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Friday, May 27, 2011

Practical Simple Marketing in the News - 5/27/11

Practical Simple Marketing In the News
For those of you in the US, are you ready for the long Memorial Day weekend? I am. I'm actually surprised how ready I am for it and I'm delighted to have started noticing yesterday the slowdown in web based traffic.... Before you shut down completely, though, you may enjoy this week's links and resources shared on Twitter and tagged #practicalmktr grouped together in Practical Simple Marketing In The News.


Simple & Practical Marketing Data

    Practical Marketing Advice


    • Lots good ideas in Friday Fives: five common website mistakes fr @neicolec #practicalmktr http://ow.ly/4Z64q
    • Secrets behind successful landing pages: http://ow.ly/50ivP What have you found works best? #practicalmktr
    • 5 must haves for a successful social media initiative fr @heidicohen http://ow.ly/50iQY #practicalmktr
    • 7 steps to disciplined business blogging http://ow.ly/50iYp #practicalmktr
    • Pay attention! Facebook call to reality for fan pages: 7 big mistakes http://ow.ly/5453T #practicalmktr

      Simple Marketing Inspiration

      • Considering writing a book? Here are #CMI 11 steps to creating successful business book http://ow.ly/50izK #practicalmktr

        Brands Being Practical With Social Media

        • I'm very excited about having Square set up: http://ow.ly/52hZt #practicalmktr
        • Have you watched this 20 min video re: how HP created its social media center of excellence http://ow.ly/50i4v #practicalmktr
        Here's a link to previous editions of Practical Simple Marketing In the News.

        Thank you for reading!

        Happy Memorial Day Weekend, too!

        ---
        If you enjoyed this post, consider subscribing to Simple Marketing Blog via email updates or RSS.

        Best,
        C.B.

        Image credit: “#PracticalMktr” Wordle by CB Whittemore

        Thursday, May 26, 2011

        Blogging and Community: Worth Embracing!

        Blogging and Community: Worth Embracing!
        Did you know that you are far more likely to get results from your blogging efforts if you embrace community and ditch the arms-length-business attitude? By that I mean reaching out, being social and comfortable interacting as a human being on your blog. It's true! And it doesn't mean that you aren't professional.

        I come across many blogs - especially as I explore the blogosphere in search of new ones to include in The Social Flooring Index and other Social Ranking Indices. Sadly, I notice many that haven't figured out the importance of community to blogging.

        These are blogs that are self-focused, don't engage much outside their own world or website, certainly don't link out to anything of substance, and seem as painful to maintain as they are to read. In the visualization above from eCairn Conversation, these are the blogs along the periphery resembling wall flowers at a dance.

        Oftentimes, it's not the blogger's fault. He or she just doesn't know any better. It's so easy to get started using social media tools and many organizations will start blogging without spending time beforehand planning and strategizing to figure out how to integrate these new communication programs into their overall business and marketing plans.

        Many may not even realize that at the heart of these 'social' tools is the opportunity and expectation to be social and become part of a customer community.

        They may not have thought through that becoming part of a community takes commitment, planning and awareness of the world beyond their companies' walls and websites.

        Not that any of this is impossible. It's just that it takes getting used to because traditionally businesses don't think about interacting, acknowledging, respecting and learning from their customers. They haven't spent a lot of time communicating in terms relevant to their audience and focusing on their pain points, hopes and desires. They've just been too busy focusing on themselves and how wonderful they are.

        Getting back to blogging and community - for those businesses able to make this mental transition and willing to embrace customers and community, it's a matter of a few changes that bring new life to blog and blogger. Here are a few that come to mind...

        1. Banishing the passive voice and using first person.
        2. Linking to other interesting articles or blogposts you come across - even if it means that readers might leave your site.
        3. Identifying the blog author(s) with photos and 'about us' information. Don't forget to include contact information.
        4. Adding to your blog's sidebar, not only #3, but also links to other blogs you read [aka a blogroll].
        5. Proactively and programmatically reaching out to others in the blogosphere in your blogposts and via comments.

        What else comes to mind? In this post, How Do I Evaluate a Blog?, I discuss what I look for in a noteworthy blog.

        The result of these changes is becoming part of a community that is as passionate as you are about your area of focus. Not only can you retire from the wallflower gig, but you'll also find that you absorb all kinds of new ideas that you can extend to your readers and customers, giving them reason to come back to your blog.

        What do you think?

        ---

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        Tuesday, May 24, 2011

        Generate More Leads With Social Media: MarketingProfs B2B Forum Presentation Offers Advice

        For Immediate Release: May 24, 2011

        Curious About Generating More Leads With Social Media?
        MarketingProfs B2B Forum 2011 Presentation Offers Advice

        Kinnelon, NJ – At the upcoming MarketingProfs 2011 B2B Forum – the premiere event for B2B marketers – on June 13-15 in Boston, Christine B. Whittemore, chief simplifier of Simple Marketing Now LLC, and Kipp Bodnar, inbound marketing manager for Hubspot, will present “Generating Lower Cost Leads With Social Media”. The presentation takes place June 14, 2011 from 1:45pm to 3pm EST.

