Posts Tagged ‘Atlanta’
Tuesday, February 7th, 2012
By Alex Avendano
 In Social Media, is “Automation” a Dirty Word?
In a word, no.
For decades, businesses have worked to uncover new ways of communicating with and data mining their customers, and the social media revolution has presented a significant opportunity like never before.
While collection of information is key, the sheer volume can be crippling. Without the right automation procedures in place to support a social media (or broader marketing) team, effective engagement can be very difficult.
Customer relationship management (CRM) is nothing new, but social CRM is an evolving practice that involves capturing and analyzing customer data generated in the social graph, and then delivering that data to sales, marketing, production, and other areas of the business to improve bottom line results.
Social CRM involves taking a highly integrated approach to your digital marketing efforts to deliver real-time data and relevant feedback across the organization.
Automating part of the process isn’t for everyone, but don’t be so quick to rule it out. A recent study from the 2011 holiday season found that 90% of customer service demands generated in the social graph could be handled through automation while 10% required human interaction and response[1].
Five Keys to successful social engagement automation:
- Do be straight forward and honest about automated responses. When you issue an automated response, identify it as such and give the user a way to escalate it to a live human.
- Focus on automating non-verbal actions (retweet, follow, like, etc.).
- If automating verbal responses, focus on using automation to cure FAQ and other similar issues. For example, if you have a service outage, you could create an automated response to any user that specifically asks about the outage (again with a way to escalate to a customer service representative).
- Don’t use automation as a substitute for customer service.
- Don’t hide behind automation and try to over automate; your users will react negatively.
Technology is Paramount
At the heart of your toolset for social engagement automation is CRM or a good content management system (CMS). Either way, the goal is to identify your users and create a “unified profile.” The Unified Profile represents the collection of information from social sources, your sellers, your website, and other sources that combine to provide a full view of your consumer.
All things considered, social engagement automation is rarely possible (or well executed) using only one tool. The best social engagement automation takes advantage of connected systems to have a full picture of the customer profile and fine-tune messages and actions based on that user’s profile. Additionally, automation is a learned process and doesn’t happen overnight.
Mechanisms should be in place to enable the system to absorb user opt-out, learn what messages are relevant to particular users, and know when to alert live humans that real interaction is needed.
Conclusion
As social media continues to expand and fragment, tools that help you identify and aggregate useful and relevant consumer data will become more and more important.
The topics discussed herein are just the tip of the iceberg, and implementing a robust social CRM and social engagement automation system is complex. There is no ‘one size fits all’ approach, and a successful social CRM system will require trial and error, attention to business requirements, training and willingness to break down department silos.
At the end of the day, businesses need to engage their customers where they are, and right now, that place is social media.
Alex Avendano is director of strategy at Arke, an Atlanta-based consulting firm that bridges the gap between marketing and technology. Founded in 2005, Arke provides business services to more than 100 companies across the U.S. You can reach Alex at aavendano@arke.com.
Tags: Alex Avendano, Arke, Atlanta, automating social media, CRM
Posted in Best Practices, Business advice, Internet/New Media, social media | 1 Comment »
Tuesday, January 24th, 2012
 David Kenny, Chair, CEO, The Weather Channel (Photo: Business Wire) The Atlanta-based Weather Channel Companies (TWCC) has named David Kenny, an experienced executive with a strong record in the media and digital industries, chairman and CEO.
In this role, Kenny will work closely with the management team and the Board of Directors to leverage the company’s unique collection of media assets and spearhead the further development of a comprehensive, integrated strategy to accelerate its growth in the United States and internationally.
“I was attracted to The Weather Channel because weather is fascinating,” said Kenny. “Accurate, timely forecasting is an everyday necessity for people and businesses everywhere. The Weather Channel has ubiquitous reach across our TV, digital and mobile platforms, and that’s what makes us so unique.”
Kenny succeeds Mike Kelly, who joined the company as president and CEO in 2009. Kelly will serve as a special adviser to the CEO and the Board of Directors of TWCC. He will also serve as an adviser to Bain Capital.
Kenny comes to TWCC after serving as president of Akamai, the leading cloud platform designed to help enterprises provide secure, high-performing user experiences to mobile and fixed internet users.
Previously, he co-founded and served as managing partner of VivaKi, the combined worldwide media and digital arm of Publicis Groupe, and he was Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Digitas Inc., a top global integrated brand agency.
Kenny currently serves as member of the Board of Directors of Yahoo Inc., and a director of Teach for America, a nonprofit that enlists recent graduates to teach and to effect change in under-resourced and low-income communities.
Tags: Atlanta, David Kenny, The Weather Channel Companies
Posted in Internet/New Media, People | Comments Off
Tuesday, January 17th, 2012
 Analytics, CRM, mobile sites, and other technologies required a specialist or very large budget in the past but this no longer holds true.
Thanks to the growth of technology systems over the past couple years these projects can be taken on by companies of nearly any size and successful small businesses are fully aware of this. Atlanta Marketing firm AccurateLeads informs small businesses on tactics that should be implemented to prosper in the common year.
Analytics. What good are company goals, marketing strategies, and SWOT analysis without analytics? With such a multitude of marketing channels it is vital to track all advertising efforts and know what customers are responding, why they are responding to it, and where they are coming from.
Google analytics has been around for a very long time but has only recently been able to function to the degree it does today. Not only will it track all internet traffic, social media efforts, and PPC campaigns but can also monitor all offline efforts as well.
Using Google Voice in collaboration with analytics business owners can now determine how many responses they received from the bumper sticker on a car if they wish. Analytics are vital to any successful business and should be a determining factor in all future affairs.
If reports determine there is an area that is lacking, let’s say website conversions, then look at the five biggest competitors and determine who you would buy from and why. Prosperous companies in today’s business world track any possible variable, so that can know rather than guess what is working and what needs to be fixed.
Social. If it has not already become blatantly apparent then realize now that social media will play a large role in sales figures over the coming years. Mashable, Inc., SEOmoz and hundreds of other reputable companies have all provided metrics on the importance and value of having business pages on these networks.
Social media affects everything from SEO efforts to brand trust, and with Google+ at more than 60 million users this is something that cannot be considered a trend. If nothing else start an industry related blog that others can share. Companies engaging in social media in 2012 by regularly providing stimulating/interactive content will not only grow traffic but will also develop trust and familiarity through peer reference.
CRM. Not to downplay the rolodex but the current CRM platforms available are astounding. In the past there were filing systems, then software packages (this is still used by many businesses), and now companies can simply log onto a cloud based system. SalesForce SalesCloud service offers editions starting at a meager $24 a year.
Nurturing phone leads and staying attentive with clients can be an extremely taxing process but the companies who do so display professionalism that consumers trust. CRM systems can undoubtedly benefit any company and are now affordable for all entrepreneurs.
Mobile & App. According to Microsoft Tag, of the 4+ billion cell phones in the world 1.08 billion are smartphones and more than 50% of local searches are done on mobile devices. Efficient Frontier estimated that 22% of all search in 2012 will be mobile and it is predicted that in 2014 mobile internet usage will overtake desktop usage.
Pew Research claims that more than 11% of Americans owned a tablet device as of August 2011 and iPad users have downloaded 3 billion apps since its release in 2010. The iPhone took two years to accomplish that same feat. Plain and simple business owners will highly benefit from having mobile friendly sites and web applications in 2012.
