Times in London in September 2009 are interesting. Some businesses are moving ahead, others are having more parlous times. The CBI reports the recession is easing, but anecdotally I hear various sectors especially in training, design & print are quiet.
Realising this, my main purpose in life is to make sure that whatever we provide to our customers, works. That is, telephones ring from new enquirers. Email addresses and contact us forms produce new and genuinely interested prospects.
Few can have not heard about the Social Media Marketing buzz that swept London last week. In the well attended Business Scene event last Tuesday Nick Tadd spoke about the end of the marketing department and the rise of the findability experts.
And in the packed eCademy meeting last Thursday Penny Power impressively and passionately described a social world of facebook, twitter, and blogging (especially eCademy blogging) where business happens, and will increasingly so.
Marketing agencies are not so sure, and a number of ‘show me the money’ questions are appearing. A safe starting convention is nothing stays free on the internet for long. Clearly my view is some people are doing very well with Social Media Marketing. My observation is also that some people have worked very hard to promote their businesses through social media with little result.
As an agency who focuses on making phones ring, upping sales enquiries and multiplying e-commerce sales, we own the responsibility of carefully selecting and costing the right marketing channels that will let our clients customers find them, and be genuinely in a frame of mind to purchase. We also need to be at the forefront of sales generating marketing technology, and embrace exciting developments that genuinely help win enquiries and sales.
However, whilst I have my own opinion, I am going to ask for yours. Between now and the end of November, I’m running an online survey aimed at London’s businesses already running Social Media Marketing campaigns or actively considering them. How well or otherwise is social media working for your business. Get your views across, here’s the link:
http://www.surveymethods.com/EndUser.aspx?94B0DCC092D2C4CE
Pre-release results will be circulated exclusively to everyone completing the survey and leaving their email addresses at the end of November, and the surveys will be published in early January. Email addresses will be deleted and not used for any other purpose.
By then we will all know how effective or otherwise Social Media Marketing can help our businesses.
Link again:
http://www.surveymethods.com/EndUser.aspx?94B0DCC092D2C4CE
Make your views known and we’ll share and bank the knowledge.
Chris Clark
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Chris Clark is MD of Clark Marketing, a digital marketing company focussing on keeping clients’ shops full, getting the Hillingdon Mayor to see one of our success stories for herself, turning £5-figure e-commerce site sales to £6 figure, and more. Chris has just completed his diploma in interactive and direct marketing for the IDM at Kings College, London, and was the oldest one on the course!
