Tyler Florence - Macy's Culinary Council

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of seeing yet another way businesses are using social media to improve their relationships with the public. As an intern at Everywhere in Atlanta, Ga, I was in charge of blogger outreach for Macy’s Culinary Council. The featured chef was Food Network Star, Tyler Florence. In addition to this event being a "Foodies" dream, I had some "meet and greet" time with Tyler.

During the "meet and greet" Tyler asked everyone about their blog and some of their likes and dislikes of social media. It was great to see that Tyler understood the power of bloggers and social media. Some of the bloggers asked what blogs does Tyler follow. He said he likes to read Yelp in order to understand what people think about his restaurant and to gain insight into their dining experience. Before restaurant service, he lines up his team and reads off the customer comments. After reading all the posts, he then point out the places where everyone, himself included, could improve. I thought was pretty powerful because it creates a better brand and shows the importance of feedback, regardless if it is positive or negative. So next time someone tells me how social media is a waste of time, I will gladly share this story.

Follow on Twitter
@TylerFlorence
@CulinaryCouncil
@BeEverywhere
@Yelp

What Really Grinds My Gears: Social Media Edition

I’ve had so much to say and no time to post!  I promised a fellow PRSA colleague that I would write this,  so here it is.  If you are a Family Guy fan you know exactly where this is heading.   So what grinds my gears?   People/organizations who leap on to social networking sites and then complain social media is a waste of time and/or doesn’t work.  Whether it makes sense or not, virtually every organization has a Facebook page or a Twitter.  While I commend organizations for no longer wanting to be tardy for the social media party, it's pointless just to show up.

Someone please share with me, are there any professions that allow you to waste the budget by  "winging"something?  Sure there are few instances where hunches lead to million dollar plans but most likely, a deep understanding of demographics and trends are an essential component to success. Just like a lawyer would not go to trial without a plan. NO ONE should start a Twitter initiative without a strategy or a plan.  I recently attended OMMA Social and listened to Joseph Jaffe author of Flip the Funnel speak about how so many of us get social media wrong!  In his presentation he had a woman talking to a shoe.   Ridiculous right?  That picture represented an organization shamelessly bombarding the consumer with a message and NOT partaking in two-way communication.

So for those of you still confused about this social media "thing," I will break it down for you.


Social media is like something shiny - It looks cool in the sun but it is NOT that special

• Yes, I said something very taboo.
• Yes, I know you don't have control over what is said about your organization.
• Yes, I know random teens can create fan pages for products that are bigger than the official one you created.  

Get over that! Focus on what you can do.

• Who is your audience? 
•  What do they want from you?  Give it to them!
• Look at the competition but don't be quick yo copy.  (They may be missing the mark as well)
• Keep at it!  Do not jump into my network and fade away.  Think of social media as dating the consumer.  No one likes a flake.  
• Lastly, many "old media" rules still apply.  Just like you research target media, what your audience likes to talk about, and anything. 

Please share any additional thoughts!  

Social Media: Double Edged Sword or Lifesaver?

Yes, I know what your thinking, not another blog post about the BP oil spill.  I promise not to be redundant or go on a rant.  Like many people around the globe, I've experienced a surge of emotions  in regards to the spill.  Some people have critiqued BP's social media response while others have praised it.  Whatever your opinion, you have to agree this disaster spread further than the ocean.  It traveled into our inboxes, RSS feeds, trending topics, Twitter, just to name a few.  I'm simply thinking about the BP disaster from a social media stand point.  Social media arguably was an accelerant in spreading both the news of the oil spill and capturing public outrage.  While things look grim for the oil giant, within the turmoil there is an opportunity for BP to listen to their audience and engage them positively.  


Here's Some Info:

On April 22nd there was an explosion in the Gulf of Mexico causing the biggest oil spill in recorded history.  A recent USA Today report shared that an investigative report uncovered that BP officials decided to take a riskier route in order to save time and money.  

