How Account-Based Marketing Is A Lot Like The Cleveland Browns

The energy in Cleveland is electric: With the Browns’ training camp in full swing, we can’t get enough of the pre-season preparation as we look forward to that first gameday kickoff. In order for the Browns to be successful, each player must do his job as it relates to the shared team goal. But if individual players don’t buy into that goal or plan—if they work independently toward their own singular visions—the entire team suffers.

The same is true in business: If your sales and marketing team goals are not aligned, you’ll be less effective. According to Forrester Research, organizations with aligned sales and marketing teams see an average of 32% annual revenue growth, while less-aligned companies see a 7% decline in growth.

Like an all-in team effort, account-based marketing (ABM) is one way to connect the two and drive more effective marketing outcomes. It’s a strategy that targets the relevant people who influence the sales cycle: ABM focuses on an account (i.e., a list of highly relevant prospects). By aligning sales and marketing through all parts of a company’s sales funnel, ABM yields a more personalized approach by making connections with key decision makers and offering content based on their specific role/responsibility or pain point, rather than the same general message blanketing the entire decision-making chain.

While we’ve been loosely using this targeted approach for years, ABM has gained recent momentum because today’s digital tools make it easier than ever to combine sales and marketing in one seamless effort without wasting time and energy bouncing back and forth between departments. 

The genius behind ABM is that it treats individual prospects and customers as their very own market—not as an entire industry. It’s a laser-focused B2B strategy that allows us, as marketers, to focus on potential/existing customers within a market, and then deliver personalized messaging that resonates with them, using specific and relevant channels.

This summarizes the basic ABM steps:

1. Define high-value accounts/prospects and prioritize based on revenue potential 
2. Identify key players and decision makers within each organization (do your research)
3. Create a content strategy (don’t overlook the value of re-purposed content) for each account 
4. Develop messaging that speaks to each of these audiences and their specific business challenges; make a personal connection 
5. Identify key channels best used to communicate with your targets 
6. Launch coordinated account-specific campaigns that are consistent across all delivery channels 
7. Test, measure and re-deploy as needed   

If you’re not currently using ABM, don’t panic: It can be implemented in conjunction with traditional inbound marketing strategies: When you cast that inbound net and bring in a wide array of contacts, use ABM to help refine that list to high-priority prospects, and then take it from there.

If you’re interested in learning more about ABM connect with me at tconnor@shamrockcompanies.net.

Good luck,
Tim Connor

Nonprofit Marketing Tips

While most nonprofit organizations are strapped with doing a lot more with a lot less, among their greatest challenges is to stand out among other nonprofits vying for donors’ attention—and dollars.

In today’s digital age, there are a host of simple and inexpensive ways for nonprofits to stretch their budget, while optimizing marketing efforts to promote their brand, connect with donors, amplify fundraising efforts, and increase donations. 

An article from Forbes magazine offers five tips for nonprofits to reach donors:

1. Use social media. To reach donors, connect with them where they are—and Facebook, twitter and LinkedIn is where they reside. Post content and place ads on these channels and take advantage of analytics to ensure the best ROI.

2. Make your message clear. Transparency is important: Donors want to understand exactly how their money being spent and the impact it will have.

3. Use content. Content marketing is a powerful way to demonstrate to donors what you stand for and to make them passionate about your goals. Use video or link back to a landing page to gain more traction for your message.

4. Take SEO seriously. In order for donors to give money, they have to be able to find you online—so embed social media feeds, ads, blogs and key words to boost SEO.

5. Write a blog. This platform gives you the opportunity to share more about your cause and to tell your brand story.

Also popular among our nonprofit clients is the use of custom and turnkey digital apps. These apps can include a host of event or campaign-specific functions such as push notifications, GPS/map features, schedule of events, social media tags, response polling, video links, program updates—the list goes on.

As with any brand-promoting effort, the key to nonprofit marketing success is to use an integrated strategy that employs multiple channels as part of one seamless campaign that works as part of your overarching marketing strategy. HubSpot touts the SMART approach—Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound—a methodology that helps you establish achievable marketing goals. The link below offers a free download of their SMART planning template:

Download your free marketing goal-setting template here.

What is the most memorable non-profit marketing campaign that caught your attention? Chime in on our Shamrock Facebook page.

Ellen Moriarty

Successful Marketing on Pinterest: Lessons from 5 Leading Brands

With more than 291 million active monthly users, Pinterest has become the go-to resource for everything from recipes, to makeup tutorials, to vacation destinations. Pinterest positions itself as the world’s catalog of ideas—but it’s also a prime channel for brand marketing: In a recent survey, 96% of pinners said they use Pinterest to research purchases—and 87% have purchased a product because of a pin.

If you’re marketing to women, then make sure Pinterest is part of your strategy: As of 2019, 79.5% of Pinterest users are female (Statista), which is significant: Women ages 25 to 54 make 80% of the buying decisions in U.S. households—and Pinterest is a valuable part of their purchasing journey.

• 83% of women on Pinterest use it to plan life moments, compared to 44% for Instagram and 53% for Facebook
• 43% plan on getting their ideal home within the next five years
• 50% plan on taking a vacation in the next 6 months

So, what does it take to be a standout on Pinterest among the more than 75 billion pins? Following are five lessons from top brands that are killing it on the social media channel, building brand loyalty one pin at a time.

1. Offer variety. Don’t pigeon-hole your brand. With 4.5 million followers, upscale fashion retailer Nordstrom is one of Pinterest’s most recognizable brands. They’ve created a devoted following by casting a wide net—men’s fashion, prom, handbags, denim, baby. With 443,000+ pins on 78 boards, you’re sure to find something that speaks to you at Nordstrom.

