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via honeybeebarn.com
testing only
13 Jun 2011
helping you buy and sell loved and cherished children's clothes | Honey Bee Barn
20 Mar 2011
Why Curation Is Just as Important as Creation [OPINION]
via mashable.com
Create Content or Curate Others a Key Issue for Bloggers and beyond, is this a billion dollar opportunity really...read on?
6 Mar 2011
Seth's Blog: The limits of evidence-based marketing
That's what most of us do. We present facts and proof and expect a rational consumer/voter/follower/peer to make an intelligent decision on what's better.
That's how science works. Thesis, test, evidence, conclusion. All testable and rational.
Here's the conversation that needs to happen before we invest a lot of time in evidence-based marketing in the face of skepticism: "What evidence would you need to see in order to change your mind?"
If the honest answer is, "well, actually, there's nothing you could show me that would change my mind," you've just saved everyone a lot of time. Please don't bother having endless fact-based discussions.
[Apple tried to use evidence to persuade IT execs and big companies to adopt the Macs during the 80s. Ads and studies that proved the Mac was easier and cheaper to support. They failed. It was only the gentle persistence of storytelling and the elevation of evangelists that turned the tide.]
What would you have to show someone who believes men never walked on the moon? What evidence would you have to proffer in order to change the mind of someone who is certain the Earth is only 5,000 years old? If they're being truthful with you, there's nothing they haven't been exposed to that would do the trick. I was talking to someone who has a body of artistic work I respect a great deal. He explained to me his notion that the polio vaccine was a net negative, that it didn't really work and that more people have been hurt by it than helped.
I tried evidence. I showed him detailed reports from the Gates Foundation and from the WHO and from other sources. No, he said, that's all faked, promoted by the pharma business. There was no evidence that would change his mind.
Of course, evidence isn't the only marketing tactic that is effective. In fact, it's often not the best tactic. What would change his mind, what would change the mind of many people resistant to evidence is a series of eager testimonials from other tribe members who have changed their minds. When people who are respected in a social or professional circle clearly and loudly proclaim that they've changed their minds, a ripple effect starts. First, peer pressure tries to repress these flip-flopping outliers. But if they persist in their new mindset, over time others may come along. Soon, the majority flips. It's not easy or fast, but it happens.
That's why it's hard to find people who believe the earth is flat. That's why political parties change their stripes now and then. It wasn't that the majority reviewed the facts and made a shift. It's because people they respected sold them on a new faith, a new opinion.
food for analytical thought or creative extrapolation...
5 Feb 2011
Set Up Your Apple Device for Google Sync : Google Sync - Google Mobile Help
To set up Google Sync on your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch device, please follow the steps below.
Requirements and Upload
1. Google Sync is only supported on iPhone OS versions 3.0 and above. You can check your current version by going to Settings > General > About > Version. To upgrade, follow the instructions at http://www.apple.com/iphone/softwareupdate/. Please upgrade to iPhone OS 3.0 before setting up Google Sync.2. Perform a sync with iTunes to ensure that Contacts and Calendars from your iPhone are backed up to your computer. Learn more about backing up your Contacts and Calendars.
3. If your business, school, or organization uses Google Apps, your administrator will first need to enable Google Sync before you can take advantage of this feature. Note that if you enable Google Sync, your administrator may also exercise additional remote management capabilities (such as remote wipe or password requirements). Click to learn more or contact your administrator.
Getting Started
1. Open the Settings application on your device's home screen.
2. Open Mail, Contacts, Calendars.
3. Tap Add Account....
4. Select Microsoft Exchange. OS 4.0 now allows multiple Exchange accounts. However, if you're on a device that doesn't let you add a second account, you could also use CalDAV to sync Google Calendar and IMAP to sync Gmail.
Enter Account Info
5. In the Email field, enter your full Google Account email address. If you use an @googlemail.com address, you may see an "Unable to verify certificate" warning when you proceed to the next step.
6. Leave the Domain field blank.
7. Enter your full Google Account email address as the Username.
8. Enter your Google Account password as the Password.
9. Tap Next at the top of your screen.
9a. Choose Cancel if the Unable to Verify Certificate dialog appears.
10. When the new Server field appears, enter m.google.com.
11. Press Next at the top of your screen again.
12. Select the Google services (Mail, Calendar, and Contacts) you want to sync.
13. Unless you want to delete all the existing Contacts and Calendars on your phone, select the Keep on my iPhone option when prompted. This will also allow you to keep syncing with your computer via iTunes.
