I LOVE Southwest!

So here is a tip… don’t try booking airline tickets while sending an email and talking on the phone – you just might end up flying backwards - because that’s exactly what happened to me last week.

We have some fabulous friends who are getting married and I needed to get us tickets to be there for their big event. So I booked the flights and sent our ticketing information to our friends so they would know when we would arrive. Just as I was feeling rather content and ready to mark one task off my extensive list of “to dos”, I get a phone call telling me that instead of flying from San Diego to Sacramento, we will be flying from Sacramento to San Diego… oops! In my haste, I managed to book the tickets backwards.

I was sitting there saying to myself, “this is JUST GREAT!” now I have two tickets that are useless and I’m going to have to call customer service, explain the situation and pay a change fee that will probably cost more than the original flight – that has been my experience in the past with airlines like American, Delta, Alaska, etc. whenever you need to make a change. But this was Southwest and even though I had that “wanna get away” feeling about the situation, I decided to check out their website to find out about their change policy before I called. Let me just say that Southwest is AWESOME!

Not only is their website very user friendly, you can go in and edit your reservation – without a change fee – and issue yourself new tickets in less than five minutes. I did not have to hassle with calling customer service, getting placed on hold or shelling out more money. That’s not only an efficient business process for the airline but it is also great for customer service because the process was easy and efficient for me too. Best of all it was a win-win situation and keeps money in the customer’s pocket as well as in Southwest’s pocket. This is a perfect example of how to reduce costs for your business and increase customer satisfaction – build a website that functions well, is easy to navigate, and allows the customer control while saving money. Airlines and other businesses can greatly benefit from Southwest’s example.

So yeah Southwest – I wanna get away! And thanks for making it so easy!

Ever read SMART MOBS?

In reading the book, some of the discussions and reviewing some of Rheingold’s interviews and comments on Smart Mobs, the good and evil theme jumped out for me. Rheingold mentions in one of his interviews that a smart mob is not always a wise mob and poses a question: "How can we make sure that smart mobs become smarter rather than more mob-like?"

We all want to see the potential for good that a smart mob possesses (at least I hope we do) but it is sad but true that as technology advances we really need to be aware of the potential evil uses as well as the good. For example people can use sms technology to gather together and form a peaceful demonstration but terrorists or racists can use the same technology to band together and create chaos and/or death to citizens.

Rheingold argues that collective action in the form of demonstrations is not enough for long term effect and that in order to truly build movements, “There needs to be rational, critical debate among citizens” to build literacy and that mere access to or use of technology does not guarantee a mob will be “smart” or wise. He mentions the internet as an outlet to engage in this critical debate and to gather and compare information.

But if knowledge or literacy is indeed the key to making mobs smarter and less mob like – couldn’t it be argued that evil doers can also gain literacy or knowledge to fuel their plots and make their movements and long term effects stronger? Just because the outcome is negative or evil in the eyes of many, would not necessarily mean that the mob was not smart or wise – in their eyes they would be. Of course I’m just skimming the surface here and Rheingold’s comments about literacy were in reference to political demonstrations, democracies and comparing the journalistic role in dissemination of information and individual interpretation - but I think his comments can be applied to all forms of demonstrations / collective action. I think we need to think critically about the use of technology and how it can be used for peaceful – good purposes AND how it can make evil-doers collectively smarter and more lethal. So the real question as I see it (as it pertains to using smart mob theory for positive social change) would be how could we ensure that smart mobs are not only smart and wise but also, socially good?

How to create a website that SELLS!

The first thing I notice is if the site is easy to read and navigate.

The marketer in me always likes to see consistent branding, use of colors, images, etc. that are in line with what the company does. Clean sites without a lot of movement (i.e flash) tend to work best because all customers can view the content without needing to download a plug-in also less movement helps the user focus on the content.

Videos/ sound files,etc. are ok if there is a specific section for them that allows the user to view them rather than those that force them to view them. Content needs to be informative - not purely placed there for SEO purposes. If the content is good - the user will stay.

For a website to be as useful as possible to the customer, it is very important to design with the "target market" (i.e. user) in mind. Most sites fail because designers and company owners create a site based on what they want/like and forget that the site they are building is really for the user.

