Joe Manna

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January 23, 2010

CenPhoCamp

CenPhoCamp 3Today, I’m at CenPhoCamp, otherwise known as Central Phoenix Camp (etymology: Bar Camp, Unconfernece, etc).

CenPhoCamp user-supported, user generated, collaborative approach to sharing strategies and advice among other interested users. It’s started by Tyler Hurst and Yuri Artibise and they have a very packed, valuable agenda for the people here.

This is proof social media works – I only heard of this conference from Tyler on Twitter. No emails, no calls, no insider connections. People. That’s the reason why a conference like this has a ton of users.

I’ll be updating my entry with a few notes that I’ve gathered from the sessions I attended. Live-blog, if you will. To catch the latest pulse, check the #cenphocamp hashtag on Twitter.

CenPhoCamp Notes from Joe

(Newest on bottom.)


  • Facebook Applications
    Kimber Johnson

    • Applications are successful when they are viral, simple and “social” – get true engagements from users of app.
    • Successful apps may include peer-to-peer competition – ranking, leveling, etc.
    • Strong description and screenshot makes apps easier for people to grow.
    • An application should [internally] have a strategy, plan and goals.
    • Approximate cost for a simple app is $4000 or development resources.
  • Low to No-Cost Sales Tools
    Chris Conrey

    • “Sales” is an word with a bad rep.
    • Sales is hard. Big difference between Good and Great. Sales = Expensive.
    • Technology helps (sales).
    • Twitter slide – “I won’t talk about twitter!” … “I’m not going about selling shit on Twitter.”
    • Twitter is one of the easiest places to get involved to LISTEN and to talk.
    • LinkedIn is a great resource to serve as a digital resume.
    • Google Apps. Free for email on your own domain – use it.
    • Get your own domain – if nothing more for email domain. Own your name.
    • Additional tools:
      • Page.ly, WordPress (org/com), Amazing Mail, Craigslist…
    • Low tech – consider the audience, not all people get technology.
    • Barter trade skills and services to get more sales/marketing.
    • Speak! Go out and build speaking engagements. It’s free to gain publicity. Video, too.
    • Swag – stickers are great to spread buzz from outside/third-party, more trust.
    • Sponsor events – get the buzz going.
    • Tracking sales
      • CRM: Basecamp, Highrise, SugarCRM, Pipejump, ACT! (And Infusionsoft – me!)
      • Keep stats on everything: Calls, length of time till close, know everything.
    • Most important sales tool – You. Be knowledgable, trustworthy and engaged into what you’re selling.
    • Audience Interaction (Q&A)
      • Susan: Negotiate on the pricing to gain case studies and close deals. Use it as a resource when there are example.
      • Ask for the sale, ask for permission, ask and never assume.
      • For some businesses, case studies communicate the value of what your business does – powerful when it’s real.
      • Clients on Webinars are great sales assets.
      • CRM thoughts: painful to create contact, info and simple notes. Don’t need to use a ton of fields when working with prospects. Chris has built his own custom-tailored CRM.
      • Cold-calling can totally work, but lots of waste but can work. Warm-calling is the way to go – follow up on someone who has demonstrated pains out in the market and give them a solution. Be the expert with knowledge, and make connections even if you’re not making sales.
  • Acti­vat­ing pas­sion­ate groups
    Derek Neighbors

    • We as people have a pyramid – Explained. (See Wikipedia for details)
    • New communities are not about money, rather self-actualization. (You can earn some cash on it, but not the primary purpose of it.)
    • Communities have defined leaders.
    • Transparency – be open. It’s difficult in America.
    • Go Against the flow.
    • Build exclusivity – not for everybody. (See quote)
    • Bashing competition doesn’t work – backfires.
    • Social media != free marketing.
    • Social media isn’t new – references to historical events.
    • Live explanation of “Mantra/Motto” , “Connect x2”, “Progress Visibility & Participation”
    • Q&A
      • [Audience a little shy, but Derek works the crowd]
      • Question  – about how you know you have a passionate community  —
      • You’ll see it all around in how people and the vibe and the cause you believe in.
      • Question – how to market a business and build a community involving privacy.
      • Answer – Mixed answers, but the consensus is that social media may not be the best means to built. Privatized community and the use of a blog may be great to grow an interest.
      • Question – How do you launch a passion/community while working on main business work (paraphrased-sorry).
      • Answer – Make the passion either a part of your work OR find a different position that supports your creativity and passion.
  • Get on Track with pub­lic transportation
    Roundtable

    • Three folks promote and talk about local eateries, transportation and travel.
    • Discussion – Meaning of proximity to transit stations – impact on the reality of people.
      • Phoenix’s tolerance to walking is about 3 blocks. NY – much much more.
      • Density of businesses make it easier for people.
      • Empty lots/vacant buildings add to negative perception to pedestrian walks from transit centers.
      • Examples include Northern VA for the community growth/activity – small, dense clusters and then rural then more dense areas.
      • With the growth of light rail – despite business owner criticism – business are now embracing and gaining more foot-traffic from light rail.
      • Biz-Dev opportunities w/ Light-Rail, building community (i.e., Diamonbacks, Suns sports transportation/tickets.)
      • Visibility from the Metro makes a difference to businesses; consumers only choose what they see.
      • Issues limiting Phoenix Light Rail/Metro is because the limited coverage. Greater question is, “Do I wait for the rail to come to me, or do I go to the rail?”
      • Use case of light rail – “I’ve felt a sense of connection and community on it – but not utility.”
      • Value-add for Light-rail: “When I’m on the rail, it might take about 15 minutes or so where I go. I use the time to do email and stuff.”
      • Suggestion to implement better communications – small books/pamphlets on the rail that engage and interest riders.
      • [Connection Issues]
      • Definite need for Phoenix to market its message to ensure density is protected, embraced and not feared. Target audience – Scottsdale.
      • #PlanPhx is the hashtag for updates about phoenix code (?) for planning and density.
      • Ideally we need the ability to link Queen Creek, AZ to North Scottsdale.
      • Density and not height — important to distinctively identify.
      • Important to communicate that density is NOT high-rises/massive city scapes.
      • Marketing at the Airport is not a priority – should be improved to make it more aware for people in it.
      • Reality-check – it’s important to take and try the Light Rail.
  • Ana­log to dig­i­tal and back again
    Roundtable

