We’ve all hear about them by now. The “Kogi Kulture” is now practically part of our vocabulary. Mobile food wagons serving up delicious food at all hours of the day, at different locations throughout the LA/OC area. These knights of the NomNom food developed a cult following by combining two key ingredients: Delicious, fresh food & Social Media (namely Twitter), and it has paid off for them in huge ways.

Here’s the top 5 reasons why we can’t get enough of them:

• It’s a Kulture thing. Maybe it’s all the MTV or LOL catz, but kids these days love late night food runs. The teaser tweets of an upcoming location, the anticipation as you plot with your friends, the driving to random locations, the 45 minute wait … these are all things that whip mild-mannered tweeters into starving, crazy-eyed foodies.
• Agile. Mobile. These restaurants on wheels know no boundaries. If there are hungry people to be found they will be there. Not bound by the brick-and-mortar of normal restaurants, these trucks can cover an entire city in one day, blanketing cities in that succulent smell and leaving in their wake hundreds of satisfied — and full — customers.
• A truck for any appetite. At first it started out with Kogi (@kogibbq) and their Mexican/Korean Fusion cuisine. Now there are dozens of trucks serving up anything from Korean Japanese (Corrected 12:10 am 11/16) soul food (@itsbentobaby), to hot dogs (@letsbefrank), to good ol fashioned chicken and waffles (@buttermilktruck). But who are we kidding, all of these are DELICIOUS … so why not try them all! (check out this link to find all of your local food trucks: http://www.findlafoodtrucks.com/)
• Great chefs. Fantastic marketers. Kogi BBQ has been reaching out to their customers and tweeting their locations for a year now. Their success has garnered them national attention. By engaging their customers, listening to where those hungry folks are, and providing fantastic food and service (they gave everybody free desert for being so patient when I went) it’s no wonder people drive miles just for one of their delicious tacos.
• Not your typical roach coach. These trucks aren’t serving pre-made burritos wrapped in saran wrap. These trucks serve gourmet food, made to order, fusing textures and tastes — plus they serve them at a great value. Anybody within a 5-block radius can smell the delicious meats and foods grilling away. And the mile long lines speak for themselves.

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Puzzled by Twitter’s deep and instantaneous pool of information?

I’ve seen good articles recently on how to deal with negative tweeps on Twitter, or on any social platform. One of my favorites, is “Don’t feed the Trolls” by Scott Stratten (@unmarketing).

The truth is, you’re going to deal with negative, unhappy or hurting people every day of your life. You have no control over it. What you do have control of is your response. A few things to think about, when extended negativity happens …

1. Do you need to expose your following to this person?
2. Something you said struck a nerve. This is actually a good thing, because it means you’re making a difference
3. Listening goes a long way. If appropriate, ask them to tell you their story. There’s a reason they reached out to you. Remember that.

Top 10 Articles of the Week — Mined exclusively from Tweepland

• 5 Tips for Getting More Exposure from Bloggers, Tweeters and Fans http://bit.ly/3wMe3p
• Online Ads Are Booming, if They’re Attached to a Video http://bit.ly/2nWP3j via @nytimes
• AUTHORS: here’s a free resource to get some PR listings and additional social media services for your book: https://bookbuzzr.freado.com via @coachdeb
• What “IF” We Redefined Influence? The New Influence Factor in Social Media http://bit.ly/3wbzxS via @briansolis
• Gen Y Ladies- what do you think? RT @RamaTweets  Younger Women Step to Social Beat http://ow.ly/BkJn via @rachellaber
• What She Said: You know, I thought I was writing edgy posts. In fact lots of people have told me so … http://bit.ly/3qsdiL via @sarahrobinson
• Happy Veterans Day. I Mentor-Coach Vets, Wounded Warriors Golf. Golf heals the mind. Pls Support are Heroes http://twitpic.com/6kw46 via @PhilBaker711
• 21 On-Site SEO Tips You Can Give to Your Online Copywriter http://bit.ly/3zpuWa via @seoptimise
• Free Publicity By Being A Subject Expert…http://bit.ly/3BXOX via @journalistics
• How to be a better editor http://om.ly/bueR via @guykawasaki