Last but no least - always - always - always test the site on mac and pc and in multiple browsers to ensure that everything is viewing and functioning properly. Don't assume all your users are on macs or vice versa.

Good luck and happy building!

Best way to grow your business!

To be honest - the most effective thing I've done to grow my business has been offline.

My firm consistently used social media, blogs, html newsletters, surveys to get feedback on customer experience, etc. But those have really just been ways to stay in contact with the customer so they don't forget us.

The conversion to actual business has always been through face-to-face interactions. I always asked for referrals and repeat business (online and offline). I created incentive programs to increase repeat business and referrals - then used online tools as one way to deliver the messages - but always followed up with a call or face-to-face meeting.

We would also hold a client thank you mixer every year and invite our clients and encourage them to bring a friend that could use our services. It was a great way for them to get new business as well from our other clients and they all loved it.

Ultimately, personal interaction has grown my business and the "phone" has been invaluable. For online items, they have helped in the following ways:

- Survey's have been good at getting feedback. (I've used survey monkey regularly during and after each project closed)

- Html newsletters have been good at staying in front of the customer - but be sure to ask them what they want in the newsletter and then deliver it. (I've used constant contact and cooleremail)

- online social networks have been valuable at bouncing ideas off other professionals, etc. (like linkedin)

- offline social networks have been valuable for keeping a presence in the business community (like membership to your local business association)

Media Psychology - a definition

This is a definition of media psychology that was compiled by a group effort from one of my graduate classes - so in case you were wondering - what the heck is media psychology - here you go...

Media psychology is a discipline of psychology that examines the reciprocal relationship and influence current and emerging media has on human behavior and the cognitive processes of individuals, groups, and communities and the level of that influence on a micro (group, culture) and macro (global) level.

By integrating theories and research from psychology, sociology, communication and media studies we are able to gain a deeper understanding of media psychology.

What is Media Psychology?

Media Psychology is like a tasty soup, a bouillabaisse to be exact. The recipe is a complex blend of fish (i.e. people) and spices (i.e. media). It is important to note that the overall flavor / impact of the soup is strongly influenced by the types and quantities of spices added.

The recipe is as follows:

- Add a generous amount of different types of Fish (i.e. people, groups & cultures)
- Add a “mass” of Spices (i.e. media):
- TV / film / radio
- internet / multi-media / VR
- print
- etc.

Bring to a boil, simmer to blend the flavors and serve with toast if desired. As you interpret the soup’s final flavor, be sure to use your trained palate, paying close attention to the following flavor profiles (i.e. disciplines):

- sweet (i.e. psychology)
- salty (i.e. media studies)
- sour (i.e. sociology)
- bitter (i.e. communications)

Keep in mind, as the food critic (i.e. media psychologist / practitioner) you can interpret the outcome of the soup’s flavor differently simply by placing more emphasis on one or all of the flavor profiles / disciplines.

Now, either you are hungry, wondering what a bouillabaisse is or still wondering “What is media psychology?”

In my opinion, it would be too narrow to view media psychology as anything other than a complex field that overlaps many different disciplines. Because it is not a field that is only touched by “media” and “psychology.” Developing a definition to please everyone has been challenging and a universal one has yet to be developed. For example, The Media Psychology Research Center views media psychology as the interaction between human experience and media. (MPRC, 2008) While The American Psychological Association states that media psychology uses the theories, concepts and methods of psychology to study the impact of the mass media on individuals, groups, and cultures. However they note that this term is too broad. (S. Fischoff, 2005)

I feel that media psychology studies the impact media has on the behavior and emotions of individuals, groups and cultures. However, it is important to note that it does not simply rely on psychological theories for interpretation but rather, “Media psychology works in a multidisciplinary environment of psychology, sociology, communication and media studies.” (Van Wagner, 2008)

Perhaps one reason why defining a universal definition has been so problematic is because academic work has already been done in other disciplines, outside of psychology. (Giles, 2003, P.4) However, another challenge is the interpretation of the “impact” can vary based on the theories applied and/or the theory biases a media psychologist / practitioner may hold, regardless of discipline. Just within psychology, practitioners employing effects theory like Joseph Klapper could interpret a situation differently than Ball-Rokeach and DeFleur who would be employing dependency theory to interpret the situation. (Giles, 2003)

So to put it in simplistic terms for now, Media Psychology is like soup, the ingredients and amounts you add will enhance the flavor, but food critics with varied palates can interpret the flavor differently, providing mixed reviews.

