Social Media Trends for 2011

It was a banner year for social media growth and adoption. We witnessed Facebook overtake Google in most weekly site traffic, while some surveys reported nearly 95% of companies using LinkedIn to help in recruiting efforts. In my outlook for last year, I cited that mobile would become a lifeline to those looking for their social media fixes, and indeed the use of social media through mobile devices increased in the triple digits.

I also outlined how "social media would look less social" or more accurately exclusive, and indeed, we've seen the re-launch of Facebook groups, which focus on niche interactivity, and more recently, the emergence of Path, billed as "the social network for intimate friends" which limits your network to only 50 people. The past year also saw some brands go full throttle on Foursquare's game-like geo-location platform, attempting to reward mayors and creating custom badges for the network's power users.

In other areas, such as social media policy, I was less accurate. Conversations around the topic did begin to take place, But a global survey indicated that only 29 percent of companies even have a social media policy. That's not as high as I expected.

So what could we see happening in 2011? I'll take a stab at six trends again. In no particular order:

It's The Integration Economy, Stupid. From Ford, to Dell, to Starbucks (client), to Jet Blue, and a host of other companies who have pioneered early uses of social media for business, 2011 will be the year these companies take a serious look at integrating social media, not only regionally but globally. Don't be surprised if the same companies that piloted programs such as Ford's "Fiesta Movement" and Starbuck's Foursquare programs also become the first companies to take on the huge challenge of integrating social media into all facets of business from global marketing to crisis management and beyond.

Tablet & Mobile Wars Create Ubiquitous Social Computing. As competition heats up in the form of cheaper, smarter phones and an assortment of tablets that may hit the market (a $35 Tablet in India?), technology consumers will come one step closer to being connected 24/7, and in more powerful ways than previously possible. Social networking will be on the go, out of the house, and out of the office. More competition, variety, power, and affordability in devices will fuel the increase of ubiquitous social computing.

Facebook Interrupts Location-Based Networking. If 2010 belonged to Foursquare and its playful, competitive and sometimes addicting ecosystem of badges, mayorships and specials, it's likely that Facebook will rain on Foursquare's parade in 2011. With tons of data and the architecture behind Facebook's response to Foursquare about to be rolled out globally, Facebook is well positioned to actually make location based services useful to business.

Average Participants Experience Social Media Schizophrenia. While social media schizophrenia (the overload of multiple social profiles) is nothing new to tech mavens, it will become something that more and more "average" users experience as they tweet, Facebook, G-mail, chat, Skype, BBM, SMS, and Tumble their way across the social web. While many mavens have adopted ways to manage and cope, average users may find themselves at the beginning of the curve in need of a 12-step social identity program. This may lead to increased demand from typical participants to have a more integrated and simplified social graph and an opportunity for platforms and companies alike to meet this demand.

Google Doesn't Beat Them, They Join Them. In 2010, Wired told us that Facebook could beat Google to win the net. But even at the end of 2010 after failed attempts to create their own networks such as Buzz, Google could prove that the best way to beat Facebook, Twitter, and the rest is to do what Google does best: Index them to pieces. Indeed, I've already noticed Google's algorithm has become smarter about Twitter data. I only have to type in a few words to locate old tweets. It's possible that by sticking to what Google does best, they may be able to take advantage of the social web by indexing any and all social data they can get their hands on. Expect the Googleplex to "strike back" in 2011, and perhaps demonstrate that they may figure out their role and relevancy on the social Web.

Social Functionality Makes Websites Fashionable Again. After several years of being told to "fish where the fish are," businesses realize that users expect social integration to existing Websites. Sites such as AMEX Open forum serve as a model for how networks such as Twitter can integrate with the Web experience. Websites will increasingly serve as "digital hubs" that integrate social activity from many platforms. For example, Apple's music social network, named Ping, recently integrated Twitter. While the integration has kinks, it demonstrates that even the most iconic of brands realizes that they do not exist in their own walled garden. They must integrate to be relevant in a socially connected world.

These are a few emerging trends that come to my mind. I'm interested to hear what you think as well, so please weigh in with your own thoughts. Where do you see social media going in 2011?

