#CanadianTire

Technology is an ever growing part of all of our lives.  We can't go a single day without being impacted by a computer of some sort.  Our phones, TVs, even our fridges have computers these days.  People are more and more influenced by information at their finger tips.  It is becoming extremely important for businesses to harness this technology.

To be competitve and relevant in today's retail environment, companies have to stay in touch with customers through social media. Businesses need to communicate and impact people by providing information, but also getting feedback from customers.  We have all seen that people are more likely to complain than to praise, but it is honest feedback regardless.

Canadian Tire is no exception to this trend.  With accounts of Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Google+, and Pinterest, Canadian Tire is staying in touch with it's customers. 

It is a great way to get feedback from customers regarding marketing strategies, pricing, and product assortment.  A look at Canadian Tire's Facebook page shows constant requests for feedback and product surveys which provide a competitive advantage.  You receive real time feedback from the most important people, your customers.

I am not one to use social media, I may be a bit behind the times.  I still call or meet with people when I want to talk to them.  I also value my privacy a great deal.  However, I do see the people around me completely immersed in being the first to know something, whether the information is correct or incorrect.  "Following" people or even businesses on Twitter has become common place, and making sure you are you get your opinion out to the world is important to people.

Now that social media is a fact of life, it is hard to ignore the benefit of marketing in this way.  It will truly be interesting to see how businesses use social media to connect and advertise to consumers in the future.  With user specfic marketing already showing up on our computers, it should be extremely interesting.
 

Want to be up to date on what Canadian Tire is doing?  Here are ways to stay connected:

Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
Google+
Pinterest

References:

Canadian Tire (n.d.). Canadian Tire. Facebook. Retrieved February 27, 2013, from https://www.facebook.com/Canadiantire

Canadian Tire (n.d.). Find Automotive Tools to Sports Gear to Kitchen & Bath Products | Canadian Tire. Canadian Tire Online Web Site. Retrieved February 27, 2013, from http://www.canadiantire.ca/home.jsp?site=WebStore

Google (n.d.). twitter - Google Search. Google. Retrieved February 27, 2013, from https://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&sugexp=les%3B&gs_rn=4&gs_ri=psy-ab&tok=LT5z2go_KYOYp9akv_ZyYQ&cp=5&gs_id=e&xhr=t&q=twitter&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&bvm=bv.42965579,d.dmQ&biw=1680&bih=898&wrapid=tljp136200981839208&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=3J4uUfnKK4iW0QHh9oEI