Week 5 EOC: Social Networks and Job Hunting

Social networking has become a major part of people’s everyday life, especially Facebook.
Companies have been using Facebook as a source, for searching for potential employees and to see if potential employees and current employees are showing professionalism. In the article “Recruiters Turn to Facebook to Find Candidates” they are talking about the battle between Facebook and job boards. “More companies are trying to tap Facebook Inc.'s 750-million-plus user base to find new employees, threatening traditional job boards and competing with LinkedIn Corp., which has dominated the online professional networking arena.” (Recruiters Turn to Facebook to Find Candidates, The Wall Street Journal. Page 1) Many feel that more companies are beginning to turn more towards Facebook to find future employees than from companies like LinkedIn Corp. “Candidates have been 50% more likely to apply to positions they found through Facebook than through other means, said Mr. Staney. "[Job boards] just blast it out. This is much more efficient and targeted," he said. (Recruiters Turn to Facebook to Find Candidates, The Wall Street Journal. Page 2) 

Technology has also become a great way to spread the word about new products. In the article “Marketing at work 5.1 Brand Ambassadors: Employing Real Customers to Get Out the Word it” it talks about how technology can help companies gain valuable resources to make their products more successful. The company JetBlue and many other companies have started looking for people on the internet that have started to talk a lot about their products, such as bloggers, and have asked them to become  ambassadors for their company. “Brand ambassador programs leverage the power of peer-to-peer communication. Consumers hear about products and brand experiences from others just like themselves—people they trust—rather than from commercial marketing sources. ‘It’s the value of having someone there who wants to talk to you about the product and the features,’ says one brand ambassador. ‘It’s not really about sales; it is about sharing of information. If you go about it in a way that is positive and relatable, it’s a positive experience for [both parties].’” (Marketing at work 5.1 Brand Ambassadors: Employing Real Customers to Get Out the Word it, Marketing: An Introduction for Education Management Corporation. Page 143) Companies like to use ambassadors because they have a wide range of subscribers and are about to get the word out about things extremely quick. JetBlue stated “We used to assume the best reps would be the cool kids in any given group. But we learned that most kids are not cool. If marketers want consumers to feel a connection to their ambassadors and to feel that an ambassador is accessible, they have to look beyond the cool customers” who are typically thought of as influentials. The best ambassadors, he says, are “friendly, everyday brand loyalists who love to talk to people.” (Marketing at work 5.1 Brand Ambassadors: Employing Real Customers to Get Out the Word it, Marketing: An Introduction for Education Management Corporation. Page 144)

EOC Week 4: Business-to-Business Marketing

"Business-to-business (B2B) is a term commonly used to describe electronic commerce transactions between businesses, as opposed to those between businesses and other groups, such as business and individual consumers (B2C) or business and government (B2G)" http://bx.businessweek.com/business-to-business-marketing/
B2B companies are like manufacturers to wholesalers, or wholesalers to retailers. These are the other companies that a company does business with. Say if a retail store needed inventory they would go to its wholesaler and order inventory or directly to its manufacture to create more items. You should always have good communication and a good relationship with the companies you are doing business with, because ultimately they are the ones helping you keep your business alive and running.

"A B2C is relevant to any industry or business association that markets its goods created to customers using the Internet for personal use.." http://www.squidoo.com/b2c-marketing
B2C are websites like Ebay.com and Amazon.com. B2C companies are able to go up against giant companies even if they are small, because using the internet is a lot less costly than opening up a location. B2C companies are able to reach a broader audience, a worldwide connection. These types of companies are the ones that ask for your email or information so that they can offer you exclusive deals and inform you of  new items coming out. These companies want to satisfy its customers so that its customers won't leave and start buying items from a competitor.

