Meeting the real you with an eMe

The recruitment industry has seen a massive boost in recent years because companies have been outsourcing their back office operations to agencies to save both time and money.

Chances are, you will have heard about or dealt with a recruitment agency in the past five years.

However, it is a cause for debate whether or not recruitment agencies do their job properly and are merely driven by profits that can be made. 

“Meet The Real Me” aims to put this worry to rest. It is a company based in Manchester, United Kingdom and it is growing rapidly because of its innovation recruitment process. 

Unlike many recruitment agencies, Meet The Real Me is striving to separate itself from the competition by bringing new ideas to the table which allow it to stand apart from the crowd.

Rather than going through a traditional interviewing process, the potential client would be required to provide a video profile, or “eMe” of themselves before they are put on the books. (http://www.meettherealme.co.uk/how-to/candidates/how-to-create-a-great-video-eme)

The idea behind this allows the client to show off their personality to a potential employer without the need to meet in person.  This provides a lot of flexibility for both parties, who wouldn’t even need to leave the comfort of their desk.

Employers are jumping on-board with the idea because it lets them continue with their working day, instead of setting aside time to interview potential employees who may turn out to be unqualified.

This is a company which is definitely setting the bar when it comes to recruitment. We will no doubt be seeing more and more companies springing up just like Meet The Real Me soon.

Wingardium Leviosa!

With the success of the Harry Potter series, it comes as no surprise that people would want to get something that seems straight out of the Potter’ universe itself.

A small company known as “The Wand Company” has developed cool, albeit a little nerdy, innovative items that controls electrical appliances.

The first remote control for a television was seen in the 1950’s and it offered a very primitive way of changing your television channel.  Fast-forward to 2011 and we are looking at something that probably would have been considered magic in those days.

The Kymera Magic Wand is, in a sense still a remote control.  However it is a remote control with a difference - it allows the users to ‘train’ the wand in a way that is seen in the famous movies.

Using circular actions to turn the volume up or down and a flick of the wrist to change the channel, this is sure to get techno-enthusiast’s going; whilst the product itself is gimmicky, it is supposed to be a fun take on a serious item.

The wand is still fit-for-purpose. The technology behind the product uses a set of accelerometers which are constantly updating the code that is stored in the on-board microprocessor (http://www.thewandcompany.com/PressResource/TechnoMagic.pdf).  The processor then converts your hand movements to an infrared signal that in turn, changes the channel.

In addition to your television, the wand can be used to control any other product you have that uses a remote control; from your hi-fi to your DVD player.

LinkShare

Pay-for-performance is now a byword in online marketing. But it was LinkShare who actually pioneered this concept. In 1996, the CEO of the LinkShare, Stephen Messer, created a patented tracking system that was as beneficial for advertisers as it was to their affiliates. Although LinkShare experienced intial success, like many Internet start-ups, it hit a downturn as the dotcom bubble burst in 2001. Fortunately, this downturn was  later reversed when Mitsui, a Japanese investing giant, injected a fresh burst of capital into the company. 

LinkShare also started to become more open about its process as a result of concerns that it didn’t provide concrete numbers. This largely restored confidence in their affiliate marketplace. Their MediaTracker technology further cemented their place as the go-to affiliate program of choice for many people. It allowed  their client’s to track business partnerships, banner ad views, and email marketing campaigns that were being undertaken by marketers. 

Some of the top companies in the United States including AT&T, American Express, and Office Depot choose LinkShare as their online marketing partner. The comprehensive data the site offers ensures that advertisers can track the effectiveness of  their affiliate advertising partners. 

LinkShare is also unique in one other aspect. 

While other competing affiliate networks accept only the larger affiliates that have a significant web presence, LinkShare worked with Buy.com and accepted the much  larger group of smaller affiliates. This means that even if they offered a lower commission rate - as opposed to high commissions structure that  larger affiliate marketers commanded - they were able to generate significantly more sales for their clients. 

LinkShare has now been acquired by Rakuten, Inc. for a cash purchase of around $425 million. The company continues to provide a great service and opportunities to online marketers around the world.

Curve Fitness

The monotonous routine of running mile after mile on a treadmill gets boring fast. These types of workout also don’t target the bodies core muscle groups . Here’s where the Curves Fitness Center  found their niche. Founded in 1992 by partners Gary and Diane Heavin, Curves combines cardiovascular activity with strength training in just 30 minutes.

The concept of Curves Fitness was originally designed for busy women, though it quickly caught on all over the world. The first club was opened in Harlingen, Texas; becoming an overnight success story. When their second club also became successful, the couple knew that they found an untapped market. However, they also realized that they couldn’t manage a chain of clubs by themselves. So, they decided to franchise their business model.

With an exciting concept, Curves spread rapidly with the number of branches doubling  year on  year purely from word-of-mouth. In 2003, they started a national advertising campaign. McDonald’s took 25 years to open 7,000 branches; Curves achieved this in less than a decade. Now, the company has approximately 10,000 clubs in over 85 countries.

The story of Gary and Diane Heavin is certainly inspiring. Curves Fitness Center might be global success story but it all started out with a simple concept: helping women exercise more effectively. With their revolutionary exercise program  beingproven to increase metabolism and eliminate the need for perpetual dieting – it is a “one stop shop” when it comes to health and fitness.

Commission Junction

Across the affiliate marketing space - whether through blogs, forums or conferences - one site that  continually highly recommended is Commission Junction.While there are a lot of other notable affiliate marketplaces available, Commission Junction stands out primarily because of its two-tier commission system. 

Aside from being rewarded for every sale that an affiliate marketer - or publisher in CJ parlance - generates, they can also receive a 5% cut of the commission  for every other publisher they refer to the CJ system. This effectively means that your earnings can double or triple if you refer hardworking or knowledgeable members.  The company further offers a significant amount if you are able to refer an new advertiser to their site. . 

With these types of rewards on offer, it’s no surprise that Commission Junction climbed to the top in the affiliate marketing industry. The company’s foundation was built by aquirring a stable list of recognized, big name advertisers. These include large retailers as well as niche companies. The wide range of advertiser offerings ensures that Commission Junction appeals to a broad range of affiliates, including many ‘Super Affiliates’..  

Whilst  Commission Junction is not the first to pioneer this type of affiliate marketing concept,  the company was able to take advantage of the loopholes it identified in other marketplaces. And by getting in to the affiliate marketing industry early – founding in 1999, one of the dotcom booms biggest years – CJ was able to position themselves as a key player in the burgeoning affiliate marketing industry. 

Advertisers in the network get regular reports of the amount of traffic they receive and which of their publishers are their best performers. In the same way, publishers also get detailed reports about their traffic, conversion rate, and effectiveness enabling them to find which strategies work best for their website. 

The company was bought by ValueClick in 2003. This solidified its presence due to theValueClick’s expertise in email marketing, media management, and web marketing.