The Quilting Community Really Stepped Up to This Call for Help With a Massive Embroidery Project

The internet isn’t always an uplifting place, but sometimes, something happens that reaffirms your belief in the goodness of humanity. For Twitter user Shannon Downey, that seems to be exactly what went down after she sent out a call for help completing an unfinished quilting project that she came across at an estate sale.

In a Twitter thread that has gone viral since she posted it on Wednesday, Downey explains how she discovered a box full of yet-to-be embroidered fabric squares in the bedroom of a home that had been owned by a recently deceased 99-year-old woman named Rita and just knew that she had to finish what Rita had started.

“I knew I had to buy it and finish it but it was a massive f—ing undertaking and while I embroider, I don’t quilt,” she wrote. “I bought it for $6.”

Instead of tackling the project on her own, Downey decided to reach out to her Instagram followers for help; the response was instant and overwhelming. “In one day, I had over 1,000 volunteers!!! Because people are amazing,” she wrote. “There are 100 individual hexagons to be embroidered to make the quilt…”

Downey went on to say that while her stitchers were still busy embroidering — using a quilt Rita had already completed as a style guide — she already had 30 quilters ready to handle the quilting phase.

“The packages are arriving to my stitchers and they are furiously stitching their hexies,” she wrote. “We are using the completed map that I bought (that we can reasonably assume was made by Rita) to try to mirror her stitching techniques and style!”

See the full thread below.

A story… (in proper thread form)

I go estate sale shopping regularly and whenever I find an unfinished embroidery project I buy it and finish it bc there’s no way that soul is resting with an unfinished project left behind. One day I found this stunner for $5. The I walked pic.twitter.com/2zIzTsRuSI

— Shannon “Badass Cross Stitch” Downey (@ShannonDowney) October 23, 2019

it was a massive fucking undertaking and While I embroider, I don’t quilt. I bought it for $6. I took the address of the home and did a little research and learned that the owner was named Rita and it seems she died at 99. That woman STARTED a massive quilting project at 99… pic.twitter.com/Hc66js9aNh

— Shannon “Badass Cross Stitch” Downey (@ShannonDowney) October 23, 2019

I made a massive spreadsheet and collected mailing addresses. I started preparing the squares to ship out to my new team. As I did, I discover Rita had stitched 2 of the states already! What a grand surprise. I’m not saying I cried but I’m not saying I didn’t. pic.twitter.com/YfkzPZ25NO

— Shannon “Badass Cross Stitch” Downey (@ShannonDowney) October 23, 2019

As the stitchers waiting for them to arrive, some folks started doing research on Rita. They are excellent researchers. Found her husband, maiden name, that she was a Canadian immigrant, became a nurse and look – they found her high school yearbook photo! pic.twitter.com/XSxbSuYFvI

— Shannon “Badass Cross Stitch” Downey (@ShannonDowney) October 23, 2019

We’ve got over 30 Chicago quilters lines up to handle the quilting phase of the project once we get all of the hand-stitched hexies back. Humans are amazing. Community can be built anywhere. You can follow along on Instagram —-> #RitasQuilt

— Shannon “Badass Cross Stitch” Downey (@ShannonDowney) October 23, 2019

 

Read more: time.com

https://infoforu.org/the-quilting-community-really-stepped-up-to-this-call-for-help-with-a-massive-embroidery-project/

Everyone’s Tapping Into Their Horrible Side Thanks to the Consequence-Free Untitled Goose Game

The goose is loose in the new Untitled Goose Game and it’s causing quite the stir on the internet. After Untitled Goose was unleashed for Nintendo Switch, Mac, and PC on Sept. 20, the game’s titular bird protagonist quickly became a viral star.

In the days since Untitled Goose’s debut, Twitter users, including celebrities like Chrissy Teigen, have taken to the social media platform to express their admiration for the game’s delightfully bizarre premise, which asks players to assume the role of a mischievous goose wreaking havoc on a quaint English village.

welp as a contrarian, I wanted to hate goose game but I LOVE IT

— christine teigen (@chrissyteigen) September 29, 2019

“You are a goose let loose on an unsuspecting village,” the game’s description on Nintendo’s website reads. “Make your way around town, from peoples’ back gardens to the high street shops to the village green, setting up pranks, stealing hats, honking a lot, and generally ruining everyone’s day.”

Apparently we all stan a waterfowl icon who does what it wants when it wants.

you should be able to play a horrible goose in every video game. let me honk at elves or supersoldiers or whatever other video games have

— Brandy Jensen (@BrandyLJensen) September 29, 2019

Sometimes video games speak to the very heart of existence. For instance, how am I, a mere goose, supposed to get this dude to wear his garden hat while I steal his radio?

— spooky jim christmas. (@markhoppus) September 28, 2019

Untitled Goose Game is so popular because it appeals to humanity's two most basic, primordial desires that have been with us since the dawn of time: to bully nerds and to be a goose. pic.twitter.com/MHmaRM7TrI

— Existential Comics (@existentialcoms) September 27, 2019

the geese are correct to revile us and to sabotage our works

— JuanPa (@jpbrammer) September 27, 2019

canadian geese anytime u try to walk past them pic.twitter.com/jhNNk2bo3W

— still halal (@halaIboy) September 30, 2019

this is exactly what will happen when the townsfolk finally arrest the horrible goose https://t.co/ERdVtg0JGL

— jonny sun (@jonnysun) September 30, 2019

goose game appears to be tapping into the 20-30's crowd's desire to rebel and indulge in absurdity without causing physical harm and that's beautiful

— mc schrodinger 🔥 gay antifa twink (@emiyannn) September 26, 2019

Game devs: "But do people *want* to play evil characters?"

Untitled Goose Game: pic.twitter.com/7zIMBVrpLr

— Morgan Lockhart (@missdoomcookie) September 23, 2019

Read more: time.com

https://infoforu.org/everyones-tapping-into-their-horrible-side-thanks-to-the-consequence-free-untitled-goose-game/

Tulsi Gabbard Releases Video Calling for Everyone Across the Political Spectrum to Unite and Fight Big Tech’s Censorship

Democratic presidential candidate Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has released a new video calling for Americans from both sides of the aisle to unite and fight political censorship by the Big Tech monopolies.

Rep. Gabbard recently filed a $50 million lawsuit against Google for censoring her campaign’s ability to buy ads following the first Democratic primary debate when she was the most searched candidate.

“Join me in this fight to end big tech monopolies power to censor & undermine Americans’ freedom of speech—because whether we are progressives or conservatives, left or right, if we do not stand united to protect our freedoms, we all lose,” Rep. Gabbard tweeted.

Join me in this fight to end big tech monopolies power to censor & undermine Americans’ freedom of speech—because whether we are progressives or conservatives, left or right, if we do not stand united to protect our freedoms, we all lose. https://t.co/Ei3Ws5H257 #TULSI2020 pic.twitter.com/wt5MJKT94G

— Tulsi Gabbard (@TulsiGabbard) July 29, 2019

In the powerful video, Rep. Gabbard called the ability of tech companies to censor non-violent political speech a “direct threat to our democracy.”

“Over the last two decades, technology has completely revolutionized how we as a society communicate. An enormous amount of public discourse now happens over the internet, where a very select handful of corporations yield tremendous power over your access to information,” Rep. Gabbard explained.

Referring to Google and Facebook, Rep. Gabbard pointed out that these two companies control the vast majority of internet searches.

“These two technology conglomerates, without any oversight, can decide who and what is seen or heard. They have banned voices, who, while controversial and maybe even distasteful, have not incited violence or threatened others,” Rep. Gabbard continued. “Their sole offense was expressing a view that these corporations deemed unacceptable.”

