Monthly Archives: June 2011
We are hiring Marketing & Sales talents at Microsoft Belgium ! via @davidmerzel’s BLOG
As you probably know, Kinect is the fastest selling consumer electronics device ever (Guiness Book of Wold Records)
In order to sustain growth on Kinect / Xbox and other key Microsoft Consumer Products sold in Retail (Office, Windows PC, Windows Phone, PC Hardware), we are hiring Marketing & Sales talents at Microsoft, in Belgium / Luxembourg.
Take a look, here-below, at 4 open job postings for the Retail Sales & Marketing Division and don’t hesitate to contact me back for any additional info on this. Send me a mail : dmerzel@microsoft.com.
Don’t hesitate to spread this info, if you know talent people 
who want to join a GREAT company.
For people who want to apply, you can directly apply on internet for 2 following open job postings.
For the last job posting here-below, you can directly contact Virginie Vandenabeele, v-viva@microsoft.com
1. Product Marketing Manager Hardware
Find job description HERE, for this job and apply HERE
2. Channel Marketing Manager Xbox/Kinect
Find job description HERE for this jo and apply HERE
3. Partner Account Manager Retail
Find job description HERE for this jo and apply HERE
4. Brand Manager Xbox/Kinect
For this job, take a look at the job description here-below and apply by sending a mail to Virginie Vandenabeele v-viva@microsoft.com
Position Title: Brand Manager Xbox/Kinect
Reports to: Marketing Lead Xbox
Purpose:
Brand Manager has marketing responsibilities to develop and execute marketing programs that increase brand identity and brand awareness for Xbox, Xbox LIVE and the international award winning Kinect products.
This includes working with the Product and Channel Marketing managers, Finance and other Brand/Marcom Managers internationally, taking responsibility for developing plans and executing projects and initiatives that support the broader short and long-term marketing strategy. The Brand Manager ensures the brand remains relevant to consumers and that all initiatives support the brand promise. Additionally, Brand Managers take a lead in managing and communication agencies, and all other aspects of their projects.
Roles/Responsibilities:
- Plan, strategies and execute marketing designs and activities to establish and maintain brand presence in the market
- This includes partnerships, joint promotions and brand events
- 3rd Party contacts in cooperation with product manager
- Develop and sign Business to Business deals with brand partners around Xbox 36 consoles and Kinect products
- Define brand strategies and road maps
- Conduct competitive strategic market analysis, consumer segmentation, and consumer insight development
- Develop effective positioning in the market
- Develop mid-term plan and financial analyses (post mortem)
- Brief and train sales personnel
- Launch and oversee advertising and media planning
- This includes PR brand (leading communication agency) and owned social media
- Align and cooperate with local marketing team and overall EMEA Marcom marketing manager to develop, communicate & implement strategic marketing plans that fit with the EMEA/corp brand and product marketing guidelines and objectives.
- Shape and participate in cross EMEA dialogue between Marcom marketing functions – secure there are well-known forums to share best practices and learn from other regions.
- Manage the central Marcom Marketing budget according to strategic BeLux marketing plans. Ensure all agreed brand communication and sales objectives are met within budget to maximize effect.
Measurement & Analysis of Performance and Programs
- Measure the impact of planned and executed brand and communication programs (Post mortem)
Budget Management
- Manage budget according to strategic plans with no overspend.
- Ensure regular budget reviews with manager.
Contacts
This position has frequent contact with the Channel / Category marketing groups, Sales Managers, Product Groups, retailers and field account managers and reports to the Marketing or business group lead.
Qualifications Recommended
- A Bachelor’s degree and/or 4 years of marketing experience.
· A brand marketing manager must have a good grasp and understanding of consumer insights and needs. Strategic thinking and leadership skills are useful in securing brand manager jobs.
· One of the primary requirements for brand manager jobs is excellent communication skills both in verbal and written forms. People skills are also essential for brand manager jobs.
- Ability to communicate and collaborate effectively and concisely in Dutch, French and English
- Strong attention to detail, excellent organization skills and ability to effectively manage multiple projects required
- Product excitement.
- Excellent cross group collaboration skills.
- Ability to effectively influence others in multiple groups and collaborate to achieve specific objectives
- Ability to work independently and take action to achieve position goals and objectives
- Other competencies; Drive for Results, Decision Making, Creativity, Strategic Thinking, Organizational Agility, and Performance Management
- Eagerness and ability to take on specific additional responsibilities & projects during business peaks periods
About Xbox 360
Xbox 360 is a premier home entertainment and video game system. Thanks to the addition of Kinect, Xbox 360 has also transformed social gaming and entertainment with a whole new way to play — no controller required. Xbox 360 is also home to the best and broadest games as well as the largest on-demand library of music, standard- and high-definition movies, TV shows and digital games, all in one place. The entertainment center of the living room, Xbox 360 blends unbeatable content with a leading social entertainment network of nearly 35 million Xbox LIVE members to create a limitless entertainment experience that can be shared at home or across the globe. More information about Xbox 360 can be found online at http://www.xbox.com.
