Marketers must leverage trust, not just popularity
Trust and credibility are the gold standards by which relationships are measured. This is true of personal relationships as well as connections between people and brands.
The rise of social media has reinforced the importance of trust. Successful and enduring social networks such as Facebook and LinkedIn are built on a foundation of trust and transparency. But social media has also distorted the notion of trust and put an emphasis on the size of a person’s network and connections.
“Marketers seeking to maximize their reach should focus on the quality of social network connections rather than their sheer size.” said Paul Verna, eMarketer senior analyst.
According to Invoke Solutions, quantitative measures such as the volume of content and participation, the length of time people have been fans or followers, or the raw number of followers or fans mattered far less in inspiring trust than the openness of the dialogue, the quality of the comments, and the responsiveness of the sponsor or author.
And Vision Critical found that among US consumers overall as well as daily social network users, friends and family were trusted for product recommendations far more than brand-originated content or people consumers did not know.
And marketers around the world agree that popularity does not equal influence on social media sites.
“The level of influence over one’s friends, followers or fans is the real key, and influence does not necessarily correlate to the size of the network,” said Verna.
In addition, there is a feedback loop between online and offline word-of-mouth, and marketers must understand the connections and differences between the channels.
For more information on how to build trustworthy connections with your audiences, visit our SMS portal or contact us.
Source: eMarketer
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Thursday, October 14, 2010
MODI$club is helping save the planet one text at a time
MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MODI$club is helping save the planet one text at a time
CALGARY, AB, October 12, 2010 – Waste Reduction Week taking place from October 18-24 acts as an annual reminder to reduce, reuse and recycle. With ever increasing awareness of the environment and pressure upon organizations to demonstrate social responsibility, more and more people are gravitating to products and services that subscribe to the green philosophy. One such product that is growing in popularity is MODI$club. The website offers mass SMS (texting) technology as a greener method of business communications and marketing.
SMS marketing has the lowest carbon footprint of all types of mass advertising. Environmental benefits include the reduction of paper usage, elimination of toxic printing ink, omission of gasoline usage in the distribution of printed materials, and so on. The opportunities to reduce cost and reduce waste through this communication tool represent incredible ROI for marketers and recovery for our environment.
“In this ever-more socially conscious and digitally focused world, mobile marketing can’t be beat for its ecological benefits and speed of communication,” says Kean Tan, co-founder of MODI$club. “With the widespread adoption of text messaging, to leave SMS marketing and its benefits unattended, will cost many organizations their future.”
MODI$club is a “freemium” website that businesses and organizations can use at no-cost. It is an easy tool that can be used to target and engage audience beyond traditional media - a new mix to conventional marketing and communication campaigns. It caters to any business, regardless of size or industry. MODI$club is currently being used by many industries, including retailers, restaurants, expos/tradeshows, golf courses, distress centres, health and body companies, charities and non-profits. Some of the more familiar brands are Habitat for Humanity, SwizzleSticks SalonSpa, Yamaha Music School, Chianti Italian Restaurant, Honens International Piano Competition, Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo and Calgary Mens Expo.
Canadians sent a total of 4.2 billion text messages in March 2010 and 538 million text messages were sent to mobile campaigns. Clearly organizations need to start investing in SMS marketing to appeal to the technology savvy and social conscious audience. Mobile giving, an innovative mobile donation campaign and AMBER alerts campaigns are just some of the latest activities in which Canadian cell phone customers are now participating. Also, more and more Canadians are embracing SMS marketing since the industry established a strict anti-SPAM regulation.
SMS marketing makes sense in this day and age, and MODI$club is here to offer the tools for businesses and organizations to make an impact in many ways. Not only does SMS marketing make a positive impact on the environment, it is also changing the way we save time and money. For more information, visit www.modisclub.com.
ABOUT MODI$club
MODI$club is a product of a full service marketing, design and technology company that started in 2000 called nexusV. It helps brands find a place within the wireless (mobile), online (web) and offline (print) environments where they can connect and engage with customers.
