What do you do if a campaign's creative budget gets cut by 20 percent? Do you say the creative will be 20 percent less impactful and call it a day?
Hardly.
Sadly, falling budgets, especially in the area of production, are a challenge a lot of companies in this business are facing.
Complicating that challenge is the push for more integrated campaigns. That means more assets spread across a broader range of media environments -- not exactly the route to lower creative costs.
But the best way to maintain quality with a smaller budget may not be by producing assets in less quantity, but rather by doing things differently. As campaign planning becomes more integrated, the increased awareness of how all media are interconnected can open up new opportunities for improved efficiencies.
Here are seven ways that an integrated approach to campaign development can help you accomplish better results with the creative assets you develop.
Simplicity has always been a good approach for effective marketing and branding communications. Logos like Bass Ale (Britain's first registered trademark), fonts like Helvetica, and the classic Volkswagen ads are examples of simplicity that revolutionized the advertising industry.
And if anything, the distinction that simplicity can bring is more important in today's cluttered, over-saturated media environment than ever before. Consumers see an estimated 3,500-5,000 marketing messages a day. They literally don't have the hours in the day to digest all the ads marketers push at them. So if you want consumers to consider reading your message, make it at least appear to be a quick read.
Of all the things you can do to make virtually any form of communication better, this is the most important.
Strong yet simple concepts also tend to work much better across multiple media. And the more a big idea transcends different media, the more efficiently that campaign can be developed, which leads into the next point.
When I was looking for that elusive first copywriting job in advertising, a creative director told me that I could probably get a gig with a portfolio of nothing but good billboard concepts because billboards have the most foundational elements of what good marketing communication is about -- strong graphic images and brief text that pops.
Today, the banner represents that same format. It's highly limited, both textually and graphically. So ideas developed for that format will likely work across a much wider media scape. It's much easier to add production value to a simple concept than it is to take an idea that relies on high production value and boil it down to a stark version of its former self.
When you start with banner development, you'll force yourself to think high concept, yet low production cost. And if you're dealing with budget constraints, that's a good place to be.
It also sets us up well for the next section -- testing.
One of the online medium's most overlooked capabilities is testing strategies and display ad concepts in the most natural environment possible -- a real ad in an actual media placement.
I've talked to numerous researchers and statisticians and have never found anyone who has said this wasn't a legit test, assuming you apply standard controls for messaging and media variables.
You can test messages across strategic directions or creative tactics. And don't rely on production techniques or gimmicks. You're looking for foundational insights that will drive creative development across a range of media. So if what you've developed is specific to online production, you'll skew the results.
Use a single format -- ideally a rectangular format, like the 300x250s, because they have a more universal shape that won't demonstrate a bias toward a specific message type. The results will almost always be relevant and insightful.
It doesn't take a large ad budget to make this process pay off, either. A test can be done for a small percentage of most campaign budgets, and the increased performance across the entire campaign should more than compensate for the testing round.
Early adopters of technology often suffer a lot of headaches while trying out the latest insanely great thing.
In contrast, marketing is where first movers often have significant advantages. The first banners pulled unreal results by today's metrics -- because they were new and web pages weren't so flooded with them. When Flash ads first came out, they almost always drove campaign performance up in large increments because they were the only thing with fluid motion on the web at that time.
Today's new technologies can generate the same effect.
These can be both rich media production technologies and media placement technologies. The reason new marketing technologies work is simple: Almost all of them focus on one of two things. They either focus on improving the odds that your message will get to the right person, or they focus on improving the impact of that message when it reaches that person.
Assuming your message is relevant, there isn't much else that matters outside of those two factors, until the viewer arrives at the destination or conversion point.
So give new technologies a shot. Again, you don't have to spend a lot to get a sense for whether or not they're going to pay off across the larger media spend.
Search and display shouldn't conflict, but rather work like tag team partners -- the more seamless the transition between them, the better. In fact, the more successful your entire campaign is, the greater role search will play.
How?
People hear about products in different ways. Sometimes it's in an ad. Sometimes it's in a news article. Sometimes it's a personal recommendation. And when they hear about said product or brand, they typically don't drop everything they're doing and run straight to the point of purchase (if only). That means they go searching for it at a more convenient time.
So make sure that you factor "searchability" into your campaign. If you look at your banner, print, or video ad, can you imagine what the viewer might be searching for after seeing it? If not, you may need to be a little more specific if you want consumers to ever find your product. Clear brand or product names are essential, as are any other key parts of the message, like the name of a special promotion.
This "searchability" is even more important for companies that don't have a lot of brand awareness. After all, if you know the brand well and can recall it, you can always go search its site. And that idea sets up the next point nicely.
If your advertising campaign has worked, it will likely lead the viewer to a search engine. And from there, the consumer hopefully ends up at a page on your website. If that search results link isn't dead on, they'll often jump over to your homepage.
Unless you have the customer loyalty of Apple, don't bet on customers knowing your product's name when they arrive at your site. More likely, they'll only remember your brand name, maybe part of the product name, and have a vague idea of what the ad said.
This is more problematic for companies with a lot of products because they tend to have more marketing messages out there for their various products, all creating noise and confusion. And even if the consumer remembers your product's name, it's going to be harder to find that product among the many featured on your website.
If consumers arrive at your homepage, you want to get them to their point of interest as quickly as possible. Consumers typically spend only seconds on a web page before clicking or leaving. Every second that passes in which they can't find what they want, you're increasing the odds they'll split. If you're spending big money on a campaign, support it with navigational aids on your homepage.
The multipliers of social media simply offer too much potential to ignore. The average Facebook user has 120 friends. With the new Facebook design, it's more likely than ever that if any of their friends are interacting with your brand on Facebook, it will end up within their view.
So at the very least, post product and campaign information on your Facebook page as part of a routine content updating schedule. Offer social media "share" options on key website pages, and consider adding such options to creative assets if there is room, as in an expandable banner.
As was recently pointed out, we're already seeing Twitter and Facebook driving traffic at levels that compete with Google. And whatever other formats emerge in the future, social media seems to be here to stay.
Conclusion The need to get more out of less isn't a recent phenomenon, but rather a continual trend in the marketing world. So while these tactics may seem like ways to deal with current economic problems, they're actually practices that can simply help you improve performance of your campaigns.
And no matter how creative your shop is, if you're not taking ROI issues into consideration, however you define them, it's likely your clients are. So now might be a very good time to start thinking about them.
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Dont you just love him
Developing a kind heart and awakening the mind is not just a sentimental or religious goal.
It is for everyone, irrespective of race, religion or political affiliation. It is for anybody who considers themselves a member of the human family.
It is for everyone, irrespective of race, religion or political affiliation. It is for anybody who considers themselves a member of the human family.
