DO YOU TWEET? ARE YOU LINKED? CAN YOU DIGG?

If you can’t, learn how in BRS’ Social Media Tutorial

Presenter:Paul Reed, President, BRS

615-377-8849 x2903Paul@ThinkBRS.comwww.thinkBRS.com

SOCIAL MEDIA•If you could have every one of your satisfied customers in a large room together, singing your praises to others…

Would you be interested? What would you pay for that service?  

SOCIAL NETWORKING OUTLINE•Helpful Tips

•Developing a Marketing Plan

•Social Networking Etiquette

•How to: Post, Tweet, Share

•Time Management

•Measuring Success

•On-Line Tutorial

•BRS Background

•What is Social Networking?

•History of Social Media

• Current Trends

•Which ones should you use?

•Who uses Social Networks?

•Golden Rules

BRS BACKGROUND Our path to Social Media•Sales for 15 years- no Marketing background•Small Business owner for 9 years•Problem:

oSales were flatoExpenses upoWorst economy since Great Depression

•Solution:oHire Sales and Marketing ProfessionaloHire Intern with Marketing Education

•Build Marketing Campaign with little or no Marketing $$

WHAT IS SOCIAL MEDIA?

Definition: SOCIAL MEDIA IS A BROAD TERM THAT COVERS

THE VARIOUS ACTIVITIES WHICH INTEGRATESOCIAL INTERACTION, TECHNOLOGY, AND THECOMBINATION OF WORDS, PICTURES, AUDIO

AND VIDEOh>p://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_media

Social Media is Great Marketing that’s Free!

MEDIA THEN AND NOWInformation Age Marketing

(Current and Future)o Consumer Value Driveno Interactive (Social media Sites)o Podcastso On-line Toolso Time Savingo Information Abundanceo Flexible-consumer creates own bundle

Industrial Age Marketing (Current and Past)

o Buy contact listso Direct Mailo Advertise anywhere o Cold calls/Telemarketingo Engage call centerso Set up appointments/Sales Visitso Hope for the best

YOUR COMPETITORS ARE ALREADY THERE.YOUR CUSTOMERS HAVE BEEN THERE FOR A LONG TIME.IF YOUR BUSINESS ISN’T PUTTING ITSELF OUT THERE,IT OUGHT TO BE.

‐ Business Week, February 19, 2009

FOR COMPANIES, RESISTANCE TO SOCIAL MEDIA IS FUTILE. MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ARE CREATING

CONTENT FOR THE SOCIAL WEB.

HOW IS MARKETING TODAY DIFFERENT?

•The most influential force in the customer education process is the Social WebSocial Web•Through blogs, groups, forums, online communities, Businesses can receive current and relevant information about their customers instantly

So What’s the different between Industrial Age Marketing and Present Day?

Current Trends

WE ARE EXPERIENCING THE LARGEST INCREASE IN EXPRESSIVE CAPABILITY IN HUMAN HISTORY

AS CONSUMERS JOIN THE INTERNET MEDIA LANDSCAPE THEY ALSO BECOME PRODUCERS or “PROSUMERS”

SOCIAL NETWORKS ARE BECOMING MORE POPULAR THAN EMAIL 93% of Social Media users think a company should

have a presence in Social Media

Source: Cone, Business in Social Media Study, September 2008

85% of Social Media users think that companies should go further than just having a

presence on social sites; They should also interact with it’s

customers.

So what does that mean?So what does that mean?They All want MORE

Customer Service

RECOMMENDED MEDIA TOOLS:• Interactive web sites (wikis)• Blogs and Micro-blogs• Social Networking• Business Networking• Video on Demand• Social Bookmarking• Podcasts

How do you communicate with your vendors?How do you communicate with their customers?

How do the customers communicate with each other?

RECOMMENDED SITESPopular Sites:

•Twitter, LinkedIn, Blogger, WordPress, StumbleUpon, Ning

• Facebook, MySpace, YouTube, Merchant Circle, Flickr, etc.

