Facebook. Twitter. LinkedIN. You Tube. Hootsuite...
Hootsuite?? Yes, you read me correctly. I didn't know what it was either, until last week. Those mentioned above, and many, many other social media forums have made their grand entrance into our lives and have been embraced in different ways by those that have opened our doors for them.
Sure, I was quick to follow the Facebook craze back in 2008. Why not? Everyone was doing it, right? It was a great way to keep up with old friends from school; see more pictures of your friend's kids than you had of your own (& even see some pictures you probably didn't want to see); find those that really have more time than they know what to do with (I really didn't need to know what you were doing every minute of every hour of every day); and show your affiliation to anything from political party to your favorite music group.
Having said that, let's dig a little deeper than the personal aspect social media has had, and focus on its relation to the business environment. Think back to the early stages of the "dot-com" era when this thing called the Information Superhighway was banging on our door. Business leaders were asking themselves "how can my company use the internet?" The web soon became more than just a marketing tactic or an avenue for communicating. Instead, it was a revolution that altered the way companies did business. This was a time of fear, confusion, and change, yet more importantly, a time for OPPORTUNITY. Many organizations struggled to adapt to these changes.
Social Media has and will continue to bring these same types of changes to the business environment. Now take a minute and reflect on this well known quote: "Those that do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it". Ouch. That took many of us back to the late nineties didn't it?
So what can we expect and how can we prepare?
- The internet was initially dismissed as a playground for kids & geeks. (sound familiar to social media discussions you may have had recently?) It became evident that its usage was making its way quickly across age, gender, race and almost every other demographic. More importantly, was recognizing that while virtually everyone was going to be "surfing" (online shopping, reading newspapers, using search engines, etc.), not all would use in the same manner. Therefore, organizations couldn't then, and can't now, rely on a single online strategy to reach their intended audience.
- Businesses must understand the needs & expectations of their prospective targets. There is not a "sure-fire" way or a simple checklist that every company should follow to guarantee immediate success with social media. The key is......you have to play the game. Take risks. Get involved. Educate yourself and your employees. Try new ideas. Some will work, some will fail. Those that sit on the sidelines and wait for it all to get sorted out will quickly find themselves at a competitive disadvantage.
With the Super Bowl right around the corner, here's an interesting article regarding one of the "Marketing Giants" of our time (Pepsi) and how, for the first time in 23 years, they will not be purchasing a commercial spot for this year's big game. Instead, they are sinking $20M into a social media program that they expect will have a huge effect on the community.
http://abcnews.go.com/Business/pepsis-big-gamble-ditching-super-bowl-social-media/story?id=9402514
How will your organization adapt and react to Social Media??
Brian Day, Account Consultant
Unified360
One may ask "How does VOIP and the economy fit together"? In my opinion it's simple! As most reading this blog are very aware, the economy has had a significant impact on how business is conducted not only in the United States, but worldwide, especially for the small to medium sized organizations. If you think about it, on the cuffs of this recession that started back in 2008, companies scrambled to make changes... decisions to scale back on expansions, decisions to streamline their workforce, decisions to cut back on making purchases and decisions on how to communicate both internally and externally were on the top of most decision makers mind.
This is where VOIP has made a HUGE impact on organizations that adopt this technology, due in part to the down economy opening up the window for more VOIP initiatives. With VOIP technology, decision makers have been able to, in most cases, stop the bleeding and more often heal the wound. It has allowed many organizations to cut down their variable operating expenses to streamline more fixed costs, especially when it comes to communications. They have been able to adopt "work from home" strategizes that otherwise would prove to be non-productive. In most cases they have even driven revenue because the quality of life of the employee has changed. Probably most importantly, the quality of service to the client has improved. Utilizing this technology to communicate internally has proven beneficial, but more importantly externally to the client has been the key to generating revenue.
By employing this technology, Unified360 and many of our clients have been able to improve response times to prospective clients that otherwise would fall in the same bucket as the competitor down the street. I decided to write on this topic because Unified360 as a whole in 2009 has grown tremendously in a time when many organizations have seen a major decline in business. On numerous occasions, our clients have come to us with many of the pains described earlier in this blog and we have been able to deliver a solution to meet those pains that is surrounded by VOIP technology.
