Free is not a benefit. It’s a feature. We think it’s a benefit because we know what we offer has value. It benefits from our experience and it’s designed to get someone to act on something. Yet our prospects and users have not discovered any of that yet.

This is a reprise of a conversation we had at my blog, Conversation Agent, a while ago. With a twist. In tough economic times, free is much more difficult to do, or is it?

In other words, free might not be such a good idea for those who need to make a living off their intellectual property (IP) and efforts. Yes, businesses are also in that same boat. There’s an interesting discussion at Wired blogs where Chris Snyder asks: will the economy kill “free” on the Internet?

This discussion is relevant for marketers. Much of what we have produced in the past - sell sheets, brochures, ad inserts, Web copy, press releases, even lead generation materials - that used to be created and designed as company-centric, mostly, started losing the attention of our target demographics.

In the last couple of years, all of this free stuff generated by companies was severely challenged by a new generation of free - that of the third party-ish kind. Professionals who publish with the help of social media - eBooks, top ten advice lists, blog posts, community conversations - and share plenty of their intellectual capital. One need only look at all the great content you can access on Marketing 2.0 the blog and the community as an example.

Many consultants continue to utilize social media successfully to engage in content marketing. They share their IP in exchange for making connections, developing relationships, and being brought in to actually execute on their ideas. Web 2.0 tools have allowed everyone, including those gainfully employed, to gain personal brand equity, which some rented back to the organizations where they work.

I wonder if in the current economic situation, brands (and companies) will see an opportunity.

What if they started renting the time and intellectual capital of free lancers and professionals to engage their customers and prospects with content marketing. It’s no secret that the internal staff in many companies are stretched to the max. Agencies are still grappling with the concept of the old media models having shifted from under them. There might also be the issue of only so many top or senior spots in organizations, that tips experienced professionals towards a solo career, especially after a layoff.

My take is that the economy will not kill free on the Internet. The human need for self-expression is too great to just wither. Plus social media is a great tool to grow a personal brand in this touch economy. But, here’s a thought. Will we see more free content sponsored by brands? How is that going to be different than simply advertising? Are readers and followers of that personality for hire going to feel betrayed? For the model to work there will need to be clear delimitations of what is brought to you by.

TED conferences post their valuable content online for free thanks to the sponsorship of a couple of companies. Those brands believe in the alignment between what they stand for and the conference vision and mission. Would it work in the same way with individuals as brands? What do you think?

This is a case study in ethical branding and using the power of the online medium to spread a message and help the community. As an Italian, I love the idea of gathering around food. You’d never think (well, I wouldn’t) that a Brit could do Italian - Jamie Oliver has done it.

He sounds and looks, as he puts it, massively excited about working with and talking about food. Born of a restaurant owner in Essex, Oliver states to have always been fascinated by what went on in the kitchen. Everyone working together to make lovely stuff and having a laugh doing it.

His first TV show was “The Naked Chef” - the idea being that you strip down food to its bare essentials. As the site description says, it was about real food for real people. His latest project is The Ministry of Food.

The idea behind that project is to inspire people to get back into their kitchen and start making food from scratch again. There is a big community component to that message. In addition to helping people regain a sense of balance with the food they eat, potentially together with their families, the deal anyone who joins the movement makes is to pass on a recipe to at least two other people. Notice the viral component built right in.

Oliver has also built a cookery in Rotherdam where people can watch a demo, pick up a recipe, book a cooking class. He believes so strongly in the idea that cooking is the foundation of a good diet, that he is asking people to vote to build a food center in every town. The UK government should fund and promote these centers for local communities, he writes. He has gathered 4,057 votes at his site so far.

The 33 year old chef has also been campaigning to ban the junk in schools and get kids eating fresh, tasty nutritious food instead. Oliver has written a manifesto to that effect. In September 2005, the Department for Education and Skills established The School Food Trust. Its remit is to transform school food and food skills, promote the education and health of children and young people and improve the quality of food in schools.

Given that part of the appeal and message are around young people and their well-being, Oliver held an Unsigned Bands contest. See who won for 2008.

