Archive for April, 2009

Moving Social Media into the White House

Monday, April 27th, 2009

obama-biden08smallThe Obama-Biden campaign was a clear confirmation that we as citizens hold a tremendous amount of power and, when we unite, that power creates change. Uniting an entire nation was no easy task, but the use of emerging social media in the campaign was the most effective way to connect a nation. By leveraging the power of the crowd, the Obama-Biden campaign took political awareness and civic engagement to new heights.

The Obama-Biden campaign was able to unite 5 million “friends” across 15 social media platforms, with 3 million “friends” on Facebook alone. When CNN and Facebook teamed together on Inauguration Day, the result was over 136 million page views by 3:30 PM! MyBarackObama.com was an incredible, user-centric tool to put the power into the hands of its 2 million users, while attracting 8.5 million monthly visitors.  The scope and scale of the Obama-Biden campaign is unmatched and it was the power of social media that made these results possible.

Now, the successful (and soon to be historic) campaign has come to a close.  The hard work of the campaign team team has paid off and the first, and most difficult, 100 days of the new administration have come to a close.

So, how can President Obama move social media into the White House?

The first and most logical step has already been taken: YouTube. The Obama Adminstration’s use of YouTube to directly address citizens about new developments of the economic crisis harkens back to Roosevelt’s Fireside Chats during the Great Depression.  The technology may be different, but the idea is still the same.

Upgrading the White House Twitter is a great way to increase civic engagement and interest, especially among voters 18-24 who make up the largest population of uncast votes.

Perhaps the President could open an account on Delicious, a social bookmarking tool? This could be utilized to bookmark any important press about what the Obama Administration is up to, as well as press about important legislation.

WhiteHouse.Gov has done a great job updating their website and blog.  But, the sad reality is, how many people check White House.gov on a regular basis? I would say not many.  The White House website could also benefit from using social media to reach out to the largest amount of Americans in the most efficient way.

Why wouldn’t President Obama leverage the power of  his cultural presence through social media to keep American citizens informed about what’s going on the world? His personality is the hook and social media is the platform. Isn’t it time for his message to be heard, loud and clear, through all possible media to all corners of the world?

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CRM’s – So what have I found out?

Thursday, April 23rd, 2009

So in my past couple of blogs, I’ve chatted about what a CRM is, how they can help businesses and what the critics think of them. But what do I think? Well, even though the world of CRM’s is still somewhat new to me, I certainly do have a few opinions.

 salesforcelogoIn my research for this blog, I discovered that in 2005, ISM (International System’s Marketing) invited 46 companies to submit products for testing and 41 responded. Not a bad response, although this wasn’t exactly a large sample. Nonetheless, it was probably enough to get a fair representation of the industries top bids. And in this 41, Salesforce was among the top 17 winners in the SMB (small-medium businesses) category.

 So from this result, and the critic’s response (see my last blog) we would expect Salesforce to be a super competitor in the CRM provider’s race no? Hmm…. well I’m not so convinced. In my experience although the customer service desk was more than attentive and really rather pleasant, the specific knowledge for my case wasn’t readily available. Salesforce and MAC haven’t yet sat down at the same table, although they are both inviting each other to the party. Come on people – it’s 2009… to not be MAC savvy is rather poor, and quite a blow to their “leading status” is you ask me.

 So which provider did I like? Well I’m a believer of cheering on the underdog – Highrise wasn’t even mentioned in the SMB category for the ISM testing… but it was a winner in my book. Highrise is far more buddy with MAC (i.e. uploading v-cards and bcc-ing emails directly from the MAC mail feature). Okay so it is not as intricate as Salesforce, but what is the point of having the party with balloons, streamers and fancy lighting if there is no venue or guests? So for now, Highrise is my number one.

But whether you chose Highrise, Salesforce, or any other of the 46 companies one thing is universal, and Alyssa Dver from the DM review Magazine, just about sums it up:  “CRM is here to stay… it will continue to change the way we work and live” – and I couldn’t agree more. Bravo.

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 So you’ve heard what I have to say… now I’d love to hear your thoughts. Do you agree? Are you at the Salesforce/MAC party without me? Or is there another provider that passed me by? 

 

 

 

 

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Twitter’s “Sexiest Man Alive”

Monday, April 20th, 2009

hugh-jackman-20060825-155170Last Tuesday, Actor Hugh Jackman (of X-Men fame) announced via Twitter that he plans to donate $100,000 to an individual nonprofit organization.  Here’s the catch, he’s going to choose the organization based on how Twitter users leverage their 140-character Tweets to describe their favorite cause.

For those of you who have been living under a rock, Twitter is the hottest new social networking tool, condensing everyone’s favorite Facebook feature: the Newsfeed.  Twitter users create a profile and are given only 140-characters to say what they are doing, share a website or give a shout-out to a friend or colleague.  These 140 character “tweets” force Twitter users to be succinct and just give the bare details. URL shortening sites such as bit.ly have cropped up to accommodate this new shortened form of communication. An instant sensation, Twitter has been used by everyone from celebrities to your next door neighbor; from Presidents of businesses to the President of the United States (yes, Barack Obama did use Twitter during his campaign!) to communicate with friends and family or to network and share ideas. All using these bite sized tweets.

