Marshall Ramsey

Today’s lecture will be based on an excellent post by Tony Robbins. I’ve posted pieces of it here but please read the whole post by clicking here: How to #Win at Social Media  My comments are in bold.

“A social profile doesn’t equal a powerful public presence. Creating and building steady engagement across social media channels with your company or brand is no longer a should — it’s a MUST — for businesses of every size. “

I will also add that it is a must for a for every person who is building a personal brand.  The key word is ENGAGEMENT. Let me repeat that again: The key word is ENGAGEMENT. 

“The oceans of potential fans and customers can seem daunting, filled with predators poised to pounce on any unwitting brand or company for making the slightest social faux pas.” 

The bottom line: Every bridge has a few trolls hanging under it. 

“Your company or brand’s Facebook page and Twitter handle is now the first point of contact for all interactions, positive or negative, as Entrepreneur explains.”

It’s your official voice! 

“People are motivated to share great experiences, as well as complaints, suggestions, questions or even cordial jokes — and more often than not, expect a reply or acknowledgment.”

Your Tribe (see Seth Godin’s book by the same name) wants a piece of you. 

“A recent study by Goldman Sachs revealed that businesses who use social media well are 34% more likely to be trusted by young, working-aged people.”

This makes sense. You’re going to be where they are.  

Best sentence in the piece and one that I will drill into your head time and time again.

“Stop thinking of your social channels as a campaign and start appreciating the power of the constant conversation — harness and build authentic, lasting influence. “

Let me repeat this:

Stop thinking of your social channels as a campaign and start appreciating the power of the constant conversation — harness and build authentic, lasting influence. 

Got it? Good.

“If you’ve ever received a public reply to one of your Tweets or Facebook messages on an official brand or company profile, you remember the “warm fuzzy” feeling of being publicly acknowledged. Handled effectively, social recognition rewards are not only free of cost, they can help convert casual customers into vocal brand advocates who contribute (positively) to a company’s cultural impact. 

Users who post positive messages love the illusion of interacting with the brand-as-friend.”

I got a reply to a question I asked one of my favorite rock performers on his Tumblr site. Do you think I’m a bigger fan now? Oh heck yes. What if he had been a jerk? See?  The Internet is like Mississippi. Your reputation can be ruined before you can count to three-Mississippi. 

“For more and more consumers, an official Facebook page, Twitter or Instagram handle has become the go-to point of contact for any and all customer-service experiences.”

I took a picture of a ruined package I received at Christmas.  I sent a message that read “Thanks UPS.” They replied within five minutes and helped me get the merchandise replaced. THAT’S CUSTOMER SERVICE! 

“Social media is no longer “the new big thing” — it’s a set of tools to help you move toward your desired goals in sales, marketing, PR and brand awareness. Decide which growth-point is most vital for your business now and adjust your strategy accordingly; increasing sales, growing awareness, reaching new audiences and minimizing negative experiences are important, but separate, goals.”

Bottom line? It’s how we all get our information. So if you aren’t there, you’re out of luck. So you need to decide how you will use the available platforms. 

“When a follower posts a relevant response to one of your messages, you need to respond in a timely manner and with equally relevant content. Even short “thanks!” can go a long way.”

I had a blog and had lots of traffic. People eventually migrated to Social Media (Facebook) so I went that way. I still use the blog, but more for a place to post original content.  People want to be where you are. So if you don’t respond, they will move on and not come back. Most folks are voyeuristic. They want that contact with you. 

“The strongest relationships developed via social media begin through interaction based on shared interests, values or experiences. Without the same give-and-take you’d engage in face-to-face it’s nearly impossible to create and maintain lasting rapport.”

Once again: Brilliance. It’s just human nature to look for things we have in common.  And what’s true in Mississippi is also true in Social Media. If people don’t feel like they know you, they’ll ignore you.

Don’t beg: “It may seem counter-intuitive, but asking for “Likes,” followers, favorites and shares across any social media channel is an immediate turn off, as explained by Mashable. Not only as an obvious sign of desperation, begging reduces any amount of social proof you’ve built solidly through reputation.”

Seriously. When I was a teenager, I wanted a girlfriend really badly. But desperate people look, well, desperate. Build your audience through quality content and engagement. 

THIS IS THE HARDEST THING FOR PEOPLE TO GET! —–>

“The 80/20 rule outlined by Entrepreneur can keep your business or brand’s reputation free from the crass, commercial-minded misstep of just shilling for a quick buck. Social media is an arena best used for generating and expanding awareness, adding broader value through conversation and building relationships with like-minded people who will become clients, customers or advocates. Pushing a product or service as a value-add within a conversation, or in the context of news, helps avoid being labeled a spammer — or worse, being mocked.”

