How much is that pair of shoes in the window?

I've had money on my mind a lot lately. Finances are getting tighter for a lot of people, and I find myself trying to find ways to make my dollar stretch and ways to cut expenses. Do I really need some of the things I have in my life? Do I really need the cute heels beckoning me from the department store window? (*gasp!*)

It calls to mind an argument I've been making at work about our social media programs. In the world of social media, the biggest dollar doesn't necessarily deliver the biggest result. A term I've coined here at the office that illustrates my vision of how we should proceed is to "get scrappy." When it comes to social media, we can very much be scrappy and achieve results-_arguably better results than we would have with a larger dollar invested. And that has to do with looking at what makes social media social. It's not how many bells and whistles we can have on our sites. It's not how much content we create. It's in how much we allow the social aspect of consumer-generated content to thrive.

What is social media, if not social? It's not about creating a cool website. It's about creating a cool platform. A playground, if you will. When developing a social media strategy, I keep an eye to how can we take advantage of these tools in various ways. What's out there already? What do people already naturally gravitate to and use? Why reinvent the wheel? Stay scrappy.

Social media crosses departmental lines. So what? If I can aggregate content over several different delivery vehicles, connect people in new ways and let people create content, I get more bang for my buck. And with one simple social media PR plan I can cover everything from generating user involvement and content generation to traffic drivers and return trips. PR, marketing, customer service... The Voice of the Customer. It's social. It's scrappy.   

And, when I have to deliver a clear ROI, it's a heck of a lot easier if I stay scrappy. Start small. A marketing plan on a PR budget.

Oh, and in case you were wondering... yes, I walked away from the shoes in the window. I already have a pair that fits the bill.

Forging Ahead

I wrote my bio today for my first blog with my employer. I'm still a little in awe of how far we've come, while at the same time humbled that I've a long way to go. 

To say that companies are reluctant to enter the social media world is unfair. It seems to me that it is more to do with defining a clear vision and strategy for what you want to accomplish. All of the social media tools out there are fun and exciting and that can end up being only that. But our executives are right - it isn't the right idea to go skipping out there willy nilly sans shoes. Our toes may get stubbed. 

I've spent the bulk of my career trying to get the message across how technology - and Web applications - furthers the reach of communications. But it's not about jumping at the latest technology for technology sake. But, rather, looking at the various new tools in Web communications and seeing where they make a nice fit for a communications tactic. That's right, I said tactic. Somehow the buzz on social media in the communications world has created this unrealistic view that social media will be the new answer to communications. 

Yes, we hear every day that newspapers and traditional news media are waning. Yes, we know that citizen journalism is on the rise. But it still takes a strategic eye to an overall communications objective to determine whether social media is the correct fit. Just like we define when a face-to-face meeting is the correct tactic to handle a specific communication issue, we need to define what social media tools are appropriate for which purposes. It's still not better to do a podcast instead of direct communication to communicate change, for example.

That might sound simple. But I keep seeing examples of communicators running at the latest thing in social media just because it's cool, with little forethought to why that specific tool makes a good tactic for what they're trying to convey. It's still all about strategic communications, after all. By all means insert a social media tactic or two. Just make it meaningful and measurable. You'll get a lot further selling a social media plan when you approach the C-suite knowing why you're using the tool and how you can show it made a difference.

MySpace Tuning it Up

You know you're a social media nerd if you catch a glimpse of a headline with the word MySpace on it and jump to read the article. -----> *points at self* Oh, well. I am what I am. Hail social networking. If you were shoes, I could only love you more.

I wonder what will happen with the new interface MySpace is rolling out next week (New Face for MySpace, USA Today). According to the article, MySpace is trying to appeal to the same crowd that resisted email and text messaging by creating an easier-to-use interface. I have to say that I wonder about this tactic. Honestly it seems to me that those who "resisted" email and text messaging for the most part resist email and text messaging, and I'm not sure it's because it's complicated so much as that they think it is. It's like buying platform shoes. You may look at them but you've already decided they're uncomfortable, hard to walk in, etc. The question is how do you change perception? Creating a buzz that platform shoes are comfortable--er, that MySpace is easier. Because if the perception is there, they're not going to come and see the wonderful new, prettied up screen. Maybe they've considered this, and made it easier for people to share with non-members. We'll see. I seriously think that another, perhaps larger barrier to entry is the perception that the majority of users are teenagers and that the user-generated content is immature. There's a brand essence out there already they would have to work to change. Speaking like a person not in their early 20s, I'm just not sure I'd jump in. Facebook feels more my style. It's about convincing me that MySpace fits me, not that it's easier.

Social Media Book Club

I was skipping out for a quick "swoop and scoop" class-A fast food run for lunch when I passed a group of people that looked slightly familiar and, perhaps, perturbed. Why? Because this wonderful group of people - my colleagues - and I started a book club of sorts to read and discuss some of the latest publications about social media and I had to miss it. Honest, I did do my homework.

We're reading Groundswell, Winning in a World Transformed by Social Technologies and started the week by reading the first chapter, "Why Goundswell, and Why Now?" The chapter makes some important observations that the stories we keep hearing that hit all the news is going to become the norm. You know, the ones like the Comcast guy falling asleep , or how Kryptonite bike locks can be opened with a pen...

It is happening, it will continue to happen.

Companies that are not preparing for this are missing the mark. As the book points out, customers are talking out there. And people--customers--are using technology increasingly to provide the things they need. That is as powerful as it is exciting. And it's daunting, I agree. But to the corporate executive that says they can't afford the risk, that they can't substantiate the cost for social media... I say we can't afford not to.

We're just digging in (no social media pun intended), but I think this is gonna be a good one...