unu_logo.gif
The best part of the WeMedia conference in Miami this past week, like any conference, was the people that I was able to meet. One of the sharpest minds that I came across was Dr. Jean-Marc Coicaud, head of the United Nations University Office at the UN in New York (also a published author, former fellow at Havard University and cultural attache to the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Dr. Coicaud has a great grasp of the power of technology and how it impacts the mission of his organization. Although he admittedly has a way to grow, he knows that it is a powerful way to bridge time and distance.

He took a couple of minutes to spend time with me and here is the interview.

The mission of the United Nations University is to contribute, through research and capacity building, to efforts to resolve the pressing global problems that are the concern of the United Nations, its peoples and member states. You can learn more about the United Nations University here.

More interviews from this conference are coming up including the Chief Scientist at Reuters and the founder of the Hip Hop Caucus.

podcast-logo1.gif
If you use another podcatcher you can grab my podcast RSS feed here.

You can watch this and other Techno//Marketer videos on your video channel of choice:

Technorati Tags:
Matt Dickman, Techno//Marketer, technology, wemedia, United Nations University, Jean-Marc Coicaud

wm_logo.gif
Today and tomorrow I am attending the WeMedia Conference in Miami. Despite yesterday's massive power outage it's been great to escape the snowy confines of Cleveland.

I'll be updating this post throughout the day today as events unfold. I'll be interviewing people on video and Twittering as well.

Print is dead:
Roger Black and Jeff Gomez - A good session from Roger and Jeff with a focus on where media is going. Basically, the content is king and the medium of delivery will adapt to the user's needs. A major question that was posed was "if print is dead, who killed it?". What are your thoughts?

This is a great piece of research that was mentioned in the session from Zogby.

Print reincarnated
Richard Sarnoff and William Weiss - Following up on the first session, Richard and William add to the agnostic approach publishers need to take with media formats. Sticking to print books will not work. Publishers cannot be paperback or hardcover, they need to offer the content in the ways that people want to consume them. Some of those delivery formats may not even exist yet. They're of the opinion that the publishing business will move primarily to digital in the next 5 years.

The power to change the world
Tons of great thinking in this session as well. More focus on the relationship of mainstream news gatekeepers and new media outlets. Added focus on how the two interoperate.

Quote of the session:
"The revolution may not be televised, but it will be uploaded" - The Reverend Lennox Yearwood Jr.

Political World - Hype vs. Reality
Lead by Brian Reich, author of "Media Rules".

Key takeaways:

• Emergence of social networks as an enabler
  
• Technology as a driver to participation
  
• Using mobile to organize people on the ground at the grassroots level
  
• MTV Street team has a reporter in each state plus D.C. to cover what is happening
  
• Traditional media is branching out to use new formats, but is it the same information?
  
• Bloggers are starting to get the access traditionally held for traditional journalists
  
• "Campaigns use what works" -- traditional media is still holding strong
  
• New outlets are releasing new information in new ways to keep tabs on politicians
  
• More informal organizations are taking on issues that are normally handled by large organizations
  
• Supporters who "get" new media can lead the campaigns who take credit for the innovations
  
• How do you recognize a person's interest and then allow them to participate in the way they want and not read the campaign's script?
  

Pitch it
This session is for entrepreneurs to pitch their project to a panel of VC and upper level marketing folks.

Key takeaways:

• Presentations range in level of preparedness and energy; low prep could be overcome with energy, but low energy is a killer
  
• Knowing the lingo helps keep the energy positive; look for a VC to get up to speed on the common terms
  
• Know who your decision makers are and cater to them; eye contact and delivery are key
  
• Be fluid in your ideas and listen for cues from the advisor; too many people sticking to the wrong guns
  

Technorati Tags:
Conference, marketing, Matt Dickman, Techno//Marketer, wemedia, miami, community

• BtoB blogging advice from Dave Armano and Matt Dickman
  Andy Sernovitz interviewed David Armano and I at the MarketingProfs B2B Forum in Chicago last year.
  (tags: mattdic)

This is not an advertising blog. There are plenty of pundits out there who know much more than I. But, I have an advertising question for you. It's been nearly a month after the Super Bowl bonanza. Which ads do you remember? Which ads did their job and created a lasting impression that lives with you a mere 22 days later?

For me, I remember very few of the ads overall. I do, however, still very vividly remember the Audi R8 ad as well as the emotions it conveyed. It also drove me to click through to the site to get more information (sadly I had to look around for it once on the Audi landing page).

I loved the ad for a number of reasons. I think it's well photographed, very cinematic and congruent with the Godfather reference. I think it was a great idea for Audi to take this approach to veer away from their usual image (safe, all-wheel-drive, semi-sporty). The R8 is a new kind of Audi. This is a car that competes on the Porsche, BMW M level and the commercial gets to that point. It's in your face, it's aggressive and it puts you on notice.