The Gregory Stone Story
The Gregory Stone Story
Gregory Stone is a Sydney based business developer specializing in online digital media and website development, with a mix clientele of international blue chips and top end local players, I providing end-to-end online marketing and communications solutions.
My strength? The right combination of business and marketing experience with digital media expertise, topped with a dash of creativity.
What make me difference? Well, i really like what we do, and have fun along the way. And it's catchy. Work with me, and you'll see what we mean!
Who is this guy? I am an independent, highly skilled and experienced online business developer who has delivered countless innovative and exciting projects ranging from complete online businesses to “left field” viral campaigns.
My services:
• Online Strategy consulting
• Online Brand Development and integration
• Internet / Intranet Design and Development
• Integrated Digital Marketing Campaigns, including:
– Display Advertising
– Games and Other Interactives
– Viral Campaigns
– Electronic Direct Mail Campaigns
– Affiliate Partnerships
– Search Engine Optimisation / Search Engine Marketing
– Digital Touch Point Marketing
• Media Services, including:
– Media strategy
– Planning / buying / execution
– Analysis and reporting
• E-commerce / Online Application Development
• Content Management System (CMS) / Client Relationship Management (CRM)Solutions
• CD-ROM / Multimedia
Regards
Gregory C.S. Stone Business Development
m: +61 411 787 565
p: +61 2 9544 4826
e: greg@emerchant.com.au
w: http://www.emerchant.com.au/
Please consider the environment before printing this email
”Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones that you did. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." Mark Twain
Gregory Stone is a Sydney based business developer specializing in online digital media and website development, with a mix clientele of international blue chips and top end local players, I providing end-to-end online marketing and communications solutions.
My strength? The right combination of business and marketing experience with digital media expertise, topped with a dash of creativity.
What make me difference? Well, i really like what we do, and have fun along the way. And it's catchy. Work with me, and you'll see what we mean!
Who is this guy? I am an independent, highly skilled and experienced online business developer who has delivered countless innovative and exciting projects ranging from complete online businesses to “left field” viral campaigns.
My services:
• Online Strategy consulting
• Online Brand Development and integration
• Internet / Intranet Design and Development
• Integrated Digital Marketing Campaigns, including:
– Display Advertising
– Games and Other Interactives
– Viral Campaigns
– Electronic Direct Mail Campaigns
– Affiliate Partnerships
– Search Engine Optimisation / Search Engine Marketing
– Digital Touch Point Marketing
• Media Services, including:
– Media strategy
– Planning / buying / execution
– Analysis and reporting
• E-commerce / Online Application Development
• Content Management System (CMS) / Client Relationship Management (CRM)Solutions
• CD-ROM / Multimedia
Regards
Gregory C.S. Stone Business Development
m: +61 411 787 565
p: +61 2 9544 4826
e: greg@emerchant.com.au
w: http://www.emerchant.com.au/
Please consider the environment before printing this email
”Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones that you did. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." Mark Twain
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Friday, April 24, 2009
Sales plan
Sales Plan
Your Objectives:
Setting broad statements about what you wish to achieve is often a great starting point. Broad
objectives could be along the lines of these statements:
· • Position yourself as a credible service provider,
· • Exploit a range of new business strategies,
· • Generate revenue from existing networks,
· • Automate as much as possible, and
· • Achieve the above with minimum cost.
Your Goals:
It is important to set goals that give meaning to your objectives. They should also allow you to plan
for resource allocation. They are your score card and essentially drive your income.
Below is a sales plan example. The marketing activity is designed to generate consistent enquiry. The
other metrics are based on the sales teams past performance and 10 contacts per day.
Extended Sales Cycle
The initial contact strategy is a numbers game and while quick results will occur the long tail will also
bare significant fruit.
An extended sales cycle (long tail) for Digital Marketing services could look like this:
1. Lead Generation
2. Telephone Fact Find and Understand Pain
3. Possibly Meet Client
4. Understand exactly the Clients Needs
5. Expand their Vision
6. Dollarise their Potential Benefits
7. Integrate their Needs with your Offer
8. Partner and gain an initial Small Commitment (a database build program, small website, an
email campaign etc)
9. Satisfy this quickly and professionally,
10. Place the client on a sequential education program
11. Penetrate by generating a staged development plan
12. Develop and produce on the stated outcomes
13. Build success, confidence and trust
14. Expand the plan and dollar benefits
15. Continually build an empowering eStrategy
It is rarely about one job. It is about the relationship. A small business relationship should generate
between $10,000 to $30,000 in revenue per year.
Your Objectives:
Setting broad statements about what you wish to achieve is often a great starting point. Broad
objectives could be along the lines of these statements:
· • Position yourself as a credible service provider,
· • Exploit a range of new business strategies,
· • Generate revenue from existing networks,
· • Automate as much as possible, and
· • Achieve the above with minimum cost.
Your Goals:
It is important to set goals that give meaning to your objectives. They should also allow you to plan
for resource allocation. They are your score card and essentially drive your income.
Below is a sales plan example. The marketing activity is designed to generate consistent enquiry. The
other metrics are based on the sales teams past performance and 10 contacts per day.
Extended Sales Cycle
The initial contact strategy is a numbers game and while quick results will occur the long tail will also
bare significant fruit.
An extended sales cycle (long tail) for Digital Marketing services could look like this:
1. Lead Generation
2. Telephone Fact Find and Understand Pain
3. Possibly Meet Client
4. Understand exactly the Clients Needs
5. Expand their Vision
6. Dollarise their Potential Benefits
7. Integrate their Needs with your Offer
8. Partner and gain an initial Small Commitment (a database build program, small website, an
email campaign etc)
9. Satisfy this quickly and professionally,
10. Place the client on a sequential education program
11. Penetrate by generating a staged development plan
12. Develop and produce on the stated outcomes
13. Build success, confidence and trust
14. Expand the plan and dollar benefits
15. Continually build an empowering eStrategy
It is rarely about one job. It is about the relationship. A small business relationship should generate
between $10,000 to $30,000 in revenue per year.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Unlocking Knowledge, Empowering Minds.
Free lecture notes, exams, and videos from MIT.
No registration required.
http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/web/home/home/index.htm
No registration required.
http://ocw.mit.edu/OcwWeb/web/home/home/index.htm
God could be as simple as this
“Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can”
Friday, April 17, 2009
iPhone apps take centre stage
Apple iPhone 3G
The mobile phone can be a powerful tool, writes Garry Barker.
One of the most extraordinary success stories on the internet is Apple's iTunes App Store, in which, for a small fee or nothing at all, any iPhone or iPod touch user can get a bit of software to do, well, almost anything.
It is a phenomenon based on the solid foundation that a mobile phone is now a powerful computer-communications device with the immense reach and power of the internet.
It also honours that powerful principle of technology, KIS (Keep It Simple).