Rep. Gabbard concluded the video by calling on people from the left and right to unite to fight for the freedom of speech before we “all lose.”

Last week, Rep. Gabbard announced that she is suing Google for their censorship.

Google had suspended the campaign’s advertising account for six hours from June 27th into June 28, immediately following the debate while searches for her were trending.

Map: before and after the #DemDebate pic.twitter.com/7y3iNoJR1N

— GoogleTrends (@GoogleTrends) June 27, 2019

The lawsuit was filed in a Los Angeles federal court on Thursday. They are seeking an injunction against Google to prevent them from continuing to meddle in the election and damages of at least $50 million.

“Google’s discriminatory actions against my campaign are reflective of how dangerous their complete dominance over internet search is, and how the increasing dominance of big tech companies over our public discourse threatens our core American values,” Rep. Gabbard said in a statement to the Times. “This is a threat to free speech, fair elections, and to our democracy, and I intend to fight back on behalf of all Americans.”

The lawsuit also alleges that Google is sending their campaign emails to people’s spam folders at “a disproportionately high rate” compared to other campaigns.

“Google’s arbitrary and capricious treatment of Gabbard’s campaign should raise concerns for policymakers everywhere about the company’s ability to use its dominance to impact political discourse, in a way that interferes with the upcoming 2020 presidential election,” the lawsuit said. “To this day, Google has not provided a straight answer — let alone a credible one — as to why Tulsi’s political speech was silenced when millions of people wanted to hear from her.”

Rep. Gabbard, a veteran, has broad appeal across party lines for her staunch anti-war and anti-censorship platform. She faces pushback from many establishment Democrats due to her blasting the party in 2016 for rigging the primaries in favor of Hillary Clinton.

The post Tulsi Gabbard Releases Video Calling for Everyone Across the Political Spectrum to Unite and Fight Big Tech’s Censorship appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Read more: thegatewaypundit.com

https://infoforu.org/tulsi-gabbard-releases-video-calling-for-everyone-across-the-political-spectrum-to-unite-and-fight-big-techs-censorship/

Trump Retweets Insinuate Clintons Tied to Jeffrey Epstein Death

President Trump retweeted two tweets Saturday evening that insinuate former President Bill Clinton and his wife, defeated-by-Trump 2016 Democrat presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, are tied to the death of Jeffrey Epstein in a federal jail cell in Manhattan early Saturday morning that is being called a suicide.

Trump first retweeted a BNL News report that stated, without a link to an article, “BREAKING: Documents were unsealed yesterday revealing that top Democrats, including Bill Clinton, took private trips to Jeffrey Epstein’s “pedophilia island””

BREAKING: Documents were unsealed yesterday revealing that top Democrats, including Bill Clinton, took private trips to Jeffrey Epstein’s “pedophilia island”

— BNL NEWS (@BreakingNLive) August 10, 2019

Trump followed with a retweet of a video by Terrence K. Williams who siad that he doesn’t know, but word on the street is the Clintons were involved with Epstein’s death. Williams also opined that people with dirt on the Clintons end up committing suicide.

Williams posted commentary along with the video, “Died of SUICIDE on 24/7 SUICIDE WATCH ? Yeah right! How does that happen #JefferyEpstein had information on Bill Clinton & now he’s dead I see #TrumpBodyCount trending but we know who did this! RT if you’re not Surprised #EpsteinSuicide #ClintonBodyCount #ClintonCrimeFamily”

Died of SUICIDE on 24/7 SUICIDE WATCH ? Yeah right! How does that happen#JefferyEpstein had information on Bill Clinton & now he’s dead

I see #TrumpBodyCount trending but we know who did this!

RT if you’re not Surprised#EpsteinSuicide #ClintonBodyCount #ClintonCrimeFamily pic.twitter.com/Y9tGAWaAxX

— Terrence K. Williams (@w_terrence) August 10, 2019

Trump then posted a comment on fighting back against the “Fake News Media”, “Think how wonderful it is to be able to fight back and show, to so many, how totally dishonest the Fake News Media really is. It may be the most corrupt and disgusting business (almost) there is! MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

Think how wonderful it is to be able to fight back and show, to so many, how totally dishonest the Fake News Media really is. It may be the most corrupt and disgusting business (almost) there is! MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 10, 2019

Earlier Saturday HUD official Lynne Patton who is a long-time Trump family friend and employee, posted to Instagram, writing, “Hillary’d!!”

The Instagram reaction to Epstein’s suicide from Lynne Patton, Trump-appointed regional director. See caption – pic.twitter.com/4Dtx6LaX4W

— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) August 10, 2019

Attorney General Bill Barr announced Saturday the FBI and the DOJ Inspector general will be investigating Epstein’s death in federal custody.

During the Clintons’ years in power in Arkansas and Washington, several people associated with the Clintons died under suspicious circumstances. Two of the most notable during the Clinton presidency were Deputy White House Counsel Vince Foster, a boyhood friend of Bill and Rose Law firm associate of Hillary, whose July 20, 1993 death at age 48 was ruled a suicide and former Clinton business partner in Whitewater James McDougal, who turned state’s evidence against the Clintons and died of a heart attack at age 57 in federal prison on March 8, 1998 during the Clintons’ second term. Notably, McDougal’s ex-wife Susan McDougal refused to testify against the Clintons and was jailed 18 months for contempt. Bill Clinton pardoned Susan in his last hours as president in 2001. She is alive today.

The post Trump Retweets Insinuate Clintons Tied to Jeffrey Epstein Death appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Read more: thegatewaypundit.com

https://infoforu.org/trump-retweets-insinuate-clintons-tied-to-jeffrey-epstein-death/

BOOM! President Trump NUKES Ilhan Omar: “There’s a lot of talk about the fact that she was married to her brother” (VIDEO)

President Trump spoke with reporters on Wednesday afternoon before departing the White House for his rally in North Carolina tonight.

The president was asked about his recent tweets against the radical Democrat freshmen “Squad.” The president stood by his comments.

Then President Trump dropped this bomb on Rep. Ilhan Omar: “There’s a lot of talk about the fact that she was married to her brother.”

BOOM! He went there!

It’s more than just talk, Mr. President.

As reported earlier today…

Alpha News from Minnesota released Part I of their Ilhan Omar investigation tiled “The Secrets of Ilhan Omar” on Tuesday.

The shocking video explores the myriad of evidence that a member of Congress Ilhan Omar committed Bigamy, Marriage Fraud, and Tax Fraud.

The video is currently posted on YouTube.

It should be noted that by American law — When a marriage fraud is discovered, not only might the immigrant face severe immigration consequences, but both members of the marrying couple may face criminal penalties… An immigrant who is found to have committed marriage fraud would likely be removed from the United States (deported).

Jack Posobiec also posted the video on his popular Twitter page.

Be a shame if this went viral pic.twitter.com/LXAoASl2AS

— Jack Posobiec 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) July 17, 2019

The video echoes information posted yesterday on The Gateway Pundit.

The Gateway Pundit was sent several updates on Ilhan’s story in the past two days. Our sources are hesitant to go public due to concerns of retribution from certain segments in the US Somali community.

What is interesting is that as Ilhan continues to deny her marriage to her brother there is clear evidence that she is lying.

The marriage certificate between her and Ahmed Nur Said Elmi has his birthdate as April 4, 1985.

David Steinberg reported at PJ Media:

According to official student enrollment records archived by St. Paul Public Schools and the state of Minnesota, an “Ahmed N. Elmi” was enrolled as a senior in the Class of 2003 at Arlington Senior High School in St. Paul, MN, from September 6, 2002, until June 10, 2003. He graduated and received a diploma.

