Technology vs the social dimension: How to connect to your audience and engage your stakeholders The good, the bad and the ugly of social media: Highlighting what works and pitfalls to avoid Managing your social media identity: Understanding online brand communities Trends, tips and tricks for your digital survival: Differentiating your brand while safeguarding your reputation

1. HUMANIZING YOUR BRAND
IN THE DIGITAL AGE
Lars Voedisch
Principal Consultant
lars@preciouscomms.com 1
© 2013 by Precious Communications

2. Let’s Take A Journey Together
Brand perceptions are
shifting as you read.
Customers are demanding a
more human approach to
communication.
Social media requires your
attention 24/7.
The media landscape is fast
changing and eroding.
WHERE ARE YOU?
© 2013 by Precious Communications 2

3. You can not NOT communicate
• What is your brand
promise?
• Do you have a
personality?
• How do you earn
trust?
Branding is first and foremost about gaining trust.
© 2013 by Precious Communications 3

4. Knowing your customers, understanding trends
Consumer habits and behaviour
Demographics
Expectations
Social media and the social dimension
TECHNOLOGY VS THE
SOCIAL DIMENSION
© 2013 by Precious Communications 4

5. © 2013 by Precious Communications 5
Source: What happens on the Internet every 60 seconds - Rosa Golijan

6. © 2013 by Precious Communications 6
Source: What happens on the Internet every 60 seconds - Rosa Golijan

7. The BIG Cultural Dilemma
• Be (Seen) Innovative –
But Please Don’t Take Any Risk, Use Only Proven Methods
© 2013 by Precious Communications 7

8. Online Engagement? Customers are very demanding!
[Brands] have to surprise me, not only meet
my needs, but anticipate my needs.
By using social media exclusively, I think the
company has to
answer me whenever I have a question,
enlighten me whenever I complain,
and thank me whenever I compliment
them.
Source: The Language of Love in Social Media - Firefly Millward Brown © 2013 by Precious Communications 8

9. The BIG Cultural Dilemma #2
• From natural respect to suspicion
• Are you approachable?
• Why would people want to connect
with you?
© 2013 by Precious Communications
© 2012 by PRecious Communications 9

10. What are people saying?
11%
13% 32%
45%
Source: Digital Life 2011 - TNS © 2013 by Precious Communications
10

11. What are people saying?
10%
11% 32%
47%
Source: Digital Life 2011 - TNS © 2013 by Precious Communications
11

12. How to Humanize Your Brand
1. Think Like a Social Network
• Facebook: “We don’t draw a distinction between your mom and a bar of
soap”
2. Start With Staff
• Your employees are the most authentic expression of your brand
3. Create Access
11%
• TaylorMade. “We are, first and foremost, golfers”
4. Treat Customers as Partners
• Levi’s co-creating content, even products,
13% 32%
5. Reach Out To Key Individuals
• Ford’s CEO calling influential SMB owner
6. Own Your Mistakes
7. Put Your Fans to Work
• Cisco’s Networking Academy giving fans moderator privileges
8. Be Open to Debate
• Eloqua openly asking online community 45%
9. Be Present
• Don’t break the promise of engagement
Source: 10 Ways to Humanize Your Brand On Social Media - Mashable © 2013 by Preciousby PRecious Communications
© 2012 Communications 12

13. What are the pitfalls to avoid
What works on Social Media
THE GOOD, THE BAD AND
THE UGLY OF SOCIAL MEDIA
© 2013 by Precious Communications 13

14. What content goes viral?
Practically useful, surprising, and Content that inspires high-energy
interesting emotions far more likely to be
shared.
More likely to be shared
© 2013 by Precious Communications

15. What content goes viral?
Content with an Fame of the author
emotional tone
Slightly more important
than content
Humour
• 62% of ads being aired by Fortune 500 companies, 60% of
viral ads were being generated by the smaller companies.
• “Humour was employed at near unanimous levels for all
viral advertisements. Consequently, this study identified
humour as the universal appeal for making content viral.”
© 2013 by Precious Communications

