Audiences are now searching for purpose rather than a specific product or brand. People are asking questions using search engines before they commit to purchases and you need to appeal to these knowledge gaps. Content should be clear, useful and provide solutions. To help with making sure it’s serving its purpose, think of the 3 W’s (and an H) How, Why, When and Where – instead of just what.

Whenever someone asks a question that is relevant to your business or products make sure that you are generating content that can relate to their queries. The aim is to give your audience the help and advice that they are searching for and provide them with all the relevant information for them to make the right decision.

If someone is interested in the product or service you have to offer, they will go through several different touch points of interaction with your business including:

1. - Google search
2. - Your website
3. - Meeting with a sales representative
4. - Twitter
5. - LinkedIn
6. - Facebook

It is important that you think about how you can genuinely create something new and fresh at each stage of interaction that adds real value to your audience.

For example, Ideal Debt Solutions (IDS) appeal to the lifestyle their customers want: to save money but still enjoy life without spending a fortune. They write weekly blog posts on money savings tips and tricks and how to live for less. As a result each time their audience asks a question about how to save money they are offering help and advice which will draw in and engage potential and existing customers.

Successfully producing content that is relevant to your audience’s search habits and that answers their questions will help you engage with them and result in them spending more time on your website, they may view additional content and may be more likely to return. You have engaged with them by creating something that they have found interesting and valuable thus beginning the relationship which will eventually drive sales. Then all that’s left to do is nurture that relationship, by continuing to create useful content and keeping your audience engaged.

Find out how we can help you understand your prospects and customers in order to engage them and grow your business. Get in touch with us today; ask for Kirsty or Hannah @WhalePod.

A new client, Key Computers wanted to maximise a return on investment from exhibiting at Accountex; an exhibition for Accountancy firms a target sector for Key’s cloud server solutions.

Key had previously exhibited at this event, hence rebooking, but wanted to get more exposure for their investment.  With just a couple of weeks to go we quickly devised an integrated plan including:

 – Contacting relevant prospects to invite them to attend and meet Key at the exhibition

– Targeted emails to relevant audience re Accountex, hosted desktop and exhibition offer

– Promotion on Key web, social media platforms and Accountex media

– Developed limited time offer for exhibition

– Created, designed and printed bespoke communications for Accountancy firms with associated testimonials

– Sourced promotional support to boost sales team numbers on stand

– Branded promotional merchandise and giveaways

– Prepared follow-up telemarketing and email campaigns in advance ready to follow up leads after the event.

The results were increased exposure and an increase in leads generated. By ensuring we were targeted and used a mix of online and offline communications we boosted the effect of our marketing campaign.

]]> http://www.whalemarketing.co.uk/including-exhibitions-in-your-marketing-mix/feed/ 0 http://www.whalemarketing.co.uk/5-reasons-to-use-video-in-your-marketing-mix/ http://www.whalemarketing.co.uk/5-reasons-to-use-video-in-your-marketing-mix/#comments Thu, 09 Apr 2015 08:22:38 +0000 http://www.whalemarketing.co.uk/?p=2593 The use of videos in marketing has exploded over the past couple of years. By 2017, it is estimated that video will account for 69% of all consumer internet traffic (source: Cisco). Whether used for brand awareness, as part of a particular product campaign or in the form of ‘how to’ videos, the applications for video in marketing are virtually endless. Here are five reasons why we think videos are great.

They help to convey your brand messages.

As covered in our previous blog, a brand isn’t just a logo – it’s the experience a customer has at every touch point with a business. Video provides a great opportunity for businesses to portray what their business and their brand really stand for. Today we are constantly bombarded with marketing messages on a daily basis but video gives brands a platform to cut through the noise and tell their story. Nobody wants to read a bland company mission statement anymore – get creative and have some fun!

They put across your personality.
As above, video gives companies an opportunity to get their personality across in a way that is just not achievable through any other medium. For example, two years ago we were taken on by accountancy firm Stafford & Co to undertake a complete rebrand and help promote their business. As part of the process, we discussed video content; they had previously produced a corporate video that hadn’t made much of an impact. So we talked about creating a new style of ‘corporate video’ to help put across their brand personality in a fun, engaging way. We worked closely with a video specialist and the resulting video can be viewed below.

For what is often considered to be a fairly ‘dry’ industry, this humorous video really stands out and says something different about the firm and its people – therefore positioning them differently from their competitors. This video has resulted in excellent feedback from clients and helped Stafford & Co to achieve their aim of standing out in a crowded marketplace.

