I recently read a Facebook case study you might find interesting. The subject was the luxury kitchen appliance maker Sub-Zero and Wolf (same company) that are enjoying powerful results from a Facebook Page that has more than 90,000 fans since it was created in September of last year.
The company’s customer base is made up of older, affluent individuals. Its Facebook goal is not an immediate click-through sale but to focus on a smaller, exclusive audience and build passion for the product and the luxurious lifestyle Sub-Zero and Wolf customers enjoy.
Before Sub-Zero and Wolf developed its Facebook strategy, it studied Facebook’s demographics and found that users from 45-65 years of age make up about 20 percent of the social network’s population.
The company promotes its page through e-mails to customers encouraging them to join them on Facebook and Facebook ads targeted at their customers as well as their customers’ and customers’ Facebook fans. Once on Facebook, the company is finding these fans often click over to the main web sites after receiving information on new products, recipes and/or viewed or uploaded photos of Sub-Zero and Wolf kitchens.
What I find interesting is Sub-Zero and Wolf are finding new customers — not by jumping into social media but by following the basics:
- Having clear goals and objectives
- Doing the research to support those objectives
- Implementing a sound strategy
- Engaging in a conversation
- Measuring the results
Thanks to Placemaking Group’s Sacramento PR Vice President, Jan Burch for this post.
Tags: email marketing, Facebook
Products such as Sub Zero have such a strong, high quality brand; it makes sense that their Facebook would do so well. Facebook was the perfect platform to connect with customers and see what is working and what’s not… a marketers dream. If high-quality products such as Sub Zero do not use Facebook, they are letting easy customers slip away. The problem: everyone can see your “Facebook Research”.
I completely agree with Andrews comments. I’m sure that we will start to see a trend of similar high quality products become heavily endorsed through facebook. The pin-point marketing strategy that facebook provides has proven to be so effective that any company who is not using it is missing out.
I Love Sub-Zero kitchen appliances! I think that it is awesome that they have reached out to Facebookers since everyone has one. It was also a very good idea to do research and learn who it is they want to target. The ads are great on Facebook because you can make them so they reach your target market. I agree with Andrew as well when he says that high quality products should be on Facebook. Big company’s could be losing potential customers as well. By following the five basics i think that many business would be able to expand and grow their business.
This post reminded me a lot of some of the things that were mentioned in the book “Groundswell” that we read for class. Instead of just jumping right on the social media bandwagon, it sounds like Subzero really took the time to figure out what strategies would work the best for them and then came up with a solid plan. Social media isn’t something that you can just join and overnight have success. It looks like Subzero is thinking in the right direction!
I agree with Andrew, Rob, and Melissa’s comment. Facebook is such a great place to advertise and reach a large audience. Using Facebook to promote the company has many benefits so widening their potential consumers, get their products out there and to also spread the name. I think it won’t take long before more and more big name companies start marketing and advertising on Facebook.
SMC
Facebook is an important tool for all companies to utilize in expanding market-share and recognition. Because Sub-Zero is using Facebook in such an important way (especially in the growing times of Social Media), it will help to target new consumers – like the younger demographic – to understand more about the company. The fact that they are continuing to maintain their demographic of 45-65 year olds is very intriguing since Facebook is seemingly only used by people between the ages of 18-24. What Sub-Zero is doing is revolutionary by attracting the older demographic to use Facebook by becoming a “fan” of the company. I agree with everyone’s comments above and think that it is important to take note of what Sub-Zero is doing.
I was honestly surprised to see that people between ages 45-65 years old make up 20% of the social network’s population! I guess I just figured mostly college kids had it– so I would say that Sub-Zero did a great job researching this little niche!
The part of the post that really stuck out to me was:
“Once on Facebook, the company is finding these fans often click over to the main web sites after receiving information on new products…”
For our project, we created a page on FB for Lift and included the link to the lounges’ actual web page… we are hoping that fans of the page will click over to get more details on Lift, just as consumers on Subzero proved too.
I think that this Sub-Zero example is exactly what Facebook stands for. Using an international networking, marketing, and advertising source like Facebook is a great ideafor a company like Sub-Zero. A lot of people don’t realize that Facebook is a successful PR strategy to use for all products and types of businesses. Also, some people get the impression that Facebook only targets a certain type of audience. However this is not the case, and I think it’s important to understand how wide of a variety of people, interests, and demograhics Facebook really attracts throughout the world. Sub-Zero is the perfect model for this type of situation. Good job Sub-Zero!
Great example of a company doing social media right. In the next edition of Groundswell, Sub-Zero could be a case study. It seems like they definitely did their research and, most importantly, made sure their target market was in the space before they tried to enter it. If their demographic wasn’t already using facebook, it would have been a waste of time to create and manage a page. Since the target market was already using facebook, it was a great move. Props to Sub-Zero’s P.R. or marketing department.
I think that really defining one’s goals and target audience is key in becoming launching a successful marketing plan. I think often company’s get carried away with trying to do too much and appeal to too many people. Sub-Zero did a good job of really trying to gain that smaller Facebook population of 20%, but they made sure they did a good job, therefore they probably ended up gaining more followers rather than trying to grab everyone’s attention.
There success has been spectacular. It is such a high quality brand that people love to celebrate. Targeting the older users is something that I think we are now going to witness a lot more of. Coincedently I believe Sub-Zero have now release a Facebook UK profile. It will be interesting to see if they can recreate a similar reaction.
The transformation that has occurred on Facebook in the past few years is far from quantifiable. I created my Facebook to keep in touch with friends from home and meet new friends from Saint Mary’s. Now, the even appliance companies like Sub-Zero, among many other product lines, are creating fan pages and receiving high traffic on their pages. Now, companies would be foolish not to open some sort of social-networking site representing their product or service. Who would’ve thought a few years ago that we would receive requests to “Become a fan” of a certain refrigerator!
I agree with Tara, Facebook was once only for college students to keep in touch and share pictures, etc. Now businesses small and large are benefiting from Facebook to market and sell their product or services. Facebook has helped improve profitability and awareness of businesses that people may have never heard of otherwise. With the right plan, like that of Sub-Zeros, social media can be a very powerful and influential tool.
Its definitely a great way to market your company of FB since so many people are using it today. More and more people seem to be showing up on these advertisements. It also great for FB to make money. Business need to make their names known somehow and what better way then FB!
Skin Essentials is an example of a company with a Facebook that needs a little more re-organizing in order to clearly define their target audience, because we currently have a very wide range of ages interested in our products. Thus, we need to figure out what Facebook can really accomplish for the business.