Copyright 2007 Ted Demopoulos, demop.com, [email protected] Indirect Direct Marketing on the Internet.

Copyright 2007 Ted Demopoulos, demop.com, [email protected]

Indirect Direct Marketing on the

Internet


. . . focused on driving purchases that can be attributed to a specific "call-to-action". Direct marketing is distinguished from other marketing efforts by its emphasis on trackable, measurable results (known as "response" in the industry) regardless of medium.

… asks the prospect to take a specific action …

Direct Marketing (Wikipedia)


•Direct (Postal) Mail•Email to opt-in list with an offer•Email spam selling Viagra•Advertisement in newspaper with a call to action•That annoying phone call I got while writing this slide . . .

Direct Marketing Examples


Indirect Marketing Examples•Joining a country club and its golf league and other events•Speaking at a conference•Joining and participating in professional organizations and trade groups•Networking•Sponsorships


•Social•Any offer is incidental, not fundamental -- perhaps more of an “invitation”•Based on (building) relationships•Emphasis on providing value•Build visibility and awareness of yourself and your organization

Characteristics of Indirect Marketing


•Blogs•Podcasts•Social networking sites ( MySpace, Gather, FaceBook, etc.)•Viral videos, ebooks, and other exciting “free stuff”

Indirect Marketing on The Internet


Direct? Where does the “direct” come into play?

• Directly targeting your market, your prospects, your customers, the people you want to influence

(in general, forget about buying lists, think viral)

Direct? Indirect Marketing on The Internet


Characteristics:Informal – not marketese or business-speak

but conversational Provide value (give until it hurts, then give

some more)Social – two way communications, perhaps by

enabling “comments” or by using pre-existing social networks to pass messages

Successful Indirect Marketing on The Internet (1)


Successful Indirect Marketing on The Internet (2)

• Tracking metrics. How else will you know if you’re successful?– They WILL be much different than

tracking DM response rates in many ways (you may need to be creative).

– Some evangelists essentially say, “Metrics? We don’t need no Stinking Metrics. It’s just Cool.” Well, I’m not drinking the Kool-Aid.


Blogs/Podcasts/Videoblogs

Social Networks specifics (MySpace, LinkedIn, etc.)

“Viral” content like ebooks and videos

We’ll look at:


Communication channel to talk with your marketplace

Implemented as a simple Web site or part of a Web site

Over 70 Million blogs today on any and all topics

What is a Blog?


Podcast? Videoblog?• Podcast – simply a blog where the majority

of the content is audio. A key characteristic is that you can subscribe to podcasts.

• Videoblog, a.k.a. vlog – no surprise, it’s video.

• Since podcasts and videoblogs ARE blogs we’ll just use the term ‘blog’ on the following pages


Written in a personal style Frequently updated Most recently added information

shown first Allows for feedback and interaction

(comments)

Blog Characteristics


A Typical Blog


• Communicating with your marketplace

• Adding personality to fairly impersonal “Company” images

• Establishing yourself as an expert

Why Blogs?


• Driving traffic to your Web site (search engines love blogs)

• Attracting a regular following of readers as blogs are dynamic and interactive

• Building familiarity

Why Blogs (2) ?


• Most traditional marketing techniques

• Writing endlessly about your products or services

• Sales letter type material

• Any “hard sell” type anything

Blogs - What Doesn’t Work


• Providing valuable information to your marketplace

• Occasionally weaving your products and services into the discussion as appropriate

• Advertising/displaying in the sidebars

Blogs - What Does Work


• A somewhat experienced blogger – “look before you leap”

• Planning

• Consistency

• Conversational

Successful Blogs (1)


• Honesty

• Personal

• Patience

• PASSION – the blogger(s) must be passionate on the subject and that passion must show

Successful Blogs (2)


• Text – easy to skim, consume at own rate

• Podcasts – can consume during free “ear time” e.g. while driving, exercising etc.

• Videoblogs – require eye and ear attention

Different people have different preferences, e.g. I love to read and listen but don’t care for video

Blogs vs. Podcasts vs. Videoblogs


Over 70 million blogs – some of them ARE talking about you.

You can listen (and join the conversation via comments) easily using blog search engines: Technorati.com, Google Blog Search, icerocket.com, blogdigger.com, etc.

Podcasters love to do interviews – maybe of you?

Blogs for non-Bloggers


Not as “hard” or absolute as direct (e)mail marketing metrics. Some simple ones:-Search Engine results – mine improved in 24 hours!-Traffic/visitors-Ask new customers where they came from. Did they find you through your blog? Was it a differentiating factor?

Blog Metrics (1)


Signups to mailing list directly from blog• % of subscribers that generate revenue. • Average lifetime value of a new subscriber

Clickthroughs to salespages• Do they come from Web site or blog or

elsewhere? • What’s the conversion rate? • Is it better or worse from Web

site/blog/Google/etc? Maybe you should (or should not) test and optimize the salespage for each source?

Blog Metrics (2)


Lots of things you CAN measureMost people measure very littleBe creative – what are your blog’s goals

and how can you determine success?

Blog Metrics (3)


We’ll include:Networks like MySpace, Facebook, Gather

and more-let you create a profile and connect with “friends”

Forums (aka Bulletin or Message Boards)-like a blog where any member can start a discussion

List Serves-email list that any member can mail to

Social Networks


Similar to BlogsExplicit marketing usually STRONGLY discouraged!Provide valueBe “social”Be honestLet your personality show

Look before you leap – they are all slightly different. Learn the culture first.

Social Network Rules


At least not effectively!

Pick a Social Network that matches your target audience – e.g. College Students – Facebook.com

Demographics keep changing – for example more than 50% of MySpace users are over 35 now.

You can’t join them all!


MySpace – Oxfam, many rock groups, The Student Loan Network/Financial Aid Podcast, Aquafina, many more

Forums – Many wine retailers/importers/etc. monitor/actively post on the Mark Squires Bulletin Board on wine

ListServes – I belong to a few related to blogging and marketing

Some Examples


Viral Content – eBooks/Videos/etc.

Viral – spreading by word of mouth/mouse

“a marketing phenomenon that facilitates and encourages people to pass along a marketing message voluntarily”

-Wikipedia

More art than science – no one can predict a smash hit

To some extent everything we have been discussing has a viral component.


“The New Rules of PR” ebook, David Meerman Scott.

• 150,000 downloads (no registration/email required)

• A dozen plus paid speaking engagements • Now a commercially available book you

should read• Soon to be a major motion picture (just

joking!)

Viral Smash Successes (1)


Mentos/Diet Coke YouTube Videos-Tens of millions of viewings-Now thousands of different videos

What would this many advertising impressions cost?

Viral Smash Successes (2)


Google “dull person”• first three hits are me, including two blog

posts and a press release “Google Crowns Author Ted Demopoulos Dullest Person”

• A few bloggers and other online sources linked to me

• Maybe 1000 extra visitors• Book sales slightly up, one new client in

mentor program

Viral Less Than Smash Success


Final Thoughts• Can’t do everything – pick one or more

techniques and concentrate• Goal is provide value to your marketplace• Unique content & (strong) opinions valued• This isn’t direct mail, but you CAN directly

communicate and engage your customers, your prospects, your market.

• What is the ROI of pants or the telephone? Not everything is measurable – but many things are.

Copyright 2007 Ted Demopoulos, demop.com, [email protected] Indirect Direct Marketing on the Internet.

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