A guest post from Erin Palmer, she works in online programs at Villanova University.

The days of faceless, voiceless companies are long gone. Social media has created a close connection between a company and its customers. Blogging has become an increasingly popular medium for businesses to communicate with customers and employees. Some businesses appreciate the fact that blogs can be easily created and managed with very little cost. Content can be published without having to worry about lead time and other limitations of traditional media. Blogs let a business develop a voice,
which helps people connect to the company on another level.

Although blogs have the potential to be an asset to businesses, it is imperative to implement and maintain a company blog appropriately in order to get the most benefit. A blog full of boring content will not help anybody. Creating a blog that is personable is important, but it also has to match up with the company’s culture. Below are some important considerations from a human resources perspective to build a successful business blog.

Blogs Should Foster Communication

Business blogs represent an opportunity to connect with customers in an informal manner while informing them about products, services, upcoming events, awards and other company-related information. Blogs should be written in an approachable style that suits the intended audience. Knowing the audience will help shape what kind of content will work best.

Just because the blog is from the company’s point of view does not mean it should be boring. Business bloggers should avoid simply disseminating company news or sales messages. Strong content should stimulate interest, conversation and ideally should be focused on providing the reader with useful information. Getting the customer involved means giving them something worth reading.  Blog comments could also offer valuable insights into the customer’s mind.

Blogs Should Supplement Your Recruiting Efforts

Company blogs are a wonderful way to support recruiting efforts. Prospective employees can find information about company culture, products and services and communication style. It can also help identify company leaders and key staff members. Potential employees are far more likely to apply for a job with a company that seems engaging and forward-thinking. A blog can offer a real feel for what a company is like more than a website or job posting. Make a blog that makes people want to join the
company.

HR Should Create Blogging Policies and Procedures

The human resources department is responsible for establishing an appropriate strategy and policy for posting content to the company’s blog. However, companies should be aware that many employees maintain personal blogs as well. It’s important to establish policies and guidelines pertaining to both company and personal blog content. Policies should address the type of content allowed and how employees should represent the company on personal blogs. The key is to be proactive in order to avoid
potential issues. Once content is published to the Internet, it has the capacity to live on even if the content is later deleted by the original poster. Many search engines capture and archive older versions of web content and screen capture software makes it easy for people to spread content even if it’s no longer available at its original source. It’s better to be safe than sued.

Business Blogs Should Represent the Company in a Consistent and Positive Manner

On a company blog, it’s not just the words that matter. Every piece of content, including color, images, videos and sound contribute to the overall impression that visitors form of the company. Therefore, all content must be consistent with the company’s overall branding and marketing strategy. In addition, the style and tone of the writing must be in line with the company’s communications strategy and personality. For example, blog content for a company like IBM should look and sound much different than a blog for Apple. Represent the company in a clear and consistent matter.

Blogs Can Be a Powerful Business Communication Tool When Used Properly

Many organizations have recognized the influence that social media has and its ability to reach customers directly. Business blogging can be one of the most powerful social media tools available when used correctly, which is one of the primary reasons why many businesses are turning to blogs as a communication tool. The human resources department plays a key role in ensuring that a business blog represents the company in a positive manner. By developing effective policies, HR can help companies
leverage the power of a business blog to strengthen its relationship with customers and employees.  Every company has something to say. Who better to say it than the company itself?

This guest post was provided by Erin Palmer on behalf of the online programs from Villanova University. Villanova offers HR certification courses along with a masters in human resources online program. Erin would love to hear your thoughts on the best and worst company blogs. She can be reached on Twitter @Erin_E_Palmer.

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Episode 6 – The Derek Wu Story Part 1 – The Marketing Revolution Podcast

This week on the Marketing Revolution Podcast I talk to Derek Wu.  I’ve had the pleasure of being friends with Derek for a while now and have worked with him several times.  Of everyone I know, no one knows more people than Derek Wu.  And not in a sleazy used car salesmen type way. Derek sincerely takes the time to get to know people every day.

