The document provides 30 tips for using social media for businesses. Some key tips include offering behind-the-scenes content to engage customers, demonstrating your company's products or services through multimedia on sites like YouTube and Twitter, monitoring what people say about your brand online and responding to complaints quickly, and finding and engaging with influencers in your industry on sites like LinkedIn and blogs. The overall recommendations are for businesses to use social media to build community, showcase expertise, and resolve issues in a transparent manner.
The Best Of Snapshot is an ongoing series prepared by the LHBS Inspiration-Hub team. Snapshots are filled with curated signs and cases related to a certain topic or industry and are selected around the three following areas of our expertise: business development, brand building and customer experience.
This one features signs and cases from the fashion industry, how it is changing and what new marketing efforts it's coming up with.
The On-Demand Brand by Rick Mathieson provides readers with information on the right combination of digital channels and interaction to increase visibility for any brand in today’s digital marketplace.
The organic reach of Facebook’s business pages has been tweaked so much
that the organic reach is way down, as low as 2 percent for some of the largest brands. That statistic is very scary for small to medium-sized businesses that
rely on using Facebook as a free means to market their business and connect
with their clients or customers.
The Best Of Snapshot is an ongoing series prepared by the LHBS Inspiration-Hub team. Snapshots are filled with curated signs and cases related to a certain topic or industry and are selected around the three following areas of our expertise: business development, brand building and customer experience.
This one features signs and cases from the fashion industry, how it is changing and what new marketing efforts it's coming up with.
The On-Demand Brand by Rick Mathieson provides readers with information on the right combination of digital channels and interaction to increase visibility for any brand in today’s digital marketplace.
The organic reach of Facebook’s business pages has been tweaked so much
that the organic reach is way down, as low as 2 percent for some of the largest brands. That statistic is very scary for small to medium-sized businesses that
rely on using Facebook as a free means to market their business and connect
with their clients or customers.
The Best Of Snapshot is an ongoing series prepared by the LHBS Inspiration-Hub team. Snapshots are filled with curated signs and cases related to a certain topic or industry and are selected around the three following areas of our expertise: business development, brand building and customer experience.
This one features signs and cases related to Pinterest— and its influence on the consumer behaviour, communication and the e-commerce possibilities.
Social Media Marketing: Success Stories & Case Studies Vanessa CEO
This seminar analyzes examples of how companies and brands have been able to successfully put the power of social media marketing to advance their business success. The plan for this class is to analyze between 4 and 6 difference cases. Social media sites discussed include: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter & YouTube. The goal is also to attempt to help attendees convert their own social media business activity into a potential success stories.
Sundance Vacations and Travel Advantage Network Case Studysoapbox
Sundance Vacations and Travel Advantage Network sell vacation packages. This is a case study of their marketing practices, side by side with FTC Truth in Advertising standards.
Got 5 mins to kill and want to understand where you should be focussing your social media marketing skills?
LOOK NO FURTHER!
Get the kettle on, get your feet up on the desk and impress your colleagues when you recite 2015's biggest social media marketing related trends.
Enjoy. Love from us!
a recent presentation given on improving our emergency response time by holding fire extinguishers more accountable and linking them to other life safety systems
The Best Of Snapshot is an ongoing series prepared by the LHBS Inspiration-Hub team. Snapshots are filled with curated signs and cases related to a certain topic or industry and are selected around the three following areas of our expertise: business development, brand building and customer experience.
This one features signs and cases related to Pinterest— and its influence on the consumer behaviour, communication and the e-commerce possibilities.
Social Media Marketing: Success Stories & Case Studies Vanessa CEO
This seminar analyzes examples of how companies and brands have been able to successfully put the power of social media marketing to advance their business success. The plan for this class is to analyze between 4 and 6 difference cases. Social media sites discussed include: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter & YouTube. The goal is also to attempt to help attendees convert their own social media business activity into a potential success stories.
