A while back I let a comment stand – minus the self-promotional links – even though it had that ‘eau du spam’ whiff to it – because it at least was on topic. Time to refresh and update ye olde comment policy.

Rules of Commenting, Part II, Subsection B, Paragraph 12.3, itty bitty fine print

My comment policy still stands: I’ll take it if you have something to say and have a pretty easy-going, let it fly attitude. Grammar and punctuation are our friends. Play nice.

• Links. Links are fine, hence the CommentLuv. Feel free to pimp your own posts – provided they are related to the post, not 3rd half-cousin, twice removed on your Uncle Bob’s side.
• Store’s Open. I’m using the Tweet Old Post plugin, so I’m keeping comments open on older posts. (Peeve: seeing an older but still relevant post that’s been autobot tweeted – only to be unable to comment; not sure I get tweeting closed posts.)
• Spam will be canned. Trolls sent a packing. NEW: People have names, not keywords.

What I really meant was…

Discussion. By all means, chat away. This gives me ideas, this provides examples, advancing the conversation provides valuable insights to the reader. This is why comments are open.

But learn when to let it go. I’ve seen posts that had a little too much back and forth in comments, with people restating their case over and over to the point I got tennis whiplash. Someone has to get the last word, won’t always be you. Or me.

Professional. Courtesy. It’s not an option.

Posts will be unpopular; there are ways to deal with blog criticism and keep it civil.

Marcus Sheridan has his ‘delete and move on’ method of dealing with comment trolls. Mine: If a comment is ‘this is just dumb’ – I’ll sometimes counter with: “TY for you input. Please tell me WHY oh guru, give me examples, educate me and my readers.” Crickets chirp very loudly.

My philosophy hasn’t changed: discuss the topic, attack the post and the ideas; do not attack the writer or others commenting; give reasons for disagreeing. Why?

YMMV. About 93.56% of the time, we’re discussing opinions and experiences. I know what I did, what I wrote and what I meant by it; sure you do too and don’t need me visiting your intentions (still want another Firefly/Serenity sequel).

Opinions will differ, whether talking about Facebook or to what degree Game of Thrones is awesome. Approaches to public relations, marketing via social media, making the perfect omelet will vary; some shake, others stir their martinis.

No matter how wrong I know in my heart and head that it’s bad PR, bad communications, bad business to delete valid-yet-negative feedback from your customers, I won’t call you a blithering idiot. I might think it, tweet not to do it, but you’re free to do that wrong, along with many things.

If you have a comment policy, what am I forgetting? If not, why not?

Tags: blogging | comment policy | comments

In this infinite din of crap polluting the Internets, I’ve read more junk than I care to admit. Even on my less-is-more diet, I’ve still left hundreds of comments everywhere and don’t get it when good posts get “ignored,” my crap attempts at SEO notwithstanding.

Horn, consider thyself tooted

Blessed be a New Year that gives me license to pimp my own posts, gotta milk this opportunity for all it’s worth. Kidding, I sometimes look back on old posts to see how dumb I was.

Current readers, lurkers, silent supporters, Thank You!

New readers who’ve stumbled upon my blog by accident, thinking you’d learn how to make money with Twitter or secret mysteries of Facebook.. sorry, can’t help. What I can offer is a ‘different’ look at public relations, social media and marketing communications for small business.

In lieu of a “best post” list, my popular posts based on what got the most comments or most retweets I picked these:

5 posts that should have been read, commented upon and/or tweeted the hell out of. But weren’t?! (Again with the joshing.)

Why? Because I think I’m funny. Because I thought I was onto something with these. Because they ARE better than many of the factoid, list of definitions, random infographic posts that I need to stop clicking.

Because these will give any small business manager an idea of what public relations, social media and marketing communications should really be about, how they can help a company do business.

1. Numerical Blindness. My take on some of the “eye-popping” social media stats.
2. Crisis PR twofer, with rants on Prior Planning and the CYA approach to communications management. I will never understand company execs and brand managers who stick their heads in the sand, thinking trouble will not find them.
3. The Gerber Baby Syndrome, a look at our relentlessly absurd expectations of marketing and service perfection.
4. How to Get Free Publicity for Your Business. Grabby, SEO friendly title and some long-tail juju, with a straight-talkin’ twist.
5. A Day in Customer Service Hell, kinda a personal fave because I thought I nailed being smart, funny and ‘different’ in a constructive rant.
6. Because I couldn’t stop at 5, I’m still stumped by the idea of marketing-proof businesses. There are rare instances when negative feedback and bad PR really don’t hurt the bottom line that much, thanks to good locations or cornered markets.

Seems to be going around. It’s your Twitter, do whatever the hell you want. Promise you, that be my plan.

Unfollow Friday, Part Three, Act LDXV, Version 4.7

Whenever I do this I nix mostly news, bots, RSS feeds – anything that’s push only. (Fare thee well Social Media Today; you’re still in the Reader). I also look at people, what value I get from what they tweet, very WIIFM per my Twitter rules.

My follow/unfollow strategy of the moment includes:

• Not giving two wits about your Klout score, though I’ve been tempted to peak at what influence PeerIndex says I don’t have, just to see.
• Automation overload. Tools are nice, scheduling works but too much of a good thing – that’s getting some more unfollows, especially since I can now Circle you on Google+. Until you figure out how to program and noise that up too.
• Platitudinal randomness. I like quotes, I get quotes but random tweets of “time is like an ocean, make your bed” aren’t moving my furniture these days.
• My streams a little organizationally challenged, so seeing if following lists makes things any easier.
• Profile pictures of bacon or kittens, that’s just cheating. Dancing, animated avatars, please say no.
• Content, engagement, fun, interest. Winner, winner, winner… that’s what I want, from a funny feed like OHnewsroom or a clever blogger who gets it, whether they tweet 10 or 50 times a day.

