tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65850641907455567252024-02-06T23:24:31.193-06:00Trebuchet CommunicationsTrebuchet Communicationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16499709147746301523noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6585064190745556725.post-72953822649539424992013-05-13T13:40:00.000-05:002013-05-13T13:40:25.879-05:00<br />
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<b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Over 50? Hate keeping up with
technology? Here's some help.<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Are you tired of trying to keep up with social media? Hate
having to learn yet another new software? Sorry to break it to you sport, but
you've gotta embrace it or you may find yourself sitting with your Palm Pilot
in the lobby of the unemployment office. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ5n1e74Z0Rc63ebZbk92TNVMr2M-WwAWiGgc_V3_2VljbZzwH2a8hvmyCE1gqWAYBJNhSGQj9jw87355bNKHb4F8uCm1A9i9xKzjDzbilOb1RU9S7ROl-yWXTIpxcPbHzcpYqQhyG83ai/s1600/Over+50+tech+blog+post+5.13.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ5n1e74Z0Rc63ebZbk92TNVMr2M-WwAWiGgc_V3_2VljbZzwH2a8hvmyCE1gqWAYBJNhSGQj9jw87355bNKHb4F8uCm1A9i9xKzjDzbilOb1RU9S7ROl-yWXTIpxcPbHzcpYqQhyG83ai/s1600/Over+50+tech+blog+post+5.13.13.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's no secret technology is moving at the speed of light
and keeping up with it may seem overwhelming. But it's an integral part of our
lives and businesses today. Take for example, the recent Wall Street Journal
profile of 50-year-old advertising executive Doug Gould and his goal to avoid
becoming the "Office Tech Dinosaur." Although he is an advertising
veteran with an impressive list of accomplishments, he was a little uneasy when
his younger colleagues starting calling him "Uncle Doug" and
"Coach". Gould learned, and
you may have also found, that competing with younger colleagues requires
constant work to stay-up-to date because most of them grew up texting,
tweeting, using Facebook and playing videogames.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">How to stay ahead? Here are a few easy ways:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1. <b>Start with education.</b></span></div>
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<ul>
<li><b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Classroom
or online</b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> - There are plenty of online and classroom courses available at
community colleges or through professional organizations. If you're uneasy
about learning a new skill, start with one short class and build from there</span></li>
<li><b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">Social
media sites</b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">- Most sites have FAQs,
mini-training modules, and "How-To" videos to help users understand
the basics. Click around, read up, and determine if they are a good fit for
you, your career or your business.</span></li>
<li><b style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;">LinkedIn
discussion groups</b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"> - LinkedIn is known for its professional networking
power, but there are also countless discussion groups to join. Choose a couple topics
of interest, join a group and learn by asking questions & following the
discussions.</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. <b>Consider how
technology can help you or your clients. </b>In the WSJ story, Gould first
resisted Twitter because of its limit of 140 characters. But once he recognized
its power and efficient way to share information, he made Twitter the basis of
a campaign for a non-profit. It paid off - more than 20,000 tweets from
volunteers telling upbeat stories spurred a 37% jump in web traffic for the
client.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3. <b>Share your business
savvy. </b>Although younger colleagues may be at a higher level tech-wise, they
may not have the interpersonal or communications skills you've acquired through
working with clients or staying calm in high stress situations. Be willing to share your expertise (in a
non-condescending way, of course) to help younger colleagues learn these
low-tech, but essential career skills.</span></div>
Trebuchethttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11041998281808796280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6585064190745556725.post-68942138736943518732013-03-01T12:09:00.004-06:002013-03-01T12:09:46.315-06:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8leqVru8XaOZqyKHhkop5tftvhX_VuiypWagd3e2WfKcb59JJvAah1fND8VLcPcmLX-6s5m4zHEvAJZ1-qD-TwhcOIXy8HIO9AuDUZlSNFX84VZY_82-W3iY9TcnuT9dIWKSBTQm0ls0/s1600/Social+media+wordle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8leqVru8XaOZqyKHhkop5tftvhX_VuiypWagd3e2WfKcb59JJvAah1fND8VLcPcmLX-6s5m4zHEvAJZ1-qD-TwhcOIXy8HIO9AuDUZlSNFX84VZY_82-W3iY9TcnuT9dIWKSBTQm0ls0/s1600/Social+media+wordle.jpg" height="162" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />We've been looking at some of the Social Media Statistics for 2013 for <a href="http://www.facebook.com/">Facebook</a>, <a href="http://www.twitter.com/">Twitter</a> and <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/">Pinterest</a> and we thought it may be helpful for you in planning your social media strategy. </span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Keep in mind, your social media activity should be in line with your marketing strategy - and ALWAYS remember who your target audience is! </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With that in mind, here we go: </span><div>
<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><b><br /></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: blue;"><b>Facebook: </b></span></span></div>
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<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Clear leader in terms of user base, dwarfing Pinterest (to be fair Pinterest has not been around as long), and double the user base of Twitter </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Slightly older user base (between 35-54) than Twitter and Pinterest (between 18 and 35)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Leader in e-commerce, with Pinterest growing quickly and coming up a fast second </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Users spend approximately 12 minutes on site </span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: red;"><b>Pinterest: </b></span><br /><ul>
<li>Highest female user base, especially if you’re looking to sell online </li>
<li>Strong higher education and high earnings base (valuable in an e-commerce scenario) </li>
<li>Second highest use of e-commerce, second only to Facebook </li>
<li>Users spend over an hour on average on this site - MUCH higher than Twitter and Facebook </li>
</ul>
</span><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="background-color: #3d85c6; color: white;">Twitter: </span></b><br /><ul>
<li>Twitter or Facebook is the social network of choice for men </li>
<li>Dominant user age range is 18-35 </li>
<li>Users spend approximately 6 minutes on site </li>
<li>Has not embraced a visual aspect into its user experience</li>
</ul>
