Giveaways: Give a Product, Gain Engagement

Giveaways are becoming an increasingly popular marketing tools on social media sites everywhere. As public relations experts it is easy to understand why: consumers love free stuff. Consumers are not the only ones benefiting from this promotional tool; businesses are also reaping the benefits. Giveaways are an easy way to draw publicity and potential business to a company. While everyone loves a free giveaway, as business owners the recent trend in raffling off products requires us to stay up to date on how to legally and effectively offer a giveaway contest. Sounds like a headache right? Not to worry. Here is our step by step plan on how to organize a successful giveaway via social media.

The very first step in organizing a successful giveaway is defining your goals. What do you want to gain from this giveaway? More followers? Increased sales? More publicity? Whatever these goals may be you will need to keep them in mind in order to track your success.

Before implementing such a sweepstakes a company must first decide on the product they want to giveaway. The product should be something that is of value to your consumers but it should also positively reflect your company. Raffling off an iPod may draw some attention to your websites, but if your business has absolutely nothing to do with electronics you are not gaining any potential customers. Take our client Thistle and Bee for example. This high-end jewelry company is currently offering a giveaway via their Facebook fan page. They are giving away two of their most popular bangles valued at more than$1,500. These products are of value to the participants, while beautifully reflecting the Thistle and Bee brand.

Once you have your product you need to pick the social media channel that best fits your giveaway. Giveaways can be done through Twitter, Facebook, or Foursquare; discounts through Groupon, Gilt Group, and Rue La La. Be aware when choosing a channel that you read the terms of service in order to avoid any legal implications. Many sites only allow a certain type of giveaway and you may have to follow strict guidelines in order to run the sweepstakes.

Now that you have chosen your channel you will need to find a third party application to run the contest. This is legally required by many social media sites. A third party application ensures that the winner is picked at random by an unbiased party.

Before you launch your giveaway you should drop hints that you will be offering a promotion to your followers. If you are using a blog to promote it you could do a post a couple days prior about the product and then hint at a possible giveaway in the future. If you are using a fan page you could offer a giveaway after you reach so many likes. This will give your readers an incentive to keep reading your page.

Finally, you are ready to launch the giveaway. Be sure to provide your followers with brief, easy steps on how to enter. If a sweepstakes is too long or complicated to enter, most participants will get annoyed and opt out. Inform your readers of the end date of the contest. Try not to run it for too long or your readers will lose interest. You can also allow your followers extra incentives such as entering them twice in the contest if they like your page on Facebook as well as follow you on Twitter. By having them participate on your other pages you are gaining more followers and attention.

The giveaway is over, now what? It is time to notify the winner! The third party application has selected the winner of the contest at random and now it is time to contact them. Contact the winner through email and ask them for their home address in order to send the product. Send the item in a timely manner and don’t forget to include a thank you note. Having a positive experience with your company, the winner will most likely become a loyal customer and recommend your brand to others.

Giveaways are a great way to gain more traffic and potential customers if done correctly. It’s a win-win for everyone. Companies receive publicity and often gain new customers, and consumers have the chance to win something and learn about a new brand they may be interested in. In other words: bring on the giveaways!

The Point of Pinternest

So maybe you've heard of the new creative site called Pinterest, or maybe you have been completely out of the loop. Either way, I'm here to break it down for you--because there is nothing more exciting then learning about new blogging platforms, right? (Well, there are probably more exciting things, but...) Pinterest is essentially a virtual pinboard. What do I mean by pinboard? Well, you know a bulletin board that you may have in your office place; a space where you can clip inspirational pictures, articles, phrases, etc.? This website is basically that concept, only an online version. You can create different boards which all feature collections of things you love. Additionally you can follow other boards--in some ways it is very similar to sites like Blogger, Tumblr, Facebook, and Twitter. On all four of these sites you can "follow" or "friend" other individuals whom have similar tastes, interests, and thoughts.

