Forge Magazine Cover, April 2012 Edition

The Royal Tenenbaums Print by Claudia Varosio

12″x18″(ie 305 x 450 mm) print based on an original illustration by me, Claudia, and printed by a professional print service on premium archival lustre paper.

This paper is water-resistant, fade-resistant, and has vibrant colours.

The print fits in a standard 12×18 inches frame and has no border. Other sizes are available.

New iPhone Blues: Why Apple’s CEO Doesn’t Care What You Hoped to See

By Chris Taylor
From Mashable.com

There’s an odd sense of deflation across much of the tech world in the wake of Apple CEO Tim Cook’s first product launch Tuesday. It is a feeling akin to your favorite team making a pretty dull night out of what was supposed to be a major game, as if the crowd simply didn’t exist.

Even those of us who aren’t Apple fanboys were watching with a keen sense of interest. This was the world’s most valuable company, and its most idolized, stepping up to the plate. Did they bring their A-game? Would they hit it out of the park? Would they make our jaws drop with delight and push back the frontier of the possible?

Answer: No. Clearly, the iPhone 4S was a single rather than a home run. But that’s good enough for Cook, a low-key manager if ever there was one (and a stark contrast to his predecessor in that respect). Cook will take singles all night. He has his eye on the pennant, rather than delighting the fans.

The plain truth is that Cook is an inventory guy. That’s how he made his name at Apple: understanding the life cycles of products and making sure his stores weren’t saddled with too many of them. Keeping inventory low, unsexy as it sounds, is a big part of what makes companies wealthy. And from that perspective, there’s one major reason to release the iPhone 4S now: making sure all your iPhone 3GS customers, who have just left their two-year contracts, upgrade to a new device.

And the iPhone 5? For all we know from the famously tight-lipped Apple, there may well be an iPhone 5 prototype ready and waiting to roll into production. Not all of those endless rumors had to be made out of whole cloth; one thing we know about Apple is that it works on every product years in advance. If the iPhone 5 will launch in 2012, you can bet your life it exists in some form now. Perhaps it’s just waiting on one thing, like a better, slimmer battery that can handle energy-intensive 4G signal. Or perhaps it is only waiting for the go order from Cook, and designer Jonathan Ive sighs wistfully every time he looks in its direction.

Cook, like the honey badger, just don’t care. (Indeed, with $75 billion in the bank, Apple can afford not to care.) The product cycle is now firmly established, and it’s all that matters. The iPhone 4S is for 3GS owners and curious newbies. The iPhone 5 will arrive in time for iPhone 4 owners to upgrade and lock themselves into another two-year contract, and another set of curious newbies can sign up then too. The Earth spins on its axis. Everything is in order.

Is it a risky strategy? Does it provide an opening for Android phone makers to produce ever-more advanced 4G handsets, based on the hot new Ice Cream Sandwich platform, in the meantime? Yes, and yes. Cook is betting on two things: that Apple’s current customer base is rabidly loyal enough that they won’t leave, and that the Apple name, marketing and word of mouth will pick up a steady stream of newcomers, swelling the company coffers and pleasing Wall Street. From the bleachers, those look like pretty safe bets in the long run, even if Wall Street was jittery at first.

We only wish that Cook had acknowledged the crowd somehow. Just one sly joke about iPhone 5 expectations would have gone a long way toward placating the fans; you get the feeling that’s what his predecessor would have done. But that isn’t Cook’s style. This unexciting bottom-line focus is the new normal at Apple. Better get used to it.

Four Creative Ways to Reward Your Facebook Fans

 

By Leyl Master Black of Mashable

This post originally appeared on the American Express OPEN Forum, where Mashable regularly contributes articles about leveraging social media and technology in small business.

A key part of your Facebook marketing strategy is figuring out how to build and engage your fan base — and one of the best ways to do this is by rewarding your Facebook audience for becoming and staying fans.

“Fans have signaled a level of passion or connection with a brand, so rewarding that acknowledgement only further endears the brand to those fans,” says Blake Cahill, principal and president of social media agency Banyan Branch. “Giving fans what they want can vary from discounts, to empowering them to support causes, to providing them with exclusive content and information. In many cases, success is a mix of all of these.”

Here are four great ways to reward your Facebook fans for their continued engagement and support.

1. Offer Exclusive Discounts, Coupons and Content

Discounts and specials are definitely among the most popular ways of rewarding Facebook fans, says Ron Schott, senior strategist at the Spring Creek Group.

“One of my favorite hotel chains, Provenance Hotels, offers specials to their Facebook (and Twitter) fans: If you book rooms through those channels, you can receive a percentage off your stay as well as free Wi-Fi access,” says Schott.

Schott also notes that there are a number of restaurants offering a special reservation opportunity to Facebook fans. “This can be accomplished as easily as displaying a tab on your Facebook Page with a special number or code to use when booking,” adds Schott.