The enrollment record states that “Ahmed N. Elmi” was born on April 4, 1985.

Both Ilhan Omar’s 2009 marriage documents and her 2017 divorce proceedings state that Ahmed Nur Said Elmi was born on April 4, 1985.

After an extensive background search, I have not been able to find any other person named “Ahmed Nur Said Elmi,” “Ahmed N. Elmi,” or even “Ahmed Elmi” with the birthdate April 4, 1985. The man Ilhan Omar married and the 17- to 18-year-old who attended Arlington Senior High School in St. Paul, MN, in 2002-2003 are one and the same.

It is also clear that her brother-husband Ahmed Nur Said Elmi has an almost identical name to her father Nur Said Elmi Mohamed.

The post BOOM! President Trump NUKES Ilhan Omar: “There’s a lot of talk about the fact that she was married to her brother” (VIDEO) appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

Read more: thegatewaypundit.com

https://infoforu.org/boom-president-trump-nukes-ilhan-omar-theres-a-lot-of-talk-about-the-fact-that-she-was-married-to-her-brother-video/

What’s New in Workspace ONE UEM 9.6

Management & Security Enhancements in UEM 9.6

The latest updates and features for Workspace ONE UEM 9.6 are now available! This release’s highlights are: new profile settings for Android and Chrome OS, new Apple functionality, and Windows 10 enhancements.

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Simplified QR Code Enrollment for Android

The Workspace ONE UEM Console now automatically generates a QR code, enabling administrators and end-users to register devices as Work Managed. Use this new enrollment flow to enable end user enrollment, or to stage multiple devices before deployment.

To get started, navigate to Devices > Staging & Provisioning > Staging and select Configure Enrollment button.

Requirements

Android devices running version 7.0 (Nougat) or later

Biometeric Passcode Support for Android

The Passcode Profile for Android now supports low-security biometric passcodes, such as facial recognition and fingerprinting. These additional methods enable support for a wider variety use cases.

To take advantage of this update, navigate to Devices > Profiles & Resources > Profiles > Add > Add Profile > Android > Passocde.

Simplified Profile Configuration for Samsung

Now, you can find  and configure supported Samsung features in one place. Workspace ONE UEM 9.6 integrates standard Samsung Knox policies into the Android Work Managed profile payloads.This integration includes the following Samsung Knox policies:

Passcode Restrictions Date/Time APN

To take advantage of this update, navigate to Devices > Profiles & Resources > Profiles > Add > Add Profile > Android, and enable OEM Settings. Once enabled, a Knox symbol displays by the supported payloads.

Factory Reset Protection for Android

Simplify Android device reassignment in Workspace ONE UEM 9.6, with the new Enterprise Factory Reset Protection profile. Now, you no longer need previous account information to set up a factory reset device.

To see this new profile, navigate to Devices > Profiles & Resources > Profiles > Add > Add Profile > Android > Enterprise Factory Reset Protection.

Shared Device Support for Android

Android Enterprise now supports shared device multi-user staging and check-in check-out functionality. Implementing shared devices lowers the overall device cost for organizations without sacrificing security. By keeping security & authentication in place for every unique end user, the shared device only allows authorized end users to access sensitive information.

Requirements

Launcher required for check-in check-out functionality.

Task Manager Control for Chrome OS

Now, a new setting in the Chrome OS Application Control Profile allows you to control users ability to end processes in Task Manager. Disabling this setting keeps users from force closing crucial tasks in Task Manager.

To disable, navigate to Devices > Profiles & Resources > Profiles > Add > Add Profile > Chrome OS > Application Control, and disable Users can end processes in Task Manager.

Verified Device Mode for Chrome OS

Device Verified Mode Required, a new setting in the Chrome OS Security & Privacy profiles, ensures devices meet security requirements before booting up.

To take advantage of this feature, navigate to Devices > Profiles & Resources > Profiles > Add > Add Profile > Chrome OS > Security & Privacy, and enable Device Verified Mode Required.

New Skip Screen Options for iOS

Apple Setup Assistant now supports three new skip screen options for Apple DEP:

iMessage And FaceTime: Prevent the iMessage and FaceTime prompt during Setup Assistant. Software Update: Prevent informing users about Software Updates during Setup Assistant. Screen Time: Prevent informing users about Screen Time during Setup Assistant.

Take advantage of this update by navigating to Groups & Settings > All Settings > Devices & Users > Apple > Device Enrollment Program, and configure the Apple Setup Assistant workflow to Skip the appropriate screens.

New Supervised Device Restrictions for iOS

Enable USB Restricted Mode, a new setting in the Restrictions payload, to turn the lightning port into charge-only port if the device hasn’t been unlocked within a week.

To see the feature, navigate to Devices > Profiles & Resources > Profiles > Add > Apple iOS  > Restrictions and enable or disable USB Restricted Mode.

Requirements

iOS 11.4+ supervised device

 

Enforced Application Management for macOS

Now, a new macOS software distribution setting can disable enforced management for internal applications.  Disabling enforced application management provides the flexibility to deploy applications as a part of one-time configuration, and gives end-users the liberty to locally uninstall applications.

To see this setting, navigate to Apps & Books > Applications > Native > Internal. Then, while configuring assignment, enable or disable Desired State Management.

Enhanced App Installation Notifications for Windows

Now you can quickly see when an app successfully installed and receive status updates throughout the install process. UWP apps display both the install progress and status for UWP apps and statuses for all other internal apps.

Requirements

Workspace ONE 3.2 for Windows 10

Remote Reboot for Windows 10

A new command enables you to reboot managed Windows 10 devices from the console or via API. Selecting the Reboot Device button triggers a reboot within 5 minutes to allow the user to wrap up any active work.

Requirements

Windows 10 version 1607+

Consolidated OEM Updates View for Windows 10

Workspace ONE UEM now displays all the deployed OEM updates in the OEM Updates list view. This page allows you to filter the updates by the update type including audio driver, chipset driver, BIOS updates and more.

To see updates in the UEM console, navigate to Devices > Lifecycle > Updates and select the OEM Updates tab.

SSL Certificate Rotation for VMware Tunnel

Now you can rotate certificates without impacting the end-user service experience. Upload up to two additional public SSL certificates, or remove an existing public SSL certificate with zero downtime. Display SSL certificate expiration date and notify the IT Administrator to rotate certificate that is about to expire.

Take advantage of this update by navigating to the Advanced tab under VMware Tunnel.

Unified Access Gateway Installation Type for Content Gateway

Administrators can now use Unified Access Gateway (UAG) as an installation type to configure a new Content Gateway on Unified Access Gateway or to migrate the existing Windows or Linux Content Gateway to Unified Access Gateway.

To access this setting, navigate to Groups & Settings > All Settings > Enterprise Integration > Content Gateway.

SAML Authentication for Selected Services

Now, you can enable SAML authentication for selected services based on the corporate policies and security requirements. Selected services include enrollment, the Workspace ONE UEM Console, and the Self-Service Portal.

Take advantage of this update by navigating to  Groups & Settings > All Settings > Enterprise Integration > Directory Services and enabling Use SAML For Authentication.

Token Revocation on Enterprise Wipe

Now, enterprise wiping a device automatically revokes its Azure tokens.

To enable these settings, navigate to Accounts > Administrators > Administrator Settings > Directory Services and enable Automatically revoke user tokens when wiping device.

Contributors Robert Terakedis, senior technical marketing manager for VMware EUC mobile marketing, contributed Apple content. Karim Chelouati, senior technical marketing manager for VMware EUC mobile marketing, contributed Android content. Josue Negron, senior technical marketing manager for VMware EUC mobile marketing, contributed Windows 10 content. Chris Halstead, Staff EUC Architect for EUC Technical Marketing, contributed Windows 10 content. Andreano Lanusse, Staff Solution Architect for VMware EUC contributed VMware Tunnel and Unified Access Gateway content.

