I.D.E.A.S.

Great marketing ideas don't grow on trees. They come from smart, experienced people with a passion for strategy and savvy branding. People who are inspired by marketing challenges and execute integrated communications programs that clearly and consistently reflect a vision in all messaging. We listen, learn and deliver ideas that grow business.

[kwadvertising-blog]

Social Media for B2B Marketing – To Be Social or Not To Be

Post #3 in a series on social media marketing by KW Advertising (November 27, 2012)

Whatever happened to the Yellow Pages? What about that giant, and expensive, Sweets catalog that every manufacturer who was anyone was a part of? How many trade magazines are still alive today? These time-honored marketing tools for the B2B set had to evolve. Whether by desktop, laptop, tablet or other mobile device, customers are getting their information online.

However, in the KW Advertising B2B social media survey conducted a few weeks ago, we found that only 6.8% of our 117 respondents feel that social media is extremely important to their business and 32.5% don’t feel that it is important at all.

While changing attitudes about marketing can be like turning a semi-truck on an ice rink, we think it’s important to share with small- and medium-sized businesses why social media is an important component to an integrated marketing plan

Some interesting statistics:

• 91% of online adults use social media regularly. (Source: Experian) The number of people on social networks is significant. It's a space that all types of businesses need to consider important now and for the future.

  • 28% of smartphone owners watch video on their phone in a typical month. (Source: Experian) Are you on YouTube yet? Get there now! It's a great way to get your company's story, products and services right into your customers' hands.

  • On average, companies respond to only 30% of social media fans' feedback. (Source: Factbrowser)

Stand out by actually following and interacting with your followers. It helps build loyalty and encourage positive word-of-mouth.

  • Email opens on smartphones and tablets have increased 80% between January and June 2012. (Source: Litmus)

Are your email blasts and your website optimized for mobile devices to give customers the best experience from your communications?

• The average tablet user spends 13.9 hours per week with the device. (Source: OPA)

Is it time to survey your customers about their tablet use and develop appropriate ways to engage tablet users? Have you considered advertising on publications targeted to your market that are exclusively iPad-driven?

• 73% of smartphone owners access social networks through apps at least once per day. (Source: Lightspeed Research)

Exhibiting at a trade show? Make sure you are posting photos and updates while you're there. Your followers at home will appreciate it and those attending the show will be prompted to stop by your booth.

  As we’ve already covered in our last post on social media for business-to-business (B2B) marketing, there are multiple social media channels out there and countless ways to implement them for your business. Some channels are better suited for certain types of business than others. But, buy all means, become socially active to help build your brand and keep communication consistent.

The Internet and social media are not fads. They are here to stay and can be strategically and creatively used to help your business succeed.

KW Advertising has a toolbox full of social media skills that we can put to work for you. Contact Gary Ebert at [phone] for details.

[kwadvertising-blog]

Social Media for B2B Marketing – Changing Channels

Post #2 in a series on social media marketing by KW Advertising

A couple of weeks ago, KW Advertising sent out a short email survey regarding the viability of social media as a tool for small and medium sized companies involved in business to business marketing. We heard from 117 men and women ages 25-50 across the Midwest with business interests in manufacturing, construction, real estate and nonprofit.

In this post, we want to talk about the different social networks and where companies can avoid missed opportunities.

The majority of our survey respondents (66.7%) note that Facebook is the most significant social media network for their business. This isn't really surprising, with one billion monthly active users on Facebook as of October 2012. But it is interesting that it is more popular than the more business-focused LinkedIn. Facebook is certainly growing in terms of its B2B use.

  But there is so much more out there! The following are suggestions on how to make the most of social media channels beyond Facebook.

• LinkedIn ranked second in terms of importance to businesses responding to our survey. Functionality on all social networks is constantly evolving, and LinkedIn has added enhancements. So, don’t forget about these marketing opportunities:

–  You can now add an image to your LinkedIn company profile. This gives you a chance to add more personality to this traditionally dry medium.

–  Use the Insights tab on your company page to monitor companies that people viewing your page are also visiting. Most often, these are competitors you should keep on your radar.

– Seek out and become a member of groups related to your industry. Follow group discussions on LinkedIn to keep abreast of industry issues and contribute as an educational leader.

