There’s a lot of coverage right now about personal resolutions like eating healthy food and exercising, however brands and marketers should also consider activities that they want to change this year. If 2011 wasn’t up to par, or you wish you had done things differently when it came to your marketing activity, you’re not alone. It’s healthy to take a pause and review what worked and what didn’t over the course of the last year, and make appropriate adjustments.  Now is the time to evolve and learn from the past.

Our team here at CMD did a lot of evaluation on the strategies and tactics that we implemented for our clients over the past 12 months and without question, it was helpful. After all, the definition of insanity is performing the same function time and time again and hoping for a different outcome. The bottom line? Status quo rarely works.

So, here are three resolutions that brands should strongly consider in 2012 if they want to shake things up and keep evolving in 2012:

Plan, plan, plan: It’s easy to look quarter-by-quarter, but nothing brings clarity to a marketing initiative like looking ahead 12 months, especially when it comes to content on your social channels. Take a shot at planning out your content for the year by asking yourself, “Where are all of our tradeshows? What messages do we want to hit, and when is the right time to deploy?”  Just like attacking a cluttered closet that you’ve been meaning to get to, keep the valuable content items and toss the rest. It will clear your mind and your marketing plans.

Pull the trigger:  How many of you have an idea in the drawer that’s never seen the light of day? Like a bowl-induced, New Year’s Day football coma, inertia kills marketing success quickly. Sitting on an idea or making a plan and thinking it to death doesn’t generate results. Take a proactive approach this year, trust your agency to deliver a campaign that hits your objectives, and go for it.

Remember traditional PR: Because I’m in the Earned Media/Public Relations group at CMD, I’m biased toward utilizing traditional PR channels. I love calling the desks at publications and pitching a great story. Social media has dominated the conversation the past four years, but remember that there are still traditional media outlets that can spread your word far and wide. They are looking for content. A few strategic pitches could bring you more good luck than a dish of black-eyed peas (it’s a Southern New Year’s tradition, look it up.)

What are your marketing resolutions for 2012?

To get the inside scoop on some recent CMD video activity, I caught up with Associate Creative Director John O’Connell, who shared two recent projects with me that show the breadth of ideas that come out of the agency, and how clients are wanting their creative content to reach audiences in nontraditional locations.

Let me recap the spots briefly before jumping into some deeper insight:

1. For Microsoft’s Zune HD initiative, CMD produced a commercial that is shown on all United Airlines international flights on seatback and main cabin monitors. The campaign includes a print ad running in United’s Hemispheres magazine.

“The spot works well with or without sound and conveys the product message regardless of a viewer’s native language,” said O’Connell.  “The commercial was shot on a RED camera and the goal was to show the Zune’s main features in a vibrant, stylish format and demonstrate that the product is a premium portable entertainment experience.”

You can see the spot here: http://preview.cmdpdx.com/video/Other/Zune_HD_Footage/index.html

What really amazed me is that the time from concept to completion for the Zune HD commercial was only six weeks.

2. A recent spot for ASUS running in movie theatres visually tells a story about the product’s clean lines, and the music is pretty powerful, drawing the viewer in. Shot in Portland, the bamboo theme is simple, understated, and relevant with today’s environmental messages.

Bamboo was part of a larger campaign created through a joint marketing program and was leveraged through online banners, a microsite, YouTube channel and Facebook page.

Watch the ASUS video here: http://preview.cmdpdx.com/video/Other/ASUS_BAMBOO/index.html

So what makes a good commercial these days? Here’s what the video experts at CMD are seeing in the industry:

• High production quality: DIY video is so prevalent on the web, particularly on YouTube, that standing out from the crowd today requires top-level quality.
• Quick: Traditional 30-second spots still are the #1 format to capture the viewer’s attention, get the point across, and tout a call-to-action.
• Unique channels: Clients are exploring new ways to reach audiences using commercials that are nontraditional. Cinema and airline advertising are just two examples.
• Affordable: Everyone is watching budgets; commercials don’t have to be expensive to be good.
• Multipurpose: Quality commercials can do more than double-duty when their use is extended as fresh content on social media channels, websites, and at trade shows.

What do you think?

Think again. There are more things you can do to optimize your content for the social web. One of the more interesting speakers at Web 2.0 in San Francisco this year was Paul Yiu of Bing. He talked about how to rethink SEO strategies to rise above the noise of social search.

Why is optimizing for social search different than the SEO strategies that have been drilled into us thus far? Well, as we all know from swimming in the social web, everything moves faster now. The popularity, and hence the ranking, of your content may depend not only on regular, old-school content updates, but also on how many people Tweet links to your content within the first *few hours* of posting.

