Of course living here in Indianapolis, Indiana it’s impossible to really see first-hand what is going on in other parts of the world.  You have to rely on outside sources to keep you updated.  But still I get the feeling that people and businesses are finally starting to get it.  I can definitely say that I have seen a huge shift in my connections toward people becoming less resistant.  More are really starting to embrace this powerful tool we call social media.

I see people posting a new Facebook status every day that I never thought would be wanting to share updates with the rest of the world.  Why?  Because these are the same people that I was working with a year ago that ran for the hills when anyone mentioned Facebook.  I, of course, did my best to explain the value but for a lot of people it’s really just a matter of time.  Now they are making new connections every day and many share with me their surprise that it’s actually beneficial.

I see businesses every single day joining Twitter to find out what their customers are really saying and keep up with the latest news.  Some are even running contests to grow their following and expand their network.  They realize that this will later benefit them when those people are making purchasing decisions.

I see people creating events and promoting them through social media.  They realize that it’s one of the best tools to increase awareness and attendance.  Most seem to even realize that the people they meet at these events will eventually be their best friends and business partners.

Being in the Internet marketing/social media industry, I understand that not everyone will understand the full potential and that everyone will use it differently.  I also realize that my small sampling of people is not reflective of “everyone.”  Nonetheless I am still seeing a significant trend.  The points above were not made to show great case studies, but  to illustrate that people of all backgrounds are finally starting to come around.  Posting a status on Facebook definitely does not mean you are gaining any type of value from your post, but it does show that plenty of people are finally there and more are becoming active users.

If you read blogs from anyone discussing social media, you will no doubt find posts all about convincing people who resist social media that it’s here to stay.  You will see things like, “your business needs to change now, otherwise you won’t be in business much longer.”  So let me ask you this – are people finally starting to catch on?

It’s the easiest excuse in the book.  It’s also the most popular excuse.  It all has to do with attitude and the way you look at social media.  If you look at it as just another thing to do and think about everything else you have to do in your already busy life, then you probably don’t have time.  But if you look at it as way to manage your online reputation while generating more leads and more business for your company, then it’s a little easier to find time.  Break down your daily schedule instead of being overwhelmed by thinking about everything at once – then you will find that you really do have time.

As I am talking with other people that are considering a social media strategy, it helps to have some local examples in the Indianapolis, Indiana area of business owners using social media effectively.  One of my favorite case studies of a very busy business owner that still finds time for social media is Scott Wise at Scotty’s Brewhouse.  He is all over social media and is connecting with his customers in a very special way.  The bottom line is that his hard work is paying off.  Every Scotty’s location in the Indianapolis area that I have been to over the past year (and believe me I frequent all locations regularly) is always PACKED.  It doesn’t matter if it’s lunch or dinner…day or evening.  And I know that a large portion of this success is due to Scotty’s use of social media.  I know this because I have heard him say it and seen him write it…and he wouldn’t continue to invest the time in it if it didn’t work.

Next time someone tells you they don’t have time for social media have them check out Scotty’s online efforts.  Then have them read the below quote that Scotty shared as part of the description for his upcoming Blog Indiana session on “10 Twitter Tips and Tricks.”

“I don’t have time.” “There is no value for my company.” “It is just a stream of garble and garbage.” I have 600 employees, 7 restaurants, twin 1 years olds and a 3 year old. No excuses. If I can make it work, you can too. I will show you how… with value to you and/or your company.

I also encourage everyone to check out Blog Indiana coming up in August and be sure to stop by Scotty’s presentation.  I know it’s going to be great!

I first saw this commercial last night from a link on MSN.  At that time, it had just over 300 views.  The YouTube video now has over 1,290,000 views.  Needless to say plenty of people are talking about this commercial and it’s creating some controversy for using Earl’s voice as many rumors indicate he was unfaithful to Tiger’s mom.  Say what you want about this commercial, but it definitely does 3 things:

• Grabs Your Attention – It’s very quite and all you hear is Earl Woods talking and only see a close up of Tiger (of course wearing Nike).  It’s also black and white which makes it stand out even more.
• Promotes Discussion – As I mentioned above people are talking about Nike’s choice to use Tiger’s father and if Earl would approve.
• Shows Nike Will Stand By It’s Superstar – Nike is one of the few sponsors that hasn’t abandoned Tiger.  And this commercial reiterates they do not plan to do so anytime soon.

