No matter which side of the issue you’re on, Occupy Wall Street is empowered by the same technology that sparked the Arab Spring. It was just August when Marc Benioff stood on the keynote stage at Dreamforce 11 and said onstage: “The technology is creating the change and the transformation…It’s not so long from now that we’ll start to hear about a Corporate Spring…an Enterprise Spring…When will the first CEO fall for the same reason?… I think about that myself every day… It is more important to listen than ever before…That’s the Social Revolution.”

Yesterday we lost a legend in our time, one of the visionaries truly responsible for pushing the development of the technology that facilitates these movements. While watching the inimitable Steve Jobs’ commencement address of the 2005 Stanford University graduating class last night, it hit me: Occupy Wall Street has the potential to make change happen and its spine is Social.

Source: Occupy Wall Street… is [a] leaderless resistance movement with people of many colors, genders and political persuasions. The one thing we all have in common is that We Are The 99% that will no longer tolerate the greed and corruption of the 1%. We are using the revolutionary Arab Spring tactic to achieve our ends and encourage the use of nonviolence to maximize the safety of all participants.

Strangely, a fair bit of the social sentiment last night regarding Occupy Wall Street (#OccupyWallStreet) focused on losing a “member of the 1%” as a scene-stealer to the press coverage of the movement. Indeed, to say Steve Jobs was remarkably successful is a huge understatement. As a result (and rightly so), his passing garnered tremendous press. But the Occupy Wall Street movement is fueled by technology sprung from Steve Jobs’  imagination and the imagination of the people inspired by the possibility of “what’s next”.

As my today begins, I redouble my dedication to being a virtuoso implementor of Social technology for business and non-profits, because people deserve the transparency. That’s all people. The 99% and the 1%. Let’s face it, for the 1% dead set on believing that Social is about “kids on Facebook”, the Corporate Spring may just be devastating.

Every organization should be absolutely clamoring to understand what their advocates love about them and what their detractors don’t. And the impact of both to the health of the organization. Every organization should tap into their most valuable resource (the 99% of the workplace) if they expect to get the real skinny on what’s working and what isn’t. Social insights and collaboration tools not only give you the arena to have that conversation, but the dedication to building that arena tells employees: Your voice is important. Listening and acting on what you think, say, and feel about us helps us become better. That dedication, if backed by honesty, will help to retain your top talent. Even when the unemployment rates begin to fall. In the interim, there is something wonderful about rewarding good people for innovative ideas that drive success. It’s not about sides or percentages. It is about communicating and respect.

Talent is rare, and expensive to acquire (nice, plain-english blog entry here from Jeff Kortes). Not listening to your talented team drives attrition rates up. Quite possibly, your  Customer Service, Sales Efficiency, and product quality rates decline in parallel. Engaged employees, like engaged customers, like an engaged constituency are highly effective marketers of your brand / message.

What does this have to do with Occupy Wall Street? Maybe Everything.

That’s Social. And I like it.

Hi. I’m the truly anti-social nerd referred to in this post’s headline. But it’s simply because I am a nerdy person with some real weirdness about me that renders me a bit socially awkward, not that I don’t like people. In fact, I do like people. Very much. I like people so much that for the past (muffled) years, I’ve been fascinated by and driven to protecting consumer data on behalf of all people everywhere. That sounds a bit overstated, but part of my raison d’être has been maintaining compliance and leading the enterprise definition of respect for  the consumers housed within a highly enriched marketing database over 70 million distinct individuals strong.

Individuals. People. Who I knew only by their transactions and artifacts. But who (because I am a nerd, remember) remained very real to me even in their data form. Truth be told, I’m creeped out by indiscriminate  dissemination of personal information. After all, I’m a private person (I said in my blog). Further, I believe that you (the collective you) should have the right to be as private as you want to be.

And that’s the key. As you want to be. So if you don’t want to be marketed to or sold to over the phone, you shouldn’t be. If you want to opt out of future marketing messages via email, so be it! You have that right and all organizations that want to sell or market to you (or anyone like you) have the responsibility to LISTEN. That’s why the past couple of events I’ve attended this month have been especially compelling to me.

