Tuesday, February 2, 2010

Premium Food Marketers: Create an eNewsletter from your Facebook Fan Page

E-newsletters are great tools for keeping your premium food customers and prospects updated.  They can be highly informative and helpful, but they can be a huge time commitment.  Here are a few tips on making them more effective, and a little less work for you.

 

Top Two E-Newsletter Implementation Barriers:

·         Keeping your list up to date

·         Creating a sizable “opt-in” list

 

NutshellMail is a new Facebook app that provides an innovative Web-based service that lets users send and receive your messages from social networks, such as Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace and Twitter, in your e-mail inbox.

 

Because your newsletter list is made up of fans of your Facebook fan page, it’s more likely they will be interested in receiving news from your premium food company.

 

The application is fairly simple; NutshellMail collects recent activity from your page, organizes it into an e-mail and delivers it to each subscriber on Facebook as per their own delivery preferences.

http://bit.ly/6yHJVy

 

nutshellmail

 

Suggestions to Enhance your Newsletter Content:

  • This is another reason to keep your Facebook fan page up to date- the newsletter will be automatically generated based on your recent social media activity
  • Keep postings diverse and don’t constantly promote your products – customers get tired of being sold to constantly
  • Post relevant articles to your industry and generate a conversation with your fans – they are able to comment on any content in your newsletter.

 

Jason Falls of Social Media Explorer notes the importance of good content in e-mail marketing. Companies today are focusing more on relevant content aimed at consumers who opt-in to the messaging. It’s no longer an e-mail “blast.” It’s a gift-wrapped package of goodness the receiver wanted in the first place.

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Friday, January 22, 2010

You’ve Got Mail – Tips for Successful Premium Food E-mail Marketing

E-mail marketing is an affordable and useful tool for premium food marketers, but like most successful marketing – there needs to be a focus on the customer.

 

Just like every step of the marketing process, it is important to plan and summarize how e-mail marketing will further your overall strategic goals.

 

Here’s what top marketers are saying about E-mail Marketing Campaigns:

  • Customers should be seen and heard – Michelle Kohanzo, director of marketing, Land of Nod
  • Ask and ye shall receive – Craig Calder, VP of marketing, Travelzoo
  • Customize it – David Almoslino, senior director of marketing, Trimble Navigation Ltd.
  • Social and e-mail are so very complementary – Gary Spangler, e-marketing manager, DuPont.

 DMNews http://bit.ly/5rtgXu

 

Some suggestions on how to incorporate E-mail marketing into your campaigns:

1.      Customize your messages to specific customer preferences by creating multiple customer lists based on past purchases.

2.      Timing is important – more consumers have smartphones and can receive e-mails at all hours. Try to catch your customers when they could be making purchase decisions to close the loop.

3.      Always link back to social media — use e-mail as a tool to promote your social media campaigns.

http://bit.ly/8xt TEk

 

email

 

Social media activities are becoming more commonplace in most everyone’s overall marketing channel strategy. The growth of links in e-mail marketing campaigns directing customers to the brand’s Twitter or Facebook page is staggering. http://bit.ly/8dtJT1

 

If you employ a social media campaign, don’t forget the vast opportunities to promote it — e-mail should be at the top of your checklist.

 

* Social media sites have gained in link percentage since first quarter of 2007:

http://bit.ly/8dtJT1

 

Above all, listen to your customers and take note of other premium food marketers past successes and failures to hone your e-mail marketing campaign.

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Wednesday, December 30, 2009

iPhone Apps to Market Premium Food

What’s your favorite iPhone app? Mine is the Zippo lighter. I use it frequently at concerts (saves on using real matches)!

 

The sheer number of food apps out there blows my mind. Take Grocery iQ for example. It features a database of millions of items, barcode scanning, list sharing, integrated coupons and a favorites list.

 

Need to know nutrition facts? Check out Calorie Tracker. And if you’re looking for a perfect spot for your next business lunch, there’s Urbanspoon to help you search local restaurants.

