One of the things that draws us to social media is the concept of transparency. We feel that social media has held companies more accountable and makes them more customer-focused. A few years ago, a company could run a marketing campaign, claiming to be the best at this or that. They could also claim to be solely focused on their customers needs – even if they weren’t – and it was difficult for customers to prove them wrong (at least at a global level).

Here at Stream Creative we pride ourselves in being at the forefront of adapting new technologies.  I love testing the latest software, downloading new iPhone apps, etc.  Upgrading to Snow Leopard seemed like a no brainer.  My understanding was Snow Leopard was supposed to just improve performance and stability over OS 10.5 Leopard.  Well, having used it for 2 weeks now on one Mac in our studio I have to say I am not happy with the results. In general, the OS seems snappier and some of the new features are nice, but I instantly noticed my web browsers and Mail seem slower.

Ever wish you could add a few hours to your already busy day?  Or maybe clone yourself to get more done.  Since both of these are pretty unlikely to happen, there’s an easier way to accomplish more in less amount of time.  The key is being more productive.  Whether its simply staying focused on the task at hand or streamlining your process, there are tools available to help you work smarter.  Here are a few of our favorites:

Here are a couple good examples of both business and non profits using social media here in Milwaukee.

I think most companies these days know they need to get involved with social media. But what typically prevents them from taking the leap is “their lack of understanding” – (their words, not ours). Our belief is that every human being was born to use social media.

I started realizing how much e-mails cause interruption in my day and I had to take an audit of how many of my e-mails are really just  e-newsletters that I subscribe to rather than client e-mails. To my surprise I quickly counted over 30 e-newsletter subscriptions from anything fromGoogle Alerts, Linked In Updates, Social Media Examiner, Marketing Profs,BizJournal, etc.

Do you work in an environment that requires a security password to login? Whether your in a corporate environment or you just don’t want your 4-year-old accidentally deleting half your hard drive, having a password to login is at times a necessary evil.  All too often you login, answer the phone, and before you know it you have already been logged out.  If this workflow sounds familiar to you, you may want to check out Airlock.

If you aren’t using Google Alerts yet to listen to what’s being said about your company or industry then you should start today. Here’s a quick overview of how to get it set up.

A few months ago a client asked us to work with them on developing custom design templates for digital signage in their office lobby. The system they are using is Exhibio which is a system that lets companies build digital billboards for in their office, hotel, restaurant, etc. After installing the Exhibio hardware/software and connecting it to your tv of choice you are able to use a web accessible content management system to design/manage what you want to appear on your tv as digital signage.