Week 5 EOC: Social Networks and Job Hunting

Week 5 EOC: Social Networks and Job Hunting

·         Read Marketing at work 5.1 Brand Ambassadors: Employing Real Customers to Get Out the Word on Chapter 5    2. Understanding Consumer and Business Buyer Behavior.  (page 15 of 59 — printed page 143)

·         Please evaluate the article Job Recruiters Turn to Facebook to Find Candidates - WSJ.pdf found in the dropbox.

·         Develop a 300 word blog post citing both the article  and your book.

“Facebook’s use as a job recruitment tool remains small, but its appeal may be growing. Some recruiters say they have all but eliminated their spending on job boards, which can charge a few hundred dollars per job posting… Others note that while LinkedIn contains a more comprehensive resume database, candidates tend to value referrals from their connections on Facebook more.”
Joe Light, The Wall Street Journal.

Week 4 EOC: Business to Business

Although business to business and consumer marketing is they are both processes that cater to their clientele. Business to Business however, is much more complicated. Where a company may spend a few months wooing potential consumers, ultimately it is normally a decision that is not as thought out. Business to Business marketing may take years and years and years on both parts of the equation. GE (General Electric) is much more than many people think it is. There are washers and dryers and financial sides, but there are also locomotives.

“In the business buying process, business buyers determine which products and services their organizations need to purchase and then find, evaluate, and choose among alternative suppliers and brands. Business-to-business (B-to-B) marketers must do their best to understand business markets and business buyer behavior. Then, like businesses that sell to final buyers, they must build profitable relationships with business customers by creating superior customer value.”

Week 3 EOC: My Demographics

I am a Millennial (also called a Gen Y-er). I am one of the children of baby boomers. I am very savvy with technology. Much like 91 percent of the other Millennials (74), I was raised knowing how to surf the internet, fix the famous blue screens that used to appear on computers, using social networking and instant messaging, and knowing how to burn music onto a compact disk. My generation saw the change from floppy disks to the compact disks I previously mentioned. Now there are even DVDs for data. I can handle Windows and Macintosh, as well as the four different smartphone systems (Android, Blackberry, Windows, and iPhone) without much difficulty. Millenials are born between 1977 and the 2000s.  The millennials get the honor of teaching these skills to the baby boomers and the Gen X-ers.

“One thing that all of the Millennials have in common is their utter fluency and comfort with digital technology.”  

Kotler. Marketing, page 74.

Week 3 EOC: Making Money for Good

Warby Parker is a company similar to TOMS shoes, with its Buy One Give One plan. The company, like many others, sells eyeglasses. The difference is where this company sells the consumer the eyeglasses, a different pair goes to somebody else in need. Over two hundred and fifty thousand pairs have been given out.The company partners with non-profit organizations. In addition, they help train other companies like the non-profit companies to begin their own eye wear business, helping entrepreneurs as well as those in more serious need. Anybody can go here for more information.

"Like Better World Books and Tom’s Shoes, Warby Parker uses the "one for one" model--for every pair of glasses sold, the company gives a pair to someone in need via its nonprofit partners. Founded in 2010, Warby Parker now has 50 employees and has given away over 100,000 pairs of glasses." http://www.fastcoexist.com/1679534/6-companies-that-are-growing-rapidly-while-doing-good

Week 2 EOC: Boston Consulting Group - Video Games

The Boston Consulting Group Growth Share Matrix is a diagram that illustrates the different ways that a different product or business can go. It is divided into four sections: the "Stars", the "Cash Cows", the "Dogs", and the "Question Marks".

The "Stars" are the products that have shown a high market share as well as a high growth share. They are the products that have a great chance of becoming "Cash Cow"s later on. The smartphones, tablets, and other mobile based video gaming consoles would be considered in that category. Many gamers in the country are no longer hardcore gamers that want to spend ten hours on a single game. Instead, casual gamers are heavily joining the scene. From the active games and programs on Microsoft's Kinect, to a simple game of Angry Birds or Sudoku on an Android device, these are the devices that will likely have a very bright future.


"While spending on physical retail game sales has been on the decline, digital game sales have risen dramatically. Digital sales — including mobile games for phones and tablets, full games for consoles and handhelds, extra levels and other in-game content — rose 22% in the third quarter of 2012, accounting for $1.4 billion, according to NPD."
USA Today, http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/gaming/2013/01/26/video-games-2013-nintendo-sony-microsoft/1843903/

The "Cash Cows," is the category that most products should aspire to be. These are the products that do not have to make big changes or investments to keep a large and steady customer base and popularity, and to make great profit. The PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 systems would both be considered "Cash Cows."

"In some ways 2012 was forgettable for makers of video games played on console systems, either connected to the television or dedicated handhelds. Total retail video game sales plunged 22%, the largest drop amid four straight years of decline, according to market tracking firm NPD Group" 
USA Today, http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/gaming/2013/01/26/video-games-2013-nintendo-sony-microsoft/1843903/

Week 1 EOC: Great Customer Service

One instance where I received great customer service was back in September of the year previous to this one. My husband and I both woke up that morning just knowing that we needed a new mattress. After much searching, my husband decided what he wanted the most was a Sleep Number mattress like the one that his parents owned. I was very much against the idea, believing that the price was outrageous for what we would be getting. I promised to at least give it a try, so the day after, we drove over to the store. When we entered we were told to hold on, and that somebody would be right with us. … The day after all of this, we went back. This time my husband had made sure that the person that had helped his parents was working. Mark was his name. He told us how he did not have to be working at the store; he had more than enough money to live comfortably. He told us of his back problems and how the mattresses had so greatly improved his life that he had made the decision to dedicate his time to helping others find the same happiness. He took me over to the mattress that analyzes what your body needs and ultimately, what your number is. He discussed the different stories from previous customers and their different experiences with each type of mattress…When we came in, I was complaining of neck problems. He instantly helped me search through pillows until I found one that was comfortable. He even customized it a little. Then, Mark called the company and informed them that we needed to extend the 30-day trial and that I was also exchanging my pillow.

"“A brand, product, or service is more than just a physical thing. Humans that connect with the brand add meaning and value to it,” says one marketing executive. “Successfully managing the customer experience is the ultimate goal,”"
Kotler. Marketing. Page 210.

Week 1 EOC: My Voice

A design should inspire. A beautiful, well thought-out design should inspire both the client and the customer. I am here to help make that a reality. What I hope to do for clients is to create a great experience for both the client and their potential customers. I will take them both on a journey that will not only delight the eye, but also demonstrate all of the function that is wanted or needed. I will illustrate better, simple layouts to the customer  that have just enough pizzazz but much less, or no frustration. I understand how it feels when a person goes to a website and ends up leaving within a few minutes because of just how much there is going on that is not helpful to them. Buttons can be attractive, but they also need to be clickable. Navigation should be easy to read. I will also facilitate the process of transporting the site to a mobile experience.  That way, you will have the complete experience not only on the computer, but on tablets, smartphones, and other mobile devices. Interactive media will also take a large part. If you are making the switch from the brick-and-mortar world to the digital world, I would be more than happy to assist you in the process. This is the future, and it is here. I will deliver the best possible complete and visually appealing web experience.