Posts Tagged ‘sales technique’
“Top 10 Social Media Marketing Watch List” for 2012
06
Jan
Marketing person that I am, watching trends and predicting them has always been fascinating. This year, I established a “Top 10 Watch List,” comprised of social media marketing tools, platforms and trends that have been and are developing, as I see them. The following list and predictions are based on my background experience and observations…
Social Media Revolution
1) Through widespread use of social media, the world continues the process of developing as a global culture. Through connections made, information communicated and shared, the world gives the impression of being a “smaller place.” Developing over the period of years, this phenomena has best been illustrated in times of natural disasters, uprisings. and events that have drawn attention worldwide. Even in the case of attempted governmental mandates to silence citizens, text messages, photographs or a quick video clip capturing the moment slips out to let the rest of the world know what’s going on behind a suppressive screen of attempted isolation and control. Additionally, through the various channels of social media, brands have an ever-increasing reach to those who desire to have their products or services, and want to know more about them.
2) Google+ growth and development through further integration and enhancement of featured Google products will create a richer experience for those on the platform. While it appears — or is often rumored — that social media platforms attempt to attract the same or similar markets at the demise of another, most often don’t cause platform implosion. Just as theme parks in a close proximity vie for visitors with limited time in the area, more likely the platforms are going to share some participants, but their inherent uniqueness through features, functions and sets of useful tools differentiate them. In this way, their usage and ultimate market share differ. If a platform’s user base is too small to support it without an infusion of funding, it would not survive. In the case of the ongoing duel between giants Facebook and Google — this would not seem to be a problem.
3) Mobile marketing and advertising are going to be big time ‘marketing darlings’ beginning this year. Web sales increased 15.3% during the traditional holiday sales period of November
Mobile Marketing Trends
1-December 26, 2011, as consumers spent $35.27 billion through online retailers, according to a report by ComScore. With rising smartphone and tablet use, and billions in sales reported by online retailers, small businesses should be ramping up for e-commerce activity starting now, if not already. Brick and mortar operations have a perfect opportunity to integrate their social media, online presence, in-store campaigns and conversations. Online marketers should review and enhance their websites to provide optimal visitor experience, presentation and ease of purchase.
4) Customer crowdsourcing decisions and deals will become more the norm. The need for listening and considering the market was well-illustrated in the last few weeks, with GoDaddy’s initial company stand on SOPA, and Verizon’s rescinded decision to charge customers a $2 transaction fee for paying their bills online. These situations cost both the companies on a number of levels. The technology exists to engage in dialogue, polls, and discussions before creating a firestorm of ill will and lost business. Applied properly, this technique can further strengthen brand trust, earning the priceless esteemed recognition of being customer-centric.
5) Content marketing thrives and is an essential element for driving traffic with information-rich articles, ideas and problem-solving solutions, delivered in a consistent experience to the visitor or customer, wherever they are — desktop, laptop, or mobile. The content not only draws traffic, but communicates the intended message, encourages sharing of it, invites conversation, and entices conversion. Not all content offered must be written by the website owner or sharing individual. Private Label Rights copy (PLR) and free articles for content have been available for years. Adding to the mix, social media allows freely sharing and curating as additional avenues for marketing, as well as limitless unique content blending possibilities.
Content Marketing + Blogging
6) Blogging is regaining popularity, recognized as an effective means to drive web traffic through creating content, while establishing thought leadership and generating leads. As part of a marketing plan, a growing number of business owners will realize that for the effort involved, the cost of blogging can be relatively low (depending upon set-up), packed with powerful potential. Attracting prospects to their self-hosted website with great content not only feeds market needs, but establishes identity as their brand becomes more familiar — known, and maybe even liked — expanding market reach and business.
