You are here: Home

Trend Spotting

February 4, 2011 By laura Leave a Comment

As a marketer I have always been fascinated by identifying emerging consumer trends.  It is these insights that help to fuel your brand’s unique marketing strategies and plans.  And now that technology is evolving at a daunting pace staying on top of key consumer and cultural trends has never been more critical.  Here are some online resources that can help you identify trends and stay ahead of the curve.

PSFK – http://www.psfk.com
PSFK is a trends research and innovation company that publishes a daily news site, provides trends research and innovation consultancy and hosts idea-generating events.

MarketingVOX – http://www.marketingvox.com
MarketingVOX keeps marketers and media professionals abreast of industry news, trends and culture with a focus on trends and tools that can have impact on marketing work.

TrendHunter – http://www.trendhunter.com
TrendHunter.com is one of the world’s largest, most popular trend communities. Fueled by a global network made up of thousands of members, Trend Hunter features a large repository of micro-trends and cutting edge ideas.

Filed Under: Marketing Resources Tagged With: , , ,

What Are Twitter Chats?

September 7, 2010 By laura Leave a Comment

If you are reading this, chances are you’ve come across an occasional, organized chat being held on Twitter. Basically a Twitter chat is a scheduled chat on a specific topic, where Twitter users gather online at a certain time and track their conversations using hashtags (#) followed by the name of their chat. You’ll find that some Twitter chats are structured with several pre-planned questions and others are a free for all.

Twitter chats can offer an effective way to meet people with common interests and to share insights into the topic of discussion. In the marketing world, these chats are a great way to show your subject matter expertise and engage potential clients.

The best way to get started is to conduct a bit of research. First just click on a chat hash tags that peaks your interest and see what everyone is talking about.  Then you may want to find out who is moderating the chat and the types of topics that are discussed. As you start participating remember to make sure your comments are useful and help address other’s questions or concerns. Then be sure to follow up with those that you enjoyed connecting with during the chat. Twitter chats can open a whole new marketing corridor and help you to learn, build your brand and grow your following. For marketing professionals, here are a few chats that may interest you:

#blogchat
Sundays, 8:00pm to 9:00pm CST
Blog marketing best practices and tips. Moderated by @MackCollier.

#journchat
Tuesdays, 7:00pm to 10pm CST
Conversation between journalists, bloggers and public relations folks. Moderated by @PRsarahevans.

#brandchat
Wednesdays, 10:00am to 11:00am CST
A discussion between experts, strategists, and those interested in learning more about personal branding and managing brands. Moderated by @mariaduron and @davidsandusky.

#smchat
Wednesdays, 12:00pm – 1:00pm CST
A discussion of the power of social media among active practitioners and strategists exploring dynamics of social & professional interaction, twitter, online communities, and the evolution of knowledge networks. Moderated by @sourcepov.

#b2bchat
Thursdays, 7:00pm – 8:00pm CST
The objective is to bring the B2B marketing community together every week covering a full range of topics from demand generation to print to direct mail to social media. Moderated by @KseniaCoffman, @AndrewSpoeth, @KentHuffman and @JeremyVictor.

#agencychat
Fridays, 1:00pm to 2:00pm CST.
Chat for those working or interested in ad agencies. Moderated by @craigritchie.

Want to learn more. Here are some other good posts on how to run and participate in Twitter chats from Mashable, Lee Odden and Mack Collier.

Filed Under: Social Media Tagged With: , ,

TEDxPeachtree – Ideas Worth Having Cocktails Over

June 10, 2010 By laura Leave a Comment

Earlier this week I had the opportunity to attend a TEDxPeachtree Alumni meetup as a guest of Dave Walters who graciously answered my RFI (Request for Invitation) on Twitter. The organization’s next conference will take place this fall so this was a good way for me to get a feel for things to come.

This wasn’t your average networking event. For starters the venue was an intimate wine bar (that actually had a good wine list) and conversations with inaugural members such as Al Meyers and Jacqui Chew offered a different twist on work, life & ideas. In essence it was a very “TED-Like” experience.

For those that may not know TEDxPeachtree stems from TEDx, a program made up of local self-organized events that capture the spirit of TED.  I for one think this is a smart way for TED to extend its brand into local communities and I look forward to catching some of the local events.

If you’d like to learn more about TEDxPeachtree, visit them online.

Filed Under: Events Tagged With: , , ,