Enough writing about the commercial – check out the video below for yourself.  What is your opinion on this decision from Nike and Tiger?

I had narrowed down the dealerships at which I was going to look to two. One dealership has been around forever and I have done business there before – we’ll call this dealership #1. The other dealership is at a new location and I felt comfortable doing business there as I have built a relationship with the General Manager through a networking group – we’ll call this dealership #2.

I walked in dealership #1 and stood there for about 5 minutes before I was helped. I was directed to the representative that I have been working with for years. He was moderately helpful and said he would look for some cars then get back with me the next day. Days went by and still no call with updates. Needless to say I was very disappointed with the follow-up.

Dealership #2 was totally different from the beginning. When I arrived to dealership #2, I was promptly greeted at the door and the employee even held the door open for me to enter – talk about a first impression! Come to think of it, I have NEVER had to open a door at this dealership myself. The representative was very attentive to my needs . He asked what type of car I was interested in purchasing and key features I was seeking. He called me back that same day to follow-up.

Throughout the sales process I never heard back from dealership #1 and dealership #2 continued to go above and beyond. While I am sure they both have very equal products, my purchasing decision came down to the experience created by each dealership. Needless to say, dealership #2 won my business.

Now, let’s stop and think about the new iPad released by Apple last Saturday. This is a great product, but how much of the frenzy it has created is based upon the Apple Experience?  The ads, the new product announcement, the countdown to release, waiting in line at the Apple store to pick up your iPad, the “coolness” factor of being able to say you were one of the first to get your iPad.  It’s all of these things that really take sales to the next level.  And it is because of the experience that iPad sales are now over 500,000 in less than a week. 

The buying experience is not just a factor for cars and Apple iPads, it is a HUGE factor in nearly every purchasing decision we make.  Just think about it…. When will those “other” companies finally get it?

Do you remember that NFL team EVERYONE seemed to be talking about.  Why did their coach throw the perfect season away?  Is Peyton Manning the best quarterback ever?  Yes, January 24th was the date the Indianapolis Colts won the AFC Championship and seemed like they were going to be a sure winner in the Super Bowl.  But we all know how that turned out.  My how quickly we forget!

It’s okay.  Right now Indianapolis is focused on the Final Four & cheering on the Butler Bulldogs.  I wonder how long it will take us to forget all about Butler should they lose?

Timing is so important; especially in Email Marketing.  And on January 24th at 6:16 PM Dick’s Sporting Goods got their timing right.  Like many others I was watching the Indianapolis Colts as they claimed the AFC Championship.  And like many others I had my computer and mobile device within an arm’s reach that evening.  Instantly I received the email below from Dick’s Sporting Goods will all of the AFC Champs apparel for the Indianapolis Colts.  Not only was their message highly targeted – it was also PERFECTLY timed!  Now I could instantly order the items the players were wearing on the field.

Check out the screen shot below and think about how you can plan ahead for your next email marketing campaign to be timed perfectly.

I am continually amazed at the ease of passing referrals using social media.  Recently a co-worker of mine was looking for a realtor in the Washington Township area in Indianapolis.  She is looking into purchasing a new home and needed a starting point.  I offered to post this request on Facebook to see if my network of friends could help.  It took just seconds to post my request online for all of my friends to see in my status update.  Within 30-40 minutes I had a list over 10 realtors to give to my friend!  But these weren’t just any realtors.  These were all realtors that came highly recommended.  And they were not just highly recommended by anyone, they were highly recommended by my friends and people I know.  I was able to confidently pass along these names knowing that my friend will have a solid list of realtors from which to pick.

These requests are taking place every single day on social media networks.  Keep your eyes open and take advantage of the opportunities!