Along with all of the technological advances over the past couple years came information. There are more whitepapers, research journals, blogs, help sites,guides, infographics, web tools, instructional videos, and learning resources than any one person could ever examine.
With a little tenacity and delegation business owners can accomplish all of the tactics above with little to moderate resource expenditure. Business will forever be organic in nature and those who choose to adapt with their environment rather than to their environment will end up on top.
Tags: Accurate Leads, analytics, Atlanta, CRM, mobile app, SalesCloud, Salesforce, social, tactics for successful small businesses
Posted in Best Practices, Business advice, Internet/New Media, IT, Mobile, social media, Telecommunications | Comments Off
Tuesday, January 3rd, 2012
 Low fares business class specialist Lets Fly Cheaper (LFC) has compiled its first “world’s worst airports” list of international and domestic airports with the worst records for delayed flights.
LFC culled through several sources to ultimately come up with its own criteria and list of worst performing airports.
“There are tons of year-end worst airports lists out there. Some are based on overall satisfaction, while others focus on details like how easy it is to sleep in the airport,” said Ramon Van Meer, Lets Fly Cheaper marketing director. “We wanted our list to be relevant to our customers, who travel primarily for business, and to our company, which specializes in getting customers the best travel deal, right here, right now.”
“Business travelers live in the moment,” said Van Meer. “They care about making their flight connections today, not whether they could have made them 11 months ago. Their #1 concern is getting to their next big deal on time. Period.
That’s why LFC has shortened our time horizon from all year to the past month and focused exclusively on delays, not airport amenities. Our data is based on December 2011 statistics only. This gives us the flexibility to publish new results monthly, if customers find our list useful.”
Lets Fly Cheaper’s 10 worst airports based on delayed departures:
International Airports:
5. Pu Dong, Shanghai
4. Madrid-Barajas, Madrid
3. Charles De Gaulle, Paris
2. Changi, Singapore
1. Capital International, Beijing
Domestic Airports:
5. George Bush Intercontinental, Houston
4. Denver International, Denver
3. Hartsfield-Jackson, Atlanta
2. O’Hare, Chicago
1. Dallas/Ft. Worth International
Not surprisingly, all “winners” are among the world’s busiest airports. LFC’s international list includes three Asian-Pacific entries and two European entries. Charles De Gaulle is one that appears consistently on almost every “worst” compilation across the board.
Yet it only clocks in midway down the LFC list. The “top” honor for most delayed flights – by a margin of almost 2:1 is Beijing, with a whopping 12,864 delayed flights for December.
Domestically, the “usual suspects” that seem to always top other worst lists (Miami, JFK) are notably absent from LFC’s picks for delayed flights. LFC’s list includes two Texas airports, plus three that come as no surprise, given the volume of air traffic they handle.
WORST INTERNATIONAL AIRPORTS:
5. Pu Dong Airport (PVG), Shanghai
Number of Delayed Flights: 5,175
Shanghai Pudong International Airport (sometimes noted as Pu Dong) is the world’s 20th busiest airport and China’s third busiest, hosting over 40 million passengers annually. The airport is a hub for both Shanghai Airlines and China Eastern Airlines.
4. Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD), Madrid
Number of Delayed Flights: 5,448
Madrid-Barajas Airport is an international bridge connecting Europe with Central and South America. The airport serves Spanish carriers, members of Star Alliance and Skyteam Iberia Airlines, as well as international carriers.
3. Charles De Gaulle Airport (CDG), Paris
Number of Delayed Flights: 6,731
Charles de Gaulle Airport is Europe’s second busiest airport (after London’s Heathrow). The airport serves international travelers, Air France and other European airlines.
2. Changi Airport, (SIN), Singapore
Number of Delayed Flights: 7,428
Changi Airport in Singapore is the world’s 17th busiest airport serving 100 international airlines to more than 60 countries. The airport handles over 19 million passengers every year. Changi has received the “World’s Best Airport” award from Ultratravel Magazine the last four years.
1. Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK), Beijing
Number of Delayed Flights: 12,864
Beijing Capital International Airport is the busiest airport in Asia and the second busiest in the world. The airport hosts over 73 million passengers annually with 70+ airlines flying to more than 200 cities worldwide.
WORST DOMESTIC AIRPORTS:
5. George Bush Intercontinental (IAH), Houston
Number of Delayed Flights: 4,919
George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston is the eighth busiest airport in the United States and #3 for non-stop domestic and international service. It is also provides service to 30 destinations in Mexico.
4. Denver International (DEN), Denver
Number of Delayed Flights: 5,300
Denver International Airport is the fifth busiest airport the United States and 11th busiest in the world. Denver Airport opened in 1995 and in less than 20 years has become a major transportation hub, handling some 50 million passengers annually.
3. Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL), Atlanta
Number of Delayed Flights: 5,472
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport is the world’s busiest, serving 90 million domestic and international passengers. The airport has spent the last decade making major improvements. The Air Transport Research Society named Atlanta the world’s most efficient airport in 2011. [Note: Considering the tremendous volume it processes, we’d say Atlanta is doing pretty darned well with “only” 5,472 delays for the month!]
2. Chicago O’Hare International (ORD), Chicago
Number of Delayed Flights: 6,817
Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport is well known as the second busiest airport in the states. It’s also the world’s fourth busiest. O’Hare is the major hub for United/Continental Airlines. The vast airport has four terminals, with three serving both domestic and international flights and one serving international flights only.
1. Dallas/Fort Worth International (DFW), Dallas
Number of Delayed Flights: 7,231
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport is the fourth busiest airport in the US and eighth busiest in the world. The airport has five terminals with two dedicated exclusively to serving American Airlines passengers.
Tags: Atlanta, Beijing, Capital International, Changi, Charles De Gaulle, Chicago, Dalla/Ft. Worth International, Denver International, flight delays at domestic airports, George Bush Intercontinental, Houston, Madrid-Barajas, O'Hare, Paris, Pu Dong, Singapore, Texas, worst airports for business travel
Posted in Business advice, Studies, surveys, reports | Comments Off
Monday, December 5th, 2011
 ATLANTA – TechAmerica Georgia and the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) today unveiled the finalists in the “Cool Technology” category for the ninth annual Spirit of Endeavor Awards.
This category recognizes the Georgia company that has developed and/or introduced the most innovative new hardware, software or a technology-service in the state in the past 18 months and can demonstrate the success of that product over the past 12 months.
The finalist companies include OpenStudy, Cardlytics, TripLingo, ViziTech USA and SoloHealth.
One of the winners from last year, Nanolumens, went on to compete at the national level and ended up beating others in its category, including Microsoft Kinect.
The winner of the “Cool Technology” award will be determined by onsite text voting at the Spirit of Endeavor Awards ceremony running from 7:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. on December 9, 2011, at TWELVE Atlantic Station in Atlanta.
The Spirit of Endeavor Awards recognize and celebrate innovative technology companies and individuals in Georgia that drive new ideas, invigorate the community and lead people through technology.
“Each of our finalists in the ‘Cool Technology’ category represent some of the most innovative thinking in Georgia and we are proud to recognize them for their hard work to improve the way we live and do business through technology,” said Tino Mantella, president and CEO for the Technology Association of Georgia and TechAmerica Georgia.
“Georgia has become a hotbed for new and established technology companies and the Spirit of Endeavor Awards are our way of recognizing the companies here who are making a difference, not only in our state, but on a national and global level as well.”
