The Art of Engagement

Social media has become a marketing machine and, like every machine, operating without direction can have disastrous results. The most important direction: don’t just promote, but engage. How? We’ll start with the two most popular social networks: Facebook and Twitter, which have 1.11 billion and 218 million active users, respectively.

Facebook  

Just a few years ago, businesses balked at using Facebook. Today, 15 million brands have active pages. Clearly, not all of them are successful but those who are have some similar tactics to engage their desired audiences.

Pictures - It’s always been said that a picture is worth a thousand words and this goes for Facebook posts as well. 93% of Facebook posts gain the most attention, like and comments, when there is a photo involved. Facebook also now offers the option of commenting using a photo rather than limiting you to text. This tool is especially helpful for posts that receive multiple comments, as it allows your comment to stand out from the chatter. Bright and colorful photos that depict human interaction, will personalize your page as well as draw attention

Videos- The only thing that may be better than a photo is a video. Videos leave less for the imagination and anything with a play button grabs attention. When videos are incorporated into a post it gets 100% more engagement than if it were to be just text or a photo. It is obvious that watching a video takes more attention than browsing pictures so it is important to entice the audience: make sure to have an eye-catching default frame, keep it short, and keep it simple.

Give Back- People will always take advantage of free things. To keep fans interested, offer occasional sweepstakes, giveaways, coupons, or discounts. Two thirds of fans will “like” a brand or page on Facebook to be eligible for some sort of reward. 

Utilize Facebook Feedback- Facebook has evolved tremendously in terms of helping brands analyze and get the most out of their efforts. Facebook now highlights and points our which posts of yours reaches the most people and experiences the most engagement. Use this tool to take note of what kind of posts worked better than others. Also, watch for notifications of successful posts and promote them even further with Facebook’s ad programs. Asking questions to your followers is a great way to peak their interest, as well as dig deeper into what they are looking for. The trick to success in social networking is to encourage the opinions and comments of those who support your business or company.

 Twitter- Some still wonder: why have a micro-blogging social network limited to 140 characters or less, when you could have a blog with an unlimited amount of space? Well, for starters—no matter how fascinating you think your brand is, most people are not interested in reading an endless piece of writing to gain information. We live in an instant-gratification world, and Twitter has harnessed that mindset. Here are some secrets on how to increase favorites, retweets, mentions and follows that every brand craves.

Tweet relevance not advertising- When tweeting for a company or to promote a product or idea, stay away from simply tweeting facts about whatever it is you are marketing. Instead, it is crucial to be able to connect with the designated audience. Come across as not only knowing your product, but your industry as well. For example, if you are marketing for a clothing line, make sure to use those 140 characters to relate to existing or potential customers. Instead of tweeting the different styles of sweaters you offer , try: “Wow is it chilly this week or what?! I love sweater season!” with a picture of different sweaters you are selling this season. Most people can relate more to the fact that they need sweaters because it’s cold out than they can to your advertising copy.

Respond to your mentions - Well-known brands with many followers receive countless mentions each day. As time consuming as it is to give individual attention to all, it is important to respond to as many--if not all--tweets that come your way. This not only personalizes the relationship between the company and its followers, but also boosts your reputation. Many people will either respond back or retweet that their favorite company or person tweeted at them. Therefore you are reaching a much wider range than just that one follower.

Instagram –Instagram has about 150 million users, including 123 Fortune 500 companies. The Instagram team is constantly releasing updates to better this product and aid in the success of the users. Captions are used within the posts with no character limit, however this particular app really focuses on the visuals. There are specific strategies that companies can use to keep their followers interested.

Diversity- Instagram recently began allowing users to post not only pictures but video footage as well. One of the most important mindsets to have while deciding on posts is to keep your audience on their toes. If a shoe company posts a picture each day of a style they offer, this will bore the followers. Mix business related posts with fun posts as well. For example, Anthropologie posts pictures of their products they sell, but also posted a picture of a puppy one day that received 7,640 likes. These types of posts as well as “behind the scenes” pictures will create a more intimate relationship with followers, as well squash the idea of “all work no play” within the company.

Videos- Nothing personalizes a user or company more than video footage! Instagram now allows 15-second videos, eligible to be filtered, while Vine offers short videos that loop. Make use of video to announce upcoming events, promotions or changes within the company that would be of interest to your fans.

