Jowensywrites

From my experiences in the Meetings and events industry to my research and experience of mental health to just plain old ramblings.

[jowensywrites]

Google Garage’s guide to email marketing

Email marketing is a strategy used to target both new and existing customers and let them know about new products and services or perhaps to invite them to an event or enter a competition. It gives businesses the platform to compile a list of customers and not only reach out directly to the customer but see what they do once the email arrives in their inbox.

The module covered the basics of email marketing, different ways of crafting your email, testing what email template or style is the most successful and then how to measure the success of the email. As with previous digital garage modules which I have spoken about on this page, each of the 5 sections contained an informational video explaining the processes and then a test your knowledge button which challenged the user to test their knowledge on the subject using scenarios like the below.

 This module was probably the most relatable to my current role. For those who are new to the blog, I currently work in Fáilte Ireland’s Meet in Ireland team bringing international conferences to Ireland. 75% of these conferences are brought in by what we call conference ambassadors who are industry leaders and experts in their field. It was in a project involving these ambassadors where I used a lot of the tools outlined in this module and I will highlight some areas which we missed which could have made the project run smoother.

So, what was the project? 

It entailed an award’s dinner for 250 people which took place in Christchurch cathedral. The event was to honour conference ambassadors who had brought conferences in between the years 2016 and 2018 to the regions of Cork, Dublin, Kerry, Galway and Shannon. 83 ambassadors were recognised on the night and they were invited via a formal invitation. Amongst the other attendees would be stakeholders but also potential ambassadors or “hotties” who we had identified as having the potential to bring in an international conference. We had to build an email marketing campaign for the awards which would first invite the “hotties” but then emails to remind them closer to the event and a post event follow up email.

The first step was to compile our list of potential ambassadors as outlined in the module. These were people who had expressed interest in bringing an event in the future but who had not yet. Our team uses an internal CRM database where we keep our contacts. We worked to identify the suitable people in the system who had not yet brought in an event. As it was said in the module, we wanted to develop a relationship with these potential ambassadors, and this would be the first point of contact. We compiled a marketing list on our crm database which included the potential ambassadors who we had tagged as hotties on our system. This would mean we would be able to send out on mass email instead of doing each one manually. This would also allow us to see who would open the email and click through on the relevant links.

We then had to draft the email and make sure it complied with company design policies and get it approved by management. We then made sure that the invite and the respective pages where the invite links brought you were compatible on all devices.  The ezine (below) had a subject line of you are “Fáilte Ireland is pleased to invite you to the National conference ambassador awards”. The use of Fáilte Ireland in the from field but also in the opening line of the subject line meant people would see the email and be able to trust it and clearly identify us. Having completed the module, you could argue that the word invite would have the potential to trigger spam folders. We did make sure to avoid the use of exclamation marks however, and I do remember one draft had an exclamation mark and there was an internal debate on the matter.

I found the part about keeping in mind how busy they are very relevant as these ambassadors were very time poor and bringing in a conference would not be their fulltime job with many of them full time lecturers in universities. We made sure we kept their attention with a clear call to action being to RSVP for this prestigious event. The email did contain too much content as the course outlines as we did not want to overwhelm them. As you can see below, it simply had a line explaining that they had been invited, what the awards were for and that they would be hearing from current ambassadors on their experience and then the specific time and place details.

The email contained two links, one which brought them to an online form where they could fill out their dietary and accessibility requirements or to a direct email address. We also attached a phone number as many phoned to enquire what it was about.

Finally, we made sure that there was a link to unsubscribe from our emails at the bottom. We did not need to do AB testing as we solely wanted an RSVP and it was a once off. Likewise, we did not really research what day of the week to send it.  

We measured the success of the email by both the physical responses but also by using our analytics system on our CRM database, this told us whether they had opened the email, if the email had bounced and if they had clicked any links. It meant that when we were doing our follow up calls, we would know if they had seen the invite. Likewise, if the email had bounced, we knew we had to change the details on our server for future communications.

Overall, the strategy which the team took really followed the guidelines on this google garage course but I found the very insightful for situations where you may be looking to reach out to existing customers and or form a loyal customer base. I would highly advise doing this course.

