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Friday, July 29, 2011

Practical Simple Marketing in the News - 7/29/11

Practical Simple Marketing In the News
Can you believe that it's the last Friday in July? I bet you are ready for the 7/29/11 links and resources shared on Twitter and tagged #practicalmktr grouped here together in Practical Simple Marketing In The News.

Once again, thank you to my friend Bill Buyok from Avente Tile Talk Blog for contributing #practicalmktr  gems to this roundup! As you come across interesting articles and links, please don't hesitate to take part in sharing this knowledge.

Simple & Practical Marketing Data

  • Gr8 data in this white paper! New Research: Lead Generation Lessons From 4K Businesses. Dwnld the eBook! http://t.co/b6K73NG #practicalmktr
  • Have U read this study? How people R engaging journalists on Facebook/best practices http://ow.ly/5M2Hx #practicalmktr

    Practical Marketing Advice

    • Thorough run down on PR/mktng impications of Google+ http://ow.ly/5KzMr #practicalmktr
    • RT @dandb: Is your business ready for Google+? Here are some #tips to make sure you are. http://t.co/oWdn7Ts #practicalmktr
    • Including contests into your marketing strategy. What would you add to these 4 reasons? http://ow.ly/5LIWX #practicalmktr
    • 25 content ideas for your company's Facebook page: http://ow.ly/5LJ7o Note: don't automate! #practicalmktr
    • Gr8 advice: ABCs of working w/ graphic designer fr @ThomasClifford http://ow.ly/5M3hw #practicalmktr #cmi
    • Don't forget internal social media policies http://ow.ly/5M4dd #practicalmktr - don't forget external ones, too!

      Simple Marketing Inspiration

      • 35 smart social media business & consumer insights fr @BrianSolis via @TopRank http://ow.ly/5LI94 = intense #practicalmktr
      • Recommended read. Don't let the title fool you. These tips & tools are for anybody running a small biz! http://ht.ly/5L725 #practicalmktr
      • Words to the wise. Keeping the Content in Content Marketing: http://ht.ly/5NhD4 #practicalmktr
      • RT @JasonFalls: Great tips for salespeople - 5 ways to boost lead generation, from @leeodden: http://ar.gy/VCH #practicalmktr

        Brands Being Practical With Social Media

        • Perspective on IBM, social business & future: http://ow.ly/5LJ0Y #practicalmktr
        • Learn fr Intel's wise @Ekaterina who shares what small businesses can learn from social media http://ow.ly/5LIMw #practicalmktr
        • Have you heard of Ravelry, the social network for knitters? Note what makes it successful http://ow.ly/5M33a #practicalmktr
        • Wow! Social media tweaks defense strategy in Casey Anthony trial http://ow.ly/5M3IP #practicalmktr

        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

        Wednesday, July 27, 2011

        Getting Started With Social Media: Floor Covering Institute Blog

        Getting Started With Social Media: Floor Covering Institute Blog by Christine B. Whittemore
        Are you ever in for a treat! In my latest post for the Floor Covering Institute Blog, titled Getting Started: Social Media For Floor Covering Businesses, I had the opportunity to talk basics about social media.

        No surprise - whenever I talk social media, I like to provide perspective on the marketplace as well as on the evolution of the tools and how they are used. After all, how can you make meaning with digital tools if you don't understand the bigger picture that our customers - and their customers - live in?

        [You might enjoy a few of my previous posts on the subject. For example, "Blogs are now mainstream media."You Can No Longer Ignore Social Media and Marketing Effectively During An Information Revolution.]

        That's certainly what I did in my Floor Covering Institute Blog article...

        However, in this case, I thought the best approach was to immediately go to the piece de resistance or the most gripping visual representation that I've come across to relay the message...

        which is also my favorite social media video, created by Erik Qualman from Socialnomics, Social Media Revolution - in this case, version 3!

        The big deal here is that I had gone out into the webisphere in search of Social Media Revolution version 2, created in May 2010, and - I couldn't believe my luck! - chanced upon this latest updated, released on July 5, 2011.

        Impressive timing, don't you think?

        Do, go check out the resources - especially the video - and then, let me know what you think. Did you like the video? Did you like my blog article? Where the resources helpful?

        I can't wait to hear.