The tides are changing, Customer, and the current is running with YOU in mind.

Dreamforce 2011

This year, the Salesforce.com Global Gathering – Dreamforce – surpassed  all other conference attendance records in the enterprise software arena with over 45,000 on-premise attendees and 35,000 joining online for live keynote and event streaming. Additionally, the pre-event Community Conference was manned by Customer Advocates recognized by Salesforce as brand-evangelists and designated by Salesforce.com as  MVPs. These MVPs (full disclosure: I was named an MVP earlier this year) were encouraged by Salesforce to use their “usual-suspect” social channels to promote the Community Conference sessions and events. As a result, each of the sessions in the Community Conference sold out. Via word of mouth brand-evangelists promotion by Salesforce.com customers. Using social tools available to most consumers. This Voice of the Customer amplification of brand loyalty and advocacy often resonates more honestly with a consumer than the slick marketing we’ve been fed our whole life. In other words, as a consumer you may be apt to view customer feedback – especially from someone you perceive to be “like you” – as more credible than the marketing or sales served up by the business.

You can imagine the Chatterati creating as much value as an SVP in the organization by sharing their institutional knowledge and expertise – and we should look at compensation structures with that in mind. – Marc Benioff

That the Community Conference was well attended largely through word of “mouth” across social channels  is a tremendous illustration of the power of the consumer in today’s leveled playing fields. But using Dreamforce as an example, I’ll happily point out some other terrific examples.

•  In the “A Roadmap for Social Transformation” session, Charlene Li (@charleneli ) with the Altimeter Group gave some terrific structural feedback and measures for  the organization’s Social Maturity.
• Dr. Natalie Petouhoff’s series sponsored by Salesforce on Social in the Enterprise was echoed by her moderated session at Dreamforce. I’ve attached a link to the 3rd installation in the session which echoes the idea of Social woven into the organizational DNA can have direct and indirect positive impact across the entire company. She also gives some very simple details on related metrics to get your creativity revved up.
• Who’s Who in Social Media was a session dedicated to giving Social vendors 5 minutes to hock their wares, hopefully with some contextual value for the Marketer in the room. To learn about the presenters and their tips, tricks, and offerings, take a peek at the presentation slideshare. 
• Of course, Radian6 is (rather) newly acquired by Salesforce.com and at the hub of Salesforce.com’s internal Social strategy. There were may shout-outs to Radian6 at #DF11, and some terrific sessions (which are slowly being posted to the YouTube Channel). For a really nice, concise presentation on guiding Social in your organization, take a peek at this pre-Dreamforce offering. Good stuff, here.

So, you can probably tell that I had a fun, nerdy time at Dreamforce. It does my nerdy, anti-social heart good to see the light bulb coming on in the heads and hearts of traditional marketers that their methods probably have to change. Because you (the consumer) are empowered and have the ability to amplify your voice almost as effectively as they do. On the cheap. And they don’t like it, but they’re going to have to learn to deal with it or they will lose your (my) affection and my business.

Social CRM Strategies for Business Seminar Series

One week later, I was lucky enough to keep the incredible journey going when I attended this seminar in Palo Alto presented by BPT Partners. This was a deep dive presentation facilitated by most of the principals of the BPT Partner gang: Bruce Culbert, Paul Greenberg, and Jeff Tanner. The speakers were thought provoking and really tied to the idea that Social is a normal (and persistent) human behavior, the technology is what adds the newness. Where consumers are ahead of the curve is in their adoption and mastery of the toolset that aids their social behavior.

CRM is the only science of business that attempts to reproduce an art of life. – Bruce Culbert

Some terrific resources from this event (that all tie back to the simple truth that we really have to LISTEN to actually have the ability to ENGAGE) are below and I recommend getting rampant about following the musings on the folks I reference in this post if you’re into this stuff (and I bet you  are if you’ve stuck with me this far).

