Internet Marketing and Digital Media Strategy Sydney Australia

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.

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.

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At a digital media conference gig the other night I met Silkcharm one of Australia's leading bloggers (see below) and her comments were enough for me to revisit the Twitter space again. 

"Yeha that sounds like a party" I hear you cry! 

From a business point of view, remember the techie geeks are driving online innovation, they invented PC's, email, the web, mobile phones, Ipods and Facebook that we all now take for granted and rave about - it's the Devil wears Prada of web stuff and if you want to know what's happening you need to be in their space.

When you think about it's not much different than drinking at the pubs that horse trainers drink to get the hot tips - you need to tap into the relevant social space and constructively contribute (who's got time for neg heads?) - it's the age old lessons of gaining trust and building relationships.

Anyway some dude at the conference said something like the Internet is for people with too much time or something like that - yes and no.  The same dude (my old competitor Aconex) had just raised $107m from private equity just days before the stock market crash so you have to question that one as well.

Moving on, over the last week I've been looking Twitter again. For the uninitiated Twitter is basically a Free, 140 character chat system, microblogging or social networking, but is much more than that - one comment I liked was that it is like an online pub where people meet, chat and share! (see video) 

Hmmm, I'll think about that, I still prefer a real beer...(yes for those who know me face to face that is very obvious I know!)

I'm interested to see what sort of growth over the last year and a half and to look at the challenges and opportunities for business.   For those who like numbers Wikipedia reports that as of October 2008, Twitter claims to have over 3,200,000 accounts registered. I wonder how many Aussies? A search for Aussie Twitterers reveals 8,109 Aussies.  I'd say that's too low - on most stats Australia is about 1% of the global market, so at a guess I'd say about 32,000 and then apply Parato's 80:20 rule - ie the top 20% represent 80% of the influence.  

problogger   Darren Rowse Following : 5264 Melbourne Australia Followers : 13522 Blogger, Author, Social Media Participant. Get a peek behind the scenes with my Tweets. Favorites : 12   http://www.problogger.net Updates : 6699     Last update : I'm starting to wonder whether launching a new blog today was a good idea if I want a day off tomorrow :-) Kitta   Kitta Following : 333   Perth, Western Australia Followers : 3674 Self confessed high heel worshipper who suffers from multiplefirefoxtabitis. Blogger, student & monkey tamer. Favorites : 239 http://kitta.net Updates : 2474     Last update : Having a random dinner to match my random day. duncanriley   Duncan Riley Following : 1653   Melbourne, Australia Followers : 3439   Favorites : 7   http://www.duncanriley.com Updates : 9077     Last update : nothing nicer seeing memory use fall as traffic grows. Cache fixed. Need a stiff drink now :-) SilkCharm   Laurel Papworth Following : 1583   Australia Followers : 1980 Social Networks Strategist, World of Warcraft addict, goddess of the social media workshop. lpapworth at gmail.com Favorites : 54   http://silkcharm.blogspot.com Updates : 6849     Last update : @WaCh_Meg which one should I be following? trib   Stephen Collins Following : 857   Sydney Airport, New South Wales Followers : 1824 Knowledge economy and knowledge work consultant, web strategist, information architect and social networking evangelist. Please @ and tell me why you follow me. Favorites : 69   http://www.acidlabs.org/meet-stephen-collins/what-is-an-trib/ Updates : 12423   Last update : AWIA folks... You website seems to be down... http://www.webindustry.asn.au

Anyway, if this is where the techno thought leaders, influencers and cool kids are hanging out then we need to check it out.

Twitter growth?

I found this image from a Costa Rican Blog

I'd say Australia follows pretty much the same curve.  I'm interested to know what these Australian thought leaders are Twittering about?

Back In the beginning- what are you doing now?

