tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58150581271494438112024-03-13T09:53:10.641-07:00PR Strategic Marketing LtdMarketing news, views and commentary from PR Strategic Marketing Ltd. A global Marketing Consultancy Company focussing on strategic and operational excellence for business growth - especially on the Internet.
For more information, or to contact me, email peter.rees@gmail.comAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946500133713954076noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5815058127149443811.post-26661649874323774412013-03-27T01:50:00.002-07:002013-03-27T01:50:33.933-07:00My first commercial record - Now available<br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38;">Dear Friends and Music Lovers.....</span></h5>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-size: 13px; line-height: 1.38;">My new record has been released by my colleagues at the thursdaynightradioshow.<br /><br />Here's what they announced:</span></h5>
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<br /><span style="font-weight: normal;">How exciting! Our first release on thethursdaynightshow's record label!! Bossa Beat by DJ IT - in response to our challenge to define 'Electro Latin' as 'our own' genre! Also available in around 30 online stores - here is the iTunes link. All post tax and distribution go direct to artist (thethursdaynightshow's label is not-for-profit)</span><br /><br />Please buy a copy and spread the word!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: normal;">==============================<wbr></wbr>===========</span></span></h5>
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<strong>Bossa Beat by DJ It</strong></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946500133713954076noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5815058127149443811.post-35251478171657888872012-04-20T01:09:00.002-07:002012-04-20T01:09:25.325-07:00Doing Digital - Going Mobile<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The late 20<sup>th</sup> and early 21<sup>st</sup> centuries were typified by fundamental changes in consumer behaviour and in markets. These were largely enabled by two significant technological advances; the Personal Computer and the Internet.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The first allowed users in business, and later the home, to access unrivalled computing power, without the restrictions and control of an IT department.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Secondly, during this period, the Internet evolved into a fully functional platform for global information exchange, communications and commerce.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Mobile technology represents the third wave of this technological tsunami and builds upon it. It puts significant, compact computer processing power <u>literally</u> in the hands of all of us, connecting everything together across the World Wide Web.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It is estimated that about 30% of the world’s 7 Billion population have access to the Internet, while globally there are about 5.8 billion mobile subscriptions. In the UK there are now more mobile devices than people! Imagine the potential that this level of technology penetration gives to marketers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">A striking feature of Mobile and Mobile Marketing is its ubiquity. Mobile devices are always connected and in contact. This allows consumers to access the functionality that they want, at the time, location and in the form in which they want it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">We are moving away from a world where media owners and marketers strive to get their message across just at the times and places of their choosing. Whether in advertising, news or entertainment, the consumer is now the final arbiter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">As consumers, we increasingly expect to be addressed and serviced as individuals, rather than just ‘one of the crowd’. We are conceptually moving from ‘one market of a million’ to ‘a million markets of one’.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">A far cry from the days when Henry Ford offered his cars in ‘any color you want, as long as it’s black’!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">In time, I believe that the mobile devices of today will evolve to become a kind of digital ‘Swiss army knife of the future. Imagine a device which; holds your money and id, captures or delivers media, communicates, navigates, scans, entertains, informs and educates.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Geo-location allows our Mobile device to be ‘aware’ of where it is and what is around it. With a device that goes everywhere with the consumer and which ‘knows’ where they are, there are many potential benefits for advertisers. Combining geo-targeted Mobile advertising with known customer data, for example from a web based CRM system, can provide highly relevant messaging which will add value to the recipient.<br /><br />Delivered through a Concierge or PA application, services can be envisaged that advise the consumer of where to go and what to do, based on their location and predicted or specified preferences and tastes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">A further growth area will be in the case where the Mobile device acts as a ‘Social Object Controller’. With the development of web 3.0, more and more ‘inanimate’ objects will have web connectivity. These will include; cars, household appliances, games and media devices. In future, most of these will interact with, or be accessible and controllable from, the consumer’s Mobile device(s).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Consider a retail environment where your Mobile ‘knew’ where you were and could guide your shopping trip to nearby outlets and stores which stocked the items in which you were interested, alerted staff when you had arrived in the shop, performed a price-check and delivered personalised offers, discounts and deals, uniquely tailored to you.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Imagine a world where your car not only had a sat-nav but would also generate active recommendations for restaurants, rest stops and places of interest en route, all based on your personal preferences and diary. When it became time for a vehicle service, the embedded Mobile device could notify the driver, contact the garage to inform them of areas for attention, and book the appointment. Bugatti Veyron technology today – in most vehicles in the future.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">In a recent discussion with some of my students, these ideas raised some concerns about safety and security, with so much of a user’s personal information on one Mobile device. Today, with services such as Apple’s iCloud it is possible to remotely locate, lock or wipe a misplaced iPhone. Compare that with the nightmare of trying to contact all of the credit, debit and store card companies, after your purse or wallet is lost or stolen.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">At present, many of these predictions may seem far-fetched or fanciful. In the past, many of us marvelled at the first ‘green screen’ PC’s, mobile phones the size and weight of a house-brick and even ‘Space Invaders’ or ‘Pong’ on the games machine in our local pub.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">In future, the next generation of consumers will adopt and adapt to ubiquitous Mobile devices as an accepted and expected aspect of everyday life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I, for one, can’t wait to join them!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Peter Rees</span></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 7.5pt;">DipM FCIM FRSA MCIPR MIDM, Chartered Marketer</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><br />Principal<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">City Digital Marketing Academy<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.citydigital.org/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> www.citydigital.org</span></a><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.city-digital.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">www.city-digital.blogspot.com</span></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946500133713954076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5815058127149443811.post-40182943659793745872012-02-06T12:21:00.001-08:002012-08-06T03:04:09.420-07:00Exclusive interview with Digital Marketing star Dr Dave Chaffey<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br class="Apple-interchange-newline" />After many months in the planning, I am delighted to post this EXCLUSIVE interview with stellar Digital Marketer Dr Dave Chaffey, to whom very many thanks!!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dr Dave Chaffey is CEO and co-founder of Smart Insights (<a href="http://www.smartinsights.com/">www.smartinsights.com</a>), a digital marketing advice site that helps businesses succeed online. He is author of 5 bestselling books on Ecommerce including <i>Internet Marketing: Strategy, Implementation and Practice</i> and has been recognised as one of 50 marketing ‘gurus’ worldwide who have shaped the future of Marketing. </span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 23px;">Question 1: Many companies and managers today are overwhelmed with all the hype around Digital Marketing. What practical advice would you give them, to help get started in this area?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 23px;">Yes, I think many “rabbits in the headlights” moments with the growing pace of change and the speed at which the key players introduce new features. The great thing about digital marketing is that you can “dive in” and start small by creating a blog or Facebook page. The problem is, you’ll often then lurch to the next latest hype to see whether that helps. It’s currently Google+ and Pinterest for example, this time last year it was Quora. None of these will help build commercial growth if you don’t get the marketing fundamentals right.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 23px;">At SmartInsights.com we're firm believers in a planned, structured approach to help make sure your online marketing activities are aligned with business objectives. Planning also really helps you prioritise on the areas you can have the biggest impact, maybe opportunities in tactics that competitors have ignored. It's also essential to get inside customers’ minds to see what they think, feel and do online and work out how that connects with your brand.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 23px;">It’s crazy really, with how much is invested in digital media today, how few have a planned approach. We asked this question in a post about <a href="http://www.smartinsights.com/digital-marketing-strategy/digital-strategy-development/need-for-digital-marketing-strategy/">digital planning</a> a couple of years ago and were not surprised to see that the majority have an ad-hoc approach. We repeated this informal poll again this year and found there was little change:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 23px;">So, my practical advice is “don’t just jump in”, think about what you want to achieve and how you’re going to position yourself online, to differentiate yourself. A practical tip here, is to improve how you communicate your value proposition across your website and social outposts. If you’re an established brand this is less necessary, but if you’re starting out, it’s essential. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 23px;">See our advice on crafting an <a href="http://www.smartinsights.com/digital-marketing-strategy/online-value-proposition/">online value proposition</a> (OVP).</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 23px;">Question 2: What place do Social Media tools have in the Digital Marketing Mix? Are they simply additional advertising channels or something more?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 23px;">Sure, you can think of social media platforms as advertising channels, but as you know Peter, that’s completely missing the point. We had an <a href="http://draft.blogger.com/goog_1318400949">interesting discussion</a></span><span style="line-height: 23px;"><a href="http://lnkd.in/5PervG"> of this topic on our LinkedIn Group</a> just yesterday.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 23px;">A student studying digital marketing was asking about the scope of social media and their relevance to marketing. The short definition from my book is that<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 23px;">"<i>Social media encourage audience participation, interaction and sharing</i>"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 23px;">You can see that doesn’t sit at all well with advertising; we all know we don’t want to be advertised to when we’re socialising. That’s not to say that advertising on the social platforms doesn’t have value in raising awareness and connecting with advocates, far from it. But social media has an impact across the whole of digital marketing mix as you suggest.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 23px;">Jen Law, one of our expert members expressed it better, saying “<i>Social media is about conversations, community, connecting with personalities and building relationships. It is not just a broadcast channel or a sales and marketing tool</i>”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 23px;">I think it’s interesting that in 2011-12 we are seeing company response to social media growing up and many now see it more broadly and are thinking how best to harness social media marketing across the business. We’re seeing companies talk about broader management of social media. In the same discussion, Paul Fennemore, a social media specialist, said:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 23px;">A purist would say 'social media' is media. In this case Web2.0 interactive, real-time based media including: Video, Blogs, Wikis, Gaming, Photos, Music and so on.<br /><br />However, social media has come to mean than this and is not a good term for what it represents, Social Media Marketing, Social Commerce, Social Business, Social Enterprise are better terms depending on the context.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 23px;">Here, the CEO of Burberry talks about how fundamental social media are to the way they operate today:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Question 3: Today, consumers are exposed to a vast amount of data. How can marketers make it easier for them to find and hear what they need and filter out extraneous messages and information, from all the noise?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Analytics is a passion of mine thanks to my background as a scientist when I was studying in the 1980s. It’s one of the reasons why I was attracted to Internet marketing as it was known in the mid 1990s. It seemed to offer an opportunity to understand our customers much better and deliver relevance in our communications to help secure better business outcomes and ROI on our media investments. Yet, sadly I think most companies fail to filter out the noise.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are certainly technical challenges with attributing influence to multiple media across complex customer journeys and how we use cookies to do this. I also think the web analytics systems as designed, are mostly designed “by geeks, for geeks” and they’re not structured around the questions that marketers ask – that’s why we’ve developed guides to step marketers through these questions on SmartInsights.com. But the bigger problems are todo with the classic governance issues of people, process and systems. You need the right KPIs, dashboards tailored to your business and a regular review/action process. Out-of-the box, the analytics or social listening tools don’t give you this. Some big companies do get this right, here’s one example we covered:</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"><o:p> </o:p></span><b><span style="line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Question 4: What steps can companies take to measure and validate the returns that they get from their Digital Marketing investment?</span></span></b></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To answer you’re question directly, I recommend these steps:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<li><span style="line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Define value of outcomes on your site – setup goals in Google Analytics with values assigned to represent value.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Put in place tracking of all media, on and offline, with consistent marketing source codes</span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">With this in place start using rarely used measures like revenue or goal value per visit and $Index value</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Understand, at a granular level which media including sites, search terms, placement and creative create value for you.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Maximise value, prioritising the media with the best conversion rates and ROI.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Understand more complex journeys through multichannel funnels so you are crediting assists earlier in the journey rather than just “last click wins”</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Find solutions to assess the value within social media marketing – 1 to 6 will help, but specialist tools are still needed!</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 23px;">If you want more detail on this, see an article I wrote for Brian Clifton , <a href="http://www.advanced-web-metrics.com/blog/2010/05/11/how-much-value-is-your-website-generating/">Show Me The Money</a>, or buy Brian’s book on Google Analytics – this stuff matters!</span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 23px;"><o:p> </o:p></span><br />
