Strategic Public Relations

The Anti-Social Media Trend

A group of new social media applications are focused on letting you share -- but with a closed circle of friends.

Apps like Path, GroupMe, Fast Society and ChattrSpace are focused on letting you share and communicate quickly and easily to a predefined group of people.

Surely one reason for the influx of these sites is practical in nature. It's tough to impossible to target across sites like Twitter and Facebook. But until these apps launched, "walled gardens" were considered a negative. Lightweight user actions like OAuth have evolved to make it simple for users to register at a site or risk not building a user base.

Private, I
But I think privacy is the bigger driving factor. Facebook is messy when it comes to professional and personal boundaries. Some folks are ok with these two worlds mixing. Others, understandably, are not.

I often tell people the best, if not only, way to keep something private is to keep it offline all together. Terms of service change. Privacy settings change. Users need to take personal accountability for their privacy. How many of us do? And even if someone rethinks something they've put online and pulls it down before Google sees it, sites like Lamebook are examples of the power and permanence of the screen grab.

Selective Sharing
These apps offer a helpful option for keeping parts of your online life compartmentalized. And they may signal a new trend of more selective sharing. Even niche geo-location apps offer selective sharing capabilities.

Face2Face differentiates itself by only sharing your information and location with friends in the general proximity you're in as opposed to all of your friends. And it won't pinpoint your location to these friends, noting you're on 5th and Vine instead of at Tazza Mia. Selective sharing gives you an added layer of targeting and choice that is achievable to a lesser degree on sites like Twitter and Facebook, these features are opposite of their primary goal.

These apps may seem anti-social in comparison to the sites we focus on today. But they're a necessary response to privacy concerns and they will surely help more users migrate to social media.

Internet vs Privacy - A Helpful Venn Diagram uploaded by Dave Makes

Cross-Posted to my work blog, Social Study

Shift from Ideate to Create

October's Cincinnati Social Media focused on entrepreneurs and start ups.

Held at seed-stage venture accelerator, The Brandery, the event was sponsored by CincyTechUSA. Full disclosure: I'm a brand mentor at the Brandery and my employer is also lending support.

The Commodity of Ideas
Rockfish Interactive CMO Dave Knox presented his TEDxCincy topic detailing the opportunity for entreprenuers and startups in Cincinnati. 

Knox' call to action was to move beyond a good idea to actually implementing it. If the perfect storm of funding, resources and community are upon us, in Cincinnati or elsewhere, the key is a plan and execution.

This can bring up the question, "is it the idea or the execution?" Building out from Knox' challenge, Behance CEO Scott Belsky. answers that question when it comes to startups.

From Ideate to Create -- Multiple Examples
In addition to the six startups currently calling the Brandery home, there were several other entrepreneur stories in the room representing categories as diverse asgaming, beverages, online community, music and online marketing. All great examples to underscore Knox' speech.

But I think this call to action extends past startups and applies to individuals and other organizations.

Social Media Brings a Shift in Skills

We've all been told that we're in a constant state of change. It's a mantra that loses meaning the more it's chanted in mainstream media, PowerPoint decks, business books and blogs alone.

Marketers and brands are finding themselves in new roles. Starbucks is a Digital Network (not to mention a music label). Razorfish is repping an Indie band. Best Buy, Target and Wal-Mart are TV networks. Interpublic Group is acting as a venture capitalist for Pepsi.

Skill sets are changing too. We find in addition to our core focus on a left or right brain role in marketing, social media alone is requiring professionals to get comfortable with a broader set of skills. Social media is disrupting silos in companies, media and the workforce. The economy is simply increasing the urgency of change that digital technology creates when it breaks down these silos.

Brand Manager 2.0
Dave Knox, Brandery** Co-Founder and Rockfish Interactive CMO, details how this change is impacting brand managers. It's applicable to other roles in marketing today as well.

5 Themes of Brand Manager 2.0

View more presentations from Dave Knox.

