Today, we are happy to announce Mingly Unlimited. Mingly Unlimited lets you track, receive news, and set reminders for an infinite number of contacts, across multiple email and social accounts! Mingly Unlimited also provides priority support, escalated bug fixes and access to other features, all for only $9.95/mo. Learn more about how you can take your network to the next level at http://ming.ly/unlimited.

Share and get Mingly Unlimited for free
For every 5 friends who sign up and install Mingly, we’ll give you 1 year of Mingly Unlimited for free! You’ll also earn up to a 25% commission on paid referrals. Check out Mingly Referrals and see why more than ever, it pays to get Mingly.

Mingly 2.0 is coming soon!
We’re extremely excited about upcoming product improvements and new features that are just around corner. Our roadmap includes:

• New smart social alerts with granular control
• A mobile app (iOS and Android)
• Team collaboration capabilities

In the immediate future you can also expect to see major performance improvements, dozens of bug fixes, export functionality along with updates to keep-in-touch reminders. If we’re missing something, please reach out with your suggestions at: feedback@ming.ly

We believe technology can foster deep, human connections, which in turn can change the world- and we’re happy to have you with us.

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• It’s how we get our news and weather reports.
• It’s how our politicians speak to us.
• It’s how we share our lives with family and friends. It’s become an important tool for us to manage our relationships.

Though budgets still don’t seem to be growing, businesses are spending more money on social media marketing and less money on the types of marketing they have always done. Bloggers, tweeters, pinners and status updaters have taken away the control businesses once had over their corporate messages.

Today’s businesses have been forced to be on the defensive when it comes to social media marketing. They can certainly control the first message, but after that, it’s anyone’s guess what’s going to happen next. Smart businesses understand this and spend time and money developing a strategy and a Response Policy. Then, they hire people to use various tools so they can manage their presence and “Listen” to what’s being said about them and respond quickly and in a thoughtful manner as dictated by the Response Policy.

Timing has also been forever changed. There was a time when politicians, police chiefs and others timed their announcements so they could make the evening news. Today, news is spread 24/7/365 and if you’re waiting to tell people on the evening news nearly everyone will have already heard. In this social media world, the lack of a Response Policy can lead to a business shutting its doors. More often than not, you’ll have very little time to manage a situation and get your side of the story out, before it’s too late.

Still, no matter what thoughts I have about the state of marketing, I continue to return to the thought it’s all about relationships. Every product or service purchased today is the result of a relationship. It may be a relationship between the consumer and the business. Or, it may be between the consumer and the service provider. But it may also be a relationship between the consumer and her 100 friends on Yelp or her many millions of friends on Facebook.

If I am correct, are we going to see a shift in what marketers consider when they are trying to justify the ROI of a particular marketing plan? Are we going to see a continued increase in the creation and implementation of customer relationship management solutions? Or, are we going to see businesses continue to shy away from the one tool in their marketing shed that can help them stay in business. In his video Social Media Revolution 3, Eric Qualman writes, “The ROI of social media is that your business will still exist in 5 years.”

Brian Solis, in his book Engage! says:

Social media has forever changed the way businesses and customers communicate and also the way customers make their decisions. With networks like Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook, anyone can now find and connect with others who share similar interests and goals — creating communities that shape the perception of brands.

Our metrics have to change. Businesses have to consider their relationships with consumers in order to measure their success. They have to build the number of relationships they have and then successfully manage those relationships. They have to be able to gauge the quality of those relationships to really measure their success. Relying on large numbers of relationships is not going to be the end all. It will be the quality of those relationships that counts.

Max De Pree, the former CEO of Henry Miller, Inc., wrote The Art of Leadership and said:

We talk about the quality of product and service. What about the quality of our relationships and the quality of our communications and the quality of our promises to each other?

We have learned to communicate over the Internet, through email, texting, Skype, Face Time, Hang Outs and who knows what else. Yet, our world has become less personal and the quality of our relationships has become more important than ever. More than ever, it will be the strength and quality of our relationships with those who consume our products and services that will determine whether our business is able to keep its doors open.

Is your business using social media to build and develop relationships with your consumers? How are you measuring the success of these efforts?

