JMPR Communication

Archive for July, 2009

This week was a tough one. I selected five comedians that seemed to be active on Twitter.  I was looking forward to responding to their tweets and trying to engage in (hopefully humorous) conversation. Unfortunately, it didn’t go as planned.

Of the five chosen comedians (see last weeks blog for a list) only two tweeted  this week. TWO!  I was surprised. My part here is that in the end, I didn’t select the best ones to tweet.  But in my defense, the comedians I selected last week seemed to be active.

Now, to the two that did tweet: @sarahksilverman and @jimgaffigan. Communication was difficult, as they didn’t tweet questions or anything eliciting a two way conversation.  That’s not to say their tweets weren’t good or funny, because they were!  I tried to respond and generate some kind of communication, but it didn’t work. At all.

My conclusion, though a guess, is that these comedians weren’t looking to have a two-way conversation, but instead give their fans something to laugh about.

Onto Week Five:

In addition to social media, one of my hobbies is poker. I love to play and have been quite profitable throughout my life. I’ve noticed that the professional poker world has really taken to social media.  Proof? Read this article or just take a look at the sites like Poker Road and Card Player. If you check these sites out, you’ll note that many professional poker players are both young and active on Twitter.

Professional Poker Players Tweet, too. Image by: tobyleah

Here is my list of professional poker players I will be tweeting this week:

@realkidpoker (Daniel Negreanu)
@joesebok
@phil_hellmuth (I’m a bit skeptical on Phil, as he follows no one and responds to no one. I may add a 6^th.)
@howardhlederer
@realannieduke

This list may vary if the players aren’t tweeting, so I could (and probably will) add a number of players to this list.

I have a good feeling about this week. I think I will run good.

Shuffle up and tweet!

Last week I went to see the Counting Crows.  During the first ten to twenty minutes, I took some pictures and sent them to my Twitter stream over UberTwitter. (Because that’s what I do.)  I searched the stream for “countingcrows” and “counting crows” and noted many people were tweeting from the show.  I gave all the fellow fans a shout out.  Then, I put my phone away.

Let’s just say that some people stayed on their phones the whole show- to tweet.

And let’s just say that “these people”  who are arguably 100% addicted to their Twitter account(s), made fun of me two years ago when I suffered from the same disorder. Only then, Twitter was an unknown, and so my addiction was not understood.

Twitter can be addicting: Image by: dewaldp

One of two things is going to happen when you start Tweeting:

1) Oprah Effect: You sign up for Twitter, because you heard so and so has been using/loving it.  (Remember the surge in numbers when Oprah signed up?)  As you begin to participate, you don’t “get” the big deal about Twitter. Your usage disappears over time.

2) Twitter Addiction: You love reading tweets on the stream and you tweet a lot in-kind. You read and post updates constantly.  If your Twitter activity distracts from your day-job, or annoys your family/friends, you have a “Twitter Addiction.”

I always tell my clients:  Twitter is a useful tool if implemented correctly, but it can be very distracting and even “addictive” if not managed properly.

Here are some tips/tricks I employ to manage my own Twitter addiction:

• Schedule Twitter sessions two times a day
  On busy days I sign onto my Twitter account in the morning and in the afternoon/evening for 5-15 minutes to participate in the conversation.  During the day, I work.

  This is a great tip for companies who are just beginning to tweet.  By participating twice a day, you show that you are present for the conversation.  Feel free to send one tweet about your company each day.  But dedicate your morning or evening session to building relationships with others.

• Use Tools to Moniter Your Stream
  Maybe you’re on Twitter all day because you are looking for direct messages, @replies or mentions of your company?  You don’t need to do this all day.  Let cool Twitter applications do that for you.

  TweetDeck: TweetDeck is my favorite Twitter tool.  You can group your followers, so you never miss a Tweet.  You can conduct a search that will then live in its own column.  You can see your @replies and DMs in their own columns, as well.  TweetDeck allows you to keep an eye on your Twitter stream, so you can focus on your work.

  Twitter Search: Twitter Search (which is part of TweetDeck and Twitter Web) is a one stop search spot to see who has been talking about your company.  I utitlize Twitter Search to monitor the conversation for clients.  I also monitor the conversation on TweetDeck. Here’s the current stream discussing Twitter Addiction.

