Local Business and Social Networking

Presented by Candy J. Sugarman of PlayBig Online Marketing

www.PlayBigOnlineMarketing.com

Common Social Media Objections from Local Businesses.

How many people in my town and specifically in my

target audience are actually using Social Media?

I don’t have time to Tweet, blog or Facebook – I am

running a business!

I’ve tried it for a couple months and it doesn’t work – we

haven’t seen an increase in customers through our doors

since we started tweeting.

I already advertise in the local paper and radio and that

seems to be doing just fine for us

QUESTION

What two factors are crucial to the success of any local business?

TRAFFIC GOOD REVIEWS

8 Reasons Why Local Business MUST be using Social Media1. Local Search (thanks to mobile marketing) is growing

exponentially in 2012.• Many business overlook the value of setting up local profiles

in the main search properties.

8 Reasons Why Local Businesses MUST be using Social Media2. Social Streams are indexed are listed in Google and Bing.

Negative reviews can hang around the Search Engines a long time!

8 Reasons Why Local Businesses MUST be using Social Media3. Social Media Sites generate high local listings in the

Search Engines.

8 Reasons Why Local Businesses MUST be using Social Media4. The proliferation of Social Media and the Mobile Web is

changing the way consumers find things.

“Over time the single greatest opportunity is to rule the local search landscape. 20-30-year-olds go straight to their mobile browser or Google Maps to find everything – shoes, food, insurance, a dentist, you name it. If they don’t find you by doing that, then you don’t exist.” John Jantsch, February 2010

8 Reasons Why Local Businesses MUST be using Social Media5. Ability to build relationship with an audience (even

before they visit the business).

8 Reasons Why Local Businesses MUST be using Social Media6. Your competitors are connecting with “YOUR”

prospective customers in the Social Media realm.

8 Reasons Why Local Businesses MUST be using Social Media7. Social Media Marketing is way more cost-effective than

traditional advertising channels.

Targeted

Personable

Engaging

Cost-Effective

Viral

Fastest growing medium (Ie. 500k new members at day on Facebook)

8 Reasons Why Local Businesses MUST be using Social Media8. Location-Based Social Networks (LBSN) will grow in

prominence in 2012 and beyond.

General:

Profound Statement from @ajbombers

“We (local businesses) have the ability to engage our clients at

the point of experience.” Joe Sorge, Owner of AJbombers

Three Ingredients to Exploding Traffic for Local Businesses.

Heaps of Visibility & Traffic

Social media Apps

Local SEO

Mobile Media

Step One – Set up Business Profile in Local Search Engines It is essential to make sure you are set-up in the following local search engines:

http://www.google.com/lbc

http://www.bing.com/local/

http://local.yahoo.com

Step One – Set up Business Profile in Local Search Engines

Google Local Business Center

Google Local Business Center

LBSNs

2. Set-up Facebook Fan Page

2. Set-up Facebook Fan Page

Local Facebook Pages to Promote Business

Local Ideas for Facebook Fan Page

• Visually appealing Welcome Page (video, images)

• Funny photos and videos from local business. (lots of

multi-media)

• Surveys and contests (once approved by Facebook).

• Offer helpful tips.

• Promote discounts and specials. (Print Coupon)

• Solicit feedback for new products. (“Create Your Dream

Wedding Dress”)

• Post events & happenings. (Specials)

• Strategically use Facebook Social Ads.

Build Geo-Targeted Twitter Presence

Twitter is an ideal tool for building community and finding local leads!

How to geo-target in Twitter?

1. Local Twitter Search:2. Create Lists3. Engage and interact – don’t sell 100%4. Offers!

Local Twitter Role Models

Tweet-ups and Meet-ups

• Ideal for connecting with Professionals and Colleagues.

• Effective in building strategic networking potential by leveraging the power of “Face to Face.”

Example: Jane starts a tweet-up or a regular meet-up group for wedding event planners. (ie. Picking the right pew bows)

Tweet-ups

Meet up Groups

Meet up Groups

Locally Optimized Profiles in other Social Networks

Connect and Network with Local Businesses

Task Checklist for Local Businesses

Define a clear and specific SM strategy.

Research targeted keywords.

Set-up local profiles in Bing, Google and Yahoo.

Set-up and promote Facebook Fan Page (include in offline materials)

Set-up geo-targeted Facebook Social ads campaign.

Build a geo-targeted base of local followers and leads on Twitter.

Set-up events, promotions and specials using Twitter tools.

Task Checklist for Local Businesses

Set-up strategic networking opportunities through Tweet-ups or Meet-up groups.

Create locally optimized campaigns through other social networking profiles (YouTube.com, Flickr.com)

Set-up presence and build network in LBSN (Location-Based Social Networks.)

