tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8147849313213128882024-02-18T23:42:47.705-05:00Trajectory LLC Blog<em>New Energy For Health + Healthy Lifestyle Brands Through Social Media</em>Eric Brodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08569722498750109904noreply@blogger.comBlogger80125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-814784931321312888.post-22724713202435743372009-03-12T11:18:00.020-04:002009-03-12T13:09:20.193-04:00How To Create Health + Healthy Lifestyle Brand AmbassadorsCheck out this SlideShare Presentation, which lays out Netlog's 5 "C"s of creating brand ambassadors. Do you agree with them? <br />1<span style="font-weight:bold;">. Content </span>- which should be useful, unique, newsworthy, first, controversial, insightful, inspirational, extraordinary, unexpected, etc., that captures people's attention and gives them something valuable and sharable (e.g. <a href="http://www.kashi.com/articles">Kashi Wellness Hub</a>) <br />2. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Conversate</span> - the community(s) of people who share the same interests and passions who are speaking (and spreading) to one another through non-stop brand interaction (e.g. <a href="http://www.kashi.com/day_of_change">Kashi friends and events</a>) <br />3. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Continuous</span> - facilitating the ability for brand conversations to take place anytime through any device from anywhere around the world (e.g. <a href="http://nikeplus.nike.com/nikeplus/">Nike Plus</a>) <br />4. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Context</span>- the conversation isn't driven from the brand, it's among friends telling friends, such that the brand becomes intertwined into people's daily conversations, which can be good and bad (e.g. <a href="http://consumerist.com/5066880/restaurants-creative-way-of-disguising-bad-health-inspection-report">Restaurant's creative way of disguising bad health report</a>) <br />5. <span style="font-weight:bold;">Contribute</span>- how the brand ultimately contributes to making people's lives better (<a href="http://www.livestrong.org/site/c.khLXK1PxHmF/b.2660611/k.BCED/Home.htm">e.g. LiveStrong</a>) <div style="width:425px;text-align:left" id="__ss_1018797"><a style="font:14px Helvetica,Arial,Sans-serif;display:block;margin:12px 0 3px 0;text-decoration:underline;" href="http://www.slideshare.net/yizmo/netlog-how-to-create-brand-ambassadors?type=presentation" title="Netlog: How To Create Brand Ambassadors?">Netlog: How To Create Brand Ambassadors?</a><object style="margin:0px" width="425" height="355"><param name="movie" value="http://static.slideshare.net/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=amsterdam212final-1234394430013784-3&stripped_title=netlog-how-to-create-brand-ambassadors" /><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"/><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"/><embed src="http://static.slideshare.net/swf/ssplayer2.swf?doc=amsterdam212final-1234394430013784-3&stripped_title=netlog-how-to-create-brand-ambassadors" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="355"></embed></object><div style="font-size:11px;font-family:tahoma,arial;height:26px;padding-top:2px;">View more <a style="text-decoration:underline;" href="http://www.slideshare.net/">presentations</a> from <a style="text-decoration:underline;" href="http://www.slideshare.net/yizmo">yizmo</a>.</div></div>Eric Brodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08569722498750109904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-814784931321312888.post-13575549114978819342009-03-10T16:27:00.007-04:002009-03-12T08:36:09.019-04:00Social media a great platform for health brandsPlease view our most recent <a href="http://tinyurl.com/dfd8gh">Brand Energy newsletter</a> with these articles about social media for health and healthy lifestyle brands:<br />• Marketing To Moms Through Social Media<br />• Maximizing The Insight From Your Online Communities<br />• Trimming Portfolio Pounds For Brand Health<br />• 140 Healthcare Uses For Twitter<br />• Engaging Boomers Through Social MediaEric Brodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08569722498750109904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-814784931321312888.post-71969776640864953442009-03-09T08:10:00.011-04:002009-03-12T08:36:57.952-04:00Bringing your healthcare practice to the peopleThe typical dentist has a typical office in a typical building. Not Dr. Roemer, who's one-man dental practice is inside the Iowa 80 Truckstop, at Exit 284 of Interstate 80. A complex which claims to be the world's largest truck stop. <br /><br />Dr. Roemer - <a href="http://tinyurl.com/9s5x7y">truck stop dentist</a> - did what we all need to do. Realize that in desperate times, creativity and innovation is the only way that we'll survive and succeed. His actions provide lessons that any marketer would be proud of:<br />• <span style="font-weight:bold;">observe and learn from your customers</span> - the doctor noticed that many of his patients from his former practice called from the Yellow Pages ad he ran, and were in the phone booth from the Iowa 8 Truckstop. <br />• <span style="font-weight:bold;">make it easy and convenient for people</span> - there's a steady flow of 35,000 people who pull into the truckstop each week<br />• <span style="font-weight:bold;">be the solution they turn to when they need you the most</span> - for his patients, treatment isn't an option, they need to see a dentist right away. <br />• <span style="font-weight:bold;">create a new business model</span> - away from the traditional practice built around cleaning the family's teeth, to providing immediate relief<br />• <span style="font-weight:bold;">get people talking about you</span> - word-of-mouth is the primary way truckers learn about the doctor (more credible, and a lot less expensive, than advertising).