</span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All in all, 2013 is sure to be a year of change, which seems to be a constant in online social media. When considering where to spend your social media dollars, be aware of your target audience, set up a strategy and reach out for help when you need it!</span></div>
Trebuchet Communicationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16499709147746301523noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6585064190745556725.post-67760984616452358282013-01-16T12:02:00.000-06:002013-01-16T12:02:16.027-06:00<br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Does technology make us more
productive... or less?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We see you out there - looking down at your electronic
devices as you walk down the street, sitting on buses & trains or at a
restaurant during dinner conversation. Checking email, Facebook & Twitter are
certainly part of "the fabric of our lives" and we're right there
with ya. Social media is an important part of any marketing strategy and we
embrace it - but do you ever wonder how it affects productivity? Your
employees'...or your own? How about your personal relationships? </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoW5FDAeSZ7x3qSx0fYVe5zEhR6EzrUA3rSrxYDaE3oGvwcubiuaLBHDSt-PuKLmavI-uf57QMfvOb_aXuf4g5Ahb5y5i_JfKUDYxHlJDflhVjIrN7PB5827hhckltFiyAVknW1pySPs8/s1600/cell+phones.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoW5FDAeSZ7x3qSx0fYVe5zEhR6EzrUA3rSrxYDaE3oGvwcubiuaLBHDSt-PuKLmavI-uf57QMfvOb_aXuf4g5Ahb5y5i_JfKUDYxHlJDflhVjIrN7PB5827hhckltFiyAVknW1pySPs8/s1600/cell+phones.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Obviously, technology has greatly improved products and
services in countless industries, producing devices and services that improve
our quality of life and often save lives. But for the day-to-day employee, is
time spent on social media cutting into productivity? And is it measurable? In
contrast, if you are producing is substandard quality widget, you can make
adjustments to the quality and that is indeed measurable. But in the service
industry, how do you measure minutes lost by checking in on social media
throughout the work day?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Turns out it is hard to quantify. There is no shortage of coverage
on this topic, but we found an article by Caroline Baum from Bloomberg News
interesting. She says when devices help us produce more output with less labor,
prices fall, real wages rise and we are all better off. Technology is always
equated with good - more is better. But she wonders if some of the latest
innovations are productivity-enhancing or just a waste of time.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"If we as a nation are twittering our lives away,
surely it must be manifesting itself in statistics," she says. It makes
logical sense that if you are spending more time on Facebook and Twitter than
devoting time to your actual work, quality will suffer. But it's hard to prove.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She contacted the Bureau of Labor Statistics and found the
monthly calculation used to calculate productivity is based on total hours worked
and revenue. In a service industry, it's hard to quantify lost productivity due
to tweeting. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We think it comes down to common sense. If you are able to
complete your work in a timely manner & your quality is top-notch, then you
probably don't have anything to worry about. But if your time on social media
is starting to affect your productivity, you might want to put away your phone
and get back on that project. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Helvetica Neue, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hey... that'd make a good Facebook post.....</span></div>
Trebuchet Communicationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16499709147746301523noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6585064190745556725.post-54442181998118815742011-07-20T11:14:00.016-05:002011-07-26T21:35:09.080-05:00Hootsuite Celebrates 2 Million Users<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_scnI3Pa_VHwmfzsJoZb0CRPa2sMHkjS_nwDLpAO2182rwKGbuFh5j96vWpt88XFPVsLQU6yiW5QSzZrMxcCxbqZbr1CzjhxRhwgR5di_2C7Gg_3N9RuMuv-Rm2m5wA98ZR1j4yIakfE/s1600/HootSuite_Dashboard.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 310px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_scnI3Pa_VHwmfzsJoZb0CRPa2sMHkjS_nwDLpAO2182rwKGbuFh5j96vWpt88XFPVsLQU6yiW5QSzZrMxcCxbqZbr1CzjhxRhwgR5di_2C7Gg_3N9RuMuv-Rm2m5wA98ZR1j4yIakfE/s400/HootSuite_Dashboard.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633854880164873826" /></a><a href="http://www.hootsuite.com/">Hootsuite</a>, a professional social media management system, has now reached 2 million unique accounts as of July. Launched in December 2008, Hootsuite is now an integral parts of millions of Twitter, Facebook, and other social media accounts.<br /><br />For those who haven't heard of Hootsuite before, it bills itself as the first and best social media dashboard. See the image above, which you can click to enlarge. As a social media dashboard, it allows users to post and schedule messages to sites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and others. It features both a free and paid version, with the paid version offering many more features and the ability to manage many more accounts without being bothered by ads.<br /><br />Of course, that's just the tip of the iceberg. Hootsuite is also used by many marketing and public relations teams to manage teams and allow multiple people to manage the same social media accounts. It can also serve as a central location where users can monitor analytic reports and the success of their social media campaigns. Hootsuite gives paid members access to reports and results tracking. This is one of the most useful aspects of Hootsuite. It can be difficult to create the most successful social media campaigns possible without data about what does or doesn't work. It's a basic marketing 101 tenet that gathering data after a campaign is just as important as the planning and execution.<br /><br />If you've contemplated starting to go big time with your social media efforts, Hootsuite could be a good investment. If nothing else, the success of something like Hootsuite tells us that social media is here to stay, and literally millions of people agree with that idea!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6585064190745556725.post-91284943390599319992011-06-27T11:09:00.010-05:002011-06-29T16:40:49.000-05:00QR Codes: The future of marketing?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg4Bq7cCc_-8xHHB2wE-2X8QBpWmzVyMkp_PefIRJSyTQV8RmDmBl343zjPX5DhheZO23lvlZVockKNJTsti4W6aD_OP0IYmN_2XD4wrkCnjKXe_bpF1M_rMowZA0TI2oF61ciuybYwtA/s1600/296px-Wikipedia_mobile_en.svg.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg4Bq7cCc_-8xHHB2wE-2X8QBpWmzVyMkp_PefIRJSyTQV8RmDmBl343zjPX5DhheZO23lvlZVockKNJTsti4W6aD_OP0IYmN_2XD4wrkCnjKXe_bpF1M_rMowZA0TI2oF61ciuybYwtA/s200/296px-Wikipedia_mobile_en.svg.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5622944217631337858" /></a><br />Could QR Codes become the future of marketing? <br /><br />QR codes, or Quick Response codes, are a type of bar code that can be read by taking a photo. Specifically, they're meant to be scanned by smart phone cameras by anyone nearby who has access to this type of technology. If you own a phone that can download apps and take pictures, you can scan QR codes!