Don’t just promote the special of the day. Social media is the way for people to feel like they know you. 

What happens when the Tweet hits the fan?

“Recently, major brands like Denny’s, Ragu and Toshiba have stumbled in the social media playground, not only shamed by users for co-opting slang and cultural memes, but elevated to the international level by blogs like Gawker Media, who delight in magnifying public brand embarrassment into world-wide exposure. ” 

Oops. Remember – -it just takes one poorly worded post to tear down everything you’ve built. (The Ashton Krutcher debacle)

This is directly from the post: The best way to manage a social media crisis on each platform

“HOW TO MANAGE A CRISIS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

FACEBOOK

WHAT’S BEST: Announcements, invitations, photo galleries, videos, and longer-form storytelling work very well on Facebook. Any content immediately interesting and conversation-worthy will keep people coming back.

IN A CRISIS: Learn to distinguish unhappy customers from trolls. If a customer or client shares a negative story or comment, don’t engage immediately. If you can’t respond privately, express empathy for their experience and offer to open a calm dialogue, over direct message, to resolve the issue. Reaching out privately is always best as it reduces the opportunity for the exchange to become magnified as a public performance.

DON’T EVER: Don’t respond to trolls, ever — use blocking features or report them. Give yourself a waiting period when responding to negative comments, to reduce the potential blowback from posting in anger.

LINKEDIN

WHAT’S BEST: LinkedIn is a must for any business, brand or working professional — it’s most powerfully used as continual networking, recruiting and value sharing.

IN A CRISIS: Users are less likely to post reviews of businesses, though personal recommendations are incredibly common and encouraged through the platform’s interface. However, comments of any kind can be posted in response to individual posts, which typically run for a short lifecycle in user feeds.

DON’T EVER: Avoid using LinkedIn for content that is excessively personal, or not relevant to a business networking audience. Joining LinkedIn groups to post offers, obvious ads or low-value posts is considered spam, at best. Purchasers of LinkedIn InMail plans allow users to send messages to users they aren’t connected with, but observe common-sense rules and don’t spam.

TWITTER

WHAT’S BEST: In the realm of business, Twitter has replaced customer service as a first point-of-contact for both negative and positive experiences. Observe basic rules for addressing complaints, criticisms and troll messages in this, most volatile, of all public spheres and transition disputes to private, direct messages whenever possible. Twitter is key for expanding awareness, special incentive offers and linking to longer-form content that add value. Just be careful while co-opting popular memes, current slang and trending hashtags without forethought, or risk stirring up ridicule. 

IN A CRISIS: More so than any other channel, Twitter makes mass-conversation as easily spread and impossible to control as a wildfire. For good or groan. If you’re not actively provoking controversy, your small or medium-sized business likely won’t ever inflame a negative PR storm. 

DON’T EVER: Block trolls rather than responding directly, but don’t ignore legitimate complaints — users can easily launch smear campaigns against brands and businesses they feel have slighted them. And don’t ever feel discouraged by the possibility of negative feedback — unless your business has a problem or conflict with multiple people simultaneously, the likelihood of bad PR surrounding an SMB is slim-to-none.

YELP

WHAT’S BEST: Unless your company is online-only, listing on Yelp is becoming perhaps more vital than LinkedIn for any business involved in customer service, retail or brick & mortar. Once listed, add rich descriptions and all relevant information, as well as photo galleries to ensure your first-glance impression is a first-class lure to potential customers and clients. Be careful of asking or aggressively incentivizing users to post positive ratings in exchange for discounts or freebies — feel free to reward great reviews, privately. The use of discretion will help create that “warm-fuzzy” illusion, making a lasting positive impression.

IN A CRISIS: Yelp is becoming notorious for angry, negative and even satirical business reviews. The rules of engagement listed earlier are perhaps even more vital to adhere to, as your collective, user-submitted star-rating on the site can either massively boost or bury a small business struggling to get noticed. Be careful with public replies; even an innocuous positive message to a happy customer can create a distancing effect with every other person you didn’t personally thank or acknowledge.

DON’T EVER: Take a lesson from Amy’s Baking Company’s failure and don’t ever post angry, vitriolic or argumentative replies to negative reviews. Always offer to discuss and mediate the situation over a direct message to maintain contextual control. Even if the negative review remains, users will have the opportunity to view your level-headed response and offer to rectify the situation.

SIX THINGS YOU SHOULD NEVER DO ON SOCIAL MEDIA.  from MAY 14, 2013 , Forbes Magazine by Kelly Clay.

