Jump on the Social Networking Bandwagon - Charlene Blohm

Reading this blog, you are engaged in one of the fastest growing Web phenomena. The “blogosphere” is growing at an astounding rate – 1.4 new blogs per second and 17 blog posts per second, according to Technorati’s 2007 State of the Blogosphere report.

You came to the SIIA Experts’ Guide blog to learn from other industry professionals, and possibly to participate in the ongoing discussion. Similarly, you can learn from your target audiences by listening to the conversations occurring blogs and in other social media such as podcasts and online forums.

The “PR and Web 2.0” article I wrote for the Expert’s Guide provides an overview of a recommended three-pronged approach to entering the world of social media:

1. Monitor online conversations to inform business decisions.

2. Share company news and product information through online communication channels. (For multimedia news releases examples, go to http://www.cblohm.com/news.)

3. Participate in social media to communicate with key audiences.

The first step is most critical. Before you leap to step three and launch a corporate blog, take the time to become more social media-savvy. You’ll learn effective techniques to build corporate visibility while enhancing your company’s reputation. Plus, you’ll get a peek into the professional lives of educators.

You can glean valuable information from monitoring what is being said online about your organization, and about educators’ concerns and interests. With more than 70 million active blogs, it’s likely that your company (or your competition) has been mentioned. Increasingly, educators (and journalists) are relying on social media for content, news and recommendations. The insight you gain can help your company improve customer service, product development, marketing campaigns, and communications with target audiences.

Search Tools
Here are some of the most popular Internet search tools you can use to monitor online conversations:

• Technorati allows you to search millions of blogs and tagged social media (i.e., videos). Set up a “watchlist” to generate automatic searches for your keywords.

• Google and Yahoo Alerts send you email notices when there are new search results for your search terms.

• For a comprehensive online video search, try Blinkx, which uses a sophisticated combination of software to find and qualify videos that match your search terms.

• Twitter Search provides the means to search the real-time information transmitted through Twitter, a popular micro-blog site. (Unfamiliar with Twitter? Click here for a tutorial.)

Several companies offer fee-based social media measurement services such as Cision, Webclipping.com and Andiamo Systems. Whether you do it yourself or use a service, tracking social media conversations is a worthwhile investment to get a detailed picture of brand awareness, brand perception and the competitive landscape.

Watch for company-relevant Wikipedia entries to learn about trends and education issues, and for company or product mentions. Be aware that Wikipedia is a carefully monitored site, and contributors must follow certain policies and guidelines.

A growing number of educators are venturing into virtual worlds, namely Second Life and Google’s Lively, for educational purposes. Become a member to see what’s happening in these exciting 3D arenas.

Monitor Important Information
News travels through the social media sphere in seconds, so executives need to track online conversations to know when their brand or a key issue is discussed. This is critical if the company needs to respond to a discussion quickly and appropriately. It can be as simple as posting a blog comment to correct a product price in a post, or as challenging as dealing with a customer service issue that’s been cast in a negative light online. Social media monitoring also can reveal emerging trends and novel uses of company products or services.

Types of information to monitor include:
• Company name and URL
• Product names and URLs
• Executives names
• Volume of mentions
• Share of voice
• Subscribers/viewers
• Total and unique voices
• Name of blog/podcast/video and its creator, with demographic information if possible
• “Customer voice” to track sentiment, product use and more
• Competitors
• Education topics relevant to the company.


This posting was written by Charlene Blohm, president, and Kristen Plemon, Account Executive, of C. Blohm & Associates, Inc., a public relations consulting firm for the education industry. Charlene can be reached at charlene@cblohm.com, twitter.com/CharleneBlohm, or 608-839-9800.

Don't Forsake Your Marketing Home Page - Laurie Swiryn

Yes, Web 2.0 and beyond is here to stay and site visitors are more tech savvy than ever before. It's prudent to develop Web sites that have all the bells and whistles for your visitors who have all the time in the world...However, it is vital for your company to develop and maintain a state-of-the-art, frills-free marketing Home Page as well.

Nearly 20 years after most companies developed their first Web site, it is more important than ever that your main corporate URL, the one that you print on every invoice, flyer, promotional product, brochure and sales rep's forehead...the one that is www.yourcompany.com, deliver your company's elevator pitch with a punch. This is your Home Page and if you look at it through the eyes of your customers or prospects, you may just find that it’s become a big mess!

Certainly, your Home Page can link to more sophisticated Web applications, however, too often companies forget that the main goal of your company’s marketing Web site is to instantaneously provide new and returning visitors the assurance that they have landed on a company whose products and services are just right for them.