I try to understand how he does it.  How he began growing this tribe of people who look up to him, myself included.  It’s a fascinating story about how socializing and partying ends up helping charity’s, and how the guy at the centre of it all, was doing it for the right reasons.

Part 1 of 2, this Podcast includes:

• How he began networking/reinvented networking
• The evolution of a party.  It began with Cabarets, moved to Gringo’s, then Derek took over the Distrikt and left his mark as the go to guy for a night out on the town.
• The Cabarets supporting charities began in a very unusual way.  You’ve heard of companies trying to create goodwill, how about a young teenage kid trying to impress a judge during his next court appearance by doing a good deed.
• We discuss his 3,898 friends on Facebook.  Yeah that’s correct, three thousand eight hundred and ninety eight. Probably over 3,900 by the time you read this.
• I find out how he remembers the names of at least 90% of the people he knows.
• Derek Wu on Twitter

Subscribe to The Marketing Revolution Podcast in iTunes

Related posts:

1. Episode #1 – Your Corporate Twitter Account is Boring
2. Episode #2 – Why would a car dealership use social media?
3. Episode #3 – Nothing’s Impossible, For The Regina Symphony Orchestra

Episode 5 – Collette & Greg on Imax Popcorn and Future of Social Media <–Click Here

This one goes for almost an hour long, I’d suggest putting it on in the background and doing something else on your computer (or download it in iTunes and listen in your car).  There’s some very smart points made on the future of social media and marketing in general, you’ll want to hear what Collette and Greg have to say.  Enjoy.

I had an absolute pleasure talking to Greg (@Hluska) and Collette (@colletteparks), both are quite fascinating individuals.  I met them on Twitter and since have seen them at Tweetups, and have lunch from time to time.  Greg is the Executive Director of the Saskatchewan Land Surveyors but really has a love for entrepreneurship and web development.  Educated as a marketer but really in an technology practitioner.  You’ll enjoy the stories Greg shares in this podcast. Visit Greg’s website www.Hluska.ca.

Collette Parks is the Manager of Marketing & Communications at the Saskatchewan Science Centre.  She’s a very smart marketing professional that takes a different approach to social media.  See her website here: www.ColletteParks.com. When she started on Twitter with the Science Centre she listened to what local people were saying and tried to determine ways she could add to their conversations.  Collette also approaches Facebook differently as she believes it’s an entirely different audience then Twitter.  Take note (this is very smart). and she has taken Facebook on as her 2012 project.

In this Podcast we talk about:

• Does everyone need a Twitter account?
• What types of businesses could a Twitter account really benefit
• How Mom and Pop shops could utilize Twitter
• At the core of social media is word-of-mouth, if you’re good, people will tell people about you.  If you suck, people will tell many other people that you suck
• Greg tells the story of an amazing magazine he started and transformed some lives while doing so
• Collette tells her story of meeting astronaut Chris Hadfield
• We also talk about how Collette knows one of my favorite authors Julien Smith
• Julien wrote “The Flinch“ – it’s free on your Kindle or Kindle app
• Collette’s thoughts about Social Media summed up: “Don’t worry about what you’re supposed to be doing, just do what you think makes sense to you, share what you’d want to see.” Brilliant, simply brilliant.

Related posts:

1. Episode #4 – Ryan Holota On Why Your Marketing Strategy Needs To Be Risky
2. Want To Save $900?
3. Executing Social Media in Regina

Lately I’ve noticed several different University of Regina billboards around Regina. Now if you immediately jump to “but Jeph you saw them and remembered them.  Isn’t that a great billboard?!?” Hardly. Not all exposure is good exposure.  Do you think BP’s oil spill was “good” exposure for the company?

The first billboard caught my eye because it says “Be a Project Management Guru” Really? REALLY?  How many grade 12 kids are aspiring to be a “guru” in anything, let alone project management?  This one shouldn’t have got past the brainstorming session.  No one aspires to be a guru in anything.