The post What’s New in Workspace ONE UEM 9.6 appeared first on VMware End-User Computing Blog.

Read more: blogs.vmware.com

https://bluetoothproximitymarketing.info/whats-new-in-workspace-one-uem-9-6-2/

A Hotelier’s Guide To Email Marketing for Black Friday and Cyber Monday

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are two of the biggest shopping holidays in the U.S. To most of us, these days are about snagging deeply-discounted apparel and electronics. However, the travel industry can also benefit from the frenzy of shopping activity during the holidays. According to a report by the American Marketing Association, travel is the top discount category on Black Friday. During these super-shopping days, consumers are in a spendy mood and a discounted vacation before year-end is hard to pass up.

 

The biggest shopping weekend of the year is around the corner, but you still have time to create the perfect email marketing strategy to gather your share of this weekend’s profits. Check out some best practices and tips to ensure your campaigns are top-notch for Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

 

Segment your database and personalize

Segmentation is the jack of all trades, at least when it comes to email marketing. It not only allows you to create email offers that are relevant and resonate with your recipients, but segmentation also helps with email deliverability. By segmenting your subscribers demographically and behaviorally and personalizing your message, your recipients will be more likely to engage with your emails, allowing your sender reputation to remain good and ensuring that your emails don’t go to spam.

 

I recommend incorporating these segments into your emails:

Geo-location                                               Booking date                                               Loyal guests (number of stays)         Guest lifetime spend Stay date range Family travel ADR

 

Once you’ve determined your segments, make sure your offers and content are relevant to that specific segment. For example, if you are targeting your California guests with a ski offer, try a subject line like ‘California, time to ditch the beach and hit the slopes.’

 

Reward your loyal guests

Show your best customers how thankful you are by offering them early access to your Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. By making it clear that they’re receiving the offer as a loyalty reward, you’ll make them feel valued and special. And, with early access to the deal, you can get a jump on the competition and ensure their budget is spent with you.

 

Here are some ideas to entice your most loyal customers:

Early access to Black Friday/Cyber Monday deals Free upgrades or value-adds Special discount available only to them

 

Consider offering early access to the sale in tiers. For example, your most loyal guests and highest spenders would get access to the sales three days before Black Friday, email subscribers and past guests would get access the day before, and everyone else would get access the day of. Offering a “3rd Night Free” promotion also encourages a longer length of stay.

 

Start your deals early or extend them past Cyber Monday

Competition over Black Friday and Cyber Monday is fierce, and it can be hard to stand out in a crowded inbox. Many retailers now start their Black Friday sales earlier on Thanksgiving Day or even sooner. Consider adjusting your offer dates to start earlier or extend later. However, it’s important to set a clear cut-off date to maintain a sense of urgency and emphasize that your promotions are still exclusive and limited while giving people a bit more time to make the decision.

 

Your email layout needs to check all the boxes

This is the season to sell, so your subject lines should be bold and to the point. Mention your discounts (with numbers) and freebies early in the subject line. Moreover, your images should be simple but compelling and complement the deal you’re offering. All images should be tagged with alternative text so recipients know what the image is if it does not load property. Additionally, reiterate the deal in the first paragraph of the body copy to make sure recipients who don’t automatically download pictures will still see the offer.

 

Here are some examples of strong subject lines for your holiday hotel email marketing:

Black Friday starts now with 50% off It’s tradition: enjoy 25% off rates + a bonus offer Jack, your exclusive Black Friday deal is here!

 

Think mobile

Last year, mobile sales on Black Friday totaled $1.2 billion, according to Adobe, while mobile sales on Cyber Monday were up 34% to $1.1 billion. Your website and booking engine must be optimized to work well on the smallest screens.

 

Here’s your mobile-friendly checklist:

Mobile-responsive content Easily scrollable Clear call to action Short and sweet

 

Check list quality and deliverability

This season is too important for your overall hotel email marketing strategy to ignore the details of list quality and email deliverability. With engagement already low around the holidays, the last thing you need is an email address that bounces or a subscriber that reports your campaign as spam.

 

Remember that too many bounces can cause mailbox providers to downgrade or even refuse your emails. Never use a purchased list, one borrowed from another sender, or an old list. Perform a quality check for any new imports before you send to them. The goal is to only email people who know who you are and who are expecting to receive emails from you.

 

Make sure to follow these deliverability best practices and click here for a more in-depth look into deliverability:

Filter for recent stays (in the last two to three years) Provide alternative text for all images Do not use a link shortener Make sure your links are formatted properly (“http://” or “https://”) Provide an unsubscribe link that’s easy to find and read

 

We hope these guidelines help you achieve your best-ever holiday hotel marketing campaigns. Here’s to a happy and productive holiday season… but first, check out our Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2017 statistics from Revinate Marketing customers!

The post A Hotelier’s Guide To Email Marketing for Black Friday and Cyber Monday appeared first on Revinate.

Read more: revinate.com

https://bluetoothproximitymarketing.info/a-hoteliers-guide-to-email-marketing-for-black-friday-and-cyber-monday/

7 Videos That Changed the World of Marketing As We Know It

Video marketing is so commonplace now that it’s hard to imagine a world without it. No commercials, no YouTube ads, no brand awareness campaigns or vine-styled content going viral on social media. And yet there was a time when the very first video advertising was actually the first and all brand new.

In this post, we’re going to take a look at some of the most significant videos that left their mark on us, changing the world of marketing as we know it while establishing trends that are still relevant today.

1. Bulova, 1941

It’s hard to imagine a time where we didn’t have to set through fifteen minutes of commercials for every hour of TV (or, you know, where we didn’t have a TV), but Bulova was the brand that gave us the first.

In 1941, the Bulova watch company broadcast a brief 10-second ad during a Yankees game. It was in black and white, with a watch face overlaid onto the outline of the United States while a male voice stated: “America runs on Bulova time.”

This short brand awareness campaign is unrecognizable by today’s standards, but at the time it was groundbreaking. They only spent $4 to snag the honor of the world’s first video advert, and they started a trend that could never be stopped. What We Can Learn From This Video Reach your audience where they’re most likely to be engaged Brand awareness is exceptionally valuable and a valid goal for video ads Taking the risk to do something new can pay off 2. Apple, 1984

You know we couldn’t write this post without featuring the first ad that created Super Bowl Ads ads we know and love them today.

In the early 1980s, Apple created a commercial specifically designed for the Super Bowl announcing their new Macintosh computers. This was a show-stopping ad, with heightened drama and a lot of storytelling. This was one of the first ads that demanded that you stop and pay attention, and it ushered in an era of insane Super Bowl commercials that are almost as fun to watch (if not more so) than the game itself.

What We Can Learn From This Video Using all elements of a video for heightened storytelling– including color scheme and music– can make a video a showstopper Creativity can be rewarded Building anticipation with simple copywriting is highly effective 3. South Park, 1995

These days, everyone wants to create the next viral video. That’s all thanks to this 1995 Christmas short video, which was intended to be a video greeting card for friends and family that went viral in a matter of weeks.

We’ve since seen viral videos come from all industries and in all shapes and sizes, and people are exceptionally excited to share content that’s the Next Big Thing.

(Note: there’s some NSFW language in the clip below.)

