Socialize Your Business

Socialize Your Business Presentation to SCORE on July 15, 2009 Shailesh Ghimire (Twitter.com/Shailesh) www.airmarketing.com

• Part 1: Harnessing the Power of Social Media • Part 2: Developing an Effective Social Media Strategy • Part 3: Engagement & ROI www.airmarketing.com

Part One • Review Social Media and understand how to: – set goals – assess return on effort • Overview of how consumers are using social media • Social technologies tour • Case studies www.airmarketing.com

What is Social Media • Connections/communication forum – Consumer to consumer – Consumer to brand/company • Connections and relationships developed in a new medium – Blogs, social networks, photo/video sharing etc. – Conversations, seminars, broadcasts, entertainment, advertisement, work all rolled into one www.airmarketing.com

Blogs Social Networks White Label Social Networks eMails Wiki’s www.airmarketing.com

www.airmarketing.com

How to use Social Media www.airmarketing.com

Social Media Integration • Assess needs and capabilities – People, technology • Define objectives and goals – Awareness, conversion • Develop and execute strategy • Measure results www.airmarketing.com

Defining Objectives • Listen – Who is talking and what are they talking about • Speak – Join the conversation through: • Blogs, social networks, video/photo sharing, wiki’s etc. • Connect – Encourage target audience to join your conversation • Viral videos, interactive contests etc. • Invigorate – Converting existing customers into fans www.airmarketing.com

Examples of Objectives • Integration into Sales: – Lead generation – Data collection – Sales support – After sales support • R&D (Real time focus group) • Drive SEO www.airmarketing.com

What it takes to succeed • Commitment and perseverance • Sufficient resources www.airmarketing.com

Consumers www.airmarketing.com

How are consumers using social media • Post articles on blogs • Post comments, reviews, votes etc. • Read others opinions, thoughts • Watch user generated videos • Share bookmarks, news stories www.airmarketing.com

What Consumers Do Online Source: Forrester Research www.airmarketing.com

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 consulting firm Cone, Boston Globe, September 25, 2008 www.airmarketing.com

Technologies Tour www.airmarketing.com

Social Technologies • Blogs, Podcasts and vLogs • Social Networks/Virtual Worlds • Social Bookmarking Tools (Digg, StumbleUpon) • Collaboration Tools (Wikis, Google Docs) • Video / Photo Sharing • Micro blogging: Twitter (text), Seesmic (video) www.airmarketing.com

Evaluating the Technology • Does it facilitate and improve greater and more varied communication • Ease of use • Allows interaction without your intervention • Sustainable user generated content creation www.airmarketing.com

Case Studies www.airmarketing.com

Case Studies • Full Social Engagement: Wiggly Wigglers • Blogosphere: Stormhoek Winery (in South Africa) www.airmarketing.com

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 www.airmarketing.com

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 www.airmarketing.com

Stormhoek • Winery in South Africa – UK, France and Ireland as its major export market • Deployed primarily a blogging strategy • Hired UK Blogger/Cartoonist Hugh Macleod – 10,000 visitors a day with approximately 2000 subscribers to his RSS feed www.airmarketing.com

Why the blogging worked • Hugh blogged aggressively: – “Geek Dinners” – off beat cartoons and wine – Sent 100 wine samples to bloggers in its target market – Asked them to write about it if they wanted – Dropped hints on his blog about the brand • Result of blogger outreach: – 75% of the bloggers who received free wine wrote posts about the brand • The Result: – In two years the winery went from selling 40,000 cases/year to 40,000 case/week * *Source: MarketingWeb.Com (SA's Online Marketing Magazine) www.airmarketing.com

Conclusion www.airmarketing.com

The Social You • Understand how your customers are interacting with Social Media – Do your customers have blogs? – Do they read reviews from others? – How much do they participate in social networks – Which ones do they use? • Determine your abilities (in house or acquired) • Evaluate your commitment • Devise a unique strategy to meet clear marketing and sales objectives www.airmarketing.com

End of Part 1 www.airmarketing.com

Part 2: Developing an Effective Social Media Strategy www.airmarketing.com

Success Hinges On • Social Media Mantra: – Honesty, Authenticity, Transparency and Passion – Being more human and less corporate www.airmarketing.com

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 www.airmarketing.com

Pre-requisites to success • Exceptional product/service • Transparency – Willing to be open • Accessiblity – Respond to every social interaction in a timely fashion www.airmarketing.com

The Three Keys to Success • Passion – About your company and industry • Passion – From your customers • Passion – About the new medium www.airmarketing.com

Where are we today? Play >> www.airmarketing.com

Non Profits Lead the Way • In 2008, 89% used at least one form of social media (75% in 2007) • Focus on social networking and video blogging – 79% use each of them • 90% said their blog was very useful • More than 80% said social media is at least "somewhat important" to their future strategy. • 45% said it was "very important" Society for New Communications Research www.airmarketing.com

Our Goal This Hour • 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 www.airmarketing.com

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) www.airmarketing.com

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 www.airmarketing.com

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 www.airmarketing.com

Audiece + Goals  Strategy • Example 1 – Audience = Primarily commenting – Goal = Generate Leads – Strategy = Engage via blogs, feedback options on product 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 www.airmarketing.com

