From the category archives:

Communications Strategy

Predicting the Future (of Marketing)

by Daria Steigman on December 7, 2010

Branding, Real Time, Marketing | Independent Thinking | Steigman Communications, llcWhat is the future of marketing?

That was the topic at a recent Thoughtlead online mini-conference. The premise: Select 60 smart people, ask them one big question, and give them each 60 seconds to make their case. The responses were sometimes predictable. More often, however, the speakers challenged themselves and us to think about what’s next–and why.

Here’s a sampling of my favorites:

  • Michael Stelzner pointed out that people don’t trust brands, so it’s important to focus your marketing on helping other people. He also talked about recognizing people who help you. “If you lift people up, they’ll lift you up.”
  • Steve Rubel said the biggest challenge for marketers going forward is “time and space, and the relationship between the two… Let’s talk about space. Online it’s infinite. We have as much choice as we want in terms of content. Time on the other hand is finite, and attention spans are fragmenting.”
  • David Meerman Scott talked about the need to focus on real-time (versus campaigns) and to look for things you can do right now. “The bottom line: social media are tools; real-time is a mindset.”
  • Frank Gruber talked about always being curious, and about letting your curiosity lead you to find new ideas and innovations.
  • Mitch Joel suggested that the future of marketing ”should, and will be all about anonymity.”
  • Alex Bogusky said that collaboration is the new competition, and becoming transparent is not a choice.” The only choice is: do you do it, or do you have it done to you?”
  • Todd Defren talked about putting relationships at the center of everything.
  • Gary Vaynerchuk suggested that the future of marketing is one-on-one engagement. “The humanization of business is upon us.”

You can read the entire transcript here.

Photo by Krikit (Flickr).

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Are You Sending Mixed Messages?

by Daria Steigman on December 6, 2010

Business | Branding | Marketing | Independent Thinking | Steigman Communications, llcIs your business sending out mixed messages?

My condo building just completed a major redecorating project, in the process turning our lobby into a replica of a high-end, monochromatic coffee bar (sadly minus the barrista or the coffee). And that silly gas-powered fireplace.

Meanwhile, the current board of directors says they want to trim costs, and have honed in on energy expenses. They want owners to put in new light bulbs and turn down the heat when we leave our homes. They’re encouraging people to buy new Energy Star appliances with the lure of a city-offered rebate (spend $1,000, get back $50 — does that math add up?).

Even putting aside the un-eco-friendly, gas-powered fireplace, what’s in it for me? The fees go up every year no matter what I do. Plus I now have to pay for granite countertops in the new management office kitchen and other over-the-top renovations.

In other words, I’m getting mixed messages. Much as a high-end hotel promises luxury then dings you on Internet fees. Or a company freezes employee bonuses then announces record profits. (Yes, the latter once happened to a friend of mine.)

Make sure your business isn’t saying one thing and doing another.

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What is True “Social Media Integration”?

by Daria Steigman on November 1, 2010

Social Media, Business, Web | Independent Thinking | Steigman Communications, llcAccording to Jeremiah Owyang, true social media integration doesn’t exist.

In a fascinating keynote speech at the MarketingProfs B2B Conference last week, Owyang walked through an 8-step roadmap for integrating social media and your (corporate) Web site. The aim is to identify where you are now, where you want to be, and to move slowly and strategically forward.

The framework starts from the point of no integration and moves toward an ideal:

  1. Do nothing (while the conversation is happening around you in other platforms).
  2. Link outward from your Web site (i.e., send traffic away with links such as “follow us on Twitter” or “follow us on Facebook“).
  3. Link away, but encourage sharing (i.e., “I’m now following Company X on Twitter,” which offers some social endorsement).
  4. Extend your brand in social channels (i.e., mirror your corporate brand experience elsewhere, a.k.a. “fishing where the fish are”).
  5. Aggregate the conversation on your Web site. (Think Skittles, which centralized discussions on its site. The downside, of course, is loss of control.)
  6. Use social log-ins (i.e., Facebook Connect or Twitter Connect. Think H&R Block. While this may increase sign-ups, you lose the opportunity to collect e-mail addresses and other key data.)
  7. Social log-in triggers sharing (creating a social or interactive experience that enables users to stay on the site while interacting with both the company and their friends/peers, and to recruit other people into the social network. The challenge is that this requires planning, the right technology, a solid campaign strategy, and extensive resources.) Pepsi Refresh, for example, lets people vote for their favorite ideas and share them with friends on Twitter and Facebook. Dell IdeaStorm triggers consumers to recruit friends to vote for their ideas.
  8. Seamless integration (the idea that you won’t be able to tell the difference between your Web site and a social site).

