IT enabled marketing ideas – RFID and Facebook Page

Here are some innovative ideas that bridge the gap between Brick & Mortar and Click & Mortar.

Automaker Renault used the innovative “Facebook Pillars”.

Simple, Innovative and Fun

AutoRAI Motorshow is an automotive event in the Amsterdam, Netherlands, and featured brands such as BMW, Audi, Mercedes, Porsche, Ferrari, etc.  How to get competitive advantage? Renault cars were accompanied by especially designed Facebook pillars.  The 2,50,000 visitors to the show were invited to collect their free Renault RFID micro-chip embedded cards from the Renault stand, which they could then link to their Facebook profile. Once the card had been linked, simply swiping it in front a car’s pillar would count as a Facebook “Like”, posting a link to that car on the card bearer’s profile, as shown in the video above.

Here is an idea # 2

Innovative ways the offline world is making the most of the online world

C&A a Brazilian fashion retailer, has an IT enabled idea to bring customers’ Facebook approval into full view in its real-world stores.  It has posted photos of a number of the clothing items it sells on a dedicated Facebook Page, where it invites customers to “Like” the ones that appeal to them.  Special hangers on the racks in its bricks-&-mortar store display those votes in real-time, giving shoppers a clear indication of each item’s online popularity.

For more information regarding comprehensive overview of an entire market, click here to view Brand Analyses, Facebook Page Like, and Facebook Talking About figures………in the real-time!

Do you think innovations, such as above examples, will become more and more common?  Can you afford to be left behind?  We will appreciate your comments, shares and of course Likes.

Social Media Marketing course – 21, 22 April, Pune, India

KTA Educare

Social Networking websites represents millions of online users on the planet.  Among social media communities this is an ideal ground for advertising.

This special two days comprehensive course is all about tapping social media sites potential for branding, sales, public relations, and much more.

As a smart professional, you know you should tap in to social media marketing, ramp up your Search Engine Optimization [SEO] efforts and work on your website.   KTA EDUCARE has organized a training program to help business owners navigate online growth.

 For whom?

This course is for anyone interested in advertising and marketing (multinational) corporate types, small businesses, educators, and everyone in between

• Marketers who already us Facebook, etc., but wants greater success.
• New marketeers and IT professionals who wants a kick-start.
• Entrepreneurs seeking to promote their products and / or services in social media space.
• Marketing agencies
• Professors who would like to first learn and then teach the subject: Digital Marketing.
• Advertising agency and public relations officers seeking an edge in social media marketing.
• SME who wants more friends, business, and prominence for their brand.

Attend these classes and discover:

• Simple ways to improve your internet presence and do viral marketing.  How to instantly improve your website effectiveness.
• Where you should spend your online advertising money.  The easiest ways to engage in social media.

Ultimately, you will learn many fast and easy ways to grow your business online:
Moreover, you can do it all without having to become an expert in IT.  With this background in mind let us understand the new way of marketing using the internet technologies called ‘Digital Marketing’ or commonly known as ‘Social Media Marketing’.   Techie people will call it Web 2.0 technology.

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, WordPress, YouTube

How many days?

Day one is introduction, discussion, case studies, question / answer and actual demo of TEN digital platforms.  Day two is hands-on where you can actual get started with social media websites.  The second day is optional; however, participant must attend the first session to be eligible for the second practical session.  On second day, you must bring your laptop to experience the thrill of social media. OR share PC with a buddy.

When?  DAY 1 – Saturday, April 21, 2012.  DAY 2 – Sunday,   April 22, 2012.

  Time? Both days 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

 Venue for the course?

KTA EDUCARE, Behind D-mart, Opp. Sadanand Resort, S. No. 106/1, Baner Road, Pune – 411 045, India.  Google Map Link http://g.co/maps/dnr7a

For more info call: Mr. Chandrakant Golcha +91 78752 96000

OR Prof. Jyotindra Zaveri on +91 94223 38019.

• Hurry, limited seats.
• Benefit:  This Social Media Marketing training will give you insights about – how to leverage tools like Facebook, Twitter, Blogging, LinkedIn, online videos to increase your online visibility, reach new customers & build brand loyalty, viral marketing.

Frequently asked questions:  Why social media campaign?

Answers:  Social media marketing campaign is required for the following key reasons:

1. Marketing technique beyond the search engines using Web 2.0.
2. Sales and marketing executives can easily update networking sites, no need to go to Internet programmers.
3. Create e-marketing campaigns that will dramatically increase traffic to your site.
4. Maximize ROI by getting web analytics reports, to give you visibility in your target audience.

