What is Success?

Chapter two of Measure What Matters explains how to start measuring in an organization. One section talks about how to determine what is considered success. Before success can be achieved, it has to be defined. Measureable objectives have to be put in place before a program begins. Katie Paine gives six steps to choose and reach an agreement on measureable objectives.

1. Understand your background. List the outcomes of what you want to measure.
2. Assemble everyone on your team.
3. Ask them what they mean when they weren't successful. Write the responses on a flip chart.
4. Ask them what they mean when they were successful. Write the responses on a flip chart.
5. Ask them what their objectives are and write the responses on a flip chart.
6. After all of the objectives are listed, have everyone vote on the highest priority.

Paine shares how she does the last step. She gives everyone a page of sticky dots. Each person can choose how they use their dots. They may place all of their dots by one objective, or they may split their dots up among a few objectives. Once everyone has voted, the objective that has the most dots is measured first.

This system gives a company an agreed upon definition of success. Everyone will know how success is defined. As a result, it will be easier to judge performance.

I really enjoyed Paine's steps to figure out measureable objectives. It was easy to read and understand. I could see this system work for many companies. This gives everyone a voice and lets them choose the most important objective. After everyone knows what the success definition is, they can work together to reach the goals they have set for themselves. Also, when everyone knows how to reach success, they will have a better understanding on how to gain success. This can help the organization be more successful.

A Final Performance

Yesterday was the final halftime performance of the Divalicious show for the marching band. We performed the entire show, which hasn't happened since the Sidney Band Festival. This time, we got to march the entire show, which did not happen in Sidney.

I was excited to perform because my mom was able to watch the entire halftime show. I remember the first game I marched in freshman year because she was helping out at the game and had to leave about a minute into halftime. I could tell where she was for two reasons.

1. She wore a bright orange headband.
2. During the first song, she kept moving to see me better. I don't know how well this worked, because I moved to the other side of the field after the first song.

With one show done, it's time to work on the second show. The next show has an 1813 theme. Music by Richard Wagner and Giuseppe Verdi will be performed. There will also be new drill to learn, but we have quite a bit of time to learn it.

Next week is Band-O-Rama, the annual marching band concert. Music from both shows will be performed, as well as the pregame show and other fun songs. It's always a long day, but a lot of fun. It's also a great chance to listen to the band and not get really cold at a football game!

Homecoming and Social Media

During homecoming weekend at Ohio Northern University, various groups hold alumni lunches or dinners. Alumni and current students can share their memories and experiences. Tau Beta Sigma is no exception, as a picnic was held after the football game. Since I would be at the picnic, I decided to live tweet the picnic. Here is a link to my Storify: http://storify.com/Courtney26/tau-beta-sigma-picnic

Once I finished that, I looked over ONU's Facebook and Twitter accounts. The goals were to see what they do well in terms of Homecoming promotion and what they could improve on in the future. With Facebook, pictures of various homecoming events were posted, but they were posted after the event occurred. This gave fans the opportunity to comment about the pictures. I did not see any promotional posts about homecoming. The Twitter page had one tweet about homecoming, which included a link to a news story on ONU's Web site.

While the pictures were nice, they weren't posted as the event took place. In today's world, people want things now. It isn't the greatest feeling to wait days or hours to see pictures or read a recap about an event. People want information in real time, which creates a sense of instant gratification.

More promotional posts and live tweeting can help spark interest in Homecoming events. The extra posts can help remind people of upcoming events. It is easy to forget about something. Also, events can be created on Facebook. This gives fans a chance to learn more about a particular event. Fans can also let their friends know about the event. As a result, that event could have better attendance than expected. The important thing is to get the word out and let people know about upcoming events.

Real Time Concert CDs

Chapter 12 of "Real-Time Marketing and PR" talks about doing things in real time that normally takes longer to complete. David Meerman Scott explains instant gratification and how it is a strong attribute in today's real-time culture. If you do something faster than others, you gain a competitive edge. He provides an example of doing something in real time that involves the Grateful Dead and concert CDs.