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<b><span style="line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Question 5: As the Web evolves into the Cloud and becomes even more pervasive, what changes do you predict for Marketing, resulting from the growth of mobile and the ubiquitous connection of less animate objects?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A challenging question to end! Regardless of the cloud, I think many don’t have a good conception of the their creative assets and how to make them most effective. We still have this mental idea of creative placed on our site or an advertisers site we need to use to get our message across. In 2007, I think there was a lot of discussion of “atomisation” and I think this is a better way to think of creative assets today. </span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My colleague, Dan Bosomworth on SmartInsights.com likes to call these “social objects” and they are the fundamental units for effective content marketing today. They are incredibly effective in some markets such as tech products and fashion. Companies like Hubspot, Eloqua in B2B, ASOS, Burberry in Fashion are masters in creating effective assets and campaigns around these which expand their reach and preference and link through to commercial goals. There are examples from many sectors though. </span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For me a solid content marketing strategy is key to online success today and it’s fundamental to success in search, social, email marketing and conversion. It unifies brand communications in disparate channels. So if you don’t have a content strategy you’re falling behind.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We find discussions of the potential of mobile marketing are some of the most popular on our blog, whether this is about QR codes, mobile apps or effective mobile design. It certainly gives increased opportunities for connecting with consumers in a more personal way, but I can’t see examples where how a company deploys mobile marketing has transformed their brand in the way that content and social media have for some of the examples above. </span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At some levels a mobile or tablet device is just an alternative to the desktop platformand gives a channel choice for similar content and experience. It doesn’t give so many brands so many new opportunities to engage. But I’d like to hear of more examples, particularly around proximity or location-based marketing with experiential marketing events. This is where it can give companies an edge.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Looking further into the future, more objects will be web-enabled whether that’s cars, household items or people! PR Smith talked about this in our Emarketing Excellence book as earlier as 2001 about the Post-PC customer. </span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We haven’t seen real progress in this area although the <a href="http://www.google.co.uk/search?q=verichip">Verichip</a> was touted as an implantable RFID chip. Health and privacy concerns seemed to have stopped it and I’m not too sorry about that – I think we all need to unplug sometime! </span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It will happen, but “not in my lifetime”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i><u>Useful links and resources:</u></i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If readers of this post would like to learn more about digital marketing, we've created a framework on <b>Smart Insights</b> which can help marketers explore a topic without being reliant on Google or Wikipedia. </span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here are the starting points I'd recommend:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 23px;">Our home page has a widget we developed based on the <a href="http://www.smartinsights.com/">PRACE framework</a> to explore over 200 digital marketing techniques </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 23px;">For a quick scan of all techniques try our <a href="http://www.smartinsights.com/digital-marketing-best-practice/">Best Practices review</a>- grouped in 25 key marketing activities</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We also have a <a href="http://www.smartinsights.com/digital-marketing-strategy-guide/">Digital Marketing Strategy Guide</a> and simplified marketing planning framework.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 23px;">Find out more about our <a href="http://www.smartinsights.com/digital-marketing-advice/">Ebooksand training courses</a>.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 23px;">Thank you Dr Chaffey!</span></div>
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946500133713954076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5815058127149443811.post-75030658631738908892011-12-09T08:55:00.001-08:002011-12-09T08:57:16.737-08:00Twitter for the over 40's<br />
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<b><span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> “I’m in the #bath”<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<i><span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Nothing generates more debate and exemplifies the perceived problems with Digital Marketing and Social Media than the high profile, often highly publicised, crumbs of consciousness emitted by ‘A’ and even ‘Z’ list celebrities, in 160 byte-sized bursts.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Welcome to the world of Twitter!<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before I try to explore the business areas where Digital Marketing and Social Media can make a very real contribution to professionally planned and managed marketing activities, it is worth recognising that vast numbers of people, for whatever reason, <u>are</u> actually interested in the day-to-day minutiae of celebrity lives. Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber have followers numbered in the tens of millions, larger even than the total populations of whole countries.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This has been labelled as ‘ambient intimacy’ and is an effective approach to build familiarity, favourability and interest for the ones being followed. These are all very recognisable and desirable outcomes for those with a background in or experience of PR.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Though it may be difficult for many to comprehend the underlying rationale for such a following, this reality could actually present a market opportunity, if these followers were to represent a significant target segment for your marketing and communications activities.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Think of Twitter as a subscription based news or information broadcasting service where its readers (Followers) can choose to subscribe and follow the articles (Tweets) of their specifically chosen authors. Each author has a unique name starting with an @ symbol.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Twitter was designed for compatibility with SMS text messaging, giving the well known 140 character limit for the content of a Tweet. What can you say in 160 characters? Not much admittedly, though some people try, with varying degrees of success!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once you use Twitter, you will soon realise that most Tweets actually contain a link to a web page, typically shortened by one of the many tools available, to reduce a lengthy web address to fit within the 140 character limit. This link very quickly and dramatically increases the utility of a Tweet, directing the follower to a place where they can access extensive and interesting information, videos, music or whatever. Twitter is a wonderful tool for sharing news and commentary. </span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recent examples, related to the ‘Arab spring’, show just what a powerful system Twitter is for broadcasting breaking news, often in advance of the major media agencies. As with the BBC charter, used in this way, Twitter can be a powerful method to inform, educate as well as entertain.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">How then can we sort through the tens of millions of Tweets to identify those in which we may be interested? - and how can we make sure that the Tweets we send can be found by those with whom we wish to communicate? Twitter has an excellent and simple indexing technique called the ‘hashtag’. </span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Putting the # symbol in a Tweet before a chosen keyword or words (e.g. #marketing) will add it to the Twitter global index. A subsequent search will find Tweets containing this hashtag. Read these Tweets and ‘Follow’ authors who interest you. You can quickly learn what people think about your company, your products and possibly you!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The top 10 ‘hot topics’ on Twitter are displayed and updated in real time on your screen, giving you an insight into the things that are being actively discussed. Although by default Tweets are public, it is possible to write directly and privately to other Twitter users. Just think of the possibilities for customer engagement, having identified those with strong positive or (maybe more importantly) negative views about your products and services. Now you can conduct market research in real time and on a global basis. </span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Consider the opportunity that this presents to marketers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Though it is not widely realised, it is common Twitter etiquette to follow back those that follow you. In this way it can be very quick to build a community or interest group clustered about a specific, product, service or organisation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once you have established such contacts, you can conduct brand and business based conversations with your current or potential customers. Satisfaction surveys, consumer input on new product developments and online sales promotions all become possible, much more quickly and at a fraction of the cost incurred using non digital techniques.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Twitter therefore provides a platform for indentifying audiences and market segments with specific interests and opinions. It allows us to develop contacts and build intimacy with them and engage in a meaningful two-way conversation, regarding those interests which we both share. We can now achieve all this, much more effectively and efficiently than has ever been possible in the past.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Of much greater value for marketers than the news that.....</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“I’m in the </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 23px;">#bath”.</span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Follow CDMA on Twitter @citydigital<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.citydigital.org/">www.citydigital.org</a></span></span><br />
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946500133713954076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5815058127149443811.post-55248304879686188822011-10-09T06:21:00.000-07:002011-10-09T06:21:07.425-07:00Future of Marketing - EXCLUSIVE Article by Prof Malcolm McDonald<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are delighted to post this exclusive article by Emeritus Professor Malcolm H.B. McDonald MA(Oxon), MSc, PhD, D.Litt. FCIM FRSA.and reproduced here with his kind permission.</span><br />
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<span class="apple-style-span"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: black;">Prof McDonald is the Academic Adviser to the City Digital Marketing Academy.</span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><u><span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">THE FUTURE OF MARKETING<o:p></o:p></span></span></u></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In a paper published in the UK’s leading academic journal, I cited fifty scholarly references testifying to the fact that marketing’s bright beginnings in the 1960s were not built on, that the academic community had become largely an irrelevancy, and that practitioners in the main have failed to embrace the marketing concept and the proven tools and techniques of marketing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the arid desert of marketing as a discipline, however, there still exists a wonderful oasis of very professional, market-orientated organisations that practice marketing<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">as I teach it, as a fully accountable discipline which drives corporate success. So, let me attempt to summarise briefly why some of the poisonous slurs thrown at our<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">discipline are, in the main, ill-judged and ill-founded and why we can be proud of the exemplary standards demonstrated by our leading companies.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="color: black;">CONSUMER SOVEREIGNTY AND THE MORAL FOUNDATIONS</span></b><span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">OF MARKETING<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">In the late 1960s and early 1970s, there was a growing consciousness of the problems that mass consumption brought with it. A movement was formed which quickly </span><i><span style="color: black;">Greening of America, </span></i><span style="color: black;">Theodore Roszak’s </span><i><span style="color: black;">The Making of a</span></i><span style="color: black;"> </span><i><span style="color: black;">Counter Culture </span></i><span style="color: black;">and Alvin Toffler’s </span><i><span style="color: black;">Future Shock </span></i><span style="color: black;">were published at that time. The basic message articulated was that the people could no longer be thought of as ‘consumers’ - some aggregate variable in the grand marketing design. Such feelings had led to a view that capitalism presented an unacceptable face in promoting an acquisitive and materialistic society. As a more visible manifestation of such activity, marketing was singled out for attention for playing on people’s weaknesses – by insidious means persuading the consumer to do things without which their lives would be incomplete.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This argument deserves closer examination, for it confuses needs with wants. But, even worse, it involves the notion of a defenceless consumer, a characterisation that any scrupulous marketer must reject. For no matter what ‘marketing’ is performed, the consumer remains free to make choices – either between competing products or<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">not to buy at all. Indeed, it could be argued that by extending the range of choices that the consumer has available, marketing is enhancing consumer sovereignty<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">rather than eroding it. Although promotional activity may persuade an individual to buy a product or service for the first time, promotion is unlikely to be the persuasive factor in any subsequent purchase, when the consumer will act from first-hand experience of the product.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">MARKETING ETHICS<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<b><span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Several specific issues have formed the focus of the debate on the ethics of marketing including:<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">• the contribution of marketing to materialism<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">• rising consumer expectations as a result of marketing<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> pressure; and<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">• the use of advertising to mislead or distort<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Marketing, it has been suggested, helps to feed the materialistic<br /> and </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">acquisitive urges of society, and in turn feeds on them itself.<br /> Of course </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">implicit in such criticism is the value judgement that<br /> materialism and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">acquisitiveness are in themselves undesirable.</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The argument is that marketing raises the level of consumer expectations. More than simple aspirations, there is desire to acquire a specific set of gratifications through the purchase of goods and services, fuelled by marketing’s insistent messages. Further, if at the same time the individual lacks the financial resources with which to<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">fulfil such expectations, then marketing inevitably adds to a greater awareness of differences in society, and to dissatisfaction and unrest among those finding themselves in this situation, as those apologists for the street riots in August claimed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The counter-argument here is that marketing itself does not contribute to rising expectations and thus to social and economic disparity; it merely makes people aware of and better informed about the differences that already exist in society. In this respect, it can be claimed that its effects are beneficial, since it supports, even hastens, pressures for fairer distribution. It can also be argued that materialism is not a recent phenomenon correlated with the advent of mass marketing.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">CONSUMERISM<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Closely connected with the ethics of marketing is that of consumerism (in the sense of the existence of a consumer movement and consumer activists). Ironically, this<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">movement is pro-marketing; it wants the marketing approach to business implemented in a sincere rather than cynical spirit. The ‘cynical’ implementation, which consumerists claim has been too widely practised, is no better than high-pressure salesmanship or misleading puffery. The ‘sincere’ implementation of a marketing based approach entails respect for each individual consumer served. Better marketing has always emanated from a deep understanding of consumer expectations combined with the consumer’s right to be informed and<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">protected and to enjoy a higher quality of life.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Most of the outstanding marketing skills on which most theory is based still reside in the FMCG sector. Whilst certainly adopted by leading industrial companies such<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">as GE and 3M, and by some of the top retailers such as Tesco and Sainsbury, in the main marketing has yet to storm the citadels of B2B and service sectors which<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">account for the majority of the UK’s GDP. In these, marketing is merely communications and a parody of best practice. For example, in the financial and<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: black;">insurance sectors, very few brands have managed to create a complete set of perceptions in people’s minds. The large majority of consumers still cannot differentiate between the brands of major banks, building societies and insurance companies, in spite of the billions of pounds spent each year on image advertising.