The next one says “We’ve got your back. Ensuring your success”. Thanks, but I don’t need my post secondary institution to “have my back”. I want them to be the smartest, most prestigious institution in the province, maybe country.  And how are you “Ensuring” success?  Sounds like a promise they can’t fulfill.

“We got your back” sounds like something the mob would tell you. “Don’t worry bout it, Vinny’s got yer back!”

The third one reads “Enrich your personal side.”  So they think spending $500 a class is a good way to ‘enrich’ your personal side?  I can think of at least 287 different things to do for $500 that will ‘enrich’ my personal side.  People go back to school to get more letters behind their name, boost their ego, learn something new, or all of the above.  “Enrich your personal side” sounds like the tag line for the Moose Jaw spa or Glee club.  Albeit, I am no where near the demographic this billboard is targeting so I could see the argument that my parents may enjoy this billboard, though I’m pretty sure they wouldn’t look twice at it.

I don’t want to come off as a negative Nancy here so here are some ideas of how I’d run the marketing department.

Contrast the U of R’s billboards to what the University of Saskatchewan has done.

I also remember a billboard the U of S put up in Regina last fall that had on it the number of CIS Championship Titles the Huskies have won.  That’s smart.  That makes me look up to their school and want to be a part of it.

My alma mater thinks I want to be a ‘guru’.

I have written about the UofR before and I’m going to make the same argument.  Tell the best story you have to tell. The Hill School of Business JDC West team won it all this year.  That’s right, they beat UBC, U of A, U of S, U of C, U of M, and every other school in Western Canada.  The marketing department (or the UofR’s agency) could have been on their toes with a billboard campaign stating “Best Business Case School in Western Canada – 2012 JDC West Champions”.

 That’s not a regular billboard. Put that up in Saskatoon and see what response you get.

It’s not only JDC that’s doing amazing things at the U of R, how about our women’s basketball team, ranked #1 in Canada right now. Tell people that. Put it on a billboard. Show people that the U of R isn’t a joke where people go to become a guru, but much more than “just” a regular school.

I know what you’re thinking. It takes months to plan an ad campaign and weeks to implement it. As long as you believe this to be true, the U of R will never have a remarkable marketing campaign.

Last fall, Siast put up this billboard and pissed off a lot of people.  As Martin Lindstrom states in the book “Brandwashed”, when coming up with a new campaign, determine who you target audience is not and try to tick them off.  If you can piss off a certain demographic, you usually make another demographic extremely happy.  Essentially from the book “Rework“, pick a fight.

You see, people who have BA from the U of R are the ones pissed off.  And who is the least likely of all people to enroll at Siast?  People who already have a BA or BBA.  Siast was brilliant in putting up this billboard.  They were pissing off the people that they weren’t targeting and creating an allegiance with every young kid that was thinking a University degree might be waste of time.  That’s very smart marketing.

Always remember,

“The number one thing you don’t want is for people to be indifferent about your brand.”

-John Morgan, Brand Against the Machine

We still talk about the Siast billboard, that means it was remarkable.

Or here’s a radical idea – scrap the marketing department altogether and give the budget to recruitment.  After all, what’s the goal of the marketing department?  To gain more exposure or to increase enrollment?

Thoughts?  Do you want to become a guru?  What other ways could the U of R’s marketing be improved so it’s not embarrassing for Alumni to see billboards with our schools logo on it?

Related posts:

1. Your Ego on a Billboard
2. The Second Bridging the Media Gap Award
3. Something is Awry at the Hill School

Most quotes are pretty cliche.  But quotes that are provocative or wrong or provocatively-wrong I find incredibly fascinating.  Maybe because the author went out on a limb and failed.  Maybe because it’s a reflection of the imposed limits we as a society seemingly always put your ourselves.  Or maybe because it’s proof that someone didn’t listen to advice, that they never gave in when everyone told them they were wrong.  It’s those people who change our world.  I think these quotes are an inspiration because it’s proof that no matter how crazy people say your idea is, you can make it happen.

Hat tip to The Thank You Economy by Gary Vaynerchuk for inspiring this post.

