Ultimate Merger: Partnership Marketing and Consumer Contests

Erica CampbellSr. Manager, New Media Marketing

For Rent Media Solutions

Things to Consider to Have a Successful Contest

Define Objectives & Goals

• Increase Brand Awareness: Create a general hype & enhance a product or service

• Increase Reach: Broaden reach of core company's target audience

• Generate Leads & Data: Improve referrals & repeat purchases

• Gain Content or Consumer Insight: Repurpose for future marketing initiatives

• Humanize your Voice: Engage socially, build relationships, reward your customers, and drive fan acquisition

• Gain Competitive Edge: Offset new competition

Define Objectives & Goals:

Identify your Target Audience

• Will your contest target new customers or existing customers?

• Where are your consumers engaging with your brand?

• What are your customers habits and behaviors offline and online?

• How will you reach your audience?• What is your budget to reach them?

Who is your Target Audience?

Determine theType of Contest

Contest: A contest rewards skill; winners are determined based on skill, popularity or judging.

Sweepstake: A sweepstakes awards winners at random; winners are determined based purely on chance.

• User Generated Contest (UGC)• Facebook Like Sweepstake • Blog or Post Comment to Enter Contest or

Sweepstake• Twitter RT or Hashtag Contest or Sweepstake• Survey Form Contest or Sweepstake

Determine the Type of Contest:

Create your Concept

Create your Concept:

• A video contest inviting users to create a new commercial for one of your products

• A user-generated content contest that awards the best ‘personal experience stories’

• A photo contest related to your product or service

• A product invention contest with a large cash prize

Have a clear call-to-action

Establish Rules & Prizes

Establish Rules & Prizes:• Will the winner be determined by public voting, a jury or

at random? • What is the judging criteria?• How long will your contest run?• How many phases will you have?• What kind of prizes will you offer?• How many winners will you have?• What is the process the entrant will go through?

Rules: promotion eligibility, how to enter, contest dates, judging criteria, prizes, how to claim the prizes, rights in the videos/photos, privacy & publicity , limitations of liability, etc.

Publish & Integrate your Contest

Publish & Integrate your Contest:

• Print• Internet• Email• Display Ads• Video• Mobile• PR

• Social Networking Sites• Outdoor• Radio• TV• On-Site• Contest & Sweepstake Sites• Blogger Outreach

Have an integrated strategy

Measure your Results

Measure your Results: Categorize your metrics:

• Reach- how far and wide your messages spread

• Impact- how your efforts change consumers’ actions or opinions

• Quantity- how many consumers interact with your initiatives

• Quality- strength and depth of consumers’ interactions with your initiatives  

Tweak your Strategy

Tweak your Strategy: Constantly refine your strategy and tactics:

• Evaluate your metrics• Evaluate the contest type • Evaluate the landscape • Trends come and go• Be nimble and adaptive • Consider your budget• Continue to identify key influencers

 

ForRent.com®

Case Studies

boost in college age visitors to site

Direct navigation increased57%

20%

If Only Your Apartment Furniture Could Talk

Ready2Move?

Votes24,000 79,000

Unique Visitors335,000

Pageviews

Keep the Momentum Going

1. ForRent.com micro-site:– Contest Web site lived on www.Contest.ForRent.com – Users could watch and share videos without registration– Upload and voting function required user email registration– Watermarked logo clicked through to FRC from each video– E-mail a friend and social networking profile widget

2. ForRent.com Facebook application:– Application lived on an application page which was referenced from the existing ForRent.com Facebook page– Requires user to “allow access” to see and use all functions of the application (upload, gallery, etc) instead of email registration.– Major benefit: integrated “allowing access” will generate a Facebook news feed item for viral discovery (e.g. “Erica might win $10,000 in the ForRent.com “Ready2Move?” video contest)

Promotion Format

On or about June 24, 2009 Sponsor’s internal review panel selected one (1) Grand Prize Winner, three (3) Finalists and one (1) randomly selected Voter.

