Comments for Small Business Talk http://smallbusiness411.org/wp The Place To Learn About Small Business Success Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:34:14 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 Comment on 100 Ways to Measure Social Media Is Really ZERO Ways to Measure Social Media – No BS Guide To Twitter/Social Media For Small Business by Robert Bacal http://smallbusiness411.org/wp/small-business-and-the-internet/100-ways-to-measure-social-media-is-really-zero-ways-to-measure-social-media-no-bs-guide-to-twittersocial-media-for-small-business/comment-page-1/#comment-742 Robert Bacal Thu, 25 Feb 2010 00:34:14 +0000 http://smallbusiness411.org/wp/?p=545#comment-742 Actually the metrics contribute to a major issue in organizations and that is the confusion of activities with results. In the same way most of the metrics you discuss are only relevant to the extent that they can be validly and utterly proven to link to bottom line RESULTS. It's a self-deception. Taken outside of the business environment, it is rampant in social media among people such as yourself and your colleagues, and deceives businesses into believing in the efficacy of social media. If you use THESE metrics, it will appear that social media is MUCH more important than it is in business. I don't like the self-deception and resources squandered or the dishonesty, either intentional or not. You continue, what I refer to as nonsense, or to be blunt, bullshit, when you talk about "impact on online sales". Yes, it's a good metric but you presuppose that you can validly forge a casual link between Twitter and sales. Can You? Most can't and for good reason. Same with impact on offline sales. Let's see your numbers. And the methodology you suggest should be used to measure and validate these "metrics". As for your remark about "people using them", how about this. Why don't we tell people why they are poor metrics, tell people that they are being bullshitted by people making unsupportable claims and help them make informed decision. As for people using them, I'd like to congratulate you on the "if someone is doing it, it must be good", which by the way, is the hallmark of the social media crowd. I'd love to stand on a podium with you and any 50 social media hacks, and debate the bunch of you on the value of social media. And on the pandemic deception and dishonesty going on, or perhaps outright stupidity. Actually the metrics contribute to a major issue in organizations and that is the confusion of activities with results. In the same way most of the metrics you discuss are only relevant to the extent that they can be validly and utterly proven to link to bottom line RESULTS. It’s a self-deception. Taken outside of the business environment, it is rampant in social media among people such as yourself and your colleagues, and deceives businesses into believing in the efficacy of social media.

If you use THESE metrics, it will appear that social media is MUCH more important than it is in business. I don’t like the self-deception and resources squandered or the dishonesty, either intentional or not.

You continue, what I refer to as nonsense, or to be blunt, bullshit, when you talk about “impact on online sales”. Yes, it’s a good metric but you presuppose that you can validly forge a casual link between Twitter and sales. Can You? Most can’t and for good reason. Same with impact on offline sales.

Let’s see your numbers. And the methodology you suggest should be used to measure and validate these “metrics”.

As for your remark about “people using them”, how about this. Why don’t we tell people why they are poor metrics, tell people that they are being bullshitted by people making unsupportable claims and help them make informed decision.

As for people using them, I’d like to congratulate you on the “if someone is doing it, it must be good”, which by the way, is the hallmark of the social media crowd.

I’d love to stand on a podium with you and any 50 social media hacks, and debate the bunch of you on the value of social media. And on the pandemic deception and dishonesty going on, or perhaps outright stupidity.

