Moss Networks Blog

We all know the importance of social networking by now, however few companies are effectively utilizing social media to maximize their event marketing efforts. Companies need to further integrate social media channels into their planning efforts to ensure that the momentum and buzz generated by corporate events have a greater impact than just the event itself. Simple things like a Facebook fan page with a custom event tab or a LinkedIn group can give your users direct information on event details, who is attending and other event promotions. This will, in turn, increase your company’s fan base and customer reach, and generate more awareness for your brand and provide greater prospects for future business. Read more

Your event can become a catalyst to reaching your target audience and delivering your marketing message without undertaking huge media buys or depleting your precious marketing budget. Your social media efforts enable you to communicate your messages in a fun and indirect way that engages your readers and is far more cost effective than traditional advertising channels. Everyone wants to know about a party or event taking place, especially when it is industry related, so it’s easier to gain the attention of users. Once you have their attention with your event promotion, it’s up to you to keep them engaged and continue building on the relationship you have now created.

Some of the greatest value comes once the event has concluded - you now have an entirely new community and fan base that you didn’t before, allowing you the ability to expand your communication and start enrolling them in other marketing messages and get the word out for your company via their friends and networks.

Social media has become an integral part of the marketing strategies for b-to-b companies, with  62.6% of marketers planning to increase their spending on such channels this year according to BtoB Magazine’s 2011 outlook survey (BtoB Magazine, Jan 17, 2011).  So it makes sense for companies to really start thinking about their events in a whole new way. Many times we have heard companies say “I am not sure if I see the ROI in doing this event for my company,” and the truth is, if you don’t do it right, there really is little to no ROI. But if you can utilize the available channels to promote your event and compliment your overall marketing goals, you will increase the longevity of the event’s affect in the areas of prospect reach, company branding, and client retention, which will all work together to make the highest impact on your bottom line.

In addition to utilizing channels such as Facebook, LinkedIn Groups and Twitter, an important component is enrolling key industry bloggers or media outlets to tap into their fans and followers and help spread the word about your event. Having their endorsement and the attention of their loyal followers can be a powerful tool that should go hand in hand with anything you do on your own.

When executed properly, this coupling of social marketing and public relations strategies creates a strong synergy that will naturally build on one another and will allow you to take your event marketing to next level and see the rewards come rolling in.

At a time when budgets are tight and every dollar spent is scrutinized, it has never been more important to optimize your event marketing efforts with aggressive social media efforts and plan an integrated approach to your next event so that the impact is felt long after your event concludes and you can see the growth from these strategies.

Los Angeles, CA (December 8, 2010) – Moss Networks announces the inaugural Ultimate Affiliate Event (www.UltimateAffiliateEvent.com) taking place on January 9, 2011 to kick start Affiliate Summit West, the premier affiliate marketing conference in Las Vegas.

The Ultimate Affiliate Event (UAE) was created as an impactful way for companies to show some muscle at the show and take advantage of the opportunity to showcase all their offerings with the unique branding and exposure made available to them as sponsors of this event.

Empyre Media and DankCash have already signed on to be the first of the heavyweight contenders, and will be bringing their top clients and prospects along to take part in this special night. The venue is conveniently located at Blush Boutique Nightclub inside the Wynn Hotel, the official hotel of Affiliate Summit West. Guests will enjoy premium hosted bar, live entertainment, DJ and endless networking possibilities.

Moss Networks, the producers of UAE, who have been successful in producing relevant and entertaining corporate events alongside ad:tech tradeshows with their popular VIP MIX+MINGLE events, decided it was time to bring UAE to the Affiliate Summit show to allow companies a fun and powerful way to reach their target audience while entertaining clients and industry peers.

“Affiliate Summit is a fantastic show and we wanted to create something to really compliment the energy and excitement of the conference,” said Bonnie Moss, President and Founder of Moss Networks. “Businesses are always fighting to be heard and as a publicist we see how companies really want to stand out at tradeshows and get their messages across. The idea of the UAE came to mind as an in your face way to grab the attention of attendees and offer a forum that promotes fun, networking, branding and relationship building. We are excited to launch this inaugural event at Affiliate Summit Vegas!”

