Find me at this new blog setup and please do update your bookmarks or re-subscribe to the feed (I apologise for the inconvenience!)

Why I Went Self-Hosted?

I felt constrained being on the WordPress.com platform, although it is a simple and easy to use blogging platform. The inability to customise themes or add plugins to WordPress.com really felt punishing and suffocated the geek in me. I had to break free!

Web Analytics is Dope

But most importantly, I would like to deepen my learning in web analytics and the only way to do this is to have control over my blog. I see this as a worthwhile investment, got to walk the talk, baby!

Vanity is Evil

Then again, a really nice URL to call my own is pretty sweet as well! I use Host Gator. Highly recommended by tweeples.

Well, things have been going swimmingly so far, so if anyone needs some pointers on setting up your self-hosted WordPress, I am happy to share! Drop me a mail or tweet me anytime.

So I welcome you to the new A GroovyWeb by Isman Tanuri! See you there!

Yours sincerely,

AGDSM2T8MAKX

Here is something I received last Saturday morning, what I termed as ‘Door Spam’, leaflets/flyers stuck on the front door grille. It is a leaflet for a condominium development. Which one? I really can’t say. This is the second time I have received this leaflet. I cringed both times.

Observe for a moment. What is wrong with this leaflet?

Absolutely Zero Product Branding

Somehow, the creator of this leaflet had failed to provide a name for the condominium. Apart from a spot of personal branding for a ‘Mabel Ang’ and ‘artist’s impressions’ images, no other product branding element is visible on this leaflet. Perhaps they had deemed revealing the condominium’s name as none-too-important, or keeping it a mystery will entice prospects to put in a call. Wrong move I say.

Or perhaps the condo was so badly named, they decided not to use it after reading the article on the importance of naming condos and its significance.

Cryptic Copywriting

What exactly is the inspiration behind ‘cryptic’ and ‘ambiguous’ copywriting? There is a neglect to inform prospective clients of the condominium’s actual address but instead, ‘Minutes to Somerset MRT/Orchard/CBD/IR’ and ‘Prime District 9’ are used.  Come on! That can be anywhere on the southern part of this island.

Is it a top-secret, top-end location that is only to be revealed once you are funneled through the sales pipeline? To see if you fit the bill of a likely buyer persona first, someone who is flushed with cash to spare? But why then did this leaflet appear on my HDB door in Toa Payoh!? I see that as a failure in market research and a waste of money and paper it is printed on.

Does the whole thing sounds fishy?

You bet. The credibility factor is non-present in this effort. For a $800k product, this leaflet certainly did not help in providing consumer confidence to anyone that came upon this. I find it intriguing that, if this leaflet really does indeed belongs to the ‘Developer’s Sales Team’, why the secrecy and ambiguousness behind the effort?

Perhaps someone from the real estate industry, or close to it, can provide an explanation for this? I’d love to get to the bottom of this! Leave your comments below!

Bonus section for the marketer in you!

Using Direct Marketing Mailers to Win Online

Direct marketing via mails (physical or electronic) may not be the best form of marketing (it is interruptive after all). But heck, since this method is being regularly employed and money is going to be spent, might as well use the opportunity to provide content or more information to the prospective customer, right?

So how to do this on limited real estate on a piece of flyer?

By bringing them online to your website through a printed URL. As long as there is compelling content and relevant information provided on your website, you can be sure your prospects will be happy to devote time and attention to your efforts. It is also an excellent opportunity to build a database of customers who are willing to listen to you on a regular basis. With the permission you have received, you are now ready to start a direct mail campaign online. I am sure that is more cost effective than printed materials and manpower cost for ‘door or letterbox spamming’.

Provide your social media information to direct your prospects to connect with you. This is your Facebook or Twitter pages. The fastest way to connect with you.

See? Your investment in a leaflet has possibly doubled or tripled! Perhaps Mabel Ang might want to take a leaf out of this

Updated 13/11: This post also appears as a guest blog post on Penn Olson.

