08Nov 2013 by Bob Cargill

Do You Thank Your Customers Enough?

Branding, Business, Marketing, Public Relations
As a longtime Boston Red Sox fan, I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed the 2013 Major League Baseball season. After all, my beloved Red Sox not only became the 11th team in history to go from worst to first in the division the very next season, they won their eighth World Series title, defeating the St. Louis Cardinals in a riveting, unforgettable six-game duel for the ages. Not to mention the fact that I was there to see the historic series-clinching game in person with my brother, Tom, at Fenway Park last Wednesday night. Talk about unforgettable memories. But as closely as I was paying attention to the Fall Classic this year, there was something else that stood out to me while I was glued to the TV…
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13Oct 2013 by Bob Cargill

How to Use TweetDeck to Schedule Tweets and Monitor What’s Important to You

Business, Marketing, New England Direct Marketing Association, Social Media, Twitter
I was happy and honored to speak recently at the New England Direct Marketing Association’s Marketing Technology Summit. Moderating a discussion on the “Tools and Technologies for Social Media Success,” I was fortunate to have Jamie Pappas, Director of Brand Communications and Social Media at Akamai Technologies, and Eric Andersen, Senior I/T Architect at IBM Interactive, alongside me. My topic was how to use TweetDeck to schedule tweets as well as to monitor lists, hashtags and individual accounts. I’ve been using TweetDeck for a long time to keep up with the activities of others on Twitter and maintain my own steady presence on the channel. It’s a tool I rely on day in and day out to communicate with my followers and listen carefully to those whose tweets I just can’t miss. One tactic…
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28Sep 2013 by Bob Cargill

A Sign of Smart Marketing

Advertising, Branding, Business, Marketing
I haven’t gotten my flu shot yet this year, so this sign certainly caught my attention, but not just because it seems way too early in the season to be worrying about coming down with the dreaded influenza. The marketer in me thought it was such a great idea to offer those who get their flu shot at this CVS/pharmacy on Brighton Avenue in Allston a 20% Off Shopping Pass. After all, people who come into the store to get vaccinated aren’t necessarily thinking about meandering up and down the aisles. But if you give them that discount along with the needle, they’re certainly more likely to buy a thing or two on their way out the door. It’s a good deal for the customer and a great strategy by CVS. It’s…
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01Sep 2013 by Bob Cargill

What Brand Apps Can Learn from RunKeeper

Apps, Branding, Business, Marketing, Social Media
At a recent networking event, I was talking to someone I hadn’t seen in a while about how great it is to keep up with each other through Facebook. I enjoyed the conversation, except for a remark he made about the fact that I share so much about my running regimen via RunKeeper, a very cool app that not only makes it easy to track your runs and other fitness activities, but distribute the details to your friends. “What’s with you and RunKeeper? Do I really care how many miles you’ve run?” Those weren’t his exact words. But that’s what I heard. The impression he gave me was that he could care less about something that means so much to me. Ouch. The truth is, though, everybody else in my social…
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03Aug 2013 by Bob Cargill

What You Can Learn from Klout

Business, Marketing, Social Media
Most people who use social media for professional reasons have heard of Klout, a service that uses a unique set of analytics to rank its users in terms of their online “influence.” To have heard of it doesn’t mean to like it, though. Klout has plenty of detractors, those who either question the algorithm it uses for measurement or who simply disapprove of a third party taking the liberty of ascribing a number to their social media status. So yes, Klout has its critics. But don’t count me among them. I’m one of its fans. A Klout score may not be the be-all and end-all of what it means to succeed in social media, but if you ask me, it’s a great gauge on how you’re doing there. Launched in 2008,…
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14Jul 2013 by Bob Cargill

10 Reasons Why People Engage with Brands on Twitter

Branding, Business, Marketing, Social Media, Twitter
Today, many marketers, brands and celebrities are using Twitter to engage with their customers, prospects and fans. Yet while some of them have already experienced tremendous success in this arena, others still haven’t found the sweet spot that lies between self-promotion and making real-time, meaningful connections with their followers in this channel. The fact is that there countless reasons why people follow — and engage with — accounts other than their friends’ and colleagues’ on Twitter. In this survey of more than 1,000 consumers in Australia, more than half were interested in discounts or offers and exactly one third were looking for specific product and service information directly from the brand. Those are two good reasons for brands to have an active presence on Twitter. After all, followers are sometimes customers, prospects…
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02Jun 2013 by Bob Cargill

Workshop: How to Use Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook

Business, Facebook, LinkedIn, Social Media, Twitter
Given how common it is today for businesses and brands to use social media, more people than ever not only want, but need to know the ins and outs of Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and the like. It’s true. No longer is it optional to have knowledge and skills in this area. It’s mandatory. As someone who’s been immersed in social media from the get-go, I can’t tell you how happy I am to see these new digital communication channels and tools being used so much by both individuals and professional organizations today. After all, we’re talking about a revolutionary, new way of interacting with others online, a method of messaging and marketing that is nothing short of transformational. The benefits of using social media are innumerable, including the following… •…
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06May 2013 by Bob Cargill

My Upcoming Panel Discussion on Social Media at the NEDMA Conference

Blogging, Business, Direct Marketing, Marketing, Social Media, Twitter
I can’t tell you how excited I am to be speaking at the New England Direct Marketing Association conference next week (May 15 at Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts). After all, I get a kick out of being in front of an audience, sharing what I know about a particular topic or issue with people who are genuinely interested in what I have to say. It’s a big thrill for me, an extremely rewarding experience that I always enjoy. [caption id="attachment_4690" align="alignright" width="145"] Craig Blake[/caption] This time around, I’ll be moderating a panel discussion on social media. In addition to the short presentation I’ll be giving on how and why to create lists on Twitter, those in the audience will hear from Craig Blake (Director of Business Development at SourceLink), Myles Bristowe…
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07Apr 2013 by Bob Cargill

Four Questions for Ashley Hin about Social Media

Business, Facebook, Marketing, Social Media, Sudbury, Twitter
[caption id="attachment_4626" align="alignright" width="300"] Ashley Hin[/caption] As co-founder and co-host of the Sudbury Social Tweetup, a networking group for those interested in learning more about social media and marketing, I've had the opportunity to meet some very smart people, many of whom have become mentors, sounding boards and really good friends. Ashley Hin is one of them. Blessed with an incredibly upbeat personality, Ashley is someone I've looked up to her for her creative thinking, open mindedness, high energy and free spirit since the first time I met her. She's quite the trooper, too, as she travels all the way from Manchester, New Hampshire to join our group in Sudbury to talk shop and have fun. Thanks, Ashley, for being such a valuable contributor to the Sudbury Social Tweetup and…
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