Why join? Well for starters it is a very new website that is gaining attention among the fashion and design-minded. Start up a Pinterest account, spread the word, and be the tech-savvy-expert amongst all your friends and colleagues! But besides being the cool guy/gal, chatting away about "pinning" this and "pinning" that--Pinterest is, more importantly, a great source for networking. Tons of bloggers, artists, and designers have accounts and the coolest thing about it is that, "When you follow a new person, you get to see all the things they find fascinating online and each new thing that catches your eye takes you to more boards that will continue to take you deeper and deeper down an Alice in Wonderland hole of amazing stuff," (read more here). From a designer/artist standpoint, Pinterest is a great tool for collecting/presenting/dreaming up potential collections and designs. Visualize a specific image, maybe it's the Eiffel Tower in Paris or the Statue of Liberty in New York City; you are inspired by the sculpture, the colors, the lines, the dimension. You decide that you want to design something around this particular object so you collect tons of patterns, color swatches, and ornaments that inspire you. Since you are able to create multiple boards on the site, create one for this project and share it with your design team and clients. By having every image located on this one board you are creating an organized space to share your vision.

Why is Pinterest so easy and convenient? Well for starters once you join Pinterest asks you if you have Facebook and/or Twitter accounts. If you do (which you should because they are great business tools to utilize!) then you can simply click a button, log into your accounts quickly via Pinterest and the site will find all of your followers/contacts/friends that have Pinterest accounts--could finding friends on a new website be any easier? I think not! Even better...all you need to do is install a special "Pin It" button to your browser bar (works on Firefox, Safari and Google Chrome) to "pin" things directly! After the button is bookmarked you can grab an image from any website and then add it to any one of your pin boards. The best part is that since you are pinning from a website, Pinternest grabs the source so you credit the original designer/creator of whatever you are "PINNING." So what do you think? Are you going to start "pinning"? Do you need my help? Check out my Pinterest account here (I just started one too!).

Keep Facebook Vitameatavegamin-Free

Cruising around Facebook these days, and talking to companies who have hired social media “consultants”, I’m reminded of Lucille Ball as the Vitameatavegamin Girl.

“Are you tired, run-down, listless? Do you poop out at parties? Are you unpopular? The answer to all your problems is in this little bottle. Vitameatavegamin.”

Or perhaps the old medicine shows in the wild west. You know: a guy standing on a box in the center of town calling out: "Step right up. This magic elixir will make all your aches and pains go away."

Had a consumer in those days questioned that magic elixir peddler about actual medicine, he would have been out of business and people would have saved themselves from buying useless goods. The same holds true with today’s social media “experts”. A lot of companies out there don’t understand social media, so they’re hiring the modern equivalent of a Vitameatavegamin Girl, who offers to “run your Facebook for the low, low price of…”. Then takes to promoting your brand on their personal pages with, essentially: “Step right up. Become a fan of this fabulous brand. Clicking “like” will make all your aches and pains go away.”

Find excellent advice on how to choose a social media consultant in these articles by Inc.com, and Social Media Today… and help keep Facebook Vitameatavegamin-free.

Blogging 101

Blog...B-L-O-G; this four letter word can instill so much dread in business owners navigating the ever-changing interactive world. But a blog need not be intimidating. So, inspired by several small luxury firms who recently told us they still don’t quite understand… here’s our back-to-basics how-to for those still wary of blogging.

First, decide how to host the blog. Using a web-based tool like Blogger or Wordpress is free and simple (and will at least get you started), while hosting the blog on your own website has significant Search Engine Optimization benefits (There’s a joke in the digital world that BLOG stands for... Better Listing On Google). Simple explanation: because you regularly update a blog, and since new content registers with search engines, a regularly hosted blog on your site will help with your SEO.

Second, choose your blogging platform. Wordpress is the darling for its flexibility (best to use if you’re hosting the blog on your site). But there are Blogger, Live Journal, Type Pad and a host of others. This part is really a matter of trying each and seeing which platform you prefer. We personally love using Blogger. While we’re losing out on the SEO benefits, it is very convenient for Miamore Communications because, first: Blogger is Google’s blogging platform and we utilize Google quite a bit. Also, posting is a breeze. After you select a blogging template and personalize it, it is very intuitive, with easy-to-find iconsicons, which allow you to enter links, videos, and pictures.

Third, understand why you are blogging and how a business can best utilize a blog. A perfect illustration: Luxury super store Neiman Marcus recently created its NMDaily Blog, which serves as an informational source to its dedicated customers. With interviews from top designers, pictures from various fashion events, make-up tutorials and Q&As, NMDaily creates a sense of community for Neiman's shoppers. Another benefit to this blog is that it grows the Neiman Marcus brand in the interactive community--readers of the site can "like," "tweet," email and share posts with their friends and family... making them not just shoppers, but individual brand ambassadors. You couldn't pay for this type of advertising! How does a smaller firm similarly utilize blogging? By simply putting an idea out on your blog, or maybe an image with a short and concise caption, you are inviting your consumers into the world of your brand, a world they can identify and feel at "home" with… one to which they develop loyalty. A blog allows not only great exposure for a brand; it also allows you immediate feedback.

