Do the right thing because it’s the right thing to do.

Yes. This blog is focused on business, and how to use social media tools to generate business and enhance marketing. I get that. Let there henceforth be an implicit agreement ‘twixt us (yes, I just went old school on you) that the subject matter of this blog, by and large, is understood. Just because we’re in business to make money doesn’t mean that we should do that without heart and soul.

During the Gravity Summit last week, a presentation was made on Cause Marketing – if you’re unfamiliar, it’s when a company strategically aligns itself with a non-profit organization in a mutually beneficial relationship; the charity benefits from raised awareness and the brand benefits from the publicity. I have no problem with cause marketing, because it’s an idea that in and of itself is harmless at the very least and life-changing at best. The real problem I had was the presentation I saw, in which a commodity leveraged a charity to differentiate itself. The whole talk made me feel sick to my stomach, and the angry tweets I was firing off at the time are a good indicator of that.

I know Cause Marketing is a form of marketing – it says it right there in the name! I think, however, that there are companies that approach charity more as an obligation and privilege and less as the road to increased marketing share. Do the right thing because it’s the right thing to do.

I’m not saying that you should ignore any benefits you get from charitable work – I’m just saying that they shouldn’t be your main motivator all the time. The foot you put forward makes all the difference here. Instead of hearing the story of a company using their considerable resources to make the world better place and the side effects they brought, I was treated to what seemed like an endless parade of bar graphs, pie charts and statistics touting increased marketing share and Paris Hilton tweeting about them. For all of the gentleman’s talk about how great charity has been for business, I had two thoughts running through my head:

1. I’m glad to know about the charity
2. I will avoid this company’s products like the plague

Clearly this is a personal opinion, but I don’t think charity is about campaigns. It’s about people making a difference in any way they can because they have the ability to facilitate change. Does everyone need to know that you make big donations? No. Do you make donations so you can tell people about it and come off as a hero? I don’t know. Only you can answer that. I just want you to consider this: Do the right thing because it’s the right thing to do.

I don’t know if I believe in altruism, but I do believe that intention is every bit as important as action, for anyone that wants to engage in the “So what? The charity got some benefit too…” argument. In cause marketing, seems like there’s a fine line between being a saint and being a weasel sometimes. For me, that line was crossed.

Do the right thing because it’s the right thing to do.

How do you feel about this? Am I off-base?

One week ago I wandered out to UCLA for their 2nd annual Gravity Summit. I had scored a free pass due to my work with Social Media Club Los Angeles. Having never been to a Gravity Summit (they’re held at college campuses around the country from what I’ve been told) I really wasn’t sure what to expect. Those of you who followed my Twitter Stream that day know that I was basically live-blogging the conference to the best of my ability. Have become used to the unconference format of BarCamp it was difficult at times to sit in one room to listen to a series of lectures, but at the same the information was interesting and many of the speakers were very engaging.

I have to say, though, that the day belonged to Ramon DeLeon, a Domino’s franchise owner in Chicago who has integrated social media into his business in a way that I don’t think I’d seen before. He just plain got it, and his understanding of what made a BUSINESS work made it all successful. Like I said on Twitter, any guy who can sell franchised pizza in Chicago must be doing something right. Rather than listen to me talk about him, though, check out his keynote for yourself. This is particularly useful as an afternoon pick me up.

I had a whole thing worked out for today’s post – something about routines that I guess I’ll get too later – when something happened that I think merits some discussion. I’m calling it “The Brogan Effect.”

I wrote a post back in October about meeting Chris Brogan and the effect it had on my blogging. For those of you who don’t know, Chris Brogan is one of the top thinkers AND doers in the social media space. He has the ability to break down and explain concepts, theories and practices in a relatable and actionable way. His book Trust Agents, co-authored with Julien Smith, is  a must read.

He also happens to be really nice, very funny, and a real pleasure to spend time with. Like I said in the October post, I sat next to Chris at a charity poker tournament and wound up speaking with him most of the time. Our friendship has sustained through communication on Twitter. I choose to DM him when I can because I can only imagine that his public stream is difficult to keep up with, although we have conversed there as well. I always enjoy finding some way to make him laugh, imagining that I might be making his day a little better. Plus, sometimes it’s only for him.

Sometimes, his reaction to a private message will appear in public, like he did this morning when I thought he might be nearby. Reading the message led to his complimenting my avatar and essentially saying to the public “this is a funny dude, everybody.”

