Is your B2B brand human or a soulless entity? Connection Marketing time.

I went to see Seth Godin speak the other night. He's all about the new Connection Economy. And it's so true. No one is "buying" what you're "selling" if they don't feel connected to you. They aren't even paying attention, I can promise you. There are too many other things they DO feel connected to to bother with you.

Many brands, especially B2B brands, feel like they don't need to or shouldn't be REAL and HUMAN. After working in the B2B marketing space for quite awhile now, I see this all too often. And guess what, in today's world, that just isn't going to cut it.

People want to know there is someone behind the curtain. Not just some soulless entity trying to sell them a widget. A machine parts manufacturer still needs to have a human "face" on their brand.

Anyone in sales can tell you that it's all about chemistry and the relationship and this stands true even if there isn't a sales person in the mix. An ad is that "person." Or a brochure. Or website. Or social media presence. The whole of your communications is your "person."

So if you're selling your widget for $50 and so is another company who actually has a more human appeal and feel, who do you think is going to get the sale? And they could be selling their widget for $55 and STILL get the sale.

How can you humanize your brand?
You start with figuring out your brand passion and your story. And then stick to it. Tell it. Live it.  

Stop trying to be all things to all people. Find your "tribe" as Godin puts it. They're waiting for you to lead them. I call this finding your CONNECTION FACTOR™.  And everyone in the company needs to know it, feel it, be it. When those who share that passion and belief find you (and they will because you put it all out there), you'll have loyal advocates willing to pay the $55 for your widget over the 5 other brands that charge $50.

So don't be afraid to be human. Show some vulnerability. Check your ego and your chest beating at the door. We the people want real. You'll be amazed at how quickly you find your followers. Because you can't love a commoditized widget, but you can love someone who shares your passion and you feel a connection to.

Facebook New Rules for Business Pages Cover Photos & Ads

Come JANUARY 15, 2013, business' cover photos and News Feed ads will have more restrictions placed on them by Facebook. 

You already can't have any selling language (calls to action or prices) on your cover photo, but now Facebook is taking it one step or two further by LIMITING ALL TEXT ON YOUR COVER PHOTO and NEWS FEED ADS to 20% of the IMAGE AREA. 

Huh? Is it just me or is Facebook sure picky and controlling?

Pages are still allowed to post images with text in them as long as you don't do any paid promotion of those posts. 

Sheesh, Facebook. Really?

What it all boils down to is that Facebook wants to hogtie businesses so they have to spend even more money to "sell" or "promote" themselves in any way. Imagine that.

You can read more about all these new guidelines here.

 But here is an excerpt:  

Ads and sponsored stories that originate from Pages may not contain an image with the following text: 

 i.    price or purchase information, such as "40% off" or "Download it on socialmusic.com";

ii.    contact information such as a website address, email, mailing address, or information that should go in your Page's "About" section; 

iii.    references to Facebook features or actions, such as "Like" or "Share" or an arrow pointing from the cover photo to any of these features; or 

iv.    calls to action, such as "Get it now" or "Tell your friends." 

Ads and sponsored stories for News Feed that originate from Pages may not include images with more than 20% text (effective January 15th, 2013)

The In-store Product Demonstration Gone Too Far?

I'm all for a good product demo in-store, but I think this is a little much. I'm always amazed at the communication misfires by brands. But this one takes the cake. (The Johnny cake)

The New Twitter Logo?

I always love it when people think outside the box. And when the box is a food truck that painted its own Twitter logo icon on the side of said truck to get followers, I am even more excited. Creativity abounds as this BBQ food truck took some leeway, had some fun and made the Twitter logo connect better with the idea of what he markets: Food. Check it out.

Best TV spot of 2012?

McCann crafted this wonderful story that engages and pays off for Widerøe Airlines, called "Grandpa's Magic Trick". Do you think it's a best spot of 2012?

Screen grab from McCann's beautifully shot and crafted spot for  a Norwegian airlines

Worst Tweet of 2012?

What do you think? Is this the worst Tweet snafu of 2012? I'd say it ranks up at the top. When, right after the Aurora, CO, shootings, an online retailer called CELEB BOUTIQUE, tweeted this trending hashtag and related it to their Kim Kardashian inspired dress they call Aurora.

Deceptive Packaging in Bed, Bath & Beyond?

It's often hard for me to separate myself from my advertising identity and mindset. But as I was browsing through big box retailer Bed, Bath & Beyond, something caught my consumer eye: A BAMBOO toilet brush set. Being someone who likes to try to be "greener," and someone who actually did need a new toilet brush set, I zoomed in. The packaging got me in seconds flat.  It said: Highly renewable natural resource. Cool, I thought.

But I began to look further. (To be honest, I almost just grabbed it and went to the checkout. What else did I need to know, right?) And as I take it off the shelf and dig around in the inside of the package, was I surprised. It was just the outside of the holder that was bamboo and it was bamboo glued onto plastic to boot! *sigh* I had nearly been bamboozled, literally.

Ah-ha! PLASTIC inside a bamboo container.

Deceptive? What do you say?