Utilize Connections – Take advantage of hashtags or other accounts as a gateway to your Instagram. Instagram provides the option to connect your other social networks, such as Twitter, Facebook, blogs, Pinterest and so on, with your Instagram. Therefore with one post you can reach multiple networks simultaneously.

Pinterest- Pinterest is all about photos with even shorter captions than used on Instagram. However, your followers can also be seen as your marketing team. When someone is to re-pin one of your original pins, it reaches a much broader spectrum of people. Re-pinning on Pinterest can be compared to retweeting on Twitter. Re-pinning puts your company or brand on the map for those who maybe have never heard of it, but follow someone who re-pins your posts.  

Pinning- Success with using Pinterest is based on the ratio of re-pins you receive. The average re-pin ratio is approximately .3%, therefore if you have 1000 followers, 3 of them will re-pin one of your posts. Like other social networks, repins cause a ripple effect.

Be Specific- At first glance, Pinterest can be overwhelming. It is important when organizing your boards to be specific with the contents of each. This will help those users who are looking for something particular, link to your pins when they are searching. Organization is key.

Engage Your Community – Make sure to comment on pins that have to do with your specific brand or message. Adding personality to your page by acknowledging your followers will only motivate them more to share your posts. Soon enough your dedicated followers are marketing and promoting your company as much as you are.

Get on the Vine

So, you have a brand Facebook page and Twitter. But does your company Vine ? If not, you may want to check out why 13 million users (posting 12 million videos daily) have made this app the rising star of the social media world. 

Vine (which was recently acquired by Twitter) allows users to create and post 6-second video-clips. Similar to Twitter or Facebook, users follow people and can scroll a newsfeed to view their videos.

  

Vine, which launched just 6 months ago, has already passed Instagram in popularity and, as of this week, Vine has the number 2 spot for the most popular app in the apple store.

So why is Vine causing so much buzz among social media users and, especially, marketers? Today, visuals are one of the most powerful marketing tools. And, as businesses slowly move away from traditional advertising and toward innovative social ways to engage consumers, Vine is perfectly poised as a creative way of marketing.

Ready to Vine for your brand? Here are some of the effective, eye-catching ideas that are useful for business:

·      Display your work

·      Engage customers in a conversation

·      Showcase the office

·      Promote a contest, sale, or special offer

·      Bring presentations to life

·      Some of your favorite products, or recommendations

A few basic user tips:

·      While tags work well within Vine, don’t expect them to always translate to Twitter or other devices, so use hashtags, too.

·      Rather than one continuous clip, try combining multiple short clips to create an action shot.

·      Be creative and have fun!

What are your Vine ideas? Have questions, let us know.

Social Media: Breaking the Barriers of Traditional PR

It is undeniable that social media has revolutionized the way society communicates and shares information. Americans spend an average of 6.9 hours each month on social networks—more than double the time they spent social networking in 2006. It is even more remarkable how social media has become a habitual part of everyday life; 22% of Facebook users log in severaltimes a day, making social media one of the most influential platforms for reaching the public.

Thus, not surprisingly, social media—by providing a brand with the opportunity to make a direct connection with its audience without the filter of the media—plays an integral role in public relations strategies. According to thedrum.com, “Social media cuts across channels and is all about engaging with individuals, holding conversations not relying on press releases and launches.”  Social media provides a greater control over the messages directed at a brand’s audience.

Traditionally, marketing has been a monologue. As a result of mass social media usage, it is now a two-way conversation between brands and consumers. Thus, to survive, brands must be interactive and authentic; not only via their Facebook page, but also in all their communication with both consumers and the press. Recognizing this revolution in the way we communicate, companies must transform their PR strategies in order to reach their target audience.

As PR professionals, we facilitate a 24/7 conversation in order to get the desired message across and to engage the public. In return, we are able to receive continuous feedback, explore what truly engages our audience, and quickly respond to any criticism. However, along with these great opportunities that social media provides comes the responsibility of constant managing and monitoring to ensure the safety of a brands reputation.

When examining how social media has altered public relations, it is important to acknowledge how social media has changed journalism and the way consumers look for information. (Lets face it, in the new digital age, you are more likely to hear of breaking news via your Twitter feed than by turning on your television or by flipping through a hard copy of a newspaper). More than half of Americans receive some form of local news through their mobile device. Journalists are now turning to social media to capture the attention of their readers and strive to do so in 140 characters or less.