Sundance Vacations and Travel Advantage Network Case Studysoapbox
Sundance Vacations and Travel Advantage Network sell vacation packages. This is a case study of their marketing practices, side by side with FTC Truth in Advertising standards.
Got 5 mins to kill and want to understand where you should be focussing your social media marketing skills?
LOOK NO FURTHER!
Get the kettle on, get your feet up on the desk and impress your colleagues when you recite 2015's biggest social media marketing related trends.
Enjoy. Love from us!
a recent presentation given on improving our emergency response time by holding fire extinguishers more accountable and linking them to other life safety systems
This was for a presentation that I conducted for Startup@Singapore in NUS on 16 October 2010. It's a quick summary of what works and what does not plus some guidelines on making social media work harder for you.
Jay Berkowitz, author and business keynote speaker, presented “10 Strategies to Build Organizational Trust and Credibility using Social Media Tools” to the IABC. Mr. Berkowitz explained how to build organizational trust and credibility using social media tools.
Does all the hype surrounding social media make sense?
Isn't it time that somebody tried to deconstruct all this bull shit?
What are social media? Are they the same websites we used to call social networks? Why did we start calling them social media?
What is social media marketing? Are companies doing it right? Does it make sense to send people who visit your website to Twitter and Facebook?
Do people really want to "engage" with brands? Do companies really want to have "conversations" with their customers? Conversations about what?
What is the value of a Facebook "like"? What is "organic reach"? What happens now that the free lunch is over?
This is an internet marketing campaign developed for Touch of Modern designed to improve its users' experience as well as increase conversion, net-sales, and acquisition.
Crowdfunding: Financing Your Small BusinessPatch of Land
Crowdfunding: Financing Your Small Business was a presentation given by Manolis Sfinarolakis, the Founder of Reality Crowd TV Media Corporation, at the University of Hartford.
In this interactive workshop, learn practical strategies for using Crowdfunding to finance your small business. We’ll review examples of companies that have successfully implemented campaigns as well as brainstorm ways for participants to use Crowdfunding as a financing resource. This workshop will benefit small businesses selling products and/or services, as well as non-profits.
Instructor: Manolis Sfinarolakis, Reality Crowd TV Media Corporation
On July 20, 2010, the DFW HR Roundtable, hosted by Pearson Partners International, discussed social networking and how it can help your business success. The featured speaker was Mark Harwell of Avidity Media.
transformation. It is a blend of target promoting , direct showcasing , decentralized promoting, client situated advertising, two-way intuitive advertising , remote or worldwide advertising, virtual advertising , paperless exchanges , and client cooperation promoting. Computerized promoting has enriched showcasing blend in with new meanings. Its capabilities essentially incorporate data trade, online buy, internet distributing, electronic money, web based promoting, corporate advertising, and so forth. It is the fundamental showcasing technique and improvement pattern of undertakings in the time of computerized economy. One-way showcasing in light of Web1.0 In the mid-1990s, the Internet (Internet) was conceived, and the Web genuinely turned into the worldwide Web and started to enter individuals' lives. Web 1.0 is the term for the earliest variant of the Web. According to a specialized perspective, the site pages of Web 1.0 are "read-just” and clients can't alter them, however can peruse or look for data. By and by, on the grounds that the Web has opened up another world for people, in the time of computerized showcasing 1.0, Web content creation is overwhelmed by sites, clients reserve no privilege to associate, ads are described by single-thing correspondence, and clients latently acknowledge promoting data on sites, mostly utilizing show flag commercials, spring up ads, web crawler ads, and so on. The primary motivation behind advertising is to sell items.
