The Future Is Now

Coming off of the success of FutureMidwest, this past weekend (April 16 & 17), co-founder Adrian Pittman shares his thoughts about the conference, Detroit and its potential.

My goal for the Module conference last year was to collect and highlight some best practices from the world of new media. It was essentially a launch party for my company’s brand. I expected a small crowd of friends, coworkers and clients who were already involved in that space. But I was wrong. Purely by mistake, I had tapped into a much broader audience that wanted to understand the impact new media could have on their company and brand. I learned metro Detroiters were much more interested than I expected in learning about new technologies. Many were looking for the same answers at the same time. With the Module conference, we had grabbed the attention and focus of a very large audience.

When I met Jordan Wolfe last year after TechNow, I realize there was a piece missing from Module – the entrepreneurial focus. Entrepreneurism is heavily tied into where this region finds itself economically and perceptually right now. Detroit was once the center of the universe, but that rapidly changed. The Midwest never fully came through to the other side as the economy, industries and technology evolved. When the economy flipped, it was obvious that the way our region became accustomed to doing business was no longer working. To survive, we had to change.

Most other conferences were already speaking to those who understood the importance of using the social Web as a new method of communicating and conducting business. But those conferences didn’t speak directly to the entrepreneurs. Jordan’s TechNow conference did. TechNow didn’t draw in the tech geeks, rather people striving to improve their businesses and industries. It felt very much like an event you would find in California, not Michigan.

It was obvious that Jordan and I were telling two sides of the same story, and we needed to bring everything together. As we were doing research to determine if this new conference idea had any legs, we found that blending the entrepreneurial-focused message with the new media educational message from Module created a huge outpouring of support. We put together a team that could make this conference come alive, and FutureMidwest was born.

We’ve been happy to see people from diverse industries in metro Detroit and beyond registering for FutureMidwest. Our audience won’t be comprised of only marketers and tech-savvy people, but also those who have a high-tech need for their business and industry.

What does the road ahead look like? Our goal is to create a melting pot of industries that all come together for this annual conference. We want FutureMidwest to change the way people think about growing their business, building relationships and communicating.

There’s a need for passionate thought leaders in our region who aren’t afraid to take a risk for the sake of business growth.

Originally posted on Time, April 16, 2010.

Applying the Right Kind of Lens

Just as professional photographers use special lenses for capturing subject matter properly, marketing and brand professionals need special lenses to uncover, analyze, and solve today’s branding challenges.

Agency talent cannot help but apply the lens of advertising to branding challenges – that is, interruptive and message-based creative strategies and tactics. With this lens attached to the camera, the output will always be predictable, common, and formulaic. Consumers have long figured this out. They desire a different landscape – one that they can help shape and control – a landscape created through authentic engagement. The brands that understand this reality are thriving and the others are struggling.

Instead, we should apply the lens of new media to branding. That is, interactivity and iteration. This lens, in combination with holistic experience planning, in place of the traditional media planning lens will open up new ways of seeing, finding and forging innovation in branding.

Let’s face it, in this multi-channel world we need to utilize multi-faceted lenses to breakthrough the clutter. Applying the lens of new media allows branders to gain true “user” insights (which leads to relevant differentiation) because the focus is centered on interaction: understanding pre-and-post purchase journeys, fringe behaviors, territories and barriers, resources and tools (both used and ignored), and influencing trends and social circles.

A wonderful example of this lens in application is Volkswagen’s 2010 GTI vehicle promotion. VW is putting consumers behind the wheel of a new iPhone application. According to BrandWeek, the free Real Racing GTI app lets users race against other cars and post their time on an online leader board. The company hopes to engage consumers by targeting social networking sites, allowing players to post their racing videos on YouTube and communicate with competitors on Twitter.

In the BrandWeek article, Charlie Taylor, general manager for Volkswagen’s digital marketing explains, “our audience is very wired, they are demanding and sophisticated technophiles and for them, media consumption is higher in digital than in broadcast.” Taylor pointed to market research as key in their decision to creating an iPhone app as a promotion. According to what VW found, half of the 20-25 million Apple iPhone and iPod Touch users are male, and a significant portion are part of the 30 to 40 something age of the company’s target audience.

Clearly, the new media lens and interaction focus was the catalyst to this innovative approach.

