Can Women Change The World Through Social Media?
Oct 22, 2007
Happy Monday. How about a little guessing game to jump start your week? (Take a sip of your coffee and stay with me on this one.)
Q: What is one common denominator of a successful blog?
A: I say passion. Without passion about the topic it's difficult to sustain these hungry critters with content. (Yes, there is also honesty, transparency, authenticity and more but stay with me on this one.)
Q: What is one benefit that you can derive from a blog written from a passionate point of view?
A: I say viral word of mouth buzz. (Yes, there is also relationship building, brand awareness, SEO lift and more but take another sip of your coffee and stay with me on this one.)
Mary Hunt, In Women We Trust, has a BIG vision that combines passion, social media buzz and women. She is working very hard to not only change the lives of families around the world but positively impact the bottom-line of business at the same time. She's not in this game alone. Among the key players who share Mary's goals is Lee Scott, President and CEO of Wal-Mart. He's putting the significant force of the largest retailer in the world into play to make this dream a reality.
"It's viral in nature and company programs are usually not viral."
Doug McMillian President and CEO, Sam's Club
Q: What "drops to the bottom-line, makes you feel good, improves quality of life?" Quote from Lee Scott
A: Sustainability
The company you either love or love to hate might have found a way to win the hearts of many with its commitment to the environment. Earlier this month Wal-Mart invited its Big Brand vendors and some consultants and a few bloggers to its Live Better Sustainability Summit. Lee Scott explained what the company has done (launched initiative in 2004), what the current outcomes have been (10 $Billion saved in the last 2-years from packaging efficiencies) what the future holds not only for the Wal-Mart but for its vendors (20% of items influenced by Live Better innovation in 2008).
Lee Scott and Mary Hunt both believe that it is through business via consumers, not government, that will result in changing the way we live. Not only our personal life styles but our business life styles as well.
" .. the leadership isn't going to come from the White House. Ever. At best, Washington can enhance what is already in motion. The answer lies in Time Magazine's Person of the Year - YOU, and another big organism of YOUs - Wal Mart and the 62,000 YOUs in their supplier base." - Mary Hunt
While Lee Scott is leveraging the power of retail economics Mary Hunt is leveraging the economic power of the women online through social media. "Why women?" you may ask. Research indicates that women hold the purse strings when it comes to consumer buying decisions. It just makes good sense to follow the money. These stats were taken from the Women's Congress site.
FACT: Women influence 95% and make 85% of all consumer buying decisions.*
FACT: By the year 2010, women will control 60% of wealth in the U.S.*
FACT: Women-owned firms are growing at nearly twice the rate as firms as a whole.*
FACT: America's 9.1 million woman-owned businesses employ 27.5 million people and contribute $3.6 trillion to the economy. **
FACT: Female entrepreneurs account for 70% of new business start-ups.*
FACT: Women comprise 46% of purchasing managers and 58% of wholesale and retail buyers.***
*Center for Women's Business Research
**U.S. Small Business Administration
***U.S. Department of Labor
Mary is building alliances with many bloggers and online communities including the influential Big Green Purse which has challenged women to be One In A Million where if a million women intentionally shift at least $1000 of their existing budget to environmentally-friendly products, we can have a noticeable ONE BILLION DOLLAR IMPACT in the marketplace.
Denise Wakeman, Next Level Biz Tips, offers some ideas on how to reach your $1000 goal. Her suggestions range from buying recycled paper products for your business to supporting environmentally friendly vendors. Her post is an example of the buzz that is building through blogs (count this post too).
So .. through social media, by impacting businesses' bottom-line, can women change the world? Mary Hunt thinks so. What are your thoughts? Of course, men are always welcome to participate too.
Read More. Learn More:
In Women We Trust Interview with Coral Rose
Cool It Moms Be sure to read the Open Letter To The World Leaders
Yvonne DiVita Lip-Sticking
Funny Business Elana Centor on BlogHer
A World of Difference - The Trendsight Group
Power Image Green Brand Study 2007
When asked what their perceptions were of green brands, respondents said they are often seen as better quality, though at a higher cost. This perception of green equating premium is one that makes good business sense for anyone considering entering the space.
Top 10 Green Brands From Power Image Green Brand Study 2007
1. Whole Foods
2. Wild Oats
3. Trader Joe’s
4. Toyota
5. Honda
6. Sub Zero
7. Ikea
8. Body Shop
9. GE
10. Aveda
