Unconventional Wisdom - The Tuvel Communications Blog

Engaging Your Customers in Unconventional Ways

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Mitch Arnowitz

Member Prospecting Webinar 12.12.12 – Fishing in the Right Ponds

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Please join Tuvel Communications this Wednesday, December 12, 2012 at 2:00 pm ET for a Member Prospecting Webinar – Fishing in the Right Ponds

Register Here

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Sponsored by: Young Association Professionals, Aggregage, Association Universe and Infinite Conferencing

We are excited to bring an amazing series of interactive webinars on how association professionals need to think and act differently to drive member engagement. The world has changed and we’ve brought together thought leaders from a wide variety of perspectives to help with this new world. The series runs each week from the end of October through end of January.

Fishing in the Right Ponds 12.12.12

Associations want marketing to create new members at a predictable cost. We hear a lot these days about the “Long Tail” with its untapped and micro-targeted prospecting segments such as government, healthcare, and education. Mass marketing models are not designed to go downstream or cost effectively reach these new, targeted member segments. In this webcast, you will learn how the core elements of influencer programs, online community building and social media are being used to cost effectively identify influencers and build relationships that produce loyal members and supporters. Mitch will also be sharing case studies and best practices for results-driven association programs, projects and campaigns. You will learn that reaching the promise of the Long Tail is hard but can be done using research, tools, analytics and the right people!

We’re Hiring! Part-Time Social Media Campaign Associate

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Tuvel Communications is a market research and development company that combines human processes, social media and analytics. We collaborate with government entities, technology companies, non-profits and associations to identify rich untapped market segments and convert them into engaged online communities.

We develop and execute social media outreach campaigns, conducting market research and using customized communications while building valuable relationships. We’ve worked with such esteemed organizations as Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the National Association of Broadcasters, Carahsoft Technology Corp. and 1105 Media, Inc.

We’re looking for a part-time Social Media Campaign Associate, who will be responsible for overall project management of a client campaign from start to finish, moving them forward on schedule. Please be aware that this is a telecommuting, 1099 independent contracting position.

Responsibilities include:

  • Managing and executing campaign strategies and tactics, including research, outreach, relationship-building with community influencers, social networking and contests/promotions.
  • Managing campaign analytics, tracking and reporting.
  • Assisting with the development of proposals.
  • Contributing to the company blog, social networks and newsletter.

Requirements:

  • 3-5 years’ experience in an online marketing and/or communications/PR role specifically using social media and working on email/influencer outreach campaigns (including development, implementation and/or management).
  • 2-3 years’ experience in a project, campaign and/or account management role, managing all aspects of campaigns/projects.
  • Experience developing and measuring campaign analytics, as well as developing reports.
  • Experience with online market research and able to locate influencers and contact information using a variety of online research techniques. Our outreach campaigns go beyond just blogs, so knowledge of and the ability to find influencers in a variety of online communities – like web forums, user and professional groups, listservs and email lists, and other social networks – is absolutely essential.
  • Extensive knowledge of third-party marketing and reporting tools and platforms and how they can be used for different projects. These include WordPress, Hootsuite and Mailchimp.
  • Experience using Google Docs and Basecamp for project management.
  • This is a telecommuting role requiring remote access, so you should actively use tools like Skype and gchat for communication with the Tuvel team and clients.
  • Highly organized, self-starting and flexible individual, able to change directions on a dime and put in extra work when needed.
  • While this is a telecommuting role, location within the Washington, DC Metro area is preferred.

Interested? Please e-mail your resume to hello<at>tuvel<dot>com with the subject line “Social Media Campaign Associate” 

What’s the Definition of Value?

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Earlier this week, I participated in a Facebook discussion kicked off by Toby Bloomberg, the Marketing Diva. In addition to Toby, other way bright people in the conversation included B.L. Ochman. If you don’t already know who these fine folks are, make it your business to do so!

Turns out that Toby, an influential blogger, received an email from the PR Director of a major brand asking her to support their latest campaign.  The discussion thread covered areas like pay-to-play and bad PR pitches.  But, theDefinition of Value part of the conversation that caught my eye was the definition of perceived value.  Not value to the brand or PR Director sending Toby the note, but how the blogger or person receiving the communication defines value.

We execute influencer outreach campaigns on behalf of clients and sometimes reach out to bloggers. We don’t typically begin a conversation asking someone to support our brand or cause. Rather, we try to find out what turns the reader on, where the value is for them – usually referred to as the Whats In It For Me.  Sometimes the value is not a free pass or sample! A free trial download may be valuable to our client, but may not be valuable to the person that they’re trying to impact. Instead, value may be defined as access, education or an audience.

Recognition of community participation on a leaderboard can be an example of value, demonstrated by the rise of social gamification. As these dated (but still on-point) articles detail, value to some customers can be offering product input or even involvement in product creation.  Having said all of that, sometimes people do want dollars off!

On the Internet, beauty truly lies in the eyes of the beholder. While the end game may be brand support or sales, experience has taught us that the reception of our campaigns is greater when the focus isn’t solely on the client brand. It has to be about the people.

The other interesting issue discussed in this thread was relationship-building. B.L. Ochman nailed it when she said “we’d like you to support our brand” is like saying “can we pick your brain.” In other words, building relationships by focusing on the other persons needs is a good place to start. You may not always be able to deliver, but listening goes a long way.

But enough about us.  How do you define value?