Now that 2012 has officially arrived, some of you might be working to open up a new business venture. If you are, you are probably looking into your marketing strategies as well as realizing that you need a website and a presence on social media. Knowing and realizing that ahead of time is really a great advantage because you can plan accordingly. First, it is important that you make your website domain something that is either directly associated with your business entity or your branded products/services. Once you find the available domain name, I highly recommend that you see if those related usernames are available on today’s more popular social media platforms. Additionally, you might want to look into less popular social media networks if they are more aligned with your brand’s target market! I highly urge you to lock in your desired usernames as soon as possible!

But… WHY?

Well, there are a few simple reasons why you should do this sooner rather than later.

1. Better Chance of Getting Your Best Username! With so many businesses out there today, waiting to lock in your desired username is simply too risky if you want to be highly competitive and first in mind of your customers. Plus, if you have yet to incorporate or decide on your business/brand name, it is advantageous to first check to see if your desired (brand’s) name is available on Facebook and Twitter!
2. Improved Chance of Consistency! If you already have username abc123 on Facebook [Pages], it is very advantageous to have username abc123 on Twitter. So, if somebody has liked your Facebook Page but wants to look you up on Twitter, chances are that they will attempt to search with the same username in mind! Have a universal username across various sites simplifies much of your marketing efforts because your customers and target market only need to remember one username versus trying to remember many.
3. Reserved for Future Use! So, maybe you do not think that you need to use a specific platform like foursquare, YouTube, or Twitter right now, but it is a great idea to lock in that username now so that you help put your brand out there. In addition, it will help you build your presence with the username that you desired (as I mentioned above) much quicker when the time is right. Lastly, on networks like YouTube, for example, it tells your viewers when you joined that network, and showing that you joined earlier tends to give you a little added consumer trust and validation than if you just signed up right when you needed the network.
4. Reduce Risk of Cybersquatting! So, you have a brand and are starting to tell people about it. Well, if you do not have a presence online, there could be some people who want to attempt to make a quick buck or two. Sure, cybersquatting is not legal, but some people will still attempt it and try to use loopholes in order to bully you into either buying the domain that you really wanted or the social network profile/page that you should have already locked down long ago. It is best to lock all of that down early on; in many cases, it is best to secure the online entities before you make big marketing pushes using your brand name, etc. Being proactive will save you a lot of headaches!
5. Procrastinating Doesn’t Pay Off! Again, be proactive and lock in your desired usernames! If you wait until tomorrow, you never know what might happen. You might have lost a potential customer or accidentally invited someone else to claim the username(s) that you most desired for your brand or business.

So, take a minute or two while you are forming your business or brainstorming about your brand to check the availability of the usernames that you are thinking about using in the future. Make sure that you align them with your brand and your domain name to better reach customers online!

The foursquare lists feature is one new and great example of how foursquare is allowing you and your brands to share experiences with your friends and followers as well as with the rest of the millions of foursquare users out there. Lists can be short or they can be long; I am unaware of a limit to the number of venues you can add to your lists. Plus, you can always build as you go – meaning that you can build a list today and come back tomorrow to edit and update it. You can add a description, some tips, and some pictures to complete your lists! Here are five great ways to use foursquare lists:

1. Tell your story – So, you went on a vacation or have a story to tell that revolves around check-ins? Well, no matter if you are using this for personal use or on behalf of a brand, building a list of these places can really help engage your friends and followers. Sure, you are not necessarily selling something using this method, but it can really boost your image and encourage your friends and followers to share your story with others. As mentioned before, these lists allow others to follow along and indicate if they have done a list item (ie check-in or tip), and that engagement then shows up on their profile page, thereby spreading your story! If this is your main reason to use lists, I’d highly recommend adding a tip and some pictures to list items! Imagine being a history teacher who wants to teach others about the Civil War ~ a foursquare list or two would allow the teacher to tell his/her story or to share a history lesson of sorts! 4sqLoveStory is in the process of building a list to tell its story, and foursquare has even used lists to tell how foursquare started!

   
   

2. Market a Product or Service – Are you an author or have a product that is offered for sale at a limited number of venues? Well, if so, this might be a great time to build a foursquare list. You can help your fans find your product at a location near them. You have a lot of options here; you could build one large list for all locations within the United States or simply break the list down by region. Again, you know what might suit you the best, so create a list or two to help your fans become customers of your latest product or service. Recently, Mike Schneider and Aaron Strout co-authored the book, Location-Based Marketing for Dummies. To better reach their readers, Mike and his employer (Allen & Gerritsen) created a nice foursquare list of various bookstores where you could pick up a copy of the book. So, if you are in Atlanta and want to physically look at the book before purchasing it (instead of just grabbing it online), this list will help you find which bookstores are supposed to have it in stock for your convenience!

   
   

3. Category Recommendations – Do you have a list of favorite restaurants across the United States or throughout Europe? How about a list of favorite local businesses in your area that you want all of your foursquare friends and even other foursquare users throughout your area check out? Well, foursquare allows you to build this type of list to share with your followers. Tristan Walker, head of business development at foursquare compiled a list of the best restaurant views (ever)!

