Pulled in all directions by wild stallions

Posted on July 10, 2012 by COO'EE Crew

Many businesses today must feel like they are being pulled in every direction by wild stallions.

As well as your revenue management and day-to-day running, they must find time to advertise their services in what has become a highly competitive and, at times, incredibly fickle environment; namely, the online space.

How does one find time to navigate this online space, stay current and produce results? And how important is it to be represented correctly in this space?

No, we’re not just talking about a website, there are multiple segments where a business can be present.

1) Your website.
2) Directory Listings.
3) Online advertising.
4) Social Media.

Segment 1) Your website. It’s now become commonplace for all forward thinking businesses to have a website. It’s your shop window and now often the first port-of-call for prospects, as they weigh up your services against a rival.

How important is it to have a user-friendly website? The answer to this it is of the utmost importance! Gone are the days of a ‘business card’ style website. Just being present on the Web isn’t enough for today’s user. Your website and the information displayed must be ever-evolving and engaging. There’s no use spending a lot of money on a party that no-one goes to. Treat your website like a garden; it needs constant attention to reach the best results. At COO’EE we would recommend starting with Google Analytics for up-to-date reports on how your website is performing. These reports tell you how many unique visitors you are receiving weekly, monthly or yearly, and how long they are spending on your pages. If you receiving a bad hit rate, you may need to look at segments two and three.

Segment 2) Directory listings. Trades are the most competitive in the directory space and having a prominent presence is key. Depending on the industry and demand for listings and therefore costs can vary dramatically. Being present in a directory is all about creating touch points for your customers to discover your brand, products or services. and, most often, to help answer their immediate need. More often than not they are a feeder to your website. Remember, you will be displayed here directly next to your competitors. It is important to bear in mind that whilst Google is a Search Engine, it is not a directory so if you’re not shown in search results, you are not competing with your rivals.

Segment 3) Online advertising. Now with more options than any other advertising medium, online advertising has become one of the most challenging spaces for people to navigate. Search word advertising, display advertising, remarketing advertising, rich media advertising and targeted advertising are all options that are available. Before choosing your path it really pays to be clear on what your objectives are. If you are looking for brand awareness, promotion or results-driven advertising, there are obvious differences in how you go about it. Online advertising is incredibly cost-effective, targeted and measurable, and is a major contributor to driving traffic (prospects) to your website.

Segment 4) Social Media. Social is at the forefront of communication evolution. The way customers interact with your product, service or brand has changed forever. Whether you’re present or not, the fact of the matter is, you are already being talked about online somewhere, whether you like it or not. Social Media is now the number one online activity – even larger than email. People spend more time online engaging through Social Media than they do in anything else. Targeted advertising through Social Media can be the most effective use of the medium, but there is some merit in creating a personality for your business through also hosting your own Social Media page. Consider carefully what your insight is, and your set of house rules, before you take the leap into this. Resources and manpower are also something to consider. Being talked about online through Social Media has its negatives, but handled correctly the positives far outweigh these. S.E.O. generation is one of the biggest positives in this area. Basically the more you are discussed, the more current you are, and Google loves fresh content.

We’ve only just scratched the surface on these four segments. However, each segment deserves careful consideration. If you do feel like you’re being pulled by wild stallions in all directions and your digital focus isn’t clear, feel free to contact COO’EE for friendly advice in the digital and online space. We are a stallion free zone!

Digital Marketing and why you should listen to a young buck like me.

Posted on April 12, 2012 by Trelawne Quinlivan

I know, I’m young. To make matters worse, I even look younger than I really am. Why is that a bad thing? Well, in the business world, in fact, in the entire grown- up domain, age tends to lend to a person’s credibility, especially when dealing with decision makers. It’s not a gripe. Honest, I can live with the realities; I don’t have to like them, but I can live with them. I choose to see it as a challenge. How can I be more valuable despite my baby fat?

I have never been responsible for anyone else’s livelihood but my own. It’s a good reason to imagine I have very little to say that might help your business, right? Very possible. But I think I may be able to add value.

Because of my age it goes without saying that I am likely to be less experienced than you, but what I am, and have been for the majority of my life, is an avid consumer. Ever since seeing my first ‘Cabbage Patch Dolls’ TV ad, I knew there were things I wanted, things I needed and that you ‘the general business community’ were the people to get them from.

How does that help you? I have been fine-tuning my consumer choice from a very early age. I know what I like, what I want and I know the difference between real value and cheap imitation (I’ve thrown away my fair share of iPod wanna-be’s). I’ve grown up in the age of instant gratification; I want it, I want it now, I’m going have it now and tomorrow I will want something else). You have more chances than ever to prove to me that you have something I want and to give it to me.