<br /><br />I'm thinking "Truckstop Doc" franchise.Eric Brodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08569722498750109904noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-814784931321312888.post-31242585653504970592009-03-08T16:09:00.012-04:002009-03-12T08:37:24.926-04:00Trimming portfolio pounds for brand healthNot all products and services are created equal. Not all deserve "brand" status. Particularly in this environment, where resources are scarce and need to be laser-like focused on customer satisfaction. <br /><br />Some brands might not meet customers' important unmet needs, be able to meet revenue or profit goals or no longer support your business strategy. Identifying opportunities to trim portfolio fat turns up more resource to support those brands that are both strategically and financially the most important to the company (and your consumers). <br /><br />Your portfolio goals should be to create:<br />• the optimal number of brands in line with business strategy<br />• each with a clearly defined role<br />• that work together to support one another <br />• grow value back to the company and shareholders<br />• and make it easy for customers to navigate and purchase their desired products<br /><br />In an environment in which you have more to do with less, here are some questions that brand owners need to be asking:<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Principle</span>. What is the organizing principle of the portfolio<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Perspective</span>. What story is the portfolio telling from a customer perspective<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Place</span>. Do each of the brands in the portfolio have a clearly defined role; is there sufficient separation between the company offerings<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Positioning</span>. Which of your brands is best positioned for growth<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Profit</span>. How do our different brands contribute to profitability<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Potential</span>. Which offer future economic potential; and does market attractiveness (size and potential growth) merit investment<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Performance</span>. Do you sufficiently cover the market and target customer segments, with the fewest brands possible<br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">Possibilities</span>. Which brands are more firmly positioned for future growth<br /><br />Answers to these questions (which really come down to relative brand strength and market attractiveness) should lead to the following actions:<br />• shut down weakest <span style="font-weight:bold;">outcast</span> brands<br />• rationalize <span style="font-weight:bold;">overlapping </span>brands<br />• push <span style="font-weight:bold;">sleeper</span> brands to realize full potential<br />• defend <span style="font-weight:bold;">power </span>brands that are strategically and financially important<br />• launch or acquire brands to fill gapsEric Brodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08569722498750109904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-814784931321312888.post-25972537981008224912009-03-07T08:11:00.002-05:002009-03-12T08:44:46.542-04:00Bringing attention to California resident's lack of healthcare coverage<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdSdlHsOh8dC_7XzO8VcZq2J7DfSZhNAqq8_rgNu5OM6KrS2E7IPSKoVCiaH7lxQtqCJHAbzCR2lZxg9vVahyVSJV5h5_KaqW_nJlZh5fWJwZRNr_3bnMqjxXDEfrLU13TBiX7PlQWpvE/s1600-h/Picture+29.png"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdSdlHsOh8dC_7XzO8VcZq2J7DfSZhNAqq8_rgNu5OM6KrS2E7IPSKoVCiaH7lxQtqCJHAbzCR2lZxg9vVahyVSJV5h5_KaqW_nJlZh5fWJwZRNr_3bnMqjxXDEfrLU13TBiX7PlQWpvE/s320/Picture+29.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5310298102670932466" /></a><br />Impactful and arresting way to bring attention to the fact that 6.7 million Californians don't have healthcare coverage through <a href="http://tinyurl.com/ardg7p">40 life-size statues.</a> Agency is Taxi NY. Effort has a strong social component, as people will certainly be compelled to share with others.Eric Brodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08569722498750109904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-814784931321312888.post-68945671390972616202009-03-06T22:56:00.000-05:002009-03-06T23:07:25.862-05:00Client/agency relationships - a lot like the best brand/consumer relationships?Seems to me that the client and agency relationships that thrive are a lot like the best brand and consumer relationships, based on:<br />• mutual respect<br />• open communication<br />• understanding<br />• interaction<br />• collaboration<br />• transparency<br />• shared passion<br />• exploration and innovationEric Brodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08569722498750109904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-814784931321312888.post-69360855213184810972009-03-06T15:20:00.005-05:002009-03-06T16:44:26.535-05:00Giving health and healthy lifestyle brands the ability to do the best they canI know an organizational consultant who gets through the day by saying to himself "they're doing the best they can." It is the only way after many years of consulting, he says, that he can survive his customer engagements. He's learned to accept the fact that we're all flawed, and don't always operate (no kidding) in a rational manner.