I was recently reading an early chapter of Al and Laura Ries’ ‘The Origin of Brands’ and was struck by this concept:

The world’s best and long-lasting brands were typically created by a divergence from an existing product category and that these brands continue to survive not because of their ‘share of market’ but for being first in the mind of consumers.

Consider these examples of divergence and its disregard for market size of the day:

• What was the size of the cola market the day Coca Cola was launched?
• What was the market size of Mac users when Apple launched their Apple I system?
• How about the size of the personal computer market the day Microsoft launched their MS-DOS platform?
• And when McDonald first introduced the fast-food hamburger to the American public, what was the size of the fast-food market?

The answer to these questions: Zero.

However, these brands have proven they have what it takes to survive and prosper all these years. So, why is this possible?

The Importance of Mind Share

Because, as Al and Laura Ries stated it, the battle for customers is not in winning a large share of the market (although that is helpful) but rather through the creation of the market by winning over consumers’ minds.

So then, why are many marketers today still obsessed with ‘capturing’ every scrap and morsel of the pie that is ‘the market’ when winning minds has been proven an effective and sustainable business model? I personally believe this is the effect of overly revenue-driven organisations who are ready to sacrifice long-term sustainability for short-term profit gains. I digressed a little.

Please allow me now to theorise and tie Al’s and Laura’s ‘share of mind’ concept to the hottest topic in business and communication these days: social media.

Share of Mind and Its Relevance Today

Statistically, Apple’s iPhone does not command a whimper of market share in the mobile phone category. As of October 2009, the iPhone is estimated to own only 2.5% of the world’s mobile phone market. Surprising? No. It is after all the sole product in Apple’s mobile phone inventory.

But why has the iPhone become so iconic for a product so young (only 2 years old as we speak)?

Was it the first smartphone? No. Nokia’s Communicator first appeared in 1996.

The first touchscreen phone? That honour belongs to LG’s Prada phone in January 2007.

Because in our minds (and certainly in mine too, an iPhone non-lover), the iPhone is foremost in thought when ‘smartphones’ or ‘touchscreen phones’ are mentioned or discussed. Does not that translate into a complete dominance of the consuming mind? Even if I’ll end up never buying an iPhone in my entire life, I will still talk about it and get into conversations about it, would I not? (Can’t remember talking about the Prada phone ever!) By sheer branding genius and the accompanying buzz from its fanatical community of users, Apple has placed the iPhone right on the desktop of our mind, always visible, always conversation-worthy.

So Mind Share is Important, Now What?

For digital natives like me (and million others coming through in the next generational wave), we are gradually getting better at being ‘untouched’ by traditional advertising. We ignore advertising because we can Google it. We search for product information through our friends or within our circle of influence. And with social media channels, we can ask a brand directly for an opinion.

Let me repeat that: ‘we can ask a brand directly for an opinion’. Ponder on that for a moment and recall the last time a brand responded to you directly. You can? Via Twitter? A comment on your blog? Now place that brand in its category, say Starhub, a telco player in Singapore (who has @starhubcares on Twitter), or a brand new pasta restaurant that has responded to your gushes or criticisms of its dinner spread.

Social Media Creates Deeper Mind Share

Don’t these brands seem much more human to you? Much more approachable? Most certainly left an impression, right? And that I say is a fine mind share win! Social media simply helps to deepen these brand-to-customer connections. We, humans, are most likely to favour and navigate towards people or things we are familiar with or have a positive experience with. And thus, it is very likely that our next purchase decisions will be heavily influenced by these recall tendencies.

Here are some of my own personal experiences with Singaporean brands whom I have interacted with on social media channels and who have advertently been gifted a corner of my mind to call their own.

What Competitor?

Rochor Beancurd House has both Facebook and Twitter presence. The man behind these social media profiles is its director, Jason Koh, who maintains regular daily updates and interaction with tweeples. Always ready to respond and comment on issues of the day, I have had my fair share of tweet discussions with Jason, both casual and business.

