MAD Perspectives Blog

Video Marketing - A Follow Up

Mon, 21 May 2012 15:15:00 GMT

A month ago, we asked if you were ready to embrace video marketing. As often happens, additional facts, figures and reports have appeared that reinforce our belief that video must be a strategic element of your overall marketing strategy. Here are some tidbits that we found interesting:

Social Media Examiner's "Social Media Marketing Industry Repot 2012":

"For the second year in a row - a significant 76% of marketers plan on increasing their YouTube and/or video marketing. This is slightly down from 2011 (77%). Business with 26-999 employees indicated this is a key growth area, with 80% responding affirmatively. Younger marketers (77% of those aged 20-49) are also more likely to increase their video production than older marketers (68% of those aged 60+)."

2. ComScore indicates that consumption of online video will continue to rise. In the U.S.:

- In 2010, 175 million viewers watched an average of 15.1 hours of online video per viewer.

- In 2011, 181 million viewers watched an average of 21.1 hour of online video per viewer.

- In 2012, 192 million viewers will watch an average of 29.4 hours of online video per viewer

3. Adap.tv and Digiday, Q1 2012State of the Video Industry Report

"Industry optimism is healthy. 96% of video buyers we surveyed estimate that their 2012 video ad budgets will increase by at least 23%."

4. Other tidbits:

- HD will become the standard

- content will increasingly be consumed on wireless devices such as tablets and smartphones

- people are becoming more savvy, creating demand for quality and originality

Video will continue to challenge and intrigue us as we seek the best methods to engage our customers. Planning will address issues such as good storytelling, tagging to ensure search engine optimization and click-thrus to your website and marketing strategy integration (including social media!). Your goal is simple - to get the highest possible return on your video marketing investment. So, we'll ask again - are you ready to embrace video marketing?

What's your perspective?

Are You Authentic?

Mon, 14 May 2012 17:47:00 GMT

I've been thinking about what it means to be authentic. This is perhaps one of the most overused words of the past few years, particularly as it relates to our use of social media. Forbes has written about it, raising valid points about whether companies and individuals are truly authentic, or just using social media as another outlet for building their brand. Entrepreneur.com recently wrote about finding your voice (as did we last year!) and aligning with your brand. And, Social Media Today has curated at least 750 articles that reference the term authentic.

So, I started looking around for a baseline, against which to measure true authenticity. It turns out I didn't need to look too far. The best example of unlimited exuberance, clear intentions, consistent messaging and bountiful joy is my dog. Yes, you read that right, my dog Whisky (and perhaps your dog too!) expresses his brand (a true mutt) in every action he takes. He loves his soft squeaky toys and throws them in front of me to entice me to play with him. Doesn't this sound a bit like tweeting (or is that squeaking)? As we walk through our neighborhood, at the dog park or at the beach, he eagerly approaches other dogs and humans - confident in the connection he will make. Sounds a bit like LinkedIn to me (and yes he does remember them the next time he sees them, it just takes a quick sniff).

Whisky does have a Facebook page, but he doesn't update it very often. He doesn't want to post his status unless something meaningful has happened. If he were active on Pinterest, he would pin items related to dog toys, treats and rescue shelters. These are the products of high interest to him and are consistent with his brand. He is happiest when playing with a soft, squeaky toy or snuggling with his family. As a rescue dog himself, he wants all homeless dogs to find families to love them.

Does your social strategy provide your audience with the content and interactivity that they crave and demand? Do your posts reinforce your brand, yet provide a fresh voice? Social interaction is conversational and should not sound like a lecture. It should not simply be a rehash of existing marketing materials, but provide a new perspective. The unbridled enthusiasm of dogs gives us a view of activity to which individuals cannot help but respond. This should be the goal of any social strategy - engagement. If your content is authentic, your audience will engage and help you meet your goals whether they are related to awareness, lead generation, influence, product feedback, event attendance or more.

What's your perspective?