        Thanks for letting me know~

        Friday, July 22, 2011

        Practical Simple Marketing in the News - 7/22/11

        Practical Simple Marketing In the News
        Time for the 7/22/11 links and resources shared on Twitter and tagged #practicalmktr grouped here together in Practical Simple Marketing In The News.

        Special thoughts go out to those suffering from the intense heat. Be safe and stay cool.

        Special thanks to my friend, Bill Buyok from Avente Tile Talk Blog, for participating in #practicalmktr and finding gems to share with us!

        Practical Marketing Advice

        • Good advice! RT @brennermichael: Link Building Tips For Small Businesses http://bit.ly/pm4IZA #practicalmktr
        • From AdAge "surprising (content) future of Google+ http://ow.ly/5GvLu #practicalmktr - Fasten seat belts, ride is just beginning!
        • RT @samfiorella: 5 Listening Tools You Can Use 2 Hear Yr Blog’s Heartbeat http://twrt.me/hsyev via @DannyBrown | CB: Lovely #practicalmktr
        • Taking yr website to the next level: mobile, social, app, eCommerce: http://ow.ly/5KyCL #practicalmktr
        • RT @bethharte: How Evernote Works for Moms, Business, Everything in B/n http://t.co/Opqmn00 via @evernote (Cool! ...) #practicalmktr
        • A classic! RT @aventetile: An old post that still rings true! Good advice: How to Channel Yr Twitter Voice http://ht.ly/5H3xM #practicalmktr
        • What do you think? To Heck With Twitter, Biz Owners Say: http://ht.ly/5Hzn5 Surprised by how few biz owners use SM #practicalmktr or NOT?
          @Jamoore100 Not surprised. Everyone wants instant results w/SM. RT @aventetile: To Heck With Twitter, Biz Owners Say: http://ht.ly/5Hzn5 #practicalmktr

        Simple Marketing Inspiration

        • Schedule 1 hour per week to generate new ideas. Love this! Need 2 do more! http://ow.ly/5GrAz #practicalmktr
        • Protecting your brand from bullies on Facebook and elsewhere: http://ow.ly/5Iv6w Note having house rules! #practicalmktr
        • What is your blog goal? Inspiring thoughts from @MarkWSchaefer Quality matters more than quantity! http://ow.ly/5IDih #practicalmktr
        • This is beautiful: Proust, a social network for nostalgic seniors http://ow.ly/5IEjN #practicalmktr
        • RT @wilsonellis: 4 Easy Ways To Share Yr Expertise Online http://om.ly/BZGYZ //love "content bomb" & do it regularly #practicalmktr
        • RT @ambercadabra: Have a book? Need 2 pitch 1 to people? So much outreach is lousy. Here's h2 do better. http://bit.ly/qcXP3K #practicalmktr

          Brands Being Practical With Social Media

          • Ck out Monterey Bay Aquarium integrated ad campaign "Share the Love" http://ow.ly/5KxOG refers to Call To Axn #practicalmktr
          • Example of @sandy_carter Social Business: Domino's. Uses social media to reinvent company http://ow.ly/5FlaZ #practicalmktr
          • Brilliant! Social media = key way for IRS to reach taxpayer audience http://ow.ly/5GrTI #practicalmktr
          • Publishing model turned upside down? Twitter helps unfinished book hit #1 fr WSJ http://ow.ly/5IDVT #practicalmktr

          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

          Wednesday, July 20, 2011

          Content Talks Business Blog on SimpleMarketingNow.com

          Content Talks Business Blog on SimpleMarketingNow.com
          Change is afoot with Simple Marketing Now and I'd like to share that with you.  Namely, I've launched a new blog titled the Content Talks Business Blog. It's intensely focused on content marketing and social media marketing for business.

          I'm still at the early stages of building content there and here is what I've published so far. Several of these posts may be of interest to you...

          Generating Leads With Social Media relates to my presentation at MarketingProfs B2B Forum 2011.

          At that same conference, I enjoyed hearing about Facebook success stories. Here is my recap: Facebook Marketing for Business Tips: MarketingProfs B2B Forum 2011.

          I added to my How Do I? series with How Do I Get More Business? 13 Tips and summarized the series in 'How Do I' Social Media Marketing Series.

          [BTW, I've been revisiting the How Do I? series and creating from it a series of Tip Sheets and Getting Started Guides that I'll share with you in more detail in a separate post.]

