Millennial vs. Boomer and Marketing

     Marketing is about understanding the client and their needs. Therefore looking at the population trends is important. With the boom of technology, are marketers forgetting the boomers? Now this article includes a wide generalization, but we are trying to look at the generational trends. Just because a consumer is older, does not mean they are behind on technology. It means that marketers need to keep in mind who they are targeting with social media.

     The problem with the two messages to two groups is brand inconsistency. With an online presence, you are speaking to the world and it may be harder to target one specific group without the rest hearing about it. Millennials are used to the instant gratification of consumerism whereas the boomers understand the slow process of working your way up.

Gross offers a lot of insights as to the difference between these generations. I believe there are a lot of opportunities available for both markets, but I am concerned for the opposite messages.

 http://www.forbes.com/sites/prospernow/2013/07/16/the-boomer-bust-working-with-a-fading-generation/?ss=future-work

I Don't Need My Phone, I Just Can't Live Without It

     Almost all of my blogs are about the idea of connecting technology with real life experiences. Biro brings up a good point in that we all need a time to be unplugged. The problem however, is can we unplug? She brings up a ton of really in depth questions that I believe are necessary for the public before moving further into an online presence.

     Of course we all say under dire circumstances I could leave my phone at home, but what is the reality here of our relationship with technology? An advertising professor of mine had given us a presentation of the effects of smart phones are similar to the effects of heroin. Most may not believe that, but it is a concern for the public to keep a balanced lifestyle. Another great question is how deep are we truly getting to customers by cutting of the face-to-face? I do not plan on throwing out all my technology yet, but this was a good reminder that we need a lot more chances to unplug.

 http://www.forbes.com/sites/meghanbiro/2013/07/07/the-digital-realities-of-work-life-blending/?ss=future-work

Why People Share

     Posting may not seem like a very complicated decision process, but Jonah Berger would disagree. In the Social Media examiner Podcast, they interviewed Jonah the author of Contagious: Why Things Catch On. Apparently word of mouth is over ten times more effective that traditional advertising. These kind of statistics are what businesses should be paying attention to. He uses the system STEPPS based on psychological drives that cause people to publicly share information.

     The important thing to take away from these statistics is that some things viral cannot be planned. Sometimes things happen and advertisers need to be on their toes now more than ever to predict some of what could excite people. There needs to be something more to offer to the public than the message itself. Entertainment is a huge issue. Overall this is a great resource to look over for further media campaigns. 

http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/why-things-catch-on-the-science-of-why-people-share/

What's Your Brand?

     Being yourself as a business may not be the best decision. Just because you think something is a good idea, doesn't mean anyone else would buy it. This is a big reason why most new businesses don’t last. Remember a brand is not just one person but the idea of the company. With everything in social media, consumers are becoming sharper as to what companies are being genuine to those looking for a quick sale.

     This can also be shifted toward job applications. When we are creating all of these social platforms for ourselves, they need to be real and distinct. Not many people are interested in looking at the same thing twice, so we need to be cautious as to what kind of personal image we are setting.

Biro offers greats advice as to finding your authentic media self. Do some soul searching and revamp your media presence that is authentic to you.

 http://www.forbes.com/sites/meghanbiro/2013/07/14/rethink-brand-you-find-your-authentic-self/?ss=future-work

Creative Post Ideas

     A lot of companies I believe sell themselves short as to what social media can be used for. This article offers insight as to what we can do to use social media as a platform for launching products. I would advise caution as to not exclusively talk about products so that your image stays genuine.

     In my company we get a lot of traffic from offering the public to participate in decisions we make like voting for a Non Profit website. The point of social media is to connect personally with consumers, letting them get involved takes a lot of trust that the public truly appreciates. Stelzner offers some great creative ideas like posting a teaser about possible plans for the future. It give the public something to be curious and talk to friends about. Read the whole article for more great ideas for campaigns with Facebook and Youtube.

 http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/social-media-product-launch/

How Often to Post

     How often to post? Well I think this is something most companies would find very valuable. It is astonishing the difference is from two to five tweets in a day can do to website traffic. The author here breaks it down into lifetime of a post. We may think that a post a month is good enough to stay in the game, but we have to think about how many other posts may be getting in the way between a potential customer and your business.

