The Most Social Brands of 2009 – So What?

Hello New Decade!  How refreshing is 2010 so far?  Good things to come, but it’s always fun to look back…

Mashable just reported on The 100 Most Social Brands of 2009 as determined by Vitrue’s Social Media Index (SMI).  The SMI “assigns brands and products a score based on overall buzz from status updates, videos, photos and blog posts.”

Do you wish your company was on this list?  I bet you do!  iPhone, Disney, MTV, Wii, Starbucks, NFL, and Mercedes all made the top 20.  Everyone knows these brands and everyone probably has their own opinion on each one.  Therefore, it’s a no-brainer that they get a TON of chatter around the web; lots of people are talking about them and that’s what makes them so “social” on the Internet.

Okay people are talking… so what?!  Go one step further: what are people actually saying about Best Buy, Gucci, Nokia, Toyota, Red Bull, or even Subway (all in the top 50)?  Are they speaking positively about the prices at Best Buy?  How many men compared to women talk about Gucci?  Why are Nokia customers complaining about their phones?  What do people like most about Toyota cars?  What is the most common food item eaten with a Red Bull?  Are people sick of Subway Jared or do they want to see more of him?

Every single one of these brands could find out the answer by simply listening to what people are saying on the web.  With a sophisticated listening platform, this task is a piece of cake.  Organized, real-time, relevant data from ListenLogic’s advanced RESONATE™ system enable you to discover unmatched insights into your brand and industry.

Take a look at the Mashable article to see the complete list for 2009.

Then check out the original blog post from Vitrue, which provides further thoughts and details on their methodology.

Two Conferences!

ListenLogic will be attending two exciting upcoming conferences next week!

1. iMedia’s Breakthrough Summit – October 25-28, 2009 in Henderson, Nevada

This summit is a big opportunity for ListenLogic to get some great exposure in the industry. From their site: “iMedia’s Breakthrough Summit delivers a mix of great content focused on exploring the issues and opportunities in emerging digital platforms and applications presented within a deliberately designed collaborative schedule.”

2. ePatient Connections 2009 – October 26-27, 2009 in Philadelphia, PA

As ListenLogic has the perfect listening platform for any company in the pharmaceutical industry, this eHealth conference will surely help us make the right connections.  From their site: “Reach empowered, digital health consumers with innovative eMarketing and social media E-Patient Connections 2009 is the one conference you need to attend to make sense of the radical changes taking place in health marketing.”

Top 12 Quotes About Listening (Part 4 of 4)

Hello to Fall!  We’ve been busy at ListenLogic, but I’m back with Part 4 of my countdown, the final three quotes!  I’ll be discussing quotes from real people who are real smart with real companies to run.  Let’s get down to business!

3. “People want to be listened to and they want to be respected. This is how you learn what’s on their mind. What can be more important than that?” – Mickey Drexler (chairman and CEO of J. Crew Group and formerly the CEO of Gap Inc.)

Comment: Mr. Drexler has a clear passion for clothing retail in America.  This guy is fanatical about even the smallest details that go into creating a monster brand like J. Crew.  Color, fit, style, price, he’s got it all down pat.  Sure, he has a lot of experience from his previous work as president of Ann Taylor and CEO of Gap Inc., but what makes him really smart is that he’s always listening!  To everyone.  Drexler is known to frequently visit stores to hear thoughts on business from the front-line staff.  “He may be more hands-on than any other chief executive in the country.” – from the article “A C.E.O. Sells the Store” by Joe Nocera for the March 1, 2008 New York Times.  I picked Quote #3 from this article because I think it absolutely nails the mindset needed for a retail business to be successful: go to your customers and open your ears.  Drexler asks good questions and takes any opinion from his customers very seriously.  He’s got the right idea, but he’s missing a whole other channel of feedback: the Internet.  A sophisticated listening tool is crucial for any big brand.  ListenLogic’s got you covered.

