The Internet has made it easy for companies from anywhere in the world to address the global market. In theory, they all can sell to whoever is willing to buy their product or in need of their services. All they have to do is have an online presence. As the Internet became more of a conversation, companies moved in the social media world and started engaging their fans through all these dialogue-driven channels. But are businesses really reaching all their potential customers that are avid users of social networks?

Not really. English company profiles only reach about half of them in a best case scenarios and it’s even less for other languages. That is why ComTranslations launched SociaLingo, a near real-time social media translation service that allows companies to address their multilingual audiences in 140 different languages.

Multicultural social media marketing is suddenly something they can easily achieve – just create their Facebook updates, their Tweets, their Google+ messages, their pins on Pinterest or LinkedIn postings and have a team of native translators localize them and have them posted in all the languages they select. As this is a human-powered social media translation service, it’s not exactly instantaneous, but it prevents most of the hiccups using automatic translation software or services might generate.

SociaLingo comes to share the online promotion efforts of 93% of marketers currently using social media channels to target potential customers. It helps non-English speaking company reps reach the massive audience communicating in this language and it helps companies from English-speaking markets to reach the other half of social media users engaging in different languages. Simple and efficient multilingual social media marketing, to sum it up in a few words.

Public relations, if done right, has measurable ROI, which makes it a smart and cost effective investment. But cost effective does not mean a company gets tons of results fast, cheap and with very little work. PR efforts usually mean a comprehensive strategy, a certain timeline to have results and sustained work to keep bringing in results. You cannot just show up, post three messages on a channel and expect everyone in the world to read them, love them and buy everything you are selling.

A lot of companies look to hire PR help that is cheap, effective and fast. Which means that, in a perfect and mythical world, they would pay a few hundred dollars and in return, in a month tops, they will have every media outlet of any and all importance write about them, they will see their sales triple or quadruple, people would become long lasting fans and they will have no future worries in what brand awareness, loyalty and sales are concerned.

It would be great if it would work like that, but it doesn’t.

Effective vs. little effort

An effective PR campaign is usually a smart one. A custom tailored strategy that’s then implemented and yields results. It means you invest the right amount of resources to get the best outcome. It does not mean you invest close to nothing, use a few voodoo words, and miraculously, over night, everything you have ever dreamed of becomes reality.

Cost effective vs. cheap

Cost effective is not the same as cheap, ever. The cost effective choice is not always the cheapest. Something becomes a smart investment when the return on that investment is satisfying. If you have no PR budget but want to get some result for 100 US dollars, that might happen. You would get a very limited number of hours in consultancy which might set you on the right track. It is however not enough to book a PR agency and get them to work their magic for a few weeks and point thousand of people your way.

Fast results vs. lasting results

Fast does not always mean lasting. Not if after seeing the first results, you stop your effort altogether. Communities, loyalty, brand recognition, positioning as an expert in a field, all these take a little to be established and properly developed. But once they start growing, if done right, they increase exponentially, and all the time, money and effort you have invested in them pays off.

In conclusion, PR can and will be a worthwhile investment, and a cost effective way to boost your business. But it won’t be cheap, quick and effective if you want it all rushed, with no investment whatsoever and  to somehow turn the world into one where not having your product and service would bring the end of days. When it comes to business, every miracle has smart people, tons of effort and a wise investment behind it.

When it comes to email marketing, every expert in the field will tell you to only add people that actually express interest in your content to your lists. An opt-in newsletter is the best approach and having a subscription confirmed is even better. But after doing your best to make sure you only reach people with a genuine interest in what you are emailing them, you are still not entirely protected from the damaging “spammer” label.

A new  report by Return Path shows that email deliverability rates have dropped about 5% in the second half of 2011, reaching a 76.5% rate, after keeping steady at over 80% for years. While ISPs have done their best to keep their customers spam-clear, their improved email security is not the only cause for the drop. It is actually consumers themselves, who are unclear on opt-out policies and end up damaging email marketers’ and brands’ reputations.

Although people willingly subscribe to newsletters, daily deals sent by emails and other types of content delivered periodically over email, the amount of such messages is extremely high, and somehow ends up annoying the intended recipient. Instead of opting out, they are more likely to mark the email as spam and flag the sender as a spammer.

“People are suffering from inbox overload and receiving email they don’t want to receive, even though they have opted into it. As a result, we’re seeing subscribers reporting it as spam,” Tom Sather, senior director of email research at Return Path. “They don’t realize that by doing that, it’s affecting all of that marketer’s emails. Every time someone reports an email as spam, it does hurt the sender’s reputation.”