They’re good for search.
YouTube is the second largest search engine in the world and receives more than one billion unique visitors every month. Let’s not also forget that YouTube is owned by the planet’s biggest search engine – Google. This is no coincidence; videos started to be included as a ranking factor for SEO some five or so years ago. As part of Google’s aim to provide the best and most relevant content for users, it isn’t unusual for videos to appear in search listings. What’s more, research shows that 75% of people who view a video will go on to visit the brand website afterwards, thus creating real and tangible results.

You can provide information succinctly.
In this day and age, people are busy and simply don’t have the time to go digging around for information. If you work in a particularly technical field, it may be likely that you need to convey a lot of information to potential clients. Not everybody likes to read reams of text, however, and video therefore provides the ideal alternative. In fact, humans process visual information 60,000 times faster than text, so by providing videos for clients will help to make their life easier – something I’m sure they’ll appreciate! Some studies suggest that because of the speed in which information can be digested, along with all of the other visual cues conveyed about your brand in the process, the speed of purchasing decisions is increased on the back of watching a business’ video content.

They can generate a ‘buzz’ quickly and easily.
The very nature of videos and the platforms they sit upon make them easy to like, comment on and share. If you can create a video campaign that is either extremely useful or very funny, it is likely to be shared, thereby helping to raise brand awareness. A study by Axonn Research found seven in ten people view brands in a more positive light after watching interesting video content from them. So if you can get your video in front of more potential consumers, you’re almost certainly going to see the benefit.

Videos can be tricky things to master and achieving a professional production isn’t always as quick or low cost as other forms of marketing. However, when done right, they can be extremely effective and can be used for years to come. To discuss creating a video campaign to add to your marketing mix, get in contact with the Whale team.

We were recently asked to deliver a seminar for Barclays aimed at the professional services sector. After some thought about what would be of interest and use to the audience, we decided to get ‘back to basics’ and came up with the topic ‘How to Maximise Your Brand’.

Throughout the course of putting the presentation together, we came up with some pretty interesting points on the importance of creating, developing and reimagining a company brand. Here are just a few of them…

A brand isn’t just a logo! Throughout the twelve years since we started Whale, I have lost count of the number of clients that have asked us for a ‘rebrand’ – thinking that this just involves creating a new logo! In fact, a brand is much, MUCH more than that…It’s how people think and feel about a company; the experience a customer (or potential customer) has at every touch point they have with the business. How people feel about a brand can influence whether they choose to engage or interact with a company; having a direct impact on sales and therefore being vital to business growth.

Mind the gap. It is arguable that any company that is in the public domain and servicing customers has a ‘brand’, and it’s important to know what the perception of yours is if you want to target new audiences or reposition your business. There are many components of a brand, including the company’s vision/goals, its ‘personality’ and where the brand is seen – both physically in terms of its outward presentation and theoretically, ie. where it is within the marketplace. Very often, there is a discord between where the company wants to be and what the reality is with regards these factors. This discord is what we call the ‘communication gap’ – and this is the point from which any brand building or rebranding exercise should start.

Consistency is key. The main element of any branding exercise is developing the business’ key messages and target positioning. Part of the process might be to create a new logo or corporate identity to help communicate those messages. When carrying branding across into your marketing materials and communication platforms, ensure that every touch point is covered. For example, there’s no point investing in a new website and marketing materials if your office still looks the same as it did 20 years ago! Embrace your brand and use any branding exercise as an opportunity to improve and take the business to the next level.

Remember to involve employees. Whilst what a brand stands for is likely to have been developed by the business owners, it’s important to remember that quite often, it is the front line employees who deal with everyday enquiries that become the business’ voice. If you are going to do a ‘rebranding’ exercise, try to involve employees by asking their feedback and involving them in the process. Obtaining their ‘buy in’ at the outset will make it much easier down the line when the time comes to roll out any changes.

Don’t forget your personal brand. In larger organisations, the vast majority of employees have little say or control over the company’s brand or messaging. Everybody, however, has the ability to control their own personal brand. Take a step back and think about what you stand for in business and in life, and think about how this carries across into the way you deal with people. As mentioned in the previous point, if you are representing a business, you should also consider whether your communications marry up with the brand’s key messages and ethos. Employees are the everyday representation of a company’s brand, so singing from the same hymn sheet can help to reinforce branding and create customer ‘brand loyalty’.

For more help and tips on B2B branding, or to discuss your business’ brand, please contact The Pod. To obtain a copy of the presentation slides, please get in touch.

