Bleach: A bigger message than cleaning?

Apple's emoji expansion was a hot topic in 2015.  New emojis were introduced, and many existing emojis got an upgrade to more lifelike and less stylized representations.  One major change introduced in the new emoji set was the inclusion, for the first time, of more racially diverse emojis.  This move was a welcome change to Apple users who comprise many different races and ethnicities.

Many brands hopped on the bandwagon after the rollout in an effort to catch some of the attention.  Clorox, however, published a tweet on its Twitter page tying in its bleach with the emojis, without stopping to think of some of the possible racial implications that might be carried with the message.

An innocent cleaning product gets caught in controversy

The backlash was swift as viewers interpreted the tweet as Clorox wanting the emojis to switch back to their previous, white-only form.  Clorox attempted to backpedal by deleting the offending tweet and following it up with another trying to explain itself, but the incident left a bad taste in the mouths of Twitter users.

Too little too late?

As businesses compete for consumers' attention on new platforms with tight deadlines, social media teams (which might be a single person) are bound to make mistakes in the learning process.  It is obvious that there is a fallibility aspect that is distinctly human in this and other gaffes.  Checks and balances that exist in more traditional marketing avenues, such as print and television, might be diminished or even non-existent in the social media world, where speed is key, and topics are irrelevant overnight.  Social media marketers must walk a fine line between what grabs attention and what could be misconstrued as distasteful.  Most importantly, it must be consistent with a brand's message and reputation.  Clorox is an older, more traditional brand not known for being edgy, so this ambiguous Twitter activity was obviously a failure.

"Like" Krispy Kreme, Get Cheaper Doughnuts

Everyone loves a good doughnut, and Krispy Kreme makes some of the best. Whether you are at your local grocery store or grabbing coffee at your favorite convenience shop, Krispy Kreme is likely a name you've seen and purchased. However, some people may not be aware of the brand's chain of coffee and bake shops. These shops run great promotional offers and provide more types and flavors of these delicious treats, including holiday specials such as the limited time "Love Bug" cream filled doughnut out for Valentine's Day.

The brand's use of the social media tool Facebook is a great way for doughnut lovers to find out and participate in these offers. One of the most recent marketing promotions Krispy Kreme's Facebook is utilizing their Facebook page for is National Hot Chocolate Day on January 31st. Anyone interested can visit their local Krispy Kreme location to receive free samples of the warm chocolaty drink on this day. In addition to this event found by subscribing to the chain's Facebook page, the chain has also utilized the social media tool to run their "Warm Up" promotion, which includes exclusive coupons for coffee and a free dozen doughnuts for $4.99.

A person can gain some extra pounds with offers like this showing up in their daily feed scrolling routine. This is definitely a great way to gain awareness of the brand's bake shops and get customers to become repeat visitors. Consumers love deals and coupons, anything to make them feel as if they are saving money and Krispy Kreme uses that knowledge and social media marketing to their advantage. I myself subscribe to the page and have found myself eating one too many of these sugary treats in response to their "Buy one dozen, Get one dozen" campaign. Hats off to Krispy Kreme for not only knowing how to make great doughnuts, but knowing how to sell them as well. Now excuse me while I go eat this doughnut.

How Twitter Fingers turn into Trending Figures.!!!

One of the most Mainstream and popular marketing tools is the Social Media giant Twitter. Businesses use Twitter as a Marketing tool as well as a way to interact with a large diverse audience and in some instances allows its users voice to be heard.  Many T.V shows allows its members to interact with the show directly. One of the Biggest shows American Idol evolved from using text messages to using twitter to involve viewers to vote for their favorite contestants. Other T.V shows have took this marketing strategy and ran with it. NBC's Best reality show competition The Voice uses twitter in the same way and has its own twitter account with 4.1 Million followers where people can get real time updates about the show.



Other shows directly involves the audience and T.V hosts sometimes create segments and incorporate it into the show. One show in particular that does this on the regular is The Late Night Show with Jimmy Fallon. Jimmy Fallon Hashtags Segment uses twitter hashtags which is a keyword that can be made into a hyperlink and direct users to a news feed that the keyword is associated with. Alot of times a hashtag can be referenced so much that it goes viral around the internet in a matter of minutes. In the segment Fallon reads actual tweets from twitter that contain the keyword he created prior to the show. This shows you the power that twitter has and also how many people are tuned in and interacting with the show. I personally think involving your viewers to be apart of the show keeps people interested and is a great television marketing strategy that keep your core fans satisfied.

