Digital Expression

I previously stated that social media is one way to disaggregate your customer database so you're not completely reliant on email. 

Your customers' habits are changing. Don't put all your eggs in one basket.

This chart from Morgan Stanley shows that social networking usage has now surpassed email usage.  Disaggregation is important.

Source: Internet Trends 2010 by Morgan Stanley
Corroborating Source: 2009 Marketing Trends by StrongMail

Furthermore, with this shift in behaviour, comes a shift in marketing budgets. Forrester estimates Social media spend of US$3.1 billion by 2014 versus only US2.1 billion for email.

We are past the tipping point.  Social media can be more effective than email because:

1. You can offer seamless experiences that keep the prospect on one channel and medium throughout the sales funnel, thereby reducing friction.
2. Overcome the noise associated with email marketing and reach prospects through a channel of their preference.  People who ignore your emails may listen to your message via an alternative channel.
3. The perception of a brand on a social network, is a brand that listens.  a brand that cares about me. And that asset - that social capital will deliver you customers that are worth more than those who you are not connected with on social networks.
4. It's easier for a recipient to share your message within a social network, than from an email client.
5. It's faster and easier for you to create a brief (and more easily consumable) post rather than produce a much longer html newsletter.
6. There are more relevant targeting opportunities than was possible with email segmentation, at least in the early stages of the customer lifecycle.

What's critical to remember, is that the tone of social media communications and it's approach is starkly different to email messaging. It's typically shorter and contains more rich media.  It's also a more passive message,  entertaining and has a level of personalisation that is unseen in email marketing.  It's ideally suited for targeting a niche group of subscribers who are interested buyers and / or influencers who are likely to think your message is remarkable enough to share it with their friends.

Here's how you can start integrating social media into your email marketing.

One of the key questions for a business is:

"Which social media channel should I use?"

There is a need to justify the investment of resources. The answer is to focus on the networks that your customers are already using.  Go to where they already are rather than trying a "build it and they will come" approach.  

Furthermore, this is also a way of identifying which social network is likely to be a source of new customers.  Since your existing customers are on the network, it's reasonable to infer that people like them (that like your product) can also be found on that network.  One useful tool to help identify which social network(s) you should focus on is Flowtown.  

It's easy to create social profiles for every person in your email database:

A social profile provides data on a customer's demographics and interests as indicated on the social network and can therefore be used to not only enhance your social media marketing, but also to send more relevant and targeted email communications.

An alternative to Flowtown worth assessing is Rapleaf.

Recently I was asked what I thought about using competitions and giveaways as a way to get more fans on Facebook.  Is it like "standing in a bar and giving stuff away to make friends?"  Here's my response:

It's the same way you built your email database - You incentivised. I think it's not the most creative of options, but it is the tried and tested method of choice.

• Remember that social media marketing offers faster and wider distribution of your message. The more fans you have, the more fans you get via news-feed stories.  For example, if I become a fan, then this is broadcast to all 206 of my friends, who may also choose to become fans. The exposure can be viral.  Also, your website link gets added to my profile as an 'interest' for all to see - so "standing in a bar and giving stuff away to make friends" is only true for one degree of separation. You could run a simple 7 day competition that gives people an exclusive coupon code when they join your fan page or simply offer them the chance to win something.

• For example: Privatebox.co.nz are giving away an iPad, capitalizing on the buzz around this new product to build their Facebook follower base.

In deciding on what enticement to use, It's important to focus on the reasons people choose to follow Facebook Pages:

Results of Source: Chadwick Martin Bailey and iModerate Study via @briansolis

Notice that the two survey results above do not completely agree with one another, but 2 key motivations hold true:

1. Learn about specials / discounts / Exclusive Offers
2. I am an existing customer and / or showing my support of the brand (For example, 2 Degrees Mobile built up a sizeable following before even launching.)

Are you a company that cares? Social Media users are 2X likely to believe that companies are genuinely interested in them:

• 16% of respondents overall thought companies were genuinely interested in them. This jumps to 33% when we segment social media users.

Currently your email database is probably the only way you have of contacting your customers.

Don't put all your eggs in one basket - who knows how peoples' habits will change in the future.

Going forward, I think it's important to dis-aggregate your database so you're not completely reliant on email.   You will need to leverage existing assets like your email database and product pages to build your follower base on Facebook and other online properties that are likely to become more important to recurring revenue in the future. Don't rest on your laurels.