Your marketing Web site represents the "face" of your company to the world at large on the World Wide Web. It's foolish and a bit narcissistic to assume that most visitors who come to your Web site already know what your company can do for them. Forcing them to wait while gratuitous dancing bears and other gorgeous but otherwise useless graphics parade across their screen is akin to answering your phone promptly and then putting the caller on hold to listen to your favorite iPod song list. Many, even most, will hang up or click away...and once they are gone, it is very difficult to get them back.

Perhaps it's not a lot of flash and fancy graphics that deter visitors when they come to your Web site. It can be any number of other Web elements that deter visitors and throw them off course.

Here’s a short list of things to look for when applying a critical eye to your company’s Home Page…

• Include a call to action on your Home Page. This a Web basic, the simplest form of interactivity and most companies ignore the opportunity. Some easy-to-implement examples include:
- Call us for your Free Quote today
- Signup for E-mail Updates (forms based with text that says "Why your information is safe")
-Download our…brochure, price list, product list

• Good writing makes Web sites successful. Copy, not content is king for your Home Page.

• Be certain that there are no typos or grammatical errors on your Web site…you are marketing to educators!

• Accessibility is vital for your Web site, but more important for your Home Page. Sites are accessed today from web browsers, email clients, news readers, podcast feed readers, podcasts…make sure yours works with all of them!

• Refrain from asking visitors to sign-in, sign-up or register in any way other than a small link or sign-in box in a discreet area on the Home Page.

• Use rotating and other moving graphics judiciously. Their presence on a page makes it difficult to find and read the real meat of your message.

• Update the content of your home page frequently but don’t move around the essential navigational elements because your returning visitors do not want to have to re-train their brains every time they visit your site.

• Make sure all broadcast email you send your visitors complies with the CAN-SPAM act and that send only relevant and timely information, not more often than once every 8 weeks.

• Make sure that your company’s phone number is on every page of the Web site – even better if it’s in the same location on every page.

• Provide an easy-to-use form for requesting more information. Don’t ask for too much information… just enough to be able to respond to their requests.


This blog was written by Laurie Swiryn, VP Education Markets at Cuesta Technologies -- http://www.cuesta.com. Cuesta is a full-service Web development company that has specialized in developing custom Web sites for the K-Adult education market since 1995. Laurie can be reached by calling 888-255-9085 or at laurie@cuesta.com.

Marketing in Tough Times - Carol Ann Waugh

Marketing in Tough Times

Copyright 2008, Carol Ann Waugh

With all the emphasis on the federal government’s "No Child Left Behind Act,” we sometimes tend to lose track of a very important point. State and local governments provide the overwhelming majority of funds to support the K-12 market. The latest NCES statistics for school year 2004-2005, reported that the state provides 47%, local governments provide 37%, and private sources provide 8% (primarily from private schools) while the federal government's share is only 8%.

Why should this concern us? Because it is difficult to pick up the newspaper lately and not find an article on how states’ budgets are being slashed due to reduced revenues. In addition, the housing crisis will seriously affect the collection of local property taxes – a major source for local school funding. We can see the writing on the wall. State and local funding for K-12 education is going to be reduced in the 2008-2009 school year and perhaps for several years after that.

As schools receive less money, they are going to have to make some difficult choices. And putting off or reducing technology and supplemental purchases may become a necessity as districts struggle to balance their budgets.

Chances are, you’ve already been thinking about how to pare down your marketing investment for 2009. So what’s a smart marketer to do in the face of this forecasted downturn? Here are some practical strategies for doing more with less.

Reduce Your Spending on Unqualified Prospects

This strategy calls for a renewed concentration on targeting your most lucrative prospects. It’s sad but true, but approximately 25% of the market will never buy from you. Identifying prospects with little potential can help you focus more attention and time on the prospects who might turn into customers in the near future. This is not only a strategy for selecting direct mail marketing lists, but one that can apply to other marketing investments such as advertising and exhibits. It doesn’t mean that you should eliminate advertising or exhibits next year, but it does suggest thinking about creative ways to pare down the time and effort spent in these venues with unqualified prospects.

Shorten Your Horizon

As strategic marketers, we like to look three to five years down the road and plan our marketing investments accordingly. But in tough times, a smart tactic is to shorten your timeframe to one to two years. Why? Because surviving in times likes these means getting an immediate return on your marketing dollars. So before you spend even one dollar, ask yourself the question, “Will this marketing investment pay off within the next two years?”