Now, in my mind at this very present moment, Rochor Beancurd House is THE beancurd establishment in Singapore. Jason has done enough to fill this virtual category as I perceive it and, until a beancurd competitor comes along and starts dabbling in social media and interacting with me, Rochor Beancurd is top spot in this space. A brand name convenient enough in my mind to name-drop when needed.

There Is Always Room for Two, But Get There Soon

When I think of Japanese food, these 2 brands come to mind, Sakae Sushi and Standing Sushi Bar. As part of research, I have been observing Sakae Sushi lately as they engage bloggers in their ‘Sakae Monthly Bloggers Affair’ campaign. Although a little ‘laggy’ with their social media audience, Sakae Sushi nonetheless has a comprehensive approach to connecting with their customers. I was already a foodie fan of theirs but now I am a bigger fan because I know they are sincere in reaching out.

On the boutique end, Standing Sushi Bar is the perfect case study for ‘Social Media for Small Businesses’. Although Howard Lo, the main man and proprietor, said in a blog post ‘I don’t care about that’ in reference to social media marketing, it is really hard to believe. The various use of social media tools for his business is eye-catching and definitely worth emulating for small businesses trying to establish a niche and regular clientele. Here are some Standing Sushi Bar activities that I have observed in the social media space:

• Crowd sourcing to seek opinions on a new in-house menu via Twitter
• Taking enquiries, reservations and even hiring search via Twitter
• Blogging and sharing the Standing Sushi experience
• Coupon promotions and content sharing via Facebook

No other Singaporean Japanese food seller has come under my radar. However, the truth is I am always ready to eat at both Sakae Sushi and Standing Sushi Bar, so there is always room for two in the mind. But before every one else gets on social media, it is always good to stake territorial mind share claims early before it gets too crowded. Then we have to think of the next ‘fad’ in marketing communication

Personality First, First in Mind

The Garden Slug must be one of the friendliest Singapore brands on Twitter! Always happy to join in conversations and to make you feel at home on Twitter. For the record, I have not been there and I am not even sure who is behind the Twitter account. But The Garden Slug’s sincere brand personality shines through! It makes me want to have dinner there and to know the person/persons running the brand. That much of my mind has been won over and isn’t this a genuine mind share win through social media?

That is not all that won me over. Go ahead and read The Garden Slug’s blog. Unpretentious and chock-full of social content, a delight and a respite from all-too-typical, stiff-backed corporate portals and blogs. In particular, I am smittened by this line on their Careers’ page ‘We are an indie startup and we do things a little differently at times’. Refreshing!

So at any time when I am in Telok Kurau and looking for a meal or some Ugly Salmon Cakes, I am pretty sure which ‘indie startup’ will come first to mind.

Be a Pioneer and Seek Minds

Penn Olson is not a retail or consumer brand, but nonetheless, a Singaporean brand worth mentioning. Founded in july 2009 by two students from Singapore Management University, Willis Wee and Sarah Chong, Penn Olson is Singapore’s equivalent of the Mashable or ReadWriteWeb social media and Web 2.0 blogs. With 2400 followers on Twitter and close to 1000 fans on their Facebook Page, Penn Olson is doing something right by filling in a space and creating a new category altogether in their locale: a dedicated social media, marketing and business blog in Singapore. By virtue of being first on the scene, Penn Olson captured our attention as the premier homegrown resource to turn to for anyone trying to make sense of the world of social media. That is the real value of being a pioneering brand. Through careful nurturing and interacting with its followers in social media channels, Penn Olson has a tremendous opportunity to always be first and foremost in the minds of its readers for years to come. A pioneering first has real ‘top of mind’ advantages.

The Personal Brand

Willy Foo is the technopreneur behind Live!Studios, an interactive photography company. But as we are aware, the photography industry must be one of the most competitive industry around with very low barriers to entry for anyone wishing to start. So how does Willy Foo remains ahead of the competition and, most importantly, top of mind?

