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Shell’s Arctic Ready Campaign: Epic Social Media Fail?
TweakYourBiz TV Talks With Samantha Kelly Of Funky Goddess
Is Your Business Collecting IOU's And More Debt?
The Sustainable Building And Retrofit Show

Shell’s Arctic Ready Campaign: Epic Social Media Fail?

Posted: 31 Jul 2012 03:16 AM PDT

If you go to the Arctic Ready website, you will see a site very similar to Shell's main corporate website. The Arctic Ready site recently ran a competition asking the public to suggest captions for their next advertising campaign. When scrolling through the ads you see that the public have clearly hijacked the campaign, turning against Shell and coming up with ads such as the below ...

A company's worst nightmare right? An attempt to engage your audience by encouraging user generated content gone horribly wrong!

So what happens next? Go see what the company is saying on Twitter of course!

Shell's social media team on Twitter

On Twitter we find the @ShellisPrepared account which states that it is Shell's social media team. On it are a string of tweets saying that Shell doesn't endorse these ads and are working to take them down.

There are also numerous tweets insisting on the authenticity of the account. It appears, upon reviewing the tweets, that the social media team is in fact maintained by temps and interns who are clueless as to how to stop the tide of negative user generated content...

On return to the Arctic Ready site we see more ads with captions pointing out how the Shell marketing team is failing at their jobs to keep on top of the situation ...

So all in all it looks to be an absolutely epic failure of a social media campaign, one which colleges will use as a case studies to prompt students to figure out what Shell should have done when things started to go south.

However all is not what it seems ...

The above co-ordinated campaign is not a failure at all, it is in fact a brilliantly executed and highly successful campaign run, not by Shell, but by Greenpeace, who have turned away from their hippy roots and taken a step into the online world in their fight against the major oil company.

Greenpeace have put together a well thought out online campaign which has resulted in a massive increase in online conversation and which has even been covered by major news corporations including Forbes, the Huffington Post and the Guardian.

Shell has announced that it does not plan to sue Greenpeace, most likely realising that legal action on their part would draw even more attention to the campaign.

So, what can we learn from Greenpeace?

Some advanced planning goes a long way towards the success of your campaign. If you are going to run an online campaign, ensure that you display consistency across your platforms, as Greenpeace have done with both their parody website and parody Twitter account.

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TweakYourBiz TV Talks With Samantha Kelly Of Funky Goddess

Posted: 31 Jul 2012 12:05 AM PDT

A Funky Name, a Funky Business, and a Funky girl. That's certainly what the Irish Dragons thought of Samantha Kelly of Funky Goddess when she presented to them recently for funding and mentoring.

Funky Goddess began as an online site selling a beautifully packaged gift box for young teenage girls called "Welcome to Womanhood".

Samantha really did turn taboo into funky in a country that not so long ago had pharmacies selling sanitary towels and tampons in brown paper bags.
Her promise to her customers is to "turn awkward milestones into treasured memories".
She has hit Ireland by storm, leaving a trail of relief for mothers, aunts, sisters and fathers worldwide
Her range of products is expanding to cater for every "milestone" we encounter during our lives

New Markets, New Products & Social Media

Needless to say, Funky Goddess has grown exponentially since, evolving into new markets, selling directly into over 75 pharmacies and expanding the range for new mums and older teens.

Her Facebook Page recently hit over 2100 likes – another milestone. I caught up with Samantha to find out just how difficult it was breaking into a taboo market, and what difference using eCommerce and Social Networking has made for her and her business.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Thanks to Samantha for taking the time to talk with me about her amazing story and ultimate success.

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Is Your Business Collecting IOU's And More Debt?

Posted: 30 Jul 2012 07:49 AM PDT

One of the biggest challenges that a small business faces is staying up to speed on collections. You can have the greatest SEO program in place, a stellar social media campaign and the best sales team around, still you are finding your business in a hole. If a large number of clients owe you money, you can quickly end up being in the red when checking your financial books.

As the U.S. economy continues its up and down ride, it is important as a small business owner that you stay on top of your collection efforts in order to make sure anyone doing business with you, be it a consumer or another business, is paying you in a reasonable amount of time. Otherwise, you face the prospect of missed payments and having to find an alternative source in order to meet your bills.

Three considerations

To start with, make sure you have a person or team in place to handle collections. In a number of small businesses, this important task oftentimes goes unchecked because everyone is wearing several hats, meaning collections is not getting the necessary time it requires.
Secondly, make it clear to your customers that you have a set of rules in place when it comes to making payments on time for the products and/or services they acquire from you.
Lastly, if the task of getting payments from customers is becoming too burdensome for you and your business, consider hiring a collection agency.

Managing your time

If you decide that you and/or your team need to handle the collections, then be cognizant of the fact that it will take more time away from your other tasks. Ask yourself if you really have the time to be placing phone calls and sending out notices, or would you be better served letting a professional agency handle such matters?

A collections agency

In the event you feel like your small business is better served working with a collections agency, do not just hire the first one you come across in an online search or in the Yellow Pages.

Let's face it, some collections agencies are on the up and up, while others are looking to find that small business owner that is too busy with other responsibilities, meaning you may not give them your full attention. In that case, you could end up further in debt when the collection agency itself wants its money.

