Blog Officially moved

I have officially moved this blog to Wordpress. Please subscribe and follow there, as it is a MUCH better format and more comment friendly. Thanks for checking this blog out!

http://robzie.wordpress.com

Also, I now have a Facebook business page for all my social stuff.

https://www.facebook.com/robzie81

Thanks again! See you on Wordpress!

Mobile App Review - Path

I use the Nike + GPS app to record my sad attempts at running. It’s nice to have the occasional, “Hey, you didn’t suck as much as last time” motivational shout-outs that it provides at times. Recently, I went to record one of my runs and the app asked me if I wanted to share my run on Path. I saw the below icon, and thought it would be great because, in my post-run haze, I mistakenly thought the icon looked similar to the Pinterest icon. I actually was thinking, if it was associated with Pinterest and would be posting my runs in an album, that would be awesome! It is NOT associated with Pinterest, by the way.

Red & White P does
not a Pinterest make...

My first impression of this app was not a good one. It messed up while registering my account, and reloaded the page, then told me that my email and phone number already existed. I gave up on it until I returned home from my run and saw the email for my registered account. I then decided to give it another go. It got better.

San Francisco-based Path launched in 2010 and, according to its website, the privately held company has a base of about 2 million users. The website goes on to explain that it allows you to keep a personal journal, “or Path”, of your life and should help you authentically express yourself and share your personal life with loved ones.  Path has a healthy following on Facebook  and on Twitter, as well as over 300 followers on LinkedIn so their online presence and following is pretty well established. It floats dangerously close to Facebook in certain aesthetic aspects. Most notably, Path allows you a “profile picture” and a “cover picture” with the profile picture showing up in a bubble in the lower left corner of the cover picture (example of mine here) on your profile. They may catch flak for that, if they haven’t already.  The feed also resembles Facebook quite a bit, but there isn’t a whole lot of variation available for a feed, I suppose. One area that Path ventures away from Facebook is that is is focused almost exclusively as a mobile interface, rather than on your computer. You can make changes to your profile settings on your Mac or PC, but your feed and your ability to post anything are exclusively on your mobile device. This stems from Path’s focus on being a modern journal for a modern age. It is meant to be with you wherever you go. It has yet to be seen whether a lack of a computer interface will help or hinder Path’s future.


Those facts aside, there are actually some pretty slick features that this app has which make me glad that I moved forward with setting it up.

1. The creators of Path were smart to allow integration with the other heavy hitters, rather than simply try to compete with them. All of your posts are shareable on Facebook, twitter, Tumblr, and Foursquare. This integration is likely a key success factor for Path.
2. You have the option to share music that you are currently listening to. When you click the button to do this, Path automatically checks your music player to see what your ARE listening to. It then makes suggestions to post so that you don’t have to search for your song and artist. Occasionally though, if you have a more obscure artist or album, Path can’t find it. I’d be interested to know where they pull their music database from. It does an admirable job for most popular artists, however.
3. As with most social sites, you can post who are you with (once you’ve found friends on Path), where you are (if you have location services turned on), upload pictures and post comments. You won’t feel too lost using Path if you are already using some of the other major social sites.
4. Another function, albeit a little bit of a strange one, is the ability to tell friends when you’ve gone to bed and when you wake up. I’m not really sure that I see the use of this outside of people knowing that they can’t bother you because you’ve already gone to bed. I’d love to find out if there is a specific point that Path creators were trying to achieve by adding this feature. If there were a first thing to go in a major overhaul, it would likely be this feature.
5. All of the above options come from a really cool little pop-up menu in the bottom left corner of your screen. It’s a pretty slick, smooth interface with multiple buttons popping up and going back to being hidden with the touch of a little + or x.
6. As you scroll through the timeline of events, a little clock pops up to show you the time of each item’s posting. It moves along as you scroll and the little hands furiously move to the next “time stamp” of each post. It’s a fun little feature, actually.
7. Path offers emoticons that you can add to posts of your own or those of friends. You can add a smiley, frown, wink and surprised face. There is also a little heart option. I would liken this to the ‘Like’ button on Facebook.
8. The way that Path integrates with Nike + GPS is probably one of the most solid functions Path brings to the table for me, and likely where it can gain an even stronger footing. Once you finish a run while using the Nike app, you can post to your social networks via sharing options within the app (Facebook, Twitter and Path). On Path, a map of your run (example of my own here) gets posted showing your route, your mileage and length of time right on the map! I could see this being a good way to get a bunch of your workout/health nut friends together in one social space and be able to share, cheer each other on, and keep motivated while avoiding the inevitable groans from your Facebook friends (if you post your workouts/runs on your Facebook Timeline.) If you see that a friend is on a run, you can actually click their Path and send them a cheer. And who doesn’t like a little encouragement every now and then?

