I think most of us can agree…Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is a classic, and timeless.  We enjoyed it as teens and young adults, and even now in our *cough cough* mature years.  Even after seeing it countless times we still laugh at the punch lines, even though we know what they are.  We mimic some of the moves, use the one-liners that have become so famous, and often dream we could be so daring to do some of the things Ferris did that day.

Honda brought all of the joy of Ferris Bueller back in it’s Super Bowl commercial this year – Mathew Broderick as Ferris once again!  In the opening teaser many of us were instantly excited, thinking it was a teaser for a sequel!  Sadly, it was not.  But…..that didn’t stop us from starting a Facebook Fan page trying to get a sequel in the works.  Join the movement – Bring Bueller Back!

If you’re a regular attendee of Minnesota non-profit events you’ve probably noticed the name Walser Foundation as a sponsor.  To be honest, this is what first sparked my interest in them, and I soon followed up with finding them on Facebook & Twitter.  The Walser Foundation is supported by 5% of pre-tax profits from the Walser Automotive Group.  Walser Automotive Group is made up of nine New Car dealerships (12 different car brands), two Used Car dealerships, Rental Car service, Commercial Services division, and a Collision and Glass location as well.

The driving force behind the Walser Automotive Group’s Social Media is Andrea Kopfmann, Walser Foundation Director.  Andrea has a great understanding of Social Media, and quickly adapts to new changes that are made.  Her fun and poised personality is perfect for her position!  She and her team do a great job at managing information to post from the multiple locations, and also for the Foundation.  It’s a good mix of posts for car enthusiasts, local happenings and events that the Walser Foundation is involved in or supports, plus general conversation that appeals to their Fans and Followers.

1. How long have you been using Social Networking for your business?

Four years

2. Is your business using Facebook &/or Twitter?

Both

3. Facebook vs Twitter – do you like one better? If yes, why?

That’s a tough one. I don’t necessarily prefer one over the other. I personally like Twitter because it’s easier to post. But we get more reaction to our postings on Facebook.

4. Do you post daily?

No.

5. What is your favorite thing about Social Networking?

It’s tough to keep up on. I always am learning new things and it’s a challenge.

6. What do you think is the biggest benefit of Social Networking?

If you’re smart, you have a huge opportunity to set yourself apart from the crowd and create awareness.

7. How do you measure Social Networking, and explain:

ROR – Return on Relationship I like to be able to reach out to people who are in our service aisle or on our sales floor and just say hello and ask if there’s anything further we can do for them. It surprises them and they usually thank us for it. It creates a stronger bond and they know we are listening and there for them.

ROE – Return on Engagement I enjoy engaging with people on a different level. We talk about all kinds of things on social media. Everything from service discounts to our nonprofit partners.

ROK – Return on Knowledge I think this is best for us to learn from. We encourage people to write reviews on our Facebook page. It’s great to read them, both good and bad. We can learn from these and share with sales staff and managers.

8. What is the best moment you’ve had on a Social Networking site?

Three years ago, we donated $1 to Open Arms of MN for every new Fan (yes, you became a fan back then) of our Walser Foundation page. We ran the campaign the last week of the year. It was HUGE! Over Christmas when everyone was sharing photos of the gifts they received, they also shared our message about our commitment to Open Arms. It was easy for people to talk about and they knew it was a small step they could take to help an organization that they loved. It also allowed people who had never heard of Open Arms to learn more. We received lots of activity and donated $1,000 to Open Arms on January 1^st.

9. What is your best piece of advice to other businesses about Social Networking?

Just have fun but be smart. Give a business a personality and think about how you can stand out from the crowd. If you receive a complaint online, just think about how you would normally respond. Put thought into it, but in my opinion, response time is more important than anything.

Walser Automotive Group

Facebook: Walser Automotive Group and Walser Foundation

Twitter: @WalserAutoGroup

The Nanny Nine brought to you by the Social Networking Nanny

Recently our daughter had a quality issue with an item we purchased at Macy’s.  We have purchased this brand many times before, and never had an issue.  In fact this was one of the top brands we looked for when she said she needed new winter boots.

Fast-forward a few months and she starts using them at college.  Not long after daily use she discovered the quality flaw and contacts me.  She had already taken some interim steps to do a short-term fix of the issues, but knew it wouldn’t last for long, and was actually still quite bothersome.

I immediately Googled the brand / manufacturing company for the boots, and found a Contact Us page.  I filled it out.  No reply.  Two weeks later I filled it out again.  No reply.  I could find no phone number or mailing address on the Internet for them.  This rarely every happens, so now I had to direct my thinking elsewhere.