16. What content goes viral?
Content with an Fame of the author
emotional tone
• Slightly more important
than content
Humour or Ridicule!
• 62% of ads being aired by Fortune 500 companies, 60% of
viral ads were being generated by the smaller companies.
• “Humour was employed at near unanimous levels for all
viral advertisements. Consequently, this study identified
humour as the universal appeal for making content viral.”
© 2013 by Precious Communications

17. What content goes viral?
Content with an Fame of the author
emotional tone
• Slightly more important
than content
•
•
or
62% of ads being aired by Fortune 500 companies, 60% of
viral ads were being generated by the smaller companies.
Humour
“Humour was employed at near unanimous levels for all
viral advertisements. Consequently, this study identified
Ridicule!
humour as the universal appeal for making content viral.”
© 2013 by Precious Communications

18. © 2013 by Precious Communications

19. Still… it might
actually work
Just that you
would have
higher odds in
playing the
lottery!
© 2013 by Precious Communications

20. Connecting to your audiences through social media
Community management as a skill set
Why content rules and what you should do about it
Finding your personality: Tone, Voice, Behaviour
MANAGING YOUR SOCIAL
MEDIA IDENTITY
© 2013 by Precious Communications 20

21. What is a community?
Groups of people who…
• share a common passion, interest or objective
• come together to learn from each other
• want to do something together
•…
An interactive group of
people joined together by a
common topic or interest
© 2013 by Precious Communications 21

22. So why would people want to join a band
community?
What are real people’s real intentions?
• Nike – or the love for sports
• ClubMed – or travel
• Harley Davidson – or freedom
© 2013 by Precious Communications 22

23. So why would people want to join a band
community?
Reasons people join brand communities
• Exclusive content
• Discounts
• Updates
© 2013 by Precious Communications 23

24. How To Choose The Right Identity?
What tone do you like to read on Facebook or Twitter? Witty? Edgy?
Angry? Why would you join – or not?
• Always be helpful, humble and friendly.
• Be wary of the metaphors and imagery you or your writer use – they
say a lot about your business.
Don’t forget: In Social Media
you want to connect people
with people!
Source: How To Choose The Tone For Your Content – Social Media Magic © 2013 by Precious Communications 24

25. What Is Your Social Media
Personality?
What Social Media Tone Is Best for Your Business?
• Baby food: Use an educational tone in your social media so customers
can make informed decisions
• Meaningful gifts: Invoke a humble, empathetic and enlightening tone
that keeps the brand linked to inspiration
• Bags: By injecting a youthful, personable, upbeat and feminine tone in
your social media, you could invite young customers across to indulge
in your products
• Cookies: A playful and inviting tone works best at alluring customers
to indulge in childhood comfort foods
• Designer products: Employ a serious and curious tone in its social
media
Source: What Social Media Tone Is Best for Your Business – Fox Business © 2013 by Precious Communications 25

26. What Is Your Social Media
Personality?
What Social Media Tone Is Best for Your Business?
• Baby food: Use an educational tone in your social media so customers
can make informed decisions
• Meaningful gifts: Invoke a humble, empathetic and enlightening tone
that keeps the brand linked to inspiration
• Bags: By injecting a youthful, personable, upbeat and feminine tone in
your social media, you could invite young customers across to indulge
in your products
• Cookies: A playful and inviting tone works best at alluring customers
to indulge in childhood comfort foods
• Designer products: Employ a serious and curious tone in its social
media
Source: What Social Media Tone Is Best for Your Business – Fox Business © 2013 by Precious Communications 26

27. Social Media to be leveraged across a company:
Different functions, uses and values
Source: Socialize your organization – Richard Binhammer / Dell © 2013 by Precious Communications 27

28. How to differentiate your brands while safeguarding your reputation
TRENDS, TIPS AND TRICKS FOR
YOUR DIGITAL SURVIVAL
© 2013 by Precious Communications 28

29. Future-Proofing Social Media & Public Relations
Who do YOU want to be?
Critical Analytical Skills
Gamblers Winners
Vanity Strategic Business
Publishing Orientation
Ostriches Bluffers
No Analytical Skills
© 2013 by Precious Communications 29