2. Find a common thread. Specialty retailer L.L. Bean is a great example of how to make a brand connection by appealing to your audience and their interests. With 5 million followers, they’re doing it right: Boards like Outdoor Fun and Take Me Fishing draw pinners to the brand based on lifestyle, activities, pursuits, etc.

3. Provide value. Give them more, and they’ll keep coming back: Home improvement retailer Lowes goes above and beyond basic product info—they also provide step-by-step tutorials to show pinners how to use those products to complete DIY-projects.

4. Make it user-friendly. How many times have you searched for an item online but then struggled to find a retailer to make the purchase? Global marketplace Etsy simplifies the process, allowing you to search, pin and purchase products directly from your digital device.

5. Keep it subtle. Instead of leading with a product pitch, why not welcome your audience in like a good friend? Lauren Conrad does just that—her Pinterest page feels like that of any user, rather than that of a brand. With 1 million+ followers, she shares inspiration and introduces new ideas and products with fellow pinners without making a hard sell.

Which brands are most prominent on your Pinterest feed? I’d be interested in your feedback. emoriarty@shamrockcompanies.net.

Ellen Moriarty

Tips for marketing to new movers

If you market your products or services to consumers, there’s a viable opportunity for expanding your customer base right in your own backyard. The target: New movers. With more than 35.5 million Americans moving annually—the majority in June, July and August—this consumer demographic offers immediate potential this summer.

Eager to establish themselves in their new homes and communities, new movers are prime new-customer prospects for a variety of businesses:

• Home services contractors: Landscapers, pest control, painters, plumbers, interior decorators
• Retailers, restaurants, food delivery services
• Banks/financial institutions
• Physicians, dentists, emergency-care clinics, fitness centers/gyms
• Salons/barbers, dry cleaners, tailors
• Schools, daycare centers, kids’ camps and enrichment programs

New mover campaigns bring a higher ROI than other customer acquisition methods. If you can capture the business of a new mover, you have a higher chance of keeping that business for as long as the consumer stays in the home.

Click here to view

So, how do you make that initial contact count? At Shamrock, we help businesses make powerful connections with consumers through integrated branded marketing campaigns. Here’s a few new mover campaign tips:

Start with solid data. Using data analytics, gather information about these potential customers—details that will help to shape focused, targeted messaging and delivery methods that resonate with new movers and bring them to your business.

Speak their language. According to realtor.com, millennials will lead the way in number of mortgages in 2019, accounting for 45% of the market. They’ll be followed by Gen Xers at 37% and baby boomers at 17%.

With millennials leading the new mover demographic, be sure to engage with them using channels where they spend their time: video, email and social media.

Maintain brand consistency. Integrated campaigns include multiple touches: Direct mail postcards, emails, social media, event-based marketing, and signage. While messaging should vary based on channel and target audience, be sure it remains consistent with your brand.

Test and redeploy. An essential part of comprehensive program management is post-campaign reporting—and then redeploying in segment areas, as appropriate (i.e. follow-up email or social media touches)

If you’re interested in learning more, I’d like to share with you some of our new mover marketing success stories. Connect with me jbanks@shamrockcompanies.net or call me direct at 440.250-2166.

John Banks

Break out of your creative slump. Here’s how.

It happens to the best of us: We stare at the blinking cursor on the screen and the words just don’t come. We struggle with inspiration for illustrating a product or brand. The creative slump is real—but there are ways to overcome it.

Content Marketing Institute’s Ann Gynn compiled a brainstorm of ideas for breaking out of the creative slump, submitted by marketing professionals. Here’s a summary of my favorites:

Use toys. Grab blocks (Lego, Duplo or wooden) and label them with words that relate to your brand: attributes, content themes, personas, customer challenges, etc. Color code the blocks and then start building and looking at various combinations—the idea is to get away from linear thinking an uncover new creative connections.

Dig into your content archives. Search through old blogs, social media posts or case studies: identify topics that can be expanded, updated or adapted. Consider adding video or creating a new infographic to refresh content.

Get out. Change your outlook: Head to a new coffee shop, grab your laptop and work from the conference room. Take a walk or visit a museum during your lunch break. A change of scenery can offer a fresh perspective and stimulate the brain. 

Look at someone else. Bring in fresh eyes: Offer a brief overview of your company, your challenge/task, and any helpful details. Then let them go. Don’t shut them down or tell them why an idea wouldn’t work. Write everything down, explore ideas that resonate with you, and let their enthusiasm re-energize you. Keep that list and reference it whenever you get in a slump.

Mix it up. Switch up the format of your content. If you’ve been doing a lot of storytelling content, try an informative article instead. Changing it up with different channels can help inspire new ideas…working on a video or writing an email campaign instead of a blog post can inspire new ideas.

Take a side job. Find a side project at work. Someone on your team can always use help with a project that’s been put on the back burner or an impending issue. Tackling a different problem than your typical work project shifts your everyday perspective and can be re-energizing.

Talk it out. Whether you interview clients, vendors, or staff members, real conversations are an easy way to energize a lackluster campaign. Interviews often reveal new topic ideas, a different point of view, and, if you keep the interview format, even a new voice.

Create a list. Make a list of something unrelated to what you’re working on. This is a great way to keep your brain engaged, while taking time away from the task at hand. The list can be anything, from your 20 favorite music albums to items you need from the grocery store. Compiling the list actively stimulates your brain.

