I recently completed a chapter in a book on social media to be published next year (no not mine – another one) and I called it “Your staff are your best advocates”. Hugh McLeod just re-blogged this post from 2005 on the same topic, and Steve Bridger just said in a Twitter conversation that he got a good response to saying “ loyalty to charity brands is now shifting towards affinity to individuals working within charities” in a keynote yesterday.

We are gradually groping our way towards the Cluetrain idea of markets being conversations but it is still a long way off and “brand” still mostly means orchestrated bollocks.

I am a mentor at The School of Communication Arts, run by Marc Lewis, which aims to develop new talent for the marketing business. I have done a few mentoring sessions and really enjoyed meeting and getting to know the students. However I have been feeling increasingly uncomfortable about being involved, even marginally, with an activity that I find increasingly annoying.

When I called Marc to share these feelings we had a pretty robust exchange of views on marketing and its place in the modern world. We then had round two of this argument in a session in front of the students at the school last week. I said that I had no problem with advertising as such. I am happy being helped to make decisions about buying stuff. I will always buy stuff and ways of making better decisions about what to buy are always welcome. But this is a million miles away from being shouted at about crap I don’t want when I am trying to do something else – no matter how entertainingly it is done. There were one or two students nodding as I made my case but most were pretty full on that we “need” marketing to fund content, entertain us in magazines, and smarten up Times Square!

Roll on the day when marketing retires into the background and I can have real conversations, with real people, in real businesses, who are doing stuff that makes my life better.

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There is usually a hype-cycle that occurs during the early adoption phase of anything new. And in the Social Media Marketing (SMM) space, you will find a broad range of vendors, consultants and suppliers who have rushed in to take advantage of the “next big thing”. While most are honorable in their intentions, there is a subset of vendors who will:

• Make it sound so much more difficult than it is
• Promise unrealistic and over inflated results

This occurred during the early years of Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and this hype is now occurring with social media. Do not be fooled by the “rainmakers”. There is a lot of snake oil being sold today. If you are going to use an outside agency or vendor to help you please make sure you vet their qualifications fully. The best way to not get taken advantage of by the Social Media Rainmakers is to do your homework first, develop a plan and even consider taking a marketing benchmark to see what your competition is doing. You may still get hounded, but the power of knowledge can help keep you from wasting your time.

Web 2.0 Marketing: For the last five to ten years, the Web was largely an informational channel. However in the past few years, the Internet has become increasingly interactive and social in nature. New forms of community-based channels, driven by a change in customer behavior, are starting to evolve the landscape of the Internet. Social Media Marketing (SMM) has now been added to Search Engine Optimization (SEO), Search Engine Marketing (SEM) and other marketing practices that comprise Web 2.0 Marketing

5 Helpful Social Media Tips: As with any form of communications, if you follow sound marketing fundamentals, use good judgment and take the time to learn best practices, the use of Web 2.0 and Social Media Marketing does not take a rocket scientist to implement. Experienced marketing and corporate communications professionals can easily obtain the skills and knowledge to effectively take advantage of the benefits. There are a lot of free tools and sites available that you can use and learn from. But keep in mind, that while there is significant upside to this new media if done right, there are also documented case studies of companies doing it wrong that has hurt their brand reputation. It is important to approach this new media in the right way. Here are 5 helpful tips:

1. Not all Social Media Sites Are Created Equally
   Creating connections with your target audience is important. However, are you making contact with the right ones that will provide you value? Each social media site has a slightly different brand, member make-up and topics they are interested in. Spend time to understand the sites that are out there and select the ones that attract the audiences you want to interact and build a relationship with.
2. Focus on Giving Value First
   Social media is all about giving to the community. Before you get accepted you need to first give value. If you are seen as only there to sell or for your own self-interest, people will not respond to you. It is a great place to showcase to them your thought leadership. Look for ways to differentiate yourself by providing valuable content and they will seek you out.
3. People Do Business with People They Like
   Customers want to buy from people they like and respect. Once they have an affinity for your expertise and what your company/product stands for they will reward you. It is ok to open up and show your personality. Social media is based on trust and making connections that create a mutual benefit. Like-minded contacts will follow you.
4. Create a Fan Base
   Social media communities are becoming an important way where people trade stories and provide critiques on products, companies, people, etc. The people in your community can represent the best way to advertise – by word of mouth. Create a reason for your contacts to be a fan and to become a referral for you.
5. You Can’t Evaluate What You Don’t Measure
   There are a variety of free tools that allow you to monitor the conversations that are taking place on various social media and blog sites. You need to monitor, evaluate and judge the dialog that is taking place regarding your company and products. When keeping a close watch on the dialog you can make corrections or change to the way you interact with your communities to create the greatest value.

