How Facebook Friends Influence Purchasing Habits

Whether you’re headed back from the beach or firing up the BBQ as we speak, the last thing we want to do is “bore” you with a long how-to social media post, so we’re going to do something a little different today! What’s that, you ask? We’re going to talk about how Facebook friends influence your purchasing habits with a really cool infographic. Are you ready to be blown away by some amazing facts and fascinating figures? Then read on!

At one point or another, we have ALL based a decision to purchase something on the recommendation from one of our friends. Or maybe you didn’t purchase something because one of your friends had a bad experience with the product and advised you against buying it. Whether we realize it or not, our friends – the “real life” kind and connections we have on Facebook – are extremely influential on our purchasing habits. How influential? Check out this nifty infographic created byPPC Associates to find out!

What does this infographic tell us?

Females in the 25-44 age bracket are most likely to make a purchase based on a Facebook friend’s recommendation. Men 18-24 and 45-54, however, are not as easily swayed, and are the least likely to make a purchase based on a friend’s recommendation. However, that does not mean that they don’t, they just do it less frequently.

And get this: the Northeast has the highest percentage of people who don’t use Facebook, but it also has the highest percentage of people who are most likely to make a purchase based on a Facebook friend’s recommendation. Go figure!

Something else we found interesting was that people in rural areas of the U.S are most likely to use Facebook, but when it comes to making purchases based on a Facebook friend’s recommendation, suburbanites took the cake.

Hold on a sec! What is considered a “recommendation from a friend”?

Recommendations from friends can be direct or indirect. For example, let’s say you’re planning a camping trip but don’t have any camping gear or supplies. Instead of turning to ads on TV or Google search, you put up a post on Facebook asking your friends to comment their favorite outdoor equipment store. In this instance, the suggestions you receive from your friends would be considered direct recommendations (you asked, they recommended). If your friend uploads a photo of a supplement they love (Isotonix® OPC-3, maybe?) along with the caption “Love this stuff! Don’t know how I lived without it before!” and you just happen to see it in your feed, that’s an indirect recommendation. You didn’t ask for it, but you saw it, and since you trust your friend’s opinions more than ads on TV or signs on billboards, you consider purchasing that product, too. Both types of recommendations can be equally influential on our purchasing habits.

Now that you know how influential Facebook friends’ recommendations can be, how will you use this information to build your business with social media? Post your answer in the comment section below! 

6 Essentials to Bring to a Wedding

Wedding season is in full swing but that’s no reason to panic! SHOP.COM has you covered for all of your wedding needs. We have put together a list of essentials to bring with you when you attend a wedding. 

Cosmetics. Your makeup will need a touch up at some point during the evening, so it’s always best to be prepared. You don’t have to carry your entire makeup case. A lipstick or lip gloss and a compact powder will do the trick!

Deodorant. In case it gets hot and heavy on the dance floor, bring a mini deodorant. They’re perfect to keep in your clutch or small bag!

Band Aids. With all the standing around and dancing, you might get a blister or two. Be prepared with these Band-Aid Advance Healing Blister Cushions!

Mints. When you’re not breaking it down on the dance floor, you’ll be chatting with other wedding attendees over champagne. Keep some mints in your bag to freshen your breath after dinner.

Safety Pins. Safety pins are always handy to have, especially on a wedding day. You can save the bride (or yourself) from a broken strap in seconds!

A Gift. This is probably the most important thing to bring! Most weddings have a registry, so finding something that will be useful to them shouldn’t be too difficult. Maybe they even registered with SHOP.COM! If the bride and groom did not create a registry, you can always buy a wedding gift basket for them!

And of course, don’t forget to bring a camera to capture all the beautiful memories!

These are our wedding essentials, but we know you have many more! Comment below to tell us what you’re taking to your summertime weddings!