If you decide that a collection agency is the route to go in order to get your money, it is best to remember the following:

Find a collection agency that has experience working with a business your size. Agencies work with all different kinds and sizes of businesses on a regular basis, but make sure they have the time and resources to work with your needs;
Obtain references for the collection agency you are thinking about going with. Whether it is through other businesses, online reviews, your accountant and/or attorney or your own investigation, make sure you find a credible agency with which to work with. If there are any red flags such as complaints or financial issues, look for someone else. It is important that the agency you are considering adheres to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. What you want to avoid is locating and going with an agency that is harassing customers and ringing up complaints;
The collection agency you end up choosing should also show proof that it has errors and omissions insurance. That line of coverage will protect your business and the collection agency in the event the debtor chooses to sue. It should also be licensed in all 50 states so that you do not have problems if you are headquartered in California and you are going after someone in Maine for a payment. If a collection agency is not licensed in all 50 states, it is possible it will not be able to undertake skip tracing, which tracks a debtor using databases if the debtor moves away without leaving their address or phone number;
Lastly, make sure the agency you select can provide you with past examples of successfully collecting from both consumers and other businesses. Results are what matter at the end of the day, so do not take on an agency that has no proven track record to speak of and is only interested in serving its own financial needs. Remember, collection agencies work on a commission basis, retaining a portion of what they collect.

Related: Advice For Chasing Debtors

At the end of the day, getting your money is what matters. How you go about collecting it is up to you.

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Image: "Past Due Stamp on Bill"/Shutterstock"

The Sustainable Building And Retrofit Show

Posted: 30 Jul 2012 07:19 AM PDT

A showcase of new products and services in Irish Sustainable Building, Renewable Energy and Water Conservation sectors

Retrofit, Renovate, Refurbish: all key buzzwords inhabiting the new economic reality facing our construction industry here in Ireland. Following on from the success of the Better Building Conference last April, The Sustainable Building & Retrofit Show 9^th– 10^th November 2012, will take place at Industries Hall, RDS, Dublin showcasing products and services in the building, renovation and retrofit sector. Over 3,500 buyers spanning the industry are expected to visit.

Supported by:

Cultivate,
The Construction Industry Federation of Ireland and
The Chartered Institute of Building in Ireland,
Construct Ireland Magazine

The 2012 Show highlights the direction the industry is now taking, with sustainable and quality retrofitting proving to be the way forward…

"Ernst & Young recently issued a Cleantech Ireland report, which estimates the clean-tech sector alone has huge potential for the country. By 2020, Ernst & Young said the clean-tech sector in Ireland could create nearly 80,000 direct and indirect jobs through specific national schemes, such as retrofitting, renewable energy and construction and boost GDP by €3.9bn." Source: Silicon Republic 05.07.2012

Purchasers and specifiers visiting this B2B trade event will comprise Building Contractors, Architects, Planners, Quantity Surveyors, Engineers and Local Authorities through to Plumbers, Joiners, Building contractors, Surveyors as well as serious Self Builders.

Location:

The event will take place in the RDS, an easily accessible venue in the heart of Capital City Dublin. It is located close to Dublin's city centre via various transport links.

What's on:

Visitors to the Sustainable Building & Retrofit Show will find an array of new products, services and contacts in construction materials & services, water conservation, renewable energy, insulation, and plumbing.
A free seminar curated by Cultivate will provide an educational snapshot of the sector's new developments. Other show features will be announced closer to the date.
Suppliers, wholesalers and manufacturers will be presented with a one-stop face-to-face networking opportunity that allows them to launch and demonstrate new products, make new contacts, keep abreast of competition or revisit existing relationships.

Comments from exhibitors at the last Sustainable Building & Retrofit Show:

"In a recession it is easy to cut back on marketing. With an industry specific event like the Sustainable Building Show attracting targeted customers, it is possible to generate profitable business. This we are delighted to say we achieved beyond our expectations" "Based on our enquiries...I think that the stand paid for itself in the first TWO Hours of the Show" Douglas Gordon, Quest Utility Services

"Great venue, well organised. Good quality of customer genuinely interested in sustainable building solutions" Tim Burgees, Brick Sales (Porotherm Ireland)

"Great interest in energy conservation and the green agenda at the Show" Tim Kennedy, Aerobord

"Good communications with specifiers and company directors and decision makers" Frank Hughes, J B Deco

Contact the organisers

Victor Dunne via email, victor[at]exhibitionsireland.com or call at 00353-1-2888821 to :

Book a space & checkout the walk -on packages
Get an update on who's attending
Participate through sponsorship.
Or Register to attend

Connect with The Irish Sustainable Building & Retrofit Show online via:

Website: www.sustainablebuildingshow.com
Facebook IrishSustainablebuilding
Tweet: @SustainableShow
Linkedin: Sustainable Building & Retrofit Show

How much?

Online registration will be available shortly.
FREE registration at the door for trade visitors
Tickets for non-trade €15.00
Students (construction related): €5

ABOUT THE COMPANY: Member of the AEO, IEOA & Winner of the Irish Event Industry Awards: Best Business Exhibition 2009, Finalist in the Best Business Exhibition 2010; Irish Services has been in the exhibitions business for 40 yrs hosting other Trade events in Ireland such as The Irish Building exhibition, Irish Spring & Autumn Furniture & Home Accessories Trade Fair, Irish Sustainable Building Show, & The Wood & UPVC Machinery Show. We are a subsidiary of Montgomery Exhibitions a Global UK based Exhibitions co. spanning over a century in the Business www.montex.co.uk

Irish Services
13, Rock Hill, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland
TEL +353 (0) 1 2888821
FAX +353 (0) 1 2883127

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marți, 31 iulie 2012