• Questions about ‘Social Media Marketing’?  But you do not know whom to ask?  Here is a chance to stay ahead of competition.  No previous experience or knowledge about internet technologies required.
• Efficient sales and marketing professionals are ones that communicate well.  Learn all about viral marketing from Mr. Zaveri who has mastered these Web 2.0 technologies.
• You are welcome if you are net savvy, but don’t’ worry we will not be discussing bits & bytes to understand and operate networking sites.  Do not worry this is not computer program course.
• Accelerate your career.  By the way, MBA in marketing or IT is not enough; learn new trends by attending this unique training program.

About organizers

KTA EDUCARE has an enlightening academic ambience, world-class infrastructure, well qualified and experienced faculty members, value based education, corporate social responsibility – combined together have prepared our participants real professionals.  We have mastered the holistic approach in using I. T. for business management.  We specialize in internet branding of organization, product, services or individual.

About faculty

Prof. Jyotindra Zaveri is specializing in Internet Marketing using various digital platforms.  He imparts training to your sales & marketing staff so that you can manage social media sites in-house.   He has mastered sixteen digital platforms.  Thousands of training programs conducted successfully by Prof. Zaveri.  He is IT professional since …1975.  Formerly with IBM, specially trained in Germany.  He will personally take both days classes.

• Author of seven books including a book on ERP.
• See complete profile http://www.dnserp.com/jz_profile.htm

Important:  We can setup and manage your digital platforms.  We also undertake in-house training assignment.

Value proposition: One week FREE email support by Prof. Zaveri.  Post training email discussions makes the time and money spent in your training more valuable.

Certificate: Certificate will be given to participants.

Request:  Please share this information with others, thanks.

Course fees:  Please email socialmedia [at] dnserp.com  Note: Second day is optional; bring your laptop for this practical session.  Tea / coffee, lunch, course material included.

Early bird discount: 10% discount if registered on or before Wednesday, 18 April 12.

Group discount: 10% for three or more from same organization.

Cheque in the name of KTA ACADEMY.

Spot booking: On the day of program: 10% extra.

How to register?

Send email giving your name, designation, organization, website and mobile number to socialmedia@dnserp.com WITH cheque details.  Please courier the cheque / DD in the name of KTA Academy to:  KTA EDUCARE. Behind D-mart, Opp. Sadanand Resort, S. No. 106/1, Baner Road, Pune – 411 045, India.

2011 blog review – Viewed about 2,500 times in 2011.

Automatic analytic helps in fine tuning your blog strategies.  At end of the year it is a good idea to analyse the social media work.  Here is a cool summary, that I would like to share with you.

The WordPress.com stats has prepared a 2011 annual report for this DNSERP blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 2,500 times in 2011. If it were a cable car, it would take about 42 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

Find out from which countries visited this blog website, report also gives numbers about various posts, and date on which viewed most, and so on.  See the report to learn more.  Don’t you think this is interesting?

Social media in ERP and CRM solutions

ERP & CRM integrates social media sites

Social media represents a vast opportunity to connect with greater numbers of prospects and even existing customers, potentially at a fraction of your traditional marketing costs.

BatchBlue’s Batchbook CRM software is #1 and stands out as the most social solution, with social media support a central feature of its design. Indeed, BatchBlue bills itself as “Your social CRM.”  SugarCRM in its latest release has added social capability, but in a limited form, essentially allowing you to include “Activity Streams” to monitor Twitter and Facebook feeds.

• This, however, is only a portion of the social networking integration that Batchbook provides. For example, its social media SuperTags allow you to display a contact’s blog posts, tweets, and other feed items alongside their contact history.  As our user reviews show, customers appreciate Batchbook’s unique social media integration and organization features, including its dashboard and SuperTags.
• Another differentiator is each vendor’s focus on small business. “BatchBlue was created with one goal in mind: to create useful, user-friendly software for small businesses.” As users attest, BatchBlue is devoted to the customer experience and offers extremely easy setup and use, as well as exceptional support.
• SugarCRM is a software company based in Cupertino, California. They produce the web application Sugar, also known as SugarCRM, which is a customer relationship management (CRM) system that is available in both open source and Commercial open source applications.
• Sugar’s functionality includes sales-force automation, marketing campaigns, customer support, collaboration, Mobile CRM, Social CRM and reporting.“The company operates a number of websites, including its commercial website Sugarcrm.com, a development website (SugarForge.org), Sugar Exchange (for third-party extensions), and user forums.

