Let\'s Get Social! How to attract and retain your membership with an integrated online marketing strategy. Originally presented on June 29th, 2009 for the SEE Conference in San Diego, CA. © Copyright Incitrio 2009

1. Let’s get social!
How to attract and retain your membership
with an integrated online strategy
STATE EDUCATORS CONFERENCE > JUNE 2009
incitrio | 10951 sorrento valley road, suite 2c | san diego, california, usa 92121 | tel: 858.202.1822 | web: incitrio.com

2. Welcome to Incitrio.
Since 1992, I have been offering marketing and design
solutions to global clients such as:
Hallmark, Williams Sonoma, Energizer, Mars Candy,
Ford, Merrill Lynch, Visa, Sun Microsystems, PG&E,
Maersk, Intel, Pepsi, Sega, Foster Farms, Invitrogen,
Taylor Guitars and Jabra.
Incitrio was founded in 2004 to service the branding,
print design, web design and online marketing needs
for businesses everywhere: B2B, B2C and non-profit.

3. Our Branding Process
Integrity + Authenticity in Branding = TRUST
INTERNAL BRANDING
EXTERNAL BRANDING
BRANDING ANALYSIS
STRATEGY AND DESIGN
RESULTS FOR CLIENT

4. External Branding
Today, we’re going to focus on Social Media.
BROCHURES
WEBSITE
NEWSLETTERS
EXTERNAL
SOCIAL MEDIA BRANDING
PR
ONLINE MARKETING

5. Social Media
An online tool for engaging your membership.
ONLINE PRESENCE
OPTIMIZING EXPERIENCE
ONLINE MARKETING
SOCIAL MEDIA
ADDING VALUE
ENGAGING MEMBERS
LEVERAGING CONTENT

6. Assessment
First, let’s assess your website. Are you a 2 or a 10?

7. Assessment
Look at your online marketing components individually.
Branding Marketing
Skin, Bones, The Dress
& Muscle
Advertising
Design Hair
Facial Structure Make-up
Body Shape Accessories

8. Assessment
If one is weak, the others will fail. Develop your strategy.
Branding Marketing
Core Values SEO, PPC,
Blog content
Design
Look&Feel of: Advertising
Website, Banner Ads,
Email Newsletter, YouTube,
Blog, etc. Flickr, etc.

9. Website / ACR Model
ACR = Acquire, Convert, Retain (Your Members)
ONLINE PRESENCE
OPTIMIZING EXPERIENCE
ONLINE MARKETING
SOCIAL MEDIA
ADDING VALUE
ENGAGING MEMBERS
LEVERAGING CONTENT

10. Acquisition
Acquisition = Attraction
How do you attract the right prospective members to you?
Options:
Association Website Design (Z/F Patterns)
Blogs (Wordpress.com)
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Pay Per Click (PPC via Google Adwords)
Newsletters, Print & Email (Blue Hornet.com)
E-brochures, Interactive PDF files (ebrochures.com)

11. Conversion
Conversion = Creating a Relationship
How do you convert prospective members into paying members?
Options:
Association Website Design (User Experience, Call to Action)
Online Member & Event Registration (WildApricot.com or Eventbrite.com)
RSS Feeds (Feedburner.com)
Social Bookmarking (AddThis Toolbar)
Media Sharing (Flickr.com, YouTube.com
Affiliate Marketing (Amazon.com Affiliate Program)

12. Retention
Retention = Maintaining a Relationship
How do you strengthen and enhance your member’s experience?
Options:
Association Website Design (E-commerce, Member Directory)
Social Communication (Twitter, Facebook)
Online Discussion Forum (Ning.com)
Presentation Sharing (SlideShare.com)
File Sharing (Box.net)
Online Classroom Management (Engrade.com)
Elearning Tools (Wiziq.com)

13. User Experience Design
Enhance user experience with web design for “Z” or “F” patterns.
Claritas.com
» Scientific studies show
website viewers look at your
content in a “Z” or “F”
pattern.
» Make sure your critical
elements are placed
correctly.
» Search, Call to Action,
Alternative Navigation, etc.

