Building an Online Community

One of the most important things I have learned this semester is how important establishing an online voice is to your brand.  According to a wonderful video by Loic Le Meur, building an online voice and a digital community takes time.  The most important aspect of building trust with your customers is maintaining a consistent presence online.  This means sharing meaningful or entertaining content and responding to followers’ posts and questions.

My first suggestion for Pet Haven is to have more interaction with customer comments and criticisms online. I noticed that they had some negative feedback on Yelp that remained unanswered. In my opinion, looking at this, I feel the company is non-apologetic for their mistake, and uncaring.  While this lack of response may not truly be the intent of Pet Haven, it is the perception that matters. Listening and responding to customers is crucial.

Another suggestion I have is for them to post content on their social media sites, such as Facebook, that is not always about how great they are and about themselves.  An interesting way to attract people would be to post a written blog or video reviewing dog foods.  They could also highlight expert opinions on pet foods. Other topics of interest highlighted could be a review from experts on safe flea and tick remedies. Sharing on social media isn’t always about pushing an agenda or product, it also about simply establishing a relationship with followers.  This builds trust that will hopefully result in creating future customers.

In conclusion of this Digital Marketing course, I have taken away that social media is a tool that has connected people in a way that many never thought possible.  It is truly unprecedented.  Businesses must adapt and embrace what is simply a change in the way we communicate, or they will be irrelevant and cease to exist.

Mobility’s Influence on Marketing

We know that mobile phones are ubiquitous.  We use them to shop, to take pictures, to connect with family and friends, and even as flashlights. Location-based marketing is here to stay, and is a necessity in 2015.  By 2017, half of all transactions will be completed through a mobile point of sale.   Knowing where your customers are and being there is essential.  People want mobility; therefore, Pet Haven must format their website to fit mobile devices. Currently, their website is very outdated and is not mobile-friendly.  The content is not easily viewed on a smartphone or tablet.  It is very simple to enlist the help of a website hosting company like WordPress or Go Daddy to either create a stand-alone mobile website or create responsive web design that will work on any mobile device.

This year, Starbucks is using location-based marketing to allow customers to order and pay for a coffee before they even come into a store.  Home Depot is using geolocation technology to help customers navigate their stores and find products on their shopping list using their mobile application. Pet Haven can easily use location-based marketing to attract and retain customers.  One easy and inexpensive way would be to encourage customers to check-in using Foursquare or Facebook Places Directory.  Customers who check-in frequently on Foursquare or Facebook, and/or post reviews on Facebook or Yelp can get free products or discounts on grooming services. I noticed people have already posted  reviews on Yelp, Pet Haven needs to respond to them good or bad.  They could allow customers to set up appointments, order products, and pay through a mobile website through a third party, like PayPal. They could push out notifications, via Facebook Messenger, that tell local customers about weekly specials or events.  These are all easy, inexpensive ways to provide convenience for customers and meet their demand for mobile services.

The photo above is courtesy of Matthias Ripp on Flickr at https://www.flickr.com/photos/56218409@N03/.

50 Shades of Brand Buzz

So I am not jumping on the 50 Shades of Grey bandwagon, in fact I have not even seen the movie.  But, after reading 50 Shades of Marketing Brilliance I am intrigued. I may now even go see the movie to know what people are talking about. This is the point…..they got people talking over a year before the movie was released, and then they broke all kinds of ticket sales records. 

The marketing geniuses initially worked to create buzz by recruiting “brand advocates” through their Grey Enterprises Intern Application.  (For those like me that have no idea, this is the main character’s business).  These “brand advocates” then could share content, pictures, the latest production news directly from the website already nicely fabricated with cleaver hashtags.  Interns are asked to share the trailer as their first assignment.  This interactive media generated free buzz for the movie, a clever, novel strategy.

So how can a small business with a limited budget like Pet Haven recreate this same strategy?

