Posts Tagged ‘lessons learned’

October10

They’re not influencers, they’re broadcasters

By: Spike Jones

Influence, influence, influence. We’re all talking about it – even if it’s only to complain about everyone talking about it (guilty). We’re trying to measure it. Quantify it. Identify it. Use it. Abuse it. Claim it. And the list goes on and on…

Of course, I’ve weighed in with my fair share of thoughts about how we’re making steps towards some sort of standard, but from the looks of things right now, we’re a long way off.

But I digress.

The point of this post is that I really don’t think that we should label those social media kids that brands try to get in front of as influencers. We should call them what they are: broadcasters.

If you haven’t read this gem of a post written by Zack Bussey that goes inside the mind of a typical “social media influencer” entitled “Social Media Influencers Suck,” you need to.

We feel we deserve it because of what we do after receiving it – we blog, tweet and share it on Facebook. Our blog readers read it, our thousands of followers on Twitter see it and our close friends on Facebook listen to what we say. Simply stated, we give you access to the people we know, and we’re giving it to you rather cheaply.

Read the whole thing. Seriously.

But when you read all the articles about what influence is and isn’t, when you dig into Klout and Kred and all the things written about them, when you get right down to it: these people are broadcasters. And that means that we’re back in a typical media placement cycle. Okay, maybe not typical, but you get the idea. There is an audience. There is a brand who wants access to the audience. A transaction takes place – sometimes paid, sometimes an experience, sometimes “gifted.” And then the brand is placed in front of audience for a limited amount of time.

Being on the PR/Branding/Marketing Communications side of the fence, I watch in awe at how a handful of these bloggers/influencers behave. And I’m fascinate at how these people – who claim to be marketing professionals – react and attack brands. Even at times holding them hostage. And they would never advise a client to act that way online. Yes, there are times when being outraged is warranted (like when they’re deliberately deceived) but other times, come on. They’re even attacking the very companies that have helped them get where they are. And on a side note, do they think that more brands will want to hire them because of this behavior? Do you think that more brands will even approach them in the future? Not likely.

I believe that they days of the social media influencer – as we know them – are numbered. A time is quickly approaching when brands will realize that there are other – more effective – ways to reach their audience and that in fact social media influencers are gatekeepers with no gates at all. They will be obsolete. And the playing field will be level.

Posted in: brands, Featured, lessons learned, rants10 comments

December31

The obligatory year end post

By: Spike Jones

Ah, the year end post. Predictions. Retrospectives. Blabbity-blah-blah. Yes, I learned a lot this year. I made mistakes this year. But I also grew this year. This year ended a decade at a company that I loved and introduced me to a new company that I’m falling in love with. This year I found Austin. And a new bride. (Swoon.) Okay, okay, I’ll stick to the business stuff.

I think being ingrained in a boutique specialty company for a decade and then joining a international firm has been, well, eye-opening, to say the least. I used to despise the big agencies, thinking that they were stuck in the stone age and moved about as fast as the Titanic. I thought they were evil and filled with mediocre people cranking out mediocre work.

But I was wrong.

What I learned this year is that there are some companies and some projects that are better suited for small agencies. But I also learned that there are some things that a big agency can do that a small one just isn’t equipped for. (And that also goes the other way.) Yes, the atmosphere is different in each. But that doesn’t mean that big agencies can’t have a soul. It doesn’t mean that housing more specialties under one roof dilutes creative thinking. And, in fact, it is quite powerful as disciplines are able to learn from one another and feed off one another. Complacency equals certain failure in all of the agency worlds, but especially in the big agency realm, because we have to fight the preconceived notion that we are big and therefore we are slow.

The big agency world is changing – rapidly. And I’m honored to be a part of a team that is focused, professional, smart as Hell and yes – even likes to have fun.

This is my number one business takeaway for the year: Your company is what you make it – no matter how big it is or how small it is, you can ignite change within it. Help shape culture. Rally teammates. Learn from the giant brains around you in a hugely humbling way. (Seriously, these interns scare the crap outta me with their amazing ideas.) Small is the new big and big is the new small. And no matter what, one size does not fit all.

So go on with your social media predictions. I really could care less. As brother Covey said, “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” And the main thing for me is people. Not technology. Building great companies starts with the people – not only the people that you work with as an agency, but the people whose lives you get to touch outside of it, whether its client employee or client customer. It starts with people.