In the period of advanced advertising 2.0, with the abrupt rise of web-based entertainment and video destinations, organizations have limited the distance with clients, laid out thorough promoting procedures, and acknowledged ongoing observing and normal examination of information. Subsequently, the Web has continuously turned into a significant channel for corporate showcasing, and promoters have moved seriously publicizing financial plan venture from disconnected media to online media. In the promoting 3.0 period portrayed by the utilization of huge information innovation, it is possible to gather and break down information, for example, client look, perusing, snaps, buys, and sharing. In light of this information, "client representations" assist companies with precisely understanding client needs and inclinations, so that promoting exercises are more focused and proficient, and brands are completely and successfully showed. The promoting school is essentially gotten from the intuitive publicizing school of the customary publicizing school. Since homegrown and global promoting monsters possess worldwide publicizing clients, with the ascent of Web promoting, the intelligent promoting business is isolated from the promoting organization field, and has progressively turned into a significant piece of the promoting wellspring of significant sites. Like Ogilvy, Publicist, Dents and other publicizing monsters, they have never feared not having clients, and have turned into the key security fo
Understanding the Different Kinds of Beef in the MarketplaceMark Moreno
The U.S. beef industry offers products that appeal to potential
customers. It accomplishes this through fresh beef identified
by different USDA quality grades (Prime, Choice and Select),
company brands and production methods (conventional, natural,
grass-finished and organic).
The taste, texture, tenderness and other properties of products
carrying these designations can vary, and marketers may
capitalize on the attributes that objectively describe their
products and their production methods. That’s the nature
of marketing.
It is important, though, that proponents of these types of
production methods not misrepresent their beef or beef from
animals raised conventionally. To claim conventional beef
is inferior because it contains minute additional quantities
of certain chemicals (e.g., hormones or pesticides), when the
amounts are insignificant and proven safe by science is not
appropriate. To say that grass-finished beef is superior because
it contains minute additional quantities of certain chemicals
(e.g., conjugated linoleic acid or vitamin E) when it is not
reasonably possible to eat enough to improve personal health,
also is not appropriate.
The U.S. beef industry has a wide variety of types of beef from
which consumers can choose, all of which are safe, wholesome
and nutritious. Conventional, natural, grass-finished and organic
beef are defined by production and marketing distinctions, not
by nutritional or safety differences.
http://www.beefresearch.org/CMDocs/BeefResearch/Beef%20Choices.pdf
The Facts; Busting the Grass-fed Beef MythsMark Moreno
Marketing claims that grass-fed beef is healthier or
more eco-friendly are a myth. Grain-fed and grassfed
beef are defined by production, marketing and
taste distinctions, not by nutritional or environmental
differences. The No. 1 reason consumers purchase beef
is taste. Grain-fed beef, like the Certified Angus Beef ®
brand, delivers the superior taste consumers desire.
Memorandum Opinion Sysco US Foods Merger / AcquisitionMark Moreno
Americans eat outside of their homes with incredible frequency. The U.S. Department of Commerce, for instance, recently reported, for the first time since it began tracking such data, that Americans spent more money per month at restaurants and bars than in grocery stores. 1 Of course,
Americans eat out at many other places, too-sports arenas, school and workplace cafeterias, hotels and resorts, hospitals, and nursing homes, just to name a few. The foodservice distribution industry supplies food and related products to all of these locations. Foodservice distribution is
big business. In 2013, the market grew to $231 billion. By some estimates, there are over 16, 000 companies that compete in the foodservice distribution marketplace.
The two largest foodservice distribution companies in the country are Defendants Sysco
Corporation ("Sysco") and US Foods, Inc. ("USF"). Both are primarily "broadline" foodservice distributors. As the name implies, a broadline foodservice distributor sells and delivers a "broad" array of food and related products to just about anywhere food is consumed outside the home.
In 2013, Sysco's broadline sales were over 40 billion and USF's were over 20 billion.
Order Granting Preliminary Injunction Sysco US FoodsMark Moreno
After considering the extensive record in this matter
and the parties’ legal arguments, the court finds that the FTC has carried its burden of showing that a preliminary injunction of the proposed merger between Sysco and US Foods is in the public interest. The FTC has shown that there is a reasonable probability that the proposed merger will
substantially impair competition in the national customer and local broadline markets and that the equities weigh in favor of injunctive relief. The court’s reasoning is set forth in the accompanying Memorandum Opinion. Because the Memorandum Opinion likely contains “competitively sensitive information” of Defendants and third parties, Protective Order Governing Confidential Material, ECF No. 87 ¶ 1, the court has issued the Memorandum Opinion under seal to allow the parties to propose redactions of competitively sensitive information. The parties shall meet and confer and present to the court proposed redactions to the Memorandum Opinion no later than 5:00 p.m. on June 25, 2015. After considering the proposed redactions, the court will issue a public version of the Memorandum Opinion on June 26, 2015.