Pet Haven can start a conversation on multiple social media fronts on customer testimonials, stories, and anecdotes on how their product, whether it’s organic dog food or grooming services, has changed the life of a pet. Ask people to post videos, comments, stories to start this conversation.  Social media is not meant to be all about promoting a brand; it is also about the people who buy the product. Check out how @PetSmart shared the story of Missy.  Pet Smart started the “Share Your Love Story” campaign, asking #PetParents to share their stories of how they found their adopted pets. Their campaign has created many tweets and Facebook posts with the #PetParenthood, all with mentions and links back to the Pet Smart website.  Essentially, they have created brand advocates through these stories.

The next step, create a sense of excitement, encourage social media engagement.  The Fifty Shades hysteria spread as they allowed “Grey Interns” to unlock prizes when completing assignments like sharing the movie trailer.  We know that the 90-9-1 Rule tells us that only 1% of social media users actually create new content, 9% may edit or post comments, and 90% only browse.  So, Pet Haven should encourage engagement.  @PetSmart did a #cutepic contest on National Siblings Day and offered prizes for people who submitted content.  Pet Haven could easily have a picture contest for example #bestdogdo or #besthair and offer the prizes.  Another great way to engage people, and show off their grooming services.

The last step from the Fifty Shades strategy is to create an air of exclusivity surrounding the brand.  Fifty Shades hysteria was fed by leaked “secretive” production photos from fans and the author. Pet Haven can have social media followers “unlock” insider grooming tips and hints from the experts, all directing traffic to their website.

Oh, and I know you’re thinking, I am already overwhelmed. How can a small business stay engaged on all of these media platforms?  A simple solution is use a social media manager like Hootsuite.  See Seven Reasons You Should Use Hootsuite.

These tips are a simple and inexpensive way to engage people publically through social media to create buzz for the brand.

Unlocking the Power of LinkedIn

When thinking of ways to promote Pet Haven, I had never considered LinkedIn, but after reading a great article by @AdamHoulahan this week, I am now wondering how I could have missed this important platform. LinkedIn is much more than a place to post your resume, it also a place to network with other professionals and related organizations. For Pet Haven, organizations in Texas that are on LinkedIn include dog rescue groups, large veterinarian practices, and many pet grooming groups.

What does this mean?

Engaging is much more than asking and answering questions in these groups. It is also posting interesting and relevant content. For Pet Haven, this could mean posting a regular blog entry on LinkedIn with content such as dog grooming tips, or trends and facts in canine nutrition. If Pet Haven is engaged with people on LinkedIn providing great information, they can become a well-respected, thought leader in their industry. Imagine if the Texas Collie Rescue, a large dog rescue organization, liked a post on grooming collies, shared it with their connections, then so forth. Pet Haven can provide more than just a good read, they can show potential clients they exist, that they are the experts in their field, and are endorsed by other respected and known organizations and groups.

I know they are currently looking for well-qualified groomers at Pet Haven. LinkedIn is another way to help find potential employees. It opens up more opportunities to find people beyond geographical boundaries.

There are more ways to interact with people` than Facebook and Twitter. LinkedIn is just another engagement tool to reach potential clients. A blog post on LinkedIn could create a lead to a website and a future client.

Adam Houlahan’s post is found here for those interested: http://www.adamhoulahan.com/publishing-blog-posts-linkedin/.

The adorable LinkedIn Goldendoodle mascot are compliments of @amandazipser on Flickr.

Why is DJ Waldow’s Project So Awesome?

If anyone is looking on how to score a great new job, DJ Waldow ‘s Project Awesome is one innovative way to do just that.  He is the self-proclaimed Social Butterfly Guy, and he has a blog that focuses on people, his insights in marketing, podcasts and interviews. His project was really awesome and his story is inspiring, providing hope to those searching for a new job.  Project Awesome was a social media experiment started in July 2011, when DJ, at 35 years old, lost his job as a Director of Community at Blue Sky Factory due to a merger (haven’t we all been there).  His next steps were intended as he put it, to “leverage my social networks and specifically the relationships and trust I’ve build over the past decade”. Ten days later, he did this by asking eight of his friends and well-respected leaders in digital marketing, to film a 30 second clip on why employers should “Hire DJ”. He posted the video on his blog, as well as YouTube, and had links to his blog on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.  He posted an interactive resume via Slide Share and also one which he voiced-over, on his blog and on LinkedIn.  Within his resume, there were links to his Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter page. He was very clear about exactly what he wanted to do; be involved in all things digital, interactive and marketing, with a preference for a VP/Director level role in digital marketing.

