Are all of your Facebook status updates products of rigorous review processes by your communications, legal and policy departments?

Does the above result in social networks in which you’re only posting one or two times per week?

Then maybe social media isn’t for you (or your company.)  Or, more to the point, maybe your organization needs a communications climate change.

If you think the above examples are overly-exagerrated, think again.  Unfortunately, we’ve run across several organizations in recent weeks where those examples held true.  And yet these organizations were left scratching their heads as to why their online communications programs weren’t bearing fruit.

In their minds, they needed to invest more money in bells and whistles.  New apps.  Fresh widgets.

Wrong.

It’s not about the widgets.  It’s about the content.

We’re living in the age of real-time, folks.  While that may sound scary, it’s reality.  Are you ready to adapt?

It may only have been a few years ago that you had the luxury of spending an entire afternoon running your press releases through a groupthink approval process before hitting the send button on your fax machine.

But times have changed.  We have to be able to react within seconds, not hours.

And different communications platforms require different discussions.  People on Twitter and Facebook don’t simply want focus group-tested talking points.  They want a discussion.  They want a conversation.

So, what we normally tell organizations is this: either change your communications climate, or stop embarrassing yourself with a failed social media experiment.

Otherwise, you’re throwing good money after bad, and tarnishing your brand in the process.

Are you read for the climate change?

“Email is probably dying.”

Forgive us if we’re skeptical.

While nobody can fully predict what new technology will take hold over the next few years, email is still the fabric that holds together online communications.

For example, Ms. Sandberg should look at her own company.  In fact, Facebook would be a whole lot different without email.  Where do friend requests, event invites and messages end up?  In both your regular email and Facebook inboxes.

Whether or not Facebook launches its own version of email — it’s still email.

Facebook also recently launched a new partnership with Yahoo! in which those with Yahoo! accounts can fully integrate the Facebook experience into their email.

Other newer social networking tools (and, yes, email is a social networking tool) also heavily rely on email.  Twitter, for example, relies on email to deliver you direct messages and new follower alerts.

Further, take a look at this recent study that finds the great majority (58%) of Americans start their day with email — as opposed to 11% starting it with Facebook.  Those numbers could change in the coming years, but those current numbers don’t make it seem as if email is going anywhere anytime soon.

Will email change?  Yes.  Will it adapt?  Yes.

We already see how Gmail users’ experience is changing — with the integration of Google Buzz, Google Voice and evolution of Google Chat.

Yahoo! is changing, as well, with its Facebook integration.

So, yes, email will change.  Email five years from now may look much different than it does today.  But that doesn’t mean it’s dying.

It’s adapting.  And it’s a bit too early to predict its demise.

I still remember my high school summer at the University of Wisconsin Cross Country Camp, and one of the coaches’ repeated mantra:

“The day before the day before is always more important than the day before.”

What it means is that a good meal and good night’s sleep is more important two days before your race than the night before.  I also took it to mean that it’s better to spend time preparing in the weeks leading up to your race — than waiting until the last minute to train hard.

That mantra always stuck with me, and doesn’t just apply to racing.

Take online communication, for instance.  I can’t tell you the amount of times I’m approached by potential clients who want to treat an email program like their direct mail or TV ads:  wait until the last minute to hit their email lists with a barrage of “e-blasts” (a term which should be expunged from our vernacular) and hope the sheer amount of eyeballs it reaches will have an effect.

It doesn’t work that way.

Online communication doesn’t work like the old ways of communicating.  It’s about slowing down and taking time to engage in conversation and build trust.  A successful email program takes time to build, to allow the people who want to opt-out to do so — and allowing everyone else to open your emails, read, engage, respond and converse with you or your organization.

This can be understandably frustrating for those who are used to the immediate results of, say, a television ad.  And, yes, television ads are a very important, vital tool in your communications toolbelt.

But different types of media require different types of strategies.  And the “immediate gratification” strategy of traditional media tools just doesn’t work online.