This is based on a restaurant in Arizona that was featured on Chef Gordon Ramsay’s show Kitchen Nightmares, Amy’s Baking Company Bakery Boutique & Bistro. They had an “epic” meltdown on Facebook.

“Customers aren’t exactly fond of Amy’s either; reviews on Yelp YELP +4.17% call the restaurant “horrible” and accuse the owners of stealing waitresses’ tips. To make matters even worse, the Bouzaglos are notorious for their outrageous responses to these reviews on Yelp.”

Chapter Three: Platform Michael Hyatt

Exceed audience expectations. Create content to meet your audience’s expectations and needs. Uses the example of Spiderman:Turn off the Dark — a show on Broadway.

1. What is the product or experience you want to created or transform into a wow?
2. How will the customer feel about the experience?
3. What specific expeditions does the typical customer bring to this experience?
4. What does failing to meet those expectations look like?
5. What does meeting them look like?

Uses the lobby example.

My alarm was set for 3:59. My eyes opened at 3:45. My feet hit the floor seconds later. I walked onto the football field at 4:40 and by 5:00, I was stretching. My rotator cuff hurts — hell, my whole body hurts.

I have nothing to complain about.

A person I admire is fighting for his life in a local hospital. Another friend is facing a tough breast cancer battle.

I have no problems.

I pushed through my workout. Sure, there were times when I needed coaching. And there were times when I felt completely exhausted.

My mind floated back to my friends. To the fragility of life. To the unfairness of it all. We are not guaranteed a damn thing, yet we treat our lives like we are. We procrastinate and we whine. We complain about the trivial. We hate when we should love. We make bad choices and then blame others for the consequences.

Sweat poured off my nose and I ran my drills. I lifted weights and pushed myself through my pain.

I have no problems.

I have nothing to complain about.

Today we discussed the role of Social media in an emergency and the first two chapters of Michael Hyatt’s book, Platform.

Notes from Platform but Michael Hyatt.

Chapter One: Create a Compelling Product (Content).

1. There are two critical parts to the success equation: A compelling product (the what) and a significant platform (the who). We will study the different platforms later. But right now, let’s focus on content – your product. Without compelling content, you won’t have an audience, a tribe or a platform.
2. If you don’t have a compelling product, it doesn’t matter how good you are at Social Media.
3. David Ogilvy (a marketing and advertising guru) “Great marketing only makes a bad product fail faster.”
4. “It’s the product stupid.” Product is the key.
5. Create Products you Would Personally Use. Write about something you are passionate about and provide social media content that you would find interesting. Produce content that makes a difference in people’s lives.
6. Create Products that solve problems in unexpected ways.

You are Not So Smart — A blog by David McRaney From Hattiesburg. Describes ways your brain is deluding you. http://youarenotsosmart.com

Think “what would make this really cool?”

7. Create products that exceed your customer’s expectations. We have become content with mediocrity. We aim low and execute even lower. If you want to create a social media platform, you have to have passion.

Chapter Two: Bake in the Wow.

1. Blake Mycoskie: Created TOMS Shoes after a trip to Argentina (and saw kids without shoes.) For every pair of shoes sold, TOMS matches it – one for one –with a pair of new shoes given to a kid sin need. By Sept. 10, TOMS and given away one million pairs of shoes.  Find a need and fill it. Be original. Be special. But be yourself.
2. Must be able recognize what “Wow” is. Birth of a kid. First kiss. Flying for the first time.
3. Each wow experience has some combination of the following ten elements: 1. Surprise. 2. Anticipation. (almost as good was the experience itself) 3. Resonance (touches the heart) 4. Transcendence (Connects you to something transcendent – you experience purpose, meaning or even God.) 5. Clarity. Helps see things clearer. 6. Presence – You are in the moment. 7. Universality. Nearly universal in their amazingness. Like the Grand Canyon, 8. Evangelism. Makes people become unpaid evangilists. (Facebook Likes or shares, for example. Twitter RT’s 9. Longevity. The experience never fades. 10. Privilege. You feel honored to share it.

Popular Content

This week’s news reinforced something: Don’t be a victim.

The shooter in Virginia, a narcissist if there ever was one, blamed everyone for every problem he had — yet in the end, he was his own downfall. (Unfortunately, he took two souls with him and wounded a third)

The Katrina recovery also reminded me that being a victim only slows down getting back on your feet. I talked to so many people who mourned and then got busy cleaning, rebuilding and recovering. That’s so important to remember. Work cures a lot of ills.

