by Debra Ellis
Most people would place social media and drug dealing at opposite ends of the spectrum. Gangs competing for territorial management control the world of illicit emotional enhancers. They rule their communities with iron fists, using violence, extortion, and intimidation to manipulate others. If you are tough enough, you can make a fortune.
Communities formed by individuals with similar interests are the foundation of social media. Everyone has an equal voice. People participate to connect, learn, and share. They are part of interactive networks where members help each other for the common good. There’s room for everyone to be successful. All that is required is a commitment to participate in the conversation and provide great information.
| Tip: Don’t be fooled by the low entry threshold. Success in social media requires commitment. It isn’t easy and it isn’t free. |
If this is true, why are some people in social media wildly successful while others are barely surviving?
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by Debra Ellis
The little girl at the florist counter waited patiently, money in hand, while the clerk worked to look busy. When I entered the area, the employee cheerfully asked, “May I help you?” I simply pointed at the child in front of me.
The clerk-without-a-clue audibly sighed as she looked down at the annoyance in front of her, before muttering, “What do you want?”
Undaunted by the obvious disdain, the child politely said, “Do you have a dolphin balloon?”
“A what?”
“A dolphin balloon. It is shaped like a dolphin. I had one, but it…” [click to continue…]
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by Debra Ellis
When Twitter rockstar Chris Brogan (@ChrisBrogan) agreed to host #blogchat, expectations were high. Mack Collier (@MackCollier), the creator of the successful Sunday night chat, used the proven direct marketing tactic of building anticipation to promote Chris’ appearance.
Mack started in July with a few “you aren’t going to believe what’s coming” tweets. He followed them with a blog post on July 26 announcing the August schedule, delivering on the promise. Marketing maven Beth Harte (@BethHarte) kicked the month off with her integrated marketing expertise, followed two weeks later by Brogan.
What happens when a Twitter celebrity with 150K followers hosts a chat? [click to continue…]
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by Debra Ellis
Once upon a time, pulling into a gas station meant that a uniformed attendant would dash out to pump your gas, wash your windows, and give a quick check under the hood. After your tank was full and payment rendered, a wave and smile sent you away. In the 1970’s, things changed. Self-service stations started appearing across the country.
Maybe it was the gas shortage that created long lines and short tempers that made station owners reconsider the full service approach. Maybe it was the realization that less service meant more profits. Whatever started the trend, it was the beginning of our self-serve society. [click to continue…]
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by Debra Ellis
Thermometers and thermostats are useful temperature management instruments. Both are valuable, but they have different purposes. Thermometers measure the temperature while thermostats control it.
Marketing thermometers spend most of their time providing slightly different opinions on events originated by thermostats. The Old Spice campaign is a good example of how one topic can be tweaked to death. A Google blog search pulls approximately 92,000 results. How much of that content is original?
Thermometers are important. They verify the accuracy of thermostats. But, if you want to do more than measure and report information, then you need to take a different approach. You need to create. You need to be willing to fail. And, you need to learn from your mistakes and create again.
Marketing thermostats have several commonalities: [click to continue…]
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