Archive for the ‘Andy’s Answers’ Category
Andy’s Answers: Which types of content do fans love to share?
If you’ve created anything at all and put it out into the world, you know that some things are fundamentally more sharable, exciting and interesting for your talkers than others. And while it’s different for every brand and every group of talkers, there are a few core forms of content that fans typically love to [...]
Andy’s Answers: How can I get more people talking about me on Twitter?
Twitter is a great place to test content ideas and word-of-mouth topics. There, conversations move fast, groups of potential talkers are diverse and it’s acceptable to try little experiments to see what works. Whether you’re getting started or looking to boost buzz about what you’re doing, there are a few simple steps you can take. [...]
Andy’s Answers: How Cargill used social to drive product sampling
Cargill has big ambitions for sugar substitute Truvia, but it’s going to take changing a lot of eating and purchasing habits — from business-to-business partners and end consumers. This is the challenge facing Chris Obray and his team. And at our recent BlogWell event, he walked us through a small portion of Cargill’s overall plan [...]
Andy’s Answers: How Deluxe used a social project to reposition its brand
Deluxe is in the middle of a big brand and strategy shift. It is the world’s largest printer of checks, but it is working to become a brand known for products and services that help small businesses expand. To demonstrate this shift, Deluxe launched Project REV, a yearlong marketing lab in which nine small-business owners [...]
Andy’s Answers: How Itron developed a companywide listening program
Itron is one of the biggest companies you may not have heard of. They’re a large B2B in the utility industry, doing everything from developing gas meters to the software that communicates with them – and they’re actively listening and engaging in social media. In their BlogWell presentation, Itron’s Michelle Jung and Dawn Shrum walked [...]
Andy’s Answers: How Microsoft is influencing the influencers
Despite how active and engaged Microsoft is with its customers in social media, there’s just no way it can reach them all. So it is turning to its customers and evangelists for help. In his presentation at our BlogWell conference, Microsoft’s Nestor Portillo outlined how the company is creating a network of credible, independent influencers [...]
Andy’s Answers: How REI created a local social media strategy
With more than 100 stores nationwide, REI is the country’s largest co-op. And despite the big national presence, REI fans tend to have a strong connection to their local store. This loyalty, along with the nature of REI’s business — stores in Texas have a much different sleeping-bag selection than those in Alaska — became [...]
Andy’s Answers: What’s the best way to respond to negative word of mouth?
Negative word of mouth is something every company faces. It doesn’t matter what you sell, who your customer base is or what industry you’re in. It just happens. But because you know it’s going to happen, you can prepare for it. Smart marketers know how and when to respond to negative word of mouth. Not [...]
