Why B2B SMEs should embrace Social Media.

Posted on September 17, 2010 by admin

With the prevalence in the usage of social networking, more and more businesses are jumping onto the social media bandwagon by building a presence on platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

One might think that building a presence on social media might make sense for Business-to-Consumer (B2C) companies, but why do Business-to-Business (B2B) companies and especially Small Medium Enterprises (SME) need to be on social media?

A common stigma among many B2B SME companies is that social media would only be relevant when businesses target young people, and for business set-ups such as theirs, social media is probably irrelevant to their business strategies, thus they would think that investing the additional time and resources to develop marketing strategies based on social media is unnecessary.

A simple logic that would appeal to B2B SMEs is that when social networking sites like Friendster and Facebook started becoming popular in 2003, it was mainly the young people varying from students to young working adults that were active in social networking.

Seven years on, many of these students have already graduated and started working and most of the young working adults have either climbed higher up the corporate ladder to become important decision-makers. Some have even started their own businesses.

The point is, most of them remained active in social networking despite advancements in their life, thus we can perceive that many of today’s professionals and major business decision holders are active users of social media. Thus what better ways are there to reach out to them other than through social media?

Below are some practical ways in which B2B SMEs can effectively utilize Social Media to enhance their business strategies.

Using of Facebook and LinkedIn Targeted ad options
Businesses could leverage on ad options available on Facebook and LinkedIn to target specific age groups, genders and industries. Options like this suit B2B companies as their target clients are usually more specific as compared to B2C businesses.

Using of LinkedIn to search and connect with prospective clients
Let’s say your company is offering a new service and you need to consolidate contacts from various industries to promote the service, what you need to do on LinkedIn is simply key the specific industry into the search term and you will have a list of professionals which you can connect with and eventually touch base.

Instead of making phone calls to prospects which at times might not be appropriate as they could be busy and also risk the chance of intimidating them, why not send a private message to their inbox on LinkedIn? By doing this, you allow your prospects to have time to think about your message and eventually if the need for your services arise, they could revisit that message and make the contact with you. Moreover, you could potentially reach out to much more prospects in a shorter amount of time using LinkedIn than other traditional methods such as cold calling.

Searching for prospects from your own friend list
On a more casual note, you can also explore your own friends on Facebook; generally most people would have an average of 200 – 300 friends on their Facebook friend list and a fraction of them are probably acquaintances which they rarely keep in touch with.

So here comes the opportunity; one of the best tools that Facebook has implemented is the live chat function which allows a real-time live chat experience. You could use it to engage with your acquaintances in casual and yet fruitful conversations when you see them online; you will be surprised that some of your acquaintance might require services that your business offers and vice-versa, some of them might even turn out to be viable candidates that your company is searching for to fill up a particular job position.

The right time to go on social media
Some B2B companies are still wondering when is the right time to jump on the social media bandwagon. The best time is now, considering the potential opportunities that it could bring to their businesses.

Posted in Social Media | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Singapore forms strategic futures network to discuss emerging risks

Posted on September 15, 2010 by admin

With an aim to facilitate discussions of emerging issues and risks, and sharing experiences of foresight projects and programmes, the Singapore government recently formed a strategic futures network which involves the deputy secretaries from all government ministries and is chaired by the Head of Civil Service.

A support structure such as this would give Singapore government officers the space and opportunities to test their ideas and learn from one another.

Senior Minister and Coordinating Minister for National Security, Professor S Jayakumar said ”having identified potential risks and challenges, the next step was to translate them into resilience frameworks, structures and processes”.

He also added “A number of Inter-Ministry Committees have also been set up to coordinate efforts across several domains, including aviation security, maritime security, land transport security, cyber security, critical infrastructure protection, and securing sensitive material.”

Senior Minister Jayakumar had also acknowledged that he worries from time to time about fatigue and complacency setting in, as there were no easy solutions to this and there was always a price to pay for sustaining vigilance on a continuing basis.

He concluded “In the area of building resilience, one can never do enough. No one would wish for our resilience to be tested, but in the face of an uncertain future and strategic challenges, we have to stand prepared for the worst,”

Source [Channel News Asia]

Posted in Current Affairs | 2 Comments

Considering colors for your multilingual website

Posted on September 13, 2010 by admin

Written by Kartika Angkawijaya, Assistant Team Lead, Information Technology at Verztec Consulting Pte Ltd

When it comes to preparing for a multilingual website, one of the most important aspects to consider would be color; color is seen as a universal language that communicates feelings and beyond that it also represents different meanings in different cultures. Thus it is essential to understand the meaning of colors in their localized context.

In this article we will revisit the three primary colors: Red, Green and Blue, most of you are probably familiar with these colors, but you may be surprised by what they can mean.

Red
In Europe, it represents danger i.e traffic signs, love (hearts) and excitement (for sale signs).