</span></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Emeritus Professor Malcolm McDonald <o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Malcolm, author of 43 books, was Professor of Marketing and Deputy Director Cranfield School of Management, is a graduate in English from Oxford University, in Business Studies from Bradford University Management Centre, has a PhD from Cranfield University and a D.Lit from Bradford University . His extensive industrial experience includes a number of years as Marketing Director of Canada Dry.<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He is Chairman of Brand Finance plc and five other companies. He spends much of his time working globally with the operating boards of the world’s biggest multinational companies.<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In 2006 he was listed by the Times as one of the country’s top ten consultants<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He is Visiting Professor at Henley, Warwick, Aston and Bradford Business Schools and Emeritus Professor at Cranfield.<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946500133713954076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5815058127149443811.post-81916714363592703042011-10-09T06:20:00.001-07:002012-01-23T09:49:37.083-08:00‘DOING DIGITAL’ – A Marketers View<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif;">Since its creation, the Internet has evolved from a nuclear resistant military communications network, via an academic knowledge-base, into a fully functional platform for global information, communications and commerce.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif;">I recently met author James Glieck who said in his latest book <i>The Information</i>, “As the printing press, the telegraph, the typewriter, the telephone, the radio, the computer and the Internet prospered, each in its turn, people said, as if for the first time, that a burden had been placed upon human communication: new complexity, new detachment and a frightening excess.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif;">These advances have had a profound and disruptive effect on markets and marketing, and radically altered the way media is consumed, commerce is transacted and communications are facilitated.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif;">I often characterise this as moving from ‘one market of a million’ to a ‘million markets of one’. This inversion permits different ways and new opportunities to engage with our customers, as individuals. It has changed how we might now undertake market research, new product development, channel selection, customer relationship management, advertising and marketing communications.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif;">As all these processes undoubtedly contribute to successful marketing, how much more effective will we be when we increase two-way customer engagement and focus? Digital marketing helps us to do this. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif;">If marketing is about ‘anticipating, identifying and satisfying customer wants and needs’, and creating products and services that ‘add value to, and are valued by customers’, we now have a far broader range of tools and techniques available to realise these goals.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif;">Some organisations believe that Digital Marketing should be outsourced to ‘specialists’. While there are some technical aspects that may demand this approach, I believe that it is critical for all executives and managers in all organisations to understand this new field, develop winning digital strategies, and then use appropriate internal or external resources to manage their tactical implementation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif;">People often have concerns relating to; safety and security, relevance and ‘noise’. Let me address these.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif;">By far the biggest worry is data privacy and protection, hacking and bullying. The reality online is the same as it has always been in the non-digital world. Just as we secure our property and premises, it is important that we adopt Best Practice online in terms of up to date anti-virus and anti-hacking software. Take sensible precautions regarding passwords and backup data regularly. Decide how detailed and how publically visible you wish your online information to be and set the access controls accordingly. All reputable sites have facilities to block and even report unwanted attention, often in far more permanent and effective ways than in the non-digital world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif;">Some look at the main platforms available online; Google, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and the rest, and decide that these sites have certain drawbacks - a lack of relevance, being just for younger people or the online equivalent of ‘junk-mail’. These views are largely due to a misunderstanding of their different strengths and weaknesses. Properly used as part of an integrated marketing and communications plan, they can provide substantial competitive and cost advantage. If Facebook was a country it would be the world’s third largest! Is that something we can really afford to ignore?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif;">Problems can be caused by the enormous volumes of inconsistent and inconsequential data available online. Companies may find it hard to be heard, whilst consumers sometimes find it difficult to ‘cut through the noise’ to locate the information that they seek.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif;">The solution requires efficient information filtering and sorting, in both directions. Search Engine Marketing and Search Engine Optimisation techniques are now very well developed and used to make sure that companies have a usable, prominent and visible web presence. On the customer side, communications delivery channels such as social media, Blogs, Wikis and mobile platforms allow them to receive just the information that they want, in the places and at the times that they want it.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif;">In summary, a good digital strategy, properly implemented, can be a significant source of improved customer satisfaction, differentiation and cost reduction. As Charles Darwin said “it is not the strongest that survive, nor the most intelligent, but those most adaptable to change”.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif;">It is time that we evolved!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><i><span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif;">Peter Rees </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: 'Century Gothic', sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 15px;">DipM FCIM FRSA MCIPR Chartered Marketer</span></i></div>
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</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946500133713954076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5815058127149443811.post-69488000337842481562011-10-09T03:02:00.001-07:002011-10-09T03:02:13.750-07:00Unicorns and Rainbows - The Science of Social Media<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is a lecture given by Dan Zarrella, HubSpot's social media scientist, at Harvard a little earlier this year.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Science of Social Media from HubSpot on Vimeo.</span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946500133713954076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5815058127149443811.post-18273692653752054922011-10-09T03:01:00.000-07:002011-10-09T03:01:03.331-07:00CRM Insights - Interview with MASTER Marketer - Prof. Merlin Stone<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;">Customer R</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;">elationship</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;"> Management (CRM) is one of the <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">hot </span></b>topics in marketing today.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are therefore delighted to post this interview with one of the most advanced practitioners and pioneers in this important area -<b> Professor Merlin Stone.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Merlin is Head of Research at The Customer Framework. He is a leading expert in customer management, including strategies and tactics for customer recruitment, retention, and development and has been a leading contributor to the development of the customer management assessment methodologies for which The Customer Framework is best known. His work focuses on improving customer experience, satisfaction, loyalty and trust, and also the customer research, data analysis, systems decisions and supplier selection and management needed to support improved management of customers. He is also well known for his work on thought leadership and public relations – improving clients’ communications to the media and customers, including explaining complex propositions and conducting media interviews. This includes conference speaking (especially for client events) and thought leadership research, which focuses on clients’ customers and prospects, the issues they face, how they handle them, and where they need help. He is an active researcher on many aspects of customer management.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 23px;">He advises a number of smaller companies in marketing services and related areas. These include Clear Cell, MarketPoint and Aerice.</span><span style="line-height: 23px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 23px;">He is author or co-author of many articles and thirty books on customer management, many of them with Neil Woodcock, Chairman of the Customer Framework The UK’s Chartered Institute of Marketing listed him in 2003 as one of the world’s top 50 marketing thinkers, he was nominated as one of the 20 most influential people in the direct marketing industry in a Precision Marketing readership poll in 2003, while NOP World nominated him in 2004 as one of </span><span style="line-height: 23px;">100 most influential individuals for their input and influence on the development and growth of e-commerce and the internet in the UK over the previous 10 years. </span><span style="line-height: 23px;">He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and an Honorary Life Fellow of the UK’s Institute of Direct Marketing. He is also on the editorial advisory <st1:personname w:st="on">b</st1:personname>oards of several academic journals<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 23px;">He has a first class honours degree and doctorate in economics from Sussex University, UK. In parallel to his business career, he has also pursued a full academic career, holding senior posts at various universities. </span><span style="line-height: 23px;">He is now a visiting professor at De Montfort, Oxford Brookes and Portsmouth Universities and teaches economics for the Open University.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="line-height: 23px;">Question 1: You are perhaps best known for your innovation and developments in the field of Relationship Marketing. What attracted you to this field, and how would you define it?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 23px;">I was invited into it, when a client (Mike Wallbridge), who had been at Xerox with me and had moved to BT to manage their below the line communications, asked me to help. He met me while I was training the marketing department of Xerox’s UK operation, and said I talked sense, which was very kind of him. I did know a lot about the marketing of computers (and industrial products in general – I’d worked in the engineering industry), and applied it to learning about the use of computers in marketing. It fitted well with my academic training – my doctorate was on product innovation, and the work I did at university on the diffusion of innovations has always been useful to me, even today. Much of my work since then has been with big users of CRM e.g. financial services, telcos, media, retailing and high tech.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 23px;">The definition is still the same as it was – with the balance more even between suppliers and customers – so today it would be more about helping suppliers and customers to manage each other to mutual benefit. Of course, we’ve used lots of different ways of expressing the same idea.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Question 2: Why is it so important and what is different about it?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It’s at the core of marketing – perhaps a different angle on it - so it doesn’t need justifying. It’s special because it blends the classic marketing mix disciplines with a range of other areas - IT, customer service, quality, social media etc.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Question 3: What are the differences and similarities between ‘Relationship Marketing’ and ‘Customer Relationship Management’ (CRM)?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They represent different stages of historical evolution. RM was a grown-up version of direct marketing, with much more emphasis on databases. CRM focuses on all aspects of how the mutual relationship is managed, across all functions and throughout the relationship.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Question 4: How do these approaches fit in with traditional approaches to the Marketing Planning process and to Marketing Tactics, such as the ‘Marketing Mix’?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think they fit very well, but there are still some classic marketers, brought up in traditions such as brand management and market research, and perhaps some sales managers, who don’t value the CRM approach as much as they ought, but the advent of social media is starting to change their minds, even in business to business markets, where customers talk to each other all the time, and are often ahead of their suppliers in learning how to use the latter’s products and services.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Question 5: How will the emergent area of ‘Digital Marketing’ affect things and how can these technique be used to build better, enduring Customer Relationships?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It has revolutionised much of what we do, so it is impossible to consult or teach in this area without strong experience of using the digital approach. There are of course fad elements around, and we’re wary of those, but in most markets, with most customers, their migration to the use of digital communications has meant that we’ve had to use the same channels as them – at a minimum, although the most advanced companies are leading customers rather than following them. At The Customer Framework, we’ve revised all our toolsets to include the latest digital marketing ideas, and are heavily engaged in social media-based CRM work with some of the world’s leading consumer brands. </span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This doesn’t mean that all our work has a big digital element, as there is plenty to do in the classic CRM area as well.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Further information:</span></i></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.thecustomerframework.com/"><span style="line-height: 23px;">www.thecustomerframework.com</span></a><span style="line-height: 23px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It covers all our work in the above areas, so please explore the full content.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946500133713954076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5815058127149443811.post-65678975384825732842011-09-30T13:30:00.001-07:002011-09-30T13:30:35.712-07:00CDMA Tutor & Digital Master Marketer Mike Berry - Interview and Video<br />
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mike Berry is a highly experienced Digital Marketing Consultant, Trainer and Blogger. His career includes Procter & Gamble, EHS (Havas), Wunderman (Y&R) and Head of Digital EMEA at Jack Morton (IPG). Mike has worked with many of the world's top brands, in a career spanning over 20 years. He is the author of 'The New Integrated Direct Marketing' (Gower) and has over 5,000 Twitter followers.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">You can see and hear Mike in many of the lessons in the Chatered Institut of Marketing Diploma in Digital Marketing, that we offer.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 23px;"><b>Question 1: The main obsession with marketers today seems to be digital and in particular Social Media. Is this just the ‘next big thing’ or are we at the start of a new era of marketing and communications?</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #000099; line-height: 23px;">Like all new platforms, Social Media is getting a lot of hype currently. However there is already evidence of a backlash, as CFOs ask: "Where is the ROI?" As the novelty wears off, the new Digital channels will rapidly settle down alongside the old channels as part of the <i>integrated </i>marketing mix.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 23px;"><b>Question 2: Some companies think that they should outsource digital marketing to ‘experts’. Is this a sensible approach? What is the best way to implement a digital strategy?</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #000099; line-height: 23px;">With the current pace of change, I believe it is important for Client Marketing Departments to keep a firm grip on their digital activities. This means learning, getting training and <i>thinking</i> about digital. Agency partners should be brought in selectively to handle tasks which can't be delivered with in-house resources, but they should be managed carefully by 'expert' digital marketing personnel who are on the payroll.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #000099; line-height: 23px;">Decide whom you need to communicate with and what you need to say to them; plan all activity in a single-minded manner to achieve this and only this. Set KPIs and measure against them. If it works, do more. If not, try something different!.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qW0jVAWMMns/TnsLYQA-OtI/AAAAAAAAARE/nvMsd8eqlKI/s1600/about.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="260" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qW0jVAWMMns/TnsLYQA-OtI/AAAAAAAAARE/nvMsd8eqlKI/s320/about.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><b>Question 4: How significant will ‘mobile’ platforms and approaches become? And why?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #000099; line-height: 23px;">Very important since the technology is improving and users are increasingly choosing to access the web via mobile devices, including smartphones and tablets. All marketers need to be thinking mobile now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><b>Question 5: What advice would you offer marketers and companies who want to take full advantage of the opportunities provided by Digital Marketing?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;">Get high-quality training<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;">Find out about Social Media and Mobile<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;">Be aware of privacy issues<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="line-height: 23px;">Test, learn, improve<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000099;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><i><u>Other links and Resources:</u></i></span></div>
