What’s Working in Marketing

I came across information on SlideShare and wanted to share.  SlideShare is one of my favorite social networks, as many highly valuable searches for content are conducted there every day.  If you are looking to  find information on just about anything, start with a search there – chances are that someone has posted a presentation or paper about it.  We’ve been recommending to our clients to start a SlideShare account to share all types of content from PPTs, PDFs of all kinds (brochures, white papers, etc), and for a small fee it will host videos and web casts that are larger than YouTube standards.  The even offer a service to host a web meeting among other things.

Check out the data below.  And set up your account pronto!

I love the speed with which new Internet development tools hit the market. Here’s one that let’s you create a mobile app in just a few minutes. App Factory from Mippin.com. $20 to create the app, $750 each for distribution in an app store. Android and Windows Phone 7 are currently supported. The iPhone is due out shortly. Or you can distribute the URL for use in web browsers for FREE.

So we decided to test it out. We converted the Telesian “What’s Working in Marketing” enews & blog into app format. You can input four RSS content feeds, so we included the ISA Marketing & Sales Summit blog, as well.

Download the What’s Working in Marketing app to see the final version.

The design elements include the company logo and a new mobile icon:

Here is the final app:

Here is what you see when you click on an article:

It appears that the initial design will only show one image per article, so at the end, you get a link to the full article on your blog or web site or wherever…

And, finally, here’s the control panel where you can make changes:

All in all, quick and easy to create an app. The hard part is…and always way…creating informative and compelling content. Feel free to call us for help with that

In a new research paper by WPI Professor Soussan Djamasbi, we have our first look into Gen Y’s likes and dislikes when it comes to web pages. Gen Y’s are particularly interesting because they’ve been exposed to technology since childhood. They’re tech savvy and they’re short on attention span. That makes them an interesting target market. They’re entering the workforce in large numbers and, due to their sheer size, could account for half the spending in the economy. What does this mean for those of us interested in gaining their patronage?

Generation Y (18-31 years old) is a large, economically powerful group that spends about $200 billion annually. They are children of the Baby Boomers. In the US there were about 76 million births in the Baby Boomer generation. Gen Y has surpassed those numbers, coming in at about 80 million, according to Wikipedia.

According to Djamasabi:

They are significantly more likely than older Internet users to create blogs, download music, instant message, and play online games. Additionally, Generation Y searches for health information, conducts job research, banks online, and makes travel reservations. For this generation, who has grown with technology, usability is a given and aesthetics are not a bonus but an EXPECTATION.

This study looked at four main web design elements: large images, images of celebrities, small amount of text, and a search feature. For the purposes of B2B marketing, most of us don’t have the budgets to get celebrity endorsements. So let’s focus on the results of the other three areas with our goal being to answer the question:

–> What can we do to keep users from moving away from our web sites?

According to the study, there are 6 primary factors that influence where a person’s eyes fall on a web page.

Ok, so we know that animation, large size objects, images, bright colors, text style, and top elements draw more attention. How does that actually play out on a web page?

Let’s take a look at several heat maps generated during the study. They show us that Gen Y responds to:
• Large pictures because they draw the eye in quickly
• Images of people as they generate a sense of warmth
• A search bar in the upper right hand corner because they have shorter attention spans and like fast service; this is especially important on a site with lots of elements that can appear confusing
• Low word count on the home page; the maximum number of words on a page in the study was in the low 200′s

Here are the MOST LIKED web pages:

Here are the LEAST LIKED web pages:

While heat maps tell us what part of the page attract the most attention during the entire time of the test, it’s also important to consider what was viewed during the first few seconds and the order the components were viewed. This tells us what information is being used to generate a web site visitor’s first impression.

The study’s eye tracking data shows that users fixated on main large pictures, faces of celebrities, and the search feature. It also shows relatively few fixations on the text. Pay attention to the order of the fixation below.

Fixation order for the MOST LIKED web pages:

Fixation order for the LEAST LIKED web pages:

Of course, these observations are specific to Gen Y and may not apply to all audiences. We know there will be some leeway in dealing with Gen Y engineers, for instance. But the general trend is probably true for most in this age group:
• No more big blocks of text, use shorter blocks and more bullets
• Add big graphics that add to the story you are telling, not just eye candy that wastes their time
• No matter what the size of your site, include a SITE SEARCH function

Download the full research report, “Generation Y, web design and eye tracking” for additional details.

If you mention the phrase “social media” in front of senior execs, don’t be surprised if the color drains from their faces. It’s a Gen Y-dominated world that many business managers just don’t get. Worse, there is a lot of fear about what can and can’t be said with respect to your employer. How do you protect your corporate brand — one you’ve spent years building — in an age when word of mouth can go viral worldwide in hours? Maybe we can learn a lesson or two from the recent kerfuffle at Apple.