By building a social media presence, not just around his business, but through his personal brand. This was how I became aware of Willy’s work after meeting him in person and now he’s the top Singaporean commercial photographer in my mind (which I think has merit since he shot the Singapore Wedding of the Decade). With a Facebook Page of 9000 fans and an additional 1000 fans on Twitter, Willy’s online audience can rival any corporate organisations’ and, as in the case of The Garden Slug, it is much easier for Willy’s audience to relate and trust a human personality rather than a corporate brand like Live!Studios (I certainly will not). I cannot be sure how much of Willy’s business comes from word-of-mouth or online recommendation but I think it is plausible a substantial percentage would have come from these online connections (Willy to comment?)

(Updated 13/11: Willy Foo provided information on the make up of his business: “40% comes from word of mouth, 40% from online recommendations and 20% from search engines”. To me, those are absolutely gratifying numbers. It certainly shows that being social on the web, together with word-of-mouth, does work for businesses. There is a real fair chance that Willy’s success can be replicated by any other small and medium business owners.)

As Willy has shown, I believe layering a personal brand over a commercial or corporate brand can enhance a business’ personality and mind share wins. It is certainly much easier to relate to than a corporate entity’s. Think Richard Branson (Virgin). Think Michael Jordan (Nike).

End Thoughts in Winning Mind Share

In all of the above cases, for good or bad, the brands have left a lasting impression on me. By connecting with me and giving me a moment of their time and attention, they have truly deserved a little of my attention and, most importantly, my close awareness of their brands. Perhaps mind share may not contribute to a direct hard cash sale, but brands will always benefit from building trust in advocating customers.

Still unconvinced of the value of connecting socially with your customers? The truth is then, you will never ever know them.

Your thoughts and opinions are much welcomed!

Conversations. Being social is about being conversant. In all of its forms, be it business discussions, friendly discourses or family chats, it follows a certain, two-way norm: a question, an answer, then repeat. A question, an answer, then repeat. An almost cyclical activity, but really valuable in facilitating the exchange of information and sentiments between two or more parties. Conversations can build passion or bring us to tears. Which is pretty much the foundation of many great social communication strategies. So, let me ask this, why then do brands on social media ignore the conversation?

Writer’s note: I approached this as a balanced study and I will highlight both questionable and best practices. Sometimes I do wonder though, what if the designated ‘social media person’ in the company goes on vacation leave? I’ve noticed this happening before where conversations totally dropped off the radar. Hence my belief that social media is a shared responsibility of an enlightened open organisation. Anyone and everyone can speak and will speak. More on this in posts to come.

Starbucks Singapore’s Facebook page leaves many questions unanswered. Like literally.

Perhaps those are tough questions, but even the easy ones?

(I know these may be simple, almost ‘lazy questions’ for the Google-centric individual, but any interaction with a customer is an opportunity to make an impression.)

No response to this customer’s negative sentiment. Sales are most times made on sentiments and should be managed (especially for an ongoing X’mas promotion!)

But I like how this was handled.

The following are strange behaviours if the objective is to strike a conversation.

Post a question to the crowd. And despite 47 FB likes, a couple of questions and many comments later, Starbucks SG was quiet…cricket quiet.

Run a ‘pop quiz’ but remain absolutely quiet thereafter…

Strangely, Starbucks SG did pretty well here talking about Corporate Social Responsibility. Although informative, I personally feel it is PR speak mostly. Notice how the original question (paraphrased ‘If the investment in CSR translates to higher cost, has the cost been past on to customers?’) has gone unanswered?

I am really glad they responded here though, young students make future customers!

Advertorial, advertorial, advertorial! What about content posts? Thought pieces? Informative articles? Anything that will sustain and enrich conversations and minds?

Well, perhaps Facebook is not the platform for such conversations…..

But hey, it can be done and it should be done! Standing Sushi Bar proves so! A simple conversation topic such as ‘miso soup’ can excite your audience.

So all in all, should not brands in social media work at sustainable regular communications/conversations? Don’t we all feel slighted if questions go unanswered? Or when conversations get ignored? Keeping up the 2-way communication in social media can be tough on resource-poor organisations, but if you dabble in it, then it is ridiculously important.