On Twitter I politely asked @Macys if they stand behind brands they sell, and said I had a surprising quality issue with a well liked brand item.  I also knew these were no longer available in the store for a replacement, & would have to shop for a different replacement. Within an hour I received a reply with an email address to explain further.  That email was responded to very quickly, and I was put in touch with a Correspondence Specialist from their Social Media Assist department.  He was quick in all of his email replies, and the conversation was pleasant on both ends.

He understood my frustration, and understood the entire situation of logistics, timing, replacement needed, etc.  He offered to refund my purchase price, and even rounded it up a bit.  I received a Gift Card in the mail today…just as promised.

This is a perfect example of great reaction, and perfect follow-thru by a company!  Kudos to Macy’s Social Media department!

All of us regular users of the Social Networks like Facebook and Twitter have seen organizations network for a cause.  This last week it got close to home with the newly elected Shakopee Mayor proposing that the new Minnesota Vikings stadium be built right here in our town!

Mayor Brad Tabke was only in office for one week when the plan was formulated, with the help of a few others in the area, equally as passionate, they set the plan in motion.  Fast forward to the day of the announcement, and the social networking sites were buzzing with the news!

There have literally been thousands of Tweets which began with the press release, and the numbers continue to grow.  The dedicated hashtag is now #ShakoStadium

Besides the local press coverage, in print and in broadcast there was coverage online, outside the state:

CNBC

The Washington Post

Yahoo Sports Canada

Yahoo Finance

MSNBC / NBC Sports

NFL

Supporters are encouraged to please contact Governor Dayton & the Vikings:

Facebook Fan Page: People’s Stadium in Shakopee

Governor email: Contact form

Governor phone: 651.201.3400

Governor Twitter: @GovMarkDayton

Vikings email: minnesotamomentum@vikings.nfl.net

To all of the critics asking “Why was this plan submitted so close to the deadline?” – keep in mind our Mayor has only been in office one week.  Have you ever been in a new job for one week, and done something positive of this magnitude?

Mall of America, located in Bloomington Minnesota,  is celebrating it’s 20th Anniversary this year!  The mall has over 520 retail stores, hosts 400 events each year, and has 40 million visitors annually*…yes, 40 million!  With that amount of traffic one can only begin to imagine the amount of online chatter the MOA staff has to monitor and be a part of.  The focus isn’t just the brand of Mall of America, their attention is spread across the entire portfolio.  This includes their retail partners, entertainment attractions, restaurants, and property features…including the parking lot!  Specific to the parking situation, they implemented a system to help aid MOA visitors in finding parking spots on the property, via Social Networking.

Lisa Grimm, Digital Brand Manager, took hold of the MOA social media efforts in 2009.  I remember it being shortly after a Social Media breakfast I had attended where she was the moderator.  She made a very good impression…an ideas person and a go-getter, so it doesn’t surprise me that they have flourished.  Their Facebook Fan base is over 308, 000 and on Twitter they have over 12,000 Followers.  It is fun to stay connected with them on Facebook & Twitter, and to watch the interaction they have with fans around the world!

1. How long have you been using Social Networking for your business?

Since 2009.

2. Is your business using Facebook &/or Twitter?

Absolutely! In addition to Facebook and Twitter, we use WordPress for the MOA Blog (www.mallofamerica.com/blog), SMS (text) and location-based services.

3. Facebook vs Twitter – do you like one better? If yes, why?

We love both. Each tool is a unique vehicle to learn about the sentiment around the Mall of America brand and have conversations with guests about the things that matter to them.

4. Do you post daily?

We produce an average of two blog posts, four Facebook posts, six tweets each day.

5. What is your favorite thing about Social Networking?

As an individual and as someone who manages social media for a brand, I enjoy the ability to connect right now with anyone in the world. There is an incredible amount of power in this; for individuals and for brands.

6. What do you think is the biggest benefit of Social Networking?

There is tremendous power in the ability to have conversations in real-time with anyone in the world.

7. How do you measure Social Networking, and explain.

All of our marketing-communications efforts have KPIs (key performance indicators) and metrics behind them. We like to know what investments, whether monetary or time, work and how to improve upon those that don’t perform well. Our social media engagement is no exception, so we plan and develop strategy and tactics for outcomes we can examine, whether a campaign or an overarching long-term project.

8. What is the best moment you’ve had on a Social Networking site?

This is hard, and I’m pretty sure if you asked our team each would struggle to highlight just one. We love when people share their memories, photos and videos of their experiences at Mall of America. We have the great fortune to manage social media at a destination where people’s eyes light up when they walk in. It’s wonderful to see it captured, shared and discussed online.