In China, red is the traditional bridal color, it is also associated with other positive traits such as Good Luck, Celebration, Happiness, Joy, Vitality and Long life.

In places like Japan it represents life.

From a design perspective, red can be a powerful accent color, but it can have an overwhelming effect if it’s used too much in designs, especially in its purest form.

It’s a great color to use when portraying power or passion in a design. Red can also be a very versatile color, with brighter versions being more energetic and darker shades being more powerful and elegant.

Green
In the Chinese culture, it represents Exorcism and the term “Wearing a green hat” is used when a man’s wife is cheating on him.

It represents Hope in the Islamic culture – the cloak of the prophet was thought to be green and virtue – only those of perfect faith can wear green.

Green is a symbolic color for countries such as Ireland, and in other western cultures some associations are Spring, New birth, Go, Safety, Environmental Awareness, Saint Patrick’s Day. It also a representation of Money in the USA;

In design, green can have a balancing and harmonizing effect. It’s appropriate for designs related to wealth, stability, renewal and nature.

Brighter greens are more energizing and vibrant, while olive greens are more representative of the natural world. Dark greens are the most stable and representative of affluence.

Overall, green gives a modest feel of earth, beginnings and growth. Green is great choice to be used in design that is related with nature, processes in development or money. Similarly, darker tones represent reliability and lighter tone can be used to portray a feeling of energy.

Blue
In the European culture, Blue represents a soothing feeling, “something blue” and also bridal traditions.

For the Native Americans, it spells trouble as blue is a color associated with defeat.

In Middle Eastern cultures, it represents protection and also mourning in Iran.

Blue is also considered a holy color for many beliefs,

  • Judaism – represent holiness
  • Christianity – represent the color of Christ
  • Catholicism – the color of Mary’s robe
  • Hinduism – the color of Krishna
  • China – represents Immortality

Of the members of the primary colors alongside Red, Blue has two different meanings. One is associated with negative emotions like dullness or sadness. While the other one represents more positive traits like strength, reliability, calmness or responsibility.

From a design perspective, lighter blue tones can be refreshing and friendly, while darker blues are often used as corporate colors, symbolizing reliability.

Therefore, different shades of blue convey different meanings or provide a new perspective for the readers.

Source [Crystal-cure, Sibagraphics and Smashing Magazine]

Posted in Global Content Management | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Create a Car Decal Contest

Posted on September 9, 2010 by admin

In conjunction with the launch of our Facebook Page, We are organizing a Create a Car Decal Contest, first we need a tagline that would be used for our company’s car decal and from now till 10th October 2010 we are giving you the chance to send us a creative and catchy tagline. If your tagline gets chosen for our car decal you will stand to win S$200 in cash!!! Alternatively, you can also choose to have us donate the S$200 cash to a charity organization of your choice.

This tagline will be based according to the theme “Communicating across Languages and Cultures”.

So what are you waiting for, put on your thinking caps and send us a tagline now.
visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/verztec for more details.

Posted in Verztec | Leave a comment

The importance of effective brand localization

Posted on September 6, 2010 by admin

Over the last few decades or so, we have seen how radically connected the world has become as a result of globalization of the world economy which has bought about greater benefits in terms of economics, politics and many other sectors.

This globalization movement has thus set the stage for an increasing number of firms to expand and establish their presence internationally, however when businesses venture into foreign markets, they are usually faced with the tough challenge of adaptation as product names and marketing messages might become meaningless or even offensive after translation into a different language.

An example of what happens when global branding goes wrong would be the case of Pepsi. When Pepsi entered the Chinese markets, they discovered that their slogan “Come Alive with the Pepsi Generation” was literally translated in Chinese as “Pepsi brings your ancestors back from the dead” and as “Come out of the grave with Pepsi”.

Examples of such blunders are endless, but it all boils down to the same point: there is a need for businesses to be communicating clear and precise messages that convey the true meaning of the original text.

Therefore before further expansion into their target markets, it is imperative for businesses to have effective brand localization strategies through the understanding of the target market’s language and culture, as it is illogical to market products and services through extravagant campaigns if consumers across the globe cannot understand the message being brought across.

Below are some fundamental practices that businesses should adhere to before going any further with their marketing strategies.

Anticipating and Highlighting potential pitfalls
By anticipating and highlighting potential pitfalls that are based on cultural difference, it allows businesses to carefully select messages to communicate what the brand stands for in the context of the target markets.

Conducting Cultural Analysis
A cross cultural analysis allows businesses to examine essential cultural elements such as values, norms and artefacts of the target markets.

Ensure that the product is properly localized for the target market
Last but not least; businesses should ensure that their products are properly localized to suit the target markets before officially releasing the products itself.

