My Neighbor Made Me Do It: Personal Influence and Behavior Change

Almost all modern attempts to influence human behavior—to buy a product, vote for a candidate or embrace a social program—are predicated on assumptions that no longer hold. The digital revolution has enabled latent human inclinations and changed the shape of social connection; transforming the way information, ideas and trends spread. Discover the new paradigm and why, if you want to influence culture, you must begin by influencing your neighbor.

That's the message of the talk I gave on April 9, 2011 at TEDx Nashville.  Here's the video.

 

Did American Idol / Ford Censor "Chevy Truck" Lyric?

Last night on American Idol, contestant Lauren Alaina sang Reba McIntyre's country music hit, "Turn on Your Radio."  The song is supposed to include the lyric, "...blow the speakers out your Chevy truck."  However, instead of singing "Chevy truck," Aliana sang "pickup truck." 

What's more, the judges didn't say a word about the incorrect lyric.  Idol judges are notoriously hard on contestants who forget or otherwise botch song lyrics and so this was especially surprising.  Why the free pass for Alaina?  I smell a conspiracy.

American Idol's largest sponsor is Ford whose bestselling product is the F150 pickup truck and whose chief competitor is Chevy.  Starting to get the picture?

Changing the lyric to remove the word Chevy makes Ford look cowardly and weak.  It's as if they would rather pretend Chevy didn't exist than go head-to-head. And, if Ford doesn't have confidence its truck is better than a Chevy, then why should we?  Strong brands don't fear competition. They welcome the comparison because they know it ensures victory. 

If Idol did this without Ford's permission, then Ford should be upset.  If Ford knew about this change, then it should be ashamed.

If I were Chevy, I would quickly cut together a highlight of every famous song mentioning a General Motors product, set the whole thing to video, bleep out the reference to the products (E.g., "Drove my BLEEP to the levy but the levy was dry...") and then post it to the web as the "version approved by leadership at Ford."

Or, how about a television ad that shows Ford executives terrrified each time they hear the word "Chevy?"

Finally, Chevy should offer to pay Lauren Alaina a handsome fee if she'll sing, "Say My Name" in her next Idol performance.  Every time Alaina sang the words, "Say My Name," in their minds Americans would hear the word "Chevy."

Spread the fire. GS

6 PyroMarketing Ideas for the World Religious Travel Association (WRTA)

I spoke last weekend to the World Religious Travel Association convention in Montreal.  After my keynote, several people in the audience said they couldn't write quickly enough to capture the six ideas I gave at the end of my talk and asked if I would post them online. Well of course I will.  And thanks for asking.  Here they are, along with my thanks to Kevin Wright and the staff of WRTA for having me back and to the audience at lunch for your attentiveness.  I hope my message improves your ability to help people rediscover their faith through religious travel.  Spread the fire. GS

Download 6 pyromarketing ideas for WRTA

How Cisco Turned Desire for Flip Cameras Into Concern About Doing Business With Them

[Please read all the way to the bottom for an update on how Cisco responded]

Lumbering beuracracies destroy brands by trading effectiveness for efficiency.  I got a humorous yet painful reminder today when I tried to buy a bulk quantity of customized Flip video cameras from Cisco using the chat function on the product's website.  Instead of getting their product, I got the runaround when their "customer service representative" relied on the company's scripted responses (efficient) instead of listening and responding to me as a real person (effective).  Here's the transcript of our chat.

Kirby J. (27064) has joined this session.

from Kirby J. (27064) to All Participants:
Hello Greg Stielstra! Thank you for contacting Flip Video Support. How may I help you?

from Greg Stielstra to All Participants:
I am interested in buying a bulk quantity of Flip cameras with custom graphics for a project my company is doing in California

from Kirby J. (27064) to All Participants:
May I know which country you are based in?

from Greg Stielstra to All Participants:
The United States. We are in Tennessee. The project is in California

from Kirby J. (27064) to All Participants:
Okay, please email us with your concern at flip-marketing@cisco.com.

from Greg Stielstra to All Participants:
I don't have a concern. I want to buy a bunch of your cameras with custom graphics. Should I still send an email to the address you gave?

