Starbucks's Prices Boiling Over

Coffee shops are a way of life for many Americans. The smell, the caffeine, and the atmosphere are enough to perk up even the worst case of the Mondays. The most notable chain of coffee shops is Starbucks. Starbucks distinguishes itself from its competitors by offering premium quality coffee with a price to match. While the prices are a tad high, many people in America don’t seem to mind, as the shop is one of the most popular destinations for coffee.

However, it seems that in China a report by the official China Central Television or CCTV news agency uncovered that Starbucks was making rather large profit margins on its sales there by taking advantage of unsuspecting Chinese customers. Apparently, their coffee is more expensive than in a majority of other markets. This negative report is not something any company would want, and the best way to counter it is by spreading the right information to fill in the gaps.

While it is true that Starbucks charges more in China than it does elsewhere, there are several factors that are responsible for premium price tags. In this Eastern country, the cost of food tends to be higher than in the United States due to differing regulations, which forces Starbucks to ramp up their prices. Additionally, the Chinese tend to behave more casually in cafés than they do in America: instead of taking their coffee on the go, Chinese people hang around inside the café more often. This has the side effect of forcing Chinese Starbucks to build larger shops in order to accommodate all of the customers. And finally, China has higher import rates and tariffs, which certainly doesn't help this whole situation.

Most interestingly, there is a lot of support for Starbucks online from Chinese users. This is quite a departure from traditional Chinese views on this sort of Western lifestyle. Like Apple, Starbucks is seen as a premium brand, and many are willing to pay a higher price in order to maintain that standard in their lives.

If your company needs to deflect damaging content, Centel Media™ can provide plenty of strong support in your endeavor. In a case like this, we would create a negative article suppression campaign. To give your brand more exposure, we can also create press releases that will boost the legitimacy of your side of the story in defense of your company. If you need more online support, social media might be the way to go. Centel Media™ has services to make the most out of social media by optimizing your pages.

We want your company to be in charge of your own image, not the media.

Jonathan Wong,

Creative Writer,

Matthew Shaffer,

Editor-In-Chief,

Centel Media™

Breaking Bad Reputations With Good

Most of the time, maintaining a solid online reputation requires you to combat negativity lobbied against you or your company. This can come from disgruntled employees, dissatisfied customers, and random users on the Internet who don't care for you or how you do business. But there are also many cases when online reputation management will help spread a positive message about you.

Whenever you receive an accolade for outstanding performance or news reporting the achievements of your company, you want to spread that message across as many platforms as you can. Don’t think that doing so will make you look cocky or arrogant. If you frame praise in the right way, it’s never a bad thing. Your audience or clientele will view such praise as a strong reason to invest their time and money into your interests.

For example, it was reported recently that Anthony Hopkins, one of the greatest actors still living today, sent an email to Bryan Cranston, another great actor, about his work on the TV show Breaking Bad. Hopkins had just finished watching a marathon of the show and was so impressed with Cranston's performance as Walter White that he sent an email heaped with incredible amounts of praise for the actor’s work. Hopkins called Cranston's acting the greatest he had EVER seen.

Usually, the public is amazed when actors and actresses receive awards at prestigious events like the Academy Awards or the Golden Globes. But for the performers themselves, I'm sure receiving a personal statement of utter respect and admiration from one of your greatest peers triumphs over any award. In the case of a business, your company would certainly be happy to receive a plaque from a convention of businesses for outstanding achievements, but it’s often sweeter to receive glowing praise from another company, individual or group that idolizes your efforts in the field.

If you want to bring awareness to your accomplishments, you can do more than just a simple ad campaign online. Consider utilizing Centel Media™, the top-rated online reputation management firm in the nation. We can create Press Releases to further spread the message of your achievements. Additionally, we can make such honors a focus on your Wikipedia entry through our Wikipedia Submission service so that anyone who sees your page knows your accolades.

Jonathan Wong,

Creative Writer,

Matthew Shaffer,

Editor-In-Chief,

Centel Media™

Centel Media'a Fall Radio Campaign

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Don't Be Shut Down: Take the Risk

In the news Friday, Washington Congressman and House Representative from Wisconsin Paul Ryan made a rather remarkable change to his position. As the public knows well by now, Washington has been stuck in a political gridlock that has shut down the government. Federal services across the nation have been affected and the majority of the public is understandably upset at the situation. Once elected, politicians are expected to get things done in office, but that certainly hasn’t been the case and the American people are fed up.

Representative Ryan decided to bolt from his party line, at least for a bit, as he tried to place a possible deal on the table that will not involve defunding Obama's Affordable Care Act, commonly known now as Obamacare. Whatever your political beliefs or ideology, the federal government cannot remain in shutdown forever. So unlike his fellow Republicans and Democrats, he took some much needed risks in order to help push a bill through.

I emphasis risk-taking because, in today’s market, there are so many companies that need to stop waiting for catastrophe and start making the necessary moves to push ahead. When times get tough, the majority of businesses and business owners just do their best to outlast the problem, instead of trying to reach out to customers and break new ground. These companies either don’t change the way they market or take a more passive approach so that, in the end, they don’t have to spend as much money. While this may be the safe road to travel, there are opportunities that, if you take the risk, could improve your company right in the here and now.

A cheap, easy way to expand your business is to improve your online presence, which is much less expensive now than it has ever been before. We at Centel Media™ have services that will help you manage your online reputation. While this may be a turbulent time, a solid presence online will give your company a boost in exposure and provide more opportunities to gain clientele. If you’re just starting up online, consider our Website Design, Blog Creation, Domain Name Registration, and Facebook/Twitter Page Design services. If you’re already on the web, but don’t have the reputation you’re looking for, you should utilize our Social Media Optimization and Google AdWords Optimization. Don’t let economic woes strangle your business, take that initiative and invest in online reputation management.