        “Generating Lower Cost Leads With Social Media” will offer advice on how B2B businesses can integrate social media as a lead generation tool into their business model. The session offers best practices for generating leads through social media and examines case study examples of how B2B marketers are using social media to generate leads.

        “Social media tools are valuable for building brand awareness and demonstrating thought leadership,” says Whittemore. “They can also help B2B businesses generate high quality leads. This session will not only explore how, but also explain how to do so effectively.

        Whittemore has been immersed in social media since 2006 – personally, for a brand and for her business. She is the author of Flooring The Consumer – a highly acclaimed weblog about the customer retail experience and marketing to women and an AdAge Power 150 Marketing Blog. She also writes the Simple Marketing Blog, a Junta42 Top 42 Content Marketing Blog and contributes to MarketingProfs.

        Bodnar is Inbound Marketing Manager at HubSpot, a leader in marketing software for small and medium-sized businesses. He leads HubSpot's content marketing team—the group of marketers that uses social media, content and search engine optimization to get HubSpot found by prospective customers.

        To learn more about MarketingProfs B2B Forum 2011 and register for the event, visit http://www.marketingprofs.com/events/business-to-business-forum-2011/conference. Use speaker discount code SPEAK100 to save $100 on the registration fee.

        For information about Simple Marketing Now, visit http://SimpleMarketingNow.com. Or, simply contact Whittemore at cbwhittemore@SimpleMarketingNow.com.

        # # #

        About Simple Marketing Now LLC

        Simple Marketing Now, a marketing communications consultancy, helps organizations integrate social media and content marketing with traditional marketing to better connect with customers and improve business profitability.

        Simple Marketing Now issues the Social Flooring Index which monitors the social state of the Flooring Industry and Flooring The Consumer about marketing to women and the retail experience.

        About MarketingProfs

        MarketingProfs is a rich and trusted resource that offers actionable know-how to help you market your products and services both smarter and better. Entrepreneurs, small-business owners and marketers in the world’s largest corporations make up its 383,000 subscribers, making it the largest in its category. Through the MarketingProfs Web site, newsletters, conferences, seminars, forums and so on… we help you navigate your way to market your business and keep you informed of the newest and best tools. Think of us as a beacon of light illuminating the path through the clutter.

        For more information, visit http://www.marketingprofs.com/

        Friday, May 20, 2011

        Practical Simple Marketing in the News - 5/20/11

        Practical Simple Marketing In the News
        Here are this week's [i.e, 5/20/11] links and resources shared on Twitter and tagged #practicalmktr grouped here together in Practical Simple Marketing In The News.

        Simple & Practical Marketing Data

        • The What, Why & How of Social Media http://ow.ly/4WZlf - lots good references even tho fr 2009 #practicalmktr

          Practical Marketing Advice

          • RT @MarketingProfs: 5 Twitter Sentiment-Tracking Tools for Any Budget (especially minuscule ones!): http://bit.ly/kxdBDc #practicalmktr
          • From ClickZ, 5 secrets to YouTube search optimization http://ow.ly/4TXCv #practicalmktr
          • 7 tips for managing a Facebook wall. Note having a policy. http://ow.ly/4YQ4Q #practicalmktr
          • Have you tried Facebook's new photo tags? http://ow.ly/4Uhc2 #practicalmktr
          • When someone steals your content, how to fight back fr @magalogguy http://ow.ly/4WI0i #practicalmktr
          • Answering tough questions from hostile audiences - 4 tips: http://ow.ly/4YQ1I #practicalmktr
          • Stalking with style on LinkedIn fr @neolane include gr8 suggestions on getting more out of it: http://ow.ly/4W8dc #practicalmktr #in

            Simple Marketing Inspiration

            • Marvelous! RT @DrewMcLellan: Storytelling for Social Media http://bit.ly/kA407e from @servantofchaos #practicalmktr
            • Getting the C-suite to embrace/lead social media marketing http://ow.ly/4YPZP #practicalmktr
            • Love this twist on social media policies: here's what you SHOULD do! http://ow.ly/4TzTj #practicalmktr

              Brands Being Practical With Social Media

              • Tupperware to increase its social media presence per NYT: http://ow.ly/4WoFG - Sure makes sense #practicalmktr
              • Reference: 19 sources for social media case studies and examples http://ow.ly/4U3qM #practicalmktr
              • Really clever ways to engage on Facebook fr travel cos http://ow.ly/4TzQS #practicalmktr [love the video!]
              Here's a link to previous editions of Practical Simple Marketing In the News.

              Thank you for reading!