I highly recommend this 4th edition of CRM at the Speed of Light which encompasses Social. This book was written by Paul Greenberg (@pgreenbe) and has been used by this Nerd to underscore the need for C-level buy in to the C-Level directly! Never hurts to use a visual aid and walking in to the President’s office with this book tabbed and highlighted showed that I was ready to go, a real nerd about this stuff, and not the only one in the world as seriously into these ideas as I am. I have bought this book for employees, bosses, and newbies and I recommend it now to you.

I was thrilled to meet and learn from Dr. Jeff Tanner (@tannerismontues) at the seminar. His take on Social, CRM, and Marketing is captured in his blog as are the links to his recent books. I haven’t read Dr. Tanner’s books, but  found him to be thought provoking even as he underscored the “Listen first” message. He shared a fabulous video contrasting B2B Marketing fundamentals over time that is tremendous. Watch the video here. I literally got goosebumps it so perfectly illustrates the leveled playing field.

Like snarky intelligence? With a dash of genius and threaded all the way through with make-sense goodness? I do! So it is for this reason that I note Esteban Kolsky (@ekolsky)as a terrific source of industry news, viewpoint, and value. If you’re a data-driven type like me, Mr. Kolsky is a great fit in that he never strays far from the path of if you’re not measuring it, it ain’t happening.

So, enough is enough! This is what I’ve been immersing myself in and pondering on for (kind of a lot of) years now. I may not be the biggest Social butterfly at the (in real life) party, but I’m rooting for the consumer all the way as you wield your power in the Social arena. I’ve got your back, and am aiming soundly at making your interactions with my clients better, more meaningful in the NOW and something that they can use to really understand how to interact BETTER with you (as defined by YOU) in the future. Then what I want you to do is to be so impressed with their genuine concern for your preferences and their dedication to being AWESOME in your eyes that you trumpet it from the highest tweet cloud, the most traveled Facebook page, and your personal blog. Your glowing recommendation is a proven better tool to create new customers than their traditional marketing efforts. And it’s cheaper, too.

That’s Social. And I like it.

I thank first responders all over the world for choosing their role. I thank the families of these brave men and women for offering up their support and for their bravery which is of a tensile strength unimaginable. Ten years on, my heart breaks for each firefighter, police, and citizen who were directly and indirectly impacted by 9/11.

I’d never before and never since been so completely apart by mankind’s overwhelming abomination against himself. In the same emotional space, I was and still am inspired by the indomitable resilience and love mankind offers toward mankind. As staggering the loss, the sheer bravery and tenacity of the United States in our recovery was equally astonishing.

Today, I offer you this short (and by no means comprehensive) list of 9/11 resources and the challenge to use your skills and love to honor the 9/11 victims, survivors and those brave souls who act in service each and every day. I also challenge myself and you to engage your representatives in Congress to act on the recommendations delivered in the 9/11 Commission Report.

http://www.911day.org/

http://9-11stairclimb.com/

http://www.911memorial.org/

http://makehistory.national911memorial.org/

http://www.youtube.com/september11

http://storycorps.org/

http://govinfo.library.unt.edu/911/report/index.htm

http://911memorialapp.com/

I wrote this note to myself at the time because it resonated strongly with me. Fast forward to today and miscommunication is the wrinkle that stands between the ability making the numbers and smashing them. In that wrinkle you’ll find reduced efficiencies, limitations for clear analysis, and missed opportunities for customer engagement. All of which all boils down to a reduction in revenue realized. In that wrinkle, the depth of our customer relationship is defined.

This post is the first in a series covering the idea of Communication as a revenue generation tool and brand differentiator. In this post, I focus on the customer experience as it is tied directly to effective connection with the service / product / or brand. In upcoming posts, I’ll turn that around and focus on the exciting customer-driven communication as a channel, and then move to internal communications and finally will cover some very exciting tools that are available to cultivate this communication.

Communicating well with your prospects and customers is about connecting with them. You can’t misfire, ignore the misfire, and expect your customers to have faith in you or to promote you. The trust we all work to build can be broken by a missed opportunity to do the right thing, offer a targeted message, be human. I have a loyalty to Delta Airlines that spans years. Last week, it took me 14 hours instead of 4 to fly home from Boston. I had to take an additional flight – almost had to take 2 additional flights – and had literally hours of confusion and frustration as I tried to navigate my way home.

