How to NOT calculate Social Media R.O.I.

So Andrew Mueller (@andrewmueller) pointed me to this Social Media R.O.I. calculator thing yesterday, and I have to admit that I was pretty psyched at first that someone had figured out how to create what I thought was… well, impossible to create in a table/equation type format. That was until I started actually looking at [...]

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The importance of speaking your clients’ language.

Somewhere in the subtext of yesterday’s post about what R.O.I. is and isn’t lives the realization that business managers and marketing people speak different languages. A few of you touched on this in your comments, so great job zeroing-in on the fact that each side has its own unique vocabulary, its own nomenclature, it’s own [...]

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ROI vs. “Impact on X” – Understanding what Social Media ROI is and isn’t.

Don’t want to read the post? Watch the video. (It’s faster.) Note: That last little part got cut a little short, but you’ll get the point. Okay, so it became obvious to me last week that the term R.O.I. has been seriously corrupted in Marketing and Social Media circles lately, and it might not hurt [...]

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The answer to most of your business’ problems is simply this: Be helpful.

I was digging through the vault yesterday, when I stumbled upon this fantastic post from Chris Brogan I had bookmarked almost a year ago: I believe we’re going to shift back to thinking customer service and community management are the core and not the fringe. I believe we’re going to move our communications practices back [...]

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Memorial Day

yours truly, in a previous career – circa 1993. From Wikipedia: Memorial Day is a United States Federal holiday observed on the last Monday of May (in 2008 on May 26). Formerly known as Decoration Day, it commemorates U.S. men and women who perished while in military service to their country. First enacted to honor [...]

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Real Social Media R.O.I. – Part 4: FRY Metrics

Before I wrap this Social Media ROI discussion together for you with a neat little bow, I have to give credit where credit is due: I didn’t come up with this stuff all on my own. I adapted this simple methodology over time to meet the needs of clients who needed real, actionable, simple metrics [...]

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Getting back to real R.O.I. – Part 3

Now that we’ve talked about Reach (Breadth and Depth) as well as Frequency, let’s chat about Yield. The simplest definition of yield (in the context of sales and metrics) is this: Yield = the average dollar amount per transaction. Watch the video to get a clearer explanation of what that means or how it relates [...]

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Footnote: The Yin and Yang nature of Social Media R.O.I.

Okay… A few very smart peeps are still having trouble with my pragmatic approach to talking about Social Media R.O.I. this week, and I want to reassure everyone that I haven’t suddenly turned into a soul-less corporate monkey. (Thanks for the concern though. You guys rock.) Fact: The value of having brands use Social Media [...]

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Getting back to real R.O.I. – Part 2

Yesterday, we talked about the importance of being able to discuss real R.O.I. with a decision-maker who just doesn’t get Social Media yet. Instead of trying to “sell” them on the benefits of conversations and developing relationships, I suggested a more pragmatic approach: Basically explaining to them how Social Media can be used to increase [...]

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Getting back to real ROI – Part 1

So you want to start or grow a customer engagement, community-building or social media practice at work (or for a client) and you’re having a tough time getting the key decision-maker onboard? Guess what: You’re probably doing more selling than listening. Shut up and ask them what they need. Chances are, they’ll tell you they [...]

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Stop selling “Social Media” and start selling results.

Fact: Even after you’ve talked to them at length about it, most of the decision-makers you are talking to still have no idea how Social Media can help their business. Heck, they may not even completely understand how developing relationships with customers, building a great brand or taking the time to help communities grow around [...]

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How a single question can turn your business around today.

Design For Users‘ Kristi Colvin (@kriscolvin on Twitter) had some pretty powerful brand management advice recently that is well worth sharing here. Check this out: “The heart of a brand, like that of an individual, is vulnerable. It must be both soft enough to prove genuine caring, and strong enough to withstand scrutiny and adversity. [...]

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Hamthrax Mania – Part 2: (Crickets)

This post is a follow-up to Part 1 Is anyone talking about the killer plague anymore? What was it called again? Ah yes: Swine Flu. H1N1… or N1H1 or whatever. Hamthrax for short. Funny, it seemed just a little over a week ago that this was a serious threat to humanity. Remember all the terrifying [...]

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The FIRE Sessions 2009 – The posts and the photo essay

My coverage of The FIRE Sessions 2009 is happening over at the Brains On Fire blog today, so why don’t you guys all head on over there and check it out? I gotz pictures and wisdom from the sessions and everything! It’s pretty rad. Here are the links to the three posts: Part 1:  The [...]

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Oooops! No Wi-Fi?!?! What?

Okay, so the plan was to blog live from today’s FIRE Sessions but as luck would have it, the wi-fi at the Peace Center for the performing arts (where the event was held) didn’t exactly want to cooperate. So… all I managed to do was tweet about it via my BlackBerry Storm. (Check out the [...]

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The FIRE Sessions – 2009

It isn’t every day that I get invited to guest blog for Brains on Fire (yes, the legendary identity company based right here in the 864), so today is a really big treat for me. (I’ve been a fan for a loooooooong time.) Not only that, but I get to hang out with them all [...]

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We have that under control.

If I had a dollar for every time I have heard a company either say these words or infer them, I would be driving a much nicer car. “We have that under control.” Sure you do. That is why you are seeing 1,000%+ YoY growth. That is why you are the category leader in your [...]

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On the substance of success

From Tim Coote‘s always brilliant and enjoyable blog: “When people ask me how do you make it in show business or whatever, what I always tell them — And nobody ever takes note of it ‘cuz it’s not the answer they wanted to hear. What they want to hear is here’s how you get an [...]

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Sales vs. Marketing

“The aim of marketing is to know and understand the customer so well the product or service fits him and sells itself.” – Peter Drucker Amen. If you have to sit there and work to sell it, there’s a marketing department somewhere that’s at fault. Read Tom Asacker’s letter to Tom Peters to find out [...]

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E-Mail Marketing FAIL #239

This is the email I received from a web design company today: We have not received any reply yet. You are receiving this email because we wish you to use our web design service. We are web design studio from China. We are specialized in web page design, website development, graphics & multi-media design, flash [...]

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