Book Chat - Chapters 10, 11, and 12

In chapters 10-12 we are starting to get to the nitty-gritty of planning.  Actual ways to think about the customer, and develop programming specifically for different audiences.  Here are your questions!

1. Chapter 10 focuses on marketing in real-time.  How have you seen "real-time" marketing at work?  Was it successful or unsuccessful?
2. What are your thoughts on the Baked Relief story?  Are you inspired?  Motivated?  How could you take this idea and make it your own?
3.  Chapter 11 discusses the buyer persona, and even uses a college as an example.  If you had to create a buyer persona for Bradley University, what would it look like?  (Pick one of the five audiences and describe.)
4.  Setting aside politics for this one, what do you think of the section entitled "Obama for America"?
5.  In Chapter 12, which of the thought leadership tools have you used in the past?  What did you like/dislike about them?

Book Chat - Chapters 7, 8, & 9

Chapters seven, eight and nine focus again on the tools we have to communicate with our constituents.  Here are the questions for this edition of Book Chat.

1. What do you think of the conceptual change from press releases to news releases.  How does this change impact organizational strategy now and into the future.

2. You've probably seen the Mentos and Diet Coke video (if not, go watch it here).  What do you think of the way Mentos reacted to the situation?  Can you think of other brands that have similarly seized the day?

3. The Rules of the Rave are good reminders.  Which is your favorite and why?

4. Are websites more art or science?  What website have you visited recently that made you sit up and take notice, as opposed to just going about your business?

Book Chat - Chapters 4, 5, & 6

Chapters four, five and six, cover a lot of ground, but we'll dive in anyway.  Feel free to respond to any or all of the questions.

1. I referenced this in class today.  What do you think of the social media as cocktail party metaphor given in Chapter 4?
2. Where are you on blogs?  Do you read them?  What do you see as the function of a blog in today's world, both media and otherwise?
3. Visit the McDonald's social responsibility blog, Open for Discussion.  What is your opinion?  How does this blog play into McDonald's larger social media and promotional plan?
4.  Have you used Digg?  What do you like/not like about it?
5.  I think the premise on page 80 about marketing to people, even if you are a B2B firm is really important. What does that mean for how a companies communicates and behaves in the social world?

Spring 2013 Book Chat 1 - The New Rules

By now you should all have started reading the New Rules of Marketing & P.R. by David Meerman Scott.  

Here are the questions for the introductory items through Chapter 3. 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 is your reaction to the concept of this book?  Do you think the rules have changed?
2.  What do you think about the "Long Tail" concept?  Do you think we still have a market of the masses, or is there a shift to many niche markets?
3.  On page 21, there is a quote from Jim Peterson, president of The Concrete Network, "Every business has information that can contribute to the education of the marketplace."  Do you agree?
4.  Are you surprised that The Concrete Network has as much content as it does?
5.  If we perceive marketing as publishing, what does that change about our behavior?

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?