Facebook Social Media Project
for Grand Millennium Kuala Lumpur
for Grand Millennium Kuala Lumpur
According to a survey conducted by international firm TNS, a Malaysian has an average of 233 friends in their social network (highest in the world). The idea on what the reach and what can be accomplished fascinates me. Hence why, after arriving in KL shortly and meeting with several bloggers, medias and digital media company, I found there is huge growth opportunity in the market for digital/social media.
Challenge: the current company I'm working in has been more comfortable with traditional method of communications (no surprise emarketer global report puts most top 100 fortune companies are still in the same shoes). How do I convince them into taking a leap of faith, given the opportunity is just right at their doorstep.
Solution 1: education, keynotes to the management team (lots of them) and patience.
Solution 1: education, keynotes to the management team (lots of them) and patience.
Solution 2: small stepping stone to a bigger one, present small success in small pockets with small budgets and raise up the bar the next time (along with the budget of course).
Solution 3: create more keynotes and strategic approach, as well as bigger picture for 2-5 years window. And the results as you can see below in details.
The result: Today, Grand Millennium Kuala Lumpur is slowly building the brand relationship and closing up the lack of awareness, at the same time establishing a two-way communication channel of promotions. Further to the success of case study and proven ROI to the company, the company has started to increase its investment in the social media tools such as ShortStack, HootSuite, MailChimp, etc securing its feet for the future. Plus the hotel manages four Facebook pages instead of just one generic channels, but at the end of the day your fans probably will not like it if you generalize them.
Social media is nice to have, but at the end of the day we are accountable for the eCommerce conversion and this platform, as well as strategy is built around the conversion objective.
The result: Today, Grand Millennium Kuala Lumpur is slowly building the brand relationship and closing up the lack of awareness, at the same time establishing a two-way communication channel of promotions. Further to the success of case study and proven ROI to the company, the company has started to increase its investment in the social media tools such as ShortStack, HootSuite, MailChimp, etc securing its feet for the future. Plus the hotel manages four Facebook pages instead of just one generic channels, but at the end of the day your fans probably will not like it if you generalize them.
Social media is nice to have, but at the end of the day we are accountable for the eCommerce conversion and this platform, as well as strategy is built around the conversion objective.
The Mill Cafe was my first project, in positioning the restaurant to be known in Kuala Lumpur again. The challenge is lack of distribution for our promotions, hence the landing page app with a dedicated fans voucher. The result, the page broke over 10k organic fans growth in 3 months time. With this, comes the growth of direct double opt-in email into our database on a regular basis.
Lai Ching Yuen is our newly rebranded restaurant had a blank sheet to start with, as well as fresh positioning. We wanted to focus on one key message, to be known 'again' as the best place to have dim sum. The result is a sweepstakes of dim sum class over the period of 8 weeks, with over 8 winners of the grand prize plus runner up winners. The brand new page break over 10k organic fans growth in 30 days time, with high engagement. Over 300 entries with complete contact data collected, with double opt-in permission obtained for future marketing opportunities.
Measuring beyond the fans number, using EdgeRank we measure what our post impact is like. The result of Lai Ching Yuen page, we perform above the excellent score. Which means our posts have the capability to travel further beyond our direct fans, our content also appear on the top wall posts of our fan's friends.
A growth comparison of The Mill and Lai Ching Yuen Facebook page growth. Which by hotel industry standard in KL we are the number one hotel with over 20k organic fans, plus highly engaged compared to other 5-star International hotels.
Third installment, an entertainment contest to reach a very targeted demographic of nightlife party people and create brand buzz impact around it.
The first phase - a photo contest, supported with targeted online and offline campaign to draw the contestants to submit their creative photos on our Facebook page. With amazing rewards as well.
Second phase - an open online photo voting opportunity.
Third phase - combine an online experience with an onsite event to leverage on the buzz that has been building, at the end of the day we need to draw the customers in and experience or the reason behind the party can be utilized to the hotel's benefit.
The first phase - a photo contest, supported with targeted online and offline campaign to draw the contestants to submit their creative photos on our Facebook page. With amazing rewards as well.
Second phase - an open online photo voting opportunity.
Third phase - combine an online experience with an onsite event to leverage on the buzz that has been building, at the end of the day we need to draw the customers in and experience or the reason behind the party can be utilized to the hotel's benefit.
The last and latest addition, the hotel official Facebook page. A different set of strategy and approach for the project.
The challenge: how to encourage people to book direct to the hotel, instead of via third parties and maintaining rate parity rule.
The solution: build a community with a two front approach - first, build a fan based on key feeder market, to ensure the fans can be converted into buyers over short or long term. Two, create it within the environment they are familiar with and spend a lot of time.
The answer: an integrated Facebook booking engine, that allows Facebook users to make secure bookings/transaction within Facebook itself. However, every hotel groups has this feature, that links booking engine into their Facebook page. Its nothing new, we took a look at reasons why people like a brand or company Facebook page. A lot of their reason is because they want to feel exclusive, rewarded and get special discounts. Hence the fans only rate, a great offer that we've put up to reward their loyalty, available 24-7 all year round.
Again, it builds the brand education and brand awareness, while at the same time ensuring there is ROI generated from the project.
The challenge: how to encourage people to book direct to the hotel, instead of via third parties and maintaining rate parity rule.
The solution: build a community with a two front approach - first, build a fan based on key feeder market, to ensure the fans can be converted into buyers over short or long term. Two, create it within the environment they are familiar with and spend a lot of time.
The answer: an integrated Facebook booking engine, that allows Facebook users to make secure bookings/transaction within Facebook itself. However, every hotel groups has this feature, that links booking engine into their Facebook page. Its nothing new, we took a look at reasons why people like a brand or company Facebook page. A lot of their reason is because they want to feel exclusive, rewarded and get special discounts. Hence the fans only rate, a great offer that we've put up to reward their loyalty, available 24-7 all year round.
Again, it builds the brand education and brand awareness, while at the same time ensuring there is ROI generated from the project.
An integrated booking engine that allows Facebook fans to book fans only rate, directly channeled to the hotel system in the background, safe, secure and instant confirmation. Best of all, Facebook users doesn't need to leave the Facebook environment.
On 15 March 2012, the final program for an integrated Facebook booking engine was officially launched and was the first one in Malaysia for users to book within Facebook and accompanied with a Fans rate as a reward. Granted this project is still categorized as Social Commerce 1.0, but its a big step for hotel industry in Malaysia or even Asia.
In less than a month, the fan page garnered over 10,000 fans joining the other two page giving the hotel over 40,000 fan base. The page achieved this by targeting interested key feeder market that has higher potential of visiting Kuala Lumpur and leveraged on Fans influence power or recommendation. The hotel page didn't launch a contest page to catapult its fan base in order to stay true to its objective of social commerce 1.0 and focusing on long-tail conversion, as well as building that conversation-relationship.
