Year: 2009

“We’ve got to get on Twitter right away!”

Dave

Sometimes people don’t want to hear that social media takes time and effort. I made this short video after seeing the “social media guru” video on YouTube done with the same tool from Xtranormal. Please note: If I work with you and you see any resemblance to any conversation we’ve had, this is merely a gross exaggeration to make a point. I am fortunate to work with communicators and marketers who understand the need for a plan.

http://www.xtranormal.com/players/jwplayer.swfhttp://www.xtranormal.com/players/embedded-xnl-stats.swf

Originally published on Conversations & Connections, my SAS social media blog

Ten tips for establishing a social media policy

Dave

http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=6933867&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1

Ten Tips for Establishing a Social Media Policy from David B Thomas on Vimeo.

A preview of the panel discussion I will be participating in at the MarketingProfs Digital Marketing Mixer in Chicago, Oct. 21-22, 2009. The panel is called Positioning Your Company to Reap the Benefits of Social Media. I’ll be focusing on creating an effective social media policy for your company.

::UPDATE:: If you don’t want to watch the video “even though it does have a few yuks”, here are my 10 tips:

1. Get everybody together in the same room.
2. Invite the skeptics as well as the evangelists.
3. Involve the practitioners, not just the rulemakers.
4. Get Legal and HR involved from the start, and don’t make them adversaries.
5. Decide how you’ll deal with conflicting opinions and make decisions.
6. Include best practices in your policies: the dos as well as the don’ts.
7. Make sure your policy reflects your company’s personality.
8. Publish your policy.
9. Communicate it constantly in every avenue available to you.
10. Lead by example. Participate yourself and highlight positive examples by others.

Do you have any questions about creating a social media policy? What’s worked for you? Or not worked?

Originally published on Conversations & Connections, my SAS social media blog

U2 360 Tour in Raleigh

Dave

U2 360 Tour stage

I’ve always had a lot of respect and admiration for U2, even though I’ve never been a huge fan, but I can’t imagine there’s anybody putting on a better stadium rock show than the 360 Tour. The Mrs and I saw the show last night at Carter-Finley Stadium at N.C. State University in Raleigh. Stupendous.

I’ve posted some photos on my Flickr page, although I’m sure there are better photos out there easily findable. I would bet this is the most iPhone-photographed show in history. “Thanks either to AT&T or the massive influx of users in the stadium or both, my iPhone was solely a camera last night.”

I haven’t been to that many rock shows since I left Yep Roc Records, and most of the shows I’ve ever been to have been small bands in small clubs. This was quite a different kettle of fish.

Looking over the crowd tailgating before the show, you really wouldn’t have been able to tell if they were waiting for a rock concert or a football game. I can’t believe I even thought for a minute about wearing anything other than my dorky-but-comfortable dad shoes with the special insoles.

Most common outfit for women: jeans and a black spaghetti-strap top. Most common outfit for men: t-shirt and khaki shorts.

The real star of the show was the stage. It truly was magnificent. I couldn’t help but spend half the show wondering about the engineering feats that went into designing, transporting and erecting it, as well as the computer power behind running the displays and effects.

I’m too lazy to go look up specifics, but as we were driving in we passed a near endless row of semi trucks that had transported the tour to Raleigh. It reminded me of the scene in “A Bridge Too Far” where General Horrocks is passing the line of tanks, jeeps and armored cars waiting to roll toward Arnhem. I assume there will be a documentary about this show, and I can’t wait to see it.