CHAPTER 7

Engagement Marketing in Action

Real-World Examples

As a small business owner, you may already be doing pieces of Engagement Marketing and wondering how to tie everything together. Or you may be wondering how to get the cycle started—or even if what you’re reading really works. In this chapter, we show you the money!

In the first example, you’ll meet Bob Tullio of Gourmet Coffee Service, a small business in Southern California. Tullio had to think creatively in order to compete with national corporations that were gobbling up local coffee service businesses. Tullio’s engagement strategy, which centered around an e-newsletter and a Facebook Page, didn’t cost a lot of money or take much time—but it sure did net some fantastic results, including engaged clients, new business, and increased revenue.

Maas Nursery, a family-owned business in Houston, Texas, had to compete against the national big box chains. Cristina Maas Batz realized that she and her parents needed to step up their marketing efforts. The nursery used Engagement Marketing to create a community in which their customers would feel involved. Maas’s engagement engine included an e-newsletter, on-site classes, a Facebook Page, and a Twitter account. Within two years, sales were up—a huge accomplishment in a down economy—and people who had never heard of the nursery were beating a path to its door.

Nonprofits often have to reach various audiences, such as benefactors, potential members, and people who might attend ...

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