The problem of how to measure social media is we’re all convinced you need a tool to do it. This is because the software companies out there who have these tools want you to buy from them. The realization hit me as I stumbled across Agorapulse’s recent post entitled, “What Social Media Measurement Tool Does My […]
You Don’t Need a Tool to Measure Social Media Read More »
You hear a lot of conventional wisdom as a small business owner. It typically comes from people trying to give you advice on how to be successful. This expert or that author tells you what they know to be true, which is the conventional wisdom aggregated in their study of that little sliver of the world.
The Case Against Conventional Wisdom Read More »
Monday of interactive weekend at South-by-Southwest is typically the day the social media and digital marketing crowd wakes up and realizes they aren’t in college anymore and that much alcohol is best used in truck engines. SXSW has been called “Spring Break for Geeks” and though I am not in attendance this year, I can attest,
The Social Media Lesson SXSW Taught Me Read More »
My friend Mark Schaefer’s new book on personal branding, Known, tells you how to market yourself in today’s digital world. It’s good advice from someone who knows. Mark has become one of the leading voices in the marketing space after spending a career doing the work on the inside at some impressive companies. He now speaks,
The Danger of Personal Branding Read More »
I gave feedback on a video this week telling the recent small business workshop attendee I wouldn’t exactly call it “social capital.” Before I step on anyone’s sensitivities, please know the purpose of this post is to explain social capital and how to judge whether or not your social media content provides it. Lacking social capital isn’t
What is Social Capital and How Do You Earn It? Read More »
A friend and business partner recently said to me, “There’s nothing better than doing business with someone with common values.” An interesting and valid perspective, for sure. It’s certainly better than doing business with someone whose values don’t align with your own. Finding value relationships is probably more important in business-to-business or long-lead/long-term relationship businesses. For
Finding Value Relationships for Small Businesses Read More »
Every year it seems, one of the Super Bowl advertisers does something to give us all great small business lessons. Yesterday’s game was no different. 84 Lumber was yesterday’s teacher, sending millions of people to a website to watch the end of their controversial commercial, only to have the website crash. If ever there was an
You Can Learn a Lot from the Super Bowl Read More »
The path of one-upmanship is a treacherous road. You either have to keep improving, almost exponentially, or eventually you’ll lose. Alas, our society is too far down the path to turn ‘round now. And that only means one end. Facebook has become a putrid sea of hatred and bile. One side wants to prove its
Our Mic-Drop Society is Killing Us Read More »
“I just don’t get social media,” one small business owner told me recently. He was lamenting the fact that if it doesn’t lead to direct revenue, then he has no time for it. I can certainly respect that no-nonsense approach, but he’s looking at social media for small business all wrong. And, he does get
How to “Get” Social Media for Small Business Read More »
On Wednesday of this week, I turned 44 years old. I don’t say that for acknowledgement. My birthday isn’t a big deal anymore. My kids make more of a fuss over it than I do. Once you get that big car insurance break at age 25, there really isn’t that much to look forward to.
The Power of Simple Acknowledgement Read More »
We live in a sea of noise. Whether it’s the cacophony of it that is our social media feeds or the multitasking nightmare of our daily to-do list, there never seems to be enough time to get it all done, to take it all in. This is also true with marketing. In an effort to
The 5% Method to Optimize Your Marketing Read More »
You’ve probably heard me whine before about how some of the best social technology software platforms ruin themselves. They come out with low or free price points, get enough users to attract investors, then are forced by the investors to focus on the enterprise and leave the small business folks behind. It’s one of
My small business mea culpa Read More »