Owyang said that seamless integration requires a fundamental change that we’re not yet ready for. “The idea of sending traffic to a .com is an old way of doing things,” said Owyang. In the future, “you’ll send traffic to people and the networks.” He also suggested that the future Web will be sorted around people and contextual situations (not URLs).

Pretty heady stuff. I’m still somewhere between Step 2 and Step 4. Where are you, and where do you want to be?

Photo by ming1967 (Flickr).

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3 Business Lessons From a Savvy Nonprofit

by Daria Steigman on June 14, 2010

Business Lessons: Customer Service, Results, Personalization

Business Lessons: Customer Service, Personalized MarketingMany years ago, I was donating money to the same organization as my parents. They were always talking about how responsive the group was, sending them updates, an annual congressional directory, and the like. When I observed that I wasn’t getting any of that, my mom suggested I call them and ask.

The response: Oh, yes, that’s because they give more money. But you can buy our congressional directory (at a price that was higher than the more-comprehensive ones put out by commercial outfits). I never gave them another penny.

Clearly, not every customer, donor, or client is the same–but don’t you want every one of them to think they’re special?

Contrast that to the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), which has treated me like a rock star since my first donation. Their model offers three lessons for business:

  • Information–SPLC routinely sends me relevant information, including progress reports, Teaching Tolerance kits (a schools-based program), and examples of why they exist and my participation matters.
  • Personalization–It’s not hard these days to personalize a message, and yet many organizations forget to tie it to me. SPLC routinely thanks me, and they call me “Ms. Steigman” and don’t presume a familiarity that isn’t there.
  • Results–As the photos above show, SPLC tells me what they’ve done (and thanks me for my role in it). Sure, my donation barely registers in their operating budget, but it’s good to be recognized for my support.

There’s one more thing that I suspect that SPLC knows: regular, long-term small donors are often the best prospects for planned gifts (i.e., big bucks). This is akin to the way that your regular customers are often evangelists for your brand and a good source of referrals.

Are you putting information, personalization, and results to work in your business?

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You’re Using Social Media, But is Your Audience Listening?

by Daria Steigman on June 10, 2010


Independent Thinking | Steigman Communications, llc

I wrote here about the secret to a great client relationship (hint: it’s about how you communicate). Now I want to talk about a related issue: understanding how your audience is listening.

For example:

  • Have you ever had someone say, “Well, I tweeted about that”?
    Okay, but I didn’t see your random tweet at a random-to-me time in a sea of tweets from the 500+ people I’m following.
  • Have you ever had someone tell you they posted the event to their LinkedIn Group?
    Great, except I get a weekly digest and your event was three days ago.

  • Have you ever had multiple people send you Facebook notifications for the same event, even though you’re on the organization’s distribution list and so have obviously received at least one event invitation (and possibly signed up already)?
    Gee, now you’re spamming me.

Here’s the problem: When you do this, you’re making assumptions about my behavior and how I use various social media channels. Get it right, and we’re cool. Get it wrong, and your message is lost. You become irrelevant. Or worse, I unfollow, unlink, or unfriend you.

Whether you’re asking directly, monitoring online behavior, or accessing analytics, it’s important to understand how people consume information.

What strategies do you use to understand how your audience is listening?

Note: This post originally appeared on IABC’s Communication World blog.

Photo by cogdogblog (Flickr).

Have you signed up to receive the Independent Thinking newsletter? Now’s the time! Once a month I’ll send you exclusive, subscriber-only content highlighting interesting articles I’ve found, as well as tips on marketing, social media, and how to grow your business. Sign up today!

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