AFTER MANY MONTHS OF DEVELOPMENT, we’re pleased to launch our newest product—a complete social media marketing solution for dental practices. We call it a “product” because of the unique characteristics of the program that allow us to take a semi-custom approach to helping dentists leverage community driven marketing to grow their practices. It’s an approach that keeps the costs very affordable for any size dental practice AND ALSO builds a one-to-one consultive, trusted relationship.

One of the most difficult things for small business owners (and particularly dentists) is finding the time to engage with customers (patients) and prospective customers. But even more frustrating than finding the time is knowing how to spend the little time they DO find. Most dentists feel overwhelmed by social media tools, and the learning curves to make them effective. Many simply get discouraged and end up doing nothing at all.

Our turn-key solution solves that problem. By having us 1) build and integrate the tools, 2) assist them in developing a long-term online marketing strategy, 3) provide the creative for 4 specific campaigns each year, and 4) support the marketing plan through a tight, blog post editorial calendar, dental practices can focus their efforts in one place. We take care of the rest.

You can read about all of the tools on the product blogsite.

And, take a look at how one dental practice is currently using the program:

Dr. Jared Theurer’s Blogsite

Dr. Jared Theurer’s Facebook Microsite Welcome Page

Dr. Jared Theurer’s Facebook New Patient Referral Program

Dr. Jared Theurer’s Twitter Page

Dr. Jared Theurer’s YouTube Channel

MAYBE I’VE BEEN LIVING IN A CAVE, but this morning was the first time I’ve seen this. I know that Google indexes tweets now, but I had never seen this little dynamically updating window before, based on a search term. I think it’s great. It makes Twitter a more powerful business tool. Had you seen it before? What do you think?

SHORT SUMMARY:

Powerful, intuitive social media tools aren’t just for marketing. They represent and facilitate fundamental shifts in human interaction—shifts that can improve university learning. The Ning social network we used in our BYU Comms230 class this semester was a useful tool that was wholeheartedly embraced and endorsed by class members.

>>> 43 out of 43 students said such a network would be helpful in ALL of their classes.

>>> The following few quotes represent hundreds of positive comments from class members:

“The network took class discussions and extended them into online conversations.”

“Seeing my classmates’ work sparked my own ideas.”

“The professor has talked a lot this semester about building a personal online brand. Blogging has helped me do that.”

“I got many more insights through sharing ideas on blog posts.”

“The network unified our class and facilitated communication.”

“I was motivated to submit higher quality work because I knew my peers would see it.”

“It’s simple. I don’t have to print assignments. I can get things done from anywhere. It’s quick. The communication is instant.”

“Everything I need for class is in one spot—the calendar, syllabus, class video stream, lecture slides, and quick ability to contact classmates, the professor, and the TA.”

“My questions are answered and my comments acknowledged much quicker than in regular classes.”

“Blogging forced me to think. I wasn’t just memorizing material.”

“Blogging has helped me feel like I have a jump on the industry because I’m actually in it.”

“It was really motivating to me to make my blog posts good so that others would respond to them.”

“Comments left on the posts unified the class, and we were able to bounce ideas off each other.”

“Blogging made me think, and put those thoughts into words. When you have to explain yourself to others it makes you dig deeper and find out why you think that way.”

“Yes. I recommend it for other classes. The world is more technologically savvy. Students must be too.”

“Blackboard is functional, but the Ning network is fun and so much more interactive.”

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FULL POST:

I JUST COMPLETED AN ENLIGHTENING FOUR-MONTH EXERCISE in the Comms230 class I teach at Brigham Young University.

At the beginning of the semester, I designed and built (with the help of our Lava7 team) a simple Ning social network as the foundation for class activities. My goal was to not only funnel day-to-day class functionality through the network, but to also better connect the students and enhance their learning experience.

There are 49 students in my class. Last week I asked them to pull out a piece of paper and answer three questions. It’s important to note that the students DID NOT put their names on their papers. I asked them to be candid and honest in their responses, as their feedback would be completely anonymous.

