Engage: Past and Present

Sometime in late 2009, we renamed Blue Shoe Strategy to Blue Shoe Content, recognizing that content is the cornerstone for all marketing. In doing this, we developed our strategic philosophy around Blue Shoe’s 3E’s. Engage. Entertain. Educate. If you do all three in your marketing efforts, you have the winning lottery ticket. Two is great and will serve you and your customers well. One is ok, now and again, but the goal is to make sure you entertain, educate, and engage.

We will be launching our new philosophical approach for the next decade and here’s a hint; B2's 4I’s. Yes, the words begin with the letter ‘I’. And, there are four of them. Stay tuned for our post right after Labor Day when we will place them for your consideration. In the meantime, and because they are still relevant after all these years; this week, we review some things, past and present around the 3E’s.

– Christine Merser, Founder, Blue2 Media

Engage

Waking up each day and putting together an outfit that doesn't look like the one you wore yesterday is easy if you have a closet the size of Kansas. Engage each time in a way that doesn't replicate anything you've done and your creativity will keep your customer interested. Or, put together a series that continues to engage and then you can run it as long as there is interest. They may buy your product over and over again, but keep the content around it ever-changing and it will feel like something fresh each time they see you or your brand.

Series Example:

The Beacon Hotel: "Room with a View Series" on Facebook

We love the Beacon Hotel, who was a social media and marketing client for most of the past decade. Our managing partner stays there when she is in New York City. We call her Eloise at the Beacon because it's like a second home to her. She noticed that whatever suite she stays in, she has a new and interesting view. So, we put it out there to the followers of the page and they engaged. We posted different rooms, at least once a month, and the response has included thousands of likes, comments, community engagement and shares AND resulted in receiving hundreds of images of the views from others who have stayed there. Win, win. The #RoomWithAView series has ran for more than eight years and continues to garner engagement.

Historical Context

McDonalds

Keith Reinhard, the mastermind behind the iconic McDonalds "You Deserve a Break Today" ad from the sixties said it best. McDonalds' president asked him how long he thought the ad should run. "Until no one deserves a break anymore." What he meant, we surmise, is that it should run until it no longer drew people in - until the ad no longer solicited a response from them. We agree, and we marvel that the Beacon's #RoomWithAView series continues to hold interest from the loyal followers of the Beacon Hotel.

This article is part of our series around our thirty years in business. August has us looking back … and planning for our new Blue2 Media launch in September.We would love to hear your thoughts.