After lead singer and guitarist Jerry Garcia's death in 1995, the band no longer used the Grateful Dead name for touring purposes. They still play on, most recently as Further, with bassist Phil Lesh, guitarist Bob Weir and others. As you go to a Further concert, or even during intermission, you can order a recording of that show on CD. Plus, you can get the CD after the concert.

When you order your CD, you are given a wristband. During the show, the recording crew burns three CDs and works extremely fast to finish copying and packing the three-CD set. Once the concert and CDs are done, customers line up and exchange their wristbands for their CD set.

I like this idea a lot. Typically, if you order a CD of a concert you attend, you'll just order the CD at that time. After a couple of weeks, you'll get the CD. Compared to this well-known way to order a CD, the CD crew for Further definitely has a competitive edge. Not only do guests get that particular concert CD set, they get it the same day! They have a great understanding of real time. I think it would be cool if more people follow the example Further has used.

Helping Bullying Victims Personally

There are a number of Facebook groups against bullying. A Facebook search of "against bullying" results in over 1,000 pages. NBC News posted an interesting story about one of these groups. Recently, a teen and mother have teamed up to create a new anti-bullying group.

Jacob Stallman has been bullied since seventh grade. At first, he was bullied because he was overweight. Once he lost weight, he thought the bullying would stop. Not only did the bullying continue, it got worse after he came out as gay to a friend. His mother, Tania, noticed something was wrong with her son. They used to talk together quite frequently. As the bullying continued, those talks became rare.

His mother created a new Facebook group against bullying. "Tipton Against Kids Being Bullied" allows members to be in touch with anti-bullying resources. In addition, members have the ability to help others and share concerns. She posted fliers to promote the group and have people visit and join the group. Today, the group have over 1,900 members who can get help if needed. Not only does the group help victims, both Tania and Jacob reach out to victims of bullying. I think personally reaching out to these people is a good thing. They can help cheer up numerous people.

I really enjoyed reading this story. Jacob was not afraid to reach out to his mother and tell her about the bullying. By sharing, she was able to help his son, as well as other victims of bullying. I think this group can help a lot of people. If someone in this group was being bullied and talked about it, it is possible for that victim to get a response from someone who was also bullied.

New York City

The marching band trip to New York City was crazy. It was an eventful four days with a lot of things scheduled. There always seems to be a surprise that pops up on band trips, and this was no exception. 

We left early Saturday morning. When we got on the buses, it was uncertain if we would perform at the Statue of Liberty. When we got to New York City, we were unsure what our schedule was. We ended up doing a harbor tour, where we got to see the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. Once the tour was done, we got to explore Battery Park for the afternoon.

Eventually, we got to the hotel in New Jersey. This affected the "STOMP" group, as we had to get our stuff off the bus, place it in a hotel room and then figure out where the theatre was. Eventually, we got to the theatre, although we arrived 46 minutes late. Thankfully, we got to see the second half of "STOMP." It was a very cool performance. I enjoyed watching it live.

Sunday was much calmer. Most of the band went to the musical they chose to see. "Chicago" was interesting. I really liked the songs. The story was pretty cool, too. After "Chicago," our group got dinner at Ellen's Stardust Diner. The restaurant had a singing wait staff, which was cool. The food and entertainment were wonderful.

Later that night, I found some other friends and walked with them. We had dinner at Joe's Crab Shack, which was next to our hotel. This was my first time there and I got crispy jumbo shrimp. It was a fun experience, and I also got a shirt.

Monday was the Columbus Day parade. We went from 47th to first in the lineup. Due to the government shutdown, the West Point band was not allowed to participate and we took their place. Once we finished, we were told we would be reinserted in the parade. Luckily, we only had to march half of the parade route the second time around.

After the parade, we went back to the hotel and a group of us went to Joe's Crab Shack. This time, I had shrimp pasta alfredo and it was really good. I decided not to go back into New York and it was a great choice. I was able to relax and I slept pretty well.

Tuesday morning, we packed up and came back to Ada. We actually got back earlier than expected. Everyone was excited when got back in Ada. Once I got home, I got to see a video of the band playing the National Anthem and marching in the parade.

