5 Steps to Applying Stimulus/Response Thinking to Social Marketing

Thursday, May 3, 2012 | Leave a Comment 

How many of our Twitter followers are real buyers? What percentage of our tweets do followers actually see? Are those new Facebook likes really valuable over time? Certainly you’ve posed similar questions to your marketing team or agency.

Getting answers to questions like these is challenging work—and well worth the effort. But even with access to so much data, we can still tell very little about customers and prospects by observing their relatively passive social network participation. To really understand behavior, we must rely on a concept that is both so simple yet so poorly applied in social marketing that it borders on stupidity: stimulus and response.

Most classically-trained marketers understand the concept of introducing an offer (stimulus) and waiting for a response. And over the years we’ve learned to not just measure uptake, but also to understand more about why and when a prospect actually becomes a real marketing-qualified lead. Significant investment is made in refining this process, but I hear too many stories about this discipline not finding its way into social engagement.

Before I go into five discipline-building tips, I must offer one strong caveat: I’m not saying that you should simply treat social networks like any other channel – these are venues for strategic brand storytelling, not lead gen repurposing. So, with that said, I offer five steps for bringing stimulus/response into your social marketing strategy:

We love data at Greenough. We pore over it daily, but we also understand that social marketing isn’t driven by data alone. Yes, stimulus and response works well with highly-structured data analysis, and you should have a plan for that too, but don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty and use it like a conversation instead of simply a scientific probe.

Scott Bauman is executive vice president at Greenough.

Can Email Survive Mobile?

Monday, April 9, 2012 | Leave a Comment 

Courtesy JPott

At first, I was prepared to disagree entirely with Christine Dunn’s post from last week, “Email Is Still the Best Way to Share Content among Consumers and Businesses.” I’ve since relaxed my stance, but I still don’t believe it’s the “best” way, although I’ll concede it’s still important and valuable in many instances. But things are starting to change.

Just because email may be the “most-used method” today doesn’t mean it’s the best. Why is that distinction important? Because it continues to provide a false sense of security, especially for traditional marketers who are still overly reliant on tools they’ve always used. Yes, email is still the original killer app, but can it survive fundamental changes in how we interact with our surroundings and each other in mobile ecosystems? I’m not so sure.

I strongly agree with Christine that encouraging “smaller, more intimate groups of colleagues, friends and family” to share content is an important goal for all marketers. But I’m not sure if email is really the ultimate tool for doing this, it just happens to be the most familiar to many. The StumbleUpon study Christine mentions (overview here from AdAge) suggests that its users, a younger demographic, “want a direct line of communications,” but the fact that email is one of the ways information is shared doesn’t prove that it’s the best. Maybe it’s just the easiest from the SU interface. I’d need to see more data.

When I think of “direct line of communications,” however, I think texting. I’d wager that more people 34 and younger are communicating via text than email, at least outside of work. And even people older than 34 are growing increasingly more comfortable with texting. It is more immediate and fluid, something that can also be said of popular mobile apps used today for discovering and sharing content such as Instagram.

The discovery-sharing paradigm is much more complex – and potentially powerful – than standard approaches to outbound marketing. That’s another reason I was so eager to disagree with Christine. In fact, her reference to the BtoB marketing study finding that “email marketing is still considered the ‘workhorse’ of the marketing industry because it’s inexpensive and effective” really set me off because the bar for what’s “effective” in email marketing is often quite low.

The BtoB study offers unsurprising stats about how marketers plan to send more content through email, but that still doesn’t prove its value. The report summary teases the notion that marketers can no longer ignore email/social media integration, but I think strategic mobile integration is even more important; and not just mobile versions of online networks, but new methods to experience content that tap either new technology or new approaches  to advance the discovery-sharing paradigm.

No, email isn’t going anywhere soon. But let’s not get carried away with its perceived value, especially considering the source (marketers comfortable with it). I don’t have the answers, but I do think that as we spend more time in a mobile ecosystem, email, at least as it exists today, may not be such a workhorse any more. At least that’s a possible sea change we should all be watching more closely today.

