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Archive for the ‘media’ Category

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Number One Tip for Making LinkedIn Connections

In marketing, media on February 11, 2012 at 10:10 pm

wedding invites
The number of connections you have on LinkedIn instantly signals how well networked you are. The larger your LinkedIn network, the more exposed you are to new networking and professional opportunities. So how can you go about adding more connections to your profile?

I have one tip for you (get mentally prepared because this is going to be revolutionary): send personal messages.

I cannot count the times I have received invitations to connect with people without knowing how they have heard of me. Some people would like to expand their professional network, they stumble upon my LinkedIn profile and click “connect.” They might even know me from somewhere, but they still don’t bother writing a line or two explaining how we might be connected. I don’t accept these invitations. (And LinkedIn doesn’t like them, either.)

However, I have accepted to connect with people whose names I don’t recognize if they add a personal message. Some folks take the time to write that they enjoy my blog posts, ebooks or Twitter updates. I’d love to be connected with people who follow my work.

Of course, I am not arguing that everyone on LinkedIn behaves like me. People approach their LinkedIn presence in different ways. Still, the chances of you making a connection by adding a personal message are definitely higher than if you simple left the default “I’d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn.” In fact, erase that message altogether. Instead, add an explanation of how you know the person and why would like to connect with him/her.

With more than 150 million member, LinkedIn is the word’s largest professional social network. Start leveraging the power of this platform.


The Sound of Books: There Is No App for That

In media, new media technologies on October 17, 2011 at 2:13 pm

The written word reveals a fantastic universe, inviting your mind to step out of the ordinary and envision a different reality. Eloquent sentences and literary techniques summon you to meet quirky characters, picture unknown places and see new colors. But don’t attempt to dream up any sounds. There is an app for that.

The release of Booktrack, an iPad app that creates soundtracks for ebooks, must be a signal that the human race is experiencing a failure of imagination. The goal of the product is to enrich the reading experience, to “dramatically boost the reader’s imagination and engagement,” as Booktrack writes. Yet the app is serving a purpose exactly opposite of what it seeks to inspire.

The eBook soundtracks include audio effects matched to the text. If one reads about a storm, I guess the story will be “enhanced” through the sound of thunder. Or if the eBook is about a vacation by the sea, one might hear waves crashing into shore. But what if to me the sound of waves is soft and accompanied by singing seagulls? Will the app know to bend the music through the prism of my imagination? I don’t think so. I think the soundtrack will provide me with a fixed framework and reduce the amount of personal nuances I add to the story.

I understand Booktrack’s idea to take the reader away from his or her surroundings (the approaching train, the subway chatter, the construction noises, etc) in order to focus on the text. But please don’t match sound effects to keywords in an effort to “enhance” my reading experience. Let people fantasize about a world in which music is much more nuanced than any processed sounds.

Photo credit:  jbelluch

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Facebook Marketing Gone Wrong

In marketing, media, social media on September 22, 2011 at 12:06 pm

You know a company isn’t doing Facebook marketing right when someone else clicks the “Like” button on your behalf. It’s actually surprisingly invasive and upsetting. Or at least that’s how it felt when it happened to me.

Earlier this summer, I had the chance to attend Identity Fest, an electronic music festival sponsored by a whole bunch of popular brands, among which Skullcandy, Rockstar Energy Drink and Heineken. These companies were trying to attract the attention of the audience in different ways–by giving out free stuff, displaying large posters near the stage and placing their logos all over the place.

There were also a lot of booths, but my friends and I were instantly drawn to one that was promoting the movie “Our Idiot Brother.” The two promo girls inside were busy. They were offering folks the opportunity to get their photo taken against, what I assume was, a movie-related backdrop. You could put some accessories on and make faces at the camera. It seemed fun! What is more, after the photo was taken, you could post it on Facebook, thus making sure all your absent friends regretted not being there. ;-)

So we went for it. After our picture was taken, and we laughed over our ridiculous poses and faces, we got a little bit upset. Using an iPad, we posted the picture on Facebook but were strictly guided by one of the girls (the other one was busy taking other people’s photos).

“So you can post it on your Wall,” she told me. “And then if you could just ‘Like’ our page, that would be great,” she added.

I had posted it on my Wall, which was my original intention, but I hesitated to “Like” their page. I hadn’t seen their movie. What if I didn’t actually like it? I am not going to lie to my friends, family and co-workers.

