Community Building
Where To Find Affiliate Partners |
You can find affiliate partners via the following:
1- Through Blog searches on search engines (like Google.com) or through Technorati.com
2- Through Twitter user directories, such as twellow.com or twitterly.com
3- Through an affiliate database of event promoters at Eventslisted.com
4- Through Toplinked.com, a service that provides us with lists of members with open gates on LinkedIn - i.e. LinkedIn people who are open to networking with anyone. They send these lists off for a low price/month, which is almost nothing compared to the value that you get. It helps add a huge number of people to your contacts in one go (without any restrictions or limits)
5- By getting involved in Q&A platforms on LinkedIn and Yahoo Groups. It’s one of the best ways of interacting with experts in the domain and getting in touch with them on a mutual ground.
6- By joining Facebook Groups and getting in touch with members of those groups. There is no restriction to the number of groups you can join.
7- Through commenting on other blogs.
8- Forums are another great place to network to find affiliates, since like-minded people tend to group together on forums.
9- You can use the Gorilla Marketing strategies that we discussed earlier to find partners on Facebook.
10- ‘Click Bank’ is an affiliate broker for software and information products. If you want people in that domain, you can use this resource…
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Affiliate Marketing |
You can form partnerships with other website owners who have an established list of prospects, leads or customers or who simply get a lot of traffic to their site or blog. They can promote your products or events by sending visitors into your sales funnel by leveraging their networks. These people are called affiliates (or affiliate partners) because through a partnership they become affiliated with your business.
To track the commissions and manage traffic coming in from different affiliate partners, you can assign unique links to each affiliate. Events Listed has these tracking capabilities built into it allowing event marketers to build a list of partners (affiliates) who can all build their own second tier networks on our platform.
Promoting in this way helps increase outreach. Affiliates do marketing for you and bring you more visitors; this gives a boost to the income and makes everyone happy. It sounds simple enough but needs business savvy and effort on your part.
a- It is essential that you maintain uninterrupted communication with your venture partners and affiliates. You have to build a relationship with them and win their trust. Your main focus while communicating with them should be to convey what is in it for them. Don’t make it all about you. These people are a very important inner community within your greater business community…
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Events - Where Communities Meet |
First of all, we need to understand that every little instance or occasion in our lives is an event. A teleconference meeting with your staff is an event. A new purchase is an event. Hearing sad news about someone you care about is an event. Going out to watch a movie is an event. All of these different events make up our life experiences.
Everyone celebrates events; all people of all markets, locations, cultures celebrate events of some kind or the other. Events are a part of life. Everything big or small is an event and when we die those who attend our wake to remember us do so by reflecting on, in the most parts the events in our lives.
You’ll notice how when we try to think back to our earliest memories, we just remember glimpses of different situations or feelings. These glimpses were once events (whether recurring or one-time) that stayed on with us as memories. This observation has two important sub-thoughts that we can learn from:
1- If we react to different situations in our real-life just as meticulously as we plan large-scale events, imagine how it will affect the happiness quotient in our lives.
2- We don’t have to be marketing big events all the time; we just need to figure out how to create traction around small level things as well.
An event is an entire experience for all of the stakeholders involved in it – the audience, the attendees, the clients and the guests. The experience should be seamless right from the beginning, even before the event actually takes place. If ordering an iphone is an event in your life, then the experience begins from the moment you go to their website to place an order. Then it goes all the way from how the package looks like when it arrives to the promptness of their customer support staff. Similarly, for organized events, the experience begins from the moment people find out about it, all the way till after the launch. The smoother the flow, the more memorable the experience will be for everyone involved.
I recently got an invitation to a wedding with the most beautiful invite card that I’ve seen. Everything from the font, the graphics, to the feel of the card texture was wonderful. It also had a small personally addressed hand-written “looking forward to” note attached to it. Just the invite made me feel honoured to be invited and excited about being a part of it. For me, the wedding’s first touch moment was perfect.
So the idea is to turn your events into experiences that everyone would want to remember and feel special about. It also comes down to simple things, like making it simple for people to get back to you with regrets or RSVPs. Make it easy for them to find locations and venues. Give offers, discounts and giveaways. Also remember, that your event doesn’t just end at launch – the post-launch phase is just as important.
Simon U Ford (SUF.EDBD)
Today’s tip! One stop shopping for all your event marketing in social media needs you can’t go past my Events Listed networking and marketing platform. It’s invite only, here’s a backdoor pass on me.
