Posts Tagged ‘raleigh social media agencies’
Tuesday, August 17th, 2010
We took bets tonight on how late we’d be in Anoroc’s studio. We’re putting the final touches on a big brand re-invention. Someone just made a fortification run to MoJoe’s, food and beer always helps at this point. We’re almost to the printing stage. Just finished final proof reading. So printing and binding are next. As we crank up to print I have a spare moment so it is blog time.
It’s always such a team effort at Anoroc, literally everyone pitches in. We even just got a call from one of our AE’s husbands, with an offer to drive everyone to the airport tomorrow. That’s one of the many things I love about this company, how everyone feels it is their company, everyone’s commitment and dedication right down to our team’s families. Someone else is calling to make sure we have a dog sitter. I like to say we’re family here, and I believe we are. And that just feels good. So maybe we’ll be here to midnight or til later, but it doesn’t matter. Beatles are playing loudly. The food has arrived, the dogs have been walked, and someone is laughing hysterically. Yep, that’s Anoroc.
Tags: Anoroc, anoroc agency, raleigh marketing agencies, raleigh media agencies, raleigh social media, raleigh social media agencies, raleigh web design
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Saturday, August 14th, 2010
We are in the midst of creating a brand reinvention for a client. As you know, there are almost endless hours of research involved. This particular client occupies a very emotional healthcare segment. Amongst them and their competitors services are close to being the same, mainly that is due to regulations. So the brand strategy becomes somewhat more intense because we’re fighting to differentiate. But that’s great, we like to fight hard, at Anoroc. But beginning this project with the goal to build a brand essence that allows my client to ‘own’ a compelling belief, must start with an in depth clarity about the intended target.
Though my client has several mid-size competitors they also face growing competition from national companies (one that recently sold for several billion dollars). During the competitive analysis I expected to see pretty great branding from these ‘big boys’. But what began with an expectation to see great work, incredible consumer engagement strategies, in-tune social influence marketing, emotional branding, ended with me banging my head on my desk and moaning. OK, so I am sounding a little mean here, but it was that bad.
They forgot to listen to Bill. “You can say the right thing about a product and nobody will listen. You’ve got to say it in such a way that people will feel it in their gut. Because if they don’t feel it, nothing will happen,” William Bernbach. The websites, collateral, every brand touch point was completely void of any indication these national companies had any understanding of who they were speaking to, what their best prospects believe, or how to motivate engagement.
Copy was written as if the reader was a test subject. For instance, an article on how to cope with the passing of our loved one during the holidays called the reader “the bereaved person”. Brand imagery focused on the ‘service’ rather than outcome. Think of an oil change ad where the gloved mechanic is smiling over the open hood of the car. Now put him in a nurse’s uniform add harsh lighting, and throw his arm around grandpa who looks like he just ate road kill. Get the picture. And I’m not exaggerating. Believe me, Forrest would run.
What do we buy as healthcare consumers? We don’t buy the oil change. We buy the car speeding down the open road, in tune, running well and on it’s way to Willoughby.
Tags: anorac, Anoroc, healthcare and social media, hospice and social media, hospice marketing, raleigh advertising agencies, raleigh marketing agencies, raleigh social media, raleigh social media agencies
Posted in Anoroc, Brand Value, Healthcare, Marketing, Purchase Intent | View Comments
Monday, June 28th, 2010
Performics (www.performics.com), the performance marketing expert inside Publicis Groupe, recently released results from “S-Net (The Impact of Social Media),” a report from ROI Research Inc. (www.roiresearch.com) sponsored by Performics. This is quite an interesting study as it looks beyond usage and explores how social media permeates consumers’ lives. By that I mean how social media affects communication, shopping and other activities. The findings illustrate how social networks continue to drive changes in consumer behavior. Looking at how various segments of consumers use social networks in their daily lives, specifically with regard to the purchase process for different types of products and in relation to other media channels.
Most interesting to me was that the study of 3,000 U.S. social network users tackled not only general behaviors and platform preferences for social sites; but delved deeper into how social sites affect family and friend relationships and consumer attitudes towards brands and products.
Stats include:
- Fifty percent of Facebook users click on Facebook ads to “like” a brand
- Thirty-seven percent learned about a new product or service from a social networking site
- Thirty-two percent of respondents have recommended a product/service/brand to friends via a social networking site
- Thirty-two percent of Twitter users re-tweet content provided by a company or product
- Eighty percent of respondents have an active Facebook account, and 23 percent of those without an active Facebook account plan to join in the next six months
- Sixty-seven percent of respondents have reconnected with people through social networking sites that they never would have otherwise
- Thirty-nine percent of Twitter users respond to other people’s tweets once a week or more
- More than thirty percent of respondents access Facebook and/or Twitter from their mobile phone (through a browser or application) once a day or more.