 

When creating an app for your brand, consider the following:

 

1.      Make sure it connects with your target audience. Sure, many of the apps our there are cool. But being cool for cool’s sake won’t create a meaningful connection with your customer.

 

2.      Promote, Promote, Promote. Just because you build it doesn’t mean they will come.

 

·        Use social media, like Twitter and Facebook to let people know about the benefits of your app.

·        Use PR to secure media coverage and drive traffic to iTunes.

·        Put it on your web site. On your packaging. On your ads.

 

Guinness recently created a successful app for its brand. The Guinness Pub Finder is a natural fit for the brand.

 

guinness-pub-finder

 

People who enjoy good beer are often looking for places that serve good beer. This app helps them find it, while also increasing sales.

 

Buzz about the new app was generated by using social media. And it worked. The app has enjoyed immense popularity, making a meaningful and enduring connection with Guinness customers.

 

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Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Premium Food Brands Get Social with Marketing Strategies

How relevant is social media to marketing premium foods? Very.

 

Social media provides a personal and interactive way to engage your customer in brand awareness. In fact, TheBigMoney.com recently rated the Top 50 brands with the best use of Facebook, and food and beverage companies represented a significant portion of the list – Coca-Cola ranked No. 1 and Starbucks took No. 2. http://bit.ly/7ewLTY 

 

Why is social media bringing such a draw from the food industry?

 

“First and foremost, we want to be a part of the conversation,” said Laston Charriez, vice-president of consumer and shopper activation for Sara Lee Corp. in an interview with Food Business News. “Learning, educating and providing our consumers with added value content that sparks engagement and conversation is all very important.” http://bit.ly/50R4OA

 

But what exactly is social media? Does having a Facebook page or Twitter account for your company equate a successful social marketing campaign? No. It is essential to keep in mind that targeting just one social media outlet does not create an effective marketing campaign. When used correctly, Facebook, Twitter, You Tube, company Web sites and blogs should all work together to provide you with a cohesive brand strategy.

social-media-waste-of-time

 

“We leverage social media as an integrated strategy in which we will engage several channels, ensuring they work together for meaningful engagement and excitement for our consumers,” said Charriez. “We don’t look at the use of Facebook as a social media strategy; it’s simply one channel out of many used to engage consumers.”

 

There are several ways premium food companies are using social media to market their brand:

 

  • Engaging in an open conversation, which allows consumers to feel a closer connection to food companies than ever before.
  • Offering tailored coupons, specials and discounts based on consumer interests and regional location.
  • Providing customer service to consumers in a format that is engaging and inviting.

 

The one downfall to investing significant amounts of time and money in a social media campaign is the current inability to measure against traditional marketing strategies. In an industry where ROI reigns supreme, social media has yet to lend itself to effective tracking and measurement tools. Counting followers, fans, clicks and comments seems to be the current standard for gauging success.

 

Engaging in social media may seem like a risky road to travel, but it is our recommendation to be a player rather in a spectator in a conversation that can’t be controlled. Inevitably someone will talk about your brand and wouldn’t you choose to be there to talk back?

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Friday, December 25, 2009

Use Facebook Fan Pages to Market Premium Food

Fan clubs are not just for boy bands and teenie boppers anymore. As you probably know, businesses and organizations can set up profiles on Facebook, called fan pages. This allows Facebook users to show their loyalty to a brand or organization by becoming a fan on the social networking site.

 facebook-logo

 

Even if members have no intention of buying anything on Facebook, the relationships you establish and community you build there can benefit your business in countless ways. http://bit.ly/7U0AC7

 

There are more than 500 fan pages for “food”

Within that broad category there are millions of fans. A closer look reveals there are more than half a million fans for Mexican Food. This information (in addition to demographics) is a gold mine for Premium Food Marketers. For example, you’re launching a new product; why not invite Facebook users who are fans of related products to join your fan page? This will show up on the feeds of all of their friends, creating a social context and free publicity for your new product.