• Email: Even if you run a Facebook competition, I suggest using your email newsletter to help publicize it. You will need to offer some bait: a prize or exclusive offers. It may be as simply as a coupon code exclusively for Facebook followers, or something that integrates a new product or category launch.  If you want to figure out what is most effective in gaining followers, try testing with some Ads on Facebook using variations in the headline and copy (like Adwords, but with much narrower targeting capabilities.) Ads that push traffic to company pages native to Facebook convert better than pushing to external pages. This is because of better continuity and relevance - a conversion optimization issue.)

• Email Database Segmentation: Flowtown helps you identify what social networks your customers are on by matching email addresses.  Within minutes, you can see what % of your audience is on Facebook, Twitter etc.  Thanks to ConvinceandConvert.com for this tip.

• Product pages: Firstin.co.nz have the Facebook Fan box widget on their website.  But now, you can simply add a 'LIKE' button to your product pages.  This way, you can turn your website visitors into a loyal fan base on Facebook. These people may otherwise have not signed up to your email newsletters and as the data below shows, people are more likely to become customers and  recommend you to friends after becoming your fan on Facebook.

Social Media helps you convert prospects and derive recurring revenue from customers who are not interested in email.

Source: Chadwick Martin Bailey and iModerate Study via @briansolis

• Be aware that companies that have multiple product categories can end up with a Facebook page that can fall foul of, as the old adage goes: trying to appeal to everyone and therefore appeal to no one.

• A great model for style, tone, use of offers and cross-promotions on Facebook pages is 2degrees Mobile.

After all the effort of building up a respectable fan base, you will want to know how to turn your social capital into financial capital (paying customers.) But that's a story for another day.  In the meantime, here are lots of Facebook Promotion Ideas.

@kunalkripalani

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The mobile web truly bridges the divide between offline and online marketing.

• Smartphone applications like Foursquare are being used by innovators and early adopters.  Very soon, we may reach the tipping point and see mainstream adoption of location based mobile applications.

• Attempts were made to leverage mobile connectivity using bluetooth marketing, but the onus was on the user to have their bluetooth switched on and be willing to receive an unsolicited message with content that was not always compatible with their handset model. Further, bluetooth has always been more popular with business users than any other niche, severely restricting its audience.
• Text message marketing is still having some success especially with fund raising and voting.  Physical retail stores also use it as a promotional channel to customers who have opted in and the channel arguably works as well for physical retailers as email newsletters do for online retailers.

Fourquare is a clever application that uses game theory, where you earn badges, points and can become the 'mayor' of any location you visit. It is designed to be addictive, making it a powerful loyalty marketing tool and also a great source of recommendations.

• You can leave tips at nearby locations that promote your own store.  For example, anyone who looks at Foursquare tips at Skycity Cinemas on Queen Street will be reminded that you can get Giapo Gelato just 20 metres around the corner.
• As a marketing tool, retailers can use Fourquare to attract customers from surrounding locations and as a loyalty channel, rewarding customers for repeat visits and achieving mayor-hood or as an extension of an existing loyalty card program.
• Right now Fourquare is a secret club.  It has a very exclusive feel to it that retailers can use to appeal to a select group of prospects.  It's also under the radar- classic 'below the line' marketing that doesn't cost you anything, and doesn't get your competitor's attention unless you go out of your way to promote it with a press release.
• You may find that Fourquare only gets you 2 or 3 new customers, but let's remember that popularity takes time:

And it's best that you experiment with & evaluate the opportunities of this social media channel early.

Foursquare is one way you can open your social branch.

Other location based applications that are or could become important: Google Latitude, Facebook Geotagging, Twitter Geotagging, Gowalla, Loopt and Yelp.

Your thoughts? share them @kunalkripalani

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@SMJunction on Monday May 17,2010 is a landmark in that it marks the widespread interest and adoption of social media by business in New Zealand. With the conference in just a few days time, I thought I would do a little background research on the presenters and the subject matter so I can get the most out of the day. If you're attending, then I hope this is useful for for you also. Reading time is ~20 mins :

After the event, I also wrote a Recap of Social Media Junction.

Easliy track #smj view photos, access links & connect with other delegates, speakers and organisers before and after the conference at Twubs.com/smj

Trust Age nts - @Julien. You know you need to "join the conversation" but what do you do now? Julien will be discussing:

How to use the tools of the web that make relationships that mean something. - Chris Brogan, Co-author, Trust Agents.

