marketing communications Archives - Page 3 of 5

So you think Facebook is no good for B2B service companies? Think Again!

March 19, 2013/0 Comments/in Facebook, Lead Generation, marketing communications, Social Media, Social Media Marketing/by Michael Rabinovici

There seems to be a perception that Facebook may be good for big B2C brands, but not of much use to B2B marketers, especially those in the services industry. As a recent article in the Social Media Examiner aptly put it, in the context of a legendary mission to the moon:

“The story of Apollo 13 astronauts trying desperately to get back to Earth after a failed mission has a lesson for B2B marketers. Astronauts used the moon’s gravitational pull to slingshot them so they had enough power left to get back to Earth.

“B2B marketers: Facebook is your moon.

“In the 2012 Social Media Marketing Industry Report, B2B marketers reported that they were far more likely to increase their use of LinkedIn and blogging than Facebook in the coming year.

“But while Facebook may not be your final destination for marketing to B2B customers, it has incredible gravitational pull. Savvy marketers, like the astronauts aboard the Apollo 13 mission, can leverage that pull to take them where they want to go.”

The article proceeds to detail the fascinating story of how some executive firms went about using Facebook to build a brand “in a crowded field in an industry that frankly isn’t very sexy”. Click here to read the full article

Where is the Social Media Bus Going in 2013?

December 27, 2012/0 Comments/in Fast Company, marketing communications, Social Media, Social Media Marketing, Social Networking, Web Strategy/by Michael Rabinovici

In a space that moves so fast, it’s a good idea to follow the companies and publications that are setting the trends. This time, we’re laying our bets on Ryan Holmes, CEO of Hootsuite, one of the web’s leading social media management companies (and Canadian to boot). In an end-of-year article in Fast Company magazine, he crystal balls social media’s path in the year ahead. Some highlights include:

• Social media will move beyond the marketing department

• Big data will grow but get more manageable

• Social media education will become formalized

Click here to read the full article here.

A happy holiday season, and a joyous, healthy, and prosperous new year to you and yours from all of us at AR Communications.

Benchmark 2012 Lead Generation – Key Industry Trends for Generating Leads of the Highest Quality – Free Excerpt

November 15, 2012/0 Comments/in Best Practices, Business Development, Lead Generation, marketing communications, Social Media, Social Media Marketing, Social Networking, Web Strategy/by Michael Rabinovici

I thought this may be of interest to anyone in the midst of Q4 and planning their 2013 campaigns.
This is the company we regularly follow, and that we trained with a few years ago.

This free excerpt from the report is excellent for anyone looking to take their lead gen to the next level in 2013 – http://bit.ly/lead-generation-2012

The information and insights from this company on lead generation are pure gold and well worth reading.

For the latest developments in social media and mobile marketing follow me on Twitter at twitter.com/mikerabinovici

You Like it Now but You’ll Learn to Love it Later

October 23, 2012/0 Comments/in Consulting, Fast Company, marketing communications, Social Media, Social Media Marketing, Social Networking/by Michael Rabinovici

Last week, I tweeted that if you only read one business article for the week, it should be the one in I referred to in Fast Company about chaos being the new order. I was wrong. If you only read one business article this year, that’s the one you should read.

The whole subject of chaos, and how we know we should embrace it but yet are afraid of it, is best summed up for me in a few lines from Robbie Robertson’s classic “Somewhere Down The Crazy River”

Wait, did you hear that
Oh this is sure stirring up some ghosts for me
She said "There’s one thing you’ve got to learn
Is not to be afraid of it."
I said "No, I like it, I like it, it’s good."
She said "You like it now
But you’ll learn to love it later."

Indeed we will.

Read the Fast Company article here http://bit.ly/chaos-is-the-new-order

What are your thoughts? How has your company dealt with chaos? Comment below.

Dollar Impact of Social Media – How does a Cool Trillion or so Sound?

September 11, 2012/0 Comments/in Business Development, Collaboration, Communication vehicles, Consulting, Corporate Blogging, Culture, Fast Company, marketing communications, Mobility, Networking, Social Media, Social Media Marketing, Social Networking, Technology, twitter, Web Strategy/by Michael Rabinovici

One of the most frequent questions we hear from clients relates in one form or another to the dollar ROI from social media. As the industry matures, more data is becoming available to shed light on this question.

