Optimizing my Social Network Participation

I was an addict. Morning, lunch, night and every 15 minutes throughout the day I was checking Myspace. Getting updates, reading bulletins, friend requesting anyone that looked cool or might like my music was my daily regimen. I loved it. I still even have a soft spot for it. But what happened?

SPAM.

I was part of the problem. At the peak of my band’s popularity on Myspace, we were using FriendAdded religiously. We had a schedule. I had Tuesdays and Fridays and was responsible for friending 500 people, with a tag along 500 emails with a bland introduction of our band that I’m sure no one read. It also contained a link to buy our CD (which people did actually buy!).

The band broke up. That Myspace page is useless. All the hard work is gone. I still have my personal page though and most of my better connections are there. The problem with that page? SPAM! No bragging rights here but 3,000 friends on a personal page is absurd. All the bulletins are promoting products or are some form of a survey that no one really cares about.

So I moved on. Still conduct my business on Myspace. My calendar, contacts, venues, studios, marketing companies, radio personalities, bands, and some close friends hang out there relatively often. I book clients through that page still. I sell my beats and studio time through Myspace. So, no, it is not a complete waste. It is just not helping me network any further. I a no longer building relationships, personal relationships, through Myspace any longer.

Enter Facebook. I never believed the hype. I still do not see the $15 billion dollars being put to amazing use but it does things better and more efficiently than Myspace or any other social network that is currently at market.

First thing is that I can actually find my friends, colleagues, and people that I want to network with. I type in their name. Wow, revolutionary. Second, is the news feeds. I no longer need to visit every person’s slow loading page to see what they are up to. I have it all on my home page. Wow, revolutionary.

I can go on and on, but you have Facebook so you know its boring features. Next is Twitter. You ca read all my thoughts on it at my Twitter love tale. For this I will say that as soon as my peeps jump on the Twitter trail the world will be a better place. Pick and choose who you want to follow (stalk) and get their info, instantly. Better yet, a business can send me updates before the paper comes out or the emails get read. A conference can send tweets on room changes, panel speakers, and parking arrangements as they happen. Restaurants can throw out their daily specials. Job boards can post their new positions before they go live on their site. Shipping companies can notify of your package information. News is breaking on Twitter before RSS feeds.

This now brings me to Flock. Read about it on Mashable last week. Now it’s on. A little bar that runs on the sidebar that updates my Twitter feeds, Facebook, YouTube and Flickr. Wow, revolutionary. Move over Firefox. Has a built in RSS Reader. Siyanara Google. A media bar to see any of my pics and insert them into my blog postings in less time than it takes to Tivo the new iTouch commercial.

What this means is less time for wasting around the social network sphere and more time working, getting the information you need right now, before it breaks and faster than you could at any point in human history(or maybe actually and physically networking and building with the people you have stalked during your social networking).

Who cares about Google? Who cares about Viacom and Newscorp? I can receive any information that I want, on my own time from the people that I want to hear it from. And in turn, I can tell the world what I know, how I feel about it and join the conversation about it online on my own time.

But what do I know. I’m just a punk musician that stumbled into this world and ran with it. Oh and be sure to add me as a friend on Myspace (http://www.myspace.com/grobreakn). I will appreciate the company and will gladly ignore all of your survey bulletins and vote for me crap.

-G-Ro

Moe's = Terrible Customer Service - Post Lunch Thoughts

(Read Pre-Lunch Moe's Post Here)

So we got to Moe's a few minutes after 12 to get in the back of a long line, many with cell phones in hands. Sweet, the free burrito thing is going down. Our turn to order, I flip out the Sidekick and show the Burrito making lady the text. Not only were they not accepting this virtual coupon but she had an attitude to boost. My group of 5 was very disappointed and apparently we weren't the only ones. We stayed. Sweet tea sucked. Chicken was cold. Staff was rude. Oh, and no FREE burritos.

Many people waited in the 10-15 minute line during rush (lunch) hour to get their free burrito and were told at the counter that it was a no go. Why? This franchise was not partaking.

So not only did they not counter this spark in customers but honoring the coupon, they couldn't even give out a free soda, chips or something else of small value. Worst of all they did it with an attitude.

So yea, you won't see me and my crew at Moe's anymore! Moe's boycott in full effect. Way to ruin a perfectly good promotion. To the Moe's that did honor the coupon I applaud you, but your franchisees need a swick kick in the ass and maybe a course in customer service 101. Moe's lost out in the opportunity to gain new REPEAT customers, you know the best kind.

So siyanara Moe's. Chipotle has cheaper and better food anyways!

