Social media rule number one : Know thy network

Social media rule number one: Know thy network

Many businesses are scared to be online. They fear the adverse power of social media and online communications. An open two-way channel is indeed more difficult to control than the one-way TV, radio and newspapers where customers will eventually comment but the editorial team will decide which comment to accept and which one is better to delete. But what can happen online and why the fear? Well the truth is that everything can happen online and damage a brand. Businesses that took years to work their image and message can see all their efforts destroyed in some days, with a simple comment on Facebook. Conflicts and crises happen every single day on social networks. 

At the same time companies know that they don't have a choice to eventually get online and hope for the best if they want to survive in a competitive market. So what can they do about it? 

Well first of all it is important for businesses to know that A LOT can be done to prevent, limit and control online problems, especially conflicts and crises. 

Rule number one that I always tell my clients is KNOW YOUR NETWORK. Know your Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, etc. network. This is easier said than done, but it is the most important thing your business must know online. Knowing your network doesn't mean how many ''LIKES'' your business has on Facebook or ''TWEETS'' on Twitter. Knowing your network means to ask yourself the right questions about your network. Here are some examples: 

1) Who are my online customers?

2) Do I have a community, a sub-community?

3) How is information shared in my network?

4) Who are the leaders of my network?

5) etc. 

When I did a quick survey, not even 1 out of 20 online businesses could answer one of those questions about their online community. We all know that knowledge is power so if you don't know your network how can you prevent conflicts and crises in that same network?

If you have questions or comments you can also contact us or visit the official eRelations website at erelations.info. 

ORCM Architecture Model Transcendence, part 2

Persistence-based limitations override

(source: http://erelations.info/orcm-architecture-model-part-2/)

ORCM Architecture Model Transcendence, part 2: Persistence-based limitations override

Relations created online have some advantages over offline relations, at least in a business context. Such an advantage is transcendence over persistence-related limitations.

Throughout its history humanity used two main forms of communications: speaking and writing (there is also sign language but it is used on a smaller scale). The former can have a powerful timely impact but its relevance fades over time, while the latter tends to retain a greater degree of importance throughout the years. For example, tribal cultures with exclusively oral-based traditional knowledge tend to fade away while cultures based around writing-based knowledge thrived. This is simply based on the fact that sounds are invoked than disappear while written forms of communication remain by default (although they do disappear when we shred/burn the piece of paper it is displayed on, etc.). But even that rule is changing now as online websites/sharing software/social networks (YouTube and all) are introducing the concept of massive distribution/dissemination of oral communications. Still, the oral form of communication is harder to control than the written form; for example SEO functions are based on written words and the software is not able to scan for spoken words (well surely some guys are drilling down this stuff as I write so it should revolutionize online marketing practices soon to the immense joy of SEO-obsessed marketing capitalists). Could a dying/dead native language be saved/brought back to life through social media propagation then? Why not.

Online relations do not really introduce the concept of an «eternal» communication, as those already existed in one way or the other. For example, the Egyptian papyrus are dated thousand years old and still exist today; those drawings on some cave wall could also be considered early forms of communication (maybe there were a bunch of keywords in that drawing, who knows). We could then assume that there can be a form of persistence regarding traditional forms of communications (writing, drawing, folkloric songs, etc.). Social media just does that in a gigantic, enormous scale. Those Egyptian papyrus were «managed» by kings (pharaohs, tsars, or their equivalent), i.e. only the elite of society could read and then write. Even when having acquired the knowledge of writing one would still have to gain access to proper tools and materials to engrave writing into stone. Whereas a handful of people controlled written communications around that time, today almost anyone can gain access to a device (pc, tablet, smartphone, gaming console, etc.) that will enable her or him to post something in the cloud, where it will exist and stay «alive» for everyone to see (well, potentially lots of people), this for an unlimited time (in theory).

But there is no magic there. Although fairly improbable, let's say there is a revolution/war/insurrection of some kind where Taliban-like figures seize power on a worldwide scale. They could then judge the online world as too hard to control, perceive it as a potential threat that enables people to collaborate, acquire and diffuse knowledge, evolve and take part in such similar, evil-inclined activities. To make it short those guys decide to «destroy the Net». They go to where cloud servers of ABC Inc. are located and blow them up, destroy those big cables under the sea, block all power sources and force us to cut wood and burn it to survive the cold months, etc. So there you go, all this social media stuff is gone. Yes, it will not happen but the mere fact that this kind of scenario is technically possible to some degree just serves as a reminder that underneath all this unfathomable online 2.0 magic you still need an IT infrastructure.

Part 3 (final part) of this thematic dissertation will discuss diffusion-based limitations related to online VS offline communications.

Natural-Born Online Gurus

Natural-Born Online Gurus

They are household names like Brian, Mary, Seth, Chris, etc. They are a new kind of thought leaders. They are called social media gurus, online marketing prophets or engagement evangelists. Some of their followers have all their work (eBook, tweets, blogs,etc.) and believe everything they say. One of my friends called Brian Solis a G-O-D.

