mini-series on moving communities: the mental model of a Linked-in member

We’ve been developing methods to move micro-communities, like those that may exist as Linked-in “groups”, to other communities.  We’ve developed a number of communities on Linked-in and have refined our methods to move these “micro-communities” to communities outside of Linked-In groups.  This post will begin to cover some of the mental model highlights we’ve analyzed  to refine our methods.   Social marketers should understand the typical Linked-In member’s mental model before attempting to move them from a Linked-In group community to an outside community.

the time of User-Centered Design has come and gone. time to move on.

I’m passionate about building software and web 2.0 solutions that have good usability.  I’m equally as passionate about building systems that are designed to make the functions they serve as efficient as possible.  So, if that’s the case, why do I think something is wrong with User-Centered Design?

more on the ingredient community

In a previous post we discussed the opportunity to begin creating a community that starts with acquiring twitter followers who are interested in Acme’s ingredient based recipes.  Lets say one of the ingredients Acme sells is Soy protein.  Well, a few ideas have been percolating since we wrote that post.

what can bikers teach us about communities?

Sure, Harley-Davidson sells motorcycles, parts, and clothing, but what they really sell is an experience.  In fact, their product is not unlike that offered by Disney World who invented the whole experience paradigm.

recipes – and much, much more

Try this experiment.  Logon to Twitter and tweet something negative about Charter Communications.  Chances are that within 20 minutes, a Charter Communications representative will send you a direct message asking if they can help you with your problem. Everyone knows that Charter has a reputation for poor customer service, but consider for a moment the psychological impact to a customer if Charter actually scheduled a service call during a conversation on Twitter.  Given their current service reputation, its an inexpensive yet fairly profound method for redirecting the reputation by creating an experience.  Its a great PR move.

building social communities for brands

Regarding internet marketing today, one of the most valuable things a Brand can do is be active within in the relevant conversations occurring in the emerging world of the social internet.   You can read a million posts that go on and on about the value a brand derives from participating in the conversation.  What occurs to me is that few will tell you how to actually build a community (meaning attract and engage members of the community).  This post is going to provide examples for building such a community based on a fictitious company, called Acme Ingredients, that manufactures ingredients.

what should we do about employers who monitor their employees personal tweets?

I’m hearing more and more about employers who are monitoring their employee’s tweets.  This is a bit of a disturbing trend, especially when an employer questions the employee about them.  However, it does raise some  legitimate questions about the employee/employer relationship, the potential or perceived effect on the corporate brand, and the legal rights afforded to each of us under the first amendment.

before twitter, there was the CB radio.

Twitter is absolutely popular.  As most twitter users know, CNN created a competition between themselves and a superstar actor.  Its fairly obvious to me that the competition was nothing more than a clever cooperative marketing campaign for both Twitter and CNN.

As I think about Twitter, I’m reminded of an earlier Social Media tool – but then again, since I’m 41, I’m of the generation that would remember it.  When I was in my early years, the Citizens Band (CB) radio became very popular.  All sorts of media hyped the craze – Hollywood movies like Smokey and the Bandit popularized the CB radio.  When I was a young man, I really wanted one too.

social media is more than the next wave. it’s a tsunami headed straight towards *inside* the organization. guess what – it will be fueled by service oriented architecture (SOA).

When we hear the word “Social Software”, we immediately think about Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace.  We can distinctly notice that these products, popularized by national media coverage, have turned light bulbs on all over the world. 

business executives should hire a chief creative officer to take information technology back to innovationist status

2009 – what are the key strategies I hear on a daily basis?  Recession.  World Crisis. Stock prices. Customer Retention. Customer Acquisition. Customer Loyalty. Innovation, Innovation, Innovation.