Delta, who has always proven to offer me incredible service stumbled big time throughout the day. Ultimately, I know I was not the only person having troubles, and that Delta had a lot of irate people and tough situations to work through. However, I am the person in the moment on the other side of the desk and I deserve service in the same way the rest of those weary travelers do. I made it home, but felt sad to watch my chosen brand falter as they did. I’ll cover my experience with @DeltaAssist (a social monitoring service provided by Delta) as well as the usual and customary channels in another post.

If Delta had treated me with respect and clearly guided me to the correct and most logical next step, I’d have been a happy camper. I know things happen and I am a roll-with-the-punches type of gal. Instead, I was left to try to piece together the puzzle from the back of line after line with a cancelled plane full of other disgruntled folks. This is the definition of conflict.

The art of communication is the ability to connect what’s being conveyed with the unspoken details that are left out. This burden should not be handed to your customers. They’ll find it frustrating at best and will likely leave you in search of clarity and service.

What can you do today to improve your communication to your customers? What opportunity do you have to serve your customer the details they need to realize your love for them and to deepen their love for you? If you can’t see any room for improvement, ask someone you trust. Then listen. It really makes all the difference in the world. An investment in this type of service and transparency from the top down with clear guidance on the “HOW” is directly tied to your Customer’s loyalty, lifetime value, and overall likelihood to promote what you’re selling. Plus, it just feels harmonious to give great service.

It’s all about communication. In fact it’s ONLY about communication.

Some of those situations were really devastating. At times, I felt ready to throw in the towel and at times my convictions were tested. On the whole, 2010 was a tough year for me, I’ll tell you. And I’m a pretty tough cookie. I called upon my mentors, my friends, my family, and my dad (he of the dial-a-pep-talk fame). Even with such tremendous support, I recognized a different level of challenging. I found myself thinking about “making it through this” quite a bit. And “this” kept being redefined.

So, when life comes at you harder than you expected, what do you do? I think a lot about winning.

“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”  -  Thomas Edison

Honestly, It’s about continuing the journey. Success is reading the map, the conditions, and adjusting your course. the one-two punch of unforeseen situations can be exhausting. Was and is exhausting. I can share with you that there were times this year I found myself thinking, “What else could possibly go wrong?” and then steeling myself superstitiously as if simply asking the question would bring more bad. In fact, just writing that last sentence scares the hell out of me on some level.

But here’s the thing: something will go wrong  if wrong means “not the exact way you planned it”. I also know – with absolute conviction – that those things that went “wrong” in my life this year have also been the very same things that taught me a great deal about how to handle tough situations with grace. How to put things in perspective. How to remember the little things. How to love people while they’re still here. How to let crazy people be crazy and stay out of their drama. How to find the funny in anything. How to stay creative even when tired. How to keep. getting. up.

I’m reflecting on this now in mental preparation for the new year. I won’t miss 2010 for its challenge and heartache, but I will remember 2010 as a year of tremendous personal and professional growth. I’d love to tell you I’ve been energized by my successes this year but since they were in the “well, I got through that one” camp, I’d be lying to you. I’m still tired, but I’m happy to report I’m certain of my success. I’m planning on my success.

Now, you may not care about my success but what I’m getting at here is this: keep going. I can promise you that failure is only one of your options, not your foregone conclusion. Keep going. You never know, your success may be just around the corner.

All of them had jobs. That’s the first thing that struck me. My take on this – even in my own NOW – is that we’re uber-smart or uber-lucky to have been delivered to a profession that is in demand now and will be in even greater demand in the future. But this blog isn’t only for people like us. I’m just pointing out that if you’re employed at all today, you’re one of the lucky ones. Don’t forget it and BBlook for ways to give back.  In the U.S., walk into a room with 10 people and one of them will be out of work. Another one will most likely be under-employed. If you’re working at all you’re fortunate. Network your colleagues less fortunate on your social feeds. Offer time or resources to helping get people back on their feet. A couple of things will happen as a result: you’ll appreciate your current reality in a new light and good things will happen for other people. It’s a win-win.