- Specific to Facebook, for example, nearly 90 percent of respondents said that at least some of the companies and/or products they are a fan of are doing a good job providing relevant content. More than a third said most or all of them were doing a good job.
- More than 50% of participants identified social networks as the best way to communicate with family and friends.
Hello, word of mouth! Let me say that again. Hello, word of mouth!
“Users are not only satisfied, they want more, which is a good sign for marketers,” noted Scott Haiges, president of ROI Research. “Respondents expressed a strong desire to get more printable coupons [49 percent], notifications of sales and special deals [46 percent], and information about new products [35 percent] from companies or products on Facebook, and this rings truer in some industries more than others.”
“Social networks have made real and substantial changes in the lives of their users, in part by empowering them to more actively participate with brands and each other,” said Daina Middleton, CEO of Performics. “More than a third of all respondents reported using a search engine to further learn after seeing an ad on a social networking site, for example, and more than a third think social networking sites are good sources of information about companies and products.”
“Social networking has greatly contributed to the shift from strict consumerism to more lively, two-way participation between brands and everyday customers” added Middleton. “It’s a groundswell of technology-enabled word of mouth, and many of the brands involved in these active discussions are effectively satisfying their fans.” Amen to that, Sister!
Tags: Hospice, hospice marketing, hospice social media, north carolina social media agencies, raleigh advertising, raleigh social media, raleigh social media agencies, social marketing, social media
Posted in Anoroc, Marketing, Purchase Intent, Social Media Influence, Social Networking | View Comments
Thursday, May 6th, 2010
Just finished reading a great article by Tim Bradshaw of Financial Times, Who Wants To Friend A Brand (http://bit.ly/8YxE5V). In his article he points out how social media has fundamentally transformed marketing from a monologue to a dialogue. If you’ve read many of my blogs you’ll know this is what Anoroc refers to as moving away from ‘Sham Wowing’ and onto real communication.
I love what he says here: “When first faced with the prospect of marketing on social networks, many people ask a reasonable question: how many people want to be friends with a brand? The answer – surprisingly, perhaps – is: millions do, on a daily basis.”
And as experienced brand managers at Anoroc we know this is true.
Much of our brand research begins with focus groups that ask: “How do you want this brand/company to communicate with you?” And unsurprisingly enough we hear social media as a chosen platform most every time.
Bradshaw points out that more than 10m people each day become a “fan” of a brand on Facebook. The world’s largest social network – with well in excess of 400m members globally – plays host to more than 1.4m branded fan pages on Facebook. BrandZ Top 100 brands such as Coca-Cola and Starbucks, along with other smaller brands outside the Top 100 such as Adidas (brand value or BV of $3.3bn in the latest MBO list), have each “befriended” millions of people.
“A lot of our best brand builders are also some of the best companies using social media,” says Joanna Seddon, chief executive of Millward Brown Optimor, which compiles the BrandZ ranking. “A lot of the leadership in social media is really centered in the top 100 brands.”
When Anoroc reviews ROI studies from our campaigns we’ve learned that Bradshaw is speaking Gospel here: “Social media has matured rapidly in recent years. Sites such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter offer scale and reach to rival Google – still the most dominant single site for online advertising – and many television channels. The best advertisers use social media alongside these traditional channels for a combination of brand-building, direct sales, customer service and PR. The worst simply ignore them, blissful only until they realise the complaints and accusations that disgruntled customers are telling other would-be consumers.”
“Social media have given consumers a voice to respond, as well as hundreds of channels through which to do so,” says Debbie Klein, joint chief executive of Engine, a UK-based agency group. “These websites have fundamentally transformed marketing from a monologue to a dialogue. Brands cannot hide.”
And brands that hide, may never be found.
Tags: Financial Times, hospice and social media, NC advertising agencies, raleigh advertising agencies, Raleigh advertising companies, raleigh design, Raleigh design firms, raleigh social media, raleigh social media agencies, raleigh social media companies
Posted in Anoroc, Brand Value, Customer Loyalty, Decision Cycle, Marketing, Purchase Intent, SEO, Social Media Influence, Social Networking | View Comments
Friday, April 16th, 2010
Just finished reading these two Special Reports via iHealthBeat (http://bit.ly/bKqv2S) on consumers increasingly turning to social media for healthcare information. Reports claim social media’s influence on consumer healthcare behavior is outpacing traditional channels.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Consumers Increasingly Turning to Internet, Social Media for Health Care Information
Recent studies have found that consumers increasingly are turning to the Internet for health information.
