Android Vs. BlackBerry

Nana Says...Do You-Period.
I was shocked to discover the Android is now the most-used smartphone operating system in the United States.  I was aware per pulling Google Analytics for my clients that typically 1st ranked the Android, 2nd iPhone, 3rd BlackBerry, 4th iPad.  How did the new kid on the block (3 short years ago) do it?  And now...look at the Android winning a stunning race to the top from a platform that didn't exist just 27 months ago. Android vs Blackberry 

Oddly enough nearly one third or 31.2%, of U.S. smartphones ran Google's Android OS in January. according to a study released Monday by comScore.  In short the Android outpaced the 30.4% of US BlackBerry devices.

You see....It's important to Do You. Select the correct phone for your lifestyle.  Don't get paralyzed or stay too long in the "Good Old Days", select a smartphone that works for you.  Those professionals in the Meeting and Convention Industry  will find your phone to be your lifeline to the office and your next meeting site.

Now as for me, my smartphone of choice is the BlackBerry Torch and my website looks great on my BlackBerry and the Android.  Love it. Love it.

Blog Mistakes

There was an article I read a few weeks backs regarding 7 Blogging No No's. Blogging Mistakes While we all have pet peeves....my #1 Pet Peeve is a Blog that lacks direction.  Blogging for your business is important, but doing it wrong can cost you customers and your reputation.
1)    Bad writing –  Whether grammatical, punctuation, usage or even spelling errors, there’s a good chance that if the blog isn’t written well, your customers won’t come back.
2)     Presenting instead of conversing – Good blog posts are those that inspire conversation and drive readers to comment, share or engage with the content.
3)    Being too promotional – Establish a blog that provides regularly interesting, useful and informational (not promotional) content will make customers more likely to make purchasing decisions.
4)    It’s about the people not the words – Companies are starting blogs as a means to connect further with their customers and in the end sell more products. But the message is unsuccessful if the person on the other end, in this case the reader, can’t understand or can’t relate to what you are saying.
5)    Lack of direction/strategy – You need to be clear about what users can expect when they visit it.
6)    Not utilizing your experience – Make the most out of your experience and be sure to offer a unique perspective. Don’t just say what everyone else is saying.
7)    Taking advantage of technology – It’s important to master the basics to make your blog look good and read well. Consider varied content types, whether it’s a standard text blog, video interviews, podcasts or an infographic.

Blog on my friends...Blog on.

Nana Says: Only 1 Stone to Bring Down Marketing Giants

Nana Says: Only 1 Stone to Bring Down Marketing Giants: "The media landscape is changing so we must be nimble to these shifts. Last week NY Ad Age held its first conference devoted to the changing..."

Only 1 Stone to Bring Down Marketing Giants

The media landscape is changing so we must be nimble to these shifts.  Last week NY Ad Age held its first conference devoted to the changing definition of media.  Here are a few  lessons to share with your team.

Community management business is your business
Gone are the days of being storytellers for our brands.  We must now wear the hat of community management.  As a marketer we must position our brands to be center stage.

Twitter with limits
Twitter is a great way for brand executives and celebs to connect to a brand, however tweeters wonder if the content is natural.  Social Media is just that, a platform for all  to express ourselves from clothing, to resort stay, to finding the best concert ever.  Don’t flood the tweets with unnatural comments.  Your followers can tell.

My true numbers
We have all been in meetings where favorable web numbers or high polling data was reported to justify a marketing campaign.  This is an issue!  What are the real web-metrics we all should use to provide our brands with raw/true data?  While I don’t know the answer to that, I can tell you that mobile can drive traffic to a company's websites.  Again, Mobile is an excellent tool for driving traffic to your website, but don’t bank on it.  Don’t bank that it will drive comparable revenue as other promos.

Find your Twitter Trigger
You want to get traction from your tweets, next engage your followers.  It’s not rocket science.  Know the demo and socialgraph of your followers.  If your twitter site function is to give quick cake baking recipes then don’t post stock trade reports.  Your audience doesn’t care.  However start a tweet about Zero Calorie frosting and watch your tweets soar through the roof.  From here you understand what engaging your followers are all about.  http://adage.com/meconference2010/article?article_id=147373 And of course to add credibility to you and “you being social” in FB or Twitter add links to sites where your followers can get more information.

Who knows what's real
“I refuse to allow reality programming to shape my reality.”  But this is not the way Millennials or Gen Y sees it. They are the mid-70’s to the 2000: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_Y. Due to the fact Gen Y or the Millennials grew up with reality programming (Real World, Road Rules, The Hills) the lines are hazy.  There is a lack of scripted content which blurs  the lines between actual reality and hyper-reality.  Scripted dramas will provide a line of absolute.  And as I said before, bring back Dallas, The Cosby Show, Boston Public, and 24.

Way too many buttons
When developing apps for clients do one simple thing, KEEP IT SIMPLE.  We want the end user to not be frustrated.  A frustrated user will be your next non-app user.  Keep your message simple and evoke emotions. http://adage.com/meconference2010/article?article_id=147374

It only takes 1 Stone
How many times did we not get accounts because the other agency was big.  Oh forget about it!  “I no longer acccept that only the big boys get the great accounts.  My team has talents that are unparallel and we have 1 stone.” I Samuel Chapter 17 Verse 49.   Being a “big boy” only makes you a “big target” and less nimble.

Nana Says: Change of Direction

Nana Says: Change of Direction: "I often wonder will life get easier and does a change in direction help expedite this. Unfortunately I don't know what or how to gauge or m..."

Change of Direction

I often wonder will life get easier and does a change in direction help expedite this.  Unfortunately I don't know what or how to gauge or measure "Easibility".  If the answers are found in books, or television, or labs at universities, then please point me that direction.  After all if businesses can make a change can't we as citizens. 

Top of mind, I just heard that PayPal had a change of direction.  So much so they dropped WikiLeaks as a client.  Gosh...now that is some serious change.  You don't hear of businesses dropping accounts that give them money or provide a revenue stream to generate money.  http://www.examiner.com/us-headlines-in-national/paypal-drops-online-donations-for-wikileaks  If you don't believe me, then read the story.  PayPal was experiencing pressure from the government.

Thank God I don't have Uncle Sam telling me to change, but I do have my inner self.  My transformation will make me a better friend, daughter, granddaughter, girlfriend, co-worker, and community leader.  Nana Says, "You have to be friend to have a friend.  And in hard times...it's better to have a piece of friend than no friend at all."  WooHoo Nana.  I love the be a friend part.  But not so sure about having a “piece of friend”.  I have discovered that those "piece of friends"… scare me because they don't have my best interests at heart.  Also I have found that the "piece of friends" are only around because of who I am and my ability to push their agendas.  Between you and me....I did a study that took place over the past 8 months.  I laid low, didn't go to as many social events, and didn't serve on boards as I had in the past.  Surprise....Surprise my "piece of friends" decreased.  For real, the “piece of friends” stopping calling, didn't call as much, I all together stopped hearing “Tiff let me pick your brain for a sec”.  A few things could have occurred. 
1.  If I was lucky they moved on. 
2. I started charging for my brain to be picked.
3.  I sent invoices to them before my brain could be picked.

So try to change your direction from time to time to see who approves and disapproves.  Remember we don't need Uncle Sam to tell society who can be your friend or who you are to do business with.   I am sure you can figure it out all by yourself.

Nana Says: What's Private....should stay Private

Nana Says: What's Private....should stay Private: "I know WikiLeaks has been on the news everyday over the past weeks. And I am aware that many of us have no idea what WikiLeaks is. Many th..."