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The Human Dynamics |
While it is tempting to think about how everything around us revolves around technology being the key driving force, it’s far from the truth. I have a lot of interest in studying social and behavioral sciences, and you’d be surprised to know that the hi-tech energy that we see online is based on the simplest of human behaviors. It’s interesting to then see how different technologies just become tools for us to live and interact the way we want to.
We don’t have to change our behaviors for technology; on the contrary technology has to be adapted and structured around us.
Keeping this point in mind, we should only adopt those online tools that actually make us work better, rather than pulling us back. For example, you may download a popular productivity application and realize a week later that you were better off using a white-board, note-pad and calendar. Good programs and applications will usually have lower learning curves (the time it takes to learn the application) because they bring us closer to the way we like to behave in our day to day lives.
The online websites and applications that we see are just tools for us. The tools will keep changing with time. The social networks will keep evolving with time. Newer ways of interaction may come into being. Newer ways of distributing content may find their way through. But the fact of the matter is that the tools themselves will keep on changing.
These offline and online tools come together, connected with relationships of influences, followers and people. These relationships are the core building blocks of social media. Without them we’re nothing. Without them the online tools are nothing. Without them we’d be marketing our event to ‘audiences’ not to ‘people’.
I just want you to know, that using social media for marketing your events is not difficult. Although it seems like the younger generation can learn and adapt to these methods more easily, the fact remains that they are open to all. If I can learn these things at my age, so can you.
Throughout this book, I am going to help you get familiar with these social networking tools and strategies. There are some words of advice from Brian Solis, that I couldn’t have put better myself: “The conversations that drive and define Social Media require a genuine and participatory approach. Just because you have the latest tools to reach people, or have played around with them, doesn’t mean you can throw the same old marketing at them. And, it doesn’t qualify you to attempt to do so without first thinking about why and how, as it relates to the people you’re trying to reach.” (Source: http://www.briansolis.com)
Simon U Ford (SUF.EDBD)
Today’s tip! To get search engine traffic you must own software that’s capable of showing you everything the search engine spiders see.
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Collective Wisdom Psychology |
So the internet is agreeably one of the most remarkable innovations of our time, and it started out great when it went public. Fast forward to some 15+ odd years ahead and we find ourselves in a love-hate relationship of information overload. There is so much content out there, when everyone and their neighbour’s cat considers it their exclusive duty to share their perspectives on everything. It’s incredible to see how much information is out there, yet it sometimes becomes difficult to find the right info or get to the right markets effectively.
There is a paradox of interests online – people are spending billions of dollars on product development and want people buying their products. Despite that, they themselves don’t want to be sold to. Is this ‘double standards’, or just natural human behavior?
Yes, I agree, there is a bombardment of information out there. Yes, I agree you can’t trust the validity of someone’s claims. I agree that it’s difficult to get to your targeted audiences without getting lost in the crowd. However, I also know that the recent changes in the web have added a layer of self-balance to this problem. Let me explain…
When you add social media to this equation, you see how people are coming together in communities and taking ownership of safeguarding information with no personal interests. Think: Wikipedia. You can also see how networks are formed based on credibility and trust. Think: LinkedIn, Facebook. You can also see how original thought leadership is given more popularity and authority. Think: Technorati, Digg…
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User Interaction Dynamics |
Social media is something which you just cannot ignore. Whatever industry you are working in, it is amazing to see how much influence social media can have on your business – you just need to know how to use it to your advantage.
Social Media marketing basically defines how you can use online channels to market your products, get traffic, convert people into customers, get your conversation started, etc. So when you’re planning your marketing mix, it is important to understand the dynamics of different social media tools to find the right ones for your business. You can’t just put them all up and expect magic to happen. What works for an online clothing store may not work for a web services company.
That is why we keep reminding you not to follow someone else’s best practices by the book – figure out what will work for your business or get a consultant to do that for you. If you are an event manager, figure out what tools to use for maximum impact – e.g. you may want to create an online page for an event and choose not to for another. Will short-lived fame from getting highlighted on Techcrunch or Digg help you or will creating an authoritative blog about your industry? Are different internet marketing techniques like SEO and PPC going to work for your launch or event or are they just hyperboles? Is the expense aligned with the reward? You need to know how to make these important decisions effectively, and for that you need to understand the impact of social media on launches, events and any other services…
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The Impact Of New Media - Participation Based Interactions |
The internet has brought with it ways of communicating beyond any barriers. After the advent of the internet, people became more media savvy and were interested in being treated as peers.
