Highlight:
Experts are saying that these moms have created a marketing phenomenon, and more companies are catching on.

“They really create trends, drive issues and have a real community around them. It’s been very effective,” said Alex Koritz of Sprout Marketing.

ABC 4 News: Mommy bloggers create frenzy at local jeweler
http://www.abc4.com/content/news/state/story/Mommy-bloggers-create-frenzy-at-local-jeweler/Q2YBfFocykGoWVoQUjPlfw.cspx

PROVO, Utah (ABC 4 News) It was a surprise that took Goldsmith Jewelers of Provo by storm, as well as the bloggers who made this “Mothers Day Promotion” one of the biggest, according to the jeweler.

Amber Passey is a mommy blogger. Her blogspot, “Because Babies Grow Up,” was one of thirty popular mommy blog sites chosen by Sprout Marketing for a Goldsmith Jewelers Promotion.

Fora free dinner, she and the other bloggers allowed them to post a coupon, for a free strand of pearls, on their blogs which are normally dedicated to raising kids and family life.

Passey says, “It’s a way we can get out and socialize without disrupting the rest of our live and our children’s lives.

Experts are saying that these moms have created a marketing phenomenon, and more companies are catching on.

“They really create trends, drive issues and have a real community around them. It’s been very effective,” said Alex Koritz of Sprout Marketing.

In all three thousand coupons were printed from the mommy bloggers. Goldsmith Jewelers says it ended up being a costly promotion but not one that is regretted.

They believe that this promotion has created relationships that will last with its customers.

Bloggers say that’s what they’re all about, creating relationships.

Okay, I really don’t care that you’re “going for a jog”, or “feeding your dog”. The value of Twitter are not the silly “what I’m doing now” updates. It’s conversation. Post an interesting article, ask for feedback on an idea, look for sources, tools, etc. It’s a great conversation and networking forum if used properly.  I expect I’m going to get a lot of flack for this post . . .

Since Davinci Suites refuses to recycle, I have now appointed myself Sprout Marketing’s new Chief Green Officer. At the end of the day, I gather all recyable materials in the office and make sure they’re recycled. I’m quite proud of this new appointment.

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Just finished listening to a seminar by Brian Watkins, PR Manager of Social Media at Omniture. It was interesting but pretty basic stuff. It’s nice to see more companies dedicating full time PR/Marketing professionals focused on New Media.

A nice take-away were the tools he recommended:

Free tools:

Yahoo Pipes

Social Media Firehose

Tweetscan, Twemes

Paid Tools:

Andiamo

BuzzLogic

Radian 6

High-end Tools

Visible Technologies

Collective Intellect

Cymfony

Buzz Metrics

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I’ve got blogger’s block. It’s been a few weeks since I’ve posted – and that’s why. How do you get over blogger’s block? Here’s some steps I’m going to try, courtesy of wikihow.com. I’ll let you know how it goes.

1. Recognize that you have writer’s block. This is usually when no ideas spring to mind when you are writing and you are stuck for what to write. It can be very frustrating, especially when you just want to get on and write. Understand that writer’s block is easy to overcome, and there are many ways to get over it. Do not stoop to the idea that you will never write again. Blow that lie away right off.
2. Give yourself permission to write poorly and tell yourself that it does not matter what standard your writing is at. Tell yourself that you are allowed to write however you like, and it doesn’t have to be good. Most writer’s block is caused by fear of writing poorly, and the fear of your writing not being to a good standard. Shut up that little person in your head that tells you bad things about your writing.
3. Simply write without worrying about exactly what you write. Relax your mind and let all your ideas come out. Don’t worry about how they sound on the paper.
4. Make a Mind Map. Write a random word in the middle of some paper and branch off as many ideas as you can from that one word. It will get you thinking and help you think of ideas.
5. Let it sit for a day or two then come back to it.
6. Try a change of pace. For example if you have a long, action packed sequence, try going over to a reasoned conversation. Just be sure the changeover makes sense.
7. Get to know your character to see how they act in different situations, though you should do that before starting work on your project.
8. Look over what you wrote and ask yourself, “Does this seem to be leading up to anything?”
9. Get a friend to help if you’re still stuck.
10. Chances are, if you have writer’s block, it’s because the situation doesn’t seem real to you. Don’t be afraid to rewrite parts of the story to make it more natural.
11. Try starting from another part of your story. If you’re having trouble with the beginning, write the middle or end…. you’d be amazed at how it can unblock you. Writing in whatever part of the story that interests you works for some authors (Stephenie Meyer, author of Twilight, for example) writing in pieces is great, so long as you know your plot like the back of you hand. (hey! That’s new!)
12. Write something totally different. It may surprise you how much you like it! Writing a poem or short scene (which does not even occur in your story) can also help. A monologue, a song or even taking a short amount of time to write a scene from a completely different story will get your writer’s blood flowing again [ad#on-post]

Richard Hanks, former EVP at Marriott and current President of Mindshare Technologies, has written an incredible book that addresses the current state of customer service, and how companies can ride out a looming recession by enhancing the customer experience. Full disclosure: Rich Hanks is a client of mine, and launching this book has been an amazing experience.

Stephen Covey calls Delivering and Measuring Customer Service: This isn’t Rocket Surgery, “The finest book on customer service I’ve ever read.”

You can see Rich on Fox Business discussing the book here:

Fox Business – Is Customer Service Dead?

The book outlines what companies have continuously gotten wrong with their customers, as well as the steps they should be taking to build relationships and drive revenue, including actually listening and reacting to customers.  It’s already been endorsed by some of the biggest executive names in the world including: Clayton M. Christensen, Harvard professor and bestselling author, William R. Tiefel, chairman of CarMax and chairman emeritus of The Ritz Carlton Hotel Company, David Neeleman, founder and chairman of Jet Blue, Nolan D. Archibald, chairman and CEO of Black & Decker, and many others.

More information can be found at www.duffroad.com

Quite a milestone, my blog was the number 1 hit in Google for the Snoop Dogg Mormon thing.  Just this post has received 20,229 hits as of today. Cool.

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