Relevancy is Key

Conversations don't often start because one person wants to talk about something differently than the person they are with.

To start a conversation, as so many brands and companies want to do nowadays online in social media, you must be relevant to the conversation(s) that's already begun. Or if you wish to initiate one, realize that people socialize for the following reasons:

1. They want to discuss similar interests
2. They have important information to share
3. They are extremely generous and want to add value to another person's life. This can take the form of praise and compliments.

So when trying to engage and converse with fans in social media, think of the reason you are socializing what you are and question whether or not it is relevant to your current or potential conversation partner.

Trendspotting 2011

Marian Salzman of Euro RSCG PR just posted her annual trends report for next year. In 11 trends and 52 pages, she offers a thorough examination on everything from current societal gender roles to public "mycasting". Definite food for thought if you're an avid trendwatcher.

Enjoy!

~ alicia

conversations to listen for

Stumbled on this today: Ten conversations to listen for in social media; they are:

• The complaint
• The compliment
• The problem
• The question or inquiry
• The campaign impact
• The crisis
• The competitor
• The crowd
• The influencer
• The point of need

For clients wondering how to use social media, this is a great primer list. Now you just have to be sure and have the right research company lined up to monitor the conversation.

Capturing Conversations: the future of customer service

With all the talk of Twitter being a customer-service platform (among other things), I'm curious to know how this dialogue of sorts (in 140 characters or less) will affect what we've known to be "customer-service" - you call some 1-800 number on a website or on the back of a direct mail piece, then get re-routed through various robot-operated loopholes in the system and maybe, just maybe you'll end up talking to a real person about your issue. I can say with full confidence, this is not the best we can do. So, what can we look forward to in terms of customer-service in 2009?

"Customer Service is the New Marketing"

Customer Service is the New Marketing (Web2Expo)

View more presentations from Thor.

The smart brains who put this together are Thor Muller & Lane Becker, the guys behind getsatisfaction.com - people powered customer service for absolutely everything. Getsatisfaction is getting it right, but if it was created in 2007, what has it inspired CS (customer-service) to be since then?

An open, transparent, and public conversation. Think about blogs. When one reader/customer/user leaves a question in the comment field, another reader/customer/user may respond with an answer, leaving the original blog author to benefit from their discussion. Think if this was a brand who was able to facilitate as well as witness this conversation - not only is this FREE feedback, but it encourages brand loyalty by being transparent, offering up dialogue, and providing timely and direct feedback.

The future of customer service is about capturing conversations. Go get 'em!

[feel free to read more on why Get Satisfaction rules]

Yelp!

That's what I was telling people last night during the first ever Oak Cliff Art Crawl. I had volunteered to greet people as they came into Art n' Go, the table I sat behind had a bunch of art flyers, biz cards, art crawl maps, in addition to FREE, re-usable bags from Yelp.

I WILL POST A PICTURE OF THE BAG HOPEFULLY LATER TODAY

I thought this was an awesome thing for the brand to do, and it helped me make the case for supporting local businesses in the area. It was a perfect conversation point, and almost everyone who came in picked up a bag. :)

What is Twitter?

I was asked this today by a creative. Instead of acting smugly "in the know," I tried to explain Tweets, Tweeps, and the service in general. Here's what came out:

It's considered a microblogging service, but you don't have to put up a whole post or anything, just a short message with 140 characters or less.

So, it's like a blog?

No, it's more of a feed. You have followers and you follow people, and depending the content of your Tweets and vice versa, it's a news feed more or less of cool stuff you might be into.

So, what do I write about?

Anything you want, it's mostly about what's going to be of most interest to your followers and what you like to read. There are many types of "feeds." Mine is about cool advertising, thinking news because those are the kind of people I follow. But if you wanted to know about mundane time at which someone's getting their coffee in the morning or hitting their afternoon slump, those kinds of Tweets are out there to know about.

I do Facebook, that's about it.

Well, Facebook - and its new "facelift" - is a lot like Twitter, where you see other people's updates in real time...

The conversation changed turns and we were then setting up a context mapping session in which I will reference Twitter and Facebook and review sites. At least he won't be blindsighted when I bring up Tweets, but the issue (and game for planners) will come when we bring to life how social media is changing people's consumption of media in general.

I think it's a matter of asking the right questions so that we include social media in the conversation. This was in fact the very topic of a planner I feel privileged to work with, Planning for conversations by Christopher Owens at the AAAA Planning Conference 2008. Conversations are powerful, conversations can happen anywhere, and brands, products and companies must be conversational. Ok. But how do we make this happen?