Jonathan Wong,

Creative Writer,

Matthew Shaffer,

Editor-In-Chief,

Centel Media™

Twerking an Online Reputation

From her controversial twerking performance at the VMA’s in August to her Saturday Night Live appearance as Michele Bachmann last week, Miley Cyrus continues to make waves in the media with her sexually-charged image. In just a few years, Cyrus quickly changed the media’s perception, and her overall public image from that of a goody-two-shoes, to a sexual deviant.

In response to recent questions 

about her twerking, Cyrus said “it went exactly as planned,” “I mean, it’s a month later and we’re still talking about it.” In many ways her plan to stay in the spotlight worked, her controversial performance at the MTV Video Music Awards is the most-tweeted moment of the year, breaking the Twitter record with 306,000 tweets per minute. The internet can be a harsh pool of negative content and a reminder of bad moments in history. While her intention may be to keep her name in the media, through any way possible, she could change that attitude twenty years from now. But, by that point it will be impossible to remove any of these reminders.

In spite of her current choices in behavior, Cyrus is a talented singer and budding actress.  She has no regrets. "I can't change anything, can't go back," she said. "I can do a lot of things, but I can't change the past.” She is right about that, there is no way to undo the cyber damage already done.  While Cyrus may not yet see the backlash and consequences of her actions, negative content could hinder her career and her personal future. Social media and search engine content will continue to unearth negative content about this point in her life, whether it’s relevant or not.

She might not be interested in negative suppression services now, but at some point Cyrus may want the opportunity to redeem herself and her public image. It doesn’t matter who the victim of negative online content is, online reputation management is for everyone.

Centel Media™, the leading online reputation management company, could repair Cyrus’ online reputation and maintain a positive image. Centel Media™ is the best in their field, with a number of effective services available at a fraction of the cost of their competitors. Centel Media™ believes that damaging online content is an opportunity for brand growth and positive recognition. With the speed and accuracy of Centel Media™ professional services, they take care of each online reputation, popstar or not.

Courtney Fisher,

Assistant Press Secretary,

Matthew Shaffer,

Editor-in-Chief,

Centel Media™

Cut Out the Middle-Man: Take E-Commerce Into Your Own Hands

Everyone knows about EBay and Amazon: they are two of the largest online product distributors in the world. Known for selling all kinds of items ranging from books, electronic gadgets, and clothing to the leftovers in someone's junk yard collection, these two sites are synonymous with online sales and are the best friends to any small business producer who can't afford or don't have the ability to distribute their products on their own. However, if you are capable of moving products on your own, then your company should definitely consider selling without the need of a middle-man distributor.

Being able to sell a product online is a big plus compared to the alternatives of recent past. Instead of needing a building solely designed as a distribution center for the public, your customers can buy directly from your warehouse or equivalent. There is no rent to pay to landlords, no clerks to run your business, and no maintenance of your shop. With half of your old-world business removed from the equation, all you have to worry about are your production or service facilities.

The biggest argument against online sales is often focused on trust. The customer never gets to hold the product in their hands and only has a photo of a factory-perfect model of the product to rely on. This is indeed a problem and one both EBay and Amazon have struggled with since their inception. For them, it’s a major issue because their products come from any number of sources, but for you and your company, it will be a lot easier depending on how well the reputation of your company's brand fairs. If you’re respected by the public, you’ll find a lot of customers willing to buy your products and services without too much thought.

Reaching that level of respectability is easier said than done. But, with Centel Media™ article, review, image and video suppression services, our professional staff will help improve your online reputation and boost E-Commerce for your website. If you have other needs such as raising your company’s presence on a search engine results page, finding ways to make your website stand out, or designing the perfect social media page, we have the right services at your disposal to help improve your online experience.

Jonathan Wong,

Creative Writer,

Matthew Shaffer,

Editor-In-Chief,

Centel Media™

How to Design an Effective Website

Due to the propagation of the Internet from the early 1990s to the present day, having a website for professional use is one of the most important aspects to running a successful business. Most companies now have their own websites or, at the very least, attempted to build one. With the countless number of websites all vying for attention, it’s necessary to find a unique strategy that adds variety to your content while also distinguishing your business from the competition. Some keep the design simple, with tabs that link to various services and simple pictures that show what they do. Others have complex wheels of links intended for guests to navigate a large assortment of resources which most likely include videos and certificates proving brand authenticity.

Whatever method a company prefers, having an effective website is very important. However, the key is to have a website design scheme that is easy to navigate. If guests who visit your website find it too cluttered or so simple that it becomes too difficult for them to do much of anything, they might lose interest in your company simply out of pure frustration.

A site lacking professionalism is also a turn off: if the design looks like a child drew it using crayons, most of your potential customers might be a little suspicious of your company's commitment to quality and integrity. Thematic presentation should always be considered. For example, if your business is a florist, running a website that has a mechanical feel doesn't make your potential customers feel at home. Maintaining a strong level of interesting content, along with a great layout, will give your visitors reason to return. If your website is filled with nothing but words and a logo, consider adding a few pictures and even a video for variety.

The key to simplifying navigation is to use a color palette that is easy on the eyes and a design that clearly shows where everything is. At Centel Media™, our staff has professional experience in website design and will happily support your company through our Website Design Service. Not only will we help with the design, but we’ll also assist in connecting your business with social media sites like Facebook, video sites like YouTube, and other optimizations that will increase the overall traffic to your website. With a solid design, you’ll find it much easier to draw attention to your site, giving you the recognition you need to succeed.

Jonathan Wong,

Creative Writer,

Matthew Shaffer,

Editor-In-Chief,

Centel Media™