Using Social Media to Connect With Your Customers Online

Using Social Media to Connect With
Your Customers Online The MarketingSavant Group
www.marketingsavant.com
888.989.7771
dana@marketingsavant.com

Marketing Seminars for
Door County Business Owners
The MarketingSavant Group 888.989.7771

About
Dana VanDen Heuvel
Dana VanDen Heuvel is an award-winning marketing blogger, author of the
American Marketing Association's Marketech Guide to Marketing
Technology and the MySpace, YourSpace, TheirSpace Guide to Social
Network Marketing and the creator of the AMA's TechnoMarketing
training series. Dana is a widely recognized expert on blogging, podcasting,
RSS, Internet communities and interactive marketing trends and best
practices and speaks regularly on these topics at industry events. Dana
founded BlogSavant, one of the nation's first weblog and social media
marketing consultancies and currently runs The MarketingSavant™ Group,
a marketing technology consulting and training firm that helps marketers
leverage emerging marketing technology to reach and keep customers.
Learn more from Dana's blog at www.marketingsavant.com.

The MarketingSavant Group is a specialist company that focuses on transforming our clients into the preeminent
thought leaders and trusted advisors in their industry. Through our thought leadership marketing approach and
deep experience in digital and social media marketing we do extraordinary work for B2B clients to move your
entire organization beyond the competitive realm and into the unique niche of industry thought leader. We focus
on genuine organizational transformation through marketing, innovation, intellectual capital development and not
on producing a campaign that’s merely a quickly forgotten flavor-of-the-month tool.

We formed MarketingSavant to work with ethical, intellectual, innovative and challenging clients in the Business-
to-Business market sector. Our approach and our philosophy are to always put altruism before capitalism. We do
well by doing good, and we like to work with clients who share our philosophy.

After-Event Slides & Resources

• The slides and resource links are available
electronically after the event:

www.marketingsavant.com/dced


What Will We Talk About?

• Fundamentals
– Social Media: What Is It?
– Social Media Strategies &
Channels for Sales &
Marketing
– What To Do Next…
– What’s Possible?
(Discussion)


What is Social Media?


Social Media: Defined!

SOCIAL MEDIA IS AN UMBRELLA TERM
THAT DEFINES THE VARIOUS ACTIVITIES
THAT INTEGRATE TECHNOLOGY,
SOCIAL INTERACTION, AND THE
CONSTRUCTION OF WORDS,
PICTURES,VIDEOS AND AUDIO.
http://www.wikipedia.org


• WHAT IS SOCIAL MEDIA?

• How people use
decentralized, people-
based networks to get
the things they need
from each other.
• BOTTOM LINE:

• Social media isn’t just
a list of destinations.
• It’s a new standard of
expectations.


Why Should You Care?


93% OF SOCIAL MEDIA USERS BELIEVE A COMPANY
SHOULD HAVE A PRESENCE IN SOCIAL MEDIA.
Cone, Business in Social Media Study, September 2008

BECAUSE 3 OUT OF 4 AMERICANS USE SOCIAL
TECHNOLOGY.
Forrester, The Growth Of Social Technology Adoption, 2008

BECAUSE 2/3 OF THE GLOBAL INTERNET POPULATION
VISIT SOCIAL NETWORKS.
Nielsen, Global Faces & Networked Places, 2009

BECAUSE TIME SPENT ON SOCIAL NETWORKS
IS GROWING AT 3X THE OVERALL INTERNET
RATE, ACCOUNTING FOR ~10% OF ALL
INTERNET TIME.
Nielsen, Global Faces & Networked Places, 2009
BECAUSE YOU’RE HERE AND NOT SOMEWHERE ELSE.
BECAUSE YOU HAVE GUT FEELING THAT TELLS YOU
SOCIAL MEDIA IS THE PLACE YOU NEED TO BE TODAY.
Door County Business Owners, February, 2010

If You’re Online…You’re In Social
Media

Source: Universal McCann Social Media Tracker Wave 3 www.marketingsavant.com

Social Media is About ROI!
• The relationship is apparent and significant: socially engaged companies
are in fact more financially successful. So now we know it pays to be
social, but it is important to note that by “social,” we’re talking about deep
engagement, not merely having a presence. (Altimiter ENGAGEMENTdb study)


But…It Can
Be…“Complicated”

Using Social Media to Connect With Your Customers Online

It Can Also Be
Distracting…
• Why you must have a
strategy in place
• Mobilize your
volunteers, donors,
advocates and
everyone else to help
with social media
efforts