<br />But through social media, we have the ability to speak through an unfiltered pipeline about, and to, brand and company owners. So there's no excuse for them not to be doing the best they can. Unless they're not listening, in which case, we'll talk more frequently and virally until they do.<br />Using <a href="http://www.twitter.com">Twitter</a> as an example, here are seven ways that social media helps us help brands "do the best they can":<br /><br />1. Great experience. N<font style="font-style:italic;">ice to meet you on Twitter- I love shopping on <a href="http://www.zappos.com">zappos.com</a>, great user experience! </font><br />2. Lousy experience. <font style="font-style:italic;">I'm really hoping that what I need will be at <a href="http://www.target.com">Target</a> so I can avoid a Walmart shopping experience.</font><br />3. Never again unless you fix it experience. <font style="font-style:italic;">ITZShop.com: Worst online shopping experience! </font><br />4. Customer service channel. <font style="font-style:italic;">Sorry to hear about that @xxxxxx call 8009612075 and our customer service team will correct this for you.</font><br />5. Product feedback. <font style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.wholefoods.com">wholefoods</a>: @xxxx We appreciate your feedback though and will look into creating a better system for collecting and reviewing product requests</font><br />6. Special events announcement. <font style="font-style:italic;">Special hands-on activities at the Grand Opening of the <a href="http://www.wowsciencemuseum.org">WOW Science Museum</a> this weekend! Schedule of events: http://tinyurl.com/ce6xjf </font><br />7. New product and service ideas:<font style="font-style:italic;">Good morning "twitters"! I need 5 great/NEW innovative suggestions to launch a product to the industry. All ideas are welcome!</font>Eric Brodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08569722498750109904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-814784931321312888.post-14609054301478893862009-03-05T09:45:00.000-05:002009-03-06T15:26:20.511-05:00The Health 2.0 reform movement<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin6qdiNgbBXZxhcp7wLgVSwegvVrLwRgpPG6hXhw5Mj6zbSxwj4PzqjcEGfA6vCw_YeXfSMS7WQyQzgopiiEFkgSTXJ-BBjkhyphenhyphenYjWfS0MAJmHbLKTc6u1kThHFBWpKhVBLzfeE-XH0KOQ/s1600-h/Picture+16.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 316px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin6qdiNgbBXZxhcp7wLgVSwegvVrLwRgpPG6hXhw5Mj6zbSxwj4PzqjcEGfA6vCw_YeXfSMS7WQyQzgopiiEFkgSTXJ-BBjkhyphenhyphenYjWfS0MAJmHbLKTc6u1kThHFBWpKhVBLzfeE-XH0KOQ/s320/Picture+16.png" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5309519662983477922" /></a><br />I visited Wikipedia to see if there were any updates for the definition of Health 2.0, as it's still being defined. There's a traditional view offered by The Wall Street Journal, and this ambitious game-changing definition from <a href="http://health20.org/wiki/Health_2.0_Definition">Scott Shreeve, MD.</a>, who states that <span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">Health 2.0 goes way beyond just the pervasive social networking technology to include a complete renaissance in the way that Healthcare is actually delivered.</span> </span> He developed this visual representation of the Health 2.0 reform movement, and provides an accompanying explanation of the model. <br />To date, adaption of Health 2.0 technologies and tools among health care practitioners lags behind healthcare consumers, who use social to research and manage their health, their medical conditions and to gain emotional support. The collaboration between patients, caregivers and medical professionals (the ultimate goal which will benefit the consumer in their daily lives) is still largely a concept - though inevitably this will change. As <a href="http://health20.org/wiki/Health_2.0_Definition">Matthew Holt</a> points out <span style="font-style:italic;">the issue is, how are these tools and technologies going to be used, what does that mean for health care organizations, and doctors and patients, and how fast will it matter?</span>Eric Brodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08569722498750109904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-814784931321312888.post-34915287937402178282009-03-04T11:40:00.004-05:002009-03-04T12:00:21.158-05:00Does Your Healthcare Brand Have Fans Like ThisWhen was the last time someone publicly raved about your organization? When they told the world how impressed they were with you. What if you had to gauge your success by the number of fans raving about you, which is a lot more credible relative to us pounding our chests about how great we are. Watch this video from a Ford fan. <br /><br /><object width="480" height="295"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/r5KYgYT_tAU&hl=en&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/r5KYgYT_tAU&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="295"></embed></object>Eric Brodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08569722498750109904noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-814784931321312888.post-85820486350261802902009-03-01T10:27:00.017-05:002009-03-02T11:10:09.760-05:00Seven Ways To Generate Health Brand Energy Through Added Value<div>I created this client <a href="http://tinyurl.com/d2mz8t">presentation</a> following a discussion about how to provide added value to consumers who are worried about their future and who are evaluating their purchases with great discretion (if they're purchasing at all). Implicit to being able to provide added value to consumers is understanding how they feel, how they define "value" and how they're making decisions. </div><div>Not one of the seven examples that follows reflects a better feature-driven mousetrap. Rather, all of them provide a platform for enriching people's lives by understanding where they're headed, and then providing better experiences, new relationships and new ways of interacting. I've included examples from both inside and outside health and healthy lifestyles, as big insights and ideas typically come from outside the client category being studied.