If you want to sync only the My Contacts group, you must choose to Delete Existing Contacts during the Google Sync install when prompted. If you choose to keep existing contacts, it will sync the contents of the "All Contacts" group instead. If there are no contacts on your phone, the latter will happen -- the contents of your All Contacts group will be synced.
You've set up Google Sync! Synchronization will begin automatically if you have Push enabled on your device. You can also open the Mail, Calendar or Contacts app and wait a few seconds to start a sync.
Next choose which calendars to sync, if you'd like to enable multiple calendars.
via google.com
Google Sync for Iphone article in google how to do the sync make sure itunes latest sync done before set-up, also available for blackberry and android
23 Jan 2011
3 Ways to Design Your Own Clothes Online
via mashable.com
Link: http://mashable.com/2011/01/16/design-your-own-clothes/
Virtually design your outfits and have them made custom fashion see what you think?
Google Promoted Videos Keywords Marketing and Premium Placement
21 Jan 2011
5 Lessons For Email and Social Integration > Smart Insights Digital Marketing
We know that email subscribers, and now social media followers, are so valuable since they’ve given permission to receive communications. The problem is that vanilla flavoured, promotional messaging en masse will fail – the different audiences in those channels most likely have different information needs.
I read an interesting case study that’s similar to another project I have been working on. It’s a US business effectively combining email and social tactics creating 120% increases in traffic – and to the right web pages. I thought I’d share the summary here.
The good news – this case study is not a mega brand like Starbucks or Oreo, so it’s a bit more real, the company is a much smaller cookware and cake decorating business called Wilton, an established business of 80 years, one that has grown adept at push marketing via email . The business had two realisations (I hope more companies have these):
- Consumers are already interacting with each other around the subject matter, Wilton’s were not a part of that conversation but recognized they should and could be
- It was no longer sufficient to push out content and try to control the flow of communication
So what did they do?
- They assumed nothing and sought to understand how email subscribers, Facebook fans and Twitter followers related to one another – what were their behaviours in each channel and the extent of cross-over. You can use tools like Flowtown to aid this to some extent, but Wilton’s chose direct survey’s that asked the questions to email subscribers and social media fans and followers. As an example, Wilton found that 50% of their combined Facebook fans and Twitter followers were also email subscribers, much lower than they expected.
- Develop an intimate understanding of why those subscribers, fans and followers choose to connect. Why are people using those communication tools to connect with your brand? Through further questioning, Wilton released that email subscribers were more heavily engaged with the brand and were expecting “how to” content (I stress the words ‘expecting’ and ‘content’), in their case this is baking and party ideas for mums. The reason is that the email subscribers are typically existing consumers of the product already. The social media fans and followers are less committed and far less likely to have purchased, they’re interested in offers and announcements that are product focussed – they want reasons to buy.
- Wilton’s sought to grow social and email tactics by cross promotion, this gave the brand more opportunities to communicate and ‘touch’ the consumer. Given that the overlap between the subscribers, fans and followers was deemed low, they simply promoted the other channels wherever possible and provided the reason ‘why’.
- Co-ordinate for multi-channel promotions. Wilton’s have an annual centre-piece for marketing, a yearbook for ideas, recipe’s and tips. With a traditional, launch email campaign at the centre, Wilton’s now also promotes content previews via Twitter about the launch and product ideas, and uses Facebook as the means for interaction and Q&A, encouraging dialogue and ideas sharing.
- Campaign development and timing. Wilton’s stagger the content publishing and promotion across both email and social as part of campaign execution, so for example Halloween relied on their blog, You Tube and Facebook for sharing useful “how to’” videos detailed in a section in the book, Twitter was used to illustrate product applications for Halloween recipes and tips, and email tied it all together.
120% increase in traffic, why did it work? Erwin, Wilton’s head of marketing, claims the reason it worked is simply because people have so much more content choice, they want relevant information when they need it – the opportunity is that you have thought about both those things and reference your product at the right moment, as part of the solution.
The case study, along with 5 others worth reading, are here on Marketing Sherpa’s web site.
Digital marketing tactic: Email marketing, social media
Digital marketing technique: Digital media integration
Advice type: Case study
Expertise level: Intermediate
Related Posts:
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Smart Insights and a case study about using email with Social Integration.