• Go Mobile
  Having Twitter access on your phone is important.  Sometimes you need to reply to a Direct Message or @reply on a timely basis.  And yeah, it’s just cool to be able to tweet from a concert or TweetUp.  I’m on Blackberry, and so I’ve tested TweetCaster, TwitterBerry and UberTwitter. I’m a huge fan of UberTwitter for a few reasons.  The updates don’t overtax my phone, I can see pictures posted without having to click any links, Re-tweeting is really easy, and basically, it’s 10 steps ahead of the other services.  Test the services yourself and settle on the one that works for YOU.
• Utilize Alerts
  Sometimes I’m not at my desk, so I use TweetBeep to send certain alerts directly to my e-mail.  As a Blackberry user, I can see any important tweets in real-time, even if I’m not on Twitter.
  
  
• Just put it down.  Really.
  There is a time and a place for Twitter.  Don’t tweet when you are driving, in a meeting, at dinner, in the movies, and on and on.  And sometimes, it’s just good to cut the cord.  Your messages will be there later.  I promise.

Week 2 of the GTE has come to a close and in the words of a very funny man: Great Success.

I tweeted like a crazy person this week. I didn’t quite realize just how often the professional athletes I selected tweeted. It was as if they never slept. If they weren’t tweeting, they were working out! As a huge sports fan, it was appreciated, because I really hope the likes of @shawnemerriman and @chrisbosh have great seasons.

One note: I was supposed to tweet @tariza this week and seeing how he is no longer a Laker I decided to swap him out for @KirkMorrison52 – middle linebacker for the dreaded Oakland Raiders, but a local SDSU alum.

My tweets this week ranged from sports figure initiated topics like Chris Brown, the Taco Bell dog, and whatever else players were tweeting about. Low and behold I GOT RESPONSES! I’m not sure how many tweets I sent this week, but I sent a lot. (I realized just how much when @JenMitch started calling me a celebrity stalker. Hey, I am conducting an experiment here!)

I ended up having a great exchange with @kirkmorrison about the Chris Brown apology and his trek to the races. Also, @shawnemerriman knows I was the one that came up with Snoop Dogg when he asked about the top 5 dogs of all time.

My @reply from Kirk Morrison

This was a fun week, and I am happy to say that professional athletes have restored some faith lost last week tweeting actors.

Week 3 is nearly upon us and that means comedians next!

Jim Gaffigan: Image by missjdub

My targets are:

@jimgaffigan
@sarahksilverman
@dougbenson
@rustyrockets (aka Russell Brand)
@cklouis

I hope that I get some good one liners outta this week!

I watched the Chris Brown apology video today wherein he took responsibility for beating up Rihanna 5 months ago.  There is a lot to be learned here about how to issue an apology and manage your reputation.  Haven’t watched it yet? Here you go:

Like many out there, I don’t believe Chris at all. This is one of the most insincere apologies I’ve ever seen. Worse, it’s all over the Internet- and that was his PR team’s plan. According to the Washington Post, Chris Brown’s team posted this video on their Website, and sent the video to various media folks for coverage. Is this a case of social media tactics gone wrong?

What Chris Did Wrong:

1. Chris waited way too long to issue an apology.  I can understand needing to keep silent for the purposes of testifying in court, but he first went to court back in April.  It looks to me that information was released regarding his plea bargain in June.  At the latest, an apology should have been issued in June.
2. Chris makes excuses within the public apology.  By referencing that his attorney wouldn’t let him apologize sooner in addition to his childhood of domestic abuse, Chris loses immediate credibility.
3. The apology appeared to be scripted.  There’s nothing like a script to demonstrate an apology from the heart.
4. The apology tried to re-focus our attention. Chris references how until recently, he did a good job of living in a way that made others proud.  Really?  Is that supposed to help us re-focus on the good ol’ days?

How to Apologize:

1. Apologize in a timely manner.  Really, some statement should have been issued sooner.  Immediately if possible.  And at worst, in June.
2. Apologize sincerely.  I would have felt better, as a former Chris Brown fan, if his apology had been non-scripted and from the heart.  Isn’t sincerity best?  Especially when you’re going to release a video into the social media realm?
3. Don’t make excuses.  Saying you won’t make excuses, and then making excuses is a major fail.  Take total accountability for your actions, regardless of your history/reasons.
4. Don’t apologize for the public.  Apologize for yourself. The public may not accept your apology, but do so in a way that enables you to move on in your life and heal from the experience.