              If you enjoyed this post, consider subscribing to Simple Marketing Blog via email updates or RSS.

              Best,
              C.B.

              Image credit: “#PracticalMktr” Wordle by CB Whittemore

              Thursday, May 19, 2011

              Google For Search & Discovery: TalkFloor Social Media Marketing Series

              Google For Search & Discovery: TalkFloor Social Media Marketing Series
              After a long hiatus [our last interview took place in December 2010], Dave Foster and I resumed our social media marketing discussion series, continuing where we left off in Google for Visibility: TalkFloor Social Media Marketing Series as we explored  Google for search and discovery.

              To listen to the three-part interview - which TalkFloor's FloorRadio describes as follows - simply click on this link: Christine B. Whittemore on Social Networking & the Many Options on Google:

              Christine B. Whittemore, Simple Marketing Now, in an ongoing series on social networking discussing investing in social network vs. building ones website and the benefits available on Google including: Google Alerts, Google Profiles, Google Places, Google Zeitgeist, Google Trends, Google Adwords and optimizing websites using Google’s SEO starter guide.

              This was a wild discussion that went into a multitude of Google related directions. Here are my notes. I hope you enjoy the interview.

              Part I of Google for Search and Discovery - the Many Options on Google: 15 minutes

              The conversation starts with smartphones and how they bridge between the digital and the physical or analog world. [If you haven't already checked it out, you may enjoy the link to Mary Meeker's mobile presentation in Social, Mobile, Legal: NY Law School 2011 Conference.]

              These are the recent seminars and presentations I refer to:
              Common questions that come up during presentations:
              We discuss the importance of understanding what your business objectives are, who are your customers and what matters to them as well as how you differentiate yourself in marketplace. From there you can develop a plan and more successfully integrate your online work into your overall business. It also avoids the 'seat of the pants' element that Dave refers to.  Social profiles are easy to set up; but it's also really easy to waste time and become frustrated with how to make them meaningful to your business.

              Here is the link to the video - Social Media Revolution 2 - the Refresh - I mention. It's approximately 4 minutes long and refers to possibly the most well respected networker and relationship builder of all time: Dale Carnegie. Born in 1888, his best seller How To Win Friends and Influence People was written in 1936. That is what's at the core of what social and digital tools enable: getting to know customers, building a relationship and establishing trustworthiness.

              I've noticed a trend with adding social icons to a website to look hip and socially connected. Unfortunately, when you click on those icons and check out the profiles, you realize that there's nothing going on. The icons are purely cosmetic when there's opportunity to do so much more!

              Spend time up front with your business objectives, understanding you customers, your competition, your strengths.. You want a website that offers potential value with great (blog) content that you can share on other platforms.  If you have nothing to share, you'll have a hard time sustaining social efforts long term. It's all  interconnected.

              It's easy to share/interact on your website by including a Facebook widget or your Twitter feed [just make sure you are creating meaningful content!].

              Beware of autoposting because communities are not all the same. The dynamics differ from Facebook, Twitter to LinkedIn, etc.

              Part II of Google for Search and Discovery - the Many Options on Google: 16 minutes

              In this segment, we recapped several of the highlights from the Google for visibility interview [e.g., Google profile and Google Places, Google SEO starter guide] and I recommend that you check out the links and notes from that session [link in first paragraph]. Since then, I've written How To Manage Your Online Reputation which reinforces how to keep track of what's happening online, and the value of Google alerts [and checking on your Google juice].

              Beware of taking short cuts to improve search engine rankings.  Google has changed its search algorithm in response to short cuts JC Penney and others had taken [see The Dirty Little Secrets of Search from the New York Times].

              Google For Search & Discovery
              Click on image for larger view
              Spend time exploring Google search. It changes periodically and you are sure to find valuable tools to use.

              Note that we now get blended results where you'll see a mix of social results [which may include recommendations based on your social circle], video, photos and what's relevant to your IP address in addition to more traditional search results. This will vary depending on how popular your search query is.

              Notice “instant” results – which offer suggestions as you type a query. This is a quick way to get feedback on search terms.

              For a more objective result, log out of Google, try different browsers [which you may be able to access at the bottom of the left sidebar in the 'something different' section. This changes. Think 'wildcard'!].

              You can change your location to see different geographic relevant results.

              Click on 'more search tools'. I find the 'timeline' option fascinating. You can look for historic relevance. For carpet, for example, you'll notice references dating back to 500 BC! You can also specify time ranges.

              That's where you'll find the WonderWheel which visually represents related search terms and topics. It's a great source of ideas.  [See Choosing Keywords with Google Wonder Wheel.]

              We discussed real world benefits to using Google for Search and Discovery.  The flooring world is filled with wrong customer product expectations [I'm sure this is true in other industries].  Wouldn't it be nice to address those expectations up front and prevent problems?  [Here are the frustrations my Mom encountered when she was in the market for flooring!] Help your customers and address their concerns in FAQs that are readily available on your website.  Offer recommendations. Anticipate what they will experience.  Listen to the words they use. Our online presence has to be about our customers.

