OK marketer, put yourself in these shoes (they’re more like boots actually). Your state government is facing massive budget shortfalls. Teachers are being laid off. Draconian cuts to vital public services are being announced left and right. And amid this tumult, you are the one tasked with using your marketing prowess to stave off disaster itself. The above paragraph probably makes you feel better about your own challenges, but think for a second…given the above situation…and very little resources…what would you do? Social media marketing for a social cause At the end of May 2009, the California State Parks Foundation (CSPF) found itself in this very position after learning about massive cuts in state funding that threatened to close 220 California state parks. In response, this nonprofit organization quickly launched a multichannel effort with its agency, Adams Hussey & Associates, that included direct mail, telemarketing, email, and social networking. I want to focus on that last part for this blog post. Because what amazed (and impressed) me the most was that CSPF used Facebook to shape the larger conversation about this topic. Before I get to that, let’s look at how CSPF used Facebook. They optimized their existing Facebook fan page to promote awareness, discussion, and (hopefully) attract new activists and members. “Find us on Facebook” language and graphics were featured in every email and all over the site. The “Friend Get a Friend” campaign launched on Tuesday, May 26, on Facebook via an update to 517 fans – “This year’s cuts are ten times as bad, so we need ten times the fans on Facebook.” The update explained to recipients the imminent threat parks were facing and set a deadline and a goal – 5,000 fans by Friday (May 29). The second Facebook update was sent on Monday, June 1 at 12:12 p.m. PST, stressing a 24-hour deadline and asking for fans and petition signatures. The California budget committee was scheduled to meet on June 2, so media coverage was at its height. The Facebook factor shapes the conversation “The California State Parks Foundation, the lead public organization advocating keeping the parks open, had its fan base on Facebook increase from 500 to 33,000 in the past two weeks, reports Jerry Emory of the Foundation.” – Tom Stienstra, San Francisco Chronicle , Sunday, June 21, 2009 Now this next part is truly impressive. With just two updates on Facebook (and in all fairness very smart cross-promotion through other channels), CSPF created a proof point for keeping the parks open, helping them meet their “promote awareness” goal. That’s right, the Facebook campaign itself actually entered the public debate. The massive growth of this fan page caught the media’s attention and was mentioned on several TV news spots and in national news articles. They took advantage of a timely and newsworthy story (the California budget cuts were all over the news on- and offline) and created a talking point to meet their communications goals (several news oulets mentioned the Facebook growth as evidence of a grassroots swell). As mentioned in the beginning of this post, raising awareness wasn’t their only goal. So let’s take a look at some of the other success metrics. Those two simple Facebook updates (aided by the cross-channel campaign) have helped raise several hundred thousand dollars in nonmember, one-time gifts. In addition, CSPF more than tripled the size of its email list and acquired many new activists that are being converted to donors online and via the telephone. CSPF is routinely using social media now. A subsequent Facebook and Twitter promotion gained 285 new members in four days, and their Facebook page has now grown to 54,000 fans. Other success metrics were a little harder to meet. While California’s budget that was passed at the end of July 2009 did not close the originally proposed 220 parks, budget cuts forced nearly 150 to partially close or reduce services. What you can learn from this case study Nonprofit organizations are a natural fit for social media campaigns. People (who believe in your cause) want to help, often don’t want to expend much time or money, and want to look good to their friends, family, and social network. A social media campaign lies at the nexus of these three motivations. And, most importantly, it gives your fans an easy way to act. Of course, the benefit isn’t limited to for-profit corporations. To wit, the Pepsi Refresh Project uses social media to leverage those same motivations. And this isn’t just a side project for Pepsi. They made a strategic decision to use a social media activism campaign as their main 2010 marketing push…instead of the Super Bowl. This is the first time in 23 years that Pepsi has not advertising during the Super Bowl. So what can you learn from CSPF? When creating a social media campaign, keep a few important principles in mind: A tight deadline always spurs action online. When supporters can get instant