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.
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
Interested and
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.
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.
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.
I walk into the bras and lingerie section of the shop - yep, I'm already beyond my typical blokes purchasing knowledge and experience.
Sure I know some things but that's doesn't include what makes a good bra for a woman. My first guess is that it needs to feel comfortable, look goods and supportive. In a lot of ways much like your bloke or partner.
I move up and down the isle - what an assortment of riches - materials, colours, styles and sizes.
Right now I'm sure the security cameras are zoomed in on me and the people watching the monitors upstairs in their little room are laughing very loud as they see me trying to work out the size with my hands cupped
Or maybe not - they see it all the time and the joke's no longer funny.
I scan for a shop assistant - none to be found . Yep, I'm sure they're up there in the security room laughing at the bamboozled bloke in the lingerie lane.
I don't care if the shop assistant is young, old, male or female - just as long as they know what's important and make my purchasing decision easier.
I begin to wonder if maybe "bra buying" is secret women's business, that I just shouldn't be here but I know those days of sexual discrimination are long gone. Maybe a gift card would be a better present?
Still no service - I wonder if I try and put on the biggest bra I can find they'll immediately arrive to help BUT then maybe I'll end up on funniest home video, some bloke wins a 4WD at my inconvenience and I still don't get service!
In my journey of discovery I realise that a 12D brand A is a totally different from brand B and C. Why is that? Is it to make sure you have to come into the shop so you buy other stuff as well? That the pain of finding the right bra means your locked in for a lifetime to avoid further shopping decision making. No, that can't be it - most women love to shop - it's all part of the experience - the fabrics, the materials, the style etc.
The reality is I'm here on official research - we've a new prospective client and I've been asked to put together a Digital Marketing Strategy for them. They sell bras, lingerie, nightwear etc online but their online sales conversion is quite low.
Yes our CLIVE videos will bring the website alive and humanise the site but it doesn't get to the core reason why.
Like all our projects I need go through the personal customer experience - it doesn't matter if it's buying a house or selling soft drinks - I need to understand the process - what factors influence purchasing behavior.
Some Twittering gives me great instant market feedback to help build the proposal. I'm sure this blog and replies will also give me a few more insights.
If it's too hard in a shop then what hope of delivering the service online?
An Aussie online marketers dream list - Australian journalists Twitter list.
Last night a much more updated and comprehensive list of Australian journalists on Twitter appeared on the web - certainly more interesting and valuable then the content of the Governments website censor list.
What is interesting is how the relationship between your PR department (for most small businesses themselves) has now moved even more into cyberspace.
The Good Old Days of the Long Lunch
In the good old days you or your PR company would write a press release and then send it out to journalists you knew or wanted to know.
Better still you go out to lunch (still my much more preferred approach) or have a beer at the pubs around Surry Hills or Park St (if in Sydney).
Your Press Release would have a great header to get attention, the opening paragraph written to quickly summarise the key statement. The content all written in a way that would be easy to quickly cut and paste if your journo had an urgent deadline and needed 100, 200, 800 words to fill.
As you may know Twitter is limited to just 140 characters - not a lot you can say.
In the same breath - we are getting better at quickly shortening and filtering information.
Creating Brands Online
For a long time conventional media has been a long way behind online's speed of communication - there are a number of reasons - production values and media economics.
In digital marketing to create brand you'd focus at identifying early innovators and influencers who spread the word through to early adopters and so on.
Twitter, Facebook and other online social networking applications have been great tools for being able to rapidly communicate to your followers, create discussion and interest.
The idea being your readers then blog and share your product, news, video or article.
Eventually this groundswell of "interest" hopefully touches an investigative journalist from the mainstream media who then produces an article, a radio or television interview and broadcasts your story to the masses.
Remember, TV is still the 800 pound video guerrilla, radio feels more personal and the lines between online and offline newspapers and magazines are rapidly blurring.
So what happens when the mainstream media moves onto Twitter en masse - The Oprah's , a list of Australia's Top 100 journalists (below).
I suppose the first thing you do is follow them with the aim of the journalist following you back and the beginning of a relationship.
Stepping in the journos shoes I can imagine their email Twitter alerts as this list becomes popular. It'd be like walking into online equivalent of a high speed desperate and dateless dating service or the only "sheila" at a poorly organised B&S Ball.
Fact is - we are all already bombarded with emails and information. What makes you and your Tweet something that will get cut through and be of interest?
As always, its the first 12 seconds of attention that counts.
Entertain to Inform, get Creative, Personalise the Experience.
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?
What is your product or service? (keywords and message)
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.
I walk into the bras and lingerie section of the shop - yep, I'm already beyond my typical blokes purchasing knowledge and experience.
