Marketing Mashup: Top takeaways of 2013What we’ve learned from interviewing more than 200 marketers throughout the year
Ask questions and tell us what you learned on Twitter!
#SherpaWebinar
Speakers
Daniel BursteinDirector of Editorial Content
MECLABS
@DanielBurstein
Pamela Markey Senior Director of Marketing
MECLABS
@PamelaMarkey
Black & White Headshot
Daniel Burstein, Director of Editorial Content, and Pamela
Markey, Senior Director of Marketing, MECLABS, discuss the
top takeaways from 2013.
Watch it now
Access our other webinars
Related Resources
• B2B Social Media Marketing: DocuSign's targeted LinkedIn InMail strategy creates 3 large pipeline opportunities
• Email Marketing: 5 tactics to personalize your email message for better results
• Content Marketing: How MarketingExperiments increased blog traffic by 232%
• Optimization: A discussion about an e-commerce company's 500% sales increase
• Lead Generation: How Adobe generated a 500% lift in conversion by changing its webinar strategy
Related Resources, continued
• Social Media: How SAP operationalized social for replicated worldwide success
• Search Marketing: Insights on keyword research and customer personas
• Landing Page Optimization: How CRC Health transformed decision-making across 140 sites
• Email Optimization: A discussion about how A/B testing generated $500 million in donations
• Content Marketing: A discussion about McGladrey's 300% increase in content production
• Testing: A discussion about SAP's 27% lift in incremental sales leads
How would this webinar best serve you?
A. Go fast and get through as much as possible.
B. Take it slow and cover topics more thoroughly.
Poll Question:
Takeaway: Social media connects peopleIn summary, LinkedIn isn’t the place for push marketing; it’s a place for peers to connect with other peers.
Using LinkedIn InMail
• 1 sponsored message• Every 60 days• 3 message series
Sponsored InMail
3 Objectives:
1. Attract2. Engage3. Convert
Results: Opens and clickthroughs
0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800
Send 3
Send 2
Send 1 1,700 Opens
1,100 Opens
140 CT
100 CT
Both sends had approx. 7,000 recipients
1,547 Opens
50 CT
Takeaway: Customers should be the center of your sales strategyIn summary, not just a funnel for sales, but truly connect the customer to the system.
The external lead capture was dependent on manual sales acceptance. No connection to systems, no closed-loop feedback.
SALESSERVICECUSTOMER
2010
1,200 400
The external lead capture was dependent on manual sales acceptance. No connection to systems, no closed-loop feedback.
SALES
2010
400
LEGALFINANCECOMPLIANCE
Debbie’s Approach
1
2
3
Audit and Discovery
Program and Process Development
Change Management
Audit and Discovery
SALESSERVICECUSTOMER1,200 400
Not Connected to Service Work Flows
External Website Outside Oversight
No Closed-Loop
Audit and Discovery
SALESSERVICECUSTOMER1,200 400
Not Connected to Service Work Flows
External Website Outside Oversight
No Closed Loop
Remove External Website
Tie to ERP/SAPBuild into Service Work Processes
CUSTOMER
SERVICE
SALES
The Goal
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Results: Leads submitted
Results: Revenue per lead
2009 2010 2011 2012 2013
Takeaway: Treat social media as single part of a whole strategyIn summary, don’t treat social media as its own separate entity.
Email and Facebook are strategically, operationally and
tactically aligned(or should be)
Feature popular Facebook products in email
Integrating social media into email.
What interests a customer’s peers?
Image testing
Try email images with high CTR in Facebook posts
Try images that drive high Facebook engagement in email
Take what worked in 2013, and create a clear plan for 2014.
Need help creating the perfect deck for your 2014 marketing plan? Marketo has a great free customizable PPT template for your marketing plans!
http://marketo.com/planning
Takeaway: Don’t underestimate the power of useful contentIn summary, “free content” isn’t free for your customer. Time is valuable.
Why content marketing?
