marketing failure Archives - Page 4 of 9 by Mark Murnahan

Will Bloomingdale’s Sue Over Meta Tags and a Link?

I have a question for Bloomingdale’s, and then I will move on with the story. Here is my question: “Dear Bloomingdale’s: Did you bump your collective head?”

Bloomingdale’s department store sent me a cease and desist notice for mentioning them, along with a link to their website. Strangely, I find that other companies such as Microsoft, Apple, Pepsi, and other brands don’t seem to mind positive mention from the public. No, instead, they seem to like all of those mentions of their brand name along with links to their websites. It is what makes them more popular, and it is good for SEO. That means search engine optimization, Bloomingdale’s.

Do you ever come across a company that makes you absolutely convinced that somebody “upstairs” in the corporation took one too many drunken stage dives? I do, and I got that feeling today when I sorted through an email spam folder. I discovered threatening letters from Bloomingdale’s department store claiming they plan to sue me if I do not remove their name from one of my websites.

So, what in the name of all things rational is fleeting through the legal minds at Bloomingdale’s? Are they trying to squash all mentions of their brand name on the Internet, or did they just pick on my 2002 relic that listed their website in a shopping directory?

Aside from the fact that they emailed me a spam-ish form letter, it kind of made me wonder if they just don’t receive the Internet over in their part of the world. Oh yes, Bloomingdale’s is based in New York, NY, and I know they must have access to mostly the same Internet as the rest of us. It seems odd that they didn’t figure out those links are good for them.

Maybe they are just too damn tired of being in business and want to call it quits. Maybe they have enough business, and just thumb their nose at all of the rif-raf out here on the silly and icky Internet. It beats me, but there is definitely something resembling last year’s tuna salad. It doesn’t smell healthy to me.

It made me wonder just what asinine sort of “unbranding” they are seeking by picking on me. Bloomingdale’s actually wants to erase a positive mention and a website link to their company, and they threatened a lawsuit to make it happen. Who is running the Bloomingdale’s Internet campaigns? Is it the “stars” from Jersey Shore?

To me, it seems they are having one of those moments that you or I may call a “shit the bed” encounter. You know, one of those times when you wake up ready for a challenge and say “Damn, I am feeling way too smart, and it has been a while since I topped my all time stupidest moment.”

Before I go too far, let me just say this: If you should choose to link to my website as a good resource for the SEO and social media marketing services I offer, it is pretty unlikely that I will send you nasty email messages filled with idiotic idle threats about suing you. I don’t sue for Twitter retweets, Digg votes, or Facebook likes, either. No, instead, I will more likely send you a pair of lips to virtually kiss you square on the mouth. In any case, I will not treat you the way Bloomingdale’s Department Store treated me!

Bloomingdale’s Threatens to Sue for Promoting Them

I have included letters that I received describing Bloomingdale’s threats to sue for using their name in a shopping directory (see below). I omitted the URL where the alleged offense occurred, but not because there was any violation. I simply do not intend to give the Bloomingdale’s website link on that page any further relevance by mentioning it here.

The website in question was from a retail example website for my wholesale Internet access company. It was created as a working demo for wholesale ISP (Internet service provider) clients. Although it once had many dial-up customers, we didn’t even market that site when it did have the option of signing up for dial-up Internet access. Our business is selling services to other ISPs.

Each of these letters from Bloomingdale’s are mostly the same rhetoric, and they each demand that I remove the content within five days. My thoughts for Bloomingdale’s are as follows:

Five days are up, Bloomingdale’s. Let’s shit or get off the crapper. Bring on the lawsuit and let’s see what the Internet public thinks of it. Maybe I will sue you back for being disastrously lame in your online acuity. My sense of the matter is that your legal and marketing departments should borrow a brain cell from a store clerk and stop fighting over just one.

At first, I was torn between whether to let you know just how badly you need my services to avoid coming off as a douchebag company, or whether to let others decide whether you are a douchebag company. I chose the latter, but you should probably read more of my work to determine the former. A better strategy to your online marketing efforts seems desperately in order.

Bloomingdale’s Demand Letters

Before I leave you to review the Bloomingdale’s demand letters I received, I want to say this:

Bloomingdale’s, Bloomingdale’s, Bloomingdale’s … nanny nanny boo boo. I used your name again. When you write up that lawsuit, just be sure to spell my name right.

Just one more outrageously funny thing I must mention is the Bloomingdale’s expressed concern for their name appearing in meta tags. That makes it seem even clearer to me that they are stuck in the “Miami Vice” and “Chaka Kahn” era.