9. What is your best piece of advice to other businesses about Social Networking?

Don’t participate in social media unless you’re a customer-centric/people-centric individual or business. The point of social media and/or real-time communication mediums is to have a conversation and develop relationships with people. It cannot be automated, or I should say shouldn’t be automated, because humanity isn’t automated. If you don’t understand this, it won’t fare well.

*Mall facts: http://www.mallofamerica.com/about/moa/facts

Mall of America

Facebook: Mall of America

Twitter: @MallofAmerica

The Nanny Nine brought to you by the Social Networking Nanny

“There are a lot of people out there that line dance, wear a big hat and lead a cowboy lifestyle, but this dude is the real thing.”

Admit it, at one point or another in your personal or professional life you’ve embellished a bit on your job title, status, height, weight, age, etc.  Who hasn’t?  Many times it seems harmless, but you should be careful, especially with regards to your career or your business.

Have you ever reviewed a resume and been confused at the seemingly made-up titles the applicant has given themselves on past jobs?

How about attending a seminar being given by an industry ‘Expert’ and you walk away not having learned anything, and in fact know more than the presenter.

And worst is when you spend money for an item or service only to not get what you expected.

Customers and clients want businesses they can trust, both in the retail and service sectors.  Gaining that trust can often be hard.  It is easier if you are honest right from the beginning, even if it means admitting your mistakes along the way.  It shows you’re human, which is one of the key components in Social Networking

A large part of what we do at the Social Networking Nanny is to help businesses get Social on Facebook and Twitter.  We support your Social Media efforts with posts, training, information and guidance.

But did you know you don’t have to be in a business like ours to support Small Businesses on Facebook and Twitter?  There are a number of easy ways to show your support of a business you are a customer of, or perhaps owned by a friend or colleague.

*Like their Facebook Fan Page

*Follow their Twitter business ID

*Engage with them thru posts, replies, Likes and Retweets

*Suggest FB Fan pages and Twitter accounts to friends

]]> http://www.socialnetworkingnanny.com/supporting-small-businesses-on-facebook-twitter/feed/ 0 http://www.socialnetworkingnanny.com/the-nanny-nine-vistaprint/ http://www.socialnetworkingnanny.com/the-nanny-nine-vistaprint/#comments Sun, 27 Nov 2011 23:51:12 +0000 Lanae http://www.socialnetworkingnanny.com/?p=991

Chances are if you are a small business owner, you have heard of Vistaprint.   This also means you have most likely used them at least once, if not multiple times for your business needs – business cards, letterhead, pens, postcards, t-shirts, car door magnets, logos, and much more.  However, Vistaprint is really much more than a company that only caters to your business needs.  They are also a great company to help with your party & holiday needs – invites, announcements, lawn signs, giveaways, etc.  The ideas are limitless, and the company continues to expand their product line each year.  Professionally and personally I love using Vista Print!  They have a great variety of quality products, often run ‘Free with paid shipping’ offers, and the site is easy to use.

I recently met Jeff Esposito, Manager Public Relations & Social Media at Vistaprint, during an organized Twitter discussion about Social Media with eBay Ink Blog.  I was impressed with the dialogue and Q&A Vistaprint representatives were having with other people engaging in the conversation.  In The Nanny Nine Jeff shares the organization and thought processes of how Vistaprint utilizes Social Networking, and how they measure their ROI, including direct revenue from their social networks.

1. How long have you been using Social Networking for your business?

In late May of 2008 our former Vice President of Public Relations gave us a BusinessWeek article with the Beyond Blogs cover story. The article discussed an up-and-coming social network called Twitter and how Facebook was going to give access to anyone looking to join the network.  Our team was tasked in figuring out these networks and how we could use them for Vistaprint.

Before we jumped into the conversation that was happening around our brand on Twitter, we listened for six months and studied how users on the platform communicated. When we started out, we were told by the community that, “we were doing it wrong.” So we asked how we could improve our Tweeting and modeled our initial efforts around the knowledge of the community. After establishing our business on Twitter, our team added Facebook to our arsenal of social networks. Over the past three plus years, we have also added presences on Flickr, YouTube and Google+.

2. Is your business using Facebook &/or Twitter?

We use both Facebook and Twitter.

3. Facebook vs Twitter – do you like one better? If yes, why?

Picking a favorite social network is a lot like picking a favorite child, but at the end of the day it is something that is difficult to pick one. Both networks are very powerful and have specific, but different, uses for businesses. For example, Twitter is more real-time and direct response. Facebook on the other hand is great for building up a community and generating a closer bond with companies in conversations that are longer than 140 characters.