President of The Friedman Group, and self-described “Recovering Attorney,” Bradley A. Friedman enhances the online presence of professionals and businesses while taking advantage of the power of social media. Connect with Brad and follow him @BradFriedman

]]> https://ming.ly/its-all-about-relationships/feed/ 0 https://ming.ly/10-cool-party-invitations-we-found-on-pinterest/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=10-cool-party-invitations-we-found-on-pinterest https://ming.ly/10-cool-party-invitations-we-found-on-pinterest/#comments Mon, 02 Apr 2012 18:01:03 +0000 Dana http://ming.ly/?p=1396 If you want your event to be memorable, the invitation is the place to begin. A great invitation gets people excited and sets the tone for your party, even before it starts. Take a look at and get inspired by some of the most unique and creative invitations we found on Pinterest.

1. Viewmaster Invitations
Load up these retro viewers with photos of the hosts, guests, or venue, and you’ve created not only an invitation, but also a great keepsake.

Source: stephmodo.com via Mingly on Pinterest

2. A Paper Record Player
Spin this flexidisk record with your hands to hear a song. The video is worth a watch.

Source: kellianderson.com via Mingly on Pinterest

 

3. 3D Pop-up Art
This was the VIP invitation to Lady Gaga’s Workshop at Barneys New York.

Source: thedieline.com via Mingly on Pinterest

4. Mystery Message and Decoder

Source: marthastewartweddings.com via Malia on Pinterest

5. Message in a Bottle

Source: factorydirectcraft.com via Heather on Pinterest

6. Mini-helium Balloon Invitations

Source: ohhappyday.com via Mingly on Pinterest

7. Breaking News Announcement

Source: blog.amyatlas.com via Mingly on Pinterest

8. Gift Basket Invitation

Source: sideshowpress.blogspot.com via Mingly on Pinterest

9. Top Secret Delivery

Source: lovelypackage.com via wally on Pinterest

10. Lantern Dinner Party Invites

Source: aimeeferre.blogspot.com via Aimee on Pinterest

What’s the best invitation you’ve ever received? Please share your favorite ideas below.

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The Mingly team has spoken with hundreds of independent professionals and their two main frustrations with CRM tools are as follows:
1. CRMs are too complex and cumbersome, requiring a steep learning curve, and
2. CRMs provide little help with the crucial task of nurturing “above the funnel” relationships.

In many cases, the most elegant parts of CRM systems are their reporting and analytics. But independent professionals, from freelancers and consultants, to real estate agents, have neither the time nor the need to model complex pipelines and forecasts. Their success hinges on two activities: providing excellent service to current customers, and building and maintaining a diverse network to generate opportunities and referrals. CRM systems that are so focused on the deal process and relationships associated with specific dollar amounts, neglect a whole network crucial to driving long-term success.

People Before Process
Traditionally, the sales funnel begins with converting leads into new customers. But where exactly do leads and prospects come from? Sometimes the scenario is straightforward, with a current or former client referring business. But other times, the road to earning prospects is more circuitous. Perhaps a journalist contact features you in an article, which in turn brings in hot leads. Or an old co-worker introduces you to a potential partner or gets you a speaking opportunity. In sum, opportunities and leads are the fruit of effectively nurturing an ecosystem of diverse relationships.

“What you get when you tap into other people’s brains is called network intelligence…What will get you somewhere is being able to access the information you need, when you need it… You get it by talking to people in your network. It’s people who understand your assets, aspirations, and market realities; it’s people who help you vet and get introduced to possible allies and trust connections…” – Reid Hoffman, The Startup of You

With a clear focus on growing “above the funnel” social capital, Mingly is changing how individuals and organizations build and leverage personal networks to reach their goals. By taking the work out of the ongoing outreach needed to advance key relationships, users can effectively create a network based on mutual success.

Our Economy Runs on Relationships
All businesses, big or small, are in the relationship business. Client-facing independent professionals (independent contractors, entrepreneurs, consultants and advisors, freelancers, etc.) make up over ⅓ of the US workforce. Their livelihood depends on their ability to build connections, and ultimately trust, with other members of their community.

