» Social Media Marketing

Slow Down To Speed Up

Roger Halligan — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 21:50:22 +0000

The “slow movement” is s-l-o-w-l-y beginning to infiltrate all aspects of our lives. We have ‘slow food’ ‘slow-yoga‘ ‘slow beer’ ‘slow building’ ‘slow gardening’ ‘slow coffee’ and even ‘slow money’. The underlying principle of this slow movement is that taking one‘s time to do things thoughtfully and deliberately can be much more beneficial and rewarding than rushing to get things done.

I’d like to suggest another ‘slow movement’ - slow marketing communications!

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not suggesting that we slow down our break-neck speed of implementing various MarCom activities. If something has to be Tweeted now it has to be Tweeted now. If an editor needs some information ASAP for a story that is on deadline he/she needs it ASAP. Or if your boss needs a report by the end of the day well you know.

What I’m talking about is ‘slow planning”. It seems that MarCom professionals are in such a rush to implement various tactics that sometimes not a lot of thought or strategy goes into the action. Your favorite magazine rep calls and is ecstatic to let you know you can get the back cover at a 50% discount with some free banner ads thrown in for good measure. Too good of a deal to pass up. Right? Not necessarily.

The best example of this “rushing into action” syndrome is social media. Some companies don‘t want to be left at the social media starting gate so they ‘empower’ someone usually at a junior level to put together a Twitter or Facebook page. Often times very little strategic long-term thinking goes into the initial effort. Perhaps it shouldn’t be a question of “does this need to be Tweeted now?” Perhaps it should be a question of “should it even be Tweeted?”

What I’m suggesting is that we apply the ‘slow movement’ to strategic MARCOM planning. Let’s be a bit more thoughtful and deliberate in thinking about what the bottom line goals and objectives are and what’s the most effective way to achieve them. Then we can go about accomplishing them in break-neck speed.

Consumers Growing Importance to Trade Shows

Roger Halligan — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 17:13:11 +0000

To most trade show organizers the word 'consumers' doesn't belong in the same sentence as 'trade shows'. Since they can't attend the event many organizers view consumers as 'irrelevant' at best and 'irritating time-suckers' at worst. They are the ones who fill up a show's e-mail boxes and leave messages on your phones with questions about products and services that only exhibitors can answer. And while consumers may not be important to you they are of utmost importance to your exhibitors and their retail customers. After all it is the consumers who now own companies' brands.

The good news is that technology has now made it much easier and very cost-effective for you to facilitate a connection between consumers and exhibitors. Even better news is that both show organizers and exhibitors can generate additional value and revenue by facilitating this process - making now the optimal time for show organizers to make a major paradigm shift and begin to embrace consumer involvement.

H+A International has developed the following guidelines and tools that can help you convert consumer interest into valuable benefits for your customers and your shows.