– LinkedIn’s threaded conversations enable you to conduct virtual focus groups with your followers by throwing out a question related to a product or service and starting a dialog.

• Twitter for business is primarily about customer service. For smaller businesses who aren’t directly selling to end users, this micro-blogging site is not as useful on the front end. However, it can still be part of an overall social media strategy to help get your name out there on the Internet. Remember to:

– Customize your page design. You can upload a background image to maintain consistency with your graphic identity and communicate something new or special about your company or brand. If you’ve invested in your logo and look, make sure every social vehicle represents it.

– Tweet about what has your attention right now, not what you’re doing.

– Enable more than one person in your organization to tweet. Variety adds spice to your posts.

– Make sure you include the right keywords for your business and industry in your Twitter bio. This will help your search engine rankings.

• The image posting site, Pinterest is currently underutilized for business, but that is changing fast. It’s way more than a crafter's paradise. Pinterest can be a great vehicle for sharing categorized content related to a product, service or industry.

– Integrate Pinterest with your other social media networks like Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube. This will help build your followers.

– Think about your audience and what your ideal customer will be looking for. Then, set up your Pinterest Boards with topics that communicate your brand position, industry focus, products and services.

– Watermark original content that you post on Pinterest so that it remains proprietary to your company.

– If you have pricing on products that you want to share, make sure you include it in your pin description. Pinterest will automatically add a price banner to the pin.

– Pins can be images, ads, info graphics or even videos. Be as visual as possible!

Social media marketing guru Amy Porterfield has some great tips for implementing Pinterest for business here: http://tinyurl.com/d2kw94u.

• YouTube, though not part of our survey, is also considered a social media network and should never be overlooked. Our clients have found great success with:

–       Product launch videos.

–       How-to instructional videos.

–       Corporate messaging as both private content for internal use and public for the world to see.

–       Trade show updates and recaps.

–       Customizing the background on their YouTube channel to tie in with their graphic identity.

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is a direct benefit of employing social media.

– Sites like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube that are indexed by the popular search

engines can be very helpful in boosting your search results. Ongoing posts, shares and comments all help build organic searches for your company or brand. So, social media is important if you want to improve your rankings on engines like Google, Yahoo and Bing.

What we’ve experienced at KW Advertising is:

•   Social media is not a low cost, quick fix cure-all for your B2B marketing challenges.

It is just one of many components in a well-integrated marketing and PR plan.

•  Carve out a portion of your marketing budget to develop and disseminate social

content.

• Whether you employ one or several social media vehicles, plan to be in it for the

long haul. Stick with it and your brand will benefit.

KW Advertising has a toolbox full of social media skills that we can put to work for you. Contact Gary Ebert at [phone] for details.

[kwadvertising-blog]

Should You Finally Take the Social Media Plunge?

Post #1 in a series on social media marketing by KW Advertising

Is social media a good fit for companies engaged in business-to-business sales and marketing? And, if it’s a relevant tool, how do you measure its impact?

As an agency with a large percentage of clients marketing to other businesses, these are questions that we at KW Advertising are asked constantly. So, we decided to conduct a short email survey regarding social media networks like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Pinterest with men and women, ages 25-50 across the Midwest.

As the majority of our clients are involved in manufacturing, construction, real estate and nonprofit, we targeted people involved in small and medium sized companies with this focus.

In the 117 surveys returned, the results confirm what we have been experiencing with our clients locally:

 •  By a 20 point margin, Facebook tops the social media networks in terms of use and perceived value as a marketing tool.

•  A very limited number of our respondents (6.8%) feel that social media is extremely  important to their marketing efforts and a significant number (32.5%) feel that it is not important at all.

• Generating traffic is the biggest concern (47.9% of respondents) for those involved in social media marketing, even over converting followers into purchasers (39.9%).

• Creating awareness for their business was the most mentioned reason for social media use in an unaided open-ended question in our survey.

• A significant number of companies participating in our study (28.2%) still do not track social media use.

 In the Internet Age, social media is the natural evolution of public relations. More than a sales networking tool, social media plays a huge role in relationship management. Businesses have the opportunity to position their company, create awareness for their products and services, educate their industry, demonstrate their commitment to corporate and community responsibility, enhance customer service and broaden their reach to a global audience.

