Bob Cargill, Author at Bob Cargill

12May 2019 by Bob Cargill No Comments

Marketing is Supporting

Marketing

Marketing today is as much about supporting people as it is about changing their minds. In a blog post recently (which you can read here), Mark Schaefer “politely” disagrees with something from Seth Godin's latest book, This Is Marketing: You Can't Be Seen Until You Learn To See. I previewed some of Seth’s book online, but I haven’t read it in its entirety. According to Mark, though, Seth writes, “Marketers make change.” Yet Mark feels differently. He feels that marketers should be “coming alongside” customers, not changing them. I think they’re both right. I think that by supporting our customers, clients and constituents, we have a better chance of wining them over and earning their business. Frankly, I have always agreed with anything either of these iconic, grandmasters of marketing…

01May 2019 by Bob Cargill No Comments

Age Doesn’t Matter on Social Media

Branding, Marketing, Social Media

Age doesn’t matter on social media. In a recent issue of AARP The Magazine, there’s a series of profiles on “older Americans” who are crushing it on social media. People like Lili Hayes, Scott Wadsworth, Herbie Russ, Irvin Randle, Judith Boyd, Angie Schmitt and others. These people are looked up to like rock stars and celebrities on YouTube, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. They’re influencers and authorities, thought leaders and entertainers, gurus and trendsetters. And yes, they’re all over 50 – like me. Age doesn’t matter on social media. Age shouldn’t matter anywhere. Nobody should be looked at differently because they are older than you. No one should be judged, stereotyped, underestimated or treated unfairly because of their age, young or old. There are no boundaries to talent and ability. There…

20Apr 2019 by Bob Cargill

Use Social Media Like John Legere

Branding, Social Media

He is outgoing and outspoken, transparent and transformative. He is not afraid to put himself out there and show he’s human just like us. He is a ridiculously awesome example of how senior-level business executives should use social media, if you ask me. He is John Legere, CEO of T-Mobile. Not only does he know how to call attention to himself and the company he presides over, he is also very thoughtful of others, altruistic and philanthropic. In fact, this super successful UMass Amherst grad recently raised $4.5 million for Boston’s Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, thanks in large part to the large, loyal following he has on social media. John Legere knows what he’s doing, folks, in the C suite and on social media. Follow him and learn from the best.

09Apr 2019 by Bob Cargill

My Renamed, Redesigned and Reimagined Blog

Blogging, Marketing, Social Media

I wrote the first post on my blog more than 15 years ago...on February 17, 2004. And...it’s still here. Yup, that very same blog. I started my blog - yup, this blog, in a somewhat different incarnation - about marketing thanks to David Hazeltine, who was my boss at the time. He placed his trust and confidence in me, and for that I will be grateful forever. I was writing my blog long before most businesses and brands had one. I was speaking about blogs and social media to audiences who knew very little about these newfangled means of communicating online. I think everyone in business today should have a blog, certainly anyone in a leadership position. A blog is an extension of who you are as a professional. It’s…

27Mar 2019 by Bob Cargill

Your Brand Is Not What You Say You Are

Branding, Marketing

If you think you define your own brand, think again. Your customers, clients and connections define your brand. They say what your brand is, not you. Do you practice what you preach? Do your actions match your words? Do you not just talk the talk, but walk the walk, too? The best brands among us live, breathe, work and play what they say they are day in and day out, time and time again. They don’t rest on their laurels. They don’t ever stop evolving. They listen to their audience’s feedback and don’t just meet but exceed their expectations. Whatever they have to offer – products, services, advice, support, you name it – is always more than appreciated by those on the receiving end.

15Mar 2019 by Bob Cargill

Are You a Hyperleader?

Social Media

Are you a hyperleader? Do you know someone who is a hyperleader? I heard about this term for the first time in an article I read recently by Paolo Gerbaudo for the New Statesman ("The age of the hyperleader: when political leadership meets social media celebrity"). Paolo uses the term in referring to certain types of politicians who may be more popular than the parties they represent and are particularly adept at using social media to engage with their constituents. I’m using the term in referring to people you and I may know in the business world. These are people who can be game-changers. They can single-handedly attract more attention to the brands and businesses they represent than those entities can themselves. These are people you want on your side.…

03Mar 2019 by Bob Cargill

Don’t Be a One-Trick Pony on Social Media

Branding, Marketing, Social Media

Don’t be a one-trick pony on social media. Unless it’s the only place your audience can be found, don’t spend an inordinate amount of time on just one channel at the expense of others. LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, etc.…you want to be working the crowd in a multitude of places. You want to be diversifying your efforts. Once you've tested and learned where you get the biggest bang for your buck, you want to focus there, of course. But you don’t want to overlook the importance of having a presence elsewhere at the same time. You never know where you’re going to get the most traction down the road. You may think you’re getting good results where you are now, but you have no idea how many opportunities you…

24Feb 2019 by Bob Cargill

You’ve Got to Work It on Social Media

Instagram, Social Media

It took K-pop star, Kang Daniel, only 11 hours and 36 minutes recently to attract a following of one million on Instagram. That was a Guinness World Record, eclipsing the previous record set by Pope Francis. I wouldn’t be able to build a following that big in a lifetime, never mind in half a day. And - likely - neither would you. Unless you’re a celebrity, a popular brand or someone who can afford a big advertising budget, there are no shortcuts to success on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn and the like. It takes time, talent and tenacity to build a following on social media. You’ve got to share plenty of relevant, quality content on a regular basis to build enough of an audience to be successful on social…

17Feb 2019 by Bob Cargill

When Social Media Catches Fire

Branding, Fyre Festival, Marketing, Social Media

No other media comes close to social media’s potential to build buzz almost instantaneously and amplify content to the point where it goes viral. I recently watched the Netflix documentary, “Fyre: The Greatest Party That Never Happened,” and found it to be as exasperating as it was entertaining. So many people were hurt in so many ways, especially financially and emotionally. Not only did a group of popular celebrity influencers promote Fyre Festival on social media, but music fans who shelled out big bucks to attend this epic flop used social media, too, to get the word out about their miserable experience there. Yup, social media can giveth and social media can taketh away. For better or worse, social media can catch fire. Use it with care. Use it for…