Marketing Now Conference Mash-Up

I attended the Marketing Now conference in Melbourne this week. The event was organised by marketing and communications advisor, Siobhan Bulfin.

In true social media form, the conference was comprehensively tweeted (search under the #mktgnow hashtag) and blogged about by a range of participants. Here is the 'official' Posterous stream, courtesy of @Servantofchaos and others.

So for this post, I'm going to add a few bits and pieces that got my attention plus load you up with links - a bit of a mish-mash of stuff for the mind!

Speakers were Simon Young, Gavin Heaton, Laurel Papworth, David Armano, Jim Stewart, Darren Rowse and Stephen Johnson. They were all excellent, and each brought their own unique (and expert) perspective on marketing in today's social media age.

A HUGE hat-tip to the fabulous Yvonne Adele (@IdeasCulture) for the video interviews featured in this post - please check out Yvonne's YouTube channel.

Here are some points from Simon's presentation:

REVOLUTION = "The violent transfer of power and property in the name of an idea"

Meet 'Generation C' - not age-determinant but rather, based on shared digital experiences.

Blogging - the original social media - turns 10 in 2009.

Don't talk 'target audience' - use words like partners, fans, advocates.

LISTEN FIRST: be a consumer of content - then become a creator of content, a curator of content.

"As for the future, your task is not to foresee it but to enable it" - Antoine de Saint Exupery.

Southwest Airlines ---> even the engineers tweet!

Social media monitoring: look at using Google Alerts, Twitter Search and Social Mention.

Why should you listen to online conversations? Ensure relevancy, create leads, build relationships, support advocates, correct misinformation, spot opportunities and problems.

"Social media is not a campaign, it's a commitment" - Scott Monty, Ford.

If you want complete control, your circle of influence will be limited.

"Wake Me When the Data is Over" = good book on corporate story-telling.

Here are some points from Gavin's presentation:

The challenge = to constantly maintain and invigorate our online communities.

Six impacts of social media:

1. industry/subject experts coming under pressure from 'new voices';
2. emergence of new organisations such as Social Media Club;
3. social and legal norms;
4. multiple identities;
5. new forms of language;
6. educators being pressured to prepare students for the new world.

DUNBAR NUMBER = 150 (i.e. the maximum number of people with whom you can have ongoing relationships).

SOCIAL OBJECT = emotional context around which your story can be told.

AUCHTERLONIE EFFECT = the way of understanding the story behind the social object.

Online drives offline!

Share the message but 'own the destination'.

The new B2C = brand-to-community.

You are what you Google!

"Pungent granularity" = REALLY knowing your customers! (Walking a mile in their shoes).

Amplification vs shouting ---> there is a difference!

It's not about influence, it's about trust.

Participation + trust are intertwined.

Trust is the currency of the social web.

Here are some points from David's presentation:

"We're in the network economy" (currency = being connected).

"Get out of the spotlight!" - brand as facilitator (brands can help facilitate online conversations - for example, Best Buy IdeaX and Pampers Village).

Networks are fuelled by people's self-interest, and then tapping in to others...brands can benefit by putting these individuals on a pedestal ('MEconomics).

There is "intrinsic value in participation".

Beware of 'brand sorcery' (gobblygook brand speak).

''Corporate tone deafness' = not listening! A big no-no!

INTERACTIVE MARKETING = human-to-technology interactions; SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING = human-to-human interactions.

Building an online community: seeding, feeding and weeding!

When establishing an online community, be prepared for ALL types:

• legitimate complainers;
• competitors;
• engaged critics;
• flamers ("stirring the pot");
• troublemakers ("taking things to the next level")

Building blocks of a digital experience:

1. Useful (e.g. Craig's List)
2. Usable (e.g. Posterous)
3. Desirable (e.g. Apple)
4. Sustainable (e.g. Twitter)
5. Social (shareable, open, distributed, dynamic, collective).