What can you do in 15 minutes?
Save money on your car insurance? Sure. But we’re looking deeper here, we want to make a difference in the world. I mean, everyone wants to help out, right? Well with the introduction at Mashable’s Media Summit yesterday of a new DIY fundraising Web site called Crowdrise, actor Edward Norton says you can bring about your own social change in just 15 minutes.
Our new favorite motto around the office comes courtesy of one of our favorite entrepreneurs and (arguably) founder of a very important Web phenomenon, Mr. Jimmy Wales…
FAIL FASTER
That’s what he told us. But who really wants to fail? I certainly wish I could go through life performing everything perfectly the first time. We all think our ideas are brilliant, of course, and we don’t want to be proven wrong. We want success. We strive for it and will go to the ends of the earth, and our financial means, sometimes dragging out the inevitable because our ego is too vested in the project to give up on it that easily and admit a defeat. Continue reading
You’ve heard of Yahoo, right? How about Associated Content? Well, you will soon.
Yahoo, the world’s largest online media company – you know, the one that’s destination for more than 600 million unique visitors every month – just bought Associated Content, a media company barely six years old but worth more than its weight in SEO keywords. Actually more than $100 million, to be exact. Wowza!
For a startup that’s still in its formative years, that’s not half bad! Associated pays freelance writers for content on any subject imaginable, and then advertisers pay to have their brands linked to the articles – a little idea that creator Luke Beatty came up with and called “search advertising.” Brilliant! Continue reading
So, how about this economy, eh?
OK, so we’re tired of hearing about the depressed economy already. We know! We also know that a tight squeeze for some companies doesn’t have to mean hard times for you. Actually, it could be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to gain market share, create loyal customers, and grow like a weed. And how the heck do you do that?
One simple way is to get in touch with the future of the consumer market – the people who will spend the country out of the red and back into the black. So which big spenders will you be seeing a lot more of? What groups with a disposable income should you keep an eye on? Who will drive the economic recovery?
Who is……Gen X and Gen Y!
Gen what now? The X-ers are people generally born from 1965 into the late 70′s, and Y-ers (or Millenials) came next, born between 1980 and into the 90′s.
A recent report from PricewaterhouseCooper and Retail Forward points to the affluent segments of these groups with the disposable income to make a difference. The “up-market affluents” of the Gen X market will also be influential in the economic comeback, the report says, because of their stage in life. About 60 percent of this age group has attended college, but unlike the Baby Boomers who preceded them, Gen X “may work to live rather than live to work.”
Every one is doing it!
Going social, that is. Well, nearly everyone – 91% of marketers are now integrating social media platforms into their marketing campaigns, according to the Social Media Examiner’s “2010 Social Media Marketing Industry Report”. Continue reading
E-mail. How can you make this unique marketing tool effective?
Pop Quiz: The most effective weapon in your email marketing arsenal is _______________? The answer is at the end of this article.
Why is it that people have this idea that “all new age marketing is created equal?” I had a client tell me she wants to do an email campaign to potential clients. I asked her why. The conversation we had sounded something like this:
Me: Why do you want to do an email campaign? Continue reading
I admit it proudly and without hesitation – I’m a bargain shopper. For as long as I can remember I’ve lived under the mantra that most things aren’t worth my money at full price when I can get them somewhere else on sale. And while I’ve spent most of my life checking price tags, I’ve noticed more comradery in the bargain world lately. While college graduates move back in with their parents, working families opt to carpool, and the Salisbury steak makes a comeback, home life minimalism starts to reflect the increasingly barren business world. Continue reading
In 2009 we were all reactive, right? We waited for something to happen, poised and ready to react to whatever came along. We saw many giants fall, many jobs get cut and little money get spent.
What happens when a huge tree falls in the forest? Well, a couple of things happen; it may take down or damage a few of the big trees that surround it on its tumble to the ground. However, it definitely creates an opening for sunlight to shine down on the smaller trees. The strongest, best prepared sapling now has the opportunity to grow into the mighty tree that once stood there. Usually more than one shrub benefits from a fallen shadow-caster.
What can you take from the example of the fallen tree? Was your business in the shadow of a larger competitor? Has one of your competitors shown obvious signs of trouble? If your competition is falling behind, Continue reading
I can’t take credit for this article, but I do believe its worth sharing. This is a great piece about one of America’s “Hottest” brands, and the way they put it all together.
On this blog I will often post up articles or stories that I find will be effective information for sales, advertising or marketing. This is the first of many thoughts. hope you like it. Continue reading
