Join us to hear David Murray discuss “De-Mystifying Social Media and How to Make Social Media work for Your Business.”
Date: Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Time: 7:30 AM — 9:00 AM
Ravinia Club
2 Ravinia Club Drive
Suite #100
Atlanta, GA 30346
David Murray (@DaveMurr) is the Social Web Communications Director for re:group (www.regroup.us), a fully integrated marketing and communications firm in Ann Arbor, MI and member of SEFF.
David has created fully integrated digital and social media campaigns in the health care, franchise, nonprofit, and both B2B and B2C sectors. David is a national speaker on digital communications and social media best practices. He is a published author on the subject.
Come, learn, and share your ideas with the group.
Bring your questions, too!
Advanced Reservations Are Required***
Deadline for Reservations is Friday, August 5th at 3 PM. Non-Members of SEFF and Guests Pay $15 per Breakfast Meeting.
Please join us for a Luncheon Event hosted by MSHPM at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital June 24th in Ann Arbor.
Our distinguished panelists will discuss what hospitals, health systems and physicians should be thinking about as they develop an ACO. Areas of discussion will include physician alignment, network and hospital partnership strategies, ACO structure options, legal implications and use of technology to improve patient care, control costs and meet government regulations. Click here for the details. and to register.
re:group is pleased to sponsor this event. Contact Liz Conlin, V.P. Client Services for the inside scoop 734- 320-6606 or liz.conlin@regroup.us
As expected, #unGeeked was a great experience, and the new friends and knowledge we took from that conference was well worth the trip. There’s already a great recap of what made #unGeeked so special, but we thought we’d share some of our takeaways. We didn’t catch everything, so I apologize if I missed someone or a particular topic.
Sam Fiorella: Enterprise Internal and External Communities Sam started #unGeeked by saying, “Too many businesses focus too much on the “online” and not enough on the “offline” components.” True words. Sam’s discussion went on to point out that both marketing and communication now lie within all the individuals who make up your business.
This is something we at re:group have had to recognize, that there are multiple touch points of communication. We now live, as Sam Fiorella puts it, in a “many to many” marketing age.
“Finding the meaning in what you do and why you do it is what will drive the success of your business, i.e. make money.”
Amanda had a great message in that social media, though good for businesses, doesn’t necessarily have to be all about business. That there is something bigger that a company’s social media effort can be a part of. Social media can be about enhancing lives while building projects with meaning. It shouldn’t just be about followers.
Troy talked about building and transferring the culture of a traditional company into the world of social. Few industries are as conservative as insurances, but Troy positioned the internal brand evangelists into the driving force of change. And in the field of Insurance, you have to make up the play if you are playing in a field where nothing exists.
Every employee has a role when it comes to social media – and if they are not provided a role, they will find a role. Regulations are important, but they can work within social. The key is internal communications.
Curt Hanke:From Blanding to Branding Thanks to Curt’s presentation I discovered that there is no such thing as a rational purchase, or rational marketing. We live in an emotional world that dictates our buying and marketing decisions.
This plays big in the agency side. Successful firms teach people about their business, not application. They start with business objectives and sell their clients on the squishy or scary points – things that are not 100% solid, but that the agency believes will work for the client, because they understand their business.
Diane Matigian: When is a Tweet, Comment or Update Slander or Libel? The Legal Implications of Transparency and Digital Tools
Defamation is a big issue thanks to social. Slander and libel still plays – traditional laws exist through the content and publishing of the social web. So, the original laws still apply. For those who argue freedom of speech, just know this is limited. You can say whatever you want, but you better be prepared to back it up.
When it comes to social media, there is a very fuzzy line between an opinion and slander. The most frustrating thing about social media and the law is there are no 100% correct answers. This space is still being sorted out.
Did you know that 93% of word of mouth happens OFFLINE? Did you also know that 76% of people still feel companies lie in their ads? This number drops from 58% to 38% when people are asked if companies will do the right thing.
The biggest challenge for marketers right now is marrying word of mouth and credibility. Mr. Jones even had the nerve to state that social media creates weak ties. We agree. Social media is great for networks, not networking. Building and participating in communities that exist solely on online social networks doesn’t work. Businesses need to combine the online with the offline interaction to succeed.
