The Next Post Won’t Be About Twitter…

Lisa Jeffries Nobling on May 12, 2009

…promise!

But this one will be, simply because one of my recent “tweets” (posts on twitter) garnered a lot of attention and feedback.

My Initial Posts:
ncsulilwolf: 60% of Twitter users don’t hang around. https://bit.ly/BlmhL
ncsulilwolf: The original report about Twitter Quitters is here: https://bit.ly/hs7Rb

Tagged Responses:
DeirdreReid: Here’s my take on that – https://bit.ly/14WjWQ RT @ncsulilwolf: 60% of Twitter users don’t hang around. https://bit.ly/BlmhL

CommunityMGR: RT @ncsulilwolf: The original report about Twitter Quitters is here: https://bit.ly/hs7Rb

zacktm: RT @ncsulilwolf 60% of Twitter users don’t hang around. https://bit.ly/BlmhL

flipfloplisa: I bet the didn’t follow cool people like I do- RT @ncsulilwolf: The original report about Twitter Quitters is here: https://bit.ly/hs7Rb

Deirdre’s blog is a great read. IMHO (in my humble opinion), a 40% adoption rate is not cause to abandon twitter. In fact, in the internet world… I’d say that’s pretty darn successful.

Why?

Twitter is not for everyone. Neither is facebook. Or email. It doesn’t mean they can’t be valuable tools though that can contribute added value as part of an integrated marketing communications plan.

(Plus, I’d like to think that one day, the spammers and non-value adding twitter-users will make up a good portion of that 60% that end up jumping ship.)

Twitter for Businesses

Lisa Jeffries Nobling on May 7, 2009

This is a really great summary of just why Twitter CAN work for your business from the National Marine Manufacturers Association… that can really be applied to ANY industry.

Twitter = Customer Service? Really?

You’ve heard the buzz about Twitter and, like many, are thinking it’s just another internet trend. Maybe. But, in the meantime, if you’re not using Twitter you’re missing an opportunity to manage your brand and communicate directly with the estimated 25 million people using Twitter worldwide. Most users are over the age of 25, meaning Twitter is not your teenager’s internet trend.

Instead of telling you how it can be your newest (and free) customer relations staff, let’s show you: Go here and type in your company or brand name. In real-time you receive a list of “tweets” or comments about your brand, from people within the 25 million-strong crowd. You can respond directly to complaints, quell rumors on the spot and address misconceptions about your product line. You can also reward loyal customers by sharing special offers.

Discover Boating and NMMA use Twitter to take the pulse of the news media (hundreds of reporters and producers use it to get story ideas and share what they’re working on) and understand consumers’ daily mood to determine the best way to communicate with them each day.

Just remember this: once you join Twitter, generating posts of VALUE to your followers and engaging in conversations with them is what will ultimately bring you the most return on your time invested.

PS – You also shouldn’t “protect” your posts… unless you don’t want any followers. Good rule of thumb is that if you need to “protect” your posts or “go private” on your blogs… it probably shouldn’t be written on the internet TO BEGIN WITH.

Need a Sweet Job?

Lisa Jeffries Nobling on April 21, 2009

This comes from my friends at Deep South (and no, the “Lisa” is not me) – they are wonderful local people and you will have a blast in just about any position with them.

Need Work? Downtown Live is Hiring!

This year, Deep South will be hiring many more staff positions for Downtown Live than in years past. Because of the increase in new positions, we’ve decided to have a Job Fair.

Mark your calendars – Wednesday, April 29th, 2009 at 6pm, Downtown Live will be holding a Job Fair at Deep South The Bar. If you’re interested in being a part of the Downtown Live staff, please RSVP to Lisa@DeepSouthEntertainment.com. Positions range from hospitality runner to production crew interns, kids zone attendants to barbacks…and everything in between. All are welcome to attend. Attendees should come prepared to complete a Downtown Live employment application and to meet with the Downtown Live supervisors. All positions are contract labor and do not have taxes withheld.

