Archive for October, 2011
By Guest Author
This is a guest post by Geri Butner. Follow her on Twitter at @geributner.
Last night, I had the opportunity to attend the Millennial Branding Speaker Spotlight Series at Back Bay Social Club, featuring Rue La La executives Stacey Santo and Colin Hynes. One glass of cabernet and a few business card exchanges into the event, I crowded to the center of the room to listen to Stacey and Colin address important questions about their invite-only marketing, social media and business strategy. In between eyeing all of the stylish outfits the ladies (who made up about 93% of attendees) were wearing, I managed to take away a few interesting points from their talk.
Invite-only Marketing
I really liked how Stacey and Colin framed the reasoning behind their invite-only marketing technique. Rue La La doesn’t require a paid membership, but you do have to be invited by a friend to shop their site, which has been interpreted by some as being too exclusive. The whole point of this strategy, however, isn’t to exclude anyone, but to provide free access in a way that mirrors the real world – through who you know.
One reason why Rue La La is so successful as a shopping destination is that they understand their consumers enough to be able to simplify their consumer decisions, and in order to do this well, it’s important to maintain a “friend-of-a-friend” network. Imagine you’re throwing an event that you really want the attendees to enjoy. Do you invite every one of your Facebook friends, or do you invite the people you know and ask them to bring a friend? It makes sense to choose the latter.
Social Media
Stacey and Colin pointed out that social media isn’t an add-on for their business, it is their business. While they use Twitter and Facebook, the company itself is social media by way of social shopping. They understand that in order to stay on top of their business, they have to engage and respond to customers as quickly as possible. After all, if a company isn’t being transparent and authentic in a timely manner, then someone else will be for them. “Social media is as authentic as it gets.”
One person from the audience asked about ROI for social media, and they responded that when you have clear, defined objectives, the measurement is easy to evaluate. Ultimately, though, you just have to have faith and experiment with what works for your business. It’s important not to turn social media into a popularity contest, because the quality of followers and fans is more important than the quantity.
Something that really resonated with me during Stacey and Colin’s speech was that their business is based on trust. Every day at 11 a.m., they tell hundreds of thousands of shoppers not that they need a little black dress, but exactly which little black dress to consider. Rue La La has the power to simplify our decisions and steer our choices. As long as Rue La La continues to build trust in people through social media and friend-of-a-friend networking, people will happily continue to allow it.
What are your thoughts on Rue La La’s business strategy?
October 27th, 2011
By Ben Haber
Last week the Boston Globe officially instituted some major changes to their online properties. Following in the footsteps of The Wall Street Journal and their parent company, The New York Times, the Boston Globe launched a subscription-only site, BostonGlobe.com, which will be available in addition to the already existing and free, Boston.com.
BostonGlobe.com was officially launched in September, but the subscription fee is taking affect this month. To access the content on BostonGlobe.com moving forward, readers must pay $3.99 per week. However, people that already subscribe to the print edition will receive access to BostonGlobe.com without any additional cost.
As you can guess, BostonGlobe.com is designed to mirror the print edition, and according to the press release, it will be the only site to provide access to the full range and depth of the Boston Globe’s journalism, while also offering video, photo galleries and breaking news throughout the day. Another bonus and big selling point for subscribers is that it will also be optimized for reading on a tablet, smartphone and PC.
So what are the differences between Boston.com and BostonGlobe.com? Boston Globe spokesperson Bob Powers explained this in an email to RaceTalk: “We are separating the brands to appeal to different audiences and so the two sites will have major distinctions in content and layout. There will, however, be some shared content. For instance the sports site on Boston.com will contain most of the sports content from BostonGlobe.com. Boston.com will also have five stories per day from the Globe. Boston.com will accent interaction and things to do, but will also be a general news site.”
For the loyal Boston Globe readers that have received the print edition on their doorstep for decades, BostonGlobe.com should convince them the move to digital isn’t bad. With the latest content throughout the day, rich multimedia and sharing options, this site could be reason alone to buy a tablet.
A big question we had following this news is what these change means for Boston Globe employees, who in the summer of 2009 made major concessions to avoid being shutdown by the New York Times Co. (see our interview with Boston Globe reporter Sean P. Murphy). According to Powers, the same newsroom will create the content for both BostonGlobe.com and Boston.com. However, each site will have a separate editor, and the reporters will report to the appropriate editor for each particular story.
