Social Media Case Study -- eNurturing!
My social media tip of the week is on eNurturing!!!
Do you have problems with email address changes? For us, sometimes 50% of our e-mails were not being delivered.
We needed to update our e-mail addresses and optins for tens of thousands of customers so that we could continue to inform them of our latest announcements and offers. Instead of executing an expensive contact discovery campaign, we developed a fun, viral opt-in campaign that targets our target audience.
The campaign focused on how by understanding and using our products, so that the user can become “Rock Stars” of their office. We target these audiences both at face to face events and online via a microsite – we use both traditional and viral techniques to drive to the web and to the events.
We staged a successful pilot at a conference in April, which we then rolled out worldwide via the Web and other local events.
Here is how it worked:
A Rock Star photo booth is set up to take pictures of participants against the “You Rock” magazine cover of their choice. The magazine covers have rock theme messaging for products celebrating anniversaries. If the customers agree to opt in, they receive a printed magazine cover, followed by an e-mail to drive them to the “You Rock” microsite to obtain PDF versions of magazine covers to forward to their friends.
While on that site, the can also link to product information. The photo booth concept was so successful – there was constantly a line for people wanting to get their rockstar picture and there was a real buzz about it throughout the conference. This simple tactic brought in almost 900 new opt ins.
On the microsite, individuals can select from a variety of magazine covers and import photos to build PDFs. Over 1,200 people have accessed the site to build a magazine cover and in the process many have also watched product demos or enrolled in local events.
User feedback indicates this microsite is fun, entertaining, and gets our user base excited about being part of the community. We are currently translating it into Japanese.
The Results:
The “You Rock” viral opt-in campaign is an innovative and low cost use way to build loyalty and excitement about our brand amongst the base and also ensure that they are up to date the latest product announcements and offers. By increasing our number of opt ins this way we can continue to build a relationship and market relevant products and services to our customer base in the future.
Check it out!!!!
What is Marketing 2.0?
What is MARKETING 2.0?
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BU8jdpTTaUc&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0&border=1]
It is leveraging and using a combination of traditional marketing methods like direct mail, e-mail and events with the new Web 2.0 technology such as Twitter, Serious Gaming, Blogs, Facebook, MySpace, RSS, Widgets and so on. Combining the traditional with Web 2.0 technology creates a powerful marketing phenomenon that will bring great results in any marketplace!
Blogging for Travelers!!!
Being in the dialogue – Midwest Airlines
With 20% of employees at large U.S. companies now contributing to blogs, social networks, and other Web 2.0 services (according to IDC), the trend is no surprise, with companies finding ways to capitalize on this activity with their own social networks because of the competitive advantages they can gain. Marketers have long acknowledged that word-of-mouth is important but that communication was always going in one-direction. Blogging has taken one-way conversations of many-to-one and flipped it on its head. The blogger has an equal voice and has as much opportunity to be heard as huge corporations or government institutions.
Blogging is important because it helps put a face on the large faceless mask of large institutions. Suddenly someone can reach out and touch a person and seek out their perspective, expertise, or just plain say “Hello, thanks for being out here.” There is power in the corporate blog. Midwest Airlines leveraged their blog to create a personal connection to a new group of customers – traveling women. With more and more value being placed on service, Midwest Airlines wanted to have a blog that was targeted at the traveling population of woman for getaways, but one that had a personal touch. Tish Robison started their blog which features services that are of interest to woman.
But those aren’t the reasons why Tish has a community willing to even wear Travel with Tish t-shirts! The blog has a following because it is written from a personal point of view. For example, she told me that she includes items like the amount of walking involved, or recommendations for when and when not to take a cab. Marketing’s job is to provide a lens for Midwest’s blogging personality, for the market to see that personality. The crucial part is to find someone who can make it personal, relevant and true. The ROI has been excellent, providing approximately a 10:1 return, though much more return can be assumed that may have been triggered by the blog, but booked using alternative methods. Blogs can extend your corporate personality and can be a very valuable source of information. Midwest
is gaining insight into one segment of its customers need. Check it out and meet my friend Tish!!!
The Ava Awards!!! Social Media Videos from IBM SOA Win!
The Ava Awards have just been posted on their Web site!!
Two of our IBM Social Media entries received awards!!!!
Platinum Award
-- World Tour "Get Smart" Videos --
http://www.youtube.com/smartsoa
Gold Award
-- Innov8 Trailer --
http://www-01.ibm.com/software/solutions/soa/innov8.html
The international Ava Awards recognizes outstanding work by creative professionals involved in the concept, writing, direction, shooting, and editing of audio-visual materials and programs. Entries include film, analog and digital productions viewed in a wide variety of mediums- from movie screens to televisions to computers. Entrants include video and film production companies, web developers, advertising agencies, PR firms, corporate and government communication departments, producers, directors, editors, and shooters.
Ava Awards is administered and judged by the Association of Marketing and Communication Professionals (AMCP). The international organization consists of several thousand production, marketing, communication, advertising, public relations, and free-lance professionals. The Association administers recognition programs; provides judges and rewards outstanding achievement and service to the profession.
First post! Why this blog?
I am extremely excited by the new marketing technologies are rapidly driving change in the marketplace and as a result have created new methods in engaging customers with blogs, wikis, videos, serious gaming, virtual worlds, twitter, facebook and social networking.
So excited in fact, that I wrote a book on my own successful experiences in social marketing coupled with over 54 customer case studies.
Who am I? Sandy Carter a Vice President at IBM and avid marketeer!
I am kicking off this blog to share insightful perspectives on next generation of marketing 2.0 techniques that address the complexities of today's business world and hopefully drive better ROI!