At red rocket LA, we understand the power of a properly written white paper, and have compiled a few tips for crafting a paper that will shine a spotlight on your company’s superior insight and experience.

Tip 1

Choose the color of your white paper.

While stuffy, buttoned-up corporate types usually opt for a plain old Arctic White white paper, we recommend choosing a shade that highlights your unique perspective. Here are a few examples.

Natural White, with it’s rich, creamy color is an ideal option. And, as its name implies, it’s hormone and antibiotic free.

Ecruwhite is a warm white with a hint of cream. It’s big with tech companies looking to convey their “soft and fuzzy” side.

Chantilly Lace White will give your white paper a sassy tone and is a popular choice among small start-ups and interior design firms.

Tip 2

Use big words that will simultaneously obfuscate and impress people, and place them in sentences so labyrinthine that by the time the reader gets to the end, they’ve lost the point you were trying to make and will assume it went over their heads, which means the author must be really, really smart.

Enough said.

Tip 3

Site sources that people will be too ashamed to admit they’re unfamiliar with.

It’s not what you know, it’s who you source. Really, who’s going to question a connection between childhood obesity and that phantom static that sometimes comes out of your radio when the cell phone gets too close if the findings you’re reporting are sourced to The New Center for Pediatric Nutrition and Mobile Communication Gadgetry. Notice how we’ve adroitly made use of Tip 2.

By following these simple guidelines, you’ll be on the road to writing white papers that clients, prospects and thought leaders will be talking about for years to come.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Here’s an example from a little company you may have heard of – Pizza Hut. Several months back I tried to place an online order but couldn’t remember my password. I followed the prompts to reset my password and got an unusual security question:

At first I thought, wow, Pizza Hut has a sense of humor. Good for them. They also responded quickly, which was a good move. That’s as good as it got. I followed their request to contact them and described the problem. Never got a response. Others then started “liking” my post and commented that they were experiencing the same issue. In this whole string of comments (33 as of a few days ago), not once did Pizza Hut respond. That’s not what I call being very social.

Pizza Hut isn’t alone in this type of  behavior. There are many companies that simply set up social media accounts because that’s what everyone else does. But if you’re not engaging in conversation, you’re really missing an opportunity to connect with your customers, build trust and build brand loyalty. So don’t be silent. Your customers really do want to hear from you.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

So your partner is the outdoorsy type, and, while you don’t mind a romantic evening gazing at the stars, you prefer a firm mattress to rolling around on the terra firma. You are the perfect candidate to experience a new hotel trend called Glamping or Glamour Camping. From Santa Barbara to New Mexico to the Serengeti, luxury style camping draws those of us who appreciate the outdoors but prefer creature comforts.

Your shelter from the elements in glamping comes in many shapes and sizes including tent cabins, safari tents, yurts, motor homes, tipis, tree houses even igloos. There is no end to the childhood (and adult) dreams that can be fulfilled.

I have long heard about luxury glamping in Africa, and we have seen examples from Hollywood in “Out of Africa” and  “The English Patient”. But you don’t have to go on a safari to have a unique experience communing with nature. Glamping can be found across this vast country of ours – in mountains, at the seashore, on lakes and rivers and even in the midst of Manhattan.

In Southern California, Bjorklund Ranch in Goleta, just outside of Santa Barbara, offers a sizable Tiki Yurt that will accommodate up to 5 with activities to please just about every outdoor enthusiast. For around $200 a night, you can wander through 10 acres of a working ranch, hike up to a waterfall with a 9 foot deep swimming hole or just hang out on the deck and watch the stars come out as the sun goes down.

Safari tent at El Capitan Canyon

I first heard of glamping at El Capitan Canyon, also in the Santa Barbara area. At around $300 per night, you can stay near the beach in Cedar cabins and safari tents outfitted with western-style furnishings and fine linens. You can opt for organized activities and relive your childhood summer camp experiences, or just hang out, relax, and enjoy the beach and the canyon. If cabin fever is an issue, it’s a short drive up to the Santa Ynez Valley for some premier wine tasting.