Sysco - US Foods PROPOSED FINDINGS OF FACT AND CONCLUSIONS OF LAWMark Moreno
The evidence is overwhelming that the proposed merger is intended to capture the enormous efficiencies in excess of $1 billion in cost savings that will occur when Sysco and US
Foods combine These savings will enable the merged entity to compete more effectively including by lowering prices to the benefit of their customers. With the exception of handful of suspect customer and competitor declarations procured by the FTC speculating that prices might go up there is no evidence that prices will increase as result of the
Affordable Care Act - Next Steps for RestaurateursMark Moreno
Understanding the ACA and “operationalizing” it in a
restaurant business will be challenging. The Treasury
Department and Internal Revenue Service published final
regulations in February and March that provide the rules
by which employers will comply with the employer-mandate
and employer-reporting requirements.
Getting Out of PA-DSS Scope and Eliminating the High Cost of EMV: What you need to know
by Mike English
Executive Director, Product Development
Heartland Payment Systems
FTC Complaint Sysco US Foods AcquisitionMark Moreno
Respondents are—by a wide margin—the two largest broadline foodservice distributors in the United States and each other’s closest competitor. Sysco and US Foods are the
only two broadline distributors with nationwide networks of distribution centers, making them the best options for customers with facilities spread across the country.
Respondents also compete fiercely with one another in numerous local areas to serve independent restaurants and other foodservice customers.
MEET THE REVOLUTIONARY VENDING MACHINE WITH TOUCHSCREEN TECHNOLOGYMark Moreno
DIJI-TOUCH MAKES VENDING OPERATIONS A TOUCH MORE EXCITING. THIS INTERACTIVE MACHINE TURNS EVERYDAY SNACKING INTO A DYNAMIC VENDING EXPERIENCE.
Touchscreen Technology—Easy and fun to use.
Unique Engagement—Entertaining advertising and promotional content create memorable user experiences.
Remotely Monitor Machine Status and Inventory—Enjoy full analytics and reporting at your disposal.
Purchasing any technology can be confusing, and this applies to the purchase of a point-of-sale (POS) System. This document will provide you with a checklist of questions and information you should have discussed and/or documented before or as part of your purchasing process. The first document is a checklist of questions you should ask, and the second is a definition of terms for your purchase agreement. Both of these documents will help protect you and your business and help ensure that you make an appropriate
purchase from a qualified POS Systems provider. It is intended to clarify the terms of your agreement and avoid any misunderstanding on the scope or services and terms of the purchase agreement.
Bermar America Put a Sparkle into Wine by the Glass SalesMark Moreno
About
We believe that wine-by-the-glass should be served as the wine maker intended, freshly hand poured from the bottle with craft.
Mission
Have you ever been served a bad glass of wine ? Our mission is to help hospitality operators guarantee that they never serve that inferior experience, and to help them create 'moments of magic' in their wine service. We believe that the art and science of wine service should strive to elevate the wine experience to maximize enjoyment.
Description
At Bermar America we believe that wine-by-the-glass should be served fresh, and hand poured with craft just as a wine maker intended. We are committed to helping wine professionals create these ' moments of magic' with their wine service, and deliver the finest quality wine experience for their guests, . We provide our unique high precision wine preservation technology , Le Verre de Vin and Pod ...
General Information
Wine Preservation Systems and a company that stands for quality, service, education, and great wine!
a retrofit device developed by The
Madison Energy Group and a leading product
development company which reduces the energy
consumption of commercial grade coolers and
freezers.