Trust Agents are people who understand that the web has become more humanized and build their business accordingly. They are the pioneers mastering the latest communication channels. Julien will help us become better at communicating a message online through:

• Learning to be human at a distance - Connect people, share information & practice simple touchpoints of loyalty.
• Understanding how to leverage social networks - Leverage your existing assets. Build on what you've got.  Don't rest on your laurels. Be the relationship before the sale.
• Knowing how to stand out from the crowd - The Attention Wars. Gathering awareness, gaining reputation and earning trust. Effective strategies that make sense but are not common sense like: Make your own game. Find your value differentiation  and create a new word because in a crowded niche its impossible to own the defacto keywords. For example 'Lifestyle Design' by Tim Ferriss.

Read Bullet PR's interview with Julien Smith,read a sample of the book or watch their Gnomedex presentation.

Changing People's Behaviour with Social Me dia - @m_hickinbotham

The Foundation of Telstra's Social Media Policy is the 3Rs.  They apply to someone who is officially representing Telstra or making reference to them.

1. Representation:  Be clear about who you represent and in what capacity.
2. Responsibility:  Ensure what you say is factually accurate, not in breach of any laws, within your area of expertise and not harmful to Telstra.
3. Respect: For the people and communities that you interact with.

Read the entire social media policy (6 pages)

Read more on: Social Media Governance

Mike will be discussing:

• Making the decision to ignore, listen or engage: Check out the US Airforce's flowchart.
• Take information and link it back to business objectives:  How can social media engagement be used to help us achieve our strategic goals?
• Research:  Real time snapshots of customer satisfaction and future intent. This provides invaluable insight into what customers care about right now.
• Changing organizational mindsets: Championing the cause, a shift in mindsets, providing skills and a sense of self-responsibility - Converting employees to ambassadors. This is achieved through Telstra's remarkable staff online education tool:

International Best Practice in Social Media: Examples from the private, public, not-for-profit and creative sectors

@justinflitter and @mcgovernonline will be sharing some incredible examples from around the world. Here's a few remarkable organisations I have come across locally that understand how to leverage social media.  Each appear to have a strategy in place to experiment with and evaluate the emerging social media opportunities.

Private Sector

@Giapo know how to use Twitter to express what their gelato is about.  They also use it to engage heavily with their friends throughout the day.

• In their Queen street store you will find a plasma screen with a live Twitter stream and a webcam through which you can end up on Youtube.
• On Facebook, their crowdsourced customer photo competition has been wildly popular. The resulting photos are now used as Giapo's main profile photo. - That's real engagement.

@privateboxnz . They are on http://www.facebook.com/post.office.box. 

• Capitalised on iPad hype to cultivate their Facebook presence - Become a fan for a chance to win an iPad.
• They've taken ownership of the keywords "post office box" on Facebook - Great for their SEO Strategy.
• Leveraged their email newsletter to drive traffic directly to the competition landing page. They understand the need to disaggregate their customer database and move away from complete reliance on email.
• Companies that offer social network competition management include Wildfire (run by an expat kiwi,Victoria Ransom, in Silicon Valley) and also Auckland based Netfinity.  More comprehensive Social Media management platforms include:  Objectivemarketer and Spredfast

Public Sector
After the success of Barack Obama's digital media strategy, it's no surprise that politicians the world over are engaging.You can connect with @johnkeypm   via Facebook, Youtube and Flickr.  The importance of these channels as campaign tools is obvious.  With Twitter and Facebook, we are given the impression the PM wants to listen to what New Zealanders are concerned about and he is embracing new technology.

Not-for-profit
Charities and non-profits lend themselves to success with social media.  They are causes that people like to show their support for.  It makes us feel good and maybe it feels even better because you know your friends get to see what causes you support. I've found one great local example and one terrific  overseas example that speak best practice to me:

 SPCA Petfood Product launch. Traffic driven to a custom landing page where pet owners can get a free sample delivered to them. The distribution channels and product aesthetics are also made clear. SPCA Petfood on Facebook has over 26,000 fans.

(download)

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Another notable product launch is Pampers Cruisers on Facebook.  What makes it interesting is the nappy-rash related backlash that followed together with how Pampers handled the complaints and misinformation found on social media.

The lifecycle of a non-profit social media campaign. I highly recommend watching this video:

What to Avoid When Implementing Social Media into an Organisation: Lessons from Facebook, YouTube & Twitter.

