Another SXSW is behind us.  This was my second year to attend SXSW, and I enjoyed it much more than 2009.  Not sure if the sessions were just better or if I just made better session choices.  Either way, here are my takeaways and favorites for 2010:

• Gary Vaynerchuk (@garyvee) gave a great presentation.  No slides, just his thoughts with most of his presentation dedicated to Q&A from the audience.  Be Authentic was my main takeaway.  Something we all know when working with social media, but something that needs to be said again and again – especially when there are so many companies hiring social media agencies to tweet and post for them. Highlight of the talk was the rap at the end by @Koshadillz and @flexmathews.   
• The Bing team from Microsoft gave a really good overview of their social marketing efforts behind the Bing launch.  (Note: I reviewed Bing in an earlier post.  I haven’t used it since its launch, so can’t speak to its search abilities).  The lessons they learned from using Social Media for the launch:
  • “You Don’t Know Anything” – In today’s viral age, a marketer can plan, plan, plan, but sometimes things just happen.  Bing had some success with viral marketing that wasn’t expected; however, they also had some backlash when one viral campaign came across as too ‘marketed’.  A repeat of GaryVee’s message: Be Authentic.
  • “When You Screw Up, Admit It” – be human.  We all make mistakes, so admit it when you do.
  • “Personality” – Bing’s brand is much different than Microsoft’s – or the team wants it to be anyway.  One interesting note – the booth at the tradeshow didn’t display the Microsoft brand very visibly.  One more way Bing is trying to separate itself from Microsoft?
  • “People Want Stories, not Bulleted Feature Lists” – Common sense, I know.  It seems that product marketers specifically fall into the feature list trap versus telling the user how the new product will benefit them.  And, then giving examples/case studies with stories always drives the point home.
  • “Be Authentic” – seems to be the message of SXSW, right? (The talks I went to anyway.)
  •  ”Give Up Control” – This message is also a favorite of David Meerman Scott (who presented at the SXSW Future 15: Small Business track).  It’s pretty simple – as marketers, especially those of us with brand management experience, we’re constantly making sure the correct brand message is being portrayed.  Sometimes, it’s ok to not live by the rules.
• The Microsoft Bizspark Accelerator was also a favorite.  I skipped the first presentations on Monday, and sat in the Personal Social Media and Business Social Media finalists presentations on Tuesday afternoon.  Mobile Roadie and Spredfast are two Business Social Media platforms to watch.  And, of course being somewhat of a foodie, I was very interested in the Foodspotting concept and application.

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