Twitter. Facebook. YouTube. Blogs. Digg. StumbleUpon. When it comes to social media, these are the tools and web sites that everyone seems to be talking about.

But there is another underlying set of Web 2.0 utilities that more people (businesses specifically) should be discussing — and using — for their ability to truly engage and mobilize a customer sales force.

Leverage Obama's Best Practices for Your Business

I’m referring to some of the companies, products and tips detailed  in the back section of the “Obama Playbook: How Digital Media and Social Media Won the Election,” a 30-page special report put out by MarketingProfs.com this month. I can’t list them all, but here are a few of my favorites (disclaimer: I helped write the report with the incredibly prolific MP.com staff writer Kimberly Smith)

• UserVoice – One of the best ways to get customers involved and engaged, is to give them direct feedback into your product or service. UserVoice makes it easy for customers to do just, allowing them to leave suggestions, and vote on the suggestions of others (wisdom of the crowds). Administrators can let consumers know the status of their suggestions, including whether any are being planned. People just want to be heard — UserVoice.com lets them do that.
• Pluck — These days, consumers expect some of type of social media interaction with nearly any site they visit. Pluck provides the actual tools to help provide these capabilities. Through its on-demand platform, Austin-based Pluck increases enagement through user comments, ratings, recommendations, reviews, photo and video sharing, forums, social networking profiles and more.
• Simplified Messaging –What, this isn’t a product! No, but for all its high-tech wizardry, the Obama’s success was rooted in something very simple: simple, clear, crisp messaging that resonates (hope and change anyone?). You can have the greatest product in the world, but if the messaging is muddled, getting your customers behind it is that much more difficult. As Obama campaign staffer Scott Goodstein notes, messaging that resonates gets pushed around a lot faster.

There’s much more in the report, including analysis of every part of the campaign, from Facebook to email marketing to mobile. There are also interviews with the Obama staffers who made history happen. Become a premium member of MarketingProfs.com today and get your free copy. Let us know what you think!

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I had the opportunity to use HelpAReportOut.com (HARO) for the first time the other day – not as a PR professional, but as a contributing writer working on a special report for a popular online marketing publication.

The experience from the ‘other side’ was eye opening. I received literally dozens of requests – so many it was difficult to read through every one.

I submitted my HARO request for a piece I’m doing on Twitter success stories. In my submission, I asked for examples of businesses using Twitter to further one or more business objectives. I asked for examples across different business models and different industries. I let it fly.

I received a total of more than 60 responses, and they still keep coming in. Having been on both sides of HARO now, I thought I’d share some tips for using the service more effectively.

1. Be as crisp as possible – I was much more apt to read those responses that cut to the chase of what I was looking for, rather than rambling responses. PR pros understand this pretty well, but small business owners may need a reminder.
2. Be compelling – Reporters want big names and/or innovative pitches and case studies. If you even think your pitch may not be a good fit, it’s not. If you have a big name client, put that in the subject line or high up in your e-mail. Microsoft was one that certainly caught my eye.
3. Offer any ROI or results data you have up front – This makes it much easier on the reporter or blogger to target your entry as something they can use.
4. Get in early, or get in late – To get noticed, it helps to be either among the first entries, or among the last – the ones in the middle tend to get muddled and lost. Also, it’s important to realize you are not the only one submitting a great idea.
5. Don’t be afraid to follow up – You’ve put in a lot of work. If you don’t get a response and you think you have a good case study or story, don’t be afraid to follow up.

As for the people who are posting requests on HARO – I offer this: Be as incredibly specific as possible. I thought I was, but could have been a more specific about innovation and ROI. That said, I did receive many great responses and I am thankful for everyone – long or short, rambling or not — who made the effort to respond.

Are you a HARO user? How are you getting the most of the service?

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