4 Tips for Effective Brainstorming

The ability to innovate is crucial to any successful organization and coming up with a successful plan is just the beginning of the journey. Brainstorming sessions allow employees to share, rate, and comment on ideas while also allowing them to come up with new ways to solve a problem. To help you company surface good ideas, take a look at these four tips before you get your creative team together for an effective brainstorming session! Read More

1. Get a facilitator. Assign someone to facilitate the brainstorming session in order to make it as productive as possible. A facilitator will allow the flow of ideas to have a positive direction. This person should be an outsider or someone from a different department within your organization that is familiar with the project. Keep in mind that it’s important for the facilitator to be able to provide directions without sounding authoritative.

2. Preparation is key. It is essential to start with a brief overview of the project. This is a good way to get people thinking of creative ideas to solve the problem or create a strategic plan. You should also clearly state the ultimate goal of the brainstorming session. As you consider your goal, be wary of goals that are too vague or two specific. Instead of having a broad goal like “Increase audience for social media channels,” try setting a more specific goal like “Develop 10 ways to create more engaging content.”within your company/organization that is familiar with the project. Keep in mind that it’s important for the facilitator to be able to provide directions without sounding authoritative.

 3. Write down everything. Come prepared with big sheets of paper or a whiteboard and tons of pens, pencils, and markers and place them where everyone can see it. You will want to write down every idea, even the crazy ones, and encourage everyone to write them down themselves. If needed, you can also bring props; some people think visually so use anything that can get people thinking of ideas. However, keep in mind that computers can be distracting during a brainstorming session. Suggest the meeting to be laptop-free to create a more effective meeting.

4. Relax. Create a relaxing environment so fear doesn’t block any ideas. People need to feel free to throw ideas without being judged or being ridiculed. This will also encourage members to participate and present as many ideas as possible. Always remember that no idea is a bad idea; sometimes the best suggestions come from previous ones.

With these tips, you will be able to drastically increase productivity during your next brainstorming session. How often do you use brainstorming to solve a problem?Comment below with your brainstorming secrets to success!

What Do You Need to Know About the Google+ Redesign?

Last week Google announced a whole slew of enhancements made to Google services. Many of the most talked about features and redesigns were made to Google’s social network Google+. Want to learn more? Here’s what you need to know about the redesigns!

HashtagsLet’s say you post something about a Boston Redsox player on your Google+ page. Google will automatically hashtag the Redsox, which you can then click and explore a bunch of related content posted across Google+ that is related to the Boston Redsox. You have the option of editing the tag (if, by chance, Google doesn’t get it right) and turning tags off so your post stays private. But after seeing all the cool stuff that the hashtag feature can do, you will wonder why anyone would want to do that!

CardsPosts are no longer posts anymore; they’re called “cards” which function much like a postcard. On one side, you’ll see an image with a caption, but click the hashtag Google+ assigned the post and it flips over to reveal related content. Now you’ll be able to discover new content with the simple “flip of a card”!

Multi-Column DesignIf you’re thinking that Google+ is looking a whole lot like Pinterest, you’re right! Google ditched their linear design for a multi-column design that is both aesthetically appealing and a lot more fun to navigate!

Photo EditingGoogle+ has long been seen as a “cloud” for photos and content, but has been lacking the editing features that amateur photographers and professionals crave. That all changes now! Google now gives you the option to “auto enhance” all your images to make them beautiful, perfectly exposed , and less grainy. It’s like a professional editing tool right in your Google account you simply can’t afford to miss out on!

These are just a few of the whopping 41 new features Google has added to your Google+ account! Find out more about all these fun, helpful, and even awe-inspiring features in this article on Mashable.

What new Google+ feature are you most excited about? Tell us in the comments below! 

SHOP.COM Saturday: Stock Up on These Summertime Essentials!

With Memorial Day almost upon us, it’s time to start preparing for summer festivities and vacations! But if you’re stumped on where to start, we’re here to help! Check out these great SHOP.COM partner stores for all your warm-weather necessities.

Outdoor GrillsIt just feel like summertime if you didn’t have a great grill to cook up some burgers! If yours is looking a bit shabby and needs to be replaced, check out Shoppers Choice. There you’ll find an assortment of grills and grilling gadgets, all of which offer 5% Cashback!