<br /><br />Of course, that raises the next question: so what? Why would you want to read a fancy bar code? The reason is because unlike traditional bar codes, QR codes store a great deal more information. This makes them perfect for doing nifty things like connecting the user to a special video on their phone, sending them directly to the right website or giving them a special one-time-use coupon! <br /><br />Because of the type of information QR codes can store and distribute, they're a perfect fit for advertising. If executed well, they can be a great addition to a more traditional print or public advertising piece. Imagine a magazine ad that mentions entering a contest, only to include a QR code that takes the viewer directly to the contest page. That turns ads into something more than just something to glance at, but instead something to interact with. The most important thing when including QR codes in marketing efforts is to make sure to reward the QR code scanner with something more than a boring sales pitch or a normal website. <br /><br />For more on the technology behind QR codes, check out <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QR_code">Wikipedia</a>. For some more thoughts on the marketing side of QR codes, check out this article: <a href="http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/how-qr-codes-can-grow-your-business/">How QR Codes Can Grow Your Business</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6585064190745556725.post-25960983269363310202011-05-08T23:25:00.009-05:002011-05-21T10:16:26.468-05:00Foursquare: Social Media Game or Privacy Invasion?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie2Uh4-ihq97mEuMudMnvamkuwRzRZGLftLWJWcXMSw5_uVQpSN8uj9u94fq00-1GBe6Nvh9FZ1ImU4uFpcimfFTSHgFNBQIs8wGZAzMCJ_eRrWaIWFGCtfll28a2BUPciRuktdkHjP5I/s1600/foursquare+logo.png" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 100px; height: 100px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEie2Uh4-ihq97mEuMudMnvamkuwRzRZGLftLWJWcXMSw5_uVQpSN8uj9u94fq00-1GBe6Nvh9FZ1ImU4uFpcimfFTSHgFNBQIs8wGZAzMCJ_eRrWaIWFGCtfll28a2BUPciRuktdkHjP5I/s200/foursquare+logo.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5608079784640202514" /></a><br /><div>Even if you don’t keep abreast of the most cutting-edge social media and technology ventures, you might have heard of <a href="http://www.foursquare.com/">Foursquare</a>. The social media game allows users to post their location on Facebook and Twitter. Users then win "badges," such as the 9-5 badge that signifies that they've checked into their workplace location 15 out of the last 30 days. When they post a specific location more than anyone else over 30 days, they become “mayors” of that location.</div><br /><br /><div>Foursquare has raised some privacy and safety concerns because users<br />are announcing not only where they are – but where they aren’t (home, for instance). Some enterprising souls demonstrated this with a biting and funny website called <a href="http://pleaserobme.com/">pleaserobme.com</a> While no longer active, when the site was created it posted an updated list of people who were not home based on their Foursquare posts. If they had previously posted their home's address, it was easy to show where on a map the empty home was located. For more about this site, check out Techcrunch's <a href="http://techcrunch.com/2010/02/17/please-rob-me-makes-foursquare-super-useful-for-burglars/">article</a>.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6585064190745556725.post-55409112099834021212011-03-17T22:50:00.021-05:002011-06-09T12:32:45.120-05:00Social Media and the Internet 101: Trolls part 2<div style="text-align: center;"><i>Check out our previous post on the topic of trolls: <a href="http://blog.trebuchetcom.com/2011/03/social-media-and-internet-101-trolls.html">Social Media and the Internet 101: Trolls part 1</a></i></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi84P9Rcdhj8IXTgUayykVv9rZJLVPWKK9ieAWurtGE0BwHNSYkxZRQQNvmQOrWhhwZHhtT8KijiKE1u514HpNA4-tO49s9DH384oHTghQX9kdfvX53qVMVWNPNrveXmEKfjXy8fpfcikg/s200/Topiary+Troll+by+meshmar2.jpg" style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 151px; height: 200px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594379475293582930" /><br />Sure, being mean isn’t new, but hateful, irrelevant and nasty comments have grown deep roots online. The biggest reason? The anonymity of the Internet.<br /><br /><br />Since the Internet’s beginning, users have been able to express themselves on all sorts of topics and all under a pseudonym. Anonymity allows online users to act in a way they never could normally.<br /><br />Author Farhad Majoo explains on <a href="http://www.slate.com/id/2287739/">Slate.com</a> why outlets should eliminate anonymous comments: Put simply, by forcing all commenters to attach a name to their comments, they'll be less likely to post mean or ignorant comments.<br /><br />Other online publications are following suit with Manjoo's train of thought. For example, the Washington Post and New York Times are beginning to <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/12/technology/12comments.html?_r=1">implement systems </a>requiring users to register in order to comment. Even more sites are including systems that link that person's <a href="http://www.facebook.com/note.php?note_id=187369061298591&comments">Facebook account</a> to their comment so as to avoid anonymity.</div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6585064190745556725.post-71583588386440810222011-03-04T12:38:00.028-06:002011-03-18T17:07:47.241-05:00Social Media and the Internet 101: Trolls part 1<i>Trebuchet’s social media guru, Ashley, has the pulse on the constantly-changing world of the Internet. She’ll help you make sense of the latest happenings of the Internet and social media – what you should know and whether you need to get on board. Not only will you sound smart, but you can make keen decisions for your business!</i><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiRj7d2m9VAz_MX9m9A6o8h5y94MdQgyMg079QzCNVWSRkszWGK5dvOQYDd6D5EkI-4lGHrAew3gbeHcTYcLSghrpvXm09HGiVUGsxqgh0EgH9_2MmRiusyu-CrmxTsJfv5EL7Kytv6HE/s1600/troll+invasion+by+Cali4beach.jpg"><img style="float: right; margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 145px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiRj7d2m9VAz_MX9m9A6o8h5y94MdQgyMg079QzCNVWSRkszWGK5dvOQYDd6D5EkI-4lGHrAew3gbeHcTYcLSghrpvXm09HGiVUGsxqgh0EgH9_2MmRiusyu-CrmxTsJfv5EL7Kytv6HE/s200/troll+invasion+by+Cali4beach.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585264069422630370" border="0" /></a><br />Trolls: Aren’t they the whimsical rubber collector toys with the wispy hair, the ones that sat on the end of your – or your kids’ – eraser pencils? You know what I’m talking about.<br /><br />While they're whimsical in our minds, on the Internet they're a whole other colorful ball of wax. The internet is stuffed full of different types of people. Different personalities, motivations, and quirks. This is just like the "real world" where different social groups all have cultures that look different from each other. However, due to the Internet's unique characteristics, the cultures that arise online can look very different from their real world counterparts. One of the biggest differences between internet culture and real life culture is the phenomenon of "<b>trolls</b>." For online citizens who have only just heard the term, they probably gathered quickly that the term was not positive. However, what exactly is a troll, and why do people think they're such a pain in the tookus?