And that’s all I have to say about that.

Posted in: lessons learned, rants, slice of life2 comments

March19

18 weeks, 293 miles and 3 lessons

By: Spike Jones

That’s how long and how many miles it takes to train for a half-marathon. Now, I’m a runner and I wish I could say that I’m talking about me and my training, but it’s not me. Instead, I watched my significant other knock it out. Bit by bit. And all that hard work culminates in a race this Sunday in Virginia Beach. And in watching her, I’ve learned many things…of course, which I can apply to word of mouth and social media marketing efforts.

1) Work the plan. You can’t just wake up and decide to run one of these things. Okay, you can. But you probably won’t finish the race and if you do, it’ll cause you a lot of damage afterward. I watched Kathie work her plan. She had a chart that told her what to do each week – mileage, time, cross-train, even days to do nothing but rest. She had a plan and she stayed true to it.

So many times we see ill-conceived word of mouth and social media programs that are launched with very little planning and thought. Know your plan. Work your plan. And then you’ll be ready on race day.

2) Pace yourself. When you train for a long distance race, you learn a lot about yourself. You learn how to breathe when your heart rate increases, you find the right gait of your stride. And you learn about your pace. Because you might be able to run seven-minute miles in a 5K, but unless you run for a living, that pace will probably kill you when you run 13 or 26 miles.

For the WOM and SM application of this lesson, it’s about sustainability. When you set and keep a solid rhythm for your efforts, you’re lending it to the ability to go the distance. But you have to stay true to yourself. To your brand. To who you are and what you stand for. Remember, slow and steady wins the race.

3) Set your goal and take steps towards it. The finish line of a race is an extremely clear goal. And when you see those last few mile markers, you know you’re getting close. That clearly defined goal materializes. And you know what it’s going to take to get you there.

If you have no goals in your WOM/SM program, then you might as not have a strategy, either. Tactics won’t even matter. The answer to “What are w trying to accomplish?” needs to be that guiding light. Or, to put it another way, “What are we going to be celebrating at the end of this thing?”

So run. But first get a training schedule. Learn learn how to run. And know what you’re running towards. Then you’re ready for that journey and all the accomplishments that come with it. Good luck!

The alternate title for this post could be, “Prior planning prevents poor performance.”

Posted in: lessons learned, marketing, word of mouth1 comments

February22

A farewell to Brains on Fire

By: Spike Jones

Good times. Good times.

As Robbin alluded to in her post not too long ago, after a full decade at that beloved place called Brains on Fire, I’m moving on and opening the door to new possibilities. And NO, I’m not going to become a consultant, dammit.

My years at the company have been among the best of my life and it’s never easy to leave family. Together we have made Brains on Fire a force to be reckoned with in both the identity development and word of mouth marketing industries. People would often ask us who our competition is, and we really have no response. Because Brains on Fire is unique in and of itself. We are our own competition. And through Robbin’s guidance, it has what made us who we are and what we stand for. Because of that, at the very heart of all of our work is people. Connecting with people. That is our guiding light. That is our mission. And that is our calling.

I will miss Brains on Fire. A place that, when I woke up each and every morning, I couldn’t wait to get to to see what the day had in store and work shoulder-to-shoulder in the trenches with the people I love. Really love. But as I say farewell, I’d like to leave you with some things that I’ve learned in my time here:

1. It takes all kinds.
One of the things I love about Brains on Fire is the eclectic mix of people. Robbin has a knack for finding talent where others would never look. That’s why we’ve had PhDs of neuroscience and professional actors lead our insight. That’s why we’ve tapped into musicians, toy collectors, chefs, carpenters, CPAs and so many others and asked them to be a part of the clan. They are not brainwashed from the marketing speak and brain dead from the typical agency life. They look at things in a completely different way. And it’s always refreshing. 

Within the doors of Brains on Fire we have liberals and conservatives. Christians and atheists. USC fans and Clemson fans (and fans of neither of them). The list goes on and on. Because when you homogenize a company culture, you homogenize a way of thinking. And nothing new ever comes out of that.

2. When you travel, go with the flow.
I know we all complain about airlines and hotels and blah, blah, blah. But you know what? Especially traveling with Geno for so long, I’ve learned to laugh about it and go with the flow. Traveling is a privilege. To be able to see so many different places, visit so many different companies and meet some amazing people who are passionate about their causes – it’s a gift.

