Social Customer Service Tips

Below are a few things I like to keep in mind when managing customer service on social. Have any more to add?

• Recognize in a timely manner. Even if you are unable to quickly answer someone’s question or concern, make sure you at least say you’ll get back to them. This way, they know they’ve been heard and will, hopefully, stay patient.

• Find a solution. After letting the customer know you’ve heard them, now it’s time to find a solution for them. Act as their partner, rather than someone behind the glass. Asking questions is a good thing, but try to think of all the questions that will give you the right information you’ll need rather than going back and forth. This will save you both time.

• Take it offline. If the conversation is becoming heated or is taking to many back-and-forth public messages, take it offline. Your community will be happy you did as this could cannibalize message streams. Once they’ve received the necessary information, think about posting to the message stream where the convo all started so that other community members can benefit and see a resolution. 

• Compensate. Prepare an arsenal of treats. Ask your manager if you can give out coupons codes, free samples/products, etc. when necessary. Of course, these should only be used in the right situation. So, put together a document outlining when it’s deemed appropriate.

• Record. Remember to track these customer questions and issues so you can determine trends, prepare FAQs, social content, etc. This tracking will also help every team in the organization. For example, if there’s a functionality that’s causing customers grief, you can send this trend over to the developers so they can improve the product. 

#MusicMonday: Lightning in a Bottle Edition

This Friday marks the first official day of Lightning in a Bottle 2014! If you don’t already know, this festival combines yoga, speakers and music over three days in Bradley, CA. And this year, Moby will be speaking. Tickets are still available here: http://lightninginabottle.org/tickets/

Enjoy a few of my favorites from the lineup!

https://soundcloud.com/chet-faker/cigarettes-and-chocolate

 

Giveaway: SOL REPUBLIC Relays

            

Hey Readers! I’m teaming up with SOL REPUBLIC and giving away a free pair of Relays – color of your choice. Just comment below with your favorite song and your Twitter handle if you have one. I’ll pick the lucky winner at random next Wednesday, May, 21, 2014. Ready, Set, GO!

PRODUCT REVIEW

They’ve got great clarity and a nice bass for those workouts or traveling. And the shape of the ear pieces are like little buttons that fit right against your ear so they won’t fall out.

I’m also a big fan of using them in the office. If you have to grab something out of your drawer or bag while on a conference call, they won’t awkwardly fall out! Not sure if that happens to you, but it happens to me all. the. time.

You can find SOL REPUBLIC online here:

• Facebook: www.facebook.com/SOLREPUBLIC
• Twitter: @SOLREPUBLIC
• Instagram: @SOLREPUBLIC

Good luck, readers!

Street Team/Promotions Marketing Tips: What I Learned from Lightning in a Bottle

Over the past few months, I’ve had the privilege to be part of The Do Lab promotion team for Lightning in a Bottle festival. Basically, the promotions team takes to the streets to pass out flyers, hang up posters and chat it up with folks with the goal of increasing awareness with WOM (word-of-mouth marketing). Here are a few helpful tips I’ve pulled together from my experience:

• Manage your time. You may have a certain amount of hours to clock before completion. So, make sure you divide the number of hours by your calendar. We all have lives and even other jobs – this will help ensure you aren’t stuck with a ton of hours and no time left. Also, make sure you are in constant contact with your street team leader – they can be very helpful! Shout out to my awesome lead, @snedmonster!!!

• Know your audience. Look for events, concerts, shops and restaurants, that might draw people with similar interests. For example, if there’s a concert in town that is similar to the music at the festival, go chat it up with people waiting in line.

• Always be on the look out for opportunity. Carry collateral with you at all times: in your purse, in your car, in your pocket, etc. You never know when you may find yourself in a store or restaurant that has a cork board. Heck, you might even find yourself at the grocery store randomly in a conversation about the festival (or whatever you are promoting). If you’ve got a few flyers in your purse to share, then you can turn it into credit towards your hours!

• Collaborate with fellow teammates. I’ve met beautiful people during my days street teaming. If you can buddy up with someone at an event, you’ll get to more people, and give yourself a boost of confidence knowing you’re in it together. Once you’re done, go grab a bite or a drink – work hard, play hard!

• Be creative! When you’re out in the field, you only have a few seconds to catch people’s interest or take a flyer. Rehearse an elevator pitch, but then think up a few message points that you can use for various types of people. Using Lightning in a Bottle for example: If you see a person walking down the street with a yoga mat, talk about the amazing yoga workshops and then lead into the music and speakers. If you’re at a concert, shout out a few similar artists from the lineup they may also be interested in.

Have you been on a street team or have done promotions? Share your tips in the comments below!

Riding the Coachella Wave: Maison Kitsuné Music Events and a Pop-up Shop

 

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Last week, my favorite Parisian fashion and music label Maison Kitsuné took over Hollywood with a pop-up shop and three epic events at the Roosevelt Hotel. Very smart marketing considering the high volume of activity around fashion and music during Coachella Weekend 1 and 2. This is a best practice to remember when planning out your marketing calendar around specific events.

The celebrations commenced on Wednesday at Spare Room, with a live showcase debuting Heartsrevolution’s new album, and performances by Navvi and Chrome Canyon.

The party continued with a Kitsuné Club Night at Teddy’s on Friday, where fashion insiders grooved to live music by Prince Language and Jupiter. VIP guests joined Masaya Kuroki, co-founder of Maison Kitsuné, in the swanky depths of the Roosevelt.

