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Internet Usage Ideas for Sweeping Contractors |
The Value of Cross-Channel Marketing
by Ranger Kidwell-Ross
Power sweeping is a relatively low-tech industry. Because of that, both public works departments and contractors were slow to embrace the concept of transmitting information via their websites.
The same is occurring today when it comes to branching out into using social media to find customers, identify constituents and generally interact with those who would – or should – be interested in knowing more about your company or organization.
Today, one in every nine people on earth is a Facebook user; Twitter manages an average of 190 million tweets per day. This is according to a September 2011 post by social media blogger Jeff Bullas, aptly titled, Stunning Social Media Statistics. And just as stunning, the New York Times reported in January that over 107 trillion emails were sent in 2010. The important take-away for marketers is this:
If you're not communicating with your customers via social channels as well as through email, you're not reaching your audience where it lives, works and plays.
The online marketing industry is growing, with email continuing to be the largest communication channel, as evidenced from the 2010 results. At the same time, the market is experiencing a shift towards social as a communications channel.
As staggering as it is to think that one in nine people on earth is a Facebook user, consider these additional findings. According to 2011 Digital Buzz Block Facebook Statistics: Facebook is viewed 700 million minutes every day, plus 72 million links are shared, 144 million friendship requests are accepted, 216 million messages are sent and 30 billion pieces of content are shared.
That's all in just one day, on one social network. These statistics highlight both the staying power of email and the rise in social networks – the key now is how to pull them all together to create cross-channel marketing.
The linked guide, provided by solutions' provider, Lyris, discusses up-to-the-minute trends and opportunities around the convergence of email with Facebook and Twitter channels. It will take you through a couple of customer success stories to show you how to manage your cross-channel voice to leverage the latest tools and trends, and achieve measurable results.
Besides sheer numbers, social media has shown a powerful ability to engage customers – right behind email. A 2011 Customer Engagement Report by digital marketing researcher group Insight Express shows that 72 percent of marketers surveyed cite email newsletters as most likely to result in a tangible improvement to customer engagement, 48 percent cite presence on social networks like Facebook, and 46 percent cite micro-blogging on sites like Twitter.
Separately, email, Facebook and Twitter are extremely effective marketing tools. Working together, they have the potential to raise the bar on customer engagement to unprecedented levels. If you want to move your contracting business into a higher gear, check out the linked 12-page PDF file developed by Lyris.
Whether or not you implement all of their ideas right now, in the long run you will be glad you exposed yourself to the direction in which the world is headed. Keep up – or be left behind.
This information was compiled by Ranger Kidwell-Ross, Editor of WorldSweeper.com. You may reach him via our online contact form or by calling (866) 635-2205.
If you have any questions or comments about this article, please let us know.
