Is Crowdfunding as a Social Media Strategy Here to Stay or Just a Passing Fad?

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Have you heard about the Veronica Mars Kickstarter miracle? In just 11 hours, the ever-loyal fan-base of the cancelled show guaranteed that their favorite adult Nancy Drew-esque sleuth would return, this time to the big screen, to the tune of $2 million. The excitement for some is palpable. What exactly is crowdfunding? Is this the sign of a new way of doing things?

According to Wikipedia, crowdfunding is  “the collective effort of individuals who network and pool their money, usually via the Internet, to support efforts initiated by other people or organizations. Crowdfunding is used in support of a wide variety of activities, including disaster relief, citizen journalism, support of artists by fans, political campaigns, startup company funding,motion picture promotion, free software development, inventions development, scientific research,and civic projects.” Kickstarter is one of many burgeoning crowdfunding websites that have appeared on the internet in the last few years. And while the Veronica Mars Kickstarter project is not the first of its kind (there are 31 crowdfunded films currently showing at SXSW), the sheer amount of money raised speaks volumes for the power of the voice of “the people.”

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5 Keys to Successful Social Media Marketing Campaigns

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There are no hard and fast rules for social media marketing campaigns. What works well for one company could fail magnificently for another. Searching for sure-fire techniques is like searching for Amelia Earhardt, answers are out there, but they’re just really hard to find. You want buzz. You want a unique message that says, “This is our brand. This is who we are.” You want visitors to become fans and fans to become customers. This is a great key to attraction marketing.

After analyzing some of the most notable social media marketing campaigns of 2012, we’ve come up with what we think are 5 keys to creating your own social media success story.

1. Have a Cause and Make it Fun

Some of the most successful campaigns of 2012 had a pay-it-forward vibe. Take for example the partnership between Levi’s and Water.org. Levi’s created a Facebook game to educate fans about water conservation. The better users were at the game and the more they shared it through other social media channels, the more liters of water were unlocked. Once the combined total reached the goal of 200 million liters, Levi’s would donate $250,000 to help Water.org

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Crossing the Generation Gap in Real Estate Marketing

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Real estate is any industry where buying decisions truly are made across multiple generations. Fist-time homebuyers often are just out of college and ready to move from their parents’ place or have worked for a few years and can’t wait to get out of that cramped apartment. At the opposite end of the spectrum are seniors. The options for this group range from active adult communities restricted to those “55 years or better” to assisted living to nursing care.

With such an age-diverse client base, how do you reach potential customers cost-effectively? To attract someone’s attention, your marketing efforts must speak to your target audience not only in a tone and manner in which they have become accustomed, but also via media channels that are familiar with. Read more