And now, Twitter is being used for philanthropic endeavors.  Twittering for a good cause? Something about it sounds appealing. And who better to kick off the new, charitable side of Twitter than an acclaimed actor with worldwide fame and People Magazine’s 2008 choice for “Sexiest Man Alive”? This just goes to show how far a few tweets can go.

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CRMs – So what do the critics say…?

Monday, April 20th, 2009

crm-award-2004_360x2591You’ve heard of the Oscars right? And the Olivier’s? Well how about the CRM Awards? Okay, well perhaps they are not as well publicized as the others, but the fact that these even exist proves that CRM is deemed quite important within the industry.

The buzz around these tools can be demonstrated by the fact that I found out about these awards on a website wholly dedicated to CRM (SearchCRM.com) of which there are numerous – many with CRM news sites, CRM Magazines and CRM blogs. The relevance of this tool could not be more apparent; it is the recognition that CRMs is the hot topic in the industry and a must-have tool. To stay ahead of the curve, companies need to use this tool to its optimum ability to ensure steady and rapid business. Without happy customers, there is no business to have.

So what do the critics think of the various options that are out there at the moment?

Well, one critic who is certainly rather underwhelmed by Microsoft’s 1.2 version was FontRange’s Archie Wilson, declaring

“[I would have] thought Microsoft’s hundreds of developers could have created something better that Microsoft CRM, instead of something which was essentially “a subset” of what was currently available.”

So what else is there? How about Sage’s “Sage Sale Logix v7.5”? Critic Rick Whiting  from CRN discusses David Tinjum’s (CEO of Customer FX) approval of this one quoting that this “new version… should help Sage stand out in the CRM market where Microsoft (NSDQ:MSFT) and Salesforce.com have been getting most of the attention lately.”

So here are two… and with the vast number of CRM tools out there today I could go on for pages and pages. But I won’t. Instead, in my next blog, I’ll get down to the nitty gritty – which CRM tools have I tried out and what exactly I think of them…

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Women need to MARKET each other

Tuesday, April 14th, 2009

Today, the Perks Consulting team started our morning at a Power Breakfast organized by 85 Broads. The event was held at AJ Maxwell Steakhouse in the heart of Manhattan. After a delicious breakfast of scrambled eggs, bagels and fruit salad, we  had the chance to network with successful women in a wide variety of businesses, as well as listening to the very inspiring guest speaker, Courtney Banks. Banks has an impressive background with a range of experiences related to being an ambitious female in the most male dominated business of all time: Homeland Security.

Throughout her speech, Banks emphasized the importance of females supporting each other and how this needs to be emphasized even more in today’s troubling economy. The reality is that people are being laid off and/or fired and many of the women in the audience have experienced this. Basically, what women need to do now more than ever is to MARKET each other. Banks, along with 85 Broads founder Janet Hanson, is doing more than her share by organizing events, publishing books and articles and reaching out to women everywhere. One of the cornerstones of female empowerment and the importance of women supporting each other is how we can do this. And it is not as hard as it sounds. Banks asked the audience a simple question,

“How many of you can say that you actually help women?”

None of the women in the audience raised their hands today, and that is fundamental if we want to see a change. And we should want a change, because why is it that it is 2009 and we still have a majority of men at high-powered positions? Not to talk about the wage gap. According to the AFL-CIO, the average 25-year-old woman  will earn $523,000 less than the average working man in her entire career.

 

Females should consider themselves to be on the same team and organizations such as 85 Broads are instrumental in bringing women together. Networks are here to support each other. Women make up a global network that has a long way to go before we can say that we are equal to men. Ever since the network started in 1997, 85 Broads has been doing their share by arranging events like these. If we can succeed in bringing women together more hands will be raised at the next Power Breakfast, and then we will know we are on the right track.

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Selling Luxury During a Downturn

Friday, April 10th, 2009

12051704650knb5tAs discussed in a previous blog, women are willing (and in some cases a little too willing) to break out the wallet for beauty during troubled times. Still having trouble keeping your beauty business afloat? Here are a few quick tips about how to keep women looking gorgeous during a recession.