But what if you are just too much of an urbanite to give up the city lights? Hyatt 48 Lex in Manhattan has a suite glamping package for you. For $500 you can sleep comfortably on beds set up outside on the terrace high above the frenetic streets. You can opt for sleeping bags to create an authentic camping ambiance or just snuggle into crisp hotel linens. Forget the world below, lay back and relax with snacks and wine and gaze at the high rises all around you.

AKA Central Park

If you want to know how the really wealthy glamp, take a look at AKA Central Park. For  just under $2,000/night you can lounge on a plush queen size bed on the 1,000 square foot wraparound terrace of the 17^th floor penthouse suite. And who wouldn’t pay the price when you consider that it comes with gourmet s’mores and AKA’s signature vodka.

Glamping is big, and the bigger it gets, the more creative it has become. Check out this ABC News slideshow and see if there isn’t something that piques your interest for your next getaway. The possibilities are endless. And luxurious.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Check-In Kiosks

My favorite is the paperless check-in. Kiosks are popping up in hotel lobbies much like in airline terminals. Guests can check themselves in and go directly to the room. Some hotels, like the New York Andaz Wall Street, have a personal concierge who will greet you at the door with an iPad and, while walking you to your room, process a payment and produce a room key.

iPads are also being used to provide self-guided walking tours of the neighborhood. At The Peninsula Hotel in Tokyo, a guest can browse the Imperial Gardens or the hotel’s extensive art collection with a complimentary iPad.

If one prefers an art tour with a live person, The Hazelton Hotel in Toronto offers tours of its contemporary art collection guided by artist Sam Mogelonsky.

Beyond Wi-Fi

Guests have come to expect complimentary in-room Wi-Fi. For high level business travelers, according to a recent study by LMA Communications, that segment rates hi-speed internet access as the most important factor in selecting a hotel beyond a good night’s sleep. Trend-setting hotels are now exceeding that bare minimum of technology to enable guests to connect their laptops and MP3 players to the in-room flat screen TV.

And if a guest is out and about and wants to find a restaurant or tickets to a show, a digital concierge can be readily available via text to make reservations or reserve tickets.

Pack light – Stay fit

Keeping up an exercise program is challenging on the road. Many times I’ve packed my workout gear only to unpack it because it was crowding the suitcase. Now, Westin Hotels will provide guests with everything they need for working out, including shoes, shorts, shirts, sports bras and socks. And, yes, there is a disposable in-sole.

A matter of taste

At high end and boutique properties, the foodie trend of eating local has taken hold. Hotels are hiring chefs who are growing their own herbs and even keeping their own beehives. The W in San Francisco has installed hives on the rooftop that will supply honey for use in their restaurant.

If you have been travelling lately, I would be interested in hearing about any terrific new hotel trends you have experienced.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Make it Standing Room Only

Invite 10 people to meeting in which there are on 8 seats at the table. Let the jostling for position begin. This is a great way to establish or reinforce a pecking order right from the start. And rather than some unspoken, subtle understanding of who’s more important than who, this is a clear way to demonstrate to everyone in attendance who is at the bottom of the totem pole – those forced to wheel in the creaky chairs from the cubicle.

Take Control

In an effort to empower a team member, designate a person to draft the agenda and run the meeting. Then, the first chance you get, exert your authority and take over. After all, why rely and anyone else when you can do everything better?

Eat it

Regardless of the time of the meeting, be sure to bring food. Not for everyone, of course, just for you. If you can, an entire meal is preferred. The crunchier the better. Your constant munching, the food’s wafting aroma and your need for additional space at the already cramped table will serve to reinforce your superiority over everyone else. You’re too busy to eat before or after the meeting, so it’s only fair that you interrupt the flow of the meeting with your need for sustenance.

