Your Brand Isn’t Boring
    How to motivate people to engage with a brand
    they’d rather ignore.


    Social Media Plus
    November 16, 2011



1                       ibx.com/healthysteps
We thought our brand too boring for social media




2                     ibx.com/healthysteps
Is this Health Insurance?




3                     ibx.com/healthysteps
What we’ll discuss today
       What makes your brand exciting
       Tell a compelling story about your brand
       Engage your audience and measure success




4                        ibx.com/healthysteps
What makes your brand exciting




5                   ibx.com/healthysteps
How is your brand unique?
    Every brand has something that resonates with their customers
    and differentiates them from the competition.




6                           ibx.com/healthysteps
Learning to listen
    Conversation about your industry and your brand is already
    happening – so why not listen in?




7                            ibx.com/healthysteps
What IBX learned by listening
    • People were already talking about our industry
    • People were talking specifically about our brand
    • We were missing opportunities to assist and engage customers




8                           ibx.com/healthysteps
Join the conversation where it’s occurring
    Which social media platforms are
    right for your brand?

    • Your industry is discussed there
    • Allows you to share your content
      and knowledge
    • Use the hub/spoke approach




9                           ibx.com/healthysteps
Tell a compelling story about your brand




10                    ibx.com/healthysteps
Agree on the rules of engagement
     •   Understand the restrictions from legal and compliance
     •   Get buy-in from your senior executive team
     •   Identify stakeholders
     •   Establish policy on use




11                             ibx.com/healthysteps
IBX’s Social Media Goals
     Our mission is for our members to be welland feel positively
     about our brand.

     We produce engaging, informative materials that can:
     • build community
     • empower our audience to live a healthy lifestyle
     • benefit our business




12                            ibx.com/healthysteps
The story IBX tells…


                            Corporate
                            Partnerships




                            Promoting         Volunteerism &
                            Health &          Community Investment
                            Wellness




13                     ibx.com/healthysteps
…and the people who tell it.




                 Chef Katie Cavuto-Boyle
                 Dietitian, Philadelphia Phillies



                              Kimberly Garrison
                              Daily News Columnist &
                              Wellness Guru



14                         ibx.com/healthysteps
IBX Healthy Steps Phase 1 – Nutrition




                                             Result?
                                             300% increase
                                                in fans


15                    ibx.com/healthysteps
IBX Healthy Steps Phase 2 – Physical Activity




                                              Result?
                                              3,000 new fans


16                     ibx.com/healthysteps
Managing your message
     Create an editorial calendar to manage your narrative
     • What excites your audience?
     • Gather news, events, and observances in your industry
     • Leverage existing partnerships




17                           ibx.com/healthysteps
Engage your audience and measure success




18                  ibx.com/healthysteps
Seek opportunities to help your customers
     • Listen so you can assist proactively
     • Provide tools/facts that are both fun and useful
     • Uncover systematic issues




19                            ibx.com/healthysteps
The value of engagement

      “ Ten years ago daddy
        quit smoking, lost 50
        pounds, and ran his
        first mile.”

      - Michael & Rachael S.
        IBC members




20                             ibx.com/healthysteps
Building brand ambassadors

                                     “ Thanks to
                                       Independence Blue
                                       Cross, I got the care I
                                       needed for my leg
                                       and was married less
                                       than three weeks
                                       later.”

                                     - Mark W., IBC member




21                   ibx.com/healthysteps
Interact with your fanbase…




22                    ibx.com/healthysteps
…and grow your community




23                  ibx.com/healthysteps
Integration into Advertising and Promotion




24                    ibx.com/healthysteps
Integration into Advertising and Promotion
     •   Web
     •   Print
     •   TV
     •   Periodicals
     •   Email blasts
     •   Internal
         communications



                   10 - 20% monthly growth in fanbase



25                         ibx.com/healthysteps
Regular reporting to stakeholders




26                    ibx.com/healthysteps
People are interested in your business…




                       Are you finding ways to connect with them?

