What Can I Expect From Social Media?

Like Jim Gilbert, I get asked by clients what they can expect from putting the time into developing a social media strategy.  The answer of course is it depends.  Jim, a fellow social media strategist and blogger came up with 9 immutable laws of Social Media Marketing to help clients set expectations.  With Jim’s permission here they are:

The 9 Immutable Laws of Social Media Marketing
Posted on December 11, 2009 by Jim Gilbert

“What can I expect from social media?”
“What kind of return on investment will I get?”
“I tried social media and got no customers!”
These are the kinds of questions and responses I hear daily in my conversations with clients both present and potential about social media. Often I tell folks to set and manage expectations correctly and that social media marketing is not a play if you are looking for immediate gratification.  I also tell state that social media is one of the tools in your marketing kit and it should fit strategically into your overall marketing plan.
From these conversations I’ve come up with a set of nine laws of social media to provide all marketers with proper expectations.
1. Brand + time = revenue. The more time consumers spend with your brand and products, the more likely they are to buy. Engaging customers or prospects in social media channels increases brand/time.
2. Brand + channels = revenue. The more channels in which consumers interact with your brand, the more likely they’ll buy. Offering multiple engagement channels allows for consumer self-selection of preferred channels. Being in the right social media channels based on your market increases channel interaction.
3. Brand + time + channels = advocates. Consumers spending time in multiple channels breeds customers more likely to become brand advocates and influencers. This is the new multichannel marketing model for the 21st century. Social media creates brand advocates and turns peers into your best salespeople.
4. Exponential search factor. Social media increases your search engine rankings and, when combined with your website, drives additional traffic via organic search.
5. The newfangled customer service factor. Consumers choose their contact preferences. Brands that don’t have multiple channels for customer service risk losing customers. Consumers expect instant gratification, and social media delivers.
6. Behind-the-scenes factor. People don’t buy from brands; they buy from people. Social media puts a human face on the faceless corporate entity. Social media’s biggest opportunity is to allow people to connect with your employees as peers.
7. Trust is the new black. If done correctly, the aforementioned laws allow consumers to build or rebuild trust. Social media harkens back to the days of the corner store where consumers and brands had a cordial relationship. Social media builds relationships over time.
8. The reputation factor. Whether you like it or not, consumers are talking about your brand. Social media is the great neutralizer. It allows you to seek out negatives and turn them into positives via reputation management and communications.
9. The time spent factor. Customers aren’t always ready to buy. Social media prepares customers with all of the above over time.

About Jim Gilbert

Jim Gilbert is president of Gilbert Direct Marketing Inc., a full-service catalog, direct marketing and social media agency.  You’ll find Jim’s blog at http://gilbertdirectmarketing.wordpress.com/ and the original article at emarketingandcommerce.com.

Jim’s email is jimdirect@aol.com

Susan Frederick

http://twitter.com/sueafrederick

A+ For Local Business Using Social Media

In preparing materials for a social media 101 seminar I was looking for an example of how a local small business might be using social media to market their business.  Since I was using restaurants as a reference for how web 2.0 and social networking have changed forever the way we reach customers I decided to check out what my favorite local diner was up to.

I live in NJ and we have diners on almost every corner which makes it a very competitive landscape. I was delighted to see they had a robust web site which had a gallery of restaurants photos and menus along with providing   web visitors an opportunity to sign up for coupons, special offers, events and more. 

I also saw they were supporting a local charity.  A nice way to build even better relationships with their customers and distinguish themselves from their competitors.  Afterall if the local diner restaurants are similar might I not want to patronize the one with a heart?

Then to my delight I discovered their YouTube video showing a facility tour including their kitchen. Since many diners wonder under what conditions their food is being  prepared the messages in the video were very clear:

• we take food preparation very seriously
• we have high cleanliness standards
• we know cleanliness is important to our customers

This local business in a highly competitive market has suceeded in deftly using one of the many social media tools to distinguish themselves and build customer trust.  Kudos for a job well done.

