable even today.  Here is who I would recommend this book to: EVERYONE.

That’s right everyone.  Why?  Because the web is now social and as the subtitle of the book says, Everyone is connected, connect your business to everyone.  Business owners, marketing professionals, students, employees and even self-employed individuals can benefit from reading Mitch Joel’s bestseller.

Here are some points that I jotted down in my notebook as I read this book in Dar Es Salaam, Zanzibar, Nairobi, Arusha, and Kampala:

  • consumers will market our product if we let them review our product (even if it’s a negative review)
  • you can’t have a strong business without a strong community
  • being connected is not the same as being engaged
  • consumers are always willing to pay a premium online if what they are getting has added value
  • the point of mobile marketing is…Sorry, you have to read the book like I did to finish this sentence

As you read this book you will understand that being involved, engaged and relevant online can and will enable you (your company, your business, business partners) to be not only a trusted online source but also a profitable one.

Here’s one reason why I’m so excited to have read this book at this moment in time:  At no other time in history have people been able to more easily start their own business.  The internet and the social tools that seem to be dominating the conversation have helped many people make the leap to business ownership.

And this is a leap I’m looking forward to making as well as helping other’s make.

Have you read Mitch Joel’s book?  Do you read his blog or listen to his podcast?  If not, I highly recommend you do.  If you do, I’d love to hear your opinion on his work and content.

Uncategorized

it’s not all the same

Marketing that is. 

It may feel that way especially when you’ve lived and worked in one location.

For example, living most of my life (ok, all of it) in the western world (aka Toronto, Canada) I am subject to very innovative and experiential marketing campaigns.   These days, it seems everything is about the social web and how mobile technology is changing how companies are marketing new services and products.

Yet, in places like East Africa (I’m presently in Kenya) it’s a little bit different. 

While more people in Kenya have a mobile phone (per capita) than in Canada, it’s not all about the social web experience on the mobile phone.  That’s because smartphones are not as ubiquitous as they are in Toronto.  Affordability is one example. 

However, this does not mean that people in the “third world” are not entrepreneurial.  Fact in point is Kenya’s M-Pesa service which I blogged about on Techvibes.  This service let’s the user transfer and get access to cash via their phone using SMS. 

There is not yet a market (nor a need, I think) for cool smartphone banking apps.  The operative word is yet.

So while SMS might seem “old” in Canada, it’s very much in use here in Kenya.

And marketing should be the same.

Sometimes we’ve been in a place for so long that the only marketing plans and schemes we can think up are the ones that have already been done or are presently being done.  What can we do to ensure we don’t keep copying and doing the same thing?

Use your imagination and start learning to think a little different.  Ask questions like what are the people in my market doing?  How are they interacting with one another?  What tools are they using that will allow me to communicate with them more effectively?

Remember that people are people and while we all may do similar things we are also not all the same.

Uncategorized

don’t forget the customer in your store

Hello from Nairobi!

With companies quickly embracing social media as a marketing tool I thought it would be wise to remind everyone that customer service still counts, no matter how many Twitter followers you have.

Case in point:  Yesterday we visited the Animal Orphanage just outside Nairobi.  It was a couple of hours after lunch and we all were starving.  So we decided to grab a quick lunch before visiting the animals.  There was a great restaurant overlooking a watering hole.  The baboons and antelope (at least I think that’s what these bambi-lookalikes were!) were in full force.  The atmosphere was great.  They even had all the flag of the nations in the World Cup all over the place.

But it took more than 90 minutes for our food to get to us.

This is not just a case of “that’s how it is in Africa”.  This is a case of forgetting that the customer experience is paramount. 

Most of my work these days revolves around marketing and showing companies how they can effectively use social media tools in engaging their community online.  However, I always insist that no matter how cool their website is; or how many Twitter followers or Facebook friends they have, they must always remember one thing:  The experience I have when I visit their online or offline space trumps everything.

If the customer service rep is rude; if the food is cold; if they forget about me as soon as I walk out the door with my purchase then everything else matters not.

Customer service matters.

