How Social Media Transforms the Way We Live and Do Business

Posted on September 6, 2010 by Stacey

[Editor's note: This is a guest post by social media specialist, Stacey Alexander.]

Social media has revolutionized the way we connect with others, exponentially increasing our social circles. Using tools like Facebook, Twitter, Kaboodle and more, we are connecting with people who we would never have had the opportunity to know otherwise. People who with similar interests, values and aspirations. But these platforms aren’t only changing our social lives; they’re influencing our approach to business.

Social media is a new wave of getting back to the basics of the right way to do business. It brings out the human behind the corporate brand. It gives consumers—and potential consumers—an emotional connection to an organization, which can cultivate loyalty and longevity. It encourages companies to become what consumers want by paying attention to what they’re saying. As this video by Socialnomics points out, social media is guiding businesses to act more like Dale Carnegie: listening first, selling second.

On September 23, Lift Summit will feature a keynote presented by Eric Qualman, further explaining “How Social Media Transforms the Way We Live and Do Business.” Eric is the author of Socialnomics—which is currently #1 on Amazon’s list for Online Marketing books—and the Global Vice President of Online Marketing for EF Education. He is a published fiction author, has been highlighted in publications like Forbes and AdvertisingAge, and hosts his own social media blog.

Stacey Alexander is a communications professional with a passion for social media and a background in public relations. You can read more of her insights on news and information in social media and marketing 2.0 on her blog StaceyAlex.com.

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What Does Social Shopping Have to Do With Social Media?

Posted on September 3, 2010 by Stacey

[Editor's note: This is a guest post by social media specialist, Stacey Alexander.]

Social shopping networks, where consumers can share information with each other about products and services, have become the standard for online purchases. “The idea is that this kind of sharing can generate authentic conversations around products and services – leading in turn to useful product recommendations, as well as money-making opportunities for targeted ads and e-commerce referrals” (NYTimes.com). It’s a whole world where the advantages and comforts of going shopping with a friend are brought to you at home through the web.

But what does this have to do with social media?

53% of people on Twitter recommend companies and/or products in their Tweets, with 48% of them delivering on their intention to buy the product. (ROI Research for Performance, June 2010)
Users put great trust in their social networks. One-half of Beresford respondents said they considered information shared on their networks when making a decision—and the proportion was higher among users ages 18 to 24, at 65%. (eMarketer, October 2009)
44% of Moms use social media for brand/product recommendations; 73% trust online community recommendations. (BabyCenter LLC, July 2009)

For more social shopping stats, visit BazaarVoice.com.

The world of social networks has brought like-minded people together in a way that was never before possible, creating interest-based communities that span the globe. We share our pictures, plans and preferences, and in doing so, build relationships with others over web platforms. Social shopping is just another integral part of this phenomenon. It has created social networks based around our shopping experience. We now have the convenience of shopping from our homes, a coffee shop or the airport, while at the same time getting desirable information and involvement from others—who think like us—to make better purchasing decisions.

For businesses, getting involved in this culture has the potential to greatly increase success rates. Just another step in Marketing 2.0 to get connected personally with the consumer, and adapt to better accommodate their needs.

Stacey Alexander is a communications professional with a passion for social media and a background in public relations. You can read more of her insights on news and information in social media and marketing 2.0 on her blog StaceyAlex.com.

Photo by Will Lion

Posted in Lift Summit 2010 | Tagged social media, social shopping, Twitter | Leave a comment

The Most Powerful and Business Transforming Social Commerce Conference

Posted on September 2, 2010 by Ilona

We’ve assembled the finest minds in Social Media and eCommerce and put them at your disposal for an entire day.

Register now for the most powerful and business-transforming event yet to take place in social commerce history. The 2^nd annual Lift Summit Conference is a “must attend” event for executives responsible for their company’s social media initiatives, those entrepreneurs preparing to launch social commerce, venture capitalists and investment bankers looking for opportunities in social media, and social site owners and community managers with a desire to make great connections and learn how to grow their business!

More than 200 social media minds from at least 100 different companies and organizations will gather in Atlanta on September 23rd to experience this intense one-day conference and walk away with tactical plans on how to make money using social media.

This All-Star Line Up of business owners, C-levels, social guru’s and Ivy League professors will show you how to monetize your social media efforts!

If you are looking for a seminar on Social Media 101, this is not it! Likewise, if you are looking for sessions on how you should be participating online, you’ve got the wrong place. You can get that kind of information from other social media conferences. We’re not bringing in the most successful people in the world of social media and commerce together just to let you know your business needs to be online. We put together a faculty that will show you how to build your business and add revenue quickly!

And don’t make any plans for Thursday evening…

We will all be gathering in the conference hall for a special “Lift Summit” party, sponsored by iMeet. It will be a great night of fun, open-bar and the chance to connect with business partners and new clients.

You simply have to be at Lift summit. No matter the cost, no matter the timing, no matter the distance. It is your chance to network, learn from, and hang out with the most successful people in social media and B2B ecommerce. So get registered NOW!