          In B2B Social Media Assessment Questions, I recap many of the questions that come up during a client assessment session. I love the additions included in the comments! Perhaps you'll think of a few more to add.

          If you're looking for practical SEO perspective, you'll enjoy The Business of SEO: Get Found which captures highlights from a CBSAC/NY event.

          Finally, an official announcement - Press Release: 25 Women in Flooring Industry Includes Whittemore - about the news you read first in 25 Flooring Women to Reckon With! and a Welcome to the Content Talks Business Blog!

          That's it for now...

          I invite you to check out the Content Talks Business Blog.

          Let me know what you think.

          Do the blog articles bring to mind burning business topics you'd like me to address?

          If you like what you see, perhaps you'll subscribe for updates and let others know, too.

          Thank you!

          Best,

          C.B.

          Friday, July 15, 2011

          Practical Simple Marketing In the News - 7/15/11

          Practical Simple Marketing In the News
          [Did you enjoy your Bastille Day celebrations?] Here are the latest links and resources shared on Twitter and tagged #practicalmktr grouped here together in Practical Simple Marketing In The News for 7/15/11.

          Practical Marketing Advice

          • A practical look at Twitter's twitter for newsrooms http://ow.ly/5F1MZ Your reaction? #practicalmktr
          • RT @davekerpen: The Before, During and After of a Twitter Chat http://t.co/2CeDOge via @BTMurr #practicalmktr
          • What #practicalmktr questions come up re social media marketing in biz? I'll address them in my How Do I? Series http://hub.am/mQz683
          About Google+:

            Simple Marketing Inspiration

            • RT @aventetile: Good article, sound advice: business = re personal relationships. 5 Tips for Selling B2B http://ht.ly/5EtBg #practicalmktr
            • 3 reasons why building rapport in b2b business [or other] is so important http://ow.ly/5AjAu [TU @aventetile] #practicalmktr
            • New concept: vanity barcode! Perspective on what you can do w barcodes http://ow.ly/5AjvR #practicalmktr

              Brands Being Practical With Social Media

              • Here's how the White Pages are harnessing hyperlocal and mobile: http://ow.ly/5F1gx #practicalmktr
              • Colgate Smile campaign combines user generated media via facebook photos, outdoor advertising http://ow.ly/5ALS4 #practicalmktr

              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

              Wednesday, July 13, 2011

              Sandy Carter Gets Bold at MarketingProfs B2B Forum 2011

              Sandy Carter Gets Bold at MarketingProfs B2B Forum 2011
              I do enjoy listening to Sandy Carter, author of Get Bold: Using Social Media to Create a New Type of Social Business. She spoke to us at MarketingProfs B2B Forum 2011 and definitely hads us thinking about new trends in business, and particularly social business.

              [See my previous post titled Sandy Carter Integrates Social Media into the Marketing Mix.]

              These new trends are IT driven. Think of the evolution from mainframes, to PCs, the Internet and now Social, the fifth IT era, which by 2015 will represent a $100K market. Organizations  that embrace social and become social businesses will leverage all processes to be more engaging, transparent and nimble, using insights to make decisions faster. Outperformers are also 57% more likely to be profitable because of social.

              Social media used to be primarily for marketing and PR. Social businesses apply social media to all internal business processes.

              Sandy used the acrostic AGENDA to communicate what makes makes social businesses unique.
              • Align organizational goals and culture
              • Gain 'friends' through social trust
              • Engage through experiences
              • Network your business processes 
              • Design for reputation and risk management
              • Analyze your data
              Points that resonated with me:

              Align organizational goals and culture
              Culture eats strategy for lunch [example: BASF].

              Gain 'friends' through social trust
              It's critical to have a "trust plan" so you can pro-grammatically gain social trust from friends, followers and tippers [who impact 15% of friends and followers]. You need to identify trippers and influence them:

              1. need to be responsive and consistent
              2. be very transperant and open
              3. need to have subject mattter expertise

              Example: cars.com - dealers were tippers who didn't originally like the concept. Dealers were drawn into the plan.

              Engage through experiences
              You need a strategy to deliver exceptional experiences:

              1. integrated across channels on/offline
              2. interactive [need to engage and participate vs. observe]
              3. identifying/personalized experieces

              Example: LotusSphere 2011 included a social media aggregator that captured everything related to the event and significantly increased the satisfaction of participants.

