January 22, 2012

The Year That Was in Social Media

By Gabe Mederos

I’m embarrassed. One of my resolutions from last year was to be more consistent with my posts. Three months later, I’m finally getting back in the swing of things. I don’t want to make excuses, but it has been a busy few months…but again, I made a commitment and I should keep it. Suffice it to say, one of my resolutions for 2012 was, you guessed it, to be more consistent with my posts. Hopefully this post will set the tone for the rest of the year.

It is almost February and social media has, yet again, been the talk of the town. With the emergence of social TV and social games, as well as the continued growth of mobile technology, it is difficult to imagine a return to a disconnected world. As I do every year, I thought it would be appropriate to reference a video that outlines the year that was in social media. This video by Omobono Digital does a great job of summing it all up:

Enjoy!

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October 17, 2011

The Anatomy of a Failed Sales Call

By Gabe Mederos

I was going to wait and write something informative and enlightening, but I took this sales call today and I couldn’t resist sharing how it went. Based on the title, I’m sure you can imagine just how it went.

Let me give some background. I’m driving home today when I get this call. Now anyone that knows me knows that I rarely answer calls on my personal cell phone from numbers that I don’t recognize, but today was the exception. I answered the call and here’s a break-down of how it went (names have been left out to protect the ignorant…err…I mean innocent):

Mr. Salesman:  Good afternoon, may I speak with Ms. Gabrielle Mederos.

Me: Nope, but you can speak with MR. Gabriel Mederos.

Mr. Salesman: I’m very sorry, I must have read the name incorrectly. Hello Mr. Mederos how are you today?

Me: Not bad, I am driving though so this may not be the best time to talk.

Mr. Salesman: Not too worry Gabriel, this will not take very long.

(Ok, big mistake number 1. I have said that I am not available to talk, telling me that it won’t take too long isn’t what I want to hear…in fact, it just irritates me)

Me: Fine, how can I help you?

Mr. Salesman: Well, I came across your name in a directory and I wanted to talk to you about some of the services my company offers.

Me: Ok.

Mr. Salesman: I just wanted to ask you a few questions before I tell you about how we can help you. Firstly, what is your current role?

Me: My current role is Manager of Public Relations.

Mr. Salesman: Great…and what is the name of your employer?

Me: Didn’t you get my name from a directory? What did it say?

Mr. Salesman: I’m sorry, I don’t have the directory in front of me to refer to what it said.

(Big mistake number 2. This individual obviously didn’t do any homework. What’s worse is that if he was able to get my name, he could have easily looked on LinkedIn to get all the details regarding my title and employment history)

Continue reading

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , | posted in Interesting Stuff, Public Relations

October 15, 2011

What’s new? Here’s what…

By Gabe Mederos

I wanted to try something new for this post (seeing as I’ve been slacking in keeping my posts up-to-date). I’ve been following a ton of things that have been going on in the world of social media and posting the stories and comments on Facebook, Twitter, etc. So I thought I would recap some of the stories that I found most interesting from the past month (or so). Here are 5 of the most interesting posts:

5. People Are Spending More Time In Mobile Apps Than on the Web

This was an interesting article published in Social Media Today talking about mobile usage and how it continues to grow. What’s interesting is how mobile app usage is trumping web usage. If 5 years ago someone would have told that this would be the case today, I’m not sure if I would have believed it. But here we are in 2011 and mobile apps are dominating the technology landscape.

 

4. Google Wallet: First Impressions

Ok, so this story is one of my favorites. Google is currently testing a Google Wallet application that allows you to replace (for the most part) your wallet with your smartphone. Personally, I can’t wait for Google Wallet to be released and when you read the article, you’ll know why. I’d just be afraid to misplace my smartphone…although I’m sure the security features at launch time will ease my fears.

3. Apple to Announce iPhone 5 on October 4

Ok, so it wasn’t the iPhone 5, but the iPhone 4S still looks pretty amazing! And the features that will likely be featured when the iPhone 5 does launch (looks like it will launch next summer), seem absolutely incredible. The buzz around Apple was unbelievable but would be soured by some terrible news (see below). Judging by the record numbers of people who lined streets and malls across North America to buy Apple’s newest iPhone, I would say that the 4S was a tremendous success.

2. Facebook’s New Features Might Not Be as Private as You Think

So as everybody on the planet already knows, an updated Facebook interface was launched with enhanced features. And while many did not “Like” the new Facebook, what had many downright worried was the privacy settings and how the default wasn’t really that private. This story is a must read for all Facebook users…so that’s everybody then, right?

1. Steve Jobs Has Died

There’s not much else that can be said, or that hasn’t been said about the loss of this truly inspirational individual. He has left his mark on the lives of so many, not just with his technological genius, but also with his dedication and vision. RIP Steve Jobs.

Do you have any stories from the past month that you want to share? Leave a comment and let me know what you found interesting, amazing or unbelievable.

Oh yeah…I almost forgot the traditional video. Here’s Otis by Jay-Z and Kanye West…what can I say, I love this song!

Enjoy!

Leave a comment   |  tags: , , , , , , , | posted in Interesting Stuff, Social Media

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