14. Blogs
Wordpress.com offers a free blogging service that is easy to setup.
» Blogs are organizational diaries
that enable you to communicate
what’s new at your organization
and provide a face or personality to
go with the logo
» They are a great way to engage
membership and encourage
dialogue in an authentic way
» Also, make sure you integrate your
blog on domain (within your URL)
for the SEO benefits

15. Blogs
It’s critically vital that your blog is hosted on domain within your url
instead of within the wordpress.com url to get maximum SEO benefit.

16. Blogs
If you’re more ambitious, you can create a customized blog that integrates
social media functionality. http://idahoea.org/

17. SEO vs. PPC
Search Engine Optimization vs Pay Per Click
ONLINE PRESENCE
OPTIMIZING EXPERIENCE
ONLINE MARKETING
SOCIAL MEDIA
ADDING VALUE
ENGAGING MEMBERS
LEVERAGING CONTENT

18. Pay Per Click
Pay Per Click is a paid way to increase web traffic.
» Top 3 rows on yellow and
right column are Pay Per
Click aka PPC ads
» These organizations have
paid to be at the top and
pay money to Google
Adwords every time
someone clicks on their
blue link.

19. Search Engine Optimization
Search Engine Optimization is a free way to increase web traffic.
» Search Engine Optimization
aka SEO occurs when your
site is optimized for a
specific keyword
» The first listing starts with
www.atriskyouthprograms.co
m - they are the most
optimized for the search
terms: “programs for at risk
youth”
» Users are 80% more likely
to click on on SEO link

20. Meta Tags
Optimizing your “meta tags” is the fastest way to get results.
» Meta Title = top line
» Meta Description = first
paragraph
» Meta Keywords = not
shown, but it is in your
source code
» This is how the Googlebot
finds your site and decides
how to rank you.

21. Source Code
First, you need to view your source code to do an assessment.
» Go to the top menu bar of
your browser (Explorer,
Safari or Firefox)
» Click the View tab, then
select View Source
» Next, a screen will pop up
and you will get a text doc
full of html info that has your
meta info inside it.

22. Source Code Sample
Here is an example of what source code looks like.
» <meta name="description" content="ElderHelp of San Diego is a non-profit organization
comprised of professionals and community volunteers committed to offering quality social services
that help seniors live independently in their own homes.">
» <title>Elder Help of San Diego - Senior assistance by helping seniors with safe living conditions,
home cleaning, transportation and companionship</title>
» <meta name="keywords" content="Elderhelp of San Diego,elder,elder care san diego,elder
care,senior social services,senior,elderly,senior citizens services,senior citizens care,senior
care,senior citizens,senior transportation,senior education programs,elder health advice,elder
homeowner,rental assistance,home share,shopping assistance,home delivered meals,home
delivered meal,delivered meals,delivered meal,senior citizens classes,senior citizens class,elder
information,elder informations,elder referral,elder referrals,elder residential facilities,counseling
services,safety services,safety network services,volunteer,volunteers,senior volunteer
opportunities,elder volunteer services,senior services">

23. Meta Title
How do you optimize your “meta title” in your source code?
» Evaluate your current SEO
Meta Title.
» Copy and paste it into Word
for a character count.
» Your SEO Meta Title should
only be 60 characters with
spaces, everything else
doesn’t show or add value

24. Meta Title
How do you rewrite your “meta title” for optimization?
» BEFORE
Elder Help of San Diego - Senior assistance by helping seniors
with safe living conditions, home cleaning, transportation and companionship
(139 characters)
» AFTER
Helping Seniors Thrive at Home | ElderHelp of San Diego
(55 characters)

25. Meta Description
How do you optimize your “meta description” in your source code?
» Evaluate your current SEO
Meta Description.
» Copy and paste it into Word
for a character count.
» Your SEO Meta Description
should only be 150
characters with spaces,
everything else doesn’t
show or add value

