Why Does The Conversation Matter?
“Every new blog, every new
post and every new comment
makes it more likely someone
will talk about you.”

You can’t ignore blogs…

Don’t let fear hold you back
People will talk about
you or your company.
Will you listen and
respond?

Citizen journalism is the new news

The social technographic ladder

The Conversation Happens in Two Places
Their Blog
Your Blog

Your own blog – Biggest challenge
Who will
do it?
One writer, or
many?

A warning about blog marketing

Reasons to blog – Add personality

Reasons to blog – Feedback cycle
“One of the most common requests for change from our
Customers is to add assigned seating…we do listen intently to
our Customers and do our best to give them what they want
so it only makes sense to extensively research and evaluate
this possibility.”

Reasons to blog – Feedback cycle
Roughly 1/3 of comments come from SW Employees
Customers change C-level’s minds
* 90% against assigned seating
They TELL readers they have impacted things…

Reasons to blog – Build community
• Based in Finland, popular in U.S.
• Losing ground to cheaper alternatives
• Scoured blogs, forums for ambassadors
• 3 days training, paid for 15 hours of work a week

Reasons to blog – Build community
Results?
• Branded mentions up 400%
• 1,200 members of the community
• Conversations save the company money (bad paper)
• Sales are up!
KEY POINT: Marketing leaves them alone!

Reasons to blog – Emotional investment
As with many smaller sheet metal companies, there tends to be quite
a bit of sub-contracting that goes on. Obviously, the smaller you are
the less facilities you have in-house. And the busier you get, the more
sub-contracting out you need to do.
Anyway, I’m not going to start babbling about their
utter ineptitude as it’s worth an entire blog in itself.
But do keep your hand on the proverbial dial in case I
ever spill the beans on somebody getting arrested for
shot-blasting the wrong bridge in Scotland during the
rush hour, or regale you with stories involving
classic cars having their roof nearly ripped off due
to positioning said car with a forklift truck’s forks
through the windows so painting the thing would
be a bit easier.

Reasons to blog – Emotionally invest
Gross revenue has TRIPLED
30%-40% of income from blog leads
50,000 unique visitors a month
From 3 to 5 employees – seeking bigger location

Reasons to blog – Educate
Gain credibility in your field
by becoming a resource…

Reasons to blog – The Press

Reasons to blog – Bolster your brand

Reasons to blog – Create demand
Young (40), savvy and travels the world.
Reaching and educating a whole new audience…
The “rock star” of bespoke tailors.

Reasons to blog – Sell products

5 Things to know before you blog
How to How to How to Basic Basic
Write Engage Focus SEO PR

How not to blog…Don’t fake it
Blog gets
pulled, Zipatoni gets
Of course Charlie is really Sony
negative press, Zipatoni, a
self-proclaimedterrible
looks viral marketing firm.
Charlie has a PSP. Jeremy doesn’t. Charlie wants to help.

How not to blog – throw away the mirror
Almost no comments…people
just don’t care.

How not to blog…with thin skin

How not to blog…sporadically
Don’t rest on your laurels…

Boosting your blog – Ask questions
Let your readers add
to the content…

Boosting your blog – Use pictures

Get their attention – Good headlines
Use the CopyBlogger formula
– Who Else Wants [blank]?
– The Secret of [blank]
– Little Known Ways to [blank]
– Get Rid of [problem] Once and For All
– Here is a Method That is Helping [blank] to [blank]
– Here’s a Quick Way to [solve a problem]
– Now You Can Have [something desirable] [great
circumstance]
– [Do something] like [world-class example]
– Have a [or] Build a [blank] You Can Be Proud Of
– What Everybody Ought to Know About [blank]

Get their attention - Controversy

Get their attention – Give credit

Get their attention – Talk WITH them
If they
comment, respon
d!
•Draw people in
•Get new content ideas
•Spark conversation
elsewhere
•Give them attention

Get their attention – Go elsewhere
Find other blogs and add quality
comments to them
Comment early
to reach readers
Comment later
to reach author
Strong presence
or diversified
reach?