Create A Dedicated Online Consumer Portal - Show organizers have a unique opportunity to provide exhibitors with a valuable service and generate new revenues by connecting consumer inquiries about products and services with the appropriate exhibitors. One of our clients told me they track tens of thousands of visits to their websites and hundreds of e-mails and phone calls from consumers every year. What if each show had a 'Consumer Hotline' portal on their website that would automatically match up a consumer's inquiry with the appropriate exhibitors!
- Exhibitors would love it as they would get new leads they can pass along to their customers (retail supply chain)
- It reinforces their brand and their commitment to being consumer-friendly
- It provides them with additional touch-points to their ultimate customers
- It would eliminate the time-consuming task of answering e-mails and phone calls about non-show issues
- Show organizers can CHARGE EXHIBITORS FOR PARTICIPATING (everyone gets a free listing small charge for bolder listings separate charge for banner ads additional charge for a CRM Store Front). This revenue alone may pay for the upfront IT development costs and after the first year it should be a significant revenue generator
- SPONSORSHIPS CAN BE SOLD - Several trade show suppliers as well as consumer-focused companies are prospective sponsors
Engage Consumers On Social Media - Create "Industry Resource Center" channels on the major social media platforms (Facebook Twitter You Tube etc.) where both consumers exhibitors and their customers can engage on a variety if issues. These social media sites would be promoted on and linked to the show's online portal. Promoted aggressively by the trade media these sites would soon become self-sustaining industry channels with the show's branding throughout.
Create A Virtual Trade Show - Many enlightened show organizers now realize that virtual trade shows can be a great marketing tool and revenue generator — not a threat. Virtual trade shows can be an effective way to provide exhibitors with a year-around online presence for a additional charge to their trade show exhibit costs. It is also possible to offer exhibitors a customer CMR function whereby consumers can click on a link to gain consumer-related information. This function could also link to exhibitors' customers/retailers who may interface directly with the consumer. Of course sponsorships can be sold and organizers can offer previews of your educational program and other show features.
Host A Consumer Show/Event - Most trade show organizers would not consider hosting a consumer event in conjunction with their events due to a variety of logistical issues. The main issue being what to do with the booths of the exhibitors who do not wish to participate. However for many trades shows getting consumers involved in the event may be a smart move. Here are a couple different ways to accomplish that goal:
- Open the last day of the show to the public. Exhibitors always complain that there is no traffic the last day so let them send their sales people home and bring in their local reps or retailers to staff the last day or half day of the show. It would be required and strictly policed that they don't tear down their booths. But despite their complaints most exhibitors would not want to have their booth unstaffed if the other booths are going to be open-for-business. If they bring in some inexpensive premium items product literature and/or product DVDs it would be enough to appease most consumers. It is also a very positive thing to do for their customers (distributors reps etc.) and a good way to get their supply chain involved. It's also an effective way for the show organizer to generate additional revenue - 5000 consumers at $25 per ticket generates another $125000.
- Launch an event in an adjacent hall or ballroom. If a large number of exhibitors simply refuse to participate in a consumer event perhaps the show holds a separate show for those that do want to participate the day after the trade show finishes. You could start modestly with tabletop displays or offer booths in a variety of sizes. Perhaps you also tie-in a well-known speaker and or hold drawings for prizes to attract more consumers. One of our clients recently did this and called it the consumer 'SuperShow'.

After years of ignoring consumers perhaps now is the time to start embracing them? Contact me to learn how we can help you accomplish this goal and generate new revenue.

You Can’t Afford To Be Anti-Social About Social Media!

Roger Halligan — Fri, 21 May 2010 21:51:23 +0000

Is your lack of an integrated social media campaign beginning to impact your company's financial performance? We recently addressed the International Association of Exhibition and Events (IAEE) N.Y. Chapter about this topic and came away with some interesting observations:

Since many of your key target audiences are already engaging on social media platforms (we can show you an easy way to identify them) you are missing an excellent opportunity to communicate with them an sell them your products and services. Moreover your competitors may already be doing this and stealing your sales.
Most social media programs are NOT part of an strategic integrated plan. Most social media efforts started out by assigning a junior person to blog Tweet and engage groups via Facebook and LinkedIn. As a result many companies don't feel their social media efforts are as successful as they could be.
It is almost unanimously agreed that ideally a social media program should begin with a strategic marketing communications plan
If you don't have a social media program in place or if you need to integrate and enhance your current effort you need to get started now. Every day you wait is costing your company money.

You can view our presentation on Slideshare here

Enough Already!

admin — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 16:32:41 +0000

When News is Not Newsworthy

In preparing a byline feature story recently I found myself scouring the web for new and noteworthy innovations. What I found was a tremendous amount of recycled repackaged promotional messaging – which begs the question – when is news newsworthy?

With the sad realization that basic PR tenets have appeared to escape even some of the most high profile companies today I offer a few suggestions to avoid putting out less than useful information for those that may want to promote your company:

Don’t Fudge the Figures.

While trying to keep your company top-of-mind among journalists and editors is an admirable goal be careful you’re not top-of-mind for all the wrong reasons. A news release or feature story that deals with figures such as sales or attendance at an event being “up” begs the question “compared to what?” Any editor worth their salt is going to ask that question – and not having solid backup for the claim when pressed for specifics compromises your credibility.

Don’t Practice Blatant Repackaging.

As the saying goes you can put lipstick on a pig – but it’s still a pig. One release about your company’s new product launch is really enough. Writing three incarnations of the same new product release with slightly different slants for the same target media group is overkill. (e.g. three releases about the same sports bottle product launch: one written for cyclists in mind another for camping enthusiasts and yet another for urban commuters - all offered up for the same media). Practicing blatant recycling (and posting all three releases to your company’s online newsroom) can be really effective at stunting media's further site navigation for source material. In contrast three separate releases distributed discreetly to three different targeted media segments is fine.

Don’t Use Releases for Promotional Offers.

