Is gaming just for B2C?

We've all heard of Angry Birds and how successful that's been on social media sites and mobiles but surely gaming is for B2C firms not B2B?

I love a game, me. Whether it’s the latest app game (totally obsessed with 100 Floors), Poker, Backgammon or a good ol' game of Triv I'm up for it. I have a very competitive nature which can be rather ugly and should be kept private to those who have to put up with me for marriage or birth certificate reasons.

As much as I enjoy them could I justify playing a game at the office? Could you? Probably depends on your role but as a marketer we’ve only just won the fight for the right to party partake in social media channels without co-workers raising eyebrows and Directors demanding measurement for such ‘time wasting’. I don’t think I would get away with Officeville just yet.

Losing employee time to ‘slightly’ more acceptable online pleasures doesn’t seem to be fazing anyone. But I suppose with most people using their mobile devices at every possible waking moment plus the blur between office and home life expanding fun can be had during the commute, toilet breaks and evening bath times.  That makes me feel better cos if I was the boss I wouldn’t want anyone having fun on my shift unless it was going to make money. Am I being a pooper?

Luckily I am not the boss so putting my marketing hat back on and removing my miserly ruler of the universe cape, I totally get why gamification companies are knocking on marketers over-excitable minds about the benefits of using such platforms.  

It’s an enlightening moment for B2B. We can be cool, clever, engaging AND sell office water coolers all at the same time. Games can be used to build awareness, generate leads, drive traffic in all directions, expand databases, gain customer insight, build communities, train or motivate staff, increase loyalty, educate prospects or simply encourage customer feedback.

Obviously you need to do your research when trying out a new channel especially if it’s untested in your industry. Make sure you stay true to your brand and have clear and concrete goals on what you want to achieve. Maximize your exposure by combining digital social media and email with postcard mail shots. It won’t work as a standalone medium but as complementary tactic to your marketing mix you could stand out over your competitors.

Blockdot, a renowned digital studio who builds games across Web, mobile and social platforms is already creating games for us B2B folk. They developed a game for a major pharmaceutical company marketing a six figure gene splicing machine to a very targeted group of bio-engineers and for a leading hotel chain to communicate new upgrades at the hotel’s properties to travel agents.

I’d love to hear if anyone is getting involved in this new B2B marketing craze.  What game would you create? Mine would definitely have to be a virtual board game and I’ve named it already, ‘Mardevopoly’. Done no research, got no goals but I’ve got a name and I never listen to my own advice. Hands up who wants to play!

Do you use social media to improve your customer service?

Many brands haven't woken up the fact that social media sites are perfect for customer service.

A colleague of mine recently moved into new house and had problems getting her Internet connection up and running.  After a month of copious calls with India and other parts of the universe she had practically given up on her dreams of being a silver surfer.

Luckily for her she is a prolific Tweeter. After one fruitless conversation with Dave from Deli and at the end of her tether she ranted on Twitter about her disappointment with her provider.

To cut a short story shorter….it was fixed within 12 hours.

You would think that most companies are listening and monitoring their brand reputation within social networks but recent figures gathered by Econsultancy found that just 11 per cent of firms use social media sites as a way of offering customer service.

Whether responding to negative posts or thanking a happy customer for their comments

Spin that on its head and you'll find that 81 per cent of businesses with a Facebook page use it for marketing purposes.

However, you can't use social media sites to promote sales if your customer service is shoddy as visitors to your brand page could see negative comments that have not been dealt with - lowering your reputation.

Why isn't social media being used for customer service?

Luke Brynley-Jones, founder of Our Social Times, looked into this problem and detailed the results on the Econsultancy blog.

He found that the main obstacle in firms using social media sites as a platform for customer service is fear!

It seems the majority of you are afraid that by responding to negative comments you'll open a can of worms and a crisis will ensue.

However, this is generally not the case as potential and existing customers would prefer seeing how you respond to criticism and how you rectify the problem.

If you do this well, then your brand reputation will improve and your customers may start recommending you to other B2B buyers.

What's more, recent research from Ogilvy PR found that 60 per cent of B2B buyers are influenced by what their peers have to say about a brand on social media sites, reported the Financial Times.

So why not start responding to tweets that mention your firm on Twitter, whether it's good or bad, and to any comments posted on your Facebook page?