What industry are you in and how do you currently manage your personal network? Please share your insights and stories below.

Dana Byerlee is a corporate strategist and relational marketing expert to both Fortune 500s and startups. She has worked with Ferrazzi Greenlight, and is passionate about leveraging new technology to break down barriers and build deeper connections. @LADLynn

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Mingly CEO & Founder, Tyler Koblasa, chatting with the crowd at Funders and Founders, Life 3.0 event

It’s been a busy few weeks for the Mingly team, and we’ve had a number of opportunities to meet and share our vision with many great people.

On March 1st, we spent a fantastic night demoing Mingly at the Funders and Founders Life 3.0 event. The attendees, a mix of local tech enthusiasts and entrepreneurs from various industries, quickly understood Mingly’s mission to help people stay in touch with important contacts. When it was time to vote, Mingly was the crowd favorite!

Next it was off to the 5th Annual LAUNCH Festival, where Mingly had a table in the Demo Pit. With over $1 million in prize money and judged by some of the most respected entrepreneurs and investors in the world, it was an exciting and valuable two days. We had the chance to spend face time with some current Mingly users and hear more of their feedback. We also met many other innovators building amazing teams and companies, who told us they had been wishing for a tool like Mingly. Everyone came to LAUNCH to connect with other talented and passionate people, and recognized that relationships are truly the key to growth and success.

The Mingly team at LAUNCH 2012

The end of Q1 seems to be prime event time, so there has been no rest for the weary! From SXSW in Austin, to Cloudforce back in San Francisco, there’s no better feeling of walking into a crowded room and hearing, “Hey Mingly! We love you guys!” Thank you to the entire Mingly community, for spreading the word about both our products and philosophy, and taking the time to give us great feedback and ideas. We are committed to your success and can’t wait to show you what’s next!

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No matter how you’ve connected, via email or social networks, Mingly keeps track of the people entering your life.

• You can quickly tag contacts in groups and add notes.  No more forgetting important things like how you met, or someone’s favorite hobby.
• Set a keep-in-touch reminder, and Mingly makes sure you never go more than the specified amount of time without interacting with this person.
• Even without specific instructions, Mingly always looks out for you: It notifies you about key events in your contacts’ lives (job changes, birthdays, relocations, etc.), providing genuine reasons to reach out and connect.

Mingly for Web Demo

If you’ve ever felt the pain of neglecting or even losing a valuable connection, check out Mingly. We’re committed to your success and love hearing from you, so please share your stories and feedback below, or get in touch with us at feedback@ming.ly.

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SAN FRANCISCO – FEBRUARY 8, 2012 – Mingly, Inc., creator of technology that enables professionals to build and maintain meaningful relationships, announced the launch of two new products today: Mingly for Web and MyPeople. These new offerings, along with Mingly’s first product, Mingly for Gmail, are powered by the company’s Social Interaction Mapping (SIM) engine to help users stay both informed and proactively in touch with the people important to their success.

Mingly was founded with the belief that our relationships are our most valuable assets. However, with contacts and interactions scattered across email and social networks, it’s increasingly difficult to stay in the loop. Too often, we miss key life events and business opportunities, and fall off the radar of potentially important contacts. Founder and CEO Tyler Koblasa explains, “I think we can all relate to the irony of being very well ‘connected,’ having access to information 24/7, and yet still losing touch with people we care about.”

Mingly is on a mission to help people unlock the full power of their network and make it easy to stay in touch with important contacts in genuine ways.

Last fall, Mingly announced the launch of its first product, Mingly for Gmail. With this browser plug-in, Mingly created a unified social address book that merges contacts from Gmail, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Users can stay in the know about their network and engage across the various platforms without leaving their inbox.

Today, Mingly for Web extends the product capabilities outside of Gmail, giving a much broader audience access to Mingly’s relationship intelligence from any browser. After connecting social network accounts, users quickly get the personal assistant they’ve always wanted.

Mingly for Web dashboard

Mingly:

• Alerts users before they fall out of touch with important contacts, across email, Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter.
• Surfaces and notifies users about key events in their contacts’ lives (job changes, birthdays, relocations, etc.), providing genuine ways to reach out and build relationships.
• Keeps track of new connections, and encourages users to follow up, set keep-in-touch reminders, and tag people in groups.
• Captures important information about contacts (time since last contact, bios, social updates, and conversations), and makes it readily available in a brief contact snapshot.