Hello? Year 2011 calling Bloomingdale’s! If you are paying attention, you should probably have somebody in your “brainiac” eye tee department read “SEO Meta Tags: Oh, You Must Be Another SEO Expert!“ Perhaps they should check out the meta tags on this page while they are at it.

MARIE CAMACHO
FACSIMILE: 646-429-7521/22
EMAIL: infringement.response@macys.com

2/16/2011

VIA E-MAIL

Re: Notice of Infringement on the Bloomingdale’s Trademark

To Whom It May Concern:

This office is counsel to Macy’s, Inc., its subsidiaries, and operating divisions, including those operating Bloomingdale’s department stores (herein referred to as “Bloomingdale’s”.) Bloomingdale’s is the owner of all rights, title and interest in and to the BLOOMINGDALE’S® name and trademark, which is the basis for an extensive family of trademarks and service marks. The BLOOMINGDALE’S® family of marks is the subject of numerous active registrations with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for a wide range of products and services. Bloomingdale’s has continuously invested substantial time, money and effort in the marketing and sale of products and services represented by this mark nationwide. As a result, the BLOOMINGDALE’S® name has become famous. It represents an exceptional level of consumer recognition and goodwill and is a property of incalculable value to the company.

Bloomingdale’s recently became aware of your use of the Bloomingdale’s trademark in meta tags (and/or hidden text) at http://www.********* used to attract Internet traffic to your web site. Your use of this trademark to attract Internet traffic is an obvious attempt to capitalize upon the goodwill associated with Bloomingdale’s for your company’s benefit by diverting buyers. More particularly, the Lanham Act, 15 U.S. Code Section 1117 provides for recovery of profits and damages, as well as a sum of up to three times the amount of damages for violations of Section 1125(a).

Accordingly, demand is made that you immediately cease-and-desist from any further use of the Bloomingdale’s trademark name in the meta tags (and/or hidden text) on your web site. Additionally, we must receive your written assurances that you will make no use of Bloomingdale’s registered mark in your business affairs in the future.

Provided you immediately comply with our reasonable demands, a lawsuit may be avoided. If your unauthorized use of Bloomingdale’s intellectual property continues and we do not hear from you within five (5) days of the date of this letter, my client has already authorized the filing of a suit against your company, seeking immediately injunctive relief and all damages allowable under the law.

We shall be monitoring your website and await your response in writing to this office. Should you have any questions or comments regarding Bloomingdale’s position in this matter, please contact me via e-mail. Nothing herein shall constitute a waiver of any of Bloomingdale’s rights in law or in equity, all of which are expressly reserved.

Thank you for helping us protect our brand. If you are authorized to use our intellectual property and believe you have received this in error, please provide the name and number of your contact within the company in order to verify your use and close the matter.

Sincerely,

Marie Camacho

MARIE CAMACHO
FACSIMILE: 646-429-7521/22
EMAIL: infringement.response@macys.com

2/23/2011

Re: Notice of Infringement on the Bloomingdale’s Trademark

To Whom It May Concern:

Bloomingdale’s recently became aware of your use of the Bloomingdale’s trademark in meta tags (and/or hidden text) at http://www.*********.com used to attract Internet traffic to your web site. Your use of this trademark to attract Internet traffic is an obvious attempt to capitalize upon the goodwill associated with Bloomingdale’s for your company’s benefit by diverting buyers. More particularly, the Lanham Act, 15 U.S. Code Section 1117 provides for recovery of profits and damages, as well as a sum of up to three times the amount of damages for violations of Section 1125(a).

Sincerely,

Marie Camacho

MARIE CAMACHO
FACSIMILE: 646-429-7521/22
EMAIL: infringement.response@macys.com

3/2/2011

To Whom It May Concern:

In order to avoid formal legal action, we are writing once more to follow up to our earlier letter to you regarding your use of Macy’s Inc. trademark (Bloomingdale’s) in the meta data of your website http://www.*********.com. As explained in our previous letter, Macy’s Inc. has well established rights in this mark and it is well known to consumers throughout the world.

As you know, Macy’s Inc. recently became aware of your unauthorized use of its trademark and sent you a letter requesting that you cease and desist from such use (and confirm same in writing). As of this date, we have not received a response from you about this matter, and the infringing content still appears in the code of your website. Your failure to act upon receipt of our notice underscores that your use is willful, exposing you to up to three times the amount of damages typically awarded for violations of Section 1125(a).

Your infringing use of our property is an obvious attempt to legitimize your website and/or divert traffic from this company’s authorized site. Accordingly, we reiterate our demand that you terminate the use of our brand in the meta data of your web site, and provide written assurances that you will make no use of Macy’s Inc.’s marks or other intellectual property in your business affairs in the future.

