On customers, sellers and digital "body language"

I attended recently a webinar on using social media to increase sales. I am not into sales and my chances to ever get into it are very slim, but I am extremely interested about the general process of interaction and communication between customers and clients in the new 2.0 world.

What I've learned about or remembered is that:

- the customers have more control over the products and are imposing their own demands - we are buying faster than the sellers are developing;

- information is vital and your brand is not only what you say it is, but what people says it is - social media is very important and the discourse provided on various tools - Twitter, Facebook, youtube - is providing at a great extent the image of your company and the content of your brand;

- for sales, YouTube is very important: setting up an account and posting a smart, not exclusively expensive, video about your product is a good idea for attracting more customers;

- Twitter is helpful in offering various coupons for the existing or potential clients;

One of the conclusions of the webinar, going beyond the strict domain of sales is that social media requires new skills: as, for example, the ability how to find the best key-words, or how to read a link. The expression of the week was: "digital body language" - I am still thinking about how to better use it.

Mister Wong and me

While trying to fight with the WordPress blog settings - this is the newest entry in my always expanding media empire, and will share more about this soon - I discovered Mister Wong. What it is the connection: as I am trying to build a blog hosted by a German website, this Mister was recommended as a link to be used for sharing the latest updates. By curiosity, went on Google for a complex search and was happy to get in touch with the German site for social bookmarking. You can save all your favorite websites to your personal account and share it with other people from your network. The site is a direct competitor to del.icio.us and have the advantage of focusing exclusively on the German speaking realm. Recently, there were launched versions in Russian and Chinese. Equally, you can benefit of mobile support, accessing your account and saving your links of interest directly from your cellphone.

You can connect via icq, Skype, Yahoo, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, to access a FreeDigital Library. As privacy is a permanent matter of concern in Germany, the site is offering you the possibility to chose if you want to have your profile private or/and public. Also, you can access a Free Digital Library.

I am wondering if it is any similar website in French - as my blog I will start soon - when WordPress will be kind enough to share its secrets with me?

Related articles

• Are you networking effectively? (snfornewbies.com)

Vimeo

If in the domain of "writing" networks I consider myself at the intermediate to advanced level, the audio-visual aspects are strictly limited. I use youtube for very limited and personal reasons - watching some free movies or music or some documentaries. But, as in the last months I am more and more interested from the very practical point of view on the visual aspects, I am exploring new areas and opportunities. The newest one for me is vimeo, a community for creative people and creators.

There are two options for the subscribers: the free - for "casual creators"- and the paid version, for those who need more space to upload and more networking opportunities. Basically, it is functioning as any other open social network: you could subscribe to the channels you are interested in - documentary, or short movies, various competitions and festivals - you could add friends and be part of discussions, you could share your own works. After a short look, I concluded that, in comparison with youtube, vimeo it is more tailored and less commercial, with a highest opportunity for developing online learning classes. Me, for example, I didn't hesitate any second to register for a photography video class I am waiting to explore in the coming days. Looking farther for new opportunities and exposure!

YouTube branding

Five useful ways to use YouTube for branding purposes. As in any other cases of open platform, it is not enough to be present, you need a voice and a coherent and consistent message.

US Marines, not allowed to network

Because we haven't achieved yet the universal peace and socialization interest should stop when meeting the national interest.

Anyway, the idea to launch the own social networking tools is, in my opinion, a good idea, as it could compensate, including psychologically, the interdiction in itself. In the same time, the military sector could develop its PR and marketing aims through the social networks.

Tracking public opinion

the case of Air Force One.

Of course, from the very beginning we enter the social networking sites, we have to be aware by the fact that we accept to share with - mostly unknown audience - personal and privat information. Of course, it is always possible to limit the degree of access to your own life - as the privacy selection from Facebook, or the limited access to tweets, in the case of Twitter. But, once on the net, this information could be accesses easily. The question is: how social we want to be? How large should be the extent of our network? A matter of option full acknowledging the risks and opportunities.