Full Disclosure: In addition to being a Brandery mentor, I'm also working with Dave Knox as a co-founder of Cincinnati Social Media, a non-profit group I founded with Daniel Lally, Dave Knox and Stacy Cole. 

The Ultimate Social Media Site is Onsite

The final stop on Day One of the #140conf found @jeffpulver and team in Cincinnati for a Sunday evening RoadTrip TweetUp.

The attendees, the stories and the entire experience remind me that no social media platform can replicate the original social network – meeting live and in person.

Putting faces to names and Twitter handles is part of it. But you obviously learn so much more than you can from even the most well-crafted 140 character missive.  We should all do it more often.

With more than 20 people in attendance, there were plenty of stories to tell and document about Cincinnati’s social media community. From something as simple as trading tips about the iPhone and iPad with @elliotcampbell and @JoeyWessels to learning about the latest social media efforts at Union Terminal with @Doug4Cincy. Catching up with folks like @danieljohnsonjr @kristaneher and meeting folks for like @AmelahG and @jamieboyle for the first time reminds me of how essential these events really are.

Perhaps it was the dose of inspiration from Jeff as he explained his mission for #140conf. All of the scheduled events look like they have enormous potential. In a format that forces value from the speaker and optimizes every attendee’s investment of time and money, October’s event in Detroit is definitely worth attending.

Thanks to all who attended. Here are some links to Cincinnati Tweet Up Video and Pics. Below are the Twitter handles I recorded. I know I missed a few so let me know who’s not on the list. 

#conf140 Team
@jeffpulver @AlanWeinkrantz @Krochmal @geogeller

Attendees:
@prblog @milanmike @gozapit @ncyp23 @jamieboyle @AmelahG @knrose @checkin_cincy @mbdunnusa @daveknox @Girlfriendology @elliotcampbell @JoeyWessels @Doug4Cincy. @danieljohnsonjr @kristaneher

Sponsors:
@kodak @smartwater @buick @doubletreehtls

Cross-Posted to my work blog Social Study
A Call to #140conf posted by @prblog

3 Ways to Fall in Love with PowerPoint

 

PowerPoint. This single word has fueled a cottage industry of blogs, training seminars and books on how to use the software more efficiently and more effectively. This is mainly because of how much PowerPoint is abused as a presentation tool. "Death by PowerPoint" is the tip of the pop/business culture iceberg when it comes to the snark and the angst this software's inspired.

Adding to the noise are my three tips designed to help you fall in love with PowerPoint -- all over again or for the first time.

PowerPoint Improv
People over think things when it comes to presentations and as a result use PowerPoint as a crutch. PowerPoint Improv is more like PowerPoint without a net. It's Toastmasters meets a comedy improvisation with a happy hour thrown in for fun. If you haven't seen or participated in a PowerPoint Improv like Battledecks or Ignite's PowerPoint Karaoke, you're missing out.

>>Battledecks is a fast-paced, fun, laugh riot where "contestants" have to put together a presentation on the fly as slides are randomly projected for their confusion and the delight of the audience.

>>For PowerPoint Karaoke we randomized the speakers and PowerPoints and each presenter gave a random 10 minute presentation on the slides. It is a fun and enjoyable practice that was first started in 2005 by a group of German artists. Now, the practice and experience of PowerPoint Karaoke is ubiquitous across many geek gatherings, and often best played with a slightly inebriated group of 6-8 interesting people.

The end result of PowerPoint Improv is a lot of fun as you become more relaxed with the medium.

Rapid Fire Slides
Pecha Kucha and Ignite bring elements of a pep rally, foot race and Twitter to PowerPoint. Both give presenters restrictions on the number of slides and the amount of time they get to present each slide. The best examples are when presenters get creative on a topic they're passionate about to energize the audience into action. Its become more of a movement as Pecha Kucha and Ignite have spread around the world.