As if we don’t have enough questions to answer about media psychology already. I leave you with one more, we can identify the ingredients and the food critics, but who is the cook?


REFERENCE LIST:

Media Psychology is the interaction of Human Experience and Media. (2008). Media Psychology Research Center. Retrieved July 2008 from http://www.mprcenter.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1&Itemid=64

S. Fischoff. (2005). Media Psychology: A Personal Essay in Definition and Purview. [Electronic version]. American Psychology Association. Retrieved July 2008 from http://www.apa.org/divisions/div46/ and http://www.apa.org/divisions/div46/images/MEDIADEF.pdf

Van Wagner. (2008). About.com. Retrieved July 2008 from http://psychology.about.com/library/bl/bldivision46.htm and http://www.media.hut.fi/~as75120/2005/luennot/mediapsychology.pdf

Giles, D. (2003). Media Psychology. New Jersey:
Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, Inc.

In case you were wondering...

What do you think is the impact of social media on advocacy and politics?

Candidates take note - social media is shaping the future of how (smart) candidates should run political campaigns to reach voters. Gone are the days of only using one-way messaging mediums such as TV, radio and print to campaign for office. There is a new serge of voters (i.e. the millennials) in town and they demand more interaction and if the candidates are not willing to engage, they will take matters into their own hands. The tech savvy voter is now using social media & social networks as a platform to question, debate, and organize like never before.

Voters now have the ability to engage and interact with media & messaging – the relationship is a reciprocal one. Candidates can no longer just put a message out there and move on. They must be prepared for a new level of critique, not just from traditional media (i.e. news reporters), but rather - from voters. How candidates respond to voter responses will actually carry more weight than how they respond to traditional media responses because social media has created a more critical audience who has the ability to ask questions and wants them answered. The voter now how has the ability to engage with and respond to the candidate because social media has allowed them to become media creators, and their reach is very long among their expansive social networks.

To survive the political candidate must not only harness the power of social media, and integrate it into their campaign strategy, in order to reach voters – they must also engage in creating “believable” messaging. Simply using technology is not all it takes, “In fact, technology is only useful when it meshes with the political strategy that a campaign or party has decided upon… the right campaign technology is one that connects as many people as possible, as frequently as possible, to each other – a task for which social networks are ideally suited.” (Winograd/Hais, 2008)

Candidates that ignore the power of social media & networks are in for a big surprise and disappointing numbers on Election Day.

Here is a link to an interesting campaign ad comparison:
http://www.epolitics.com/2008/08/08/john-mccain-v-social-media-the-people-win/

What do you see as the strengths and weaknesses in collaboration and social networking?

James Surowieki makes a strong argument about the wisdom of crowds that makes sense, but only if you are dealing with diverse groups within a homogeneous culture, like people within the US, or people within another country. The group is able to solve the problem and come up with a smart or correct answer because there is an underlying thread of commonality that runs through the group that enables them to make an educated guess or provide feedback because there is incentive for them to do so. For example, ask a group of Americans to predict the outcome of the next presidential election, based on Surowieki’s theory you might get the correct answer. Ask the same group to predict Italy’s next president – or Iceland’s president – would they be able to come up with a smart or correct answer? If they don’t know anything about the country’s culture or politics how can they be collectively intelligent? Maybe the people of Iceland will think the group was collectively dumb.

In my opinion, Surowieki does not explore the cultural link that a group needs when it comes to cognition, coordination and cooperation as it relates to creating collective intelligence. He states “culture does have a major effect on what counts as fair” when he discusses games like the ultimatum game. The different games seem to yield similar results regardless of the culture, but there are no cultural variations within the groups. What happens if you take a few people from each different culture (third world, to developed), put them in a room together and then ask them to play the games or answer a random political question – will the outcomes be the same? Will the answer be “smart”? You may have a diverse group but how will their cultural influences, and individual knowledge about the problem or lack of knowledge, affect the answer? Without a common cultural link, how can they come to a collectively intelligent answer that works for the entire group or that is correct?

