4 Things You Need to Know About Social Media

Before diving head first into a social media marketing plan for your company (side note: we ALWAYS recommend going in with a plan) there are a few things you should seriously consider. Many people do not fully understand the concept of social media marketing and why it is so entirely different from traditional methods of the past.

Here are 4 important things you should know before you take the plunge:

1) Social Media does not provide instant gratification

Social media is built on relationship building and communication. Building trust and relationships take time.  Also, working the tools and putting in the effort to make your social media plan a success also takes time. It is not a matter of signing up for a social media profile and watching droves of people rush in immediately.  Although you may feel you are not getting desired results right away, do not get discouraged! The relationships that you are building will lead to loyal, repeat customers that will be worth the wait.

2) Social Media is more than a tool for broadcasting.

This is a hard one for some people to grasp, especially since in the traditional world of advertising everything boils down to broadcasting. What message do we want to put out there? What do we want people to know about us?…You get the point. The rules have changed. Instead of shouting out your message, social media is about authentically listening and communicating. It is about connecting with like-minded individuals and posting relevant content worthy of attention. Companies successfully participating in social media bring value to the table and they adopt the approach of “the more you give the more you get.”  Focus on promoting others, listening to others and taking an unselfish approach.

3) Social Media is a long-term effort

I once read that traditional advertising and the typical advertising campaign concept can be compared to a one night stand. Social media is the committed relationship. Now don’t get me wrong, campaigns are great and when done well can be extremely effective. In the digital sense, campaigning through methods such as viral videos can be a great way to creatively set yourself apart. The point here is that a long-term social media presence needs to be in place in order to back those efforts up. Unlike a campaign that runs its course and ends, social media is constant and requires that attention. Do not go to social media when its time to promote your latest event. Instead, focus on long term relationship building.

4) Social Media involves more than technical skills

We hear it so often, “I’m not really a computer person, so I’m going to give these social media responsibilities to a recent college grad or intern who uses the computer all the time.” Beware! Just because someone can use the computer does not mean they are automatically a candidate to handle your social media. Likewise, just because you may not be a “technical person” does not mean that you do not possess the skill set necessary to make these tools work. Having a vast knowledge of computers aside (the tools are very easy to navigate), the person or company designated to run your social media efforts must possess a strong synergy with your company’s brand. The voice of your social media is going to become the voice of your brand. This is not to be taken lightly and requires a skill set far beyond technical capabilities. Many web development companies are now offering social media as part of their services. Be sure to do your research. Coding a website is very different from portraying your brand properly on social media.

In a nutshell: Social media marketing is effective when a company realizes they must focus on building relationships as opposed to “one night stand” campaigns and broadcasting their message. Keep in mind, a loyal following is built through communication over time. Do not allow someone to handle this important communication just because they are “technical.”

Domino’s terrorizes “pizza holdouts”

In their latest campaign, Domino’s Pizza focused a lot cash & coin on advertising to just 3 people. But, the world was watching. In a recent survey, Domino’s found that everyone thought their pizza was terrible. In an effort to change that perception, they changed their recipe. What has followed is an ingenious “out of the box” campaign driving the message that only a hand full of people have yet to try the new pie. A micro-site (www.pizzaholdouts.com) and YouTube campaign featuring the story of 3 of the remaining offenders being bombarded with ads targeted directly at them made up the push.

This is a very good example of guerrilla marketing at its finest. When was the last time you did something that pushed the envelope? Our goal is to always do something a little different, never be just a part of the crowd.  The next time you’re faced with an advertising decision, ask yourself if what you’re doing will make that splash or not. Domino’s did an outstanding job getting the point across in a new, unique and news-worthy way. Not to mention, the harnessed power of YouTube as part of anything you do will only assist in pushing you way ahead of your competitor.

Do us all a favor and be creative, think outside the safety zone and make an impact.

Word of Mouth Marketing at its Finest

While Mak and I were  in Philly this week for business I had the opportunity to witness word of mouth marketing at its finest.