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The three questions I asked were open ended:

1. What did you like, or not like, about the Ning social network we used this semester for our class?

2. What did you like, or not like, about blogging on our Ning network this semester.

3. Do you think this type of social network would be useful in your other classes? Why, or why not?

43 students were in attendance that day and submitted their feedback below. I’ve also included some screen captures, with captions:

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Question #1: What did you like, or not like, about the Ning social network we used this semester for our class?

Nearly every answer to this question fell into one of the following two general categories:

>>> Responses that centered on subject engagement, class connections, and learning. Here’s a sampling:

“Seeing my classmates’ work sparked my own ideas.”

“The thing I liked best was that the network took the class discussion and extended it into online conversations.”

“I liked seeing other students’ posts. Normally, you only get to see your own assignments. With Ning I got so many more insights through sharing ideas on blog posts.”

“The network unified our class.”

“The Ning network motivated me to submit higher quality work because I knew my peers would see it.”

“I felt like I was always involved in an ongoing discussion.”

“I feel like the network gives me a connection to the students and to the professor outside of class.”

“I got to know people better in the class.”

“The Ning network helped me connect with the class and stay on top of things. It facilitated communication.”

>>> Responses that revolved around ease-of-use and practical application. Here’s a sampling:

“It’s simple. I don’t have to worry about printing assignments. I can just upload and get things done from anywhere. It’s quick. The communication was instant.”

“Easy to use, visually appealing, clean design, easy to save my work, customizable.”

“Makes it easy to turn homework in.”

“I only have to check the network to find assignment instructions, class notes, and when to turn things in.”

“I like that blog posting was so easy to do.”

“Everything I needed for class (except the textbook, of course) was in one spot. I knew where to go to always find the calendar, syllabus, the class video stream, the lecture slides, and to make contact with classmates, the professor, and the TA.”

“I liked being able to download the class slides.”

“Streaming the class is a very good idea.”

“The Ning network has been extremely useful.”

“The Ning network saves trees.”

“Everything was very clear and organized on the network, making it very usable.”

“My questions are answered much quicker and my comments were acknowledged faster than in regular classes.”

>>> There were four suggestions for improvement:

“With so many posts, ad files, and comments sometimes the main stream seemed disorganized. Maybe there is a way to divide that up.”

“I didn’t like that I couldn’t direct message someone inside Ning until they were a ‘friend’ on the network.”

“I would like it if Ning could send me a reminder when something is due the next day.”

“It was hard to go back and find a specific blog post without looking through a bunch of them.”

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Question #2: What did you like, or not like, about blogging on our Ning network this semester.

Nearly every answer fell into one of the following two general categories:

>>> Answers that centered around subject engagement and classmate feedback. Here’s a sampling:

“I loved blogging. It made me think creatively about advertising throughout the week. I noticed lots of things I wouldn’t have otherwise.”

“Blogging got me involved with the subjects.”

“Blogging forced me to think about what I was learning. I wasn’t just memorizing material.”

“Blogging helped me analyze the media around me.”

“The blog was a great way to get the class involved in advertising.”

“The blog made me think about what I was actually contributing—not just turning in assignments.”

“Blogging pushed me to think more about what we were doing in class. It helped me analyze things more.”

“Blogging has helped me feel like I have a jump on the industry because I’m actually in it.”

“It helped me synthesize what I’ve learned.”

“Normally, on my own blog, I feel like nobody is listening. On our Ning network I get responses and I like that.”

“It let me know what the class was thinking.”

“It was really motivating to me to make my blog posts good so that others would respond to them.”

“Comments left on the posts unified the class, and we were able to bounce ideas off each other.”

“I like the commenting that was done by classmates on my blog posts.”

“Blogging made the class more fun and interesting.”

>>> Responses related to personal branding and personal growth. Here’s a sampling:

“The professor has talked a lot this semester about building a personal brand online and I think the blog helped me do that.”