1. All of the Basics – Eventbrite allows you to set up all of the basic information needed for somone interested in attending your event within just a few minutes.  Time, location, cost, map with directions and contact information are all set up in a nice template.  Eventbrite also allows you to set up the event page to seem as an extension of your website by including the sames colors, layout and logo.  Best of all, anyone visiting your event page can share the link to your even on all of the social networks with just one click – talk about an easy way to spread the word!
2. Keeping Things Organized – Eventbrite takes care of organizing all information that your attendees provide.  All information can easily be exported to an excel spreadsheet to keep track of whom is attending, the company they represent and all contact information.  Attendees also receive a ticket via email automatically to use when coming to the event – a great way to make sure you get all money if your event is paid.
3. Eventbrite Follow Up is Incredible – Eventbrite will automatically send you emails as the big day approaches making sure you are staying on top of all the little things that will make your day a success.  Printing name badges for your attendees is just a few clicks away.  You can even set up automatic email reminders through Eventbrite that will keep all of the basic information fresh in your attendees’ mailbox.

Facebook Home Page has a New Look
So there is now a News Feed and a Live Feed on the home page?  Just like with most Facebook updates, the responses to the change have been mixed.  What does it all mean?  Why did Facebook make the change?  Click the link above to find out.  Just like with the last changes Facebook made – in the long run it is going to make Facebook even better and more organized!

2009 Masters of Business Online  Summary from Douglas Karr
If you are involved in the Indianapolis, Indiana social media scene, you were likely exposed to all of the buzz that came along with the Masters of Business Online.  Landing pages, online video, search engine optimization, pay per click advertising and social media – these were just some of the topics covered at this great event.  Get an inside look at what took place during the event from Douglas Karr by clicking on the link above.

Thank Goodness It’s Monday
One of my favorite people to follow online is Scott Stratten, President of Un-Marketing.com.  On Friday I was checking out his new initiative, Thank Goodness It’s Monday and I just had to share.  It’s a great concept: stop letting the day of the week determine your attitude.  Embrace each day and make the most of it.  Scott is forming a group of people he calls the” 1%” that refuse to fall into the “TGIF” mentality.  Click the link above to check out his video on why he’s doing this.  If you like what he has to say, enter your email address to get signed up.  He will follow-up immediately, as always, with an email welcoming you to the “1%.”

I first ran across a Firefox plugin called Blank Canvas.  The plugin allowed for custom HTML signatures in Gmail.  Just what I was wanting!  Right?  Wrong.  Like many other HTML editors it was not user friendly.  My signature did not display as I wanted and it was just a pain to use.  There had to be something that was user friendly that could generate a stunning signature.

Ironically enough at that very time, I also had my Google Reader open and ran across a Hubspot Blog post about simple branding opportunities that cannot be overlooked.  Sure enough, in the first paragraph was a link to another Firefox plugin for email signatures called WiseStamp.  WiseStamp allows you to create very professional and creative email signatures for Gmail, AOL Mail, Yahoo! Mail, and Hotmail.  Best of all it’s simple to use!  It takes about 2 minutes to get your signature setup and there are even several email signature templates set up to choose from.  Adding your social networking links is a breeze!  Just enter the URL and the icons are taken care of automatically.  This email signature tool even allows you to share your latest blog post via a link in your email signature automatically.

I would recommend taking a few minutes to set up an email signature via WiseStamp right now if you are using Gmail, AOL mail, Yahoo! Mail or Hotmail.  Take advantage of this simple, but often overlooked branding opportunity.

Check out the video below for a quick overview:

Drew Olanoff was diagnosed with cancer on May 20th, 2009.  Instead of giving up like many would, he has turned to social media to help increase awareness in an attempt to raise money for Livestrong.  The basic idea is that when something goes wrong just pause for a moment and take that energy to write a tweet using the hashtag #BlameDrewsCancer.  The idea is to have sponsors that will donate $1 for every participant.

To top things off, Drew has taken his effort to the next level announcing that he will be auctioning off his Twitter user name, @drew ,and donating the money to the Livestrong cause.  Who would be interesting in paying money for a Twitter username?  Drew Carey has indicated that he will pay as much as $100,000.00 for the name.

A great case study for using Twitter if you ask me.