You are never too old to boogie board -- or to social network!
In my summer vacation series, here's my next lesson from the beach!
I got to use my boogie board to surf the waves and the wave pool! What I learned is that you are never too old to boogie!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roQxFb0B9Pw]
Just like you are never too old or too high in a company to use social networking. The fastest growing group on Facebook are those over the age of 55! Did you know that 32% of top CEOs have at least one account on a social network! The % of CIOs who say that social is important to their business has more than doubled in the last year per the MIT Sloan Management Review.
What are you waiting for? Catch the wave and boogie!
You can't feed just one seagull (a series on Social and Vacation!)
This past week I was at the beach -- with a very relaxing time in the sun. The whole time I was there I saw social in so many different ways.
Once when my daughters tried to feed one seagull , they ended up with a whole flock. You can't just feed one ! Or can you?
In Social, you should respond to comments in a way that showcases that your brand really cares and engages around client concerns. Responding is an important part of interacting and engaging with your audience, while also humanizing your brand, improving brand loyalty and creating brand ambassadors.
But you don't have to respond to all negative comments. Have a well thought out plan and know what "level" of comment that you want to respond too. In some cases, have other clients speak on your behalf. Unlike at the beach, you don't have to feed all the seagulls.
Talking social zombies and bootcamps at SXSW 2014
Wondering what are key trends you need to know when building your social plan? Come find out in these fun/interactive sessions proposed for SXSW 2014!
First, you need to remember that social is a global phenomenon. You can engage with folks in Nairobi, New York or Naples. But... we all have cultural differences, and if you fail to take these into account you run the risk of becoming a social zombie:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AETBzICyHtE]
Vote now for this session! [http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/23204]
Second, unleash the vast power of social by tying it to those other big trends in technology right now: big data and analytics. Apply social across all your business processes, create an environment of expertise and trust, and develop a corporate culture that embraces collaboration:
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aduweZCX1A4]
Vote now for this bootcamp! http://panelpicker.sxsw.com/vote/23035
Will I see you at SXSW 2014? If so, reach out and let's chat further!
Thank God it's Monday! Social Business Trend 2
Everyone always celebrates Friday so I thought today we'd celebrate Monday with a great Social Business coffee Break.
Today we are focused on the 2nd core trend in Socialytics: Marketing not just to a demographic but to the power of 1. (Reminder; trend 1 was the power of information sharing and that driving a need socially to recognize expertise and trust!)
As always tell me what you think!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AP4ebWmGHos&feature=youtu.be]
Join me to discuss Socialytics = Social + Big Data + Analytics
Since so many of you commented on the Socialytics article we have decided to do a seminar on it! I'd love for you to join me:
Thursday August 22nd, 1:30 – 2:00PM EST, join me in a free webinar hosted by SayItSocial – an industry leader in digital business strategy and training where I will delve deeper into the concept of Socialytics and its importance in today’s social economy.
Click HERE to sign up!
Visit SayItSocial for more information.
I will be discussing the following:
- Why trust and influence are paramount
- Velocity created by combining predictive capabilities and ideation
- How Social is the new production line
- The importance of social leadership for transformation
- Using social data to create personal marketing experiences
I am looking forward to seeing everyone there!
Sandy
Marriott starts a new social media game born from ideation!
I love social media and especially the concept of Social Gaming. 63% of the US population now plays video games and this number is significantly higher in Asia. The average age of the gamer is 35 years old, 40% women, and half of them play games online one or more hours per week.
I was intrigued by the new game that the Marriott corporation just released! It's called XplorSM . A cool thing about this game is that it was conceived by a group of Marriott employees from various departments, age groups and levels across the company. Talk about ideation! The team was lead by David A. Rodriguez who is the Executive Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer at Marriott and a true innovator!
OK! So the game helps you to visit New York City, Paris, Beijing, Dubai and Sao Paolo and win Marriott Rewards points along the way. And it helps when if you are like me, and find yourself sitting in airports waiting for a flight or lounging by the pool and looking for something to do.
XPLOR can be played on a coast to coast or intercontinental flight without an Internet connection once it's downloaded. This is a key feature since most travelers and emerging consumers and employees, even if they have web connections, find it can get very expensive in international cities to connect.
The game is more like Call of Duty and other major adventure and sports game titles like Madden Football or Major League Baseball, and less like Angry Birds or Tetris where there is just one background and things moving around in the foreground. Just in the character creation area (before you start playing), there are several million possible combinations.
Download the game free and start travelling!: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/xplor-by-marriott/id646951347?ls=1&mt=8:
I cannot wait to continue exploring! And I'd love to hear your thoughts on this game!!!
How does a startup company grow?
The biggest challenge as a startup, says Russian startup CEO Dmitry Golovachev, is figuring out how to grow—getting the right resources to make the right decisions at an early stage which will end in good results years down the road.
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icJgq9C7tXY&feature=youtu.be]
I love this video where Golovachev talks about how he and his company, STEK, hoped to address this challenge by finding new partners and create a bigger network through IBM SmartCamp. They found this and much more, with mentoring sessions which helped them be more confident in their company strategy.
Golovachev said STEK has also participated in startup programs offered by other big tech companies like Microsoft and Nokia, but received only software or technical guidance, which did not help his company see the bigger picture and give them the support they really needed. Providing this greater support, he says, is what sets IBM apart in its work with entrepreneurs.
Now, with a win at IBM SmartCamp in Moscow under their belt and a growing network through IBM Global Entrepreneur, it looks like this budding startup is on right track!
Trend #1: Value of Social Sharing is > Information Hoarding
Happy Monday!
Today we are starting a new series of the Top 5 Trends in Social today -- actually involving Social, Big Data and Analytics.
The firs tof the trends is the shift in information value. To illustrate, when I went to school, value was placed on what I memorized. Today, it is about what I share. One of my daugther's assignments at school was to find the answer to a question and prove the answer was from an expert who could be trusted!
Take a look at how this trend applies to business!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYuMSIzuX14&feature=youtu.be]
A brillant combo: Universal laws of sales and social!
Soooo, are there universal laws in sales? Yes! By adhering to these laws, can you increase your value within your company and with your customers?
Join my colleague Jeffrey Gitomer in one of several cities in the US, as he shares his 21.5 Unbreakable Laws of Selling. Learn how these laws can help you better engage and build relationships with your customers.
I have to say.. he makes learning fun! And he just shared with me the secrets of Karaoke and selling ... ! Yes see you in the Karaoke lounge at IBM Connect 2014!
I will have the opportunity to join Jeffrey in a few cities to explore how you can leverage social tools to share knowledge within your organization and create a smarter sales force.
The first seminar will be held in Orlando on September 3, followed by Atlanta, Las Vegas, DC, Philadelphia, and other cities to come.
Visit Jeffrey's website here for more information www.gitomer.com
I look forward to seeing you there! Sandy
Who is the smartest in the room? Social can tell you!
Ask a social executive, ‘who is the smartest in the room?’ and she will answer: the room. (Now, since she answered this way, does that make her the smartest again?!)
Why? The Fortune 500 lose “$31.5B a year by failing to share knowledge” according to Lisa Quast, Forbes Online. The "room" is the group that generates ideas because they are closest to the clients and the market. But only 25% of companies are good at Idea Generation & Idea Conversion.
So yes, that executive who can harness the power of the room, wins everytime!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gnb4onPPbAs]