Show me your new social app at Connect 2014!
IBM Connect 2014 is right around the corner!
One of my favorite events at IBM Connect is the App Throwdown! It’s a lively, energizing event where IBM business partners can showcase their social business applications.
The audience votes in the qualifying rounds and three companies progress to the main stage at Connect, where they will demo their integration to an audience of thousands!
I love the audience participation and interaction. It’s inspiring to see how our ecosystem partners have created innovative integrations that can deliver real value to customers. Our ecosystem is critical and the App Throwdown is a great opportunity to highlight our partner solutions to our customers and to our IBM sellers. I can’t wait to see what our partner community will develop next!
This year, I’ll be co-hosting with Nigel Beck, VP Business Development in IBM Collaboration Solutions.
Make sure to apply to participate in the App Throwdown by submitting a video link of your integration here. This year YOU could join us on the main stage!
Hope to see you there!
Country music has all (3 of) the Social Business Answers! Crowdsource more!
Country music has all the Social Business Answers!
Yes, I confess, I LOVE country music. How could you not living in Texas? I two-stepped my way through a good part of my life! As I was crooning to some tunes today, I noticed that country songs really teach great social lessons.
Top 3 Lessons From Country Songs and lyrics!
1. Blame it all on my roots, showed up in my boots.
This lesson is all about being real. Yes, I have shown up to a wedding in hidden cowboy boots! In Social, you need to showcase your brand's personality. You can’t buy attention anymore. Having a huge budget doesn’t mean anything in social media…The old paradigm was pay to play. Now you get back what you authentically put in. You’ve got to be willing to play to play. To really do well in Social, you must be Authenticate. Wear your boots!!!
2. If the Phone Don't Ring, It's Me Not Calling You Up
Be an active participant. Those who comment are looking for information and engagement. Engagement with your active participants is about pulling them into more active involvement with your brand. An Active participant is someone that comments, rates, or authors content in a social networking system on a regularly basis. By communicating with these important folks regularly , you can build your brand army. Your brand army is a group of unpaid and paid advocates (that is, your employees!) that engage on behalf of your brand is invaluable. So ring that phone and answer! Do both!
3, Love Me Like My Dog Does.
Yes, your dog loves you no matter what! They engage you --- and jump up and down if you just walk in the door. How do you respond to your clients? What's your engagement and connection? Your emotional connection with your client or employee usually created by exceptional experiences that are integrated, interactive and identifying. A Social Business connects people to expertise. It connects individuals whether customers, partners or employees as networks of people to generate new sources of innovation, foster creativity, and establish greater reach and exposure to new business opportunities. It establishes a foundational level of trust across these business networks and thus a willingness to openly share information, developing a deeper sense of loyalty among customers and employees. It empowers these networks with the collaborative, gaming and analytical tools needed to engage each other and creatively solve business challenges.
I know there are more! Share another one with me while I 2-step away!!!
Holiday Shopping Trends Leverage Mobile, Social
Happy Social Business Coffee Break! Today we will focus on the season's fun of shopping -- discussing the latest trends from Black Friday, CyberMonday, and shopping for the holidays!!!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrvS9VJ-4dg&feature=youtu.be]
36 Rules of Social Media Infographic!
As you guys know, Saturday is my posting of my favorite infographic!!!
This one has great quotes and insights on Social! ENJOY!
Social Business Video Blog on becoming a Social Business Bank!
I get a lot of questions on what does Social look like in a bank. We have shared many banking references where a bank has started their their journey to become a Social Business. In past IBM Connect Events, TD Bank, GAD and others have presented their journey!
Since this is a journey, we pulled together a view of what a Social Business based Bank would look like. We created Open Financial Network, a simulated world class bank, demonstrates the power of providing customers and employees with exceptional digital experiences. Experiences that are relevant, intimate, social, drive real value and keep them engaged - anytime, anywhere.
I'd love your thoughts!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aMkkFHmQLMw&feature=youtu.be]
BYOD, BYOC, and BYOA?! Coming in 2014?!