“To develop any content for today’s global multicultural audience requires accounting for linguistic and cultural difference from the very inception of the product to the very end of distribution”
- Tom Edward of Multilingual

With consumer demands becoming more diversified with a wider variety of choices, it is thus essential for businesses to implement effective brand localization strategies based on the different markets to cater to their target audiences; this would in turn enable businesses to acquire the competitive advantage in their target markets, ensuring that consumer experience is consistent across all languages and most importantly achieving global success for their brands and services.

Posted in Global Content Management | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

YouTube expands it’s global reach with more languages

Posted on September 3, 2010 by admin

Google’s YouTube recently expanded its global reach when they further localized their site in four more languages.

With this move,YouTube and Google have signified the importance of web localization as they seek to provide a local experience for its increasing number of non-English speaking users from all over the world.

This latest additions include Croatian, Filipino, Serbian and Slovak, making it a grand total of 28 languages available on YouTube.

[Source:Wired.com]

Posted in Global Content Management | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Social Networking: A New Solution for Global Success

Posted on September 1, 2010 by admin

Planning to expand your business overseas? First things first, you would probably need to conduct a thorough social and cultural research on your target markets before you actually venture further, but how are you going to do that? Well, there’s the World Wide Web, but isn’t there simply too much information to start with, not to mention the issues on credibility. All of these are stumbling blocks which might prevent you from venturing further.

But the good news for businesses is that we’re living in the era of social media; more specifically social networking; which is fundamentally shifting the way the world communicates and how we look at information, with the advent of social networking sites, this new movement has paved the way for businesses to connect, engage and listen to real people on a global scale.

One name that is instantly associated with social networking is Facebook. Having only started in 2004 as an internal university network, it grew exponentially in the next couple of years. Presently, it offers more than 70 different translations and has recently hit 500 million registered users.

But before you start planning extravagant strategies using Facebook, it’s wiser to have an overview of the other social networks out there, especially the dominant social media networking sites in your target markets. Even though Facebook is generally the most popular social networking site in the world, a host of similar social networking sites still dominate the local social networking scenes in some of the most populous nations in the world.

Take China for instance, the most populous nation in the world. Its social networking scene is being dominated by QQ and Renren, with QQ boasting an astronomical number of 300 million users and counting.

Although Google’s Orkut never seemed to have hit off in most parts of the world, it is the number one social networking site in Brazil, which is listed in the fifth most populated nation in the world. Orkut was also previously the number one social networking site in India (2nd most populous nation in the world), but according to statistics from comscore, Facebook had recently overtaken them as number one in India.

In the far eastern world, Mixi is the number one social networking tool in Japan and in South Korea, the crown belongs to Cyworld.

In Russia, the scene is dominated by a few local names with Vkontakte heading the pack with Mail and Fotostrana coming close behind.

Another competitor of Facebook, Hi-5; leads the charge in countries such as Mexico, Peru, Romania and Portugal.

Friendster who has lost its leadership position to Facebook, still holds a strong social presence in South East Asian countries like Indonesia and the Philippines.

According to statistics from socialnomics.com, 78% of consumers trust peer recommendations and only 14% trust advertisements. Businesses can now look into leveraging on the prevalent usage of social networking sites as a tool for analyzing social and cultural trends of their target markets.

The revolution of these social networking sites has certainly helped to erase borders and allow people from around the world to be easily connected, making the world a much smaller place.

Such is its ease of use that anyone with basic or little computer knowledge can easily sign up for membership on any of the available social networking sites and place their profile online for the whole world to see.

In terms of cost, it is perhaps the most cost effective platform out there for businesses to utilize as the cost of joining any social networking site and creating a business profile is usually free or at a low cost

With the participants of social networking sites being expected to grow even more exponentially in the next few years, the potential of social networking looks promising; considering the significant opportunities and the extent of its reach, businesses can tap on social networking sites to help expand their global presence.

[Source: Cindy King, Brain Solis - Engage]

Posted in Social Media | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Speak their language

Posted on August 30, 2010 by admin

Written by Valencia Seah, Copywriter at Verztec Consulting Pte Ltd. This article appeared on CATS Recruit in The Straits Times dated Monday 30th August 2010.

In today’s world where information is literally at one’s fingertips, a website is a basic necessity for businesses and organizations. Companies who have set their sights on foreign markets, where English is not always the first language will soon realize that having a multilingual website is the most crucial prerequisite.

This article brings you up to speed with 8 excellent reasons.

1 ‐ Foreign markets are golden gooses in the making
Research carried out by Nielsen Netratings  described  foreign  internet  markets  as  “low-hanging fruit,” that is, with foresight and willpower, one can generate considerable revenue with relatively little effort.

The studies revealed that internet use in the traditional strong holds of the USA, Germany, the UK and Sweden has reached a plateau. On the other hand, in  countries  where English is not the native language such as  France,  Hong Kong,  Italy  and   Japan,  internet use is increasing exponentially.