Gardening Equipment & DécorWinter can take a toll on your garden, so show it some love with some new garden equipment from Spectrum Super Store! Best of all? Get 3% Cashback on all of your purchases!

Outdoor DécorPlanning a summer party, but your outdoor living space is looking less than stellar? Spruce it up with items from Designed for Outdoors! Best of all, you get 6% Cashback on every purchase!

Beach HatsWhether you have plans to hit the beach or hang out in your backyard pool, make sure to cover up with a festive sunhat from Luxury Divas! With 5% Cashback on every purchase, looking stylish on a budget has never been so easy!

SwimwearWhen was the last time you treated yourself to some new swimwear? Can’t remember? Then it’s definitely time to check out the wide selection of swimsuits and beach apparel available from Shoebuy! Update your look and get 6% Cashback  – what could be better?

Beach Cover-upsWhen you’re not spending time next to the pool, don’t just throw an old t-shirt on over your suit – try one of these stylish cover-ups from Voguette instead! So much better than a frumpy, oversized shirt, and you get 5% Cashback!

Now it’s your turn: tell us how you’re preparing for summertime with SHOP.COM!

New Lumière de Vie™ Handouts

Memorial Day weekend is only a week away and summer is just around the corner! With temperatures rising and the bright sun staying out longer each day, it’s time to step back, assess your skin care routine, and consider what you’re doing to refresh your skin after sun exposure. Lumière de Vie™, one of the newest additions to our offering of skin care products, is a line specially formulated to take care of all skin types to give you healthy, smooth skin.

With 5 products currently in the Lumière de Vie™ line, customers have had difficulty differentiating which product to use when and in what order. Though we previously addressed this issue on the ma Blog, our product team was generous enough to follow up with a helpful guide:

Which Lumière de Vie™ is your favorite to use? Comment below and let us know what suggestions you have for future products to add to the line!

Great Reads for Entrepreneurs

Whether you’re just starting out as an entrepreneur or are a seasoned go-getter, it’s always a good idea to seek advice from others in your field. Maybe others will have encouraging words for you as you begin to build your business. Perhaps someone else has a unique take on something you’ve been doing the same way for years! Here are our picks for the books you need to be reading as you further your career as an UnFranchise® Owner:

What it Takes to be an Entrepreneur
This book navigates the challenges you’ll likely encounter as you set your sights on becoming your own boss.

The Rebel Entrepreneur
Taking a different approach, The Rebel Entrepreneurtells you why you’ve been getting the wrong advice about starting your own business and shares real-life examples of successful entrepreneurs who did things differently.

How to be a Social Entrepreneur: Make Money & Change the World
As the description for this book states, “Don’t just make money… change the world.” There is so muchgood that you can do in this world with your power of entrepreneurship. Don’t forget to make a lasting impression for generations to come.

7 Habits of Highly Effective People
Haven’t read this one yet? What are you waiting for? It’s a classic! Make sure you’re exhibiting these traits as you approach new potential business partners and customers.

New Ideas from Dead CEO’s: Lasting Lessons from the Corner Office
This book is far from morbid as it examines the successes and failures of some of the most notable CEO’s in history. If you feel like you’ve backtracked in your business, consider this a resource to help you climb back to the top!

This is our quick list, but you must have others! Leave reading suggestions in the comments section for your fellow entrepreneurs!

Top Stories from Around the Web

By now you probably know that the Market America Social Media Team has a (healthy) obsession with social media! It’s our job to stay in-the-know and keep tabs on important social media news, developments, and site improvements. However, as an UnFranchise® Owner, staying up to date on all-things social media can be difficult if you want to get anything else done! That’s why we’ve compiled this list of noteworthy social media news from last week that is relevant to you and your business. Enjoy!

LinkedIn turns 10 years old

Happy Birthday LinkedIn! Can you believe that LinkedIn has been around for a whopping 10 years? And boy has it changed! Check out this post from Mashable to see how the social network has evolved over the years.