David Armano is a Senior Vice President at Edelman Digital, the interactive arm of global communications firm Edelman. He is an active practitioner and thinker in the worlds of digital marketing, experience design, and the social web. You can follow him on Twitter.

6 Ways to Rebrand Using Social Media

Send out teasers

“Start off by telling your followers that you will have an announcement coming soon and to stay tuned,” Roberts said. “Tell them that you have major news and just can’t wait to share it with them. These teasers will keep followers coming back and increase interest in your company. Then, when you re-launch or rebrand your business, make a big deal out of it.”

Provide useful information

“If you are a nail salon and want to start offering massages, start posting articles on the therapeutic benefits of massage,” said Brian Basilico, president of B2B Interactive Marketing, an online marketing company based in Aurora, Ill. “Find interesting things that promote your new brand without being annoying.”

“Giving free information will position you as an expert and, in the case of the nail salon, will make your customers correlate your business with getting a massage. For every 10 posts of free information, add in a testimonial about your business from a client, or a discount offered only to Facebook fans or Twitter followers.”

Engage customers

“Pose questions to your fans and followers,” advised Lauren Young, owner of Freshly Baked Communications, a marketing communications firm based in Chicago. “If you are a printing company and are thinking about including graphic design or copywriting as part of a rebranding message, poll people. They will give you feedback on using your service. Not only does this act as free market research, but it will also help attract new customers.”

Post a video

“Re-script a press release about your rebranding campaign and make it into a one or two minute video,” said Dave Scelba, president and CEO of SGW - Integrated Marketing Communications, an advertising, public relations and marketing firm based in Montville, N. J. “This is where you can show your new logo and tell customers about your new service offerings.

“Then, put the video up on YouTube, Facebook and on your blog. You will start building a community.”

Blog about other businesses

“When building relationships on social media sites, you will inevitably make friends with other small business owners,” said Roberts. “Start blogging about their businesses. That will encourage them to then blog about you, which will bring more visibility to your new brand.”

Make time

“Block out a five minutes, twice per day to interact on social media sites,” advised Basilico. “If someone responds to a post on your blog, comment back and thank them. Retweet and comment on Facebook posts. Social media is all about impressions and awareness.”

Hospitality Re-Defined: The Happiest Place in the World

By Dale Dyck

I know what you're probably expecting, based on that headline, but no, this is not a story about Disneyland or Disney World - but admittedly this is my pre-Christmas "feel good" article.

Granted, that Walt Disney was no dummy, and most people, if asked, would say that Disneyland or Disney World are the happiest places on earth.

I'm not here to try and argue the point - Disneyland and Disney World are unique products with unprecedented levels of success.

However, for me, my personal happy place is a Hotel, most any full-service Hotel in most any major city around the world.

I love everything thing about a Hotel, and it makes me happy, instantly I might add, to step inside of a busy full-service Hotel and come face-to-face with everything that makes for a great Hotel experience.

I've known for a very long time now that I was destined to work in the Hospitality business, and specifically, in Hotels, and that point is never clearer to me than when I walk into a Hotel that I have not been in before for the first time.

I can feel a warm smile cross my face and I have an almost overwhelming sensation that I am home again, no matter where I might actually be in the world. 

At that point, I become aware of the cleanliness of the lobby, the attention to detail in the layout, the furnishings, all things physical.

Simultaneously, I become aware of the many conversations taking place, between staff and guests, guest to guest, and amongst the staff.

There is a steady and consistent buzz in the lobby as everyone is set on their individual course, they all have their own priorities, and for the most part, all are indifferent to the activities and conversations of the other groups, but it all works.

To the lay person it must look like controlled chaos at times, but I see it for what it is; a symphony, where everyone in the orchestra knows their respective part and instinctively goes about their tasks with a harmony and efficiency that is rarely seen in other business environments.

A Hotel is a truly special place.

And the only thing that makes me happier than being in a Hotel that creates that positive environment that you sense as soon as you cross the threshold, is being the "orchestra leader" in that scenario.

I'm always so proud of my team when I can see them in action, sense their confidence as they each do what they do and know best, and support each other in pursuit of a common goal - to create consistently exceptional guest experiences, different, special and unique to each and every guest that we have the privilege to come in contact with, but exceptional nonetheless.

