Following our recent acquisitions, we’re very proud to announce our updated and extended social media services!

We’ve expanded our training workshops to include:

Introduction to Social Media – designed for decision makers who need to understand how social fits into their business and how to begin to create a SMART strategy to do so.

I’m on LinkedIn, But… – understand how to take your LinkedIn profile to the next level as a powerful networking tool.

Twitter 101 – learn to make best use of this powerful communication tool for your business.

Better Blogging – covering both technical how-to (using Wordpress) and best practice content creation.

Facebook for Business – designed to enable you to utilise the world’s largest social network for real business benefit.

We’ve also launched 2 new services:

The Online Social Impact Audit provides a reference point to identify areas of improvement and forms the starting point for any social media campaign or strategy development.

Maximise the number of people who hear about and interact with your event, product or brand launch with our Social Media Event Amplification.

Our Social Media Management page has been updated to reflect changes to our offerings also.

We’re offering an Introduction to Social Media breakfast session for only £25+VAT.

Come and join us on the 26th October at 8am (for an 8:30 start) for some breakfast and an overview from our Social Media Strategist, Luke on:

• Why social networking matters to your brand
• An overview of the key sites
• Some future trends to look out for

Call Steve on 01202 888192 to reserve your place.

If you’d like more information on any of our social media services, please call Luke in the office.

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Dorset based strategic branding and digital agency, RT Media, has completed the acquisition of two Bournemouth based companies – social media training and consultancy business, SocialTech, and creative agency, Ozone Creative Solutions.

Ross Thornley. founder of RT Media, explains: “We recently carried out a strategic review within the business with a view to increasing resources, skills and generating growth. Both SocialTech (http://www.socialtech.biz/) and Ozone complement our existing capabilities and will further enhance our offering, expanding our branding expertise into all online communications and leading to a wider solution for our international, national and regional clients.”

Ross Thornley with Tony Ridgway and Luke Williams

Founded in 2008, SocialTech has built a reputation as a leader of social media training and consultancy. Its clients include Channel 4, E.ON, Condé Nast and Dorset Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI).

Luke Williams, Director and founder of SocialTech, comments: “I’ve always held the team at RT Media and the outstanding quality of their design work in the highest regard. When the opportunity to merge our businesses became available it was an obvious fit, in terms of culture and approach, and as a logical extension of their brand communication to offer an extended range of services.”

As a total creative resource, Ozone Creative Solutions brings expertise from its impressive folio of advertising, direct mail, sales literature, Point of Sale, interactive CD and online design work to RT Media. Its ‘straight talking’ and ‘clear creative thinking’ approach is also a natural fit for RT Media, as Tony Ridgway founder of Ozone, comments:

“Our view has always been to get the job done, and get it done well. The team at RT Media has a similar approach; they like to get under the skin of a client’s and challenge them to really know what is actually required to achieve the objectives. We have already started collaborating on several campaigns and new business wins, which has shown us just how much potential we have, working together.”

Steve Mills, Business Development Manager at Nutrichef said “As a long standing customer of RT we were asked to be one of the test clients they worked with pre-merger to support the re-launch of our new web site. Adding the social media knowledge from SocialTech to the branding expertise of RT worked very well, dramatically extending our reach online.”

Ross adds: “This is a coming of age for RT Media. Integrating the three very like-minded, skilled and professional teams has given us a very strong platform for growth. It is a new era, both for us and for our clients, who will most certainly benefit from having this level of resource for their campaigns.”

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This morning I was ahead of schedule for a brand presentation to one of our technology clients in Westborne and I thought I would find a little coffee shop to have a quick drink before going in. I found a little place called crepes farm at the top end of Westborne. Very unassuming from the outside, but once in I was treated with a very pleasant surprise, a smile, well designed decor, menus and many little details that continued to surprise.
I ordered a green tea and got a fab yogi tea in a wicked tea pot (giraffe styled see my pic) and I couldn’t resist one of their crepes. It is nice to see a small company get things right, the way it should be, it is obvious that the couple who own and run this business truly care. All the ingredients are natural and organic, gluten free flour, and most ingredients are locally sourced from Dorset.