              Google For Search & Discovery: - Wonder Wheel
              By the way, I recommend a timer or alarm clock to help you manage your time as you explore Google search results.

              You'll want to spend time searching particularly in the discovery phase as you validate keywords and topics relevant to your marketplace and customers.

              Part III of Google for Search and Discovery - the Many Options on Google: 13 minutes

              Dave and I discuss geographic search, Google Places, searching based on location. It's good to experiment and see how results differ based on changing location.

              The New York Times had a fascinating article titled Advice From a Sticky Web Site on How to Make Yours the Same which brought up the value of "local local" and connecting with potential customers on a very local level.  See my post How Are You Finding New Customers?; it refers to the stat that 97% of local customers use online media to research businesses in their community.  "If you can't be found, you don't exist!"

              You might also enjoy Results Revolution's Plan for the New Economy With the Niche Model.

              Other Google Tools for Search & Discovery:

              Try Google Insights for Search to compare search volume patterns across specific regions, categories, time frames and properties. Here are ideas on how to use Google Insights for Search. I did a comparison of Mohawk flooring vs. Shaw flooring vs. Beaulieu carpet using Google Insights. Note that it's a North American  marketplace. Go explore and drill down by region or state.

              You'll enjoy John Simonson's post titled Google Insights for Search for carpet, hardwood & laminate flooring for 2010.

              The Google Adwords Keyword Tool is not only immediately relevant for PPC, but it allows you to better understand keywords, variations [e.g., plural vs. singular] and how competitive the words are. For example, did you know that hardwood is more competitive than carpet?

              The research allows you to discover patterns, better understand your competition, find the words that are meaningful to potential customers when they start the search process and go from a general one word search to increasingly specific 4, 5 and 6 word searches. See How to Use Google Adwords Keyword Tool for SEO.

              Yes, all of this takes time, but it allows you to find better qualified leads. You are focusing on quality rather than quantity and 'qualified potential customers'. It's part of your preparation work and ensuring that all of your marketing efforts work harder on your behalf!

              Summing up Google:
              Google puts valuable information into your hands with these search and discovery tools. They allow you to an determine how to connect with customers with relevant, meaningful content. You can be smarter with what you offer customers.

              Next Google as productivity enhancer.

              What's your reaction to this conversation about Google for search and discovery? How do you use Google? Which tools have you found most helpful? Have you been surprised at what you discovered while searching?

              Added 5/20/11: Google has introduced the Inside Search Blog - the official Google Search blog.

              --
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              Wednesday, May 18, 2011

              Social, Mobile, Legal: NY Law School 2011 Conference

              Social, Mobile, Legal: NY Law School 2011 Conference
              On April 4th, 2011, I participated in New York Law School's lecture series conference entitled "Advertising & Media Law: Spring Rush. Are YOU In?" to share marketplace insights. Not only did the conference explore how social media is affecting advertising and media law, but it also addressed mobile and legal.

              The New York Law School 2011 conference included three panel discussions:

              • Getting the Most Bang Out of a Social Media Boom

              • Rolling Out a Multi-National Advertising & Promotional Campaign

              • The Genius Behind Brand Integration, Brand Recognition, and Fantastic Tie-Ins

              Other than serving as an expert witness, I have had limited professional dealings with lawyers. When Michael Rubin recommended me as a panelist to Anthony diFrancesca, New York Law School adjunct professor in the Advertising & Media Law section of Job Track - a certification program in the Institute for Information Law and Policy geared toward students pursuing careers in various areas of intellectual property law, including media & advertising, fashion law, video game law, and music law - I was intrigued.

              After all, social media is still evolving and laws haven't kept up. We're figuring out what's right with respect to  privacy, contests, reputation management, customer expectations and intellectual property - to name just a few topics. The legal preference - to err on the side of caution and control - tends to come into direct conflict with social and community based preferences. In other words, it's a bit of a Wild West!

              Anthony invited me to join the panel, "Getting the Most Bang Out of a Social Media Boom" given my social media and content marketing expertise. We considered issues such as legal implications, deciding which platforms to run on, how to get the most for your money, performing consumer research, when campaigns go "viral" and the evolution of social media. Here's the official list of Social Media panelists:
              • Jeffrey Greenbaum, Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz
              • David Binkowski, EVP, Digital Marketing, Lippe Taylor
              • Christine Whittemore, Chief Simplifier, Social Media Marketing Consultant, Content Marketing Strategist at Simple Marketing Now LLC
              Unfortunately, Michael Rubin, First Third National Bank could not join us as he had planned to do. He, David and I would have been the few non-lawyers present.

