09Jul 2019 by Bob Cargill

Personalities as Publishers

Branding, Marketing, Social Media
Thanks to social media, every brand and business today is a publisher. The people within those organizations are usually the ones who are responsible for those publishing efforts, though. They are the rock stars, the lead magnets, the only way – in many cases – their employers would have any worthwhile content to share with their constituents in the first place. I listened to a ridiculously awesome podcast recently, the Digiday Podcast hosted by Brian Morrissey, in which the host spoke to Barstool Sports’ CEO, Erika Nardini. You can listen to this episode here. Among other things, Nardini talked about the success of her company’s many podcasts, monetizing content and building a subscription business that isn’t necessarily dependent on advertising. “Personalities are the new publishers,” she said at one point…
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21Jun 2019 by Bob Cargill

Social Media Can Change the World

Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Marketing, Social Media, Twitter
Far too many brands and businesses are trying to fit a square peg into a round hole on social media. They’re using LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and the like as broadcast channels, places to promote themselves instead of to share and engage with others. They're not posting nearly enough, either. They're still not getting it. Marketing, advertising, sales, PR, heck, whatever line of business you're in…it’s all changing rapidly before our very eyes. Consumers don’t believe anything anymore. So, transparency wins. You want to have your audience’s attention? You want to earn their trust and loyalty? Stop manipulating them and start listening to them. Put yourself out there on a frequent basis and let them get to know you as a human being, not a corporate logo or a company…
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24May 2019 by Bob Cargill

The End of Advertising as We Know It

Advertising
I’m not going to lie. Advertising is interruptive. Advertising is annoying. Advertising is a waste of time unless you’re doing it differently than you did back in the day. You can only throw so much money into advertising before those on the receiving end are going to completely ignore you. I read a ridiculously awesome article written by Frank McKinley recently, "Why Advertising Doesn’t Work." You can read it for yourself on Medium here. In this article, Frank talks about how much the world has changed and how ineffective “buying interruptions” is these days. Stop the insanity, I say. Personally, I love advertising. I love marketing. I love social media. But the same old same old simply isn't working anymore. You. Me. Everyone of us in this business has to…
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12May 2019 by Bob Cargill

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…
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01May 2019 by Bob Cargill
Age Doesn’t Matter on Social Media

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…
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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.
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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…
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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.
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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.…
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