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Top Four Colleges in Social Media

Colleges have been early adopters of social media. They've built Facebook pages and launched Twitter feeds much sooner than lots of their business-minded peers. Using blogs as an example:

• In 2007, 32% of colleges blogged vs. 8% of the Fortune 500 or even 19% of the much savvier Inc 500
• In 2008, they remained well ahead of that curve: 41% of colleges blogged vs.13% of the Fortune 500 and 39% of the Inc 500

But most still face the same challenge: they have a lot of content, but not a lot of engagement.

A number of colleges can count their Facebook fans in the tens of thousands. But the one with The Single Highest level of engagement only has about 300 fan posts. How do colleges translate this interest and affiliation to action? The answer seems to be a more targeted strategy. Not just testing these hot new tactics, but understanding the needs of their audience, setting clear objectives and then picking the tactic that makes the most sense to deliver results.

Four colleges have cracked the code:

1. SUNY. Their New Paltz campus wanted to increase the academic quality of the incoming class. Through their current outreach efforts, they were able to get on these high-quality student's short lists (and accept them); the challenge was convincing them that SUNY was the right final choice. They decided to find a way to make these students feel more connected to SUNY. The tactic was a private community called Cafe New Paltz.
   
   Students were invited to join through a tiered invitation system: First build relationships with the students we want most; then open it up to the entire class. Two people were dedicated to act as hosts and update content. That was essential to the strategy: consistently delivering valuable content. It gave students a compelling reason to spend time on the site (the average visit was a whopping 14 minutes) and delivered the desired results by increasing the percent of their “highest selectivity” group that made deposits from 30% to 37%. Read more at .eduGuru.


2. Wittenberg University. The project is called Witt Nation. It's a summer roadtrip that started with a defined goal: Build stronger relationships and reach out to like minds. 13 talk leaders traveled 8,000 miles to host events in 27 cities. On the road, they met more than 1,000 passionate fans - creating something that looks very much like the core of the Wittenberg brand: a unique place for unique people.
   
   Importantly, Wittenberg integrated the “on the road” experience with an online community - building out a storytelling space to connect with potential students and engage alums. The stories collected each summer will live on beyond the road trip. (I can't help it, I still think Plaid's is cooler!)


3. Mayo Medical School.Here's one that was actually inspired by all that testing of various social media tactics. Mayo admits a small, diverse freshman class. They come from around the country and around the world to embark on the toughest education challenge of their lives. Naturally, they're nervous and tend to know no one on Day 1 of the fall semester. So, orientation has always been an important focus for the school - get people acclimated to start them off right.
   
   By testing different tactics, they found that Facebook groups were more effective than their traditional orientation efforts. So, they tried refocusing all of their orientation efforts there. They earned 100% participation by pairing the with right (exclusive) content with the right experience. And, it worked. Not only did they notice better teamwork and integration in incoming classes, they were also able to refocus staff time and cost savings on curriculum.
   
   Barbara Porter, Assistant Dean for Academic and Student Affairs said “We used to worry about learning their names because we didn’t want them to feel isolated. Well, now they know everybody by the time they get here.” Hear her talk more about the program on YouTube.


4. University of Minnesota.The school's Carlson MBA program was struggling to meet its admission goals. The marketing team knew what they needed was to make direct connections with more potential students. Unfortunately, this kind of student - professional, adult, heads of household - is a little trickier to reach than your average incoming freshman. Even when events and programs were offered, many of their most-desired students didn't attend - they were too busy or couldn't make it at that particular time.
   
   Carlson used social media to overcome the barriers of communicating with non-traditional students. They created an account on Twitter to answer questions and engage potential students in real time (while, creating a searchable archive). The strategy worked. They increased the number of applications for the incoming class. See the feed.

For more on this topic, see the full Making Digital Connections in Higher Education presentation from the recent conference I was part of at Ologie.

Fundraising and Social Media

Can we just take a moment to be truly honest with each other, dear readers?

