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How The iPad 3 Might Change Email Marketing
Facebook Trainer: A Facebook Approved Online Course by Mindleaders
Management Styles - Theory X And Theory Y

How The iPad 3 Might Change Email Marketing

Posted: 02 Apr 2012 02:19 PM PDT

Apple doesn't waste any time capitalizing on the success of its products. Case in point - the iPad 2 is still a hot seller, but that didn't stop the computer giant from introducing a third generation of the insanely popular tablet device approximately one year later. Apple's latest multimedia powerhouse is expected to be on the public shelves any day now, so let's take a look at how the iPad 3 could potentially change email marketing.

More Opens

The iPad 3 is said to be loaded with tons of exciting features - some basic, others more advanced than what was offered in previous generations. One iPad feature that has always been of great interest to email marketers is support for email.

Users of this tablet device love to use it to read electronic mail, and according to statistics, that number is on the rise.
A study conducted by Return Path showed that from March 2011, which is when the iPad 2 debuted, to September 2011, the number of email opens on the iPad increased by 73%.

With the device growing more popular with each generation, it wouldn't be surprising to see the percentage rise with the third edition.

Higher Engagement

Desktop and laptop computers are perfect for multitasking. And while the iPad shares many of their conventional qualities, it generally is not intended to serve as a workhorse for the user. So although a user may be reading an article and shopping for web hosting while simultaneously having their inbox open on a PC, they are much more likely to be viewing email and email only on their tablet. This is potentially great news for the email marketer because it means subscribers could be free of distractions and more engaged when viewing their message. The more engaged they are, the more likely they are to actually respond with positive action.

Tablet-Friendly Designs

Some email marketers are still thinking past tense with their designs. In other words, they are designing their campaigns as if subscribers will surely be reading their message in a standard desktop or webmail client, not taking into account all the people who now consume email on smartphones and tablet devices. The tablet frenzy grows bigger with each year and converts more subscribers over to a new medium with its growth. With the iPad 3 leading the charge, its popularity may convince email marketers to see that tablet-friendly designs are the way to go.

Related post: iPad For Productivity

Conclusion

The tablet has arrived, and judging from worldwide sales, it is here to stay. Amazon Kindles are hot sellers, and Android powered devices are on the rise, but the iPad is still reigning over the tablet market with an iron fist. If anything, the introduction of the third generation will only increase its dominance. Email marketers who like to stay on the cusp of technology may want to consider optimizing their strategy for the iPad 3.

Image: Apple.com

Facebook Trainer: A Facebook Approved Online Course by Mindleaders

Posted: 02 Apr 2012 09:32 AM PDT

Latest statistics show that Facebook has around 800 million members. A recent survey by Peopleperhour.com revealed that 91% of small businesses in the UK are now actively engaging with social networks for business purposes; an increase of 60% from last year. With a rising number of businesses looking to build brand awareness via Social networking, Mindleaders has launched a new training app for businesses on Facebook, actually developed in co-operation with Facebook.

Felicity McCarthy, EMEA SMB Marketing Manager at Facebook says "We're always excited to make Facebook an essential part of how marketing managers find new customers and grow their businesses. Small and medium-sized businesses are thirsty for education and information, so this course from MindLeaders will give them lots of advice and tips which they can follow at their own convenience."

I spoke to Jessica Mabe, the Facebook Community Manager of Mindleaders to find out more about this collaboration. Originally founded in 1981 in Dublin, Mindleaders is now a successful global entity. Jessica explains more about Facebook Trainer, who it is aimed at, how it will adapt to Facebook changes and what makes it stand out from other Facebook courses and trainers. Jessica also tells me what she thinks is the stand out difference between Facebook and other Social Media sites and why she believes Mindleaders were chosen to provide this course.

There are many Facebook trainers and advisers worldwide, what is different about your course apart from being given the official stamp by Facebook?

Our course, Facebook Trainer, stands out in a number of ways, both in features and design. We know that learning is best facilitated by a variety of media, so rather than just one medium, our training uses video, images, narration and interactive screens together to stimulate and engage with the audience. It's also structured around a single use-case or story that explains and deepens the learner's understanding of Facebook's marketing features progressively. A lot of training just explains how to use each feature in isolation, whereas our courses explain them as part of a cohesive overall strategy. We also use "action time" screens that suggest concrete 'next' steps to take, making the training directly relevant to the learner's marketing aims.

Who is Facebook Trainer aimed at in particular?

The courses are for anyone who is getting started with Facebook marketing or who has made a start and wants to develop further. That could be owners of small-to-medium sized businesses, SME marketers or students learning about social media marketing. Rather than seasoned online marketers, our audience is the people who understand the potential benefits of Facebook marketing, but don't know how to get started.

Is the course simple to use for a complete newbie on Facebook?

Absolutely. The only thing necessary to take the training is to sign up for a Facebook account and we explain everything from there. All the jargon is explained, and we've included links that allow learners to navigate to the right parts of the Facebook Help pages to find out more. We're well known for building courses that are highly accessible, and this is no different.

Depending on the level of knowledge on Facebook can the client skip parts that they already understand?

There are seven courses divided into sub-topics which learners can skip or jump in and out of depending on what they need to know. All the content is outlined in the menu, so if you need to understand or refresh your understanding of one feature or another, you can jump directly to that section.

What if Facebook brings in changes as they do quite often? Will your training course automatically adapt?

The plan is to release quarterly updates to the training and new modules to keep up to date, but part of the benefits of the collaboration is that we were able to consult with Facebook and create content that had more longevity than the training material produced by third-parties. The initial seven courses explain core Facebook marketing tools and principles that won't be changing any time soon. We'll also be releasing plenty of guides and free add-ons to fans of our Facebook page which encompass changes, such as the recent "6 Step Guide to Facebook timeline".