More than money or notoriety they have something that people want : it's called
P-O-W-E-R. They may seem cool, sociable, next door guys but still they do think before writing their next blog or tweet that 140 line that may damage their online reputation. Like any thought leaders people have to be careful, not to get carried away by meaningful sentences or powerful words.

Like other thought leaders Freud, Marx, Gandhi, etc. they have a responsibility to protect their followers and we have a responsibility to keep our critical sense in regard to all that is said and done online.

It's not easy to be a thought leader, an online guru. Some people are born with incredible qualities to communicate, to connect and to interact with other human beings. But that is not enough.

To become an online prophet you have to:
--- adapt your natural qualities, competence, style to an online audience
--- learn from your audience, to be an online leader you have to be a listener 
--- clear thoughts, simple words and short sentences
--- a true ''socializer'' and ''connector''
--- you have to be your biggest fan!

The future belongs to people who are able to build groups, community and mobs online with a powerful and meaningful online presence that gives them the opportunity to connect and gather through ideas, opinions and values. 

eRelations @ C2-MTL

C2-MTL EVENT

C2-MTL Website : http://c2mtl.com/

We were invited at the C2-MTL event on Friday May 25th. We were lucky because the ticket price for this 3 day event was 3200$. It was an event centered around start-ups, commerce and creativity and how those ingredients work together to achieve success. Some major Canadian stars were present like Julie Payette (the astronaut) and Guy Laliberté (Cirque du Soleil).

My honest opinion was that it was all about the glitters, the stars, the marketing, the shows and the place more than about the content. I went to a conference called the Start Up Mindset and then to a Question Period with some panelists. Well Julie Payette didn't seem very comfortable especially about the internet or start-up themes and was referring to her experience in space with no apparent link to the context of the conference... In space it is difficult to be creative especially when the spaceship has a technical problem and a detailed list is telling you what to do!

The Start Up team with Tara Hunt, Marc Gingras and Sylvain Carle was interesting. 

You could see that these people had a hands-on experience about this kind of business and the very real risk of failure. Still this part of the conference ended too soon (20-25 min) leaving the audience asking for more!

In perspective we had a very nice day at the C2-MTL event but would like to have more people who deal with the harsh reality of an eBusiness, a start-up or a social media website. It is through collaboration that we can learn from our mistakes and exchange valuable information to get our project further!

Social media tools are based on online relations

Social media tools are based on online relations

Nowadays the main use of social media seems to be about marketing. The truth is that social media tools are supposed to be first of all relational tools. Connect people and make them participate and communicate. That is the reason that they are called SOCIAL. It is not MARKETING MEDIA but SOCIAL MEDIA. What happened? Well one day a social media guru came along and saw the opportunity to make money. Plain and simple. A lot of money. Use online connections not as tools to make people connect or collaborate but to make them buy a lot of stuff.

I used Facebook from the beginning and it felt a like free space to communicate, exchange and connect. Now I feel like something is lost. More spam, more products, more visual pollution. Less interest in the people connected on Facebook than on the products businesses are selling. Can we get the SOCIAL back in the media? Is it lost forever?

Here at eRelations we want to do things differently by caring more about the people than the products. Because we believe that the online space needs to be fun, engaging and empowering. It allows people to connect and exchange about what is important to them. eRelations is a people first company and cares about online communities. 

Why consultants need web 2.0

Why consultants need web 2.0

I look around me and wonder why consultants, lawyers, accountants , etc.don't use the web 2.0 tools in their businesses. A lot of them don't even use social media while others struggle to do a lot with very little time. Well TIME is one of the things that you can save with web 2.0. TIME and MONEY. Less paper, less hardware, less space, less software costs...and more organization, more effectiveness, more clients and a BONUS in a very competitive market, more relations online and offline.

More relations mean more customers, more time means a better quality of service and more money means a growing business. Web 2.0 is easy to understand. Have the right online tools to engage your customers and to empower yourself and your business  Welcome to the 21 st century, the era of online empowering tools easy to use to simplify your life while connecting with others. 

Google Plus: how to use it

Here is a great infographic by Chris Brogan that could be used as a basic training tool in how to use G+.

In fact it could be useful for tips on how to use social media accounts in general!

gplusinfographic

Chris Brogan brings humans and relations as a core social business value. It is not easy to make a living by telling businesses that they should stop putting their products before the people that work from them or the consumers that buy those products. We need more people that value the human experience in businesses and ask companies to C-A-R-E about people. That is what social business is ALL about. A network of people working together, connecting and interacting for a better tomorrow. 

Social media as marketing tools

SOME NICE TIPS: USING SOCIAL MEDIA AS MARKETING TOOLS

The autor suggests that if your current online presence and its center of command - your business website - is lacking in quality, using social media accounts to beef up your online leadership could help you but it won't save you.

4 Things Someone Needs to Tell You - Social Media Marketing