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<span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;">Blog</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #000099;">: </span><a href="http://blogbymikeberry.blogspot.com/" target="_blank"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #000099;">blogbymikeberry.blogspot.com</span></a><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial;"><br />LinkedIn<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #000099;">: </span></span><a href="http://uk.linkedin.com/in/mikeberrylinkedin%20"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #000099;">http://uk.linkedin.com/in/mikeberrylinkedin</span></a><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; color: #000099;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Videos<span style="color: #000099;">: </span><span style="color: #000099;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/mikeberryassociates?blend=6&ob=5">http://www.youtube.com/user/mikeberryassociates</a></span><span style="color: #000099;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946500133713954076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5815058127149443811.post-59386018470841934922011-09-30T13:26:00.000-07:002011-09-30T13:26:09.341-07:00CRM Insights - Interview with MASTER Marketer - Prof. Merlin Stone<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;">Customer R</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;">elationship</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 23px;"> Management (CRM) is one of the <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;">hot </span></b>topics in marketing today.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are therefore delighted to post this interview with one of the most advanced practitioners and pioneers in this important area -<b> Professor Merlin Stone.</b></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Merlin is Head of Research at The Customer Framework. He is a leading expert in customer management, including strategies and tactics for customer recruitment, retention, and development and has been a leading contributor to the development of the customer management assessment methodologies for which The Customer Framework is best known. His work focuses on improving customer experience, satisfaction, loyalty and trust, and also the customer research, data analysis, systems decisions and supplier selection and management needed to support improved management of customers. He is also well known for his work on thought leadership and public relations – improving clients’ communications to the media and customers, including explaining complex propositions and conducting media interviews. This includes conference speaking (especially for client events) and thought leadership research, which focuses on clients’ customers and prospects, the issues they face, how they handle them, and where they need help. He is an active researcher on many aspects of customer management.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 23px;">He advises a number of smaller companies in marketing services and related areas. These include Clear Cell, MarketPoint and Aerice.</span><span style="line-height: 23px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 23px;">He is author or co-author of many articles and thirty books on customer management, many of them with Neil Woodcock, Chairman of the Customer Framework The UK’s Chartered Institute of Marketing listed him in 2003 as one of the world’s top 50 marketing thinkers, he was nominated as one of the 20 most influential people in the direct marketing industry in a Precision Marketing readership poll in 2003, while NOP World nominated him in 2004 as one of </span><span style="line-height: 23px;">100 most influential individuals for their input and influence on the development and growth of e-commerce and the internet in the UK over the previous 10 years. </span><span style="line-height: 23px;">He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Marketing and an Honorary Life Fellow of the UK’s Institute of Direct Marketing. He is also on the editorial advisory <st1:personname w:st="on">b</st1:personname>oards of several academic journals<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 23px;">He has a first class honours degree and doctorate in economics from Sussex University, UK. In parallel to his business career, he has also pursued a full academic career, holding senior posts at various universities. </span><span style="line-height: 23px;">He is now a visiting professor at De Montfort, Oxford Brookes and Portsmouth Universities and teaches economics for the Open University.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="line-height: 23px;">Question 1: You are perhaps best known for your innovation and developments in the field of Relationship Marketing. What attracted you to this field, and how would you define it?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 23px;">I was invited into it, when a client (Mike Wallbridge), who had been at Xerox with me and had moved to BT to manage their below the line communications, asked me to help. He met me while I was training the marketing department of Xerox’s UK operation, and said I talked sense, which was very kind of him. I did know a lot about the marketing of computers (and industrial products in general – I’d worked in the engineering industry), and applied it to learning about the use of computers in marketing. It fitted well with my academic training – my doctorate was on product innovation, and the work I did at university on the diffusion of innovations has always been useful to me, even today. Much of my work since then has been with big users of CRM e.g. financial services, telcos, media, retailing and high tech.</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 23px;">The definition is still the same as it was – with the balance more even between suppliers and customers – so today it would be more about helping suppliers and customers to manage each other to mutual benefit. Of course, we’ve used lots of different ways of expressing the same idea.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Question 2: Why is it so important and what is different about it?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It’s at the core of marketing – perhaps a different angle on it - so it doesn’t need justifying. It’s special because it blends the classic marketing mix disciplines with a range of other areas - IT, customer service, quality, social media etc.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Question 3: What are the differences and similarities between ‘Relationship Marketing’ and ‘Customer Relationship Management’ (CRM)?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They represent different stages of historical evolution. RM was a grown-up version of direct marketing, with much more emphasis on databases. CRM focuses on all aspects of how the mutual relationship is managed, across all functions and throughout the relationship.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Question 4: How do these approaches fit in with traditional approaches to the Marketing Planning process and to Marketing Tactics, such as the ‘Marketing Mix’?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think they fit very well, but there are still some classic marketers, brought up in traditions such as brand management and market research, and perhaps some sales managers, who don’t value the CRM approach as much as they ought, but the advent of social media is starting to change their minds, even in business to business markets, where customers talk to each other all the time, and are often ahead of their suppliers in learning how to use the latter’s products and services.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Question 5: How will the emergent area of ‘Digital Marketing’ affect things and how can these technique be used to build better, enduring Customer Relationships?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It has revolutionised much of what we do, so it is impossible to consult or teach in this area without strong experience of using the digital approach. There are of course fad elements around, and we’re wary of those, but in most markets, with most customers, their migration to the use of digital communications has meant that we’ve had to use the same channels as them – at a minimum, although the most advanced companies are leading customers rather than following them. At The Customer Framework, we’ve revised all our toolsets to include the latest digital marketing ideas, and are heavily engaged in social media-based CRM work with some of the world’s leading consumer brands. </span></span><br />
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This doesn’t mean that all our work has a big digital element, as there is plenty to do in the classic CRM area as well.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><b><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Further information:</span></i></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.thecustomerframework.com/"><span style="line-height: 23px;">www.thecustomerframework.com</span></a><span style="line-height: 23px;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 23px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It covers all our work in the above areas, so please explore the full content.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946500133713954076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5815058127149443811.post-61024073570792206712011-09-20T01:51:00.001-07:002011-09-22T03:30:23.825-07:00The future of Mobile Marketing - It's not a phone....<br />
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<a href="http://www.cim.co.uk/shop/books/bookDetails/mobilemarketingwhitepaper.aspx" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-F_x8qX8mJEU/TnhKl5FoNjI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/96XImf7NLOc/s400/Mobile.JPG" width="280" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">From our colleagues at the Chartered Institute of Marketing.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.cim.co.uk/shop/books/bookDetails/mobilemarketingwhitepaper.aspx">Buy the report HERE</a></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946500133713954076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5815058127149443811.post-53103959826366135972011-09-18T02:50:00.000-07:002011-09-18T02:51:00.482-07:00Harvard System of Referencing - A Guide<div style="text-align: center;">
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<a href="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4766507/Harvard_System_of_Referencing_September2011.pdf" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xpkt4XzJhYo/TnW-05T00-I/AAAAAAAAADE/oPYRfIceY_4/s400/Harvard+Referencing+Guide.JPG" width="310" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <a href="http://dl.dropbox.com/u/4766507/Harvard_System_of_Referencing_September2011.pdf">Download HERE</a></span></div>
City Digital Marketing Academyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13105261060199432402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5815058127149443811.post-51378904308282774322011-09-14T10:43:00.001-07:002011-09-14T10:43:41.133-07:00CSR & Sustainability - Interview with Master Marketer David Whiting<br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am delighted to be able to post this e-interview from David Whiting, on one of marketing's really current 'hot topics',</span></span></div>
<a name='more'></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <i>CSR & Sustainability</i>.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">David gained extensive marketing and business experience from working for a number of</span> <span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">large companies, including Boots, Nestlé, CPC (now Unilever) and Duracell. He became Duracell UK Marketing Director, followed by an international marketing development role for Duracell Inc. Whilst working for these companies, he was responsible for the profitable development of a number of major brands in a wide range of markets.</span></span></div>
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<span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He subsequently moved into marketing and business consulting and training. He worked initially for Saatchi & Saatchi Marketing, followed by three years as a Director of Added Value, before establishing his own consultancy. David is also a Course Director for the Chartered Institute of Marketing and has run a wide range of training programmes in Europe and Asia. He has a particular interest in the integration of sustainability into business and marketing strategy.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">David holds a BA Honours degree in Industrial Economics from Nottingham University and an MA degree in Marketing from Lancaster University. </span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">He is a Member of the Chartered Institute of Marketing, a Chartered Marketer, a Member of the Marketing Society, a Member of the Institute of Consulting and a Certified Management Consultant. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Question 1: Many companies today are making lots of noise about ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’. Why do you think this is? And what are they trying to achieve?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Companies are under growing pressure from a number of stakeholder groups, such as customers, investors, employees, the government, NGOs and the community, to become more societally conscious and sustainable and to demonstrate that progress. Initially, companies embarking on CSR programmes were driven primarily by the need for compliance and risk management and some are still stuck at this ‘minimum’ stage. However, most companies now recognise the advantage of looking more strategically at the issue and can see how more proactive CSR programmes can deliver tangible benefits in areas such as corporate reputation, employee retention and community relationships.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> These programmes will typically include philanthropic elements, and CSR functions will prepare reports on their performance, but they frequently tend to be fairly tactical and short-term in focus. Michael Porter has disparaged these types of programme by referring to </span><em><span style="font-size: 12pt;">them too often being:</span></em></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="st"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">“…a </span></span><em><span style="font-size: 12pt;">hodgepodge</span></em><span class="st"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> <i>of</i> </span></span><em><span style="font-size: 12pt;">uncoordinated CSR</span></em><span class="st"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> <i>and </i></span></span><em><span style="font-size: 12pt;">philanthropic activities disconnected</span></em><span class="st"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> <i>from the</i> </span></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em><span style="font-size: 12pt;">company's strategy</span></em><span class="st"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> <i>that </i></span></span><em><span style="font-size: 12pt;">neither make any meaningful social impact nor strengthen</span></em><span class="st"><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> <i>the</i> </span></span><em><span style="font-size: 12pt;">firm's long</span></em><span class="st"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">-</span></span><em><span style="font-size: 12pt;">term competitiveness”</span></em></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Confusingly, however, whilst many organizations see CSR being concerned primarily with issues related broadly to its ‘social’ responsibilities towards communities it is involved with down the supply chain, others (often referring instead to ‘Corporate Responsibility’) see it as a much more ambitious concept. To these companies, CSR/CR is a discipline that also encompasses environmental and economic issues, and which is more frequently referred to these days as ‘sustainability’.</span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Question 2: Where does sustainability and ‘green marketing’ fit in with CSR?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sustainability as a modern concept has its origins in the Brundtland Report of 1987, the outcome of a commission set up by the UN.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> It declared that:</span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Sustainable development seeks to meet the needs and aspirations of </span></span></i><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">the </span></span></i><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">present without compromising the ability to meet those of the future”.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"> </span></span></i><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This established the important notion that future generations should be treated as an important stakeholder by organizations. Assisted by John Elkington’s framework of the Triple Bottom Line – the need to recognise the importance of environmental and social factors as well as economic – leading companies began to develop a transformative concept.