The Power of LInkedIn

Wed, 09 May 2012 15:17:00 GMT

161 Million members in over 200 countries, with 2 new members joining per second. Wow! This represents over 4.2 billion professionally-oriented searches in 2011. So, this begs the question - how do you use LinkedIn? My friends and colleagues all know that I am a big fan (and for complete disclosure, i do own a few shares of LNKD). The common perception is that LinkedIn is a career networking site. It provides individuals with a mechanism to display their professional talents and find a new job. It helps recruiters find the best talent. It helps sales teams uncover network links to key decision makers. These are all fantastic uses of LinkedIn.

But, have you thought about using LinkedIn to do market analysis? Or, to empower your employees? Here at MAD Perspectives, we use LinkedIn to pursue new business, learn about market trends, share thoughts and stay connected to colleagues. We have posted questions in groups to learn about new technologies. We have answered questions posted in LinkedIn Answers. We have also leveraged LinkedIn to fulfill client projects, some directly tied to LinkedIn, others using the power of the network.

Check out our case studies:

- LinkedIn for Competitive Analysis

- LinkedIn for Accelerating Sales

- LinkedIn for Solution Consulting Services

Social media has changed the way we share and obtain information at the the personal and business levels. Each of the social networks adds value to how we communicate and stay in contact with friends, companies and colleagues. It's up to each of us to determine how these platforms can best serve us. Don't be afraid to be creative!

What's your perspective?

Cloudy Days Ahead for Broadcasters?

Wed, 02 May 2012 12:59:00 GMT

One of my current clients is in the broadcast space. As a result, i've been paying a lot of attention to the technology shifts in this space. The two hottest technology topics being discussed online, and just about anyplace else, will impact this industry dramatically. These topics are: Tablets and Cloud.

You're not surprised, right? Apple's iPad has changed the way we consume content until the next great innovation comes along. We watch TV with our iPads in hand, reviewing news, checking our Facebook accounts, sending email or watching complementary content to that which is on our TV screens. Just about every broadcast network has an iPad app (or, at least has one in development). Getting content to the iPad requires some effort behind the scenes It is expected that the content will be a combination of video and text; that it will enable some level of interactive; and that its design will be extremely user friendly and enticing. However, the broadcaster must now produce content in formats useable on the iPad. This requires editing transcoding, distributing and delivering the content itself. These are familiar tasks for any broadcaster, but it adds to the already heavy workloads of the personnel responsible for preparing and managing that content.

At the recent NAB conference, multi-channel content delivery was front and center for many vendors. This is a primary investment area for all broadcasters. The challenge is how will they integrate tablet content preparation into their existing workflows. Will they create separate a "tablet" team to edit and adapt content for the end device? Or will they partner with other vendors who will manage this challenge for them. This introduces the other hot topic - cloud.

To a certain extent, content delivery has been in the cloud for ages. The original content delivery networks provided the infrastructure and network resources to internet companies to enable the efficient delivery of their content to consumers. They invested in the technology (e.g., algorithms, edge cache servers, bandwidth, etc.) and created service level agreements with customers, who paid a fee based on the amount of content served or the bandwidth consumed.

Today, additional tasks along the broadcast workflow can be performed in the cloud. CPU-intensive functions such as rendering and transcoding or content management challenges such as storage or metadata management are the already happening in the cloud. Across the board, every storage vendor at NAB was promoting its cloud capabilities. Companies that could be considered pure product companies were introducing and showcasing their cloud storage capabilities. Why is this of interest to broadcasters? It converts capital expense to operating expense. It provides centralized access to users, regardless of their location. While the largest broadcasters may elect to build their own centralized archives, they may still choose to use cloud storage for disaster recovery.

Cloud computing provides broadcasters with investment alternatives. The challenge will be defining which functions can exist in the cloud, developing the relevant interfaces to access the functionality and integrating cloud services with in-house functions for a seamless workflow. NAB even had a Cloud Pavilion this year with companies offering video production in the cloud. Broadcasters, across the board, must find cost-effective, agile solutions to address internal and external pressures to produce meaningful content and deliver it to the consumer device of choice. Perhaps a cloudy day is just what they need.

