The Fallacy of Influence
Posted on 18. Apr, 2012 by Lee Odden in Blog, Influence, Small Business Internet Marketing, Small Business Marketing, Social Media, social media marketing
How important is influence with online marketing? Most professionals would say influence is pretty important, especially when it comes to social media. The notion is that a few key people can spread an idea to their audiences and networks, causing a brand’s content to “go viral” or at least gain more substantial distribution than if the content were promoted to the every day social media Joe and Jane.
Pursuing the “big influencers” alone, is probably one of the biggest fallacies on the web.
Put aside the challenges how to find influencers and consider what “influencer” means. To me, it’s someone that has earned ongoing attention of an audience or community and the ability to motivate others to action. There’s often a disconnect between the appearance of influence and those in a position to act on it.
Mass influence exists, but it’s often confused with popularity. They’re not the same thing.
Influencers with mass appeal are easy to find and get found often. They get pummeled with requests by others to do things: share this, promote that. Some of them take up those offers and lose credibility by over-promoting. While they have a significant community watching and listening to them, the ability to inspire action is often lost.
Maybe niche influence is what companies should be considering. Rather that just going after the big fish, target those that have closer, more intimate and meaningful connections with their networks. Say goodbye to the idea that if you could just get that one famous person to say something positive about your software on Twitter, or Facebook or on a blog, then things are going to happen. They probably won’t.
Go after a quantity of quality. Go after many different niche influencers. Not just the big fish.
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The Fallacy of Influence | http://www.toprankblog.com
4 Things Lady Gaga Can Teach Us About Social Media PR & Online Influence
Posted on 19. Jan, 2012 by Ashley Zeckman in Blog, Influence, Online PR, public relations, Small Business Internet Marketing, Small Business Marketing, Social Media, social media pr
Photo Credit: Flickr gjkooijman
Lady Gaga is the definition of an influencer offline and online; her music, fashion sense, and passion for social causes have spread around the world in only a few short years. Love her, like her or hate her, you know who she is and you’ve probably heard more than one of her songs.
When searching for a way to improve your online PR strategy or increase your social reach, who better to learn from than one of the most influential celebrities in the world and on the web?
Social Media is Going Gaga
- Lady Gaga Facebook Fan Page Followers – 46,608,220
- @LadyGaga Twitter Followers – 18,198,577
- Lady Gaga Google+ Followers – 20,852 (only 4 days after signing up)
#1 – “The Fame” is Only Half the Battle
Photos from @charliesheen & @ladygaga
Social influence involves much more than a popularity contest. Actual influence is composed of the ability to influence opinions, outcomes, and actions. While other celebrities like Charlie Sheen are popular on sites such as Twitter, his social popularity didn’t help him get his job back on Two and Half Men or sell out his nationwide “comedy” tour. You may notice in the photos above that Charlie Sheen’s profile still reads “unemployed winner”. Looks like he could do with a little less popularity, and a lot more influence.
#2 – A “Poker Face” is Bad For Business
Photo from Lady Gaga's Facebook Fan Page
If you are responsible for online PR for your company, or are interested in promoting yourself on the web, it is essential that you are as transparent as possible. While it may be tempting to stretch the truth in a crisis, honesty is key. Transparency and messaging are also important to give your audience a sense of who your brand is and what you stand for in ways that will inspire your community to engage and take action. Understanding why people buy is essential when marketing a product or individual. People become fans and buyers when they can relate to or form a connection with the spokesperson or can apply meaning to what they stand for.
#3 – “Little Monsters” Receive Recognition
Photo from Lady Gaga's Official Google+ Profile
If there is one thing that cannot be debated about Lady Gaga it is her adoration for her fans. Her music has influenced millions of people, but she is quick to thank her audience for influencing her life. In fact a Tweet that I saw just the other day on her Twitter profile said:
“Can’t believe I have 18,000,000 TwitterMonsters, really rad, was just a few years ago I had barely any.”
Even a small comment like this shows her appreciation for the fans that helped her get to where she is today. A good PR professional should always remember to give thanks where thanks is due.
#4 – Playing More Than Just A “Love Game”
Photo from www.ladygaga.com
A Press Release last year from gaming giant Zynga announced their partnership with Lady Gaga to promote her new album. When fans visited a unique farm called GagaVille in the popular game FarmVille they were given exclusive access to new tracks and unreleased songs from her upcoming album. This was a win win situation for both Zynga and Gaga. The promotion increased Zynga’s gaming popularity, and sold gaming cards that included additional promotional activities such as winning a day on the set with Gaga.
What Would Gaga Do?