Social media has contributed to the changing dynamic of the Publicist/Journalist relationship. No matter how eye-catching, creative, and well timed a pitch may be, there is always a chance it will go overlooked in a horde of emails. A more operative way for an up and coming brand to reach an editor, reporter, or blogger is to connect with them through various social media channels. At miamore communications, we recently pitched to an editor who had blogged about potential article topics. This resulted in the placement of two of our clients. While an editor may be overwhelmed with the traffic in his/her inbox, they may be more likely to respond to a tweet. In fact, many journalists actively use social media to post queries and gather information.

So, what does the future hold? We feel that blogger outreach will become just as important as traditional journalist outreach, especially for specific industries. While mass social platforms will continue to be relevant, niche, industry specific networks will prove to be a more effective arena for brands to connect with consumers. Just as email transformed modern communication just a couple of decades ago, we predict that social media will become a principal form of interaction over the next few years.

Lessons in PR: Communication isn't simple

Communication. Pretty simple word. But pretty tricky business. Ever tried to communicate to a family member, friend or significant other how they hurt your feelings in a tense situation, only to have it backfire? Okay, now that 99% of you are nodding, I’ll get on to my point…

Everyone, it seems lately, thinks they are “PR experts”. But public relations isn’t about having a lot of friends or throwing fun parties. It is about expert communication, especially with the press (and, in this age, on social media). I find myself, almost daily, cringing at PR faux pas—from basic to potentially fatal.

While hiring a professional to represent your brand is the best way to avoid this sort of deadly foot-in-mouth syndrome, I understand that this is often cost-prohibitive. If that’s the case for your company, there are some basic PR/communication rules that I drill into my staff and interns daily, and that I happily share. From me to you: lessons learned thanks to my 10+ years’ experience interviewing thousands of designers, politicians and retailers as journalist; 3+ years as a publicist giving press interviews and representing brands on social media… but, mostly, thanks to my relentless journalism professors at the University of Connecticut.

1. Fact check. Think you know how to spell the proper name of an organization or person? 98% of the time, you’re probably right. You do. The problem is the other 2% of the time. If I spelled a proper name wrong on a college journalism project, my journalism professors would make me write it correctly, by hand, 500 times. Actually, it may have been less than 500; but having spent a couple nights sitting in the dorm lounge writing a name over and over until my hand ached: I still double check the names of even clients I’ve worked with for years.
2. Listen. As a reporter, I learned the most in interviews when the interviewee suddenly went off on a tangent in response to an innocent question… often revealing more than I ever imagined asking. This is a basic of any business communication: listen carefully to the question before opening your mouth. Example: I once served on a non-profit board and, when I hadn’t received end-of-year financial reports, I asked the executive director for them. The executive director’s reply was shockingly angry and defensive. How dare I accuse her of misappropriation of funds? Well, actually, that hadn’t crossed my mind. But once she threw it out there, told me to call her lawyer, and told everyone within earshot that I’d made such an accusation; it definitely crossed my mind (and everyone else’s). Enough said.
3. Condense. Short is, indeed, sweet. Say what you have to say. Then wait an hour and go back to edit. In PR, wordiness has always been a cardinal sin. Today, it’s deadly for a publicist or any business person. Who among us isn’t suffering from information overload? Case in point: The average attention span of someone opening an email? 8 seconds. The average attention span of a goldfish? 9 seconds. Need I say more?

Weekly Round-up: February 3, 2012

Happy February!  Let's take a closer look at some of this weeks top news stories from the PR and social media world...

Social bowl, Super media
This year's Superbowl is one for the record books. For the first time ever in superbowl history, a social media command center, made up of 50 social media gurus, has been established in downtown Indianapolis - where the Superbowl is being held - to provide internet users with all the necessary information they need. President and CEO of Raidious say's "it's probably the future of big-event social media." Well, I am certainly looking forward to seeing what changes this may bring!

The new age of media
For any one interested in media relations, here you can find really useful information reguarding the traditional media market, and what you can do to be successful in it.

Valentine Jewels
Thanks to a survey done by the 'NRF' -National Retail Federation - many women (and hopefully me too!) will have a reason to smile this Valentine's Day.  With numbers at the highest they've been in 10 years, more than 8 in 10 men surveyed will be dazzling their loved ones with jewelery this holiday.

