10 Truths About Social Media: Remix

  1. Social media isn't free. It is cost-efficient when planned for and managed appropriately, and like any investment that comes with a price, what you will yield is proportionate to what you invest.
  2. The tools are merely a means to an end.  What you do with the tools, and how you integrate them to improve the base business are what  really matters.
  3. "Trust" and "Influence" are relative and fluid. However, they generally belong to people that consistently deliver positive, remarkable experiences -- across channels and over time. Deliver on every promise, exhibit high level of ownership / stewardship and be a "mensch." Do this, and being an influential trust agent will come naturally.
  4. "Authenticity" is a terribly abused word. There are plenty of authentically bad companies and products out there. Strive to be authentically good and constantly improving and you'll win.
  5. "Transparency" is an illusion. While conversational media increases visibility into your operations, you can maintain enough opacity to protect your sensitive underbelly.
  6. Senior engagement is critical.  If your senior leadership wants to relegate social media to an intern, agency or middle manager, resisting the notion that these tools may transform the enterprise, consider changing jobs.
  7. The tools require a high level of proactive readiness. Engage in these channels and you're a friend, confidant, real-time service agent, facilitator, guide and publisher. Be prepared in advance. Get the right hooks in place and the right teams involved. Establish policies and processes that expedite resolution and response.
  8. Results must be measured against a solid plan. If you are not using conversational media to drive some specific and measurable objectives you are probably wasting your time
  9. Success is (still) about the Customer Experience.  If holistically, your base-level customer experience stinks, using social media tools probably won't help much. That's why this blog is dedicated to CX rather than preaching the virtues of any one specific channel.
  10. Good help is golden. Strategists who can't execute are as dangerous as "one-trick ponies who only know how to use a single tool ... or generalists who speak at conferences a lot but don't actually deliver any work!  Find resources that can develop a solid strategic plan, execute, help your organization prepare, educate and stand by to help, if needed. Look for dirt under the fingernails... and don't be social media sharkbait!  
Add your truths!  I'm all ears!

The Age of Gettin' Busy (With Social Media)

Spring is almost here and with it comes the birth of many new things, including the new The Age of Conversation 3, which is scheduled to be released in April. I am honored to have been selected as a contributing author with an esteemed group of incredible thinkers, writers and thought leaders. All of them are active in a variety of areas, working across industries on the "bleeding edge" of social media. This will be a great book for anyone looking to practically implement social tools into next-generation customer management.

Here's a list of contributing authors and links to each!
 
Adam JosephPriyanka SacharMark Earls
Cory Coley-ChristakosStefan ErschwendnerPaul Hebert
Jeff De CagnaThomas CliffordPhil Gerbyshak
Jon BurgToby BloombergShambhu Neil Vineberg
Joseph JaffeUwe HookSteve Roesler
Michael E. Rubinanibal cassoSteve Woodruff
Steve SponderBecky CarrollTim Tyler
Chris WilsonBeth HarteTinu Abayomi-Paul
Dan SchawbelCarol BodensteinerTrey Pennington
David WeinfeldDan SitterVanessa DiMauro
Ed BrenegarDavid ZingerBrett T. T. Macfarlane
Efrain MendicutiDeb BrownBrian Reich
Gaurav MishraDennis DeeryC.B. Whittemore
Gordon WhiteheadHeather RastCam Beck
Hajj E. FlemingsJoan EndicottCathryn Hrudicka
Jeroen VerkroostKaren D. SwimChristopher Morris
Joe PulizziLeah OttoCorentin Monot
Karalee EvansME!David Berkowitz
Kevin JessopLesley LambertDuane Brown
Peter KorchnakMark PriceDustin Jacobsen
Piet WullemanMike MaddaloniErnie Mosteller
Scott TownsendNick BurcherFrank Stiefler
Steve OlenskiRich NadwornyJohn Rosen
Tim JacksonSuzanne HullLen Kendall
Amber NaslundWayne BuckhananMark McGuinness
Caroline MelbergAndy DrishOleksandr Skorokhod
Claire GrintonAngela MaiersPaul Williams
Gary CohenArmando AlvesSam Ismail
Gautam RamduraiB.J. SmithTamera Kremer
Eaon PritchardBrendan TrippAdelino de Almeida
Jacob MorganCasey HibbardAndy Hunter
Julian ColeDebra HelwigAnjali Ramachandran
Jye SmithDrew McLellanCraig Wilson
Karin HermansEmily ReedDavid Petherick
Katie HarrisGavin HeatonDennis Price
Mark LevyGeorge JenkinsDoug Mitchell
Mark W. SchaeferHelge TennoDouglas Hanna
Marshall SponderJames StevensIan Lurie
Ryan HanserJenny Meade Jeff Larche
Sacha Tueni & Katherine MaherDavid SvetJessica Hagy
Simon PaynJoanne Austin-OlsenMark Avnet
Stanley JohnsonMarilyn PrattMark Hancock
Steve KelloggMichelle Beckham-CorbinMichelle Chmielewski
Amy MengelVeronique RabuteauPeter Komendowski
Andrea VascellariTimothy L JohnsonPhil Osborne
Beth WamplerAmy JusselRick Liebling
Eric BrodyArun RajagopalDr Letitia Wright
Hugh de WintonDavid KoopmansAki Spicer
Jeff WallaceDon FrederiksenCharles Sipe
Katie McIntyreJames G Lindberg & Sandra RenshawDavid Reich
Lynae JohnsonJasmin TragasDeborah Chaddock Brown
Mike O'TooleJeanne DininniIqbal Mohammed
Morriss M. ParteeKatie ChatfieldJeff Cutler
Pete JonesRiku VassinenJeff Garrison
Kevin DuganTiphereth GloriaMike Sansone
Lori MagnoValerie SimonNettie Hartsock
Mark GorenPeter Salvitti

I'm excited to read all the fabulous insightsin this book... carrying forward the tradition from two greatly successful editions. Stay tuned for more!


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LEIGH DURST

LEIGH DURST
I’m Leigh Durst, a 20 year veteran in business, operations, customer strategy, ecommerce, digital & social media and marketing. Simply put, I’m a strategist that helps companies (start-up to blue chip) achieve business shift, create more compelling online and offline experiences. I also write, speak and teach about experience design and next-generation business. I’m a futurist, visionary, strategist, doer and connector with a passion for people and helping others. When I’m not on the road, you’ll find me in the San Francisco bay area, working, beaching it and hanging out with my family and dog.

NEW! FEATURED IN

NEW!  FEATURED IN
The Customer Experience Edge

CO-AUTHOR OF

CO-AUTHOR OF
Age of Conversation 3 - Get yours now in hardcover, paperback and for the Kindle.

CONTRIBUTOR TO

CONTRIBUTOR TO
Web Redesign: Workflow that Works