How do you make your content go viral — offline?
Oct 25th
You’re probably stressed.
It’s likely that you (and your customer contacts) are doing the job that used to be done by three people. The information density of our world is overwhelming. Budgets and resources have been slashed.
It seems that everything is working against our ability to connect with customers and share information that could influence a purchasing decision and close a deal!
On the Internet side of the business, a new model for personal power and influence has emerged. Enabled by widespread access to high-speed Internet and free publishing tools like blogging and Facebook, a new generation of influencers has emerged who have created a niche by being able to create compelling content and move it through an engaged network.
So now I want to take this idea a step further and push this thinking a new way. If you have been immersed in the social web for awhile, this idea of influence probably makes sense. But how do we apply this same model to the OFFLINE world?
How do we establish power and influence by creating compelling content and moving it through a HUMAN network instead of a digital one?
For example, success in sales often depends on your ability to tell the story of your company and the benefits of your product. But that task is more difficult than ever. The competition is fierce, and your procurement contacts have less and less time to learn about what you do … let alone understand it.
So how can we use Web 2.0 communication tools to break through the clutter and move our marketing message virally through Procurement, through corporate gatekeepers, and into the hearts and minds of executive decision-makers?
Here are a few lessons from moving content online that might help move it offline too:
Infographics – While we might be weary of infographics, wouldn’t that be an interesting way to cut through the clutter with a busy purchasing manager? Instead of giving them a glossy brochure or power point presentation, why not a one-page, cleverly-designed picture of your business?
Aggregate content – When I interview customers during my market research activities, I always ask them what they hate about their jobs. I look for activities that my client might be able to take on for them to make them indispensable. The answer usually leads back to something about stress and a lack of time to get things done. How can you use Web 2.0 utilities to help customers solve problems and save time? Can you aggregate industry content in a helpful way so that a message from your company cuts through the clutter once a week?
Make ‘em say wow – Let’s face it. Most company corporate communications are bland. They’re little more than glossy, buzz-laden press releases. Yet the communications that really stand out and get shared ENTERTAIN people! Do you remember the day last year when the Google logo was a little PacMan game? If you saw it, I’ll bet you remember it, played it, and probably shared it. It was a little thing that helped them stand out and make people go “wow!” If you have ever seen an example of a corporate marketing communications that makes you go “wow” I’d like to see it. Rare exceptions … but why?
Visual selling — I don’t know what you call this technique, but many magazines are now doing lists where you can feature the “top 10 of something” by flipping through a picture or graphic and a small amount of text. An example from Inc. is here. This is an effective communincation format when you want to summarize the highlights, yet I have never seen it used out side of this magazine format. Sort of a Flipbook/infographic combination.
I don’t have all the answers, but what do you think about the idea? How can we apply online marketing principles and best practices to the offline world to get to decision makers?
The Corporate Battle of the Facebook Likes
Oct 23rd
One of the best things about my job is that I get to meet executives from many different companies, both big and small. I was having a discussion the other day with a digital marketing executive from a seriously huge brand (can’t politely name it) and he told me this story, which he said was OK to share with you …
His company, a famous consumer products company, became obsessed with assuring that their brands had more Facebook “Likes” than equivalent competitor products. It actually became a marketing strategic goal and part of the annual performance objectives for brand managers.
The brand equity is roughly equivalent to something like “Mr. Clean” — successful, well-known, historic, but not exactly the center of daily conversation. A household given.
The company has two success metrics for this social media initiative: 1) Did the brand have more Likes than the leading competitor and 2) What was the “cost per Like?” So internally, brand managers competed fiercely to have the lowest “Like acquisition cost.”
At first, I was amazed that a major brand would have such a seemingly strange view of marketing success but these are smart people so I gave them the benefit of the doubt and tried to figure out what the possible benefits of this approach might be. Here’s what I dreamed up:
- Perhaps they have research that shows there is important value in the appearance — “the social proof” — of having lots of Facebook Likes versus competitors.
- Maybe they are planning to create exceptional content that will reward those people who like the brand and turn them into fans. I don’t think this is the case, but it could be possible.
- Some studies have come out equating Facebook fans with a dollar value. I am skeptical about these generalizations but maybe they have some new market insight about this potential.
- By creating this internal competition, perhaps they are exploring best practices to garner fans.
- Maybe with this experiment, they are figuring out the most cost-effective way to link paid advertising and interaction on Facebook
On the surface, this battle of Facebook Likes seems arbitrary, but what do you think? What is the possible value? Are people getting caught up in this at your company? Are you linking “Likes” to brand loyalty or sales?