What's your perspective?

Social & TV - They're Just Dating

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 14:16:00 GMT

I was in Las Vegas last week, attending the annual broadcast industry gathering - NAB. The conference is an opportunity for technology providers to promote their capabilities to broadcasters such as CNN, Comcast/NBC Universal, ABC and others. After working around this industry for 8 years before leaving HP, I'm still interested to see how broadcasters evolve. This year I attended with one goal. I wanted to understand the hot topics and see how they had shifted since I last attended NAB two years ago.

The topic that has been trending for several years is that of multi-screen delivery or OTT. This means the delivery of TV content to the PC, tablet or smartphone. We've all become used to watching video online, but probably don't think about the behind the scenes effort involved with making that content available. Vendors such as EVS, Harris and Ericsson TV are providing broadcasters with solutions to simplify the adaptation, delivery, branding and user interface for their programming. Streamlining and simplification are increasingly important. Due to the rise of tablets and smartphones and 4G or LTE networks, consumers are demanding content in real time regardless of device.

The trending topic coming out of SXSW and into NAB is that of social TV. This is the integration of social content into and around TV broadcasts. Any of us watching news broadcasts or reality TV have seen the incorporation of Twitter or Facebook feeds into the on-air graphics. The vendors that provide the platforms enabling this integration are ramping up their efforts.

Broadcast use of social media started, not surprisingly, from a pure marketing perspective. TV shows, broadcast journalists and networks created Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, YouTube channels and iPad apps to augment their on-air programs. The use of these "second screens" created a social buzz around the content while it was on air, but also even when it was not. Companion apps such as Buddy TV, Miso or Get Glue track this buzz and will let subscribers know what their friends are watching.

However, the new challenge is to integrate live social content into programming in real-time. Vendors such as Mass Relevance and Never.no have created modular platforms to moderate select and integrate social feeds into broadcast workflows, adding Twitter or Facebook comments to on-air graphics. These niche social TV platforms must integrate with leading graphics vendors such as Chyron, Vizrt and Harris. In fact, these start-ups provide these long time vendors with the ability to showcase new capabilities. The challenge for broadcasters is to curate the social feeds, provide the expected level of interaction as well as select the best content to share on-air. This is a new challenge for producers and requires new skill sets both behind the scenes and on-screen.

The broadcast industry faces an ever shifting landscape as it struggles to remain relevant in the face of news driven by un-substantiated Twitter feeds. Its acknowledgement and incorporation of social content is critical to its survival. There are still challenges related to media asset management, tagging and metadata to be addressed, but it was great to see the dating ritual underway between social TV and traditional broadcast vendors. The marriages will follow - of that I am sure!

What's your perspective?

What's the Social Buzz at NAB2012?

Sat, 14 Apr 2012 01:29:00 GMT

I'm here in Vegas to check out what's new in the broadcast community as it relates to social media. There has been a lot of buzz around the topic of social TV in the last year or so. Social TV can be defined as either the use of a second screen (usually a tablet or smartphone) or the integration of social media and online video. Either way, advertisers are salivating at the thought of incremental channels through which they can reach and influence consumers. VC's are putting money into technologies which simplify integration of social streams into programming. Large technology companies (Google and Microsoft to name two) are investing. Microsoft recently demonstrated the integration of social plus online tv via its XBox at the Social TV Summit in San Francisco. Big name broadcasters (CNN, NBC, CBS, MLB, WWE and more) are investing in apps to make sure their content is wherever their viewers are, physically or virtually.

Traditional broadcast vendors like Chyron and Vizrt have already adopted technology to integrate social feeds, from Twitter or Facebook, into onscreen graphics - making the social audience an integral part of the live broadcast. I'm curious to see other ways social is impacting the broadcast industry. This is a space in constant transition. Social media could be considered a double edged sword, both threat and possible savior. It's all about engagement, but where will that engagement occur?

