Then try to say this two times fast….or even once. (Note: some …um…interesting (read: offensive, yet funny language.)

Social media measurement is a huge buzzword these days. And rightfully so. None of us wants to be wasting time and money on something that has no return on investment or engagement. It’s important we get a grasp on what we expect that return to be.

The email reminded of a series of Facebook posts the other day from some friends talking about peeking at Klout scores. This guy, by the way, has a Klout score of 38 (yes, I peeked). I’m sort of amused by Klout and whether or not it really means anything. I know it means nothing in the big scheme of things, but then I heard someone lost a job in social media because her Klout score wasn’t high enough. Really?

Should we be actively measuring Klout, Twitalyzer or Facebook Insights?

What is the definitive answer to the whole measurement conundrum? Is there a magic formula? I don’t think there is one. There, I’ve said it. And no, I’m not beating around the bush. Each campaign must be measured independently based on its own, individual goals.

Are you looking for engagement? Measure engagement. Are you looking to push people to your website? Then measure that. Are you looking to build fans and followers? I would first ask why and to what end…then tell you to measure it.

There are some amazing resources available out there on measurement…as well as great tools. You don’t need me waxing lyrical on it. Check them out for yourself. In no particular order, here are some particularly interesting articles from some particularly interesting experts…

Brian Solis

Don Bartholomew

Kami Watson Huyse

KD Paine

It’s a good lesson for all of us, whether we are in a big disaster or a small crisis. Kami covers both the drawbacks and benefits, as well as offering some sound tips. Thanks, Kami. For your generosity in sharing your talent. For your heart in caring. And prayers for your mom…I’m glad she’s safe.

And now, for your reading pleasure…

Kami’s blog post on getting the most from social media during a disaster.

If you would have asked me two years ago if I would be working in Public Relations I would have laughed in your face. I can distinctly remember the first day of each new semester in my communication courses. The professor would go around and ask each student to introduce themselves and tell the class what career they were planning to pursue after graduation. 

Most of my classes were 90% female so as you would imagine, one by one they would say, “I want to work in PR…” In my head I was screaming, “COME ON, LADIES. BE ORIGINAL!!!!”

To give you a little background, I am what some would call an “overachiever.” My whole life I wanted to be a country music singing, ballerina, doctor. Naturally, as the years went by that translated to broadcast journalist…Radio, television, you name it. I wanted the fame, the glory and the BIG BUCKS!

When the professor would call on me I would proudly proclaim, “I am going to be a journalist. I don’t want write speeches for others…I want to give the speeches.” Take that PR!

No truer words have ever been spoken than when an academic advisor told me not to commit to a career path until I had actually experienced it. So that’s what I did…I interned in television.
Well, as they say, the rest is history.

I am now a “Community Builder” (which to some might be an ambiguous title) on the PfitzPR team. Simply put, I am bringing people together and spreading the good news about products, services and organizations through traditional and social media outreach. I work with, and represent, smart people who are constantly striving for excellence in their respective fields. Every day is different from the last and my brain and creativity are constantly being stretched to their full potential.  Best of all, I am getting to do all of the things I wanted to do as a journalist…interact with people, tell stories, write and entertain.

So, PR…here’s an apology for overlooking you for so long, and a sincere thank you for allowing me to have such a rewarding career even though I gave you a bad rap.

*Photo by graur codrin

GO to the People;
Live among them;
Love them;
Learn from them;
Start from where they are;
Work with them;
Build on what they have.

But of the best leaders,
When the task is accomplished,
The work completed,
The people all remark:
“We have done it ourselves”

~ Lao Tsu

“Because it will bring people to my business, and I’ll be able to keep my doors open.”

“And you think one newspaper story will do that?”

“Absolutely.”

Aside from the issue of managing expectations, my immediate thought was that she had rushed to decision without ever considering who her target market was, where they were engaged with her business (or why they weren’t engaged) and how best to reach them to move information-about into action-for her business.

As it turns out, a newspaper story wasn’t what she needed for her business. It was certainly one of the goals, but not the only one. In the real world, there are so many platforms from which to share a message.The trick is finding the right one, pairing it with the right message and hitting the ear or eye at just the right time.

Let’s start with the basic options (note: my apologies to the long-forgotten, original source) -

If the circus is coming and you print up some posters and put them up all over town, that’s advertising.

If you put a poster on the back of an elephant and march him through the streets, that’s promotion.

If the elephant tromps through the mayor’s flowerbed, that’s news.