Social Media Is Just a Set of Tools…
 Blogs
 Widgets
 Micro Blogs
 Online Chat
 RSS
 Social Networks
 Social Bookmarks
 Message Boards
 Podcasts
 Video Sharing Sites
 Photo Sharing Sites
 Virtual Worlds
 Wikis
 Local Search
(…just to name a few)

Evaluate the Social Tools


Your Website

• Your “home
base”
• Sets the tone,
authority and
mission –
needs to be
“perfect”


Everything should have
at least two homes (if
not more)
• The first, where it
originated, the second
the overall home,
which is your
website/blog
• Network tools should
connect believers and
tell the world where
to find your
information


Get Blogging (Transparency)
• You “almost need a blog”
• Dynamic vs. static content
• Audiences ‘connect’ with blogs
• Metaphor for:
– Transparent communication
– Authenticity
– Responsibility
– Reputation
• “Connectable platform” (Wordpress, Typepad)

Why Blogs?

• Those who use blogs and social networking
sites as an outlet for civic engagement are far
more active in traditional realms of political
and nonpolitical participation than are other
internet users. In addition, they are even
more active than those who do not use the
internet at all. (PEW Internet – 9/09)


Even if you have great
website, consider a blog site.
Remember, content and
conversation are paramount.

The best organizations
connect customers to
their website, blog and
to other relevant social
media sites where your
audience hangs out.


Tap Into Your Community

• Community members
can be worth 30% more
• Tap the power of your
customer base
• Increase long-term
lifetime value
• Involve them in
something meaningful
• Know what customers
really want to buy


Facebook

• Events
• Fan Pages
• Groups
• Personal Pages of Fans
• Paid Advertisements


Facebook Ads

• Quick Targeting
– Age
– Education
– Location
– Gender…
• Start/Pause/Stop
• CPC Basis
• Export Reports


Facebook Causes
• Start a Cause
• Raise $$
• Show Fundraising
Momentum
• In order to accept
donations through Causes,
a nonprofit must be a
501(c)3 that is also
registered with GuideStar
• Payments through Network
for Good


Microblogging (Twitter)

• Easy, free access to distribution of your marketing
tools
• Requires little “buy-in” from believers or potential
believers
• Another way for your tribe to share your message
• Search allows you to connect with your tribe
• Easy to cross-reference more “in-depth” tools
• To try: Twitter, FriendFeed, Seesmic


Microblogging

Links: 26 Charities and Non-Profits on Twitter


Driving Conversations

• American Cancer Society
• “More Birthdays”


Social Media Listening

• What are people saying about your
organization?
• Your competitors?
• Your tribe?
• Your peers?
• Services to try: Radian6, TweetBeep,
TweetAlert, Google Alerts


Listen to the Conversation
• Be transparent. Be open and
honest in all communication.
• Be ethical. Live by the WOMMA
Practical Ethics Toolkit
• Be relevant. Share information
and perspectives that are
valuable to the online community
• Personalize and be personable.
• Address negative discussion
head-on.
• Court evangelists & advocates.

Even if you’re not ready to join the conversation, it
pays to have a sound strategy for dealing with any
social media conversation taking place about your
brand.

Free

Scratch the Surface


Comcast provides support via Twitter


Using Video

Easy, free way for people to really “get involved”
from afar.
Services to try: vimeo, viddler, 12second.tv,
ustream.com, and mogulus.
Stream from your computer or invest in a small
flip camera.


Share Things

Like Photos… …and Videos


Podcasts & Vodcasts

• More human &
emotional than
blogging
• Be found on Google
• Low investment
• Easy distribution
• Differentiator
• Share more than text


Where are all the pretty pictures?

• Don’t forget to represent your events, your
believers, your workers with pictures.
• This is way more important than most people
realize.
• Stock is stupid. I want to see your FACE.
• To Try: Flickr, Photobucket, Picasa, Facebook,
Twitpic


Social Media Overkill?