If I could tell you that in most cases, companies that have chosen Unified360 as a partner to implement a VOIP technology platform for their business had no capital cash outlay, would you believe me? Well you should, because that has been exactly the case for the majority of our clients. This economy, in my opinion, has really helped the VOIP space because companies are looking at ways to streamline their communications and have seen some great results. Are you ready to tackle this economy and move over to the VOIP world? We'd love to hear from you...
Andrew Espitia, Director of Client Services
Unified360
I hate to say this, but more often than not first impressions are generated by ones appearance. Imagine going out on the town with your friends or going on a first date with someone special. As you get ready you put on your favorite jeans. You're about to leave, check yourself in the mirror, and then you realize it... your favorite, perfectly worn-in jeans have a hole in them. Frustration and anger takes over because they fit you perfectly and give you a certain sense of comfort. Even though you hate to do it, you change them.
You're probably thinking, "How does an old pair of jeans have any relevance to business?" Well, it all goes back to appearance being the biggest part of a first impression. The outer-shell of your business is what draws in your clients. You wouldn't own a restaurant without having the name of the restaurant out front, would you? Unfortunately, the corporate world is full of business owners who resist the need to update or change for the good of their company. The key to making your business successful is being susceptible to change. Times are changing and you should work to keep up!
One of the fastest growing changes in the world as we speak is, of course, technology. Technology is driving businesses worldwide to become more successful than they ever imagined. Businesses can have one office, be located in ten or more different cities, and have their employees working remotely from home through the ease of technology. Instead of clients calling your office phone and getting your voicemail if you're busy, now those calls can be forward to your cell phone! Or even better, you can have your voicemail sent to your email! Have you ever missed an important email while not at your computer? Well thanks to changing technology, you can receive emails via your cell phone. My point is, technology can help you be more efficient not only for your employees but most importantly, your clients.
I get it... you're comfortable with your old phone system just like you are with your old jeans. Why would you want to start all over again wearing in a new pair? Similarly, you don't want to go through the trouble of learning to use what you think is "complicated" technology. The problem with this is, nothing lasts forever. Eventually, you need to put on a new pair of pants. Your business needs to update its communications solution. The great part is that thanks to VoIP, you can establish change without burning a hole in your pocket. It actually saves you money and increases your ROI. That's like finding another great pair of jeans on sale! There's definitely no excuse for you not to make the change. Even if you're hesitant to leave your comfort zone, we at Unified360 urge you to take that first step towards an upgrade. After all, isn't your business worth it?
Felicia Cienfuegos, Marketing Coordinator
Unified360
Obviously one must feel fortunate for being able to work for
any company at this point in time, no matter what the size. I am still amazed that God has blessed me with a job at a company that, beyond all reason, has more than doubled its size in the downfall of the economy!
For all the small school's out there, let me tell you a piece of my story. I went to work for a man who gave me an opportunity to prove myself when all I knew was to talk out of one end and listen out of the other. Saying that, I was the seventh person hired (5th counting the 2 owners). Yes, Unified360 is a smaller business, but we are growing in numbers every month. I believe in my company so much that I have encouraged my wife to work here. I love my wife and would never willingly put her in harm's way. Therefore I would never have suggested she take the job if I didn't believe in what my company was doing.
For anyone that reads this, I want them to understand the passion I have for this company is like no other. Of course we have challenges like every other business, but we work hard to overcome them and not let them defeat us. That is why we are still standing, and growing¸ in an economy where so many others have failed. I know that God works in strange ways and I love Him for that. In 2009, we were one of those small schools. In 2010, we might not be the heavyweight champion, but I can tell you that WE WILL BE IN THE GAME... WE WON'T LOSE! It's not an option. If you would give this attachment a minute:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3E3bEH1Ov8&NR=1
1st Samuel 17:49,
Brad Jones, Sr. Business Development Specialist
Unified360