Overall, it was a great experience. I got to see two shows, march in a parade and explore New York City. It made me glad to be in marching band at Ohio Northern University.

Fall Break is Near

I am so excited for fall break. It's not just because I get a break from classes. The marching band is going on a trip to New York. Even though our schedule may be affected due to the government shutdown, I am looking forward to the trip. It will be my first time in New York and I am excited that I'll get to be with my friends.

One thing I'm excited about is seeing shows! We got to choose between four musicals: "Chicago," "Cinderella," "The Phantom of the Opera" and "Wicked." I choose to see "Chicago" because it sounded interesting to me. In addition, a small group of us is going to see "STOMP" tomorrow night. I cannot wait to see "STOMP." I watched a movie of it in high school, but I am anxious to see it live.

We also get to perform during our trip. On Monday, we are performing in the Columbus Day parade. Fun fact: If you take this parade and the Homecoming parade, we'll march in two parades in one week. Monday's parade is going to be a new experience, as it will be the first time I've marched in New York.

I cannot believe this trip is so close. I can't wait to get there and have free time to explore New York. I'm also really excited to see shows. Do you have any fun plans for fall break?

Crowdsourcing

Chapter nine of "Real-Time Marketing and PR" talks about crowdsourcing, or taking a task that a few people can do and distributing it among a larger group of people via online social networks. David Meerman Scott begins the chapter by talking about BrandBowl 2010, created by the ad agency Mullen, which ranked viewers' reactions to ads that were shown during the 2010 Super Bowl. Through the chapter, Scott shares various ways crowdsourcing can be used for different tasks. These include how to name a product or title a book and how to produce a movie with no budget.

Scott talks about how Mark Levy use crowdsourcing to come up with the final title of his book, "Accidental Genius: Using Writing to Generate Your Best Ideas, Insight and Content." Levy and the publisher utilized SurveyMonkey to gain input from people on the title and subtitle of the book. A email questionnaire was sent to Levy's friends, colleagues and fans. They had to rank their favorites from the lists of titles and subtitles. Although Levy was worried that he would lose control of his project, that wasn't the case. The "Accidental Genius" title was the favorite title. In addition, he provided a forum to people to help create the subtitle.

Another example of crowdsourcing occurred with Jan Willem Alphenaar, who produced and directed a two-hour documentary, "DSB the Movie", for free. He crowdsourced everything that was required for the film. Not only that, the documentary was completed in four months, compared to the typical year for similar productions. The time it took for the movie to be finished surprised me.  Alphenaar told people about his film through LinkedIn, Twitter and Hyves, a Dutch-language social networking site. Through crowdsourcing, many tasks were accomplished quickly, such as writing the script, filming the movie and determining the soundtrack.

While crowdsourcing sounds like a great idea, you also have to consider what the contributors will receive. In the case of "DSB the Movie," the contributors felt like they were greatly involved in the film and received a credit in the film. They should be offered a reward for their efforts. Perhaps you thank the contributors, or they receive an item.

Crowdsourcing sounds like an interesting idea. Tasks can get done much quicker than by using a traditional method. However, you have to consider the positives with the negatives. It is possible that crowdsourcing could gain a bad reputation. Some people could try and get something for nothing and not provide a benefit to contributors.

The Importance of Hashtags

If you are just joining the social media bandwagon, you may be wondering about hashtags and why they show up. However, they are important in online communication and can be fun to use. Hashtags began on Twitter in 2007 and now exist on other social media sites, such as Facebook and Instagram. It is easy to join a conversation simply by adding a hashtag to the end of a tweet. In addition, hashtags allow users to look for specific content. The word or phrase directly following the hashtag symbol (#) becomes a searchable link. Mashable posted a beginner's guide to using hashtags.

What are some basic guidelines regarding hashtags? Spaces are not allowed. Instead, you group the words together. If you want some separation between words, you can use capital letters. Numbers are supported, provided words are also in the hashtag. Punctuation marks are not supported, so they cannot be included in a hashtag.

You can also create hashtags. By adding the hash before a group of words, you have made your own hashtag. The hashtags you create can be entertaining or help promote a group or event.

