GM CEO Rick Wagoner just posted a note on the GM Media site explaining that he resigned after being asked to do so by the White House.
I won't get political on this blog... but its a shame to see Wagoner go. He was a dynamic and thoughtful leader for GM, more of a politician and less of an actor than his buddy Maximum Bob Lutz. I have no problem with a CEO leaving a company in trouble, but it's the government asking him to leave that makes me a little uncomfortable.
There's a pretty good story about the whole matter at the Detroit Free Press.
On a related note - Chrysler will give up a 35% stake to Fiat, another nationalized auto company run by a head of state.
Monday, March 30, 2009
Thursday, March 26, 2009
InsideFacebook.com just posted the following report on new users for the social media site. In the past two months, the number of people over the age of 35 (Gen X and Baby Boomers) on facebook has DOUBLED. Also of note is the fact that more women appear to be signing up for accounts then men.
These figures don't surprise me. I'm not sure what gelled since New Years Eve, but something has indeed spurned people to sign up for the site that in the past barely used any web apps beyond email and google. My father, aunt, uncle, even my great uncle (in his 80s!) are now on Facebook. Believe me when I say its truly surreal to be sitting around a table at a family function with a group of 50 and 60 somethings as they chat away about status updates and friend requests.
So what does this mean for business? Simple: a faster, more effective way to get your message out than ever. My client Hotchkis Performance has an active and vibrant facebook page, with hundreds of fans and industry insiders signed up as friends. With the new Facebook format, every time we attend an event, launch a product or do something cool, Dennis (Hotchkis' in-house Marketing maven) posts an udpate on both Facebook and Twitter. The responses have been overwhelmingly positive. It's like having a little PR Newswire Feed built into your cell phone.
Of course like Uncle Ben says, "With great power comes great responsibility," and that applies to facebook as well as webslinging superheroes. Just because you can post updates ten times a day about every little thing, doesn't mean you should. Keep the posts real, timely, and interesting and your friend list (and reach) will grow.
These figures don't surprise me. I'm not sure what gelled since New Years Eve, but something has indeed spurned people to sign up for the site that in the past barely used any web apps beyond email and google. My father, aunt, uncle, even my great uncle (in his 80s!) are now on Facebook. Believe me when I say its truly surreal to be sitting around a table at a family function with a group of 50 and 60 somethings as they chat away about status updates and friend requests.
So what does this mean for business? Simple: a faster, more effective way to get your message out than ever. My client Hotchkis Performance has an active and vibrant facebook page, with hundreds of fans and industry insiders signed up as friends. With the new Facebook format, every time we attend an event, launch a product or do something cool, Dennis (Hotchkis' in-house Marketing maven) posts an udpate on both Facebook and Twitter. The responses have been overwhelmingly positive. It's like having a little PR Newswire Feed built into your cell phone.
Of course like Uncle Ben says, "With great power comes great responsibility," and that applies to facebook as well as webslinging superheroes. Just because you can post updates ten times a day about every little thing, doesn't mean you should. Keep the posts real, timely, and interesting and your friend list (and reach) will grow.
Number of US Facebook Users Over 35 Nearly Doubles in Last 60 Days
Don’t look now, but the number of Americans over 35, 45, and 55 on Facebook is growing fast. In the last 60 days alone, the number of people over 35 has nearly doubled. Developers and marketers may want to think about how to serve this group of new users.
Here are the latest stats on Facebook’s US audience gender and age demographics, according to the company:
Facebook US Audience Growth, Last 180 Days
Looking at Facebook US audience growth over the last 180 days, it’s clear that Facebook is seeing massive increases in adoption amongst users 35-65. The fastest growing demographic on Facebook is still women over 55 - there are now nearly 1.5 million of them active on Facebook each month.
The biggest growth in terms of absolute new users over the last six month came amongst users 35-44. Over 4 million more US women 35-44 and nearly 3 million more US men 35-44 used Facebook in March 2009 compared to September 2008.