Negotiate Aggressively

Being from New York, this strategy comes as second nature to me but now that I moved to Denver, I can see that being aggressive is not a national trait! But in these difficult economic times, smart marketers realize that everything is negotiable – printing, ad space, and yes, even creative costs like copywriting and design. In this market, your suppliers are also having a hard time and will be more anxious to get your business. And don’t forget to ask, “What’s free?” Many suppliers are offering “free” services such as banner ads on their Web sites, extra circulation of their magazines, and three different catalog treatments for the price of one.

Remember, the education market is cyclical and schools will always need instructional materials. They just might buy less of them this year or delay their purchases. And tough times always evolve into better times. Marketing smarter now will ensure that your company is around for the good times ahead!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

This blog was written by Carol Ann Waugh, president of Xcellent Marketing (http://www.xcellentmarketing.com), a Denver-based consulting firm specializing in the K-12 education markets. Carol can be reached at cwaugh@xcellentmarketing.com or by calling 303-388-5215.

Advisory Boards are Individuals as well as a Collective Group - Farimah Schuerman

Advisory Boards are Individuals as well as a Collective Group

You’ve built your advisory board and it’s been running a year now. What’s next? It’s time to evaluate the current composition. Who have your stars been? Who hasn’t contributed much? Who are the subject area stars on the horizon? What functions aren’t fully addressed yet? How do you weed out those who aren’t helping and replace them with others who might contribute in a different, more useful way?

If you haven’t already set a “term” for your advisors, this might be the time to do so, but remember that can cut both ways. If the term of service is one year, though, you can always ask some to stay for a second term. Or, you might shift them to another type of advisory role. There are many tactful ways to rotate someone out of this position, for example, you might be showing respect for their time and other responsibilities. Usually, if an advisor has been inactive, providing a graceful exit is not a problem; it hasn’t worked for them either and they may be relieved to find an easy out. But the gems on your board may be long-term keepers.

When it Works Like a Charm

Sometimes a member of an advisory board who feels committed to your company can be a godsend. And a handful can work like a team of angels. In one case I know of, the Advisor has been involved for years and continues to be passionate. A great choice by the company, this advisor has made countless introductions, and because of his leadership qualities, often has the ear of very high level educators. The innovation he’s shown in his own, otherwise unknown, district has garnered much attention for its successes. He’s created models of implementation that have been studies for their applicability in other districts by both technologists and state-level educational administrators. The resulting visibility has lead to strategic partnerships, state-level attention for the company, expanded business, and new business and product ideas. But don’t think this was a one-way relationship. The Advisor got to build his vision with the support of the company, he derived a lot of visibility by having the company include him in their market-facing events, provided all the support he needed to advance his ideas and to try out his vision. Their relationship continues to flourish, growing both the Company and the Advisor’s success.

How does this happen? Is it a fluke, or just dumb luck? Hardly. What’s notable about this relationship, and others that this same company enjoys, it a willingness by the management to pick up the phone and chat with such advisors. What new projects are they working on? What challenges or objectives might the company be facing that the Advisor might shed light on? What’s on the drafting board that might jumpstart some ideas? This keeps the Advisor thinking about the company, and feeling included, because he is included. The Advisory piece isn’t only a twice-a-month meeting or phone call, but is interwoven into how the company does business. I must admit I didn’t really understand it four or five years ago when I first encountered it, but now I understand the mutual benefit, the sense of involvement, the personal relationships and mutual commitment that have made this, and similar one-to-one use of advisors work. In populating the Advisory Board with a handful of such partners, this company has mined the Advisor’s expertise both individually and collectively, and has benefited as a result.

21st Century Education - Sue Collins

Many of you have been with me through numerous swings of the education pendulum. Depending upon which decades you can remember, we have sought to change to the metric system (not the 70’s best idea), and, currently to ensuring that every student can read and do grade level mathematics (a very good idea).

All of these swings have led us to the present: we need to provide a 21^st century education to every student. After decades of change, we educators and industry members may be a little hardened to these new challenges. Still, it’s very clear to me that it is absolutely right to ensure that every child is ready to live in the 21^st century.

Most of today’s schools are the same as the ones you and I remember attending. Times however have changed. Global economies and competition have put our educational efforts into the limelight. The result -- we need to transform our schools to prepare students to be successful in the current century -- to make them deliverers of a 21^st century education. My article in the Experts’ Guide is my attempt to persuade readers that a 21^st century education is a very real, measurable goal. A goal we cannot fail to meet.