Bad things happen. And when they do, you deal with them how you can. But you learn your lesson and then get to work. I think of all the problems I’ve had — and most of them are my own fault. I didn’t take care of what I had control of. Sure, the bad things still would have happened — but I would have been in a better position when they did.

The people on the Coast truly were victims. But so many people chose not to stay one.

That’s something that sticks with me. It’s the first step to recovery no matter what the disaster is in your life.

Things I learned from Katrina:

1. Don’t drive in the middle of a landfalling hurricane. I had two trees nearly crush me and saw an interstate sign fly off its poles.
2. Trees do unnatural things when faced with 70+ mph winds for 12 hours.
3. Have three-days worth of supplies on hand — even if you live inland. You can’t depend on someone to come save you.
4. Civilization breaks down quickly without electricity. I pay my power bill with gratitude.
5. Civilization breaks down even quicker without gasoline.
6. Make sure your windows aren’t painted shut.
7. When things get bad, we get good. I was impressed with how we helped our neighbors after the storm.
8. Like an orange, you can tell what’s inside people when they are squeezed.
9. People (and organizations) who are rigid and can only follow a plan will fail after a disaster. People who are nimble and can improvise on the fly succeed.
10. Human beings are resilient creatures.

Someone yelled across the newsroom, “Water is on the third floor of the Beau Rivage!!”

It was at that moment, I knew the Mississippi Gulf Coast would be changed forever.

That was ten years ago today. And the Gulf Coast has been changed. The definition of recovery is “the action or process of regaining possession or control of something stolen or lost.” The Gulf Coast hasn’t recovered. And in some ways it will never will. But it’s stronger, different, and like scar tissue, tougher. Through the loss, the cleanup, the battles over insurance, the flood plain maps, the inability to rebuild, the change and then the BP Oil Spill, our friends on the Coast have gone through Hell.

Today should be a celebration of their resilience, not Katrina’s brutality.

Yesterday I had the honor of attending a celebration for First Responders in Gulfport. It was the right way to celebrate the right people. I was surrounded by heroes and a few politicians. Mississippi tragically lost 238 but without the bravery of the first responders, that total would have been much, much higher.

Afterwards, I drove down Highway 90 to Pass Christian. I passed empty lot after empty lot. Memories began to crash like Katrina’s surge.

Ten years ago, I worked with Camp Coast Care at several sites nearby and wanted to revisit them. One site, a house near the Walmart, was the the last house destroyed by the surge on the street. It was a cruel twist of fate for its owner Steve and his family. My team and I were helping clean up the lot and looking for his wife’s ring. It was a classic “needle in the haystack” moment.

It was December, cold and rainy. As we scooped through the muck and debris, onne of my fellow volunteers said, “this is nuts.” I smiled and said, “We’re here in the name of our church and I can’t think of a moment closer to God than helping someone heal.”

We didn’t find the ring.

During a break Steve, showed me a white Ford Ranger truck across the street. “That’s where my neighbor’s carport was. They stayed. They drowned. Four more people behind them drowned.” I took a picture and later drew the scene. It’s a drawing that’s the most emotional I’ve ever drawn.

There was also a mid-1960’s Chevrolet pickup sitting down the street. Camille had sucked it out. Katrina had brought it back.

Yesterday I revisited Steve’s homesite. As Dustin Barnes​ and I were looking at the places where I had worked, Steve came out of his rebuilt concrete home. I asked, “Are you Steve?” He said yes but didn’t know me. I introduced myself, told him I had been one of the volunteers who had helped him look for the ring. He smiled and said, “They found that ring two weeks later. Someone sank a shovel in the dirt near where our bedroom had been and there it was.”

They had found the ring.

Steve said, “Everyone is talking about the anniversary but I’d really like to forget.” I heard that a lot yesterday. I’m sure a good number of Katrina survivors have PTSD. And I’m sure watching videos and seeing pictures of the storm will be tough on them today.

But as I drove away from Steve’s new home, I felt happiness for him and pride in the people of the Gulf Coast. Their wounds are healing stronger.

Like the live oaks that dot the Coast, they consistently survive whatever nature throws at them.

Here are the articles I am going to discuss today in class. Click on the headlines to read the articles.

USA Today: Murder on Social Media — Killer wanted World to Watch 

“The Twitter and Facebook accounts were created just last week.

Videos labeled as tests were added.

Then, as the nation learned that two journalists had been shot to death during a live TV broadcast Wednesday, the self-identified gunman used those accounts to post chilling videos showing him approach the scene, raise his gun and fire.”