It’s weird when incredibly smart, fresh, relevant social media advice comes from the mouth of a 50-something, right?

Hell, most of the time I feel completely out of touch in this category myself… especially, as it turns out, when I’m getting schooled by a grey hair.

I’m jumping ahead.

This week: Ologie and Benefactor Counsel hosted a series of events for fundraising professionals and greater good leaders featuring Richard McPherson, author of Digital Giving.

I was lucky enough to attend two of the sessions focused on how to use social media to connect with new donors. And, I have to say – if you’re looking for a speaker who (1) totally gets social media, (2) has been there/done that credibility and (3) can deliver advice that is relevant, clear and actionable … well, this is the guy to call. I’m already integrating some of the things I learned.

Let me share a few highlights:

Set aside the scarcity mindset

• We need to move from the mindset of scarcity to one of abundance
  


• There are millions of potential donors out there; you just have to find a way to connect with them


• Online fundraising allows us to aggregate the resources of those scattered givers


• Your donors are older today, but it’s more a symptom of your fundraising efforts than it is a reflection of your true constituents


• 80% of Americans give to nonprofits every year (DMA 08)

Cause vs. Candidate

• Why has Obama been able to inspire so many first-time givers? The first thing he asks for isn’t money; it’s a commitment. He doesn’t ask for money until three or four communications in. First he makes you a stakeholder in his campaign – gives you a movement / an event / a task to be a part of


• One effective social tactic: Sign a pledge. People who get a chance to make a statement quickly become donors
  • 47% of people who give online did something else first


• People don’t emotionally connect to institutions; they connect with causes they can believe in
  • Ex. Give to the Library annual pledge vs. Thank a Librarian campaign
  • Ex. Nothing but Nets – the UN Foundations campaign to fight malaria


• The Internet rewards storytelling. It’s hard to tell a truly compelling “unrestricted gift” story

What's the strategy? There are no checkbooks on Facebook

 

• Fundraising is one step removed from a social media introduction


• Fundraising on the Web is more like “major gift” strategy than anything else. It’s about cultivation. Finding the right time and the right amount for a first gift


• Engage the person first; ask for money later


• Virtual volunteer recruitment is essential. Share your brand with your biggest advocates – let them take your message and “the ask” to their friends


• Add a function to your Web site that allows people to quickly qualify themselves (get them to register in exchange for something of value – ex. Field guide, “pet inside” fire sticker)


• The messenger is critical. You want that person / organization to create confidence. To endorse your organization’s brand.


• Focus on what the donor wants, not what the organization wants. For example, most online giving tools allow for anonymous giving, but organizations turn that off because they want to be able to track down the donor. If you allow it? Total donations increase 15 – 20%

The Web’s not just for small gifts

• 51% of the “wired wealthy” (middle and major donors) prefer to give online


• 80% already have (download Convio study)


• Why they like it: reduces administrative costs, has a sense of immediacy / ability to respond effectively to a crisis, gets them frequent flyer miles (yep, it’s a big number), makes it easier to track total donations over time


• Why they don’t like it: Worried that you’ll sell their personal information or deluge them with email

What are the tools?

• Ask yourself: If an opportunity presented itself today, are you ready to quickly communicate with all of your constituents? Do you have their email addresses, cell phone numbers, etc.?


• “Email is an old person’s medium. You have to be able to think beyond it.” But also use it strategically to reach boomers – it’s the bread & butter of their giving.


• The new free media is blogs. It’s “Information unfiltered by authority”


• 74% of people who give said an email about how a donation was spent would improve the chance that they give again (DMA 08)


• 3/4s said the Web site experience has a significant impact on it / how much they give

Budget for preparedness

• The challenge with disruptive technology is that there’s no proven ROI, no history


• It’s tough to fit that into the nonprofit planning model


• Need to set aside a certain percentage of the budget to prepare for what’s next – to experiment with how to connect with your new donors


• “Increasingly, the gap between have and have not organizations will be defined by how they have / have not embraced technology”

Why add mobile to your strategy?

