Posts Tagged ‘business’
Wednesday, May 4th, 2011
If you read our blog post from May 5th, 2010, we shared a study conducted by University of Maryland’s International Center for Media & the Public Agenda. This study featured 200 students who had to live 24 hours without social media. This meant no access to Twitter, Facebook, email, and even texting. The students in this study wrote blogs about their experience without social media and lets just say it was a traumatic challenge.
Now a year later a new study is released that went global this time. They asked 1,000 students from the United States, Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, Europe, and Asia to abstain from social media for 24 hours They were asked to report on any successes and failures during the experience.
Highlights of the study were interesting. Students actually used the word addiction when asked about their social media usage. Some reported that they felt depressed, lonely, and even shaky without having a social media connection. They also reported that they felt like they lost apart of themselves without social media. This led to confusion and a sense of loss. It wasn’t just access to social media these students lost for a day, they also lost email, music, news, and entertainment. So not only is social media how we stay connected with others and the world, but it is also a way of life. Social media is how people manage their lives and how they communicate.
Although this study shows that a year later we are still addicted to social media, it also helped students realize their dependence. As we are becoming a society that uses social media in our everyday lives, businesses should put their own perspective on the matter. Marketers and advertisers should harness the benefits of social media for their business. This study should help businesses learn how to use social media and understand how consumers use it. Marketers and advertisers will be at full advantage if they can figure out how to use social media to better their business and attract new customers. Social media has so many facets to choose from, giving businesses the chance to experiment and find what works and what does not.
Tags:addiction, advertisers, business, communication, education, facebook, marketers, Marketing, Social Media, social media addiction, students, study, Twitter, University of Maryland
Posted in Marketing, Social Media | No Comments »
Friday, April 29th, 2011
Millions upon millions of people have created their own presence via social media. It isn’t just a place for individuals to keep in touch with family and friends, it has also grown into an extraordinary marketing tool that businesses should take advantage of. Facebook and Twitter for example have upwards of 600 million and 400 million users respectively, providing businesses and marketers with a vast platform of people to market to. Marketing is an action businesses need to take to attract consumers to their products or services. Social media marketing is just a new form of marketing in the new digital age we are living in.
Social media marketing has many benefits for businesses. Here are 4 ways social media marketing can help businesses and marketers.
1. Increase exposure: If social media is just used at its simplest form by just minimally creating a presence and updating it on occasion, you are still creating exposure to your business. Social media marketing allows for your name to be seen. Since millions of people participate in social media, the more you use social media increases your chances for exposure.
2. Increased traffic: Social media marketing allows for traffic to be increased. One benefit of social media is that you can provide links to your website or anything else related to your business. By providing links and information for people, there is a higher probability of creating traffic as your exposure becomes more proficient.
3. Lead Generation: If you think just teens and college students are using social media you are wrong. Businesses all over the world are using social media for marketing. This provides businesses with another way to generate leads and interact with them. Social media networks also provide a wider reach and database of people who could be leads.
4. Advertising: One of the main benefits of social media is that most sites are free. This gives companies the ability to have their name present without spending a dime. The best part of using social media for advertising is that users that know and like you are automatically endorsing you.
Marketing via social media is a great way for businesses to get noticed. It is easy to get started as well as easy to maintain. Social media is changing the way we market businesses, products, and services.
Tags:advertising, business, consumers, exposure, facebook, lead generation, marketers, Marketing, Social Media, Social Media Marketing, traffic, Twitter
Posted in Marketing, Social Media | No Comments »
Friday, April 15th, 2011
Basically everything we do is online. The Internet is where we communicate, shop, watch videos, read the news, listen to music, and many other things. What you may not know under a business perspective, companies use the Internet to generate leads. They do this by setting up online queries for potential customers to get information. For successful interaction with these potential customers, some contacting needs to be done. Firms are not acting fast enough to follow up on leads.
In a study reported in the Harvard Business Review showed that 37% responded to a lead with in an hour, but 23% never responded at all. The issue here is that online leads go colder faster than any other type of lead. Since the Internet is a giant marketplace for anything imaginable, it is easy for a potential customer to go looking somewhere else. It was also found in the same study that U.S. firms who tried to contact potential customers within an hour of their online query were nearly 7 times as likely to have a meaningful conversation and create communication. This then can turn into a business relationship that could potentially turn into a sale.
The moral of this story is that companies need to focus on following up on online queries faster, otherwise the chance to communicate with a potential customer will vanish quickly. All it takes is one phone call with in an hour of the query to increase chances of qualifying a lead.
Tags:business, communication, follow up, Harvard Business Review, internet, leads, Marketing, online queries, qualify a lead, relationships
Posted in Marketing | No Comments »
Wednesday, March 30th, 2011
We all know the famous rivalries in business such as Coke vs. Pepsi, Microsoft vs. Apple, and Ford vs. General Motors. Although we have these business rivalries, do we know why they start. Competition is one of the ingredients in how business is shaped. It is a natural occurrence based on two separate parties vying for the same goal. Businesses try to win acceptance from consumers, which is where rivalry and competition essentially begins.
