The humble business card 12/07/2011
Business cards are still important. While social media offers many options for connecting and managing relationships online, the humble business card is still the most efficient method for exchanging contact details. In time, mobile devices maybe synchronised enough to share information across platforms, networks and apps but right now, the physical card is still a must have. High-quality, well-designed, engaging cards are clearly important, however, it might be an idea not to go overboard like Joel Brauer in the video below: I recommend Moo.com has an easy and slick online service for creating business cards. They provide a variety of current designs, pricing and quality double-sided stock. Note that as they are based in the UK, make sure to leave a few weeks for delivery. Add Comment OBIZ 2010 awards finalist 06/10/2010
I am delighted to say that Know Social Media is a finalist at the biennial Otago Chamber of Commerce OBIZ 2010 business excellence awards. These awards are held every two years (in the Chamber's words) to: "... recognise efforts to excel in customer service, as well as the relationships between employers, employees and service providers. It especially recognises those in the region who have, notwithstanding a negative financial climate, continued to display courage, innovation and leadership in the business sector." Know Social Media is a finalist in the "emerging business" category - which is entirely appropriate for the newness of this company. I enjoyed meeting the four judges and we had a very open and cordial conversation about the business in terms of: what we do, what we want to achieve, specific challenges, future strategy, and so on. I thought it went well so it's now fingers crossed! Even if we don't win, I wanted to take the opportunity to say thank you to all those people and businesses who have made the experience of working in this area entirely rewarding. Social media is not a panacea 15/05/2010
Social media provides exciting and novel opportunities for organisations of all kinds. However, social media will not make up for poor service, products, pricing or any sloppy business practice. Social media is not a cure-all for your business' failings. Social media creates opportunities to enhance your organisation's reputation, deepen relationships with customers (or supporters if you are a NFP), attract new custom/interest, leverage serendipity, generate goodwill, plus many more known and yet to be known benefits. The caveat is that improvements in any of the areas outlined above will take time so set your expectations accordingly. Also, be prepared to put effort and commitment into managing your chosen social media without necessarily expecting an immediate return (although you could - which is another great thing about social media). Before engaging with social media in any significant way, ensure that your organisation's fundamentals are in shape. While social media may provide ways to remedy the occasional slip up, the very media used to interact with the wider community can also be used to publicise shortfalls in the basics. | The BlogCheck in here for news, social media insights and opinion. Subscribe by email or RSS feed for automatic updates.
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