Stay tuned. Today is day one of NAB2012. I'll keep you posted on what i learn!

What's your perspective?

Are You Ready to Embrace Video Marketing!

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 14:59:00 GMT

Last week I shared some thoughts about aligning your video marketing with your overall strategy. Now, assuming you've done your homework and have defined your goals for creating a video, you actually have to create and share the video. This is the fun part, but it is also the most challenging. There are a LOT of companies who will help you create video. You may even consider doing it yourself. However, please consider using a professional. They will help you with:

- Concept: This is the brainstorming phase. The concept stems from the purpose for creating the video but incorporates different perspectives. Your story may best be told through casual interviews of executives, employees and customers in real life settings. Or, it may include abstract concepts involving video shots of places or things. Or, it may include animation and voice overs. A professional can walk you through the options and help you make your business come alive!

- Content:The only way to create video content is to use a camera. There are many inexpensive cameras available today. The FlipCam (may it rest in peace), Digital Point & Shoot Cameras and Smartphones all have the capability to capture video quickly and easily. However, while the quality provided through these devices may be great for posting content to Facebook or YouTube, is that casual format aligned with your goal? A professional will use higher quality cameras. They will understand how to stage the shoot, taking into account lighting, sound levels, background views, background noise, etc. The results will be worth the effort.

- Editing - This is perhaps the most important stage. This is where the story really comes together. A shoot may involve many versions of the same concept. During the editing stage, a professional will select the pieces of content that best tell your story, as per your guidelines. While there are many affordable editing tools available to the consumer, again, deciding the sequence of scenes, seamlessly editing the content can be challenging.

- Sharing - Underlying this whole process is the use of technology that enables the video to be seen and shared across online or mobile networks. This includes decisions about codecs (the format in which the content is saved and viewed) and distribution platforms at the very least. You content should be accessible via pc, smartphone or tablet. You'll need to think about how you will share content on your website, using social media or email. Each of these devices or platforms has different requirements for allowing consumption by your customers.

B2B use of video marketing is on the rise for a lot of very good reasons. For me, number one is the power of video in expressing your business value. For others it may be as pragmatic as the fact that video improves SEO. For further insights on the rise in B2B use of video, check out the Savvy B2B Marketing blog. Are you ready to take the plunge to take your story telling to the next level? I hope so!

What's your perspective?

Thanks again to Glenn Zimmerman and Mad Bear Productions for helping me think through these thoughts on companies using video to share their stories.

Let's Talk Video

Fri, 30 Mar 2012 15:11:00 GMT

It's April and that means its time to talk video. For the next few weeks, my blogs will focus on video. We are bombarded by moving images every day. We share these images, we create content and we tell stories. Broadcasters incorporate YouTube videos into their newscasts. We create videos for our personal and professional lives. Businesses use video to explain, educate and inform their customers. But, secretly, every content creator wants to create the viral video that rages like wildfire across the internet.

I was talking to Glenn Zimmerman of Mad Bear Productions (yes, we "mad" companies must stick together!) about every advertisers dream of creating the Old Spice Guy type commercial. I asked him for tips on how to make a viral video. His initial response was what is "viral"? Is it about getting millions of hits or is it about five hundred views by the right people who are ready to take action? His second comment referenced three attributes which may cause a video to go viral. They are: fuzzy animals, a baby or doing something completely insane on camera. If your video includes any of these three, it has a slightly greater chance of becoming viral.

However, do any of these three elements support your overall strategy for creating the video in the first place? Video is not and should not be pursued in isolation from your marketing strategy. It should reinforce and align with your goals. If you have concerns about your brand and what it means, don't jump into creating a video. The video should reinforce your brand, represent your voice and tell a story that your audience wants to hear.

