PerkettPR’s “Influencers Who Inspire” Series Continues with Jason Falls

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This week’s “Influencer Who Inspires” is Jason Falls of Social Media Explorer.  We admire Jason for his honest approach to social media and we are avid readers of his very popular site, Social Media Explorer.  Jason, who resides in Louisville, KY,  is an author, keynote speaker and CEO of Social Media Explorer.  He continues to be a name that surfaces at or near the top of conversations and lists of thought leaders and top thinkers in the emerging world of social media marketing.

 

How would you describe what you do for a living?

I do one primary thing in about three different ways. SME Digital, my agency, helps companies develop digital and social marketing strategies, execute them and measure/optimize results to drive business (unit sales, revenue or costs). My information products add the other two components: Explore Events helps anyone who wants to attend a two-day, intensive digital marketing strategy event and The Conversation Report analyzes online conversations and reports insights around specific industries (or clients for custom reports) to help businesses make smarter decisions about their social marketing.  In a nutshell, – Agency – Events – Research – is what I do.

 

You recently tweeted to PR folks about how they approach you and that you are “one of them” – what prompted that and how do you handle being on both sides of the PR equation?

It was likely prompted by me being critical of public relations professionals, then having them attack me for it. Those that are easily put on the defensive about the PR craft tend to point fingers at me and infer that I don’t know PR, that I’m just a “social media consultant.” But I spent 20 years as a PR and journalism professional before social media marketing ever happened. So I was probably saying, “I am one. Thus, I’m qualified to point the finger a bit.” The way I handle it is by just trying to coach and teach and perhaps lead by example. ‘Lots of public relations professionals still assume that “spray and pray” and spamming people works best. I only hope to educate them that there might be a better way to approach outreach. Quality outreach is far better than quantity, and you can sleep at night knowing you’re not a spammer.

 

What’s next in PR now that social media is a given?

I think PR is the new journalism. With all the noise out there in the media world and declining numbers in usage and revenues in traditional mediums, public relations professionals (and current journalists who will become them) have the opportunity to become the media. Those that do so in compelling ways will have better public relations programs because they’ll become a direct conduit to their publics.

 

What’s the best social media campaign you’ve seen (besides your own) in 2012?

H&R Block’s Stache Act is by far the most compelling. To have a stoic, conservative brand like H&R Block get behind a silly tax incentive for mustached Americans and stage a Million Mustache March on Washington, etc., just gave the brand personality and showed that they could reach beyond the tried and true “Let us do your taxes” messaging, in order to reach a new audience.

That, and Charmin‘s Twitter account. Holy cripes, they’re funny.

 

How did you initially get your “feet wet” in social media?

I spent 8-10 years blogging and exploring social networks and forums for personal entertainment. My old humor blog actually gained a bit of traction when I moved it to MySpace in about 2003. I learned how to build an audience, promote my content and connect influencers to what I was doing. Then in 2006, I started from scratch with an arsenal of experience in the business segment rather than the one focused on telling dirty jokes and made up tales of drunken debauchery. Heh.

 

Can you tell us a bit about your book “No Bullshit Social Media” and why someone would want to purchase it?

Aside from the crafty title, the book’s real appeal is that it’s a blueprint for social media strategy. We walk you through the seven reasons (goals) your business might implement social media tactics and coach you through the process of developing a sound, strategic approach to using social that will drive measurable results.

 

As the Founder and CEO of Social Media Explorer, your approach with SME Digital involves Full Frontal ROI methodolgy, can you explain how this is unique to the industry?

The Full Frontal ROI methodology, which was developed by my partner, Nichole Kelly, essentially places social media marketing squarely in the crosshairs of business strategy. Everything we do is focused on real business metrics — unit sales, revenues and costs — rather than soft metrics. Sure, we can help you drive more fans and followers, but we know we’re ultimately judged on your bottom line and how social media and digital marketing contribute to it. So that’s what we focus on. It’s unique to the industry because most other social media agencies or digital marketing shops focus on the fluff metrics and Kumbaya of social media. We know it’s about business or it’s a hobby. And how many business owners out there consider what they spend time and money on to be a hobby?

 

What is next for you for the remainder of the year heading into 2013?

Two more Explore events (Orange County, Calif., this week; Portland (Ore.) in November), another The Conversation Report, this one on the restaurant industry, and continuing to help our clients kick ass. And I fully expect 2013 will be much of the same. That’s what we do.

