I know, you’ve heard it before… But it’s official; Verizon announced yesterday the arrival of the iPhone 4 to their 3G Network (that’s right, the biggest disappointment was that the 3G, rather than the new 4G LTE, network would host the iPhone.) Still, after an exclusive 4-year contract with AT&T, Verizon will be the first carrier to offer the phone (I even got an exclusive invitation to pre-order before the February 10th release date, as an existing Verizon customer;-) So what does this mean from a marketing standpoint? Here are my assertions:

1. Competition – as ‘the world’s most reliable network’ Verizon already owns the lion’s share of the mobile market, now frustrated AT&T users will have the opportunity to switch carriers.

2. Marketplace – the new tag line “iPhone 4. Verizon. It begins.” and exclusive invitation to pre-order are more opportunities to advertise and perhaps, just the beginning.

3. Future – loyal Verizon patrons will likely extend contracts and new customers stand to be gained with the acquisition of the iPhone.

Overall, I think the addition (as well as anticipation) of the iPhone is a smart move by Verizon. Unfortunately, they turned the iPhone down initially, probably losing out on a monopoly. However, with Droid rivaling the iPhone and already on the Verizon network, maybe a monopoly is still to come…

What do you think of the Verizon iPhone announcement?

Yesterday, we discussed the 5 steps to using twitter more effectively. Today, we are going to discuss the 5 steps to make facebook more effective.

Create a business page people actually care about.

If all your business page does is ramble on about who you are and why you’re so cool, people are not going to want to get involved. However, if you ask questions, start conversations and provide new and interesting information, it will be much easier to keep an audience interested. Participation is the key to the success of a facebook page.

Provide them an offer they can’t refuse

Not to go all godfather on you, but really, people like offers…they like feeling special. Put together something just for your facebook fans and give them a reason to come ‘like’ you! It doesn’t have to be big, but make sure it is about them not about you. Gift cards, special invites…not sales pitches disguised as a free offer.

Keep your information consistent

With so many social platforms, life can be confusing. But, if you use the same headshot/logo and explaination of who you are and what you do in all places, it can make it easier. People want to know they have found the right person or company – and that can be difficult when the pages are not filled out properly. Don’t forget to put your email and contact information there too!

Connect your blog

Networked Blogs is one of the easiest to use and most aesthetically pleasing blog connection applications for facebook. It will pull the post in as soon as it is published, allow people to subscribe and even shows images embedded into the content. Set it up once, and your blog content will publish to your page automatically, providing easier access to your intelligence for your facebook fans.

Don’t give up

One of the biggest pitfalls that companies fall into is not seeing results fast enough and giving up on different tools. Today, remind yourself that social media is about conversations, discussions and building awareness…not selling your stuff. Then remind yourself tomorrow, and the day after that, and on until you understand the reason that we are using these tools. Once you understand the why, the how becomes much easier to comprehend.

What do Family Guy and Windows 7 have in common?

Nothing I can think of right away, but apparently Microsoft knows something I don’t.

According to the LA Times, Microsoft has teamed up with Family Guy to create a 30 minute episode that involves their brand and new Windows system. The show is set to air at 8:30pm on November 8th on FOX. The show will have zero commercials and will include not-yet revealed jokes and songs about Windows.

The article says that a 30 second spot last year on Family Guy cost about $200,000. Which means, simple math, Microsoft is spending about $12 MILLION dollars for the show. Really? They couldn’t think of any better way to spend $12 MILLION dollars?

What about a social media push? What about paying the person who started the twitter account with 8k+ followers @windows7center to take it over and make sure all the messaging is what you want? What about offering out some free versions to smaller bloggers?

What do you think? Is Microsoft spending their money appropriately? How would you market Windows 7?

What can $120 million media buy get you?

Hopefully a new brand. But if you’re Brinks Home Security, you might as well have set that money on fire.

On July 1st, Brinks Home Security revealed that they would be separating themselves from the red trucks and armored guards we all associate with security and would be renaming their home security brand to Broadview Home Security.  Huh?

They started their campaign with a collection of new ads run on an aggressive media push:

Did you catch why they changed their name? Me either. They’ve poured money into ads that explain nothing. They’ve grabbed your attention just like they used to, and terrified you about home invasions. But all of a sudden the name is different without any explanation…that’s a little terrifying too.

How could the campaign be improved and be more effective at both selling the service while establishing the brand transition? Easy. How about answering the questions that you know everyone is going to be asking when the ad ends instead of just showing a new logo?

Let’s start with: Why are you changing the name in the first place? People know Brinks. They know what it means. They know the brand. Brinks is serious security – trucks, guns, tough black suits. You know your money is protected with Brinks, why not extend that to the home as they’ve done in the past? Clearly there’s a business decision behind this but c’mon, we’re adults we can take, go ahead and tell us the reasoning behind the decision to change the name and let us embrace you as smart business people serious about security, not awful marketers.

Once we’ve established the reason for the change, then we can move on to: What’s Broadview and why did you choose it? What new services are you offering? Are you better, stronger or more secure now? Did you improve my services in anyway?  Create and establish a believeable, marketable strategy for the name so that existing customers feel secure with the change and potential customers establish an understanding for the brand and the company behind the brand.