When creating the video, pay attention to what outcome you are seeking. What action do you want your customers to take? Do you want them to simply talk about your brand? Or, do you want them buy something, attend a conference or webinar or schedule a meeting? Be clear in your communication and make it easy of your customers to take action. At the same time, have fun in relaying your content. Video is about a creative process.

In the coming weeks, I'll share further tips from Mad Bear Productions, provide thoughts on what "social video" means, and reflect on what the professionals are talking about at this year's NAB (National Association of Broadcasters) conference. Video is now an intrinsic part of our lives thanks firstly to TV, but also the internet and increasingly smartphones and tablets. Video is memorable storytelling. How will you tell your story?

What's your perspective?

What's Up With All the Pinning?

Wed, 28 Mar 2012 13:46:00 GMT

The latest social media buzz is all about Pinterest. If you are a female consumer ages 25-54, you might be using Pinterest to invite comment from friends and family as to interior decorating options, travel destinations, gifts or recipes. According to Pinterest they are "a virtual inboard. Pinterest allows you to organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web." While this may be fine for consumers, I'm challenged to think of the the value for B2B companies. Sure, technology companies such as HP, IBM, EMC and others have some limited content on Pinterest, but how can Pinterest help your company achieve its strategic goals?

The answer - I don't know. Hubspot has a good blog on this topic reflecting on the ability for users to follow boards or entire accounts. So, you could elect to follow the board of a industry thought leader or a specific industry topic. If you search "social media" a slew of pins appear. The most important thing to remember about Pinterest is visual. It is about images. A pin cannot be created if it is not associated with an image.

Of course, Pinterest could be part of an overall strategy to increase awareness of the company and its products. The key is whether your target audience is on Pinterest. Then the challenge is to represent your business using visual images. This could be an infographic, logo, presentation, pictures from an event or product images. Don't forget, visual content is more memorable than text.However, it's about this being the right destination for your content. It's not that this content is not located anyplace else on the web, it's that you want to reach an audience that is spending time on Pinterest.

Think about how Pinterest may advance your business strategy. Brainstorm the different types of images that can personalize your business and then align those images with your overall marketing strategy. A simple starting point may be related to an event. There are dozens, if not thousands, of pins from the recent South by Southwest conference in Austin, Texas. I'd be curious how many of these pins are also twit pics or pictures of Facebook pages. Do these pins increase awareness or drive leads - or is it just a way to humanize your business?

Pinterest can be linked to your Facebook and Twitter accounts, meaning that your pins show up in those feeds. This is great for personal use, but for me, the jury is still out on the relevance of Pinterest in the B2B space, but I'll keep watching and brainstorming!

What's your perspective?

How to Be Human

Mon, 19 Mar 2012 14:23:00 GMT

Last week I introduced the idea of being human when communicating socially. Here are some further thoughts on HOW to be human. It's really quite simple, but I think we all get caught up in the demands of our business lives and forget about the basics of meaningful communication.

1. Be Open. Whether we are speaking face to face or sharing thoughts on LinkedIn or writing a blog, it is always possible to see when someone is hiding something. Either a question is ignored or the answer swerves in a different direction or the elephant in the room is completely ignored. Honesty is the currency of the social web. This is not an original thought on my part, but I do believe that integrity is the MOST important attribute for any business person.

2. Use pictures. They do speak a thousand words. When you create your profile, include your picture. Social media is about humanizing web communication. Don't you want to know who you are talking to? If you were on an internet dating site, would you respond to the person who didn't post a picture? And, it's not only about pictures of yourself, use diagrams, graphics or pictures to enhance your story and reinforce the important bits. It's amazing to see the rise of info graphics across the web. Why are they so popular? Because they capture and share pertinent information in an easily consumable (and shareable) format.

3. Post Engaging Content. For some, this is the most challenging. Who is to say what content is the most engaging. However, think about the needs of your audience and how the information they crave. Present the content in a human manner. We are not all technicians or experts in every field. Share information in easily consumable chunks. Make it real through real life examples.