We were eating lunch at the bar of the White Dog Cafe (which just happens to be one of my favorite restaurants) enjoying our lunch when the woman next to us spilled her glass of wine. This would not have been a big deal except that it splashed all over my long, WHITE coat. I was horrified, especially since I only wear this coat occasionally to avoid spilling something on it.  Everyone at the bar of course saw what happened and was trying to help. Instantly, people starting recommending that I get a Tide Pen to get the stains out. One person mentioned it then another chimed in about how well it works, then another.  Which brings me to my point… Tide with their Tide Pen has done such a great job of branding their product that people can instantly remember where to turn when a stain occurs.  Not only that, they have turned these people into promoters of their product! Every company’s dream.  Tide is also fostering this word of mouth online as their Facebook wall allows consumers to post how they were able to salvage their stains.  People are singing Tide’s praises! You cannot get better advertising than that.

Here are some tips for a business to start creating positive word of mouth that translates in the realm of social media, but also in offline situations:

Tide Pen saves the day!

1) Have a product worth talking about: Does your product live up to its promises? Make sure your advertising is not misleading consumers. The Tide Pen would never get the recognition it does if it didn’t work! Is there something exceptional about your product that would get people talking?

2) Provide a way for customers to communicate with you:  Let your customers tell you how they feel. Allow them to have an open dialogue and express their feelings about your product or service.

3) Offer exceptional customer service: Listen to what your customers are saying whether it is positive or negative.  Value their opinions and act accordingly. The way a company responds to a consumer is unbelievably important.  Your customers will feel empowered and happy, which is key when developing a word of mouth strategy.

4) Amplify word of mouth through various tactics: Partnering with organizations, creating loyalty programs, using blogs to disperse information, educating consumers are all just some of the ways word of mouth can be amplified once the essentials of product and customer service are in place.

Have a WOM tip to share? I would love to hear it! P.S. The Tide Pen worked and my white coat is just like new!

Common Social Media Mistakes

Many businesses are jumping into the social media realm full force and we applaud these efforts! Likewise, many people are falling prey to common mistakes and errors.  Although social media tools are relatively simple to operate from a technical standpoint, the mindset that a business must adopt in order to approach these tools correctly is not so simple.

I just read a blog post by Mirna Bard entitled, “Top 50 Social Media Mistakes Made by Small Businesses.“ I thought this post was excellent because it gives businesses a concise way to ensure they are following the “unsaid rules” of social media. I thought this list was worth repeating as making these mistakes can be very detrimental to the success of a business’ social media efforts. Use this list as a checklist to determine what needs to be changed or what you are doing right!

1. Lack of planning (Huge one!)
2. Lack of clear and measurable objectives
3. Not learning about social media
4. Lack of knowledge about target audience
5. No commitment
6. Lack of consistency
7. Not realizing that there is a time dedication
8. Worrying too much about negative comments and brand haters
9. Focusing too much about the technology aspect
10. Passing the buck to assistants and interns
11. Spreading themselves too thin by creating profiles everywhere
12. Not completing profiles
13. Uploading pictures of pets or children for avatars
14. Fake friending just to pitch
15. Only talking about oneself, brand or products
16. Hard selling
17. Using the same tactics on every site
18. Responding to every negative comment
19. Not thinking before commenting
20. Not measuring (Another huge one!)
21. Giving up on social media too easily
22. Forgetting it’s about 2-way dialogue
23. Setting profiles and forgetting them
24. Thinking social media is a magic solution to their business problems
25. Jumping on without having a hub (web site or blog)
26. Neglecting to put links back to their web site or blog
27. Not taking a enough time to do research and listen/observe
28. No systems in place
29. Not focusing on core tasks
30. Not separating business and personal social media time
31. Putting eggs all in one basket
32. Continuing with tactics that are clearly not working for them
33. Taking the time to put a social media schedule in place
34. Not setting time boundaries
35. Not paying attention to customer needs
36. Not providing value
37. Not knowing how to integrate with other marketing/advertising efforts
38. Not knowing how to use all the social media categories together
39. Focusing too much on number of fans/followers/friends
40. Not making enough effort to seek out the right sites for their target audience
41. Neglected (not updating) websites or blogs
42. Using generic or auto responses
43. Spamming people with private messages, DMs or e-mails
44. Using social media as a replacement strategy
45. Not willing to experiment
46. Being close-minded about adding strangers to network
47. Not learning from mistakes
48. Bribing bloggers and others to write about products and services
49. Not spending time finding evangelists and influencers
50. Forgetting that building relationships can be lots of fun

Thank you, Mirna, for compiling this great list.