<div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:180%;">What is a Troll?</span></div><div>Trolls, put simply, are participants in internet conversations that disrupt the conversation for others, either intentionally or unintentionally. Whether it's by posting blatantly rude, hateful or inflammatory comments on a <a href="http://www.youtube.com/">YouTube</a> video, or by posting repeatedly in a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_forum">forum thread</a> without contributing to the original discussion in a meaningful way, or by insulting a blog's author or fellow commenters due to differing opinions, trolls make it difficult for folks with good intentions to have discussions online. </div><div><br /></div><div>Trolls often make their presence immediately known. For some, just saying something as simple as "You Suck" (and any number of poorly written variations) will give them their kicks. For others, trolling is a more subtle affair. Certain communities, for example, will have topics that can rouse others to anger and ultimately distract from the original topic. For example, a sports blog focusing on the local home team could definitely be distracted by an errant comment saying the pitcher/quarter back/star player was terrible. These might not necessarily read immediately as a troll comment, especially when language like "In my opinion" is used within it. However, the end result will probably be a disruptive fight, which is the end result of a troll "attack".<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Not every troll intends to be a troll. Some trolls are simply folks who don't understand the nuances of online conversations. They might be well-intended but ignorant souls looking to participate in a conversation, but are doing so poorly. Yet others might not have the best of intentions, and instead wish to get a stir out of folks they disagree with. There's no question, however, that the most disrupting kind of troll are those who do so as a hobby, and know full well that they're trolling. For those types of trolls, the "art" of finding out exactly what will push the buttons of those they interact with online gives them satisfaction. </div><div><br /></div><div>Ultimately, any comment that exists to draw attention away from the original post or to stir up trouble can be considered a troll comment.<br /><br />In our next blog post on Trolls, we'll discuss where they come from, and what the non-troll members of the online world can do about them.<br /></div><br /><br /><i>If there's a topic you'd like Ashley to tackle, email her at <a href="http://trebuchetcom.com/" target="_blank">Ashley@trebuchetcom.com </a><br /></i><i>Photo above is titled "The Troll Invasion" by Cali4beach via <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/cali4beach/5416283605/" target="_blank">flickr.com</a>. </i><br /><div><br /></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6585064190745556725.post-33005526259397668862010-10-13T09:00:00.000-05:002010-10-13T09:00:09.176-05:00Media Kits<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">In the previous post, we talked about the benefits of having good quality letterhead and notecards in your marketing toolbox. Even if your business can’t afford high-end, professionally printed pieces, as long as the paper is decent and everything looks like your brand, it’s better to at least have something!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">This month, it’s all about Media Kits. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><b><i>What is it?<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">A Media Kit is a grouping of materials inside a folder, envelope or container that will tell a potential customer or member of the news media all about your company. A typical Media Kit usually contains the following:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">- an “About” piece that gives some information on the company, like how long it’s been in operation, who the key players are, what the company does, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">- a “Process” piece that explains how your company works should a customer decide to do business with you. A design firm might create a flowchart or break down the design process into steps so it makes sense to a layperson. It would outline where and when the initial meeting would happen, how payment takes place, when revisions are submitted, when the cabinets and appliances are installed, and etc. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">- a “Testimonials” piece with praise and comments from past clients. This is very important, as consumers are far more likely to make a decision on a purchase based on the opinions and feedback of fellow buyers. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">- a “Gallery” piece displaying examples of your work; for business owners in creatively-driven fields like the arts or design, potential customers want to see photos of products and projects! Pictures of a finished kitchen, examples of colorful tile or photos of tile as part of a finished space are far more appealing than just blocks of text.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">- a “Press Release” that talks about something new with your business. People (especially the media) are always looking for a newsworthy story or angle to write about. Even if your press release isn’t picked up by the media, it’s good to have in a Media Kit because it’s a great vehicle to announce something new and exciting to potential customers.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><b><i>Media Kits are also known as....<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">In marketing-speak, Media Kits are also referred to as Press Kits, Informational Packets, or something similar. They have many names, but serve the same purpose.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"><b><i>Why is it important?<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Media Kits are great to have on-hand if you’re out on sales calls, meeting with a potential client, exhibiting at a trade show or to actually send to the news media to let them know who you are. The above contents we listed don’t necessarily have to be in <i>your</i></span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"> Media Kit, but most or all probably should be in some form. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Since we preach brand identity and consistency, we recommend simply printing Media Kit pieces on letterhead if that’s what your budget allows for. The most important thing is that you’re consistent. Keep using your logo, brand colors and fonts over and over and over. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">If you don’t have the time or budget to get fancy, elaborate containers for your media kit pieces, a simple folder or large envelope will do the trick! If you have a rubber stamp with your logo or some simple stickers made up, you can easily make plain folders your own. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';">Lastly, be sure it’s easy to contact you. Ideally, every piece in the Media Kit should have your address, phone number, e-mail address and website address (if applicable) listed, so if the pieces get separated someone can still get a hold of you without too much effort. Don’t forget to include a business card! <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS'; font-size: 10pt;">© 2010 Trebuchet Communications<i><o:p></o:p></i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS';"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6585064190745556725.post-62923711117529587472010-09-22T09:00:00.000-05:002010-09-22T09:00:05.490-05:00Networking<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS""> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic; -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; ">Industry vs. Non-industry Alliances</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS""><i> <o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS"">Networking is essential to the success of a small business.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>As an entrepreneur, you wear many hats: one for production, one for sales, one for customer relations, one for vendor relations, one for accounting and probably one for marketing as well.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>For some business owners, networking and talking about their business comes naturally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Some people are natural-born communicators and can strike up a conversation with someone next to them in line at the coffee shop without thinking twice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>If the topic turns to business, they welcome the opportunity to share their story.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Others shy away from networking functions and find it difficult to talk about themselves and their business.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Some are afraid of coming across like a salesman and some are just too modest to give themselves credit where it’s due!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>No matter where you fit on the continuum, networking is critical to your survival.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS""> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS"">Industry alliances are those with whom you meet weekly or monthly (or periodically) to discuss industry-related topics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Interior designers have associations like the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) and handmade tile artists have organizations like the Handmade Tile Association.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Being part of groups like these gives you access to education, events, and other resources to help your business grow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>While you probably won’t get much business from your participation in industry-related groups, they will help you get your name on the map and will keep you in the loop.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS""> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS"">Non-industry alliances are groups in which you are one of the few businesses in your industry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Your college alumni association, the Better Business Bureau or your city’s Chamber of Commerce are good examples.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>These groups are important because they provide a viable pool of potential customers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Say you’re a tile artist and you attend a networking event put on by the Minneapolis Chamber of Commerce.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You might meet a lawyer, an accountant, a real estate agent and a landscape designer.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Think of how each of these people could use your services.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS""> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS"">Maybe the lawyer tells you how she just bought a new home and is looking to re-do the kitchen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Here’s your opportunity to share a story about the tile work you do and how you just sold your work to a friend who was re-doing her kitchen as well!<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Then let’s pretend the real estate agent is telling you about a home she’s listing on Lake of the Isles.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Let’s also pretend that you have an installation piece in a home nearby that you tell her about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Perhaps your specific type of work fits in nicely with the types of homes on Lake of the Isles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS""> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS"">Whatever the case may be, the goal is to find common ground with whomever you end up talking to and gradually bring the conversation back around to your business.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Look at each situation and ask yourself how your services can help that person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>If you feel comfortable making the “hard sell” then go for it, but if you don’t, just try and find something in common and go from there until you get more comfortable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS""> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS""><i>Importance of Variety<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS""><i> <o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS"">If you only participate in industry-related groups, you probably won’t get much new business.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Think outside your comfort zone and try to join groups where you will be the only one of your “kind”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Then you have the opportunity to become the “expert” in your field and can reach out to many more potential customers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>If you don’t feel comfortable attending functions on your own, recruit a friend to be your “sidekick” to talk you up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Just make sure they stay focused on the task at hand: to meet new people and talk about your business!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS""> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS""><i>Costs<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS""><i> <o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS"">Most networking groups have a fee to attend or join so they can cover their own costs of putting on the events or meetings. Depending on your budget and type of group you join, these fees range from reasonable to extreme, so be sure you choose wisely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Many groups allow you to attend one time free, so take advantage!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Scope out the scene and see if it feels like a good fit before putting any money down.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Ask your friends if they are part of any organizations and if they could bring you once at no charge.