</div><div>1. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Great Brand Experience</span> - which inspires trust, builds loyalty and promotes word-of-mouth (e.g. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://www.baby.com/">J&J's Baby.com</a></span>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/">Amazon</a>, <a href="http://www.zappos.com/">Zappos</a>) </div><div>2. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Tried & True Comfort</span> - the "authentic" foods and household products that we grew up with and that remind us of safety, warmth and joy (e.g. <a href="http://www.armhammer.com/">A&H Baking Soda</a>, <a href="http://http://tinyurl.com/ckfgy2">Kraft Mac N' Cheese</a>, <a href="http://www.johnsonsbaby.com/product.do?id=47">J&J Baby Shampoo</a>)</div><div>3. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Tying To A Cause</span> - purchasing a product to support a cause people care about (e.g. <a href="http://www.yoplait.com/breastcancer_lid_kit.aspx">Yoplait Pink Labels</a>, <a href="http://www.greenworkscleaners.com/">Green Works and Sierra Club</a>)</div><div>4. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Reinforcement</span> - through the brand, consumers can track their progress (e.g. <a href="http://www.myalli.com/whatstheplan/apmyalliplan.aspx?redirectfrom=www.myalliplan.com">myAlliplan</a>, <a href="http://www.apple.com/ipod/nike/">Nike + iPod</a>)</div><div>5. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Community</span> - where consumers actively participate in co-creating brand value (e.g. <a href="http://www.digg.com/">digg</a>, <a href="http://www.patientslikeme.com/">patientslikeme</a>, <a href="http://www.wikipedia.com/">Wikipedia</a>)</div><div>6. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Ongoing </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Dividends</span> - where the initial outlay provides sustainable, meaningful and relevant gains (e.g. <a href="http://www.toyota.com/prius-hybrid">Prius</a>, Solar Energy)</div><div>7. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Personalized Expression</span> - where the brand serves as a blank canvas for personal expression (e.g. <a href="http://MyMMs.com/">My M&M's</a>, <a href="http://www.buildmyminisite.com/">Build My Mini</a>)</div><div><br /></div>Eric Brodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08569722498750109904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-814784931321312888.post-42911200425862244062009-02-27T08:14:00.013-05:002009-02-27T15:00:47.837-05:00A little "healthy lifestyles" levity for a Friday<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY4xqlbXwGHTV6GSbHqCs_0O_EKyF-NiboQOKNeHnCoYPZNfFcA7W6v7WCpdJpoZ9BwRP7hLsHz-G6iX9ouuapT7Z1UKaK2P3iZUpZ9Sqh7b2rrXzICTahy52GpVCakkEZvMOekJcJENY/s1600-h/Picture+3.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY4xqlbXwGHTV6GSbHqCs_0O_EKyF-NiboQOKNeHnCoYPZNfFcA7W6v7WCpdJpoZ9BwRP7hLsHz-G6iX9ouuapT7Z1UKaK2P3iZUpZ9Sqh7b2rrXzICTahy52GpVCakkEZvMOekJcJENY/s320/Picture+3.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5307466177133196578" /></a><br />Actually, there's nothing light about this at all. Sharing this post from Consumerist – "<a href="http://consumerist.com/5161202/the-worst-food-product-ever-may-have-been-found">The Worst Food Product Ever" May Have Been Found</a>. Should provide the impetus for us all to strive to have a healthy day. <div>After seeing this, it compelled me to go to <a href="http://www.pinnaclefoodscorp.com/">Armour's</a> site. I was interested in seeing how they spoke about the company and the Armour brand. Armour is actually part of Pinnacle Foods Group LLC. Their mission is to "make our brands an increasingly important part of consumers' everyday lives so we build sustainable value." Hmm...wonder how this fits with this mission? </div><div>Armour is one of their brands. As they say in their Product Description, "Armour offers a wide range of easy-to-make solutions for all your meal and snacking occasions…given today's busy lifestyles, you're sure to find a quick, convenient and great tasting Armour Star product to satisfy your craving, whatever the occasion." Yes, this is quick and convenient. But don't even want to think about what the craving could be. </div><div>Interestingly, when you click through to the<a href="http://www.armour-star.com/"> Armour site</a>, there's no Pork Brains to be found. </div>Eric Brodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08569722498750109904noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-814784931321312888.post-25663432944718106152009-02-26T09:22:00.006-05:002009-02-26T09:38:41.852-05:00Why technology is no longer an option in public healthAnother call to arms for the healthcare industry and healthcare marketers to be open to change and to embrace the opportunities that technology and social media provide to make things better. View post by Andre Blackman <a href="http://www.thehealthcareblog.com/the_health_care_blog/2009/02/why-technology-is-no-longer-optional-in-public-health.html">Why Technology Is No Longer Optional in Public Health.</a><div><br /></div>Eric Brodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08569722498750109904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-814784931321312888.post-60550620897066265892009-02-25T07:59:00.010-05:002009-02-25T09:17:34.254-05:00Boomers, social media and healthcare marketing<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2PpzfbAALfkxSyBZAS9QU07iqnm3CVkVAfNSbNvkpOUeBvhyI_97RUtvQoct7A8hzfsjDvuluhx9JG2BaI-aLysD7zpRDo9GTeJm7meHCWRJT0Q2fWLBQsYs0X7gZtaL0IoGHeKDxyvY/s1600-h/Picture+9.