What’s the investment?

Lift Summit is only $199 per person. This includes sessions, meals, beverages and networking. But this investment is simply insignificant, when you figure what you can earn with what you’ll learn at this event.

Register now because seating is limited for this event. You know there are going to be 200 people wanting to attend. And lots of folks have already registered. We’re limited to 200 attendees and cannot switch locations. So we are forced to accept registrations on a first come, first served basis. Once the seats are sold, no one else will be able to get a seat at Lift Summit.

Register NOW and lock in your seat. And do whatever is necessary to ensure that you, and all of your key team members are there!

Reserve your spot today, before the event sells out!

Posted in Lift Summit 2010 | Tagged Atlanta, Lift Summit, social commerce, social media, social media conference | Leave a comment

How to Convince Higher Powers That Social Media is NOT a Fad

Posted on August 27, 2010 by Michael

Most businesses are becoming involved with social media and social commerce. There are still plenty of companies who have stubborn executives unwilling to commit time, energy, and finances to learning how to grow their business online.

1. Educate: Numbers Don’t Lie

Statistics hold the truth; here are some good ones to start you off:

Facebook added over 100 million users during a 9 month period.

YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world.

Forrester predicts B2B interactive marketing spending to reach $4.8 billion by 2014 – almost double that estimated for 2009 ($2.3 billion)

46% of B2B respondents said social media was perceived as irrelevant to their company, while only 12% of consumer-oriented marketers had the same problem.

2. There is nothing to fear….

Most people, who are anti-social media, feel this way because they are unsure or intimidated by this new wave business ideal. If you can easily walk through the processes of social media (creating a Facebook account, showing the impact of comments made by consumers on sites like Amazon, explaining a Tweet ) with your boss, they will be less likely to criticize if they can see the monetary impact it has on business growth .

3. Networking

People connect more and share ideas better via Social Media, because of its ability to keep it friendly, increase brand reputation online, and it allows people from every facet of live to participate and enjoy. Social Media allows people to network and connect so well that some people believe Facebook will prevent the need for high school reunions.

Make your boss’ jaw drop and make yourself look great in the process. Social Media can seriously help grow your business online as well as help you handle complaints and fix other issues you may have never heard or seen. Don’t get left behind!

Posted in Lift Summit 2010 | Tagged amazon, B2B, Facebook, Forrester, Google, tweet, Twitter, youtube | Leave a comment

Maximize Your Conference Time with Social Media

Posted on August 24, 2010 by Ilona

With Lift: the B2B Social Commerce Summit less than a month away, it’s time for a primer on how to maximize your experiences at conferences and trade shows—social media style.

Scope the agenda.

Don’t wait until the morning of the event to give the agenda a good look over. Whether it’s an industry trade show or an event like LiftSummit, perusing the list of speakers and workshops will give you the opportunity to perform pre-conference intelligence.

No, the idea is not to find out which speaker is famous for buying everyone drinks at the hotel bar. Instead, check out the profiles for sponsors, co-hosts, speakers, and facilitators to glean the kind of information that builds connections. A few minutes on LinkedIn, for example, might reveal that you attended the same business school as the keynote speaker or that you and a workshop facilitator are both connected to Bob the Blog Expert.

Be social.

It goes without saying that manners are a must when you’re congregating with peers. Smile when you say “hello,” don’t interrupt, and chew with your mouth closed. Also make sure newfound connections can contact you in the future by providing business cards that, in addition to standard phone and email info, also list your social media URLs.

Build post-conference connections.

After the conference, when you’ve recovered from jet lag and soaked your feet a bit, it’s time to connect with everyone you’ve met. File through the business cards you picked up and look up those new contacts on social media sites. If you think the relationship has potential, request connections on sites like LinkedIn. Twitter accounts and blogs are also places to start developing your professional network.

Don’t forget about the speakers, either. Did the keynote make your ears perk up? Check out their blog and bookmark it or sign up for its feed. It’s a simple act that will keep you updated on industry news as well as connected to industry thought leaders.

If you haven’t already registered, do so quickly because space is limited! LiftSummit will teach you how to monetize your social media strategy. To learn more about the social media tools and analysts that will generate leads, engage online and build brand influencers, plan to connect with LiftSummit co-host Social Strategy1 at the conference or through Twitter @Sstrategy1.

Posted in Lift Summit 2010, Sponsors | Tagged brand influencer, engage online, monetize social media, social media conference, social media strategy, Social Strategy1 | Leave a comment

Translate Social Data into New Business

Posted on August 16, 2010 by Ilona

Linking the voice of the customer to business processes and results, and monetizing that voice for your business.