It may not be Disneyland, but Disneyland is not for everyone.  

Everyone should be so lucky as to find their true calling - to live their dream.  

It reminds me of a great quote that I was recently exposed to - regrettably I do not know the author.

"A person who is a master in the art of living makes little distinction between their work and their play, their labour and their leisure, their mind and their body, their education and their recreation, their love and their religion.  They hardly know which is which and simply pursue their vision of excellence and grace, whatever they do, leaving others to decide whether they are working or playing.  To them, they are always doing both."

When you do what you love, you do not think of it as "work." 

Reprinted with permission, Dale Dyck.

About Dale Dyck 

A dynamic natural leader who provides a balanced approach to results, ensuring the maximization of ALL of the pillars of a successful operation, with equal emphasis on strong Financial Results, Exceptional Guest Service and Guest Loyalty, and Employee Engagement.

How to use negative reviews to effect positive change

With the increasing popularity of user-generated reviews, hoteliers may lament the loss of control over what is being said about us online, but we’re still in full control of how we react. As a follow-up to my last article, A Positive Spin on Negative Reviews, here are somesuggestions for using negative reviews to effect positive change in your hotel.

1. Speak up. We would never ignore a guest ranting in our lobby, so why do so few negative reviews receive a response? (7%, according to TripAdvisor). It’s our chance to show the world we care, to thank the guest for feedback, to apologize and explain, and to clear up any misconceptions. On TripAdvisor reviewers can’t reply to hotel responses, so effectively we get the last word. Use it.

2. Engage. Hotels used to hire mystery shoppers to tell us what we were doing wrong; now our guests do it and pay us for the privilege. User reviews keep us in touch with guests and allow us to reach a mass market we could never hope to reach through our own marketing efforts. Be grateful. Wherever possible, engage writers of negative reviews and try to make amends. With expert handling, our harshest critics can become our most powerful advocates.

3. Show leadership. Yes, you work hard, you’re passionate, and you’re probably a very nice person, but that doesn’t mean everyone will appreciate your efforts. Accept that sometimes you’ll be the victim of unfair criticism, and other times you’ll simply screw up. Don’t let it kill your spirit. Treat every review as a learning experience. Discuss with staff how you could have prevented the situation, support the team, and move on. It’s when travelers stop talking about your hotel that you should really worry.

4. Take the high road. If the review is petty or vindictive, there’s no need to stoop to that level; travelers are smart enough to read between the lines. If allegations are false and defamatory, dispute the review with the host site, post a diplomatic response to set the record straight, and let it go. If your property’s reputation is so fragile that one or two bad reviews will devastate your business, you’ve got more issues than bad reviews. Read on.

5. Make reputation management a priority. Whether your property is a five-star resort or a one-star motel, your guests are evaluating you on how well you communicate and deliver on your brand promise. Subscribe to a social media monitoring tool and start tracking your Market Share of Guest Satisfaction; in the age of social networking, it’s as important as your revPAR index. Formulate a strategy for optimizing your online reputation, set goals, and meet regularly with your social media team to review progress.

6. Create a cycle of positivity. Use guest feedback to justify investments in training, labor, capital upgrades and communications. Improvements will generate positive reviews, which will attract more travelers and in turn will generate incremental revenue, thereby funding more improvements, and so on. The alternative? Ignore feedback and create a cycle of negativity, with the opposite results.

7. Prevent escalation. If you listen closely, bad reviews are often less about the issue itself than how staff responded when it was brought to their attention. Train employees to prevent on-property issues from escalating to online complaints by listening, empathizing, offering solutions and following up to ensure guests are satisfied. Some issues take time and money to fix; in the meantime, ensure staff are minimizing fallout by expertly managing complaints.

8. Take the good with the bad. In addition to occasional false and malicious reviews, we also receive reviews that overstate our virtues. Exaggerated praise can be just as damaging, setting expectations we can’t meet. And yet nobody is threatening to sue these reviewers. In the end it all balances out, and the wisdom of the crowds prevails over the folly of the few.