Catch that? Hours. Indeed, Bing’s algorithms measure social references to your content as it takes its first feeble breaths on the Web.

Yiu says that in the past, we planned for useful content. That seems so simplistic in today’s environment. Now we need to plan and create share-friendly content. It’s important to seek out links from trustworthy sites, but add to that seeking links from trustworthy individuals who are influential voices in the social stream. Whereas regular updates were a popular SEO strategy in the past, today’s content managers need to be prepared to turn on a dime, especially to respond if a “mob” (positive or negative) arises.

Some food for thought the next time you’re prepping a piece of content. Before you hit the “upload” button, check out Paul Yiu’s Web 2.0 presentation on Slideshare (posted below).

Do you have a social SEO success to share?

It’s a topic that was covered yesterday at the PRSA Portland Metro chapter “What the Blog?” session that I moderated. With a panel representing some great points of view including those of our own Melissa Lion, (CMD earned media talent/blogger extraordinaire), Julian Chadwick of PDXPipeline.com, Kari Aakre of Intel PR, and Katlin Smith, whose blog is Southwest Washington ZEST, the answer was . . . “it depends.”

Clearly, there are many types of blogs, from online diary types representing personal thoughts and opinions and those whose sole purpose is to share information, to still others that operate as an extension of online news sources. Should this massively different and varied form of expression be required to adhere to the codes of professional journalism? From the panelists’ point of view, not necessarily. Even among the panelists, there were clear differences. For example, some bloggers welcome things such as incentives and giveaways for their readers, and others are guided by traditional journalism rules that don’t accept them.

Watch top tips from the “What the Blog?” panelists here:

So how do you know and what’s the guiding force when it comes to working with bloggers? As Stefanie Week pointed out in an excellent earlier post, certainly the FTC guidelines are a must and transparency across the board is the foundation. But the fact is that it’s hard to establish overarching rules for very personal and individual forms of expression, so there’s a need to go above and beyond that. The panelists agreed that successfully working with bloggers means getting to know each blogger’s intention, purpose and motivation for his or her blog—and respecting the operating guidelines that they have established for themselves.

Bottom line, it has to “feel right”—for the blogger, the audience and the story or client you want to cover, so knowing the “rules” will only get you so far—the rest is good old-fashioned common sense and a gut check.

Outside of the FTC guidelines, what other “rules” do you think bloggers ought to follow?

It’s the retweet that says you like what someone else has said. The personal reaction to a post that signals you’re listening. The random DM to a stranger to respond to a question or share a piece of information you think might be helpful. And when something bad happens, owning up to it and apologizing. Simple stuff, which unfortunately can also be pretty easy to overlook.

A recent example is one of our clients who had a not so great experience with a reporter. After stewing about what went wrong and owning up to how it could have gone better, they wondered whether it was worth reaching out to the reporter personally, to help clear the air. Even though it was a few days later, that’s exactly what they did. Yes, especially with the time that had gone by, it would have been easier to ignore it, move on, and take the chance that maybe the reporter would forget about it. But in the end, respect and courtesy won out, to the benefit of a stronger long-term relationship.

So many brands make major investments, coming up with massive cause-related campaigns. Certainly, those efforts are incredibly powerful, as well. But they don’t take the place of ongoing common courtesy and respect. After all, at the end of the day, isn’t that how we all want to be treated?

What favorite random acts of kindness have you seen, or experienced yourself, recently?

Last week was the Social Media Club of Portland’s annual awards event and CMD took home the big prize for the “People Like Me” category that recognizes social media programs that help build brand awareness and user engagement.

The campaign that caught the eye of the judges was a social media effort to garner the attention of gamers for Intel’s presence at PAX East, one of the industry’s biggest shows, attracting more than 50,000 gamers. The goal was to dominate the show, generate maximum buzz and create/convert fans among an audience that is cynical when it comes to traditional marketing efforts.

So how do you set your social media programs apart from the rest? Consider incorporating these elements that we used for the PAX East promotion:

• Face2Face – You may have thousands of fans and followers online but don’t exclude the ones you meet in person! Amplify your social media conversation by integrating offline activities like events, activities and special guest introductions.
• Build momentum – Consider creating multiple mini-promotions within a larger program. Multiple activities provide different touch points for different portions of your audience, while also building excitement and relationships along the way.
• Be competitive – Think about ways that you can tap into your audience’s good natured competitive spirit to motivate a call to action that’s fun and engaging.

Check out our “red carpet” interview to get the full scoop from the awards event!

With nearly 90 percent* of adults on the Internet using email, sending electronic messages is one of the easiest ways to reach out to potential customers. To do so effectively, however, you must grab their attention immediately with a strong, active subject line. Otherwise, all of that great information within the body of the email will be wasted. In short, email subject lines must stop readers in their tracks.

