How to Watch a TED Talk
In today’s busy world of work and family commitments, the last thing anyone wants is to leave the house to go to a conference to hear yet another speaker tell a story about a trip to Tuscany.
Here’s a solution that gives the world’s most compelling speakers something all of us can enjoy: TED (Technology, Entertainment and Design). The free online video series broadcasts short, 15-minute talks by exceptional individuals in areas of interest ranging from space exploration and tech entrepreneurship to human behavior and global health. Each talk ends with an opportunity to view the talk in a greater depth through the speaker’s slides and/or supporting material.
Why do these talks make for great entertainment? Most importantly, they’re not boring. Every one of the speakers on the TED website has a story to tell. And the best thing is you don’t have to leave home to listen. Watch them online anytime from your computer, smartphone or TV.
The organization is continually adding videos to its extensive library. And it’s easy to search the site to find topics that interest you. To see what other topics have been featured, visit the TED Blog and search for TED Talk. Or just sit back and enjoy.
What’s the next TED Talk you should watch? Here are some personal favorites. You can find these talks on the TED website or by searching on YouTube.
How to use podcasts and online streaming audio and video resources to stay connected with your customers, peers and prospects.
The Internet is increasingly an important medium for providing business information, interacting with customers and promoting products. Most businesses find the web and the Internet an important part of their business, particularly in their ability to engage with customers.
According to the American Marketing Association (AMA), in 2012, U.S. businesses spent $150 billion on advertising, much of it through online and mobile channels. As a result, advertising is a multi-billion dollar business that accounts for a significant portion of Internet use.
Online sales of merchandise and content rose by 14% in 2012 and continue to expand. Most shoppers now expect ecommerce sites to be available, 24/7, and are willing to shop online in their P.J.s if necessary.
The growth of mobile devices in the U.S. now exceeds 50%. As a result, there is now a multi-billion dollar market for mobile advertising, including mobile display advertising, mobile app advertising, and mobile search advertising. Online ads are no longer the only way to reach and engage with customers.
The growth of the Internet has changed the way consumers look for and purchase services and products and how businesses deliver their goods and services. In turn, it has led to the creation of new types of businesses and new models for delivering goods and services.
Some of the Internet’s most powerful characteristics are connectivity, interactivity and user choice, each of which can transform the marketing and advertising process. Among the ways that business use the Internet to create greater customer value are:
1. Customer targeting
This can be a targeted audience based on geography or interest. It can also be a customer-owned audience in the form of a social media site or a network.
2. Customized marketing
One of the Internet’s great advantages is that it has enabled customized marketing that responds to customer choice.
3. Customer insight
Information about the customer is a key way to engage and interact with customers.
4. Customer relationship management
Customer relationship management (CRM) is the activity of managing a company’s relationship with its customers. A business uses CRM software to store customer information, track customer purchases, analyze marketing campaigns, and engage in email and social media marketing. This is the most efficient way to integrate data and information about customers, and allows companies to measure success in using various business processes.
The Internet enables customizable marketing because customers are now in control of the information they see and how it can be used. For example, marketers can choose which advertisements to display to their potential customers through search engines and blogs, and receive email messages based on customer purchase and demographic data.
The Internet helps companies manage customer relationships because the ability to track, analyze and integrate data helps companies analyze the customer, gain insight about customer behavior and develop processes to engage in meaningful customer relationships.
The Internet enables customers to quickly engage in customized marketing campaigns without the need for specialized software. For example, a website or blog can be used to build an email list, create a personalized email template and deliver the message to subscribers. In this example, the marketing campaign was based on a customer’s preferences for topics and delivery of content.
How can your business use the Internet and new media to stay relevant to today’s customers?
The Internet is a global medium, providing customers with access to information around the world. One of the ways in which companies can stay connected is by opening offices around the world. The Internet facilitates contact between all parts of a company.
Today, customers expect to contact a company 24/7 from anywhere in the world via social media sites and other online forums. According to a study by Mosaic Research, 85% of business customers say they read positive reviews online. In the same study, 72% of consumers said the reviews they read influenced their purchase decisions. Companies who are transparent and responsive to customers on the Internet have an edge on their competitors.
Most large companies have customer forums that allow for instant customer feedback and a company’s ability to share new content and ideas in social media is vital for staying ahead of the competition. Social media is a powerful tool for staying connected with customers and staying visible.
Social media can also become a real resource for sharing valuable information with customers and employees in your company. As a result, social media can enhance a company’s reputation and enhance employee communication and cooperation.
The most successful companies have used the Internet to engage in dialogue with their customers, both before and after a sale, and to provide customer service. It has become clear to many companies that the Internet is a two-way street. They realize that there is a lot to gain by being on the Web, but they also understand that it takes a great deal of effort.
Customer satisfaction is a key to business success in today’s world of ever-changing technology. Companies that embrace this concept will enjoy increased revenue and profit.
Companies that embrace the Internet as a customer engagement strategy are likely to see:
1. More sales: Internet marketing through social media allows customers to spread information more quickly, thus creating word of mouth in a much shorter period of time than in the past.
2. More customer loyalty: The more loyal your customers, the more money you make. Customer loyalty is a key to successful business, but the Internet makes it easier to reach your target audience.
3. Greater profit: Companies that maintain the ability to have a conversation with their customers will see an increase in customer retention rates and loyalty.
4. Leveraging cost-effective marketing: Companies that can leverage the Internet will have access to customers with very specific needs that would otherwise be extremely difficult to reach.
5. Access to greater knowledge: The Internet has become a valuable source of information and ideas that can help companies stay ahead of the competition.
The Internet provides the opportunity to engage in an ongoing dialogue with customers. The ability to collect data about customers, track customer data and use it to deliver products and services creates a higher level of loyalty and allows companies to use the Internet to their benefit.
Today, with so many people using cell phones and smartphones to keep in touch with their friends, relatives, work colleagues and customers, it is essential that a company maintain a high level of security so the data on a company’s website or blog is kept secure and private. A breach in data security could damage a business. If a customer’s personal information is compromised, the consequences can be damaging. In the most extreme examples, credit card and other financial information, and social security numbers have been stolen and used fraudulently.
It is equally important for a company to consider the security of its employees. The consequences of a breach in data security can be costly, from legal costs to loss of customers.
In order to ensure a company’s website or blog is protected, various techniques are used to prevent data loss or theft and to protect against fraud. A team of IT professionals can implement procedures to secure data and websites against hacking, hackers, viruses and other threats to online data security. Various technical measures, from firewalls to passwords and encryption software can be used to protect data against hackers, viruses and malware.
A system of passwords, passwords protection software and other measures can help protect information stored in your website and blog.
What’s the most effective way to secure your blog?
Encrypt
