More than Just Your Website or Social Media:// You Need a Digital Strategy

Friday, August 5 - 2011by Ramsey Mohsen of Digital Evolution Group@rm | www.ramseymohsen.com

what I’m going to talk about

• Give an overview on industry trends and a holistic view of the digital space.

• Help you understand what you should be focusing on and what efforts can help your business.

• Provide you with specific, actionable tips and techniques, that you can do now.

Digital Evolution Group, www.digitalev.com

Ramsey Mohsen // About Me

• Social Media Practice Lead at Digital Evolution Group

• Prolific video blogger, one of the first life-casters on justin.tv, over 1.5+ million views on YouTube, globally featured video on YouTube home page for over 3 days

• Named one of Ingrams “twenty in their twenties”

community.timberland.com

blog.hallmark.com

burnsmcd.com

facebook.com/Hallmark

58% check email first.• …people start their day by checking their email.

- eMarketer, July 2010

YouTube is #2• YouTube is now the second most used search engine in the

world.

- Comscore 2010 report

700+ Million…global users on Facebook.www.facebook.com/press

50% log on dailyOf the active users, 50% log on to Facebook every day.www.facebook.com/press

One-Third• The proportion of women who check Facebook when they

first wake up – even before going to the bathroom.

- Oxygen Media and Lightspeed Research

photo credit: mashable.com

27 Million• The average number of Tweets sent per day.

three key trends:

• individuals are prized and have come to expect individual treatment

• individuals trust other individuals similar to them more than they trust institutions

• individuals are empowered to influence and communicate with much more velocity

significant increase in the number of channels:

is social media the answer?

No. Social Media isn’t replacing anything.

• It’s 1 part of the spectrum of digital communication.• It should be “with” not “instead of”.• Can extend and facilitate and …but it does not replace.

All the digital channels should support each other.

•Website

•Google Search

•Email

•YouTube

•Blogs

•Facebook

•Twitter

You need to have a digital strategy.

“ your website isn’t adestination. get overyourself. ”

“One-fifth of respondents claimed their website was only ‘basic’ and not it’s core of marketing activity.”

- Web Analytics Association

The burden of Facebook and Twitter vs. your website.

Set it and let it go to work for you.Try. Learn. Optimize.

All roads lead back toyour website.

Your audience comes to the website to “do”.

Your website isn’t good enough.• It’s not a destination.• A website is 1 component of a larger online strategy.• You must have “outposts” for discovery.• All roads should lead back to your website(s).

how can you make it easier for your customers to find you?

What does Google say about you?

• Consider retargeting or interest based Adsense advertising.

opinions on search in the B2B buy cycle

• 7 out of 10 buyers say that they start their buying process at vendor sites, not Google

- Source: DemandGen Report (http://ow.ly/1d82N)

vs.

• 93% of B2B buyers use search to begin the buying process

- Source: Marketo (http://bit.ly/9O6pix)

Smartphones killed the phonebook. What should you do?

- eMarketer, January 2011

20% browse the internet on their phone once a day or more.

Google keyword ADs and “click to call”.

Google keyword ADs and “click to call”.

how to get new customers.

Online “Technical Documentation” is the new sales.

“Some offline marketing or advertising message might have gotten our attention. We want to check up. We want to verify. We want detail. We want facts. Particularly for technical, complex products, we want to know what happens AFTER we buy this thing.”

- Gerry McGovern

YouTube

• Within the description of each video on YouTubeplace links back toyour website for moredetails.

• Use tags.

• YouTube =authoritative link-back

YouTube

• Research shows “how to” instructional videos perform well.

• If you feature or highlight a video on your website, provide additional information not in the video.– “For more information…”– “Behind the scenes”– Teasers, “What’s your favorite part?”– Link them somewhere!

Ratings and Reviews

Blogging case study: “Indium”

• Engineers who blog

• Use buyer oriented words

• 6 months of blogging

resulted in a 600%

Increase in lead-gen.

“Wave Solder Flux Deactivation Temperatures Explained”

“Using Integrated Preforms for Solder Fortification”

hanging onto customers.

getting new business from existing customers.

58% check email first• …people start their day by checking their email.

- eMarketer, July 2010

Social media isn’t taking away from email. And mobile is helping drive it.

- eMarketer, February 2011

42% check email frequently

• Build your database of emails.– Use Vertical Response, Mail Chimp or

Constant Contact.

– Segment by audience, jobs/projects, interests.

Email Tips:

• “Welcome” email features additional services.

• Email customers “their receipt”

• Tips, (e.g. “what to look for emails”) targeted by persona.

Email Tips:

• Send your notices additionally by email.

• “Trackable” by opens and clicks.

Email Tips for “Everest”:

1. Potential client calls the office.

2. Salesman takes the call, qualifies, sets appt.

3. Salesman goes to job, establishes relationship.

4. 2nd or 3rd project visit may follow.

5. Follow-up phone calls.

6. Proposal emailed to client with follow-up call.

What other aspects of the business could benefit from a digital touch point or interaction?

Sales Process workflow (“Everest” cont.)

identify opportunities for a digital experience:“the movie theater example”

enhancing relationships (to drive sales).

“Ambient Intimacy”

Before I call my clients or send them an email, I check their Facebook updates or Twitter feed.

Sign-up for text message alerts on Facebook:

HootSuite.com

linkedin

just remember…

• You can not solely rely on social media.

• It can extend and facilitate …but it doesn’t replace.

• Storytelling still counts for a lot.

Ramsey Mohsen

www.ramseymohsen.com

mohsenr@digitalev.com

twitter.com/ramseym

Questions?

Answers?