"B2B sales are focused on a very narrow segment that has a use for your product. Those businesses that can make use of your product to save them money or make part of their business more productive or easier will be the market on which you spend your time and marketing efforts.In B2C sales, your market is the entire sales market of consumers. There is very little discrimination or qualification of potential customers. If the product appeals to them, then they are a customer to which you may sell your product." http://reference.yourdictionary.com/word-definitions/what/difference-between-b2-b-and-b2-c.html

Week 3 EOC: My Demographics

"Millennials. Both the baby boomers and Gen Xers will one day be passing the reins to the Millennials (also called Generation Y or the echo boomers). Born between 1977 and 2000, these children of the baby boomers number 83 million, dwarfing the Gen Xers and larger even than the baby boomer segment. This group includes several age cohorts: tweens (aged 9–12), teens (13–18), and young adults (19–32). With total purchasing power of more than $733 billion, the Millennials make up a huge and attractive market...One thing that all of the Millennials have in common is their utter fluency and comfort with digital technology. They don’t just embrace technology, it’s a way of life. The Millennials were the first generation to grow up in a world filled with computers, cellphones, satellite TV, iPods, and online social networks. A recent study found that 91 percent of Millennials are on the Web, making up 32 percent of all U.S. Internet users." (Marketing: An Introduction for Education Management Corporation, Pages 73-74)

I was born in 1994 and I do believe that this demographic descripts me. New technology has been popping up extremely quick. Many people within this demographic grew up with a television, a cell phone, and in time the computer. It’s funny how now and days people would ask “do you have a facebook?” and if you say no, they automatically shocked. Social media is not only a way to keep in contact with friends and family but also a way to meet new people, see what is happening in the world, and so on. Since I have grown up with all of this technology it is sometimes hard to think back and say “ if Google or other search engines weren’t invented how would I be able to get information,” and of course there are books but, the internet is more convenient and it is much quicker to just search up something than to look through a book.

Week 3 EOC: Making Money for Good

One company that gives back to the world is the cosmetic company, L’Oreal Paris. They teamed up with Ovarian Cancer Research fund (OCRF) back in 1997, to raise money to help find cures for ovarian cancer. They have helped raised more$20 million and currently have three researchers studying to find a cure.

 “Fully committed to the fight against ovarian cancer, L’Oréal Paris has created far-reaching programs and fundraising initiatives to further the cause of ovarian cancer research and to help as many women as possible learn about the disease and its symptoms so they are aware of the signs.”  http://www.ocrf.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=137:loreal-paris-&catid=66:corporate-sponsors&Itemid=303

L’Oreal has also come up with the makeup collection, Color of Hope, to help raise funds for research that will last until they find the cure. This collection is available at Wal-Mart, CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid.  L’Oreal donated $2.00 for every purchase of Color of Hope Colour Riche Nuturing & Protective Lipcolour.

” L'Oreal Paris is proud to further its ongoing commitment to women's health and the fight against ovarian cancer and aims to empower women to feel confident and beautiful both inside and out.” http://www.csrwire.com/press_releases/23588-L-Oreal-Paris-Continues-Passionate-Commitment-to-Ovarian-Cancer-Research-and-Awareness-Programs-in-2008

In 2008, L’Oreal has made several programs available to help raise awareness, educate women on the symptoms, and to support those who have survived.

L’Oreal Hope Necklace is a way for women to fight against this type of cancer. This necklace costs $29.95 at www.lorealcolorofhope.com and with every purchase; L’Oreal will donate $5.00 to hold research to find a cure.

"Ovarian cancer is one of the deadliest forms of cancer as, unlike most other cancers, there is no early detection test," said L'Oreal Paris in a statement. "One woman loses her life every 10 hours from this terrible disease and it is our collective mission to change this horrifying statistic… and help stop the silent killer." http://au.lifestyle.yahoo.com/marie-claire/beauty/news/article/-/10949901/l-oreal-paris-helps-fight-ovarian-cancer/

Week 2 EOC: Boston Consulting Group - Video Games

 Within the Video Gaming world I feel that each game console has it's own ranking. There are certain game consoles that are doing fairly well and others that have or are beginning to disappear. I have done a Boston Consulting Group Analysis on the video game consoles.