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 258px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2PpzfbAALfkxSyBZAS9QU07iqnm3CVkVAfNSbNvkpOUeBvhyI_97RUtvQoct7A8hzfsjDvuluhx9JG2BaI-aLysD7zpRDo9GTeJm7meHCWRJT0Q2fWLBQsYs0X7gZtaL0IoGHeKDxyvY/s320/Picture+9.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306737995633253442" /></a>More than 60% of boomers consume and contribute to social technologies like blogs, social networks, microblogging, podcasts and online videos, according to a recent report from <a href="http:/www.forrester.com/Research/Document/Excerpt/0,7211,46294,00.html">Forrester</a>. This is up from roughly 40% a year ago. The implications for healthcare marketers are clear – either integrate social into your marketing efforts or risk becoming irrelevant. <div>Here are some tips on getting started:<div>• understand the different segments of boomers in terms of how they use social technologies, e.g. their interests, goals, benefits and rituals (here's an introduction from the book <a href="http://www.forrester.com/Groundswell/ladder.html">Groundswell</a>)</div><div>• confirm and prioritize your business and social media objectives</div><div>• identify your priority stakeholder groups based on your objectives</div><div>• develop your social media platform, e.g. is it education, empowerment or both</div><div>• determine the social media strategies that make sense to reach your stakeholders, e.g. content and conversations, types of channels and promotion activities</div><div>• determine the roles and responsibilities of those who will be driving and influencing your efforts, e.g. researching and developing content, providing videos, ongoing execution, conducting analysis, implementing refinements, etc. </div><div>• clarify and develop your corporate social media policies</div><div>Importantly, it takes time to ramp up with social media. It takes time to engage people, to draw them into conversations, to build credibility and relationships. But the wonderful thing about social media is that you can take baby steps. Steps that are extremely efficient and that allow you to learn and quickly adjust as you go. <br /><div><div><div><br /></div><div> </div></div></div></div></div>Eric Brodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08569722498750109904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-814784931321312888.post-27270976352827891152009-02-24T08:05:00.003-05:002009-02-24T08:23:11.838-05:00Growing brand energy in the downturnTo flourish in this downturn, challenge convention. "Recessions provide fertile ground for launching new businesses, developing disruptive new products and strengthening customer loyalty." These are the words of marketing expert Andrew Razeghi from Northwestern University. Here are a few tips he offers based on the many examples of successful companies that prospered during recessionary times:<div><div><div>• While managing cash is important, don't put the brakes on. Continue to invest in R&D and marketing. "Listen to the market, invest in products for the long term, and keep in front of the customer."</div><div>• In a recession, the worst thing you can do is to go dark. In a recession "fear creates focus." "Customers wonder how you're doing. Now is the time to increase communication and restore confidence not only in the products you're selling, but also in the company behind those products."</div><div>• Marketers need to play to their strengths, and rethink how to turn those strengths into new opportunities. As marketers continue to clamor for attention, sensory branding will grow increasingly relevant to help cut through the clutter.</div><div>As he points out, many high-profile name brands were born in the midst of the Great Depression. </div><div><div><div> </div></div></div></div></div>Eric Brodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08569722498750109904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-814784931321312888.post-464166054452975782009-02-23T07:15:00.004-05:002009-03-09T21:23:14.867-04:00Maximizing the insight from your health and healthy lifestyle online community<div>Some online communities are specifically built and managed as insight tools, states <a href="http://www.freshnetworks.com/">FreshNetworks</a> in a recent post <a href="http://blog.freshnetworks.com/2009/02/maximising-the-insight-you-get-from-your-online-community/">Maximising the insight you get from your online community.</a></div><div>However, all communities can be useful sources of insight, as companies are able to observe and learn from the unfiltered, real conversations taking place among community members.</div><div>Here are eight ways that FreshNetworks describes how companies can learn from online communities:</div><div>• <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Profiling data</span>: to help you understand the demographic and lifestyle make-up of the people who comprise your community</div><div>• <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Focused discussions</span>: that can be built around priority areas of interest, which can then provide rich insights for research and development</div><div>• <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Learn their language</span>: by observing how members talk about your market and products, you can gain rich insight into their lives and priorities and your messaging and outreach </div><div>• <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Rating and voting</span>: asking members to