Apple has acquired digital music service Lala.

 iTunes is the leading music service in the United States with more than 70 percent of all digital music sales and it is the leading music retailer overall. The iTunes store offers more than 11 million songs. They have decided to purchase Lala in an attempt to explore new models for selling songs.

Newer music streaming services from the likes of News Corp's MySpace Music and Spotify have begun to win over music fans in the last year, which has given Apple the incentive to expand further. The Lala service allows users to stream from the Internet any tune in its catalog of more than 8 million songs once for free, and then sells unlimited streams for 10 cents per track and MP3 downloads starting at 79 cents.

A strategic move from the Apple conglomerate, so why not use their idea to expand your company further. Provide a podcast for your clients and allow them to stream your company information quickly. By Synergizing your company with the likes of Facebook and Google, you’re giving  yourself a greater chance of expanding your brand further and thus, target a larger audience.

At a recent presentation entitled “Getting the best out of your website” the speaker mentioned how it doesn’t matter how your website looks as long as you can get their contact details easily.  I disagree.
How many times have you clicked onto a website and clicked off it almost immediately because it’s just a bunch of text, text and more text?  In this consumer focused environment looks ARE everything!
Look at these two websites ↓↓↓

www.therenewableenergycentre.co.uk

www.eco-environments.co.uk

Both websites provide information on renewable energy and the benefits from using all the various sources. However, which website would entice you? Personally, Eco Environments looks slick, fun and professional whereas the renewable energy centre, whilst it’s oozing with information, is an immediate turn off due to the sheer amount of block text.
Influencing your clients through your website is relatively easy; all you need to show is your creative side to wow your audience. Five key areas that I always encourage anyone trying to improve their website include:

1. Make it impressive- using your Company colours ties your Brand and website together.
2. Easy to Navigate- don’t bombard your potential customers with hundreds of pages, all full corporate info. Keep your titles focused so everyone can find what they need easily.
3. Quality Content. Your website should be informative but NOT boring. Remember it’s about enticing your potential clients not killing them with dull, uninspiring jargon.
4. Keep it up-to-date! Let your public know what you’ve been up to. Which clients you’re working with, who’s written a testimonial about your company etc. You’re proud of your company so why not shout about it.
5. Finally, (and arguably the most important) Contact Information. Have your telephone number, email address, Blackberry Pin, Linked In Address, whatever it is, on show!
“There’s nothing worse than scrapping around a website trying to find a phone number... Usually I’ll get frustrated and try another site” (Victoria Wareham-) DONT LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU! 

I hope this has been helpful, and remember the greatest thing about a website is that it's accessible to an enormous volume of people from almost any location. Therefore why not make it as read-able and polished as possible to persuade your potential clients.

The true power behind Social Media is so powerful, so astonishing that no one has the faintest idea!

I learnt this yesterday when I saw an advert for a low-budget independent film called Paranormal Activity. Filmed in a similar style to the 1999 horror, The Blair Witch Project, the main concept behind this film lies within a $15,000 budget and a hand-held camera. A simple but terrifying idea- I HAVE to see it!

Here’s where the dilemma began… after much Google searching, nowhere seems to be showing it! I called a local cinema which specialises in commissioning, exhibiting, promoting and supporting artists' work in the fields of film, video, and new media. The polite members of FACT, Liverpool, informed me that they would not be showing the film. However, if I started a forum on their website it might get shown? Interesting.... will this really work?

After just two hours of posting a rather straight forward forum I had received not only an answer but a following of 163 people! Amazing! Not only had this small organisation actually listened to me but, due to the support of my 163 fans, they offered me an advanced screening of the film a week before the rest of the nation!
Surely this is just a glimpse of how important; not to mention how powerful, social media truly is! If one forum about a low budget film has had an impact like this, imagine what it could do to you business!

My advice to businesses out there is to get blogging, twittering, poking whatever it is- it works! Social media is an intensive and immediate way to get the answers you need- which let’s face it- is how businesses run these days! No time for carrier pigeons, post or even email responses, social media is the answer!

Check my forum out at:
http://www.fact.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1645