Statistics in this vid are fascinating…
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Archive for the Category »Social Media «
Feb
26
In what has now become an annual celebration for good cause, IHOP (International House of Pancakes) serves up complimentary Short Stacks of their signature Buttermilk Pancakes to guests on National Pancake Day, as part of a fundraising effort to support children’s hospitals through the Children’s Miracle Network, or other local charities.
This fundraising event was established by IHOP in 2006, and has raised more than $3.25 million to support local charities. The company set this year’s cumulative goal of raising $5 million in five years — and handily met that goal. The date was scheduled a week later this year on February 23, rather than the traditional date of Shrove Tuesday, extending the fundraising effort window to benefit the Children’s Miracle Network.
Case studies are always interesting. IHOP’s National Pancake Day is a prime example of a special event embraced company-wide, comprised of all of the “right” elements — and it works! A visit to the IHOP website to read the company’s “Vision and Values” shows they are plugged into the aspect of social responsibility. The company goes yet another step further with a year-long promotion recognizing outstanding citizens locally with “Stacks for Good Acts,” keeping the buzz going long after National Pancake Day! Very cool, indeed.
Everyone knows effective promotion is a key ingredient for event success, but not everyone knows how to put together an efficient communications plan. The strategy is to get the word out on multiple channels, reaching the broadest possible audience, especially for a fundraising campaign like this. Social Media is proven to be one of the channels that is very effective in quickly spreading the word.
On Monday and Tuesday of this week, IHOP was a top trending topic on Twitter, according to an article by Douglas Quenqua, on ClickZ. Interestingly enough, the article points out IHOP does not have a presence on Twitter.
Apparently many tweeps were tweeting away, sharing about the event, based on Twitter Trending statistics. This leads to the natural question of why IHOP doesn’t have a Twitter presence? Many companies are establishing Twitter accounts to interact with customers and the world at large.
Twitter is one of many Social Media tools available to communicate. It is a tool in an arsenal of promotional tools to communicate. Not all Social Media tools must be used by all entities or people to be effective communicators. Their selection and use must be strategic and based upon a plan that uniquely meets the company’s goals.
Based on this event’s success, it seems the company has a solid strategy in place that works for them. IHOP is on Facebook and YouTube. Their website offers a social media “sharing” buttons. An exceptional “reminder” feature to receive a “Celebrity ‘Wake-up Call” for IHOP’s ”National Pancake Day” by the celeb of choice (selected from a list of celebrities), to call participant’s home, office or cell with a personal reminder message. The media also make sharing easy, helping to carry the message.
Based on the bottomline results (goal met), Twitter trending, and the fact that we’re still talking about this, I believe IHOP’s National Pancake Day benefit for the Children’s Miracle Network and local charities proves Social Media presence through widespread promotion is powerful, with community support. The power of Social Media was harnessed, resulting in effective promotion based on an efficient plan. It’s plain to see that IHOP is putting their money where our mouth is. Everyone wins!
As a customer, I would rather see them doing what they do best — flipping my pancakes and slinging my hashbrowns — and leave the Tweeting to me.
How about you or your company — do you have a communication strategy in place? Do you have a website and a plan, but wonder if it could be tweaked to be more effective? I offer consulting services including website reviews and social media strategies for more effective communication. I have been serving up my services as a communications professional to for many years.
Are you interested in amping-up your communications or fine-tuning your efforts? If so, contact me any time, via the Contact Form located on this website.
Category: Social Media, Special Events
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Feb
24
Reporting more than 400 million active users, with more than 35 million users updating their status daily, Facebook offers a powerful platform for special promotions. But as with any great promotional opportunity, related restrictions apply.
In December, Facebook rolled out a revised set of “Facebook Promotions Guidelines.” The following are a few basic, key elements to keep in mind as you craft an enticing special promotion… which includes all facets – publicizing and administering a promotion, as a:
- contest
- competition
- sweepstakes
…including but not limited to the prize awarded by a chance drawing or designation as “winner,” based on the entrant or participant’s exemplified skill or superior proficiency level, judged within publicized framework of specific criteria.
By publicizing or in any way administering a special promotion on the Facebook platform, all hosting entities must agree with and adhere to the prevailing, current ”Facebook Promotions Guidelines,” including:
- Communicating special promotion details through paid Facebook advertising, status updates, and related Facebook Page information — in doing so, indicates you are offering a special promotion.
- Administering any aspect of a special promotion on the Facebook platform, such as receiving entries or submissions, judging and notifying winners, using the Facebook platform in any way to do these tasks.
With the current economic situation, special promotions are an excellent way to co-promote with other businesses, for mutual benefit. In addition to increasing your reach through the actual promotion, if done correctly additional bang for the buck is often easily available through media promotion surrounding it, by building it into a true “event.” This is a tried-and-true low-cost strategy for high-dollar visibility.
The new guidelines look fairly straightforward, but I recommend reviewing them thoroughly, before setting up a new promotional event, in case there are additional revisions — which may be ongoing.
As Tourist Development Manager for Tampa-Hillsborough County, I developed promotions with airlines, hotels, restaurants and major attractions like Busch Gardens (owned then by Anheuser-Busch), promoting them domestically. Tying in various aspects of a special promotion with selected joint venture partners can be a challenge, but if properly crafted, it is a great promotional tool!
Here’s a great article with useful tips to help you put together a successful special promotion, by Sara Inés Calderón 6 Tips for Running Promotions within Facebook’s Guidelines
Category: Social Media, business tools, communication, marketing
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Feb
22
Adding “value” to those around you comes in many forms. It may be delivered in your actions, shared thoughts or words, possibly through accomplished tasks. The intrinsic value comes by way of what is shared, as well as method of delivery. It may or may not be your thought or words, but nonetheless offered up by your actions on one channel or another.