News releases are really not the place for purely promotional offers such as buy-one-get-one limited time offers. These messages have their own place and are better suited to Twitter a 'special offers' tab on your website and e-blasts to your target audiences. Editors and journalists are more pressed for time than ever with the downsizing of the publishing industry – and generally don’t have the wherewithal (or patience) to sift through promotional messages dressed as news releases. Let's remember that they are called news releases for a reason and need to contain some worthwhile news not hype.

Meet Your Quota Without Compromising Your Reputation.

Instead – why not dig deeper for developments within your industry in order to stay top-of-mind with the media? Identify the appropriate person at your organization to weigh in on a particular industry issue and actively promote that person to media as a resource for editorial development. Whether consumer advocacy industry preservation or the advancement of a philanthropic cause your company supports – all will serve you better than “news” that isn’t newsworthy. Meeting news release quotas without the goods to back each release up isn’t doing your company any favors.

Have an opinion on this topic to share? Leave a comment – we’d love to hear it!

Disappearing Industry Icons Are A Sign Of The Times

Roger Halligan — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 14:33:06 +0000

I think many of us were surprised to learn that nearly two dozen trade publications owned by Reed Business Information were shut down last week. Among the closures were such venerable industry-leading titles as Plant Engineering Professional Builder Trade Show Week Purchasing Consulting Specifying Engineer and Converting. The demise of a trade publication or two is not surprising as more and more people migrate to the Internet for their industry news. But the closing of so many industry icons in one fell swoop underscores just how rapidly and profound the migration from print to digital is occurring. Even the surviving trade magazines have been making this transition over the last several months. It’s much easier and convenient to gain most of the information you need from a vast array of industry resources with a few clicks of the mouse. The other major “take-away” I get from the closing of all these publications is that companies now have ad dollars they should reallocate to social media. As we all know social media is the fastest growing and can be one of the most effective methods of engaging your customers and prospects. Many companies have been hesitant to jump into the social media stratosphere in part due to lack of budgets and/or staff. Now is the time to use those dollars that were allocated to print ads in publications that no longer exist to retain a social media agency and/or hire an internal social media expert. Please give me a call if you would like to discuss (a free consultation) what is involved with launching and/or enhancing your social media program (312.332.4650 ext.22). P.S. A shout out to my trade publication friends: I think select trade publications will continue to thrive (print and digitally) and serve as valuable marketing tools. They are certainly our partners and their value extends to our social media efforts as well.

Could These Win Virtual Oscars?

Tim Ward — Fri, 05 Mar 2010 20:14:38 +0000

In the original 'Chinese proverb' the quotation “A Picture's Meaning Can Express Ten Thousand Words” has over the years been wrongly translated into “A Picture Is Worth One Thousand Words.” Regardless of the exact quote the fact remains an image can do much that words cannot especially video images.

Speaking of videos the real Oscars will be handed out in a few days (Hurt Locker is my selection for Best Picture) here are a couple videos that attracted millions of viewers and created a viral buzz for their companies and if virtual Oscars were given out they may have won.

With over 25 billion videos watched each and every month web video offers an important opportunity for businesses to connect with a wider audience and at relatively inexpensive format. Here are three reasons why business should use video on their website and in electronic marketing:

Videos make the content more believable since the viewer can see it in action. This can be a new product or technical training. Through using video on your website and in electronic marketing you can demonstrate the before and after effects of your product and services and feature testimonials from your customers. This all helps lend credibility to your business which could increase your sales.
Video is more precise than text. Why describe something to visitors when you can show them? Videos explain or present information and products more effectively than plain text or still pictures and graphics. Visitors will be appreciative that you chose to take the more direct approach which makes them all the more likely to become engaged and take action.
Video can also grab the viewer’s attention. In an electronic world filled with text and pictures marketing new things a well-constructed video really stands out to consumers. It tempts them to take action on your words and it helps you build a relationship with them by adding a personal touch to your campaign

Here is a recent example of a client turning to video to share attendee and exhibitor testimonials to expand their marketing and communication efforts Trade Show Video.

So videos can make complicated and boring material an entertaining multimedia experience. Videos can also promote shared viral marketing. And making a video is more than just filming information. Add a touch of humor something unique or just plain amazing as it can help create a viral hit that spreads like wildfire. Do you remember this virtual Oscar classic Spraying Fountain? Plus a lot of search engines push multimedia rich websites to the top of their rankings.

In the end adding videos has become an industry standard and rejecting it means throwing away potential sales opportunities.

