As we celebrate both Passover and Easter – I thought this article I found from Social Media Insider – not only offers great information – but  apropos in light of the holiday season. To quote another article I found in the New York Times – which speaks about business schools – incorporating courses about social networks as part of their MBA programs. The author Fiona Mackay says in response to a large retailer who makes some real social network blunders “The lesson: social media are not marketing toys to be handled by interns but a professional communications channels that require understanding of the technology and the community that uses it.” Here is the link if you would like to read the full article. http://tinyurl.com/yd2j5xv Read the rest of this entry »

I came across an article in my morning reading that included an interview with Mitch Joel of Twist Media – on the topic of connecting and engagement. I have discussed this many times on this blog since I began posting, but felt that with so many companies finally realizing that they need to leverage social media – it is worth it – to SHARE some thoughts for 2010. Read the rest of this entry »

Lets face it we all want sales. Social media is a magnificent vehicle to build relationships with your customers, engage and connect with them – with the goal of creating a long term relationship - their part is to purchase your products and services and your part is to provide for them the products and services they need and those things that will solve their problems. Read the rest of this entry »

I have written often in this blog about what Ford has done with social media – especially since the government bailouts for the big 4 and Ford choosing not to take the money. With Scott Monty – touted as a social media leader especially via Twitter – Ford Fiesta is getting it right!
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There are many retailers that are still not online. Many claim they are not ready. Some are dabbling—but even the dabblers are unsure of how to truly leverage the success that can be attained. A few weeks ago I attended a launch at a major retailer. They have done a 360 degree turn in their brand offering and are certainly looking to expand their old reputation for a new contemporary one in order to attract a broader more modern customer. At the launch, they had some laptops sitting out with the idea that people could go and tweet from the event at the computer stations. Great intentions but from my perspective here are some ideas about how they could have kicked it out of the park.
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We live in a world where consumers actively resist marketing. So it’s imperative to stop marketing at people. The idea is to create an environment where consumers will market to each other. (from Seth Godin’s Super Ideavirus Vook)

The word catalyst is a great definition for social media these days. The dictionary defines catalyst as “something that causes activity between two or more persons or forces without itself being affected.” For the majority of us, there is enough evidence to support the value of social media as a key marketing channel. Most businesses understand and know about the tools most used. But for many, the one aspect of social media that still lacks clarity is the implementation aspect. Many still need guidance on how to go about incorporating social media so that they can reap the benefits and build a community of brand evangelists that understand who and what their brand stands for. With the right implementation, this can ensure that you are speaking to and building your “tribe members” to spread the word.
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When is the last time that you left your house or office without your cell phone? Or went throughout the entire day leaving your cell phone behind on purpose? For me, my cell is my personal and business lifeline all wrapped up into one. It houses my contact list—the days of remembering a phone number are long gone. My calendar, my email, texts and the internet are all at my finger tips should I need to search something. My social media feeds are there too so I can Tweet and update Facebook as I move throughout my day. My alarm for the morning resides on the phone as well, and yes—it stays by my bed at night when I am asleep!
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For those that follow us on Twitter and Facebook - you know that yesterday I attended The Art of Marketing. It was a great event - but what I really enjoyed was the ability to SHARE with others – some of the many take-aways that I received from each speaker by Tweeting – better yet were the retweets I received from those that loved what I was SHARING. It adds a new dimension to be able to use your mobile device and be connected not just by email but in real-time to the social networks that are part of your day – to – day or I should re phrase that to say my day- to- day life.
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I got this link from Twitter via @thepowerofsmall author Lynda Thaler and CEO of  The Kaplan Thaler Group.

We are working on all sorts of digital projects these days—many of them are contests—with the plan to build a fan base, so they can begin to engage and connect with their clients one-on-one. As we continue to guide and educate our current clients with social media strategies and execution – we are always trying to sell new clients who have yet to really get engaged. As a women owned and run business – I always use the analogy that social media is a natural for women. It is focused on how we communicate. We like to tell stories and share our ideas. If we have a great experience we want the world to know and when we don’t we want the world to to know that too.
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