US Facebook Users By Age and Gender
With the rapid growth amongst older users, the majority of US Facebook users are now over 25. There are now 6 million users 13-17, 19.5 million 18-25, 13.4 million 26-34, 9.7 million 35-44, 4.6 million 45-54, and 2.8 million over 55. In other words, there are more Facebook users 26-44 than 18-25 today.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Lexus Backs First Consumer-Customized Magazine
THIS is very cool, and quite possibly the future of the publishing business.
They already have all the content, why not re-purpose it in a fun and dynamic way?
Lexus is sole sponsor and advertiser of a new effort with Time Inc., and American Express Publishing (AEP) that constitutes what the companies say is the first-ever consumer-customized magazine.
The magazine, called Mine--with the tagline "My magazine, My way"--comprises content from Time Inc. and AEP brands consolidated in a free, personal, customized magazine.
Starting this week, consumers can go to Timeinc.com/mine and choose content from five of eight select titles: Time, Sports Illustrated, Food & Wine, Real Simple, Money, InStyle, Golf, and Travel + Leisure. They can get the magazine either as a limited-edition print format or online, and also receive news, information, and entertainment alerts through a customized widget or mobile application via RSS feeds.
They already have all the content, why not re-purpose it in a fun and dynamic way?
Portfolio: Meltdown, A Marketing Opportunity
Jeremy Dann has penned an excellent piece for Portfolio.com where he interviewed Dominique Hanssens, the marketing chair at UCLA's Anderson School of Business. This is the most pertinent excerpt from the interview:
Dann: What are some companies that have “upped the ante” during down times?
Hanssens: You can easily point to examples of companies who have done successful innovations—new products and so forth despite the fact that these were launched during a recessionary period. The big growth period for Microsoft in the 1990s, when they went from being big to being a giant, coincided with the early ‘90s recessionary years. They had a lot of new value to offer with their products and were not afraid to get behind them with very aggressive marketing. A current example, if you accept the premise we are currently in a recession, would be Apple, which has been very aggressive with its iPhones and is doing spectacularly well, despite some negative news about the overall economy.
Read the rest of the story here.NYT Video
This is a worthwhile video about three small businesses in the NYC area, and how business is slowly getting back to normal for them.
The long Winter is winding down...
Just got back from a four day trip to Las Vegas, working the Mopars at the Strip car show for Hotchkis Performance. It was an interesting experience. Someone on a forum described this show as a "Star Trek Convention for Chrysler fans", and that seems to be the most fitting description I've heard. The three day event features drag racing, road racing, a car show, a swap meet, live bands (including members of Journey and Santana) and more, all catering to the Chrysler faithful.
I've never attended the show before, and was struck by the community that supports it. This was not like a typical Good Guys car show. Mopar (that stands for MOtor PARts, a Chrysler name) fans are fiercely loyal to their brand and their community, and by and large they are not wealthy high-rollers commissioning the construction of big buck show cars. These are hard working middle class Americans. Many of the people who showed up at the event came long distances, and are clearly stretched thin by the economy, but they came anyway.
I know the tough economic times have hurt a lot of people in this country and around the world. Some may think it trivial to focus on a big car show when thousands are losing their jobs - but I think its just the opposite. American have been sucked into the media-blitz of never ending bad news, and as a country we need to collectively lighten up. Go to a car show, attend a local game if that's your thing.
Most of the manufacturers and retailers I know are struggling but surviving. A few are thriving. Those who have the vision to continue marketing and reaching out to the core consumers that are still spending will emerge from this mess bigger, stronger and with a broader customer base than their competitors. To quote Harvey Dent, "The night is darkest before the dawn."
I've never attended the show before, and was struck by the community that supports it. This was not like a typical Good Guys car show. Mopar (that stands for MOtor PARts, a Chrysler name) fans are fiercely loyal to their brand and their community, and by and large they are not wealthy high-rollers commissioning the construction of big buck show cars. These are hard working middle class Americans. Many of the people who showed up at the event came long distances, and are clearly stretched thin by the economy, but they came anyway.
I know the tough economic times have hurt a lot of people in this country and around the world. Some may think it trivial to focus on a big car show when thousands are losing their jobs - but I think its just the opposite. American have been sucked into the media-blitz of never ending bad news, and as a country we need to collectively lighten up. Go to a car show, attend a local game if that's your thing.