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS""> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS"">If you decide to join a group and are disappointed that you don’t find any solid leads after one meeting, keep at it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Make small goals for yourself, like handing out at least 5 business cards at each event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>(Of course you already know that you should have plenty of cards with you at all times, right?)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You never know where new opportunities might arise.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS""> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS"">That said, if you try a non-industry networking group for six months to a year and have not seen your efforts bear any fruit, it may be time to try a different group, especially if you’re spending money to be a member.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>There are countless opportunities and groups that exist out there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>If you’re not sure where to start, ask friends if they’re members of any good groups or simply google something like “entrepreneur networking group Minneapolis” on the Internet and go from there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS""> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"">© 2010 Trebuchet Communications<o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6585064190745556725.post-92211752411357789212010-09-15T09:00:00.000-05:002010-09-15T09:00:02.767-05:00The World Wide Web<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"">The Web. It’s everywhere. It’s where people of all ages and backgrounds gather information. If your business doesn’t have a web presence in some capacity, it’s almost as if it doesn’t exist!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Internet marketing tools are a great way to reach a wider audience (it is worldwide, after all) in ways that traditional marketing methods can’t compete with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>We’re going to discuss a few of them here!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS""> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS""><b>Websites vs. Splash Pages<o:p></o:p></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS""> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"">A website is a way to legitimize your business. It’s expected that even the smallest of companies at least have a simple website containing basic information.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It tells people how to reach you, what your business does, and might even have photos of your work or testimonials from satisfied customers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Even a basic website will have 3-5 “buttons” or “tabs” for the separate pages.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The purpose of a website is to tell potential customers what you do. It should function as a brochure of sorts, and should let people know how to get a hold of you if they have additional questions.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS""> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"">A splash page is a single landing page on the web. It can have hyperlinks to other websites, but doesn’t have any buttons or tabs leading to additional pages. It’s a static entity. These are great for small companies that can’t afford to do a full website, but still want to have a web address and a small amount of information visible.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>There’s room on a splash page for 3-4 photos, contact information, and a brief blurb or two about your company. It’s better to start small than have nothing at all!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS""> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS""><b>Example Splash Page:</b></span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS""> http://shopyourhouse.com<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS""><b>Example Website:</b></span><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS""> http://www.christinenelsondesign.com<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS""> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS""><b>Blogging<o:p></o:p></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS""><b> <o:p></o:p></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"">While it may seem that everyone and their uncle has a blog these days, there are actually far more readers than writers. This is an opportunity! When we suggest blogging to our marketing clients, they tend to dismiss the idea, saying they couldn’t possibly have anything interesting to say. We disagree. Writing a blog is a chance to become the “expert” on any subject matter that’s important to you... like your business! It’s free to start a blog, and you can update it as often as you choose. Once a month is usually do-able for most people. If you’re a kitchen designer, blog about interesting articles you’ve read, new color trends, tips for being eco-friendly, and things like that. While a blog indirectly promotes your business, you shouldn’t use it as a platform to sell your products or services. A blog is a way to share information, and in doing so, you build trust with your readers and they start viewing you as a resource and as an expert. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS""> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS""><b>Google Analytics<o:p></o:p></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS""><b> <o:p></o:p></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"">Google Analytics is a free tool offered by Google to help you track traffic to your website.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It’s fairly simple to install, but you need some prior computer programming knowledge to do so.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Once it’s set up, the tool will generate monthly reports directly to your Inbox with information on how many people visited your website, how much time they spent on each page, what kinds of words they used to find you on a search engine, and where geographically the visitors live.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS""> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"">For example, if a kitchen designer’s report told her that 90% of her website visitors last month came from the northern suburbs, that tells her that current advertising efforts in those cities are working or that she needs to probably start targeting those areas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>If her report also told her that people were spending 5 minutes on her “Project Gallery” and only 20 seconds on her “Services” page, she might want to think about incorporating some of the Services information into her Project Gallery to ensure people are seeing the services she offers. With the monthly reports, you can look at your marketing efforts and evaluate as you go. If you or someone you know can install the Analytics tool, it’s well worth it!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS""> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS""><b>Social Media<o:p></o:p></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS""><b> <o:p></o:p></b></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"">Facebook, Twitter and YouTube are all on the forefront of marketing efforts for companies big to small these days. Wikipedia defines social media as a “shift in how people discover and share news, information and content.” Is it a passing fad or something just for tech-savvy 20-somethings? No and no! Marketing messages used to be disseminated via one-way communication that would maybe reach the target audience: direct mail, TV commercials, magazine and newspaper ads.