But seriously, try not responding to your mom for a day or two and see what happens.

Happy to discuss this further, so leave your thoughts and comments!

Talk about itself. All the time. David Meerman Scott has something to say about this.

Writer’s Note: Hundred Trees is a condominium development in Singapore. Hundred Trees is on Twitter and Facebook. Please note that I have personally seen @hundredtrees reply to tweets previously (if you don’t see any in their current timeline). Credit to @hundredtrees for being social when it mattered.

So what should brands do instead?

Connect with the audience or, at a minimum, share content or thoughts beyond the peddled products. Behave and be a real person behind a computer and the Twitter account (or any social media tools). That is somehow much easier to relate to from a customer’s point-of-view. “We as humans love to project personalities on inanimate objects.” (CoTweet)

Now, this is how Royal Plaza on Scotts does it on Twitter.

Writer’s Note: Royal Plaza on Scotts is a 5-star business hotel within Orchard Rd shopping district, Singapore. Follow @royalplazatweet on Twitter or visit their Facebook Page.

If you do it well…

The importance of online branding is, without doubt, equally applicable for both businesses and individuals. With increased emphasis on branding through digital marketing efforts and social media engagement these days, the need for reputation management and preservation becomes critical. One wrong move or erratic online behavour may spell public relations disaster, brand damage or, worse, the loss of customer/community trust (trust creates loyalty). The following is a case study on Monster.com.sg (or perhaps an “authorised agent”) that highlights an online practice that is both unconventional and inappropriate on many counts.

Writer’s Note: This post is not intended as an exposé. I sincerely welcome Monster.com.sg to provide their point-of-view and comments on this page or to engage me in private (email me at isman.tanuri at gmail.com). I am highlighting this as an opportunity for all of us to learn, understand and navigate the digital web better. Additional info: Monster.com.sg is a global recruitment portal which I personally use and subscribed to.

The Monster.com.sg Story

The other day, I received an innocuous looking email from ‘netsurveysingapore@yahoo.com’ (displaying all of it below).

It was titled ‘You’ve Received a Zoomerang’. Spammy-sounding? Very much so. A quick Google search shows that Zoomerang is legitimate. Wondering what this is about, I clicked on the email. A somewhat abrupt and direct message greeted me, asking for my participation to ‘this survey’. ‘What survey?’, I asked. A Google query on ‘netsurveysingapore’ turned up nothing. Now, let us analyse this interaction so far.

The Importance of Email Etiquette

1. No ‘Hello’ or ‘Hi’: A simple polite greeting would have suffice to rein in my attention, even for a moment more. Your audience, this audience, is a breathing, emotional being.

2. Personalisation: Since I had turned up in the contact database, I am surprised at the failure to address me personally.  Compare the above email to the one I received from Paypal below. Paypal knows me and is not afraid to flaunt it.

3. Lack of Contact Info: No additional return contact other than the ‘dubious’ Yahoo! email address was included. Till now, I do not comprehend the need for the ninja-like secrecy and being almost-anonymous. It pays to brand yourself a little more in emails, your intention becomes much clearer to the reader.

4. ‘No future communication necessary?’: ‘Thank you in advance’ is a hit-and-run strategy. A one-time effort to minimise interaction or simply being lazy? A disinterested intern? I can’t figure it out. So, what value can I, as a customer, give you, the business, if you do not care to prolong or maintain the relationship? It is not a good way forward if the customer laments of being exploited and used.

Surprise, Surprise!

So I took the plunge (in the name of research and adventure!) and clicked on the Zoomerang link (still up at time of writing). Lo and behold! It is Monster SG! Complete with corporate logo and tagline.

Now, this confuses me to no end. An almost anonymous email asking for my participation in a Monster.com.sg survey? This is their corporate communication practice? I still would like to give Monster.com.sg the benefits of my doubt. Maybe it is a less-than-savvy 3rd party service provider? Or a lack of financial resources for a proper campaign?

But inadvertently, the damage is done.

