agile marketing engagement strategies - digital industry networks

Agile

Engagement

Strategies:

Digital Industry

Networks

Andy McCartney

Confidential. All Rights Reserved 2015. All Rights Reserved.

2015. All Rights Reserved.2

1. Introductions and Background

2. Situation Analysis

3. Introducing the Digital Industry Network (D.I.N.)

4. Framework + Methodology

5. Conclusions and Adaptability

Agile Engagement: Digital Industry Networks

Contents


Dominance of the customer

Change is rampant and disruptive

Organizations must transform

Strategists must grasp modern business

Organizations are seeking competitive advantage via:

The Era of Digital Business


Agility

Insight

Practices


Fundamental Change in Buying Cycle = Threat + Opportunity



1:1 Digital Engagement

Fundamental Change in Buying Cycle = Threat + Opportunity

Businesses proactively seeking competitive advantageKeys =

Mindshare + Credibility


Buyer Self-Service, Research, Diagnosis,

Consideration, Collaboration, Short Listing


Buyers are hungry for credible information

85% of B2B buyers rely on social channels

Let’s engage those buyers, but in an agile way that delivers first mover advantage

Change = Opportunity for Agile Business


Within your industry, identify high value trending

topics that pose a significant threat or

opportunity to your target market.

Now develop and launch a

Digital Industry

Network


Full Service Vendor Communities

Customer/Product/Community Focused

e.g. VMware, SAP, ProjectManager.com

Integrates Social/Website/Content

Registration (mostly closed)

Years to build

500,000+ members

Purpose: Education, Jobs, Thought

Leadership, Lead Generation, Support

--- Spectrum of B2B Target Market Networks and Communities ---

Industry Conversation Groups

Specific Topic Focus

Based on News, Event or Skill

Mainly Social Based

Peer Networking, Closed or Open

Days and Weeks to Build

100 to 1,000 members

Purpose: Networking, Thought

Leadership, Jobs, Lead Origination

Industry Segment Networks

Segment or Role Focused

e.g. IQPC, Oil and Gas IQ


Run by Associations/Publishers …

Month to Years to Build

1,000 to 500,000 members

Purpose: Networking, Education, Jobs,

Thought Leadership, Lead Generation

Agile, Finite Long Term Investment

What Kind of Networks are There?



Full Service Vendor Communities

Customer/Product/Community Focused

e.g. VMware, SAP, ProjectManager.com


Registration (mostly closed)

Years to build

500,000+ members

Purpose: Consideration, Jobs, Thought

Leadership, Lead Generation, Support

--- Spectrum of B2B Target Market Networks and Communities ---

Industry Conversation Groups

Specific Topic Focus

Based on News, Event or Skill

Mainly Social Based

Peer Networking, Closed or Open

Days and Weeks to Build

100 to 1,000 members

Purpose: Networking, Thought


Industry Segment Networks

Segment or Role Focused

e.g. IQPC, Oil and Gas IQ


Run by Associations/Publishers …

Month to Years to Build

1,000 to 500,000 members

Purpose: Networking, Education, Jobs,


Agile, Finite Long Term Investment

What Type of Network is a Digital Industry Network?

Digital Industry Network

3. Introducing the D.I.N.


Introducing the Digital Industry Network (D.I.N.)


Sample Digital Industry NetworkTOPIC = “Understanding POS Data Vulnerabilities”

100 - 50,000 targeted

professionals who have

been invited to each

network component

Twitter

FeedDedicated

Blog

Conversation Zone

Conversation

ContentAlerts

Network

Evangelist

Email Alerts

Online B2B Universe

Participants:

Profiled

Targeted

Invited

Definition: “…a D.I.N. is a rapidly

developed specialist networking

community based on social and

owned channels where a highly

targeted group of professionals

can engage with SMEs, thought

leaders and peers around a high

value trending industry topic.”

Multi-Channel

Open or Closed

Permission Based

100% Non Promotional

First-to-market movers attract critical early thought leader and share-of-voice advantage. Agility is key.