What does Facebook wish to achieve by creating this course?

Facebook want to see more small businesses using Facebook to reach customers and grow. A lot of recent research indicates that even those small to medium sized businesses which have a Facebook page aren't using it to engage with their customers. So it's in Facebook's interest to create training that reaches these people and shows them it isn't that hard to succeed if you know how.

What do you think sets Facebook apart from other Social Media like Twitter and Pinterest?

There are several reasons – one of the most important is scale. There are over 800 million users now and that includes 70% of internet users in the UK and US. It's estimated that 1 in 8 minutes spent online is spent on Facebook. This means that whether you like Facebook as a platform or not, your customers are already there. Users also share a lot more information about their interests and preferences on Facebook than other social networks, which makes extremely targeted advertising possible. Finally, businesses know that word-of-mouth is the most valuable form of advertising, and Facebook has features like sponsored stories which facilitate that directly.

What are the costs involved and how does the client "take" the course?

For a twelve month subscription there is a one-off cost of just £39.99, plus VAT ($59.99), which makes our training a really affordable alternative to face-to-face training courses. After purchasing via our Facebook page you take the course by installing the app on your Facebook profile. We save your progress automatically, so you can work your way through the courses by opening up the app whenever you have time.

Why do you think MindLeaders where chosen by Facebook to create this elearning app?

We were chosen because of the decades of experience we have in training millions of people across the world and the approach we take to creating successful learning experiences. Our courses are designed applying proven learning principles, with scenarios that put knowledge in a context people can relate to and activities that allow learners to immediately put new skills into practice. A central problem for Facebook was finding a way to delivering the content that users would want to engage with. We proved that we could solve that problem.

I have dipped in and out of this online course myself and have learnt a few things I wasn't aware of which is great. I found it very simple to use and you can move around it to skip bits you may already know, or start from scratch and follow simple instructions to create your Facebook business page and what to do with it from there. My thanks to Jessica Mabe at Mindleaders for the interview and the quote from Facebook too.

Management Styles - Theory X And Theory Y

Posted: 02 Apr 2012 08:54 AM PDT

Basic human needs are the fundamental aspects of human nature. Values, beliefs, and customs differ from country to country and group to group, but all people have similar needs. This is more relevant in the workplace now than ever before, especially when management style is being scrutinised, and Leadership is becoming the preferred method of empowering employees, clients, colleagues and peers. In this post, we will look at what a few of the expert Theorists have researched over the last century, and surmise how relevant some of these explorations are today.

Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs

Abraham Maslow (1908-1970) felt that basic human needs were arranged in a hierarchical order, originally shown as a 5 step pyramid. He based his theory on healthy, creative people who used all their talents, potential, and capabilities. Basic needs are physiological, such as food, water, and sleep; and psychological, such as affection, security, and self esteem. These basic needs are also called deficiency needs because if they are not met by an individual, then that person will strive to make up the deficiency.

The higher needs are called meta needs or growth needs. These include justice, goodness, beauty, order, unity, etc. Basic needs take priority over these growth needs. People who lack food or water cannot attend to justice or beauty. A need higher in the hierarchy will become a motive of behaviour as long as the needs below it have been satisfied. Unsatisfied lower needs will dominate unsatisfied higher needs and must be satisfied before the person can climb up the hierarchy.

Herzberg's Hygiene and Motivational Factors

Frederick Herzberg (1923-2000) developed a list of factors that are closely based on Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, except it is more closely related to work:

Hygiene or Dissatisfiers - Working conditions

Policies and administrative practices
Salary and Benefits
Supervision
Status
Job security
Fellow workers
Personal life

Motivators or Satisfiers - Recognition

Achievement
Advancement
Growth
Responsibility
Job challenge

Hygiene factors (dissatisfiers) must be present in the job before the motivators (satisfiers) can be used to stimulate that person. That is, you cannot use Motivators until all the Hygiene factors are met. Herzberg's needs are specifically job related and reflect some of the distinct things that people want from their work as opposed to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs which reflect all the needs in a person's life. Building on this model, Herzberg coined the term job enrichment to describe the process of redesigning work in order to build in Motivators.

McGregor's Management Styles - Theory X and Theory Y

Douglas McGregor (1906-1964) developed a philosophical view of humankind with his Theory X and Theory Y. These are two opposing perceptions about how people view human behaviour at work and organisational life.

Theory X

People have an inherent dislike for work and will avoid it whenever possible
People must be coerced, controlled, directed, or threatened with punishment in order to get them to achieve the organisational objectives
People prefer to be directed, do not want responsibility, and have little or no ambition
People seek security above all else

With Theory X assumptions, management's role is to coerce and control employees.

Theory Y

Work is as natural as play and rest
People will exercise self-direction if they are committed to the objectives
Commitment to objectives is a function of the rewards associated with their achievement
People learn to accept and seek responsibility
Creativity, ingenuity, and imagination are widely distributed among the population. People are capable of using these abilities to solve an organisational problem
People have potential

With Theory Y assumptions, management's role is to develop the potential in employees and help them to release that potential towards common goals.

So which Management style do you prefer?

Theory X is the view that traditional management has taken towards the workforce. Many organisations are now taking the enlightened view of theory Y. A boss can be viewed as taking the theory X approach, while a leader takes the theory Y approach. With the onslaught of B2B social media, and the break down of formal business approach, business is also being conducted more around Theory Y than old school Theory X.

Which Management style have you worked under in the past? Does that influence how you run your business today, and more importantly how you manage your employees?

Image: "Business man moving chess figure with team behind - strategy or leadership concept/Shutterstock"

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marți, 3 aprilie 2012