Pssst…I’m talking about you.

I read a blog post by Linda Vandeverde today at Valley PR Blog about the changing world of old school PR and this new social media covered by the New York Times in regards to PR in Silicon Valley.  So, it got me thinking this would make a good post on my own blog.  See, we’re not talking just Silicon Valley here. This new kind of PR is everywhere, the point Linda makes.

Yesterday I *twittered* that, as I was writing the marketing and PR plan for a new client, I realized that the days where social media had its own section in the plan are gone.

Instead, we are motivated to reach specific audiences in support of various strategies by incorporating both the real and virtual worlds. Why? Because people are having conversations instantly and shaping the way we think about other people and brands every single moment.  But haven’t we always done this? Of course.  But now, technology gives us the opportunity to share these conversations with others, around the world, instantly.  Not just with a few friends over long stretches of time.  Instantly.  Now that’s a helluva word. Instantly.

Social media–this hybrid between print and verbal communication– is fascinating.  Just this weekend, out with friends, many of them were taking pictures and posting them to Facebook, real time, and talking about where we were and what we were doing. All the while, they were mentioning the name of the restaurant and commenting on the experience we were having. This was all to the benefit of the restaurant whose owners had no idea we were talking about them.  Basically, free PR and advertising. And who doesn’t want that?  Hold that thought.

So this got me thinking: how will this new social media affect not just PR but customer service and experience marketing?  Is anyone thinking about that?  They should.  Because, the stakes are higher. Here is where every second you interact with your customer is more important than ever.  You can’t afford to give lousy customer service.  You have to back up your product and service and make the whole experience fun. Memorable.  Something to talk about.  Are you doing that? Are you sure?  Every second?  Every employee buys into that idea? Why?

Because that diner over there in the corner, the one siting by himself, is talking about you right now…with thousands.

Take the Shop Local Pledge

Click here to view and print the ticket

PLEDGE: YES! I understand that my dollars can help build a sense of place, a higher quality of life and a stronger economy!

I hereby take the pledge to buy locally during National Independents Week, June 29 through July 5, to help celebrate the diversity and vibrancy that makes me proud to call Arizona Home.

Don’t you feel better already?!

10 Tips for Shopping Local

Thank you for taking the pledge to shop 100% locally from Monday, June 29 – Sunday, July 5. With a little planning, you’ll find simple, local solutions for your every day needs.

1. Plan your week:
List all the things you do on a regular basis – lunch, groceries, etc. – and figure out a local alternative to the usual chain coffeehouse or mega-mart

2. Check out the Golden Coupon participants and download your ticket to saving 20%: Can these businesses help you hold up your end of the pledge this week?

3. Download the Small Wonders map for shopping and dining destinations in Central Phoenix.

4. Ask friends, family, colleagues for local recommendations.

5. Review the Top 10 Lists of Favorites from Arizona leaders for their recommendations.

6. Visit a Farmer’s Market to buy locally grown produce this week – or visit the Arizona Farm Bureau’s www.fillyourplate.org website to find local farmers and ranchers.

7. Look for the round, black and red Local First stickers in store windows to be sure!

8. Check the labels on the products you buy at local stores – and see if these items are made or grown in Arizona to double your impact.

9. Always use the serach directory at www.localfirstaz.com to look for products and services in a variety of categories and search by keyword, city or ZIP code.

10. Tell your friends and family that You’re Going 100% Local and ask them to join you!

The Value of Cross-Promotion Devotion

I love it when I get to work with smart people who understand the incredible value of cross-promotion where there’s no need to ask for monetary gain or inserting speed bumps that prevent the experience from being fully celebrated.

Case in point, I approached Carrie Law at ASU Gammage auditorium about a cross-promotion with London Luxury Car, a unique (in this context the word is appropriate) limo service comprising two genuine London cabs, tricked out and named “Penny Lane” and “Abbey Road,” that service the City of Phoenix and surrounding areas.  The idea was to provide one lucky winner two free tickets to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang as well as being transported to and from the theater by London Luxury Car.

Carrie loved the idea, and advised that they would promote the contest in their newsletter mailed to 65,000 or so of their subscribers.  She also suggested we bring the cabs to an upcoming press event and even repeat the promotion when Mary Poppins arrives at Gammage in February 2010.

