Gage has worked with Microsoft’s SMB division to establish and grow a social media marketing engine to reach and serve both B2B customers and reseller partners. This presentation was initially given at the 2011 Minnesota Interactive Marketing Association Summit.
1) As many global brands embrace social media channels within their own organization, how do you leverage social media investments to drive conversions?
1) As many global brands embrace social media channels within their own organization, how do you leverage social media investments to drive conversions?
Hold questions for happy hour and/or twitter
As many global brands embrace social media channels within their own organization, how do you leverage social media investments to drive conversions? (CHRIS)
Defining the field of inquiry
Advocacy platformPartner / Franchisee social media activationSocial Media promotionsCurationBranded outpost build and asset publishingImplement a Social Media Marketing System (SMMS)Non-Branded Social Media engagement / ROI tracking (aka social CRM)SEO backlinking campaign for Travel Leaders website Syndicated “Chat” Facebook and TL.com connect with agentsTravel blogging / influencer campaigning
Illustrating what is meant by brand community.
Illustrating the symbiotic relationship between conversion events and other forms of value generated through social media marketing.Explain how conversion still matters and ought to be thought of as central, key indicator of effectiveness. From a tactical POV, social media should be thought of as capable of delivering all four value types – because in fact, it does.
How do you get buy in from senior management and incorporate social media into other marketing initiatives?(UMANG)
Umang: You start by applying methodologies and means of persuasion they are already comfortable with. That’s why the strategic plan was so important, and why it had to be done so thoroughly and then delivered, both as a document and presentation to senior management.Chris: We developed the plan as follows: [use strategy development slide]
Illustrating the various commonmetrics and how they tend to fit into the high level categories illustrated on previous slide.
How Microsoft effectively drives awareness, engagement and measurable conversion for its Business (SMB) division through strategic use of emerging media tools, tactics and technologies.
Website: http://www.microsoft.com/business/MM FacebookSMB FacebookTwitter SMBLinkedIn – Products Page on Microsoft “In” pageYouTube (Microsoft Small Business)
Social Content PlaybookSocial WidgetsDashboard DesignSocial Activation for PartnersFacebook: “Ask A Partner” ApplicationFacebook: Promotion (Customer)Facebook: Promotion (Partner)Facebook: Custom UX implementationSocial Advocacy Platform Dashboard DesignDemand Generation / Awareness Building
What were the risks involved when addressing a large audience of 100,000s of partners to be engaged in a national campaign? How were these risks overcome?
Microsoft resellers are also small businesses (SMBs)SMBs have to focus on sales - not marketingSmall businesses tend to lack time, expertise and knowledge to make the most of social mediaSocial media tends to be seen as:Time-consuming compared to other marketing activitiesAt least one step removed from driving sales, unlike other things they doConfusing, complicated and changing constantlyHow many Microsoft resellers are going to see social media marketing as worth the effort?
Partners have significant potential influence with customers, but b/c they lack know-how, need to be presented with explicit ways to meaningfully participate, such as Ask a Partner.
What was the cadence for rolling out the various techniques through social media? Why?