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• HOW? The new @91fwy Twitter account comes directly from Fernando Chavarria, OCTA’s community relations officer, who provides the public with firsthand knowledge and up-to-the-minute construction updates. He will tweet the widening project’s progress – and its impact – so the public can be in-the-know before they go.
• ALSO: The groundbreaking event was OCTA’s first to utilize social media to share instant information via Twitter and Facebook. Orange County social media practioners joined TV, radio and print journalists in covering the start of construction for the freeway. Orange County’s social media community provided live tweets of the groundbreaking by videotaping and conducting interviews as the event was happening. Tweets from the event reached more than 20,000 people with approximately 194,000 impressions or views. That’s a lot of eye balls online without the associated costs of traditional advertising. Social media is providing impressive cost-effective results for OCTA.
• GOAL: All questions about the project will be addressed. And we will listen to all vents about the freeway. It’s about being there to listen.
• WHY? @91fwy will help enhance OCTA’s public involvement program to help us listen to the public and address questions and issues as they are posted. Social media along with traditional outreach strengthens OCTA’s ability to communicate with stakeholders to provide the information they need.
• If you’re not familiar with Twitter you can follow this 91 news stream at http://twitter.com/91fwy without having a Twitter account!

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Puzzled by Twitter’s deep and instantaneous pool of information? sOCial sunday

As you delve deeper into the social platform you use most often, may I encourage you to begin looking for those personal growth opportunities. Be aware of occasions when you can listen, meet the needs of others, or simply share kind word. Just when you think you’ve experienced all that Twitter has to offer, you’ll find there’s even more. So go on, dive in.

Top 10 Articles of the Week — Mined exclusively from the Twitterverse

1. @FakeAPStylebook Editors Explain Their Overnight Success on Twitter http://bit.ly/27WjKH via @mediatwit
2. The A-Z of conversion rate optimisation http://bit.ly/wQmbs via @Econsultancy
3. “Educated & Skill-Less,” my essay on how journalism education needs to change http://is.gd/4NYG7 via @JohnAByrne
4. 101 Ways to Promote a New Blog http://bit.ly/2GtXEn via @leeodden
5. HOW TO: Build Your Personal Brand on YouTube http://bit.ly/2KUD1i via @mashable
6. TwitFile.com - Using Twitter To Share Files http://bit.ly/1eBbsj via @SharonHayes
7. Social Media Influencers are not Traditional Influencers http://bit.ly/16J7Vk via @briansolis
8. How we logically justify our emotional desires http://bit.ly/4iRvWH via @copyblogger
9. Why the Def. of Insanity is Stupid http://bit.ly/1eepnU (aka Be Smarter than a Shark) via @ginaparris
10. These sites produce mega content & r quickly gaining in popularity -cause for concern about future of the Web? http://bit.ly/4ibpQn via @rww