Twitter has slowly made its way into pop culture and onto our television screens because so many people can see what their favorite celebrities are talking about in real time. Artists in the music industry heavily depend on Twitter to promote upcoming projects or to simply debut a single that can be downloaded or purchased on i-tunes or other music streaming sites. It is common for artists to draw on feedback from the their followers because ultimately they are the ones that are the consumers.

 

As social media evolves traditional marketing techniques are discarded as new forms of reaching the people are constantly emerging to be directly catered to the consumer. I believe that twitter is  form of micro-blogging and is displayed in real time marketers have no choice but to ride the wave that social media has created and its impact on the market.

Estate and Live Auctions - Modern Marketing and Social Media Have Syrocketed Profits And Attendance

Have an Auction, not a Garage Sale!

Todays auction companies realize that creative mass marketing and the role social media plays are critical for generating new and high quality prospective bidders, thus ensuring the most successful auction possible. 

The days of a farm or estate auction advertised in just the local paper are gone. The advancement of social media and technology being embraced by auction companies has resulted in a win-win situation. Sale prices have skyrocketed on average for what is sold, collectors can now easily find the sales and items specific to their passion, and attendance at events has grown significantly.

Recently I had to move my father in law to an assisted living facility, something many of us face as our parents age. While he is a true "gem" of a man, he is also a hoarder! 25 acres, a big red barn, outbuildings and a century old farm house full of STUFF! I was faced with a difficult decision - Auction or Garage Sale?

Watch this short video clip of a Michigan auction and the HUGE turnout they had (Note the atmosphere! Fun, happy, and how extremely interested and ready the bidders are to buy!):

Here’s the truth of it all – the straightforward facts!

• Only at auction is the selling price negotiated HIGHER, rather than being reduced! Auctions eliminate “Negative Haggling” (The process of, and attempt to lower your asking price).
• Live auctions create a unique, vibrant, exciting and competitive atmosphere among highly targeted and interested bidders! This means that a seller is most likely to attain “true market value” for their items.
• You the seller/consignor set your own terms and conditions of the sale during a consultation. You do have a say in things! The standard rate for an auction company to keep is 20%-35% and completely negotiable!
• They come to you! Take pictures, a full and very detailed inventory, and catalog the items to be auctioned. At this time a tentative date and location are established for the sale.

From this point on, they do all the work! Your items are in the hands of professionals who immediately begin the exhausting preparation process.

Previous sale items and the prices achieved:

There are some AMAZING auction companies out there! 

Below are key items to look for when searching one out.

Watch for them to be linked to all forms of social media (Facebook, Twitter, Youtube as a start). Do they have current and high quality inventory photos for upcoming events, does their website included testimonials, do they have video footage of previous auctions? The following are some good examples:

http://www.braunandhelmer.com/

http://www.stantons-auctions.com/

https://www.facebook.com/SuperAuction/

Make a wise choice! Sell using the auction method and let your items skyrocket in price by reaching the true collectors and vested bidder, with a “pro” handling it all for you and making it easy. 

This is a win-win situation in my experience!

#auctions #liveauction #collectible #antiques #michiganauctions #tristate #superauction #brauandhelmer #auctionbenefits #whyhaveanauction #garagesale #sellmystuff #auctionevents

#PrimeDayFail

People ask me “why don’t you have a Facebook account; how can I know what you are doing 24/7?” The reason is simple, I don’t need it! I did cave in and open a Facebook account for research and to see how it benefits businesses, but I am having more fun reading how a Social Media campaign can end up hurting the brand instead of helping it. Black Friday is know as the busiest shopping day of the year with major discounts and amazing deals. What can possible be better than Black Friday? Amazon took on that challenge on July 15, 2015 announcing an exciting, better that ever sale that promised to be better than Black Friday. People stayed up into the wee hours of the morning waiting to be the first person to grab a deal. There is a saying, “if it sounds to good to be true, then it probably is”. This event ended up being the poster child for this popular phrase. People described Prime Day as an awful garage sale, just trying to get rid if junk that has been around the warehouses for years. Anything that was any good was “marked down” by only $5 down to only a nickle off! People were so disappointed and let down about this major event and they took to every social media outlet to voice their frustration.