Cincinnati's Pecha Kucha and Ignite are energizing events and I even presented at the most recent Ignite. It was a rush, exhausting and an inspirational learning experience as it relates to how I build slides.

PowerPoint...the Musical
I've created presentation kick off videos to set the tone and get attendees excited, but this is different. Save out one of your presentations as jpgs, pick a song and use the free movie making software that comes with your computer to make a PowerPoint music video. An example of the end result is embedded in this post. It's not as crazy as synchronizing Dark Side of the Moon with The Wizard of Oz. But it could expand your mind just a little.

In fact, any one of these exercises will give you a second wind with PowerPoint. Pick one and try it out.

Vote for Bad Girls with Good Ideas

You do not need coffee in the morning if you run into Candace Klein first. She's the force of energy behind Bad Girl Ventures a microfinance organization that is designed to literally invest in woman's dreams.

"Bad Girl Ventures believes that women should have the chance to build a business. Our role is to help women realize their dreams and build sustainability and growth into their own business models."

Candace just launched Bad Girl Ventures and is already getting national attention. She is in the running to get her own show on Oprah's OWN network. But Candace needs your help. I could give you ten reasons to vote for her**, but I'll let her video do the talking.

If you decide to vote for her? Pay it forward and share her story with someone else.

**Candace met two of her first Bad Girl Ventures applicants by attending a Cincinnati Social Media event. It’s #CincySM’s mission to help shine a light on the vibrant social media/business scene in Cincinnati. So I'm twice as excited for her success.

Blogwell Cincinnati Helps Brands Tune Up, Measure Up or Catch Up

Blogwell is winding through Cincinnati on April 7th and Cincinnati Social Media is proud to be partnering with them on the event.

According to the folks from GasPedal and Social Media Business Council:

Duke Energy, AT&T, Hilton Worldwide, Tyson, Dell, Procter & Gamble, General Mills, and Rogers Communications share case studies in corporate social media. You’ll learn how to get started, get past roadblocks, and make your social media program phenomenal.

Get practical, how-to advice on creating great content, getting management buy-in, educating employees, keeping lawyers and regulators happy, simple and ethical disclosure, and engaging fans. You’ll ask questions, discover new ideas, and get answers from people who have been there, done that — all in four hours for $250.

While this event is worth attending just for the above line-up, the adage about the best conversations taking place in the hallways usually applies to social media events like this. Meeting some of your online friends and colleagues in person, and making new ones, is another takeaway you'll have with Blogwell Cincinnati. 

But Wait, There's More!
To ensure that's the case, Cincinnati Social Media is hosting a Tweet Up the night before Blogwell Cincinnati. Stay tuned for details, but all speakers and attendees are invited to attend and get a jump start on the co-mingling. Speaking of Cincinnati Social Media, members are entitled to a 20 percent discount off admission to BlogWell. If you're not a member of Cincinnati Social Media, head over to our LinkedIn Group to sign up. We'll be providing the discount code to our members shortly (like within 24 hours of this post shortly).

In the meantime, mark your calendars and get registered. If you're out of market (road trip!) but cannot attend (dang it), you can bet there will be some content streaming freely from Duke Energy Center that day. There will be two official Blogwell live bloggers in addition to the live tweeting and other random content that is sure to be published.

“Can I Pick your Brain?”

Disclaimer: This is a very specific RANT.

Hopefully it goes without saying that I love sharing my experiences, opinion and POV in the hopes it will help people. It's why I have two blogs, speak frequently and tweet.

But when I receive a voicemail or an email from someone asking to “pick my brain” it’s a fire-engine red flag.

Sending someone a note asking to pick their brain is the equivalent of saying you want them to work for free. Think about it. There's a difference from using other’s experiences and POVs to answer your questions and guide your efforts. Asking someone to essentially do your job is a bit different.

