New Networking Strategies for Building Connections
Nearly every day, on websites as varied as LinkedIn and Psychology Today, I see emphasis on the importance of building your networking strategies in order to further career and business opportunities. There is a significant level of truth in the old adage that: It’s not what you know, it’s who you know. People I’ve known in my life have gotten opportunities based on pure nepotism, beating out other completely qualified individuals just because they had an “in” with the company. But, is that necessarily a bad thing? Our Florida advertising agency doesn’t think so! It’s true that some people are just better at networking than others. Smart, savvy, charismatic people will generally have more opportunities than intelligent introverts, primarily because of their inherent abilities to connect with others. However, networking can be daunting, time consuming and difficult. It’s hard to know whether the person you shake hands with at a cocktail party could be the person to eventually contract your company for a multi-million dollar development project. While it may seem impossible, it’s exactly what happened to startups like Instagram and OMG Pop (creators of the mobile game Draw Something!). So, maybe you’re trying everything – emails to school alumni, networking events and LinkedIn introductions – but nothing’s working. What are some new ways to network? Well, the following includes a list of a few nifty networking ideas, gathered from some of the savviest people I know: Host an Influencer Party: Influencers are hugely important to the marketing ecosystem. Influencers can act as advocates for your business or brand, and being associated with an influencer (or, even better, a group of influencers) can help build your business and connect you with the big leagues. Many influencers do not know one another, and hosting a party to bring influencers together can be a great way to gain traction with people who matter most. Furthermore, if you run a medium or large business, you can use social media listening techniques to discover who the biggest advocates are for your brand, and you can invite them to exclusive events to help unveil new products and services. Create (and Maintain) Dialogue Online: One of the perils of living in a connected world is that sometimes, we can’t keep up with everything. Therefore, it can be tempting for a person to fail to respond to tweets and Facebook status updates on a personal account. But emphasizing this as part of your networking and growth strategy will ultimately help grow your business. Even though the person at the other side of the screen may be a person you’ve only met a few times, a semi-public exchange of ideas can help reinforce your public image in that person’s mind, as well as in the minds of common connections. The magic of these social networking sites is that anyone you choose can listen to your conversation and add input as they please. Responding to these people to keep the dialogue growing is an essential networking skill. Focus on the Connections You Already Have: Invest some time and energy into maintaining the connections you already have rather than seeking new ones. By remembering to follow up, scheduling coffee dates with interesting people, and showing interest in others’ projects, you are helping solidify your personal connections. These connections can then help reinforce your network with several strong ties, instead of many weak ones. Then, when possible, try to bring these networks together, facilitating introductions and helping others in need. You’ll be surprised how quickly people will be willing to reciprocate your efforts. At our Orlando marketing agency, we believe networking is one of the best ways to help grow your business. Building a strong network takes more than a few emails and business cards… it requires permanent commitment and dedication. Contact us to discuss additional opportunities to generate buzz for your brand via capitalizing on your trusted connections!