7) Interactive marketing, engaging people to apply game mechanisms to non-game activity is a growing marketing channel. The NIKE+ Campaign is a prime example, as participants enter their running information and compete with others worldwide. This creates community, engages, and establishes top-of-the-mind awareness in the marketplace. Slightly reminiscent of the key ingredients for successful offline special promotions and events, this type of marketing has even greater potential effect. Reaching connected consumers in a personal way, with their express permission to do so, interactive marketing serves a need, builds community and encourages personal achievement. This touches the consumer at a deeply emotional level, through their ongoing involvement, and perception of receiving value. Designed and executed properly, I believe interactive marketing is one of the most effective ways to build consumer affinity.
8 ) Through social media sharing, pictures are indeed worth a million words, and are known attention-getters. When Mark Zuckerberg explained Facebook would be making enhancements
PowerSpeak: Pictures + Video
on the platform for photo sharing, realizing users like that feature, he wasn’t kidding! In this digital world filled with text and code, the popularity of ‘infograghics’ continues to soar, as it seems we try to condense even the biggest ideas into a simplified pictureview. SlideShare, Flickr, Instagram, mobile photos everywhere-all the time, fill Facebook’s new Timeline, shared in many forms, and via links rapidly streaming by us daily on multiple channels. Visuals create image, and are an essential element to building brands. Identity is established through carefully-selected images. Brand awareness and familiarity are fostered through sharing consistent images, in a campaign to build consumer preference.
9) Non-text content speaks loudly, with an artful blend of image and audio serving up a powerful message. Video marketing is essential to online success, and will continue to be a marketing strategy component. Online video offers real ‘star power’ for branding efforts, and can be applied in a variety of ways. Incorporating video on a website increases visibility and web traffic, improves SEO ranking, builds credibility with greater potential for conversions. In December, 2010, Forbes released a white paper entitled “Video in the C-Suite” that reported more than 75% of C-Suite Executives surveyed said they watched work-related online video on business-related websites at least weekly. 65% of C-suite Executives report visiting a vendor’s website after watching their online video. I think you’d agree that’s persuasive evidence for online video. Compelling video provides value to the viewer, and is not another Old School commercial. Effective video messages allow the opportunity to learn something valuable in exchange for the time spent to view it. Video is a powerful media to communicate strategic messages for intentional visibility, build and expand brand and business.
10) Offline activity is important, and remains so, as like-minded folks gather to meet off the grid, for networking and live training programs. It is an opportunity to connect IRL, away
Network-Communicate-Share!
away from the keyboard, or with the laptop, tablet or mobile device, but not separated by time, space or distance for a while. This is often a time for learning, sharing, community-building, and personal affirmation. This in-person time allows for a more personal bonding process that can lead to deeper, more lasting relationships, new business, and potential joint ventures.
Do you have a social media marketing or digital marketing strategy? My advice: Creating an online marketing strategy and integrating it with all marketing and communication efforts helps to strategically direct all efforts, to build your brand and have the potential to sell more products and services.
I hope you found these insights and predictions thought-provoking. If you found some things on the list you’d like to incorporate in your 2012 marketing, the next step is to take action!
To further help you in your 2012 Plan, I’ve created a FREE 12-page Special Report: “Savvy Biz Owner’s DIY Marketer’s 2012 Checklist.” Valued at $27, this new guide contains a 16-point checklist, with 53 tune-up tips to enhance your marketing efforts! It is available for a limited time. Sign up below and receive your FREE copy and Biz Tips, now!
There you have it — my “Top 10 Social Media Marketing Watch List” for 2012. Have I missed any trends you see? Please share in the comments section below… thanks!
3 Ways Compelling Content is Like an Infomercial
11
Nov
Click here: Compelling Content Can Be Used to Your Best Biz Advantage
Compelling content is presented with the intention of eliciting a specific action. If the content is indeed compelling, that action or a choice from suggested actions, is taken.
Those actions may be: “Read more…” ‘Click here’ “For More information…” ‘Click here for details and to purchase’ “Buy Now” — and literally hundreds, if not thousands of possible combinations and recommended statements that call for action. “Success” is measured by the actions taken — or not.
