Forget Facebook & Twitter-Small Canadian Businesses are still waiting for Google

Today is Google’s day! When I re-branded myself last fall (2010) as a SEARCH & SOCIAL MEDIA STRATEGIST after 10 years as a Sales and Marketing Consultant with a background in New Media I thought long and hard about my offering and arrived at Search & Social Media. For me it was never an either/or scenario like so many of my peers….rather it was about helping small businesses with the Social media basics and working over time to develop an online marketing strategy that embraced both Search & Social Media.

Since then I have heard very little talk about Google in my discussions with clients about my services. Those who are savvy are fascinated by social media and then shocked that I would actually charge anything more than minimum wage for my services for engaging, listening and monitoring their social media pages. This of course following their confession that they have no time or inclination or skills to engage online themselves – but admit that there is “something happening there” that they need to pay attention to, but they cannot identify what. It is called a new way to communicate, people. IBM calls it Social Business – it requires experimentation, investment and williness to take a business risk and exhibit leadership. The banks call it Innovation – but will NEVER lend to you, so I feel your pain–they will continue to hoard their funds and look to small business to mortgage their house instead…. A real catch 22, eh??

No sense dilly dallying over the Economics of the old school media world — I then move on to talk about Twitter or Facebook and there is more shock when I tell them that Facebook is “the” space in which to build a community or customer service portal – but since one needs to drive potential clients (traffic) to the FB page and engage them to like it before you gain access to their news feed the suggestion that they invest in online advertising in the form of Google AdWords goes over like a lead balloon even though I tell them it is a great idea as the typical user is actively seeking information on select keywords and the potential for a good lead or purchase is much higher they clutch their hearts and ask how much THAT is going to cost? I say the more you spend the more leads you get. Sales 101. In the sales world we call this a qualified lead. I see their eyes glaze over as they long for the day when they could hire a sales rep based on commission only. It is a different game online – they call it Marketing something that small business never really did. So, even though Google ad leads are much warmer than Facebook ad leads – at least for now….they don’t get it…

Over the last few days Google has re-positioned itself. Now that Larry is at the helm announcing that they will embrace social media, synchronizing themselves with the consumer who are currently using Facebook and Twitter type tools to connect with friends, family and oh yeah — ambitious innovative businesses…. They will also reach out to specific markets in an attempt to meld Search & Social Media with a new product called Google PLUS one.

What really hit home for me today is the fact that they will focus on the Canadian market as they have long identified it as being underserved with respect to the number of small businesses who do not even have a website. Some 1.2 Million — who are doing what? — “waiting for Godot”….

Note: A Tragi/Comedy in 2 ACTS

Having worked as an Account Executive some 13 years ago selling the “concept” of having a website to small businesses I have been down this road before. After the tek crash of 2000 I had to sell a lot of stuff besides “technology” but it allowed me to hone my sales skills and learn the sales process like the back of my hand. So now here is the Sting – about a month ago Google ran an ad on Craigslist (for FREE) for Sales Reps and I applied cause hey small biz is simply NOT getting it in spite of my brilliant White Paper download entitled – A 21 C guide to Online Marketing for Canadian Business.

Living in the most expensive City in Canada while waiting for the Search & Social Media Boat to come in is no JOKE. I have been literally and figuratively treading water for 13 years!

Treading Water

Now I am going under and the only offer I have is to work for a Chinese Insurance Start Up company in a Management role….yes, Toronto is all about BAY Street. So I bit the bullet for the second, yes second time and applied to Google in the most creative manner I knew – I submitted my white paper as I never graduated with a MBA, a high GPA in the USA. I am Canajun, eh?
Did I hear back from Google? Of course not. Having a background in ART and Media and high-tech sales, excelling in B2B business skills that are very attractive to Chinese Entrepreneurs in Toronto is NOT what Google is looking for….

Pray tell, what might they be looking for? A piece of the Canadian small business market for sure. What could I possibly know about those 2.2 M small business owners mindsets? Google is proposing that they will assist small Canadian businesses set up their websites. Good Luck and Heads up guys as you will be competing with the high school kid who does it for fee in his basement….lol. But seriously, may the force be with you – because the sooner you get em set up the better for the both of us. In the meantime I am going to continue to educate and hold the hand of the small business owner who does not understand why they should pay a professional any money to set up their Social Media channels. AMEN.

