I saw this article in my inbox and it spoke to me as I think the key for every marketing and branding action you take comes down to informative content. What people now need is to find out  is what value your offering has for them—can it  fulfill a need, challenge, or enhance how they live their life? The 21st century customer is now so educated that they are not interested in what you do but, more importantly, how you share information that is of value to them. Can the customer feel your passion in what you do? That energy can be elecrifying and spread like wildfire!
Read the rest of this entry »

E.B. White, American Author

In the last couple of weeks I have been talking to several potential clients about how they can integrate social media into their marketing mix and how will they determine whether it is beneficial or not. Linkedin is turning out to be very beneficial for me as I connect with businesses both here and abroad and find ways for us to partner with one another. The article below provides the most superb overview regarding social media and measurement steps. I got this from Ed Stilava who posted the article on Linkedin—a social media community for professionals—and he got it from  Econsultancy Digital Marketers United. It is this vast net of engagement with like minded people, who can share an infinate amount of info relevant to YOU, that can then be shared as I am doing with this post. That’s what makes social media so powerful.
Read the rest of this entry »

I have had two new client meetings this week and both asked the same question. Where do I think things are going to move to in the next 12 to 24 months? As my expertise comes from a business and strategic perspective, and as I am not a technical architect (but an avid student of digital and new media as it relates to brand strategy and marketing) my answer to both was mobile.
Read the rest of this entry »

–Erich Fromm,
German-American psychologist

Ford is leading the pack when it comes to finding ways to engage their consumer. They have just created a campaign where they are selecting customers to be given a Ford Fiesta car and in return, have them blog about their experiences with the car. It is this kind of creativity, brand building and viral marketing plan that allows the customers to not only engage—but actually become the brand evangelist and brand ambassador for the company. They now have the opportunity to direct the messaging in a way that empowers them.
Read the rest of this entry »

The ongoing question at each meeting I attend is how can you ensure that the campaigns I create online will convert. As we all know, there are no guarantees with anything that you do. Our experience and expertise now tells us that, knowing there is a barrage of advertising out there, all customers are savvy and now possess access to any and all information. What you create now has to catch their attention at first glance. Leading them to other pages, creating something at the bottom of a page or just adding another box without hi-liting it with bold noticeable action is going to lose the users attention. I, myself, know that I read so many things that when I see something that catches my attention and click to a link, if I can’t find what I’m looking for at  first glance, I leave. I know this as well as I know that there will be something else that will provide me with the same knowledge, information or product right away.
Read the rest of this entry »

I was at a casual meeting this afternoon with two small business owners who were still asking, “What is social media? What is twitter? How can it help me with my business?” There are still skeptics in the sea of those who are diving in and taking advantage of the fact that  in 140 characters or less, you can spread your message, share your ideas, announce a new product offerings, meet new potential customers, make  friends and gather all sorts of real time info about what’s happening in the world—something that other news sources just can’t compete with. Ahhh, but the news sources are now all on twitter! GMA just announced that they have 100,000 followers.
Read the rest of this entry »

I am definitely a girl who loves her shoes (most women I know do). I think many companies right now are trying to figure out how to change their product mix and tighten up their costs through a scouring of their operations. Some are thinking how should we be, how do we do things differently and bounce out of that perverbial box we have put ourselves in.
Read the rest of this entry »

Today’s post is apropos, as it addresses the fact that the means of communication prior to the advent of technology began with stories. At the dawn of evolution, stories were spread by word of mouth or drawn onto stone walls to be documented and passed along from generation to generation. I have always said that everyone has a story to tell. The value of that story is priceless when it is authentic, transparent and leads to why something clearly stands out and grabs at your core. A story that says, “this is the way I think, the way the I feel and the way that I want to lead my life.” Social media now provides the opportunity to return back to an earlier time by encouraging people to not only engage one-to-one with the products and services that they value and use, but also with each other.
Read the rest of this entry »