One of the most interesting facets of this latest swing of the pendulum (the development of a 21^st century education system) is that it is a goal shared by educators AND businesses. US business leaders have been very vocal about the need for a different kind of education; and, they have been very supportive of schools moving in this direction. More and more, educators are ready and willing to make the changes needed to complete this transformation. Now is the time for all of us to work together respectfully to achieve this goal.

Many resources are available to support schools in making this transformation and provide assistance to help businesses do their share. My Expert’s Guide article outlines what a 21^st century education looks like and what skills students need to have. Many other resources, chief among them the 21^st Century Partnership are available to help.

I invite you to join in the dialog, either here or in some other venue, about how to contribute to this shared goal. Share your resources with us (post a comment) and others. If you can help a school, a district or a state, give them a call. If you have a business strategy to help, reach out to company. If we all take action, we will be able to look around in a few years and celebrate our shared success.

A View from Washington - Mark Schneiderman

A View from Washington
By Mark Schneiderman, SIIA director of education policy

I am pleased to launch the authors’ blog with this “View from Washington.” While accounting for only about 8% of total K-12 education spending, we know that U.S. Department of Education programs and regulations have a disproportionate impact on the market, including in the area of technology (not even including the E-Rate and other federal programs). How do these federal initiatives work? What is most relevant? What does it mean for your company, products and market?

For starters, my Experts’ Guide article of the same name serves largely as a how-to primer about the programs and organizations that populate the DC Beltway, and how those serving education can best leverage the federal education scene.

Those looking to go beyond the basics are encouraged to participate in SIIA’s annual Ed Tech Government Forum, held in Washington, DC. Our March 2008 event featured leading policy wonks and national education leaders, including from NEA, NGA, IRA, CCSSO and Capitol Hill. Topics covered included Early Childhood, After School, High School Reform, State of the States, NCLB, and Research, among others. If you missed it, you can view session summaries on our website.

Of course, the ETGF included the two most prominent sports in Washington, DC education circles: Who will be the next education president? and (When) Will NCLB be reauthorized?

As an update on the former, representatives from the McCain and Obama campaigns spoke before a room of education publishers and lobbyists last week to outline their education platforms. As expected, this attendee, and apparently others, learned little new. The spokespersons presented candidate positions in a manner that seemed to fit my perception and expectations. With some marginal exceptions, McCain’s positions appeared largely consistent with that of President Bush, while Obama’s camp sought to distance him from the specifics of NCLB programs, and instead talked, in part, around broader themes of change. On technology in education, it seems that a President Obama would be more likely a champion of the investment, while both seem to endorse the vision, though specifics were short.

On the latter – if and when NCLB will be reauthorized – the over/under is 2010. The 2008 legislative window ended months ago in light of election politics, and many pundits view the 2009 agenda as likely too crowded to allow completion early in the next Administration. Until then, with the exception of some rules changes being pushed by Secretary Spellings, the current law will remain the law. Unfortunately, Senator Kennedy’s health status only adds to the uncertainty in light of his critical leadership. SIIA believes we, and our education and industry partners, have set the ground work for an enhanced federal technology agenda moving forward, though we are frustrated that these changes may be years from reality in light of the NCLB limbo.

Finally, SIIA members are encouraged to participate in SIIA’s Education & Workforce Development Policy Committee (join by e-mailing me), review SIIA resources and positions, and taking advantage of SIIA’s expertise by contacting me for company-specific advise and information.

Experts' Guide to the K12 School Market Second Edition

SIIA is pleased to announce that the Experts' Guide to the K-12 School Market Second Edition is now available! Visit our SIIA eStore to download your copy now.

The Experts' Guide is a reference book for members of the education publishing and technology industries who are relatively familiar with the field and its intricacies. It is also a professional development tool for those new to these industries. A survey of the First Edition purchasers showed that more than 70% of respondents used the book to learn about the market still refer to it. Many said that they gave a copy to a colleague and used it for staff development and sales/marketing strategy. With success like this, we're excited to release our next edition!

As a quick preview, below is a list of the chapters in the second edition. Enjoy and check back for more updates like the article titles and authors!

Chapter 1 - Education Overview
Chapter 2 - Education Technology Overview
Chapter 3 - Developing Products and Services
Chapter 4 - Marketing Plans and Strategies
Chapter 5 - Sales Plans and Strategies
Chapter 6 - Distribution Strategies
Chapter 7 - Events, Exhibits, and Advertising
Chapter 8 - Internet Marketing
Chapter 9 - Public Relations