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When I'm talking with clients about online marketing, if social media comes up, the client tends to be dismissive, particularly if they are involved in B2B marketing. Social media, the online technologies and practices that people use to share opinions and experiences with one another, includes blogs, message boards, podcasts, wikis, and vlogs. The clients' perspective seems to be, "That's all good for the Facebook/You Tube crowd, but I'm looking for serious buyers."
A recent study by KnowledgeStorm of B2B technology decision makers, revealed that:
- 90% participate in video
- 80% participate in blogs
- 80% in wikis
- 69% in social networks
- 53% in podcasts
Overall, 69% of B2B buyers use social networks primarily for business networking and development. Seems like the serious buyers are using social media. Purchasers are tired of marketing speak. Social media allows people to cut through the fluff to the more real content and analysis they need for buying decisions.
While stepping into the social media network can feel a little intimidating, it's time to start getting your feet wet. A recent study by B2B Magazine indicated that 48% of those surveyed were planning to increase their online marketing budget in the coming year, even with the tight economy. So, you can be sure your competitors will be diving in, even if you aren't. At a minimum, get involved in the communities and social networks that your customers are already participating in. Start to reach out to key influencers in your market and develop content and social media applications that will interest them. You'll be swimming in no time.
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I'm not about to debate the wisdom of McCain vs. Obama or Biden vs. Palin. But, I thought you might like to see that marketers aren't the only ones who make mistakes in their email efforts. Jordan Ayan, CEO of e-mail service provider SubscribeMail, recently identified the following e-mail marketing mistakes committed by both candidates.
Signup Snafus: Obama's signup link takes you to a landing page where you can make a donation. If you don't want to make a donation, you're stuck on the page. McCain's signup give you a lot of options, so many that it's easy to get lost. Make email links prominent and include them on every page on your Web site, and give clear opt-out links.
No virtual welcome mat: If you sign up for either McCain or Obama's list, you may end up waiting several days before hearing from either candidate. You want people to have a good feeling after they sign up for your list. Send an email immediately after they sign up, and offer a little something for free (white paper, free sample, free download, etc.)
Irrelevant messages: There's a fine line between collecting too little information when someone signs up and collecting too much. Visitors at both sites are asked to enter only a minimum of information when they sign up. Collecting more specific information would allow candidates to target emails based on issues and interests.
In email marketing (as in politics), it's the little details that make a big impression.
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With Hodgson's growth nearly doubling this past year, we've been hiring to keep up the pace. Joining us as Software Engineers are Vlad Oprica and Jacinth Durgam. Vlad joins his brother Alex on the Hodgson team, and brings a strong technical background, combined with a fluency in five languages, helpful when working with our international clients. Jacinth comes to Hodgson from 3M Health Information Systems in Silver Spring, and her skills in PHP, Flash, C#, and .NET will be a plus for our team. She's also a talented performer in both classical Indian dance and piano.
Also joining Hodgson as Business Development and Account Manager is Garry Sittig. Garry has a strong focus on sales and client relations balanced by an integral knowledge of technology. At one time he ran a company providing executive level support to small businesses, and will bring that experience to analyzing our client and prospects' business needs.
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SoBran Training, a subsidiary of SoBran, Inc., recently engaged hodgsonConsulting to create a new on-line training application, including the design and development of an 8-hour course, the creation of a website promoting the course, a shopping cart for course enrollment, and an administrative module that allows students and supervisors to track progress and generate reports and certificates of completion.
Originally, SoBran had been distributing their training program through a combination of CD-Rom and floppy disk technology, but they found that technology becoming obsolete. With a very mobile customer base working on-site and in diverse locations, SoBran needed a method of training delivery that was flexible, efficient and easily accessible. The new online training can be accessed anywhere a student has an online connection, and the administrative modules gives supervisors the option of logging in to check their student's progress at any time. The course content was redesigned to provide updated graphics and a consistent text treatment to guide learners through the materials.
Founded in 1987, SoBran provides technical and professional services in critical areas such as national defense, biomedical research support, and homeland security. SoBran Training is an online training subsidiary offering certification in HAZWOPER Annual Refresher Training. For more information on how Hodgson can help your online training needs, please contact me.
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