UAE is uniquely tailored to offer sponsors the value that is missing from so many industry events. Sponsors receive branding on everything from 7 foot panels behind the bar, logo decals on bar tops and plasmas inside the venue. In addition, they benefit from all the pre and post promotions via social networks, PRs, and support from our media partners.

Sponsorships for the Ultimate Affiliate Event are still available. For more information, visit www.UltimateAffiliateEvent.com or email info@mossnetworks.com.

Marketing, PR and event production powerhouse Moss Networks (www.MossNetworks.com) rocked the ad:tech conference last week by opening up the show with their notable VIP MIX+MINGLE event at La Pomme Nightclub on November 02, 2010 in NYC.

Sponsors DankCash (www.DankCash.com), InText.net (www.InText.net), LoudMo (www.LoudMo.com) and Webair (www.Webair.com) made the night possible by bringing together top VIP clientele and industry leaders in the advertising technology marketplace.

This marked the third year Moss Networks has been producing VIP MIX+MINGLE in conjunction with the ad:tech tradeshows, and the growth in popularity of the event was felt by all who attended. VIP MIX+MINGLE was created to fill the void in the corporate space for events that highlight sponsors and tailor specifically to their needs, while providing opportunities for companies to be entertained, network and mingle in a setting designed to surpass their expectations.

The invite-only soiree treated over 300 guests to top shelf hosted bar, sultry dancers who performed choreographed and high energy sets, and an electrifying performance by Sarina the Violin Diva, who rocked the place with an amazing compilation of electric violin played in sync with beats from the DJ. At the height of the night, a snow machine pumped snow over the dance floor and really got the crowd going.

“We were happy to be sponsors of this year’s event,” said Charlo Barbosa, President of InText.net “We had great branding throughout the event and it was a wonderful way to treat clients and expand our relationships in the industry with this memorable event. We could see all the hard work and details that went into making it a special night for us all.”

Bonnie Moss, President and Founder of Moss Networks, noted “We couldn’t be happier with the turnout this year. There was amazing energy created by mixing all the right elements of a great crowd, venue, music and performers. It was truly a magnetic night, proven by the overwhelming feedback we received. We couldn’t have done it without the support of our amazing sponsors and industry peers.“

Pictures from the event are available at www.vipmixmingle.com. Look out for the next VIP MIX+MINGLE coming to ad:tech San Francisco in April, for more details or sponsorships, email info@mossnetworks.com. To learn how Moss Networks can assist in your marketing, PR or event needs, visit www.mossnetworks.com

Moss Networks will be producing the highly anticipated VIP Mix + Mingle event (www.vipmixmingle.com) to kick off the ad:tech NY show on November 2nd. The event will take place at La Pomme NightClub where guests will be treated to complimentary top shelf drinks, great networking among  industry leaders, Live DJ and entertainment.

This invite only event allows sponsors to treat their existing and prospective clients to a truly VIP experience and show show their appreciation for their business, something that has never been more important to do.

Sponsors include Webair.com, LoudMo.com and Intext.net.

We only have two sponsorships left, if you are interested contact bonnie@mossnetworks.com as spaces are limited!

Did you know that a recent study by IDG Market Fusion discovered that 80% of companies said that they “found” their vendors rather than their vendors finding them? Decision makers within these companies  first educate themselves on the available solutions before they ever think about who to purchase from. In the past, these executives would request information via snail mail or by speaking to a sales representative from numerous vendors. As you can imagine, this process was very time consuming as well as frustrating.

Nowadays, in a society where instant gratification rules all, we have blogs, online publications, and white papers all at the fingertips of executives. These outlets provide specific knowledge that executives need to make confident purchase decisions. Being present in such publications is a critical opportunity to show your prospects that you understand their problems and care about helping to solve them. The goal should be to attract your clients rather than capture them. This concept is known as pull marketing. While pull marketing is not a new idea, it is sometimes used incorrectly.