Susan Frederick

http://twitter.com/sueafrederick

First Impressions Do Count

In a recent conversation with a small business owner I recommended that his web site needed work. My jaw dropped open when he told me he didn’t think his web site was that important and he didn’t see it driving a lot of business especially since he sells his products and services locally.  I realized after a few seconds that my mouth was open and had the presence of mind to close it and count to 10 before I said something I’d surely regret.

I did manage to get out that perhaps the reason the web site wasn’t driving prospects was because it desperately needed an overhaul. ( See my last post).  I’m finding that many entrepreneurs without marekting experience or professional advice make the mistake of not making the connection between the importance of good  marketing and sales development.

Let’s just look at how web sites have transformed the restaurant industry.  At one time I would find restaurant reviews in print or take recommendations from family and friends.  Today, I visit the restaurant web site expecting to see photos of the restaurant (is it the right ambiance I’m seeking)and menus (is it the kind of food I like).  Then I’ll surf for diner reviews to see what others who have eaten there are saying. Or I’ll use a an aggregation web site like Open Table or Zagats to find the right eatery.

Web sites and social media platforms ares how most of us learn about products and services today.  To ignore the importance of them is to risk the loss of business. A web site that doesn’t have a clear message, isn’t easy to navigate and doesn’t help me learn more about why I should buy gets less than 10 seconds of my time. 

In today’s globally tech savvy world you can’t afford to think that an online presence isn’t important or doesn’t affect your brand.  First impressions count make yours the best it can be.

Susan Frederick

Twitter.com/sueafrederick

When Was Your Last Web Site Audit?

All business do an annual financial records audit but how often are you reviewing your web site?  According to Charles Fellingham, founder of QAlias prospects looking for products and services want to know 5 things:

1. What is it?
2. How does it work?
3. What will it do for me?
4. Can you prove it?
5. Who else says so?

When you are reviewing your web site, how many of these questions are answered on your homepage?  With just a few seconds to capture interest  it is obvious how important it becomes to have the responses to these questions front and center of your web site.

Clearly labeled tabs and links can support your efforts and keep your homepage from being too cluttered.  Product demos, customer testimonials and case studies are a few examples that answer questions 4 and 5 that should be prominent both as a navigation  tab and as home page content. Short scrolling testimonials with links to case studies or to longer versions of the testimonial create enough interest to keep your prospect on your web site.  Keep video demos short.  Better to have multiple demos then one very long one. Give enough information to help qualify the prospect while enticing them to want and see more.

That of course leads to another step in the audit process. Are you making it easy for web visitors to get more information, contact you or request a sales call?  While capturing lead information is important if you make the request form too onerous your prospect is either going to give you misinformation or quickly opt out of the web site.  During your web audit be sure to review your forms (make sure you have them) and review how well they have been working.

If you’re using social media be sure those links are on your homepage so prospects can continue to learn more about you, connect with you and build a relationship.  Also, make sure your blog is easy to find and can be followed via an RSS feed so interested prospects can easily get your updates.

Lastly, during the audit process don’t forget to check out your competitors to see how they are refreshing their site.  You don’t have to re-invent the wheel, you just have to make it better.

Susan Frederick

twitter.com/sueafrederick

Couldn’t Have Said It Better Myself

I just discovered a white paper titled 5 Social Media Marketing Best Practices for B2B on one of my favorite sites btobonline.com.  Two of the recommendations really stood out to me:

1. Be transparent to win customers
2. Be a listener, not a policeman

The first and the most important to me is a reminder that you don’t want your brand known as disingenuous. Remember people buy from companies they know and trust. Today’s savvy social media users have been know to ferret out companies that are being dishonest in their communications.  The white paper gives the classic example of Wal-Mart making the mistake of hiring bloggers to travel around the country visiting with Wal-Mart customers and employees and blogging about their experience.  When it came to light the bloggers were working with Wal-Mart’s PR agency the campaign was quickly dubbed a “flog” (fake blog).

