Business Archives - Page 12 of 13

07May 2012 by Bob Cargill

The Picture of New Marketing — Redbox

Advertising, Branding, Business, Marketing

Netflix. Amazon Instant Video. Blockbuster @Home. The Apple iTunes Store. On demand from Verizon, Xfinity, Comcast or another cable TV provider.... I don't know where you rent your movies, but my wife, Barbara, and I are huge fans of Redbox. We love both the convenience and affordability (only $1.20 per day) of renting movies via the big, bright, candy apple red kiosks, of which there are two in Sudbury (MA), the town in which we live, at the Shaw's and Sudbury Farms supermarkets. Redbox. Brilliant business model. Great branding. And, if you ask me, the picture of new marketing. So...where do you rent your movies? And why? Please don't hesitate to join the conversation by leaving a comment below. Thanks. To learn more about Redbox, click here.

22Apr 2012 by Bob Cargill

My Blog Post on Video Series: 10 Ways to Succeed as a Copywriter

Advertising, Blogging, Branding, Business, Copywriting, Direct Marketing, Fundraising, Marketing, Public Relations, Social Media, Twitter, YouTube

If you're a content creator like me, someone who goes to great lengths to share your own knowledge and opinions via social media, you know how important it is to get the most mileage out of your original work. Frankly, I’m always thinking of new ways to leverage and repurpose my efforts. So as I was writing the posts in my “10 Ways to Succeed as a Copywriter" series, I’ll admit that I was thinking all along that they might lend themselves quite well to video. After all, I had already turned a number of blog posts into short clips that I had uploaded to YouTube, each of which featured me talking straight into the camera from a variety of different locations. I envisioned this series to be no different. What…

04Apr 2012 by Bob Cargill

Talking about Social Media at the Sudbury Social Tweetup

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

I was very happy to co-host -- along with Phil Hollows -- the eighth Sudbury Social Tweetup last week. Phil and I started this series of networking events for people who are interested in social media in July of 2011, not really knowing what to expect. How many people would we attract? How often would we meet? What about an agenda? These were just a few of the questions we had at the time. But we're now more than up and running, hosting a gathering of about 10-15 people on the last Thursday of each month from 6-8 PM at Bistro 20 in Sudbury, Massachusetts. At the March 29 Tweetup, Ashley Hin treated the group to a fabulous presentation about Foursquare. And I had the opportunity to ask four of those…

27Mar 2012 by Bob Cargill

Hashtags in Advertising and Marketing

Advertising, Business, Direct Marketing, Marketing, Social Media, Twitter

This post was initially published on BostInno on March 21, 2012. To read the original post there, click here. Advertising and marketing pros know how important it is to engage their constituents and entice them to take action. One way or another, it’s up to them to convince those on the receiving end of their messages to pick up the phone, mail in an order form, cut out a coupon, click on a link, visit a website, download an offer, attend an event or respond in some other way, shape or form… such as saying something on Twitter about their products and services. That’s right. Many brands are now going out of their way to get people to talk about them in 140 characters or less. And one way they’re doing…

22Mar 2012 by Bob Cargill

Confessions of an Aspiring Social Media Superhero, Part Two

Blogging, Business, Facebook, LinkedIn, Marketing, Social Media, Twitter

This is second and final installment of "Confessions of an Aspiring Social Media Superhero." Part One of my Q & A with Joe Kyle was published on this blog yesterday... [caption id="attachment_2218" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Joe Kyle, Aspiring Social Media Superstar"][/caption] I met Joe Kyle for the first time in September of last year. After talking about social media over lunch, we agreed to stay in touch and provide assistance to one another when the opportunity arose. I asked Joe a few questions recently about social media, marketing and his ambitions at this juncture in his career. Here's the second part of our Q & A... Bob: What do you think are some of the biggest benefits of using social media? Joe: Well, it’s the fastest form of media we have.…

21Mar 2012 by Bob Cargill

Confessions of an Aspiring Social Media Superhero, Part One

Blogging, Business, Facebook, LinkedIn, Marketing, Social Media, Twitter

Rare is the day that I'm not approached by friends, colleagues or even complete strangers with questions about social media. Joe Kyle was the latter. Introduced to me last September by a mutual friend, Joe was between jobs and determined to learn everything he could about Twitter, Facebook, blogs and the like. I was more than happy to oblige his request to pick my brain. I enjoy meeting new people and being asked to provide assistance. I'm always glad to help. Over lunch at Panera Bread in Waltham, MA, Joe and I hit it off from the get-go, going on and on about his career goals, the business world and our shared passion for the latest online communications and marketing tools, technologies and tactics. Among other things, what impressed me…

29Jan 2012 by Bob Cargill

Twitter for Business in Five Easy Steps

Business, Direct Marketing, Marketing, Social Media, Twitter

When Phil Hollows and I met for the first time over a cup of coffee in June of last year, little did we know that it would be just one of many conversations about social media that we'd be having on a regular basis. The difference between that initial meeting between us and every other since is that many others who share an interest in Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, blogs and the like have joined us for what we call the Sudbury Social Tweetup. At our most recent Tweetup last Thursday night at Bistro 20 in Sudbury, I had the opportunity to speak to the group about "Twitter for Business in Five Easy Steps," including... 1. Find and Be Found 2. Use a Good Dashboard like TweetDeck 3. Engage Your…

15Jan 2012 by Bob Cargill

A Few Words with Vistaprint’s Jeff Esposito (@jeffespo)

Blogging, Business, Direct Marketing, Facebook, Marketing, Public Relations, Social Media, Twitter

When I was asked to host a Tweetup at the New England Direct Marketing Association’s annual holiday party last month at Tavern in the Square in Porter Square (Cambridge, MA), I knew right away who I wanted to have on the program. [caption id="attachment_2152" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Victoria Smith"][/caption] For entertainment, I turned to Victoria Smith, a very talented singer and songwriter, who put on a fabulous show for us. As for the educational piece, I asked my friend and former colleague, Jeff Esposito, to permit me to interview him about his experience with social media as a public relations manager at Vistaprint. Jeff is one the most prolific people I know in social media, having tweeted over 48,500 times to date, not to mention all the blog posts he writes and videos he records.…

18Sep 2011 by Bob Cargill

Ten Tips for Hosting a Successful Tweetup

Blogging, Business, Facebook, LinkedIn, Marketing, Social Media, Twitter

This post was initially published on BostInnovation on September 14, 2011. To read the original post there, click here. There’s a palpable camaraderie among most people who use social media, a strong sense that we’re all in this together and out for the same things — new friendships, opportunities and experiences. Unfailingly, we jump onto Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube and our own blogs to listen and learn, chat and connect, educate and entertain, inform and inspire, publicize and promote. Sure, you see a fair share of debate and dissent in social media. It’s not always sunshine and roses. But more often than not, you see a rousing demonstration of mutual respect and quid pro quo, the golden rule being put into practice. That’s what I like about social media. More often…

Category: Business