USC Social Media Seminar for Small Businesses by GANZ Media – June 7th

Post by Aaron Ganz June 1, 2012

GANZ Media to give seminar on Social Media for Small Businesses @ USC June 7th!

USC sponsors Los Angeles Chapter of Entrepreneurs Professionals

Los Angeles Chapter

Who: Sponsored by Entrepreneurs Professionals (Los Angeles Chapter)

When: Thursday, June 7, 2012, 6:00 pm

Where: USC Campus Taper Rm. 116

Exposition Blvd and S. Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA, Los Angeles, CA

Discussion by GANZ Media: What is Social Media and how can it help your Small Business?

To attend, please sign-up at the Meetup.com page: click here.

At our Information Meeting, we will tell you what our group is all about, so you can see how belonging to a “Business Development” group can not only be a whole lot of fun, it can also make your business more than successful. We don’t settle for the notion of just “surviving” in this current economy, we are set on the notion of thriving in this economy. We invite you to meet the group and see if Entrepreneurs Professionals would be a good addition to your business growth strategy.

What Social Media is and why your company will fail without it.

Post by Aaron Ganz May 15, 2012

What is Social Media?

This is Social Media!

The Internet is a transformative force, especially for businesses. When the World Wide Web first arrived in the late 1990s, companies were unsure if they should have a website, how to properly use them, and what content to put online. Today nearly every business of any size understands that a website is a necessity, and most can’t conceive of how they would conduct business without one. Like those early days of the web, Social Media is in its infancy. There are few standards, and less general understanding for how Social Media can and should be used to increase business. And yet, like the Web, Social Media has the ability to transform your business, increasing your sales and building trust and rapport with your clients and customers.

1. Social Media (Function):

Imagine what the future of Apple computers would have been if Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak, after building their first computer in their garage, had simply announced over a bullhorn to their neighborhood that the future of personal computing had arrived. Would anyone have taken them seriously? They had no credibility, no track record. In fact, they were just one of thousands of computer kit builders in the United States at that time.

Instead, Apple launched their product and generated a significant following through years of organic growth through tradeshows, developer forums, outdoor concerts, and more recently selling a technology lifestyle though brilliant ads appearing on buildings, billboards, and breathtaking storefronts in malls and shopping centers across the country.

If you have ever watched the hit TV show ‘Madmen’, you can see how advertising changed the face of history in the 1960s. New promotional techniques combined with improved channels of communication altered American culture forever and expanded the possibilities for businesses to reach their customers. Branding was born.

Social Media is a new content distribution channel that is being used by businesses to increase their exposure and improve customer relations. Think of Social Media as the new digital Public Relations with a twist. Could you imagine Apple without a public relations department, or Microsoft without a marketing division? While the method of communicating with clients and customers has shifted over time from Radio, to Television, then to the World Wide Web, and now Social Media, each new technology allows for greater reach and greater participation from customers without replacing what came before. Social Media can significantly lower your marketing budget and can dramatically improve your overall marketing reach. Social Media marketing costs are far lower than traditional print and a fraction of TV and radio ads. Given the amount of competition for customers’ attention and dollars, companies cannot simply rely on the traditional methods of marketing and expect to survive. Having access to cutting edge tools can help you stand out in your industry and perhaps even lead the pack.

Advertising, Public Relations, and Marketing were not simply fads companies adopted and then later discarded. They were new ways of thinking about getting the word out on the street about a product or service, using the available technologies, and developing new processes along the way.

Social Media is one of the newest technology-based sets of tools available for businesses. The world-wide popularity of Social Media sites has shifted a “Tweet” from a message used by teens to tell each other what they had for lunch, or who their favorite singer is, to a media powerhouse companies use to announce IPO’s, announce mergers, release new products, and connect with their users, customers, clients, and stakeholders.

2. Social Media (Structure):

In the classroom there is not just one type of student. You have visual learners, auditory learners, and those that are a mixture of the two. In Social Media, one size does not fit all. There are multiple platforms, each appealing to a different online segment: Social Networks (Facebook, Twitter), Video (YouTube), Pictures (Pinterest, Instagram, Flickr,) Music (Pandora, Spotify), Location-Based Services (Yelp, Foursquare), Collaboration (Google Docs), and Interest-Based Networks (LinkedIn, Plaxo, Xing). Each of these channels appeals to different types of potential customers, and many appeal to more than one. It is important to understand each choice, how the consumers are using it, and how to best use these tools to communicate, build relationships, and sell.

3. Social Media (Unique Properties):

Websites in the past have been little more than online brochures, providing static content, and requiring much effort to drive traffic to them. Social Media is different in that it allows companies to engage in a two-way dialog with customers and vendors, and encourages participation, allowing businesses to pose questions, launch polls, and create surveys to get instant feedback from their target markets and buyer personas.