This video could have been really powerful.  With an early and sincere apology, some of the negative press may have been deminished.  Chris Brown was correct in apologizing.  He was even correct in posting a video.  Reputation management is important.  The execution, however, provides PR folks with a great example of what not to do.

Week one of the Great Twitter Experiment (GTE) is in the books and I have to say I am a bit surprised. (Even if Jennifer isn’t.) I said I would tweet the following 5 actors and I did so:

@kevinspacey (11 tweets sent)
@Matt_Damon (9 tweets sent)
@tuckermax (10 tweets sent)
@JimmyFallon (11 tweets sent)
@JeremyPiven (9 tweets sent)

Here are the responses I received:

Nothing. Not a single response. Not one “thanks for the comment” or “here is the answer.” Nada.

I said I was surprised, and I was. I don’t get it. I didn’t tweet crazed fan stuff like, “OH KEVIN I love you, please add me.” On the contrary, I asked pertinent questions directly responding to their most recent posts. I never tweeted more than 1 hour after they posted and usually I replied within 10 minutes of their last message. I also took into account how each celeb tweeted (i.e. from text, TweetDeck, Web, etc.). I considered that if someone is using text or a mobile application as their primary Twitter tool, they would be less likely to see their @replies than a celeb using TweetDeck or the Web to monitor their stream.

I know the individuals I communicated with are busy. Really busy. And I understand that many of them receive up to 200 @replies a day. Still, to send 50 tweets and not get a single response, I was a bit surprised. Wouldn’t celebs see Twitter as a tool for 2-way conversation with fans? If I was a celeb, I would.

Week one is a wrap. Film stars are not responsive. Let’s see how sports figures do in week 2.

Trevor Ariza, NBA on Twitter: Image by Keith Allison

I will attempt to engage the following sport celebs next week:

@shawnemerriman (Since I shook Shawne’s hand once, and he’s local, I have high hopes on this one)
@chrisbosh (NBA player for the Raptors, very active on Twitter)
@DwightHoward (NBA player for the Orlando Magic, extremely active on Twitter)
@tariza (NBA player, formerly of the LA Lakers now on the Rockets
@CV31 (Charlie Villanueva, NBA player, very active on Twitter)

I know this list is heavily skewed toward the NBA. Because this is their off-season there seems to be much more Twitter activity among these players over any other sports stars.

Let’s hope those sports figures are a bit more communicative with their fans!

And we’re off.

Before you jump into the online conversation: Listen.  Listening IS participating, and a necessary step in building online relationships.

Why should I listen?

Are you listening before participating in social media? Image by: passitonfromthemill

Let’s be honest, bloggers spend a lot of time researching for and writing blog posts.  Many take offense to under-researched comments. (Don’t believe me?  Send one.  You might get a nasty-gram, or worse, blacklisted.) Bloggers most appreciate those who can contribute to the conversation in a meaningful way.

Social media benefit:  The old rules of traditional PR don’t stand in the blogosphere. Old tactics that are no longer appropriate include: pre-written pitches, blasts (targeted or not), picking up the phone (for some), e-mailing (for others.)  When you listening to a blog for a period of time, you familiarize yourself with that bloggers’ personality. Commenting, sharing news, interacting- it can be a bit different from blog to blog, and you want to be educated.

The result? Better relationships, more coverage.

How do I listen to bloggers?

• Research and read a handful of relevant blogs.
  
  • To find these blogs, utilize free tools  including Google blog search, Technorati, and even blogrolls from your favorite industry-blogs.  You can see how well read a blog is by checking it’s Alexa Ranking.
  • Create a tiered matrix, and include “dream blogs,” mid-range blogs and enthusiast blogs. It’s a good idea to read what both relevant professional bloggers and hobby-bloggers are saying about your industry to form a whole picture.
• Sign up for these blogs on your RSS feeder.  I use Bloglines, but may prefer Google Reader.  This will make it simple to read updates on a daily basis, with all of your blogs on one Web- page.
• Read. Really, just read.  Do this for one month.  Do not comment.  Get to know your bloggers, their subject areas and their readers. If you want to comment, don’t yet.
• Check out their Twitter accounts.  Do you want to really get to know a blogger?  Twitter is a great place to do that.  Read what they say in-between posts.  What excites them?  Why do you respect them?
• Sign up for alerts. Your list of relevant bloggers will change, and should change.  One way to find bloggers in your industry that are writing day to day is to sign up for services like Google Alerts and TweetBeep.  Perhaps there are bloggers who aren’t in your industry, but write one relevant post.  Perhaps there are people on Twitter discussing your technology/business who don’t blog who should be on your radar.

