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B2B and Social Media: Luke, Meet Warm

admin — Mon, 15 Nov 2010 18:22:57 +0000

A “State of B2B Social Media Marketing” story and infographic on Mashable illustrate some of the barriers still existent in the world of social engagement–within the realm of B2B marketers, of course, but also quite prevalent among B2C marketing at the regional and local levels.

First, a couple of caveats: The data referenced in this infographic comes from a March, 2010 research study; in the world of social media, that’s several cycles ago. On a related note, the methodology for the research isn’t clear: sample size, scope, markets surveyed, and so on. So in no way should we look at this data as a quantitative, representative look at the whole world of B2B and social media.

However, we can make a few qualitative observations, backed up by our experience working with both B2B and B2C brands engaging in social media. Let’s look at a few of the statistics:

• 86% of B2B firms are using social media, compared to 82% of B2C companies. (This seems somewhat high, in our experience, unless “using social media” means having a Facebook presence or a Twitter account. But it’s interesting to note that B2B usage is at least equal to B2C application.)

• 46% of B2B companies say social media is perceived as “irrelevant” in their organizations, while only 12% of B2C companies say the same thing. (Again, while we might disagree with the overall numbers, it’s probably safe to say that B2C brands are more comfortable with social media than B2B brands.)

• 10% of B2B companies use outside consultants for social media, compared to 28% of B2C companies. (Again, those figures are probably overrepresented in regional and local circles, but there’s a definite DIY mentality that exists in social media…and that mentality is probably much more prevalent in B2B settings. We surmise it has a lot to do with that “irrelevant” factor mentioned previously. Marketing people at these firms undoubtedly know social media is relevant, but if they feel they’re battling a misperception about such relevance, the most logical step is to take matters into their own hands.)

When we see information and data like this, we come back to a few of our oft-repeated mantras. First, we’ve yet to work with a company that can’t benefit, in some way, from social media. In fact, we think social media may have even more utility for biz-to-biz firms, because the markets tend to be more vertical, and therefore easier to track. For starters, biz-to-biz uses for social media include reputation management and monitoring, tracking of marketing activities, unvarnished market research, employee recruitment, and competitor analysis. How is any of that irrelevant?

Finally–and this holds true across the board–we still sense a general “look, but don’t touch” attitude toward social media in general. That is to say, many companies are interested in the research and numbers, but have a difficult time leaping into actual engagement. Our response is: the only sure way to fail at any business proposition is to never do it in the first place.

Business implications:

Find the current state of social media in your spheres of influence. What are your competitors doing? What are people saying about you and your brands? Who are the opinion leaders in your niche?

Don’t get analysis paralysis when it comes to engagement. It’s already an oft-repeated cliche: “Social media is conversation.” That doesn’t necessarily mean you have to start the conversations. Often, it simply means finding existing conversations, listening, and contributing in a meaningful way.

The little “i” that’s changing everything.

admin — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 16:53:44 +0000

First came the iPod and iTunes, which combined to form a cultural phenomenon. The explosion of interest resulted in a slew of iApplications and iProducts (iLife, iChat, iWork, etc), including the iPhone and iPad–objects on wish lists everywhere.

So it’s no surprise that Apple recently announced $20 billion in quarterly revenue (much of it due to iPhone sales). It’s their biggest ever, and is only expected to grow. (Read the whole article.)

During the quarter, the iPhone sold 14.1 million units and saw 91 percent growth in sales compared to the same quarter last year. The iPad sold 4.19 million units (numbers Apple said are low due to supply shortages). With the iPhone likely to become available to other cell carriers in the coming year, and smart phones competitors flying off the shelves, well, it ain’t all that difficult to see where this is all heading.

Apple is leading the pack when it comes to mobile internet devices and the competition is getting fierce (Samsung, RIM, Amazon, Barnes and Noble have all produced competing iPad products). Already smart phones dominate the marketplace. Soon, the public will be flooded with mobile device options at varying price points.

It’s time to prepare for the mobile and tablet PC revolution. The era of the desktop computer is evolving. Maybe even disappearing. Mary Meeker of Morgan Stanley says by 2013, mobile internet will surpass desktop internet usage. (See accompanying graph at the top of this post.) We wouldn’t be surprised if it happens even before then, as we see the growth curve accelerating.