His experiment worked, in that within the first 2 weeks, his interactive resume was viewed 6500 times, the “Hire DJ” films was watched over 700 times, his blog post had over 5000 visits, and there were over 7000 tweets about @djwaldow mentioning #ProjectAwesome. This is not to mention the 44 phone calls/interviews and 7 in-person interviews all within the first 2 weeks! As a result of Project Awesome, he launched his own company, Waldow Social, to help clients launch successful email marketing campaigns. He then became the Digital Marketing Evangelist at Marketo.  In 2014, he left the corporate world to launch “Living Your Passion” on his blog, where he interviews people in his podcast who are passionate about what they do. He is now turning this podcast into a book in 90 days, and blogging on this process.  In February 2015 he launched another campaign to find his next job, “Why You Should Hire Me”, similar to the Project Awesome. Once again, he quickly was able to start his next role as Director of Marketing at Zignal Labs in March.

His story is so inspiring. I especially connected with his post when he says that he doesn’t regret any of his choices after he had left his corporate job at Marketo.  He talks about what he learned in his 8 months working from home. He learned that he needs to be around people, that it’s ok to pursue your passion…on the side, that everything sucks sometimes, and that there is no such thing as “one way” or “the right” way to navigate through one’s career.

I myself have had multiple jobs in the last 7 years since I graduated from pharmacy school. Some worked out for me, and some did not. I have worked in adult hospitals, pediatric hospitals, cancer clinics, from home, and in the pharmaceutical industry. Many people have criticized me for having different jobs, and trying things which didn’t work out. I didn’t take the conventional route for a pharmacist. But, like DJ, I have learned that there is not one way to go through this journey. I have also found that I too need to feel like I am making a difference in this world, and that everything sucks sometimes, no matter what it is. Yes, I also believe that every step of this journey has taught me something, and that everything happens for a reason. Every connection I have made and everything I have learned will be important one day. Whether it saves the life of a patient I am privileged to care for, or the connection presents me with a future opportunity, the journey is the destination. No job is certain, it can be gone tomorrow. Our social network and experiences are what we carry with us, and like DJ’s Project Awesome shows us, social media is only a tool to nurture and leverage these connections.

See DJ’s blog posts: http://socialbutterflyguy.com/hire_dj/

Capturing Customers’ Attention Using Viral Marketing

According to Seth Godin in his blog on viral marketing, it is an idea that spreads while helping market your business, idea, or cause.  He also states that being viral isn’t the hardest part, spreading something of value more than just entertainment is the most difficult task.  This statement resonated with me in trying to find a way for Pet Haven Dog Grooming Salon to benefit viral marketing.  Two things of value that this business can provide are healthy and happy pets by selling high quality, nutritious foods, and giving great haircuts. Advertisements first must attract the attention of the viewer to just let me them know your business exists.  Remember the viral video on You Tube, “Ultimate Dog Tease”, it had over 167 million views!   It was relatable, anyone would be frustrated if someone else kept eating their bacon, many people have dogs, and it was very cute and entertaining.  It was easy to grab people’s attention.  Now, just imagine if that simple, inexpensive video was used to advertise a special brand of maple, flavored bacon. The producer of the video just made this in his own home with his dog, on a very small budget.

With this same concept in mind, Pet Haven could easily make a You Tube channel.  Videos with lib dubbing, or voice-overs with animals like the “Ultimate Dog Tease” could be used to advertise how excited dogs are to finally get yummy, nutritious dog food they sale, or to have clean, healthy coats. Pet Haven could post the videos on Twitter and Facebook, as well as have prominent links to their YouTube channel and social media pages at the top of their website. Their YouTube channel could not only draw the attention of viewers by these cute videos, but they could go on to provide dog grooming and training tips for owners.  As Seth Godin said, the idea must not only be entertaining, but also useful and important to be viral marketing. If you catch my attention with a relatable, entertaining video showing me your service helps my beloved pet live a longer, healthier, happier life, then I will want to buy your product and spread the word to friends.  At the minimum, I will share your video on Facebook, free advertising for you!

