MN 319 E-Marketing

Assignment 2 -Group Project

Fight Club

Annelli Nealon: 10714437

Dave Redmond: 10717073

Scott Kinsella: 69851593

Edward O’Connor: 10726717

Gary McGovern: 10375459

Due Date 30th

April 2012

Word Count: 3452

Introduction

This assignment sets about analysing how companies engage in social media by

investigating the online presence of an existing business establishment. Having

chosen to base our investigation on the National Council for the Blind of Ireland

(NCBI) Maynooth we reviewed the actions of the local charity shop owner through a

customized audit that measures their level of social media activity. An overview of

important social media concepts such as; Search Engine Optimization, online

advertising and e-marketing strategy illustrates the benefits that can be reaped by

having a high social media engagement. By setting the platforms of social media

applications; Wordpress blog site, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn we aim to provide

the foundations for the NCBI Maynooth to optimise their business mission through an

assortment of tools. Our main objective of the project was to increase awareness of

this local charity shop through social media activity. Challenged with a limitation of no

financial budget we prepared a detailed plan for further development with

recommendations of maintenance and optimization improvements that would be most

suitable for this type of business.

The Social Media Audit

Social Media Concepts

Search Engine Optimization

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the procedure of increasing the online presence

of businesses in search rankings such as Google and Yahoo. Traffic to your website

can be increased using SEO by the process of having your website listed in the top

listings on a search engine. SEO is free of charge but time consuming as the process

involves the consideration of how search engines work.

An example of SEO in operation:

The group has set up a Wordpress blog for NCBI Maynooth along with a Facebook,

Twitter and LinkedIn page. We entered tags and keywords on the blogs for NCBI

Maynooth. Google picks up these tags and keywords in their search engine and as a

result when NCBI Maynooth is entered into a Google search it appears as the top 7

listings which illustrate SEO taking place free of charge.

Online Marketing

Online Marketing allows businesses to change their marketing campaigns in real time

by altering words or graphics without incurring additional costs. Another benefit of this

is the ability of companies to track their results using web analytics. Web Analytics is

the measurement, collection, analysis and reporting of internet data for purposes of

understanding and optimizing web usage. The major advantage of online marketing is

the ability to target specific demographics which include gender, age and location, at

specific times by emails, or from other social media forms of advertising such as

Facebook and twitter.

Social Media

Social Media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter allow businesses to interact with

their consumers directly. They are the methods in which businesses gain website

traffic. These platforms enable marketing online including email, audio, video, blog,

newsletters and quizzes. Hootsuite is a social media management dashboard. A

Hootsuite account has been set up for NCBI Maynooth which allows for all of their

social media platforms to be controlled from the one account. This includes their

Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Wordpress Blog. Hootsuite is important for

businesses such as NCBI Maynooth as it allows for them to have each social media

platform they have open in a tab, which then allows them to put up content on each

platform without having to log on to different accounts.

Google Adwords

Google Adwords allows businesses to create advertisements for their business on

Google. Keywords are used which relate to the business when creating these

advertisements. A search by consumers using one of these keywords will show the

businesses advertisement on Google. A major advantage of Google Adwords is that

the business is only charged when their Ad is clicked on and not when it is displayed.

Another advantage of Google Adwords is that a daily budget can be set which means

that the amount spent on advertisements can be controlled. Google Adwords also

allows businesses to target their advertisements to specific languages and geographic

locations. When creating the Advertisement the most effective way of doing this is by

using keywords in the headline of the advertisement. The benefits should then be

mentioned on the first description line with the features being mentioned on the

second description line. The URL of the website should then be inserted. A number of

advertisements with different keywords should be created so the businesses

advertisements appear when different keywords are used on a Google search.

Facebook Advertisements

Businesses can use Facebook to advertise to their target market. Facebook enables a

business to connect with more than 800 million potential customers. These

advertisements allow the business to target their potential customers by language,

age, location, marital status, gender, interests and through many more. A budget for

the advertisement can be set which allows for expenses to be controlled. A time

schedule can also be set so the Advertisements are been displayed at the right time.

Recommendations for Improvement

In highlight of the importance of social media networking we have devised a set of

recommendations to maintain and improve the platforms we have created to ensure

the NCBI Maynooth goal is achieved.