Popular Responses via Social Media:
Unfortunately, there are currently more fans on the unofficial BP Facebook Fanpage that the official one. There are also a lot of BP parody names on Twitter.  This is every organization's nightmare.  Social media can be scary because it is unpredictable.  Unlike previous BP spills, the whole word seems to be passing along a live account of EVERYTHING BP is doing and has done. Thanks to tools like YouTube there is coverage of the spill and the aftermath .  These images are embedded on YouTube pages which people can share to their network through e-mail, a personal blog, a Facebook page and any other social media sites.  

Opportunity: The Silver Lining
Within the gooey mess of oil in the Gulf there is a opportunity for BP to clean up the mess both literally and socially.  Thanks to a recent partnership with CNN and science buff, Bill Nye The Science Guy, people are sharing and creating videos on how to clean up the oil in the Gulf of Mexico.  Social media promotes two-way communication so BP needs to go into overdrive and use it.  A tactic like this could get the public to channel their outrage into helping BP solve this mess.  This could not only increase the likelihood of a solution it could show gas consumers everywhere that BP does care about fixing the predicament in the Gulf of Mexico.  



Adrienne S.

***View my upcoming article on BP in the June Issue of the  International Society of Business, Economics, and Ethics  (ISBEE) Newsletter!***

Google TV

As I was browsing the Internet today, I stumbled upon an interesting blog post about Google TV. Since I'm an avid Google fiend I immediately began reading the post. That's when I noticed noticed a quiz entitled, “Would you pay for Google TV?” As of now, I’d have to say mu answer would be no. As a millennial, I don't believe in paying for anything. Hulu recently announced that they would start charging for their services. My friends simply scoffed at the news and simply swapped information about other free video sites. A large aspect of new media's appeal is the non-existent price. If Google TV wants people to pay for television, they better prove why their product is worthwhile or as I like to say, the bomb.com.

What Is It?

I’ve read about everything from Google TV being a mobile app to being compatible with the average living room television. So like everyone else, I’m piecing together what Google TV would be like because it is unclear exactly what it is. Rumor has it that Sony, Intel, and Google are partnering together to create Google TV. These three forces could revolutionize the world as we know it.

Does Google TV Have a Chance?

Only time will tell. Google does have a track record for having hundreds of products that no one uses. However, if Google markets this correctly by showing people why Google TV is essential, they may be able to do what Apple TV couldn’t. To have a chance, Google must do the following:

• Make it easy and effortless to sign up (I tried to join Second Life and gave up because it was a painful experience)
• It then needs to answer the question “Why should I sign up?" People have a television; they watch shows online and use Netflix. A huge emphasis on why Google TV is worth their time and or money.
• They cannot let the buzz overshadow the product. Like I stated earlier, Google TV cannot be remembered for the hype and not the product.

Stay tuned!

Passion Redefined

Need a Job? Well, HAPPO Can Help on April 30th!

Well it's final exam time for me! In addition to studying, I've been networking like it's my full-time job. Regardless of how busy I am, I cannot overlook sharing an opportunity for my 2010 college graduates. Do you have a job lined up? If not, don't fret. If you haven't figured it out yet, public relations is about being proactive, having perseverance and getting a little help. Help A PR Pro Out (HAPPO) is having a "tweeting" contest, specifically for the 2010 grads to help you change their employment status!

How it works:

Use Social Media (a blog post, video, slideshow etc) to provide a creative response to the “Why would I hire you?” question. Please tweet it to your local champion and @helpaprproout using the #happo hash tag on April 30.

Check the HAPPO site for more info!

Best,

Passion Redefined

My Foursquare Epiphany

Okay, I know I was griping about how Foursquare is like a magnifying glass, exposing me for the lame I've become since college graduation. However, I had an Foursquare epiphany last Saturday.