• “Phones allow us to begin to compete with consumer spending instead of other charitable giving”


• Americans acknowledge that much of their spending is somewhat frivolous. It’s also spontaneous. So, today, it’s a sweater, but tomorrow it could just as easily be a contribution


• Today, mobile giving is challenged by total giving limits and administrative charges from providers. But, soon people will connect their Paypal accounts to their phones and giving will be much less restrictive


• Mobile partners: Mobile Accord, MobileCommons

Big takeaway: “You don’t teach your donors; your donors teach you” Donors are changing the rules of the game. It's up to us to learn it.

cBus Syndrome: When your client has low self-esteem

Last Thursday, Experience Columbus invited me and 60 of my fellow bloggers to check out their newest tourism and convention campaign: Not In Columbus.

First, let me say -  it was a very well-conceived effort.

• Right people: Columbus is home to a really diverse group of Gen Ys and Xers who love the city. They blog, network and otherwise talk in just about every medium there is. Engaging them (um, us) to preview pro-Columbus propaganda is a great fit.


• Right partners: All local agencies and others (Creative: engauge; PR/Social: FahlgrenMortine; snacks and treats: Jenis; swag: Skeened)


• Right process: Over the last few months, a number of Experience Columbus staffers and leaders have started following me on Twitter. And presumably reading local bloggers. They've interacted with the community and gotten to know us.


• Right presentation: Pete McGinty - VP of Marketing - was tasked with talking to the bloggers. He  brought us in on the process of developing the campaign before the big reveal. He was happy to tell the back story and answer questions.

Which brings me to the unasked question: Can we see the other 23 concepts that hit the cutting room floor?

Ok, here's the setup:

Pete starts off by taking us inside the process. He holds up a board titled Challenges:

• No one outside Ohio knows us
• And, we don't have anything our competitors don't have

Sure, he couched it in it's not really that bad. But, the POV still seemed to be that we're somewhere between milk toast and total suck.

The agreed upon solution to this mediocrity morass was to have a little bit of fun; to make fun of ourselves.

Then the campaign was unveiled: Not in Columbus.

It's a collection of light-hearted videos, print ads and tShirts that point out some of the iconic things you can't do in Columbus and then pays it off with the variety of things you can do. It's a teaser, a page-turn stopper. If it works.

An example:

Browse the tees. Watch the videos. Download the print ads.

If there's one thing we've done plenty of in this town, it's make fun of ourselves. The variations on Cow Town alone are uncountable. It's part of cBus Syndrome: the ability to live in a vibrant, growing city and talk about it like it's a pile of cow crap.

And a campaign like this one feels like only more of the same. We're the marketing equivalent of the fat guy at the party making jokes about his girth so that the girls won't look at him with pity.

Oh, except, we only think we're the fat guy. We're actually the totally ripped hot guy who just has really  low self esteem.

If I were to re-invent this campaign, what would I talk about? What are the reasons to come to this city?

#1 for me: Columbus is a destination city for creative people. You're basically guaranteed to be rubbing elbows with an artist whether you're shopping the North Market or noshing on Hyde Park steaks.

Proof points:

• Robust creative economy
• Affordable, eclectic neighborhoods (i.e. places for artists to live)
• Groundswell of independent art activity
• Slew of professional arts organizations (from museums to the ballet)
• Nationally-known arts festivals - art fest, comfest
• Tons of programs and outlets for individual artists - from live/work spaces to monthly art sales and gallery hops
• Huge local music scene
• Nationally-recognized chefs
• Passionate foodie community

(Think you can't market that? Look at Toronto, Minneapolis, Portland)

#2 Ok, don't like that first one? How about the vibe? Columbus has this totally open, do-your-own thing vibe. The kind of city that has cool things to do at every level of hip. The kind of city that would produce the largest privately financed redevelopment project in the nation The kind of city that would have the country's third largest gay population and still almost go red in the election. The kind of city that would have multiple boutique and gallery districts - just to house that army of entreprenuers who feel like they have the right foundation to take the big risk.