Most agencies will stress the importance of a strong marketing strategy and solid communications plan. They’ll talk about target markets, unique selling points and key audiences…and then probably sell you a new website and Twitter account management!

Here at Whale, we like to do things a little differently. Or you could say, a little more ‘wholeheartedly’…Here is our four step guide to marketing strategy development.

Step one – getting to the heart of the matter

At the heart of any good marketing strategy is a thorough understanding of a business’ strategy and long term plans. This is always the first place we start with a client; sitting down with the directors of the company to fully get to grips with where it is the business is heading, or hoping to head. We’d like to think that no stone is left unturned during this process; we insist on nothing less that a full SWOT analysis of both internal and external factors affecting the business.

Step two – being SMART

Once we feel fully satisfied that we have a complete picture of the business, it’s time to put our ‘marketeer’ heads on and look at what is required to meet the business’ needs. Before getting into the nitty gritty of marketing activities, we work with clients to set tangible, realistic and measurable goals.

It’s important to point out that end goals for a business are not always the obvious ‘generating enquiries’ or ‘building brand’. Quite often, once the business objectives have been drilled down, it can transpire that the initial objective for a marketing campaign is something a little less expected, such as changing the perception of the brand or targeting a new audience; as it is these types of activities that may be critical to generating the right kind of leads for new business. Whatever the goals(s), keeping them SMART goals (specific, measurable, achievable, results-focused, and time- bound) ensures that both clients and ourselves have something clear to hang a hat on and come back to later in the campaign.

Step three – back to basics

Then and only then, it’s time to develop a marketing plan around it. Before doing anything new, it’s imperative to ensure the basics are right. Is the branding up to date and is the messaging clear? Is everything consistent across marketing materials / platforms or are there anomalies? Creating a solid groundwork is essential for building anything; and that includes a communications plan!

Step four – what gets measured gets done

Once the marketing strategy / comms plan has started being implemented, it’s all systems go! Devising a timeline for activities, getting the right team in place and going at it with gusto is the ‘fun bit’ in any marketing campaign. However, any communications plan should link back to the established core objectives and it’s vital that this doesn’t go MIA. This is something we are passionate about here at Whale – we believe all marketing activity and spend should be accountable, and referring back to the goals set at the beginning of a campaign and measuring ourselves against them, is what drives us to keep on delivering results for clients!

Here at Whale, we don’t just pay lip service to marketing strategy. We know from the years of working with our loyal clients that time spent developing, implementing and seeing through a marketing strategy really does deliver on business goals. To speak to us about marketing strategy and communications planning to help your business achieve its objectives, get in touch!

In our current instant comms world, sending a postcard can seem just plain archaic.  However, there is something to be said for relaying your brand message to a targeted audience using a tangible piece of direct mail instead of relying solely on digital tools that can be easily deleted or rejected without ever being viewed.

In the last 2 years Whale Marketing has seen a significant resurgence in the effectiveness of print and direct mail for a number of our B2B clients. Targeted campaigns which land with a mix of printed materials and interesting promotional gifts are getting more awareness and response than digital counterparts.

Be honest how many of you actually read all of your email? And how often do you scan quickly through your social media feeds, so you may often miss something.  Digital has its place and we always integrate our campaigns to maximise awareness using digital tools however for many clients direct mail is helping them stand out in a crowded marketplace.  The amount of post we get has dramatically reduced, the result is we pay more attention to the items that we do get sent, it can stand out more than email and online marketing.

A study conducted by the Direct Marketing Association (DMA) in April 2013 found that the response rate for direct mail to an existing customer averages at 3.4%, compared to 0.12% for email.

But what about the cost?  Direct mail done well is still about targeting and that’s one of the ways you can use CRM data combined with data captured from initial digital campaigns to identify which people you want to target and prioritise those that have responded to / engaged with you through digital communications in the past.  Doing this enables you to produce attention grabbing cost effective direct marketing campaigns with a lower cost per lead / acquisition than digital campaigns.

Creative direct mail makes a much bigger impact

Being creative with your direct mail campaign design increases impact and results, this is called ‘dimensional’ rather than ‘flat’ mail.  Research has shown that dimensional mail:

• has 20 times the penetrating power of flat direct mail
• boosts response rates by as much as 75%
• scores 80% or better in generating positive opinions among recipients

 Clever Targeting

We also regularly segment client databases and run two campaigns with printed materials being sent to all prospects; whilst higher value targets receive additional ‘hits’ or promotional gifts related to the campaign to help stand out and create a positive impression and response.

