twitter and facebook: the basics explained

Promoting Country Markets via Twitter and Facebook

The basics explained

Pippin Consultancy Ltd Gloucestershire Country Markets AGM 15 April 2013

The presentation

• Online marketing– Websites– Directories– Social media (Twitter and Facebook)

• Offline marketing– Flyers/posters– PR


Online marketing

• Free / low cost promotion• Most people are online (84% of the UK

population)


Websites

• Great place to put all the information about your Market

• Keep it up-to-date• Link it in with everything you do• Facebook?


Directories

• Local information websites• Transition Towns• Big Barn


Social media

“Interactive platforms via which individuals and communities create and share user-generated content.”

J.H. Kietzmann, K. Hermkens, I.P. McCarthy & B.S. Silvestre (2011)


Social media

The online equivalent of a conversation or a gossip with friends, colleagues or acquaintances.

Catherine Every


Twitter?

Every day, millions of people turn to Twitter to connect to their interests, to share information, and find out what's happening in the world right now. Anyone can read, write and share messages of up to 140 characters on Twitter. These messages, or Tweets, are available to anyone interested in reading them, whether logged in or not. Your followers receive every one of your messages in their timeline – a feed of all the accounts they have subscribed to or followed on Twitter.


Twitter – usage statistics

• 34 million + active UK users• 25-34, 35-44 and 45-54 age groups each make

up around 20% of the Twitter population• 42% use it find out about products and services• 41% use it to provide opinions about products

and services• 31% use it to ask for opinions about products

and services


Twitter feed


Twitter – the basics

• Username (@CatherineEvery, @bohemianbeads)

• Mention• Retweet• Message• Hashtag


Twitter profile


Twitter and your Country Market

• Announcements about what’s on sale• Who’s cooking what• What’s selling well• What’s happening in the Market• Retweeting other Country Markets tweets• Posting photos• Link into special dates (Mothering Sunday, Easter, Bank

Holiday etc)• Retweeting / commenting on local community issues• Tap into food issues (e.g. beef in your lasagnes come

from your local butcher)


Hints and tips

• Tweet regularly• Have more than one person tweeting

(you can login with your twitter name and password)

• Stay positive and politically uncontroversial


Questions?


Facebook

Millions of people use Facebook everyday to keep up with friends, upload an unlimited number of photos, share links and videos, and learn more about the people they meet.


Facebook - statistics

• 200 million unique users (c.30 million in the UK)

• 57% of users are female• 46% of users are 45 or older


Facebook personal timeline


Facebook personal page


Facebook business timeline


Facebook business page


How can Country Markets use Facebook?

• Post photos• Post updates• Post questionnaires• Post information • Post recipes• Post special offers• Post about special dates (Easter, Mothering

Sunday, Breakfast Week etc)• Share posts and comments• Comment on postsPippin Consultancy Ltd Gloucestershire Country Markets AGM 15 April 2013

Hints and tips

• Get started at www.facebook.com/business

• Do it regularly• Have multiple administrators• Stay positive and politically

uncontroversial• Promote it in Market and all your flyers,

posters, press releases etc


Here’s what Ross Country Market said

“It’s still in its infancy in relation to getting a decent number of “likes” and is just starting in the last month or so to get people sharing statuses. The main benefit is that it’s free and a useful reminder for people, especially as you would otherwise not have any way of communication with them between markets.”


Here’s what Beccy Stephens said

“Just to spread the word and let local people know its there.”


Questions?


Offline marketing

• It’s making sure people know you’re there• More focused than social media


Flyers and posters

• Focus on USPs• Keep branding consistent• Get out to relevant places – i.e. where

your customers go – and where your ideal customers go

• Tailor to events: Christmas order forms, Easter treats, Breakfast Week


PR

• Draw up a press list of email contacts• Think about what’s newsworthy: new

producer, special items for key dates (e.g. Easter), local food that’s trustworthy, new season rhubarb, anniversary

• Plan


Conclusion

• All marketing, whether it’s online or offline is about letting people know you’re there and you’re worth a visit


Questions?


twitter and facebook: the basics explained

Documents

country markets tweets

country markets viatwitter

country markets usefacebook

postspippin consultancy

olderpippin consultancy

ukpopulationpippin consultancy

twitter feedpippin consultancy

country market announcements