Successful iPhone applications are invariably simple to use, small (because iPhones and iPods have limited storage), responsive to human needs and cheap, ranging from free to seldom more than $10.
A good app is one that you use. In other words, it must appeal because it provides a useful service - a function, entertainment or a service using the connectedness and facility of the iPhone.
A successful application might be as crass as a fart generator to startle people in lifts, or it might monitor a diabetic's blood-sugar level, assess the effect of a meal and calculate the insulin required. Both are available, along with an extraordinary array of more than 28,000 other applications in the iTunes App Store.
Open an iTunes account with a credit card, find an app you like, download it to your Macintosh or PC or directly to the iPhone, and install it - done in a matter of seconds.
More than 500 million downloads have been taken from the App Store since it opened last year, and the flow is increasing, making money for developers and for Apple, and driving sales of iPhones and iPod touch units.
Hundreds of new apps are offered every week to be tested and vetted by Apple for design, taste, reliability and viability. A bit of mild scatology is OK, but indecency is right out. The App Store is open to all, but you must be properly dressed.
With more than 18 million iPhones in use around the globe (700,000 or more in Australia), plus a similar number of iPod touches, it is a market of about 40 million devices and growing.
And, just as the World Wide Web became a marketplace, so are iPhone apps developing a commercial species. The champion so far, with 900,000 downloads, is a free app not yet available in Australia, a game that's actually a marketing tool for Volkswagen.
The user drives a virtual car over a course on the iPhone's screen and checks details of its performance and features.
Many companies see an entertaining iPhone application as a good way to reinforce a brand.
So, the iPhone is changing the face of advertising.
But the apps must be good.
"Apple won't accept rubbish, anything crude or that doesn't work properly," says Daniel Kagan, of LookOut Mobile, the Melbourne company that produced Aussie Rules Live, an app backed by the AFL.
It brings to footy fanatics live scores, text commentary, goal kickers, ladder updates and other information. And because the footy fan's other hand is probably holding a beer or a meat pie, it uses the iPhone's accelerometer - just shake the iPhone and all onscreen details are updated.
Marc Edwards, a Melbourne software developer, has five apps in the shop under his Bjango brand and more on the way. They range from an adaptation of his iStat computer performance monitor, to Jobs, a scheduling app for tradesmen; Cities and Darkness, both world clocks; and Phases, a cute moon phase monitor.
The Plasq group, also of Melbourne, which built Comic Life and other applications popular on the Macintosh, has Comic Touch and a "galactic" game, Pharos IV: Assault, in the iTunes Store.
Graham Dawson, a Sydney developer whose main interests are astrology and spirituality, built the popular OzWeather app that set a minor record for longevity in the top-10 list on the Australian iTunes Store. It went up last November and wiped the floor with an earlier weather app.
"The key is to present information clearly and quickly in an appealing way. If you do that you will do well, even if someone else has a similar app," says Mr Dawson.
With so many apps in the store, competition is fierce.
New apps enjoy brief prominence and are then rated according to downloads and user reviews. Good results there, even a top-10 listing, boost visibility and traffic.
The idea behind the app is everything. It must be simple and, says Marc Edwards, something you would like to have yourself. It might be a function, a game or a cute and ingenious toy, such as the SMULE Ocarina, developed by Ge Wang, professor of music at Stanford University's technology school. He sold more than 400,000 downloads at US90cents in the first month, and the flow of sales, while now slower, continues.
The ocarina is the world's oldest flute. Its 21st-century digital version makes music when the user blows into the iPhone's microphone. You can also listen to other ocarina players around the world in real time, because you're connected to the mobile phone network.
Grant Hull, of Adelaide outfit Enabled Solutions, which works with, among others, advertising agencies, put Newton's Cradle on the iPhone. More than a million have been downloaded. The free version held second place in global popularity for a near-record period. Mr Hull says it was the loss leader that built traffic. A "pro" version is now making him money at $A2.49 a download.
Further, traffic to his company website soared an astonishing 2500 per cent (at peak it was 11,500 per cent). "That shows the huge potential the App Store has to increase brand awareness," he says. He finds advertising agencies are increasingly aware of how apps create brand experiences.
Business applications are proliferating, as are those for doctors, engineers, electricians, and psychologists - name the profession, trade or diversion and there will be an app for it.
US business magazine Forbes recently noted that to cut costs in the dire economic environment, companies are giving travellers iPhones filled with applications to help them book flights, organise their time and deliver presentations.
Forbes reporter Bonnie Ruberg wrote: "The iPhone isn't just a fancy toy for making calls, listening to music and sending emails. It's a powerful business tool with hundreds of applications, GPS and communication."
NovaMind, of Brisbane, one of the world's leading mind-mapping software companies, now has an iPhone app - a portable note-taker that interacts with the main desktop-based application to update or produce a full-scale mind map.
And then there are games - a huge sector in the App Store - coming from individuals as well as well-known companies such as Electronic Arts, which has adapted Monopoly and Sim City, and other games such as Yahtzee, Spore and Sudoku.
Business applications include FileAid, developed by a Swiss-Australian team of Jerome Bedat and Michael Fuhrman. Mr Bedat is in Melbourne brushing up his English and responding to customers on his MacBook in a St Kilda cafe.
FileAid allows users to read on their iPhones almost any kind of file - Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Pages, Numbers, Keynote, jpegs, MP3 files and much more. It costs $6 and is being heavily downloaded daily (Apple does not permit disclosure of downloads for paid apps).
Apple takes a 30 per cent cut of the revenue earned by paid apps, but hosts free apps at no cost. It declines to say how much money is changing hands, but that is not the main point - this is about the race to become the dominant mobile computing platform. Apple's competitors are Google's Android - although the two companies have close alliances - Nokia's Symbian, Research in Motion (the BlackBerry) and Palm. Microsoft has Windows Mobile but, like Symbian, it appears to be struggling.
"This is a 100-yard sprint," says Gartner analyst Ken Dulaney, "and right now Apple is 75 yards down the track while the other guys are trying to get out of the blocks."
All apps on deck for cities' guiding player
Bon vivants and strolling players around Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, New York, London and Barcelona (a great place for bars and international mobile-phone conferences) will know of the Deck of Secrets guides - $10 packs of cards offering guidance on good places to eat, drink, shop and generally be merry.
The Melbourne-based company is run by Michelle Matthews (pictured below), who we hope will forgive us for describing her as an iPhone app tragic. She's filled all nine app screens on her iPhone: a total of 148.
"I don't go in for games but love photography, social networking and utilities," Ms Matthews says. She also, of course, includes the nine Deck of Secrets apps so far built for her by Melbourne software developer Shaun Ervine.