rate or to vote on ideas or content provides input for you in turn to be more relevant and meaningful to them </div><div>• <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Photo uploads</span>: can reveal what people are thinking and feeling beyond words alone; and are often an easier vehicle for people to express their ideas</div><div>• <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Photo activities</span>: by asking members to upload photos that they believe reflect a specific topic or a response to a question, you begin to learn how they see the world </div><div>• <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Discussion events</span>: can be focused on specific issues important to the company; at times that reflect the usage patterns of your community</div><div>• <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Quick polls</span>: are easy to put together, and provide a tool to gather quick, directional insight about specific topics of interest</div><div> </div><div> </div><div><br /></div>Eric Brodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08569722498750109904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-814784931321312888.post-13476737536422274312009-02-22T12:10:00.014-05:002009-03-02T12:35:20.603-05:00One simple Social path to health and healthy lifestyles brand energyAs Peter Drucker stated, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">the purpose of business is not to make a sale, but to make and keep a customer.</span> <div>But <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">to keep a customer, you need to understand them</span>. Which requires you to <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">actively listen</span> to what they're talking about and what's important to them, so you can make decisions based on how they really think and feel. So you can ensure your place in their lives. <div>Yet we find that <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">listening to customers is often overlooked</span>. It's taken for granted that customer translates into customary. But at a time when everyone is re-evaluating their brand choices, you really should listen. And through the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">social media tools</span> we all have at our disposal, there's no longer any excuse. The cost is insignificant. The time commitment is not, but if practiced routinely, becomes routine. And the payoff is huge – <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">growing happy customers that you keep. </span></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div>Eric Brodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08569722498750109904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-814784931321312888.post-32813697463487815772009-02-21T10:00:00.002-05:002009-02-22T10:28:27.065-05:00Think crowdsourcing to produce health and healthy lifestyles brand energyCrowdsourcing taps into the creativity, insights and wisdom of everyday people to help brands create more value. It's an open source (outsourced) method for customers to help improve and create new products and services through their comments, suggestions and ideas. <div>Here are a few examples:</div><div>• <a href="http://www.istockphoto.com/">istockphoto</a> (which created a marketplace for amateur photographers)</div><div>• <a href="http://www.wikipedia.org/">Wikipedia</a> (an encyclopedia created for thousands of users)</div><div>• <a href="http://www.ideastorm.com/">Dell Ideastorm</a> (launched by Dell to gauge which ideas are most important and relevant to the public)</div><div>• <a href="http://www.digg.com/">digg</a> (where users submit links to sites, articles, news stories, photos and videos and others vote whether they're worth checking out).</div><div>Every brand should at least be "consumer-sourcing." By engaging consumers in ways that they value and want through social media, you'll receive tremendous feedback that will help you strengthen your offerings and enhance your connections. In fact, any company that doesn't recognize the power of the consumer to their marketing efforts will eventually be pushed aside. </div><div><div><div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div></div></div></div>Eric Brodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08569722498750109904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-814784931321312888.post-57218188756553030522009-02-19T09:21:00.012-05:002009-02-22T08:13:26.255-05:00"Social" brands that support a healthy lifestyle<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEjQHlKBWl_gce4fvdaq3e6ozAmb6ww_9dUT1GWfZcqOMBI3yKuWYufa2SYNMe_vxvoogwyTxTN4p2-k8fHlzQkjPYarjtDvAQN5ixZiRXoxP7peJWSV6Jg8kM1sAg4Xn7sKhJVql9V28/s1600-h/Picture+6.png"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 157px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEjQHlKBWl_gce4fvdaq3e6ozAmb6ww_9dUT1GWfZcqOMBI3yKuWYufa2SYNMe_vxvoogwyTxTN4p2-k8fHlzQkjPYarjtDvAQN5ixZiRXoxP7peJWSV6Jg8kM1sAg4Xn7sKhJVql9V28/s320/Picture+6.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5304532693527910946" /></a>True to <a href="http://www.kashi.com/">Kashi's</a> mission of helping people make healthy choices to live their best lives, the company is doing a nice job of delivering on this promise through Social Media. If you go to their site, you can click on a section "Now accepting accomplishments. Major, minor and everything in between - shout out what you achieved today!"