Developing an Effective Strategy for Online Interactive Marketing Shailesh Ghimire Director of Interactive Marketing AIR Marketing airmarketing.com/blog

Success Hinges On Social Media Mantra: Honesty, Authenticity, Transparency and Passion Being more human and less corporate

Social Media Mantra:

Honesty, Authenticity, Transparency and Passion

Being more human and less corporate

Remember What "Social" Means Positioning for avenues of connection: Post teaser links, articles, videos to drive traffic to your web-hub (blog or website) Need to network and develop meaningful connections Don't be like an Amway salesman at a neighborhood party

Positioning for avenues of connection:

Post teaser links, articles, videos to drive traffic to your web-hub (blog or website)

Need to network and develop meaningful connections

Don't be like an Amway salesman at a neighborhood party

Pre-requisites to success Exceptional product/service Transparency Willing to be open Accessiblity Respond to every social interaction in a timely fashion

Exceptional product/service

Transparency

Willing to be open

Accessiblity

Respond to every social interaction in a timely fashion

The Three Keys to Success Passion About your company and industry Passion From your customers Passion About the new medium

Passion

About your company and industry

Passion

From your customers

Passion

About the new medium

Where are we today? Play >>

Play >>

It's reached a tipping point 60% of Americans interact with companies on a social media website One in four interact more than once per week 93% of Americans believe a company should have a presence in social media 85 % believe a company should also interact with its consumers via social media. Boston consultant firm Cone, Boston Globe, September 25, 2008

60% of Americans interact with companies on a social media website

One in four interact more than once per week

93% of Americans believe a company should have a presence in social media

85 % believe a company should also interact with its consumers via social media.

Boston consultant firm Cone, Boston Globe, September 25, 2008

What they want from you… 43% said companies should use social networks to solve their problems 41% said companies should solicit feedback on their products and services 37% said companies should develop new ways for consumers to interact with their brand

43% said companies should use social networks to solve their problems

41% said companies should solicit feedback on their products and services

37% said companies should develop new ways for consumers to interact with their brand

Our Goal Today Developing a strategy: Where are your customers Classify your customers Define objectives/goals Develop the right strategy Count the cost Case studies 31 Days of the Dragon Wiggly worm FedEx

Developing a strategy:

Where are your customers

Classify your customers

Define objectives/goals

Develop the right strategy

Count the cost

Case studies

31 Days of the Dragon

Wiggly worm

FedEx

The Audience Discover: Where are they on social networks What are they doing Observing, spreading, commenting, creating, enhancing Information seekers vs. Engagement seekers Using: Online surveys Social Footprint (using eMail database)

Discover:

Where are they on social networks

What are they doing

Observing, spreading, commenting, creating, enhancing

Information seekers vs. Engagement seekers

Using:

Online surveys

Social Footprint (using eMail database)

Classify Customers Read blogs, comments, reviews Watch videos, download etc. Somewhat inactive Share via bookmarks, links Join Social Networks Tag content Leave comments, reviews Rate services/products Participate in forums Write blogs, create videos Write Wiki pages Moderate forums Manage groups

Read blogs, comments, reviews

Watch videos, download etc.

Somewhat inactive

Share via bookmarks, links

Join Social Networks

Tag content

Leave comments, reviews

Rate services/products

Participate in forums

Write blogs, create videos

Write Wiki pages

Moderate forums

Manage groups

Goals / Objectives Thought leader (be an expert) Develop awareness Generate leads Put human face on company Market research Influence the Influencers Support customers Enchanced SEO Drive revenue

Thought leader (be an expert)

Develop awareness

Generate leads

Put human face on company

Market research

Influence the Influencers

Support customers

Enchanced SEO

Drive revenue

Audiece + Goals  Strategy Example 1 Audience = Primarily commenting Goal = Generate Leads Strategy = Engage via blogs, feedback options on produc pages and create avenues for data capture Example 2 Audience = Primarily observing Goal = Thought leader Strategy = Develop content rich blog, supply ample photos and videos, weekly podcasts

Example 1

Audience = Primarily commenting

Goal = Generate Leads

Strategy = Engage via blogs, feedback options on produc pages and create avenues for data capture

Example 2

Audience = Primarily observing

Goal = Thought leader

Strategy = Develop content rich blog, supply ample photos and videos, weekly podcasts

Case Study 1 31 Days of the Dragon

31 Days of the Dragon Flagship HDX Dragon notebook wasn't selling as expected Sales were flat over the first 9 months HP turned to bloggers Selected 31 bloggers Provided them with one laptop each Week long contest started every day

Flagship HDX Dragon notebook wasn't selling as expected

Sales were flat over the first 9 months

HP turned to bloggers

Selected 31 bloggers

Provided them with one laptop each

Week long contest started every day

Strategy Breakdown Audience = Commenters Technology enthusiasts Goal = Increase awareness and sales, influence the influencers Strategy = Engage target via blogs and gain trust of bloggers (influencers)

Audience = Commenters

Technology enthusiasts

Goal = Increase awareness and sales, influence the influencers

Strategy = Engage target via blogs and gain trust of bloggers (influencers)

