A Timeline of Intellectual Property Issues on Pinterest

Reblogged from The Intellogist Blog:

Last week, we took a look at how patent searchers can use the popular social media platform Pinterest to create a new online community of patent enthusiasts.  Pinterest is currently a controversial topic within the IP community, since the site may promote copyright violation through the unauthorized sharing of copyrighted work. The Terms of Service (ToS) for the site have also come under scrutiny after a blog post by a lawyer analyzing the Pinterest ToS went viral.

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I love Pinterest and it's potential for brands, but I am quite cautious as well. I look forward to seeing how it all pans out.

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The underutilization of LinkedIn and Twitter among Undergraduate students

I imagine a college senior would have given a bit of thought as to what they want to do for a career, where they aspire to work, and how they might accomplish this. I have noticed an alarming trend of undergrads not utilizing LinkedIn and Twitter for networking and personal branding purposes.

Both of these social media platforms offer so much to students (and non-students)! Through Twitter a user is able to search the social networking site using industry specific words to read posts, links, and even discover who the thought leaders are for the industry. The user can follow these folks and also communicate directly with them! For example, a simple search using #smm would reveal all posts related to SMM (AKA social media marketing) using that hashtag (#) or the top posts (you choose). After viewing the posts, one can browse, follow, and network. This is a very useful took for those looking to network with others in the same field or identify those you may wish to work for/with.

The same is true for LinkedIn. This professional networking site allows you to post and view profiles. It is a great personal branding tool for students who can post relevant information, a photo, Twitter ID, and blog site etc. A wonderful feature Twitter has is that the user can make connections and be introduced thru their existing network. In addition, LinkedIn offers many groups that are industry specific that can be used as a sounding board, advice, and even support. The Texas Young Professionals group would be a great place to start for my Texas students!

I am bothered by how many of my undergraduate students do not have a LinkedIn account. It is even more alarming that some still have not started accounts after my suggestions to do so. I do not think it is wise for a college student to rely on a “job fair” or browsing the internet for open positions. Students need to be a lot more proactive than that. Open a LinkedIn account and Twitter account and USE THEM! Utilize these tools to brand yourself as the employee the company you want to work for will WANT. Please post a photo and really think about your brand and overall goals. It does not happen over night, but the connections you make will prove to be a great source of support, information, and encouragement. Who knows you may discover an awesome internship! I see posts everyday listing amazing opportunities.

A great book on Twitter is “The Tao of Twitter” by Mark Schaefer. This book is a quick read (about 90 pages) and highlights why and how you should use Twitter for both your business and personal branding. It is a Great read! For more on LinkedIN, I suggest “Windmill Networking: Understanding, Leveraging & Maximizing LinkedIn: An Unofficial, Step-by-Step Guide to Creating & Implementing Your LinkedIn Brand – Social Networking in a Web 2.0 World” by Neal Schaffer.

Visit the following sites regarding LinkedIn and Twitter and your job search (which should begin way before your last semester). Both sites offer a wealth of information:
1. Ten ways to use LinkedIn to find a job
2. Career Enlightenment

Other sites to help “brand” yourself for success:
* How to Empower Yourself on the New LinkedIn
* How to Find a Job using Social Media
* Blogging for Dummies: An Opportunity for Personal Branding
* Writing Your Personal Brand Bio When You Change Careers
* Personal Branding 101: How to Discover and Create Your Personal Brand
* LinkedIn Strategies for Personal Branding
* How to Market Your Personal Brand on LinkedIn (INFOGRAPHIC)

photo credit: Kevin H. via photopin cc

Um Hello?! Are your listening ears on: CRM and Social Media

Customers have so many more choices than ever before. This gives them the power to demand more from businesses. This same new technology that is enabling the consumer, is also giving businesses the capability of initiating multi-channel strategies for communicating with customers. These emerging, real-time platforms such as the Internet, Apps, and other social media channels place new strains on a network’s existing infrastructure. However, they also generate large amounts of data that contain valuable insight into customer behavior and preferences. Specifically, the use of mobile devices and social media is gathering enormous amounts of personal data that can be a real asset to businesses. Unfortunately, there are businesses not making the most of the data available and there are others not even utilizing the platforms to access this data.

CRM professionals must develop an infrastructure that allows for the sharing of information and effective communication. Social CRM is a tool businesses need to utilize. They need to embrace it! With the use of a variety of social media platforms (such as blogs, FaceBook, Twitter, YouTube etc.) businesses have a direct line to the end consumer for communicating about their products or services. Consumers are online talking about the brands, and the brands need to listen. If businesses can identify unmet expectations and where the strongest expectations exist, they will be more likely to realize an increase in market share and profitability.

In order to do this, they must know more about their customers. Brands must talk, listen, and interact with customers more often and with more relevancy in new and innovative ways. The use of social media platforms is one way to drive engagement and participation to create and nurture relationships with customers and potential customers. This is an exciting time for marketers with the technology available to manage customer information, data, trends, and relationships as well as the new social environment that creates a one-on-one marketing opportunity.

In what ways are you listening to your customer?
Have you responded or interacted?
If yes, how? If no, shame on you! Subscribe to this blog ASAP!

photo credit: niclindh via photopin cc
photo credit: stefanomaggi via photopin cc

Getting ready for the upcoming chaos

Well, I am on day 2 of 7 days free from doctoral work and teaching! So I find myself actually able to make a blog entry from my kitchen counter! Well, we will see if I finish as I have a pomeranian itching to go outside and a toddler just about ready to wake!

I am eagerly awaiting the start of a new course I am to teach at SNHU, MKT 655 (social media marketing strategy). I will have a lot of students from my last term taking this course as well, which I am looking forward to! I am curious to see their progress from one course to the other.  In addition, I will still be teaching MKT 555 Social Media Marketing (at SNHU) and Intro to Marketing ( at TAMU). Between both schools I have a great looking roster of students! I have already had many emails and Tweets concerning the courses. I love the enthusiasm I get from the students in my first Social Media course ( MKT555), they are always ready to dig in, get started, and try to apply what they learn to their specific industry.  I love my job!

Along with teaching Graduate school (term begins Monday) I will be part of a pilot program that involves mentors overseeing the development of adjuncts for Southern New Hampshire University. I am excited about the opportunity and think it is a very good strategic move for the school considering the growth of the program and how important it is to improve and sustain a great pool of adjunct faculty. I look forward to meeting each of the adjuncts I will be helping!

I also begin another doctoral course Monday (7 days off of doctoral work was NOT enough). I am looking forward to the course, CRM (customer relationship management) is a hot topic for me! I will enjoy writing about CRM, Social CRM, etc. much more than previous topics. It is time to put my scholarly writing hat back on!

While on my hiatus, I have been enjoying reading a few books that have been sitting on my bedside table for MONTHS! Engaged by Brian Solis is completed and I am hoping to finish Perspective on Social Media Marketing By Bough and Agresta as well. Next will be The New Rules of Marketing and PR by David Meerman Scott. I have a short list of other books sitting in my Amazon cart waiting for another week off… with the click of a button they will be delivered to my Kindle for my enjoyment!

With this being the first week of the year, I am already seeing so many articles online about how Social media has taken off in 2011… I am curious as to what 2012 will bring.

..and cue dog barking and toddler saying “MOMMY, open door, mommy me want cracker”…..

photo credit: Robert S. Donovan via photopin cc