We, of course, were elated.

Linking brands and creating fun promotions are what generates interest and word-of-mouth discussion among consumers.  Its power can be extraordinary. So too are the people who recognize these opportunities, seize them and honor them with the celebration they deserve.

Direct Reponse: The Power of Social Media

So after an arduous four months trying to get Cox Cable to resolve our DVR problems (every show we recorded was unwatchable. The picture and the DVR would freeze and get stuck for 5 minutes or so) we finally decided to make the switch to Direct TV. Coincidentally Direct TV had recently started following my twitter updates. Also a fellow twitterer had mentioned that he really liked his Direct TV.

So we ordered the $49.99 package with free installation. Two days after installation I received a bill for $78. So I called to find out what gives. Turns out, I was eligible for a $35/month rebate but the rebate would not begin to take effect for 6 to 8 weeks. Nowhere during the transaction was this disclosed. After several calls to the customer service line I was told that there was a very small disclaimer at the bottom of the Web site. I know that under the Federal Credit Full Disclosure Act this was a violation. I pointed that out. I got nowhere. I asked to speak to a supervisor. I got nowhere. I was told to send a complaint letter to the corporate office but it was likely that I would get no response.  Are you joking?  I knew I’d have better luck flipping a coin and having it land on its edge.

Then I remembered my Direct TV follower on Twitter. I shot off a quick direct message to him/her and said that I would be twittering about my experience unless someone could help me. Within minutes I received a response asking me for my account number. Within seconds I had a telephone call from Direct TV and they resolved the problem, offering me a credit that covered the difference. Needless to say I was pleased.

Which leads me to the ultimate point, and there are two. 1) In this day of social media we as consumers no longer have to be held hostage by stupid corporate policy and procedure. 2) Brands had better start understanding the power of social media and its ability to cause collateral damage when consumers are treated like they are unimportant and logic does not prevail. I can tell you as a small business owner, and any of my clients can tell you, employees need to be empowered to resolve problems quickly and there should be some mechanism by which those in charge can react quickly.

Thank you Direct TV, thank you Brian from Direct TV and thank you Twitter!

Mums the Word

“Has anyone seen my shoes?”
–Wynne San Felice (My Mom)

Excerpt From: The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson

“It was impossible to hold my mother’s forgetfulness against her for long because it was so obviously and helplessly pathological, a quirk of her nature. We might as well have become exasperated with her for having a fondness for polka dots and two-tone shoes. It’s what she was. Besides, she made up for it in a thousand ways—by being soft and kind, patient and generous, instant and sincerely apologetic for every wrong, keen to make amends. Everybody in the world adored her. She liked everybody. She lived to make sandwiches. She wanted everyone to be happy.”

Through the course of my life I have learned to live as if my mother is standing over my shoulder. As she is perfectly described above. This has taught me many things. For example, whatever decision I make, whatever I write in an email or say on the telephone, I think of her and what she would approve of—the example she has made from the time I was a boy to now a man–that I hope I emulate in all that I do.

The other day I overheard someone speaking ill about another person—someone I know. I realized that in this town, everyone knows everyone. You gotta be careful. Better to say nothing than live to regret it. Mums the word so to speak.

This is true even when you apply it to public relations and advertising. Word of mouth is a strange and elusive thing. But when it turns on you and people speak ill of you or your brand … the best lesson is to approach it like your mother would (if you are lucky to have a mother like me … not everyone is so fortunate). So:

1. Respond kindly and truthfully.
2. Let ‘em know we’re not perfect, none of us, but we try to be better.
3. Don’t take anything personally and be impeccable with your word.
4. But sometimes, it’s just better to hold your tongue.

I read a blog recently (sorry to the author I can’t remember where) who was concerned about something a reporter wrote about them on twitter. The author, thankfully, thought better of responding right away. Took the time to think it over and ultimately realized that it was better to leave it alone rather than fan the flames. In this case, mums the word.

So, if you find yourself, or your brand in the same predicament, take a moment to think … what would mom do?

Find the answer in your own heart, and act accordingly. Remember, a tongue sandwich is not always the best choice from the lunch menu. Have a turkey sandwich instead and think of your transgressor and enjoy the irony.