Brent's Social CRM Blog

Socrates, Galileo, Voltaire, The Three Stooges, and Other Giants in Social Media History

I can't believe I went a whole week without blogging here. But I did push out my latest post over at Inc.com on Twittering your way to better business relationships. And I did roll out a few TFBS shows featuring Generation Blend author Rob Salkowitz, StartupNation co-founder Rich Sloan and Jigsaw CEO Jim Fowler. So is that enough excuses for you? Yeah I didn't think so...

Anyways it's another weekend, so we'll return the the crm stuff shortly - and this time I mean it! But in the meantime, being a huge history buff, I started thinking about folks in history whom I would have liked to have read their blog, listen to their podcast, or check out their YouTube video. When you think about it, how much easier would it have been if Paul Revere was on Twitter and could have just tweeted out "The British Are Coming!". How much faster would the news have gotten out than by him riding horseback? Better yet what if William Dawes, the other guy warning folks, had been on Twitter. He could have left the midnight ride to Paul and he could be the guy getting all the credit, instead of being relegated to historical obscurity. Well, at least he has Wikipedia keeping his name out there.

There are way to many folks who throughout history I would definitely subscribed to their feeds, but here are a few that represent the many:

• Khufu - The Egyptian Pharaoh supposedly responsible for building the Great Pyramid at Giza. Man some YouTube videos showing how they built that thing would be great, mainly so I don't have to hear about how aliens from outer-space came down on a weekend and did this. This goes for Stonehenge to now that I think about it.
• Queen Hapshetsut - the only female to rule Egypt as a male Pharaoh - 3,500 years ago! Rulers following her tried to wipe images of her existence out completely, but they couldn't do it. Could you imagine the blog posts she could put out there. Plus she could have included a picture of the Sphinx with the nose in tact so we could see what it looked like.
• Moses - Now I hear he wasn't that great a public speaker so we'll fore-go the podcast and videos, but he could have set up a Facebook page for the Ten Commandments
• Socrates - This is one guy you'd definitely need to podcast, since he didn't write anything. I'd go with a videocast as it would be cool to see him in action debating folks in a twebinar or something. I'd send in a "don't drink the hemlock" tweet though.
• Aristotle - Forget about all the books he wrote. Quite honestly I'm not so sure he wrote all that himself. What I'm interested in is the daily lessons with Alexander the Great. Now sign me up for those tweets - Went over World Domination 101 today with @AtheG. He really seemed to enjoy this a little too much... I wonder what @plato would have done with this kid.
• Apostle Paul - If ever someone could have taken advantage of social networking, Paul was the guy - that and air transportation. You know how many countries he visited? Man he definitely could used Facebook and MySpace to reach the masses.
• St. Augustine - After reading The Confession, you know his blog would have been a must read
• Machiavelli - Just imagine a podcast series from this guy.
• Michelangelo, Leonardo, Donatello, Botticelli, etc. - One word, FlickR
• Nostradamus - Oh now you know there will be some great conversations going on in the comment section of his blog. And just imagine getting a tweet from this guy.
• Galileo - Yeah the telescope is cool, and using math and science to prove Copernicus was right is big, but this guy went up against a pope...for a while. what was that like? His tweets would not have been for all to see.
• Voltaire - This guy had a wicked sense of humor. Sign me up for the blog and the podcast.
• Mozart - He'd have an unbelievable playlist on imeem - just made up of his stuff
• Napoleon - Do I even have to say why? I didn't think so.
• David Walker - A name not familiar to most, but after reading The Appeal I'd love to actually hear this guy, along with Frederick Douglas, Harriet Tubman, Martin Delaney, etc.
• Orson Welles - I know he wrote, produced, directed and acted in movies, but I think we only got to see one of his movies the way he intended it to be - Citizen Kane. After that the movie execs would never let him do things completely his way. With the cheap technology and distribution channels available now I think he would have had a field day. Him and Oscar Micheaux.
• The Stooges - Hey I need to laugh, and everybody I know with a Y chromosome diggs the Stooges. Just think how cool it would have been if they had a Ustream channel where we could text-in ways Moe could mutilate Larry and Curly. And to actually get a text message response Shemp explaining what it felt like to get slapped by Moe. Man I'd pay to see them practice that stuff, and to see outtakes of the carnage they put on each other.

Just think of how history would have been shaped if these kinds of folks had access to what we have now. It kind of makes you think what people in the future are going to think of us?

Technorati : history, social media, what if
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Chris Brogan, Twebinars and Social CRM - A Few Good Minutes

I just posted my latest TFBS show featuring a conversation with Chris Brogan, or as I like to call him - The Godfather of Social Media. Chirs is also the man who introduced me to the rap skills of Tom Green.... and yes I still wanted him to be on the show.