Most of the manufacturers and retailers I know are struggling but surviving. A few are thriving. Those who have the vision to continue marketing and reaching out to the core consumers that are still spending will emerge from this mess bigger, stronger and with a broader customer base than their competitors. To quote Harvey Dent, "The night is darkest before the dawn."
Monday, March 16, 2009
K.I.S.S.
I've noticed my last few posts have been pretty wordy and drawn out. Sorry 'bout that.
Here's a video we just posted on Streetfire where an old client talks about a new one.
We've been shooting a LOT of new video content, and hosting it on both YouTube and the car-specific video channel StreetFire.
Here's a video we just posted on Streetfire where an old client talks about a new one.
We've been shooting a LOT of new video content, and hosting it on both YouTube and the car-specific video channel StreetFire.
The web as a global "hive mind"
An interesting story landed in my inbox this morning. Thought I'd share it.
It's a column at Forbes.com written by Joshua-Michele Ross, called The Rise of the Social Nervous System.
In the column, Ross argues that since more than half of the earth's population is now connected in one way or another to the internet (1.6 billion by computer, another 4 billion on mobile devices), social media has transformed the web from an information source into a "hive mind" where common knowledge and information is shared by billions across the globe.
Ross tries to make the point that this rapidly expanding global social media network will eventually help end war and disease and better all mankind.
"The social nervous system makes us aware of a broader context of relationship with humanity. My immediate relationships--with my family, my city and state--begin to span the globe. We can leverage the ubiquity of communications to coordinate real world activity--and just about anyone can do it. Even a kid with a mobile phone can capture a revolution."
A noble and lofty idea, but one I doubt will come to fruition. While I'm sure the social media wave (blogs, facebook, etc) will create major change in our world, from the end of the newspaper business as we know it, to a radical departure in how government and businesses relate to the people, I think that in the end, left to their own devices, people will use this new technology to catch up on gossip, learn about their neighbors and find out about the coolest new stuff to buy.
It's human nature. In the end, everyone wants to hang out in their living room and shoot the breeze with their friends. That living room is now an online web app, and their friends might be 1,000 miles away, but we still want to catch up, read about the topics that interest us, and buy cool toys. And that's not a bad thing. What do you think?
It's a column at Forbes.com written by Joshua-Michele Ross, called The Rise of the Social Nervous System.
In the column, Ross argues that since more than half of the earth's population is now connected in one way or another to the internet (1.6 billion by computer, another 4 billion on mobile devices), social media has transformed the web from an information source into a "hive mind" where common knowledge and information is shared by billions across the globe.
Ross tries to make the point that this rapidly expanding global social media network will eventually help end war and disease and better all mankind.
"The social nervous system makes us aware of a broader context of relationship with humanity. My immediate relationships--with my family, my city and state--begin to span the globe. We can leverage the ubiquity of communications to coordinate real world activity--and just about anyone can do it. Even a kid with a mobile phone can capture a revolution."
A noble and lofty idea, but one I doubt will come to fruition. While I'm sure the social media wave (blogs, facebook, etc) will create major change in our world, from the end of the newspaper business as we know it, to a radical departure in how government and businesses relate to the people, I think that in the end, left to their own devices, people will use this new technology to catch up on gossip, learn about their neighbors and find out about the coolest new stuff to buy.
It's human nature. In the end, everyone wants to hang out in their living room and shoot the breeze with their friends. That living room is now an online web app, and their friends might be 1,000 miles away, but we still want to catch up, read about the topics that interest us, and buy cool toys. And that's not a bad thing. What do you think?
Friday, March 13, 2009
Opt-In Email Next Best After Family and Friends
From the MediaPost research blog:
The conclusion drawn in a new report from Merkle, "View from the Inbox," 2009, is that Email continues to be a popular marketing communications channel in today's challenging economic climate due to its low cost-per-contact and its ability to provide direct, measurable results. But, consumers' attitudes and behavior regarding email continue to change.
As a result, inboxes are becoming more crowded with marketing messages and marketers are finding they must adapt to sustain gains made via their recent email marketing efforts. Permission-based, or "opt-in" email marketing, is seen as an important element in the unfolding strategies.