MyPeople is Mingly’s new personalized email digest that gives users everything they need to keep informed and in touch, whether at a computer or on the go. With a choice of receiving MyPeople daily or weekly, users can plan their outreach accordingly and quickly send email, Facebook, LinkedIn, or Twitter messages from one place.

MyPeople personalized email digest

“There’s a huge segment of independent professionals whose needs have been neglected,” explains Koblasa. “After countless conversations with entrepreneurs, small businesses, consultants, realtors, and financial advisors, we’ve learned that their business depends on cultivating real relationships that generate a solid base of referrals. These professionals are frustrated with current CRMs because while they are great for deal and revenue tracking, CRMs don’t help in the crucial ‘above the funnel’ need for building true connections.”

Mingly’s products demonstrate the power and potential of its SIM engine, which currently tracks nearly 10M contacts, 3M social network profiles, and 100M total interactions to surface a multi-dimensional analysis of social connectedness. Koblasa explains that this is only the beginning: “Mingly is focused on the next frontier in technology, which will turn these disjointed pieces of information across the social graph, into actionable intelligence that helps us build lasting personal bonds and drive business goals.”

Mingly for Web, Mingly for Gmail, and MyPeople are available at getmingly.com. A mobile version and integration with popular CRM software is currently in development.

About Mingly
Mingly is dedicated to turning social-network information overload into valuable and actionable insights. With so many fragmented sources of information and communication, staying connected with the people that matter is increasingly challenging. Mingly makes it easy to nurture new relationships and sustain existing ones. The company was founded in 2010 by Tyler Koblasa after winning Startup Weekend L.A. Mingly is based in San Francisco and is a network company of Idealab, a creator and operator of technology companies.

For more information, please visit: getmingly.com or follow the company on Twitter @getmingly or Facebook at: www.facebook.com/getmingly

Press contacts:
Dana Byerlee
Business Development and Marketing Manager at Mingly
415-967-0655
media@ming.ly

No matter what kind of business you’re in, no matter what size your company, it turns out that customer referrals are the key to growth. We hear a lot of buzz about customer loyalty, which encompasses all sorts of metrics from retention to satisfaction, but the best indicator of loyalty that drives bottom line results comes from one simple behavior: the willingness for a customer to put their own reputation on the line and recommend your product or service.

It’s common knowledge that small businesses owners and independent professionals, such as freelancers or financial advisors, must place great importance on building a steady pipeline of referrals. (For example, national statistics show that 82% of real estate sales come through an agent’s previous clients and referrals, and referrals usually account for about 50-70% of a local fitness club’s business.)

But what inherently makes a referral so valuable? And are they valuable to large companies on a grand scale?

In the famous study, The One Number You Need to Grow, Frederick Reichheld, Bain and Company, and Satmetrix teamed up to look for a correlation between customer survey responses and real customer behavior such as repeat purchases, or recommendations to friend and peers. Based on 4,000 customers, they ranked a variety of survey questions according to their ability to predict this real life behavior. Across multiple industries, the top ranking question was, “How likely is it that you would recommend Company X to a friend or colleague?” This “likelihood to recommend” question proved to be the first or second correlate to actual customer behavior 80% of the time: if customers reported that they were likely to recommend a particular company to a friend or colleague, then these same customers were also likely to actually repurchase from the company, as well as generate new business by referring the company via word-of mouth.

The Power Behind a Single Number, 2009. http://www.satmetrix.com/pdfs/NetPromoterWPfinal.pdf

The ability of loyal customers to bring in new ones, at no charge to a company, is particularly beneficial as a company grows. Within big corporations, a great deal of resources go to marketing costs and new customer acquisition, all which affects profitability. So again, even for large, mature businesses, there is a strong relationship between customers’ propensity to recommend a company and its financial growth. As the following chart shows in context of the airline industry, companies that maintain a higher Net Promoter score demonstrate higher revenue growth rates. 