In the next five posts, we will elaborate on the findings of our survey and offer some tips for making the most of social media as an integrated component to an overall marketing plan. Stay tuned!

[kwadvertising-blog]

Keep it Simple for Success

              Put in a very simple, but very accurate way. Social media should be used for the benefit of your business as well as your customers benefit. A few tips from us on how to effectively attract, communicate, and engage your customers on social media.Tweet/

Post often, and engagingly. Don’t just spew out anything for the sake of saying something. Generate meaningful, relevant, conversation starting content. Aim to have a conversation with your current and prospective customers. Social media is all about interaction, not just brand awareness.

 Find your audience. Narrowing the amount of people you are communicating your message to saves time and gets better results. Cater your message to who you most want to engage. If you are a homebuilder, you don’t need to be trying to engage 20-year-old college students, they probably wonthave much to talk about with you.

Build rapport with businesses, associations, and causes linked to your company. It gives an impression to your current and prospective customers that you are not all about you, and are interested in your competitors, your community, and bettering yourself for the good of your customers.

Social media does wonders for promoting your business, attracting new customers, and increasing your ROI, but only when done right. The days of businesses shouting at their audience with one – way communication initiatives are long gone. Customers want to have a conversation with you. They want to see you engage with competitors/peers, to see more than just self-promotion, and get to know you more than was ever possible in the past.  Be mindful of this while using social media, and give your small business all the tools it needs to see results. 

If you want to learn more about how to succseed with social media or would like our assistance with your efforts, continue the conversation with us - [email protected] 

kwadvertising.com 

[kwadvertising-blog]

Change the Way You Look at Metrics

B To B Magaizne July 16th issue feautures an interesting article on how to look at metrics for a more effective and collabrative net marketing experience. 

How to improve your use of analytics: 

1. Start out by combining email analytics with web analytics using the free Google Analytics offering. Viewing the metrics from both channels will give you more insight on how the consumer you are trying to target is searching for your product or service, what they do once they find it, and their general buying behavior. Combining these analytics can reveal key factors for consideration in future campaigns.

2. Use web analytics to inform triggered email campaigns,

Kelly Davis, senior VP-client services at BrightTag, a company that provides marketing tracking tags says, “Email teams can send information in real time to capture a customer's attention immediately after they have engaged with a site,” she said. “It's a way to follow up immediately rather than having to wait for batch processing.” This type of remarketing is very common in the b-to-c world where retailers, for instance, send emails about products that were put into a shopping cart but abandoned. It doesn't happen as much in the b2b world, however, and those marketers are definitely missing out, Davis said.

3. Use search data to better implement an email marketing campaign. 

"The same keywords that get people to click through from a search page may be equally effective in an email campaign."

Read on for more ways to optimize your use of analytics 

http:/http://www.btobonline.com/article/20120716/EMAIL14/307169915/integrating-email-analytics-with-other-channel-metrics-allows-greater

[kwadvertising-blog]

Interesting article we saw on LinkedIn Today featuring 9 beliefs shared by extremely successful people. We especially like # 9, how the, "Extra mile is a vast, unpopulated wasteland." Share your thoughts with us! 

[kwadvertising-blog]

"Game" Changing Tips from KW Advertising

After reading David Berkowitz’ article (http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/173154/10-lessons-from-the-hunger-games.html) on the 10 lessons he learned about social media from “The Hunger Games”, a couple of us here at KW Advertising had a few ideas of our own that we’d like to throw into the mix.

Our first marketing take away from “The Hunger Games” relates to the importance of creating and maintaining a brand. This is something we do every day. Through a brand position, logo, slogan, and/or design scheme associated with a specific company, product or service, branding involves incorporating a unified look throughout each message. Here at KW, we speak a lot about “message packaging” and how it is key to establishing a unique brand.

In “The Hunger Games,” Cinna acted as Katniss’ personal branding coach. He had an idea of how to represent Katniss to the Capitol and the rest of Panem. He emphasized her strengths and downplayed her weaknesses through clever styling as “the girl on fire.” Cinna adorned her in flames and this message was portrayed throughout the entire book. If it weren’t for the unique way Katniss was represented, branded, and packaged, she may not have garnered the sponsors or the attention of the viewers. This also is true while creating and implementing a brand in business. All areas of communication must be well packaged and delivered to produce a successful marketing campaign.