              IBM has created open source gaming engines that are easy to customize. This is where Gaming, Mobile, Virtual gifting, Video [the #1 medium for trust!] and location based services play a major role in created engaging experiences. I think we'll see much more happening here.

              You can also engage through identifying and being personal, something that B2C companies do well. Example: Faberge will pick the right set of collectibles to show a potential customer based on responses to qualifying questions and online behaviors.

              Network Your Business Processes
              This means ensuring that all business processes - from marketing, customer service, product/service innovation, operations, human resources, etc. - are connected and communicating, and embrace social.

              Example: Watson on Jeopardy - Reached tippers to talk about it. Those who developed Watson were available for questions; Watson had its own Facebook page and Twitter profile; customers and fans created their own  ebook.

              Example: social product development - Coach: changed product development cycle and crowd sourced products. This generates word-of-mouth, engagement and leads - as IBM has noticed.

              The value of social business is significant with
              • 15% more revenue
              • 20% increased time to market and more success
              • 30% increased HR and talent management and increased speed to knowledge and expertise.
              Design for Reputation and Risk Management
              1. Have a plan and a team. Develop a disaster recovery plan.
              2. Be proactive and fast.
              3. Be transparent with 2 way dialog. Don't try to manipulate.

              Example: Domino's Pizza

              Analyze Your Data
              1. Comprehensive analysis of words important to you.
              2. Monitor sentiment about those words.
              3. Monitor for Affinity
              4. Predictive

              Example: Gatorade command center. Listened online. Thought that only athletes drank Gatorade, but learned that gamers did, too. Picked up quickly from listening that Michele Obama had observed a linkage between Gatorade and obesity. Allowed company to react proactively.

              Sandy definitely showed us the potential behind 'Get Bold'!

              What's your reaction to 'social business'? Have you come across any? How do you see transforming your business into a social business? Let me know in the comments.

              Friday, July 8, 2011

              Practical Simple Marketing in the News - 7/8/11

              Practical Simple Marketing In the News
              I hope you had a good return from July 4th or Canada Day holidays. Here are the 7/8/11 links and resources shared on Twitter and tagged #practicalmktr grouped here together in Practical Simple Marketing In The News.


              Simple & Practical Marketing Data

                Practical Marketing Advice

                • How to design a successful Facebook contest: http://ow.ly/5wBDi #practicalmktr
                • A simple guide for creating Facebook promotions: http://ow.ly/5vswn What R good examples you've come across? #practicalmktr
                • Gr8 stuff: how to make YouTube part of your social media marketing http://ow.ly/5wBNK #practicalmktr
                • FastCompany on Google+: http://ow.ly/5vurb I'm intrigued... #practicalmktr

                  Simple Marketing Inspiration

                  • Great advice fr @Nichole_Kelly re: hiring a social media agency: http://ow.ly/5vYBl #practicalmktr
                  • Brands serious about social media: don't be too cautious http://ow.ly/5wBG8 #practicalmktr
                  • So True! 'that website ain't gonna visit itself' What's your best idea? http://ow.ly/5vu8F #practicalmktr

                    Brands Being Practical With Social Media

                    • How to blend mobile marketing with social media: http://ow.ly/5vsjS "simple is best" #practicalmktr

                    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

                    Wednesday, July 6, 2011

                    Google For Productivity: TalkFloor Social Media Marketing Series

                    Google For Productitivity: TalkFloor Social Media Marketing Series
                    As valuable as Google is for digital visibility and for search & discovery, it's also an amazing productivity enhancer as I discussed recently with TalkFloor's Dave Foster.

                    Dave described the interview as follows:

                    Christine Whittemore Google as a Productivity Enhancer

                    Christine Whittemore, Simple Marketing Now in an ongoing series on online tools and social networking discusses Google as a productivity enhancer in areas of communications, collaboration, organizational, analysis, and advanced publishing. Whittemore talks about topics from chat opportunities and voice mail to working on community documents to Webmaster tools.

                    You can access all three parts of the interview by clicking on Christine Whittemore: Google as Productivity Enhancer. The segments range from 14 minutes to 18 minutes.

                    I consider to topic of Google the productivity enhancer particularly relevant for small to medium sized businesses – such as floor covering retailers, tile & stone contractors and others in the flooring business - which now have access to tools that used to only be available to large organizations with significant resources!

                    NOTE: To access most of these tools, you need a gmail account.

