Have you heard of LinkedIn?

Recently I was introduced to a social networking website called LinkedIn and I think it is very important for anyone working in the business field to know about it. LinkedIn has become one of the fastest growing social networking sites in the world. It is not as big as its competitors Facebook and Twitter are; however, it has an advantage by being unique and catering to business professionals. LinkedIn is basically the Facebook of business. LinkedIn is a site where you can keep a professional profile of yourself and you can stay in touch with past and present colleagues and classmates by having the ability to find them quickly. On LinkedIn you can look for career opportunities, win new clients, and even build your professional reputation. The site connects you to jobs, sales leads and ideal business partners. In 2010 the number of people searches on LinkedIn was 2 billion and the site has over 120 million members and counting. This goes to show you that many people in the business world are using it. LinkedIn is a great place to market yourself and if you don't have a LinkedIn account already, you should consider creating one.

Do you have a LinkedIn account? If you do, what opportunities have you gained from it? If you do not have a LinkedIn account, are you going to consider getting one and what do you hope to gain from it?

http://learn.linkedin.com/what-is-linkedin/

In response to Rebecca...

What companies can you think of that need to improve their ethical standards?

Few people may know that behind the smiles of Ronald McDonald and Happy Meals, lays a company with many unethical practices. Not only does McDonalds sell products that contribute to heart disease and the high obesity rate, but a typical fast food hamburger patty can contain meat from more than 1000 different cattle. McDonalds has a negative impact on the environment because this corporation is destroying natural rainforests by purchasing meat from privatized farms that raise these cattle on land that was once a rainforest. Not only does McDonalds treat the environment poorly, but they also treat their employees poorly. McDonald’s employees are underpaid for the amount of time they work and this goes into illegal amounts of labor hours. Many employees also have to work in unsanitary conditions. Also in 2006, 15 McDonalds across Japan had an apple pie recall due to the use of an illegal food coloring agent and in June the same year a woman in Southlake, Texas found a rat in her salad and McDonald’s didn’t even apologize! Clearly McDonald’s has many problems with their ethical standards and these need to be improved if McDonald’s wants a better reputation.

Can you think of a company that has gone out of business due to unethical practices?

Flash Mobs: A Great Marketing Technique

When I first saw this video of what is known as a “flash mob” for the T mobile cell phone company I was stunned. I had never seen one of these flash mobs before and I immediately thought to myself how it is such a good marketing technique. A flash mob consists of a large group of people who suddenly assemble in a public place and perform an unusual act for a brief time and then disperse. In this video an abundant amount of people get together in the middle of the Liverpool Street Station and start dancing for a couple of minutes. At the end of their performance they shout “Go T Mobile” and then everyone disperses and goes back to doing whatever is it that they were doing. This is a great marketing strategy because it captivates an unsuspecting audience by capturing consumers’ attention and holding it by entertaining the consumers. Flash mobs also reach fragmented audiences because in a highly populated place like this train station for example, people of all ages are going to be walking by and all segments of a target market can be reached through a performance like this. I think more companies should use flash mobs as a way of marketing, and I hope to see one with my own eyes one day.

Flash mobs have become less popular today, why do you think that is? Do you think a flash mob is a good marketing technique?

In Response to Allison's Post...

What do you think the best brand name or symbol is? Why?

The first brand name that comes to mind when I think about distinctive brands is Coca Cola. Coca Cola in my opinion is the best brand name. Coca Cola is known worldwide and has been very successful for over a century due to its catchy name, eye catching colors, and its consistency of delivering quality products. The name Coca Cola is a great brand name because it’s easy to say and remember, and it sticks in your mind because it just sounds good. The name also has the same meaning worldwide and no matter whom you may ask in any country, he or she knows what Coca Cola is. Also the brand is instantly recognizable with its color scheme and fonts. The branding is bright red so it stands out and the curly font and wavy line used all make the brand very unique. Consumers look forward to seeing the familiar Coca Cola brand name on products and it’s in somewhat of a way fun to get a Coca Cola product. People across the world are devoted to Coca Cola because of the quality guarantee. Consumers know they’re going to be satisfied when they open a can of coke and for this reason they keep going back to the Coca Cola brand.  

Pepsi is a very distinctive brand name as well and is Coca Cola’s number one competitor since they sell very similar products. Which company do you think has the better brand name?

Commercial Gone Too Far?

Recently in another one of my classes we watched this commercial for Dr. Pepper 10 and it struck me when I saw it. Sure it’s cheesy and may make some people laugh; however, there has been much talk regarding how it’s sexist and if it’s gone too far. The commercial is very masculine and it’s clear that the target market of this new product is men and only men. The main goal of the ad is to make the drink seem like a real man’s drink yet this soda has only 10 calories in it and usually low calorie foods are geared towards women, not men. Overall women are more self conscious about weight and they are more inclined to purchasing products coinciding with weight loss and the majority of men try to gain weight to seem stronger and tougher. Dr. Pepper is trying too hard in this commercial to persuade men into drinking this low calorie drink. In the ad it is stated “only 10 manly calories” and at the end of the commercial “Not for Women” is emphasized. This commercial is just ridiculous overall and sure it will most likely catch your attention but it’s almost so absurd that it will turn consumers away from the product.

Can you think of a ridiculous commercial that may have turned you away from the product?

In Response to Rachel's Post: “Say Yes to The Dress But at What Price?”

“Can you think of another company that is so successful because they are good at what they do?”

The first business that popped into my mind when I read this question was a local business in my hometown called Exotic 9 nails. Exotic 9 is a popular and well known nail salon that is very successful due to their exceptional services and relationships with their customers. Every time I have been to this salon I have been more than satisfied with the way my nails look. The nail technicians take their time and always do an amazing job. Also all of the employees at Exotic 9 are very friendly and they care about their customers. They put in a great effort to remember anyone who goes into the salon to have their nails done so the next time they see you they will remember your name and ask how you’re doing. The employees want to be your friend and they will have full on conversations with their customers and listen to whatever their customers have to say. The employees produce long term relationships with all of their customers because the customers are always satisfied with the outcome of their nails and they have developed friendships with the nail technicians. Any business can be successful if they provide a good or service that consumers are satisfied with and if they build long term relationships with their customers.

Can you think of a business that you have a long term relationship with? What is it about that business that always makes you go back to it?