Posted on Mon, May 28, 2012
Last week I had the chance to watch a presentationby Jon Ferrara, founder and CEO of Nimble. Jon is a top expert in Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and Nimble is a new company he founded that helps businesses improve their "Social Relationships." Businesses that use Nimble are usually able to develop stronger, more profitable relationships with their best customers over time.
There are two reasons marketing agencies and salespeople should watch this video:
- Social listening and social engagement are the two most important concepts small business owners must master if they are to be successful in businesss during the next five years.
- It's the best product demo I've seen in years. The pacing, presentation and content are top-notch. Jon is a CEO you can learn from.
Fast forward through the first five minutes, which are general housekeeping notes from HubSpot, which hosted the webinar. The presentation is geared toward marketing agencies, but will be useful for any business owner interested in developing better sales and marketing relationships.
By using social connections in new and better ways, business owners will be able to discover innovation, service and product improvements. That offers the potential of even the smallest business owners to compete against large and established brands. In other words, Brains, creativity, passion, commitment and stamina will be the marketing currency of the future.
To provide some context, in the last five years several major brands have moved into my rural area: Target, Sports Authority, Office Max, Petco, Macaroni Grill and more. Mom-and-pop retailers can not compete directly with these brands on product selection or price, but they CAN compete on innovation and customer service.
Unfortunately, I think many small business owners are not aware of the cultural and social changes taking place around them. They are not aware of how quickly society and culture are changing around them, or, more to the point, how that is going to affect their business in the next five years.
Sure, they've noticed more smartphones. They know people are searching Yelp! and TripAdvisor. But they haven't thought about how they can make their business stronger or better because it. I developed The Mobile Marketing Workbook as one way to help start thinking about these things in new ways.
Jon's introduction to Nimble shows customer relationship management in a socially connected world, and the Mobile Marketing Workbook is one way business owners can find their strategic competitive advantage.
Let me know how you are using social media to discover innovation or improve customer service by posting a Comment below.
Posted on Fri, May 18, 2012
USA Today looked at the impact social media is having on businesses across America yesterday. Facebook's IPO has people thinking and talking about social media more than ever, but now companies must ask themselves how to use social tools internally to best take advantage of the breadth of real-time information available to them, their sales executives and their managers.
Two out of three large companies surveyed by McKinsey & Co. said they were using "Web 2.0" tools like social networks and blogs. Almost all (90%) had reported measurable benefits. As with my own research, most businesses reported moderate benefits, such as better visibility and brand exposure. But for those that applied rigorous businesses processes, a number of businesses surveyed could point to new business leads and sales. Being able to track a lead from initial/first contact, through the purchase process, to the final lead or sale is difficult.
Many businesses use a "last point of contact attribute" for social media, which is a mistake. Attributing a sale to the last touch point doesn't accurately reflect the positive impact social media had on that customer. Social media is often used as one of the very first customer touch-points, so efforts to measure social media's impact on new business sales has to take that into account. I wrote about this in "How to Justify Your Investment in Social Media Marketing."
The good news, accordingto McKinsey & Co., is that "heavy use of social tools has a statistically significant correlation to profitability." But Michael Chui, senior fellow at the McKinsey Global Institute, admits it's early: A very small percentage of large companies (less than 3%) are using social media in three key business areas — reaching customers, connecting employees and coordinating with suppliers, McKinsey said.
We've heard how businesses can use social media to "listen to customers," (as if they weren't doing that before!) But Web 2.0 is about organizing information in ways that makes innovation possible.
Chris Laping, senior vice president for business transformation at Red Robin Gourmet Burgers, sees the connection between connecting with customers on emotional levels and direct benefits for the company he works for. "When people see things, they feel things. And when they feel things, they change," he told USA Today.
Posted on Tue, Mar 06, 2012
"Back in the day when you needed to fax and courier press releases (i.e. it was a significant cost), you thought twice before issuing material. You also had no choice but to get on the phone and pitch. You developed what is known as 'relationships', and 'a clue.'"
So begins a great article by Roger Hislop at BizCommunity.com, who recommends banning the use of email by account executives until they demonstrate the skills and ability to use email effectively. He characterizes "effectively" as being useful and convenient for the journalist, a person with whom the AE has built a relationship with in advance. "A bad telephone pitch is a learning experience." Boy, isn't that the truth!
He also agrees with banning media databases. Any journalist worth their salt figured out how to exclude their contact information back in the 90s. What's left over is a bunch of contacts who are just going to delete your press release. I've always favored finding reporters I respect and admire, clipping their articles (I keep 6 month's worth at a time), then building my database with tender loving care. Time consuming? You betcha. But boy oh boy does it work! If I can't refer back to a specific article a journalist wrote without showing how my client is relevant to their readers, then I just won't make contact.
