I am taking a class on Social Media Marketing at BCIT. We had a question posed to the class this week regarding whether or not we felt that blogging should be important to companies. In my opinion, the answer is YES! Why not separate yourself form the competition?
Although blogging can take a lot of time, I feel it is a valuable tool for any industry and something they should partake in.
1. Blogs give you some insight to what a brand is really about and what it stands for.
Myself as a consumer, I am more apt to purchase something from a company that I know about and aligns with my interests in values. For example, I am a fan of Lululemon. Not only because I like their products, but because they give me information on things that are of interest to me on their blog.
2. Relational Marketing
Blogs are an easy way to communicate with your target audience. I don't want to be blasted with advertisements constantly. However, post an article that interests me and ask my opinion? I'd be flattered and more than happy to offer my two cents.
3. Blogs are cheap
By cheap, I mean inexpensive. The only large cost associated with blogs is the time it takes to create insightful content and respond to those who hopefully engage with you. Companies spend thousands of dollars pushing a single advertisement out hoping to get a single message across. Why not get your message across constantly? Makes sense to me!
4. Blogs are great for SEO
Blogs are great for giving companies an increased presence on search engine rankings and driving traffic to company websites.
Do you read company blogs that are of interest to you? Any in the fitness and health industry that you could recommend? I would love to hear from you.
I have been a member of Steve Nash Fitness clubs for a number of years (formerly Fitness World). I tend to use the gym when the weather is poor, which I suppose, is right about now.
There seems to be a lot of competition in the fitness club industry in Vancouver and surrounding area. We have seen a lot of new facilities popping up all over the place, some offering very competitive prices. So, I decided to see were my gym fit in among the masses. What are people saying about Steve Nash Fitness?
To figure this out, I took to social media. There are a number of social media tracking tools available to not only see what Steve Nash Fitness Clubs are saying to us, but what and how we feel about them.
I started off using Addict-o-matic which is a free search tool that combines your search over a whole plethora of social media platforms, such as blogs, Twitter, YouTube, etc.
Addict-o-matic gave me some good insight as where to start and where their social media presence was. Being that Steve Nash is a prominent athlete, I did end up receiving a bunch of results that were not really relevant to my search on the fitness facilities.
I really liked the layout of this app as everything was very clear to read and easy to navigate through.
Next, I moved on to Social Mention. This site is pretty cool. This site not only gathers information on your search on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, but also picks up content from blogs. Social Mention also shows you stats of keywords, platforms and the top hashtags used. It also attempts to rate sentiment. Once again, because of the chatter of Steve Nash, the athlete, a lot of the results were irrelevant but it was not difficult to filter out.
I went on to explore Boardreader to see what people were saying about the gyms in Vancouver to see where my gym ranked. This is neat tool for anyone looking for any specific threads on discussion boards. You just plug in your keywords and it pulls all of the results for you.
At the end of the day, here is a sample of what people had to say regarding Steve Nash Fitness.
I looked at what people were saying to try to get a feel for how my gym was doing in the big scheme of things. For each comment, I used a ranking system. (-1 for negative, 0 for neutral, +1 for positive.
I do tend to believe that people tend to complain more than they do boast on social media so I take everything with a grain of salt. For this exercise, however, I am looking to see what problems people are having with my gym and what Steve Nash is willing to do about it. For the most part, the company did respond to all complaints.
Here is a summary and you can find the comments/conversations below.
What do you think about Steve Nash Fitness Clubs? Do you belong to a gym that you would recommend? If so, why? I would love to hear from you!
On September 12, 2013, Noble Biomaterials Inc. announced a global strategic alliance with Lululemon Athletica Canada Inc. The partnership gives Lululemon exclusive use of Noble's X-STATIC antimicrobial technology into their sought after performance wear.
Noble's X-STATIC is made with almost one hundred percent metallic silver and is woven directly into the garment providing permanent odour protection. It is said that it will not come out, even after having being washed. It is the same material that has been integrated into Lululemon's Silverescent fabric for a number of years. More information on the "Anti Stink" ingredient can be found on the x-static site.
This exclusive partnership will help Lululemon in keeping the competitive advantage when it comes to 'Anti Stink' workout gear.
Quotes:
"lululemon has worked with Noble for nearly a decade to differentiate our products and we welcome the opportunity to solidify this partnership" said Christine Day, CEO of lululemon.
Running has many benefits, so it's no wonder that you want to start. However, to many running can seem like a daunting task.
To help you get off on the right foot, I have compiled a list of my Top 10 tips that will help you on your way. Please feel free to add your running tips in the comments section below!
1. Get Proper Running Shoes
I cannot stress this enough. It is extremely important that your running shoes fit you properly or you will be prone to injuries. I recommend going to a running store and have them find you a running shoe. Many specialty running stores will provide free gait analysis and will be able to determine whether or not you are an underpronater, overpronater or neutral.. Shop for comfort first, style second. I mean it, Google 'Improper Fitting Running Shoes' and you will see what I'm talking about. Ew.