And direct mail techniques don’t just apply to lead generation, we have also seen increased conversion rates to help customers take on new services increasing awareness, revenue and profitability.

Summary of how to get direct mail for B2B right

1. Integrate your activity, surround your Direct mail with digital activities; email marketing, social media and web updates and sales support; personalized follow-up call so your mailing campaign creates a wider buzz and gets people talking about your company and brand
2. Be very targeted, smaller bite sized numbers of direct mail makes follow-up easier, more manageable and keeps costs down
3. Producing a creative dimension piece of direct mail will stand out more and increase impact and therefore increase response
4. Remember that whilst initial budgets may seem slightly higher initially for a good direct mail campaign, compared to solely digital activity, if you start small and track results so you get the right response then the ROI you will achieve will be a lot higher too.

Whale suggests that if you are selling products or services to other businesses with a defined target audience then you should seriously consider direct mail campaigns as part of an integrated campaign. The results speak for themselves!

Do you require assistance with an integrated direct mail campaign?  Get in touch with one of the Whale team today.

Each day the team get a surprise ranging from; Christmas jokes, fun games – pin the red nose on Rudolph, a music quiz, pipe cleaner creation competition and much more.  Each week there were special events & gifts including a fish & chips lunch for everyone complete with crackers & party hats, a box of chocolates, a winter car kit, pack of beer / wine and much more. Prizes for the competitions varied from high street vouchers, hampers and even a free day off work next year!

The spirit of Christmas hasn’t been ignored and we have used the calendar to get staff to vote for their preferred charity to support next year. Furthermore we have promoted the activities planned for the New Year, as employee events shouldn’t just happen at Christmas but work more effectively to improve internal communication if carried on throughout the year. Each day people wonder what will be next and the calendar has successfully got different teams talking and competing together for a pro-longed period of fun!

Internal marketing communications are just as important as external.  Without a good time to live your brand values and communicate positively with your customers you won’t be able to maximize your marketing efforts.  For creative & fun ideas that will get your teams working well together and support your business vision please contact us.

In addition to ‘doing your bit within the community’ CSR can have a positive impact on profitability by helping companies undergo a transformation from impersonal corporate giving to the “impact” of products and services on consumers’ lives – and, of course, the profits generated in the process.  This is backed by consumer surveys that show over 50% want to reward responsible companies by buying their products, and 53% would even pay a 10% premium for products they believe are provided by more ethical companies.

CSR can involve a range of different activities such as:

– Working with local communities
– Developing relationships with employees
– Developing relationships with customers
– Environmental protection
– Sustainability

So why should you start thinking about CSR and how will it benefit your business?

Here are six reasons why you should include CSR in 2015 –

Innovation – Innovation can be a key differentiator between market leaders and their rivals. New ideas are critical to your business’s success and businesses that fail to innovate run the risk of losing new business to competitors, losing key staff, or simply operating inefficiently.

Cost savings – One of the easiest places for a company to start engaging in sustainability is to use it as a way to cut costs. By treating sustainability as a goal businesses can develop competencies that competitors will be hard-pressed to match. That competitive advantage will stand them in good stead, because sustainability will always be an integral part of development.

Brand differentiation – CSR affects brand differentiation through customer preference and employee engagement.   We believe that CSR assists with the customer buying process when a company’s corporate social responsibility agenda is visible on a website.

Long term – One main reason businesses adopt CSR is to drive growth. CSR makes a company think long-term and plan wider initiatives than their core business, helping to prove and support a company’s future.

Customer engagement – What’s the point of doing CSR if no one knows about it? Since the message is about something “good” CSR can always help you engage with your customers in new ways.

Employee engagement – Along similar lines of customer engagement, if your own employees don’t know what’s going on within your business, you are also missing an opportunity.

If you would like help planning and integrating and engaging corporate social responsibility programme for your business, call one of the team at Whale Marketing today 0161 236 5395.

How to maximise marketing through Social Media:
Before investing in social media marketing it’s important to set out a clear strategy, be clear about what success looks like for your organisation as its unlikely to be +500 connections but more about generating good quality leads. Agreeing objectives and a plan that sets out how to achieve these and measure your activity is vital. To find out more about social media for Business2Business organisations please contact @WhalePod

most used platforms

The Basics:
Here is a basic overview of the most popular Social Media platforms that you may want to think about using;

LinkedIn:
LinkedIn is a social media network that is specifically built for professionals that focus on developing business relationships. If your business doesn’t have a company profile on LinkedIn, it’s missing out on excellent connection opportunities. LinkedIn company profiles allow businesses to highlight their products, services and available job opportunities, facilitating outreach to new talent and partners. Develop an active presence on your company page by posting press releases, relevant blogs, corporate literature and event announcements. This will increase your brand’s visibility on the network and engage the attention of business users. Marketers can also take advantage of paid promotions through LinkedIn Ads that target specific demographics, industries and locations, capturing new leads. In terms of B2B marketing, if you just wanted to use just one platform LinkedIn would be the best one to use.