The first app, called Drink, a guide to good bars in Melbourne, was quickly followed by Eat, Shop and Go. The app provides a profile of each bar, and the GPS facility in the 3G iPhone allows users to check the proximity of the nearest watering hole and get a Google map to guide their steps.
Onscreen buttons allow phoning the establishment to make a reservation, emailing a friend to organise a meeting, and putting the address and a picture of the bar into the iPhone's address book.
Ms Matthews says plenty more apps are on the way, mirroring her card-based publications. To find them, search in iTunes App Store for "Deck of Secrets".
The mobile phone can be a powerful tool, writes Garry Barker.
One of the most extraordinary success stories on the internet is Apple's iTunes App Store, in which, for a small fee or nothing at all, any iPhone or iPod touch user can get a bit of software to do, well, almost anything.
It is a phenomenon based on the solid foundation that a mobile phone is now a powerful computer-communications device with the immense reach and power of the internet.
It also honours that powerful principle of technology, KIS (Keep It Simple).
Successful iPhone applications are invariably simple to use, small (because iPhones and iPods have limited storage), responsive to human needs and cheap, ranging from free to seldom more than $10.
A good app is one that you use. In other words, it must appeal because it provides a useful service - a function, entertainment or a service using the connectedness and facility of the iPhone.
A successful application might be as crass as a fart generator to startle people in lifts, or it might monitor a diabetic's blood-sugar level, assess the effect of a meal and calculate the insulin required. Both are available, along with an extraordinary array of more than 28,000 other applications in the iTunes App Store.
Open an iTunes account with a credit card, find an app you like, download it to your Macintosh or PC or directly to the iPhone, and install it - done in a matter of seconds.
More than 500 million downloads have been taken from the App Store since it opened last year, and the flow is increasing, making money for developers and for Apple, and driving sales of iPhones and iPod touch units.
Hundreds of new apps are offered every week to be tested and vetted by Apple for design, taste, reliability and viability. A bit of mild scatology is OK, but indecency is right out. The App Store is open to all, but you must be properly dressed.
With more than 18 million iPhones in use around the globe (700,000 or more in Australia), plus a similar number of iPod touches, it is a market of about 40 million devices and growing.
And, just as the World Wide Web became a marketplace, so are iPhone apps developing a commercial species. The champion so far, with 900,000 downloads, is a free app not yet available in Australia, a game that's actually a marketing tool for Volkswagen.
The user drives a virtual car over a course on the iPhone's screen and checks details of its performance and features.
Many companies see an entertaining iPhone application as a good way to reinforce a brand.
So, the iPhone is changing the face of advertising.
But the apps must be good.
"Apple won't accept rubbish, anything crude or that doesn't work properly," says Daniel Kagan, of LookOut Mobile, the Melbourne company that produced Aussie Rules Live, an app backed by the AFL.
It brings to footy fanatics live scores, text commentary, goal kickers, ladder updates and other information. And because the footy fan's other hand is probably holding a beer or a meat pie, it uses the iPhone's accelerometer - just shake the iPhone and all onscreen details are updated.
Marc Edwards, a Melbourne software developer, has five apps in the shop under his Bjango brand and more on the way. They range from an adaptation of his iStat computer performance monitor, to Jobs, a scheduling app for tradesmen; Cities and Darkness, both world clocks; and Phases, a cute moon phase monitor.
The Plasq group, also of Melbourne, which built Comic Life and other applications popular on the Macintosh, has Comic Touch and a "galactic" game, Pharos IV: Assault, in the iTunes Store.
Graham Dawson, a Sydney developer whose main interests are astrology and spirituality, built the popular OzWeather app that set a minor record for longevity in the top-10 list on the Australian iTunes Store. It went up last November and wiped the floor with an earlier weather app.
"The key is to present information clearly and quickly in an appealing way. If you do that you will do well, even if someone else has a similar app," says Mr Dawson.
With so many apps in the store, competition is fierce.
New apps enjoy brief prominence and are then rated according to downloads and user reviews. Good results there, even a top-10 listing, boost visibility and traffic.
The idea behind the app is everything. It must be simple and, says Marc Edwards, something you would like to have yourself. It might be a function, a game or a cute and ingenious toy, such as the SMULE Ocarina, developed by Ge Wang, professor of music at Stanford University's technology school. He sold more than 400,000 downloads at US90cents in the first month, and the flow of sales, while now slower, continues.
The ocarina is the world's oldest flute. Its 21st-century digital version makes music when the user blows into the iPhone's microphone. You can also listen to other ocarina players around the world in real time, because you're connected to the mobile phone network.
Grant Hull, of Adelaide outfit Enabled Solutions, which works with, among others, advertising agencies, put Newton's Cradle on the iPhone. More than a million have been downloaded. The free version held second place in global popularity for a near-record period. Mr Hull says it was the loss leader that built traffic. A "pro" version is now making him money at $A2.49 a download.
Further, traffic to his company website soared an astonishing 2500 per cent (at peak it was 11,500 per cent). "That shows the huge potential the App Store has to increase brand awareness," he says. He finds advertising agencies are increasingly aware of how apps create brand experiences.
Business applications are proliferating, as are those for doctors, engineers, electricians, and psychologists - name the profession, trade or diversion and there will be an app for it.
US business magazine Forbes recently noted that to cut costs in the dire economic environment, companies are giving travellers iPhones filled with applications to help them book flights, organise their time and deliver presentations.
Forbes reporter Bonnie Ruberg wrote: "The iPhone isn't just a fancy toy for making calls, listening to music and sending emails. It's a powerful business tool with hundreds of applications, GPS and communication."
NovaMind, of Brisbane, one of the world's leading mind-mapping software companies, now has an iPhone app - a portable note-taker that interacts with the main desktop-based application to update or produce a full-scale mind map.
And then there are games - a huge sector in the App Store - coming from individuals as well as well-known companies such as Electronic Arts, which has adapted Monopoly and Sim City, and other games such as Yahtzee, Spore and Sudoku.
Business applications include FileAid, developed by a Swiss-Australian team of Jerome Bedat and Michael Fuhrman. Mr Bedat is in Melbourne brushing up his English and responding to customers on his MacBook in a St Kilda cafe.
FileAid allows users to read on their iPhones almost any kind of file - Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Pages, Numbers, Keynote, jpegs, MP3 files and much more. It costs $6 and is being heavily downloaded daily (Apple does not permit disclosure of downloads for paid apps).
Apple takes a 30 per cent cut of the revenue earned by paid apps, but hosts free apps at no cost. It declines to say how much money is changing hands, but that is not the main point - this is about the race to become the dominant mobile computing platform. Apple's competitors are Google's Android - although the two companies have close alliances - Nokia's Symbian, Research in Motion (the BlackBerry) and Palm. Microsoft has Windows Mobile but, like Symbian, it appears to be struggling.