 

 

Mikal E. Belicove of Entrepreneur notes 10 Ways a Facebook Fan Page Helps Your Business:

1.      Establishes another outpost for your business on the Web

2.      Drives traffic to your Web site

3.      Improves your SEO

4.      Allows you to engage with your community easily and for free

5.      Connects you and your staff directly to your customers and fans

6.      Strengthens customer relations

7.      Provides a breeding ground and platform for brand evangelists

8.      Listening and observing has the potential to improve your business

9.      ROI-related metrics are readily available

10.  Allows you to keep pace with the competition free of charge

 

Make sure not to use social media “just to use it.” Treat social media like you would a traditional media tactic – set goals and strategies. Ask what you want the social media tactic to do:

·         Drive traffic to your Web site

·         Improve your reputation by engaging in Cause Related Marketing

·         Disseminate coupons for your product

·         Encourage customers to visit a retailer

 

Develop a strategic presence on social media that can be tested and measured.

Social networks like Facebook and Twitter bring people with similar interests together, even if they never meet face to face. This creates an opportunity for companies to build brand allegiance and create a community surrounding their product.

 

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Monday, November 30, 2009

Smart Marketing for 2010 – Two Keys to Success When Testing the Online Waters for Marketing Premium Food

Thinking of dipping your toe into the online and social media pool to market your premium food? If so, you’re probably wondering how you can you be assured your strategy will maximize your marketing budget with the greatest impact. Regardless of the medium you choose, you can experiment effectively before you dive into the deep end.

social-media

Here are two major considerations before you test a social media strategy:

1.      All online and social media tactics are not created equal. For example, your objectives for using Twitter should be different than for using Facebook. Therefore, you can’t measure them the same. Your marketing team should create specific objectives for each online channel based on your specific target audience. Do your research. Understand not only the differences in each outlet, but your customers’ behavior in each medium.

2.      Be sure that your marketing team fully understands how to analyze the results. Online and social media tracking is constantly changing. Your marketing partners need to be able to objectively review the results against current measurement standards.

Testing and measuring using short-term marketing approaches can yield long-term gains if you are aware of the pitfalls in advance.

Designate a portion of your budget for testing.

Understand that the results will dictate how to modify your strategy to either improve upon what you just tested, or move on to test the next logical option.

Why does this work? The great thing about digital and social media is that you can monitor results immediately – think hours and days rather than weeks or months. And, you can test multiple approaches at the same time, microtargeting your audience to get immediate, real-time results.

Leverage this knowledge to develop a longer-term online strategy designed to reach your premium food marketing goals.

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Thursday, November 5, 2009

Wisconsin Companies Embrace Facebook and Twitter

As more of our clients embrace social media, we wondered what the general trend was among Wisconsin-based companies. In order to find out, we developed an online survey and sent it to marketing executives across the state. A cross-section of industries responded: associations, healthcare, manufacturing, financial, food companies, legal, sports, attractions and non-profits.
What did we find? Among Wisconsin companies, 80% currently use social media in their marketing communications strategies. Social networking is the fastest-growing area and blogs are on the rise. Facebook, once a niche sharing site for college kids nationwide, and Twitter, a more recently accepted hyper-focused communications tool, ranked as the most popular platforms for Wisconsin companies to communicate their products and services.
Most respondents agreed that social media is an essential tactic deserving a position within the overall marketing mix. Budget projections for 2010 reflect that point with an average 2% increase over 2009.
As a complement to traditional marketing strategies, companies are using social media to:
• Build brand awareness
• Engage target audiences
• Build brand loyalty
• Gain valuable customer feedback
• Attract prospects
• Drive sales
But there are barriers to social media use as well. Social media is a tool that should be refined and refocused based on desired outcome. Survey participants indicated that they stopped using social media because:
• It demanded too much staff time and resources
• Difficult to demonstrate ROI
• Lack of audience traffic
• Regulatory issues within industry
But for those who see the benefit of social media activities, there are many ways to promote them. Interestingly, organic or grass roots marketing strategies rank ahead of advertising when it comes to increasing target audience awareness. The prioritized list includes: corporate Web sites (76%), public relations (73%), updates to the specific social media accounts (66%), corporate e-mail signatures (47%), advertising (39%), comments on other blogs (37%).

