Communicating Through Social Media

Well, I’ve finally gone and done it, I’ve just stepped on to the Twitter stage. After months of considering adding it to my social media network I gave in to the urge. Whether you’re already in it or considering adding social media to your mix of communication devices here are 3 simple rules to remember:

1. Pull, don’t push. Social-media newbies often make the mistake of being too aggressive. Some people might respond to new Twitter followers with a ‘Thanks for following. Visit my Web site for a free … [insert whatever promotional message you've seen.].’ Social networks are about conversations that build relationships, not indiscriminate come-ons.

2. Forget about social-network omnipresence. No one expects you to be everywhere, choose the sites frequented by your customers/clients. At minimum, establish a presence at the big three. Think of them this way: LinkedIn is your business suit, Facebook is business casual, and Twitter is the 24/7 ongoing cocktail party.

3. Be yourself. If it’s still available, use your own name as a handle and your headshot as an avatar, even if you’re networking on behalf of your company. I believe that in social media people would rather relate to and build trust with other PEOPLE, rather than brands.

As quickly as social networking  media is developing so are the rules of the game. Making yourself familiar with online protocol will smooth your path to online success.

Join me on LinkedIn, Facebook and now Twitter.

Take the Radio Out of Radio

Noted radio consultant Mark Ramsey on his Hear 2.0 blog recently posed the question that if Amazon.com could “…disaggregate the “book” from a book and monetize it, how can you disaggregate the “radio” from your radio station and monetize that?” A fantastic observation on Mark’s part.

In fact I believe it is possible through the medium of podcasting. Which up until now has been the exclusive domain of the “weekend broadcaster” recorded live on their kitchen table. Radio can do a better job, after all it’s what we do. Imagine news-talk radio going more in depth on local stories they don’t usually give more than a 30 second set-up and sound bite to in a “60 Minutes” type of investigative show. Or music stations getting deeper into the music, again, something similar to VH1’s behind the music. The question remains, would listeners be willing to pay for it?

Take for example Scott Smith who launched his Motivation to Move website, blog and podcast in 2006 and has been enjoying significant success, boasting as many as 40-thousand paying subscribers.

Can radio take “the radio” out of radio? Oh yes they can! It’s a matter of getting out of the tiny box they’ve placed themselves into …pun intended.

The End of Radio?

From the Media Futurist Gerd Leonhard blog:

Over the course of the next 5-6 years, the importance of getting Air-Play on terrestrial i.e. traditional, programmed radio will drastically decline, as people are switching to the Internet (and by extension, to each other) as the #1 way of sourcing music programs. We will see a drastic increase in fragmentation as people will do anything from carefully customizing each track in their lists to just listen to ‘what’s on’ – and there will be 100s of permutations in between. From total engagement to total passive consumption, there will be offers covering each – and they will all be connected.

Because of the strong uptake in next generation mobile devices (fka cell phones), the explosive proliferation of social networks and the drastic increase in wireless broadband capabilities at ever decreasing costs (yes, not yet – but give it another 18 months) we will see people use their mobile devices as prime instruments of listening to radio-like music programs – there will be hundreds of radio/music apps available via the various app stores that each device maker AND operator will offer; some paid, most feels-like-free, some sponsored….

>>>read more

So what is the future of radio as a communication medium? I believe radio should become a talk based dispenser of (relevant) information. Is radio to blame or is it technology? Should radio now focus it’s efforts on supplying content for new technology as a way to survive? Does it know what content is anymore…?

http://www.mediafuturist.com/2009/02/marketing-music-20-the-importance-of-traditional-air-play-radio-versus-net-play.html

The Foundation: Good Writing

I have always said that good radio (or any kind of communication) comes from good writing. Here is an incredible example of that. Enjoy!

Has PPM Made Radio Imaging Obsolete?

As PPM (Portable People MeterTM) continues it’s roll out in markets all over North America most recently in Dallas-Ft. Worth, Atlanta, Washington DC and Detroit, I think this has become a legitimate question as posed by one of my Canadian clients. At the risk of sounding like a self preservationist the simple answer is no, imaging is just as important as ever!

Putting the subject of ‘reach’ aside for another time, PPM has given us a powerful way to collect listener data in the same way that barcodes revolutionized the way corporations keep track of inventory. However, do you think that Coca Cola stopped putting it’s famous red and white design on it’s, cans, bottles and boxes now that they had a barcode system? Again, the answer is no.

The packaging of your radio station is just as important as it was before.

Back to School We Go

 

Well, as I get ready to go back to school to start teaching some of the things I’ve learned over the years as a small business owner along comes this new book called ”Buyology: Truth and Lies About Why We Buy,” by marketing wizard Martin Lindstrom. The book is based on a research project that Lindstrom conducted over three years. He and his team used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG) technology to understand what happens in consumers’ brains as they are exposed to advertising and specific brands. This research falls under a body of marketing called neuromarketing. And hold on to your hat because it shatters some previously hardcore beliefs about marketing!

Fear sells, sex doesn’t. Our primal instinct as human beings is to survive; therefore, fear and sex are key. Fear relates to our survival: Do I have enough to eat? Will I have enough money when I retire? Is that product safe? Sex relates to procreation. In this respect, Lindstrom claims that political fear-based advertising is effective because it taps into our primal concerns of survival. Sex-based advertising, however, overwhelms us physically, so all we take away is the sexual part and we disregard the brand associated with it.

Pass the cigarettes, please. Did you know that global cigarette smoking has increased 13 percent and that warning labels are part of the reason? In fact, Lindstrom’s findings suggested that the warning labels stimulate the nucleus accumbens, a region of the brain that increases cravings. Tobacco companies have actually been able to increase sales even though cigarette advertising has been banned in most countries.

Forget product placements. This is a hard one to swallow, but according to the research 99 percent of product placements are completely ineffective. What about the 1 percent? The only effective product placements integrate into the content in a completely meaningful way. Here’s a way to test it out: if your brand can be replaced with any other brand and it wouldn’t make any difference, your sponsorship or product placement is probably a waste of money. However, if the addition or removal of your brand would affect the environment’s context, you’re probably on the right track. Think of “American Idol.” AT&T is a good integration, Coca-Cola is ok, but Ford isn’t good at all.

Logos are meaningless. In many cases, it’s preferable to not even have a logo on your advertising.

Advertising agencies should hire rabbis, priests, and imams as consultants. Lindstrom claims that strong brands are like religions and how a Catholic feels when viewing an image of the Virgin Mary is how a brand evangelist feels when experiencing his brand affinity. Brands should try to create rituals that are similar to religious rituals. Think about green bean casserole and Thanksgiving. The two are so connected that one of the key ingredients, French Fried Onions, probably wouldn’t even exist if it wasn’t for this holiday and the classic American dish.