Make your video ads go viral to boost your lead generation

Brits react better to branded videos that have been recommended to them

In our Key Marketing Trends for you to employ in 2012 Part One blog, we looked at the emerging trend of video marketing as a way of boosting your lead generation. Let's take a closer look.

Video marketing

Video marketing budgets grew by double figures in 2011 and this sector looks set to grow even further this year, especially in terms of viral videos.

Making a video viral just means that it has been shared on social networks, such as Facebook and Twitter, while users of these sites have also recommended the content to their social media friends.

In this way, online videos can reach a wider audience than just those who visit your website or your YouTube channel.

Benefits of viral video

A new study by Unruly, released on February 7^th, found that people react better to branded videos that have been recommended to them by their social media friends than those who have found the content through browsing.

It was found that brand recall and association was seven per cent higher among viewers who had been advised to watch the content in comparison to those who came across the content unintentionally.

A total of 73 per cent recalled the brand represented in the video if their social media friends pointed them to it, while 68 per cent of those who viewed a video after browsing remembered the company involved.

There was also a 14 per cent rise in the number of people who enjoyed the video if it had been recommended and if people enjoy [enjoyed] a video they are [were] 97 per cent more likely to purchase the product seen in the video.

Sarah Wood, chief operating officer of Unruly, commented: "If a brand creates great video content and makes it easy to share, it will see impressive results across the entire purchase funnel."

B2B videos
Online videos created by B2B marketing executives like you will vary from those created by B2C firms but this doesn't mean they should be dull.

After all, the more engaging and funny a video is the more likely it is to be shared on social media sites.

Try creating online videos that showcase how your product or service works in funny circumstances, add interactive elements such as alternative endings, and incorporate question and answer scenarios too.

Let us know if you have seen any interesting B2B videos or if you have created on yourself send it over and we will showcase it in our pipeline e-newsletter.

Key marketing trends for 2012 (part two)

Part two of our guide to key B2B marketing trends that will be seen this year.

Now is the time that B2B marketers like you will be considering if and how they want to change their advertising strategies in 2012 in order to win new business.

Some key marketing trends for 2012 have been discussed and now it is time for part two of our guide on what will be lucrative for B2B firms this year.

Integrating email marketing with social media

While many of you may feel that email marketing is a dying advertising medium due to the popularity of social media, it can still be lucrative for you in 2012.

According to Elisabeth Sosnow, who was writing for Business to Community, this is the year for B2B firms to run integrated marketing services that incorporate emails and social marketing campaigns.

She states that 47 per cent of companies intend to increase their investment in email marketing to drive growth in social media channels in 2012.

Beware though as you need to do more than just adding a social share button to your email marketing messages in order to do justice to both platforms.

Julia Peavy, director of Response Consulting at Return Path, suggested adding social media calls-to-action in email marketing messages.

She wrote on the firm's blog: "Test out different wording to encourage sharing or engagement with your social media site.

"While including simple 'follow us' and 'like us' text is better than no guidance, test the social media calls to action to see if this encourages more clicks."

You can also include the option to add comments to a social media page in your email marketing messages to help encourage engagement with your brand.

Content marketing

Producing high-quality content is a proven marketing tool for B2B marketers and the type of material required to win new business is set to develop even further in 2012.

White papers will always be a great way for you to reveal the latest developments in your industry to prove you're an expert in the field but B2B buyers will want to read more engaging content too this year.

This can include corporate blogs, written by your chairman or an industry expert, webinars that B2B buyers can watch online, and even e-books, as e-readers are gaining popularity across the globe.

Social media

Social media was a popular marketing method in 2011, with the launch of new social network Google+, and new advertising tools on both Facebook and Twitter.

These sites are sure to have more opportunities for you to build lead generation in the pipeline, such as Facebook which will be introducing private messages between brands and customers.

As a result, firms will be able to deal with customer service issues directly and in private, rather than on their Facebook page.

What methods will you be employing this year? Take our Poll opposite and find out what your peers think.

Key marketing trends for 2012 (part one)

As the New Year is here, you may be wondering what key marketing trends you should get involved in to boost lead generation in 2012.

That's because marketing is one of those sectors that is constantly evolving as new technologies develop and people find themselves engaging with digital data in innovative ways, such as through smartphones.

Let's take a look at some of the trends that are set to be important this year:

Branded Advertising
One big marketing trend for 2012 is set to be advertising that benefits those who see it rather than traditional advertising on mediums such as TV.