“I liked blogging because it made me think, and put those thoughts into words. When you have to explain yourself to others it really makes you dig deeper into your opinions and find out why you think that way.”

“Blogging helped me form personal opinions on many things.”

“It was great to learn firsthand how helpful a blog can be in building your personal brand.”

“Blogging made me think. It stretched me.”

“I liked blogging. Sometimes it was hard to think of something to write about, but it made me search around and think. Eventually I would come up with something cool, and then end up writing way too much.”

>>> There was one suggestion for improvement:

“One improvement, I think, would be to give a general topic each week for everyone to blog about.”

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Question 3: Do you think this type of social network would be useful in your other classes? Why, or why not?

>>> I think it’s quite remarkable that 100% (43 of 43) of the respondents answered “yes” to the question above. Here’s a sampling of the comments:

“I wish all of my classes used Ning instead of Blackboard or Brainhoney. It personalizes the class and provides an easy means to get information and communicate with others.”

“I helps me stay on top of things and is WAY better than Blackboard.”

“It’s more interactive than Blackboard. Easier to talk to people and stay up to date.”

“I liked it. I would implement it in other classes. Way better than Blackboard.”

“I wish all of my classes had this kind of network. It made my life a lot easier.”

“Yes. I recommend it for other classes. The world is more technologically savvy. Students must be too.”

“It could be useful in all my classes if the professor or TA keeps it up and does a good job of managing it.”

“Blackboard is functional, but the Ning network is fun and so much more interactive.”

“It was fun to use.”

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The following seven components of our Ning social network were especially useful in our class:

- Class Lecture Files w/ Video Stream

- Class Blog

- Embedded Calendar

- Syllabus Tab

- Assignments Tab

- Discussion Forum

- Project Groups

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Conclusion:

Powerful, intuitive social media tools aren’t just for marketing. They represent and facilitate fundamental shifts in human interaction—shifts that can improve university learning.

There are many other questions that would have to be answered before Ning could replace tools like Blackboard. And maybe it shouldn’t. Perhaps a better way to think about this is to use Ning networks for the things they do best, and leave other functions (such as managing class rolls, grades, etc.) to tools like Blackboard.

If you’d like to kick around the site, here is the >LINK.

I’m interested in your thoughts and opinions. Please respond in the comments section below. Thanks.

SEVERAL MONTHS AGO, I HAD THE PLEASURE of spending a little time with Jessica Hagy at the VizThink conference in San Jose. Bright, energetic, and engaging—I had been following her on Twitter and enjoying her clever blog for a long time prior to meeting her.

Jessica has perfected the power of the 3×5 card through her remarkably simple illustrations. If you love visual thinking, subscribe to her blog and/or read her book of illustrations. Each work of art will cause you to stop whatever you’re doing for a few moments to reflect.

Here is her recent posts:

I’VE LONG BEEN A FAN OF MITCH JOEL. Back in 2006 he was named one of the most influential authorities on Blog Marketing in the world. He’s a marketing visionary, interactive expert and community leader. You can read his blog >here. If you haven’t heard about Mitch Joel’s new book yet, Six Pixels of Separation, check it out now.

When it comes to the way(s) in which your company is engaging with your audience, are YOU asking the right questions? Don’t get caught up in the tools. Tools come and go. Make sure, first, that your message and objectives are crystal clear.

Agree?

SO, WHAT’S HAPPENED TO “ADVERTISING”? Last April, Chris Brogan remarked in one of his posts that, “…most advertising has fallen off its original premise: to inform.”

So, why do many companies (and the agencies that produce commercials like BlackBerry’s) become so far removed from informing, and telling people compelling stories that spread?  I think one of the answers is that as people stop believing advertising, some unimaginative advertisers believe the solution is to simply make ads “cooler” and/or more interruptive. I can just hear them in their creative meetings… “Yeah—that’s the ticket. Cooler will sell.”

I get clever, fresh, and cool. I love clever, fresh, and cool. But David Ogilvy once said, “Advertising is a business of words, but advertising agencies are infested with men and women who cannot write. They cannot write advertisements, and they cannot write plans. They are helpless as deaf mutes on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera.”