4. Don't sell. This might be the most important aspect of social media. While the goal may be to create more leads, there is nothing more distasteful than a hard sell (in person or online!). I'm interested in understanding what makes a company tick. I'm interested in their application of their solutions in business situations. I'm interested in how they collaborate with partners or customers to create value. I'm curious about the trends that are influencing their product roadmap. I can read their website to understand the feature / functionality of their products. I can talk to their sales reps about special deals. I don't need a sales pitch on Twitter!

5. Listen. I've said this before and will continue to repeat myself. There is a LOT of fantastic information being shared by peers, partners, customers and competitors. It is important to take the time to listen and assess. It might change the way your business moves forward. I listen to social media experts; IT, broadcast & media pundits. I follow many blogs, eagerly review LinkedIn updates and connect the dots across the technology industry. What about you?

We are human yet sometimes we forget to act as humans when we are in business situations. Business, at its core, is about relationships. While I'm not promoting intimacy of a personal nature, business intimacy comes from finding common ground, delivering reliability and earning trust. The same skills that have been used in face to face dinners and golf outings also apply in the social world.

What's your perspective?

Remember to be Human

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 15:08:00 GMT

In a discussion with a former HP colleague I was reminiscing about the "old days" of open communication, sharing of ideas, encouragement of career shifts and the "can do" exuberance that was prevalent in the company's New York area offices. I hadn't traveled to the west coast, at that point in my career, to experience the HP Way on any larger scale. Bill and Dave were still alive and their influence was pervasive, even though they weren't actively involved in the day to day running of the company.

As I thought about this conversation later, I realized that what made HP a special place to work at that time (the mid to late 80's) was its culture of curiosity and humanity. By humanity, I mean

- a respect for individuals

- a hunger for new ideas or processes

- a desire to delight the customer

- a high level of integrity

Aren't these the same elements that make social media so compelling? In their book, Humanize, How People-Centric Organizations Succeed in Social Media, James Notter and Maddie Grant reflect on organizations have become mechanical and the importance of making organizations more human. Consumers and business people alike are attracted to social media because of its openness and honesty. Those companies that learn to communicate as if in a one-to-one conversation rather than in scripted, sanitized, bland corporate speak stand to benefit. They will earn customer loyalty, feed product innovation,

As I communicate in a post-corporate world, I think about how I talk to my peers, my friends and my clients. Their feedback has been extremely helpful as MAD Perspectives has evolved. The words most commonly used are courage, passion, commitment, honesty and clarity. I keep these comments in mind as I communicate here in my blog or on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. I hope I sound human.

I believe that the best corporate social efforts are those where the individuals are empowered to speak candidly about their experiences. It is frustrating when the social networks seem to perpetuate corporate speak. I appreciate those status updates that add personal insight regarding a newsworthy tidbit. I enjoy the comments that reveal the individuals personality, likes and dislikes. I learn from those blogs that share real world application of complex ideas or technologies.

It comes down to being human and remembering that social media has evolved as a way for people to communicate with people. Social media networks and platforms are simply the medium that have reminded us that we like to talk as if we were leaning over the cubicle wall to share a new idea. As companies continue their social media forays, I believe those that will succeed will remember to be human.

What's your perspective?

The Social Media Kaleidoscope

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 17:25:00 GMT

All it takes is a little twist to shift the picture in a kaleidoscope. Your digital media strategy is like a kaleidoscope with a variety of targets, participants, content and platforms. The challenge is in how to adapt to the shifts. Sharon Salzberg said "Life is like an ever shifting kaleidoscope. A slight change and all patterns alter." Social media is influencing the shape of new patterns everywhere.

Think about a kaleidoscope. If one crystal shifts, the whole pattern changes. Each pattern is beautiful in its own way, yet we prefer some of them more than others. But, we can never get back to that one special pattern. Social media has the same impact. Each statement we make, each comment we receive shifts market perception. Sometimes these shifts are minor while other times these shifts are dramatic! Fear of a changing pattern has inhibited many companies from embracing social media in a meaningful way. I would argue that a different perspective, is not necessarily a bad perspective. We can learn from our customers, takes lessons from disappointments and adapt to new perspectives.