About Kinect
Kinect brings games and entertainment to life in extraordinary new ways without using a controller. Imagine controlling movies and music with the wave of a hand or the sound of your voice. With Kinect, technology evaporates, letting the natural magic in all of us shine. Kinect is also officially named as the fastest selling consumers electronics device by the Guiness Book of World Records
About Xbox LIVE
Xbox LIVE is the online entertainment service for your Xbox 360, connecting you to an ever-expanding world of games, movies, TV, music, sports and social entertainment. Xbox LIVE lets you play the best games, enjoy the largest on-demand library on any console, listen to millions of songs and share the fun with friends around the world. Xbox LIVE is also the exclusive home of controller-free online entertainment through Kinect, making your Xbox 360 more intuitive and interactive than ever before. With an active community of nearly 35 million people across 35 countries, Xbox LIVE, together with Xbox 360, provides you with instant access to the entertainment you want, shared with the people you care about, wherever you are. More information about Xbox LIVE can be found online at http://www.xbox.com/live.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
For any other open job positions, just go HERE
The 2011 Geosocial Universe [Infographic], via @davidmerzel’s BLOG
Here’s a quick rundown of who’s running the galaxy in 2011:
· Mobile: 5.3 billion mobile devices are used worldwide—that’s 77% of the world’s population
· Smartphones: 21.8% of all mobile devices are smartphones. Nokia is still leading this business.
· Skype: Mobile usage continues to increase thanks to Skype’s wise investment in apps and a mobile platform
· Facebook: Now tops 629 million registered users with almost 250 million people accessing the site via mobile
· Qzone: China’s version of Facebook, Qzone, is experiencing supernova-like growth with 480 million registered users
· Twitter: Broke the 200 million registered user mark with nearly 40% of people tweeting via mobile
· Email: Hotmail still dominates email
· Yelp: Yelp is topping 50 million unique visitors per month. Its move to team up with OpenTable earlier this year will only increase its relevancy
· Foursquare and Gowalla: These geosocial specialists are still growing, but growth seems to be slowing down a bit
Source : http://socialtimes.com/files/2011/05/jess3_3-981×1024.jpg
Er ligt geen viaduct tussen jou en je werkplek. Maak de brug. (via Microsoft BeLux)
via Microsoft BeLux
Aucun viaduc ne se dresse entre chez vous et votre lieu de travail. C’est à vous de faire le pont ! (via Microsoft BeLux)
via Microsoft BeLux
The 4 P’s Marketing are dead ! via @davidmerzel’s BLOG
Coming from an FMCG company (11 years at Unilever) and working now at Microsoft for 4 years, I’ve a good feeling of what’s important for the consumers (their needs) while I observe how the consumers are consuming new technologies & media now and how it could change in the Future.
In 1960, a concept was introduced by E. Jerome McCarthy that identified the four basic tenants of marketing as Product, Price, Place, and Promotion or, as it is more commonly known, the 4 Ps.
Based on that, I can confirm you that the world is changing fast and that the world won’t never been the same.
While the 4 P’s offer a good basic framework for understanding the all encompassing nature of marketing, They are missing one key ingredient that has been made apparent by the consumer revolution – the consumer’s involvement in the process.
While the way consumers adopt new technologies and consume media, is changing, I can personally observe that many marketers have not changed. The consumer is now in the driving seat ! This has a huge impact on the way we should interact with them as the consumer becomes a medium itself.
There are some decision takers and marketers who are declaring the 4 P’s dead, or at least no longer relevant. They, and I’m part of them 
, dare to say that the four P’s are DEAD ! There are other marketers who don’t change and continue to apply old principles.
But what are the main drivers for change ? I made some presentations on this topic and I will share here 3 slides. If you want the full deck, just click here.
The age of interactive information has turned the four P’s on its head. Indeed, the adoption of new technologies has never been so fast : 38 years to get the first 50 Millions users of TV while it took only 9 months for the first 100 Millions users on Facebook. See following slides showing how fast is the adoption of new technologies.
This adoption of new technologies is driven by the digitalization of everything (music, picture, movie,…) The consumers want to consume this content on every devices (PC, TV, Smart Phone, Slate, …) while the content in is the CLOUD. This is the vision of Microsoft.
The speed of transactions is faster, more dynamic and happening real time. The world is moving into a more demand-based view. Customers are exposed to large amounts of ads every day. So how do you make your product stand out and above the rest?
On-top of that, as you can see here-below, the world of advertising has changed since advertising’s glory days in E. Jerome McCarthy’s 1960s, in the way we should interact / dialogue with the consumers. We can observe following evolution (from broadcast / mass marketing to interactive / targeted marketing) as you can see on my slide here-below.
As Seith Godin would say, there is an evolution from interruption marketing to permission marketing.
