Brand Marketing
Most people with “social media” in their job title find their home in the Marketing Department. It’s a natural fit – they are the ambassadors that will be talking directly with fans about thought leadership, products and drumming up general interest in the brand. It’s such an easy fit, though we challenge social media pros not to spend their whole day there. Get outside this comfort zone and start bonding together all of the pieces that make a social media strategy complete.

Customer Service
The reason your brand has a Facebook Page is to get close to customers. We understand that social media pros often don’t have the bandwidth to get involved in each customer service interaction, but highlighting a few valuable conversations will help educate your customers by answering questions before they’re even asked. Being proactive about customer support and understanding how your brand likes to talk with customers is important for a social media pro, because they are often the front-line of communication. The more social media pros know about the way customer service likes to help customers, the better they can keep these conversations positive. They’ll also feel more confident to stay away from canned responses.

Sales
The sales team is a hidden gold mine of information. They’re the ones on the front lines trying to close deals, encountering all kinds of issues, memorizing each and every customer pain point out there. Consider a monthly or bimonthly sales debriefing to get a sense of the likes and dislikes of prospective customers, and tailor social media content to address the greater context around your brand.

PR
Social media is a great way to broadcast your brand’s latest news. But do you just link out to the latest and greatest piece of coverage or announcement? Why let the conversation stop there? Use that space on your Facebook page to talk about the story behind the story, the quotes that got left on editing room floor or even a heads up when something new is coming. These people are fans! They want to know more – so make sure social media is in line with what your PR Department is doing.

Challenging talented professionals from disparate departments to interact and talk strategy on a regular basis can garner real results for your brand and deeper traction with your fans. Keep your departments on their toes by making sure they are proactive about interacting with each other. Hell, have them knock on some cubicle doors… or knock down a couple cubicle walls if you really want to make a statement!

No, we’re not launching a digital music service today, but we ARE making our Facebook apps accessible to everyone! We’re launching off-the-shelf apps, which means now it’s super easy and affordable for your business to learn from your fans and engage them in entirely new ways.

Up until today, if you wanted to use our Facebook apps, we would get involved. We would work with you to build a branded Facebook campaign that rocks. But we’re ready to stop being helicopter parents.

So have at it! Install one (or all) of our Facebook apps onto your Timeline with one click. Let your fans share ideas and reward the best ones with the Brainstorm app, run photo contests and collect inspring designs with the Photoboard app, start a social suggestion box for an ongoing dialog with the Pipeline app, and connect with your most influential fans with the Superfans app.

The entire app suite is free to try for 30 days (no credit card required), and after that, monthly subscriptions start at $20 per month. Get started here.

We’re really proud of this release and hope you love using it as much as we’ve loved building it. As always, thanks for all the support and feedback from everyone who helped us get this launched!

While it is certainly a tool for crazy productivity, it also has evolved to serve as a internal social network for hilarity. If you scroll through the Campfire chats of Napkin Labs you will see real work intermingled with little doses of comic gold.

Eventually, we decided that keeping this stream of funny memes to ourselves was rude. So here is the first in a series we have dubbed: “This month around the Campfire.” A slightly edited stream of this months top posts in our Campfire site.

Important note: some of these are .gifs and you have to click to see them in action.

Click to see the full .gif in action

Right now we have four great Facebook applications for brands that let them uncover the passion and creativity of their Facebook fans. These four apps are the foundation, but we know we can build more ways for brands and fans to collaborate on Facebook.

The ideas we received from our customers and fans were amazing. We got great conceptual ideas, great feature ideas, and even some comprehensive designs and mock-ups for future Napkin Labs apps. We cannot thank our fans enough for bringing their A-game and coming up with ideas that truly encompass the future of marketing on Facebook.  As a company, these ideas have inspired and pushed our thinking around our product roadmap.

At the end of the day, however, we were forced to pick a winner. We had the entire Napkin Labs team meet and go over the various ideas. We also had the team vote and talk about which ideas we will be building on and refining going forward. In the end, we couldn’t pick one, because two of the ideas really stood out. So, instead of picking just one, we are going to give away two iPads instead. The winners of these two new iPads are Ali Lamb and Kiley Story.

Ali Lamb’s idea really empodied the spirit of Napkin Labs. Her idea was a Facebook app that brands could install on their Facebook page that would allow fans to tell rich stories about the products they love. She then pushed the idea beyond a single story, letting fans create a mini-journal of themselves interacting with the product they love. Not only does this let brands crowdsource authentic stories of customers using products, but also lets fans express their creativity and passion. Thanks Ali – we love, love, love this idea!

Kiley Story’s idea was to create a more social product buying experience on Facebook. Essentially a storefront for brands in Facebook, this app would let users share, comment, and ‘like’ various products directly within a brands Facebook page. Kiley even went so far as to create a blog post about the idea with all sorts of designs and renderings for what she imagined this application could look like. Amazing stuff. Our fans rock.

Thank you to everyone who shared their ideas, put great thought into this challenge, and for everyone who ‘liked’ and shared ideas with us. We will be running more projects just like this one in the near future so stay tuned and thanks again for collaborating with us!

