Article: New Global Communication Weapon May Be Mixing Street Protesting and Social Media

Newswise — With many Americans concerned about rising gas prices, state budgets and inflation — and with battle lines drawn in several states between governments and unions — the U.S. can expect more social media “wars" in the near future.

“Union protesters will take to the streets and use social media to communicate their message in order to build support,” said Rowan University (Glassboro, N.J.) adjunct marketing professor Jennifer Regina, who also is CEO of a marketing firm that specializes in social media (The Marketing of Everything, Washington Township, N.J.).

The subject of unions using social media is in its infancy, but organizers in Wisconsin have demonstrated success with it, and Regina expects more state groups to follow that example.

“The ease of creating groups and engaging participants is the biggest benefit of social media. Although it is easy to collect members, the key is to create an atmosphere where action is taken by those members,” Regina said. “It can be as simple as calling their government official, donating time or material or taking a stand in the streets or courthouse.”

Regina said organizers also can use Twitter to inform people on the route of a protest or what supplies and materials to bring. In a few short days, a very organized group can be formed and messages communicated on the fly.

Of course, both sides of the battle can use social media. State governments also can employ social media to create a more effective way to communicate their messages to their constituents.

“Officials will use social media to persuade residents what needs to be accomplished in order to turn the souring financial picture around,” Regina said.

Newark, N.J., Mayor Cory Booker has used Twitter effectively in the past to communicate with the state’s residents, Regina said. “In December 2010, he used Twitter to tell residents about the city’s snow emergency. He created an open channel of communication and asked people to tweet him information about the city. Many people asked for help during the storm and were helped after tweeting requests to Booker,” she noted.

Facebook, Twitter and other social media tools can be used in any forum or for any agenda. “As long as state governments create their social media channels as forms of open communication, they can create trust,” Regina said.

“Residents will feel that their comments and thoughts are taken seriously and, in return, they will be more open to listening to what government officials have to say.”

With many states facing similar issues compared to Wisconsin, the trend will be for both sides of a problem to air their fight publicly and in social media channels, the professor added. “There is a correct way to properly navigate these new communication methods,” she said, “and those who don’t embrace the rules will lose the social media war.”

http://www.newswise.com/articles/from-wisconsin-to-new-jersey-the-new-global-communication-weapon-may-be-mixing-street-protesting-and-social-media?ret=/articles/channels&channel=22&category=breaking&page=2&search%5Bstatus%5D=3&search%5Bsort%5D=date+desc&search%5Bchannel_id%5D=22

Rowan Article on How Social Media can Help De-Stress Moms Published in India Newspaper

Social media can help stressed-out and overworked mothers, says an expert.
Today's moms know that time is their most precious commodity. School, homework, activities, dinner and bedtime make for a grueling schedule that most moms have to face on a daily basis.

One solution to help with the burden -- and to help moms not pull out their hair -- is to become more organized and use technology to make life easier, said Jennifer Regina, an adjunct professor of marketing in the Rohrer College of Business at Rowan University (Glassboro, N.J.) and founder and CEO of The Marketing of Everything (Washington Township, N.J.).

According to The NPD Group, 79 percent of moms with children younger than 18 actively use social media, said Regina.
They rely heavily on blogs and Facebook to decide what to buy and what brands to promote through their word-of-mouth channels.
Additionally, 55 percent of moms have purchased a product because of a blog, and 40 bought a product because they saw it on Facebook.

“Word of mouth is critical for moms making purchases. The first place moms will go to are other moms in order to come up with the brands or products they should be considering in their product choices,” she said.
Social media, she said, have provided the platform that has allowed those word-of-mouth referral to flourish.

For example, Regina said, CafeMom is one of the largest resources for moms with any questions on a multitude of topics.
For the mom who has a very mobile lifestyle, social cell phone applications have been developed to make even life's milestones easier.
Pregnant women can use Mom 2 Be, which is a pregnancy app that tracks the baby's progress through statistics and even allows the mother-to-be to share tri-semester information with friends and family.
Every mother needs help in the kitchen, Regina said. The Mom's Shopping List cell phone application allows anyone to quickly create a shopping list.
Some fun mobile applications are available. The first is the Ask Mom app. This will not only entertain kids but also provide great conversation starters. It covers cute questions that kids would ask their mom.

“Even if a child can't read, the application allows him or her to tap on words, and the question is read out loud,” Regina said.

Another favorite app is Sit or Squat, which provides a very important service: help for moms to find the nearest bathroom for their toddler who is participating in toilet boot camp.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/social-media-can-help-stressedout-overworked-mothers/767951/?sms_ss=facebook&at_xt=4d934fac4c578dfa%2C0

My ABC Action News Interview with Amy Buckman on Mobile Money Apps

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/consumer/save_with_6abc&id=7957642

Action News Interview on GeoCoupon Apps with Amy Buckman - 2011

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/video?id=7895418&pid=7882840

http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/researcher-to-facebook-resisters-get-with-it-0739/

http://www.newswise.com/articles/facebook-everybody-is-doing-it-why-aren-t-you

Everybody is doing it. Why aren't you?

Facebook: Everybody is doing it. Why aren’t you?
Parents, cousins, grandparents and even the British Monarch have embraced the lure of Facebook. According to Mashable.com, Buckingham Palace is starting a Facebook Fanpage that will feature a mixture of news, links and videos. If you have not yet joined the 500 million people on Facebook, here are some reasons from Rowan University adjunct marketing professor Jennifer Regina on why you should consider becoming part of the growing Facebook family.
Connection: The most basic benefit to Facebook is the ability to connect or reconnect with family and friends. You are able to see instantaneously what family happenings are occurring. Pictures, videos and announcements are easily updated, and you are never left with a feeling of being uninformed. Happy birthday wishes, baby announcements and wedding pictures are posted through Facebook and not sent through the mail anymore.
Promotion: Facebook should be used to promote yourself. If you are also a business owner, then you should be using it to advertise your company, too. “I tell my college students that branding yourself is very important,” Regina said. Create a visual, online portfolio of your education, accomplishments and pictures of yourself. Make sure your avatar image on Facebook is professional and your links and comments reflect your areas of interest. No matter how small your business, you should have a separate Facebook Fanpage established. A Fanpage does not limit you to 5,000 friends, unlike a personal page, and allows you to promote your business on Facebook. Some companies that have a great company Fanpage and have embraced integrating social media into their marketing campaigns are Starbucks, Baskin Robbins, Walgreens and Us Weekly.
Networking: In this economy you should have established a presence on Facebook just to keep your networking current. Facebook allows you to reach out to friends, former bosses and coworkers and to keep informed about potential job opportunities. “I have helped companies in the past find employees by just posting an announcement in my status. It is amazing how fast the word spreads on Facebook,” Regina said.
Awareness: Facebook can become your best source of news. By joining Fanpages and Groups that reflect your interests, you are able to get a constant stream of individualized information to your news stream and your phone. “I find out about marketing news, local news and weather all from my Facebook newsfeed,” she noted.
“Facebook offers so many unique benefits that individuals and companies should be easily and freely taking advantage of to help make their lives and companies more efficient. The first social media site you should investigate is Facebook. The opportunities to learn and communicate and are endless.” Said Regina, who also owns the Washington Township-based marketing firm The Marketing of Everything.

(NOTE: You can follow Regina at her blog at http://themarketingofeverything.blogspot.com
or her company website at http://www.marketingofeverything.com.