Alberta Business Marketing

I, like many of you readers, work for a communication agency. Formerly known as an advertising agency. I was ruminating recently about the mountainous inflection point I felt we were in the midst of as communicators. Here is the story:

Once Upon A Time

Once upon a time there was advertising. ‘Advertising’ agencies created television ads, ads for newspapers and magazines and ads to run on the radio. Structured advertising agencies had different departments producing these advertisements, presenting them to a client and ‘putting them on the air’.

Around twenty years ago came the internet and hence ‘the digital space’. It lingered in its formative stage, mainly driving the emergence of e-commerce, for about a decade. Only about ten years ago, ‘advertising’ agencies decided that the internet could be a canvas for advertising. So advertising agencies started developing web sites and digital banner ads. They’d build these websites and banner ads and then ‘put them up’.

Maybe around five years ago, social media came to be. Suddenly all kinds of conversations were being had in the ‘digital space’; shared information was circulating among people without advertising agencies or their clients having anything to do with it.

And then mobile devices came to be which sped up all this communicating and commerce-related activity in the digital space to a lightning fast pace.

A Reality Check

Today, people everywhere - colleagues and friends, moms and dads, students, artists, technology gurus, teachers, policemen, investment bankers and academics – ‘live’ the internet. They access Google dozens of time every day and get their daily news updates online. Photos are shared and commented on via Facebook, Flickr or Instagram. Vacations are researched, planned and paid for online. Moms right now are circulating blog postings about some new organic pasta on the market. Grandparents are Skyping with their grandkids from continent to continent every day. Youtube is an entertainment channel for just about every single person I know, including my 67 year old father. New bands are born every day on MySpace. My mom lives by her iPhone as does my Dad; my niece and my daughter both carry their Nintendo DSi in one hand and their iPads in the other. This is not a minority report tech future; this is today, everyday, for more and more people as part of daily life.

When we step away from the language in communication circles about ‘the digital space’, ‘the social space’, ‘the mobile space’, this is the reality.

And so, The Inflection Point:

For all the decades past, we communication agencies and clients have considered traditional media to be king and digital media to be secondary, not even at queen status, but more so a court jester. I could go on separately about why: it’s cheaper to produce digital media so it doesn’t get as much attention as traditional media which is incredibly expensive still. And we don’t have good impact metrics yet around digital media to PROVE how much it is contributing to communications and brand health in the minds of our audiences.

But this has changed. Now, today, traditional media and digital media sit at the same table. They have rapidly come to be equals. And we communications agencies and clients are waking up to that reality. Brands are being built exclusively in the digital space in many cases. And among the new generation of consumers, traditional media may indeed be falling by the wayside.

Insert panic here.

If you accept that the above is true, because it is - now, today, traditional media and digital media sit at the same table - then what? Communications that happen in the digital, social and mobile space do not function like traditional media. You do not ‘put them on the air’ or ‘put them up’. They are ongoing, immediate and dynamic by their very nature. And this simple reality radically impacts everything.

We have to think about communications today as an eco-system: interconnected, always-on, living, and constantly evolving.

Impact 1: We can no longer think of communications development as projects that follow a straight path, each one in a separate lane, being developed in parallel. We need new ways of working: fluid, connected, nurturing. We need to ‘carry’ communications, constantly. This has radical implications for the mindset and consequently the processes of developing communications, evaluating communications, and maintaining communications.

Impact 2: This acknowledgement that communications is now an eco-system, requires by definition that the people charged with managing those communications understand ‘systems’ and this is not a common capability. Understanding systems means having an incredible ability to see the big picture – how everything is working together – productively, seamlessly, responsively. And yet it also means having an ability to go deep into any singular ‘node’ within the system to maximize its individual role in the system. This is complex thinking.

Impact 3: Communications producers – writers, art directors, technologists, etc… – need to truly work together to create. Which means they need to understand each other’s craft, in order to truly be able to integrate and build off of each other. This is not a skillset that has been nurtured or taught either through the education system or inside agencies historically.

