What’s in My Purse? Essentials for a Social Media Enthusiast

Today Apple announced the iPad – a very cool tablet which has lots of great functionality.  In chatting with people about the launch, I found a lot of discussion about how it was a Kindle killer or a Netbook killer and for me, that’s definitely not true.  I have a handful of gadgets that go EVERYWHERE with me so that at any moment I can connect, engage and share.

So, what’s in the purse of a social media chick that always needs to be prepared?

 

Here’s the list of gadgetry I consider essential:

 

Motorola Droid - phone, camera, navigation system and web good enough for basic connectivity

 

 

 

 

Dell Mini - tiny notebook able to tackle creation of spreadsheets, presentations, and more advanced computing needs…almost as good as my laptop

 

 

Amazon Kindle - for reading books and blogs when I don’t want the interruptions of the web.  Much better than lugging around even one book and easier on the eyes than the computer.

 

 

 

Cannon Elph Camera – great for larger, hi-res photos and even a little video.

 

FlipHD Video Camera – HD video on the go – who could ask for more?

 

 

 

Accessories – wall plug and car charger both with USB adapters (almost all of the devices can be plugged in with this), mini tripod for video and photo (same one fits both), 2 USB cords, 2-3 flash drives (just in case)

 

This little group of goodies plus some lip gloss, my wallet and a few hair ties is just about all I need to get by on a daily basis to be engaging with anyone from anywhere and on any network.  While it doesn’t all fit in a clutch, a nice medium sized purse works perfect.

How about you?  What’s in your social media bag of tricks?

 

Rules for Surviving Zombieland Apply to Social Marketing

Recently I had the distinct pleasure of going to see Zombieland.  Well, that might be an exaggeration.  My preferences are always romantic comedy or a good horror flick (which I’m rapidly becoming convinced they don’t make anymore).  However, like any good wife, I throw my husband a bone every now and again so I granted him the movie night choice.

Honestly, it was a thoroughly enjoyable movie, but I couldn’t help but draw parallels to working in social, or engagement, marketing and being an ass-kicker with a smart set of rules like Michael Cera.  In fact, I thought his rules for surviving Zombieland could easily be applied to engagement marketing.  Think I’m crazy?  Let me break it down for you:

 

Rule One:  Cardio. Just like the need to outrun the undead, effective engagement marketing plans need to stay lean and fit.  It’s not a once a week deal, it’s every day, consistent practice that allows you to win.

 

Rule Two:  Beware of Bathrooms. Okay, well maybe not quite so applicable, but probably worthwhile to note not to select your engagement marketing partner from a number on the bathroom wall.

 

Rule Three:  Seatbelts. Safety first is always the best policy.  Be sure your engagement marketing plan includes consideration for handling tense or potentially harmful situations effectively.

 

Rule Four:  DoubleTap. Hit ‘em twice – drive your message but also be sure to deliver value and give them that extra shot of information.

 

Rule Five:  No attachments. Don’t get roped into long-term contracts for engagement marketing support until you’re absolutely sure this is not something you can manage internally.  It’s always best to have someone on the inside manage the job.

 

Rule Six:  Travel in a Group. The whole point of engagement marketing is ENGAGING!  So be sure you’re traveling with partners, customers, employees and any other people critical to have on board.

 

Rule Seven:  Keep Dumb Dumbs Close at Hand. In this case, so you can educate them – on your brand, on your products and on topics that add value to their conversations.  There is a lot of misinformation out there, so keep an eye on it and correct it quickly and politely.

 

Rule Eight:  Get a Kick Ass Partner. There are a million “social media experts” appearing on the scene, but there are a handful of really kick ass people that can help you out.  Find them.  When you meet with them they should talk about engagement with your audiences and creating a strategy.  They should not just show you a series of Facebook pages they’ve created.

 

Rule Nine: Guns are for hunting, not Zombie Killing. Keep tools in your arsenal that are always ready and easy for your team to use, repeatedly without much effort.  Using tools that require “reloading” or are time consuming don’t fit well into the lives of those social types that need to be continually moving.

 

Rule Ten:  Be Quiet. Too many people jump into shouting out their messages into the wide digital west too quickly – not knowing what angry monster could be stirred.  Don’t be those people.  Listen first.  Know who is in the room before you start the conversation so you know you’re saying the right thing.

 

See?! Surviving Zombieland is not so different than surviving in the engagement marketing world.   A parting word to the wise:  beware of blood thirsty so-called “social media experts” trying to infect you.  They’re out there…

 

 

Facebook Tagging: Newest B-to-B Engagement Tool

It was just earlier this week that Facebook announced their new tagging tool for easily tagging your friends in updates.  Immediately we hopped on to try it out since we had grown accustomed to this on Twitter.  It was pretty cool and we like how the name appears when you begin typing “@” and then you can select and have it autofill.  Very cool.

However, it was a discovery we made today that had us realizing the true potential of this new tool.  Prior to this feature, a brand page could never comment on a user page or on another brand page.  You might think that’s not such a big deal, but then think about all the companies you partner with – suppliers, vendors, clients, non-profits.  Now, imagine being able to leave a note of thanks on their page.  Or tag them in a note about an upcoming event you are working on together.  Now you not only reach your audience – you also reach theirs.

This is where we start getting really excited because it goes back to being about a RELATIONSHIP.  Tagging people or other pages helps them know you are talking about them and helps you broaden your reach to their audience and as they reciprocate, the same happens for them.  It’s about synergy and harnessing the true power of partnerships – and that is AWESOME.

So, here are a few things you need to know to start doing this on your own:

1. To tag as a brand, you have to be able to post as a brand which means you have to be an administrator for that page.
2. If you want to tag a person, group or brand page, you must personally be a friend or fan of that page.
3. To do the actual tagging, read the instructions on the Facebook blog and that will help you get started – it’s pretty easy though.

Now, start thinking about the companies you work with and want to build a stronger relationship with and get posting.  We are still just learning the potential with this feature, but so far we’re big fans!