The standard questions on a brief don't take into account the interaction that can happen with a brand. Should this piece of paper be changing to include a social space? If we were to answer the question "what's my brand's share factor?" What would we say? If were to "guide" the conversation, where would we take it? What do we want people to talk about? Or rather, what are they talking about and how can we participate?

things to think about.

"25 things"

I got tagged the other day for the cyclical "25 things" meme, and you know what? It made me happy. It made me feel included. The rules were you had to get tagged to do it. You weren't supposed to just download the app and post it to your profile but rather wait until you were tagged; then pay it forward. So Mark Lewis paid it forward to me. I thought it was so cool! I felt like I was in; finally!

I had read other people's comments on the exercise. I think one person had written that it was hard to come up with 25 things to describe themselves...I thought I was in for a challenge, but really, 25 things isn't hard. Just sit in one place and look at all the stuff you have around you, each object is a story, each thought a potential one. You can do it. :)

I decided to write a post about this because my friend Paul twittered about "25 things," saying it was the first sign of Facebook's demise, down the path of Myspace, which he thinks is littered with these sorts of quizzes/postings/etc. I would agree that Myspace is a bit more adolescent, but come on, "25 things" has a viral quality about it. I wanted to be a part of it.

Maybe I'm just gullible (which is entirely possible) but I think we'll see more things like this; hopefully not as extensive; but more "viral" social networking fads. Or maybe I'm clueless and they've been happening before my active Twittering or Facebooking lately. If so, disregard this post.

Thanks for stopping by.

a digital mindset

Just saw this from Mark Earls on Twitter:

absolutely convinced that there's a digital mindset; one of sharing and altruism.. staggered by how few people have it

The capabilities of the web enable us to share a lot more; and one the one hand, it puts us all on the same page, while on the other: it helps us to see who's not. Or maybe it comes back to the simple awesomeness of the phrase two heads are better than one and the individuals in the group collective know that the possibilities are endless. Or we could look at Mark's more scientific reasoning behind social media:

it connects people to each other and that allows us to see each other (which you will hopefully remember allows us to emulate and thus drives the spread of behaviours and ideas)

what do you think? And how will we see this "digital mindset" evolve in 2009?

at likemind this AM, we discussed the topic of transparency and social media/networking with these conclusions: there needs to be a parallel category of "virtual life management" tools that become available, helping people translate their offline behaviors into an online on-all-the-time identity. I don't know if Mark's point of being "good" is inherent moreso than it's a by-product of transparency.

Hmmm...

Yo Momma

Postcardsfromyomomma is kind of like Postsecret for moms but in a reverse way: readers submit emails from their mothers, thus displaying secrets of moms.

Great insight for any mother/daughter brand.

Here's one post titled "My husband lives like a pauper"

Did I tell you that I called the producer at Millionaire to re-schedule my air date? I told them I relocated to Reno and that I couldn’t make the July date. They said,”No problem…we’ll call you and send a letter after we look at the schedule”. I really think I can do well on that show. If I make some big bucks I will NOT give it to my husband. I will split it up between you and your sister. My husband doesn’t need money. He’s got his squirreled away and lives like a pauper so I’ll dispense any award money where it will be put to good use.

PSFK Conference 2008

Conversation topics will be:

Finding Inspiration
Michelin star chef Eric Ripert explains how his three annual trips inspire his menu, service and brand.
Good Business
Is good the new green? Does being good mean making good profits? Marc Alt leads a panel with Graham Hill , Johnny Vulkan, Jeff Staple and Jeffrey Hollender to investigate one of the key trends driving business.
Social Media
In a 'new guns' versus 'marketing gurus' debate, Josh Spear & Noah Brier join Marc Schiller & Steve Rubel to debate how social media will change in 2008 and how companies can leverage this digital phenomenon in the most rewarding way. Moderated by Noelle Weaver .
Does New York Matter?
Local observers discuss whether the culture created in New York has a role on a global stage.
Collaborative Co-Working
Etsy and NASA explain how they engage their customers, staff, partners and the community with co-working spaces (real and virtual).
Tomorrow's TV
How has digital changed the delivery, content, sponsorship and future of television? Mike Hudack and Adam Stotsky join a panel to discuss the opportunities and challenges.
Pattern Recognition
Grant McCracken explains the importance of inspiration, providing a framework for which to gather, monitor and react to trends and ideas in culture and business.