And then it began. In the last 10 minutes I have amassed about 40+ new followers. They just keep coming. Let’s remember that Chris DIDN’T say “you need to follow this guy.” Without even asking for anything, he moved 40 people to action. That’s influence, and Chris didn’t get it because he was famous. he built his audience a piece at a time through hard, FOCUSED work, being himself, and being generous with his time and brilliance. He researches, reads and shares everyday. Sure he’s started a premium resource at  Third Tribe Marketing, but that hasn’t slowed his blistering rate of sharing or diluted the quality of the information he shares. Yes, he has a book for sale, yes he works for money, but his work and his writing are making businesses better, which again increases his influence.

I’m writing this for three reasons:

1. To Illustrate that you can do the same things Chris did and achieve influence in YOUR community. You may not become the rockstar he has, but is that really your goal?

2. I couldn’t believe how many followers I picked up this time and found it amusing; and

3. There is no third thing – I just suffer from some mild OCD.

I always pick up followers when Chris mentions me publicly, and if you’re one of the new folks, I look forward to meeting you. Of course, that’s not why I talk to Chris. I enjoy making him laugh because he’s my friend and other people’s laughter (especially friends) is like crack to me.

Have YOU experienced “The Brogan Effect?”

…Don’t wipe your hands on my drapes.

That’s not what they’re for, you know? I use ‘em to keep the windows covered, or at the very least as decoration. If you’re like me, your home is your place, where you have your own rules. When you visit someone else’s house, you don’t conduct yourself the same way you would at home because it’s not your place. That’s the golden rule, right? Simple.

For whatever reason (maybe because it’s “not real”?), our online “homes” are no different. How many of you have left a promotional, self-serving post on someone else’s Facebook wall? It’s OK to raise your hand – none of us can see you. Now, how many of you have FOUND other people’s spam (that’s what it is – unwanted, unwarranted, unbelievable) on your wall? Sucks, doesn’t it? Hell, I get upset when I see a friend getting spammed, even if they don’t mind. I think it’s rude, if I’m not mistaken it’s a violation of Facebook’s Terms of Service (psst! It’s in there! Check the first item in the “Safety” section).

If you’re a smart business person, you know better than to storm into someone’s cocktail hour like a bull on speed and start shouting about your exciting new service. If it helps you, spammers, think of Facebook as a cocktail hour. Or a birthday party. Or a baby shower. Or a wedding. Or some other place where your well-honed “hard sale” is not only ineffective but offensive to some. Is it worth the few sales you might make to turn off 100 for every 1 you sell? If your answer is “yes” feel free to leave my blog (if the lack of a zillion ads didn’t drive you off in the first place). If it’s no, consider this alternative: Contact people privately if you think they might be interested in something you have to offer. If they say no, let it go. How about a Facebook BUSINESS page where you can PROMOTE your business openly?

Don’t get me wrong here: There’s no need to keep mum about your job or aspects of your work on the personal side of Facebook since they’re a real part of your life and can spark engagement with people. It simply means that your personal profile (and anyone else’s, for that matter) is not a billboard or a place for you to promote.

They have places for that. They’re called ACTUAL Billboards.

Am I off base here? Tell me what you think.

I woke up this morning with a post in mind, ready to be written, until I came across this post on ActiveRain. Before I get into it here, let me say that I am NOT going to comment on the politics here, which is the exact point I want to make. On a site that is meant to be a professional real estate network, this person has chosen to use the platform to air political grievances. For a state she doesn’t serve.

We talk a lot about transparency and being genuine, but often we don’t talk enough about what is sensible. I certainly have strong political views, but they have nothing to do with what I do for a living (most of the time). I know that there’s a time and place for me to discuss those things, and it’s not here. Yes, this person might be so skeeved by the idea of working with conservatives that she wants to make sure that they steer clear, but this feels more like a knee-jerk reaction to an article. If that’s the case, the solution is simple: Take a moment. Breathe. Think about the message you’re putting out there and where you’re putting it. I don’t use this blog to talk about how horrible Star Wars Episodes 1-3 are, or how much I love the Phillies – I have a personal blog for that, and even there I want to be responsible in what I speak about. The times when you’re angry are the times you need to exercise restraint the most. Think about how you’re representing yourself. Think about how you’re representing your business. Your community. Your family. Even yourself. It takes a lifetime to build a reputation and about 5 seconds to ruin it.

In catching up on my “tween-holidays” blog reading, I came across this article from The Social Customer which stated:

According to a recent survey, poor customer service costs $338.5B per year in lost business. The reasons for this lost business are when customers defect and abandon their purchases. The hardest hit industries across all countries surveyed are financial services, cable and satellite TV providers, and a variety of telecommunications companies.

If you’ve been reading this blog or talking to me in the past few months, you know that I’ve been talking about the need for a more consumer-centric approach to service. Since we as consumers have so much power (think about it – who do you trust more – recommendations on Yelp or the claims made by a restaurant about itself?) and influence over other customers, it only makes sense to have a good relationship with your customers, and that can (and should) mean going the extra mile to provide excellent service.