Chair: @VHeeringa
Panel: @vodafonenz, @phixx, @PaulBrislen, @2degreesmobile

Here's what I think should be avoided:

1. Don't have social media usage guidelines. Staff education is paramount to success.  I defer back to Telstra.
2. Don't dip your feet in the water without checking the temperature or water quality first. Chances are you will recoil and not want to go back.It's essential to have a strategy in place to properly evaluate and experiment with social media within a framework that drives towards tangible business goals.  Allocate sufficient human resources to ensure proper management of your social media presence.
3. Don't work in a silo.  There needs to be organisation-wide buy-in.  Cultivate champions internally.
4. Don't stray off topic.  It's about your customers, not your weekend golf game.
5. Don't start without using a social profile management tool like Hootsuite or the enterprise grade Spredfast.  Also ensure you have a good measurement plan in place using Google Analytics, Clicktale, Bit.ly or other appropriate package.

Managing Measurement and Tone in Social Media: - @andybeal

An important first step is to define what success entails for your business.  What business goal is the initiative working towards and what KPIs will you use to measure your progress?  There's a multitude of Social Media management & measurement tools available including both free and enterprise grade options with SLA's. Examples include: Spredfast,Google Analytics,Tweetreach and Bit.ly.

Tone in social media:  You vs. Brand representation was the topic of discussion at the latest Social Media Club in Auckland. My views on the subject are derived from experience working on a Social Media Policy with a bank in Singapore:

• I think best practice is to always remember that you represent the organisation.  Everything on the internet is public (as highlighted by the latest Facebook privacy debacle.)
• The less verbose you are in your responses and your interactions, the less public material can be taken out of context and misinterpreted.
• Never admit fault.  Acknowlege the issue and say what went wrong, why and how you are working to investigate and resolve it. The worst response ever is:

We are aware of this issue and are working to resolve it.

• A typically corporate tone - one that comes from a form letter, has many words but doesn't actually say much, is not the way to go. The 140 character limit on Twitter is excellent in this regard, since there's no room to beat around the bush.  You have to be succint and helpful at the same time.
• Sometimes it is best to resolve an issue out of the public eye.  Move it to email or phone.
• On occasion, you don't have to do anything.  Your customers (evangelists) answer the query or bury the troll for you.

2 excellent resources are: New Media and The Airforce and ofcourse Telstra's 3Rs of Social Media.

Read the highights of Andy Beal's Newstalk ZB interview

Blogger Panel: How to keep it compelling and relevant. - Top 5 Tips.

Chair: @audaciousgloop
Panel: @freitasm @greermcdonald @publicaddress @alistairnz @bernardchickey

People subscribe to your blog because they're interested in your thought leadership or stories about a particular niche.
They want to learn from you, be inspired or participate in the discussion through comments or, picking up on a thread and adding more thoughts on their own blog post. My thoughts on keeping a blog compelling and relevant:

“If you can't explain it simply, you don't understand it well enough” - Albert Einstein

1. Stay within your area of expertise.  As a subject matter expert, stick to writing about what you understand best.
2. Write a series of posts, each one connected to the previous one.  To this end also link back to older posts from any new articles (an internal linking strategy is also important for SEO.)
3. Subscribe to peer blogs and build on their posts.  Reference and comment accordingly.
4. Be among the first to pick up on new trends and ideas in your niche.  Demonstrate thought leadership.

Using Social Media in a broadcasting environment; external and internal stakeholder management - @superfabulous

Social & Search inseparably connected; how to ensure you do both well - @gdosborne

I couldn't agree more:

• Real Time Search means that fresh content gets prioritised in Google's search index.
• Making your content accessible on social media makes it available to more people in a way that allows your message to spread faster.
• The Google honeymoon period means that new websites (fresh) get prioritized for a few weeks. Social Media is a way to keep them fresh.
• Facebook Like is similar to social bookmarks like Digg,Stumbleupon and Delicious, but offers greater viral spread through your friend network.
• Google is getting more social with Buzz and easy to use filters that segment content types, giving you up to 8 opportunities to rank at the top of a SERP.
• Read more about Winning Search Engine Oscars with Social Media

How to harness video content for a local yet global social media campaign - @KeaRossco

My guess is we will be learning about:

Pass it On: Help share the best of New Zealand with the rest of the world.  Watch the introductory video. This looks like a great viral campaign that properly leverages social media. I look forward to learning how successful it has been so far and also what measurement infrastructure is in place.

Using Social Media effectively from an advertising perspective international best practice from MySpace - @AndrewCordwell

I found this presentation that talks about Coca Cola's foray into social media, but there is no mention of MySpace. I look forward to learning how MySpace fits into the picture.

You might also like to read: A Recap of Social Media Junction.

@kunalkripalani