Archive for the ‘Marketing’ Category

I’m adding this post rather tentatively in response to a video that I’ve just seen at a seminar on the future of e-government by Mike Pearson from the State Services Commission. The video was created in 2004 by the Museum of Media History. It charts the history and future of media through to 2014. You can view it here (it’s eight minutes long and thought provoking).

In the year 2014, the video predicts that internet users will be provided with news stories customised to their individual needs and interests. Thanks to the information we’ve provided to search engines and social networking sites, data about our personal social networks, demographics, interests and consumer habits are used by the likes of Google and Microsoft to filter the information and messages that we receive.

The widespread availability of tools for preparing and publishing content online has made it easier than ever before to create and consume media. As users everywhere create their own news and access the news of their trusted networks, The Fourth Estate goes into freefall - no longer having sole authority over the news or the ability to regulate news channels.

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Two great resources issued recently - both available for free download.

‘The 20 Things You Must Know About Music Online’ explains the workings of online media distribution and marketing and is of particular interest to indie music labels and artists. Very practical and comprehensive. Here’s a summary of the list of 20 to get you interested. While you’re at it, check out author Andrew Dubber’s The Wireless blog. Nice selection of MP3s to browse and plenty of info on what NZ musos are up to in the UK.

‘The Touring Manual’ by Fenn Gordon has been re-issued by Creative New Zealand. Also practical, comprehensive and free to download, the manual is revised with a new chapter on international touring. Touring provides artists with further income, gives new audiences access to the work and lets performers refine their practice and develop the work beyond that initial season. CNZ says the new edition will be available from mid august from their website; here’s a link to the first edition.

And while we’re talking touring, CNZ has announced a ‘quick response’ touring fund designed to support well-developed international tours which have been negotiated as a result of prior CNZ investment. The fund is available to companies involved in the Australian Performing Arts Market showcase programme as well as to productions with firm international tour offers that need a fast response to secure the deal. Check out criteria on CNZ’s website.

I’ve been reading about peer-to-peer marketing strategies. Although I’ve struggled to find a definition, I think that peer-to-peer marketing is about capitalising on your audience’s willingness (or rather, a segment of your audience) to market your product on your behalf. 

Methods for influencing people’s decisions have changed radically. If we can provide the tools (largely web-based) that help our audiences organise and socialise, they will influence the decisions of others, ultimately helping to build audiences at events. 

Strategies might include posting reviews or testimonials or pictures on your website from people attending your events, allowing visitors to email events information from your website to friends, through to creating quirky ‘viral advertising’ that gets posted on YouTube or other content-sharing sites or passed from one person to another via email. 

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Fuel4arts has announced their next online forum will take place this week on Metrics for Arts Marketers. You need to register to join in, but the process is simple, it’s free and it’s interesting.

How much do you know about the impact of your marketing strategies? Does the data you collect tell you what you need to know? How accurately do your performance targets reflect your organisational vision and goals?

The forum is your chance to put your metrics conundrums to three special guests:

• Victoria Doidge, Chief Marketing Officer, Blue Freeway
• Sandra Hanchard, Analyst, Hitwise
• Judith James, Principal, Judith James Consultancy Pty Ltd

Following on from booked-out workshops earlier this year, Vicki Allpress (Marketing Manager at the NBR New Zealand Opera) has published an excellent article on effective e-marketing. It features examples and ideas taken from our very own cultural organisations.

Vicki says e-marketing involves using communications technologies, such as email newsletters (see an earlier post on this blog about these), social networking websites, RSS, blogs and podcasts, to reach audiences.

Which channels you use, what content you provide, how you segment your audience and when you contact them all depends on what you are trying to achieve with your marketing endeavours. Vicki encourages a strategic approach to e-marketing:

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