I’ll pay more to avoid dealing with douchey, ineffective service, and I’ll bet that you will too. What interested me the most about this article was a reaction I got after I tweeted it. My friend Dan Green wrote the following response:

It also GAINS $338.5B for other companies!

Is that really true, though? In all of the industries mentioned in the article (and some that weren’t), is there always someone ready to step into the void and provide the service others can’t, won’t or just don’t? If you’re in an industry known for horrible customer service, you have the opportunity to be the hero. Think about the ways that you can integrate superior customer service into your brand, possibly through social tools, possibly just by hiring people who will care.

I’m still annoyed by past problems with customer service for car rentals, cable companies and more. I’m sick of dealing with level upon level of people who have nothing to offer but a repetition of the instructions from the last person (and stop asking for my #&$%! name and address; I gave it once. Let’s all get on the same page here, mkay?) On the plus side, I remember companies that went the extra mile (I’m looking at you, Apple) because customer loyalty trumped standard operating procedure.

Look at the opportunities you have to gain the business lost by others and keep from losing business yourself. I firmly believe that excellent customer service is the cornerstone of the successful modern business plan.

Image courtesy of tiny white lights

I spent the wee hours of this morning walking down San Bruno road in the dark and the cold, walking over the 101 and into the San Francisco Airport until my father picked me up and took me to the airport monorail. Why, you ask? Well, to be honest, it’s kind of mix of my attempting to be frugal and some of the worst customer care I’ve seen.

I don’t like being a bother during the purchase process. I understand how difficult it is to be the person on the end of the deal, who is just trying to do their job, so I want to get in, get out, get what I paid for, and leave everyone happy. When the other side is down for the same, it’s a big thrill (and a win-win!).

I had the opposite of that experience yesterday while attempting to reach (and attain, and figure out how to return) my rental car. First, their office wasn’t located in the rental center – no big deal. there’s only so much space, and maybe their fleet of cars isn’t big enough to justify the lease. They have a shuttle to the lot. where, you might ask? Down by the “Kiss n’ Go” area, where I had to pick up a phone that I believe carries diseases left over from the Age of Enlightenment (which didn’t work, so I resorted to my cell phone) to call the guy working the office so he could come pick us up. When we got there, I discovered that I could’t drop the car off in time for my 7:40am flight, since they don’t open until 7:30. Their solution? Drop the car off with Ed, who works across the street at the 76 station (and who tried to charge me $10 bucks to keep a key on his counter and a car parked at his station for 90 minutes – nice try, Ed) and then call a cab. I don’t need to tell you how terrible a solution this is, as it absolves the car rental guy from any responsibility for my inconvenience, putting it all squarely on my (and Ed’s) shoulders.

As I walked in the cold, I was thinking about what we can learn from this. Clearly, situations where the customer comes last are not good for business, especially nowadays, where consumer feedback channels give us the power to dent (or ruin) a company’s reputation with the people who listen to our opinions. Maybe it’s time to go back to “the customer is always right” as a dominating philosophy and see how that helps us out – not only because consumers wield a lot of power in the new social landscape, but because it’s the right thing to do. Chris Brogan wrote a great post titled “Does Your Social Media Experience Extend?” where he discusses the need for a company’s social media presence (usually kind and engaging and caring) to extend to the physical experiences we have when dealing with the company. Chris says it really well, so I’m not going to try and duplicate it here, but consider this if you’re a business owner:

• I am not a super-well known guy in this great big world, but I have a lot of communication channels that I use on a regular basis (Facebook, Twitter, my 2 blogs, etc.). Using these channels, I can easily reach a few thousand people, a portion of whom give my feedback some credence.
• If I have a terrible experience with a company, I will not give a negative review. I will actively steer people elsewhere as a service to them because I care about their customer experience more than I think that you do.
• Conversely, if I have a great experience, I become a great champion for your brand.
• There are lot more people like me who hold a great deal more sway and feel the same way I do.

What kind of experience do you want me to have? I want me to have a nice experience (then again, I’m biased), and being on Twitter or having a Facebook fan page isn’t going to help me when I’m standing at your counter unless you have a corporate culture based around communication, openness and a desire to create the best customer experience possible for everyone who walks through your door. If you have that in place, you’re social media presence can become an extension of your corporate culture and create an army of citizen marketers who are spreading the good word instead of the bad.

Do you agree?