Commercial refrigerators waste 15-30% of their
energy on up to 60% more cycles than necessary to
maintain food temperature at the appropriate
level.
Thermostats measure air temperature instead of
food temperature (air is less dense and fluctuates
significantly more
Reduced CO2 emissions
Reduced energy consumption
Endorsed by the Green Restaurant Association
@MadisonEnergy
Restaurant Trends 2014 by Restaurant BriefingMark Moreno
Hudson RieHle, Senior VP, Research & Knowledge Group, National Restaurant Association, predicts that the oPeRATinG enViRonMenT FoR ResTAuRAnTs in 2014 will continue on the same positive – but modest – growth path. “Overall, we’re certainly not looking at a rebound to prosperity, but things are headed in the right direction. Last year was the fourth consecutive year of growth for the restaurant industry, although modest. Moving into 2014, economic indicators such as real domestic product, real
disposable income, and employment growth remain positive.” Employment growth – which Hudson says shows signs of being somewhat higher in 2014 – is especially key for the industry because even a small uptick in employment translates into a greater ability for consumers to spend in restaurants.
Food & Water Watch Comment on Proposed Sysco US Foods MergerMark Moreno
Washington, D.C. — In response to the latest news of giant food corporations seeking to further consolidate, Food & Water Watch demanded that the U.S. Federal Trade Commission undertake a thorough and comprehensive analysis of the proposed merger between the two biggest U.S. foodservice distribution firms: Sysco Corp. and US Foods Holding Corp. These companies deliver food to restaurants, schools, hotels and other cafeteria and hospitality establishments.
In a letter sent yesterday to FTC Bureau of Competition Director Deborah Feinstein, Food & Water Watch outlines several antitrust concerns with the proposed corporate union that deserve close scrutiny; requests the agency to oppose the early termination of the antitrust review and urges federal regulators to extend the merger waiting period to thoroughly review the implications of the proposed merger. Food & Water Watch http://www.foodandwaterwatch.org/pressreleases/food-water-watch-slams-sysco-us-foods-merger/
Interesting mobile option to engage customers. Opt4Text™ is the premiere custom Mobile Marketing provider for your business. Text message marketing instantly connects your brand with your audience. The best part is that your message is as relevant as the moment you hit the send button.
You can link to a mobile website to utilize pictures, videos, songs or ringtones! No longer are the days of expired coupons or wishes that you were able to tell your audience about a emergency or special. It's time to call your audience into action!
HOUSTON, TX and ROSEMONT, IL – December 9, 2013 – Sysco Corporation [NYSE: SYY] and US Foods today announced an agreement to merge, creating a world-class foodservice company. The total enterprise value of the transaction is approximately $8.2 billion and the combination has been approved by the Board of Directors of each company.
One chef’s knife has been a champ in our kitchen for nearly two decades.
Can any other blade come close to offering what it does—and at a bargain price?
by Hannah Crowley
Therma-Tek Range Corporation may appear to be a new company in the market, but our tradition and combined experience spans more than 100 years. The owners are seasoned professionals in the design, development, manufacture and sale of commercial foodservice equipment. After selling and re-capitalizing their prior company; which was another well known and established manufacturer of residential and commercial cooking equipment, the owners decided to continue their tradition of success in manufacturing the highest quality foodservice cooking equipment with the formation of Therma-Tek Range Corporation. Our products carry this experience behind them, which sets them far ahead of our competition. The company represents quality, strength and performance, backed by unparalleled warranty and continued service. We carry a reputation in the marketplace for developing and delivering quality, value conscious, innovative products in a timely manner. We continuously emphasize research and development, as well as cutting edge product development, with a close understanding of market trends and needs.
Mercer—a company name highly regarded in the culinary
trade—is synonymous with quality, professional cutlery. A leader in the commercial market for more than 30 years, and the predominant supplier to more than 90% of culinary academies
in North America, Mercer brings you the finest tools used by
the industry.