People had a lot of fun mocking the event as well. You know how hashtags can be created to boost your image? Well, #PrimeDayFail dosn’t seem like an image booster to me! If a business plans on having an event that is bigger than Black Friday, they might want to take surveys from consumers to get an idea on how the event might do. I guarantee a sale on a t-shirt with Diane Keaton’s face on it is not exactly what the average American is waiting to buy! But in case you were wondering, only $8, 50% off the regular price and available in XXL only! What a deal! Click here to see more funny Twitter posts.

Click image to enlarge

Trump re-tweets 'bimbo' remark towards Megyn Kelly

As well all know, the 2016 Presidential election has been in full swing ever since the beginning of last year.  You don't have to follow politics to know that Donald Trump could potentially be our next President of the United States of America.  So, how are these candidates marketing themselves and getting the point across with their views? Easy answer; the wonderful world of social media.  Donald Trump has certainly been very active on his social media, specifically his Twitter account.  Back in August after a republican debate, Donald Trump makes a derogatory tweet towards Megyn Kelly saying "this is the bimbo that's asking presidential questions?".  Many people, including many TV host, wonder if this is actually hurting Donald Trump or making him more favorable for a vote.  You hear both sides of the story depending on who you ask and about what comment.  Many applaud him for not being politically correct all the time and very out spoken.

Fuel was thrown on the fire again when Donald Trump decided to re-tweet his 'bimbo' remark in recent news.  Megyn Kelly responded in a very shocked way that she can't even believe he would re-tweet that.  Donald Trump is considering not attending the last Republican debate, which airs January 28th, and whether or not this re-tweet has anything to do with it, the media is using that as an excuse to why he wont be attending. Donald Trump will continue to act how he does, say what he wants, tweet what he wants, and post to Facebook all the same whether or not it hurts his image.  Because he has said it once and he will say it again, he doesn't care what people think of him.    I think we will know after last debate on whether this re-tweet has hurt Donald Trump.  Moreover, I believe that him not attending the debate and whether or not he wins Iowa will determined if all his non- politically correct social media comments played a role in his campaign or not.

Earn Money While Online Shopping

 If you do a lot of online shopping like me, chances are you could benefit from one of many cash back sites that let you earn back a percentage of the money you spend on purchases.  Too good to be true? Not at all! Though there are several cash back sites to choose from like Swagbucks, Topcashback, and Fatwallet, I would like to focus on one site, in particular, Ebates. I have been a member with Ebates for several years and know from experience what a great site this is.

Ebates has been around since 1998 and is free to use. They offer cash back from 1.5 % up to 10 % and at times double cash back from your favorite stores.  You can shop online retailers like JCP, Sephora, Groupon, Kohl’s, Magazine.com, Amazon and much, much, more; over 1,700 online stores! Cashback sites like Ebates works like this, if you want to buy something online rather than going direct to the online merchant you would click through the Ebates webpage or Ebates Chrome extension and you get paid for it.

Ebates will make sure you will never miss a cash back opportunity with the Ebate’s Google Chrome extension “Cash Back Button”.  When you visit a participating site, the Ebates cash back button on the Chrome browser will flash, and an active drop down bar will appear. All you do is click on Ebates Cash Back button; that’s it.  Your visit is then tracked and will automatically credit your account once the transaction is processed. Ebates will also search for additional savings, through the online store you’re shopping and applying that to save you even more money.

Ebates offer cash bonus to new and existing members.  When new members make their first purchase through Ebates, they earn a bonus gift card for $10 that can be applied to a Macy’s, Walmart, Target or Kohl’s order, or $5 if you apply it to your Ebates account.  When members refer friends, they could even earn more bonus dollars. Refer one friend and earn $25, refer 3 friends earn $75 who then shops at one of their partner merchants sites and makes a purchase of more than $25. Ebates sends you cashback rewards once every three months by check, PayPal or as an egift card to Amazon.com once your account has reached a balance over $5. 

Ebates Testimonial As Seen on Fox 4 News

Some pros and cons of using Ebates from my own personal experience. I found that Ebates has an excellent customer service department. I have contacted Ebates several times over the 10 years I’ve been a member. I had a response in less than 24 hours to all my questions and concerns. They had always been very professional with me and seem to want to please their customers.  For the cons, I’ve to notice in particular that the floral websites, one in particular, Pro Flowers, had higher prices when going through Ebates. The price difference is equivalent to your rebate amount so in a way it’s a wash on whether you buy directly from the florist or through Ebates. It just takes longer to get your money back through Ebates.  I’m sure there may be other online stores that may follow suite. In that case, I like to review new online stores that I plan on making a purchase and check if prices are adjusted by going through Ebates. 