              The other New York Law School conference panels included:

              Rolling Out a Multi-National Advertising & Promotional Campaign addressed how to ensure the knowledge of all international laws and regulations, navigating through cultural and governmental differences, hiring local counsel and identifying target markets.
              • Joseph Lewczak, Davis & Gilbert LLP
              • Ted Lazarus, Senior Counsel, Google
              The Genius Behind Brand Integration, Brand Recognition, and Fantastic Tie-Ins explored 'doing the deal' and  what are some common sticking points when negotiating brand integration deals? What are some of the intricacies of these types of deals (i.e., how much of the label do you show?). Avoiding brand overkill: How much is too much…of the brand? What does the future hold for these types of promotions?
              • Kesari Ruza, Senior Counsel, HBO
              • Iris Temple, Counsel, Legal Affairs, Rainbow Media Holdings LLC
              • Dan Malasky, Senior Counsel, Professional Tennis, United States Tennis Association
              Christine B. Whittemore at New York Law School 2011 Lecture Series Conference
              CB Whittemore presenting at New York Law School
              There were the highlights that stuck with me:

              Particularly for big brands, bring in the legal team early. We're in the midst of an evolution; the government has issued rules where there weren't many. For example, Section 5 of the FTC Act prohibits "unfair or deceptive acts or practices".

              An endorsement is "any advertising message that consumers are likely to believe represents the opinions, beliefs, findings or experience of a party other than the sponsoring advertiser."

              ERSP says that you can't advertise untypical performance.

              Understand legal risk. Saying 'I'm sorry' too often has legal implications; it could lead to a class action lawsuit [!]. [By the way, Zappos' decision to honor a $1.6 million pricing error sure puts into perspective legal risk and being true to your customers.]

              Every social property has its own promotion guidelines. For example, Facebook says you can't ask people to like you to get free product. Twitter says they aren't responsible. Furthermore, the rules change regularly.

              It's wise to have a social media policy.

              For the record, undercover marketing is unethical. [It's also plain stupid from a social media marketing perspective. Just in case you had any notions.] Be sure to communicate with customers. Let them know you are advertising to them.

              I particularly enjoyed Google's Ted Lazarus' comments relating to mobile:  93% in the US have mobile devices. By the end of 2011, 50% will have a smartphone. Think about what is being done via those phones: searching, researching, emailing, purchasing, networking, taking photos and video... 79% of people are using their phone when buying; 74% are buying with their phones and yet 79% of large online advertisers have not optimized for mobile!

              He referred to the "oracle of mobile", Mary Meeker. Here is a link to Mary Meeker's Latest Amazing Presentation About the Future of Tech which is filled with delicious mobile details!

              Something to keep in mind: mobile does not just mean a phone. It also applies to tablets and other cordless computers where the device untethers us...

              About location-based marketing, he brought up the following:

              1 in 3 mobile searches have to do with local resources, to contact a business and visit a specific location.  15% of apps in the app store are local. This is useful, but sensitive information. Which rules apply? No statute or regulation precisely addresses the use of location within context of mobile marketing.

              Using location based options has to be opt-in to take into account privacy concerns.  It must allow choice, selective termination where feasible and revocation.

              The last panel discussion includes fascinating details about how to promote and protect brands and enforce intellectual property, from the US Open, Mad Men and HBO.

              Thank you, Anthony, Andra Dallas, Dhyana Estephan, my fellow panelists and all those involved in organizing the New York Law School 2011 Conference! I enjoyed the experience.

              If you'd like to experience the entire New York Law School 2011 lecture series conference "Advertising & Media Law: Spring Rush. Are YOU In?", click on this link.

              By the way, New York Law School writes the Ad Nauseum Blog.

              Having read all this, and possibly even listened to the conference, what are you reactions to social, mobile and legal? How do you see navigating the marketplace given all of the changes taking place?

              ---
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              Tuesday, May 17, 2011

              Recapping NJ AMA 5/10/11 Presentation: Managing Your Reputation in a Social World

              NJ AMA 5/10/11 Presentation: Managing Your Reputation in a Social World
              I really enjoyed my 5/10/11 NJ American Marketing Association (NJ AMA) Presentation: Managing Your Reputation in a Social World.

              I had been looking forward to meeting Natalie Piccotti, vice-president of programming for NJ AMA, in person given our intense exchanges of emails, phone calls and tweets. However, I didn't expect to see Mary Ann Blackburn whom I first met on May 25th, 2010 at Social Media Club North Jersey: Customer Feedback In a Social World. And, I didn't expect to meet so many interesting marketers who brought such diverse perspectives to this discussion on social media marketing and social reputation management - from pharmaceuticals, to non-profit, branding, associations, finance, medical and a few more in-between.

              Here are the slides from my presentation  Managing Your Reputation in a Social World! If you're interested in some of the articles I refer to, you'll find the links in this post titled Highlights from the MarketingProfs online seminar about Managing Your Social Reputation.

