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.
Read the rest of this entry »

It’s a new year and I want to know how you plan to do things differently in 2010. As I write this, I am sure many of you are now well educated on the benefits of social media in your marketing efforts and are using some of the tools to further engage, connect or begin to connect with your customer. Have you thought about how you are going to start that conversation?
Read the rest of this entry »

I was chatting with a new client today about social media and how it can be utilized to elicit a positve and engaging response from your customers—especially when they are uphappy. In our discussion, we talked about companies who are getting it right—and Domino’s pizza came to mind for us both. Have you seen their recent TV spot about how they “say that customers complained that their crust was like cardboard and their sauce had no taste.” They continue on to mention how they were listening and have made changes to those EXACT things! Bravo Domino’s. Well it gets better…
Read the rest of this entry »

One of the keys to sharing information is telling a story. A story about who you are; a story about a product or brand; a story about a country or a culture. I write in our own blog that in defining a brand—everyone has a story—people use those stories to identify not only with one another but also in reference to the products and services they choose to use. In our “About Us” section of this blog, I ask “is your story being told“?
Read the rest of this entry »

The time has arrived where  brands have jumped on the bandwagon  to engage the consumer. In the case of some of the BIG brands, they are now ready to engage their customers in realtime via video. As per comscore media in January 2009, Canada had an online reach of  88%, United Kingdom had an online reach of 81%, Germany had an online reach of 82%, France had an online reach of 82% and the United States had an online reach of 76%. These are definitely numbers worth paying attention to!!!!!!!
Read the rest of this entry »

These days, for most companies this question is their biggest fear. Marketers grapple with the assumption that as soon as we enter the world of social media, we are opening ourselves up to the brand bashing bad-vocates.
Read the rest of this entry »

Many months back I wrote about the Korean BBQ street vendor: a guy who had an idea for tacos—that featured Korean BBQ. He parked outside of the clubs late at night for weeks with no action. He  then went to the famed Robinson Blvd. where the famous Ivey restaurant resides and the paparazzi shoot the lunching celebrities……still no action. Next up was Twitter and Facebook…and before he knew it, the line ups were around the block.
Read the rest of this entry »

Hi Everyone,

Thank you for your ongoing support and for all the comments and connections that we are making with our readers. Linkedin groups and connections have been really great and we are so happy to hear from everyone regarding our posts. Keep it coming!

We would love to connect with you on Facebook and have added a fan box for BCAD Group on this blog. We want to build a community where we can have an ongoing dialog about the many ideas we write about on this blog and the issues we haven’t yet touched: your thoughts or whatever may be on your mind!

We want to know—Who Do You Think You Are Talking To?

Best Nicole

I have been watching Whole Foods for a while now and have used their example in the world of social media to many clients. As a fan of the Whole Foods grocery store (even when those delicate personal conversations have touched a nerve), it is a  place where you can get organic foods—both prepared and fresh—with a sense of community attached in the shopping experience. And as a business model, Whole Foods lends itself to social media quite beautifully.
Read the rest of this entry »

This is such a great story from the Associated Press. It definitely demonstrates the power of being resourceful, creative and tenacious no matter what the circumstances. I love the fact that we all have a story and using social media as an outlet to let that story be heard can lead to the most magnificent things. Bravo to Brianna Karp who, when she wound up in a situation where she had lost a good paying job and eventually found herself homeless, used the time during her job search to blog about being homeless. http://girlsguidetohomelessness.com
Read the rest of this entry »