Lesson #11 - Grow Your World

The International Spa Association recently held their annual conference and expo at the Mandalay Bay Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. According to their website,

“The annual event provides an opportunity to network with spa industry professionals, 30+ educational speakers covering a variety of business-related topics, the latest trends in spa products and much more! In addition, the ISPA Expo brings together the leading product suppliers in the industry for one-on-one time with spa decision-makers.”

While the expo only ran October 21^st through October 23^rd, the ISPA began utilizing their social and internet platforms to spread the word and create excitement among attendees weeks before the conference kick-off.

Prior to the beginning of the expo, ISPA shared ideas on what to pack for your trip to Las Vegas on their blog and uploaded a PDF conference and expo guide to their website with information on sponsors and events. They even shared photos on Instagram of their supply truck, the expo set-up process and goodie bags the thousands of attendees would be receiving. All of their pre-event social activity was meant to help their attendees prepare for the event, as well as create excitement for the event among staff and attendees alike.

Pre-Event, Event and Post-Event Social Activity

Their pre-event promotion mainly focused on utilizing their Twitter and Facebook accounts to keep their followers updated on the event progress. They would tweet and post essentially the same things on both platforms, generally posting quick blurbs about where the staff was and what they were doing. Occasionally, they would encourage viewers to click on the link to their event specific website for more in depth information.

During the actual event, ISPA focused on using a combination of Twitter, Facebook and Instagram to engage with their attendees. They encouraged attendees to utilize the ISPA2013 and GrowYourWorld hashtags on all social platforms pre-, during and post-event as well. They posted real-time event updates to their Twitter account and would often retweet follower’s posts about a specific speaker or experience they had during the event. They also used Facebook to communicate event updates and highlights in essentially the same format as Twitter, just not as frequently or in as great volume.

While their business Instagram did not see that much action during the event, they did encourage attendees to utilize #ISPA2013 and #GrowYourWorld for a chance to be uploaded onto the event website. There is a specific section titled #ISPA2013 that housed several of the Instagram photos that used the event hashtag. Looking at the section now, it clearly did not archive all of the photos that were posted with that hashtag. It seems to serve the purpose of encouraging attendees to use the Instagram platform and search the hashtag themselves.

Post-event activity has not been very exciting to be quite honest with you. While they posted a few farewell tweets to Twitter and posts to Facebook, there has not been much buzz surrounding event post happening. ISPA did try to keep the buzz going by posting this to both their Twitter and Facebook accounts:

It doesn’t seem to have worked very well though – only gaining 5 likes on Facebook!

Key Social Platforms Utilized

While we have already discussed most of the social media platforms ISPA utilized for their expo promotion, let’s revisit a few and discover some new ones!

Facebook: ISPA utilized their company Facebook page to post updates via text and photos prior to the event and during the actual event. The Facebook page kept attendees engaged by using consistent hashtags in #ISPA2013 and #GrowYourWorld and providing links to speaker bios and website information when necessary. The Facebook page utilized for this event was the company’s main fan page, so it’s hard to tell how much of the follower interaction was directly connected to the event attendees.

Twitter: ISPA utilized two different Twitter accounts to promote this event pre-, during and post-event dates. I actually didn’t realize there were two accounts until I clicked on one of the items retweeted and it took me to a completely different ISPA Twitter account. It looks like they had a pre-established company Twitter account and an event specific Twitter account. While the majority of the posts are the same, the user interaction differs between accounts clearly showing that not all followers are followers of both accounts. Even though there are apparently two separate accounts doing much of the same work, Twitter still seemed to be the easiest and most effective way for ISPA to communicate with their attendees. With quick, short bursts of information and a link you can click to gather more information, it makes sense that on-the-move event goers would gravitate towards Twitter more than any other platform.

YouTube: While there was nothing posted on their YouTube page that directly correlated with their annual expo, it’s worthy to note that they do have an account. The account seems to only be updated when an executive member has some type of quarterly update or a new study has been completed. In fact, the 2013 study was referenced in one of their pre-event posts on Facebook and Twitter.