2. “The organic nature of the web means that when you are the world’s largest retailer, people will talk. And we’re OK with that. We believe the hallmark of a really great brand is that you are relevant. And part of the way you do that is listening to what your customers have to say.” – Wanda Young (senior director-digital marketing at Walmart)

Comment: THANK YOU, Wanda!  I couldn’t have said it better myself!  Plus it sounds super important coming from a senior higher-up at a company as large as Walmart.  Don’t take this lightly, folks.  Listening is an abundant theme in business and it was only a matter of time before listening became relevant on the web.  Walmart’s targeted efforts online provide a great example of a brand proactively adapting to the times in order to maintain reach with its customers.  The AdvertisingAge article “How Walmart Owns the Concept of Value Online” lists a number of online initiatives that have created excellent opportunities for gathering valuable feedback.  This fresh approach by Walmart to play a role in the digital world is quite impressive considering the retailer’s status as “world’s largest retailer” and it proves yet again how crucial listening is to successful business.  Go to where your customers are, set up shop, and start taking notes.

1. “Listening is the single skill that makes the difference between a mediocre and a great company.” – Lee Iacocca (American businessman famed for his revival of Chrysler Corporation in the 1980s; author of Where Have All the Leaders Gone?)

Comment: Need I say more?  If you’re still not convinced, just check out the cover of Mr. Iacocca’s book… he’s the epitome of “I’m an elderly distinguished businessman who knows a thing or two about how to be a leader and smoke cigars.”  Listen to the old smart-ass OR ELSE.

Hope you’ve enjoyed my countdown!  Until next time: keep listening

Top 12 Quotes About Listening (Part 3 of 4)

One great thing about listening is that it is never outdated, it is never a bad idea, and it will always be important when dealing with people.  Okay that was three great things, but I was on a roll.  Now I present to you the words of two dead guys and a rhyming mystery…

Part 3: Quotes 6-4

6. “Man’s inability to communicate is a result of his failure to listen effectively.” – Carl Rogers (1902 – 1987; was an influential American psychologist and among the founders of the Humanistic approach to psychology)

Comment: Vince’s favorite quote! [See our Team page for more about Vince.]  Coming from Carl Rogers, this quote carries a lot of weight.  Rogers was immensely interested in human issues and focused much of his work on the understanding of “the personal nature of the human experience” (via the Wiki page).  He understood the importance of listening in a conversation and I’m going to go ahead and say he considered effective listening to be NECESSARY when communicating.  Read the quote again… it’s, like, sooo obvious.  I’m also reminded of Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, in which Habit 5 is ‘Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood’ – gotta know who you’re talking to before you start talking.  ListenLogic can help you do just that.  Customizable campaigns allow a company to listen effectively to and improve communication with a specific audience.

5. “A good listener is not only popular everywhere, but after a while he knows something.” – Wilson Mizner (1876 – 1933; was an American playwright, raconteur, and entrepreneur)

Comment: Although somewhat of an eccentric weirdo (he robbed churches when he was young and was later addicted to opium while trying to balance a gambling den and combat laziness), Mizner has been described as “an idol of low society and a pet of high.”  Throughout his life, he flowed through many social circles and dabbled in various odd-ball jobs, such as ballad-singer and roulette-wheel fixer.  Mizner was like that annoyingly cool guy in high school physics class that acts like he has no idea what is going on, but really he’s been taking notes the whole time… he knows what’s up and he’s collected the information for his own benefit.  By never missing an opportunity to listen, Mizner played his cards right and was eventually hired by Warner Brothers.  ListenLogic helps companies discover what they need to know to be successful in the future.

4. “The easiest way to sell is to listen not to tell.” – Unknown, but come on, it rhymes! (this quote is actually a favorite saying of my father’s and he thinks he may have gotten it from a sales class he took taught by Charlie Brennan – so there’s at least some credit)

Comment: Extra! Extra! This just in! People Love To Talk About Themselves! Ask the right questions and you’ll eat up the answers.  And remember that most of the time you don’t even need to ask; give them a chance and they’ll never shut up.  Plus, when you listen you show interest and attention – two more things people love and two reasons why someone might decide to give you a little love in return.  Get on their good side as soon as you step in the door by giving them the floor while you practice your listening skills.  ListenLogic’s platform automates this process on the web and provides real-time results with deep searchable insights.