              Managing Your Reputation in a Social World - American Marketing Association - New Jersey Chapter

              View more presentations from NJAMA
              CB Whittemore with NJ AMA President Elect Andre Paquin
              CB Whittemore with NJ AMA President Elect Andre Paquin
              During my presentation, I referred to several authors and their books. Here they are with links directly to Amazon:
              I think you'll also enjoy these authors who are friends and talented marketers:

              CB Whittemore with NJ AMA President Sandra Ghezzi
              CB Whittemore with NJ AMA President Sandra Ghezzi

              From David Rogers: The Network Is Your Customer: Five Strategies to Thrive in a Digital Age
                Finally, here is a link to my *timely* Content Marketing Institute article titled 6 Ways to Manage Your Online Reputation.

                Thank you, Sandra Ghezzi and Andre Paquin, for inviting me to speak.

                Thank you to all the New Jersey chapter of the American Marketing Association (AMA) members and guests who attended the 5/10/11 presentation for your warm welcome and wonderful questions. I really enjoyed myself!

                If you have questions relating to Managing Your Reputation in a Social World, please don't hesitate to ask.

                ---
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                Friday, May 13, 2011

                Practical Simple Marketing in the News - 5/13/11

                Practical Simple Marketing In the News
                Happy Friday! Have you had a good week? I bet you are ready for this week's links and resources shared on Twitter and tagged #practicalmktr grouped here together in Practical Simple Marketing In The News...

                [Here's a link to Flooring The Consumer with Retail Experience links #retailexp.]

                Before I get started, special thanks to Natalie Piccotti and the New Jersey Chapter of the American Marketing Association for welcoming me so warmly to the NJ AMA meeting this week [recap coming shortly].

                Simple & Practical Marketing Data

                • Have U explored @GalenDY 2010 list top B2B Blogs? Hoping an update is coming. Lots of new gems http://ow.ly/4PeBo #practicalmktr

                  Practical Marketing Advice

                  • "Email Marketers R in Content Biz" @juntajoe tells it like it is! http://ow.ly/4P52O #practicalmktr
                  • Wisdom fr @MarketingProfs: 5 ways 2 use social media in email campaigns http://ow.ly/4P5ki #practicalmktr
                  • Leave it to @pchaney to come up with 16 #practicalmktr Facebook Marketing Strategies! http://ow.ly/4RLqp
                  • RT @JimKukral: How to Turn a Blog Post into a Press Release http://bit.ly/iWdq1I #practicalmktr
                  • 50 Questions! Wow RT @apowerpoint: Q&A on content marketing -- http://bit.ly/mdStk9
                  • What timing on this given my @amaofnewjersey event re: Managing Social Reputation: http://ow.ly/4Tzj7 #practicalmktr
                  • Get more done in less time: 15 tips http://ow.ly/4QyeI #practicalmktr

                    Simple Marketing Inspiration

                    • Always gd sign when Strunk & White R mentioned: #practicalmktr writing tips http://ow.ly/4OmUK
                    • RT @cspenn: #the5: Want to become a leader, corner a market, or make a bunch of money? Learn data arbitrage: http://ar.gy/K.p #practicalmktr
                    • How might you deal with these social media marketing challenges in yr biz? http://ow.ly/4Tznb #practicalmktr

                      Here's a link to previous editions of Practical Simple Marketing In the News

                      If you enjoyed this post, consider subscribing to Simple Marketing Blog via email updates or RSS.

                      Thank you for reading!

                      Best,
                      C.B.

                      Image credit: “#PracticalMktr” Wordle by CB Whittemore

                      Thursday, May 12, 2011

                      Right Brain/Left Brain in Business: a CBSAC/NY Event

                      I recently attended a Columbia Business School Alumni Club of New York (CBSAC/NY) event titled "Right Brain/Left Brain MBA". The title intrigued me. Furthermore, two of the participants were classmates from Columbia Business School [and another a classmate from Smith College!]! I had to go.

                      I wasn't disappointed.

                      As Claire Steichen, organizer of the event, explained, the idea for this event came from contrasting the traditional MBA career paths in Financial Services or Consulting to those in more creative environments. The event's participants included:

                      Claire Steichen, a coaching and leadership development consultant, worked in cosmetics and luxury goods.

                      Mike Rataczak pursued human resources at Cole Haan, Limited Brands, including Victoria's Secret and Henri Bendel, and as a consultant. 

                      Celeste Gudas, an entrepreneur and recruiting industry innovator, launched her company 24 Seven as a strategic, creative workforce solutions partner for Fashion, Retail, Advertising, Marketing, Design, Interactive/Digital, Media, Beauty, CPG and Entertainment industry companies. 

