It is almost February and social media has, yet again, been the talk of the town. With the emergence of social TV and social games, as well as the continued growth of mobile technology, it is difficult to imagine a return to a disconnected world. As I do every year, I thought it would be appropriate to reference a video that outlines the year that was in social media. This video by Omobono Digital does a great job of summing it all up:

Enjoy!

Let me give some background. I’m driving home today when I get this call. Now anyone that knows me knows that I rarely answer calls on my personal cell phone from numbers that I don’t recognize, but today was the exception. I answered the call and here’s a break-down of how it went (names have been left out to protect the ignorant…err…I mean innocent):

Mr. Salesman:  Good afternoon, may I speak with Ms. Gabrielle Mederos.

Me: Nope, but you can speak with MR. Gabriel Mederos.

Mr. Salesman: I’m very sorry, I must have read the name incorrectly. Hello Mr. Mederos how are you today?

Me: Not bad, I am driving though so this may not be the best time to talk.

Mr. Salesman: Not too worry Gabriel, this will not take very long.

(Ok, big mistake number 1. I have said that I am not available to talk, telling me that it won’t take too long isn’t what I want to hear…in fact, it just irritates me)

Me: Fine, how can I help you?

Mr. Salesman: Well, I came across your name in a directory and I wanted to talk to you about some of the services my company offers.

Me: Ok.

Mr. Salesman: I just wanted to ask you a few questions before I tell you about how we can help you. Firstly, what is your current role?

Me: My current role is Manager of Public Relations.

Mr. Salesman: Great…and what is the name of your employer?

Me: Didn’t you get my name from a directory? What did it say?

Mr. Salesman: I’m sorry, I don’t have the directory in front of me to refer to what it said.

(Big mistake number 2. This individual obviously didn’t do any homework. What’s worse is that if he was able to get my name, he could have easily looked on LinkedIn to get all the details regarding my title and employment history)

Me: Well, why don’t you just tell me why you’re calling.

Mr. Salesman: My company is called ********* and we provide social media consultation services. We’re experts in social media.

(Big mistake number 3. Ok, so this one is a personal pet peeve. I find it very hard to believe that someone is a social media expert. Especially someone who feels the need to tell me they are)

Me: Oh, so you guys are social media experts?

Mr. Salesman: Absolutely, we can use social media to solve your company’s business problems.

Me: Well that’s very impressive considering you don’t know what company I work for and until a few seconds ago, you didn’t even know what my job title was.

Mr. Salesman: (clearly flustered) Well sir, the basics are all the same.

Me: That may be true, but companies are not. And I hope that the solutions to my company’s problems that you’re suggesting is not just a Facebook page and Twitter account.

Mr. Salesman: How about I set up a meeting and we can discuss how I can help you out.

Me: How about you don’t bother…I appreciate your call but I’m not interested.

Mr. Salesman: Can I at least send you an email with more details about our company?

(Big mistake 4. I clearly said that I was not interested. If you ever want to do business with me in the future, you should listen to what I’m saying and respect my decision)

Me: Again, thank you for your call but I am not interested at this time.

Mr. Salesman: Thanks (…click)

Now, I completely understand that selling is not easy. It is a difficult job, one that I openly admit, I’m not able to do very well. But it is people like the aforementioned Mr. Salesman that truly give all salespeople a bad name. If the salesman had done a bit more research and approached me differently, there’s a good chance I would have agreed to a meeting and requested more information. Let’s face it, I’m an easy sell for any good salesman.

The individual I spoke with today wasn’t this bad, but with some practice…

Enjoy!

5. People Are Spending More Time In Mobile Apps Than on the Web

This was an interesting article published in Social Media Today talking about mobile usage and how it continues to grow. What’s interesting is how mobile app usage is trumping web usage. If 5 years ago someone would have told that this would be the case today, I’m not sure if I would have believed it. But here we are in 2011 and mobile apps are dominating the technology landscape.

4. Google Wallet: First Impressions

Ok, so this story is one of my favorites. Google is currently testing a Google Wallet application that allows you to replace (for the most part) your wallet with your smartphone. Personally, I can’t wait for Google Wallet to be released and when you read the article, you’ll know why. I’d just be afraid to misplace my smartphone…although I’m sure the security features at launch time will ease my fears.

3. Apple to Announce iPhone 5 on October 4

Ok, so it wasn’t the iPhone 5, but the iPhone 4S still looks pretty amazing! And the features that will likely be featured when the iPhone 5 does launch (looks like it will launch next summer), seem absolutely incredible. The buzz around Apple was unbelievable but would be soured by some terrible news (see below). Judging by the record numbers of people who lined streets and malls across North America to buy Apple’s newest iPhone, I would say that the 4S was a tremendous success.

2. Facebook’s New Features Might Not Be as Private as You Think

So as everybody on the planet already knows, an updated Facebook interface was launched with enhanced features. And while many did not “Like” the new Facebook, what had many downright worried was the privacy settings and how the default wasn’t really that private. This story is a must read for all Facebook users…so that’s everybody then, right?