I hope you’ve been learning some new things in these posts.  Don’t miss the final part in my series of Top 12 Quotes About Listening!  I’ll let you in on some real-life industry secrets from real-life people who’ve been there, done that, forgoed the t-shirt and earned more money instead!

Top 12 Quotes About Listening (Part 2 of 4)

For the next three quotes in my countdown, we’ll look at what a few experts have to say about listening.  These guys have many years of experience dealing with people in the business world.  Plus, they each have their own vanity-URL website and have authored a best-selling book with a really long title sooo they must know what they’re talking about, right?  See for yourself…

Part 2: Quotes 9-7

9. “Want to build a trusting relationship? Want to get essential information to make important decisions? Learn how to listen.” – Peter deLisser (Team Builder, Keynote Speaker, Executive Coach, Meeting Leader/Facilitator, and Author of Be Your Own Executive Coach: Master High Impact Communication Skills for: Dealing With Difficult People, Improving Your Personal Image, Learning How to Listen and Solving Business Problems Creatively)

Comment: Yes, yes, I know you hear me talking, but are you really listening to the words that are coming out of my mouth?  or the words that are coming out of my keyboard?  What I’m getting at is: are you being an active listener?  An active listener not only appropriately uses nonverbal cues (such as head nodding or Facebook’s “Like” option) to show interest and understanding, but also skillfully considers any acquired information as a possible benefit to one’s own endeavors.  View every person as a resource.  Use active listening to maintain good relationships.  Collect valuable information and be amazed as you begin making better decisions!

8. “You learn when you listen. You earn when you listen – not just money, but respect.” – Harvey Mackay (Successful Businessman, Speaker, Nationally Syndicated Columnist, and Author of Swim with the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive: Outsell, Outmanage, Outmotivate, and Outnegotiate Your Competition)

Comment: Learning, earning, money, respect… oh my goodness, look at all the great things that happen when you listen!  Mr. Mackay is living proof of the monetary benefits listening can bring when in a professional environment – he’s a successful businessman that knows how to use listening as a survival technique in the face of big corporate sharks.  There’s an idea!  Use listening to get ahead of your competition.  You can always learn from others’ successes and mistakes.  Gathering and analyzing competitor intelligence is just one of many ways a business can use the ListenLogic tool.

7. “The best salespeople are great listeners – that’s how you find out what the buyer wants.” - Spencer Johnson and Larry Wilson (Authors of The One Minute Salesperson: The Quickest Way to More Sales with Less Stress)

Comment: What a superb application of listening for consumer-facing brands and companies!  Don’t know whether to make more blue shoes or more red shoes?  Ask your customers and I guarantee you they will tell you what they want!  You just have to listen.  That’s easy enough, but what do you do when you have millions of buyers, scattered across the web, all talking at once?  Whatever you do, don’t ignore them!  All you need is a good listening tool.  ListenLogic provides a sophisticated technology that can organize mountains of posts from the web into a simple, clean dashboard designed to make your life easier and help your business improve its bottom line.

Coming up next: Quotes 6-4 are about the way humans use listening to communicate better.

Top 12 Quotes About Listening (Part 1 of 4)

Listening is not a new concept.  People agree that in order to learn, you must first listen to the available information before you begin to make sense of it.  In business, listening is quite helpful: when you listen to what your customers are saying, they will actually tell you what they want.  No need for guesswork!  The best insights come directly from consumers; they have been and always will be a very valuable resource in shaping and improving a company.

Today, there are tons of people talking on the Internet… I mean billions ! of people (read: consumers) with their own personal blogs and videos and photos and twitter profiles and whatever other social media site comes up next.  All of these people have opinions and many are choosing to openly share their thoughts in a very public way: through the web.  Listening to the web is becoming mission-critical for all the consumer-driven industries out there (Automotive, Consumer Packaged Goods, Financial Services, Government, Hospitality, Insurance, Retail, Technology).