Don’t worry…it’s not a typical “job interview,” it’s very informal. Though we all work very hard at Downtown Live, we also are very laid back. The Bar will be open, so feel free to bring friends, have some drinks, and hang out.

Deep South The Bar is located at 430 S. Dawson Street in Downtown Raleigh. It is on the corner of Dawson and Cabarrus, just minutes from the Raleigh Convention Center. All applicants between the ages of 18-20 are welcome to attend between the hours of 6pm-8pm. We cannot accept applicants under the age of 18.

Again, if you are interested in working and would like to attend the Downtown Live Job Fair, please RSVP to Lisa@DeepSouthEntertainment.com. Thanks! Look forward to hearing from you!

–Lisa

PLEASE feel free to re-post. Let’s get people who WANT TO WORK into some paying jobs!

Image Source: RaleighDowntownLive.com

You Want Me to Do What?

Lisa Jeffries Nobling on March 31, 2009

Sometimes I wonder what people are thinking when they hit “send”. Now, I won’t ever being to claim that every email I’ve ever sent has made total sense or been flawless… but I was really thrown today when checking my email.

A local business (who shall remain nameless) sent me an email about participating in Earth Day with them. I could receive a special discount by bringing in items to donate and presenting my email coupon… that must be printed and surrendered to redeem offer. (Not in those exact words, but I’m trying not to incriminate the shameless here, since it’s not really about being green… it’s about bringing in business.)

Exactly how is asking hundreds, potentially thousands of customer to print something very eco-friendly?

Here are some alternatives: “say this password (insert clever marketing message here) at checkout“, “text this message (insert also clever message here) to your self and your friends and present it at checkout“, etc.

Or you know, just a simple “no need to print – just reference this email”. Whatever floats your eco-friendly boat.

I am very, very happy to say that two of my clients use this tip very successfully. They make me so proud!

Oh Twitter

Lisa Jeffries Nobling on March 31, 2009

Thoughts for Tuesday:

“Curious and cantankerous, Steve dived into social media and started making delightful observations about his experience on Twitter. He recently sent me this comment about a power user he had started to follow: ‘His constant, not-so-subtle harangue to get word of mouth going about his new start-up have made me very skeptical of Twitter … so easy to be maudlin, so easy to pollute.’

I had a simple answer for Steve: Quit following the annoying bastard. Let’s not forget that technology gives us both the power to connect and the power to pull the plug.” – Death by a Thousand Tweets, Phil Johnson

SUCH a good perspective on Twitter. I mentioned in the article’s comments that I rarely echo sentiments on social media word for word with others, but Phil hit the nail on the head for me.

Take five minutes to read his post. Not only is it a quick read, but also a must read.

That Internet Contraption

Lisa Jeffries Nobling on March 29, 2009

As it turns out, it really does put information at our fingertips. So why aren’t people capitalizing on that fact?

In the last few weeks, I’ve seen a few commercials that have included songs that I’d like to add to my iTunes collection. Now, I haven’t been sold on the products/services being advertised, but at least someone is getting something out of the marketing investment.

Well, not in all cases. Here are two mini-case studies:

AT&T and Amos’ “Sweet Pea”

Troy-Bilt and “Shining Down” by Austin Hartley-Leonard

When I searched for the AT&T commercial, I eventually found out the artist is Amos Lee and that single is available on iTunes — for instant download by yours truly (resulting in an instant sale for Amos AND an introduction to a fan… something that’s incredibly valuable in the music industry).

When I searched for the Troy-Bilt song though, this is all that I could find:

“Supposedly “Shinin’ Down” sung by Austin Hartley-Leonard. Song’s not available yet–was written specifically for this spot, or so says Yahoo Answers.” (via YouTube comment) and “Correct, but song is unavailable as of yet” (yahoo answers).AT&T and Amos = Success.

Troy-Bilt and Austin Hartley-Leonard = not quite there.

All is not lost though, Austin does have a whole album on iTunes and I like what I hear… I just wish I could download the single from the commercial, too.

