emakina academy #11 : join2grow, the network for european entrepreneurs

Actively engaging the European entrepreneur

Benoit de Bellefroid Project Manager

Emakina

Viewing Listening Reading Passing

Using Trialling Experiencing Playing

Passively

Absorbing

Actively

Engaging

Then Now

Consumers have taken control

Communication trends

• Sociability and interaction with friends is part of everyday life

• Sharing our experiences and discussing with people all around the world gives us an appetite for life

• The internet now allows for the creation of on-line virtual communities that both individuals and huge corporations have embraced

Implications for the advertiser

•  Get consumers involved in the brand, create content for them, based on the brand’s core principles:

•  Establishing dialogue  Getting them engaged  Finding out what they think  Building a community

•  This is always about creating something new  A community  An event  A media channel

•  Digital interactive channels are brilliant tools to drive this kind of communication

The role of networks for entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs may be the captain of the ship, but they still need contact with others. Hence the importance of networks.

 “The most useful information I get comes from the network of entrepreneurs I am part of”

 “It is reassuring to work with someone who is known, who you’ve heard about”

Their suppliers must also be part of these networks. If they cannot move in these circles, how can they be a partner?

Source: MEC Medialab entrepreneurial spirit - Fortis Research

Join2grow.biz: starting principles

Target group  Entrepreneurs active in Europe, wealthy owners of private-owned companies.  Focus on 6 European countries: Benelux, France, Spain, Italy.

Objectives  Create both an innovative internet concept (image tool) supporting the Fortis ‘image to

‘getting you there’.

 Create an on-line platform for European entrepreneurs where they can form a community where they can interact and exchange ideas with peers

 Generate qualified leads (marketing tool) throughout the community members, which can be used in targeted marketing campaigns as well as profiling and consumer insights

 No push of the Fortis image, positioning or service offering (no ‘cannibalism’ with other Fortis sites)

Main site sections

1. Survey 2. Magazine 3. Network 4. Forum (Oct ’07) 5. Chat (July ’07)

1. 2.

3. 4. 5.

Survey section

Fortis Entrepreneurs Survey 2007: Who are today’s European entrepreneurs?

Engaging the CEO: How do you catch the attention of a CEO?

Magazine section: interviews

Network section: member profile

Forum section

Members can interact with each other on 1.  Business 2.  Leisure 3.  Announcements 4.  Join2Grow 1.

2.

3.

4.

Chat section

Members can choose to:

1.  Visit the chat room (invite a member) 2.  Join a video chat conference at specific times

(announced on the home page) 3.  Visit the video conference archives

1.

2.

3.

Chat session examples

Join2grow launching campaign: 360o mix

•  Intranet •  Client brochure Fortis Survey 2007 •  Press brochure Fortis Survey 2007

•  Direct mailing E-files •  Commercial brochures

Inform & organize Support action

Consolidate brand Strenghten relation

Advertising campaign

  Print media from Feb.2 until April 23th   Online media from Feb 15 until April 27th

Internet   Banners J2G since January 29th on:

Fortis.com / fortis.be / fortisbusiness.com / fortis.privatebanking.com

join2grow.biz experience

PR 2.0 effort

•  Press conference 31/1 •  Press release •  Local press coverage •  Buzz in the blogosphere

Feeding the buzz through PR 2.0 (1)

•  In addition to the traditional “Above The Line” campaign, Emakina also developed and managed the PR strategy to promote the launch of Join2Grow

•  Primary target: business and tech-related media

•  ROI: 21.000 euro in media value + benefit for the Fortis as a “top of mind” brand for entrepreneurs looking for a financial partner

Feeding the buzz through PR 2.0 (2)

De Tijd

Feeding the buzz through PR 2.0 (3)

L’Echo

Feeding the buzz through PR 2.0 (4)

IT Professional

Feeding the buzz through PR 2.0 (5)

Le Soir

Feeding the buzz through PR 2.0 (6)

Banking & Finance

Feeding the buzz through PR 2.0 (7)

Trends

Feeding the buzz through PR 2.0 (8)

•  This PR effort on mainstream media is supported by a permanent buzz in social media: Emakina and Fortis regularly invite well-known business and tech bloggers as the special guests of live chat sessions hosted on Join2Grow.

•  A few examples...

International Awards

•  Bronze Award - B2B category, Horizon Interactive Awards 2008

•  Best in Class - B2B category, Interactive Media Awards 2008

•  European Cyber Cristal of the Financial Website, Méribel Ad Fest 2008

•  Bronze Award - Web 2.0 category, CMS Awards 2007

•  B2B Standard of Excellence, WebAward 2007

•  Online Community Standard of Excellence, WebAward 2007

Network profile

Country origin: initially targeted countries take up 74% of total members

 France = top 1 members (19,5%)  Benelux = 32% of total members  Italy (13,82%) and Spain (9,19%) well represented  UK (6,73%) reasonably represented

Age: the site seems to attract the right age profile

 61% is between 30 to 50, the professionally most active age,  10% is above 50 years old  Young professionals (under 30 years) make up nearly 30% of all site members,

indicating that starting professionals are also interested in joining the site

Thank you!

Any question?