30. Rules of Engagement – Things to Consider
Get your processes right
• Monitor
• Analyze
• Discover
• Engage / Respond
People
What you need:
• A PLAN & Resources!
• Scenario planning & Reaction Plans
Processes
• Guidelines
Policies
There is no one-size-fits-all
• Better start small than not at all
• Form a team
• Have fun!
© 2013 by Precious Communications 30

31. 6 SOCIAL MEDIA RESOLUTIONS YOUR BUSINESS SHOULD KEEP IN 2013
• Learn to Filter
– Categorize contacts and make use of lists, groups, circles, and communities to keep
your connections relevant and compartmentalised
• Set Objectives
– Set goals, for the number of new leads, enquiries, opportunities, or even the
amount of new business you will generate via your social channels
• Tribe Up!
– Explore your current and target communities, to really get involved in
• Carrot Beats Stick Every Time
– Provide quality content, and have strong calls to action throughout your marketing
funnel
• Content is Emperor
– Think about, and map out every output from social update to blog post, to eBook,
to landing page, to email newsletter, to sales script, and beyond
• Without Measurement You Are Nothing
– Get familiar with Facebook Insights, Clickthrough Analytics (start with Bit.ly or
Hootsuite’s Ow.ly), and Google Analytics.
Source: http://influenceagents.com/6-social-media-resolutions-business-2013 © 2013 by Precious Communications 31

32. ‘Classic’ Case Study: Domino’s YouTube Experience
• Domino’s Pizza Chain discovered the power of viral marketing last month:
two employees in the US filmed "prank" videos of themselves stuffing
cheese up their noses and then putting it into sandwiches.
• The video went popular on YouTube (over 1 million views), and Twitter lit
up with disgusted customer complaints.
• Domino’s apologized and put its own President on YouTube, started a
Twitter response site;
• Still: In just a few days, Domino’s reputation was damaged.
© 2013 by Precious Communications 32

33. ‘Classic’ Case Study: Domino’s YouTube Experience
• Domino’s Pizza Chain discovered the power of viral marketing last month:
two employees in the US filmed "prank" videos of themselves stuffing
cheese up their noses and then putting it into sandwiches.
• The video went popular on YouTube (over 1 million views), and Twitter lit
up with disgusted customer complaints.
• Domino’s apologized and put its own President on YouTube, started a
Twitter response site;
• Still: In just a few days, Domino’s reputation was damaged.
© 2013 by Precious Communications 33

34. ‘Classic’ Case Study: Domino’s YouTube Experience
So if we know all of this…Who
• Domino’s Pizza Chain discovered the power of viral marketing last month:
two employees in the US filmed "prank" videos of themselves stuffing
in YOUR organization would go
cheese up their noses and then putting it into sandwiches.
• The video went popular on YouTube (over 1 million views), and Twitter lit
up with disgusted customer complaints. tonight?
on Youtube
• Domino’s apologized and put its own President on YouTube, started a
Twitter response site;
What to wear?
• Still: In just a few days, Domino’s reputation was damaged.
What to say?
Who to talk to?
Are you ready?
Nobody will wait for you…!
© 2013 by Precious Communications 34

35. @larsv
Lars Voedisch
Communications Strategist
lars@preciouscomms.com
© 2013 by Precious Communications 35

36. About Us…
• Independent, boutique communications consultancy
• Based out of Singapore, at home in Asia and Europe
• Globally connected via affiliation with
+65 - 9170 2470 connect@preciouscomms.com
larsvoed Facebook.com/PReciousComms
229 Mountbatten Road Twitter.com/PReciousComms
#02-41 Mountbatten Square
Singapore 398007
© 2013 by Precious Communications

37. PRecious Partners
Some of the brands PRecious Communications and our consultants have worked with
© 2013 by Precious Communications

38. HUMANIZING YOUR BRAND
IN THE DIGITAL AGE
Lars Voedisch
Principal Consultant
lars@preciouscomms.com 38
© 2013 by Precious Communications