http://www.erickarofsky.com Thu, 06 Nov 2008 17:26:13 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en “Working a Room” Through Social Media Social Media personality, Gary Vaynerchuk, created an excellent video about “giving a presentation versus working a room”. My summary of the premise: Old school brands that only use display ads are limiting themselves. Traditional advertising allows only one direction – from the advertiser to the consumer. ... http://www.erickarofsky.com/2008/11/06/%e2%80%9cworking-the-room%e2%80%9d-through-social-media/ Speaking in public is exhilarating. It’s a time to demonstrate expertise. It’s a time to entertain. It’s a time to lead. It’s a time to interact with the audience. Most of all, it’s a time to have fun. The problem is that most people are terrified about speaking in public. There ... http://www.erickarofsky.com/2008/10/31/public-speaking-the-10-strategies-that-go-beyond-the-basics/ “The worst financial crisis since the great depression" seems to be the headlines these days. What should financial services companies do? Communicate, communicate, communicate! Many of the top financial services sites still have no mention, nor even a link, to their thoughts about the crisis. The media is consistently peppering the ... http://www.erickarofsky.com/2008/10/13/financial-service-companies-start-communicating/ A few thoughts on this Wachovia using Twitter. In order to be successful with Twitter, Wachovia needs a 3 prong approach. Create a site that accepts and fosters new traffic (that will come from Twitter, or other medium). It should have targeted information on the site that is conducted after ... http://www.erickarofsky.com/2008/09/17/wachovia-tests-twitters-potential-as-banking-tool/ Lehman Brothers filing for chapter 11. Merrill Lynch sold. AIG receives a lifeline from the Fed. Washington Mutual having issues. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac under government control. Bear Sterns sold. In any radically changing market, opportunities can be found. While bad credit policies and poor oversight are the common blames ... http://www.erickarofsky.com/2008/09/15/%e2%80%a6and-now-lehman-and-merrill-is-there-an-opportunity-in-the-chaos/ Conviction is the confidence necessary to convert a prospective client into an actual client, and the critical assurance to keep clients from defecting. Personal relationships between asset managers and prospects (from institutional gatekeepers to broker/dealer producers) are the main conduit to creating this conviction. Without this perceived relationship, prospects cannot “bet” ... http://www.erickarofsky.com/2008/09/11/the-5-rules-to-create-conviction-in-financial-services/ Much has been discussed about the availability of new socially oriented financial products for the retail audience, however even the very traditional institutional audience is beginning to tread into the area. The retail world offers many examples of best practices. From great sites such as Mint.com, which can organize an individual’s ... http://www.erickarofsky.com/2008/08/09/the-quarterly-earnings-call-is-passe/ We often think of Facebook, MySpace, and other online sites when discussing “Social Media”. But there are other examples too. One that recently caught my attention is a sound-art-installation called “ROUND” at the Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum. Through a wireless, hand-held device, ROUND combines real-time feedback from visitors as they walk ... http://www.erickarofsky.com/2008/07/24/social-media-as-art/ Over the past few months I’ve noticed a disturbing trend, sites are becoming less usable — only appealing to a specific segment of their audience. Marketers are so consumed with creating “brand” and “experience” that they risk creating a frustrating experience for those not considered. While tools such as Flash ... http://www.erickarofsky.com/2008/06/20/you-have-more-than-one-audience/ Who should create the news? How should it be consumed? These are questions every newspaper and news organization should be asking. It was the title of a recent presentation that I gave to several international newspaper executives where opportunities were outlined, and followed by rich discussion. Defensive postures are occurring – ones ... http://www.erickarofsky.com/2008/05/09/what-is-the-role-of-newspapers-in-the-21st-century/