— newcoventry

Social Media Innovators in the Twin Cities – My Thoughts

By: newcoventry
31-07-2009
regular

Last week Arick Hanson posted a request for people to suggest five of what would become a Top 20 list of Twin Cities social media innovators.  The post really got me thinking, what does it really mean to be an innovator in social media?  Is it possible for an individual to be innovative in her or his use of social media or is that domain left primarily to companies who do amazing work with social technology?  There clearly are some companies and organizations that do an excellent job at doing new and creative things using the social tools that are out there.  This is a quick list of those companies.

WCCO and @JasonDeRusha
In terms of the local news WCCO is doing amazing work listening and communicating news.  DeRusha keeps the news human. Altogether WCCO has beomce people I love interacting with. They are innovating on how I feel about news coverage.

The Uptake, @jasonbarnett, @chuckumentary, and @noahkunin
Keeping with the news, the folks at The Uptake are astounding.  Their coverage of the RNC in St. Paul and the news they bring is excellent.  They are really innovating in the citizen journalist space of these social tools.

#SMBMSP and @rickmahn and the others behind making this event happen.
Everyone behind our local chapter of Social Media Breakfast are innovating by taking us back to the basics.  They help provide an outlet for the face to face conversations that are at the root of social technologies.

UnSummit, @myklroventine, @donmball and @megcanada
I love the story of the birth of UnSummit. An oversold event in town could have easily brought frustration to the burgeoning social media community but, instead of complaining, innovation occurred.   I had an amazing time at the MIMA summit last year, but a part of me wished I would have been at the inaugural UnSummit.

#kanecamp and @JenKaneCo
Jen Kane provides innovation with the use of social media in the event planning and teaching realm. I have had the chance to volunteer to help at a few of the Kane Camps. I enjoyed the presentations. Jen provides an excellent example of the importance of listening to the backchannels and working to ensure everyone gets what they want out of her events.

@motoi2go, @punchpizza, @izzysicecream, and @bajasol
All of these restaraunts are all doing great things in the social space. Moto-I  offered the first social media based contest I ever experienced and I still feel it was done the best. Imagine a time without retweets and feed spam. I was happy to have won the sake tour, so maybe I am a bit biased. The passion that Blake brings to sake radiates into the social media experience.

@joshuakahn, @garykoelling, @benhedrington, and @camgross
Last but certainly not least, Best Buy has been unparalleled in their use of Social Technology to level the playing field. The above mentioned individuals must only be a tiny portion of the many people who make this happen. From Blue Shirt Nation to the recently released @Twelpforce they have been awesome and constantly on the edge of what will soon become standard use of social technology in the workplace.

This post differs quite a bit from my original comments on Arick’s blog.  I’ve had a lot of time to mull this over and I know there are many many others who could be on this list.  Who did I miss? Please let me know in the comments.

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Let’s “do” Social Media

By: newcoventry
21-07-2009
regular

listen to ME! “In contemplating social media, the first question to ask is whether yours is a brand worth sharing.  If yes, then social media tools can enable that sharing.  If not, it’s time to redirect your energy back to question number one.” – by Tom Fishburne

I came across this great quote in the article Social Media Bandwagon, from The Management Cartoonist Blog.  Far too often it appears that traditional marketing mindsets are drawn to social media to “go viral” or “be cheap”. What Tom points out (by way of @KathySierra)  is that it is essential for companies to use social media to listen to their customers first.  Social media is not a tool to pummel potential customers with your corporate awesomeness. Instead sit back and listen to the conversations and interject if necessary.  Learn, help, and share with your customers in a real way.  When I am approached by individuals who are looking to “do” social media, I think the most powerful question is a simple, “Why?”  The goal of social media is humble participation, anything less will be challenged.