feedback on the effects of their efforts (seeing fan numbers grow) it makes them even more motivated. The best campaigns cross pollinate. CSPF didn’t just use Facebook. It also used direct mail, telemarketing, and email in a tightly integrated fashion, including a custom URL for the Facebook fan page. Even better, add other social networking platforms to the mix, such as Twitter. Be clear. While social media has grown explosively, not everyone you reach will be clear on every convention of every social media platform (which are constantly subject to change). As opposed to showing first-time Facebook fan page visitors the default “Wall” tab (which has no clear call to action), CSPF created a pseudo “New Fan” landing page that included three simple buttons: “Click ‘Become a Fan’ above to join the conversion!” (Please note, as of last month, Facebook replaced its “Become a fan” terminology with the “Like” button) “Join CSPF” “Take Action” Institute back-end tracking on clicks and conversions to determine where supporters are coming from (this is one thing CSPF would do differently next time). Mapping an effective media strategy I found this case study while perusing an early draft of an upcoming book from MarketingSherpa. To read the entire case study, along with ten other case studies from leading companies and 27 real-world examples of what works, order your copy of the soon-to-be released Social Marketing ROAD Map Handbook: A method for mapping an effective social media strategy . If you do so by May 28th, you’ll save $100 and get a free bonus gift. I want to thank Lead Author Sergio Balegno for letting me take an early look at his research, even though he was still editing it as I poked around. And full disclosure: While Sergio and I are not related, MarketingExperiments and MarketingSherpa are sister companies. Related Resources The MarketingExperiments Quarterly Research Journal, Q1 2010 (Social Media Marketing begins on page 51) Social Media Marketing in Four Steps Facebook and Omniture: A welcome step in social media measurement Please Be My Friend: Taking the first step beyond just being on Facebook Develop Your Social Marketing ROAD Map Strategy
This post is part of Mashable’s Spark of Genius series, which highlights a unique feature of startups. If you would like to have your startup considered for inclusion, please see the details here . The series is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark. Name: Quirky Quick Pitch: Quirky is a social product development company founded in June 2009 by 23-year-old entrepreneur Ben Kaufman. Genius Idea: At its core, Quirky builds consumer products. It sells cable organizers , a modular spatula system , and double-sided USB sticks . It’s how they create and develop their products that really makes them stand out, though. Quirky describes itself as a “social product development company.” It essentially crowdsources product ideas and then places them at the mercy of Quirky’s thousands of users. The community votes on which ones they want to develop and then adds its input on things such as product aesthetics, design, logo, and even its name. The best ideas are then taken by Quirky’s team of engineers and designers and turned into 3D renderings. The next step is the most important one: the product is then placed on pre-sale, where anyone can buy the product. However, Quirky will only sell something if it hits a minimum number of sale commitments (usually under a thousand). Once that number is reached, the product is made and person who submitted the original idea gets a piece of the revenue pie. There are a few things to know before you go off designing tons of products for Quirky. First, it costs $99 to submit an idea. Second, even if your product is selected by the community, it doesn’t mean it will become a major hit. Finally, many products on Quirky still have yet to hit their minimum purchase requirement, and some of the products on sale on the site aren’t cheap. In the end though, we believe that Quirky is a killer tool for both entrepreneurs without the means to bring an idea into production and for geeks looking to buy useful — if not odd — products. The best ideas find their way to the top and are vetted by the community, which brings multiple perspectives and opinions to a product’s development. Quirky was founded by Ben Kaufman, who is the creator of Mophie , the popular iPhone and iPod accessory company, so it has some serious brainpower behind the company. You can learn more about the Quirky process here . Sponsored by Microsoft BizSpark BizSpark is a startup program that gives you three-year access to the latest Microsoft development tools, as well as connecting you to a nationwide network of investors and incubators. There are no upfront costs, so if your business is privately owned, less than three years old, and generates less than U.S.$1 million in annual revenue, you can sign up today . Entrepreneurs can take advantage of the Azure Services platform for their website hosting and storage needs. Microsoft recently announced the “new CloudApp()” contest – use the Azure Services Platform for hosting your .NET or PHP app, and you could be the lucky winner of a USD 5000* ( please see website for official rules and guidelines ).” For more technology coverage, follow Mashable Tech on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook Reviews: Facebook , PHP , Twitter Tags: bizspark , Crowdsource , Product Design , Quirky , shopping