-G-Ro

(and no I won't even help you get your localized Twitter going, learn it your damn self)

Viral Marketing With Moe's Southwest Grill - Pre Lunch

Well, last night was not my best choices in having a few (read: a lot) of beers. Now it was in celebration of a co-workers 50th birthday (which is quite awesome, because she rocks harder than most of my 20 something friends). Why is this important? I needed some greasy food for lunch today.

What happened next was, "Yo Greg text Moe's to 22700 and get a free burrito."

Sweet.

Now, in less than 10 minutes this message had been forwarded to my Sidekick phone book, my Twitter Tweets, Facebook profile and office IM. The outcome, a little lunch party at Moe's, all because of their little text message campaign.

I'm sure this isn't the first time they have done something like this, but I am certain that it isn't the last. The reply I received from Moe's was

Glad ur in the neighborhood. Stop by for ur free Moes Burrito. Simply show this text at the register. 4 future offers rply MOR

Brilliant! The fact that I can now reply with MOR and get more free burritos will ensure that I become a repeat customer.

I will do the post lunch wrap-up to see if anyone else there used this viral tactic as well as how the bill still added up with the free burrito.

(Do you think I can get them on Twitter? Seems like this would be right up there ally-I'm on it, business cards in hand)

-G-Ro

Recap of AD2 Orlando's Future of Advertising Event

Just got home from AD2 Orlando's Future of Advertising at Citrus on Orange Ave in Downtown Orlando, pretty tired. But I want to get this out there and rehash some of the things I picked up and learned. Im going to go through this session by session. So here she goes.

Guerilla Marketing Session led by Forest Young of PUSH


-High respect + no love = brands (customers b/c we have to be)
-Low respect + high love = trends (newest movie, cd, etc)
-High respect + high love = lovemarks (Apple-brand ambassadors)

-Need disruption and cause a wow factor
-Hopscotch is the ultimate viral brand
-Have volunteers act as the promotion for the event (hand made signs and promo)
-Homemade grassroots signs and promo, hold rally, put campaign into action, celebrate the event that you are being a part of
-Thank you cards for volunteers. Make site with all the pictures of the volunteers, use internet to amplify th results
-Go to high visibility, trafficked and media driven sites
-Guerrilla works best with integrated forms of marketing and media
-Future is profits, profits, profits with minimal financial investments
-Sweat vs financial equity
-Do the right thing. Ethics vs intrusive
-Works best when amplified
-Future of advertising is now, what are people doing now?! Pay attention to current trends


Erik Hersmon from Zungu


-Social Web is who you are and what you do
-Unorganized and un-centralized, you have no control
-2 scenerios a) oh crap, what do we do? and b) how do I call attention to myself
-Story about Dell. Last year their customer service sucked and their customers let em know. 50% of conversations online about Dell were negative. They created 3 sites (blog, idea storm and forum). Now they are at about 23% negative, still not good but much improved!

5 TIPS TO THINK ABOUT
1. Have a blog strategy
2. Leverage customers
3. Start conversations and start listening
4. More real PR and less advertising
5. Internal Champions

B2B E-MAIL-MARCELLE TURNER (MINDCOMET.COM)


Challenges of deliver ability:
-Bounces on the rise
-Anti SPAM rules getting tougher
-Only send useful, relevant emails to people that ask for them

Stay current and competitive
-Test
-Double opt in and easy opt out
-Report SPAM link
-Send from dedicated IP address

Viral E-Mails
-Broadcast outlets multiplied
-Analytics are measurable
-Low cost
-Dynamic content
-List build

RYAN FRAZIER- FUTURE OF OUTDOOR –CLEAR CHANNEL


Problems with old billboards
-Turnaround times
-Production costs
-Limitations

LED TECHNOLOGY ALLOWS THEM TO:
-24 HR Turnaround
-No Production Costs
-Unlimited possibilities
-Unlimited color
-Basically a flat screen on the highway
-1250 Spotsper day per advertiser
-Target specific people at different times of the day
-Community dialog
-Only 13 markets now but they will be everywhere

WAGNER BUCCI DOS SANTOS-EXPERIMENTAL MARKETING


-Tell me I'll forget, show me I may remember, involve me and I will understand!
-Consumers market-how do we connect with them?
-Much more competitive and crowded today
-Consumers are in control

EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING
-Bridges the disconnect between consumers and brands
-Persuades comsumers emotionally
-Every major brand has a experiential campaign
-Has become more than just impressions, we need to see ROI
-Impulse buying is based on emotion, this is where we try to hit them
-Creates a viral approach if done right

They wrapped the day up with some Q and A, a few beers and some great connections. Very excited for this event and it didn't disappoint. It's been a wild week already and shows no signs of slowing down. I'll post more thoughts on the event tomorrow. Till then, enjoy and feel free to steal my notes!