Instagram has a new tagging feature

Have you heard about the new tagging feature on Instagram? Now when you upload a photo to Instagram, tagging someone in the photo is as easy as tagging someone on Facebook! To access the feature, you must have the most recent Instagram update (which you can download from your smartphone app store). Read more about this cool update on Social Media Today, or see what Loren Ridinger has to say about it on her blog!

Promote your business by sharing content from our product pages!

If you want to talk about your business on social media, but don’t want to turn your friends off by sounding like a pushy salesperson, we have a solution! Follow our product pages on social media to get updates on recently posted, eye-catching content that is perfect for sharing on your own social media pages! For a list of social media pages and more social media sharing tips, check out this ma Blog post.

How to rock your social media sites…in only 30 minutes a day!

While this article is geared more towards brands and company community managers, the suggestions for how to manage your profiles in 30 minutes are on point! Plus, they’ve included a fun infographic that makes the information THAT much more interesting.  Read it here.

How to stop embarrassing yourself online

Whether we realize it or not, we have all posted something somewhere online that doesn’t make us look good. Regardless of what it is or where it was posted, this article from Lifehacker will open your eyes to how you could be embarrassing yourself online without even realizing it, and-more importantly-how to stop for good.

Simple tips for getting “good” at Twitter

Twitter can be confusing for some, but it doesn’t have to be! If you’re relatively new to Twitter, make sure to check out these 9 simple Twitter tips and tricks that will help to improve your overall Twitter experience. 

Have you come across any noteworthy social media news that we didn’t include here? Let us know! Post a link to the article and your thoughts about it in the comment section below! 

Isotonix® Calcium Plus

This month we’re celebrating all-things calcium! Today, we’re shining the spotlight on Isotonix® Calcium Plus. Interested in learning more about this product that contains a mighty mineral our bodies can’t do without? Read on!

Isotonix® Calcium Plus is so much more than calcium; one serving provides your body with a healthy dose of vitamin D3, magnesium, vitamin C and boron, too! Calcium can be a hard mineral to absorb, and these nutrients aid your body in the process of breaking it down so you can get the most out of it.

In addition to packing extra nutrients that help your body absorb this bone-fortifying mineral, Isotonix® Calcium Plus delivers these nutrients to your body via an isotonic solution that makes it easier for your body to absorb. And unlike tablets and pills, there are no binders, fillers, or other unhealthy additives like chlorine (yuck!).

So why is calcium so important? Calcium helps support bone health, helps maintain healthy immune functions and optimal cholesterol levels, promotes normal regulation of hormones and enzyme production, and supports healthy body weight – just to name a few! While there are a ton of health benefits when it comes to taking Calcium, you should always talk to your doctor before starting a supplement regime to make sure that its right for you!

This May, the Isotonix® Facebook page will be giving away Isotonix® Calcium Plus at various time during the month. Keep your eye out for your chance to enter to win some of your own Isotonix® Calcium Plus!

Helpful Tips for Staying on Track With Your Diet

The end of the Spring 2013 TLS® Weight Loss Find Your Fit Challenge is just a few weeks away! Whether you’re participating in the challenge or just doing your best to get fit for summer, here are 5 helpful tips for staying on track with your diet and reaching your weight loss goals.

Plan you mealsRemember when you were a kid and your mom would tell you to lay out your school clothes for the next day? Mom was on to something – and no, I’m not talking about making sure you were presentable for class! Just like planning out what you will wear makes it easier to get ready in the morning, planning your meals for the next day takes the guess-work out of what you’re going to eat. Not only that, but by having a plan to refer to, you no longer give yourself a choice – meaning less opportunities to slip up and “choose” a candy bar over a handful of almonds and piece of fruit!

Brown-bag it!If you’re not already bringing your lunch to work, start now! It may take a little extra time, but packing your own lunch means that you are in control of what’s in it – and most of all, what’s not! And just like planning your meals the night before, packing it the night before is a great way to help you stay on track. Buy a cute lunch box, whip up something healthy, and put your lunch – in your fancy new lunchbox- in the fridge so it’s all ready before you head out the door. If you’re afraid that you will forget it in the morning, try the old keys-in-the-fridge trick: put your car keys, wallet, and whatever else you need to get out the door in the fridge with your lunchbox. When you go looking for your keys, you’ll remember you stuck them in the fridge…along with your lunch!