What We Can Learn From This Video Seasonal content can do exceptionally well Storytelling is always a valuable asset to keep users engaged If you create relevant, interesting content your audience wants to see, it can take off and develop a life of its own. 4. Nike’s Ronaldinho Touch of Gold

In 2005, Nike’s video featuring footballer Ronaldinho became the first YouTube video to hit 1 million views on the platform. The video features the athlete being given new Nike shoes in a golden case and trying them on for the first time before kicking the soccer ball all the way across the field.

Though clearly marketing material, it also felt authentic in a way that many other sportswear commercials never really have. He puts the shoes on and gets right to work, making some impressive goals that would make anyone jealous. What We Can Learn From This Video Authenticity (or perceived authenticity) is valuable Influencer marketing can work wonders if you connect with someone your audience is invested in Sometimes creating a brand image is the best way to promote your actual product 5. Dove Evolution

Dove was one of the first brands to run an extended organic video that took the world by storm with their Evolution campaign. This campaign showcased how makeup and photoshop create unrealistic standards of beauty, and it resonated with women all over the world, who shared it on a widespread basis.

This campaign– which had very little to do with Dove itself– went viral and generated a global discussion. It was shared for years afterward, and it’s still talked about today. Why? Because it was something that was important to the audience, and it was a little controversial, and a good bit shocking.

Even though Dove’s products weren’t featured, that didn’t mean they didn’t benefit. Instead, this was an exceptional brand awareness campaign for them, and caring about real women of all shapes and sizes and appreciating their unique beauty became a central part of their branding. This is still true today, and they regularly launch video campaigns along these lines.

What We Can Learn From This Video Opting for ethical content without centering your brand can still do wonders for your brand Create content that your audience cares about Emotional messages perform well 6. Will It Blend

Will It Blend was one of the first big YouTube campaigns created by brands that went viral, and their campaign has lasted for more than ten years now. The premise was exceedingly simple: a quirky scientist would stick random non-food items into the Blendtec to see if it would actually blend. The answer is always yes.

The first video blended Marbles, and ever since they’ve had the same quirky scientist blending everything from iPhones to hockey pucks. It’s entertaining, and it demonstrates the obvious value of the product. Most blenders have trouble tackling frozen strawberries, after all, and this one is doing us all a favor by reducing a Justin Bieber c.d. into rubble.

What We Can Learn From This Video You can still think outside the box for product videos Demonstrating product  value is exceptionally important Consistency in ad campaigns will take you far 7. Old Spice, 2010

The Old Spice Man has been amusing viewers for almost a decade, which is crazy to believe. The Man Your Man Could Smell Like is highly entertaining and was getting great results, but they really knocked it out of the park when they created a response campaign. Users could request messages on Twitter, and Old Spice would respond to a few with The Old Spice Man on video, talking directly to that user.

This was the first campaign that really took personalization and interaction with users to the next level, and it had users clambering to get their chance at a video made just for them.

What We Can Learn From This Video Users love a legitimate brand interaction Personalization was becoming– and has now big– a bigger trend in video marketing Unique characters as brand icons can build excellent brand awareness People don’t want to just feel like they’re interacting with a customer service rep; they enjoy feeling like the brand is a bigger-than-self entity Conclusion: So Now What?

Video marketing has changed drastically since that first Bulova commercial, but even with new features coming out at a rapid pace, there are some things that have stayed consistent.

An importance on brand name and an understanding of your audience has always been prevalent, and that will only continue. Storytelling has also redefined the video marketing industry, and this is something that’s here to stay.

There’s something else that we’ve seen in recent years: your video campaign needs to be able to scale and be relevant to the largest number of audience members possible. Today we have the resources to run segmented campaigns that appeal to multiple audience niches while still employing all the classic lessons that helped make video marketing great.

Looking for ways to scale your video marketing efforts and create more relevant, digestible video content for your different audiences? Check out Shakr’s video templates here.

The post 7 Videos That Changed the World of Marketing As We Know It appeared first on Shakr Video Marketing Blog.

Read more: blog.shakr.com

https://infoforu.org/7-videos-that-changed-the-world-of-marketing-as-we-know-it/

Why Do Cats Hate Cucumbers?

There have been viral videos floating around the internet, showing cats fleeing from cucumbers. Even though they might be funny to watch, you have probably scratched your head once you finished laughing and wondered, “Why do cats hate cucumbers?”

Cats do not like predators.

Cats are hard-wired to keep away from predators in order to survive.

Even though cucumbers seem harmless to humans, they can be mistaken as snakes to cats. Since their instincts warn them to avoid snakes at all costs, a cat might jump into the air to protect itself from getting bitten or scamper into the other room in search of a safe place to hide.

Seeing a cucumber right behind them without any explanation makes them think something has snuck up behind them without making a sound, which puts them on high alert. It makes them fear for their lives. It makes them wonder whether they are in danger.

There are other foods that can cause the same reaction in cats, like eggplants and corn. However, cucumbers have curved sides that appear slightly more like snakes, which is why most cats are afraid when they suddenly find them on the ground.

Cats do not like the unexpected.

Your cat might not care if they notice a cucumber sitting on your kitchen counter or if they watch you carrying one across the room. Most researchers believe it’s not actually the cucumber itself that causes the cats fear.

There have been videos where people have waited until their pet’s back was turned to eat their dinner, placed a cucumber on the ground behind them, and recorded the reaction.

Most of the time, the cats either run away scared or stare down the food, nervously waiting to see what happens.

Cats are terrified of things they do not understand. They are not a fan of loud noises or fast movements. That is why seeing a cucumber (or any object for that matter) magically appear in a place where they were just looking will make them uneasy.

When something out of the ordinary occurs, cats are going to be suspicious. They are going to be cautious. They are going to be scared.

Cats do not like being scared.

The videos you have watched of cats fleeing from cucumbers might have made you laugh at first because their reactions seemed so ridiculous, but those videos are actually setting a horrible example for pet owners. They are showing you what not to do to your cat.

Even though you might be curious to see if your own cat has a terrified reaction to a harmless cucumber, you should not purposely scare your pets. It could cause them psychological damage.

After you scare them, they might stay hidden for some time, refuse to enter the room where they were scared, or keep away from you entirely because you caused the incident to happen.

You don’t want to harm your pet physically or emotionally, so be respectful of their fears. You are supposed to provide them with love, not with worry. 

Read more: thoughtcatalog.com

https://infoforu.org/why-do-cats-hate-cucumbers/

Sponsor Webinar: Growing Your Business With a Real Estate CRM

IXACT Contact is a software company that offers CRM and email marketing products to real estate professionals. It’s hosting a webinar on Tuesday, May 22, at 1 p.m., Eastern time, on using its CRM product to grow your business. Shannon McGee, a company business development executive, is the host.

From IXACT:

Wondering exactly how a real estate CRM can help you better manage and grow your business? Join this information-packed webinar and see specific real-world examples of how a robust real estate CRM can make it easy to keep in touch and stay on task with all your clients, prospects, and important referral sources.

In this webinar, IXACT Contact executive Shannon McGee will show you how IXACT Contact’s real estate CRM can help you to:

1. Keep in touch effortlessly with everyone in your database so you stay top of mind. 2. Ensure that you never miss another client birthday or move-in anniversary – both excellent relationship building opportunities. 3. Nurture and stay top of mind with all your prospects so you get the listing and not your competition. 4. Identify high quality leads – hiding in your database! 5. Stay organized and in control of all your listings, closings, and active buyers. 6. Create a professional online presence and generate leads with your own customizable, mobile friendly, agent website. 7. Double your social media lead generation with automated social media content posting!

Register.

This is a sponsor webinar. REALTOR® Magazine is promoting it, but it isn’t participating in it, hasn’t reviewed the content, and is not endorsing it.

