Enchantment Book Chat #7 - Chapters 11 & 12

We've come to the conclusion of Enchantment!  I hope you've enjoyed the journey and picked up a practical nugget or two along the way.  The answers/comments for this blog post are due Thursday, May 8 at 9am.

Here are the last questions:

1. The principle of Underpromise/Overdeliver is a simple way to enchant. Have you experienced this as a customer?  Maybe you've made such promises as an employee?  As a customer how did you feel?  How about as an employee?
2.  What one key takeaway did you have from the "How to Enchant Your Boss" chapter?  What's the first thing you'll try as you start your professional career?
3.  Have you ever been caught by the Dopeler effect?
4.  What do you think of Guy's checklist?
5.  What's one thing you've done differently as a result of reading Enchantment?

Enchantment Book Chat #6 - Chapters 9 & 10

Chapters 9 and 10 focus on very different topics, but ultimately it all gets back to creating interactions that delight the audience, whomever they may be.

Here are the questions for Book Chat #6:
1. How did Guy's list of factors for increasing the enchantment power of websites and blogs jive with your own personal experience?  Anything he missed?  Any particular one that you find extra important in your own experience?
2. Did you find any new takeaways from Guy's points on Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube?
3. What did you think of the Japanese design principles?  How could you incorporate these principles in the work that you do?
4. Most of you are not far along enough to be the "boss" yet, but what points in the "Enchanting Employees/Volunteers"  did you find most important?  Perhaps you've experienced them from the other side of the equation or seen a characteristic or two in someone else that you would like to emulate.

Enchantment Book Chat #5 - Chapters 7 & 8

The deeper I go into this book, the meatier it gets.  Really good stuff all around.

Here are your questions for this Book Chat:
1. What do you think about the idea that true change happens at the middle and bottom of a society.  Where does that leave leadership?
2.  What is your favorite reciprocity principle?  Why?
3.  Of the team roles listed under "Diversify the Team" which team role do you think you play?  Which role do you aspire towards?
4. What do you think of Chris Anthony's personal story?
5. Which general principles of push technology are your favorites?
6. How will you change your presentation style, email communication, or Tweets based on Guy's recommendations?

Enchantment Book Chat #3 - Chapter 4

In Chapter 4 we learn about the importance of being prepared (the Boy Scouts were right), and the pitfalls that come if you aren't.

Questions for Book Chat #3:

1. What/who is in your Enchantment Hall of Fame?  Which of the necessary qualities listed does he/she/it have?
2.  What is your reaction to Guy's trash can experiment?  What have you ever seen or tried that was similar?
3.  What company have you noticed that has "Removed the Fences"?  Or the flip side, what companies have built unnecessary fences that make doing business with them more difficult?
4.  Anything else from Chapter 4 that "enchanted" you?

Enchantment Book Chat #2 - Chapters 2B & 3

Here we go with round #2 on Enchantment.  I hope you are learning some key points from Guy.  I think someone's been quoting him on Facebook, so I'll take that as a good sign.

Questions for this time:

1.  What do you think of Guy's other Likeability factors?  I'm particularly interested in what you think of his encouragement to swear, especially when there is some perception in the world that swearing is for people who don't know what other word to use.  See previous post on the importance of a strong vocabulary.
2.  Do you know any Mensches?  Which characteristics does that person exhibit?

Everyone should answer:
3.  What is your positioning statement?  How did you arrive at your statement?

Enchantment Book Chat Chapters 1 & 2A

Hopefully you've begun reading Enchantment by Guy Kawasaki, and started thinking about "The Art of Changing Hearts, Minds, and Actions".

Here are the questions for the introductory items through the first part of Chapter 2. You do not need to respond to each question, but do give your thoughts and impressions after reading the chapter. (Feedback for this assignment should be go in the comments section of this post.  You have until the next Book Chat is posted to answer.) 

Here are some questions to help you get started.

1. What are your thoughts on his premise that, "When you enchant people your goal is not to make money..., but to fill them with great delight."
2.  What is a brand that delights you?  How is delight better than just good?
3.  What is your reaction to Guy's four factors that make a good first impression?

• Make Crow's Feet
• Dress for a Tie
• Perfect Your Handshake
• Use the Right Words

Book Chat - Chapters 14, 15, 16, and 22

This is our last installment of Book Chat for The New Rules of Marketing & P.R.  Although we didn't cover every chapter, hopefully you've done some exploring and thinking on your own.  Responses to these questions are due May 7, 2013 at 8am.

1.  What did you think of the concept of site personality discussed in chapter 14?  What sites do you think do a good job of reflecting their buyer's personality?
2.  The chapter on mobile marketing is very eye-opening.  Clearly marketers need to adapt their strategies to remain relevant in a mobile world.  In fact, the chapter makes it clear that other cultures are more mobile than we are!  What do you think of the statement from Christopher Penn that said, "You want to capture people when they're in the moment, especially if it's a retail or service experience, where you can help satisfy a customer.  You want to take advantage of that warm felling right then and there to capture them."  Has a brand ever reached out to you in the moment?
3. What would you do if somebody surprised you at the airport gate with a free upgrade, drink or snack?  What does KLM gain by these random acts of kindness?
4. There's an app for everything!  Have you ever used the SitOrSquat bathroom finder app?
5.  What did you think of the Amanda Palmer story?  What's your plan to make $11,000 using Twitter?
6.  Companies know that it is important to be "searched well".  Creating content, writing blogs, etc. to improve search results is something Doug Fouts of Xapsis mentioned when he spoke to us.  Blogs might not be the perfect choice for every brand.  What else could use that might have the same result?

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 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?