Don't Sell... Say.

Marketing works. That's why vendors pay millions of dollars to television channels and radio stations. But as these media shrink, and as marketing money becomes more scarce (the demand from R&D is ever increasing) vendors are looking for a new definition of 'works': marketing that is welcomed, even requested, by potential customers, marketing that is not wasted on people who will not buy, marketing that is viewed as positive and helpful, not vile, crass and commercial. Product placement (been thinking of Cherry Chapstick lately?) is the new nirvana.

Effective marketing is about communication, and it's impossible to ignore how the internet has changed the communication landscape.

Newspapers and TV are dead.

...or dying. 24 of the 25 largest newspapers in the West are experiencing record declines in circulation. Their display advertising is expensive, is only seen for a day, and their circulation is in a downward spiral.

TV isn't off the hook either. Recent research has shown that only 26.65% of viewers actually seeing the television ads. The rest channel surf, talk on the phone, or otherwise don't pay attention when commercials appear. Time-shifted viewers (digital cable, etc.) are 30% less likely to pay attention to the ads than live TV viewers. In fact, 94% of TiVo users skip the ads altogether. People viewing interstitial ads online were 53% more likely to pay attention to the ads during commercial breaks than live TV viewers.

Internet To The Rescue

So online = more viewers... but what about remembering your brand or product? According to a Millward Brown study , only 18% of those that see ads on TV remember what the ad was for (and remember: only 1/4 of those watching the show were paying attention to see the ad). But when viewers who see your ad online, 77% recall the product or brand. And when it comes to online communication, social media trumps all.

You've heard a lot about social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and so on. Whether you use these sites often, or have just heard about them, watch this short video to learn just how many people are using social media - and how they're using it:

As you can see, social media is one of the most widespread ways of getting your message out there. But don't start planning the campaign yet; new channels of communication alo mean new ways of communication.

The 4 Steps - and The Golden Rule

There are many complex issues to wrestle with when it comes to social media. Often these can be overwhelming, especially to companies clinging to the old way of talking to the customer, rather than with.

It's best to understand that there are four simple, yet critical, steps to social media, and none can be skipped:

1. Listen
2. Interact
3. React
4. Close

You listen to what the customer wants, you interact by offering them something they can use immediately (a free e-book, tips on how to do X while avoiding Y, etc.), you react by adjusting your product or service in response to #2 (example: "From what you're telling me, 'A' isn't going to do what you want it to accomplish. You might want to consider 'B', because..."), and finally you close.

Here's the key problem... companies often jump into social media, thinking it's like television, radio, or print, and start selling. Wrong, wrong, wrong! This is absolutely the worst thing you can do, and it will not be effective. Whether you're posting on Facebook, or sending out tweets on Twitter, or using other forms of social media to try to close a sale, remember the golden rule: it's a conversation.

Like any conversation you need to listen. Think of social media as a group conversation at a cocktail party; if you just walk up and butt in with what you want to talk about, people will be put off. And to start engaging your customers by presenting yourself as boorish and annoying raises buyer resistance and lowers your odds of closing a sale.

Unfortunately it's the listening, interacting, and reacting parts that many companies want to bypass, and start selling NOW. Many companies don't have the time or resources to dedicate someone to talking online and building up these important relationships. After all, while others may be 'listening in' (reading along) with the conversation, you're reaching dozens or hundreds at a time, not thousands or tens of thousands. Fortunately, there is in most cases an acceptable shortcut: positioning.

Making It Easy

If the audience is 'warmed up' - already reading about or doing an activity around the sort of things your company has to offer, they'll be far more receptive to your message: you're reaching a pre-screened audience. This is akin to the first step, listening, and is why targeted sponsorship is so popular, such as an athletic wear company sponsoring a high profile race. Websites with good traffic can give you the high profile, if your product or service is of interest to the site visitors.

For example, our site is targeted at people interested in fashion, photography, and modeling (or interested in models) and uses contests and games to give those people something to do that's related to those interests. This creates a pre-screened demographic of people 15-34, either engaged in or aspiring to certain interests. Therefore, positioned advertising on the site is relevant to those interests. (LISTENING)

Because products promoted on this site are items users must to acquire from our virtual mall during game play, they're not ads; they're desirable items needed for the game. Because a company is sponsoring a modeling contest on this site, they're creating a contest for models not merely trumpeting their brand. Because items or services being advertised in banners are right next to articles on that topic, the reader is interested in those products or services. This positions the items or brands as something visitors to our site can use (INTERACTING)

Contest promoters' profiles, or sponsors items pictured in the mall, can link to their company websites to explain more about what they offer, if the viewer is interested in learning more (REACTING)

And so companies positioning clickable images or products on our site have reached a large, interested audience more likely to remember their brand, have presented their products or brand without turning the viewers off through blatant advertising, and given the viewers the opportunity to make the decision to purchase while the viewer is excited about the product or brand.

That is not selling, that is need fulfillment. Which is what makes step 4 a snap (CLOSE). And that's what we offer.