MINDSET

Are You

PINTERESTED?
lf Twitter and now Pinterest. you haven't heard about the hottest socialmedia tool around Facebook, talking, writes David Spark. then keep reading.lt has businesses
g e n e r a l l d o n ' tg e t c a u g h t p i n a l lt h e h y p e y u about new socialmediatools,but and hysteria At this one'sdifferent. the time of writing,it's siteon the planetbut the third most popularsocial secondspot in a to it hasthe capacity takeTwitter's very shorttime period. I joined up about 12 monthsago - you haveto inviteyourselfand be accepted(a left over from hasno point now).I had a beta testingthat really look aroundand that wasthat. I'veonly gone back recently when I noticedthe amountof business lt was that Pinterest generating. hasseen buzz in nearlya 3000%increase usagein the past 12 months. We I knowwhatyou might be thinking. already Twitter,Webpages,Linkedln have Facebook, etc,what moredo we need?But as I saidearlier, is Pinterest different. and lets In simpleterms,Pinterest you organise and sort them Youcollectpictures shareimages. onto different pin-boardsthat you create.Subjects recipes, fashion, home furnishings, including and restaurants, architecture traveltake up most to seems be that The only criterion of the screen. the picturesneed to be pleasingto the eye - no very Better quickhappysnapshere.lf that sounds you'd be right.lt's liketaking Homesand Gardens, magsand from all the lifestyle the best pictures puttingthem all on the one page. That'swhy it hasa hugefemalefollowingand and spending they'retendingto be more affluent and moretime on the sitethan on Facebook a if you'replanning wedding, Twittercombined.So home project,or lookingfor a new do-it-yourself thinkingabout nextweek'sdinnerparty,you can collectvisualideasand put them onto yourown custombuilt pin-boards. artistor designer, Forthe smallmerchant, to that meansan opPortunity display craftsman, lt theirwaresand connectwith new audiences. for evenallows the pictureto havea link backto the websiteand to pin a OR code. But it's also as corporations well.UScompanies attracting Benjamin Moore, likeWhole Foods,Nordstrom, Wall SouthwestAirlines, Random HouseBooks, and StreetJournal GE are all buildinga presence And as we know, on the sitewith some success. go wherepeople will big business always that Remember thoseorganisations congregate. of spendthousands pesosbuildingvirtualstores Wellthis is cheaperand hasa very in SecondLife? tarqetaudience. desirable

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lets ...Pinterestyouorganise

and shareimages...
teams But it doesn'tstop thereeither.Business ideasas a type of in are usingit to garnish housebrainstorming/discussion/develoPment ment agenciesand not-for-profit board. Govern c c as e m a n a g i n g o m m u n i t y a m p a i g n s organisation r both in high schooland throughit. Educators The list are universities usingit as projectboards. goes on and on and it's likely take another24 to monthsbeforewe seethe varietvof usesit has. But with everyupsidethere is the eventual is Pinterest a thing of beautyand with downside. possibilities, could become it commercial all these to saturated the point whereit ends up lookinglike somesloppystudentnoticeboardor virtualretail junkmail. will haveto wait and see. We So if you haven'talready,head over to Pinterest the and startlookingaroundbecause only 'How can you usethis questionI havefor you is, or tool to help your business team?'I (;R
t9rmagazrne.com

David Spark is a senior I eaming and development consultant with over 15 years experiencein leadershipand team development. Twitter: gsparkwize

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