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Major companies such as GE, Unilever, Procter & Gamble, Interfaceflor, Marks & Spencer, Pepsico and Nike are using sustainability to drive their entire business strategies, setting out ambitious plans and targets for themselves (e.g. zero carbon emissions) to secure stakeholder belief in their integrity. <br />Whereas CSR, in its traditional role, is primarily a senior but advisory function, sustainability requires every part of the organization building it into its planning and operations. Thus, in time, there ceases to be a sustainability strategy since the whole organization is sustainable.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> Jeff Immelt, CEO of GE, has said:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">“Sustainability <u>i</u>s the business strategy. It’s our roadmap for how we operate<br />and how we innovate”.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sustainability is seen by these leading companies not as a drag on earnings, or a peripheral activity, but the biggest driver of earnings in the future – because they have understood what the future is likely to look like. Whilst they are busy creating new sources of competitive advantage, driving new source of innovation, building trust in their brands, developing new sources of revenue and working with legislators to influence new legislation, the gap between them and their competitors will grow ever wider.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Green marketing has its origins in the 1980s, but much of it was cynical and opportunistic and was a manifestation of the short-term focus that has sometimes made this marketer despair of his profession. Too little of it was based upon securing insights on to which to build viable propositions, rather than ‘greenwash’ or the product of optimistic worthiness. Most brands created in that era failed to survive. Cause-related marketing followed, but this was largely tactical, short-term and peripheral in nature. However, in the last few years, particularly since the growing understanding of the impacts of climate change, there has been a revival of a </span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 18px;">more considered kind of green marketing as part of the larger sustainability trend.</span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Question 3: To what extent should these sorts of approach be imbedded in the overall marketing plan?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">Marketing has been slow to recognise the seismic importance of sustainability due to a variety of factors, including the ongoing economic downturn, the obfuscation created by the less strategic nature of much CSR activity, its ownership by separate central CSR functions and marketing’s increasing concentration on short-term communications activity at the expense of strategic brand building.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">Yet marketing has a critical, indeed pivotal, role to play in embedding sustainability into an organization’s business strategy, particularly since all the leading companies in this space see brands as the best place to ‘anchor’ sustainability.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"> </span><br /><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">Marketers are not only the brand guardians but possess the best insight into consumers, they lead communications activity and are naturally challenging and creative by nature.</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">They also understand planning concepts such as segmentation and positioning, critical to strategy development, as well as a wide range of executional tools and media.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As companies follow the current leaders in recognising how sustainability needs to become the driver for developing business strategy, and therefore brand strategy, sustainability will need to become embedded in marketing strategy and planning. Marketers have traditionally been concerned with only a part of the product life cycle, but in future will need to become conversant with every stage, including sourcing and disposal. Acquaintance with the supply chain and with concepts such as carbon and water footprinting will become a necessary part of the brand manager’s responsibilities. </span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Unilever has undertaken an examination of its 1,600 brands, using its Brand Imprint tools that combine lifecycle analysis with marketing processes, to understand their social, environmental and economic impacts.<br /><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"><br /><br />Question 4: How can these ideas allow companies to build sustainable competitive advantage?</span></b></span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">Companies have taken a variety of approaches to capitalizing on their sustainability/CSR efforts. For some it is enough for now to have embarked on a journey, partly because it is simply the right thing to do, enabling them to get to grips with the issues, develop their future strategies and reassure investors. H&M, for instance, have taken a long time to begin to communicate to customers their impressive sustainability track record. For others, such as Nike, driven by the necessity to act caused by the scandal of conditions for workers in its developing world suppliers, transparency has been a driving motivation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">Whilst fear of being accused of ‘greenwashing’ has held some companies back there is a growing realisation that customers and consumers are willing to accept that the ideal cannot be attained overnight, if ever. So long as organizations are seen to be honest and transparent about their intentions, and have set out a vision and goals about which they communicate regularly, they have the opportunity to build an enhanced level of trust in their brands and hence brand equity. This perceived integrity is a precious long-term asset, driving loyalty, growth and revenue, which brands such as Dove, Marks & Spencer, John Lewis, Timberland and Innocent have placed at the centre of their brand strategies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">Choices have to be made about whether to use a corporate brand, product/service brands, or both, as the vehicle for sustainability/CSR claims. It is no coincidence that companies such as Unilever and Procter & Gamble have been developing their corporate umbrella names as consumer brands for the first time in recent years. Other decisions have to be made as to whether the strategy will include developing a brand halo; providing a ‘nudge’ to consumers, e.g. via product labelling (as Tesco are doing); instigating an educational programme; or offering a more explicit competitive advantage. In this last case the claimed benefit may be indirect, such as with Fairtrade or Levi’s Water>Less jeans, where the story is the benefit, or of direct advantage to the customer, such as the Michelin Energy Saver tyre.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">This often-complex strategic decision-making needs the skills of marketers to bring together the insights from the marketplace together with the sustainability drivers internally. In particular, the potential sustainability claims have to be carefully balanced against other motivators, which may need to be more predominant components of the brand proposition. For instance, organic milk could have been promoted primarily on its environmental benefits, but the most compelling story for consumers was the health platform. Sustainability is at the end of the day the desired outcome, not necessarily the communications strategy.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">Question 5: What advice would you give for organisations wishing to start out on this journey? Can you suggest a roadmap?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">Make a start! Be a Unilever, not an Exxon. However small the organization, the market is likely to reward the prime movers and punish the laggards in due course.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">Legal compliance and risk management are hygiene factors that must be covered off, but consideration should also be given to achieving the requirements of voluntary codes such the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, ISO standards, PAS2050 (for carbon footprinting), FSC (Forestry Stewardship Council), etc. Working towards one of more of these certifications will furnish vital information, engage the whole organization, require target setting and throw up potential new opportunities. In any case, as with the development of a sound marketing strategy, a sustainability/CSR strategy should commence with a comprehensive audit, encompassing not only key data (relating to social and environmental impacts) on the company operations and supply chain, but also ongoing trends, competitors’ progress and customer/consumer expectations and aspirations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">Strategy development can progress in stages, depending upon priorities, resources, market conditions, etc. For instance, compliance with a code will improve business practices and may provide an opportunity for accessing new customers and markets; this could be followed by the gradual development of a more sustainable supply chain, facilitating new working partnerships, cutting costs and generating efficiencies and an enhanced story to tell. In turn, greater understanding of what is physically possible and developing market potentialities could lead to new products and services, or completely new market models.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">Setting up and reporting KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) will not only provide focus for the sustainability/CSR strategy but facilitate reporting on progress to all the key stakeholders. Reporting on progress, and the achievement of goals, provides a growing reassurance to customers, employees, investors and business partners that this is a company that deserves their trust and loyalty and that inspires their higher aspirations.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">It is worth bearing in mind that (according to the CEO of Aviva Investors in February 2011) less than 20% of 20,000 publicly listed companies reported the previous year on even a single piece of quantitative data on environmental, social or governance issues – yet the vast majority of Fortune 500 companies measure, manage and publicly disclose their carbon emissions, in part because of a greater legal onus to do so. This is both a reminder of the gap between the top companies and the rest, but also the opportunity to stand out, particularly because most companies’ targets are weak and short-term.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">Be honest, rather than perfect!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"><b><u>Web sites and Resources:</u></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"><b><u><br /></u></b></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1Dh_LxnfJVQ/TmC2y9n7BzI/AAAAAAAAAQY/heYXxbNdxf8/s1600/DWAL+graphic.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1Dh_LxnfJVQ/TmC2y9n7BzI/AAAAAAAAAQY/heYXxbNdxf8/s200/DWAL+graphic.gif" width="200" /></a></div>
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<a href="http://uk.linkedin.com/in/davidwhitingassociates"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">http://uk.linkedin.com/in/davidwhitingassociates</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"> - further details on interviewee background and services. Refer to article ‘Why is Marketing missing from the sustainability agenda’ (originally published in ‘Market Leader’) under Applications heading for more on topic.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.sustainablelifemedia.com/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">www.sustainablelifemedia.com/</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"> - Sustainable Life Media: US-based information site concerned with development of sustainable brands, which also produces regular e-newsletters for members.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/sustainable-business"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">www.guardian.co.uk/sustainable-business</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"> - Guardian Sustainable Business: UK-based information site concerned with wide range of business sustainability issues. Produces regular e-newsletters and holds regular events for members.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.forumforthefuture.org/">www.forumforthefuture.org/</a> - Forum for the Future: UK-based NGO which works with businesses and governments to develop pioneering thinking on sustainability. Publishes quarterly magazine ‘Green Futures’<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.wbcsd.org/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">www.wbcsd.org</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"> - World Business Council for Sustainable Development: international body, based in Geneva, which brings together 200 global companies to progress thinking on sustainable development. Produces papers and e-newsletters.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.ethicalcorp.com/"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">www.ethicalcorp.com/</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"> - Ethical Corporation: reports on wide range of sustainability issues.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;">Thank you David!</span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946500133713954076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5815058127149443811.post-63481090019799950062011-08-21T15:22:00.000-07:002011-08-21T15:22:37.983-07:00Promoting Your Blog - Tips for BLOGGER fans<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; mso-outline-level: 2;">
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #202020; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 16px;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">This is in no way a science or guarantee; it's
simply a few suggestions with which many bloggers have found success.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Set your blog to Send Pings.</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> <span style="background: white;">When</span> <span style="background: white;"><a href="http://help.blogger.com/bin/answer.py?answer=41373"><span style="color: #0000cc;">this setting is activated</span></a>, your blog will be
included in various "recently updated" lists on the web as well as
other blog-related services.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Activate Your Navbar.</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> <span style="background: white;">Do
this and you might start to see the effects right away! One of the features on
the</span> <span style="background: white;"><a href="http://help.blogger.com/bin/answer.py?answer=42269"><span style="color: #0000cc;">Blogger Navbar</span></a></span> <span style="background: white;">is a button called NextBlog - click it to visit the
next Navbar-enabled blog.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Install Email This Post.</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> <span style="background: white;">If
you use</span> <span style="background: white;"><a href="http://help.blogger.com/bin/answer.py?answer=42283"><span style="color: #0000cc;">Email This Post</span></a></span> <span style="background: white;">on your blog, people will be able to forward your
posts to friends. This may not have an immediate impact on your site stats but
it enables others to publicize your blog for you.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Turn on Post Pages.</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> <span style="background: white;">By publishing
every post as its very own web page with</span> <span style="background: white;"><a href="http://help.blogger.com/bin/answer.py?answer=42048"><span style="color: #0000cc;">Post Pages</span></a>, you ensure that your entries are
way more link-able and more attractive to search engines.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Turn on your site feed.</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> <span style="background: white;">When
people subscribe to your</span> <span style="background: white;"><a href="http://help.blogger.com/bin/answer.py?answer=41450"><span style="color: #0000cc;">site feed</span></a></span> <span style="background: white;">in their newsreaders, they're very likely going to read your post.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Add your blog to Blogger's listings.</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> <span style="background: white;">When
you</span> <span style="background: white;"><a href="http://help.blogger.com/bin/answer.py?answer=41373"><span style="color: #0000cc;">add your blog to our listings</span></a></span> <span style="background: white;">it shows up in Nextblog, Recently Updated, and other
places. It's like opting-in to traffic.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Write quality content and do it well.</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> <span style="background: white;">If
your "style" is bad writing, worse grammar, no punctuation, and an
ugly design, that might be okay for a niche crowd. But the idea here is to
achieve mass appeal, so fix yourself up a bit.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Publish regular updates.</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> <span style="background: white;">Simple:
the more you blog, the more traffic you'll get.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Think of your audience.</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> <span style="background: white;">A
good way to build an audience is to speak to one in particular. When you keep
your audience in mind, your writing gains focus. Focus goes a long way toward
repeat visitors.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Keep search engines in mind.</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> <span style="background: white;">There
are a few things you can do to make your blog more search engine friendly. Use</span> <span style="background: white;"><a href="http://help.blogger.com/bin/answer.py?answer=41380"><span style="color: #0000cc;">post titles</span></a></span> <span style="background: white;">and post page archiving. This will automatically give
each of your post pages an intelligent name based on the title of your post.