Don’t take my word for it.  Begin the count down of the top 12 quotes about listening (in four parts)!

Part 1: Quotes 12-10

12. “To listen well, is as powerful a means of influence as to talk well, and is as essential to all true conversation.” – Chinese Proverb

Comment: Let’s put the act of listening and the act of talking on the SAME level.  They are equal in importance (although I think that in the long-run listening is more important than talking).  Emphasis on the word “true” – a good synonym might be “genuine” – we’ve all been in a conversation where the other person is obviously NOT listening and it’s NOT a good feeling.  [And if you were wondering, I did NOT get this quote from a fortune cookie.]

11. “To listen closely and reply well is the highest perfection we are able to attain in the art of conversation.” – Francois de La Rochefoucauld (noted French author and accomplished 17th-century nobleman)

Comment: Might as well substitute in the word “business” for the word “conversation.”  Isn’t this what it’s all about? Listen to the market, pay attention to what’s going on, and act accordingly.  French noblemen from the 17th century get it.  Do you?

10. “We have two ears and one mouth and should use them in that proportion.” – Epictetus (Greek Stoic Philosopher who lived 55-135 AD)

Comment: What a cheeky man that Epictetus was!  What this guy is saying: “You should listen twice as much as you talk.” Not a bad rule to follow.  Plus, with all that listening you’re doing, it’s guaranteed to make you smarter!

Stay tuned for 9-7!

Angel Venture Fair 2009

A week ago, on Tuesday, April 7th, ListenLogic attended The 11th Annual Angel Venture Fair (AVF) at the Union League (quite an elegant venue, I must say) in Philadelphia, PA.  The fair is organized every year by the Private Investors Forum (PIF), “a non-profit consortium of accredited private investors and angel investor groups in the Min-Atlantic region.”

About 35 companies were in attendance this year with 24 chosen to present throughout the day.  Selection of these companies was determined following the AVF’s Selection Day on February 24th.  ListenLogic was picked to be one of the companies presenting at the fair.  One of the benefits that came along with being a presenter was a free coaching session with Michele Masterfano Marketing, Inc. (website mm:m).  Michele provided us with some excellent feedback about our presentation. Thank you, Michele!  Mark presented once in the morning and once in the afternoon.  With each company presenting twice, investors don’t miss out on anything due to scheduling conflicts.

All companies were given exhibit space in the main hall with one table each.  We set up our logo and screen-shot posters along with two laptops for demos (there was WiFi, of course).  I brought my camera, but forgot to take a picture of our display… next time!

The event was great!  Well-run and very professional.  Lots of interested investors and diverse start-ups… high-tech, low-tech, no-tech!  We had someone manning our table at all times, ready to answer questions, exchange info, or do a quick demo of our impressive product.  Every conversation we had at AVF contributes to the progression of ListenLogic.  Thoughtful networking and open growth adds value!

Other highlights of the event include: bagels for breakfast; wraps for lunch; casual cocktail hour with hors d’oeuvres to end the day; cameraman Mark (?) who was filming and conducting interviews with various AVF guests (including myself!); Fountainhead Networks reps, Ed and Jess, who also caught bits of the event on video; and Congressman Joe Sestak’s comments on the present state of the economy and the role of small businesses – quote: “The real stimulus is you.”  After his talk he took questions from the audience – a nice guy to take the time to come speak at the event!

But it’s not just an event!  AVF is a three-month long process with benefits that can extend far into the future for successful companies.  ListenLogic feels proud and privileged to be a part of AVF 2009.  We’ve been able to make and maintain some fantastic contacts in all parts of the industry by participating.

Thank you to Valerie Gaydos (Executive Director of AVF), Richard Levin (Chairman of PIF) and everyone else who make AVF possible… the executive planning committee, the application judges, the presentation judges, and the event volunteers all listed here!