Best Sites for Businesses:

•Twitter, LinkedIn, Ning, WordPress, YouTube

•Whichever sites work for your business model

WHAT IS…?:•LinkedIn: is an interconnected network of experienced professionals from around the world•You can find, be introduced to, and collaborate with qualified professionals that you need to work with to accomplish your goals

•Ning: is the social platform for the world's interests and passions online•You can explore and express interests, discover new passions, and meet new people around shared pursuits.•A combination between a Wordpress Blog and LinkedIn

WHAT IS…?:•Wordpress: is a blog that has evolved to be used as full content management system with thousands of plugins, widgets, and themes•Think of it as an interactive website that can extend as far as your imagination

•Twitter: is a free social networking and microblogging service that enables its users to send and read messages known as tweets• OR the best way to share and discover what is happening right now

YOUR AUDIENCE

•Twitter:oCustomers, competitors, News…

•LinkedIn: oProfessionals, interest groups or industries

•NingoFellow Colleagues, Business personnel, customers, etc.

•YouTube: oAnyone and everyone

•WordPress:oE-mail contacts or web surfers, customers…

FACTOID:• 91% of people admit they are influenced by online consumer

reviews.• A consumer is three times more likely to trust a peer review

than an advertisement.• 1 word-of-mouth conversation has the impact of 200

television ads.

—SmallBizBee.com

LEVEL OF TRUST IN ADVERTISING TACTICS ACCORDING TO INTERNET USERS WORLDWIDE

April 2009, % of Respondents

Trust Completely

Trust Somewhat

Don't Trust much

Don't Trust at all

Recommendations from people I know 34% 56% 9% 1%Brand Website 13% 57% 26% 5%Consumer Opinions posted online 13% 57% 25% 5%Editorial Content such as a newspaper article 10% 59% 27% 4%Brand Sponsorships 9% 54% 31% 6%Ads on TV 8% 53% 33% 6%Ads in Newspapers 7% 54% 34% 5%Ads in Magazines 6% 53% 36% 6%Ads on radio 6% 49% 38% 7%Billboards and other outdoor advertising 5% 49% 39% 6%E-mails I signed up for 7% 48% 37% 8%Ads before movies 5% 47% 41% 7%Ads served in search engine results 4% 37% 48% 11%Online video ads 3% 34% 51% 11%Online banner ads 3% 30% 51% 16%Text ads on mobile phones 2% 22% 47% 29%

GOLDEN RULES•Be Relevant•Join the Right social networks•Build Relationships

oSocial Networking like Sales in building friendships•Don’t get too carried away

oKISS•Continue to Grow and Learn

oNetworks are great for Research tools

REACH OUT - COLLABORATE - ASK QUESTIONS

It’s about Convening Customers & Employees Not about Controlling Them!

PUBLIC RELATIONSPUBLIC RELATIONS

GOLDEN RULES CONTINUED SOCIAL IS MORE…

SOCIAL MEDIA CAN:

•PROVIDE GOOD CUSTOMER SERVICE

•ALLOW FOR REPEAT BUSINESS

•INCREASE WORD OF MOUTH

TIPS:•Get familiar with potential social networking tools before you get started

• Don’t go in blindly oFamiliarize yourself with the different Siteso Know what they do and how they can help you

• Look at how your peers and competition are utilizing social networking• Know the right social networking language• Be prepared with valuable content•Create a time frame based on your schedule to update your profiles regularly

HELPFUL LINKS:

•MAKE A BAD PRODUCT GOOD!

•SOLVE ALL YOUR PROBLEMS!

•DEFINE A CHAMPION•SET YOUR GOALS•DEVELOP A STRATEGY

DEVELOPING YOUR MARKETING PLAN•Make sure networks have:

oCustomers or prospectsoCompetitorsoRelevant Information

•Create Profiles that represent your company•Make a timeline to Post new and relevant information regularly

•Review Current Business Plan and/or Marketing Plan

•Review current sales and marketing tactics

•Evaluate the social media sitesoSelect top 3-5 sites that match your marketing plan