Facebook, Customer Service, and Peep-Toe Wedges.

It is a widely accepted notion that social media is changing the way we do business. Long gone are the days where people might tell a few of their friends about a positive or negative customer experience. Now, they can tell their entire network of contacts and essentially the world through social media. This idea scares many people, however, the benefits of social media and this interaction cannot be ignored.

One benefit of social media that should cause any business who has shunned the idea of participating to go to their computers right now and get involved is – customer service. We all know why good customer service is so important to a business’ well-being, but many forget the ease at which social media allows this interaction to take place.

Cute shoes!

The reason for my excitement over such customer service is a recent experience I had with a brand on Facebook. Anthropologie is probably my favorite store. (I wish there was one closer to Gettyburg!)  I was browsing their website as I normally do and found the cutest pair of peep toe wedges. Unfortunately, they didn’t come in my size. Normally, I would say “oh well” and move on, but these shoes were different. I really wanted them.  Since I am a fan of Anthropologie on Facebook I figured I might as well post something on their wall just to see if they would be getting more in. I expected someone to write back to me, but say something a long the lines of “we should be getting another shipment in the spring.. etc.”) But instead , the administrator posted a comment with an email address saying they would help me find the shoes. After emailing back and forth with them, they were able to locate the shoes for me at their Newport Beach store. Not only did they find the shoes I wanted, but they put them on hold for me!

Now that’s customer service. Not to mention, customer service that in my case I would have never received were it not for the ease Facebook brought to the situation. I would have not bothered inquiring on the website.

Social media is not something to fear, but should be seen as (among other things of course) a portal for amplified customer service. What are you doing to increase your customer service online? Anthropologie just earned me as a fan for life.

I would love to hear your experiences with customer service on social media!

Effective Marketing Requires More than Perceived Value

Before the digital age of today, effective advertising meant creating perceived value through its communication. Marketing does indeed need to communicate value to an audience, however, the actual products and experiences must become the biggest asset.  With social media and countless amounts of information accessible to us via the internet, a product or services inability to stand out from the crowd and offer actual value is going to hurt. Despite the advertising message, a person’s experience with the product is going to far outweigh any perceived value attributed to the product.

Frank Streifler in his AdWeek post entitled “5 Marketing Principles Brands Should Embrace in 2010″ explains this so well:

A Bain & Co. survey notes that 80 percent of CEOs believe their product to be differentiated, but only 8 percent of consumers agree. And Y&R’s recent Brand Asset Valuator found a 90 percent erosion in brand differentiation over the last 10 years. These are not just sad examples of illusory superiority, but a staggering statement of our industry’s failure to add value in the past decade.

It’s critical that marketers realize that the product itself is the most powerful brand-building tool. We’ve all heard it before: “innovate or die.” But today’s hyper-connected society adds a sense of urgency to this broadly accepted mantra because mediocrity is getting extinguished with increasing speed via social networks.

Because reality always trumps image, marketing needs to create real value versus just adding a perceived value. Marketers need to shape the offer — the product, service and experiences consumer buy — not just communicate it. Marketing becomes the product and the product becomes the marketing.

I would love to hear your thoughts on creating real vs. perceived value!

Business, Social Media, and Authenticity

Being genuine and authentic are words that inevitably pop up in conversations about social media and social media marketing. It sounds simple enough, but yet people sometimes still get caught in the trap of shameless self promotion and appear like a robot instead of engaging with users and participating meaningfully.

I’ve been thinking about authenticity a lot lately. Not only in online communication, but in the business world. “Authenticity” seems so open-ended.  I asked myself what does it really mean to be authentic? What are the characteristics of a business that is acting that way?