Also, try to be descriptive when you blog. A well crafted post about something
very specific can end up very near the top results of a search.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Keep your posts and paragraphs short.</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> <span style="background: white;">Strive
for succinct posts that pump pertinent new information into the blogosphere and
move on. Keep it short and sweet so visitors can pop in, read up, and click on.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Put your blog URL in your email signature.</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> <span style="background: white;">Think of how many forwarded emails you've seen in your
day, and just imagine the possibilities.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Sumbit your address to blog search sites and directories.</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> <span style="background: white;">People look for blog content at</span> <span style="background: white;"><a href="http://www.technorati.com/"><span style="color: #0000cc;">Technorati</span></a></span> <span style="background: white;">every day, are you</span> <span style="background: white;"><a href="http://technorati.com/members/authors.html"><span style="color: #0000cc;">on
their list</span></a>? You should be. Submit your blog's url to</span> <span style="background: white;"><a href="http://www.technorati.com/"><span style="color: #0000cc;">Technorati</span></a>,</span> <span style="background: white;"><a href="http://www.daypop.com/"><span style="color: #0000cc;">Daypop</span></a>,</span> <span style="background: white;"><a href="http://www.blogdex.net/"><span style="color: #0000cc;">Blogdex</span></a>,</span> <span style="background: white;"><a href="http://www.popdex.com/"><span style="color: #0000cc;">Popdex</span></a>, and any other site of that ilk you
come across.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Link to other blogs.</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> <span style="background: white;">Links are the
currency of the blogosphere and it takes money to make money so start linking.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Install a blogroll.</span></b><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> <span style="background: white;">It's a very
simple yet effective social networking scheme and it has the same result as a
simple link if not stronger: traffic! So if you don't have one yet, sign up for
a</span> <span style="background: white;"><a href="http://www.blogrolling.com/"><span style="color: #0000cc;">blogroll</span></a></span> <span style="background: white;">and get that link-list going.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-margin-top-alt: auto;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
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is in the same vein as linking. Most comment systems also provide a way for you
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your blog. New blogs will have this blog feature enabled by default, but for
older blogs you will have to enable it from the</span> <b>Layout | Page
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946500133713954076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5815058127149443811.post-9385972735692633322011-07-30T05:14:00.000-07:002011-07-30T05:14:54.390-07:00Professor Kotler - Talks about Creating Value and Brand Management<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/xVAi81SKRKA" width="425"></iframe> Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946500133713954076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5815058127149443811.post-68716476143960540412011-07-30T04:25:00.000-07:002011-07-30T04:32:18.737-07:00CIM Command Words Explained - By Qualification Level<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://bit.ly/pZxsDX" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="117" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eImFeOtXekE/TjPpq12b4qI/AAAAAAAAAOY/yMFXcP6g3NI/s320/Cim_logo.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Command words for each level of CIM qualificationd from Introduction to Marketing through to Professional Postgraduate Diploma - clearly explained and differentiated.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://bit.ly/pZxsDX">Download the document here</a></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946500133713954076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5815058127149443811.post-8167989327108581822011-07-09T03:17:00.000-07:002011-07-09T03:17:20.834-07:00Master Marketer - Interview with Prof. Malcolm McDonald<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am delighted to post this exclusive interview with marketing super star - Emeritus Professor Malcolm H.B. McDonald MA(Oxon), MSc, PhD, D.Litt. FCIM FRSA.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Malcolm, author of 43 books, was Professor of Marketing and Deputy Director Cranfield School of Management, is a graduate in English from <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Oxford</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype></st1:place>, in Business Studies from Bradford University Management Centre, has a PhD from <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Cranfield</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype></st1:place> and a D.Litt from <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Bradford</st1:placename><st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype></st1:place> . His extensive industrial experience includes a number of years as Marketing Director of Canada Dry.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He is Chairman of Brand Finance plc and five other companies. He spends much of his time working globally with the operating boards of the world’s biggest multinational companies.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He is Visiting Professor at <st1:place w:st="on">Henley</st1:place>, <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:city w:st="on">Warwick</st1:city></st1:place>, Aston and Bradford Business Schools and Emeritus Professor at Cranfield</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">m.mcdonald@cranfield.ac.uk</span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Question 1: You are well known as a prolific author – particularly in the area of Marketing Planning. What attracted you to focus on this area<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Although my first degree from <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placename w:st="on">Oxford</st1:placename> <st1:placetype w:st="on">University</st1:placetype></st1:place> was in English Language and Literature, I couldn’t afford to go into teaching so got a job as a graduate trainee with an international company and then became a Salesman, then an Area Manager and then a Marketing and Sales Manager. I then decided to complete a Masters Degree in Business and it seemed natural to focus on marketing. Then having served as Sales and Marketing Director for Canada Dry for a number of years, I wanted to pass my knowledge and experience to others, so I entered the Academic community,</span></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Question 2: You have spoken and written on many occasions about the lack of relevant Market Segmentation in companies. Why do you think this is? How can they improve?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">There are many scholarly studies that attest to the fact that market segmentation is the basis of successful strategy. The problem is, it is quite complex, both intellectually and in practice! Until it is taught properly in business schools and on marketing courses – which is not the case currently – it will continue to be a problem. If you look at our perennially successful companies like Tesco, P&G, 3M and the like, you will find that successful market segmentation lies at the heart of their success.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Question 3: Digital Marketing and, in particular, Social Media seem to be ‘the Next Big Thing’. Are marketers getting carried away with the hype, and how can these tools and techniques be used the most effectively?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">There is so much rubbish (hype) talked about new media, that the whole domain has become a bit like a fad. All technology has done is enable consumers to have more choice and to enjoy greater access to data. But consumers haven’t changed at all and unless suppliers segment their markets properly and understand the media and channel preferences of people in each segment, they will continue to be bamboozled by such media. Having done this, companies need to develop proper objectives and strategies for communication through these media.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Question 4: Why hasn’t marketing been recognised for the value it can create? Why isn’t marketing better represented in the boardroom?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">The principle reason is that the barriers to entry to the profession are low and marketing as a discipline has been defined in such broad terms that in the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">UK</st1:country-region></st1:place> alone, there are about a million so-called Marketers. The trouble is that few are professionally qualified, hence are seen by non-marketers as charlatans and indeed, most are. Until we have a critical mass of Chartered Marketers (via CIM) – in my view, a minimum of 20,000 – only then can we lobby boards of directors to insist on professional qualifications for their hires. Just like the professions such as Accountants, we need to get ourselves into a position where we can INSIST that the only people in marketing who can call themselves “professionals” are those who are licensed to practice by the professional body. Above all, marketers have to learn to speak the language of the boardroom and in particular they must learn to justify financially the substantial sums they are accountable for.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">This is simple to answer. They must get themselves professionally qualified, preferably via a CIM qualification such as the Postgraduate Diploma. They can then proceed to become Chartered Marketers.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt;">For more information about Malcolm and his work visit;</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.malcolm-mcdonald.com/"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">www.malcolm-mcdonald.com</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> – presents the services provided by Professor McDonald and his team of consultants.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.marketsegmentation.co.uk/"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">www.marketsegmentation.co.uk</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> – provides an overview of the market segmentation process developed by Professor McDonald and <st1:personname w:st="on">Ian Dunbar</st1:personname>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.market2win.com/"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">www.market2win.com</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> – is about the marketing simulator developed by Professor McDonald and Ed Bradford used for training individuals, businesses, schools and universities in strategic marketing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/search?searchTerm=malcolm+mcdonald&search=search">www.bookdepository.co.uk/search?searchTerm=malcolm+mcdonald&search=search</a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> – for the range of marketing books authored by Professor McDonald.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946500133713954076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5815058127149443811.post-81748822021849814662011-07-03T04:00:00.001-07:002011-07-03T04:00:56.583-07:00CIM assessment and exam 'Action Words' explained<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://ow.ly/5vFmW">Download Here</a></span></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Useful document explaining the meaning of many of the 'action words' used in CIM Exams and Assessments.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It is very important that you understand exactly what is being asked for so that you can answer the question correctly.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">See also - <a href="http://ow.ly/5vFws">'7 Top Tips for passing CIM Assessments and Exams'</a></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946500133713954076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5815058127149443811.post-31642648121896529562011-06-28T03:21:00.000-07:002011-06-28T03:21:59.915-07:00Great video on the birth of the STUXNET Virus - from HungryBeast<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzy-_AbKGGHltol0t2_DqfEYc9u5N2F2pq0MCcgifYSFsA4h47Ii9UNLUVwrXaZkfpu8S4dS9dYHijslffoog' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946500133713954076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5815058127149443811.post-27954207760718672442011-06-23T02:23:00.000-07:002011-06-23T03:55:03.587-07:00Master Marketer - Interview with Digital Marketing Star - Firas Al-Khaffaf<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2DTuikJ6UWI/TgL_S9k-hdI/AAAAAAAAAB8/ZEfXtavkeZo/s1600/FirasAlkhaffaf.com_einterview1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="140" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2DTuikJ6UWI/TgL_S9k-hdI/AAAAAAAAAB8/ZEfXtavkeZo/s320/FirasAlkhaffaf.com_einterview1.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
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</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><a href="http://firasalkhaffaf.com/">Click Here</a></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;">Firas is an experienced Digital and Social Media Marketer who is passionate about helping people succeed in the new media world. He started off his first steps as a web developer, leading the way in search marketing, moving into e-learning instructional design and then exploring ways to build on open source and web 2.0 technology.</span></div></td></tr>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Firas has been involved in e-learning and training development since 2003, developing different types of e-learning modules built to give the end user a fun and engaging learning experience. Ranging from simple e-learning with voiceover to interactive rich media video e-learning content.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">During his time of being involved with the several web, e-learning and video productions, he’s also been involved in launching successful digital campaigns for various organizations in both the public and private sector which includes UK universities and awarding bodies like Chartered Management Institute, CAM Foundation and Manchester Metropolitan University Business School. This has lead him to broaden his digital marketing expertise and is now looking to share the experiences and insights so feel free to connect with him on Linkedin and follow him on Twitter.</span><br />
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<div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Question 1: We hear a great deal about Social Media Marketing today. How well are companies focussing too much on these specific tools, and what advice could you give to maximise Marketing Communications overall?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><br />
</div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As Social Media Marketing is growing more and more popular, we see more companies introducing this as part of their overall business operation. However, there are many companies that are still hesitating. There are various reasons why this is happening. Some will think that it’s not important for their business. Other businesses are afraid if they open the social media channel, they wouldn’t know how to deal with negative comments.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><br />
</div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">My advice is to embrace social media marketing. The market place is changing and the Internet is becoming more social. The consumers have expectations; they are now allowed to speak freely online about what they think and express their opinions openly. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">At this rate, if businesses don’t adapt to fit social media in their business operation, they will have to eventually. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><br />
</div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A client of mine approached me asking for my advice on using Twitter. They said, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">“Should we start using Twitter to promote our products? I had a look on Twitter and someone has said something negative about our products already. What if we receive more negative comments if we decide to open this channel?”</i> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></i></div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I responded by saying that there are always going to be people that will say something negative so don’t let that put you off. Also, the negative tweet was perhaps a cry for attention as no one had responded to the individual using the regular communication channels. Perhaps this was a last resort of expressing their opinion. Now that you’ve seen that someone has expressed their opinion negatively, it is your job to turn that negative comment into a positive comment. You’d be surprised when you respond to these people how things can change. Once you win them over, they’ll be speaking about you online in a positive manner. That’s the power of social media! <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><br />
</div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Beware that there are some that would just argue for the sake of it. Whatever happens, don’t get yourself into an argument via social media; it can get messy and out of control. Nothing beats picking up the phone and just resolving the issue there and then. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><br />
</div><span style="color: black; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I would recommend getting yourself trained up on Social Media using The Social Media Training Pack on </span></span><span style="color: black; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://connectwisdom.com/smtp">http://connectwisdom.com/smtp</a> </span></span><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Question 2: In-bound and Out-bound there is a huge amount of ‘noise’ on Digital Channels. What can Marketers do to cut-through the clutter, in both directions?</span></b><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://citydigital.org/wp-content/units.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://citydigital.org/wp-content/units.png" /></span></a></div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We live in an age where there is information being thrown at us from everywhere. Sometimes It’s just information overload and we need to know what’s important and what’s not. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><br />
</div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In terms of inbound through the digital channels, marketers need to know and decide which methods work for them more effectively for their business and their customers. For instance, one market may find themselves on Facebook more than Linkedin, so it is a good idea to reach out to that market via Facebook. There is no point setting up several profiles/pages on different social networking sites across the Internet for the sake of it, “<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">just because everyone else is doing it</i>”. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><br />
</div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What eventually happens is that it becomes too overwhelming to maintain and respond to everyone, which leads to unhappy people left hanging with no responses to their queries/complaints. All they see is that you’ve provided a way for them to communicate with you, but then you don’t respond to them. It’s like never checking your email inbox.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><br />