26. Meta Description
How do you rewrite your “meta description” for optimization?
» BEFORE
ElderHelp of San Diego is a non-profit organization comprised
of professionals and community volunteers committed to offering
quality social services that
help seniors live independently in their own homes.
(206 characters)
» AFTER
We help seniors live longer, happier, healthier lives in their own home.
ElderHelp is your resource for quality senior care at free or low cost rates.
(150 characters)

27. Meta Keywords
How do you optimize your “meta keywords” in your source code?
» Evaluate your current SEO
Meta Keywords.
» Copy and paste into Word
for evaluation
» You can’t see them, but the
Googlebot can
» Your SEO Meta Keywords
should have 1 primary
keyword and 3-5 secondary
keywords, everything else
doesn’t show or add value

28. Meta Keywords
How do you rewrite your “meta keywords” for optimization?
» BEFORE
Elderhelp of San Diego,elder,elder care san diego,elder care,senior social
services,senior,elderly,senior citizens services,senior citizens care,senior care,senior
citizens,senior transportation,senior education programs,elder health advice,elder
homeowner,rental assistance,home share,shopping assistance,home delivered
meals,home delivered meal,delivered meals,delivered meal,senior citizens
classes,senior citizens class,elder information,elder informations,elder referral,elder
referrals,elder residential facilities,counseling services,safety services,safety network
services,volunteer,volunteers,senior volunteer opportunities,elder volunteer
services,senior services (36 keywords)
» AFTER
Primary: ElderHelp of San Diego
Secondary: Elder Help of San Diego, San Diego ElderHelp, San Diego Elder Help
(4 keywords = 1 primary + 3 secondary, variations of first word)

29. Online Interactive Content
Tools that enable you to communicate authentically.
ONLINE PRESENCE
OPTIMIZING EXPERIENCE
ONLINE MARKETING
SOCIAL MEDIA
ADDING VALUE
ENGAGING MEMBERS
LEVERAGING CONTENT

30. Email vs. Print Newsletters
Email Newsletters vs Print Newsletters
» Email Newsletters typically have a flat fee on a per month and per
usage basis
» Deliver the same content, but save the expense of printing and
mailing
» Incitrio uses BlueHornet.com for its clients.
» Strong reporting mechanism that enables you to track: sends, opens
and click-thrus.

31. Email vs. Print Newsletters
Email Newsletters vs Print Newsletters
» Make sure your provider is CAN SPAM compliant - meaning they
don’t allow their users to send to paid or bought lists.
» If they are, then their servers will be “white listed” as opposed to
“black listed.”
» This will guarantee that your emails go through 100% of the time as
opposed to 50% of the time.
» The more emails go through, the higher your acquisition and
conversion rates will be.
» Never, ever share your list with anyone else - it’s poor form and
against the law.

32. Email Newsletters
Personalization is a great way to increase value.
AdvertisingAge.com
Email Newsletter
•Segment Audience
•Segment Content
•Dynamic Elements
•Variable Data Details

33. Ebrochures
Ebrochures.com offers a free service for making your current
print newsletter PDF file into an interactive PDF online.
http://mea.org/voice/2009April/4199813C55D9904CB394140C519AFCC6/index.html

34. Defining the Member Experience
Tools that enable you to demonstrate integrity.
ONLINE PRESENCE
OPTIMIZING EXPERIENCE
ONLINE MARKETING
SOCIAL MEDIA
ADDING VALUE
ENGAGING MEMBERS
LEVERAGING CONTENT

35. User Experience Design
Define your call to action and initiate conversion.
GreatSchools.net
• Promote special items
• Personal welcome
• Search functionality
• Segment content
• Sign up for newsletter

36. Event Registration
Eventbrite.com offers a free event registration tool.
Eventbrite.com
• Free, easy to setup
and customizable
•Promote items via
social tools: Email,
Facebook, Twitter,
Linkedin, MySpace,
Digg, deli.ici.us, Reddit