The next time you need to get the creative juices flowing, try one of these ideas. Are there any you’d add to the list?  Join the conversation on our Facebook page.

Ellen Moriarty

Improve ROI with These Trade Show Marketing Tips

In a world ruled by digital interaction, establishing authentic, face-to-face connections is good for business. Trade shows are great for fostering that one-on-one interaction while providing a host of growth-driving opportunities like generating sales leads, attracting new partners or buyers, and creating and furthering brand awareness. 

If you’re not doing so already, these events should be a central part of your marketing strategy—especially if you’re launching a new product or service.

• 92% of trade show attendees say their main reason for attending trade shows is to see new products being featured. (CEIR: The Role and Value of Face to Face)

To be sure that you’re maximizing your trade show effort, consider these tips:

Keep it simple. Attendees should be able to quickly identify your brand and your product/service based on booth signage. You only have a few seconds to grab their attention, so make your booth simple yet memorable—and inviting: You want to draw people in.

Be consistent. As with any marketing channel, be sure to implement elements in your trade show that are consistent with your brand messaging strategy. A trade show shouldn’t be viewed as a separate event, but rather, as part of your seamless brand marketing effort.

Provide value. Give attendees what they came for—information about a new product or service, an enticing product demo (live or video), suggestions for using your product in a new or different way, etc.

Capture attendee data. This is the ideal venue for building your database; consider launching a contest or giveaway that requires people to provide their contact info.

Make it interactive. To engage attendees and encourage interaction with your brand (for a lasting impression) feature a prize wheel, an interactive video wall, photo op, VR experience, etc.

Give them a reason to stay. Provide comfy seating, charging stations for phones and laptops, light snacks or beverages, or a compelling video

Offer a quality giveaway. Everyone likes to free swag, but only if its practical. Be thoughtful about what you give away…instead of handing out stacks of product literature, provide a jump drive with your product info pre-loaded   

What brand had the best booth you’ve experienced at a trade show? Chime in on our Facebook page.

Ellen Moriarty

Use print to magnify your digital marketing touches

In today’s digital-driven marketing world, we’re learning that print is more relevant than ever. While social media and influencer marketing still have their place, print marketing remains strong because of its perceived value: A tangible printed piece, like direct mail, makes a memorable brand connection with a shelf life that outlasts a typical social media scroll.

Here’s a few recent statistics that underscore the influence of print:

• 86% of shoppers bought an item after first seeing it in a printed catalog (misterclipping.com)
• 76% of households read direct mail ads. (AllianceBusinessServices)
• 39% have tried a business for the first time because of direct mail advertising (Canada Post)
• 51% prefer companies use a combination of mail and email when communicating with them. (Canada Post)

When used as part of an integrated media strategy, print can greatly enhance digital campaigns, acting as a multiplier to boost digital efforts. Incorporating both digital channels and tactile touches is essential to marketing success. Here are four ways to put print to work to promote your brand:

Personalization. Customized content creates unique value—and greater relevance. Personalization used to be a novelty; but today, people expect products and services to be adapted and relevant to them: The more you connect with your audience through personalization, the more resistance is dropped. Making a personalized connection increases customer engagement with your brand.

Print & digital integration. Blending online and offline channels as part of an integrated marketing strategy is the key to driving higher conversion rates and making lasting brand impressions. Use your print media to link your audience back to your blog, a landing page, an exclusive video, website or to one of social media channels.

Custom/unique coupon codes. Using a unique coupon is a smart strategy for not only increasing customer engagement but also in gathering personal data about your target audience. Unique coupon codes generate higher ROI than generic coupon codes because they cannot be shared or reproduced—they are aimed at an individual, which creates a more personal connection and an exclusive feel.

Texture. A study from the University of Iowa found that haptic (touch) memory is the type of memory that has the strongest impact on the human brain. The physical act of holding something makes a stronger connection with the audiences. And so, using print media engages our haptic memory, creating lasting brand awareness. Adding glosses, raised ink, embossing, matte finishes—these create interesting texture for even greater brand connections.

Have any of these print strategies worked well for your brand? Do you have other ideas for incorporating print in your marketing program? Join the conversation on Facebook.

Ellen Moriarty

Craft better CTAs. Get better conversions.

Do I have your attention?

If I do, it won’t be for long: According to Statisticbrain.com, the average person's attention span is eight seconds and most of us read only 28 percent of the words on a webpage. As marketers, that makes it challenging to engage and convert readers.

This is where strong calls to action (CTAs) come in: These buttons or links—on websites, landing pages, emails—are compelling, persuasive statements that move your visitors to act, guiding them through the sales funnel: Maybe you want them to watch a video, schedule a demo, sign up for a subscription, or learn more about your product/service. The right CTA can help you make those connections.

Here are a few tips to make sure your CTAs are fine-tuned to help you net the desired action-activated response:

1. Be direct. Simple and effective is what you’re looking to accomplish, so craft your message using words that make it clear what you want the reader to do and/or why it’s of value. (Five words or less is ideal)
2. Use multiple CTAs strategically placed throughout your site or landing page to attract and convert visitors at all stages of the buyer journey.
3. Make it relevant. Your CTA should be specific to the content on the page—don’t use the same CTA throughout your website.
4. Optimize for mobile. Remember that many of your readers will be accessing your website or email via their mobile devices, so not only do CTAs need to be brief, they also need to be formatted to make a visual impact on a mobile screen.   
5. Keep it simple. By keeping graphics clean and uncluttered, your visitors will find your message easier. (Don’t make them search for it!) Hubspot offers a great example of a sleek, well-designed webpage with a CTA that stands out clearly:
   
6. Offer a time-sensitive special. Most of us don’t want to miss out on a good deal or deep discount. So, instead of directing your readers to check out your new product, consider adding a “deal of the day” pop-up CTA that prompts the reader to check out your special offer before it goes away.
7. Provide options. One way to get visitors to spend more time on your site is to offer multiple CTAs that lead them down different paths. Here is a great example from Humboldt County (source: Hubspot).
   