After years of work we slowly began to see a transition, as new ways of working and new concepts of technology were emerging - the concept of open-source development like Linux, and transparent trading like Ebay, and simple file downloads like Napster came into existence. Napster, by the way, was sued by the music industry for copyright violations in 2001. We all know the industry’s reaction to Napster - it’s interesting to see how many more Napster-like services or software have since then taken birth in each and every field or industry online. Should they all be sued? Or should newer business models evolve around this dynamic? The transition hasn’t been easy for companies or people alike. Licenses like the “Creative Commons” have been created to add security and encourage sharing.
Since then the way social platforms are created, interlinked and expanded accelerated a great deal, until where we are today.
Simon U Ford (SUF.EDBD)
Today’s tip! The first step to being super organized is to manage all of your passwords in you’re browser. Being able to share them across your team is a bonus.
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Are we listening to our customers? |
In an industry embroiled in acute competition, profits and losses, event marketers have to stay on top of all new marketing strategies. We’ve seen and experienced the shift from the traditional marketing skills to the new gorilla techniques. Why? Because we want to deliver the best and get the best return out of it. However, the rat race does not merely end on being in the run. It’s about acing the race.
Understand your potential customers. Keep in view the culture, heritage and habits of your target market. What are they interested in? Rather than applying the same formula, come up with something innovative that appeals to the aesthetics of your customer. Thanks to the internet, you don’t have to travel around the world for this. All you have to do is utilize the power of social media to your advantage. Post articles, interact with the natives of the places. Have a one-on-one interaction with them. Websites such as Sosauce will give you an insight to learning the culture and heritage of the places you aim to execute your event.
Empower your customers, don’t force them. Use straightforward words in your advertisements - intricate vocabulary would never impress your target market. Your language should be conversational and engaging. Viral marketing and word of mouth will help you a lot in influencing your customers by empowering them. Empower people to say their say – to share their ideas – the have a positive impact on your events - to be part of your promotional campaigns.
Use endorsements by influential people, particularly the ones that have a good reputation amongst your “target market”. Through these endorsements you will be able to play on the psyche of your customer. It would get them involved. It would make your event sound more like an experience; an experience of a lifetime.
Make sure your website delivers what the customers want. Irrelevant content can “shoo” away your customer. I would re-iterate the point I made earlier on, that understand your customer. Don’t bore your customer with what does not concern him. Provide some thing unique for him. Exclusivity and surprise would boost up your target market’s volume. In today’s world – you don’t even need a website to launch an event; you can build event pages and link them up with other social networking sites.
Stay pragmatic – listen to feedback. Don’t get carried away with the idea of being innovation to the point that you start earning negative publicity. Also never make the mistake of ignoring the feedback you are getting. What your customers say is always of pivotal importance. Use tools like Google Alerts to stay updated with regards to the feedback you are getting.
Remember, you have to be the one above; you have to stay at the forefront of the event marketing curve. So don’t hesitate to take up challenges.
Some additional words of the wise - read Seth’s thoughts on listening.
Simon U Ford (SUF.EDBD)
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Meetup wants us to MEETUP!! |
Meetup.com has recently been promoting and encouraging us (internet junkies, techies, twitter addicts, and of the likes) to go out and see the sun. This brings us to an interesting question: Have people actually stopped meeting real people and socializing or has the social media landscape increased our social lives considerably. I guess the answer would vary from person to person and experience to experience. But generally, I have to admit that online interactions can get people carried away. I have been covering how virtual events are suddenly on the rise, but I had no idea its something for us to stop and seriously think about. Will our future generations know of no other means of communication rather than micro-blogging, text chatting virtual meetings? Is that the direction we are taking our kids future lives towards? OR are real events still the core of human needs and interactions?
Lifehacker has a good post on this here.
Simon U Ford (SUF.EDBD)
Today’s tip! If you want to source the best JV partners in your niche, you need a software that sources those selling the most product’s in your niche!
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Testing your audience’s patience |
Marcel has a great post on the importance of planning for backups, emergencies and contingencies. Although it applies to all marketing folks, the weight of it is far heavier for event marketers and managers. People don’t care about excuses, problems, issues when they arise - the idea is to prepare for events knowing how to tackle things when and if they go haywire.
Do check out Marcel’s blog post. Its a good read. Here’s an excerpt:
“You’re watching a movie in the cinema & the projector breaks down, leaving you in the dark for 10 minutes.
You’re watching a play at the theatre & suddenly, due to a technical problem, the curtains can’t be raised.
At an important presentation, the wireless microphone’s batteries go ‘flat’ & you wait for ages while the technical crew looks for new batteries.
The laptop doesn’t open the Powerpoint presentation; the speaker arrives late; a guitar string breaks right in the middle of a solo.
What do all of these have in common? Who cares?!”
Simon U Ford (SUF.EDBD)
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