References

https://www.meetinireland.com/conferences/ambassador-programme

https://www.failteireland.ie/Utility/News-Library/Academics-industry-leaders-deliver-1,500-internati.aspx

[jowensywrites]

Google Garage’s guide to analytics

This module was part of google garages digital marketing course and invites you into the world of the digital analytics. I rarely use or analyse analytics in my current role, seldom on my own personal LinkedIn and social media posts. We have a specialised marketing team within Meet in Ireland who are responsible with tracking the analytics of our website and social media platforms. This meant that this module was very useful and interesting for me. I will highlight my key learnings and experience of completing the course below.

Get started with Analytics- Setting your goals

The module begins with the “Get started with analytics” section.  As I have no previous real experience with analytics, my approach was to watch the informational videos underneath each heading and write down notes as I was listening. The information in the videos was conveyed clearly and it was not too fast, meaning I felt like I was keeping up. You also were able to check that you had understood the content with the “Check your knowledge” activity after each video, providing you with a scenario and multiple options.

This module in particular outlined the basics of analytics which was very useful and went through the different important terms such as “metric”, “dimensions” and “conversion” and then dove deeper into the “online arsenal” you can possess if you use analytics correctly. My favourite fact was that you can find out how long your customers are spending on your website before they click the back button which, lets be honest, we all hover over when landing on sites.

The section really highlighted the necessity of not only setting goals for your business but using information collected by analytics to achieve these goals. I enjoyed two examples in particular which were used in this section.

The first of which was regarding there being no difference between 5,000 clicks and 10,000 clicks on your website if the conversion rate is the same. If anything, having more clicks with the same conversion rate was more worrying. It was something we found on our own website where we had a high number of visits but the form which we wanted the client to fill out was hard to find, thus our conversion rate was very low and the visits meaningless as they were not fulfilling the goal of our page, thus are conversion and click rate were very different.  

I also liked the real life example of Mike who runs a hot air Balloon business, it was easy to see how by measuring the results of his online marketing, it was making the results and goals they had set out for more tangible.

Find success with analytics- SEM

The second part of the module was about finding success with analytics and had a huge focus on search engines and search engine optimization (SEO).  I found it interesting that you can manipulate the way people use search engines and analyse what is bringing them to your website. I was unaware that google analytics can tell you the key words which people are typing into Google’s search engine before they come to your website and being able to decipher whether it was an organic search result or through another channel. I also found the point interesting regarding making changes to your website content to better direct people to your site and then using analytics to see if this change is translating into more clicks and more conversions.  I think a big learning for me was that it is quality over quantity which matters in analytics.

I found the video on Search engine marketing very informative. I was unaware that analytics could tell you whether the money you were spending on SEM was bringing a return on investment, even measuring how much you would have paid per each click. They also point out that google analytics and google ads naturally integrate well both being owned by google. The scenarios in this section made understanding the concepts a lot easier while also refreshing what you had learnt with the quiz at the end of the section

How to turn data into insights

The last section addressed turning data into insights. Although it did touch on segmentation at various parts, I found the video on the difference between qualitative and quantitative data eye opening. I enjoyed the initial point highlighting before all the analytics tools we have now, it was a case of gathering data in person. The course defined and explained the two methods well and made it clear that business should not only use the method which best suits their business scenario but by combining the two, you will obtain a rich overall picture of your business. This will provide explanation for your numbers, allowing you to make informed business decisions on when you should be posting or how you can improve on your products and services.

The course advises that you should not just collect as much data as possible but target data samples that are relevant to your goals and or queries that you have. One situation which I did not think about was using past data to inform your decisions. Nowadays, people become obsessed with the new figures and statistics, but the course makes it clear that by simply analysing past data, you can make informed decisions. Then by combining past data and current data analytics, you will get a rich sample of information.

I found the section on presenting data quite interesting, as a bit of an excel nerd, it frustrates me when excel sheets are just used to store data and nothing else, when there is a range of functions and different way of manipulating your data to see what changes and improvements can be made. I agreed with the presenting your data section regarding content, in any presentation regardless if I am presenting data or not, I try to limit the amount of heavy content on the slides or in the script, as you want the person to stay engaged.

Overall, this was arguably my favourite course I have done thus far on google garage and I would be eager to get more involved in the analytics of our own team’s processes going forward.

