Viral Marketing and viral advertising refers to marketing techniques that use social networks to produce company products and brand awareness, product sales activities, and other marketing methods though viral replicating processes. It is “word of mouth” advertising via the internet; email, websites, YouTube, etc. It facilitates and encourages people to pass along a marketing message voluntarily.
Viral promotions may take the form of video clips, flash games, ebooks, brandable software, images, and even text messaging and other forms of getting the message out.
Video, audio, written, and email marketing are the most common forms of viral marketing. If a client can create something of real value and spread the word within the industry, there is a very good chance the rest of the marketing will be done for them.
Viral Marketing is often chosen as a way to promote a company, product, or web site because it is easy compared to direct mail or search engine marketing. It also cost less than direct marketing or pay per click marketing.
Instead of spending large amounts of money on newspaper ads, TV commercials, or banner ads, clients could spend next to nothing creating a viral marketing campaign, and let the business world do the work and advertising for them.
Some Viral Marketing web sites and services reach over 40,000,000 people in key markets and over 2,000,000,000 unique viewers per day. [Source:The 7thChamber.com]
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Monday, October 26, 2009
Case Studies in B2B
Case Study is a product success story of what one company did for another company in a sales or problem solving activity. For example: “ABC Company just solved a major on-line access problem by installing XYZAccess application from Data Traffic Monitor, Inc. The net results was 90% improvement in on-line productions.”
Case Studies are among the most powerful sales tools because they are the most credible. Rather than presenting marketing hype, they demonstrate how actual customers have succeeded using the company's product(s).
Marketers and copywriters write these like short story articles announcing the success of what the product did for a certain business or company to solve an industry problem they were faced with.
The story includes the companies logo, contact information, and precise numbers and proof of this interaction between the two companies. Often they include endorsements from both companies.
Case Studies generally are written in 8 ½ x 11 handout paper form and may be included on the company's web sites.
Marketing departments of both companies involved should write the Case Study together. Request other groups involved in the study that can contribute to the story. This includes senior management that may provide a quote to use in the story.
Both companies that make up the Case Study will now have separate write ups. However keep the content the same. This will allow "spreading the wealth" around to each company's clients and prospects and provide instant references to backup the story.
Case Studies become sales brochure like collateral for the sales reps to pass on to their clients and prospects. They contain between 1000-3000 words.
Business to Business Marketing and the many items used to produce sales and revenue generation is growing everyday. Let me know what you want to see or need information on about this huge industry market. Comments are welcomed.
Case Studies are among the most powerful sales tools because they are the most credible. Rather than presenting marketing hype, they demonstrate how actual customers have succeeded using the company's product(s).
Marketers and copywriters write these like short story articles announcing the success of what the product did for a certain business or company to solve an industry problem they were faced with.
The story includes the companies logo, contact information, and precise numbers and proof of this interaction between the two companies. Often they include endorsements from both companies.
Case Studies generally are written in 8 ½ x 11 handout paper form and may be included on the company's web sites.
Marketing departments of both companies involved should write the Case Study together. Request other groups involved in the study that can contribute to the story. This includes senior management that may provide a quote to use in the story.
Both companies that make up the Case Study will now have separate write ups. However keep the content the same. This will allow "spreading the wealth" around to each company's clients and prospects and provide instant references to backup the story.
Case Studies become sales brochure like collateral for the sales reps to pass on to their clients and prospects. They contain between 1000-3000 words.
Business to Business Marketing and the many items used to produce sales and revenue generation is growing everyday. Let me know what you want to see or need information on about this huge industry market. Comments are welcomed.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Business to Business Social Networking
Social Networking in Business to Business (B2B) is becoming common more and more as websites become available. Companies are using this internet medium to promote sales activities, new products or services, promote the company, and other “word of mouth” marketing activites in a viral environment through the use of social networking sites like YouTube, FaceBook, and My Space for example. LinkedIn and Plaxo even have recruiting efforts involved.
B2B companies are producing content on these sites to attract more qualified members to them. This is both written and video displays, depending on the desire and social networking site.
