Helping Small Businesses Market Directly to Consumers’ Needs
By HipLogiq, www.hiplogiq.com
Believe it or not, consumers hit Twitter every day asking for advice or looking for a product or service. And with the right software, businesses can find the Tweets that directly relate to them, and, voila! Tweet back with information or an offer that directly responds to the request.
In the past, targeted consumer marketing was a tool for the big brands (aka big resources) to use. But new social media tools, like HipLogiq’s SocialCentiv (www.hiplogiq.com), make it easy for small businesses to use Twitter and find individual Tweets, right in their neighborhood, from consumers who are looking for their product or service. “We like to help businesses surprise and delight consumers on Twitter by providing an incentive response to related tweets,” says Lindsey Pennington, chief product officer and co-founder of Twitter marketing company HipLogiq.
While the goals of a consumer marketing program haven’t changed, the execution definitely has. Consumer marketing trends come and go. What’s hot right now? Here is what’s in and what’s out for achieving each goal and recommended actions to take.
Goal: Find new consumers and grow your business.
Out: Focus on mass marketing campaigns that rely solely on advertising and direct mail.
In: Dynamic, integrated campaigns that extend to social media and mobile. Consumers are on the go and on social media.
Actions:
• Join Twitter and build your community. Research tells us that social networkers are more likely to use a business that offers information on a social networking site. That said, as a public forum, Twitter gives businesses an opportunity to engage their audiences. Accounts are free at http://twitter.com, and with a business-focused handle and profile, you can start by simply following other companies or individuals related to your industry.
• Listen for keywords. Businesses should always know what people are saying about them across their social media channels and review sites. Software tools can help you listen for key words and flag relevant Tweets in a geographic region so a business can engage, offer an incentive, and turn a conversation into a customer.
Goal: Target your audience to increase conversion rates and maximize marketing dollars.
Out:The numbers game — using a wide sales funnel in the hopes that if you hit enough people, you’ll get a respectable three percent return.
In: Narrowing the filter in order to target people in a specific demographic who are looking for your product or service, right now. Intent-based consumer marketing works because it is specifically targeted to a consumer’s immediate needs
Actions:
• Offer information to introduce your company. When consumers have questions, they turn to Google or their friends on social media. You want to provide the answer with an eBook or blog you’ve published on a related topic. This way you aren’t directly selling, but instead offering an opportunity to collect contact information and give a handshake as a credible business who is interested in helping. Guess who that consumer is likely to turn to when it’s time to make a purchase?
• Provide incentive. When you find a consumer looking for your product, give them an offer they can’t refuse to try your product or service. In addition to giving consumers reason to try your wares, incentives create exclusivity and make them feel special — the starting point to cultivating a life-long customer.
Goal: Be responsive when you know a consumer is looking for you.
Out:Measuring social media success by counting friends and followers.
In: Measuring success with high return on investment (ROI) built on engaging and rewarding relationships.
Actions:
• Start personal communication. Reach out to the customers who are nearby and ready to respond to a personalized solution. This meets their immediate needs and adds value to the relationship.
• Understand that content matters. When an ad or promotion is relevant to a consumer’s needs, he or she is more likely to be responsive. Create or join conversations where you can provide value. Web-based tools for Twitter will help you locate these consumers. HBM
HipLogiq began in October 2012 as SocialCompass, an enterprise solution for social media marketing, now with a white label solution for companies and agencies that want to brand the tool, and a new Spanish language version. SocialCentiv – launched in March 2013 – works similarly for small to medium businesses, but with a web-based, do-it-yourself solution. For more information, go to www.hiplogiq.com or visit them on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/hiplogiq or on Twitter via @hiplogiq.
