Babies R Us. Really for us?

Babies R Us is one of my favorite retail stores. I have two small children and have spent hours and hours browsing their products and taking advantage of the tips and tools they have for moms.

Recently I visited the store to buy a present for a baby shower. I went in unprepared and didn’t know what items my friend had asked for. They provide a nice consultation space with a trained employee who can help you make an online wish list and beside it there is a kiosk to browse the lists.

I looked her name up and the computer asked me if I wanted to print. Well… I don’t. I want to see the options and choose what I want to buy. Well… too bad because you cannot see it until you press the print button.

I’m not one of those crazy environmentalists that think about nature and the future of the planet all the time, but this bothered me. A lot. Why couldn’t I just look at the list and choose a few items in my budget to look for in the shelf? I could even print only one or even half a page.

I ended up printing 11 pages, taking a 40 seconds look at it and tossed it in a trashcan. Mind you… the good kind of paper, not recycled.

Companies should embrace digital solutions. Why not if there is a digital way? It is cheaper, more efficient and provides new solutions for customers.

It is especially important for companies like Babies R Us that are careful in the selection of products for the safety and well being of their customers with BPA Free plastics, safety products and organic fabrics and food.

Technology can help us set a good example of how to take care of our world for the younger generations. There are many online tools that could be used in this case, like a tablet in store that people can access the lists.

Shhh... It's a secret sale

Most companies work with e-mail marketing and have found it difficult to get attention from their customers. Many reasons are behind this problem. Users can easily delete an e-mail, don't have to receive the message with mandatory unsubscribe options, have systems that sort through the unwanted e-mails and throws it in the junk file or just lack the visual appeal to the customer.

The secret sale is a creative way to engage the customer who is curious to know how much of a discount it will get or what items will be on sale for that store. Any marketing strategy that moves the customer to visit the website is already successful.

I have seen many children's stores do secret sales and I'm always intrigued by them. How about you?

Twitter as a marketing tool

Twitter / KimKardashian: My sisters & I will be ... via kwout

There is a new way of doing marketing through social media. Using celebrities' influence and fan base to promote your product or service. Usually a company will hire someone famous to appear in commercials, magazine photo-shoots or do personal appearances in events. With the quick development and reach of social media outlets, more than ever there is a need to be creative on how to market products.

Twitter is a phenomenon in modern society. From the small space to convey your thoughts to the convenient way to follow your passions, this interface has changed the way people communicate online.

The latest combination is Twitter, celebrities and company sponsorships. In order to create an ideal way of communicating, the celebrity must have a connection with the brand – just like in a conventional marketing campaign.

The queen of social media and reality television, Kim Kardashian was one of the first celebrities to use Twitter as a powerful selling tool. Now she can get as much as $10,000 or more for one single tweet. 

Singers, actors and athletes must be careful not to deceive their followers. After all, the size of your fan base determines the value of the advertisement. Other celebrity known for advertising on Twitter are Snoop Dog, Khloe Kardashian, Ray J, Charlie Sheen, Lamar Odom, Lindsay Lohan and JWOWW from the Jersey Shore cast.

Now companies can rely on the expertise of companies like Izea, Ad.ly and twtMob to find the perfect fit between celebrities and their products.

Twitter / SnoopOfficial: I just bought my new cool gadget ... via kwout

Using the web with a purpose

During a recent trip to Brazil, the biggest news was about a 13 year old girl who was changing the way people see public education in the country. She did this using only a Facebook page called Diário de Classe, the truth.

Ceiling fan in her classroom turns on when
the children connect the wires

Isadora Faber was fed up with many wrong things in her school, including the facilities, food, teachers, administration and curriculum.

She started taking pictures with her smartphone and posted on a community page in the social media website, bringing attention to the forgotten educational system.

The politicians were very upset with the media attention since this is election year for mayor in all cities of Brazil. In a move to make the story disappear all of the problems in the school were addressed.

Door to the girls bathroom

The school was reformed, the math teacher she complained about was fired and the lunch changed from cookies and milk to a full meal shortly after the newspapers and television news started showing her story.

After the report hit the news
the same door was fixed

The press is calling this a revolution in the public education system in the country. With so much public attention, students from other schools and cities in Brazil started similar pages reporting the problems in their districts.

This was an exceptional way to use Facebook to show customer dissatisfaction. It was so powerful that it affected the reputation of some politicians during election time.

The repercussions were very big for the student. Her parents were invited to talk to the principal who threatened the family of a law suit. The teachers and school employees talk constantly about her and make comments about the page. She decided to continue with her efforts since they helped so many others.

A humorous drawing by a local newspaper
shows the mayor having a headache from
being poked with the "like" button from Facebook

The municipal educational secretary had a meeting with the principal after the media reported the pressures to stop the pressure on the girl in a effort to help the current mayor to stop getting bad press about the case and win the next election.