In early November, word hit the Net that Apple had fired an employee for disparaging remarks about Apple stores in a “private” posting. The post was shown to the store manager who let the employee go on the spot. Key issue: There is no privacy on the Internet. Digital bits are now incredibly interconnected. Even without the intrusive reach of Google’s search spiders (which can be blocked), it’s just as easy, maybe easier, to copy-paste than it is to head to the water cooler to spread gossip. So if you want to keep something private, keep it to yourself.

In a related article on ZDnet, author Charlie Osborne sums up the dilemma:

Companies can often be left in difficult territory when social media rules are not defined. A recent Cisco study suggests that amongst the Generation Y, two-thirds of college students will ask about social media policies during a job interview, with over half not accepting a job that bans social media in the workplace.

Social media is a tricky one to control. Anybody could copy and paste, and then tag — or not, if one were to be clandestine about it — and repost a comment; something which in itself leads to the spread of viral activity.

Many have been caught out by social media, particularly when it comes down to commenting on their jobs or colleagues. It was only during the summer where the U.S. National Labor Relations Board had to contend with a series of cases where employees were fired over Facebook.

So what can we learn from Apple, who is savvier than most, re social media guidelines? First, read their guidelines. When you go to write your own, start with a template from one of the companies that understands this environment. Then modify to fit your organization. The situation over the fired Apple employee resulted in Apple’s social media guidelines going public. A bit of irony there.

ZDnet sums it up well.

In general, what employees do in their own time is their choice, but Apple states in its guides that: “The lines between public and private, and personal and professional are blurred in online social networks. Respect your audience and your co-workers. This includes not only the obvious (no ethnic slurs, personal insults, obscenity, etc.) but also topics that may be considered offensive or inflammatory. In sum, use your best judgment.”

Some interesting points include:

• Employees may run their own websites, but are not permitted to discuss Apple on that website.
• No speculating on rumours is allowed. This includes confirming or denying any information concerning new products, Apple regulations or services.
• Blogs, wikis, social networks and other tools should not be used for communication among fellow employees. This regulation goes further in stating that differences shouldn’t be aired online, co-workers should not be discussed without their permission, and any images relating to other staff members cannot be posted anywhere without their express permission.
• Staff are not permitted to post messages or commentary on any Mac or Apple related websites; whether they identify themselves as Apple employees or not.
• If you identify yourself as an Apple employee, you connect yourself with co-workers, products, and the global brand itself — so conduct online needs to be consistent with Apple policies.
• Apple’s full business conduct policy applies to employees and any who do business with Apple retrospectively. Apple retains the right to discipline (up to termination of employment), or cut ties of any that do not comply with these regulations.
• Customer privacy is viewed as a priority for Apple as a brand. Any information concerning customers is not to be discussed online in any circumstance. Apple employees are also not permitted to contact customers for social reasons or soliciting outside of business.

We can’t say this enough — BEFORE you launch into the world of social media, BE PREPARED:
• Have your strategy in place
• Know what resources you’ll be relying on
• Have an editorial calendar of who will be posting on what topics and where (blog vs LinkedIn vs Twitter vs Slideshare)
• Prepare corporate guidelines for social media.

You’ve been warned!

Brian Solis shared some interesting statistics about the State of Social Media in 2011 and that it’s now a “new norm”.  In fact, its unlikely we’ll keep calling it “social media”, as everything will soon just have a social component to it.  I’ve noticed the hype around social media is dying down, which is a good thing.  However, I’m still always intrigued when I discover people who are not yet embracing social media for what it could be – even from a personal branding perspective.  I mean, Brian’s post noted that Facebook’s 800M users is now as large as the entire Internet was back in 2004.  Yikes.

I gave a presentation last week at ISA’s Automation Week (summary here by Jim Cahill) where I talked about social media in automation.  I shared some data from a survey I completed earlier in the year – and general usage for the automation engineering community broke down like this:

No surprise Facebook was on top – primarily for personal use. But other social networks like Twitter that has good potential for engineer-types have lagged in adoption.  Based on some conversations I had with several folks at that event,  there is a confusion factor that can overwhelm users at first.

The real issue around late adoption is that our customers are moving in this direction, and by not knowing how to use the social networks, we are at a disadvantage.   The flip side is that we are also customers and have the option to tap into this power too.

Brian notes:

But as social media becomes part of our cultural fabric and even as we witness businesses, governments,sports teams, and almost every organization socialize communication efforts today, much of what we see is merely the beginning of something that will one day become something far more important than the medium itself. Indeed, social media is affecting behavior and nothing is more important than the ability to influence decisions and ultimately behavior”

Brian summarizes some statistics from a Nielson study:

1) Skeptics will now be recognized as laggards as they now officially stand in the way of progress. According to Nielsen, and well, reality, social media isn’t a fad. The report opens with a key finding that social networks and blogs dominate how Americans spend their time online, which accounts for nearly 25% of their total time spent on the Internet.

