So many brands jump in to social media without any idea of what they are going to say or how they're going to say it. The results aren't pretty--many companies give up and leave their accounts abandoned, others keep on going but you wish they would give up because it's embarrassing to see how badly they are doing.
Today i have a a nice review of good, bad and the ugly examples of brands on Twitter. One of the best, in my opinion, is Orange whom i think they: " really tweet like a person and someone who cares." And that is the important point. If you are going to engage your audience via social media, you need to act like a human. You need to be empathetic, interesting and interested and capable of having a conversation about your brand without bragging, spamming or talking like you are a press release.
Ask yourself: What would a human do? And do that.
Monday, November 14, 2011
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Wait...Public Relations is not going back to Marketing.
I can't tell whether this is the best of times or the worst of times for the PR industry. As the country supposedly inches its way towards an election year, the unemployment figures across the board remain bleak.
While many people proclaim that PR will prevail in the fight to gain hegemony over the domineering and traditional Marketing department, all see not to be well.I had lunch with a couple of old colleagues this week who said their publicity-only shop is alive and well without any social media offering.
"We never come across clients who are interested in anything other than mainstream media coverage," one dismissively told me after hearing my experience from the other side of the coin as a client where you have the agency leading your way.
A short glimpse of Kenya,the other day a leading Bank in the region that had a fully fledged PR department spearheading several communication campaigns across the region was recently restructured and PR was hidden under an ambiguous department that will see the PR head reporting to the Chief Business Officer.
A leading mobile telephony company re-did their reporting structures only to push the PR role to a minute position that reports to the head of legal who in return reports to the CEO.
Wait..PR is a strategic role,it defines the fortunes of the company by enhancing and maintaining the image of the business which helps the business to grow in terms of volumes.
According to a survey carried out on the Status of PR in the country, Majority of the PR practitioners cited lack of support from the organizations they work for;ranging from budgets,personnel or even recognition by the top management.
As the whole world discovers the importance of Public Relations to the organization, our country seems to lag behind as we clutch to the traditional Marketing role where PR was a support sub section in the Marketing Department.
As a PR practitioner, I believes that our industry's glass is half full, not half empty, and opportunities are abound. To drink from it, however, practitioners must broaden their understanding of the strategic role of the profession and also embrace the new new tools of the trade.
This is where the jobs will be found. But it won't be that easy to reclaim the strategic role..
While many people proclaim that PR will prevail in the fight to gain hegemony over the domineering and traditional Marketing department, all see not to be well.I had lunch with a couple of old colleagues this week who said their publicity-only shop is alive and well without any social media offering.
"We never come across clients who are interested in anything other than mainstream media coverage," one dismissively told me after hearing my experience from the other side of the coin as a client where you have the agency leading your way.
A short glimpse of Kenya,the other day a leading Bank in the region that had a fully fledged PR department spearheading several communication campaigns across the region was recently restructured and PR was hidden under an ambiguous department that will see the PR head reporting to the Chief Business Officer.
A leading mobile telephony company re-did their reporting structures only to push the PR role to a minute position that reports to the head of legal who in return reports to the CEO.
Wait..PR is a strategic role,it defines the fortunes of the company by enhancing and maintaining the image of the business which helps the business to grow in terms of volumes.
According to a survey carried out on the Status of PR in the country, Majority of the PR practitioners cited lack of support from the organizations they work for;ranging from budgets,personnel or even recognition by the top management.
As the whole world discovers the importance of Public Relations to the organization, our country seems to lag behind as we clutch to the traditional Marketing role where PR was a support sub section in the Marketing Department.
As a PR practitioner, I believes that our industry's glass is half full, not half empty, and opportunities are abound. To drink from it, however, practitioners must broaden their understanding of the strategic role of the profession and also embrace the new new tools of the trade.
This is where the jobs will be found. But it won't be that easy to reclaim the strategic role..
Monday, January 3, 2011
2011; bloggers will thrive
New Year resolutions, reflecting back at 2010, and thinking about 2011 is what I have been doing for the last couple of days. When I think back about last year, I feel so grateful for everything that I experienced the new friends I made, and the goals I achieved.
Things aren't always smooth but as long as you we stay focused on our goals, we will have nothing to be disappointed about. I recently spoke to a pal of mine who was upset about a recent project that didn't succeed. I encouraged him to stay the course. With each failure there must be an equivalent success. By focusing on results, not the work itself, we can move ourselves in the direction we want to go
.
Internet marketing, search engines, and other web based media tools will still be there this year. One thing is certain though, they will change. Make it your goal to get more involved with web based communication this year and stay on top of everything in marketing.
What other changes are on the horizon? I don't know for sure but as marketers and communicators we need to lead the charge. New websites, new online promotions, continued growth in social media will be the norm.
Stay focused, enjoy what you do, and continue to improve your marketing knowledge. I'm looking forward to more blogging in 2011 and hearing from more of you through comments and guest posts. All the best to you and your family and Happy New Year!
Things aren't always smooth but as long as you we stay focused on our goals, we will have nothing to be disappointed about. I recently spoke to a pal of mine who was upset about a recent project that didn't succeed. I encouraged him to stay the course. With each failure there must be an equivalent success. By focusing on results, not the work itself, we can move ourselves in the direction we want to go
.
Internet marketing, search engines, and other web based media tools will still be there this year. One thing is certain though, they will change. Make it your goal to get more involved with web based communication this year and stay on top of everything in marketing.
What other changes are on the horizon? I don't know for sure but as marketers and communicators we need to lead the charge. New websites, new online promotions, continued growth in social media will be the norm.
Stay focused, enjoy what you do, and continue to improve your marketing knowledge. I'm looking forward to more blogging in 2011 and hearing from more of you through comments and guest posts. All the best to you and your family and Happy New Year!
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