Social Trend #3: Innovation is accelerated in Culture through ideation & predictive

Happy Monday!  Social Business Trends are shaking the world and today's Social Coffee Break is about our third trend.

Innovation must be part of a corporation's culture.   Things are moving so fast those who can change and adapt will be most competitive.   In today's Social world, innovation is accelerated through social.   See how ideation (crowdsourcing) and predictive capability (analytics) accelerate innovation in corporations!

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BJnafM6HnlA&feature=youtu.be]

 


Skills gaps are creating huge challenges in Social, Mobile,

The IBM Tech Trends report is based on a survey of more than 1,200 professionals who make technology decisions for their organizations (22 percent IT managers, 53 percent IT practitioners, and 25 percent business professionals). Our respondents come from 16 different industries and 13 countries, spanning both major and growth markets.

I was surprised that mobile is the largest gap, followed by Cloud.  While there is a gap in Social, of the Big 4, it is the best one.

Thoughts?  Any surprises to you?!

skills


Social Lessons Learned from the Beach! Integrate!

Summer!

Ahhhhh!  I love the summer and what better summer fun, that being in the ocean.   I love riding the waves .. and you quickly that another wave is always coming!  There is always the next one ---that provides continuous action.  So your plan of attack is ride the one, and for the best, combine their power!

The same is true in Business.   Make sure you are taking into account the consolidated effect!

Did you know that less than one-third of marketers have integrated social media and mobile marketing with other campaign?  The State of Marketing 2013, IBM's Global Survey of Marketers 

Since 68% of social networking is done on a mobile device, the lack of combining the trends that come on top of one another is a non competitive view!

How might you accomplish this integration?   Combine location, customer identity, and customer interactions to personalize mobile apps

It seems that customers in banking, retail, travel, and media and communications are prioritizing their mobile strategies and many have deployed or will soon deploy mobile applications.   Amex’s mobile app presents personalized offers based on a variety of things, including location – In addition to a customer’s purchase history, aka “spend graph”, and current location, Amex allows users to further personalize offers based on in-app thumbs up or thumbs down ratings, which informs the future deals that surface. Learn from existing customer data and from real-time feedback from users.

http://www.fastcompany.com/1837280/american-express-leverages-spending-history-location-mobile-deals-you-actually-care-about

 BUT, it is important to recognize that “context” is more than “location”  – e.g., an unhappy customer is an unhappy customer anywhere (still wouldn’t want to target them even if they’re near a store that they dislike)


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

sxsw
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!


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!


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