Overall, I think Path has potential for stay power if they keep the momentum up, and I will likely continue to use it just to see where it may go. I’m interested to see in what ways it “learns” from my activity, which the website claims it will do. I am likely going to have to invite friends so that it becomes fun because, out of my numerous email and Facebook contacts, I’ve found ONE person using Path. I think adding a small bio section and the ability to search other users by interest or location would be greatly helpful in allowing users to add worthwhile connections rather than random. I would love to find other people around Austin using Path.

Being still pretty much in its youth, time will tell whether this becomes the next big thing in social, or if Path simply falls by the wayside as so many do. I can’t say I’m not rooting for it to stay around a little longer though. 

Have you already heard of Path? Are you using it? If not, do you think having a place to share your exercise goals is worth another social network? Chime in!

Now go get your social on!

What the Gym Taught Me About CRM

First off, I'm finally settled into my new place in Austin, TX. I love it here. The company I work for - Main Street Hub, shameless plug -  totally rocks and takes great care of its customers' social media presence (and great care of its employees). I was able to experience some of the SXSW madness right outside the front door, which was epic. Things are pretty awesome. Now, on to the business at hand.

What the Gym Taught Me About Customer Relationship Management
Going to the gym has its ups and downs. You typically have plenty of options for machines, free weights, treadmills, yadda yadda. Sometimes, simply being amongst others who are pushing themselves can inspire you to work harder (kind of a form of social proof, if you will). If you are like me, you usually end up finding that one machine that works really well, and always bee-line for it when you see it available. Because, y'know, the other one creaks or doesn't measure your heart rate, or simply looks like it will break mid-stride and impale you. I don't wanna die at the gym, do you?
So anyway, one thing that really irks me, and this has happened numerous times, is when I go to claim a machine or bench, and some meathead comes up to me and says, "Hey man. I was using that." Um, no. No, you were not. You were too busy stroking your ego in front of that mirror on the other side of the gym, flexing and grunting. This machine is mine now. You can have it when I'm done, maybe. *Side note: I usually concede if the guy is a big, scary, aggressive type. Remember that time when I said I don't want to die at the gym?
Now, here is where I make my tie-in. Gym machines are to people as customers are to businesses. They build you up, make you stronger, and if you abandon them, someone else will gladly make use of them.

This is your customer. All alone...
Photo by Ambro

It is 6 to 7 times more costly to acquire a new customer than keep an existing one. Imagine how much more that figure inflates when a customer feels abandoned or ignored by your company and has been wooed by your competitor. Social media allows you many opportunities to keep up with your customers. You can keep an eye out for good or bad sentiment and react accordingly; and the point is exactly that - react. Show your customers that you care about their opinions (the good AND the bad) and they will not only respect you all the more for it, you may actually improve their initial sentiment. Use review and recommendation sites, such as Yelp!, Google Places, and foursquare, to maintain your image. Also, use them to check up on your competitors and claim their ignored equipment. When you see bad reviews of your competitors, reach out to those people (steal their machine!). Suddenly, you look like the friendly gym owner who says, "It's ok, buddy. I'm someone who would love to pay attention to you. Let me show you."
On that note, however, don't be a peacock. Don't strut your stuff once you feel good about your reputation.  Be careful not to get so caught up in your own affairs that your customers become secondary. Don't be that guy flexing in the mirror because, as I mentioned, you are then no longer paying attention to your machine. And I'm going to come steal it!

Do you have any success stories, either stealing customers or maintaining your customer base? Share your stories below.

Now go get your social on!

Life. Got. Crazy

Ok, so here's the thing. I'M MOVING 1,000 MILES TO AUSTIN IN ONE WEEK!

It is all happening so fast, I can't even believe it. I will have another post soon, but in the mean time, check this out. I have a guest blog post on Starr Hall's blog (y'know, she's only has a column for Entrepreneur Magazine's website, is an amazing public speaker, and been on all major networks talking about social media. No big.)

It is 4 Ways to Use Pinterest for Local Business. Check it out here.

So once I get to Austin and settle down a bit from the insanity that is a new city, I will get back into the swing of my blog. WOW! Life is happening. Now. Live it.

Thanks so much for reading!

Now go get your social on!

Sometimes, good things happen

This post will be subtitled: Always be aware of the jaded employee.


I've gone back to the gym. After a 5 month hiatus from the sweaty house of pain, I have made a glorious return. I am going back because the director of a film that I will potentially be in wanted me to tone up the upper body a little. Cool. In doing our research of the local pain fare, we were informed by this particular gym that it was getting ready to go under new management after the weekend. If we bought the gym membership before the weekend was over, they could get us a specific price for three months, but after that, they couldn't guarantee what the rates were going to be. The rate was substantially less than the others in town, so we took advantage of that immediately. Here's where the story gets awesome.