The Service Experience: Sprint/Nextel

Lisa Jeffries Nobling on March 16, 2009

I am a Nextel faithful. I have had the direct connect service since high school and there is nothing that compares with it. Unfortunately, Sprint bought Nextel a few years back, and as predicted by Nextel customers, it was the end of all customer service as we know it.

Because of the insane amount of money that I spend with Sprint on a monthly basis (unlimited Blackberry service, unlimited mobile broadband card service), I get better customer service than most, but the service experience itself (quality of coverage, consistency of billing, amount and frequency of marketing message)… well that’s just crap.

The biggest problem I have right now is this: I am a paperless girl. PLEASE send me my bill by email as a PDF and let’s work together to endless printing and tree killing. I have not received a bill by email the last two months (and I’ve checked my spam filter and all the other little tricks). I DID however receive an email telling me my bill is two months past due. And three text messages.

So why the big complaint?

1) My text messages are CONSISTENTLY a day late, or more. They are never instant. It’s pretty much synonymous with Sprint.

2) I have a big problem with a service provider who cannot seamlessly provide its customers the services they are paying for in a consistent and timely manner and even more so when they can get THEIR messages to me though, when they feel I owe them too much money. (You can get the past due email to me, but not the monthly emails? You can get the “bill due” text message to me, but never any other texts?)

If I had received my bill as arranged to begin with, the payment due date and amount due would’ve gone immediately on my calendar with a 5-day reminder attached to it.

A disconnect in the service experience like this indicates two things to me as a consumer:

1) They value me paying my bill more than they do actually providing the services I’m paying for.

2) I’m paying a premium for this provider but not receiving superior follow-through. Could I easily cut my bill by $50 a month with a competitor and receive the same quality of service? Betcha I could!


Hmm… decisions, decisions, decisions.

I will say one positive thing about Sprint – when you call the 888-number, you are almost always given the option in the voice prompts for “to speak to a representative, press 0”. Definitely necessary to get a live body on the other end for issues like this.

No wonder Sprint keeps losing market share and brand value each quarter…

Monday Motivation

Lisa Jeffries Nobling on March 9, 2009

I don’t do a ton of AdvertisingAge reading, but I browse through the RSS feed titles at they pop up in my Google Reader.

The Small Agency Diary usually sticks more than anything else, for obvious reasons.

“Rather than doing more with less, let’s find ways to deliver excellent value that people can afford. When someone tells us they have 20% less money, that’s not necessarily bad news. We just need to think of a new approach and a new way of working so that our clients get inspired marketing and we make a profit. That’s good business. All that has changed is the price point.” — Phil JohnsonI like it. Those are good thoughts to start a week with.

Free WiFi Coming to Downtown

Lisa Jeffries Nobling on March 6, 2009

This will be AWESOME once it’s in place!

From the City of Raleigh email newsletter

City of Raleigh to Bring Free WiFi Network to Downtown

The City of Raleigh Information Technology Department has issued a request-for-proposals for the design and installation of a WiFi network in Downtown Raleigh. The goal of the project is to offer free, outdoor public WiFi access in the downtown area bordered by South Street, West Street, Morgan Street, and Person Street.

Working in cooperation with Downtown Raleigh Alliance, the WiFi network will support downtown revitalization efforts, including the reopening of Fayetteville Street to vehicular traffic, the opening of the Raleigh Convention Center and the highly anticipated opening of City Plaza in the fall. The City hopes to develop a marketing strategy for the WiFi network that will share in the success of the recently implemented downtown ‘You R Here’ brand and the R-Line downtown circulator bus service.

Free WiFi will be yet another valuable resource available to downtown residents, visitors and employees. The project is scheduled to be completed this fall. As work continues on the WiFi network, the City will release more detailed information about the project, including its planned coverage, marketing and branding, and schedule.

For more information, contact Jonathan Minter, Assistant Information Technology Director, at 996-5462.

I can see it now – not having to use my wireless card in Downtown. Fabulous!