8. Test your CTA. A small change in your CTA can make a big difference. You might not expect higher click-through rates as a result of moving your call to action above the fold, or changing the color, or swapping the word “my” for “your” but those subtle changes can greatly affect your conversion rates. Test and then redeploy to keep your content fresh and effective.

I’m always on the lookout for examples of CTAs that work for me. Can you think of any that have caught your attention or compelled you to act? Share your thoughts with us on Facebook.

Ellen Moriarty

Use Customer Personas for Better Marketing Outcomes

Microsoft reports the average person’s attention span is just eight seconds. That’s not surprising given the amount of content we consume every day: According to the American Marketing Association, we are exposed to up to 10,000 brand messages a day. So, as a marketer, how do you make sure your customers don’t simply scroll right by your content?

Make it personal.

By connecting with your audience in more personal and relatable ways, you make stronger and more memorable brand connections. So, it follows that the best way to make such connections is to first get to know your audience or your customers—and then create campaigns that speak directly to them. This is where personas come into play.

Hubspot describes them well: "Buyer personas are fictional, generalized representations of your ideal customers. Personas help us all -- in marketing, sales, product, and services -- internalize the ideal customer we're trying to attract and relate to our customers as real humans. Having a deep understanding of your buyer persona(s) is critical to driving content creation, product development, sales follow up, and really anything that relates to customer acquisition and retention.”

To develop accurate customer personas, research is essential—you have to dig down beneath the surface to gather the personal data about your customer that paints a crystal-clear picture about who they really are:

• What is their age and gender?
• Which social media platforms do they use: Are they Facebook devotees or all Snapchat?
• What TV shows do they watch: 60 Minutes? Game of Thrones?
• What are their values: Are they intent on making a difference through social change? Strong supporters of U.S. veterans?
• What are their digital habits: Primarily PC users? Do they shop using Alexa? 

Click here for a handy persona outline graphic.

The more questions we ask and the clearer “customer” picture we paint, allows us to be more effective in our marketing efforts. Next week, I’ll continue with this topic, offering some tips for where to go to get this valuable customer data and then, what to do with it.

Ellen Moriarty

Is Influencer Marketing Right For Your Brand?

In 2018, we’ve seen the continued rise of influencer marketing, with a nod toward more transparent partnerships between brands and their celebrities or ambassadors. And the latest data shows no signs of slowing, with more brands trusting influencers to help grow their audience and boost sales using social media channels—because it works:

• Marketers received $7.65 in earned media value for every $1 spent on influencer marketing – Influencer Marketing Hub
• Marketing induced consumer-to-consumer word-of-mouth generates twice the sales of paid advertising  – McKinsey
• Customers acquired via word-of-mouth have a 37% higher retention rate – McKinsey.
• 92% of consumers trust online word-of-mouth recommendations, while only 33% of them trust online banner ads – Nielsen

A recent MarketingProfs article about influencer marketing includes an insightful infographic (sourced by e-commerce platform X-Cart) that captures the power of Instagram (as the leading influencer platform) and explains how you can use influencer marketing to grow your brand reach:

Click here to view entire infographic

Do you plan to use influencer marketing in 2019? We’re interested in hearing for you.

Ellen Moriarty

Marketing Success On Pinterest: Lessons from 5 Leading Brands

With more than 150 million active users, Pinterest has become the go-to resource for everything from recipes and makeup tutorials, to furniture refinishing and tattoo designs. Pinterest positions itself as the world’s catalog of ideas—but it’s also a prime channel for brand marketing: In a recent survey, 93% of pinners said they use Pinterest to plan for purchases—and 87% have purchased a product because of a pin.

What does it take to be a standout on Pinterest among the more than 75 billion pins? Following are five lessons from top brands that are killing it on the social media channel, building brand loyalty one pin at a time.

1. Offer variety. Don’t pigeon-hole your brand. With 4.5 million followers, upscale fashion retailer Nordstrom is one of Pinterest’s most recognizable brands. They’ve created a devoted following by casting a wide net—men’s fashion, prom, handbags, denim, baby. With 443,000+ pins on 78 boards, you’re sure to find something that speaks to you at Nordstrom.

2. Find a common thread. Specialty retailer L.L. Bean is a great example of how to make a brand connection by appealing to your audience and their interests. With 5 million followers, they’re doing it right: Boards like Outdoor Fun and Take Me Fishing draw pinners to the brand based on lifestyle, activities, pursuits, etc.

3. Provide value. Give them more, and they’ll keep coming back: Home improvement retailer Lowes goes above and beyond basic product info—they also provide step-by-step tutorials to show pinners how to use those products to complete DIY-projects.

4. Make it user-friendly. How many times have you searched for an item online but then struggled to find a retailer to make the purchase? Global marketplace Etsy simplifies the process, allowing you to search, pin and purchase products directly from your digital device.

5. Keep it subtle. Instead of leading with a product pitch, why not welcome your audience in like a good friend? Lauren Conrad does just that—her Pinterest page feels like that of any user, rather than that of a brand. With 1 million+ followers, she shares inspiration and introduces new ideas and products with fellow pinners without making a hard sell.

