Handshake 2.0 Launches Innovative Campaign for SmartCollegeVisit.com

My friend Anne Giles Clelland implemented a very innovative social media initiative, designed to get the word out about SmartCollegeVisit.com.  She asked me to participate, and I was very happy to do so.

I first learned of the effort through an email from Anne with the subject line "A Synthesis of Social Media."  The note started off:

I'm sending this to you for two reasons.  One, I hope you'll share your story.  Two, this is an example of  how social media works.  I'm hoping you'll see it's a synthesis of  trust-engendering, risk-reducing, deal-enhancing "who you know" + who you are + subtle publicity of people, products, services and companies + savvy, best practices use of multiple social media channels.

The idea was simple yet brilliant - in support of the launch of the portal SmartCollegeVisit.com (a source of info for college-bound kids and their parents) Anne solicited stories from her extensive social network - stories that can contribute to the content on the site and to a successful launch.

Given that I had just completed a round of college visits with my daughter Carli, who is a senior in high school, and that I like to write, this was something I was very open to helping with.  Also, I knew that my post would be featured on her popular blog among other places, with links back to this blog.

It seemed like an effort designed to provide wins all around.

Here is my post, which went up on Handshake 2.0 today, and additional links from Handshake 2.0 that describe the campaign's evolution in more detail.

Anne's vision statement about the client
 
Strategy
 
Founder's announcement post

Comments

[Stephanie Waugh]

I recently attended a career fair, in which several PR professionals told me the press release is "dead". Do you agree with this statement? Would you suggest that blogs such as yours, for example, are taking over the old job of the press release?

[rgeller]

Great question, and I have done a bunch of posts on this topic. Since Tom Foremski famously declared the death of the press release a couple of years ago I have seen no let up in the pace of press releases. True they are evolving (there is a relatively new format called the social media release), and coexisting with other ways to get the word out, like blogging and Twitter. But press releases remain an enduring institution and a time proven way to package and distribute newsworthy info.

[Anne Giles Clelland]

Bob, I can't thank you enough for your participation in this social media business launch. And "brilliant"! Wow, thank you!

You're here in the first installment of the chronicle of the first week:
http://www.handshake20.com/2009/11/smartcollegevists-social-media-rocket-launch.html

I still credit you with discovering Handshake 2.0. And look at the rocket launch for us that's resulted! I will be forever grateful.

[rgeller]

Thanks, Anne, glad it worked out, you are a continued source of inspiration and wisdom.