The collective nature of Social Media allows content to reach a larger audience at a quicker rate than ever before. Similar to a fire, where a small spark can turn dry brush into a wildfire, a simple Tweet can incite nations to act (think Tunisia and the Arab Spring); announce world-wide product launches (the Apple iPad); and potentially reach hundreds of millions of viewers (YouTube: KONY 2012 received 100 million views); all while driving traffic to your website/fan page, making your smart phone ring, or filling your email Inbox with hundreds of new potential customers.

4. Social Media (Advantages):

Small companies can now compete at the same level as the major Fortune 500/1000 corporations. Since many Social Media technologies are free and can be automated, the only expense is for expert advice and training. The first step to Social Media success is seeing what your competitors are doing and start looking for trends.

Through Social Media, you can position yourself and your business as a thought leader (an expert in your industry or niche). Instead of sending one way messages that interrupt the attention of your customers (and thus compete with every other interruption), Social Media allows you to engage your customers in a two way communication where they seek you out, and you provide the information they want when and how they want it, which increases the potential impact of your message many times over.

The most important thing to know about Social Media is that your customers want to find something unique or novel. They want new content, special discounts, or hard to find resources that aren’t available in either in your physical retail locations or on your website. If your Social Media strategy takes this into account, you will have mastered the essence of this new technology. Social Media is not just a repeat of your other messages. It is like the difference between radio and television—show, don’t tell.

5. Social Media (Drawbacks):

A poorly crafted Social Media campaign can alienate customers, cost you business, and can remain permanently posted on the Internet. Starting a social media program and stopping for month, or even a week, can give the impression of an unmanned ship, and reduce your online credibility. Not having a dedicated Social Media specialist and a crisis response plan means you lack the ability to instantly turn a customer service problem into a solution, leading to a potential public relations problem. A bad Social Media program will cost you credibility.

Conclusion:

The cost of doing nothing is much higher that doing something, even if you get it wrong the first time. Analyze your competition, develop a plan, and go for it! The very existence of your business may depend on how you approach Social Media.

Contact GANZ Media today to create a Social Media plan for your business!

Web Design Mania sweeps the Nation! People take notice of GANZ Media.

Post by Aaron Ganz April 9, 2012

Great planning & Email Campaigns = Success!!

A well conceived email campaign can make the difference between successful Online Marketing ROI, and a sinking ship. In our recent email campaign touting Web Design services, a well crafted subject line once again brings in significant viewers.

You can have the best email content in the world, with snazzy graphics, clever messaging, and the most amazing discounts, but you campaign can fail because your subject line came across as spammy or insincere. Click here to see the email.

GANZ Media Website Design Email Campaign!

One method for increasing readership of your emails is called an A/B split test. In this case we test only 10 percent of our total list of email subscribers before the main campaign is launched. This small sample size was split in half using two subject lines with “Website Design Projects & March Madness!” (which had an 12.5% open rate) against “March Madness! Website Design & Online Marketing” (which had an 8 % open rate).

Web Design Email Campaign Results

We setup our email software to wait for one day to track results between these two groups, allowing for maximum feedback from our viewers. The winner of these two (the one with the higher open rate), was used to send out to the remaining 90% of our email list.

Website Design Email Screenshot

5 Helpful Email tips:

Every email campaign should contain the following –

1) A well crafted subject line (tested for effectiveness).

2) A call to action: direct your viewers to perform an action (i.e. View your website, open a video, call you for a free demonstration, email to receive a 10 % savings on your next purchase).

3) Make sure the email is not too text heavy, inserting plenty of images/graphics/YouTube videos where needed.

4) Clearly display your Social Media icons and prompt people to follow you. Ask for the Sale!

5) Contact information: too often email campaigns don’t give clear contact info. Make sure to include a phone number, email address, and website.

Happy Campaigning!

Please contact GANZ Media to help you with your next email campaign!

KONY 2012 & The Social Media Revoltion Explained!

Post by Aaron Ganz March 14, 2012

Can Social Media stop a War? You decide..literally

KONY 2012 from INVISIBLE CHILDREN on Vimeo.

Social Media has the power to make people famous overnight through the use of videos posted on sites like YouTube or Vimeo. These videos are then spread through Social Media through website link sharing using Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, to name a few.

For the past 26 years the leader of the LRA army in Uganda Joseph Kony has built his troops and power through the use of child soldiers. Over the years, over 30,000 small children as young as three years old are kidnapped, brainwashed, tortured, raped, recruited into his army, and in many cases forced to kill their own parents. Thousands of people have been mutilated by this child army. In December of 2011, the United States sent 100 troops to provide assistance to the Ugandan government. To put pressure on the U.S. to keep our troops there, a campaign called KONY 2012 has been formed.