Taking a page on branding from “The Hunger Games,” here are some other valuable lessons those of us in marketing can relate to:

1. Survival in the face of change. That sink or swim mentality. Katniss not only had to accept the situation handed to her, but she also needed to react in survival mode. Social media is the same way. You must not only accept that it is changing the face of business communication, you must truly embrace it and put forth the effort in order to survive and surpass your competition. 2. Training is necessary. All of us have strengths, but we also have our weaknesses. Katniss and the other tributes had training prior to the start of the Games. This is true of strategic business communication. We may be very good in one area, while struggle in others (perhaps social media usage). Training is important in order to be a well-rounded communicator before entering the “arena” against your competitors. The chance of being over-trained, or over-qualified, is slim. In marketing, there is always room for self-improvement. 3. Sometimes you must do the unthinkable (or unimaginable), to become noticed. Think outside the box. In “The Hunger Games,” Katniss shot an arrow towards the sponsors, merely missing them by inches. With social media, sometimes it takes that “outside the box” idea to gain the attention you seek. Be creative, be different, and stand out from the crowd.

4. Sacrifices are crucial to achieve greatness. Katniss volunteered to be a District 12 tribute so that her much younger, weaker and inexperienced sister did not have to go into the arena and fight for her life. This was the ultimate sacrifice - risking her life. While using social media is not as dramatic as in “The Hunger Game,” sacrifices may be necessary to achieve greatness. Sacrificing time to maintain your social media presence will keep you in the game. 5. Technology is the name of the game and also controls the “game.” In “The Hunger Games,” the gamekeepers have total control of the arena and challenges faced via technology. Technology has advanced human communication, allowing the idea of social media to become a reality. The possibilities of human communication seem infinite due to the technological advancements of today’s society. Technology empowers us and controls our actions. As long as we continue to manage it, the odds will be ever in our favor.

If your company would like help implementing these ideas to get ahead in the "marketing game," contact Gary Ebert at [email protected].

[kwadvertising-blog]

Content Marketing Usage in B2B

The Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs have recently released a research report titled B2B Content Marketing: 2012 Benchmarks, Budgets & Trends. The report details various aspects of the rapidly growing adoption of content marketing strategies by B2B businesses. This post will outline some important insights from the report and offer some beneficial takeaways. 

The first key area of the report focuses on the usage of content marketing in B2B business. The report indicates that nine out of ten B2B businesses are including content marketing in their overall marketing strategies. And, when doing so, they are usually employing eight different forms of content tactics routinely. So, what does this mean for your business? This high variation in tactics illustrates a need for a differentiation in your company's online marketing. Simply posting actively on social networks is no longer enough to keep up.

If you're scratching your head for content ideas, take a look at what tactics have been the most popular for other B2B businesses. 

As you can tell by the graph; articles, social media, blogs, e-newsletters and case studies are the five most utilized forms of content. These stats are actually quite similar to the 2010 data. The fact that there is little change in usage of these tactics means they are likely working well for B2B marketers and will continue to be implemented routinely. If you feel you aren't utilizing enough content channels, try taking at least one or two from the five mentioned above and begin working them into your marketing mix. Adding one tactic at a time will make your new content marketing calendar far more manageable. 

If you are already using these five tactics or are looking for something a little different, there are some new content trends to consider. From 2010 to 2011, there was a relatively high increase in these three specifically: blogs, video and white papers. 

Now if you already have a blog, dipping your hand into video content or writing white papers could be your next big move. While traditional in nature, video and white papers have found new life online and can garner great pass-along viewership. YouTube, undoubtably the best video resource on the web, is the second largest search engine in the world and a great way to market your business. Video content is easy to produce, easily digested and more engaging for your audience than written information. If you don't know what kind of content you should put on video, don't over think it. A good amount of written content can be easily transformed to video format such as interviews, how-to information, case studies and answering customer questions. 