                      Right Brain/Left Brain MBA
                      Terri Meyer, co-founded her company The Terri & Sandy Solution, after 25 years on Madison Avenue to bring brand-igniting communication platforms to clients in faster, smarter, more cost-efficient ways for companies such as Nestle, Kodak, Kraft, Gerber, Campbell’s, Clairol, and American Standard...
                      Andrew Goldman has pursued an intense passion for the movie industry ever since seeing Jaws as a kid. He now lives it at HBO/Cinemax.

                      Each panelist answered questions such as:
                      • How did you get into the industry?
                      • How did you know it was right?
                      • How does creativity manifest itself in less creative environments?
                      Although the focus was on creativity in the business workplace and finding the ideal working environment and position, several insights seemed particularly relevant for businesses eager to embrace marketing with social media and content marketing...

                      Right Brain/Left Brain in Business, CBSAC/NY Event
                      Creativity generates positive energy that touches everyone involved.

                      There's a melding of creativity in every role and job.

                      Many of us are ambassadors between creativity and business.

                      Do everything with integrity

                      Motivation requires intense interest [i.e., passion].

                      You need to have passion.

                      Know yourself and your business.

                      Listening skills are critical. It's okay to say you don't know the answer.

                      Mike stated the following - which I found profound!

                      Right Brain/Left Brain in Business - CBSAC/NY Event
                      "Building a brand is like making a movie. You need to know how you will contribute to building the brand. It takes both right and left brain to tell a movie. Figure out your role in the movie and draw a picture for others of how you contribute."

                      I love the image. It's completely relevant to creating engaging content for end users and figuring out how to answer the questions our customers have. We're trying to understand their movie and find a role for ourselves that makes credible sense.

                      The panelists suggested the following books to read:
                      Have you read any of these books? Which did you like best?

                      Comments, reactions, questions? How do you meld right and left brains in your business? How do you bring creativity into problem-solving and business? How do you stay motivated?

                      Thank you, Claire, Mike, Andrew, Celeste and Terri. I really enjoyed the conversation!

                      Wednesday, May 11, 2011

                      Online Conversations Evolve on Floor Covering Institute Blog

                      Online Conversations Evolve on Floor Covering Institute Blog
                      In my latest post on the Floor Covering Institute Blog, I explore the evolution of online conversations in the floor covering industry based on the research and analysis I've done for the Social Flooring Index.

                      The post is titled "Floor Covering Conversations Evolve".

                      Here is an excerpt:

                      "Online conversations enable collective learning and creative problem solving. They generate feedback on ideas that may not be fully developed or have room for as-yet-unidentified changes in approach.

                      They also allow you to develop an understanding for the thought-process of the person writing, begin to establish a relationship and start trusting what that person expresses. Not too different, if you think about it, from what an pen pal exchange or ongoing business correspondence used to make possible...."

                      I'd love to hear your reactions and observations. How do you see industries such as flooring evolving in their conversations? What topics should they be discussing that they aren't?

                      Thanks,

                      C.B.

                      Tuesday, May 10, 2011

                      Survey: How Do You Generate Leads? Need Your Help!

                      Survey: How Do You Generate Leads? Need Your Help!
                      I need your help! Could I impose on you for a few minutes for a survey?  This is to find out how you generate leads for your business.  I'm hoping you're willing to share with me your insights on and experiences with what has worked best for you in generating leads. Also, have you seen successes in integrating social media into your lead generation process?

                      I'm conducting this research for a presentation that I'm putting together [more on that in a separate post] and expect that this will also lead to a blogpost or two... I will definitely share with you what I learn.

                      To participate, please click here to take the "How Do You Generate Leads?" survey.

                      If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact me. Responses due ASAP or by Friday 5/13/11.

                      Feel free to share this link with others, too.

                      Many thanks!

                      Best,

                      C.B.

                      Friday, May 6, 2011

                      Practical Simple Marketing in the News - 5/6/11

                      Practical Simple Marketing In the News
                      What a whirlwind of a week! I attended my first ever #140conf, the Fashion140 and reconnected with Columbia Business School alums during a CBS Alumni Club of New York presentation titled Right Brain/Left Brain MBA event. I promise I'll recap these experiences... soon ;-).

                      Meanwhile, here are the 5/6/11 links and resources shared on Twitter and tagged #practicalmktr grouped here together in Practical Simple Marketing In The News.

                      [If you are interesting in the retail experience, check out Flooring The Consumer with Retail Experience links #retailexp.]