In addition to health care Web sites, such as WebMD, consumers are turning to user-generated health content, such as physician and hospital rankings, blogs and chat groups.
While the Internet’s influence on consumers’ health care decisions is outpacing traditional channels, such as television, radio and print media, physicians still are the biggest influence on consumer health behavior, according to Monique Levy, senior director of research at Manhattan Research.
Google and Microsoft’s Bing recently refined their search engines to provide consumers with more credible and relevant information. (Kim, iHealthBeat, 4/15).
Friday, April 09, 2010
VA Taps Social Media Tools To Promote Health Benefits, Other Services
The Department of Veterans Affairs is turning to social media tools to improve communication with veterans and help them access health care and other benefits, the Washington Post reports.
Brandon Friedman — who previously served in the Army in Afghanistan and Iraq — is leading the department’s push to establish a presence on Web sites such as Facebook and Twitter.
Friedman said veterans are interested in “a two-way conversation” with VA and platforms that allow them to offer feedback on the department’s services. He said that he has facilitated discussions on the agency’s Facebook page and that the department will launch a blog by the year’s end.
Friedman added that VA aims to promote transparency in its social media platforms to align with the Obama administration’s “open government” initiative (Erickson, Washington Post, 4/9).
Tags: healthcare social media, hospice and social media, hospice marketing, raleigh advertising agencies, Raleigh design firms, raleigh social media agencies, Social Media Influence
Posted in Decision Cycle, Healthcare, Purchase Intent, Social Media Influence, Social Networking | View Comments
Thursday, March 11th, 2010
Again I am up on my soapbox. I know no one is surprised. Forgive me in advance. But I just read a blog post by a company who claims to be ‘experts’ in social media. The post was reviewing a Web site with what they claim is “an impressive amount of social media integration and with social media connectivity built into every page.” The site they were touting had the ‘now usual’ links to Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and the compulsory blog. Sorry – Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and simply having a blog does not qualify as an impressive amount of social media interaction. Especially when these tools are one-way conversations mainly about the company, mainly a sales pitch, and void of strategy to meet end user’s needs, wants, desires, or concerns. In fact, it is difficult to tell whom the site is speaking to. This is not interaction. Let’s look deeper: the company’s Facebook page is full of typos, Discussions (tab) has no discussions but spends the real estate telling you how great the company is. There is no link to resources, no interaction and the posts are mostly again about the company. In addition, page set up is one Facebook offers for stores, not for brands or service providers. Their Twitter page attempts to give advice but there are no links for more in depth information and the posts are condescending. Nor does it ask: What are you concerned about? How can we help you? The Tweets are directed as one way communication. Blog topics are not centered around providing useful information and the blog is faceless offering no level of affinity between author and reader, who is writing this? Not to mention poor site design, unbalanced page layout, poor typography for the target, confusing copy, grammar and spelling mistakes… What put me up on the soapbox is not so much these common missteps in social media (companies sometimes are simply doing the best they can with limited resources, time and budgets). What made this SBM (soapbox moment) is a ‘social media’ company blogging the world that this is how it should be done while trying to sell you a one size fits all social media package for $2999.99
So world, let me tell you about a company who is doing it right. And it did not come in a shiny branded online community $2999.99 package but most assuredly was developed from strategy, end user research and knowledge. Check out Caregiver’s Corner, San Diego Hospice blog (http://sandiegocaregiversblog.com/). This is a lovely example of a resource strategy. The design is clean, the end user is directed immediately where to go by their self interest/need. The posts are personal and informative. The end of each post carries a short description of its author. Note the Twitter feed on the bottom right. Though some Tweets are about their organization (and a limited number should be) many lead the reader to more in depth info. They share useful information from other hospices, communicate with followers, and seek input on topics (what do you think about this). This is interaction.
Their Facebook page is equally well done. Here’s how they describe the page: We made this page to connect with all the families who have been a part of San Diego Hospice, to honor the people who support us & to talk with anyone who wants to know more about what we have to offer. And they’re right. Boxes house a long list of Useful Resources from caregiver resources, legal advice to networking opportunities. The posts are interactive and contain droves of useful information.