While still gaining a foothold of popularity, white papers have great potential in B2B marketing due to their ability to engage the consumer with useful and relevant content all while mixing in a little self-promotion. White papers are reports, typically five to ten pages in length, that have an extensive amount of information geared towards a consumer interest. This information is typically data or research that solves a consumer's problem. For example, if you're a marketing agency, you could publish white papers with data on the positive effects that implementing content marketing can have on your business. In the B2B world, where much of the business is leads based, white papers will definitely become a useful weapon in the marketing arsenal. They can even be profit generators, if you gain a subscriber base.

Content marketing tactics we discussed are easily some of the most beneficial B2B marketing strategies. Content marketing will, without a doubt, help you position yourself as an industry resource, create leads and improve your search engine rankings. However, if you're thinking about moving your business into content marketing, consider this: successfully implementing content strategies often requires a full time staff and the necessary resources to keep your content at a professional, industry standard. That's why 62% percent of B2B marketers use a mix of internal and outsourced content. 

If you want your company to be blogging, making videos, writing white papers, developing case studies and much, much more, KW Advertising can help you develop and manage a content strategy that's suited exactly to your business needs. 

[kwadvertising-blog]

4 Things You Can Find Out About Blogging From NBC's The Voice

NBC's newest smash hit (and American Idle killer), The Voice has been taking over Monday nights ever since bringing it's unorthodox style of singing competition to the United States. According to TV By the Numbers' recent rankings, The Voice placed #1 in February for adults 18-49 and ranked #1 or tied for #1 in all other key demographics. 

Why all the hype? 

Well, The Voice features four prominent musical artists as judges; Cee-lo Green, Adam Levine, Christina Aguilera and Blake Shelton. But that's far from the only reason people tune in. What distinguishes The Voice from the ridiculous amounts of other talent shows plaguing cable is it's unique, team oriented, "voice over appearance" approach. 

Applying similar strategies to your blog can produce positive results. 

Top tips for Success from The Voice. 

1. Find your voice. 

Each of The Voice's contestants has their own special style that makes them appealing. Whether it's the melodic, acoustic style of Javier Colon or the poppy up-tones of Kelsey Ray, each competitor brings something different to the stage.

This is what the voice of your company (your blog) needs to do. 

Your conversational voice is critical because it allows you to express yourself beyond heaps of technical or product information. Defining an engaging voice will help connect with readers and further develop your brand personality. Readers will be able to pin point when you authored a piece of content and they'll start to build up trust. They'll learn more about what you stand for, respect your openness and look forward to the next time they get to hear from you. 

2. Find your audience

In one episode of the Voice, Christina refused to draft a contestant who simply had the voice of an angel. Why? Because the contestant was a country singer. Christina recognized her lack of experience in country music and understood she wouldn't be capable of helping the contestant as her coach. She passed on the chance for a budding star because the star didn't fit her niche. 

To apply this to yourself, think of the judges as your readers and speak to them directly. More and more, online readers are searching for content that appeals to them specifically. Blogs are filling tighter and tighter niches and readers will pledge allegiance to the blogs who speak to their niche directly. Knowing and communication your businesses unique selling proposition (USP) is a great way to start capturing your audiences attention. What distinguishes your business from the millions of others out there? Be specific and blog about this topic. Although you won’t be speaking to a larger group, narrowing your content's focus will make the blog far more useful to your applicable audience. This creates a solid fan base and consistent readership with fans that truly care.

3. Find your story

From the moment a contestant steps under the lights to the last time they appear on stage, regardless of victory, their story is being told. Each character's story is what keeps eyes on the screen and the crowd tuned in every Monday night. Human beings are naturally drawn to story telling. And when The Voice tells amazing stories with relatable contestants, you can bet their ratings will be as high as the singers' pitches. 

Your business, to, has a story. And that story should be shouted from the rooftops when given the opportunity. Not told as ruthless self-promotion, But weaving your brand's story into your content harmoniously will put your businesses personality on display for all your readers. There are many excellent resources on storytelling in copywriting. To read one of the best, click here. 

4. Find your courage

It's not easy for The Voice contestants to go on stage in front of millions of people to sing their hearts out in front of four critically acclaimed musicians. Having the courage to do something can often be the only determining factor in a person's success or failure. If you don't try, you'll never succeed. 

To many, there's nothing more daunting than a blank page. While you can plow through blogs, E-books and webinars about blogging, that won't get you noticed. Getting your first post online is the best way to get the ball rolling. Remember to find your voice and your audience. 

