In today’s day and age, there are many different ways to attract the attention of your customer base.
Through hundreds of different outlets, any business is capable of gaining awareness amongst their clientele. It’s as easy as a simple click of a button and -just like that- your advertisement is running, your photo is posted, and your blog is up. The thing is, with all of these options comes a very important question. Are these new marketing tools truly effective for the field you are in? Digital marketing is essential to utilize for any business to thrive in within today’s world, but which tool gains the most turnaround for your business in the long run? Which one is the most successful and cost effective? The answer is simple: Short Message Service (SMS) is definitely the way to go. Here are 5 reasons why you need SMS marketing for your business. 1. It’s Easy With the highly complicated technology that exists in our world today, most people become confused or lost. Something like “tag this post” or “follow this user” seems too tedious to most people which then leads to them becoming lost in the shuffle of it all. The simplicity of receiving a text message directly to their phone ensures a more successful ad campaign in the long run. 2. It’s Effective In terms of success, the rates for text message marketing trump all other forms of marketing for many reasons. The message or advertisement being sent out by any business is seen, read, and understood almost instantaneously right in the palm of each consumer’s hands. Text messages don't go by unnoticed as much as emails or social media posts do. SMS messages are more direct. 3. It’s Fast The engagement that occurs between a business and a possible costumer in the realm of SMS marketing is far more successful than other marketing tools due to its immediate nature altogether. Potential customers are more inclined to read the entire message being sent out to them because they are significantly shorter than emails or other forms of advertisements. Not only is it a fast process on the end of the consumers, but for the business owners as well. For a business owner who doesn’t have a lot of time to spare, sending out a short and simple SMS campaign is a far quicker process than any other forms of marketing. 4. It’s a Two Way Street In most other forms of marketing, the audiences are typically bombarded with messages that they did not agree to receive in the first place. This can lead to an unsuccessful ad campaign in the long run. An email list is blasted to thousands of potential clients, only to be read by a few who will, most likely, forget they ever received it. With SMS marketing, you don’t need to worry about that because it works on an opt-in basis. This means that the consumers who are receiving the text message campaigns actually consented to receiving them in the first place. Overall, this means you won’t waste time or money bothering people who just aren't interested in your product or brand. 5. It’s Inexpensive In terms of lead generation for your brand or business, SMS marketing is the most cost-effective way to go. With prices set as low as one penny per text message, you are capable of controlling the entire campaign on your own personal budget. With SMS marketing, you can generate genuinely good leads as well as boost your overall customer retention without wasting countless amounts of hours on social media or huge amounts of money on advertising. If you would like to learn more about Lime Cellular's comprehensive platform, get in touch with them by filling out a form on their contact us page.
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You can't just read the headlines.
We as a population today exist under difficult pressures which never existed in our world before. Entities within the internet such as Twitter, Facebook, and Google as a whole have created such a crutch in our society which is going by unnoticed by most. We teach our children at the youngest of ages how to use our iPhones, iPads, and other gadgets which then, in turn, leaves out the important tools a child must grow up with in order to become a well rounded citizen. Not only are our children going to be effected by this, but we as a society of adults are changing with the advancements of technology as well. Media is the most important ideology that exists within our society . It's always been this way. Since the beginning of civilized humanity, news and the way it's been spread has been an essential part of what makes us communal. Our culture thrives on it. It shapes us into what we are and subconsciously influences each and every individual on all spectrums. The technology which we "flourish" from today is enabling our generation to become less and less informed. The shortened versions of news stories that we read on the run in the palms of our hands are shaping our minds, making them smaller and smaller. Staying informed on what is going on around you, as a human being, is necessary in order to survive. We are capable of communicating what is occurring around us and then differentiating the things that are threatening versus the things that are assisting us in the long hall. This is what separates man from beast. Throughout the years, I have become more dedicated to the media machine and how it operates. I have gathered information from as many outlets as possible in order to create my own opinions on the things happening around me. I am consciously aware that this must be done in order to make a sound decision on any subject matter. The problem which now exists within our society is that the majority of people do not. They do not thoroughly educate themselves on current events. They do not gather information from multiple angles of the story in order to maintain a strong opinion of their own. They do not try to understand, they just assume. So, fellow beings of civilized society, I implore you. Don't just read the headlines. Don't just read one article from one website or news source. The media outlets that exist today are bias, despite the claims that they are not. Don't presuppose anything in this world, it is a weakness which has grown overtime alongside the growth of technology. The thing to remember is: we have the power to change that.