What’s interruption marketing ? Imagine it’s later in the day at the same airport. You’re late for your flight, and someone asks you the same question. Will you give him the same attention? Finally, a third scenario: You’re late for the flight, the airport is crowded, and this is the fourth person to ask you the same question. What are the chances you will pay any attention at all? You’re probably going to even develop a strategy for avoiding further interruptions –not making eye contact, brushing them off, refusing to help.
What’s permission marketing ? Permission marketing is the privilege (not the right) of delivering anticipated, personal and relevant messages to people who actually want to get them.
It recognizes the new power of the best consumers to ignore marketing. It realizes that treating people with respect is the best way to earn their attention.
Real permission works like this: if you stop showing up, people complain, they ask where you went.
So, it’s time to review the 4P’s
There are many marketers who have even added more P’s to the mix, such as people, process, physical presence, or (as the word-of-mouth/social media crowd like to say) participation.
I personally like the 4 C’s concept that I found HERE
The principle is that you need to customize your product and/or your story telling to suit each customer’s needs. As the consumer is the MEDIUM thru social Media, your value proposition and your story telling should be Unique & Simple so that they will be your best Ambassadors.
So what are the 4 C’s:
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From Product to Co-created solutions and experiences. Work with the customer to captivate and engage them.
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From Promotion to Communication with communities. Customers want interconnected. interactions with like-minded people not just information. Social communities are the new-age promotion channel.
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From Price to Customisable personal value. Give each individual customer something that they want and suits them.
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From Place to Choice and convenience. Make sure your product can reach your customers. Use the internet and be online 24/7.
Here-below, great tips from on how to apply these 4 C’s
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Work with customers to create products that they want.
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Go online and create a group on a social network site about your product or business.
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Give the customer more choices of your product whether it be colour, shape or size.
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Get you business operating 24/7 worldwide – make a website where customers can buy your products.
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Build your products so customers can customise it to suit their budget.
The customer is no longer the object of a sale, selling a service, or the subject of some department loyalty scheme. You as a business owner must capture what is important to the customer and understand the shift from the 4 P’s to the 4 C’s.
I also believe you have to dare to create something unique and remarkable. In his book called “Purple Cow”, Seth Godin explains how Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable.
In this book, Godin urges you to emulate companies that are consistently remarkable in everything they do, which drives explosive word of mouth.
Some take-away of this book :
- Every day, consumers ignore a lot of brown cows (if you are on the highway) but you can bet they won’t ignore a purple cow.
- If you were driving down a road and saw a purple cow in a field, would you stop to take a look? Most likely you would, as spotting a purple cow would be pretty rare and unique. In fact, you would probably not notice most of the other cows grazing in the field, as you would be fixated on the purple cow.
- So how does this apply to the business world ? To be a purple cow makes you stand out, and if you have a business or service to offer, potential customers and clients would take notice, and if you are looking for a job, being a purple cow would cause potential employers to take another look. You have to be inherently purple or no one will talk about you.
- In the old days, marketers targeted consumers. Today, the opposite is true. It’s the consumers who choose. They choose whether you are listened to or ignored. So, you need to invest in the Purple Cow. So, you need to develop products, services that the market will actually seek out.
- We have always the choice between distinct and extinct. The only route to healthy grow is a remarkable product.
- It’s not bout being weird. It’s about being irresistible to a tiny group of easily reached people (sneezers =early adopters) who will communicate on this and will convince larger group to adopt the product. Irresistible isn’t the same as ridiculous. Irresistible (for the right niche) is just remarkable.
- “Being safe is risky, and being risky is safe.” And if you’re out there creating something on the edge, someone’s going to hate it. If someone doesn’t really hate your product, it’s mediocre.” And mediocre is where you SO do not want to go.
- A slogan that accurately conveys the essence of your Purple Cow is a script. A script for a sneezer to use when she / he talks to her/his friends. The script guarantees that the word of mouth is passed on properly.
- The leaning tower of Pisa sees 6 millions of visitors every year. The positioning and message are simple and unique. Put a picture on a T-shirt and the message is easily send a received. The purity of the message makes it even more remarkable.
- The power of storytelling shouldn’t be underestimated! I’ve heard it said that great entrepreneurs are also often great storytellers. Both Seth Godin and Brad Sugars told many great Entrepreneurial stories at their recent talks. A good story allows the teller to effectively capture the attention of an audience and leaves a memorable underlying message. Of course, storytelling is nothing new. That’s what probably makes it so powerful. But what makes a great entrepreneurial story?
- Seth Godin believes that a ‘Wow’ product and great story is vital for a business to succeed. However real stories can’t simply be made up, they have to be lived. Only then can the storyteller be passionate and real. To have an great story an entrepreneur most embark on a difficult and challenging business adventure.
Here-below, the first video explains this purple cow concept.
A logo is not a BRAND ! via @davidmerzel’s BLOG
A Logo Is Not a Brand
Very interesting reading in Hervard Business Review
http://blogs.hbr.org/pallotta/2011/06/a-logo-is-not-a-brand.html
Key leraning’s here-below.
