Right before Thanksgiving I heard about this study, but what can I say? I was totally distracted by the evil turkey. Now that we’re all back and having leftovers I think it’s smart to take a look:

Here’s the website they launched to share the report.  It does a good job of using video snippets to highlight findings, etc…  http://www.2010socialmediastudy.com.  If you want to just download the full report: http://www.2010socialmediastudy.com/PDF/FedExSocialMediaStudy_FindingsReport_FINAL.pdf.

Take your time.  The report is actually a 39 slide deck but that doesn’t mean you can get through each slide quickly.  I found this report to be validating because it’s a lot of the stuff I’m constantly saying, but now I can say 62 huge global brands agree with me.

Here are the insights I was able to glean:

• Clearly defined goals are necessary.  Not good to have but we can go without…
• Reverse mentoring – having younger more knowledgeable staff train managers.  Win/Win people.
• Social media is a channel, not a strategy.  If you’re not there you’re noticeably absent.
• Communications has oversight but Marketing pitches in to help with products… and well MARKETING.
• Companies approach to staffing for social media really depended on whether they wanted to lead, follow or observe.  I love the obvious investment of resources showing the priority placed on the “channel”.
• Wondering what the breakdown is?  10% lead, 75% follow, 15% observe.
• Companies are still struggling with ROI of social media.

So it’s kinda weird as a marketing person to also be an artist because when I’m in music making and selling mode, I switch into a marketing mind.  I try to keep that mind as far away from the creative mind because I’ve never thought of my music as being for the masses.  I also never wanted my image controlled by another person or group of people.  Saw enough of that at 18 doing music and shows in NYC.

Now, working on the third project has given me an idea.  I’m going to go through, step by step to show how I market this artist “madia”.  Yes, friends don’t rush to remind me that I am Madia.  I assure you I am always aware of that fact.  But it’s kinda hard to show people marketing techniques without using an example and since I’m doing my own marketing and promotions with help from some awesome contractors — I figure we’ll make the process transparent and interactive.  That way my friends interested in the process can check it out.

Segmentation is important so I didn’t want to mash the musical identity with everything else so I added a handle.  Since I sing a lot about love, it seemed appropriate that I’d come up with lovemadia.  Soooo, FB and Twitter identity is there.  Going to work on the marketing strategy soon but make sure to check out the stuff that’s already up:
Facebook page and Twitter account.  More later!

Hey friends – a new blog is in the works. I’m going to focus on a broader scope of topics. If you know me well, you probably know how many things I work on.

I am feverishly writing my third album and thanks to life, I have a lot to write about.

I’m also working hard on the digital marketing front. There are lots of innovations happening and I want to talk a little more about that stuff in detail.

more to come.

Okay.  Let me explain.  Marketers look at the product or service their company is selling, think of the value to their target market, and communicate that value proposition to the customer. I’ve been asking a lot of parents about their experiences with children.  I saw an interesting card in a paper store. (A quaint little store in Shirlington, VA – if you were wondering)  The card read — “Children will ruin your life.”  I posted this picture and asked my friends if this was true.  Most parents thought it was funny and while admitting to the difficulty associated with children, they all said the pros outweighed the cons. They talked about how children enhance and enrich your life and that they couldn’t see life without their children.

I think that to some degree, parents have to market parenting as a lifestyle.  I doubt anyone would say — I have ‘em and DON’T DO IT!!!!

I’m rereading a wonderful (autographed copy) of Competing on Analytics. This is not a web metrics book. It’s more of the case for metrics. This excerpt from the foreward is exactly why companies should care.

“My journey is complicated by the fact that all organizations seek to please the leader, so there is constant pressure to give my otherwise lame and ill-considered views far more gravitas than they deserve. Beware, as this process can feel good and be dangerously addictive… Hence, it is critical to create and constantly cultivate an environment that views ideas as separable from people, insists on the use of rigorous evidence to distinguish among ideas, and includes a healthy dose of people both sufficiently dedicated and skillful to do the heavy lifting.
Gary Loveman, CEO of Harrah’s

… as grandma says, ’nuff said.