-G-Ro

AD2 Orlando Presents the Future of Advertising Tonight

I will be heading out in a few to Downtown Orlando for AD2 Orlando's Future of Advertising Event. Here's the details:

Five industry visionaries host a discussion as panelists on "The Future of Advertising." Each will bring their own insight into the mediums and messaging technology that advertising professionals will use in the future.

Featuring:

• Forest Young of PUSH - Guerrilla Marketing
• Ryan Frazier of Comcast - Outdoor Marketing
• Marcelle Turner of Mindcomet - B2B and Using User Feedback in Email
• Erik Hersman of Mindcomet - Social Media and Blogging
• Wagner Bucci dos Santos of Beloved Marketing - Experiential Marketing

When: Wednesday, October 17, from 6 – 8 pm
Where: Citrus Restaurant (821 North Orange Avenue in downtown Orlando)

Hope to see some familiar faces there, including Katrina Priore of Create Magazine! I will hopefully be covering the event live as it happens (WiFi permitting) and if not look for a wrap up tonight.

Have a good one Orlando!

Goal Setting-Rollett Marketing, Rock For Hunger, Music and More

At the office today we did a little goal sharing exercise. It was actually for SMART Goals:

S = specific
M = measurable
A = attainable
R = realistic
T = timely

Yup this was going to be a great day at the office. What happened after the awkward, really, its 8:30 and you want me to do what? type reaction, I got the fire turning. Problem is I have too many goals, aspirations and dreams. My biggest problem lies in focus. What project should I start, what one should I finish, what ones am I neglecting? Most of the time I have a hard time saying no to someone or a project. My plate gets supersized or looks like a buffet line daily. Not to mention, I always get stuck with the tab (bills, mortgage, etc).

So I have decided to narrow my focus, which still may seem like a great deal too much, but here goes anyways:

Rollett Marketing- I am going to grow this organically, no more cold calls, blind e-mails, pointless posts and all that good stuff. I want to grow this because I'm good, not because I'm cheap or have a quick hit solution.

Rock For Hunger- This will get nearly all of my attention as the Concert to End Poverty approaches. November 10th will be a day to remember for the Orlando community and the Orlando music scene. I am in charge of all online promotions and running the street team. If I can make this thing pop, I know that I can do this marketing thing full swing.

Music- This has been the hardest decision of my life, but I also want to take this organically. Looks like I'm going to try and become the John Mayer of hip-hop. Break out the acoustic guitar and start song writing, play some shows, record some tapes and have a good time. I'd love to take this on the road, which has always been my biggest dream but I don't want to force it. I ruined some good friendships for pressing too hard for my dreams annot the band as a whole.

EG- I'm going to run with it as long as I am there. I have grown a soft spot for helping people get good, quality jobs. I'm thinking about writing a book on Employment from both the standpoint of a Gen-Y kid who doesn't want to work for the man and that of a homeless person who has been given the finger by the man.

Everything else, eh, not so important. Keep food on the table, pay the mortgage and continue to have fun, life is better that way.

So here's my challenge to you: Take your business, your start-up, your marketing plan and consolidate to what is really important. In marketing on Myspace or social networks have goals, both daily (short-term) and long term. In your start-up, like Rock For Hunger, get to the basics, the real what has to get done today to make tomorrow better type of stuff.

Enough ranting. Go buy some tickets for Rock For Hunger II. It is going to be the best thing to come to Orlando since Walt came though and crushed our image.

Good night Orlando!

Florida Creative’s Tonight at Crooked Bayou in Downtown Orlando

Florida Creative’s is a group of creative thinking professionals in the Orlando area. I heard about this group right around the time of BlogOrlando a few weeks ago. BlogOrlando was an amazing event in which close to 300 bloggers, from professionals to corporations to living room hobbyists and everything in between met up at Rollins College to discuss the state of Blogging ‘Un-Conference Style.’

In talking with some cool people, I found out about this community that I didn’t know existed. The community was Florida Creative’s and tonight is their 10^th meeting at the Crooked Bayou. The meetings/happy hours occur every 3^rd Monday of the month and serve as a networking tool and a way to forward out community for all the creative fields.

I’m going on a limb here and stating that Ryan Price, ‘local Podcasting guy’ is the one responsible for this madness. This is what he posted over at the Florida Creatives Facebook Group:

Florida Creatives' 10th Happy Hour is on the way! With BlogOrlando and BarCamp Orlando under our collective belt, it's time to take all the energy we picked up on the conference circuit and exercise those new friendships! We should be starting student chapters at local schools and getting more solid commitments about Florida Creatives chapters in other cities.