Lots of organizations and lots of people think that brand begins and ends with a LOGO.
Brand is much more than a name or a logo. Brand is everything, and everything is brand.
Brand is your strategy.
If you’re a consumer brand, brand is your products and the story that those products tell together. Ikea’s kitchen chairs’ tendency to fall apart after two years is part of the company’s brand. If you’re a humanitarian organization, brand is your aspirations and the progress you are making toward them.
Brand is your calls to action.
If Martin Luther King had offered people free toasters if they marched on Washington, that would have been his brand. Are your calls to action brave and inspiring or tacky? Are they consistent with some strategy that makes sense?
Brand is your customer service.
If donors call your organization all excited and get caught up in a voicemail tree, can’t figure out who they should talk to, and leave a message for someone unsure if it’s the right person, that’s your brand. It says you don’t really care all that much about your donors. If they come to your annual dinner and can’t hear the speaker because of a lousy sound system, that’s your brand.
Brand is the way you speak.
If you build a new website and fill it with outdated copy, you don’t have a new brand. If the copy is impenetrable that’s your brand. If you let social service jargon, acronyms, and convoluted abstractions contaminate everything you say, that’s your brand.
Brand is the whole array of your communication tools.
Brand is the quality of the sign on the door that says, “Back in 10 minutes.” It’s whether you use a generic voicemail system with canned muzak-on-hold, or whether you create your own custom program. The former says you are just like everyone else and you’re fine with that; the latter says you are original.
In the digital age, user interface is your brand.
If your website’s functionality frustrates people, it says that you don’t care about them. Brand extends even to your office forms, the contracts you send out, your HR manuals. Do you rethink traditional business tools or default to convention? The choice you make says a lot about how innovative your brand is.
Brand is your people.
Brand is your people and the way they represent you. Having a good team starts with good hiring and continues with strong and consistent training and development. No matter how well your employees adhere to your new brand style guide, if they couldn’t care less about the job they’re doing, that’s your brand.
Brand is your facilities.
Are the lights on, or is your team working in darkness? Is the place clean and uncluttered? Does it have signage that’s consistent with your visual standards? Does it look and feel alive? Your home is your brand.
Brand is your logo and visuals, too.
A great brand deserves a great logo and great graphic design and visuals. It can make the difference when the customer is choosing between two great brands. But these alone cannot make your brand great.
Ultimately, brand is about caring about your business at every level and in every detail, from the big things like mission and vision, to your people, your customers, and every interaction anyone is ever going to have with you, no matter how small.
Where Mobile Commerce is Going ? [infographic], via @davidmerzel’s BLOG
This a great infographic about where mobile commerce is going.
You can see that by 2015 it’s predicted that mobile purchases will total $119 billion globally (against an overall ecommerce spend of $1.4 trillion).
Source : http://tag.microsoft.com/Libraries/Blog/the-intelligent-shopper-sm.sflb.ashx
5 Scientifically Proven Ways to Get More Followers [Infographic], via @davidmerzel’s BLOG
Interesting tips on how to get more followers.
Source : http://danzarrella.com/followersinfographic.jpg
1. Show Us Who You Are
When you sign up for Twitter, you’re asked to provide 3 pieces of personal information: a bio, a homepage link and a picture. So show us who you are.
2. Stop Talking About Yourself
Imagine meeting someone at a cocktail party who did nothing but talk about themselves all night long. Would you want to listen to them for very long? Want more followers ? Stop talking about yourself.
3. Don’t Just Converse
When you look at the average reply percentage of folks with over 1,000 followers and compare it to the reply percentage of users with less than 1,000 followers what you find is interesting. Users with lots of followers respond much less frequently. The effect is the same when you compare users with more than 1,000,000 followers with those that have less.
4. Identify Yourself Authoritatively
Twitter accounts that use the word “guru” tend to have 100 more followers than the average Twitter account.
Now, I don’t think the takeaway here should be to call yourself a guru at every opportunity, but if you look at the rest of the words on the list, you should realize that you need to identify yourself authoritatively
5. Don’t be a Debbie Downer
Negative remarks include things like sadness, aggression, negative emotions and feelings, and morbid comments. If you want more followers, cheer up!
Innov@MIC, The Innovation Day @ Microsoft Innovation Center in Mons [23rd of June 2011], via @davidmerzel’s BLOG
The 23rd of June, we have the Innovation Day @ Microsoft Innovation Center in Mons : Innov@MIC.
The event looks very promising ! We have more than 20 speakers with some “guest stars”, as:
• Tom Palmaerts, elected Trendwatcher from the year 2010, unveil us the trends of tomorrow;
• Braden Kelley, author of the book “stocking your innovation bonfire”, will go thru the innovation process;
• Nao, the domestic humanoid robot, also will be part of this event…
I will be one of the speakers and I will announce the end of the “old school” marketing or the end of the 4P.