I cannot stress enough how important it is to become the authority on the product or service that your prospective client is researching. And the only way to achieve this is by sending out several press releases, blog posts, and other forms of publicity with the intent of educating your prospects and helping solve their issues. However, there is definitely a fine line that must be exercised. The second your prospect senses any sort of insincerity you will lose their trust. The information you provide to them must be given with the understanding that the knowledge itself will be the sales tool. A good public relations campaign has the prospective client believing that you have the solution to their high pressing problems and that it’s imperative that they contact you immediately to learn more about that solution.

Every chance you have to gain access to your prospects is another step closer to acquiring a new client. Public relations should no longer only be used on subjects that your company is “proud to announce,” but rather an opportunity to pull your prospects closer to the end of the sales funnel.

I know what you are thinking… As a business it should not be difficult to increase the ranking for my brand name and/or website … right? Well, the truth is that it really isn’t difficult and doesn’t take a whole lot of resources and effort in most cases. So, what do you do when you have negative results ranking for your brand name? It could be a negative BBB report or, even worse, a site like “Rip Off Reports” that are feeding your negative raking results. When targeted searches for your brand name come across sites like this, it can really hurt conversions, reputation and the bottom line of revenue generation for your business.

So now your CEO is upset and running around blaming people and tasking you with the removal of every negative link result. What do you do? The solution is called Online Reputation Management or “ORM” for Search and is defined as the act of monitoring and mitigating undesirable search engine results or mentions in online media for a brand, company or product.

Regardless of whether you have a problem with reputation in the search engines or not, you should make sure you secure your brand name online. One of the easiest ways of mitigating this risk is utilizing Social Networking sites. There are literally hundreds of Social Networking sites out there that have strong standing with the search engines, and by securing your brand name with them, you will increase your rank on multiple sites. You do need to have a minimal level of participation in these sites, such as setting up profiles with descriptive content, images and links. Some of the Social Media Networking sites can actually become a platform of Customer Service, Lead Generation and Technical Support.

ORM does not happen overnight - it is much like SEO and takes time. The search engines are a “black box” so we utilize tactics that have been shown to work. Below is a sample timeline of how ORM may work for your company.

Typical ORM Timeline

Month 1
Social profile creation, setup keyword monitoring, microsite creation, begin content development, begin link research

Month 2
Finish link research, finish content development, finish microsites, begin link building to social profiles/microsites, begin optimization on given sites and microsites

Month 3
Continue link building, continue optimization. Add more microsites/social profiles as necessary

Month 4-12
Continue link building, continue optimization and account creation (as needed), maintain rankings accordingly

Expectations
For the first 4 months, you can expect the search results for the given keywords to begin populating with microsites and social profiles. During months 4-6 , you will start to see dramatic reshuffling of the results. Months 6-12 will find your properties ranking above the negative sentiment and push it off the first page of results.

If you are interested in securing Online Reputation Management for your business, contact Moss Networks today so we can put an action plan together for you! Email info@mossnetworks.com for more information.

Since the dawn of media and mass communication, press releases and public relations have been a staple to any firm or celebrity looking to further their brand recognition. With so much reliance now on the fast pace of the internet and so much focus on social networking, blogging and general opinion-based news, companies might be inclined to think that they no longer need to bother with writing and distributing press releases. That couldn’t be further from the truth. Press releases have just as important a place in your marketing strategy as it did years ago. If used correctly, press releases can be just as integral to your company’s success as your most successful salesperson.

Here are some reasons you need press releases, and how you can make them work for you!

1) They aren’t just for momentous announcements

So you didn’t get bought out by a large investment firm. You didn’t strike a multi-billion dollar deal with Google. You didn’t just higher another off the wagon executive from myspace. Do you think your news really deserves a press release? I’m here to tell you, it does. Keeping up your news and announcements through a constant flow of press releases keeps a steady stream of buzz about your company alive. Someone who missed your big product launch news last month might see one about your new compliance or customer service department, and may just look to see more. This is the importance of all your news. Don’t sell your company short. Just think like an egoist - everything that you do, someone wants to know about it. So tell people!