On the site you will also find member blogs (599 so far), the chef’s diary, and forums where people can swap recipes, get advice, share experiences on growing one’s own produce. As the trend towards local produce and even self-produced food develops further, social media can help people who have a common passion get together and form a community of practice around their pursuits.

James Oliver is an example of a person becoming a brand and then using that influence for the well-being of others. Sure, his brand started on TV, with food shows. Then, using social media, he was able to get the community involvement needed for a full-out engagement with the message. As well, he has created a destination for people who were looking to share.

To me there is a powerful combination of a likable brand, a simple and focused message (eat simply, cook yourself, eat healthy), and a mission to help people regain ownership of their eating experiences. The site is portioned so well that many viral components are built right into it. (hat tip to Kim Moore)

Mima Summit October 2008

View SlideShare presentation or Upload your own. (tags: marketing social)

I recently presented to the 2008 MIMA Summit on the topic of corporate blogging. Of the many thoughts I presented, which you can view here, I am most interested in your reaction to the following:

• How can you be humanly authentic? (as corporate blogger) - It’s useful when the company knows itself and you can use that as a guideline as to the personality of the business. There needs to be internal/external alignment so that there will be less dissonance between internal and external conversations. The company’s culture is the platform for passion about your business, products and services to shine through. Remember that honesty is the basis for truth.

• Do brands suffer? (when they go from one interaction many times like advertising to many interactions one time like social media) - my thinking is that community conversations strengthen the relationships we form with brands. By being available to many interactions, brand are not locked into one rigid expression or experience - they can become nuanced and personal.

• What is the worst that could happen? (when you open your company to social interaction) - if anyone here has ever tried to map the answers to this question with a full representation of their company, including legal, you have probably a better idea of how you’d moderate a conversation now. What are your thoughts on this one?

• How do you empower your community? - to me this is about enabling comments and staying on top f them, even when you moderate them. Allowing trackbacks and links. The other consideration is one of attitude. Would you leave customer reviews on your site? Even negative ones?

Community is a balancing act. It’s about navigating the fine line between active listening. On one hand it’s advocating for the community, while on the other you become an ambassador for the company.

On July 9, Melanie Notkin, CEO and Founder of SavvyAuntie, launched a community site in beta, SavvyAuntie.com. This site serves a unique niche - that of women (80% of the economy) who have no children of their own (50% of those) and still love children. Nieces, nephews from relatives and from friends, too.

Within an hour of her launch, Melanie had had site reviews published by none other than TechCrunch and Mashable. Eric Kuhn published the first interview at The Huffington Post.

I asked Melanie is she’s be willing to share a few more thoughts with me for readers and community members of Marketing 2.0.

A former interactive marketing and communications executive for global Fortune 500 companies, including New York Times Digital, American Express and L’Oréal, I met Melanie on Twitter. The great equalizer, if there ever was one. Anyone who still has any doubts about the value of social media should think about this for a moment. Where and when would I have met such a talented professional?

SavvyAuntie includes a social network, and other community-based resources like user blogs, expert blogs, activity guides and gift suggestions. By registering and filling out information about nieces and nephews, users get customized gift and activity suggestions. They also have the option of uploading information about themselves so that they can meet other aunts (and uncles).

I like how you described what you learned as a progression - the interactive world and how to reach and drive people online at NYTD, the value of membership at Amex, what women want at L’Oréal. Why a community and not just a web site? Was that a natural progression? What inspired you?

Melanie: In June of 2007, I dreamed of developing a modern online resource and community for cosmopolitan Aunts, just like me. After doing the research, I realized that there were tens of millions of us across the nation. There already was “community,” only no one had bothered to notice.

I never claim to be the uber-all-knowing Auntie. Most of the information I’ve learned about Aunt-hood over the years has come from my community of amazing New York City girlfriends and their experiences as Savvy Aunties. Over brunch, these Aunts in the City would ask each other: “What can I do with my 12-year-old niece who is visiting me for the day?”; “What should I get my twin nephews for their second birthday?”; “If I’m in a fight with my sister, how do I not see my nieces?” And so much more.

“Savvy Auntie” isn’t me. She’s what every Aunt aspires to be. The only way to get there is to connect with the other Aunts on the site. We are inherently a community. I am just providing a larger platform than a table for four.