3. If you’re not laughing your ass off at work at least once a day, you’re doing something wrong.
Seriously. You’re there 40+ a week, people. As the Tequila Shots book says, “If we’re not having fun, we must be doing it wrong.” Laughing is a daily – if not hourly – occurrence at Brains on Fire. It is woven into the lifeblood of that place.

4. Speak your mind.
Especially on Twitter, I see hoards of sheep. They just blindly agree with the guy or gal who has the most followers no matter what. But you know what? If you’re not challenging the flow and expressing your own opinions, then really what contribution are you making? Don’t be bullied. Don’t get caught up in the political marketing BS in social media. Who do you really respect that ISN’T challenging the way you think?

Brains on Fire is a company of thinkers who DO. But everyone has their own ideas and works in an environment where they can speak their mind. Debate. Disagree. That is rare. So if you find a place like that, cling to it.

5. “Not invented here” is a death march.
It runs rampant in the agency world. And there are some that still hold on to it whether they realize it or not. The sooner that you let go of the concept that your idea will always be the best, the better off you’ll be.

6. Jobs titles are limiting.
I love that we choose our own job titles at Brains on Fire. And because of that, you aren’t confined to a box. Robbin has a created a place that allows every employee an opportunity to evolve and play to their strengths. I started there 10 years ago as a copywriter. Geno started as a graphic designer. Eric Dodds was an intern and now wrangles the Mi11 Community for Best Buy. If I was never allowed out of the copywriter box, I’d have never had the opportunity to play a part in insight and strategy. I’d never had an opportunity to stretch my legs in business development. All because of a job title.

7. Never apologize for who you are.
From heading up biz dev, I quickly learned that Brains on Fire is not for everybody. And that’s a great thing. The person who answers the main line does it unconventionally. And sometimes I’d get calls transferred to me where the caller asks me, “Why would you answer the phone like that?” That’s a pretty good sign that they weren’t going to be a good fit. It’s not that everyone has to answer the phone at their company with, “It’s your nickel, start talking,” or “Rocking your face off since 1998,” they just need to be true to themselves. It helps weed out those NON-kindred spirits along the way.

8. Stick with what you believe.
We could have given up on the whole concept of igniting movements a long time ago. Because honestly, we were the only ones using that term and explaining what it mean when it came to marketing. It was a hard sell 5 years ago. It was hard to get people to wrap their heads around it. But now, everyone is talking about movements, from Strawberry Frog to the guys down the street. We see that language popping up everywhere and references being made to our work. Because we have stuck with what we know is right. And it’s paying off (you’ll see how much coming in August). But we’ve also learned there is a HUGE difference between talking about something and actually knowing how it works because you’ve done it. That’s one of the things I love about Brains on Fire. We don’t spend all day on Twitter talking about what companies should be doing and armchair quaterbacking Fortune 500 marketing. We actually get out there and get our hands dirty. It’s the only way we know how to do it. So sure, take in the blowhards out there telling everybody else what they are doing wrong – but take it with a grain of salt. Because NOTHING will replace experience. No amount of talking in the world.

9. Everybody wants to be a part of something bigger than themselves.
And when you do find that thing, you will pour your heart and soul into it. You will bleed for it. You will fight for it. You will lay down in front of a bus for it. So when you find that one thing, cling to it and never let it go. Brains on Fire allowed me and others to find that thing. And we are all better off for it.

10. I am not Brains on Fire.
I’ve had such a great opportunity to be one of the main faces and main voices at this place called Brains on Fire. But I am not Brains on Fire. Neither is Geno or Robbin or Dodds or anyone else. Brains on Fire is a collective. It’s all of us who believe. It’s the people who comment on the blog and the clients that we work with. It’s their customers. It’s everyone who sends us a resume or a love note. It’s people who inquire about our services. Brains on Fire is so much bigger than one person.

So as I say farewell, know that Brains on Fire is not only in a great place, but as much as I hate to admit it, it will continue to grow stronger without me. As Robbin mentioned, you will see new faces and hear new voices on their blog and out speaking. Be sure to introduce yourselves, will ya?

Brains on Fire, she’s been a good boat. And I will always value the time I spent under the black flag that flies over her.

Onward.

Posted in: slice of life16 comments

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