Read more: feedproxy.google.com

https://bluetoothproximitymarketing.info/sponsor-webinar-growing-your-business-with-a-real-estate-crm/

Podcast Summary: Revinate on Email Marketing Success

Hoteliers used to manage room inventory. Today they manage customers. What does this mean for hotel marketing? Effective hotel marketing today means gathering guest data and segmenting it in a way that lets marketers send personalized communications at every step in the guest’s journey.

Marc Heyneker, Revinate’s co-founder and CEO, and Erica Rich, Revinate’s Senior Hospitality Marketing Strategist, recently sat down with John Albano of Lodging Leaders to discuss why email marketing is the key to hotel marketing, and how it can drive direct revenue and help properties compete with OTAs.  Email follows the customer journey

“If you look at all the tools in a marketer’s tool chest, email is the only tool that works across the entire journey,” Rich said.

That journey includes inspiration, reservation, pre-arrival, check-in, on-property and post-stay. Rich advises clients just starting out with email to focus on pre-arrival because that’s when guests are most captive. These emails should go out three to seven days before arrival.

“Great pre-arrival marketing can set the tone for the trip and also provides the perfect opportunity to upsell and upgrade,” Rich said.

Benefits of email marketing done right

A good email marketing program has four main benefits:

Email drives revenue and puts heads in beds Email drives traffic to the website and, as a result, drives SEO Email enforces brand identity, especially when the campaign sells ‘fun’ as well as rates Email presents a great opportunity to reward your most loyal guests

To get these benefits, it’s necessary to segment your emails to appeal to different kinds of guests.

“We want hoteliers to forget about the overall database number and instead focus on the customers who actually want to hear from you,” Rich said.

Fail fast

Email marketing is a forgiving medium. You can fail fast—at little cost—and try again. That’s because you can test and measure everything, from your segmentation strategy to subject lines to body copy to design and images.

“Learn from your failures and don’t be afraid to try something new,” Rich advised. 

Measure campaign success

Another benefit of email marketing for hotels is that it’s trackable and measurable. Unlike social media marketing, it’s easy to track and measure ROI. This is vital in today’s competitive hotel marketing environment, where asset managers and hotel operators need to account for every marketing initiative to ownership. And this doesn’t just mean tracking opens and clicks, but understanding how your campaigns drive actual bookings and revenue. For example, because Revinate Marketing is integrated with the property management system, you can easily see how your emails convert to revenue.

According to Heyneker, “There used to be a focus on top-line revenue. Now, the focus is on profit. Costs are going up, and hotels are giving up revenue to OTAs and the sharing economy. It has never been more important for hotels to drive direct revenue.”

To learn more about turning guest data into revenue, including ideas for successful emails, powerful subject lines, messaging cadence and metrics, listen to the full podcast.

The post Podcast Summary: Revinate on Email Marketing Success appeared first on Revinate.

Read more: revinate.com

https://bluetoothproximitymarketing.info/podcast-summary-revinate-on-email-marketing-success/

The Unsung Value in the Human Vetting of Influencers

With the meteoric rise of influencer marketing over the past several years, came a multitude of AI-enabled influencer tools that has led marketers to question the value of human eyeballs when determining a short-list of brand-appropriate influencers.

Eyeballs cannot match the speed and efficiency of a few quick keystrokes to cull a giant pool of influencers into a “best of list.” Admittedly, the allure of automation is irresistible!

But the truth is, AI still needs human intervention to make its output relevant and applicable, especially within this context. AI can’t identify nuance or sarcasm, so overreliance actually creates the potential for significant risk… and a big miss for brand marketers.

Yet, time and time again, we’ve seen brands expose themselves to unnecessary risk by associating themselves with people with questionable follower data, poor quality content, or worse, an unsavory reputation or rap sheet.

AI-based tools can do a lot but, simply put, a brand’s reputation is too precious to risk with quick turn vetting processes, which is primarily why I consider influencer identification an art and a science. Data analysis, along with the human eye, are critical tools when assessing influencers for partnership with a brand. Here are the five key steps to our human-led vetting process:

NUMBER CRUNCHING: Even when AI simulates human behavior and trending content, we can see inconsistencies in the data trends that raise flags. For example, if an influencer has a large following but very little to no engagement from followers (known as “lurkers”), this is a warning sign.

AUTHENTICITY: Look for authentic content and lifestyles that align with your brand. This requires a critical eye and human judgement. This also happens through the development of a genuine relationship with an influencer and their team – authentic human connections lead to authentic influencer content.

PROFILING: An influencer may have impeccable credentials on his or her own social channels, but a deeper dive may show qualities that aren’t appropriate for the brand. Taking an extra step to ferret out possible issues is vital.

BRANDED CONTENT: We look closely to see how influencers interact with brands in their feeds and whether the output would be considered high quality work. Unfortunately, far too many any are sloppy and inconsistent.

PRICING: Influencer pricing continues to evolve as the discipline grows. We are tough but fair and believe that the terms must be mutually advantageous in any successful partnership. An influencer who feels undervalued or a brand that feels they overpaid will never be happy.

The post The Unsung Value in the Human Vetting of Influencers appeared first on Ketchum.

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https://infoforu.org/the-unsung-value-in-the-human-vetting-of-influencers/

What’s New in Workspace ONE UEM 9.6

Management & Security Enhancements in UEM 9.6

The latest updates and features for Workspace ONE UEM 9.6 are now available! This release’s highlights are: new profile settings for Android and Chrome OS, new Apple functionality, and Windows 10 enhancements.

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Simplified QR Code Enrollment for Android

The Workspace ONE UEM Console now automatically generates a QR code, enabling administrators and end-users to register devices as Work Managed. Use this new enrollment flow to enable end user enrollment, or to stage multiple devices before deployment.

To get started, navigate to Devices > Staging & Provisioning > Staging and select Configure Enrollment button.

Requirements

Android devices running version 7.0 (Nougat) or later

Biometeric Passcode Support for Android

The Passcode Profile for Android now supports low-security biometric passcodes, such as facial recognition and fingerprinting. These additional methods enable support for a wider variety use cases.

To take advantage of this update, navigate to Devices > Profiles & Resources > Profiles > Add > Add Profile > Android > Passocde.

Simplified Profile Configuration for Samsung

Now, you can find  and configure supported Samsung features in one place. Workspace ONE UEM 9.6 integrates standard Samsung Knox policies into the Android Work Managed profile payloads.This integration includes the following Samsung Knox policies:

Passcode Restrictions Date/Time APN

To take advantage of this update, navigate to Devices > Profiles & Resources > Profiles > Add > Add Profile > Android, and enable OEM Settings. Once enabled, a Knox symbol displays by the supported payloads.

Factory Reset Protection for Android

Simplify Android device reassignment in Workspace ONE UEM 9.6, with the new Enterprise Factory Reset Protection profile. Now, you no longer need previous account information to set up a factory reset device.

To see this new profile, navigate to Devices > Profiles & Resources > Profiles > Add > Add Profile > Android > Enterprise Factory Reset Protection.

Shared Device Support for Android

Android Enterprise now supports shared device multi-user staging and check-in check-out functionality. Implementing shared devices lowers the overall device cost for organizations without sacrificing security. By keeping security & authentication in place for every unique end user, the shared device only allows authorized end users to access sensitive information.

Requirements

​Launcher required for check-in check-out functionality.

Task Manager Control for Chrome OS

Now, a new setting in the Chrome OS Application Control Profile allows you to control users ability to end processes in Task Manager. Disabling this setting keeps users from force closing crucial tasks in Task Manager.

To disable, navigate to Devices > Profiles & Resources > Profiles > Add > Add Profile > Chrome OS > Application Control, and disable Users can end processes in Task Manager.