     Now we need to stay realistic to your company’s budget, but keep in mind all of the web junk you customers need to go through. The conclusion from this article is blog twice a week, Facebook three times a week, and tweet five times a day. However, as a company you may want to test which formula works best for traffic and at what time of day. These are all things that had to be considered for television advertising too. What is interesting to me is how close this recommendation is to our class’s online networking requirements. 

http://www.getspokal.com/the-complete-guide-to-how-often-to-post-tweet-facebook-for-your-small-business/

Ford Day Fun

     Going to this event I was nervous because I didn't know anything about golf. Good news is that I wasn't alone. The Detroit Advertising Association had it's Ford Day mixed with a fun golfing event. This was a great networking opportunity to meet people from Ford, Lincoln, and even Food Network. You cannot underestimate how much you can learn from a simple day at the green. I think a lot of people make the mistake of only talking about business with other business people. Away from the office offers time to be a person again, and you may hurt your connection chances by only talking about what they do and where they work.
   We need to know how to act and when to say business. The best thing to do for these events is to be genuine. If an opportunity arises, don't spoil it but also don't look so desperate as to ruin the others day. Some people wanted to share some fun Alum stories and give advice about jobs that was very useful. Overall I think it was a fun day to get out and practice networking.

Ann Arbor is the Place to Be

     Even Ann Arbor is starting to gain more buzz in business. Over the past couple years there have been a lot of movies made in our area; it is nice to see more companies bringing in jobs for the locals. NVIDIA does not have the same leverage as other big companies, but they are focusing on our automotive strengths. These are the kind of companies that are making innovative processors for Audi, BMW, and VW. We are going to see a great shift in our driving experiences. If we know of any other big companies coming to Ann Arbor, I encourage you to share it with your friends. Our city needs more local promotion of great achievements like this. 

http://annarbor.com/business-review/ann-arbor-technology-center-with-eye-towards-automotive-market-nvidia-computer-processor/

Back to Detroit

     It has just been a matter of time for the outside world to see the possibilities of Detroit again. So many great things were invented and produced here. Campbell Ewald has the right idea to pack up and move to a up incoming creative hub. Many people can get caught up in the high life of places like NYC and LA.

     We need to remember to look at our local history to see the possibilities for the future. Innovation does not come from walking in successful footsteps. It is about carving a new way for something that others are afraid to try. I think it is wonderful what they are doing with Detroit, but we also shouldn't forget about the cities we live in like Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor.

 http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/opinion-la/la-ol-move-to-detroit-land-of-opportunity-20130808,0,4541203.story#tugs_story_display

Networking First Things First

At the beginning of the year most of our class was thinking about the daunting task of completing our in person networking activities. I wish I had read this article sooner, but it did provide some new insights as to problems people have had with networking. It usually boils down to never networked before, not getting results from networking, or getting irregular results.

     One thing I think to mention is that networking is not a one stop shopping experience. It is about creating relationships. Just like other friendships in may be scary at first, but practice makes better, and people will understand. If the whole experience does not seem to bring results, try a different method or get a networking partner to look for clues as to where you may be going wrong. 

http://annarbor.com/business-review/when-developing-a-networking-practice-focus-on-first-things-first/

Meeting Saline Chamber

     Last Tuesday I got the chance to visit my neighbors at the Saline Chamber of Commerce meeting. I had a great time meeting new people and getting to know some of the local businesses. Most of the attendees already knew each other, and it seemed beneficial for everyone. The first presentation was about Cleary University, and the discount programs offered for employers to have employees finishing up their degrees. I think it is smart for these businesses to work together, because schooling is becoming too expensive for employers to fund.
     The next presentation was from the Rentchler Farm Museum. She talked briefly about the great summer programs offered, and how the farm does a lot for the children of the community. I think it is easy for people to get wrapped up in the big business world, but it is important to look at what is in our own community. It is good to continue to listen to community discussions like this so that we can remember what our clients are looking for. Most of our non profits have a similar mindset that these historical establishments do.