I came up with the following that can be translated in the social media realm…

1. Authentic Businesses Are “Givers” : Instead of promoting themselves, Authentic Businesses share the love! They link to numerous blogs and comment on blogs. They spread Re-tweets and give credit where credit is due. People appreciate givers and these businesses give a lot!

2. Authentic Businesses Add to the Conversation: Social media is like a party. People are chatting and mingling with different people in the room. Likewise, people on social media sites such as Twitter are all chatting about anything and everything. You wouldn’t (hopefully!) walk into a party and start shouting about your latest promotion. Most of us will be friendly, start chatting, meet someone new, ask them about themselves. Business may certainly come up, but sincerely adding to the conversation is foremost.

2. Authentic Businesses Are Helpful: Some people are afraid to give out their expertise and advice. They hold on to their knowledge with a tight fist. In another blog post I have mentioned the theory of an open hand. Sand falls out of a tight fist, but and open hand will hold it. The same holds true with the information you provide via social media. YES it is “giving your expertise away for free.” But the upside is so much better. People establish your credibility, they trust you, and they are more likely to reach to you when it comes to a purchase decision.  Helpful businesses show that they care about their customers and consumers will remember a business that has helped them.

3.  Authentic Businesses Realize Relationships Take Time: Relationships need communication, honesty, and trust. With those key elements, it will build over time. Social media is no different. If you take the time to cultivate, relationships will grow.

4. Authentic Businesses Practice the Golden Rule: It’s common sense, but so often people forget. If you would not want it done to you, then don’t do it!

This Blog Post is an excellent, practical guide to follow to ensure you are on the right track to building authenticity and meaningful online communication. 19 Presence Management Chores You Could Do Every Day

Social Media in Plain English

I came across this YouTube video and thought it was excellent! For those still asking yourselves, “what’s the point?” , this short video should help answer some questions. Plus, it’s very entertaining! (You might get hungry for ice cream though.)  Enjoy!

Tight Marketing Budget? Inexpensive Marketing Tips for Retail, Restaurants, and Entertainment Businesses

It seems that businesses are cutting back as much as they can. Unfortunately, this often means that marketing and advertising budgets take a back seat. This is one of the worst things to do! Remaining consistent with your advertising while others are cutting back and disappearing results in gaining market share and more customers!

However, we all realize that sometimes budget cuts are inevitable. Here are some marketing tricks and hints that will help your business boost marketing effectiveness, even when money is tight.

• Begin Employing a Social Media Strategy: If you haven’t heard about the massive power and impact social media marketing holds for your business, you may need to check your pulse! Social media presents the perfect avenue for customer conversation and interaction! Get your customers and potential customers involved, talk to them, and ask for feedback. There are SO many ways social media can be used to benefit your business. Just a few of them include:

• Build relationships with loyal customers
• Communicate, communicate, communicate!
• Drive traffic to your blog and website
• Market your brand and your business
• Share your expertise
• Answer questions/ ask questions
• Stay current with the latest industry trends
• Search engine optimization
• Avenue for promotions

Confused about getting started? These entries may also be helpful for you to check out:

A Social Media Strategy Is a Must

Twitter for Business

• Get Creative – Use Guerrilla Marketing Techniques: Guerrilla marketing encompasses a vast category of methods, but at the core I like to explain it as “marketing with an added value.” This may be entertainment, information, or just making someone feel good! For example, guerrilla marketing could be sending out a quarterly or monthly newsletter. The newsletter must contain valuable information (i.e. preview of new products, tips and advice). Another example could be using unusual, attention-getting media, like sidewalk displays. Yet another example would be to record your customer’s birthdays, anniversaries, and other occasions and send them a special note from your business. The possibilities are endless! Guerrilla marketing requires more creativity, but works wonderfully for those on a tight marketing budget.

• In-Store Marketing: A sometimes ignored method, in-store marketing is extremely important in turning the people coming through your door into loyal, long-term and repeat customers. There are a variety of inexpensive methods that can take your business to new levels in the mind’s of your customers.