4. Do you post daily?

Our team staffs our social media profiles from Monday-Friday. We interact with everyone who has a question or has mentioned the brand. On a typical day, we’ll host anywhere from 60-100 interactions with our social community. We also do a weekly crowdsourced blog post for micro business owners that we call Micro Business Tips Thursday. We ask a business-related question to our Facebook community and then post the top answer as a blog post on http://microbusiness.vistaprint.com.

5. What is your favorite thing about Social Networking?

Social networks allow companies to humanize their brand. In the past many communications with customers were through press releases or email newsletters that really were not overly personal. Sites like Twitter and Facebook make communications in real time and can build a stronger bond with the company.

6. What do you think is the biggest benefit of Social Networking?

The biggest benefit of social networks for companies is building a better relationship with customers. These relationships will not only show companies what they are doing well but also give an insight into areas that companies can improve on to make a better overall customer experience.

7. How do you measure Social Networking, and explain.

At Vistaprint we measure a lot of things including direct revenue from our social networks, equated Net Promoter Score, Razorfish’s SIM score and conversation share. For a full breakdown and examples, below is a presentation that goes through our measurement: http://slidesha.re/r7yk3t

8. What is the best moment you’ve had on a Social Networking site?

My favorite social media moments come when our team turns a brand detractor into a promoter. At times we have customers have had a bad experience with Vistaprint and voice their displeasure with the company on a social network. When we reach out and assist them, many of them say how happy they are that the company reached out and fixed their problem. A good number of these customers have come back and assisted other customers who may have questions, concerns, or an issue that is posted to a social network.

9. What is your best piece of advice to other businesses about Social Networking?

While there are tons of social networks out there, the only ones that should matter to your company are the ones where your customers are actively participating.

Vistaprint

Facebook: Vistaprint

Twitter: @Vistaprint

The Nanny Nine brought to you by the Social Networking Nanny

I had the honor and pleasure of sitting down with Clinton Kelly recently to discuss the Grand Opening of his new tailoring shop The Perfect Fit By Clinton Kelly at the Mall of America.  I also took this opportunity to do a new version of The Nanny Nine – a video interview with questions created just for Clinton.

First off…the Clinton you see on television is the same Clinton in person.  He is charming, sincere, stylish and has a great sense of humor!  I have been a fan of his for years, watching him as a Co-Host Style Consultant on TLC’s What Not To Wear and also now enjoying his new show The Chew on ABC daytime, where he is a Co-Host and Entertainment Expert.  This was the perfect opportunity to meet him, and find out more about his latest business venture, and discuss his Social Networking habits.

Part 1: Perfect Fit By Clinton Kelly

We devoted the first portion of our interview to the Perfect Fit By Clinton Kelly.  Perfect fit is a combination of style consultants and tailoring, all to fit your busy lifestyle.  Tailoring can be done on new clothes or used, and ready to be picked up within 24 hours, often same day service.  They are located at the Mall of America in Bloomington, MN and Orland Square in Chicago, IL.

I was invited back to ‘Perfect Fit By Clinton Kelly’ to meet with Stylist Sasha Westin for a 15 minute Consultation.  This was my first style consult so I was a bit nervous, but ended up loving it!  First I filled out a brief information sheet, & answered a few questions including “Why was I there”, and “What do I want my clothes to say about me?”

Sasha then discussed what I was wearing, gave suggestions of clothing styles that are good for my body type.  A couple of these I was aware of, but others were new ideas I will use.  She also showed me an example alteration they would do on the jeans I was wearing.  She said their goal is to help you “look and feel better.”

Consults are done by appointment, in 15 minute intervals, for just $15!  In this time frame 2-3 items can be evaluated.

Sasha gave some great examples of why fashion consults are done:

• Interview outfit – helping you decide what looks/fits best
• Bridal parties – Bride & Bridesmaids make an event for fittings
• Special events – bring in 2-3 dresses to choose for event

To give you an example of the pricing…Jeans shortened (with a variety of hemming options available – samples shown to you) range from just $8.99 – $16.98!   Trust me, if you ever tried to hem your own jeans, it is not easy…especially trying to get the seam and stitching to look like you didn’t hem them yourself   I’ll be bringing my jeans back soon.

Part 2: The Nanny Nine

The Nanny Nine for this week is in a new format – video and Live!  The questions were tweaked a little, but the overall message is the same.  As you can tell from the video, Clinton really enjoys the community that has been created on his Facebook page!