Which brands are most prominent on your Pinterest feed? I’d be interested in your feedback. emoriarty@shamrockcompanies.net

What You Need To Know About Marketing to Baby Boomers in 2018

The claim that 50 is the new 40 might not be too far-fetched. Medical technology and improved nutrition have extended our lifetimes, with many baby boomers (age 54 to 72) living healthier and more active lives than generations before them.

But, while today’s seniors may be more vital, there is still a misconception that boomers are old and stubborn. The reality is that baby boomers are tech-savvy, enjoy learning and, as the most valuable generation in America, are well worth your marketing dollars. Here are a few facts about boomers to consider as you formulate your brand strategy:

They have money to spend. Americans over age 50 have the highest net worth of any segment of our population (Venture Capital Assoc., Ernst & Young) and 70% of disposable income is held by baby boomers (Nielsen). Over the next 20 years, spending by those age 50+ is slated to increase by 58%, so be sure that if this demographic buys your products/services, that your marketing strategy includes reaching out to them directly.

They are social. About 82 percent of boomers belong to at least one social media site, with Facebook being their most popular choice (DMN3). They use Facebook to catch up with friends and family, and to share information: Baby boomers are 19% more likely to share content than any other generation (Fractl). Align your social media content strategy accordingly, using ads, sharing content and engaging with boomers on your page. Be sure to link to your website or product purchase page on your social media posts.

They check their email. According to a Third Age/JWT study, 96% of boomers use email; 92% of those who receive promotional emails click through on the advertising product or service; and 55% have purchased a product or service based on a promotional email. By using a drip email campaign, you’ll keep your brand and services front-of-mind for this audience.

They watch video. According to a study by Google, boomers and seniors spend more time online than they do watching TV. What’s more, more than 50% of baby boomers watch online video. (YouTube is the preferred site with 82% of video watchers using it). The study also found that 3,600+ baby boomers Google "YouTube" every minute of every day—that’s a 10% higher view rate than millennials. Check your brand’s online video activity and consider incorporating YouTube marketing videos and/or ads.

They value personal service. Boomers value—and reward—authentic interaction and exceptional customer service. According to a Loyalty One study, if boomers felt the sales associates did not appreciate their business, 54% were “very or somewhat unlikely” to return (as opposed to only 33% millennials). Include a hand-written note with your product shipment; send an email when a favorite item is restocked—the extra effort will reap rewards.

They are loyal. With many baby boomers downsizing and adjusting to living on fixed incomes, they are partial to incentives and loyalty programs. Start with focusing on maintaining exceptional product/service quality and ROI, and then consider giving a little brand love back to your customers with a simple loyalty program that makes them feel appreciated.

Do you have a strategy for reaching baby boomers through your marketing effort? Join the conversation on Shamrock’s Facebook page.

Ellen Moriarty

Top 10 Marketing Podcasts

Today, more of us get our news and industry updates from digital channels. So, it’s no surprise that the popularity of podcasts is on the rise: According to Nielsen, 50% of all U.S. homes are podcast fans, with more than 525,000 active podcasts and over 18.5 million episodes (Fast Company 2018).

With all that content out there, how do you know which marketing podcasts are worth your time? This Entrepreneur article https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/293333 outlines the top 28 marketing podcasts for entrepreneurs. The list is comprehensive and, in addition to marketing thought leadership, also includes a host of freelance and business resources.

If you don’t have time to sift through all 28, following is my curated top10 list (with active links and summaries borrowed directly from the article): 

1. Unthinkable Podcast
One of the hottest new marketing podcasts out there, Jay Acunzo sails Unthinkable through the murky waters of content marketing and how entrepreneurs can create truly interesting and valuable content without falling prey to “hacks” and shortcuts.

2. The Marketing Companion
Boldly claiming to be the “world’s most entertaining marketing podcast," The Marketing Companion claims to bring laugh-out-loud comedy, “celebrity” guest appearances and cutting-edge marketing insights each episode. Hosts Mark Schaefer and Tom Webster combine to bring expertise and commentary which has attracted thousands of subscribers.

3. Six Pixels of Separation
Mirum President, Mitch Joel, brings you digital insights and media hacking insights and provocation from his “always on/always” connected world.

4. Social Pros Podcast
Social Pros is one of the most popular marketing podcasts, and was recently named the best podcast at the Content Marketing Awards. Listen for real insight on the real people doing real work in social media. You get the inside stories and behind-the-scenes secrets about how companies like Ford, Dell, IBM, ESPN and dozens more staff, operate and measure their social-media programs.

5. Duct Tape Marketing
Based on the book of the same name, this podcast covers simple, effective and affordable small-business marketing strategies.

6. Content Warfare
Content Warfare help brands and businesses find their audience, tell their story and win the battle for attention online. Host Ryan Hanley helps you create content that converts each episode.

7. Marketing Over Coffee
Marketing Over Coffee is audio on demand that covers both classic and new marketing. Hosts John J. Wall and Christopher S. Penn record the show in a local coffee shop every week and publish the show on Thursday mornings. Each show is about 20 minutes long and covers marketing tips and tricks in a casual conversation format.

8. Social Zoom Factor
SocialZoomFactor is a social media marketing, branding, business and lifestyle podcast created for you – the business and marketing leader at companies ranging from startups to enterprise organizations. Each episode brings you actionable tactics and strategies you can implement today for real business results. Host Pam Moore is CEO and founder of Marketing Nutz and was ranked as a Top 10 Social Media Power Influencer by Forbes.