World renowned commercially, Mercer historically supplied culinary education and professional chefs who have come to rely on the company for its distinct product offerings. Working closely with chef educators, chefs, and the leaders in this industry, Mercer constantly develops and expands its product lines to fulfill their needs. As the trend in the culinary arts continues to gain popularity, Mercer's new product offerings have allowed the company to expand its brand from the broadening professional base and to crossover into the consumer market. The ever-more-sophisticated home consumers are seeking those products used by the professionals. With a growing business in retail cutlery through gourmet, specialty, and department stores, Mercer's products are squarely positioned as high quality professional grade, but with a distinct value advantage.
The hallmark of Mercer's cutlery: exceptional quality in materials, unique design, and dedicated craftsmanship, honed to the exacting performance needs of the discriminating chef makes our products the undeniable choice for the professional and the enthusiast. Mercer is committed to delivering products and services that you can build on and
grow with.
Mercer Cutlery is a division of Mercer Tool Corp. This third generation family business which began as a small industrial company has evolved into a corporation with two distinct product ranges: Mercer Abrasives (www.mercerabrasives.com), the original industrial division offering bonded abrasives, coated abrasives and related products; and Mercer Cutlery, offering professional quality culinary tools and sets.
Today, Mercer's corporate commitment is summarized in these five words: Quality, Performance, Delivery, Service, and Price. The company will continue to offer products people know, use, and trust.
If you have comments, questions, or suggestions about Mercer, this website or any of our products, please e-mail us at: info@mercercutlery.com
Mercer—a company name highly regarded in the culinary
trade—is synonymous with quality, professional cutlery. A leader in the commercial market for more than 30 years, and the predominant supplier to more than 90% of culinary academies
in North America, Mercer brings you the finest tools used by
the industry.
World renowned commercially, Mercer historically supplied culinary education and professional chefs who have come to rely on the company for its distinct product offerings. Working closely with chef educators, chefs, and the leaders in this industry, Mercer constantly develops and expands its product lines to fulfill their needs. As the trend in the culinary arts continues to gain popularity, Mercer's new product offerings have allowed the company to expand its brand from the broadening professional base and to crossover into the consumer market. The ever-more-sophisticated home consumers are seeking those products used by the professionals. With a growing business in retail cutlery through gourmet, specialty, and department stores, Mercer's products are squarely positioned as high quality professional grade, but with a distinct value advantage.
The hallmark of Mercer's cutlery: exceptional quality in materials, unique design, and dedicated craftsmanship, honed to the exacting performance needs of the discriminating chef makes our products the undeniable choice for the professional and the enthusiast. Mercer is committed to delivering products and services that you can build on and
grow with.
1. 30 Tips for Using Social Media
Account Foodsho
30 Tips for Using Social Media in Your
Business
Wading into the fast-moving flow of social media can be daunting to a small business owner
with very little time on his hands. Here's Inc.'s comprehensive social media cheat sheet for the
time-strapped entrepreneur.
By April Joyner | Jan 25, 2010
1. Offer a peek behind the scenes. Offering a sneak preview of new products, services, or
features online can help build demand and provide critical feedback to help smooth the launch.
For instance, John Doyle, founder of chocolate company John and Kira's in Philadelphia, posts
photos of new products on Flickr and invites comments from customers.
2. Harness your expertise. Chances are your company's white paper won't go viral. But sharing
knowledge you've gathered through your trade can go a long way toward boosting your brand.
Ford Models, for instance, became a YouTube sensation through a series of videos that featured
its models giving beauty and fashion tips.
3. Demonstrate what your company does. Because multimedia is so
integral to social media, getting connected allows you to express your company's value
proposition beyond words. To show just how powerful his company's blenders were, Blendtec's
head of marketing, George Wright, created a series of videos showing the appliances churning up
such diverse items as a rotisserie chicken, a Rubik's Cube, and an iPhone. The series' 100 million
combined views helped boost Blendtec's sales by 700 percent.