While standing in line for the International Spy Museum in D.C, my eyes started wandering. As someone who likes to save money, I'm always looking for any type of discount. After sizing up the standard senior citizen and children under age 10 discounts, I gasped in amazement. There it was, a discount for mayors and frequent visitors on Foursquare. I immediately cursed myself for not having the Foursquare Blackberry Application on my phone and was determined to check-in. All my doubts about Foursquare immediately subsided.

What is Foursquare?
Foursquare can be described asm when Twitter meets Facebook with location. This location-based social media program allows you to access it from your laptop. However, it is the application for your mobile phone that really takes Foursquare to another level. People use Foursquare to check-in, which allows their network to know their whereabouts. Friends can either join you or recommend places for you to visit around your reported location. A lot of my friends do not yet understand the point of Foursquare and think it's silly. However, those same skeptics thought the concept of the Facebook status was stupid, so they're obviously not social media compasses.

What is the point of Foursquare?

This seems like the million dollar question. In my last post I briefly thought about the word of mouth aspect of this application. Foursquare promotes a mutually beneficial relationship between the local community and the businesses in the neighborhood. Unlike Facebook, Foursquare can offer immediate benefits to the consumers and businesses that choose to join. Personally, if you give me incentives like a loyal customer discount, without a doubt, I will make sure to check in and return. While I won't be going to the Spy Museum all the time, I will however, visit a local coffee shop, pizza place, or pub on a regular basis.

Who's Taking Notice?

Local Businesses

Yahoo

Newspapers- The Wall Street Journal

*Just to name a few!*

I feel Foursquare is too big to ignore. Check out how other businesses are using it and let your imagination fly. I'm not a person that typically gets swept up in hype but I think pretty soon, the whole world will have a foursquare epiphany.

Best,

Passion Redefined

Does Foursquare Promote How Lame I've Become? Or is it the NEXT thing?

It's my job to be on the forefront of social media. What would I look like working on a project and not being current? That's like a hairstylist that doesn't know how to use a good flat iron.

Whenever I'm in a class, work, or just sitting on the couch watching the news, if a hear about a social media that I am not familiar with I sign up immediately. So after hearing all this hype about Foursquare, I had to check it out.

Contrary to popular myth, Foursquare does not track you. So if you do not want people to know where you are, guess what? They won't. Just like Facebook or Twitter people don't know what you do not share. But since the objective of Foursquare is to microblog your location, if you don't go anywhere cool, you look lame.

I feel like Foursquare mocks me. It forces me to think about all the places I've been in the last 48 hours. Unless it's been an extraordinary week, you will see the only places I've been include school, home (since I mostly work from home no work location) and an occasional happy hour. Looks like I won't be a mayor of anything anytime soon. Another downside is if your network is not on Foursquare, a lame-0 like me has no one to vicariously live through and interact with.

However, do not write off Foursquare just yet. Rumors have been circulating that Yahoo is very interested in purchasing Foursquare. Obviously the big wigs see a possible ROI for Foursquare. If your a little wary of big businesses or "the man" no need to fear. Foursquare fits into the social media rules of success, giving it even more potential.

1. It's free and effortless to sign up (In the age of easy accessibility, people don't like paying for things)
2. It's easy to find people thanks to it's automatic search of your e-mail contacts (Part of my frustration of MySpace was I couldn't find anyone)
3. You can control your privacy
4. You can share within your chosen network (Remember it's all about two way communication)
5. There is a direct benefit to joining (It caters to our curiosity about the neighborhood around us and will break some people out of their daily routine)

I see Foursquare being a major launch pad for word of mouth marketing for the organization's smart enough to expand themselves onto this medium. In the age of distrust for the government and corporations, word of mouth marketing is arguably the most valuable type of influence anyone could ask for. If I have a friend who is a "foodie" or another who goes to the hottest parties, I'm going to want to be their foursquare pal. As a person who values every penny I have, if I must part with it, I want to be ensured by a third party who is an expert in that arena that I will be getting the best bang for my buck.

Best,

Passion Redefined

Sorry Facebook, You Can't Reach Me Anymore.

Last winter, the world commemorated Facebook as it celebrated it's sixth birthday. Currently, over 100 million people access the popular site on their cell phones. As the numbers keep growing, I cannot help reminiscing about, the good old days. With the expansion of Facebook, I feel its popularity will decrease the effectiveness of businesses reaching the younger consumer.

The reality is there are a growing number of bitter Facebook pioneers. The pioneers are people who have been active on Facebook when it was exclusive to only college students. After polling my friends and checking out various comments, I realized this was a real problem for the corporations flocking to Facebook expecting to reach a younger audience. In the book The Facebook Era, by Clara Shih, she articulated the demise of MySpace was because it became impersonal and too vast. Now, Facebook is growing and becoming too corporate.

Long before my friends knew what social media was, we were learning about the latest party and promoting campus events via Facebook. What was once an intimate place for college friends to look at pictures is now a circus with everyone in attendance from Sarah Palin to your grandmother. As a result, I just log on occasionally to change my status and log off. My addiction to Facebook may have subsided due to my recent immersion into the real world, but I cannot deny it is a little annoying. Between the club promoters bombarding me with messages about parties in a city I no longer live in and the increasing amount of friend requests from people I don't know, sifting through the junk is frankly not a pleasant experience.

The consequence? Marketers have a very small window of time to reach me. The changing environment is just not as fun as it used to be. Yes, I understand in reality I know privacy, is no longer in existence. However, that has not stopped me from shifting into a smaller, private network within a larger. In reality, I love the concept of staying in touch with my college friends and sharing inside jokes without being so rudely interrupted by the outside world.

Do you think businesses can combat these changes or is it not a problem worth addressing?

Best,


Passion Redefined

Getting a Taste of The Real World: Response to Open Letter to the Millenials

If you're proactive in your career, whether you’re banging down the door to get a start or wanting the keep your job in this Great Recession, you had better be either keeping up with or setting making PR news! Today, Todd Defren posted, Open Letter to the Millennials (PR Industry Edition) in response to the Dear Millennials: Your Parents Lied to You rant. It spread like wildfire across the Internet. If you haven't seen this tweeted or in your inbox, please upgrade your professional network immediately! Some people griped about how he was too harsh. (They must not be PR professionals if they thought he was harsh.) I felt he was dead on and decided to share his words with my peers.

As a fellow millennial (I think that's what they're calling us now) it gets tough being the new kid on the block with everyone seeming to pick at us. Apparently, we're too sheltered, too educated, and too entitled. Sometimes it's like, "Hey, we're graduating in a recession that has shaken our realities like an earthquake. Give us a break!" Of course, in the real world, no one cares! If anything, I think this should be our selling point. We have been forced to adapt and have been challenged to either sink or swim. I've been treading water for over a year now and I think a few points from Defren's post will be a help to anyone who heeds his advice.

Key points from the letter:

• Spelling counts- this is not college where the gist or idea is good enough, PERFECTION is the name of the game.
• Sell yourself- say why you would be vital to the continued success of the organization. I know at times I feel intimidated by the fact I don't have years of experience, however, I know I have something to offer.
• Be visible- we are in the communications industry. Who is going to hire you if they don't see you on Twitter, Facebook, or a blog? Privacy settings are for your friends in the sciences. Please join us in the digital world. Make it appropriate and relevant to your career goals.
• Research- always have a question and show you are really interested in any potential job opportunity!

And I know at times, it feels like we're alone. Our big sisters, brothers, and mentors seemed to effortlessly graduate (with good grades and an internship or two of course) and transition into a career that could actually pay a bill or two. Remember, excuses are tools of incompetence that build monuments of nothingness!

Read the original post and rise to occasion!

.

Best,

Passion Redefined