Business Implications

Is your content ready to be viewed on a 13 inch screen? How about a 4 inch screen? If you have a smart phone, look at your company’s web site; you might be surprised at how unusable it really is on a device with limited screen real estate.
What can you do now to better prepare for mobile usage? People browse on computers, smart phones and tablets, yes. But their browsing habits differ on those devices–precisely because they use them in different locations. Desktops are used at home and work, which means longer users sessions. But smart phones are likely used on-the-go (perhaps even at your business location), so it’s better to highlight contact information, ordering information, and similar items on your mobile site. Think to yourself: what do people want to know when they walk through my door? That’s exactly what you need to highlight on your mobile site. (And don’t forget to ask them to rate you on Yelp or other services, or check in on Foursquare and Facebook Places.)
What kind of apps would benefit your clients/customers? The term “app” can be a stumbling block, because businesses often think of massive programming. But really, an app can simply be information you already have in an alternate format; consider publishing your specials or news in an “app” framework.

Igniting New Ideas: Social’s More Local

admin — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 16:45:06 +0000

Tony Hines, our Creative/Social Media Director, be speaking at the inaugural Ignite Spokane tonight (www.ignitespokane.com), a growing movement that began with Ignite Seattle in 2006. That, in turn, grew out of Japanese Pecha Kucha. (Not the first fun idea we’ve stolen from Japanese culture—Karaoke, anyone?)

Basically, the Ignite talk is five minutes in length, governed by 20 slides of 15 seconds each. Quick “nuggets” of information, easily digestible in an online format (most videos eventually make it onto YouTube and other video sharing sites). Worldwide, the Ignite movement has grown to more than 50 cities around the world, and it continues to expand.

Ignite is a perfect model and example of where we’ve been moving with social media in the last few years. In the early days of the Interwebs (and social media specifically), the lure was the fact that you could interact with people across the world. Geography no longer mattered. And certainly, that’s still true to a great extent. But we’ve also seen the greatest recent growth in activity among localized social media. People are interacting among niches within their own, physical communities. That’s what powers Foursquare, Yelp, Gowalla, BrightKite, and the location update feature on Facebook. That’s what powers Meetup, Gather, and thousands of spontaneous Tweetup gatherings in venues across the world. And that’s what powers one of the newest darlings of online commerce: Groupon.

So the question is: does this intersection of social awareness and localization power part of your social media presence?

Business implications:

If you are a retail business, a portion of your online strategy should be devoted to courting “socially aware” local groups and meetings. Offer your establishment as a venue for tweetups, meetups, and other gatherings. Create special prizes and offers for people who check in at your location on Yelp, Foursquare, and Facebook. Create your own events and gatherings designed to attract heavy users of social media tools.
If you’re service-oriented or business-to-business, you should be a part of these previously mentioned “local social” gatherings. Participation extends beyond the online world, and you’ll invariably form personal and professional relationships.

BHW1 Lands Contract for Local Recycling Campaign

admin — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 23:38:14 +0000

At some time or another, we’ve all been frustrated by recycling. Why can’t those pizza boxes go in the blue curbside bin? Do we have to remove labels from cans? What about cardboard boxes? And so it goes. The process can be frustrating – especially when you are just trying to do the right thing!

But wait. Help is on the way. This fall, BHW1 will unveil a marketing campaign designed to help county residents understand the basics and the benefits of recycling. Created for the Spokane Regional Solid Waste System, the campaign will focus on demystifying the rules of recycling and revealing just how easy recycling can be. Since the goal is to reduce the amount of trash we create, a premium will be placed on communicating in ways that don’t require direct mailings and other paper heavy avenues.

“The goal of the Spokane Regional Solid Waste System is to increase the county’s recycling rate. We’re going to find unique ways to connect with our audience so we can reduce our paper usage while changing the way residents look at garbage.” said Greg Birchell, a partner at BHW1. “But really, recycling is one of the easiest things we can do to make Spokane, even the planet, a better place to live. It’s just a matter of adjusting old habits.”

The campaign will kick off in September and run through the end of the year.

Bay Shore Systems, Inc., opts for BHW1

admin — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 22:43:58 +0000

Just on the edge of Rathdrum, beyond Spokane’s hustle and bustle, a specialized company has quietly developed an international footprint. Bay Shore Systems, Inc., which began in 1978, designs and manufactures drilling equipment for a wide range of applications. Today it stands as one of the premier drilling manufacturing companies in the world with markets in Russia, Asia and the U.S.

But, as Adam Minatre, Sales, pointed out, “It was apparent we couldn’t rest on our laurels. Intelligent marketing and advertising was needed to match our product status and long-term growth plans. “

Enter BHW1. Bay Shore Systems, Inc., recently hired the Spokane agency to help drive those growth plans and create brand equity around the globe.

“The construction and drilling industry is very competitive and challenging,” said Cat Hannity, the senior account manager on the account.

“And given the slow down in new construction starts, a company like Bay Shore Systems needs every advantage it can get. Our job will be to employ marketing to leverage their outstanding products. We’ll communicate with targets on many levels, no matter where they are.”