Maybe I’m over thinking this but I think that in addition to diversity of opinion, independence, decentralization and aggregation - there needs to be some cultural tie or commonality (such as shared knowledge) that runs within the group in order to come up with a smart, intelligent or correct answer.


Resources:
Surowiecki, J. (2005). The Wisdom of Crowds. New York: Anchor Books.

Please support MY right to marry - NO on Prop 8

On May 15th, 2008, California became a state that grants equal protection and equal rights to same- sex couples. This was indeed a victory for all citizens, gay and straight, and people across the country are celebrating!

Regardless of how people feel about marriage itself, many people from across the political spectrum are lining up against Prop 8 -- the marriage ban. From the left, the right, and the political center, a lot of folks just don’t like the way Prop 8 singles out one group to be treated differently.

After all, our California Constitution -- the law of our land -- guarantees the same freedoms and rights to everyone. America itself was founded on the principle of equality, and equal protection under the law is as American as apple pie. Civil rights groups, religious leaders, and elected officials from throughout California -- and beyond -- are all opposing the initiative, which would change our Constitution and single out one group of people for unfair treatment.

Senator Barack Obama and California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger don’t agree on much, but they both oppose Prop 8. They’ve both come to the conclusion that regardless of how they feel personally, it’s just plain wrong to single out one group of people and exclude them from enjoying the same rights as other citizens.

There’s growing recognition that -- like freedom of religion and freedom of speech -- the freedom to marry is fundamental to our society. No one can tell you which church to attend, or what you can and cannot say. And no one should be able to tell you whom you can marry.

Marriage allows couples to express a lifetime commitment to each other, and gives spouses the responsibility for crucial medical decisions in an emergency. Why should we deny same-sex couples that same security, dignity and respect? At a time when many political questions seem to divide us, it’s inspiring to see people united 

around the fundamental things that matter -- equality, freedom and fairness for all.

Please join me in voting No on Prop 8 -- it’s about fairness.

Awareness – why John McCain will lose his bid for president

Did you know that being “aware” of something does not simply mean having perception or knowledge of something, it also “implies vigilance in observing or alertness in drawing inferences from what one experiences.” (Merriam-Webster, 2008) I never in a million years thought I would be sitting in front of my computer writing a paper on how to use social media to further a right-wing republican’s political campaign. The truth is I’m a tree hugging, social cause bleeding heart, Lesbian, die-hard and pretty liberal registered Democrat. I guess you do not really need a flashing red arrow to know who I am voting for in the upcoming presidential election. In fact it is a running joke in my family because my dear aunt and uncle are die-hard Republicans and although we love each other dearly, it is just not wise to engage in a discussion about politics. But oh how they try and my uncle often refers to me as his little “tree hugger” and I return the favor by referring to him as a “bambi killer”, although now he has moved on to daffy ducks. Even with all that said, I have voted Republican on occasion, do not tell my uncle – however, let me be clear, this will not be one of those occasions. So even with all my republican family influences I can still say that I am not a fan of John McCain, but I do feel a bit sorry for him, because it is clear that he will very likely lose his bid for president for one simple but important reason, his lack of “awareness.”

“Vote for me because I’m seasoned in the art of opponent bashing!” - I’m John McCain and I approve this message

Political campaigns are always loaded with ad after ad pointing out the flaws of their opponents. McCain’s political strategy seems to follow this course and what we are left with is the same type of messaging from the same type of politician. In the days of just TV, radio and print, this strategy may have worked, but this is a new time and the power of the internet, specifically YouTube, can quickly make or break your political image. New technologies have also given the average individual the power to create media as well as consume media. What this means is that candidates need to be aware of the potential positive and negative impacts that social media can have on their campaigns. For example, just look at all the anti-McCain videos that have been created by YouTube users and the video parody featuring a “smart” Paris Hilton running for president where she “schools” McCain on political issues. The video was created in response to a smear ad McCain launched about Barrack Obama’s ability to lead. In addition, there is a stark difference between how McCain is presented on YouTube versus Obama. Type in each candidate’s name in the YouTube search function and the results will yield mostly negative videos for McCain and mostly positive videos for Obama.