The plethora of established (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn) and emerging (Pinterest) social platforms can create confusion as to which networks can best help businesses achieve their goals. As always, it's about alignment of objectives. Shifting markets, expectations and technologies force a shift in the use of content and technology. However, the constant is in defining a strategy that is reviewed on a regular basis. Any strategy can be tweaked based on its success or failure. This tweaking can be considered the twisting of the kaleidoscope.

Your aim is to find the right mix of traditional communication tools, online video, social media or other solutions to share your valuable content. My kaleidoscope shifts a little bit every day as I try different communication methods, learn from my clients, listen to their customers and adapt their stories to achieve results. I have followed new tweets, unlinked contacts, liked and unliked Facebook pages and adapted my blog to bring insight and value. I still work with clients developing traditional content such as data sheets, powerpoint and white papers. Their audiences demand it. What does your customers need from you? How does your kaleidoscope shift?

What's your perspective?

Using LinkedIn to Build B2B Followers

Mon, 27 Feb 2012 18:39:00 GMT

Every day there are more articles showcasing the value of social media for business. However, 80% of those articles reflect the value for companies marketing to and communicating with consumers. The challenge, for companies selling products or services to other companies, is how social media can help them. After all, when most people are on Facebook, they are there to communicate with their friends and family. Sure, they may be job hunting, and Facebook has proven to be a good place for employers to recruit new employees. It is also a good place for companies to connect with users regarding customer support issues. However, Facebookt is still first and foremost a destination for the individual thinking about personal, rather than business, topics.

A recent article on The Next Web highlighting the high proportion of U.S. based LinkedIn members, with membership growing internationally. What was more interesting is how companies are taking advantage of LinkedIn, particularly those in high tech. One of the dominant metrics, for measuring success in social media , is tracking the number of followers. For a company in the B2B space, it is most important for followers to be individuals who can influence purchasing decisions. LinkedIn is the most relevant social network for attracting influential followers. Who's are the companies leading the pack?

1. IBM, ~590,000 followers

2. HP, ~449,000 followers

3. Microsoft, ~424,000 followers

4. Accenture, ~419,000 followers

5. Google, ~409,000 followers

6. Oracle, ~293,000 followers

7. Deloitte, ~283,000 followers

8. Apple, ~253,000 followers

9. Dell, ~244,000 followers

10. Cisco, ~240,000 followers

source: Zoomsphere

It's not a surprise to me that tech companies lead the pack. Tech company employees tend to adopt new tools more rapidly than individuals in other markets. IBM, in particular, has invested heavily in "socializing" its entire approach to business. This is partly to promote their own business intelligence capabilities, but also to simplify how employees get and stay connected internally or externally.

These companies use LinkedIn's company pages to promote the company and their product lines. The benefit of promoting products and services on LinkedIn, allows the company to highlight new products, customer case studies and increase attention to key product lines. Another benefit is the ability for users to provide recommendations for company products. Hewlett-Packard, in particular, has gained a significant number of recommendations across all of its businesses. In addition, they sponsor several groups targeting different customer segments.

Social media is changing the way we connect with customers. LinkedIn provides an additional channel for communicating value and differentiation, as well as listening to what customers are saying. Look into leveraging LinkedIn for more than your personal profile, there are benefits for large and small businesses. Check it out!

What's your perspective?

Define Your Business Identity Before Going Social!

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 15:54:00 GMT

I spent some time with a boutique architecture firm while I was in London two weeks ago. This firm provides contemporary design to residential developers and individual homeowners. Each architect, including the partners, honed their skills in larger architecture firms, but elected to move to a smaller firm to gain broader experience in managing projects from conception to design to planning board approval to build. My goal in working with the firm was to help them define themselves for their clients and prospective employees, with the intent to help them expand their market reach.