Filmmaker Jason Russell begun a nine year campaign to bring awareness to this issue, and created an video which now has over 100 million online views as of today.

Social Media such as Facebook helps spread Videos for Kony2012

Social Media is being used in two ways:

1) Using Videos spread through Social Media: Turning Joseph Koney into a well known public figure to bring awareness and arrest him, stop the kidnappings, and return these children to their families.

2) An an online web portal has been created and is promoted using Social Media to encourge people to contact 20 famous U.S. celebrities (i.e. Bono, Stephen Colbert, Oprah, George Clooney, Bill Gates) & 12 influential politicians (both Democrats & Republicans including George Bush & Bill Clinton) and ask them to bring awareness to this issue.

By making a donation of only a few dollars to an organization called TRI, one can get an Action kit with fliers, stickers, posters, bracelets and marketing materials. These fliers & posters will be up simultaneously on April 20th nationwide to bring awareness to this issue.

A response to Criticism from the film was addressed here by the CEO of Invisible Children: http://vimeo.com/38344284.

The KONY 2012 Video and Information can be found on:

Kony 2012 Website: Kony2012.com

Invisible Chilren Website: http://www.invisiblechildren.com/

YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y4MnpzG5Sqc

Vimeo: http://vimeo.com/invisible/kony2012

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/invisiblechildren

Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/invisible

Blog on Tumblr: http://invisible.tumblr.com/

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/invisibleinc/

Invisible Children, Central Africa, Northen Uganda, Joseph Kony, Jason Russell, April 20th, Bono, U2, George Bush, Stephen Colbert, Oprah, George Clooney, Bill Gates, Lady Gaga, Mark Zuckerberg, Angelina Jolie, Bill O’Reilly, Jay-Z, Justin Beiber, Rick Warren, Ellen Degenwres, Ben Affleck, Rihanna, Ryan Seacrest, Tim Teabow, Rush Limbaugh, Bill Clinton, Mitt Romney, John Boehner, Harry Reid, Condoleeza Rice, Action Kit, TRI, Ban Ki-Moon

Video Marketing Secrets Revealed! – Start marketing your business today.

Post by Aaron Ganz March 7, 2012

Well crafted videos can mean the difference between a company thriving or dying in the new economy.

According to the website comScore: “80% of web users have watched a video ad on a company homepage. 52% took action after viewing the ad.” Using the latest video technology to spread the word online about our clients’ needs is our goal.

For our latest project we are creating an awareness campaign for a nonprofit group that works with people with developmental disabilities. Their budget is small but their story is great so we used our shoot from the hip package: this is comprised of 3 flip type cameras as well as an outboard sound recorder.

Click here to view the video on IndieGoGo.

The reason we use multiple cameras is because this is REAL, there are no retakes, so to capture the story as it happens takes more than one viewpoint. Reactions that are real are powerful, and will make your video that much more impact full.

Sound is one of the most important factors in any production, yet the consumer video producer often misses the impact of this key component. Poor sound quality will lose an audience faster than you can imagine.

Last but not least is editing all the material together into interesting, short segments. The tech-generation has a short attention span, so you have to make your point quickly and don’t forget a call to action at the end.

These videos can then be uploaded to YouTube, and blended with (SEO) search engine optimized key words to help drive traffic to your website. Well crafted videos along with proper SEO can as much as double your website traffic. To maintain sustained traffic to the website we offer monthly Social Media marketing programs, promoting your videos through: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and our own YouTube distribution channels.

Well designed Videos with finely tuned SEO result in ranking in top 3 slots in Google Search Engine.

Contact GANZ Media today to find out pricing and more details! Be sure to check back and watch for additional Touching Stories.

IZOD IndyCar Series Sets A Social Media #hashtag Agenda

Post by Aaron Ganz March 5, 2012

: This photo is evidence of a fan led social media involvement through Twitter. The photo was posted at IZOD IndyCar Series blog pages on May 5, 2010 and urged fans traveling to Barber Motorsports Park in Alabama to log in to, and follow tweets on Twitter through the account set up presumably by the cable media outlet (VERSUS) carrying the race that weekend. Image Credit: IZOD IndyCar Series Admin (2010)

IZOD IndyCar Series Sets A Social Media #hashtag Agenda

Here in 2012, this will not be your father’s IndyCar … or CART/ChampCar for that matter.

Last year (2011) was the last year for a bunch of IndyCar-ism’s, not the least of which was the continued running of a tired and old formula that utilized an old Dallara chassis that was optimized to work well on ovals and adapted for use (with many engineering and driver complaints) on road and street courses with all teams using the same naturally aspirated engine from Honda. The first year of the new DW12 Dallara chassis has a frame that has been designed to be more balanced for use on road and street courses and the teams will run turbo-charged engines manufactured from three manufacturers of Honda, Chevy, and Lotus.