BIGEYE Presents A July 4th Infographic
To learn more about BIGEYE‘s creative services or to find out how to get your very own infographic for your business, designed by our super-creative team, contact us today! July 4th By Seth Segura Posted on July 3, 2013 A collection of interesting facts and figures… On July 2, 1776, the thirteen colonies voted to declare independence from Great Britain. John Adams believed that July 2nd was the correct date to celebrate the birth of American Independence, and he declined invitations to July 4th events throughout his life. The rest of America enthusiastically celebrates freedom on July 4th, the day the draft of the Declaration of Independence was approved. Americans celebrate this day with red, white, and blue, stars and stripes, fireworks, and cookouts. Population: 1776 – 2.5 million 1876 – 39 million 1976 – 218 million 2013 – 316 million 2076 – 520 million estimated How Americans travel on July 4th: 3.2 million by plane. 35.5 million by car. 3.6 million by other means. Top 3 destinations for July 4th: Chicago, St. Louis, Boston July is also National Hot Dog Month: 155 million hot dogs are consumed on July 4th. 25% chance your hot dog is from Iowa. 68: Number of hot dogs Joey Chestnut ate in 10 minutes last year, winning his 6th consecutive Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest. 26% of Americans don’t know which country the U.S. won independence from. Independence Day is the #1 beer drinking holiday. 68.3 million cases of beer are sold on the 4th of July. The others? Labor Day, Memorial Day, Father’s Day, and Christmas. “Beer is proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy.” -Benjamin Franklin New York City has the largest fireworks display at 22 tons which is the same weight as six elephants. $231.8 million dollars worth of fireworks is sold in the U.S. each year. Three presidents have died on July 4th: Thomas Jefferson – 1826 John Adams – 1826 James Monroe – 1831 Battle for the Burger: $203 million is spent on condiments $193 million is spent on hamburger patties 87% of American homes have an indoor grill Gas users: 68% Charcoal users: 32% 66% of barbecuing is done by males
It is finally here, Learn A New Way to Network: Quora
We live in an era dominated by social networks. Not only are we all on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and many others, but we’re now encountering web apps that help narrow those social networks, including apps like SocialListing that uses your Facebook network as a personal marketplace. Still, the team at our Orlando advertising agency thinks there is still room for growth in the social networking field. We believe that companies can do this through segmentation – rather than trying to get every person in the world on a given network, these companies can instead seek to connect like-minded people, in spite of whether they’re strangers, into a true online community. In a sense, it’s practically reminiscent of the message boards functionality, which was once so popular amidst sub-segments of the population but are now barely active. One new such competitor is Quora. Quora is, at its core, a question and answer service. It allows people to post questions, and allows experts in their fields to post answers to those questions. The best answers get upvoted, and the platform allows you to follow questions of interest. This all happens on a platform where you are connected to your friends, colleagues and other connections. The team at our Florida marketing agency finds Quora a fascinating platform for marketers and other professionals to grow their businesses. As an established professional, you can seek to enhance your credibility and your reach through answering multiple questions and answers. There seem to be relevant topics no matter what your field. For example, looking through my personal Quora account, I see questions with titles such as: – What are the most addictive loyalty programs? (The crowd-sourced answers to this question would be great review for a marketer contemplating a new loyalty program!) – What products have killer landing pages? (Great for a designer trying to create a new landing page.) – How do I get over my bad habit of procrastinating? (The author of the number one answer to this question currently has 8450 votes and—surprise!—a link to his personal self-help blog at the bottom of his question.) It seems like such a simple premise, but the ability to crowdsource answers to difficult questions is a remarkable way to obtain expert knowledge and experience without having to go through the maze of searching through millions of relevant topics based on Google searches. And, if you can also solidify yourself as an expert in your field, then Quora is a terrific way to parlay your expertise and experience on to people who may eventually become viewers of your content, professional connections, or, in some cases, even future customers. While it’s easy to say that we’ve grown sick of being asked to join new social networks, this one provides use to us in that (a) it’s not necessarily limited to your personal network, (b) the answers are crowdsourced, and (c) it facilitates active engagement. Perhaps the third part is key; while sometimes we can create and maintain interaction through Facebook and Twitter, these sites don’t heavily rely on the interaction in the way that Quora does. At our Florida advertising agency, we think Quora offers a great new way for people to help expand their businesses while offering expert knowledge in their fields, which translates to more sales in the long run. Contact us today to determine how our team may assist you in allowing this social media tool to work for you!