Twitter:
Twitter plays a big part in regard to B2B communication. It may be a fast-paced, short-form communication channel, but that enables businesses to make consistent, repeated impressions on other industry members. Business professionals are active on Twitter, using the network to discover industry news, events and other relevant content. The expansive nature of Twitter makes it a great place to develop new business connections.

Facebook:
Facebook has more than 750 million users. The social network has become a representative sample of the world’s population. It is usually used by consumers but it can also be just as affective for marketing businesses. As a company selling to other companies, Facebook serves as an important tool for generating leads and nurturing customer relationships. Facebook is good for B2b marketing as you can build a fan base, share engaging content, photos and videos, capture leads and contact information. You can amplify through ads, make it personal and fun, and segment and target to ensure you are reaching the right customer profile. Although Facebook is a proven consumer marketing tool it’s not normally the first choice for B2B companies.

Google+ :
Google+ is important for B2B marketing primarily because of the network’s SEO implications. Establishing a detailed company page and maintaining an active presence can boost your company’s placement in the Google+ search rankings, promoting visibility and credibility of your brand. Google+ has become the world’s second largest social platform, meaning that your competitors and potential partners are likely present themselves on here. So Google+ is not one to be left out …

B2B organisations should at least be involved in communities and social networks where their customers already are. Here is some basic information to help SME’s that want to know more about Social Media and the key platforms that may be relevant for their marketing activity.

What is Social Media:

Social media describes the online technologies that people use to share opinions, insights, experiences, and perspectives with each other. It can take many different forms, including text, images, audio, and video. Social Media helps businesses reach their customers, prospects, suppliers, employees and other stakeholders.  B2B organisations should at least be involved in communities and social networks where their customers already are.

How to maximise B2B marketing through Social Media:
Before investing in social media marketing it’s important to set out a clear strategy, be clear about what success looks like for your organisation as its unlikely to be +500 connections but more about generating good quality leads. Agreeing objectives and a plan that sets out how to achieve these and measure your activity is vital. To find out more about social media for Business to Business organisations please contact @WhalePod

The Basics:
Here is a basic overview of the most popular Social Media platforms that you may want to think about using;

LinkedIn:
LinkedIn is a social media network that is specifically built for professionals that focus on developing business relationships. If your business doesn’t have a company profile on LinkedIn, it’s missing out on excellent connection opportunities. LinkedIn company profiles allow businesses to highlight their products, services and available job opportunities, facilitating outreach to new talent and partners. Develop an active presence on your company page by posting press releases, relevant blogs, corporate literature and event announcements. This will increase your brand’s visibility on the network and engage the attention of business users. Marketers can also take advantage of paid promotions through LinkedIn Ads that target specific demographics, industries and locations, capturing new leads. In terms of B2B marketing, if you just wanted to use just one platform LinkedIn would be the best one to use.

Twitter:
Twitter plays a big part in regard to B2B communication. It may be a fast-paced, short-form communication channel, but that enables businesses to make consistent, repeated impressions on other industry members. Business professionals are active on Twitter, using the network to discover industry news, events and other relevant content. The expansive nature of Twitter makes it a great place to develop new business connections.

Facebook:
Facebook has more than 750 million users. The social network has become a representative sample of the world’s population. It is usually used by consumers but it can also be just as affective for marketing businesses. As a company selling to other companies, Facebook serves as an important tool for generating leads and nurturing customer relationships. Facebook is good for B2b marketing as you can build a fan base, share engaging content, photos and videos, capture leads and contact information. You can amplify through ads, make it personal and fun, and segment and target to ensure you are reaching the right customer profile. Although Facebook is a proven consumer marketing tool it’s not normally the first choice for B2B companies.

Google+ :
Google+ is important for B2B marketing primarily because of the network’s SEO implications. Establishing a detailed company page and maintaining an active presence can boost your company’s placement in the Google+ search rankings, promoting visibility and credibility of your brand. Google+ has become the world’s second largest social platform, meaning that your competitors and potential partners are likely present themselves on here. So Google+ is not one to be left out …