techies still use paper & pens!

@ #nscm last week, I was so happy to see that the tech savvy Kristin Rohan @kristinrohan and my Wordpress master Tony Cosentino @justbecos actually use a notebook and pen as well as their funky little gadgets!!

That’s Tony’s moleskin in the background!

There’s nothing like bits of appers and intersting info re-discovered as you flick thru your book!!

Kristin’s printed satin notebook is choc-filled with papers, mementos, cards, ideas and musings!

Tony with notebook at the ready

Long live Paper!!

See and download the full gallery on posterous

Posted via email from Paper Magnolia

Social Media 101 - Part 3

Have you read Social Media 101 - Part 1 & Part 2? This post will make more sense if you have.
1. http://magnoliasolutions.blogspot.com/2009/10/social-media-101-part-1.html
2. http://magnoliasolutions.blogspot.com/2009/10/social-media-101-part-2.html

We have covered; What is Social Media and Networking sites MySpace & Facebook.

Twitter (www.twitter.com) is the social media of the moment, despite starting in 2006. Twitter asks users to answer “What are you doing right now?” in 140 characters or less. It is, in essence, a status update or a micro blog.

Like other social media sites, Twitter users are encouraged to connect and interact to build relationship and communications. ‘Twibes’, a wordplay on Tribes, are people with common interests. Connecting with members in your Twibe of interest ensures you get the most from your interactions and make better quality connections.

At the moment, on the Twibe site (www.twibes.com), there are:
o 21 ‘Retail’ Twibes
o 40 ‘Sales’ Twibes
o 19 ‘Customer’ Twibes
o 29 ‘Gift’ Twibes
o 35 ‘Shopping’ Twibes
o 40 ‘Shop’ Twibes

That is 184 Twibes that you as a Gift Retailer can interact with immediately. Once you find a Twibe you would like to join, you simply hit the button and enter your Twitter account and password (the first time only) and the information is automatically attached to your account.

It is important to make your ‘Tweets’ interesting and relevant.

Although Twitter is mainly text based you can upload photos to sites such as Twitpic (www.twitpic.com) and write a comment which will automatically update your Twitter status (too easy!). If you have more than one photo per topic then it is best to upload on your site, Facebook or blog and then Tweet about that via a link.

Twitter retail store application:

· Update Stock just in or on its way (create excitement)
· Communicate instore promotions
· Create ‘Spot Special’ excitement – clear stock that is not moving at what is normally a quiet time
· Interesting stories your have read online
· Interesting magazine articles
· Keep emphasising the thing that makes your store different
· Connect with complimentary businesses to promote your business
· Connect with suppliers, customers and other local businesses
· Connect with relevant Twibes

The Social Media landscape should be a little clearer for you now, next up: Blogging!

Social Media 101 - Part 2

Have you read Social Media 101? This post will make more sense if you have. http://magnoliasolutions.blogspot.com/2009/10/social-media-101-part-1.html

To understand where we are now, let’s look back a few years.

My Space (www.myspace.com) was launched in 2003 and quickly became ‘the’ must-join site. It predominantly engaged and was used by Gen Y, artists and musicians. It was easy to dismiss as it did not have an obvious business application, even though it did launch many bands and artists worldwide. It connected them directly with their market and encouraged direct interaction. For the first time, people could have a ‘personal’ interaction with their favourite artists, as well as other people that spanned time zones, countries and demographics.

My Space challenged Gen X and older. We did not share our personal information with perfect strangers! We were more private and did not see a place for this social site in our lives.

Facebook (www.facebook.com) quickly followed and was not as easy to dismiss or ignore. Initially, developed in 2004, as a ‘keep in touch’ tool for Harvard graduates, Facebook quickly spread around the world and across many generations. It allows users to have their own FREE mini-website and a voice. Users set up their page, invite people to connect with them and share information, photos, music and videos. It was the photo application that was quickly adopted by users and lead to Facebook’s incredibly rapid adoption among the not so tech-savvy public.

Facebook Applications were added to extend the interactions on the site. There are over 35 000 applications on the site, ranging from surveys, quizzes, petitions, fortune telling & real time chess! In addition to a personal page, Facebook allows business pages, blogging, advertising, creation of group and events. All of these tools/applications can be used to promote your business and develop a close relationship and interaction with current and new customers.

Pages can be public, so that anyone can view them, or private, where connections are made by invitation only. Generally, personal pages are private and people must request or be invited to connect. Business Pages and Events are generally open and can be followed at the click of a button.

Facebook users can post regular status updates, comment about information on friends’ pages or join a conversation on public interest pages. The choice is endless, the result is a closer immediate interaction. The beauty of Facebook is the ability to use images and text to make it more interesting.

Facebook retail store application:

· you can create a page for your store
· link to your website, blog, twitter
· provide store location & contact details
· update your status daily with: new stock in store, sale information, product information, funny short stories, nice customer interactions, website updates, loyalty program information etc
· upload pictures of your product lines
· invite customers to upload pictures with your products or experiences
· ask questions and engage your customers (Discussions tab)
· provide reviews / testimonials of past sales (Reviews tab)
· add a calendar of in-store events to your page so customers know what is coming then review it and upload photos after the fact
· remember to promote your Facebook page instore on your information and on your website and other media

Next, we'll cover Twitter & Blogging....

Subsequent posts:
Social Media - Part 3. http://magnoliasolutions.blogspot.com/2009/10/social-media-101-part-3.html

Social Media 101 - Part 1

The way we communicate, promote and brand our business has changed forever with the emergence of Social Media. The old rules are obsolete and now is the time to embrace the new media and take full advantage of the new communication age. In an increasingly competitive market, retailers need to stand out from the crowd and increase their profile online and offline.

Retailers have a great opportunity to connect with current customers and find new customers at a low cost without technical/programming skills.

Over the last few months I have fully immersed myself in Social Media, predominantly Facebook, Twitter & Blogging. The results have pleasantly surprised me! I knew that there was a strong online community but being a part of these conversations and building relationships has enriched my business and me personally.

I have received many queries and questions from retailers and thought this article was a great opportunity to at least introduce the concept, demystify the media and encourage innovative entrepreneurial retailers to get started (or seek help starting!). I have included theory and practical application to help you start creating your Social Media strategy.

Wikipedia defines Social Media as:

“Social media are media designed to be disseminated through social interaction, created using highly accessible and scalable publishing techniques. Social media supports the human need for social interaction, using Internet- and web-based technologies to transform broadcast media monologues (one to many) into social media dialogues (many to many). It supports the democratization of knowledge and information, transforming people from content consumers into content producers.”

The objective of a Social Media presence is to:
· establish your business as an authority in your field, be the ‘go-to’ store
· communicate with current customers
· reach out, find and connect with new customers who may be out of your local area (or country)
· create excitement about your brand
· increase your online profile and consumer awareness
· encourage regular contact with your market
· customise communications to suit different groups of customers

There is a lot to cover so I will break this article up over 4 posts...sit back, relax & enjoy...

Subsequent posts:
Social Media - Part 2. http://magnoliasolutions.blogspot.com/2009/10/social-media-101-part-2.html
Social Media - Part 3. http://magnoliasolutions.blogspot.com/2009/10/social-media-101-part-3.html