Spokane Transit exceeds ridership growth in the wake of BHW1 campaign

admin — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 22:43:11 +0000

Spokane – Last year Spokane Transit launched a new campaign slogan: “How a great city moves.” To say things have moved along since then is an understatement. Not only was the slogan expressed in all of STA’s messaging, but it has helped drive the transit authority’s efforts to stimulate the region’s economic vitality and quality of life for years to come.

As new restaurants, communities and businesses spring up in our metropolitan area, STA enlisted BHW1, the creators of “How a great city moves,” to communicate how its initiatives stimulate economic progress in smart, sustainable ways.

With a two-prong strategic approach spanning 18-months, BHW1 kicked off the campaign by detailing recent service enhancements such as the introduction of wi-fi access on buses, extended service hours and a north express shuttle with direct service to the downtown core. The campaign was then followed by rider testimonials sharing the many ways STA positively impacted their personal and professional lives.

“The strategy was to first educate STA’s many new enhancements. We then reported how the enhancements were received by riders,” said Cat Hannity, Senior Account Manager for Spokane Transit. We knew we could help increase ridership and public support. But we never dreamed of attaining record ridership numbers in such a short amount of time.”

How much did ridership increase? As of today it’s surpassing the national average of a 3% increase over a 12-month period, increasing by 24% over the last 4-years and reaching 1 million rides in a single month during April, 2008.

BHW1 Makes Another Statement At The ADDY’s.

colinm — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 17:16:42 +0000

Once again BHW1 proved itself a creative force at the 2008 Inland Northwest and Northwest ADDY’s.

In all, the agency won Best of Show, Best of Division and a number of Golds and Silvers for print, TV and collateral.

“We’re very careful about what we enter. We don’t flood the show,” said Ward Duft, creative director of the agency.

“So what’s most rewarding is that just about everything we entered was acknowledged by the judges. Our staff did a great job creating some of the most creative, and just as importantly, effective, work in the region.”

BHW1 is a full-service advertising agency offering clients traditional, interactive and non-traditional thinking that propels business growth and brand awareness.

Summer Hours 2008

colinm — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 15:02:44 +0000

BHW1 will be changing to summer hours beginning June 2nd 2008, as listed below:

Monday: 7:30am – 5:30pm
Tuesday: 7:30am – 5:30pm
Wednesday: 7:30am – 5:30pm
Thursday: 7:30am – 5:30pm
Friday: 8:00am – 12:00pm
Closed Saturday and Sunday

Summer Hours Promo

BHW1 Launches New Website For Region’s Premier Shopping Destination

admin — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 23:01:04 +0000

River Park Square, the flagship shopping destination for southern British Columbia, western Montana, northern Idaho and eastern Washington, has a new website. But not just any website. The new one created by BHW1 leverages brand integration from print, TV and catalog to give the shopping center a seamless brand presence.

“Not only that, but the site allows customers to plan visits by searching shopping, eating, parking and entertainment options,” said Catherine Hannity, the BHW1 account manager for River Park Square. “We can even let customers register for VIP connections and gather important demographic data.”

Sherry Johnson, River Park Square’s marketing director, noted “the entire site gives us a virtual brand presence that further separates us from run-of-the-mill shopping centers, just like the real experience of stepping through our doors.”

The new site launched October 8th and can be visited at RiverParkSquare.com.

Rogue Shoes Enlists BHW1 To Assist With The Next Step

wardd — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 21:36:00 +0000

Rogue Shoes™, a Portland, Oregon company that creates forward-thinking comfort shoes, has enlisted BHW1 to help them gain a larger national presence. The company also makes the benchmark Pita Arch™ support system that allows wearers to choose four levels of arch support.

“We first questioned whether or not we should go out of town for great creative thinking,” said Dan Mailey, Rogue’s national sales manager, “but when BHW1 presented their ideas, it was clear we made the right call.”

“They revealed a unique understanding of our needs and surprised us with fresh ideas,” he said.

BHW1, a northwest-based advertising agency, specializes in brand emergence and enhancement advertising.

According to Russ Wheat, agency partner, “Simply put, we help upstart brands blossom and established brands flourish. Rogue is one of those unique brands that fits both of those scenarios.”

The first projects out of the gates are a series of ads for national footwear trade publications and signage for trade shows.

“The sky’s the limit for these guys. Not only do they have great products, they have savvy and personality,” said Ward Duft, BHW1’s creative director who worked on Birkenstock with Mr. Mailey several years ago.

“You couldn’t ask for a better client.”

Rogue Shoes is a brand of Chinook, Inc., which creates shoes for companies like American Eagle, Orvis

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