Book Chat - The Rest

This is our last Book Chat.  Please submit your answers by Thursday, December 6th.

As our book draws to a close, I think that Mr. Sernovitz gets down to some very simple and practical ideas. Not that the rest of the book was complex and difficult, but he drives at some core principles that will make all the other ideas doable.

1. Participate in the Conversation--I have always that customer service is as much or more important than everything else we do in a business.  I can wholeheartedly endorse, then, the idea that "Word of mouth is as much about customer service as it is about marketing."  What businesses can you identify that lives out this theme?  There actions are driven by a customer orientation and the other factors fall into place?

2. We've spent A LOT of time this semester discussing how important the write voice, tone, professionalism, know-how, etc. are all important to the organization's social media premise.  What do you think of the idea that the people with the most enthusiasm for the brand, whatever their role in the company, should be the ones in charge of WOM?

3. How do you think most marketing/PR/legal/executive management types would feel about social media being handled by the most enthusiastic people?

Book Chat - Chapters 6 and 7

The most striking thing about these chapters, for me, is the focus on simplicity.  I know that even when I try to do things simply, I end up cluttering things up somehow.  I think the imperative for the principles in these chapters to work, however, is the simpler the better.  The idea of portability is critical.  Just as it is easier in air travel to have only a carry-on, it is easier in marketing to lighten up, distill, simplify.

Here are your questions:
1. Besides those mentioned in the book, which brands can you identify with clear, simple, portable messages?
2. What did you think of the idea that "unexpected is an opportunity"?
3.  Do you feel a "sale" event is topic worthy?
4.  In chapter 7, the first word of mouth tool is "Ask people to spread the word."  Is it really that easy? Can you think of a time when just asking people to share had a good result.
5.  The idea of using a "secret" as a tool for talking intrigues me.  Have you ever been let in on a "secret" that you then shared?

Update and allowable talking point:  This is a recent post by Andy Sernovitz showing a recent example of the principles in chapter 6 and 7.  Read what he has to say, and feel free to use this in your comments.  CiCi's Pizza

Book Chat - Chapter 3, 4, and 5

This book is so practical!  Even though you may or may not have a job/project where you can work through the activities in Chapter 5, I'm sure you are thinking about talkers and who the best talkers for a brand might be.  In fact, you might be trying to identify if YOU are a talker, and if so, what kind.

Here are the questions for this Book Chat:
1. I love the WOM Marketing Manifesto.  What are the top three points here, in your opinion?
2. Think of the examples of the Bloomingdale's brown bag or the doughnut holes at Lou Mitchell's, what are the best examples you've seen of similar practices by businesses you patronize?
3. What did you think of the FreshBooks campaign?
4. From Chapter 5, are you a talker?  What kind?  For what companies/products/causes/ideas?
5. Thank yous are powerful.  Has a company every gone above and beyond to thank you or a family member or friend?

Book Chat 2 - Chapter 2

What I love about this book is the fact that it is so straight forward.  What I read about, I have experienced.  For instance, many companies have added online reviews for each product they sell, because that is now standard.  Just the other day I was shopping on some site (I forget which one) and there was no review function and I was blown away!  I do think companies have failed to see the social impact that occurs with these reviews, however.

Here are you questions for this round of book chatting:
1. What do you think of the concept of rating the reviewer as mentioned on page 39?
2. Do you think companies and people underestimate how far conversations on the internet can carry?
3. Page 45 really blows me away.  What are your thoughts on the idea that people who hear  about a bad shopping experience are less likely than someone who actually had a bad experience to set foot in a store? 
4.  Any feed back on this quote?  What companies do you interact with that follow this philosphy?
          Your only choice is to make sure that the experience people have with your company are positive ones.  Make good products.  Treat people well.  Earn their positive recommendation.
5. What is first call resolution?  Why is it important?

Fall 2012 Book Chat - Word of Mouth Marketing Prologue and Chapter 1

By now you should all have started reading Word of Mouth Marketing by Andy Sernovitz. 

Here are the questions for the prologue and Chapter 1. You do not need to respond to each question, but do give your thoughts and impressions after reading the chapter. Here are some questions to help you get started.

1. What are your thoughts on the Four Rules of Word of Mouth Marketing?
2. There are three reasons people talk about companies - what companies do you talk about?  For which of the three reasons?
3. What is the difference between organic and amplified WOM?  When is it a good time to use either form?
4.  Think about the "talkers" you know.  What do they talk about?  What gives each talker credibitilty in his/her topic?