So, which ads do you remember? Did any of them convince you to make a purchase? Did they drive you online?

Technorati Tags:
advertising, marketing, Matt Dickman, Super Bowl, Techno//Marketer, audi, commericals

Picture 3.png
Are you a spotter of trends? Do you revel in knowing things before your friends and colleagues? If so I am going to share a little information that will make you a very happy person.

A couple of months ago I came across one of the coolest RSS feeds that I've ever seen. Google Hot Trends now offers an hourly feed that shows the top 100 search terms. Every hour a new item is sent to my RSS reader for my consumption.

Why is this cool you ask? Imagine the power of the collective, "crowd sourced" data of millions of Google searches aggregated into one place. It's pop culture at its best. Want to get the scoop before mainstream media? Subscribe to this feed.

The type of information is unfiltered so you will get things like:

• Scoops on sports trades
  
• Celebrity news
  
• Breaking business and economic news
  
• World news
  
• Scandals of all sorts
  
• See how powerful TV is at driving search
  

To me, Google Hot Trends represents the real power of collective intelligence. In the case of Google Trends this is information aggregated across the globe, but imagine if you could do this only for technology or social media. The trends that you uncover would be catalysts for innovation and change.

What are you doing with your search data?

If you are running a web site, what are you doing with your search data? Are you storing it? If you're storing it, are you looking at it? If you're looking at it, are you analyzing it for trends and insights?

Search is as key to a site as your navigation. The data is extremely powerful and can tell you what your customers are looking for, what they really want and what you need to create more of.

How are you using your search data?

Technorati Tags:
50Matches, Google, marketing, Matt Dickman, Search, Techno//Marketer, trends, data

If you've seen any of my presentations, either in-person or on SlideShare, you may recognize this quote. I think it perfectly and succinctly sums up the position of marketers who find themselves at the crossroads of emerging media. I originally saw this quote in a Tom Peters (one of my heros) presentation and fell in love with it.

If you don't like change,
you're going to like irrelevance
even less.

Marketers who continue to do the same old thing month after month, year after year are going to find their messages falling flat. It's important to set clear and measurable goals for engaging in new media and look at emerging media to see what fits with your customers.

Technorati Tags:
marketing, Matt Dickman, Techno//Marketer, Tom Peters, quote, emerging media

iStock_000004507849XSmall.jpg
My post from last Friday entitled " Your last contact cannot be your first contact" generated some really great   commentary. The idealistic, best-case viewpoint I took with blogger outreach caused most of the concern so I want to use this post to touch on five keys to successful blogger outreach in the real world. I highly encourage you to add your opinions in the comment section so we can all learn and grow.

The following five steps should give you a leg up on your next outreach endeavor:

1. Use a tiered targeting approach: Let's face it. Resource and time are finite things and not all blogs are created equal. At the outset of an outreach program, companies need to identify tiers of bloggers they would like to reach. The tiers should be ranked by influence and reach (these are not the same thing) within the niche(s) you're focusing on . Tier 1 bloggers should get the most attention, tier 2 should get a bit less and so on. This will ensure that time is being allocated to achieve the best impact.
   
2. Build relationships over time: As you put bloggers into your tiers, you need to start developing relationships with them (this is where my last post comes into play). I'm talking about forming real, honest relationships. It's easy to spot people who are trying to manipulate you. Read the blogger's content, delve into what their interest are, see who they read and engage with them on their turf (comments, emails, etc.). Ask what you can do for them before you need anything from them. Try to add value to the community they've created. I know that's the fastest way to my heart.
   
3. Create relevant messages: This is, as David Berkowitz pointed out in the comments, a crucial step. You can make up for not having a previous relationship with somebody by delivering a spot-on message that is relevant to their interests. The message needs to be to the point and tailored to the blog as much as possible. You can break through the clutter just by writing clearly and focusing on the value and relevance to the blog's community. (Don't fake this either, it's crystal clear to a blogger what is relevant and what misses the mark.)
   
4. You only have one shot: This is another big point to make that I think newbies miss all the time. When you contact a blogger, you need to make sure that you have the right person with the right message at the right time because you only have one chance. You should never "follow up" with a blogger unless they ask you to. You have to assume they've seen your message and either ignored it or are holding it for later. Let them make the next move. Following up can be seen as annoying and pushy in this situation. It's important to note that the better your relationship with the blogger, the more flexible this rule is.
   