Powers also added that there will be separate Twitter handles and Facebook pages for each site, which tells us that the Boston Globe will continue to hold social media in high importance.
What do you think of the Boston Globe’s new subscription-only site? Will you subscribe to BostonGlobe.com?
October 26th, 2011
By Guest Author
This is a guest post by Mandy Miller. Follow her on Twitter @MandyMayM.
Sometimes I find out addiction to technology very repulsive. On that same note, I get uneasy when separated from most devices longer than 10 minutes. Although completely counterintuitive, many question the safety of being so connected. Some surveys have found that adults spend the most on TV at just over four hours a day – this obviously brings concerns of sedentary lifestyles and obesity. In close pursuit, we spend two and a half hours a day (beyond what we do at work) on the Internet – this also brings concerns of a sedentary lifestyle and obesity. When it comes to phones, Business Insider reported smartphone owners are using the ‘phone’ 15 percent of the time, while 56 percent of time is spent on mobile apps, followed by email and messaging at 19 percent. While the numbers aren’t a surprise, new research is suggesting we may not be at a high risk for this cell phone addiction as we once though.
Contrary to other studies evaluating the same topic, a new study in the British Medical Journal says that our excessive amount of time spent with cell phones won’t cause cancer in adults. The Danish study of more than 350,000 people showed that there was no difference in cancer rates between people who had used cell phones for more than a decade and people who hadn’t.
That’s not to say that our addiction to these pieces of electronics isn’t harmful. While not dished out in mass amounts, cell phones do emit radio waves, which are comprised of radio-frequency (RF) energy. This is a form of electromagnetic radiation. That’s somewhat unsettling for most consumers. It’s not like nuclear waste seen on The Simpsons oozing out of a barrel, but this radiation is just as phantom-like as cancer itself. What research suggests happens is this electromagnetic radiation is flowing into our brain tissue, possibly causing brain tumors.
While the study has received mixed reviews, one of the remaining questions is “How does this affect kids?” Naturally, as a child’s body is developing, his skull is naturally thinner and cannot block radiation as easily. Some suggest that children are still at a higher risk through being exposed to this radiation at a young age.
Regardless of what is reality and as much as we would like to say we could ‘quit,’ we can’t. There’s no patch for this addition. The fact is, there is radiation and there are some things you can do to limit your exposure to it. If anything, use the mass hysteria as an excuse to disconnect from your device.
1. Don’t sleep with your phone.
I think the majority of PR pros are guilty of this. I know I am. I leave my phone on my night stand. There, it jacks out plenty of radiation over night. Even if you use your phone as an alarm, you can turn your phone to ‘Airplane Mode.’ Not only will the phone not emit a signal, it will still wake you up, bright and early (yes, exciting). Plus, you’ll probably get better sleep because your phone isn’t going off every few minutes. Even if you are working with global teams, it’s a good idea to disconnect. For one, it’s call ‘eight hours of sleep’ for a reason. Sleep – don’t work!
2. Keep it from the kids.
It’s so cute they know how to work one better than you, isn’t it? Well, lay down the law and pull the plastic from their hands. As noted above, their cute craniums can’t ward off the radiation the way an adult skull can. Whether you’re a parent or have little kiddos running around, use the time to build their social skills and interact with them. They’ll have plenty of time to use cell phones in the future.
3. Text talk and email.
Very few cell phone plans come without a big texting or data package and as PR pros, we constantly have the connection to the internet. While it’s not the same as a voice conversation, texting and emailing can limit your exposure as the cell phone is further away from your body. The further the device is from your body, the better off you are. Even if you want to type quick emails, you can set your device to read something like “Sent from my phone – please excuse any typos.” The instant disclaimer helps out with that auto-correct or shorthand. This is also very beneficial if you’re breaking up with someone as you don’t have to talk to them – bonus!
4. Kick it old school or new age.
If you’re expecting a really long call (i.e. your family), try a different connection, quite literally. Although the age (and budget) of a landline is quickly closing, using a landline limits your exposure. Who knows, maybe you’ll get chosen to be in one of those annoying Vonage commercials! If that’s out of the question, try connecting up on Skype. Switch from one device to another and get the added experience of being able to see someone’s face while you talk. Many businesses use this for meetings as you can view your entire team while meeting.
5. Ditch it.
As much as it kills me for the first five minutes or so, it’s quite lovely to ditch the device all together, especially if your phone is connected to email. If you’re a gym addict like me, it’s a perfect time to turn off. Most gyms are cracking down on the use of cell phones while using machines, but take the time (and excuse) to disconnect. Obviously, a planned separation from your device also limits exposure to radiation.