In support of zooming in with the new media lens, new research by Webtrends found 85% of consumers are positive about brands interacting with them online but 39% said there was too much advertising on social networks. According to the study, 19% of social media users said they would regard brands more highly if they interacted with them on a social media site and, of those who have already interacted with a brand in this way, 74% said their approval of the brand increased.

Sources:
1 - BrandWeek, Volkswagen’s Virtual GTI Launch by Sarah Knapp, Oct 23, 2009
2 – Webtrends Rules of Engagement Survey, Loudhouse UK, released Oct. 15, 2009

Why Your Website May Be Failing To Convert: A Worksheet

Businesses may create their websites for a variety of reasons. That said, it’s safe to say all should have one thing in mind: converting website traffic to increase their business. Conversion can mean sales, registrations or anything that contributes to business success. However, a site’s conversion rate is often an afterthought. Today you’re being challenged to take a peek beneath the cover of your website’s analytics and focus on this key aspect of your web presence.

First, answer the following questions about your business goals and write out your answers:

1. Identify your ideal target consumer:
   • List the words or phrases that are most important to the type of customer that will produce the highest dollar amount for you?
   • List the words or phrases that are most important to the type of customer that will be the easiest to convert?
2. What is the primary task that you would like this consumer to complete before leaving your website (register, purchase, subscribe, etc.)?
   • On what pages of your site is this task referenced
   • On what pages of your site is the task itself facilitated?
3. Describe and number steps that are required for the visitor to complete primary task on your site?

Next, take a look at your web traffic via Google Analytics and answer the following questions:

1. Where is the majority of your website traffic coming from?
   • Which websites are you receiving referring the most links from?
   • Which keywords are producing the most referring links?
2. Which pages produce your highest bounce rate?
   • If you have set goals in your Google Analytics account, which pages have the highest conversion rates?
3. Which pages on your website have the most views?
   • How much time are they spending on these pages?

Now, based on the above, answer the following questions, giving yourself 1 point for every “yes” answer:

1. Have you defined a primary task for visitors of the site?
2. Is your bounce rate highest on your home page?
3. Your bounce rate is NOT highest on any of the pages where the primary task of your customer is to be completed?
4. Does more than one page link to or directly reference the page(s) that facilitates your primary task (not including the global navigation)?
5. Your primary task does NOT require viewing more than one page or executing more than three steps?
6. Does the page (or pages) that facilitates your primary task have the highest conversion rate?
7. Is the page that facilitates your primary task third place or higher among the pages with the most number of views?
8. Are any of the pages that promote your primary task third place or higher in most amount of time spent per page?
9. Did your list of words or phrases match three or more of the top performing keywords from your Google Analytics report?
10. Are less than half of your top referring sites paid advertisers for your brand?

Now add up your score:
10 = Excellent. Your site is best configured to achieve your core business conversion goals. Keep monitoring it’s performance and be prepared to engage in a few periodic tweaks to maintain its effectiveness.

9 - 6 = Almost there. Your site is doing some things well, but there is definitely room for improvement. Put some thought into how your site is set up to engage your target customer and facilitate your primary task. Some professional advice would be helpful.

5 or less = There’s work to be done. Roll up your sleeves. Your site is missing a number of key elements to facilitate effective conversion. Consult a web professional to review your call-to-action, navigation and your core conversion goals.

A Few Things to Remember

Generally speaking, your bounce rate should be low — particularly on the pages where your visitor conversion takes place. While there are a number of valid exceptions to this (such as ads or links that reference other sites), in general, this would mean that when a user lands on a page within your site, instead of leaving your site after viewing that single page (a bounce), they complete the primary task (a conversion) and potentially view additional pages.

Look at the pages that receive the most views. How much content is on the page? How easy is it to find and interpret the important links? Content and navigation design combined equal the “user experience.” While your website may have much in the way of visual and textual information and functionality, it’s most likely an individual user will only focus on 20% of it. Therefore, it’s important to maximize the user experience and time spent on the site by focusing primarily on that which allows the user to consume information most critical to conversion. Essentially, make sure your conversion has a clear, easily accessed call-to-action.

While this is a simple analysis utilizing only data gleaned from a Google Analytics integration, perhaps it has yielded some interesting insights on your website’s effectiveness in addressing your business goals and market needs. Identifying such correlations are important to determine your site’s productivity and identify its strengths and weaknesses. A comprehensive assessment of your website’s performance is an integral part of your business’ digital strategy. Without a clear idea of where you are and where you need to go, it’s impossible to achieve any measurable results. If you are not currently measuring your site’s conversion, speak to your digital team and put those wheels into motion today.