The day will close with the opening of the Technological Bussiness Accelerator, followed by the ceremony of Boostcamp # 3 and its traditional cocktail prices.
Click here-below to access MIC site for more info on the agenda
For more information, see below.
Registration: http://events.mic-belgique.be/event/innovmic-journee-de-linnovation-le-23-juin-au-mic
Program: http://blog.mic-belgique.be/?page_id=2621
LinkedIn: http://events.linkedin.com/Innov-MIC-Innovation-day-Microsoft/pub/632946
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/event.php?eid=160043400723040
US States Renamed For Countries With Similar GDPs, via @davidmerzel’s BLOG
Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is a convenient way of measuring and comparing the size of national economies. Annual GDP represents the market value of all goods and services produced within a country in a year. Put differently:
GDP = consumption + investment + government spending + (exports – imports)
Although the economies of countries like China and India are growing at an incredible rate, the US remains the nation with the highest GDP in the world – and by far: US GDP is projected to be $13,22 trillion (or $13.220 billion) in 2007, according to this source. That’s almost as much as the economies of the next four (Japan, Germany, China, UK) combined.
The creator of this map has had the interesting idea to break down that gigantic US GDP into the GDPs of individual states, and compare those to other countries’ GDP. What follows, is this slightly misleading map – misleading, because the economies both of the US states and of the countries they are compared with are not weighted for their respective populations.
Pakistan, for example, has a GDP that’s slightly higher than Israel’s – but Pakistan has a population of about 170 million, while Israel is only 7 million people strong. The US states those economies are compared with (Arkansas and Oregon, respectively) are much closer to each other in population: 2,7 million and 3,4 million.
Here’s a run-down of the 50 states, plus DC:
1.California, it is often said, would be the world’s sixth- or seventh-largest economy if it was a separate country. Actually, that would be the eighth, according to this map, as France (with a GDP of $2,15 trillion) is #8 on the aforementioned list.
2.Texas’ economy is significantly smaller, exactly half of California’s, as its GDP compares to that of Canada (#10, $1,08 trillion).
3.Florida also does well, with its GDP comparable to Asian tiger South Korea’s (#13 at $786 billion).
4.Illinois – Mexico (GDP #14 at $741 billion)
5.New Jersey – Russia (GDP #15 at $733 billion)
6.Ohio – Australia (GDP #16 at $645 billion)
7.New York – Brazil (GDP #17 at $621 billion)
8.Pennsylvania – Netherlands (GDP #18 at $613 billion)
9.Georgia – Switzerland (GDP #19 at $387 billion)
10.North Carolina – Sweden (GDP #20 at $371 billion)
11.Massachusetts – Belgium (GDP #21 at $368 billion)
12.Washington – Turkey (GDP #22 at $358 billion)
13.Virginia – Austria (GDP #24 at $309 billion)
14.Tennessee – Saudi Arabia (GDP #25 at $286 billion)
15.Missouri – Poland (GDP #26 at $265 billion)
16.Louisiana – Indonesia (GDP #27 at $264 billion)
17.Minnesota – Norway (GDP #28 at $262 billion)
18.Indiana – Denmark (GDP #29 at $256 billion)
19.Connecticut – Greece (GDP #30 at $222 billion)
20.Michigan – Argentina (GDP #31 at $210 billion)
21.Nevada – Ireland (GDP #32 at $203 billion)
22.Wisconsin – South Africa (GDP #33 at $200 billion)
23.Arizona – Thailand (GDP #34 at $197 billion)
24.Colorado – Finland (GDP #35 at $196 billion)
25.Alabama – Iran (GDP #36 at $195 billion)
26.Maryland – Hong Kong (#37 at $187 billion GDP)
27.Kentucky – Portugal (GDP #38 at $177 billion)
28.Iowa – Venezuela (GDP #39 at $148 billion)
29.Kansas – Malaysia (GDP #40 at $132 billion)
30.Arkansas – Pakistan (GDP #41 at $124 billion)
31.Oregon – Israel (GDP #42 at $122 billion)
32.South Carolina – Singapore (GDP #43 at $121 billion)
33.Nebraska – Czech Republic (GDP #44 at $119 billion)
34.New Mexico – Hungary (GDP #45 at $113 billion)
35.Mississippi – Chile (GDP #48 at $100 billion)
36.DC – New Zealand (#49 at $99 billion GDP)
37.Oklahoma – Philippines (GDP #50 at $98 billion)
38.West Virginia – Algeria (GDP #51 at $92 billion)
39.Hawaii – Nigeria (GDP #53 at $83 billion)
40.Idaho – Ukraine (GDP #54 at $81 billion)
41.Delaware – Romania (#55 at $79 billion GDP)
42.Utah – Peru (GDP #56 at $76 billion)
43.New Hampshire – Bangladesh (GDP #57 at $69 billion)
44.Maine – Morocco (GDP #59 at $57 billion)
45.Rhode Island – Vietnam (GDP #61 at $48 billion)
46.South Dakota – Croatia (GDP #66 at $37 billion)
47.Montana – Tunisia (GDP #69 at $33 billion)
48.North Dakota – Ecuador (GDP #70 at $32 billion)
49.Alaska – Belarus (GDP #73 at $29 billion)
50.Vermont – Dominican Republic (GDP #81 at $20 billion)
51.Wyoming – Uzbekistan (GDP #101 at $11 billion)
3 Word of mouth tips for retailers., via @davidmerzel’s BLOG
| Interesting reading from gaspedal : “3 Word of mouth tips for retailers”Whether you’re a one-location store or a national retail chain, you can have amazing word of mouth. How to get started:
1. Give them something to share 2. Give them a reason to bring a friend 3. Give them the chance to leave a review |
7 Ways to Improve Your Blog SEO, via @davidmerzel’s BLOG
Interesting reading “7 Ways to Improve Your Blog SEO with Inbound Links”
Source : http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/7-ways-to-improve-your-blog-seo-with-inbound-links/
Here-below, key outcome.