Kilo Kish, Eli & Fur and Them Jeans turned up the beat at a Kitsuné pool party at Tropicana on Sunday. Throughout the week, party goers shopped exclusive tees and vintage pieces at the Maison Kitsuné pop-up store at room 100. And boy do I love a good pop-up store when you pop them up in influential areas! This gives customers and influencers a chance to get to know your product in an intimate way while creating an environment that drives your brand identity.

Follow Kitsuné on Soundcloud for stellar music! Here’s a mix from last week’s Kitsuné Club Night:

http://soundcloud.com/kitsune-maison/lemarquis-exclusive-mixtape-for-kitsune-club-night

#Music Mondays: Disco Beats & Vocals

This week’s Music Monday is all about the disco beat. I’m noticing the rise of Studio 54 musical vibes and Donna Summer-like vocals with a mix of house beats that are infiltrating the electronic music scene.

First, I fell in love with Disclosure and BANKS that, in my opinion, include these same disco elements. Now, I’m discovering more and more music that makes me want to shake it just the same! Enjoy…

http://soundcloud.com/neus/pharrell-williams-happy-neus

Coachella Trend: Blue-Mirrored Lenses

 

 

After many days of looking through the Coachella lookbook, if you will, I found one popular trend that will carry through this summer: blue-mirrored sunglasses. Nina Dobrev was spotted wearing Peepers’ Crossroads sunglasses last weekend at Coachella Music Festival. Nina rocked her pair with a denim look out on the polo fields ($16.99; http://www.peeperspecs.com).

During the same weekend, Kylie Jenner was photographed wearing Milk the Goat and similar blue-mirrored sunglasses. The reality star rocked a bohemian chic look in her Noosa Shorts and Zuma V-Top ($72 and $69; http://www.milkthegoat.com).

How would you style these sunglasses?

#Music Mondays: Coachella Artists and the Power of Social Media

With the closing of Coachella Weekend 1 yesterday, I’m serving up a few of my favorite remixes where both the remixed artist and producer were both on the lineup.

So, you have BANKS, Disclosure and Daughter – all performed live at Coachella. And then you have the producers: Shlohmo, Flume and Sound Remedy, who remixed these tracks and played at Coachella too.

With that in mind, Coachella is a perfect example of how the power of social media is changing the way artists share music. Not only is the average consumer getting music faster, but the artists themselves are passing music around to create beautiful works of collaborative art! Enjoy the sounds, readers!

http://soundcloud.com/soundremedy/daughter-medicine-sound-remedyyy

Music Festival Must Haves: Top 10 Things to Pack

Many of you readers and PR folks have asked about whether or not I’d do a round-up on music festival must-haves. Well, the answer is yes! And so you know, these “must-haves” are all from off the top of my head – no PR pitches influenced this post. However, if you have any suggestions, let me know in the comments or by shooting me an email. There are more reviews to come around festival gear 🙂

Gym Gear: My #1 pick. This isn’t for working out at the local Palm Springs gym on your “down time” — it’s for jumping around at night when it’s a bit colder and you want to rock out without your dress flying up. Think about it, Coachella is a work out! And when the sun goes down, no one cares about your latest head-to-toe look. So, why not be comfortable and really enjoy yourself. Check out Nike for awesome printed leggings.

Ear Plugs: Use them during those heavy bass shows without blocking out all the noise.My favs are the Surefire EP4 Sonic Defender Ear Protection – your ears will thank you later.

Hair Powder: This is a top must-have for any and all festivals. Whether you are camping or in a hotel, you’ll need hair powder to freshen up your coif. I literally went four days without washing my hair and it still looked amaze – true story!

Sunglasses: I love fashionable sunglasses, but I hate losing expensive pairs. Check out Forever 21 for sunglasses that won’t break the bank.

Lotion with SPF: Stay tan without turning red by lathering up with SPF: once in the morning and afternoon.

Vaseline: It gets very dry in the summer and skin cracks, especially when you are baking in the desert sun. Make sure you are ready to face the heat with some jelly.

White Sharpie: Express yourself with face paint and tribal art. This pen is safe for skin and water and fade resistant. Get inspired on Pinterest here.

Mirror: Personally, I love to camp at festivals. However, I still love to get glammed up! Take a small stand-up mirror, so you can prop it up at camp before emerging from your tent as a beautiful butterfly 😉

Water Bottle: Have your water bottle in hand, in purse or tied onto your backpack at all times. You’ll want to stay hydrated 100% of the time. Love the Camelbak Groove – I use it every day.

Baby Wipes: OK, this is really only for the campers. At Coachella especially, there are VERY long shower lines and sometimes you just need to make sacrifices… Use a baby wipe, some water from your water bottle and you’re good to go.

#MusicMonday: East Bay Hustle by ScottyLib

For the past few years, my dear friend Scotty Liberatore has been bangin away on his MPC, pulling together old school sounds with East Coast beats. Now, I’m so proud to be able to feature his latest creation here on my blog today: East Bay Hustle.

Take a listen! He describes it as, “Maybe not the best beat for lyrics but the guitar is dirty. The sample is from an Ohio Players vinyl I bought for 50 cents at a flea market in Oakland.” He doesn’t need to be that modest – the track is easy on the ears 😉

Follow Scotty’s music and photography on Twitter here: @ScottyLib