                      Simple & Practical Marketing Data

                      • Content sharing fuels social media boom - research fr AOL & Nielsen http://ow.ly/4LKIj #practicalmktr

                        Practical Marketing Advice

                        • Nice! RT @berniebay: 11 Sales Attributes of a LinkedIn Company Page. A B2B must have strategy. http://ht.ly/4L64t #LI #practicalmktr
                        • Small Business advice: 6 effective social media strategies http://ow.ly/4KJzQ #practicalmktr
                        • Wisdom on H2 optimize a Facebook Fan Page. Note: claim that vanity URL! http://ow.ly/4KJZB #practicalmktr
                        • TU! RT @cspenn: For evening crowd, have U turned on Facebook Insights for yr website/blog? Here's how & why http://ar.gy/Jzx #practicalmktr
                        • RT @sharonmostyn: Optimizing #SocialMedia Pages for Search - eMarketer http://j.mp/m5adHD via @AddToAny #SEO #practicalmktr
                        • Nicely organized: 6 steps in developing a social media strategy fr ClickZ http://ow.ly/4Nxhc #practicalmktr

                        Simple Marketing Inspiration

                        • Lovely details on what goes into building trust/being authentic online http://ow.ly/4JqSy #practicalmktr #retailexp
                        • Digiday interview with Federated's @JohnBattelle: http://ow.ly/4KK49 note document vs. people driven searches #practicalmktr
                        • Love these suggestions for managing time! Have you tried them? http://ow.ly/4OlvP #practicalmktr

                          Brands Being Practical With Social Media

                          • Inside Intel's FB attack strategy. Wisdom from @ekaterina during SxSW panel http://ow.ly/4LJZg #practicalmktr

                          Here's a link to previous editions of Practical Simple Marketing In the News

                          Thank you for reading!

                          If you enjoyed this post, perhaps you would consider subscribing to Simple Marketing Blog via email updates or RSS.

                          Best,
                          C.B.

                          Image credit: “#PracticalMktr” Wordle by CB Whittemore

                          Wednesday, May 4, 2011

                          How To Manage Your Online Reputation

                          How To Manage Your Online Reputation by CB Whittemore
                          Just in time for my New Jersey Chapter of the American Marketing Association presentation on Managing Your Reputation in a Social World, here are my suggestions on how to manage your online reputation in a post written for the Content Marketing Institute.

                          It's titled 6 Ways to Manage Your Online Reputation and starts out as follows:

                          "Whether you manage a brand, a business or yourself, your online reputation matters, particularly if you’re serious about creating a meaningful content strategy for engaging with potential customers."

                          In the post, I encourage readers to use themselves as an example as they go about exploring how to manage their reputation online. I know of no better way to validate, test, probe and understand the results that I find. In so doing, the insights have more meaning. I can intuitively interpret what I see and extrapolate the process for my company or brand.

                          These are the recommendations that I've included in 6 Ways to Manage Your Online Reputation:
                          • Monitor Your Google Search Results
                          • Develop Digital Profiles
                          • Listen Intensely
                          • Set Expectations
                          • Evaluate Your Website
                          • Plan For the Worst
                          Each section includes details, tips and examples to help make each way to manage your online reputation more relevant to you and your business.

                          I'd love to  hear your reactions and experiences. What would you add to the list? What have you found valuable in managing your online reputation?

                          Let me know here or please comment on my original post, 6 Ways to Manage Your Online Reputation.


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                          Tuesday, May 3, 2011

                          5/10/11 NJ American Marketing Association Presentation: Managing Your Reputation in a Social World

                          5/10/11 NJ American Marketing Association Presentation: Managing Your Reputation in a Social World
                          Exciting News! The New Jersey Chapter of the American Marketing Association [AMA] has invited me to present "Managing Your Reputation in a Social World" on Tuesday, May 10th, 2011, at the Marriott Hanover in Whippany, NJ. The event starts at 5:30pm and ends at 8:30pm.

                          You may remember that this is the topic I addressed during my MarketingProfs inaugural online seminar on March 10th - "Managing Your Reputation in a Social World". For reference, here is my summary of  links and references: Managing Your Social Reputation: Highlights.

                          I'm looking forward to doing this event in person and hearing what questions come up.

                          The Agenda for the 5/10/11 New Jersey AMA Presentation is as follows:

                          5:30 – Registration Opens
                          5:30 – 7 pm Dinner and Networking
                          7:00 – 7:15 AMANJ Meeting
                          7:15 – 8:15 Presentation
                          8:15 – 8:30 Q&A
                            To register for the event, visit EventBrite for Managing Your Reputation in a Social World.

                            Pricing is as follows:
                              Christine B. Whittemore, Managing Your Reputation in a Social World
                            • $40 for current AMA members
                            • $35 for students with a valid current student ID
                            • $55 for guests
                            NOTE: If you aren't a member of AMA, but would like to attend as my guest, simply enter VIPGuest when you register and you'll be eligible for the AMA rate rather than the guest rate.

                            Please let me know if you have any questions. The EventBrite registration page includes a great deal of information on the event. If you'd like to read more, here's a link to the press release: NJ AMA Presents 'How To Manage Your Company’s Reputation in a Social World' 5/10, Marriott Hanover.

                            Thank you and I look forward to seeing you at the Marriott Hanover!

                            Best,

                            C.B.


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