Social Spaces: The platforms we have created to get started are;

Wordpress Blog page

Facebook

Twitter

LinkedIn

We have also set up a Hootsuite account which enables collaboration between these

platforms and optimises an online presence by linking related topics between these

sites.

As stated when interviewed, the main objective of having an online presence is to

make people aware that the shop exists, where it is located and what they sell; we

suggest registering the business with Google and linking a map to all relevant social

media sites.

Create Identity: It is important to have consistency with your brand so that people

become familiar with your business function. We have designed the social media sites

with repetition of a colour scheme and style; we suggest that this be maintained in all

brand marketing. The use of a consistent tagline that clear explains the company core

values should be present on all advertisements.

Create Content: Constant updating of the social media sites will ensure their most

optimal use. Posting about current volunteering events, services and goods available

in the shop will keep visitors interested. Encouraging people to ‘check-in’ on Twitter or

‘like’ the Facebook page when they have been to the shop will drive up your online

presence. Incentivising this by holding weekly or monthly prizes or other beneficial

sentiments will help increase participation and encourage regular followers.

The use of keywords and tags will direct people in search for similar topics to your site.

It is important to keep these keywords in the same genre for search engines to

recognise their legitimacy.

Grow connections: Joining other charity social network sites or groups and linking to

their content will get you recognised on the social media platform. The use of affiliate

marketing with other local Maynooth business or nationwide charities will also raise

awareness of the shop’s function and location. Registering with mycharity.ie allows

prospective donors to make on-line donations. The availability of this service on

mycharity.ie could become part of a twitter campaign.

Analytical reports: Google provide a free analytical report service so that it is clear

what sites are reaping the most benefit from your activities. This can help you focus on

the most beneficial way to get your message across to your readers.

As there is no available budget you can not avail of any search engine optimising tools

such as Adwords, therefore, it is only by keeping up to date with the latest social

media trends can you optimize your online success. Following and linking in with the

following groups will keep you informed about what’s hot and what’s not is the virtual

world:

Social Media Ireland

Twitter Business

Twitter Media

Facebook Business

Socialenterprise.ie

Business 2 Community

Wordpress.com/.org

Socialmedia.ie/ connector.tv

Free ad sites: Increase the shop’s on-line presence by registering with local and

national directories. Create hyperlinks to the social media sites in these ads to

encourage browsing of the Facebook, twitter and Wordpress pages.

Some potential free directory sites include:

Yelp.ie

Yourlocal.ie

icsa.ie

Mycharity.ie

Publicity: Traditional advertising and media can also play their part in the new e-

marketing campaign. Promotion of the new on-line presence can take place in store

with counter and window signage, with taglines like “Follow us on FB & Twitter”.

Handouts could also be used, detail the new site addresses and the future promotions

etc available exclusively on-line. A large part of NCBI Maynooth’s customer segment

may not be regular followers or users of Twitter or Facebook so publicity in traditional

media, such as local papers, may encourage them to start following the sites,

particularly if these sites include exclusive promotions and offers.

Our Blog Posts

Annelli’s Blog:

The National Council for the Blind of Ireland

“The National Council for the Blind of Ireland (NCBI) enables blind and visually

impaired people to overcome barriers that impede their independence and

participation in society. The NCBI hosts an assortment of services and facilities to

accomplish their mission. Established in 1939 the NCBI now facilitates over 14,000

visually impaired people.

An umbrella of support exists over a network of people dedicated to carrying out the

core values of the organisation. A range of practical skills training programs are

available in activity centres and through individual assistance. Attendees can achieve

a FETEC qualification, fitness training and counselling. A library of information on all

visual conditions is available as well as a variety of Fiction and Non-Fiction books in

audio, Braille and large print for adults and children. The NCBI are activists in ensuring

legal rights for the visually impaired, and assist in procedures necessary in gaining

Government benefits and allowances.

The focus on independence is evident in the strong emphasis on career guidance and

employment support. Information and technical tools are offered to employers of

visually impaired employees. A centre for inclusive technology aims to provide

accessible websites and communication technologies. Their media centre promotes

Braille and audio tools that can be implemented in organisations.

