This Valentine’s Day companies are taking a closer look at the relationship they have with consumers.  While most are focusing on growing a future with their customers, one company, ExactTarget, is taking a look at the dreaded break-up.  The “Social Break-Up” to be exact.  In a study published earlier this month, ExactTarget takes a look at the reasons consumers unsubscribe from email, Facebook and Twitter.

• Over 90% of consumers have unsubscribed from opt-in emails.
• 54% unsubscribed because emails were too frequent.
• 49% unsubscribed because the content was repetitive or boring.
• 47% unsubscribed because they receive too many emails and need to get rid of some.
• 55% of Facebook users have “unliked” a company they became a fan of.
• 44% “unliked” because the company posted too frequently.
• 43% “unliked” because their walls were too crowded.
• 26% opted -in for a one time offer and were no longer interested in communicating with the company.
• 41% of Twitter users have stopped “following” companies they once followed.
• 52% stopped “following” because content was repetitive or boring.
• 41% stopped “following” because their feed was too crowded.
• 39% stopped “following” because the company was sending too many “Tweets”.

Whether through e-mail, Facebook or Twitter, one thing is consistent among the reasons consumers walk out the door: communications that, in some way, leads the customer to believe the company doesn’t care.  With over 95% of online consumers using e-mail, 65% using Facebook and 9% active tweeters, understanding the reasons that consumers disengage will allow companies to grow their relationships as well as their business.

Trying to buy the 364 items repeated in all the song’s verses — from 12 drummers drumming to a partridge in a pear tree — would cost $96,824, an increase of 10.8 percent over last year, according to the annual Christmas Price Index compiled by PNC Wealth Management.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/12-Days-of-Christmas-items-apf-3990491279.html

Facebook’s stock is trading at more than $16 on SecondMarket Inc., an exchange for shares of privately held companies, said a person familiar with the latest pricing data. That would put its worth at about $41 billion, more than EBay’s $39.3 billion valuation on the Nasdaq Stock Market. Facebook only trails Amazon.com Inc., worth $74.4 billion, and Google Inc., valued at $192.9 billion, among U.S. Internet companies.

http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-11-15/facebook-passes-ebay-in-value-becoming-no-3-u-s-web-company.html

How many of you can see this picture, and totally relate? Working for any company that directly works for others, you want to do the best to provide for your clients every need, want, and whim. Lets face it, sometimes things fall through the cracks. We all have those 1 or 5 clients that are known for either being very particular, very demanding, or very needy. How do you successfully handle, and appease those clients as well as maintaining your standard of quality for the rest of your clients?

What would have been the best course of action for Steve, the designer? Should he have gone to Mr. Jones and “reminded” him that it had been a week, 2 weeks, etc. and he still had given no content? Or should have Steve taken it upon himself to create something after the first week, even without the input from Mr. Jones?

As I see this illustration, I can place myself in both sets of shoes. As Mr. Jones, I am probably very busy. A friendly weekly reminder email would have been greatly appreciated. If I received 2 emails, that would tell me that it had been 2 weeks since meeting with Steve, and he was being held up by me. I could not expect Steve to stand by his initial deadline because of MY inability to deliver what I promised.

In this same scenario, myself as Steve, after I sent the 2 initial reminder emails, I would create everything I possibly could, and send Mr. Jones what I came up with. Thus (hopefully) giving Mr. Jones the visual motivation to get the content delivered. That way Mr. Jones knows that even though I have to wait for him to complete the job, I am at least pro-active enough to do what I can with the knowledge I have. This would also look better in his eyes, knowing that I care enough about him as a client to not wait for him to begin the job.

I know for a fact, I would be as pro-active as I could, in either role. As Mr. Jones, I would not expect Steve to turnover my website immediately if I had held him up. I would understand that I am not his only client, even if he makes me feel, and provides quality work as if I were. If I were Steve, I would do my best to be pro-active enough to stay on Mr. Jones and remind him that he said he would get the content. I would try to do everything to remedy the situation before it became a much bigger issue.

Now it can be yours.

http://adage.com/article?article_id=146984

Google Chrome has teamed up once again with the travel industry to provide Gogo Inflight Internet to passengers from November 20, 2010 to January 2, 2011. This partnership expects to bring Wi-Fi to more than 700 planes, and 15 million passengers.

You may remember last year, Google partnered up with Virgin America and offered Wi-Fi to over 50 airports nationwide. This year they are focusing solely on flights. Here is Google’s statement “For last year’s promotion we experimented with providing a combination of free Wi-Fi in both airports and in-flight. This year we decided to focus on the in-flight experience and we are pleased to be working with three of the nation’s leading carriers to bring free in-flight Wi-Fi to holiday travelers.”

The cost of accessing Wi-Fi in flight is now $11 for a 24 hour period. This could save travelers at least $20 for round trip access.

I was recently searching the web, and I found an article that gave 5 recipes in 140 characters or less. Lets see if you can decipher them.

Shepards Pie
Brwn2c grndbeef. Toss w lb mixdfrozenveg/can shroomsoup/s+p; top w 3c MashedPotatoes. 25m@400°F

Unfried Chicken
Dip8pce chicken in milk, mixd c grndcornflake/T onion+garlcpdr/t oreg&pep&chili. Chill. Cvr40m@350°F; +30m uncvrd.

Marcella Hazan’s Carbonara
Slice, fry c bacon; +T garlc. Simmr+1/4c wtwine. Beat 2egg&yolk/1/2c parm. Toss+lb aldentespagheti/bacon/1/2c parm/pep.

Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms
Saute1/3c zuke&onion&tom&rice/T olvoil; +T mint&lem/s+p. Stuff8blossom; +1/2c Stock/T olvoil&tompaste.
Cvr,simmr25m.

Apple Muffins
Mix c flr/1/3c brsug/t bkgpdr&SweetSpice/1/4t salt. Fold+btn 1/3c milk/egg/2T mltbuttr; +1/2cgrtdapple/1/4c walnut. Fill 6. 20m@350°F.

Did you know that you can even read the Bible on Twitter? @Biblesummary you can see bible verses condensed to 140 Characters.

There are many articles you can read that tell the best way to reach an audience only using 140 characters. The way the world is, you will never know how short and sweet a message will be!!

It has been common knowledge that babies sell things. Until recently, those “things” weren’t as wide ranged as they are today. Here are some of the best commercials with babies that are out there. Do they influence your decision to buy the products? What about the commercials makes you want to buy? Is it strictly because of the “warm and fuzzies”? Or does the “Awwwww” factor come to play? Maybe the baby reminds you of a baby you know, does that influence the decision?

We all know of the E*Trade baby!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fmw23Ad9aLM&feature=player_profilepage

What about the new printer baby?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I5s1QNfXGn4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqZGj6VLSGg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqZGj6VLSGg