1. Steve Jobs Has Died

There’s not much else that can be said, or that hasn’t been said about the loss of this truly inspirational individual. He has left his mark on the lives of so many, not just with his technological genius, but also with his dedication and vision. RIP Steve Jobs.

Do you have any stories from the past month that you want to share? Leave a comment and let me know what you found interesting, amazing or unbelievable.

Oh yeah…I almost forgot the traditional video. Here’s Otis by Jay-Z and Kanye West…what can I say, I love this song!

Enjoy!

While the aforementioned sites are quite useful for getting a better idea of what current or past employees think of a company, I also think that it is important to see what is being said about the company on the social media sites. I like to read any comments made on Facebook, Twitter and even YouTube. Checking out company profiles on LinkedIn also gives you a glimpse into whether employees are leaving en masse or whether employees have decided to stick around for years. LinkedIn also shows any new people who joined the company (so long as they have a LinkedIn account and have updated their profile), letting you get a better indication of their background and where they have come from.

While these sites help provide a good snapshot of what a company may be like, they should be taken with a grain of salt. Remember, some reviews will be written by disgruntled employees. However, if a company has multiple negative comments from different ex-employees, you may want to proceed with caution. Generally speaking, these tools are a great reference point to be considered when making your decision about embarking on a new career opportunity.

For those of you who want to learn a bit more about how to effectively use LinkedIn, check out the following video:

Enjoy!

What are some of the tools that you’ve discovered in 2011 that you think have that staying power?

Share your fave new social media tools!

Social commerce is a subset of electronic commerce that involves using social media, online media that supports social interaction and user contributions, to assist in the online buying and selling of products and services.

More succinctly, social commerce is the use of social network(s) in the context of e-commerce transactions.

In the article, author Stephanie Schwab talks about how tools like Groupon and Facebook Commerce are redefining how people share information about what they are buying or what they aspire to buy. She also mentions how new tools like Blippy are going the way of the dinosaur due to the fact that people are not really that interested in just sharing what they’re buying without getting something tangible back in return…whether it be lower prices or higher perceived status. I had heard a bit about Blippy, so I decided to give it a shot. While it’s not a bad tool, I agree with Stephanie in that there’s really very little to entice a person to actually share information on what they’re buying and providing a review. I mean for some purchases sure, but what can you really say about the purchase of something like toothpaste that anyone reading the review would actually care about?

Which brings me to Groupon. I am semi-addicted to Groupon. While I don’t purchase a lot from Groupon, I am constantly looking forward to the deals of the day. But what I have found is that some of the criticisms of Groupon are pretty accurate, namely that you can’t really rely too much on what you’re purchasing because there is a chance that the conditions will change. Not good. I purchased a discount from a popular retailer using Groupon and when I went to use it, it didn’t work. It was a pretty frustrating process for not only me, but also for the sales people (and I do mean people, as three sales reps tried their luck at getting the coupon to actually scan properly). Luckily the store was good enough to honour the coupon but not before mentioning how much problems they have experienced as a result of their partnership with Groupon.

I’m chalking it up to growing pains. I’ll still continue to use tools like Groupon and WagJag because there’s actually a benefit to using the tools (when they work properly). How much time will I actually spend on Blippy telling people about what I bought and providing reviews? That remains to be seen. But there’s no doubt that Social Commerce is definitely on the rise and one of the social media trends to look out for this year. Judging by the popularity and mainstream acceptance of Groupon, WagJag and Facebook Commerce, its pretty safe to say that Stephanie was dead on in her prediction.

Here’s Groupon’s Super Bowl ad. It will provide more of a “flavor” on what Groupon is all about:

Enjoy!

What’s your take on work-life balance? Let me clarify; do you think that it is something real that can be achieved and should be supported by employers, or is it a catchy HR buzzword that really means little in our world of tight deadlines and critical projects? Personally, I think that it is a great concept, however, I am yet to really experience it. Part of it is me. Unfortunately, I am a bit of a workaholic who feels the need to be constantly connected. On the other hand, it’s not something that I have seen readily promoted in my professional career. Well, that’s not entirely true…there was one or two past employers who almost forced employees out at 4:30 p.m., but for every one of those situations that I experienced, there were ten more when working 24/7 was almost an expectation.

In a way, I can’t fault companies for expecting their people to feel a certain level of ownership for their place of work and want to see them succeed no matter what. On the other, I’m not always sure that the sense of loyalty actually exists, either from employees or employers. So back to my initial question: is work-life balance actually achievable? I think so…but it takes dedication and effective time management. I think that you as the employee/entrepreneur need to make time for yourself and your family and, at least sometimes, leave the work at work. That applies even in the instances when you love what you do and you’re passionate about your job. Being a workaholic is not necessarily a bad thing…but it can become all-consuming. Taking a break every now and again to concentrate on yourself will help give you perspective and can even clear your mind to help you do your job better.

I am by no means a doctor, psychologist of human resources professional, so these opinions are just that…opinions. So take them for what they are, take them with a gram of salt, or don’t take them at all. What I do know is that I do believe in work-life balance and recognize why it is so important – whether it exists or not.

Please leave me your comments on how you interpret work-life balance and what you do to “unplug”.

