Nowadays, most of us probably receive text messages from someone with whom we do business; for example, a message from your [>>]]]> Much has been said about the benefits of using social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace for connecting with customers. However, there’s another much-less-touted although equally valuable vehicle for reaching customers—SMS or text-based messaging.

Nowadays, most of us probably receive text messages from someone with whom we do business; for example, a message from your bank regarding some questionable activity on an account or an appointment confirmation from your doctor. Currently, retailers have made the most use of SMS to engage their customers.

There’s a wealth of opportunity for marketers in other industries to incorporate text messaging into their communications strategy, not only to improve customer relationships but also to boost sales.

There’s no denying that mobile usage is up. In 2008 sales of mobile devices outpaced those of PCs 4-to-1. Because a majority of cell phones have text capabilities, SMS provides an ideal opportunity for communicating with your customers, especially when so many are inundated with email and may be missing your message entirely.

In its Mobile Market Survey 2009, Netsize reports on how some companies are using mobile as part of their marketing strategy to attract and keep customers:

“The vast majority of respondents (56%) currently use mobile to acquire new customers. But that will change as respondents follow through on their plans to boost customer retention and loyalty through mobile marketing (64%), streamline transactions (37%) and enable commerce and sales using a mobile device (37%).”

In addition to strengthening relationships with current customers and attracting new customers, text messaging provides a way to increase brand awareness. For example, Clorox ran a national promotion to connect its brand with Keith Urban fans by offering the chance to win a backyard BBQ with the singer.

At the end of the campaign, Clorox experienced total mobile activity of more than 300,000, and 6% of those participants opted in to ongoing Clorox brand promotions. And that’s one of the key benefits of SMS: You’re reaching your customers on their terms and at their request.

The simplicity of text-based messaging, though, creates the possibility for overexposure. You don’t want to abuse the privilege of having your customers’ permission to communicate with them. According to a recent Nielsen report, sending too many texts or not targeting them appropriately can adversely affect your ability to connect with your customers.

As with any social medium, SMS is another way to engage your customers in a conversation. As with all marketing activities, though, make sure that an SMS strategy fits in with your overall business goals.

Let’s [>>]]]> In the early days of the Internet, businesses with a physical location were referred to as “brick-and-mortar,” while those on the Internet had a “Web presence.” Obviously, that distinction doesn’t hold up anymore, but a recent Google campaign and a new iPhone app got me thinking about the convergence of the online and offline worlds.

Let’s start with Google. The company took its online world offline this summer with its “Favorite Places” marketing campaign. Think Yelp meets Google Maps meets celebrity endorsements for the mobile age. For the campaign, Google asked local experts/celebrities in more than a dozen cities (in the Bay Area, folks like Gavin Newsom and Alice Waters are featured) for their favorite hotspots.

Go online and you can search by personality—what cultural events do Yo-Yo Ma and Maya Lin like?—or by city to find out the celebrity dish on shops, restaurants, culture, and nightlife. And in San Francisco, Google took the campaign a step further with a physical presence: Celebrity-endorsed businesses got a life-size version of the signature teardrop-shaped marker from Google, complete with a plaque telling you who had endorsed the business.

In the spirit of “there’s an app for that,” the offline world jumps back online with a new iPhone app from Acrossair, which has developed an augmented reality browser with 3D navigation. With this app, your iPhone becomes a portal to an “augmented” reality; now you can view the names of businesses, events, and so on that are near your physical location; hold the phone flat and it turns into a Google map view that also moves with you so you know exactly where things are in relation to you. Check out the video—it’s pretty cool.

Convergence and convenience
What’s old is new, what’s online is offline, and what’s stuck in a silo isn’t going to fly. It’s really about convergence and convenience—about making things as easy and “full-service” as possible for your customers, your audience, or whoever you’re talking to. Of course, none of this should be a revelation, as companies like Microsoft realized this a decade ago.

In the late ‘90s I worked for Microsoft’s Sidewalk.com, online city guides that provided editorial-based information on restaurants and arts and entertainment. The sites were great, but they were doomed almost from the start because of Ticketmaster. Microsoft wanted to make a deal with them to sell tickets through Sidewalk—users would read an editorial review of “Wicked,” for example, and the page would include a link to purchase tickets—but negotiations broke down and Ticketmaster made a deal with rival Citysearch instead. Sidewalk trudged along for a while, but Microsoft knew it had lost its best opportunity to monetize the websites (perhaps a fee from each ticket sale made via Sidewalk), and also to provide a one-stop shop for users who could read about an event and then buy tickets, all in the same place. They knew early on that convergence was key, but they couldn’t convert the idea to reality.

Now it’s a new reality, and companies need to promise an even bigger and better bang, not only for your buck, but also for your time and your convenience. Is there an app for that?