- Permission email accounts for about a quarter of all time spent with email, second only to its primary function of communicating with friends and family
- Just over half of all permission email recipients have added at least one company to their address book, and do so for 25% of the companies sending them email
- The biggest reasons subscribers choose to opt-out of permission email continue to be lack of relevance (cited by 75%), followed closely by sending too frequently (73%)
An inverse relationship exists between the emails that are valued by consumers pertaining directly to them such as transaction-related confirmations and account summaries and the quantities that they receive in which they are relatively less interested, such as news alerts and offers.
The main reasons subscribers choose to opt out of email programs, 75% say perceived irrelevance and 73% cite sending too frequently, are problems most commonly associated with promotional email because these can be the most intrusive.
The report concludes that the quality of a company's email program influences brand perceptions, both negatively and positively, acknowledged by 59% of permission email recipients, while 30% of permission email recipients have stopped doing business with at least one company due to their poor email marketing practices.
So what does this mean? Something common sense already tells us but many marketers ignore:
Obey the following commandments for direct e-mail customer contact:
1. Only send messages to those who want them
2. Send interesting and informative content people will enjoy. Avoid schlock and hyberbole.
3. Don't send emails to often, once a month is good. Once a week is bad.
SURVIVE, EXPAND & THRIVE W/ LEAN MARKETING
Print advertising is becoming increasing less effective and more expensive. Online display ads are nearly useless except for branding purposes. Traditional PR - which involves placing stories in print and on TV - is fine if done correctly and on a budget, but only as an addendum to a vibrant social media outreach program.
Why? Because a print hit takes 90 days to reach customers and you depend on the writer to deliver your message. A Social Media campaign can be executed in real-time, and YOU control the message. The key is to craft a message people WANT to read. F
Here's my point: over the next few weeks and months I will outline some low-cost (or even free) tips and ideas on building a Lean Marketing program. This includes Search Engine Optimization, Search Engine Marketing, Forum Community Building, Blogger Relations, basic Public Relations, Opt-In Direct E-Mail and more.
The goal will be to help you re-connect with current or former customers, attract the attention of new customers, make it easier for influencers to find you on the web and to attract as much marketshare as possible. Once the recession is over, you will have fewer competitors to contend with and if you continue to apply the same principals with more manpower and a bigger budget, business will increase exponentially.
Market or Die
TOUGH TIMES, NEW OPPORTUNITIES
This is the first marketing-specific post on Get Them Talking, my new blog focused on public relations and new media marketing tactics for small businesses and entrepreneurs. You're probably asking yourself, "who the hell cares about PR and Marketing while the economy is melting down and I can barely make payroll?"
Here's the thing: most business people's first reaction to economic hardship is to slash marketing and advertising down to the bone, then go about reducing staff and other overhead. That makes sense in a way, since the power bill, employees and taxes DO take priority. However - and I'll say this a lot in the next few blog posts - in tough economic times when businesses must fight for every sale and over every customer, re-connecting with existing consumers and reaching out to new ones is critical.
To put it simply: Market or Die.
Even in tough times, people will continue to spend money, but they will be very careful about WHERE they spend it. If you pull back all marketing while your competitor continues to push forward, your company will be forgotten and they will get the sale.
Only a finite number of sales can be made at any given time. For every dollar in sales you make, it means your competitor is not only losing that sale to you but they can’t replace that lost revenue.
Excellent Story on Fast Company: Recession Proof Your Business
This story is on FastCompany.com
When you're a small business owner there's no "Golden Parachute", no Massive Severance Package or Stock Options to cash in on and there are definitely no bailouts. The success or failure of your small business is all on your shoulders!
Here's Are 5 Things to Do If You Want Your Business to Fail During a Recession
1. Don't Do Anything
2. Don't Do Enough
3. Don't Encourage Referrals From Other Clients
4. Don't Create a "WOW" Experience
5. Don't Take Massive Action Now
Now, if you want to build your small business, there's good news.
You don't have to sit back and become a victim of the times. Right now there are businesses and market segments that are making record profits. US Steel just posted record profits for the second quarter after losing huge orders from the auto industry.