I’ve been improvising for 15 years now. I love improv; the challenge of creating entertainment from nothing has always attracted me; I get a rush from working without a net like that. I’ve taken classes from a ton of different theaters: Groundlings, Second City, ImprovOlympic and more, but there are two big things I’ve learned from improvising a lot:

1. Trying to save a scene by pulling off an imaginary mask and saying “I was Hitler all along” is never the laugh-getter you think it’s going to be; and
2. The best way to make a scene work is to concentrate on the other person.

While both of these guidelines might apply to social media, for the sake of argument, let’s just look at #2. Social Media, like social interaction, works best when you take an active interest in the other people out there. That’s the best way to learn, grow, and as a company, find out how you can improve (a combination of learning and growing – from the department of redundancy department). Stop friggin’ shouting for two seconds and make it about the customer. Just for a little. Try it out. See how it fits. Give it a whirl. Some fifth analogy.

In improv, the person who goes for laugh and tries to steer the scene ends up looking like an ass and is more likely to bring a scene down than they are to lift it up, because they’re do busy trying to get their “bit” in and less concerned with concentrating on the things that make a successful (& funny) scene. It’s more important to listen than it is to speak, because if you spend more time listening to what the other person has to say when the time comes, you’re going to contribute something meaningful based on the information you’ve been gathering.

Sound familiar?

"carrot top" used courtesy of cyanocorax

One time after performing at the old Second City space on Melrose avenue, I wandered over to the Improv Comedy Club next door as many of us did. I was always on the lookout for famous comedians, since a lot of them would come in to hang out and be famous. This particular night who did I see? None other than Carrot Top, the prop comedian and star of Chairman of the Board, on the short list of the worst movies ever made. The one thing I noticed about him right away was that he was ripped. It looked like he worked out every day with heavy weights. It seemed odd at first; most comedians benefit from being too fat (hilarious eating jokes!) or too skinny (he acts like he’s tough!), but this guy was walking around looking like he was turning into the Hulk.

Then I realized why he’s in that kind of shape: a lot of people hate prop comics, and since he is the penultimate prop comic, I bet a lot of people want to beat him up. It’s a defense mechanism! Brilliant!

To me, prop comics have never been too funny. I realize it’s just my opinion, but I think it takes more guts to go up on stage and be brutally honest about your life (Robert Schimmel) or share a unique point of view about the world (Chris Rock) than it does to make a “clever” prop by combining two things or by writing something on a thing and changing its use. Prop comics are gimmicky by nature, and I think audiences have started to favor being real and genuine to an eye-catching schtick (see where I’m going with this?)

In business, gimmicks and schticks have their place. As much as I try to avoid commercials, a really clever one will still stick with me, as will the brand it represents. We still love slogans, and interesting print ads still draw the eye. The fact remains that in social media we get more traction out of being genuine that we do by creating a big gimmick to hide behind. Consumers want to feel like someone is listening to them and responding to them, not putting on airs in a effort to come off as cool/saavy/classy. If you’re a salesperson this is doubly true. People do business with you, not your bench ad or your magnet – those are just tools to create awareness. If you’re using social media to attract new business, you should do it by being yourself. The props can go back into the giant steamer trunk until you’re up on stage again.

PS – If you do a Google search for Carrot Top you can see pics of him all buff in a weight room. They WILL make you nauseous.

"The Three Stooges 1959- Sammelkarten" used courtesy of Thomas Duchnicki

One of the things I love about Facebook is that it’s kind of all things to all people. Some people use it mostly for the games, and that’s fine with me. Some use it to reach out to customers and create an online community around their product/service. I’m cool with that too. I use it for business a little bit, but I love to keep up with friends and family, use the birthday calendar, and stay in touch with people. I’m going to assume you’re OK with that.

With all of these different people using Facebook in a ton of ways, there’s bound to be a little crossing of the streams (Ghostbusters reference alert), so here’s a big tip that will help us all get along:

Don’t share every single achievement from Farmville, don’t tell me which “Mad Men” cast member you are, and don’t tell me how many square inches of rainforest you’ve saved.

I get it if you’re proud of your Bowling Buddies Score, or if you’ve taken a HILARIOUS new quiz and just have to share, but there are people I’m connected to whose news stream is made up of nothing but this stuff. I’m beginning to worry that they’ve forgotten about the outdoors. Did you know you don’t have to publish this stuff? It’s true! You can just enjoy it by yourself and maintain relationships with people who are getting fed up with it (believe me, they’re out there.) When you finish an activity, you get this popup:

It is literally this easy.

Just click “skip instead” of “publish”. That’s it and that’s all. I’m not going to tell you to keep everything to yourself, but for the love of all that’s good and holy, use a little discretion. Think about why you’re sharing what you’re sharing; if you do that, you’ll be saving relationships. Believe me.

What do you think?