Provided you immediately comply with our reasonable demands, a lawsuit may be avoided. If your unauthorized use of our intellectual property continues and we do not hear from you within five (5) business days of the date of this letter, we reserve the right to pursue any and all remedies without further notice, including the filing of a suit against you seeking immediate injunctive relief and all damages allowable under the law. We shall be monitoring your website and await your response in writing to this email address.

Nothing herein shall constitute a waiver of any of Macy’s rights in law or in equity, all of which are expressly reserved.

Sincerely,

Marie Camacho

Photo Credit: Combination enema and douche syringe by Shattonbury via Wikipedia

Business Tip: People Think Better When They Are Paid Well

Think about your worst times in your career. You were probably stressed by a lot of little things that seemed bigger than they really were, and perhaps some really big challenges, too. Deadlines, coworkers, health, family, finances, and other stressful issues can make it feel like everything is spiraling out of control. Some challenges can be used to build a company stronger, but it is far more common that they become destructive.

I am going to give you a bit of information that you can email to your boss with confidence, tweet on Twitter, “Like” on Facebook, and best of all … you can blame me for being the one who gave your boss this uncommon piece of common sense.

Is there a solution? I have found through more than two decades in business for myself, and from consulting with many businesses, the majority of business challenges can be improved with more money. That could mean hiring a better accountant, bringing in a strategist, improved inventory and purchasing capability, or having the right equipment to do the job at hand. The list of enhancements is long, but let’s just say that money can bring about a lot of improvements in a company.

One of the greatest improvements to a business comes from the quality of life of the people who make the business what it is. You cannot separate the people from the business, and if you try, you will fail!

Think of it like this for a moment: About half of all marriages in America end in a divorce. The two biggest causes that people claim are infidelity and finances. I suspect that much of that infidelity is because they don’t have enough money to have sex with their spouse! Come on, really, how sexy is an unproductive or frustrated spouse, after all?

Yes, sex and money break people down and make them less productive, even in their marriages. So how could it even be possible that this does not affect their business life, too? It is not possible, because businesses are made up of their people. Fragile or strong, focused or fragmented, those people are what make a company whatever it becomes. This is why, as a consultant, I have always suggested investing wisely in the people, and I have recommended as many pay raises as job terminations.

Money Can Help Most Business Challenges

Money does not fix everything, but in a business, it can facilitate a lot of things which are not otherwise possible. If more money can help a business, and I think this is very true for most if not all companies, then how do you make that happen? It generally requires doing more of the business that pays the company profits. That means marketing, and marketing well!

I have been in business long enough to know just about every conceivable cause of stress. Fortunately, I have been in business long enough to heal from a good number of those stresses, too. I am not spying on you and looking over your shoulder, but I really do know more about your challenges than you may give me credit. That is because I have been there, and I have consulted a squillion companies with troubles just like yours.

Most of the people around you have encountered some sort of stress in their business lives, too. If they say they have not, they are either lying, or their brain just blocked it out in order to preserve their sanity. The biggest challenge that most people in business shudder to discuss is money. In most business owners’ minds, a lack of money means they did not do their job as well as the next person. It gives them a feeling of shame. The truth is that it often just means they did not market their business as well.

If you don’t believe me about the importance of marketing, just consider all of those things like a Snuggie or a Slap Chop which had phenomenal success, against all odds. Without marketing, they would still be “stupid” ideas in some inventors mind. Instead, they were stupid ideas that turned into millions of dollars in somebody’s bank account.

If you are really not sure what these items are, check out this video about the Snuggie. It has received over 16 million views on YouTube, and it is just a parody of an actual Snuggie commercial.

Are you still not convinced about marketing? Consider the Slap Chop. This thing made millions of dollars! Are you kidding me? It is a cheap hunk of plastic with a spokesman who was arrested for beating up a hooker.

It is easy to criticize these and say they are not good marketing, but they achieved their goals. I prefer something less sleazy for my clients, but the important message here is that marketing makes the difference between success and failure in nearly any company of any size.

I realize that it is a tough cycle to break, because in order to do more business, it usually requires an investment. It may take a big and scary investment, but it should not be any more scary than being in business, itself. With the right mindset, and the right facts, it should be like a huge beam of sunshine breaking through the clouds.

Why Marketing Feels Expensive

There is a common perception that marketing is expensive, rather than the reality that not marketing is where the really huge cost comes from. Keeping the doors open on a business without reaching the right customers with the right message they will respond to … now that is expensive!