(Image: listen to ME!, a Creative Commons Attribution (2.0) image from metrojp’s photostream)

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Integrating Podcasts and Video into your PR Campaigns

By: newcoventry
13-07-2009
regular

Albert Maruggi is presenting on Podcasting and Video for Public Relations. I’ve known Albert for two years now, thanks to Social Media Breakfast and a chance meeting at White Rock Coffee Roasters in Highland Park.

He begins by showing us the ancestors of social media: Mr. Rogers and Jon Adams one who taught us to share and that everyone was special and the other who with the help of Thomas Jefferson brought us free speech.

Albert played a clip of his Aunt talking about baseball.  There is intimacy that you just wouldn’t catch in text.  Video is mandatory: “If it is good enough to do once, it is good enough to record” Another point that Albert brings up is that “There is no more mass media, only mass community”  People want stuff you have, it is up to you to find those people or make it easier for them to find you..  The more I hear Albert talk the more I am reminded that social media and web 2.0 is nothing new. People in community has been forever, the means by which we live out that community has changed thanks to the internet. An additional point related to this is that I believe we have forgotten that mass media is really new. Originally, news travelled through the same methods that Twitter capitalizes on: friends communicating stories of importance to them. Television, newspapers, and radio hid the emphasis of the roots of human communication. Twitter/Facebook/Social Media simply shed light on the communication and make it public.

Albert continues by saying, tell your corporate story in the best means possible.  It is important to the best means for you, not the best for someone else or the method everyone else is using.  Albert is using Utterli to interview a member of the audience through his phone. What a great example of how you can quickly pull together audio content. Here is the interview he pulled together with Angela Babb.

A question about making the media take off was asked.  Albert says that makes him feel too mass media. The goal here as Albert stated earlier was to create content and make it available. The ratings are interesting, but not essential. Perhaps releasing it and generating a groundswell by speaking with key bloggers.  How do you get the grasstops to catch on instead of the grassroots?  You get there by being intelligent and already involved in the community. Just be a part of the community.  You have to be in the space and participating.  When you start saying smart things people will notice you. Albert again hits the nail on the head: Involvement and participation is what builds the community.

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Small Brands. Big Results.

By: newcoventry
13-07-2009
regular

This was a great presentation by Blois Olson.  Blois is from Tunheim Partners. They do PR for Punch Pizza. I have been a huge fan of Punch’s social media campaigns. They really get connectivity to the public. It was very intresting to hear from Blois on how they worked with Punch to reach such a peak of social media connectedness.  I loved hearing the background to the #snowmagedon09 Punch’s pizza event.  Punch made a twitter coupon free pizza on the night of the massive snow storm for one night only.  They gave away 500 pizzas, gained 100’s of new followers and became part of the conversation and had a profitable evening.  As I look back on that event, Punch’s participation in #snowmagedon09 made them part of the lore of a crazy snowstorm and gained them a connection with the local community in a real way.

Izzy’s Ice Cream (another of my favorite local shops in St. Paul) also works with Tunheim Partners.  If the owners understand the brand it is easy to use social media and technology to connect their brand with people.

Here is the key and I am so glad to hear this: Tunheim Partners does not tweet on behalf of any of its clients. They simply advise and suggest options.

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Online Reputation Management: Your New Marketing Priority

By: newcoventry
13-07-2009
regular

Some great wisdom from Greg Swan

Steps to respond:

  1. Breathe
  2. Ask, “Is what’s being said true?” Be honest and have thick skin. (Don’t call the lawyers right away).
  3. Ascertain if responding will add water or gasoline to the flames.
  4. What are the response options (comment on the story, write your own perspective on a corporate blog)
  5. Who will respond: Be in it for the long haul
  6. Prepare a genuine, to the point response
  7. Be responsive.

Best Case: Do all this within hours.

Greg also went over a great section on innoculation against brand degredation. Some highlights: Own your company’s identification. If you don’t, someone else will. Use Username Check to nab your identify all over online.  Build relationships now, don’t wait. Know who key advocates are in the industry.  Treat your critics as experts (even if they aren’t A-listers).  Empower community advocates.