It took many words to get to my point but I am finally there. Impressive social media is not about the tools you have but how you use them. If you are in a service industry that provides healthcare, eldercare or personal care services your social media strategy should be focused on being a true resource, connecting with the gatekeeper, building affinity and establishing trust. Forget about ‘selling’ your services and instead start with these simple words: “If I was my target what would I want.” And if some vendor wants to sell you a package complete with a ‘strategy session’ – RUN FORREST RUN!
Tags: Anoroc, anoroc agency, eldercare providers and social media, healthcare and social media, healthcare social media, Hospice, hospice and social media, hospice marketing, hospice social media, raleigh advertising agencies, Raleigh design firms, raleigh social media, raleigh social media agencies, San Diego Hospice
Posted in Anoroc, Brand Value, Customer Loyalty, Healthcare, Hospice, Marketing, Purchase Intent, Social Media Influence, Social Networking | View Comments
Friday, February 26th, 2010
Beyond creating the strategy that determines what users will gain from engaging in social media platforms, is creating tone and voice. For social media platforms to be engaging to women in the caregiving cycle they must embody key characteristics.
Anoroc’s hospice research has determined much about this target. She will most likely see herself as a caretaker and nurturer and it is important to establish a tone that speaks to her with an understanding of this emotional perspective.
Women, in general, are more emotionally connected and therefore are likely to tune into emotional benefits over functional ones. They include emotions in their decision making as opposed to basing them only on rational elements. So don’t be afraid to give them a ‘feeling’ to show the emotion, the ‘what matters’ behind your brand. She will see hospice services as typical among all hospice providers – unless your hospice provides a unique service that makes her world function better – you better ensure your social media platform provides her with the emotional connection she is seeking.
Women also want a dialogue, not just a transaction. That means encouraging a two way conversation on your social media platforms vs solely spouting company news, successes, facts, or services. She really doesn’t care and if this is all you are doing you can wish her a fond farewell.
Research is proving that women are engaging in social media in droves – wonder why? Because women strive to establish links and connect through affinity. Since women seek commonality and look for similarity between themselves and the ‘speaker.’ Make sure your social media platforms are not a nameless, faceless entity. Many organizations newly embarking into social media are making this mistake – remember this online world is about connection, nobody wants to connect to a nameless ‘site monitor’.
Hospice agencies that we have taken down this emotionally supportive and resource driven path have seen an increase in census of 60% plus. Equate that with not only the potential to your bottom line but the potential of increasing the number of families given a better end of life experience. And to those of us who know how profoundly hospice can improve the quality of life for both patients and their families – that sounds pretty dang good.
Tags: Anoroc, healthcare social media, Hospice, hospice and social media, hospice marketing, hospice social media, raleigh social marketing, raleigh social media, raleigh social media agencies, raleigh social media companies, social influence marketing, women in social media
Posted in Anoroc, Brand Value, Customer Loyalty, Decision Cycle, Healthcare, Hospice, Marketing, Purchase Intent, Social Media Influence, Social Networking, Women | View Comments
Wednesday, February 24th, 2010
There is little doubt that hospice can profoundly improve the quality of life for those facing a life limiting illness. Yet there remains a large degree of misunderstanding, lack of knowledge concerning breadth of services and the struggle with late referrals. Can social media work to improve these barriers to care? I believe it can. Social media may be one of the best things that ever happened when talking hospice. I am not exaggerating, there is tremendous potential for hospice providers. The key is understanding how to use social media to engage hospice gatekeepers. There is a very real and specific strategy.
To understand the potential positive impact that social media can have on those who are providing care to a loved one, we first need to truly understand the caregiver. Note that positive impact equals referral request.
Here’s a little caregiving data: Out of the more than 50 million people who provide care for a chronically ill, disabled or aged family member during any given year, approximately 60% are women (this is your gatekeeper – get her and you can worry less about early referrals). On average she is 46 years old and caring for her widowed mother who does not live with her. She is married and employed.
For close to two decades Anoroc has been conducting research on hospice caregiving, specifically determining VALS (values, attitudes, lifestyles) and focusing on their wants/beliefs/healthcare buying habits and values. In Part Two we’ll share what we’ve learned about this 46 year old female.
