Brandi Williams
corporate social responsibility should not be a ...
corporate social responsibility should not be a brand campaign
Brandi Williams
#pr is more than publicity
#pr is more than publicity
Brandi Williams
raynard jackson: quit stirring the pot!

news one recently reported a story on republican strategist raynard jackson. in the story they point out that jackson believes white women are helping black men more than black women. according to news one, jackson cites black women's faithful support of President Obama as the primary basis for his position.

while i think this is a pretty ridiculous barometer, i will have to agree with the underlying message that President Obama needs to do better and we (black women and black America) need to hold him (and all our leaders) accountable for doing better. i am doubtful that we will see him change his ways in relation to the policies that impact us before his term is out (doesn't mean we shouldn't try). our political leaders will not take a stand to help black folk alone. no one wants to be seen as an ally to black America.

Customer loyalty, WNBA, Public relations, LGBT, Marketing
Brandi Williams
no more campaigns

the wnba announced they will launch a campaign specifically targeted for the lbgt community. this news is significant to me for two main reasons:

no more campaigns
Brandi Williams
for the "LUV" of black boys

what can we do to help black men realize they are powerful beyond measure and have everything they need to provide and protect their families?

for the "LUV" of black boys

paid tweets

Pay-for-Tweets?

I once believed in paying for tweets. I even told a friend (shout out to my friend Keary Colbert who can be followed @kearycolbert) to stop giving away free advertising in the form of Tweets and get paid for them. Then I thought about it not as a business owner, but as a Tweeter, friend, follower. Paid tweets are not the business.

I don't believe in ghost tweeting and in essence that is exactly what this is. It is someone else tweeting as me...but I am getting paid. Just as Jude states, it is ethically wrong to do without telling anyone, but even if you provide full disclosure it is wrong. It compromises the relationship that you are trying to build. Social media at its very best is about engagement.

In my opinion (expert and humble), it's not about the quantity of tweets, how many followers you have or how many people you follow. Tweeting is about developing relationships, engaging with people in a new way. It's about sharing information and helping build a community without boundaries. It has business utility because it allows businesses, organizations and individuals to be transparent and helps people develop relationships...the kind that can lead to sales, brand loyalty or a good friendship.

The lesson. Pay-for-Tweets is a no-no. Social media can help drive business, but the priority should be on engaging and creating conversations that are mutually beneficial. Develop a social media strategy that is founded on business goals, but remember that engagement and two-way communication are your first priority.  Your business will succeed if your customers (clients) feel you are transparent, sincere and not just pushing a product or service.  You will fail if you become an online sales person.