Maxys Max Media and Entertainment

Quality vs Quantity

What is better, a website that converts 1% of 100 visitors or 10% of 10?

Our recent CLIVE ALIVE (see video above) event discussed "Creative Differentiation"

I've never heard of Quantity Service!

Is marketing just a numbers game or is it the quality of your visitors and customers that matters most?

At the recent Online Retailers Conference in Sydney I was amused at the disproportionate number of exhibitors promoting Search Engine Optiminisation (SEO). SEO is essential (it helps to qualify your web visitors) but it's only one small part of online marketing and customer engagement.

The influence of mass media advertising is descreasing - we are increasing influenced by online word of mouth testimonial.

12.5 seconds

The most critical element of a new visitor to your website is the first 12.5 seconds - it's in these first few moments that a new visitor makes a decision whether to stay or go.

What's your web visitor experience like? Did your website engage? Did it build trust?

What's your ratio of visitors to customers look like? Is it increasing or decreasing?

For the record the average across most retail sites is 1% - wow 99% of website visitors don't engage!

How well do you know your visitors and online customers?

I was very impressed with Core Metrics whole of customer cycle management system at the show.

How can you easily increase online customer engagement?

A recent US Report on online advertising effectiveness showed that rich media with video significantly increased website results.

But a warning, not all rich media video is the same

A Few Tips on Rich Media with Video

• Users appreciate quality content and production. For professional results use professionals - it's not about the technology it's about the communication.
• Content must be relevant to the viewer. There's no point running a video for red meat on a vegitarian recipe page (unless you're out the convert buyer behaviour).
• User control is important - allow users to quickly close or mute.
• Cookie control functionality so your visitor is not getting the same message every time. Better still create a series of sequenced messages that create a conversation with your returning visitors and customers.
• No buffering - No one want to wait five seconds or more for a website video to load and play. Rich Media video must be fast.
• Keep your message real and to the point. Your in your viewers very personal space (less than a metre), value their time and eyeballs. Make your message sharp and to the point.
• Entertain to inform (if required use professional presenters)

Professional Rich Media Video will dramatically increase your visitor to sales ratios.

For more information on creating effective Rich Media video please give us a call on 61 2 8005 8072

Awareness

In today's consumer driven online social media landscape we seek permission to engage customers online.

Question is - how to you know if you can't interrupt the flow?

Word of mouth?  Advertising?  SEO?

Permission

Most people aren't mind readers so it's important to communicate your desires and goals.

Negotiation

A transactions need not be adversarial - in fact parties may seek collaborative benefits - with effort you can always find common ground solutions.

For example -

"GIVE ME THE CHOP and I'll

1. Look after the house;
2. Won't raid the garbage bin at 1AM tonight and
3. You can keep your left arm :-)

Love Bella the Great Dane"

Conclusion

The days of the everything free on the web are disappearing.  Internet users are going to have to get increasingly use to more interruptive forms of advertising or subscription models if they want high quality content.

Advertisers will need to not only create relevant and entertaining content but also incorporate social media tools and online customer engagement policies.

Awareness - Permission - Negotiation - Conclusion.

 

CLIVE ALIVE MEETUP

Funny how sometimes ideas come together so quickly it's like it was just meant to happen, one element the piece that makes the puzzle come together.

We had Gerry Gannon, one of Australia's leading MC's in the studio the other day and the conversation over lunch moved to CLIVE marketing strategy - how we are going to develop demonstrations around vertical market applications and start holding events.

Less than ten minutes later we had a video focused on event registrations.

Event Management 101

Event management is considered one of the strategic marketing and communication tools by companies of all sizes.

From product launches to press conferences, companies create promotional events to help them communicate with clients and potential clients

BUT getting people to know about your event and register can be hard work.  Customer Attention is scarce.  You need to create something that they must attend - that's in their interest.  That your audience leaves with something special and then tells their friends.  In a lot of ways it's no different than a band, a film or any other product.

This article(s) are my personal notes in putting together our first CLIVE ALIVE event and the process we go through.

Intro/ Background

On the 29th July our CLIVE will be one year old - that's given us time to get familiar the latest edition to the family - from a strategy point of view it's now time to go offline and get face to face.

Purpose

Bring together a mix of film and video, technology, media people around our solutions and case studies - create social interaction and foundation for Australian Internet Video Production.

The idea here is that people who come to events are

1. Interested and
2. Likely to talk and share their experience

Putting an event together

Any event is essentially a combination of project management and creative concepts. Elements to consider.

• Purpose of event?
• Target Audience - number, reaching, engaging, registering, servicing.
• Format - date, time, style (theater, boardroom etc)
• Speakers
• Venue
• Logistics
• Marketing - target engagement, registrations.

Purpose

From a business strategy and time management point of view it makes sense to try and talk to effectively to 20 or more people at once then many 1:1's.

Prior we'd experimented with just developing videos online BUT that only goes so far. The fact is people buy from people and everything is about trust and building relationships.