Post Practically

     This is a topic I have been discussing at my own work in that social media needs to be specific to your business. It is more than just posting about articles, or writing things you think consumers want to know. Posts need to be a mesh of what your business is about and what your consumers are looking for. I think great advice would be to look at how a business is different from its competitors and use that as a platform for the type of posts it is trying to send.
     Businesses need to research their consumer’s interests and utilize the social media correctly. Another way a business could stand out is to offer content specific for their clients. When consumers are offered something useful and relevant, they are more likely to take notice of your company and recommend it to others. Depending on the type of business a person has could totally change how posts are designed and updated. A pizza joint may not be looking to post business articles from the Wall Street Journal. The better the collaboration, the more effective a social media campaign would be.

http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/how-to-find-great-content-to-share-on-twitter/

Don't Just Find It, Talk About It

     It is great that the Map apps are finally getting the right idea of what consumers are looking for in location services. No one generally wants the option of only looking at where a store is, but what kind of reviews it received. I agree with Bohret that the business review sites like Yelp could be in trouble, and should look into other expansion possibilities.
     Having the capability to see what restaurants your circles have visited allows for so much more connectedness which social media is all about. This is also a great opportunity for businesses to see what areas of people are talking about them and have better access to the reviews from social media. Something to be concerned about in these upgrades to mapping is that it could potentially cause too much distraction on the road

http://on.wsj.com/17wDT6V

Buy it Anywhere

     Apparently if you can get a customer to purchase in the bathroom, you have them hooked. This is a prime reason as to why the enhanced ad campaigns are essential for company products. People with smart phones generally have more disposable income. Depending on the product, when looking through a phone consumers are more relaxed sitting in the bedroom, living room, or even the bathroom. 

     Wohlson discussed how more research is coming out about the different uses depending on screen size. Less people are buying laptops and trading it for tablets or phones that have all-in-one features. Statistics about a websites mobile usage is becoming increasingly important to pay attention to. Businesses need to follow their clients online behavior to make sure their ads are correctly targeted.

http://www.wired.com/business/2013/07/bathroom-buying/

Classes in the Chatrooms

    It is hard to argue with the statistics for millennials having such a high rate of mobile work activity. However I think it is still a stretch to think that online education could somehow take over the traditional University setup. There are a lot of different courses available, but there has to be some kind of interaction. Everything cannot be taught by online text alone. The classroom offers a lot more experience and example opportunities.
     A good point Wells makes in this article is that online options would significantly reduce costs. Unfortunately choices about a person's education cannot totally rely on the most cost effective decision. If societal trends are starting to lean towards more online choices, I think a better option would be to utilize online video sessions for more class participation. Universities could fund their own video programs and in this way stay more credible with employers. With more Google Hangout or Skype options available, students could potentially cut a lot of costs while having a credible degree. If there was no way of contacting students outside of email, I think there would be a big downturn in the educational system. I have not seen this topic a lot, but I believe it is something to look out for.

http://www.wired.com/insights/2013/07/moocs-on-the-move-from-colleges-to-companies/

Use Your Strengths

     Although we are not going to see Facebook as the top search engine, I think they have the right idea for the capabilities they have. If in social media the top searches are other users and their photographs, why not continue to work on those queries to make people searches easier. Google may be able to give you a list of information, but Facebook has its own specific strengths at finding people.

     In a way the idea of graph search ability seems similar to LinkedIn. They want to create a social graph that could better allow for users to search their friends by activities and photos. In the end I think it is a right choice for Facebook to expand what they are doing without going underwater trying to compete with Google.
http://bit.ly/12aw0ps

Phrases Change

     This article is a great example of how online businesses need to stay up to date on searches for advertisements. Facebook had faced a problem with businesses being categorized incorrectly. In this example a new American restaurant was mistaken for Chinese simply because of the word choice by the American business. 

     With the new formatting change in Facebook, it offers a more honed in targeting for consumers.A good lesson from this is to keep in mind the way people search changes. Various phrases and keywords are constantly coming in and out. Businesses need to look out for these changes and update accounts accordingly.

http://www.wired.com/wiredenterprise/2013/07/entities-graph/

Enhanced Explanation

     All AdWords accounts will be upgraded to include new customization on July 22nd. This upgrade will not change campaign content; it will assist the marketer to locate potential customers more efficiently.

