Social Media

Social Media Defined

• Internet and web-based technologies (mobile phones) used for sharing and discussing information amongst people

Social Media

• Use storytelling and personality to strengthen and evolve brands to grow business through both traditional and social media platforms

Brand Personality

• “Personality is the key element behind your brand and what it stands for, and the story that your products tell to your customers. Every element of your business, from your interactions with your customers to the packaging of your products is an element of your brand personality, and these are elements that inspire delight or indifference among your customers. In short, personality matters”

• “Personality is the unique, authentic, and talkable soul of your brand that people can get passionate about”

- Rohit Bhargava

Social Media

• In general, communities of like minded people who believe, “together we are smarter, stronger, and faster”

Branding

• Strategic Brand Planning

• Storytelling– Marketing– Strategic PR– Advertising– Social Media– Events

Traditional Limitations

• One way delivery

• High level of noise

• Easy to ignore

• Expensive

• Peaks and valleys

Characteristic of Social Media

• Two way conversation

• Opens dialogue up to the audience

• Creates engagement

• Encourages participation

• Enables collaboration

• Infuses personality

• Not expensive

Opportunities Social Media• Knowledge sharing

– (blogs, micro blogs)

• Life sharing – (photos, videos, music)

• Social Networking – (connect, interact)

• Business Networking– (connect, interact)

• Community building – (collaborate, connect)

Social Media Tools

Communication• Blog platforms (Blogger, Typepad, Wordpress, Vox, Tumblr)• Microblogging (Twitter, Pownce, Jaiku)• Niche Networking (LinkedIn, Pulse-Plaxo, Ning, Sohobiztube)• Social Networking (Bebo, Facebook, Myspace, Orkut, Skyrock)• Social Network Aggregation (Friend Feed, Youmed)• Events (Upcoming.org, Eventful, MeetUp)

Collaboration• Wikis (Wikipedia, PBWiki, Wetpaint)• Social Bookmarking (Delicious, StumbleUpon)• Social News Sites (Digg, Mixx, Reddit)• Opinion Sites (EOpinions, Yelp)

Multimedia• Photo Sharing (Flickr, Picasa, PhotoBucket, SmugMug)• Video Sharing (Youtube, Vimeo, Viddler, Revver)• Live Casting (Ustream, JustinTV, Stickham)• Music Sharing (IMeem, The Hype Machine, Last FM, CC Mixter)• Audio Casting (Blog Talk Radio)

Social Media Question• If a conversation takes place online and you’re not there to hear or

see it, did it actually happen?• Indeed. Conversations are taking place with or without you

• If you’re not part of the conversation, then you’re leaving it to others to answer questions and provide information, whether it’s accurate or incorrect. Or, even worse, you may be leaving it up to your competition to jump in to become the resource for the community. Yes, there will be negative comments. Yes, you’ll invite unsolicited feedback. Yes, people will question your intentions. Negativity will not go away simply because you opt out of participating. Negative commentary, at the very least, is truly an opportunity to change the perception that you did or didn’t know existed.

- Brian Solis

Customer Voice

Using Social Media

• Social media creates opportunities for people and companies to listen to and engage an audience in a two way conversation

• Social media creates opportunities to communicate in personal, authentic, and transparent ways

• Social media helps businesses, organizations, and other groups infuse into their brand and shed the old reality of face-less organizations (Business is people)

• Social media is a channel. It should be one element of a larger / integrated communication strategy / plan

• Social media is not the answer to every question

Twitter Poll

• The community has more poll over the brand than advertising

• Treat customers/audience as partners not sheep• Talk with NOT at your audience• Listen more than you speak• Be real, Be authentic, Be human, Be yourself• Be there to help• Be consistent• Be engaging, not passive – Seek and Interact

Social Media Resources• Pitchengine.com - site

• Social Media Resumes – Various

• Todd Defren – PRSquared

• Brian Solis – site

• Barry Judge, CMO Best Buy – site

• Jennifer Leggio – ZDNet

• Nicole Jordan – Kicking Sand

• Chris Brogan – site

• Rohit Bhargava - site

Getting Started

1. Decide - on goals/intent. Awareness? Engagement? Online Sales? Web Traffic? Make a plan. Set expectations so you can measure, define, and report

2. Research - to determine appropriate outlets and tactics for your efforts. Facebook custom application? Twitter dialogue? Youtube consumer contests?

3. Determine - your brand’s personality and stories to communicate in social media outlets

4. Gather - your assets: social media comes alive with viedo, images, content. Consider new materials for new media. Compile and create content that evangelizes your brand story

Continued on next slide

Getting Started

5. Set up - accounts, upload contacts, link

6. Search - for people and topics using key words. Emulate those who do it well

7. Locate - gather and expand your community

8. Engage - value added commentary and opportunities to deepen relationships

9. Measure - and track results, adjust approach, iterate, and optimize

Strive For

• Authenticity

• Consistent (commit time and resources)

• Listen and Respond

• Add Value. Share Stories.

• Be Patient

Tools

• General– Namechk.com

• Twitter– Twelloe, budurl, tweetdeck

• Facebook– InsideFacebook.com

• Youtube– Youtube.com/advertise

• Blogging– Wordpress, Blogger

Strategic Use

• Internal communications• Brand awareness• Selling• Building community• Prospecting / lead – generation• Recruit / Retain Employees• Research / Intelligence Gathering• Customer Service• Product Innovation• Fundraising• Marketing/ PR

Questions ?

References

• All Linked Here