It’s not about the day before.  It’s about the day before the day before.  See what I mean?

The following post is taken from our new, free booklet, The Press Release is Dead: Using New Communications Tools to Build your Business, Non-Profit or Campaign.

When we use the terms “social media” or “social networking” most people immediately think of Facebook or Twitter or MySpace.

They rarely think of email.

But the truth is that email is a social networking tool. It is the largest such tool — and the oldest.

As noted Web strategiest Jeremiah Owyang explains on his blog:

Well if you agree that Facebook, a private community of your friends is a social network, then so is email. They both have the same requirements 1) profiles (emails have signatures), 2) Ability to connect to each other (the act of emailing, and often responding, 3) Do something useful (email users share information, and sometimes collaborate). Next email still an important mode of communication, while we often complain about email overload, trust research indicates people still trust emails from friends — this will only continue.

Some our clients are focused on Facebook and Twitter because they’re the “hot” new tools. While we also utilize those tools (and address them later in this booklet), we always make email the bread-and-butter of any communications program we manage.

The sheer size of the email universe makes it so important. In that same blog post above, Owyang writes that Hotmail has an estimated “375 million active accounts worldwide” — and “Yahoo mail is reported at 280 million” active accounts. Combine those numbers with Gmail and countless other email providers, and the amount of active email users dwarfs that of any other online communications tool.

There are a number of free or almost-free email software tools on the market. These tools are great in that they allow any business (large or small) to utilize ready-to-go email templates to send nicely-design messaging to customers, fans and supporters at the click of a button.

To be sure, there are some drawbacks to these tools. For one thing, some of the templates they provide are limited (and some are downright ugly.) They also have limitations on the numbers of email contacts you can load into their system — limitations being either cost or actual amount of email addresses.

But the biggest drawback I’ve seen is that it puts a lethal weapon in the hands of business owners who may not be the best communicators.

What do I mean?

Well, as we stated earlier, the key to your successful online communications program is content. That includes well-written marketing materials that are proofread and in keeping with your company’s message.

I’ve seen plenty of emails come from businesses in which the author is obviously challenged by the English language.

Another problem is that of inexperienced marketers who are unable to resist the temptation to over-send to their email lists.

Which leads me to this important principle: please kill the “e-newsletter” — and do it quickly.

If you’re somebody who thinks a weekly e-newsletter (a compendium/rundown of organizational updates from the prior week) is the key to winning new customers, voters or supporters … please keep reading.

Let’s get something straight: we’re defining the word “e-newsletter” as a compendium of news. It is not the same thing as an direct email piece. (Just as a newsletter or brochure is not the same as a letter to a client, a friend, etc.)

An “e-newsletter” may have its place: namely to a core audience of people who specifically have opted-in to receive an e-newsletter from your organization.

But too many people use this weekly (usually on Friday) email as the cornerstone of their marketing efforts. They are usually way too long, stacked with photos and updates from the prior week and too heavy on graphics.

So — how should you run your email campaign?

The key to an effective email campaign (and any communications campaign, for that matter) is delivering unique, compelling content. Providing timely news of value that a new or existing customer can use.

Let’s say you’re a wine shop. A new customer comes in and buys a bottle of wine, and signs up for your email list.

Why is that customer signing up for your email list? To receive updates on a new wines, new specials, and upcoming events.

Make sure your first email to that new customer is a “thank you” that includes a very brief description of the kind of news they’ll be receiving in the future — and then a quick list of upcoming specials or events.

A new customer isn’t signing up for your email list to receive photos of of last week’s event, or a listing of company news.

How often should you send these emails? My rule of thumb is: whenever you have something compelling or valuable to say.

Don’t feel chained to the notion that you have to send out a weekly email on Friday afternoons. So, if you get a new shipment of Pinot Noir in on Tuesday morning and decide to run a 10% off special — send a short email with that update.