</div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Inbound is much more effective than outbound, but that does not mean you should rule out outbound completely. For instance, email marketing and webinars are very effective. Being able to reach out to an online audience is more powerful now than ever before because people are hungry for knowledge and finding solutions to their problems. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><br />
</div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So it comes down to recognising what is important and what isn’t. Don’t try and do everything because that’s when the huge amount of ‘noise’ develops.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Question 3: Should Digital Marketing be treated as a separate and specialist area within the marketing function (like SEO) or is it better treated as something with which all marketers should be involved? </b><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><a href="http://citydigital.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/cdma_homepage.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="94" src="http://citydigital.org/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/cdma_homepage.jpg" width="200" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p>As the years go by, digital is becoming more integrated in our lives. Soon digital and traditional marketing will merge. For instance, people these days expect you to have a website, blog or Facebook page. They want to find out more about you before they meet you. A website, blog or Facebook page is like an online shop window for your business. This is digital marketing, but is also becoming part of the overall marketing function.</span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><br />
</div><span style="color: black; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">However specialist areas, such as SEO, will always somewhat remain separate, as the processes involved in SEO require time and resources. Not only that, but also extensive expertise is required. Getting websites to rank number one in search engines for competitive keywords is something that </span></span><br />
<div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">requires a vast understanding of using various SEO tools as well as techniques.</span></span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"></span></span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Question 4: How do you see Mobile Marketing developing over the next few years?</span></b></span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"></span></span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mobile Marketing keeps evolving year after year. Mobiles are becoming as sophisticated as computers. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I remember a time when there was no Internet access on mobile phones. Then came WAP and now we’ve got mobile phones that load webpages exactly like they would appear on your laptop, or games like PlayStation and Xbox.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://citydigital.org/wp-content/contact.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="119" src="http://citydigital.org/wp-content/contact.png" width="200" /></a><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">People have access to their mobile phones more than they do to their laptops. This means you can target them with all sorts of mobile marketing from SMS messages to app notifications. Also to bear in mind, SMS is a powerful form of marketing. There is a higher open rate in SMS messages compared to emails. This in itself has a lot of potential.<div class="TableGrid1"><br />
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</div>My advice is to get involved now. Everything is heading towards digital. People are online and they are easy to find with social sites and search engines. In fact, it’s never been this easy to market your products/services as you can market to the whole world with a few clicks.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><div class="TableGrid1">Another form of marketing is to have in-app advertising. This means you can promote your products/services within other people’s apps or within your own apps that you give away for free. You can even incorporate videos in your advertising on mobile phones. </div></span> </span><br />
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</div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Question 5: What advice would you give Marketers who want to improve their performance and job prospects in the field of Digital Marketing?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Internet is filled with information, which can get you started in the digital field. First you need to know what you want to specialise in within digital marketing e.g. social media, SEO, PPC and so on. Try not to do everything; though do grasp an understanding of what each aspect is.</span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><br />
</div><div class="TableGrid1"><a href="http://www.inter-activ.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/megaphone.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="140" src="http://www.inter-activ.co.uk/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/megaphone.jpg" width="200" /></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To those who find the idea of digital marketing daunting, it’s not really that daunting. In fact, you will find similar methods of traditional marketing, which are applied in digital marketing. For instance the principals of marketing communication does not differ much between digital and traditional marketing. This means you can take similar methods and rules and apply them. Over time you will learn certain online ethics, which may vary from offline. However this comes with experience and with time, but shouldn’t be something to hinder you from getting started.</span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Also, if marketers want to climb higher in their career ladder, I would recommend getting a qualification in digital marketing, such as the diploma in digital marketing for instance. With this qualification, you will be recognised and respected throughout the industry.</span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><br />
</div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is no better time than now to embrace digital marketing so simply just dive in and get started.<o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
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</span></o:p></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qllmTMezFpg/TgMB3nz27yI/AAAAAAAAACA/syv7mjgZeyE/s1600/FirasAlkhaffaf.com_einterview2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qllmTMezFpg/TgMB3nz27yI/AAAAAAAAACA/syv7mjgZeyE/s1600/FirasAlkhaffaf.com_einterview2.jpg" /></span></a></div><div class="TableGrid1" style="text-align: center;"><o:p><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> <a href="http://firasalkhaffaf.com/social-media-map-download/">Click Here</a></span></b></o:p></div><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><u>Useful links and resources:</u></b></span><br />
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<div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Firas Al-Khaffaf’s Website/Blog: <br />
<a href="http://firasalkhaffaf.com/">http://FirasAlkhaffaf.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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</span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Follow Firas on Twitter: </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://twitter.com/FirasAlkhaffaf">http://Twitter.com/FirasAlkhaffaf</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Become Friends with Firas on Facebook: </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://facebook.com/FirasAlkhaffaf">http://Facebook.com/FirasAlkhaffaf</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Connect as a Friend with Firas on Linkedin: </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://linkedin.com/in/FirasAlkhaffaf">http://linkedin.com/in/FirasAlkhaffaf</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Firas Recommends The Social Media Training Pack:</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://connectwisdom.com/smtp">http://ConnectWisdom.com/smtp</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Recommended Digital Marketing Blog: </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://connectwisdom.com/">http://ConnectWisdom.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Download Your Own Social Media Map:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://firasalkhaffaf.com/social-media-map-download/">http://firasalkhaffaf.com/social-media-map-download/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="TableGrid1"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thank you Firas!</span></div></div>City Digital Marketing Academyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13105261060199432402noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5815058127149443811.post-77369495527550367252011-06-11T03:43:00.001-07:002011-06-11T03:44:49.497-07:00Great Infographic - Revolutionising Online Education<a href="http://www.onlineeducation.net/internet-revolutionizing-education"><img border="0" alt="How the Internet is Revolutionizing Education" src="http://images.onlineeducation.net.s3.amazonaws.com/internet-revolutionizing-education.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
Via: <a href="http://www.onlineeducation.net/">OnlineEducation.net</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946500133713954076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5815058127149443811.post-11081805014777929382011-06-07T03:17:00.000-07:002011-06-10T02:50:20.920-07:00Master Marketers - Interview with Digital Media Expert - Imran Farooq<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the rapidly changing world of digital media and digital marketing, I am pleased to post this interview with someone who is working in this area as a Master Practitioner, Academic and successful Businessman.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thank you Imran!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ng1GqKG57xQ/TfHoznn7m8I/AAAAAAAAAN8/Pjy6agMb-5E/s1600/imranfarooq.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Ng1GqKG57xQ/TfHoznn7m8I/AAAAAAAAAN8/Pjy6agMb-5E/s1600/imranfarooq.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Imran is MD of <b>MMC Learning</b>, a digitally driven joint venture company with <b>MMU Business School </b>and a Senior Examiner for the Diploma in Digital Marketing awarded by the <b>Chartered Institute of Marketing</b>. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He is experienced in the rapid development of rich e-learning content which is being used to educate business professionals in over 50 countries as well as working with senior management teams to develop staff training programs for Digital Marketing skills with various companies including Hewlett Packard, Bell Pottinger and 3M. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Question 1: We hear a great deal about Social Media Marketing today. Should this be the main focus for a company’s Digital Marketing activities?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It definitely should be one of the main tools or channels in the mix as that is where the gravity of the internet is. There are lots of networks and if you Google “Social Media Map” you will see some interesting visuals showing all the social media networks on the internet! </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-89a1mK0Pn4Q/Te36i9wXFfI/AAAAAAAAAN4/k31fuc3dU5E/s1600/social-media-map.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-89a1mK0Pn4Q/Te36i9wXFfI/AAAAAAAAAN4/k31fuc3dU5E/s320/social-media-map.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The main ones include Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and some of the upcoming local networks. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Before jumping into any of these tools it is worth researching or monitoring the buzz on these networks which will give you customer insight into what is relevant to your products, market and business activity. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">For example, Linkedin has a Q&A and groups section where you can see what people are talking about, Facebook has an advertising area where you can view detailed audience profiles and Twitter search & trends can show you what people are tweeting about.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He is an expert commenter on <a href="http://bit.ly/jSiu6y">SmartInsights.com</a> and also sits on the advisory board for the CAM Foundation helping shape the pioneering and leading Digital Marketing Qualifications in the UK.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hPBN1Rz0E24/Te32w42WoOI/AAAAAAAAANs/RvqFd6dIaAM/s1600/CAM+Logo%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hPBN1Rz0E24/Te32w42WoOI/AAAAAAAAANs/RvqFd6dIaAM/s1600/CAM+Logo%25281%2529.jpg" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Question 2: What advice would you give companies to ensure that they achieve the best results and returns from Digital Marketing?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Key advice is to segment as much as you can! </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Target your audience using customer insight tools – always follow through with relevant messaging specific to your audience at each point of the campaign. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">If you are targeting specific keywords/audiences, the ads have to be relevant, the landing pages have to relevant, the </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;">sign-up/register has to be relevant, the email follow-up has to be relevant and then close the deal!</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Question 3: Should Digital Marketing be treated as a separate and specialist area within the marketing function (like SEO) or is it better treated as something with which all marketers should be involved? <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Everything is Marketing and the word Digital is latest word being used to describe the explosion of new ways and tools to reach customers. There is a big issue at the moment as there is a divide between Marketers and Digital/Technical people. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Digital is being treated as a bolt-on and may have worked in the early days but right now it is not working as everything needs to be joined up. So the digital activity has to be at the core of marketing and other functions in a business.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br />
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</span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G8Oy-iiDm0o/Te34wGGNI0I/AAAAAAAAAN0/7dUqQIsp-LI/s1600/Cim_logo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="117" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-G8Oy-iiDm0o/Te34wGGNI0I/AAAAAAAAAN0/7dUqQIsp-LI/s320/Cim_logo.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Question 4: As a Senior Examiner for the CIM and someone who is heavily involved in Marketing Education, how strong are Marketers skills in the area of Digital Marketing today? What can they do to further improve them?<o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">There are some Marketers already out there who launching amazing online campaigns and generating brilliant results on the money they are spending. Marketers are all at different levels in terms of general digital marketing skills and also at different levels in terms using different digital and social media tools. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">The main reasons why some Marketers are struggling is an information overload and not having the right mind set. I think it is important to have a clear understanding of what you are trying to do within the business and then utilise the appropriate digital tools. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">For example, you may be trying to generate leads, convert leads into sales or build relationships – depending what your aim is, there are different digital tools you could use at each stage.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><b>Useful websites to increase your knowledge in Digital and stay up to date;</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.smartinsights.com/"><span style="line-height: 115%;">www.SmartInsights.com</span></a><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.connectwisdom.com/"><span style="line-height: 115%;">www.ConnectWisdom.com</span></a><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.mashable.com/"><span style="line-height: 115%;">www.Mashable.com</span></a><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><b>Useful Customer Insight tools; </b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://adwords.google.com/select/KeywordToolExternal">https://adwords.<b>google</b>.com/select/Keyword<b>Tool</b>External</a><cite> </cite><span style="line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.google.com/websiteoptimizer">www.<b>google</b>.com/<b>websiteoptimizer</b></a><cite><b><o:p></o:p></b></cite></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.google.com/insights/search">www.<b>google</b>.com/<b>insights</b>/search</a><cite><span style="font-style: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span></cite></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">It is really important to get a foundation of digital marketing knowledge which allows individuals to quickly grasp and leverage the opportunities in Digital. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">The CIM digital marketing qualifications are the best in the market place right now to gain this foundation. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">For more information visit </span><a href="http://www.cim.co.uk/"><span style="line-height: 115%;">www.cim.co.uk</span></a><span style="line-height: 115%;"> or sign-up to a free trial at </span><a href="http://www.diplomaindigitalmarketing.com/"><span style="line-height: 115%;">www.diplomaindigitalmarketing.com</span></a><span style="line-height: 115%;">. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Question 5: Finally, how do you think Marketing Education and Training will evolve with the continued growth in Cloud Computing and Mobile Technology?<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I am looking forward to seeing the growth in both these areas as I think they will play a key role in joining up a number of business and marketing functions. Mobile is big and will be big every year for the next few years. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are living in a world where content is being produced at rapid speed, we are consuming a lot of information and to stay on top we must be able to learn and respond on the go – advances in both software and hardware technology is really changing both production and consumption of information so it is important that everyone has an effective, on-going content strategy in place.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Other links and contact information:</b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Visit Blog<b> - </b></span><a href="http://www.imranfarooq.com/"><span style="line-height: 115%;">www.ImranFarooq.com</span></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Visit Company – </span><a href="http://www.mmclearning.com/"><span style="line-height: 115%;">www.mmclearning.com</span></a><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Follow on Twitter<b> </b>- @imranfarooq<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Connect as a Friend on Linkedin - </span><a href="http://www.linkedin.com/in/imranfarooq"><span style="line-height: 115%;">www.linkedin.com/in/imranfarooq</span></a></span><b style="font-size: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></b></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946500133713954076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5815058127149443811.post-31194977705263049462011-06-06T03:03:00.000-07:002011-06-06T03:03:00.605-07:00Facebook Cheat Sheet Infographic - From the Social Media Guide<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9K0JXTn-wEU/TeylZ7MPogI/AAAAAAAAANo/knyocuoG58I/s1600/Facebook+Cheat+Sheet.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="283" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9K0JXTn-wEU/TeylZ7MPogI/AAAAAAAAANo/knyocuoG58I/s400/Facebook+Cheat+Sheet.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://bit.ly/lzLESF"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Download Here</span></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946500133713954076noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5815058127149443811.post-82377960176785297692011-06-03T06:45:00.000-07:002011-06-07T02:33:45.485-07:00Master Marketers - Interview with PR Smith (Part 2)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In <a href="http://bit.ly/isVtVO">Part 1</a> of my interview with Paul, he talked about the evolution of the SOSTAC <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">® </span></b> planning framework for which he is best known.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here in Part 2 he answers questions about his later interests in Sports Marketing, Sportsmanship and Leadership....</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ASeLJJCepRg/Tejhdl2sofI/AAAAAAAAANQ/yqxgREALu28/s1600/PRS+Creativity+Conf.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="237" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ASeLJJCepRg/Tejhdl2sofI/AAAAAAAAANQ/yqxgREALu28/s320/PRS+Creativity+Conf.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
