IBM's 5 in 5-- five predictions about technology innovations

I am so excited about this year's 5 in 5 -- five predictions about technology innovations that will change the way we work, live and interact over the next five years. This year's 5 in 5 explores the idea that everything will learn – driven by a new era of cognitive systems that learn, reason and engage with us in a more natural and personalized way. These innovations are being made possible through advances in cloud, Big Data, analytics and learning technologies.

Tell me what you think!!!

1. The classroom will learn about you. The classroom of the future will learn about students over the course of their education, helping each student master the skills critical to meeting their goals. A system fueled by sophisticated analytics over the cloud will help teachers predict which students are most at risk, their roadblocks, and measures they can take to overcome challenges.

2.  Buying local will beat online. Savvy retailers will use the immediacy of the physical store and proximity to customers to create experiences that cannot be replicated by virtual retailers. They will magnify the digital experience by bringing the web right to where the shopper can physically touch it or the instant gratification of same-day delivery.

3. Doctors will routinely use your DNA to keep you well. Computers will help doctors understand how a tumor affects a patient down to their DNA and present a collective set of medications shown to best attack the cancer, reducing the time it takes to find the right treatment from weeks and months to days and minutes.

4. A digital guardian will protect you online. Security will become more agile and contextual based on a 360 degree view of an individual's data, devices and applications. Your digital guardian will make inferences about what's normal or reasonable activity and what's not, and be able to spot deviations that could be precursors to an attack and a stolen identity.

5.  The city will help you live in it. Smarter cities will understand how billions of events occur as computers learn in real time to understand what people need and like, what they do, and how they move from place to place. Mobile devices and social engagement will enable citizens to strike up a relationship with city leaders so their voices will be heard not only on election day, but every day.


NRF is coming! All my favorite things - social, mobile, and shopping!

Please come and join us!

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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!!!

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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!!!


"The Secret to Managing Multichannel Marketing"

I recently participated in a webinar with some top executives from SAP, Chubb Insurance, CitiMortgage and nonprofit Human Rights Campaign along with the Editor-in-Chief of Target Marketing Magazine, Thorin McGee.

We got together at the Union Club in NYC to discuss some of the questions about managing multichannel marketing in today's business environment -- utilizing the latest social tools and techniques, addressing new audiences such as Generation C and millenials, and how to stay 'connected' both internally and externally.

We're taking the topic further this week in a FREE webinar sponsored by Target Marketing, where we'll explore more on this topic, including testing new channels and using metrics to determine success. I hope you're able to join me for this free webinar on Wednesday, December 4, starting at 2:00 pm ET.

Register NOW and don't miss "The Secret to Managing Multichannel Marketing". Bring your own questions to the webinar .Click here to register!


Happy Thanksgiving Week! Give thanks for your mobile device!

Happy Monday!

Let's have some fun this Thanksgiving as there is so much to be thankful for!

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Characteristics of Mobile Leaders

I was just reading a survey completed by 601 Companies (301 Mature Countries, 300 Growth Countries) that was supported by IBM’s research partner, Oxford Economics .  It was done globally with respondents from 29 countries.

Here's the leadership characteristics for mobile leaders:

1.   Leaders build apps that unlock core business knowledge for mobile uses.  They exceled 2:1 at integrating systems with mobile and are more efficient with app security than non leaders.

2.  Leaders manage mobile optimize performance and efficiency.  They are more than 2X likely to adopt BYOD and ensure speed!

3.  Leaders use insights to engage their clients whereever they are.  They are 2x more effective at taking action from mobile data.

4.  Leaders are using mobile to transform the way they do business.   They are 2X more likely to drive strong ROI.   For example, NS Shopping transformed their customer experience with mobile and analytics technologies.


Friday Social Tip: Spend Time on Your Influencers - The 4-1-1

Spend time on your influencers!

I think this is one of the best social media tips I ever discovered.

First, a definition of an nfluencer.  An influencer is someone who influences the rest of the clients and potential clients online and offline, usually about 15% to 20% of your followers or fans!

I discovered this concept in a book by Andrew Davis, author of Brandscaping,  The 4-1-1 (for your informtion!) is a way to show value and care to your social influencers.

This concept says that if you communicate 6 things socially, 4 of those 6, or 67% should be showcasing content from your influencers.   The other items you should be showcasing are your Point of View or Subject Matter Expertise .  The other could be something that is more sales oriented.

Complements of Joe Pulizzi here is a great visual of what this concept is!

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Social Selling! Best Practice of Engagement!

Have a great cup of coffee and enjoy this week's Social Business Coffee Break!

Today we are continuing our series on Social Selling.  Thank you so much for the great response to date!

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