27                    ibx.com/healthysteps
Questions & Discussion




28                   ibx.com/healthysteps

John McClung

  • 1.
    Your Brand Isn’tBoring How to motivate people to engage with a brand they’d rather ignore. Social Media Plus November 16, 2011 1 ibx.com/healthysteps
  • 2.
    We thought ourbrand too boring for social media 2 ibx.com/healthysteps
  • 3.
    Is this HealthInsurance? 3 ibx.com/healthysteps
  • 4.
    What we’ll discusstoday  What makes your brand exciting  Tell a compelling story about your brand  Engage your audience and measure success 4 ibx.com/healthysteps
  • 5.
    What makes yourbrand exciting 5 ibx.com/healthysteps
  • 6.
    How is yourbrand unique? Every brand has something that resonates with their customers and differentiates them from the competition. 6 ibx.com/healthysteps
  • 7.
    Learning to listen Conversation about your industry and your brand is already happening – so why not listen in? 7 ibx.com/healthysteps
  • 8.
    What IBX learnedby listening • People were already talking about our industry • People were talking specifically about our brand • We were missing opportunities to assist and engage customers 8 ibx.com/healthysteps
  • 9.
    Join the conversationwhere it’s occurring Which social media platforms are right for your brand? • Your industry is discussed there • Allows you to share your content and knowledge • Use the hub/spoke approach 9 ibx.com/healthysteps
  • 10.
    Tell a compellingstory about your brand 10 ibx.com/healthysteps
  • 11.
    Agree on therules of engagement • Understand the restrictions from legal and compliance • Get buy-in from your senior executive team • Identify stakeholders • Establish policy on use 11 ibx.com/healthysteps
  • 12.
    IBX’s Social MediaGoals Our mission is for our members to be welland feel positively about our brand. We produce engaging, informative materials that can: • build community • empower our audience to live a healthy lifestyle • benefit our business 12 ibx.com/healthysteps
  • 13.
    The story IBXtells… Corporate Partnerships Promoting Volunteerism & Health & Community Investment Wellness 13 ibx.com/healthysteps
  • 14.
    …and the peoplewho tell it. Chef Katie Cavuto-Boyle Dietitian, Philadelphia Phillies Kimberly Garrison Daily News Columnist & Wellness Guru 14 ibx.com/healthysteps
  • 15.
    IBX Healthy StepsPhase 1 – Nutrition Result? 300% increase in fans 15 ibx.com/healthysteps
  • 16.
    IBX Healthy StepsPhase 2 – Physical Activity Result? 3,000 new fans 16 ibx.com/healthysteps
  • 17.
    Managing your message Create an editorial calendar to manage your narrative • What excites your audience? • Gather news, events, and observances in your industry • Leverage existing partnerships 17 ibx.com/healthysteps
  • 18.
    Engage your audienceand measure success 18 ibx.com/healthysteps
  • 19.
    Seek opportunities tohelp your customers • Listen so you can assist proactively • Provide tools/facts that are both fun and useful • Uncover systematic issues 19 ibx.com/healthysteps
  • 20.
    The value ofengagement “ Ten years ago daddy quit smoking, lost 50 pounds, and ran his first mile.” - Michael & Rachael S. IBC members 20 ibx.com/healthysteps
  • 21.
    Building brand ambassadors “ Thanks to Independence Blue Cross, I got the care I needed for my leg and was married less than three weeks later.” - Mark W., IBC member 21 ibx.com/healthysteps
  • 22.
    Interact with yourfanbase… 22 ibx.com/healthysteps
  • 23.
    …and grow yourcommunity 23 ibx.com/healthysteps
  • 24.
    Integration into Advertisingand Promotion 24 ibx.com/healthysteps
  • 25.
    Integration into Advertisingand Promotion • Web • Print • TV • Periodicals • Email blasts • Internal communications 10 - 20% monthly growth in fanbase 25 ibx.com/healthysteps
  • 26.
    Regular reporting tostakeholders 26 ibx.com/healthysteps
  • 27.
    People are interestedin your business… Are you finding ways to connect with them? 27 ibx.com/healthysteps
  • 28.
    Questions & Discussion 28 ibx.com/healthysteps