Daniel Edward Craig is a former general manager turned hotel consultant and the author of the Murder at the Universe. His articles and blog about issues in the hotel industry are considered essential reading for hoteliers, travelers and students alike. Visit www.danieledwardcraig.com or emaildec@danieledwardcraig.com.

The difference between "good" and "great" ...

What Is Great Service?

Dec 13, 10 | 7:59 pm

By Andrea

Great service can often be found in a quirky detail -
like the incredible care and attention that head barman
Antonio puts into serving your martini at the Egerton House Hotel

There's good service and then there's great service.  I've been doing a bit of thinking about the difference between the two.

Great service doesn't have to require a huge effort.  A concierge arranging to pick your car up - when you left it in Frankfurt and need it in London - is great service; but so is finding out what that film was that I saw half of last night and can't remember what channel it was on.

Yes, we always remember something that went way beyond the call of duty - but sometimes great service is just about recognising what a customer wants before they actually work it out themselves and giving it to them.

I've seen a guest reach the door of a London hotel, look at the dismal rain and wince.  And a member of staff quickly came over with an umbrella and held it out to him.  That got a smile and solved the problem before the customer needed to ask.  Hotels with great service understand this.

Great service doesn't have to be showy.  Waiters at the Crillon in Paris have the theatre of service down to a fine art; they'll put the plates in front of a table full of diners then lift every cover at once in precise harmony.

But the thing that makes them great, not just good, is that they never once interrupt a conversation to ask whether you're ready to order or whether you'd like anything else; they hover, unnoticed, until there is a lull in the conversation and a moment that gives them their opportunity.

I think the key to it is that you can achieve good service by having the right procedures and the right scripts.  But great service comes only when you'vetrained staff to listen to customers and think about what those customers really want.  It's often about tiny noticeable touches.

Staff at the top-rated Milestone Hotel in Kensington are trained
to listen to customers' very specific needs and provide
"tiny noticeable touches" at every opportunity

Book direct with the Milestone Hotel at the best guaranteed rate

A nice instance of great service I experienced recently was when I had struggled womanfully to try to finish a massive main course, and simply couldn't.  But I was determined to have a dessert, as I knew the sorbets were something special.  I ordered.  And right away, the waiter asked me: "Would you like that now, or would you like a little time to digest?"

Of course I'd like ten minutes to digest!  What a star - instead of rushing me through my meal, he'd given me the chance to set my own pace.  And he'd done so in a nice tactful way too.

Great service can sometimes be very simple.  It's got nothing to do with wearing uniforms, or calling guests ‘sir' or ‘madam', or ceremoniousness.  I don't need my bags carried for me - I never travel with more than a day pack - and I almost never use taxis, so don't call one for me.

But I do want to know where's a good jogging track near the hotel - and what the weather is going to be like if I go out for a run.

You can achieve ‘sir' and ‘madam' by writing a script - but you can only provide what customers really want if you listen to them (one hotel that should know better had a doorman who once tried to call me a taxi when I was dressed in running kit, probably because the staff manual said ‘Always call a taxi'. That really was an own goal!).

I've had great service in 4 and 5 star hotels.  I've also had great service in a budget hotel, when I was tired and checking in late, and the desk clerk could see I was hassled. "Look, here's your key, get some sleep, and we'll do the rest in the morning," she said. "Just don't run off without paying us!"  Now that was great service on a par with the best London hotels.

Finally, a luxury London hotel that consistently excels in providing great service is Hotel 41 (currently the number one London hotel on TripAdvisor).

The reason why Hotel 41 is the current TripAdvisor London number 1
has everything to do with superb staff who are trained
to offer attentive yet never intrusive service

Source

Asking for the business

Hospitality Re-Defined: Asking for the Business

Dec 15, 10 | 1:57 am

By Dale Dyck

If you don't ask for the business, then you shouldn't be surprised when you don't get it.

It's been my experience over the years that the difference between a good Sales person and a great Sales person often lies in their ability to ask for the sale, and, to a lesser degree, to know how to deal with "no" and not get paralyzed in the face of "no."

There are lots of great sales people out there, who do a great job in many facets of their role in sales, they know their value proposition, your property's points of differentiation, they research potential clients, and their prep work and attention to detail are second to none.

Those are all strong and admirable attributes.