According to Morley Winograd and Michael Hais in their book Millennial Makeover, “Survey research indicates that voters use media for two distinct purposes – to help them become aware of the candidates and to decide which ones to vote for.” If that is true then McCain has some ground to make up. He spends too much time bashing Obama and not enough time discussing the issues. In addition, McCain makes no attempt to respond or try to improve his image in the social media arena. Meanwhile the Obama camp is filling their video archives with positive messages, focusing on what Obama will do for the country and responding to attacks from McCain quickly and professionally, thereby minimizing the damage. Unfortunately McCain is sticking to old political tactics and refuses to become aware of what is happening around him, he continues to underestimate the power of the net and it’s Netizens (i.e. the voters / internet community). McCain’s old school ways are actually doing harm to his online image. A smart strategy for McCain would be to stop with the political bashing and start focusing on the real issues, most people are well aware that political candidates are not perfect. McCain needs to start sending more positive spun messages and videos with the content focused on how he will help America. In addition, he needs to make an attempt to be more aware of what he says in the media rather than simply taking a stubborn stance and then not even attempting to apologize for a remark or explain a comment. For example he has called reporters names, made up a “bomb, bomb Iraq” song and joke, called a young man a “little jerk”, etc. and when confronted about those comments he does not seem to even care. This sends a message to the American public, and now with the power of the internet, that message is viral and lasting, it would be in McCain’s best interest to take notice and not remain so indifferent.

Presence vs. Engagement

When it comes to social media a politician can only engage so much, but mere “presence” within social networks does not constitute effective use of them and the internet community cannot be fooled. McCain has a presence on YouTube, MySpace, Facebook, Linkedin and Digg, interestingly the last two are not listed on his main campaign website, they are only mentioned on his MySpace page. However, even though he has a presence, meaning he has a home page, posts links, etc. he still does not seem to “get it” when it comes to how to effectively use social networks and media to promote his campaign.

Once again if you compare Obama to McCain you will see huge differences in how they approach the use of social media. For example, on MySpace, Obama has a full profile listed complete with friends comments, blog, etc. he uses MySpace like regular users use it in the sense that his page is set up like the typical MySpace user employing all the features the site offers. While McCain’s MySpace page is noting more than a bunch of links to his main website, and the other social networks he has a presence on. McCain fails to understand what social networking and viral marketing are all about. He has made attempts, for example, he launched a campaign for people to become bloggers for his campaign and to encourage people to join in he made it like a contest where basically the blogger could earn points the winner would get time with McCain. He made it really easy to blog for him, not only did he tell them where to blog but also what to say. But ultimately this effort to use social media was not only ineffective but it was also heavily criticized by the internet community.

On the website SocialMediaToday.com Jennifer Jones said, “Where I think McCain's people failed is that they are not approaching social media organically. First of all, offering any kind of points system or incentive for supporters to spread the word undermines the whole nature of social media… Social media is about authenticity. Nothing fans flames online like duplicity… I'm not calling out the McCain campaign for a poor idea, just really poor execution of it.” (Jones, 2008) Another sign that the community is not buying McCain’s efforts are posts that were made on his Digg website. The user posts are mostly negative, here are just a few examples pulled from his page, “Obviously McCain doesn't realize that Digg is slanted to the left. Way to advertise the wrong messages to the wrong groups.” And “Barrack simply gets technology. Has there ever been a candidate as savvy as him? Don't think so.” (Digg, 2008)

In the case of the blogging contest McCain really should have not made it a contest, if people want to support him, they will volunteer. But most importantly, he should have let his bloggers use their own words rather than having them simply copy and past canned lines around the internet. It’s clear that he does not understand how blogging works. If he wants to start a viral social campaign he needs to let go of always trying to control the messages. Blogging works because it is more personal and believable, because it is in the bloggers own words. To effectively use social media to reach voters, McCain must start engaging in creating “believable” messaging. Simply using technology (i.e. social media) and having an online presence is not enough, “In fact, technology is only useful when it meshes with the political strategy that a campaign or party has decided upon… the right campaign technology is one that connects as many people as possible, as frequently as possible, to each other – a task for which social networks are ideally suited.” (Winograd/Hais, 2008) McCain seems to see the internet and social media in the same way as TV, radio and print, mediums that focus on sending one way messaging. The reality is that the internet and social media are about connecting people, the messaging travels in all directions, the average person consumes and creates media, if McCain continues to ignore this fact, rather than embrace it, it will be to his own peril.