Social Media is Different: While social media can be viewed as an extension or a component of Search Engine Marketing, it really is quite different. In many respects, it fits under the broader category of word-of-mouth marketing – which can either be online or offline driven. The key difference is that it relies on the collective nature of social groups that have similar interests, like to share information and who want to establish relationships. When integrated into your overall Web 2.0 marketing plans, it can be a powerful new strategy. There are many objectives achievable through Web 2.0 marketing and social media:

• Drive increased Web traffic
• Create relevant links to your Website
• Increase brand awareness
• Improve conversions
• Stimulate conversations
• Establish relationships and create brand affinity

Focus on Strategic Planning: While outside agencies can be a big help, do your homework first to learn what makes social media tick. Spend time visiting and participating in online communities and doing a little reading. It really is not that difficult to implement correctly. Before deciding on the social media path that best fits your business model, you need to gain a deeper understanding of your customers’ needs, wants, issues, passions, concerns, and the communities in which they participate in, and so on…

Benchmark Your Current Position: As part of your strategic development process you should also benchmark your current execution level, gain a better understanding of what your competition is doing and develop a road map focused on what you want to accomplish through social media channels.

Social Media Marketing is not as hard as it seems or in some cases portrayed by social media rainmakers. If you plan to use an outside resource, the more you know about social media yourself the better you can manage the value you gain from using agencies that focus on building your network/community/following. Social media is a new channel you can take advantage of. Do your homework first by developing a plan and you can achieve success.

Jim Arnold is a results-oriented marketing professional who has held leadership roles with IBM, EDS, Sabre/Travelocity and other notable companies. He is a forward-thinking strategist who has a passion for testing innovative ideas, developing new go-to-market strategies and leveraging the latest Web 2.0 marketing technologies to drive increased levels of business value. He recently co-founded MetricsBoard, a new Web 3.0 performance benchmarking company that is crowd-verified and crowd-generated.

Metricsboard.com provides FREE automated benchmark assessments covering a broad range of business topics. The benchmarks take less than 10 minutes online to complete. In return, you receive a full results report with free comparison data on best practices, a maturity rating against your competition (peer group) and strategic recommendations. There is a benchmark for Web 2.0 Marketing, B2B Sales and IT Infrastructure – with more subjects to come. Your privacy is protected and you will not receive any sales follow-up calls.

Find out how you compare against your competitors? Learn the latest Web 2.0 Marketing and Social Media best practices and performance tips. Download complimentary ePapers. Visit: http://www.metricsboard.com

Author: Jim W Arnold
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Digital Camera Times

Interview with ibm’s Vice President of Marketing & Partners for Lotus Software asking him about his company’s strategy for helping mid-market enterprises roll-out these technology solutions. Telegraph Business Club & ibm’s Future Focus Event, Westminster, London June 4th 2009

Did you ever wonder what your most effective business development tool is? Stand in front of the nearest mirror to find out. No one can sell you or your practice better than you.

Today, many law practices are reaping the benefits of developing active speaker programs and expanding their public relations objectives through speaking engagements. Whether you realize it or not, youre already presenting yourself and your practice on a daily basis by speaking at meetings, client presentations, community groups, bar functions and seminars. Presentations are a sophisticated form of marketing and they are particularly suited to marketing legal services. They often result in generating new clients while providing increased awareness of the firm and its specialty areas. Here are the top four reasons to use presentations as a marketing tool.

1. Giving a presentation positions you as the expert on a particular topic. Just as writing a book or article lends credibility to the author, speaking helps you build your status as an expert. There is a viral marketing effect at workthe more you speak, the more people see your name. The more people see your name, the more positioned as an expert you become. The more positioned as an expert you become, the more you are invited to speak and so on. In addition to increased visibility, your credibility is also established by the sponsoring organization that has invited you to speak to their group.

Bob Nabors is a partner with Nabors, Giblin and Nickerson, P.A., a statewide firm of 23 attorneys, with offices in Tampa, Orlando and Tallahassee, Florida. His firm represents predominantly local governments and state agencies in finance and tax matters. We do what is called traditional bond counsel or tax exempt debt work and then we represent governments on a variety of local issues related to generating revenues and solving local problems.