5 Jan 2011
Ipad set to dominate? CES 2011: tablets and televisions set to dominate consumer show - Telegraph
When it comes to products, Apple is also setting the tone. At CES a slew of iPad competitors is coming – one of the best is most likely to be previewed by Motorola, whose unnamed Android tablet was shown off by Google's Andy Rubin late last year. Sarah Rotman Epps, an analyst at Forrester, reckons that "tablets are proving themselves to be lifestyle devices at home and at work, and as such we think consumers will upgrade to newer models more rapidly than they would a more utilitarian device like a PC". This is music to manufacturers' ears, and specifically to Apple investors: "In other words, we think a significant number of first-generation iPad buyers will buy iPad 2 when it comes out this year," continues Rotman Epps. The Consumer Electronics Association's Chief Economist, Shawn DuBravac, estimates more than 100 new tablets will be seen at CES.
via telegraph.co.uk
Here comes the Ipad Apps Store and Look-a-likes enter as mainstream consumer electronics devices like iods rather than seen as PC's seamlessly crosses the divide between work and home, more than 100 new models and makes at the CES 2011 show. The Android Platform is perhaps the main way in which Google via its own OS designed for mobile technology will be able to penetrate seriously the market that Apple has trail-blazed....Apple Ipad Ipod iphone iMac macbook $USD 300bn and rising not bad for a niche, fringe player that looked quite a while ago like it would be forced out of business for not adopting open standards...Interesting times ahead but not quite the full replacement for the Laptop yet...it is drawing in iphone graduates in the hoardes...
Link: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/ces/8240215/CES-2011-tablets-and-televi...
7 Dec 2010
- Harvard Business Review - Six Social Media Trends for 2011 - David Armano - The Conversation
It was a banner year for social media growth and adoption. We witnessed Facebook overtake Google in most weekly site traffic, while some surveys reported nearly 95% of companies using LinkedIn to help in recruiting efforts. In my outlook for last year, I cited that mobile would become a lifeline to those looking for their social media fixes, and indeed the use of social media through mobile devices increased in the triple digits.
I also outlined how "social media would look less social" or more accurately exclusive, and indeed, we've seen the re-launch of Facebook groups, which focus on niche interactivity, and more recently, the emergence of Path, billed as "the social network for intimate friends" which limits your network to only 50 people. The past year also saw some brands go full throttle on Foursquare's game-like geo-location platform, attempting to reward mayors and creating custom badges for the network's power users.
In other areas, such as social media policy, I was less accurate. Conversations around the topic did begin to take place, But a global survey indicated that only 29 percent of companies even have a social media policy. That's not as high as I expected.
So what could we see happening in 2011? I'll take a stab at six trends again. In no particular order:
It's The Integration Economy, Stupid. From Ford, to Dell, to Starbucks (client), to Jet Blue, and a host of other companies who have pioneered early uses of social media for business, 2011 will be the year these companies take a serious look at integrating social media, not only regionally but globally. Don't be surprised if the same companies that piloted programs such as Ford's "Fiesta Movement" and Starbuck's Foursquare programs also become the first companies to take on the huge challenge of integrating social media into all facets of business from global marketing to crisis management and beyond.
Tablet & Mobile Wars Create Ubiquitous Social Computing. As competition heats up in the form of cheaper, smarter phones and an assortment of tablets that may hit the market (a $35 Tablet in India?), technology consumers will come one step closer to being connected 24/7, and in more powerful ways than previously possible. Social networking will be on the go, out of the house, and out of the office. More competition, variety, power, and affordability in devices will fuel the increase of ubiquitous social computing.
Facebook Interrupts Location-Based Networking. If 2010 belonged to Foursquare and its playful, competitive and sometimes addicting ecosystem of badges, mayorships and specials, it's likely that Facebook will rain on Foursquare's parade in 2011. With tons of data and the architecture behind Facebook's response to Foursquare about to be rolled out globally, Facebook is well positioned to actually make location based services useful to business.
Average Participants Experience Social Media Schizophrenia. While social media schizophrenia (the overload of multiple social profiles) is nothing new to tech mavens, it will become something that more and more "average" users experience as they tweet, Facebook, G-mail, chat, Skype, BBM, SMS, and Tumble their way across the social web. While many mavens have adopted ways to manage and cope, average users may find themselves at the beginning of the curve in need of a 12-step social identity program. This may lead to increased demand from typical participants to have a more integrated and simplified social graph and an opportunity for platforms and companies alike to meet this demand.