On the internet, much of the social networking has been done. Social networking, book marking sites, video, and image sharing websites provide the ideal framework for a successful viral marketing campaign. For example, having an article published on sites like Flickr can generate hundreds to thousands of visitors to the client's website in a very short time. Having a video listed on the most popular page of a video sharing website can produce a tremendous amount of traffic to the client's site.
Successful B2B social networking is different than business to consumer (B2C) website activities. The consumer market attracts all audiences to well known names and products; GAP, Ralph Lauren, Coca Cola, Oprah, Apple. But what about the B2B market of products; EDS, Unisys, Oracle, SAP, Microsoft? These audiences are more fragmented with internal employees, external partners, third party vendors, channels, and their customers and prospects.
B2B marketing in social networking is structured and directed at a more targeted audience. They know who their audience is, what they care about, and how to market to them? The social networking function is similar to the consumer market of word of mouth advertising and sharing, just more internal industry and business market bound.
Social media is a different process for the B2B crowd. It's about being a more informed buyer and seller. Success in B2B social networking depends on providing enough content on the site that leads to interaction, sharing, and engaging the customer's and prospect's interest for potential sales engagements.
B2B marketers first need to assess the relevance of social networking within their own industries and target audiences. Not every customer or salesperson cares about blogs or podcasts. Social networking needs to become part of the integrated marketing plan that ties into and compliments these other channels.
There are many reasons social media can be a productive marketing channel or platform. The purpose should dictate strategy and tactics used for reaching desired business goals.
There you go. Many companies are now starting to take advantage and use social networking for their marketing and sales channels. Let me know what you think.
B2B companies are producing content on these sites to attract more qualified members to them. This is both written and video displays, depending on the desire and social networking site.
On the internet, much of the social networking has been done. Social networking, book marking sites, video, and image sharing websites provide the ideal framework for a successful viral marketing campaign. For example, having an article published on sites like Flickr can generate hundreds to thousands of visitors to the client's website in a very short time. Having a video listed on the most popular page of a video sharing website can produce a tremendous amount of traffic to the client's site.
Successful B2B social networking is different than business to consumer (B2C) website activities. The consumer market attracts all audiences to well known names and products; GAP, Ralph Lauren, Coca Cola, Oprah, Apple. But what about the B2B market of products; EDS, Unisys, Oracle, SAP, Microsoft? These audiences are more fragmented with internal employees, external partners, third party vendors, channels, and their customers and prospects.
B2B marketing in social networking is structured and directed at a more targeted audience. They know who their audience is, what they care about, and how to market to them? The social networking function is similar to the consumer market of word of mouth advertising and sharing, just more internal industry and business market bound.
Social media is a different process for the B2B crowd. It's about being a more informed buyer and seller. Success in B2B social networking depends on providing enough content on the site that leads to interaction, sharing, and engaging the customer's and prospect's interest for potential sales engagements.
B2B marketers first need to assess the relevance of social networking within their own industries and target audiences. Not every customer or salesperson cares about blogs or podcasts. Social networking needs to become part of the integrated marketing plan that ties into and compliments these other channels.
There are many reasons social media can be a productive marketing channel or platform. The purpose should dictate strategy and tactics used for reaching desired business goals.
There you go. Many companies are now starting to take advantage and use social networking for their marketing and sales channels. Let me know what you think.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Business to Business (B2B) Market
Hey gang,
Did you know the Business-to-Business market is huge and growing everyday?
Business-to-business, or “B2B”, is businesses selling to other businesses. Industrial and High Tech business markets are common place for B2B.
An example of a B2B transaction is a computer manufacturing company selling its product to an electronics and computer store, which is another company.
B2B companies generally have sales and marketing organizations that create and manage the sales processes and transactions.
A company selling photocopiers is likely a B2B sales organization because their sales representatives (reps) call on businesses, not consumers.
Often more than one decision-maker is involved in a B2B sale on the buyer's side. For example, a company making a software product purchase could require the decision of the technical department for the support of the product, the department designated to receive and use the software (the end-user), and the purchasing department to ensure the budget can support it and make the actual purchase and issue the purchase order (P.O.).