If, two days later, you decide to run a storewide discount on Chardonnay — send out a quick email.

Try not to abuse your email list, of course. But if your emails are providing value, your list will remain strong and your unsubscribes light.

Your customers (especially new ones) want value. Give them value.

After a customer has been on the email list for a while, you can provide them the option of signing up for your weekly “e-newsletter.” Let them know what will be included in that e-newsletter. Once they’ve been part of the “family” for a while, they may be more apt to receive photos of events, “insider” news, etc. But this should only go to a small segment.

Truth be told, we like to use Facebook to replace the e-newsletter. We use email for short, value-added updates. People can opt-in to Facebook and receive those photos, insider news pieces, etc. without having their email inboxes cluttered.

We’d like to reiterate: Emails should be short, with minimal graphics, a clear call to action, and timely, compelling content that is relevant to the lives of your recipients.

You should also be taking steps to learn more about your list. Who is opening your emails on a regular basis? Who is clicking on your emails? Where do these openers and “activists” reside? What types of emails are they opening?

Most credible email software programs allow you find out the answers to all of these questions. This isn’t just interesting information, it can allow you to segment your lists by location, demographics, issue area. This further allows you to target your lists to deliver content of maximum value to each person.

To sum this all up, we like to use the example of the 2008 Presidential campaign as a simple, high-profile case study. For much of the campaign, John McCain sent out a Friday afternoon “e-newsletter” compendium.

The newsletter (heavy on graphics) contained key speeches or announcements for the week, the candidate’s schedule and other news the campaign thought was important.

Obama? They focused on deploying short, timely action alerts with clear calls to action — whether it’s watching a video, emailing a friend, signing a petition or, yes, making a contribution. Every Obama that hit the email inbox had a clear goal. Minimal graphics (if any). No wasted news compendiums from the week. That’s what Web sites are for …

Needless to say, the McCain campaign killed their e-newsletters during the summer or fall of 2008. They realized it was worthless. It was a waste of resources and took up bandwidth that could be better spent on timely action emails.

A high profile case study, yes. But a good example of why you your organization should give your e-newsletters a quick death. Save your email recipients the energy used in hitting the delete button.

Concise. Short. Minimal graphics. Clear call-to-action.

–
Curt Mercadante | Principal
Merc Strategy Group, LLC
(o) 202.470.2473 | (c) 312.301.9055
email: curt@mercstrategy.com
skype: curtmerc
twitter: @curtmercadante
web: www.mercstrategy.com

When I ask this of many of my colleagues, they quickly identify my Skype or Twitter accounts.

They would be correct — but they missed the other social media tools:  email, cell phone, my office phone (which is actually linked to my Skype) and, yes, this Web site (which, as you can see, functions as a blog).

Heck, I might actually consider something as simple as a business card a form of social media.

Social media denotes communications tools that allow us to have conversations.  Twenty years ago, that main tool was our land line phones.  Then came the cell phones.  Then email.  Then instant messaging.  Then blogs.  Now we have Facebook, Twitter, Skype, etc.

All of these have one simple thing in common:  they are all tools.  They facilitate conversation — we do the rest.

Online communications strategist Jeremiah Owyang has a great post about how email was the first — and is the largest — social network. While I would argue that email was predated by other social networks (like phones), I agree with his overall theme.  He writes:

Well if you agree that Facebook, a private community of your friends is a social network, then so is email. They both have the same requirements 1) profiles (emails have signatures), 2) Ability to connect to each other (the act of emailing, and often responding, 3) Do something useful (email users share information, and sometimes collaborate).  Next email still an important mode of communication, while we often complain about email overload, trust research indicates people still trust emails from friends –this will only continue.

I still recall the first time I logged in to my email account assigned to me at the University of Iowa back in the early 90′s.  I was able to email (text only on my black-and-white Windows PC) with friends around the country.  Limited – yes.  Revolutionary – absolutely.