9. Copyblogger FM
A short-form broadcast hosted by Sonia Simone. Each week, she and a cast of rotating experts analyze the week in content marketing, copywriting, email marketing, conversion optimization, mindset and much more.

10. Web Marketing That Works Podcast
Hosted by real-life marketing experts Adam Franklin and Toby Jenkins who authored a book of the same name, their guests discuss their failures and reveal the truth about what really works on the web.

Like most of you, I’m committed to continuous learning and these podcasts are excellent resources for new perspectives and up-to-date industry and technology trends. Are there any you’d add to the list? Join the conversation on our facebook page.

Ellen Moriarty

Grow With Who You Know: Marketing to Existing Customers

Do your marketing efforts focus on new customers—or on those who are already loyal to your brand?

The answer should be: both. When you consider that acquiring a new customer is five to 25 times more expensive than retaining an existing one (Harvard Business Review), it makes sense to focus on keeping the customers you have, happy.

According to an article in Marketing Land, marketing to existing customers drives business growth: In addition to recommending you to others, satisfied customers positively impact your bottom line in many ways:

•   They are more open to upsell and cross-sell opportunities, increasing their lifetime customer value.
•   They’re less price-sensitive because they know you’re worth it.
•   They are more resistant to outreach efforts by competitors.

Given these bottom-line benefits, it’s smart to develop concentrated marketing campaigns that connect with and engage existing customers. But where do you start? Consider these four questions:

Are we delivering on our brand promise?
A brand promise is a contract between you and your customers. It sets the stage for the experience they should expect to have. By evaluating your business objectives and comparing them against the customer experience, you’ll get a clear picture of what your customers are experiencing. Is your internal and external messaging consistent? Are you over-delivering in some areas and lacking in others?

By gathering feedback from these prompts, you can fine-tune your messaging and delivery, bringing what you do and what you say you’ll do into closer alignment, which equates to a better customer experience.

Who are our most satisfied customers?
It’s likely that you have a system in place to gather customer feedback. So, use that to you advantage in strengthening your brand story. Consider using customer testimonials, case studies, guest speakers, etc. to build your brand reputation and help you stand out among competitors.

Do we have a strategy for growing ancillary revenue from happy customers?
Are you meeting your customers’ needs? How can you provide greater value? At Shamrock we use Business Reviews: We crunch the data on previous orders/products/categories, etc. and provide these summaries to our customers. Then, we ask for feedback and take the opportunity to share our other products/services to cross sell and upsell. Always, you want those suggestions to be relevant to your customers.

What are our competitors doing?
Understanding the reasons why you win or lose business is an important to keeping customers happy and your company primed for growth.

How does your product or service stack up against the competition? What are they doing that you aren’t? What are your salespeople hearing from customers? Answering these questions will help to shape your view of where
you stand in the marketplace and can help identify areas that require greater attention.

To read the entire article, click on the link below:
https://marketingland.com/rise-retention-marketing-strategic-priority-2017-202503

Focusing creative efforts on customer retention benefits your bottom line. Are there other questions that you use to identify ways to provide a better customer experience?  I’d like to hear from you.

All the Best,
Tim Connor
tconnor@shamrockcompanies.net

Simplify your marketing supply chain

No one disputes that the velocity of change in modern marketing strategy and tactics is astounding. Just keeping current with the latest trends and thought leadership can be overwhelming—not to mention that quickly shifting gears and changing direction can pose a significant challenge for many organizations.

So how do you keep up? How do you remain nimble? One trend worth exploring is to reverse-engineer the traditional marketing challenge: Rather than looking at bolstering up your staff and vendor base, try testing that pro-growth mentality with a simple question: How are you managing your current supply chain partners?

Maybe you and your team juggle a host of vendors who independently source and manage the elements of your brand marketing program. The truth is, simplifying your supply chain makes sense for modern brand management. I relate it to the evolution of superstores (both online and brick and mortar): It used to be that I’d go to the sporting goods store to buy golf balls, to the mall for dress shoes, and the liquor store for wine. Now, I can get everything I need—at the best quality and price—through one retailer, delivered to my front door.

Successful marketing requires that same progressive, efficiency-driven mindset.

Companies that continue with old-fashioned partnering find themselves having to settle for the status quo. Few companies have the budget to staff-up to manage a stable of vendors. Smart companies are partnering differently for their marketing services: They’re carefully choosing one partner that helps drive growth through streamlined efficiencies and economy-of-scale cost savings.

To maximize results, look for a marketing resource with these types of service advantages:

• Single-source project management
• Ongoing and updated status regarding projects, data/feedback, budgets, etc.
• Strategic oversight—one that can find the right marketing mix for your business
• Proven tactical plan execution
• Flexibility to pivot and change up or redeploy plan elements as needed

This type of partnership allows your company to quickly change without overwhelming your infrastructure—enabling you to rethink and refresh your marketing program without depleting your internal resources.

At Shamrock, we serve as that single-source partner for our clients. If you’re interested in talking about how we can help grow your business, connect with me directly at bdegarmo@shamrockcompanies.net.

Tips to Keep Your Marketing Program On Track

In this era of podcasts, YouTube channels and online news sources, it’s easier than ever to continuously build upon your base of knowledge and experience.

In addition to learning new stuff, it’s wise to look at our everyday actions to make sure we’re aligned to reach our goals. This is particularly true of marketing: While new ideas and trends are important to incorporate, it’s also wise to regularly review existing program initiatives and recalibrate to make your marketing effort more productive.