As Kaizad Gotla, senior analyst at Nielsen Netratings states, “The  easiest opportunities  are in countries where internet usage patterns and user/site relationships are less  established. Acquiring users in markets that are currently in their growth stages  will  lead to a loyal user base that will pay dividends for internet companies in the future.”

2 ‐ Be the leader of the pack
Think outside the box if you want to get ahead in today’s competitive environment. Differentiate  your business from your competitors’. If they do not have multilingual websites, step up and take the lead. Establish your company or brand abroad before they do so. Eventually, companies without multilingual websites will have to contend with competitors who do. It is hardly surprising that customers would choose the website of the competitor that literally “speaks their language”.

3 ‐ Your website is your window to the world
The cost of localizing your website into another language is nominal compared with the returns you could gain. A multilingual website will bring an influx of new customers. By having your site accessible to potentially hundreds of thousands of people, you are showcasing your company across the world. For non‐English speaking users looking for your product or service, you automatically capture their attention.

4 ‐ Give your brand international presence
Having the ability to communicate to a whole new international audience in their own language will deliver results not only in the financial sense but also in terms of marketing and creating awareness of your brand, your range of services and products. A multilingual website is certainly one of the most cost effective ways of marketing your company, capturing new users, building relationships with new clients and giving your brand an international presence. Image is everything. A multilingual website demonstrates you think, work and deal across cultures and across borders.

5 ‐ Put in the personal touch
A multilingual website, if designed properly, overcomes potential cultural barriers through
allowing access in the local language. This immediately puts the user into a ‘cultural comfort zone’ as they are able to navigate, understand and interact with the website. This gives you bonus points as consumers who feel at home will be more willing to  engage your services or purchase your product.

6 ‐ Gain the trust of consumers
For many cultures there is an issue of trust when it comes to buying over the Internet, especially if the website is in a language they have trouble understanding fully. Offering your products or services in their local language allows customers to feel secure in the fact that they know what they are buying, the procedures they have to undertake and the people they are buying from.

7 ‐ Appeal to the popular search engines
Search engines lead people to your site. In China, Japan and France, Google, Yahoo and MSN are not the default search engines. Home-grown search engines are emerging and they are proving successful because they operate in their native languages and are focused on the habits and needs of their users. Such search engines are a key to tapping those markets and having pages of your site available in those languages ensure maximum potential for your site being picked up in searches.

8 – Test the waters with your website
Still unconvinced about the advantages of having a multilingual website? Well, a multilingual website is actually the perfect platform to test the response of a foreign market before you pump in more resources. With a multilingual website, you can communicate with a large audience and yet avoid the need to deal with the printing and distribution costs of having printed collaterals. Frequent updates to your website can be done with the click of a mouse, without incurring reprinting costs.

With the far-reaching advantages having a multilingual website brings, what else is holding you back?

Posted in Global Content Management | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Facebook Places

Posted on August 25, 2010 by admin

If you have the Facebook application downloaded on your mobile phone, be it an iPhone or any android-based phone, your would probably have noticed a new feature called Places and wondered what is it all about.

Well, Facebook Places is essentially an upgrade which allows location-based checking in. In a nutshell, Facebook Places allows you to be able to tell all of your friends where your current location is. For example, if you are hanging out at your favourite café, you can take out your mobile phone and check-in to Facebook Places. It works the same way as posting your status, except you let your friends know your exact location. Besides that, you’ll also be able to know if your friends are nearby or have just visited this café, amongst many other features.

If you’re already getting all excited about trying out Facebook Places, I will have to burst your bubble as it’s still not available in Singapore yet, but be patient, I’m sure it’s only a matter of time.

Posted in Social Media | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Singapore Airlines to commit US$3M to the preservation of rainforest in Indonesia

Posted on August 23, 2010 by admin

One of Asia’s leading airlines, Singapore Airlines (SIA) has made a commitment of US$3 million, in their contribution to preserve the rainforest in Indonesia, supporting the Harapan Rainforest Initiative.

The amount donated by SIA will be used in the running of core operations that would help prevent illegal logging, forest fires and poaching.

To run and facilitate the various operations which include employment of forest patrols, the cost was estimated to be US$2 million annually.

SIA’s contribution towards protecting and restoring of one of the most extensive tracts of lowland rainforest left in Indonesia reflects its strong belief that environmental efforts must focus on making a real and direct difference to the well-being of our planet, and sustain our shared environment for future generations.

One significant factor that Singaporeans and other nearby regions can stand to benefit from this contribution would be the reduction of slash and burn agriculture which is famously known to have caused long periods of haze. With this move, let’s just hope that the PSI index would be greatly reduced as compared to previous years.

[Source: Channel News Asia]

Posted in Current Affairs | Tagged , , | Leave a comment