Boston Bruins Score With Digital Content DEN

Wednesday, March 28, 2012 | Leave a Comment 

I‘m a Pittsburgh Penguins fan, so it pains me to write this. The Boston Bruins just launched a new “portal” inside the NHL.com Network and there are things I like about it and things I don’t. Mostly, begrudgingly, I like Bruin’s DEN, and here’s why:

It’s not a traditional website. I’ve said for years that websites, as we knew them, are anachronistic. Not that they don’t have value, but they are often too static, uninspired and, for the most part, are used sparingly by prospects and customers. Think digital brochure. The DEN feels dynamic and pulls in content from other dynamic platforms such as Facebook, Google+ and Tumblr. The story isn’t dictated by the Bruins exclusively – as is true of traditional websites or team sites – it’s co-curated by fans. That’s forward-looking and a lesson that is relevant to any brand in any industry.

It’s multichannel without feeling contrived. The Bruins understand that people are different, communicated differently and share liberally, especially when they are acting as “fans” (whether it’s inside a bar, outside the Garden or at a beach barbecue celebrating the Stanley Cup). Offering multiple channels for sharing different media types gives a more comprehensive view (feeling!) of what it means to be a Bruins fan.

It says, by its design, that “we do this for you,” and that builds affinity. This one’s hard for me since I don’t actually feel the affinity. A brand – or team – should feel like it’s yours. By featuring fans and making them central to the story, the Bruins make it less about the league and more about each individual Bruins fan. Is your brand connecting this way with its customers and prospects?

What I don’t like about the portal is where it features the branded content. The location of the Ice Girls and The Bear and the Gang takes a little away from the affinity-building mentioned above. I’d like it more if this content was featured less prominently than true fan content (maybe the carousel can rotate fan content instead).

The “Bruins Mobile” content doesn’t add much either – it’s an afterthought. Maybe I’m the only skeptic who sees this as just an ad for another ad revenue platform. Perhaps the Bruins can think of an innovative way to create/capture dialogue through mobile and feature that too.

Overall, this is a win; at least for now. I hope they don’t focus inward on the portal, however, but instead continue to focus outward on building the kind of multichannel engagement and affinity that makes DEN possible in the first place.

Is Klout-Score Marketing the Path of Least Resistance?

Friday, March 23, 2012 | 4 Comments 

Courtesy likeablerodent

Just read through “The Rise of Digital Influence” by Brian Solis, and we all owe him thanks for his thoughtful review of digital influence, especially his inventory of vendors in the ecosystem today. But, Brian, I remain skeptical and I’m wondering whether that’s intentional. Let me explain.

To be frank, I’m coming at this with bias. I’m not convinced that Klout, Kred and others mentioned in the guide have a sound methodology (they might, but I just haven’t seen it firsthand). But that’s only part of my issue. I’m also troubled by something that Brian captures quite well in a quote from Danah Boyd: “When sociologists measure social capital, they do so from a distance precisely because people will try to game the system.” I believe that gaming is taking place in several ways, both intentionally (I want to be a guru and recognition/things) and unintentionally (I just want to get things) – and neither is really good for brands in the long run. Scores, badges and the like don’t necessarily equate to influence or, most important, loyalty.

This is why I believe that digital influence measurement is harder – and more time-consuming – than many realize. And I’m concerned that oversimplifying it into a simple score will undermine efforts to do the hard work that will always be necessary. The not-so-old-fashioned way of following the paths of influence, what David Armano calls “influence ripples” (referred to as “ripples of reverberation” in the piece), is hard, but at our agency we believe strongly that brands can be so distracted by what they “think” is the head that they miss the long tail that is curling around them (yes, I went there). Read more…

Trial by Twitter?

Thursday, March 15, 2012 | Leave a Comment 

Image source: WSJ

According to a recent Pew Internet and American Life Project survey, approximately 66 percent of adult Internet users say that they utilize social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. And the evidence is everywhere. People are tweeting and posting from the sidelines of NFL games, NASCAR racecars, red carpet events, the bathroom (ew) and even delivery rooms. So it doesn’t come as a surprise that our social media addiction carries over into the courtroom.

I recently read Steve Eder’s Jury Files: The Temptation of Twitter on the Wall Street Journal Law Blog. Eder refers to a new study in the Duke Law & Technology Review where, he writes, “one juror responded to an information survey by saying ‘nothing’ could prevent her from communicating through social media during a trial.”