The “Cool Technology” finalists were nominated for the following reasons:
- · OpenStudy is dubbed by TechCrunch as a “platform for Massively Multiplayer Study Groups.” It connects students studying the same subjects into online study sessions where they can help each other understand lessons, prepare for tests and stay motivated. Currently 75,000 students from 190 different countries and 1,500 different schools are registered.
- · Cardlytics Transaction-Driven Marketing platform is a unique advertising platform that enables banks to deliver rich, relevant rewards to their customers based on purchasing history while fully protecting their privacy. The platform is able to reach customers through online banking, mobile banking and mobile apps, social media, email, SMS and ATMs. The company recently secured $33 million in funding and is on track to reach 75 million U.S. households by Q2 2012.
- · TripLingo creates a customized experience to help leisure and business travelers navigate the local lingo and culture. With apps available via the web, iPhone, Android, Windows Phone and Nook, TripLingo offers language tools in over 13 different languages and packages local customs, idioms and an intelligent learning system to make it easy for travelers to learn essential bits of the local language and culture both prior to and during trips.
- · ViziTech USA holds proprietary intellectual property allowing the company to develop 3D imaging as HoloProjection images similar to the famed HOLODEK from the movie “Star Trek.” The images are not confined to a video or screen, but rather move right out into the classroom, engage students and allow them to interact with machines or objects. Students can get a real feel of how something acts or operates by using their hands to control the interactive image. The company currently assists teachers and trainers in schools throughout Georgia, the Department of Defense and several Fortune 500 companies.
- · SoloHealth offers the SoloHealth Station, a free and bilingual health screening kiosk that provides vision, blood pressure, weight, and body mass index screenings, as well as an overall health assessment and access to a database of local doctors. SoloHealth Station is a more comprehensive version of the company’s Eyesite vision testing kiosk for which the company received a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to advance it into a more comprehensive self-service health and wellness station The company plans to provide highly personalized and interactive healthcare opportunities for consumers, advertisers and retailers by placing these kiosks in high-traffic retail locations. SoloHealth is targeting a nationwide rollout out of the SoloHealth Station in 2012.
SoloHealth presented at TechMedia’s Southeast Venture Conference in 2010 and nabbed $4 million in financing in April this year. The next SEVC is coming up in Tysons Corner, VA, Feb. 29-March 1.
The 2011 Spirit of Endeavor Awards are sponsored by Platinum sponsor Concurrent, Gold sponsor ASAP Solutions Group, and Silver sponsor Burnette Insurance, CresaPartners and Intel. A portion of the proceeds from the event will benefit the TAG Education Collaborative.
Tags: Atlanta, Cardlytics, Cool Technology finalists 2011, Georgia Spirit of Endeavor Awards, Open Study, SEVC, Solohealth, Southeast Venture Conference, TripLingo, ViziTech
Posted in Events, Georgia, Internet/New Media, IT | Comments Off
Thursday, November 10th, 2011
By Allan Maurer
 Kabbage chairman Marc Gorlin will speak at the Internet Summit Nov. 15-16 at the Raleigh, NC Convention Center. Remember those cartoons where an alien approaches a fire hydrant or a telephone pole and says, “Take me to your leader?” Turns out it’s not bad advice for startups seeking funding, says Marc Gorlin, chair of Atlanta-based Kabbage.
Kabbage, which provides working capital to online merchants, nabbed a $17 million B round in August led by Mohr Davidow Ventures and its investors include BlueRun Ventures, David Bonderman, founder of TPG Capital, and Warren Stephens, CEO of Stephens Inc., and the UPS Strategic Enterprises Fund.
So Gorlin understands the venture dance. He’ll discuss “The things VCs never tell you about raising money” at next week’s Internet Summit in Raleigh, NC, where he’ll be one of dozens of digital media, marketing and entrepreneurial thought-leaders participating.
And one of the first items on his list of things for entrepreneurs to consider when seeking venture capital is to the right person immediately.
“No firm where we went in through anyone but a senior partner went anywhere,” Gorlin says of Kabbage’s own experiences in finding venture backing. “If you get a meeting with a principal or associate, the odds of it going anywhere sink to infinitesimal levels,” he says.
While Gorlin’s slide presentation uses humor to make its points, the points are serious.
He’s Just Not that Into You
For instance, his “He’s Just Not that Into You,” section warns that “No means no, maybe means no and soft yeses mean no.”
Nevertheless, Gorlin says, persistence is the key. “Never stop trying,” he says. He’ll point out how many times big investors said “no” to investing in a company before they said “yes.”
Gorlin has solid advice for entrepreneurs. He suggests not pitching the most important venture capitalists on a potential list first. “You’ll get better,” he says.
Know your market
One of the most important things for entrepreneurs to do to prepare for a pitch to a VC, he says, “Is to know your market.”
It’s also a good idea to know your VC. “Take people they invested with out to dinner. Talk about the terms they got.”
Gorlin also suggests, “Don’t be afraid of venture capitalists and their pedigrees. Don’t make them smarter than you.”
But if you do get some discouraging comments, don’t think you’re alone. Gorlin says that one firm told the now quite successful Kabbage, “Your management team is weak and not smart enough to make this work.” Uh huh.
He’ll share more of the actual comments Kabbage received during its fund-raising process, stories, facts and other solid, if funny, advice direct from the digital fund-raising trenches.
Internet Summit is near capacity, so if you’re going, better register soon. During its own fund-raising process, Kabbage presented at TechMedia’s Southeast Venture Conference. The 2012 SEVC in Tysons Corner, VA, is set for Feb. 29.
Tags: advice to entrepreneurs, Atlanta, fund raising, he's just not that into you, Internet Summit, Kabbage, Marc Gorlin, NC, persistence in fund raising, Raleigh, SEVC
Posted in Best Practices, Business advice, Carolinas, entrepreneurship, Events, Internet/New Media, Money, North Carolina | Comments Off
Thursday, November 3rd, 2011
 B2B marketers are spending millions of dollars annually on social marketing programs, though nearly 30 percent are not tracking the impact of social media programs on lead generation and sales, according to a survey conducted earlier this month by Atlanta-based cloud marketing automation software vendor Pardot.
The revealing survey, which included input from dozens of companies, aimed to shed light on the developing role of social media in marketing. Questions focused on social marketing etiquette, the influence of social media on lead and sales, the most useful social media tools, and the cost to operate social marketing programs.
Not surprisingly, social media use among B2B marketers is on the rise, according to respondents. A full 95% indicated they use Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube or corporate blogs to reach prospects. Yet despite the increased use of these services, only 70% are monitoring the return on spend for these programs. And among those who do, about 42% of marketers replied that zero or an uncertain number of sales leads resulted from social media programs, a startling high percentage given the resources required to operate the campaigns.
The gap between cost and return for social marketing may have something to do with social media protocols within companies, which are still evolving.
As uncovered by the survey:
- Approximately 11% of marketers said their companies have a formal social media policy
- 55% of respondents said contacting a social media-generated sales lead by phone or email is appropriate, even if the prospect had not invited the vendor to do so
- Meanwhile, 48% said it is appropriate to respond to a prospect via social media, if the prospect contacted the vendor via email or phone first
- 100% of respondents said it is acceptable to invite a prospect to join a marketer’s online social networks, though some suggested the invites be limited to networks such as Twitter, LinkedIn, Quora, Plaxo and YouTube, versus more personal sites like Facebook
- 31% said it is acceptable to critique a competitor via social media
“Social media is an exciting and enticing sales and marketing medium, but best practices are clearly still emerging,” said Adam Blitzer, co-founder and COO for Pardot, which recently introduced a series of social media management tools for small business marketers.
