If we’ve learned one thing in our business, it’s that to be successful, you need to understand the world around you – not just what’s taken place in the past (history is an often untapped resource) – but also what’s happening today.  It’s why we believe reading today’s news is critical.  With a firm understanding of history and clear view of current events, successful businesspeople are able to size up a situation, opportunity or threat to ultimately increase their relevancy and create success.

Easier said than done, right?  In our 24/7 world with endless to-do lists and industry changes happening hourly, you’re likely wondering how to keep up with it all.  Well, HOMEINTEL is here to help.  If you can find about an hour this week to set up a plan, and then schedule just 15 or 30 minutes every other day to read, you’ll become more informed about our industry…and use that information to meet your business goals – whatever they may be.

To help in your quest, we’ve outlined a few tips and some of our “go-to” news tracking staples that can help you stay on top of what’s happening…in real time.

Tip 1: Set up RSS feeds for your favorite industry sites – associations, competitors, and the like – and allow news to come directly to you.

Tip 2:  Don’t underestimate the power of social media.  More and more B2B professionals are using Facebook, LinkedIn and other social marketing sites to share news, gather insight and create relationships.

Tip 3: Create Google Alerts for your company, products, or competitors to find out how they’re being covered in both traditional and non-tradition media.

Tip 4: Develop a plan for utilizing news aggregators like these listed below.  You don’t need them all, but take a look at each, and decide what best fits your needs and interests.

Taking Google News one very useful step forward are Google News custom sections, which allow you to receive news customized to your interests.  When you visit the Google News Custom sections directory, a list of News sections appears with the option to add them to your particular news updates.  If you can’t find a section, create one.  What else is cool?

• A search capability allows you to easily look for an existing section; if you find one of interest, preview the section and add it to your News front page
• Ratings display a level of interest from users, so at a glance you can see if the section will be at all helpful; rate the sections you track and/or preview as well
• The Local News section tracks stories from and about a particular city or region

Google Reader is a news aggregator that helps keep you up to date, simplify your reading experience, and discover news and new content. The tool consistently searches your favorite news sites and blogs for fresh content and displays everything in one convenient place.  What else is cool?

• Add a customizable clip to your personal website’s sidebar to display your most recent shared news
• Download the Google Reader gadget to iGoogle to view update streams
• Applicable with any mobile phone browser, access Google Reader in the palm of your hand
• Google Reader keeps track of what you’ve already read, so don’t waste time searching for only new content

When it comes to sharing and receiving news updates, Twitter lists provide customizable channels for whom you’re following and who’s following you on Twitter.  In a nutshell, it organizes your Twitter contacts, allowing you to create groups. What does this mean for news consumption? You can cut through the clutter and create lists specific to one topic, one industry, etc. Take it one step further and inform your list contacts that you’ve created a particular group that should limit all posts to news.  What else is cool?

• Following a user is not necessary to add them to a list
• Just like regular Twitter hash tags, you can @mention any Twitter List; just add a forward slash “/” followed by the list name (ex. @<username>/<listname>)

There are obviously a number of methods and tools to help you consume news (we’ve only outlined a few). Our best advice?  Take the time to find out what works best for you, set a plan for what you’ll devote to reviewing what you receive and stick with it.  You’ll find with a little planning now, you’ll be able to stay current and become more valuable to your company, yourself and your industry in no time!

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For some light reading to carry you through the New Year, check out the links below. Lots of must-read round-ups and predictions for 2010. Enjoy!

Most Influential Home Products of the Decade

5 Forecasts and 7 Predictions for 2010-2020 That Shape Innovation and Economic Growth

Cheers: Send a Virtual Toast With Waterford Crystal’s Cool New App

Builders Zero In on New Goal of Energy-Neutral Housing

5 “House Books” That Will Have You Hooked

Facebook: 5 Predictions for 2010

10 Marketing Predictions for 2010

• Weekly Intel: News & Trends You May Have Missed
• Weekly Intel: News & Trends You May Have Missed

By adding in the fact that the world of social media has grown exponentially in recent years, it is safe to say that there are dozens of new words cropping up all the time that people are using in day-to-day conversations. For instance, Twitter has us referring to tweets and @replys on conference calls, Facebook has us talking about friending people and Linkedin has us wondering how we can grow our professional networks.