For those interested in a fun video, here is the link to “The Ultimate Dog Tease” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGeKSiCQkPw/.

Using AIDA to Reach Customers

The most important initial step in attracting customers is to understand who your customers are and what it is they want or need.  This is crucial to getting their attention, the first step of “AIDA” (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action) in marketing.  This is also called the hook.  I can think of one great example that still stands out from last year.  Subaru launched a marketing campaign called “They Lived” that was inspired by letters from car owners that survived crashes.  The commercial shows totaled Subarus with people saying “they lived”.  At the end, it shows a family, their target customer, loading into a Subaru that survived a car wreck, followed by the statement that Subaru has one of the highest safety ratings.  This is the link to the video for those interested, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itHm5xmmYDU.This was a great example of marketing that played to the emotions of their target audience, inspiring them to drive a Subaru.  Who wouldn’t want to protect their family with one of the safest cars on the road?

Pet Haven attracted me to bring my dogs to their dog grooming salon by being a safe, caring salon, where they treat each pet as an individual.  They always remember everyone’s name, and make a point to keep a detailed file on each pet to remember information about their personalities with each visit.  These traits appeal to the conscientious pet owner that is concerned for his or her pet’s safety and well-being. They could do a much better job of interacting with new and existing clients through social media to convey this message, as I know many people would recommend them on these sites.   They prefer to be contacted right know through email or telephone.  This leaves little opportunity for clients to make referrals or share their information with others.  They create interest in their specialty pet foods each time I go, explaining how their grain-free foods will help address my dogs’ skin problems.  This information that is specific for my dogs creates a desire for me to purchase the food.  They push me to action when they provide coupons and frequent buyer cards and ask for me to buy a bag of dog food with a money back guarantee if my dogs don’t like it. The basic bones of the AIDA model are being implemented at Pet Haven; however, it is just how the message is being communicated that needs improvement.  Most people in the community in which they are located are young families that don’t have time for emails or phone calls, they prefer Facebook, Twitter, and making appointments online.  It would be great if appointments could be scheduled online, or through Facebook messenger.

Prior to this course, I had not heard of the AIDA model, as I don’t really have a marketing background.  Lead generation, or creating interest in a product or service, can really apply to any job.  I often do scientific presentations to students, other healthcare providers, and patients.  In doing these presentations, it follows the same concept.  I must determine who my target customer or audience is, and hook them emotionally. Determine what they need or want, and explain how I can meet that need in my presentation and why they can’t live without what I am offering.  This general concept can be applied in many situations beyond sales.

The Social Media Revolution!

There are five relevant points the 2013 Social Media Revolution Video by Erik Qualman makes that a small business like Pet Haven can use to reach new and existing customers.

“Over 50 percent of the world’s population is less than 30.”-  If a small business is not targeting the millennials, then they will not survive in the future. Many businesses have discovered that not targeting this tech-savvy, time-crunched, health conscious generation is detrimental to survival.  Take McDonalds for example, the old way of doing business, offering cheap meals without attention to quality and health, is not working with the millennials, and they are now trying to change their strategy as same store sales continue to decline. Pet Haven is not targeting this generation of pet owners effectively. Millennial pet owners are more concerned for their pet’s nutrition, preferring organic, wholesome foods, and their overall health.  Pet Haven does a great job of offering a variety of premium dog foods in the store, but they are not active on any social media sites.  They may offer these products, but they are not telling anyone about them.  Millennials do not read newspapers, they are on Facebook and Twitter.  It is crucial Pet Haven start tweeting about their premium pet foods and why they are important for pets.