Key changes to the campaign will involve smarter ads for mobile devices. This upgrade is intended to find out what the user’s intent and context is for looking up keywords, and fitting the right ad with that situation. Google is trying to make the advertiser’s life easier by automatically making these changes. Ultimately this system will attempt to provide customers with more purchase opportunities using mobile marketing.

     With this format, marketers do not have to juggle separate campaigns for different devices. Now, they are all included on one campaign across all devices. The disadvantage of this change will be that clients will have to keep track of different budgets for different devices. However, it is easy to make changes to the budget between mobile devices and computers.This is a great change for campaigns, and is better strategy to locate potential customers.  

Don't Forget to Listen

     Going into this seminar, I wasn't sure how much content I would get from it. To my surprise I found Sean Combs had some amazing insights about how he looks for the current trends. He said "I listen to my kids" which I think is something people tend to overlook. Most businesses put a lot of time and dedication to market trends and surveys, but they need to remember to pay attention to those immediately around them. Sometimes the answer is as easy as listening to what people are really looking for. Social media is a good way to start to see the most up to date trends, but I would caution people not to forget to be social outside of the cell phone.

What posts are made of

     Daniel Lammare had the right idea that experiences are what the public is looking for. Cirque Du Soleil had a presentation talking about how online experiences could not trump live experiences. We would not have any pictures to post or friends to tag if we did not have a life outside of our mobile devices. Facebook would be a very boring place to go if it was not filled with pictures of vacations or reviews about the best local restaurants. With all the personal life content in these sites, I believe there is something to learn for businesses. Live events need to be integrated with social media and mobile campaigns.
     In South Korea for example, the Palaces offer an amazing application that allows visitors to see a 3-D replication on their phone of what the inside of a Palace would look like. The physical experience is being in front of a beautiful palace, and the mobile device is capable of sharing that experience with others. So as companies are trying to think of way to expand, they should look at how to better integrate the in person experience with the online experience. In this way there is a perfect collaboration leading to more effective campaigns.

Celebrities and the Media

     This workshop was all about social media and the impact in the life of celebrities and businesses. Social media including tweets need to be authentic. Martha Stewart, Nick Cannon, Melanie Brown (Scary Spice) all agreed and claimed that they tweet themselves. It does not have to be an overwhelming amount, but it needs to be true for the sake of your brand. I think this scenario is just as applicable for our personal promotion. This is a way for all of us to show and have a public message to your businesses between employees or consumers.
     The instant communication has so many advantages for delivering messages. They also addressed the risks they face with posting themselves with bad posts and limited editing. However putting the paparazzi out of business with their own family pictures is good. Although it is good to be honest we need to keep in mind once its out, it's out. So still be tactful. I got the impression that less may be better if you aren't sure about a post, then just share it with a friend.

Referrals Seminar with Spark

     A couple weeks ago at Spark we talked about the steps in getting a referral. Often times it seems that we think a five minute conversation with someone will get us a job. But how far would you risk your reputation for someone with name only? It is important to think how big the favor is compared to your relationship with someone.
     For example it may be okay for a simple introduction or email to a contact for information. It is also good to remember that people generally are glad to help you out. We just need to have reasonable requests. And if you start out with something small and show a professional persona they may be more willing to give other opportunities sooner. Before you ask for a referral think of how far you would go for them. Another good method is to offer to help someone else. But keep it genuine. We all know when someone is just talking us up to ask for a favor. When networking you may not always be the one getting help but the goal is to create the trusting relationships so that when you do need a referral there are options.

At least Siri knows how I feel

     It is great when people find a way to make science fiction real or sort of. If I could tell Siri that I don't feel happy, or if any of my technology could somehow register emotion, I don't know how that would help. It is really amazing that something like this could be created but we have to consider the practicality of it all. What are the possibilities for having emotion recognition. It would be a good way of getting honest reviews.