Show don't tell
Thanks to social media platforms - businesses are able to gain a following and expand their business by connecting with every different kind of person. But telling people how great you are isn't the best way to do things.  Follow this advice and you're sure to be successful.

Weekly Round-up: January 30, 2012

McDonalds big fail; Jean Paul Gaultier's tribute through Couture; five skills for mastering the web; China's happy New Year and a luxurious read.  Here are some of the past week's top news stories concering PR, social media, and the luxury market.


Not all publicity is good publicity
McDonalds made headlines on Twitter for what is now being referred to as the "McFail." Originally intended as a positive marketing move, the company purchased #McDstories as the promoted trending topic on the twitter homepage. Unfortunately, twitter users had more negative stories to share than positive ones. I guess these people were not lovin' it.

A surprise ending in Paris
The 2012 Paris Couture fashion show debuted last week, and ended with a Jean Paul Gaultier collection inspired by Amy Winehouse, who died just 6 months prior.  Models rocked the late singer's signature 'bee-hive' hairstyle while walking to a live a capella version of Amy's very popular 'rehab' song.

Mastering PR
If you want to become "technologically savvy" dominating these 5 skills will guarantee to make you a more effective and efficient in public relations.

Year of the Dragon
The WLA - World Luxury Association - announced the top 100 most luxurious brands for 2012.  With this also came news of 2012's largest luxury market -- China. Quite the way to ring in the Chinese New Year.

The Pursuit of happiness
Magazine readers, look out for the newest addition to the Bloomberg family. It was announced that the company is launching a magazine dedicated to the luxury market.  A spin-off of Bloomberg market, Bloomberg Pursuits will focus on the best of the best in luxury -- everything from shoes to home decor. Editor for new magazine, Vince Bielski, commented on the magazines loyal readers and the enjoyment of life's finer things:

“Our readers don’t just own and appreciate luxury. They have a command and mastery of their toys”

Weekly round up: August 19, 2011

Make your Tweets stand out; digital marketing tips for luxury firms; a Google+ primer, and tips on writing press releases. Here’s our summary of this week’s top news in the world of PR and social media.

Sweet Tweets

The biggest complaint I hear about Twitter is the deafening “noise” of tweets that people don’t care about. But are your own tweets contributing to that meaningless chatter, or rising above it? The key to Twitter (as with all social media) is to engage. This is the best summary I’ve seen on how to sweeten your tweeting.

The luxury market’s digital lag

Too many luxury firms are still too focused on digital bells and whistles, rather than engaging content. Here are some of the struggles, and some of the success stories.

Google+ for beginners (and intermediates)

I’m the first to confess: I’ve dabbled on Google+, but haven’t found the time yet to immerse myself and really figure it out. If you’re like me, or if you’re a few steps ahead, here are a couple instructional videos to help you master this booming new social media tool.

PR 101: press releases

Whether you’re trying to write your own press releases, or providing a quote to your agency for a release, this is a must read. Love this quote: “A common problem with press release quotes is that they’re full of lazy corporate verbs such as synergize, utilize, leverage, or facilitate. 'We are leveraging cutting-edge technology to meet our customer’s needs.' What does that even mean?”

Oxford’s new dictionary additions

The Concise Oxford English Dictionary added 400 new words this year. If you aren’t retweeting or sexting or cyberbullying, check out this article. Woot! Woot!

Weekly round-up: August 12, 2011

What happened this week? (I’m sort of wondering more: What happened to this week?!) Here’s my summary of the must-know news of the week for luxury, fashion and jewelry brands…

Social media’s influence on Americans

No analysis needed; the stats speak for themselves:

“The purchasing decisions of 38 million 13-80 year olds in the U.S. are now influenced in various ways by social media—up 14% in just six months.”

“Of the more than 149 million Americans actively using Facebook, 70% of these log on to the social network daily.”

Facebook ads now can target by zip code

I’m frequently asked about Facebook ads. Never been a big cheerleader, but this might be a game changer for regional brands…

Conde(Nast)Elevator Tweeter gets cold feet

The 8^th grader lurking inside me was secretly bummed to see this Tweeter vanish and stop churning out gossip from Conde Nast. The grown up in me, however, knows there’s enough ugly gossipers out there to (sadly) fill the void.

