Advanced Social Media Strategies for Your Retail Establishment

Advanced Social Media: Strategies for Using Facebook, Twitter, and Blogging For Your Retail Business
Presented by Brian Linton
Founder Sand Shack LLC
Brianlinton.com
Sandshack.com
January, 2010
© 2010 Brian Linton

Agenda
My Background and Why I am Here
Benefits for Retail Stores
BloggingOutside the Box
Strategic Facebook Strategies That Drive Traffic
Broadcasting Through Your Tweets
How You Can Create Your Own Social Network

My Background
Grew up in Singapore and Japan
Founded Sand Shack while in college in 2006
Also while in college, founded a coffee company – and failed
Live and work in Philadelphia
Girlfriend’s name is Joanna and Dog’s name is Zoey
Speak Chinese, love to travel, write, and scuba dive

Why You Should Listen To Me
I am not a social media expert
I grew up using forms of social media
I successfully use social media for my business
Most importantly, I am in your industry
-Sand Shack is a brand of resort merchandise

Brianlinton.com

Agenda
What is Social Media and Benefits for Retail Stores

Social Media Definition for Our Industry
Social Media is a collection of online tools (mostly free) that allow retail establishments to connect and communicate with their customers. Social media allows for instant communication and feedback about events, promotions, and allow retail stores to find out what their customers like and don’t like.
Proper use of social media by retail establishments does not entail mindless self promotion, it is about consistent communication with customers and providing free, useful content that will influence customers to make a purchase from an online or offline store.

Benefits
Drive qualified traffic to your on and offline stores
Reach out and find people who otherwise would not of found you
Understand your customers at a deeper level
Only sell products your customers want
Improve your business through feedback
Make More Money

But wait…
New research by Citibank reveals that social media has yet to penetrate the small business world, finding that 76% of the 500 organizations surveyed have not found social media useful in generating business.

Agenda

Business Blog

Blogging with a Purpose
Choose something your customers care about
Provide free material that is not a sales-pitch
Go above and beyond your reader’s expectations
Encourage your readers to leave comments
-respond to comments
Use plugins to better interact with your readers
-create polls, etc.

Give Away Your Secrets

The Power of Images and Video
Use images and video whenever possible
Purchase digital camera with video capabilities
Transparency
Find images for free at Fickr.com
Upload videos to YouTube

What Google Loves
Unique Content
Keyword rich content and tags
Quality and consistency
Wordpress

Market to Your Customers Through Separate Blogs
Setting up a blog is free and if potential customers have various interests, you can reach more by creating multiple niche blogs

Planning
Is this group a viable target market? Is it large enough?
Are there any competing blogs?
Let demographics influence design and writing style

Planning
Offer a free newsletter to your readers if they subscribe via email.
Use email marketing services such as Constant Contact or iContact.
Double opt in subscription
Use newsletter to send subscribers valuable information on the topic
With subtle mentions to your store
Don’t spam

What’s The Difference
Niche Newsletter
Company Sign Up Form
Vs.

Planning
Allow your readers to discover the connection between the blog and your company – don’t make it obvious.
The blog is not for selling, it is for indirect marketing by providing quality, free content to your target market.

Become a Source for Others
Posted article on Stop Shark Finning blog on Jan 17
Posts with us as source by: ecorazzi.com
outside-blog.away.com
seashepherd.com
Treehugger.com
And many facebook and twitter pages
Tips:
Write useful content
Network
Become part of a community
Get Lucky…

Guest blogging
Guest Blogging builds authority for you and your blog about a certain topic
Finding a blog
Google search
Facebook search
Twitter search
Technorati.com search
Follow comment links
Tips for Guest Blogging
-Connect with other blogs first
-Have an established blog
-Send them a summary or outline of what you will write about

Niche Social Media Sites and Forums
Find existing sites to join
Network and promote yourself

Involve, Create, Discuss, Promote, Measure
Courtesy laurelpapworth.com

Agenda

Facebook Page
A Facebook Page is a public profile that enables you to share your business and products with Facebook users

Facebook Strategies for Business
Industry news (trade shows, exhibitions, product recalls)
Tips on using your products/services
Stories about how your producst/services have helped people
Stories about your employees and your customers
Special offers
You can link to or provide product reviews
Provide links back to your blog/website

Facebook Advertising
Should you pay to advertise on Facebook?
Pros:
Highly accurate target advertising
Affordable pay per click
Easy to use and setup
Cons:
Can get expensive, fast
Facebook ads are largely ignored
Must convert clicks to sales
Advertising is not very social (despite Facebooks efforts)

Facebook Search
Find and connect with people or groups who have influence over your potential customers
Search for what matters to your business
Reach out and network with leaders of relevant groups
Join groups and make friends
Note: Only Leaders/Administrators can mass-message all members and fans about you

Networking is Free
Instead of paying to advertise, you can do your own target marketing using Facebook
Facebook search helps you find groups and people in your target market
Have group leaders/administrators tell their followers about you
-greater response than advertising

Agenda

Twitter
Update Followers
Don’t just self-promote
Monitor conversations
Address problems (bigger brands)
Join a conversation
Be human – not a robot
MORE WORK???
Link Facebook and Twitter so Facebook updates are posted as tweets as well

Tips for Using Twitter
Post original thoughts on your topic or industry – thought provoking
Link to articles relevant to your business or industry – or just something that interests you
Help others with problems you have the solution to
Share tips
Share photos
-twitpic
Connect with people from Facebook and your blog
Join industry and topic related groups

Tips Continued
Ask questions and answer questions
Combine your social media approach by linking back to your Facebook page and blog
Find business opportunities – vendors, contractors, salespeople, employees
Find experts to invite to write a guest post for your blog
Respond to tweets mentioning you or your store/brand
Share what you are doing
Avoid hard-sell tactics

Agenda
How I’m Using All of This

How I am Doing It
Sandshack.org

Link Your Blogs to Unique Facebook Pages

Twitter Can Help You Promote Your Blogs

Agenda
How I’m Using All of This

Creating your Own Social Site From Scratch
Go to Godaddy.com and purchase a domain name – approx $8/year
Purchase hosting – approx $50/year
Setup Wordpress – FREE
Choose free template and set up your pages (home, about, contact etc.)
Set up newsletter subscription service
Begin blogging and promoting your posts

Contact Information
Contact Brian: Tel: 508-292-9427 or brian@sandshack.com

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Advanced Social Media Strategies for Your Retail Establishment

by Sand Shack on Jan 30, 2010

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Advanced Social Media Strategies for Your Retail Establishment — Presentation Transcript