Friday Buzz: Become a Champagne Extraordinaire

Who wouldn’t want to learn about bubbly Champagne?

An international website—thrown together by the trade group Comité Champagne  (opens in a new tab)—offers up a wealth of knowledge on everything Champagne.

The group calls Champagne Campus  (opens in a new tab) a “contemporary, fun and easy to access” online resource—one already available in English, French, and Chinese.

The site asks users a set of questions. Based on their answers, they are determined to be novices, enthusiasts, or lovers.  Then, a factual tour starts, followed by a quiz that tests users on what they’ve learned. The results can be shared via social media.

But, don’t worry, it’s not like school: “The design of the course is very intriguing, with various forms such as games, videos, quizzes and practice to provide an enjoyable learning experience,” Wang Wei, the group’s Chinese representative, told Decanter China  (opens in a new tab).

If visitors want to take it further, there’s a 150-question Champagne Campus app for both iOS and Android users.

This approach—providing accessible educational resources for greater knowledge on a subject matter relevant to their industry—is perfect for many associations.

It can also strengthen support for organizations, whether by drawing in newly interested members or even drumming up new business for current members. Comité Champagne doesn’t have the alcohol market tapped out on this front, either: Last year, a four-day course on beer and food, presented by the Brewers Association, was opened to the public.

All About “Marketing Automation”

Thanks, @SocialFish  (opens in a new tab)! Infographic insightfully explains 5 #Marketing  (opens in a new tab) Automation platforms’ terms. http://t.co/4CoApklGHt  (opens in a new tab) #AssnChat  (opens in a new tab) #CMgrChat  (opens in a new tab)

— Eric Hatch: Servant of God & you, by His grace (@HatchEvent) May 22, 2015  (opens in a new tab)

Know what marketing automation is? If not, Uberflip and Macromator have it all laid out for you in an infographic up at SocialFish  (opens in a new tab).

There are several different terms in marketing-automation lingo, which services like Marketo, HubSpot, Act-On, and others use to streamline things when helping organizations.

Take a look at the super helpful and humorous infographic! (ht @HatchEvent  (opens in a new tab))

Other Notable Links

Oh burn: Nearly 45 percent of small nonprofit email subscribers are inactive, so those email messages aren’t being opened. Liz Ragland writes about what to do at the Nonprofit Marketing Blog  (opens in a new tab).

“I just want to yell, ‘Guys, it’s about brand! It’s about product! Get that right.’” Over at Inc, Tom Foster writes  (opens in a new tab) about the power of branding.

Ain’t nobody got time for that. Need to reach goals faster? Lifehacker‘s Patrick Allan  (opens in a new tab) highlights how you can help maximize your success by reviewing and reiterating your habits.

What’s on Bill Gates’ summer reading list? These seven books  (opens in a new tab) are “beach reading” for the entrepreneur and philanthropist.