from Kirby J. (27064) to All Participants:
Yes, this is our Live Chat Technical support you may send us an Email or contact our E-commerce department for this concern.

from Greg Stielstra to All Participants:
Is there a living, breathing person at Flip that I can call to discuss my needs?

from Kirby J. (27064) to All Participants:
You may contact our E-Commerce for this concern.

from Kirby J. (27064) to All Participants:
The number to call is 888 222 6689 (Option 3-1-2-2).

from Kirby J. (27064) to All Participants:
Is there anything else that I can happily assist you with?

from Greg Stielstra to All Participants:
What is the email address for e-commerce? Also, may I suggest that management remove the word "concern" from the scripted responses? It casts a negative light on these chat conversations. I wanted to buy your product, but now I'm feeling uneasy because three of your responses included the word "concern."

from Greg Stielstra to All Participants:
E-commerce email address?

from Kirby J. (27064) to All Participants:
For bulk orders Email us at flip-marketing@cisco.com.

After ending the chat I called the number Kirby gave.  The person who answered--a female call-center operator with broken English--was unable to answer my questions or take an order for cameras.  She told me to "send an email to E-commerce."  But wait a minute, hadn't I called the E-commerce phone number?  Apparently not.  So, either Kirby gave me the wrong number or she was lying.

To make matters worse, the email she gave me was different than the one Kirby had provided.  This gal said the E-commerce email address was Bulkorders@theflip.com.  Unfortunately, I sent a message to that address three weeks ago and still haven't received a response.  That's why I decided to go to the website and initiate the chat. 

Cisco, are you listening?  Are you monitoring social media? Will you find my very public complaint and try to satisfy me before I buy a competing product? 

Spread the fire. GS

Update:  After writing this post I sent an email to Bulkorders@theflip.com and heard back from a gentleman named Colin almost immediately.  He was personable, and helpful and provided the information I needed.  Two days later I received an email from Martin, a Senior Director in the Consumer Products Division at Cisco.  Martin had seen my blog post and was personally reaching out to help.  He directed me to Colin.  I thanked Martin for reaching out and let him know that Colin and I had already connected.

So, while my initial experience was frustrating, the way Cisco chose to handle the situation was admirable.  Thank you Cisco for monitoring social media and for following up to make sure I could act on my desire to buy your products.  GS

 

PCMA 10 Point Plan

I spoke at the Professional Club Marketing Association event today in Las Vegas where I shared how PyroMarketing can help them ignite member evangelists.  To help them act on my message, I created presentation with 10 things they can try when they get home.  Click the link below to download the pdf. Spread the fire.  GS

Download PCMA Vegas 10 Point Plan

   

Lohan Law Suit against E*Trade a Publicity Stunt?

Lindsay Lohan dropped her suit against E*Trade yesterday according to an article in the Associated Press.  Terms of her out-of-court settlement were not disclosed.  What a surprise.

This affirms my suspicion back in March that the suit was a hoax and fulfills my prediction.

Pay attention to how this turns out.  If it's legit, then Lohan will pursue it through the courts until she gets a verdict.  But I predict another outcome.  I predict that either Lohan will drop the suit entirely or that the parties will "agree to settle out of court for an undisclosed sum (Lohan's payment for participating?)."  Call me a cynic, but my theory seems the most logical explanation for such an absurd suit."

Read my original post "Milk-a-what?" Is the Lindsay Lohan - E*Trade lawsuit a publicity stunt?

I believe the entire suit and subsequent settlement was a publicity stunt and a risky one at that.  Manipulating the courts for promotional reasons should land the people responsible in jail.  This was also a stupid move for E*Trade.  E*Trade needs investors to trust it with their money and to believe in the company's good judgment and stability.  Connecting its brand to Lindsay Lohan creates associations that undermine those that E*Trade needs most.  Spread the fire. GS

No More Traditional Publishing for Seth Godin

Seth Godin announced today on his blog that his next book, titled Linchpin, will be the last one he  publishes in the traditional way. Why?  The problem, he says, is that...

"Traditional book publishers use techniques perfected a hundred years ago to help authors reach unknown readers, using a stable technology (books) and an antique and expensive distribution system."

