Posts Tagged ‘Facebook’

Like many companies, our fax machine has been pretty quiet lately.  No, it’s not dead.  It’s just not being used.  Email is our number one means of communication, along with cell phones, land-lines (yeah, still) and social media. 

And speaking of social media, this article’s headline by Sam Brace, special for Inside Tucson Business, states 2010: The Year Social Media Comes of Age for Businesses.  There are some interesting facts in the article.  Below is an excerpt.

– KRC Research, based in Washington, D.C., found that 88 percent of 200 executives of nonprofits it surveyed experimented with social media in 2009, and 85 percent plan to actively use it in their organizations this year. MarketingSherpa, a research firm specializing in tracking marketing efforts, reports that most industries are increasing their budgets for social media marketing in 2010.

Behind these increases is a booming population of new users of social media. Statistics show that 66 percent of global Internet users have visited social networks and that more have used these sites than traditional e-mail. Facebook grew to more than 300 million users in 2009. Twitter grew by 1,382 percent in February 2009. These sites are where people are gathering and there’s little to indicate they will leave for greener pastures in 2010. –

So here’s my question…will email be the next to die.  If you read this article by Dave Rosenberg at the CNET Blog Network, you might think we heading down that path.

Perhaps it’s too early to kill the fax machine (or email… how do you kill email?) with a baseball bat, as seen in the movie Office Space.  But I don’t think that day is too far away.

Win tickets to the 2010 Indianapolis Home Show!

We have question #7 ready. The first person to answer wins a pair (2) of Indianapolis Home Show tickets.

Visit http://www.facebook.com/pages/Indianapolis-IN/Indianapolis-Home-Show/119350166735 for question #7.

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RULES: Adult admission only, no refunds/no dollar value, a (one) ticket is valid for one admission.
Tickets can be picked up at Will Call starting January 29 through February 7.

Photo ID must be shown at the time of pickup.
Name must be included with your answer. (Answer must be posted on Facebook Fan Page)
One winner per question.

**ALSO: One pair of tickets per person maximum.

Check back often, new questions may appear often today!!

Win tickets to the 2010 Indianapolis Home Show.

We have question #2 ready.  The first person to answer wins a pair (2) of Indianapolis Home Show tickets.  Your hint is in the picture….

Visit http://www.facebook.com/pages/Indianapolis-IN/Indianapolis-Home-Show/119350166735 for question #2.

********

RULES: Adult admission only, no refunds/no dollar value, a (one) ticket is valid for one admission.
Tickets can be picked up at Will Call starting January 29 through February 7.

Photo ID must be shown at the time of pickup.
Name must be included with your answer. (Answer must be posted on Facebook Fan Page)
One winner per question.

Check back often, new questions will appear now until the end of the show.

It’s a trend that is taking over the local news in every market–going interactive. No longer is that anchorman or anchorwoman such an unreachable star. It seems that every person you see on the air these days broadcasts their e-mail, Twitter information and more.

Facebook and Twitter are now helping local stations connect with their audience and tap into new viewers. And not only is social media being used as a way to interact with on-air talent but also as a way for viewers to help shape the news content for the day. “Tweet in your opinion on this topic.” “E-mail us about what’s going on in your neighborhood.” “Send us in your pictures.”

According to an article in the Boston Globe, “As local stations lose viewers and advertising revenue, they are turning to social networking Web sites for help. In recent months, news directors have used such sites as Facebook and Twitter to generate stories and, hopefully, boost ratings.”

Eventually — will the news become only what we make and want it to be?

Yep.  It’s that time of the year again. No, not just time for the holidays.  It’s time to start thinking about heading to the 2010 Indianapolis Home Show on Jan. 29 – Feb. 6.  Over 900 exhibits, guest celebs, home decorating and remodeling ideas and more. 

Oh and get this…between now and December 31, become a Fan of the Indianapolis Home Show on Facebook and purchase 2-1 tickets.   What a great deal, huh? 

So why wait?  Beat the rush for tickets and be one of the lucky one’s (or two) to see Paul DiMeo or walk through the centerpiece home (built by Davis Building Group). For more information about the show, visit www.indianapolishomeshow.com.

Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard introduces Check Mark -- Indy's newest mascot and Champion of Financial Fitness -- at a kickoff Rally held on Oct. 9.

What a fun (but rainy) day.  A member of our staff, who shall remain nameless, took one for the team and dressed up as Indy’s newest mascot “Check Mark” today.  Bank On Indy officially launched today, along with Check Mark — The Champion of Financial Fitness.  

We were fortunate to work with 16 financial institutions, numerous community organizations and Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard’s office to make the launch a huge success.  It’s always a reward to work with great partners….and I’m sure I can speak for our “Super Hero” staff member.  Now on to the goal of getting nearly 80,000 Marion County unbanked households banked.  Check out the web site or join Bank on Indy on Facebook to find out more.  For more photos of the event click here.

Tomorrow’s the big day – the day that ETS Tan unveils its new line of sleek and sexy tanning beds. ETS Tan is in Nashville, exhibiting at the Smart Tan Convention and Trade Show through Sunday and showcasing its new e3 line of tanning beds.

