Archive for November, 2009
Adding UGC to B2B and turning communication into sales
By Jimbeau Andrews, as part of the Guest Blogger Series
At the heart of Social Media are Communities (SMC’s) that facilitate B2B communication in unique ways. B2B marketers that tap into powerful SMC groups can enhance their brand marketing objectives, establish Word of Mouth brand rapport and facilitate the resale of their client products. Social Media embodies the very spirit of B2B marketing by utilizing partner platforms to proliferate the use of their own products and in the process establishing a new virtual retail frontier. (more…)
B2B branding: symbolism versus substance
By Dean Crutchfield, as part of the Guest Blogger Series
Brand is not marketing: It’s about who you are. The role of business is to create customers through marketing and innovation, but customers have often lost out in the relentless push to maximize shareholder value. As Neutron Jack (Welch) would tell you, “Shareholder value is a result not a strategy. Your main constituencies are your employees, products and customers.”
Whether it’s a Business-to-Business (B2B) or a Business-to-Consumer (B2C) brand, it’s all about Business-to-People (B2P if you like). So as we reap the grim harvest of imprudent lending amidst insider dealing, bankruptcy, accusation, claim and counter claim, (more…)
Solar energy: commodity or branding opportunity?
By Marc Cortez, as part of the Guest Blogger Series
Spend any night waiting in line at Disneyland’s Adventure Ride and you’ll hear the usual stories of exploration, fame, and all those in search of treasures at the end of the rainbow. Standing in line this past Tuesday, however, those rainbows were turned up towards the sky, or more specifically, towards the sun.
Ah yes, the solar industry convention is in town.
Certainly solar energy’s time has come. Five years ago this event, the solar industry’s largest national convention, was held in a San Francisco office park atrium. Those of us who participated in that event—held, ironically, during a weeklong driving rainstorm—were giddy that we attracted over 3,000 people to our booths to discuss solar energy. In contrast, this year’s event filled two Anaheim Convention Center halls, attracted over 25,000 people, and occurred during the same week that President Obama announced over $200M of funded solar projects. With everyone talking about solar energy, it’s become mainstream, hasn’t it?
Well, sort of. (more…)