Journey through the Inflection Point:

There is a mountain to climb to be able to really traverse this inflection point. It may seem straightforward, but it is anything but. It requires:

a) The acceptance that the digital space is seated at the table right next to the traditional media space and that the need to adjust to it is urgent.
b) The acknowledgement that communications today are not about ‘putting it on the air’ or ‘putting it up’; communications today are about creating and managing eco-systems of activity.
c) A change in communications agency processes and client review, ‘purchase’ and maintain processes.
d) An upgrading of communication producers skill sets – to foster a better cross-discipline understanding.

Insert easy button.

I, for one, believe that if brands want to continue to have a place in people’s lives in the future, traversing this inflection point is a must-do. Adjust or be left behind seems to me to be the harsh reality. But more optimistically, this required shift in communications could get us to a much better place on so many levels. This shift will get us communications that matter to people; by default that means brands that are engaging in ways that matter to people. And ladder that further to a place where communications (and brands) can be positive contributing forces in the world. This is free market dynamics at work. Best to acknowledge and understand what people want, and deliver it, because it’s those who will survive.

Heidi McCulloch

Tags: Branding, Digital, Integration, Strategy
Posted in Advertising | | Comments Off

Interest-based marketing is a huge step forward from traditional mass-media advertising on TV and radio. I have posted previously on this blog about the merits of interest-based over demographic-based marketing.

However, interest-based marketing still has two important limits of which you need to be aware.

Why are you interested?

The expression of a customer’s interest is usually done in 1-3 words. That is pretty concise. I don’t know about you, but I would have a lot of trouble explaining my interests in so few words. Therein lies the problem – people may share the keywords but still view their interests in a very different way.

Imagine people with an interest in blogging. They could:
? Read celebrity gossip blogs or financial analysis blogs
? Read blogs only or write their own blog
? Read multiple blogs every day or read one every few weeks
? Write a personal blog as a hobby or write a professional blog to earn a living

As you can see, the nature of someone’s interest in ‘blogging’ can vary immensely and you can’t tell the difference based on one or two words on their Facebook profile.
Interest-based marketing is doing better than traditional channels, but still needs some work to get to the level of detail and accuracy that would be most effective.

Are you sure those are your interests?

Any market researcher will tell you that what people say and what people do can be quite different. The ability to accurately articulate what you are interested in is a skill that surprisingly few people actually have.

These inaccuracies can lead you to market to the wrong people and/or miss the right people.

What is a brand to do?

Don’t get me wrong, interest-based marketing is a significant improvement but we are far from the Holy Grail. As a marketer, you need to continually test different target segments to make sure you are reaching the right people, don’t simply take their word for it!

Ben Wise

Tags: Digital, Direct Marketing, Research
Posted in Uncategorized | | Comments Off

Interest-based marketing is a huge step forward from traditional mass-media advertising on TV and radio. I have posted previously on this blog about the merits of interest-based over demographic-based marketing.

However, interest-based marketing still has two important limits of which you need to be aware.

Why are you interested?

The expression of a customer’s interest is usually done in 1-3 words. That is pretty concise. I don’t know about you, but I would have a lot of trouble explaining my interests in so few words. Therein lies the problem – people may share the keywords but still view their interests in a very different way.

Imagine people with an interest in blogging. They could:

• Read celebrity gossip blogs or financial analysis blogs
• Read blogs only or write their own blog
• Read multiple blogs every day or read one every few weeks
• Write a personal blog as a hobby or write a professional blog to earn a living

As you can see, the nature of someone’s interest in ‘blogging’ can vary immensely and you can’t tell the difference based on one or two words on their Facebook profile.
Interest-based marketing is doing better than traditional channels, but still needs some work to get to the level of detail and accuracy that would be most effective.

Are you sure those are your interests?

Any market researcher will tell you that what people say and what people do can be quite different. The ability to accurately articulate what you are interested in is a skill that surprisingly few people actually have.

These inaccuracies can lead you to market to the wrong people and/or miss the right people.

What is a brand to do?

Don’t get me wrong, interest-based marketing is a significant improvement but we are far from the Holy Grail. As a marketer, you need to continually test different target segments to make sure you are reaching the right people, don’t simply take their word for it!

