Blog - Page 11 of 58 - Bob Cargill

06Dec 2020 by Bob Cargill

The Incredible Value of Twitter Lists

Wait! What? You’re on Twitter, but you haven’t created any Lists there yet? I was listening to a presentation by Neal Schaffer at Agorapulse’s Social Pulse Summit: Twitter Edition the other day. Generally, he was talking about the marketing power of Twitter, but specifically, what caught my attention was when he addressed the advantages of creating, using and following Twitter Lists. I have long been a fan of this feature on Twitter. I have created over 40 Lists there, from beer to baseball, museums to music, Boston-area restaurant to Boston-area hotels, agencies to associations and more. Twitter Lists make it possible for you to cut through the clutter on this channel, displaying a stream of Tweets only from those accounts that appear on a particular List. When you add an…

24Nov 2020 by Bob Cargill

Come Down from Your Ivory Towers

Business, Marketing, Social Media

Come down from your ivory towers. That was a big takeaway for me after reading the book, The Cluetrain Manifesto, back in the day. That point was made loud and clear to me. Business executives needed to stop distancing themselves from their constituents and instead start talking to them and even more importantly, listening to them on the internet. It’s been some 20 years since this book was published, but its main message holds true now more than ever. Thanks to social media, there is no excuse anymore not to be engaging with your customers, prospects, connections, followers, subscribers, fans and even critics. The savviest and smartest marketers and advertisers get it. They’re conspicuous in their presence online day in and day out. They’re joining the conversations on LinkedIn, Twitter,…

15Nov 2020 by Bob Cargill

Employee Advocacy on Social Media

Branding, Business, Marketing, Social Media

If I had employees, I would make sure they knew how to use social media. I would teach them how to use LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and the like on behalf of my business. I would encourage them to share content online that helped promote my brand. I would provide them with incentives and rewards for doing so. This would be a win-win situation. They would be learning new skills, expanding their own respective networks, keeping on top of industry news, positioning themselves as thought leaders and building better careers. My business would have a stronger workforce, one that would help me amplify the reach of my marketing communications and tee me up for greater success. What about you? Do you have employees? Are you training them to advocate on…

08Nov 2020 by Bob Cargill

The Secret of Success in Marketing and Life Itself

Branding, Business, Marketing

Empathy. It’s one thing we could all use more of if we want to be more successful in both our professional and personal lives. Yup. Think more about others and less about yourself. It's that easy. That’s the secret to success in marketing, the field in which I earn my livelihood, in business in general and in life itself. When you walk in someone else’s shoes, you learn a lot about how they think, feel and live. You gain an understanding of their needs and wants, their shortcomings and strengths, their wins and losses. You can relate better to them and vice versa. It is easier to establish a mutually beneficial relationship with them. Empathy towards others – friends or family, colleagues or clients, teammates or neighbors, even complete strangers…

04Nov 2020 by Bob Cargill

A Few Words about Marketing with Amanda Baier

Marketing, Social Media

In this episode of my podcast, Bob Cargill's Marketing Show, I talk to Amanda Baier, the Director of Marketing Communications for Vecna Robotics in Waltham, Massachusetts. About Amanda Baier Amanda Baier is the Director of Marketing Communications for Vecna Robotics. She is responsible for corporate communications, including the internal communications, sales support, and the planning and execution of strategic industry-facing initiatives. She has previously held roles within small IT and automation startups and nonprofit organizations and thrives at the intersection of business impact and humanistic outcomes. Amanda holds a dual degree in English and Comparative Literature with a Specialization in Technical Communications and Business Writing from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

26Oct 2020 by Bob Cargill

Social Media Usage During the Pandemic

Branding, Communications, Marketing, Social Media

A lot of things have changed during this pandemic, including what people expect from social media. Not only are they turning to social media more often lately, they’re looking for a shared experience with others there, a stronger sense of community. That’s something that was emphasized in an article I read recently written by Victor Snyder for business.com... https://www.business.com/.../social-media-patterns.../ I’m not surprised about the increase in social media usage. Almost everybody’s in quarantine in some way, shape or form. If not necessary for doing business, jumping onto LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and the like is the next best thing to being there with our friends, family, colleagues and clients. The coronavirus crisis has accelerated the advancement and adoption of online communications technology. In both our professional and personal lives, we’re…

08Oct 2020 by Bob Cargill

A Great Ad for a Great Cause

Advertising, Communications, Fundraising, Marketing, Restaurants

It’s a great ad for a great cause. But it’s much more than just an ad. It’s a fundraising campaign for small businesses and nonprofit organizations. It’s about the closing of Coogan's Restaurant in the Washington Heights neighborhood of New York City after some 35 years in business. Facebook put this ad together, pledging to match up to $100,000 of the funds raised as a result of this campaign. What particularly stands out to me about this spot is the riveting version of Gloria Gaynor's classic, mega-hit song, “I Will Survive,” sung by Swedish artist, Lykee Li, that accompanies it. See – and listen – for yourself here.

25Sep 2020 by Bob Cargill

The #WhoAmIMaskChallenge

Advertising, Branding, Cause-Related Marketing, Marketing, Motivation

Why do you wear a mask? I wear a mask because I want to help stop the spread of the coronavirus. I wear a mask because I don’t want people to get sick and die from COVID-19. I wear a mask out of respect for those around me. What about you? Not only is this a relevant, timely conversation that was started by William Lucas (Bill) Walker last month, this is a great campaign which you can learn more about here. Bill is an Emmy Award-winning writer/producer who wanted to get the word out about the importance of wearing a mask during this pandemic. So he challenged people – like me and you – to record a short video introducing ourselves and telling the world why we wear a mask.…

17Sep 2020 by Bob Cargill

Marketing During the Pandemic and Beyond

Branding, Marketing, Social Media

In this webinar (which I presented for the New England Direct Marketing Association on August 19, 2020), I talk about the importance of authenticity and immediacy in marketing, especially as witnessed during this pandemic. I share a handful of examples of brands that have pivoted during these tough times, changing up their messaging to align with how consumers are feeling about the world these days. You will learn how the social in social media can help you put a face on your brand and build trust among your audience which can lead to long-term, mutually-beneficial relationships. Webinar production provided by Robert Lee of ShaLaLaLa Productions and John Kovaleski of OMBM Enterprises.