Retailers are also teaching us new words with ad campaigns that are designed to appeal to target audiences during a time when consumers are seriously cutting their spending and reevaluating every household purchase. Target, an IMRE client, is a good example of a company that is executing a recession-friendly ad campaign. The “Frugalista” campaign features fashion icon, Nina Garcia, and everyday shoppers who are looking for a good find. The campaign teaches us to “out dress but not out spend.”

Courtesy of Target.com

While Target’s campaign is primarily focused on fashion, the concept certainly applies to the home industry. Just as Nina Garcia advises Target guests to “out dress but not out spend,” interior designers, home stagers and many other professionals are encouraging their clients to do more with less as well.

In our opinion, the change in consumers’ shopping habits is just as interesting as the new language we are all adopting. After all, in order to do more with less, people who may have once shopped at expensive boutiques are finding themselves inside of vintage or second hand shops. Whereas a quick remodel may have once been an option, today’s homeowners are getting a little creative and working with what they already have.

As we head into 2010, we can only imagine the buzzwords that we will adopt next year.

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There is no question that many companies are becoming more comfortable using social media platforms as a means of promoting their brand, driving sales, generating excitement about new programs, products or services and engaging customers. As a result, companies that may have once been conservative in the ways in which they communicate with the public are now taking advantage of cost-effective campaigns that reach the masses online.

As marketers in the home industry, we are excited to see top brands embrace social media and execute strategic campaigns that get them noticed.

Take a look at Target (IMRE client), for instance. A few months ago, we shared that the company announced an online giving campaign – Bullseye Gives – that allowed Target’s Facebook fans to vote for one of the 10 charities eligible to win a portion of $3 million that the company would give away.

Throughout the two week campaign, Target not only increased their number of Facebook fans, generated awareness of their giving program and engaged guests by “giving them a voice,” but the retailer created some serious media buzz with placements in the New York Times, USA Today, CBS Early Show and blogs like Mashable.

For a more recent example of a Facebook campaign that seems to be gaining traction, we point to the Sears Campus Ready program, which has been designed to promote “back-to-college” sales and help students and their families determine exactly what they will need to outfit their dream dorm room.

Considering that entering college can be overwhelming for some, campaigns like this one that allow incoming freshman to design their home away from home and even meet their roommate in advance are sure to be a hit.

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A Heads-up about What is Changing in the Web that May Catch You by Surprise

On June 17, Computerworld.com declared the Web has hit Critical Mass for the dawn of the “Semantic” (or “Meaning-based”) Web. In other words, the big new thing online will be “harvesting” based on the meaning of the information instead of the words used to describe it.

What you’ll need to think about: 

• More extensive technical mashups of existing applications like Twitter and Facebook, with an intentional focus on specific business goals or resource/research projects.
• The bloom of MicroFormats for presenting information on your Web site – anything that can be tagged with a date/location coordinates/company name/personal name should be. These microformats will be embedded within your regular page, not in the regular META tags.

What you’ll see:

Let’s say you’re reading an article about bird watching, and a bird is spotted at “X location.” If the site used a microformat to describe the location, then you (the site visitor) would be able to do the following:

• Plot the location on an online map (like Google Maps)
• Export the location to your Phone/GPS device to go to the place yourself.
• You could also index the location for a historical archive of where that bird appears.
• Post the info on any of your Web presences – your site, Facebook, Twitter, or what have you.

What you should be doing:

• Develop resources for your customers that take advantage of this new “meanings based” information stream that can be harvested with easy-to-build scanning technologies
• Think about ways to tag your products or services into MicroFormats
• Start thinking about the Web in a whole new way  

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A few weeks ago, we posted an article showcasing how social media is affecting the way today’s major brands and retailers are doing business. Based on the success of social networking sites like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter and given what we know about the power of peer referral when it comes to influencing purchasing decisions, companies are looking at social media platforms as a means of connecting with consumers on a whole new level.

Yesterday, Target (an IMRE client) announced its online giving campaign – Bullseye Gives (#bullseye). Through this campaign, visitors to Target’s Facebook page can vote for one of 10 charities eligible to win a portion of $3 million the retailer will be giving away.

All votes and dollars allocated for each of the charitable organizations will be updated in real time on the Target Facebook page, and site visitors will be able to vote once per day, everyday, throughout the length of the contest. The final charitable donation allocations per charity will be announced on May 26. The 10 charities involved in the contest include:

1.  Breast Cancer Research Foundation
2. Feeding America
3. HandsOn Network/Points of Light Institute
4. Kids in Need 
5. Operation Gratitude
6. Parent Teacher Association
7. National Park Foundation
8. American Red Cross
9. St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
10. The Salvation Army 

According to the company’s president of community relations, Laysha Ward, Target wanted to capitalize on the fact that social media is a national trend that also happens to be dominating the philanthropic sector. As reported in a recent New York Times article, Ward looks at the contest as “an opportunity to demonstrate the company’s commitment to supporting nonprofit work and enhance its brand.”