PrintAdvertising
SocialMedia Mobile
Marketing
DirectMail
Trade Shows
SEO
Optimization
PPC
Webinars
EmailMarketing
CONTENT
0% 40%10% 20% 30%
10%
20%
30%
DEG
REE
OF
DIF
FIC
ULT
Y
LEVEL OF EFFECTIVENESS
Lead Generation Benchmark SurveyFielded January 2012, N=1,915
MarketingSherpa
Comparing difficulty of content marketing
73%
66%
57%
57%
54%
51%
44%
41%
40%
40%
37%
37%
29%
29%
28%
21%
20%
20%
25%
29%
37%
37%
35%
43%
46%
49%
53%
50%
46%
59%
51%
48%
49%
52%
54%
54%
2%
4%
6%
6%
12%
6%
11%
11%
7%
10%
17%
4%
19%
23%
23%
26%
26%
26%
Images
Press Releases
Social Media
Webpages
Customer Reviews
E-newsletters
Mobile Web Content
Articles
Blogs
Microsites
Digital Magazines
Podcasts
Webinars/Webcasts
e-books
Case Studies
Whitepapers
Online Video
Mobile Apps
Not Difficult Somewhat difficult Very difficult
Please indicate the DEGREE OF DIFFICULTY (time, effort and expense required) in creating each type of content
Lead Generation Benchmark SurveyFielded January 2012, N=1,915
MarketingSherpa
You pay with help, you receive attention and trust
Your Company
Customers Share of Mind
Trust
ContentRelevantHelpful
Entertaining
Selling Free Content: Excerpts
Selling Free Content: Excerpts
Takeaway: Use a content strategyIn summary, creating content doesn’t have to be hard; use what you’re already doing in an intentional way.
But it’s hard.Content works.
It doesn’t have to be!
Repackaging capabilities/extend use
Build a Strategy Around Content
John, I believe this is an important article for you
to read …
See our presentation and learn about …
Maybe you saw us on …Or
heard our podcast interview of a client
Project Management: Workflow and transparencyProject
Notification Form submitted
by Nat’l MktgLeaders
Project Kick-off Call and
project brief completed
Project set up and assigned in
Project Management
platform
Work Begins: Content & Graphic Design, Digital Media,
Demand Generation, Social Media, PR, Advertising, etc.
Implementation
Tracking of Results –
Analytics and Automation
Software
Ind
ust
ry/L
OB
GTM
S
This is how marketing support requests are submitted to GTMS. Depending on project details selected, GTMS team leaders will be notified of the support request.
MROI analysis with industry/LOB
Leaders
Best efforts will be made to align resources to specific LOB/ Industry, this may not always be possible unless teams are willing to adjust project due dates.
NOTE: Project Tracker used to manage overall planning. Project Management platform used to manage GTMS support elements.
GTMS Teams will review Project Tracker reports to plan for resources and manage workflow.
Go To Market Services team members brief and/or advise on strategies, and help refine based on previous data and experience.
Ongoing approvals from SMEs and Industry/LOB Leaders throughout process coordinated by National Marketing Leaders.
Yes
No – Single area of support needed – Small project
Scheduled by Production Manager
Multi-aspect GTMS
project?
• Forms remove poor communication
• You can educate
• Help requesters think ahead
Starting the Project
Takeaway: Orient your customersIn summary, whether it’s email, social media or a landing page, make sure it clicks for your audience.
75% Increase in Open Rate120% Increase in Clickthrough Rate
Webinars became the second driver of sales behind free trial offers.
Average Open Rate Average CTR
2008 17% 5%
2013 30% 11%
!
Adobe Results: Evolution of webinar marketing
Promoting Webinars: Old strategy
Email Landing Page
Landing Page
Follow-Up
Promoting Webinars: New strategy, implementing process
Promoting Webinars: Down the funnel
“Best Practices” or “Solution” webinar
“Product” webinar
Competitive comparison
Marketing PlayeLearning Play
Trial/ training
webinars
37% eLearning moved from “Solution” to
“Product” webinar
23% marketing moved from “Solution” to
“Product” webinar
Takeaway: Analyze your social media audienceIn summary, determine the best ways to reach out and connect with your customers.
SAP’s challengeUnderstanding how social media works around the world
ACT LOCALLY
The Social DNA of SAP• 716,000 fans
(combined)
• 270,000 followers • 553,000 followers (combined)
• 1.46 million video views
SAP Community Network:•2,500,000 members
•20,000 new posts per month•4,000 new blog posts per day
• 77,000 views
SAP Social Engagement in 2012:•140,000 likes, comments, retweets, etc.
•1,400,000 clicks
SAP in Social Business
SAP found by utilizing social business
techniques, customers are now more informed when they
engage with a salesperson.
