April 27th, 2011 - Posted in Social Media Marketing by Aria
As new marketing platforms and the agencies that deliver them continue to take quantum leaps of progress and potential, there’s a good chance you’ve encountered the buzz of social and mobile media in your day-to-day life.
What might not be as obvious (yet), is that these marketing tools are ready to be adopted by IT VARs and vendors, and become a standard part of IT marketing strategy.
Augmented reality, QR codes, mobile sites and custom Facebook applications are just a few of the new terms buzzing amongst early adopters who are excited to be bringing these solutions to new and existing customers. These platforms are mobile-friendly, tech-savy and socially aware, and have the potential to host a plethora of customized content and pack a powerful punch with your consumer base in an engaging and ongoing way.
As your customers increasingly work from a range of mobile devices and wireless environments, why not meet them out in the field, wherever they may roam? As we embrace this age of information and self-published online content, you can clearly demonstrate your authority and technology expertise by establishing a presence in social media and a strong blogging voice in your chosen field.
Working with a marketing company that can help you establish that authority, engage with your customers and even inject some personality into your company brand by working with you to provide you with relevant content and even publish it for you.
Consider a marketing solution that reflects the level of technology you offer to your customers and, in doing so, ensure that your presence and customer perceptions in the marketplace are synonymous with the cutting edge technology company that you really are.
February 15th, 2011 - Posted in Social Media Marketing, Strategy by Tim Freestone
As enter:marketing moves forward into 2011 and looks to expand how our clients connect with and sell to their customers – one thing is glaringly obvious: Social Media. In particular, Facebook is a frontier that is critical for our clients to conquer.
That said, we’re facing resistance in our discussions of the value of Facebook marketing. I’m not surprised though. The unknown makes people uncomfortable. The majority of marketing and sales professionals in IT are not familiar with strategies in this space – after all, it’s not an event at Ruth’s Chris steakhouse. Because of this unfamiliarity, most are not willing to make the leap. A couple primary objections pervade most of my conversations: 1) “I don’t think Facebook is for IT businesses; and 2) “Custom what?”
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December 8th, 2010 - Posted in Social Media Marketing by Tim Freestone
There’s a reason why companies are more likely to turn to Twitter and Facebook than corporate blogging: corporate blogging isn’t easy. Twitter and Facebook let you churn out bite-sized pieces of content without forcing you to think fully or comprehensively, let alone communicate a message clearly and distinctly. Well, that’s a limitation of Twitter and Facebook, frankly, not to mention most social media marketing strategies.
When you turn to social media marketing, especially in the B2B space, there’s no substitute for having a blog. Period. Without a blog as the cornerstone of your social media marketing efforts, the rest won’t get far. The effort associated with corporate blogging comes with clear benefits, particularly that you’ll be able to say everything your target market will need to know to make an informed investment decision.
When I ran into an article on Web 2.0 Journal, I basically saw enter:marketing’s approach to social media marketing staring right back at me: it has to be blog-centric, and here are six reasons why:
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November 16th, 2010 - Posted in Social Media Marketing by Tom Johansmeyer
There’s plenty of buzz around the new approach to integrated messaging announced by Facebook yesterday. Social media industry analysts, followers and professionals are all weighing in, and opinions are flying. SocialTimes, one of the leading social media blogs on the web, reached out to enter:marketing for our thoughts on what this new messaging development means for social media marketing professionals in the B2B space.
Tim Freestone, Vice President of enter:marketing, contributed the following perspective:
For social media marketers the B2B space, the new Facebook integrated messaging solution could facilitate client relationship management. Because the messages will remain in the end-users account, the use of this tool is likely to favor sales and fulfillment teams over the company in terms of “owning” the relationship. Since the integrated capabilities are outside the company’s control, monitoring is impeded, and the client-facing professional becomes the brand. This risk has always existed, but if Facebook captures a amount of “communication share” from email, the problem could become acute. At a minimum, B2B companies should develop and implement clear policies around social media-based client communication in order to gain some degree of protection.
Click here to read the full roundup at SocialTimes >>
November 1st, 2010 - Posted in Strategy by Tim Freestone
Small and mid-sized IT solution providers understand the value of leads. Without a full and steady pipeline, it’s easy to get nervous about the future. And with relatively tight marketing budgets, tough decisions are often necessary, and the focus naturally turns to demand generation over other important marketing initiatives, such as solidifying your brand.
What you may not realize, however, is that an investment in your brand is also an investment in shorter sales cycles, deeper client relationships and repeat business that comes at a lower cost than new client acquisition. Frankly, it pays to invest some of your marketing budget in branding, even if it comes at the expense of some lead generation.
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October 13th, 2010 - Posted in Social Media Marketing by Tim Freestone
Facebook announced its new “group” functionality this week, and the social media marketing world has been buzzing with thoughts on how to use it. To get a broad view of the industry’s reaction, check out the latest on social media blog SocialTimes. enter:marketing was happy to contribute to the discussion, saying:
There’s probably going to be a marketing rush to Facebook Groups, as there is to any new feature on any major social media platform. In the B2B space, though, the smartest thing to do is join a few groups first and get a feel for the dynamic. Rather than try to own the conversation, which you can do on your Facebook page, participate in it, learn something from your target market and use that intelligence to market more effectively through other channels.
Read the full set of responses on SocialTimes >>
September 22nd, 2010 - Posted in Social Media Marketing by Tim Freestone
Most marketers are still using social media tools for in-platform branding, which translates to lost opportunity. According to the latest survey by MarketingSherpa, 78 percent of respondents are participating on company branded or managed social networks, such as Facebook or LinkedIn, with another 63 percent using microblogging tools (e.g., Twitter). Content sharing, blogging and social media news releases also receive a considerable amount of attention, at 63 percent, 59 percent and 48 percent of respondents, respectively.
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August 18th, 2010 - Posted in Social Media Marketing by Tim Freestone
As you get ready to jump into the social media marketing fray, the draw of just getting started can be powerful. The potential associated with this form of marketing is high, and the pressure to claim your space on the most visible social networks is intense. It’s also fraught with risk, especially if you leap before you look.
Want to make your corporate blog – and Facebook page and Twitter presence – a success? Here are four crucial objectives to focus on:
1. Publishing regularly: this may seem counter-intuitive, as it deals with your company, not your market. Dig a little deeper, though, and you’ll find that both sides of the equation are affected. Without regular content, your market has no reason to engage. Further, it’s challenging to create interesting and useful content regularly, so you need to make that a clear goal.
Objective to set: frequency of publication
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August 2nd, 2010 - Posted in Social Media Marketing, Solution Provider Services by Tim Freestone
It’s the marketing mix that leads to better demand generation — not a focus on one particular approach. To fill your sales pipeline, it’s best to use a combination of new and traditional marketing techniques. Don’t ignore social media, but at the same time, be sure to build in some direct mail and telemarketing. The key is to pull it all together into an integrated go-to-market strategy.
Instead of thinking about marketing tactics, start with your objectives. What do you want to accomplish? This can include revenue goals, new account wins and existing client penetration. Once you’ve figured out what you want to reach, it’s time to figure out how you’re going to get there.
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June 28th, 2010 - Posted in Social Media Marketing, Solution Provider Services by Tim Freestone
“Large” creeps its way into just about every social media marketing endeavor. Companies want legions of Facebook fans and Twitter followers. And a blog that isn’t highly trafficked and packed with comments almost feels neglected.
Resist the temptation to believe that big is beautiful, and refocus on marketing basics — you’ll get a greater return on your social media marketing investment.
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Is Your Marketing As Cutting Edge As You Are?