   
   

4. Showcase Venues – Sometimes, you might just be in a situation wherein you want to showcase a rare venue and/or a rare service/product. Maybe, there is a little hype or buzz about something but finding locations where to get the product or service is merely a bit of a mystery. This is yet another perfect opportunity to build and share a list with the rest of the 10 million plus (and growing) foursquare users out there! Here is an example of how I recently used foursquare lists to showcase my personal rare Godiva hot chocolate hot spots. Quick story: In 2009, I contact Barnes & Noble’s corporate café division in hopes of talking them into bringing back their awesome Godiva hot chocolate or at least make it available for me in my area. After a few phone calls and being connected with a very helpful, understanding, and customer-first district manager, my hot chocolate option became an option for me at some of the nearby Barnes & Noble stores. So, instead of just bragging about this great beverage, I wanted to share with all foursquare users just where they can go to get this item that is not on the menu. Sure, I created tips at these locations, but lists allowed me to bring this all together and conveniently organize it for all to consume!

   

5. Announcing Tours and Events – Are you a band who does not see the true power of foursquare? Or are you an author doing a book signing tour in the near future? Or what about our favorite topic – politics? Are you a politician running for local, state, or federal office? If so, you could use foursquare lists to outline your upcoming tour stops and events.

As you can see, foursquare lists can be a powerful thing. Also, do not forget that there are creative ways to engage your audience through lists. You can friend request those who follow your list and/or engage with them via Twitter and Facebook (when and as appropriate). By creating a list, adding a few tips, and attaching a few photos, you can soon begin to share your personal (or brand) experiences with others! Are there other reasons or ways to use foursquare lists? I’d love to hear your stories! Which foursquare lists do you think are most creative and/or are your favorites?

So, I am sitting on the couch after enjoying some comedy thanks to Comedy Central’s Roast of Charlie Sheen, and I flip the channel only to hear that PETA is planning to build a pornographic site. What? Did my ears hear what I think they just heard? Wow! Apparently, PETA realizes that pornography is still a popular channel for many people in our country, and they are looking to channel that popularity in a way to gain more supporters and the better spread the message (no pun intended). After looking into this surprise a bit more, it appears that PETA is serious about offering a nude site but will not go so far as to add “hardcore” sexual content. Either way, I cannot see how this will help PETA in its cause, so I remain baffled.

Why So Terrible?

PETA is one of those organizations that many either love or hate. In an effort to attract more attention and popularity, it now looks to market a pornographic site, but I highly doubt people will be reading their pet-related content on the site. They claim that they will have animal-focused content in conjunction with the nude vegans, but how many people do they expect to read that content in order for them to consider it a success? Sure, some people read the articles in Playboy magazine, but that is not the case for the majority; even so, Playboy’s article-reading target market (if you can somehow say there is such a target market for Playboy) did not grow overnight. PETA is really treading in dangerous waters with this idea because it puts much of the focus on something not even related to animal rights. Plus, imagine how it will look if one of the nude models on the site is later found to have been an avid meat and non-organic egg eater (non-vegan) and who only took the photo shoot merely for the monetary gains; how will PETA look then? Having somebody who partially or fully stands for the opposite of what your organization represents on your payroll just does not look well. The risk appears to be quite tremendous. Sure, the press will continue to eat this up and give PETA more talking time on network news and attention in online channels like this one, but the focus will be much less on the mission and work of PETA and more on this unexpected publicity stunt. Their “any attention is good attention” approach is not something that works in the long run and will instead bring a negative light on their organization.

Certainly, time will ultimately tell if this prospective PETA campaign will be deemed successful by both their organization (internally) and by the general public. Until then, I encourage you to chime in with your opinion; is this bold move a good one for PETA or merely an act of desperation? Also, let PETA know what you think of their new marketing strategy.

There are skeptics out there who are not willing to take a risk and engage in the world of social media. Some are afraid of change while others simply do not feel that they know enough about it. Then, there are some that know that their competition hasn’t engaged the customers through social media means. All of these are given as reasons for staying away. EXCUSES! But, what these individuals, businesses, brands, and organizations fail to realize is that social media and related Web 2.0 and beyond technologies are great opportunities that can aid their efforts in many different ways. What works for one company, brand, or organization won’t necessarily work for the rest – it is not a universal solution, for, instead, social media and related technologies and marketing efforts should be shaped and tailored to fit the needs and goals of company, brand, or organization. There is no copy and paste; alternatively, proper planning and preparation are needed to reach optimal success. Those rules (the need for planning and preparation) haven’t changed, for only the environment and landscape have changed. Just like football evolved from predominantly a running game to that of a passing game, marketing has evolved from television and newspapers to online media marketing. However, as in the past, the need to preplan and coordinate is just as great if not more so now than ever in the history of marketing. With new options and opportunities comes some added complexity in the marketing mix. But, determination, persistence, and planning will go a long way.

Here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. Who are your customers?
2. Where do your customers frequent online? (Facebook? Twitter? Blogs?)
3. What do you want to communicate to your customers?
4. Are you willing to listen to your customers?