Sales team
• SAP team focused on Slovakia Banking, which had its own social media presence with a small following
• Consolidated into a SAP Finance Channel to promote many conversations and cross-educate on topics
• Steering people away from “small microcosms” and toward broader communities
Example: SAP Slovakia Banking
Before:Overly specific, alienating and dividing audiences
After:Unifying, bringing in people
of diverse interests
Example: Latin America
34 different social media accounts
Language is important, not country
20% Promotional material vis-à-vis80% value added info
4 Facebook accounts 4 Twitter accounts
2 LinkedIn accounts
Consolidate to engage with a wider audience, create good content,
educate
24 accounts shut down over 6 months
No real strategy
Takeaway: Relate to your audienceIn summary, use personas to identify with the customers that visit your site.
Education
K12
Creating a page structure that accommodates customer interest
Audience
“Spock Project”: The four personas
www.openroadmedia.com
Humanistic Methodical Competitive Spontaneous
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kt http://www.flickr.com/photos/kthttp://www.flickr.com/photos/x-ray_delta_onehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/x-ray_delta_one
Audience: Personas
Education
Buy nowCase studies; White papers
Testimonials
Pricing information; Industry articles
Targeting content for personas
http://www.flickr.com/photos/x-ray_delta_one
Targeting content for personas
http://www.flickr.com/photos/kt
Targeting content for personas
http://www.flickr.com/photos/x-ray_delta_one
Takeaway: Test your email sendsIn summary, there is always something to improve, optimize or eliminate – never stop improving.
What impact can testing have?
Testing = Constant ImprovementLittle improvements add up
• Improving 1% here and 2% there isn’t a lot at first, but over time, it adds up
Test Every ElementQuestion: What footer language should we use to reduce unsubscribes?
Variation: Recipients Unsubscribes
Unsubscribe/Recipient
Significant difference in unsubscribe/recipient
578,994 195 0.018% None
578,814 79 0.014% Smaller than D4
578,620 86 0.015% Smaller than D4
580,507 115 0.020% Larger than 3D and 4D
No, really. Test every element.Running tests in the background via personalized content
Example: Subject lines
version Subject line
v1s1 Heyv1s2 Two things:
v1s3 Your turnv2s1 Heyv2s2 My opponentv2s3 You decidev3s1 Hey
v3s2 Last night
v3s3 Stand with me today
v4s1 Heyv4s2 This is my last campaignv4s3 [NAME]v5s1 Hey
v5s2There won't be many more
of these deadlinesv5s3 What you saw this weekv6s1 Hey
v6s2 Let's win.v6s3 Midnight deadline
Each draft was tested with three subject lines
One subject line would usually be common across all drafts, to help make comparisons across messages
Test sends
Example: Best vs. worst versions
version Subject line donors money
v1s1 Hey 263 $17,646v1s2 Two things: 268 $18,830
v1s3 Your turn 276 $22,380
v2s1 Hey 300 $17,644v2s2 My opponent 246 $13,795v2s3 You decide 222 $27,185v3s1 Hey 370 $29,976
v3s2 Last night 307 $16,945v3s3 Stand with me today 381 $25,881
v4s1 Hey 444 $25,643
v4s2 This is my last campaign 369 $24,759
v4s3 [NAME] 514 $34,308v5s1 Hey 353 $22,190
v5s2There won't be many more
of these deadlines 273 $22,405v5s3 What you saw this week 263 $21,014v6s1 Hey 363 $25,689v6s2 Let's win. 237 $17,154v6s3 Midnight deadline 352 $23,244
$0
$1
$2
$3
$4
ACTUAL($3.7m)
IF SENDINGAVG
IF SENDINGWORST
Full send (in millions)
$2.2 million additional revenue from sending best draft vs. worst, or $1.5 million additional from sending best vs. average
Test sends
Takeaway: Use words strategicallyIn summary, study the psychology behind the words you use in PPC ads to ensure that you’re relating to your customers.
Effects of psychological mapping on paid advertising
… highly empathetic, social, caring, worried. Thus, wanting a more formal, highly
educated service with high interaction.
Highest Performing Branded Ads (>1000 Impressions
Lowest Performing Branded Ads (>1000 Impressions
Ad CTR Ad CTR
Bayside Marin - Recovery 21.84% Bayside Marin Clinic 0.97%
Not Your Ordinary Health Program. Rehab Shouldn't Stop Your Career.
Health Recovery Center. Call Now. For Top Executives Seeking Comfort.
Bayside Marin Center 6.98% Bayside Marin Clinic 1.09%
We Provide Private, VIP Recovery. Rehab Shouldn't Stop Your Career.
Your Own Room, Beautiful Facility. Your Own Room, Beautiful Facility.
Bayside Marin Center 6.18% Bayside Marin Clinic 1.11%
Rehab Shouldn't Stop Your Career. Alternative Health Recovery Center.
