The National Facebook Group Being Decommissioned

I started The National facebook group page about 2 years ago. I emailed and called the people running the National Sports Collectors Convention several times about a facebook page, but no one ever returned my call. I wanted to see if they already had one.

When no one returned my messages asking them about a facebook page, I decided to create my own.

I only had one goal for the group page: Create an open forum to discuss the National. A few months after I created the group page, the people running the National finally created a facebook fan page for the event and began spamming our group page. When asked why they were spamming our group page, the answer I received was, "your page is our competition."

Really? How can my group page be your competition? I don't have a product to sell - I'm talking about your product.

We finally came to an understanding that the group page wasn't competition. They also finally realized that I wasn't competing with them, I and everyone in the group were more than customers, we were evangelists for their product.

Their fan page has made good improvements. It also has a long way to go, but this is their first toe dipping into the deep end of social media marketing. In the past two years it has provided a lot of good information, but their needs to be more discussion - more "social" interaction. The fan page is more than a channel to post links to websites. I think a fan page should be about the fans of the product, not just the product.

I'd like to see the National really embrace the social market by providing specials to facebook fans, use twitter and the hashtag #NSCC, and bring in a mobile marketing effort like foursquare or gowalla.

This week I will decommission the group page called "The National." I had a lot of fun running it, posting links and talking about the National, but I think we've hit a redundant stage with the two pages. Thanks to all of those who joined the group and participated in the discussions.

Use Foursquare to Get Free Autographs

The Columbus Crew (MLS Soccer) is offering a free autograph poster.

The next foursquare "mayor" of Crew Stadium will receive a free autographed Columbus Crew schedule poster. To become the mayor, you need to have check-in to Crew Stadium more than anyone else in a 60 day span.

Topps 3D Cards - The 2nd Best Augmented Reality Tool of 2009

According to the writers at Mashable, the social media guide, Topps' use of web cams was only out-done by BMW Z-4 campaign.

I blogged in March about the Topps 3D Cards. I think the technology could be cool and a great technique to teach kids about baseball (for the purposes of this example), but we're not there yet. Right now, I side on this being a gimmick.

I hope Topps continues to improve and add to this technology. As I mentioned in March, I'd like to see:

• players playing the game?
• get classic video and reenactments of the history of the game like Kirk Gibson in '88 and Mookie Wilson in '86.

I like reading Mashable, but I don't agree with Topps being #2 on this list.