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1. You can run, but you can’t hide: If you aren’t already on social media, your life at some point will be touched by it. If you’ve flown Virgin America, or eaten at Kogi BBQ (@kogibbq) then you aware of this.
2. No more middle man: Twitter, Facebook, MySpace, etc, are all factors to the removal of the walls and layers of communication between businesses and their consumers. Real time feedback, real time solutions, real time engagement.
3. The 4 E’s of customer service: Engage your market by asking questions and listening to answers. Excite your consumer base by promoting products through contests, giveaways, and specials. Educate your customers by spreading information of products/services. Evangelize your company by simply doing the above 3. Build a congregation of fervent, loyal customers.
4. A spotlight and a megaphone: Twitter has allowed anybody to have a voice, and given everyone the chance to be part of the conversation. Ask Mark Horvath (@hardlynormal) how Twitter has helped give a voice to the homeless and face to the situation through invisiblepeople.tv. Ask Drew Olanoff (@drew) how he’s kicking cancer and inspiring others to do the same.
5. One big family: It’s impossible not to see the instant community that Twitter and Social Media has created. At any conference you go to, the lounge is often the most happening spot. The friends I’ve made through these conferences are just as valuable if not more valuable than the info I’ve learned.
6. Magnifying media: “New Media” isn’t about creating a new better form of media to replace traditional media, but rather it is to be fused with traditional media, amplifying the message to reach further than either can do separately.
7. 2 ears. 1 mouth: The underlying theme of many of these panels, is to be engaging, genuine, and real. If you are simply trying to sell or push something without knowing the people you are engaging, you aren’t being genuine, and if you aren’t being genuine, then you aren’t using Twitter correctly, and if you aren’t using Twitter correctly, what are you doing?

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What actress Mariel Hemmingway said …

• On Twitter she tries to share the parts of her life that fits her business persona (health and wellness)
• Twitter is about being yourself. Intimate way to connect with public.

Other bits of wisdowm …

• Richard Rushfiled (@richardrushfield) of Gawker says that celebs can now comment thru social media; so traditional media chases those streams.
• Marketer Neal Rohrbach (@nrohrbach) says nothing worse than Twitter spam. Build trust with your audience first.
• Linen service operator @unitedlinen says Twitter lets 73-year-old business hear what its clients need. Example: Added hand sanitizer to its product line.
• Small business consultant Kim Fenolio (@kfenolio) says you never know what results Twitter will deliver for small business
• Filmmaker Siok Siok (@sioksiok) is making her ‘twittamentary.com’ with content suggestions for her Twitter followers.
• USC prof Andrew Lih (@fuzheado) says major earthquake gave Twitter big popularity push in China. Twitter is now blocked there by government.

As for real-time photos on Twitter …

• What is an inappropriate photo and how to filter for those images? No easy answers found yet!
• TweetPhoto’s Rodney Rumford @rumford says photo tweets say far more than 140-character text messages.

What’s next?

• Marketer Robert Scoble (@scobelizer) likes tweetmeme.com to track popular tweets #140conf
• Mark Milian @mmilian hates email and wonders if Google Wave will cure his stuffed email inbox!

And a highlight, for me, was …

Cancer survivor Drew Olanoff (@drew) mocking the odd nature of social media where few people talk. He told the crowd of a hot iPhone app: THE PHONE! (”instant audio link”) … And urged people to call a loved one!

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Post from: Lansner on Real Estate

Remember email, the once hot-new-thing in communications and marketing? Charles Harris of Coast 2 Coast Experts in Irvine — who’s done marketing for the likes of the Anaheim Ducks and Experian — had a few thoughts …

A client’s email marketing campaigns had problems. Specifically, the client was not happy with the open rates – better known as, “how many people who actually received the email and took the time to open it.” They were turning to us for help in “fixing the problem”.

This is a pretty common occurrence for businesses and organizations today. More leaders know they need to take the plunge with online marketing, search and social media. However, they do not yet have all the skills to manage the process. In any medium you must first listen before you run. By having a small open rate, the clients message was not being heard. Consider these tips:

1. Listen, really, listen to what your current customers needs are.
2. Also, listen to what is being said in the online marketplace. What are the trends, issues and opportunities?
3. Master the technology you are using and make it work for you. Don’t start using something because it is the flavor of the month
4. Measure, measure, measure. The days are over that you produce work and hope for the best. Benchmark your efforts and track all impact. From driving visitors to your web site to orders or engagement. You need to benchmark and measure a campaign’s effectiveness.
5. Experiment. Try new ways to improve your results. We are in an age when everyone is learning. I have not seen a definitive book about “How To …” for everything online. Tweak this — and move that — in order to find your best chances for success.