Washington Post: Killer’s Ultimate Selfie: Roanoke Horror Becoming the New Norm

“Rage, narcissism, a gun and social media combined for a particularly excruciating display of horror Wednesday morning. After murdering two former colleagues during a live TV news stand-up, the Roanoke killer uploaded a horrifying message to his Twitter account: “I filmed the shooting see Facebook.”

AP: On-Air Killings Gripped Millions on Social Media

“Within hours, the carefully scripted carnage carried out by a disgruntled former colleague spread to millions of viewers gripped by what had transformed into a social media storm. The governor initially described a car chase on his weekly radio show, with police on the shooter’s tail on an interstate highway.

Social Media Shows Best and Worst Side of Journalist Shootings

“In this case, Flanagan not only was the focus of the story, he also drove it by posting his own perspective on Twitter and Facebook.

The lack of editors and gatekeepers curating breaking news becomes combined with the self-aggrandizing tendencies encouraged by social media in a kind of perfect storm for the promotion of violence.”

CBS News: Social Media played a big part in shooting.  

Question of the day: How would have Katrina been different with Social Media (and if the cell service had stayed on).

From Katrina to Sandy: How the Internet Spread the Word

“How did people get their updates in 2005?

Some of the differences are obvious. Of course, these days we don’t have to rely just on the talking heads on television, or even experts on the Internet, to tell us what’s going on; we can get our updates directly from our friends and family, who can post updates in real time on social networks.

But it’s not just about how we get our news, it’s about the resources that have been put in place by those networks to help people. As people shift the way that they get their news and updates, many of the biggest online resources have stepped up to the plate to really deliver help to those in need.’

When Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans in August of 2005, killing 1,833 people, and costing $108 billion in damage, there was no Twitter or YouTube. Even Facebook was less than a year old.

Without According to a Pew Internet report from November 2005, only 50% of all Internet users got information about Hurricanes Katrina or Rita online. This was only about 72 million people at the time.

Around 73% of those 72 million people got their news from a major news organization, by far the biggest piece of the pie. Websites for non-profits were the second most visited, with only 32% visiting them.”

Grandpa had said the house had survived Camille. But Grandpa wasn’t here fighting for his life — He was safely in his grave. Caught in the middle of Hurricane Katrina, Linda Grambling was trying desperately to avoid hers.

Katrina’s storm surge was crushing Camille’s records and the seaside homes in Linda’s Waveland neighborhood. Brown water swilled as the wind howled.

“So this is Hell?” Linda thought as she thrashed her arms in the surf. Fire ants landed on her face and bit her.

She had made it to her home’s second floor before it collapsed. Her face was pressed against the ceiling when the walls crumbled.  This was no way to die. Fatigue in her body burned like the ant bites on her face. She washed toward the railroad tracks — although she really couldn’t tell.  The water continued to rise and push her inland.  It looked like Noah’s worst nightmare.

“Omigod,” she feared, “I’ll get sucked out to sea if I don’t drown first.”

“Where’s Superman?” she thought. “Where’s Batman? Anyone? I need a superhero.”

She grabbed onto an oak limb and held onto it as tightly as she could. Her legs wrapped around the tree as she prayed it would hold.  The current ripped at her clothes and boards battered her body.

Safe for the moment, Linda closed her eyes.

“Where’s Superman?” she thought. “Where’s Batman? Anyone? I need a superhero.”

Slowly, the sea tired of its assault of the land and retreated back to the Mississippi Sound.  Linda, exhausted, passed out.

She awoke to tomb quiet. And then a faint hiss from what sounded like a gas line. There were no birds or bugs. She heard a faint “Help,” in the distance.  She then heard it again. It was a male voice.  “Help, my wife needs help.”

“Where’s Superman?” she thought. “Where’s Batman? Ironman? Anyone?

She carefully shimmied down the tree. When she got to the final limb it broke, sending her tumbling to the ground. Her body hit hard on top of a pile of boards. Nails impaled her hand and foot.  She felt Christ’s pain.

The land smelled like salt water, wet wood and death. She had no idea what time it was: Her watch had been ripped off her. So had her shirt.  She felt around and at least had her pants and bra on.  She would have died of embarrassment otherwise.

“Help!” the cries grew fainter. And then they were replaced with another noise.  More voices. This time deeper and stronger: “Hello?!? Anyone alive?”

“OVER HERE!” she responded.

Two figures approached her from North. She looked at them and saw her cries had been answered. Superman and Batman walked toward her!

She reached out her hand to her superheroes and then saw who they really were.

They were a Waveland police officer and a paramedic.  Both were battered. But both were there to help.

“Don’t worry ma’am, you’ll be OK.”

As they helped her to her feet, she knew that the superheroes of Katrina didn’t wear capes.