Instagram: This platform was utilized mainly during the event and was predominately attendee driven. As I noted before, ISPA uploaded a few pre-event and live event photos but the majority of the Instagram traffic came from attendees posting their own photos and including the consistent hashtags #ISPA2013 or #GrowYourWorld. This platform, along with Twitter, are the easiest to use on-the-go and from a mobile device making them the perfect duo for event communication and engagement.

Pinterest: Oddly enough, ISPA also has a Pinterest account. They posted a few things pre-event, showcasing their award recipients, their chairman’s update video and a link back to their blog for tips on preparing for the ISPA 2013 Expo. It’s a very strange use of Pinterest given ISPA’s industry and the plethora of ideas and products they could be posting to Pinterest boards that are directly related to their profession.

Website: The event specific website was really just a place for attendees to go to gain general information on specific events, exhibits and sponsors leading up to, during and after the event. Nothing too exciting to talk about with this platform as it is a necessary tool with every large corporate event.

Mobile Application: ISPA did encourage their attendees to download and use their event specific mobile app on their smart phone devices. They posted on both Facebook and Twitter the link to download the app prior to arriving at the event which allowed attendees to gain up to the minute information, access to accurate event schedules and instant alerts sent directly to their phones.

Types of Content Shared

The majority of content shared by ISPA before, during and after the event included photos about the event or attendees enjoying event experiences, reminders on what specific events were coming up and links back to the event specific website. The same or similar content was shared on all of their social platforms (Facebook, Twitter and Instagram) and tended to be more informational than truly engaging. Little was mentioned about specific vendors and/or sponsors; however, there is a tab dedicated to sponsors on the event specific website.

Hashtags, Retweets and Vendor Highlights

Consistent hashtags were used throughout each of the social outlets before, during and after the expo events, including #ISPA2013 and #GrowYourWorld. While there were no specific platforms dedicated to truly highlighting their vendors, they did occasionally retweet vendors who specifically called out one of their Twitter handles. Aside from retweeting the occasional vendor, ISPA did a decent job at retweeting attendees when they posted relevant comments or thoughts about a key-

note speaker or experience.

Sponsor Promotion

ISPA did not do a great deal of sponsor promotion on their various online and social media sites. Each of the sponsors were spelled out in the PDF event guide and the larger sponsors were showcased on the Sponsors tab of the event specific website. With such a large conference, it is difficult (if not impossible) to give face time to every single sponsor. With that being said, retweeting more of their sponsor’s posts (both large and small sponsors) would be a great way to meet in the middle next year!

Additional IMC Examples

While the event was promoted via their company website and their various social media outlets, there seemed to be a disctint lack of promotion elsewhere. This could be because I am not “plugged-in” to the spa culture, but other than self-promotion in the spa industry’s magazine, Pulse, I could not find any other attempts at marketing this event. Granted that could be because this event is truly for industry professionals; if that’s the case, they probably all know about the event already and are anticipating registering so there may not be a large need for multichannel promotion.

Consistent Branding and Theming

Overall, branding and theming was relatively consistent throughout the entire event and on all social and online outlets. The same logo and colors were used on their event specific website, PDF event guide and Twitter background. The same company logo was consistently used at the profile photo for their various social media outlets as well, making it easy to find the correct profile to explore. Like I mentioned earlier, they consistently used the same hashtags on all available outlets with #ISPA2013 and #GrowYourWorld.

This Stood Out to Me

The Relaxation Area really stood out as unique to me. While this wasn’t promoted a lot on their social media sites (one or two references at the most), this was probably one of the most frequented areas of the entire expo. The Relaxation Area allowed attendees to experience complimentary spa treatments from industry professionals and various sponsors. This was a chance for attendees to not only experience great service, but to get a first-hand look at specific products that they could potentially utilize in their own practice. Obviously, this is something that you are probably only going to find a spa expo and I wish it would have been showcased more!