Gold expected to hit $2,000

Hard to believe gold may hit this high. Expect to see even more fine jewelry designers/brands experimenting with new metals and materials. On the bright side, necessity is the mother of invention, so I’m looking forward to seeing the creativity this will spur!

Vera Wang endangering her brand with Zales collaboration?

Vera Wang and Zales are interesting bedfellows, indeed. While mass/luxury brand collaborations are certainly nothing new, Zales doesn’t quite have the “masstique” allure of brands like H&M and Target... Yet. Something to watch.

David Yurman cozies up to Foursquare

We constantly push brands to embrace social media for marketing purposes, so kudos to David Yurman for embracing Foursquare! Agree, however, that their Foursquare content is far too self-promotional/product oriented.

“In order to encourage actual luxury customers, not just aspiring, to participate, it’s important to offer real-world incentives, an area where luxury brands have a difficult time,” Tamar Koifman, a senior social media strategist at Digital Luxury Group in Geneva, Switzerland and contributor to Fashion’s Collective.”

Baby steps…

The "Greening" of America’s affluent

This report is a personal favorite of mine… more than three quarters of affluent consumers are eco-friendly.

“76 percent of ecofriendly consumers have an annual household income of more than $150,000”

Proud to be representing a leader in socially conscious fine jewelry design: AnaKatarina Eco Gioielli!

How to come back from a social media gaffe

While we hope we never need to worry about it, here are some interesting case studies on the are of social media comeback

Miamore's News this Week:

• Have had a wonderful time working with the Rhode Island International Film Festival (there's one more day, in case you've missed it so far!). Thanks to the Rhode Show, Newport Mercury, Boston Globe and Projo (among others) for the coverage!
• Still drooling over the fall collection from Thistle & Bee... and over the stunning Lookbook we created for them!
• AnaKatarina Eco Gioielli isn't just a client; nor just a socially conscious luxury company; nor just another "designer" name. AnaKatarina Eco Gioielli is the baby of Ana-Katarina Vinkler-Petrovic--one of the most talented and intuitive designers I've yet to meet. Bonus: she's also, put simply: a beautiful soul. Love her blog, where we highlight her custom jewelry creations.

The art of promotion: providing product to Bloggers

From traveling to conventions and events to paying employees and suppliers, money can be tight and PR/marketing often falls off the bottom of the to-do list for businesses. Advertising can cost a fortune and traditional PR takes time and patience. But have you considered the new--and less costly--alternative of promoting your company with the help of bloggers? Whether your business is in the food, wine and spirits, fashion, or sporting goods industry, there is a blog out there that has hundreds or thousands, or hundreds of thousands of readers...readers anxiously waiting to hear about what’s new.

With thousands of blogs in the interactive world and hundreds in categories that your company would fall into, interacting with bloggers is marketing tool that is underutilized--especially by many small business owners. Many bloggers host giveaways, in which they promote a good/service in exchange for the product, which they will provide to one of their readers. After a review of the product on their blog, many bloggers will ask their readers to enter by commenting on the particular brands Facebook page, tweeting to the company and spreading the word about the contest and giveaway for extra entries. The result of those mentions/interactions with your social networking profile? According Adweek, “Facebook users who like a brand's page on the social networking site use its products regularly or occasionally and, after following the brand on Facebook, more than a third want to buy this brand's product more.” So, as those tweets and posts about your product add up, so does your army of brand ambassadors. The cost to you? Your product to give away.

With all that said, how do you find the right blogger? You probably already know the best ones in your industry. (If you’re lost in the blogosphere, your public relations agency can be determine which to target, whom to contact, and facilitate the giveaway).

From Dick’s Cottons sunglasses on the blog Sarafit.comSarafit.com to Pop Chips on A Knack for Nutrition, bloggers are making it easy for companies to get their names out there. According to Bizammo.com, a leading resource for small business owners, there are three major steps that are important to recognize when offering up a product to a blogger. First off, “think outside the box.” This may seem obvious to you--you wouldn’t create the same exact product as a competitor, right? Don’t decide to just give something away because you have tons of product left in stock, just sitting in a warehouse. Think about it. You want to find your target market, so find a blog that gets attention and traffic from readership that is similar to those who buy your product or service. Then, find something that your business produces that these readers would need, or desperately want. Second, make sure whatever you provide to the blogger is easy to find and purchase. “The whole reason the item is free is so that as many people as possible benefit from it and learn about your company – if the customers can’t find the product, you may as well be charging for it.” Lastly, give it time. In Public Relations and marketing there are no immediate results--but there is value in raising awareness and engaging potential future customers. As long as your product is useful and is being promoted through different mediums, attention will follow.