It is with darn good reason that courts are concerned about what trial participants (primarily jurors) might say on social media. Insider information could leak before details can be made public and biases (or even perceived biases) could be formed based on a tweet or post. Even benign social media updates could raise serious questions about whether the juror is discussing the case elsewhere and could call into question a juror’s judgment/ability to follow instructions.

Late last year, a Florida juror sent a friend request to the defendant of the trial he was involved in and he was dismissed from the jury. Sounds like a clever way to get dismissed the next time you’re called for jury duty, doesn’t it? Well this juror didn’t quit while he was ‘ahead.’ He posted this comment on his Facebook page in response: “Score…I got dismissed!! Apparently they frown upon sending a friend request to the defendant… ha ha.”

But the story doesn’t end there: His friend request, coupled with this remark, got the fool charged with criminal contempt of court and a three-day jail sentence.

While the potential impact of a juror accessing social media is huge, these seemingly small threats toward justice are difficult to detect. In a survey conducted by the Federal Judicial Center late last year, 79 percent of judges who responded said they had “no way of knowing whether jurors had violated a social-media ban.” Well, if judges don’t keep a firm handle on social media behavior during trials, you better believe that attorneys will be watching social networks like hawks, looking for even the slightest juror indiscretion that could open the floodgates to a mistrial, throwing out a conviction or an acquittal.

Before you think me hyperbolic, consider this: In 2010, the Arkansas Supreme Court reversed a death sentence in a murder trial because a juror was tweeting about the case during deliberations. In fact, the juror leaked the trial’s verdict before it was officially announced. Someone with the defense spotted the objectionable tweets.

At some point in the future, jurors may even be required to disclose their Twitter handle, Facebook page and other social media accounts as part of a “social dossier.” Until courts come up with a way to effectively manage the outbound (and inbound) streams of communication, lawyers are doing themselves a great disservice if they’re not deeply immersed in social media monitoring and staying on top of social media trends and developments.

Here at Greenough we recognize that lawyers want to be lawyers, not experts in social media monitoring, and that’s where we can help. Working together, we can ensure that no social media funny business will jeopardize the fate of a defendant…or the future of our legal system.

Anne Norris is a senior consultant, social media, at Greenough. Twitter: @anne_norris.

Healthcare in Your Pocket: The Unstoppable Rise of mHealth

Wednesday, February 1, 2012 | Leave a Comment 

Much has been written in recent months about “consumerization of IT.” In fact, InfoWorld recently launched a channel dedicated to the topic. Overused phrase? Perhaps it is, but it’s also no buzzword du jour. Mobile devices have already liberated your “at home” persona, and now corporate IT is scrambling to protect itself as work personas and home personas converge within one or more preferred devices such as smartphones and tablets.

But consumerization of IT doesn’t capture the true potential or massive scale of this disruption.  To fully grasp that, simply insert the world “healthcare” before IT.

The title of a recently published Panasonic/BizTechReports white paper (available here) concerns me. Diagnosis Danger: Governance & Security Issues Cause IT Concerns About iPad in Healthcare Setting perpetuates fear that undoubtedly exists within many healthcare enterprises. That said, the white paper is frankly a bit self-serving; its main point seems to be that iPads (unlike Panasonic devices, of course) may not be robust enough for the typical healthcare setting.  That’s a minor worry in my opinion, but a survey done with CIOs as part of the white paper clearly shows widespread angst.

Despite these worries from within, however, true disruption is underway, and patients, physicians and administrators are driving the mobile health, or “mHealth,” revolution, whether IT is ready or not. Christina Thielst, a hospital administrator who is active in social media through her blog Christina’s Considerations, champions this opportunity by putting a spotlight on ways mobile technology, even “consumery” applications such as FourSquare, are leading to deeper engagement. She doesn’t ignore the risks, but she does encourage her peers to push boundaries.

And push they are. A recent piece in Crain’s New York Business, Wired Docs, tells of physicians who are challenging their employers to “hook them up.” And we’re not talking about mere social media dialogue on Twitter or Facebook, we’re talking about doctors on rounds using apps such as Diagnosaurus on their iPhones to troubleshoot new symptoms.