Here's How US Steel Achieved Record Making Profits – And So Can You:
- They found new markets at higher prices
- They were open to new opportunities
- They were pro-active
Here Are 10 Quick and Easy Strategies to Increase Sales and Profits During a Recession
1. Implement systems that measure and track the results of ALL of your marketing, advertising and publicity efforts
2. Look for new ways to re-position products or services you provide to attract a new market segment. Example: Re-position Yoga as "Fall Prevention Strategies for Seniors
3. Find new distribution channels for your products whether it's through the Internet or other retailers who are selling complimentary products or services.
4. Create Joint Venture Arrangements with other complimentary, not competing Businesses. For example an accounting firm could go to their legal firm and offer to hold a seminar on "Tax Reduction Strategies" for the their (legal firms) clients as a special bonus. The accounting company may get new clients and the only cost is their time. One stipulation, the accounting firm must offer a special seminar to their clients on "How To Structure Tax Shelters for Estate Management". Both companies benefit.
5. Have a "Rewards Referral Program " for your existing customers and let them experience how it will work.
6. Know the numbers in your business. Find out what products and services make the most profits and which ones make the least. Start promoting or up-selling those first. Do you know the average transaction value which is the average amount each consumer pays you at the point of purchase? Go find that out now and then ask yourself the question "How can I increase that amount by 10% by adding or bundling in extra value?
7. Position yourself as the "Knowledgeable Expert" in Your Field and write articles for the newspaper, or trade journals and radio interviews. You can even write and submit articles online using www.IWantMoreProspects.com. The print and online media is always hungry for information to provide their readership. They are always on the lookout for new information that solves people's problems or helps them save them time or money.
8. Differentiate yourself from the competition and give the consumer the "Reason Why" they should do Business with you versus your competitors.
9. Join a Mastermind Group or Coaching Program to improve your skills as a Marketer. Tiger Woods has a golf coach to help him. Professional baseball teams have hitting and pitching coaches. And you should have a business and marketing coach to stop the downhill slide before it becomes uncontrollable.
10. Build a stronger relationship with your customer base through frequent contact, special offers, and newsletters. Survey your existing customers to see what they want and then sell it to them.
This is just a short list on the many things that are possible. Now the question is, do you want to recession proof your business and achieve massive results or do you want to lay down and play dead and hope things get better? It's your choice!
Recession Proof Your Business – How to Avoid Business Failure & Increase Sales in a Lagging Economy
BY Ron RomanoQuick and Easy Strategies to Increase Sales and Profits during a Recession...
Here's Are 5 Things to Do If You Want Your Business to Fail During a Recession
1. Don't Do Anything
2. Don't Do Enough
3. Don't Encourage Referrals From Other Clients
4. Don't Create a "WOW" Experience
5. Don't Take Massive Action Now
Now, if you want to build your small business, there's good news.
You don't have to sit back and become a victim of the times. Right now there are businesses and market segments that are making record profits. US Steel just posted record profits for the second quarter after losing huge orders from the auto industry.
Here's How US Steel Achieved Record Making Profits – And So Can You:
- They found new markets at higher prices
- They were open to new opportunities
- They were pro-active
Here Are 10 Quick and Easy Strategies to Increase Sales and Profits During a Recession
1. Implement systems that measure and track the results of ALL of your marketing, advertising and publicity efforts
2. Look for new ways to re-position products or services you provide to attract a new market segment. Example: Re-position Yoga as "Fall Prevention Strategies for Seniors
3. Find new distribution channels for your products whether it's through the Internet or other retailers who are selling complimentary products or services.
4. Create Joint Venture Arrangements with other complimentary, not competing Businesses. For example an accounting firm could go to their legal firm and offer to hold a seminar on "Tax Reduction Strategies" for the their (legal firms) clients as a special bonus. The accounting company may get new clients and the only cost is their time. One stipulation, the accounting firm must offer a special seminar to their clients on "How To Structure Tax Shelters for Estate Management". Both companies benefit.