Another  example of this  is Mazda’s blogging misstep when they tried to develop a blogging persona (think Betty Crocker) as reported by David Kirpatrick and Daniel Roth in a January 10, 2005 Fortune article, “Why There’s No Escaping the Blog.”.    They got caught when they tried to pass off professionally in-studio developed videos as ones taken off public access TV by a friend of their blogger. After several days of blog bashing they deactivated the blog. These examples show how important honesty and transparency in this new media world have become.

The second best practice is smart advice on how to handle the inevitable discussion that may not  align with your brand messages or your marketing goals.  How you handle negative feedback and comments is as important as the messages you are delivering. Think of it as an opportunity to turn a negative into a positive and to re-educate the public on your brand messages.

By proactively monitoring and listening to how customers and prospects converse on social media sites and taking part in those conversations you become a brand advocate ensuring you are delivering valuable content and insights.

If you’d like a copy of the complete white paper her’s the link:

5 social media marketing best practices

Susan Frederick

twitter.com/sueafrederick

SCORE Celebrates 45 Years Helping Entrepreneurs

I recently volunteered to become a member of our local chapter of SCORE, a national non-profit organization that mentors and trains small business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs just starting a business. SCORE volunteers have a diversified collection of business knowledge and skills. Volunteers come from all walks of life including retired business owners, corporate executives and professionals who donate more than 1 million hours of service annually.

SCORE is helping build America’s economic future one small business at a time.  It is evident how important that service is today when job creation is a priority for our nation. Today, SCORE has 12,400 volunteers in 364 chapters around the United States.

If you’re a small business owner who’s looking for business advice or you’re ready to do your own thing and don’t know how to get started I encourage you to take a look at SCORE.  Start with the national web site www.score.org it’s packed with information, training videos, online counseling support and success stories.  You can also find your local chapter if you want face-to-face counseling or to attend local training seminars.

For 45 years, SCORE volunteers have been helping small businesses start-up, grow and succeed.  But it’s also an opportunity to applaud the entrepreneurial spirit that helps drive our economy.  Can you hear me clapping for you?

Susan Frederick

Twitter.com/sueafrederick

 

 

If It’s Free It’s For Me–Well Maybe

Free is still the most powerful marketing word any business can use.  Well maybe.  If there is real value attached to the offer then indeed it becomes even more powerful.  If there is no real value attached then it’s going to be discovered pretty quickly. In today’s connected world customers share the good, the bad and the ugly. Either way, you can expect to have a light shown on the offer as fast as the swine flu virus spread.

Fellow marketers in my network share links to free ebooks, white papers,blogs, events etc, they have reviewed and know I will also like.  In the same manner they are quick to discuss and share their opinion about what they consider of no value.

Best advice if you’re not sure your free offer has perceived value is to beta test it with a few trusted customers.  One of the marketing gurus I follow recently sent me an email just for that purpose.  Not only was I flattered to be a tire kicker (great relationship building initiative) but she unveils her offer with more confidence that she won’t be doing future mea culpas. It takes a lot to build your brand why risk denting it with the wrong “free” offer?

Susan Frederick

twitter.com/sueafrederick

 

Marketing Budgets Rising In 2010 Says BtoB Magazine

BtoB the magazine for marketing strategists just posted their recent survey on 2010 marketing budget expectations on their web site. The news is positive but more interestingly are the quotes mid-article:

“As marketers learned from marketing in a recession, nothing beats understanding the customer and marketing to prospects with a laser focus.”

“It is all about understanding the audience and understanding how they want to receive their information, then developing marketing programs that are targeted exclusively to their needs,” said Bob Meldrum, VP-marketing at TW Telecom.

