Today in honor of Earth Day - Starbucks is giving free cups of coffee for those who bring in a reusable container and to those that save their paper container and want a refill! I love it. Happily this morning – I took my reusable container in support of our planet earth. Interestingly my regular Starbucks was busy As usual – but most visitors were using the standard paper cup. Upon my arrival there were at least 6 people in line before me and I noticed one person other than myself who had brought a cup. Read the rest of this entry »

All businesses are using their online marketing efforts to build their brand, market their products and services and for many businesses – they want their visitors to take action in the real world. It is that integration of offline, in-store, events and the online initiatives you make – that can entice your audience – for a response to your call to action – like getting them into your store, participating in events or purchasing products that you may not offer via an e-commerce store. Read the rest of this entry »

One of my colleagues and friend – put forth a wonderful opportunity to me today – to pitch a new client. Nothing is more rewarding than receiving a referral. It came forth via the client – that the idea that I – as the leader of our firm – with a long career in the fashion business prior to building our agency – might only understand social media in the context of related products such as consumer packaged goods for instance. Read the rest of this entry »

The best way to show our readers that a serious, planned approach to social media as a key marketing channel can lead to success (when integrated with offline channels), is to provide case studies or corporate examples of triumph and prosperity.

Today’s post is going to do just that. In 2008, Starbucks (YES, I am one of their devotees ) found themselves in some serious hot water. Sales were down, there were major corporate management changes (which included Starbucks former CEO Howard Shultz returning and some management being let go), store closings, and some of the rapid rate expansion was slowed so that the company could go back to basics. The challenge? “How do they get back their relationship with their customer — the one they had when they first began?” Shultz claimed that, “Starbucks had lost its soul.”
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It’s not just the large companies that are getting in the Social Media game—it’s also the small “mom and pop” shops that show how success can be attained in building customers by using twitter. For those that are looking for case studies to support the notion that social media can drive success (proof that it’s safe to dive in) the article I am going to post from the New York Times is for you.
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