Nicht nur der in den USA zum 6. April eingeführte, globale iPhone/iPad-Wahlschalter ist jetzt auch im Deutschen AppStore angekommen, auch bei den bislang als “Kostenlos” bezeichneten AppStore-Downloads hat sich eine Kleinigkeit geändert: Der Button zum Download ist nun AppStore-weit mit “Gratis” betitelt. Ansonsten bleibt alles beim Alten. Wir bedanken uns bei Florian, Pascal und Franz Weiterlesen…
Telegraph.co.uk Meet Andy Lees, The Man In Charge Of Saving Microsoft (MSFT, AAPL, GOOG) San Francisco Chronicle Yes, it has projects in the pipeline, but it's losing share today to Google and Apple . As Google and Apple's mobile operating systems grow, they present the … Microsoft top entertainment executives step down USA Today Report: Microsoft to restructure consumer unit CNET Who will be Microsoft's next 'boy genius'? ZDNet (blog) GameSpot
USA Today Change management app helps firms with marketing Cincinnati Business Courier (blog) When Kate Nelson first got her Apple iPhone, she noticed that more than a million apps were available — but none related to organizational change … TRIPADVISOR UNVEILS NEW IPHONE APP TO GIVE CONSUMERS TRUSTED TRAVEL ADVICE ON … PR Newswire (press release) An app for that Local mobile software runs gamut from health to religion Fort Worth Business Press all 59 news articles
Sometimes flinging a virtual cupcake at a Facebook friend just isn’t enough. As you may know, Facebook has offered the option of purchasing real gifts since last summer. A big pro here is that you don’t need to know the person’s address to send them a physical gift. And like the Twitter gifting services we recently rounded up, the service makes it easy to integrate birthday, anniversary, and holiday shopping right into your favorite social network. Take a look at our quick how-to guide below, and if Facebook’s in-house offering doesn’t quite do it for you, check out the three alternatives we’ve also detailed. Buy Facebook Credits First things first: You need to get yourself some legal Facebook currency in the form of “ Facebook credits .” You can purchase this virtual currency by going to the “Payments” tab in “My Account.” Options to pay include Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover or JCB credit cards, PayPal or via cell phone. At the moment, one credit equals 10 cents, so you can buy 50 for $5, 100 for $10 and 200 for $20. Head to the Gift Shop Once your virtual wallet is full of money, head over to the Facebook store where you are presented with the options of “Music and MP3s,” “Virtual Gifts,” “Charity,” “E-Cards,” “Sports,” and of course, “Real Gifts.” Enter the name of the person you want to send the gift to and you can then choose from toys, flowers, candy, baked goodies from Mrs. Fields, various items of jewelery, some smaller consumer electronic items, Fandango movie tickets, and our favorite — all sorts of geeky products from ThinkGeek . A nice touch is the ability to choose the delivery date. If you’re super organized and know your Facebook friend has a birthday coming up in the next few weeks, you can get the gifting sorted ahead of time. If you do know the address of the person you want the item sent to, you can add it. But the system works on the basis of the giftee confirming a delivery address once they get the wall notification (with a message personalized from you) that you want to post them a present. And that’s it folks. And by the way, if the person refuses your gift for any reason, then the order will be canceled and Facebook will refund your credits — but not your feelings. 3 Alternative Services 1. DashGift This Boston-based startup offers a limited service at the moment, but is certainly one to watch if they manage to sign up more partners. The premise is quite simple: You post a gift on your friend’s wall via the Facebook app. Your friend hits a link to get a DashCode and then goes to the local store/venue to redeem it for the item. At the moment, some elements of the service are limited to the Boston area, such as SWEET cupcakes, a beer voucher for Tommy Doyle’s Bar, and Finale Desserts. But Fandango movie tickets and the $10 global giving donation are open to all users. Expansion into other local areas is planned this summer, so be sure to bookmark this app. 2. Friendgiftr Friendgiftr has had no trouble signing up partners. Its social gift card service currently works with around 150 companies, many of which are major names. You can buy a gift card from any of the stores and present it to a friend on Facebook. Your friend can then either shop online with a card code, request a hard copy version to be mailed to them, or — and this bit is cunning — swap the card for one from another retailer. So if you send someone a Lands’ End gift card, but they’re really more of an L.L. Bean kinda guy, they can do a switcheroo without you ever knowing. 