Verified Device Mode for Chrome OS

Device Verified Mode Required, a new setting in the Chrome OS Security & Privacy profiles, ensures devices meet security requirements before booting up.

To take advantage of this feature, navigate to Devices > Profiles & Resources > Profiles > Add > Add Profile > Chrome OS > Security & Privacy, and enable Device Verified Mode Required.

New Skip Screen Options for iOS

Apple Setup Assistant now supports three new skip screen options for Apple DEP:

iMessage And FaceTime: Prevent the iMessage and FaceTime prompt during Setup Assistant. Software Update: Prevent informing users about Software Updates during Setup Assistant. Screen Time: Prevent informing users about Screen Time during Setup Assistant.

Take advantage of this update by navigating to Groups & Settings > All Settings > Devices & Users > Apple > Device Enrollment Program, and configure the Apple Setup Assistant workflow to Skip the appropriate screens.

New Supervised Device Restrictions for iOS

Enable USB Restricted Mode, a new setting in the Restrictions payload, to turn the lightning port into charge-only port if the device hasn’t been unlocked within a week.

To see the feature, navigate to Devices > Profiles & Resources > Profiles > Add > Apple iOS  > Restrictions and enable or disable USB Restricted Mode.

Requirements

iOS 11.4+ supervised device

Remote View for iOS

Advanced Remote Management v4 now supports remote view for the ​iOS platform.

To initiate a remote view session, navigate to Devices > List View > > More Actions > Support > Start Remote View.

Enforced Application Management for macOS

Now, a new macOS software distribution setting can disable enforced management for internal applications.  Disabling enforced application management provides the flexibility to deploy applications as a part of one-time configuration, and gives end-users the liberty to locally uninstall applications.

To see this setting, navigate to Apps & Books > Applications > Native > Internal. Then, while configuring assignment, enable or disable Desired State Management.

Enhanced App Installation Notifications for Windows

Now you can quickly see when an app successfully installed and receive status updates throughout the install process. UWP apps display both the install progress and status for UWP apps and statuses for all other internal apps.

Requirements

Workspace ONE 3.2 for Windows 10

Remote Reboot for Windows 10

A new command enables you to reboot managed Windows 10 devices from the console or via API. Selecting the Reboot Device button triggers a reboot within 5 minutes to allow the user to wrap up any active work.

Requirements

Windows 10 version 1607+

Consolidated OEM Updates View for Windows 10

Workspace ONE UEM now displays all the deployed OEM updates in the OEM Updates list view. This page allows you to filter the updates by the update type including audio driver, chipset driver, BIOS updates and more.

To see updates in the UEM console, navigate to Devices > Lifecycle > Updates and select the OEM Updates tab.

SSL Certificate Rotation for VMware Tunnel

Now you can rotate certificates without impacting the end-user service experience. Upload up to two additional public SSL certificates, or remove an existing public SSL certificate with zero downtime. Display SSL certificate expiration date and notify the IT Administrator to rotate certificate that is about to expire.

Take advantage of this update by navigating to the Advanced tab under VMware Tunnel.

Unified Access Gateway Installation Type for Content Gateway

Administrators can now use Unified Access Gateway (UAG) as an installation type to configure a new Content Gateway on Unified Access Gateway or to migrate the existing Windows or Linux Content Gateway to Unified Access Gateway.

To access this setting, navigate to Groups & Settings > All Settings > Enterprise Integration > Content Gateway.

SAML Authentication for Selected Services

Now, you can enable SAML authentication for selected services based on the corporate policies and security requirements. Selected services include enrollment, the Workspace ONE UEM Console, and the Self-Service Portal.

Take advantage of this update by navigating to  Groups & Settings > All Settings > Enterprise Integration > Directory Services and enabling Use SAML For Authentication.

Token Revocation on Enterprise Wipe

Now, enterprise wiping a device automatically revokes its Azure tokens.

To enable these settings, navigate to Accounts > Administrators > Administrator Settings > Directory Services and enable Automatically revoke user tokens when wiping device.

Contributors Robert Terakedis, senior technical marketing manager for VMware EUC mobile marketing, contributed Apple content. Karim Chelouati, senior technical marketing manager for VMware EUC mobile marketing, contributed Android content. Josue Negron, senior technical marketing manager for VMware EUC mobile marketing, contributed Windows 10 content. Chris Halstead, Staff EUC Architect for EUC Technical Marketing, contributed Windows 10 content. Andreano Lanusse, Staff Solution Architect for VMware EUC contributed VMware Tunnel and Unified Access Gateway content.

The post What’s New in Workspace ONE UEM 9.6 appeared first on VMware End-User Computing Blog.

Read more: blogs.vmware.com

https://bluetoothproximitymarketing.info/whats-new-in-workspace-one-uem-9-6/

Four Steps to Maximizing the Lifetime Value of Your Guests

In the world of consumer marketing, customer lifetime value (CLV) is a metric that is used to determine how much is reasonable to spend to acquire a new customer, or the customer acquisition cost (CAC). But for top-performing consumer-facing companies in the world, CLV is the metric on which business decisions are made.

Here’s why hoteliers should consider the lifetime value of their guests when making decisions about how to spend their marketing budgets:

Repeat guests represent a faster path to directly-booked revenue. It’s an easier path to revenue, as past guests already have a relationship with your brand. For both reasons above, it’s a more profitable path to revenue, since less money is spent on OTA/other acquisition costs.

Unfortunately, even in a world where it costs five times more to acquire a new customer than it does to keep current customers, online retailers and other e-commerce businesses are continuing to invest nearly 80% of their digital marketing budgets on customer acquisition, and just 42% of businesses are currently even able to measure customer lifetime value, let alone accurately. Those two stats are more closely related than they seem at first glance.

By simply using some rough approximation of customer lifetime value to justify acquisition spend, consumer-facing companies are focusing on the wrong side of the equation. What they don’t realize is that investing in maximizing CLV is indeed the most profitable—and, increasingly, the fastest—path to revenue growth.

Consider, for example, that for each 1% of shoppers who return for a subsequent visit, overall revenue increases approximately 10%. That means if online retailers retained 10% more of their existing customers, they would double their revenue. Here’s another way of looking at it: Reducing your customer defection rate 5% can increase your profitability 25% to 125%.

Growing revenue by driving up customer lifetime value can also be viewed as the easiest way to do it. Though customer marketing is complex, technology is making it incredibly more manageable and effective. For example, the probability of selling to a current customer is 60-70%, on average, whereas the probability of selling to a new shopper is 5-20%… not to mention returning customers spend on average 67% more than first-time customers!

Think about how this might apply specifically to hotels. If a first time guest books through an OTA, you’ll easily lose 30% of that booking fee to OTA commissions. That price is well worth it to acquire a new guest, but what if he or she wants to book again? Wouldn’t you rather have him or her book directly with you? You might only have to pay 4% to your booking engine, if anything at all, keeping that chunk of the booking for your own profits. This is how you grow the lifetime value of your guests in a way that is most profitable to your hotel – by building direct relationships with your guests.

So if growing customer lifetime value is so fast and easy, why isn’t every hotel marketer talking about it?

The reality is that although increasing CLV is, for most businesses, generally a faster, easier, and more profitable path to revenue, it takes a significant shift away from the traditional marketing focus on volume and a re-focus on the quality of every customer interaction.

Here’s the good news:

Focusing in on, and maximizing, the lifetime value of your guests isn’t difficult if you’re committed to it and have the right tools.