5. Be prepared for follow up: I am often amazed, when I do follow up on a PR pitch, at how unprepared the rep on the other end is. Normally I get a "it's all in the release" or "there isn't anything else available". You should be able to readily follow up with more information including pre-packaged social media content including quotes, videos, photos and logos that are blog-ready (often in a social media news release). Remember that most bloggers are pressed for time and the easier you make it for them to write about you, the more response you'll get. I've passed on relevant stories that require me to do too much leg work.
   

What would you add to this list? What is your pre-launch checklist for outreach to bloggers? Is it different from traditional media or the same? Are the two converging for you? Drop me a comment!

BONUS - Take a look at Valeria's recent post and her top four good, and bad, pitches. She echos a lot of what I mention here and adds some great insights (as usual).

Technorati Tags:
blogs, marketing, Matt Dickman, outreach, PR, smnr, social media, Techno//Marketer

Setting foot into the blogosphere can be a paralyzing task for many marketers. Despite the technological ease of entry, there are major psychological and organizational hurdles that have to be overcome. This new series will look at the brave marketers who overcome internal and external forces to join the conversation.

kennethcole.jpg
Kenneth Cole is the latest major consumer brand to swing into the new media jungle. Their new blog, Awearnessblog.com, focuses on social issues that are a major part of their business philosophy. If you are a Kenneth Cole customer you already know about the company's support of AIDS research and other causes as well as their quippy way of telling their story. Those things are combined here to tell a new story.

The blog has very little direct product messaging outside of a small link in the top right corner to "Shop Kenneth Cole". They've no doubt found that their customers share their social advocacy and it does in fact drive sales. The technology behing the blog itself is WordPress MovableType and rebranded to fit the Kenneth Cole look. The four main categories are navigable at the top of the page (social rights, hard times, well-being and political landscape).

I liked the way that they decided to launch this. Every newcomer should consider the following formula for launching a blog on the right foot:

1. Tease the blog's launch well ahead of time and do PR outreach around it
   
2. Allow people to be notified by email when it launches (one-click signup)
   
3. Build a solid foundation of content (2 weeks minimum, but 1 month is preferable)
   
4. Allow a group of advocates early access to build the conversation (comments in the case of a blog)
   
5. Use imagery and video whenever possible
   
6. Engage the head cheese (yes, Kenneth Cole himself has a voice here) to show commitment and understanding of the shift in the marketing paradigm
   

I think this is a solid formula to follow to get up and running. The following points are how I rate the effort overall:

Voice gold_star_sm.gif gold_star_sm.gif gold_star_sm.gif gold_star_sm.gif grey_star_sm.gif
The blog stays true to its mission and the content is very focused. The voice of the brand comes through in the content as well as the auxiliary content.

Pre-launch readiness gold_star_sm.gif gold_star_sm.gif gold_star_sm.gif gold_star_sm.gif grey_star_sm.gif
This blog launched with a very strong, focused cache of content. This allows newcomers to jump right in, see the direction, subscribe if they like it and start engaging through commentary. Having the top post be from the leadership of the company is a nice touch to set the tone right away.

Design/look-and-feel gold_star_sm.gif gold_star_sm.gif gold_star_sm.gif grey_star_sm.gif grey_star_sm.gif
The design is clean and to the point. The blog looks as I would expect being a Kenneth Cole customer, but also sets the tone for the brand to new customers. I would like to see a few items be added to make sharing easier including a clear RSS icon, subscribe by email feature and more prominent social bookmarking icons (del.icio.us/digg/etc.).

Content quality gold_star_sm.gif gold_star_sm.gif gold_star_sm.gif gold_star_sm.gif grey_star_sm.gif
The quality of the content is really fresh, aligned with the tone of the site, carries through the voice of the brand and sets the stage for things to come. I love the use of photography and video to grab your eye and keep you engaged.

Content update frequency gold_star_sm.gif gold_star_sm.gif gold_star_sm.gif grey_star_sm.gif grey_star_sm.gif
The team at Kenneth Cole is setting the bar high right out of the gate. The posting frequency is around 3-4 posts per day which makes me wonder if they can keep that up. The initial frequency sets an expectation that is hard to back down from once started. This is a key consideration for any company looking to start out. Make sure that the expectations match the reality of your finite resources.

Conversation gold_star_sm.gif gold_star_sm.gif gold_star_sm.gif gold_star_sm.gif grey_star_sm.gif
The conversations that were already going when the blog launched this morning make it clear the team knows what it is doing. These are not websites that we're launching. These are two-way conversation vehicles. The comments on existing posts make sure that newcomers feel comfortable sharing their thoughts. This is the same situation as in a classroom, nobody wants to be the first to raise their hand. The KC team has eliminated that anxiety.