While you won't necessarily be a viral wonder right away, you'll gain confidence the more you blog. Eventually, people will share your content and others will make comments to start a dialogue with you. The more you blog, the better of a blogger you will become. Simple as that. 

Now I’d like to hear what you think. What lessons can you extrapolate from The Voice? How has this influenced you as a blogger? 

[digitalspark]

[kwadvertising-blog]

As social media stampedes through every business sector imaginable, one area where it has found remarkable use is your favorite brand's customer service department. Now, when you need support with a product or service, you're no longer limited to FAQs or filling out service tickets. All you have to do is start a conversation. 

I found this example on Mashable. They have a couple more examples of awesome customer service here. This one in particular features a man whose upset because he's unable to get Boingo's wireless hotspots to function properly. 

@Jdehn: Why do Boingo hotspots never work? 

Boingo's Twitter account proceeds to tweet this back. 

@Boingo: Never say never. Let's make it happen. Which hotspot are you at and on which device? Do you have the software installed? 

Boingo's customer service team was able to immediately begin troubleshooting Justin's issue when he tweeted about it and mentioned @Boingo. This avoids any blowback Boingo may have received from not handling the case quicker and protects their reputation for customer care. 

Using social media to address a problem with a business, while maybe not as convenient as a phone call, will broadcast your problem with the business to all of your followers. It will be highly visible in the digital space and damage the reputation of the business online. This is why so many businesses respond to social media customer service requests quicker and more efficiently than other requests. 

So what do you think? Are you part of the 76 percent making your online voice heard by brands everywhere? Or do you still prefer the traditional methods of tackling the dilemma? Let us know in the comments! 

- KW 

[im-questions-blog]

It sure can! Having a tumblr is like having a normal blog.

Whether you have a tumblr page on a subdomain like xyz.tumblr.com or create a tumblr blog and then redirect it to xyz.com (for free), you are able to rank well for the keywords you want. It all depends how much time you will devote to your tumblr blog and how many links your blog will have.

Pay attention to the content you share though, tumblr is built on sharing photos and small snippets and doing that will not help you in your ranking efforts. Google wants to see rich content pages with a lot of information.

So treat your tumblr blog like any other normal blog you might create and start publishing unique and helpful content for your readers! :)

Angel.

[kwadvertising-blog]

Treating your Tumblr blog like you would any other blog provides the opportunity for higher search engine rankings. This means that you should be using your Tumblr not just for sharp, eye catching images, but also for keyword rich, informational content that Google loves. 

[kwadvertising-blog]

Check out this awesome infographic detailing which typeface is right for which job. 

[kwadvertising-blog]

Has there ever been a simpler, tastier way to explain the functions of the major social networks? 

The photo that this infographic is based on went viral after about a week. Why? Well, besides the fact that it's hilarious, it also has a good sense of truth to it (except maybe the Google+ one). 

If you've gotten lost in the jumble of social networks that keep popping up daily, just apply the donut rule! I don't mean that this infographic will be the key to unlock your hidden social media mastery (far from it), but it's a fun way to think about how each network is positioned. 

If you really think about it, isn't the donut rule what makes each of these networks tick? 

[kwadvertising-blog]