]]> Comment on 100 Ways to Measure Social Media Is Really ZERO Ways to Measure Social Media – No BS Guide To Twitter/Social Media For Small Business by David Berkowitz http://smallbusiness411.org/wp/small-business-and-the-internet/100-ways-to-measure-social-media-is-really-zero-ways-to-measure-social-media-no-bs-guide-to-twittersocial-media-for-small-business/comment-page-1/#comment-741 David Berkowitz Wed, 24 Feb 2010 23:47:02 +0000 http://smallbusiness411.org/wp/?p=545#comment-741 Robert, thanks for your feedback. I hardly think the metrics deceive anyone. In fact, the piece ends noting, "Ultimately, you need to start with figuring out your business objectives and then apply these metrics accordingly." A similar reference appears before the list. And would you say "impact on online sales" and "impact on offline sales" are not metrics? Small and large business owners can appreciate that. There are other kinds of metrics, like the impact on customer service, research and development, and human resources - all of these matter extraordinarily to organizations, whether they're using social media or not. Sometimes social media isn't appropriate for marketers. And if I was writing a list of how small businesses could measure social media, I may well have tailored it - though probably not by much. Just the fact that you need to qualify some of these metrics further doesn't make them irrelevant. And I can guarantee you that for each of these metrics here, there are some people in some organizations using them. I'd keep an open mind to this. I agree that most of these won't matter to any one person or organization, but in aggregate, these are real metrics. And they can be combined in ways to make them far more than 100 - so it's more accurate to say they're more like 10,000 metrics and not 0. Robert, thanks for your feedback. I hardly think the metrics deceive anyone. In fact, the piece ends noting, “Ultimately, you need to start with figuring out your business objectives and then apply these metrics accordingly.” A similar reference appears before the list.

And would you say “impact on online sales” and “impact on offline sales” are not metrics? Small and large business owners can appreciate that.

There are other kinds of metrics, like the impact on customer service, research and development, and human resources – all of these matter extraordinarily to organizations, whether they’re using social media or not.

Sometimes social media isn’t appropriate for marketers. And if I was writing a list of how small businesses could measure social media, I may well have tailored it – though probably not by much.

Just the fact that you need to qualify some of these metrics further doesn’t make them irrelevant. And I can guarantee you that for each of these metrics here, there are some people in some organizations using them.

I’d keep an open mind to this. I agree that most of these won’t matter to any one person or organization, but in aggregate, these are real metrics. And they can be combined in ways to make them far more than 100 – so it’s more accurate to say they’re more like 10,000 metrics and not 0.

]]> Comment on 100 Ways to Measure Social Media Is Really ZERO Ways to Measure Social Media – No BS Guide To Twitter/Social Media For Small Business by Valuable Internet Information » 100 Ways to Measure Social Media Is Really ZERO Ways to Measure … http://smallbusiness411.org/wp/small-business-and-the-internet/100-ways-to-measure-social-media-is-really-zero-ways-to-measure-social-media-no-bs-guide-to-twittersocial-media-for-small-business/comment-page-1/#comment-739 Valuable Internet Information » 100 Ways to Measure Social Media Is Really ZERO Ways to Measure … Wed, 24 Feb 2010 21:20:59 +0000 http://smallbusiness411.org/wp/?p=545#comment-739 [...] View post: 100 Ways to Measure Social Media Is Really ZERO Ways to Measure … [...] [...] View post: 100 Ways to Measure Social Media Is Really ZERO Ways to Measure … [...]

]]> Comment on Twitter A Dead End Investment For Small Business by Twitter Has Limited Potential For Small Business Profit Increases | Wegatta Know! / Twitter http://smallbusiness411.org/wp/small-business-and-the-internet/twitter-a-dead-end-investment-for-small-business/comment-page-1/#comment-737 Twitter Has Limited Potential For Small Business Profit Increases | Wegatta Know! / Twitter Tue, 23 Feb 2010 19:12:56 +0000 http://smallbusiness411.org/wp/?p=180#comment-737 [...] This article originally appeared on the Small Business IQ Blog in modified form. If you would like to comment you can do so by clicking here. [...] [...] This article originally appeared on the Small Business IQ Blog in modified form. If you would like to comment you can do so by clicking here. [...]

]]> Comment on False Claims For Efficacy of Social Media For Small Business on ABC – NO BS Guide To Twitter For Small Business by Valuable Internet Information » False Claims For Efficacy of Social Media For Small Business on … http://smallbusiness411.org/wp/small-business-and-twitter/false-claims-for-efficacy-of-social-media-for-small-business-on-abc-no-bs-guide-to-twitter-for-small-business/comment-page-1/#comment-736 Valuable Internet Information » False Claims For Efficacy of Social Media For Small Business on … Mon, 22 Feb 2010 09:24:32 +0000 http://smallbusiness411.org/wp/?p=530#comment-736 [...] Original post:  False Claims For Efficacy of Social Media For Small Business on … [...] [...] Original post:  False Claims For Efficacy of Social Media For Small Business on … [...]