Some companies tie discounts and coupons to engagement activities. Capriotti’s, a popular chain of Italian restaurants, gives out free sandwich coupons to fans who correctly answer questions about Capriotti’s history or participate in online contests. For example, the restaurant recently posted a clip from a local TV appearance on its Facebook Page and asked fans if they could spot the two wrong facts in the piece. The first person to do so was sent a voucher for a free sub.

There are also low-cost applications you can use to create custom fan-only tabs for your Facebook Page. For example, actor and author Rob Lowe used Fan Tabz to create a custom “Fan Wall” on his Page, where he shares exclusive content and excerpts from his new book Stories I Only Tell My Friends with people who “like” his Page.

2. Help Fans Give Back

Many companies also reward fans by helping them give back, tying charitable donations to the growth of their fan base. Hosiery and legwear company No nonsense recently kicked off a program in which it is donating one million pairs of socks to needy children and families across the country. The campaign, called “Socks for America,” allows consumers to donate a pair of socks in their name to a person in need simply by becoming a fan on No nonsense’s Facebook Pa

Another great example is Idaho-based Dynamite Specialty Products, which makes all-natural dog food. Last year, the company pledged to give a pound of dog food to the Idaho Humane Society for every new Facebook fan. It ended up donating 2,800 pounds, which is worth $4,200 and is enough to feed 200 dogs for almost six months.

“We wanted to spread the word about Dynamite, and we knew that for many of our customers, giving to a charity actually would be more of a motivation to help than a personal prize or special offer. People who buy our products are passionate about their animals and about making the world a better place,” said Callie Novak, Dynamite’s CEO.

3. Show You’re Listening

One of the best ways to reward fans for their continued support is by showing them you’re listening to their opinions and feedback. Tony Pham, VP of marketing at family safety startup Life360, notes that building an authentic rapport with customers is a big part of the company’s success growing to over two million families using its product

“The company has seen that providing targeted content and resources is appreciated because of the trusted relationship we have with the families using Life360,” says Pham. “We figure out what our users want to learn about by taking polls and hosting quizzes. Then, when we provide material that delivers what they said they wanted, it demonstrates that were really listening to our community and providing them with added value.”

Showing you’re listening can be as easy as responding to each and every comment and question on your Page. Social media strategist Alex Levine notes that, “Attention is a highly undervalued reward to Facebook fans. Reward your Facebook fans by acknowledging each comment people post to your questions. Not only does this provide (nearly) immediate gratification for fans, but it also encourages the behavior, thus greatly improving the probability and volume of their future engagement with your brand.”

Want to take it up a notch? Honda really showed it was listening during its “We’re Fans of You Too” Week on Facebook, during which it recognized some of the innovative ways fans have shown their love for the brand over the years by mirroring these activities on their own.

For example, a fan carved a Honda logo into their lawn, so Honda carved that fan’s name into their corporate headquarters’ lawn at the main entrance. A fan revealed his love for Honda with his Honda logo tattoo; Honda’s vice president of marketing got an airbrushed tattoo of the fan’s name and face. A fan requested a special Honda haircut at his barber; a Honda associate got that fan’s name carved in his hair, too.

4. Recognize Individual Fans

One completely free way to reward and recognize fans is to showcase an individual fan on your Page. Social media consultant Sarah Evans of PR and new media consultancy Sevans Strategy suggests that you “select a fan of the week. Interview the individual, post it on the Page and encourage dialogue around the person, not your brand. You can reward people with this honor who frequently contribute to the page or are loyal customers.”

Schott agrees. “Recognizing individual fans is a great way to reward users for being a part of the community and also [for brands] to show that they care at the same time. The user gets a kick out of it because their friends now see them displayed in all their glory and the business climbs a couple notches higher on that brand preference ladder.”

Finally, Evans recommends not calling your fans, “fans.” She suggests giving them “a much cooler or more unique title.”

“Make them feel like the special customers they are,” says Evans. “They did take the time to ‘like’ your page.”

Disclosure: Fan Appz is a client of the author’s company.

The Social Media Prism, Robert LaBarge

Goodwill Partners with Dell, Opens New Store

Congratulations to Goodwill for opening up their new store at Cotner & O streets in Lincoln, Nebraska.  The new store will focus on selling refurbished computers and electronics and is part of a collaboration with Dell.  This new store will not only help to provide residents with a place to bring their old electronics to be refurbished or recycled, but it also gives the residents of Lincoln a place to find affordable and high quality computers, video game systems, video games and other electronics. Visit the store at Cotner at O today and find out more at www.lincolngoodwill.org.

Should You Outsource Your Social Media Efforts?

By Leyl Master Black

This post originally appeared on the American Express OPEN Forum, and later on Masahble.  Here is a link to the original article.

According to a recent MerchantCircle survey of 8,500 small businesses across the U.S., more than two-thirds of small merchants are using social media to market their business. At the same time, one-third of these companies say that lack of time and resources is their top online marketing challenge. Together, these two data points underscore a growing need for social media support among small businesses. But hiring a social media consultant may not be as straightforward as hiring other types of professional service providers, such as a web designer or an accountant.