 

Saying Thanks

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It’s that time of year again – time to say thanks to clients, partners, staff and others who we have the pleasure of working with. We’re very grateful for everyone who has supported us in one way or another this year – from referrals, to recommendations for great new staff members, to sharing our content and reading, Tweeting, following, liking, Pinning or otherwise spreading the word about what we’re doing at PerkettPR for our clients.

 

Thank you!

As for what else we’re grateful for? It varies, of course, but the overwhelming response from staff was gratitude for family and friends. We think we’re nice people – and we also like working with nice people. Here’s what some of our own nice staff members had to say about what they’re grateful for:

 

I am so thankful for my family and friends as well as clients’ and co-workers’ support this year. While we have likely all had ups and downs this year, Thanksgiving is a great time look back on the good times and good people in your lives and tell them how much you love and appreciate them. Hug your family and friends, be kind to one another, and enjoy every moment of togetherness the holidays bring.

 

I am thankful for my health and home, my work and art. I am thankful for my wife and her wisdom, my children and their innocence. I am thankful for bacon. But I am most thankful this time of year when everyone sets aside their differences to remember what it means to be human and to enjoy one another.

 

Grateful most of all for my family’s health.

 

I am thankful that through my wife Laura’s efforts, 1,500 dogs have been saveed that would have otherwise been put to death.  Check out her efforts at www.dogsneedhomes.blogspot.com.

 

I’m grateful for friends and family – they brighten each and every day throughout the year, but I’m particularly thankful to be able to celebrate them around the holidays!

 

I’m grateful for the opportunity to work with the great PR pros at Perkett!!

 

I am grateful for all the men and women in the military that risk their lives for us each and every day.

 

I’m grateful to live in a country where I have the freedom to choose and to make my own way. From the opportunity to work, to vote, to become a parent; to marry who I want, to buy a home, or a car, or a horse if I want to – every day I get to make choices that we all too often take for granted. And of course, I am grateful for friends and family who encourage me to never give up, always believe in myself, and to work hard to achieve my dreams.

 

Happy Thanksgiving – what will you be saying “Thanks” for this year?

 

 

 

 

Persuasive Picks for week of 11/5/12

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MarketingProfs‘ Molly Glover Gallatin illustrates how to tie the kind of rich, actionable customer intelligence you can glean from social media into five overarching marketing decisions in Five Marketing Decisions Social Media Should Be Shaping.

The term “content marketing” includes two intimidating words that can be difficult to hear lately, due to the increased amount of content being shared on social networks by just about everyone. Viral Traffic Specialist and Content Creator Amanda Ryan posts 5 Content Marketing Tips That Will Give Your Business a Competitive Edge on Business2Community.

Just because online marketing is a digital medium does not mean it has to be cold and impersonal; rather, as marketing continues its rapid shift online, businesses must learn to personalize their digital assets in order to stay competitive. Strategic Marketing Consultant and SocialMediaToday contributor Chris Horton provides 3 Simple Ways to Connect with Your Target Audience.

An emerging social media trend is creating fresh ways for companies to engage with customers. With the rise of the visual, social web, clever brand ambassadors and marketers are breathing new life into contest marketing. Evan Vogel explains that the visual web is giving digital contests a major shot in the arm in How visuals are reviving digital contest on iMediaConnection.

Persuasive Picks for week of 10/29/12

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Did you know that, according to a recent study by Nielsen, around four out of every five smartphone owners now use their device whilst watching television? Shea Bennett posts an interesting infographic that takes a closer look at social television and the rise of the second screen on AllTwitter – TV Goes Social – The Rise Of The Second Screen [INFOGRAPHIC]

Michael Cohn reminds Business2Community readers that relationships are at the heart of social media success for your business. He writes in Relationship Building Through Social Media that your online strategy must include the concept in some form and you should keep track of how much return on investment those relationships are bringing to your business; and offers several other principles to follow.

Are you using LinkedIn to generate leads or referrals? Brad Friedman at SocialMediaToday is guessing that there are features you may not be aware of in LinkedIn Company Pages: 5 Things You’re Probably Not Doing and thinks it’s time that you take advantage of the feature-rich LinkedIn Company Page.

Online video can engage an audience, help viewers retain information, and assist customers in remembering a brand. But how can you go one step further… and make your videos social? MarketingProfs‘ Jeff Fissel explains in Six Ways to Make Your Video Strategy More Social that video actively engages the users by soliciting comments, questions, and feedback; it creates conversations that take your videos to the next level.