Let’s face it, not every client will experience the popularity and influence of Lady Gaga. However, there are many practical applications that can be gleamed from what we’ve learned about the pop music mogul’s online and social media presence. I urge you to take some time and ask yourself the following questions about your brand. While we may not all be a target of the “Paparazzi”, there are steps we can take to improve our social influence and make more “Money Honey”.
Influence vs. Popularity
- Is your brand popular, influential, or both?
- Do you have a plan in place to improve influence and grow your online community?
Honesty & Transparency
- What causes do your customers care about?
- What is something personal that could be shared to further connect your online customers and those who influence them?
Showing Gratitude
- Who helped your organization get where it is today?
- Is there a public opportunity to thank them for their contribution?
Additional Opportunities
- What are some partnerships or promotions that you can form on behalf of your brand?
- How much is this type of media exposure worth to you?
If you are looking for additional tips and tactics for Public Relations or improving your social influence be sure to check out the additional posts below:
- Importance of Social Media & SEO for Public Relations
- 5 Tips on Creating Video Content for Public Relations
- Boost Your Digital PR & Marketing Skills with Social Media Optimization
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TopRank® Online Marketing Newsletter.
© Online Marketing Blog, 2012. |
4 Things Lady Gaga Can Teach Us About Social Media PR & Online Influence | http://www.toprankblog.com
Satyagraha, Your Secret Marketing Weapon
Posted on 02. Jun, 2011 by Daniel Levis in Articles, Blog, Ghandi, hype, Influence, John E. Powers, John Wannamaker, Martin Luther King Jr., mindshare, Motivation, relationship, Small Business Internet Marketing, Small Business Marketing, story, transparency, trust, truth
Satyagraha was popularized by Mohandas Ghandi in his fight for Indian independence and became synonymous with the use of civil disobedience as a political tool.
Ghandi believed that truth had great moral power to galvanize resolve against an oppressor, while also garnering support from the rest of the world. And history proved him right.
A young black minister in America studied Ghandi’s struggle and ideas and was profoundly influenced by them. He used Ghandi’s Satyagraha precepts to achieve a similar human rights triumph here in the West. His name was Martin Luther King Jr.
In both cases, people from around the world with no direct interest in the conflict sided with the freedom fighters. Unyielding non-violent revolt in the face of violent counter-reaction was shocking. It seized global attention and sympathy.
These watershed moments in history prove that human nature has a built-in recognition and appreciation for what’s right and just and true.
Ever since the motorcycle accident I’ve found my brain has a weird way of associating things. As such, it seems to me this core kernel of Satyagraha has broad application to sales and marketing as well.
In times of over-communication and intense battle for consumer mindshare…
… Brutal, uncompromising truth has enormous attention-getting power.
One of the father’s of direct response advertising built his entire career on this fact.
His name was John E. Powers, arguably history’s first hired gun copywriter. In 1880 Powers was earning $100 a day as a freelance copywriter, an enormous sum at the time. And his ads often worked like gangbusters. Why?
This was the first golden age of advertising. The industrial revolution was sweeping the developed world. All manner of time and labor saving conveniences were making their debut. And John Wannamaker had just invented the department store.
By the late 1800s, newspapers and magazines had become so stuffed with advertising that an arms race took hold with each advertiser trying to out-gun, out-claim, and out-hype the next.
Power’s approach was so novel and rare it was shocking — Tell the Truth.
One of his headlines read: “We have a lot of rotten gossamers we want to get rid of…” Another famous Power’s ad announced, “We are bankrupt. We owe $125,000 more than we can pay, and this announcement will bring our creditors down on our necks. But if you come and buy tomorrow, we shall have the money to meet them. If not, we shall go to the wall.”
The sad truth is that most marketers lie through their teeth. Somehow, this has become accepted, part of the game. It’s just what marketers do.
Clever flim-flam artists know what their customers want to believe, and they twist the truth into a mangled wreck to give it to them. The even sadder truth is that in many cases this actually works, at least in the short term. And the saddest truth of all is the toll this approach takes on the trust of the consumer. The honest eventually get tarred with the same brush as the abusers. And everyone loses.
The answer is of course: Tell the Truth. The truth the flim-flam artists are so cleverly hiding. The truth that proves beyond a shadow of a doubt you’re here to create real value for people and win/win relationships capable of withstanding the test of time.
Let there be an arms race of truth.
Here are a few practical ideas for cutting through the clutter, gaining attention, and inspiring trust in today’s cynical, over-communicated world:
Amp up the Transparency — Show your customers the inner workings of your business, the good, the bad and the ugly. If the truth is untellable, fix it. Rectify what’s wrong with your business. Trust is such a rare commodity these days. Start looking at it as a competitive weapon.