The Iranian Nuclear deal that was made official on Tuesday (July 14) makes me uncomfortable for a number of reasons.
The deal that has been two years in the making gives way to opportunity for a country that is so bent on the destruction of freedom and the American way. Sanctions will be systematically lifted over time from Iran upon cooperation of certain terms, uranium enrichment will be cut down, and inspections will be held...if all goes according to plan. The problem with this is that this deal is being made with a government that has a leader that does not have the best track record when it comes to trust. Only a day before this deal was reached, President of Iran Hassan Rouhani attended a protest which consisted of the burning of American and Israeli flags accompanied by "death to America" chants. The bigger issue at hand with this deal, though, is that it paints a different kind of picture in the Middle East. Ties with America and Israel are made weaker and validity is being given to a country with a terroristic ideology. Negotiating with such people will only make them stronger because it gives them the opportunity to strike when others' guards are down. It was made based on the fact that there was no better option. When you make a decision that is based on the idea that it is the lesser of two evils, how safe can it really be? Our enemies are celebrating as our allies are berating our leader's actions. Diplomacy, in my opinion, cannot be practiced with an undiplomatic regime. The notion that sanctions are going to be lifted with the option to "snap back" at any moment if Iran is found to be defiant of the deal in place is also an inkling as to how our country truly feels about its counterpart. The snap back option within the deal implies that at any moment Iran can be expected to break the agreement. If this concept exists within this deal, how plausible can it truly be? The agreement between our country and Iran is not a solid one. Not only will it take years to enforce, but it needs to be finalized by a house extremely divided. There is no exact plan as to how this deal will pan out, it's just theoretical at this point. That is why I am extremely uncomfortable. The instability of it all. When you cooperate with bad people, you never know how they will follow through. That is why people are so nervous about this deal. Because there is no actual guarantee that these monsters will not try to destroy us at the end of the day. And, more importantly, this deal does not prevent Iran from gaining nuclear weapons, it only postpones that horrific reality. This deal is giving immense power back to a country that has been out of play due to past sanctions in the Middle East. The balance that exists currently within the Middle East (which isn't even a strong one) will tip drastically because of these negotiations which can also lead to chaos. People may think that this won't effect us who are comfortably existing within the free country of America, but that is not the case. The true reality of this situation is that despite this deal, Iran will eventually possess the capability to attack Israel or even New York City with weapons which they are very close to successfully creating. With a government so inclined on power and worldly authority, how can one trust their word? That is the major question which needs to be asked when it comes to the circumstances which we find ourselves in now. How on Earth did our country get to a point where they are negotiating with a country thats intention is to destroy anyone who stands in their way of implementing a lifestyle without freedom? This deal was made due to the fact that there was no other option. War is not the answer, but neither is this. I know that is a weak statement, but it is the truth. When one makes an agreement in a weak state, the agreement itself is weak. That is what is going on right now.
You can't take it with you is a saying that has been around for as long as man kind could speak for good reason. The title was also made into a play, movie, and book which has been able to stand the test of time. There is one simple rationality as to why that is: because the notion is universal and relatable to all people.
