What's going on Facebook?

I originally posted the blog post below on the 26th September, at that time I had just claimed the username for the Kittoch Chair page with only one single "Like". This week we have been claiming usernames for clients and on some occasions we have been able to do it with less than 25 "Likes" and in others it will not allow us - truth is, we don't know what's going on!

I have found reference to this on Facebook which suggest you still need 25 "Likes" however, we have managed to do it this week with less than 25.  So, it is still worth trying to claim it as soon as possible but, if you are unsuccessful please remember to go back to Facebook Usernames and claim it as soon as you have 25 likes on your page.

It appears that you no longer need to get 25 "Likes" before you can claim your username on a Facebook Page.  Yesterday I managed to get the username for a new page we are working on with just one single "Like" - mine!

If you go to www.facebook.com/KittochChair you will see there are only 7 likes on the page (at the time of writing this post). By the way, please "like" this page, we're going to do some fun things centred around these wonderful tartan armchairs - you should find it will be an interesting case study. (You will also be doing me a personal favour!)

So, there's no excuse for anyone not to have there own username for their Facebook Page - just go to www.facebook.com/username and follow the instructions.

If you have found this post interesting please share it with your online community using either the Twitter, Facebook and Share buttons below. By sharing this post you will help us spread the word about our team charity challenge, meaning there is more chance of us reaching our target. Thank You.

You can also follow fatBuzz on Facebook - please click here

When words have to matter

So you’ve taken the advice in my last Fatbuzz blog, got your personal brand crystal clear and now you’re using all the internet has to offer to spread the word about how fantastic you are. Congratulations...give yourself a Tufty Badge.

Now it’s time to turn your attention to what you’re saying online, because when you’re relying on the written word to get your brand across (as opposed to doing it in person or on video) it’s worth understanding what you’re up against.

Way back in the 1970s when I was but a child (I know, I know - I don’t look old enough) the psychologist Albert Mehrabian discovered that, when people give us messages, we take only 7% of our information from the words they speak. Instead, it’s their tone of voice (38%) and body language (55%) that give us the lion’s share of what we need to know.

If that’s true, and 93% of your impact disappears when you’re online and you’re there in mind but not body, it’s even more important to make your words count. So here are 5 quick tips:

• Reflect your tone of voice in your writing so you re-introduce 38% of the impact of your communication – don’t be too stiff and starchy. 
• A good rule of thumb is to use the same conversational language you’d use if you were talking to the person face-to-face, tempering it slightly for the channel ie LinkedIn is more ‘office chat’ compared to Facebook’s ‘down the pub chat’.
• The quickest way to building a positive personal brand is to use positive language. Beware of words like ‘can’t’, ‘don’t’, ‘won’t’, and instead concentrate on using ‘can’, ‘do’ and ‘will’.
• Personal brand is all about building relationships, so don’t forget to be inclusive – it’s not all you, you, you, so ask how others are doing too. This is especially good on Twitter where you’re likely to get responses from your followers that turn into a conversation. 
• Remember that irony is especially prone to misinterpretation so if you’re using it consider adding emoticons to clarify your message. There is such as thing as too many emoticons though (no, I’m not being ironic) so don’t overdo it.

Do that and you’ll prove Mr Mehrabian wrong and have people taking more from your messages than a measly 7%!

About Me

You may remember I presented at the Glasgow and Edinburgh New Media Breakfasts earlier this year on the subject of personal branding. It's a pleasure to be guest blogging on the fatBuzz Blog, hopefully I can bring you some useful information in the future. Meantime, you can read more from me on my own Spark Branding blog here.

Alternatively you can contact me via Linked-In or Twitter at the links below or via Fiona MacDonald fiona@fatbuzz.com

Follow me on Twitter
View my Linked-In profile

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Social Media Podcast Edition 39 now available - Everybody's leaving Facebook again!!! Twitter kiss the Blarney Stone

Taking part in Social Media podcast Episode 39 we have Gordon White,  Kyle Murdoch and Iain Murray with the usual lively discussion. There's been lots to talk about since the last podcast, Mr Zukckerberg has seen to that.  So, as you would expect, the recent Facebook changes feature heavily at the start of the podcast but, we also find time to talk about a host of other topics.

For this episode I have listed the topics in a slightly different way and I would appreciate your feedback about whether this is better than the post Social Media Podcast No.38.


