Think a rock band can’t possibly be legendary marketers? Think again! The Grateful Dead made marketing history by setting the standard in content marketing, blazing the path for social networking and teaching us all how to create the ultimate customer experience! So let’s explore how this out-ofsight band helped change the way we do marketing today!
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Chalk Talk • What is a brand “fan”? • How do I start building brand “fans”? • How do I keep my new “fans” in the buying groove? • What are “freemiums” and how can I get some?
What’s a Brand “Fan”? A brand “fan” is a passionate and loyal advocate of your company’s services or products, your company’s goals, and your company’s culture.
Direct Marketing Experts Say …
START BY BUILDING A STRONG MARKETING FOUNDATION
Break the Industry Mold • Rock the World Rethink the traditional marketing approach to your industry and seek out new methods and alternatives not yet used.
• Change the Channel Don’t follow your competitors, observe and create a new path.
• Sock It to ‘Em Experiment with new marketing methods to provide the ultimate brand experience. Your “fans” will respect your brand more as you connect with them in different ways.
Be Memorable • Stand Out with the In Crowd It’s true, the name of your company is a unique and defining factor, and should be unmistakable. Take a common word and use a different spelling (googol=Google) or just be wild and generate something totally unique (Häagen-Dazs).
• Do Your Own Thing Create a new look that separates you from the competitors, using defining brand elements, custom color palettes, and clear messaging.
• Take Care of Business Focus on the customers and the brand experience; purchases and brand acceptance will follow.
Build a Righteous Marketing Team
Get It Together with Solid Brand Management Think Beyond Project Manager
Choose someone who inspires and can bring the marketing team together to create the harmony that your customers want.
THE GRATEFUL DEAD TEACHES US TO FIND TALENTED PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF OUR INDUSTRY AND COMFORT ZONES. -David Meerman Scott, Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead
Direct Marketing Experts Say …
DIVERSIFY YOUR MARKETING CHANNELS
Deliver the Love Through ... • Direct Mail • Social Media • Blogging/Industry Content (Thought Leadership) • Hosted Events • Cause-Related Marketing • Community Experiences
Direct Mail • What’s the Skinny? Research your target market and create market segments to help refine your messaging.
• Get Personal, Man. Use Variable Data to add a personal touch in your messaging and design.
• Tell It Like It Is. Make the message clear, short and direct.
• Use the Right Lingo. Use words that relate to your audience and are easy to understand. Make them feel like they’re in the know.
• Make a Statement with Fab Imagery. Use imagery and design appropriate for the audience and message.
• Create a Good Vibe. Appeal to the emotions of the recipient for a stronger connection.
• What’s the Deal? Include a call to action (answer, “What’s in it for me?”).
Social Media • Share the Love Build a community that provides a platform for brand advocates to share and interact with one another.
• Do Your Own Thing Find the best “voice” and message to have on each platform to make each experience unique.
• Be Up-Front Be open and direct to create a stronger connection with your community, especially during difficult times.
• Get with the Words Engage with the audience through conversations and posts; it’s the only way to truly connect with your customers and receive honest, open answers.
• Don’t Create a Bad Scene Moderate and make your forums friendly for continued engagement from all customers.
• Be There or Be Square Hold social media campaigns to encourage audience engagement.
• Don’t Lose Your Cool Have a plan for proactively handling disgruntled customers, customer service requests, etc.
Blogging/Content Generation • Clue Them In Write about what you know; niche writing can help you create a place for your brand and separate you from your competitors.
• Change the Channel Mix it up! Promote your content by integrating with social media and sharing via direct mail and email.
• Get the Skinny Encourage customer insight and feedback; there is no better way to get the true feelings of a customer than to open your content for questions and discussion.
• Become a Bookbuster Research and study what your customers’ interests are, what they like to read, what they like to do. Doing this will help you generate engaging content.
• Avoid a Brain Drain Encourage guest blogging/writing from community to create content that comes from all perspectives.
• Sock It to ‘Em Moderate and be timely with responses to articles.
Events • Make It Happening Events can be online, offline, in person or virtual. The key is to make it a memorable experience for your customers.
• Make Them Part of the “In Crowd” Be personal, appeal to their desire to be part of a community.
• Keep Them On the Hook Use integrated marketing (a mix of direct mail, digital and social content generation) to create the buzz.
• Create the Experience Organize and keep it interesting with activities, interactive elements, and unique opportunities (answer the question, “Why do I want to participate?”).
• Bring It Full Circle Follow up the experience with personalized marketing.
• Create the Ultimate After-Party Keep the event “alive” by creating a sense of community online and off.
Cause-Related Marketing • Tune In to Hear More Make it personal; tell your “fans” how your brand feels about issues that concern them and how you plan on making a difference.
• T.C.B. (Take Care of Business) Use your actions to showcase your intentions, and encourage "fans" to help you reach your company’s goals in making a difference.
• Create THE Scene Build a community to support the cause; rally around “fan” content generators that promote and share.
• Make It Real, Make It Heavy Turn it into an event; make it a point to emphasize your company’s commitment to the cause and to your “fan” community.
The Community Experience • Get In the Groove When you find your “fans” that will help you define your community, embrace them. The ones that create change are the movers in their peer groups.
• Avoid the Marketing Hype Remove the marketing speak, become personal and engaged. Don’t sell through your community, let the community sell for you and engage with them regularly.
• Take Them on a Journey Build your marketing around a customer journey, and let your brand “fans” be part of that journey. Make them an equal part and they will reward you for it.
LET YOUR COMMUNITY DEFINE YOU, RATHER THAN TRYING TO DICTATE WHAT’S SAID AND HOW ABOUT YOUR COMPANY. -David Meerman Scott, Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead
Passionate, Loyal Fans • Go Steady Create passionate “fans” by putting them first. Remember, customers who believe in your brand will continue to come back time after time.
• Capitalize on What Makes Your “Fans” Different Look for the ways that your “fans” can help create your brand’s counterculture; appeal to them to create a close-knit community.
HAVE YOU NOTICED THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT SOMETHING ARE EAGER TO TALK IT UP, JUST LIKE FANS OF THE GRATEFUL DEAD WANT TO TALK UP THEIR FAVORITE BAND? YOUR JOB IS TO CREATE AN EXPERIENCE THAT’S UNIQUE, ONE THAT ECCENTRICS WILL GRAVITATE TO, AND ONE THAT THEY WANT TO TALK UP. -David Meerman Scott, Marketing Lessons from the Grateful Dead
Direct Marketing Experts Say …
CREATE BRAND FREEMIUMS
Nifty S.W.A.G. (Something We All Get) Bring your “fans” closer to your brand by giving out free useful content, sample products, trial subscriptions and other beneficial materials (no strings attached!). • • • •
Templates White Papers Videos Sample Products
• • • •
Trial Subscriptions Free Consultations Webinars Etc.!
Companies who successfully use freemiums to reel us in! MailChimp (mailchimp.com) HootSuite (hootsuite.com)
Lay It On Us ... We’ve been helping our clients rock their marketing for 38 years! Let us help you get your marketing groove on and Deliver the Love to your “fans.”
Call us today! 800-‐319-‐3352
www.hopkinsprinting.com
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