Store: ‘Perfect Fit By Clinton Kelly’ @ Mall of America

1st floor by East entrance

952-854-5723

Website: Clinton Kelly

Facebook: Clinton Kelly Official

Twitter: @perfectfitbyck

The Nanny Nine brought to you by the Social Networking Nanny

Chances are high that you have used CaringBridge, either as a way to keep current with a relative or friend’s medical condition, or had your own page at one time.  My first use was when a neighbor’s very young son was diagnosed with cancer.  I was amazed at the technology – a great way to keep everyone up to date without the need for all of the phone calls or emails back and forth.  The outcome was twofold: the young boy became cancer free, and I became an instant fan of CaringBridge!

Sona Mehring is the Founder and CEO of CaringBridge, a Minnesota based organization.  CaringBridge provides free websites that connect people experiencing a significant health challenge to family and friends, making each health journey easier.  Sona created CaringBridge in 1997, as a website, to keep family and friends informed about the critical situation of a close friend who suffered a life-threatening pregnancy. CaringBridge is named after Brighid, the baby who lost her battle after a nine–day struggle against tremendous odds.  Through tragedy came the positive realization of the communication and support the new website had offered, to both the family and those reading.  In 14 years it has gone from one family to a user base of millions!

1. How long have you been using Social Networking for your business?

CaringBridge was the pioneer of Social Networking. The first CaringBridge site was created in 1997 – years before the word ‘social networking’ was even used – even a year before Google was founded. CaringBridge, as a social network, focuses on connecting patients and caregivers to their friends and family during a health event.

As social networking has exploded in the past 3-5 years, CaringBridge continues to stay true to its mission to amplify the love, hope and compassion in the world, making each health journey easier.  CaringBridge offers an unique ‘sharing’ space for connecting to friends and family without the invasion of advertising or the fear and annoyance of their data being sold/shared with other parties.

2. Is your business using Facebook &/or Twitter?

Yes – the CaringBridge organization has a Facebook page and a Twitter account.

Each CaringBridge site also has the capability to interact with other social networks –by posting notifications to their wall or sending a tweet that updates friends and family of their CaringBridge site and activity.

3. Facebook vs Twitter – do you like one better? If yes, why?

They each are fairly different environments.  We use them to talk with different groups of people.

On Facebook, our authors and visitors can connect with each other and share their very personal experiences. Our fans leave incredibly touching and inspiring messages.

Twitter is a place to connect with other industry leaders, with our healthcare and nonprofit partners, and keep up to date on trends and the latest news.

4. Do you post daily?

The CaringBridge organization posts on Facebook 2 – 3 times a week, but we have a very active fan base who are posting messages daily, and we always take the time to read and respond to our fans.

On Twitter, our frequency varies, but again, we’re reading and responding to our users and partners every day.

Our families that use CaringBridge do post notifications on both Facebook and Twitter – resulting in a high volume of posts to Facebook and Twitter.

5. What is your favorite thing about Social Networking?

The underlying human interaction of social networking is not new —  People connect with each other, share their experiences, engage with each other.

What the 21^st century has added to social networking is the technology to be able to make those connections almost anywhere, anytime, with almost anybody.

My favorite thing about social networking is the underlying ‘goodness’ of having people connected to each other.

6. What do you think is the biggest benefit of Social Networking?

The more people are connected, the more understanding and knowledge is shared.  For someone going through a tough emotional/mental/physical time,  having your loved ones there to support you is vital.   Social networking can bring that to people like never before.

7. How do you measure Social Networking, and explain.

ROI – Return on Investment
ROR – Return on Relationship
ROE – Return on Engagement
ROL – Return on Loyalty
ROK – Return on Knowledge

Technology provides a pretty amazing way to connect and share. Personal relationships are foundational to the mission of CaringBridge to amplify love, hope and compassion in the world. We use Facebook and Twitter to reach more families. Return on knowledge to me means spreading awareness about our service and our mission, so no one ever has to say, “We wish we would’ve known CaringBridge existed when we needed it.”

CaringBridge sites show that social networking provides an ROI on Love!

8. What is the best moment you’ve had on a Social Networking site?

All my best moments have been on CaringBridge sites – being able to harness the love, hope and compassion from one’s circle of friends and family – to make someone’s health journey be more positive and help them get better!

9. What is your best piece of advice to other businesses about Social Networking?

Social networking, for an organization or business, provides a great opportunity to have an interactive relationship with people – not just a ‘push’ relationship.  The immediacy, phenomenal reach and ease in which to actually engage with people has never been better.

That engagement, however, must be authentic and consistent.

CaringBridge

Facebook: CaringBridge

Twitter: @CaringBridge

The Nanny Nine brought to you by the Social Networking Nanny