Blogs

Over the past year, people across the nation have witnessed several examples of the power of the American Red Cross to seek out those in need, listen attentively and respond with speed in times of crisis. Their relief effort and response to Hurricane Sandy , for example, was inspiring. However, during...

Founded in 1824, leading chocolate company Cadbury exemplifies a traditional company making a successful transition to a more social business model. During their campaign as the official treat provider for the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, Cadbury used Google+ Hangouts to connect with their younger...

We often hear from companies that they struggle with social media marketing and content because their business is “just boring” or “no one wants to talk about xyz.” If you find yourself wondering what it might take to get people interested in interacting with your company on social...

Indie music artist Daria Musk has found an ingenious way into the homes and hearts of her fans through Google+. The singer has been known to perform live for fans using Google+ Hangouts and even invited them on-stage during her TEDxTalk via video chat. Clearly, she’s found the working formula...

Our how-to social network posts are some of our most popular resources on the Dell Social Business Connection and LinkedIn is no exception. With over 200 million members and 2.7 million Company Pages on the professional network, it’s no wonder marketers are on the lookout for tips and advice to...

Izzy’s Ice Cream Shop in Saint Paul, Minnesota, enjoys a greater social media audience than many of its peers. On Facebook , over 7,500 people have chosen to follow the brand, while another 4,200 have physically been to their location and taken the time to check in on their smartphone. In addition...

Frederick Goodall, AKA Mocha Dad , is a professional blogger, speaker and consultant who has helped companies from Kellogg’s and Pepperidge Farms to Samsung with their social business needs. He is fast closing in on 10,000 Twitter followers and credits the social network with more than a few amazing...

Marketers know that at the heart of every successful social media marketing campaign lies interesting, engaging content. Silicon Valley attraction The Tech Museum uses Twitter as a platform to share information and build anticipation in their audience through high quality blog posts, images and videos...

Facebook marketing is a proven way to connect with consumers, in order to build relationships, offer customer service and ultimately increase sales. Each year, Facebook users share over 415 pieces of content, including posts from businesses, with their friends. A quick look at the current social landscape...

Picture Twitter’s more prolific users, where they live, how they use the social network and what they do for a living. Did you picture a farmer taking a break from tending his crops to post a tweet giving commodity traders a sneak peek at his yield? Probably not, yet this is becoming a reality...

Luxury travel agency Tropical Sky wanted to build brand awareness and community around their business. They also needed to create trust with their audience and had a desire to use customer input to build better travel packages. Facebook is a great platform for a travel company, given its highly visual...

In recent posts, we’ve examined how Facebook has been used to promote local products and services, drive sales through a website for a real-world event, and even drive B2B lead generation . Can you use Facebook to actually get people in the door of your local business? P.F. Chang’s did...

Thousands of fans and high levels of interaction and engagement aren’t reserved for big businesses or franchises with several locations. More and more, small businesses are experiencing success across social platforms, using channels like Twitter to win over new customers, drive sales, improve...

In a recent interview with Andrew Miller , a member of the Dell small business marketing team, Enterprise Nation founder Emma Jones recommended that small businesses absolutely must embrace social media. This is especially important in the very early days of a start-up; Jones built a community of over...

Building a community around your business on popular social networks Facebook, Google+, Twitter and LinkedIn is a great way to stay connected with fans and customers of the brand. Each of these platforms has its own unique benefits and value offerings, not the least of which is the size of their user...

Over the past year, there has been much argument and commentary over Facebook’s value as a sales driver. Social media marketing is great for online PR, brand building and even customer service. But can you use Facebook to increase your company’s sales? Tough Mudder , a challenging obstacle...

Facebook is a great tool for social listening, in order to better understand the needs of your customers. Stuffed animal makers at Squishable.com took this one step further, by using Facebook as a research and consultation tool that actually helps inform product development. Customer input can be...

The next generation of management will need to go beyond merely “managing” employees. Staying relevant will necessitate fully harnessing employees' intellectual potential with the power of grassroots innovation and thereby being able to convert challenges into strategic advantages. Just...

Customer success stories can be a great tool for online marketers. Each one is an opportunity to celebrate the success of a client, as well as your contribution to their ability to meet their business goals. It’s a good way to help businesses reinforce their credibility and expertise and each piece...

Online video is more than a passing trend or the latest fad. Businesses around the world are using video to attract, engage and convert customers. Making a great video is one thing, but the social web has allowed brand videos to absolutely explode in popularity, with users doing the work of promoting...

Have you ever heard of Facebook City? In August 2011, Keisuke Hiwatashi, mayor of rural Takeo in Japan, did something drastic during the city’s rebranding. He replaced the city website with a Facebook Page . Takeo is home to 50,000 citizens, nestled in the Saga Prefecture on the island of Kyushu...

The path that led Cy Jervis to his current position as Project Manager for Dell’s IdeaStorm was unconventional, for sure, yet it underscores the incredible importance of social listening and customer engagement. IdeaStorm is an initiative launched in 2007, to better gauge which of our ideas...

The English Cheesecake Company wanted to use Facebook in the same way as many others: to help build their brand and promote their products. However, their goals also included increasing repeat purchases, customer spend and new customer acquisition, areas in which other companies have historically struggled...

We hear a lot of buzz about different social media networks and which one works better than another. In reality, using a combination of sites together is a solid strategy for reaching the greatest number of fans. Individual fans each have their own preferences as far as which sites they like and the...

You’ve probably heard there are benefits to empowering employees , nurturing innovation and investing in existing talent. Like many business owners though, you may also wonder: how does all of this actually help improve our bottom line? Project Sputnik is a solid example of incredibly real,...