Here’s a checklist of best practices for sizing up your current marketing program to ensure you’re maximizing your potential:   

Think mobile. 51.89% of global web traffic originates from mobile devices (statista)—so, step away from the desktop and make sure your web content is also mobile-friendly.
Brevity rules. Humans have an attention span of 8 seconds. Marketing that cuts through the clutter with attention-grabbing graphics and succinct copy makes memorable brand connections. 

More visuals. The brain processes visuals 60,0000 times faster than the time it takes the brain to decode text. Selling your story with pictures and graphics is a must. Use in case studies, brochures, on your social media feed, etc.

Video. Video. Video. Challenge yourself to find a new way to incorporate video into to your existing channels: A livestream on your Facebook page, a product value video in your blog or email campaign. The statistics say it all:

• Video content earns 12 times more shares than text and images combined 
• Viewers retain 95% of a message when they see it in a video, as compared to only 10% when they read text
• Live streaming video is gaining momentum: 82% of consumers polled preferred live video to static social media posts

Variety. Use an integrated, multi-channel approach to reach your target audience. While digital is essential, don’t discount the power of print media:

• 70% of Americans consider physical mail "more personal" than email (Experian Data Quality Group)
• Consumers who receive ad mail spend 28% more than those who don't (USPS)

Get personal. According to Campaign Monitor data, a personalized email subject line boosts open rates by 26%, and increases click-through rates by 14%. What’s more, we’ve seen a greater response rate in emails using a more approachable, conversational tone. If you were sitting across the table from your prospect, what would you say? Use that as your prompt for writing email campaign content that resonates with your target.

Engage your audience. Experiences over possessions—this is the new rule (thus the rise of experiential marketing). According to data from the Event Marketing Institute, 72% of consumers say they view brands that provide quality experiences more positively, and nearly three-quarters said when they can engage with a brand's experience, they're more likely to invest in its products or services.

Follow best practices. Keep up to date on changes that effect brand visibility. For example, for SEO the recommended meta description length (to rank high in Google searches) is 110 – 130 characters. Make a regular practice of updating your online material.

Be authentic. Stay true to you brand. It’s smart to change up your game and try new avenues for reaching your prospects; but do it in a way that reflects and reinforces your brand image.

At Shamrock, we’re committing ourselves to revisit our marketing programs on a quarterly basis to re-position and refresh to make sure our efforts are more efficient and effective. What tip would you add to this list?

Ellen Moriarty

Practice Self-care for Your Personal Brand: 4 Easy Steps

There’s a lot of buzz surrounding the importance self-care: the self-initiated effort to assess, and then take an active role in preserving or improving, one’s health. And why not? Being aware of what we need or lack, and then identifying how we can improve, can improve our quality of life.

That same self-reflective, recalibration practice can—and should—be implemented for your personal brand.

But where do you begin?  This article www.entrepreneur.com/article/277751

In Entrepreneur magazine cites four ways to tune up your brand (from Karen Tiber Leland’s book The Brand Mapping Strategy.) Here are Leland’s tips (summarized) from the article:

1. Brand Sound Bites. In today’s limited character world, the need for a succinct brand presentation is essential. This “brand at a glance” functions as a cheat sheet to deliver your brand’s bottom line quickly, efficiently and with maximum impact. It should include:

• Stats and specifics that demonstrate the competency and results of your brand.
• Trends. Demonstrate your brand’s relevance to what’s happening in the marketplace by sharing knowledge of leading trends in your field—and how you’re at the forefront.
• Hot tips. One or two timely and helpful pieces of advice can help establish the credibility of your brand. The tips don’t have to be world shattering, just useful.
• Points of view and informed insights. Brand thought and industry leaders have strong points of view about their areas of expertise and aren’t shy to share them.

2. Branded Biography. While your profile picture, logo or other visuals may make the first impression when a visitor lands on your website or social media, it’s your biography that often inspires them to dig deeper.

Poorly written “About” sections on your website, too-short summaries on LinkedIn, and sketchy bio sections on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest can stop an inquiring employer or potential customer in their tracks. On the other hand, a well-written and branded biography can be a pathway to new opportunities.

3. Social Media Profiles. One advantage to having a well-branded bio is that it can function as the source document for creating social media profiles that give your site visitors an immediate feel for your brand.

Using the space provided to its greatest branding advantage is a factor you need to take advantage of. On LinkedIn, for example, the professional headline space (located just under your name) is prime personal-branding real estate. Too often people write only their job title and miss the opportunity to create a mini-narrative of their personal brand.

4. Content Creation. Your branded bio, social media profiles and brand sound bites may form the foundation for your brand, but the graduate-school level of cerebral connection is the content you create.

Four of the best content-creation tactics include: blogging, podcasting, videocasting and writing a book.

As marketers, we understand that our brand is always evolving, so there’s no time like the present to look at your brand profile and give it a refresh. My next priority is updating my LinkedIn profile. Which brand update will you tackle first? Join the conversation on our Facebook page.

Ellen Moriarty

Video Marketing: Tips for telling your best brand story

When it comes to quickly and effectively delivering a brand message, there is power in video marketing. According to data from Brightcove, social video generates 1,200% more shares than text and images combined; and video drives a whopping 157% increase in organic traffic from search engines.

Why is video important?

At Shamrock, we see video as an absolute essential for helping our clients tell their stories: Video provides instant brand gratification. And regardless of industry or budget, it’s a channel easily incorporated into your marketing program.