While having lunch with friend and colleague Mike Boehmer, we were trading experiences. Mike is using social media to help his stakeholders at the Hamilton County Job and Family Services. He also helps out the Cincinnati Chapter of PRSA as their social media committee chair.

Mike confessed that he started blogging to help decrease the amount of phone calls he receives from well-intended colleagues about social media. Everyone wins in that situation. In fact, Chris Brogan started blogging answers to questions he was asked so more people could benefit from the answer -- everyone wins.

When Mike told me he also gets requests to pick his brain, I realized it wasn’t just me.

So keep in mind that sharing is required for a network to, uh, work. Sharing is a two-way street and there’s a fine line between getting help and essentially outsourcing. /rant

Tribute To Guitarist Pat Martino - Scan 03 07 uploaded by Mikey G

Using Visuals to turn Data into Content | Four Links | 11.22.09

My appreciation for all things visual did not peak with my article on why PR needs visual thinking.

My focus on the topic has increased and there are plenty of sites driving this passion. Here are just a few of them.

The Popular Ones: It’s no surprise that Indexed and Post Secret have books stemming from their popular sites. Post Secret tapped into an entire world’s need for expression while Indexed shows us the power of simplicity.

The Smart Ones: Flowing Data and Infosthetics are my two must reads when it comes to the latest in data visualization. They even point to great content like this article outlining how to create an infographic.

The Wild Cards: Logo Design Love is arguably not a wild card, but it has helped me be more appreciative of the subtleties behind brand redesigns. And Strange Maps brings us visuals like the one to the right showing how large the social sites are getting. It's a great site showing the creative potential in combining the old and the new.

The Future: Google Swirl shows us how important visuals will be to navigate the data streams, rivers of news and content flowing all around us. I’ve also created a Twitter list to track many of the leading data geeks as this field continues to unfold.

The above are just a start. They don't include the media outlets that are also pushing visualization mainstream. The New York Times Multimedia section immediately comes to mind. But The LA Times has its Data Desk and, in my own backyard, The Cincinnati Enquirer’s Data Center and WLWT’s Weather Dashboard point to an even bigger picture of data in the future.

The Paradox of Social Media

In preparation for an upcoming conference*, I’ve been considering the paradox that social media creates.

The very technology, platforms, communities and widgets being used to bring us all together online can also keep us from truly engaging and connecting with each other.

You start noticing it in small ways. Consider LinkedIn’s invitation to connect. Far too often after I met a person at an event I’ll get the auto-invite and I’m usually glad they reach out and I accept the invitation.

But instead of quickly referencing the context we established a few hours earlier, the person runs with the form letter. Whether or not someone is collecting contacts, the form letter gives off this impression.

This is one of the reasons I tell people to eschew automation like this if they really want to establish a social media presence. The same goes for the automatic direct messages sent to me after following someone on Twitter. It’s meant to say “thank you” or "hi" but all it really says to me is “this is a transaction.”

As you get into larger scale efforts like media relations, databases like Cision can help you quickly pinpoint the people you should be talking to, their contact info and sometimes even their turn-ons and turn offs. Instead it appears far too many PR people simply do a keyword search and send a news release to the search results. It’s the only explanation for some of the pitches I get.

Cheap, Good and Fast: Pick Two
Building a reputation in social media takes time. Using robo-tricks to do this may initially get fast numbers for someone, but it won’t get them influence or a real connection with other members of the site, community or platform they’re gaming.

Impressive social media results do not usually come at impressive rates of speed. True progress with social media usually takes time -- think 401-(k) vs a lottery. But many people don’t want to hear that.

To me the opportunity in social media is knowing when to leverage the art/human aspects of it and when to leverage the science/machine. And yes, that takes time too.


Modern man angle 1 uploaded by GUANOdesign.

* SummitUp is a conference being held in October with a great line up including keynotes from Chris Brogan, Bob Garfield, Artie Isaac and Lewis Howes. I’m geeked out to be kicking off the day with a keynote.