4. Put your website's content to work. Want to draw more traffic to your website? Help spread
the word by encouraging visitors to share content they enjoy. GotCast, a website that connects
television casting directors with aspiring actors, draws new visitors by posting audition videos on
Digg and allowing others to share video links on the site. One way to promote the sharing of
2. your site's content is to install a widget, such as AddThis, that automates linking to popular sites.
5. Be candid. In unsure economic times, transparency goes a long way toward retaining and
attracting customers. Giving readers the scoop on your company blog is an easy way to keep the
lines of communication open. Giacomo Guilizzoni, the founder of San Francisco software
company Balsamiq, even posts sales and profit figures to show that his company is on solid
financial footing.
6. But be careful what you say about others. When Leslie Richard, owner of a North Carolina
clothing company, described Vision Media Television as a "scam," she was slapped with a $20
million lawsuit. While recounting negative experiences with others won't necessarily lead to a
court battle, it's best to steer clear of name-calling.
7. Interact with visitors—really. Just putting up a blog or a Facebook fan page won't do much
good if visitors sense the flow of conversation only goes one way. In fact, Matt Mullenweg,
founder of blogging platform Wordpress, lists not participating in comments as a surefire way to
kill a community. Mullenweg and his team field the many suggestions users have for Wordpress
through his blog.
8. Don't try to create a stand-in for yourself. With all the other tasks required within your
company, it's tempting to outsource managing your social media or even to try automating the
process. That can easily backfire, as Joe Pulizzi, founder of Cleveland marketing firm Junta42,
learned when he tried sending automated welcome messages to new followers on Twitter. His
online contacts quickly called him out for sending out what they perceived to be spam.
9. Don't pretend to be someone else. Thanks to IP address tracking,
observers can also quickly tell when company figureheads adopt fake identities for the sake of
fluffing up their reputation. Not only can the practice hurt your company's reputation, it could
also land you in legal trouble. The plastic surgery Lifestyle Lift had to pay $300,000 in
settlement costs to the state of New York for having its employees post flattering reviews of the
company without disclosing their affiliation.
10. Help employees bond. Corporations such as IBM have built in-house networks—even virtual
worlds reminiscent of Second Life—to link employees working in different locations. Small and
medium-sized businesses can take advantage of readily available tools to facilitate collaboration.
The Hoffman Agency, a public relations firm, uses Ning, which enables users to build custom
social networks, to connect its U.S. staff with employees in Europe and Asia.
3. 11. Reward customer loyalty. Through social media, companies can not
only run promotions more frequently than coupons in the mail will permit but also devise more
whimsical and engaging campaigns. Sprinkles Cupcakes, a bakery chain based in Beverly Hills,
California, uses Twitter to send out daily promotional offers. The tweets, which ask customers to
whisper a "password" to receive a free treat, have helped the company draw more than 17,000
followers.
12. See what people are saying about you. A quick search for mentions of your company on
Facebook, Twitter, and Yelp can yield a goldmine of information concerning your reputation.
Several users on Yelp, for instance, suggested that employees at Quimby's Bookstore in Chicago
were less than welcoming. After reading the comments, owner Eric Kirsammer focused on
improving customer service. Applications such as monitter and Trackur can help you keep track
of the conversation across the Web.
13. Make amends with dissatisfied customers, quickly. Andy Carlson, owner of an Ace Hardware
store in Denver, once came across an angry Twitter update from a customer who had bought a
tool that broke after one use. He resolved the issue in a matter of minutes by referring the
customer to an area store and notified him of Ace's lifetime guarantee. Best of all, he was able to
catch the complaint after store hours—and prevent negative word of mouth.
14. Don't go on the defensive. A harsh rebuke of your business on sites
like Yelp can not only bruise your ego but also hurt your livelihood. But resist the temptation to
lash out in public. Sarah Dunbar, owner of Oakland vintage boutique Pretty Penny, privately
responds to less-than-flattering reviewers and encourages them to visit her in person. And keep
in mind that you can't please everyone. After Dunbar wrote to one dissatisfied customer, the
reviewer accused her of conducting "shady business" by trying to sway opinions.