“Social media is the number one activity on the web.”– A majority of people discover new products and services on Facebook and Twitter.  People get ideas on home renovations and projects on Pinterest.  If a small business is not actively engaging new and existing customers about their brand on social media, no one will know about them.  Pet Haven does not have a Facebook or Twitter account, only an old, outdated website. During the season for the Pumpkin Spice Latte, Starbucks tweeted about the drink; as a result, people were in the mood for the drink.  Pet Haven needs to start tweeting about what is trending in pet health and nutrition, why we should care, and how they can offer these products and services in their store.

“You Tube is the second largest search engine in the world”- I had no idea this was the case, but there are so many opportunities for free marketing with You Tube. I could find no videos posted by Pet Haven online, anywhere.  An interesting marketing idea would be to make “how to” videos on grooming tips for dog owners.  The videos could showcase the shop and how well they do their job and treat animals.  I looked on You Tube and found several videos on “how to groom the rough collie”.  You Tube videos could also offer tips and advice on topics, like housetraining and crate training puppies.  The owner always has training advice to share with customers in the store, why not do this on You Tube!

“The Ford Explorer Launch on Facebook generated more traffic than a Super Bowel Ad”- This is fascinating! Since Pet Haven just recently moved to a new larger, location, they need to have a Facebook Launch with live feed of their grand opening.  They need to post on Facebook the wide selection of premium pet foods, and health consultation services they offer, and why this is important to pets. Starting a conversation on Facebook with people and inviting them personally to their new location launch will help attract new customers that have never heard of Pet Haven.

“90 percent of customers trust peer recommendations, only 14 percent trust advertisers”- Pet Haven’s slogan is “Tails are wagging, pets are bragging”, but I don’t hear anyone bragging in social media about them.  Pet Haven can open a dialogue on Facebook or Twitter about people’s experiences with other pet groomers good or bad, and start a conversation about Pet Haven.  As the video stated, “Word of mouth, is World of Mouth”.

If Pet Haven wants to survive, they must target the younger generation of pet owners. The only way to do this is to engage people online, more than just through their website.  They need to interact digitally, creating personal relationships with current and future customers online. The Social Media Revolution Video can be accessed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUCfFcchw1w.

The New Digital Adventure!

The New Digital Adventure!

My name is Meagan Johns, and I live in Argyle, Texas.  I have a husband, two horses, and four dogs (a small ranch), and they all keep me very busy!  I am a hospital pharmacist by day though.

When I started this MBA program at New England College last year, I never though it would end up bringing me into the Digital Age.  I am ashamed to admit that at 30 years old, I have never tweeted, nor have I ever had a blog.  I have tried to stay as “unconnected” as possible until now.  As a pharmacist,  I never thought I would really need to embrace social media or marketing skills.  Now, I realize that marketing may simply mean proposing or “selling” a new pharmacy service line in the hospital, or presenting onself in the best possible light in the job market. I am also realizing, I am one of the only people my age that isn’t routinely on social media!  I am truly excited to start this digital marketing class, and I will commit to keeping a open mind, adapting  to new ways of thinking, and embracing change throughout my digital marketing journey.

I plan on blogging about a local organization where I live called Pet Haven, a local pet grooming business.  They have done such a wonderful job grooming my two rough Collies and two Shetland Sheepdogs, that even though I live in Argyle, I still drive all the way to Watuaga, around 25 miles, to have them groom my dogs! They are a locally owned business where people visit based on word of mouth.  I love to see locally-owned businesses thrive and compete with “big box” retailers. I have nothing against “ big box” retailers; however, my experience with this local business has been wonderful.  They treat my pets very well, and the owners truly understand how to properly groom collies without taking short-cuts.  They have been in business for 15 years, and they recently moved to a new, larger location in Watuaga. They currently have a website, but no Facebook page or Twitter account that I could easily find.  Over the course of the next seven weeks of the class, I will use what I learn to analyze how they can improve their digital footprint to reach new customers.

I look forward to this digital adventure!

Hello world!

This is your very first post. Click the Edit link to modify or delete it, or start a new post. If you like, use this post to tell readers why you started this blog and what you plan to do with it.

Happy blogging!