Other services provided include:
- 30 -
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Kean Tan
MODI$club
403 209 5988
keantan@modisclub.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MODI$club is helping save the planet one text at a time
CALGARY, AB, October 12, 2010 – Waste Reduction Week taking place from October 18-24 acts as an annual reminder to reduce, reuse and recycle. With ever increasing awareness of the environment and pressure upon organizations to demonstrate social responsibility, more and more people are gravitating to products and services that subscribe to the green philosophy. One such product that is growing in popularity is MODI$club. The website offers mass SMS (texting) technology as a greener method of business communications and marketing.
SMS marketing has the lowest carbon footprint of all types of mass advertising. Environmental benefits include the reduction of paper usage, elimination of toxic printing ink, omission of gasoline usage in the distribution of printed materials, and so on. The opportunities to reduce cost and reduce waste through this communication tool represent incredible ROI for marketers and recovery for our environment.
“In this ever-more socially conscious and digitally focused world, mobile marketing can’t be beat for its ecological benefits and speed of communication,” says Kean Tan, co-founder of MODI$club. “With the widespread adoption of text messaging, to leave SMS marketing and its benefits unattended, will cost many organizations their future.”
MODI$club is a “freemium” website that businesses and organizations can use at no-cost. It is an easy tool that can be used to target and engage audience beyond traditional media - a new mix to conventional marketing and communication campaigns. It caters to any business, regardless of size or industry. MODI$club is currently being used by many industries, including retailers, restaurants, expos/tradeshows, golf courses, distress centres, health and body companies, charities and non-profits. Some of the more familiar brands are Habitat for Humanity, SwizzleSticks SalonSpa, Yamaha Music School, Chianti Italian Restaurant, Honens International Piano Competition, Calgary Comic & Entertainment Expo and Calgary Mens Expo.
Canadians sent a total of 4.2 billion text messages in March 2010 and 538 million text messages were sent to mobile campaigns. Clearly organizations need to start investing in SMS marketing to appeal to the technology savvy and social conscious audience. Mobile giving, an innovative mobile donation campaign and AMBER alerts campaigns are just some of the latest activities in which Canadian cell phone customers are now participating. Also, more and more Canadians are embracing SMS marketing since the industry established a strict anti-SPAM regulation.
SMS marketing makes sense in this day and age, and MODI$club is here to offer the tools for businesses and organizations to make an impact in many ways. Not only does SMS marketing make a positive impact on the environment, it is also changing the way we save time and money. For more information, visit www.modisclub.com.
ABOUT MODI$club
MODI$club is a product of a full service marketing, design and technology company that started in 2000 called nexusV. It helps brands find a place within the wireless (mobile), online (web) and offline (print) environments where they can connect and engage with customers.
Other services provided include:
- Brand strategy, logo and stationery design, print publications and other graphic design services;
- Website design and development, content management system (CMS), email management system, timesheet management system, custom web application development, web hosting and more;
- Traditional (print and radio) and internet marketing (SEO).
- 30 -
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Kean Tan
MODI$club
403 209 5988
keantan@modisclub.com
Friday, October 8, 2010
Case History of Mobile Marketing
Obama for President 2008: “Celling of the President”
After three election cycles in which the Internet was expected to play a significant role in the campaign process but ultimately was a marginal factor, 2008 was the breakthrough year. In particular, the role of mobile communications in the Barack Obama campaign has prompted some to describe it as the “Celling of the President.”
The Pew Internet Project found that a record-breaking 46% of Americans used the Internet, cell phone text messaging or e-mail to obtain information about the campaign. In some categories Internet usage was triple the levels of the 2004 campaigns. For example, about 6% of Americans made political contributions online, compared to 2% who did so in 2004.