I just read several articles discussing the bring your own device (BYOD).
Bring your own device (BYOD) is an IT policy where employees are allowed or encouraged to use their personal mobile devices — and, increasingly, notebook PCs — to access enterprise data and systems. There are four basic options, which allow:
- Unlimited access for personal devices.
- Access only to non-sensitive systems and data.
- Access, but with IT control over personal devices, apps and stored data.
- Access, but prevent local storage of data on personal devices.
Benefits of bring your own device
Increased productivity and innovation: Employees are more comfortable with a personal device and become expert using it — making them more productive. Personal devices tend to be more cutting-edge, so the enterprise benefits from the latest features. Also users upgrade to the latest hardware more frequently.
Employee satisfaction: Your people use the devices they have chosen and invested in — rather than what was selected by IT. 83 percent of users considered their mobile device more important than their morning cup of coffee. Allowing employees to use personal devices also helps them avoid carrying multiple devices.
Cost savings: BYOD programs sometimes save budget by shifting costs to the user, with employees paying for mobile devices and data services. However, this often results in little to no savings, so do not base your decision primarily on anticipated savings.
Beyond BYOD --- are we headed to BYOC or BYOA?
So are we headed to Bring your own Cloud(BYOC) and Bring your own Apps (BYOA) ? With the API Economy, we may well be off in these directions as well!!!
Out of touch = Out of luck in business in 2014. Favorite 11 Tweets! #getrealchat
I was on a #getrealchat last night (they happen every Tuesday night at 9PM!), and loved some of the comments about what is coming in 2014!!
Here's my Top 11 Favorites!
1. Social raises the stakes. A crap customer experience is consumed as quickly as your ads are.
2. Social can amplify your service - at the same time as building advocates for your business. companies will teach employees to be social ambassadors. <-Yes a must happen!
3. 73% of CEOs say SOCIAL will be their #1 form of engagement experience in 2014..
4. Social gives power to the People! Makes the client more relevant!!
5. The battle is over, Mobile has won. Too many times I can get it faster via mobile in store than I can from a sales rep in store.
6. We'll see predictive social customer support in 2014 -- and it is called Waton!!!!
7. Social footprints will be used everywhere for recruiting, client support and more. 45% of our 2013 hires came social, old school hiring is dying fast Get ready!
8. Consumers can't browse every blog or newspaper available to decide what to read. Influencers will help guide their attention.
9. Before you get to big data, you need to manage your little data. We produce as much info in two days as all of the information ever produced up until 2003.
10. Great employee engagement leads to great client engagement. You cannot continue to be a great org externally if you don’t become a great org internally
11. Know your customer more than you know your klout score. ;) Focus where it matters.
In honor: My brief encounter with Mandela lasted a lifetime
I have met many "famous" people but none that have touched me like Mandela.
It was just a fleeting moment really --- I was with a key group that had traveled to South Africa. Since I was supporting a very important person from the US that was scheduled to meet with Mandela, I was told to stay in the background during the meeting. I was allowed to go into the room to learn and listen.
But I was pleasantly surprised when he didn't let me stay in the background but shook my hand and asked me some questions! His smile and demeanor made you feel like you mattered.
In that short instance, I realized what greatness really meant. Making everyone feel like they matter, listening, and leading.
He touched my life in 5 minutes or less. Whose life have you touched? Nelson Mandela once said, "It always seems impossible until it is done."
You can make a difference! Do the impossible!
Top Spots for Entrepreneurs - An Infographic
I now have responsibility for IBM's Global entrepreneur program. This program is extraordinary and focuses on helping start-ups grow to their full potential.
I was researching and found this infographic on the hot spots!
What I thought was interesting was that Chile has the highest percentage of female entrepreneurs and that those in Singapore work more hours than those in Silicon Valley.
Now, my current City of Residence, NYC, is rated #5 in the world!
Tell me your thoughts on this space!!! Sandy
Open up to Client Influence the Social Way!
Happy Monday! This coffee break is dedicated to those companies who always put the client first!
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CF9DwAiDPZY&feature=youtu.be]