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Andrew VanderPloeg

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VP, Communications, Bark Communications

118 points

June 16, 2011

Andrew VanderPloeg recommends this answer by Debbie Laskey MBA

A visitor completes a webform: does this imply opt-in to you?

Since we all receive hundreds of emails that include e-zines and e-newsletters on a daily basis, we are all guilty of clicking too many "subscribe" boxes when in reality, we probably didn't intend to read everything. However, if we sign up (aka, opt-in) to attend ... more

Marketing

Email Marketing

Opt-in Marketing

Webform

June 8, 2011

Andrew VanderPloeg and 2 other people commented on this post

Why EVERY advertisement needs a QR code

That's excellent Anthony. Thanks for your considered response.
Let me be clear in saying that I am very much on board with using QR codes. In fact, we've just launched a campaign using QR. But as you've articulated very well, they need to be used strategically/effectively. ... more

Marketing

Bar Code Scanner

Barcode

March 18, 2011

Andrew VanderPloeg and 4 other people answered this question

Has anyone used Hubspot's Website Grader?

To Dan's second point above, I have used Website Grader when speaking to new business opportunities. I love to be able to show them that we've done the homework ahead of time and know about the strengths and weaknesses of their site(s) going into introductory ... more

March 18, 2011

Andrew VanderPloeg recommends this answer by Joe Chernov

What is the better twitter-strategy: As many as possible followers or less but valuable followers?

Depends if you are a sprinter or marathoner.
- Want to win the 100 meter: As many followers as possible. It'll make your CEO happy.
- Want to win the longer race: Go for quality. Better way to reach the right prospects (and other influencers).
Joe Chernov ... more

Information Technology

Marketing

Communication Strategy

Networking

2 more topics

March 16, 2011

Andrew VanderPloeg and 3 other people answered this question

If people are so crazy busy, how come they have time to be on social media?

I would agree that many do indeed use it for the purposes of Escape.
That said, people who truly "get" social media in the context of relationship growth and positive brand impact will simply make the time for social media because in the right business, it's ... more

March 9, 2011

Andrew VanderPloeg and 2 other people answered this question

When did Social Media change the paradigm and go from a tool to running Businesses?

Social media channels are not just tools for sales, or brand awareness, they are tools for relationship (sales and brand recognition come from that). That is where social media advocates get passionate, but they also get confused.
Many will advocate social media as the only way ... more

Feb. 25, 2011

Andrew VanderPloeg and 8 other people answered this question

Do you consider BaseCamp to be a project management tool?

I think it's very important to see Basecamp in context of the project management approach of it's makers. The traditional project manager will look at Basecamp and immediately balk at all of the ways in which it does not do what traditional project management processes ... more

Information Technology

Operations

Project Management

1 more topic

Feb. 14, 2011

Andrew VanderPloeg and 15 other people answered this question

Will social media make the Better Business Bureau irrelevant?

It's interesting to me to think though that the type of person that would find themselves engaged in a community like Focus.com is someone who already values online community. Not everyone does. It's for that reason that I wonder if the BBB will always have ... more

Marketing

BBB

Better Business Bureau

Crowdsourcing

2 more topics

Feb. 4, 2011

Andrew VanderPloeg and 3 other people answered this question

Define Brand: What's your definition of BRAND?

At our firm, we understand a brand to be “the perception one holds after coming into contact with you and your organization”. It is a holistic understanding of the brand that incorporates all aspects of an audiences interactions with your company. Whether it is the ... more

Marketing

Brand

Brand and Product Strategy

Brand Awareness

1 more topic

Feb. 4, 2011

Andrew VanderPloeg recommends this answer by john demarchi

What can a brand do to recover from a social media blunder?

Be humble. For example, if you have a typo (as above), and write "Bee" instead of "be," acknowledge it and be humble about it. :)
--john demarchi more

Marketing

Facebook Marketing

Social Media

Twitter Best Practices

Feb. 4, 2011

Andrew VanderPloeg and 5 other people answered this question

What is your opinion of asking people to retweet on your behalf?

I'd add one other item to Joe's list.
I think asking someone to retweet is acceptable, but only with the caveat that you be in relationship with them.
Effective social media interactions are really just about interacting with people who you have a common interest and concern ... more

Feb. 1, 2011

Andrew VanderPloeg answered this question

Are there any good web-based design tools out there?

Josh,
Check out Pixlr.com.
Andrew

Jan. 27, 2011

Andrew VanderPloeg and 7 other people answered this question

Why is it so important to be listed on the first page of search results?

Quite plainly, the first results page is where you need to be. Attention spans on the Internet are incredibly low...you need to be immediately accessible.
Furthermore, the first few results on page one have a huge advantage. In their research, Google has actually tracked where ... more

Jan. 27, 2011

Andrew VanderPloeg answered this question

Why do companies who can hire any design firm in the world put out such crappy products?

I believe it comes down to a lack of appreciation for how effective branding can impact sales. It is turning the intangible into the tangible (i.e. positive experience into bottom-line sales).
From Fast Company: “Brands that engage people emotionally command prices as much as 20 ... more

Jan. 24, 2011

Andrew VanderPloeg answered this question

What does social media management software do?

There are a couple different types of social media management tools out there. There are tools that help you manage your interactions on a specific platform (i.e. TweetDeck helps you manage your Twitter account) and then there are others that aggregate the management of a ... more

Marketing

Marketing Management

Social Media

Social Media Management Platforms

Jan. 19, 2011

Andrew VanderPloeg answered this question

What is the most important thing for a Graphic Designer to understand?

To answer your question directly...both. I want to work with people who are good at what they do and work hard to get it done.
The real challenge and the softer skill that I look for in a designer though, is whether or not they understand ... more

Jan. 19, 2011

Andrew VanderPloeg and 1 other person answered this question

What is your favorite design blog?

We often look to WebCreme for inspiration:
http://www.webcreme.com
Then, for good web design thoughts and resources:
http://www.webdesignerdepot.com

Blog

Blogging

Jan. 19, 2011

Andrew VanderPloeg and 2 other people answered this question

If you had to choose between Twitter and Facebook to promote a B2B company which would you pick? Why

For me, Chrissann hits the nail on the head in her final point about your customers. That was the first thing that came to my mind when I read your question. Be where they are. It's as simple as that. If they are in both ... more

Jan. 12, 2011

Andrew VanderPloeg and 2 other people answered this question

How often should/do you revamp your website?

Thanks for the input Sarah. I guess I'm more asking on the level of developing a completely new website (as opposed to just updating a current one). I've often heard the generalization batted around that, a two-year cycle is a good rule of thumb for ... more

Marketing

Jan. 4, 2011

Andrew VanderPloeg recommends this answer by Gary Buck

What impact has social media had on corporate branding?

One of the biggest differences seems to be that customers are now beginning to expect that they can be "social" with brands. When companies make themselves available via Facebook, Twitter and other social channels, customers can suddenly interact with the brand rather than merely send ... more

Dec. 22, 2010

Andrew VanderPloeg and 1 other person answered this question

How effective are "To Do" lists?

Andrea,
I think it really depends on the person. Some individuals are able to manage their daily tasks off the top of their head and for them that works fine. Others work better having a list to work from and so I think it comes down ... more

Personal Planning

Personal Productivity

Productivity Improvement

Productivity Tools

1 more topic

Dec. 17, 2010

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