I see it all the time where a company will send out a flurry of requests for proposals from companies like mine. Companies who think like a Fortune 500 company will focus on the value proposition, and what the cost represents. Smaller or less secure companies will often try to focus on the price, instead of hiring it out to the right people with the right plan. This is why my engagement letter will often include something similar to the statement as follows:

Creative marketing based on solid research is what makes the difference between Pepsi Cola and the one you never heard of. This is the area where the majority of efforts should be focused.

The most effective marketing strategies involve more than price comparisons between a handful of off the cuff proposals, and we know this to be true. This is why I am confident in saying that the best marketing decisions you will make do not center on ill-considered boilerplate proposals designed to wow you.

Instead, those decisions should be based on solid data and confidence that your marketing dollars are spent with somebody who can effectively build your brand and build your profits. That means a lot more than the person with a fast pitch and a price sheet in hand. This engagement is not based on hours worked, but rather on experience and know-how. It will include my focused attention on building your brand and producing long-term equity in your market.

Breaking a Cycle of Destruction

If you want to learn how to break a cycle of destruction in your business and have more money, you must address your marketing. It is what builds your business and provides the additional money that can help most business problems. If any of this rings a bell to you, and if you want more business, I sincerely recommend reading the articles listed below.

In conclusion: None of us are immune to the benefits of peace of mind, nor the frustration of being underpaid. No different from you, your marketing people do the best thinking when they are paid well for it. Fortunately, when marketing is done well, everybody gets paid better!

Here are some articles that I have written regarding the cost of marketing and the mistake of placing cost above value. This is your reading assignment, and I hope you will enjoy them.

Photo Credit: Einstein photo courtesy of hetemeel.com.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Business Evolution and Crash Test Dummies

Take just a moment and reflect on how your job evolved. Whether you are a business owner, manager, or just working your way up the totem pole, look at your career in a snapshot. It is uncommon for a career to move smoothly along its initial planned path, from start to finish. A business entity is no different in this respect.

Companies change a lot over time, and if the business evolution is just right, people are happy. The world is perfect, and you can look out your window to see pink unicorns kissing adorable puppies on the forehead. Business evolution should always be so perfect, but then the human resources department would have the additional job of giving out hugs instead of layoff notices; accounts payable would cheerfully add a bonus for the utility company; and the accounts receivable department would send chocolates with every delinquency notice.

Since career and business are usually not perfect, many disheartened people will give up managing the evolution of their company and the direction of its travel. They end up going for a ride like a crash test dummy waiting for the impact.

Hop in and Ride With Me

I am a huge fan of analogies, and I also love cars and driving, so I am inserting my loves here. Hop in and let me take you for a drive through the typical evolution of a business as it navigates between “point A” and “point B”. Don’t worry, I am a trained driver.

I hear from a lot of businesses struggling to define the path between where they are and where they hope to be. I gather a lot of observations as I listen to these companies, and I uncover many commonalities between them. This helps me to build better strategies. Most of the people I talk with feel like they landed themselves in an industry and with a job title that was at least a few miles away from where they began, or where they expected. This goes for people in every level of a business, from the very bottom to the very top.

It all seems to “woosh” by in such a rush for a lot of business people. Whether you own your company or not, whomever it is who signs your paycheck has probably experienced that same “woosh” effect. So, let’s examine some factors which significantly put on the brakes during the evolution of a business.

In this business evolution, I want you to think about where you find yourself today. I suspect you will find yourself cruising somewhere on this road, either as a driver, navigator, or passenger. Many businesses begin as somebody who found a passion for something, or a perfectly timed opportunity, and grew an idea from a spark into an ember, and eventually into a flame. Now we have the combustion engine … an engine to help move us down the road to where we want to go.

Will the Driver Keep Their Head on the Crash Course?

Fatigued Business Drivers Fall Asleep at the Wheel

Along the road, a business founder usually ends up doing a lot of driving. A small company, and most are small at first, will often begin with somebody acting as the sales, billing, accounts payable, reception, public relations, marketing, and “something else” person. The “something else” is the part that the business is about, whatever it may be … accountant, electrician, car dealer, home builder, surgical supply company, real estate brokerage, cigar shop, or whatever it is. The “something else” is that cargo in the back that we are driving to deliver.

At the start, the company is fueled based on the skills, passion, opportunity, and funding of that same “something else” person at the wheel, and not based on all those many tedious jobs to fill. As the business gains a little momentum from all of that exhaustive work given by a person or small group of people, many of those jobs are delegated properly to others who are fit for the position. They each get their seat in the vehicle that moves the business.

If all goes well, navigators will be reading the road signs and updating the business plan, the business budget, the marketing strategy, and keeping the business driving in a good direction of growth. Much of the navigation lands in the driver’s seat with a tireless owner or manager who has great navigation and driving skills. They drink a lot of coffee to remain alert, and they seldom take their eyes off the road.

