Came across something VERY disturbing recently. A company branded Twitter account was repeatedly posting quotes about honor,
integrity (or lack thereof) and a statement to the effect that this account had been seized by the marketing agency because the client didn’t pay their bill. I about fell off my chair after seeing that.
Wrap your brain around this: On the surface it would appear a marketing firm, hired to promote a business, is using the clients social media platform to announce they’re deadbeats and didn’t pay their bill.
Who would have the audacity to do something like that? I have never seen anything quite like this, but that doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened before or won’t in the future. The ramifications are frightening to say the least. What can companies looking to consultants to setup, manage or advise them in the area of digital marketing do to protect themselves?
I posed this question to attorney Ed Nanney who specializes in entrepreneurship and business law. Ed offered some sage advice for companies. “When businesses operate, market and communicate by electronic media, basic contract and agency principles are as important as ever and the risks of ignoring them may be amplified. Take time at the start of a business relationship to define the parties’ expectations of each other, the rights and responsibilities of each and to anticipate what happens if things don’t work out. Electronic media foster rapid actions and communications, but don’t let a need for speed compromise due diligence and thoughtful planning.”
The big takeaway here is to alway get a written agreement upfront that spells out the parameters, scope, expectations and deliverables of the project. Equally important are the terms of ownership regarding social media accounts and generated content. This is a rare and extreme case, but worthy of consideration. Needless to say, this gets placed in the “not working” category as I wonder where are the Dirty Harry’s of Social Media?
Yesterday’s announcement by Steve Jobs and Apple about the new iPad was met with laughter and let down by many. Apple has raised the bar so many times when it comes to product innovation that fans expect (demand) to be blown away by anything new coming out of Cupertino. Whereas the iPad may not be a mind-blowing device (as the iPhone was three years ago), it does expands on Apple’s existing technology making it even more useable….especially for business.
Christopher Penn’s post on the business applications of the iPad really got me thinking: Games aside, this really is a powerful tool for sales and marketing professionals who spend a lot of time out in the field.
If you’ve ever had to lug around a laptop to make multiple presentations throughout the day you know what I’m talking about. Meeting with small business owners who are multi-tasking during your presentation can be a tricky thing.
What salesperson hasn’t had to pick up all their wares and follow the owner around their plant as they make rounds, put out fires or check on their employees. Making a presentation via laptop can be very difficult in those types of situations. Worse is when the prospective client has no room on his or her desk for you to even place your computer. Having to always ask to sit close to an electrical outlet is bothersome to say the least.
Enter the iPad. It’s sleek design is impressive yet trumped by it’s compact size. Easy to maneuver and flip around to show off information since the screen reorientates itself whenever moved around. You say your prospective client has five minutes to give you? No problem. That’s plenty of time to fire up the iPad (one month of standby battery life!), pull up the appropriate app and launch into your presentation. Before it would take five minutes just to pull out your 
laptop and boot up. This alone makes it a valuable tool for sales warriors constantly on the road.
But wait, there’s more. Access to video, pictures and a plethora of media that you’ve pre-selected to show a prospective client is all at your fingertips. All accessible with a few touches of the screen. Need to schedule a follow up appointment? No more fumbling for your contact manager – it’s all right there. The possibilities are endless.