Room to Improve

Overall, I think ISPA did a great job at utilizing various methods of the internet and social media to promote their event at different stages along the way. However, I wish there would have been more pre-event activity to help create more buzz and excitement among attendees. I imagine that the industry professionals attending this expo get extremely excited about the event and it would have been nice to see ISPA encourage more engagement among attendees and staff members. By actively posting articles on the ISPA blog or updating an event specific Facebook page, they could easily prompt social engagement from readers and followers. Retweeting and sharing user’s posts would be a simple and quick way to encourage and maintain engagement and conversation as well.

This week’s focus really got me thinking about how exciting and entertaining it must be to run the social media aspect of a large event. Having worked in event planning for the past three years and being a part of some very large conventions from an operations standpoint, I know how busy those staff member and meeting planners really are. I think it would be beneficial for any large event to have dedicated staff members whose sole purposes are to update and maintain the event specific social media. I mean, let’s be honest, that would be the BEST job ever!

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Lesson #7 - Serious Social Savviness

Welcome back! We’ve been talking a lot about the different social media platforms that exist and how important it is for companies to incorporate those outlets into their integrated marketing campaigns. But, it’s not just about incorporating every social outlet available; it’s about incorporating the RIGHT platforms for your brand and including a consistent look and message on each of those platforms. Let’s take a look at three brands that are doing an outstanding job of incorporating consistent branding and messaging on their social platforms.

First up is Target. Target can be found on all the major social platforms including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, and even LinkedIn. Target does a great job at incorporating a consistent look on each of their pages; most notably, the profile thumbnail photo on each platform is the same. Target’s red target logo is easily identifiable and respected, by using this as their profile photo alone drives traffic to their sites. Their Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages are all similar in the items they are promoting at the tops of the pages. Currently, Halloween costumes, décor, and other offerings are being highlighted in these areas. The Target Google+ page is a little different in that only a recent article with the Halloween hashtag is promoting the holiday, rather than their cover photo or background photo. In a similar fashion, Target’s LinkedIn page is very professional and clearly a business space. There are no advertisements or product pushing here. Instead, there are articles about resume writing, charity work, and flu shots. Clearly focusing more on Target’s business side rather than their in-store marketing side.

The content on Target’s Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages is updated every day at the least, but usually multiple times a day. Their LinkedIn profile usually has one post every day or every other day. Target’s Google+ page, on the other hand, only has four posts total beginning on September 30^th. I’m not sure if this is just a glitch on my computer or maybe Target is just new to the Google+ world. If that’s the case, hopefully they will begin to use this platform more frequently and effectively.

Target does a great job of using various hashtags on all of their sites (with the exception of LinkedIn) to help users search through content and to join in conversations. Also, each platforms clearly lists the Target website in the “About  Me” section and generally includes the website link in each posts. They do not, however, do a very good job of promoting their other social outlets. You cannot find a link to their Facebook on their Twitter page or their Instgram handle on their Facebook page. They do, however, tend to post the same images/stories on each of their social outlets.

Next up we have T.J.Maxx. Much like Target, T.J.Maxx is present on all of the major social media outlets including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, and Pinterest. Also, similar to Target, their profile photo is the same on each and every social outlet; creating a consistent and familiar place for fans and followers to connect and explore. Each of their pages have a similar look and feel (even the photos to the right are hard to tell apart), showcasing the latest fashion trends, current product offerings, and style tips and tricks.

Their content is updated extremely frequently, unlike Target who has a few platforms that are lacking in the department. T.J.Maxx generally posts multiple times a day on each of their social media outlets; their Google+ page tends to only be updated once a day or several times every other day, but still keeps content fresh and current. Also, each of their social media outlets lists their website at the top of each page, but only occasionally includes the URL in their actual posts.