Email recipients often click the spam button because it’s easier and faster than looking for an obscure unsubscribe link. And if that was not enough, ISPs added changes in volume to their filtering algorithm. For example, if a large number of emails about Easter promotions are sent at the same time, they will trigger a response in the ISP’s spam filtering mechanism.

What can you do to diminish the impact a “spam” label would have on your brand? A good idea would be to place the unsubscribe link at the top of your newsletter. A quick text stating your subscribers receive their email because they have signed up might be a welcome reminder. Also, pay attention to your subject lines and email texts. Try not to make them sound as a blatant advertising campaign. However, this second advice only works if it is not a deals email. If customers expect fresh deals and interesting promotions, you have to give them what they expect.

Have you been reported as a spammer by opt-in subscribers? How has it affected you?

Endpoint security, device control and data loss prevention solution developer CoSoSys has been included in Deloitte’s prestigious top of growing technology companies from Central Europe, the Deloitte Technology FAST 50 2011. This year marks the 12th edition of Deloitte’s list, which ranks Central European companies in the technology field based mainly on their intellectual property, thus rewarding their innovative contributions to the industry.

Find out more in the official press release or on our blog.

In order to help you get the best out of you corporate blog, Facebook page or Twitter stream, Mirror Communications has just launched a series of Social Media Packages to choose from. They’re all part of a limited-time special offer, so make sure you check them out as soon as possible! Think of where you need the most help and decide how much of it you could use, then buy the Social Media Package that best suits you!

CoSoSys, developer of Endpoint Security, Data Loss Prevention and portable media security software, and Astaro, IT security specialist from Germany, today announced that they have signed a definitive agreement for Astaro to acquire the Romanian company and integrate CoSoSys’ complete staff into their team.

While continuing to launch new products and improve their existing range of endpoint and mobile data security solutions, the two companies will collaborate on integrating CoSoSys’ device control, data loss prevention and endpoint security solution into Astaro’s Unified Threat Management solution, the Astaro Security Gateway, and on providing a level of overall security beyond any solution currently on the market. Read full press release here.

About three months ago, CoSoSys launched a new product, the Endpoint Protector Hardware Appliance, a security solutions designed to keeps businesses safe from all threats posed by high portability and mobility, preventing data loss and theft, data exposures and other security breaches that commonly occur when portable storage and lifestyle devices are part of the work process.

This fairly new product has proven how valuable it is by becoming a a finalist in the Endpoint Security category of the 2011 Global Excellence Awards organized by Info Security Products Guide, the industry’s leading information security research and advisory guide. The decision to include Endpoint Protector Hardware Appliance among the finalists was taken only two months after the launch. Read more about this great peace of news here.

After a couple of months of planning, writing and tweaking, seasoned with  a few Twitter and Facebook hints, The Social Media Newbie’s Guide to Twitter for Businesses ebook, a simple guide to get businesses and individuals with a business focus started on Twitter, is now published, launched and ready to be bought!

I got the idea for the ebook while browsing new followers on Twitter (many of them businesses or professionals) and while checking out the streams of people I follow. I noticed that while the number of business accounts is growing, few have the right mindset and the right approach that would lead to their Twitter success.  To help them get started and make the best out of their Twitter presence,  I first wrote a few articles that became quite popular and then realized a more comprehensive guide was in order.

The Social Media Newbie’s Guide to Twitter for Businesses guide for Twitter business users is based on my own experience running several  Twitter accounts, on other users’ tips or examples, on patterns that shaped up on the microblogging platforms and on what others and myself liked or dislike about how some users acted on Twitter.

Who should read this ebook:

• businesses looking to integrate social media in their overall communication efforts
• employees tasked with promoting their activity and the company employing them on Twitter
• consultants, coaches and trainers wanting to establish themselves as experts in their field and attract new clients through Twitter;
• all of the above Twitter users who think their performance needs improving
• new Twitter users in general that want to make the best out of their social media experience, build relationships withing their community and reach their online goals.

There are two ways to obtain The Social Media Newbie’s Guide to Twitter for Businesses ebook.

If you need fresh marketing and PR advice sent to your inbox regularly along with the latest PR services and training discounts from the Mirror Communications PR and Marketing agency, then sign up for our newsletter and get the Twitter ebook for free!

If all you want is the ebook, then just buy the Twitter for Businesses guide today (14.99 USD)!

But before you decide, check  the sample chapter of the ebook here.

Once you’ve read it, I would love to hear your thoughts, comments and ideas. Also, if you have any questions, I’d love to answer them, so please send them my way!