In any case, I’ve been doing quite a bit of research on different social media tools, trends and best practices and I wanted to share some of them with all of you…but not today. As I was researching some videos on YouTube a couple of months back, I came across these hilarious videos of random people performing “surprise trust falls”. You probably all know the actual trust fall…that’s when you fall back and trust that the person standing behind you (expecting you to fall) will catch you. These are not those…not at all. These are…well…you just have to see for yourself:

Enjoy!

P.S. For my next post I’ll return to something a bit more informational…but this video was too funny to pass up!

1. Fact or Fiction?

 All successful social media strategies include the creation of a Facebook page, a Twitter account, a YouTube channel and a blog.

The Verdict

Fiction. A social media strategy is a strategy. Creating pages or accounts using certain tools are tactics. What truly determines the success of a social media strategy are clear and measurable objectives. You need to know exactly what you want to achieve and who you want to reach. It’s also important to remember that the people whom your organization would like to connect with may not necessarily be on Facebook, Twitter or YouTube. Do the research and find out where your audience currently interacts, how they interact and monitor what is being said. This, in my opinion, is a more effective way to determine which platforms make sense for your organization to join, as opposed to blanketing the popular sites and hoping to reach your audience.

2. Fact or Fiction?

Social media are great tools for reaching your audience and spreading your message.

The Verdict

Fiction. This verdict needs some clarification. Social media are excellent tools for reaching your audience, this is true. But you need to be very careful about how you “message”. Social media are essentially social tools – the name says it all. Unlike traditional media, people involved in social media are less receptive to receiving corporate or organizational messages. Actually, I would argue that you should avoid flagrant messaging even when dealing with traditional media outlets. Storytelling and providing your audience with information that is relevant and engaging is far more effective. This is especially true with social media. People are bombarded with information and messages on many social media sites. If you’re not saying something that is worth reading, viewing or listening to, you will be tuned out. My general rule of thumb when it comes to social media is to ask yourself this question: If you didn’t know about your organization and you read/saw/heard the message you’re sending, would you care? If the answer is “no”, there’s a good chance your audience wouldn’t care either. Share information that is personal or that you’d want to see, hear or read.

3. Fact or Fiction?

Social media gives people a chance to criticize my business.

The Verdict

Fact. Absolutely, social media may bring to light some of your customers’ issues with your products or services. But guess what, if your customers have issues with your business criticism will exist whether you use social media or not. Furthermore, if your customers are experiencing issues, wouldn’t you want to know about them? It’s basically a case of “if I don’t see it, it doesn’t exist.” Unfortunately it does exist and social media can be used to not only monitor what is being said about your organization, but help address internal issues that your business may be experiencing.

I really like how Brian Solis described it:

Many business owners believe that social media gives people a chance to criticize their business. That’s true, but avoiding social media doesn’t mean that their opinions will never see the light of day. Your brand is at the mercy of those who take to social media to share their experiences, so you might as well take an active role to contributes to the stature and perception of your brand. You might even learn how to improve your product and service in the process.

What do you think? Do you agree or disagree with any of these verdicts? Let me know. Post your comment and join the conversation (or maybe even start it)…I’m always up for some conversation!

First a little history. Here is the background on Angry Birds I found on Wikipedia:

Angry Birds is a puzzle video game developed by Finland-based Rovio Mobile, in which players use a slingshot to launch birds at pigs stationed on or within various structures, with the intent of destroying all the pigs on the field of play. Inspired by a simple sketch of stylized wingless birds, the game was first released for Apple’s iOS in December 2009. Since that time, over 12 million copies of the game have been purchased from Apple’s App Store, which has prompted the company to design versions for other touchscreen-based smartphones, including those using the Android, Maemo, webOS, and the Symbian^3 operating systems. Rovio Mobile has supported Angry Birds with numerous free updates that add additional game content, and the company has even released stand-alone holiday versions of the game.

Source: Wikipedia

Perhaps the most impressive part of Angry Birds’ success is that it transcends mobile. Rovio Mobile has taken Angry Birds from being just an Apple app to different mobile operating systems to personal computers and even gaming consoles.

Whether they’re on posters in gaming stores or they’re making a cameo appearance on international TV shows, these ornery birds and quivering pigs can be found mostly everywhere you look. And they may be coming to a theater near you! Rumor has it that Rovio has been approached with interest from movie studios who are looking at the option of featuring the famed birds and pigs on the big screen.

I think that the dizzying success of Angry Birds is more than just a cool concept that made it big; it is a clear sign that non-traditional media avenues (such as mobile and social media) are not only here to stay, they’re conquering the mainstream. What’s most impressive is that the Angry Birds phenomenon took flight (pardon the pun) with very little advertising or production. Personally, I found out about the game through a recommendation from a friend on Facebook. This points to the viral nature in which the popularity of Angry Birds has grown.

If you have not already played Angry Birds, I recommend you try it. But be warned…once you hurl your first bird at those dumbfounded pigs, it’s very hard to stop.

Check out the Angry Birds cinematic trailer. Now, I gotta go…some pigs are about to get it!

Disclaimer: The pigs to which I am referring are virtual pigs. I would not dare harm a real pig. Please, no hate mail.

Enjoy!