On Social Media Podcast No.39 we discuss the following:

• Facebook - the changes so far
• Facebook - more changes to come
• Facebook - mobile platform
• Google+ - should they be worried?
• Facebook - privacy settings more important than ever
• Personal Branding - more important than ever
• Communities - how many people can you realistically engage with?
• Twitter - Kissing the Blarney Stone
• Scotland - should it become a tax haven?
• Groupon - all's not well
• Tumblr - what's Richard Branson up to?
• JellyBook - like Groupon it's finding it difficult to do deals
• Social Media Week - a success in Glasgow
• Your social media - who controls it?
• QuickBuzz - the new fatBuzz video tips
• Facebook - scams
• Linked-In - Is it the most improved platform?
• Collaboration - It works, live with it!
• Hashtags - powerful yet misunderstood
• Direct Mail - It works, live with it!
• Gordon's New Car - well done Victoria Beckham
• Augmented Reality - is it on the wane
• Hashtags - ours needs to be used more often #MediaPodcast
• PressReader - still impressing Iain
• Dodo Case - the most exclusive case in the World!
• Apple - complaint about an AppleStore purchase from Gordon!

We hope you enjoy the podcast, if you have any comments to make or topics you would like us to discuss please leave them here on the blog or on our Facebook Page.

Play the podcast here:

Subscribe/Download Social Media Podcast on iTunes

If you have found this post interesting please share it with your online community using either the Twitter, Facebook and Share buttons below. Thank You.

You can also follow the Social Media Podcast on Facebook now - visit and "Like" the new Social Media Podcast Facebook Page HERE.

QR Codes - How to make them work for your business

DATE: Friday 28th Otober 2011
VENUE: No,29, Royal Exchange, Glasgow
PRESENTER: Jim Devine

We have been asking people for suggestions for topics for the New Media Breakfast and one in particular keeps coming up - QR Codes. At the October New Media Breakfast, we are delighted to announce that Jim Devine will share his knowledge and experience of QR Codes and demonstrate how they can be used for your business development in the future. We look forward to Jim's presentation and some of the case studies and examples that demonstrate the endless opportunities QR Codes offer businesses today.

In the words of Jim Divine, creator of the Cyberlogo the QR code phenomenon has been a long time coming. These little black and white patterned grids have been on our radar for a few years, but you may be surprised to know that they have been a part of everyday life in Japan for over a decade yet are only now getting the exposure and recognition they deserve in the west. Why has it taken us so long to embrace this technology and realise its marketing potential?More importantly, how can it create value in your business?  Jim will show you how to incorporate QR codes into your marketing and day to day business through examples and case studies.

ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Jim Divine first started in the advertising industry in 1985 with Marr Associates, winning many international awards for creativity. He stayed with Marr for 15 years before starting his own business 21nine in 2000. He discovered QR codes in 2007 while working with the comedian Bill Bailey and has since been spending his life educating the masses and finding more creative ways to make the technology more digestible.

Venue: 29 Member's Club, Royal Exchange Square, Glasgow
Date: Friday 28th October 2011
Time: 7.30am for 8am

HOW TO BOOK

Non No.29 Members - £10 +VAT

BOOK FOR NEW MEDIA BREAKFAST GLASGOW HERE:

No.29 Members Go Free – If you are a 29 Member you can attend the breakfast free of charge. Please email malcolm@fatbuzz.com with your membership number and he will add you to the attendance list. We hope you can make it along to this event. If so, I look forward to seeing you on the day.

If you have found this post interesting please share it with your online community using either the Twitter, Facebook and Share buttons below. Thank You.

    

It's our 2nd Anniversary - are you coming?

We haven't done a particularly god job of promoting the fact that the New Media Breakfast on Friday is our 2nd Anniversary. Fact is, we really haven't had much time to think about it lately and it's now such a regular part of our monthly calendar that we almost overlooked it completely.

It certainly doesn't seem like two years since the first breakfast and looking back it is quite amazing the range of topics we've covered and the quality of the guests we've had along to speak, we hope that will continue in the future. A special thanks has to go to No.29, without the help of the management and staff the New Media Breakfast would not be possible so, a great big heart felt thanks to all the people involved, we appreciate all of your hard work and contribution.

If you would like to come along to the 2nd Anniversary breakfast there's still time to book using the links below, I hope I will see you there.

    

DATE: Friday 30th September 2011
VENUE: No,29, Royal Exchange, Glasgow
PRESENTER: Gordon MacIntyre-Kemp

Marketing has evolved - optimising a company for rapid growth requires an integrated approach to social media, digital and traditional marketing. Over the last two years Gordon MacIntyre-Kemp has worked closely with six companies that have achieved rapid growth (over 30% growth per annum) as a sales, marketing and social media advisor.

