social media holiday edition

What is Social Media and Why Should I Care?

Holiday edition

http://www.flickr.com/photos/violentz/2340808526/

Who We AreHall Web Serviceswww.hallme.com@Hall_Web

• 10+ Years in Business• Suite of Online Tools

Amanda O'BrienInbound Marketing Manageramanda@hallme.com@amanda_pants

Weekly Webinars

Next week:

Kasi – How Search Works

Two Weeks:

Amanda – What’s a web strategy and why do I need one?

Got Questions?

• Use GoToWebinar “Chat” or “Ask a Question”• Twitter @Hall_web

What's The Buzz About?

Not Advertising

Advertising no matter how you spin it (clever, funny, dramatic) is self serving. It is a pitch and no matter how cleverly disguised.

New Media – User Generated

Social Media

Photo Credit: http://www.slideshare.net/mzkagan/what-the-fk-social-media

What Does This Have to Do With Business?

http://www.bluebison.net/content/?cat=142

Why you should care?

This is how your customers are communicating

Time to Re-think Your Marketing Strategy!

Old/Outbound Marketing

• TV Radio Ads• Print Ads• Direct Mail• Telemarketing

An Interruption An Interaction

New/Inbound Marketing

• Social Media• SEO/SEM• Blogging• Online Videos

Information Evolution

Shift in Power

• Buyer has more power than the seller• We value the opinion of others when we buy• Ability to converse with hundreds before a purchase• Find what I want – Validate the Purchase – Buy it• Conversation vs. Presentation

The most important platforms are the ones that your target audience and customers are using.

Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/victoriapeckham/164175205/

Research Buying

• People are looking BEFORE they buy• Give them something to find• Corporate transparency

• Customers preview products and SELLERS• Each experience changes users perspectives

and expectations

Types of Sites

• Content Producing

• Content Sharing

• Relationship Building

• Corporate Transparency• Build Trust with Customers• Generate Inbound Links• Reputation Management• Promote your blog and website• Inexpensive – just takes time• Build relationships before purchasing point• Be a part of the conversation that is already going on• Extend your events, seminars, webcasts, conventions

Benefits of Social Networking

I can't put all my information on the Internet!?!

• Giving Away all my secrets?• People will take the information and go

to my competitors

Validation to your Customers• Sharing Information• Downloadable Information• Whitepapers• Blog• Validating your services, employees and

expertise• Personalizing the buying process• Lower your customers risk

People do business with PEOPLE!

• Creating measurable goals• Develop a content/time strategy• Create policies BEFORE• Establish company voice• Listen first – know your community• Find communities that matter• Create passionate small community

Have a social media strategy

Strategy and Goals• Where are you now?• What do you want to achieve?• How does this fit in with your business goals?• Make the goals measurable

• Number of followers or friends• Number of blog posts• Number of comments• Unique visitors to blog and website• Click Thrus – Traffic Sources• Video Views

The Four Spheres of Social Media Strategy

Blog: http://www.socialmediaexplorer.com/2009/11/18/the-four-spheres-of-social-media-strategy/

Social Media isn’t going away

• Internet is becoming more social• Media is becoming more social• Companies are expected to be more social• ‘Everyone is a reporter’ mentality• More selective about who we do business with• Don’t have to be perfect but do have to be responsive• Communications tool

Re-cap

• Be helpful, educate• Don’t shout• The buyers are in control• Give something to buy by providing value• Create Policies before you begin• Set your goals and measure them• Find out what works, make changes

Learn MoreWeb Vision Blog - http://www.hallme.com/blog

Webinars – http://www.hallme.com/webinars

Follow Hall on Twitter - @Hall_Web @amanda_pants

amanda@hallme.com

Social Media Breakfast Maine 12/18: http://www.socialmediabreakfastmaine.com/

Case studies and content: http://delicious.com/chrisbrogan

eBook on Policies: http://davefleet.com/downloads/social-media-policies-ebook.pdf

Ebook 10 Steps to Social Media Success:

http://www.hallme.com/sage-social-media-success.php

YouTube Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sIFYPQjYhv8