Participation

The rules of participation have changed.  Once you have familiarized yourself with your industry bloggers, you SHOULD participate.

Never participate if:

• Your objective in participating  is to push information about you/your company.  You should participate to build relationships, period. (Even as a side effect you get to share about your product.)
  • If you are pitching a blogger, the thought process should be:  How can I help this blogger write a great story?  (Not: How can I get this blogger to print my story?)
• You plan on asking for a favor on first contact.
  • This includes Direct Messages on Twitter. (Hey!  Thanks for the follow.  Go to http://www.mywebsite and sign up for our great product! )
• You’re in it for the in-link.
  • Only post meaningful comments on blog posts that further the conversation.  The best comments spark additional discussion, and as a great side-effect, draw the blogger’s attention toward your comment.

Definitely participate if:

You want to build relationships.

• If you are participating because you want to learn from others, share your best practices, discuss trends and add to your industry one thought at a time- participate.  Otherwise, maybe social media isn’t for you.

What are your listening best practices?

In my last blog (ok, yeah, my first blog here at JMPR Communication), I spoke about sports figures and Twitter. I discussed how they are connecting with their fans like never before. At the end of the blog I said if you want to know what they are up to “just ask, they’ll answer”. That got me thinking, will they really answer? That’s where the Great Twitter Experiment (GTE) was born.

Are Celebs on Twitter as Friendly as They Seem? Image by: FriskyTuna

Over the next four weeks I am going to break down which group of “celebrities” is MOST responsive to their fans on Twitter. I hope to determine which group is most interested in a two-way conversation and which celebs are only on Twitter to push their information? I will do so by actively engaging celebrities in four separate categories:

- Actors/Actresses
- Sports figures
- Comedians
- Professional poker players

I will select my top five from each category and I will tweet each of them twice a day at the times they regularly tweet so they are more likely to see these tweets. I will then track any and all responses and have the results for you each week. (I do realize this is a small sample size and totally subjective, so I probably won’t be presenting you with scientific data. But I hope you find it interesting anyway.)

In my first week, I will focus on actors. I have selected these five actors/actresses in no particular order:

• @Matt_Damon
• @KevinSpacey
• @TuckerMax
• @JimmyFallon
• @JeremyPiven

I hope over the next four weeks I will be able to confirm my belief that if you “just ask, they’ll answer.”

Let the experiment begin!

How do you think this will turn out? Do you have any suggestions to make this experiment even better?

Social Media: Participate. Image by: davidking

One of the things I tell my clients: If you engage in transparent, relevant two-way conversation in your industry, you can eventually expect industry professionals and media to look upon you as a source for information.

I started blogging in September of last year.  At first, it was an experiment.  I learned that if you update consistantly, your audience will grow.  If you drop off for a bit, your audience will disappear.  This was especially true as I phased out my blog for a corporate Website.

I have a policy: I only blog about subjects relevant to my business.  Sometimes, I contribute to an existing conversation.  Sometimes I add something new to the mix.  I try to give props where props are due.

I also engage in the Twitter community.  I have developed meaningful relationships with business professionals.  I have grabbed chances to “guest blog.”  I have gained clients.  On Twitter, I can be more light-hearted and mix in social media tweets with those of a more personal nature.

I use my mistakes, experiments and successes to advise clients.

After 11 months, today I was contacted by a well respected publication to provide my insights on social media for corporations.  It’s more proof that the advice I give clients is true.  If you participate, you will rise above the noise.  It’s also proof that I eat my own dog food for MY corporate dealings, too.

As all PR professionals know, a media interview is not a guarantee that you will be covered in the story.  If it’s printed, great. But a media interview is a compliment and today I feel honored to have been asked for my opinion.

Social media takes time.  Many corporations are afraid of that time committment.  But I can say, 100% that time is well spent.

What successes have you had as a result of YOUR social media participation?