About the “What’s Next” dilemma…

Talented people want to be recognized, challenged, and compensated. We want to be a bit famous in our own stratosphere. This means recognized for our contributions and challenged to bring more to the table. These folks need to feel their moral compass is aligned with their employers’ or clients’. If not, it’s a deal breaker. These are people working from a place of passion, and passion ignites innovation when nurtured. So that “What’s Next” feeling is natural for passionate folks.

If you’re one of the people wondering what is just beyond the horizon for you, I want to share what I learned while visiting Alcatraz Island yesterday. While on the penitentiary audio tour, I found myself standing in front of the solitary confinement cells. The Hole. A former inmate incarcerated at Alcatraz explained that while he lived for 23 hours a day in complete darkness and isolation for months at a stretch, his mind was free to travel. He closed his eyes and envisioned light. He left his isolation even if only in his mind and traveled freely where he chose. This was his mechanism to cope with his current reality.

It hit me in a profound way. Not only because this man was expressing so beautifully the human reality of perserverance. but also that his solution is so powerful for all of us.

Even in those moments where we aren’t ready or aren’t able to make a move, our minds are free to wander.

Creative, passionate people: Is your mind free to wander? Or is your mind tied up with circular thinking on unhappiness? Solutions are born when you’re open to conceiving them. Quit ruminating on what you’ve already defined as unacceptable. You’re clear on that, now move on. Seth Grodin has a great blog on using your current reality as a platform for change. Then remember: you don’t have to be able to see every twist and turn and end state clearly to begin the “What’s Next” phase of your journey. Just be open to the journey and the adventure of it all.

“What’s Next” is the adventure you create. Close your eyes and Dream Big.

Well, all things being cyclical, it’s bound to happen. But as the spring of a new economic fertility begins to awaken, I find myself wondering: how will my organization retain market share? Actually, the real question is:  how will we continue to dominate as our competitors begin to become stronger?

We spent more than two full years paying (so much more than) close attention to efficiencies. Really working to talk to our prospects and customers in a targeted and meaningful way. And we’ve made headway and learned a lot. Now, as the US economy starts to shimmy and shake, we’ve got to somehow stay lean and mean and GREAT and focused.

I just realized I’m posting another Eye of the Tiger entry.

Generally, as my group supports APAC as well as domestic efforts, I’m really aware of the shift of the financial tectonic plates. That which we relied on heavily in APAC to thankfully sustain us through the dark days is no longer really doing the trick. We’re going to enter the APAC version of “trim the fat, watch your costs and stay clear of weak links”. I don’t know what that’ll look like for the region, but this whole process is fascinating to be sure.

So, now what? We’re still coming together and Henry Ford said it PERFECTLY:

 Our arsenal is terrific, our beleaguered team talented, and our offerings are really, really fabulous. My personal challenge is to start at the beginning (again). I have work to do on building relationships and improving  communications with my key colleagues. Most likely, this is the single most important effort I can make to improve my team’s contributions to the company. I’m dedicated to building (very wide-span) bridges as a priority.

Those are the bridges that will bring us closer together, keep us in touch, and add dramatically to our success.

Well, we had to, I suppose.

I’m lucky to work for great leadership that set a pretty clear direction right at the beginning of 2009. We were told to be more efficient, and we did it. We were told not to cut corners, but to keep our eyes peeled for opportunities and jump in with both feet if we found them.

And we found so many opportunities: to do things smarter, to be more direct, to work in closer coordination, to focus on our message and whether or not our customer gained from hearing it. If they didn’t, we wouldn’t, either. So at times we shelved projects and plans that (even though we loved them in theory) just didn’t make sense.

So, when we began to really open our eyes to how to be better, we found so many opportunities for change and refinement that my team literally can’t get to all of them. We’re prioritizing (and re-prioritizing) the most beneficial and moving as quickly as we can. We’re not sacrificing quality (I’m so happy to report) but we are – ahem – sleek…so we sometimes move quickly to implement a less than elegant solution that delivers while knowing we’ll come back “later” to make it as pretty as we’d like it to be in a perfect world (which this one ain’t).

In spite of the drama, we hit some remarkable new heights and one of the pinnacles is simply: We made it.