<div>It's a community posting filled with real stories of people and their accomplishments. There's also a Community Round-Up survey. And mosaic view allows for quick and easy scan of comments. <div>Visitors can also "Join The Kashi Community", with the option to receive exclusive coupons, connect with friends and join the taste tester panel. "Today's Challenge" (updated daily) encourages people to keep coming back. </div><div>Great to see a company delivering on its promise. </div><div><div><div><div><br /></div><div> </div></div></div></div></div>Eric Brodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08569722498750109904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-814784931321312888.post-36369790067512316102009-02-18T08:08:00.013-05:002009-02-19T08:01:37.096-05:00A brands promise to its social media participantsThis morning, I'm standing in for the voice of a brand. A brand astute enough to know, and mature enough to accept, that its future is being shaped by anyone engaging in social media and online communities. A brand that openly embraces this future, and will actively participate in it. <div>So what would it proclaim:<div>• if you have an opinion, I want to hear it, and will let others hear it as well</div><div>• if you have a complaint, I want to hear it, and will publicly deal with it</div><div>• if you have a question, I will answer it</div><div>• and if I ask you a question, I will respond to it</div><div>• I will not talk at you, but to you</div><div>• I will not sell you, but engage you </div><div>• if I let you down, I will apologize</div><div>• it's not about me, it's about you, me and all of us</div><div>• together, we can make a difference</div><div> </div></div>Eric Brodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08569722498750109904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-814784931321312888.post-60438948267004526682009-02-16T20:13:00.019-05:002009-02-17T09:43:45.586-05:00Renewable energy sources for health and healthy lifestyle brands<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN74ZdEbhR5STVS0WtTQFT4H9Z4Fi8megTxjatttLEj8-8mUoP_fd84PVzwR2OarQde2KNliqbx8H-J5wy5DZsl8VAT9H9E7SJon9I4j6-waJy1nfzQtWDQNCPv44o5vuc2gPmOLvvHl8/s1600-h/Picture+13.png"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 210px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjN74ZdEbhR5STVS0WtTQFT4H9Z4Fi8megTxjatttLEj8-8mUoP_fd84PVzwR2OarQde2KNliqbx8H-J5wy5DZsl8VAT9H9E7SJon9I4j6-waJy1nfzQtWDQNCPv44o5vuc2gPmOLvvHl8/s320/Picture+13.png" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5303570578542648626" /></a><br />Wanted to share this <a href="http://www.trajectory4brands.com/emarketing/RenewableEnergy.pdf">presentation</a> of 40 renewable energy sources for brands, grouped within these dimensions. Common denominator across all the examples is that these brands clearly understand their place in people's lives. <div><br /></div>Eric Brodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08569722498750109904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-814784931321312888.post-72914454894709788382009-02-16T11:52:00.006-05:002009-02-16T13:30:58.265-05:00Marketing To Moms Through Digital Technology and Social Media<a href="http://digitalmom.razorfish.com/publication/?m=4248&l=1">Digital Mom</a> is an excellent report from Razorfish and <a href="http://www.cafemom.com">CafeMom</a>. It examines how moms are adopting digital technology and social media to help her "do it all". Key implications for health + healthy lifestyle brand marketers (synthesized from the report) include:<div>• beyond email (of which 95% of moms use), more than 50% engage through search, social networking sites, text messaging and instant messaging…which means that you need to consider how to rebalance your efforts to leverage these viable channels </div><div>• younger digital moms tend to be more comfortable with new tools like social networks and SMS, whereas older moms are more comfortable with information channels online…so a one-size-fits-all is not going to work </div><div>• by tapping into moms dual motivations - staying connected for their own needs, as well as the needs of their children - marketers have an opportunity to empower moms with content, experiences and community</div><div>• categories of Medication/Medical Condition (20%) and Health/Fitness (18%) fell roughly in the middle of those in which moms researched, sought advice, or purchased (in the last 3 months; all survey participants,not segmented by age). </div><div>• there were five distinct segments of socially connected moms, dimensioned in terms of who she is, her Social Level, Activity Level and Content Creation Level…providing insight into how to reach and engage each segment, and leverage their interactions on social networks. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div></div>Eric Brodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08569722498750109904noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-814784931321312888.post-10438438361834265692009-02-14T08:45:00.009-05:002009-02-16T11:13:02.138-05:00Health + Healthy Lifestyle Brands On TwitterThis is a big list compiled by Paul Dunay from BearingPoint of brands using Twitter - <a href="http://buzzmarketingfortech.blogspot.com/2008/12/brands-that-tweet.html">Brands That Tweet</a>. These companies are across a wide range of industries, both b2b and b2c. <div><br /></div><div>Not much representation in the health + healthy lifestyles space:<div><div>• GE Healthcare (<a href="http://twitter.com/GE_Reports">twitter.com/GE_reports</a>)</div><div><div><div>• Growing Bolder (<a href="http://twitter.com/growingbolder">twitter.com/growingbolder</a>)</div><div>• North Face (<a href="http://twitter.com/thenorthface">twitter.com/thenorthface</a>)</div><div>• Planet Green (<a href="http://www.blogger.com/twitter.com/planetgreen">twitter.com/planetgreen</a>)</div><div>• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (<a href="http://twitter.com/rwjf">twitter.com/rwjf</a>)</div><div>• Travel Channel (<a