There is no putting the genie back in the bottle; whether you call it consumerization of healthcare IT or mHealth, the movement is unstoppable. Consumers want it and understand how to use it. And so do many medical professionals.

But don’t take my word for it. Take the words of U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius at the recent mHealth Summit. Read her words carefully, especially her closing line: “This future is not here yet, but it is within sight.” That future is mobile, and those of us who have a stake in mHealth, from developers of new applications to the creators of new content to support them, have an obligation to keep pushing (and innovating) alongside the intrepid physicians, nurses and administrators who have taken up this cause. Sure, healthcare CIOs should be careful in these uncharted waters, but here’s hoping they are committed to doing so with sufficient speed to realize the full promise of mHealth as soon as possible.

Scott Bauman is an executive vice president for Greenough. Send him an email at sbauman@greenough.biz or follow him on twitter: @sbauman

Cleaning Up Boston with the iPhone

Thursday, October 14, 2010 | 3 Comments 

Remember the “House Rules” that were posted on your childhood refrigerator? Is it just me, or were these rules always daunting challenges despite the simplicity of their request? For example, “If you sleep in it, make it” seemed to always escape my list of priorities when I rushed out the door in the morning; “If you drop it, pick it up” was an easy rule to avoid, thanks to my family dog who was punctual to the point of neurosis when it came to windfall profits at the dinner table. I hated these rules, so I ignored them. While I didn’t appreciate these House Rules at the time, in retrospect I now understand that my parents were teaching me the importance of taking responsibility for my actions and contributing to the household.

A similar lesson is being instilled in Boston residents today, and technology is taking the House Rule “If you break it, repair it” to a whole new level. Mayor Menino and the City of Boston are promoting an iPhone application called Citizens Connect that allows users to report graffiti, request a traffic light fix, report damaging potholes, and clear any other obstruction or infraction they notice. Initiated in October 2009, Citizens Connect remains largely successful, attracting 8,500 users whose reports accounted for 14% of the Mayor’s total complaints.
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When I heard about this program, I thought it was awesome; partially because it is a wonderful idea and the city is looking better by the day, but mostly because I found my escape route – I don’t own an iPhone! But fear not, my fellow chore-avoiding, non iPhone- using peers; the latest installment of Citizens Connect will create not only an interactive feature between contributing residents, but is also going to become available on Droid phones, and there will be a webpage accessible by BlackBerry and more conventional computers. Those with the application will be able to view not only the reports they sent in, but they will also view the reports of others and thus can post again to emphasize the problem, or move on to the next blight. The city also plans to make its data available to the public, allowing programmers to build their own apps, make mashups, and have other fun on the Web. These features will be available next month, and there will be a kick-off party November 8th at Ned Devine’s Pub in Faneuil Hall.

A “Culture of Participation” is the inspiration behind the new program, with the hope that the more contributions that are made, the smaller the gap becomes between citizen of Boston and its decision makers. In other words, it glorifies the relationship between parent and child, encouraging the latter to play a part in accomplishing life’s day to day tasks that make the world a better place. Lars Torres summarizes the importance technology plays as an emerging mode of participation: “When hundreds, sometimes thousands of citizens, are engaged in information and knowledge building exercises in service of decision-making, the careful application of information and communication technologies is a critical factor of success." It is evident that in the sphere of civic engagement, technology has stepped in to take the lead where human indolence normally falters- and I, for one, am grateful.
Next month will debut the newest changes to Citizens Connect, and I hope you will join me in participating. For the sake of Boston, I urge you to do your part. The next time you pop your tire on Storrow Drive, remember those simple, yet meaningful House Rules. But at the very least, if you can’t repair it, by all means-call in someone who can.

Download the Citizens Connect iPhone App, here.