The Dragon Delivers Sales of the HDX Dragon increased by 84% Overall 10% increase in PC sales 14% increase in traffic to hpshopping.com Tracked over 380,000 backlinks 48 million collective views from 31 blogs and surrounding buzz Source: http://moblogsmoproblems.blogspot.com/2008/09/blogger-campaign-case-study-hps-31-days.html

Sales of the HDX Dragon increased by 84%

Overall 10% increase in PC sales

14% increase in traffic to hpshopping.com

Tracked over 380,000 backlinks

48 million collective views from 31 blogs and surrounding buzz

Source: http://moblogsmoproblems.blogspot.com/2008/09/blogger-campaign-case-study-hps-31-days.html

Case Study 2 Wiggly Wigglers

Wiggly Wigglers Sells compost worm kits in the UK, started in 1995 Based in a town with less than 70 people Target audience: farmers Less than 25,000 farmers in the UK Deployed podcasts, blog posts and social networking Sources: http://money.cnn.com/2008/03/17/smbusiness/Facebook_marketing.fsb/index.htm http://flooringtheconsumer.blogspot.com/2008/04/blogher-business-2008-hats-off-to.html

Sells compost worm kits in the UK, started in 1995

Based in a town with less than 70 people

Target audience: farmers

Less than 25,000 farmers in the UK

Deployed podcasts, blog posts and social networking

Sources:

http://money.cnn.com/2008/03/17/smbusiness/Facebook_marketing.fsb/index.htm

http://flooringtheconsumer.blogspot.com/2008/04/blogher-business-2008-hats-off-to.html

Strategy Breakdown Audience = Observers Gardening enthusiasts and farmers Goal = Increase awareness and generate sales Strategy = Engage via podcasts and interactions in social networks

Audience = Observers

Gardening enthusiasts and farmers

Goal = Increase awareness and generate sales

Strategy = Engage via podcasts and interactions in social networks

Worm Success Now a multi-million dollar company Growing robustly at 10% per year Growth attributed to a combination of Podcasts, Blog posts and social networking Now even has a developed a thriving catalog business

Now a multi-million dollar company

Growing robustly at 10% per year

Growth attributed to a combination of Podcasts, Blog posts and social networking

Now even has a developed a thriving catalog business

Key: Passion and Expertise Blogger said: She has a strong voice. It’s genuine and personable. She is passionate about what she writes. She informs and educates her customers. She offers applicable tips. She keeps in touch. She encourages product trials with discounts and give-aways. She welcomes new friends. Source: http://www.nextfiftyyears.com/2008/04/wiggly_wigglers_gardening_thro.html

Blogger said:

She has a strong voice. It’s genuine and personable.

She is passionate about what she writes.

She informs and educates her customers.

She offers applicable tips.

She keeps in touch.

She encourages product trials with discounts and give-aways.

She welcomes new friends.

Source: http://www.nextfiftyyears.com/2008/04/wiggly_wigglers_gardening_thro.html

Case Study 3 Enhancing Facebook

FedEx Ehances Facebook Facebook eMail does not allow you to send attchments FedEx created an application that would enable this FedEx is known for: Reliable, fast, overnight deliveries Source: http://blog.buddymedia.com/blog/?p=58

Facebook eMail does not allow you to send attchments

FedEx created an application that would enable this

FedEx is known for:

Reliable, fast, overnight deliveries

Source: http://blog.buddymedia.com/blog/?p=58

Strategy Breakdown Audience = Spreading and Commenting Young social networkers Goal = Increase brand awareness, solve problem Strategy = Engaged via social network application

Audience = Spreading and Commenting

Young social networkers

Goal = Increase brand awareness, solve problem

Strategy = Engaged via social network application

Brand Awarness Success 100,000 installs in less than 48 hours Over 50% of those users returning more than 10 times since their initial install 3,092 monthly active users The audience is global Slight weighting towards female users (53%). 74% of the audience is in the coveted 19-34 age demographic.

100,000 installs in less than 48 hours

Over 50% of those users returning more than 10 times since their initial install

3,092 monthly active users

The audience is global

Slight weighting towards female users (53%).

74% of the audience is in the coveted 19-34 age demographic.

Fedex Takeaway Thought beyond company presence Leveraged their offline persona to solve an online problem Created virtual usage Which has a high probablity of creating real usage

Thought beyond company presence

Leveraged their offline persona to solve an online problem

Created virtual usage

Which has a high probablity of creating real usage

Your Strategy Audience = ________________ Goals = ___________________ Strategy = ________________ Passion index = ____________

Audience = ________________

Goals = ___________________

Strategy = ________________

Passion index = ____________

Execution

Time and Resources

Success Hinges On Social Media Mantra: Honesty, Authenticity, Transparency and a Passion about the topic Being more human and less corporate Can't fake it! Need to find the right strategy for target audience to meet the objectives set forth

Social Media Mantra:

Honesty, Authenticity, Transparency and a Passion about the topic

Being more human and less corporate

Can't fake it!

Need to find the right strategy for target audience to meet the objectives set forth

Next.. Understanding engagement Refining strategy Developing a ROI model

Understanding engagement

Refining strategy

Developing a ROI model

Questions? Shailesh Ghimire (480) 748-2694 [email_address] Airmarketing.com/blog