I am unsure how I can trust a brand, who has my personal details and permission to communicate with me, to approach me in such a manner. In my mind, this single activity has cheapened and degenerate the Monster.com brand value. Why? Because consumers tend to compare and others have done it better! Consider these:

To your credit, you’ve done well too, but why not this time?

In the age of social media, reputation management is a 24-7/365 effort I should say, for both business and personal brands.

There’s more!

This baffles me further….

Wow! It is a ‘what do you think of our competitors and us’ kind-of-survey. Gee. Based on this email activity, you have just shot yourself in the foot. The reader has lost all objectivity! Better luck next time, Monster!

As much as I applaud Monster.com.sg for their efforts in getting in touch with their subscribers to understand the marketplace better, this ‘guerilla tactic’ left a bad taste in my mouth. The web is about being open and transparent with your intentions, just as it is in a business meeting or a retail storefront.

Customers are a lot smarter these days in sussing out discrepancies and voicing their opinions. Take the Obolo Cakeshop episode. The backlash from online citizens generated tremendous amount of bad publicity and brand damage for Obolo Cakeshop, that on hindsight, it would have been much better to engage in a more honest and reconciliatory manner.

I welcome anyone to share their similar experiences with brands below for our learning benefits and understanding the pitfalls of lax brand reputation management.

Reputation Management –

Further Reading

1 – Dell is one brand that has recovered from its ‘Dell Hell’ disaster with its reputation intact. Dell embraced and leveraged on social media to repair its relations with customers and is now No. 1 in social media engagement among the world’s top technology brands in this study .

2 – Jeremiah Owyang (the ex-Forrester analyst with an equally-valuable personal brand) wrote on ‘brands that stumbled in social media’.

3 – Individuals are also seeing their personal reputation challenged openly. Read the story on how a keynote speaker was Twitter-heckled in REAL TIME.

Reputation Management Tools

Click on to learn more on how to use these tools will help to manage your online reputation:

1 – Google Alerts

2 – Search Twitter

3 – Addictomatic

(Updated: 20/10/2009)

Online Brand Monitoring Services

1 – Brandtology

2 – JamiQ

3 – Radian6

Recently I was asked this question ‘Tell me why Wisma Atria should have a Twitter account’. Wisma Atria is a major mall on Orchard Road, Singapore that has pretty much reinvented itself with a facade change and cool-factor repositioning. A quick check shows that Wisma Atria is already on Twitter although I can’t be sure if that is indeed Wisma’s or a Twitter-squatter. Looks derelict to me (with 4 dubious followers) and 0 tweets.

There are many things that a business can achieve on Twitter and on social media in general, including close interaction with customers, shouting out ads, news and discounts, content distribution and much more. Brand reputation management is also a real possibility if Twitter is set up to alert.

Disclaimer: This post is written as a case study in exploring the possibilities and opportunities that may present themselves for businesses about to engage in social media. No affiliation to Wisma Atria and certainly no malice intended whatsoever although I am certainly open to further discourse and idea-sharing.

So let us focus this discussion on the overall reason why Wisma Atria MUST be on Twitter and how it will help its business and, most importantly, its customers.

Connecting.

Without a doubt, connecting with customers and listening to what they have to say about a brand is becoming an increasingly important concept. Gone are the days when product is THE focal point of a business. Not anymore, says The Customer. The internet in large parts has shift influence over to the consumer. The power to communicate and to retaliate is now in the tweeting fingers of consumers.

Just so we are clear, Twitter and social media are not strategies but only be a component social media tool within your organisation’s total marketing strategy (offline & online).

Despite the consumers’ firm grasp on social media, the possibilities are still endless for businesses to use the same set of social media tools to engage and reach out. There are many advantages to gain, especially market insights and intelligence.

So without further ado, I present..

‘If Wisma Atria is on Twitter…’

Direct Communication

If Wisma Atria is on Twitter, it can communicate directly to its customer at any time, like @rochorbeancurd does. What better way to reach out to customers other than being open, timely and with the injection of a little humanity in a brand’s persona. Especially when CSR (corporate social responsibility) is such the rage these days.