One of the strongest changes, however, concerns itself with the communications medium of New Media and the sub-set known as Social Media. To illustrate the change of visibility and understanding from the top when, during the announcement that F1 standout driver Rubens Barrichello was joining KV Racing Technology’s three car team for the 2012 season, IZOD IndyCar Series CEO Randy Bernard went to one of Barrichello’s test sessions to meet the Brazilian. He said last Thursday it was an exciting day for the series ”and a positive step to start” the year.

“There’s not a person in the world who knows racing that wouldn’t tell you that Rubens Barrichello is one of the greatest drivers of all time,” the series CEO said in a statement. “That will create great competition and expands our international platform.”

What Randy Bernard was alluding to was that Barrichello brings with him an ardent and strong New Media fan base … his 1.47 million followers on Twitter is one million more than Kanaan’s … who leads all IndyCar Series drivers with 448,000 Twitter followers.

So basically, as was written in the article titled “Brazilian Changing Of The Guard, Barrichello In As Meira Leaves IndyCar“, what we will expect to be hearing from the PA speakers in the stands, at every 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series venue during the season is – “Ladies and Gentlemen … start your ‘Tweets’!”

The IZOD IndyCar Series has set an agenda to utilize the Social Media platform of Twitter that allows fans to communicate to one another in 140 character (or less) messages known as “Tweets”. If one were to use their smartphone, iPad, tablet, or laptop to post the messages, and wanted to follow what others who were following the comments and on-track action of a particular race, all one would need to do is employ the search method of locating messages through the use of a “HASHTAG”. A HASHTAG takes the form of an indexing tool utilized in real-time to send messages and look at messages on Twitter … it opens the door to the discussion room of that IZOD IndyCar Series race so socially, we all can participate in the process.

: Mario Andretti, always in command, three generations of Andretti get a kick out of Tweet’n on Twitter. Image Credit: More Front Wing

This excerpted and edited from Pressdog –

IndyCar Sees More Twitter Integration, Hashtags, Driver Engagement in 2012
Pressdog – March 05, 2012

IndyCar fans can expect Twitter handles on race broadcasts, much stronger at-the-track Twitter presence and a set of event-specific hashtags in the 2012 race season.

The series is also trying to provide teams with resources and expertise required to engage fans through expanding social media avenues including Twitter.
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Kate Guerra (@kateguerra4), public relations coordinator and manager of social media for IndyCar (@IndyCar), said last week NASCAR (@NASCAR) may have made a big social media splash in Daytona, but IndyCar also recognizes the value of social media like Twitter to engage fans and has been building its Twitter efforts since late last season.

Guerra said last fall IndyCar CEO Randy Bernard (@RBINDYCAR) and COO Mark Koretzky “said to me we want you take over our social media and we really want you to just go for it. We want you to do anything you can to help us out. We want you to reach out to everybody in our atmosphere — teams, drivers, sponsors, tracks, local social media influencers and more. We set goals where we want to be every month.”
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IndyCar has four primary social media thrusts planned for 2012.

First, more integration of Twitter handles into race broadcast. Guerra said after she saw how SPEED integrated Twitter handles into graphics during the Rolex 24, she met with producers for ABC and NBC Sports who were very willing to do something similar on all IndyCar broadcasts.

Second, Guerra hopes to create “hashtag communities” for each race.
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For example, leading up to and during the IndyCar race at St. Petersburg, tweets that include the event hashtag — #gpstpete – will be collected under that tag. By clicking on the hashtag in your Twitter stream, you’ll go to a listing of all tweets that contain that hashtag.

“They really create a sense of sense of community,” said Guerra. “People who click on a hashtag see everything anyone is sharing on it and at the same time see who is

sharing their opinions. It’s really a great place for IndyCar fans to interact with each other about whatever certain event we have going on. Hashtags were something that were asked for and demand by our fans. They are out there now and have been shared with our teams and drivers and tracks. It’s almost like creating a forum, but it’s on Twitter which is such a user-friendly medium.”

Third, IndyCar and Guerra continue to offer help and guidance to teams and drivers who want to up their game on Twitter. In that regard, Bernard invited Omid Ashtari from Twitter to speak to teams and drivers during the State of IndyCar meetings last month.

Guerra said Ashtari’s talk stirred many inquires of her from teams looking to increase the effectiveness of their use of Twitter. Guerra expects Ashtari to be involved in talks with IndyCar’s television partners on ways to best optimize the use of Twitter during broadcasts.
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Teams and drivers are also starting to incorporate their Twitter handles into their uniforms, car paint schemes and more. Examples include the Sarah Fisher Hartman Racing hauler that features a HUGE “@SFRHindy” on the side to EJViso (@EJViso) doing things to rapidly increase his Twitter followers.