When you live your life based on physical pleasures rather than emotional connections with the people you love and the places you see, at the end of it all you have nothing. We are born into this world with nothing and we leave with nothing but the experiences you've collected. Making the best of the life you have is necessary in order to feel fulfilled and happy and many people seem to forget that. It's so easy to be sucked into the rat race and hustle of life that is out there in the world. You work as hard as you could so you could make enough money so that you could live the life you always dreamed of. Sometimes we focus so much on the exertion we put into those goals that we forget to stop and smell the roses, so to speak. Sooner or later you'll look in the mirror and wonder how you even got to where you are and it will scare you because this life goes by so quickly and we don't realize it until it's too late. Our memories are like diamonds in the rough in a lot of ways. Some are beautiful glistening masterpieces, priceless beyond belief and some are foggy and irregular and need to be polished in order to see its true beauty. All of our experiences have the potential to be beautiful memories, it's just up to us to see them that way. The memories we keep are a part of a stable and permanent section inside of our brains. Moments are fleeting but the memories we subconsciously choose to keep close to us can stay as long as we allow them to. Memories give us the opportunity to commemorate our loved ones and our passed experiences long after they've gone. Without them, we would have nothing and be nothing. A person is only as strong as his mind allows and if that mind is filled with meaning, he will be the strongest by far. Nowadays, we are lucky enough to have the technology which enables us to keep our memories for longer. With the touch of a screen on our tiny phones, we can document anything and everything. Instagram, Facebook, Twitter-- these are all tools which can be used to help you jog your memory at any time. Every once in a while I like to go back to the beginning of my Facebook page (circa 2006) and read the things I posted and the interactions I partook in. Reminiscing on those times can't be traded for anything in the world to me that would be more enjoyable. There is literally nothing more comforting than laughing at how weird I was and how much more mature I feel today. Without those memories, I wouldn't be able to notice how much I've grown and changed. Our history gives us our story. Without our story, our character would not be able to develop and you would remain stagnant in your place in this universe. Without my life experiences that were tough, I would not be this strong. Without my happy memories from childhood, I would not be as thankful. Without my history, I would not have my knowledge. If someone were to offer me all the money in the world in exchange for my memories, I would easily decline in an instant without hesitation. After everything is said and done, you only take with you the good you did in this world and the feeling of contentment that you did that good. We are given the gift of being able to relive the moments we choose in our brains and remember what we saw and how we felt in that exact instant. If that's taken away, then what else is there?
I know that most of us were waiting at the edge of our seats for the brand new season of "Orange Is The New Black" so we can binge watch until we forget what the use of our feet and legs are, but how freakin' happy were you when you found out it was released early??
I know I, personally, am counting down the minutes until I can start my OITNB marathon-- I just have to mentally prepare my loved ones since they won't be seeing me or hearing from me for the next few days. While I was trying to wrack my brain about what happened in season 2, I started to realize how many real life lessons we actually learned from the complex female power houses of the show and it got me thinking. So, here is a list of the true life lessons we have been handed from the wonderfully knowledgeable ladies of Litchfeild: 1. Gingers (and women) run the world.
We all know Red is the powerhouse of the prison and this really goes to prove that gingies can definitely do it better. The stigma that Red goes against in order to operate her business is a really important part of the show. Despite coming from the old fashioned Russian mentality that women must be housewives who always come second when it comes to their husbands, Red owns every person in that jail. She even made herself known to the Russian Mafia, I mean how much more feminist boss can you get??
2. Everyone deserves love.
We see throughout the series that everyone can, eventually, find love and that everyone is surely capable of it. Sometimes we seem to forget that even the unusual have feelings and emotions and OITNB definitely reminds us that that is just simply not the case. The heavy and deep emotions we have witnessed from Suzanne Warren AKA 'Crazy Eyes' has definitely helped to prove that even those who are strange are capable of true love.
3. Making the best of a bad situation.
When watching the colorful and hilariously energetic friendship between Taystee and Poussey, you almost forget that these girls are convicted felons in federal prison! All of the girls, for that matter, teach us that no matter what terrible situation you are put into, we as human beings have the ability to make it better.
4. Patience is a virtue.
From seeing how long these women have endured prison, we can see that patience as well as acceptance is an extremely important part of life. These women know that they just need to wait out their sentences because there is nothing else they can do about it, so they patiently await their freedom. Kinda makes you feel bad about getting ency when waiting for that Mocha latte at Starbucks, huh?
5. You are who you are, no matter what anyone else tells you.
Lavern Cox's character has obviously raised awareness for the transgender community since episode one. Her position in the prison teaches us that when you feel a certain way about yourself, no one else can take that away from you. Through her courage and honesty, she became exactly who she wanted to be. Yes, she may be in prison for doing something horrible, but at least she is incarcerated fabulously!
