Champlain College Online Marketing Bootcamp: Final Post

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Um...get all that? And yes, I know, they should be linked, but then that would ruin the pretty colors and I am certainly NOT going to break into the code to figure it out!

So that was my day today. A total immersion into the world of Social Networking and Online Visibility.

I LOVED IT!

Of course, I teach it ... so this was a unique experience for me to be the student. Think I might have over-stepped a few times (bad me) in the class room (sorry Dave and Dan!) around some of the things...but the best part was the things that I learned today. Great context of Social Networking and Online Visibility and some good connections.

Let's get to it (before I do a faceplant on the keyboard -- gee whiz I'm tired).

As I mentioned earlier, Dave Winslow from EpikOne kicked us off this morning. Besides the whirlwind overview and the hands on with LinkedIn and Blogger, Dave provided a great list of:

Steps for Planning a Social Networking Campaign

1. State your goal, identify your target and know what your success
2. Determine how much money and time you will invest
3. Based on the budget, create a plan – just like any other marketing plan
4. Identify what mediums you will be using – ie video, text, etc.
5. Choose which networks you will allocate your budget too
6. Align your resources internally or find a good outsource
7. Execute the plan and please make sure to track your initiatives

While I like the list and will use it in my Social Networking class there is ONE thing missing and that is making sure to INTEGRATE whatever you do with your current marketing messages and branding. It's a very important step because with this medium, if people really "Digg" it (smile) you need to be ready and it (whatever it is) better match your brand identity.

We moved into this afternoon with a great presentation on Social Networking -- with a focus on Blogging and Facebook (my favorite!) from Daniel Schutzsmith (linkedin) (twitter) who is the editor of GraphicDefine, an eZine for graphic designers and business. Check it out at: http://www.graphicdefine.org.

I won't bore you all with the in-depth details but there are a few things I wanted to address.

So what makes a Social Networking "Expert" anyway? To hear Dan tell it, it's a mix of pure chance, passion and a healthy dash of insanity.

Disclaimer -- remember, I'm a college professor, so when Dan said that he didn't use his PR degree right off, um, I had to wonder because...well...Dan, all of this that you are doing it's um..PR!

Anyway...here's Dan's "Story" (as told by me -- my sense is that I've boiled down the past 15 years of his life into well...a few short lines)

History of Dan

PR major in College
Graduated
Tried different jobs in business and design, businesses tanked…he kept on moving
(note dot.com bomb here somewhere I'm sure)
Started posting in forums and link pages and discussions providing advice and comments which led to a...
call from Chopping Block
so he started working with them in Biz Development where...
they didn't do any advertising they just...
went to forums
submitted links
send info to Ad Week
and Clients evolved from the virtual word of mouth they generated
(um, I think there was good design work too!)

Which got him pretty much involved with business side of design
which evolved into graphicdefine magazine – an eZine
which moved from his solo postings...
to other people/multiple contributors on the site
and then some
teaching at school of visual arts – at NYU
and of course
speaking Gigs on Social Networking and Online Visibility!
(um, Public Relations I'm think'n!)

Both Dan and Dave said these posts were supposed to be short...but...well...it wouldn't be fun if I didn't break the rules!

Big take aways?

Gotta have passion to do this. What else? Well here are some tips that make a lot of sense to me:

First, build a personality. One that goes with you and is consistent through all your social networking gigs whether it is MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn, or whatever.

What do people want to see?

• Remove the Bullshit
• No Sales Speak
• Stay Consistent
• Make it easy to link to

Keeping followers and credibility

• Update Consistently
• Quality Content
• Remain Humble
• Be Truthful
• Own up and admit mistakes
• Correct the mistake
• Don’t Censor
• Listen
• Implement and Compliment Feedback

Handling Criticism

• Evaluate
• Address it
• Correct it
• Follow up

What not to do

• Hide
• Attack
• Counter-criticize
• Sue
• Slander

And finally...Dan's Tips for overall success:

1. Stick with it.
2. It takes hard work
3. Focus on the message
4. Encourage participation
5. Be serious about not being too serious
6. Have fun

So what did I think overall? It was a great session. The full day worked very well together and even though I walked in with my own blog and an UBER Facebook presence and a well developed LinkedIn Profile, I still came away with a continuing appreciation for what is happening in the OnlineVis space and that there are others out there like me who find this not only interesting but revolutionary.

Dan calls himself an "Evangelist". Easy to do that in the business world -- especially in NYC and especially when you are a "creative". Much more difficult to do in Higher Education with curriculum -- but I'm working on it! (insert evangelical exclamations here!)

Read on over the rest of the summer as I take what I've learned and what I continue to learn in the blogging world and use it to update and improve the classes I teach in Internet Marketing, Online Visibility and Social Networking.

Now...I have GOT to get to bed.