For a website to really take off in the search engine rankings, it needs to generate incoming links from relevant and reputable websites. And you have little control of incoming links.
To increase the likelihood of obtaining high-quality incoming links, here are seven things you can do:
#1: Create Content Others Will Want to Share
All search engine optimization (SEO) starts with content. The first step to generating incoming links is to create content that others will want to share. Blog posts that solve problems, provide a valuable resource, entertain, demonstrate innovation or even create controversy can all generate incoming links. It needs to be outstanding.
Don’t forget to make your content easy to share by including TweetMeme, Digg, Facebook or other buttons that are easy to find and use.
#2: Distribute Online Press Releases
Press releases are a great way to generate incoming links. A good press release can be directly published by any of a number of highly trafficked news organizations. Again, the key is to provide content that is of value to others.
When writing a press release, think like a reporter. What “news” is important to the reporter’s readers? Write it as if you were the reporter writing a story. Make the reporter’s or editor’s job easy and your press release has a much better chance of getting published.
Although there are a number of free press release sites available, paid distribution sites such as PRNewswire.com are often monitored by reporters and feed directly to Yahoo! News and other large websites. If you have the resources, a good press release on a premium distribution site can quickly pay for itself.
Distribution sites such as PR Newswire, Business Wire, PrimeZone or Market Wire distribute press releases to Yahoo! News and others.
#3: Write Guest Posts
Writing guest posts (like I’m doing here) on highly ranked, highly trafficked websites can also generate powerful incoming links.
Writers often will offer to write free posts in exchange for a link back to their own website. If the publisher will allow it, a link or two in the body of the post anchored to related keywords (deep links) can be even more valuable than the link in an author bio. Don’t believe me? How many of you clicked on the “tips for writing press releases” link above?
If you’re a good writer and have something to say, landing a guest spot isn’t all that difficult. The key thing is to pitch the website owner (or appropriate editor) an article that will be of value to his or her readers. Pitch the idea, not the entire article. Prior relationships don’t hurt either. If there’s a blog you’d like to write for, constructive comments and active participation can go a long way.
#4: Link to Others
Don’t be afraid to link to other blogs or publications. Linking to content of value not only provides a service for your readers but the incoming link will show up in the other blog’s analytics. Many blogs even display incoming links along with the comments. These links are one way to direct other bloggers back to your site. If they see something they like, they might return the favor.
#5: Share Content With Relevant Websites
Look for websites and blogs that offer content that’s complimentary to yours and let them know you’re there. For example, a lawyer who specializes in waterfront issues and riparian rights might share an article with a realtor who specializes in waterfront homes.
This can be as simple as an email letting the blogger know you enjoy his blog and a link to an article of interest to his readers. If you can directly tie it into something the blogger is currently writing about, even better.
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#6: Create a Link Network
The feed reader in the sidebar also notifies fellow bloggers and their readers of my most recent posts. I’ll often write headlines aimed at other blogs in the feed knowing that it may generate a response or at least drive traffic from other sites. This technique can often trigger a response from other blogs generating even more traffic for both of us.
Transfer this technique to a business blog and you could create a very powerful network. If you’re worried about competition, look for bloggers outside of your geographic region or closely related but not in direct competition with your business. Realize though that the benefits of the incoming link juice far outweigh the concerns of a few readers visiting another blog. Besides, if your content is good enough, they’ll find their way back to your site.
#7: Don’t Forget Internal Links
If you have a blog post that has achieved a good Google page rank on its own, use it to build in a couple of links to other pages within your site. The link will still hold search engine value even though it’s coming from within the same site.
Link-building takes time and should be an ongoing process. It’s also a world in which the rich get richer. As a website moves to the top of the search returns, lazy researcher syndrome kicks in. Reporters and bloggers will often click on the top returns just because they’re the first to pop up on the page. The upper positions on the search returns also bring perceived credibility just because of their position. As you work your way to the top positions, incoming links will start to develop on their own.