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LinkedIn is a huge database of 50+ million professionals which includes an executive from every Fortune 500 company and has a demographic with an average household income of $100,000+. But are you maximizing your presence there?  Here are 5 simple strategies to build your LinkedIn pipeline:

1. Be Found: LinkedIn is as much about finding others as it is about being found. Make sure that your professional profile is completely filled out with the keywords in which you want to be found. Since you never know where your next lead will come from, so make sure you allow your former classmates and colleagues as well as new potential clients to find you.
2. Troll Answer Boards: This is where businesspeople with real problems are looking for solutions. Yes, spam and unrelated questions are on these Answers boards, so follow the categories most applicable to your industry to filter out the noise. Consider subscribing to the RSS Feed as well.
3. Join Groups Where Your Customers Are: These are communities where there are Discussions, News and Jobs posting. But it is also a chance for you to start participating in discussions and developing relationships. Do it.
4. Advertise Your Events For Free: Similar to Facebook Events, LinkedIn also has an Events application. It is one of the few viral marketing things that are possible on LinkedIn. An “Event” can be anything, so even if you don’t have an event planned, why not be creative, sign up for a free Go2Meeting account, and try hosting a webinar on whatever subject matter your are expert in? Sharing your expertise in social media is one of the most important investments you can make.
5. Profile Your Company: Does your company have a Company Profile? The LinkedIn Companies database has unique functionality that the free version of Hoovers doesn’t have, so make sure you register your company and be found. It’s free and even a sole proprietorship can have a profile, so long as you have an email address with a registered domain.

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Puzzled by Twitter’s deep and instantaneous pool of information? sOCial sunday

With the addition of Twitter Lists this week, it made me think about some of the other tools people use to make their Twitter experience more organized and enjoyable. A few of the tools in mine include HootSuite, TwitterGrader, TwitPic, and AllTop … although there are many, many more.

So what’s in your toolbox? Share them in the comments below.

Top 10 Articles of the Week — Mined exclusively from Twitterville

• 12 Awesome social media Halloween pumpkin carvings http://bit.ly/2eU3FM via @10000Words
• I know you’re wondering, “What are the top 100 lists on Twitter?” There you go: http://bit.ly/1CMF02 via @leeodden
• Don’t Feed The Trolls http://ow.ly/x0nW via @unmarketing
• Use Client Comments in Your Content Marketing http://bit.ly/jd7vs via @vincelove
• How brands can use Twitter lists via @dan360man http://bit.ly/3vols
• Best Twitter overnight success story ever? @FakeAPStylebook: 33,000 followers, listed 1,467 times. Days on Twitter: 10 via @mediabistro
• Top 10 Ways Freelance Writing is Like Working Out http://bit.ly/1K1YFX via @debng
• 10 Essential Entrepreneurs to Follow on Twitter http://bit.ly/1dt5CL via @mashable
• How low can you go? Newspaper circulation continues to drop http://bit.ly/4qqSUH via @journalistics
• Study: Educating Your Customers About the Web Could Make Them Smarter http://hub.tm/?BCfoz via @hubspot