Jason Falls: Channeling Mayberry: What Small Towns Can Teach Us About Social Media
Not many would call Ann Arbor small, but there is definitely a small town feel here. Jason’s presentation on how small towns and social media work hand in hand really hit home. Some of his takeaways included:
Communities are Networks of trust.
Facebook is built on an intentional openness. Small towns are built on unintentional openness.
Loyalty is huge in small towns.
Being loyal to the community – no one person is more important than the other.
Communities celebrate and mourn together.
Hospitality and honesty – big in small towns.
Local search is the big thing right now in social media, because it has to do with relevancy.
All of what makes small towns what they are can easily be translated to social media best practices.
Can one separate their personal Working on the personal brand? That was the question asked by Sima. Employees need to ask themselves: Who you are, why you do what you do, what makes you special, and how can you take the special and make it work for a company.
To be successful at anything we have to own what you want to do. The brand, personal or corporate, helps with the buy in – access.
We just finished sponsoring the social media communications for FutureMidwest, and we are now looking forward to the next event.
Before we give away too many details, (though we gave a big hint in the title of this blog post) we should consider what really makes a digital conference stand out these days.
We attend a fair amount of events including some of the big ones like IFA and BlogWorld, to some of the smaller regional events like SOBcon and #unGeeked. All are excellent, but it can be tricky gauging where to drop your dollars. Make sure you ask organizers, speakers, and past attendees the following questions before making your conference decisions.
What’s the value? What is the goal and mission of the conference? If you can’t find an answer beyond, “teaching the latest trends in social media”, I’d look for another event.
What will you teach me? Conferences can be fun, but education should be your main objective for attending. What will you learn that you can’t find online or on someone’s blog?
What’s the take away? You can listen to all the great presentations you want, but that doesn’t mean you will know how or be able to integrate what is said into your current business strategy. The best events have their presenters provide takeaways so attendees have a better idea what to expect.
Will I make connections? Networking is great, but networking without a purpose is just standing around talking. Is there a speaker or attendee that can help you with your business? Can you offer an attendee something that will help theirs. Having business objectives while attending conferences isn’t a crime. It’s smart business.
All of this leads us to the above Twitter hashtag used in this post’s title: #unGeeked.
Last year we attended and covered #unGeeked Milwaukee. This was an event limited to about 200 people with a series of presenters who actually spoke with, not just to, the audience. This lead to a cultivation of ideas and brainstorming around a series of topics that included ROI, social media, marketing, content, publishing, branding, job search, and more. There was opportunity to connect with both speakers and attendees. The education and take away we received more than made up for the price of registration. And yes, the connections lead to both personal and business opportunities.
On May 12th re:group returns to #unGeeked. This time we will be in the heart of Chicago along with a fantastic lineup of speakers and thought leaders including Olivier Blanchard, Spike Jones, Barry Moltz, and more.
I’ll be leading a brainstorm session on a topic we are very passionate about here at re:group, content – Identifying Your Content Bubble. (Scroll down midway to read to full description). To get a better idea of what this means, check out the video at the top of this post. We’ll also be covering all the #unGeeked action on our Twitter channel and Facebook page.
There is still time to register, and your #unGeeked pass will include:
We are very proud to be a Sponsor for this year’s FutureMidwest 2011 conference.
If you are not familiar, FutureMidwest is a two day digital and technological education conference now in it’s 3rd year of existence. The first event took place in 2009 and helped kick start a movement that continues to draw attention throughout Michigan and the Midwest.
Not focused on just social media, the FutureMidwest program is built on helping educate business professionals, business owners, students, entrepreneurs, and companies on new business practices that compliment the current digital and technological changes.
But what does it really mean to be Midwest?
Is being Midwest limited to geographic location? Is it a state of mind? Is it a code of ethics? Maybe it’s determined by the sports team you root for?
I’ve been fortunate to travel across most of the county, and I have spent a lot of time in the Midwest States like Wisconsin, Minnesota, Indiana, North and South Dakota, Iowa, Illinois, Ohio, and more. Throughout all of these states I have noticed a common theme:
That regardless of the city, town, state, or geographic location, the people who make up the Midwest have an insatiable appetite to want to reinvent themselves.
They are not ones to rest on their laurels, or be tied down by the status quo or perceived limitations set by economic restrictions. This is in conflict to the general perception many have of the people who live in this region. However, I’ve seen how communities in this so called rust belt are gathering together, and redefining not only themselves, but the communities they serve.