2) Four out of five active internet users aka everyday people visit social networks.

3) Looking beyond the U.S., in 10 major global markets, social networks and blogs reach over 75% of active Internet users.

4) 60 percent of people who use three or more digital means of research for product purchases learned about a specific brand or retailer from a social networking site. And, 48% of these consumers responded to a retailer’s offer posted on Facebook or Twitter.

5) 70 percent of active online adult social networkers shop online.

Bottom line is that this is truly becoming a norm in the way we communicate and do business.  What was also interesting was the way people are accessing social media, with 37% using mobile devices.  This growth will only increase since we live untethered to our laptops and PCs.

Source: Nielsen Social Media Study

I know that I’ve come to depend on social networks for both personal and professional learning and sharing.  I also use it for researching products and services and seek other opinions before making a buying decision.  Sometimes these choices are simple ones, like a book on Amazon, other times its more significant.   And while the data is still sketchy about how engineers research products and services for their work/business, it is anticipated that social media and blogs will become more of a mainstream approach to researching a brand, its reputation, and its products and services.

Google’s algorithm is the one to watch when it comes to search engine rankings. But did you know this year’s major update, called Panda, turned a lot of rankings on their heads? Companies that had ranked well suddenly fell off the list.

Find out more in this year’s ISA Marketing & Sales Summit 2011 SEO update — Panda and what it means for your SEO efforts, latest search engine eye-tracking studies, how to use social media for optimization, and insights into more effective pay-per-click advertising including an inside look at the role Quality Score plays in PPC.

This was presented as a 4 hour workshop at the Summit and is available customized for delivery on-site for organizations investing in SEO and PPC programs. Contact Shari Worthington at (508) 755-5242.

Your buyers’ time is extremely valuable. In a recent survey of automation end-users, we found that buying teams are getting bigger. In fact, 4-5 people are now influencing the short list and purchase decisions, on average. And your customers are keenly aware of the challenges this presents as they want to reduce the buying cycle by a significant margin.

In this ISA Marketing & Sales Summit 2011 presentation by Juliann Grant, Telesian, and Gary Wagner, Ophir Photonics Group, learn which social networks are being used and why, how customers pursue product research (Google is still king of the hill), and the challenge of finding trusted sources online.

I briefly met Steve Jobs at the unveiling of Lisa Computer at the National Computer Conference (NCC) in Anaheim, California way back in 1983. He was a great salesman his entire life…then and now.

Who else could turn the music industry upside down and convince the major labels to buy into Apple’s view of the coming world of digital music? This was just after the music industry had crushed poor Napster. The incredible innovation behind the iPod/iTunes business model was and is still apparent to many, even those outside the world of business strategy. Jobs proved, over and again, that he was a force to be reckoned with…an innovator with tremendous vision.

From tech products to advertising, he challenged the world to “think differently.” Here Steve is providing a sneak preview of the infamous 1984 ad that introduced Macintosh to the world. Look at him smile!

Telesian worked with Apple Computer for many years, back in the 1990′s…the “Jobs-less years.” We were brought in to help Gil Amelio’s team sell more Macs into scientific and engineering applications. We formed the Consortium for Lab & Industrial Applications of the Macintosh, a vendor consortium, and the MacSciTech user group. It was a struggle against the IBM powerhouse. But we had fun, won some awards, and made in-roads into more creative applications, like biotech research and pharmaceutical development. We even had some success in manufacturing. National Instruments first released its well-known LabVIEW graphical programming environment for the Macintosh in 1986. It followed with a Windows version in 1992. This spawned a number of Mac-based instrumentation systems.

Then Steve came back to Apple. He refocused the company on the consumer markets. Many thought he was crazy. But the iPod swept away the Sony Walkman and iTunes secured Apple’s place in history. It’s been a string of admirable successes since then.

We wish Apple well and are happy to see their stock rebounding today after the sad loss of one of their key founders. Rest in peace, Steve Jobs. You have given more to this world in your all-too-short lifetime than most could in multiple lives.

I don’t care how old you are, there’s no denying it…digital communications are now the norm. With easy access to each another, this means even more of your workforce is interacting with customers and prospects on a regular basis.

But what are they saying?!?!

Not every email and phone call goes through an approval cycle. Yet each is an opportunity to influence customer decisions at a point along the buying cycle. The best time to communicate your company’s unique differentiation is during the natural flow of conversation…online or offline.

