c
compose new post
j
next post/next comment
k
previous post/previous comment
r
reply
e
edit
o
show/hide comments
t
go to top
esc
cancel

 
Track the Word via RSS

  • Bottom Line: Your Customers are Mobile

    Pat McCarthy 11:15 am on February 13, 2012 | 0 Comments Permalink | Post Your Comment!
    Tags: , , Retail

    Mobile devices are too dang useful to not be used during the purchase process. Customers can quickly check prices elsewhere while they stand in the aisle. A clear 77% of smartphone owners use their device while shopping.

    mobile-while-shopping_altimeter

    Altimeter Group released an analysis of top brands that use mobile technology to connect with their customers during the retail experience. The data were compiled through online surveys, qualitative interviews and live interactive discussions.

    They found that a lot of retailers rush into a mobile strategy without regard for goals. Brands that nailed mobile shot for one of two goals: Enrich the customer experience or engage with the customer.

    altimeter_mobile_strategy

    Key Takeaway: Having a mobile strategy is no longer a question – especially if you’re in retail. The old adage of Location, Location, Location still holds up, just now the location is in the customer’s pocket or bag.

    Read the full report on Slideshare

    Post to Twitter

     

  • B2B Salivates over Content Marketing

    Pat McCarthy 11:11 am on February 13, 2012 | 0 Comments Permalink | Post Your Comment!
    Tags: , , ,

    60% of B2B marketers plan to spend more on content marketing in the next twelve months. Content as a marketing tool grew widely throughout the last year and has produced some winning brand strategies.

    Mint.com, for instance, focused on becoming a financial information resource through their blog. Their expertise led people to try, use, then share their financial tracking app. American Express did something similar by creating OpenForum.com, a site that draws users to their financial services through relevant business articles.

    goals-of-content-marketing

    Key Takeaway: B2B has a long sales cycle. Building trust in the marketplace relies heavily on expertise. Creating content that proves your company’s worth will draw more eyes to your services and, more importantly, qualified leads to your doorstep.

    See the full infographic at eConsultancy

    Post to Twitter

     

  • The Virtual Suggestion Box – It Works!

    Pat McCarthy 11:09 am on February 13, 2012 | 0 Comments Permalink | Post Your Comment!
    Tags: ,

    Years ago, Starbucks blew minds with My Starbucks Idea. Customers could easily submit ideas to improve the Starbucks experience. It drove several changes that still exist today like free Wi-Fi.

    Domino’s has opened their own virtual suggestion box – The Think Oven. Here is their explanatory video:

    dominos-suggestion-video

    Key Takeaway: The customer is not only right, but they probably have a few good ideas too. Large brands like Domino’s and Starbucks have found that they have the power to improve their businesses and engage their most passionate customers at scale. By centralizing and personalizing suggestions, they’ve given their most passionate customers a closer connection to the brand and one more reason to share.

    Read more about the Think Oven at Digital Buzz Blog

    Post to Twitter

     

  • The Komen Crisis by the Numbers

    Pat McCarthy 11:33 am on February 10, 2012 | 1 Comments Permalink | Post Your Comment!
    Tags: ,

    It would have been pretty difficult to not see the Susan G. Komen for the Cure’s PR crisis this week. After their decision to discontinue funding to Planned Parenthood ignited a flood of negative attention.

    Banyan Branch analyzed the social data and found some astronomical numbers. Before the crisis, they averaged 52.4 Likes and 17.5 comments per Facebook post and 1.7 Likes on users’ comments. After the during the crisis, comments increased 31,471% to 5,515.4 per post. Post Likes decreased 99%. Likes on user comments increased 288%.

    banyan-branch-komen-data1

    Key Takeaway: Quick action diffused this crisis. But clearly, a controversy can inspire astronomical volume on social media. Crisis response plans are necessary and they need to include social media strategy.

    Read more about the crisis data at Banyan Branch

    Banyan Branch is a WOMMA member.

    Post to Twitter

     

    • tom 12:27 pm on February 10, 2012 Permalink

      doing the right thing at times has a cost, shouldnt have bowed down and backtrcked

  • The Engagement Challenge

    Pat McCarthy 11:30 am on February 10, 2012 | 0 Comments Permalink | Post Your Comment!
    Tags: , , ,

    A recent McKinsey Quarterly study examined nearly 800 marketing executives and found that engagement is still their largest hurdle. One third of respondents labeled it as their most important challenges.

    engagement-struggle

    Engagement 101

    Creating an engaging environment is not a one-size-fits all affair. Each community is different. Knowing the tools that will work best isn’t always easy. Ask yourself these questions:

    • Where are my target customers currently engaging?
    • Why are they engaging there? Good content? Great support?
    • Can we recreate that atmosphere? If not, can we participate where there already are?

    The answers to these questions will lead you to better engagement. Keep coming back to them to engagement high and sustainable.

    Read more about the report at MarketingProfs

    Post to Twitter

     

  • Data Privacy Day is upon us!

    Pat McCarthy 11:26 am on February 10, 2012 | 0 Comments Permalink | Post Your Comment!
    Tags: , ,

    Data privacy isn’t a subject that will sell out a room in most places, but the sheer amount of data online makes security a major issue. January 28 marked Data Privacy Day was celebrated in the U.S., Canada, and 27 European countries.