-Contributed by Sarah Hurley @Sarah_Hu

Not Quite Ready for Social? Let’s Talk Trade Shows

Wednesday, October 13, 2010 | 1 Comment 

There are those who will argue the trade show is dead, and while I've witnessed some decline of the industry event over the past few years, let's assume for a moment that the trade show is still an unquestioned staple of B2B marketing.  Bear with me now…

A typical story might go like this: Mike Marketer picks four or five important shows to attend every year. How does he know they're important?  Easy. Everybody who's anybody in the industry sector is there, and, of course, it's teeming with prospective customers who might be in need of the innovative, best-in-class solution from Mike’s company, TechTitan.  There are usually a few current customers at the events, as well to whom the TechTitan event team might want to show a little love.  Mike's usually part of that team, as are a few of TechTitan's product geniuses and sales wizards. 

Mike starts planning months in advance.  There are booth graphics and slogans to design; he usually picks an event or two to pour extra money into so TechTitan can grab a speaking slot for thought leadership; and then there's the question of getting everyone interested.  Usually this involves spending a little extra for give-aways, preferably the latest i_____ (insert Apple product name here).

Visibility, a thought leadership platform, conversations with prospects, and new leads for sales are the reward for Mike's time, energy, and budget if all goes well at the event.

What if jumping into social media weren't really all that different from including an event in your marketing program?  We hear a lot that companies don't see the value or don't have time.  Often, they don't really know how either, or they want to just jump right in because how hard can it really be to write 140 characters?  It may seem like a far-fetched comparison, but social media might not be all that different from the old staple of marketing – events.

A couple lessons about social from events:

1.  Go because your target market is there

This was the first reason I started thinking about the comparison.  In researching social media for a client, I was surprised to see how many people were saying "I need an innovative, best-in-class solution," or "Does anyone know about TechTitan? Do you like their products?"  Okay, no, they weren't saying that exactly, but they were asking for solutions and product advice. It makes sense to show up at the shows where your customers and prospects are showing up.  If they're showing up on Twitter or Facebook or LinkedIn, why shouldn't you show up there?  (If they're not, then by all means, stay away from social media.)

2. Give something away

You can't actually hand someone an iPrize through Twitter (though you can certainly raffle one off), but just like at events, people love free stuff.  Give them help!  Give them information they can use!  Share your network!  If you do, they'll come visit your booth social media profile again.  They might even bring their friends back to visit.

3.  Please don't show up and start screaming.  It's not very becoming.

At an event, if you want a captive audience to listen to your presentation, you can get it in one of a few ways.  One, you're pretty darn smart and cool, so event coordinators want you to speak.   Two, you pay up for a speaking slot or to host your own side-ring event.  Or, three (which is becoming increasingly rare), you're articulate and have an out-of-this world idea and you earn your speaking slot.

You don't just walk out onto the event floor and start yelling about how awesome your company is and expect a crowd to emerge from the woodwork.

Along the lines of giving something away, in social media, you can't expect people to just spontaneously converge into an audience.  While you can't buy your followers/fans/connections (at least just yet), you still need to be so cool people want to hear you (think Steve Jobs) or willing to invest (a lot of time and effort) or you're articulate and share great ideas.  Usually, reality requires a combination of the latter two, just as Mike Marketer probably sponsors some shows and tries to earn speaking slots at others.  And of course, being cool never hurts.

4. You need a plan

Mike from TechTitan puts a lot of planning effort into his events.  Social media requires the same.  What's the personality of your booth/profile?  Who's on the team at the show/online?  Ideally you've got a cross-section of people.  Which shows/channels are best for reaching customers?  For reaching analysts?  What give-aways/content types really get prospects excited?

I'll stop here to avoid continuing the argument too far.  Yes, it's somewhat of an apples-to-oranges comparison, but my hope is that it will help raise a few questions about why we're sometimes so quick to write off social media as not applicable for B2B marketing, in particular in the tech sector.  And, while I do strongly believe that social media should not be solely a marketing initiative, that's often where it will gain foothold first.  Any other ways one of the oldest tools of the trade and one of the newest may not be so different?

Contributed by Catharine Morgan.  Follow her @c_morgan.

The Real Twitter Bug

Thursday, September 23, 2010 | Leave a Comment 

Twitter bugLast Tuesday you would have thought the world was turned upside down as a Twitter bug spread across web causing mayhem and panic within the Twittersphere. A colleague of mine barely had time to walk through the door and put her stuff down before she had hopped on Twitter and became a victim of the security flaw. 

