Romondo Davis

[Source: Online PhD Programs for MashableMashable.com]

I really enjoy reading books on social media and internet marketing. Books by Seth Godin, David Meerman Scott, and Malcolm Gladwell and the less prolific authors of books like Groundswell, Click, Crush It have all helped broaden my background and perspective on the subjects that equip me to serve my clients. But none of these books have been as rich and compelling as Mitch Joel’s Six Pixels of Separation. Oh my goodness!

If you’re even a little bit interested in how internet marketing and social media work, or better yet, how to use it, I highly recommend you read this book.

We’re seeing more evidence of the acceptance and adoption of social media every day. I saw a billboard recently that featured little more than a local hospital’s logo and a twitter address; something like twitter.com/ERwaitTime. That’s a great idea, but what impresses me is the fact that the hospital paid for that ad space, indicating the value they put on the attention of twitter followers.

Anyway, here’s a video posted on Twitter’s blog:

A valued editorial mentor and colleague of mine, Dr. Jane Fryar, forwarded this Harvard Business article on social media ideas. This blog post contains three effective and economical ways to reach and engage audience members through Twitter, Facebook and other platforms:

• Soliciting ideas and suggestions—listening to customers
• Using widgets to deliver content—permission marketing
• Delivering offers and deals on a frequent basis—persistence and incentive

This is a short blog to direct you to my new Online Video for Internet Marketing page. Go there to read about how video is great for internet marketing, a bit about how to use it, and some examples of my work.

Few people will argue that video is an effective way to get a point across, but I contend that video can be economical to produce. You don’t need to spend thousands of dollars for your marketing videos. I have a formula that includes strategy, preparation, acquisition, production, posting and tracking. My clients find this to be a great way to create and publish their content in a way that generates results.

I picked this priceless piece of media up off my son’s Facebook page. It’s a video from collegehumor.com that shows how West Side Story might have been told today using Web 2.0 (eHarmony, Pandora) and social media (Facebook, Twitter).

I updated my Resources page today. It includes lists and links to books, podcasts and websites that I’ve found helpful in staying current with the ever-changing world of Internet marketing and social media.

Please feel free to suggest any Internet marketing, social media or technology resources that you think would be helpful to building communities.

There’s a lot going on these days. All good, All promising. I’ll share some of the relevant highlights.

1. One of my clients is changing their domain name for SEO purposes. Smart move, I must say, but it’s not so easy. What about the existing customers who will search for or enter the old URL, and find basically the same site at a new address (the old address will redirect to the new)? Will they notice and be confused? Do we create a new brand— and logo— to reflect the new domain name? Wouldn’t that confuse existing customers even more and possibly drive them away forever? I’m researching the issues surrounding this change and discussing with a team of consultants, but I also invite you to also offer your suggestions here.
2. I’ve been given the amazing opportunity to meet with a number of departments within a large well-known non-profit organization. The purpose of these meetings is to discuss with each group how they currently use and expand the use of internet marketing technologies including social networking, blogging, video. The process starts with a survey in which I ask them to share critical information about their buyer persona, content, and use of Social Networking sites. I’ll use that information to prepare for the meetings, analyzing what they have, what they’re doing with it, and how to do it better. We’ll review their input and my findings in the meetings. I’ll record the discussions so I can prepare a report of recommendations. The result of the meeting will be a list of action items that will advance their marketing efforts.
3. Finally—and I mean that in more than one sense—I have decided to rebrand my business. Since 1993 my clients have known me as the owner and president of Davis Interactive. I created Davis Interactive as a software development and video production company. However, over the past several years, I have morphed into more of a consultant in the area of Internet development and marketing. My name has emerged as my brand, so I decided to cut out the middle man and henceforth do business as Romondo Davis, Internet Media and Marketing Consultant.

I’m reading Debbie Weil’s The Corporate Blogging Book. Like so many other Social Media books, it contains ideas, strategies and technics I currently use or are familiar with. I don’t mind reading these rehashes of best practices and case studies. It’s good to hear the same thing from different authors and experts. I mean, if Seth Godin, David Meerman Scott and Lee Odden all cover the same concepts from their unique perspective, it has to be good advice. In many cases, I’ve prooven the same concept applied to my own clients.

Ah, but there’s always new material from these authors. Sometimes it’s a new twist on an established concept. Other times it’s revolutionary new technology, like Twitter was just a few years ago. It might be a mash-up of two media platforms or companies or a new way to use something that’s been around awhile.

Now, back to what I learned from this blogging book.

Debbie Weil quotes Doc Searls (co-author of Cluetrain Manifesto) as saying you should consider you blog writing style the same as writing an email message to a friend or family member. He calls it the “Dear Mom” test. Just imagine you are writing for your mother to read; relaxed, conversational and personal.

I tell my clients to be authentic, be yourself, and forget the marketing mumbo-jumbo.

I highly recommend The Corporate Blogging book. It’s filled with insights and ideas that any Social Marketer can use. Oh, and if you haven’t read Cluetrain Manifesto, put it on your list.