I look back through my posts to my first entries - 9.21AM, Jul 28th, 2007.  My first "tweets"

• Out of bed, quick emails check - Google Alerts article on Telstra staff banned using Facebook - writer mentioned Twitter "fun" - investigate! 9:21 AM Jul 28th, 2007 from web 
• In about an hour we've added the twitter feed to a new article then digged it. Now time for a coffee!!!! 10:38 AM Jul 28th, 2007 from web 
• Back in the office - took time out this morning over coffee to explore "SMS is dead" article in Fortune and then brand loyalty and the web 9:47 AM Jul 30th, 2007 from web 
• Writing an article on social booking options - which ones to add from the hundreds available - what you then have is "social marketing" 12:48 PM Jul 30th, 2007 from web 
• Having a quick chat with the very beautiful Monique from Creative Stars (events and experiences) about social bookmarking marketing 4:51 PM Jul 30th, 2007 from web 

• I'm awake but in pain - yesterday my dad, my best mate and mentor died suddenly in a boating accident. A man of honour and integrity. 12:37 AM Aug 2nd, 2007 from web
• Getting my head around writing the eulogy for my dad who died the other day. Though sad we celebrate a great life - finding the words...... 4:43 AM Aug 5th, 2007 from web 

• Seven months on - just finished some internet marketing for a client. 3:23 PM Mar 28th 2008 from web

People to people and matters of priority communications technology 

Clearly, as demonstrable by the gap in time, Twitter was not the central communication mode during the gap.  Face to face, phone, email and text ruled the day as this was the communication mode of most friends and family. 

How much different would that be now - for me not a lot just yet - most of my  business relationships are only just getting used to Skype, may have a Linkedin account and have dabbled with Facebook - it'll be a while before they're blogging and Tweeting. 

The example above makes you wonder when you consider what matters most how much of all this technology is all complete bullshit?  How long before this space is also full of doof doof try hards and multilevel marketers - constantly jumping on the next big thing for the quick buck? 

Maybe that's the biggest challenge of the space?   I post a question on Twiitter to see what sort of response?

Anyway, if you are slightly introverted like me then the idea of publishing your thoughts out into cyberspace for all to see is not something that initially sits comfortably BUT, like all things you need to experiment to learn and build confidence and really it's much like riding a bike, writing a blog or exploring your own creativity.

One of the Twitters I found is a work at home mum Michelle Zamora's Beginners Guide to (online) social networking that encapsulated much of these thoughts.

The need to speak your own voice and get out there.

The key is to create good original creative content from your own perspective and create cut through (I'm still not happy with this blog but practice makes perfect).

From a creative framework I've been incorporating this black to white element in my photography, marketing and writing - the use of contrast in story and image to get "cut through".  Without day there is no concept of night.  How we can we imagine what we haven't experienced?

It's amazing with all the type about press a button type advertising and marketing how many businesses haven't looked in the mirror and asked themselves what is their point of difference ? What is in it for the customer? How does your product or service benefit them? What is your relationship with your customer (and that takes effort) and the market.

If customer attention is scare - then basic supply and demand economics prevails. As more and more people embrace these techniques then like most television advertising the technique becomes less effective - customers filter and don't pay attention.

To get attention - you need to entertain - the need for your marketing message to cut through - the message has to be relevant to the customers needs and wants.

People buy from people - it is the relationship they have with you and your brand, the face to face, belly to belly that is arguably the most important.

Regards
Scott

Old Hollywood and television advertising models based on controlled distribution channels, the misconception that customer attention is cheap and where retail and marketing captured the most value, are now dated. 

In the Internet Media 2.0 world, customer attention is scarce, where technology vaporises distribution and retail costs, exploding media and content supply.

We saw a very similar thing happen earlier with newspapers and the music industry in terms of creation and consumption 

For musicians the path to fame suddenly changed with the emergence of "disruptive" Internet music download programs and online social networks like Myspace and later Youtube and Facebook. 

All of a sudden, music content producers (singers and bands) could record professional quality songs from home studios and then distribute and connect with fans and consumers from all over the world via the Internet - effectively cutting out inefficient intermediaries and opening up other creative opportunities. 

The market power shifted back towards artists and consumers and the big record labels had to eventually modify their business models and embrace the web.

The film and music industry business models are similar but television, like newspapers and magazines, is mainly funded by advertising.

Free to air commercial television faces the greatest challenge.

The effectiveness of the traditional ‘interrupt and repeat' model of advertising is decreasing and audiences and advertisers have been moving away from old mass media like television and newspapers towards online advertising for a number of years. 

Given the current economic outlook this will only increase as businesses look for more innovative ways of doing things, they are looking online for smarter ways to engage customers with their brands and services. 

The real winners out of the industry shakeup will be customers, advertisers and skilled creative talent.

For creative talent - presenters, performers, scriptwriters, and producers then there will be more production opportunities but also intense rivalry for customer attention and increased competition around production values.

For advertisers, although the Internet fragments consumers making advertising management harder, increasing web site ease of use and effectiveness will increase online sales.