T.J.Maxx uses hashtags incredibly well, especially when promoting their Maxxinista campaign. All of their social outlets encourage fans to share a photo of themselves in their latest T.J.Maxx finds and post it on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram with the #Maxxinista for a chance to win a $1000 gift card. The one downside of their social media outlets is that they do not do a very good job of promoting each other; there are no “find us on Facebook” links on their Twitter page or a “follow us on Instagram” on their Facebook page.

Last but not least, we have Ebay, the king of online auctions! Ebay can also be found on all of the major social media outlets including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+, and YouTube. Also, just like Target and T.J.Maxx, Ebay uses the exact same logo as their profile photos on every social media platform, allowing fans and followers to quickly find their pages when searching. Unlike the other two brands I’ve mentioned, Ebay does an incredible job of including their various social media accounts on each of their pages. You can find Ebay’s Facebook and YouTube handles on the background of their Twitter page, there are buttons at the top of their Facebook pages that link you to their Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, and YouTube pages, and they have included the same buttons on their YouTube page. The exception to this would be their Instagram and Google+ page, neither one of these outlets includes anything but the Ebay URL (which the other three platforms include as well).

For the most part, each of other social media platforms showcases the incredible items that you can find on their website. The use of hashtags is not as prominent on the Ebay pages as the other two brands we’ve talked about; they usually keep it to a general #ebay that is used predominately on their Instagram page and nowhere else. As mentioned before, their website URL is listed at the top of each of their pages, but Ebay also does a great job of including a specific link on each of their posts. For example, if the post is a photo of a Halloween costume, the link attached will take you directly to the page where you can purchase said costume. Ebay’s YouTube channel is unique in that it showcases not just their products, but ways to use and get creative with their products. This helps to create a sense of industry knowledge with their fans and followers, furthering their followers trust and loyalty with the brand. In addition, their social platforms are updated on an extremely frequent basis, generally posting multiple pieces of content each day.

Overall, each of these three brands does a great job at balancing the use of multiple social media platforms. While there are a few things that could be improved with each of these brands, they have an incredible foundation created and the sky is really the limit. These are all great examples of brands embracing social into their integrated marketing campaigns and not being afraid to set the bar extremely high for their competitors. 

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Lesson #4 - Maintaining the Love

I love David’s Bridal so much that this week’s post is dedicated to that socially savvy and totally trendy Bride loving brand all over again!

Visiting David’s Bridal’s website is a fun, enjoyable, and informative experience for Brides of all kinds. It’s updated constantly with the latest additions to their various collections including bridal gowns, bridesmaid’s dresses, shoes, accessories and much more. With daily deals and online promotions, sometimes the website is more effective than an in-person stop at a David’s Bridal store!

There are several sections of the website that take a Bride far past just browsing for her gown or her bridal party dresses and introduce fresh and new content. The “Dress Your Wedding” link takes her to a virtual world where she can create her entire bridal party and actually put them in their outfits. She can even change the background to fit something closer to her actual wedding atmosphere. This option gives her the ability to “see” what her wedding party will look like when they are standing next to her.

The “Color &Style Inspiration” link brings her to a place where she can do just that…get inspired. There are links to the David’s Bridal catalog and look book, to the latest bridal trends, to real life wedding stories, and of course, to their blog and social media sites. One of the neatest features in this section is the “Find Your Figure” tool. It allows her to click on the body figure that most resembles her own and then gives her ideas for the types of dress that will look most faltering on her.

There is also a “WeddingSolutions” link that offers her advice on various parts of the wedding planning process, apart from dress and shoe buying. This section of the site shows viewers that David’s Bridal is more than just a wedding dress retailer, but that they are also true industry professionals with a great knowledge for their product and beyond. With links to local vendors, tips and advice articles, photographers, reception services and much more, it shows that David’s Bridal is a true expert when it comes to helping you plan your special day.

One of the best features of the David’s Bridal website is their “My Event” section. This is a great way to get Brides hooked on their site and coming back for more than just dresses and shoes and really plays to that “industry professional” piece we just talked about. The My Event site provides her with all of the tools needed to plan her special day. From a budget calculator to a shopping list, this is her virtual filing cabinet and will help keep her on task with the planning process. The best part – it’s completely mobile friendly! 

