Social Networking: The New Face of Marketing

In August, Google reported that Facebook and Myspace were both among the top 10 most visited websites worldwide. Facebook has reported having over 200 million active users, 75% of which live outside of the United States.

In Clara Shih's book, The Facebook Era, She explains that "sales reps can use online social networking to become more productive in two ways: to glean insights about customers and to engage in casual communications with customers." Clara then goes on to explain that groups can be formed that target specific audiences, users interact with each other, commenting on their thoughts and opinions.  Any marketer can use this information to get great insight on what their customers want, and then can engage in conversation with them through the same discussion forum.  The vast diversity of users allows for global markets to be tapped quickly and effectively, and for target audiences to be reached more efficiently than ever.  If your company has yet to engage in social network marketing, now is the time to start.

Collaboration Techonlogy

      The implications of working in groups have changed drastically over the past few years with the innovation of collaboration technologies.  Just a few years ago, in order to complete a group project, a group would need to meet together several times in order to compile and organize information in a timely manner.  Collaboration technologies such as Google Docs and Linkedin workspaces allow for information to be compiled, stored, and organized on the internet.  Collaboration can take place remotely from anywhere with an internet connection, and the need for groups to meet together in person has become almost irrelevant.  These technologies have increased efficiency and performance in the business world, and will continue to evolve and improve in the future.

Presenting in a Classroom Setting

An informational website, studygs.net, gives strategies and tips for various kinds of classroom communications.  These strategies for communication are researched and revised frequently by Joe Landsberger.  His section on classroom presentations lists several tips that apply to presenting in a classroom setting.  One of his main suggestions is good development of the basic idea. It is important to start out by stating where you are going and what you will prove. Doing so will allow for your points to be developed with better understanding by the class. After giving a summary of your purpose, make sure to communicate clearly and to gain credibility by using convincing facts and logic.
Brown University's Italian Studies Department also offers some tips for classroom presentations. The article states that after you have presented your main idea, that you can follow up by clearly and concisely summarizing your main points, and then if time is available, you can as a few open ended questions pertaining to your topic and open the discussion up to the class.

Economics of Sweatshops in India

A sweatshop is a location where citizens are hired on to do hard labor on low wages. Recently, there has been some controversy over the civility of sweatshops in India. Workers are hired on to manufacture goods at a substantially lower wage than would be acceptable in the United States.  Many people argue that this is inhumane and that the wages should be raised so that the Indian people can improve their conditions.

I recently watched a report on the economic effect of sweatshops in India and the effect that they have on the natives there. The report showed college students from various prestigous universities around the nation that have formed protest groups against sweatshops in India. Then the interviewer interviewed citizens of India to get their input on the impact and civility of these sweatshops.

It turns out that sweatshops allow for the unemployed of India to gain employment, and actually allow for higher wages than average for the country.  The Indian people are very much in favor of the sweatshops as it allows for children to work instead of starving. The children were also very much in favor of working instead of starving.

The report was very interesting, I think that the protesters should reconsider their protest and find the facts of the economic impact that these locations actually have on a country like India.

I have posted a link to the report, you can find it at this site:
http://stosselintheclassroom.org/video_activityAug08.html

The Effectivity of the Indirect Approach

In Jane Gough's book, "Write it down: guidance for preparing documentation that meets regulatory requirements," She states that "using the indirect approach... will help you when you need to convince someone to take action, to respond to a request when you anticipate the initial reaction may be negative."  She then profoundly stated that "it's human nature to be happy to be asked but reluctant to comply."

The indirect approach allows writers to effectively address issues that are not generally well-liked by the reader. It allows for persuasion to occur before asking for a favor from someone, or for bad news to be acknowledged in a gentle manner that can soften the blow.

The indirect approach is very useful in a variety of forms of writing and the writer that masters its use, will be more persuasive and influential in his or her writings.

The Importance of Letter Writing

Letter writing is an essential part of the world we live in today.  Letters can be used in innumerable ways and in various contexts. According to the book "Letter Writing as a Social Practice," by David Barton, letter writing:

• Is one of the most pervasive literate activities in human society.
• Crosses formal and informal contexts.
• Has a wide variety of forms that can be found in most domains of life.

In order to be successful and influential in life, it is extremely important to be proficient in letter writing.  Employers pay close attention to letter writing and composition skills when considering potential employees, and graduate schools do the same when considering admissions to their programs.  If an individual is proficient in writing, there is a much better chance for that individual to be persuasive and successful in all that they do.

What is Proper Attire for a Business Interview?

In an interview your attire plays a supporting role, but what is the proper attire for that upcoming business interview, you might ask?   According to the career center at Virginia Tech University,  the safest bet is always a two-piece matched suit.  It is important to look clean-cut, making sure that all clothing is clean and pressed.  Hair should be well groomed and maintained.  Extreme styles and fashions should be avoided, and when in doubt, it is always safer to edge on the conservative side. Collegegrad.com states that "even though many companies have relaxed the internal company dress code, interviews still follow the conservative standard. Don't buck the trend."  There is a substantial amount of non-verbal communication that is transmitted through your attire. Dress for success and you'll be much more likely to be successful.