In an age where it seems life and work is constantly connected to the internet, do you have any additional tips on ditching the electronics?
October 25th, 2011
By Taylor Pepe
It’s fall and that means a few things: Most notably, Spandex.
Almost as recognizable as the changing leaves, the shift from Bruce Jenner-length short shorts to full-on spandex happens quickly. It’s a wonder of nature really. However, sometimes the run can be cold, and when that happens, it’s always beneficial to have a little extra body heat. Thankfully, someone has figured out what to do.
Presenting JoggingBuddy, a new-ish website which helps you find the jogging partner of your dreams, now available in Boston.
Despite its interesting layout, it’s worth noting one major point: this is not a dating website. The purpose here is to help you find a running partner. However, if your new found buddy happens to have amazing flow and looks great sporting running shoes, than best of luck to you.
How this works: once you’ve stretched out those hammies, log onto the JoggingBuddy.com. Once there you’ll create a profile, upload a picture (preferably the one of you out-sprinting the Boston Marathon champion), and enter the zip code of where you’ll be recreating the beach scene from Chariots of Fire (music optional, but encouraged).
Now that you’re profile is updated on the site, you can scroll through pages and pages of runners in the hopes of finding your ideal match. Once you’ve found that special someone, it’s as simple as connecting and scheduling a time to meet up for a jog (and potential cool down over a bottle of wine).
And one of the coolest features of this site is that it’s international, meaning you can connect with running buddies when you travel to your winter home in Spain.
Remember, a cool-down in most European countries involves some form of clubbing.
October 21st, 2011
By Taylor Pepe
Nowadays, we’re always connected. We connect to our friends, our families, and even work over a variety of channels. One of the most utilized means is by phone. It seems everyone these days has a cell phone, and a lot of companies are taking note. So today, we ask you, does your company use mobile communication to stay in touch? Take our quick survey and let us know!
October 20th, 2011
By Brittany Falconer
Last night I had the pleasure of attending the Publicity Club of New England’s first panel event of the 2011-2012 season, “Blogger Relations for PR Pros,” or, as many referred to it, “Meet the Bloggers.” Panelists Rachel Leah Blumenthal (food and arts blogger for CBS Boston), Greg Gomer (managing editor for BostInnovation), Jason Keith (SMB blogger for Boston.com) and Dianna Huff (B2B Web Marketing Expert for DH Communications, Inc.) were kind enough to discuss best tips when pitching bloggers, the importance of forming relationships, how to recognize a blog versus an online publication, and, perhaps most popularly, some general “pet peeves” bloggers tend to have based on their experience working with PR pros. Moderator Kristin Allaben wasted no time with fluff questions; following introductions, she unleashed the audience inquiries. Some highlights, below.
Biggest PR pet peeve for bloggers
If I had to sum it up in two words, I definitely would has said “untargeted pitches.” Everyone on the panel agreed on this issue, pointing out that if offenders actually read their blogs, they would realize just how unrelated their pitches were. Huff went so far as to print out several bad pitches she received in the last week (it made for an enlightening visual), adding, “Know my name, read my blog and keep it short.” She was met with no dissent from her fellow panelists.
Keith also advised against sending only a press release, warning that 99 percent of those Emails do not get read. From that point, the conversation about Don’ts shifted to the topic of Dos. Blumenthal and Gomer chatted about how much more interesting pitches are when they were accompanied by multimedia content – especially videos – considering that it takes less time to watch a quick video than it does to sift through a lengthy press release. In addition, our panelists asked us to read our pitches before we send them (earth-shattering concept, I know): did we find them interesting? If not, then how could we possibly expect our target bloggers to find it coverage-worthy?
Pitching and follow-up methodology
“Be persistent.” Seventy-five percent of the panelists have day jobs, and they noted that sometimes they just don’t get to all their Emails at the end of the day. Even Gomer, who has no excuse to not respond to every pitch immediately (kidding…), encouraged attendees to keep following up if they truly believed in their pitch (see the above on reading your own story idea). Gomer also encouraged personality in a pitch to connect with the blogger. Answer the questions “Who are you?” “How did you find me?” “Why would my readers care about what you have to say?”
