Geyer & SCT: Creating New Connections.

In an event held in Melbourne by Geyer, SCT teamed up to help give a talk to discover how the web is changing our retail experience…by the minute.

By Holly

‘Social Networking’ has been a real buzz term recently. Why? What does it mean?

Quite simply - because it works. Social networking includes popular sites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn etc. and involves building online communities of friends, co-workers, family - or anyone you share a common interest with.

While it is seemingly more popular in younger generations, social networking opens up huge opportunities for communications and marketing within business.

The Age (July 9, 2009) recently wrote that “Australians aged 16 and 17 are spending an average of 3½ hours every day on the internet…using social networking sites such as MySpace and Facebook.

So how can this work for business, in particular the retail sector?

Connections. Embracing technology will allow your business to reach and connect with more people
-
Coffeegroundz, Houston - First Order Placed By Twitter!

-On October 31st, 2008 Sean Stoner (@maslowbeer) was hungry …….

-He is a regular customer at CoffeeGroundz

-Placed the first take-away order through Twitter - fame

-CoffeeGroundz started taking Twitter orders
-‘The Great Twitter Party’ – 1,000 Twitterers!

A previously unthought of possibility that has created awareness, marketing strategy and uniqueness for Coffeegroundz!

Social Media/Networking Has Opened Up the Door For A Whole New Sector of Careers.

These include:

-Chief Bloggers

-Directors of Digital Care

-Customer Relationships Experts

-Social Media Strategists

-Heads of Social Media, Corporate

-Twitterers

Pizza Hut is now offering ‘Social Media Roles’, advertising “You can get paid to Tweet”

There are even degrees you can complete in social media! Read about it here:

(This way you don’t feel guilty for being on Facebook while you are meant to be studying-you are studying!)

Puma - European Football Championship

-Celebrating together, wherever

This is an iPhone application that aims to connect football fans through their Mobile phones. Fans download favourite team’s song as ringtone associated with a specific number. When their team scores, Puma calls to trigger the team song, and therefore the cheers! Very powerful when you imagine a large group of football fans, all connected through this application and in the same place at once…

Shop windows on blogs.

In a weird case of life imitating art… or the physical representing the online world -

Holt Renfrew store, Vancouver, dedicated each window to a notorious fashion blogs;

-Sartorialist

-Garances Dore

-Sea of Shoes

-Jak & Jil

-I want I got

Jones Soda in Clothing Shops – surf and skate shops

Another great example of the company using social networking to their advantage-

Their plan;

-Turn customers into marketers with personalised labels

-Tweens design their labels on Jones Soda website

-Jones Soda spotted talent from surfers, skaters, cyclists

-Sponsored the riders

-Produced merchandising lines around the rider

-Customers became the brand & advocates

-Paid to chat up brands in daily conversations and chat

rooms

Really, the opportunities are endless, use them to your advantage and your business can reap the rewards!

For further information about the night, or to secure a place at the next forum,

please contact Robyn [Geyer] +61 3 9654 3644, www.geyer.com.au

or Paul [SCT] +61 3 9486 0223, www.sct.com.au