2. Slow and Steady wins the Race
Don't be embarrassed that you are not stepping foot out of the door and crushing world records. Running takes a lot of training and time for your body to adjust. Start slow and listen to your body. I suggest starting with a Run/Walk program As time goes on, you will be able to run for longer. There are many free online training programs that can get you started.
3. Set Goals and Objectives
Runners are normally chasing after a goal. We are all trying for a new PR (personal record). As a new runner, it is important to set goals and objectives to keep you motivated and keep you accountable. So pick something that is motivating you such as running for half an hour, or completing your first 5 Km.
4. Stretch
Many people do not take the time to stretch properly and it can lead to injuries and post run soreness. I have been guilty of this habit in the past. Make sure that your muscles are warm and that you stretch gently.
5. Drink Up
Remember to stay hydrated. Drink water or a sports drink like Gatorade before and after your runs. For longer distances, have drinks accessible to keep you going.
6. Hills Are a Good Thing
I'm serious! Don't you roll your eyes at me. Hills are a great way of conditioning your body, working out your butt and increasing your speed. Try incorporating a little bit of hill work on your easier run days.
7. Eliminate Excuses
There are going to be days where you do not want to go for a run. It could be the weather, bad day, anything. You need to push through that because once you do it, you know you will be glad that you did.
8. Get a Good Playlist
Music can keep you distracted from the physical effort of running and push you to go further than without. More information on this topic can be found in this post.
9. Stay Safe Kids
This seems obvious but I am still amazed at the things I see some runners do. Run against the traffic. If you are running early in the morning or at night, wear bright, reflective clothing. If you are listening to music, make sure that you can still hear what is going on in your surroundings.
10. Give it a Rest
You wouldn't go to they gym everyday and work out the same part of your body everyday, would you? Give your body a rest day from running. Do some yoga or nothing at all. Your body deserves a break.
I hope this post gives you some insight and inspiration to get you up and running!
I need to run to music. There is no doubt about it.
I play music and dance in the shower. I attempt to sing while I am brushing my teeth (which is not a pretty sight). It is no surprise that I incorporate music into my exercise regimen.
The question is "Why do I feel that I need to run with music?"
My trusty iPod is what gets me through just one more kilometer, or one more set of weights.
I have a dedicated playlist on my iPod that I so cleverly named "Run". It contains roughly five hours of continuous play of music that is set at around 169 bpm (beats per minute). The songs on this playlist help me keep my pace.
If you are interested in making your own playlist, I found a cool site called jog.fm. You just plug in your pace and it will provide you with some recommendations, try it out!
What about you? What keeps you moving? I would love to hear your song recommendations to add to my playlist! Just click on the post title and leave your comments below.
As you know, I had taken a hiatus as I refer to it, from working out. This stemmed from a two week vacation where I was more focused on relaxing, than anything else.
I admit, that it was a little difficult to get back into. My runs have not been as long, or pace as fast as they were prior to my vacation.
Still, as soon as I get outside and start running, I forget all of that. I am able to clear my head and think things through.
I am fortunate to live a couple of blocks from Mundy Park, in Coquitlam, BC. If you live nearby, I recommend spending a day there with your family. There is an outdoor pool, Frisbee golf, a small lake and numerous walking/running trails.
The running trails are a nice easy run, with fairly mild hills. There is enough to keep your heart rate up, while keeping pace.
It was the perfect weather this morning for a run! The sun was out, but the cooler early October chill has set in ever so slightly.
My pace was not as great today as it has been in previous similar runs. I only managed 8km, with an average pace of 6:20/km. Nevertheless, my shoes felt great and were having a good time, and that's the main thing. I know that each run will get easier and my pace and distance will once again, start to increase.
The only downfall with my run this morning was the bees. They are in that weird state where they are acting all dopey and unpredictable. Do you know what I mean? They seem to have this whole "I'm going down and taking you out with me!" kind of attitude. However, my speed did seem to increase in their presence, so maybe that's the ticket?
I hope you are all enjoying this lovely Fall weather as much as I am and I look forward to hearing from you soon.
I am currently taking a class on Social Media Marketing and the importance of transparency came up. Why is it important for an organization to be transparent in social media?
Transparency is about building trust and showing your agenda to the people in which you are communicating with.
As a consumer, this really got me thinking. How do I know who is being transparent and who is hiding something from me?
I was interested in trying out the Insanity workout DVD's that you have probably seen on late night infomercials. Do you know the ones I'm talking about? They come on when you're sitting on the couch in the dark, halfway through a bag of chips... or is that just me?
The price of these DVD's are expensive as far as I'm concerned and I wanted to do some research to weigh the pros and cons to see if this workout was for me. As I read numerous blogs and reviews, I became further confused. Half of the positive reviews came from people designating themselves as a "Team Beachbody Coach" and to order directly off their site.