BuzzStream makes this process easier than ever, and if you're a digital marketer working in media relations, you have to check it out! You can keep track of your contacts, copy relevant articles directly from websites, and integrate social media profiles like Twitter and LinkedIn. Social media makes sending relevant information easier than ever.
You know how much I detest AVEs, which Roger say can mask a bad PR program. Make sure your campaign passes the "sniff test." I like to categorize my coverage into "Tiers." Tier 1 coverage is headline and photo where your client is the primary focus. Tier 2 is your client has at least a paragraph or more about their product or service. Tier 3 articles are those in which your client is mentioned, but the overall focus of the article is something else, and brand recall is expected to be low, if anything. Tier 4 coverage are those clips in which your client only gets a one line mention. Do you know how many "Tier 4" level clips get categorized as AVEs by PR firms? Instead, clients need to measure the quality of their media coverage -- what percentage of Tier 3 and Tier 4 coverage is changing into Tier 1 and Tier 2? That's how you can measure the effectiveness of your PR media relations campaign, in my opinion.
Read "Six Ways Agency Owners Can Do Better PR" here: http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/18/71458.html
Posted on Thu, Mar 01, 2012
Your input is needed! I'm researching how businesses in West Hawaii use social media. This is the only survey of its kind, now in its third year. You can find out how social media trends compare to those elsewhere. Every response counts! Help me get the word out! Here's an update you can copy & paste:
“I just took the West Hawaii #smsurvey and got entered to win a $50 Visa Cash card! You can too: http://conta.cc/lkinoshita via @lkinoshita“
Click Here to take the survey now
Posted on Tue, Feb 21, 2012
Many people get lost in what the various metrics mean for their business, and that's okay. Not everyone can be a marketing and measurement expert!
Don Bartholomew helps make it easier. He's known as "the Metrics Man" and he published an article called, "Three Fundamentals of Great Social Media Measurement. In it, he explains the importance of tracking key metrics and key performance indicators (KPI) but also makes the point that developing "actionable insights" are even more important (emphasis is mine):
"Insights may be defined as
synthesizing and interpreting data to provide actionable information and knowledge that informs strategic decisions. Too many social media measurement programs take a social-centric, rather than a business-centric, approach to insights. They often feature insights and recommendations that are tactical in nature – the best time of day or how many times to tweet, or what type of content seems to be most successful. Ideally, insights and recommendations in social measurement reports would be operating one level above this, informing strategic decisions about how social programs and conversations are impacting, or could impact, the business."
Don goes on to explain the difference between "Channel Specific Metrics" and "Business Outcome Metrics." Like the company in the midst of a new product launch. The metrics that matter aren't how many "Likes" or "Retweets" obtained in a month (Channel Metrics), but instead what types of features the customers liked most, and reasons why they bought or recommeded the product (Business Outcomes).
That means more interpretation and analysis from a strategic business perspective. An experienced marketing professional will understand that quickly getting to 10,000 "Likes" on a Facebook page won't do anything for a business if those people never come back. Or that a sudden surge of bargain-hunting shoppers might not help a new business if the store owner didn't properly set up a lead capture or follow-up campaign once the promotion ended.
Actionable insights include:
- Identifying which competitors are performing better than you and why
- Recommending new initiatives that will overcome existing marketing barriers
- Specific reasons why some offers perform better than others so that future offers may be optimized for best performance
- Phased approach to implementation, recognizing larger macro-economic forces which may be affecting your business (seasonality, for example)
A junior level staffer who keeps track of Klout scores and Twitter followers won't be able to extract the same value out of the social media campaign as an experienced marketer. That's because she won't have the personal experience or business acumen to understand the "whys" or "hows" their work is connecting to business outcomes.
Similarly, companies need to give their outside consultants access to sales and customer data so they can conduct closed-loop-analysis. All too often consultants set up systems that "hand off" leads or customer relationships to a business, never to hear what happened to those relationships or how much the sale was worth. As a result, they can never truly know what worked, and what didn't.
- Give your social media manager the resources and authority they need to quickly turn a social media trend into a competitive advantage for your company.
- Make sure your metrics system is set up to deliver insights that help your business create innovative products and services.
Start with the end in mind. Consider what your business needs most from social media. What does success look like? Be specific. Look at your entire business, not just the metrics of your social media platform. Take it a step further. Create your own tools and systems. Want to see what a metrics system looks like?