The Power of Going Mobile, And Why Your Business Needs To
Consumers’ expectations for instant information gratification is at an all time high according to comedian Louis CK and other statistical findings. As trivial as the information may be, a picture of Axel Rose or a YouTube clip of a cat jumping into a box, mobile users expect to have information readily available at their finger tips. In fact, 61% of mobile users claim that they quickly move on to another site if they don’t find what they are looking for right away. So how does this instant mobile gratification relate to your business? Well let’s look at the facts: 68% of smartphone owners use their phones to go online on a daily basis. 28% use their mobile devices as their primary way of accessing the internet. (Pew Internet) 50% of a surveyed audience claimed that even if they liked a business that the lack of a mobile-friendly site would detour them doing business with that company again. (Google Survey 2012) 74% said they would return to a site if they had a mobile-friendly experience. (Google Survey 2012) 61% make local searches online using their smartphone devices (Business Wire) [quote] Is your website mobile-friendly? Well, we are a friendly bunch so why don’t you give us a shout out and find out how we can make your site responsive for mobile. [/quote] If you’re all about customer service and how your company can relate to them, then you’ll take these numbers to heart. It’s simply putting the customer first in regards to your website. Even in our Florida advertising agency we found that most customers are simply asking to for easy access. In turn by making a few changes, you can convert an online passersby into a customer. Like the idea of building a separate site, but don’t have the budget to create one at the moment? Here are some simple ways to enhance your existing website to make it more mobile-friendly without creating a separate mobile site: Keep it short and sweet. Mobile users are on the go and are just looking for key information like your hours of operation, contact info or social media links, not downloadable PDFs of your recent product catalogue. So simplify your content and think about the mobile user and prioritize and streamline your content to help the person on the go move quickly to a point of sale or locate your store. No pop-up windows or drop down menus please! Make your site finger friendly and decrease loading time by simplifying your navigation tabs and browsing windows. Stay away from Java and Flash as many phones don’t support these operating systems and increases loading time. Don’t let your content go unseen or seem inaccessible to certain users. Allow users to switch between the full site version and the mobile. They may prefer to see more information beyond the paired down mobile version. Need help making your site responsive for mobile devices? Contact us to get a free quote and more information.
No Doubt About Klout: It Matters – But Is That Good or Bad?
Klout is a funny concept. Basically, it’s an internet popularity contest. It uses an algorithm, pulling from sources such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn to put a number to your “Standard of Influence.” Engage with the right people, and a lot of them, and sit back as your Klout score rises. People put a lot of emphasis on Klout scores. In fact, an article in PC Magazine actually encourages social media users to increase their Klout scores by urging them to “Sit at the Popular Kids Table.” (I hate to think that my Klout score goes down because I like to engage with my hilarious-yet-introverted niece, one who doesn’t have a high Klout score because she’s too focused on her career to spend much time on Twitter.) I am of the opinion that your Klout score IS important, but only within fields that demand high Klout scores, and within which it is necessary for a person to have established a certain level of digital presence or online reputation. Basically, if you’re vying for a position that requires you to sit with the cool kids, then you should probably at least be sitting near their table. Does this include entry-level social media marketers or students seeking internships? At our Orlando advertising agency, we personally don’t care about our interns’ Klout scores. I care more whether that person is competent, hard working, creative and has the skills to complete the work required. We don’t care as much about Klout because, if that entry-level applicant or intern DOES have a high Klout score, we might actually assume that she was too busy tweeting in class or at work to actually pay attention, as it takes a lot of work and dedication to actively maintain Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and a variety of other platforms (which is why it’s a full-time job!). [quote] Check out our other interesting blog posts. Comment and let us know what you think! [/quote] However, if we’re planning to hire to digital marketing expert to speak at a conference for thousands of dollars, we would certainly want to know that the person has a high level of influence across a number of platforms. But, this is strangely in stark contrast with Klout’s business model. Klout offers Klout Perks to people who have high Klout scores, but the last thing I would want is for someone I deem reputable to be plugging products on their social media sites (unless that person is a brand marketer and is actively promoting his or her own brands). But, the reality is that Klout does matter. It matters to some employers, who think that Klout’s algorithm shows that a highly-scored person knows how to engage in social media behaviors that drive results. It matters because influencer marketing is big money – if you can get your products into the hands of influencers, you can get them to write about your products. If they become loyal fans, then it’s essentially easy publicity for you, the only value exchange being the price of the discount or free goods you’ve given them to cover or review. Whether Klout signifies the dawning of an era, or the demise of the next generation, it’s essential that every brand marketer knows what it is and how to use it advantageously. Still, in my mind, and at our Florida marketing agency, Klout is no real comparison to real-life experience.