B2B marketing communications, or marcom, is how businesses promote their products and services to other businesses using tactics other than direct sales. The purpose of B2B marketing communications is to support the company's sales effort and improve the company profitability.
Conventional B2B marcom has two functions: (1) to generate leads for salespeople and (2) provide salespeople with sales aids they need to do their jobs. Less common is the mail order B2B company, which sells directly to businesses without involvement from a live salesperson.
B2B marcom tactics include advertising, public relations, direct mail, trade show support, sales collateral, branding, and interactive services such as website design and search engine optimization.
The Business to Business market is growing every day. It has a lot to do with the economy. So we need to get more businesses selling their wares to other businesses and create a need, which will create jobs.
Your comments are welcomed.
Did you know the Business-to-Business market is huge and growing everyday?
Business-to-business, or “B2B”, is businesses selling to other businesses. Industrial and High Tech business markets are common place for B2B.
An example of a B2B transaction is a computer manufacturing company selling its product to an electronics and computer store, which is another company.
B2B companies generally have sales and marketing organizations that create and manage the sales processes and transactions.
A company selling photocopiers is likely a B2B sales organization because their sales representatives (reps) call on businesses, not consumers.
Often more than one decision-maker is involved in a B2B sale on the buyer's side. For example, a company making a software product purchase could require the decision of the technical department for the support of the product, the department designated to receive and use the software (the end-user), and the purchasing department to ensure the budget can support it and make the actual purchase and issue the purchase order (P.O.).
B2B marketing communications, or marcom, is how businesses promote their products and services to other businesses using tactics other than direct sales. The purpose of B2B marketing communications is to support the company's sales effort and improve the company profitability.
Conventional B2B marcom has two functions: (1) to generate leads for salespeople and (2) provide salespeople with sales aids they need to do their jobs. Less common is the mail order B2B company, which sells directly to businesses without involvement from a live salesperson.
B2B marcom tactics include advertising, public relations, direct mail, trade show support, sales collateral, branding, and interactive services such as website design and search engine optimization.
The Business to Business market is growing every day. It has a lot to do with the economy. So we need to get more businesses selling their wares to other businesses and create a need, which will create jobs.
Your comments are welcomed.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
more Advertising in the B2B Market
Hey gang,
If you are doing advertising in the business to business (B2B) market, here is a quick tip that will help your ads sizzle:
Before writing any product ad, do the “PAP” test. This is Product, Audience, and Purpose.
Product. What is the topic of the ad? What product or service is it selling? Is it a single product or full line of products? You must have a clear understanding of what you are really selling to the reader.
Audience. Who will read the ad? What type of person is it targeted at? What are their needs, problems, fears, desires, interests, and concerns? Sample issues of the publications the ad will be published in can help provide an idea who reads the ad.
Purpose. What is the purpose of the ad? Is it to generate sales leads or bring in orders? Is it building an image or establishing credibility for the company? Is it to gain awareness of the product, its features, and benefits? What is the ad to do?
If you do the "PAP" test each time you set out to write any advertisements, whether it is for the business to business (B2B) market or business to consumer (B2C) market this will help make your ads draw attention and get your audience interested in buying.
Let me know what you think. Your comments are welcomed.
If you are doing advertising in the business to business (B2B) market, here is a quick tip that will help your ads sizzle:
Before writing any product ad, do the “PAP” test. This is Product, Audience, and Purpose.
Product. What is the topic of the ad? What product or service is it selling? Is it a single product or full line of products? You must have a clear understanding of what you are really selling to the reader.
Audience. Who will read the ad? What type of person is it targeted at? What are their needs, problems, fears, desires, interests, and concerns? Sample issues of the publications the ad will be published in can help provide an idea who reads the ad.
Purpose. What is the purpose of the ad? Is it to generate sales leads or bring in orders? Is it building an image or establishing credibility for the company? Is it to gain awareness of the product, its features, and benefits? What is the ad to do?
If you do the "PAP" test each time you set out to write any advertisements, whether it is for the business to business (B2B) market or business to consumer (B2C) market this will help make your ads draw attention and get your audience interested in buying.
Let me know what you think. Your comments are welcomed.
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