Download Social Metrics Examples
Want to see how this actually works? Click here to get 7 charts of social media metrics. You'll see actionable business insights from online and social media efforts. Get instant access now.
Posted on Tue, Feb 14, 2012
I wrote a nice little article today about the surge of mobile media and how you can get started today in your mobile marketing plan:
As part of that article I developed a fill-in-the-blank workbook that you can use to identify which mobile marketing strategy will be best for your business. It walks you through the process of thinking like your customer, really understanding what it is they want from your business, and helps you define the areas your business can innovate in mobile media.
Mobile media is causing one of the most significant changes to consumer behavior since the dawn of the industrial revolution. What does that really mean for your business today? What does it mean for you as a marketer?
As you develop your online social media strategy, consider how your customers want to hear from you. Be where your customers are. In 2012, its less about expecting your cust
omers to come to you, and more about going to them where they are living, playing and socializing already. Think of ways where your brand naturally intersects with the lifestyles of your best customers. Use social media to show superior service and attentiveness to your customers needs. The extra effort you put behind your efforts will pay enormous dividends in your social media marketing efforts in the future.
Posted on Tue, Feb 07, 2012
Constant Contact has gotten into the social media game by offering a suite of templates that helps small businesses create nice-looking landing pages and offers for Facebook fans. It lets you build an offer for new fans, and once people "Like" your page, your new fan will see a more customized design. To try it free for 30 days, click here and select "Social Campaigns."
This is a great, low-cost solution for small businessess who need more fans and "Likes" on Facebook. The social media campaigns are free for the first 30-days and will be free forever if your business has fewer than 100 fans. But if you do this, know that it's not the number of Fans and "Likes" you have, it's the quality. For a business that only works with 4-6 clients a month, you may only need 80 or so fans. If you stay under 100 fans, Social Media Campaigns will be free for you forever.
Here's a video that explains how social media campaigns work on Constant Contact:
What you need to know is you will be creating special landing pages that you will be able to publish to your Facebook Business Page.
Each campaign will have two pages your visitors will see. A gateway "entry" page for people who have not yet become your fan, and another "Reveal Page" that will appear only to those who have already "Liked" you on Facebook. With this "Reveal Page" strategy, you can be sure you're ONLY offering special discounts to fans you have liked your page. And once they "Like" your page, they will have access to your news and social media updates in their own timeline every time they login to Facebook.
Constant Contact will walk you through the process of offering something special for your new and existing social media fans. Be sure to set your goals in advance. Know what you want to do, and why, with the new fans you meet. How will you keep them engaged once they "Like" your page? What will you do for them to keep the party going? What will success look like for you? Consider these questions in advance so you will stay focused and productive.
Social media campaigns are a long-term strategy for your business. These are relationships we're talking about. But research has found investments in this area do far more for your business than any other traditional form marketing, so click here to give social media campaigns a try!
Posted on Thu, Jan 26, 2012
Having the right project manager is absolutely critical to the success of your next project. Make sure you accurately understand what your customer really wants. Test your assumptions! I developed a Customer Persona worksheet that keeps my clients focused on their customer.
Timing is another overlooked area. What is your "window of opportunity?" Projects can be either "too early" or "too late." If you started a social media firm in Hawaii in 2008, you may have been a bit too early and spun your wheels for the first couple of years. However, if you're just getting starting with your social media campaign now ... there's a lot of work right now.
The "digg" effect refers to what can happen to your website (and reputation) when too many people flood your business. Customers of Groupon have had this experience, also -- too many customers rush the store after receiving a 50% discount coupon and the staff, inventory and service are just not prepared. The same can happen with your website. The risk to your reputation is higher than ever before in the globally connected, social world.
Thank you to Judy Shapiro over at the Trenchwars Weblog who shared this image with me yesterday (I'm not sure where she got it). Judy was an inspiration to me at SXSW last year, my conversation with her was one of the highlights of my trip, and I've been following her entrepreneurship adventures with much interest!
Posted on Tue, Jan 17, 2012
Last year experts predicted tablet computers would become the bridge between streaming video and broadcast television, and that tablet computers would change the way we watch TV as much as smartphones had changed the way we accessed the Internet.
As we get ready for 2012, take a moment to consider the trends that will most affect your marketing and public relations efforts this year.
Twitter
Most small business owners have never used Twitter, never heard of Twitter and may never plan to use Twitter. But, if your business depends on relationships, or you ask for donations, or you sell things to people, then you need to know that people who use Twitter are heavily influencing the mainstream media. For those unfamiliar, Twitter is a short message service where people post updates of 140 characters or less.