Also, it's socially important to get out from behind our computer screens.

Target Audience

Film, television, media, advertising, marketing, corporates, technologists.

Content

I already know our subject matter "Internet Video" is a hot topic. Most important, what does the audience leave with? The call to action, the message.

Speakers

The first gig I'd like to get Chris in to talk from a Video Directors creative perspective and Nathan in from a client results. I'd like to add one other senior presenter to take a helicopter view and offer their perspective

We have a wide network of potential guests in the pipeline. I love to get Naomi Simson, Trevor Sykes, Holly Kramer, Len Rust, Paul Budde, Iggy Pintado and others to hear their experience of digital media convergence.

Chris to get his film mates, Martin to talk about the Red camera, Hugh, etc the list of potential speakers is endless.

Other elements

One of the key pieces I'm going to use is the number "5" - "CLIVE, ALIVE, FIVE" through everything we do - 5PM, 5 minute presentations, 5th day etc. People remember patterns.

Timing - after work before dinner- 5PM (for 5.30PM) - 7PM

The Format - theatre and network layout. People are time poor, adopt the same process we're using with all our communications, short and sharp, from the broad down to specific (inverted pyramid). Tight time schedule. Intro, 5 min presentation, 5 min Q&A, next guest. 6.00/6.30 Netowrk, 7.00 End.

From a continuity point of view make it once a month, either the 5th Day or the 1st Tuesday.

Venue - the City is most important etc - I search the web, Twitter a question, Nathan suggests NSW DSRD (Event the previous night) - I've presented their before - great location and facilities. In terms of overall strategy could benefit - build government support. My good event management mate Monique suggests a new night club she's doing the marketing for - will look at that for next time - locations can change.

Marketing the event

Usual approach is to target audience by using the news media, hoping to generate media coverage which will reach thousands or millions of people. Also invite their audience to their events and reach them at the actual event.

For our marketing - the check list

• Create the event details online
• Create this web blog (search engine optimised)
• Develop database of potential partners, influencers, clients
• Prepare a press release and distribute through online PR and other online distribution.
• Promote through Twitter through Facebook.
• Email marketing to existing subscriber database.

Til later.

Tsunamis of Change and the Creative Economy 

This is Part 1 in a new creative project I'm working on looking at Australian Digital Media Strategy.

As every business owner knows the economic landscape has been rapidly altered after the stock market crash of last year - it's a bit like looking out the window after the Pearl Harbor attack - most of the destruction done, the full reverberating impact still too early to tell. 

The old supply demand ratio and attitudes (including the much maligned Y-Gens) of the last twenty years has changed, as a result, new thought-models, approaches, attitudes and opportunities will surface and prosper.

In today's market Buyers are now back in full control - cash is scarce and surviving companies must actively compete.  As a supplier you are either a commodity or added higher value - the middle ground will be flattened.

A contracting marketplace offers smart expanding companies the ability to increase market share as their competitors retreat and defend - head in sand, reactive.

From the laggard industrial manufacturing complex through the Information Economy we will move towards an Innovation/ Creative Economy 

One of the biggest impacts will be on the media, advertising and the entertainment/ Internet video space (think how Ipods changed the music industry and how faster broadband wil impact video, film and television).  

There will be an accelerated shift towards online video advertising and marketing away from conventional television, newspapers and magazines.

A great little video from PRBlogger

How PR works online

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This then raises the question of who are Australia's most influential Internet users?

How would you create a list? Some initial thoughts...

• Top 100 Australian Bloggers - how many subscribers?  How many comments? (any list needs to be contextual and relevant)
• Facebook and Linkedin - how many friends/ associates - engagement and influence?
• Google - number of articles and links etc
• Corporations/ Government - The Telstra's, News Ltd's, Seven Sunrise, politicians and celebrities
• Twitter/ Flickr/ Youtube and so on 

Engagement

Once you have your list how do you engage?

In sales, the best customer is through a trusted third party referral.

For example, hey Scott, you're in marketing do you know a good event management company?  Absolutely - Monique at Creative Stars.

Most people begin any new purchase with a search (see How PR works online above).

The question is how do you engage influencers without trying to sell them, ie jamm a message down their throat like historial repeat and interupt advertising?

WIIFM  - What's In It For Me?

1. What is your product or service? (keywords and message)
2. What does it mean to your customers (wants and needs)?

Inspire

In the online world original, quality "content is King".

Find a creative approach, create something new and share. [Goes for swim and walks to coffee shop]

At coffee this morning the idea crystallizes.  I've been looking to incorporate more of my photography interests (particularly portraits) within my work.

Implementation

1. Broad scope campaign -the 6 w's - Who/What, How, When, Where, How much, Why?
2. Research lists and compile
3. Create holding content pages
4. Begin target engagement
5. Market/ Share/ Engage

I like it.  A new project for the year (stay tuned)