More than half use internal free tools to manage social media
Another obstacle facing marketers who are engaged in social media are the tools and services they use for implementing and measuring their campaigns.
According to the survey, over 64% of respondents use “internal, free tools” only to manage social media campaigns, which may or may not be ideal for effective program management. Meanwhile, only nine percent rely on an outside agency or social media expert for help with social media marketing.
“There’s no question social media can be a powerful tool for establishing community and generating leads,” said Blitzer. “But to optimize its value, social media efforts should be monitored carefully and integrated into broader content and lead nurturing programs.”
Also of interest, the survey revealed that Twitter was the most popular social media channel, followed by LinkedIn and Facebook. And social bookmarking services and paid channels including promoted tweets were cited as the least popular tools.
Tags: Adam Blitzer, Atlanta, measuring social media sales leads, Pardot, social media impact, social media ROI
Posted in Georgia, Internet/New Media, Marketing, social media, Studies, surveys, reports | Comments Off
Thursday, October 13th, 2011
 By 2013, the smart phone applications market is expected to surpass $15 billion, up from $1.94 billion in 2009, according to research2guidance. The surge will be attributed to the dramatic increase in the amount of smart phone users, which should top 1 billion in 2013.
Plenty of companies are benefiting from this increase in attention, like Glu Mobile makers of original games like Beat It! And Brain Genius toNetSuite who gears its applications towards financial and customer management needs.
The smartphone/tablet app market is easier to break into for startups and provides a quicker route to revenue than many other tech opportunities. We reported on the Atlanta startup, Khush, which has a smartphone app that adds music to your voice when you sing a tune.
Khush CEO Prerna Gupta is among 120 top digital gurus presenting at the upcoming Internet Summit in Raleigh, NC, Nov. 15-16.
There are also niche markets emerging, Vringo, Inc (NYSE Amex: VRNG) recently unveiled its Facetones application via Verizon V CAST Apps. This application creates an automated video slideshow using friends’ photos from social media websites and photo sites and then plays this video slideshow as the phone rings.
Applications are making their way into traditional areas of business as well, The Allstate Corp., which operates in most facets of insurance allows users of their applications to do everything from get policy and claim information to pay their bill and receive accident support.
According to a semi-annual survey, CTIA found that there are 327.6 million wireless subscriber connections, an increase of 9 percent from mid-year 2010, when that number was at 292.8 million. Of that number, 95.8 million are smart phones and wireless enabled PDAs. For the first time, the number of wireless subscriber connections has surpassed the U.S. population.
Tags: Atlanta, CTIA, GA, Khush, NC, Raleigh, research2guidance, Smartphone app market to hit $15B, The Allstate Corp., Verizon, Vringo
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Tuesday, September 20th, 2011
 If you’re an e-commerce retailer with lots of engaged fans on Facebook, Twitter, or other social media networks, now it could help you qualify for a capital advance in this lending-challenged economy.
Kabbage Inc., a provider of working capital for online merchants, is offering Social Klimbing, which gives small businesses additional access to capital based on social network activity. Today’s announcement represents the first time a financial services company has provided benefits to its customers as a result of Facebook fan pages and Twitter feeds.
“Kabbage is the only company providing working capital to companies based on social media activity and utilization,” said Kathryn Petralia, Kabbage co-founder and COO.
“With Social Klimbing, small businesses can – for the first time – benefit from maintaining and growing relationships with their customers through Facebook and Twitter. While other companies are ‘talking’ about customer engagement, Kabbage is actually quantifying and utilizing it as a means to give small businesses more capital to grow.”
To date, Kabbage has leveraged marketplace data, such as seller ratings for online merchants, to underwrite its business customers. With Social Klimbing, Kabbage can now reward businesses that leverage social media to attract, interact with and retain customers.
Social Klimbing allows customers to connect their Kabbage accounts to existing or new Facebook fan pages and Twitter feeds, which is immediately analyzed and translated into additional capital. As customers increase followers, activities and chatter on Twitter and Facebook, they will automatically gain access to more funds.
Kabbage, Inc., headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, is pioneering the first financial services data, technology and marketing platform just for online merchants, supporting millions of small and medium businesses that make a living selling online. The company presented at TechMedia’s Southeast Venture Conference and recently raised funding itself.
Kabbage leverages data generated through merchant activity across various marketplaces and channels to understand business performance and craft financing options that meet their needs.
Kabbage is venture funded and backed by Mohr Davidow Ventures and BlueRun Ventures, with additional investors including: David Bonderman, founder of TPG Capital, Warren Stephens, CEO of Stephens Inc., and the UPS Strategic Enterprise Fund.
Tags: Atlanta, capital advances, e-commerce, e-merchants, engaged social media fans, Kabbage, Kathryn Petralia, online merchants, SEVC, Social Klimbing, social media
Posted in Georgia, Money, social media | Comments Off
Tuesday, September 20th, 2011
By Allan Maurer
 Pardot CEO and co-founder David Cummings looks out the window of the company's 33rd floor offices in Atlanta. ATLANTA – Unemployment may be a major problem generally in America, but many high tech companies are nevertheless struggling to find just the right talented IT engineers.
So, while the IBM’s of the world are laying off staff, Atlanta’s Pardot, which sells a marketing automation platform that helps businesses track, score and nurture leads, is offering a $10,001 bounty to anyone providing a talent referral that works out.
Pardot, which currently has about 60 employees, offers great benefits. “We pay 100 percent of healthcare premiums, which includes dental care, match 401k contributions, cater lunches on Friday’s and breakfast Mondays,” says Pardot co-founder Adam Blitzer. Blitzer co-founded the company with David Cummings.
The company is looking for people familiar with Software-as-a-
Service (SaaS) and Web apps. But, Blitzer adds, “We’re a small company. We all wear a lot of hats and work with each other closely. The toughest part for us is finding people who fit into our unique, quirky culture.”
 Adam Blitzer Helicopter high
Pardot is located on the 33rd floor of the One Atlanta Plaza building, where you can just about look weather helicopter pilots in the eye. It shares the generous space with Hannon Hill and Shotput Ventures. For a look at the “unique quirky culture,” see “A Dizzying View from the Top.” The offices include such amenities as a telescope, a pinball machine, a ping pong table, a gong, a telescope and a “culture book.” It is reminiscent of the heady days of the Dot Com boom at the beginning of the century.
But that culture also includes an attitude. “They need to be positive, self-starting, and supportive. A positive attitude (or its lack) comes right out in an interview,” Blitzer says. “You would be surprised how many applicants bad mouth former employees, complain or come off negatively. If they’re that way in a job interview, what would they be like to work with?”
Blitzer says the company is offering the extra dollar of the $10,001 bounty to set it apart from a similar offer by a Seattle company. The idea, Blitzer says, “Is that instead of working with one or two recruiters, we want to accelerate the process by tapping into the community. We have always offered an internal bounty for finding talent, and we wanted to make that external and see what we get from making everyone a recruiter for us.”
Blitzer says a strategy like that probably would not have worked before the advent of social media such as Twitter and LinkedIn. “They make it much easier,” he says.
The bounty offer will run indefinitely until the company “Can’t hire anyone else,” Blitzer says. “We’ve been growing faster than we could hire. Ideally, just in engineering, if we could hire two a month for the next five months, I’d be happy.”
