These days, it seems every client is asking their agency for social media ideas by the truckload. It makes sense with the growing audience spending so much time on sites like Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. But before you jump in and start setting up profiles and updating statuses, you should ask your clients some questions of your own.

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR GETTING INTO SOCIAL MEDIA?
Are they trying to reach new customers or better engage with their core audience? Are they trying to establish a new channel for customer service? Or did a board member read an article about Twitter and ask the CMO why they weren’t doing anything? You will definitely want to dig a little deeper to understand their motivation and objectives before you begin.

WHAT VALUE WILL YOUR BRAND BRING TO YOUR CONSUMERS’ SOCIAL EXPERIENCE? Social media is not free. Engagement is the price of entry. If your client is just looking at Facebook or Twitter as another medium to broadcast messages, they’re missing the point (and benefit). You have to provide value either through content or conversation.

HOW WILL SUCCESS BE MEASURED?
This goes back to your client’s social media goals. If they want to reach new customers, then the number of followers/fans becomes the metric. If they are trying to engage their core audience, it’s time spent with the brand and number of posts they leave. If it’s customer service, it’s the number of issues resolved using social media, or reduction in calls to the call center, etc.

HOW WILL PEOPLE FIND YOU?
“Build it and they will come?” No, Facebook is not the field of dreams. Sure, there is a certain level of organic growth, but if your goal is to grow an audience, you will need a strategy for getting them to your Fan Page or Twitter stream. Look for integration points in your search, traditional, online media campaigns.

These questions are in no way meant to discourage your clients from getting involved in social media. They are, however, meant to encourage discussion and to help them understand that the same level of planning and strategic thinking that goes into executing any marketing campaign should also go into their social media approach. After all, even though you’re only using 140 characters, you never get a second chance to make a first impression.

Sean (co-host of the WeWereThinking Podcast) and I were talking last week about some of the big hurdles with big ideas. Not that either of us don’t agree they are the life blood of a successful agency, but that they come with enormous weight. To be honest, I really didn’t think to much about it until I had pitched a really great idea to a client. They agreed it was great, but didn’t want to invest the money it would take to make it reality. I bitched to my wife and she made a statement that changed the way I will think about big ideas for good.  “If the idea is so great, quit bitching about the client not buying it and do it for free, put your money where your idea is.” So right she was. This conversion was the beginning of what is now a mental hurdle in the way I think about new business and that critical “Big Idea”,and something I want to explore more. It’s a statement that agencies need to think hard about and take into consideration each and every time they pitch any idea.

Big ideas – great ideas – usually come with a big price tag. Small Clients or start-ups without the huge million dollar budgets are short changed and sometimes ignored when it comes to being contenders for that agency crack “the big idea”. They are typically assigned junior teams with little experience and are turned into an execution style client and not allowed the agencies big guns (or their big ideas). Agencies protect their big ideas like the Mason’s protect their secrets. And my question is why? To me, a big idea is like holding knowledge and power. If it’s shared, it helps things thrive, helps people in the agency and at the client grow. Sharing ideas shows everyone that you are smart, driven and passionate about what you do and not scared to throw it all into the ring.

We are given the challenge of creating great work for our clients, and sometimes we hit on something that’s much bigger than the client asked for. We can’t just sit on that idea, we have to share it. In sharing we can come off as putting our time and energy into that big idea and leaving the “in budget” ideas nothing more than a sour note to our clients ears, as we have already shared the truly great idea with them. It’s a real catch 22. We forget sometimes that the client has a limited budget, limited time line. We expect our clients to step up to the register and pay up for an idea that may or may not work.

So what now? I think agencies should be willing to put their money into a big idea, or maybe the idea is not so great after all. What can a client do if you are willing to risk your agency’s time and money? If they say no, then they truly don’t want the idea and maybe they shouldn’t be your client and maybe the idea should be taken to someone who does. If they say yes then guess what, the person putting up the cash for the idea gets to control it. Yes the client has some rights to protect themselves, but the agency should remain in control of the project from start to finish. You hear that agencies: YOU STAY IN CONTROL. No watering down of your ideas, no client cutting your budget mid stream, no problems with time lines. Agencies invest all they want, and want to get it done on time because their money is at risk. It is a win win for everyone.