(Think you can't market that? Look at Jamaica, Boulder, the other Portland)

#3 Still searching? Ok, how about we're a Big 10 town. And, we're home to the second largest college population in the country (behind Boston). That's exciting sports. A young, engaged population. And, all the cheap fun a college town has to offer.

(Think you can't market that? Ok...someone will have to help me here. You know Advergirl and sports. Like fish and bicycles.)

Anyway, my point is - Columbus has lots of compelling marketing messages. If we could just get over the cBus Syndrome and take an honest appraisal, I think we'd all see what the bloggers you invited over already see.

Plaid Nation 2008: What the cool kids are doing this summer

Back in the innocent days of 2007 -- in a time before a perfectly innocent van was wrapped, wired and wandering America -- the guy on the left and the guy on the right were talking agency self promotion ideas in a conference room in Danbury, CT.

The guy on the left joked, "we should get one of those funky Scooby Doo type vans, and just take it on the road."

Not the kind of joke to tell at Plaid, a one-of-a-kind design, branding and social shop, that makes weird ideas kind of wonderful.

Later that year, the first Plaid Nation tour came to life. And this year, its big brother - Plaid Nation 2008 - is storming the West Coast.

What is it?

It's five Plaid-ians driving through the country meeting creative, marketing, brand and internet workers, and sharing Plaid love. It's Tweetups, meetings with the creative community, introductions to inspiring dudes, and a big fat live Web experience to go with it. It's taking social on the road and using it locally and globally to continue a conversation. In short - it's a one-van mission to change people's perceptions about social media. From impractical to integrated.

Why should we care?
Sure there are some cool ideas being discussed and great connections made. But let's go a little bigger than that.

They've mobilized some of their best ideas and people in a freaking Scooby Doo van.  And it's netting out some incredible connections and enviable awareness.

The van is the power of "What if?" Of not being afraid to speak, explore and act on ideas. Even ones that, frankly, seem a little crazy. Especially ones that tear down assumptions about just how far a brand or product or experience can go.

It's about embracing the personality of your brand. And not being afraid to take smart chances.

I've got a Plaid Nation key chain hanging on my cork wall to remind me to bring a little of that Scooby Doobery to my every day.

Safe travels, guys!

"I don't have to grow up" - gen

For every thoughtful discussion I've had about the cultural consumer, the green citizen, the attention economy, I've had a party / conversation / meeting completely derailed by a group of mainstream 30-somethings playing or talking-about-playing video games. Even as I type this, my copy of RenGen is sitting under my PS3 controller on the coffee table.

We - the fabled, if aging GenXers - are a damn playful bunch. Our marathons are as likely to be a Saturday of Project Runway reruns as 20-sweaty miles across the city. We've passed on scrapbooks for passing around digital cameras packed with thousands of hammed-up snaps. We can cook but would rather collect memories of childhood munchies - from an EasyBake oven to the Snoopy Sno Cone machine complete with grape syrup.

So, if I can put down my classic wooden yo-yo for just a minute, I'd like to congratulate three advertisers for really getting the spirit of grown-up play:

#1 Dominos pizza for the inventiveness of friends
#2 Toyota Tacoma for the joy of the game
#3 Tostitos for the creativity in every roll of duct tape (and best random :5 seconds of moose)

Here are the smile-out-loud spots:

Mazda culturally tone deaf?

I think this spot premiered last month. But I believe the controversy it will create is yet to come. Watching the spot the first time I was uncomfortable. Since I've seen it more, it's genuinely changed my perception of the brand.

An all-black chorus singing in gospel-style ... a song that includes the phrases 'come shine here with me' and  'I'm finally free.' The the zoom out hits as they sing the brand's hallmark 'zoom, zoom' in a closed circle around a car.

Excessive religious references aside, it seems like a particularly offensive cultural lift.

In principle, I agree with the approach. Car buyers have changed. Over 50% of them are women. Growing numbers are Hispanic and African-American. Yeah, we need to get away from the white guy in a convertible zipping around the windiest roads of the Italian countryside with a thrilled woman by his side. But, there's a big, big 'in between' from talking to a niche to lifting an experience.