Tickets are discounted for Likeminders, pretty awesome of Piers.

planners need to be storytellers

"It's interesting to see how much the amount of information (given) influences its retention."

My mom and sister are fanatical storytellers. Each time they launch into a story, it happens before I know it. I hesitate: "do I have time for this?" I'm listening for a noun + verb kind of story; But they can't tell a story like that. The details get me every time.

Someone said once that information is the currency of a planner. Damnit then, give me the details.

A story is accepted or rejected by "the telling of it." Planners need to be good storytellers. I know this; however, this particular facet of planning is one that I need to work on the most. I can pinpoint the elements but when it comes to giving you context, I'm more brief than beautiful.

It feels good to share this. Word.
(the initial quote was one I wrote after listening to my mom tell me about a memory she had of her dad when she was seven years old and he was a mechanic and had a Ferrari up on blocks in the garage and her uncle had this car like an Aston Martin you know like James Bond and her dad listened to the radio while he worked on the car and..........)

on the tail of Blog Action Day

Ok, so I missed Blog Action Day, but I'm dedicating this post in its wake.

The Pixel is Mightier Than the Sword over at Get Shouty, took me to threeminds@Organic, which is where i saw this:



and it made me think of when Richard Wolffe of Newsweek asked Bush for his definition of torture:

• "QUESTION: The word torture, what's your definition?

  "BUSH: That's defined in U.S. law, and we don't torture.

  "QUESTION: Can you give me your version of it, sir?

  "BUSH: No. Whatever the law says."

[via Cliff Schecter]

The issue of Blog Action Day in its inaugural year was the environment (whose issue isn't the environment right now?). My Tail issue is that of Bush's idiocy and the issue of Torture. Errrr! I am pained to be recognized as an American in a country that condones torture as a form of interrogation. The U.S. has a prominent place in interested minds worldwide. Bush needs to get his ducks in a row on this one. The above, wonderful piece for Amnesty International could certainly be applied to Mr. B and his illegitimate definition of "security" for this leading country. Peace.

For Blog's Sake

I was over at Misentropy just now, reading what blogging does to planners. I think it should more accurately be titled: what blogging does FOR planners. Here are some of his highlights:

• helps us take notes
• mimics the process of memory formation
• helps us all grow big but remain small: i.e. we can have a multitude of conversations from one small place online, spreading our brand and our ideas everywhere but remaining in one place at the same time.
  

He leaves some more reasons unexplored: the 'Sandbox Universe,' the 'Mesh Memory' system, and the 'Free Lunch Cafe'. Send him a note over there if you want to know more, and let me know when you do so I can hop over and read it too. :)

I think blogging is great. I think growing, exploring, enthusiastic planners should be encouraged to blog: to share and develop their ideas. It's also very encouraging to read a blog and be inspired to push an idea further. A blog is a great digital example of how hard people work and how much time they devote to the important things in life (their life). A blog needs attention, it needs to be cultivated, organized and shared.

These are some planning/idea/creative blogs that get top honors for their devoted author and audience participation.

• Diablogue
• NoahBrier.com
• Herd
• Whistle Through Your Comb
• Russell Davies
• Get Shouty

And if you're a TED lover, hop over to Keeping Track to see a list of the 150 posts so far.
Blog on!

art of dialogue

Not too long ago, I watched the movie Interview with Sienna Miller and Steve Buscemi. I'd rate it about a 3 of 5, interesting to watch but so-so in terms of entertainment value. It make me think about asking questions and engaging someone in a dialogue; How, if you ask bad questions, the respondent will most likely give a bad answer.

I like reading interviews. I like seeing how the question is presented and watching the ellipses in thought or that emotion in language unfold in reaction to a stimulating question. (check out Interview Magazine if you're into this too) There is a certain art to engagement. Maybe this is nothing new for you smarty-pants interviewers out there, but for some people (you don't know who you are) there is a reason that a question needs to be asked in a certain way if you want a good answer. NPR did a story called "The Art of the Interview" that detailed ESPN's awareness of low-profile, sucky interviews. "We weren't capturing moments," says the SVP.

Capturing moments is what art seeks to do. I like that. I like the awareness it calls to the situation. Photography captures moments. It's neat to think of interviews trying to do the same thing, but really it's all about information being available in the present moment in such a way that you have an "ah ha" moment of enlightenment and growth.