When asked about the phone, the panelists all but rained fire upon the audience. Keith went so far as to say that the phone has since passed its prime. The other two panelists with day-jobs reminded us that they can’t take personal calls at work, anyway. Gomer then quipped “But if I’m calling you, you had better pick up.” Rather than track down a phone number, the bloggers said they’d be more keen to reading comments on their posts. “It’s a good way to get in front of us and be relevant at the same time,” he added.
Embargoes? “Bloggers don’t even know what they are,” warned Blumenthal. Keith had a different approach.
“Only use embargos as a Trojan to get coverage — then tell your client you’re brilliant.”
When it comes to thank-yous, they were generally discouraged unless they served to highlight some positive outcome from the story.
Connecting
LinkedIn and Twitter: “Yes.” Facebook: “No.” Google+: crickets, followed by “Mildly creepy.” I think the reasons here are self-explanatory, so I won’t waste your time further on that one.
My takeaway from the panel was that in principle, bloggers should be treated similarly to traditional media reporters. In real life, bloggers are “superhuman” (suggested Keith) people with day jobs and even less time for redundancy or untargeted Email blasts. At the same time, when you aren’t targeting the TechCrunches and the Mashables, you actually have more leeway with bloggers who actually have time to read your comments and to connect with you that way.
What are some of your blog-pitching tips and lessons learned?
October 20th, 2011
By Taylor Pepe
When people think athletic prowess, they think of you.
Your drive: unmatched. Your three-pointers: legendary. Your choke-slam: forceful. Your grace during competiton has been compared to an elephant emerging from a river. But, despite your Adonis-like athleticism, sometimes you need a little edge to truly stay on top of your game.
It’s a shame you dropped your phone while hang-gliding over the Rockies and lost all of your fellow athletes’ numbers. However, instead of going through the hassle of contacting each one of them, you can now get all of their sage advice in app form.
Check out Get in the Game, a new iPhone app that shows video demonstrations by your favorite athletes.
Say for your company’s winter outing, your boss has reserved the frog pond for you and your team to do a little ice skating. Never the one to turn down a competitive outing, you’ve come prepared. You’ve got your skates, hand warmers, and Johny Weir sparkly onesie. What you don’t have is a gold winning triple lutz yet.
Problem? Not so much. Here’s what you do: pull up the site, download the app and select Kristi Yamaguchi as your demo coach. Watch a few of her videos, and if you like the instruction you’re getting, download all of her coaching videos, which take you through proper warm-ups, stretching, skating technique, and most importantly how to stick that killer landing for only $4.99 (much cheaper than the HGH you were talking about).
And since every day is a “gold-medal” type of day, you’ll be happy to note that they have coaching experts for softball (Jenni Finch), tennis (Andy Roddick), football (Jerry Rice), and even wrestling (Hulk Hogan).
Your office looks forward to your bandana and matching boa.
October 13th, 2011
By Ben Haber
On Sunday the Boston Globe published an in-depth article about Whitey Bulger, Catherine Greig, and their life on the run. The second paragraph of this story names the person that tipped the FBI on Bulger and Greig’s whereabouts, which has received - and deserves - criticism. The Boston Globe defended these actions on Tuesday in an editorial, claiming that the name of the tipster was included because the editors were confident that Bulger and Greig already knew who the woman was, and therefore her identity was no longer a secret.
Regardless of what the Globe’s editors believe to be true, it is irresponsible to print a person’s name who could be in serious danger. It is one thing for Bulger and Greig to “probably” know who turned them in – but for the entire world to know – with many people that likely still feel a connection to Bulger – it puts this women’s life in serious risk.
I should also be clear that in no way am I against freedom of the press. But when it comes to risking the safety and security of an innocent person in order to provide details that are unnecessary and not vital to information being shared, details can be held back. I know that I would be perfectly fine not knowing this woman’s name, and I believe the rest of the world would agree with that statement.
October 12th, 2011
By Ben Haber
This is a guest post by Alvina Lopez, a freelance writer and blog junkie, who blogs about accredited online colleges. She welcomes comments via email at alvina.lopez@gmail.com.
It’s a self-evident truth that every website has written content in one form or another. Unfortunately, the universal nature of written web content means that the quality of that content varies from site to site. For every website covering one particular subject, there exists dozens of imitators whose content ranges from illegible to near-literary. How do we wind up with such a wide array of written content? It depends on the webmasters and bloggers and how they approach the writing on their sites. Some people just can’t write well, and those who don’t recognize it choose to generate their own written content at their own peril. If you spend the majority of your time in another arena related to your website and/or business (marketing, web development, design, etc.), you’re likely to be better off hiring a professional to tackle the writing featured on your site. Not quite convinced? Here are some more points to consider.