Activate Your New Customer Service Channels Today!

This weekend I attended the Oakville Networking Un-Conference on Social Media and engaged in discussion on Social Media and Customer Service. In an attempt to communicate the benefits of Twitter and Facebook in a simple manner I positioned them as new customer service channel which, as Jay Baer & Amber Naslund note in their fabulous book “The Now Revolution“ have replaced the telephone as a communications channel!

These days when I am asked by a small business owner “When is a good time to get active with social media?” I reply – “If the phone rings in the office, when do you pick it up? First ring, second, third? Who picks it up? Your receptionist, your assistant or you? Imagine that the tool you choose to manage your Facebook and Twitter accounts with, be it Hoot Suite, Social Scope or Post ling is your new telephone. How will you respond to its data?” Naturally in order to connect with a potential client in the past you listened for the ring and answered it. With Twitter and Facebook you must both create the content and manage the response that arrives in the form of mentions and re-tweets, comments and posts. Like a new phone that has just been connected in your office – you will make your clients aware of your business phone number by some form of marketing be it a business card or print ad. When it does finally ring you will strive to respond in a manner that creates trust and credibility in order to move towards a point where you can offer up your service with the intention of making a sale. This occurs, of course, once you have determined there is a need for your offer. If no need is apparent you can continue to educate the potential client on your area of expertise with the hope that when the time is right you will be top of mind.

Below are two reasons why Social Media is here to stay and not just a “fad”. Both are essential to business success in today’s rapidly changing world. The Social Media “figures” of Facebook and Twitter that dominate your new customer service are framed against a ground based on
1. MEDIA – The platforms of Facebook and Twitter both reside in the cloud connected to the internet. This media is not new we have been utilizing for at least a decade, first with email, then with a website.
2. USER CENTRIC PHILOSOPHY – The internet has evolved to place where the user – customer, consumer, client is at the centre. This shift was driven by search engines – in particular Google. Now social media based on networks have arisen to allow your customer to build their own profile and connections and if they choose – they can include you in their network. If you win their trust and crediblity, if you engage with interesting content and insights that same user can easily share your posts, updates and SMS –(real time micro-blogging) to their networks..

These key factors allow for real time conversations powered by social media. When fully utilized this new division of your business can generate leads, engage customers, spearhead campaigns, provide market research and gather consumer insight – all through the simple acts of listening, engaging and conversing and is a must have for all wise leaders “looking to work on their business rather than in their business.” If you find you do not have time to manage these channels then it is smart to outsource it. Hire someone to do it -even on a part-time basis who is media savvey and knows how to sell. An hour a day is a great start and the long-term benefits will serve you well.

BACKGROUND to Your new Customer Service Channel

The history of advertising began in the late 1880′s with the basic assumption that the product for sale would give you what you need. For almost one hundred years that concept was delivered as a one way message through various media like print, radio and television. While big businesses used the services of large agencies most small businesses have relied on “word of mouth” to get the word out. It was not until 125 years later that marketing began to take on the role of helping businesses to grow by providing services that were accountable, interactive, integrated and targeted.

With the new media of computers, mobile phones and the internet connecting people and extending their reach – a new way to communicate has emerged. Over the last three years the rise of Social Media is radically changing the way in which business is conducted. Social Media brings with it a quantum shift in HOW we connect and share information with customers, suppliers and other businesses. Ironically this new form of media amplifies the power of “word of mouth” as people share electronically with their friends, family and business acquaintances (their social networks) information that is relevant to them.

The good news is that the era of very expensive one way mass marketing is no longer effective. It has been replaced by online marketing which is the most cost effective way to connect and creates the greatest return on investment. Investing in Social Media is a wise decision and highly recommended. The bad news is that social media is so new that many business owners are frightened by the change that it brings. Giving up the phone for a piece of software that manages tweets in hard to fathom. One of the first topics up for discussion at the UnConference was “Social Media is nothing to Fear”. Just as the phone and fax transformed the way business was conducted in the past social media is doing the same right now. As a business leader it is wise to position yourself ahead of the curve. Have no fear, for this time around it is the consumer who will benefit the most – keep in mind that people like you and I are also consumers who seek better access to information on products and services we buy. The more we participate in this experience the more we reconginze how this new type of customer service and its responsiveness is good for the consumer. It is no longer about the one way messaging of large corporations and the frustration of waiting in line for hours to return an item or on the phone to resolve an issue. With new tools in place consumers expect and demand real time resolutions from business. Below is an example of twitter being used by Best Buy as a customer service portal.