href="http://twitter.com/travelchannel">twitter.com/travelchannel</a>)</div><div>• Triathlete Magazine (<a href="http://twitter.com/TriathleteMag">twitter.com/TriathleteMag</a>)</div><div>• Whole Foods (<a href="http://twitter.com/wholefoods">twitter.com/wholefoods</a>)</div><div>But I think there's good reason for these brands to take advantage of the opportunity to:</div><div>• establish a personality beyond that of a faceless institution</div><div>• display their transparency</div><div>• at least listen in to what people are saying about their brands, </div><div>• if not add to the conversation through valuable content,</div><div>• in ways that their audiences value and want</div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div></div></div>Eric Brodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08569722498750109904noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-814784931321312888.post-943120628549868942009-02-13T16:55:00.016-05:002009-02-16T11:22:18.607-05:00Health + Healthy Lifestyle Brands Need To Join The Social Media ConversationIn 2008 <a href="http://www.forrester.com/">Forrester Research </a>declared that social media is now mainstream. A consumer poll done in Q2 found that 75% of Internet users participate in some form of social media, up from 56% in 2007. By 2012, it's predicted that 80% of the web's content will be user generated. More and more companies are participating, but health and healthy lifestyle brands are much further behind the curve. <div>So they need to join in on the conversation. Accept that their comfortable "traditional" world is no longer. And realize that the risk of not participating (of eventually becoming irrelevant) is greater than the risk of dipping their brand toe in the water. </div><div>One of the important benefits of Social Media (vs. traditional) is its fluidity. It allows for micro strategies, experimentation, quick adjustments and rapid implementation - at far lesser cost than that of traditional media. </div><div>Through social, you can help people connect to each other through your brand, in ways that they value and want. In turn, you can create positive interactions, transparency, authenticity, trust and loyalty. </div><div>Here are four tips to consider:<div><div>• first, just listen in to the conversation, as you'll be surprised what you hear, what motivates your audiences and what messages appeal to them </div><div><div><div><div>• join in only if you have something relevant to offer (defined as compelling, valued, authentic)</div><div>• don't interrupt with selfish one-way brand messages</div><div>• and don't squelch the conversation if you don't like what you're hearing</div><div><br /></div><div> </div><div> </div></div></div></div></div></div>Eric Brodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08569722498750109904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-814784931321312888.post-29778612251872574562009-02-12T18:23:00.005-05:002009-02-12T19:11:35.577-05:00More Energy Sources For Brands<div>Adding to the list from yesterday:</div><div><br /></div><div>11. Help improve our future. <a href="http://www.laptop.org/">One Laptop Per Child</a>. </div><div>12. Create platforms for shared passions. <a href="http://www.nikeplus.com/">Nike +</a> </div><div>13. Change our view of the world. <a href="http://www.campaignforrealbeauty.com/">Dove</a>.</div><div>14. Let customers choose the price. <a href="http://www.ebay.com/">ebay</a>. </div><div>15. Enhance the customer experience. <a href="http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/">Whole Foods</a>. </div><div>16. Engage people in your vision. <a href="http://www.barackobama.com/">Obama</a>. </div><div>17. Deliver beautiful design. <a href="http://www.apple.com/">Apple</a></div><div>18. Be the authority. <a href="http://www.mckinsey.com/">McKinsey</a>. </div><div>19. Exude passion from the inside out. <a href="http://www.google.com/">Google</a>. </div><div>20. Overcome the trade-off. <a href="http://www.mini.com/">Mini</a>. </div><div><br /></div>Eric Brodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08569722498750109904noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-814784931321312888.post-82187211008685562772009-02-11T07:57:00.012-05:002009-02-12T19:11:48.351-05:00New Energy Sources For BrandsThought I'd start a list of ways that brands can get re-energized. I'll keep adding to it. Here are the first entries:<div><br /></div><div>1. Social Media. Be about people, not about you; help them come together via your brand. <a href="http://community.myalli.com/">GSK's myalli community</a>. <br /><div>2. Crowdsourcing. Tap into the insights and ideas of your users. <a href="http://www.ideastorm.com/">Dell Ideastorm.</a></div><div>3. Become the customer champion. <a href="http://blog.linkedin.com/">LinkedIn.</a></div><div>4. Tap into their larger societal agenda. <a href="http://ww.fairtrade.org.uk/">Fairtrade</a>. </div><div>5. Create a new vision for the market. <a href="http://www.methodhome.com/">Method</a>.</div><div>6. Find new uses for your product, and use #2 above. <a href="http://www.armhammer.com/">Arm & Hammer</a>. </div><div>7. Focus in on the one thing you do better than anyone else. <a href="http://www.zappos.com/">Zappos.</a></div><div>8. Introduce a new business model. <a href="http://www.bookmooch.com/">BookMooch.</a></div><div>9. Make people happy. <a href="http://wii.com/">Wii</a></div><div>10. Re-articulate your brand story. <a href="http://www.walmart.com/">Walmart</a>. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><div><div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div></div></div></div></div>Eric Brodyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08569722498750109904noreply@blogger.com1