6. Silence is golden.
From Red's number one follower, Norma, we learn that silence is a true virtue that some of us should strive for sometimes. She it the most loyal character I have ever witnessed on television because, despite everything, she never really left Red's side. Norma teaches us that you can definitely express yourself without the use of our words which we sometimes forget.
7. Love can be found anywhere and anytime.
There is definitely a factor of passion within the series and we see it everywhere. The difference between this show and many others which focus on the steaminess of many relationships is that it also sheds light on the deeper ideas at play. Through prisoner Daya and prison guard John Bennet's relationship we see that love conquers all. What started out as a hot and scandalous affair has now turned into the cutest Romeo and Juliet-esque love story ever told.
8. History matters.
We all know that Piper and Alex's connection withstood the test of time. Because of their history, Piper's engagement to Larry could not survive. This definitely highlights the fact that we as human beings cannot just forget or shut off our emotions. No matter how mad you are at someone, love will never truly fade away.
9. No one is completely bad.
Throughout the show, we seem to forget that these women have all been put in prison with good reason. As an audience, we see that despite being deemed deviants of society these women truly have good hearts. We tend to forget that despite a person's actions, people may be better than we think. This show definitely opens my eyes in that we judge too quickly. You never know what someone's true story is so don't judge the book by the cover and read it.
10. Laugh at everything...literally.
These women, overall, know how to have a good laugh which shows us the true importance of happiness. Despite everything they have been through, they always seem to be able to put a humorous spin on anything and everything which is something we can all benefit to learn from. I mean, their in jail but they still know how to have a good time-- what better of a life lesson could there be??
It seems as though everyone around us today is taking ownership of their true identities and sharing them with the world around them. You don't have to be afraid to share your preferences or opinions because there seems to be a new universal understanding that each human being is, in fact, a unique being. It's hard to believe that years ago the things that have been going on in the realm of celebrity pop culture would be completely unthinkable. Don't get me wrong, the world is not a perfect place; far from it actually, but we are currently witnessing our society take its first steps on a new kind of path. Co-existance is another extremely important factor in society today that is starting to evolve into something bigger and better. A ubiquitous respect is able to thrive more successfully now in comparison to years ago which is an amazing victory on our part. With Laverne Cox recently being added into Madame Tussauds wax museum as the first ever transgender figure to be put on display comes the idea that there is an idea of true approval brewing within our generation. Recently, Miley Cyrus even admitted in her recent Paper Magazine issue that she doesn't "relate to being a boy or a girl." You may think that Miley's admittance of her "fluid" gender identity is insignificant, but these kinds of statements are inadvertently innovating our society today. Sexual and identity preferences are now being plastered on newsstands for all to see. Since Caitlyn Jenner, who has been going through the difficult process of transitioning in the the public eye, has come out, we see how accepting the public and media is of her decision to finally be true to herself. The reason that these celebrity truths are so important to each and every one of us is because the openness that is occurring in the Hollywood microcosm is enabling our macrocosm to evolve. The significance of these "coming outs" is creating an accumulation of acceptance, which is all at once eye opening and shunning hatred of others who are different. Open-mindedness is a new-wave notion that is developing. With every brave person who comes out in admittance to who they truly are, the idea of tolerance of all kinds of people grows in size rapidly. It may shock a few people to see the sincere raw personas of those around them, but without these pioneers for truth, the human race would never progress. We still have long way to go, but with the current voicing of sexuality and gender identity/preferences occurring around us, we are definitely going in the right direction. Here are some celebrities who have helped pave the way for LGBT today:Images: Instagram, Twitter, UsWeekly, Gaycenter.org, Huffingtonpost
Raise your glasses because it’s finally official! According to a new study conducted by researchers at Bristol University, around one glass of wine will make you more attractive in other peoples’ eyes. Through their website, researchers asked sober college students to assess pictures of other students who were on different levels of intoxication.