Big time.

But at home, in my organization, we’re struggling with embracing best practice from the top down and this year my mind is reeling with the “how do I overcomes” and the “how can we prioritize when every project is vital-s”.

Sigh.

So here’s the rub: I love this stuff. You know I do. For no damn good reason other than passion I’ve devoted my brain power, sweat equity, sleep-time, and creativity to the idea of enterprise-wide CRM for oodles of years. So failure (which is anythin less than resounding success) is not an option.

I am here to win. My team is being raised up to SLAY our competition, wow our clients, and offer our current and future customers a service and sales experience that will continue to set up apart as the best at what we do.

So why are so many of our user groups not happy? This week, I’ll be mini-blogging my heart out to finally examine this question and framing up the answer – whatever it may be. This is a pre-post to a series of honest ramblings, it’s the only way I’m going to get it done and I do feel it’s gotta be said. Let the chips fall where they may and my hope is that I emerge cleansed and revitalized and creatively poised to astound our customers.

My Dad Says:

• You’re doing GREAT! Really! Keep it up!
• Define your space - then command it.
• Focus on the positive aspects of the current reality, rather than the negative. 
• Backbiting and negativism is pervasive, why not tune into the rare beauty of teamwork?

First things first: my Dad is very smart. I’ve urged him to come out of retirement to offer all of you fine folks a “Dial-a-Pep-Talk” service. He didn’t bite – so you’ll have to absorb it second-hand. Suffice to say, though, that if ever I need to hear that I’m okay, that I’m doing great, that I’m gonna blow the doors off….well, I know where to look.

Which brings me to the week I’ve just had. This week, senior leadership gathered at HQ (I just like writing that!) to do what sitcom after sitcom punts around when spotlighting Corporate America.

That’s right folks, we came to SYNERGIZE!

But before you  let your mind meander too far down the path of the zen of handshakefulness, know this: it’s been a hard couple of years. For all of us. We did – are still doing – more with less. We questioned our contributions, we felt overwhelmed, underappreciated, we lost good friends and colleagues in the name of efficiency improvements. And the hits keep on coming.

It’s been quite the bumpy ride. BUT….there are glimmers on the horizon. Truth be told, we’re kicking butt and taking names with the “sleek team” I represent. We’re all frustrated because all of  us – the survivors – who remain wish we could get to it all, could do our own pet projects when some times we’re simply keeping the motor running. But ultimately, we’re making it work while in the face of adversity.

This week, though, the message is clear: We can do it. We ARE doing it. We expect to be the best. We Believe.

In other words, they may have called my Dad. But I’ll vouch for the infectious positivity of having leadership that sets the course and that shares the message of hope and positivity as a culture.

This ain’t gibberish, it’s parenting. It’s leadership. It’s setting clear boundaries and clear expectations and a culture of teamwork from the top down. I hope the message makes it back to the home office. I know I’m walking in the door on Monday with renewed passion. I love what I do and I believe in infectious, aggressive positivity.

Here are my top 5 methods to spread positivity:

Set the standard: BE posititve. Smile and say Good Morning. Resist the temptation to fall into “venting sessions”. Not as easy as it sounds, you’ll be surpirsed how much of a shift this may entail. But make the shift happen – it’s magical!

Deep down, if you don’t believe it is possible (whatever your “it” is), step down or shut up.

Seek out the people in your organization who “can do” and who are interested in teamwork, and hang with them. You’ll move mountains.

Take a few minutes before checking voicemail, email, twitter, blog comments, facebook, etc. to visualize the successful achievement of your vision – or your team’s vision – at the start of each day. Really SEE it happening. This helps me to remember that the obstacles are most times just chatter that can (if I let them) steal my time and energy.

Remember your teammates. Thank them for great work. Actively work to understand how to help them do what they do better. Expect greatness and recognize their hard work.

So thanks, Dad. I am what I am today thanks to you. I’ve just heard presidents, CEOs, world-class marketing gurus share their wisdom for days, and your message remains (to me)  the most inspiring:

Why not, indeed! Go TEAM!

Thanks, Dad!