Making Money With Your Phone: The Mobile Internet Marketing Revolution

Chapter 19 WeChat Marketing: The Key Position of Mobile Marketing (1)
7.1 Several keywords about WeChat marketing
With the advent of the era of WeChat marketing, countless companies are scrambling to join the WeChat public account platform and begin to explore their own WeChat marketing strategies.WeChat marketing is different from traditional offline marketing, and even different from common online marketing strategies.In the words of Ren Xin, COO of Tonight Hotel Specials, it is: "So far, enterprises have not seen a successful model that can be replicated on a large scale." Of course, this does not mean that the prospect of WeChat marketing is bleak, nor does it mean that ordinary companies cannot Accurately grasp the practical laws of WeChat marketing.

7.1.1 The “Foundation” of WeChat Marketing

No matter what platform marketing is, it is necessary to lay a good foundation for marketing, so what is the foundation of WeChat marketing?

[-]. Number of fans

WeChat, like Weibo, is geared towards followers, that is, fans.If your WeChat public account has only a few dozen fans, it has no marketing value at all.Although WeChat pays more attention to the quality of fans than Weibo, rather than quantity, this is still based on a certain base.According to the official certification standard of WeChat public account, you need at least 500 subscribers.Of course, we have many ways to increase the number of WeChat fans, which will be introduced in detail in the following sections.

[-]. Brand image

It is not commonplace to talk about brand image in the field of WeChat marketing. Zeng Ming, product director of Tencent WeChat, said when explaining the positioning and development of WeChat public platform: WeChat public platform is not a marketing tool, but a tool that provides interactive communication, user management and service customization.Zeng Ming reminded public account operators to provide valuable services, and to be "come and go as soon as they are called" by users.This reveals the psychological needs of WeChat users: "We don't need overwhelming advertising publishers, what we need are high-quality resource providers." Therefore, when doing WeChat marketing, enterprises can no longer use traditional marketing thinking, but must use fresh information , High-quality content sharing to cultivate user stickiness, and subtly establish an excellent and professional image of its own brand through high-quality soft articles.Only in this way can you keep your fans while waiting for the opportunity to convert them into your customers.

[-]. Social relationship resources

Certain social relationship resources are an effective driving force for WeChat marketing.The relationship between people is divided into strengths and weaknesses, and it is also divided into levels.Someone once summed up the difference between Weibo and WeChat in this way: Weibo is a complex network based on weak relationships, while WeChat is a P2P network based on strong relationships.Therefore, the focus of WeChat marketing is to radiate through the strong relationship network associated with each individual to create a huge and solid potential user network.Therefore, enterprises must start from the development of the social network of enterprise personnel for WeChat marketing.

[-]. Copywriting level

As mentioned earlier, the important role of WeChat is to provide high-quality information, which requires excellent text editing.It is impossible for an ambitious company to just forward popular articles on the Internet to WeChat fans, and this approach cannot substantially promote its own brand and products.In the information pushed by the WeChat public account, there should be some high-quality soft articles, which requires superb copywriting.It should be noted that the level of copywriting is not enough now, because more WeChat users like messages with exquisite layout and rich pictures and texts. Therefore, an American editor who can carry out corresponding art design based on high-quality text is also essential.

If your company does not have the above 4 points, it will be quite difficult to do marketing on WeChat.But don't be discouraged, those companies with monthly revenues of millions have also accumulated and accumulated step by step.The popularity of WeChat will not "subside" within a year or two, so the foundation construction of WeChat marketing is not a matter of a day or two.

7.1.2 Basic Principles of WeChat Marketing
Although there is no example of WeChat marketing that can be used as a model for all enterprises, it does not mean that its success has no reference value.Through the analysis of many cases, we have summarized several basic principles of WeChat marketing, which are also common methods.

[-]. The principle of good faith: Wechat for success and wechat for failure

Some unscrupulous companies do marketing by shooting a gun and changing places. If there are user complaints in the forum, they will change to Weibo, and Weibo will switch to WeChat if scandals break out on Weibo... As everyone knows, in the era of mobile Internet, all circles are basically connected. together.Those companies that do not speak honesty are often approached by former users only after opening a WeChat public account.At the same time, even if there were no product quality defect scandals in the past, the rapid spread of WeChat among acquaintances will make the consequences of a little service problem be quickly magnified.Therefore, an important principle of WeChat marketing is: keep integrity and be consistent.

[-]. The principle of interaction: get close to customers and create a dynamic brand

WeChat is essentially a communication tool for instant communication with friends, so companies must adhere to the principle of interaction when doing WeChat marketing. The establishment of emotions between people depends on continuous interaction.Without interaction, no matter how many friends you have, they are just useless numbers.You know, people who are willing to follow you on WeChat must be interested in what you provide (information, products, services, etc.), so what you have to do is to constantly strengthen his understanding through interaction.The best way is to let the managers of WeChat public accounts gradually build a dynamic and creative brand image in a friendly and interesting way.When your company changes from a cold trademark to an indispensable good friend in their life, your marketing will be more than half successful.