Brand Camp University: Creates the Future

Detroit. Motown. Showtown. The Motor City. The city of Champions. The builder of the middle class. Whatever you call Detroit it has always been known for its spirit of creativity and innovation. Detroit was the silicon valley of its day during the boom of the automotive industry. As Detroit goes through its transition and re-structuring process we have a great opportunity to be apart of the re-birth of the city we love.

Historical Detroit Creativity

• Innovation: Thomas Edison (Light Bulb)
• Mass Production: Henry Ford (Automotive)
• Hockey’s Origin Six: Detroit Red Wings (11-Stanley Cups)
• Pop and Soul Music: Motown/Berry Gordy

New Digital Detroit Creativity

• Techno Music: Juan Atkins, Kevin Saunderson, Derrick May, and Eddie Fowlkes, (Belleville Four)
• Creative Cities Summit (2008)
• Brand Camp University – Personal Branding 2.0 Conference (founded in 2008)
• Module Midwest Digital Conference (founded in 2009)

The groundswell is starting to increase surrounding the Detroit social media community. The birth of the Module Digital Conference, Social Media Club Detroit, #Tweetea, and TedxDetroit and Brand Camp University confirms that there is a loyal and vibrant community of leaders who want to create the future digitally. Detroit will no longer just be your grandfathers old motor city.

Why Brand Camp?

One of the goals of the Brand Camp conference is to bring together experts in social media marketing, Web strategy, business, branding and communications to discuss how social media has revolutionized the way individuals and companies position their brands.

The conversation will be lead by thought leaders, a world-class athlete, and entrepreneurs: Mitch Joel, Rohit Bhargava, Scott Monty, April Holmes, Robert Fish (founder of Biggby Coffee) and Kenneth Brown on Saturday, October 10th at Lawrence Tech University.

For more information about Brand Camp University:
Blog: www.BrandCampU.com
Twitter: @BrandCampU
Hashtag: #brandcampu

Come to Brand Camp Saturday, October 10th and get inspired!

Sling-Shooting the Brand Experience In the Digital Domain

In today’s digital domain, there is a dizzying and ever-increasing array of channels to engage people through — Facebook, Twitter, Ad Sense, Youtube, et al. There are so many, in fact, that marketing professionals struggle to maintain consistent Brand messages and effectively reach their target audiences through the noise and variety of tactics.

However, to achieve the best results, we must take a step back and look at the big picture. Taken as a whole, the digital domain can be likened to a solar system.

Read the rest of this entry »

Buzz is a Four Letter Word

When you hear the word “buzz” what do you think of? A timer, alarm clock or oven? Perhaps an insect, any loud or annoying noise or all of the above?

There is a lot of discussion on the social web about the importance of building “buzz.” Some argue that having buzz is imperative to the success of your business or product. However, the question arises, why? What is it about buzz that is of vital importance to a product, company or organization?

The answer is nothing.

With the growth of the social web, there is a greater focus on creating new connections online and sustaining those engagements longer. However, in that regard, buzz-generating campaigns are not part of the equation. Buzz does not equate to longevity. In fact, having a strong product or service doesn’t guarantee a long life span either. The reality is that the web as a whole has a short attention span and the opportunity to engage meaningfully is razor thin. Too much flash and not enough substance can diminish one’s chances to garner attention and hold it.

Instead of focusing on merely generating “buzz,” switch gears and focus on building a community. One with a rewarded and active base of brand champions who will happily participate in spreading your message far and wide.

How do you do this?

Get out from behind the curtains and open the doors. Engage your audience (note that “engaging” does not mean pitching or selling) in a mutual discussion and allow them to contribute to the vocabulary of your message. Doing so will create a platform that your audience will want to participate in because they can have a personal stake.

If you think you have something to say wait a beat to see if your audience says it first. What they might share could increase your insight into their point of view and, in some cases, communicate the primary aspects of your brand messaging values better than you might. Make room for those valuable insights in your messaging by being more focused on listening than you are on talking.

Now you and your audience are in the position, together, to create a mutually meaningful engagement around your product or service. And as an added bonus, maybe you’ll generate a little buzz too.