Feature: Friendfeed

• Consolidate
• Simplify
• Track
• Comment


Case Studies


Case Studies

2:10p www.marketingsavant.com

Brooklyn Museum/ Integration

• Feature: The Brooklyn Museum

TV and
Radio Magazines

Integrated Social
Media
Campaigns
Direct
Online Mail
Advertising

American Marketing Association
The MarketingSavant Group Social Media: Marketing and 888.989.7771

Toolkit
Blog
Facebook fan page
YouTube Videos
Twitter stream
SmugMug photos*

Martell Home Builders uses social media to connect with home buyers


Martell Home Builders

3 Lessons:
1) Be Transparent
2) Holistic Strategy
3) Human Relationships


Toolkit
Blog
Facebook fan page
YouTube Videos
Twitter stream
eBay sales page

Goodwill uses social media to increase sales of its high-end merchandise


Integrated Social Media Strategy
Goodwill Repositioning

Blog

YouTube

MySpace

ebay Store


A Few Good Stats
• Over 11,500 unique visitors to the virtual fashion show 9/12 launch
• Over 42,000 page views
• 16% of fashion show visitors have been converted into online Goodwill
shoppers
• Fashion Show Visitors from 31 countries and 48 states plus DC
• 48% of fashion show visitors are from the DC, MD, VA region (the area
we serve)
• Blog is averaging between 600 & 700 visitors a week
• 5.6% of blog visitors are being converted into online Goodwill shoppers
• Blog visitors from 77 countries and all 50 states

Brick & mortar stores during the two weeks following
the launch of the fashion show:
• Customer count + 6.6%
• Rack sales (clothing) + 16.5%
• Total sales + 8.275%


Goodwill of Greater Washington

3 Lessons:
1) Incorporate Into Marketing Strategy
2) Regional Execution
3) Entertainment + Trust = Desire to Shop


Social & Thought Leadership Toolkit
Blog
Twitter (rates)
RSS feeds
Podcasts
Business Pulse Survey
VOC community center

Nicolet uses a blog and social media to educate and connect with their tribe


Social Media & Thought Leadership Marketing

• Goal/Result: Become the
premier business bank in NE WI
• Thought leadership POV: Banks
should be transparent & here to
help businesses grow
• Business Pulse universally
regarded as the “business
barometer” for the N.E.W
economy
• Measures media mentions,
speaking opportunities,
customer acquisition &
retention, moving into
“customer voice” &
crowdsourcing space


Nicolet National Bank

4 Lessons:
1) Leverage Transparency & Thought Leadership
2) Unfiltered Conversation
3) Content Matters
4) Education = Trust


Comcast Cares…Because This Guy Didn’t…


Toolkit
Twitter
Blogs
Social Media Listening
Customer Service
YouTube Videos

Comcast uses social media to take care of it’s most vocal customers


Comcast Cares

3 Lessons:
1) Listen Intently, React Immediately
2) Educate The Team (Internally)
3) Social Media Success + PR = Momentum


Toolkit
Blogs (10 of them)
Video
RSS feeds
LinkedIn
Twitter
Flickr

Indium employs social media to generate leads for electronic assembly components


Social Media Marketer
Indium Corporation
• 25% reduction in
marketing spend
• Major account wins
• Entire organization
involved
in the ‘community’


Thought Leadership Marketer
Indium Corporation
“[Being a Thought Leader] is
being considered the best, most
authoritative, trusted source. It
means being the “go to” people.
It means being given the first
look, being invited into a
development project and asked
for advice. It means being the
organization that others MUST
HAVE involved with a project.
And it all leads to increased sales,
profits, and image or it simply
didn’t matter..”
Rick Short, Indium www.marketingsavant.com

Indium

3 Lessons:
1) Focus on Specific Content
2) Start Small With Commitment
3) Create Dialog Where None Exists


Social Media Marketer:
Adams Magnetic
• Goal: Separate themselves as
thought leaders in the
industrial magnets market to
drive new direct business
• First to hold the “market
conversation”
• Building the community
around industrial magnets
through blogging, conference
appearances and thought
leadership articles
• New leads attributed to TLM
activities
• Bested their competitors in
growing website traffic

The Social Media Restaurant

• Caminito Argentinean
Steakhouse is a single-
location restaurant in
Northampton, Mass
• Using a website, local
ads, blogging, video,
Twitter, MySpace and
other digital tools to
drive business


Caminito’s World…


Preparing Your Social
Media Plan

2:10p www.marketingsavant.com

Balance Risk &
Reward


Claim Your Name!
• Go to namechk.com
• Type in your district
“handle” or
“shortname”
• Reserve your name on
important sites


Learn to Converse (Blog)

• Foundation of
content/consistency/
connection
• Metaphor for Social
Media & networking
• Transferable skills to
video & social nets…
• Transferrable benefits to
SEO, SEM & TLM


It’s Also About “Getting Found”
• Blogs enhance search findability
• Search provides a strong, highly
measurable ROI for marketing dollars
spent.
• Search garners click-through rates that
exceed all other forms of online
advertising.
• Search offers marketers the potential for
immediate sales online, as well as for
online and offline sales at a later time.
• Search can even enhance brands.
• Over 80% of consumers and
businesspeople engage in on a regular
basis