Again, quoting Chris Brogan, “I think there’s the potential for a renaissance of quality advertising. I think the tools are here. I think the opportunities are powerful. All that’s required next are the minds and the passions to deliver the new (and by new, I might mean very old) advertising to people who seek to be informed instead of entertained.”

What will your business do with this opportunity? The passion in advertising creativity—coupled with today’s new media tools that engage audiences along every point of the online continuum—will change marketing and advertising forever. It’s the change that fuels social media marketing vision.

I’m curious. Which phone would you buy, based on these two ads? And I’m not asking that as a loaded question just because I am an iPhone fan.

Please. Please. To BlackBerry and every other me-too. No more ads like your BlackBerry campaign. Give us something we can hold on to. And, do it in clever, compelling, engaging and entertaining ways. You can do it. Where will tomorrow’s brilliant marketing and advertising minds (like the ones in my BYU advertising class this semester) go with this?

What do you think? Please share:

This is the first in a five-part series of posts about the importance of message clarity in your company’s social media marketing efforts. We’ll include specific “how-to” recommendations you can use to make your messaging more consistent and effective.

CONTROLLING YOUR COMPANY’S MESSAGE TO THE WORLD USED TO BE EASIER. Prior to the new marketing revolution, publishing and maintaining your message was pretty easy. All you needed to do was engage a good agency to help you come up with a sound value proposition—then, create well-written copy that flowed through your corporate capabilities brochure and legacy website. Ta-dah! There your declaration to the world sat—etched in stone forever (or at least for a few years), and nobody messed with it. Mission accomplished.

Things have changed (as cleverly shown in Tom Fishburne’s illustration above).

The dynamic, accessible nature of today’s new marketing methods allows you to leverage lots of people and many existing communities to move your message ahead. Employees, c-level types, boards of directors, customers, vendors, affiliate partners, shareholders, bloggers, minimum-wage interns, and other influencers directly (or indirectly) help tell your story—or detract from it.

And therein lies the rub. One of the drawbacks of such leverage is that there’s more liklihood that your message will be added to and/or subtracted from.

Now, let me be clear… I’m not talking about feedback, criticism, challenges, and two-way dialog. Those are welcome in new media marketing—and they absolutely come with the territory. I’m talking about additions and subtractions to your value proposition and point of innovation—the foundational blocks upon which your brand is built.

I recently had an opportunity to speak about this topic, in a five-minute, 20-slide “Crunch Lunch” format, at an entrepreneurial forum held at Novell:

Over the next couple of weeks, four additional blog posts here on our site will better develop the points covered in the video above. Please be sure you’ve subscribed to our blog (see subscription box at right).

WE’RE ALL MARKETERS. Whether you’re a blogger, advertiser, PR manager, programmer, SEO specialist, branding expert, or business owner—you’re a marketer. And if you’re reading this post, you’re likely a social media marketer as well.

Tough economic times, bailouts, loan difficulties and foreclosures have taken a devastating toll on the banking industry. Although the severity of conditions has varied from region to region, consumer trust levels have declined.

Western Community Bank (full disclaimer, Lava7 client), a three-branch community bank in Utah County, has always approached marketing with an innovative attitude. During difficult economic times, their commitment to starting a social media engagement strategy by launching a simple blog demonstrated a proactive community mindset and a willingness to assume some thought leadership.

Lesson 1:  Think Ahead Of The Curve

Enter, Adam Weight, VP of Marketing and Technology. During the bank’s blogsite development, a number of prominent social-media-specific articles began appearing in banking publications.

Adam was one step ahead. Are you? Ask yourself, “Am I being timid in my industry? Is there an opportunity—however small—to assume a leadership position? What’s holding me back?”

Lesson 2:  Be Human, Listen, And Participate

Western Community Bank (WCB) started with a simple premise…  Engage with customers and community members in ways that are honest and transparent, and provide clear insights and useful tools that are relevant to local audiences.

