The Ocean Agency

Two months ago, I received a birthday present that was quite possibly the best gift I’ve ever gotten.  It was an Amazon Kindle – and despite being a complete book nerd, prior to my Kindle ownership I was a staunch advocate of buying actual books.  After all, a small black and white screen couldn’t possibly replicate the experience of reading and marking up an actual book, could it? No way, no how.

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Every DJ has heard this: In this day and age, just about anyone can “DJ” a party. All you have to do is make a playlist and hit play, right?

WRONG.

Every social media marketer has heard this:  Anyone can be a social media marketer, all you need is a blog, Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn account.

WRONG AS WELL.

Interestingly, the keys to being a successful DJ and social media marketer are surprisingly similar:

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Jimmy John’s Sandwiches is a sandwich shop that is impressively tech savvy. Hey fatso, you can even order sandwiches directly from your Facebook account:

Today was a big day for the Jimmy John’s franchise, as they gave their Facebook fans a sneak preview of what was to become their first televised commercial. They built up anticipation, posting links both on their Facebook page (they have 229,000 fans) and on their Twitter. They revealed the commercial at 3 PM central and fan reaction was immediate, and negative.  Here is a small sampling of the comments:

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We  know that you absolutely never procrastinate at work– Neither do we. We found these entertaining viral apps at home on our own time, we swear. And we are only sharing them with you so that you can understand how to make your own apps viral– not so you can while away the last few hours til the weekend. Check these links out:

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I was just having a conversation with a friend about one of his favorite Chicago restaurants, and it turned out that the place was right around the corner from my new apartment. (Incidentally, the conversation started because I saw him raving about Twin Anchors leftovers in his GChat status message– so there’s another example of online word of mouth for you.) This highly-regarded Chicago tavern is full of history; it’s been around since 1932 and claims to be a favorite of Frank Sinatra. But in the vast culinary landscape of Chicago, which is constantly expanding with new restaurants and bars, how does a traditional tavern and BBQ joint stand out? How does it parlay a crowd of loyal regulars into a new and growing customer base?

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In honor of 9/9/09

These days social media may get even more press coverage than the recession. Most executives and business owners know they should be using social media, but everyday i’m shocked by the sheer number of companies that have little to no social media presence. Based on what we hear in our everyday dealings with clients here are 9 common excuses barriers to entry:

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I walked into my building two days ago and wine and cheese was waiting for me in the lobby. The hospitality industry of Chicago was holding events to drum up support (and signatures) for a petition that outlined their backing of the 2016 olympic games. I definitely enjoyed the delicious Brie and Greg Norman Chardonnay.

The hospitality industry in Chicago wants the 2016 Olympics badly. They want rent prices to rise basking in the post-Olympic glow, they want to charge exorbitantly for hotels and have 2 hour waits at every restaurant. I don’t blame them. But this got me thinking, what would the 2016 Olympics mean for the Chicago tech community?

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Leah had some great thoughts on online quizzes and how to utilize them. Check them out below!

Quizzes: Tools for Building a Community Around Your Website

I am a bit of a procrastinator. I also really like answering questions about myself. (Yea, I’m honest!) And, guess what, I’m not the only sometimes-distracted narcissist on the web. When used properly, online quizzes are rewarding marketing tools that will increase your site’s interactivity and traffic.

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