Web Marketing And Social Media For Distributors

Mark Graham

6/23/09

A Social Media Primer

• Social media consists of online conversations between real people - customers, employees, vendors - using websites or online platforms.

Why Invest in Social Media?• New way of engaging clients• Point of differentiation• Builds trust• Cost effective• Communication tool of the next generation

Social Media Tools• Blogs• Product Comments and Ratings• Online video (YouTube)• Twitter/Flickr/Facebook/LinkedIn• RSS Feeds

Blogging Basics

• Write it Yourself • Be Authentic• Have Fun

Product Comments and Ratings

• Client ownership• Builds credibility with “real” comments• Ability to quickly react to negative feedback

• Online video platform• Free distribution for your content• Anyone can be a star

• Microblogging platform• 140 characters • What are you doing … right now?• “You are who you follow”• New distribution channel for your content• See what people are saying about you

Proactive Sales Opportunities

Fan “shout-outs”

Fan “shout-outs”

Pitching for business (not sure I personally like this approach, but you get the drift)

Effective PR Tool/Damage Control

• Online photo sharing site• Tagging• Vehicle for promoting your corporate culture

• Online community of friends• Fan Pages & Groups• Emotional connection with your products

• Online community of business contacts• Online resume• Great prospecting tool• Online recommendations

• Real Simple Syndication• Tool for having content “pushed” to you• Google Reader• Feedburner.com• Permission Marketing (Seth Godin)

Really Simple Syndication (RSS)

BE WARNED! Social Media is not for everyone.

• People will sniff out the fakers. Be authentic.

• Ensure your marketing is not out of sync.

• You don’t want a meatball sundae

A meatball sundae is the unfortunate result of mixing two good ideas.

The meatballs are the foundation, the things we need (and sometimeswant). These are the commodities that so many businesses are builton.

The sundae toppings (hot fudge and the like) are the New Marketing,the social networks, Google, blogs and fancy stuff that make people allexcited.

The challenge most organizations face: they try to mix them. Theyattempt to slap new marketing onto old and end up with nothing but afailed website.

Excerpt from Seth Godin’s Meatball Sundae

RESOURCES

• Social Media Marketing in a Traditional Industry (Mark Graham). Click here

• My Take on Twitter Click here

• Seth Godin www.sethgodin.com

• Twitterati www.twitterrati.com

@RIGHTSLEEVE