Case Study 1 31 Days of the Dragon www.airmarketing.com

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 www.airmarketing.com

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) www.airmarketing.com

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 www.airmarketing.com

Case Study 2 Wiggly Wigglers www.airmarketing.com

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 www.airmarketing.com

Strategy Breakdown • Audience = Observers – Gardening enthusiasts and farmers • Goal = Increase awareness and generate sales • Strategy = Engage via podcasts and interactions in social networks www.airmarketing.com

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 www.airmarketing.com

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 www.airmarketing.com

Case Study 3 Enhancing Facebook www.airmarketing.com

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 www.airmarketing.com

Strategy Breakdown • Audience = Spreading and Commenting – Young social networkers • Goal = Increase brand awareness, solve problem • Strategy = Engaged via social network application www.airmarketing.com

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. www.airmarketing.com

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 www.airmarketing.com

Your Strategy • Audience = ________________ • Goals = ___________________ • Strategy = ________________ • Passion index = ____________ www.airmarketing.com

Execution www.airmarketing.com

Time and Resources www.airmarketing.com

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 www.airmarketing.com

End of Part 2 www.airmarketing.com

Part 3: Engagement & ROI Shailesh Ghimire Director of Interactive Marketing sghimire@airmarketing.com airmarketing.com/blog www.airmarketing.com

By Now You Should Have… • A basic understanding of Social Media – Interactive Online Marketing • A basis for developing a strategic plan – GMOOT is not a plan • An appreciation of the commitment required www.airmarketing.com

Final Phase • Mastering engagement • Refining strategy • Understanding ROI www.airmarketing.com

Engagement • Characteristics: – Personal and authentic – "How to Win Friends and Influence Others" – Timely and relevant – Prepared for the long haul www.airmarketing.com

Walmart • Tried setting up their own social network www.airmarketing.com

Walmart • A "customer" blog • Facebook www.airmarketing.com

But Finally Got it Right… • Buyers' blog www.airmarketing.com

Lessons from Walmart • GMOOT doesn't work – May need to try a few different options • Do not assume anything • Leverage your current strength www.airmarketing.com

Refining Your Strategy • Audience + Goals  Strategy – Audience = Primarily commenting – Goal = Generate leads – Strategy = Engage via blogs, feedback options - on product pages and create avenues for data capture • Post-engagement: – Customer reaction/expectations – Review frequency and level of interaction – Analyze your content (review analytics and search traffic) www.airmarketing.com

ROI Question • What Social Media can do for you: – Expand the audience for your message – Excite fans, customers – Enable connections with new audience – Gather insights, opinions – Listen more effectively and create dialog www.airmarketing.com

Setting Expectations • Biggest impact: – Reputation management – Brand building – Public and customer relationships • Substantially improves: – Search Engine Optimization (SEO) – Lead generation www.airmarketing.com

Potter's Case • Universal Orlando Resort – Wizarding World of Harry Potter – Big rollout needed • Traditional approach: – 30-second TV spots – Billboards across the country – Self-congratulatory PR release begging the media for attention www.airmarketing.com

Tried a Different Approach • Told just seven people about the launch • Top fans at the top Harry Potter fan sites (mugglenet.com) – Rowling herself had a role in who was selected • Invited to special webcast at midnight – Presentation directly from the top creators/designers www.airmarketing.com

Tried a Different Approach • Had a website ready for bloggers to link to with detailed information • Next day announced it on the opt-in eNewsletter www.airmarketing.com

Then They Sat and Watched • The seven brought the fan base alive: – Blogs lit up – Fan forums – Social networks came alive – eMails were forwarded • Traditional media picked up the excitement • From seven  350 million people www.airmarketing.com

Potter's ROI • Hard cost: – Reach the first seven – Communicate to opt-in database • Return: – Free TV & radio coverage – Direct site traffic – SEO www.airmarketing.com

Now Your ROI www.airmarketing.com

Key Points • Determine conversion – Sales leads – eCommerce – Awareness • Measure engagement – 1200 friends – 500 followers – 3 blog posts/week , 5 comments • Determine ROI www.airmarketing.com

Final Word on ROI • Two camps: – Just do it – Doesn't work • Truth is somewhere in the middle • There is ROI www.airmarketing.com

Closing Thoughts You can't ignore this anymore! www.airmarketing.com

Its 2009 and Almost 2010 • You’ll need to have a social media presence • Develop and execute an effective strategy • Ideally, social media will be integrated within your overall marketing www.airmarketing.com

Marketing www.airmarketing.com

Getting Started • Focus on relationships and not campaigns • Already use social media successfully themselves • Commit resources to learning and training • Have learned from their mistakes • Respect and are humbled by the medium www.airmarketing.com

Homework • If you don't use Twitter – open a Twitter account • Find some followers – Don't forget to follow me: Twitter.com/Shailesh • Engage and learn • Entire slideshow is now on Slideshare.Net – http://www.slideshare.net/sghimire www.airmarketing.com

Questions? Shailesh Ghimire (480) 748-2694 sghimire@airmarketing.com airmarketing.com/blog Twitter.com/Shailesh www.airmarketing.com

http://www.socialmediawiz.com	31
http://www.socialreflections.com	8
http://www.slideshare.net	2
http://www.inventran.com	1
http://www.sakthiganesh.com	1

Socialize Your Business

by Shailesh Ghimire on Jul 16, 2009

Accessibility

Categories

Tags

Upload Details

Usage Rights

5 Embeds 43

Statistics

Socialize Your Business — Presentation Transcript