Business Archives - Page 10 of 12

20Mar 2013 by Bob Cargill

How to Use LinkedIn in More Ways Than One

Branding, Business, LinkedIn, Marketing, Public Relations, Social Media

If you could only be active on one social network for the sake of your career, it would have to be LinkedIn. Seriously, LinkedIn is a must for professionals in all walks of business life. You would be conspicuous in your absence if you did not establish a presence there. I love LinkedIn. It includes similar features and functionality of its social media brethren – Facebook, Twitter and the like – but the activity there is far more buttoned up and includes few, if any, displays of frivolity. I have been a member of LinkedIn since July 26, 2004, having amassed a total of 961 connections, 51 recommendations and who knows how many endorsements so far. You can view my LinkedIn profile here. I'm a frequent visitor to LinkedIn, where…

11Mar 2013 by Bob Cargill

WAAF’s Greg Hill Talks about His New Restaurant in Sudbury, Twitter and More

Business, Marketing, Restaurants, Social Media, Sudbury, Twitter

I was excited to hear recently that a new restaurant was coming to Sudbury, the town where I live. And given that it was going to be located in Sudbury Town Square, a new complex of shops and business offices that everyone around here has been talking about, I was particularly curious. But I honestly didn’t give this news much thought until I noticed this restaurant happened to be following me on Twitter. How cool was that? What really got my attention, though, was when I got a tweet from this restaurant thanking me for following them and making a reference to my plans to run the Boston Marathon, which they only could have known by doing a little research on me. Of course, I was flattered. Everyone likes to…

25Feb 2013 by Bob Cargill

A Few Words with Jamie Bradley about Printing, Marketing, Social Media and More

Business, Direct Marketing, Marketing, Social Media

[caption id="attachment_4295" align="alignright" width="138"] Jamie Bradley[/caption] Jamie Bradley is a marketing, sales and printing professional with a great deal of experience and expertise. He is also a really nice guy blessed with a gregarious, easygoing personality. I’ve known Jamie for some 20 years or so, mainly through the many New England Direct Marketing Association (NEDMA) and other industry-related functions we both attend, and I've always enjoyed his company. Not only does he know print production inside and out, he’s also a smart, seasoned businessman, someone who’s been there, done that so often that you just know you can count on him for a good answer or the right solution. Jamie and I had lunch recently at Panera Bread on Waltham Street in Lexington, during which time we talked about all…

07Feb 2013 by Bob Cargill

The Cure for the Common Sign

Advertising, Branding, Business, Marketing

On a visit to the Burlington Mall recently, shortly after I had entered the building, I came across this very cool sign from Lahey Clinic at my feet. Okay. It’s just a sign, but the marketer in me couldn’t help but be ridiculously impressed with how much it had going for it. Seriously, I was so smitten with its stopping power, I had to, well, stop whatever it was that I was doing and take a picture of it. I like this sign for more reasons than one… It's located on the floor, where you might not necessarily expect to see a sign. Its message serves to reinforce the Lahey Clinic brand and goes a long way toward the promotion of healthy living. For walkers, it’s a very practical sign with an…

27Jan 2013 by Bob Cargill

A Few Words with Myles Bristowe about Marketing, Social Media and More

Blogging, Business, Marketing, Social Media

[caption id="attachment_4016" align="alignright" width="300"] Myles Bristowe[/caption] If you work in the Boston area in the marketing or social media space and haven't heard of Myles Bristowe, I’d be surprised. After all, as a blogger, he’s about as prolific and popular as they come, writing what he’s dubbed Today's Marketing Cookie almost daily since April of last year. And that's just one of his many impressive feats. The Chief Marketing Officer at Commonwealth Creative, a marketing agency in Framingham, MA, Myles writes each of his Marketing Cookies based on an actual fortune from a fortune cookie sent to him by a friend, follower or fan. Not too long ago, I was honored to have Myles write a Marketing Cookie dedicated to me. As one of his 60,000+ followers on Twitter, I…

26Dec 2012 by Bob Cargill

Do You Guarantee Your Performance on the Job?

Business, Copywriting, Direct Marketing, Marketing, Social Media

What’s not to like about a guarantee? Anyone in marketing knows how good a guarantee can be for business. A strong guarantee goes a long way toward removing any skepticism among your constituency and helps convert leads to sales. From a consumer's point of view, it’s reassuring to know that a company believes so highly in its products and services that it’s willing to stand behind them, even if it means having to dole out a refund to anyone who claims dissatisfaction. A guarantee not only shows confidence in what you have to offer, it’s a powerful demonstration of good faith, a great way of telling those on the other side of the table that there's no way you'll be happy unless they're more than happy with their purchase. Do…

16Dec 2012 by Bob Cargill

The Picture of New Marketing — The Tablet Computer

Business, Marketing, Social Media

I did it. I got a tablet. I had been thinking of getting one of these small, mobile, touchscreen computing devices for a long time until I finally bought one last month -- on Black Friday, of course -- at Best Buy in Marlborough, MA. I have to admit I haven't exactly broken it in yet. I've only used it a couple dozen times or so, mostly for keeping up with the news on Boston.com and checking my email, not nearly enough to have developed a comfortable, regular routine on it. I have big plans for my Kindle Fire HD, though. I see myself using it for social media consulting over coffee, lunch and dinner with clients as well as for reading eBooks, listening to music, watching movies, shopping and other…

26Oct 2012 by Bob Cargill

Presentation: 10 Ways to Succeed as a Copywriter

Advertising, Blogging, Branding, Business, Copywriting, Direct Marketing, Marketing, Social Media

10 Ways to Succeed as a Copywriter from Bob Cargill My first job out of graduate school many years ago was as a copywriter for RCA Direct Marketing in New York City. And the rest, as they say, has been history. Since that first gig writing about popular records (yes, vinyl) and tapes (cassettes and eight-tracks, to be specific), I've written about an incalculable number of other products and services, from business cards to books, healthcare to software, magazines to music, travel to tuxedos and more. I've also written direct response fundraising copy for dozens of charitable organizations -- which, by the way, has been some of the most satisfying work I've done over the course of my career so far. I may have worked for a number of different companies, developed new…

30Sep 2012 by Bob Cargill

Presentation: 10 Ways to Succeed in Social Media

Business, Facebook, LinkedIn, Marketing, Media, Public Relations, Social Media, Twitter, YouTube

I've said it before and I'll say it again... Social media isn’t rocket science, but it is a big departure for businesses, nonprofit organizations, brands and institutions that have been historically dependent on traditional methods of communicating with their constituents. So to help educate those who are new to using blogs, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and the like for marketing, advertising, PR, publishing and networking purposes, here's a new presentation of mine based on a list of 10 ways to succeed in social media that I originally wrote and published as a series of blog posts. I invite you to view, download and share this presentation with your friends, colleagues and industry peers. And if you know anyone who might be interested in learning more about social media, I'm always…