Our morning workshop gathered the entire team around the conference table in their open space work area. The partners had met at a larger firm and found success in co-managing a small team within that firm. They had left to establish their firm, ph+, immediately winning business with residential developers. However, they had never thought about how they would market their firm. Their business is won through word of mouth. As we talked about the firm and how their business evolved, why each employee joined the firm and what they enjoy about working with clients - the value of ph+ became clear. The challenge will be how they incorporate these values into their web site, physical media and social media (should they elect to leverage social media).

We defined value in terms of the way ph+ acts and why they want to be for their clients. They are honorable and act with integrity. We defined value based on what motivates them. They want to provide comprehensive plans, paying attention to every detail to ensure planning board approval. We defined value based upon a commitment to contemporary design. ph+ pay attention to design details from window details to plumbing fixtures to how the space will be used by its inhabitants.

In today's world, Word of Mouth marketing is the cornerstone for many firms, large or small. Social media simultaneously simplifies and complicates word of mouth marketing. For a business, like ph+, whose first goal is to fulfill client requirements through comprehensive, detailed designs, marketing is a scary business. Marketing distracts energy from actual architecting, without a clearly defined return. Yet, ph+ wishes to expand its client base.

As ph+ moves forward, they will combine face to face and online word of mouth. They will continue to attend events which expose them to desired clients. They will review options for using social networks to gain insight about and access to new projects. They will identify what content is proprietary versus general information that will attract clients. They will consider expanding the content shared on their blog. Their primary concern remains individual bandwidth as they do not have dedicated marketing staff.

The commitment to social media by small business is challenging. Staffing and individual bandwidth is a key concern. ph+ has reinforced their values and their goals. Their identity has ben clarified. This is helpful as they continue to grow as a business and consider formalizing their marketing efforts. Have you taken the time to define your identity, based on your values and your business goals? If not, please do so before you jump into using social media to promote your business! Authenticity comes from an understanding of identity and purpose and authenticity is a core requirement of social media.

What's your perspective?

Cultivating Relationships

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:29:00 GMT

I'm in London this week, cultivating relationships. What's interesting about this trip is that it is driven my belief in the power of face to face meetings, despite the fact that many of these relationships are maintained using social media. Over the course of careers we meet many contacts. Some of these contacts blossom into mutually beneficial business relationships, and many times, into true friendship. Like other social media enthusiasts, I do believe that social media provides an additional forum for sustaining business relationships.

If we look at the evolution of business communication, it has always been about the spoken and written word. The methods for written communication have simply evolved. While the spoken word in facet to face meetings or video and phone calls allows the best understanding of nuance, the written word provides a tangible account of intention, meetings, actions, goals and metrics. The options for creating that record has simply expanded over time. From letters to faxes to email to social media, we capture and communicate our purpose.

The challenge with social media is adapting to a open form of communication. Letters, faxes and emails were shared with a specific audience. Social networks widen the reach of our communication, which can be intimidating. However, it can also be extremely beneficial. We can reach out to our colleagues quickly and easily. Of course, we need to pay attention to what we are saying. We need to be thoughtful about the content shared and the frequency of sharing. We must think about our goals for communicating as well as the needs of our audience.

I primarily use LinkedIn and Twitter for business purposes. I share my thoughts on social media for B2B, communication technologies and high tech. My posts have led to many face to face meetings leading to new insights and new business. My connections have helped me fulfill deliverables for clients. On the flip side, I pay attention to what my connections are saying and what they need. This has led to my making introductions that I feel are beneficial. Much of this is no different than what we have all done in the past - and continue to do in our daily business lives. Social media simplifies our ability to keep up with our network.

I'm enjoying my time in London, face to face meetings are fantastic. However, I know that I will use all forms of communication - email, social media, phone, Skype, to keep up with these colleagues once I've returned home. Maintaining business relationships is one key to success. Taking advantage of all the tools available to us is the key to successful cultivation!

What's your perspective?