CONTEST: Contest winners will be selected according to the following judging criteria:- 20% Creativity and originality - 15% Overall quality and appearance of videos - 20% Relevance to contest theme ‘Ready2Move?’- 24% Promotion of ForRent.com and/or  For Rent Magazine

and the usage of the branded billboard with tagline- 21% The total number of user generated Internet votes

received     

SWEEPSTAKES: The Sponsor will randomly select the potential Sweepstakes winner from all eligible voting entries received during Phase II and Phase III.

Selection of Winners & Finalists

Viva La Vie Boheme

Pet Pads Unleashed

ForRent.com Consumer Contest Comparison

Lessons Learned

• Metrics and Rules: Establish clear metrics and contest rules before you begin your program. (Have legal review rules)

• Test: Test the full functionality of your campaign prior to the start. (Both front end and back end)

• Advanced Seeding: Begin blogger outreach 1-2 weeks prior to the contest versus during the contest.

• Resources: Estimate the amount of time and effort it takes to sustain social media momentum throughout the contest period.

• Timing of Announcement: Leave 1-2 weeks before announcing the winner in order to get winners scheduled for an interview.

Lessons Learned

• Budget: Promotional spend is critical to the success of the campaign. Don’t underestimate budget. Include an allocation for promotions, both planned and contingency. Think about hidden promotional costs.

• Prizes: Make sure the prizes are motivating, relevant & the contest concept is FUN.

• Continue the Momentum: Dedicate time to engage in long term social media by following up with the contest winners and entrants.

• Refine your Strategy: Learn from your mistakes, evaluate your metrics and the landscape. Trends come and go. Be nimble and adaptive.

Lessons Learned

• Contact: Dave Turner at dave.sayitwithwater.com • Prize:1 case (24 bottles)• Any size (8 oz. 12 0z. 16.9 oz) • Customized label design (up to 4 colors)

Ready2Move? Contest Videoshttp://tinyurl.com/2w4v898 Winner Ready2Move?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbYYhTkhcrA True Leasehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhbjJEHnaT0 Your Apartment is Looking For Youhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1I9-ZFh89xI Winner ‘If Only Your Apartment Furniture Could Talk’http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sLnbt0N3et8 All Videoshttp://www.user/ApartmentsForRent

Fun Video Examples from ForRent.com Contests

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linkedin.com/in/ericawcampbell

blog.forrent.comfacebook/ericawcampbell

Break From the Pack of Apartment Commodity

Twitter: @Eric_Urbane

www.TheUrbaneWay.com

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Partnership Marketing

“The sole purpose of marketing is to sell more to more people, more often and at higher

prices. There is no other reason to do it.” -Sergio Zyman

Our Goal

“To provide our residents with an experience and value with a high enough return to create enough

Customer Evangelists within our core resident base that they self rent our apartments.”

Fish Where the Fish AreMyspace

Fish Where the Fish AreFacebook

Fish Where the Fish AreTwitter

Hot On Your HEELS

Vitamin Water Hydration Galleries

SxSw Chevy Road Trip

Sharpie Draw on the Walls

#LaughUp

ULTIMATE MERGER: Partnership Marketing & Consumer

Events

TRENDWATCHING“Branded Brands”: Certain focused and

well respected brands, often beacons of coolness and quality, are now cashing in by enriching other, more all-encompassing brands. The result: BRANDED BRANDS.

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STEP BY STEP

• Who do you partner with and why?• How do you promote partnerships?• What type of event should you consider?• How do you promote your event?• How do you measure your results?

– Measurement tools like bar codes– Social media interaction– Word of mouth marketing

STEP BY STEPWho do you partner with and why?

