The eMA used Twitter about  2 months ago at our annual eMarketing Conference in San Francisco.  In that context, it provided a great forum for instant updates during the conference.  However as a network, it is lacking.  According to Nielsen more than 60% of people abandon the Twitter service after just one month.  This is a strong indication that Twitter is not really up to par with other networks such as LinkedIn or Facebook, in terms of meeting user expectations.  Additionally, significant  technical problems and excruciating slow customer service contribute to a  poor user experience.

 Unlike other networks, Twitter provides the ability to follow just about anyone, although that is not reciprocal.  In short you can read other peoples tweets, but they won’t necessarily be reading yours.  Many celebrities,  use the service to broadcast trivia to a massive number of followers.  Other users, broadcast minutia on almost an hourly basis.  After spending several weeks reviewing Twitter, my take is that, for the most part, 140 characters (the Twitter limit for tweets), encourages a massive number of banal tweets, commercialization, promotion and questionable links.   Trivia dominates the tweets along with self serving promotional messages.  I have a feeling that not many people bother to read these tweets.  Additional research suggests that 10% of tweeters post 90% of tweets, a sad statistic and indication that although there is a very active and enthusiastic segment, it is small relative to the Tweeter population.  See link below for full information on that survey.

http://blogs.harvardbusiness.org/cs/2009/06/new_twitter_research_men_follo.html

Nielsen Study Information

http://tinyurl.com/cyr3l7

Conclusion: There are Twitter “addicts” who just love the site, and post (mostly trivia) regularly.  The majority of users become bored and leave the service after a short time. The future of Twitter will depend on management’s ability to enhance the user experience, monetize the site, and provide significantly better customer service to users.  At this time we have no metrics or data that indicate that this service is of much value commercially or otherwise.

Announcement from eMarketing Association Network

Is Counterfeiting, Piracy or Fraud Denigrating Your Brand?

29.4% of CMO Council respondents (so far) see cybersquatting, or the illegal use of trademarks or brands in domain names online, as the most prevalent infringement on business and reputation. However, only 18% are plagued by replication of goods, fashion labels, apparel or products.

Where do you fall? Are you among the nearly 40% of marketers who are leaving these brand problems up to legal? Or are you one of the marketers with an eye on those who are looking to profit from your brand’s reputation?

The CMO Council is nearing the end of its research for the Protection From Brand Infection report, and is looking for your insights to round out our peer-led audit. You can access the survey at http://www.brandsecuritycenter.org/survey/protection/

The Council is closing this research within the next week, so time is of the essence. All participants will receive a free copy of the report upon publication.

Take part in this benchmark of how marketing is taking control and securing the trust in our brands!

"Maintaining your skills and advancing your skills is critical to advancing if you're employed, and getting a new job if you're unemployed," said Dean Tracy, a recruiter and career coach in San Ramon, Calif.

But how do you stay on top of your field when you've been downsized? Tracy and other career counseling experts identified three potential avenues: continuing education, professional organizations and volunteering.

Continuing education
Even for those who are not out of work, learning new skills or brushing up old ones is always beneficial. Several experts said classes that offer certifications are particularly helpful.

"What it tells the employer is, you're not sitting around wondering what to do next, you're taking the initiative," said Tracy. Those who can't attend a class should look for online training.

Obviously we are not operating in the best of economic times. As marketers there are some fundamental steps we should be taking:

1.       Don’t assume your job or business is secure, accelerate your professional development by attending conferences, taking online courses and attaining certification.  The job marketing is likely to be tighter than ever for a while, and every edge you can give yourself will count.

2.       Network, network, network.  Get on LinkedIn’s eMarketing Group (over 80,000 members), and our  own Ning network, facebook and twitter.  Keep in touch regularly with your important contacts.  Attend our annual conference to make contacts face to face, even though it may cost a bit to attend it will pay off with knowledge, contacts and processes to improve your situation.

3.       Work harder.  The present economy leaves no room for idle time.  Work on your consulting skills, a side business or polish up your website.

4.       Don’t give up.  Things go up and they go down, things will go up again.

5.       Spend money on things that can help you make money.  Purchases like conference attendance, computers, software etc., that can make you more competitive are good investments right now.

I just got back from Atlanta and the eMarketing 8 conference.  What an incredible two days, Carol Kruse, Vice President of Global Interactive Marketing for The Coca Cola Company gave an outstanding keynote speech.  Over 30 other speakers including Chris Baggott, President of Compendium Blog ware, gave fantastic presentations.  Google wrapped up day one with a fun reception with a lot of networking and deals made.  Our next conference is in San Francisco in April 2009, don’t miss it.

We advertise on social networks.  There was quite an uproar, when facebook started to accept paid advertising.  I wonder why.

If you are on a professional network, you are usually there to sell something to someone.  Maybe it is just your resume, in case

you are fired or your company “lets you go”, or it may be a product or service.  You are selling something. You know it, I know it

so let’s stop wasting time talking about it.

Dear Customer,

 *** Please do not reply to this email.  This email is not monitored. ***

One of our Technical Support Specialists will be responding to your inquiry. It is our pleasure to be of service to you and thank you for choosing Hewlett-Packard, as your preferred vendor.

Imagine, HP does not want to hear from their customers, who, collectively, make their jobs and company possible.  If you are going to do emarketing successfully, you will need to have a conversation, a dialog with your customers, not a rude monologue, where you inform the "dear customer" that you don't want them to reply to you.

Internet marketing requires a little more class than telling your customers that you are not interested in them  Have you ever sent an email to a friend or relative and opened with "don't reply to me, I don't care to hear from you?"  They may not be your friends for long if you do

Interactive marketing, is well,  interactive.  A "do not reply" message is rude.

There is a great add on for Outlook called xobni (inbox spelled backwords), check it out at :

XOBNI

eMail is now the most popular form of direct response marketing, per conducted by Direct Partners.

eMmail is used primarily by 35 percent of companies compared to 25 percent that use traditional direct mail and 21 percent that use promo packages, statement stuffers or freestanding inserts.