The Power Behind a Single Number, 2009. http://www.satmetrix.com/pdfs/NetPromoterWPfinal.pdf

Finally, even when a business invests in a a referral program and offers financial incentives, the program can still pay off because of the unique value of referred customers. In the 2010 study, Referral Programs and Customer Value, market researchers followed the customer referral program of a German bank that paid customers 25 euro for bringing in a new customer. The study found that referred customers were both more profitable and loyal than normal customers, with referred customers having both a higher contribution margin and retention rate.

In short, referrals are like gold and should be an everyday priority. How many of your customers are actively promoting your business? Take the time to get to know and understand your clients, and provide them with easy and enticing ways to become brand ambassadors.

Dana Byerlee is a corporate strategist and relational marketing expert to both Fortune 500s and startups. She has worked with Ferrazzi Greenlight, and is passionate about leveraging new technology to break down barriers and build deeper connections. @LADLynn

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Before the Conversation

1. The Law of Authenticity  Be your true self. Sharing what is real about you is the key to building real relationships, as it lays the foundation for mutual understanding and growth.

2. The Law of Self-Image  Before you can expect others to like you, you must like yourself. The ways you perceive yourself become your reality, so ditch the negative self-talk and instead remind yourself regularly of your accomplishments and strengths.

3. The Law of Perception  Just as we create first impressions, we create perceptions based on them. Be authentic and also observe the different communication styles of others to avoid misperceptions.

During the Conversation

4. The Law of Energy  The energy you give off is what you get back. This doesn’t mean you have to be ecstatically happy all the time – we can be genuine and connect deeply with others, even when faced with difficulties and challenges.

5. The Law of Curiosity  Curiosity creates connections, so harness it to open up new avenues of dialogue. Remember though that discussions are, by definition, two-sided — sharing yourself is a key part of building a real connection.

6. The Law of Listening  You have to listen to understand. To build meaningful connections, you need to listen from other people’s perspectives, and be open to looking at the world through different lenses.

7. The Law of Similarity  People tend to like people like them. Though it may not be obvious at first, look for common interests, backgrounds, and beliefs to help you connect with others.

8. The Law of Mood Memory  People are more likely to remember how you made them feel than exactly what you said. As mentioned above, pay attention to your words and energy so you can be your genuine self.

After the Conversation

9. The Law of Familiarity  Stay in people’s minds through social networks, notes, personal recommendations, etc. Leverage technology to stay updated about what’s going on in people’s lives and increase your opportunities to interact.

10. The Law of Giving  Be proactive about determining how you can help the people in your circle. Whether it’s making introductions, sharing resources, giving advice, or extending invitations, there are countless ways to create value for others.

11. The Law of Patience  Friendships evolve over time, and kindness repays kindness, even if it’s not in obvious ways.

Take a moment to consider how you stack up in each of these areas. Perhaps you could be a better listener? Maybe you can leverage tools like Mingly, so you can stay better in touch? When you start from a place of self-awareness, you will inevitably strengthen your relationships, productivity, and finally, results.

Dana Byerlee is a corporate strategist and relational marketing expert to both Fortune 500s and startups. She has worked with Ferrazzi Greenlight, and is passionate about leveraging new technology to break down barriers and build deeper connections. @LADLynn

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To celebrate Community Manager Appreciation Day, we sat down with Kibibi Springs, the Community Director of myGreenlight. myGreenlight is an online training platform that teaches business executives the fundamentals of relationship mastery.

Q: What makes the myGreenlight community different?
myGreenlight is a private community for those enrolled in our 30-week business relationship mastery curriculum. It’s a very accomplished and smart group, with 90% of our members being executives at or above the manager level, or entrepreneurs. Because it is a private community, I have the opportunity to get to know individuals and groups a bit more intimately than one probably would as the manager of a larger, public community.

Q: What are your top three pieces of advice for successful community management?
1. Don’t mistake quiet for disinterested  I’ve learned that even at times when there doesn’t appear to be much dialogue going on, people are still paying attention. Our community includes extremely busy professionals who are committed to achieving new levels of success, so I must be proactive and show them our committment to their goals. Every time I reach out about content they are working through, I’m met with a great deal of immediate appreciation.