Netizens vs McCain – the Netizens Win

According to the research done at the Pew Internet & American Life Project, “A record-breaking 46% of Americans have used the internet, email or cell phone text messaging to get news about the campaign, share their views and mobilize others. Furthermore, three online activities have become especially prominent as the presidential primary campaigns have progressed: First, 35% of Americans say they have watched online political videos… Second, 10% say they have used social networking sites such as Facebook or MySpace to gather information or become involved… Third, 6% of Americans have made political contributions online.” (Smith/Rainie, 2008) What is important to note is that Obama is the candidate with the most funds raised online, he uses text messaging more that McCain he uses MySpace more effectively that McCain and the media says he is also gaining more votes online, from the netizens (i.e. internet community). According to an article titled “John McCain is Way Behind Online” in Business Week, “McCain's lack of showing on the major social networks and other sites where young voters hang out makes him look out of touch with that demographic, they say, particularly when compared with Obama. That perception keeps McCain from receiving wide support from tech-savvy individuals who could build tools to help his campaign, not to mention cough up much needed cash.” (Holahan, 2008)

Mark SooHoo, McCain's deputy e-campaign director, made a comment I am sure in hindsight he wishes he could take back, and it was that “John McCain is aware of the internet” then he went on to say that he (McCain) understands the impact the internet has. Unfortunately as I have mentioned before, having knowledge or perception of something does not constitute “awareness” and it is clear that McCain not only exhibits a lack of awareness but also does not truly understand that impact the internet and it’s community can have on his campaign. On Election Day, the numbers will tell the story of who will be our next president. But McCain needs to be aware that there are important numbers he needs to take seriously before Election Day as well, like the fact that 46% of Americans are more than aware of the internet. Any reasonable person would assume that might be an important number to pay attention to. McCain’s strategy should be focused on how to reach that 46% effectively rather than present a campaign that treats this groups as insignificant. The fact is, if McCain fails to gain true “awareness” of not only the power of social media & networks but also how to use the effectively, he will surely lose the election.

References:
Awareness (2008). Merriam-Webster.com. Retrieved August 27, 2008 

from http://www.merriam-webster.com 

Hais, M. D., & Winograd, M. (2008). Millennial Makeover: Myspace, Youtube & the Future of American Politics. New Jersey, and London: Rutgers University Press.

Jones, J. (2008). SocialMediaToday.com. Retrieved August 27, 2008 from http://www.socialmediatoday.com/SMC/43372

McCain’s page (2008). DIGG.com. Retrieved August 27, 2008 from http://digg.com/users/JohnMcCain08

Smith, A. & Rainie, L. (2008). PewInternet.org. Retrieved August 27, 2008 from http://www.pewinternet.org/PPF/r/252/report_display.asp - Holahan, C. (2008). 

BusinessWeek.com. Retrieved August 27, 2008 from http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/jun2008/tc20080626_575590.htm

Update on Active.com post

So for anyone who might be interested... I finally heard back from Active.com and they said there was no record of my registration and I was told I needed to re-register for the event. I responded to them and told them that I was in fact registered because I checked with the Iron Girl event staff directly and they confirmed my registration. I also informed the support desk that Active.com had already charged my credit card and that they should double check their system.

In the meantime, I received a lovely "customer feedback email" from Active.com which I happily filled out, explained the situation and provided a link to my blog post about the ordeal. I believe they might have taken a glance at the post because I received an email back from them a few days later telling me that they were sorry for the inconvenience and that YES I was registered and paid up for the event.

10 minutes later (no joke) I received an email from the support desk again telling me they double checked the system and that NO I was not registered and I would need to re-register on Active.com if I wanted to participate in the event. Hmmm... sounds like a BIG internal communication problem there. Active - if you are reading this - I'm available on a consulting basis to help you work out the kinks - seems like you could use the assistance.

Anyway, I did the event last weekend - it was a 10k I certainly was not about to miss, especially after all that! BUT now it is time to sign up for AFC, the half marathon, and registration is on Active.com - I think I will fax in my registration directly to the event this time - although something tells me that if I register online (given the POWER OF THE BLOG) everything will go smoothly. But dare I take the chance... I'll keep you posted!