"This is a 100-yard sprint," says Gartner analyst Ken Dulaney, "and right now Apple is 75 yards down the track while the other guys are trying to get out of the blocks."
All apps on deck for cities' guiding player
Bon vivants and strolling players around Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, New York, London and Barcelona (a great place for bars and international mobile-phone conferences) will know of the Deck of Secrets guides - $10 packs of cards offering guidance on good places to eat, drink, shop and generally be merry.
The Melbourne-based company is run by Michelle Matthews (pictured below), who we hope will forgive us for describing her as an iPhone app tragic. She's filled all nine app screens on her iPhone: a total of 148.
"I don't go in for games but love photography, social networking and utilities," Ms Matthews says. She also, of course, includes the nine Deck of Secrets apps so far built for her by Melbourne software developer Shaun Ervine.
The first app, called Drink, a guide to good bars in Melbourne, was quickly followed by Eat, Shop and Go. The app provides a profile of each bar, and the GPS facility in the 3G iPhone allows users to check the proximity of the nearest watering hole and get a Google map to guide their steps.
Onscreen buttons allow phoning the establishment to make a reservation, emailing a friend to organise a meeting, and putting the address and a picture of the bar into the iPhone's address book.
Ms Matthews says plenty more apps are on the way, mirroring her card-based publications. To find them, search in iTunes App Store for "Deck of Secrets".
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Monday, April 13, 2009
Sunday, April 12, 2009
just got the flick - here's my pitch
I am writing to you regarding a BDM role.
I'd be grateful if you could spare 30 minutes of your time to meet with me to discuss your business needs and how my experience may be of benefit. Here are the top five reasons why we should meet...
1) World's top brands:
I've worked on the world's top brand for the past 10 years. I’d love to talk about what experience and expertise means for my clients...
2) Digital diversification:
The digital space is forever growing and ever evolving. I've diversified my cross-channel experience to embrace the world of digital: eCommerce, microsite, CMS, eDM, banners, Branded iPhone application, digital content creation, WOM campaigns (forums, blogging, viral, social media), SEO/SEM, SMS campaigns. I'd love to talk about all things digital with you...
3) Digital integration:
I've thread digital strategy into all areas of the integrated patchwork: online, DM, retail, experiential, mobile, digital PR, sales promotion, branded content. I'd love to talk integrated digital strategy with you...
4) Love byte (what I love about digital):
The endless possibilities of the digital space excites me and blows me away. It intrigues me. It inspires me. It captures me. It challenges me. It motivates me. I'd love to talk about the endless possibilities of the digital space with you...
5) I love to hunt:
I love the chase, the thrill of the hunt and the satisfaction of rocking my clients boat. New business and spreading ideas that excite, motivate and inspire is what I?m about. I’d love to talk about new business opportunities with you...
Lets Chat
Gregory Stone
I'd be grateful if you could spare 30 minutes of your time to meet with me to discuss your business needs and how my experience may be of benefit. Here are the top five reasons why we should meet...
1) World's top brands:
I've worked on the world's top brand for the past 10 years. I’d love to talk about what experience and expertise means for my clients...
2) Digital diversification:
The digital space is forever growing and ever evolving. I've diversified my cross-channel experience to embrace the world of digital: eCommerce, microsite, CMS, eDM, banners, Branded iPhone application, digital content creation, WOM campaigns (forums, blogging, viral, social media), SEO/SEM, SMS campaigns. I'd love to talk about all things digital with you...
3) Digital integration:
I've thread digital strategy into all areas of the integrated patchwork: online, DM, retail, experiential, mobile, digital PR, sales promotion, branded content. I'd love to talk integrated digital strategy with you...
4) Love byte (what I love about digital):
The endless possibilities of the digital space excites me and blows me away. It intrigues me. It inspires me. It captures me. It challenges me. It motivates me. I'd love to talk about the endless possibilities of the digital space with you...
5) I love to hunt:
I love the chase, the thrill of the hunt and the satisfaction of rocking my clients boat. New business and spreading ideas that excite, motivate and inspire is what I?m about. I’d love to talk about new business opportunities with you...
Lets Chat
Gregory Stone
10 reasons
1. If you don’t have passion for the place, you’ll fail.
Our history has frequently been defined by heroic efforts. And, let’s face it, what we do is demanding. It’s not that the days are too long here, it’s that they’re too short. To succeed you have to thrive on taxing challenges and internalize your work as a connected part of your life. We don’t offer jobs, we offer careers.
2. Extreme Service means busting your butt for the client. Every day.
We do whatever it takes to be fast, accurate, responsive and proactive with the people who pay our bills and cement our future. Even when it hurts.
3. We’re addicted to momentum. Without it, we wither.
From the very start, this company was founded by people who leaned into the wind and kept going. Momentum takes you places; it’s powerful and provides cultural energy--energy that we each feed on. Grab an oar or get off the boat.
4. If it won’t sell, don’t do it.
A source for our momentum is the understanding that what we create has to be purchased by someone. If we’re not adding value to what we do, we are wasting our talent. It’s as simple as that.
5. You’re allowed to laugh your way through a problem.
Never in our history have we forgotten to laugh--no matter how hard the work, how high the stress, or how rough the day. Constantly. Humor is at the core of who we are, and when we work hard, we laugh harder.
6. Opportunity exists here. Find it.
You could say we are entrepreneurial, but we’re more than that. We believe to our core that talent has no limits, and we’re driven by taking on challenges, trying new things and learning from our mistakes. Rewards come to those who recognize opportunities and are willing to take risks and grab them.
7. Take initiative. Period.
People who succeed here take powerful ownership of their own roles and learning opportunities, and don’t wait for information to come to them. Find your own answers and push for better ways to do things. Lead on the fly, learn from your mistakes and ask for forgiveness later.
8. Making friends replaces our organizational hierarchy.
We’re not big on structure—never have been and probably never will be. To get things done, we make personal connections to our teammates at all levels of the organization, and we help each other because we want to. This is why you’ll see leadership from every nook and cranny of our organization, not just from the top.
9. Integrity is more than a word to us. It’s in our DNA.
Every relationship we enjoy is built upon trust. We trust each other, and we work hard to earn the trust of our customers. It’s a very powerful bond that we don’t take for granted.
10. Our calling is improving lives by what we do.
No matter who they are, or what part of the world they live in, people define themselves by the work that they do. It’s unavoidable. Work can make us feel appreciated or ignored, connected or isolated, competent or foolish; and have a profound effect on every part of our lives. At Kenexa, we believe that when people are in jobs they love, they are not only more productive employees, they are also better parents, friends, partners and neighbors. Our work is to make this happen for everyone. It’s our passion—our purpose—and it’s how we serve humanity worldwide every day.