Upper-level involvement gold_star_sm.gif gold_star_sm.gif gold_star_sm.gif gold_star_sm.gif gold_star_sm.gif
The top post on launch day is from Kenneth Cole himself. This shows a firm commitment to the medium as well as positioning him as somebody who knows what social media is and why it is important.

Are there other measurements that you would add to this list? What do you think of Kenneth Cole's Awearness blog?

If you are ready to launch a new media effort at your company and would like me to cover your launch just drop me an email.

Technorati Tags:
blogs, marketing, Matt Dickman, new media, social marketing, social media, Techno//Marketer, Web2.0, Kenneth Cole

I (like most bloggers) am on the receiving end of at least 3-5 PR pitches a day. Some of them are really good and on target, but the majority are really tired attempts. Now that I work on the other side of the aisle, so to speak, I want to give a little friendly advice to PR folks doing outreach.

Your last contact cannot be your first contact.

crisis.jpg
To make it crystal clear, if I am reading an email from you right now, I need to have heard from you before. I need to have had an intro email or have seen your name on a comment. Maybe you follow me on Twitter (and I follow you back) or you've added me as a friend on Facebook.

Those people who do this right break through the clutter and avoid my dreaded ' bad pitch' folder in Gmail. (I save these emails to show people what not to do.)

WAY too often I get a pre-formatted, "personal" email (I won't even mention the numerous emails that contain nothing but a press release). You know what I am talking about. It usually starts looking something a bit like this:

Hey [blogger name here],

I really love your blog [blog name here]. I think the perspective and insight you have on [industry name here] is amazing. Your last post on [post subject here] was really good.

[Insert press release here]

Thanks!

While this type of outreach does occasionally work, I can immediately tell what's going on. The ones who've taken the time to reach out and connect with me get through. It's more like P2P outreach in that the relationship is two-way and symbiotic. I often follow up with people who do outreach to get more info or see if they have something new for me.

Blogger "pitching" is not going anywhere. Bloggers are gaining influence and share of voice in media. The key for PR efforts is to choose bloggers that truly fit your product/service niche and build those relationships over time.

Once you have a blogger's attention it's important to offer them easy ways to consume the assets. Logos, video and copy should be online, be embeddable and easy to access (this is the premise of the social media news release). This limits waste and maximizes everyone's time.

Personally, I don't think that the wall exists between PR and bloggers the way it does between PR and journalists. We're all in social media and on the same playing field.

What lessons would you add to this for people in PR who do this type of outreach?

Technorati Tags:
blogs, marketing, Matt Dickman, PR, strategy, Techno//Marketer, outreach, smnr

iStock_000001289783Small.png
I debated when I started this series of posts whether I should use a specific service as the example or be more general. I chose to use Twitter because of the traction it has in the market and it's pretty easy to explain.

I've received some feedback here and on other blogs about how unlikely it would be to actually use Twitter for customer service. While I think that it is entirely possible to use Twitter (companies already are), especially if your audience is on the service, we need to look more broadly. Don't get hung up on Twitter.

A huge part of being a social media strategist and identifying what's next is breaking down new applications into their core pieces. So, let's break down Twitter. First off, Twitter is cleanly designed and the interaction is simple and intuitive. The most important point is that you can send data to it from the web, mobile, IM, email or desktop applications. Alternatively, you can receive data from it in the same manner. You publish how you want, when you want and you receive in the same manner.

There are a couple of ways that I can see Micromedia evolving to allow more companies to use a Twitter-like service for customer support.

1. The re-branded Twitter: If you didn't catch the mid-January blog post, the underlying messaging service for Twitter is now available as an open source platform. It's codenamed Starling and companies can start developing now to create their customer service platform.
   
2. The enterprise option: This could be based on the aforementioned Starling framework or something entirely new. The point here is that a company could host and integrate real time messaging into their support system. Customers could communicate how they want, when they want, where they want. The company would have their own SMS short code, email address and would need the staff to support it. Real time is scary, but it presents an opportunity to create strong, personal relationships with customers. Isn't that what it's all about?
   
3. Something amazingly new: Twitter is limited to text. People have built applications on top of Twitter that use other types of media, but it ends in text. The next level of this type of service is to use video, audio and photos in addition to the text. Services like Utterz and Jaiku take strides toward this, but they lack the level of community that Twitter offers. Advances in mobile technology could allow real time video support anywhere, anytime.
   

The common theme is on-demand. The customer's demand. Right now too many customer experiences happen at the company's convenience, but the best service companies act when the customer needs them. I recognize that scaling up is an issue and programs like this should be rolled out in manageable waves, but the move is inevitable. If you don't offer it the next company will.

Technorati Tags:
Conversations, customer service, marketing, Matt Dickman, trends, Twitter