Fourth, IndyCar is trying to increase its at-the-track Twitter presence. “I feel like the second people step onto a track they should be absolutely surrounded by everything social media,” said Guerra. “Whether in our fan village or at autograph sessions when there are massive lines and people playing on their phones. All the name plates we have and use for autograph sessions will have the driver’s twitter handle right underneath the name. It’s little things like that that people tend to underestimate that I feel like could make a huge difference.”
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The newness of IndyCar this season also gives drivers an opening to reintroduce themselves to fans. “It’s almost a new sport,” she said. “There’s so much new — with the car, with the engines, with some new drivers — they may want to rebrand themselves and really make this a reintroduction to the sport this season. Nobody has said that specifically, but I really feel they really want to grow and help us grow.”
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Race car drivers’ nature may also help fuel Twitter growth. A driver who has half the followers of another may feel the need to pick up the pace. “As you well know, drivers are a very competitive breed,” Guerra said. “So, yeah, it’s even a little bit of that I feel. I haven’t heard any Oh, man, let’s see who can get to 50,000 followers first,’ but maybe it’s something I could push needle on.”

Guerra said she and others are determined that IndyCar will also ride the wave of Twitter s well. “It’s definitely something I am working very hard on,” she said, “something that is very important to me. It has always been a dream of mine ever since I realized I wanted to work in sports that I handle a league’s social media.”
[Reference Here]

Over the last three years or so (2009), we at The EDJE pioneered posting race action blogs that featured selected comment and reaction “Tweets” with posts labeled “Tweet-By-Tweet”. Using Twitter, Facebook, twitpic, Pinterest, YouTube, and any other New Media communications platforms that allow people to have free access to words, photos and action in realtime, of events as they happen, can only expand ones interest and fanbase knowledge with the result of a stronger experience and racing series.

People experienced in using Twitter have expanded their access to message input through the use of “TweetDeck” which allows the user to set up and follow several #hashtag streams … check it out on Chrome (download application) and a laptop.

2012 IndyCar Series Official Race Event Hashtags (16 races) = #name

RACE *** (TWITTER ACCOUNT – @name) *** = #hastag

1.) Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg (@GPSTPETE) = #gpstpete

2.) Honda Indy Grand Prix of AL (@BarberMotorPark) = #higpa

3.) 38th Annual Toyota Grand Prix of Long Beach (@ToyotaGPLB) = #tgplb

4.) Sao Paulo Indy 300 (@IndyemSaoPaulo) = #saopauloindy

5.) Indianapolis 500 (@IMS) #indy500

6.) Chevrolet Detroit Belle Isle Grand Prix (@DetroitGP) = #detroitgp

7.) Firestone 550K (@TXMotorSpeedway) = #texas550

8.) Milwaukee Indy Fest (@MKE_IndyFest) = #indyfest

9.) Iowa Corn Indy 250 (@IowaSpeedway) = #iowa250

10.) Honda Indy Toronto (@HondaIndy) = #hondaindy

11.) Edmonton Indy (@edmontonindy) = #edmontonindy

12.) Honda Indy 200 at Mid-Ohio (@followmidohio) = #midohio

13.) Streets of Qingdao, China = #Indychina

14.) Indy Grand Prix of Sonoma (@InfineonRaceway) = #igps

15.) Baltimore Grand Prix (@BaltimoreGP) = #bgp2012

16.) Auto Club Speedway (@ACSupdates) TBD – Suggestion = #fontana

Again, what we will expect to be hearing from the PA speakers in the stands, at every 2012 IZOD IndyCar Series race venue during the season is – “Ladies and Gentlemen … start your ‘Tweets’!”

Happy tweeting.

… notes from The EDJE

** Article first published as IZOD IndyCar Series Sets A Social Media #hashtag Agenda on Technorati **

Retailers Fail to Understand Social Media! – Gamestop & J.C. Penny Facebook Failures

Post by Aaron Ganz February 29, 2012

Facebook “F-Commerce” enables consumers to purchase online using Social Media: but is it a bust?

Retailers Fail to Understand Social Media! - Gamestop & J.C. Penny Facebook Failures

Last year Facebook launched a new platform for online purchasing through their Social Media platform called F-“commerce”. Many large retailers jumped on board to sell using this new distribution channel without understanding Social Media, and those who use it.

In a recent Bloomberg article GamesStop & J.C. Penny were cited as halting their Facebook store presences after disappointing sales. The article inferred that major retailers pulling out was a result of a poorly designed strategy by Facebook as a company, and would weaken their proposed upcoming IPO. The real story is that the failure of Retail stores launching into Facebook e-commerce is a lack of their own understanding their digital audience.