The pictures were rated on their attraction and the result were awesome: the pictures of students who had one glass were more attractive than the ones that had drank an excess amount. The study proposes the idea that one drink has the ability to make facial muscles to relax. ”Rosiness is attractive because it characterizes good physical health characteristics,” said Professor Munafò, a professor of biological psychology at the University. Munafò also added that, "if they go on to consume more alcohol, they're no longer rated as more attractive." So, basically, get turnt but not too turnt. Bottom line: this definitely justifies the one glass of wine to unwind mentality. Just don’t get too boozed up, and you should be in the clear. In today’s world, why should you have to deal with small nuisances that can be easily avoided with MacGyver-esque skills? Here are some tips to help you not sweat the small stuff: 1. Finding the end of a tape roll can be one of the most frustrating tasks a person has to deal with. Use a paper clip to hold your place when your done using the tape will fix that, no more broken fingernails for you! 2. Ever yearn for your nightly glass of Pinot but realize you forgot to refrigerate it from beforehand? Chill white wine with frozen grapes. Have a bag of frozen grapes ready in your freezer (at all times for those wine connoisseurs out there) and use them as ice cubes. 3. Filling your mop bucket that never quite fit in the sink just got a lot less complicated. Use your household dustpan as a sort of irrigation mechanism to fill larger containers in your sink. 4. Make the perfect ice cream sandwich. If you have a sweet tooth, try this quick trick to get the most evenly distributed homemade ice cream sandwich you will ever have! 5. For those impossible plastic blister packages, try a can opener. Ever struggle for hours with those dumb packages that just seem like they aren’t mean to be opened? You try and you try, even to the point that your fingers of blood-covered from the pain with no prevail. Use your can opener and avoid the dreadful struggle!
When walking into a store of any kind, whether it’s a retail business or a restaurant, people should always conduct themselves in a certain way. Many people do not realize that the way they act in a place of business, although the business may not be their own, affects everyone's shopping or eating experience.
As a sales associate at a high-end retail boutique in New Jersey, I have seen it all. I have seen clients who act cordial and delightful while I have also had the misfortune to witness rude and nasty people act in such a distasteful way, it makes my stomach turn. When one walks into a high-end retail boutique of any kind, one should be polite. If you don't know why the prices lean a little more toward the higher end, think about it first before you tell your friend loudly, "Oh my god why on earth is this ugly t-shirt so expensive?" Our merchandise is high-end designer clothing so the prices are set accordingly. You have to understand that a t-shirt made of cotton from Forever 21 is not going to be the same price as a designer t-shirt made from 100 percent linen. You see, when you do that not only does your friend hear you, but every customer in the store hears you as well. I, the sales associate, hear you. The other shoppers hear you. Even the owner of the store could hear you. You must realize that when you say something like that, you are making every person in the store uncomfortable in one way or another. On top of the discomfort you are causing, you are also costing our small business potential sales due to the negative comments on our merchandise. "Sometimes we get customers who are so loud that it makes my regular clients cringe," said Lisa Minervini, a 21-year-old fellow sales associate. "It makes my client feel bad when people make their negative comments about the merchandise she was thinking of purchasing." I understand that everyone has different financial situations and I understand that everyone has different things that they are willing to spend their money on. I am not saying that everyone should start buying designer clothing or that no one could be fashionable without purchasing the clothing sold at the store I work in. What I am trying to stress is that everyone should just be aware of their surroundings before they insult the businesses they walk in to. Imagine this: You are sitting at your favorite Italian restaurant enjoying your favorite dish of ravioli. Now, in the midst of your delightful meal, a customer sitting right beside you who has the same dish as you spits out his food and starts to go on a rant about how terrible it is. Would you be able to enjoy your dish as much as you would if the rude man wasn't there? So the next time you walk into a business of any kind and have an opinion about the way that it is run or what the business is selling, think very carefully before you open your mouth to speak. If you don't like the store, tell your friend later after you have left. I know that people don't intend on ruining business by expressing their opinions, but sometimes words are the biggest weapon a person can use. |
AuthorShelly; A writer, aspiring journalist and/or popular culture personality. Archives
October 2015
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