Your customers live in one of the most connected areas in the world. For most people in Canada the internet is the first place we turn to search for information on whatever it is that we need to buy or want to research. In addition consumers can now use their social networks for “shopping” referrals. Our social nature is such that we like to share our opinions and thoughts on various topics and services daily whether offline or on. Your customer has already figured out that they are in control of the conversations around what they buy, where they eat and where they can shop and know that they can easily share with others their reaction to each and every business transaction. Instead of fearing this real time interaction wise businesses should embrace the tools afforded by this new media and use them to their advantange by implemeting solid social interactions and real time relationship building.

The writing on the Wall – Social Media and the Crisis in Egypt

After nine days of protesting in Egypt which began with large crowds taking to the street organized by youth using the social media tools of Facebook and Twitter we are NOW seeing images of people throwing stones at one another while a strange group rides through the crowds on horseback and camels brandishing whips and sticks…a grim reminder of the reality of the pace of change when it comes to its implementation…

Danny captures Facebook on the face of ancient Egypt

I am reminded of the metaphor of cars driving down the road. The fastest car belongs to the young tech savvy man – let’s call him Mark Z. The slowest car on the road (a camel special??) belongs to a government worker, who, in this case, works for the Egyptian regime. These are the two extremes. When worlds collide – moving at two different speeds in two different spaces…empires can fall. The blogger Danny Ramadan took the picture above on February 2, 2011 on his way out of Egypt… For me it sums up the reality of Egypt written on the face of a sculpted lion’s pedestal – Facebook – the social network…the global citizen. As Mcluhan said “In the electronic age we wear ALL mankind as our skin”

Without a doubt the use of Social Media was a key strategy in the organizing and exchange of information for the initial protests. The government then shut down the Internet providers in order to stop the expotential growth of protesters and its world wide amplification. Within a week Twitter and Google and a team of engineers joined forces to create Twitter Speak. as an alternative work around so that protesters could continue to connect and express themselves. This demonstrates the “speed to market” in which social media platforms can serve their users – one unparralled by those who maintain a business as usual mindset in the face of social change.

One of the hardest lessons for those of us who are “agents of change” in the field of technology, art and business is that change does not happen NOW, it takes time. Humans are creatures of habit and old forms of behaviour die hard. Yesterday, the ruling dictator of Egypt asked for 7 months to pack his bags while The President of the USA said change “should begin NOW”. The gap between the two timelines will be filled with chaos.. sticks and stones, broken bones and loss of life.

The good news is that technology speeds up the flow of information and the change in Egypt will happen much quicker then ever before in the recorded history of mankind.

Graphic showing the size of Google…

How Big is Big?

How does Google Do it?

I Drove from Toronto to Ottawa and Montreal and back in pursuit of some new business yesterday and listened to the audio book by Jeff Jarvis called “What Would Google Do?”   A fascinating listen, 8 beautiful CD’s of mind stimulating knowledge were lined up like delicious chocolate bars beside me on my passenger seat. Each popped into my Yaris CD with ease and slowly played out its message as I drove thru time and space, leaving me craving, for just one more bite of the Google world.  They made the drive a breeze while allowing for some deep thoughts on two of my favourite subjects: creativity and business. The Author, Jeff Jarvis’ analyses the new rules that created the success of Google, first their rules and then his own. He then sets about “google-izing” all different kinds of industries by applying these rules to them. Lots of great ideas that can and should be applied to all businesses who want to survive the next decade. He continually speaks about the innovation, transparency and openness of Google.