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>With social media, information is shared among many, and is more of a dialogue than a monologue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS""> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS""><i>How do you know which of the thousands of social media platforms to use?<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS""> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"">Look at each social medium and adjust your material accordingly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The largest group of people on Facebook is women between the ages of 35-54.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>The largest population using Twitter is women ages 18-34.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>These are two very different groups of people in terms of how they think and how they buy. Using the same message across the board would be a mistake!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS""><i> <o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS""><i>How can social media help my business?<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS""> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"">Social media increases your reach. These platforms allow people to interact with you in a way that’s easier for them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Increasingly, people are basing their business decisions on social conversations. Your actions and presence on Facebook, Linked In, Twitter and other platforms speak to your integrity, good or bad. Potential customers of all ages and income levels will do their research before doing business with a company, so what does your presence online say about yours? Facebook has 100,000,000 unique visitors to its website each month. Given that it’s a free tool to use, why not take advantage of that opportunity?<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS""> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS""> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:8.0pt;font-family:"Trebuchet MS"">© 2010 Trebuchet Communications<o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6585064190745556725.post-60231728479091216262010-09-01T17:31:00.003-05:002010-09-01T17:35:23.339-05:00<!--StartFragment--> <p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'Trebuchet MS', serif;">Notecards and Letterhead</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" ;font-family:'Trebuchet MS', serif;">In last month’s column, we discussed brand identities and logos and why they’re so important.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>To make it simple, let’s think of a brand identity as a “toolbox” and things like a logo and business card as “tools” in that toolbox.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>This month, we’re adding to that toolbox by learning how simple things like notecards and letterhead can add some muscle to your brand identity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="Trebuchet MS"font-family:";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="Trebuchet MS"font-family:";"><i>Why are these important things to have?<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="Trebuchet MS"font-family:";"><i> <o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="Trebuchet MS"font-family:";">As a business owner, you should at the very least have letterhead that is consistent with your branding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>By consistent, we mean using your logo, brand colors and any shapes, fonts or other elements associated with the logo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Letterhead can be used for customer correspondence, invoicing and any other kind of “official” business you conduct. It’s professional. It’s a must. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="Trebuchet MS"font-family:";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="Trebuchet MS"font-family:";">Notecards are great to have on hand for those times when you need to send something with a personal touch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>They can function as a thank you card, a “hi, how are you?” card, a gift card, you name it! They’re multi-purpose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>And again, they need to be consistent with your branding. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="Trebuchet MS"font-family:";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="Trebuchet MS"font-family:";"><i>My business is on a serious budget. How can I afford these pieces?<o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="Trebuchet MS"font-family:";"><i> <o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="Trebuchet MS"font-family:";">With a little creativity, you can stretch any budget!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>If you can’t have a notecard and letterhead printed at a high-end printer, you still have plenty of options.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>See below!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="Trebuchet MS"font-family:";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="Trebuchet MS"font-family:";">QUICK SIDEBAR: When looking at a printed piece, if the colored ink runs all the way to the edge of the paper, it’s called a “bleed.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Pieces with bled edges are more costly to print and have to be done at a print shop. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="Trebuchet MS"font-family:";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1;tab-stops:list 0in"></p><ul><li><span style="font-family:Symbol;"><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span><span style="Trebuchet MS"font-family:";">Have a graphic designer create letterhead for you as a Microsoft Word Document without bleeds. You can print copies on your own printer (if the quality is acceptable) or at a copy shop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Buy some nice paper (we love the unusual sheen of 32 lb. paper) and you’re set!</span></li></ul><ul><li><span style="font-family:Symbol;"><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span><span style="Trebuchet MS"font-family:";">Have a custom rubber stamp or a few hundred stickers made of your logo.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Buy some blank notecards and envelopes at a stationery store and affix a sticker or stamp to the front center of the notecard.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Voila!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Instant branding.</span></li></ul><ul><li><span style="font-family:Symbol;"><span style="font:7.0pt "Times New Roman""> </span></span><span style="Trebuchet MS"font-family:";">If stickers or a stamp aren’t quite in the budget, buy blank notecards and envelopes in a color that matches your brand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Stationery stores carry almost every color of the rainbow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>You just have to ask!