Reveal Your True Motivations — Tell people the real reasons you created this product… why you priced it the way you have… why you need them to order right now… and so on. Don’t be afraid to reveal what’s in it for you as well as what’s in it for them. A sale is a transaction where both parties should win.
Avoid Unsubstantiated Hype and Exaggeration — There is a difference between delivering honest, heart-felt enthusiasm and spouting baseless, over-the-top claims. The former, when backed up with sound reasoning, leads to conviction. The later demands even more lies and obfuscation to maintain.
And as we all know, sooner or later, a business built on lies falls down like a house of cards. If your product or service doesn’t make your heart race with breathless excitement about what it can actually do for your customers, work on it until it does.
Commerce is a relationship. When you harness Satyagraha — openly revealing your vulnerabilities, imperfections, and limitations as a seller in an interesting and dramatic way – you quickly build a bond of trust, even affection with your market.
Can you think of a better way of sweeping aside the number one obstacle to acquiring a new customer?
Until next time, Good Selling!
This article appears courtesy of
Satyagraha, Your Secret Marketing Weapon
Posted on 02. Jun, 2011 by Daniel Levis in Articles, Blog, Ghandi, hype, Influence, John E. Powers, John Wannamaker, Martin Luther King Jr., mindshare, Motivation, relationship, Small Business Internet Marketing, Small Business Marketing, story, transparency, trust, truth
The word, Satyagraha, is a portmanteau of the Sanskrit words Satya and Agraha. Loosely translated, the word means “Truth Power”.
Satyagraha was popularized by Mohandas Ghandi in his fight for Indian independence and became synonymous with the use of civil disobedience as a political tool.
Ghandi believed that truth had great moral power to galvanize resolve against an oppressor, while also garnering support from the rest of the world. And history proved him right.
A young black minister in America studied Ghandi’s struggle and ideas and was profoundly influenced by them. He used Ghandi’s Satyagraha precepts to achieve a similar human rights triumph here in the West. His name was Martin Luther King Jr.
In both cases, people from around the world with no direct interest in the conflict sided with the freedom fighters. Unyielding non-violent revolt in the face of violent counter-reaction was shocking. It seized global attention and sympathy.
Eventually, these outsiders — bound to the protestors by nothing more than their humanity – put unbearable pressure on those they perceived to be outside of the realm of truth. And justice was served.
These watershed moments in history prove that human nature has a built-in recognition and appreciation for what’s right and just and true.
Ever since the motorcycle accident I’ve found my brain has a weird way of associating things. As such, it seems to me this core kernel of Satyagraha has broad application to sales and marketing as well.
In times of over-communication and intense battle for consumer mindshare…
… Brutal, uncompromising truth has enormous attention-getting power.
One of the father’s of direct response advertising built his entire career on this fact.
His name was John E. Powers, arguably history’s first hired gun copywriter. In 1880 Powers was earning $100 a day as a freelance copywriter, an enormous sum at the time. And his ads often worked like gangbusters. Why?
This was the first golden age of advertising. The industrial revolution was sweeping the developed world. All manner of time and labor saving conveniences were making their debut. And John Wannamaker had just invented the department store.
By the late 1800s, newspapers and magazines had become so stuffed with advertising that an arms race took hold with each advertiser trying to out-gun, out-claim, and out-hype the next.
Power’s approach was so novel and rare it was shocking — Tell the Truth.
One of his headlines read: “We have a lot of rotten gossamers we want to get rid of…” Another famous Power’s ad announced, “We are bankrupt. We owe $125,000 more than we can pay, and this announcement will bring our creditors down on our necks. But if you come and buy tomorrow, we shall have the money to meet them. If not, we shall go to the wall.”
The sad truth is that most marketers lie through their teeth. Somehow, this has become accepted, part of the game. It’s just what marketers do.
Clever flim-flam artists know what their customers want to believe, and they twist the truth into a mangled wreck to give it to them. The even sadder truth is that in many cases this actually works, at least in the short term. And the saddest truth of all is the toll this approach takes on the trust of the consumer. The honest eventually get tarred with the same brush as the abusers. And everyone loses.
The answer is of course: Tell the Truth. The truth the flim-flam artists are so cleverly hiding. The truth that proves beyond a shadow of a doubt you’re here to create real value for people and win/win relationships capable of withstanding the test of time.
Let there be an arms race of truth.
Here are a few practical ideas for cutting through the clutter, gaining attention, and inspiring trust in today’s cynical, over-communicated world:
Amp up the Transparency — Show your customers the inner workings of your business, the good, the bad and the ugly. If the truth is untellable, fix it. Rectify what’s wrong with your business. Trust is such a rare commodity these days. Start looking at it as a competitive weapon.