Retailers enter the world of Social Media marketing without an understanding of the unique buying patterns of their visitors. They offer nothing new: no novel product or content, duplicating efforts found on their company websites or in the store.

Here are five tips for Retailers looking to use Social Media-

Retailers may want to consider:

1) Selling specialty items: hard to find or rate items not found in the store will keep existing shoppers excited, while bringing in new customers that might not normally shop at the physical stores.

2) Selling overstocked items: retail outlets can reduce inventory and cut storage costs by creating an outlet for products that are not flying of the shelves as fast as they would like, or selling used items as well.

3) Providing discounts not already found on website or in store: unique discounts, special offers, and linking them to QR codes on printed marketing materials.

4) Posting unique content: original news items, articles, customized Facebook apps & games, that keep viewers coming back for more. Creating a “Like Us” tab to showcase video and pictures combined with an opt-in email/newsletter sign-up. These allow for more advertising opportunities as well.

5) Incentivize sharing with friends: referral programs, “Like Us” programs traded for discounts, and integrating Social Media icons & links into every company email (both for corporate & employee sales teams).

[See article reference]

Contact GANZ Media to see how we can help launch your Social Media Campaigns!

The Automating QR (Quick Response) Code, Smart Phones, And You

Post by Aaron Ganz February 26, 2012

Loyal customers, who are less likely to shop online, can be enticed by QR codes to come into the store after they have scanned a code and experienced rich videos, images, or in-store contests. Recently luxury retailer Ralph Lauren matched up with Red Fish Media to design a custom QR code placed in windows at various Ralph Lauren locations. Once scanned, the customer was enticed to enter the store for a chance to win tickets to the 2012 men’s US Open finals and a $3,000 Ralph Lauren wardrobe. Image Credit: Ralph Lauren

A cellphone with a camera isn’t a communications device with a way to capture pictures and share them with friends … rather, it’s a web enabled handheld data scanner with a display which automates the way to reach out, get information, be involved socially, and get things done.

In order to have one’s phone behave more like a tool than a personalized toy, all one has to do is download a simple program into the cellphone and presto – the camera takes a picture (scans) of a symbol printed on a billboard, flyer, magazine, or TV/Computer display screen then decodes it and has the phone access a “(dot) mobi” webpage on the internet through a series of pre-scripted commands. Quick, Simple, and Easy.

Image Credit: Ralph Lauren

So why hasn’t this form of consumer automation taken off in the larger way it has in Japan and other countries? Hard to say, but get ready because the symbology revolution will be vying for your attention at a cellphone, real estate operation, bus stop, television screen, website, or specialty retail store around the corner from where you live, right now … it’s that weird square with squares in it.

There may be many codes (symbologies) offered by program automation developers, each with their own strengths and benefits, however, if your phone has limited memory space in which to store the software necessary to decode the symbology, then the one code program the cellphone should contain is the QR Code … the best code ever.

Image Credit: Ralph Lauren

This excerpted and edited from Multichannel Merchant Magazine –

R U Ready 4 QR Codes?
By Tim Parry, Multichannel Merchant

CONSIDERING MOBILE MARKETING? Then you should probably start thinking about quick response (QR) codes. These two-dimensional barcodes can provide a vital link between print or broadcast media and mobile commerce.
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WHAT ARE THEY? QR codes store information — namely mobile Website URLs — that can be read by devices with cameras, like cell phones. A user with a Web-enabled camera phone equipped with the QR reader software can scan the image of the QR code; decoding software reads the information and prompts the phone’s browser to go to a programmed URL.

WHAT’S THE BENEFIT TO YOU? Let’s say you have a QR code printed on an advertisement or catalog. A customer could scan it with his cell phone to be directed to your mobile site — and hopefully start buying immediately.

IS ANYBODY USING THEM? Upscale apparel brand Ralph Lauren, for instance, burst onto the mobile commerce scene in August using the technology. The merchant put QR codes on print advertisements, store windows and mailers so that with one wave of a Web-enabled camera phone — with QR reader software — the user is whisked away to a landing page at m.ralphlauren.com.

The mobile site was initially launched back in 2008 with a showcase of its limited edition U.S. Open Collection and other Ralph Lauren classics such as polo shirts, oxfords and chinos. Mobile users could also check out a Ralph Lauren style guide, watch tennis videos, and read articles about the U.S. Open in real time.

“We see mobile as a key channel for marketing, advertising and commerce for all of our brands and retail concepts,” says Miki Berardelli, Ralph Lauren’s vice president, global customer strategy and retail marketing. “QR codes are part of the strategy and they serve as a conduit, providing an easy way for people to access the mobile Web.”

Users can download the QR reader application for free from Ralph Lauren; the technology is also available from numerous other sources online.