E3 by the NUMBERS [infographic], via @davidmerzel’s BLOG
E3 is just done @ Los-Angeles. I was so happy to be there.
E3 is The Electronic Entertainment Expo. This is the premiere event of the year for everyone involved in the global interactive entertainment industry.
E3 Expo delivers an unmatched and highly qualified audience of developers, retail buyers, international and U.S.–based trade and consumer media, industry and investment analysts, venture capitalists and community influencers
These are the key players in the global interactive entertainment industry and this is your once-a-year chance to interact with them all, under one roof.
Let’s have a look at this infographic which comes back on key figures.
Click on the picture to enlarge
Source : http://gonintendo.com/wp-content/photos/e3_by_the_numbers_20110603002701769.jpg
E3 2011 Microsoft PR Conference : key highlights.
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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 – Activision |
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Activision opened the show with the first gameplay footage of their newest release in their action packed franchise. As always, Xbox 360 owners will get all the content first for this game. Make sure you ask Santa for this one! |
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Tomb Raider – Crystal Dynamics |
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Go on the adventure that made Lara Croft into the tomb raiding femme fatale we came to know. This game will bring more realism than ever before, watch your step, Lara is fragile and might just break something. Survive in hostile environments and find your way in dark places. |
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Electronic Arts |
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EA announced this year that their most successful EA Sports games would have Kinect integration. Fifa, Madden NFL and Tiger Woods PGA will now be controlled with the wave of a hand, or the kick of your feet. Other than their sports series, EA also showed some new footage of Mass Effect 3, which will also have Kinect features. |
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Ubisoft |
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Ubisoft took the stage this year at our keynote to present their Kinect integration for Ghost Recon; Future Soldier. In this game, you will be able to fully customize your weapons with the power of Kinect, it’s quite amazing, really! Additionally, they announced that all of their Tom Clancy titles from now on will have some form of Kinect integration. Exciting! |
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New dashboard experience and partnerships - Microsoft |
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Apart from games, we’ve also announced the new look and feel of the Xbox Dashboard, new features will be added such as Bing – which will allow you to search your console for the content you want. YouTube – To have your favorite video you would like to share with family and friends on your TV. UFC* – for all of you who like to play rough from time to time. And Live TV* – To watch the show you want, when you want. |
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Gears of War 3 – Epic Games / Microsoft Game Studios |
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Marcus Fenix is back and about to go out with a bang! This year, Epic games will bring us the final chapter in the Gears of War Saga. Cliff Bliszinski showed us new campaign footage his game together with rap icon Ice-T. Run to the store as fast as you can and place your pre-order, you don’t want to miss out on this epic game! |
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Ryse – Crytek / Microsoft Game Studios |
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Last year we’ve teased you all with “Project Kingdoms”. This project now has a name; Ryse. You are a Roman gladiator and have to battle through enemies with the power of Kinect. For this title we’ve partnered with Crytek who is renowned for their amazing graphics and physics. (Crysis, Far Cry, …) |
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Halo: Combat Evolved – Anniversary – 343 Industries / Microsoft Game Studios |
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To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Halo: Combat Evolved, we’ve decided to re-release the shooter that spawned an entire new generation of shooters. Experience Masterchief’s story like never before with new features, better graphics and online play! |
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Forza Motorsport 4 – Turn 10 / Microsoft Game Studios |
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Are you a car fanatic? Then this is something for you! Turn 10 promises us the best looking game for this year with a wide variety of manufacturers, TopGear integration, amazing online gameplay and the power of Kinect. What are you waiting for? Start your engine! |
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Fable: The Journey – Lionhead studios / Microsoft Game studios |
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The world of Albion is in danger, and heroes are not born, they are made. Become a hero in the newest chapter in the Fable saga, and enjoy the world of Albion like never before thanks to the power of Kinect. |
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Disneyland Adventures – Frontier Games / Microsoft Game Studios |
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There is a little child in all of us, and whether you would like to awaken that child or play this game with your actual children, this game will shower you with magic fairy dust and bring you to the enchanting world of Disneyland. Go on many different attractions and interact with your favorite Disney character. Anything is possible! |
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Kinect Star Wars – Lucasarts / Microsoft Game Studios |
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Step into the world of Star Wars with Kinect, play as a Jedi, eat Stormtroopers as a Rancor monster, fight of the empire in you X-wing or go into a podrace. Kinect Star Wars is fun for everyone, thanks to a wide variety of game modes. May the force be with you. |
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Sesame Street: Once upon a monster - Telltale games |
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Education made fun, thanks to the crew of sesame Street, learn to count with Elmo and overcome your fear of monsters with the Cookiemonster, This game will entertain the smallest gamers among us with an endless amount of fun. …and cookies! |
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Kinect Funlabs – Good Science / Microsoft Game Studios |
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Always wanted to experiment with the technology behind Kinect? Then this is your chance, play around with Kinect Funlabs and amaze your friends when you scan your favorite toy and use it on your Xbox 360. Take pictures of yourself and experiment in a 3D world, want to know more? Then power up your Xbox 360 and have a go! Funlabs is available today! |
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Kinect Sports Season Two – Rare ltd / Microsoft Game Studios |
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The best-selling game for Kinect gets a sequel, Kinect Sports Two is more than 6 new sports, and it’s twice the fun with improved Kinect tracking, more fun activities and the sports you’ve been asking for! If you liked Kinect Sports, you’ll love season two! |
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Dance Central 2 – Harmonix / Microsoft Game Studios |
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Can’t stop your feet when you hear a tune you like? Than this is what you’ve been waiting for, Dance Central 2 is better than ever with versus mode, over 40 tracks in the box and the possibility to transfer all of you Dance Central 1 songs and download content to this new version. |
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Halo 4 – 343 Industries / Microsoft Game Studios |
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Master chief is back! And will be ready to save us and the rest of the universe yet again holiday 2012! |
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*Content may be limited by country or license. |
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| Thanks Guy Spaey for this summary ! |
EA Press Conference @ E3 2011, Los Angeles, via @davidmerzel’s BLOG
Electronic Arts began their keynote by enthusiastically stating how they don’t have “random celebrity guests” but only games.