Peers + SMEs

Developed in 4 weeks


Evolving the Digital Industry Network beyond Conversation

Sample Digital Industry NetworkTOPIC = “Understanding POS Data Vulnerabilities”

100 - 50,000 targeted

professionals who have

been invited to each

network component

Twitter

FeedDedicated

Blog

Conversation Zone

Conversation

ContentAlerts

Network

Evangelist

Email Alerts

Online B2B Universe

Participants:

Profiled

Targeted

Invited

Microsite or

Web portal

Free/Gated

Content

Newsletter

Forum

Corporate‘Owned’

Assets

Self Service Research

Benefits: Networking, Thought


Networking, Education, Consideration,




Online Community Success Stories

Created a community of 500,000

project managers since 2008

• No paid marketing

• All about content

and community

• #1 in market after

12 months

• Deloitte “Fast 50”



Online Community Success Stories

SAP and VMware’s Communities

have over 2,000,000 members!

• No paid marketing

• All about content

and community

• #1 in market after

12 months

• Deloitte “Fast 50”



The People

The Anatomy of a Digital Industry Network

The Channels

D.I.N. Evangelist

D.I.N. Participants

D.I.N. Key Influencers• SMEs / Bloggers• Thought Leaders

The Conversations

The Outcomes

The Content

The Objective



Rationale for D.I.N. Participants?

Trigger

Fulfillment


Peer interaction can offer insight along entire journey


Rationale for D.I.N. Participants?

Forrester survey: 1,001 B2B technology decision makers in NA and Europe

Survey: Which factors most influence your decision to join or participate in a

community for work purposes?



Benefits for D.I.N. Creators/Owners?Fill the funnel with fast-moving high-

quality + motivated prospects Branding / Awareness

Thought Leadership / Credibility

Demand Creation

Nurturing / Qualification

Other? (e.g. Loyalty, Requirements

Gathering, Sales/Market Intelligence)

Metrics to Measure Value

― Cost of DIN vs Business Impact (RODI)

― Lead Quality? Velocity / Conversion

― Reach / SOV / SEO / Activity / Database


Source: Sirius Decisions


For Funnel Enthusiasts!

+D.I.N.Sourced

35

5.3

4.6

3.2

15%

86%

69%

31%

Inquiries

MQLs

SQLs

Opps

Closed



D.I.N. Framework and Methodology

4. D.I.N. Framework and Methodology

Framework

Methodology

1. D.I.N. = High value and trusted resource

2. Focused and impactful subject matter

3. Rapid design, launch and growth

4. Highly targeted and quality participants

5. Subtlety controlled content/conversation

6. Avoid self serving ‘vendor activity’

7. Subtle conversion/qualification mechanisms

8. Ethical, respectful and professional

9. Permission based

10. Repeatable + scalable framework and

methodology

D.I.N. Design Success Drivers:


Digital Industry Networks Framework - Context


Topic and Focus:Identify a specific high value trending or emerging topic within your target market(s). Are

there any ‘competitive’ topics or conversation groups?

Attention:Would this topic attract immediate attention of target audience. Test sample topics.

Impact: What is the business upside and downside to acting or not acting on this topic.

Alignment: Is the solution space in the sweet spot for your organization? Determine lifespan of D.I.N.


Digital Industry Networks Framework - Community


Channel Composition: Select configuration of social, professional and owned channels to drive the network. Search?

Credible Evangelist:Ensure the evangelist profile is attractive and magnetic to the target audience. Ghost needed?

Credible SMEs and Thought Leaders: Ensure the selected influencers are of sufficient value to this audience, in profile and activity.

Community Profile and Size:Determine the ideal profile and number of professionals needed to derive networking value.


Digital Industry Networks Framework - Cadence


Frequency of Activity:Create a baseline for network activity, to engage not spam audience. Include content assets.

Conversation Topics: Create a matrix of conversation types/topics based on buyer’s journey, and qualification criteria.

Content Types and Formats:Create a matrix of non-promotional content assets that aligns with topic and buyer’s journey.

Conversion Mechanisms: Consider credible conversion options throughout all touch points across all channels.


Digital Industry Networks Framework - Agility


Methodology:Ensure all project members are trained on the DIN methodology and timeline expectation.