Meet the growtoonists Kacy Maxwell and Joey Strawn
Oct 21st
During a recent visit to Nashville I had the opportunity to catch up with two of my favorite guys for the very first time — the growtoonists!
Kacy Maxwell and Joey Strawn add a fun and unique flavor to {grow} each Friday with their nutty social media cartoons.
I thought you would like to join the fun as we got to know each other a little bit over a beer at Swanky’s Tacos.
They are both very fun guys who contribute a lot to the entertainment value here at {grow}. Agree?
Are there any ethical bloggers left out there?
Oct 20th
With your kind support, {grow} has become a fairly popular blog. With this distinction, I’m deluged with requests to do sponsored posts (companies offering to pay for their promotional content to show up as a blog post).
The scams seem to be getting more aggressive and extreme and I recently pointed out the example of a guy who flat-out lied to me just to get a back-link on this blog. It makes me wonder … if there are so many people trying to pay me to turn {grow} into their advertisement, they must be having enough success to make it worth their while, right?
There must be a critical mass of influential bloggers out there accepting money for blog posts, otherwise these people would go away!
What follows is a word-for-word transcript of messages exchanged between myself and an actual company seeking a paid placement on {grow}. I’ve only changed the real name of the writer and her company because I don’t need to embarass this person …
Hello Mark!
I am interested in content advertising opportunities on your site, Schaefer Marketing Solutions,because of its great pool of write-ups.
By the way, this is Susan Rafstein and I work for Synchristic Hosting.com.
Our company is one of the most reliable guides for webmasters and website development in the market. We offer in-depth reviews of various hosting providers and other web-related tutorials.
Are you interested?
Susan
Susan,
Thanks for connecting with me.
If I am reading your inquiry correctly, you are looking to advertise on my blog. Specifically, what do you have in mind?
Mark
Hi Mark!
You got that right. Actually, I’m looking for a possibility if you can do a review of our company, Synchristic Hosting.com. Tell me how much would it cost us for you to publish the review in the blog area of your website.
Hoping you’ll consider.
Susan
Susan,
Maybe this appears old-fashioned but I think being paid to do a positive review is unethical.
Mark
Mark,
I’m sorry if that didn’t sound right to you Mark. That was just merely a suggestion–didn’t say that the review is gonna lean towards the positive side. But I bet that incase you do you it, we will do good.
Anyway, what about we do a guest post?
Susan
Susan,
In all due respect, you are approaching this “pitch” in a disastrous way.
If I am unwilling to be paid to promote your company through a blog post, why would I do it for free? And how does one “review” a hosting company any way?
I have built my blog and my community on excellent content and I’ve built trust, in part, by not allowing outside companies to convert these great people into sales leads.
Occasionally I do have guest posts from individuals who are active members in the community. I invite them to do posts because they have great ideas or to help them get some exposure for their own work.
However, I’ve never heard of you or your company before so it’s unlikely that I would unleash you on a community of people who have also become my friends.
I would invite you to read my blog, get to know the folks around here, and show up through comments before asking me to promote your content.
This is probably the same reaction you will receive from other trustworthy bloggers, or at least I hope so! If you do a search on “how to pitch to bloggers” I think you will get much of the same advice I’m providing here.
Best wishes, Mark
Hi Mark!
Again, my apologies if I’m sounding a bit off in your standards. Thanks for the advice and I will take note of that.
I’ve been doing this for quite some time now and honestly, you’re the only one who had that reaction. But there’s a first time for everything, right?
Anyway, I’m concluding this as a negative response from you. Thanks for your time.
Susan
P.S.: Just in case you change your mind, you can send me an email anytime.
Another variation on paid content is paying for backlinks. I am routinely being offered $100 per link, even if I sneak them into old blog posts. And while it’s unlikely that many people would ever know about this, I would know about it and it seems … unethical. Or is it? Does anybody out there really care any more or are most bloggers link whores?
I’m also seeing a growing number of bloggers routinely featuring their customer in blog posts. Are they directly or indirectly being paid for these posts and links, or simply being polite? Do blog readers notice this like I do? Do they care? Are we just getting numb to it? Or is it smart business?
When I get inquiries like the one above, I wonder if I am that much out of step with the times compared to other bloggers. Am I simply idealistic? Stupid? Surely I can’t be the only one taking a stand on this kind of graft, right? What do you think? Would you take the money?
Welcome to {grow}
You’re in marketing for one reason: Grow.
Grow your company, reputation, customers, impact, profits. Grow yourself. This is a community that will help. It will stretch your mind, connect you to fascinating people, and provide some fun along the way. I am so glad you’re here.
-Mark SchaeferFollow Mark
Groups We Believe In