2) They can increase your online reputation

Press release can be hand sent to editors, pitched over the phone for articles and write-ups, blasted on the wires or networked out via social sites (i.e. facebook, twitter, technorati etc.). Hopefully your PR department or the firm that handles your PR will have the good sense to do a combination of them all. When surfers search for your company online, wouldn’t you want to put your best foot forward?  Press releases serve as a great tool to give your company creditability as well as an opportunity to give users a positive and more intimate avenue to learn about you, than they would by just visiting your site. Your past success, gains and highlights can all be archived on search engines like Google and even used on your site to indirectly sell your goods.

3) They give bloggers something to write about

Newsflash, people: bloggers get their ideas from resource sites. Guess where resource sites get their information? That’s right, from press releases. News comes and goes fast, PR serves to deliver it quickly and give just enough information to give the resource sites something to say. If you want to be blogged about, you need to get your press releases out to some of your industry’s biggest resource sites. Word of warning: especially now, with sites like TechCrunch developing a policy of ignoring PR embargos - make sure you are READY to announce your news. Press releases should be sent once you have your news already in place. Don’t send a release if you don’t have your new software running, or the ink hasn’t dried on that new contract. There’s a reason that releases are always written in past tense!

4) They can be your Secret Salesperson

Yes, I called press releases your secret salespeople. And why not? Sure, they won’t make a sales pitch or cold call for you, but a press release is actually a more effective and informative way of gaining your company business (nevermind the added bonus of them not being on your payroll). Press releases are constantly working for you, working to generate your company exposure and give your company validity. Their effectiveness is retained by the beauty of the World Wide Web and the helping hand of search engines. If you have someone considering your company over others, press releases can be the tipping point for them. They will work as your constant salesperson, pitching your corporate announcements and lending authority to your reputation. Get your news out there, and let your press releases work for you!

Contact a Moss PR executive and find out how we can put the power of PR to work for you.

Moss Networks was chosen to produce the 1^st Annual iDate Internet Dating Awards held in conjunction with the Internet Dating Conference in Miami Beach, FL to honor the best of the online dating industry. The celebration was held at the Royal Palm Ballroom inside the Royal Palm Hotel on January 28, 2010. Hosted by Marc Lesnick, creator of the iDate Conference and Mark Brooks, founder of Online Personals Watch, the show included awards winners such as Match.com, eHarmony.com, and Cupid’s Coach.

We had a spectacular time creating a monumental night for the online dating industry and were honored to contribute to the night’s success. We look forward to producing next year’s event in a bigger and better way.

To see pictures of the event, visit our photo gallery HERE

Moss Networks will be hosting and producing the highly anticipated Speed Networking sessions at the upcoming Affiliate Convention show taking place December 3-4 at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Los Angeles. Speed Networking allows you to make more new business contacts in one session than some people make all year long. Don’t miss the opportunity to network with other industry professionals and leave with a pocket full of business connections!

Sign up will take place on site at the Affiliate Convention show registration area. Speed Networking will take place at 2pm on Dec 3rd and 4th. Spots are first come first serve, so make sure you sign up as soon as you arrive.

For details about the Affiliate Convention visit: www.affiliateconvention.com
or contact bonnie@mossnetworks.com for questions or more details

Moss Networks is proud to announce that Advertise.com is the latest sponsor to come on board for the epic event happening November 4, 2009 in conjunction to the ad:tech NY show! Advertise.com (www.advertise.com) is a premier platform for search, display and performance marketing, which enables advertisers to reach a wider audience through their exclusive network of search engines and publisher properties.

“We are so excited to have Advertise.com as one of the sponsors of our VIP MIX+MINGLE event. They are a perfect addition to the high caliber of companies already attached to this event, such as Adknowledge and GenieKnows.com,” said Moss Networks President and Founder Bonnie Moss.

The VIP MIX+MINGLE event will take place on the opening night of the upcoming ad:tech show at New York’s most elite and desirable event destination, Hudson Terrace. The event stands apart from the mass of events going on at the tradeshow as it been uniquely designed to cater to needs of sponsors and their VIP clients. The team at Moss Networks is so happy to be working with Advertise.com, and hopes that this will be the first of many VIP MIX+MINGLE events that they will be a part of!

There is only one opportunity left for your company to become a sponsor! If you are interested in booking the last spot, or getting more details for this popular event, visit http://www.mossnetworks.com/mix/index.php.