Although hes been giving presentations and seminars for 35 years, he did not initially set out to use them as a marketing tool. He says, It was really just to be involved in bar organizations and other groups. We would put on seminars. I served as special counsel to the Florida Association of Counties, and they put on seminars periodically as an educational tool for new commissioners, staff and county and city attorneys.

However, now his firm actively utilizes speaking engagements as a subtle form of marketing, with many of the attorneys making in-house presentations and teaching educational classes around the state.

Nabors audience is generally county and city attorneys that have an interest in local government, elected officials, government staff, or a combination of all three. He has definitely obtained new clients out of these presentations. He says By speaking at events, if people have a problem of a similar nature, it puts your name in front of them and they will maybe remember to ask for your help.

2. Presentations differentiate you from your competition. The person who can clearly express her ideas is seen as more intelligent and more self-confident than the person who stumbles through a disorganized presentation. When youre competing for business, a well-crafted presentation can give you the advantage. An attorney once told me that he was sure his firm was more successful in getting business because the people they chose to make their presentations were highly trained in presentation skills.
David W. Henry, a shareholder with Allen, Dyer, Doppelt, Milbrath & Gilchrist, P.A. of Orlando, Florida, has been doing speaking engagements for ten years. Approximately twelve times a year, he speaks to audiences that consist primarily of other lawyers and insurance industry personnel about insurance coverage, litigation topics, the role of insurance agents, and corporate culture building in the insurance industry.
He purposefully started making presentations as a marketing tool for his own practice in intellectual property and business litigation, and acquired one of the firms largest clients through a speaking presentation he made in Texas several years ago. As a marketing strategy, Henry recommends that attorneys explore the possibilities for in-house presentations for companies that show up at association sponsored programs and events.

These days, Henry thoroughly enjoys speaking engagements because as he says It gives me face time with people who are potential clients. Im speaking to them for long periods of time and I connect with them in a way that I would not be able to do otherwise.

3. Presentations provide unique opportunities for interaction. Presentations provide you with an environment to capture and maintain audience attention for an extended period of time. Advertisements compete with other advertisements for mindshare, but when you can demonstrate benefits and make the material relevant to the audience in a presentation, youll enjoy an unparalleled opportunity to make your singular message heard.
Ed Wright is a name partner with Stradley & Wright in Dallas, Texas, where he practices civil and personal injury litigation in a firm consisting of 11 attorneys. He was first encouraged to start making presentations about 20 years ago by one of his former law partners. Wright says that he has definitely brought clients to his practice through speaking engagements, either by someone who attended a presentation or referred him to another individual after the presentation.

Wright believes speaking presentations generate excellent publicity. Having your firms name and logo on handouts that people can take back to their office will have a strong impact and is a great form of free advertising. He feels that an attorney who is just starting out securing speaking engagements would benefit from specialized training. He said that if he were just now starting this process, that would be the number one thing that he would do differently.

When asked what advice he would give to someone who was considering using speaking engagements as a marketing tool for his or her practice, he replied he would encourage them to contact the State Bar and local Bar Associations. For example, where he lives, the Dallas Bar Association has luncheon programs. Try to get on the list and make a presentation. With the State Bar, or continuing legal education, just try to get on one of the committees and become a speaker.

4. Presentations are the most cost-effective marketing tool that you can use. They connect your key messages to your key audiences. Your audiences are often highly-qualified prospects. Because they already want to be there, you can focus on moving them further along the client-development process.

Joy Butler, a sole practitioner whose office is in Washington, DC, agrees. She initially began doing speaking engagements as a cost-effective marketing tool to promote a product called, The Guide Through the Legal Jungle Audiobook Series. Presentations have played a key role in the development of her law practice as she speaks on topics related to her practice areas of entertainment, intellectual property and business law. Her audience generally consists of attorneys, musicians, artists, writers, film and television producers, small business owners, entrepreneurs and entertainment business professionals.
Joy said that when she was a junior associate practicing with a firm, she observed that many of the partners used speaking engagements as a way of generating business. She says, Presentations make a more permanent impact than direct mail or media advertising. Someone who sits and listens to you talk for an hour will remember you more readily when seeking legal counsel than someone who saw your advertisement in a trade magazine.

