The New York Times recently looked at how you can join and use the online conversation going on online to your advantage.  Review sites have essentially become the new phone book.  They are an outlet to find out small businesses and also a place for locals to comment on the businesses offering and services.  So how do you manage your reputation when other people have taken the discussion into their own hands.

The Times suggests that you begin to pick up and manage the buzz going on around the web by using tools such as Google Alerts or Twitter search engines.  Also, claim and update any posts for your business.

Often times, positive feedback can work as great word-of-mouth marketing can be a great way to drive business for any company.

So, have you claimed your business in your local online directory?

According to this article in the NY Times there is a growing trend of gum companies like Wrigleys and Cadbury claiming health benefits to chewing gum. Sugarless gum accounts for 80% of all gum sold worldwide today compared to only 40% in 1998. Oral care has become a big concern with companies promising that chewing their product can help whiten teeth and fight cavities. Trident White and Orbit White are among the 10 best selling sugarless gums sold worldwide, and now they are being pitched as diet aids as well, helping “snack avoidance.”

Dental benefits have clearly become a massive selling point. It will be interesting to see the continued growth it will carry on across the next couple of years.

According to the Wall Street Journal, Toyota is creating two new subsidiaries to focus on their markets, both domestic and overseas.  Scheduled to open January 1, 2010, they are striving to more closely meet their customer demand in a timely manner.  Read the full article here.

Terry Brock of the Portland Business Journal  writes, “We can do almost everything right in our interaction with and association with customers. Yet, if they have one, tiny little thing go wrong — a thing that is important to them — they will deride you and say bad things. They’ll go on and on about the one thing they didn’t like rather than citing all the things that went right.”

So how can we make sure that we’re using relationship marketing successfully with our clients? Brock shows us three ways that we can get the most from relationship marketing.

1. Relationship Marketing Is Not Always Logical. It is about emotions and how people feel. Do whatever you can within reason to make them happy. Even a loss in one area can be overcome with the lifetime value of a customer who will buy from you and encourage others to buy from you. Make it your goal to keep them happy — not convince with logic and reason that you are right.

2. Put Systems In Place To Quickly Correct Minor Problems. This is where the hard work comes into play. Think through those myriad of experiences your customers encounter. How can you tweak and improve them? Develop documented systems that address these important issues.

3. Ask Your Customers And Take Good Notes To Share With Your People. This goes beyond asking them to fill out a form. Talk with them. Pick up the phone and chat. Don’t rely on email, or social networking tools alone to find out what they thought. As you probe into their desires and needs related to your product or service you’ll reap a bountiful treasure trove of information that can help you become more profitable.

What other ways are you ensuring that your company utilizes relationship marketing successfully?

Jim Stengel
Retired Global Marketing Officer
Proctor & Gamble
Widely known for reinvigorating P&G’s marketing culture during his tenure as global marketing officer, Jim Stengel personally led the transformation that has firmly established P&G as one of the most admired brand building companies in the world. His reputation for evolving marketing and branding to make a positive impact on the lives of consumers has influenced his global recognition as a leader in the marketing community. His new venture, “Jim Stengel, LLC” is both think tank and consultancy – conducting proprietary research, generating thought leadership and applying a new framework to drive business growth in today’s global economy. The Jim Stengel approach is strategic and holistic, with a mission to “rethink marketing, branding and life.”

Stengel is widely known for leading innovation and for his commitment to building breakthrough marketing capabilities. As a result, he was recognized in 2003, 2004, 2006 and 2007 by Advertising Age as the number one “Power Player” in marketing. In 2005, he was recognized as Grand Marketer of the Year by Brand Week Magazine – that same year P&G was named Marketer of the Year by Advertising Age. A prolific speaker and writer, he has delivered dozens of keynote addresses around the world. His groundbreaking speech, “The Future of Marketing,” delivered at the American Association of Advertising Agencies 2004 annual meeting, has been quoted thousands of times and is considered a catalyst for changing the 50-year-old TV-centric brand building model. He has been published in The Harvard Business Review and has been featured in The Financial Times, The Wall St. Journal, The New York Times and Fortune as well as CNBC and many other print, broadcast and online media outlets.

In his seven years as P&G’s global marketing officer, Stengel helped guide the organization to creativity, innovation and optimal performance. He also lead implementation of systemic changes in the Company’s marketing organization that have positioned P&G and its leadership as a world-class leader in the marketing and brand building. Stengel brings this experience to his new venture as a consultant to help companies who are “seriously motivated” to embrace change and are open to rethinking their current approach. He offers consulting services on a range of topics related to purpose-based marketing and branding as well as organizational transformation, leadership and innovation.