But are they closers?

After it's all been said and done, and the (potential) client has taken the bait, can they reel them in?

If not, you may find if you tag along on a few sales calls that they are stopping short of actually asking for the sale.

They assume, albeit unconsciously, that if they have done a god job in making their case, the client will book with them, and on many occasions that has probably worked out for them, and for you.

But I can guarantee you that if you actually ask for the sale, your chances of securing the business go up exponentially.  

It's long been a practice of mine to do two things, in particular, when it comes to supporting the sales effort in my Hotels:

1. Telling clients that I want their business.
   
   Sounds obvious, doesn't it?  You'd be surprised how many people don't actually, clearly and with conviction, tell clients that they want their business.
   
   I used to do this in particular when we had a client on site for a site inspection and/or property review. 
   
   I would introduce myself, and then I would tell the (potential) client that one of the reasons that I wanted to personally meet them, among other reasons of course, was that I wanted to tell them personally that we wanted their business and that each and every one of us was keenly aware of what it meant to get this piece of business, and we were committed to working with them to secure their business, and to delivering a program or event that would leave no doubt as to why we were chosen. 
2. Asking for the business.
   
   On a similar vein, I would always conclude a site visit or a sales call by asking for the business.
   
   Again, I would make a point of being direct and specific, leaving no doubt that I was asking for the business, and in the event that I ran into any hesitation or reluctance, I would simply ask what the obstacles were that was preventing them from committing.

I know I said this before, but I will say it again; I know full well that what I am saying sounds obvious.

But I'll tell you this too; I had clients tell me time and time again that other Hotels were not telling them that they wanted their business, not directly anyway, and, that virtually no one was asking for their business. 

And on more than a few occasions, I had clients tell me that was why they were going with us for their conference, event, etc...

Sure, our product and service were important factors, but when it came down to comparing a number of seemingly similar properties in a single destination, what put them over the edge, and differentiated us from our competitors, was our commitment to getting the business, to servicing the client from this day forward, and, the fact that we asked for the business, further demonstrating our level of commitment. 

Reprinted with permission, Dale Dyck.

About Dale Dyck 

A dynamic natural leader who provides a balanced approach to results, ensuring the maximization of ALL of the pillars of a successful operation, with equal emphasis on strong Financial Results, Exceptional Guest Service and Guest Loyalty, and Employee Engagement.

Source

Email Newsletter Tactics I

Specials: the occasional one-off "high-value" email. Like a last minute offer on a for-fee webinar to your newsletter list.

Benefit emails: consider adding some emails that give, but ask for nothing in return. See the article on marketers as content publishers.

Extra messages, same email: increase message frequency, but not email frequency by piggy-backing on existing communications. For example, adding marketing messages totransactional emails or using sidebar promotions in informational newsletters.

Go with the season: if you're a ski resort, up frequency when you know people plan their winter vacation.

Let subscriber behavior and characteristics drive frequency:Loren McDonald recently wrote:

"When you send email based on your customers' actions or their place in the product or program lifecycle, your messages arrive at logical times."

...to which I would add..."and at the 'right' frequency."

Particularly useful tactics here are trigger emails (like birthday messages or cart abandonment emails) or segmenting out your most active subscribers. If someone is clicking every time you send an email, chances are they'd welcome more.

Give people choice: let people opt-in to another email stream. Or more frequent emails (or less frequent emails). During the 2008 holiday season, for example, RadioShack invited subscribers to opt-in to a dedicated "24 days of deals" campaign. This lets recipients self-select: they tell you directly who wants more (and who doesn't).

Remember, when you start upping frequency, you begin to break expectations built over your previous mails or in sign-up forms. And you start moving along a curve which can end catastrophically.

So you need to change things with care. And you need to combine any increase in frequency with some form of real compensation for the recipient.

All the above do this by upping frequency only when it makes equal sense for the recipient. A change to adjust for different circumstances (e.g. seasonal), to offer more relevancy (e.g. trigger emails), to give more value (e.g. specials and benefit emails) or when the recipient specifically asks for more (e.g. new opt-in streams).


Found on: http://www.email-marketing-reports.com/iland/2009/03/email-frequency-can-you-increase-it.html