Copy may be written and presented in a number of ways: in long-copy style, or as short as a display ad, pay-per-click linked text, to name just a few. Compelling content comes in many forms and formats. It doesn’t have to be presented only in written form, but audio (as in radio), as well as video (television, YouTube, etc.). Media choices abound today. Keeping in mind the item or idea to be presented, should dictate media selection. Some products require a demonstration, so video is a must. While video is a powerful medium, a crisp photograph or representation of the item may be sufficient to give the reader a clear understanding about the featured product.
In this piece, I am referring to “compelling content” versus ‘copy,’ because I really do mean the whole presentation or production as a persuasive medium. Through careful integration of all of the right elements of copy (and word choice), visual representation (photo or video), and audio or text presentation (idea, concept, selling point explained), the content may compel folks to take action — hopefully as intended, and not switching channels (literally or virtually). Much can be said about both compelling copy and content, and lots has been written about how-to apply it. Here, I am offering a simple dissection, as an overview…
Compelling content consists of 3 parts:
- Introduction of an idea, concept or recognized need. Usually, the presentation is based off a recognized problem that requires a solution to address it. By attracting attention, this draws interested audience members into the presentation, with some desire to explore how this challenge they have can be solved. At this point, they are willing to invest a moment to begin checking that out.
- Explanation, demonstration and how-to use or apply the idea, product, or system, to address the established need. Once the audience believes the spokesperson, presenter, or writer is on the same page as they are — or somewhat, realistically — they are more receptive to the message. This does not necessarily mean they are totally sold, but open to learning more.
- Making an enticing offer, that allows those folks who are ready to take action and solve their challenge now, obtain the solution to help them. This offer may be attractive because of a special offer, a bundled offer with related or extra products, special bonuses, other items, services or perks that add value to the purchase.
These are 3 essential components of compelling content that present, explain and promote ideas, products, and services. While these components are necessary, the presentation must be also provide an enticement for anyone to spend the time to read, view or hear the information, enduring it to then eventual pitch. This enticement is not just the Old School Promise of a great BONUS for those who listen to the end, or click through. People are savvy, increasingly guarding their time and actions online, so your content needs to draw them in by providing great information, if at all possible be entertaining, and for sure to be well presented. It will need to grab them from the start — or they’ll click, change channels, and be gone forever.
Not to oversimplify, BUT: The perfect blend of the 3 essential components, combined with an enticing presentation, written in a concisely straighforward fashion, will be compelling as long as the featured offer and item are seen as possible solutions, of recognizable quality, offered with a good price-value relationship, and the whole deal seems credible.
That is why I think a classic example of “compelling content” is infomercials! Think about it…
BTW — Actor John O’Hurley Hosts “25 Most Memorable Infomercials Ever,” a one-hour special airing Sunday, November 13 at 9:00 PM ET on TV Guide Network, includes the gamut of infomercial memorables from the Magic Bullet® to The Clapper®, TV Guide Network stays up after hours to review the most successful infomercials that have contributed to the billion dollar industry.
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About the author: Becky Cortino provides Content-driven Marketing Strategies and Professional Business Services via Express-It Media Fusion as an Integrated Marketing Communications Adviser specializing in Branding, Communications Design and Media, especially for Business Owners and Independent Professionals ready to make an impact, and maximize the return on their marketing efforts.
Background Experience Includes: Work in the International and Domestic Markets, Major Market advertising agencies experience, including BBDO. Professional, Commercial Experience in All Media. Founder of Marketing Communications Services (1982), a marketing-PR consultancy, offering clients an extensive background in all areas of marketing and sales, with a diverse client base, services ranged from local, statewide, national and international in scope, and nominated for the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year Award. Becky has received numerous other awards and recognitions, including Small Business Administration Small Business Institute Award (for consulting).
More about Compelling Content: Content Marketing can be Used to Your Best Biz Advantage – Biz Tips With Becky Cortino
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