02/29/2012
Show of hands please. When you were a kid, did your folks make you send thank yous after receiving gifts? My hand is raised.
Not a phone call. Oh no that would just not do! It was expected that I send a note. Some of you may remember those .. little letters that you put in an envelope added a postage stamp and mailed to the recipient.
MSN Business On Main has an interesting post by Ross McCammon on power of praising employees. He mentions some fascinating research from Chester Elton, author of The Carrot Principle - "The No. 1 driver of engagement is opportunity and well-being. The No. 1 driver of opportunity and well-being is recognition and appreciation."
The article set some thoughts in motion for me (always dangerous!). In a way, is not praise a way of saying thank you? Although I now appreciate the hand written thank you note (it's an amazing differentiator!), let's take the idea of saying "thanks" into the digital world and expand that praise/thanks to include both employees and customers.
For customers, let's do a little side step from the traditional customer loyalty programs that is more alturistic. We'e not going to include conditions. Not a sale. Not a referral. Not a like. Call it thank you without expectations. Sort of what Macy's did in the wonderful film Miracle on 34th Street - Diva Marketing post.
My Go Daddy story, in a tweet or two, that demonstrates Chester Elton's concepts. What began as an offline thank you phone call led to an online "share engagement."
Let's Have FUN!
MSN Business On Main/Diva Marketing Small Business Tip Contest ~ Win $100!
Your challenge is to share 1 idea on to use social media to thank or praise either an employee or a customer.
Continuing the tradition of a special guest judge for the MSN Small Business On Main contests, I am excited to introduce you to Heidi Cohen.
Heidi’s business focus is to simplify the complex concepts behind today’s evolving digital marketing challenges and to facilitate marketers’ grasp of new topics. Her blog includes practical and insightful tips that you can apply to your marketing challenges.
Connect with Heidi on: HeidiCohen.com @heidicohen Facebook
Rules of MSN The Business on Main/Diva Marketing Social Media Small Business Tips Contest
1. Post your tip for how to use social media for branding on this Diva Marketing post And on this MSN Business On Mail Post. If you don't post on MSN BOM and indicate Diva Marketing you cannot qualify for the $100 prize.
2. Identify your post on Business On Main with the words Diva Marketing
3. Winner is at the pleasure of Diva Marketing.
4. Contest ends midnight Saturday March 17, 2012.
5. You must be at least 18 years of age
6. A valid eMail address must be included on the "Post a Comment Section" of your Diva Marketing comment. (How will I know where to contact you to send your check?)
That's it .. now it's your turn! Wouldn't $100 a great way to say thank you to You?
To help you jump start you .. skip over to Heidi Cohen's list of 21 Ways to Say Thank You Via Social Media. My favorite is #19 -- Interview them. Shining a pubic light on a person's expertice is a powerful way to show your appreciation while giving them something of value.
Looking forward to your ideas!
Diva Marketing is part of an online influencer network for MSN Business on Main. I receive incentives to share my views on a monthly basis. All opinions are 100% mine.
Graphic credit: digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Contest has ended.
02/21/2012
Over the past going, on eight years, of working in the social media industry I've had the pleasure of interviewing many amazing people. One question I often ask is, "What does social media mean to you?"
Sometimes the responses focused on the defining the tools like Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, blogs. Other times the answers centered on building customer relationships.
For me the tools are digital avenues to acheive the people-to-people end. As with our highways and byways, some will be around for a long time while others will be plowed under or turned back to sleepy paths seldom traveled on.
Author and strategist Brian Solis' answer was an ah ha oh yes moment. -- "We’re forming incredibly vibrant and extensive networks around relationships and interests. We’re learning how to live life in a very public, and searchable, space." Interview with Brian Solis
Brian addressed the critical relationship concept. Then he took it into a direction that most people are aware of but often sends chills up and down the spine. We are building relationships and networks in very public forums. Gone is the luxury of privacy.
MSN Business On Main has an interesting video interview with designer Camilla Olson. Her story caught my attention from a social media marketer's point of view. (Although her designs are most wonderful .. perhaps my next project will allow an indulgence for me to purchase one of Ms. Olson's pieces!)
Ms. Olson's big break came through a traditonal networking opportunity when a friend in a book club introduced her to James Franco's mom Betty Franco. Ms. Franco needed a fabulous gown for the Oscars .. and as they say in the movies Ms. Olson dressed her for her close up. Camilla Olson 
In exploring her digital branding I found Ms. Olson is also active in multiple social channels. She's on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Linkedin, Blogs and Pinterest. A different world than a private book club networking connection.
Online Ms. Olson gives a glimpse of behind the scenes of in the design world. She also posts a photo of a personal moment with her daughter and Gloria Steinem. Post by post, tweet by tweet, comments that she makes on Pinterest boards give an image of a personal brand beyond her talents as a designer.
