October 9, 2007 By Nathania Johnson
Just a quick note.
Some people have suggested that kittens and cats are not quality StumbleUpon content.
Speak for yourself. (Ok, I guess you kind of did.)
But I selected “Cats” as one of my favorite categories. And I love Stumbling kittens. Not physically, of course.
So Kitten Stumblers, UNITE!
Don’t make me start a cute cat pictures of the week post, ppl!
Technorati Tags: cats, stumbleupon, social media
Posted in Social Media 
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October 9, 2007 By Nathania Johnson
I stopped by Starbucks this morning. While I was waiting for my tall cup of coffee and pumpkin cream cheese muffin, I noticed a very awesome promotion - a free song from iTunes!
But it gets even better. There’s a free song every day. So, let me get this straight. I could go to Starbucks every day and pay a whopping $1.35 for a cup of coffee and get a free song? Sign me up.
Three different entities benefit from this joint awesomeness:
1. Starbucks - I buy the cup of coffee.
2. iTunes - I download the song. If I like it, I might buy more from the artist. If I’ve been using Napster or Rhapsody, then I’m using a new service because of a freebie.
3. Artist - Today it was Band of Horses. I’ve never heard of them before, but now I have awareness.
Oh and I’m driven online by an offline promotion.
Are you Bold enough to do a 3-Pronged Co-Branding Integration Marketing campaign?
P.S. “No One’s Ever Gonna Love You” by Band of Horses is pretty good. Sounds depressing but it’s not. It actually goes - no one’s ever gonna love you like i do - ah, that’s better!
Technorati Tags: branding, marketing, integration marketing, itunes, starbucks, band of horses
Posted in Marketing 4 Comments »
October 8, 2007 By Nathania Johnson
I’ve been tagged by my good online buddy, Marty Weintraub. And I just couldn’t pass up this opportunity to pass along some important information:
Next week at SMX Social Media in New York, there will be a party to raise funds for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
I can’t be there, but I’m going to donate $$ and link love anyway. And I’m asking you to do the same.
But I’m going to go one step further and ask you - how is your health? When was the last time you had a physical? Have you been putting off a doctor’s appointment to get a pesky pain or spot checked out? Don’t delay any longer. Sure, it’s SCARY! But early detection is the key to survival.
My family is no stranger to cancer diagnosis. I was diagnosed with thyroid cancer on Valentine’s Day, 2003. My brother-in-law had to have a small area of skin cancer removed from his arm. And my dad recently died of brain cancer.
Think it won’t happen to you? I hope not. But just in case. Pick up the phone right now and schedule that physical with your doctor.
My duty is to next pass this along to three more bloggers. Cord, Donna, and Wendy, would you pass along the word to your readers? Hmm, I wonder if Mark Cuban would do the same?
Technorati Tags: charity, smx social media, leukemia, lymphoma
Posted in Social Media 2 Comments »
October 6, 2007 By Laura Cunningham
Word of mouth marketing has become truly personal. Recently, CBS profiled BuzzAgent, a company using the unique tactic of unpaid “agents” who “market” products to their personal contacts. Friends, family, business contacts are all up for grabs.
(Sorry I couldn’t embed the link, CBS does not allow YouTube to show embed code) Here is the location on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWWoRcN-BK0
What made this really compelling to me is how personal this is. The agents are literally just talking with their friends and family to get their thoughts on a product or service. The agents report back the good, bad and ugly to BuzzAgent who then passes this along to the company. The agent and contacts receive free products and coupons to thank them, yes, the agents are remarkably unpaid.
I know I could talk with my very opinionated friends and get true, honest feedback on any product. What company doesn’t want that? This is really the way to know your customer, through true, trusted conversations.
This is cool because it truly touches the customer, how many companies REALLY talk to their customers–sure, we say we know our customer, we say we reach them, but do we really?