Social Networking is Fastest-Growing Area
As social networking for brands becomes an acceptable and essential marketing tactic, 79% of Wisconsin companies entered the arena within the last year. Which social media trail behind Facebook and Twitter in terms of overall use? Survey participants listed YouTube, monitoring and publishing blogs, LinkedIn, MySpace and Wikis.
Facebook is the clear leader in effectively reaching marketing goals according to the 46% of respondents. But it’s interesting to see where marketing resources are allocated and how each social media platform performs against goals.
Social Network How Many Use It Delivers on Goals
Facebook 81% 46%
Twitter 81% 14%
YouTube 61% 11%
LinkedIn 58% 4%
Flickr 26% N/A
MySpace 13% 4%

Even though the jury may be out on the true measure of Facebook’s marketing influence, companies are taking advantage of the most measurable elements the technology offers. The most popular being Facebook fan pages.

Twitter, on the other hand, has more specific uses:
• Product/service announcements and news
• Building brand awareness
• Media relations
• Coupons & offers
• Customer support
The Blogosphere is Expanding
Seems like everyone these days has a blog, and for good reason – they are easy to update and monitor traffic and reader comments. Blogs from Wisconsin-based companies are on the rise. Whereas 38% of marketers established a blog two or more years ago, 62% were launched within the last year.
More than 60% of companies are following industry advice advocating that readers of blogs be allowed to post comments. One company indicated it received up to 200 reader comments each month. Therefore, monitoring blog traffic is a high priority. It appears that blogs will continue to be supported, as 57% are successful in delivering on the goal to “enable engagement with our target audience.”
Idea Sharing and Information
The core of social media is information dissemination. The marketing challenge lies in how a company chooses to package and integrate its complete marketing package to its target audiences.
Whether you embrace or vilify social networking or blogging, learning how each of the technologies touches your customers is critical to marketing success. If it takes seven points of impact for a person to absorb a message, one of those seven should include social marketing.
Stephan & Brady is an integrated marketing communications firm with B2B and B2C clients based in Madison.

 http://www.stephanbrady.com_web
http://www.stephanbrady.com/food4thought| www.stephanbrady.com/bandworth _blogs
http://www.twitter.com/food4thought|  _twitter

-Kristina

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Tuesday, May 12, 2009

“So, a PR professional walks into the room…”

“So, a PR professional walks into the room…”

Great start to a joke, huh? Well, it was no joke when I, along with @techpr, @mkaPR and @julieannwarner walked into the Drake Hotel in Chicago for the Ragan Unconference last Friday, a free conference focused on professionals learning about social media from one another. More than 400 people attended, and the afternoon proved to be worth our drive south.

Topics included using social media during crisis management, social media ROI, blogging and social media next steps. Lively moderators @ambercadabra and @jackserpa fielded questions across the vast ballroom and fingers frantically pounded out Twitter commentary via laptops, BlackBerrys and iPhones. By mid-afternoon #raganunconf registered as one of the top five trends on Twitter.

Many shared case studies about how a connection made with a TV producer or book publisher via Twitter landed us coverage for our clients, but more importantly, we all agreed that we were making real connections with people we might not otherwise have access to. Monica O’Brien (@monicaobrien), blogger of Twenty Set, says that 20 percent of her traffic comes from Twitter, and an Orbitz representative, @orbitzgal, commented on having better relationships with customers via Twitter.

What did I take away? That once again, social media is not Twitter or Facebook, but a conversation starter and community connector. Sure, Twitter receives a lot of attention these days, but it is simply one tool in a collection of professional skills we use to promote our clients.

But I continue to wonder if social media will continue to speak to all demographics – we know that older generations are signing on, but are socioeconomically disadvantaged and/or minority groups being asked to join at the same rate? While the Web remains an open source for all ideas, it still tends to invite a particular group.

What next? Keep the conversations open. Comment thoughtfully on blogs and Twitter profiles, offer value-added Tweets, and be open to new technologies. After all, I want to know the punch line, but not be it.

- Marlena

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