P.R...What does that even mean?

What is "public relations"? Colloquially, it has become a discipline with an ambiguous job description that means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. "If you ask ten random people what PR is, there will be 10 very different answers" (see here). Contrary to colloquialism, however, it is a very definite area of marketing. 

While—especially in this age of ever-changing forms of communication—PR is a somewhat open ended area of marketing, a basic definition of public relations is to "shape and maintain the image of a company, organization or individual in the eyes of the client's various 'public.' What is a 'public' exactly? A public, in PR terms, is anyone who ever has, or ever will, form an opinion about the client (more). Essentially: a public relations agency is there to present their client in the best light to their audience.

As a publicist, being tasked with making someone look good (despite a positive or negative situation) is no easy assignment—especially because PR is not pay-for-play advertising... a publicist instead focuses on gaining FREE publicity for their client. How? By drafting professional press releases and relevant pitches, a publicist is creating a compelling story for potential newspapers, magazines, radio and TV stations. It is imperative for a publicist to not only communicate why their clients’ goods, services, and/or personal history is important—but, most importantly, to understand the mind of an editor. Thus, some of the best publicists are those who have served time as editors. 

A professional publicist or PR agency will also create media and press kits, along with look-books—crucial packages that must be written and designed with knowledge of what the press wants (and needs) to know. In sum, these kits "contains everything the journalist needs to understand who the client is and what the client does.” (more). 

Defining “public relations” is no easy task, but even harder for companies is determining what makes a great publicist. Think about it. You are entrusting your company, your welfare and business' image to another person or agency. A publicist must believe in what they are doing, who they are promoting and what is being asked of them from a client… but being a great publicist runs even deeper than that. A great publicist can "create opportunities for publicity from thin air...invent a story that the news media will eat up" (more). How do they do this? By keeping a pitch light, positive and relevant. 

Finally, when considering a PR agency or publicist, make sure they follow these 10 PR commandments:

• All press is not good press: the easiest way to avoid bad press is to separate private and public life.   
• Perception is reality: the first images the public sees are extremely powerful.   
• Create a brand: What are your brands attributes? Who is your target audience? How loyal are they?   
• The truth seeks its own level: there are no secrets, the truth is out there, don’t hide from it.   
• Energize a base: define an audience and communicate effectively with it.  
• The media will not wait for you: play offense not defense; do not wait for the media to come to you—pitch away! 
• There is no wall between public and private: attend events because of the press line. Say good-bye to intimate parties. 
• The medium is still the message: remember who you’re talking to and who their audience is.   
• You can go home again: comebacks exist; the public loves someone who keeps on trying so don’t get discouraged if something doesn’t work out the first time.   
• They are only building you up to knock you down: Live your life like someone’s watching, because they are.

 

Remember: PR is a dynamic and ever-changing industry. With the constant creation of new and improved social media sites and broadcasting platforms, it is both easier and harder than ever to promote a company or deliver a story. Choosing the right medium is important and delivering the right angle on a story is necessary. 

When you hire a publicist, ask questions; among them:

Do they have contacts and credibility?

Have they generated successful campaigns in the past? 

Will they treat you as a person, not as just a giant enterprise? 

Is their approach custom to what you crave or do they follow the same approach for all of their clients? 

While P.T. Barnum said, "all publicity is good publicity" we must disagree...all publicity is good publicity only if you have a good publicist.

The ongoing quest to define "Green" in the fashion world

Everyone from luxury firms to discount stores to auto manufacturers are “Going Green”. While the true Green movement has long advocated incorporating sustainable practices in order to lessen our environmental impact, the buzz around eco-conscious businesses (and lifestyles) has created an enormous gray area. Sure it’s great to hear promises of a brighter, more eco-conscious tomorrow but are these companies actually following through on their word? To answer this question we would have to define what it actually means to be Green. In the automobile industry it comes in the form of alternative fuel sources and hybrid cars. In the culinary world, Green means buying local and using organic ingredients. In real estate, Green comes in the form of solar panels and draft proof windows. While Green standards are being put in place in various industries, we eco-friendly fashionistas are curious as to what qualifies fashion as “Green”.