]]> Comment on When Social Media “Experts” say, [ ], Run Away – NO BS Guide To Social Media For Small Business by Valuable Internet Information » When Social Media “Experts” say, [ ], Run Away – NO BS Guide To … http://smallbusiness411.org/wp/no-bs-guide-to-twitter-for-small-business/when-social-media-experts-say-run-away-no-bs-guide-to-social-media-for-small-business/comment-page-1/#comment-731 Valuable Internet Information » When Social Media “Experts” say, [ ], Run Away – NO BS Guide To … Mon, 22 Feb 2010 02:31:50 +0000 http://smallbusiness411.org/wp/?p=528#comment-731 [...] More here: When Social Media “Experts” say, [ ], Run Away – NO BS Guide To … [...] [...] More here: When Social Media “Experts” say, [ ], Run Away – NO BS Guide To … [...]

]]> Comment on When Social Media “Experts” say, [ ], Run Away – NO BS Guide To Social Media For Small Business by Valuable Internet Information » When Social Media “Experts” say, [ ], Run Away – NO BS Guide To … http://smallbusiness411.org/wp/no-bs-guide-to-twitter-for-small-business/when-social-media-experts-say-run-away-no-bs-guide-to-social-media-for-small-business/comment-page-1/#comment-730 Valuable Internet Information » When Social Media “Experts” say, [ ], Run Away – NO BS Guide To … Mon, 22 Feb 2010 02:24:21 +0000 http://smallbusiness411.org/wp/?p=528#comment-730 [...] View post: When Social Media “Experts” say, [ ], Run Away – NO BS Guide To … [...] [...] View post: When Social Media “Experts” say, [ ], Run Away – NO BS Guide To … [...]

]]> Comment on Announcing Free No-BS Guide to Twitter For Small Business by Robert Bacal http://smallbusiness411.org/wp/small_business_advice_tips/announcing-free-no-bs-guide-to-twitter-for-small-business/comment-page-1/#comment-723 Robert Bacal Sat, 20 Feb 2010 02:30:55 +0000 http://smallbusiness411.org/wp/?p=525#comment-723 Jane, how is it messed up. Any chance of a screen shot or description. We just switched to this template, and it displays perfectly on our Firefox. Ah. I bet you are getting teeny columns, right, and you don't have a hires or large monitor? You can actually shrink stuff to suit using the tool in the upper right hand corner. But maybe I can work on it. Jane, how is it messed up. Any chance of a screen shot or description. We just switched to this template, and it displays perfectly on our Firefox. Ah. I bet you are getting teeny columns, right, and you don’t have a hires or large monitor?

You can actually shrink stuff to suit using the tool in the upper right hand corner. But maybe I can work on it.

]]> Comment on Announcing Free No-BS Guide to Twitter For Small Business by Jane http://smallbusiness411.org/wp/small_business_advice_tips/announcing-free-no-bs-guide-to-twitter-for-small-business/comment-page-1/#comment-722 Jane Sat, 20 Feb 2010 02:25:12 +0000 http://smallbusiness411.org/wp/?p=525#comment-722 FYI: the right sidebar(s) here are totally messed up (Firefox). FYI: the right sidebar(s) here are totally messed up (Firefox).

]]> Comment on Twitter by Numbers – Still “Little Commercial Value” For Small Business by Robert Bacal http://smallbusiness411.org/wp/general/twitter-by-numbers-still-little-commercial-value-for-small-business/comment-page-1/#comment-721 Robert Bacal Sat, 20 Feb 2010 01:56:12 +0000 http://smallbusiness411.org/wp/?p=518#comment-721 I've decided that while most small businesses can't make Twitter payoff business-wise, that there are so many questions, it's time to start answering them here. We're going to do a no-bull guide/faq for Twitter. I’ve decided that while most small businesses can’t make Twitter payoff business-wise, that there are so many questions, it’s time to start answering them here. We’re going to do a no-bull guide/faq for Twitter.

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