</span></li></ul><p></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="Trebuchet MS"font-family:";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="Trebuchet MS"font-family:";">Remember what we learned last month about frequency?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>It’s up to you to be your own “brand police.”<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Every piece you have that bears your logo should be consistent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Same logo, same colors, same fonts, same elements.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Always. The purpose of consistency is to help people begin to recognize your brand and your product or service.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Don’t make it any harder for them!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>Using pieces like letterhead and notecards will not only make your business look more professional, but it’s one more way to get your branding out there and keep it out there!<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="Trebuchet MS"font-family:";"> <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="Trebuchet MS"font-family:";">©<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></span><span style="Trebuchet MS"font-family:";font-size:10.0pt;">2010 Trebuchet Communications<o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6585064190745556725.post-89655025368238412422010-06-24T11:49:00.004-05:002010-07-13T08:21:54.677-05:00Brand Identity and Logos<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">What comes to mind when you think of Coca Cola? Thanks to Coke’s extensive and ever-present marketing campaigns, you probably think of words like refreshing, ice cold, American, family gatherings and fun to name a few. You probably associate positive feelings with the Coke brand.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Thinking about it makes you feel good.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">A brand or product identity is the sum of the attributes one associates with a brand- and by extension, the branded company, organization, product or service.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">An effective brand builds a connection between the brand personality as it’s perceived by its audience and the actual product or service. </span><p class="MsoNormal"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Coke is a perfect example of a strong brand identity. They count on you calling to mind these positive associations when you’re in the soda aisle at the supermarket. Though Coca Cola’s marketing is constantly evolving, with new commercials and logo updates, their brand identity has remained consistent decade after decade.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Every tagline and every jingle and every upbeat commercial you’ve ever seen and ever will see stays true to Coke’s message and brand. They have built a solid brand identity.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">A logo is one of the most important components of a brand identity.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Three things are important when considering whether or not a logo is “strong”: Color, Shape and Frequency.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Haute Kitchens, one of the brand identities created by Trebuchet, serves as an excellent strong example.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.trebuchetcommunications.com/gallery/large/haute.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 364px;" src="http://www.trebuchetcommunications.com/gallery/large/haute.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Color</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">: The color of a logo is of the utmost importance. Color speaks volumes about your brand and is a very strong element in a brand’s identity. When choosing color(s) for a logo, you must consider people’s associations with those colors and how that will translate to their associations with your brand. Red is powerful and commands attention-some of the most recognizable brands in the world (Coca Cola, Target) use the simple combination of red and white to make you stop and take notice.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Green is calming, refreshing and symbolizes growth and wellbeing.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">It’s often used by companies in the health and wellness industry for this reason.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Purple brings to mind wealth, luxury and sophistication.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Centuries ago, it was used to denote royalty and thus is still associated with status and majesty.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Point being: the color of your logo speaks volumes about your company and products or services. What do you want yours to say?</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Haute Kitchens wanted to exude elegance with a bit of an Asian feel to reflect the owner’s heritage.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Deep, rich browns accented by a pale blue make her marketing materials feel earthy and calming.</span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Shape</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">: Like color, shape is also an important part of a logo and brand identity. The shape of the font(s) and of other elements in the logo should be consistent with the type of product you sell or the service you provide. A construction company’s logo will likely be very angular and linear with a strong font that brings to mind stability and quality.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">On the other hand, a women’s spa would probably use a very fluid, serif-style font with embellishments and soft curves to inspire feelings of calm and serenity.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">The font chosen for Haute Kitchens is reminiscent of the designer’s clean, modern aesthetic.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Since Haute doesn’t have a design element as part of their logo, the square pattern as seen on the back of the letterhead becomes their signature “shape.”</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">The angular, square-shaped pattern is repeated wherever possible.</span></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> </span></span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Frequency</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">: Think back to the Coca Cola example discussed in the beginning. The Coke brand has been around for decades. Yet every piece of advertising they create utilizes the exact same script “Coca Cola,” the same color of red and the same themes: happiness, optimism, All-American and togetherness. They tweak their taglines and their jingles, but the core elements of the brand remain the same. That’s how brand identities are built and how they become strong.</span><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Business owners mistakenly believe they must constantly change their look to keep their customers interested. Wrong! Every time you communicate with your audience you’re hoping to gain their trust (and their dollar). You want to essentially keep repeating yourself. It’s putting equity in your brand! </span><o:p></o:p></span></p> <!--EndFragment-->Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1