The famous food brand "Juewei Duck Neck" often interacts with fans on WeChat. In addition to common promotional interactions, it often publishes some food stories or humorous jokes, and holds some creative activities from time to time.For example, Juewei once held an open recruitment event on WeChat, looking for "experts" from all walks of life from fans, and recruiting them to its own banner.This interactive method of "recruitment on the surface, but marketing in fact" has attracted the attention of many fans, and its brand influence has been further enhanced.

Coincidentally, many WeChat public accounts have a 10-minute love for "recruitment-style" interactive marketing. The following is another example.

[-]. The principle of feedback: benefit in exchange for loyalty
In the face of those users who have already purchased your products, your company should express gratitude to them in a timely manner, including pushing thank you messages, giving electronic coupons, etc., so that users can truly feel your sincerity.Affordable in exchange for loyalty, those old customers who are willing to spend repeatedly for you are the group with the most cost-effective marketing.At the same time, this kind of feedback can also embed some promotional elements, such as adding information such as "share to 5 WeChat friends, and they will also get the same discount" in the gifted electronic coupons, that is, to let those users who feel that they have received a benefit get a coupon. An opportunity to share this benefit with your friends.This feedback method not only stabilizes old customers, but also discovers new customers.

In March 2014, Juewei Duck Neck promoted the activity of "grab duck neck for a penny" on WeChat.This event is not simply a reward, it is a joint marketing by Alipay Wallet and Juewei.During the event, consumers can enjoy the super discount of paying only one penny with Alipay wallets when they buy a duck neck at Juewei duck neck stores in more than 3 cities across the country.This approach is so similar to the previous "Kuaidi Dache" and "Didi Dache", except that the target group has changed from taxi users to "foodies".Through this activity, Alipay Wallet attracted more mobile payment users, and Juewei Duck Neck accumulated popularity and increased sales through feedback activities.

To sum up, we can see that WeChat marketing is different from previous Internet marketing. Because it targets high-quality target users, it requires system preparation and long-term operation. Because of this, its marketing value does not lie in short-term sales performance improvement, but in It is the long-term development of enterprises and brands.The emergence of WeChat has gradually changed our way of life, and the core of corporate WeChat marketing is to strive to integrate into this new way of life.

7.2 Advanced Marketing: Playing with WeChat Public Accounts

"Father of WeChat" Zhang Xiaolong made this statement on the original intention of developing WeChat: "I especially hope that WeChat can help individuals and make them shine. As long as a person has a little idea, he can have 100 readers. Even one As long as a blind person has a skill such as massage, he can find 100 customers through WeChat and survive. Then this blind person can also have his own brand, his own fan base, and his own customers." This passage corresponds exactly to WeChat The slogan of the public platform: "No matter how small an individual is, he has his own brand."

Mobile Internet marketing is inseparable from WeChat marketing, and WeChat marketing is inseparable from WeChat public accounts.The launch of the WeChat public account perfectly combines the three aspects of "message sending", "customer connection" and "customer management", providing many small and medium-sized enterprises with a brand-new platform for interacting with customers.Of course, the WeChat public account does not only serve small and medium-sized enterprises, it provides an opportunity for almost all types of enterprises to establish a brand, provide services, and develop customers.

7.2.1 What WeChat Official Accounts Can Do

[-]. Cultivate valuable and active customers
The emergence of WeChat has changed the way people communicate in their lives. The WeChat marketing of enterprises should aim at how to "integrate into this new lifestyle" and make your brand and WeChat a part of users' lives.Therefore, for an enterprise, the number of user subscriptions to its WeChat public account is actually not important, but the quality of these subscribers, that is, their loyalty and activity.If Weibo marketing is to build brand awareness and cultivate attention, then the focus of WeChat marketing is to build user loyalty, cultivate the highest quality active users, and turn them into loyal fans of your brand.

Due to the significant difference between WeChat and Weibo in terms of marketing focus and user usage methods, the WeChat public account of an enterprise should not undergo a large number of updates and pushes like the official Weibo.As Zeng Ming, product director of WeChat, said: "WeChat public account is not a pure marketing tool, you must let your public account provide the best value of the enterprise." Content information, so that WeChat users gradually get used to reading the information you push before going to bed, is the best choice to cultivate user loyalty.Of course, interested companies can also update an interesting piece of information between 8 and 9:7 in the morning for office workers to read on their way to work.

[-]. Quickly communicate with target customers

Many people have misunderstood WeChat marketing, thinking that WeChat marketing is to use WeChat to market.In fact, the essence of WeChat marketing is to attract customers to WeChat through marketing, and then complete transactions through WeChat.WeChat is a guiding communication tool, and its most important role is reflected in customer service, secondary conversion of sales, user stickiness and brand reputation improvement.What enterprises need to do in the early stage of publicity is to import customers into WeChat through other promotion methods, and use the basic functions of WeChat public accounts to deepen relationships and deepen recognition, so as to finally facilitate transactions.