For one, you may not be clear on the value or immediate impact of social media relative to other marketing channels. You might already be handling this yourself and aren’t sure if it makes sense to get help. And unlike one-off projects such as a website redesign or tax preparation, social media support is typically an ongoing monthly expense. Here are four questions to consider when deciding whether to outsource your social media: 1. Can effective social media drive your business growth? Randa Yezak of Southern Jewlz spends three hours per day on social media sites. Just like with any other marketing effort, it’s important to look at the potential impact of social media on your business goals before investing time and money in the process. For some small business owners, social media is the lifeblood of their business and warrants the time investment. Randa Yezak, founder of women’s apparel company Southern Jewlz, spends at least three hours a day on social media marketing. “I have a young clientele that utilizes Facebook all day, every day,” says Yezak. ”When updating between my Facebook, online store or e-mail list, Facebook is always first!”

This approach has helped Yezak grow her fan base to over 11,000 Facebook users. But while investing in social media might make sense for an online merchant or local restaurant, a small tax preparation service or local plumber may have more difficulty justifying the time and effort. These businesses may get a better return on their time and money by ensuring that their business shows up in online searches, or by engaging with customers for positive reviews.

2. How well is your social media working today? Assuming that social media is important for your business, chances are you’re already engaging and seeing some results. You’re posting regular updates, you’re connecting with fans and followers and you’re getting creative with your social marketing. Some small business owners strike the right chord from the start and see their social media fan base skyrocket, and they want to continue driving this on their own. Yezak attributes a big part of her social media success to the personal connection she creates with her customers. “The majority of my customers are just like me. I’m a 23-year-old business owner with a funky boutique, so I always make everything sound really fun and sassy,” says Yezak. “I have not justified hiring a consultant yet, because I like to stay up-to-date with Facebook myself.”

For many business owners, though, it can be tough to continually come up with new ideas and programs to engage fans on their own. It’s also not easy to keep up with the ever-evolving capabilities of Facebook and Twitter — and stay on top of new third-party tools and features — and still have time to run your business. An experienced social media marketing consultant has the advantage of thinking about social media 24/7 — with multiple clients, they’re also sharing the cost of staying ahead of the curve. They not only know what works, but they also have the luxury of experimenting and trying new things with different clients.

3. Could outsourcing free up your time to focus on business operations? Consultant Kesten Migdal works with PROBAR on its social media programs. While there are many ways to find efficiencies in your social media efforts, the fact remains that effective social media takes time. You need to respond quickly to fan queries and thank people for their retweets and posts. You need to monitor your social media channels for complaints and immediately attend to these. And these are just the basics — actually engaging, growing and monetizing your fan base can take several hours a day or more. Even if you’re pretty savvy when it comes to social media, you wear many hats as a business owner… and you probably want to have a life outside of work. For some businesses, the choice to outsource social media comes down to the relative value of their time. “A big part of our growth will come from new product development and expanding distribution channels, and this takes a lot of dedicated focus. At the same time, we want to make sure that we’re building a thriving community, engaging customers and broadening awareness of our products,” says Trisha Layton, marketing coordinator at PROBAR. “We believe we get much more leverage on our time by focusing on the things that we can’t outsource and working with trusted partners in areas where a consultant can be just as effective, such as social media.”

4. How do you measure ROI? The costs for social media support can vary widely — some social media consultants charge a flat fee per month for an agreed-upon scope of work, while others charge by the hour, at rates varying from $50 to $100 or more per hour. Whatever the cost, the bar for success will be set much higher when you’re actually paying someone to do it. Make sure you’ve established some measurable goals to ensure that your social media spending is moving the needle for your business. Examples of common social goals and ways to measure these include:

* Fan base growth: Hitting 1,000 fans or followers over a set period of time

* Customer acquisition: Getting 50 redemptions per campaign on social media offers

* Support of direct marketing: Adding 200 names to your e-mail database per month

* Engagement: Achieving 20% participation by your fan base (e.g. Facebook “likes” and comments)

Hong Kong Market Favorites: Acantha Room Diffuser

Blood Vanilla Acantha Room Diffuser $55.50
This bourbon vanilla and grapefruit zest is the sophisticated scent of a fine oriental home fragrance. With under tones of coriander and jasmine this exciting blend will transport your mind body and spirit to a place of calm, rest and stress relief.

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Solstice Teapot in Orange, Free Flowering Tea Sampler, & Chamomile Mix from Ego Teas

We love the website design over at Ego Teas, and wanted to spotlight a few items:

Solstice Teapot in Orange, $15.95
Flowering Tea Sampler, FREE
Chamomile Tea Mix, 1.5 oz. for $3.95

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Pattern Picks from Simply Soles

Blue Clutch by Proud Mary, $60.00
Floral Kitten Heels by Bettye Muller, $348.00
Gold & Coral Cuff by Kendra Scott, $138.00
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