E-Commerce, is it worth it?

     In a recent article called "Exploring E-Commerce," in Entrepreneur Magazine, the step by step process for small businesses to integrate successfully to the E-commerce world was addressed.  When an entrepreneur decides to go online, there are many, many things that must be considered first, and an elaborate plan must be made that includes research, marketing, and understanding of the technology.
     The world of online sales is immeasurably vast.  There are consumers from all corners of the world.  People of all sizes, shapes, personalities, nationalities, and interests are on the web each and every day.  Scattered in this vast sea of information are retailers that sell virtually anything you could feasibly imagine.  Inevitably, there will be competitors online that are selling the same product at a competitive price.  It is imperative to do extensive researching of the competition. One must find weaknesses in the competition, whether it be in website design, shipping charges, customer service, or ease of website navigation, there is nearly always a way to one-up the competition in some way, thus allowing entrepreneurs to differentiate their business from the host of competitors and give themselves a competitive advantage.
     Researching can be a tedious process that can take many hours of dedicated time. However, the information obtained can prove invaluable and if used effectively can, in turn, increase profit margins and allow for a much higher level of success in a smaller time period.  Once research has been done, one can determine the target audience based on geographic location, demographics, and socio-economic factors.  Entrepreneurs can then tailor their marketing approach to their own unique audience and determine which method they will use to spread the word.
    An understanding of the technology and online marketing methods opens the door to success.  The use of search engines to draw business to a website can be an invaluable tool.  Many search engines, such as Yahoo and Google, offer ad-featuring services that can be purchased on a pay-per-click basis.  E-mail marketing has also become popular and has proved effective.  Companies send out newsletters with special offers, discounts, or special features.  This targets an audience that has already showed interest by signing up for the newsletter and therefore is effective.
     Opportunities are limitless in the e-commerce world, but success is dependent on so many factors that true levels of success vary greatly.  Entrepreneurs are forced to take countless factors into consideration.  Planning must be effective and execution must be excellent, but if done right, the sky's the limit!

  

It's all about who you know!

       In 2000, 71% of job seekers who succesfully found jobs, located their jobs through personal contacts. (U.S. Department of Labor, 2001) Networking is essential in job hunting. Although it is important to be qualified for the position, the University of Tacoma Career Center in Washington stated that "Employers would rather hire someone they know, or who is vouched for by someone they respect."   It is quite obvious that in order to be successful in a search for employment, networking is invaluable.

Why Network?

       According to quintcareers.com, only about 15-20 percent of all available jobs are ever publicly advertised in any medium. The vast majority of job openings are part of the "hidden" or "closed" job market. And the higher the position and salary, the less likely the position will be advertised at all. How can job-seekers discover these jobs you may ask? Through networking.  If you know the right people, your pool of opportunities is greatly enlarged.

Marketing Madness!

     Marketing has taken on a new face.  The standard methods of marketing that have been in place for years and years are starting to fade.  The new face of marketing is all digital, and it's bringing success to many in amounts never thought possible.  In a recent article by businessblogconsulting.com, the issue of digital marketing tactics was addressed.  In a poll of 1,559 marketers, 34% selected blogging as the top digital marketing tactic to be emphasized in 2009.  What an innovative, effective, and budget-friendly way to get the word out and expand your audience!

Blogs in Business, "Catch up...or catch you later."

       Even just a few years ago, the business world  was dominated by a mainstream media. The Associated Press and other such organizations had a broad range of power and influence that was difficult to undermine.  They were able to sway opinions, and with their advertising power for good or for bad, they could make or break your business.
       The overwhelming power of the media has slowly started to fizzle out over the last few years with advances in technology and communications that have become more widely available to, well, anyone who wants it.  Among these significant advances in communications is the invention, and explosion in popularity, of blogs.
      In today's world there is a vast and ever-growing network of blogs that speak of nearly every topic imaginable.  There are search engines that will specifically search for blogs that pertain to the topic you are looking for. Google, the most widely used search engine in the world, has a function called "Google Blog Search," that sifts through millions of blogs to find just what you are in need of. 
       A recent article in the magazine "Business Week," titled, "Social Media Will Change Your Business,"  goes through the many different ways that a blog can do for business.  Blogs can be given public access, allowing advertising to take on a whole new face. Blogs can also be private and only viewable to selected users of the blog owner's choice, thus making it possible to collaborate in business, and allow people that you know and trust to comment and give opinions and advice on any given project or business proposal.
       "Catch up...or catch you later," is the catch phrase they used to imply what will happen to businesses that don't catch on to the new technological tools in business and marketing. Blogs can be a wonderful tool that can help professional businesses in all aspects of business. From marketing to management, blogs have a broad range of functionality and influence and because of that, the business world will never be the same.