Things I Learned From The Olympics

Roger Halligan — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:52:16 +0000

As I sat glued to the TV screen watching the “flying tomato” Shaun White soar to another gold medal I realized there are several MarCom “truths” that I learned from spending hours watching the world’s best athletes compete.

Social Media Rules - As if we needed another reminder of how prevalent and relevant social media is just look at all the Olympians that were Tweeting - several right before they performed. Many of the big stars like Lindsey Vonn Shuan White and Apolo Ohno use social media as a key strategic tool in their very successful multi-million dollar marketing machines. Everybody is doing it and if your company isn’t it will be left behind at the starting gate.
It’s The Story That Sells - Oh sure we all like to see the figure skaters do their thrilling triple toe loops and salchows (whatever those are) but after all the competition is finished what are you going to remember most? It’s the personal stories of the performers. Just think of the Canadian skater who competed after her mother unexpectedly died two days before. Millions of people around the world watched with lumps in their throats and tears in their eyes as she gutted-out an incredible performance. Are your products telling an interesting story or just one of the many also-ran performers.
Ultimately - You’ve Got To Perform - Lindsey Vonn came into the Olympics as the “Golden Girl” even before she won her gold medal. Even if she would not have won a medal she would still make millions in endorsements and speaking engagements - for a while. Within a few months her shining star would quickly fade and she would eventually become another ex-Olympic skier. However by winning the gold medal she not only ensured her place in history she added millions of dollars in endorsements and speaking engagements. As professional marketers we can drive sales by strategically and creatively promoting all the wonderful features and benefits of a product. However if the product isn’t as good as we said it was it ultimately it will fade away or fail. Let’s not fool ourselves into thinking that superior marketing will keep an inferior product alive forever.
Break Away From The Pack - Strategically - Watching Apolo Ohno break away from the pack at the very last moment to win a medal proves that you don’t have to do what everyone else is doing. If you watched the Olympics for any length of time you undoubtedly saw several commercials from General Electric that very effectively promoted a variety of their products in a very personal story-telling manner. They could have easily spent their ad dollars as many other Fortune 500 companies did by buying a couple commercials during the Super Bowl. Instead they probably got a great deal from a traumatized NBC to run several ads many times during the 10 day Olympics and received a much greater ROI. Great strategy smart thinking.

Don’t Over Promise - It’s great to be confident and to build a multi million dollar campaign around a catchy theme like the Canadian’s “Own The Podium”. However with condolences to my Canadian friends you’ve got to be able to deliver on your promises or you’ll look rather silly. The Canadian team did very well this year (especially in the gold medal standings) but they set the bar a little too high and bragged too much (sounds like the Americans eh?). How often have you designed campaigns that over promise?

Since I’ve run out of sports cliches the final lesson I’ve learned from the Olympics is that hard work perseverance and dedication will win the day. At H+A International we follow those principles and have helped our clients win marketing “gold medals” for more than 25 years.

You Can’t Shake Hands In Cyberspace

Roger Halligan — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 20:49:29 +0000

Most marketing pros are painfully aware of the beating that trade shows have taken as a result of the recessionary economy over the last several months. Even the strongest events have experienced declines in the number of exhibitors and attendees as many companies cut back on travel and trade show-related budgets. And as a result of this decline some naysayers are once again asserting the demise of trade shows and pointing to the Internet as the savior of all our meeting-related needs. Despite the fact that many of these naysayers are purveyors of online meeting technologies I agree that webinars Webex and other online tools can be very valuable meeting solutions. However they will never replace the need to feel and touch a product or experience firsthand how it can meet your specific needs. Equally important a trade show is the only place where you can visit with several suppliers in a few hours time and compare their products side-by-side. It would cost buyers thousands of dollars and many hours to visit these various suppliers at their locations to see the equipment in operation. We do several trade shows a year for both our corporate and trade show management clients and many companies constantly tell us trade shows are their best marketing tool for generating new business. While it is true that most companies nowadays have a major web presence and conduct meetings via the web the smart ones don't eliminate the best trade shows from their marketing mix when times get tough. The Wall Street Journal and several other respected media have recently run articles about the importance of participating in trade shows during a recession. In fact an article with the same title as this blog recently appeared in the November IAEE Executive Briefing. Perhaps the best reason I have ever heard for participating in trades shows came from an attendee with a Fortune 500 company who told me "When I'm making a large purchase that has major implications for my company I want to look my business partner in the eye when I shake their hand to close the deal." As we all know you can't shake hands in cyberspace.