Today, businesses are using hashtags to promote events. It helps to use relevant hashtags that people are likely to search. However, you can also create your own hashtag to promote an upcoming event or campaign. Another tip for businesses is to follow relevant trends. It is possible to use those hashtags for your business, if it applies to your business.

I thought this article provided good information for people who do not know about hashtags. Not only did it provide a brief history, but it discussed specific reasons hashtags are used today. It was informative and interesting to read about the importance of hashtags. Do you enjoy using hashtags?

Contacting Top Companies

In chapter five in "Real-Time Marketing and PR," David Meerman Scott asks if some companies are too big to succeed. He wonders if information can travel quickly enough in these companies. He decided to contact the top 100 companies in the United States online and ask them if communication has changed and adapted to the digital era.

Out of the 100 companies Scott attempted to contact, 28 responded to his email. 10 companies only provided telephone contacts, and one company's form did not work. The response times varied greatly. Five companies responded in under an hour. Four responded within one to two hours. Three answered in three to four hours. 11 companies responded the next day. Four companies responded between two and three days. Finally, one company responded over a week after Scott's initial contact.

Why does a small fraction of the top companies respond in real time? These companies have developed a real time mindset, and are leaders in more than just communicating in real time. Scott includes a comparison of the 2010 stock prices and shares that the companies that responded to his question typically did better than the S&P 500 stock index.

Scott's research confirmed two things. First, the biggest companies could respond to questions and comments in real time. Second, approximately 75% of the top companies were not contacted or did not reply. It is not good that most of these companies couldn't be contacted or replied to Scott's question. In today's world, we want to have the ability to contact a company. Also, if we contact a company, we want a response to our question or comment. Perhaps these companies and others can learn and make it easier for customers to contact them.

Football Games

Although I have very little football knowledge, I love football games at Ohio Northern. So many people watch the games and there's a community atmosphere at the stadium. There are many things the band does during the games besides play music. Here are some of my favorite band things that take place during football games.

1. Pregame

I love marching down the field and going through the pregame routine. It means the game is so close to getting started. I also enjoy when the team comes out, we play the fight song and we march off the field. So far this season, while we march off the field, I have almost collided with someone who is off the field. Thankfully, I have been able to see and move over, avoiding these situations.

2. The roller coaster

This is led be a member or two of the drumline and the band simply mimics whatever the leaders do. It's just like the name implies, a short roller coaster, occasionally with pauses for any difficulties that may occur. The "ride" is always energetic and intense. It is a quick thing to do, but it is so much fun.

3. "Baby Got Back"

Every game, a few guys will sing this song during the fourth quarter. It starts with an introduction from the percussion, then the guys go into the first verse of the song. The guys who sing get into it and it is a blast to watch and listen. It's something I look forward to each game.

What is your favorite part about ONU football games?

What Are You Saying on Facebook?

Mashable recently posted an interesting article about what your Facebook profile says about you. Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania reviewed 75,000 Facebook profiles and the language used on these profiles. The group, led by information scientist H. Andrew Schwartz, then predicted the gender of each user. They were able to predict the user's gender with 92 percent accuracy. In addition, they had 50 percent accuracy when they guessed the user's age within three years.

This study used an "open-vocabulary approach," which allows the data to figure out the most important words or phrases. This differs from a closed-vocabulary approach, which uses established lists of related words. This open-vocabulary approach forces researchers to learn new trait markers.

Some of the results from this study were similar to previous findings, while other results were new. For example, the term "party" is more likely to be used among extroverts. Neurotic people are more likely to use the word "depressed." Introverts are more likely to discuss Japanese media, such as "anime" and "manga." People who are more closed would be more likely to use shorthand.

My reaction to the results was mixed. I was surprised at the accuracy rate of guessing a user's gender. I thought it would be between 50 and 60 percent. 92 percent was a shock to me. However, I was not as surprised at the language used by extroverts and introverts. I can check this with my Facebook friends. For example, some of my extroverted friends frequently mention parties. On the other hand, some of my friends who are introverted talk about anime and manga.

Have you ever thought about what people think about you on Facebook?