Here are a few tips we use at CMD to create attention-getting subject lines:

• Read news headlines and popular Twitter users for inspiration: Ever notice how headline news writers and great tweets have the uncanny ability to grab your attention effortlessly in just a few words and characters? That’s what you should strive for.
• Avoid SPAM language: Terms like “win” “save” and “hi” may send your message straight to the junk folder. For example, instead of saying “Enter to Win a Vacation,” say “CMD Wants to Send You to Hawaii.” For your reference, here’s a list of over 200 SPAM words and phrases to avoid.
• Use power words: Whether it’s a call to action or a report of action, the lively tone of the subject line will move readers to open your email. For example, instead of writing “Google, Facebook Don’t See Eye-to-Eye,” write “Google Fights Back against Facebook.”
• Think numerically: Using numbers, like “Six Tips for Becoming a Better Communicator,” will let potential readers know what to expect from your email. Plus, having a set number implies a set length, which is inviting—especially in the age of information overload.
• Make words count: Odds are if your subject line rambles on, your readers will trail off. No matter the length of your subject line, make each word pull its weight. Remember, if you succeed in convincing the reader to open your message, you have the entire body of the email to fill with details.

What exactly does an effective subject line look like? Here are some examples that grabbed my attention:
• Appealing to curiosity, from the Smart Brief on Social Media: “Dispelling the No. 1 social-media myth”
• Listing the most provocative headlines of the day’s news, from AdAge Global: “U.K. election ad airbrushed; Pepsi is now Pesi in Spanish; 8 Things Foreigners Get Wrong About China”
• Posing an interesting question, from Real Simple: “What Would You Give Up for a Free Hour?”

With these basic tips, you can put together compelling subject lines that get results. Remember, your target audience will never get to the juicy content you’ve created if the subject line doesn’t pique their curiosity. Nor will they see the email if the terms in the subject line send the letter straight to the junk folder.

*From the Pew Internet & American Life Project http://www.pewinternet.org/Static-Pages/Trend-Data/Online-Activites-Total.aspx

The book focuses on the value of trust in online communities where transparency is king, communication tools are endless and efficient, and cynicism among consumers is at an all-time high. Through online research, the book states, “We are currently living in a communications environment where there is a trust deficit. As a society, we no longer have confidence in advertising. We are hostile to those who appear to have ulterior motives, even if they’re just selling themselves.”

So how do you break through the clutter and gain the trust of your key influencers and audience? The book’s authors outline six characteristics of Trust Agents, including:

1. Make Your Own Game: Be a game changer and stand out among the crowd.
2. One of Us: Belong to the communities where your audience belongs. Talk like they talk. Read what they read. Spend time where they spend time. Engage in conversation with them without selling something.
3. The Archimedes Effect: Leverage the Web to extend your power, reach and influence.
4. Agent Zero: Build and maintain your network to give you greater access and opportunities. We’re way beyond the point of creating relationships by passing out resumes and business cards.
5. Human Artist: It’s a consumer’s world and the buyer is always in control. The good ol’ Golden Rule has never been more important for online etiquette. This section also has an awesome quote–“In social media, human is the new black.” It’s not the tools–it’s the relationship that matters.
6. Build an Army: Use your relationships and built-upon trust to gather a mass movement. A collaborative group can always accomplish more than an individual alone.

The biggest takeaway I gained from this book affirmed the social media approach we take at CMD: listen to audiences before joining the conversation and defining the strategy. A conversation is a two-way street–you can’t shout your marketing messages and expect your audience to engage with you. Rather, you have to listen to what they’re saying and respond where you have the expertise to do so.

Have you read Trust Agents? I’d like to know your thoughts about the book, and if you have any other book suggestions to add to my ever-increasing list.

To help our clients keep up-to-date on Twitter best practices, the CMD Earned Media team has presented numerous Twitter how-to seminars over the past year, guiding and showing how to use the channel strategically and addressing the basics of getting started. (See our earlier blog post on our Twitter 101 session for local Portland media.) We recently held a seminar for our CMD colleagues to offer insight and best practices to those who wanted to learn more and get started. The session was spirited and full of interesting questions, including these five:

Q: I’ve set up a Twitter account, but really, why should I be on it?
A: We all use social media to communicate in various ways. Some people use it to keep in touch with family and friends. For business-savvy users, you can listen to what is being said about your clients, research your competition, find recent news pertaining to an industry and connect with media and people who share common interests. If you’re interested in what others are interested in, then Twitter is for you.

