No such thing as a free lunch How much did you pay last year for Facebook? For Gmail? For Foursquare? For Twitter? Right. Nothing. How much value did you derive from these services? If you don’t know or can’t tell, the easiest way is to ask yourself how much you would have to spend out…
The marketing pitch cookie Have you ever heard of the fortune cookie joke where you add “… in bed” to every fortune? For example, these standard-issue fortunes become much funnier: “You are talented in many ways.” “Any rough times are behind you.” “Decide what you want and go for it.” “Many a false step is…
Fighting slander with a champion At the recent NEDMA conference keynote, an audience member asked a very insightful question: In an age when the power of a single voice can be amplified so loud that it can take down a company or a brand, what recourse do we have? What a powerful question, and certainly…
The most basic business lesson taught by World of Warcraft World of Warcraft’s Auction House is the in-game marketplace, the bazaar where players can sell virtual stuff to other players. Magical potions, plate armor, everything under the virtual sun gets traded millions of times a day. Auctions listed in the Auction House can last up…
Why you must bet the farm on mobile and social media Mitch Joel‘s keynote at MarketingProfs (which is a neat evolution of a talk I saw him give at PodCamp Toronto years ago) sparked an idea in my head about how we’re communicating with customers and what it means for your business. In his talk,…
The State of B2B Social Media from MarketingProfs B2B Forum I’ve been attending and speaking at the MarketingProfs B2B Forum for a couple of years now, ever since stepping in as a pinch-hitter at the 2008 conference. What a difference a couple of years can make! Two years ago, people were asking what Twitter even…
Are we there yet? Diagnostic versus objective social media metrics One of my favorite discussion points in my social media ROI talk is also probably one of the most overlooked – the understanding of diagnostic versus objective metrics. Imagine for a second you’re on a road trip. Diagnostic metrics tell you how the trip is…
Facebook’s been mailing “Like” signs to small businesses to encourage use of their fan pages. But suppose you didn’t get one from Zuck? Or maybe you need more than one? Rest easy! This Photoshop template will help you get rolling – just download it, edit in Photoshop, and be on your way. Facebook Like Sign…
What your personal brand can learn from the legend of the ninja The ninja warriors of old were greatly feared by their adversaries – shadowy operatives with superhuman powers that could single-handedly turn the tide of battle or bring clandestine death to their enemies. The ninja were capable of nearly any feat, from vanishing in…
Gamers old enough to remember Ultima’s role playing game back in the 80s and 90s will remember one of the most treasured weapons of all, the glass sword. This powerful weapon was both incredibly strong and yet incredibly weak. It held one promise: use it on an enemy for a guaranteed kill, but shatter it…