Volunteering options range from helping out at social outings, activity centres or in one

of their many charity shops around the Country, like the one that can be found located

at Alcol House, The Square, Maynooth that promises to be the best second

hand/vintage/brands clothing shop in Kildare. NCBI have a calendar of events to get

involved with and support a genuine charity doing exceptional work to improve local

communities. All information can be found at the NCBI website.

Eddie’s blog:

Managing a charity shop

“Charity shops can be a very lucrative fund-raiser but are also, from a management

view, one of the more complex and time-consuming fund-raising methods available.

They also pose many unique challenges that are not encountered in commercial retail

management. Challenges such as:

1. Staffing. The vast majority of charity shop staff are unpaid so it can be a challenge

to get suitable staff. While there may be numerous volunteers not all may be suitable

for working in a charity shop. While the normal skills associated with the retail trade

are necessary, there are also additional skills and characteristics, like empathy and

discretion, needed.

2. Stock. Unlike commercial stores, charity shops are dependent on public donations

for stock. When stocks run low you cannot just visit your wholesaler. Advertising,

public appeals and promotions are essential to ensure adequate stock flow.

3. Quality of Stock. As the stock is donated you have little control over its quality. This

is where sorting skills are essential. Never sell damaged or soiled stock, your shop will

develop a reputation of stocking junk. Sort the good quality and display well. Poor

quality stock can be bagged and sold to recycling companies, at approx. €8 a bag.

4. Being Diplomatic. Never start sorting donated stock in front of donor. They may

be embarrassed about what they have donated. Likewise never pass comment or

presume anything about why customers are shopping in a charity shop.

5. Appearance & Displays. You are in competition with a huge range of other retail

and charity shops, so never presume you don't have to attract customers. Clean,

bright, premises with good displays are just as important to a charity shop as any other

outlet.

A charity shop can be a good but never presume it’s easy. Not only will you face the

normal everyday challenges facing any small business, but also a set of unique ones

that have to be overcome. However once these issues are faced and dealt with the

concept of the charity shop, such as NCBI Maynooth charity shop, can be a lucrative

earner.”

Gary’s Blog:

Social Media & Charities

“The National Council for the Blind of Ireland Maynooth (NCBI) over the past number

of weeks has increased the charities public and online profile through the use of social

media tools such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Wordpress. Our group has

increased the online presence of NCBI Maynooth using search engine optimization

(SEO). We have also added NCBI Maynooth to handyinfo.ie and yelp.ie which are

both online business and services directories. A Charities SEO is an incredibly

important tool because it enables people to find out information regarding the charity.

The group has been successful in raising the charities SEO because at present a

Google search of NCBI Maynooth lists the charity shop as the first seven links on the

search engine. The strategy the group has used in raising the profile of NCBI

Maynooth is to integrate social networking sites. The group has used Hootsuite which

is an online brand management service which links all social media networks and

enables a company to manage their social media platforms. Social networking sites

are of vital importance in order to spread the word of the good work which is being

carried out daily by NCBI. Our main objective is to raise awareness of the NCBI

Maynooth retail online and continue to carry on the excellent work which was

previously carried out by Mrs Quinn’s Charity Shop. People in the Maynooth and

surrounding area can now connect with NCBI Maynooth online and we hope that by

implementing this, people can continue to support their local charity”.

Dave’s Blog:

The Challenges Facing Charities

The recession has taken a hold on the countries expenditure over the last number of

years, with many people feeling they no longer have the ability to donate to charities

such as, National council for the Blind Ireland (NCBI).In addition to this plight the

government has also reduced its allocation of grants to not for profit organisations,

making it a more challenging environment for charities to operate in. The NCBI

employs over 150 staff and numerous volunteers who cater for in the region of 14,000

people, some of which suffer from partial blindness and some are totally blind.

The NCBI Maynooth branch run a charity clothes shop which offer designer brands

and unworn and partially worn clothes at knockdown prices in order to raise money for

the charity. The shop has seen a steady increase in demand over recent years. From

readings I have undertaken, charity fundraising has increased by 24% from 2010 to

2011 partly due to cuts in government funding. Charities such as NCBI have noticed

an increase in demand for their services due to high unemployment rates and low

income levels at present which has meant many families cannot afford to provide the

necessary services for their families. Organisations such as Fundraising Ireland have

stated that one in ten charities will fold due to the fact they do not have enough

funding to see them past the next 6 to 12 months. Tough conditions lie ahead for all

charitable organisations and more creative fundraising skills are needed to keep these

vital services running.