Editor's Notes

  • #3 We were concerned there was no point to IBX being socialBCBSR was the Tipping Point – Britt’s proposal followed by demand for photos on Flickr- We had a built in audience of over 30,000 runners from the BCBSR
  • #4  We realized the Power of Social Media to connect and join the conversation- Now we know our brand isn’t boring, and yours isn’t either.
  • #5 This is what will we will discuss today
  • #7 What makes your brand unique? What is your BCBSR? your most iconic product, service, or visual?- your company’s goal, mission, and vision statement?- yourknowledge that no one else has?- your signature event?
  • #8 You have to listen before you engage - what is being said about your brand, your competitors, and your industry?There are tools that can help you listen Don’t restrict yourself to only a handful of networks – listen to the entire web
  • #9  Based on the listening, what interest or need can you fulfill? In early 2010, there was a rising negative sentiment around healthcare reform. Customers already bring their complaints to social media People are eager to share and discuss their healthy habits We should act as more of a business-to-consumer brand
  • #10  “Don’t be everywhere” - you can’t possible engage meaningfully on every network. Narrow the fieldByNumber of users for you to engage withChoose networks that can expand the reach of your shared storiesChannels for a specific type of content, like YouTube for video We decided FB was the best hubOur spokes include corporate web site, Twitter, Flickr, and a WordPress blog
  • #12  You’ve decided to commit to a social media strategy. How do you get buy-in through your org? My experience getting exec buy-in was…- It was important for us to establish policies to govern use because…
  • #13 Talking about your brand on Social Media is not the same as sending a press release or scripting an ad campaign.- Sales messages wouldn’t work; not everyone can choose their health care product-We want to show members and businesses how they can control their health care costs- Members can’t discuss personal healthy information (PHI)
  • #14 If you didn’t have a product or service to sell, but still wanted to improve someone’s life in a way based on your expertise what would that be?For us, it was our commitment to wellness throughout all of our partnerships and events.
  • #15 Who is the face of your brand – and should that be the person who is your voice on Social Media?- Customers- Employees- CEO or Sr. Executives- Experts
  • #16 This campaign consisted of:- Health focused content- Healthy Steps mini-site Promotion
  • #17 This campaign consisted of:- Photo contest (this really resonated)- Let’s Get Walking!- Step Out event promotion- Associate blogging- Philadelphia Union sponsorship
  • #18 - We’ve found the best way to cultivate a community is posting interesting and unique content.- Create an editorial calendar to manage frequency and flow of content, but don’t be a slave to it. Be flexible. Listen to your audience as they engage with you. What excites them? Who are your “internal reporters”?- Align with what is happening in your industry. What news, events, or observances can you talk about?
  • #20 - What are your goals for customer service?- What do your customers want and need?- How can you execute customer service based on legal or regulatory restrictions?- Our example: The ASK IBX Team
  • #21 Contest photo of member with his newborn“I am now a top regional expert mountain bike racer, elite marathon runner, Ironman finisher, mountain climber, and indoor cycling spin instructor.”- Are you an indispensible part of your customer’s lives? Are your customers part of your story?
  • #22 From our Annual Report:“While in Mexico to marry his fiancee, Mark broke his leg. He was without phone service, but was able to contact us through Facebook.”- Are you there when your customers need you the most? Have you converted followers to brand ambassadors?
  • #23  We have grown our corporate fanbase strategically with our campaigns, hub/spoke approach, and by telling our brand’s story We also continue to listen, and find new ways for our community to engage with us-What does your audience want read about, see, and interact with?- How you can find ways to tie those things to your brand experience?
  • #24 BCBSR grew organically, not as part of a campaignThe 30,000 runner audience is already there, waiting to talk!Does your band have that kind of audience for a product or event?
  • #25  Use your existing partnerships and media buys to promote social Don’t just point to your social media page – point to what’s exciting about it.
  • #26 We saw a major change in social growth when we integrated into our existing ad campaigns.
  • #27  Find a way to quantify brand engagement to Sr. Execs- This may be different for every network.