Branding
Some Interesting Twitter Statistics for 2011
Here are some interesting twitter stats I wanted to share We can then take a look at some interesting site statistics provided by Compete : Twitter.com had: 28,741,503 Unique Visitors in May 2011 148,742,825 Total Visits in May 2011 1 year graph comparing unique visits to total visits: Click on the above thumbnail to see a full size image. Pingdom has created a nice graphic showing the growth in tweets per month. This includes all tweets (including those made with 3rd party apps):
Are you generating value for your company or you?
In past articles, I have written about the new reality of work where, regardless of your title or work agreement, you are a service provider selling YOUR services to your firm. You company is NOT buying 40 hours a week but rather your specific skill-set. The next reality I need you to accept is that job security no longer exists. Whether you are a contract employee or an old timer, your job is only as secure as the value of your skills.
Honest Tea: The Most Honest City In America
Honest Tea is a competitor to the Snapple brand in the United States of America. They conducted a brilliant marketing campaign and social experiement. It was so original I wanted to share it with you. They wanted to see which of the major US cities was the most honest. They installed un-manned racks of their product and asked people to voluntarily donate a dollar per drink. The experiment was filmed and the results were tabulated. Watch this fantastic experiment and campaign unfold.
Real Twitter Usage Statistics
Edison Research/Arbitron Internet and Multimedia Series released an interesting report entitled “Twitter Usage in America: 2010”. What really sets this report apart is the fact that they spent 3 years collecting and tracking usage. The most interesting conclusion is the fact that “twitter is a broadcast channel” contrary to what many marketers believe. The majority of twitter users are lurkers and rarely post. The report is filled with useful and actionable information but some interesting highlights include: In 2 years, American’s awarness of twitter has increased from 5% to 87% Although the level of awareness of Twitter now matches that of Facebook, the latter has significantly more active users.
When choice cuts into profits and margin
Until recently, most executives operated under the impression that consumers demand choice and lots of it. You could walk into any electronics store and see 5 different versions of the same computer system (each with only minute differences). But is this really what the modern, educated and busy consumer is demanding? Early this year, I read a research paper by Forrester Research (1) that discussed the experiential difference between the typical Personal Computer and the iPad. The author discusses the fact that the iPad has a “curated” experience.
Marketing to the different GENERATIONS
Long term strategic planning is one of the most important tasks a business executive must perform. Properly determining market direction can mean the difference between becoming number 1 or edging on the precipice of bankruptcy. There are 5 distinct generations alive today in the United States. The GI Generation This group of the population was born between 1905 to 1924 and at one time accounted for as much as 57 million live births in the USA. This number has now dwindled to less than 5 million.
The "YOU" Brand
Of all of the activities you undertake in your professional life, there is one that is supremely more important than all of others. It is the one activity that can differentiate you from everyone else. This activity is You! Most people do not realize that they are a brand. And like any other brand, your goal should be to create the best possible image and perception of your brand. Your brand is what will allow you to stand out. It is what will differentiate you from a sea of competitors.