He has combined this experience with research into the marketing activities of over 100 UK based rapid growth companies to identify the marketing activities and behaviours that lead to rapid sales and profit growth. The end result of this research will be published in 2012 and this event will be the public presentation of Rapid Growth Optimisation.

Gordon says “Be prepared to change the way you view social media and the role of marketing in your organisation”. “Rapid Growth Optimisation (RGO) is the new science of marketing and social media engagement is the cornerstone of RGO”.

Gordon’s formula for RGO is K.A.S.T. Which stands for Knowledge Leadership Positioning (K), Attraction Marketing (A), Social Media Engagement (S) and Trust Maximisation (T).

In this New Media Breakfast Gordon will cover:

• Six common growth factors 
• The optimum point in the buying process for engagement 
• The role of Knowledge in modern marketing 
• How Attraction has taken over from broadcast marketing 
• How Social media and engagement leads to sales conversion 
• The key to being a company that buyers Trust 
• Examples of Rapid Growth Optimisation 

About Gordon MacIntyre-Kemp
Gordon has twelve years online community and social media marketing experience. Trained in sales and marketing by Procter and Gamble, Gordon worked on brands such as; Pantene, Wash & Go, Head and Shoulders, Old Spice and Olay. At Northern Foods PLC (Fox's, Goodfella's, Holland's Pies, Dalepak, Express Diaries) Gordon managed multimillion pound sales to several of the UK’s top multiple retailers at HQ level.

Time spent as a business development consultant in Dubai was preceded by working as a Senior Executive in the Scottish Government's economic development agency. Gordon has also served as a Director for both Glasgow Chamber of Commerce and Search Consultancy.

Involved in online community for over a decade Gordon was the founder of the highly successful First Tuesday Scotland network and is owner of the Go-Social online community.

Gordon is the MD of sales, social media and marketing consultancy Intelligise; he advises several of the UK’s fastest growing SMEs and PLCs and writes the Go-Social blog on social media marketing for The Drum magazine.

Venue: 29 Member's Club, Royal Exchange Square, Glasgow
Date: Friday 30th September 2011
Time: 7.30am for 8am

HOW TO BOOK

Non No.29 Members - £10 +VAT

BOOK FOR NEW MEDIA BREAKFAST GLASGOW HERE:

No.29 Members Go Free – If you are a 29 Member you can attend the breakfast free of charge. Please email malcolm@fatbuzz.com with your membership number and he will add you to the attendance list. We hope you can make it along to this event. If so, I look forward to seeing you on the day.

If you have found this post interesting please share it with your online community using either the Twitter, Facebook and Share buttons below. Thank You.

    

No excuse now...anyone can get a Facebook Username

It appears that you no longer need to get 25 "Likes" before you can claim your username on a Facebook Page.  Yesterday I managed to get the username for a new page we are working on with just one single "Like" - mine!

If you go to www.facebook.com/KittochChair you will see there are only 7 likes on the page (at the time of writing this post). By the way, please "like" this page, we're going to do some fun things centred around these wonderful tartan armchairs - you should find it will be an interesting case study. (You will also be doing me a personal favour!)

So, there's no excuse for anyone not to have there own username for their Facebook Page - just go to www.facebook.com/username and follow the instructions.

If you have found this post interesting please share it with your online community using either the Twitter, Facebook and Share buttons below. By sharing this post you will help us spread the word about our team charity challenge, meaning there is more chance of us reaching our target. Thank You.

You can also follow fatBuzz on Facebook - please click here

Make sure you catch Quick Buzz

Make sure you catch Quick Buzz


Quick Buzz' is a series of 30-60 second videos clips by fatBuzz bringing you news, events and updates from the world of Design, Marketing and Social Media.



 The first video Gordon White of fatBuzz talks about how your social media is not the responsibilty of any one person in your company.

Here we have the second video, where Gordon discusses how important video content is when hosting an event and to help promote future events.

In our latest addition to the 'Quick Buzz' series, Gordon tells us about who should not be embracing social media

These videos will be syndicated to our various social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, Blog, YouTube and you will also be able to find them on the fatBuzz website. Be sure to look out for the next Quick Buzz with other members of the fatBuzz team. We would be interested to find out what you would like to see on future 'Quick Buzz' episodes, so please don't hesitate to tweet or facebook us.

If you have found this post interesting please share it with your online community using either the Twitter, Facebook and Share buttons below. Thank You.