I can’t show you what the beds look like until tomorrow’s post both here and on ETS Tan’s Facebook Fan Page but I can share a little about what they look like and their features. I got to see one of the nine new beds last week and it looked awesome. The beds are smaller and more compact than ever before. They’re rounded and have very elegant curves. The beds have illuminated panels that can be programmed to change color and add movement to add ambiance to a salon. Outside the beds on the back, one access panel gives way to the vast majority of the bed’s electronics and internal components so beds don’t have to be taken apart when they require maintenance. And inside the beds, a new, scientifically engineered surface hugs a tanner’s body and virtually eliminates uncomfortable pressure on the body, making each session more comfortable and more enjoyable. Tanners can plug their MP3 players into any of the beds and enjoy their favorite songs without using earbuds.

e3 stands for energy-saving science, ergonomic design and easy maintenance, by the way. A huge focus was to make the new line of ETS Tan beds more energy efficient and green, more comfortable for tanners and easy for salon owners to maintain. I’ll share photos of what the beds look like and include their key features tomorrow after Noon EST here on our blog and on ETS Tan’s Facebook Fan page.

Fletch (the dog) takes a dip near a waterfall, while mountain biking near Fort Collins, Colorado.

I have never really been a big fan of my personal Facebook page (no pun intended).  I have an account and visit it every now and then.  I understand the concept and know the capabilities.  Lots of fellow co-workers use Facebook on a regular basis, but not me – it seems like too much work. (sound familiar?)

Well a couple of days ago I reconnected with an old friend from my days in Fort Collins, Colorado.  We lost touch years ago.  Changing phone numbers, addresses, etc. was the culprit I’m sure…. well maybe the excuse.  I was a ski bum back then.  “Working hard to play hard”….whatever you want say – I was young and having a blast. 

It’s been nearly 8 years since I moved back to Indiana, settled down and now I’m working hard to live (not play).  Things have changed for me a bit, but I do miss those days in Colorado.  I miss my friends.  I miss putting my bike on my car, calling the dog (Fletch) and some friends and heading up to the Foothills for a weekday afternoon mountain bike ride.

I felt relieved to reconnect with my old friend on Facebook. I’m happy we shared some past experiences and laughs over Facebook.  I always wondered what he was up to….he’s moved to Oregon (if you care).

This Facebook episode probably happens to everyone on a personal level, but — as my job requires — it got me thinking how my personal experience relates to marketing and business. 

Facebook should not solely be a business development tool, even in these tough economic times.  Facebook can be a learning experience for businesses. Below are other reasons businesses should include Facebook in their marketing.

• Reconnect with existing and past customers/clients in an informal venue. 
• Discuss the good times and the bad, learn from mistakes and successes. 
• Revisit the company mission, what are the strengths and weaknesses and how to shape the future of what that company…. tidy up the ship.

Friends are helpful not only because they will listen to us, but because they will laugh at us; Through them we learn a little objectivity, a little modesty, a little courtesy; We learn the rules of life and become better players of the game – Will Durant

So I’ll continue to check my Facebook page every once in a while.  Try to reconnect with old friends and remember the good times and past experiences that define me and revisit who I am.

And as they say….it’s not about quantity, it’s about quality.

Once a big fan of flashy TV ads and radio spots, full-color magazine ads, glossy showroom brochures and billboards that canvassed the nation to debut a new car line, things are different at Ford Motor Co. as it prepares for the 2010 U.S. debut of the Ford Fiesta. Ford’s going social in a big way. The company has signed on 100 major bloggers to “test drive” the Fiesta for six months and share their experiences on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and more.
http://tinyurl.com/mxfp2b

While munching on a delicious macadamia nut cookie, I began thinking about the Facebook Fan page that I was offering advice on for one of our clients, Mark Leader, a real estate sales speaker/trainer. Mark already has a personal profile page with more than 1,800 friends, which is kept as up-to-date as possible with new status updates, links to blogs, pictures and upcoming events.

But Mark asked me to research a Fan page and what kind of exposure it would bring. I hesitated on becoming a “fan” of the Fan page — only because I was aware of how much growth and interaction he had already seen on his profile page. It also seemed that a personal profile page offered far more in the way of loading videos, adding links and creating that real, personal experience with his “friends.”

So I looked into it and found some very interesting articles.

• Facebook Group vs. Facebook Fan Page: What’s Better? Fan pages are visible to unregistered people and are thus indexed, while groups allow you to do more in the way of viral marketing through the “bulk invite.” The article also says that pages are generally better for long-term relationships with your fans, readers or customers. And I knew long-term relationships were important to Mark — so maybe this was going in the right direction.
• Why You Need to Make a Facebook Fan Page for Your Web site Now! This is a great post that also brings up the idea of sending “updates to fans,” helping to build a database of users. And the “viral” aspect of a Fan page is helped by the news feed — so when someone joins a Fan page, it is published for all their Facebook friends to read.

My conclusion is that while I still may not yet be a PERSONAL fan of the Facebook Fan page, it obviously offers several benefits to those who choose to create one-so I recommended Mark go for it! Happy Facebooking!