How can giving away ideas for free work? This works no different than an investor believing in a product so much he is willing to put all his money into it. So passionate about its success that they are willing to do anything to make it happen. This is how agencies need to be about their clients business. Willing to invest in them and then reap the returns. This is where the idea starts to unravel a bit. Client’s have to be willing to share in the success of an idea, they can’t keep it all for themselves anymore.

If an agency has an idea, and a client to invest, the client then will share in the profits of that ideas success. Clients must be willing to give up a percentage of profits to the agency in order for the agency to work for free. Seems pretty straight forward to me. So who will do it first? Will it be your agency? Are your ideas so big and great you are willing to put your money where your idea is?  If not, someone will. Its a business model that will make someone a fortune.

“Crush It” basically embodies that spirit. My favorite line from the book is paraphrased, “The question I get asked more often than not is ‘What microphone do you use?’ Seriously people, if you are concerned about your microphone, you’re not going to make it. You should really be focusing on the content” His thoughts center around the need to find your passion and exploit it. Riches and dreams-come-true will be yours for the taking. (Oh, don’t forget the hustle.)

I personally like Gary’s style. He’s pretty in-your-face, and he tells it the way he sees it, which sometimes can be a little over simplified. But you have to hand it to the guy, he is passionate about what he’s doing.

If you have seen Gary speak or read his blog, then you’ve already seen the content in this book. I’d say this book is geared more toward the crowd who hasn’t heard of Gary V. Regardless, it’s still an interesting read, albeit relatively short. Pick it up if you’ve got a few minutes to spare, but don’t be disappointed when you learn nothing new.

3/5 Thoughts
(based on a scale from 0 thoughts to 5 thoughts, 5 being Atlas Shrugged, 0 being Tucker M ax)

The Great Schlep - (High ranking winner that shouldn’t be)
First off the word Schlep is greatness. And the purpose of the site is cool, But not feeling like it should be a winner of this years awards. The idea of Jewish Council for Education and Research creating a program to schlep votes, create a facebook group and endorse obama is pretty great, is it award winning advertising. I am not sure.
http://www.thegreatschlep.com/

Cam with Me – SONY Handy Cam
Its a cool exploration in the use of a camera in capturing moments. It captures exactly what the camera is for and makes you use the camera on the website.
Brillliant tug at the heart strings of parents. Good advertising.
http://www.sony.jp/products/Consumer/handycam/camwithme/

For the love of god.
Cool execution. Heads spinning around the art work. Neat way of showing opion of the work and get people who have seen the exhibit to voice opinion, creating a social network of voices.

http://www.rijksmuseum.nl/tentoonstellingen/hirst

Durex Baloon Animals
Balloon animals made from condoms. Funny stuff. I think this should have won a higher award. It’s a great campaign that should have run on US television.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDmg2n9MgA4

Grow interactive’s
Thankyou.thisisgrow.com
Incredible use of full screen video. They draw things on the screen they can then use to play an interactive game.
Each shirt has a difrent person and different game. I spent too long testing each one. Bad ass way to keep your visitor engaged
http://thankyou.thisisgrow.com/

Collapse Burger King Banner.
Uses some kinda of code that makes the window you are viewing in smaller and smaller as you play this game. Very stressful trying to beat it. Simple banner ad with a nice twist. This i was surprised to see as a winner since its just abanner ad, but thats just it, it’ not just a banner ad.
http://www.cpbgroup.com/awards/2009/ca/banners/collapse.html

Jump Higher Feel Better:
Press the space bar to make the dude jump higher. Features him in a super man suit, jordan uniform. etc.
Cool use of the space. Great to see banner creative getting so much more engaging.
http://www.worktobejudged.com/cannes/jumphigherfeelbetter/peca.html