According to a new analysis of BIGresearch’s Simultaneous Media Usage Survey (SIMM 14-Jun 09) of over 22,000 consumers, social media impacts consumers, which in turn directly impacts marketers, but not all options are the same. Social media users are likely to use more than one platform, some at a higher rate than others. For example, 60.2% of MySpace Users (those who regularly use the application) regularly use Facebook. On the other hand only 24% of Facebook Users utilize MySpace.

                                                     Regularly use the following social media:

USER           Use      Use      Use     Use      Text    Read    Post to
GROUPS         Facebook LinkedIn MySpace Twitter  Msg.    Blogs   Blogs  
Adults 18+     27.9%    3.3%     11.6%   4.1%     27.3%   10.9%   4.3%  
Facebook Users*----     7.7%     24.0%   10.5%    47.5%   20.2%   8.8%
LinkedIn Users 63.4%    ----     24.3%   22.1%    43.3%   29.1%   16.8%       
MySpace Users  60.2%    7.6%     ----    14.6%    53.7%   20.5%   11.1% 
Twitter Users  72.7%    18.8%    39.4%   ----     56.9%   49.3%   31.0%
Texters        48.5%    5.2%     21.5%   8.3%     ----    17.7%   7.8%
Blog Readers   51.0%    8.6%     20.5%   17.7%    44.0%   ----    34.0%   
Blog Posters** 59.0%    13.1%    28.6%   27.9%    50.8%   83.3%   ----

Source: BIGresearch, SIMM 14
*To be read as: 7.7% of Facebook Users regularly use LinkedIn, 24% use MySpace.
**Blog Posters include those who post to blogs and maintain a blog

Demographically, social media users tend to be younger than the overall population, more are female and they have a slightly higher income. Additionally, marketers planning on moving products should focus on this consumer set as they are more likely to be making a big dollar purchase over the next six months than adults 18+. 

                Social        Adults    
                Media Users*   18+
Male            42.5%         48.7%     
Female          57.5%         51.3%            
Average Age     38.2          45.1
Average Income  $68,311       $66,942  

In the next 6 months, plan to buy:
                Social        Adults    
                Media Users*   18+
Vacation        30.2%          26.3%
Furniture       17.8%          12.8%
Computer        17.3%          13.2%
TV              15.9%          12.4%
Car/truck       12.7%          10.8%

Source: BIGresearch, SIMM 14
*Social Media includes: Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, Twitter, Texting and Blog Users

When looking specifically at the user of each platform, Facebook users average 37 years old and MySpace users are the youngest at an average age of 33 of those profiled. LinkedIn users have the highest incomes. 

             Facebook   LinkedIn  MySpace   Twitter  Texters   Blog     Blog
             Users      Users     Users     Users              Readers  Posters*
Male         40.2%      62.0%     48.4%     50.8%     38.3%    43.8%    47.5%
Female       59.8%      38.0%     51.6%     49.2%     61.7%    56.2%    52.5%
Avg. Age     37.1       40.6      33.0      35.5      36.2     38.3     36.0
Avg. Income  $68,523    $96,937   $51,489   $68,740   $69,595  $67,941 $63,131
Hispanic     15.8%      14.9%     26.9%     19.1%     18.0%    17.7%    21.6%
Black        12.1%      11.7%     13.6%     17.0%     15.7%    13.0%    12.9%
Asian        2.9%       4.8%      1.7%      5.4%      2.2%     3.5%     4.4%
White        75.7%      75.3%     64.9%     64.4%     70.2%    71.5%    69.0%

For additional complimentary data: http://info.bigresearch.com/

Recently we asked the following question:

On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being the most important), how important are the following leadership and management attributes to the success of STORE MANAGERS? Start by identifying the most important attribute and give it a "10", then the next most important attribute and give it “9", and so on. Please note that two attributes cannot take the same rating.

Answers came back as follows:

Ranked 10
Communication	35%
Inspirational Leadership	28%
Ethical Behavior	12%
Ranked 1
Process Improvement	22%
Retail Experience	21%
Creativity	15%

If you have any questions, please email: mentor@successinretail.com

Previously we asked the following question:
Rank the following leadership competencies as they relate to success in retail based on their importance. # 1 Being most important of all and # 3 being least important of all mentioned:  Inspirational Leadership, Functional Knowledge, and Critical Thinking.

Answers came back as follows:

Leadership Attribute / Rank	1	2	3
Inspirational Leadership	42.0% (42)	24.0% (24)	34.0% (34)
Functional Knowledge	24.5% (24)	30.6% (30)	44.9% (44)
Critical Thinking	35.8% (34)	46.3% (44)	17.9% (17)
Total Responses = 100