Google Doesn't Beat Them, They Join Them. In 2010, Wired told us that Facebook could beat Google to win the net. But even at the end of 2010 after failed attempts to create their own networks such as Buzz, Google could prove that the best way to beat Facebook, Twitter, and the rest is to do what Google does best: Index them to pieces. Indeed, I've already noticed Google's algorithm has become smarter about Twitter data. I only have to type in a few words to locate old tweets. It's possible that by sticking to what Google does best, they may be able to take advantage of the social web by indexing any and all social data they can get their hands on. Expect the Googleplex to "strike back" in 2011, and perhaps demonstrate that they may figure out their role and relevancy on the social Web.
Social Functionality Makes Websites Fashionable Again. After several years of being told to "fish where the fish are," businesses realize that users expect social integration to existing Websites. Sites such as AMEX Open forum serve as a model for how networks such as Twitter can integrate with the Web experience. Websites will increasingly serve as "digital hubs" that integrate social activity from many platforms. Fore example, Apple's music social network, named Ping, recently integrated Twitter. While the integration has kinks, it demonstrates that even the most iconic of brands realizes that they do not exist in their own walled garden. They must integrate to to be relevant in a socially connected world.
These are a few emerging trends that come to my mind. I'm interested to hear what you think as well, so please weigh in with your own thoughts. Where do you see social media going in 2011?
David Armano is a Senior Vice President at Edelman Digital, the interactive arm of global communications firm Edelman. He is an active practitioner and thinker in the worlds of digital marketing, experience design, and the social web. You can follow him on Twitter.
via blogs.hbr.org
HBR Article on trends to watch in 2011, worth a peek.
5 Dec 2010
Bill Gates - What I'm Thinking - Cell Phone Science - The Gates Notes
Bill Gates notes and use of cell phones /mobiles to us Brits in the use in developing countries to deliver vital health services in remote communities. Bill Gates Foundation does some great work and his philanthropy is definetly intriguing. When you have amde so much cash, why not spend the rest of your life focused on how to constructively give it back. Greta spin on the ubiquitous mobile as well.
Groupon and Google end talks - Telegraph Local Marketing Sales Promotion Crowd Sourcing and No Thanks to Googles Billions
via telegraph.co.uk
Groupon and Google have ended talks, its a very confident founding team that turn down the certainty of several billions from Google. Groupon is a leader in sales promotion and location based marketing on the web which combines crowd sourcing to determine the best offers and make them happen. Hindsight is a great thing but with rumours of considering an IPO next year it would seem with sales of 500m but undisclosed profits they are more than confident that their business model will stand up to real market listing and testing of it's early success.
2 Dec 2010
Welcome to Google Places for Business connects with maps and your personal profile and network
via google.com
So you want to brand yourself and your business online and offline. You need to proactively manage your reputation a low profile will not win new customers. Thos that do not know you how will they find you, they wont necessarily know your name, but they might look near to home or their business location and whilst the phone book is a little 'old-hat' what can you do to encourage find and connect via a channel they use. The basics local regional or national mean connect your netowrk, build a series of threads and interesting content, that is easy to find engaging and useful, better than just an address in a thomson directory. A lot of local search is already happening on smartphones the trend shows this will explode in a short time frame.
Many small businesses and professionals think its costly and out of reach, but its not,with a littletime and effort you can integrate within your plan and build your google search engine brownie points quite nicely.
So thin about how you can connect and make it happen on the laptop phone ipad and desktop, make sure your content is most accessible visible intriguing and enthralling. There are as ever good ways and ad ways, but it must be built-in to your integrated approach.
1 Dec 2010
Posterous - The Easiest Way to Post and Share Anything
Get Started
It's free, easy, and fun.
Hate signing up for things?
We do too. You can skip this for now. Just email us at post@posterous.com with your post. We’ll take care of the rest.
via posterous.com
30 Nov 2010
Vodafone cuts roaming charges for mobiles - Telegraph Data Plan Overseas etc
via telegraph.co.uk
Click on link below if you are a current Vodafone or prospective user, latest news on their roaming charges, better news for customers of Ipad and Smartphones!
Link above or below Telegraphy 30th November 2010
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