Scott’s Blog:

The NCBI customers

Like any charity shop/organisation there is a reliance on the general public at large to

be as charitable as humanly possible. The National Council for the Blind of Ireland is

no different. NCBI Maynooth understands the true importance of their customers, as

without their charitable donations and purchasing power alike there would be no

foundation for NCBI to grow and flourish.

NCBI Maynooth has a system put in place that allows the general public to donate

their unwanted possessions to the charity shop all in a way that will maintain customer

confidentiality. A dropping point has been put in place at Manor Mills shopping centre

where any goods (such as clothes, linen, bric-a-brac, unwanted gifts or shoes) can be

collected on a weekly basis. Also to make it as easy as possible for the donor, NCBI

will go door to door collecting all the unwanted goods from the less coy benefactor.

This blanket of support and generosity has allowed NCBI to set up 68 stores across

Ireland.

The support does not stop there. NCBI Maynooth sees hoards of people bundle

through their doors on a daily basis, all looking to see if they can avail of a bargain.

Many customers will leave NCBI Maynooth fulfilled with their purchases, whether it is a

new shirt or books for the kids.

Yet the staff of NCBI Maynooth still believes there is scope for improvements. Despite

their obvious delight with the overall running of the shop they feel that the sheer

volume of people coming through their doors is not sufficient enough, resulting in the

need for a modern approach to quell this burning issue.

Group Blog:

Key People in NCBI Maynooth

Audrey O Neill is the driving force behind the NCBI Maynooth charity shop in

Maynooth Village. For the past three years she has been the manager. Her entire

family have been involved with different charitable organisations. Audrey, along with

three volunteers, ensure the shop runs efficiently. The volunteers Mairead, Mary and

Hillary take it in shifts along with Audrey to run the shop six days a week. Des Kenny

is the CEO of the organisation since 1986 and he is the main link to the NCBI

headquarters on the Whitword Road, Drumcondra, Dubln 9. His right hand man is

Paddy Byrne and he ensures that the shop is running effectively by inspecting the

organisation every couple of months. Audrey’s working background is as an interior

designer. She started from an early age doing the visual merchandising in Mrs Quinn’s

shop in Celbridge for her mother as she was the manager there for many years. Her

grandmother has also been involved with charities and was involved with the Lifeboat

and Oxfam charities in Rathmines her entire life. Mary, one of the shop volunteers, is

the direct link with the collection that takes place in Manor Mills once a month to

ensure that the stock intake of clothes is always of excellent quality. Brian Friel is the

financial controller and he deals with all the money that is accumulated within the shop

from week to week. He has been in the position since 2007.

Conclusion

From the start of our analyses of NCBI Maynooth’s e-marketing strategy we quickly

realised they had no on line presence, and had no provisions in this year’s budget for

creating one. However from our research into e-marketing we realised we could create

a strong on-line presence for the charity without them incurring any new costs.

Through our discussions with the shop’s manager, Audery O’Neill, we established

what she hoped to achieve with the shops on-line presence. From these discussions

and our research we created a plan to establish as comprehensive an e-marketing

campaign as possible on a zero budget, utilising the power of social media, blogs and

free directory sites. We also created a plan for NCBI Maynooth to incentivise

customers to follow their e-marketing campaign. Following the full implementation of

our plan we handed over the week to week running of the campaign to NCBI

Maynooth.

The most pertinent points learned were:

The possibility to create an e-marketing plan with little or no budget. We also

realised the potential and necessity of e-marketing for all business.

E-marketing is the future direction for marketing and it is essential that all

businesses also follow this path to stay in touch with their customer’s needs

and wants.

The power of social media in today’s world and how this potential can be

utilised.

The need for blended marketing campaign, using all media sources to ensure

maximum customer contact

To keep your customers interested you must monitor, review and update your

sites regularly

E-marketing can provide access to a huge market at little or no cost and it allows for a

100% personalised campaign. Its flexibility and low cost means it is particularly suited

to small business. The message can up-dated as often as needed and targeted at

specific customer segments ensuring you deliver the right message to the right

people, the basic function of any marketing plan.