What is media and how does it impact your daily life?

This was a question I was asked in my media psychology class and I thought it would be good to share. Please feel free to send me your comments on the question as well!

My response:

Some people had little brothers or sisters growing up, I had media. Some days I loved it, other days I wanted to strangle it and tell it to stop bugging me.

Today when I think of media, it really is just like family to me. It has been a constant in my life since the age of 15 when I first entered the advertising industry. It was then that I realized media was more than just TV, radio and print advertising... Media was (and is) a fascinating form or medium of expression that has the power to motivate people and get them to act or react in a positive or negative way.

I am 34 now and it is crazy to think that more than half of my life has been entrenched in media. It has impacted my life significantly because not only have I worked in the media industry for many years; I was also a firm owner, which was a 24/7 job. I could never really get away from it, and now I think that to some degree, it is more difficult for me to appreciate media at times because it has always been my profession.

I have spent so much time and energy focusing on the development and execution of media, that now I find it hard to look at any piece of “advertising” media, without critiquing it. The media forms or mediums that have been front and center in my life have primarily been TV, film, radio, print, and internet, and my goal has always been to elicit a positive action or reaction from the piece to get results (i.e. sales) for my clients.

What I have found is that many people view advertising media as a method to reach an “external” target market only, for example a client’s potential customer. However, over the years I have realized the power advertising media has “internally” as well, and how it can quickly impact company culture, brands and sales. It really is fascinating and interesting how facets of media can affect change in small and large groups on so many levels. Sometimes we just have to step back to see the big picture and the true impact media has on all of us.

Now of course I am just referring to advertising media, but that is what has been so close to home for me. I have also been personally touched by film and news media when it comes to the environment, politics, religion and social issues. However, I am a firm believer that you need to leave our country in order to get good, solid news about our country, and the rest of the world, but I will leave that discussion topic for another time.

Is Active.com’s Inactive Customer Support Losing Customers?

If you have ever used Active.com to register for an event, you know that it is a pretty simple process, and the site is fairly easy to navigate (aside from the new search module they have, the “classic” search module is much better.) However, if you have to request support related to an event registration that might be a little frustrating for you. So cross your fingers and hope your registration goes smoothly.

I’ve used Active.com a number of times and recently updated my user settings and then registered for a new event. My card was charged but I never received a confirmation email of my registration. So naturally I emailed their support desk with a detailed account of what I did and what my issue was. I received a generic auto respond message back right away and then, nothing.

About a week later I finally heard back from them. I was asked to send in additional details (which should have been requested from the beginning on their support form) and to also list the issues I was having, again. I sent in the information they requested a few minutes after I received their email. Then once again, the same old generic automated email and then, nothing.

I registered for the event almost a month ago and the only thing I needed to clarify was if I was indeed registered for the event and why had I not received an email confirmation. I figured this was a fairly simple request but apparently it was a little too difficult of a request for the support department to handle. Because I still have not heard back from them. Finally, I contacted the event company directly to confirm my registration, which they did.

The experience I had with Active.com is a classic example of what happens when a company is so focused on their growth initiatives, that they lose sight of their core initiatives. The mission or core message that Active.com has on it’s website is, “Active provides technology and marketing services to thousands of organizations and is the leader for online registration and online communities for active lifestyles, serving millions of participants worldwide.” They also list “event registration” as their second core service.

Active.com is putting a lot of energy into building a large social networking element to compliment their business model. That is a big task and requires a lot of work. I commend their effort. The problem is that they seem to have forgotten that you can have wonderful technology and great marketing but that means nothing if you can’t take care of your customers. Event registration is at the heart of Active.com’s business model and a link that binds their other core services together. Ultimately, the draw for organizations that list their events on Active.com is to reach more participants, which then in turn will register for the event through Active.com and from there become active within the social network areas of the site. However, if participants have a bad user experience (in any area of the system) they will not continue to use Active.com.

If you think about it, Active.com is really just a convenient service for event participants, you can find events, register in one place, find training tips and more. But when that service is not convenient to use, it becomes useless to everyone, including the organizations that list their events. The end result will be that participants will register with the event company directly or simply use another service in direct competition with Active.com, and there will be competition in the future, it’s simply inevitable. Then obviously, event organizations will move on because there is no longer any value in using Active.com.