Bottom Line: SugarCRM is an excellent product with a full array of CRM features that has been augmented by a limited degree of social media support. For small businesses looking for the most extensive social media integration, plus ease of use, exceptional support, and the lowest cost, Batchbook seems the clear choice.

Try both for FREE and decide.

WordPress Blog is launched by the leader Anna Hazare

Anna blogs on WordPress: यापुढे याच ब्लॉगवरुन मी आपल्याशी वेळोवेळी संपर्क साधणार आहे.

Social activist Anna Hazare has launched his blog in Marathi, Hindi, and English using the WordPress digital platform.

Actually the post will be done by Parulekar Raju and Kuvalekar Vijay.  This is a good example of out-souring your blog activities.  WordPress is a popular digital platform to make your Website using the Web 2.0 technology.

We recommend blog strategies as follows:

Blog is one the important digital platform for social media strategies.

1. sign-up or subscribe blogs pertaining to your industry, read and comment.
2. Read blogs pertaining to your target market.  Find professionals who are blogging regularly and try to establish relation with them and plan a public relation strategy with them.
3. Publish your own (company) blog to interact in timely manner with your target audience.

• Blog best practice:

  • Recommended best practices for Business Blog.  1) Prepare a document containing guidelines and rules 2) Use blog monitoring technology – e.g. Blog analytics and  3)  Plan periodic training to all staff, especially sales and marketing professionals to leverage the power of interactive websites, that is called Blog.

  • Educate the stake holders.  Enterprise wide training should be planned and HR can keep track who has attended, number of hours, etc.  Appoint chief of Blogging ( a person who will also control passwords).  Make sure CEO and other senior management also is attending the training sessions, even if they are not planning to use.  This is to ensure everyone understands the risks and rules of using social media web sites.

  • The aim is to ensure users use the sites like LinkedIn, facebook, or twitter in a responsible way.  It is necessary to educate them about the consequences of not following the rules and guidelines.  You must have noticed that people use email with disclaimer footer in emails because they know it is legal, etc. However, the blog posting is also like email, a written electronic record.

  • It may be prudent to make individual sign a document that they have read and understood the blog rules.  Interactive sites use email id and secret password to restrict access.  It is necessary to have a clear idea about the passwords and control of using email id.

    Here is a video demo of reports giving information on – how many people are visiting your blog or reading your ppt, where they’re coming from, which posts are most popular, and which search engine terms are sending people to your blog.

• We will help you in using the blogs and social media marketing techniques effectively.  You should try blog instead of traditional methods of print advertisements, Television, Yellow Pages, and so on.  All together it is a lot of work, but it is well worth it, and it does pays off at the end.  There is a lead time of three to six months for your blog to catch-up.  So what are you waiting for?  Go ahead start your own blog using Google’s Blogger or WordPress because it is free and it is fun.  There are many blogs targeting the emerging market in India.

• Links to Anna Hazare blogs:

http://annahazaresays.wordpress.com/  and in English https://annahazaresays.wordpress.com/category/post-in-English/

Bad news for Connecticut (USA) based Amazon associates

Amazon # 1 e-Commerce web site

Unfortunately, the budget signed by the American Governor Malloy contains a sales tax provision that compels Amazon to terminate referral program for Connecticut-based participants effective immediately. It specifically imposes the collection of TAXES from consumers on sales by online retailers – including but not limited to those referred by Connecticut-based affiliates – even if those retailers have no physical presence in the state. New tax law is unconstitutional and counterproductive. It was supported by big-box retailers, most of which are based outside Connecticut, that seek to harm the affiliate advertising programs of their competitors. When the Government interest interferes business, business will go elsewhere.

• Amazon is the most successful online E-commerce company in the world.  Amazon is the King of e-Commerce business.  A $34 billion online empire made of click & mortar.  It is just the beginning.  Amazon is one of the most admired companies in the world.

• When a business buys from another business it is called Business-to-Business (B2B) online shopping.  Both B2C and B2B online shopping are forms of e-commerce.  Amazon.com is B2C site where consumers are buying directly from the business (manufacturer).

  Some fast facts about #1 retailer in the world:

  • An online shop, eshop, e-store, internet shop, webshop, webstore, online store, or virtual store evokes the physical analogy of buying products or services at a bricks-and-mortar retailer or in a shopping mall. The process is called Business-to-Consumer (B2C) online shopping.

