Another way to think about social media ROI

Alexander Graham Bell probably got impatient with business owners asking for an ROI on his telephone invention

When was the last time you asked the phone company to justify the cost of installing a telephone in your place of business? They would probably just laugh at you. It has probably been over 50 years since that question was last asked of a telephone sales rep by a shop owner.

On April 3, 1973 Motorola manager Martin Cooper placed a cellular phone call to Joel Engel, head of research at AT&T’s Bell Labs, signaling the demise of the land-line telephone. It will probably be several decades from now before the last wired telephone is deactivated, but chances are, it will happen. And sales reps for wireless phones are not probably not being asked for an ROI study prior to a company signing a cell phone contract.

So, why do companies ask for an ROI for the next wave of communication and conversation with their customers? Why do social media experts do it? When will a blog, Twitter account and a Facebook page turn the corner from an “investment” into an expense line item?

Probably at half the speed it took telephones. But, it will happen.

The next time someone asks you for an ROI study on social media, pick up the phone off their desk and ask them to give you the ROI the phone company gave them.

Originally published at: gerardmclean.com

Three things to help your Web site update process flow

Your Web site manager is a busy person and doesn’t have the time or patience to have a long back and forth with your Web site changes. Here are THREE things you can do to help the Web site update process flow smoothly.

THREE: Organize your request around the Web site you have, not the one you dream up
Quite often, we get a Word document with a note attached saying “post this to our Web site.” Aftering opening the document, we find ourselves saying things like, “where?” , “in what context does this belong?” and “has client even looked at their Web site?” We generally add a few colorful expletives as well.

Give us some indication as to where you want the content and how it flows with the rest of your site. We can’t read your mind and really do want to live up to your expectations. A URL and screenshots are always appreciated.

TWO: Involve the Web site team in the planning process early
Too often, we get a “fully formed” program, complete with sign up forms in Word, beginning with the following, “We had a meeting with the staff and have created this program…” or some like language. And, they want it up and running tomorrow as they are already selling the program.

Check with the mechanic before speeding down the track; the lugs nuts may not be tightened down! In short, your Web team is there to save you money, time and stress. A well-designed program that includes tools such as forms integrated to your back end database, cron jobs, automated emails, etc. are some of the features that a good Web team can bring to the table. If the Web team is the last one in the chain, most likely the program will have a feel of being attached to your Web site (and your organization) with duct tape and baling wire.

ONE: Write news releases that are Digg-able, Google-able and in general, shareable
Too often, we get news releases that are not written for the on-line world. Even if they are destined for a print publication, assume they will end up on line.

When writing a news release, use a title that grabs in no longer than 60 characters and then write a summary in 250 character or fewer, including the following: Who? What? Where? When? Why? How? Sound familiar? Those are the 5Ws that you learned in essay-writing in grade school. And they still apply. Even though the world went and got itself into a big ol’ hurry and digitized, news is still for people to read. And people want to know the 5Ws very quickly.

Why the character limits? Twitter is only 140 characters so you need a title that will fit along with a link and #hash reference. Most reposting services like Digg, Delicious, Linked In, etc have limits of 200-350 characters. And, when your news is picked up by sites like Alltop.com, you want the first paragraph to contain enough information to get the reader to read the whole release. In addition, most of adult America has some form of shortened attention span and will only spend time skimming. All the important stuff needs to be in the top paragraph.

And while you are writing, make sure to include a list of tags you want to include with your press release.

Your Web site is your front door
Your organization’s Web site is no longer something “over there.” It is the front door, the face of your organization. When prospective (or current) clients and members go looking for your services, you can bet they have already been to your Web site. If it is sloppy, unorganized, outdated, hosting too much information or has a feel that it has been “glued together,” they will notice and assume your organization is the same way. But, if it is tightened up and has a sense of purpose, direction and vision, they will turn the knob and come in.

Originally published at: GerardMcLean.com

A funeral dirge for trade shows?

Apple announced today that will no longer participate in Macworld Expo, the largest annual show for Mac enthusiasts. In a press release, Apple says:

Apple is reaching more people in more ways than ever before, so like many companies, trade shows have become a very minor part of how Apple reaches its customers. The increasing popularity of Apple’s Retail Stores, which more than 3.5 million people visit every week, and the Apple.com website enable Apple to directly reach more than a hundred million customers around the world in innovative new ways.

Are trade shows becoming obsolete? Apple seems to think so.

At TourneyCentral, we’ve scaled back from a couple dozen local shows and two national shows (NSCAA and US Youth Soccer) to just one per year, the NSCAA. In short, much of the material was a repeat of the shows, the exhibitors — with the exception of the NSCAA — were treated like second-class citizens that were allowed to pay, but not participate.

Perhaps this was Apple’s experience, but most likely not because of their size and heft. But, for smaller companies who have other choices to reach their audiences, this sounds like “permission” to break away from the “must show” trade shows.

Yet there still exists that fundamental human need for touch. As trade shows become less and less attended, what will replace that? Tweetups? Webinars? Live TV shows? More likely, the answer will be some combination of all of these, initiated or complemented with Twitter, blog comments and posts.

With any luck, we’ll start meeting people again in laundromats, grocery stores, bars and dog parks. And, maybe we’ll even unplug the cell phone from our ears and turn to them and have a real conversation.

What do you think is the future of trade shows?

Originally posted at: DogWalkBlog.com

You can reach more people with a blog than a bullhorn

GenY may not be out in the street protesting the rapid decline of this country, but they are online with a vengeance. And, apparently, they do care and they get it. They understand that respect is the root of peace, that you can reach more people quicker and deeper with a Twitter account and a blog than you can with a bullhorn and a flag.

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