If what I’m saying sounds extreme, it’s not. This is how companies lose market share. Period. Sometimes it happens quickly and sometimes it’s a slow death. But it will happen.

The Bottom line is this:
If you are an online company and it takes you more than 24 hours to respond to a customer support inquiry, you have a serious problem, and you are destined to lose business. With online companies, service has become less personal. Your support department is a direct line to the customer, how you manage that interaction will determine if or when they will use your service again. True “leaders” in an industry not only ensure that they have an excellent product or service but they also consistently create positive customer experiences – even in the midst of growth. And if they are an online company, they never sacrifice user experience because they know that means sacrificing profits.

Does your company culture need a good “Workout” to become fiscally fitter?

I was watching the show “Workout” the other night on Bravo TV and while I realize there is a lot of editing involved to create drama and the show is probably partially scripted – the issues from that episode struck a chord with me when it comes to how company cultures can dramatically affect team moral and ultimately the bottom line of a company. While I do like the show, as a business owner I just cringe when I see how Jackie Warner treats her team. I want to believe that most of it is for show but unfortunately regardless of if it is or not – there are people like that out there.

Basically what happened was there has been tension building between the owner Jackie and one of her trainers, Brian. Brian had a concern (which in my opinion was completely valid) and went into Jackie’s office to speak to her about it, Jackie did not want to discuss it and threatened to fire him if he kept talking about it (very inappropriate from a management standpoint), he got upset, words were exchanged and then she fired him and told him to get out. That’s basically the short version.

To give you a bit of character background - Jackie is portrayed as the kind of owner that is pretty self-absorbed, leads by fear rather than example and is on a major power trip. She has that “it’s my business, what I say goes, you really don’t matter” kind of attitude sprinkled in with random acts of kindness (or strategic company perks, parties, etc.) just to hold off an employee mutiny. Brian is portrayed as a bit of a hot head, arrogant and defiant with Jackie. Although this season he seems a lot more subdued than in previous seasons, he still has that “I don’t care what you say, I’ll do what I want” attitude.

If you’ve ever worked – I’m sure you have encountered people like this. It’s interesting how some people in management take on a dictator role rather than a leadership role – I’m not really sure why they do that – perhaps they are just insecure with their own abilities, maybe they just enjoy holding people back or maybe it is simply about control. You will actually get more out of your team if you try to lead by example, encourage input from your team to let them be part of the process, believe in their ability to do their job and let them do it, give them quality feedback on their work (positive & negative), clearly define what you expect from them and give them the tools they need to succeed. Your goal as an owner should be to try to make your team walking PR for your company – because they want to do it, not because you expect them to do it. Building a strong company culture is just another form of branding your company and it should be a top priority. The long term benefit is that your team will work harder for you without you asking them to, overall customer experience will be better and ultimately you will have a fatter wallet – just be sure to share some of that “extra benefit” with the team that helped you get there. It may be your name on the door but remember – you did not do it all by yourself – you had a team to support you and assist you along the way.

As a business owner I have had my share of difficult employees, but I have also always tried to be respectful of my team. I would never speak to my employees in an insulting manner and if they had a concern I would try to hear them out and we would find a solution that worked for both of us – not just me. Now granted you cannot please everyone and some employees just need to go because it is in the best interest of your business and your team. It’s important to set boundaries and ultimately you do have the final say – but you can also choose the manner in which you “deliver” that final say. Before you make a rash decision, determine the value and potential that person brings to the table as well as the negatives, keep in mind it costs less to keep an employee than to find a new one. As a leader when you “turn” a difficult employee there is no better feeling and there will be no better ally for you either. However, if you do have to draw the line with an employee, you still need to do it in a professional manner.

Keep in mind I’m not in any way saying owners should bend over backwards for their employees – I’m just saying that there is a way to be a successful business owner AND empower the people that work for you – it makes it a lot more rewarding for everyone involved.

So that’s my stream of consciousness for the day and I’m curious to find out what other managers and owners are doing to build their company cultures so please feel free to respond…

the beginning...

Oscar Wilde once said "It is a very sad thing that nowadays there is so little useless information" - I happen to agree so be sure to come back and read my blog often! ;)