Foursquare: Customer Engagement for Business

 

Foursquare has recently made some changes to their website.

The line below is from an individual users settings page.

“Let local businesses see that I've checked-in at their venue [huh?]”

Clicking on [huh?] in that text brings up a dialog with the following.

We allow verified venue owners to see statistics about checkins at their venue. These stats include recent visitors, most frequent visitors and most popular check-in times. You can always opt out if you'd rather not share this data with the venues you visit.

Each venue now includes a way for the owner or manager to claim their business and gain access to analytics for people that check-in. Claiming your business allows you to offer specials to your customers (AKA: guests or fans) for checking in and for being the mayor. The mayor is the person that checked in the most times in a recent time period.

You can find “Foursquare + Your Business” here.

If you own or manage a business with a location that people visit, such as a coffee shop, bar, or barber shop, your guests may be doing social media advertising on your behalf. You owe it to yourself to check out Foursquare.

Why Social Media is Important

"Social media gets attention by firms because it can become an intense pain point that is destructive to the organizations mission."

The above statement is from a post I recently posted to Twitter.

There is a lot of conversation about why companies are using social media technologies to reach out to people. Social media enables the amplification of angry consumers. In earlier times it was almost impossible for a company to react and respond to a consumers disappointment and anger. With technology such as Twitter, the voice of the consumer is able to be identified on what might be called a radar screen. Search.Twitter.com is a simple way for a firm to see what is being said publicly about them on Twitter. A unique firm name makes this much easier than a generic one. A generic name will have a low signal to noise ratio and make the radar teams job difficult to manage effectively.

When a company gets called out publicly on Twitter and other places online and they do not respond to consumer concerns a firm may gain a reputation as uncaring or worse. This can be a dangerous path to travel. People will see the brand as being different than their previous perception. Firms spend millions (and some billion) of dollars each year to stake out a unique branding position in the mind of the consumer. Negative publicity erodes and destroys the goodwill that has been built up.

Example of what people are saying about Kellogg's on Twitter.

Example of what people are saying about Marlboro on Twitter.

Example of what people are saying about KFC on Twitter.

Here is an example of what one user (@kcscougar) said about KFC and a promotion they are having.

This KFC pink bucket promotion for breast cancer awareness is like Marlboro having a "pink pack" promotion.

Why do you think companies are on Twitter and other social media sites?

Facebook Social Search?

Just saw this in Facebook. When clicking on the "Answer This Question" button up pops a blank window to create and submit an answer.

Is Facebook creating a social search tool that will compete with Mahalo and Aardvark?

What You Want: Goals + Inputs = Results

 

“Inputs drive results, results don’t drive inputs”

For some rare individuals desired results (goals) will drive inputs. A better way for most people is find the inputs you love, then create goals that you achieve as a result of getting better and better at them.

If one wants to be a successful blogger etc, start with the inputs. One must blog often and get better and better. Only the best rise to a level where they create opportunity and income from it as a result. If one wants to be a great podcaster one must make lots of podcasts and get better and better fast. Learn by doing.

Some people certainly have a head start on you. You can make up lost ground by starting right here, right now. PARTICIPATE. Practice, practice, practice. If you persist through the rough patches, you have a much better chance of creating the results that others and you will call success.

Goals lay a rough framework for the inputs that are required. Others will become apparent as one undertakes the goal. Be flexible and willing to make moves that advance you towards your goal. If you see the inputs as something that is enjoyable and workable, you have a chance at creating the results you desire.

NOTE: You can overcome the obstacles you encounter. Some, you will overcome as a solo effort, some will require the assistance of others. Build a network now, so that when you need it, it is ready. Be an asset and a resource to others so they can get past their challenges that require outside assistance.

Meijer's new small-store format in Niles, Illinois, could open door into urban neighborhoods | - MLive.com

For those consumers who can’t find what they are looking for, there is a kiosk online where they can order from meijer.com for home delivery.

via mlive.com

Meijer would be wise to consider free ship-to-store as an option. People could order online, have it shipped to the store, pick it up and buy other merchandise while they are there. This would expand the inventory offered without having to carry it on shelf. Consumers will also like saving on shipping costs.

Large items could be shipped direct to consumer to save them the hassle of transporting. This would be especially useful to urban dwellers that use public transportation.

Posted via web from admore's posterous

Snack Firm Diamond Foods to Buy Kettle - WSJ.com

Diamond Foods Inc. said Thursday it has agreed to acquire Kettle Foods from Lion Capital LLP for $615 million, a move that gives the snack-nuts producer a much bigger bite of the premium potato-chip market.

via online.wsj.com

*Sold for approximately 2.5 times sales.

Posted via web from admore's posterous

Fewer homeowners falling behind on mortgage payments - latimes.com

We are likely seeing the beginning of the end of the unprecedented wave of mortgage delinquencies and foreclosures that started with the subprime defaults in early 2007 [and] continued with the meltdown of the California and Florida housing markets due to overbuilding and the weak loan underwriting that supported that overbuilding," Jay Brinkmann, the group's chief economist, said in a statement.

via latimes.com

It's good news that signs of improvement are becoming visible. Consumer confidence should begin to rise and take hold as the mole hill of positive economic data becomes a small skill hill. There are still risks out there, but it appears that the worst is behind us.

Businesses are cautiously looking forward to the future. We should see the total number of people employed rise even as the unemployment rate increases.

Why would the unemployment rate increase if the economy is recovering?

The way unemployment is measured, people become so discouraged that they stop looking for work and are no longer counted as being part of the labor force. If one is not considered part of the labor force one cannot be officially unemployed.

As the economy appears to be entering a recovery stage people regain the optimism that there are job opportunities to be had. These formerly discouraged people will then be counted as unemployed because they are looking for a job again. It would not surprise me if the unemployment rate jumped a bit in the coming months. Government hiring for the 2010 census may reduce or prevent the anticipated jump in the unemployment rate.

Unemployment will remain at elevated levels for the short and intermediate term. There are opportunities out there. It is advisable for people to start getting their resume and network in order. As Harvey Mackay would say, dig your well before you're thirsty. Starting preparation today will bring job offers sooner when the right job opportunity arrives. Be ready for that opportunity when it's right in front of you.

Posted via web from admore's posterous

Wal-Mart Spices Up Private Label - WSJ.com

Private label is growing in dollar sales in the United States. When consumers need to do some belt tightening they look to store brands (Typically lower priced, there are some premium PL brands that sell at higher price points).

A strong brand differentiation is a solid strategy to neutralize consumer private label substitution.

Posted via web from admore's posterous

Textbook Firms Ink E-Deals For iPad - WSJ.com

The features of its iPad deal with publishers include applications to let students play video, highlight text, record lectures, take printed notes, search the text, and participate in interactive quizzes to test how much they've learned and where they may need more work.

via online.wsj.com

The education market is about to undergo a great transition.

Posted via web from admore's posterous

Radical Shifts Take Hold in U.S. Manufacturing

via online.wsj.com

Specialty (unique) vs commodity (general).

Posted via web from admore's posterous