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1. Inconsistent brand identities: The ease in which companies can set up social media properties has led to multiple brand identities on multiple sites. This problem is even worse for large companies with many different departments if those departments don’t communicate with each other. This confuses the end user and makes it harder for them to get the information they are looking for rather than making it easier. It also fragments your company’s audience.
2. Failing to engage: Many times the fans/customers of certain brands will self-congregate online — independent of the company — yet many companies do not engage or reach out to them. By simply responding to a Tweet with a “Thank you”, replying to a Facebook wall post, or commenting on a blog, companies can build their image, engage their customers, and learn more about what their customers want.
3. Confusing selling with engaging: A recent study by Citibank indicated that 76% small business owners felt that they were not getting business leads from social media sites. This isn’t because the leads aren’t out there, it is because the companies dare trying to force traditional marketing and sales into the world of social media rather than taking the time to listen and learn what their customers want.
4. Campaignitis: Traditional marketing is rooted in the idea of “campaigns” that have a set budget, a set beginning, and a set end. Social media is an ongoing process that never ends. You can use campaigns within your social media program, but they are just a small part of the bigger picture.
5. Failing to appreciate fans: Many times companies will look at their existing fan base that have self-congregated and ask “how can we get more fans” instead of reaching out to those they already have. One of the best ways to “get more fans” isn’t to force yourself on them. If your company treats the fans it already has well, it will result in those fans bringing in more.
6. Blatant SEO begging: People using social media are not stupid. Most are early adopters who are ahead of the curve. So when an organization launches a campaign for its members to create videos, or submit photos, all using the organization as a tag or keyword, those members know they are being used to create search engine optimization for the organization. Can have a big backlash if members take offense.
7. Attempting to control the conversation: Companies hate losing control of what is being said about them for fear of negative things being said. What these companies don’t realize is those negative things are already being said, just without them being involved. Give up control and respond accordingly to the conversations taking place.
8. Giving up before you can succeed: Some firms try social media in small amounts, then claim no return-on-investment. This is before they’ve researched their audience and devised a strategy to meet realistic business goals.

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At the recent BlogWorld in Vegas, your sOCial sunday blogger Jon Lansner ran into old pal (in social media years) Dan Honigman (@dan360man), creator of the popular @coloneltribune Twitter persona for the Chicago Tribune who now is getting paid by some ad agency.

Dan’s a big fan of “lifestreaming,” which is, well, we’re not sure. But it’s some social media craze, popularized by the posterus.com Web site.

Thanks to the good people from the Utah Valley University (Go Wolverines!) — who were supplying podcasting tips and technology at BlogWorld — we could corner Honigman for an interview. In the first edition of the Kevin Sablan Show (minus @ksablan; it’s a long story), you can hear the scoop on what “lifestreaming” may actually be.

• CLICK HERE to hear the interview!

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Puzzled by Twitter’s deep and instantaneous pool of information? sOCial sunday

The 80/20 rule –we’ve all heard it. Where 80 percent of your results come from 20 percent of your efforts. It’s a simple formula, yet many find it hard to weed out the time wasters and focus solely on tasks which yield results. With Twitter especially, the results can be varied. Examples include, building and caring for new relationships, listening, gathering market research, engaging in conversations, following members of the media or news as it happens, or growing your influence with followers who adore you.

I love this saying, “Dig the well before you’re thirsty.” It’s the same with Twitter and the other social platforms. Field of Dreams style, build it and they will come. Set specific intentions, and you’ll accomplish them. Be mindful of what you’re doing and where you’re spending your time. When it’s no longer fun, take a break, turn the computer off and get out and enjoy life.

Top 10 Articles of the Week — Mined exclusively from Twittertown

• University Makes Twitter a Required Class for JRN Students http://bit.ly/3xrWJI via @mashable
• Charmin brings blogging to the bathroom http://bit.ly/1Qvcqs (iMedia) via @leeodden
• How social media can ACTUALLY work http://bit.ly/4zLmzg via @businessweek
• 35 Creative Twitter User Profile Designs http://bit.ly/1Qs1CM via @unbeige
• Why Content is No Longer King (And Who’s Taking His Place) http://bit.ly/2AGQP4 via @copyblogger
• What do you agree/disagree with on the “25 things I wish I’d known when I started blogging” list? http://bit.ly/40vHpn via @mediabistro
• 10 steps for starting a business blog http://bit.ly/D1nmJ via @prsarahevans
• Twitter’s Most Engaging Celebrities [Stats] http://bit.ly/2LASWl via @tweetmeme
• Is Burnout Inevitable in the Creative Industries? http://ow.ly/vciD via @ConversationAge
• Putting the Public in Public Media http://bit.ly/1W0xw8 via @rww

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