Hit the farmers marketAre you getting bored of eating the same health food day in and day out? Sounds like it’s time to check out the local farmers market! Mix up your diet with new fruits and veggies that are in season, and choose produce that is colorful and even exotic looking. Why? Well, other than being packed with more nutrients than paler varieties, we can have a tendency to want to eat food that is aesthetically appealing – so the more eye catching, the better! If you’re not sure how to cook or eat a vegetable or fruit, ask the vendor how they like to cook the food at home, and go from there.

Write it downIt may seem like a tedious task, but writing down what you eat has been proven to be one of the best ways to stay on track with your diet. To make the process less time consuming, write down what you plan on eating the following day when you’re planning your meals the night before. If you’re counting calories or other nutrients, include the tally along with the food so you know exactly how much energy (or protein, or fat) you plan on consuming the following day. Not a pencil and paper kinda’ person? Check out the food journal apps that are available in your smartphone app store. There are a lot of really great apps that are free, functional, and easy to use! If you’re not sure which one to download, we suggest Lose It!This food-tracking app is available on both Android and iPhone, and is also accessible on the web (i.e. from your PC or Mac!).

If you screw up, don’t start over on MondayWe’re all bound to slip up on our diets at one point or another, but the important thing is not to let it defeat you. If you have a piece of cake at your friend’s birthday party on Friday, don’t wait until Monday to start eating healthy again; start when you finish that last bite of cake. Dieting is not all or nothing! Just because you ate something unhealthy doesn’t mean that your whole day – or week! – is ruined, but it does mean that you owe it to yourself to turn it around immediately after you “mess up”.

What are your tried-and-true tips for staying on track with your diet and reaching your weight loss goals? Post them in the comments below! 

Five Ways to Improve your Mood FAST!

If you’re feeling down, sluggish, or just need to get out of a rut, here are our team’s suggestions for improving your mood FAST:

1. Look at something you love
On my desk at work I make sure to keep photos of my family in clear view. When I’m feeling bummed out, I look over at these photos and they instantly make me feel better. I know that whatever I’m struggling with will be made better by talking to or seeing my family and friends at the end of a long day. It sounds simple, but it works! Woman’s Day even suggests placing happy photos on your fridge. We look at our refrigerators an average of 27 times per day!

2. Get organized
Clutter (literal or figurative) is a surefire way to have you feeling a bit off-track. Getting organized should help to improve your mood. If your kitchen cabinet is disheveled, take 5 minutes to straighten it up. It will stop you from groaning every time you open it! If you’re having trouble sorting out the errands you need to run in your head, jot down a list on a notepad. There’s something about writing it out that can make you feel like your to-do’s are a bit more manageable.

3. Plan something fun
No, you don’t have to go on an elaborate weekend getaway every time you’re in a bad mood. Instead, plan something simple and fun that you can look forward to at the end of a long week.  Here are some suggestions:

• Farmer’s Market on a Saturday morning
• Inviting friends over for dinner
• A trip to the bowling alley (check online for discounts!)
• Starting a new book or catching up on magazine subscriptions
• Small home improvement projects (planting flowers, re-arranging a room)

Planning a small activity gives you something to look forward to when you’re in a bad mood. If you are the type to plan big vacations in advance, that’s something to look forward to, too!

4. Watch something funny
The Internet is full of hilarious videos, sure to brighten your mood on a dark day. Our team loves THIS one and THIS one in particular. 

5. Find a fail-safe
When you’re in a bad mood, having an already-established plan of action can help you get to a better mood more quickly. What’s something that never fails to make you smile? Maybe it’s listening to a favorite song, lighting a scented candle, or calling a particular friend. Make sure you have something on hand that you know can cheer you up at all times.