Below are some highly useful game mechanics that cater well to Facebook, so you can make sure your next campaign is an #epicwin.

Achievements

Achievements, or rewards, can be thought of as something earned for completing required tasks. In many cases, virtual rewards are just as good at motivating behavior as physical rewards. Sony’s Media Monster Wars, a Facebook app that Sony built to increase fans’ engagement, is a good example of this. Sony would reward a user with a more powerful monster (to fight in a simulated battle) when the number of posts, photos, likes, and shares on the user’s Facebook page increased. The virtual reward (more monster power) was a successful motivator in getting people to interact on Facebook.

Countdown

A countdown gives players a certain amount of time to complete a task, causing spikes in activity and an increased intensity in the action. Skittles used a real time countdown during their “Dazzle the Rainbow” campaign, which challenged Facebook Fans to submerge a character, David Phoenix, up to his head in Skittles. The more fans who tuned into the live stream, the larger the amount of Skittles dropped. By counting down the time until the “next drop,” the brand created huge traffic spikes to its page while influencing fan behavior.

Status

The status game mechanic is used when players are ranked, creating an “envy” effect that encourages players to earn a higher status. Activia increased the number of fans on its Slovenian Facebook page by 212% by running a competition  that involved status. Activia challenged their fans to post specific content on the Activia Facebook page (such as a drawing of the drink, a description of the drink, etc.), and contributors could increase their rank in the competition by getting friends to “like” their posts. In this campaign, engagement was fueled by the ability to gain a rank in the competition.

Quests

A challenge, or a quest, is completed with a player finishes a set of tasks. You would be hard-pressed to find a company that uses Facebook to send fans on quests better than Zynga. Farmville, the game that sent Zynga games viral, is keen on using quests to keep fans actively engaged. For example, to complete the Arborist’s Quest, players must find acorns, a bag of mulch and soil samples, among other items on their farm. Completing the quest unlocks rewards like the Spotted Owl, Bristle Pine Cone Tree or the Tree Kangaroo.

Understanding game mechanics is an incredible advantage for generating traction with fans. If you are interested in trying a combination of game mechanics in your next Facebook campaign, have a look at Gamification.org’s list of mechanics and pick the mechanics that will motivate the behaviors you’d like to see from your fans.

Old Spice
http://www.facebook.com/OldSpice
Great images! Explosions everywhere! Old Spice does an excellent job using Timeline’s visual nature to extend its campaign. We also love a subtle design feature many brands like Old Spice are incorporating. Old Spice took the time to make the sure their page logo and background were seamless by inserting the volcano into the background of their screaming head logo.

Juicy Couture
http://www.facebook.com/juicycouture
Photos sell fashion, and that’s how Juicy Couture uses Timeline. They use the highlight feature to post a photo at the top of their page that links to this packing guide for Spring festivals.

Oreo
http://www.facebook.com/oreo

Oreo is celebrating it’s 100th birthday in 2012 and has taken the time to tell that history by placing “Oreo Moments Throughout Time” all over its timeline, encouraging fans to browse, or even submit their own Oreo moments.

Red Bull
http://www.facebook.com/redbull
Red Bull basically corners the market when it comes to all things extreme. We love how they use Facebook Timeline to show off the incredible pictures and video that their media house rolls out on a regular basis – whether drifting or jumping over an elephant watering hole.

The Black Keys
http://www.facebook.com/TheBlackKeys
The Black Keys are a fairly simple band – two dudes and a whole lot of sound! We like how they keep their Timeline simple, too. Fans go to a band’s page to check out some photos, find out about shows, buy a tee or give them a listen. That’s what the Black Keys offer, right up front.

GoPro
http://www.facebook.com/gopro

GoPro is a cool camera company, because a lot of their content comes directly from fans using their products. They share all that content daily via their Facebook Timeline and you might be surprised by the quality of the user content. Above are both examples of shots submitted by fans.

Disney
http://www.facebook.com/Disney

Disney uses Timeline to display its history, which, for a company like Disney is a very visual history. Check out this shot from the day that Disneyland opened to the public in 1955!

As I wrote this post, a colleague sent me an article by Becca Caddy from Shiny Shiny, outlining 15 Cool Facebook Brand Timelines. Pages that stuck out for her included Spotify’s totally awesome 1000 year history of music, Kate Spade’s distinct style combined with great photos and Arsenal’s (yes, they play soccer) team history, dating back to its first game in 1891.

I could easily spend all day checking out awesome examples of Facebook timeline, but I’m not a teen anymore, so I can’t justify it. Are there any pages that stuck out for you? Pushed the next level of Timeline design? That you’re jealous of because you didn’t come up with that idea first? Share with us in the comments below!

The good news is that using your fans’ comments to drive change is easy, and the rewards are huge. Here are a some tips for turning feedback into progress at your brand:

Assign a person to relay the feedback
A lot of brands have feedback come in on Facebook that goes completely unnoticed. Don’t ignore this goldmine of ideas! Make sure someone is assigned the responsibility of monitoring your brand’s Facebook page for feedback, then passing on the feedback to the appropriate department. Having this switchboard is a super efficient way to get the right information to the right place.