I know that it must seem almost impossible, but what happens if their vision gets blurred? What if they get a bit too distracted, or just too familiar with their day to day commute and they relax at the wheel? I’ll tell you what happens, because I am frequently like the dismayed highway patrol officer who arrives on the scene when the vehicle is already out of control. Of course, nobody appreciates me for writing them a citation, but they expect me to be very compassionate when I pull their kids out of the wreckage.

The initial passion, funding, and opportunity of the drivers with the “something else” is usually not enough to safely navigate the business through the winding road and beyond the inherent roadblocks. Even with their eyes fixed on the road, if they let go of the wheel for a split second, the whole trip becomes a big wreck. Many businesses crash with no more than a driver and a passenger or two, but if they made it beyond the earliest road blocks, they may have a bus full of dead crash test dummies.

Fear of the crash is why most people will never own or manage a company.

Killing the Crash Test Dummies

Screeeeeeeech! Slam on the brakes! The business is all of the sudden sliding out of control, and going in unpredictable directions.

The business plan, which was once the road map, is frequently forgotten while the company is still driving down the same road and on the same mission as it was yesteryear. Somebody forgot to budget, so the bills are just being paid as they come in the mail. Marketing strategy? Well, the marketing strategy is to sell as much of this “something else” stuff as possible to put enough money in the bank to cover all of those checks that keep going out.

Many drivers will loosen their seatbelt, ignore the squeaking brakes, and let the fuel gauge needle dip a little too close to the “E” before checking the map for a gas station. They forget to take good advice from employees and other influencers, and begin to treat them like crash test dummies, instead of as the great assets they represent.

It sounds like a pretty nervous way to do business, right? Would you be totally shocked if you found similarities to this in your company? If you are nervously looking in your mirrors like a single occupant in the carpool lane, or grabbing your safety belt like a bus driver with bad brakes, you are not alone. Many companies of all sizes operate this way, and they overlook important steps to better business evolution. Careless driving is one of the biggest killers among businesses.

The most common factor is that the people with that special “something else” let the map fly right out the window. This happens periodically throughout the lifespan of nearly any company. In fact, it may surprise you to ask other business people around you when the last time they thoroughly reviewed and updated their business plan, their budget, or their marketing strategy. This may not apply to Fortune 500 companies, but they often don’t have it just right, either.

Arriving at the Crash Scene

How this came to me today was in a very common exchange with a company manager trying to navigate for his company. He wants his company owner / driver to stop at a gas station to get some racing fuel, instead of just driving along with a dirty windshield. The driver has not crashed in ages, but that is never a good excuse to let the insurance lapse, or to stop using a seatbelt. It not only goes against the laws of business, it can cause a mess for all of the passengers (employees) and bystanders (customers).

The managing navigator flagged me down as the highway patrol because he wants to report his boss for careless driving. In this case, the owner opened the business with that same passion and timely opportunity as others. He has been lucky to navigate well without a map, and with bald tires for years. Since the time he settled into his driver’s seat, his risk of a crash is increased exponentially. His windshield is dirty, his road is filled with potholes, and the other drivers are speeding by him and pointing at his seatbelt dragging on the ground outside his door. Worse yet, he fails to let his backup driver take the wheel when his eyes feel tired.

I am here to check the driver’s license and insurance of this owner / driver, or otherwise to help his top navigator to get in his own car and drive away. The manager is so dismayed by the owner that he is hesitant to continue presenting good ideas. The owner is so accustomed to just going along for the unplanned ride that the manager feels like he is in a crash test, too. It has forced him to decide whether to buy into the company, or to start his own.

Running a business well means maintaining the vehicle, keeping the drivers and navigators on the right road, and so many other things. The hazardous but common truth is that many business drivers will take better care of their car than their business plan, budget, and marketing direction. Instead, they have just stumbled upon a road by chance and circumstance and driven the best they know how with the vehicle they landed in.

Most business people are not good at every aspect of running a company. Even fewer of them properly address the value of efficiently delegating tasks to professionals, especially with marketing strategy. They mostly just know the things they picked up along the road during the journey with their unique “something else” that their business is about.

If you know somebody like this, pass this along as a reminder that other “dummies” are counting on them for a good trip. I am not telling you the perfect navigation for every journey on the highway. I just want to remind other drivers to look up from the steering wheel enough to read the road signs.

What do I have to do with this? My job is to isolate the squeaky parts, find the right mechanics, train the driver, buckle in the passengers, supply the road map, change the tires, and pour racing fuel in the tank. I guess you could call me the marketing crew chief.