What is a Location-Based Social Network?

• LBSNs are Social Networks that answer the question “Where are you going” as opposed to just “What are you doing?”

• Platform for interacting with local colleagues, friends as well as local businesses.

• Open community for sharing candid business reviews and interacting with other customers.

What trends are driving the booming popularity of LBSNs?• It takes 90 minutes for the average person to respond to an email. It takes 90 seconds for the average person to respond to a text message. (CTIA.org, 2011)

• Mobile coupons get 10 times the redemption rate of traditional coupons. (Mobile Marketer, 2012)

• 91% of all smart phone users have their phone within arm’s reach 24/7 – (Morgan Stanley, 2012)

• 44% of Facebook’s 900 million monthly users access Facebook on their phones. These people are twice as active on Facebook as non-mobile users (Facebook, 2012)

• Mobile marketing will account for 15.2% of global online ad spend by 2016. (Berg Insight, 2012)

• It takes 26 hours for the average person to report a lost wallet. It takes 68 minutes for them to report a lost phone. (Unisys, 2012)

• 70% of all mobile searches result in action within 1 hour. 70% of online searches result in action in one month. (Mobile Marketer, 2012)

• 9 out of 10 mobile searches lead to action, over half leading to purchase. (Search Engine Land, 2012)

• 61% of local searches on a mobile phone result in a phone call. (Google, 2012)

• 52% of all mobile ads result in a phone call. (xAd, 2012)http://www.viralblog.com/mobile-and-apps/11-incredible-mobile-marketing-statistics/

What are the business-building benefits of using LBSNs?• Ability to generate targeted local traffic.

• Creates the opportunity to connect with your local customers on a more regular basis.

• Offers creative ways to promote your specials and engage your audience.

• Provides some good “intel” on how often your customers are frequenting your business.

• Enables you to keep on top of the “conversation” about your local business. (Online Reputation Management)

• Low to no-cost marketing channel

• Local Product Evangelists

Check-ins – Example FourSquare

FourSquare.com – The Top Location-Based Social Network

“Foursquare is a cross between a friend-finder, a social city-guide and a game that rewards you for doing

interesting things.” Foursquare.com

Foursquare encourages users to “check-in”, to let other Foursquare users to know where they are at.

Able to leave tips, which are quick reviews/suggestions for others near to discover. (Users can add these tips to their “To Do” list)

How to Do Check-in Right!Claudio Schapsis asks two questions you too may have wondered about: “Why are people sharing their location?” and “What motivates customers to ‘check in’ and share their whereabouts with the world?”He answers with the “7 F’s of check-ins”:Fun—people participate for the fun.Fame—people compete to achieve virtual status, badges, stickers, pins and other items so they can show them to their friends.Friends—making and meeting friends.Flirt—to interact with people they don’t necessarily know.Fancying—to recommend places they like.Following—to keep track of places they visited.Freebies—to receive new offers, discounts, coupons and free stuff.

FourSquare.com – The Top Location-Based Social Network

Each time you check in, you earn points and can receive badges.For example:• Find a new place in your neighborhood? +5 points• Making multiple stops in a night? +2 points• Dragging friends along with you? +1 point

Users are awarded the mayor of a location if they check in more than anyone else.

Businesses reward “Mayors” with free products and special discounts.

Why is FourSquare GREAT for your local business?

• Ideal for restaurants, coffee shops and hotels.

• Helps bring potential customers to your businesses!

Success Story – AJBombers has seen a 30% increase in sales since using FourSquare.

• Allows you to engage your customers “at the point of experience”.

• Offers creative ways to make your brand distinctive and memorable.

• Enables you to promote specials and promotions with a super local audience.

• Provides higher levels of interaction with your audience.

Tips and Tasks for Building a FourSquare Presence

Promote FourSquare Specials and Contest to Twitter Audience.

Tips and Tasks for Building a FourSquare Presence

Promote FourSquare Contest Offline. (Billboard)

Tips and Tasks for Building a FourSquare Presence

Strategically Use Meet-ups with FourSquare Patrons to enhance customer loyalty.

ADVANCED TIP:

Encourage FourSquare Patrons to “geo-tag” Twitter Posts.

Groupon - Collective Buying Power

1. Fill out profiles in Bing, Google, Yahoo, Yelp

2. Create your Facebook fan page and engage!

3. Consider Twitter!

4. Merchant Circle, Foursquare, Groupon!

Your To-Do List

Need More Information or Want More?

Facebook.com/PlayBigOnlineMarketingLinkedIn.com/in/CandySugarmanTwitter @SocialCandy

www.PlayBigOnlineMarketing.com910.960.7618socialcandy@earthlink.net to connect on LinkedIn

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