Q: What type of information should I list in my profile?
A: It’s important to note that all information on your Twitter profile is searchable, which means that what you tweet will show up in real-time search results based on keywords that you use. Make it easy for people to find you by listing the company you work for, your current location, occupation and interests. Now that Twitter search results show up on Google and general Web search, it’s more important than ever to ensure that what you’re twittering is relevant and interesting, and not just a space-filler, i.e. “I’m eating lunch.”

Q: How do I develop followers or find people to follow?
A: There are many ways to develop followers. For example: using Twitter’s search bar, doing a Google search, or using one of our favorite free tools, www.twellow.com. Twellow is like the Yellow Pages of Twitter – with over 12.5 million profiles listed, you can harness your following/followers by looking up your favorite hobby, the industry you work in, location and more.

Q: What if I accidently share something on Twitter that I did not want to?
A: As we like to remind our clients, once you send a tweet, it technically lives forever in the “twittersphere.” Sure, Twitter offers the ability to delete a tweet (when you hover over your update when viewing your home or profile page, you’ll see a trash can at the end of the update), but there is no way to prevent it from ever not turning up in search results. When in doubt, re-read what you’re about to tweet to make sure you’re comfortable with the message.

Q: Can I update multiple social media channels at once?
A: Yes. We are busy people, and managing different social media profiles takes time. If you are interested in integrating both your Facebook and Twitter profiles simultaneously, visit: http://www.ping.fm/ (another favorite tool of ours). Also, LinkedIn has recently been enabled for Twitter updates, so your tweets can appear in your network updates section.

Questions? Tweet us @CMDPortland. We’re here to help.

There were flashes of brilliance and forward-thinking from leading innovators ready to speed toward the new era. There was also denial, filtered through the lens of disbelief. There were those just now coming around to realize the industry they’ve known for years is undergoing a change that is deep, permanent and real. The collective question overall: how will this change the world we’re living in and how do we get prepared?

Time and again, every presentation involved the idea of challenging the norms of the past. But in addition, it was striking that some fundamental truths remain self-evident. Here’s my own perspective on the various conference presentations about which traditional PR and marketing ideas still have solid legs and which are being demolished right before our eyes.

Live by new rules…

Turn over your brand.
The days of one company, one agency defining what a brand or a product means in isolation are over. A brand is now made up of collective thoughts and opinions from the public – people increasingly engage and express opinions about who you are and what you do. Be ready to embrace and empower those who are inspired by your brand; and work just as hard to listen to and win over those who are not.

Change your idea of the traditional agency model.
If your agency hasn’t recognized that the one-to-many model is crumbling right along with the old icons of the mass media, proceed with caution. No longer are traditional lines being drawn between PR, media, digital, advertising, etc. Today, it’s more about listening, strategy development, content creation, community builders and recruiters with small, nimble, knowledgeable strike forces that go after and build relations with influential audiences using the latest techniques, not the big, mass mentality. If your agency is still thinking in the old silos and the lines aren’t crossing, it’s time to blow up the model.

Remove strict boundaries.
It used to be that PR results were clippings, shared in a book that gathered dust on the shelf of the marketing head’s office. That’s how companies determined how we were being talked about. No more. Share of conversation, Web analytics and real-time reactions and opinions are going on between real people; they need to be captured, analyzed and shared with business decision makers including R&D, management, marketing – even legal and HR. Direct consumer feedback is readily available and it’s not just about metrics for the marketing department, it’s about strategy setting for the entire organization.

Focus on content and context.
Quit thinking short-term “campaigns.” Today, it’s about creating movements that empower your customers, encourage them to take ownership, inspire them to engage with your brand, help spread the word to others and get results. They don’t start and stop, because the conversation really never starts and stops. Be ready to engage consistently, offer ongoing value and work to keep building.

But keep the old…

Listen up
Again, listening is the most valuable tool marketers and businesses have today. Good PR and marketing initiatives have always been based on research. The good news is, it’s easier than ever to tap into what customers are thinking real-time about brand, services and marketing initiatives.

Make strategy paramount
It is as it always has been. Marketing without a strategy is garbage – a complete waste. Strategy helps you be relevant, reach the right people and engage in ways that are meaningful and generate results.

Be tactically selective
This goes back to marketing 101 – this step comes third not first. Good tactics are the meat of any plan, but launching the latest tools, rushing headlong into trying to do it all just because it’s new, shiny or available, without taking the first two steps is just plain silly.

Put measurement into practice
More important than ever, this is what it’s all about. Did we turn the dial? Did we have an impact and meet our goals? Luckily, it’s also easier than ever to measure in more meaningful ways, and then refine the strategy and re-engage.

For me, this year’s conference was great reinforcement for the direction CMD’s Earned Media team is going, and it’s reassuring that we’ve not only embraced the latest thinking, ideas, tools and techniques, we’re also staying grounded and true to principles that are the basis for exceptional results.