I will leave you with this compelling crash test video. Give it a play and consider your driving safety while you prepare your comment to tell me what you think.

Photo Credits:
IIHS Crash Test Dummy via Wikipedia
Dummy Heads by Greg Westfall via Flickr
Dummies in a Cage by Brad K via Flickr
Ford Crash Test by Rian Castillo via Flickr
Sierra Sam (hanging dummy) via Wikipedia

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Social Media Rat Race: Avoiding Social Marketing Burnout

I surely cannot be alone in my thoughts when I reflect upon social media and the rat race it can sometimes represent. There are millions of people out there in our social networks who are trying so hard to be brilliant every day, in their respective industries and job roles. It can be really challenging to find the right balance between burning hot and burning out.

If I am the only person who feels that pressure of striking the perfect balance, I would be really shocked. On the other hand, if I am the only one who will admit it, there is little surprise. People are proud (often far too proud), and they don’t like to admit their weaknesses.

Some of you certainly must relate to the burn that keeps you “hot” in your social media efforts. Just like any fire, it takes fuel to keep it burning. When the fire rages, it takes more fuel. After a while of burning really hot, it is easy to run low on fuel and need to go chop some more wood. That means it is time to find new inspiration!

There should be little wonder why so many people burn out and give up on their efforts. I see it all the time, and I see it across many networks, and with individuals and companies of all sizes. It is really hard to be brilliant on a consistent basis, and it is even harder when you try to balance long-term objectives with short-term frustrations. This is true for individuals and groups alike.

How can you control this “fuel consumption” dilemma and keep your fire burning steadily? I may not have all the answers to your individual burnout challenges, but I can offer you some ideas. First, I would like to direct your attention to the term “Rat Race“ as it is described in Wikipedia. Here is a quote:

“A rat race is a term used for an endless, self-defeating or pointless pursuit. It conjures up the image of the futile efforts of a lab rat trying to escape while running around a maze or in a wheel. In an analogy to the modern city, many rats in a single maze expend a lot of effort running around, but ultimately achieve nothing (meaningful) either collectively or individually.”

The first step to keep your efforts from becoming (or remaining) like this description of a rat race is to be aware of it.

Who Are Those Social Media Experts, Anyway?

I have a strong suspicion that the reason you took all of that “brilliant” advice the world kept shoving at you about social media marketing is somehow related to money, right? They told you to use Facebook and Twitter, they gave you all the good reasons to blog, and urged you to jump on the social media express train. Maybe a few even advised that you be “human” but yet, whatever you do, be brilliant every single day!

Social Media Rat Racers Are Constantly Feeding

Maybe “they” didn’t put it quite in those terms, but that is the writing you saw on the wall. Social media marketing became the clearest answer for helping your business to survive and hopefully thrive while other marketing failed like an untied balloon sailing through the air as it deflates. You have seen how thin newspapers and telephone books are nowadays, right? Perhaps you noticed how many television stations had cutbacks, or how thin your telemarketing cousin is looking these days. All paths seem to lead to social media as an ideal cure for the cancer ravaging your business.

Social media is the one place where “they” tell you that you can do it all yourself and you will save a ton of money because it is “free”. Of course, “free” will never come without a cost. That is another blog article altogether, but let’s be realistic: Social media marketing is not designed to save you money, or save your sanity, but rather to earn you money more effectively. There is a huge difference in saving and earning, and I love how Thomas Jefferson said “The man who stops advertising to save money is like the man who stops the clock to save time.”

Social media marketing done well will often require an even larger investment than those things of the past. One of the steepest costs comes from right there between your ears. It takes a great strategy to achieve great results, and great strategies can be just about challenging enough to put most people on the doorstep of an insane asylum. Whether you hire it out, or you try and do it all yourself, there is a big cost of time and energy, or money.

In a perfect world, success may be simple or it may be free, but you can bet that it will not be both. In either case, the famed social media miracle cure has probably let you down more than once.

Grab Your Social Media Rope

Since you are hip-deep in it now, I want to throw you a rope to help pull you from the ashes and give you an ember to rekindle your efforts.

I will admit that I am not feeling very brilliant today. I am worn out from long hours of work, and we have had a nasty cold running through my family. How else would I be able to reflect on burnout so clearly, yet confused at the same time? Hey, I am human … Imagine that! You are, too, and that means you are full of faults. You have all kinds of lovely faults, and each of them provides opportunities to do better.

