Klout Perks

We all influence one another, the question is, how much of an influence are we? In 2008, a social media analytic website called Klout was founded to help us measure our level of influence on our audience. Klout gives each individual a score from 1 to 100, based on the individual’s ability to drive action through their social networks. Actions are considered as how many mentions and retweets you receive on Twitter; comments, wall-posts and likes on Facebook and so on for all the other social media networks that you are able to link Klout to. Klout also gives you an idea of the topics you are influential on, and if the people in your network agree with Klout, they can give you a +K.

Just recently, I discovered Klout Perks. By having a Klout account you are eligible for Klout Perks, but certain perks are targeted to specific users based on their score, influential topics, location and more. The perks consist of free or discounted products and/or services. From analyzing all the Klout Perks that have been offered, I've come up with three reasons companies may benefit from offering Klout Perks:

1. It’s great brand exposure.
As individuals are browsing through all the perks because their curiosity got the best of them, and whether or not they qualify for the perk, they are still being exposed to your brand. The best part is, your brand is getting a ton of impressions, but you don’t have to pay the CPI price!

2. It’s a viral opportunity for your business.
Some of the most influential individuals will be redeeming one of your sponsored packages. These individuals are the ones that are highly active in their social networks and will be telling their fans about the fun perks they’ve received through Klout, which means they will be talking about your brand!

3. You can use Klout to measure your outreach success!
Klout gives you a lot of insight in the digital world. See who you influence the most, whether it may be a competitor or a loyal fan. You can also see the topics you are influential on, and how your influence compares to your competitors.

Here is an example of how successful Popchip's campaign went:

Popchips' campaign was targeted towards healthy trendsetters. They offered a popchips sample kit, hoping that this would be shared and passed along to friends and family. Only 300 influencers were able to claim the perk but there was 14,819 tweets about the perk along with 46.7 million impressions of the perk.

Are you interested in getting your business involved with Klout? All you've got to do is contact Klout here!

Case Study: Volkswagen Punch Dub Campaign

In 2010, Volkswagen collaborated with Duetsh LA to create the 'Punch Dub' campaign. The campaign consisted of many YouTube videos,  a Super Bowl commercial and a game called 'Punch Dub' where every time you saw a Volkswagen, you called out the color of the car and punched the person next to you. This game was a remake of the original game 'Punch Bug' and was created to develop more awareness of Volkswagen and its 13 different models. I found this campaign to be one of the best that I have ever seen because not only did sales go up 40% that year, but people will selectively look out for Volkswagen cars to play the game, and Volkswagen found a way to integrate themselves into the culture as everyone continues to play 'Punch Dub.' 

Sluggy Patterson is a fictitious character that was made up to explain 'Punch Dub' and what rules pertained to the game. As Volkswagen attempted to create viral videos for the 'Punch Dub' campaign through YouTube, the most views one of their videos received was a little over 600, which is not very many. However, the videos are pretty funny and these are my two favorite videos of Sluggy Patterson:

What are your thoughts on the Volkswagen Punch Dub campaign?

All About Foursquare

Foursquare is a location-based social network used mostly on mobile devices. You use your smart phone to check-in at the venue you’re currently at. Foursquare check-ins can earn you a new badge, points (that I still don’t know what they’re good for) and some businesses offer special deals when you check-in at their venues. With Foursquare, you can simultaneously post your check-in on Facebook and Twitter, something that checking in just on Facebook doesn’t allow. Facebook check-ins only offer a new status update to show your friends where you’re at. 

   

 As a business, you wouldn’t necessarily create a Foursquare account to be part of the fun. You would claim your business instead. Once the business is claimed, business owners are able to add specials to help bring in more traffic to the business location. One thing that businesses should keep in mind is that when a special is created, employees should be aware of the special. This would help avoid confusion when a customer comes in and shows them the unlocked special. It makes the experience less frustrating for the consumer.

 I found this Foursquare comedy skit on YouTube, and I thought it was funny so I wanted to share. Also, I drive a Toyota Camry and I noticed that the car the guys are driving is a Camry! Enjoy. :)

You can also find this blog on http://www.marketingmelodie.com/

Pinning Is Winning!

By now, most of us have heard about Pinterest, the new social media network. Pinterest is a virtual pin board that allows you to pin, repin, like and comment on pictures and videos that your friends or others upload on the site. I know this doesn’t sound very fun, but trust me, it gets addicting. When you go on the website, you are bound to find pictures or videos of things that interest you. Consequently, you are then tempted to pin it to your board so that you may save it for later or just share with your friends. The content that you pin will always lead back to the source it came from, whether it is a blog, a retail site, etc.

Pinterest is also fascinating because you can’t just sign up for an account, you must be invited. You can sign up to wait for an invite or you can find a Pinner that will personally send you an invitation. Yeah, it’s like VIP status.  No worries though, just give me a tweet or a message on Google+ and I’ll invite you. ;)

www.pinterest.com/stephanietrinh

But wait, there’s more. As a company, having a Pinterest account may be a good investment, think about it.