Mobile communications played a major role in the efforts, particularly in the tech- heavy activities of the Obama campaign. Text messaging was a fundamental component of the plan, used on an opt-in basis. This established relationships with supporters, especially young voters. For example, the Obama campaign blasted text messages at key moments of their campaign, notably the announcement of Joe Biden as the vice presidential running mate. An estimated 2.9 million people received that text message early on the Saturday morning (August 23, 2008) just before the Democratic National Convention began. The Obama campaign has not officially released the number of supporters who signed up to receive mobile text messages and other online communications.
For the mobile campaign, the Obama team set up a dedicated mobile Web site: http://obamamobile.mobi. Supporters who logged in to the campaign’s primary Web site, with an M (for mobile) prefix—http://m.barackobama.com—were automatically redirected to the .mobi site. The mobile site invited visitors to “Get involved: Sign up for mobile alerts”—basically to register to the short code 62262 (the keypad numbers corresponding to the letters O, B, A, M, A). This opt-in procedure enabled the campaign to identify its contacts.
From the Obama mobile server, supporters could download ringtones, wallpapers and campaign videos. Users could also get candidate information—such as campaign stops and schedules, as well as news reports and social networking opportunities (e.g. the link to “ask a friend to join”). Most significantly, the mobile site—like other Obama online components—permitted individuals to make financial contributions. The mobile site also enabled supporters to request white papers and other documents, which were automatically sent via e-mail to their desktop or portable devices.
In addition to the text alert for the Biden selection, the Obama campaign dispatched messages before local appearances, prior to the debates, as well as on the eve of primary and general Election Days. There was also a “thank you” message after the November 4 victory.
Supporters who signed up for the service paid an average of 10 cents per message, although that figure varies widely. It is assumed that many in the young, tech-savvy Obama cadre subscribe to their wireless carriers’ “bulk text messaging” packages. Casual and occasional users pay about 20 cents per message.
Each text message blast generated a cost for both sides (the Obama transmission and the individual reception), whether it was a per-use fee or a click on the bulk bundled subscription fee). One analysis of the Biden message blast concluded that the total expense for that event could have ranged from about $1.2 million to $1.8 million, depending on the fees for each individual message (in the range of 3 cents to 10 cents per message). If there were 5 million participants, the range rises to $1.95 million to $3 million.
One objective of a political campaign is to build a contact list of supporters, contributors, volunteer workers and other citizens. The Obama campaign gathered e-mail addresses, phone numbers and other data about supporters, securing relationships that can be used in future political efforts by Obama and other political allies.
Strategically, the use of SMS—and online messages as well—represented an integrated marketing plan. Among its attributes: it bypassed traditional media as a way to communicate with and energize a large and widely dispersed audience. The interactive features enabled financial contributions and viral social media connections, which the Obama campaign exploited.
The Obama campaign’s activities have been widely hailed as a prototype for the digital era. Advertising Age declared Obama as the “Marketer of the Year,” citing the digital campaign and especially its mobile marketing component. In the polling of marketing industry executives, the Obama campaign (36.1%) scored ahead of familiar brands such as Apple (27.3%), Nike (9.4%), online shoe seller Zappos (14.1%) and Coors Brewery (8.7%). The John McCain campaign (4.5%) was far behind.
The McCain campaign also used mobile marketing, but far less aggressively. It was difficult to find the SMS sign-up information on the primary McCain campaign Web site, www.JohnMcCain.com. There appeared to be few efforts to dispatch text messages consistently during the campaign. One significant promotion for the McCain SMS capability came during the Republican Party’s convention: an SMS appeal to donate funds to the American Red Cross for victims of the hurricanes that were hitting the southern U.S. during that period. (The Obama campaign also urged $5 text donations to the Red Cross during that period.)
To read more about how to setup your own SMS campaign, visit MODI$club.
Source: Simba Information
After three election cycles in which the Internet was expected to play a significant role in the campaign process but ultimately was a marginal factor, 2008 was the breakthrough year. In particular, the role of mobile communications in the Barack Obama campaign has prompted some to describe it as the “Celling of the President.”
The Pew Internet Project found that a record-breaking 46% of Americans used the Internet, cell phone text messaging or e-mail to obtain information about the campaign. In some categories Internet usage was triple the levels of the 2004 campaigns. For example, about 6% of Americans made political contributions online, compared to 2% who did so in 2004.
