Holy #%&$!! We’re totally screwed!! Social Media Marketing in Tough Times

Yup. Times are Tough.

2 Choices

2 Choices Get tough! Get smart! Get loud! Market your way through the downturn Why would you cut the resources that ensure your brand remains front & center?

Get tough! Get smart! Get loud!

Market your way through the downturn

Why would you cut the resources that ensure your brand remains front & center?

“ Brands that increase (marketing) during a recession, when competitors are cutting back, can improve market share and return on investment at lower cost than during good economic times.” Marketing Your Way Through a Recession Published: March 3, 2008

“ Brands that increase (marketing) during a recession, when competitors are cutting back, can improve market share and return on investment at lower cost than during good economic times.”

Marketing Your Way Through a Recession

Published: March 3, 2008

Nail your Sales and Marketing message. Pound your competitors’ shortcomings. They’re hurting and they will be quiet. Take the offensive. In a downturn, aggressive PR and Communications strategy is key. Doug Leone, Sequoia Capital Mandatory CEO All-Hands Meeting , Sand Hill Road Oct. 9, 2008

Nail your Sales and Marketing message.

Pound your competitors’ shortcomings.

They’re hurting and they will be quiet. Take the offensive.

In a downturn, aggressive PR and Communications strategy is key.

Doug Leone, Sequoia Capital

Mandatory CEO All-Hands Meeting , Sand Hill Road

Oct. 9, 2008

Remember the Basics You don’t need to reach EVERYBODY You just need to reach the people who will buy your stuff

You don’t need to reach EVERYBODY

You just need to reach the people who will buy your stuff

How Do Buyers Find You?

How Do Buyers Find You? Oh yeah, and: And:

content What Impacts “Findability?”

content

content “ Findability” is

content

TIME is Expensive

What to Do? Focus on impact! What do you kill? S EM (PPC) – Good SEO is cheaper, more effective A dvertising – it’s expensive; it’s hit-or-miss L ayers – cut internal staff E vents – box-up the booth; visibility = speeches

Focus on impact!

What do you kill?

S EM (PPC) – Good SEO is cheaper, more effective

A dvertising – it’s expensive; it’s hit-or-miss

L ayers – cut internal staff

E vents – box-up the booth; visibility = speeches

What to Do? Where do you double-down? Listening – responsiveness scores points; identifies red flags early on Content creation – thought leadership + findability SEO – findability PR – thought leadership + promotion (read: findability) + responsiveness

Where do you double-down?

Listening – responsiveness scores points; identifies red flags early on

Content creation – thought leadership + findability

SEO – findability

PR – thought leadership + promotion (read: findability) + responsiveness

Social Media = Virtuous Cycle

Whaddaya Mean by “Content Creation?” TODAY We got the CEO a speaking gig! Media advisory! Bylined article! Proactive pitches! On-the-floor interviews! Go home TOMORROW We got the CEO a speaking gig! Let’s send a camera crew along Interview her on the way to the event Podcast from a conference room Document hallway chatter Film or livestream the speech Share content all along the way #tag, tweet & liveblog the process Monitor response; interact with users Do “the traditional PR stuff” too Content creates ongoing “exposure opportunities” … empowers your communities … boosts SEO …

TODAY

We got the CEO a speaking gig!

Media advisory!

Bylined article!

Proactive pitches!

On-the-floor interviews!

Go home

TOMORROW

We got the CEO a speaking gig!

Let’s send a camera crew along

Interview her on the way to the event

Podcast from a conference room

Document hallway chatter

Film or livestream the speech

Share content all along the way

#tag, tweet & liveblog the process

Monitor response; interact with users

Do “the traditional PR stuff” too

Content creates ongoing “exposure opportunities” … empowers your communities … boosts SEO …

“ But My Prospects Don’t Tweet!” Chances are, most of your buyers don’t tweet, utter, flick, or ‘tube! Don’t matter. Not a lick. ’ s SOCIAL MEDIA

Chances are, most of your buyers don’t tweet, utter, flick, or ‘tube!

Don’t matter. Not a lick.

mmmm … !!!

What About PR? PR is totally $%#@’ing necessary PR provides 3 rd party validation MSM is influential Most buyers still prefer a MSM write-up to a blog post ( CREDIBILITY ) Most MSM sites have better PageRanks than blogs ( FINDABILITY ) Agencies have long-standing relationships across the mediasphere, via several clients ( RESULTS ) Industry Awards! Speaking Opportunities! Social Content Distribution! Oh my!

PR is totally $%#@’ing necessary

PR provides 3 rd party validation

MSM is influential

Most buyers still prefer a MSM write-up to a blog post ( CREDIBILITY )

Most MSM sites have better PageRanks than blogs ( FINDABILITY )

Agencies have long-standing relationships across the mediasphere, via several clients ( RESULTS )

Industry Awards! Speaking Opportunities! Social Content Distribution! Oh my!

“ Dude, I Need a Checklist” DO Listen Blog Hire a PR firm Focus on SEO Create & publish relevant content Distribute content in places where buyers can be found Trust good SEO to do the rest Measure DON’T Advertise Pay-per-click Attend events Unless you’ll be a speaker Protect your fiefdom Outsource vs. Hire And, Don’t Panic!

DO

Listen

Blog

Hire a PR firm

Focus on SEO

Create & publish relevant content

Distribute content in places where buyers can be found

Trust good SEO to do the rest

Measure

DON’T

Advertise

Pay-per-click

Attend events

Unless you’ll be a speaker

Protect your fiefdom

Outsource vs. Hire

And, Don’t Panic!

Todd Defren SHIFT Communications [email_address] 617-779-1853 www.shiftcomm.com (web) www.pr-squared.com (blog) twitter.com/tdefren (twitter) Now What? I’ve got more ideas… Contact me: C’mon, they only gave me 10 minutes!

Todd Defren

SHIFT Communications

[email_address]

617-779-1853

www.shiftcomm.com (web)

www.pr-squared.com (blog)

twitter.com/tdefren (twitter)

I’ve got more ideas…

Contact me: