R.O.I. - Return On Influence - July 10, 2012

eView with Mark W. Schaefer for AllAccess

Every once and a while, you read something that changes your life or your outlook on a subject. I like to surround myself with people who make we think. My first introduction to Mark W Schaefer was reading his book, "The Tao of Twitter," and it really helped me understand what *and why* it was all about. His new book "R.O.I. -- Return On Influence" explains what the ROI on social media is ALL about: influence. The power that you, me ...we have

"We are on the cusp of a marketing revolution. AND it is being led by you."

Mark is a globally-recognized blogger, educator, business consultant and author who blogs at businessesgrow.com -- one of the top marketing blogs of the world. Mark has worked in global sales, PR and marketing positions for nearly 30 years and now provides consulting services as Exec. Dir. of U.S.-based Schaefer Marketing Solutions. His clients include both start-ups and global brands such as Cisco, AT&T, Johnson & Johnson and the U.K. government.

Mark has advanced degrees in marketing and organizational development and holds seven patents. He is a faculty member of the graduate studies program at Rutgers University and is the founder of Social Slam, a national social media event that takes place each April. He is the author of two best-selling marketing books, "Return On Influence" and "The Tao of Twitter." In 2012, he was named by Forbes magazine as one of the Top 50 social media "power influencers" of the world.

Mark has appeared on many national television shows and periodicals including theWall Street Journal, Wired, The New York Times and the CBS NEWS.

I had a chance to "pick Mark's brain" and am sure you will benefit from his knowledge. I hope you will learn something that you can use to begin to recognize, grow, harvest and/or maintain the influence you have on your audience.

How you would position your book "ROI - Return On Influence" for the music/radio industry … in other words, why buy it?

The concept of social scoring and influencer marketing is perhaps the hottest topic in marketing right now … and yes, the entertainment does a little marketing! It is absolutely essential for marketers to understand what is going on with this trend and assess the applicability for their strategy. There is a premium for being first in this space.

When you look at the radio/music industry, what catches your eye that they are doing to their advantage to use social media influence strategically? And what could use improvement?

In some ways, identifying influencers is easier in the music business because they come to you. People love to talk about their favorite shows and artists. But through some of these new tools you can begin to quantify "buzz" and your most passionate fans. And rewarding fans is really the heart of what we do, right?

Is there a difference between online influence and on-air influence for stations/musicians? (explain)

That is a fascinating question. For most people, there is a high priority put on authenticity. But much of the entertainment business is based on characters and personas. I would think there is a lot of pressure to keep that up all the time; yet when people in the spotlight let their guard down, they are usually punished for it. If I slip up, it will float by. If a celebrity slips up, it's on Leno. Difficult balance and yet you can't ignore social media.

What do you see for the future of broadcasting in regards to its digital convergence?

We are on the cusp of an amazing revolution in media. A true revolution. We are nearing the point where we can have any content we want, where we want it and when we want it. Of course, the social media aspects now involve consumers in the programs …. even the content. Augmented reality -- still a year or so away -- will change everything again. The Internet will be seamlessly connected to the real world. It will surround us like the air we breathe. But there will always be a premium for content, which is what the business is all about..

Radio is all about campaigns, but most of the successful brands are having "conversations." How would you distinguish between the two, and would you suggest they continue to still broadcast their thematic promotional activities?

Campaigns are dying. People are sick of being marketed to, and will spend less and less time with media that are interrupting them and selling to them like sideshow carnies. But people do want to be connected, acknowledged and rewarded. Campaigns that are "one and done" are being replaced by movements based on loyalty and real emotional connection.

How do you vet and target audience that serves a local market only?

I'll tell you a little story. When I started creating content, I was concerned about crafting a "message" for my "target" customers. My world was pretty limited and I was in the same boat as a thousand other people. When I began to focus on original, human content and connection through the social web, something amazing happened. Instead of finding my customers, my customers found me. Quite a powerful difference! There is a lesson for all content providers there. And, is there really anything called a "local market" any more? If you are connecting to an audience, can't anybody find you and listen to you today?

I call social media for radio stations the "Digital Daypart," 2nd/3rd Chair or the co-anchor of the "show-gram." How much time should broadcasting professionals dedicate to developing this relationship?

This is a common question. It really all gets down to strategy. I'm in the marketing business and probably spend a total of an hour-and-a-half a day on the various channels with an emphasis on blogging. Certainly for an entertainment personality, it would be a lot more cost-effective to connect with thousands of people every day through the social web than spending time at grand openings and chamber meetings. That's not say you don't need face-to-face interaction, but if people are worried about the "time" needed for social media, look at the time needed for "networking" and I think it is a pretty easy decision!

What advice for a musician to expose themselves to radio and potential fans would you give?

For somebody just starting out, this is an unprecedented time to build an audience organically. Instead of "seeing" fans once a year at a concert venue or creating new content for them through a new album, we can now be connected and communicating all the time. Today, a tweet from a star is the new autograph.

To optimize a social media presence, I would give a few tips: 1) Don't make social media an after-thought. Be consistent. 2) Be human, but be careful. You don't want your career to be defined by a stupid tweet. 3) Give your audience something to talk about. Find ways to engage and delight them in unexpected ways.

Broadcasting professionals can't seem to get a grasp of Twitter or how to use it and some still use personal Facebook pages for their radio stations. Where do you think the "ultimate storm" lies?

The rule of thumb I use for Twitter is to ask yourself, "Can my business benefit from personal networking in the community?" I would guess for a radio station, this would be a resounding YES! So in that case, you absolutely should be using Twitter. The problem is that many people abandon the platform in the confusing and frustrating early stages. That's why I wrote The Tao of Twitter. It is meant to get a busy executive up to speed in 90 minutes or less. It has helped thousands of people all around the world!

Facebook is also a great way to connect with people, especially young people, so there has to be a balance.

The biggest concern for stations vs. on-air personalities is who owns the content/accounts. If a DJ is posting/tweeting under their name they are growing their accounts. If they are doing it for the station sites they are investing to something that on any given day, they could be let go or fired. What are your thoughts on this?

This is a very key question that needs to be settled clearly either contractually or in a social media policy. My instinct on this is that the radio station should own the account. In a business, a salesperson might leave, but the company still "owns" the rolodex file of customers and contacts. It is likely that this audience is being developed on company time so why shouldn't they own this asset? If there is a true connection with the artist, the tribe will follow them to a new account any way.

If you owned a radio station what perimeters would you use to gage social media platform participation?

Like any initiative, it must be linked to an overall strategy. "Social media" is not a strategy in and of itself. It is essential to have a social media policy so people know expectations, goals and consequences. Finally, the efforts should be measured against goals, which is usually pretty easy since there is so much data flying at us on the web!

What's in your social media "toolbox" … name three must-have items you are using?

Some sort of "listening deck" like HootSuite is essential to cut through the clutter and provide a perspective on what is going on in a focused way. I use Evernote to collect ideas and keep the creative juices flowing, And finally, I recommend a healthy dose of Angry Birds for those times you are stuck in LaGuardia after a long week on the road!

MORE INFO ABOUT MARK W SCHAEFER
http://www.businessesgrow.com/contact/press-inquiries/

Follow him on Twitter @MarkWSchaefer