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Direct Marketing News reports that marketers will spend more on social media in the next 12 months, according to a study by platform provider Alterian.
2011 will be a "turnaround year," when recession-era cutbacks in marketing are reversed, the study shows.
More than half (57%) of marketers expect their overall budgets to grow.
In addition, three quarters (75%) expect to spend more on social media during 2011 than last year.
But these same folks aren't sure how to take advantage of social media.
A full third (33%) of marketers say they have little or no understanding of the brand-related conversations taking place. And only a fourth (27%) say they report those conversations to management.
Study after study proves, without doubt, that "face-to-face" is the most powerful marketing medium.
"Why?" you might ask.
The answer lies deep in our limbic system, says author and speaker Carol Kinsey Gorman, in a recent edition of Communications World Bulletin.
In face-to-face exchanges, besides spoken words, our brains process a cascade of nonverbal cues.
In fact, during face-to-face encounters, we interpret what people say only partly from the words they use.
We get most of the message from vocal tone, pacing, facial expressions and body language.
"Interactional synchronizing" occurs when people move at the same time in the same way, as when two people start to speak at the same time. Synchronizing often occurs when we're getting along with another and feel as though we're "on the same wavelength."
Interactional synchronizing is the result of our subliminal monitoring of, and response to, each other's nonverbal cues.
During face-to-face encounters, tiny structures in our brains called "mirror neurons" actually mimic others' behaviors, sensations and feelings.
Neuroscientists call the phenomenon "limbic synchrony."
The moment we see an emotion expressed on someone's face, or read it in her gestures or posture, we subconsciously place ourselves in the other's shoes.
For this reason, mirror neurons are sometimes referred to as "Dalai Lama neurons," because they provide a biological basis for compassion.
Want to spend 50% less time on marketing?
Fashion a "platform" to support your communications.
In his blog, copywriter Justin Rubner suggests that working with a platform cuts content-development time.
"Without one, your team is executing marketing communications in silos," Rubner writes. As a result, you double the time needed to finish projects, "because you can't agree on how to say what it is you actually do."
Working with a platform eliminates that waste.
Designing your platform, according to Rubner, begins with discovery.
During discovery, you bring all parties together, so they can agree on the things that distinguish your organization.
From discovery emerge:
- A plain-language Positioning Statement
- An evocative About Us
- Brief Boilerplate (aimed at reporters and investors)
- A Competitive Analysis (including competitors’ taglines)
- Creative Concepts (sample taglines and headlines)
- A Style Guide (governing capitalization, spelling, use of acronyms, etc.)
- Website Navigation
- Power Words to drive SEO and
- Core Recommendations (key phrases and tone of voice)
How's your platform?
Why do customers vanish?
"Customer attrition is largely based on indifference," says Ardath Albee, author of e-Marketing Strategies for the Complex Sale in her blog.
Marketers pay so much attention to prospects' learning needs they seem to forget that customers' needs differ:
- Customers expect you to know how and why they use your products.
- Customers expect personalized, useful content, not "blanket emails that could be for anyone."
"The content you create for prospects is not the content your customers want or need," Albee says.
What, develop specialized content?
Sounds like a lot of work.
But the good news: you have ready access to customers. You can easily learn what content will be helpful to them.
All you need do is ask.
"A veritable treasure trove of information exists if you'll just go after it," Albee says.
In a recent blog post, social media guru Chris Brogan warns PR pros, "If you’re just a pretty face who helps people get their free gift bag, it’s time to level up."
Web 2.0 is about to make your job a lot harder.
"2011 is about looking at all the wealth of data the social Web brings you about your clients’ activities, and it’s about giving them informed decisions on what to do next," Brogan writes.
He recommends that PR pros:
Develop proprietary communities. "Platform fatique" is driving customers from "commons" like Facebook and Twitter to micro-communities. The PR pro who builds a tiny online community that targets a client's customers is developing a property with remarkable long-term value.
Devote more energy to content development. Formerly the baliwick of marketing, content is now the "coin of the realm." PR pros need to think content.
Focus on generating sales. "The PR agency or department that helps drive sales into the business are the ones who'll flourish in 2011."
Get a grip on analytics. Knowing how to blog or post on Facebook is no longer enough. "2011 is about looking at all the wealth of data the social Web brings you about your clients’ activities, and it’s about giving them informed decisions on what to do next."