Share, Link and Guide
• What will your audience find
useful?
• Share competitors info – it
drives them nuts, and gets
them to link to you!
• Easy, time-conscious way to
stay relevant without creating
original content


Harness the Power of
Social Networks
• Connect with your supporters
in their network.
– Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace,
etc…
• Build applications for them in
their networks.
• Assign someone in your
company as the ‘community
manager’.
• If you build it, they won’t come
– put together a sound seeding
strategy


Local Coffee Shops Run
on Facebook


Facebook Ads –
Hyper-targeting
“Local” Facebook Ads


LinkedIn
• Create a group &
discussion
• Connect with
professionals
• Connect with
customers
• Ask questions
• Approach prospects


Customer Community
• Small business focused credit card
company is changing the business
financing discussion through ideas
• Created ideablob.com to stir the
conversation about what it stands for
• Positioning itself as the most helpful
credit card company to small
business
• Involved in other small business
related causes to help developing
countries
• Online resources for small business
owners just getting started


Tap Into Your Community
• Community members can be worth
30% more
• Tap the power of your support base
• Increase long-term lifetime value of
parents & community members
• Involve them in something
meaningful
• Know what your supporters really
want to talk about


Crowdsource Your Next Big Idea
• Define an idea management
process.
• Design and develop the online
community.
• Promote the community with
your customers.
• Invite them to contribute.
• Post questions to spur their
thinking.
• Use: LinkedIn, Facebook, Ning,
Blogs, etc…


Podcasts & Vodcasts
• More human & emotional
than blogging
• Be found on Google
• Low investment
• Easy distribution
• Differentiator
• Share more than text


Driving Sales With Twitter


Become HUGE With Twitter


Tech Support Via Twitter


Share Photos and Videos Online
• Create a brand channel on YouTube.
• Interviews, screencasts, customer
videos, installation photos, etc…
• Promote your company’s YouTube
channel or specific videos on your Web
site, emails, newsletters.
• Engage your audience by encouraging
them to add comments, rate videos,
share video.
• Update your content frequently to keep
it fresh. This is critical to keep people
coming back.


Social Media Is Just a Set of Tools…
• Blogs
• Widgets
• Micro Blogs
• Online Chat
• RSS
• Social Networks
• Social Bookmarks
• Message Boards
• Podcasts
• Video Sharing Sites
• Photo Sharing Sites
• Virtual Worlds
• Wikis
• Local Search
(…just to name a few)

A Few Good Stats
http://dcgoodwillfashions.blogspot.com/
• Over 11,500 unique visitors to the virtual fashion show 9/12
launch
• Over 42,000 page views
• 16% of fashion show visitors have been converted into online
Goodwill shoppers
• Fashion Show Visitors from 31 countries and 48 states plus DC
• 48% of fashion show visitors are from the DC, MD, VA region (the
area we serve)
• Blog is averaging between 600 & 700 visitors a week
• 5.6% of blog visitors are being converted into online Goodwill
shoppers
• Blog visitors from 77 countries and all 50 states

Brick & mortar stores during the two weeks following
the launch of the fashion show:
• Customer count + 6.6%
• Rack sales (clothing) + 16.5%
• Total sales + 8.275%

Alzheimer Society/ Twitter

• Feature: Use of Twitter for Awareness.
A Million Tweets to Remember Campaign


Brooklyn Museum/ Integration

• Feature: The Brooklyn Museum

TV and
Radio Magazines

Integrated Social
Media
Campaigns
Direct
Online Mail
Advertising


Define the Plan

• Outline Organization Objectives
• Define The Audience
• Choose Social Channels
• Integrate Into Current Program
• Tie Into Metrics
• Implement the Plan


Understand Your Organization

Social Media is a NOT a universal answer!

Take Lessons from Leading Brands
• Deputize people throughout the organization
• Understand each channel’s unique engagement
• Find champions
• Centralize coordination
• Be in it for the long haul
• Pick channels carefully
• Fish where the fish are
• Support engagement as an extension of company culture
• Encourage employees to use social media to get work done
• Make social media part of the job
• Modularize and Synchronize across channels (activity
streams)


For Tomorrow

• Draft your social media policy
• Identify your internal constituents:
– Identify one opportunity based on listening and
address it.
• Implement One Idea
– Choose one social channel and implement one idea.
Integrate it into your current communications
program and measure it.


Using Social Media to Connect With Your Customers Online

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