And no, I didn’t read the article before I wrote my last post.  It just demonstrates that good marketing is  getting the basics right and building on that solid foundation with unique appealing promotions.  Of course, it’s always gratifying to see other marketing experts confirm one’s advice.

Here’s the link to the full article and research:

www.btobonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091116/FREE/311169985/1108/FREE

Susan Frederick

Twitter.com/sueafrederick

Focus, Focus, Focus

We all know the adage that the three most important things in real estate are location, location, location. In marketing, especially for small business and small budgets it’s all about focus, focus, focus.  And the first rule is know your customer.

If you haven’t written out a description of your customer yet, do it.  It’s never too late and it’s a tactic to help you focus marketing efforts.  Start with demographics that include age, sex, geographic location, etc and add in psychographics such as  likes, dislikes, and other personality traits.  Never lose sight of this description and from time-to-time as your business expands make sure it’s still an accurate picture.

During the discovery phase try to learn how your customers prefer to receive information. This should include when as well as how.  For instance, let’s say your customer base is primarily married couples between the ages of 25 and 40.  Both parents work and they have children.  They have median incomes and own their own homes.  They are technology savvy and have cell phones, laptops and gaming systems.  You might assume that electronic marketing is the way to go but the key here will be when and how often and which electronic marketing tactics?  Obviously, while connected, these are busy people already likely feeling time-deprived.  You’ll need to understand how they like to get their information and what are the best times to reach them so they’ll see or hear you’re message.

So don’t forget to ask them.  Invite them to participate in telling you by offering alternatives (think email, social media,  direct mail, telemarketing, etc.) and letting them sign up for the method they prefer.

One retail outlet I frequent asked for permission to call me prior to in store sales.  Easy, they call and generally leave a message (I purposely gave them my home number not my cell).  I pick up this message at my convenience.

While marketing tactics are alluring don’t get distracted.  First, know your audience, second have a strategy, third work the plan.  When growing your business you need to focus, focus, focus.

 

Susan Frederick

Twitter.com/sueafrederick

 

The Right Attitude Is Your Best Marketing Weapon

Recently while running some errands my husband stopped at 2 small specialty stores to make some purchases. He’s been to both stores before and with a 17 year career in customer service, knows what good service looks and feels like.  I point this out because as an expert he’s not just groaning when he gets bad service he leaps in to make positive suggestions for improvement.  The reaction by these two business owners couldn’t be more different then their businesses.

At the first store customers are made to feel welcome, questions are answered with patience and suggestions acknowledged and often implemented.  At the second store everyone knows when the owner is behind the desk because you can see customers backing out of the store or driving right by when they see his car in the parking lot. This entrepreneur takes his bad attitude to work rather than checking it at the door. His business survives because he has staff that get it right.

So what’s the point of marketing to attract new business if you plan to scare them off when they get to your location–this applies to the web as well as bricks and mortar firms?  In today’s increasingly socially networked world you not only risk losing the offended customer but you risk loosing those in his multiple networks as well and it doesn’t make any difference if you’re selling globally or locally.

Entrepreneurs heed the wake-up call.  Today marketing is about building relationships through conversations.  Friendly, respectful conversations.  If you refuse to learn that lesson be prepared to lose business. Like many customers, my husband voted with his feet..he’s now buying from an online competitor.

And how does an online competitor win the business? They know and acknowledge his name when he logs on.  They make suggestions of other products he might like.  They encourage his feedback and urge him to jump into the conversation on their Facebook page. And they always send a free gift with his order…last time it was a towel he’s using at his gym.  Talk about free branding and personal recommendations.

There was an old shampoo commercial that based it’s selling of the product on an advertising line that went “and she told a friend and she told a friend.”  Ahead of its time perhaps but the message is even more relevant today because bad news travels just as fast as good news in the virtual connected world of your customers.  Putting a good attitude into your marketing arsenal is a very inexpensive way to grow your business.

Susan Frederick

twitter.com/sueafrederick