  • Amazon Prime offers FREE shipping (for a ~ $79 yearly fee) is a hit with consumers that gives Amazon repeat sales across its many categories.

  • Amazon has ~ 33,700 employees.  Amazon was founded in 1994 by Jeff Bezos as an online book store has now become the internet’s largest retailer.  Please click on any of the link below to enter the official website of Amazon.

    Click here to visit the online store http://www.dnserp.com/Kindle.htm

    According to amazon management email:  ”As a result of the new law, contracts with all Connecticut residents participating in the Amazon Associates Program will be terminated today, June 10, 2011. Those Connecticut residents will no longer receive advertising fees for sales referred to Amazon.com, Endless.com, or SmallParts.com”.

Do you think this kind of development is good for online business in general and in particular for the Amazon associates? Your comments will be appreciated.

Blog guidelines for effective Social media optimization

Here are some tips for your business blog

1. Most blog platforms like WordPress or Blogger (from Google) are free for basic services.   However, you need to invest time.  If someone gives you a rosy picture take it with a pinch of salt.   Blogs once started cannot be stopped nor can pace be slow.   You have to update and service the comments.   You must plan a strategy and define a business process  for reaping the benefit of the social media sites.

2. It is necessary to give due priority to social media sites and inform others in the marketing department.  The company blog is important communication taking the legacy website to the next level.   Commit sufficient resources such as people and time.

3. It is necessary to identify the ‘audience’ to target the social media campaign.  Incidentally,  you will soon find out audience is actually now not mere listening but going to take active part in your website by uploading their comments, likes, sharing the post with their contacts and so on.   You have just learned another lesson that blogs are not for passive audience like your passive website but an active and participating customers or prospects.   Be careful, you are dealing with real people in real-time.

4. Some team members may find blogging an odd way to spend time (sometime they think it is a waste of time).  All this can be avoided with a formal training and positive involvement.   It may be necessary to show the marketing team the integration of Twitter and blog or linking Facebook with blog and so on.   It is recommended that the directives come from the top management, CEO or the Director.   It is necessary to prepare a guideline document before embarking journey in to the blogosphere.

5. I have published several PowerPoint presentations on the subject of ERP which can be viewed free.  Many people have told me that they have used them in their ERP projects.   Eventually the blogs and websites will get higher ranks because the same will have good traffic, more unique visitors and less bounce rates.

6. Spend time may be just ten / fifteen minutes but regularly on reading blogs of other competition companies.  Compare web analytic reports.   You have to measure and benchmark your own social media initiative and that of your competition companies.   Figures and numbers will help you to improve your social media optimization plans.  Unless you measure you cannot improve.  Most digital platform gives analytic reports, e.g., YouTube insights or WordPress stats.

7. Social media optimization is actually offshoot of the SEO.  You need to select appropriate topic for the posts.  You need to dwell on selecting the keywords so that search engine will index your blog and display your blog page.  Sounds familiar, like SEO here also you need to take care of the ‘spiders’ (or crawlers).   If you are not sure, take help of experts who are already using digital platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter etc.   Remember, your blog may be linked by another blog or your tweet may be retweet by your followers.

8. Spend adequate time on the research of the key words and key phrases your target audience is most likely going to use.  This needs to get included into your posts.  The trick is that search engine should find them and index it.  At the same time do not use key phrases in artificial way.  Keep the tone and the matter real, because it is read by real people besides the robots.

9. Here is the paradigm shift.  Share your knowledge with the readers.   It is not easy and simple change in attitude, because earlier people used to pay for getting the knowledge, now you have to publish it free.  The reward is that people will appreciate and always come back because you have given away useful information.

10. Assign role and responsibility.   This is called R & R matrix.  Who is going to write a post and when.   Daily or weekly, whatever is the duration the team must keep the blogs live.   Many time senior executive takes initiative in the beginning and later the enthusiasm dies down.   In such case it may be a good idea to outsource the task to professionals, but still needs interaction.  Because you know your industry the best.   You still need to give inputs about happenings in your organization.   Assign editorial leader, identify core group of bloggers within the organization, who are constantly thinking up new post ideas, writing and editing.   Two or three writers can share the load and the result will be better because you will get a balanced blog.

    Your comments are welcome, let us discuss further, what do you think of these tips?  Would you like to add some more?

How to make an animation movie

You can make an animation movie easily with no previous experience as such.

A digital platform is available for making an animation movie. You type something; they turn it into a movie.  This revolutionary approach to movie-making is based on an almost universally held skill — typing.