Consider Coke vs. Pepsi, one of the oldest rivalries in American business. Also known as the Cola Wars, Coke and Pepsi started competing with each other in the 189os. Coke dominated the market, but Pepsi was always close behind. The brilliance behind the Cola Wars was that they both had different ideas of how to attract consumers and control the market. They both implemented innovative marketing campaigns throughout the years to gain even a fraction of the market. They also modified pricing and brand strategies to get a little closer to victory. It has been over 100 years now that this rivalry has existed and it still continues today.
Competition and rivalry is a healthy part of how businesses operate. Competitors help each other learn and move forward. Do you think Coke and Pepsi would be where they are today if they didn’t have an intense rivalry? Coke and Pepsi are successful because they were able to improve themselves individually based on what they learned from each other. Competition also helps the marketing process. Consumer needs and wants are uncovered during rivalry, which allows creative marketing tactics to be used. Now that social media has entered our lives and has grown into a big phenomenon with outlets such as Facebook and Twitter, marketing can be taken to a whole new level, opening doors that we never knew existed.
Although competition and rivalry don’t have reputations as being based around something good, in reality they have shaped the way we do business. It can’t be all that bad if Coke and Pepsi have survived over 100 years of rivalry and both are still going strong.
Tags:business, Coke vs. Pepsi, competition, consumers, facebook, Marketing, marketing tactics, rivalry, Social Media, The Cola Wars, Twitter
Posted in Marketing, Social Media | No Comments »
Friday, February 18th, 2011
When you are traveling, how do you tell your luggage apart from everyone else’s? If you lose your luggage, how can your luggage be identified? The answer is simple, use luggage tags. A luggage tag is a small card that has a place to write your name, address, phone number, and other useful information that will identify your luggage. And it can be easily attached to any type of bag. Nothing will put a damper on your vacation or business trip than losing your luggage or not being able to find yours as it goes around the carousel. So why not ease this worry by using luggage tags.
The process of providing identification for your luggage doesn’t have to be a chore. It can be fun through customization. Luggage tags can be customized to fit likes and tastes. Luggage tags are a great way to personalize business travel as well. If you are a company going on a business trip for example, all of the attendees can have matching luggage tags with company logo. There are so many uses for luggage tags and they can be as plain and simple or as customized and creative as you want them. A way to identify luggage is a simple way to ease the problem of losing luggage, whether its personal or business use.
Tags:business, customization, identification, information, luggage tags, personalization, traveling
Posted in Product Information | No Comments »
Friday, February 4th, 2011
So I’m sure somewhere you have heard the words: search engine optimization or SEO. If you haven’t, SEO is the process of improving ranking in search engine results. As social media is becoming a popular means of marketing, the need for optimization is present, which is where SMO comes into play. SMO stands for social media optimization and is the process of building a company’s social role on the web with the intent of attracting unique visitors to website content.
Social media optimization helps to build brand image and spread the word around. By doing so, it helps to identify those who are genuinely interested in a business. SMO, when combined with SEO, can help achieve higher benefits and build a reputable presence online. SMO allows to produce an interaction and an understanding of the market and audience.
Social media optimization provides many benefits for a business. It can be a very helpful and an easy to use tool for anyone trying to create awareness and interact with an audience.
Here are some of the benefits SMO provides:
* Increases linkability
* Helps content travel
* Encourages participation
* Potential to reach vast amounts of people
* A variety of social media tools are available to try
* Increases visibility and awareness
* The ability to give social media a soul allows for personalization
SMO is a great tool for any business in any industry. The best part is that since there is so many outlets to use, if one doesn’t work, you can move on to the next until you find some thing that works.
Tags:awareness, business, linkability, Marketing, search engine optimization, SEO, SMO, Social Media, social media optimization
Posted in Marketing, Social Media | No Comments »
Friday, January 14th, 2011
Starbucks, the world’s largest coffee company, has released a new logo for their company, products, and packaging. The iconic sea nymph is now by itself, no longer surrounded by words. The new look is the product of a new direction for the company as it is on its journey back from its toughest times in its 40-year history. The loss of words is due to the fact that the company feels it no longer has a need to reinforce its name at every turn. Starbucks is also branching their business operations beyond coffee. The new logo is planned to reach stores in March to correspond with its 40th anniversary.
This new logo is the fourth version since the beginning of Starbucks in 1971. Since the Starbucks brand is expanding, the logo needs to evolve. It is operating in such a way that being associated to just coffee is becoming too confined and restrictive. Starbucks is not only selling coffee, but an overall experience. The new logo allows for Starbucks to continue selling an experience as well as broaden their business operations.
Tags:brand, business, coffee, expansion, logo, Marketing, Starbucks
Posted in Marketing | No Comments »
Wednesday, December 29th, 2010
Social media has only been around for a short while and it has greatly exploded into a network of possibilities. Not only is social media used to communicate with friends and family, shop, and find love, it is also a way for businesses to market to their present and hopefully future customers. Social media has allowed marketers to transform one-way communication into an interactive experience. The ability to shape products and services based on real time customer feedback is the brilliance behind marketing via social media. Although social media sounds so simple, it may be difficult to decipher how to utilize social media for marketing purposes.