We had a great conversation (and even if we didn't would you really expect me to tell you?) in which I was taking notes while trying to hold a conversation. Chris has been involved in social media for many years and has a huge following of people seeking his guidance in the space. Don't take my word for it, check out the number of people following him on Twitter.

Speaking of Twitter, Chris recently held a "twebinar" on branding that was really interesting. Check out this short clip where Chris describes what a twebinar is:

I sat in on the twebinar and found it really interesting. It definitely fits in with the concept of Social CRM - turning content into conversations, experiences and meaningful relationships. In fact it really accelerates the process.

To hear the full conversation just click here - Chris Brogan, Social Media and Small Business. What was supposed to be a 10-15 minute conversation turned into 25 minutes. We cover a lot of ground so if you're trying to figure out social media from a practical, business perspective you may want to give this a listen. After all, who doesn't like hearing from The Godfather...

Technorati : chris brogan, social crm, social media, twebinar, twitter
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Barack 2.0 Webinar Recording Posted

David Bullock and I are really appreciative to those who attended are somewhat impromptu (put together in a few days) webinar on how Barack Obama's social moves can be a guide for small businesses. The feedback we've received has truly been overwhelming.

Many people who couldn't make, as well as many who did, have been asking if there is a recording that we can make public. Below are links to the full webinar, broken up into two parts:

http://www.barack20.com/Barack_Pt1.htm
http://www.barack20.com/Barack_Pt2.htm

We'd like to emphasize the focus of the webinar is not on politics, but on the impact that social media can have, if used strategically. We think there are some nice nuggets small business folks can take away from the tools and strategies the Obama campaign employed to build a grassroots initiative that engaged millions of people - many of which who had never participated before.

Thanks again. And be on the lookout for a follow-up!

Technorati : barack 2.0, social crm, social media, webinar
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Social CRM in Pictures....and Words

Just getting back from my first "official" Social CRM keynote at Intelliworks user conference - Personify Education '08. Intelliworks creates relationship management products and services aimed at institutions for higher education. And based on the comments I heard from folks attending the conference, Intelliworks must be doing things right. In fact one of their customers, Luis Casas - Director of Marketing at Florida International University's Business School, did a great presentation on how they've integrated Web 2.0 strategies with Intelliworks products to drive up enrollment. Check out the site they've put together called Uncommon Thinkers to get a peek at a cool audacious online act that's snagging attention.

My presentation centered on the new dimension social crm is adding to the more traditional aspects of customer relationship management. I was really happy with the crowds participation and response to what I was touching on. One thing I noticed was a reaction to the following slides (click pics to see larger images):

I also popped up a snapshot I took from TwitterSpectrum. TwitterSpectrum creates tag clouds from two words to show how twitterers relate them. Here's what shows up when I put "social crm" to the test:

I loved that people agreed that both these views of CRM are important. Marrying the traditional, more operations/transactions focused CRM with the content-driven conversation based dimension. If you had to concoct a formula, maybe it would be something like: Traditional CRM + Social CRM = REAL CRM. Meaning the customer relationship management tools and strategies we needed all along.

Many thanks to Dan Obregon, Intelliworks' Sr. Marketing Manager, for inviting me to participate in the conference. The whole team, headed up by CEO Todd Gibby, put together a great event. I totally enjoyed it!

Technorati : social crm, social media
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Tales in Social CRM: Rapping SEO???

Who saw this coming? My latest column for Inc.com's technology site was on The Three A's of Social CRM - Automation, Analysis and Audacity. The following video is an example of the latter. Meet Chuck (not that Chuck), aka The SEO Rapper. Yup, you read correctly... SEO Rapper. And dude does look like Biggie, and a touch like Sir Mix-a-Little....but I digress...

Do I even have to explain why this is audatious? All you need to know is this video has been viewed over 300K times since March, has well over 500 comments and a 4.5 rating on over 1400 votes. Combining rapping with SEO isn't the traditional way of marketing your skills, but we're not in traditional times. Competition for hearts and minds, and attention, is fierce. So find new ways of engaging those you wish to, well, engage... In the immortal words (or sounds) of Grover Washington Jr., it's time to let it flow....

Technorati : biggie, rap, seo, social crm, youtube
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Four Good Minutes with David Meerman Scott

I'm working on a new site called FourGoodMinutes.com. I'm basically going through all the cool conversations I've had over the past 19 months on my show and taking four (or five) minute slices I think may be of interest to small business folks out there. Until I get that site set up I'll be throwing some of these "good minutes" up here.

I recently had a really interesting conversation with David Meerman Scott, author of the best selling New Rules of Marketing and PR. If you haven't read it you should at least check out the free e-book he put out. I've been asked a number of times lately about the effectiveness of creating e-books as a marketing tool. If you're curious about this, listen to how David's free e-book led to him getting signed with a literary agent in 20 minutes, a book deal with Wiley Publishing and a very successful speaking business. You'll definitely want to find out how why he had one million reasons to give away the New Rules of PR e-book:

David drops a whole lot more knowledge in the full conversation. You can check it out over at the show site by clicking here.