When used effectively, virals can and do perform in ways that traditional PR and advertising simply can’t. But how do [>>]]]> A bit like the Supreme Court’s definition of pornography, viral marketing is something you know when you see it, although it’s hard to define outright. All viral marketing campaigns share one element in common–an unstated agenda.

When used effectively, virals can and do perform in ways that traditional PR and advertising simply can’t. But how do you separate an excellent viral campaign from a dud?  With five key criteria in mind, let’s rate one of the more recent viral splashes: Jared Holstein’s “fake Shooting Brake” Porsche promotion for TopGear.com America:

Eyeballs

The more people see and share a viral, the higher the mission-critical eyeball count. After a false start or three, The Shooting Brake viral sputtered to life and managed to pick up enough of an audience to achieve liftoff. We’ll give it a C+ for taking the time to analyze initial seeding attempts and be willing to try again in less-than-obvious places.

Engagement

If YouTube videos “A” and “B” each have 100,000 views, but “A” has 1,000 comments whereas “B” has 10, viral “A” will have proven to carry a higher level of engagement. Here, ‘brake did really well. The ratio of user involvement in the dialog was extraordinary as viewers of both the video and still images felt compelled to toss their $0.02 in on the debate and repost for others to weigh in. A+

Longevity

Short lived but highly engaging virals that capture a lot of attention often have superior recall rates to those that stay at a slow simmer and net a greater number of views over time. The chatter surrounding the Shooting Brake viral began to diminish around the one-month mark, around the time the instigators revealed all. We’ll give this a B for performing above what one might have expected through the clever use of three separate permutations of the ‘brake.

Brand Relevance

Every viral walks the line between being so tenuously connected to its parent brand as to have no meaningful impact and being so closely connected as to not have any hopes of ever succeeding as a viral. Mr. Holstein and crew get a solid A here. TopGear is, and always has been, cheeky, irreverent, subversive, and often sarcastic. In this case, TopGear wanted web traffic to support TopGear.com and new awareness of its original content. Job done.

Reach

A viral that transcends and rises above topical environments, and is just as big of a hit among Scrabble enthusiasts as it is among Labrador aficionados, is more relevant than one that fails to break out of its defined silo. The ‘brake transitioned from automotive to gamers, back to automotive, into mainstream press, and now, by virtue of this write-up, into the industry press for marketers. That’s another A+ for bridging the gap and capturing our collective imaginations.

The sixth, unspoken variable is one that will warm every marketer’s heart–-solid ROI. Here, Holstein leveraged the sizable coffers of Microsoft Game Studios in its promotion of Forza 3 to achieve great effect with his own viral promotion. There is nothing like riding the slipstream of someone else’s online spending spree to capture value far beyond one’s own investment in a project. A+ to team TopGear on this note as well.

Could it be that the next brand of celebrity is the software developer? That seems to be the angle of Apple’s latest publicity campaign. The [>>]]]> Remember when celebrities were mere entertainers? Singers, actors, dancers, athletes. Then came celebrity chefs, celebrity CEOs, and people who became famous for being hot. (What does Carmen Electra actually do?)

Could it be that the next brand of celebrity is the software developer? That seems to be the angle of Apple’s latest publicity campaign. The company is lifting its infamous NDA that prevented developers from discussing iPhone apps and planning an iPhone Tech Talk World Tour. That’s right: World Tour. Apple will be parading its developers in a city near you so that you’ll have the opportunity to find out everything you ever wanted to know about iPhone apps, but were too afraid to ask because of that pesky NDA.

I find myself continually amazed at the depth of Apple fans’ commitment to the brand. But with unexpected branding schemes like this one, I guess I can justify that commitment to some degree. By lifting the iron curtain previously shielding its coding practices, Apple is giving its fans something that feels really exclusive. At the same time, Apple is elevating its programmers to darn near celebrity status, adding to the company’s already considerable cool cachet.

I can see it now: An audience member will ask a developer about Apple’s failed 3G launch. The developer will respond with a witty quip about how Windows Vista sucks. Everyone will laugh. It will be just like the VP debate.

Wry humor aside, this is a great example of a company truly giving its customers what they want—even if it’s in response to criticism. Apple will surely benefit from revealing its sources. Customers can become more intimately involved with the brand, even contributing to the product itself by developing new apps. This can only increase commitment to the Apple brand. I have to applaud Apple’s agility in turning criticism into what will surely be more fawning devotion.

But then again, Apple fans’ devotion is based purely on the company’s great products, right? ‘Course. —Selena Welz, associate managing editor

Turns out that’s impossible. Divorcing my own leanings from the review wasn’t too tough, but it was difficult to avoid outrage at [>>]]]> When I sat down to review the official websites of Barack Obama and John McCain, it was with the specific goal of neutrality—keeping my own politics removed from a critical view of each site.

