tech marketing

Tech Marketing in a RecessionWomen Who Tech TeleSummit

May 12, 2009

Need Help? Press *7 to un-mute phone lines

or call ReadyTalk Support at 1-800-843-9166

Jennifer Kutz, Vantage Communications

Hilary Zwerdling, M+R Strategic Services

Fran Bosecker, Vantage Communications

www.WomenWhoTech.com

May 12, 2009

Women Who Tech TeleSummit

“Tech Marketing Through Social Media”

Jennifer Kutz,Vantage Communications

p. 3©2007 Vantage Communications. Confidential and Proprietary.

SOCIAL MEDIA

Why now?

What about the RISK?

What is it?

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• A social networking and micro-blogging service

• Add a VOICE to your business

• Tracking and responding to conversations

• Who to follow?

• Twitter for PR

• How to get followers?

• Examples of businesses using Twitter:

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•The ultimate social network

•Your profile – TOO personal?

•Security concerns

•Who to friend?

•What do I DO?

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•Fan Page

•Engage and suggest

•Integrate, integrate, integrate!

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Online Video

• But I’m not a producer!

• What to film?

• How do we get viewers?

• Benefits :

•Build a loyal following

•Make a bigger impact

•More capability for creativity

•Produce a visual to see how a product works

•Engage on a new level

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Social News & Social Bookmarking Sites

•What the heck is a social bookmark?

•Promote news and bolster PR efforts

•Get noticed!

•Create a unique channel and add value

p. 9©2007 Vantage Communications. Confidential and Proprietary.

Social Media Monitoring

• The tracking of user-generated content like blogs, micro-blogs, social networking sites, forums, videos, photos, and message boards

• How to leverage?

• Respond to and join conversations

• Assign specific metrics and ROI to social media efforts

• Clarify who the top influencers are in industry (i.e., editors, bloggers)

• Listen to and learn about customers

• Watch and compare competitive brands

p. 10©2007 Vantage Communications. Confidential and Proprietary.

Blogger Relations

• The key is relationship-building

• How to leverage?

•Take part in conversations already happening

•Regularly communicate with key bloggers

•Reinforce PR efforts

•Utilize BackType- who comments?

•What to say?

•Maximize buzz!

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Blog Creation

•What makes a great post?

•Be an expert

•Incorporate SEO

•Engage with readers

•Who owns?

•How to promote

•Google analytics

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Now what?

•What are your assets?

•Experiment and play

•Get savvy with the tools

•Seek out successful social media brands or campaigns

•Have FUN!

For more info, contact:info@pr-vantage.comCheck out our blog at

http://blog.pr-vantage.com or follow me on Twitter

@jenniferkutz

Tech Marketing in a Recession

(what non-profits are doing)

Presented by

Hilary Zwerdling

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Marketing on Social Networks

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Twitter

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Twitter

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Search Engine Optimization

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Search Engine Optimization

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Apply for a Google Grant!!

Google.com/grants

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Marketing to your subscribers

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First things first: Track your performance!

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Articulate your test

• What am I testing?

• How am I measuring my results?

• Is my sample size sufficient?

• What will impact my test?

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Getting Meaningful Results

• Google Optimizer – www. Google.com/websiteoptimizer

• Sample Sizeo Advocacy – minimum 20,000 for response rate

o Fundraising – minimum 40,000 for response rate

• Results significant?o Online calculator: http://www.prconline.com/education/tools/statsignificance/index.asp

• Testing strategy – go big on sample size

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Now: Test it!

How will I know if I’m successful?

• Your own data

• http://www.e-

benchmarksstudy.com/ (2009 to be released on THURSDAY!!!)

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Pop test!

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This image makes me want to:

A. Go bury my 401(k) in the backyard

B. Go bury myself in Hulu

C.Make an online donation!

Pop test!

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How I learned to stop worrying and beat the recession. (For now.)

November, 2008:• AIG bailout• Circuit City goes under• Unemployment: 14-year high• Oxfam: early-bird appeal tanked by 50%• We had just 45 days to turn it all around

In the end, we increased giving by $200,000 and 3500 donations. How’d we do it?

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Oxfam’s EOY fundraising

• Focused on one crisis• Made the most of our emails

• Big, public goal• Added 2 appeals to the series

• Optimized landing pages• Put up a powerful video• Built a better donation form

• Targeted language by donor segment • Pimped the homepage• Facebook and MySpace

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Case Study: Oxfam

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Case Study: Oxfam

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What this all means

• Roll up your sleeves & start thinking creatively NOW

• Make an online video

• Timing: urgency, deadline, moments, lightbox

• Consider (carefully) adding appeals

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Questions?

Hilary Zwerdling

M+R Strategic Services

hzwerdling@mrss.com

www.mrss.com

May 12, 2009

Women Who Tech TeleSummit

“Traditional PR – On a Budget”

Fran Bosecker,Vantage Communications

p. 38©2007 Vantage Communications. Confidential and Proprietary.

Marketing During Tougher Times

• Visibility and continued brand awareness a MUST

• Customers will go elsewhere

• Silence is not an option

• Tough times could mean others are silent

• Stick with your differentiators/value add

• Strategic Positioning

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p. 39©2007 Vantage Communications. Confidential and Proprietary.

PR/Marketing Basics

Company Website:• Updates• News Section• New content/materials such as a case study/application

Generating News: Press Release Announcements• New Products/Applications• New Customers• New Programs• Once a month Press Release Sources (Free)• PitchEngine (http://www.pitchengine.com/index.php• PRCompass (www.prcompass.com)• Pr-inside (www.pr-inside.com)• OpenPR (www.openpr.com)

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p. 40©2007 Vantage Communications. Confidential and Proprietary.

PR/Marketing Basics Cont.

Events:• Attend local events that don’t require travel• Many tradeshows provide free passes• No cost networking opportunity• Apply to speak at local events, many are still free• Free passes usually get you into the post-show parties as well

Thought Leadership:• Write a contributed article for publication• Comment on a tech article written by an editor• Follow the trends, tech news topics• Position your top-level talent• Develop tech papers, application notes• Repurpose content for maximum exposure

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p. 41©2007 Vantage Communications. Confidential and Proprietary.

Case in Point – eTelemetry

Built PR campaign around CBS broadcasting march madness on the Internet, and how companies can use product to stop employees

from watching it at work. Led to continued strong business and major national television coverage and led to eight customer leads.

2008 American Business Award Winner and 2008 Sabre Award Finalist for Best PR Campaign

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p. 42©2007 Vantage Communications. Confidential and Proprietary.

Case In Point – Blue Sky Network

When satellite communications provider, Blue Sky Network, wanted to maximize coverage for their sponsorship of Steve Fossett’s

record-breaking global flight, they called Vantage Communications

FEATURED COVERAGE WITHIN 48 HOURS IN THE FOLLOWING OUTLETS:FEATURED COVERAGE WITHIN 48 HOURS IN THE FOLLOWING OUTLETS:

Drove BSN web hits from 3,500 to up to 205,000 per day – a 5850% increaseDrove BSN web hits from 3,500 to up to 205,000 per day – a 5850% increase

Vantage Communications won the Gold Bulldog Reporter Award for Best Campaign Under $10,000 for this project. The Judging Criteria included creativity, originality, strategic brilliance, and results.

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Recent Awards for Clients

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Stick with the Dos and Not the Don’ts

• Don’t stop communications

• Don’t drop awareness

• Don’t let a competitor get the attention

• Don’t spend a lot of money

• Don’t forget your top/key contacts

• Remember it will get better and when it does…

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May 12, 2009

Women Who Tech TeleSummit