2. Ditch the cookie-cutter mentality and customize your outreach  I have the advantage of being able to categorize our members by corporation and industry, and it can give me clues as to how I can best communicate. Understanding a company’s corporate culture, especially regarding their view on the role of technology, is important – just because a company signs up for an online resource, doesn’t necessarily mean the current corporate culture supports the use of it. So I must carefully listen and observe, read between the lines, and consider how we can best integrate with members’ current work rhythms. This can mean cutting back or stepping up communications, presenting information in different ways, and customizing touch points and content for different groups.

3. The phone is still a powerful social tool  I’m also lucky to have phone numbers for our clients, and in many cases, this is still the best way to connect. Sometimes when I see a member respond to something online, I maximize the moment right then and there with a phone call. Or if someone takes the time to send a long email, they certainly deserve a focused discussion. These are the times when I learn the most – why the person is here, what is working for them, and what we can do better. Time spent getting to know your customers is always time well spent.

Q: How do you define and measure success?
I believe metrics are the roadmap to success. I’m sure many people can relate to the feeling that there is just so much to do, and so many interesting things that could be done, but you have to pick your battles and evaluate which will have the most impact. Now that we’ve had some time to watch what drives the myGreenlight experience, we’re taking the time to build customized tools around the following:

1. Engagement  We have a dashboard that monitors engagement, which we define as a combination of both lesson completion, and community dialogue and interaction. Each day, I take the time to go through this dashboard, at both an aggregate level and by forum, company, group, etc. I reach out to both front-runners (those who are moving quickly through the program or getting very involved in forums), as well as to those who are moving more slowly. I try to learn what is either driving or prohibiting their progress and share these learnings with the team.

2. Qualitative feedback  We also have important qualitative indicators. We collect success stories and try to understand how we tangibly affect our clients’ lives. Our members tell us how myGreenlight has helped them increase sales, build better prospect pipelines, and broaden their spheres of influence.

3. Content value  We are building tools to better understand which pieces of content are being accessed the most and what sort of results they are driving. This will help us better filter and provide our members with the most valuable resources possible.

Q: What are some similarities between building relationships on and offline?
1. Virtual facetime is valuable  I’ve learned a great deal from both managing a virtual community and being a member of a virtual team. For example, at first I wasn’t sold on the importance of video during meetings, but over time I have learned there are advantages. I’ve attended many webinars without video, and when you have a dynamic facilitator or guest, you want to see their face. You feel more deeply connected. That being said, just as you would prepare to meet with someone in-person, there is a bit of production work everyone should do when presenting themselves on video. Treat it as if it’s a television broadcast: check how you look, your lighting and background, and the sound level and quality.

2. Get leaders in your corner  Another important similarity between the real and virtual worlds, is that leadership buy-in goes a long way. We see better results when a company’s management team takes the time to explain why they have invested in myGreenlight. When leaders articulate how they hope it will address a particular goal, or tell employees just why they were selected to participate, the program gets much more attention and respect than without that kind of context.

3. Connect with your members outside of the community platform  All relationships are about understanding the other person, so even if you connect within the walls of the community or spend time in-person, you should also leverage social media and other communities. Though our members each have a profile page, this is just one piece of their story. I’ve found LinkedIn and Twitter really help me get a better picture of who they are, what they are interested in, and that enables me to better help them.

Q: Which new myGreenlight product feature do you find most exciting?
The ability to share your progress, goals, and action plans with others, even if they are not a member of the myGreenlight program. The more people you have cheering you on and holding you accountable, the more likely you are to succeed.

Passionate about helping people “move into positive action”, Kibibi Springs brings 15 years of corporate and marketing communications experience to the myGreenlight team. Previously, Kibibi held senior management roles where she directed internal and external brand, culture and communication strategies for organizations such as Edelman Public Relations, The Milken Family Foundation, Procter & Gamble Beauty and The Virgin Entertainment Group. Kibibi completed her B.A. in Communication Studies at the University of California at Santa Barbara and her M.A. in Industrial/Organizational & Consumer Psychology from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. Connect with Kibibi and follow her @KibibiSprings 

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