Field Notes Inside an Integrated Communications Agency

I probably would not have my current position at Capstrat if it weren't for Twitter. How did I achieve this magical and mystical feat, especially in this economy where the odds of getting a new job seem akin to winning the lottery?

First, I made the very conscious decision to leverage Twitter to promote myself and my personal brand through Tweeting about marketing, branding, social media mixed with some local and fun things. Secondly, I started to follow and engage with local companies and influential marketing people by RTing and responding to their tweets. Finally, the most important component, I went to A LOT of in person networking events where I could meet these people IRL (in real life). Since they already "knew" me on Twitter, I found it to be much easier to talk and engage with them in person and I became known by my Twitter name (@mbagrrl). In addition, going to these events, I would meet people IRL first and then they we would start following each other and expanding our networks. Along the way I met a lot of smart interesting Tweeps that I maintain professional and personal relationships. Cord Silverstein was one of those people. We met through my RTing and responding to @Capstrat and then eventually met in person. When a position became available that matched my skillset with Capstrat's needs, I was top on the list for an interview. I still had to rock the interview and dazzle them with my marketing knowledge, but I would not have gotten in the door without Twitter.

However, a word of caution, in my social media endeavors I was always open, transparent, and genuine. If you are not prepared to represent yourself or your brand accurately, you are not ready for social media.

So there you have it, real life proof you can get a job on Twitter.

Recently, Capstrat sent a get to know us Valentine to all our clients. The reason is simple: strong relationships (and not just when it comes to work stuff) equal better quality work. If our client likes us, they'll want to do business with us. If we like our client, naturally we'll put our best work and effort into projects. We included simple, yet interesting tid-bits into life beyond our every day business relationship. I bet most of my clients didn't know I was a gas pumper at a lake marina before joining the professional world!

Now, we are turning the challenge back on our clients and asking them to answer the same simple questions. The more we know about our clients, the better we can relate to them. It's just like how Amazon remembers what you search and like, so they can customize what you see on your next visit. Now, we'll be able to send a little birthday card or trinket when the annual day comes around. And we can ask them questions about their family or the next big game their alma-mater is playing. I already can't wait to get the responses. It just builds trust and a true relationship, so that both Capstrat and our clients enjoy the interactions we have on a daily basis. And in turn, both parties will be happier with the end product.

So far, the Valentine has been well received. One client loved the concept so much, she's planning on implementing it in the global business she works in. Her department plans to send similar "get to know us" cards when they sign-on new customers. In pretty much any business, customer relations is king. Any simple step you can take to show you care is a step in the right direction and will build lasting, trusting, friendly relationships. Think about other industries - how does the "Valentine" concept translate? What can you do to get to know your customers better? Send a St. Patty's pot-of-gold?

Are you still thinking of social media in terms of the big three only?

While Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter are definitely important platforms and great channels to share information and content, attract new customers and grow your social footprint, they certainly are not the only fish in the sea.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that not every brand needs a presence on these particular platforms. There, I said it.   

Now, that's not to say that they may not ultimately need a presence on all three but when you assess your goals and align a social strategy with those goals, all three may not be a fit.

If you're stuck in the Big Three rut, here are a few tips to help you jumpstart your creative juices and start thinking outside the box a bit.

• Take some time to find other online communities that focus on your niche. It's important to find out where your target demographic lives in the social space. Remember, Ning has millions of members discussing almost as many topics. 

• Don't forget about Yahoo and Google groups. Forums are still alive and well. How can you tap into that space?You maight even check out Craigslist.
  

• Take a second look at YouTube. If you hate YouTube, then try Vimeo , or Blip.tv or 12seconds.
  

• Create a podcast or start your own BlogTalk Radio channel.

These are all very simple and the good thing is any content you create and share elsewhere can be shared via the big 3 as well. We don't hear much about this but I feel that it's time to focus on social media integration strategies. Some brands are all over the place but have no real method for showcasing which would result in a higher ROI.

I'll post more about this in the coming weeks, so stay tuned. And feel free to add your thoughts in the comments.Where else do you go beyond the big three?

Nowadays everyone carries a mobile phone whether it be an ordinary flip phone, an iPhone, Blackberry, etc. With over four billion mobile phone subscriptions worldwide, accessibility to patients, via mobile devices is beginning to garner much attention in health care.

Several pharmaceutical companies and health care provider groups are using SMS messaging to remind patients of upcoming appointments and prescription refills and even opportunities to join clinical trials. This list can go on, but early study results have shown that such methods of communication are increasing patient adherence to medication and reducing the number of missed appointments -- which are key steps to improving patient care.

But what if this type of interaction between provider and patient was taken to the next level, say on Twitter? A recent blog post suggests Twitter may be a good avenue to communicate health care "support" activities. Below are a few ways that health care providers and pharma companies can use Twitter to disseminate information:

• • Prescription management, including pharmacy refill reminders
• • Daily health tips from authoritative sources
• • Clinical trial awareness & recruitment
• • Issuing dietary/lifestyle tips
• • Exercise management and encouragement

**For a complete list visit Phil Baumann's blog post here.

So I pose the question to you…have any of you opted in to receive text messages or other digital communication from your health care providers? What are your thoughts on the role of Twitter in this arena? Does it have a place? Is it crossing the line? Is it too public?

Millions were glued to the television last Friday when Tiger Woods made his first public appearance following the scandal that has rocked his personal brand. His statement was analyzed and critiqued by reporters, in social media, at cocktail parties and at pro shops around the country. Was he humble enough? Did he meet the required sincerity threshold? Was he truthful? Did he do what he needed to do to begin to rebuild his brand?

Some might say a similar performance is on tap for Wednesday morning when Toyota's chief executive, Akio Toyoda, is set to testify before the House oversight panel. The news media are setting high expectations for his testimony, saying his remarks are critical for confidence among current customers, the future of the brand and even the reputation of Japanese products overall. It's a high bar for any executive, but one that will be especially difficult the Toyota chief executive for a number of reasons.

Mr. Toyoda will have handicaps that Mr. Woods did not face in his remarks. He'll be testifying before a congressional committee of representatives eager to build their reputation. They're tired of getting beaten up in the polls and want to demonstrate their value to the American public. No one can argue with taking Toyota to task on safety. Mr. Woods' by contrast was able to orchestrate a tightly controlled environment for his remarks.

Mr. Toyoda has to consider the legal and financial ramifications of every word he utters. He has to strike a balance between responsibility and blame. It's doubtful he'll deviate much from what has been approved by a team of lawyers. While Mr. Toyoda has an obligation to the brand, his obligation to shareholders is of a higher order and that will dictate what he's able to say.

Finally, even with all the media coverage of the Toyota case, it's unlikely that the congressional appearance will attract the same audience as Mr. Woods. It seemed everyone stopped on Friday to watch. Sadly, we Americans are much more interested in athletes, infidelity and destructive addictions than in safety, engineering and jobs. So Toyota will have to continue to mount its own education campaign.

With all that's at stake for Toyota, I do hope that Mr. Toyoda learned from the mistakes of the US auto executives and arrives in a modest sedan instead of taking a private plane and limo. Maybe he should consider a Toyota pick-up. Those haven't been recalled, have they?