Outsource Detailed Work to People More Qualified
To expand on the point above, hiring freelancers optimizes the workload for everyone involved. Freelancers are hired to write attractive and engaging content, leaving you (the webmaster, the CEO, the salesperson, etc.) free to do what you do best. There’s no shame in outsourcing work to people more qualified—in fact, it’s better business. Your content might not be “in-house,” but it will likely convey information more effectively than if you tried your hand at the task, and that’s all that really matters. With the writing task in someone else’s capable hands, you’re free to invest yourself in your business uninhibited.
Better Writing Attracts Better Business
Freelance writers will (hopefully) generate content that appropriately addresses your target audience, and that’s good for your business. If you’re an inexperienced writer, you run the risk of writing generalizations or mixed messages that could read as sloppy and poorly planned writing. If your business runs primarily through the web, then presenting great content is of critical importance—it’s the most immediate way that you communicate with your customers. It goes without saying that stronger writing increases likelihood that you’ll connect with your readers.
And bear in mind that even though you hire someone else to do your writing, you have the final word on what content is and isn’t acceptable. Through constructive edits and meaningful criticism, you can shape the overall theme of your freelancer’s writing so as to fit the ethos of your website or business.
A Temporary Hire
Perhaps the most appealing aspect of a freelancer is their limited involvement with your enterprise, particularly if you’re looking to have content written only for your website. There’s no need to burden your payroll with another full hire; simply draft a basic contract with a freelance writer outlining the services required within a specific timeline. If you like a freelancer’s content, don’t balk at their hourly fees: a sizeable one-time sum is a small price to pay for the potentially huge clientele you’ll attract with quality writing that engages your readers. Think of hiring a freelance writer as a long-term investment for your enterprise, one that is likely to yield returns long after you’ve concluded your contract.
October 7th, 2011
By Taylor Pepe
Today’s post will be slightly different than those in previous weeks. After hearing of the death of Steve Jobs, I couldn’t imagine writing about ridiculous applications that appear on devices he was responsible for bringing to life without discussing the man behind the products. Mr. Jobs is responsible for so many good things, but one question has been on my mind since I heard of his passing: what will his legacy be? Years from now, when children study this day and age, the same way we studied the Renaissance, will Steve Jobs’ name be synonymous with the great innovators of history?
Da Vinci, Edison, Tesla, Jobs. It looks funny adding Steve Jobs’ name to that list, but, look at the technologies he helped create: iPods, MacBooks, personal computers, iPhones, and iPads. There was a time once when we couldn’t bring all of our music with us. There was a time when we couldn’t browse the internet while sitting in the bathroom, and there was a time when we couldn’t carry computers around in our pockets and then make phone calls from them. Even if you weren’t an Apple fan or thought Steve Jobs was any good, you still have to admit that he was the greatest technology user of this generation.
Steve Jobs, like so many people, tried and failed. When he left Apple to run NeXT, the ultra high-end computer company, he didn’t succeed. He returned to Apple with a new vision, and we all know the story from there. I believe this is where he begins to distinguish himself as one of the great innovators of all time. One common trait amongst all of them is their ability to bounce-back after not succeeding. Think of how many devices Da Vinci thought of and attempted to put into motion, but failed at. It happened multiple times. Did he dwell on it? No. Instead he continued to press forward the same way Mr. Jobs did.
Steve Jobs was able to make technology simple for everyone. At what other time in history could 4- to 100 –year-olds simply use the same technology? With the invention and popularity of the iPod, millions could pass on music to each other effortlessly. iPads now make sharing information easier than ever while iPhones make us walking encyclopedias. At no other time in history has a movement like this happened. All of this was possible because of Mr. Jobs’ unrelenting approach to making things easy for users.
So will he be added to the lists of greats? There’s no board that decides these things, and really it comes down to what people think in their minds. Having lived in the time he was inventing, it’s difficult to imagine him as having a long term effect, but years from now, when people are taking his inventions for granted, someone will stop and think, “Wow, people didn’t always have iPads”. When my generation are adults, and we’re listening to classic rap at dinner parties (yes, Biggie Smalls will be a staple at dinner parties in 45 years, if he isn’t already), I believe Steve Jobs will be considered one of the greats. In my mind, he’s already there.
October 6th, 2011
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