David Harper, founder/CEO of Website development firm Engagelogic and mobile content management and social networking software company Winksite, hopes the Ralph Lauren launch will encourage others to incorporate QR codes in their mobile commerce campaigns. But the early adaptors like Ralph Lauren may need to do more to educate people about the technology.
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Why aren’t more using QR codes? Creating a basic QR code is easy enough: Multichannel Merchant generated the code that appears on this issue’s cover in a matter on minutes on Winksite.com. (Test it with your cell phone camera.)

Dave Sikora, CEO of m-commerce provider Digby, blames a lack of consumer awareness of the technology, and the inability of phones to accurately read the codes.
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But Harper contends that adding a QR code reader application to a phone is no harder than downloading software to your personal computer. You can do a search for “QR code reader” on your mobile browser and find a site you want to download it from. Once installed, the reader application will show up in the applications folder, and its icon will appear on the screen.

And the QR reader does not have to point perfectly perpendicular for the QR code to be correctly translated by the mobile device, he adds. Even a wave over the code can bring the user to the correct mobile site.
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Big in Japan

QR codes can be seen everywhere in Japan — no surprise, since Japanese firm Denso-Wave created the technology in 1994. Cell phone users in Japan can click a QR code printed on a poster at a movie theater and view its trailer.

It helps that QR code readers come as a standard feature on many smart cell phones.
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“When a customer scans the barcode with their phone, it launches a mobile-ready product detail and ordering page,” says Nina Matthews, marketing coordinator for CBC America. “This enables the customer to grab the page for follow-up while on the go or for sharing with others.”
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Once consumers embrace the technology, Harper envisions some merchants using QR codes on the covers of their catalogs. Eventually, they may generate individual codes to be used for each product offering.

Technology notwithstanding, Digby’s Sikora wonders how some merchants would handle the creative elements of incorporating a QR code into their print advertising and catalogs.
[Reference Here]

Image Credit: Ralph Lauren

FAQ’s from Ralph Lauren –

Frequently Asked Questions (very basic)

What is a mobile site?
A mobile site is simply a normal web site formatted to fit your mobile phone or device.

Is it necessary to download anything to shop the mobile site?
No. Just enter m.RalphLauren.com into your mobile phone browser and voila…

Can any phone access the mobile site?
Any phone equipped with a web browser can access m.RalphLauren.com.

Will it cost me on my phone bill to use the mobile site?
This service is free from Ralph Lauren but charges from your carrier may apply. Be sure and double-check your plan.

Is it secure to shop from my phone?
Yes. Shopping via mobile device is just as safe as shopping from your home computer.
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What is a QR code?
These are two-dimensional bar codes—just like you’d find at the grocery store—that direct you to a specific website when you scan them with your cell phone.
[Reference Here]

** Article first published as The Automating QR (Quick Response) Code, Smart Phones, And You at Technorati **

New Media Communications Strategies For Small Business Awareness & Growth

Post by Aaron Ganz February 18, 2012

From Facebook to Twitter, blogging, YouTube, LinkedIn, and more, discover the new principles of communication that apply across all networks and how these specific social networks work and their possible inherent uses for your organization. Caption & Image Credit: Saginaw Valley State University (svsu.edu)

New Media Communications Strategies For Small Business Awareness & Growth

Ever since the advent of Microsoft Windows in the mid-nineties, which made the computer as a mode of communication more accessible to most everyone, people have been trying to figure out how to leverage its communicative power to have their business interests grow. In other words … How can one use New Media communications to make money and have their businesses grow to meet the needs of more potential customers?

The next layer that has developed over these last one and a half decades are programs that help people to connect with additional ease to share interests, ideas, information, and just plain communicate on a broader field more quickly. This layer is called social media, and when used properly, social media can help a growing business boost brand awareness, improve customer relations, garner market research, even bolster sales. As the number of people who use social media rises, many marketing experts believe it’s essential for even the smallest of companies to consider developing a strategy to utilize this resource.

The worst effort a small business can put forth in this arena is to enter the world of New Media communications without a focus or a plan upon which the small business can leverage its limited resources to take advantage of the many social media communications opportunities that exist. As always, a business desires to place in motion a plan that will have a great chance at success, otherwise, why bother … just run an ad in the local paper which fewer people bother to purchase, let alone read.

Logging on to a computer just takes a few clicks to potentiality connect one with thousands of business contacts and customers … in addition to setting up networking strategies, business owners can use social media to glean useful insights by reading comments made by customers, industry experts, even competitors.