Since Miamore Communications represents Avni, a rising star among eco-friendly fashion designers, we were especially aware during this season’s fashion and market weeks of how many designers and manufacturers were suddenly touting their Green practices. Some were legitimately eco-friendly, some were questionable, and some were just painfully misleading. We had several conversations with industry insiders this past month debating: ‘How many precautions are enough to be considered Green?’ and ‘Do some of these Green practices outweigh other practices?’ Sure a designer could make their entire line out of organic cotton but what if that cotton is dyed with toxic chemicals? A designer could buy locally and support their local economy but then package their clothing in wasteful materials and physically damage that very community they supported economically. Our conclusion: with all this “Green” confusion, consumers and buyers the fashion world need a standard. So, we were thrilled this week to read in the New York Times, WWD and other media that the fashion industry is taking a step toward such a standard… or at the very least, adding some transparency and clarity about “Green” claims… with the formation of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition.

The Sustainable Apparel Coalition was started by eco-conscious leaders from global apparel and footwear companies, along with environmental and social organizations. The long list of impressive founding members includes a range of companies and organizations, from Gap and Nordstrom and Duke University to H&M and Walmart. The coalition was founded on the belief that sustainable, eco-friendly apparel has a positive impact on people and communities. But it is faced with quite a large task in developing a way to measure and evaluate the sustainability of apparel. The Sustainable Apparel Coalition’s desired outcome of putting into place a standard sustainable apparel index requires measuring improvements in water use and quality, energy and Greenhouse gas emission, minimizing waste, chemicals and toxicity and creating positive labor environments and social effects.

Although the organization has been operating for less than a year, there is already great buzz in the apparel industry on how they will transform the “Green” fashion world. The index will give designers the knowledge and tools that they need to create Green products (and buyers the understanding of just how “Green” a design firm truly is). With this focus on what needs to be done for a designer to be considered sustainable, we hope that more time can also be spent on developing technology and research that can contribute to the “Green” apparel movement.

Going “Green” may be trendy at the moment but, in reality, it is a necessity and is becoming a way of life. We look forward to what organizations like the Sustainable Apparel Coalition have in store for not only the environment but for the future of the fashion.

Jewerly Spakles this Holiday Season

The economic recession devastated the American luxury market, that’s no surprise. What is a surprise is the increased demand this season for perhaps the most quintessential luxury item: jewelry.

Some encouraging stats:

-The percentage of people who bought jewelry during “Black Friday Weekend”, Nov. 26-28, increased from 11.7 percent to 14.3 percent. That is close to a three percent increase.

-In a recent study from the National Retail Federation, the percentage of people saying they will be giving jewelry as gifts has increased from 18.4 percent to 20.3 percent.

-According to “Cotton Lifestyle Monitor” jewelry is ranked at number five as planned holiday gifts in 2010. Jewelry didn’t rank at all in 2009.

The jewelry industry may not draw out the 2 a.m. crowd on Black Friday, but the increase in jewelry sales this past weekend was felt immediately by both retailers and designers. It also helped spark optimism for the economy and retail sales in general.

“While Black Friday weekend is not always an indicator of holiday season performance, retailers should be encouraged that a focus on value and discretionary gifts has shoppers in the spirit to spend,” said Matthew Shay, National Retail Federation, president and CEO.

Looking at the bigger picture, the fact that people are looking at jewelry a lot more this holiday season could mean that American’s are ready to start spending on luxury items in general again. It might be possible that this is the first sign of the recession being a part of the past.

Stich up the wounds left by surgical shoppers

It’s no surprise that the economy has changed how people spend their money. Everyone has been pinching pennies and in turn became smarter shoppers. People have been working overtime and getting second jobs. Who has time to browse shops? Who is going to fall for the impulse buy when money was strategically placed elsewhere? The Great Recession may officially be over, but the changes that people made to their spending habits may in fact be here to stay.