If you can get the mayor to laugh about it, that’s public relations.

That’s four different means to share a message right off the bat. And there are benefits and drawbacks to every one of them.

For paid media placement, you have total control over your message and assured coverage, but it’s less believable to the consumer who knows you’ve paid for it. You use it when you need an undiluted message that reaches direct into your market, and you make sure it’s clear that it’s paid advertising and nothing more than that. It does a good job of serving as the direct ask. Another real benefit is that results can be easily measured.

In earned media placement, your story is pitched to a reporter who writes the story from a third-party, unbiased position. You have no guarantee that your story will be covered. There is less control over the final product and often a differing opinion is included to “show the other side” of the story. However, this type of story is more credible and, as a result, has a high return on investment. Typically earned media placement predisposes people to respond to “the ask.” It’s difficult to measure, although some will try to assign a dollar amount on it based on a return of three to one advertising dollars. (I personally question that metric.)

There is a new paradigm of media placement that isn’t addressed by that tired, old elephant. It’s not exactly pay for play, but rather a hybrid mix where you have an increased chance of a reporter covering your story (or the ability to craft your own story) if you run an ad. You have better control over the message, and you can use it to build relationships with audiences. A good example of this is NSide Magazine. Publisher Eliot Garza has done a brilliant job of merging this new paradigm in print with a brilliant in-person networking strategy that bridges the gap between paper and person. I think leveraging advertising in his magazine by participating in his events is just as strong – if not stronger – as any concept anyone has offered.

Lastly, there’s the ever-growing, ever-increasingly influential, user-generated media and social media sphere. This is what your customers have to say about you. You have virtually no control over what’s said about you. What you do know is that you are being talked about and you can choose to participate in the conversation or not. Many traditional media outlets are converging with user-generated media online, so be on the lookout for merged content.

So before you decide you need that story in the newspaper, consider your target market first and look at all the options. There’s print, radio, television, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, eblasts, business letters…a plethora of communication tools and outlets. Don’t assume there’s a one size fits all. Maybe a story in the paper is just what you need. But just maybe what you really need is an elephant with a sign on its butt.

Photo source: SXC

But I digress.

I also like pictures that illustrate concepts in simple ways. Like this one from Spredfast.

source: Spredfast Social Media Initiative Planning Guide

I am not a Spredfast customer, but I like their line of thinking: social media must be measurable, scalable and repeatable. I do disagree on one point they make in that I’m not entirely sure we ever move out of the role of experimentation – especially given that social media is ever evolving as is the community that’s using it. However, I do believe that social media must be clearly aligned to business goals in order to be effective for anything beyond personal branding.

This is where the rubber hits the road: being able to align your business goals without sacrificing the heart and soul of the social community.

But that’s my story. If you want to read Stedfast’s report, you can download the entire white paper here. It’s a good start.  What are your thoughts?

I found this Facebook page. And then this description which helped put it in a little more perspective for me.

But I think we can all admit that while posting our new Facebook profiles of cartoon characters is loads of fun, it’s not going to put an end to child abuse. And the concept of taking us back to our childhood “happy place” isn’t a way to do it either.

But this is a question of social media that perplexes me often enough. How do we move from feeling comfortable enough just spreading the message to action…

My friend Sean Wood had a good idea…volunteer for an advocate organization like CASA.

I have another idea. Find a family and give them a helping hand. Child abuse often happens because families have no support system in place to help when stress levels rise to unbelievable levels and coping strategies fail.

In fact, a study from the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect (NCCAN) found that children with special needs are maltreated at 1.7 times the rate of other children.

How do you find these families? Start with the special needs population — families in your neighborhood with a special needs child that presents unique challenges to the family dynamics. These are parents who never get a break, never get the chance for their cortisol to return to normal levels. Many of these families have strong support systems in place that provide the buffers that protect them from going over the edge…but others don’t. You may be the one that can help.

• Take a meal by.
• Babysit the children.
• Take the dog for a walk.
• Take the sibling of the special needs child out for a special day.
• Make mom go out for a cup of coffee with you and listen. Just listen.
• Be encouraging, not judgmental.
• Ask “how are you?” and really listen to the answer…the full answer.

It’s up to us. We can isolate these families and contribute to their loneliness in our society, or we can embrace them and build bridges to them. We can help them find those resources and support networks that will help them survive the daily stresses they face in healthy, successful ways. And we can change our profile pics as a reminder that we will do something today and every day to reach out and make a difference.