The evidence is clear: Presentations are one of the most effective, economical and image-enhancing ways to market your services. To implement this strategy and begin using presentations as part of your business development process, keep the following in mind:

First, Make certain you have the requisite skills as a presenter

Experience doesnt necessarily translate into proficiency. Weve been driving for most of our adult lives. Does that qualify us to race in the Indianapolis 500? Wed be taking our life in our own hands when we got behind the wheel. Yet many take their professional lives in their own hands when they get behind the lectern to speak without the appropriate skills.

The only thing worse than not speaking is speaking poorly. Dont equate knowledge of the law with proficiency in communicating it. Organization of the content, the way the speaker adapts it to a particular audience, defining a strategic goal in presenting the content and how it is delivered all play equally important roles. The principle of synergy is at work in presentationsthe whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Some presenters may exhibit excellent delivery. Others may have the latest in visual aids. Some may possess such expertise in their field that their knowledge of the topic is superior to all others. However, without the integration of these various parts into a coherent whole, the presentation will always fall short of optimal performance.

Henry, the Florida attorney mentioned earlier, feels that everyone should receive specialized training to make good presentations because, Its not a naturally occurring act to get up in front of 500 people with a microphone and start talking.

Second, Dont substitute technology for strategy
Although sophisticated software presentation programs are becoming the norm in many professional presentations, remember that your visual aids should be support for the message, not a substitute. Forget the bells and whistles, and focus on your message. Dont use your slide show as a teleprompter by reading lines of text. Quotations and long text passages are meant to be read, not viewed. Too much emphasis on the visuals will steal audience attention away from you. You should be able to give your presentation effectively even if all the technology fails. Invest time in learning the principles of effective visuals and apply them to your presentations.

Third, Actively market your presentations.
Develop a strategic plan for how youll get in front of audiences. Offer to make presentations or be a panelist for non-profit organizations, local or regional chapters of associations, professional and industry trade groups, and academic institutions. Search for groups that have an interest in your specialty and can benefit from your expertise. You can also find speaking opportunities through national or international conferences and workshops. Keep in mind that your audience will include members of other organizations and associations, who may want to refer you as a presenter to their own group.

When youve booked a presentation, be sure the event organizer or your firm sends a press release to the local newspaper or radio talk show. This is free publicity that puts your name and the firms name in front of people, and will bring in other people who share an interest in your topic.

More and more attorneys and law firms are recognizing the importance of making presentations for business development. As the competition increases, its important to learn how to effectively present yourself and/or your firm. You can begin by reading articles and books on effective communication. The next step would be to find groups where you can practice your message. Toastmasters provides a supportive environment that can also help you overcome any communication anxiety. Their highly structured format provides limited opportunities for speeches over ten minutes in length, but youll gain confidence and experience. The greatest level of involvement, and the one that will produce the quickest results, is working with a presentation coach. The right coach can help to refine your key messages, suggest techniques to better connect with target audiences, and polish your presentation skills. Wherever you decide to start, youll be on your way to implementing a powerful new marketing tool.

Author: Joseph Sommervillle
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
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Small and mid-sized law firms around the nation are faced with the proverbial question – what comes first the chicken or the egg? In the case of marketing, many firms are learning that marketing needs to come before client acquisition and investing in quality marketing is key. The competition among lawyers and law firms is too severe to view marketing as a luxury.

Small and mid-sized law firms need to invest in marketing and view their marketing firm as their primary rainmaker. The right marketing firm will bring clients into a firm through a multi-faceted approach.

Marketing for law firms should include: Internet marketing, local marketing including advertisements, networking, seminars and public relations among other forms of marketing. With a marketing firm focusing on their area expertise and the attorneys focusing on their area or areas of expertise success comes much easier.

Internet marketing for attorneys is vital. Many small and mid-sized law firms are realizing that they do not need websites with all the bells and whistles. A clean, professional website that is seen by their target audience is much more effective than a state-of-the-art website that is seen by no one. The best marketing firms are having law firms spend less on website development and more on Internet marketing.

Internet marketing is much more than search engine optimization and pay-per-click campaigns. The top marketing firms are also working with clients on webinars, optimized press releases, podcasts, social networking and more.

In addition to a comprehensive Internet marketing campaign, marketing firms are using an integrated approach that focus on branding and targeting specific markets and populations. While the lawyers focus on practicing law the marketing firms are researching local opportunities to bring clients into the firm ranging from local ads in publications and church bulletins, to opportunities to be interviewed on the latest legal news.