As you can see, David’s Bridal’s website is a fun and interactive place for Brides to play, dream, create, and be inspired. With “share” and “like” buttons on every buyable item’s page, it’s easy for users to share their findings with friends and followers alike. The best part about their website though is that you can continue dreaming and creating on your smart phone as well! Their mobile website is user friendly and easy to navigate, just like their online version, so the planning doesn’t have to stop when you leave your computer.

In visiting the David’s Bridal website, you will encounter some “push marketing” tactics like a pop up chat window that allows you to speak directly with a David’s Bridal representative, emails that offer promotions and insider tips on the latest trends in the wedding industry, and pop up ad windows showing off their exclusive wedding invitation collection. They also make great use of “pull marketing” techniques by giving you the opportunity to sign up for email newsletters, being the first link when “wedding dresses” is searched on Google, an opportunity to sign up for text messages alerts on promotions and trends,  and offer great real-life advice and stories on their official blog site.

Throughout all of David’s Bridal’s multiple online outlets, consistent branding and theming is seen on every platform. From Facebook to Twitter and Instagram to banner ads and websites, the use of their logo and similar colors (depending on the fashion season of course) makes it easy to navigate between each site and never feel lost or confused.

There isn’t a lot about the David’s Bridal website, or brand in general, that I would change. However, there is always room for improvement. I think that marketing their My Event tool more could prove quite useful. I had never even heard of their event tools until pretty recently, I thought that only brands with planning tools were The Knot and Wedding Wire. These two brands also off their planning tools in an app, something David's Bridal could benefit from greatly. It’s also pretty difficult to find their blog on their website and social media platforms. In fact, I’m not entirely sure how I happened upon in the first place. The only way I could find the link to it on their website, was at the VERY bottom of the site in a “Connect With Us” section that houses links to their Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, and YouTube accounts. They obviously have a great presence in social media, but I feel like they could do a better job of sharing that with their website visitors.

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Lesson #3 - You'll Love David's Bridal

With nearly 2.5 million weddings happening each year in the United States alone, it’s easy to assume how bridal superstore, David’s Bridal has become the most successful bridal retailer in the nation. According to ScottRogers, Director of Strategic Planning for David’s Bridal, from 2006 to 2007 two-thirds of all brides shopped at a David’s Bridal location! One of the many reasons David’s Bridal attracts such a large audience is their “David’sBridal difference.” Rogers explained that this means offering customers the ability to try on dresses in her size and color, and know exactly what she is purchasing (and at a reasonable price too). A stark contrast from the industry standard’s strategy of carrying sample dresses in just a few sizes and making their customers wait several months to “officially” try on their dress.

So how did David’s Bridal get their brand and idea seen in the first place? An incredible integrated marketing campaign – that’s how! David’s Bridal started as a small Fort Lauderdale bridal salon in 1950 and was purchased in 1972 by entrepreneur PhilYoutie. Youtie noticed in the 1980s that Brides were changing; he said, “I saw a busy, intelligent bride-to-be who didn’t have the time, patience, or money to shop for a wedding gown the old way.” Using this insight and analysis, David’s Bridal opened David’sBridal Warehouse in 1990, a first of its kind bridal superstore, offering discounted designer replica wedding dresses in all sizes and shapes. While it was met with industry criticism, budget conscience Brides fell in love with the concept! In 1994 and 1995, David’s Bridal doubled in size from 14 to 36 stores – fast forward to today and David’s Bridal operates more than 300stores nationwide.

So what kind of marketing strategy are we talking about exactly? Sure, David’s Bridal has seen incredible growth and evolution over the past 60 years, but how have their marketing strategies evolved? Simple, they have kept up with the latest and greatest technology creations!

In 1996, you could find this bridal gem on your television! That catchy tune, “You’ll love David’s Bridal,” has been a staple in the companies television commercials since the very beginning…admit it, you’re singing along right now too!

