How Facebook Places Will Own The Mobile Market
Today, Mark Zuckerberg and the Facebook team announced their plans to gradually release Facebook Places tonight in the United States for the iPhone and touch.Facebook with a full release expected in the following days. Although Facebook Places is still in its infantile stages, it has all the makings to further Facebook’s growth in the mobile market. Taking into account the partners that Facebook introduced at the event along with their existing assets, Facebook Places threatens to not only take over the mobile space, but change the way we do business. (more…)
The Pepsi Generation: How To Reinvent Your Brand
Starting in the early 1980’s and lasting well into the 1990’s, the Coca-Cola Company and Pepsi Cola engaged in what would be called the “cola wars.” While to the average consumer, the cola wars meant being blasted with Pepsi and Coke commercials and billboards, while to both the companies it was a pivotal point from a branding aspect. On one side, Coca-Cola dominated the market when it came to soft drinks while on the other, Pepsi Cola was trying to build brand awareness with consumers. Coca-Cola, who had been around since 1886, had built a strong brand with consumers and was well known around the world. Pepsi on the other hand, while large and well known, struggled to put a dent in the mind of buyers when it came to choosing Pepsi over Coke. While one could make the case that Pepsi should have been happy with the market share that they had, one must remember that the most successful brands today aren’t the ones that are ‘content.’ In the case of Pepsi, the Pepsi Generation advertising campaign and it’s subsequent advertising ploys helped shape the Pepsi brand we know today. (more…)
The ‘One’ That Got Away
Everyone’s had one. Whether they’d like to admit it or not, everyone remembers the ‘one’ that got away. Although the pronoun ‘one’ is commonly in reference to a girl or boy, I am not just talking about relationships exclusively. Rather, we widen the scope and apply ‘one’ to every event, person, and opportunity we let get away from us.
Musicians have written songs about them, writers have written novels, and directors have made movies. It is a classic story and one that we never tire of. Not because we like hearing about how someone chose a job over another and regretted it, or the girl they decided to leave for what seemed like a life changing opportunity, but because we sympathize and see a bit of ourselves in each situation. No matter the story, one central theme is consistent. In each situation, there was risk involved. Specifically, what makes us remember the ‘one that got away, is that the risk was great. (more…)
The Importance of Creativity & Innovation
In every career track, there are certain characteristics that can help you stand out among the rest. Someone who pays careful attention to detail and numbers may be well suited at finances, while someone who has great personal skills may succeed as a publicist. Still, regardless of what career path you choose, a common denominator that often determines your careers runway is your creativity and innovation.
Often we become enamored with memorizing numbers and facts that we forget that we are all studying and reading from the same textbook. No matter how much knowledge you learn, creativity and innovation is the one thing that you can’t learn from a textbook. If you look at the hierarchy of workplaces, more often than not, those at the top got to where they are because they became a vital part of the company because of their creativity and innovation. In the big picture, you can always find someone that can memorize facts and follow orders, but individuals that consistently create and innovate are hard to come by. (more…)
Carpe Diem: Riding The Wave To Success
In 23 BC, Horace first introduced to us the idea of Carpe Diem. Carpe Diem, or “seize the day,” has since become a way of life for some, and for others, a constant reminder of the importance of ‘living’ each day. In the business world, carpe diem can be seen all around us. For entrepreneurs, carpe diem not only serves a motto, but also a beacon for new opportunities.
Seize The Day
When Horace first mentioned carpe diem, it was part of a longer message from Odes Book I.
In full, Horace writes: carpe diem quam minimum credula postero.
In translation this means: Seize the day and place no trust in tomorrow.
How Services Marketing Can Save Your Business
Do you know your customer? That is the question that every business owner should ask themselves. If your response is something along the lines of “sort of” or “not really,” then now is the time to change that. With companies struggling to find new ways to attract customers, most businesses are missing an essential aspect to it all. Without fully understanding one’s customer, developing new products and marketing campaigns are futile. One cannot expect to be successful without being able to understand their target market.
While companies invest millions into their advertising and marketing campaigns, the biggest area that fails to receive appropriate attention is services marketing. Services marketing examines the relationship between the company and its customer as well as the quality and value that the customer experiences. While many may believe that this is just a small part of a larger picture, evidence shows that services marketing is playing a much larger role in the success and failure of companies. (more…)
