Size may not matter, but positioning does.

It's Friday. The weekend lies ahead. So I figured I'd share a video that provides a public service to all those single people out there.



Who knew there was such a thing as a socially responsible condom company? But there you have it.

Bravo, Sir Richard's. Bravo.

Five ways to make twitter work for you

I'll admit it. I've kinda gotten into this twitter thing. I'm no Rainn Wilson, but I have over 400 followers. I follow a few hundred interesting people. I also participate in a couple of tweet chats a week on branding and innovation.

It's been about a year and here's what I've learned works when it comes to building a community and even attracting business on Twitter.

1. Give
This is open source communication. You only get something of value from Twitter when you give something of value first. Give your knowledge away. Give your opinions. Give your experience. Give your advice. At 140 characters, it's not too big a burden to give what you can.

2. Accept
Take what others are willing to give. Read the articles they share. View their videos. Listen to their advice. There's a lot to learn from these short bursts of communications if you're willing to listen.

3. Ask
Have a question on a project? Need to find an expert on thermodynamics? Want a recommendation for a great restaurant in Kuala Lumpur? No matter what you need to know, there's probably someone in your network who either has the answer or is connected to someone who does.

4. Share
Share articles. Retweet interesting tweets. Post the occasional photo. Don't be afraid to share some things that aren't strictly business. Your followers want to know the person behind the avatar.

5. Thank
Take a moment to thank those who retweet your content, those who answer your questions, those who follow you and those who you follow. Do it publicly so everyone knows who's adding value to the community.

Twitter isn't a silver bullet to help you build your business, but it's a great place to learn, connect and share ideas with people who you may never otherwise interact with. It makes the world smaller and more efficient. And sometimes, as is the case with @Rainnwilson's tweets, it's good for a laugh.

Why Facebook ads don't work for GM

Yesterday, the world's second largest car company decided Facebook ads weren't effective while the world's most profitable auto maker said they were.

What's going on here?

Facebook isn't working for General Motors because their marketing strategy doesn't align with the platform. There's no logical connection between their off-line marketing and the on-line social network.

Ford, on the other hand, uses Facebook, among other things, to extend the conversation created by their "Swap Your Ride" campaign.

GM cutting Facebook ad dollars makes sense given that their strategy doesn't align well with the platform. 

Just because Facebook is big, just because it's in the news, just because it works for Ford, doesn't mean it's right for GM.

That's the sign of a professional marketer. They let the strategy drive the tactics, not the other way around.