[jowensywrites]

Your LinkedIn profile- Building your personal brand

So, what is LinkedIn? It is essentially a social network, just like Facebook or Twitter but it is different. LinkedIn, launched in 2003, has a professional focus and provides the platform to build an online professional profile or brand. Like other social networks, you connect with other professionals and share updates. It also allows you to apply for jobs and is a valued recruitment platform for companies worldwide. Most importantly, with numerous recruitment agencies and employers on the platform, it hands you the opportunity to market yourself and present your experience. So how did I build my profile?

Putting a face to the name and choosing the right headline

I learnt from very early on it is very important to not only have a profile photo on the platform but a photo that is professionally taken as it will mean you will appear higher in searches and encourage greater engagement. It is also very important to have a background image that reflects what you do and makes it clear what your area is. As you can see below, I chose a picture of the cliffs of Moher. Although I work more specifically in bringing international conferences to Ireland and if I were to put one image of a specific conference centre, this would appear biased as we our responsible for driving business into five regions. I instead went for something more eye catching.

The next step is to choose a headline, as this is the first piece of written information someone will see when they search you in the search bar but also when they land on your profile, it needs to catch their attention. I originally had my tagline as “Association conferences at Fáilte Ireland”. I soon realised that this would not attract as many people to the profile. I changed my tagline to International Business Development at Fáilte Ireland which reflects better what I do and is more attractive to a larger group of users.

Connections- Establishing your network

Also seen on your headline is your number of connections. As a matter of principle and arguably against the usual practice, I only connect on the platform with people I have met, who work within my industry, whose role is recruitment and those that are in industries which interest me. The downside was that it meant that it took longer for me to get to the 500+ which seems like a bit of a milestone for a lot of users. Some argued that I was limiting engagement on my posts but I was happier with my network and as a matter of fact it resulted in greater engagement as my posts were targeting the right groups of people.

About Section

The about section allows you to set out your personal brand from the onset. This section allows you to highlight your experience, accomplishments and passions in a short blurb. As the majority of the about section is hidden with a see more button inviting the user to read more. I made sure that my top line summarised what I was about straight away and would engage them enough to discover more.

 My about allows me to outline from the onset my background in languages and my role within the MICE industry (Meetings Incentive Corporate Events). While finally touching on my involvement as an advocate for speaking out about mental health. When the user clicks see more, it is here where I outline my background education and experience. As I had a lot of content to play with, I made sure to point out that my full job responsibilities for my current role were detailed in my experience section as seen below. The about section is your pitch to the person who is looking at your profile!

Showing your experience

It is in this section where you outline your past and present experience and roles.

 Show your work and make it easy for people to find you

You can customise and change your URL. This is important as it will make it a lot easier for people to find you on the platform but also on the google search engine.

I have a link to our company website in the contact info section of my profile. This both leads clients to our website but also possible recruiters’ to less formal information about me with the same professional image.

The platform allows you to show what you have worked on.  I have attached two videos I was involved in onto my profile, one of which was an Erasmus campaign I spoke for and then also a video which I entered for an industry competition which led me to speaking at a congress in Texas. If you have a blog or personal website which you would like to show off, this is your chance to lead the user that direction.

 Recommendations

A crucial part of your LinkedIn profile is ensuring that you leave and receive ‘recommendations’ and have your skills endorsed by fellow colleagues. They are like references which you would see on a CV while also proving that you are in fact fluent in Mandarin.

 How to Build your brand and start a dialogue

All your posts and interactions on the platform are marketing yourself to potential employers. One of the biggest learnings for me was choosing the right time to post your updates. Midweek posts generated far more interaction and reactions then that of a Friday or weekend post as people tend to switch off.

Whether it is just an update on a team accomplishment (as seen above) (Ignore the movember attempt) or a large accomplishment, in my case winning a competition which would in turn send me to speak at a congress in Texas, the way you write your posts is crucial. For greater engagement, tagging companies and people involved in the story you are sharing is a way of growing engagement. Likewise, it is encouraged to use industry relevant hashtags to help people find your content.

A personal dialogue which I have created is regarding mental health, sparked by winning the competition above. It has led to a lot of speaking opportunities which I have posted on the platform and which have created discussion surrounding mental health. (As seen below) It is this type of engagement which will lead more people to your profile.

So, you have created your profile, it is time to start building your brand. Post content so that your target audience will find you and look at people within your desired field and see how they set up their page. Use the personal playbook for LinkedIn to get yourself up and running and finally SELL YOURSELF!