This is bold because it takes it from cold impersonal “business” conversation to a warm, intimate conversation with a friend, a “hey whaddaya think conversation.” We all love to offer our opinion (at least most of us do), so this is truly getting to the conversation.
It rocks because it’s taking marketing where it should be, into the actualy lives of an individual from a trusted person, not a “trusted brand” which is so impersonal.
What you can do:
- Engage with other bloggers
- Give products or services to people who trust you (personal relationships) for their honest feedback
- Start a conversation with one of your customers, is there someone you have a close relationship with that you can talk to?
Posted in Be Bold, Conversation Marketing, Buzz Marketing No Comments »
October 5, 2007 By Nathania Johnson
Hmmm, not as many this week. There were a lot of good posts, but not as many singular statements that stood out. That’s ok. Enjoy this week’s eight!
- I feel like everyone on Madison Ave. should get a memo with the statistics and “Stop being obnoxious and trying to force things on people. It’s really not working, and here’s the proof.” written on it. - Matt J McDonald on Too Much of a “Good” Thing
- The pendulum finally appears to be swinging in the favor of the web savvy copywriter and the smart marketer. - Matt Ambrose on The Pendulum Swings Towards Well Written Words
- The most effective marketing use of blogs seems to be when the advertiser/marketer uses the blog as an opportunity not to sell a product, but to attract people who are in the right mindset. - Seth Godin on Looking for Trouble
- Anyone who has a blog with a following has no need for a publisher, outside of vanity. - Aaron Wall on Radiohead Joins Google in Destroying Traditional Publishing & Media Companies
- I firmly believe that you can educate your readers, show them the benefits of purchasing whatever it is you are selling, and give them reasons for buying in a thoughtful, intelligent manner - without the long scrolling hype. - Donna Fontenot on Crazy George vs. DazzlinDonna : A Look At Sales Methods
- Sometimes digg feels like a mental asylum and Reddit is just too prissy and up its own end, whilst Stumbleupon just takes it easy. - Lyndon Antcliff on How to be a success in online networking part 2, Stumbleupon
- You will often find that in your searching your ideas will change, be open minded and really take a look at what works in your niche. - Chris Bennett on How to Research Your Social Media Campaign
- If you put a focused effort into blogging and actively engage with your potential customers it can do good things for your business and it does not have to suck. - Andrew Shotland on Why Blogs Don’t Have to Suck
Posted in Best Quotes 1 Comment »
October 5, 2007 By Nathania Johnson
While it is NOT one of my blogging goals to make the Technorati 100, other people want to game that system. One of them is Chris Garrett. He’s offering to guest blog for links back to his blog.
Since Chris is known for using his blog for indirect monetization and we’re starting to experience similar here at Bold, I would love for him to write a guest post for us on the matter.
What do you say, Chris? Up for it?
Technorati Tags: blogging, guest blogging, chris garrett, monetization, technorati
Posted in Social Media No Comments »
October 5, 2007 By Nathania Johnson
Donna Fontenot knows talent when she reads it. That’s why she interviewed me for her blog this week. 
If you’re not reading Donna’s blog, then you’re not taking all your virtual vitamins. Get your Daily Recommended Dose of Donna at DazzlinDonna.com.
Posted in Company Information No Comments »
October 5, 2007 By Nathania Johnson
I am going to see my favorite band, the FOO FIGHTERS, tonight! I’m so excited. What are you up to this weekend?
Networks reach young viewers online John Young @ Variety
Would You Rent Your Rooftop to Google To Show Ads Upon? Bill Slawski @ SEO by the Sea
How To Pitch Bloggers and Journalists - Debra Mastaler @ Search Engine Guide
Searching for Better On-Site Search Usability - Stoney de Geyter @ E-Marketing Performance
Brooklyn Doctor Opens IM Practice - Julie Sloane @ Wired
3 Smart Tips for Writing Google Adwords Ad Copy Roberta Rosenberg @ The Copywriting Maven
Posted in Coffee Break No Comments »
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