STARS: Smartphones and Ipads
QUESTION MARK: Kindles and other tablets
CASH COW: PS3, Xbox and Nintendo
DOG: PC and PSP

Smartphones and Ipads:
 The reason why I thought that Smartphones and Ipads would be ranked as "STARS" is because as of right now they are doing extremely well. Its the new trend, everyone wants to have one or the other or even both. They're portable and lightweight and depending on how well you work with technology, it is easy to handle. The general video game console isn't capable of being played while on a train, in a coffee shop, or waiting in a long line. Smartphones and Ipads have what is called an App Store, where you can go to buy games or even download free games. It is the fastest and easiest way to keep yourself entertained on the go."Mobile gaming is set to take home $8 billion dollars this year, making it a massively profitable market. Things like low overheads, easy development and a growing female gamer market mean plenty of new designers are being drawn to the smartphone as a platform." http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/41269/mobile-infographic-smartphone-gaming-future

Kindles and other tablets:
Kindles and tablets to me are a question mark. They have just recently been developed, and we aren't used to them yet. There could be a future for them but no one is sure yet.  They are not as advanced or establised  as the Ipad so everyone is still a little shakey on rather it can live up to the Ipads reputation.

PS3, Xbox, and Nintendos:
Although these systems are still popular for home, they are beginning to drift away. They have come out with new games and features but it doesn't seem to be enough. I feel that it is neck and neck between the PS3 and the Xbox. People like one or the other, Xbox because you can play live, and PS3 because it plays Blue-Ray movies. Then there is Nintendo, it may be portable but it doesn't have features like the smartphone and Ipad give to people."Sales of console hardware such as Nintendo Co.'s Wii and Microsoft Corp.'s Xbox 360 were hit hardest, registering a 39% drop, as consumers may have held back spending in anticipation of newer consoles on the horizon." http://articles.latimes.com/2012/sep/07/business/la-fi-ct-august-game-sales-20120907"Xbox 360: 257,000 (Total: 34.1 million; June 2011: 507,000 – down 49.3%)PS3: 195,000 (Total: ~21 million; June 2011: 276,000 – down 29.3%)Wii: 95,000 (Total: ~39.5 million; June 2011: 273,000 – down 65.2%)"
http://www.digital-digest.com/blog/DVDGuy/2012/07/17/game-consoles-june-2012-npd-sales-figure-analysis/

PC and PSP:
PCs and PSPs have basically died. PC games used to be really popular especially when they created World of Warcraft. Now and days many people have drifted away from computer games. The PSP when it first came out was an exciting and new thing for many people but as time went on it began to disappear and no one wanted it anymore.

Week 1 EOC: Great Customer Service

“For us, we’re willing to lose that sale, that transaction in the short term. We’re focused on building the lifelong loyalty and relationship with the customer.” (Marketing: An Introduction for Education Management Corporation, Page 4) A great customer service experience that I have had was when I went to the restaurant Chili’s.  My family and I went Chili’s, the wait wasn’t too bad, we were greeted, and a few minutes later we were seated, and the waiter took our order. A few minutes later the waiter came out with our appetizers and drinks, and told us that our food will be coming out shortly.  We were having such a great time, laughing and enjoying our appetizers that we didn’t even notice that we had been sitting there for about 45 minutes. Once we finally realized it we called over the waiter and said “We’ve been sitting here for about 45 minutes and our food hasn’t come out yet.” Around the corner came the manager. He had overheard our conversational and told us that he was very sorry about the inconvenience, and that the food will be right out, he also asked us if we wanted a free dessert. When the manager had offered us a free dessert I had realized that they were the type of company that would rather lose out on a sale than to have customers leave unhappy. We of course said yes on that free dessert. Over all we were happy about our experience at Chili’s, the food was great, the restaurant was clean, and they had amazing customer service. Satisfying your customers is probably the best way to go when owning or operating a business. Since my family and I had great customer service at Chili’s we will always go there opposed to other restaurants.

Week 1 EOC: My Voice

What is fashion? Well many people may just say clothing, shoes, or accessories, but fashion is more than that. As a creator within this field I have interpret my own meaning of fashion. Fashion is the power to say or feel without words. It’s the first impressions when you are seen across the room or through a window of a restaurant. It’s how you are able to portray your feelings or mood. It’s confidence, personality, creativity, and it’s your voice without the motion of your mouth, eyes, or hands. It should be considered a form of body language since, just by looking, you are able to see how a person is feeling today: timid, shy, confident, excited, serious, depressed, sexy, daring. As a shy person I use fashion as a way to show my personality and stand out. It helps me speak without the use of words. Fashion…although it does deals with clothing, shoes, and accessories it has a much deeper meaning, that only a few can see, and I am proud to be a part of that few. But most of all I am proud to be able to inspire and help contribute to this powerful form of voice.