Other companies that have hosted similar contests include Amazon.com, TripAdvisor and American Express, but celebrities like Hugh Jackman have also jumped on the social media bandwagon in recent months to help raise money for charitable foundations.

We’re excited about the ways in which companies are incorporating social media outlets into their marketing strategies and look forward to reporting on more innovative online campaigns that brands are launching.

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Given the size and spending power of the baby boomer population, it is important for companies to consider this group when developing marketing strategies and tailor key messages appropriately.

To build brand loyalty among this influential audience, it is essential for marketers to get to know baby boomers – how they think, where they get their information and exactly how their purchasing habits differ from those of younger generations.

Additionally, we cannot underestimate the power of social networking sites and word of mouth campaigns when it comes to reaching this population.

Surprisingly, baby boomers are highly involved in social networks including Facebook, MySpace and even Twitter.  In fact, according to internet monitoring site comScore, 16.5 million adults over the age of 55 engage in social networking.

USA Today recently reported that baby boomers account for 6.9 million of the 130 million MySpace users and spend over 200 minutes on the site each month.

As baby boomers continue to explore new avenues to connect with old friends and meet new ones, we can rest assured knowing that the power of peer referral will undoubtedly infiltrate this group and influence where these consumers shop and what they buy.

That said, the next time you launch a new product or campaign keep digital and word of mouth strategies top-of-mind for targeting baby boomers and beyond. With statistics like those outlined above, you will likely be pleased with the ROI. 

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A Look at How Leading Brands Are Utilizing Social Media

The “watching from the sidelines” approach that many manufacturers, retailers and organizations have taken in regards to social media is now considered an option that will leave you out of the game. As marketers struggle with ways to stay afloat in the down economy, they are finding that increasing participation in the online social media mix has cost benefits and a direct connection to the consumer that is crucial during these difficult times.

Some companies are really setting an example in social media. Below are five case studies that showcase how major brands are successfully incorporating social media into their marketing strategies.  

Social Media At It’s Best

• The Home Depot used Twitter to help folks prepare for hurricanes with updates and tips. The language focused on assistance, information and preparedness.  Read more details on how the execution resulted in positive results on The Thoughtful Thud
• Walmart’s employee driven blog is proving to be a successful way to engage employees and customers alike. The blog, written by employees, is updated frequently and promotes products through more of a tip and story-telling method.
  

• Target created a Facebook page to compliment their “Back-to-School” campaign this past Fall 2008.  According to AdWeek, the page attracted 7,176 members, 409 photos, 483 posts and hosted 37 discussions groups.  
• Ford recently handed out new cars to 100 millennials. According to the AutoChannel.com, not only will this group represent 70 million new drivers in 2010, but they are also highly involved in social networks. These 100 drivers will test drive the new Ford Fiestas and post their experiences on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. 
• Best Buy is really a company to watch. They have created a social media tool, BSN-Blue Shirt Network, that is empowering store associates to collaborate on best practices, key learnings, store happenings and more.

Best Buy CEO Brad Anderson in conversation with Peter Hirshberg at Google Zeitgeist from peter hirshberg on Vimeo.

Tips for Engaging Consumer Through Social Media

• Tailor language to the audience and medium where a message is being posted.  For example, don’t use sales language on Twitter.
• Fast Company Expert Blogger, Kyle Austin, advises when using Facebook, posts must be frequent. Additionally, employees should be encourage to be fans of the corporate page and join the conversation.
• According to Jeremiah Owyang, a Forrester Research analyst who specializes in social computing, all brands should research the conversation and community before jumping in headfirst.
• Address negative discussions by providing identifying how you will be addressing concerns and working to resolve the issues at hand. 

Measuring social media campaigns

Social media cannot be measured in the same way that traditional marketing campaigns are measured. Organizations should not expect immediate or high ROI.  The results can be measured from how many people joined your community, posted a comment or shared your information.  The true success comes from what your customers tell you about your brand, product or service.  This invaluable feedback will better your organization and offerings.  At the same time, the relationship a brand builds with its customers will result in brand ambassadors and life-long users.

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