Social Media & Manufacturing: Getting Noticed Online

To finish off our series on the social media - manufacturing connection, let’s observe the case of a fictional manufacturing company named Imperial, Inc. that produces warehouse storage shelving units. Imperial's online marketing involves nothing more than a website that provides an overview of their company, some product information and a call to action. Current Imperial clients have contact with a sales rep and the installation support team. Other than these contacts, clients have a minimal relationship with Imperial and may not have any more information about the company (culture, offers) than what is portrayed on their website. So, what’s to stop a client from jumping ship at the first sign of a better offer or an improved warehouse storage shelving product from a competitor? Most likely, nothing. Today’s market is competitive and the Internet continues to make alternatives highly accessible and buyers less loyal. Let's look at it from a prospective client's perspective. Becky's business is growing and she needs to stock more product to handle drop shipments. She has added space to her facility and needs warehouse storage shelving units. Becky knows nothing about sourcing this type of product so she begins her search online. Her Google search turns up pages and pages of results for businesses that produce storage units and also some informational content about these units (Articles, videos, etc). Unfortunately, since Imperial, Inc. does not publish any online content other than it’s basic website, has not kept up with adding press releases, videos and articles, and does not participate in any social networks, it’s brand name gets lost in the shuffle. However, on the first page of search results, Becky sees an article about different types of warehouse storage units written by Imperial's main competitor: Wilks International. After reading the article, she clicks through to the Wilks International website where she gains insight on the company's product line and sees a video about how Wilks manufactures its quality warehouse shelving. Using the Wilks Facebook link on its home page, Becky delves further into what Wilks is all about. In addition to product discount offers, their Facebook page contains posts showing Wilks at a recent trade show introducing a new product and also YouTube videos with positive customer testimonials. People have good things to say about Wilks, so Becky searches Wilks on Twitter. She finds a storage unit installer for Wilks is visiting a customer and is tweeting about how he is maximizing the customer’s space during installation. Armed with a lot of good information, Becky feels comfortable making a call to Wilks for a quote. Where does this leave Imperial? Out of luck. Determined to make inroads with its current customers and prospects and grow its diminishing market share, Imperial takes action. The company deploys an online marketing strategy that includes 1) a well crafted, search engine optimized website with multiple outgoing links and files for download, 2) a Blog routinely updated with fresh content and 3) high levels of community engagement on multiple social networks including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and LinkedIn.

While Becky has been satisfied with the storage units she purchased from Wilks three months ago, she wants to make sure she is getting the best deal. She returns to Google and her search brings up a list of sites with content about warehouse storage shelving units. Close to the top in the search results is an article titled “Five Things You Must Consider When Purchasing Warehouse Storage Shelving Units.” The article was written by Imperial, published in a trade magazine and posted on the company Blog.

The article gives Becky new insights and connects her with Imperial’s re-mastered website and social networks. She sees information about the broader range of products Imperial offers and how many former Wilks customers have switched to Imperial due to its higher quality and value. Becky inquires for a quote and is contacted by her Imperial rep right away. She gets the product she needs at a price she loves. Becky "Likes" Imperial on Facebook and engages with the company regularly.

Other customers and even Imperial's president interact with Becky and she feels like a valued member of the Imperial community. When the company rolled out a revolutionary new shelving connector system, Becky was one of the first to know. When the company solicited new testimonials on Facebook, Becky was happy to supply one. She even refers colleagues and friends to Imperial. Why would she buy elsewhere? She has a strong relationship with Imperial and that means loyalty.

With so much business conducted on the web, an online presence is simply imperative to a company’s financial health.  And in an industry like manufacturing, having a friendly, online brand that not only engages the consumer on social media, but provides them with useful, easily digested content will have an insurmountable advantage. Not only in finding new customers, but also in keeping existing ones. Is social media and content marketing a lot of work? Yes. But those that practice it efficiently are sure to reap the benefits. If it’s time to put your company on the map, KW Advertising can help your company design and implement an online marketing strategy to improve site visits and sales. 

[kwadvertising-blog]

Social Media & Manufacturing: Becoming a Consumer Resource

Content marketing is one of the best forms of marketing (if not the best) in the world today. In fact, Seth Godin, a renown entrepreneur and best selling author, said, “Content marketing is the only marketing left.” By creating content that your customer finds interesting, valuable and useful, your company will transform into a trustworthy and knowledgeable online resource, which encourages repeat online visits and often leads to sales and long lasting loyalty.