More and more the states that make up the Midwest recognize the need to connect and share ideas.
Being Midwest isn’t about location. It is a state of mind. It’s the will and determination handed down by generations to roll up the sleeves and get to work. It is a work ethic and mentality that is not limited to just physical or industrial labor. One can work with their hands in many ways. Innovation is only limited by the imagination, and if history has taught us anything, it is that the Midwest always looking beyond the horizon.
Get an idea of this innovation in action at FutureMidwest 2011. We’ll be there along with many other great minds.
What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the words B2B and social media?
Is it LinkedIn? What about Facebook? We could can even throw in SalesForce in there too I bet.
Tools are usually top of mind when it comes to social media. However, there is a lot more to this space than just tools and tactics. Especially when it comes to B2B communications. Notice we didn’t say marketing?
B2B businesses can take full advantage of the social web, and can do so just as well as any B2C organization.
True the customer base may be smaller, but that doesn’t mean you can’t focus on brand loyalty. Yes Mr. B2B, company you have a brand, and loyalty is something social media can help you obtain and maintain. It really comes down to who you are connected with, and by connected we don’t mean through Linkedin or Twitter. Ask any good business person what the foundation of good business is, and they will say relationships. How many solid relationships have you built offline. What about online?
This is where social media rocks.
Social media is not a tool. It is a relationship builder. Jason Falls says it best, “B2B social media is still P2P social media. The P stands for people folks!”
Trust me, we understand the need to make a buck. That’s what we are in business for, right? Or is it? Perhaps the ROI we experience through our traditional and digital communications isn’t so connected to the dollar, but through the personal connections we make. I mean, without them, we wouldn’t be making money, period.
Referrals, word of mouth, value, good products and good business all came way before social media showed up.
So don’t get so caught up in what you should do in social media. Instead, focus on:
How you are going to communicate
How you are going to show people what you do
How you will build relationships, not just leads
How you will maintain customer loyalty to your products and services
How you are going to get people to find you
How you are going to identify your marketing objectives
How you are going to be social
If you are in the Ann Arbor area this week, AnnArbor.com is hosting a FREE B2B expo this Thursday, March 10th at Washtenaw Community College.
This is a one day event focused on B2B success, economic development and entrepreneurship in Washtenaw County. A great program has been organized including presentations by Keystone Media, NEW, Power Marketing and Research, and more. You can view the entire schedule here: http://b2bexpo.annarbor.com/schedule.html.
We will also be participating on the panel discussion, Social Media: You Are Doing It, Now What?
I had the pleasure of speaking at the very first WordCamp Detroit over the weekend.
My friends Todd J. List, Anthony Montalbano and their team put together a sold out program full of informative speakers, and a wealth of helpful information. Topics included picking an appropriate theme for your blog, SEO, PHP/CSS basics, video blogging, and more.
I was asked to present on a subject that we are very passionate about here at re:group – building helpful and effective content. This is something we absolutely strive for when working with our clients, and in my talk I stressed the importance of:
Having a human voice through your content
Becoming a trusted resource
Leaning on your passion
Building content people will want to share
Being present if you are going to be online
Listening
Click the bubble below to see our presentation. I also added additional helpful resources at the end:
I’d also recommend checking out the following presentations as well:
If you are participating or organizing an event or conference, you will undoubtedly want to share your experience through the available social networks.
The immediate response is to blog, tweet, and then post something about your event on Facebook. Though this does provide some immediate value for those who can’t or couldn’t attend, many organizations are missing the bigger picture when it comes to leveraging the social web and their events.
Covering a conference can be a job in itself, but if done correctly it will help build our audience and increase our presence. Your events should be seen as a resource of content to be used before, during, and after the date of the event.
Most organizations do well with the “during” and the “after”. However, many overlook the importance of building an audience and momentum prior to the upcoming event.
Not everyone knows about your event
Truth be told, networks are small and tend to gravitate towards being siloed. If you want to your event to be successful, you must start thinking outside of your immediate audience.Sending out an announcement or simply updating your available online and offline networks won’t do.