While these thoughts were running through my head, the lady rushed to press the “Like” button for me. It’s not a big deal, one would think, but for some reason I felt exploited. I knew that the first thing I was going to do once I got home was to un-Like their page. And guess what, I don’t want to watch their movie at all.

In this case, the border between creative and obtrusive marketing seemed pretty thin. Have you had similar experiences with Facebook?


9 Sites That Inspire The Internet Wishlist’s Creator

In media, new media technologies, technological innovation on May 8, 2011 at 8:19 pm

I recently had the opportunity to interview Amrit Richmond, the creator of The Internet Wishlist and a tireless creative strategist. We talked about her work background, how innovation emerges and how new ideas spread.

So it was just natural for me to ask Amrit for the sites she likes to visit for inspiration, new ideas, education, etc. In case you also want to draw knowledge from them, here they are:

  1. Brain Pickings
    I share Amrit’s love for this site—it is an eclectic mix of cultural “tidbits of stuff that inspires, revolutionizes, or simply makes us think.”
  2. Swiss Miss
    This is a design blog and studio run by Tina Roth Eisenberg. It seems like a neat place to check out if you are into art, UI, typography and other visual projects.
  3. But Does It Float
    Similarly to the previous site, this one also covers photography and typographical illustrations.
  4. Unurth
    This site is dedicated to street art and features colorful graffiti from all over the world.
  5. Springwise
    Headquartered in London, Springwise is a source of business ideas and inspiration to entrepreneurs. This is the first time I encounter the site but I am definitely fascinated with its idea database and considering subscribing to the newsletter.
  6. Idea Mensch
    Idea Mensch will introduce you to a community of people with ideas. It features interviews with bright entrepreneurial minds–some of whom more popular than others.
  7. Startup Quote
    This site posts a daily wise thought by popular entrepreneurs like Apple’s Steve Jobs and Mint’s Aaron Patzer. Each quote can be tweeted directly from the site.
  8. AVC
    This is the blog of Fred Wilson, a VC and principal of Union Square Ventures. I would encourage entrepreneurs to check out his MBA Mondays blog series.
  9. Both Sides of the Table
    This is the blog of Mark Suster who founded Koral, a company that was sold to Salesforce.com and eventually became Salesforce Content. This is also a great source of start-up advice and entrepreneurial topics.
Thanks, Amrit, for this list! I will be definitely revisiting these sites for daily inspiration!


Local Businesses & the Power of Sampling

In marketing, media on March 24, 2011 at 1:48 pm

“What do you guys do for marketing?” was definitely not the question our tour guide was expecting to receive. After all, we were there to learn how their factory produced chocolate. But after a brief pause, he shared what the main instrument of marketing was for Taza Chocolate Factory.

Sampling, the tour guide said. And no wonder! The place offers eight tours a week, in which visitors can find out more about the magic of chocolate-making. You not only get to touch the coffee beans and examine the old roasting equipment, but can also taste the spicy chocolate bars. In this way, sampling defines the experience of product learning, enjoyment and sharing—a very holistic marketing system, indeed.

The Power of Live Events

Local businesses now have the opportunity to easily organize group activities around their products. Much like musicians at live concerts, companies can build a following by giving out something of value and turning their employees into rock stars.

That’s why the concept of ticket-buying is not unfamiliar to Taza Chocolate Factory. The company uses eventbrite to facilitate the tour registration process, and guess what– their events get booked pretty quickly. (We had to call a week in advance to book tickets for a Sunday afternoon tour.)

Showcase Your Business Quirks

The one-hour tour I attended was fascinating. I learned that one of Taza Chocolate’s founders used to be a scuba-diver. I learned that one of the factory’s coffee roasting machines was imported from Europe and pieced together here, in Somerville, MA. I also learned about the concept of direct trade (not the same as fair trade). All these stories made me really appreciate the final product I was about the experience. So, if you are a local business, think about ways in which you can showcase these types of quirks and fascinate your customers.

Do the Math of Sampling

Let’s check out the math behind this type of food sampling:

I invited my friends to sign up for the Chocolate Factory tour, so we can enjoy this activity together. +
I paid $5 for my tour ticket. +
I attended a “behind-the-scenes, guided tour” and learned cool new stuff. +
I ended up buying some chocolate. +
I told more friends about it. +
I would love to go back! =

= A pretty holistic marketing approach.

The idea here is that this type of sampling defined an experience beyond the product purchase. It is not just marketing; it is a thread of stories that begs to be shared.

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