Please Don’t Waste My Time!

Roger Halligan — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:27:24 +0000

While social media can be a highly effective strategic marketing tool in the B2B space it seems that it has also spawned legions of people who feel compelled to weigh in on any and all topics with inane comments. Yes social media is all about sharing various perspectives and opinions with colleagues around the world. However one would hope that people would be a little more judicious and respectful of other peoples' time before automatically offering their advice and opinions especially when it comes to B2B social media. This wasn't such a critical issue when social media was in its infancy a couple years ago and you had a limited number of people participating in the various groups. But as more and more people become involved finding the time to monitor all these conversations is becoming very difficult. For example I belong to several social media marketing groups that I find very valuable and informative. There used to be a dozen or so "discussions" with each posting/update and many of them offered good advice and/or links to other sites where one could find valuable surveys articles white papers and solid information. Some of us would also pose questions to these groups and get valuable answers and suggestions in return. It appears those good old days may be gone forever. Now many of these groups' communiques have grown to 40 or 50 discussions per posting with 75% of them offering little value or substance. In many instances it appears these "conversations" are from people who can be categorized into one of five groups: 1) People who are new to social media and just want to be able to say they are now "experienced" social media professionals because they regularly converse 2) People who feel compelled to comment even if they don't have anything new or useful to add 3) People who don't read the other "comments" and "conversations" and offer the same advice and/or ask the same questions that have already been posted 4) People who are promoting a product or service which is against social media decorum. 5) People who are truly engaged and have valuable comments or suggestions to offer Unfortunately social media groups are attracting more people from the first three categories. As a result what used to be 12 conversations has grown to 50 conversations and what used to take a couple of minutes to scan and review now takes four times as long. There are still some golden nuggets of information among the various conversations but who has time to pan for gold these days? My plea to all of you out there is this: Please engage whenever you can if you have something of value to add. If it is not of value please spare us your musings and meanderings. And just so I'm not wasting your time with my meanderings here's a golden nugget for you - I would highly recommend logging into Andy Beal's Marketing Pilgrim blog. I've found his blog to be extremely valuable at providing information surveys reports white papers and topics created by a team of experienced marketing experts. Nope he's not a friend relative or even acquaintance just a great source for social media information.

Can Social Media Be Your Best Damage Control Ally?

admin — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:38:56 +0000

While there is no shortage of material online today about social media's effectiveness for generating interest in new products brands and businesses - not much has been said about using it in the preemptive sense. A recent conversation I had with ScrapbookUpdate.com editor and social media guru Nancy Nally revealed that social media may also be the best tool in a business marketing communication arsenal for effective damage control. With more than 1000 Twitter followers 3400 RSS subscribers and 1500 unique visitors to her website each day Nally is both a seasoned social media user and keen observer of the dynamics underlying online reputation. With an appreciation for the lightning speed at which brand perception can change - she recommends using social media in the preemptive sense as follows: Build Brand Equity Before You Need It Not unlike saving money for a rainy day creating a reserve account of brand equity well before you ever need it is paramount. "Everyone messes up" says Nally. "It's important to safeguard yourself in advance of those times your business falters. Work to create a reserve fund now to counter those inevitable missteps of the future." Practical examples of creating brand equity ahead of time include consistent audience engagement that elicits candid feedback and cultivates relationships and quickly addressing issues as they happen with complete transparency. Respect the Cycle Different than traditional public relations - the social media cycle is never-ending. Therefore consistent engagement is primary for its preemptive use. "The Internet doesn't take the weekend off" says Nally. "It's critical to stay engaged based on the speed at which information is spread online. If the perception exists that your company has erred in some way - whether or not it actually has - and you fail to respond your reputation could be completely destroyed." Stay one step ahead Another valuable aspect of social media Nally swears by is the opportunity it affords businesses to avoid issues before they happen. Few other mediums offer such candid insight to customer opinions perceptions needs and wants than conversations in the social media space do. Businesses that regularly monitor the social media conversations surrounding their industry are well positioned to learn from other businesses' mistakes and leverage current market demand. "It's like free research that tells businesses in no uncertain terms what pitfalls they should avoid and what current market needs they should strive to meet. It's not only defensive - but incredibly valuable." Do you have a social media success story to share? Comment below - we'd love to hear about it!