Related posts:

1. Episode #2 – Why would a car dealership use social media?
2. Challenging the Impossible
3. Michael Porter Was Wrong

Episode 4 of The Marketing Revolution Podcast Featuring Ryan Holota <–Click here

I met Ryan Holota roughly three years ago on Twitter.  Since then we regularly go for coffee or a lunch sharing ideas on how we’re using social media.  He’s very smart.  I have a lot of respect for Ryan and his thoughts on social media are bang on.  If you’re looking for an expert on writing and social media in Regina look no further, Ryan’s the best, I’d definitely hire him.

Visit Ryan Holota on Twitter and his website here.

• Ryan talks about the beginning of his writing and marketing career
• On writing: “Don’t expect to have a masterpiece every time you sit down to write.  Just like the marathon runner gets up every morning and stretches before they run, you must practice your writing like a professional for a long time to see results.”
• Books on writing “The War of Art” by Steven Pressfield, “Accidental Genius“ by Mark Levy
• Ryan predicts 2012 “the year of mobile” for the third year in a row and adds that next year will probably be “the year of mobile” as well.
• Social Media isn’t new, people have shared media throughout time.  It’s just easier now.  Communication doesn’t wait for a story to be printed in the weekend paper, we share media in real time.
• He talks about how companies could use social media platforms much more effectively.
• At the core of your marketing strategy, Ryan says there’s one great way to tell if you’re effective, increased sales.
• We talk about how agency’s are going to withstand the new social/digital marketing convergence and if having an agency manage your social media strategy implementation.
• How do you ensure your company or marketing department is still relevant in the next three years?  “Don’t be safe”. Experiment, take risks, test things out, never assume your marketing is flawless.
• We talk about how Christopher Penn experiments on his blog and Twitter account with extreme transparency and he shares the results of what he finds.
• We talk about the infamous “Kenneth Cole Tweet” that created an uproar early last year.
• Near the end I ask Ryan “does sex sell?”  based on a blog post he wrote on the topic.
• He also shares how he works, the life of a writer and what his days are usually like.

We also talk about these three articles:

6 Potentially Wildly Inaccurate Observations about Tostitos and Social Sentiment – How do you know your message is resonating with the right demographic?  Is “everyone” your target market?

Direct From Google: How To Build A Quality Website In 2012 – What do companies need to be looking at in a website this year?  Ryan shares some ideas on improving your website strategy, if you’re building a new website this year, this conversation will definitely help you in the planning.

How People Watch TV Online And Off – Contrary to what you’d think, the US is watching more TV than ever, but they’re also watching it with another screen in there hand more than ever.  An interesting discussion follows.

Related posts:

1. Episode #3 – Nothing’s Impossible, For The Regina Symphony Orchestra
2. Episode #5 – What Does The Vintage Tea Room & The Imax Have In Common?
3. Want To Save $900?

I don’t sell on my blog usually, I think that’s tacky, but there comes a time when one must reach out to their community and ask for help.  And I may not necessarily be able to help you or your company, but if you know of someone you think that could use my services, please let them know.

Any way you can help spread the word I’d very much appreciate it!

If you don’t know already, I left Fraser Strategy late in 2011 to do my own thing, and I’m sure some of you have wondered what it is I actually “do”, after struggling for three years I’ve finally figured it out.

I help companies tell their story online.  I give people the tools to measure what they’re doing so they make better, more informed decisions in the future.

I help people do amazing things online.

A lot of what I do is not marketing but customer service.  The marketing industry has seen many changes recently and I don’t think it’s about to slow down any time soon, I help you navigate through this ever changing marketing world.

I’ve been working with the fine folks at Highland Mortgage Partners for the past few months helping with their marketing (and they’re doing some amazing things) but now I am looking to help more people.

What do I cover with my clients?