Above all, video is the trend in marketing: It is estimated that 80% of all internet traffic will be video by 2019. (Cisco)

How can you put video to work for your brand?

Creating original, compelling, relevant content that makes a brand connection with your audience—that’s the ultimate goal of video marketing. There’s a lot of great ideas for videos that meet that criteria: Roundup The Team—take a camera around the office and have people briefly speak about the latest product introduction or community service project; focus on Live Customer Service—create a montage that captures customer service and value in action; or develop an enticing How We Do It video that shows behind-the-scenes innovation. 

Click below to access social video marketing tips—this MarketingProfs infographic covers it all from video topics and recommended length, to the pros and cons of each channel: 


Click here to view

A recent study from Ascend2 concurs with MarketingProfs, citing the most effective video for converting sales leads include these topics:

• customer testimonials
• demo videos
• explainer/tutorial videos

What’s great about these video themes is that the scripts practically write themselves: Capturing a testimonial or demonstrating a product or service are stories that authentically speak to your brand and its benefit to your customers. In other words: You know your brand best, so use that information to tell your story through video. Grab your device and get started.

All The Best,
Tim Connor

11 Tips For Successful Event Marketing 2018

A successful special event takes more than an engaging program and an open bar, it requires strategic marketing to drive attendance at, and create a buzz surrounding, the event experience.

Following is an essential event marketing checklist to keep the effort on track:

1. Why/Who? Consider these questions first: Why and to whom are you marketing your event? Is this an annual meeting? A women in leadership event? The answers will shape messaging and drive marketing decisions.
2. Invitations. Start with a save-the-date (card or email) 8 weeks out; and 4 weeks prior, follow with an invitation that provides complete event details.
3. Survey. Send out a survey prior to the event—the responses will help shape content and can be used to generate ideas for session topics, speakers, etc.
4. Content. Make it relevant to your audience. If it’s not, leave it out.
5. Email. Take advantage of your regular email campaign schedule and use that as a platform to promote your event.
6. Blog. Beginning four weeks prior to your event, blog weekly. Add videos to engage your audience: If you have footage from the previous year’s event, use that to drive interest and excitement; or create new video highlighting speakers, entertainment, venue, etc.
7. Homepage link. In all communication (email, blog, social channels) provide a link back to your event homepage where people can register.
8. Social media. Take advantage of all social media channels to market your event before, during and after. Facebook is the most popular social media choice leading up to and after an event, while Twitter holds the top spot during events. (Source: FreemanXP, Event Marketing Institute)
9. Track results. Check to see what’s working from the links in different channels (i.e., email, blog, facebook). Redeploy as applicable.
10. Promo items. Consider your audience and put thought into choosing a useful and/or unique gift.

    

    click here to view

11. Branded convenience. In addition to gifts, make added brand impressions with on-site conveniences: Supply pens, notepads and device charging stations (how can they tweet with low battery?). Watch the video below:

Prior to the event, I always meet with my team to help outline individual charges: During the event, who do you want to meet? What are you hoping to glean? What does that conversation look like? 

This is the event marketing framework that I’ve found to be most useful. Are there other items that you would add? Connect with me
@ msmith@shamrockcompanies.net.

Megan Smith

Marketing Tips for Nonprofits

Nonprofit marketing requires a delicate balance. Often strapped with doing a lot more with a lot less, you still have to find a way to stand out among the other nonprofits vying for donors’ attention—and dollars.

As a nonprofit, your advantage is your story. By harnessing the power of that story and communicating with your audience in an effective and authentic way, you’re one step closer to converting those connections into brand advocates or even champions for your cause. Here are 10 marketing tips that can help you get there:

1. Make your message clear. Let people know who you are and what you stand for. Transparency is important: Donors want to understand exactly how their money being spent and the impact it will have.
2. Create content. Content marketing is a powerful way to demonstrate to donors what you stand for and to share your passion about your goals. Use a marketing automation platform to manage your outreach with greater efficiency.
3. Have a solid social media plan. To reach donors, you need to connect with them where they are—and facebook, twitter, Instagram and Snapchat is where they reside. Post regular content and place ads on these channels and take advantage of analytics to ensure the best ROI.
4. Use hashtags. You can create your own (both brand- and event/campaign-specific) and also use popular nonprofit hashtags to boost your visibility in searches: #charity, #DoGood and #volunteer are great options. 
5. Take SEO seriously. For donors to give money, they have to be able to find you online—so embed social media feeds, ads, blogs and key words to boost SEO.
6. Use video. Tools like Adobe Creative Cloud and Canva make it affordable to edit and create great video content. Then post on social platforms that allow you to livestream content; and embed clips in email campaigns, on your website, etc.
7. Write a blog. This platform gives you the opportunity to share more about your cause and to tell your brand story.
8. Engage social media influencers. According to TapInfluence, “influencer content on social media earns more than 8X the engagement rate of brand-direct content.” Connect with influencers who align with your cause for added visibility.
9. Forge partnerships. Reach out to other nonprofits, corporations and organizations that are in sync with your mission and your values for organic cross-promotion opportunities.
10. Use digital apps. Digital tech apps offer unique functionality ideal for events: push notifications, GPS/map features, schedule of events, social media tags, response polling, video links, program updates—the list goes on.

As with any brand-promoting effort, the key to nonprofit marketing success is to use an integrated strategy that employs multiple channels as part of one seamless campaign.

 

What is the most memorable non-profit marketing campaign that caught your attention? Chime in on our Facebook page.

 

Tim Connor