– Create value– High end or low end every brand is

promoting value what a better way that to create value with brand partnerships

– Choose partnerships wisely– Seek out similar target audiences & brand

images– Seek partners that support your goals

• Green living– Choose a combination of national & local

partners

THE “WHO”

• Know your demographics• Target to their wants, needs• What is hot right now?• How do you incorporate trends?• What can you provide that they cannot

get elsewhere?• What discounts can you offer or other

advantages?

Resident “Perks” (AKA how Fairmont did it)

THE “WHO”

Resident “Perks”

THE “WHO”

THE “WHO”Design Concierge Services

STEP BY STEP

– Websites– Microsites– Emails– Social Media– Collateral– Events– Logo Promo

– Mobile – text– PR– Outreach– Signs– Online ads– Sales presentation– Call Center– Partner Marketing

How do you promote your partnerships?

THE “WHO” – Green Partners

Lifestyle Brands

Resident & Employee Discounts

Event Marketing

THE “WHAT”What type of event should you consider?

• Grand opening• Open house• PR• Training• Broker• Residents only• Prospects• Leaderships• Partner events - zipcar• Bring-a-friend• Interaction is key

Park Place—Grand OpeningWashington DC, Petworth

Demographic Target: 24-35, single professionals and students

Outreach: Park Place partnered with On Tap Magazine, DC Shorts Film Festival, Stella Artois, and Kettle One Vodka.

ROI to Date: 1119 RSVPs, 700 attendees, 36 leases

The capture campaign generated an amazing response in the two short months leading up to the grand opening.– 4 leases were signed during the party– 48 appointments were sent during the party– Traffic increase by 20% for six weeks after– 36 leases attributed to event

THE “WHAT”

What types of promotion are most effective?

• Social media marketing• Email blasts• Signs • Websites & microsites• Advertising• PR• Utilize partner’s lists

12 Ways to Market Events with Social Media

1. Market your event through Twitter2. Market your event through Facebook3. Market your event through LinkedIn4. Market your event through your blog5. Other Places to Market Online – online calendars,

Tweetvite, Eventful, etc.6. Use Online Registration Tools – Eventbrite, Constant

Contact, etc. Sharing tools let attendees post to Facebook and Twitter, which builds buzz and generates more registrations.

7. Create your event in Foursquare and Gowalla8. Use those hashtags!9. Have someone “live blog” during the event10.A picture says a thousand words – use Twitpics, etc.11.Put thoughts on video – use Flipcams or live

streamwith UStream.tv

THE “WHAT”12. Post-Event:• Create a blog post on how the event went, solicit

feedback via comments.• Post event recap to Facebook page and encourage

fans and friends to leave comments there as well. • Upload photos to Facebook and tag everyone you

know; ask them to “fill in the blanks” by tagging anyone else.

• Upload photos to Flickr/other photo sharing sites and give them appropriate titles, descriptions and tags. Use the Creative Commons license to let them be shared as far and wide as possible.

• Post video to YouTube, Facebook and other video sharing sites.

WestEnd25, Grand Opening Event Re-CapDate: May 5th, 2010Partners/Sponsors: DC Magazine, Corcoran Caterers, Bourbon Steak, Blue Duck Tavern, RIS Over 300 guests in attendance, 150 for VIP EventExperienced an average of 10 additional visits per week25 leases were a direct result of the Grand Opening EventLeased the largest, most expensive Penthouse unit 1020 that week as a result of the event

Press:BizBashWashington Business Journal WashingtonBusinessJournal.comWashingtonianDC.Guestofaguest.comDC.Urbanturf.comPamelaspunch.comBisnow SceneBisnow Real EstateDC Magazine

THE “HOW”

How do you measure your results?

• Track attendance• Conduct follow-up• Ask brand partners how they measure success• Resident feedback/retention• Solicit feedback via social media pages

Branded Brands

MARKETING

GOAL

The “Holy Grail” of brand partnerships…..

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Jamie GorskiSVP, Corporate MarketingThe Bozzuto Groupjgorski@bozzuto.comTwitter: @jamiegorski

CONTACT