The SQUARED Root

Archive for May, 2008

Our Future is Up to Us

Posted by Steve Golab on May 31st, 2008

I am not someone who serves as a walking advertisement for just anyone or any cause. But given next weekend is father’s day, I thought now is perhaps the best time to share Bamboo Originals (http://bamboooriginals.com/), a t-shirt business owned by my father Len Golab. The mission of his business is to provide his customer with the finest Bamboo T-shirts and clothing to wear and enjoy. He believes after you learn about the natural properties of bamboo fiber, and especially once you feel its softness, you will never want to wear anything else.

Many of us are very particular when it comes to the clothing we wear and the car we drive. In many ways, our individual purchasing decisions send a message to those you share a relationship with. Indeed our purchasing decisions communicate and make an impact with the world.

Our Future is Up to Us – these are the six simple words printed on a t-shirt gifted by my father to celebrate my 35th birthday last weekend. Given the acceleration of personal change in my life right now, these words resonate and are reinforcing my sense of purpose right now. Dad, thank you very much. I really appreciate this gift and wanted to share with you publicly.

Let me assure you, a shirt like this makes a great father’s day gift. If you are thinking about buying one for that special dad in your life, here’s where I recommend you go.

http://bamboooriginals.com/products/?view=product&pid=61

Bamboo is a sustainable resource, which thrives naturally without pesticides and is 100% bio-degradable. Naturally anti-bacterial because of its bio-agent “bamboo kun”, that prevents bacteria from cultivating on it. It has unusual breathing ability, because of its hollow fiber which keeps you cool, comfortable and will never cling to your skin. It doesn’t retain odors either due to its moisture ventilation properties. Its uncommon softness gives it a silky feel that you will love.

 

Social Commerce: Word of Mouth, applied to Business

Posted by Dave Evans on May 31st, 2008

The subject of “social commerce” — social media applied to business and specifically to commerce-related transactions and customer processes — is gaining in recognition as a significant tool in the standard business toolbox. For example, of the top 100 retailers with online operations, 50 are using the Bazaarvoice social commerce platform. Powering these commerce applications is, at the core, social media: digital word of mouth turned media, produced and presented by current customers for consumption for consumption by potential ones.

If you’re wondering about who is using social media — and in particular experiencing it in the context of a purchase — the answer is “everyone,” a point driven home in a recent Universal McCann study. It’s basically a given that if you sell it, someone else is talking about what happened after they bought it. That conversation is being tapped and inserted into the purchase funnel, right in between your ad (awareness) and the check out (point of sale).

The rise of social media good news for those brands with a tight link between Marketing–where the expectation is set, and Operations, where the promise is delivered on. These are just some of the topics I’ll be speaking about at the upcoming Interactive Austin conference in June. I hope to see you there. In the meantime, let me about your experience with social media and its use in your company.

 

Interactive Austin 2008

Posted by Cynthia Baker on May 30th, 2008

Social commerce, the use of social media in business, is putting companies on an even playing field; and the companies that aren’t getting on board are going to find themselves falling behind the competition.

Think about it – social media is everywhere! Wiki-ing, blogging, podcasting, twittering, FaceBooking, and MySpacing – this is how the world is communicating now. And if your company isn’t playing along, your message is less likely to reach your target audience. For this reason, major corporations, like Austin-based Dell, Intel and AMD are integrating social networking and other social media into their marketing plans.

To help companies get to where they need to be, interactive professionals in Austin that understand the power of social media in today’s world have converged to create Interactive Austin 2008. This forum which takes place on June 19th, is an event dedicated to educating companies on the advantages of Social Commerce, the importance of it in the rapidly changing corporate environment, and how to harness its power for profitability.

The event will feature two prominent keynote speakers. Brian Magierski, Co-Founder and Chief Development Officer of nGenera Corporation, will speak on “Social Commerce and It’s Impact on Business.” While the Vice President of Corporate Marketing & Communications for AMD, Pete Hayes, will speak on “Get into the Click Stream: An Alternative to Driving Traffic to Your Site.” Aside from the keynote speakers, this will be a day full of educational and informative panel discussions and case study presentations from Austin’s social media experts.

If you have a company, it would be a wise decision to attend Interactive Austin 2008. For more information about it, check it out online at http://www.interactiveaustin2008.com.

We will see you there!