3. ParcelGenie ParcelGenie is a fantastic resource for small, affordable and fun gifts, such as candy, buttons, key rings and the like. Via the Facebook app, you can chose a gift, select a friend to send it to, and personalize a message that will be posted on their Facebook wall, after which they need to let ParcelGenie know where to mail the item. The app cleverly displays Facebook friends’ upcoming birthdays, so you may end up sending more than you expected to. For more social media coverage, follow Mashable Social Media on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook More Facebook resources from Mashable – 5 Essential Facebook Privacy Tips – HOW TO: Find Long Lost Friends on Facebook – HOW TO: Disable Facebook’s “Instant Personalization” [PRIVACY] – 5 Tips for Creating the Perfect Profile Pic – 5 Ways Facebook Changed Dating (For the Worse) Image courtesy of iStockphoto , kutaytanir Tags: DashGift , facebook , friendgiftr , Gifts , how to , List , Lists , parcelgenie
America's Cleaning Icon Launches Integrated Marketing Campaign PR-USA.net (press release) Public Relations & Earned Media : All efforts of the integrated plan — including new product introductions, activating social media discussions, … and more
Australia’s communications minister Stephen Conroy isn’t happy with Google’s latest privacy blunders. He called Google’s privacy policy “a bit creepy;” specifically, he said that the recent incident, where Google was caught collecting private wireless data, was the “single greatest breach in the history of privacy.” Google has apologized for collecting WiFi data from private households, and deleted all the data in its posession. Furthermore, Google claims that the entire incident was a mistake. “In 2006 an engineer working on an experimental WiFi project wrote a piece of code that sampled all categories of publicly broadcast WiFi data. A year later, when our mobile team started a project to collect basic WiFi network data like SSID information and MAC addresses using Google’s Street View cars, they included that code in their software—although the project leaders did not want, and had no intention of using, payload data,” Google wrote in a blog post . Stephen Conroy doesn’t buy that explanation. “It was actually quite deliberate… The computer program that collected it was designed to collect this information,” he said. Conroy’s accusations stem from the fact that Google criticized Australian Government’s plan, spearheaded by Conroy, to apply a nation-wide Internet filter . “They consider that they are the appropriate people to make the decisions about people’s privacy data,” Conroy said, adding a jab or two at everyone’s favorite target when it comes to privacy issues, Facebook and Mark Zuckerberg. Facebook, Conroy said, is “corporate giant who is answerable to no one and motivated solely by profit”. It’s true; handling over our privacy to private corporations, primarily motivated by profit, is dangerous. However, who can say that governments are any better than private corporations? One needn’t look further than China, whose policy of censoring Internet content created a rift between Google and the world’s most populous country. While governments and big corporations fight for the right to “protect” people’s privacy, for the rest of us it feels like being between a rock and a hard place. Images courtesy of iStockphoto , gulfix For more technology coverage, follow Mashable Tech on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook Reviews: Facebook , Google , Internet , Twitter , iStockphoto Tags: australia , Google , privacy
A newly leaked store ad has landed online showing the T-Mobile Garminfone arriving just a few days from now. Dropping June 2nd, the GPS-heavy handset is expected to retail for $199.99 for new customers who sign a 2-year service agreement. Of course those of you eligible for upgrade discounts can also take advantage of the same pricing. Looking to buy one outright so you can avoid that pesky contract? Get ready to fork over $599.99 for one. Yeah, that’s right. Six hundred bucks . Might We Suggest… T-Mobile USA to Offer Garminfone in Exclusive Deal T-Mobile USA, Inc has officially announced another Android handset exclusive today with the upcoming Garminfone. Touted as the “first Android-powered smart phone fully integrated with Garmin’s premiu…
Twitter Usage ScribeMedia.org Finally, Toby Bloomberg, of Bloomberg Marketing and the Diva Marketing Blog used Twitter in a wholly different way, when she shifted all interviews she …