The elevation of creativity

Since I'm not a speedy aggregator, you've probably already seen these ads for Michaels by The Richards Group. Nonetheless, there are two advertising trends here that I'm really excited about:

• The personalization of demographics: Increasingly, I get the sense that agencies are investing in creating identities for niche audiences - building out the story of one person - her wants and dreams and fears - to best create advertising that really speaks to emotional drivers.
• The elevation of creativity: Whether it started in advertising or advertising is merely following, I appreciate the increased value placed on personal creativity - on the validation of that fundamental emotional desire to create and share...

Moms networking online, too

Hitwise's LeeAnn Prescott has an interesting post today about emerging social networking trends - particularly the growth of online niche communities, like the mom site, CafeMom:

It's no surprise that online communities are growing in "need niches" - serving as effective support groups and deep databases of experience for audiences with unique daily challenges. It's interesting, though, the technology selected. Although WIKI would likely be a much more appropriate medium (in terms of searchability, peer review and elevation of the best content), the online community's advantages are simply more "human friendly," appealing to lots of key emotions for a behavior transition as significant as offline friend & family network to online community support:

• Ego: I have a space that is mine. It reflects me. I can share it with people. I can see how many are attracted to the space.
• Human contact: This feels one-on-one, like relationships I'd have offline. I can see who is talking about what. I can put a face to the content.
• GUI: I understand how this works, it feels easy to use and like something I can do. I know it's technology, but I don't feel confused or ill-equipped to get involved.
• And, many others...

Two other great resources in the social networking and mom marketing worlds respectively:

Hitwise's Top 20 Social Networking Sites:
A quick reference chart and some interesting commentary on the sites that are looking to reduce MySpace's 80% market share.

Email Labs study on Effective Strategy for Email Marketing to Moms
It's a little older of a document, but has some compelling statistics and trends - all for the price of a quick registration

Advertising changes the face of downtown

Ad Junkies: Welcome to Columbus, OH

You’re likely thinking one of the above:

• Republicans
• Cows
• Rabid OSU fans with garishly painted faces
• The Arnold Classic

But, nay, young advertiser, nay. There is more to this city I call home:

• Five significant advertising & web agencies and 50+ smaller shops.
• Four national sports teams, a Big 10 college, and several Fortune 500 retailers.
• 15 distinct city neighborhoods.
• Plus, a downtown crowded with artists, students, marketers, and other creative types.

And, we are in the midst of a city-wide obsession with dimensional outdoor – beer, apartments, local spots teams, they can’t wait to climb up the side of a building. Check out the latest building + parking lot take-over across from Nationwide’s global HQ:

Part of the “life comes at you fast” campaign (that will not die), the billboard features a can of housepaint thats spill is so fierce it covers an entire parking lot. (Yes, one could question how insurance would get involved in that little whoops, but, hey, this campaign has been going on for four years – how many fresh, relevant ideas could possibly remain?)

And, some other recent installations:

   

These locations are brokered by Orange Barrel Media. A company that is genuinely changing the face of downtown. The sight-line has been reinvented from ranging dirty brick to every manner of ad message. The mayor is even calling “Times Square” the inspiration for downtown development.

I have mixed feelings about living in this modern interpretation of the company town. Questions ranging from – Do we have a responsibility to protect some urban living from commercialism to have we created so much noise that no one sees / hears anything? But one thing I do love is the interest in advertising that the mammoth installations have sparked. Out-of-industry types – even the Joe Recliners we talk to in focus groups – are buzzing about these ads. They love the creativity, the scale, the “push” of the design.

It’s fun. And, uniquely urban. In a landscape that would love to “own” both.

Much like CGC, this new cross-over of urban “art” and advertising has created an entry point to our industry – one that makes consumers feel like part of it (instead of the target of it.) Makes me want to send in a jingle to Jello or tear a recipe from a SPAM label…