Steps: You need a script.  Decide one character or two.  Type in the dialogs.  You may select some options like background music, action, etc. The sound   Preview and edit if necessary.   Finally upload to YouTube.

Sounds simple?  Because it is simple.  This digital platform is called “xtranomal”

Let me quote based on the site:  ”Xtranormal’s mission is to bring movie-making to the people.  Everyone watches movies and they believe everyone can make movies.  Movie-making, short and long, online and on-screen, private and public, will be the most important communications process of the 21st century.

Design your own scene.   The site offers a variety of artistic sets and actors to fill your stage, camera angles.  Unleash your inner “Producer & Director”.  You can frame your action by selecting a pre-defined camera shot, making and saving your own setup.

That is the power of the digital platform.  Techies would like to call Web two point zero.  You can make your own content, edit and distribute all over the world.  Everything is in the cloud.    For instance, I have a subtle message in this short ( ~ 4  min.) clip about corruption.

You can use this idea for training, education or marketing purpose on the net.  .

I am sharing this digital platform with you because I think you can convey your message using cartoon character more effectively. Do not hesitate to contact me for any support. What do you say?   Please leave your comment.

Reference: http://www.xtranormal.com

Web Analytics actual demo- WordPress, Scribd and YouTube insight

Demo of reports giving information on – how many people are visiting your blog or reading your ppt, where they’re coming from, which posts are most popular, and which search engine terms are sending people to your blog.

I am demonstrating web analytics of the digital platforms. Blog e.g. WordPress analytic reports.

Scribd.com Document publishing in HTML5 and web analytics.

YouTube analytic reports called ‘Insight’.  Above video clip demonstrates the YouTube reports giving information on video such as how many views, from where viewers are coming, which videos are most popular.

The point is, unless you measure how can you improve?  Start making your matrix by measuring.  You can fine tune your social media marketing strategies based on these analytics to get the maximum out of your social media marketing plans.

I lost one hour. Seriously, whole of America did.

At 2 a.m. this morning, clocks moved forward an hour with the shift from standard time to Daylight Savings Time (DST).   This is logical change and not adaptive change. This is logical because everyone is changing their timetable.  For instance, getting up one hour early due to ‘Daylight savings Time’ is logical.  No huge adjustment of life priorities is triggered.  Our body clock can change without much difficulty.  But if you decide to get up one hour early to do meditation or go for swimming is difficult, because it is adaptive change.  In both examples same thing ‘get up one hour early’ is involved.

Using new technology such as Blog is adaptive change.  No matter how hard you try some people are not comfortable using facebook or LinkedIn.  You must have seen the clip that shows expert secretary changing from typewriter to a PC, and throwing monitor, because she is used to do the carriage return.  Or changing from manual system to automatic ERP system is a painful transformation.  Changing from legacy way of marketing and using the digital platforms is not an easy because it requires adaptive change.

Daily we make logical changes.  We use our training to solve routine problems, such as dealing with customer’s negative feedback, or altering action plan when sales target is not achieved.  We do customer survey and make a road map to address the issues.   But note that these examples are pertaining to external changes.

On the other hand adaptive changes are transformative, which compels us to change from inside, in the mind.  We want to reign in our temper because it is affecting our relationships with customers and colleagues, but not matter how hard we try we cannot ‘control’ it.  Our frustration spills over, and now we have to fix the damage.

Anupreksha or the cognitive behavioral therapy is a psychotherapeutic approach, which aims to solve problems concerning dysfunctional emotions, behaviors and cognitions through a goal-oriented, systematic meditation procedure.  There is empirical evidence that this is effective for the treatment of a variety of problems, including mood, anxiety, personality, eating, substance abuse, and psychotic disorders.   We can treat ourselves by a meditation technique; there are treatments for specific psychological disorders.

Only by fixing our inner feelings of frustration can we make an adaptive change.  We could decide to use cognitive behavioral therapy or Anupreksha, or some other method for the internal change.  To make such changes you need to recognize when you are facing an adaptive change, that requires subconscious level of thought and effort.

The real leadership, the kind that surfaces conflict, challenges long-held beliefs, and demands new ways of doing things-causes pain.  When people feel threatened, they take aim at the person pushing for change. As a result, leaders often get hurt both personally and professionally.

(Reference: Leadership on the Line, renowned leadership authorities Ronald A. Heifetz and Marty Linsky, Wikipedia, and Preksha meditation system).