1. You’ll get discovered.
People go on Pinterest to find things, whether it’s a new book to read, a new recipe to bake or inspiration for the room they want to redesign. Content gets shared very quickly on Pinterest and that’s a great thing.

2. You keep your customers updated.
Like Twitter, Pinners are able to choose who they want to follow. As you keep your board updated with new pins, your followers are able to stay up to date and can repin the things they love.

3. You let your consumers know the different sides of you.
With the option of having multiple boards, you’re able to show your followers what your personality is like. You can make a boards with content that represent you. One board can have quotes and sayings, another board with your favorite products and a different board with pictures of things that stand for the lifestyle you represent. Yoplait Yogurt is a great example of one of the companies on Pinterest:

www.pinterest.com/yoplait

Remember: Pinning is winning! :)


You can also find this blog on http://www.marketingmelodie.com/

Mamma Chia

As this semester flew by, one of the presentations due for my direct marketing course was to create viral marketing on Facebook and Twitter for an emerging company called Mamma Chia. Mamma Chia is a chia vitality beverage that is "fun for your mouth and great for your body!"  I love this product, it tastes great and the benefits of chia seeds are really amazing. Thank goodness I was assigned a product that I truly am passionate about, it made things a lot easier.

One of the main focus of the project was to make Mamma Chia's Twitter timeline more interesting. I came up with a Twitter contest for Mamma Chia to promote hashtag #mammapicCHIA. Contestants were to tweet at @mammachia1 their creative photos of their Mamma Chia drinks along with a creative title, hashtag #mammapicCHIA and they must be following Mamma Chia in order to be entered for a chance to win an iPad2. This would help Mamma Chia's timeline stay interesting as they retweet their favorite entries and if followers wanted to see the rest of the entries, they can just search the hashtag. Loyal consumers of this product already tweet pictures of their Mamma Chia beverage on Twitter constantly, therefore, I thought it would be a great idea to keep them engaged and have a chance to win something that they would really want.

Here are some examples of the "pic-chias" :)

 

^ This is mine!

I also mentioned that Mamma Chia should start using Klout. Klout is a website that provides free social media analytics on how users influence their audience. For a company, this is important because the whole point of having social media is to influence consumers to buy your product or become aware of your brand. Not to mention, it's also a great tool for spying at competitors, keeping track of how they are doing with their influence towards their audience.

I am so proud of the video my group members and I recorded for this project; we worked so hard and did so well, I wanted to share! :)

Successful Marketing? Make it Cause Related.

Cause related marketing is one of the most successful forms of marketing. People have a hedonistic need to feel involved and part of something. A brand that sells a certain lifestyle or movement are the ones who last in the competition.

We can look at examples such as Livestrong bracelets, Toms shoes, anything that is pink to support the Breast Cancer Awareness campaign and more. When consumers purchase these items, they are willing to pay a little more than they normally would because they feel as though they are doing good. If a consumer buys a pair of Toms shoes, they know that they are helping a child somewhere because Toms donates a pair of shoes for every pair purchased. If you're going to support a brand, why not support a brand that gives back?

The founder of Pura Vida Bracelets was a guest speaker for my Direct Marketing class today at San Diego State University, and I was really intrigued at the meaning behind his brand. Pura vida means "pure life" in Spanish. When you purchase a bracelet, it helps provide more jobs for artisans in Costa Rica along with reminding yourself to enjoy life slowly, celebrate good fortune & not taking anything for granted. There is more to the story but the meaning behind the bracelet was what got me; I am now a supporter of Pura Vida Bracelets. :)

Isn't it just so amazing how consumers are happy to pay for a bracelet made of waterproof strings with a small charm attached because the brand stands for something that the consumer feels represents them?

Cause related marketing = success. Point blank period.

The Secret to LinkedIn

Although we all may have a LinkedIn, most of us don't use it to its full potential. With over 135 million users on this social media site world wide, we need to take advantage! It's a great networking tool to have, on top of your Twitter and Facebook. Here are some useful tips to make the most of your LinkedIn profile:

• In order for your profile to be more searchable, it needs to be at least 85% completed. Just remember, "first impressions are everything, and skimping on your personal profile will quickly decrease your value."
• Don't think that you can only connect with people you personally know on LinkedIn. There are over 135 million users to connect with, start connecting with aquantiances and HR reps to maximize your network. It will help you create more business opportunities.
• Keep your LinkedIn profile updated. You never know who may land on your profile, and as I mentioned earlier: first impressions are everything.
• You can customize your LinkedIn URL. Just click on the edit profile tab to change it. This is my URL: http://www.linkedin.com/in/trinhstephanie
• Don't forget to recommend! As Business Insider stated, "The more you give, the more you receive. A solid recommendation can potentially save someone's else life by setting them up with their future employer."
• Follow and join as all the groups that you are interested in so that you can stay up to date on these companies/organizations.

Now go out there and network!

From Business Insider