Up until then, I’d spend time (and money) calling friends at other schools from New York to Ohio. Email helped change all that.

It’s funny to realize that I became a social media user way back then.

My point is this:  many people still resist using new social media tools because they fear learning a “new skill” or they are scared away from what they think are complicated technical aspects of these tools.

What they don’t realize is that they’ve been using social media tools all along.

What other social media tools do you already use?  By reading this post, you have the ability to share your comments here on this site — a form of social media.  Twitter and Facebook are no different — they are tools that allow you to communicate with your friends and business associates (and to make new friends.)

As with any toolset, you have to figure out the ones that are right for you.  Would I recommend Twitter and Facebook for every organization? Probably not (although I will say, as Shel Israel writes about in his new book Twitterville, businesses large and small are constantly finding new, unique uses for these tools.)

But, as I wrote about in this post, your first step should not be choosing your weapon — but deciding upon a communications and content strategy first … then choosing your tactical tools to meet that strategy.

But don’t be scared away from new online tools.  Odds are, you’ve been a social media maven for years — and you didn’t even know it.

Over on LinkedIn, where I cross-post many of the blog posts you see on this site, that particular post sparked a number of comments — many from staunch defenders of the “e-newsletter.”  Others accused me of playing a game of semantics by too narrowly defining what constitutes an “e-newsletter.”

Let’s get something straight:  The word “e-newsletter” is short for “email newsletter”.  It is a compendium of news.  It is not the same thing as an direct email piece.  (Just as a newsletter or brochure is not the same as a letter to a client, a friend, etc.)

As I’ve said before, an “e-newsletter” may have its place:  namely to a core audience of people who specifically have opted-in to receive an e-newsletter from your organization.

E-newsletters are not effective at branding your organization. They are not effective at building audience.  They are not effective at building your organization’s narrative.

Let’s look at some concrete examples.

E-Newsletters:

• Here is a recent edition of a weekly e-newsletter I received from Chicago Alderman Bob Fioretti.  I zoomed out so you can get an idea of the enormous length of this piece.  In addition to being way too long, it contains poor-quality photos of the alderman, with news that he may want you to see … but that may not necessarily be relevant to your everyday life.  It’s also not an opt-in mailer.  Bottom line:  impersonal, too long, too wordy, poorly designed, no clear call to action or description of the alderman’s vision for the ward.

• Here is an example of the Republican National Committee’s “Weekly Trunk” e-newsletter.  A new product this year, the “Weekly Trunk” is a waste of resources and a drain on the inboxes of Republicans across the country.  As you can see, it is another long, impersonal piece that simply provides links to random, out-of-date news stories.  No call-to-action.  Further, I receive this every week even though I never specifically opted in for an e-newsletter.

Quality Direct Emails

• One reason Barack Obama was so successful online was the design and content of his emails.  Here is a recent example of one of those pieces.  As you can see, it is personal, with a direct appeal, a clear message and call-to-action.  It’s not chock-full of graphics.  This is a quality direct email piece.  And, unlike the e-newsletter examples provided above, these emails aren’t sent on a set, weekly schedule — they’re sent whenever the campaign organization has something important to say.  It could be a few times a week … it could be a few times a month.  But they make the pieces relevant.

• Here is an example of another direct email piece — this one from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (full disclosure:  the Chamber is a client and this email was written by me).  Like the Obama email, this is a personalized, direct appeal with a clear call to action.  Light on graphics and relevant.  Yes, the Chamber does have an e-newlsetter — but only for a small segment of people who specifically have opted in to receive it.

So, now that I have provided specific examples of the “good” and the “bad” — you can see firsthand the difference between an “e-newsletter” and an effective email.  While I only provided two examples of the “bad” — they are, unfortunately, typical of what many, many organizations are producing.

The difference between the “good” and the “bad” is vital when you’re filling people’s inbox with content that directly reflects on your organization’s mission and brand.