• A better way to find information (educating yourself faster and more efficiently)
• Social strategy (Why and how to use: Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, LinkedIn, E-mail)
• Content strategy (Why you need to be blogging, video blogging, or podcasting)
• Measurement Strategy (how you’re going to measure your efforts)
• Online advertising strategy (Google Adwords overview, Facebook Ads overview)

Every company is different and no two marketing strategies are the same.  Writing long, drawn out marketing plans is a waste of time and rarely get implemented.  Instead, I’ve found that setting short-term measurable outcomes that are aligned with your overall strategy is a much easier way to go about implementing your marketing tactics.  We develop the “plan” together and create a checklist of tactics to implement.  Then, meeting once a week for two hours creates a weekly time slot where we are actually creating, developing, recording, planning or scheduling.

In March, I’ll be looking for two new clients.  I have developed a methodology over the past three years that focuses on what is absolutely important to marketing your business.  We’re going to be meeting lots.  It can take anywhere from two to six months of weekly meetings to get you to the point of managing your complete online strategy.  And even if you never want to completely manage it, I’ve developed solutions to help you on a monthly basis.  To try it out it only costs you $1,500 and I’ll never make you sign a contract.

If you’re at all interested lets grab a coffee and chat (Email: JephMaystruck@gmail.com).  At the very least I’ll be able to tell you some fascinating things about your website.

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1. The Art & Science of Being Online Presentation
2. Love Marketing, Hate Bad Marketing
3. Want To Save $900?

Episode 3 of the Marketing Revolution Podcast – Nothing’s Impossible for the RSO <– Click Here

In episode 3 of the Marketing Revolution Podcast I talk to Taron Cochrane (@taron_cochrane), the self proclaimed “music fanatic” is the creative marketing and promotions manager of the Regina Symphony Orchestra (RSO).  Taron loves music, it’s his passion and just talking to him for a few minutes you can see it in his eyes and hear it in his voice, music is a major part of his life.  Other than working for the RSO Taron also is a freelance writer for the Leaderpost, Horizon’s magazine and also is a graphic designer. See Taron’s Website.

Total running time: 49:30

In this episode:

• We talk about how Taron manages The RSO on Twitter - @ReginaSymphony
• How he approaches the The RSO Facebook Page – www.Facebook.com/ReginaSymphony

• Why they aren’t on Foursquare anymore.

• Why they don’t have a blog…..yet.

• How he does all this work within social media without a cell phone.  Yes, Taron doesn’t have a cell phone, I’ve made it a personnel goal of mine to get him a cell phone this year.  So Sasktel or Rogers, if you’re reading this, Taron would be a great guy to sponsor with a cell phone, he has a very loud mouth. (wink, wink, nudge, it should pretty obvious by now)

• One of Taron’s biggest accomplishments of 2011 was being in the top 24 finalists in the SocialFresh.com contest for the Top Ten Twitter Brands of 2011.  An amazing feat being one of the only Canadian brands to make the list.
• He tells a story about the legendary Walter Ostanek and how he tried to get Canada’s Polka King a Juno.  Using social media, Taron ends up on the CBC National, gives his Grandma a wonderful gift and receives a heartfelt thank you from Walter Ostenek him self.
• He talks about the most important lessons he’s learned, “there is no such thing as a crazy idea” and “nothing’s impossible”.  These have been a part of Taron’s mantra when he goes about planning his social media strategy.  Taron has had many ideas, he tried many different things and to succeed online he believes you must try doing things outside your comfort zone.
• In Taron’s opinion, the biggest thing to focus on in 2012 is to have a unique idea, to create something that no one else has ever done before.  Originality says a lot.

I ask Taron:

• Can you develop a strategy around creating something that is “viral”? Why/Why not?  In regards to The Viral Marketing Cheatsheet
• What are your thoughts on Mobile?  See the article: The Year Of Mobile? Sounds Like The Month Of The Smartphone
• The majority of the time, businesses pay lip service to customers much in the same way politicians make promises to voters prior to each election.  Is this true?  Could there be a digital evolution going on?  See: Brian Solis on Digital Darwinism and Customer-Centricity (http://www.conversionation.net/2011/12/brian-solis-on-digital-darwinism-and-customer-centricity/)
• The book Taron mentions several times is “Anarchy Evolution” (Amazon Link)

Taron really does go above and beyond for the RSO, they’re very lucky to have a guy with his skill set and ambition.  He’s a fascinating gentlemen, if you ever have the change to have a coffee of a beer with the man take it!  Also, I am looking into a cell phone sponsor for him, do contact if interested.