THE BURGER WAS ONLY THE BEGINNING. Research shows that one cannot live on burgers alone. That's why we offer a wide selection of chicken sandwiches like the grilled or crispy Avocado Chicken Club. Think of it as a Smashburger's equally awesome partner in crime. Image Credit: Smashburger Master LLC

This excerpted and edited from the Tucson Citizen –

Small businesses use social media to grow
by Laura Petrecca on Feb. 16, 2012

Hamburger chain Smashburger has become a smash hit, growing from three Denver locations in 2007 to 150 outposts nationwide. And while its Angus-beef burgers and unique toppings have helped to propel its success, its secret sauce is social-media outreach.

Smashburger offers coupons and trivia contests for its 67,000 Facebook followers, replies to questions and complaints on its Twitter and Facebook profiles, and actively reaches out to bloggers who might write about the new Smashburger restaurants opening in their areas.

“The brand was really built on social media and PR strategies,” says Jeremy Morgan, senior vice president of marketing and consumer insights. “Social media is an opportunity for us to engage with consumers and have a conversation, which is different than paid media, when you’re just shouting through a bullhorn.”
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“Everybody should take a look at it,” says Dan Galbraith, owner of marketing support company Solutionist and a National Small Business Association board member.

“Whether they chose to jump into social media or not is a question that only they can answer,” he says, but all firms should at least explore how social media could work for them. “There’s a lot of good information floating out there,” he says.
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A time investment

It takes dedication to achieve social-media success.

“The common misconception about social media is that it’s free,” says Morgan. “Facebook and Twitter accounts are free, but for small business owners in particular, time comes at a premium.”

To keep from feeling overwhelmed, business owners should decide how much time they can dedicate to this burgeoning arena, says Galbraith. Some may need to hire social-media help.

Either way, business owners should first set goals, he says. For instance, an owner might want to increase store traffic by 20% by offering coupons via Facebook or another social-media site. Or a business-to-business company could plan to reconnect with 10 former clients and re-establish solid relationships in the next three months.

The goals should be clear-cut, but as many business owners have learned, the initial strategies might have to change.
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Consistency counts

While marketing experts advocate joining the social-media conversation, most say that doing it poorly — such as combining personal and professional updates or not posting information consistently — is worse than not doing it at all.

“Consumers won’t stick around, and you won’t get much traction,” says Morgan.

There are some basic social media tenets to keep in mind, says Sabina Ptacin, co-founder of ‘Preneur, which provides tools and resources for small businesses.

She first suggests that business owners “baby step it out,” to see what feels comfortable to them and is do-able. Those who can’t contribute on a daily basis might want to hold off on creating a public profile.

“You can’t post once a week and think it’s going to make an impact,” she says. “You need to constantly be contributing, definitely every day.”
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She counsels social-media users to think of it as circulating during a cocktail party.

“I always tell people to pretend that they’re at a party and (act) how they would behave,” she says. “No one wants to talk to the person who is always talking about themselves. … They want you to ask them questions and engage in conversations.”
[Reference Here]

A business should also understand that the communicative strata of social media is as varied as there are concepts and interests held by humans themselves. Most are aware of social platforms as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and the like but many could gain from understanding other social communications platforms such as SodaHead, Pinterest, Google+, Stumble, as well as other syndicated message and image sharing environments.

A business must decide what niche(s) it speaks to, and can participate in upon which they can contribute so as to receive the benefits of engagement. A well placed pebble thrown into a pond sets up a communications wave that can reap incredible benefits … social media environments are just well placed ponds for well placed communications pebbles.

** Article first published as New Media Communications Strategies For Small Business Awareness & Growth on Technorati **

Benefits of a WordPress Template Uncovered!

Post by Aaron Ganz February 15, 2012

Every Company can now have the Perfect Website!

The goal of every business owner: have a well designed website at an affordable price. Now the dream is within reach with a pre-designed WordPress Template.

Using the analogy of a building, a template represents the internal steel beams and girders. The overall structure is there, along with much of the internal wiring and piping. The building owner works with the architect, requesting additional outlets or repurposing a section for a different function. Similarly, plug-ins (think pre-coded widgets performing a specific digital task) can be tweaked or added to the existing structure.

This saves on time versus building a website from scratch (with a caveat). If the amount of tweaks or additions are small this can as much as cut in half the cost of a website by reducing the design time. However, those costs start to pile up the more functions and levels of complexity you add in terms of the time (and money) required to code new plug-ins (think of tearing out a dining room and adding a kitchen, or adding additional electrical wires after the plaster has been applied).

Either way you go, using a WordPress Template as a starting point for your website can be the perfect trifecta of Design Time vs. Coding Time vs. Cost.

Here are some images of a before and after Template from our recent client Collaborative Advisory Group (www.collaborativeadvisorygroup.com):

Before:

Benefits of a WordPress Template Uncovered!

After:

Benefits of a WordPress Template Uncovered!

Contact GANZ Media today to find out how we can help your company!

https://ganzmedia.com/contact-us/