Eric Stoller's blog

The campus auxiliary services social media and marketing short course that I created and presented for NACAS is now available for sale.

Are you or your staff tasked with managing or leveraging your organization’s social media / marketing ventures?

Social media is no longer an add-on for campus auxiliary marketers. Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube are now part of the traditional marketing mix. This two-part short course will teach you how to successfully leverage social media tools, mobile apps, and location-based services for sustainable auxiliary services marketing.

You’ll learn the latest strategies for creating a social media listening station and will learn how to effectively utilize: Facebook Places, Twitter Fast Follow, Foursquare, YouTube, SCVNGR, and QR Codes.

There were 64 institutions that signed up for the live webinar and over 500 total attendees. Feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. The questions that I received from participants were tremendous. The short course is 2 hours of strategy combined with auxiliary services specific social media and marketing information.

This year’s NASPA Annual Conference will be a social media student affairs extravaganza.

Have you signed up for the #NASPA11 #SAchat tweetup?

#NASPA11 Tweetup Sign Up Sheet
Monday, March 14 | 8:30 PM
Philadelphia Marriott Downtown, Hotel Lobby
1201 Market Street

Meet, greet, and network with student affairs professionals from all over the world. The Philadelphia tweetup is going to be a major event. Don’t tweet? Never used Twitter? That’s okay, there will be plenty of folks to help get you into the Twittersphere. If you want to get a head start on learning how to use Twitter, I would highly recommend that you read this Twitter 101.

I’m guessing that a major topic of conversation will be the upcoming consolidation vote which begins on Tuesday, March 15th.

Here’s a quick tip for marketing folks who are using QR Codes:

I received a personalized mailing from the Banana Republic a few days ago. On the last page of the mailer was a QR Code. I scanned the code and it took me to this YouTube video:

If you’re going to use QR Codes, please send folks who take the time to scan the code to mobile optimized web content. Taking me to a YouTube clip after I scanned the code was a great way to keep me interested. If I scan your QR Code and it takes me to a regular, non-mobile-optimized site, what’s the point? QR Codes only work if the content that is being delivered is relevant to me and my mobile device.

I’ve seen several QR Codes on posters recently. The codes grabbed my attention because they were prominently placed, but the post-scanned content was just a standard site. Remember, QR Codes + Mobile Content = Win.

I’ve been testing out 3 web-based social media apps. Built to leverage the API’s of sites like Twitter and Facebook, these apps are web-based and can be accessed from any net enabled computer. TweetDeck (Chrome only), HootSuite, and Seesmic are all amazing in terms of functionality. I tested them all out using Google’s Chrome browser. This was mostly due to the fact that TweetDeck is only available as a web app via Chrome.

Aesthetically speaking, I really like the look and feel of Seesmic. It’s been my favorite Twitter app on Android and the web-based version doesn’t disappoint. It’s feature-rich and integrates the following social media services: Twitter, Foursquare, Google Buzz, Facebook, and LinkedIn. TweetDeck works almost as well as the desktop version. HootSuite has long been a popular alternative to TweetDeck. However, I find it’s interface to be less intuitive and quite a bit more “clunky” than Seesmic or TweetDeck. The API connection that TweetDeck leverages in Chrome is impressive. Tweets stream into your web browser almost as fast as they are posted. This makes it very easy to participate in Twitter-based chats using “ChromeDeck.”

In terms of social media listening / engaging, I would recommend that you try out all 3 apps to determine which one works best for you. I’ve been using TweetDeck in Chrome for fast-paced Twitter chats and Seesmic works really well in Firefox. HootSuite offers up a paid, Pro service for folks who want access to a larger feature set. It will be interesting to see how these app providers can continue to provide such amazing apps while at the same time covering their operating costs. While these apps are certainly not as powerful as the social media listening stations that Gatorade and Dell launched last year, I’m certain that you can do quite a bit with a browser, a connection to the Internet, and one of these web-based social media apps.

Which of these 3 apps do you use? Do you use something else?

Read the rest of this entry »

I’m pleased to announce that I will once again be teaming up with NACAS to present information/strategies for campus auxiliary services marketers:

Are you or your staff tasked with managing or leveraging your organization’s social media / marketing ventures?

Social media is no longer an add-on for campus auxiliary marketers. Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube are now part of the traditional marketing mix. This two-part short course will teach you how to successfully leverage social media tools, mobile apps, and location-based services for sustainable auxiliary services marketing.

