| |
|
 |
 |
|
 |
| |
Developing Effective Webcasts for SMBs
Webcasts are one of the most effective marketing tactics to reach small and medium businesses (SMBs). Our research shows that 48% of SMBs rate them favorably or very favorably as a way to obtain information about products and services. In particular, SMBs are especially interested in webcasts from their credit card companies, telecom firms, hardware suppliers and office supply vendors.
Follow these five steps to develop webcasts that will achieve your SMB marketing goals:
| • |
Keep it relevant. Focus on topics to which SMBs look to you for advice. For example, banks should concentrate on financial management topics, while tech vendors should focus on the role of technology in increasing productivity and profitability. A good format is to have a third-party subject matter expert present the educational component for the first two-thirds of the webcast, followed by a company spokesperson describing relevant solutions and offers, and closing with a brief Q&A. |
| • |
Provide real value. A 30-minute webcast (our recommended length) provides time to explain a complex topic – business management advice, industry perspectives or survey findings – without imposing on busy SMBs. Provide tips that your audience can put to work in their business right away. Avoid making the session an "infomercial" – but do promote your email newsletter or social media programs, so you can nurture your prospects after the event. |
| • |
Create a series. Instead of a one-off event, develop a webcast series in order to build a following. Plan each webcast at least eight weeks out to allow time to develop an integrated promotion campaign using email, banner ads, search marketing and social media. |
| • |
Promote your webcast. Begin your promotional efforts two to three weeks before the event. Use your existing communications channels to maximize exposure and minimize promotional expense. Keep your registration page short, with as few required fields as possible – ideally just request an email address. Send a reminder email to registrants at most a week before the event. |
| • |
Follow up. Expect 30% to 50% of your registrants to actually attend the webcast. Send a follow-up email two days after the event to all registrants with the session highlights and a link to the archived webcast along with relevant product or offer information. Post your webcast to YouTube, SlideShare or SlideBoom. You might be surprised at the results – one client's webcast is generating over 1,000 views a day on YouTube. |
Contact us to discuss how we can help you launch or improve your SMB webcast program.
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
>> AmEx Debuts Small Business Saturday
American Express launched Small Business Saturday, the Saturday after Thanksgiving, in an effort to help small businesses and the economy. Relying on Facebook for much of the promotion, AmEx donated $1 for every new "Like" up to $1 million to the nonprofit Girls Inc. It also rewarded 100,000 card holders with a $25 credit for those who spent at least that amount at a local, independent business on that day.
>> Microsoft Promotes Symantec Security
Microsoft, PC Mall and Symantec are offering free Symantec protection to small businesses that purchase Microsoft's Windows 7 Professional software. The promotion is valid until Dec. 31 for businesses with at least one server and up to 50 PCs.
>> Staples.com Launches Flu Center
Staples opened an online flu center to help small businesses and home office customers stay healthy during the flu season. The site features flu facts, prevention tips and a variety of cleaning and disinfectant products, as well as results from recent Twitter surveys about small business employees' perceptions of germs in the workplace.
>> Secure Designs Unveils Security Solution
Secure Designs, a managed service security provider, introduced Red, White and Blue, a suite of security solutions for small and medium businesses. The services offer everything from email encryption to data encryption and backup services.
>> Service Helps with Mobile Commerce
Unbound Commerce released a mobile commerce service that makes it easier for small businesses to deploy a mobile commerce site. Mobile Presence for Yahoo! Merchants was developed with the support of Yahoo! Small Business and is seamlessly integrated with a Yahoo! store.
>> Biz2Credit Debuts YouTube Channel
Biz2Credit launched a YouTube channel showcasing entrepreneurs who have secured capital through its online loan-matching system. Testimonials came from small business owners in a variety of industries, including retail, hospitality, health care and telecommunications.
>> Capital One Bank Small Business Barometer: More small businesses plan to hold spending on business development and investments at current levels.
>> NFIB Small Business Economic Trends: Optimism among small businesses rises 2.7 points.
>> Intuit Small Business Employment Index: Small business employment continues to show growth, though wages are down and hours worked remain flat.
|
|
|
|
Content Planning for 2011
For a leading financial services provider, we conducted an assessment of small business resource centers, recommended content development guidelines and developed a 2011 content marketing plan. Contact us to discuss how we can launch – or enhance – your SMB content marketing program to achieve your acquisition, lead nurture, onboarding and retention and upsell goals.
 New White Paper
Download our new content marketing white paper to learn how to execute an effective CM program for SMBs, and:
| • |
Why CM works so well with SMBs |
| • |
Which content formats work best |
| • |
What content to use for each stage in the SMB buying cycle |
| • |
How to measure your CM ROI |
 Follow us on Twitter
Stay current on small business issues with the Small Business Daily Fact. You'll receive new data every day on the small business mindset and marketplace.
Subscribe a Colleague
If you have marketing colleagues who don't get The Bredin Report, subscribe them today. They'll be glad you did.
|
|
|
|