If you’re wondering who’s responsible for the exquisite design of the Twitter ebook, it’s Alex Cristache of QBKL Media and Blogsessive who worked his magic the guide!

Hope you enjoy every page!

Out of pure whim or based on a smart business strategy, hotels are ever more present in the online world. From websites to blogs and Twitter stream, they are trying it all, with more or less success. While establishing an online presence might not seem hard – just install a blogging platform, publish a Facebook page or create a Twitter account – making the best out of it is not as easy. Blogs need updating with interesting and relevant content, and your Facebook fans and Twitter followers expect the same.

There is the ever present topic of special offers, discounts and events organized at the hotel, but is that enough? Seeing as the instances where you are the only hotel in the area are limited to small towns and far away regions, there’s usually tough competition to worry about. They also have special offers that they promote online. What else is there to write and talk about?

All the topics you need are within reach. Just think of your customers – why do they come to the city or region your hotel is in? What do they do there? What information do they need and what customized offers will catch their eye? Following this stream of  needs and wants, here are some topics to cover:

Events and Conferences

What is happening in your city matters for those paying it a visit. They might come for a business meeting, but they might not turn down a conference that takes place in the same period. They might be looking for some fun or a way to relax or just something to do while staying at your hotel.

And if you’re into announcing special offers, why not team them up with the most important events?

Tourist Attractions

There are never enough resources about what to see and what to do when on a trip, be it leisure or business. To top that, letting your future guests know you are perfectly able to give them spot on recommendations will earn you some points. It’s always easier to have a hotel employee explain what you can see and how to group sights in a time effective and pleasant manner!

Restaurants and eateries are your friends

People need to eat. And if they’re around for longer than a day, they might want a change from the hotel restaurant, if it exists. Make sure you recommend different types of restaurants and cuisines so that guests can choose according to their preferences and budgetary constraints.

If that’s not a good enough reason, think that you can actually turn restaurants you promote into partners that will in turn recommend you.

Hot topics in your country and region

Before picking the city, people need to pick the country and region you’re in. Make sure you cover, tweet, retweet and publish on Facebook everything that’s relevant to potential travelers to your country – top destinations, business opportunities, world renowned events. Other than keeping potential customers informed, you will be perceived as a promoter of tourism in the region and probably get the same support from peers in the area.

Cultural traits and traditions

Speaking of interesting Christmas customs or New Year’s superstitions or explaining cultural differences and uniqueness will spike curiosity and make guests feel closer to the country and city they plan to visit. Don’t forget to also mention that special offer you have for the night all undead creatures rise and animals start speaking!

The conclusion is simple. Make it about you and you alone, and you will be lost in a huge mass of others doing the exact same thing. Think of what people actually want to know apart from your prices, position yourself as a travel go-to source, and you’ll stand out from the crowd!

How a company treats employees is what forges a great business relationship in any field. But when it comes to industries where service is what customers perceive first and most during their experience, it id not just important, it is everything. And that is true particularly for restaurants, where the interaction between employees and customers is an ongoing one, starting from the moment they enter and going on till they close the door behind them. Or even longer if they provide valet parking!

The hostess greeting guest at the door and taking them to their table, their waiter, other waiters and the way they act, the bartender serving them drinks while they wait for their table to be prepared for them, everyone interacts with restaurant customers and the impression they last tends to stick around.

No matter how exquisite the food is, if they are poorly treated, that mishap will make a long lasting impression and drive them to a different restaurant. Food that tastes great is not that hard to find, excellent service sometimes is. And no matter how clever your PR and Marketing efforts, once you have a potential customer inside your restaurant, it all depends on the service.

What can you do to make sure your customers enjoy their meal out and return? There are many aspects you need to consider and take care of:

• make sure your personnel is properly trained and knows how to handle customers – you cannot put your faith in good looks and natural charisma alone! Explaining to them how important it is to try to remember customers and their preferences does wonders!
• try to solve conflicts between employees fast, as the tension between them might be easily perceived by guests
• have enough employees to ensure a decent waiting period so that people don’t get anxious and your waiters don’t look like their working like slaves – they’d hurry to much and fail to provide the attention each guests need
• if someone is having a bad day, send them home! They’ll cost you less if they don’t drive customers away.

While excellent customer care will not change restaurant goers’ mind if your place is dirty or the food is bad, it will also be a valued business advantage in ensuring their return as often as possible. Moreover, without it, no one will really appreciate the carefully thought out decor, the delicious specialties your chef is renowned for or the extensive wine list. Simply because an extremely limited number of people like paying to be mistreated in restaurants!