19. Questions Thank you! Lindsey Galloway Outreach and Training Specialist Oklahoma Main Street Center [email_address]
Editor's Notes
Marketing is simply telling your story/promoting your image with the hopes of drawing people to your community or business. Telling your story should always enhance the image of your community/business. Traditional forms of marketing include: Print, Radio, Television, Direct Mail
However – Traditional marketing has changed. That’s going to be my focus today. Linda reads the paper / I read Twitter. I DVR everything, I listen to my ipod… While there is still an audience to reach through these mediums – there are new mediums which offer a wider reach, in less time and for less money. Only 18% of traditional TV campaigns generate a positive ROI - 90% of people that can TiVo ads do (Source: “Marketing to the Social Web,” Larry Weber, Wiley Publishing 2007 and Source: Starcom USA-TiVo) Many people’s first interaction or impression of a business comes through a computer screen. So web presence must set a high standard of expectation to draw them in. Many people “google” a product before going “shopping” for it. Michael is a prime example – doesn’t buy anything without researching online first. If you aren’t there – you aren’t an option.
In 2010 Gen Y will outnumber the Baby boomers. (Source: Grunwald Associates National Study – Info highlighted on Trendsspotting Blog ) 96% of them are on a social network. Last year 1 in 8 marriages were couples that met ONLINE (I know two.)
That’s a FULL DAY! Web designers now say that music is one thing that should not be on a website – because people view them at work.
Where do you go when you are online? Social Networks is now the #1 online activity (Source: Huffington Post )
People care more about how their social circles rank something than where Google ranks them. More people trust peer recommendations more than advertisers (78%-14%). It has been said that in the near future there will be a change in how people and products are united. Previously, we have sought them out. In the future they will come to us via social media. Social Media is a fundamental shift in the way we communicate. We are CONTENT hungry.
Up to 3,000 messages per day - People are starting to screen what messages they receive Social networks allow you to get your message in front of those that want to hear it… in a professional yet personal manner
First off, you MUST have a website. It’s like your home base. It gives people the BIG picture about who you are and what you do. Must Must Must have a web site. Becoming social is like growing hands to reach out and grab people and pull them into your home base. All things should link together.
Look and Feel – Should match the overall image and set a high standard. Also reflect the personality of the buisness Navigation – Simply and easy to find your way around. Should be able to get to any page from any page with one click. Content – Short bulleted texts. Includes pictures!!! Business directories are great as well. Functionality – Can people DO things when they are on your site? Shop? Signup for events? Subscribe to RSS? Plaza District does a great job of this. Findability – SEO. When they google your community are you near the top? Maintainablity – Updates need to be REGULAR!!! Helps with SEO and repeat traffic. Reproting – Important to know who is coming, when, from where, how long they are staying and what they are looking at.
Websites need to be interactive. Customers “preshop” to find places to get the things they are looking for. Example: BF is one of those people that needs to be instantly gratified so he doesn’t buy online unless he HAS to… but, we never leave the house in hunt of something he hasn’t already researched online… Are you an OPTION on your customers places to visit?
If Facebook were a country – it would be the fourth largest in the world behind only China, India and the US. Over 1.5 million pieces of content are shared on Facebook every day. A little perspective: Years to reach 50 million users: Radio – 38 years TV – 13 years Internet – 4 years Ipod – 3 years Facebook – added 100 million users in less than 9 months Fastest growing users on Facebook? 55-65 year old females. See photos of these womens groups where every single woman is tagged. It’s amazing! Business inn Durant that has a contest every week to give away a free massage and has gained not other new customers that didn’t win – but also repeat customers from OUTSIDE of town. Be creative – but remember to be professional. Anything that goes out on a social network needs to be ready to be picked up by the media… because they are out there too. Facebook allows you to do a quick status update, post updates to fans, establish events and send invites, create subgroups, show photos and videos and is easily shared from friend to friend. Really allows your message to spread like wildfire in the seemingly small virtual world. Good thing about Facebook Fan Pages is they index high in Search engines. So if you are having a hard time being found – this is a great wy to point people to your site.
Twitter gives you 140 letters or characters to tell people what you are doing. Great tool to point followers where you want them to go… articles, new updates on your website, registration forms, online donations button. 80% of Twitter usage is on mobile devices…people update anywhere, anytime…imagine what that means for bad customer experiences? (socialnomics.net) Good for events to continual remind people what’s going on - Sample Tweet: “The burn out competition is starting at noon in the bank parking lot!” Also great for image promotion – Okie Facts: One great fact about Oklahoma a day. Fascinating. Two way communication is critical on Twitter – you must follow people AND have them follow you. Great way to gain feedback.
Much like Facebook. Built in blog, bulletin board, messaging, status updates Leave this in here for those that have one… If you have one, don’t trash it. But not a front runner anymore.
Blogs allow for more detailed communications with audience. There are over 200,000,000 Blogs (Source: China Internet Information Center , Technorati , Wikipedia ) 54% = Number of bloggers who post content or tweet daily (Source: ClickZ Stats SES Magazine June 8 page 24-25 Chris Aarons, Andru Edwards, Xavier Lanier Turning Blogs and user-Generated Content Into Search Engine Results ) Great for SEO because they are constantly updated. NEED TO POST AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK! Involve several difference perspectives from your community/organization/business. Great archive for press releases.
Remember your IMAGE. Be sure you are setting a high standard online and then fulfilling it when people come to your community.
Even if all you do is sign up and listen to what is being said on social sites – you are ahead of those who aren’t. Great way to gain information, hear what others are saying… and hear what others are saying about you. Socialnomics.com – When it comes to social media, it’s important to be more like Dale Carnegie and less like David Ogilvy – listen first, sell second. You should be talking about other people FOUR times more than you talk about yourself. People don’t care about what you are DOING – they don’t care if you just checked in a new line, or just marked down a product – they want to know what YOU think about these things. It’s being invested in what you are doing and your business. They want CONTENT.
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