15. Keep customers in the loop. Frequently on the go? Twitter can help your customers keep
4. track of your latest destination. Kogi Korean BBQ, which operates a food cart in Los Angeles,
keeps its Twitter followers constantly informed of its location on the street. The real-time
updates help Kogi keep up demand, as customers line up in advance at the broadcasted locations.
16. Find potential customers. A quick keyword search can help you find prospective customers
who may not be aware of your company but could nonetheless benefit from your product or
service. Bob Scaglion, a senior managing director at New York real-estate management company
Rose Associates, generates 100 leads per month on Twitter for his company simply by replying
to users whose tweets include phrases such as "moving to New York City" and "no-fee rentals."
17. Reach more markets. Social media can help your company reach
multiple markets at a time. Restaurant chain Boloco focuses most of its advertising on Boston,
which houses 13 out of its 16 locations. But as an experiment, CEO John Pepper decided to post
a copy of a coupon from a local newspaper on Twitter in order to reach customers in Vermont
and New Hampshire. Coupon redemptions increased by more than 150 percent as a result.
18. Target your online advertising. Both Facebook and MySpace allow businesses to run ads that
attract specific groups of users based on what information they include in their profiles. By
running Facebook ads targeted at students at specific colleges, StorQuest Self Storage, which has
locations in Arizona, California, Colorado, and Hawaii, increased its number of rentals by more
than half.
19. See where your customers are. A growing number of social networks are designed
specifically for users on the go, and some, such as the mobile application Foursquare, offer tools
specifically for businesses. Frozen dessert chain Tasti D-Lite, for instance, uses Foursquare to
gather data on how many people visit its locations and send promotional offers to frequent
customers.
20. Let customers help each other out. Including a customer forum on
your website or social network profile can help enhance your customer service while building a
5. sense of community. At Poolcenter.com, a swimming pool equipment retailer based in Arlington,
Virginia, customers often field each other's inquiries on swimming pool equipment before they
reach customer service reps. Get Satisfaction and Fixya are two sites that offer dedicated spaces
for customer service forums.
21. Build a community beyond your business. Photo hosting site SmugMug has established itself
as a resource for skilled photographers in part by operating a forum, Digital Grin, where
members trade advice on topics such as the best techniques for taking photos at night and
capturing wedding scenes. With the exception of a support section at the very bottom, the forum
is devoted to photography at large, rather than the company's own services.
22. Let customers contribute. FrontPoint Security, a home security provider in McLean, Virginia,
began collecting video testimonials from its customers, who filmed themselves with Flip
cameras. The videos are posted on FrontPoint's site and on YouTube, and even some customers'
personal blogs. FrontPoint's video efforts have helped the company more than triple its sales
leads.
23. Help others promote you. Social media can help you find passionate customers who are more
than willing to spread the word about your company. Crafts supplies manufacturer Fiskars
reached out to scrapbookers by inviting four avid users to blog. Its crafts community, called
Fiskateers, has since attracted 5,000 users who serve as brand evangelists.
24. Cultivate relationships that lead to sales. Soon after he joined Twitter, J.R. Cohen, manager
of The Coffee Groundz, a Houston coffee shop, began encouraging his followers to visit him in
his shop. He began getting to know customers so well that they not only initiated conversations
with him through Twitter—they began tweeting orders through the site as well. Now Cohen
periodically fields menu requests through Twitter, though he doesn't use the page primarily for
that purpose.
25. But don't promote too aggressively. While social network users have
proven to be open to marketing—especially if it involves a discount—they're not flocking to
Facebook or MySpace to hear sales pitches. If your profile or blog reads like an ad, it will turn
visitors away. Kent Lewis, founder of Portland online marketing firm Anvil Media, encourages
Twitter users, for instance, to pass along industry news and retweet interesting items from others
along with their own promotions.
26. Find ways to engage visitors offline. In March, Cinda Baxter, a retail consultant in
Minneapolis, ended a blog post on local business with one simple idea: choose three businesses