Obviously, a lot has changed since but, rather than embracing those changes in ways that enhance the value to both authors and readers, publishers seem intent on trying to preserve the methods they've always used.  Seth continues...

"I honestly can't think of a single traditional book publisher who has led the development of a successful marketplace/marketing innovation in the last decade. The question asked by the corporate suits always seems to be, "how is this change in the marketplace going to hurt our core business?" 

This fixation on preserving what we've already built is why iTunes was invented by a computer company (Apple) and not the record companies.  The record companies saw the MP3 file as a threat and were too busy filing lawsuits against file-sharing seventeen-year-olds to conceive of a web-based store to sell those same files.  Once the record companies defined MP3's as a threat, it became nearly impossible to see them as an opportunity.

This reminded me of a post I wrote last March titled Are You A Stuntman?  In it I pointed out that people hurt when they trip are those whose first inclination is to prevent their fall.  Stunt men, by contrast, can fall from great heights and spring to their feet unharmed because their first inclination is to figure out how to land.  In a world of ever-increasing change, stunt men have a future and preservationists do not.

Congratulations to Seth Godin for being a stuntman.  Perhaps his departure from traditional publishing will help more publishers harvest the fruit of the future but also to recognize the futility of trying to preserve the past.  Spread the fire.  GS

Seth Godin Marketing Guru Action Figure

Dear Seth Godin,

I respect your thinking and often appreciate what you have to say.  I find your blog insightful.  I've read many of your books.  Please tell me you didn't authorize this.

Spread the fire.  GS

Salt, Light and Social Media

Today I spoke at the e3 Ministry Summit in Holland Michigan.  I helped a hundred pastors understand how influence spreads through human social networks and how it connected to Jesus' words about Christians being salt and light in society.

I presented the theory, but there wasn't time for the practical application so I promised to post it online.  Here are some of the ideas I had.  I encourage readers to post their own ideas in the comments section.

Get Out of Your Shaker (Fly in Multiple Flocks)

•       Join Facebook Groups that align with your interests and participate by leaving comments that add value to the discussion while revealing your faith.

•       Survey your congregation about each person’s interests and hobbies.  Tabulate the results.  Identify the most common interests. Connect people with matching passions and encourage them to start local meetup groups (www.meetup.com) so others from the community can join them for knitting or bowling, etc. 

•       Search Meetup for existing groups and encourage people from your church to join them and shine their light.  It’s most powerful if multiple people from your church can join together.

 

Shine Your Light (Make Your Good Deeds/Faith Visible)

•       Ask every member of your church to join Facebook, Twitter and Ping.fm.

•       Create a Facebook Fan Page for your church and ask every member to “Like” it.

•       Announce the things your church is doing on your fan page and ask members to share it on their wall.

•       Take video (Flip Cam) of every church function or community activity and post it to YouTube and your Facebook page.   Ask your members to repost them to their Facebook walls.

•       Have a “Textable Quote” in every worship service and ask members to send it to one person in their life who they think needs to hear it and also to Ping it.

•       Ask your members to turn their cell phones ON at the start of each worship service and to use them throughout to share the days message over their social media.

•       Suggest your members create new profile pictures wearing a Christian t-shirt, holding a sign with Scripture, or other ideas that make their faith visible.

•       Announce every baptism or Christian conversion through social media.  “I accepted Christ today…”  “My sister was baptized.”

Milk-aWhat? Pt. II

My theory that Lindsay Lohan's $100 million suit against E*Trade is really a publicity stunt collaboration between the paparazzi magnet and the online stock trading firm got further confirmation this past week when E*Trade continued to run the advertisement that purportedly sparked the suit.  If the suit were real, then I strongly suspect E*Trade's lawyers would have advised the company to refrain from running it until the issue was settled.  But no, the company continued to run the ad.  Is that because it knew it wasn't risking anything because it couldn't lose a law suit that wasn't real in the first place?

Meanwhile, AdAge reports that the controversy delivered 3 million online views for the E*Trade spot.

If this turns out to be a big hoax, it will do significant damage to both brands. Backroom deals may have worked in the mass media age when the individual was powerless, but won't fly in a digital era where social media empowers the average Joe.