I'd like to create advertising that does the same sort of thing; advertising that makes the audience go "oh...I never thought of that before" or "hmm...that makes me think blah blah blah." The art of engagement. We know it's there. Seek to attain the status, and I think we'll be handsomely rewarded with "moments" that are unique.

my world: overhead in New York

(preface: this is my version as opposed to the actual online community if you didn't know about it already.)

"What's wi-fi?" - employee in Carroll Gardens cafe

"He asked me to be his Myspace friend..." - 25+ something girl on cellphone in Brooklyn

"This is like a pop-culture museum." - 20-something guy about Simpson's 7-11 in Midtown

"I'm a super-freak, super-freak, I'm super-freaky" - three street-men , dancing at 8a in the West Village, it was awesome and should be picked up for a music video asap!

"Art doesn't kill." - 75+ teacher at the School for Visiaul Arts, having a conversation about art & politics at a bar in SoHo

"Shoes, that was the 80s. Today, it's iPods." - NYPD talking to me about safety and theft

a dialogue takes many forms

In museums, there is a language that goes on between each piece of art. It's something I hadn't really thought of before until I read an article about Carmen Gimenez, a curator for modernist sculpture.

Designing a show or museum exhibit requires a vision for how the artwork will communicate from piece to piece. There is a language here: "Sculpture is a very spatial idea. When you build a museum you need to think about sculpture. It needs space. All in their own space, they aren't mixed at all, but they are in dialogue."

It made me think of a museum curator as a planner: setting up the creative brief as a tool to stimulate possibilities. A brief should not mandate and focus on only one path. It should open up the room for creative dialogue and let the reader/viewer/user take their own journey.

Gimenez works in the Guggenheim Museum, a beautiful building by Frank Lloyd Wright. "The whole museum becomes a situation," she says, "there are many possibilities for dialogue." Her exhibit Shapes of Space is on exhibit through September 5.

how to have a conversation

In this age of conversation, it might be nice to evaluate the pieces that contribute to this art form. I just finished Plato's Symposium, and for anyone who hasn't read it, it is the ultimate conversation book. The topic is Love, but on a larger scale, the topic is discourse. Read it and learn. I will now take this post as an opportunity to expand on what Richard said a couple weeks ago: "great dialogues start with a passionate monologue."

When I came to New York, my roommate gave me some interview advice: Make statements rather than ask questions. Say what? It's important to have a point of view. Someone else told me, "It's easier to react to a statement than answer a question." Interesting.

So when a brand (new or old) comes into the market and starts spouting brand speak, this and that, shouting deals or mantras, or whatever, think about it. If the brand wasn't opinionated or didn't have a point of view, it would be neutral in a sense. And of all things, neutral is certainly not engaging by nature.

To conclude, I'll give you a rough idea of how to have a proper discussion via Plato and his buddies:

1. fill everyone's cup with wine and refill as necessary
   
2. set a topic for the evening and lay the ground with some established definitions
3. start on the left, do not speak out of turn, and only speak your pov when the person is finished entirely with their own pov
4. borrow snippets from each speaker to show respect for each and to also help make your point more relevant
5. sound as wise as possible (i.e. have a point of view and speak with conviction).

Hip, Hip, Design!

Glad someone else is saying it too...

"Innovation is no longer just about new technology per se. It is about new models of organization. Design is no longer just about form anymore but is a method of thinking that can let you to see around corners. And the high tech breakthroughs that do count today are not about speed and performance but about collaboration, conversation and co-creation. If you are in the co-creation business today—and you’d better be in this age of social networking—then you have to think of design. Indeed, your brand is increasingly shaped and defined by network communities, not your ad agency. Brand manager? Forget about it. Brand curator maybe."

"Design and design thinking—or innovation if you like--are the fresh, new variables that can bring advantage and fat profit margins to global corporations. In today’s global marketplace, being able to understand the consumer, prototype possible new products, services and experiences, quickly filter the good, the bad and the ugly and deliver them to people who want them—well, that is an attractive management methodology."

And that's just what agencies with a new-type of model are doing. Thank you Anomaly. Thank you Mother. Thank you Undercurrent. And many more are getting closer to the real issue between consumers and companies: that of disconnection & distrust.

Consumers demand more honesty in the commercial realm, and the internet puts accountability at the front and center of conversations nowadays. Think smart. Think consumer. Listen to them. Innovate as needed. Proceed with confidence and conversation. Design/planning/strategy, whatever you want to call it, it's a necessary component if you want to be a smart company and make smart decisions. My philosophy is that it's about making ALL of the elements make sense and fit together in a seamless, authentic, honest way.