For decades, more and more people have surrounded televisions around the nation and even the world to watch the Super Bowl. In its 44th annual installment on Sunday, more and more companies are looking at ways to do one of two things. One: those shelling out nearly three million dollars per 30-second advertising spot are wanting to maximize their visibility as best as they can. A great example of this is GoDaddy.com and its extended commercials (and conclusions) that are online following the airing of the Super Bowl ad. Two: some large companies are simply forgoing the costly route of producing and broadcasting their advertising messages within the normal Super Bowl channels. An example of this is Pepsi and their sudden departure from Super Bowl commercial placement. After 23 straight Super Bowl appearances, they are throwing all of their Super Bowl marketing budget behind social media! They are wanting to make a bigger difference and appeal in the world, and social media is allowing them greater success through their new Refresh Project.

While we do not know which team on the field is going to walk off with the Lombardi Trophy, one thing is for sure – the real winner will be social media. This illustrates how marketing is going through a paradigm shift of sorts. Mass media channels are simply not the only way to go if you seek national or global brand recognition. We have a new set of tools at our disposal, and some are tinkering with these new tools. Of course, there are a few companies and executives out there that are oblivious to this change that is rapidly fermenting; it is time to jump aboard the Social Media train.

Technology is changing more and more in this fast-paced business and consumer world. Businesses are scrambling to keep up with these changes. The traditional means of conducting business is no longer acceptable or viable. Take the communication channels of yesterday versus those of today.

Traditional: We do not send postal mail like we used to. As a result, while the United States Postal Service (USPS) gets more efficient and embraces technology to allow customers to send mail with ease, the cost of shipping each package has increased because the traffic and sheer volume of postal mail has decreased. In fact, to reduce the bottom line and operating expenses, the USPS has considered cutting their Saturday services.

New Age: Email still remains a valid means of communication, but this is even changing as social media is taking over. As Brandon Eley and Shayne Tilley point out in their book, Online Marketing Inside Out, that many of today’s youth don’t check their emails that often and instead rely on their favorite social media channels to act as their communication tools.

Change is ongoing and inevitable. As the great social media guru, Paul Gillin, reminds us in his enlightening book, Secrets of Social Media Marketing, to simply EMBRACE this CHANGE! By embracing the changes within business and marketing… and communication, we put ourselves into the conversation and into the game. If we do not, we will end up struggling to stay significant and lose any hopes of maintaining pace with the industry leaders. So, are you willing to embrace the changes today? Do you want to keep pace with the competition?

Branding is a challenge for people and companies alike, and the addition of advancing technologies both assist and complex this endeavor. Also, it should be noted that the strong brand today cannot simply sleep on yesterday’s achievements, for the customers are powerful and demanding – what are you doing for me today? We live in a world wherein loyalty to brands and companies is decreasing by the minute; each customer has more and more options at his or her fingertips. Consequently, while your brand can reach out to exponentially more customers than in previous decades, the brands and the representatives monitoring and marketing those brands have to stay on their toes! Your brand is constantly being judged, and its value will rise and fall like the stock market.

A brand has to be cultivated and nurtured. It takes hard work and dedication. One thing that we all need to realize is that brands are not isolated or unique simply to the products and services offered by Company A or B! Instead, brands are being extended to you – you are a brand, and social media is illustrating this more and more. Mitch Joel mentions in his highly recommended, exceptional book, Six Pixels of Separation, that “in this digital age, your personal brand will be your most powerful ally (or enemy)” (p. 127). He continues by noting that “branding is the heart and soul of a business – and of the people who make up that business” (p. 129). He is right on target with this one. Branding is at the core of everything the business does and offers. The same is true for the person, you! And those brands’ value will rise and fall, much to the dependency upon what you do with it! Each brand is unique, and the customer is watching. The customer is bright and very keen. Do as Mitch Joel reminds us and be passionate about your brand – in what you do! Don’t let your brand or your passion be fake, for the customer will smell that from many bytes away just like it does when you fake a smile!

So, is your brand on the rise? Or is it simply on the downward slide? Will it reach its potential? All of that is up to you! Are you willing to put forth the time and effort in to make it the best that you can?

Technology enables us all to search on nearly every topic that we can think of, and it enables us to find information at the touch of the mouse. With the continued advancement of technology and movement into a well-established Web 2.0 where social media is growing a force that must be acknowledged, companies and brands alike need to remember the importance of transparency. Companies need to listen to their customers more than ever before, and they have to remain accountable for their actions, both good AND bad. When the companies make mistakes, as they all will, transparency can be the difference between customer forgiveness and understanding and losing critical market share and revenue.

If companies are going to find a competitive advantage, they must remain humble and transparent. Now, in the past, the larger, bigger companies had extra super powers that enabled them to claim themselves as exceptions to the rules, but today, in an age of advancing technology and two-way communication within the improving Internet, all companies have to follow the same rules.  C?ter?s paribus all companies begin on the same level and playing field within the virtual world that we now identify as Web 2.0! With today’s consumers able to reach a vast array of companies in a quest to fill their every need and want, today’s companies need to monitor their brands, put out fires, and ensure that they remain transparent to their niche target market; otherwise, customers will pick one of the other ten million suppliers!