Turns out that’s impossible. Divorcing my own leanings from the review wasn’t too tough, but it was difficult to avoid outrage at the political hackery I found. The website of the candidate I’m not supporting annoyed me in precisely the same ways his overall campaign annoys me—which, I guess, is the point. It’s all about striking the proper tone and delivering a consistent message.

This is a skill at which Republicans have been masterful in recent years, and McCain’s campaign site is no exception. One sees his “Country first” theme at virtually every bend, along with regular swipes at Obama—less for his governmental proposals than for who he is. It’s a clear attempt to alter public perception absent the use of facts.

Political scientists have said that Democrats vote with their heads (“let’s talk issues”) while Republicans vote with their guts (“my instincts are pointing me in this direction”), and that’s precisely the voter that McCain’s website is trying to reach. While the Republican candidate spells out many of his own ideas and policies, were his campaign manager forced to excise one portion of the site—either the pro-McCain side or the anti-Obama side—I have no idea which one he would choose.

And that, I suppose, is the genius of it all. —Jason Turbow, managing editor

Keep that same principle in mind when communicating with your audience. Certain tones will [>>]]]> “Don’t use that tone with me!” Did your mom ever say that to you? Mine sure did. Usually in response to a snarky comment about doing chores or homework. She wasn’t responding to what I said exactly, but how I said it.

Keep that same principle in mind when communicating with your audience. Certain tones will resonate with certain audiences. Figuring out which tone to use depends on knowing specifically who your audience is, and just as importantly, who your brand is. That’s where your brand voice comes in.

Many companies spend lots of time and money developing their brand’s visual identity, then fail to match that with an appropriate voice and tone. If you focus all of your effort on the visual aspects of your brand, you’re missing an opportunity to further connect with your audience, stand out in the marketplace, and bring your brand to life.

Similar, but Different

Voice and tone work in concert, but can be identified separately:

• Voice communicates your company personality; it’s who customers “hear” when they read you’re marketing or site copy.
• Tone communicates a company’s attitude toward the audience and subject matter.

While tone may vary based on context and subject matter, voice should be consistent across your marketing material and website. This is not to say that all copy on the website should sound exactly the same. But there should be a set of qualities that remain consistent and make your voice recognizable and distinct.

Identifying Brand Voice

Before working with tone, you must first establish your brand voice. Chances are, you already have a good idea of what that is, but maybe you just haven’t articulated it yet. What adjectives did you use while developing your brand’s visual identity? These may serve as a good starting point for identifying your brand voice.

If you focus all of your effort on the visual aspects of your brand, you’re missing an opportunity to further connect with your audience, stand out in the marketplace, and bring your brand to life.

If you don’t have a list of brand adjectives, begin building one. Brainstorm with colleagues or interview C-level executives. After developing a list of desirable adjectives, narrow it down to a handful of three to five key terms that accurately describe the brand personality you’re trying to present. Who is this person? What are they like? How do they express themselves?

For example, investment firm Goldman Sachs has a long history and focus on big-money, corporate transactions. The brand voice tends to be serious, refined, and dramatic. Note the formal “in which” construction in the following example:

Our goal is to help our clients realize their objectives, and to help shape the debate in every sector in which Goldman Sachs is involved.

If you were to translate the Goldman Sachs brand voice into a persona, this is clearly someone who takes himself or herself seriously. The objective point of view leaves no room for personalization—it’s all about the deal. This is an appropriate brand voice for Goldman Sach’s audience of corporate executives and high-end investors.

Now compare the following copy from the Washington Mutual website, targeted to a middle-class consumer and small business audience. Note the effect of the first-person point of view:

You’ll know it right away: We’re really not like other banks. We’re informal, friendly and fun. We take our customers’ money seriously, but not ourselves. We even call ourselves by a fun name that started out as a nickname years ago: WaMu. We’re the bank for everyday people.

WaMu’s brand value is based on its approachability and personalization. It speaks directly to its audience in a friendly, casual, disarming voice. WaMu is interested in making banking easy and fun and creating better lifestyles for its customers. The brand voice embodies those values.

Find what your audience cares about and how those qualities can be expressed through your brand. Once you identify some brand characteristics and develop a voice, you need to establish your brand’s point of view toward your audience. That’s where tone comes in.

Working with Tone

Tone in writing is expressed by word choice and sentence structure. For example, you may be a friendly, positive person by nature, but your choice of vocabulary, volume, and manner of speaking would alter significantly if you were talking to your company’s CEO or a grandparent, versus hanging out with your friends after work. You’d still be friendly and positive, but your tone would change depending on your relationship to the person you’re speaking to.