Ben Wise

Tags: Digital, Direct Marketing, Research
Posted in Uncategorized | | Comments Off

Recently, I was invited to present to a group of B2B marketers who wanted to tap into the unique power of social media. What was refreshing was that they didn't want me to cover the usual topics found in most "Social media 101" sessions -- i.e. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. Because they had done some research about their market (i.e. Canadian businesses with revenues of $10 M or more), they concluded that the best way to truly connect with their current and future clients meant leveraging the only social media tool that continues to experience exponential growth: podcasts.

Because the issues covered in that discussion are applicable to every business evaluating how to best use podcasts to engage key decisions makers and influencers, here is a summary of the most frequently asked questions and the corresponding answers.

Q: What kind of results can we expect from leveraging a targeted, well-planned and well-executed podcast?

A: You can expect customers to take action. In fact, 90% of loyal podcast listeners take some sort of action based on the sponsors and product content found in podcasts. What's even more astonishing is that for 40% of loyal podcast listeners, that action translates into actual purchase behaviour. That's why podcasts are growing at a tremendous rate and why podcast advertising will approach $500 million within the next 18 months.

Q: What is it that makes for an effective podcast?

A: If we define effective as consistently engaging targeted listeners, then the key component is content. Specifically, the content needs to be relevant, focused and delivered in a timely fashion. At the same time, there is a new complexity. Specifically, since podcasts are downloaded multiple times over a long period of time, it is very common for people to listen to episodes several months after it was originally produced. This extended lifespan serves podcast sponsors very well since they want to see their products, services and brand have virtually limitless mentions. But it also means that podcast content should be developed with a long "shelf-life" in mind.

Q: What length should podcasts be?

A: Ultimately, the answer comes down to the market-specific research that you gather as to when your intended/current podcast listeners are engaging in the content. For example, many podcast producers find that their episodes are being listened to during commutes to and from work. It is also very common for podcast listeners to turn on their favourite shows during work-outs, walks, lunch breaks and "quiet times".

Q: Should we start our own podcast or leverage the success of another podcast?

A: The key question really is, "do you have the time and resources to develop and sustain good content, distribute it and promote it?" Many marketers simply don't have the time to sustain current social media efforts (i.e. blogs, Facebook updates, Twitter conversations, etc.). Unfortunately, there are few if any agencies that have developed a strong grounding in producing and measuring podcasts. As a result, it often makes sense to look to the topics/industry issues that your audience faces. Then, begin by piggy-backing on an existing podcast. You can always look to develop your own podcast once you've achieved some success working with a podcast that has established its credibility within key subject areas or with specific audiences.

Q: Since we haven't seen any tangible success with our other social media efforts, should we reduce our involvement with those tools (i.e. Twitter, Facebook, etc.) and replace them with podcasts?

A: First, confirm the metrics of success and the methods by which you are collecting and analyzing the results of your current social media efforts. If after analyzing your results, you are confident that your results are not worth your efforts (i.e. time and resources), go back to your audience and conduct research to determine if and how they want to engage with you, your product and your brand. It also makes sense to test receptivity before eliminating your current tools. It's quite possible, depending on the audience, that successful customer engagement will require leveraging podcasts because they can be listened to rather than calling upon customers to read.

If you have any questions -- or want to share any insights -- about how to make your podcast a successful customer engagement tool, please let me know.

Andrew Brown

Tags: Customer Experience, Digital, social media, Strategy
Posted in B2B | | Comments Off

Recently I was invited to speak to some marketing students at George Brown College. The topic was about social media and how students could leverage it in their job search as they get ready to embark on their careers.

I don't know about you but it's tough finding a job much less your very first one. The adage we all know comes to mind. 'You can't find a job without experience and you can't find experience without a job.' Furthermore current economic conditions bring another layer of challenge into play. Times are tough and people are suffering.

When I spoke to the class I asked the question of how many of them were on various social networks. "Facebook?" "Twitter?" "YouTube?" Pretty much 100% of hands went up each time. When I asked about LinkedIn about 50% of hands went up. When I asked how many of them completed their profiles 100% on LinkedIn about only a third of hands had not fallen.