Interested? Email jobs@pardot.com.
Tags: Adam Blitzer, Allan Maurer, Atlanta, David Cummings, Hannon Hill, Pardot, Shotput Ventures, talent bounty, tech culture, tech jobs
Posted in Georgia, Internet/New Media, IT, Marketing, Tech Culture, TechJobs | Comments Off
Tuesday, September 13th, 2011
By Mike Williams,
Employer Services Director at The Clean Air Campaign
 ATLANTA – Demand on roads in American cities has never been higher, and in many parts of the country, the supply is struggling to keep up. According to the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, traffic on the nation’s interstate highways grew by 150 percent from 1980 to 2006, but interstate capacity grew by just 15 percent.
With tax revenues decreasing and government budgets shrinking, the state of Georgia is focusing on a strategy that reduces traffic demands while benefitting local employers: telework.
This week Georgia Governor Nathan Deal and The Clean Air Campaign are calling on all Georgia employers and commuters to support the second annual Georgia Telework Week, Sept. 12-16.
Despite a decline in telework on a national level—as we saw in the most recent World at Work survey—Georgia is actually seeing an increase in both the number of teleworkers and the frequency with which they telework.
Number of teleworkers growing
The 2010 Metro Atlanta Regional Commuter Survey, commissioned by the Georgia Department of Transportation, revealed that the number of teleworkers grew 20 percent between 2007 and 2010, meaning more than 600,000 metro Atlantans currently telework on at least an occasional basis. That equates to 21 million miles of vehicle travel eliminated from our roads each year if everyone among this group teleworked just once.
The Clean Air Campaign works with hundreds of employers throughout the state, starting or expanding telework programs at their worksites. These employers are leading the way because they understand that telework is a smart business strategy: improving recruitment and retention, boosting productivity and morale. Many also benefit from lower real estate costs, reduced absenteeism, and the ability to remain productive when Mother Nature interferes with the ability to get to work.
Although there is strong support for telework, there is still tremendous opportunity for growth. Currently, 245,000 employees in the Atlanta region who do not have permission from their employer to telework but believe their job functions would allow them to do so. That is nearly 430 million vehicles miles that we could eliminate from our highways annually if everyone in this group teleworked once a week, not to mention all the money these commuters and businesses could be saving.
We invite commuters and employers to log on to www.cleanaircampaign.org/teleworkto show their support for telework. Last year, close to 150 employers across the state—including half of Georgia’s Fortune 500 companies—pledged their support during the inaugural Georgia Telework Week. On September 15, we will also be hosting our first Telework Summit which will to provide real-world strategies for telework success.
I’ll leave you with this. Right now in metro Atlanta, the typical solo commuter is spending $4,000 a year on commute costs alone, which equates to roughly $16 per day. That means a typical drive-alone commuter has to work about an hour each day just to pay off that day’s round-trip commute costs. For the year, it would take a full month of workdays just to pay for their annual commute costs. Think about how much money you could save if you were working from home.
The Clean Air Campaign is a Georgia-based non-profit working with the Georgia Department of Transportation and other partners to assist more than 1,600 employers and thousands of commuters with clean commuting options – such as carpooling, transit and telework – that lead to less traffic congestion and cleaner air.
Tags: Atlanta, clean air campaign, GA, Mike Williams, telework
Posted in Best Practices, Business advice, Georgia | 1 Comment »
Friday, September 9th, 2011
 ATLANTA – The U.S. Commerce Department’s Economic Development Adminstration is providing a $100,000 grant to the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) of Atlanta, Ga., to help expand an Economic Gardening Pilot Program that provides technical assistance to growth-oriented entrepreneurs.
“Creating local jobs is President Obama’s top priority and he has taken significant steps to support entrepreneurs and small businesses, which are the backbone of our economy and the cornerstone of our communities,” said U.S. Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development John Fernandez. “This EDA grant will help to create new jobs by providing critical technical support to the region’s budding entrepreneurs.”
“Economic Gardening will enhance and accelerate the maturity of early-stage tech and tech-enabled companies by leveraging existing regional strengths along with new, innovative business support services,” said Melanie Brandt, Chief Operating Officer, of Technology Association of Georgia of Atlanta. “Georgia is the national leader in entrepreneurial activity, so it is natural and imperative that, as a state, we support the companies and people driving Georgia’s—and the nation’s—economic recovery.”
The project will allow TAG’s Economic Gardening program to expand its service delivery area beyond the 11-county area it currently serves. TAG’s economic gardening program supports small, emerging technology-based firms, specifically companies in Stage I and Stage II of the business cycle, with research and marketing assistance.
U.S. Economic Development Administration
Tags: Atlanta, Economic Gardening Pilot Porgram, GA, grant supports Georgia entrepreneurs, John Fernandez, President Obama's jobs priority, U.S. Commerce Department Economic Development Administration
Posted in Economic Development, Money | Comments Off
Wednesday, August 24th, 2011
 ATLANTA – In the past 30 days, 77 percent of online Americans made a local telephone call using their cell phones and 47 percent made a long-distance telephone call. Another 9 percent made an international telephone call using their cell phones. But people are using their cell phones for much more than just calling.
While this may be common knowledge to the tech community, which has been using smartphones for many purposes for some time, cell phone usage has expanded far beyond voice communications for the general public as well, the survey shows.
In the past 30 days:
- 65 percent of respondents sent a text message.
- 60 percent of respondents took a photo.
- 38 percent of respondents visited a website on the Internet.
- 36 percent of respondents sent an email.
- 29 percent of respondents posted onto Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter.
“Our cell phones have become critical productivity and entertainment tools. Today, making phone calls is almost mundane. Indeed, only 6 percent of the online Americans in our survey reported not having a cell phone,” said Polaris president Jan Carlson.
Polaris conducted online surveys with a representative sample of 1,000 American consumers during the week of July 18, 2011.
Founded by Jan Carlson, Polaris Marketing Research is a full-service firm that provides state-of-the-art online interactive marketing research reporting, interviewing and data collection, quantitative and qualitative research expertise and personalized project management.
Tags: Atlanta, cell phone use survey, cell phones used for more than calling, Polaris Marketing Research
Posted in Georgia, Internet/New Media, Marketing, Mobile, mobile games, Studies, surveys, reports, Telecommunications | Comments Off
Monday, August 15th, 2011
 Hezi Moore Raising capital is one of the most significant business challenges faced by entrepreneurs. The fundraising process for technology startups is typically a slow and painful one, especially for those raising a business from infancy. In many cases, fundraising efforts detract from the time that could or should be spent growing the business. Unfortunately, many entrepreneurs fail to raise capital because of easily avoidable mistakes made when approaching and meeting with potential investors.
The three most common mistakes include:
- Not ready for prime-time.
Some entrepreneurs might have a great idea for a business, but then try to pitch investors before the concept is fully developed. Before attempting to gain investment capital, the entrepreneur should create a mockup and develop a model of the screen interfaces. They should then talk to potential customers to validate the concept and ensure that product solves a problem. Entrepreneurs also need to develop the right business model for their company. By choosing and adapting the appropriate model, they can forecast product consumption and have the capability to scale the business during the growth phase.
In addition, there’s nothing worse than going to an investor’s meeting unprepared. If you haven’t put the time and energy into developing a strong presentation and writing complete business and financial plans, you are wasting your time as well as the investors. You only get one shot, so get it right the first time.