They create the crepes in full view and the chef was precise, clean and organised, just what i like to see in a kitchen! Plus they have free wifi, so a winner all round.

I am a big fan of specialist niche businesses who offer something different, something deeper than the coat of paint or menu selection. If you are ever in Westborne do drop in and take a look, you will be pleased you did!

Well done to a business that has only been open for a month.

I look forward to seeing their website go live soon I hope…

www.crepesfarm.co.uk

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We have launched a new division to support companies who are serious about unlocking digital marketing and social media channels within their marketing mix.

GetShaking was brought about via the concept of people shaking hands by way of an introduction. This is, in essence, what social media allows people to do far more effectively than real-world, cross-globe travels to meet and introduce yourself.

We have a dedicated team of passionate, motivated and highly experienced marketing professionals who care about getting the right result for you! From email and internet marketing, to design and copywriting, through web development and strategic consultancy, GetShaking are the people that will help you fulfil your social media management and email marketing, ensuring success. We’d rather you went away with too many ideas and action points than not enough, because we know that communication coupled with an understanding of your business requirements are vital in getting the right marketing mix for you. We believe in marketing that builds relationships. Our focus is on your strategy and the ongoing support of that, because we know that short-term activity might get the quick sale or result, but it won’t maintain the result or lead to sustainable success or business growth.

In keeping with our unique and effective offering, E-Bob, GetShaking’s purple-faced character was developed by our in-house illustrators.

We currently have a diverse cross section of clients who are enjoying full success from our work on their internet presence. From established solicitors to experienced car body maintenance companies, all our GetShaking clients have committed to ongoing contracts as they have seen rapid results from the work we have undertaken for them.

Are you engaged in online marketing but don’t know if you have reached your maximum potential? For a limited time only, we are offering a free audit. We will look at your current online activity and evaluate the positives and highlight where there is room for improvement. The audit comes with no obligation – but will ultimately help you making the right decisions for your future activity.

Visit www.GetShaking.co.uk for more information and to arrange your free audit.

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Brand and customer loyalty has been a hot topic for the past few decades. Since American Airlines started its first “Frequent Flyer Miles” program in the 80s, companies and brands all over the world have been coming up with new and interesting ways to capture attention and reward their faithful consumers for buying their products or using their services.

Traditionally these would come in the form of a barcode card, key fob or printed coupons. These schemes offer a combination of rewards and recognition, in order to drive up sales and customer retention rates. Credit card companies are notorious for their offers, with the majority now handing out flight miles, cash back, credit points and prizes if someone makes a purchase on the card. Through this, the idea is that they are helping the customer to stretch their budget that little bit further and keep them coming back for more.

Despite this, almost half of people still do not participate in these loyalty programs. And only half of those again are actively using them. So why is that? Could it be that most reward schemes come down to only one thing: freebies? As the concept has gained popularity over the last couple of decades it’s easy to see how it can be a double edged sword.

The problem is that it’s possible to get it wrong. While offering free stuff to customers the more they buy, an aggressive campaign could feel almost like a bribe, whereas a complicated system with different tiers and structures can only serve to confuse and confound the customer. Take Starbucks as an example:

My Starbucks Rewards

Last year, Starbucks introduced a Gold membership card. A customer could pay $25 dollars for a year membership, and in return they would get 10% off their purchases every time they went into Starbucks. For hardcore coffee drinkers this could equal some serious savings. The card would pay for itself in a matter of a month or two (or even a few weeks if you were a serious caffeine addict).

Now though the current economic climate, coupled with poor sales and stock drops down to over-expansion, Starbucks has had to reassess it’s approach. As of December 26th of last year the Gold card is being retired and replaced with My Starbucks Rewards.

Under this new scheme, customers can acquire a card and “activate” by loading currency of any denomination on to it in store or online and begin using  it immediately to purchase their hot cup of joe in the morning. For every purchase that is made, “stars” are accrued on the card. The more stars, the better the rewards. Rewards can range from a free birthday drink, free in-store wi-fi (2 hours per day), free beverage customization and free brewed coffee refills up to a free tall beverage and a personalized card.