Build better mobile experiences, not watered down websites

You reach for your mobile phone, but not to make a call. More than likely, you intend to do something else. Perhaps send a text message, an email or utilize a web application to perform some other special task. The latter is fairly new to all of us. The mobile web may be in its infancy but that doesn’t mean that we have to treat it like an infant.

Like all good platforms this one needs applications that are suited to its strengths and potential. Mobile devices are evolving at an accelerated pace, becoming as powerful as some of the computers from a few years ago. When you reach into your pocket you aren’t retrieving a mere telephone anymore. Modern day mobile devices are location-aware, Internet-connected, portable communications platforms.

Many developers utilize one of two core mobile capabilities: communication and web browsing. It’s the latter, web applications, that are of particular interest. Most of the mobile devices on the market today have built-in browsers and vary in their ability to accurately render the web (with smart phones currently occupying the higher-end end of that spectrum). Because, more and more, people are interacting with the Internet via mobile browsers, there is a growing need for web applications that are specifically designed with this platform in mind.

Some things that should be considered when building a better web application for a mobile device.

1. Users don’t deserve to have a watered down version of a website. They deserve something that will get them to your information or perform actions while they are on the go.
2. Your mobile site should not be an afterthought, it should be a part of your digital strategy
3. Consider how users will interface with your site. Keep in mind that they may undoubtedly have a small keyboard and will be multitasking.
4. Test, test, and test again. Before you release it, test it vigorously. Make sure that it works on as many devices as possible and that you are providing a positive experience.
5. It’s a web application so consider its purpose in the mobile space. If they are bored let them play “Bejeweled” on their device, not with your app. Give them a tool that they can use to accomplish something useful.
6. You have to think about the context and method of Interaction to create the best and most effective mobile experience.

If you consider all of these things when building your mobile web applications you’ll be ahead of the pack. We are living the future right now. Our phones are doing things that we could have only dreamed of a few years back. This isn’t the Zack Morris phone, these are some of the most powerful communications devices available and they will only get better. To ensure the longevity of our applications, we need to continually improve the interactive experience on the mobile platform.

Corporations: Adjusting to a Transitioning Hiring Pool

Detroit is confronting a significant restructuring in its core business — the manufacturing industry. This fundamental transformation means the industry will be smaller, more cost-conscious and require a different skill set

As Detroit continues to diversify its “business model”, significant changes will occur, not only for employees, but for companies as well. A couple of weeks ago, I commented on the things employees should focus on during their personal transition period. This writing briefly summarizes what might be beneficial to corporations.

During this unprecedented restructuring period, companies will eventually begin to rehire — at what point, only time will tell. While many companies are restructuring and — in quite a few cases — downsizing, the need for top-notch talent will not change. In fact, it becomes acutely important as the regional mindset shifts to a more globally-aware, knowledge-based economy. This transition means organizations will be faced with building a new-style workforce in the wake of sweeping regional changes and the inevitable resource crunch that will occur.

To this end, it is important that organizations:

1. Clearly understand the rapidly evolving business model and assess their talent pool based on these ever-changing needs,
2. Develop a “gap” analysis based on the direction of the organization,
3. Understand the type of talent required on a go-forward basis,
4. Retain those employees who will fill certain gaps,
5. Attract talent consistent with future direction,
6. If necessary, identify an executive search firm who can assist in attracting top-notch talent consistent with the future direction of the organization.

During this restructuring process, it is essential to communicate with employees. The worse thing is not to say anything. This only perpetuates fear, increases anxiety and reduces morale and productivity and right now, it’s critical the lines of communication remain open.

Adapting to Detroit’s Transforming Job Market

As we know, Detroit is confronting a significant restructuring in its core business—the manufacturing industry. This fundamental transformation means the industry will be smaller, more cost efficient and require a different skill set.

As Detroit continues to diversify its “business model”, significant changes will occur, including, but not limited to:

• Job eliminations,
• Different skill sets,
• A shifting from a manufacturing mindset to a new economy, knowledge-based philosophy, and
• A high degree of employee anxiety and uncertainty without knowing what the future holds.

What You Should Do

This transformation has accelerated recently and has resulted in lives being shaken up, careers being turned upside down and people’s comfort zones being pushed aside. To this end, the question is this…how do (ex) employees deal with these changes and what should they do?

