Dear ,

Yes—#SMMW is finally HERE!

And the Social Media Examiner team has worked its magic.

Mike Stelzner and Phil Mershon attract the best of the best social media experts from around the globe to transform attendees into social media smarties! #Truth

FYI: Unfortunately my schedule kept me from attending SMMW IRL. But I’m there in spirit and on social media. 

 

SMMW and Community

And, this year, Mike and Phil expanded the social media tent. They added an amazing array of pre-conference workshops on related topics. For example, Amy and Michael Port of Heroic Public Speaking will show attendees how to become a coveted speaker!

Year after year, SMMW delivers the best and most up-to-date social media information and tactics. The stars of the show include:

• Mari Smith, 
• Ann Handley,
• Andy Crestodina, 
• Jay Baer, 
• Marcus Sheridan, 
• Mark Schaefer and 
• Dennis Yu!

Actionable Marketing Tip:

• Create at least one piece of conference content. Share your new knowledge with your peers.

Even better, Mike’s vision for SMMW extends beyond being a top marketing conference!

Rather, Social Media Marketing World has evolved into a special community, where every attendee is a member. And it doesn’t matter whether you’re a speaker, sponsor or attendee. 

As a fangirl and member, I have one important recommendation:
SMMW and the other major marketing conferences must become more inclusive!

While I appreciate the work Mike and Phil do to include people from diverse backgrounds, we, the broader marketing community, need to go further and be more proactive to ensure everyone feels they can join us regardless of their race, origin, sexual orientation, religion or other difference.

We need more than adding a few diverse representations and paying lip service to being #Inclusive. 

And, yes, I appreciate that many of the top social media experts have similar backgrounds. But we need to work together to change that. #YesWeCan!

Actionable Community Building Marketing Tip:

• Start discussing how to broaden our community and make it more inclusive. I’m the first to admit that I don’t have a magic bullet to achieve this goal. But, I do know that we have to do this NOW!
  
  Further, we can’t make assumptions about what people who are different from us want! (BTW—If you have any suggestions on how to accomplish this, please hit respond on this email and let me know.)

 

PESO Model 2.0 - How To Assess The Media Landscape.

To explore how the media landscape is evolving, Gini Dietrich updated her PESO 2.0 model. 

It will help you assess how both organic and paid social media fit into your overall marketing strategy and plans. 

Use her visuals and related PESO content on the Spin Sucks blog to educate your management and your clients. 

Additionally Gini partnered with The S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse Univerty to offer The Spin Sucks PESO Model Certification. Unlike other online courses, this one comes with accreditation from Syracuse University! 

Even better, the course won't break the bank or require you to go into financial debt to attend. (And I don’t make any money on this link!) 

 

How To Respond When Current Events Hurt Your Business

Lately, current events seemed like they can’t get any worse:

• Escalating bad news about the Coronavirus (Read this sober piece about what to do by a Yale Professor of Medicine),
• Massive decline in the value of US stock market, and 
• Divisive US Presidential campaign.
• My computer crashed!

Events like these have an impact on businesses and marketers around the world.

As the head of your organization’s communications, you not only face complex issues that your business didn’t contribute to but also need to remain calm and supportive in your response. For example, some consumers think Corona Beer is related to the virus.

So Wharton Professor Jonah Berger couldn’t have picked a better time to launch his latest book, The Catalyst

BTW, here’s the link to Jonah’s first book,
Contagious: Why things Catch On

The Catalyst provides a playbook for marketers, communications professionals, and community organizers to deal with our increasingly partisan discussion. In light of recent events, this also applies to the financial services and medical communities. 

It doesn’t matter where the conversation takes place. It can be on

• Social media, 
• At public events, 
• On other media entities and/or 
• In private between family and friends. 

Why should you read Jonah’s new book, The Catalyst?

• To get a framework for approaching divisive topics.
• To reframe your marketing to appeal to a larger audience.

 

Want To Be Part Of Something Big? 

What is the big objective?
Get a debut mystery novel, The Will To Die, on USA Today's Bestseller list.  (And, yes, this is a audacious marketing objective for a first novelist!)

The Will To Die is by my friend, Joe Pulizzi. Yes—he’s the Godfather of Content Marketing! Joe is already a best selling author of non-fiction books.  
  What Is The Specific Measurable Result:
Sell  6,000+ copies of The Will To Die between today and March 8th

How Can You Help?
The hard reality is that this is a pretty aggressive objective. 

And, even with his amazing connections, Joe can NOT do this without your help!

Further, Joe and I realize that this request is BIG!

So if you can contribute by taking any of these 3 actions, we would really appreciate it! 

Number 1:  Buy a digital copy of the book (Only $2.99 through March 8th).


Number 2:  Email 5 to 10 of your friends who like mysteries or thrillers. 

SAMPLE TEXT:  

Hi! My good friend Joe Pulizzi just published this amazing mystery/thriller book called, The Will to Die. It’s getting great reviews. 

The e-book version is only $2.99 through March 8th. Use think link - https://thewilltodie.com/wtd1 

Or if you prefer the print version, it's $17.95. Totally worth your time and money. 

BTW, if you have any family or friends who are mystery fans like you, perhaps you’ll consider forwarding this email to them?

 

Number 3:  Share news of The Will To Die on social media.

• Share it any platform you are comfortable with, including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. Anytime this week is great!
• Use the hashtag:  #TheWilltoDie
• Main Landing Page to Download The Will to Die
  https://thewilltodie.com/wtd1

 

Expand your knowledge at these conferences

► I am keynoting the Midwest Digital Marketing Conference in St. Louis (April 8th to 10th). This conference has a special place in my heart since it’s organized and run by my friend, Professor Perry Drake. 

► Also join me at the Hello Conference on April 30, 2020, run by marketing smartie, Brooke Sellas. This digital marketing conference takes place at a 220 year-old inn in New Jersey. Even better, it’s gentle on your pocket book. 

►  Take a look at the future of marketing at MAICON 2020. This is the second year of this exciting conference. I attended the inaugural event last year and it changed my thinking. Use code: ACTIONABLE100 to save $100 when you register.

 

Shoutout to new readers: Susana, Carl, Devanshi, Courtney, Gemma, Michael, Mike, Angela, Geremew, Sol and Amithe Welcome and thank you for joining our community.

Happy Marketing,
Heidi