Real-Time Customer Service

If Wisma Atria is easily reached by Twitter, it can resolve customer issues quickly. ‘Just tell Wisma Atria anything on Twitter’ should be a real and implemented concept. Perhaps your customers would like to tweet to you information on that leaky washroom sink, to ask for store directions or to complain about a misleading ad.

Ask this, which one is faster for a savvy and connected customer:

1. Trying to find a customer service counter, 2. Googling for Wisma’s customer service number or 3. A direct tweet to, perhaps, @wismaonline (still available! quick!)

Make it easy and the customer will appreciate it. (Sidenote: Wisma’s online feedback tool is so buried on its website, it is like a treasure hunt!)

These days customers want to know that brands are listening to them. Like @starhubcares.

Identifying Customers and Targeting

If Wisma Atria is on Twitter, it will know that it has a prominent Indonesian clientele/customers who are active on Twitter and can be easily reached for highly-targeted sales or communication campaigns. Wisma can also find out which store is “hot!” in their mall and hype it up. When Twitter’s geo-location feature rolls out fully, it will be really fun to find out which store is really hot in real time as more shoppers are tweeting through mobile internet and sms. There are real business opportunities in that. Point being, the ability to target efficiently and precisely is a huge asset.

Celebrity Spotting

If Wisma was listening on Twitter, it would have known that 2 Indonesian celebrities were hanging out there. Could have easily been Paris Hilton or Takeshi Kaneshiro. Real good PR opportunity. (but no celebrity stalking, please)

Sales Campaigns and Programs

If Wisma Atria is on Twitter, it can do what @DiscountHunt is doing so well with its info relay service.

And guess what? Wisma’s fans will be happy to tell all their friends all about it.

A More Effective Social Media Approach

If Wisma is on Facebook and NOT on Twitter, it is blasphemy. Your Facebook Fans would like to reach out to you at some point and Twitter is one way to grab your attention. @sakaesushi uses both Facebook and Twitter to great effect.

Facebook and Twitter complement each other:

1. Your campaigns get out in real-time and faster via Twitter to reach YOUR audience (Twitter followers).

2. As long as you have an interesting proposition, you will always have them back to your Facebook Fan Page in no time. And less risk of a Facebook ‘white-elephant’, if you know what I mean.

Competitive Intelligence

If Wisma Atria is on Twitter, it can learn of its competitors and always be one step ahead

And much much more…

The possibilities are endless ‘if Wisma Atria is on Twitter…’ and it could be for your business too! All business are people business.

Please share in the comments if you have any interesting ideas on Twitter use for Wisma Atria or for any retail business. Would love to hear what you think.

Find me on Twitter @groovygenie or connect with me on Facebook.

This literature review was written as part of my final project for the BA (Hons) Marketing Management program I had attended. I personally thought it was a lot of fun getting this together, especially enjoyed the tons of reading. A lot of insights and new ideas were formed during the process of writing this. See if you enjoy it too. Do leave a comment if you don’t

You may wish to download the PDF for later viewing.

In a really connected world, no one can go it alone. Apart from the community that supports and develops your products (in tech at least), listening to your customers (end-users) must be the easiest way to gain insights, to polish your wares. But sadly, that is not always the case.

This Red Hat video says it very well and succinctly. The community-driven enterprise: it works!

This is something else. The United States Postal Service has come up with a brilliant use for augmented reality. For the CUSTOMER. Not an exhibition.

A breakthrough perhaps in a real life use for augmented reality (anyone else seen anything similar being developed? Please comment if you have.) So, have you ever wondered if that teddy bear gift you bought will fit in a packing box for shipping? Now you can find out yourself with a camera and internet connection. No need for ‘guess-timation’ or looking out for that measuring tape that is never around when you need it.

Can SingPost develop something like this? I say it would be the norm rather than a novelty in the not-too-distant future.

Excellent, this is technology for the customer. Watch video below and be convinced.