There is even a limited test run for customers to use the “My Starbucks Rewards” iPhone app to pay for their drinks.

In some ways this is a brilliant tactical move. By using pre-paid cards or an app on a mobile, it helps customers to feel like they are not buying the drink, but rather they are owed it when they walk into the store. Like they are getting it for free. Instead of handing over money or fumbling with the pin for a debit or credit card, customers can breeze through the purchase process and be on their way. This ease of purchase should keep the flock coming back again, and shunning other competitor brands. Effectively cementing “The Starbucks Run” as part of the daily routine.

On the other hand, getting customers to part with their money online or in the store without taking away a tangible product could prove difficult. And with the various reward levels and perks it may be too much information for most customers to digest in the short space of time they in are in store. Buying coffee is an express transaction with most people in a rush to wake themselves up and get back to the office, so convincing them to take the time, listen, understand and ultimately decide on it may prove to be the thorn in Starbucks’ side.

And if it falls to the baristas to make the pitch and case to the customer. Will it end up being a case of sacrificing customer experience in return for a chance at dedication?

It could go either way for Starbucks as only time will tell if their gamble will pay off. That said they have taken an interesting approach with the iPhone app as a medium for delivering rewards and express payment. This is still a relatively new concept, still unexplored by most companies but with a world of infinite possibility.

Motorola recently launched their “Mobile Loyalty Solution” which allows retailers to digitize their subscription and membership services, which is then saved onto a mobile phone. Through this platform a consumer can carry around all their membership details with them 24/7, and can receive updates and notifications of special offers, deals and newly released products. No information as to what platforms it will function on yet, except that they say it will be available on “the majority of mobile phones in the U.S. market today”.

Yowza!! have taken a similar approach, but purely with coupons wrapped up in an iPhone app. Yowza!! uses the GPS and 3G (and to a lesser extent the Wi-Fi on the iPod Touch) functionality  of the iPhone to pin point your location, then presents on a map nearby stores that have offers or coupons available. All the customer needs to do then is take their phone in, show the cashier the coupon and receive their reward.

All of these are geared purely to drive sales under the guise of saving money, and in today’s technology-centric world it’s surely the way forward. But with a bigger and bigger push on maintaining customer dedication the question has to be asked:

Is your loyalty up for sale?

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When it comes to looking after your customers it pays to keep things simple. Why not start with these four golden rules and apply them with a little lateral thinking throughout your business:

1. Turn up on time
2. Do what you say
3. Finish what you start
4. Say please & thank you…

Oh and don’t forget to put yourself in your customers’ shoes from time-to-time

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Every business has Customers. Every business wants more, buying more. Marketing today is searching for loyalty with discounts, incentives and reward schemes yet implicit in the word and in being a CUSTOMER is loyalty. Custom means repeated. Customers are much more than buyers. Customers are human beings.

Built into our natural being are the need to belong, the desire to be loved and the hope to succeed.

Yet we are all individuals who like to be recognised for what we are. The basics do not change simply because modern communications and technology creates new ways of doing things that appear to be quicker and cheaper.

Deal with a Customer quickly, cheaply and badly and you will lose a Customer.

Not right away but you will. The most expensive thing a business can do.

That is why every business should work out how it deals with its Customers, and in the 21st century, do it fast.

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The lifeblood of any successful business is relationships. We need relationships because they save us time and we need to have things and get things that only come with relationships. That’s why we invest so much time in them and why we are prepared to be forgiving because we do not want to waste our personal investment in the relationship and have to start again.

If you are getting things wrong now but not yet losing Customers you will. If you are getting things wrong but trying to put them right; tell your customers, they will understand and may stay customers.

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Just remember its not about what you think but what they think, so the first thing you must do is to find out what your customers are thinking and saying. Be brave, ask them outright.

After all if the Customer knows best – Best know the Customer.

Then you should consider how we start to behave as a business that wants to have Customer Relationships. It is a simple thought that you say hello and introduce yourselves – even though you have already met but never really spoken.

We would like to tell you about ourselves and ask about you to find out how we can serve you better. Oh and we promise to keep in touch…communication, communication, communication.

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