I applaud her efforts to "live in a public space." One might say that fashion designers, like models and people in the entertainment industry, should be use to living in the public. However, the social media public world is different.
It's not only traditional media that is snapping photos of stars as they walk the red carpet in designer gowns and jewels. It's you and you and you and me who has access to the most influencial media channel in history .. the Internet. That changes the game for everyone.
To the people who are authentically and bravely exploring what it's like to create and nurture relationships without the luxury of privacy .. a toss of a pink boa to you! My hope is that the agencies and companies who tap you for "brand champion" and blogger relations programs understand that it's not only "influence" you bring to party but the risk and courage you took to cultivate relationships and networks in a new world.
Perhaps the next time I interview some one instead of asking, "What does social media mean to you?" I should ask, "What does living in a public space without the luxury of privacy mean to you? How would you answer that question?
Diva Marketing is part of an online influencer network for MNS Business on Main. I receive incentives to share my views on a monthly basis. All opinions are 100% mine.
Graphic credit: Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
02/08/2012
It's 2004. You're a college freshman. You and your friends sign up for a new internet platform called Facebook. It becomes an interactive scrapbook of your life.
Flash forward 7 years. You disengage from Facebook. Why??
This is a special Diva Marketing quasi social media reality series with Gen Y Jessica Robyn who takes us into her world of Life Without Facebook .. and offers her insights into the question Why?
Part #1 Part #2
Diva Marketing/Toby: Jessica, you disengaged from Facebook on January 13th. It's been about 4 weeks without the Big F. What are you missing the most?
Jessica Robyn: I miss the entertainment I got from Facebook. Reading posts, seeing pictures, and playing games via Facebook. It was a great way to amuse myself when I had down time. Now I have a new obsession for crossword puzzles. I even found a trivia app on my phone to entertain me on the go. At least my new obsessions are educational!
Diva Marketing/Toby: How has life without Facebook influenced your relationship with people who you don’t usually keep in contact with on a consistent basis?
Jessica Robyn: It’s been interesting. I've reached out more to some college friends who I have not seen in a while. I actually found out that one of my old roommates, who lives in New York, was going to be in Rhode Island. I live in Massachusetts, so we ended up meeting for drinks in Providence which was pretty awesome.
- We haven’t seen each other in two years, but we still had a connection without Facebook which was pretty impressive.
Diva Marketing/Toby: What happens when those people who don’t have your eMail address or phone number need to get in touch with you?
Jessica Robyn: I perform at Rocky Horror Full Body Cast in Harvard Square. There was an occasion recently where someone from Rocky Horror had a few questions for me about something they were planning with the production.
I gave permission for people at the show to give her my cell number so she could contact me. But she never did. A couple of weeks later she told me she didn't like calling people on the phone and since she couldn’t find my Facebook she didn’t message me. I think if it was something of dire importance you could figure a way to contact me off of Facebook, even if you didn't have my contact information.
Diva Marketing/Toby: How about people you do keep in touch with on an ongoing basis. Tell us a story of how not having a Facebook page influenced you.
Jessica Robyn: Recently I had plans to go out with a friend; however, we just couldn’t agree on what to do for the evening so we ended up doing nothing. You know how that goes.
The next morning I started to miss Facebook. I am sure if I really wanted to go out I would have heard about a group of my friends going somewhere. Or I could have posted a status asking who was around and wanted to grab a drink. It didn’t really bother me about missing out on events until then.
Diva Marketing/Toby: Wondering what are the reactions from people who you meet who don’t know you’re not on Facebook and want to friend you.
Jessica Robyn: I haven’t encountered that yet. But I did meet someone right before I disabled my facebook. He was shocked I was going to disable my page and told me that Facebook was his only form of communication with his friends (I later found out he didn’t have a text messaging plan and doesn’t use his phone much. "Big L"). Needless to say, we didn’t keep in touch after that.
Diva Marketing/Toby: At this point are you glad you're off Facebook? Why?
Jessica Robyn: At this moment I would say absoultely. I have found myself being more productive throughout the day. Also instead of spending mind numbing hours sitting on facebook, like I mentioned before, I have been spending time doing cross words and trivia games ... working my mind which has been better than it turning to mush while mindlessly navigating around Facebook.
Diva Marketing/Toby: Anything that you're surprised about with life without Facebook?
Jessica Robyn: I think the most surprising element thus far has been all the exclusive deals or "you hear it first" type of deals that are promoted via Facebook. I heard of two different contests that in order to simply enter you needed to "like" their fan page, or a band releasing a song exclusively through Facebook. But for the most part, I haven't been too disappointed about my lack of Facebook yet.
- @JessicaRobyn 
To Be Continued ..