Jim’s biography courtesy of Washington Speaker’s Bureau

About The Conference on Marketing 2009

THe is an experience that will come to life just once and never be replicated. The specific information represented and the dynamics of the group participating will draw diverse perspectives resulting in inimitable conversations and sharing of best practices and from that – the most unique outcomes will be delivered. Share your questions, your challenges, your biggest threats and through productive interaction, uncover solutions you would never have imagined on your own, at your desk, in your office.

Get out and think greater.

* Harness collective intelligence and bring back insight and innovation
* Make more informed decisions that guarantee measurable results
* Protect and ensure the future role of marketing in influencing business strategy

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The Baltimore Sun recently profiled the new marketing department that was created by Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley: the Maryland Office of Sports Marketing.  It is a part of the Department of Business and Economic Development.  The director of the new division is Terry Hasseltine.  He has been instrumental in bringing big sporting events to the area which could result in over $100 million in revenue to the state of Maryland.  Highlights of his participation in the new department include the AC Milan/Chelsea FC soccer game featuring international heavy weights on Friday, NCAA National Lacross Championships and the Army/Navy football game in the coming years.  Read the full article on what the Maryland Office of Sports Marketing is doing.

Here’s a web seminar that is being put on by one of our sister events that I thought our readers might be interested in. It is taking place on Thursday, August 20th from 2:00-3:00pm EDT.

About the webinar:
Adam and Eve probably had some creative thinking tools in the Garden Eden. The Egyptians, the Greeks, the Romans had them too. Lenny and Mickey during the 1500s had them. Vincent, Tom, Albert, Alex and Sid all had and created creative thinking tools. Today you can find creative thinking tools around the globe. They come in all colors of the rainbow. There are mental/intellectual tools, physical tools, emotional tools. There are individual tools, tools for pairs, teams, entire audiences or crowds Tools can be rational, systematic, holistic, playful and mind expanding. They can range from the serious to the silly to down-right strange or bizarre.

This 1/2 day session is designed to provide the participants with on going, fast to slow paced experience with a wide variety of creative thinking tools to use from messing around with challenges or dreams, finding facts, examining problems, generating a few ideas to thousands or millions of ideas, to selecting the best ideas to turning ideas into a successful plan.

Bring you tool belts, tool kits, tool boxes and learn a bunch more tools you can use immediately.

Three things you will get:

- experience using multiple types of tools
- exploration with tools to use in varied sitations for specific purposes
- a virtual tool belt, tool kit, tool box bigger than they already have

Featured Speaker
Robert Alan Black, Ph.D., CSP

Date: Thursday, August 20, 2009
Time: 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM EDT
Find out more and register here: http://bit.ly/ygs5U
Use Priority Code: G1M118W2BLOG

Emma Barnett of Telegraph.co.uk reports that the future strategy of MySpace will focus on repositioning MySpace as a “window for the youth (16-30) to reflect all their creative talents”, according to senior digital executive close to the News Corp owned firm.

“Moving forward, the network will focus on being a window for youth culture to reflect all their creative talents. Facebook has won the social networking war and now MySpace needs to focus on what it can bring to the table,” said the same source.

How will MySpace be marketed to the youth population now that they have changed their focus from social networking to creativity?

In the Providence Journal, they look at what the current challenges are when it comes to shopping at an online retail store and in person are.  G. Wayne Miller provides a few solutions that may come about in our future for online retail and how it could become an expreinece that encorporates all senses.  Vitrual sales people could begin to help you shop online.  Feeling the different objects could be a possibility in the future, as a virtual glove could offer the sensation of what the object you’re looking at feels like.  Read the full artcie on what Miller believes could be the future in retail here.

Here’s a web seminar that is being put on by one of our sister events Innovation Immersion, that I thought our readers might be interested in.

About the webinar:
The success of leadership development, leadership transitions and leadership integration vary widely across industries, organizations and individuals. Why? In a recent research review, most executives expressed doubt that new leaders can step into new roles and deliver positive results. With all of the investments being made in talent management today, there are expectations that greater outcomes will be achieved. Please join Dr. David Yudis and explore some paths of possibility.

Featured Speaker
Dr. David Yudis, Director, Global Learning and Development, Disney

Date: Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Time: 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM EDT
Find out more and register here: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/501492696
Use Priority Code: G1M118W1BLOG