Here are 11 tips to help with social media usage as part of a marketing strategy:
1. Research: There are many social media outlets available and it can get crowded and confusing trying to decide which ones to use. Research should be conducted on how to use social media and what social media outlet is the best to use.
2. Set goals: Have a plan set so you can measure your progress and success.
3. Use the correct social media outlet for your audience: Different social media sites cater to certain things. To reach a specific audience, the right outlet must be used. For example, if your business sells consumer products, Facebook might be the best platform.
4. Be on your best behavior: Everything said online can be seen and gets recorded. It also becomes permanent. Think before you type.
5. Be interesting: Anything boring will not be read or followed. Updates or tweets should be lively and catch the attention of your audience.
6. Communicate instead of broadcasting: Social media is about engaging your audience and creating two-way communication. Avoid bombarding followers or fans with useless information.
7. Don’t be negative: Never say anything negative about another business. It could come back and haunt you and ruin your reputation.
8. Keep updated: Make sure you are keeping current. Don’t leave your audience to wonder and become stagnant.
9. Personalization: Make profile pages match the business atmosphere and incorporate the business culture.
10. Quality over quantity: Don’t go overboard and sign up for every social media site available. Keep it simple and only choose a couple of the top sites.
11. Use links: Add links to your social media accounts. Links help to get customers to your actual website. Also do the opposite and link your social media sites on your company website.
Tags:business, communication, Marketing, marketing strategy, Social Media, social networks, tips
Posted in Marketing, Social Media | No Comments »
Wednesday, November 24th, 2010
With the new day and age we are living in, everything has basically turned electronic and so has our mail. The “snail mail” days are a thing of the past as email has stepped into the spotlight. Marketing via email has become a popular means in attracting potential consumers. But as with anything else, email marketing has to be effective to reach those people otherwise it will get thrown into the junk mail folder. Whether a packaging company, a big corporation, or a family ran business, email marketing can be an important tool.
Here are 8 secrets to effective email marketing:
1. The subject is the headline: The words you choose to put into the headline of your email determines whether or not the email even gets open and read. Use 3 to 5 words to catch the attention of potential consumers so they are enticed to open and read the message.
2. Make it personal: People on the Internet want personal messages that are relevant and compelling to them. The idea is to write for an audience of one, avoiding formal speech. Emails should be written as though it were a common conversation.
3. Get to the point: Keep emails short and simple. Several paragraphs or pages are too lengthy and most likely won’t get read. Paragraphs should be no longer than 4 to 6 lines, with a total length under 300 words.
4. Give an incentive to act: People on the Internet are in a hurry and need a reason to buy or act now. Common examples are limited time offer, free trial, free shipping, and discounts.
5. Include a call to action: Make clear what action you want to happen. Don’t leave them wondering what is supposed to happen next. Get them pointed into the right direction otherwise they could get lost.
6. Use your website: Make sure you link to your website. The goal is to have people asking questions and produce interaction. By linking to your website, they will be able to see more of what you do or offer and want to learn more.
7. Build relationships: A relationship with a consumers creates many benefits for your business. If it is a good relationship they will be loyal to your business and could lead to telling others about their positive experiences. It is easier to keep an existing customer than it is to find a new one.
8. Follow through: Make sure you do what you say and be honest with people. You must deliver on your offer.
Tags:business, email, email marketing, Marketing, packaging, secrets
Posted in Marketing | No Comments »
Friday, November 12th, 2010
Social media is defined as media for social interaction. It uses web-based technologies to turn communication into interactive dialogues. Businesses have been using a variety of social media techniques including Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter to catch the attention of people in the hope to gain customers. The goal is to intrigue potential customers and get them interested in your business. Twitter, one of the many social media tools, has become a very important mode of communication for businesses. Why use Twitter you ask? Here are the top 10 reasons why businesses should use Twitter:
1. It’s free to sign up and use. No need to spend money to subscribe or maintain.
2. It can help grow your email list. Email marketing is becoming very popular and by gaining email addresses, more contacts are being made.
3. It will expand the reach of your email campaigns.
4. Networking is possible by following people and asking them to follow you. Networking is a very important factor in growing a business. The ability to network without having to go anywhere is very convenient.
5. Can stay current on industry trends. This gives a business the ability to see what others are doing and saying.
6. Monitor what customers are saying about you. This allows to hear feedback about your business, whether positive or negative, it is still beneficial to hear input.
7. Can host a Twitter chat to engage followers. This allows to be able to talk to certain people to gain more insight and feedback.
8. Customer support related issues can be handled easily. Questions and problems can be addressed quickly and easily using Twitter. These can also reach other who may have had to same question or problem.
9. Advocates for your business can be found and heard. People who are really interested in your company are out there and can be heard if you find them or if they find you.
10. Can promote your business to new and existing customers. Promotion is a major part of marketing a business. Since Twitter has many users, promoting a business becomes a easier by having a big reach of people to promote to.
Tags:business, communication, facebook, interaction, linkedin, Social Media, Twitter
Posted in Social Media | No Comments »