Knowing your audience and how it communicates is the first step. Establishing your brand’s relationship to its audience is the next. Is your brand a professional colleague or a trusted neighbor? A gossipy friend or an admired mentor? Identifying the context of your customer communications and relationships will help you find the right language.

Just as you might adjust your tone based on where you are and who you’re talking to, so should tone change based on the context of the communication. For example, Helio, a telecommunications and mobile device company, has a distinct, edgy, almost flip brand voice that is intended to resonate with a younger, connected, device-oriented audience. Those characteristics are expressed throughout the Helio website, but the tone of the voice varies based on what it’s trying to communicate. Take a look at this sample copy explaining Helio’s value proposition:

We started Helio because we were fed up, just like you. We were tired of disappointing devices. Frustrated by sub-standard service. And totally over being surprised by our bills every month. So we decided to fix it…and do mobile differently.

The point of this messaging is to differentiate Helio from other phone companies (which they claim not to be). It’s all about striking an emotional chord with the audience. No holds barred—it takes an aggressive stance and uses the same language that its audience uses.

Now compare the above to this copy from a section of the site explaining device features:

Don’t get tied to your desk. Or laptop, for that matter. Bring your email with you, and you’ll never miss a message. Helio gives you out-of-the-box email access to all the major webmail providers, or use your @helio.com account. And with full support for Microsoft® Exchange, you can get your work email too, without the stigma of a corporate crackberry.

The use of slang and the informal sentence construction still carry the brand voice, but the tone is notably softer, less edgy. This messaging prioritizes the information it’s providing over igniting an emotional response. Always keep context in mind when working with tone.

Developing brand voice and tone are tricky, but having a clear vision of your audience and your brand’s relationship to that audience is the key to getting it right.

At Tendo, we’ve had clients come to us desperate for us to help them track their online buzz. When we ask them why [>>]]]> “I don’t know what it is, but I know I need it.” Five years ago, the “it” was SEO. Two years ago, “it” was a blog. And in 2008, “it” means buzz tracking.

At Tendo, we’ve had clients come to us desperate for us to help them track their online buzz. When we ask them why they need it or what they hope to learn from it, sometimes they tell us, “I thought I had to have it.” Sometimes we simply get a blank stare. Our response, of course: You can’t conduct any kind of successful campaign without knowing what your goals are. So don’t do it just because another division is engaged in buzz tracking or someone you meet at a party tells you it’s essential. If you track buzz to find out what people are saying about your brand, then that’s all you’ll learn. But wouldn’t you rather learn why customers choose your competitors’ products over yours, or find out what customers like and dislike about your products? When done right, buzz tracking can tell you these things and more.

What Is Buzz Tracking?

In its simplest form, buzz tracking consists of scanning the Web for mentions of your company name or products. There are literally hundreds of ways to do it, from a simple Google search to tools specifically designed to scan blog comments for a given search string. (We’ll look at specific tools later in this article.) Even a simple Web search can generate absurd amounts of data. But it’s what you do with the data that matters.

What Should I Track?

In order to track your online reputation effectively, you’ve got to start by establishing your goals. A massive spreadsheet of company or product mentions won’t help your bottom line. But beginning the exercise with a few simple questions will. Rather than asking “What are people saying about my company or product?” ask “Why do people choose my product or service?” or “What do customers like and dislike about my product or service?” The differences might seem subtle, but asking the right questions can mean the difference between ending up with actionable data versus a mountain of useless information.

How Do I Track?

As we mentioned above, preliminary buzz tracking can be done with a simple Web search. Just type your company name, product name, then names of key executives, or other unique information about your company into Google or your search engine of choice. That’s a perfectly reasonable starting point but is not, as programmers are fond of saying, “scalable.”

In terms of best bang-for-the-buck tools, it’s hard to go wrong with Google and Yahoo. Setting up news alerts for the major search engines is a good first step, and both Google and Yahoo offer unique free tools to help you track your online reputation. Google Trends is a great way to monitor how often a set of terms has been searched on Google over time, while Yahoo Pipes lets you create custom news feeds and filter them based on many parameters. (It looks complicated at first glance, but it’s fairly easy to get the hang of, and it’s extremely powerful.)

Should you want to get your ear closer to the ground to find out what the masses are saying about you, you can do that, too. Sites like socialmeter and twittermeter let you search the major social networks to see how your site is performing. Co.mments allows you to bookmark and follow individual blog comment threads, while old faithful Technorati continues as the go-to search engine for blogs.

With the tools mentioned above and literally dozens more, you should be able to uncover each and every online mention of your company or product. But remember, it’s not just the data you collect; it’s what you do with it. You need to embark on buzz tracking with a plan. What, specifically, do you hope to learn? How will this new insight help you refine your product offerings or improve your customer service? Make sure you can answer these questions before you start your buzz-tracking initiative.