Social Media Marketing

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Comment by Toby Reeves on July 9, 2009 at 12:37pm

Hi Robby,

Good point. I come from the I.T. realm where there are certs in just about anything- Cisco certs, Microsoft certs, etc. But they are legitimate examples of how training and testing requires knowledge of the subject matter- not just cramming for an exam and passing it for the certification. You can't get an MCSE cert by just studying the material- you have to have practical application of computer networks and design.

I don't see that in the eMarketing industry, and I've been involved in it since 1998 starting with Pay Per Click advertising. I think that you will agree with me that there are way too many people out there who claim to know SEO, Adwords, and other aspects of marketing, but really don't. So, the client gets a bad taste in their mouth when they see zippo results from their investment in eMarketing.

I have my Google Qualified Adwords Professional "designation" which comes about as close as some kind of qualification. But, really to qualify, you pass a test, pay $50 and have to bring in $1000 in advertising revenue monthly (it may have been reduced since I qualified for it).

But I wish there was a "differentiator" to show the client. In the meantime, I'll just have to use client testimonials.

Maybe we should get some interested eMarketers together and develop a legitimate certification program that separates the men from the boys, and the women from the girls! :)

Comment by Dave Morse on July 9, 2009 at 12:35am

Toby -

I was also interested in U of SF cert ... until I discovered the price tag.

I would highly recommend Hubspot's "Inbound Marketing University". It's free, covers all things inbound marketing (SEO, content, social) and is presented by some of the best in the industry, like Chris Brogan, David Meerman Scott, and Rand Fishkin, to name a few. At the end, you're given an exam and certification. Surprisingly, it's not overly commercial either. Really solid material.

Check it out: Inbound Marketing University - next course is August at some point.

HTH,
@davemorse

Comment by Robby Slaughter on July 8, 2009 at 11:52pm

To be bold, I would recommend against pursuing an eMarketing certification. I've met people with these certs who don't the difference between AdWords and AdSense and can't explain the value of an A/B test. The best thing you can do is start blogging and contributing to establish your authority.

Maybe others disagree, but I know that when I am hiring I dismiss certifications in favor of demonstrable knowledge and ability.

Hope this helps.

@robbyslaughter

Comment by Toby Reeves on July 8, 2009 at 7:54pm

I am looking for accredited eMarketing certifications that are available, to help improve my credibility to my clients. University of San Fran has a cert program but it is $6000, which is more than it costs to get an MBA in Management in my home town. Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced legitimate certification program for eMarketing?

Comment by Noah Coffey on July 7, 2009 at 12:04pm

Thought members of this group would be interested in this...

Comment by Kimberley Hopkins Rusk on July 7, 2009 at 8:53am

Hello to all! I am new to this site and am looking forward to engaged discussions.

Comment by Shari Boultbee on July 1, 2009 at 9:17pm

After watching the video last night, I thought it was funny, but could not put my finger on what it was about it that made me go HUMMM! I think it was the idea of Marketing something that you don't really need or want and conviencing you that you do. People often refer to this style as The Used Car Salesman. That is negative marketing and I do believe if it is not dead, then it is as least laying on the ground writhing. There is no quicker way to get me out of the door then to try force your product on me. You may make the sell, but you didn't gain a customer and isn't that what it is all about. Gain the customer.
Having a wonderful product and knowing how to get that across without beating someone over the head will earn you the trust and respect and some very good relationships along the way. Our business will only grow with the respect for our integrity, quality and service. We have chosen to make it fun for all by sharing our knowledge about all things coffee while serving coffee. Stimulating the brain and the mouth. Our clients don't just pick up their coffee, they stay and share pieces of their life with us. We love it.
People will stop buying something that has no value after the excitment is gone. Look at the Pet Rock. Like Robby said, it is hard to get the thoughts out in type sometimes.

Comment by John Karamanski on July 1, 2009 at 6:42pm

And the recognition of that becomes the Humanity in us that then engages in the Service of Performance...Whatever the Service..

Comment by Duncan Alney on July 1, 2009 at 5:20pm

We're in the people business - all of us.

Comment by Robby Slaughter on July 1, 2009 at 10:55am

The American Marketing Association defines marketing "as the activity, set of institutions, and processes for creating, communicating, delivering, and exchanging offerings that have value for customers, clients, partners, and society at large."

Of course by that definition (which is gloriously vague), marketing will never go away. To me, to many people, and to the "consumer" in the hilarious video Dave referenced, marketing has a negative connotation as a one-way process of forcing messages and building influence.

However, Shari is not really talking about "marketing" in that sense at all. She's just talking about building relationships with people, or "being social." While everybody knows she is has a business and benefits when you buy her products, she is focusing on developing a human connection, not pushing a message through new mediums.

My opposition to "social media marketing" is really an opposition to "using social media technologies as another way to broadcast messages instead of listening." However, that's hard to type. Maybe I need better marketing. :-)

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