Mobile communications played a major role in the efforts, particularly in the tech- heavy activities of the Obama campaign. Text messaging was a fundamental component of the plan, used on an opt-in basis. This established relationships with supporters, especially young voters. For example, the Obama campaign blasted text messages at key moments of their campaign, notably the announcement of Joe Biden as the vice presidential running mate. An estimated 2.9 million people received that text message early on the Saturday morning (August 23, 2008) just before the Democratic National Convention began. The Obama campaign has not officially released the number of supporters who signed up to receive mobile text messages and other online communications.
For the mobile campaign, the Obama team set up a dedicated mobile Web site: http://obamamobile.mobi. Supporters who logged in to the campaign’s primary Web site, with an M (for mobile) prefix—http://m.barackobama.com—were automatically redirected to the .mobi site. The mobile site invited visitors to “Get involved: Sign up for mobile alerts”—basically to register to the short code 62262 (the keypad numbers corresponding to the letters O, B, A, M, A). This opt-in procedure enabled the campaign to identify its contacts.
From the Obama mobile server, supporters could download ringtones, wallpapers and campaign videos. Users could also get candidate information—such as campaign stops and schedules, as well as news reports and social networking opportunities (e.g. the link to “ask a friend to join”). Most significantly, the mobile site—like other Obama online components—permitted individuals to make financial contributions. The mobile site also enabled supporters to request white papers and other documents, which were automatically sent via e-mail to their desktop or portable devices.
In addition to the text alert for the Biden selection, the Obama campaign dispatched messages before local appearances, prior to the debates, as well as on the eve of primary and general Election Days. There was also a “thank you” message after the November 4 victory.
Supporters who signed up for the service paid an average of 10 cents per message, although that figure varies widely. It is assumed that many in the young, tech-savvy Obama cadre subscribe to their wireless carriers’ “bulk text messaging” packages. Casual and occasional users pay about 20 cents per message.
Each text message blast generated a cost for both sides (the Obama transmission and the individual reception), whether it was a per-use fee or a click on the bulk bundled subscription fee). One analysis of the Biden message blast concluded that the total expense for that event could have ranged from about $1.2 million to $1.8 million, depending on the fees for each individual message (in the range of 3 cents to 10 cents per message). If there were 5 million participants, the range rises to $1.95 million to $3 million.
One objective of a political campaign is to build a contact list of supporters, contributors, volunteer workers and other citizens. The Obama campaign gathered e-mail addresses, phone numbers and other data about supporters, securing relationships that can be used in future political efforts by Obama and other political allies.
Strategically, the use of SMS—and online messages as well—represented an integrated marketing plan. Among its attributes: it bypassed traditional media as a way to communicate with and energize a large and widely dispersed audience. The interactive features enabled financial contributions and viral social media connections, which the Obama campaign exploited.
The Obama campaign’s activities have been widely hailed as a prototype for the digital era. Advertising Age declared Obama as the “Marketer of the Year,” citing the digital campaign and especially its mobile marketing component. In the polling of marketing industry executives, the Obama campaign (36.1%) scored ahead of familiar brands such as Apple (27.3%), Nike (9.4%), online shoe seller Zappos (14.1%) and Coors Brewery (8.7%). The John McCain campaign (4.5%) was far behind.
The McCain campaign also used mobile marketing, but far less aggressively. It was difficult to find the SMS sign-up information on the primary McCain campaign Web site, www.JohnMcCain.com. There appeared to be few efforts to dispatch text messages consistently during the campaign. One significant promotion for the McCain SMS capability came during the Republican Party’s convention: an SMS appeal to donate funds to the American Red Cross for victims of the hurricanes that were hitting the southern U.S. during that period. (The Obama campaign also urged $5 text donations to the Red Cross during that period.)
To read more about how to setup your own SMS campaign, visit MODI$club.
Source: Simba Information
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)