Our history has frequently been defined by heroic efforts. And, let’s face it, what we do is demanding. It’s not that the days are too long here, it’s that they’re too short. To succeed you have to thrive on taxing challenges and internalize your work as a connected part of your life. We don’t offer jobs, we offer careers.
2. Extreme Service means busting your butt for the client. Every day.
We do whatever it takes to be fast, accurate, responsive and proactive with the people who pay our bills and cement our future. Even when it hurts.
3. We’re addicted to momentum. Without it, we wither.
From the very start, this company was founded by people who leaned into the wind and kept going. Momentum takes you places; it’s powerful and provides cultural energy--energy that we each feed on. Grab an oar or get off the boat.
4. If it won’t sell, don’t do it.
A source for our momentum is the understanding that what we create has to be purchased by someone. If we’re not adding value to what we do, we are wasting our talent. It’s as simple as that.
5. You’re allowed to laugh your way through a problem.
Never in our history have we forgotten to laugh--no matter how hard the work, how high the stress, or how rough the day. Constantly. Humor is at the core of who we are, and when we work hard, we laugh harder.
6. Opportunity exists here. Find it.
You could say we are entrepreneurial, but we’re more than that. We believe to our core that talent has no limits, and we’re driven by taking on challenges, trying new things and learning from our mistakes. Rewards come to those who recognize opportunities and are willing to take risks and grab them.
7. Take initiative. Period.
People who succeed here take powerful ownership of their own roles and learning opportunities, and don’t wait for information to come to them. Find your own answers and push for better ways to do things. Lead on the fly, learn from your mistakes and ask for forgiveness later.
8. Making friends replaces our organizational hierarchy.
We’re not big on structure—never have been and probably never will be. To get things done, we make personal connections to our teammates at all levels of the organization, and we help each other because we want to. This is why you’ll see leadership from every nook and cranny of our organization, not just from the top.
9. Integrity is more than a word to us. It’s in our DNA.
Every relationship we enjoy is built upon trust. We trust each other, and we work hard to earn the trust of our customers. It’s a very powerful bond that we don’t take for granted.
10. Our calling is improving lives by what we do.
No matter who they are, or what part of the world they live in, people define themselves by the work that they do. It’s unavoidable. Work can make us feel appreciated or ignored, connected or isolated, competent or foolish; and have a profound effect on every part of our lives. At Kenexa, we believe that when people are in jobs they love, they are not only more productive employees, they are also better parents, friends, partners and neighbors. Our work is to make this happen for everyone. It’s our passion—our purpose—and it’s how we serve humanity worldwide every day.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Webling Sales Pipeline management process
Webling successful Account professionals strategically manage their long-term sales cycle from start to finish. We resist the temptation to focus too much on one stage, such as closing sales.
Instead identifying each stage of the process and allocate time and resources so we can reach our sales goals consistently.
“Management of the long-term sales cycle is called "pipeline management" and involves identifying sales stages and what needs to be accomplished in each stage. Good pipeline management continually invests in activities that generate sales opportunities and follows each opportunity from the front end through completion and follow-up.”
Our focus is to effectively discover and develop sales opportunities within existing accounts and to develop new business (the front of the sales pipeline).
Benefits of good pipeline management
A mismanaged sales pipeline won't produce the results you want, whether you are a sales manager or an account executive. Good sales pipeline management, on the other hand, can give you the following benefits:
Long-term focus In many sales organizations, the pressure to produce revenue now — today, this week, this quarter — is so strong that it puts too much pressure and attention on the back end of the pipeline: closing the sale. By using good pipeline management techniques, you don't lose focus on the front end: prospecting for and developing opportunities.
Elimination of peaks and valleys A well-managed pipeline improves your sales forecasting and helps you reach sales goals more consistently.
Allocation of resources to strategic, profitable opportunities Instead of taking the "shoot anything that moves" approach, sales professionals plan their approach to keep qualified opportunities moving along the sales pipeline.
Better follow-through on sales opportunities Not following through in a timely manner is a pipeline leak — and a waste of precious resources. Managing the pipeline from start to finish seals those leaks.
The message is clear: You can't afford to neglect either end of the pipeline or to have leaks along the way.
Improving pipeline management
Good pipeline management conserves your selling resources and pays off in higher realized sales. Here are some ways you can improve pipeline management.
Balance your focus
Whether you are an account executive or a sales manager, you must balance your focus between long-term and short-term sales results. The pressure to make current daily, weekly, or monthly goals must not take undue attention away from seeking new opportunities and attending to every stage of the sales pipeline.
Apply discipline
Account/Sales professionals and their managers must keep an eye on the sales pipeline by establishing review points — points at which they review activities, probabilities, desired outcomes, and forecasting guidelines. Managers must establish clear standards for reviewing and evaluating the sales pipeline, and create plans for follow-up meetings and reviews.
Clarify expectations
The "management" part of sales pipeline management requires accountability, activity, and measurement of results. Sales professionals and sales managers need to know what to expect from each other. They must agree on how often and how detailed pipeline reviews must be and on how important these reviews are to the organization.
The following table shows a generic summary of possible pipeline stages with probabilities and desired outcomes.
Sales stage - Possible activities - Closing probability index - Goal
Creating interest
Customer research
Customer qualification
Prospecting calls
Database development
Message creation
Sales call planning
Goal = Customer agreeing to listen
Questioning
Exploring
Defining buying process
Listening
Goal = Qualified opportunity "Is there a compelling reason to move ahead?"
Qualifying Opportunity
Validating needs and issues
Assessing competition
Deciding bid/no-bid
Goal =Verbally agreeing to discuss solution
Needs-based selling
Preparing a "mutual" value proposition
Sales presentations
Sales proposals
Persuading
Goal =Clear reason (value) to buy from me/us "If I ... will you?"
Closing
Answering/addressing objections
Removing barriers
Establishing statement of work
Goal= Agreeing on solution Signed agreement/contract
Follow-up
Building on the relationship
Goal = Contracted/scheduled delivery plan
Manage risk
Sales managers will create bid/no-bid guidelines to help sales teams assess sales opportunities and minimize the risk of pursuing unprofitable opportunities.
Sales Process with in CRM
We use a sales pipeline rating technique called "Solution Selling" where we identify and qualify our prospects thru to Customers..