     The whole more interactive gaming part is a very cool idea. In the gaming sense it would be great for avatars to link directly to the players excitement. It that way I could see it going far. 

http://bit.ly/13drjbk

New Vs. Old, or Upgraded?

     When we thinks about old school computers we think of the giant box of a monitor and the loud running fan of the computer. People have been saying in recent years of the doom of the PC with the rise in tablets. However as programs become more dynamic and the public is becoming more computer savy, they are going to need technology that can keep up.

     Really I agree that as long as these companies keep upgrading there shouldn't be a problem. It is just the natural updating of technology. The same things will be done with different ways of doing it.  The problem I see is companies having a hard time rebranding as updated and coming up with the funds to scrap the old to adapt the new. These problems won't be solved by one choice, but I think they are right to say that we don't need to be completely horrified for the future of PC's. 

http://bit.ly/17rhTOq

What will they do next?

     Are they taking over the world? At the last SPARK event I went to about mobile marketing, I was concerned with the idea that not everyone had WiFi accessibility. My phone bill is quite expensive to have unlimited data, and the fact is not every business wants to support the public's WiFi access.  I think this is a cool solution and good publicity for Google. Will this be practical in the long run? I don't know much about balloons but I am wondering how much less expensive it would be to just set up the technology needed for these area to have WiFi. We will see what happens with this.
http://bit.ly/13TnQzL

Social media yes or no?

     Friday I attended a meeting at Whole Brain Group in downtown Ann Arbor. We had coffee and donuts  and talked about search marketing basics. A good discussion came up about whether or not a business should invest in social media. A small business owner working out of a home office may not have time to run full Facebook and Twitter campaigns. The question here is if it is really worth it to spend the time on creating these campaigns. If Facebook does not ultimately bring your company traffic, what is the use? Another good point was brought up by Bonnie who hosted the meeting. It is just as bad for a business to have a social media account that is not updated.

     If a business plans to have and account it should be well maintained. Now I think as I have discussed a lot in different posts that it is important to have a well developed mobile site, but small businesses need to think about their marketing strategy before signing up with every social service. 

Video or Mobile?

     I have been talking a lot lately about the importance of mobile and apps for businesses, but this article is about how video is still an important factor. We discuss a lot how many people don't watch live TV but record it or watch it on Netflix or HBO. According to Young 85% of audiences are still watching live TV. Is was a big surprise to me just from my own experiences. I think it is important to mention here that although we need to upgrade to more mobile friendly interfaces, it is still important to reach the tradition mediums as well. We will see if this is in fact the year of videos.

http://bit.ly/19FxPs3

The Mobile Wave

     During the SPARK event, it was discussed the need for businesses to start updating their website to fit on a mobile screen. There is a debate between apps or just a mobile site. The fact is that 60% of searches are on mobile devices for people ages 18-34. Although companies should not just be throwing money at building an app just to go with the flow. It takes research and knowing your customer base to see if an application is really useful. Businesses do need to have a easy website or mobile use, but it may not need a lot of change from the original site. Te important thing is to look at your budget and your customers. We still need to keep in mind the growing mobile trend.

FB Tracking, Will it Work?

     Reading over this article facebook-waze made me wonder how much of this tracking information is truly useful. It must prove helpful in some way if Facebook is using it. Facebook is in the process of buying the user based map service Waze. It takes the location of its users to determine real time traffic information. Facebook wants to utilize this technology to “check in” and be able to match advertisements to their specific locations. This would be a nice feature, but I wonder if people are already driving past various businesses they may not need another reminder of what is around. This would be good for small local businesses that do not have or cannot afford more outside advertising.

Search Marketing Basics Seminar

     On May 24th I will be attending this Search Marketing Basics seminar. It is hosted by the Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti Chamber of Commerce http://www.annarborchamber.org/. This is a great resource to use for various local events on business and is a great offers great networking opportunities. This free event will be going over the basics of Google Adwords and how SEO is affecting businesses. It is important for online businesses to be aware of the changing world in online advertising, and online searches. Not every business can just start making ads, they need to budget and make sure this method will be translated into future sales. These events do well with discussion and general knowledge sharing between companies.