Whatever cash back site you enroll in, make sure it’s free to join and that you vet the company to know they are legitimate and reputable site.  Why not earn some money back while shopping online. As of today I have gotten back over $460 in rebates from using Ebates. 

To become an Ebates member you can use my referral link at 

http://www.ebates.com/rf.do?referrerid=ykBcO9QyKXE86hZOihw3hA%3D%3D&eeid=28187 

and click the Join Now button at the top right of the screen.

Customer Service 2.0: How Delta Airlines Uses Twitter

Travel can be stressful--long lines, security checkpoints, and running from gate to gate for connecting flights.

When something goes wrong, it can be hard to get the customer service you need when it can mean long lines to see an airline agent, or long waits over the phone if you're calling ahead of time.

But for those more active on social media site Twitter, there is a new way to reach out for help and get an answer back virtually instantaneously.

No airline has utilized Twitter quite like Delta with their @DeltaAssist handle (managed by about a dozen or so customer service agents), for everything from giving early warning of cancelled or changed flights, to answering customers questions directly about special accommodations, wait times, baggage, and anything in between.

As recent as last week, on the 20th of January, they issued early warning that travel in and out of the Northeast would be waived because of the impending snowstorm. This advanced warning allowed Delta's Twitter followers to have a heads up on rescheduling any necessary plans that would be impacted by that waiver.

This availability of instant, breaking information is great for those who travel with the airline frequently, but even the less seasoned traveler can benefit from Delta's Twitter presence.

Say you're having an issue checking in for a flight, or your baggage was damaged during transit. Just send a tweet to the Delta Assist team with your question and in just a few minutes you will be provided with an answer or a link to the proper channels to address your issues.

Other airlines (and even airports) have taken notice of Delta's innovative and professionally staffed Twitter handle, so now it is not uncommon to find one for almost any flight provider or travel hub. But since Delta has been doing it better for longer, they've really been able to hone their Twitter presence and service model.

While this doesn't necessarily mean travel is a guaranteed stress-free experience, the use of social media customer service by Delta and others is definitely easing some of the tension.

NIke ahead of the game when it comes to social media

This page I found a lot about how Nike been handling its expand brand on social media from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and there own personal site Nike+. The reason I feel like this great opportunity here with what Nike is doing is they are reaching millions and by the chooses we make as customers we have tailored made ads to fit our preference. From Nike running, Nike football, to Nike classic there are so many choices to choose from when it comes to Nike that the results are endless and they keep getting better. With over 21 million likes on Facebook, 4.1 million followers on twitter, 160 plus thousands on vine, 59 thousands on Pinterest, 7 million followers on Instagram, and over 1.8 million subscribers on YouTube; you can see how Nike has had a hand in all different aspects of the social media realm from just weekly and daily post about products that customers are interested in to, actually videos showing how the product is used and how well it is for the top athletes in the world in YouTube and vine videos. Personally I think as if Nike can do it why can't some other small companies utilize Nike way and incorporate it into there daily operations seeing as how you can benefit greatly from it. This is the site and Link I did my blog on http://www.nukesuite.com/brand-focus-nike-excels-on-social-media/ it's some good knowledge so enjoy.

Business Growth

With the rise in social media usage, a new platform has been created to help businesses thrive. What I am talking about is a new way for company’s to spread the word about their business to others in way they may not have been able to over a decade ago. In 2004 a social media site was created to help link people to gather and it grew into much more than that. Facebook reaching a billion individuals has the key power to helping businesses grow rapidly and CEO Mark Zuckerburg knows that. Recently Mark bought a visual gaming headset company for just over a billion and is using his site to grow this business. The way this CEO is helping smaller company’s succeed is by not charging outrageous prices but by changing by CPC. CPC stands for Cost Per Click. As found on https://www.facebook.com/business/ you can start your ads on as little as a 5 dollar a day budget which equals to 5 clicks at a dollar each. As an economical tool to grow a company FaceBook truly is one way to go. Other than from a marketing standpoint FaceBook is a tool to help network yourself to meet knew people, who down the road could be your potential employee or even business partner. FaceBook today still continues to grow in numbers and continues to produce success to more company’s than any other site. The only other network that I feel comes close to them is Google+ due to the fact that it has Hangout, Which is a more official and proper form of Skype. I included it in this brief discussion but also the title is a link to Facebook’s Business page which I found very informative yet intriguing, please feel free to click on it and explore.