Try out these content marketing ideas for your business to get started: 1. Start a blog. Yes, more often than not the question comes up, “Well, what should my company blog about?” Remember that you are an industry thought leader and you have much to share from your wealthy bank of knowledge. Start by publishing articles about industry news and trends and your company’s take on them. When you get more comfortable, start writing more often about anything related to your industry that consumers will find appealing. If you need more ideas, start here. 2. Keep posting on YouTube. Video is the most easily digested content on the web which is why it has such a high level of consumer engagement. Examine some of your blog post ideas and see if they can be transformed into video content instead. An interview with an expert in your company often looks better on video than in written form. Other ideas include customer testimonials, how-to videos or something on the lighter, fun side. Blendtec, a company that produces industrial blenders saw incredible success by creating an easy to produce, low budget video series called “Will it blend?” Read about it here. 3. Create a purchasing guide or brochure related to your product. Write about its production, uses, and installation. Include case studies of  your product in action and see if a client will include a testimonial. Separate yourself from your competition, but refrain from being too much of a salesman. Write about what truly makes your product unique and how that uniqueness solves your customers’ wants and needs. Share this purchasing guide on your website, social networks, blog, E-Newsletter or anywhere else where customers can find and make use of it. Again, the key is to be an invaluable resource. 4. Start distributing an E-Newsletter. This is an effective method for pushing your newly created content out the door and into your clients’ inboxes. It doesn’t need to be anything fancy and if you use an e-mail marketing service, it’s simpler than you think. Start by determining how often you’ll be sending newsletters. Create a template and then decide what content you want to include. Three blog posts, a video interview, event photos and social media links for example. Some easy to use, e-mail marketing services include Constant Contact, iContact and Vertical Response. Content marketing is as simple as communicating your position as an industry thought leader to the customer. Provide them with more than just products. Deliver information, tips, demonstrations and more of the ideas mentioned above. When you solve the customers’ challenges, they will remember your donation and in turn consider your business to be a trusted and knowledgeable resource that they can return to. And this is the kind of relationship you want your business to have. Is your company ready to make the leap into content marketing? An agency like KW Advertising can help you select and design all aspects of your content marketing needs.

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Social Media & Manufacturing: Building Relationships

Beyond a company’s website and sales team, customers often do not have a genuine understanding of the businesses they work with. Customers include key decision makers, influencers and end users. Being active in social media offers these customers and your business a way to get to know each other on a more personal level. 

Here are some ideas that will help you become a more personable manufacturer. 1. Use Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube to post pictures/videos from company events, trade shows, work functions, charitable functions and more. You can also include pictures or videos of an average or routine workday. This will give your customers an idea of your company’s interests and also project your human, community-oriented side. 2. Upload photos of employees on Facebook and include a mini biography with their name, some fun personal information and the department they work in. If employees want, they can include a link to their LinkedIn or other social network profile so customers and prospects can connect with them. This works especially well for the sales and customer service team and will give customers a better understanding of who they’re working with. 3. Use social media for research by posting your current products or future product concepts on your social networks and asking followers for feedback. Gather a deep understanding about what your consumers like, dislike and why. Consumers, especially current clients, will have no problem offering reasonable insights. So take these insights and allow your firm to adapt to fit the consumer’s wants and needs. It’s easier to produce customer satisfaction when you don’t play guess and check. 4. Capture your company on video. YouTube is not only the second largest search engine in the wold, but one of the most efficient ways for customers to interact with a brand. Try recording videos of product demonstrations or how products are made. You can even offer a YouTube tour of your manufacturing facilities. Customers are much more likely to trust a business when they know how it lives and breathes. 5. Embrace interaction. It seems simple enough, but many companies do not follow this rule.  When followers or fans comment on your links, photos or content, always remember to comment back. Do it in a polite and engaging manner. Address followers by name and frequently participate in discussions when you have the opportunity. Positive fan/follower engagement means excellent word of mouth and more prospective buyers. Include any other tactics that will allow the customer to better understand your company from the inside out. Remember, transparency is key. Need help building your company’s online community? KW Advertising can help your business grow it’s online following and create healthy engagement across various social media platforms.

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Social Media & Manufacturing: (Social) Change is Good

Although the manufacturing industry has witnessed continuous improvement in implementing social media marketing tactics, many small-to medium-sized manufacturing firms still remain foreign to the concept of building their brand online.

According to a March 2011 Forrester Report, despite 81% of B2B businesses utilizing social networking, manufacturing has been one of the slower industries to adopt. If you’re a manufacturer playing in this increasingly competitive sector, constructing a trustworthy and easily accessible online brand can be vital to the growth of your business. For most manufacturers, this resistance to adopting these online marketing tactics comes from a belief that B2B businesses have little use for social media and that social networking is a more personal endeavor.

However, actively engaging in social media can deliver countless new opportunities for manufacturing firms to connect with current clients and also discover new business. Our next several posts in this series will explain how. Stay tuned.