As I dug into it, Team Beachbody offers a program, in which you become a coach and share the Team Beachbody story, in return they will offer that coach discounts and incentives.
Were their reviews of the Insanity workout honest? Or just manufactured so that I would like what I read and buy from them?
In my opinion, if I have uncertainty, then this person or company is not being transparent enough. If they had told me "Hey, I believe in this product, it changed my life and if you would be so kind to order from me I get 25% off my next DVD bundle.." Sure, I would order from them. No harm in helping someone else out. This wasn't the case in my online search. So, I ordered directly from the site.
We, as consumers do not want to feel like we are being lied to or used in any way, and why should we have to?
Many companies get themselves into trouble by not being transparent enough. Do you remember what happened with Lululemon and their sheer luon pants? They announced that they were recalling certain styles of their black luon pants because they were too sheer. They initially encouraged consumers who may have purchased these pants to come into their stores and bend over in front of an associate to determine if the pants were in fact, too transparent.
I have more pairs of Lululemon pants than my credit card bill and I would like to admit, so this announcement definitely made me nervous. Why would they not tell me what style was affected? I went home that day, tried each pair on and bent over in front of a mirror just to make sure. Thanks Lulu, for wasting my time.
The recall landed them in some hot water with a lot of consumers. Not necessarily because it happened, but how it was handled.
I came upon an interesting blog from Sprout Content that gets a little deeper into the story:
Bottom line is that if Lululemon were more transparent and forthcoming about what was going on, they could have saved themselves a lot of trouble. Tell us the styles that were affected, apologize and offer us a quick and convenient way of reimbursement, that's all we were asking for! We probably would have given them kudos for being upfront about it.
I suppose, they could've gone the other way and have been too transparent. However, I don't think that the following tactics would have helped their brand image:
Dear Consumer,
It seems as though we may have let a few batches of our popular luon pants get through to retail without proper quality assurance. We are now panicking as we are nearing our quarter end and will not be able to hit our targets that we proposed to our shareholders. In an effort to minimize our profit loss, we ask that we please review each pair of pants to see if there is anything salvageable. We thank you for your patronage and oh yeah, do one thing a day that scares you.
It looks as though that there is a very fine line when it comes to transparency in businesses and social media. I think that every company should take a look inside themselves and know where that line is and what is ultimately best for their company and their reputation.
In the end, I think they recovered nicely. They ended up owning up to their mistake and made changes in their company that were necessary to hopefully correct the situation moving forward.
I did have a pair of Wunder Unders that were under recall. I returned them to the store and Lululemon was great, they issued me a gift card immediately, with no questions asked. I am still a fan of Lululemon and I hope that they learned a valuable lesson from all of this.
What are your thoughts on how this was handled? Did your opinion of them change? Do you feel that it is important that companies are transparent in their social media marketing strategies?
Let me know your thoughts! Click on the post title and leave your comments below.
I tried to ignore them. Me? Lazy? My iPod agreed and I knew they were right, although I was a little annoyed that iPod was taking their side.
I've been lazy when it comes to my running and working out lately. I was doing really well, working out almost everyday, running and eating right. A couple of weeks ago, I went to Maui. It turns out that I can do other things really well, such as sit around while the sun sets, eating chicken wings and drinking beer! I came back from vacation and jumped back into work and have completely neglected my running shoes. I need to get back into the swing of things.
That's where this blog comes in.
I figure if I created a blog, that it would hold me accountable. It would force me to get out there and go for some long runs, or try a new fitness craze so that I would have something to write about and share my experiences. It is also going to be a placeholder for all of my favourite articles, honest product reviews and healthy recipe ideas to keep me fuelled and engaged.
To start getting back on track, I'm going to dust off myNurtribullet and get back to eating healthy.
The beauty of the Nutribullet vs. other juicers is that it's really easy to use and to clean. I don't need to spend a lot of time chopping vegetables and fruit to have my smoothie. This suits me just fine because right now, I've been deemed lazy. I just throw it all in and turn it on, done! The Nutribullet basically breaks down everything in a few seconds, I unscrew the cup from the base and voila, delicious smoothie. We bought ours about six months ago and we use it constantly. A lot of my friends and family who have tried it have also bought one of their own. For those of you who haven't bought one yet, spoiler alert... Happy Birthday! You'll never guess what I got you!
Today's super food smoothie looks a little something like this:
1/2 Cup of Spinach 1/2 banana 1/4 apple, cored Strawberries, hulled blueberries blackberries sprinkle of chia seeds
That's it, just throw it all in the cup and add water to the MAX fill line. Trust me, they say Max fill line for a good reason! Too much water and it's not a fun clean up process.
Now all you need to do is twist the cup into the base and turn it on for a few seconds.
That's it, easy and delicious!
So, here goes. I have done the first step and have created this blog. I will put on my running shoes and get back to you with my experiences. If you have any motivational tips or smoothie recipes, I would love to hear from you.