If what you are doing is burning you out, it is time to regroup and rekindle. It is time to rethink things, and create new solutions. My example is certainly different from many, because I am a marketing professional. After long days of building upon theories and crafting marketing strategies for everybody else, it is easier to just ignore my own marketing needs. I guess it is why there are so many metaphors about plumbers with leaky pipes, sick doctors, and cobblers with barefoot children. If you are in the marketing field, this should be a cinch for you, but it can be applied to any marketing endeavor.

Grab my rope and pull yourself out of those ashes and let’s reflect on your strategy. Is it outdated for your needs? Do you have more insight to work with today than you did in the past? If so, it is time to redefine and reshape your social media strategy.

In the Social Media Rat Race, It is Better to Be A Squirrel!

Redefine Your Strategy

Why did you ever begin a social media marketing effort? Did you do it to solve short-term objectives and squelch immediate fears of jumping in too late? One of the most tragic things I see with companies is the act of just dipping their toe in, only to find that it is quicksand.

If you take a step back and consider this, you may find that you entered the social media arena with a tactical approach, but without a well-formed strategy. If this is the case, don’t be ashamed of it, and don’t be overwhelmed by it. It is a common mistake, and my experience says that it is the most frequent cause for burnout. I was not kidding or trying to be “Mister Popular” when I wrote “Social Media Tactics Without Social Media Strategy Fails“.

Taking a new look with a fresh set of ideas can make a huge difference. What have you learned along the way, and how can you use that knowledge? It is worth the effort to discover things you may be overlooking or procrastinating.

Measure and Enjoy Your Social Media Successes

I can often share things best by recounting things from my professional work. Real stories are very often my best inspiration and source of that “fuel” to keep me working hard. It is a good way to get a point across and help you to think about how it may relate to your world.

I met a college student on my blog this morning. You see, I have this nice little chat on my blog where I can see what people are reading and engage them in a chat. I saw the article he was reading, and I struck up a conversation. We had a nice 19 minute chat, and I found that he was very interested in learning from my work. I have given a lot of hard lessons and grief to newcomers in my industry, because there is a widely held perception that it is easy. I strongly dislike the type who come into my industry and treat it like a Gold Rush. It is not a “get rich quick” kind of job, and it took me years to earn my first million. On the other hand, I respect the newcomers who have integrity, are willing to work hard, and want to learn. I work hard to help them, and I feel good about doing that.

What? You don’t consider that a success story? It did not pay me a penny, but you can bet that I came away feeling better about my work. It gave me more fuel, because it reminded me that I have a lot to offer, and that I can make a useful impact in somebody’s learning. It reminded me why I love what I do, and why my objectives always follow along behind my purpose … and not the other way around.

Maybe this seems too longsighted, but it is what works in the real world. Anything else is like trying to harvest a crop without sowing any seeds. All you get is dirt!

Restate Your Objectives

Are your objectives honorable? Do you have integrity and honesty? Unless you are representing something despicable and unworthy, it is OK to make your objectives known. Regardless of the stigma which some (usually jealous or unsuccessful) people place on those seeking a benefit from social media, most people won’t hate you for that. What they hate is when you try to harvest a crop without planting any seeds.

If you work hard to provide a value to others, and they appreciate your work, it is fine to ask them for something in return. That may mean asking for the sale, asking for them to subscribe, or many other possibilities. If they don’t like it, they are probably selfish about other things, too. Some misguided people will always want something for nothing. A lot of people will respect you for it, and it could be a big breath of fresh air for your business.

You don’t have to take it as far as I do with stating your objectives and your strategy publicly, but you must at least mark them in your business plan and keep them in your sights. When you have a clear definition of your strategy and how it will help you achieve your goals, it is a lot easier to do what it takes to reach those goals. It will also be much easier on the people you hope will listen to you and take action.

It was perhaps not my most brilliant moment, but I think I said it pretty well in my article “How to Make a Blog Popular: Consider Your Intent!“ This is not just about a blog, either. Your intent will have a lot to do with how people perceive you, and how receptive they are to your brand. Here is a quote from that article:

“The focus of this blog is to help educate people about things which can help them. I like to help people think and create their own ideas. I like to teach people about things which they may find useful. I also like to dispel the many SEO lies which are common in the industry.

When I say that intent is important, here is how I look at it: If my intent was centered around selling something rather than educating and helping people, the direction would be totally different. The intent would show through, and the value to others would be far less.”

When I consider this intent, it is a lot easier to achieve my hopeful outcome. That hopeful outcome is that you will subscribe to my blog, share it on Facebook, Twitter, email, blogs, and scream it at the top of your lungs in a packed office, train station, street, or any other place where there are people. My strategy involves people adapting and sharing my ideas far and wide. Since I only seek a very select group of businesses to provide my services, my strategy is to help others enough that they will help me in return, by getting me in front of my special somebody.

