The old adage “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should” takes on additional meaning for companies grappling with the new world of social media. As in, just because you can tweet (or blog … or Facebook), doesn’t mean you should. Companies considering making this leap need to understand who they’re trying to reach and what they are trying to accomplish.

If a company just jumps in — without understanding the goals and objectives — it runs the risk of causing more harm than good. Case in point: Trader Joe’s. A California-based, specialty retail grocery shop, Trader Joe’s is known for smart expansion, little marketing and outstanding food selection. (And, of course, Two Buck Chuck.)

Trader Joe’s first started tweeting on August 28, 2008. The initial handful of tweets were what you’d expect: information about the store, a plug for tomato and roasted pepper soup and so on. Abruptly, they abandoned that strategy and began only retweeting positive comments made by the twitterati. No engagement. No discussion. Not even any store promotions. Just retweets.

Their approach sparked quite the conversation on Twitter — with the consensus being that maybe Trader Joe’s just needs some advice. Well, I happen to be a big fan of Trader Joe’s and want to see them do well. So, let me offer my two cents:

1. Don’t tweet just because your competitors are. If you don’t have a clear strategy, you’re just wasting resources. (Interestingly, in addition to being a Trader Joe’s competitor, Whole Foods is an excellent tweeter.)
2. Follow the POST method. P=understand your people and audience; O= set measurable objectives; S= develop a smart strategy; and, T=decide which social technologies to use.
3. Adhere to community norms. If you decide that your company is in fact ready to delve into social media, listen first. Understand what people are saying — and how they’re saying it. Social networkers are naturally skeptical about businesses “invading their turf.” That’s why if you don’t conform to the community standards, you’re going to fail.

Countless blog posts — many of which are very detailed and very good — have been written about the rules of social media, how socia media is changing business, what works and what doesn’t. And, many more posts along those lines are yet to come. The point of this post is simple: While there are no “set-in-stone” rules for social media, businesses do need to be smart. Taking the easy way out — say by simply retweeting positive comments about your company — is not a good idea. If you’re not engaging customers in dialogue and providing valuable information, what’s the point?

What other suggestions can we offer Trader Joe’s?

Photo Credit: hyku (Josh Hallet)

At Blogwell, a social media conference taking place today, Scott Cook (founder of Intuit), offered an interesting definition for a brand.  He said:

“A brand is no longer what we tell the consumer it is; it is what the consumers tell each other it is.”

Here’s the thing: Has defining a brand ever been as simple as what a company says?

At Costa DeVault, we’ve been in the “branding business” for more than two decades. But, we’re constantly reminding our clients that a brand isn’t a logo … or a tagline … or a piece of collateral. Those are tools that convey your brand.

A brand is the perception formed by your audiences about your company and/or product. That definition remains as true today as it was 20 years ago. Social media doesn’t change the definition. But, social media does offer a new set of tools that companies can leverage to help influence public perception. Companies that embrace social media can engage stakeholders and shape their perceptions.

No matter how many new tools are introduced to the marketplace, it’s important to remember that old adage, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.” A brand is still a brand — defined by public perception, not corporate speak.

During the long campaign season, Barack Obama was known as the first real Web 2.0 candidate. So, it should come as no surprise that social media is changing how Americans follow the Inaugural festivities. According to USA Today:

When President-elect Barack Obama takes the oath of office, it will arguably be the biggest live social-networking event ever in one location.

If you’re still not quite sure how social media is changing the world around us, just check out some of these links to follow the Inauguration online:

• Facebook partners with CNN
• Live-tweeting from DC
• Photo-sharing on Flickr
• MySpace’s Impact channel
• Live blogging from NPR, New York Times and Politico … and countless other smaller blogs.
• On your iPhone

If you can’t get away from your desk to watch the swearing in, check out NPR for streaming audio or CNN for streaming video.

Feel free to leave other social media sites and tools in the comments section below. Happy Inauguration Day!

Thanks in large part to Watson Wyatt’s groundbreaking study “Effective Communication: A Leading Indicator of Financial Performance” (conducted in 2003 and again in 2005) we know that effective internal communication is a key component to overall business health, productivity and profitability. For example, some of the study’s findings included:

• Companies that communicate effectively have a 19.4 percent higher market premium than companies that do not.
• Companies that are highly effective communicators are 20 percent more likely to report lower turnover rates than their peers.
• A significant improvement in communication effectiveness is associated with a 29.5 percent increase in market value.

Today’s definition of PR tends to emphasize external communication; however, internal communication is just as critical to a company’s success. That may be why the PRSA Orlando chapter held a professional development luncheon last week focusing on this very topic — featuring guest speaker Ron Hess, who certainly understands the benefits of internal communication.