Hope to see some cool people there, have a beer and talk the talk. Festivities start at 6. For more info head on over to FloridaCreatives.com.

-G-Ro

It’s a Twitterific World

I’ve had an up and down relationship with Twitter for the 3 months that we have been seeing each other. It started our great, high ambitions, we were talking multiple times a day and the conversations were soooooo meaningful. What a blast we had together. Twitter never talked back and I could always count on lil Tweets to share my every whereabouts with and never got a “really hunny, you’re doing that,” that my wife always yaps about.

Then came the harsh reality that Twitter wasn’t right for my friends. Nobody got Twitter. All the band kids, the jocks, and my college grad friends couldn’t grasp Twitter’s beauty. My Tweets were no longer blossoming. Instead they were ignored and lost amongst the 1,000s of RSS Feeds in my Google Reader. There needed to be a bigger purpose, a light at the end of the tunnel. Then along came a little luncheon at Wackadoos. They were interested in my Twitter. Oh yes they were!

They wanted little Tweets sent out for every occasion, and oh it would be glorious. Then came the one million Twitter add-ons that were could be put on my Twitter like Mr. Potato Head parts. My good friend Mashable even started reporting that the Government had cloned Twiiter and made her into more compact and higher powered, more features like an Ashley Simpson nose job. No bother, my Twit wouldn’t go down without a Lindsay Lohan ‘Mean Girls’ fight scene.

No back and better than ever is G-Ro on Twitter. And I have followers and followees who are ready for my every move. We were destined to make history together, one stupid Twit at a time.

Back to reality, I had to get some craziness out of my overstressed mind. For real people, Twiiter is an awesome marketing and networking tool that is gaining in popularity everyday. With some really cool open-sourced tools, Twitter can be accessed from your Firefox browser, your desktop, or your iPhone (or Sidekick, the iPhone before the iPhone for kool kids like us). Even your Facebook Status can now be updated via Twitter!

Do you have some interesting ways of using Twitter for your personal, business or networking options? If so, I’d love to start sharing some here. I’ll go first, Wackadoos is currently sending out their daily specials via Twitter and a Twitter badge on their Myspace profile. Since they are located on the University of Central Florida campus, there is above average internet access and the students and faculty are eating it up, both on Twitter and the ports Bar.

So open up and show the power of Twitter. Before the world gets to it!

-G-Ro

Greg Rollett on ADCast Speaking on Behalf of Rock For Hunger

About 2 weeks ago I had the great pleasure of making an afternoon trip over to Tampa to do a taping of AdCast for AD2 Tampa Bay. Holly Clark played an amazing host and made me fell right at home. I was happy to be speaking on behalf of Rock For Hunger, an organization that I am proud to be on the board of Directors and serve as their Director of Marketing and Communications. During the interview I had the chance to talk about our upcoming concert, Rock For Hunger II, some of our sponsors including Create Magazine and the Orlando Employment Guide, as well as our Monday night feeding the homeless project. Check it out:

G-Ro Talks With PropertyQube-Real Estate Comeback 101

So I've been sitting on this interview for a minute. Dave Bethany, co-founder of PropertyQube was kind enough to answer some questions for me about their great new real estate' social media site. PropertyQube is a social community that enhances your PropertyLife relationships and experiences. On the site you can share your PropertyLife Stories - show off your Home Improvement Projects - Connect with and recommend your property professional - Ask your property questions and get answers from local professionals.

Since the interview they have gained a great number of new members and made some improvements to the site. I do recommend PropertyQube to anyone looking to join the conversation within the real estate community and your local real estate world. So I'll cut the crap and let Dave tell the story.
Greg: Please give us your best elevator pitch.

Dave: Propertyqube is a social community that enhances the relationships and experiences in people’s PropertyLife. Consumers can share their PropertyLife stories, show off home improvement projects, connect with and recommend Property Professionals in their trust network, and get answers to questions through one of four Conversations Boards. Over time, as people go to make property decisions they’ll find that all the knowledge, advice, and people they need are right at their fingertips - in their Propertyqube trust networks!

Greg: What demographic are you trying to reach and how do you aim to reach it?

Dave: Our target audience is anyone from in their mid-twenties to late middle-age, who is tech savvy, independent, and property obsessed!

We are really trying to appeal to consumers, whether they’re in a transaction or not. The value of being a member of Propertyqube is being able to plan and share – this is a place where people can come to enjoy their property, not just sell or buy it. But of course, when a member does think about purchasing a home, they have all of the necessary resources available to them on Propertyqube...ideally, in their own network.
Greg: What can a real estate agent get out of the site?