These tips are simple and we know you have some advice of your own! Comment below and tell us how you improve your mood when you’re having a bad day.Here’s to happy days ahead!

The Importance of Product Reviews

Product reviews are a great way to learn more about a product before you invest your own time and money by purchasing it. You can read FAQs and look at photos, but there’s no true replacement for a good old review from someone who is familiar with the product and can offer you valuable information from their own experience.

At SHOP.COM, we offer a place to leave customer reviews for all of our Market America branded products. We’d like to encourage you to leave a review whenever you purchase a new product. Why? It’s important! Here’s an example of what our product reviews look like. Listed below are reviews for Isotonix® Multivitamin:

Customer reviews often include things that we don’t think about for our FAQ section. For example, in a product review customers might offer tips on storing your Motives® makeup or pouring your Isotonix® products. We expect that when you leave a product review that you’re being fair and honest about the product. If you didn’t love it, tell the truth! Maybe you tried Motives® Pressed Eye Shadow in Glamour but weren’t thrilled at how dark the shade of purple was. In your customer review, you could mention that you found a lighter alternative with Motives® Pressed Eye Shadow in Dollface. This is helpful information for other customers that we don’t have room to include in our general descriptions.

It’s easy to leave a product review for any of our products. If you’ve already scrolled down on the product page to read reviews, click the “Review this Product” button. You can’t miss it- it has a gold star beside it! A small window will open that looks like this:

Simply assign the product a star rating, type a short title + description, and click “submit.” Your review will be published with your SHOP.COM username (unless you select the anonymous option) alongside other reviews, listed by date. If you are a Shop Consultant, an image will appear by your review notifying others of your title.

Keep in mind the next time you go on a hunt for reviews how helpful it would be to others if you were to leave your own for the products you use. This is one way that you can help us continue to make SHOP.COM the premiere place to shop online!

PetHealth is Perfect for Our Pups

It’s no secret that the Market America social media team loves our pets and, in particular, our pups! When we’re not hard at work in the office or busy checking up on our social media channels at home, we’re spending time with our pets! For many people, pets are family members. We’re proud to offer a line of products to help you treat your pets like family.

There are 6 products in the PetHealth™ line, each serving a unique purpose for the life of your pet. We’ll tell you a little more about each one and why we love them!

PetHealth™ Multivitamin Formula for Dogs
One canister of this gives your canine approximately 90 servings of daily essential multivitamins. Simply sprinkle it over their food one time per day!

Rambo

PetHealth™ OPC Formula with Glucosamine for Dogs & Cats
We love this product because it is for dogs andcats! This special formula is full of antioxidants to help support optimal pet health. Team memberCourtney bought this for her one year old morkie (maltese/yorkie) and told me, “I knew I wanted this for Rambo because I take Isotonix® OPC-3 myself!”

PetHealth™ Medicated Shampoo
If your dogs suffer from dry, flaky skin then you might want to switch up your shampoo routine! PetHealth™ Medicated Shampoo is specially formulated for dogs with skin issues.

PetHealth™ Pad & Paw Balm
With hot summery months ahead, make sure you’re paying extra attention to your pet’s paws! You wouldn’t want to walk around barefoot on hot cement, would you? This pad & paw balm can help to soothe cracks, callouses, and rawness.

PetHealth™ Ear Wash
Keep your pet’s ears clean with a quick squirt to break down debris that lives in the ear canal. This formula includes soothing aloe that your pet will love and you can rest easy knowing that their ears are protected. This is the second product available for both dogs & cats.

Schmidt

PetHealth™ Hypoallergenic Shampoo
If your dog doesn’t struggle with sensitive skin, this shampoo option is a great choice. With ingredients like oatmeal, aloe, lavender and honey, your pup will smell fresh and stay clean. I use this shampoo on my 6 month old schnorkie (schnauzer/yorkie), Schmidt, and while he still doesn’t enjoy bath time, I love the way it makes his fur feel!

If your pets love PetHealth™ products, we’d love to hear your testimonials and see your photos! Send us both to socialmedia@marketamerica.com and you could be featured in a future blog post.