7 Things to know about Social Media

withCatherine Tryon

La Crosse Chamber of Commerce Business over Breakfast Nov. 16, 2009

Why should you care about Social Media for your business?

Social Media = building communities!

Trust is the new currency.

Free to participate - biggest cost is time.

Social Media programs are becoming legitimate marketing tools.

1. Think Ripple Effect

Businesses and Organizations are challenged to create deeper and more meaningful relationships with their clients.

Ripple effect has long lasting and far reaching capabilities.

The Big Splash

Having a huge budget doesn’t mean anything in Social Media

Big event and then it’s done.

You (the company) can’t just say it. You have to get the people to say it to each other!

James Farley, CMO Ford Motor Company

2. Have A Strategy

What are you trying to accomplish by using Social Media?

More Sales Higher SEO Rankings Crisis Communications Customer Service Brand Awareness

Websites are Bridges

Your Websit

e

Traditional Media Marketing

Social Media Marketing

Email MarketingWord of Mouth

Marketing

2. Define Your Goals

Understand WHY you are using social media programs.

Popularity game vs. real value

Remember – it’s not a race!

Building Awareness

Facebook Users Scoop Up Free Starbucks Ice CreamJuly 6, 2009

To introduce consumers to its new ice cream, Starbucks and Unilever offered free pints to Facebook users.

From July 6 to July 19, participants could visit Apps.facebook.com/starbucksicecream. At the top of every hour, they had a chance to give a pint of Starbucks ice cream to a friend or family member.

Each hour, 800 pints were given away, with a total of 280,000 for the duration of the promotion. While the promotion encourages participants to send the treat to friends, less generous users also have the option of simply sending the coupon to themselves.

Send Ice Cream to a Friend!

3. Match The Tools To The Strategy

After you know what you are trying to do, select the best tools to execute your strategy.

Learn about the tools and which ones

will help you achieve your goals.

Using the best tools doesn’t guarantee success or solve all marketing problems.

Web 2.0 Tools

50% of Americans use some form of Social Media

4. Be Authentic & Transparent

People want to connect with people, not cartoons or pictures of their pets.

Create profiles that match your company brand and brand message.

Interact and create relationships first

Selling happens only after trust is established

5. Know your Target

Listen to online conversations about what people are saying about you or your brand.

Participate in groups or forums where your target audience hangs out!

Answer questions or add comments to carefully brand yourself as an valuable source of information.

Who is Your Audience

Determine where your audience hangs out:

Avg. ages: Linkedin = 41 Twitter = 31 Myspace = 27 Facebook = 26

6. Think Integration

Social Media is just one piece of your marketing strategy.

It works best when worked into your overall Online Marketing Strategy.

Jumping into the social media scene without a strategy is fine if your expectations are to listen & observe.

7. Measure Results

Metrics do exist!

There are a variety of tools and methods to measure your efforts.

It all takes time…

Sure, sometimes Social Media campaigns can produce substantial & measurable results, but that is not always the case.

Social Media will make a huge impact immediately on your business if you are: already popular have a great brand have a truly original idea that people will

want to share.

What is the Co$t of Doing Nothing?

Do you really want to take that risk?

The social media tidal wave is here

Are you swimming with the current?

Thank You!

Catherine Tryon

Phone: 608.843.2345

Email: catherine@catherinetryon.com