From files filled with folders to racks that runneth over with reports, your new social engagement program has produced the kind of information that’s right out of a marketer’s fantasy. But social media monitoring is just the first step in creating the successful voice of the customer (VOC) program that makes executives and investors happy. Customer experience expert Bruce Temkin notes that while large companies listen to the customer’s voice, few of them actually turn that data into the fuel that fosters sales or recommendations. Here’s your basic guide to transforming VOC into ROI:

Know where you’re going – Online listening is worthless if your “plan” consists of consigning an intern to occasionally check your Facebook page. Craft a strategic social media plan that takes the same systematic approach you’d take with opening a new facility or launching a new product. Set objectives, so you can analyze the data and take action. Lift Summit’s co-host Social Strategy1‘s primary offering helps companies listen and make sense of the noise.
Keep at it – Listening shouldn’t stop with the results of a single report. Create a culture that encourages constant online listening. For example, Temkin suggests that executives regularly listen—by reading blog comments, for example—to learn what customers are saying and how they’re saying it. Don’t stop with the upper-echelons either. Make sure the staff knows your brand message and can consistently convey it to social media users in a positive way.
Integrate the message and your actions – Monitoring conversations and respond to leads. Soymilk company, 8th Continent monitored mentions of one of their competitors, Silk brand soy milk and offered trial coupons to users. 8th Continent experienced a 39% redemption rate, versus the 0.7 percent redemption of hard copy coupons, in addition to spikes in their fan base and a lot of sharing. 8th Continent’s approach is to watch the competitive landscape, offer coupons to those complaining about the competition. Folks redeem the coupons the same week!

Once you begin listening to what consumers are saying about your brand, products and competitors, you’ll have a better sense of which platforms to monitor for certain types of feedback. To get started, make sure you’re monitoring comments that your fans, followers or subscribers leave on your social profiles. This is the first step to mastering your listening skill.

Get the tools you need to turn your social media data into action. Register now for Lift Summit and take advantage of the early bird discount available through Monday 8/16.

Posted in Lift Summit 2010 | Leave a comment

Google’s Move to Social Networking…

Posted on August 10, 2010 by Michael

With Facebook soaring, Twitter booming, and LinkedIn growing, Google is making moves to go Social. After several recent acquisitions, this leads one to think they may be considering a strategic move to develop a combined social networking – search engine platform.

Why would the world’s biggest search engine and technology powerhouse want to do this?

It’s simple; people trust other people’s opinions and ideas. Eighty-seven percent (87% Marketing Sphera) of online consumers trust a peer recommendation over a critics review. When you get a conflicting review between an expert and a friend, who do you trust? I know I’m more likely to go with my friend’s opinion, simply based on our common interests. So, if I read a movie review and the “expert” gives it a thumbs down, that certainly won’t stop me from checking it out, if my friend finds it to be entertaining.

Back to Google, so another reason to go social is the Facebook story; people just love to connect and share. With Facebook having over 500 million people connecting and sharing, it would be in Google’s best interest to associate the social community aspect to their search. Consider also that Google is used for 65.4% of all online searches in the US – that’s a lot of consumers.

But, how are they going to monetize it? Through dated ads? Through social interaction? Through Pay Per Friend (PPF)? As consumers become more socially connected online and offline, and as technology advances into the web 4.0 arena, the opportunities to leverage interactions will expand the way we do business.

Posted in Lift Summit 2010 | Tagged Facebook, Google, LinkedIn, Marketing Sphera, Twitter | Leave a comment

We Heard You!

Posted on July 30, 2010 by Michael

With comments from last year’s post-event survey like, “Great job for 1^st year conference. Hope there’s a year two,” and “Do it again next year,” Lift is back and even stronger for our 2^nd annual social commerce conference.

After carefully listening to all of your feedback from last year, Lift 2010 is designed to be the ultimate B2B crowd pleaser!

bowtielaw.wordpress.com

This now 1-day event will continue to provide, “a unique opportunity to network with leaders in B2B social media and ecommerce worlds,” with the return of the highest rated speakers, like Erik Qualman and Eric Bradlow, plus the most prominent experts in the B2B social commerce space. Prepare to walk away with fresh ideas like how to help speed up your prospects buying cycle, quickly enhance online customer interaction, and implement simple strategies that will grow your business online.

Doug Eisenburg, a 2009 attendee, said of the conference, “The Lift Social Commerce Summit is a wonderful opportunity to hear from and interact with some of the industry’s leading thinkers and shakers,” and this year’s impressive lineup will in no way disappoint.

Along with an absolutely inspiring lineup, 2010 will also incorporate more networking to ensure that every attendee has the potential to make valuable connections. Understanding that networking is a critical benefit of attending a conference, we have integrated more panel discussion and allotted more time for one-on-one interaction. We’ve put together an event this year that is in the best interest of each attendee. With your attendance at Lift 2010, you will surely take away easy to implement tactics will drive sales lift.

There’s only 54 days left and limited space, so don’t miss this opportunity.

Posted in Lift Summit 2010 | Tagged B2B social media, doug eisenburg, Eric Bradlow, Erik Qualman, LIFT, social commerce conference, social commerce summit | Leave a comment

How Social Media Transforms the Way We Live and Do Business

How to Convince Higher Powers That Social Media is NOT a Fad

Translate Social Data into New Business

Google’s Move to Social Networking…

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