Recently I was in conversation with some friends on this topic. The discussion was sparked by a recent article in Social Media Today about “Tweet Lifting,” and those folks employing this technique to communicate — whatever the rationale may be.
I referenced the Social Media Today article about “Tweet Lifting” on the Twitter microblogging platform, using the 140-characters Short Messaging System (SMS). Some say with only 140-characters available, there often is not enough space to disclose source or document origination.
Space is tight on Twitter, no doubt about that! To increase users’ ability to share useful information, URL shortening services rose to the challenge. The article gives a great example of how content can be shared through Twitter, crediting the source, adding to it for relevancy, if desired.
Regardless of how information is shared, attribution of sources is important. On Facebook, I like using the “@whomever” (my word) feature. When I share a post or onshare an item of interest, I prefer to let the person know I am crediting them, and making it available on my channel to my network. In this way, I am furthering their idea or words by passing it onward, adding value to my contacts and networking with the originator — simultaneously!
My long-held philosophy regarding the essence of networking is NOT: showing how smart, pretty, rich or better than everyone you are… it IS: showing an interest in things and people around you, issues, ideas, innovations – and sharing them, with the intent of adding value to your network – thereby building your network. I believe that is the connecting point for a network, and the value provided.
For those who habitually or stylistically don’t credit or in some way attribute sources, eventually material providers get weary and wary. This is a great way to get blacklisted. While there seems to be a never-ending flow of new people into the marketplace of ideas, this technique is not good for the errant user’s reputation, and a huge waste of time to be constantly on the mend or reinventing a new persona to pass oneself off as, in order to reinvade an established market.
Apparently attribution of sources and “lifting” of even entire blog posts and articles is a concern many have. I have heard privately from others who have documented this. As a professional writer for many years, I have been aware of this reality. With the free-flow of information and ideas today, I don’t think anyone is surprised. In fact, it’s been fairly well acknowledged by most.
As a long-time writer and an author, I view source documentation as an instrument of support for a concept or presentation, since of course I already know I’m not smart enough to know everything, nor could be a resident expert on all things. It also offers stability upon which a great new idea may rest, which helps to persuade. Used properly, it can be a powerful foundation for communication. It is not a sign of weakness or an indicator of a lack of intelligence. It is a connecting point and a valuable cornerstone to all communication.
Category: Social Media, business tools, personal branding, writing
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Jan
04
Becky Cortino
Happy New Year!
By now, we’ve greeted the New Year together, anticipating joys to-be discovered and unexpected adventures! What exciting plans do you have?
In this New Year, I will be expanding my focus, and forging out in familiar directions, on newly-blazed trails. Inspired by Chris Brogan’s “3 Words for 2010,” I have established 3 aspects of concentration. I admire his brevity, but personally feel the need to have a little more to hang onto for direction this year. My areas of development for 2010 are as follows:
Social Media: I will be sharing more information, with widespread integration and increasing collaboration. Are we connected?
Communications Services: I am expanding my professional services and products for my clients; offering them in new ways.
Writing: I will be business-writing more – but less in other ways. In the last week, my third book in my Applied Humor Therapy series has now been officially shelved – indefinitely. As I prepare for 2 major speaking engagements this year I will use my work, but it will not be in book form even though nearly completed.
I look forward to hearing what your plans are, and seeing how the New Year unfolds – exciting times ahead! 
Please leave your comments…
What do you have planned for 2010?
How can I help you with your plans for this New Year?
Category: Social Media, communication, marketing, planning, writing
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Dec
09
Today, Facebook unveiled some new Privacy Settings for users. I was surprised to read that in the past, only up to about 20% actually use these settings, so maybe this change will go largely unnoticed…
BUT –
If you have a profile on Facebook, I highly recommend taking a few minutes to review your Privacy Settings, to be sure each is set according to your preferences, as a matter of your own personal Social Media Best Practices.
Perhaps you are one of the small percentage on Facebook to use these settings, and believe them to be already set as you desire. Please be advised — in my time on Facebook, Friends have shared with me that somehow “Settings” have been ‘reset’ or more surprisingly, never ’set,’ even though they had previously done so. Their accounts had not been “hacked,” either.
As you well know, changes, enhancements and improvements are ongoing on Facebook. Because the platform is fluid in this way, it is a ‘Best Practice’ procedure to check your Privacy Settings — now — and I recommend doing so randomly, in the future. Increasingly, more Facebook user information is being made available to developers, and to the world.
What to look for? Take a quick peek through each of the areas under “Privacy Settings,” to see what personal and other information about you is publicly visible, as well as how it is set to be viewed by others. “Privacy Settings,” “Account Settings,” and “Application Settings” are currently found under “Settings” in the upper blue area of your Facebook profile.
Here are 3 examples — you may have other areas and more settings to review:
* Do you want to make all the information you provided to establish your Facebook account public? Do you want to provide this information to Developers? Consider what information you want to make available and how it will be presented.
* Is all the information that appears on your profile set as you want it to be viewable?
* What information can friends share about you, when they are using applications and websites?
From my observation, this information can be any and all of the information you provided to Facebook in establishing your account, as well as what you have posted on your profile. What and how it is presented is up to your personal preferences, according to your “Privacy Settings” on your Facebook profile.
Here is video interview Facebook held today on the new Privacy Settings: http://www.allfacebook.com/2009/12/video-of-todays-facebook-privacy-call/
New Privacy Tool Updates from Facebook:
http://blog.facebook.com/blog.php?post=197943902130
http://blog.facebook.com/blog.php?post=197943902130
I hope you find this information helpful in your effectively utilizing the Facebook platform for your communication efforts…
Category: Social Media, communication, personal branding
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