Such is the prediction of Chris Gorell Barnes, chief executive officer at Adjust Your Set, who was writing on the Econsultancy blog.

He explained that people, including B2B buyers, want advertising that contributes to their quality of life, meaning online marketing will be big news next year.

Instructional demos, product innovation and your Corporate Social Responsibility strategy, which means running a company so it doesn't have a negative impact on the environment, stakeholders and the public, should be a focus in 2012 in order to boost lead generation.

This also means there will be a greater focus on pictures and images over words, with Cisco predicting that online video will account for 90 per cent of all internet traffic within the next three years, leading us to the next trend.

Video Marketing
You can also employ non-traditional advertising in the form of online video marketing, as you can provide demonstrations of your products and how they would benefit a B2B buyer.

The amount of money spent on video advertising increased by double-figures this year, with a further rise in budgets expected in 2012, according to a study by Break Media.

Smartphones
It found that 68 per cent of marketers intend to boost their online video marketing budgets in 2012, suggesting brands are seeing this channel as beneficial in terms of sales and new clients.
Mr Gorell Barnes revealed that another key marketing trend for 2012 will be mobile.

He wrote: "Smartphones have revolutionised how we interact with content on-the-go and in 2012 the mobile device will continue to play a significant role."

Smartphones are gaining ground in the UK, US and even Japan where the majority of owners are male aged under 35, according to Comscore.

This is an ideal demographic for you as these people can be involved in the buying process at a B2B firm so mobile marketing is also a great channel for lead generation.

What marketing methods are you planning to employ in 2012?

What are your marketing nightmares?

With the emergence of social media and mobile advertising, some of you may be having nightmares about the type of marketing to use to win new business.

Well, look on the bright side! With the growing popularity of these channels, you now have more opportunity to create integrated marketing services and engage with both existing and potential clients.

The Econsultancy blog recently revealed that Twitter is being used by 87 per cent of B2B firms, while Facebook is being used by 82 per cent, 69 per cent are employing YouTube and 57 per cent are incorporating LinkedIn to their marketing campaigns.

Plenty of opportunity to run a social media campaign and attract new clients then, as this channel is great for posting a call to action, leading to offline sales.

But this platform could still be giving you nightmares as B2B buyers will only engage with your Facebook page if it is engaging!

This means writing blogs, posting interesting statuses and delivering content that engages your target audience, which is great if you have the time!

Luckily, Sophia Haynes, director of marketing and communications at the Internet Advertising Bureau, said: "Social [media] definitely is changing a lot of things, but it isn't the answer to everything.

"It can be over relied on and it needs to be part of a considered marketing strategy not sort of 'oh we don't need to spend money on media anymore, stick it all in social '."

Mobile may also be giving you a headache as marketing experts continuously say that this is a lucrative channel and if you aren't involved, you're missing out on leads and sales.

The main way you can get involved with this type of integrated marketing service is by creating a website optimised for use on mobiles.

All you need to do is analyse the amount of traffic visiting your website from mobiles to see if this is worth doing.

If it is worth doing, there are ways in which you can test your website to find out which parts work on mobiles and which bits don't, which can then be changed.

A simple way of incorporating mobile into your marketing activity is by creating email marketing campaigns that can be read on these devices.

The first step in running successful integrated marketing services is ensuring your B2B data and global lists are accurate - something that mardevdm2 specialises in.

So, are these your digital nightmares and how are you planning to overcome them?

Getting started with lead scoring

How to get started with lead scoring?

You may have heard of lead scoring on an increasing frequency recently as it is a new element for many B2B marketers.

Now, you may be wondering what lead scoring actually is, and all it means is assigning points to each new prospect.

Points are assigned based on criteria you set, such as the attributes you've decided are most often associated with serious prospective customers.

This can include seeing who visits your website, downloads your whitepapers and opens your email marketing messages. You can then do a bit of investigation or partner with a database marketing provider to learn the type of company they are from as well as their job title and geographic location.

The higher a prospect scores during this procedure the more likely they are to be actively engaged in the buying process. When leads reach the score agreed upon with sales, they should be sent to the appropriate sales rep, or better yet, automatically assigned in your contact management system.

What criteria do you find most effective for lead scoring?

Learn how mardevdm2 can accelerate your sales with your lead development.

Or simply, request a quote if you'd like to get started.