This is the link to my own profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/owensjack/ 

References

https://www.slideshare.net/WalterSinigoi/linkedin-your-personal-branding-playbook

https://www.meetinireland.com/meet-the-team/jack-owens

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/owensjack_mindfulness-gang19-makeitireland-activity-6531569144356315136-3HV3

[jowensywrites]

How digital garage can help you get started with online content marketing

First, did I have any prior knowledge of online content marketing before I completed this course? If I am honest, No! Was the course useful? Very much so, it provided a structured and detailed overview to what online content marketing it is and here is how they did it : 

The content marketing module brings you the user through 6 sections. Each section equipped with an informational video outlining key takeaways and finally a “Check your Knowledge” section with scenarios involving made up characters dilemmas involving their business. To proceed you must answer these scenarios correctly and after completing all 6 section, you then do a final quiz to complete the module.

So what were my key takeaways? 

Getting to know your customers

Seems kind of obvious and more like a situation when you are working in a local shop getting to know what Mary’s grandchildren are studying. The title will deceive you however it is important to realise that you do not just rely on the customers looking for you, you can influence how they will find you.

The section shows you how you target the right audience. It outlines from very early on that you need to segment the audience to find the group most suitable for your service, thus making the time and money spent on your digital marketing strategy as cost effective as possible. Then you go about figuring out who they are and what do they like and dislike, what demographic or age are they and what social channels do they use? I found it very interesting and was unaware of the different platforms of analytics which can be used to find out how your target audience looks for your product and how you can pinpoint their online behaviour. One such free platform was Answer the public, where you can search raw insights from the minds of the customers or by simply using the analytics on social media platforms such as Facebook.

Choosing the right content format for your audience

Again, seems obvious but is so crucial. The content which you put out must engage your audience, otherwise they will not click and therefore the potential for business is gone. The different types of content being explained were very interesting and how they differ in the message they will convey.

In my current role, we use different types of content internally depending on who we are targeting (Model students). For example, when producing collateral for stakeholders, we very often use info graphics as they are interactive ways of displaying the quantifiable results from the team to be presented to stakeholders. In this instance we are educating our stakeholders on the benefit of the funding which they feed into the team.

But when marketing our conference ambassador programme online (75% of all conferences brought into Ireland are brought in using an Irish ambassador), we very often use video testimonials as it gives us a chance to have someone who has been through the process of bringing in an international conference convince someone who may only be thinking about it.

 Most of the team’s sales pitches are done through face to face interaction, presentations or via email following the first encounter. However, we do use our social media platforms to “Inspire” the client. The team are even tracked with generating a certain amount of online leads a year via social media.  By providing them with visual content on social media platforms, the planners and event managers can visualise their event in Ireland and are drawn to your destination.

 The team possibly has a shortfall in the sense that they do not have an online platform to entertain their customer or client. Often a lot of the entertainment is done in person (Sounds a bit risqué). Whether this is bringing a Trad Irish band with us to an overseas show or by sending Irish products to our buyers overseas. We currently do not have an online form of content to entertain the customer apart from our social media channels.

Making sure your content is seen online

One of the key learnings was that the internet is full of content and often the audience is saturated with this content. I will again relate what I learnt in this section to my current role. In an industry where every country and even city is competing against each other to win a piece of business, you are fighting to be seen. To do this, the course outlines you need to understand again how your audience consumes their content. In the meetings industry, websites play a huge part for event planners and decisions can be made based on your website information. Having read the article, I was interested to see where the Meet in Ireland team would show up when typing “conferences Ireland”. 

To my surprise and my dismay, our website which has huge amounts of money pumped into it each year was 9th on the list. First on the search list was the Convention centre Dublin as they had paid for the promotion. This you would think would be great but in fact, as a team, we are tasked with driving business into the regions of Cork, Kerry, Galway and Shannon as they also have conference capacity. Therefore, if you were a client who had brought an event to Dublin and were looking at bringing your conference to Ireland again, you might not be aware of these opportunities.

Overall, I found the module on online content marketing very useful. Digital marketing techniques are crucial more than ever as with the current circumstances globally as we cannot meet with our clients like we would normally do. I was happy to see that our team were touching off a lot of the techniques but even happier that I now have a few suggestions on how we perhaps can be better in this area.