“This will have a huge influence on consumers, who will now be able to see what their social network of friends ‘Like’ on other sites they frequently visit,” says Justin Ramb, Covenant’s president.

For example, if someone decides to “Like” a T-shirt on Levis.com, this action will be shared both on the brand’s site and on Facebook as well.

This will also have a big impact on the way businesses market their products to consumers, helping them better understand their customers’ preferences and buying patterns, Ramb explains.

A full-service marketing agency, Covenant has launched successful social media campaigns for clients on platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube, establishing a relationship between businesses and their consumers. Also specializing in design, print and Web, Covenant plans to incorporate this new Facebook initiative into their custom Web designs for clients.

“This is a huge opportunity for businesses to market directly to their target audience, and redefine their products and services based on customer feedback,” Ramb says. “This opens a new door for marketing.”

7 Proofreading Tips

- Don’t be the sole proofreader of your own writing.
- Minimize distractions and interruptions.
- Always proofread a printed version.
- Force yourself to slow down and concentrate.
- Don’t try to find every mistake in one pass.
- Proof any text in all caps separately and more painstakingly.
- Read through each time looking for something different:

• Typos and misspellings
• Easily confused words (e.g., “to” for “too” and “your” for “you’re”)
• Ambiguity
• Inconsistencies
• Formatting problems
• Factual errors

So I was interested when I ran across an article by FedEx’s global communications manager about managing customer relationships through social media. Matt Ceniceros said:

“Social media allows a large company like FedEx to act like a small company – interacting with customers in a personal, immediate way.”

I got a kick out of the big guys envying the strong relational connections possible with a smaller business.

According to stats reported by Matt Ceniceros of Fed Ex, 6 in 10 small businesses use social networks to answer customer questions. Social media networks allows companies, big and small, to gather information about feelings, perceptions, reactions and customer sentiments.

Wouldn’t it be great to have a finger on the pulse of your customer base? Social media can provide that.

The Pink Ribbon campaign began with the Komen Foundation’s 1990 Race for The Cure held in Washington DC. The Komen Foundation handed out pink visors randomly to the 8,529 walkers. Some participants wore pink ribbons. A year later, in 1991, Komen distributed pink ribbons to every participant in it’s New York City Race for The Cure. As from this year, the pink ribbon became the symbol for breast cancer awareness, first engaging a national magazine and then enlisted notable public figures and corporations to become involved. Today, it is fashionable for people of all ages, women and men, to wear pink during October.

Now with the culture of social media such a brand awareness effort is much more accessible. It all starts with a good idea. Then let Covenant help craft the tools to engage the online community to become your brand ambassadors. It’s good to have friends!

With 270 million cell phone users in the U.S., brands and advertisers can no longer wait to engage their consumers by going mobile. The speed at which M technology is evolving is impressive. Yes, we admit you will need a glossary to do some research and understand the insider lingo. But then again, that’s what you have us for!

Ultimately the hope is to have more web-like experiences for the consumer on their mobile devices. The best mobile marketing efforts provide consumers with value, whether for fun or need. We think the best mobile apps are the simplest ones to use. Like Barnes and Noble providing consumers with the ability to snap a photo of a book cover with their phone (perhaps from a friend’s bookcase) and upload for photo recognition and voila – an online purchase is completed (before dinner is even served). It doesn’t have to be transactional in nature, think of all those relational connections that can be made when your prospective client is in the mood and has the technology at their fingertips.

Currently, Covenant is developing a mobile site for our longtime client Interlachen Pediatrics.  Oh yeah, M is a good thing!

Font style, colors and imagery are visual elements that communicate your brand instantly. Covenant’s design team excels in creating a brand identity. If it’s time for a little freshening up of your brand, why not give us a call? In the meantime, you might want to head off to an Ikea store and check out the Billy bookcases to give your home a fresh look too.

A few days ago Neil Williams, head of corporate digital channels at the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills released a Twitter strategy for the British Government. He advises ministers to avoid “pointless content” but instead to “provide an informal, ‘human’ voice of the organization”.

You know, he’s right. Just relax with a cup of tea and use your voice to help give dimension to your brand’s personality. Twitter is a social media marketing tactic that builds a consumer connection to your brand.

blogs.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/digitalengagement

At Covenant, we have a soft spot for those who serve others. Recently, we partnered with Steve Paquet to produce new display boards, in English and Spanish, to help the Senior Resource Alliance continue to inform seniors, their caregivers and family members about their services.

The mission of the Senior Resource Alliance is to enable elders to age with independence and dignity in the setting of their choice. Man, that’s a good friend. Check them out at www.sraflorida.org.