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</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Q4. I believe that you have a new approach to the potentially chaotic Social Media area, please can you tell us something about this?</b><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Ladder of Engagement</b> looks at how customers can be engaged at different levels from the lowest level of giving a star rating or a review to the highest level of collaborative co-creation i.e. customers create the company’s products. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This is marketing utopia where customers drive the business, create and test the new products and then buy them and tell their friends all about them. This could have been written 20 years ago, you might say. I agree, except now social media facilitates the Ladder Of Engagement perfectly. Essentially, social media makes it easier to create a real customer-driven business. That’s why marketers really must master social media immediately – not next year. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is an opportunity to restructure businesses around customers via social media and integrating into every aspect of the business. And with this new responsibility comes the opportunity for marketers to take a seat at every board of directors.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There is always room for creativity. You can see how BBC Northern Ireland and <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=440UA3BhZVc"><span style="color: black;">On The Air by FlickrPix </span></a><span style="color: black;"> highly creative approach took User Generated Content to a new level in the free downloadable chapter from </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/prsmithmarketing">PR Smith Marketing</a>.<span style="color: black;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PIRBsrMUfHk/Tejgqf9OTKI/AAAAAAAAANM/umD-_KjADkk/s1600/PRS-facebook-download.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PIRBsrMUfHk/Tejgqf9OTKI/AAAAAAAAANM/umD-_KjADkk/s320/PRS-facebook-download.jpg" width="274" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Question 5: As well as Marketing Communications and Marketing Planning I believe that you are now also involved in Sports Marketing and have written a book about exceptional examples of sportsmanship, which you now use to teach leadership and social skills for all levels and ages.<o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.greatmomentsofsportsmanship.com/"><o:p></o:p></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span class="MsoHyperlink"><a href="http://www.greatmomentsofsportsmanship.com/">Great Moments Of Sportsmanship </a></span>is a collection of true 2 minute stories about sportsmanship. Honour & nobility, integrity & humility on and off the field of sport. Across all sports and all countries and all levels. It is my social media campaign to get sportsmanship back on the agenda of kids, coaches and commentators. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The book has been described as ‘the new bible’ by the BBC. It is not, but it does tap into something deep inside us all. It has sold out in Ireland but I’ve not been able to get the book distributed in the UK. All ideas welcome! I’m about to release a Kindle version. The <a href="file:///D:/My%20Dropbox/ww.greatmomentsofsportsmanship.com">web site</a> has <a href="http://www.greatmomentsofsportsmanship.com/watch-the-action/">video clips</a> of many of the stories in the book, plus new stories (and <a href="http://www.greatmomentsofsportsmanship.com/watch-the-action/"></a> videos), plus ongoing <a href="http://www.greatmomentsofsportsmanship.com/sportsmanship/not-that-you-won-or-lost-but-how-you-played-the-game/">discussions</a>, my <a href="http://www.greatmomentsofsportsmanship.com/reviews-2/">radio interviews</a>, <a href="http://www.greatmomentsofsportsmanship.com/about-2/preview-the-book/">sample stories</a>, <a href="http://www.greatmomentsofsportsmanship.com/spread-the-moments/">posters</a> and most importantly, new ideas for stories sent in by readers [this is the The Ladder Of Engagement]. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OraiXF0tpzg/TejkPADZT1I/AAAAAAAAANc/yNpDT1a8fKw/s1600/GMIS.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="256" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OraiXF0tpzg/TejkPADZT1I/AAAAAAAAANc/yNpDT1a8fKw/s320/GMIS.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I really need to find a sponsor so I can really promote this book and maybe give a free copy away to every visitor to the London Olympics? If anyone has contacts, ideas or suggestions (re sponsors, media contacts, schools/libraries networks) - please do contact me. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I also have a free educational workbook for schools that want to integrate sportsmanship into several different classes. I’ve also linked up with the Campaign For Courtesy recently. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sportsmanship is my personal passion. I really do think it makes a difference and can actually help the world to be a better place. And help to tackle obesity, illiteracy, low self esteem as well as having fun and just feeling good. In business workshops I use it to demonstrate how Social Media’s Ladder Of Engagement works. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I’ve been told that the stories are so inspirational that they would make great stories for a leadership conference. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><i>You just need to ask me and I’ll do it! </i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.greatmomentsofsportsmanship.com/">www.GreatMomentsOfSportsmanship.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0cm; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Other Resources:</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>Connect with Paul:</u></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">T<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">witter:</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span>PR_Smith<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Web site: <a href="http://www.prsmith.org/">www.PRSmith.org</a> my web site<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Facebook: <a href="http://www.facebook.com/prsmithmarketing">PRSmithMarketing</a> my facebook page<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Blog: <a href="http://www.greatmomentsofspornsorship.com/">Great Moments of Sportsmanship.com</a> my sportsmanship social media campaign – please join in.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><a href="http://prsmith.org/books.html">Books by PR Smith</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Smith, PR & Zook, Z. (2011) <a href="http://www.koganpage.com/products/marketing-communications/MarketingandSales/M/Marketing_Communications/M009/1000983/9780749442651/"></a> <a href="http://www.koganpage.com/products/marketing-communications/MarketingandSales/M/Marketing_Communications/M009/2887/9780749461935/">Marketing Communications 5<sup>th</sup> ed.</a>, Kogan Page <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Smith, PR & Chaffey, D. (2008) <a href="http://www.elsevierdirect.com/product.jsp?isbn=978-0-7506-8945-8">eMarketing eXcellence 3rd ed.</a>, Butterworth Heinemann <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -14.55pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Smith, PR (2003) <a href="http://www.koganpage.com/products/MarketingSales/M/Marketing/M001/1000800/9780749440220/">Great Answers to Tough Marketing Questions, 2nd ed.</a> , Kogan Page <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -14.55pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.kogan-page.co.uk/asp/bookdetails.asp?key=1548"></a>Smith, PR, Berry C. & Pulford, A. (1999) <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Strategic-Marketing-Communications-Build-Integrate/dp/0749429186/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1216130782&sr=8-2">Strategic Marketing Communications, Revised ed.</a> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Smith, PR (2009) <a href="http://www.greatmomentsofsportsmanship.com/">Great Moments of Sportsmanship</a>, PR Smith self published.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoBodyText"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><a href="http://prsmith.org/cds.html">CD ROMs by PR Smith</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-right: -7.45pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Smith, PR (2002) <a href="http://prsmith.org/CDs-Marketing-CDs-V2.pdf">Marketing Essentials</a> series of 10 CDs, PR Smith <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Smith, PR (2004) <a href="http://prsmith.org/CD-emarketing-V2.pdf">eMarketing eXcellence</a> 10 courses on one CD, PR Smith <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Coming Soon SOSTAC ® Workbooks <b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946500133713954076noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5815058127149443811.post-27570497162262351962011-05-31T03:02:00.000-07:002011-06-02T05:27:27.570-07:00Master Marketers - Interview with Prof. Leslie de Chernatony<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Today's interview is with Professor Leslie de Chernatony, whom I first encountered through reading one of his early books on Brand Management when I was studying in the late 90's.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I went on to use his writing in practice, when I became VP Marketing for an International Media Company which owned a worldwide network of luxury goods sites.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Leslie is a global expert on Branding and Strategic Brand management and it is with great pleasure that I publish this interview.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here is something of his background...</span><br />
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<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Professor Leslie de Chernatony BSc PhD FCIM FMRS</span></span></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rwoNZrStHGQ/TeS3NTcjY2I/AAAAAAAAAM0/xjNq-XZ5eLk/s1600/Leslie+de+C.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="214px" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rwoNZrStHGQ/TeS3NTcjY2I/AAAAAAAAAM0/xjNq-XZ5eLk/s320/Leslie+de+C.jpg" width="320px" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Leslie is Professor of Brand Marketing at Universita della Svizzera italiana, Lugano, Switzerland, Honorary Professor of Brand Marketing at Aston Business School, UK and Managing Partner of Brands Box Marketing & Research Consultancy. Having made a significant contribution to advancing knowledge about brand management, he now bridges the advancement of brand knowledge in his academic role with the application of brand knowledge in his consultancy role. <span style="letter-spacing: -0.15pt;">His cutting edge work on strategically building brands has helped many organisations develop more effective brand strategies.</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Leslie’s research on brand marketing is globally disseminated through his books (eg From Brand Vision to Brand Evaluation and Creating Powerful Brands), frequent international conference presentations and a significant stream of international journal articles, some of which have won best paper prizes. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A firm advocate of the need for managers to benefit from his work on brand marketing, he has run many highly acclaimed management development workshops on brand strategy throughout Europe, the USA, the Middle East, Asia and Australia. His advice has been sought by numerous organisations throughout the world on developing more effective brand strategies. On several occasions he has acted as an expert witness in court cases over branding issues.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Leslie's work has resulted in TV programmes and radio broadcasts. He is a frequent speaker at management conferences. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Leslie is a Freeman of the City of London and a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Marketors</span></div><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Question 1: You are perhaps best known for your innovative work on Strategic Brand Management and Planning. What attracted you to this area of marketing?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">About 15 years ago I started to feel uneasy at the way services brands were not getting the attention they deserved and that branding was putting a lot of emphasis on external stakeholders and less on the importance of staff. My subsequent research, consulting and executive development programmes enabled me to develop and refine a more integrated approach to strategic brand management, applicable to both products and services. My brand planning framework was then published in the first edition of a book, From Brand Vision to Brand Evaluation. This book attracted interest amongst more people and presented opportunities for applying the ideas across more organisations, in more sectors and countries.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Question 2: What is your definition or explanation of the concepts of a Brand and Branding?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are a lot of views about what a brand is, often taking a tactical perspective. My firm belief is that a brand is a cluster of functional and emotional values that enables an organisation to make a promise about a unique and welcomed stakeholder experience. Ultimately brand management is promise management. While there may be stunning communication that raises expectation, enacting this through poorly trained staff can kill the fiscal value of a brand. Likewise it is important to involve suppliers and distributors in brand programmes to ensure that there is the correct mix of aligned resources to engender stakeholder satisfaction. Growing brand equity is becoming one of the key criteria for good brand management.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Question 3: What challenges do organisations face in systematically measuring their ‘Brand Value’? And how can they do this better?</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Let’s start by recognising that brand management is about successful husbandry of corporate resources to grow brand equity which in turn then results in the financial brand value. So firms need to adopt a multi method approach to assessing brand performance, rather than just looking at a few metrics, such as market share or share of voice. The problem is that some organisations are too short term oriented and see the development of brand equity monitors as costs which they cut. Also there needs to be an understanding inside firms about the way that movements in some of the dimensions of brand equity (for example reputation or satisfaction) can have different impacts on brand value. So it is not just collecting data about the dimensions of brand equity, it is about understanding how these variables interact to enhance or dilute brand value.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Question 4: In the overwhelming world of Digital Media, how can businesses ‘cut-through the noise’ to get their brand messages across?</b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">Recall that in a digital environment, less can be more. In other words it’s not the quantity of information that leads to brand success, rather it’s the quality of information. Consumers are no longer passive recipients of brand information, rather they are active co-producers of brand value. There is a need to empower consumers through brand websites which enable consumers to tailor facets of the brand to better meet their needs. Consumers are looking to their peer groups on the internet to help give endorsement or signals about rejection for brands. They are aware about what brands stand for and even given tools to co-create “their” brand, provided there has been a lot of attention to developing brand values, consumers are unlikely to excessively “stretch” brands into </span></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="line-height: 115%;">unacceptable territory.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u5ot43e5Lt4/TeS5jvrMuvI/AAAAAAAAAM8/ioR5FY1lxFk/s1600/Tesco-Logo-Colour.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="105px" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u5ot43e5Lt4/TeS5jvrMuvI/AAAAAAAAAM8/ioR5FY1lxFk/s320/Tesco-Logo-Colour.jpg" width="320px" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b>Question 5: We see some companies (e.g. Virgin or Tesco) dramatically ‘stretching’ their brands into many diverse areas. What does it take to do this successfully and avoid costly mistakes?</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;">Brand stretch is the dream of many Finance Directors and CEOs who look at their brands as assets that can be inexpensively grown into related sectors to capitalise on the new opportunities. Alas the driver for interest in brand stretch is often the cost implications. What is needed is a thorough understanding of the values of the parent brand, what it has stood for in the past and the extent to which the parent’s values can be stretched to meet the aspirations of the new segment and to also consider whether the parent brand positioning is appropriate for the new opportunity. I smile at those though who think it’s just a one way process. At the end of the day, the new brand, given correct management, will grow but this may take it into even further sectors which might dilute the value of the parent brand. So there needs to be some consideration of the longer term impact of the child brand on the parent brand. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N7WjPwGBBf0/TeeBnO665QI/AAAAAAAAANI/6NIRbuLx2ZA/s1600/cpb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-N7WjPwGBBf0/TeeBnO665QI/AAAAAAAAANI/6NIRbuLx2ZA/s1600/cpb.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b>Further Resources:</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black;">More details about the work Leslie undertakes can be found at </span><a href="http://www.lesliedechernatony.com/"><span lang="EN-US">www.Lesliedechernatony.com</span></a><span style="color: black;"> <span lang="EN-US"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black;">His recent books recent books are, From Brand Vision to Brand Evaluation, </span><a href="http://goo.gl/X9ssd"><span lang="EN-US">hhttp://amzn.to/lY45DZ</span></a><span style="color: black;"> <span lang="EN-US">, backed by on-line streamed video </span></span><a href="http://bit.ly/brndvideo2"><span lang="EN-US">http://bit.ly/brndvideo2</span></a><span style="color: black;"> <span lang="EN-US"> and Creating Powerful Brands, </span></span><a href="http://goo.gl/OtOqs"><span lang="EN-US">http://amzn.to/jYWCWr</span></a><span style="color: black;"> <span lang="EN-US">, which is also backed by on-line streamed video </span></span><span lang="EN-US"><a href="http://bit.ly/brndvideo">http://bit.ly/brndvideo</a></span><span style="color: black;"> <span lang="EN-US"></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0cm;"><b>Thank you Professor de Chernatony!</b></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12946500133713954076noreply@blogger.com0