Technorati : david meerman scott, marketing, pr, web 2.0
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Wanna Give Paul Greenberg Some Help With CRM at the Speed of Light 4e?

My buddy Paul Greenberg is gearing up to write the fourth edition of his best selling CRM at the Speed of Light. Even Paul didn't think he'd be doing four editions of this book when he wrote the 1st edition almost eight years ago. So anyone who knows anything about CRM and the industry, knows this will be must read when it's available.

I am honored to be one of the people Paul has invited to contribute a couple pages for CRM-SOL (now I know why Paul never used this acronym for the book). Two other people who will contribute pages are CRM guru Denis Pombriant of Beagle Research, and Paul's brother Bob Greenberg, who heads up one of the leading homeland security consulting firms. I will be working on the chapter focusing on the SMB crowd, and looking forward to it!

Although Paul is limiting the number of contributing authors to a few, he is very much open to your help in shaping the direction of the book. In fact he has started a wiki that is geared to having as many people contribute ideas and suggestions as possible. If you are interested in being apart of what no doubt will be an important book in the industry, check out the CRM at the Speed of Light 4th Edition Wiki. Paul promises that any contribution or suggestion he receives from the wiki will be recognized in the book in some fashion.

In Paul's own words:

"I'm also willing to quote key folks in the book too - either you or people you know IF IT MAKES SENSE. This is wide open. CRM at the Speed of Light has been the best selling CRM book ever. This edition is going to break new ground because its devoted to CRM 2.0 and what it means in the new world of the social customer. So not only comprehensive but entirely cool. Style will matter as well as what always has - substance. Help me create it."

So get your contributions in before July 20th if you want to have a chance to be included in the book.

Technorati : crm, paul greenberg, social media, web 2.0
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If it's Thursday It Must Be Charlotte

I'm still alive and kicking. I've just been on the road the last couple of weeks. And this week was the first time I've flown on three consecutive days. And each flight was actually ahead of schedule! I can't make this stuff up.

Anyways I left Sage Insights early (missing out on hearing Lou Holtz and Frank Caliendo) to make it down to Black Enterprise's Entrepreneurs Conference in Charlotte, NC.

I have been light on the posts lately but that will be changing once I get back... LOTS of stuff to get to! In the meantime please feel free to check out a few articles I wrote for other sites:

SmallBizTrends.com - Social CRM: Not Your Father's Customer Relationship Management

Inc.com - Assembling the Perfect Content-Creating PC

Technorati : small business, social crm
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Introverted Socialism

For someone as introverted as I am by nature, it's cool to be able to use social tools to really connect with people in ways I know I wouldn't have done using the more conventional methods. I guess that was on my mind when I wrote my regular online columns for Inc.com and BlackEnteprise.com:

• Inc.com - Social Media For Business Sake

• BlackEnterprise.com - Four Social Acts Business People Need to Commit

I've "met" some incredible people over the past few years because of these tools, and my life (personal as well as professional) has been truly enriched for it. Sometimes it's good to take a step back and see just how much of an impact this stuff really does have on us. But then again, this all begins and ends with people - the technology just gives us the ability to really understand each other if we choose to do so.

OK, I just got through watching 2001: A Space Odyssey, which always puts me in a weird mood...

Technorati : blackenterprise.com, inc.com, small business, social media
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Dale Carnegie 2.0 - Winning Friends and Influencing People on the Web

No, this is not a picture of Harry S. Truman, but it definitely had me fooled. Nope, this is Dale Carnegie. I've been on this Dale Carnegie kick for the last month or so. And quite honestly it kind of bugs me, because I really didn't enjoy the course when I was "encouraged" to take it after starting my first job out of grad school. For those of you not familiar with DC, he was maybe the first hugely successful self-help/motivational speaker, who wrote the mega-hit How To Win Friends and Influence People back in 1937. So you can blame him for the rise of the "If-You-Can-See-It-You-Can-Be-It" industry, aka motivational speakers. But I digress...

Even though I really wasn't "feeling" the course (partly because I was all of twenty-four years old when I took it), the book made some good points when it comes to how people want to be treated. And by treating them the with a lot of dap ('80s flashback word meaning respect) you improve your chances of making them like you - really really like you. To the point that they'll trust you enough to buy stuff from you.

Although the book was written over 70 years ago, the principles still stand. And if you apply them using today's social media tools they can really work for you. So that's why every time I've been asked lately by traditional small business types who are trying to make sense of the web, I tell them just think what Dale C. would do with blogs, social networks and other things that people are using to reach more people, in a more meaningful way than ever before.

I came up with a few examples for how some of Carnegie's concepts are being used today for my weekly online column for BlackEnterprise.com.

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