Related posts:

1. The ‘I Love Regina’ Badge
2. Episode #1 – Your Corporate Twitter Account is Boring
3. Don’t Forget, We Live in Saskatchewan

My Father is a baby boomer, he has no brand preference to vehicle (see next sentence) and he loves his cars.  In the past ten years my he has driven a Nissan, Infinity, Honda, BMW and recently he went out to find a truck.  My Father doesn’t just go look for a car on Saturday and buy it on Sunday, he’s one of “those guys”, you know, the ones who look up the msrp online, and knows more than most salespeople in a showroom.  He even assists people at work and Church buying vehicles because he’s known as “the car guy”.  Seth Godin would call my Dad a “sneezer”.

He loves his cars.

In November he decided to buy a truck for the winter.  As a man with no brand preference would, he began his search online.  He knew roughly what he wanted and test drove several different brands of trucks over the course of a few consecutive weekends.  One day while at work, a lady told him about a salesperson at Capital GMC she held dealt with, who was quite pleasant.  He took down the name and my Dad was sold.  Though my father did barter with the salesmen about the “administration fee” (evidently he read online how much a dealership “should” be charging) they even reduced the rate for him.  He was happy.  That weekend my Dad bought the truck with the help of the recommended salesperson.

Then the salesmen made a mistake.  He told my Father that he’d send a followup survey to see how the dealership did, where my Dad wanted to let them know about the inflated administration fee.  The follow up survey was never sent.  A pleasant experience up until the salesmen broke the first rule of marketing and branding anything or anyone: keep your promises.

My Dad didn’t even tell me the salesperson’s name, he didn’t know it anymore.  He had no reason to tell people about this salesperson.  A lady at my Dad’s work passed on positive word-of-mouth that was stopped dead in it’s tracks because of a promise unfulfilled.  All the salesperson needed to do was to send the e-mail.  As small as this sounds, it made a big difference.  My Dad did not feel like this salesperson was credible enough to pass along his name, that’s a big deal.  The sales person didn’t ask the ultimate question, would your customers recommend you?

All the advertising in the world can’t influence authentic word-of-mouth.  I wonder what Capital GMC’s advertising budget compared to their customer service budget is.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again.  Spend less money on telling people about how amazing you are (marketing) and spend more money on giving people reasons to talk about you (create positive word-of-mouth).

Related posts:

1. The Best Present You Can Give
2. What We Learned About Social Media in 2011 | Part 1 of 2
3. Cause marketing: a diamond in the rough

Click here –>TMRP Episode #2 – Why would a car dealership use Social Media?

In this episode, the brilliant Mitch Gallant and I talk about how Capitol Ford (@CapitalFord) uses social media within their marketing mix.  Mitch heads up the online marketing for Capitol Ford.  Along with a star studded team, including @Kiley_G @theRealBernando and himself @mitch_4.

I grill Mitch on his best moment of 2011, how he manages Capitol Ford’s online marketing entities and his (questionable) opinions on mobile (said in a very sarcastic tone).  Also, Mitch tells how he prioritizes projects using a football field on the wall in his office, an amazing example of how to manage online projects when you want to implement everything you come across.  Near the end Mitch shares what he thinks the most important thing marketers need to focus on in 2012.

Finally, Mitch recommends some books to read for young, aspiring marketers, Unmarketing by Scott Stratten, Six Pixels of Seperation by Mitch Joel, All Marketers Are Liars by Seth Godin, The Thank You Economy and Crush it! by Gary Vaynerchuk.

The Marketing Revolution Podcast Home

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1. Executing Social Media in Regina
2. Fire the Marketing Department
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