An application programming interface (API) is a protocol intended to be used as an interface by software components to communicate with each other. It’s intended for developers to do cool stuff with other people’s stuff. A good API? It grows an ecosystem around a platform that could lead to scalability beyond the founder’s wildest dreams. A bad API or no API? That could lead to the destruction of a company. And, of course, there are implications for your business; you may be able to harness the power of an API to customize some of the tools you use to better suit your needs. With my …
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Mixing Social & Marketing: Why highlight mistakes? Social business is a different way of doing business – it has the potential to affect the entire organization, from stakeholder to customer. Potentially all stakeholders now have easy access to platforms that can amplify their voices. It’s important to empower stakeholders so their voices will contribute to the success of the enterprise. Failing to realize the differences can lead to serious mistakes; savvy businesses can and should learn from the mistakes of others. 51% of Facebook users and 64% of Twitter users are more likely to buy from the brands they follow. …
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Consumers and Companies Benefit From Location Based Services (LBS) Businesses that integrate location based applications into their marketing strategies are keeping step with today’s social consumer. The 2012 consumer expects immediate response and thrives on instant gratification, which is exactly what location based services can offer. Through location based apps, which employ GPS technology on smartphones, businesses can reward people for “checking in” at a place of business or an event. Location based services benefit consumers and businesses alike. Consumers are social, mobile-users who demand convenience. LBS allow people to share information, tips and experiences with each other, right where …
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Has your company’s claim to embrace social media gone unfulfilled? Have your efforts to establish a social media presence fallen flat? Do you feel like you’ve spun your wheels to get your company on various social media platforms, and you’re on the road to nowhere? Have you given it a try, deemed the attempt futile, and now you’re ready to snuff out any lingering social media enthusiasm? If you were nodding your head in agreement to any of those questions, or if all of the above sounds like your organization’s social media experience in a nutshell, might I suggest that …
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Social businesses have a significant competitive advantage, as they keep pace with today’s market. Now that consumers are more connected, informed, and empowered than most businesses, a growing gap persists between consumer’s expectations and a business’s ability to deliver. According to Patrick Lencioni in his book, The Advantage, there are two factors required for business success. 1) Smart 2) Organizational Health Smart is defined by strategy, marketing, finance, and technology; basically decision sciences. A healthy organization is defined by minimal politics and confusion, high morale and productivity – and low turnover among good employees; it’s social. There is a connection …
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In recent posts we have talked about the changing marketing landscape; it’s a social landscape that is creating new opportunities and presenting new challenges. Some call this new era the Relationship era. This new era requires a different marketing mindset. “The ultimate goal of marketing is to generate an intense bond between the consumer and the brand, and the main ingredient of this bond is trust’ (Hiscock, 2001). Now more than ever, consumers make purchasing decisions based on their level of trust. Trust is an asset that must be earned. Research shows it’s possible to connect sales and trust. The …
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Social is changing marketing. Traditional broadcast techniques designed to deliver a flood of brand impressions in the hopes of raising a consumer’s awareness and preference are no longer sufficient. There is a new kind of consumer, who so far proves to be more socially savvy than most brands, and they expect a different kind of experience. Through technology and social platforms, consumers are more connected with each other and empowered with a host of information resources to guide them through most any buying process. The Social landscape is changing rapidly New social platforms, like Pinterest, continue to surprise us with …
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Integrating social into your marketing? Don’t overlook your most important asset. Your Website is the Core Your company website is a core asset and should be the center of your marketing efforts. Your website is the mainstay of your online presence; it brands you and serves as the foundation, or center, of a constellation of marketing assets. Not only is your website the host of your content and offers, but it is the gateway through which the world can reach you, and serves, in many cases, as a first introduction to your prospects. Your Prospects are Already Online “Many Americans …
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