- Targeting the wrong investor audience.
Some entrepreneurs approach the wrong investors during their startup growth stage. Different types of investors target startups at varying levels of maturity. Angel investors, for example, typically provide early-stage funding, while venture capital firms often get involved during the later stages of the operation. Before launching the fundraising process, the entrepreneur should develop a comprehensive prospective investor list for their startup growth stage. The investors should be qualified based on the following criteria: track record, market sectors, size of fund and reputation. All of the investors on the list should also be accredited.
- Mistaking an investors value contribution.
Entrepreneurs usually select investors based on valuation rather than the investor’s market knowledge, long-term financial capability and reputation. Venture capitalists provide more than just money, so they should be evaluated and selected based on their overall value contribution to the company. The following is a list of values VCs can add to a startup: expertise, board of directors, credibility, financing, network, coaching, exit, recruitment, customers and public relations and marketing efforts. Selecting the right investor can prove the difference between a company’s failure and success.
By steering clear of these mistakes, entrepreneurs can increase their chances of successfully raising capital.
An Entrepreneur in Residence at the Advanced Technology Development Center in Atlanta, Hezi Moore has more than 20 years of experience in security, virtualization, cloud infrastructure and entrepreneurial expertise. Prior to joining the Georgia Tech incubator, Moore founded Reflex Systems (Reflex Security) and led the effort to develop the industry’s first Virtual Security Appliance (VSA), which provides visibility, management and security for virtual network infrastructure.
Tags: ATDC, Atlanta, avoiding entrepreneurial mistakes, Best Practices, businesses advice, entrepreneur in residence, financing, fund raising, Hezi Moore, mistaking an investors value contribution, not ready for prime time, Security, targeting the wrong investor audience, three common mistakes by entrepreneurs
Posted in Best Practices, Columns, Viewpoint | Comments Off
Thursday, August 11th, 2011
 U.S. business journalists — who keep their fingers on the economic pulse of their local communities — said they expected business conditions in their areas to improve in the next six months, according to a new survey commissioned by the Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalism.
In a phone survey of 300 business journalists conducted nationwide in mid-July, many described their local economies as suffering:
- One in three said business conditions were bad.
- Four out of 10 said jobs were hard to get.
But most expressed optimism that their local economies would improve, with only 6 percent saying they expected things to worsen in six months.
When asked about their local housing market, one in four said the residential real estate market was better now than six months ago. Only one in 10 thought it would be worse in six months.
Conditions were toughest in the West, where half the business journalists said their local economies were bad and jobs were hard to get.
In Atlanta, too, Rachel Tobin, commercial real estate reporter for the Atlanta Journal Constitution was not so optimistic. She said:
“In Atlanta, our economy really isn’t improving, and signs only point to things getting worse:
- Unemployment ticked up again to 10.5 percent in June – which is above the national average.
- Housing prices dropped again. (We have now lost about 13 years of equity in our homes.)
- The commercial real estate vacancy rate rose again, to 17.2 percent, according to CoStar Group.
- Very few jobs are being created. When few jobs are created, that means there’s less demand for office space and homes.
“To be sure, Atlanta’s economy is diverse – it still has many Fortune 1,000 headquarters, from Home Depot and UPS to Coca-Cola and SunTrust Bank. The hope is that once the economy begins growing again, Atlanta will reap the benefits. But that time can’t come soon enough for the unemployed workers here.”
In Seattle, economics columnist Jon Talton of The Seattle Times said business conditions are mixed. “Apartment construction is rebounding: I can see four cranes out my window for high-rises now,” he said, but “many small businesses continue to struggle with weak consumer spending and tight credit.”
Pamela Yip, personal finance writer for The Dallas Morning News, agreed on the mixed picture. “Dallas-Fort Worth added more jobs than any other U.S. metro area during the six months ending in June,” she said. “But…unemployment is 3.6 percentage points higher than it was three years ago.”
In North Carolina, major technology companies such as IBM, among others, have shed thousands of jobs, state budget problems will result in cuts in state employment and education, and the state’s unemployment rate remains higher than the national average at nearly 10 percent (9.9 percent in June 2011). Things are a bit better in the Research Triangle. Unemployment in Durham and Wake Counties where the educational level is particularly high, is at 8.3 percent.
Personally, I’ve been covering business for a variety of publications since the 1980s – including two business journals and three online technology news sites, including the TechJournal. While there are upsides to the U.S. economy that may be under-reported, the recent debt ceiling debacle, stock market volatility, and the continuing reluctance of financial institutions to lend small businesses money, make recovery look like a long, slow process.
On the other hand, the U.S. economy has often shown surprising powers of recovery. What do you think? Let us know in the comments. Is this economy poised to get better or will it be treading water for an extended period?
The full survey report includes an interactive map and an additional video.
ABOUT THE SURVEY
Business Journalists Study 2011 (PDF) was conducted by the Behavior Research Center Inc., using questions similar to those for The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Survey.
The phone survey conducted July 18-21 has a margin of error of +/- 5 percent. Neither Talton nor Yip were among the 300 randomly selected business journalists surveyed, who came from print, online, broadcast, wire services and freelancing.
–Allan Maurer
“Analysis of Business Journalists Survey on their Local Economies 2011” from Reynolds Center on Vimeo.
Tags: Allan Maurer, Atlanta, business journalists optimistic about he economy, Donald W. Reynolds Niatonal Center For Business Journalism, Jon Talton, NC, Pamela Yip, Rachel Tobin, Research Triangle, Seattle, The Atlanta Journal Constitution, The Dallas Morning News, video
Posted in Economic Development, Studies, surveys, reports | Comments Off
Friday, August 5th, 2011
 Lobby of the Gwinnett Innovation Park ATLANTA - Gwinnett Innovation Park, a space alternative for start-ups, entrepreneurs, independent professionals and teleworkers, has launched its eHub Founders Grant which over the next 12 months will provide Atlanta-based entrepreneurs with $100,000.
The Founders Grant is designed to give back to the entrepreneurial community by rewarding entrepreneurial excellence and helping deserving companies continue on their path to success.
The Founders Grant is part of the eHub Nspire Program which helps support Atlanta technology entrepreneurs by providing them with resources and benefits to help them succeed, including office space at Gwinnett Innovation Park at no cost for one year.
“As an alternative to the famous ‘shark tank,’ the Founders Grant is designed to help our entrepreneurs succeed. The Founders Grant allows entrepreneurs to retain full ownership and is designed to create a supportive and collaborative sanctuary,” said Leland Strange, local serial entrepreneur, investor and supporter of hundreds of technology companies in the Atlanta area over the last 30 years.
“I know firsthand the importance of added resources during critical times in a company’s development. The Founders Grant rewards an Nspire company with $25,000 each quarter – no strings attached – to help them continue to grow and succeed. While we are invested in their success, the Nspire company will retain full ownership of the company. The Gwinnett Innovation Park Trustees are here only as a resource to help them succeed.”
Paul Freet, Catalyst with the ATDC Gwinnett initiative, commented on the Founders Grant and Nspire Program. ”It’s great to see the commitment of Gwinnett Innovation Park and its entrepreneurial leaders to bring needed resources and funding to support the technology start-up community in Gwinnett. Both ATDC and GIP have a long history of helping entrepreneurs grow and succeed and I am sure these programs will inspire even more success stories in Gwinnett.”