    1. Give your marketing a makeover.
    Think about the Dove “Real Beauty” campaign. This is a classic example of how marketing can make a huge impact on your business. By taking a simple bar of soap and packaging it in a big idea about how we view beauty, Dove was able to leverage powerful marketing to make a huge splash in the beauty industry.
    So, how can you apply this to your beauty business? Give your brand a boost. By repackaging your services, you can find new ways to add value to existing services.  And, endless technological possibilities provide us with endless cost-effective alternatives to spread the word about your services.
    2. Differentiate your beauty business from your competitors.
    Show your clients that your business is the one to choose.  Making your business stand out from the crowd is essential when times are tight.  Research of your competition and create ways to outshine them. Keep an idea of your target customer in mind and think about what they need but aren’t getting from your competitors.
    3. Create an environment of relaxation.
    With all the stress caused by the recession, what your clients really want is to relax. Make your spa the place women go to get away from it all. Try serving beverages or snacks to your guests. Play relaxing music. Use aromatherapy or candles.  Find ways to relax your clients by appealing to their five senses. This will show that you are attentive to their needs.
    4. Give guests goodies.
    What draws people in more than anything? Free stuff!  By giving your guests trial sizes of their favorite products, you will entice them to return for more. Make personalized recommendations to get clients hooked on your products and services. If you’re tight on products try giving clients a trial service, like a free five-minute massage.
     Create a weekly special, bonus or coupon.  Giving your clients a discount will draw in new customers and providing a “tenth visit free” card will keep them coming back.
    5. Network, network, network!
    Attending networking events is the fastest way to meet new clients and also provides you with an opportunity to talk about your services in-person. Everyone loves looking pretty, so the services you provide could easily be worked into a casual conversation. 
    Reach out to clients you haven’t heard from in a while.  With today’s internet-obsessed culture, very few people are actually picking up the phone to call clients. Giving your past customers a quick call allows you the opportunity to update them on new promotions or services, and it personalizes the customer service interaction.

spa_features_mastheadThe beauty industry is a great place to be during a recession, since people turn to beauty as a form of therapy when times get rough. In fact, careers in the beauty field were listed on HRWorld’s list of Top 25 Careers to Pursue during a Recession.

So, go the extra mile to remind your clients that just because times are tough doesn’t mean they have to look it.

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Does the fitness industry need to slim down on services?

Monday, April 6th, 2009

apple_weightsPeople often say that the “gym membership I never use” is one of the first things to go when they cut back the budget. But, taking a closer look at the fitness industry actually proves otherwise.  According to the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association, many gym members view their membership not as an extravagance, but as a solid investment in their health. In turn, the fitness industry often continues to thrive during economic crises. Rather than cutting back membership, club members are showing up to work out more than ever in an effort to make the most of their membership. Maryalicia Johnson, a spokeswoman of the YMCA, says that the gym is a place that many people flock to seeking solace and a sense of control during difficult times. 

However, the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association cites that only 15% of Americans have a gym membership and an approximately 21% of people in the average community have memberships to local clubs. So, how can you survive these troubled times without slimming down on services?  Here are four tips to help your fitness club come out on top.

1. Buff Up your Marketing

Make sure that your marketing efforts are paying off. Amp up your marketing by trying to reach new and existing clients through a variety channels. Attend conferences and networking events, or embark upon an direct-mail marketing effort. Offer special events or promotions to draw in clients. Pick up the phone and reach out to club members you haven’t seen in for a while to give them an update. Do whatever it takes to spread the word about your fitness club and to motivate people to stop by.  

2. Get online

If you don’t have a website, now’s the time to launch one! If you do have a website, maybe it’s time to think about giving it a facelift.  Use social media to build buzz around the launch (or re-launch) of your website. Finding creative ways to utilize online marketing strategies is a key way to reach a large audience on a small budget. 

3. Add New Workouts/Services

Keep things interesting at your club by thinking outside the box.  By offering programs and classes for emerging workouts, you may end up catching the interest of new members, as well as existing clients.  Send the message that your gym is constantly looking for ways to meet its clients’ needs. 

4. Add Value to Old Workouts/Services

Along the same vein, make sure that clients (old and new) don’t forget about the wonderful services you already offer.  Find new and exciting ways to maximize these services. Invite guest instructors. Figure out how to pump up your existing classes and remind your clients why they love your gym.

Now is the time to show your club members and potential clients that, no matter how hard times may get, they always need their health.

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Why We Still Shell out for Lipstick During Tough Times

Friday, April 3rd, 2009

superstock_1491r-1038649In 2008, Americans spent $11 billion on self-help and self-improvement materials, including books,CDs and personal coaching.

Newsflash: We’re in a recession! 

So why are people still paying for products that aren’t the bare essentials? Because, in addition to selling self-improvement, these motivational materials are selling something that’s been missing from the global market as of late: HOPE. 

“[The gurus] aren’t selling you the features–they’re selling the image,” says Steve Salerno, author of Sham: How the Self-Help Movement Made America Helpless. “Whatever they think you’re deficient in, they’re selling the solution.  (Source: “What People are Still Willing to Pay For”, by Melanie Lindner, Forbes)

During dismal times, consumers are likely to keep buying products that get them through their day, the little luxuries that make us all feel a bit better. We turn to these “touchstones of emotion” that are with us through good times and bad.

lipstick1

Enter lipstick.

In a recent London Survey, four out of every ten respondents said, although they felt the need to cutback in 2009, they would rather scrimp on gas and electricity than their favorite beauty products. (Interestingly enough, Vaseline Lip Balm was the number one product British women can’t live without.) On our side of the pond, lipstick sales have historically shown a marked increase during times of economic unrest, and nearly doubled after the 9/11 attacks.

The bottom line: we really can’t live without lipstick.

What other products or services will you pinch pennies for?

     

 

 


 

 

       

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