Many journalists are now following the companies they write about on Twitter and using the micro-blogging site as a source for story ideas and interview subjects. For anyone that wants more visibility and publicity, Twitter has become highly popular ways of building relationships with reporters. So, for 2012, a key trend will be more marketers using Twitter to influence reporters and other thought leaders about what they write and talk about.
ROI of Social Media
Speaking of visibility and free publicity, did you know that another marketing trend in 2012 will be more marketing agencies measuring social media as much as they measure paid advertising?
Social media is often talked about as being "free," but it's not. The cost comes from the time and resources to build an online presence and reputation. It's not enough to just have a Facebook page in 2012. Marketing agencies are going to need to show how they can actually develop a vibrant community around an advertised product, or connect an offer to a real conversation on the Internet. Because a community can generate word-of-mouth and free publicity, small business owners will need to measure their social media results as carefully as they measure their paid advertising campaigns.
Check-Ins and Mobile Marketing
Another trend to watch in 2012 is more "check ins," advertising and brand sites on the most popular websites. Sites like Yelp! and TripAdvisor automatically generate business profiles from a phone book listing. In 2012, look for companies to take more control over these pages and how their brand appears on social media. Businesses will invest more resources to provide a seamless experience in the way they interact with customers online. Look for more brands to integrate with Google+, Facebook and Twitter where they will offer discounts and rewards in exchange for becoming a member of their community.
Companies Put Branding First
User-generated content, such as blogs, YouTube, video streaming and link-sharing sites are connecting like-minded people more than ever before. Everyone is publishing and improving upon the ideas of others. Advertisers will use this trend to create a "lifestyle" image around their brand.
You might be thinking, "that's all well and good for Coca-Cola, but my customers aren't on social media." Well, just wait. The fastest growing segment on Facebook are those between the ages of 45 and 55, according to eMarketer. And, 75% of the U.S. Internet population has a Facebook account. Of those, half of those login daily. If "getting found" or "visibility" is important to your business, then go to where your customers are. Businesses who connect and interact with their customers in 2012 will come out ahead of those who don't.
2012 will also be a year of better analytics--as-it-happens information about your customers and prospects and how they are engaging with your products or service.
Social Brands Perform Better
Economists predict 2012 will be a year of growth, but customers will be selective about who they do business with. Customers will expect the companies they buy from to be fully connected. If you're a business owner, help your staff become socially engaged and better aware of what people are saying about you. Consider going over comments left on travel review and recommendation sites like TripAdvisor and Yelp. Use staff meetings to talk about ways to improve, or to continue doing positive things that generate good reviews.
Use these trends to focus your efforts in 2012. You may be surprised at what you discover! You may find out what TV shows your customers like to watch and what music they enjoy. Use those topics to start conversations and stay regularly connected to your customers in 2012.
While the sites, tools and gadgets your customers use will change over time, the cultural shift of one-to-one communication with customers will not go away. This isn't anything new, you have always talked to your customers. In 2012, that conversation will just happen in different ways.
Posted on Sat, Dec 31, 2011
From starting a newspaper column in North Hawaii News to hosting several social media training sessions and presentations, 2011 was sure a year to remember!
The highlight was traveling to Austin for the South by Southwest (SXSW) conference. I began writing more, volunteered with the Chamber of Commerce, joined the Social Media Club of Hawaii, spoke at the Honolulu Convention Center, met social media gurus ... it really was quite a year!
I'm especially grateful to the eight new clients I picked up this year and my 800 or so loyal readers of my blog and member newsletter (http://join.laura-kinoshita.com). I really enjoy sharing marketing tips and resources for anyone who wants to get more from their marketing and social media efforts.
Of course, every year I publish the West Hawaii Social Media Report, a major effort which takes almost three months to put together. I'll be doing it again this year, so leave a comment below if you'd like a copy.
Thank you to all the new friends I made this year. You've been generous beyond belief, a great deal of fun to be around, an invaluable sounding board and sanity-keeper. I've found a great group of friends that are passionate about what they do, smart as tacks, funny as hell, strong-willed and they all really like to have a good time! I can't wait to spend time with you again!
Please, let's also remember the dear friends we lost along the way, all too soon. Life is precious and short, so let's honor their memories by appreciating all the small blessings life has to offer, every day. Let's make the most of it in 2012, because there are no guarantees any of us will see 2013. Doesn't the Mayan calandar predict the world will end tomorrow?
But if you're reading this in 2012, may your life be filled with health and your soul with peace and wellbeing.
Me ke aloha and Hauoli Makahiki Hou!
(With my love and Happy New Year)