That surprised me. If you were a student looking to find a job in marketing - how could you not be on LinkedIn? It is free to use. If I was a hiring manager on the client side or agency side, I'd be questioning your capabilities. I'd expect someone graduating with a post-secondary education to be on LinkedIn. I told the students that many in my network share the same philosophy.

But my post is not to criticize George Brown College or the students there. On the contrary, I'm very impressed with the work that institution is doing to get its students prepared for the working world. Whether it be mentorship sessions or adding 'non-traditional' taught classroom skills to the curriculum that are required in today's business world. The students were very engaged and kept me back for more questions over 30 minutes after I got off my soapbox. The best part? Many of them created or updated their LinkedIn profiles afterwards. (Below is a copy of the presentation.)

This brings me to you the reader. Students may not know any better. They might figure it won't be a problem finding a job when they graduate. (I know I did.) Unfortunately there are many professionals out there in marketing, advertising, finance, accounting, operations, logistics, technology, administration and legal that are not on LinkedIn. Or they have a lousy profile completed. It totally blows my mind.

Cynics will say that LinkedIn is only beneficial to marketing, sales and 'tech' people. But if it can work for financial advisors then what is your reason not to have a profile? Some argue that LinkedIn is like other online network sites that sprout up every day and then fall by the wayside. Indeed, but how many of them have over 3 million Canadian members alone or an IPO planned?

I once recall a senior executive telling me LinkedIn was a waste. He had better things to do with his time. He didn't need to get spammed with invites. A year later there was a corporate restructuring and that executive was unemployed. Having a LinkedIn profile was suddenly no longer such a waste of time. That same executive now swears by it and is gainfully employed elsewhere. Care to guess how he found his new job?

Now I'm not on the LinkedIn payroll but I know and respect a few people who work there. The quality of a team often speaks to an organization's products and services. Most importantly I believe in the product. LinkedIn has done me a world of good over the past 6 years. How so?

1. Google my name 'Sulemaan'. On regular text results it's fine. Now Google my name 'Sulemaan' under images. Stop laughing. No I'm not related to the OctoMom. It's not that funny.

My point being that you don't know what comes up when people type in your name into a search engine. And make no mistake they do type in your name into search engines. By having a properly completed LinkedIn profile it puts your best foot forward. Usually one of the first search results that appears are either LinkedIn, Facebook and/or Twitter. (Also your blog or personal website.) If you don't believe in the importance of 'personal branding' let my Octomom experience be an example to you.

2. The average tenure in a CMO position is roughly 23 months. People change careers more frequently and it's hard to keep track. I received an email from LinkedIn in January advising that 25% of contacts in my network changed their job title in 2010. Twenty-five percent. Think about that figure for a second. LinkedIn becomes an updated online rolodex where you can keep in touch and stay up to date on the comings and goings of your network.

3. The whole concept of 6 degrees of separation comes into play. You may not know someone at company X or someone with specific skills (i.e. ability to write marketing copy in mandarin for search engine ads) but someone in your network probably does. Or they know someone who who knows someone that does. LinkedIn helps you find them. Do you know of a better way to quickly meet someone in targeted manner via a personal referral?

4. If you're going for a business pitch or interview you can leverage LinkedIn to give you information on the company and who you are meeting. You no longer have an excuse not to do your homework ahead of time. If you want to go about doing 'homework' discreetly on LinkedIn as one friend recently recounted then remember to turn off profile views & network update in your privacy settings while you research others on LinkedIn. Once completed – turn it back on.

5. Paying it forward by using LinkedIn. By helping others in need, be it those looking for work, searching for top notch candidates or facilitating introductions that create solid business partnerships/friendships you become a mensch. Guy Kawasaki describes the term as follows: "Mensch is the Yiddish term for someone who is ethical, decent and admirable. It is the highest form of praise one can receive from others whose opinions matter." Be a Mensch.

So if students have absolutely no excuse not to be on LinkedIn with a properly completed profile - what about you as a business professional? Are you in? Otherwise you are definitely out.

Tags: Branding, Digital, Human Resources, Marketing Talent, social media, This and That
Posted in Uncategorized | | Comments Off