    Edelman Digital published a Microsoft infographic that really sums up why Data Privacy not only effects companies, but also employees, friends and neighbors.

    microsoft-infographic

    Key Takeaway: Data privacy will only grow in importance as companies skirt the line between Big Brother and Big Mother – the brother’s more helpful and much less intrusive counterpart.

    Read more about Data Privacy at Edelman Digital

    Edelman is a WOMMA governing member.

    Post to Twitter

     

  • A Return to Real Life: The Future of WOM

    Pat McCarthy 11:39 am on February 8, 2012 | 0 Comments Permalink | Post Your Comment!
    Tags: , ,

    amy-taylor

    By Amy Taylor, Lead Copywriter, Brains on Fire

    Reports indicate millions of Americans are logging offline for good. They’re putting down their smartphones, silencing their ringers and stepping away from their Twitter streams - in order to rejoin their real lives.

    For years, brands have been putting their eggs in various online baskets. Some were early adopters, others waited for the water to warm up a bit before they hopped in. Many jumped on the bandwagon in search of a quick fix and a magical marketing bullet.

    But there is no quick fix. There is no magic bullet. Why? Because consumers live in the real world where real life is complicated. And real life happens offline.

    Unlike the latest shiny new media tool, widget or app of the day, true word of mouth marketing is founded on real relationships between brand and consumer. It celebrates transparency, trust and community – things that can’t be bought, rushed or manufactured.

    Continue reading…

    Post to Twitter

     

  • 5 Super Bowl Ads that Missed the Mobile CTA

    Pat McCarthy 11:37 am on February 8, 2012 | 0 Comments Permalink | Post Your Comment!
    Tags:

    Harris Interactive found that 60% of Super Bowl views would watch the game with their mobile device in hand. What was once the best TV advertising platform has quickly also become a mobile powerhouse. But a lot of ads missed the opportunity to tie mobile experiences to their TV executions.

    Jeff Hansen of MarketingProfs found 5 ads that could have been more mobile.

    1. Go Daddy – Danica Patrick was back in an ad that appealed to the more, ahem, primal interests. At the end, there was a QR code that led to an even more NSFTV site. But even the fastest QR coder out there would have difficulty scanning the QR code in the few seconds they had. A simple SMS call to action would have been much more user friendly.

    go-daddy-ad

    2.  Best Buy – Ironically, Best Buy ran an ad that focused on their mobile expertise. After featuring a series of mobile innovators, they finished on this line:

    “Any phone, any carrier, and all of their plans with lots of unbiased advice.”

    Perhaps they were more concerned with branding, but a short call to action could have captured thousands of leads. Those people would provide a base for future mobile phone promotions.

    best-buy-ad

    Key Takeaway: In any given place, on any given occasion, people are more connected via mobile. Think about where and how you can add mobile calls to action in your promotions.

    Read about the other ads at MarketingProfs

    Post to Twitter

     

  • 30 Ways to Engage Your Social Media Influencers

    Pat McCarthy 11:33 am on February 8, 2012 | 0 Comments Permalink | Post Your Comment!
    Tags: ,

    Today, Radian6 wrote a very helpful list for any community manager out there. Engaging influencers can be a delicate affair. You don’t want to just shoot the “Please blog about this” emails. Nor do you want to spend all your time and effort maintaining the relationship. A happy balance must exist to build an effective relationship.

    From the full list, these stood out to me:

    1. Make Introductions – Helping an influencer meet the right person can be the start of a beautiful friendship. Expand their network and they’ll probably return the favor.

    2. Make Changes Based on their Feedback – An outside perspective can be very valuable. Keep your mind open and use influencers’ feedback. Once you do, show them the results. Believe it or not, lots of influencers enjoy influencing people and companies.

    3. Approach them as People, not Prospects – Many influencers gained their position because of a true passion. What an affront it would be to belittle that passion with a sales pitch. Get to know them first. Spend a little time building a relationship. When it comes to it, a friend will help you a lot more than a prospect.

    Read the 27 other tips at Radian6’s blog

    Post to Twitter

     

  • WOMMA Members in the Spotlight

    Pat McCarthy 11:31 am on February 8, 2012 | 0 Comments Permalink | Post Your Comment!
    Tags:

    We’re proud to welcome our newest members:

    The Anca Group

    Kelley Blue Book

    ———-

    Affect, a public relations and social media firm specializing in B2B technology and professional services, has been engaged by Cyrus Innovation, experts in software development for enterprises and startups. Cyrus’ team of highly skilled engineers have been developing custom software and applications for East Coast area companies for nearly 10 years.

    More Here

    ———-

    Upcoming Visible Webinar:

    “What She Said” - A Special Webcast with Jason Falls and Visible

    How Women’s Social Conversations Impact Buying Intent and Purchasing Behavior

    Tuesday, February 21, 2012 | 10:30am PST / 1:30pm EST

    As an attendee you will learn:

    · The top topics women discuss online

    · Key marketing and advertising learnings from these conversations

    · How social integration can tie social buying intent with increased sales

    · How  leading brands are using social data and integration to increase online and offline sales

    bit.ly/wssvisible

    Post to Twitter

     

Older Posts →