The bug affected thousands if not millions of users who, by simply rolling their mouse over a certain tweet or chunk of text on Twitter, were redirected to harmful third-party sites without their consent. Some users were lucky enough for the bug to write and send an unsolicited update or re-tweet on their behalf.

Within my own office, a public relations agency where every single employee uses Twitter, the news of the bug spread fairly quickly. After discussing it amongst each other, we then proceeded to let our clients know about the bug and told them to avoid Twitter until it was fixed. At the time we did not know what exactly the bug was or the type of damage it could cause. However, as PR professionals helping our clients manage corporate Twitter streams, choosing not to address the issue was a risk we were not willing to take.

The folks at Twitter corrected the flaw in a very timely fashion and all in all, it proved to be more of a minor inconvenience rather than a full-blown catastrophe, which is how some people treated it. However, the situation did, in a sense, serve as a wake up call. I realized how much we, as PR professionals, are reliant on the platform and how much it has become a part of our daily routine. 

The PR industry is obviously just one group who relies heavily on Twitter. It seems to me that each day, Twitter continues to extend its power and influence upon different groups of people. What are the implications of this? To be honest, I’m not entirely sure. The implications are vast and complicated and certainly not black or white. 

As many people have begun to realize, Twitter can be powerful tool to do good, or it can abuse its power to do bad. For example, Twitter has done wonders in the world of customer service. Companies like Comcast, Jet Blue, Southwest Airlines and Dell have all addressed customer service issues directly using the platform, ultimately promoting a positive brand image and leaving customers happy. 

Or how about the role Twitter played in the Iran Election back in 2009? After traditional media was blocked from use, Iranians turned to Twitter to post updates, photos and videos of the real-time, often violent opposition occurring between demonstrators and officials. Clearly, widespread use of Twitter has done good in terms of raising awareness of important societal issues as well as addressing customer service concerns.  However, at the same time, it also has facilitated and enabled libelous rumors and accusations, invasions of privacy, and, as we saw a few days ago, harmful security threats, damaging not only one’s computer, but one’s online reputation and credibility. 

I think it’s becoming increasingly clear that Twitter simply has got its hold on us. And a lot of us. Whether enabling good or bad, there’s no denying that Twitter’s power is real and here to stay. So although this week’s Twitter bug has been fixed, I think the real Twitter bug lies within us and it’s not going away anytime soon.

- Contributed by Jessica Boardman. Follow her @jboards.

A Mesmerizing Publicity Stunt by Google

Wednesday, September 8, 2010 | 1 Comment 

I’ve always been a big fan of Google Doodles (the stylized Google logos on the homepage) – whether it’s the elaborate April Fools’ Day “Topeka” logo and fanfare, the infamous PacMan logo or any number of the hundreds of other novel doodles.  This week’s doodles, particularly yesterday’s, are the best to date – bar none. And wow, did these logos get the press (and the public) talking!

Most notable was yesterday’s doodle, an animated “kinetic” Google logo made up of tiny bubbles that reacted to a user’s cursor by scattering. Words simply don’t do it justice; it was utterly awesome and mesmerized millions, if not billions of giddy site visitors.

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Speculation about the significance of the unique logo exploded. According to Google Trends, searches about the distinctive doodle made up about 20 percent of Google’s most searched terms and ranked among the top searches for September 7.

Taylor Buley at Forbes, among others, pointed out a mysterious tweet from Google, “Boisterous doodle today. Maybe it’s excited about the week ahead…” In response to press inquiries, Google made the following statement: “Today’s doodle is fun, fast and interactive, just the way we think search should be…”

Further stoking the public’s fervid curiosity was today’s doodle, a Google logo that lights up as a user types into the search box.

So what does it all mean?

Today there was a resounding “ahhh,” as the spellbound speculators finally got some answers. Google made the big announcement about its latest offering: Google Instant, which enables users to view search results as they type a query.

This is word-of-mouth (WOM) marketing at its finest. Attract attention, build suspense, play hard-to-get and most importantly, have compelling news that comes close, or even better, lives up to the hype.

Still wondering whether the “Google balls” had any effect? See for yourself.

Contributed by Anne Norris. Follow her @anne_norris.