                    For the conversation with Dave Foster, I detailed several productivity categories:
                    • Communication
                    • Collaboration
                    • Organization
                    • Analysis
                    • Advanced - Publishing

                    You may consider others, but these struck me as the major ones.

                    Google for Communication
                    Via gmail, you not only access email, but also chat, voice mail and video calls {my other solution for video calls is Skype}. Email is searchable and features a new priority mailbox feature. Have you checked out Google voice? It offers one number for all phones. [Note: this video describes Google voice features.]

                    Google for Collaboration
                    Google docs are a terrific way to collaborate regardless of location! My favorite example is the master Twitter chat document which details all of the Twitter Chats taking place. The document is public and crowd sourced so it is always up to date. It's also very easily accessible. I've just recently used Google docs to create a lengthy survey. The results automatically pre-populate a spreadsheet for easy analysis.

                    Calendars, as Daryl Ciokiewicz from Floorcrafters in Wisconsin does, can be used to schedule installers.

                    Google Groups allow you to organize people and explore already existing groups.

                    Sites allow you to create a wiki for your work group to exchange information and collaborate.

                    Google Sketchup – I learned about this from Paul Anater, Kitchen & Residential Design. He uses it to create 3d models of spaces he is designing.

                    Google for Organizing
                    If you haven't yet, do try Picasa to help organize, edit and share photos. Install it on your desktop and it will find all the photos you have on your computer and organize them so you can actually find them when you need them!

                    I like to use Google Calendar as a content calendar. I find it more user friendly than Outlook Calendar for that purpose. I also use the to do list functionality.

                    Don't forget Google Reader to organize your different feeds and alerts.

                    Google for Analysis
                    You have two powerful tools available here: Google analytics for websites and Webmaster tools.

                    Advanced: Google for Publishing
                    Google offers many valuable tools for publishing: Blogger, YouTube, Feedburner, Picasa online, and Picnik for easy online photo editing [~ photoshop].

                    This conversation only scratched the surface of what's available from Google to help with productivity. You may be looking for a checkout solution for your website or a means for translating your content into another language. Google even offers Google apps for Business instead of using Microsoft Office, for example.

                    Assignment
                    Go create a gmail account, experiment with communicating, collaborating or organizing.

                    Explore Google/options and let me know in the  comments which Google tool you find most interesting. How has it improved your productivity?

                    Friday, July 1, 2011

                    Practical Simple Marketing in the News - 7/1/11

                    Practical Simple Marketing In the News
                    Happy Canada Day to my Canadian friends! Happy July 4th weekend to my U.S. friends! Here are the 7/1/11 links and resources shared on Twitter and tagged #practicalmktr grouped here together in Practical Simple Marketing In The News.

                    Practical Marketing Advice

                    • The ultimate guide to LinkedIn Marketing: http://ow.ly/5ttV9 Lots of good resources #practicalmktr
                    • RT @davekerpen: 5 Twitter Chats You Shouldn’t Miss http://t.co/ByEMMYY via @MallorieRose #practicalmktr
                    • Janet Discoll Miller shares search engine marketing tips fr Internet Retailer Conference http://ow.ly/5qDwQ #practicalmktr
                    • Great advice: 6 tips for avoiding social media failure: http://ow.ly/5qCK7 #practicalmktr
                    • QR Codes: how to make them effective. Note 'simplicity' http://ow.ly/5qDqq #practicalmktr

                    Simple Marketing Inspiration

                    • Interesting observations about Facebook and retail marketing. TBD. http://ow.ly/5qCz2 #practicalmktr
                    • Educational & informational content best for b2b lead generation. Fr eMarketer http://ow.ly/5qim0 #practicalmktr
                    • Insights on why get involved in social media now vs. later: http://ow.ly/5qDFm #practicalmktr

                      Brands Being Practical With Social Media

                      • Fascinating to witness how Greenpeace uses social media to promote rainforest agenda with Mattel: http://ow.ly/5qmJe #practicalmktr
                      • Marvelous case study: How H&R Block use social media to help customers thru tax season stress http://ow.ly/5qCcr #practicalmktr
                      • Real world example: how Delta connected social media and customer service http://ow.ly/5qCZ5 #practicalmktr
                      • Everything begins with listening! Fr @FastCompany - Social Democracy: White House Learns to Listen http://ow.ly/5ukcw #practicalmktr

                      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
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