Network, Inspire and Grow
The Founders Grant provides a $25,000 stipend each quarter to a member of the recently launched Nspire Program. The Gwinnett Innovation Park Trustees, a panel of distinguished entrepreneurs and Atlantabusiness professionals, will select the quarterly honoree based on the merits of the business plan and business opportunity of an Nspire company that has been a resident for at least one quarter.
The Nspire Program includes:
- Establish office in eHub at no cost for one year
- Access to experienced, successful business executives including face-to-face time with successful serial entrepreneur and monthly marketing and PR advice sessions
- Office space in an open plan environment
- Eligible for Gwinnett Innovation Park Founders Grant
For more information or to download an application to become part of the Nspire Program email applicant@gwinnettinnovationpark.com.
Tags: ATDC, Atlanta, grant for Atlanta entrepreneurs, Gwinnett Innovation Park, Nspire program
Posted in Economic Development, Georgia | Comments Off
Tuesday, August 2nd, 2011
 Both TAG and ATDC are located in the Tech Square building ATLANTA – The Advanced Technology Development Center (ATDC) is known for providing strategic entrepreneurial advice and key business connections to help grow Georgia-based technology startup companies. The Georgia Tech startup accelerator is now expanding on these abilities with the creation of a new Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) program.
The program features four EIRs with a wealth of experience in the technology startup world. Jamie Bardin, Tim Dorr, Hezi Moore and Blake Patton will all serve as advisors for ATDC member companies in the areas of business strategy, fundraising, team development and more. They will also seek opportunities to connect startups with prospective business advisors, investors and customers in the market.
“Our EIRs offer experience and knowledge that is extremely valuable to startups. They have lived through the demanding process of starting a business, both the failures and successes,” said Nina Sawczuk, ATDC’s General Manager and Director of Startup Services. “They will work with young companies to avoid common mistakes and find ways to excel. This is the heart of what ATDC does.”
Each mentor is a repeat entrepreneur with a track record of success in starting, growing and funding a business.
- Bardin was the CEO of EZ Prints, which he grew from a startup to a $25 million company, and has experience in business leadership for mid-market and Fortune 500 companies as well.
- Dorr is a Georgia Tech grad who has founded multiple successful web-based startup companies, including A Small Orange and the hot in-town co-working space Ignition Alley.
- Moore has more than 20 years of experience in technology and business leadership, having raised more than $45 million in venture capital funding. He has founded several technology security companies, including Reflex Security and MicroTech systems.
- Patton brings 20 years of experience in startup, venture-backed and publicly traded companies in the finance and payments world. He was the president ofInteractive Advisory Software and the CEO of iKobo before joining ATDC.
EIRs will host weekly office hours to accommodate one-on-one meetings with member companies. In addition, they will conduct learning circles to help facilitate peer-to-peer learning and networking. Moore will lead the Friday morning ATDC circle in Alpharetta’s Roam Atlanta co-working space. All four will also regularly participate in ATDC events like CapVenture, Brown Bags and the monthly New Member Orientations and Entrepreneur’s Nights.
“In my new role, I am really looking forward to helping the entrepreneurial and startup community in Atlanta,” Dorr said. “Atlanta has a lot of drive to become a big player in the startup world and I’m excited to help make it happen.”
Tags: ATDC, Atlanta, Blake Patton, entrepreneur in residence, Hezi Moore, Jamie Bardin, Tim Dorr
Posted in Economic Development, Georgia, Internet/New Media | Comments Off
Tuesday, July 26th, 2011
 Greg Foster - CEO, co-founder, BrightWhistle By Allan Maurer
ATLANTA – Successful technology entrepreneurs often start a new company with an innovative idea of interest to any number of verticals, from retailing to healthcare – but find a natural early fit in the marketplace. That’s what happened at BrightWhistle Inc., a first-in-class online customer and patient acquisition management platform provider, has raised $1.1 million in seed funding, led by Atlanta-based Hamilton Ventures.
Eastside Partners and other prominent angel investors also participated in the round. Jamie Hamilton, managing partner, Hamilton Ventures, and Emerson Fann, general partner, Eastside Partners, will join the company’s board of directors. Former Weather Channel and Disney executive and prominent Atlanta angel investor Paul Iaffaldano will also join the board.
BrightWhistle C0-founder Greg Foster, well-known in the Southeast venture and Internet communities, tells TechJournal South that in healthcare, “The need for more efficient patient acquisition is a big problem in a big industry. It’s just huge, trillions of dollars and one of those few mega industries where you can build a great scaled company. Our solution speaks to that industry.”
With several health care clients already realizing a significant ROI using the BrightWhistle solution, the company will use this investment to fuel continued growth in thehealth services sector as well as future expansion into multi-location businesses and marketing agencies. The funding will also help augment the engineering team in order to enhance the company’s platform.
“Current marketing automation tools help manage leads once they’ve entered the pipeline, but marketers continue to face intense pressure to fill the pipeline with new, highly qualified leads that actually convert into new customers,” said Foster, who is also CEO of BrightWhistle and entrepreneur-in-residence, Chrysalis Ventures.
“Leveraging quality, condition-specific content, BrightWhistle’s first-in-class platform reaches across various digital vectors – multiple-location and doctor-specific sites, social media sites via paid advertising, and customizable news-and-health information sites – in order to attract, target, qualify and convert new customers and patients. This approach represents a sea change in how marketers take control of the customer/patient acquisition process,” Foster said.
Foster explains that the BrightWhistle technology creates a “vibrant, localized presence with educational content wrapped in, increasing the likelihood they will be found by qualified patients.”Finding people searching for a particular medical service or treatment, then sending them down a pathway leading to the healthcare providers door is “a much more efficient way to generate conversions,” he said.
The system makes it possible to upload thousands of dynamic ads at a time, each with a local dynamic landing page online.”
Prior to BrightWhistle, Foster served on the management team of three successful start-ups, including Southern Direct, a company he founded and ultimately sold to Turner Broadcasting. He then served as vice president of corporate development at Turner, followed by a transition into venture capital.
“At the heart of our approach is a platform capable of generating and managing hyper-localized sites powered by high quality content that educates and informs prospective consumers,” said Chad Mallory, co-founder and CTO, BrightWhistle.
“When combined with our system that scales the targeting and conversion of prospects within search and social media platforms like Facebook, Google and LinkedIn, the complete solution serves as an end-to-end customer acquisition system.” Prior to BrightWhistle, Mallory was co-founder and CTO of Nexteppe, a company designed to serve the lead generation needs of the automotive marketplace.
“BrightWhistle’s pioneering approach to automating the online customer acquisition process combined with the business, technology and marketing expertise of the founders sets BrightWhistle apart from other digital marketing and advertising vendors,” said Jamie Hamilton, managing partner, Hamilton Ventures.
Foster also notes that BrightWhistle is one of only a handful of companies with “full rights and access to the Facebook advertising API.”
You can hear the voice of experience when Foster talks about how the company plans to proceed.
The company will stay focused on healthcare for the time being, Foster says, but “As you establish critical mass in one vertical and the cost of sales in that vertical diminishes, you can on to other verticals.”
Tags: Allan Maurer, Atlanta, Brightwhistle, Chad Mallory, Eastside Partners, Emerson Fann, Facebook ad API, Facebook advertising API vendor, financing, Greg Foster, Hamilton Ventures, Healthcare patient acquisition, Jamie Hamilton, lead generation, Paul Iaffaldano, Southern Direct, Turner Broadcasting, Weather Channel
Posted in Georgia, Internet/New Media, IT, Marketing, Money | Comments Off
Monday, July 25th, 2011
 Here’s an unusual idea that a West Coast online firm thinks can help stimulate local economies with “Mom” power.