As one of the founders of the Social Media Club Utah Valley, I’ve noticed that the majority of our initial members are people inside our industry (meaning advertising, marketing, pr, branding, seo, etc.). There are few engaged members who either own or work in businesses from other verticals. Adam is one of them—and he makes a point of attending our club’s meetings and functions.

If you’re one of those people who falls outside “this industry” ask yourself, “Am I taking advantage of every opportunity to learn the mindset and tools that surround social media marketing? Am I attending SMCSLC (or Utah Valley, Cache Valley) meetings and thinking about how to leverage this wealth of passion and expertise to build my business? Am I using a blog, and/or other basic tools to listen and participate?”

Get involved! It makes a difference! And it doesn’t need to be difficult. Take off your marketing hat and put on your audience hat to better understand their needs and perspective. Here’s a recent, actual WCB Twitter exchange:

Lesson 3:  Don’t Quit. Your Tenacity Will Pay Off

Afraid you’re not a great writer? Maybe that’s true. But in Seth Godin’s words, “Stick with it and you’ll get better at it.” Are you afraid nobody’s interested in what you have to say? Perhaps…  At least today. But whether anybody reads your blog or not, the metacognition that takes place in formulating how you talk about what you do is priceless. Don’t stop. This is as much for you, and the way in which you view your business, as it is for your prospective audience.

Lesson 4:  Don’t Take Yourself Too Seriously

Let’s face it… Banks are, pretty much, boring. Agreed? They’re the epitome of traditional and conservative. The nature of what they do is all about regulatory requirements, privacy and safety. Not exactly a party. While remaining thoughtful and sensitive to their position and reputation, WCB isn’t afraid of having a little fun. It keeps them human—and here’s a good example.

So, dive in! Zig passionately while everyone else is zagging. Ignore the economic doom and gloom. There’s never been a better opportunity in history to take the four lessons above and turn them into a powerful blogging and social media marketing foundation for your business.

Onward!

Jack Hadley is CEO at Lava7, a Digital Engagement Marketing Agency

YOU PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW WE’RE BIG SETH GODIN FANS AROUND HERE.

Download his new ebook, “What Matters Most” by clicking >HERE.

Digital engagement is fundamentally changing the way in which we communicate and interact. In this space (which ALL of us are in… whether you participate or not), the more you give, the more you get.

From Seth Godin, “Now, more than ever, we need to shake things up. Now, more than ever, we need a different way of thinking, a useful way to focus and the energy to turn the game around. I hope a new ebook I’ve organized will get you started on that path. It took months, but I think you’ll find it worth it the effort.”

“Here are more than seventy big thinkers, each sharing an idea for you to think about as we head into the new year. From bestselling author Elizabeth Gilbert to brilliant tech thinker Kevin Kelly, from publisher Tim O’Reilly to radio host Dave Ramsey, there are some important people riffing about important ideas here.”

EACH MONTH, FACEBOOK RECOGNIZES BRANDS THAT are doing the best job of engaging their fans on fan pages. A Mashable post this summer, entitled Facebook Gives Props to Top Brand Marketers reported that FB has recently started handing out “Blue Ribbon Awards” for the most creative, innovative campaigns.

The way in which FB determines the winners is by “looking at the most popular pages by fan count and then looking at interactions of the fans with the page ratio (defined as comments, likes).”

Facebook needs to add one more dimension to their criteria, diving one step deeper as they evaluate and recognize creativity and innovation. While lots of FB campaigns are clever, many of them are off brand. “Good” campaigns may do a good job of engaging, but they may not move the brand ahead. “Great” campaigns, on the other hand, do both—engage AND remain true to the brand.

Today, Crispin Porter + Bogusky rolled out the Old Navy “Fab-u-lister”—a clever holiday shopping list creator that uses content from people’s FB profiles to help shoppers pick out exactly the right gifts for everyone on their list. Engaging? Absolutely. And, in our opinion, a campaign that’s remarkably on brand.