Insert whiny chorus of [whah whah 'need to get more from Twitter' whah] here. Think I’ve zapped a few dozen this week, moved a few people to Lists or Google+ instead. This is of course requires looking at the streams to see what’s what, which has another benefit: I’m noticing people again and actually taking the time to be social. Whataya know.

What moves you to break out the unfollow button? Besides posts like this.

Tags: follow friday | followfriday | Twitter

Deadline time and since I don’t want to wade through my pile of drafts, I figured it was time to look a closer look at an old post and see if I’ve learned anything.

It’s the Little Things

A few years ago, I wrote that companies should sweat the small stuff, being impressed by the clever notes on AirTran pretzels.

What I said then: “Your brand is everything, everywhere. It’s the people, products, places, promotions, everything. It all matters. Even the small stuff.“

What I think now: Same. The other day while shopping at Marshall’s I was bemused by what I consider the Disney-fication of their fitting rooms: they put little signs on the hooks that read “maybe” and “probably” and “definitely.” Cute and functional.

The World of Walt

When you go to Disney World there are Hidden Mickeys in the parks, little touches that have prompted scavenger hunts to find them. (I do know of a few.) UN-Hidden Mickeys are EVERYWHERE. If there is a hole or window, a bag or fixture that can have a Mickey, it will have a Mickey.

Now of course, every ride dumps you out in a gift shop, but the theming and details are done in a fun way that makes it part of the experience, not just part of the marketing pitch.

“Disneyland will never be completed. It will continue to grow as long as there is imagination left in the world.” – Walt Disney, which speaks to the ethos they have on always improving, always paying attention to those pesky details.. and making them the Angel on the shoulder.

Being on Brand, On Message

Plenty of companies like Disney, Apple, Starbucks invest time and money training their employees (or castmembers) to live the brand.

Whether it’s a brick-and-mortar store or an e-tail website, details matter and little things can make a big impression. It’s more than logos and e-newsletters, effective marketing, public relations, social media – yes I was getting to that – permeate a brand, surround and encompass it beyond the web, the ads and fan pages that count likes, not advocates.

How dumb was I?

Not very. I’m a softy for marketing done well, anything from product packaging to a clever wine label. You? When you’ve noticed the details, have they made a difference? What little details could improve your business?

Photo credit: ME. Mickey pumpkins and if you click on the tree, you’ll get the full size and maybe see one of a few hundred animals like a tiger and buffalo carved into that structure.

Tags: branding | details | Marketing

Thinking a lot about Twitter – as if all the links don’t give me away – it’s my social network of choice. NO I don’t want to marry it and make little Twitter babies, but it’s still gotta be my fave right after blogs.

Once upon a time..

There were my first Twitter rules. “When I tweet my blog post I will warn you that it is my blog post, so that you can decide to read or ignore at your leisure.“

• I still think 100% automation bites the big one, but I’ve already said I was wrong about scheduling.
• I have now added Brian’s Follow Back on the list of NOT, along with vile Auto-DMs.
• I still don’t tweet about lunch but once in a while, I’ll tweet about food.

Just say no.

While I may not have 30 reasons I won’t follow you, I still have a few rules for why I don’t ‘like’ or ‘connect’ with just anyone and everyone.

• I say no to the needy who also want to be my Facebook friend, connect on LinkedIn.
• Don’t care about your Klout score, but usually I say no to those with lopsided follow/follower ratios, off kilter tweet stats.
• I probably say no to those with no bios, no links, or too many links in their bio. Not always deal breakers, but gives me second thoughts.
• I say no to following eggs and tend to block porny Gravatars. See also, Joey Strawn’s how to write a crappy Twitter profile.

More signs you might be an unfollowed tweeter..

• If you tweet nothing but hashtag vomit, add 23 tags to every tweet.
  • If you add your own biz hashtag to every damn tweet. Eyeroll.
• If you tweet nothing but FourSquare check-ins.
• If you tweet nothing but feeds from your other sites.
  • If you retweet yourself all the time. Like running an ad saying, “Congratulations, you’re following a douchebag.”
• If you tweet nothing but RTs.
  • If they never attribute the original source or tweeter, that’s tacky.
  • If they’re never, ever personalized, file that one under “Hell no, I won’t follow.”
• If you tweet nothing but uplifting quotes. Now if they’re mean and snarky, or overheard in the newsroom hilarity, we’re in business.
• If you tweet too much about your stats: comments, tweets, follows, the nobodycares lists and rankings.

How dumb was I?

Don’t care. I have moved some more ‘personal’ to my business tweets in efforts to strike a better balance, happily cheering the Braves and LSU or chatting wine once in a while. There is a line somewhere, don’t want to scare the fish away with evenings of ‘OMG the fail.. what is the bleepery? I blanking hate this bloody bleep” rants and ravings.

Bottom line: I am so glad I joined Twitter. If nothing else I get to baffle followers with my texting slang, that’s always fun. FWIW.

What are your Twitter rules? Where do you draw your follow and unfollow lines?

Photo credit: Funny Blaugh comic.

Tags: Twitter