Tags: Hospice, hospice and social media, hospice marketing, hospice social media, raleigh media agencies, raleigh social media, raleigh social media agencies, raleigh social media companies, social marketing, social media, social media and hospice organizations, women in social media
Posted in Anoroc, Customer Loyalty, Decision Cycle, Healthcare, Hospice, Marketing, Purchase Intent, Social Media Influence, Social Networking, Women | View Comments
Wednesday, February 17th, 2010
I just read a piece on ‘Why Positioning Fails’ that I basically agree with. But it fell a bit short. As I read it I was coining a piece along similar lines about internal communications. And I thought about it just a bit, and decided that my piece was right… and so was theirs, but not all companies can be as ours. Our brand, and many we serve, are about one simple thing. The truth.
And by that I mean your external positioning must be the truth. If you’re the good guys – then be the good guys. Be good to your customers and your own people. If you’re supposed to be about equality and partnership – then practice it with your people and your vendors. If your brand is about compassion – then be compassionate to your clients and your employees.
While the ‘Why Positioning Fails’ piece urged you to take a few basic steps regarding positioning that are certainly not incorrect – Involve staff in process, Give your team direction, Promote the positioning internally, Help your team become evangelists for your firm – I submit, that there is an easier way. And hence, I present my take.
‘How Internal Positioning Works – considerations for internal communications.’ We’ve positioned numerous companies – externally – but only you can position your company internally. And if you don’t, it won’t take long for the truth to come out.
Involve your staff in the process: That’s not good enough. Make it known throughout your entire company what is important about what your company does… what is the end result? This needs to be a ‘why do we come to work at all’ level, a basic understanding of standards and principles. We can all earn a paycheck doing a variety of other things. Why do we choose to do it this way?
Give your team direction: That’s not really adequate either. All of our roles combine to generate whatever you’ve directed your company to generate. Is that something as good as the next? Something passable? Or are you in pursuit of excellence? Those are not funny questions by the way. Some companies strive to be the cheapest – some to maintain a short term profit and quit –some strive to be the best. Decide which it is, I have a hard time with not reaching to be the best. I’m striving for a level of personal satisfaction, and I believe every one of us knows when we achieve a bar that makes us proud.
Promote the positioning internally: You might do this by accident, and if you don’t do it at all you need to close up shop right now. Encourage and support passionate work. Tell someone they did a great job – say THANK YOU – point out why their bar of excellence made a difference. (I remember the first time I called a particular designer and mentioned the project they had just mounted for presentation – I could feel her tense up on the other end expecting a problem. I told her that I was proud to be able to present work of that level at our meeting – thank you. She didn’t know how to respond – no one had ever treated her decently in the workplace before.)
Help your team become evangelists for your firm: This step is not necessary if your company has heart and you’ve accomplished the previous three steps. And if it doesn’t have heart it’s an enormous challenge to fake it.
So the moral of the story is you have to care and have heart if you expect your company’s “truth” to support positive external positioning.
Tags: anorac, Anoroc, anoroc agency, engagement marketing, raleigh advertising agencies, raleigh marketing agencies, raleigh social marketing, raleigh social media agencies
Posted in Anoroc, Brand Value, Customer Loyalty, Decision Cycle, Marketing, Purchase Intent, Social Media Influence | View Comments
Friday, February 5th, 2010
Just read on VentureBeat about Micello, a mobile app to guide you through stores and hallways. The founder sees “limitless potential”.
“Micello’s niche is just that: “a Google Maps for the indoors,” as they put it during their launch. Google Maps works best outside, using corners and addresses to get you where you’re going. When you’re not on the street corner, it’s hard to find out what’s nearby and how to get there. That’s what Micello is after. They’re content to let you get to where you’re going using some other service, but they want to show you what’s going on where you are. If I’m in an airport, Micello’s goal is to show me how to get to the parking garage, what restaurants are nearby, and how to navigate my way to the gate.
At the moment, Micello is only available for the iPhone and iPod Touch, but the company plans to extend it to other phones, as well as a Facebook application. The focus is on a mobile connection, but maps can be cached and viewed offline.”
This is what makes us tick. Innovation. In our shop I always try to remember to remind everyone to utter a few simple words… why not… what if… when obstacles are encountered.
And if we remember to really consider things in that light, the potential of how we can leverage emerging media, synergize with traditional media, turn up the volume with mobile apps truly is limitless.
Why not?
Tags: anorac, Anoroc, digital agencies, new media, raleigh marketing agencies, raleigh media agencies, raleigh social marketing, raleigh social media, raleigh social media agencies, social marketing
Posted in Anoroc, Application Development, Marketing, Social Media Influence, Social Networking | View Comments