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Using Social Media Behind the Firewall

By: newcoventry
13-07-2009
regular

This was a great presentation by Gary Koelling and Cameron Gross

Much like the cake, the firewall is a lie. Internal is continuing to become a myth and the wall will break down even more as Generation Y/Millenials enter the workforce. Everyone has the capability to publish and they want to communicate with you and about your business.  What we really are doing with social media and the work place is entering the business of making friends. I hope that we never enter the point in time where we calculate ROI on friendships.  Start today, start small, start cheap and try stuff.  Trust is key as we enter the breakdown of the firewall. You should trust customers, trust employees, trust yourself that we can succeed and be human at the same time.

Awesome question. What do you do when you have employees who talk about their job on Facebook and also post their after-hours activities?  Answer: Did you know they were drinkers before you hired them? Does it affect their job? There isn’t anything you can do about this. This is the eternal problem that many companies will face.

A question was asked: How do you monitor all these conversations? Everyone should pay attention to the communicatins of the network of customers.

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Public Relations 2.0: The New Tools of the Trade

By: newcoventry
13-07-2009
regular

I am really excited to be working as a technical support guru for the Public Relations 2.0: The New Tools of the Trade conference hosted by Kane Consulting and Mashable . I am sacrificing a day of vacation in order to attend, but I know this is totally going to be worth it. Especially considering how great Kane Consulting’s Social Media Bootcamp series has been. I had a blast assisting on the Social Media SWAT team for that event. After this event, I know I will come back with a head full of ideas.

Here are just a few of the breakout sessions that I am hoping to spend some time at tomorrow:

  • “Using Social Media Behind the Firewall,” with Gary Koelling, Senior manager of Social Technology for Best Buy and Co-founder of the company’s Blue Shirt Nation along with Cameron Gross, Owner of GreaterThan Media and social media consultant to Best Buy.
  • “Pitching Using New Media Tools,” with Eva Keiser, Senior Vice President of Risdell McKinney Public Relations.
  • “Online Reputation Management,” with Greg Swan, Digital Strategy Manager, Weber Shandwick Digital Communications.
  • “Incorporating Podcasts and Video Into Your Marketing and PR Mix,” with Albert Maruggi, founder of Provident Partners and Producer of the Marketing Edge podcast.
  • “Small Brands. Big Results” with Blois Olson, Executive Vice President of Tunheim Partners.
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    Lowry Bridge Implosion

    By: newcoventry
    22-06-2009
    regular

    I used to drive over this bridge almost every day when Erin and I were first dating.  Amazing end to a lendgendary rickety bridge in Minneapolis.

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    Ten Great Takeout Spots in the Twin Cities

    By: newcoventry
    18-06-2009
    link

    Link: Ten Great Takeout Spots in the Twin Cities

    Thanks to CityPages for pulling together a great listing of the best local take out.  My personal favorite lunch takeout is at Nelson’s Cheese and Deli.  Their flagship sandwhich: the Cheesemaker is large enough to be lunch for two.  After waiting in line, grab a sandwich and head to Como Park for a great lunchtime picnic.

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    Add value to increase followers

    By: newcoventry
    12-06-2009
    video

    Here is a great video by @williger explaining a lot of the frustration that you can find on the twitters and the facebooks these days.  I love the line at 1:43: “you want to have exposure to all my followers, that’s cool… Talk, Add some Value… I’m just about connecting…”  via @chrisbrogan

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    Barn Swallows in Lucerne

    By: newcoventry
    12-06-2009
    regular

    Birds on Water

    These two barn swallows have a nest in the rotted out post from an old dock in Lucerne, Washington.

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    Re-roll the CEO

    By: newcoventry
    10-03-2009
    regular

    I just said, “sometimes companies need to re-roll their CEO” in MBA chat. Not many RPG/MMO folks in that program… there was much confusion.

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