A testament to the power of social media

It’s amazing how quickly social media has taken hold of the world.  Why, just a short three years ago, I was completely clueless as to what the term “social media” even referred to.  And then when I did finally gain some grain of understanding, I flatly refused to be a part of it for months!  And now, as you can see, I am immersed as deeply as the rest of you crazy cool people. 

Although, there are days that I wonder what will become of everyone.  After all, like everything else in life, moderation is the key.  With all of the different games and fictional societies that seem to be flourishing on the internet, it really could be quite easy to become so fully immersed that one’s days would waste away until there was nothing of reality left to experience and appreciate.

Thankfully, there are many facets to the social media revolution, or perhaps I should say evolution, and it is a great one that I sing the praises of today.  Last year, I lost my beautiful cousin Joy to a very long battle with cancer.  I won’t go into the sad details, because this story is all about greatness precipitated by social networking.  You see, Joy’s children wanted to help her achieve her biggest goals and dreams before she left us, so they asked for a “Bucket List” of things she wanted to accomplish.  It wasn’t a very long list, and really, there were three items that I would consider the least bit challenging:  Go on a cruise;  Swim with the dolphins;  Be a part of the audience at a taping of the Oprah Winfrey Show.

What everyone should know about pricing professional video

What could possibly be so hard about pricing a professional video project?

From the outside looking in, it may seem simple enough to put a price tag on a professional video, but there are many considerations involved.  Having spent more than a decade working for Prizm, I have learned so much about the process of creating a professional video, and let me tell you, there is absolutely nothing simple about it!

I receive inquiries for cost quotes daily, and frequently find it necessary to help people understand how much really goes into creating professional, award winning videos.   I can’t tell you how many times I have heard:  “Just off of the top of your head, how much does it usually cost to…?” Although I don’t like to say it, there genuinely is not a “usual” cost when it comes to the creation of a professional video.

Capturing professional video for Extreme Makeover Home Edition

In order to receive a true and complete price quote on your video, you must be prepared to provide your production company with answers to some very pertinent questions like these:

1. How long do you want your video to be?
2. What style and quality do you envision for your final product?
3. What delivery medium (or mediums) do you intend to use?
4. What is your deadline?
5. Are you working within a specific budget?
6. Do you want professional actors and/or voice talent to be part of your video?
7. Do you need scripting services?

The answers to the above questions then create more leading questions, which largely influence pricing, such as: 

Social Media and SEO

Many of our clients are confused about social media. Is it just a fad? Doesn’t it represent a casual or unprofessional environment? How will this help our business?

Many social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, flickr, MySpace, Last.FM, blogs, SlideShare, digg, and more exist in the corporate world.

Allow me to tackle just one facet of the many benefits of corporate social media pages: Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

The Anatomy of the “Director of First Impressions”

Who is the Director of First Impressions for your company?  Why, it’s you, of course!  It doesn’t matter what position or title you hold, if you are ever the first person to greet a visitor or pick up the telephone, the responsibility of making a great first impression is all on you.

While it’s obvious that greeting someone with a warm smile is crucial when you’re face to face, many people don’t realize the importance of a smile even when you are simply taking a phone call.  This is the point where you are probably thinking:  Oh come on, it isn’t as if you can really hear a smile, can you?

You bet you can!  And the flip side is that you can definitely hear it when that smile is not there, even though you may not be able to see whom you are speaking with.  Think about your own experiences.  How many times have you been put off by an unpleasant conversation with a seemingly unhappy or completely uninterested sounding customer service representative?  The truth is that the majority of those service reps really were interested in helping you, they were just never taught the basics of proper telephone etiquette.

Measuring your social media’s ROI

A common question between businesses and marketers alike is “How do I measure the ROI of my social media campaign?” Well, folks, I have the answer:

You don’t.

A common myth about social media is that it can be the end-all solution for advertising. Plus, it’s free — perfect, right? Wrong. While social media can be part of your marketing campaign, it cannot carry the ship.

How much do keywords matter?

My husband and I have always been sticklers for doing research before making any kind of major purchase.  From cars to appliances to electronics, it is important to know that you will be getting the most for your money before committing to spending it.  While it hasn’t been that long ago that we had to go to our local library to peruse the latest copies of Consumer Reports for information, now one has to go only as far as the closest computer with an internet connection to learn everything pertinent to making an informed buying decision.

A while back, I thought I had done my due diligence before making a major purchase – so much that even Dave Ramsey would have been proud!  I actually spent 4 months doing research in my spare time, before making the final choice, which was based on my research.  Here’s where it gets interesting:  I have had quite a lot of trouble with this product, even though everything I read raved about the item in question.  Did I get a “lemon”?  Or was all of my research bogus?  What did I do wrong?!

I continued to contemplate these questions, until it finally occurred to me that every time I did a new search for information, I always used “reviews” in my search.  So, I decided to try an experiment. 

New Logo, New Emblem, New Icon – OH MY!! | when to re-brand and why

Starbucks is evolving their logo once again this year

Image is everything.  Who hasn’t heard that a million times?!  

While substance is what ultimately matters, if your first impression doesn’t attractively and informatively communicate that substance…nobody cares.  That’s why every business, product, film, music group, etc. needs a brand.  A face to put to their name.  A personality to put to the person.

Walmart and Starbucks – a couple of the largest, most successful companies our country has seen – have re-branded within the last two years.  Why is that?

Social Media: Don’t rest on your laurels

I was on LinkedIn dialoguing with colleagues around the world about who considers themselves an expert at social media.  Mind you, these are wise and seasoned marketers themselves.  The wisdom that came from thediscussion focused on a couple of repetitive themes.

Do you HootSuite?

Your business is probably on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and a slew of other social media applications. So how do you keep all of these profiles in check?

50 Ways to Use a QR Code

Can’t think of how your business can use a QR Code? Refer to our previous post and check out this article, which gives you 50 — “Count ‘Em, 50!” — ideas:

50 Creative Uses of QR Codes in Marketing & Communications by Flyte

Our personal faves: