Kaira Blogs

Yelp helps drive local business accountability

2011-05-19T12:06:00.000-07:00

As more consumers look to the local business review and rating site, Yelp, merchants and service providers are finding themselves reviewed like never before. Yelp was founded in 2004 and built "to help people find great local businesses like dentists, hair stylists and mechanics." From 2007, site reviews grew from less than one million to about four million by 2008.

Initially, Yelp seemed to spark popularity for restaurant and coffee shop reviews, but the range of businesses being reviewed has increased dramatically as its number of visitors has increased. Do a local search on Yelp now and you'll find reviews for practically anyone who sells goods or provides a service, from moving companies to psychiatrists.

Many companies who've heard about Yelp have signed up for their free account, manage their profile and -- if their smart -- attempt to manage customer feedback. This includes damage control, when a customer leaves a negative review. Yelp allows businesses to comment on reviews and send messages to reviewers. Often, a reviewer will update negative feedback with a positive comment about how the business apologized or compensated for some lack of service. Some businesses take it a step further and ask their customers right after purchase to leave a review on Yelp.

Sadly, it also seems that some businesses aren't yet informed about Yelp or don't care about negative reviews. And that can hurt them. A co-owner of a San Francisco based moving company says, "Oh that Yelp....I don't pay any attention to it." I'm guessing he didn't like what some people had to say (and some reviewers can be harsh with their comments). Unfortunately, what business owners like this fail to realize is that customers care about what others are saying and they're making informed decisions on what businesses to patronize from Yelp reviews.

Consumers dramatically increase their leverage with social media complaints

2010-08-09T19:54:00.000-07:00

Before social networking, consumer complaints were limited to a phone call, a letter, or an email to one audience: the company whose product or service they were complaining about. They had little power over the actions the company would take. Would the company give them a refund or other desired result? Would they even respond to the complaint?

The sad truth is that most complaints were never satisfactorily resolved in the favor of the consumer through old media channels. Buyers had very little leverage. Unless the complaint received attention from a large audience - e.g., newspaper or TV media - most companies got away with delivering mediocre products or service. But social media has changed that.

Social networkers are the new global advertisers, evangelists and consumer "watchdogs."

Facebook Friends and Twitter Followers have become the large audiences that Television, Radio, and Newspapers once supplied. Through social media channels, consumers have dramatically increased their leverage. What used to be a solitary, one-line complaint in an email to Customer Service can now be a 140 character product killer.

Companies who've caught on to the power of social media are now carefully monitoring sites, especially Twitter and Facebook pages where audiences can reach the multi-thousands. Dell, Wells, Fargo, and Eddie Bauer are some of the companies who have set up Twitter accounts or Facebook pages (often both) to deal with both consumer accolades and complaints.

Jessica* who had problems getting a refund by Dell found quick success through Twitter. "I emailed Dell customer service repeatedly and got nowhere," she recalls. She then decided to tweet her frustration on Twitter and heard back from Dell via a Twitter reply in less than 30 minutes. "They took my information and a check was sent in a few days. It was so easy."

Jessica was successful because she has a lot of Twitter followers, but on Facebook, buyers can receive equal attention through company Facebook group or fan pages, which boast hundreds to thousands of followers (note however that unlike on Twitter, Facebook moderators can delete user posts).

Melanie* discovered how leaving a comment on the Lands End Facebook page received her the attention and answers she desired much more quickly than if she had called or emailed them. "They not only acknowledged my complaint on their page, but also immediately sent me a private message."

Successful companies know that customer satisfaction is a big component of company sustainability. Now that social media makes consumer opinions so transparent, buyers have a lot more power than they used to. This also means that companies need to pay more attention to how they handle consumer complaints - online and through traditional media to avoid social media complaints in the first place. I suspect those companies who are keeping up with the social media bandwidth will fair much better than those who ignore it. News travels much faster and much further today thanks to global networking sites.

*Name changed to protect privacy.

U.S. Americans are socializing like the rest of the world - thanks to Meetup.com and Social Media

2010-02-19T16:55:00.000-08:00

For many years, socialization among US Americans has been a topic of particular interest for me. Perhaps, it's because I've socialized with friends from around the world since I was very young, yet born and raised in the U.S., and noticed some key differences (and because my degree is in Psychology).

For me, it started with pen pals - from Greece, France, and Japan (I'm still in touch with my Japanese friend after more than 20 years!). In college, my pals were from Germany, Nepal, Greece, and who had multiple citizenship with the US, France, and Italy. I spent a Semester Abroad in Paris and hung out with students from all over the world. After college, I befriended a group of South Americans from Chile, Argentina, and Peru. For the past several years, I've also enjoy my Brazilian friends, as well as those from Scandinavia.

One thing that has stood out to me for a long time is the difference between how US Americans (and maybe Canadians) and other nationalities socialize. The distinction I've noticed is this: After college, US Americans tend to be very "couple-oriented" while those from other countries still socialize in groups. By "couple-oriented," I mean male and female, romantic couples (though certainly, it may be similar for non-heterosexual couples). If you're in a relationship in the US, chances are you'll be invited to dinners or outings where there are other couples (US Americans tend to be obsessed with even-ing out the number of male and females). Chances are, if you're single, you won't be invited to these same events (noticed that single folks?).

Non US Americans socialize in pairs, sure, but they also socialize quite a bit in mixed groups. For example, when I hung out with my South American friends, we would do things together, as a group. It was a mixed group of females and males, some couples, mostly singles. If, say, I wanted to go to a movie, I could call up any of the friends, male or female, and ask them if they were interested - without the platonic vs non-platonic stigma you find in North America (e.g., "She/he wants to date me"). How refreshing!

The important social psychological / anthropological point I'd like to make regarding the difference in socialization styles is the fact that I suspect that US Americans have, until recently, left out a large percentage of people from social events. This in fact, could very well have (wouldn't be surprising) led to isolation and depression in the United States (heck, if they claim that almost 19 million people in this country are depressed then something has got to be wrong, right?).

What's fascinating - and very wonderful to me - is how social media and especially sites like www.meetup.com bring people together, create community, and foster group events with both single and partners. While Meetup.com groups create events for singles that may have otherwise been lacking the friends or excuses to get out, social media sites such as Facebook and MySpace foster communication between people in an unprecedented amount. It's truly a significant change in our socialization and I am very interested in seeing how those "Depression" statistics play out in the coming years.

How Adobe is Using Facebook for its Social Media Grab

2009-11-11T14:10:00.000-08:00

I checked out Adobe's Facebook product Fan Page for Photoshop CS recently and I really like how they're beginning to utilize the power of this social media site's tools. I think it's an excellent example of a Fortune 500's consumer (B2C) social media strategy in the works.

I say "in the works" because I suspect this Facebook page is an Adobe social media study - a foot in to test the social media waters on a site that they're previously only dedicated to the Education / Students market. They don't have any other product-specific Facebook Fan pages up yet and their Adobe Fan page for Students is really lacking in interaction with their audience.

However, Adobe is off to a great start with the Photoshop CS page. They're not only promoting their products, they're supporting them with tips & tricks and inspirational design ideas. They're promoting Photoshop's extensive tool set and while doing so, supporting users to be more proficient and comfortable with their product.

Participation is enhanced through forum discussions and fan feedback. Additionally, Adobe has sections specifically for fans to post their own Photoshop images and related videos, creating a sense of fan ownership and dedication.

One of the best things about Adobe's strategy here is that they are responding to feedback from users, for example, explaining and apologizing for some website issues from an external link. I'd like to see more of that, even when users aren't complaining.

Where else could Adobe step up? A couple of ways. The Events section seems outdated since the last post was in July. They might work with third-parties who host product related events. Their Video section is also extremely lacking, with only five Adobe-sponsored items compared to 39 user posts. Adobe could be taking advantage of their large selection of in-house and 3rd party tutorial videos here, especially transferring those they post on their Wall. That seems like an obvious direction completely missed.

But for the minor "lackings," I salute Adobe. It's a win-win for both consumer and vendor and I think a good model for other consumer companies. Keep up the good work Adobe. We'd like to see more!

Transparency and Social Media - What you should know

2009-10-28T19:02:00.000-07:00

By now, most of us have heard the stories of employees ranting about their bosses or colleagues on Facebook, forgetting these folks were part of their Friends list and privy to everything written on their "Wall." But there's even more to consider.

Given the extent of our Twitter "tweets," Facebook and FriendsFeed updates, and similar broadcasts across the net, our personal dialogues (and who we really are) are becoming more and more transparent. Search engine (SEO) ties between social media outlets such as Twitter with search results on sites such as Yahoo, Google, and the like -- which are providing real-time results -- increase this transparency further.

And now, Google just released Social Search, which takes it even further by analyzing a person's network of friends' feeds.

Let's not forget that our updates, tweets, blog posts, forum and other comments, etc., are also archival. Have you ever searched your name and found a forum post you made a few years ago? Yep, that's what I'm talking about. And you think deleting your Facebook updates will help? No such luck. Facebook just updated their privacy policy dictating why deleted content will live on. It's an uncomfortable thought.

To put it bluntly, if you have something to say online, especially using social media, you might want to think carefully about the contents of your monologue.

Your words may not be written in stone, but they may be available to everyone, anyone, anytime.

The Basics of a Successful Facebook Application

2009-10-15T17:42:00.000-07:00

I've been thinking about Facebook applications for a while because they intrigue me. How do they make money? What makes them attractive? And most importantly, What makes them so addictive?

Having a degree and interest in psychology, I am curious about what makes apps "sticky," why users get interested and remain interested, and what fosters interaction between players and their Friends. In my research of various, successful Facebook applications (particularly games or game-like activities), I have discovered that several simple social psychological theories apply. Like with all science, results should be measured and proven statistically because our "guesses" regarding human behavior are often not correct. I have not been privy to such results, but I do believe any developer or strategist would find my suggestions useful and relevant.

Below are what I would consider and strongly suggest as key application features.

Key Features

Stickiness - employ both psychological and statistical proven tactics that attain and maintain user visits and on-site and application duration, many of which are summarized below.
Analytics / Tracking Statistics - Statistics that track user total duration within your application and specified areas. Track avenues for successful subscriptions and participation by user Friends; ads clicked; demographics, etc. Some Facebook application are SiteCatalyst, FB Insights, Kontagent, and Adnomics.
Interaction (user-centric and via other users and Friends) - Your application should provide user-centric interaction with application objects and games, as well as interaction with other users and social media friends. New Friends can be made via non-Friends who are currently using the application. Users can interact with their current Friends, as well as in ways that encourage these Friends' participation with your app. Encourage further interaction via online forums, trading, and other activities which build a feeling of "common interest" and belonging to a community. Also consider giving "gifts" or similar interactions among Friends, which will reinforce the "art of reciprocity," and stimulate stickiness and further interaction among prospective users.
Fun - The user must have fun! You can achieve this via strong interaction within your app and with other users, varied customization options, and games. You can apply "game theory" where applicable, since there are particular methods that make games more "addicting" and enjoyable. Simple additions, such as animations and sounds (i.e., "cuteness") can increase the "fun factor."
Competition - Encourage competition between users to create sense of urgency and participation among new and existing players.
Reward System - Your app must be a rewarding experience, both in the sense of being intrinsically rewarding and also externally rewarding, such as via a "token system," which rewards behaviors (e.g., using, playing, which encourages stickiness). It should also allow for further extrinsic rewards (e.g., shopping, climbing levels, etc.).
Ease of Use - Your app must be user-friendly from the user's first experience on forward, so it won't frighten off or frustrate newcomers. Instructions and guidance may be necessary on first use and available on further use. All instructions/help must be clear and simple. User application goals and usage must be clear.
Flexibility and Scalability - There should be some flexibility and scalability in the program so the user doesn't get bored. An example of this might be additional levels with additional rewards. The app must be scaleable so that users don't reach a "wall" and run out of activities (and e.g., rewards). You might also encourage user participation by increasing options, such as user-generated content.
Customization - Part of the "fun" that users can experience is through customization. Examples are: creating an avatar; naming an avatar; changing their avatar; customizing an environment; or adding favorite games to dashboard.
Profitability - Consider income revenues via banner advertising, branded advertising (e.g., objects in an environment are of a specific brand such as a London Fog coat, TGIF Restaurant, etc.), cash purchases for items such as tokens or content, affiliate partnerships (ads or purchases with affiliates equals rewards for user), and user purchases to access special venues.
Quality - Since users will get easily turned off by bugs that prevent or make usage frustrating, you need to well test your app and make sure it's free of critical bugs. Many applications have had a very short life due to problems that frustrated users. People will rate and talk about your application. Word spreads fast. If there are problems, users will find out and often avoid your application because of it. Due your diligence: QA your product.

Who says you can't look "too eager" for a job?

2009-08-21T15:15:00.000-07:00

About job prospecting, I'm sure you've heard people repeatedly say, "Don't look too eager when interviewing for a job! Play hard to get." I outright disagree and argue circumstances for when "playing hard to get" is not an advantage.

There's nothing wrong with being openly enthusiastic about a company or position. Many companies recognize and want employees who are excited about working there. There's a big difference between being "eager" and being "desperate." I don't recommend the latter because seeming desperate can look unfavorable to anyone. But eagerness by a prospective can demonstrate future high productivity, happiness on the job, and an easier time adjusting to the new culture and position.

In fact, when I've interviewed candidates, I've been more put off by those who seemed aloof, overly inflexible, or uninterested. So, "playing hard to get" in many instances may hurt your chances rather than help.

The most important tip I would give is to just be yourself. If you are excited about working for a company or having a certain position, express that. Show them that you are flexible about scheduling calls and interviews and they'll see someone who has potential for flexibility and teamwork on the job. Demonstrate your enthusiasm. They'll see that you have potential for being a happy and productive employee.

And even if you're not interviewing for your dream job, stay positive. Just having a positive outlook on life can produce rewarding results! You never know; that job may just turn into the best work you've ever had.

The Jury is In -- Following the Masses on Twitter

2009-06-27T16:47:00.000-07:00

Several weeks ago, I was still undecided on whether one should follow everyone that followed them on Twitter (see two previous blogs ago). Well, now, I have a clear answer for you -- at least, from me.

I say, Yes! follow your Followers. Follow each one (except maybe those annoying marketers who keep sending you solicitous direct messages -- and BTW, you know, I don't even like it when they send even one of them without asking nicely first).

Following has multiple advantages. First, the social psychology of "Reciprocity" still rules (my old professor would be so proud): you do something nice for me, chances are, I'll do something nice for you. Same for following -- and it works in reverse too; If you are not following someone, there's the possibility that they will be offended, disappointed, ticked off, whatever, and un-follow you. And you like to be followed.

Next, if each of you are following each other on Twitter, then you can send each other Direct Messages. This can come in handy. You may not realize how this might come in handy right now, but it will. Trust me. You'll see....

So, scratch my previous ambiguity on Following. Follow, follow, follow...the yellow brick road (paved in gold?).

Twitter - A Voice but am I Listening?

2009-05-17T18:47:00.000-07:00

I learned recently that the "scientific" threshold to relationships is 150. What this means is that a person is apparently only capable of having a true connection with 150 people; after that, they can't maintain the relationships.

What does this mean for Twitter? Well, I'm at a few shy of 500 Followers and I am following 0ver 200. I passed my threshold a couple of weeks ago and I'm clearly realizing its effects (see my article and thoughts previously, below on the Twitter Threshold).

On the positive side, my daily Followers has decreased. Maybe this isn't an advantage if my goal is as many Followers as possible. But where I can appreciate is in the fewer people I need to thank and the less profiles I need to review. Again, if my goal is just to increase my audience and not my connection with people, this probably wouldn't be important to me. But it is. I appreciate the relationships I foster and the connections I have with my Twitter friends. I am not there for a one-way relationship. I want to read what others have to tweet, respond to their tweets, re-tweet their great 140 or less characters, even banter a little.

So, you start to see the dilemma. How can I maintain this by following over 150 tweeters? Unfortunately, the answer is I can't -- at least, not with all of them. In fact, with over 150 people that I'm following (or whatever the real number is, though I suspect it might be even less) I can't even see all their tweets on the small length of the page Twitter gives me (about 25). So -- and I'm not a mathematician but -- with 25 tweets per page and 200 tweeters, how many tweets can I see if even a quarter of them are tweeting at the same time? About half?

And, as those I'm following and new users only gets larger, this dilemma grows. Do I lessen my list of people I'm following? If so, am I seen as too picky, non-congenial, or even rude? What's the Twitter etiquette in this case? Many Twitter users follow everyone who follows them. But clearly, we see that this does not create true relationships; it only lessons them.

I will be interested in how the Twitter platform develops and our ability to maintain -- or decrease -- our virtual relationships (all be them 140 characters per seconds) develops.

Your thoughts? Tweet me at http://twitter.com/kairaca.

How to Attract and Keep Twitter Followers

2009-04-21T12:33:00.000-07:00

This is my third week on Twitter. I have over 300 Followers, so I imagine I must be doing something right!

Truth is: I Love Twitter. I mean love it. So, that probably helps a lot. However, I think I have learned a few good tips I'd like to share that I believe will help you attract and retain Twitter followers.

Be Interesting - Don't tweet about the mundane such as what you ate for dinner, how cute your dog is (okay, they are, but unless they're exceptionally special, we probably don't care enough), or how you've just finished your laundry. Yawn. That stuff will leave us bored and to the Unfollow button.
Be Creative - Be different. Don't just tweet the same stuff everyone else is. Tweet tweets that are unique to you. You have a lot of competition.
Don't just RT others - This may be a personal anti-preference, but if I see a lot more RT's (Reply - Tweets) thank original tweets from the person, I won't follow them. It's hard to follow a discussion between tweeters, so come up with some interesting things to say by yourself.
Acknowledge your Followers - This gets much harder to do as your Followers grow, but I still believe in the "connection" between people and there's nothing like a "Thank You" to those who follow you. People like to feel appreciated. Let them know you appreciate them! After all, without them, you are a voice on a deserted planet.
Follow - Follow those who follow you and follow those who don't. Followers you engage with and learn from also help you gain more followers. Now, does this mean you have to follow every person who follows you? That's unclear to me at this moment. There's a certain psychology to reciprocity; meaning that if I do something for you, you're more likely to do something for me in return. But I don't believe that every person you follow is going to reciprocate. So, my tip is to follow whom you find interesting and things will fall into place.
Engage - Interact with both your Followers and whom you follow. Engaging gets you noticed, builds relationships, and helps build your reputation as a serious Tweeter.

Questions? Feel free to Follow me and drop me a line on Twitter! I'm usually there - @kairaca.

Be Careful What you Ask for - Social Networking Saturation Point

2009-04-09T11:42:00.001-07:00

Being very excited about social media and networking online (I'm a "community builder" by nature), I found myself adding more and more connections to my LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter lists. An experienced networker will find that, the more connections you have, the more you tend to attract. And, probably somewhat similar to offline networking, the more connections you have, the more busy you find yourself.

Offline, you may find yourself faced with more phone calls, more discussions. Online however, you find yourself swamped with more emails, more "clicks" to accept connections, more time reviewing new Friend's or Follower's profiles.

The good and the bad however is that it happens to be a LOT easier to accumulate connections in your online network. Many big networkers have more than 500 people on each social media site. Some have 1000.

At some point, a big online networker will reach their Saturation Point. At only 150 Followers with my Twitter Profile within the past three weeks, I'm feeling it hard already. The Facebook and the LinkedIn connections I can handle more easily (although click Accept, Thanks, Review, click Accept Thanks, Review 50 times in one day on LinkedIn is a bit tiresome). But the 10 to 20 to 30 a day Twitter followers is getting me.

You see, for each one of those Twitter followers, I like to review their Profile, see if I want to follow them. I usually choose to follow several of them. Then, I like to thank my followers, which requires me to Tweet each one of them (I'll do it in one to two group tweets). Even after that, I may want to engage in a discussion with some of them, make a comment on one of their tweets. All of these tasks are very important. In fact, all of them helps me promote my own page and increase my followers. But you can see the ever-growing chain of reaction here. This is why I say, Be careful what you ask for!

A large network of Friends and Followers may seem hip, cool, exciting, but can one sustain it?

So, I ask myself, are these conglomerate social networkers really engaging well with their followers? Even working on it full-time, how can they possibly review 100+ followers a day, let alone even thank them all? They probably can't.

So, the next question that follows is, What is the ideal maximun point of saturation for one social media marketer?

More Support for Full-time Social Media Staff

2009-04-08T19:33:00.000-07:00

Per my earlier article on how much time social media marketing can take, I'd like to follow up with this blog from BrandWeek.com supporting the need and understanding to businesses that social media marketing takes a big -- but a necessary -- commitment.

It highlights Ford, Pepsi, and others who are leading the trend in focusing and realizing the benefits of social media.

http://www.brandweek.com/bw/content_display/news-and-features/digital/e3ie2a94edbc5b0a7c1150d6cbf4741dede

Comments?

The Twitter Tag Experiment

2009-04-07T14:32:00.000-07:00

It all started out as a joke, but now several of us are twittering using the Twitter tag (also called "hashtag") "#datingexperiment" (note that Twitter tags use the pound sign - #). To search on tags -- from #socialmedia to #dating -- go to Twitter's Search page: http://search.twitter.com/.

From love to dating to relationships, we've started an interesting conversation all using the experimental tag: #datingexperiment. To follow the discussion, search this tag at http://search.twitter.com/. You can also search on my username: "kairaca".

We'd like to see how many conversations an unique perspectives we can get using this tag. Please join us! Start by signing up on Twitter and following me at http://twitter.com/kairaca.

Hope to see you there!

Social Networking Takes Time

2009-04-03T12:16:00.001-07:00

If you are planning to take social networking seriously, whether for business or personal use, be prepared to allocate at least 30-60 minutes a day to keeping in touch.

If you are a business wanting to partake in social media to promote yourself, you could seriously delegate one person to a 1/2 to full day on social media and blogging sites, networking with current and potential customers and getting your "buzz" out.

Consumer social media marketing takes 2x the time

Networking and blogging for B2B can take enough of your precious minutes. You'll see yourself mostly on LinkedIn, Twitter, and blogging sites -- writing, connecting, promoting, answering and informing. But consumer attention can take up to twice amount of that time because there are multiple -- and worthy -- avenues to reach consumers.

Facebook, MySpace, blogs, and Twitter are where you'll want to focus consumer attention most, but there might be additional sites, depending on your brand. Adding connections ("Friends"), writing blogs, answering questions, creating and maintaining "Pages," promoting new features/products/services, updating your current and prospective customers takes time and organization (just thinking about it tiring - whew!).

So, if your new "social media" expert explains that they're spending most of the day evangelizing your product, don't be surprised. The question you'll ask yourself is whether it's worth it. After all, a part to full-time salary for something that almost seems "fun" might appear a bit trivial. But the answer is a big YES. Allocating resources for social media sites and social networking is very worth it. With proper and consistent evangelizing, you'll see results sooner than you think.

Join me in a little social media experiment on Twitter

2009-04-02T08:18:00.000-07:00

I am enthralled by Twitter. I am in love with Twitter. A Twitter junkie? Not quite yet (I never was the addictive type, but rather the ambitious one).

There's something exhilarating to a person like me (Virgo thing?) to be able to share my thoughts with the World, my pithy, terse, philosophical, psychological, or analytical blurbs (yes, it sounds like a Virgo thing).

But aside from that, I've decided to try a little experiment with hashtags (like meta tags) on Twitter. Using the hashtag #datingexperiment and delivering expressions about the centuries old topic (what better topic that everyone knows?), I and others I've asked to join me are attempting to see how popular we can make this hashtag.

For now, since I just started promoting it, most of the comments are mine. But stay tuned, we're going to rock the social media world a bit with something new, something different. Something a little experimental.

Come along for the ride!

Follow me on twitter at www.twitter.com/kairaca. Write your pithy comments and add the tag #datingexperiment to them.

How Businesses can Promote through Social Media Sites - LinkedIn and Plaxo

2009-03-20T12:59:00.000-07:00

The buzz is out about social media. Most decision makers have been scratched, got the itch, and feel the nudge to know more. They are asking,"How can we use social networking for our business?"

I'm glad to help. With all my experience developing, using, and seeing the potential of Social Media/Networking sites, it only made sense to focus on helping businesses promote themselves and increase their market share through these tools.

This will be a multi-article blog. In this first posting, I'm going to feature LinkedIn.com and Plaxo. Following, I'll cover and contrast Facebook, MySpace, Twitter and others.

LinkedIn

Where I usually like to start with clients is LinkedIn.com. It's a wonderful business networking site and I was very excited about it from the start. If you're in business, you need to be on LinkedIn. The site started out fairly corporate-ish, with subscribers in high-tech and others who were Internet-savvy. However, their representation has expanded to categories as diverse as "Ranching" and "Religious Institutions" (wonder if the Pope's on LinkedIn...).

Aside from the cool "Six Degrees of Separation" feel of the site (though it seems it's more like three degrees - or less in your industry), it's the place to find, meet, and connect with just about anyone you need to find. As a business, you want to be found, and that's why you want to be on LinkedIn. You will be searching for people as much as they will be finding you.

The more connections you have, the more other people you can reach. For example, LinkedIn tells me that through my network of 287 people, I have access to over 5 million more people. That's a big network! (BTW, feel free to connect with me.) This is why some folks on LinkedIn (mainly recruiters and Bus Dev folks) go nuts and invite anyone and everyone, extending their networks into four digits. So, when they post messages to their networks, they're reaching an amazing amount of people.

What's really great about LinkedIn, is the ability to receive and promote yourself via Recommendations from customers and colleagues. The Recommendations are posted on your profile. What's more, your activities are monitored and reported to others in your Network, which keeps you on their minds (not good for ex's). This can include your blog posts, recent connections, new Recommendations (for you or ones you've written), or if you've changed jobs.

LinkedIn's groups have been growing and see quite a bit of activity. Groups allow people to network, discuss, and share relevant information on the site directly and through email updates. Lately, they've been a main source of both recruitment and job hunting. You can additionally post business-related "Questions" to your own network -- and get answers (or not).

LinkedIn is additionally an ideal place to source for employees. They have a job posting feature where candidates can apply to postings and you can view their profile with a click. But, for free, you can search the entire LinkedIn database directly, for any type of guru that may otherwise be hard to find.

Like many social networking sites, LinkedIn is also a great place to find old friends and colleagues and stay in touch with them. You never lose their email address (and vice versa) because LinkedIn regularly tests emails. You can also add multiple addresses to your profile.

Plaxo

Plaxo started out as a fancy online address book, where keeping in contact with friends and associates was made easier. It didn't have a lot of features and had a corporate look and feel to it (well, the look is still simple).

Since then (and via social media competition), they've been successively adding more and more social networking features that are slowly giving it a more "personal" touch, releasing it from that corporate feel that LinkedIn still retains. Examples are status updates ("Pulse Streams") that can include blogs, photos, videos, links, or polls; a calendar; photo albums; Fan Pages. They also have groups, but they don't seem to get the traffic or popularity as on LinkedIn. Unlike LinkedIn, Plaxo allows categorization of connections, which I like (LinkedIn Wish List!). For jobs, Plaxo uses SimplyHired and postings aren't as integrated into their site as well as on LinkedIn.

Unfortunately, Nexo hasn't fully gained the same level of use as LinkedIn. Plaxo's social media features have grown quite a bit, but they still don't seem to get the same buzz as the other social networking sites. Their focus is limited to one's current network more than an extended (no degrees of separation here). Nor do I get a good sense of where they are going. They are clearly trying to compete with the Facebook's and even though they've garnered a decent crowd, their competition is tough unless they can pull away users from other social networking sites.

Summary

Maintaining multiple profiles on different sites can take some work and some duplication is unavoidable. Inviting friends to what originally seemed like two business networking sites seemed redundant. But since Plaxo has expanded their features and their search is still focused on one's immediate network, it remains to be seen whether they will take a more personal or business slant in regards to networking and promotion (I'm betting personal). For now, I recommend creating profiles and networks on both sites so you are visible and "find-able." However, for promotion and market expansion, my advice would be to focus your business networking on LinkedIn.

Of course, the nuances of networking and promotion aren't quite as simple as summarized above, but this will give you a good place to start -- just the place I have my clients begin.

Why you want to Spend Money on Marketing (especially the Web) in a Tight Economy

2009-02-17T18:25:00.000-08:00

During hard times, our first inclination is to cut costs in all areas except with necessities. In business, being financially smart in a downturn can be tricky, especially when it comes to deciding what is a "necessity." While cutting expenses is necessary, choosing where and when to cut takes some research, practice, and wisdom.

Where many companies make a grave mistake is by cutting their Marketing expenses. A Marketing budget is often large, but if we stay true to the business adage, "You must spend money in order to earn it," a business can confirm that attracting and keeping customers requires some marketing expenditures.

Most savvy marketers know that, even if you have a strong customer base, you need to inform them of specials and consistently remind them to buy. The great thing about the Web is that it's really easy and inexpensive to do this via emails and other low-cost forms of online advertising. If they're a past, current, or potential customer, then they won't mind being tossed an email once or twice a week (sometimes more) about your current, great sale. People are busy and get a lot emails (we all know!). By reminding customers of what they're missing, you eventually help facilitate that desired connection, which will in turn, hopefully get you a sale.

It's just as when I keep calling a potential client I know is really busy until I reach them; Usually, they thank me for my persistence, as their priorities aren't necessarily reaching out to me, even if they are interested in my services.

One customer of mine (luckily for both of us) understands this concept. Now, more than ever, they are plugging resources into marketing their products, especially on the Web. They are announcing sales, modifying prices, goods, etc., constantly adjusting to the deflation in prices and sales. And they ARE getting bites! They're online sales are steady.

Another business I know, isn't that smart. They laid off their Marketing Manager, cut the marketing budget and activities, and aren't seeing new sales. They slashed prices, but few of their customers know about it and are too busy to check out their site without the encouragement.

So, when you look at that business budget again, reconsider what you're leaving for Marketing and how you might tap customers cost-effectively but consistently.

Keep you Website Up-to-date

2009-01-19T22:00:00.000-08:00

Many website owners, especially those with online stores or service site owners, think that once their site is set up, there's little updating or store maintenance aside from inventory. This is far from the fact, even if the store was developed by scratch.

The amount of time updating or upgrading (larger changes or even new software) required for each website depends on the software, but expect to update your site every one to two years to keep up with technology and trends (on the Web, looks are important).

If you have a store or use complex site widgets, expect to update your site applications at least every six months. At minimum, you should be reviewing and assessing your site every six months.

Not upgrading your site can create problems for your users

Websites use various technologies and software to create navigation, forms, and display layout correctly. Online stores use some software or modules that allow for easy installation or customization. And service-related sites use complex programming with software modules or applications also involved in the background (e.g., server-side applications). There's also the database software on the Web server that maintains store inventory or other user information.

The problem is, as technology advances, the applications used to develop your site become obsolete. This also means your website pages are slowly becoming obsolete. New browsers catch up with the advances in technology and sites that aren't updated to also stay current can display incorrectly or create other errors for users. A good Web developer will try to develop a site that can account for multiple and older browsers, but only up to a point (or date). Basically, a current website needs to updated on a regular basis.

A good example is the newest advances in handheld device browsing such as cell phones and PDA's. These devices' screen resolution (screen size) and navigation options are limited, so ordinary browsers and websites will not display correctly. Additionally, older website technologies, such as using HTML "tables," will also cause display issues with handhelds.

Since cell phone browsing is becoming so much more affordable and popular, website owners need to update their sites to comply with these new handheld standards.

Update your site now rather than waiting

It's important to regularly assess and update your site every six to 12 months instead of every few years because updates can then be done incrementally. Waiting too long can mean a huge upgrade, involving greater costs.

A good example is a client I have who has an online store. Instead of updating their store software each time there was a release (or even every couple releases), they waited several years. The problem was that, by waiting to update or upgrade their store, web browsing technology had advanced past the version of their store software and their site began to experience problems with the newer browsers. Instead of doing an incremental upgrade over a few years, the customer was forced to do a major upgrade and "overhaul" of both the store software and their entire site, costing them much more than it would have if they had maintained their site incrementally over the past several years.

Updating includes site design

First impressions do count, especially on the web because it's your marketing tool. So, don't ignore professional design. You are how you present yourself -- to your clients, prospective employees, your peers, etc.

If your site looks outdated or unprofessional, then your customers might think your business is too. If it looks incomplete, visitors might assume you run your business the same way. This is why I highly recommend professional design. Don't assume you can do it yourself and still create a look that competes with your competitors who hired someone to do their site right.

Remember, the cost of a good website comes out the marketing budget you might have spent on expensive marketing materials.

Your website is an asset -- treat it like one

A good analogy to good website maintenance would be updating vs upgrading your kitchen and baths. updating fixtures to keep them from looking "dated" doesn't cost very much. But wait too long and you'll end up having to update the plumbing as well as the flooring, tile, and fixtures. Treating your website like an asset will retain its value just as equally.

Protecting your Identity Online - Email and other Accounts

2008-09-23T18:13:00.000-07:00

Since the recent attention regarding the "hack" of Governor Sarah Palin's Yahoo email account, there has been a lot of discussion around protecting one's own accounts and identity. This is a subject close to me due to my personal, repeated thoughts over online security issues whenever I am asked to provide -- what I consider very private -- information for "security" or other purposes to online businesses. Whether I'm registering for a sweepstakes or subscribing to a new email service, I am VERY careful about what I give out. And you should be too.

Below are some tips for "tricks" that I have been using since the dawn of providers requesting private, identifiable information. Some people have thought me a bit "paranoid," but even years later, after being a victim of ID theft by someone I had trusted, I realize that my precautions have been very wise.

Tips for Protecting your Identity

NEVER give out the following information to ANYONE

Aside from the Government and credit applications:

Social Security Number - unless you are applying for a credit card, bank account, unemployment insurance, or similar, NEVER give out this number, especially online. This includes your "last four" digits. Companies off-limits also include medical offices and insurance companies, which don't use your Social Security number anymore for identification purposes. I also warn giving this out to a new partner/spouse because, yes, they have been known to steal too. Remember, this number is the key to ALL your financial data. If you do need to give it out online, make sure the page is secure (e.g., look for the lock at the bottom of the browser).
Birthdate -- Yeah, even on a sweepstakes. Why risk it? A birthdate is used to often identify you, so it's not worth taking the risk of giving it out so easily, especially on those Social Networking sites where everyone's cousin can find out your birthdate. How do you think our hacker found out Sarah Palin's? (Well, I don't really know, but it's a plausible avenue!). What to do instead? Give out a "special" birthdate online (except for health insurance or credit cards, etc.). By special, I mean a number that's not necessarily your real birthdate, but close enough if someone just needs an idea of your age for demographics purposes. Alter the day or month for example. But just be sure to use the same date consistently in case you do forget your password or username and are asked for it later.
Mother's Maiden Name -- Since your mother's maiden name is still often used for identity purposes, it makes sense to also guard it carefully. Nowadays, with so much of our private life made more accessible to the public, I recommend even using a different name when asked this for online services, which require it for account retrieval. Just as for birthdate, use a name that you will remember each time, in case you ever need to recall it again for your password or username.
Your password -- I don't care who's asking for it: your child, your boy/girlfriend/partner, your colleague, or your IT Administrator. NEVER, EVER, yes, I mean Never give out your password to anyone. No one needs to know it. And even if an IT person says they need to do some work on your account, tell them to just reset it temporarily and you can change it later (if they say they can't reset it, I would question their intentions). Now, of course, many of you are going to respond, "My partner/boyfriend/girlfriend? Are you kidding?" The answer is simply, No, I am not. Would you want your partner to read your diary? Well, this could possibly be the same thing. Now, I am far from telling you not to trust the one you love. I wish everyone could 100%; but unfortunately, there are too many incidences of bad falling outs or people turning out to be not quite whom we thought they were -- and it ended up in identity theft, disputed property, etc. My point is just protect yourself. Think about separating shared password from your own, personal passwords.

Use Multiple Passwords

Don't take the risk of someone getting access to all your accounts by using the same password for all of them. Instead, have varying passwords for different types of accounts or use a formula that changes the password for each account, but one that only you can decipher.

For example, using a variety of passwords for different accounts, you might use one password for your banking, another for online shopping, and yet another password for online gaming or other entertainment. This at least protects you to a certain degree if someone should discover one of your passwords.

When using a formula, try to think of a combination of letters and numbers (more secure passwords will always use a combination of characters) that apply to the site. For example, your password could be "5768ebay" for ebay.com and "5768amazon" for amazon.com. Unless someone guesses your formula, every account will have a different password, but not one you can't remember if you stick to one formula.

Choose an alternate PIN

Most banks and credit institutions (even others like your wireless carrier) will allow you to create your own PIN (Personal Identification Number) instead of using the "last four" of your social security number. This is an extra precaution that can improve the security of your accounts, especially when your bank can ask for it in addition to your Social Security Number (SSN). I highly recommend doing this, as it can prevent an identity thief from accessing your account further even if they do have your SSN.

Be wary of giving out the following

Fax number -- Really? Really. I've only given out my fax number online twice in my life and both times I was registering for a conference. And both times after that, I started receiving an endless supply of "fax spam." Are they really going to contact you by fax? Chances are 99.999% of the time, the answer is a big fat NO. And if they do want to fax you, they can ask for it.
Home Address -- I like using a mailbox or work address when registering domain names or for anything else where I am sure my personal information could be used for solicitation (domain contact information is public by default). In general, I like having a mailbox (e.g., UPS Store) to protect my identity on checks I write (a girlfriend was stalked by a man she wrote a check to) or when I don't feel comfortable giving out my home address. It's also easier to sort out the "Junk Mail."
Middle name -- Why bother give it out unless it's absolutely necessary? It certainly is if someone wants to steal your identity.
Home phone -- unless you like solicitations. I don't even give it out to my credit card companies after a bad experience with one harassing me with automatic solicitations and refusing to stop them even when the police requested it. My secret? I use a voicemail pager. I give this number out for sweepstakes, voting, credit apps, you name it -- whenever I really don't care to hear from these people. It has really protected my privacy from unwanted calls. How many people really need your home number anyway? If someone important does need to reach me, they can always leave a message on my pager (if they don't, I don't have any business bugging me). If I win the Grand Prize? They'll probably send me a Certified Letter.

Summary

When dealing with everyone but certified institutions (your bank, the government, etc.) -- and even with those, make sure the page is secure:

Never give out your Social Security number, your mother's maiden name, your password, or your birthdate.
Be wary and vague when giving out other personal information unless otherwise necessary.
Use "alternate" information, like a birthdate that's close to but not exactly yours.
Be consistent in the "alternate" answers you give when answering "security questions" so you will remember them later, if necessary, for account retrieval.
Never give you password out to anyone. No exceptions in my book, especially if you use that password for multiple accounts.
Use varying passwords for different types of accounts so that a password break doesn't open you up to hacking on all accounts (see above for details).
Apply the above tips offline as well as online.

New website finished for Ed Cesena

2008-07-27T12:31:00.000-07:00

Kaira has just finished the new website for award-winning California artist Ed Cesena. The new site, www.edcesena.com, reflects Ed's boldness for color and presents many of his original paintings.

Ed has just won another Best in Show for his paintings at the Stanislaus County Fair going on right now in Turlock, CA. Congrats Ed!

Ed is truly on his way to becomming recognized as one of the greatest California has to offer....

Where has good service gone?

2008-07-03T18:43:00.001-07:00

First, Godaddy.com then Domainsbyproxy.com.

I have received the worse support in my life!

The Godaddy.com Dilemma

Godaddy.com is clearly a low-priced leader in domain hosting. But now, it seems they are meeting their worth in "You get what you pay for."

When I signed up with them a few years ago, their UI (user-interface) was pretty bad, but their customer service seemed more personal than I had been receiving. Perhaps, it was the "new customer" syndrom? Or perhaps, it was just because they were still reasonably small and could handle the load.

Whatever their reason, they sure can't seem to handle the load now -- and I must remark that their UI is once again cluttered and confusing (you need Support just to figure out how to get around their site).

Several times I experienced the case where I'd send a request to Support and I'd get an answer about how to retrieve my password -- when my question had NOTHING to do with my password! Godaddy.com is either trying to get by their overload by using automated systems or outsourcing to countries who's first language "ain't English."

Due to their lousy service (or was it a conspiracy?) it took them two weeks to help me successfully transfer my domain to another hosting company -- that was, until I kindly notified them that I would expect an additional week in refund for their delay.

Yep, Godaddy.com is clearly losing its fatherly touch.

And while I'm at it, "Godaddy.com"? Isn't that a name for a whorehouse in Texas?

Domainsbyproxy.com -- Conspiracy theory?

If Godaddy.com wasn't bad enough, then I had to run up against Domainsbyproxy.com (Domains by Proxy). By the questionable Domainsbyproxy.com bad (or withheld) Support and the advantageous relationship between them, you'd think they were owned by the same company.

For example, when I tried to transfer my domain, Godaddy.com told me I couldn't do this until my "Privacy" service was cancelled. Hey, who cares whether I've already pre-paid for a year? Well, I do. Despite the low cost, it's the principal...! But turns out, if you cancel, you don't get a refund for the time not used. If that's not an obvious rip-off, I don't know what else is.

I had a very interesting conversation with one of their Reps, a "Daniel" who refused to give out a last name, department, or location (apparently Daniel "doesn't have" a location, department or last name - read between the lines?). Mr. "Daniel," when he wasn't interrupting me, kindly kept informing me of how Customers "receive a refund" no matter what. That's their policy, Folks, persona non grata!

Oh, and did I mention that I NEVER heard back from them for assistance getting into my account or turning off my Privacy service?

What I found REALLY interesting, was when I pointed out how, it "wasn't like" Domains by Proxy were "related" in any way to Godaddy.com. Else, it might "seem" like they were purposely making it difficult to allow me to transfer my domains from Godaddy.com.

LOL! Two Domainsbyproxy.com Reps, including our own "Daniel," didn't say a word. SILENCE. All hushed. Hmmm. Wonder why? Well, you're probably smarter than me. I just couldn't imagine the OBVIOUS CONSPIRACY, MONOPOLY over domain owners' Rights. No wonder they never said a word!

Well, Godaddy.com, the company that sounds like a whorehouse (hmmm), despite seeming TOTALLY UNETHICAL, isn't this tinge on a bit ILLEGAL? I'm no attorney, but doesn't this smell a bit of anti-trust acts here??

Well, you can imagine how not only disappointed but disgusted I am now by Godaddy.com and their related Domainsbyproxy.com (Domains by Proxy).

I assure you, you will here more on this....
Hosting by Godaddy.com? Sign up at your own Risk!!

LinkedIn junkie

2008-06-09T12:59:00.000-07:00

Hello, I'm Kaira...and I'm a LinkedIn junkie.