• Offer your customers complimentary coffee
• Collect names for a drawing or contest
• Offer a gift with purchase
• Create a loyalty program

These are just some of the ways you can inexpensively market in your store and turn customers into fans!

Have other “Marketing on a Tight Budget” Tips? I would love to hear them! Please share below.

Social Media is Killing Business

I just read an article in Ad Age Digital that inspired me to write this blog post. The article entitled “Why I Hate Social Media” by Matt Jones struck a chord with me for many reasons and I absolutely agree with his premise.

To summarize the article, Matt is explaining how marketers are taking their same, old, stale ideas and translating them into social media. He says, “Let’s get really radical and stop trying to keep marketing 1.0 thinking alive with Web 2.0 media.” He is very clear that he is not discounting the social web or the transformative power the technology holds. He claims that there are brands who are utilizing these tools for the betterment of their consumers and companies, but at the same time, there are those brands that totally miss the mark on authenticity and the proverbial “point” of social media. All this brings him to the conclusion that instead of intensifying their mundane messages, companies should focus on creating better stories. The line I love the most is “Most people are still looking for real things: experiences, connections, value, stories, emotions.”

Cartoon by Geek and Poke

That line is what I want to talk about.

It is so easy to get caught up in what’s new and right now [social media] that many other important marketing aspects are left to the wayside. How often have you heard someone complain that Comcast gives better service on Twitter than they do in “real life.” In my opinion, then what’s the point? You can create a tantalizing message via social media, but if you can’t follow through with TRUE value and experiences, then it is completely useless. By true value, I am referring to what a customer actually receives when connecting with your brand. Businesses that are in a B to C environment especially need to put effort into the experiences and authentic emotional connections with their customers. When this happens, your customers will become your biggest fan and advertise for you through their positive recommendations and word of mouth!! This is the ultimately goal.

So the question remains, how does your brand create those stories…stories that engage, connect, and create emotional impact?

I don’t think anyone says it better than Seth Godin. Seth wrote an article for ODE Magazine, entitled “How to Tell a Great Story.” I have included it below:

A great story is true. Not necessarily because it’s factual, but because it’s consistent and authentic. Consumers are too good at sniffing out inconsistencies for a marketer to get away with a story that’s just slapped on.

Great stories make a promise. They promise fun, safety or a shortcut. The promise needs to be bold and audacious. It’s either exceptional or it’s not worth listening to.

Great stories are trusted. Trust is the scarcest resource we’ve got left. No one trusts anyone. People don’t trust the beautiful women ordering vodka at the corner bar (they’re getting paid by the liquor company). People don’t trust the spokespeople on commercials (who exactly is Rula Lenska?). And they certainly don’t trust the companies that make pharmaceuticals (Vioxx, apparently, can kill you). As a result, no marketer succeeds in telling a story unless he has earned the credibility to tell that story.

Great stories are subtle. Surprisingly, the fewer details a marketer spells out, the more powerful the story becomes. Talented marketers understand that allowing people to draw their own conclusions is far more effective than announcing the punch line.

Great stories happen fast. First impressions are far more powerful than we give them credit for. Great stories don’t always need eight-page colour brochures or a face-to-face meeting. Either you are ready to listen or you aren’t.

Great stories don’t appeal to logic, but they often appeal to our senses. Pheromones aren’t a myth. People decide if they like someone after just a sniff.

Great stories are rarely aimed at everyone. Average people are good at ignoring you. Average people have too many different points of view about life and average people are by and large satisfied. If you need to water down your story to appeal to everyone, it will appeal to no one. The most effective stories match the world view of a tiny audience—and then that tiny audience spreads the story.

Great stories don’t contradict themselves. If your restaurant is in the right location but had the wrong menu, you lose. If your art gallery carries the right artists but your staff is made up of rejects from a used car lot, you lose. Consumers are clever and they’ll see through your deceit at once.

Most of all, great stories agree with our world view. The best stories don’t teach people anything new. Instead, the best stories agree with what the audience already believes and makes the members of the audience feel smart and secure when reminded how right they were in the first place.

Social Media is an excellent avenue for getting your story out, but just make sure you have the “real stuff” to back it up.