Here are some suggestions on how you can build awareness prior to your event:
1. Tell us what your event is all about
This may sound pretty obvious, but I am amazed how many organizations do nothing but simply announce the name, date, and time. That’s all. Nothing about what kind of event is taking place, who will be there, and why I might be interested in attending.
Take the effort to tell me about your event, and I will probably take the effort to find out more about it. This may lead me to thinking about attending, or sharing your event with others who may be interested.
2. Showcase your key players
Putting the spotlight on who will be at your event can be a great way to build word of mouth.
You picked your speakers for a reason. Here is the perfect chance to show me why. Highlight them in a blog post. Better yet, do a few leading up to the event. If they are accessible, get them on video. No camera? Try recording an interview via Skype. Have them guest post or promote your event on their channels.
The organizers of the events I attend do anything they can to get their keynotes and presenters to participate in their media outlets. You need to do the same.
Now, something to point out here. Don’t focus all your attention on your event. Have your speakers provide content that focuses on what they are passionate about as it relates to your event.
This will provide a value that stems away from just plain promotion.
3. Talk about the the hot topics
Certainly your event will be relevant to the interests and needs of your potential audience. However, is there an issue or subject that people can’t stop talking about that relates to your event? If so, take advantage of that.
Build content around these hot issues. This will draw attention from an audience that may not have been aware that there is an event focused on the very subjects they are passionate about.
Remember you goal is to not just get your immediate audience to attend. You want to get people outside of your network to register.
4. What we will be doing during the event
Again, a lot of people over look including this information when promoting their events.
Tell me what we will be doing at your event. Will I just be listening to speakers? Will I have the opportunity to ask interact? Will there be workshops where I can learn something? What about roundtables or Q/A?
Break down your event. Highlight the activities in a series of posts if possible. The idea here is to build your audience through informative and interesting content. Your event represents your organization and brand. You owe it to yourself to put a lot of effort into promoting it both on and offline.
Be creative. Think outside the box.
Next steps
I’ve organized and covered a lot of events including FutureMidwest, Social Media Club Detroit, SOBcon, Ungeeked, and soon BlogWorld and Tedx Detroit. I’ve learned some tricks and I want to see your events succeed. So, we will be putting together an E-book that you can use as a guide you can use.
In it we’ll cover
Building appropriate content
The power of video and voice
Using the available tools
Promoting offline
Promotion during and after
We’ll also dive deeper into building word of mouth leading up to your event
We are always listening and learning at re:group. Here is an update on where some of us will be this Fall and information on how you might participate.
September 28, 2010 Social Media Club of Detroit presents Scott Stratten’s #UnBook Tour
6 – 8PM at the Detroit Public Library. Scott Stratten is the President of Un-Marketing.com. He is an expert in Viral, Social and Authentic marketing, which he refers to as un-marketing. Over 60,000 people follow him on Twitter. David Murray, our Director of Social Web founded this club. If you are interested please let us know, we would be glad to have you join us as our guest. For more details click here.Read more »
Heading back to Michigan for its 3rd year is Brand Camp University, an event that focuses on business and personal brand development.
The subject of personal brand inevitably brings up a long and heated discussion. Some feel brand can not and should not exist within the confines of online identities. That the pursuit of personal brand is nothing more than a platform to feed the ego. Many defend it. Recognizing that brand, personal or not, is a vital foot print in one’s overall marketing and communication strategy.
This year, BCU focuses on “Awaking your Inner ‘Prenuer’.
More than just a “this is how your brand yourself” workshop, BCU brings in some big names who share how businesses and individuals can reinvent their own professional brand identities. The speaker lineup is stellar, and range from hometown business owners, to industry experts across the county.
Marketing, business, communications, PR, SEM, SEO, Social Media, regardless the tactic; we can not deny that the web has changed they way we work. More and more, it has become important to adopt the flexible and innovative entrepreneur mindset regardless if you are small business or major corporation.
As we start to reinvent our own business mindset, we in turn empower ourselves to help reinvent our communities. If we are going to turn the corner, new ways of doing business are required. Innovation and brand development will go hand in hand. This will lead to new marketing solutions that will ultimately reinvent Michigan’s brand.
Brand Camp University is October 8th, 2010. 9am – 5pm at Lawrence Tech University. You can follow BrandCampU on Twitter, Facebook, and on the Blog.
re:group is happy and proud to be a sponsor of this great event.