AVF Fact: “More than 75% of all companies presenting at the Angel Venture Fair received some sort of financing from angels since April 2007.”

- Gail

1st Annual Entrepreneur Expo – Philly Style

ListenLogic was one of the 40-some exhibitors at The Entrepreneur Expo last night at the Science Center in Philadelphia.  The event was presented by Philly Startup Leaders, Inc. and was quite a success!  Hundreds of people stopped by during the 6pm – 9pm event time to browse all the ambitious and exciting ventures of Philly’s entrepreneurs.

Who’s Coming? ListenLogic is! Thanks to Gloria Bell of Red Stapler Consulting, who did most of the logistics, we were featured on The Expo’s website prior to the event.  Check it out!

Table #10! ListenLogic arrived early and grabbed some prime real estate in the exhibit hall, a bleak and empty, drywall-exposed room that quickly turned into a high-energy and crowded, temporary incubator buzzing with chatter as guests began filling up the aisles. I think the event’s high attendance demonstrates the city’s interest in and support of local entreprenuership (I’m sure the $0.00 price helped, too).

Need more business cards! I quickly ran out of business cards as more and more curious individuals stopped by our booth. What attracted them? I have a few ideas… our awesome posters (props to LTL Prints), our awesome name/logo (we got compliments on both!), and/or our awesome selves (that would be Mark, Brian, and I, thank you very much).

“WOW! That’s really cool.” The majority of people who visited the ListenLogic table didn’t just grab a card and jet.  No sir! They stuck around for an average of 3 minutes and 23.7 seconds (this is a guesstimate) talking with us and viewing our “slick” demo, which was LIVE since the hall had speedy WiFi!  I got some great facial expressions and initial reactions in response to our powerful and easy-to-use listening tool.

“This is the best idea I’ve seen all night!” True story! That’s a direct quote from one of our visitors, who talked to Brian. And he didn’t even know him! Promise! And promising! Last night was truly encouraging for us here at ListenLogic.  I mean, we knew we had something pretty great, but you never really know until you throw it to the public and let them chew on it for a bit.  ListenLogic is proving to be quite tasty.

So here’s a big THANK YOU to everyone who stopped by at The Expo… your feedback and support is always appreciated.

Until next time, keep on listening.

- Gail

The Social Feedback Cycle

The other day Mark and I were discussing a concept from the book Social Media Marketing: An Hour a Day by Dave Evans. In Chapter 3: What Is Social Media? Evans describes social media’s impact on the purchasing decisions of consumers. First he examines the traditional role of Marketing and Operations in ‘The Classical Purchase Funnel’ going from Awareness to Consideration to Purchase. Marketing makes a promise to consumers (Awareness); consumers form expectations based on that promise (Consideration); and Operations makes sure those expectations are being met (Purchase). A consumer’s opinion of a purchasing experience is what then drives word-of-mouth, but without the web this sharing of information occurs in a limited way. They tell their family, close friends, and maybe a few co-workers about their experience, whether it be good or bad. This closed and simple process represents the old way of doing business to please your consumers.

The Internet adds another dimension to include the element of “post-purchase” consumer-to-consumer interaction, namely in the form of social media. Evans calls this updated and expanded process ‘The Social Feedback Cycle’ and the Internet is what makes it possible on a larger scale than just family, friends, and a few co-workers. Now there are three more steps following Purchase: Use, Form Opinion, and Talk.

Consumers purchase a product, use the product, form an opinion about the product, and lastly – most importantly – talk about the product.

• Use: online shopping is super popular these days and with many sites offering free shipping and free returns, there is often no risk in ordering delivery. Consumers are able to test out the product from their own home (aka no pesky salespeople are trying to work their magical, persuasive ways on the customer).
• Form Opinion: people are being extremely honest with their opinions; there is an understanding among consumers that we all want the best deal and will help each other out to get it.
• Talk: Social media allows anyone to publicly broadcast what they think to anyone who is listening.

Everyone is talking. ARE YOU LISTENING?

- Gail