•Add companies, people, groups, that are relevant to your Marketing plan

SOCIAL NETWORKING ETIQUETTEBe Polite

oCompliment or thank your connections oBe interested in their posts

Share knowledge for freeoDon’t get on your soapboxoComment on other posts

Always be helpfuloNetworks = communities

Don’t hard SelloCustomers join Networks to socializeoDon’t do a sales pitch

HOW TO: POST, TWEET OR SHAREBlogs•Develop Blog that is beneficial to reader

oTips/Suggestionso Industry NewsoInteresting Promotions

YouTube•Post demonstration videos•Videos that build your brand

LinkedIn/Ning:•Post ANY News relating to your company•Popular discussions

oMaking comments gives you credibility

Twitter:•Tweet interesting articles or websites or promotions•Post current Events

WITTER 101: GETTING STARTED • Choose a name that properly represents your firm

o Make it easy for your customers to find you!• Use 140 characters wisely

o Shorten your html links: www.tinyurl.com • Connecting two related tweets:

o Preface a two part tweet with (1/2) on the first tweet and (2/2) on the secondo Put “…(con’t)” at the end of your first tweet

• Use industry terminology• Make your “about you” page is updated

o Include a company logoo Ensures your customers/peers know they’re following you

TWITTER 201:•Add the Twitter logo to all of your communications

oIssue a communication to your customerso Get your employees excited about it

• Start following key industry people/companies• Tweet interesting items

o(Videos, Podcasts, News, etc.)• Keep up the momentum

o Don’t post something to post somethingoKeep your bloggers wanting more

• Utilize other Twitter resourceso( i.e.: Twitpic, TwitterWire, Twiterator, Twitter 100, etc.)

http://mashable.com/2008/05/24/14-more-twitter-tools/

LINKEDIN:You can find, be introduced to, and collaborate with qualified

professionals that you need to work with to accomplish your goals •Sign-up & create your profile•Import contacts from Outlook, Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail or AOL• Search for Groups based on your interests (ex: Asset Tracking)•Connect and share advice with professionals around the world•Add apps like Google Docs, Wordpress, SlideShare, Poll Daddy, etc.•Easily find jobs or get answers to questions

WORDPRESS•Sign-up & create your Blog• Select a Template:

•Choose color theme•Column numbers•And widgets

•Make Posts and Create Pages•Add Tags and Categories to your posts•Connect Blog to LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.•Add button to website •Alert customers and employees to gain following

NING•Sign-up & create your Ning Network and url•Select a Template and arrange Main page•Import Contacts•Make Posts relating to your network name•Upload videos, pictures, and events•Connect Ning to your Blog and your Twitter account •Ning is great for creating Niche Networks•Think of Ning as a LinkedIn and Blog combined

Successful Social Media

WHAT IS SUCCESSFUL SOCIAL MEDIA?•Success in Social Networks means:

oBrand AwarenessoDeveloping Market ShareoReceiving more website hitsoDeveloping qualified leadsoLearning

•Success depends on your marketing goals

•Reap what you sew

•Time investment

•Does not always translate into direct sales

HOW TO MEASURE SUCCESS•Measure performance:

oMonth to monthoQuarterlyoSemi-annuallyoAnnually

•Begin to build a database of information•Compare each time allotment

o Mark where you begin and where you end

•Measure:oNumber of connections or groups in your networkoWhich connections were interested in which topicsoHow many leads you developed (quality)oHow much you learned from your network

•ALWAYS make the best of social or any media

HOW TO UPLOAD A YOUTUBE VIDEO

YOUR TURN

•Customers: Hotels, Restaurants, Department Stores•Competitors: Other Cloth/Linen Companies, Paper Napkin companies, etc.

About ABC Linen Company:ABC Provides Linen Napkins and Table Cloths to businesses

•Products: oMulti-Colored Cloth Napkins and tableclothso Polyester, Cotton or Satin Napkins

•Services: Provide large quantities or customized Linen products to businessesCompany website:

www.abclinen.com

THANK YOU CHATTANOOGA AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Paul Reed, President1585 Mallory Lane, suite 105,

Brentwood, TN 37027615-377-8849 x2903Paul@ThinkBRS.com www.ThinkBRS.com