37. Total Member Management
WildApricot.com offers a low cost member mgmt tool.
WildApricot.com
• Member Registration
•Event Registration
•Email Newsletter
•Discussion Forum
•Online Donations
•Member Directories
•$50/mo for 500 person
membership

38. Really Simple Syndication (RSS)
Feedburner.com offers a free tool for subscribing to RSS feeds.
Feeds are a way for websites large and small to distribute their content
well beyond just visitors using browsers.
Feeds permit subscription to regular updates, delivered automatically
via a web portal, news reader, or in some cases good old email.
Feeds also make it possible for site content to be packaged into
"widgets," "gadgets," mobile devices, and other bite-sized
technologies that make it possible to display blogs, podcasts, and
major news/sports/weather/whatever headlines just about anywhere.

39. Social Bookmarking
AddThis.com offers a free tool to enable social bookmarking
on your website.

40. Leveraging Content for Efficiency
Tools that enable you to communicate clearly.
ONLINE PRESENCE
OPTIMIZING EXPERIENCE
ONLINE MARKETING
SOCIAL MEDIA
ADDING VALUE
ENGAGING MEMBERS
LEVERAGING CONTENT

41. Media Sharing
Flickr.com is a great way to enhance the member experience with
photos from recent events. http://www.flickr.com/photos/idahoea/

42. Media Sharing
YouTube.com is a great way to enhance the member experience
with videos on timely topics. http://www.youtube.com/user/mtacommunications

43. Affiliate Marketing
Amazon.com offers a great affiliate marketing program that gives
you a commission for book/product sales you send their way.

44. Generating Website Revenue
Adding an e-commerce or shopping cart component is a great way
to sell branded items and increase association revenue.
http://www.isea.org/store/flashdrive.html

45. Connecting Members
Adding a member directory is vital for creating connections.
http://www.isea.org/about/memberspotlight/08-09.html

46. Creating a Social Community
Tools that enable you to communicate clearly.
ONLINE PRESENCE
OPTIMIZING EXPERIENCE
ONLINE MARKETING
SOCIAL MEDIA
ADDING VALUE
ENGAGING MEMBERS
LEVERAGING CONTENT

47. Twitter
Setup a twitter.com account to engage your members in real-time.
» Twitter is a micro blog
» You’re limited to 140
characters, so it’s an easy
and fun way to engage with
your audience

48. Twitter
Create a branded profile to leverage your brand equity.
» Use Twitter to engage different
audiences
» Talk about issues that are
important to you
» Discuss upcoming events or
showcase articles/blog postings
» Create a personal relationship
on behalf of your organization

49. Twitter
You’ll be surprised just how many of your members are already on there!

50. Facebook
Link your twitter account to your Facebook.com group account for real-time
updates. Start a dialogue going with your membership around important issues.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hawaii-State-Teachers-Association/81397783339?ref=ts

51. Ning
Ning.com is yet another free online discussion forum for creating, customizing and
sharing a social network with your membership. http://greatsouthwest.ning.com/

52. Creating the Member 2.0 Experience
Tools that enable you to communicate clearly.
ONLINE PRESENCE
OPTIMIZING EXPERIENCE
ONLINE MARKETING
SOCIAL MEDIA
ADDING VALUE
ENGAGING MEMBERS
LEVERAGING CONTENT

53. SlideShare
SlideShare.com is a free tool for sharing presentations online.
http://www.slideshare.net/khuntermintz/alabama-science-teachers-association-conference-2008-presentation

54. Box.net
Box.net is a free tool for sharing files and collaborating online.

55. Engrade.com
Engrade.com is a free tool for online classroom management.

56. Wiziq.com
Wiziq.com is a free to low-cost e-learning tool.

57. Thank You!
Now it’s time to start implementing. Have fun!
Angela Hill, President & Creative Director
email: angela@incitrio.com
tel: 858.202.1822
linkedin: www.linkedin/in/incitrio
portfolio: www.incitrio.com
twitter: @incitrio
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