Uncategorized

start-up culture

Many of you know that my family and I are in East Africa on vacation.  But for those of you who know me I’m always “on”.  So I find myself with one and maybe two speaking gigs in Nairobi next week.  And I’m excited!  And nervous.

On Tuesday I’ve been asked to speak about “Start-Up Culture.”   Why?  I think it’s because I’ve had the great opportunity to meet some very cool and successful people and companies in Toronto during my short time with Techvibes.

However, I don’t consider myself an expert.  But I know that many of you are.  So I need your help…

As someone who has worked with or started a company, what important tips should people know?  And what characteristics should someone considering a start-up have or look to develop?

Thanks do much for your help!

P.S.  If you’re interested in following some of my journey check out my africa trip.

blog

gone fishing…kinda

Not really.  I’m actually leaving for Africa tonight.  I’ve never been.  And I’m very excited.

So, here’s where you can find me during my trip:

my trip to africa (<– Click Me!)

Please feel free to visit there as often as you like.  I’ll be updating it every few days with thoughts, videos and pictures.

Until next time…

social media, sports

#SCTO – social media & sports

It really is a perfect fit in my opinion.

Sports teams (good or bad) have a fan base that even popular brands like Apple and Red Bull wished they had:  A passionate fan base for life. 

Social media allows (among other things) brands such as the Toronto Rock or even the Toronto Public Library to communicate, listen, interact and even market (blasphemy) to their fans.

Last night, something that started in the heads of myself and good friend, Joallore finally came to life after almost 8 weeks of planning.  It took a committed team to pull it off.  Thanks must go out to Carolyn, May, Zaigham, Mike, Nehal, Dave and Karim #2.

SportsConnectTO was held last night at Ryerson’s Digital Media Zone high above the Yonge – Dundas Square in downtown Toronto.

Social Media Representatives from Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment, Toronto Blue Jays and the Canadian Football League debated, answered questions and gave their personal thoughts and insights to the over 100 people in attendance.  Special thank you to all of them and to Erin Bury of Sprouter for being our panel moderator.

To read what people are saying check out #SCTO (FYI – #SCTO was a trending topic on Twitter in Toronto last night!)

You can also see a JustinTV recording HERE.

Thanks to our sponsors, volunteers, supporters, attendees and again to my team for making everything come together.

books, reading

what the dog saw [book report]

I love Malcolm Gladwell.

Really.  I heard his voice in an interview before I ever read his book.  And I was hooked.  It wasn’t just his voice. (If you’ve ever listened to any of his audiobooks you know what I’m speaking is true.)

It’s his arguments.  They just seem to make sense to me.  And they are also very entertaining.

His latest book, What The Dog Saw, is actually a collection of his essays from The New Yorker.  The topics he covers a range from spaghetti sauce to dog whisperers to the Enron fiasco to football quarterbacks.  No topic is too popular or too off beat for Gladwell to cover.

I enjoyed this collection of essays.  However, I do hope that his next book is another original work rather than a collection.

So, if you’re a fan of Gladwell and you have yet to read What The Dog Saw, shame on you.  If you are sceptical of this popular author, I understand.  However, if you are the type of person who likes to get under the surface and truly find the answer to the question, “why?”, then you owe it to yourself to give at least a few of the stories in this collection a chance.

Have you read any of Malcolm Gladwell’s books?  What do you think?

podcast, video

the hawk

I’m not his biggest fan but even I know that The Hawk is an important figure in Canadian music. And not just Canadian music. But musical history from the past 50 years.

Yes, The Hawk. Otherwise known as Rockin’ Ronnie Hawkins.

I had a chance to speak with Ronnie Hawkins last week.  We both found ourselves at the Toronto Real Estate Board’s Realtor Quest trade show.

We were both surrounded by beautiful groupies (albeit they were all his groupies but I know he likes to share) as I tried to sound professional interviewing him.

Here’s something important I learned from him:  Be in business with people who like you because chances are you will like them.  As someone who would rather make a pay cheque than receive one, this point is important.  You see, we all have a choice in who we do business with.  And although I like money as much as the next guy, I want to make sure that I’m having fun.

What are your thoughts?