Juice in the City, a destination for deals experienced and sourced by moms for moms, has launched a $3 million Groupmom Fund. The fund empowers moms to put money into local businesses with the discovery of exceptional services and products for daily deals.
To date, many local businesses have been burned by daily deals services that create an unsustainable wave of one-off customers, often resulting in an economic loss for business owners, the company says. Juice in the City takes a different approach to daily deals that it says generates a higher customer retention rate for local merchants. A workforce of moms distributed across the country visits and samples the products and services of local merchants and then sets up deals with the businesses based on a positive experience.
“We are not a call center that mass emails vendors to setup daily deals,” says Philippa Smith, co-founder and CEO of Juice in the City. “Our moms go into their local communities, discover products and services they love and then become the marketing channel for daily deals.”
Micro-Stimulus Package for Local Economy Recovery
Juice in the City is promoting its Groupmom Fund as a way to stimulate local merchant discovery and local economic recovery. Moms sourcing deals on Juice in the City will have the opportunity to be compensated for using local business services. A fundamental part of the company’s model, moms can either opt to receive reimbursement for the deal experience or give that revenue directly to the local business.
Additionally, local moms who blog about the opportunity to support local businesses will be compensated. Juice in the City consultants become eligible for compensation or reimbursement after they have secured just three successful offers for the site. Local bloggers are immediately eligible for compensation for sharing the good news about the local business offers.
Juice in the City is active in 16 markets with over 200 moms, or Local Business Consultants, experiencing and organizing deals. The Fund aims to raise that number to 2,000 in the next 12 months, creating a mutually beneficial revenue stream for moms and businesses across the country.
How Does the $3 Million Fund Get Distributed? Results from the pilot Groupmom Fund show that Juice in the City consultants are so committed to their local businesses that very few request the reimbursement funds, with the vast majority opting to give the funds directly to the local businesses.
Dena Chesler Grimm, who joined Juice over a year ago as one of the first San Francisco Bay Area Local Business Consultants, has experienced and coordinated many local business offers for her fellow Juice in the City moms.
“I love my job and I love my community,” says Chesler Grimm. “I am proud to recommend each local business I bring to Juice in the City. It’s so great to work for a company that encourages me and pays me to experience my favorite local restaurants, plan the best local activities for my children and then spread the word about these wonderful hometown places to other local moms!”
Dena’s most recent deal was at The Fox Theater in Redwood City, and while she could have been reimbursed for her ticket, she insisted that her funds go directly to the business.
“Bloggers are our best partners in sharing the good news with the local community,” says Sarah Liniger Eisner, co-founder and CMO of Juice in the City. “We are honored to pay them for their good work and the sincere service they are providing to moms everywhere.”
Eisner cites the example of Felicia Carter in North Carolina who works to help moms give back to their communities by blogging at about Juice-recommended local businesses on a weekly basis.
Motivated moms and Mommy Bloggers interested in supporting local businesses and getting paid to spread the word about this local economic stimulus package should check out the opportunities.
Juice in the City markets currently include San Francisco Peninsula, San Francisco North Bay, San Francisco East Bay, Phoenix, Denver, Charlotte, Los Angeles South Bay, Los Angeles Ventura County, San Diego North County Coastal, Atlanta, Houston San Antonio, North Dallas Collin County Texas, Denton County Texas and North Mid Cities Texas. Future expansion markets include Seattle, Boston, Washington DC, Manhattan, Portland and many more.
Tags: Atlanta, Charlotte, Denton County Texas, Denver, Groupmom fund, Houston San Antonio, Juice in the City, local group buying firms, Los Angeles South Bay, Los Angeles Ventura County, Mom power, North Dallas Collin County Texas, Phoenix, San Diego North County Coastal, San Francisco East Bay, San Francisco North Bay, San Francisco Peninsula
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Thursday, July 21st, 2011
 Vitrue an Atlanta-based social marketing platform, has acquired San Francisco-based GamesThatGive, the social gaming platform designed to engage brands’ customers in charitable activities through branded-gaming experiences.
As part of the acquisition, GamesThatGive co-founder Adam Archer and the team will now operate out of Vitrue’s newly opened San Francisco office and oversee all gaming-related functionalities on the Vitrue SRM platform. Vitrue will also be adding as many as five new staff members to the team as part of the acquisition. Financial terms were not disclosed.
“A key goal for Vitrue this year is to provide our customers with the most robust and innovative platform for social marketing, whether through partnerships, integrations, or new acquisitions,” said Reggie Bradford, founder and CEO of Vitrue.
“We’ve seen great results from incorporating elements of charity and gaming into brands’ social campaigns. With this acquisition of GamesThatGive, a company that has developed a successful, smart platform, we are now offering both the gaming and charitable elements through our platform to continue to help brands reach and engage with their target audiences in new and effective ways.”
The acquisition allows Vitrue to add gaming functionality to their leading social marketing platform, the Vitrue SRM, allowing brands to seamlessly create custom games on Facebook and maintain consistent brand visibility during the entire experience, all the while supporting a brand’s charitable programs. The platform will now allow clients to create custom, fully skinned, branded casual games to increase brand loyalty, integrate charitable giving features, and add new customer touch points.
“Charitable game mechanics are a new way to motivate Facebook fans to play while giving brands a truly unique and charitable manner to engage with their fan base,” said Adam Archer, co-founder and CEO of GamesThatGive. “Our gaming solutions allow brands to drive fans to their Facebook pages and increase user retention and brand affinity. We give brands a platform to showcase and raise funds for their charities through engaging gaming experiences for Facebook fans.”
GamesThatGive has been successful in boosting fan engagement and spreading brand awareness for many brands across Facebook. Many of their apps have players averaging more than 40 minutes of game play per visit. The company also notes that many apps have more than 80 percent of visits coming from returning players and some games have achieved more than 100 percent virality, bringing in more than 1,100 additional fans for every 1,000 fans driven to the game. GamesThatGive has also raised more than $100,000 for charities including the Ronald McDonald House, American Heart Association, U.S. Fund for UNICEF, St. Jude’s Hospital and The Breast Cancer Fund.
Vitrue, whose clients include many of the world’s most recognizable brands and agencies, has cross-over clients with GamesThatGive including Pepsi and Domino’s. GamesThatGive has also worked with MasterCard, Dial Soap, Quaker, Dockers, UNICEF and Propel, to name a few.
“Domino’s puts a priority on reaching and building real social relationships with the millions of people that are on Facebook and other emerging social networks,” said Russell Weiner, Chief Marketing Officer, Domino’s Pizza, a Vitrue and GamesThatGive client. “But there are also millions of people playing games for free online every day and we’ll certainly jump at the chance to put our product in front of them and demonstrate our commitment to the community at the same time. As a partner of both Vitrue and GamesThatGive, we can easily manage our entire social presence in one place, and not only acquire and engage with fans in ongoing, innovative ways but also tie-in our charitable foundations in a seamless manner.”
Tags: acquisition, Adam Archer, Atlanta, charitable giving, GamesThatGive, Reggie Bradford, Vitrue, Vitrue SRM
Posted in Acquisitions, games, Georgia, Internet/New Media, IT | Comments Off
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