As I watched, it made me think about how great social media is for companies such as the ones that were high-lighted and for those that have not yet engaged. When you have all sorts of content rich information tools, you have  an opportunity to not only engage with the people that work for you (especially in large companies and corporations) but with the people that shop with you too. You can find out how and when you are exceeding expectations and when they, or your business, disappoint. Where there are disappointments, you have the opportunity as a business to say, “I am sorry” and take immediate steps to make it right. Today!

Imagine if you could highlight the great people that are dedicated to your business—who you want to reward—by letting them know that YOU know how great they are? By showing how much you appreciate what they do. And giving the customers they interact with an opportunity to share their favourites nation—or city—wide. It would certainly encourage me to be the best I can be and PASS it on—both as a customer and as an employee.

One-to-one engagement focusing on a human element that allows all of us to be heard, respected and acknowledged—is one of the easiest ways to bring a positive flow of give and take . To address the challenges and celebrate the successes that take your business from good to great. To create enthusiasm for your brand and enlist new customers—which helps create more sales and, yes, more money.

Who wouldn’t want to get started tomorrow? What are you waiting for?

Best Nicole

When someone’s mind is made up and they have a negative experience with you in any form, that experience can spread like wild fire. Today’s post from Marketing Prof’s “Get to the Point” is a perfect example. This post is spreading like wildfire across the internet as I write this. There is enough business out there for all of us. You never have to force anyone to do business with you or listen to what you have to say. Focus on the people who are dying to hear from you and have them spread that to other like minded people! The reward will be never ending!

Best Nicole

How’s This for Passing the Buck?

One year ago, Lynda Partner wrote—but did not publish—a blog post that eviscerated a software company for taking liberties with her email address, and then treating her complaint with stunning indifference. “Why publish it now, you ask? This week I got more spam from this same company,” she says. “It made me so angry that I dug up this post and I hope it gets wide distribution.”

It all began with an email, purportedly from the company’s CEO, that invited Partner to become an “ambassador” for the company, a role filled by “its biggest fans, best users, and closest friends.” There was only one problem: she had never heard of this CEO and couldn’t figure out why he had her email address.

“It took me a while,” she says, “but it turns out that when I opened a Web-hosting account recently, the hosting provider offered a free download of [the CEO's] software. I did not download it. So how did they get my email address?”

Partner wrote a brief note saying she never opted in to the company’s campaigns, and requesting confirmation that her email address had been removed from its list. The person who replied continued to insist she had downloaded the software and that the only way to stop receiving messages from his company was to cancel her account.

The result? Partner’s scalding post now travels the Internet.

The Po!nt: Use common sense. Pushy tactics like these are nothing more than self-destructive.

I can’t stress enough the value that is waiting  for all of you who are hesitant to dive in. Connecting and engaging with your customer is only going to enhance your relationship—which in turn will turn into increased sales, repeat sales and additional sales to your customer’s friends. Are you  ready to gain the sales you have lost and build upon that to get more sales in this new economy? Let us know. We want to hear from you.

Best Nicole

In a post at the Viral Garden blog, Mack Collier discusses why so many companies struggle to launch and maintain active online communities. To find success, you’ll need more than a message board and good intentions, he says. Here’s some of his advice:

• Communities grow and thrive when you offer members something of value. “[They] do not form around the idea of being monetized,” he says. “Want to make money off your community? Fine, but you can’t monetize something that doesn’t exist.”
• They don’t materialize out of thin air. “One of the biggest myths about online community building is ‘if you build it, they will come,’” says Collier. He suggests reaching out to your target audience and explaining why they’ll benefit from participation.
• They benefit from the enthusiastic support of key participants. Some members will take a natural lead—identify these evangelists and show your appreciation. “Empower them to promote your community to others,” he says. “Showcase their contributions. And above all else, say thank you.”

The Po!nt: Don’t take anything for granted, and have a clear purpose. “[B]efore you start your online community-building effort,” advises Collier, “think about where you are, and where you want to be. Is the goal to make money, or is the goal to create a group of happy people?”

Source: Viral Garden. Click here for the full post.

In this article, they discuss various forms of social media and relate how it can be successful for several companies. My biggest lesson from this (and an important reminder of something that I’ve mentioned in the “about us” section of our blog) is that everyone has a story. The job of all advertising and marketing is to tell that story and let the customer help piece it together. The most important thing, especially in this new economic time, is to review your story and decide whether it’s being told. Are you having a conversation with your consumers and or target market about whatever it is you want to tell them about your brand? Or are you just force-feeding them what they should believe, regardless of what they think?

I have copied here a few tidbits of the interview to wet your appetite, but I highly recommend that you click on the link and read the interview for yourself.

“Now you have to try to be more authentic—even if it’s just authentically acknowledging that what you’re doing is advertising.”

“It used to be that companies would commission a study at great expense to find out what people thought about their product. Now you just go online and find out. It’s really scary at first. You realize there’s a whole dialogue going on outside your brand, and you can’t control it.”

“The feedback you get, though, is so much richer and more immediate than what we used to get. In focus groups, there’s always one guy who sort of steals the room, so you wind up getting his opinion and no one else’s. On ­YouTube, you put your ad up, and right away you can read the comments. It’s such a democracy.”