Send and Receive

Imagine how many important emails come in during the course of a meeting. You really can’t be expected to wait until you’ve discussed the last agenda item before you check to see if your Amazon purchase has shipped, can you? You could quietly check your email on your phone under the table, but it’s much more efficient to go through your inbox on your laptop. By now the table is really crowded with the mess from your food, so be sure to push that into someone else’s space before you open up your computer. Finally, turn the volume up all the way so everyone clearly hears the “message sent” sound effect. It’s probably wise to keep your email browsing activity limited to reading and sending messages. Clicking on links to YouTube videos would simply be bad form.

I’ve witnessed each of these behaviors many times over. Not to mention yawning, bill paying, scrapbooking and more. And while it may not make for a productive gathering, bad meeting etiquette can do wonders for uniting the troops in a common cause – specifically, your demise. I’m just sayin’…

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

And not only are paying guests welcome to lounge in the lobby, hotels are welcoming the general public to sit and stay awhile. This new take on lobbies is becoming a viable revenue stream for hotels as lingering guests tend to purchase food and beverages while working or socializing.

Why go to a hotel lobby instead of hanging out at Starbuck’s? Hoteliers are offering more of an upscale ambience. The lighting is brighter; bathrooms are nicer. There’s a choice of coffee or liquor. In New York, it is said that the lobby of choice for freelancers is the Ace Hotel, sometimes so crowded that management has had to set aside an area reserved for paying guests. The Sir Francis Drake in San Francisco has always been abuzz with tourists, but the open door policy was not nearly as welcoming as it is now. Hilton’s new Home2 Suites has realized the wisdom of encouraging guests to get out of their rooms and come down to the lobby to feel more at home with brightly colored furniture, big screen TVs and free Wi-Fi.

The Andaz in Los Angeles offers free computers for those who come without and tables for those who bring their laptops. Additional outlets for powering laptops and mobile devices make it convenient for guests to work efficiently.

With an appealing décor and services to offer, a hotel lobby can become a destination. It’s the first impression people have as they walk in the door, and with a hub of activity, the guest perception will be of a vibrant and interesting place to stay. When the coffee’s on and the welcome mat is out, the word will spread.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Here’s a look at four Apple products (actually one of them is a post-Apple, pre-return-to-Apple Steve Jobs product) that are best described as failures. This is part of a list compiled by 12 Most:

12 Most Uncelebrated Flops by Apple

This post concludes my series on Apple in the wake of Steve Job’s recent resignation. The last two posts have focused on the leadership-savvy of Steve Jobs and the brand loyalty building tactics of his company. This post looks at another side of the world’s most valued brand: their flops.

People are quick to re-hash the flops of other tech companies, yet Apple seems immune to this recall. So we’re taking a stroll down memory lane and listing Apple’s 12 Most Uncelebrated Flops.

1. Apple IIc

The IIc was an attempt at producing the first portable computer… if you wanted to carry the suitcase required to lug the 5–7 peripheral devices needed. Oh, and let’s not forget the complete lack of upgradeability and monochrome LCD display.

2. The Apple III

Circa 1981, this pricey computer failed to meet the success of the Apple II due to unreliable hardware components, which handed the IBM PC and its many low-cost clones control over market share.

3. Lisa

Launched in 1983, Lisa was the first commercially produced computer with a graphical user interface but cost US$9,995! Apple’s own Macintosh killed it a year later.

4. NeXT Computer

Technically this wasn’t Apple’s flop but that of Steve Jobs after being forced out of Apple in 1998. Steve, continuing to focus on what’s cool vs. what’s sellable, didn’t learn from the Apple III or Lisa and created a computer that was simply too expensive for personal consumption.

To read this article in its entirety, visit 12 Most.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Jet Blue planting 83,000 trees

To honor each person flying  Jet Blue on April 21, the airline will plant 83,000 trees  in North and Northwest Haiti through August. The trees will help to rebuild areas damaged by the 2010 earthquake. In concert with the Jet Blue program, volunteers in New York will plant 100 trees in Long Island City, Queens. Read more about it here.