Did you follow that? My strategy is to help enough people that some of them will help me to find my special client … the one I call “The Right One”. Be helpful? Not a bad idea, right? Sure, I am only seeking one good person to see value in my work, and you may be seeking a million of them. Trust me now, or resent me later, but I can tell you that the principle is the same regardless of the scale.

Can you see the parallels in your industry? I hope so, and I hope that this gives you some fuel for thought and keeps your social media bonfire burning for another day.

The strategy almost seems too simple, right? It should seem simple, because then it is manageable and sustainable. If you make things too confusing, or if you don’t have your objectives straight, your strategy will fail. That is a perfect recipe for rat racing and eventual burnout.

What do you have to say about this?

Photo Credits:
Two Rats by Matt Baume via Flickr
Rat & Squirrel by Peter Pearson via Flickr
Rats Drinking Milk by Mandy via Flickr

Social Media and The Absurdity of Implied Reciprocity

If you are one of those people who expect social media favors because somebody owes you something, just stop it! If you like something and find value in it, share it with others or do whatever it is that you do with good information. Just don’t assume that it means people owe you anything.

In business, and in life, reciprocity is a wonderful thing. It feels good to do business with people who do business with you, right? You have probably heard the old saying, “You scratch my back, and I’ll scratch yours.”

A problem with reciprocity comes when people start doing things they would normally not do, only in hopes of demanding favors in return. It is nice to reciprocate, but this does not mean it is implied.

I received a message on LinkedIn yesterday that read as follows: “Hi. I liked ur PAGE through LINKEDIN GROUP. Expecting ur LIKE and SUPPORT.” I thought to myself, “Really? You liked my page in order to add to my number of people artificially interested in my work and you want me to do the same? Oh, and ‘SUPPORT?’ Does this mean you want me to feed your kids, too?” I guess I just didn’t see that as any kind of favor.

If you like what I do, and you think you could learn something from a guy with over 20 years of successful marketing experience, by all means, “Like” my Facebook page. If you think you have done me some great favor and I am going to do you a favor by liking your Facebook page which has absolutely no interest to me, you need me worse than you think!

Why would you have any desire whatsoever to have me “Like” your Facebook page if I will never, ever, be a customer or recommend you to anybody because you are a a demanding douchebag who expects something from me?

If You Like Me, Just Like Me, But Stop Expecting Favors!

Rather than to rewrite the whole thing, I want to share something I said in a previous article titled “Do You Tweet and Retweet Seeking Favors?” Here is the closely paraphrased version:

People in the social media field often build relationships in which they will work together to spread a message. As long as there is honesty and integrity in the message, I am generally happy to help. However, I have been hit over the head with some of this recently. It seems that I get a lot of requests to scratch somebody’s back. It is all fine and good to be reciprocal, but is it good to take away the human filter that makes us who we are?

If all I was doing was tweeting, retweeting, blogging, Facebooking, YouTubing, Digging, Stumbling, and etcetera, because I hoped people would return the favor, would people still care what I had to say? I do not imagine the answer is “yes”.

Reciprocity Has Its Place

Don’t get me wrong, reciprocity certainly has its place, but if you are doing things with expectations of others doing things for you in return, don’t you at least think it should be something meaningful or useful?

The only time I recall actually being a little hacked by lack of reciprocity was from a car dealer. Hell, I purchased three brand new Corvettes and a Cadillac Escalade (total cost over $240,000) from this guy in under a year’s time, and I sent him many new customers. When he went to somebody else for his web hosting because it was cheaper than my recommended $209 per year plan, I kind of thought that was a bad business decision. Then when he asked me about a new website and used my website proposal to shop around, I wanted to kick him in the nuts. Yeah, I kind of felt slapped in the face, but I will still buy a car from him based on the merits of his business … not mine!

I Did Not Buy These Just to Sell a Website!

In summary, don’t “Like” my Facebook, subscribe to my blog, follow me on Twitter, link to this page, kiss my butt with kind comments in my blog, or anything else of the sort if it is only because you want something. Do it because you know I am not full of crap and because you receive value from my hard work.

I may reciprocate, but not because I feel guilty if I don’t.

I have just one more thought for you, and it is what my wife said when I mentioned this subject to her. Here is another way to look at it, and a brilliantly performed song.

Note that since I wrote this, I have replaced the Bonnie Raitt version of the song. Apparently she stopped allowing her YouTube videos to be embedded in web pages. this guy performs it nicely, too!

“I Can’t Make You Love Me“

Dog Photo Credit to wsilver via Flickr

Podcast: Play in new window | Download