Yes, I admit it! Okay, I'm no as bad as those who are in the 500+, who put their email in LinkedIn their profile for everyone to see. No, I'm a bit more selective. However, I am a BIG fan of linkedin. I think it's so cool that I'm related to everyone in my industry 3 people away (yes, it's better than six degrees...!). An amazing test to see how close we all really are.

What I am really into now is the LinkedIn toolbar for Outlook. When someone sends me an email, I can quickly view whether they're already on LinkedIn and how many connections they have. Then, I just click on the special link for "Invite" and with another click on Send, an evite is sent their way. I love it. It couldn't be more simple! (Okay, it could a little, if I wanted to bypass the evite step with a saved template.)

Want to hook up? Send me an invite!

What's all the buzz about?

2008-06-05T18:46:00.000-07:00

I am currently working on developing a competitive analysis for a client on buzz analytic tools, such as Buzzmetrics, Buzzlogic, and Radian6.

Buzz metrics are very cool. The applications have focused on analyzing trends, brands, conversations, and top influencers, particularly within social media (bloggers, forums). It's easy to see the need for tools that focus on analyzing and interpreting conversations among the millions of blogs now created (apparently a new blog--not post--is created every 1.5 minutes!). In fact, it seems that I now mostly get blog articles popping up on Google when I do a topic search.

The current applications and selling points for these tools have been directed to Ad, Marketing, and PR agencies (i.e., where the money is), but I see so many more exciting and personal uses. In fact, I'd like to play for a while...! For example, how about plugging in particular, hot topics surrounding the presidential campaign? Or comparing those three brands of toothpaste over which you're indecisive? It sure would take a lot of time out of research.

I can't wait until research tools like this come to the consumer market, when someone like Google offers these tools for free. Unless one of you buzz metrics companies will allow me to have a long-term test drive?

New design comps for Cesena paintings

2008-06-01T15:11:00.000-07:00

Kaira has just finished designing the first set of design comps for Ed Cesena's new website.

The goal was to create a look that represented the excitement of color and movement in Ed's paintings. We felt a black background was belt to highlight them, as well as because many of Ed's canvases are also done in black.

For more samples of work, see www.kaira.com.

New blog...!

2008-05-20T12:24:00.000-07:00

Until I get the rest of the blogs and news transferred over here, please also see: www.kaira.com/html/news.html.

Know your audience

2008-05-16T17:05:00.000-07:00

One of the challenges I've seen for many businesses, especially with small companies or new entrepreneurs, is understanding their market or audience. Many entrepreneurs get so excited and focused on the delivery of their product or services, that they completely ignore a crucial, initial stage of the process -- Market Research and Analysis. Often, they don't even realize what it is -- or that they should even be doing it.

Market research and analysis involves analyzing the market -- or markets if you are considering across different audiences, such as exporting overseas to different cultures -- that will specifically be buying the product or services you will offer. A marketing specialist can help define your audience or refine your current understanding of your market. You may think you know who your market is, but you just may be surprised (and your market might be the one to surprise you).

Your marketing consultant can also:

Create and present a competitive analysis (e.g., what are they offering that you aren't?)
Help you set price by analyzing the current market price trends
Provide suggestions to deliver the right messages to your audience
Review your current marketing strategies and provide consultation

What is my Market, who is my Audience?

As mentioned, your market consists of the people (or audiences) who will be buying your products or services. Within one market, you can have different audiences. For example, say you are selling dolls. Your market would include both children and adults, and they each would be different audiences, whom you would want to market to differently. In fact, your line of collector's dolls would have an additional and completely different audience such as those adults who can afford more expensive dolls and look for unique doll traits, such as limited editions.

Failing to do your research can cost you

And it probably will.

Marketing research can be one of the most important steps in the planning process and should be undertaken before the creation of product/service materials begin. In fact, if you are creating a new product or type of services, it should especially be done before development of requirements or a product plan.

Let's say you've come up with a great new line of diet soda. You think this new soda will sell well to young women who you believe are concerned about their weight and are the majority of soda drinkers. You are so sure of this that you plan a marketing campaign, including branding, packaging and launch plan, around this market of diet-conscious women. Your branding (e.g., look of the logo, fell of ads) appeals to a younger, female crowd, concerned about their looks, as well as fashion, makeup, and trends. Your ads reflect this. They are trendy and stylish, depict skinny young gals in few clothes, dancing to hip-hop.

Sound great? Well, now, suppose you were wrong.

Never underestimate your Market

I'm not necessarily implying that young gals aren't a good market for your soda. But what if your market was larger than that and you missed the boat on a larger share of the great market? What if you had done your research and discovered before you spent all that money on packaging and advertising that men as well as older women were interested in your soda? You would have marketing it quite a bit differently wouldn't have you?

Repackaging and re-branding a product is not only an expensive option, it's an incredibly difficult (and often nearly impossible) task. You must try to convince your audience that what you previously told them about their product was wrong or not exactly what you implied the first time. And after you just got them comfortable with your brand and what it stands for, you're now wanting to change that. This gets confusing to consumers who like their advertisers to be pretty obvious about what they're getting.

Sure, there a ways you can try to relay to people that product X is not only good for girls but also great for boys, men, and women trying to lose weight, but it's a monumental task. Not to mention extremely expensive. In short, this is not the ideal path to success, and therefore, you'll want to do your research upfront and thoroughly.

Ed Cesena, Best of Show -- Congrats Ed!

2008-05-09T17:20:00.000-07:00

Ed Cesena, a very talented artist, whom I am now representing as PR & Marketing Agent, won BEST OF SHOW in the Turlock Arts Commission 36th Annual Spring Juried Art Show.

Born and raised in San Francisco ("on the streets", as he jokes), Ed is known for his lively representations of the City Jazz scene when all the famous Jazz stars used to play in town -- and he was there! Ed actually "hung out" with these famous folks and paints them by memory!

In his colorful paintings, you will view artists such as Ella, Miles, Pete...and more! One must admit that Ed Cesena's memory is amazing for he shows off their talents -- and his -- very well!

As part of marketing Ed, Kaira will be creating Ed's website and providing guidance on flyers, resume, and other collateral.

For more information about Ed or Kaira.com, please contact Kaira at http://www.kaira.com.