Those are the tough questions these ads should be answering, otherwise they are just pouring the $120mil down the drain.  What their competition should do now is to run a switch campaign to capitalize on the uneasy feeling existing Brinks customers will have with this sudden shift.  Most consumers don’t realize that you can switch your service provider anytime you like.  Just because you have Brinks branded security panels in your home  doesn’t mean that you have to use them for monitoring and you can just as easily use ADT or another provider, which at this point seems like a pretty good idea.

This all seems pretty shaky to me.  If your brand is all about security, you don’t want your customers thinking your company isn’t secure, do you?

Youtube is just for funny videos and bad spoof’s right? And Flickr is just one more place to put my photos?

No and no.

Youtube and Flickr are two channels that enable companies to connect with their target markets in a new and unique way. By sharing images and videos rather than just words, you can introduce your business and your product more 3-dimensionally and create more interest. Videos and pictures are just as easy to send out as a website link, which means that they can become just as popular – if not more so. People love watching and observing…visual experience can be much more powerful than a written experience. Have you ever shared a youtube video or a flickr photo with someone? The only thing stopping your video from getting shared is not creating it.

Here are a few businesses that can benefit from participating in flickr and youtube:

• Restaurants/Chef/Food industry – A video can show of the way to cook specific items, the pictures can show off fabulous menu items and the inside of the restaurants. The difference between McDonald’s and Morton’s? It’s not just the food. It’s how the place looks, the opulence of the environment, the presentation of the plates and the feeling you get when you’re there. Don’t just tell people you have killer food and a beautiful atmosphere – show it off!
• B2C Technology – How many times do you get the same questions from your customers? Make a video that answers that question and direct people to your you-tube channel for the answer! Not only are certain things easier to understand visually, but a good video can power up the SEO of your brand as well. The most common videos to go viral are comedy skits and well done how-to’s. What’s stopping you from making the next great youtube video?
  
• Graphics/Web Designers – really? I have to explain why? Ok, it’s pretty simple…you make visual items, how else are you planning to show them off? I know a lot of designers fear giving away too much online, but that’s just silly. Show people how you create an amazing graphic, and leave off the last couple steps. Make them contact you for the rest! It is one of the easiest ways to get people intrigued and amazed.
• Niche designers – Do you create something unique? Blown glass, artwork, wood working, clothing? If you design a unique product that is either hard to find, hard to do or both, you should be showing it off through all possible channels. As mentioned with graphic designers, many ‘creators’ fear their work will be stolen if they show it off online. This fear should not stop you from promoting your work online, it should make you want to share it even more. Items that are difficult to create or duplicate are the best items to show the world.

…any other business who feels they can benefit!

While the 4 types of businesses  mentioned are a natural fit for youtube and flickr, it doesn’t mean other business types can’t make it work as well. Find something worth sharing and go for it – see what happens. There is no harm in trying something new, especially when it is aimed at growing your business.

LinkedIn is a TOOL, it is something created to help you to monitor your brand and promote your business. It is a means of connection and when used properly, can be extremely powerful. It is not meant to be an end-all solution, but combined with a strong social media strategy, it can definitely help.

So, what is it about LinkedIn that is so special? Why do you need to have a strategy?

Here are 10 simple, but important, reasons why you (and your business) should have been on LinkedIn yesterday.

1. Social networking isn’t going anywhere. While the tools may change, the idea is going to stay. Learning to use these tools to your advantage keeps you one step ahead of the game.
2. LinkedIn is like facebook for business. It is a way for people to get to know you better, but on a business level. Reconnect with old colleagues, find interesting people in the same field, get recommendations and join groups that will add to your knowledge base. LinkedIn was designed for business connections, are you making them?
3. People do research before they meet with a company. Which is why it is imperative to make sure that everyone in the company is on the same page. If someone is researching your business but no one has a similar description of the company, the picture of your brand gets blurry. Creating a uniformed way to talk about your brand will make sure it stays sharp.
4. It’s one more location your brand can make a presence. The more times that someone sees a brand in a positive light, the better the brand gets. Because you can control the way that they see your brand on LinkedIn, you can make sure that it is in the right way and with the right words.
5. Unfortunately, it is also one more place that your brand can fall apart. Proper management is key – just ‘being there’ isn’t going to work. But, if you can make sure that your brand stays connected, it can become more powerful.
6. SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Social networks are ranked extremely high in the search engines, which means the more social networking pages you can create properly, the more results will show up when people search for your company.
7. Asking questions. Looking for a consumer opinion on a product? LinkedIn’s question and answer section provides businesses a built in study group, with participation from some of the best minds in the business.
8. Make sure to answer a few questions as well. Providing quality answers can not only get you out there, but it can help brand you as an expert in a category. It gives you a chance to share your knowledge and possibly introduce your product, all without sounding precocious (of course, only if it’s done right).
9. Blog integration and promotion – You can tie your blog to your LinkedIn page, which means that the connections you have there will see it and hopefully visit. It is just one more way to promote your message and get people to listen.
10. If you’re not monitoring your brand, your name, your employees and managing your company page, who will? It’s just that simple.

Still not convinced? Ask us questions, get involved, send us an email…let’s chat about LinkedIn.

Already on LinkedIn? Connect with the Motor team – Kirsten Wright, Peter Quill and Greg von Urff.