At one point he mentions what Google looks for in employees…people who think differently and solve problems in different ways…Different at Google, however, means in a manner that is “scientifically rational”.  Remember, the Google guys are engineers, mathematicians and computer scientists – geniuses, no doubt, but not artists. I guess that explains why I never got hired by Google when they posted in Toronto. Even though I knew I could create cool versions of the Google word on its homepage and come up with ideas for cool apps the idea of me doing graphics based on passing seasons and different styles, like any good animator.. is just the icing on the cake for Google, the eye candy and way too intuitive … Jarvis says Google does not make any decisions based on “hunches or intuition”, only on what their data reveals. That blows away the energy which surrounds me as a woman and my business -Hidden Ground Inc…and my belief, shared by all great mystics, that the unseen is the most powerful force. Wonder what Larry and Sergey think about the Law of Attraction and Quantum Physics?

Jarvis speaks allot on how the internet is all about relationships and transparency and openness…and it made me think of the female vs. male way of dealing with the world. I remember how, when the internet started up some ten years ago, people spoke about this similarity. Now, we seldom hear about how the internet, if likened to a sex would be decidedly FEMALE.  It appears that it is perceived to be open but scientific, open but rational, thereby falling once again, solidly in the domain of the MALE way of thinking, leaving the six sense of the female locked out! And yet, if anything is open is a female:  that is in our sexual design.

I was reminded again of the lack of good art and design on the web, with the exception, as Jarvis writes of the simplicity of code and the Google interface, which by the way makes it such a wonderful interface, highly valued, but now typically created by an artist but a coder. Craigslist, it is cited, is ugly but efficient. Just like a good piece of conceptual art, eh?  Although it is a bit like comparing a Da Vinci to a Matisse when it comes to Google vs. most other sites, I can see how the modern stripped down sensibility suits the taste of the educated urban user.  It is, Jarvis writes, such a relief over the noise of the sites filled with all unsearchable pictures, video and ‘flashy” things….the clutter of text and image…What can I say?  I love collage and hence, mash ups. No wonder mash-ups were invented by an animator. There is nothing simple about animation.

McLuhan said that is was the invention of the western alphabet which enabled Armies to achieve organized warfare, issuing proclamations and the like. Sure there is beauty to be found in a single line of text, a single character or word, but it is the organization of text that lead to a new kind of war. A beauty with deadly power. I am reminded of the Egyptian goddess of War: Sekhemet.  Jarvis calls it Google Juice: a new currency of text.

Text and pictures are two different languages. Wish that it were that we still lived with the knowledge of hieroglyphics. That was another time, another culture. How quickly we forget that the visual language is a universal language and not one of the languages of the tower of babble. The visual language is not, alas, the language of the web which, should we visual creative types fail to forget, is in its essence – alpha-numerical. On the net TEXT rules. I remember when I first encountered the internet the fabulous virtual worlds that I imagined in my mind – not a line of text in any of them. How obscure and utterly un-organisable I was. Perhaps this explains why I am so slow to tweet, to blog, to converse. I speak an entirely different language. McLuhan says we are post literate, we no longer read we only scan it.

Ironically, the only thing that defies the logic of Google is APPLE. I spy with my little eye an APPLE!  And the apple of my eye is ……

Apple is a closed system ruled by the mad creative genius of one man – Steve Jobs. Jarvis is set straight by someone who tells him that actually Google and Apple are more alike than different. How so he asks? Why because they both share the CREATIVE Factor. That and they would both protect their intellectual property (aka Creative/ IP ) to the death. In the book “The Google Story”  published in 2005 by David Vise he writes ” In the age of the specialization of labor, Google secretly assembles each and every PC in its massive network inside secure facilities that are strictly off limits to outsiders”. Never mind the Algorithms behind the actual Page Rank searches. I have beside me a book that I got in the fall of 1999; ten years ago…which is a collection of emails written by European artists entitled READ ME! one email is on search engines…before Google, remember them? he speaks about AltaVista, Lycos, Yahoo…it says

from: Hartmut Winkler winkler@tmf.uni-frankfurt.de Date: Tues 29 Sept, 1998

“Steinberg’s first finding is that providers keep secret the exact algorithm on which their functioning is based. Since the companies in question are private enterprises and the algorithms are part of their productive assets, the competition, has, above all to be kept at a distance: only very general information is disclosed to the public, the details remain in the dark of a black box.”

A Pandora’s box perhaps….and so it goes, just like Apple at its core, Google is a closed system. A secret Garden. Nothing much has changed…. there remains a hidden ground even at Google – even in the pure white light of the brilliant minds of scientific rationalism.

Thinking Outside Pandora's box