Optimized press releases and e-zine articles are a great way for lawyers to show expertise in a particular area, while the marketing firm stays on top of what the law firm can and can not say (for example, few marketing firms know they should not use the term “expert” to refer to lawyers in most areas of practice).

The best marketing firms, whether local or not, can also plan and execute highly effective seminars and social events to expand the firm’s client base. The key is the marketing firm maximizing the law firm’s return on investment – the measure of a truly great rainmaker.

The highly competitive legal industry requires firms to invest in high quality marketing that is specialized, diverse and integrated. The top marketing firms are offering this unique approach to small and mid-sized law firms around the nation.

Author: Robert Melillo
Article Source: EzineArticles.com
Provided by: Smart cooker

So far, I have focused on why companies should go green; the compelling economic and marketing forces driving organizations to adopt sustainability initiatives. This is one strategy on how to go green.
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Euan Semple on his thoughts about how businesses need to embrace digital for both business comms, and consumer marketing… Is the press release dead? Euan seems to think so!

As I write this, the economic outlook for the UK (and Europe) is looking precarious to say the least. Although we are not currently in a recession, market conditions are tough with a credit squeeze, rocketing fuel and power prices, falling house prices and statements from the Bank of England and many leading retailers that trading conditions are worsening. The press would have us believe that a recession is just around the corner. I’m not sure I buy this, but regardless, leadership is becoming more important than ever.

So how do we lead in these situations? For me there are 6 points to consider:

1. Have Vision
   This is important at the best of times, but at the worst, it become critical. Articulating your vision to your employees allows them to perform in an atmosphere of confidence. If they feel that you know where the company is going and that they are involved in this journey, they will be more inclined to roll their sleeves up, to give you the discretionary effort which can be the difference between success and failure. Keep them abreast of developments, good and bad. Make them feel a valued member of your team. Get this right and they will walk through the proverbial brick wall for you.
2. Understand Your Shortcomings
   This is in both yourself and your team. In good times, we tend not to think about our own weaknesses. In bad, they can really hurt you. Now is a good time to work out what your people need to do to improve their skill sets with coaching and/or training courses. Brainstorming meetings with employees you rate can kick start innovation.
3. Nurture Your Employees
   Your top performers are less affected by market downturns than others because they are the most mobile and confident. To hang on to them they must feel part of your team. Get creative in how you make them feel like this: increase their professional development, think about their reward structure etc etc. However don’t neglect everyone else. If they perceive the top dogs getting more than they do, it will quickly breed resentment which can undo all the good work you’ve done elsewhere.
4. Empower People
   This is about trusting your team. Delegate to them and allow them to make strategic changes without asking permission if they think it is in the best interests of the firm. In bad times, speed of decision-making is crucial.
5. Don’t Cut the Marketing Budget
   This is one of my biggest concerns with clients as they don’t seem to see the obvious flaw in this logic. In order to survive, you need to sell. When the market it poor, your sales drop. So you need to find new sales channels. How can you do this if you cut the marketing budget? I’ve always felt that there is a strong argument to be made for actually increasing the marketing budget in a slump. But one thing you must do is “sweat” your budget. Get the most “bang for buck” by putting pressure on your PR company, advertising agency etc. This can easily be sweetened by paying them a performance related bonus – a real “win win” in this market.
6. Be Brave, Be Creative
   When the going gets tough, you need to look at every aspect of your business including things which you hold dear. Nothing can be sacrosanct. Remember this is about survival so everything can and must change if it helps in this regard. If it doesn’t help, think about whether it is actually necessary at all. If it adds to your costs, kill it. A healthy does of realism makes it much easier to be brave – and creative!

You will note that I have hardly mentioned costs in the list above. Indeed several of the points will increase your cost base in the short run (training, coaching etc.). Many companies won’t have a lot of cost they can strip out as they have outsourced in the past and can use the Internet for much of their workflow. Ironically cutting costs can bring about the very recession we fear. If I cut costs, my suppliers get squeezed so they cut costs which in turn squeezes their suppliers. And so it goes on. This takes liquidity out of the marketplace and it is liquidity, not interest rates, which determines how people feel. If your mortgage rate goes up, but you have money in your pocket, you don’t feel too bad. But remove the cash element and you quickly feel upset.

Being a leader in times of trouble is what seperates the successful from the failures. It is hard to do emotionally as you won’t get much time just to be, but it will pay off believe me.

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