So here’s the kicker… I also know that in today’s world not only do I have an enormity of choice options, but I don’t even have to leave my chair to find, inform and make my buying decision. How does this impact on you? If I’m not already your customer (says the young buck to the mortgage broker), tomorrow I might be.

I am your future customer and I do 90% of my decision-making online, and if you’re not there then your competitors are getting my dollars. You might hate the social media revolution or you might simply not understand it. You might think it’s evolving too quickly and that you should wait until it peaks and slows down. I hate to tell you this, but it’s not showing any signs of slowing down.

I know how to make my decisions. I’ve been making them for over 20 years now. The thing that matters, and has always been the case, is who’s right in front of me when I make it? Is it going to be you? Social media counts because that’s where I am and millions of others like me. Search marketing counts because that’s what I’m using along with millions of others like me. Digital mobile marketing counts because that’s what I’m using for quick impulse decisions just like millions of others like me.

Of course, traditional push media matters but just make sure you don’t push me into the arms of your competitors.

So with all of this in mind, what can I tell you to help you sell your business, your service or your product to me?

Get online – Be everywhere you can so that when I come looking for you, you’re there. Social media, online directories, search results – SEO instead of Google AdWords – why? Because we know what a Google ad looks like and we don’t like them – organic search results are preferred (85% more preferred, in fact) and general consensus is that they are more believable than AdWords. That being said Google AdWords are better than nothing.

Connect and engage – Simon Sinek, founder of Sinek Partners and a Ted Talks Speaker, will tell you that “People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it”. This is your chance to get people to believe in you and your product, and gives you a chance to add an honest human level to your business. The more engaged your customers the more likely they are to come back when they need what you offer.

Embrace the unknown – We live in an increasingly ‘risk adverse’ world which is teaching employees to be ‘risk adverse’. The ‘Careful you might fail’ school of thought. But as we know, failure can lead to better successes because we learn and adapt. The digital marketing world is largely unchartered territory but it’s instantly measurable territory which allows for ‘calculable risk’. Yes, it’s a risk, but it’s a highly measurable risk. If you’re worried about a lack of knowledge, coupled with the level of risk, speak to COO’EE. It’s our responsibility to understand the space and provide support by helping you manage and maximise this risk (real or perceived).

Don’t let a lack of knowledge or experience be the reason you say you can’t find a way to say you can.

If this hasn’t helped you take a bolder step into the digital market place, that’s sad, because you are about to lose the race for me and my peers’ disposable income. It’s not just us either, today’s children are entirely ‘Digitally Native’ and won’t have the patience to wait for you to come to the party.

Good luck, get excited and get passionate because wanting something goes a long way into helping you make it happen.

Check out our other blog postings for more on this and other topics here.

COO’EE Crew

Social Media For Your Brand

Posted on April 11, 2012 by COO'EE Crew

The Social Media explosion has engulfed us all. Latest figures show that a whopping 2,052,420 New Zealanders are on Facebook. The way people communicate with each other and share news and information has changed forever.

Social Media

But what does this mean for you and your brand?

Interesting trends have developed over the last 7 years since Facebook burst onto the scene. Aside from the social aspect of friend-to-friend interaction, some businesses began to test the waters with their own Facebook business page and business-to-consumer interaction. Surprising enough these weren’t the big brands leading the way into this brave new frontier but the small adventurous brands.

In the past, big brands held the advantage with traditional media: bigger budgets; esteemed ad agencies; impressive websites; and large promotional giveaways. Now in the social era, even the smallest of businesses can find success and achieve incredible gains without a single ad spend.

The advantage is in the response time. Big businesses are bogged down by company protocol and lengthy approval processes whereas smaller businesses can often respond instantly with anything from a comment to a video or a helpful link.

Guess what…..consumers not only love this experience they insist on it. Big brands can no longer ignore social media it’s here to stay and it’s no longer optional. It’s time to get off the fence and join the party.

But what happens if correspondence isn’t positive to my brand, product or service?

Herein lies the future of consumer-to-business communication; I like to think of it as “the customers always right version 2.0”. Brand advocates and brand vandals can now effortlessly share their beliefs on a massive scale, changing perception and influencing culture. Also, moreover, brand watchers (users that don’t often comment but follow discussions) often weigh up the ideology behind your business are also watching how you react in these situations and how you deal with negativity when your brand is brought into the firing line. Brand watchers are looking for inconsistency in the way you portray your brand in every platform be it in-store, on television, your website and in social media. “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it” – Simon Sinek. Today’s evolving consumer is more conscious than ever about whom they buy from and why they buy from you than any generation before.