Target puts a bag on it

Target will celebrate Earth Day by giving out 1.5 million reusable shopping bags to customers. The bags feature the words, “Fill. Refill. Repeat” around the company’s bull’s eye logo.

In the lead-up to Earth Day,  Target is also offering customers $50 in savings with coupons for a number of Earth-friendly products.

Origins offers trade-ins

Bring in an empty skin-care cosmetics bottle to any Origins store with this form on April 22 and get a free, full-size tube of Origins moisturizer. After all, you can’t save the planet with dry, chapped hands, can you?

The Mother Nature Network has a great list of other Earth Day freebies, offers and promotions from companies ranging from Whole Foods Market to Pottery Barn Kids.

Do Earth Day promotions make good marketing sense?

With the growing attention that gets focused on Earth Day, some feel that diverting marketing resources to the event is a misstep. The thought being that Earth Day used to be a platform for eco-conscience companies to differentiate themselves. However, with so many organizations jumping on the green band wagon, it’s become harder to stand out in the crowd.

“With everyone and their mother doing some kind of quasi-green messaging around Earth Day, you risk a truly environmentally responsible promotion, product or service getting lumped into consumer’s green fatigue and being consider green washing,”

Albe Zakes, global vice president of media relations for TerraCycle,

Amy Westervelt’s article on GreenBiz.com titled, Has Earth Day marketing jumped the shark? on GreenBiz.com offers some great perspective on that question. The takeaway being that marketers may be able to do a more effective job promoting their green initiatives by stepping away from Earth Day-related promotions and activities.

Until they do, however, I’ll be collecting free shopping bags and free moisturizer.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

For the TV spots, we enlisted Susan and Judi, two real life arthritis sufferers to tell their stories. Prior to taking the warm water classes, both women were bedridden. Once they began taking the classes, they began to reclaim their mobility and their lives.

Many thanks to Steve Tobenkin of LeTo Entertainment and Andrew Peterson for dedicating so much time and effort to the campaign.

Here are Susan and Judi’s stories, in their own words.

SUSAN’S STORY

JUDI’S STORY

Bookmark It

Hide Sites

Pinterest Board

What do you know about Pinterest, the fastest growing social trending site that recently reached over 10 million monthly users? Pinterest is now considered to be one of the top 10 social networks in the world with the main user group being females between the ages of 25 and 44.

Pinterest is a free website by invitation only. You can request an invitation from Pinterest or be invited through Facebook, Twitter or via email by someone you know who is already a member.

Pinterest is really about you. You are sharing things that reflect your personality, things that appeal to you. And it’s a way to connect to others who are interested in the same things.

Pinterest changes the way visual content is being delivered. Instead of tweeting it or liking it, you can pin-it. With their “Pin It” tool, Pinterest will allow you to grab any image from the web and pin it to boards you categorize according to your interests. Not only are you keeping an organized record of your searches, but you are sharing with everyone in the Pinterest community.

One of our co-workers recently pinned several recipes she intends to make at some time in the future. Within an hour, no less than 20 people were “following” her. Followers can view your boards, and they can re-pin entries on to their own boards. They can also comment on your pins. You can see how quickly these pinnings can go viral.

Many reviewers mention that Pinterest is very Etsy-like in part because early on, the content has been focused on crafts, fashion, decorating; but there is a much broader spectrum of categories that span just about anything you can think of – from motorcycles to Michelin to Mariachi Bands.

Pinterest is also a great way to showcase your business or products. You can create a board with photos of your products. Your description identifies the source which includes a link to your website. When your board is viewed or when an image is re-pinned, it provides a direct link to your website where consumers can view and purchase any of your products.

And just a reminder that the photos on your website need to be posted in a format that makes them easy to pin.

You will be hearing a lot more about Pinterest as marketers find ways to use this powerful and popular site to enhance their programs and promote their client’s products. Or maybe you will just find out more about your friends and what things interest them.

Bookmark It

Hide Sites