Leads
1. New
2. Identified Prospect (this is a good prospect for our business)
3. Qualified Prospect (we have identified they possibly have a need)
4. Sales Call Planning and execution (here we work out how we can “create value” for the prospect and help them see they have a need)
5. Qualified Lead (we have explored and defined a need exists)
6. Marketing & Presentation (preparing a mutual value proposition sales presentation)
7. Verbal agreement to discuss (possible opportunity decided bid /no bid)
8. On Hold
9. No Value
10. Lost
Opportunity (0% to 100%)
1. Qualifying Needs (Validating needs and issues Assessing competition)
2. Preparing Value proposition (preparing a mutual value proposition sales presentation)
3. Sales Presentation (needs qualified and Agreed to discuss solution)
4. Requirement Gathering
5. Generate ideas, strategies
6. BDM and PM develops proposal (Proposal delivered)
7. Refining Solution
8. Verbal approval
9. Formal approval
10. Job won
11. On Hold
12. Lost
Good management leads to success
Applying sound sales pipeline management techniques improves the accuracy of your sales forecasts and revenue projections. A sales pipeline that is well managed from beginning to end is critical to the success of any organization.
:)
Instead identifying each stage of the process and allocate time and resources so we can reach our sales goals consistently.
“Management of the long-term sales cycle is called "pipeline management" and involves identifying sales stages and what needs to be accomplished in each stage. Good pipeline management continually invests in activities that generate sales opportunities and follows each opportunity from the front end through completion and follow-up.”
Our focus is to effectively discover and develop sales opportunities within existing accounts and to develop new business (the front of the sales pipeline).
Benefits of good pipeline management
A mismanaged sales pipeline won't produce the results you want, whether you are a sales manager or an account executive. Good sales pipeline management, on the other hand, can give you the following benefits:
Long-term focus In many sales organizations, the pressure to produce revenue now — today, this week, this quarter — is so strong that it puts too much pressure and attention on the back end of the pipeline: closing the sale. By using good pipeline management techniques, you don't lose focus on the front end: prospecting for and developing opportunities.
Elimination of peaks and valleys A well-managed pipeline improves your sales forecasting and helps you reach sales goals more consistently.
Allocation of resources to strategic, profitable opportunities Instead of taking the "shoot anything that moves" approach, sales professionals plan their approach to keep qualified opportunities moving along the sales pipeline.
Better follow-through on sales opportunities Not following through in a timely manner is a pipeline leak — and a waste of precious resources. Managing the pipeline from start to finish seals those leaks.
The message is clear: You can't afford to neglect either end of the pipeline or to have leaks along the way.
Improving pipeline management
Good pipeline management conserves your selling resources and pays off in higher realized sales. Here are some ways you can improve pipeline management.
Balance your focus
Whether you are an account executive or a sales manager, you must balance your focus between long-term and short-term sales results. The pressure to make current daily, weekly, or monthly goals must not take undue attention away from seeking new opportunities and attending to every stage of the sales pipeline.
Apply discipline
Account/Sales professionals and their managers must keep an eye on the sales pipeline by establishing review points — points at which they review activities, probabilities, desired outcomes, and forecasting guidelines. Managers must establish clear standards for reviewing and evaluating the sales pipeline, and create plans for follow-up meetings and reviews.
Clarify expectations
The "management" part of sales pipeline management requires accountability, activity, and measurement of results. Sales professionals and sales managers need to know what to expect from each other. They must agree on how often and how detailed pipeline reviews must be and on how important these reviews are to the organization.
The following table shows a generic summary of possible pipeline stages with probabilities and desired outcomes.
Sales stage - Possible activities - Closing probability index - Goal
Creating interest
Customer research
Customer qualification
Prospecting calls
Database development
Message creation
Sales call planning
Goal = Customer agreeing to listen
Questioning
Exploring
Defining buying process
Listening
Goal = Qualified opportunity "Is there a compelling reason to move ahead?"
Qualifying Opportunity
Validating needs and issues
Assessing competition
Deciding bid/no-bid
Goal =Verbally agreeing to discuss solution
Needs-based selling
Preparing a "mutual" value proposition
Sales presentations
Sales proposals
Persuading
Goal =Clear reason (value) to buy from me/us "If I ... will you?"
Closing
Answering/addressing objections
Removing barriers
Establishing statement of work
Goal= Agreeing on solution Signed agreement/contract
Follow-up
Building on the relationship
Goal = Contracted/scheduled delivery plan
Manage risk
Sales managers will create bid/no-bid guidelines to help sales teams assess sales opportunities and minimize the risk of pursuing unprofitable opportunities.
Sales Process with in CRM
We use a sales pipeline rating technique called "Solution Selling" where we identify and qualify our prospects thru to Customers..
Leads
1. New
2. Identified Prospect (this is a good prospect for our business)
3. Qualified Prospect (we have identified they possibly have a need)
4. Sales Call Planning and execution (here we work out how we can “create value” for the prospect and help them see they have a need)
5. Qualified Lead (we have explored and defined a need exists)
6. Marketing & Presentation (preparing a mutual value proposition sales presentation)
7. Verbal agreement to discuss (possible opportunity decided bid /no bid)
8. On Hold
9. No Value
10. Lost
Opportunity (0% to 100%)
1. Qualifying Needs (Validating needs and issues Assessing competition)
2. Preparing Value proposition (preparing a mutual value proposition sales presentation)
3. Sales Presentation (needs qualified and Agreed to discuss solution)
4. Requirement Gathering
5. Generate ideas, strategies
6. BDM and PM develops proposal (Proposal delivered)
7. Refining Solution
8. Verbal approval
9. Formal approval
10. Job won
11. On Hold
12. Lost
Good management leads to success
Applying sound sales pipeline management techniques improves the accuracy of your sales forecasts and revenue projections. A sales pipeline that is well managed from beginning to end is critical to the success of any organization.
:)
Friday, April 03, 2009
How NOT to use Social media
How NOT to use Social media
Social media as a marketing tool is a vast and often difficult area to venture into. While most people have a vague idea of how to use social media it isn’t necessarily easy to find out where and how to get started. Luckily there are plenty of resources out there talking about the great possibilities posed by social media for marketing purposes and how to do it. What we haven’t been able to find is an article that explains how NOT to use social media, so here it is. Social media is a great concept that advertising and media agencies are eagerly trying to take advantage of – and with good reason. However, in their eagerness to engage with consumers they sometimes do not spend enough time getting familiar with the dynamics of social media and the characteristics of its users. This list of don’t dos is not generally ordered by importance, but the first point in the list does hold a special place of importance based on our experiences with not too web savvy marketing planners.
1) Don’t try to invent your own version of something that already exists.
There is little reason to offer social networking facilities on your corporate or product website. Actually there is plenty of reason not to do it. Social sites like Facebook are already doing it, they’re doing it great, and they have millions of users. People who use social networking sites to connect with their friends are not going to ditch Facebook for your site. And fact is that generally people do not use social networking sites to find new friends – they use them to connect with the friends they already have, which means they are going to use the social networking site that their friends use.
2) Don’t try to take advantage of every possible social media site out there.
There are too many of them, and your efforts are much more likely to pay off if you put some real effort into the ones you feel are the best ones for your purpose, instead of targeting too many and not putting the effort needed into any of them. Our suggestion would be to select a few of the larger social media sites and a number of smaller and more specialized ones that match your field of interest.