Here’s the thing: Not one of these tips — other than making sure the Intranet doesn’t contain too much information — included anything digital. Nothing about creating a dialogue. Hess didn’t talk abut Facebook, Yammer, Ning, wikis, kluster or any other two-way communication tool that can strengthen internal communication.

By now, companies are starting to understand the value of incorporating social media to communicate with consumers — not at them. But, why are we only using these tools to engage external audiences? From an internal communication perspective, social media can help make the CEO more accessible, foster idea sharing, engage employees and strengthen corporate culture. Instead of just distributing a static e-newsletter or posting information on a bulletin board, why not apply social media best practices to internal communication? As one HR expert put it:

It’s a shame that we have so many of these new, wonderful communication tools we can use internally yet they are so underused. People leave their jobs and join and participate in social communities while at home, where they learn and grow and share and better themselves and others. Then they return to the office and it’s 1993 all over again. Or 1973, depending on the location.

Research supports investing in internal PR. But, even if you already have a strong internal effort, don’t get complacent. Think outside the box. It’s worth noting that the government — an institution not normally known as an early adapter — is embracing Web 2.0 to foster better communication (as detailed by Dr. Mark Drapeau here and here). If the government can figure it out, you can, too. So, how are you using social media to modernize your employee communication efforts?

By now, you know about Facebook and MySpace. But did you know that there are a whole host of social networking platforms that may be better tools to help companies reach key audiences? Sound like targeting? That tried and true marketing principle is even more important in today’s online world.

Mashable compiled a list of 350 social networks — ranging from connecting families … to shopaholics.  Here’s just a sample of some targeted networks that you shouldn’t overlook:

• Ning — create your own social network
• CarGurus — connecting car lovers
• Shelfari — where booklovers gather
• CafeMom — uniting moms and mothers-to-be
• Flickr — sharing photos
• LinkedIn — professional networking

Bottom line: Don’t just create a page on Facebook because you think it’s “the place to be.” Instead, do a little research. You might be surprised to learn that you can engage a network that provides direct access to your target market.

The Apple PR machine is in overdrive. Just a half-hour after the New York Stock Exchange’s closing bell, Apple announced that Steve Jobs would be taking a leave of absence. Three initial thoughts:

• Will Apple be in full crisis mode tonight — hitting all the news outlets in an attempt to calm investors? Less than an hour after the announcement, Apple stock is down 8%.
• Apple isn’t known for engaging social networks. How will they respond to the countless blogs and tweets speculating about the health of Apple and its fearless leader?
• Can chief operating officer Tim Cook capture any of the Steve Jobs magic? Phil Schiller was unable to step in to Jobs’ big shoes at MacWorld. Will Cook have better luck? As Slate wrote after MacWorld:

It’s certainly true that Jobs’ style is central to the company’s brand and the fierce connection it forges with its customers. His product announcements prompt hundreds of millions of dollars worth of free press coverage and whip up greater and more loyal fans, generating ever-greater interest in the company.

Apple without Steve Jobs, it seems, will be just like Microsoft or Oracle, an ordinary tech firm with perfectly adequate products and no sizzle.

How will Apple manage this crisis? And, how will bloggers and citizen journalists impact the process? Seems like a crisis management case study in the making.

What’s the return on investment? In years past, ROI served as the yardstick for measuring traditional marketing campaigns. Did the campaign generate the desired results and how did they stack up against the costs?

Well, that’s just another concept that has evolved, thanks to flourishing online communities. As David Armano wrote in Business Week, marketers can listen, learn and adapt … thanks to new focus groups.

By listening and engaging the “collective” through all phases of our initiatives, we now have opportunities not only to be more in tune with customer needs, but also to adapt as quickly as they do. In our digital world, that could be the most important ROI possible.

The game has changed. We don’t have to wait — in fact, you shouldn’t wait — until the end of a campaign to see how it worked. Instead, gain valuable insight during the implementation phase and adjust as needed to maximize effectiveness.

Springpad — a free online list-making and notebook service — engaged the Twitter community to conduct an online focus group. The Springpad moderator asked four questions, mainly focusing on service use and user interface. Springpad users offered their feedback and input, and the moderator asked follow up questions — much like a typical focus group. While the results aren’t scientific, Springpad received valuable feedback, such as:

The moderator also engaged participants in conversation — and showed that the company is open to ideas, as illustrated by this exchange:

This new “I” — insight gained from listening to online communities — will help marketers make better decisions and ultimately deliver a stronger product. They’ll get more bang for their buck — which is critically important during this challenging economy. In this ultra-competitive marketing landscape, the winners will be those companies that understand how to incorporate insight to strengthen the return on investment.