Book Chat - Chapter 8

Chapter 8 brings us to the end of Socialnomics and some predictions for the future.  Here are your questions:
1. What is the shelf life of social conversations today?  What is the implication for companies as a result?
2. What do you think of Tony Blair's description of what it takes to be an effective communicator and leader?  How do you think these factors will influence this year's presidential election?
3. How will collaboration affect companies and its employees in the future?  What role will social media play?

Final thoughts about the book?

Book Chat - Chapters 6 and 7

One of the things that continues to fascinate me in my study of social media is people's behavior.  In some ways it seems that people are sometimes more consistent because we see them through social media.  At other times, it seems that people behave differently because of social media.  I think it's also interesting, then, to think about how companies are adjusting marketing strategies without always knowing which direction people are moving when it comes to disclosing more or less because of social media.

Here are your questions for Chapters 6 and 7:
1. What do you think of the concept of Social Schizophrenia?  Where do you see evidence of it?
2. Chapter 6 gives several examples of companies and teams that have mandated access or place restrictions on how employees and team members can post or what can be said.  How far is too far on the part of these companies?  What should be the balance between personal freedom and brand respresentation?
3. Social Schizophrenia occurs in companies too.  Why do businesses have such difficulty with the "one message"?
4. What made the Fantasy Football Today different in format?  What about the way the show was monetized, how was that a departure from the traditional structure?  Why did it work where the CNET show did not?
5.  Why was the Super Fan sweepstakes such an effective campaign?

Book Chat - Chapter 5

Chapter 5 has an interesting premise - do we care more about what our neighbor thinks?  I know I don't make day to day decisions based on Google, and I bet I would be surprised how many "other people" factors impact my day to day decision making.  Here are the questions for Chapter 5:

1. Do you think people feel compelled to give back as in the TripAdvisor and car seat examples?
2. How does your knowledge of your friends, enhance your understanding of their recommendation and thus your purchase decision?
3. If you are an early adopter, how might you see social media differently than someone who is not an early adopter?
4. Why is it increasingly more important for companies to make great products rather than great advertising?
5. Clearly e-books have changed the publishing landscape forever.  How does the social element of digital books enhance both the author and reader experiences?

Book Chat - Chapters 2 and 3

In these chapters, the focus is on how people are changing their behavior based on the use of social media.  Please give your reaction to chapters two and three by answering some of the following questions.

1. What about your individual brand is more clear through social media?  What do people know about you that they might not learn from you in person?  What insight might this give an employer who is considering hiring you?
2. I love these two sentences, "Companies need to focus on giving content or a tool with utility and purpose to consumers, which is the opposite of traditional marketing, which consumers historically hated.  Instead of providing end consumers with a potentially empty promise, as was the case with traditional marketing, companies need to focus on supplying something of value."  What companies give you something of value that makes you want to engage with them?
3. The author talks about marketing executives being married to email because of the database information they can use and glean through email.  However, since customers are moving away from email, how will companies build their databases in the future?
4. Bill Tily, an 83 year old man, made a habit of reviewing his social media statuses and then identified what he was doing that was an "unfruitful activity".  What would you find if you reviewed a month of Tweets or status updates?  How might your life be more full as a result of these changes?
5. At the end of chapter 3, the author makes the claim that we all like having something to brag about, and people and companies will alter their behavior to be more interesting.  Do you think people alter their behavior to be more interesting?  Why or why not?

Book Chat 1: Socialnomics

I hope you all have a start on the first chapters of Socialnomics and are starting to look at what role social media can play in our consumer behavior.

Here are the questions for Chapter 1.  You do not need to respond to each question, but do give your thoughts and impressions after reading the chapter.  Here are some questions to help you get started.

1. How can "investing time in social media" make you more productive?  Do you think your productivity (at least in some areas) is improved through the use of social media?
2. What do you think of the Sally scenario?  Have you ever had a similar conversation via social media?  Have you asked for product/service recommendations from friends or followers?
3. How did the blog scenarios in the chapter impact your perceptions of blogging?
4. What did you think of the bacon sat story?  Do you know of other brands that started with social media?

Memes on Facebook

Every time I the words "only my true friends..." on a Facebook status, I cringe.  It's not that I don't care about animal shelters (look at my vet bills, I definitely do), people with cancer/MS/ADD/dyslexia, missing children, or the like, but in my mind a great cause is demeaned when reduced to a meme Facebook status.

This is a great study conducted by a researcher at the University of Michigan on the characteristics of Facebook memes.  It's humorous and insightful too.

Are you a memer?