Reveal Your True Motivations — Tell people the real reasons you created this product… why you priced it the way you have… why you need them to order right now… and so on. Don’t be afraid to reveal what’s in it for you as well as what’s in it for them. A sale is a transaction where both parties should win.
Avoid Unsubstantiated Hype and Exaggeration — There is a difference between delivering honest, heart-felt enthusiasm and spouting baseless, over-the-top claims. The former, when backed up with sound reasoning, leads to conviction. The later demands even more lies and obfuscation to maintain.
And as we all know, sooner or later, a business built on lies falls down like a house of cards. If your product or service doesn’t make your heart race with breathless excitement about what it can actually do for your customers, work on it until it does.
Commerce is a relationship. When you harness Satyagraha — openly revealing your vulnerabilities, imperfections, and limitations as a seller in an interesting and dramatic way – you quickly build a bond of trust, even affection with your market.
Can you think of a better way of sweeping aside the number one obstacle to acquiring a new customer?
Until next time, Good Selling!
Photo: Wikipedia
This article appears courtesy of Early To Rise, a free newsletter dedicated to creating wealth and success through inspiration and practical, proven advice. For a complimentary subscription, visit http://www.earlytorise.com.
Satyagraha, Your Secret Marketing Weapon originally appeared on The Michel Fortin Blog. Please visit to subscribe to it, or Tweet This.
Going Undercover is Quite Revealing
Posted on 05. May, 2011 by Michel Fortin in answer, attitude, Blog, consulting, customer, helpdesk, Influence, interview, Opinions, people, problem, respect, Small Business Internet Marketing, Small Business Marketing, success, support, workaholics4hire
Sometimes, I answer helpdesks to help in special cases or on more technical issues. But when I do, I do it anonymously as our support staff works as a team.
(It’s the way my wife’s company works. It allows us to work interchangeably, such as replacing each other on vacations or providing collaborative input, without any interruptions.)
However, when I do, something interesting happens.
Some clients treat me like crap. They patronize me and show contempt towards me. They are terrible to deal with, not because of their request but because of their attitude.
They range from the miserable, “the-world-owes-me,” insatiable ingrate who sends tickets in rapidfire succession for every little itch they need to scratch, to the uppity, snarky snob who expects others to bow in the mere presence of their support ticket.
Now, don’t get me wrong.
I’m not talking about someone who’s genuinely pissed off because of some frustrating problem they need help on, but later becomes appreciative when their problem is solved. (I do sympathize with them when stuff like this happens. I’ve been there!)
No, I’m talking about people who lambaste subordinates just because… they can.
It is utterly amazing to me to see how clients treat me when they don’t know it’s me — the same person they revere, are friends with, and pay $500-$1,000 an hour for consulting.
Worse still, it’s terrible to see how people are downright condescending toward others in seemingly menial positions. It’s also surprising because I would have never expected it from some of them. They’re the kindest people I’ve met.
To quote Lynette Chandler who shared a similar story with me on Facebook:
“I was floored… I’ll never view her the same way again.”
Indeed.
The sad part is, many of these clients were people I’ve met at seminars, were friends of mine, and were supposedly some of my biggest fans. Needless to say, it also made me realize what my wife and her staff had to put up with for 15 years.
(Hats off to you, and you know who you are! 
)
Here’s the interesting thing about this.
How many do you think are like that?
10% (i.e., 90% are good and 10% are bad)?
20% (or 20-80)?
How about 30-70?
Nope. This happens in about 50% of cases. Yes, 50%! Close to half of all tickets come from clients who treat me horribly and browbeat me just because of the position I’m in.
Maybe it’s because they think I’m a woman? Or an Indian? Or a teenager? Or someone who just started in an entry-level position? In all of these cases, it doesn’t matter. It shouldn’t matter! And it would be downright insulting if any of these were true.
(I’m confident I’d embarrass the daylights out of them if they ever found out it was me!)
In addition to the show Undercover Boss, this also reminds me of an article I read once about a CEO who typically conducts job interviews at restaurants, just to see how the job candidate treats the wait staff — which greatly influences their decision to hire them.
It’s a great social experiment, that’s for sure. It’s also going to make me think twice when I’m the customer, on the other side, dealing with a cashier, nurse, order taker, wait person, counterperson, clerk, or whomever is serving me at that time.
Sure, I still expect them to do their jobs. After all, I’m the customer and I’m paying for it.
But they deserve to be treated the same way I expect to be treated…
… With respect.
Going Undercover is Quite Revealing originally appeared on The Michel Fortin Blog. Please visit to subscribe to it, or Tweet This.
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