Dave: Propertyqube is a consumer focused site and because of this, it’s a GREAT platform for agents and any property related professional to market their services and thus generate new leads. But better than that, it’ll be a great place to nurture relationships with past clients. Agents who believe in building loyalty and growing referrals will get great value from our network. While past clients enjoy their homes, an agent can for the first time take part in that experience and stay active in their clients lives. Propertyqube is the ultimate agent referral site because it’s built on the principle of a TRUST network. If you’re past clients trust you and your work, then you have a great chance of landing a referral to a friend or a recommendation within the Propertyqube network.

The best part is that this indirect, unobtrusive marketing on Propertyqube is free! Professionals have role-based profiles (so an agents profile looks different from a contractors profile), meant to bring out and highlight the right information for each type of service. An agent profile includes links to a business website and blog, contact information, expertise, a featured listing…and much more in the near future. As engagement grows, consumers can browse agent responses to consumer questions, recommendations from other members and other data to get a good understanding of an agent’s qualifications and reputation.

Greg: What are the benefits of joining your community for a property owner/investor?

Dave: Individual owners and renters benefit by having the ability to tie their entire property lifecycle together on one platform and stay connected with their real estate professionals. They are able to interact with family and friends in a very personal way by showing off their home improvement projects, seeking advice on a design idea, asking questions related to real estate…and this is only the beginning. We just launched and we have a lot more we are unwrapping in the next few months.

Greg: How do you see the site developing and expanding in the next 6 months, 1 year, 5 years?

Dave: Well right now, we are conducting several pilot programs, one in the professional community with agents we have partnered with and one with a consumer community here in NYC. I would love to go into more detail but I’ll err on the side of conservatism and keep you in suspense! If these pilot programs work, we will be releasing these new features in the next month or so. We also take the approach of quick iteration based on feedback and we’ve already been doing this in our first week since launch. You can expect a lot more of this in the next six months.

Long-term (1 – 5 years), we have some pretty big ideas. The Conversations Board which you will see when visiting Propertyqube, is only one offering we have built on top of our platform. There will be several more to come.

Greg: Why would an investor, buyer seller choose Propertyqube over another Real Estate Network?

Dave: Consumers have the ability to interact with their family and friends in a very personal and private way. Our homes are such an important part of our lives and a favorite conversation topic! We give people an avenue to share their homes with unlimited picture upload. We also make it convenient and efficient for consumers to recommend professionals to their trust networks which is great for a professional because a referral is the biggest compliment they can get! Real Estate is a word-of-mouth business. When someone needs to get into a transaction, they ask a family member or a friend if they know a good agent. We take that off-line word-of-mouth mechanics and bring it online to make it more efficient and convenient for consumers. Once we get more professionals on board, Propertyqube will also be a great site to find the right professional because consumers will have a complete view of all the professional has to offer.

Greg: How does the social graph apply to Propertyqube? How does one obtain new members in their Trust Network?

Dave: We don’t expect a lot of connections until a little further down the road – not until we build out the functionality we are working on right now. The value isn’t where we want it to be just yet. As time goes by, we see professionals inviting past clients, consumers inviting professionals to recommend them to their network, and consumers inviting friends/family to interact with them in this context, and so on.

There are two mechanisms to enable this: one is to search the site for individuals. The other is to invite them to join through email. We are currently working on a method that would move invitations in a different direction (yes, another pilot).
Greg: Your site is very much based on conversation and the giving of information based on question asking, how are you going to keep that content fresh?

Dave: As I said above, the Conversations Board is by no means the primary purpose of the site. We view having a Conversations Board as being a great standard feature rather than a differentiator. This is only one feature on our platform. Engagement throughout the site is extremely important and over the next few months, we will be releasing new functionality to increase engagement as well as incorporating new information into professional profiles to make them even more valuable to consumers.

Greg: Overall, how do you see social networking influencing how real estate is marketed, bought and sold?
Dave: The most important aspect or change is how professionals interact with consumers. It is no longer about making that “Hard Sell” to the consumer. It is much more about making sure you stand out from the crowd by establishing your local knowledge, giving superb customer service, managing your clients on one single platform so relationship-building is a continuous process rather than a one-time transaction-focused experience. Real Estate is a perfect place for social networking in the adult community to begin and we want to be on the front lines of providing a great product that is constantly evolving and providing value.

Thanks for the chat Dave and I hope that all of my real estate and property savvy readers head over your way and join the conversation with some great real estate enthusiasts!

-Greg Rollett

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