Social Media and the Brand Filter

The rewards from social media can be huge but so too the pitfalls and risks.

If I can give you one piece of advice in this situation, it is to listen! A conversation of your brand is taking place, put aside your pre-conceptions of how you see your brand and absorb customer insights on how it is perceived by them. Afterall how your customers perceive your brand is nine-tenths of why they buy it.

Be present and initiate the discussion but then let go. Your brand is only one voice in the discussion, spark the conversation, let it continue and observe from a distance but make sure you are there to meet any negatives swiftly with a positive. Be transparent, never delete negative posts or leave them unanswered, set a standard for your interaction and refer any issues to an external source – a direct email or 0800 number. Resolve any issues conflict free and quickly and most importantly learn from them. Negatives can quickly be turned into positives for your business or brand if they are handled quickly and cleverly. For some examples of businesses that are using social media to their advantage, view this link here.

Make sure you remember your key brand assets and find a balance between promotional campaigns, events and brand information. Set yourself a post schedule and stick to it, making sure you find the right balance – not too intrusive but also not too floaty. This isn’t a Website where you control every aspect, this is Webspace. Imagine a website is like a lounge where the furniture is bolted to the floor and guests are guided on where to sit and how to behave. Social Media is a like a lounge where visitors bring their own furniture and well…even move some of your furniture around too. So have fun with your brand and make sure your consumers enjoy the experience too.

If you’d like guidance on stepping into this new realm of customer interaction, please contact COO’EE – we’re here to help.

Oh, and remember these brand discussions will be happening regardless whether you’re involved or not.

A list of resources we’d like to credit:

“Blame it on the Social Media” by Sarah Lang, Alive Magazine.
“Facebook Shares it’s big secrets” by Jamie Morton, NZ Herald, Friday Feb 3rd 2012
“Trends to watch in 2012″ by Trina Snow, FMCG Feb 2012
“Watch out, web watchers about” by Linda Cole, NZ Business March 2012

and the quote “People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it” is from Simon Sinek “How great Leaders Inspire Action”.

If you’ve enjoyed this blog, please feel free to ‘share it’ and visit every week for more.

COO’EE Crew

Website Evolution and Social Media

Posted on April 10, 2012 by COO'EE Crew

Digital Dining...are your consumers left hungry for more?

The other day my friend made an interesting analogy about the differences between Western and Eastern dining that I never noticed until now. He remarked that Western restaurants are a “one-service entity” which generally offer food and seating, basically what you’d expect to find in a restaurant. Whereas Eastern restaurants (particularly the one we were seated in at the time) had sofas, a huge magazine stack and a TV. At the end of the day they were encouraging the customer to spend more time in their business and soak up the environment. One would argue that if you walk past a restaurant and see it full of people that it intrigues passers-by to come in and check out what all the fuss is about.

After drawing this parallel, now, I’d like you to think about your current website. Does it offer the user the opportunity to spend more time enjoying the environment or is it a “one-service entity”?

A lot of websites out there are one-sided “business card-type” websites. They display information one way and do not have room for user interaction, which also gives the user no incentive to return. Imagine a tumble weed blowing across a desert here.

Stale Website

Social Media has changed the way we interact with each other but also what we expect from brands, services and business* (See this post for more information on this). In regards to website evolution it is increasingly important for websites to offer more opportunity for consumer interaction, i.e. let’s take the user social media experience and tie that into what your website offers. I’m taking about social media plug in’s, ‘like’ buttons, share options, comment options, games, forums, blogs and polling options.

Something for every taste

Let’s encourage user interaction with your brand or service by giving the user every opportunity to interact rather than a one-sided conversation.

Every user is different: some prefer to tweet; some like to watch online videos; some like to engage in lengthy discussions, via forums. The key is to cater for every taste and make sure you don’t exclude anyone.

Encourage interaction with more user options

Why should you offer this service? How does it help you reach your bottom-line?

Just like the Eastern restaurant, it is more appealing for consumers to see that others have ‘liked’ your activity and are engaged in your brand. It presents up-selling opportunities and fosters lasting brand/consumer relationships. You will grow a niche audience that is highly receptive to your particular offering and will become strong brand advocates. Also other than initial start-up costs and investing time this is the most cost-effective and engaging experience you can offer potential customers. Constant blogging and site interaction also drives S.E.O. (Search Engine Optimisation) which is key to new customers discovering your web space and will put you ahead of your competitors.

Doesn’t this sound fantastic?! Well if you’re interested in finding out how you get on the board and make leaps and bounds into this exciting new frontier, look no further than COO’EE. We have a number of options in our arsenal to help you meet your targets.

Watch this space for more digital learning every week.

COO’EE Crew