Valentine’s Day is Going to Cost You Infographic
Valentine’s Day is coming up next week…are you prepared? Or better yet, is your wallet? Valentine’s Day can be romantic and fun, or very stressful. Take a look at these stats and see where you fall; hopefully you don’t break the bank and you are able to spend quality time with your sweetheart. We hope you enjoy this fun, fact-filled infographic brought to you by the creative team at our Florida Advertising Agency. Please feel free to share this image on your website or blog by copying and pasting the code below. To learn more about BIGEYE‘s creative services or to find out how to get your very own infograpic for your business designed by our super-creative team, call us today at 1-800-994-3844 or email us at info@bigeyeagency.com. Valentine’s Day is Going to Cost You By BIGEYE Posted on February 8, 2013 In total, Americans spend approximately $13 billion every year on Valentine’s Day. On average, every American will spend $120 each on Valentine’s Day gifts. Facts: Men spend 2x more than women. 63% of consumers celebrate Valentine’s Day. 35 million boxes of chocolate are sold every Valentine’s Day. 8 billion conversation hearts are sold between January and February 14th. 110 billion roses sold and delivered. $367 million is spent on buying gifts for pets. Most common gifts: Greeting cards – 65% Date night – 44% Candy – 38% Flowers – 32% Gift cards – 29% Plush toys – 21% Perfume – 12% Jewelry – 11% Letters to Juliet: Every Valentine’s Day, the Italian city of Verona, where Shakespeare’s lovers Romeo and Juliet lived, receives about 1,000 letters addressed to Juliet. In 1537, England’s King Henry VII officially declared February 14th the holiday of St. Valentine’s Day. Amount spent on gifts in 2012: Jewelry, flowers and intimates are the most purchased items for Valentine’s Day. 85% of all Valentine’s Day card purchases are made by women. Valentine’s Day accounts for 25% of greeting card sales; almost 200 million cards, making it the second most popular holiday for greeting cards behind Christmas. $141 million dollars spent on cards. $1.7 billion is spent on flowers. 27% of women buy flowers and 15% of those are for themselves. $3.5 billion is spent on jewelry and $1 billion is spent on candy. The top ten cities where people spent the most money on Valentine’s Day: Virginia Beach, VA; Norfolk, VA; Chesapeake, VA; Anaheim, CA; Santa Ana, CA; Reno, NV; Hialeah, FL; Lexington, KY; Winston Salem, NC; Colorado Springs, CO
Check out BIGEYE’s awesome new Spring 2013 interns
We find ourselves saying this every semester, but this has to be our best group of interns ever at BIGEYE. These guys simply rock. BIG welcome to Andrew Tablante and Paige Goodwin, both UCF seniors studying communications. Interested in interning with us? Take a peek at our available opportunities!
10 TED talks for your business and your marketing mind
TED Talks is a unique video podcast, offering valuable knowledge and experiences from some of the greatest minds of our generation. Since its inception in June 2006, TED has created a new category in online media. They have made it their mission to live up to their slogan “Ideas worth spreading,” and have successfully done so with TED Talks videos being viewed over one billion times as of November 2012. Below you will find our Florida advertising agency‘s recommended 10 TED Talks videos specifically pertaining to the marketing mind. These talks regard anything from neuroscience to spaghetti sauce, but nonetheless, showcase our world’s forward thinkers and how they transform ideas into reality. It is an opportunity to hear the rich information featured from past TED conferences and events. Dan Cobley: What physics taught me about marketing Dan Cobley, Managing Director at Google UK & Ireland, knows a thing or two about marketing. In fact, he knows a lot, but he also knows about physics. Cobley relates marketing to Newton’s second law and talks about the forces it requires to change brand positioning. Derek Sivers: How to start a movement Derek Sivers is the founder and former president of an online CD store, CD Baby. Sivers briefly discusses the process to starting a movement. He conceptualizes that “The first follower is actually an underestimated form of leadership in itself…The first follower is what transforms a lone nut into a leader.” Seth Godin: How to get your ideas to spread Seth Godin is an entrepreneur and a bestselling author. Godin talks about a company that tripled their sales, an artist who went from being a nobody to a somebody, a man who redefined