Of course, it was important to have expert content on the site as well. We have about two dozen experts who write on topics from kids’ health to pop-culture for kids, all told from the Auntie perspective. But because we know our Savvy Aunties have a lot to add, there is also opportunities for members to comment and rate content, as well as add their own “Savvy” to the Auntiepedia application.. They can also submit their own Activities and share their advice in our Forums

I have already learned so much from other Savvy Aunties in the process of developing and launching this community. I cannot wait to learn more, and become that Savvy Auntie we all yearn to be.

You received reviews of your beta site within an hour after the launch from none other than TechCrunch and Mashable. As well, Eric Kuhn published an interview with you at The Huffington Post. Do you think this level of interest is also based on the fact that you are a very active member of social media? Have you had conversations with these individuals in the course of social networking?

Melanie: There are a number of reasons why we received online reviews of Savvy Auntie immediately after launch. First of all, no matter how much of an impression you make through your social media relationships, if you don’t have a product worth reviewing, it’s probably not going to get reviewed. The fact that it got reviewed is a tribute to the smart people at the outlets you mention above, who see potential in Savvy Auntie. For that, I am grateful on a number of levels.

That aside, I met Adam Hirsch, COO of Mashable, and Brett Petersel, Events Director at Mashable, at the Jeff Pulver Media Breakfasts in New York City. I met Eric Kuhn there on a separate occasion. Each one of them has been a supporter of me and my dreams as an “auntrepreneur” since our first meeting. These guys are men to watch in the social media world; while all only in their 20s, they have managed to carve out immense careers for themselves by being smart and generous with their network and their support.

While I never met founder of TechCrunch, Michael Arrington, in person, we did share a few direct messages via Twitter. And while I would love to say that that relationship helped with my placement in TechCrunch, it was his eagle-eyed blogger Calley Nye, who picked up and ran with the story, interviewing me the day before launch.

What should be known is that while these reviews at launch were a huge boost for the site, so are all the posts by bloggers I have met only through social media outlets, such as Twitter and Facebook. In fact, that’s how you and I met, Valeria. The support for Savvy Auntie on Twitter is so enormous that TwitScoop reported it was the most Tweeted phrase on the day of launch.

There is no doubt in my mind that my social media relationships, developed authentically in Twitter, on Facebook, in the social media industry, have helped make Savvy Auntie a success at launch. Savvy Auntie and me as its founder, were welcomed with open arms in the SM community. And I cannot thank everyone enough.

The site is designed to grow by community, which makes it great for the integration of wish lists and affiliate retail programs. As marketers, we know how powerful peer to peer recommendations are. Conversation is also an important component of shared experiences. Do you envision the site’s growth beyond commercial utility? In your interview with Eric at Huffington Post, you talk about capturing stories. Would there be opportunity for expansion into educational tools, for example teaching languages, or support groups for children with developmental problems?

Melanie: That’s a great question, Valeria. And, certainly, there are numerous ways to take our learning from the Aunt community and develop them into tools and resources that help and support the non-mom offline as well. There are no parenting guides for non-parents and we are hoping that Savvy Auntie becomes the resource for Aunts who not only want to learn from each other, but share as well.

We’ve built opportunities for this within Savvy Auntie from the start. The Aunthology, a section within Community where members can share stories about Aunt-hood, is where we hope to learn about many new perspectives on Aunt-hood from different cultures and points of view. Plus, every member is entitled to her own blog, where she can share her personal journey. Finally, because Community is built organically, we hope to gauge interest in various issues important to Savvy Aunties through our Forums and Groups. And since the site is free to join, there are no barriers for participation.

We’ve already been lauded by some who blog about children with special needs for taking care to include content about developing special needs nieces and nephews in our Expertise and Gifts sections. We’re so happy the word is getting out about that. We hope that Savvy Aunties will add their own experiences and their own tips on the site as well.

Aunt-hood, as a universal story, has really never been told. It’s too early to forecast what will come of it. But if there is a way to capture the stories and translate them into solutions for Aunts everyone, online and offline, we’ll do it.

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Thanks to you, Melanie, the community is off to a great start. Learn more about SavvyAuntie at Melanie Notkin’s blog.