Beginners Guide to Social Media

Social Media
Marketing
For The Estate Planning Professional! April 5, 2011

George Wallace
President
Rebecca Slosberg Digital Marketing Specialist @ DiscoveryCG Facebook.com/DiscoveryCG

“ The great French Marshall Lyuatey once asked his gardener to plant a tree. The gardener objected that the tree was slow growing and would not reach maturity for 100 years. The Marshall replied, “In that case, there is no time to lose; plant it this afternoon.” - John F. Kennedy

A new way of thinking about an old concept You are already participating in social networking! The Merrimack Valley Estate Planning Counsel IS a social network!

The Prism of social media revolves around your website

Traditional Marketing Inbound Marketing

Traditional Media
All about THEIR business
It should be about what they can do for YOU
In your face
Don’t have the choice
Hits the mass, no personal attention
Looks at numbers, not people

Inbound Marketing
Developing a relationship
Getting to know the client, personally
Inviting
Don’t force, giving choices
Provide value
Give away knowledge, free trials or analysis without expecting something in return

The Strategy
Who are your Clients? Prospects?
What are they interested in?
What do you want to hear from them?
What do you want to talk to them about?
Segmentation
What value can you offer?
What are your goals?

The Basics
Change Your Thinking
Take a Good Look at Your Website
Figure out what you want to say, and to whom?
Start the Discussion

Your Website is Your Hub

Why do you NEED a good Website?
Gives you a professional and trusted appearance
A website is open 24 hours a day 7 days a week, unlike your office
Exposure 365 days a year
Convenience for clients
Expanded Marketplace, reach clients you may otherwise have never met

Only 1 in 10 consumers trust ads , even if they saw the ads, they are likely to ignore them or NOT base their purchase decisions on them. (Adweek Media/Harris Poll, 2010) In a study conducted by social networking site myYearbook, 81% of respondents said they'd received advice from friends and followers relating to a product purchase through a social site; 74% of those who received such advice found it to be influential in their decision. (Click Z, January 2010) 53% of people on Twitter recommend companies and/or products in their Tweets, with 48% of them delivering on their intention to buy the product. (ROI Research for Performance, June 2010)

Implications
A new paradigm for conducting business
Companies no longer in control of their brands
People depending on other people for the information that informs their buying decisions

It is not about the technology
It is about how to build the relationships USING the technology
Tactics vs. Strategy
Caution!

P.O.S.T.
P eople
O bjectives
S trategy
T echnology

“ But really, what IS it?” (in a nutshell)

In a nutshell..
Blogs
Discussion Groups and Forums
Wikis
RSS
Widgets
Podcasts
Virtual Worlds
Viral Video and Photo
Social Networking Sites
Social Bookmarks

From Soup to Nuts

Presidential Race 2008
Results as of election eve 2008
Social Network McCain Obama Obama Now Facebook Fans 620,319 2,379,102 7,646,208 Twitter Followers 4,603 112,475 3,326,837 YouTube Channel Views 2,052,993 18,413,110 22,730,210 MySpace Friends 217,811 883,166 1,926,593

Massachusetts Senate Race
As of election eve 2010
Social Network Scott Brown Martha Coakley Facebook Fans 94,779 17,361 Twitter Followers 11,667 3,925

Governor's Race
As of February 2010
Social Network Tim Cahill Deval Patrick Charlie Baker Facebook Fans 2,790 11,930 1,370 Twitter Followers 320 10,010 1,370 YouTube Channel Views None 18,439 None MySpace Friends None 376 3,242

“ I don’t have time for all that. I have a business to run…”

SOCIAL NETWORKING IS NOW MORE POPULAR THAN EMAIL According to Nielsen Online’s 2009 study, 66.8% of Internet users have used social networks, while only 65.1% have used email.* 57% of U.S. Adults have a Profile on a Social Networking Site. *Mashable.com

How Long Does It Take To Reach 50 Million People?

“ So how do I get started?”

BLOGGING 101 152 million – The number of blogs on the Internet (as tracked by BlogPulse). 73% of online users read blog posts, even if they aren’t aware of it.

Crucial to Online Marketing
Achieve Expert Status in your field
Promote Your Name, Brand, Product/Service
Deliver Traffic to your Website
Increase Your SEO Rankings
Develop a Community of Prospects and Brand Ambassadors

“ Wait, you want me to give away FREE advice?”

Corporate Blogging
Hosted by GM Executives
Showcases “cars of the future”, the company’s move toward energy-efficient vehicles, and videos of prototypes.
Allows consumers to become part of the conversation.
Includes “Fact or Fiction” commentary

LINKEDIN 101 LinkedIn users tend to be more senior: 46% are Management or Executive Level The majority (66%) of LinkedIn users are decision makers or have influence in purchase decisions for their companies

The First step to joining the Social Network
Connect with past contacts, new prospects, industry insiders, referral sources
Stay in touch with your network of contacts as they transition; be the first to know of new moves, promotions, career changes
Make introductions within your newly expanded network

Your LinkedIn Profile is like a resume for you and your business! Make sure to complete it 100%

FACEBOOK 101 Facebook has grown from 100 million to 200 million users in less than 8 months . If it were a country, it would be bigger than Brazil .* Facebook now has 500 million active users! *Mashable.com 2009

Facebook Statistics
The fastest growing demographic is baby boomers, those that are 55+ (Inc.com, Aug. 2010)
Facebook is the second most trafficked site in the United States (Alexa Ranking)
51,481,960 Facebook users are between the ages of 35 and 64
Facebook generates 770 billion page views per month
Average user is connected to 80 fan pages
Average user creates 90 pieces of content each month (Social Media Today, March 2011)

Facebook: Ernst & Young

Facebook: Haymond Law

TWITTER 101 In the past year alone, the average number of tweets per day has nearly tripled from 50 million to 140 million. *Huffington Post, March 2011

Twitter Statistics
175,000,000 – Number of twitter user accounts
460,000 – Average number of new accounts per day over the last month.
182% – Increase in number of mobile users over the past year.

Even the Boston Police are Tweeting!

Enterprise Bank: Celebration of Excellence

How?
We researched and found members in the nominating community (Massachusetts and New Hampshire) using advanced search tactics that were active in social media.
We connected with them on Facebook and Twitter, telling them about the event and how they can make a difference by nominating a business while guiding them to the correct place online to do so.

Results?
We had a goal of getting 250 nominations. By the last day of nominations we had received over 350, surpassing our goal by 100.
Furthermore, out of the 350 nominations over 125 submitted their applications to receive the award, over 25 more than our goal of 100 applications submitted.

DISCUSSION GROUPS, FORUMS, & USER REVIEWS

Show that you’re THE expert

90 Days to set up all platforms, get populated, and get trained!
How long does it REALLY take? 45 minutes a day to engage with your target audience, that’s it!

George Wallace
President
Rebecca Slosberg Digital Marketing Specialist @ DiscoveryCG Facebook.com/DiscoveryCG

Beginners Guide to Social Media

by George Wallace on Apr 07, 2011

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Beginners Guide to Social Media — Presentation Transcript