Take-out and key demos / trailers from this EA Press Conference @ E3 2011 (Los-Angeles)
Mass Effect 3 dated, March 6th, 2012.
Need For Speed: The Run announced. There are out-of-car gameplay segments.
The Sims Social announced. Play out Facebook events in the Sims.
New game: Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning; medieval action game
Battlefield 3 multiplayer trailer and single player tank section showcased. Beta dated: September 2011. Battlefield 3 dated: October 25
Ubisoft Press Conference E3 [my notes from Los-Angeles], via @davidmerzel’s BLOG
Just seen the Ubisoft Press Conference E3.
Some great stuff to come.
First, the launch of Assassin’s Creed Revelations in November.
Then, Rayman which seems great. Take a look at the demo here-below.
Interesting new concept called Rocksmith and you can plug your own guitar. I really want to test it tomorrow at E3.
Rabbids on Kinect uses augmented reality to bring the Rabbids into YOUR home. Party games, 4-player co-op and online picture sharing.
I don’t forget Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon – Future Soldier, which is very promising. Kinect will be used in this Game, to customize your weapons as example.
Tintin is coming. As Belgian, I’m proud of this.
Your Shape for Kinect looks great and this is the perfect game or ideal sport coach for my wife.
Just dance 3, also available on Kinect seems very cool. My doughter will be happy to test it.
Press Conference Microsoft / Xbox @ E3. [My Notes from Los-Angeles] via @davidmerzel’s BLOG
I had the chance to be, this morning, in the Xbox 360 Media Briefing @ E311 – Los Angeles.
You will find HERE the full conference
Here-below, some key outcome
The show started with a cool demo of Call of Duty Modern Warfare 3.
Then, we saw a demo of tomb raider.
We discovered the Voice recognition Kinect on Mass Effect 3 and how Kinect (thru voice recognition) could influence the scenario of the game.
For Clancy’s Ghost Recon Future Soldier, you can use KINECT to tailore your weapon. Amazing demo. I really want to test it. All future titles in this franchise will leverage Kinect.
Xbox Live is also changing.
Tomorrow, you will use your voice to access your music, games, video.
Youtube is coming to Xbox Live. Bing is going to come to Xbox Live too.
You can search games thru Bing. You say it, Xbox finds it. Look at Demo Bing here-below.
Cliff Bleszinski presented GOW3 and Ice-T on stage for an amazing demo (see demo here- below)
2011 will be also the Year of Halo with Halo Anniversary including Fully Remastered Campaigns from previous editions. 15th of Nov is the D Day for this launch (see trailer here-below)
Forza 4 looks amazing too. Release is foressen this year the 11th of Oct (see trailer here-below)
Fable “the Journey” looks also great. You can ride the horse thru your Kinect and make other cool thinks (see demo here-below)
Disneyland Adventures is a Great game to experience Disneyland Parc’s Attractions. This will be Available this Holiday. My kids will be happy, I’m sure.
Kinect Star Wars. It looks so cool. My son will be happy. He is top fan of Star Wars. You use Kinect and that’s pretty cool (see demo here-below)
Kinect Funlabs will be available for Xbox Live Members.
You can create avatar like you. Amazing demo.
Kinect finger tracking is also coming.
Object capture. You can scan your favorite objects and bring them to live (see demo here-below)
Kinect Sport Season 2. Top franchise of Kinect today. That’s clearly a game for my parents who can play Golf and other games.
Last demo of the day : Dance Central 2. This is the perfect game for my doughter Noa. (See Trailer here-below)
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