A recent report from the McKinsey Global Institute examines the current usage of social technologies in four commercial sectors: consumer packaged goods, retail financial services, advanced manufacturing, and professional services. It concludes that the potential value to be unlocked by leveraging these technologies across the four sectors could potentially contribute $900 billion to $1.3 trillion in annual value.

Although the value that can be captured varies from industry to industry, all of them can benefit. The key to success? Creating the conditions for the full and enthusiastic participation of employees.

Click here for a copy of the study. Click here for a review of the report in Fast Company Magazine

For the latest information on, and best practices for, Mobile and Social Media marketing follow me on Twitter at Twitter.com/mikerabinovici

Content Marketing – Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends for 2012

May 15, 2012/0 Comments/in Best Practices, Communication vehicles, Corporate Blogging, marketing communications, Podcasts, Social Media Marketing, Web Strategy, Writing/by Michael Rabinovici

Content marketing is gaining an increasingly important role for B2B marketers, and in companies’ overall marketing strategies . Below you will find a link to the 2012 Benchmarks, Budgets & Trends survey put together by the Content Marketing Institute and MarketingProfs.

For purposes of the research, the survey defined content marketing as follows: “Content marketing/custom media (sometimes called custom publishing, custom content, or branded content) is the creation and distribution of educational and/or compelling content in multiple formats to attract and/or retain customers.”
Here are some highlights:

• On average, B2B marketers employ eight different content marketing tactics to achieve their marketing goals.

• 60% report that they plan to increase their spend on content marketing over the next 12 months.

• Marketers, on average, spend over a quarter of their marketing budget on content marketing.

Industries with the highest rates of content marketing adoption:

• Professional Services………………………………..94%

• Computing/Software…………………………………93%

• Advertising/Marketing………………………………89%

• Healthcare……………………………………………………….89%

• Business Services……………………………………….84%

• Manufacturing/Processing…………………….83%

For a free copy if the report – Click Here

How is your company leveraging content marketing? What results are you experiencing? Leave a comment below or email me at michael at ar-com.com

Groupon Groupoff

April 21, 2011/0 Comments/in Business Development, marketing communications, Social Media Marketing, Web Strategy/by Michael Rabinovici

Chicago based Groupon ("group coupon") is one of the great technology stories in recent memory. For those of you who still spend most of the time in the physical world, Groupon is a deal-of-the-day website localized to major markets that promotes itself with the now well-known tag line: 1 Ridiculously Huge Coupon A Day. It’s been described as the fastest-growing company in Web history.

Here’s how it works: your business gets exposure to Groupon’s gigantic user base and, in return, you give potential customers a juicy discount. Whenever Groupon collects money on behalf of merchants from selling coupons on its Web site, it keeps an average of 50%. The twist – the deal is on only “on” if a pre-determined number of people sign up for it (usually 10 or more). The platform is used daily by a multitude of businesses, ranging from small enterprises to large brands such as the Gap and the Toronto Raptors.

Here are some Groupon highlights:

Launched November 2008
Number of subscribers who receive emails with “Coupon of the Day” offers – 50 million
Revenue (2009 est.) – US $30 million Revenue (2010 est.) – US $760 million Revenue (2011 est.) – US $2 billion
Number of employees (2009 est.) – 120 in 30 cities Number of Employees (2011 est.) – 5,000 in 565 cities
Buyout offers – Google made an offer for $6 Billion (offer was turned down)
IPO – rumours of an IPO within the next 24 months at a valuation of $20-$25 billion

Now that we’ve established that all is well for Groupon, how is it working out for the merchants? Stay tuned for my next post.

A tip from my 10 year old on how great leaders inspire action

March 24, 2011/0 Comments/in Best Practices, Culture, marketing communications/by Michael Rabinovici

A couple of days ago I received an email prodding me to watch a video. The email came from my 10 year old Jared. A day later while sipping my daily Americano (Kona beans I might add) I clicked on the link. Within the first 30 seconds I knew it would be one of the finest presentations on leadership I’ve seen. Simon Sinek, the presenter, is not only a powerful speaker but his views on what makes leaders (companies and people) great is compelling. I don’t care what you’re doing when you receive this email, drop it and watch this video. It will inspire and teach you. Guaranteed.

A tip from my 10 year old on how great leaders inspire action

AR Communications Inc.

About us

Services

Resources