1. Stay active: Don’t sit around the house feeling sorry for yourself, but maintain a schedule that includes keeping busy—whether exercising, to reading, to reconnecting with friends—but do not get in the habit of watching TV or staying in front of your PC all day, everyday.
2. Network: Throughout the course of our careers, we have met a lot of people—whether, co-workers, vendors, suppliers, friends, social contacts, et. al. Now is the time to begin to reconnect. You can do this by scheduling lunches, having weekly conversations, meeting in social gatherings or simply picking up the phone to say hello. You will be surprised at how many people are in the same situation as you are. Another tool for networking purposes is the internet. There are professional and personal websites where people have the ability to reconnect with those we may have lost contact.
3. Assess yourself: Think of yourself as a brand. Ask yourself the following questions:
   1. Who am I and what makes me unique?
   2. What are my strengths and weaknesses?
   3. What is my unique selling proposition or point of difference? In other words, what distinguishes me from the “competition”?
   4. What value do I bring? Unique skill sets?
   5. Why would anyone want to do business with me?
   6. Are the skills I have relevant in an ever-changing, global marketplace? If not, how will I address this “gap”
   7. Etc etc etc
4. Market yourself: How would you market yourself? Develop a personal marketing plan including a mission statement, career objectives, potential target audiences/prospective clients; overall strategies and tactical plans enabling you to promote yourself to your desired audiences.
5. Challenge yourself: Is the skillset I have relevant in a changing marketing or is there a “gap”? If so, what will I do to address this gap? Retrain? Back to school? Etc…
6. Be honest: This is an opportunity to “remake” yourself. Was I really happy doing what I was doing or was I “comfortable”. Are there other things I’m passionate about and if so, should I pursue those opportunities. Try not to go back into the comfort zone, but think about this as an opportunity to redefine yourself and your career. While there might be fear, this will rejuvenate you and present you with new and exciting challenges. In other words, open your mind and don’t be afraid of new challenges.

Forget About The “Leadership Secrets of Attila The Hun”!

If you’re like most small business professionals, you’ve got a stack of business books sitting somewhere near your desk — many of the classics that every smart business manager supposedly needs to read. However, some of these “classics” didn’t became popular because they were particularly insightful but because they reinforced conventional business wisdom of the time.

Many small business books perpetuate the use of harmful myths and, unfortunately, some of these myths have become strongly ingrained in the business lexicon. These myths are harmful because they misapply “established knowledge” and result in many professionals practicing unprofitable business tactics.

In this article I’m not talking about truisms that fail in specific cases but, rather, business phrases that are often false, even though they may seem true on the surface.

For example:

1. A good salesperson can sell anything

Actually, no. A good salesperson in the wrong market or unfamiliar with the needs of their customers can not sell anything. Each industry and regional market is different, and you’re only as good as your knowledge of the prospects’ needs.

2. The customer is always right

This cliché dates back roughly 100 years. Most people call it the “Field Rule”, named after the Marshall Field’s chain, where it was famously put into practice. The Field Rule came from the French phrase “Le client n’a jamais tort” (”The customer is never wrong”) back in 1908. Whoever is responsible, should be smacked in “le bouche.” This is a perfect example of marketing fiction being perceived as fact. In reality, to say that “the customer is always right” implies that the salesperson is always wrong and, thus, does not engender the customer’s trust or respect.

3. Anything 80 percent complete is “good enough”

This myth is just plain crazy and confusing. Does your employer (or client, if you’re self-employed) compensate you 100% for 80% of your effort? No, they require 100% effort for 100% compensation. Anything worth doing is worth doing right — and completely. If we’re talking about launching a product, the same rule applies. It should be no surprise that releasing an “80% functional” (read: incomplete or unstable) product into the market can cost your company its reputation and you a lot of time and money.

Get Real

These few examples of “off-the-shelf” knowledge demonstrate that just because it’s in black-and-white does not necessarily mean it’s true — or relevant.

It’s a sad reality that such business myths are still being perpetuated by modern day professionals — many of whom should know better. Just recently, two of my Conversationalist colleagues overheard an experienced sales exec recite cliché #2 in a client meeting. This just means that it’s even more important for the rest of us to validate the business advice we are given before adding it to our professional repertoire and putting it into practice. Skip the unsubstantiated clichés and the unproven, of-the-moment thinking and the business world will be a better place.