You’ll learn the latest strategies for creating a social media listening station and will learn how to effectively utilize: Facebook Places, Twitter Fast Follow, Foursquare, YouTube, SCVNGR, and QR Codes.

Campus Auxiliary Services Marketing in 2011:
Social Media, Mobile Apps, and Sustainable Strategies for Success with Eric Stoller

Part 1: Feb 22, 2:00PM – 3:00PM EST
Part 2: March 1, 2:00PM – 3:00PM EST
*Includes some pre- and mid-event “homework.”

In partnership with NACAS – the largest auxiliary services support organization serving higher education.

I’ve been blogging for Inside Higher Ed (IHE) for 6 months. The word cloud represents the most-used words in the 45 posts that I’ve written for my “Student Affairs and Technology” blog. Twitter has been one of my favorite topics to write about. It’s such a wonderfully versatile social media tool.

I’m thoroughly enjoying my ride as a blogger for IHE. I write at least 2 posts per week. As a seasoned blogger, having deadlines and a post quota has been incredibly motivating. My editor has a fantastic sense of humor. He has been a delightful boss. I can’t wait to see if I can crack 100 posts in 2011.

The only caveat of course has been that this blog has been a bit neglected. I’ve been much more active on Twitter in 2010. With a paid blogging gig and Twitter taking up more of my publishing time, I do try to put something up on this site from time to time. Stay tuned for significant site updates. I plan on incorporating more of my consulting endeavors on this blog as I continue to navigate the “Stoller Coaster.”

I’ve been a big fan of TweetDeck for quite some time. It’s my go-to “mission control” app for Twitter. I generally have somewhere between 20 to 30 active panels of various searches, hashtags, and lists. The latest version of the TweetDeck desktop client incorporates “real-time streaming.” The nifty thing about TweetDeck is that it is available as a desktop client and as an app for iPhone, Android-based phones, and the iPad. If you want to leverage the power of Twitter as a communications and marketing platform, TweetDeck is by far the best free app for staying connected.

You may be asking yourself what banana bread has to do with social media and a 5 star hotel in Colorado. Let me give you a little bit of context:

I recently spent 5 days at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs. The hotel was the site of the NACAS Annual Conference. I conducted 16 separate social media consulting sessions with representatives from higher education campus auxiliary services units from the United States, Canada, and Lebanon. I also gave a keynote on how campus auxiliaries can use social media to create community and connections.

One of the main themes that emerged from the consultation sessions was how social media provides a platform for institutional units to connect with students. For example, a Facebook page can be a great place to build goodwill and engage with students in an online conversation. Here’s an example of how social media can be used to build goodwill — courtesy of the fine folks at The Broadmoor:

Before I left for Colorado, I visited and “liked” The Broadmoor’s Facebook page. During my stay at the hotel, I found myself eating an inordinate amount of banana bread. Aside from my mom’s homemade bread, this was amazingly good bread. I decided to ask, via their Facebook page, for the recipe. I had posted some of the of the photos that I took of The Broadmoor on their Facebook page and knew that they might engage with me. Within minutes of my request, I had received a Facebook message from a representative of the hotel. They were contacting the bakery chef for the recipe. A few moments later and the recipe was posted on The Broadmoor’s Facebook page as a response to my initial comment.

How amazing is that? I can’t be the only person who has so thoroughly enjoyed The Broadmoor’s banana bread. They shared the recipe with me and agreed to let me post it on my blog. The Broadmoor gained me as a lifelong fan at that moment. They used social media to connect and share. This was about building goodwill. They didn’t have to share the recipe with me. However, I hope this little social media snippet has shown you how a simple act of sharing via social media can have tremendous results!

The best banana bread you will ever eat…except for maybe my mom’s recipe

Thanks again to The Broadmoor and its amazing bakery chef!

Banana Bread Yield: 2 loaves

3 cups Flour
2 cups Sugar
3 tsp. Cinnamon
¼ tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Baking Powder
Dash Salt
3 each Eggs
1 cup Oil
2 cups Banana, ripened, mashed
1 cup Walnuts (optional)

In large bowl combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, soda, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in the flour mixture and add, well beaten eggs, oil, nuts, and banana. Mix thoroughly and divide evenly into two greased loaf pans. Bake in a pre-heated, 350 degree oven for approximately 45 to 50 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.