Kill the stigma that feedback is negative
There are worse “F” words than feedback. To start using feedback for progress, you first need to accept that it can help your brand grow. After all, without feedback, how would you know if your brand is on the right track? Kill the stigma that feedback is negative by encouraging your team to discuss feedback in a realistic way, rather than treating it as an elephant in the room or personal criticism on hard work.

Make discussing feedback a part of weekly meetings
Put consumer feedback on your weekly agenda. Talking about feedback as a group may ignite a conversation that can turn ideas into immediate action items. Discuss why feedback does or doesn’t fit into your brand’s larger objectives, why it might be an option down the road, or if you need more information to make a decision.

Try it out
Make it a point to act on one suggestion from a Facebook fan on a regular basis. Some brands receive enough feedback to do this weekly, others monthly. Even if this is something you already do internally, rotate the responsibility of choosing then implementing one suggestion through your team. Soon, your brand will start thinking like its fans, and the feedback-to-action process will become faster and faster. As a brand, you’ll also learn at very early stage why some feedback is troubling, and what the challenges you’ll need to overcome to bring about change.

For brands that act on fans’ ideas, progress is on the horizon. And if you really want to take it a step further your fans, make sure they know when feedback is being turned into a reality. Post updates on Facebook about ideas that are being implemented regularly. Once your fans realize you’re acting on their feedback, they’ll be excited to engage with your brand on Facebook again!

Jumping directly into deep conversation doesn’t feel right, because it’s forced. Remember high school, when you were too shy to talk to that special someone who you knew you wanted to ask to the big dance? Those who got over the fear sparked conversation weeks before they were going to pop the question, making it easier to do so. Others waited until it was a do-or-die situation, and made it really awkward. Don’t get stuck on the bleachers during the slow dance. Here are some fun and unusual conversation-starters for fans:

• Reference a new season or something topical: What’s the most exciting part about Spring?
• Ask a leading multiple-choice question about your brand: Which one of the following facts is false?
• Show them what you are thinking: We’re considering introducing new colors for our logo; what two would you like to see?
• Have fun with your brand: If you were stranded on a desert island and got to bring two of our products, which two would you choose?
• Share pictures: Here’s our staff enjoying our products, show us how you and your friends enjoy our brand!
• Use internet memes: Have fans tell you about their favorite “first world problem” or try to create a new meme with your favorite office pet.
• Ask about the embarrassing: What song do you sing loudly when you don’t think anyone is listening?
• Let them break a tie: Last night’s company softball/ping-pong/volleyball/kick ball game ended in a tie – based on team name, which one of these deserves to win? (Post pictures)
• Have fun with fashion faux pas: What’s worse, socks and sandals or socks and Crocs? (Show pictures, use your brand’s colors)
• Ask about current events (but keep it fun): Where do you want to see Tim Tebow land?

Your Facebook fans are real people. One great opening line will not create a relationship, but it will get a conversation started. Once ignited, it’s up to you to cultivate that conversation into a meaningful relationship that is beneficial to both your brand and its fans.

Today we’re announcing an awesome suite of Facebook apps than can be mixed and matched to build branded crowdsourcing campaigns.

For brands interested in achieving a level of fan engagement way beyond what sweepstakes and coupons can provide, these Facebook apps are for you.

We know that one-size-fits-all marketing tools aren’t effective, but also realize that 100% custom-built tools don’t make sense for most marketers on a budget and a deadline. So, we’ve taken the middle approach, designing apps that can easily be mixed, matched, and branded to build a campaign that’s in line with your desired results.

You choose what you want to achieve from an interaction with your fans, and we’ll design the perfect branded campaign using the following apps:

BRAINSTORM: Crowdsource great ideas collaboratively from your community. Ask questions and let your fans share, like, and build on each other’s ideas.

PHOTOBOARD: Encourage fans to share, vote, and comment on pictures that connect to your brand or latest campaign.

PIPELINE: Create an open forum to collect suggestions and ideas from your community and organize them as they move through your company

SUPERFANS: Track who has participated in your campaigns to create a points leaderboard of top influencers. Connect with and reward your superfans.

Interested in learning more? Head to www.napkinlabs.com.

Occasionally, though, I came across companies who really tried to engage with me – have a meaningful conversation around what I consider valuable. Of course, these are the companies I’ll be most likely to purchase something from or work with in the future. I hypothesize that businesses at SXSW who take this relationship-based approach end up doing more business with the SXSW audience than those take the soapbox approach.

When I stopped and thought about it, I realized my experience at SXSW had taught me an important lesson about attracting customers and business partners.

Consumers are flooded with marketing messages every day, maybe not to the extent I experienced at SXSW, but certainly enough to make them unresponsive or resistant to the value that businesses claim to provide. The act of listening and having meaningful conversations is incredibly more effective than the egotistic, megaphone douche-baggery I experienced so much of at SXSW. If more companies took a personal, conversational approach to marketing, I think they would be much more successful at attracting customers and business partners, both inside and outside of SXSW.