The new type of shopping is referred to as “surgical shopping” because the time spent shopping in stores and online has dropped drastically. No one is taking the time to wander stores and browse through websites to stockpile on clothing, necessities, etc. Instead, people know what they want and aren’t sticking around after buying it. Shoppers today visit an average of three stores during a trip to the mall, according to ShopperTrak, a Chicago research firm that tracks sales and customer counts at more than 70,000 stores. That compares with an average of five stores in 2006. There is even evidence accounting for stores being messier due to people dumping most items right before the check out.

How are companies and brands adjusting to surgical shopping? Often, through the strategic use of social sites like Groupon.com. The site has attracted more than 25 million subscribers to “group” together to get the lowest price on an item. Subscribers are pitched local discount offers on restaurants, retailers, etc and if enough people take advantage of it, it takes effect. The Gap's recent Groupon offer of $25 off a $50 purchase was a blockbuster Gap’ sold 441,000 offers as part of a one-day only promotion in August, for a total of $11 million.

With this new type of shopper mentality, what’s the best way to get them in AND to leave with your product? To help capture their attention, this might be the time to step up your “social media” strategy beyond the typical Facebook and Twitter. Along with Groupon, foursquare is another great tool to utilize. Promotions through foursquare are coming up everywhere (more on foursquare). I myself came across a promotion while shopping in NYC. Walking into an H&M, there was sign on the door that said “Check-In here and receive a special discount!” With incentives like that, who wouldn’t check in? Companies like Wholefoods, Saks 5th Avenue and Starbucks have all partnered with foursquare as well.

The continued practice of surgical shopping is creating a new reality for brands. And websites like Groupon.com and foursquare are helping them embrace consumers’ new way of shopping.

You are only as strong as your weakest tweet

Tweet, Re-Tweet. Are we friends on Facebook? These are terms that have become a part of our everyday life. With all the social media websites available now, which one works best for you personally? Or for your business? Truth be told, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn can all be beneficial…if you understand how to use them correctly.

Recently, an editor at a B2B magazine wrote: “We still think Twitter is the dumbest thing ever.” Previous to this statement, Facebook and LinkedIn were praised for how successful they are as social media outlets. We were concerned to read such an unfortunate and misleading criticism of a tool that generates millions of dollars for companies who understand how to use it to its full potential. For businesses, Twitter can lead a new found success. Those 140-character statements can make a world of difference.

Here are just two success stories from using Twitter:

• Computer-maker Dell, an early Twitter adopter, offers its “followers” easily tracked Twitter-only discounts. These have generated US$3 million in sales, $1 million in the past six months.

• Blair Hirtle, sales coordinator for Fairmont Hotels, noted that the Fairmont Empress offered a special discounted room rate on Twitter. The result was “increased occupancy. Much more successful than any traditional ad buy and it cost minimal time and labor.” Now seven Fairmont hotels have Twitter accounts.

The secret to their successes? Using Twitter efficiently. Here are some tips to get yourself started in the right direction.

• Twitter gives companies the opportunity to personalize themselves with society. Consumers today tend to connect with people rather than organizations. Putting a face on a company can make it more real and personable. On Facebook, company profiles are made and then spread by “liking” the page. This doesn’t give quite the same personal touch and interaction that tweeting can.
• Listen. Twitter is not just about posting Tweets and walking away. What are people discussing? Who is mentioning your brand or category? Understand the conversation and participate in it.

• Follow people! The more people follow you, the more they know what you’re about. This works on the basic product selling and marketing point. Twitter has turned into a place where companies research about potential employees and consumers research about potential purchases. So, your tweets are giving the world an opportunity to learn more about you, your products, your knowledge and your specialty.
• As I mentioned before, sell your product, but your expertise. It is probably the most basic concept of the social media websites. Give useful information about what you do, your business specialty, and what you’re selling for all your followers to see.

As the most misunderstood of the social networking tools, Twitter is often the most criticized and ridiculed. But it is, conversely, also one of the most effective. The popularity of using Twitter correctly has spun off another website, twittergrader.com. Anyone with a Twitter account can check the grade of their account, be it 0-100. If your grade isn’t as high as you thought it would be, the site gives you tips on the bottom of the page on how to improve your Twitter grade. With the introduction of twittergrader.com it is even easier to turn your Twitter account into one of the “Twitter Elite” joining the ranks of The New York Times, Fox News and BBC World. Like they say, you are only as strong as your weakest tweet.