“Are there brands that are resisting this kind of change? Palmer: Sure. Almost any household brand you would find under your sink or in your medicine cabinet. The macaroni-and-cheese products of our daily lives. They assume their business practices will carry on forever.”

“Rasmussen: It’s not just Clorox. Even brands that are doing very well are resistant to this change. They want to take advantage of all these new media channels, but they’re afraid.”

The last paragraph includes the quote that I used in the title of this post. As stated by Trevor Edwards:

“Nike’s main marketing guy, had a great quote. He said, “Nike’s not in the business of keeping media companies alive, we’re in the business of connecting with consumers.” That sums up digital pretty nicely.”

Rasmussen: Clients are not saying, “Make us ads” or “Make us Web sites,” they’re saying, “Create interaction between our brand and our customers.” That’s our job now.

So…what is your company waiting for?

Click here to read the full article.

Best Nicole

Marketing Profs writes a daily blog called Get to The Point! One of today’s posts beautifully describes how understanding the ways in which your customer wants to connect with you and you with them, will help provide the pathway to the social media relationship that builds brand evangelism.

Enjoy their post. Best Nicole

Pepsi’s Scheme Fails Taste Test

By now, you’ve probably heard about a recent Pepsi outreach that delivered three packages, over the course of an hour, to 25 influential bloggers; the first two contained cans with logos from throughout the cola-maker’s history, while the last featured those with the latest design.
A note explained: “You’re part of a handful of digital and social influencers we’re reaching out to regarding a multiyear, companywide transformation.”

The delivery gimmick, which some found intriguing, didn’t pack its intended drama for a few recipients. Mack Collier, who lives in a rural area, was bemused by the silliness of having a courier sit in his driveway while waiting out the prescribed 20-minute interval between each delivery. Rohit Bhargava, meanwhile, missed it altogether—he was out of the country when the packages arrived.

Collier applauds Pepsi’s ambition, but takes issue with the initial stage of the campaign’s execution for these reasons:

“Sending bloggers stuff to get us to blog about it is soooo 2006,” he writes. “Sure it can lead to a ton of initial buzz, but if there’s no follow-up and if the buzz doesn’t lead to the start of creating connections with your customers, then it’s still money wasted.”

Companies should target online evangelists before they go after social media influencers.

In the world of social media, you’re sure to see a better ROI on time than on money.

Your Marketing Inspiration: Focus on the relationships that social media tools facilitate, not the tools themselves. “You want to use social media as a channel to better connect with your customers, as a way for you to better understand them, and for them to better understand you.”

We are going to try to provide all sorts of examples of great branding at the same time we discuss the problems, concerns and ways that companies do not speak to women or consumers in a way that encourages them to become brand evangilists.

I came across this article today in Ad Age MEDIAWORKS online. I thought this was a brilliant example of engaging and targeting consumers to build brand evangelists and sell more products.

In Japan, Uniqlo Microsite Lets Buyers Find Testimonials
Published: November 13, 2008

For a more in-depth look at this Idea of the Week and other case studies, visit Ad Age and CMDglobal’s Inspiration site.

Uniqlo wanted to sell its new Bra Top range and so recruited 300 Japanese women to represent the brand.

The 20- to 40-year-olds were filmed answering a range of questions, from their favorite food to what they liked about Uniqlo products, and the answers were then played on a microsite for like-minded women.

Filtering criteria allowed visitors to find women of a similar height, weight and shape and see how they answered the questions.

Sales of the Bra Top increased five-fold following the campaign, and at one point Uniqlo sold out all 1.7m units.

Best Nicole

A new day for everyone to review how they are going to move forward and make the kind of changes that incorporate new technologies, new ways to communicate, bring new ideas to the forefront and act upon them, engage others to take the initiative to make change, share how we can all work together to make the change that will dictate how we can live better lives than we did before.

Will I am produced a video last week called “A New Day” to announce this profound proud historical moment. His first video “Yes We Can” was created using the words of one of Obama’s speeches. Put to music this video set the tone for the new change taking place, where a new generation could be educated, share their new knowledge, engage others to get involved in the political process and help the country to get out and vote.

We are eager to share with you and more importantly have you share with us how companies, products and services will begin to shape the ways that they can bring about “their new day”.

Click here to watch the New Day video

Best Nicole

Ghandi said:

“We must be the change we want to see in the world.“

As a dynamic, innovative and smart group of women we want to discuss the ways in which we can make changes and come up with new ideas, so the world begins to see us as important, modern, insightful contributors. By creating offline and online branding experiences that help you find the products and services that represent who you are, living your best life.

For me it is the not only the quality of the products that make me a brand evangelist to some of my favorite things but the customer service, attention to detail and honesty that these companies exude that make me go back to experience them time and time again.

How important they feel I am, how interested in listening to my concerns, how eager they are to make changes that affect how my challenges can be solved and how easy it is to access the things that make my life flow is what is most important to me.

We want to talk about our lives, our experiences and the products, services, events, and people that inspire us to crave more. We want YOU to tell us about the change you want to see in your world. Together we can use our voices to begin to educate the companies, products and services about how to be the change that we want to see in them. So they can be the brands, companies and ideas that help us change our world together!

Best, Nicole