being an architect, and a personal marketing failure. He then provides insight and lays down some ground rules on how to better focus your marketing efforts. Seth Godin: The tribes we lead Godin claims that the reign of mass media has finally ended. He suggests that contrary to the idea of “the average consumer,” exists another social unit, a tribe. Tribes, or special interest groups, of all sorts exist and possess an unparalleled passion for whatever it is they believe in. Malcolm Gladwell: Choice, happiness and spaghetti sauce Malcolm Gladwell is a staff writer for The New Yorker magazine and author of the bestseller, “Tipping Point.” He talks about another individual by the name of Howard Moskowitz and the pursuit of America’s best spaghetti sauce. Gladwell closes with the secret of how to make a coffee that makes you wince into a coffee that makes you deliriously happy. Sheena Iyengar: How to make choosing easier As the inaugural S.T. Lee Professor of Business at Columbia University, Sheena Iyengar speaks about the choosing experience. She explains how the idea of specialization may not always be the best one. Virginia Postrel on glamour Renowned political and cultural writer, Virginia Postrel analyzes glamour and the ways it is being used to highly portray various elements to our appreciation. Postrel goes into detail about the commercial use of glamour and touches on how it has effected society. Seth Godin: This is broken Yet another installment of Seth Godin features his talk of all things broken. He points out and comically criticizes contradiction and the lack of functional design. Godin then provides some justification for why you would intentionally want to make something “broken.” Renny Gleeson: 404, the story of a page not found Renny Gleeson, Global Director of Interactive Strategies at Wieden+Kennedy describes the broken feeling of landing on the ever-disappointing sight of 404:Page Not Found. However, he notes that with a creative spin, these broken experiences can be turned into positive ones. Rory Sutherland: Life lessons from an ad man Ad-man, Rory Sutherland, is the Vice Chairman of Ogilvy Group. He defends advertising and points upon the intangible value advertising provides – not by changing the product, but by changing perception. To see more TED Talks, click here. [featured] To learn more about BIGEYE‘s comprehensive suite of marketing services, contact our experienced team of TED Talks enthusiasts today! [/featured]
It’s All About the Hog Infographic
Groundhog’s Day is this Saturday, February 2! Will it be six more weeks of winter? Well, if winter means highs in the 80s like it’s been here in Florida then I guess it doesn’t matter if Phil sees his shadow or not since we only have two seasons here… HOT and HOTTER! We decided to mix it up with this fun hog infographic filled with facts about the actual groundhog instead of just being all about the day itself. We hope you enjoy this fun, fact-filled infographic brought to you by the creative team at our Florida Advertising Agency. To learn more about BIGEYE‘s creative services or to find out how to get your very own infograpic for your business designed by our super-creative team, call us today at 407-839-85994 or email us at info@bigeyeagency.com.
Marketing News: Dori Hejtmanek joins the BIGEYE creative team!
We are very happy to announce the arrival of Senior Graphic Designer Dori Hejtmanek to BIGEYE. Previously, Dori worked with the Progressive Communications Design Group for more than 14 years. She joined our team in early January. During her career, she has worked with a long list of impressive clients, including the Kissimmee Convention Bureau, Hilton Grand Vacations, Gaylord Palms, Windstar Cruises, Starwood Vacation Ownership, Ritz-Carlton Destination Club, Daytona International Speedway, La Brea Bakery and Tavistock Group. GET TO KNOW DORI! How do you pronounce your last name? The “j” is silent and it rhymes with “gin and tonic” lol. I have a terrible last name…. no one can pronounce it! What’s your favorite time of day? Lunch time What’s the #1 most played song on your iPod? “Try” by Pink If you could meet anyone, living or dead, who would you meet? I would love to meet Oprah or the Sharks of “Shark Tank” Where’s your favorite place to have lunch during the week? I am new to this area, but so far, I have loved the pizza from Planet Pizza! What’s the best part of working in downtown Orlando? Definitely the culture; it is much different than what I am used to. There is great people watching downtown. Get to know the rest of our impressive team!