WeChat is a short message platform, but this kind of "short message" is richer in content.Many celebrities have also opened public accounts, and they will push a voice or small video every day before going to bed. This more vivid "text message" makes every fan feel the kindness of the star, thus further enhancing the "user stickiness".Of course, the core value of WeChat public accounts is to proactively provide customers with valuable information.Although this is a one-way communication, this kind of communication can still cultivate trust and dependence, that is, provide users with high-quality information to attract users' continuous attention.As long as fickle mobile Internet users don't unfollow you for a day, your communication is successful.

[-]. Effectively manage loyal customers

The corporate WeChat public account is actually a customer relationship management system, because the basic information of each user who subscribes to you can be viewed, and you can query, analyze, and manage these information, combined with user query push information records, for effective customer management.On the one hand, it analyzes the information that is most popular with customers and improves the content. On the other hand, it summarizes the characteristics of loyal customers. From a certain perspective, the WeChat public account is a natural customer relationship management platform.

In fact, the WeChat public account is a market research and response system for valued customers.While providing users with information and services, enterprises can also formulate corresponding word-of-mouth promotion plans based on feedback, subtly influencing users to actively promote their own brands.

[-]. Provide service products directly

With the continuous upgrade of the version and the optimized design of the public account by the enterprise, WeChat is no longer limited to a communication tool.Through secondary development, public accounts have gradually transformed from a media-based marketing tool into a product that directly provides services.

"Taxi Xiaomi" is a taxi-hailing service product based on the secondary development of the WeChat public platform. It started from WeChat and accumulated a group of loyal users before gradually developing into an APP.Users only need to find this public account in the WeChat query function and pay attention, the system will automatically send a graphic message, click to enter and go directly to the HTML5 taxi page, and the subsequent operation is the same as the general taxi application function, through automatic positioning And enter the destination to complete the call operation.

Before Tencent and Ali spent huge sums of money to promote Didi Dache and Kuaidi Dache, Dache Xiaomi has always been the first choice for mobile Internet users to hail taxis.

7.2.2 Positioning of WeChat Official Accounts

As Zhang Xiaolong said, WeChat does not have a standard positioning, and how companies use it determines what it is.Since the basis of WeChat’s establishment is user experience, those public accounts that are too publicized will be abandoned by users.But after upgrading from a marketing tool to a service product, this dilemma disappeared.Moreover, users with relevant needs will take the initiative to come to follow you.

The official account of China Southern Airlines was launched in September 2012. In January and March 9, the "WeChat check-in service" and "text and voice query platform" were respectively launched. Check-in, select seats and check flight weather by voice on your mobile phone.This setting of directly targeting user needs makes a large number of potential users take the initiative to pay attention.

China Merchants Bank credit card WeChat customer service platform was also launched in December 2012. After following this platform, users can conveniently and quickly handle most of the credit card business such as credit card application, bill inquiry, personal data modification, etc., and can also receive credit cards on China Merchants Bank through WeChat All transaction information generated.

Taxi booking, air ticket booking, hotel booking, food recommendation, credit card service... more and more service products are launched through WeChat public accounts, which has accelerated the pace of WeChat's integration into our daily life.If WeChat is gradually becoming "a way of life" in the mobile Internet era, then the WeChat public account is the key department responsible for providing basic services in this way of life.At the same time, the WeChat public platform is also an independent and complete ecosystem. It can not only provide peripheral services for large enterprises such as airlines and banks, but also provide a development platform for small and medium-sized enterprises such as taxi-hailing software.On the basis of WeChat account system, message push notification, geographical location and secure payment, I believe that every enterprise can find the most suitable WeChat marketing cheats for them.

7.3 The service number is to the left, and the subscription number is to the right

After the release of WeChat 5.0, there are two types of public accounts, one is a subscription account and the other is a service account. At the beginning of registration, enterprises can choose to become a subscription account or a service account. All previous public accounts default to subscription accounts.In simple terms, service accounts are designed to provide services to users, such as China Merchants Bank and China Southern Airlines.The subscription account is designed to provide users with information and information, such as: Cycling Tibet, CCTV News.

7.3.1 Difference between service account and subscription account
The table below explains the similarities and differences between service accounts and subscription accounts.

Account Type Service Account Subscription Account

Display the location service number and display it in the subscriber's address book. The subscription number is displayed in the user's subscription number folder.
Message push can only send 1 group message within 1 month, can send 1 group message every day

The message shows the message sent to the subscriber, and it is displayed in the other party's chat list. The message sent to the subscriber is displayed in the other party's subscription number folder

Message reminder When sending a message to the user, the user will receive an instant message reminder When sending a message to the user, the user will not receive an instant message reminder
Menu type Service account can apply for custom menu Subscription account does not support application for custom menu

Since the enterprise has only one opportunity to choose a service account or a subscription account when registering, how to choose between a service account and a subscription account has become an important issue for enterprise WeChat marketing.

From the perspective of WeChat's own development, the service account is the key object of its promotion.The new version of WeChat separates the service account and provides setting permissions for custom menus, aiming to turn the service account into an APP. This not only broadens the development prospects of WeChat, but also provides many companies with opportunities to expand WeChat marketing content and optimize WeChat marketing methods. Chance.

(End of this chapter)