While their television commercials have evolved over the years, incorporating the latest fashion trends and hooking you with incredible sales and promotional offers, that catchy tune has remained a consistent piece of their marketing and advertising scheme.

Television is not the only place you’ll find David’s Bridal marketing on display. Have you ever opened one of the many bridal magazines on display at the grocery store checkout counter? If so, you’ve probably seen a David’s Bridal print ad like the ones pictured here. Often times, these ads also contain coupons or promotional offerings that the reader can redeem at a David’s Bridal location (or even online)..

David’s Bridal also has a presence at nearly every Bridal Show or Expo happening across the country! Bringing along samples of their latest collections, free giveaways for attendees, and helpful brand representatives that are passionate and knowledgeable about their product – couple those elements with the consistent use of their iconic logo and you’ve got a winning combination...and one I’m certainly going to pay attention to.

Speaking of consistency, have you ever stepped foot into more than one David’s Bridal store? If so, you probably haven’t noticed much a difference. Racks and racks of dresses in the front and fitting rooms in the back, it seems pretty standard but the consistent feel offers shoppers a sense of comfort and knowledge while browsing. 

One of the most helpful aspects of my recent David’s Bridal experience is their “Wish List." While I am getting married Florida, my bridesmaids will be coming from all over the country. I was able to go to my local David’s Bridal, pick out my bridesmaid dresses (and shoes), and add it to my “Wish List.” Now, all my bridal party needs to do is go to their local David’s Bridal and say they need items from Lacee’s Wish List. The associate can pull my Wish List from their database and my girls will know exactly what to purchase – super helpful and calms any nerves about your girls getting the wrong dress. After my in-store visit, I now get emails weekly about specials, promotions, and the latest additions to their various collections.

But don’t forget…I mentioned that David’s Bridal was keeping their fingers on the pulse of not just the latest fashion trends but also the latest advances in technologies. As Brides have gotten increasingly more mobile and virtual, David’s Bridal has had no choice but to keep up with the changing industry. They have an incredibly informative website that allows Brides to search their vast inventory at the click of a button. It's easy to register and quickly start receiving exclusive emails. However, it’s become more than just shopping for HER wedding dress; today’s Bride is looking for a one-stop-shop, a place she can browse (and potentially purchase) bridesmaid dresses, flower girl dresses, shoes, accessories, etc. David’s Bridal has answered her demands with an enormous inventory of personal and designer collections to dress her entire bridal party from head to toe. With the 2012 launch of their mobile website, Brides can literally have it all at their fingertips everywhere they go. KeelyConley, Director of e-Commerce for David’s Bridal said, “Mobile is key to the future of David’s Bridal’s multichannel experience…As a brand, being present across a broad range of consumer touch points is critical in strengthening our relationships with customers.” You can even join a text message club with David’s Bridal to receive bridal alerts and offers straight to your phone.

While the website has been a great tool in enhancing David’s Bridal’s marketing scheme, they knew it was also time to expand into the ever growing social media world. With the creation of official David’s Bridal Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and blog pages, I’d say David’s Bridal is doing pretty well keeping up with the times! Each of these platforms offer ways for David’s Bridal to reach their consumers in ways that Phil Youtie would have never thought possible in 1972. These platforms allow fans, followers, and David’s Bridal themselves to share personal stories about their experiences, tell their own stories on a public platform, and share tips and tricks with the ever-emotional bridal community. Each of these social outlets helps to foster relationships between consumers and the brand better than any television or print advertisement ever could.

David’s Bridal has clearly done a great job of blending outbound marketing (television commercials, print ads, and in-person sales expos) with inbound marketing tactics (websites, emails, and social media platforms). So well, in fact, that David’s Bridal was honored as a Silver Winner at the 2012Channel Innovation Awards for its “innovative approaches to connecting brides to personalized wedding planning resources through its online web store and creative a cohesive brand experience no matter how or where their customers shop.”

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