I showed up to the gym in a moderately jovial mood, as I was already having a pretty good day, so I was particularly chatty and personable. Two guys were working, one the soon-to-be-previous owner, and another employee. I reminded them who I was and that I was here to renew for three months. They looked me up, renewed my membership and told me the price. I handed ye olde card of looming debt to the owner guy. He took my card, then stared at a blank spot on the counter. He looked over at his employee for a second, back to the empty space on the counter, and back to the employee. "Did he (I assume the new owner) take the %$#@ credit card machine?" It was agreed between the two of them that he had, in fact, taken the %$#@ credit card machine. The man handed me back my card and said, "Congrats, you're renewed." I didn't argue.


I tell this story because there is a moral. Always be wary (or be aware) of the jaded or disgruntled employee. This is the employee most likely to cause you the headaches as a business owner, especially online. He is the employee that will post that inappropriate Facebook post because he just doesn't care or isn't aware enough of how it could affect business. He is the one who will tweet about a client/customer, not thinking about the fact that the client/customer is a Twitter follower. We've all heard the disastrous stories from careless employees on social media. The best way to avoid this, of course, is to communicate with your employees. Be transparent about your business and how what they do affects it, in both the positive and the negative ways. Get to know them, talk to them, be interested in them. Pay attention to what employees say about your company both online and in person. Be sure to incentivize and you may not even have to worry about disgruntled employees because they will actually want to work for you. This doesn't necessarily mean throw money at them, but let them know that they are appreciated with words, publicly commend them via a company board or blog, or provide them with some small token of appreciation. Otherwise, you just never know when they may just try to stick it to the man (or woman).
Also, as a customer, always look for the disgruntled employee and be nice to him. He may hook you up, like by giving you a free three month gym membership.


Have you ever had an experience with an employee who was disgruntled or jaded, good or bad, as an employer or customer? Comment about it! Remember to share, Like, Tweet or +1.


Now go get your social on!

2012: The Year of the Orwell?

Chris Brown wins a Grammy? What? We'll get back to that later.


I saw a couple of news reports today that sparked the title for today's blog post. I'd like to lay them out here with some of my own thoughts and as for yours as well.

1. Brazil is suing Twitter over people's tweets about police activity.

Twitter announced earlier this year that it would start deleting tweets according to government requests, which threw some people into an uproar and even spawned a mild, albeit ineffective, blackout on Twitter. The Brazilian government is one of the first to take them up on this offer, which takes me back to a SOPA issue that many had. Can a website that acts as a constant public forum be held responsible for what people are posting on it? Many people's fear with SOPA was that websites could be taken down because someone posted material that may have been copyrighted, even if the website owner was unaware that the material was copyrighted and the poster was not affiliated with the website. Do people have the right to post things like warnings of police roadblocks or checkpoints? I can't say that the Brazilian government doesn't have good measure for wanting to enact on this. These checkpoints are set up for good reason, and warning others of their presence renders them basically useless. On top of that, the money spent on setting up and manning the roadblock become wasted and fruitless. Does allowing the Brazilian government to have these deleted open the floodgates for future censorship in a time when it may not be as warranted as this situation is? Where do you draw the line? I can't decide. I see merit on both sides of the argument. I think that the censored tweets situation is going to be a case-by-case argument in which there will very possibly be times when it goes too far and should not be enacted by Twitter. 


2. Surveillance drones-Not just for overseas anymore.

How do you feel about  a stealthy little surveillance-ocopter buzzing around keeping an eye on what you do? This is not a fictional extension of George Orwell's mindset of our world, but an actual reality. Aside from the obvious privacy invasion innate to this, these drones would also be sharing the airspace with commercial airlines. Can you imagine? Flying at a safe altitude, and suddenly hearing a *clunk* from outside. The captain comes over the intercom, "No worries folks. That was just a government surveillance drone we ran into. Nothing to be concerned about." How is this not getting more attention than it is? How are people not questioning the lengths to which this will be allowed to go? I've read that some privacy advocates are up in arms about it, but is the average person aware of this? Has anyone been keeping any tabs on the depth to which these drones would be allowed to spy on the average person? I'd be curious to hear people's response on this. 


Finally, if I went to Hollywood with a script in my hand and pitched the idea, "Ok, so this guy is a musical artist. He has some hits, but then he beats the daylights out of his girlfriend. He only gets probation since he's famous, but then he comes back to win Best R&B Album at the Grammy Awards." They'd laugh me out of the room and tell me that you could never get an audience behind a guy who beats his girlfriend. Hollywood couldn't even make this stuff up. 


Well that's it for this post. I just wanted to put out there some things that I saw and I'd love to hear reactions, thoughts, and arguments about these, on either side of the argument. 


Robzie

And for my first trick...

I'm actually going to post a link to a guest blog post I just did for The Social Penguin Blog. In it, I talk about recent examples of how social influence from outcries on the various networks has actually caused change in our world. I also ask people to weigh in with their thoughts on this form of activism and if it has stay power to continue enacting change.

http://bit.ly/A62XRj