5. Have a "Rewards Referral Program " for your existing customers and let them experience how it will work.
6. Know the numbers in your business. Find out what products and services make the most profits and which ones make the least. Start promoting or up-selling those first. Do you know the average transaction value which is the average amount each consumer pays you at the point of purchase? Go find that out now and then ask yourself the question "How can I increase that amount by 10% by adding or bundling in extra value?
7. Position yourself as the "Knowledgeable Expert" in Your Field and write articles for the newspaper, or trade journals and radio interviews. You can even write and submit articles online using www.IWantMoreProspects.com. The print and online media is always hungry for information to provide their readership. They are always on the lookout for new information that solves people's problems or helps them save them time or money.
8. Differentiate yourself from the competition and give the consumer the "Reason Why" they should do Business with you versus your competitors.
9. Join a Mastermind Group or Coaching Program to improve your skills as a Marketer. Tiger Woods has a golf coach to help him. Professional baseball teams have hitting and pitching coaches. And you should have a business and marketing coach to stop the downhill slide before it becomes uncontrollable.
10. Build a stronger relationship with your customer base through frequent contact, special offers, and newsletters. Survey your existing customers to see what they want and then sell it to them.
This is just a short list on the many things that are possible. Now the question is, do you want to recession proof your business and achieve massive results or do you want to lay down and play dead and hope things get better? It's your choice!
Welcome to Get Them Talking
Welcome to Get Them Talking, the Kahn Media blog about PR, New Media Marketing and surviving the CRISISGATE 2009 (hey, every big story needs a -gate at the end, right?).
I'm Dan Kahn... the humble proprietor of Kahn Media. Since I'm basically shouting into a dark empty room with a first post, I might as well tell you a little about myself.
I started in this business as a media junky and gearhead about 15 years ago, when I landed my first gig writing for a small enthusiast publishing company in L.A. I serves as editor at several small niche magazines that covered everything from toys to cars to mountain bikes. From there I spent some time writing for a tech magazine during the dot com boom, and when the market crashed and burned so did my employer. After that I served as an editor at Petersen Publishing (which became Emap which became Primedia and is now Source Interlink) and then Edmunds.com
After that I made the leap into PR, where I've been helping small and mid-size businesses connect with consumer for the past five years. Along the way I've become obsessed with Search Engine Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Social Media and what I like to call Lean Marketing.
I should also mention I'm a diehard car guy with the unfortunate habit of buying vehicles, modifying them to the point where they're no longer functional or useful in any way, then selling them and starting over. The first step, apparently, is admitting you have a problem. Other background stuff: I'm married, live in Los Angeles with my wife and two dogs, my firm handles marketing and PR and I really enjoy cooking and speeding. Not in that order. My insurance guy is unhappy.
Future posts will focus on PR and Social Media Marketing tips that will help you survive and thrive during RecessionGate, create new business opportunities and build a community around your brand.
I'm Dan Kahn... the humble proprietor of Kahn Media. Since I'm basically shouting into a dark empty room with a first post, I might as well tell you a little about myself.
I started in this business as a media junky and gearhead about 15 years ago, when I landed my first gig writing for a small enthusiast publishing company in L.A. I serves as editor at several small niche magazines that covered everything from toys to cars to mountain bikes. From there I spent some time writing for a tech magazine during the dot com boom, and when the market crashed and burned so did my employer. After that I served as an editor at Petersen Publishing (which became Emap which became Primedia and is now Source Interlink) and then Edmunds.com
After that I made the leap into PR, where I've been helping small and mid-size businesses connect with consumer for the past five years. Along the way I've become obsessed with Search Engine Marketing, Search Engine Optimization, Social Media and what I like to call Lean Marketing.
I should also mention I'm a diehard car guy with the unfortunate habit of buying vehicles, modifying them to the point where they're no longer functional or useful in any way, then selling them and starting over. The first step, apparently, is admitting you have a problem. Other background stuff: I'm married, live in Los Angeles with my wife and two dogs, my firm handles marketing and PR and I really enjoy cooking and speeding. Not in that order. My insurance guy is unhappy.
Future posts will focus on PR and Social Media Marketing tips that will help you survive and thrive during RecessionGate, create new business opportunities and build a community around your brand.
Thanks for reading, I'll be back soon with more on-topic content.
-Dan
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