For Top Executives Seeking Comfort. Very Private & Exclusive. Call Now.
Bayside Marin Center 4.97% Bayside Marin - Official 1.14%
Everything You Need to Recover. Exclusive Treatment Recovery Center
Private Room, Chef, Healthy Living. Private Chef, Pool, Gym Call Now.
Bayside Marin Center 4.32% Bayside Marin Treatment 1.23%
Alternative Health Recovery Center. Everything You Need to Recover.
Very Private & Exclusive. Call Now. Private Room, Chef, Healthy Living.
Testing Phase: Behavioral Psychology
“Clinic”Quick
Cheap Informal
Less educated personnel
“Center”
ExpertiseFormal
Educated personnel
Research
Connotation creates a 3X difference in CTR.
The difference is understanding the psychology of the words.
Effects of psychological mapping on paid advertising
Experiment ID: Sierra TucsonTesting Phase: Value Proposition
Background: An addiction and mental health rehabilitation facility.
Objective: To increase the clickthrough rate.
Primary Research Question: Which PPC ad will obtain the most clickthroughs?
Test Design: A/B split test
Research Notes:
Experiment: Sierra Tucson (value proposition)
Sierra Tucson Care CenterConsidered a Top Recovery ClinicGet a Free Assessment. Call Now!
AZ Alcohol Detox FacilityExclusive, Luxury Rehab Facility.
1 Clinical Staff Per 3 Patients.
Branded Non-branded
Company Logic
We have the most doctors, therefore we have the best care.
Experiment: Controls
Customer LogicI am afraid to send my husband away to someone who will not
care for him like I will.
Sierra Tucson Care CenterConsidered a Top Depression
Clinic. Traditional & Alternative Therapies
BrandedAZ Alcohol Detox Facility
Considered a Top Addiction ClinicTraditional & Alternative
Therapies
Non-branded
Experiment: Treatments
Branded PPC Ads
Conversion RateNon-Branded PPC Ads
Conversion Rate
Control 0.31% 0.13%
Treatment 44.2% 4.41%
Relative Difference 14,000% 3,300%
• 14,000 % Increase in CTR for Branded Ads• 3,300 % Increase in CTR for Non-branded Ads
By incorporating customer logic into PPC ads, the clickthrough rate on PPC ads, both branded and non-branded, skyrocketed.
Experiment: Results
Takeaway: Start small on website redesignIn summary, even small changes on your website can make a big impact.
firstSTREET Radical Redesign
500% Increase in sales using split testing on website redesign
Little budget
Little time
No coding or graphic skills
“firstSTREET meets Apple”
• Where, what and why answered
• Big visuals, big type (old eyes)
• Thought sequence subheadings (benefit phrasing)
• Strong call-to-action
• Incentive and ROI
• Minimize anxiety
• Long page layout
The Redesign
Control
• Navigation options
• Subheader copy
• Image on left or right
• Longer copy
• Different copy
• Guarantee seal vs. words
• Incentive and ROI
• Minimize anxiety
• Thought sequence Oops!
The ResultsThe treatment
is a winner!
• Crushed a veryweak control
Up 3,566%
• Conversion rate now acceptable in the absolute
Einstein said the compounding power of money is the eighth wonder of the world
• Pessimist
What a difference a year can make• Initial sales rate per period 10 • Original site testing gains 30% 13• Radical redesign (only counting 1X) 100% 26• Price disclosure no gain 26• Add-to-cart buttons 15% 30• Thought sequence 46% 44• Headline test 30% 57
Over a 5x increase in one year … and still growing!
Compounding Success
Takeaway: Optimize thought processesIn summary, use your resources to test and optimize thought processes for your customers.
SAP Testing Results
27% Increase in incremental sales leads
20% Digital marketing budget savings
“
“
My passion is ensuring digital adds measurable value to sales pipeline and revenue – if not, what's the point?– Shawn Burns
Testing Resources
Team
In-Market TestsControl
Spotlights section on SAP.com
In-Market TestsTreatment
62% more engagement (aggregate results across tests in 7 different countries)
Regional Preferences
433% better engagement in China than in the U.S.
Thank You!
Daniel BursteinDirector of Editorial Content
MECLABS
@DanielBurstein
Pamela Markey Senior Director of Marketing
MECLABS
@PamelaMarkey
Marketing Mashup: Top takeaways of 2013What we’ve learned from interviewing more than 200 marketers throughout the year
Top Related