I’m not talking blatant sales pitches that are in marketing materials and sales presentations. Those are already taken care of. But the opportunities to influence customers and prospects are far wider than what marketing and sales have direct control over. What about:
• Applications engineering emails
• Engineering proof of specs reports
• Customer support emails
• And more…

Engineering Reports: No Longer Missed Opportunities

One of our clients, a manufacturer of OEM products, produces an engineering report that analyzes a prospective customer’s application and all physical, chemical, and electrical constraints. It’s a great report, complete with detailed charts and graphs and recommendations on fine-tuning the customer’s design and on which products will work best and why.

But the company realized there was something missing. The engineers have a special rapport with customers. That’s wonderful, but they have no training in how to use their expertise to subtly influence customer decisions…how to write with a marketing spin!

So we ran this new workshop with their Applications Engineering Group, to start. They learned about stakeholder analysis and creating personas and developing value propositions and framing the debate before your competitors get a chance to have their say. The end result was a ton of new energy and excitement about this group being able to positively contribute to the sales cycle. They mapped out a revamped engineering report and dozens of ideas for technical papers and reports that the company can use to reinforce its credibility and influence customers along the buying cycle.

New Corporate Workshop from Telesian Technology

We work with a lot of engineering-driven departments within technology organizations: marketing, sales, applications engineering, customer support, and production. We see this missed opportunity time and again.

So we are pleased to introduce a new Workshop: Technical Writing for Engineers…with a Marketing Spin™

In this 2-day workshop, your customer-facing technical personnel will learn:
• How to frame an issue to highlight your organization’s strengths
• How to position your company as a thought leader
• How and when you can influence prospects’ design decisions before they occur
• How to turn emails and proposals into opportunities to build your brand and outmaneuver the competition

The workshop is custom-designed for each corporation to reflect the particular capabilities of your products and services, and the challenges of your customers’ applications. Each day includes a mix of presentations and hands-on exercises. The workshop culminates in the writing of

DAY ONE
• Introduction to Thought Leadership
• Stakeholder Analysis
• Developing Personas
• Positioning & the Battle for Mind Share
• Understanding Value Propositions
• Deconstructing the Competition
• Creating Elevator Pitches

DAY TWO
• Brainwriting
• SWOT Analysis
• Framing the Debate
• Constructing a Story
• Deconstructing Example White Papers…where did you or your competitors go wrong
• Embracing Social Media: Keys to success for blogs, videos, podcasts, and content management
Final Project: Writing with a Marketing Spin. Choice of report, white paper, technical article, or blog post

Technical Writing for Engineers…with a Marketing Spin™ is taught on-site to ensure maximum participation from customer-facing personnel.

For information on pricing and scheduling a workshop, contact Shari Worthington or call (508) 755-5242.

Many of the marketing and sales techniques we take for granted were invented over 200 years ago by Josiah Wedgewood (yes, of Wedgewood china fame). The NY Times wrote an interesting article in 2009 about a sad event…Wedgewood’s bankruptcy.

Josiah was an unlikely hero. He was the 13th child of an impoverished potter; a childhood case of smallpox left Josiah with a bad leg that was later amputated, making it impossible for him to turn a potter’s wheel. But if he could not physically throw a pot, he could — and did — find new ways to get goods to market. He threw himself into various schemes to improve roads and canals. And, more fundamentally, he developed new ways of selling. Most, if not all, of the common techniques in 20th-century sales — direct mail, money-back guarantees, traveling salesmen, self-service, free delivery, buy one get one free, illustrated catalogues — came from Josiah Wedgwood.

Self-service?! Do you think Wedgewood had a premonition about the invention of the Internet and how it would turn the world of communications on its ear?

What we do know is that he was very in touch with his customers. We also know that activities that used to be the domain of marketing and sales now touch every function inside the corporation. In fact, email use is increasing at work, per Silicon Alley Insider…

…and much of our communication with prospects and customers takes place via one-to-one emails.

Customers and prospects communicate with an Applications Engineer about whether a particular feature will work as needed…with Customer Service about a maintenance plan…with Design Engineering about tweaking a product configuration for a potential OEM order…etc.

66.7% of emails delivered during Q1 2011 were categorized as marketing messages, down from 74.4% the previous quarter.
- Epsilon “Q1 2011 Email Trends and Benchmark” (2011)

What this means is that writing is now a critical function for the organization…from marketing materials to sales presentations to customer emails to engineering reports used to close sales. Each of these interactions is an opportunity to influence decisions at a point along the buying cycle.

All customer-facing employees must understand:
• How to frame an issue to highlight your organization’s strengths
• How to position your company as a thought leader
• How and when you can influence prospects’ design decisions before they occur
• How to turn emails and proposals into opportunities to build your brand and outmaneuver the competition

How prepared are your Engineers? Your Applications Engineering group? Your customer service reps?

Competition is fierce. You need everyone in the organization to be able to contribute to your value proposition and bolster your image as a thought leader…before your competitors do.

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Announcing a new Workshop from Telesian Technology:
Technical Writing for Engineers…with a Marketing Spin™
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