Sound great? It is. But, the top thing to consider when starting a blog is the commitment it requires. Blogs are about writing—in order to be effective; research, editing, and writing must go in to each post to make it a quality read. With that said, it's difficult for many businesses to maintain regular postings. Keeping up an actual blog is a serious commitment: either the dedicated time from you or an employee, or financial resources to outsource the work.

If you are still a little uncertain, our best suggestion is to register on Blogger and/or Wordpress, set up a free account and poke around. Also, check out other successful blogs in your business category. Meanwhile, feel free to ask us any questions. We are here to help!

Blogger and Tumblr and Pinterest, OH MY!

Lions, and tigers and bears, oh my! In more recent and tech-savvy times, the fashion- and style-minded should really say, Blogger and Tumblr and Pinterest, oh my! All these blogging platforms are entering our lives at a staggering rate. From the pink-walled bedroom of a 12-year old budding fashionista to the busy showroom of a prominent design house, blogging has changed how we view, communicate and express our ideas.

So what to choose...Should we enter long and thoughtful posts on Blogger? Maybe start tumbling photos and quotes on Tumblr? How about pin things to a virtual pin board on Pinterest? There are so many options; it's hard not to get lost in the dynamic and altering digital world. Is it just me, or does it feel as if things change on a daily basis? There is always a new version of iTunes to download, a Blackberry software update to complete, or a new Macbook to buy... So, how do we figure out the best tools to help market our business?

At Miamore, we're constantly researching in order to communicate to our clients which new (or old) social media strategy to implement. Maybe that means tumbling once a day, posting a diary entry, or pinningsomething to our virtual inspiration board. Or maybe we should stay focused on only one platform and master its ins and outs. Each company has different needs, but not participating is not an option. The upside for luxury, fashion and design firms: freedom of expression and the promotion of creative ideas are at the forefront of the digital movement. We LOVE it!

So for the sake of avoiding technology overload, let's first discuss Tumblr. What is it? Well, technically, it is platform for micro-blogging, a.k.a sharing post text, photos, quotes, links, music, videos. The New York Times has stated that Tumblr makes, "blogging blissfully easy" and Fast Company feels that, "it's blogging, the way blogging was meant to be." So what does this mean for you and your business? Well it can mean a few things...maybe it can be a way for you to connect with your clients--updating them on trends in your given industry, providing information about changes in your company, introducing new projects and collaborations, displaying new projects--the options are endless.

“A picture says a thousand words.” It’s a saying that we have heard all our lives, right? So why not apply this to your business? Our culture is so face-paced and glancing at a picture or a short quote is a lot easier than reading long, detailed posts…thus Tumblr’s visual appeal for businesses based in fashion and design. It allows you to illustrate your ideas, your lifestyles, your products and, most importantly, your brand, through a simple image. Jump on board because this is a movement… Not only do high-profile brands like Kate Spade and Oscar de la Renta have Tumblr sites, but their Twitter and Tumblr sites work simultaneously by continually updating each other. Yes, aother benefit of Tumblr is its ease of connecting with other social media tools like Facebook and Twitter.

An easy illustration of Tumblr’s appeal: Have you ever traveled on a business trip and saw something inspirational that you WISH you could instantly share with your customers? Maybe it's a pattern for a new dress you are inspired to create; maybe it is a city skyline reminding you of NY Fashion Week; or maybe it is just a pretty little doo-dah image that reminds you of (and leads you to thank) your clients. Despite what you post, when you post it or why you do post, all posts will be shared with the entire Tumbling network and the interactive community--that's a lot of eyes on you. There are over 14,891,884 Tumblr accounts! (If you can’t tell, we’re big fans. Personally, the Miamore Communications Tumblr is my new obsession!)

So let's continue to navigate through this little (okay, it's pretty big, but not necessarily intimidating) social media/BLOG movement together... Stay tuned. Our next stop: Blogger. Until then, please feel free to comment and ask questions about Tumblr (or any other blogging tools)… we’d love to help!

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.