Calgary's first Social Media Breakfast goes Friday at Eau Claire

November 20th is Calgary's first Social Media Breakfast (SMB). The Calgary chapter's Friday meeting is a first of its kind in town.

The plan is to introduce you to the concepts of SMB and provide you the opportunity to network with others interested in Social Media. It should be fun!

Calgary's Social Media Breakfast goes at 8:30 in Eau Claire's OmniArch offices, directly across from the food court. It includes coffee and muffins. 

In case you want to tweet about this the Hastag is #smbyyc. Please note that this event is SOLD OUT.

Social Media Innovation Summit in Calgary

Don't forget the Social Media Innovation Summit goes Thursday November 12 in Calgary.
If you haven't already signed up, you'd best do it quick. Here is the link for all the details.

http://bit.ly/2U1RBx  

Solis & Breakenridge's PR/Social Media book reinventing how we communicate... period.

I've been reading Brian Solis & Dierdre Breakenridge's book "Putting the Public Back in Public Relations, How Social Media is Reinventing the Aging Business of PR," and let's just say it's really hard to put down. 

Now I'm not here to review the book, just to sing its praises. There are so many key messages resonating here it's not funny. One has really stood out for me so far. It's really simple, if you can make the shift and embrace the impact and change Social Media has brought to communicating in general. 

Ok, so here is the tidbit that is rocking my world:

"The tools people use to share content online are the same tools communication professionals can use to reach them." 

How fantastic is that! Is it working for you? It couldn't be simpler could it. Now you can stroll right into those channels of influence and really reach your customers.

No Toto, we aren't in Kansas anymore. We've landed in a way to speak directly with your market and have a real conversation ville. I myself am taking up residence here and never leaving. This place makes sense, speaks directly to people and connects us on a level never seen before.

So, if you're looking to make sense of communicating in the world of Emerging Technologies while using Social Media tools, than this is a must read. Don't let the title put you off. You don't have to be a PR person to read this book. You just have to want to communicate more effectively.

I personally believe the strategies and information presented in this book make sense in all communication roles today. Buy it, borrow it, or beg someone to give it to you as a gift. Just do your clients a favour, read it as soon as possible.

Social Media a must in today's successful marketing plans

Tipping point or not, Social Media(SM) has exploded beyond everyone's expectation. With engagement levels staggering even the toughest forecasters. As far as marketing is concerned, SM is relevant, necessary and a must include in any successful marketing plan.

Companies need to build campaigns in this online community. The strategy has to include building trust through honest, helpful posts that solve problems or answer questions. Sometimes (not more than a 1/4 of the time) linking to their own company blog or website if the answer is there. This is where they'll see tremendous campaign value.

Value in terms of building brand and increasing traffic, and in terms of business opportunities from within the community. The opportunities come because businesses want to engage with people they trust, feel have their best interests in mind and know what they're doing.

All of this can be established through Social Media posts and interaction.

There is no other marketing vehicle that hands you an already engaged audience on a platter. Your challenge is to integrate Social Media into your marketing plan and manage the tools. If you're too busy, hire someone that really knows the ins and outs to take care of the details.

Your Brand and Message on the World Wide Web

If brand is really about what your audience says it is, not what you say it is, then treat your messages the same way. Tell your audience what they want to hear, not what you think they should hear. The days of dictating exactly what your brand is to a captive audience and expecting absolute buy in are over... thanks to the World Wide Web and the advent of Social Media.

We are in the person to person, information sharing era. Where an estimated quarter of the Earth's population are using the services of the Internet. They're searching information, stating their opinions on Social Media channels, chatting about them and blogging about them. What they say about your brand goes. So it's important your message says the right thing, in the right way and on the channels your target audience are tuned into.

Perhaps you've noticed your old marketing approach isn't quite working. That's because we now live in a world where people trust their friends or followers opinions more than your advertising words - however cleverly created. Not to mention, people just aren't connecting with traditional advertising the way they used to. Not with the power of the Internet and Social Media so easily accessible. 

Potential clients now have a myriad of ways to find the real skinny about your product or service. This in itself has forced transparency.  Businesses no longer set messaging rules. Not when potential clients can seek and find the real story online and talk about it with all their friends. Good if it's positive info, really bad if it's negative.

Companies looking for new customers have to get real - literally.

You actually have to discover who you're talking to and speak directly to them - honestly, sincerely and with their best interests in mind. Know your target audience as well as your product, then every interaction is truly in their best interest. Don't think for a moment a message without audience specs in mind will ever resonate. Not today, not on the World Wide Web with Social Media.

It's time to get busy forging lasting realtionships. Solve problems, answer questions, give them the service they've always deserved. If you speak their language, listen-up and solve their problems, you'll eventually get conversion. And that's conversion for the long term. Sweet.