Initial Rapid Growth: Ensure sufficient owned databases, networks and LinkedIn invites will hit initial targets.

Ongoing Growth:Allocate resources to enable weekly growth targets. Use: LinkedIn invites, paid ads, partners.

Actionable Content: Create stream of fresh non promotional content with subtle next steps for funnel progression.


Insight Design Prepare Launch

Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4

Obj

ectiv

es /

KP

Is Manage +

Grow

The One Month D.I.N. Development Methodology

1. Primary objective / purpose for DIN

2. Secondary objectives

3. Success measurese.g. strategic = market segment share, impact on revenue

e.g. tactical = reach, share of voice, engagement, SEO rank, # inquiries, quality (velocity, %s)






1. Context: Identify a trending or emerging topic in your target market(s)

2. Value: Create a unique position, title and value proposition for this Digital Industry Network

3. Targets: Identify most impacted role for this topic, create persona and online preferences

4. Journey: Create a buyer journey, with triggers, for this persona and this topic

5. Evangelist: Identify suitable evangelist who would credibly attract targeted professionals

6. Influencers: Identify subject matter experts and industry thought leaders to approach

Obj

ectiv

es /

KP

Is Manage +

Grow





1. Community: Design the community of evangelist / SMEs / thought leaders, and profiled audience

2. Channels: Design combination of social and corporate channels for this D.I.N.

3. Content: Create matrix of conversation topics and content types along journey for this topic

4. Calendar: Determine cadence for topic, and frequency of conversations / alerts / content

5. Social Assets: Create accounts, groups and profiles for LinkedIn, Twitter, Google+, email etc

6. Growth: Select growth vehicles and sources for target audience. Identify any paid sources.

Obj

ectiv

es /

KP

Is Manage +

Grow






1. Audience: Prepare email list of targets from existing databases or owned networks

Prepare LinkedIn filter to identify targets for ‘connection’

Prepare invitation sequence (e.g. direct LinkedIn, automated track, SME invite)

2. Content: From identified content topics/types, create/repurpose initial ‘foundational’ pieces:

Ideally 1 industry report/survey, 1 curated list of top 10 news articles, 2-3 pre-written

blogs, 1 on-topic video/audio conversation, 1 on-topic Slideshare, 1 infographic, 1 ‘risk tool’

Obj

ectiv

es /

KP

Is Manage +

Grow






1. Step 1 Invite: Invite any new LinkedIn contacts to connect with evangelist LinkedIn profile

2. Step 2 Invite: Use email addresses to multi-invite into Group/Forum, Twitter, email alert, blog etc

3. Content: Execute welcome conversation starter, Tweet, Alert, etc. Enable share features.

4. Influencers: Change control of Group/Forum to allow influencers to authorize posts

5. Growth: If penetration of your D.I.N. audience is low, continue to ‘Step 1’ and ‘Step 2’ invite

6. Manage and Grow! Review KPIs weekly, optimize content/conversation, revise quickly – be agile.

Obj

ectiv

es /

KP

Is Manage +

Grow




Buyers look to their peers and social networks when seeking an opinion regarding

a B2B purchasing decision.

Leverage a high-impact fast-trending industry topic to drive the D.I.N.

D.I.N.s do not happen organically. They need to be planned, designed, launched,

managed and nurtured.

Leverage relevant industry influencers to expand reach and impact.

D.I.N.s allow organizations to reduce and divert budget away from telemarketing,

advertising and other promotional activities to the more compelling ROI of

nurturing business from high value custom target market networks.

D.I.N.s should become mandatory investments of modern business.

Conclusions

5. Conclusions


Enterprise: Layer D.I.N.s on top of existing social assets and online communities.

Applicability for Enterprises vs High Growth Organizations?

High-Growth Agile Organizations:

Leverage D.I.N. methodology to create

target market communities for all

product and service offerings.

5. Conclusions


Many Thanks for your Time Today

Andy McCartneyhttps://www.linkedin.com/in/andymccartney

https://www.linkedin.com/in/andymccartney

agile marketing engagement strategies - digital industry networks

Marketing

digital industry network2015

lead generation agile

digital industry network

role focusede

agile way

agile business2

b2b buyers

era of digital business