So what should you do next? We’ve laid out the four key steps to maximizing CLV:

1. Model your guest lifecycle. Doing so is not as daunting as you think. When you understand where your guests are in the lifecycle, and how and when they are interacting with your brand, you can harness that information to engage customers when and where doing so will be most effective. For example, the most effective messaging for a guest who will be arriving on property in the next week might be an email upselling his or her room selection. Or, you could send a welcome email that informs the guest of special events on property during his or her stay.

2. Unify your systems of record. This is no longer a luxury; it is a prerequisite to finally achieving customer-centricity, which will in turn unlock your ability to maximize customer lifetime value. Your PMS system should talk to your CRM and email marketing solution, so that all of the guest data essential to your marketing efforts is in one place.

3. Identify the key drivers of lifetime value. Hotel marketers still struggle to tie ROI to campaigns, especially if they don’t have revenue attribution tied into their email marketing systems. But today it is not only possible but also critical to attribute revenue to investments like email. Take it a step further by identifying the key attributes driving customer lifetime value, and double-down on those investments.

4. What to do next: Become customer-centric. Once you have a model of your guest lifecycle, the ability to leverage your guest data in email campaigns, and the ability to attribute revenue to specific campaigns, you can start to tailor your messaging to specific types of guests. Target incoming guests with different messaging than guests who are currently on property and guests who have recently checked out. Create unique campaigns for guests who previously stayed with a family versus those who traveled on business. With all of this information, you can segment your guest database and tailor your messaging to the lifecycle of each guest.

It is true that the proliferation of point solutions, especially in the hospitality industry, has caused guest data to be more fragmented than ever, making it difficult to understand and engage customers when and where it will be most effective. But the technology exists today for hotels to integrate their systems, allowing them to focus not merely on maximizing the lifetime value of a guest, but creating a tailored, cohesive experience that is relevant to each guest. When hotels can understand and engage customers when and where it will be most effective, they will see increased profits.

If you take no other step, take step 1.

The most important step—because all others depend on its being done well—is step 1. The careful unification of guest data across hotel systems is a prerequisite to doing the other three steps well.

The post Four Steps to Maximizing the Lifetime Value of Your Guests appeared first on Revinate.

Read more: revinate.com

https://bluetoothproximitymarketing.info/four-steps-to-maximizing-the-lifetime-value-of-your-guests/

#TechThursday Social Media News for Hoteliers

It’s another #TechThursday friends, which means only one thing: more social media resources for you! Be sure to enjoy our weekly round-up of the best social media, online reputation and marketing-related articles for digitally-savvy hoteliers below and to check-out our upcoming webinars and best practice guides in the Resources section of our website.

4 Tips To Increase Your Klout Score

How your online reputation affects the bottom line

The Ultimate Guide to Measuring Google Plus

Can fake reviews online be stopped?

How Images Become Viral on Google+

In travel marketing it’s all about optimizing for search and last clicks 

The Reality of Social Media Marketing Crushes Expectations 

Why You Should Be Funny On Social Media

TripAdvisor Connect gives small hotels the edge, makes it “credible alternative” to OTAs

Try This Proven Twitter Strategy: Pay It Forward 

The post #TechThursday Social Media News for Hoteliers appeared first on Revinate.

Read more: revinate.com

https://infoforu.org/techthursday-social-media-news-for-hoteliers/

#TechThursday Social Media News for Hotel Marketers

Happy #TechThursday friends! We have lots of great articles to share with you today. Before we get to them, just a friendly reminder that we kick off our October webinar series next week on October 1 when we will discuss the best ways to optimize your hotel’s or restaurant’s presence on online review sites. Later in the week we will be presenting on best ways to leverage user generated content in your hotel’s or restaurant’s social media strategy. Both of these sessions are 100% free and, if you register, you will receive both the slides and recording from the session. We hope you will be able to join us, and have a great #TechThursday!

Profiling the next generation of travelers

Majority (71%) of Global Internet Users “Share” on Social Media Sites

Give Yourself 5 Stars? Online, It Might Cost You

The most engaged sectors on Facebook

5 tips to help the chances of your content going viral

Does Your Business Need a Full-Time Social Media Team?

Everything You Need to Know About Twitter

Effectively Promoting Your Property with Google+

TripAdvisor Troubleshooting: Frequently Asked Questions

How to attract more visitors (and more sales)

Three insider tips for better TripAdvisor performance

7 creative ways brands are using Vine

The post #TechThursday Social Media News for Hotel Marketers appeared first on Revinate.

Read more: revinate.com

https://infoforu.org/techthursday-social-media-news-for-hotel-marketers/

6 Tips to Organically Grow and Maintain Your Hotel Database

As Revinate’s Hospitality Marketing Strategist for Asia Pacific, I love working closely with customers on optimizing their email marketing strategies through Revinate’s hotel CRM suite. Fundamental to any successful email strategy is a healthy hotel database, as the property management system (PMS) is where the most powerful guest data is stored.

It may seem simple enough to maintain and grow a healthy database, but it actually takes quite a bit of savviness and know-how. Keep reading for six tips on how to maintain a clean and ever-growing list of database contacts.

 

1. Educate and train your team

Your team at the hotel front desk is an important ally for data collection. Guests expect to be asked for their personal information at check-in, so take this opportunity to make sure the information is accurate. I suggest formalizing this process so your team has clear and achievable goals. Educate on how a clean email list drives revenue, and rehearse customer scenarios so your employees are comfortable with asking for the information. Another best practice is to appoint a leader from the front office team to head up this initiative for better accountability and results.

 

2. Collect emails at hotel outlets

Your guests enjoy their time spent in your restaurants, bars, and spa. Use this chance to collect their contact details since they’re more likely to be interested in receiving hotel marketing emails that include offers on services and amenities.

 

3. Leverage the power of social media

Your social media platforms are ripe for data collection given their large audiences. Since the attention span on social media tends to be short, be concise and direct when asking for subscribers. For example, consider running a sweepstakes or a contest to collect even more email addresses. This gamified approach works especially well on social channels.

 

4. Add an email sign-up form to your website

One of the most efficient database growth tools is the email sign-up form that goes on your website. To make this most effective, the form should be prominently displayed. All too often I see hotels making the mistake of burying their sign-up form, missing the opportunity for relatively easy email capture. I suggest informing subscribers that they will be the first to know about special offers and sales as an incentive to attract and boost engagement.

 

5. Collect emails via free Wifi access

Are you providing free Wifi access in public areas of your hotel, such as the lobby, conference rooms, and outlets?  This is one of the easiest ways to get guests to opt into your email lists organically. Mark name and email as required fields, as well as room number if desired. Then you can send the Wifi password directly to the guest’s inbox, guaranteeing a real email address. Some hotels also give the guest the option of connecting with Facebook to reduce friction.

 

6. Maintain a clean database

I suggest following these rules of thumb to keep your list clean:

Remove invalid emails from your list. If you’re a Revinate Marketing customer, the Revinate Marketing platform automatically does this for you. Don’t email guests who haven’t stayed on your property for over two years. Don’t email guests who haven’t engaged with your communications. Never, ever purchase email lists online. It can be tempting, but purchased lists have a low-quality rate and will negatively impact your bounce, unsubscribe, spam, and delivery rates, all hurting your email reputation and future deliverability.

To learn more, check out our deliverability best practices.

The above tips may seem like common sense, but many hotels unfortunately still aren’t operationalizing these practices. A great email marketing and CRM strategy start with a great foundation, and that foundation is your database. With a clean, engaged, and ever-growing database, you can unlock all the possibilities with segmentation, ultimately increasing guest engagement and direct bookings.

 

Want to learn more about what Revinate Marketing can do for your hotel? We’re always happy to chat!

The post 6 Tips to Organically Grow and Maintain Your Hotel Database appeared first on Revinate.

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