    • What are you doing to shift the offline business to online.  [Discussion]
      • It’s important to consider the value offline businesses provide while respecting the value from online-marketing.
      • Downtown Phoenix Journal gets big value to document and share topics via multimedia chronicling history and culture of Downtown.
      • Another topic to consider is the pain in managing the content (example in this case was iWeb/mac). It’s easier to build business on free assets (Twitter, Facebook).
        • Important to not forget that we don’t really control the the medium. Your website is 100% controlled.
        • Websites considered static, old, lame. (Maybe — others disagreed.)
        • “If I want to know what you’re doing [lately], I will go to your Facebook.”
    • Back on topic – Digital – analog – digital. [Discussion]
      • Flickr is the perfect example – allows people to do all digital photos and allows people to print photos.
      • Examples of a local music shop – using the embargos from record companies to build exclusivity in pre-release back to customers via Twitter.
        • Side-effect – Younger music listeners aren’t connected to music artists – lost novelty of browsing music shop, loss of creativity. Less time in store.
        • Staggered releases, assuming digital download is dangerous. Getting people in the space is important but respecting their space.
        • Music industry is taking numerous steps in trying things, but selling out its culture.
      • Question about the reality of taking business from digital to analog foot-traffic. [Discussion]
        • It works, but some over-ratedness of it. (Reference to Tweets where no one responds to open-ended questions).
        • Example of “Next 20 people get a free CD” – disbelief in 20 people coming in.
        • Digression to topic over social media engagement and age. Different people use different mediums to get their information.
        • Creating a valuable story to draw people into a space.
        • Social media is the digital gap from Analog to digital – use of Yelp or other customer reviews; accountability.
        • “I can’t wait until I can use Yelp to review my stupid customers.” – Kimber (Epic laughs.)
        • Keeping an understanding that people are really behind social media efforts; keep it personal, not lame.
        • Can’t ignore the tenets of Marketing as a whole. Ambassadors of communities often patronize businesses (they are community).
        • Technology can be intimidating, but through networking and collaboration, you can find the best tools for the job.
        • Social media is a connector – Enable and drive the discussion to have people tell existing customers and fans to share with their friends. Continual upkeep.
        • Traditionally, people used to be interested in music and lately, it’s self-service and requires music shop owner to touch base multiple times.
        • Getting out to the local community and contribute to the community; reach out to community leaders ask for feedback, ask for constructive criticism. The business owner should do this MORE  rather than dumping people to the their facebook/flickr/web/etc.
        • Value for the business – SEARCH. Focus on it – gain analytics.
        • … Ability to search in a geographic area (Twittelator/Tweetie) offers geographic search – very powerful.
  • Make busi­ness memorable
    Justin McHood, Susan Baier

    • [ Abbreviated – I missed a few minutes here. ]
    • LISTEN: Methods to make a business relevant – online surveys, market research, customer feedback cards, focus groups, blog comments, social media, Google search alerts.
    • NOW WHAT?: Sweet Spot – find what you do well and what people want – but you can’t do everything people want, but can really exceed their expectations and make them happy.
    • All good marketing plans based on strategy.
    • Audience relevance and different strategies – by audience/demo. (Example: Macayo’s)
      • Messaging?
      • Targeting?
      • What kinds of media?
      • Promotions, products, etc. that will matter to each audience. (Ability to be very targeted.)
    • Help the right people find you – IRL, Community events, Online (SEO).
    • SEO
      • Personalized search changing search experience.
      • Only 14% of Paid listings are clicked.
      • Organic SERP: Pos. 1 = 56% of clicks; Pos 2 = 13%; Pos 3. 9.8%. (Cornell U.)
      • Google Keyword Tool  shows relevancy and traffic that people search on, plus related terms.
      • Keyword research also needs to RELATE to your audience.
      • Ignoring the perception from your customers won’t make it go away.
      • “What do we do” to customers will help.
      • Conversion is important – Tracking the right keyword that converts is better than a hundred bad ones.
      • AuthorityLabs is great to see how your site ranks.
      • Yelp – Some concerns are raised on its impact on SEO, ability to manage online reputation. There are rules to play the game – a theme of “OMG! Yelp!”
      • Yelp is an advertising opportunity for many businesses – but can’t incentive it.
    • Email Marketing
      • Gotta have people’s name.
      • Personalized emails.
      • Link to specific content to your site – not the homepage.
      • Spreadsheets are a good baseline start
      • CRM – Industry, How do we know them?, Did sales know their problem? Concerns.
      • Make the email relevant to their industry.
      • Had 400% better activity than lame broadcasts.
    • Online photos – avatars should communicate your style, tone and interests.
    • ThinkGeek is a great example of a brand awareness and style. -Entertaining product descriptions, Talking their customer’s language (literally) – Facebook in Binary for users. Brand personality is EVERYWHERE.
    • Great customer service — relevant to the customer’s concerns through social media. (Example: Noahs Ark during Phoenix tornado and TG mentioned it.)

END.

Last modified: January 23, 2010

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