3) Don’t try to sell your product on social media sites.
Social media users are notorious for being wary of advertising and marketing. Some social media communities are more marketing hostile than others, but as a general rule of thumb it is a good idea to refrain from trying to push anything onto social media users. Take your time getting to know the community and find out what is appreciated and what isn’t. Use social media primarily for product awareness, branding, and interaction with interested consumers.
4) Don’t use social media if you want clear editorial control over your brand and message.
But let’s face it. Chances are you don’t have that anyway. The internet is largely unregulated and anyone can say what they want about your brand and your products. You could try to use social media and SEO to gain more control about your brand by pushing bad PR down in the search listings. Do however be prepared for anything when you engage in social media, you never know how your audience is going to respond.
5) Don’t use social media solely as a link strategy.
While social media can certainly be part of a link strategy, it would be a shame to use additional incoming links as the only measure of success. The “side effects” to a successful social media link building campaign are too good to be ignored and could include branding, traffic, loyalty, trust, credibility, love, etc. One of the big changes to traditional online marketing, brought on by social media, is the need for companies to shift focus from their corporate or product websites towards “satellite” outlets in the different social media communities. After all, it is a lot easier to get consumers to engage with you if you come to them instead of waiting for them to come to you.
6) Don’t engage in social media if your company is perceived as an unfriendly, arrogant, cynical, and uncaring company and you prefer to keep it that way.
Social media optimisation is a unique opportunity to engage with consumers and show them that you are in fact a human, trustworthy, listening, and responsible company that cares about its consumers.
The very last word of advice also comes from our experience with advertising and media people, but this is exactly what they are so good at! They may have a thing or two to learn about the more technical “how”s, but they certainly know their “what”s and the importance of connecting with consumers is one of the things that has stuck with us the most. For a quick (and funny) lesson on the relationship between advertiser and consumer, watch this short video
Social media as a marketing tool is a vast and often difficult area to venture into. While most people have a vague idea of how to use social media it isn’t necessarily easy to find out where and how to get started. Luckily there are plenty of resources out there talking about the great possibilities posed by social media for marketing purposes and how to do it. What we haven’t been able to find is an article that explains how NOT to use social media, so here it is. Social media is a great concept that advertising and media agencies are eagerly trying to take advantage of – and with good reason. However, in their eagerness to engage with consumers they sometimes do not spend enough time getting familiar with the dynamics of social media and the characteristics of its users. This list of don’t dos is not generally ordered by importance, but the first point in the list does hold a special place of importance based on our experiences with not too web savvy marketing planners.
1) Don’t try to invent your own version of something that already exists.
There is little reason to offer social networking facilities on your corporate or product website. Actually there is plenty of reason not to do it. Social sites like Facebook are already doing it, they’re doing it great, and they have millions of users. People who use social networking sites to connect with their friends are not going to ditch Facebook for your site. And fact is that generally people do not use social networking sites to find new friends – they use them to connect with the friends they already have, which means they are going to use the social networking site that their friends use.
2) Don’t try to take advantage of every possible social media site out there.
There are too many of them, and your efforts are much more likely to pay off if you put some real effort into the ones you feel are the best ones for your purpose, instead of targeting too many and not putting the effort needed into any of them. Our suggestion would be to select a few of the larger social media sites and a number of smaller and more specialized ones that match your field of interest.
3) Don’t try to sell your product on social media sites.
Social media users are notorious for being wary of advertising and marketing. Some social media communities are more marketing hostile than others, but as a general rule of thumb it is a good idea to refrain from trying to push anything onto social media users. Take your time getting to know the community and find out what is appreciated and what isn’t. Use social media primarily for product awareness, branding, and interaction with interested consumers.
4) Don’t use social media if you want clear editorial control over your brand and message.
But let’s face it. Chances are you don’t have that anyway. The internet is largely unregulated and anyone can say what they want about your brand and your products. You could try to use social media and SEO to gain more control about your brand by pushing bad PR down in the search listings. Do however be prepared for anything when you engage in social media, you never know how your audience is going to respond.
5) Don’t use social media solely as a link strategy.
While social media can certainly be part of a link strategy, it would be a shame to use additional incoming links as the only measure of success. The “side effects” to a successful social media link building campaign are too good to be ignored and could include branding, traffic, loyalty, trust, credibility, love, etc. One of the big changes to traditional online marketing, brought on by social media, is the need for companies to shift focus from their corporate or product websites towards “satellite” outlets in the different social media communities. After all, it is a lot easier to get consumers to engage with you if you come to them instead of waiting for them to come to you.
6) Don’t engage in social media if your company is perceived as an unfriendly, arrogant, cynical, and uncaring company and you prefer to keep it that way.
Social media optimisation is a unique opportunity to engage with consumers and show them that you are in fact a human, trustworthy, listening, and responsible company that cares about its consumers.
The very last word of advice also comes from our experience with advertising and media people, but this is exactly what they are so good at! They may have a thing or two to learn about the more technical “how”s, but they certainly know their “what”s and the importance of connecting with consumers is one of the things that has stuck with us the most. For a quick (and funny) lesson on the relationship between advertiser and consumer, watch this short video
Wednesday, April 01, 2009
Can’t live without your Tic Tac?
Can’t live without your Tic Tac? Now you can take them anywhere on your iPhone or iPod Touch!
Introducing the official Tic Tac application - choose your favorite flavour, shake them around, hear them rattle, pour them out, play jokes on your friends!
* Realistic Tic Tac physics - watch them turn, spin & shake
* Four favorite flavours - Spearmint, Orange, Peppermint and Extra Strong
* Play tricks on your friends - flick the pack open, pretend you’re eating them, hide a real pack behind your iPhone and pretend you’re pouring them out… the possibilities are endless.
Shake it up and keep it fresh with Tic Tac for your iPhone/iPod Touch available NOW on the iTunes App Store!
More Info:
http://tictac.com.au/iphone/support/
Download Link:
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=308919272&mt=8
Thanks in advance for considering the app for review.
Introducing the official Tic Tac application - choose your favorite flavour, shake them around, hear them rattle, pour them out, play jokes on your friends!
* Realistic Tic Tac physics - watch them turn, spin & shake
* Four favorite flavours - Spearmint, Orange, Peppermint and Extra Strong
* Play tricks on your friends - flick the pack open, pretend you’re eating them, hide a real pack behind your iPhone and pretend you’re pouring them out… the possibilities are endless.
Shake it up and keep it fresh with Tic Tac for your iPhone/iPod Touch available NOW on the iTunes App Store!
More Info:
http://tictac.com.au/iphone/support/
Download Link:
http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewSoftware?id=308919272&mt=8
Thanks in advance for considering the app for review.
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