Get their attention – Share with Neighbors

Get their attention – Blog carnival
Exposure to
new, but related
audiences
Multiple
bloggers, one topic
Great way to get
involved with your
community

Social Media Launchpoint: Flickr
Which Impacts You More?
“Of all of our inventions for
mass communication, pictures
still speak the most universally
understood language.”
- Walt Disney

Flickr – An Engaged Community

Flickr – Links that Deliver

So Many Reasons to Love Flickr…
Affordable
• Email pics • RSS feeds
• Comment
from phone • $25/yr Pro
• One click notifications
account
• Stats
publish to blog • Unlimited
storage space
Easy Access Spreadable
Learn the tools…
http://www.quickonlinetips.com/archives/2005/03/great-flickr-tools-collection/

Social Media Launch Point: Twitter

Twitter – Create Your Listening Board

The Power of the ReTweet

So Many Reasons to Love Twitter…
Easy to get
Started
• Update by • Instant
phone feedback
• Free
• Update by • Traffic source
• Quick setup
• Searchable
application
• Low learning
curve
Use it Focus
Anywhere Groups
Learn the ropes…
“From Twits to Tweeple” a Five Part Series at Search Engine Guide

Social Media Launch Point: YouTube

YouTube, Great on a Budget
“Tom [Dickson] likes to run non-standard
things through our blenders in the demo room
First out their strength. One dayroughly $100
to test five videos cost I wandered
in to the demo room and saw sawdust on the
floor. Tom was testing out the blenders
again, this time it was a 2 x 2 jammed into the
$400 blender to see if he could destroy the blender
or the 2 x 2. “
The Today Show, iVillage, Newsweek, Playboy, NY Times
-George Write, Marketing Director
Online sales quadrupled.

So Many Reasons to Love YouTube…
Customize
• Tag content • Free hosting
• Link from • Cut and paste
• Account styles
content hosting
• Build a
• Stats
channel
• Subscribe
Organize Utilize

Social Media Launch Point - Networks

So Many Things to Love about Social Networks
Search
• Reconnect • Send
• Make friends messages
• Research
• Launch or
via friends contacts
join groups
• Find new
contacts
Network Communicate

Motivate your readers – Link love
Links are the currency of
the web…

Connect with the community – blog roll

Learn Who Influences…Not Who is Popular
8-12 immediate Topical Blogs Who reaches
influences people?
Forums
Email lists
Dozens, hundreds Who do people
Social networks
of secondary trust?
How we Where we Who
talk hang influences?

Why We Love Blogs - The Value Triangle
Blogs & Articles
Social Reviews
Discussion
Forums
Search
Results
Social
News
Micro
blogging

Start your pitch with the right bloggers…

Number one rule of pitching bloggers…
Take the time to
READ their blog!

How to pitch a blogger
Real Respect
Language their time
Develop a
friendship

Pitching Checklist

Follow My List…Avoid This Problem
Johnson & Johnson invites 50 mom bloggers to “Camp Baby”
• Blogger Social
Bad
• BlogHer Business
Scheduling
• Invited breastfeeding moms
Bad Research • No babies allowed
Bad • Continually spoke down to
audience
Assumptions
• BlogHer members couldn’t blog
Bad Publicity the event

A Note About Gender…
Women are three times more
likely to share personal stories
with a friend than men.
But….
Allow them to retain
full control of the
message or discount…

Foster relationships

Pay for posts…
“No doubt about it. Michael Nivola is a smart
guy who has done some smart things.
However, ordering a review from John Chow
dot Com for the Seven Day System may
have not been the smartest thing to do.”

Follow the Rules of Viral Marketing
Thou Shalt
Thou Shalt Be
Know Thy
Remarkable
Customer
Four Rules
Thou Shalt Tie
Thou Shalt
in Your
Try, Try Again Message

Ask Yourself…
What
What Will they
hasn’t been
sparks risk their
done
passion? reputation?
before?
Ideas spread because they matter to the spreader…

How NOT to treat bloggers…
Flight delays cause person to miss vacation.
Terrible customer service
“Please respond, Pasquale,blog we
\"We wouldn't respond to a but
owe him nothingback toas I'm
post. This goes as far the larger
concerned. Let him tell the world
question of the veracity of
how bad weyou read on Internet
everything are. He's never flown
us before anyway and will be is
blogs. Our customer service back
when we save him a penny. “
great.\"

Things I Don’t Care About (Neither do They)
Your New Your New Your New
Hire Office Award

Managing your reputation

The Power of a Good Post
I
When I came home this last time, I had an email from Zappos asking about the shoes, since they
hadn’t received them. I was just back and not ready to deal with that, so I replied that my mom had
died but that I’d send the shoes as soon as I could. They emailed back that they had arranged with
UPS to pick up the shoes, so I wouldn’t have to take the time to do it myself. I was so touched.
That’s going against corporate policy.
Yesterday, when I came home from town, a florist delivery man was just leaving. It was a beautiful
arrangement in a basket with white lilies and roses and carnations. Big and lush and fragrant. I
opened the card, and it was from Zappos. I burst into tears. I’m a sucker for kindness, and if that
isn’t one of the nicest things I’ve ever had happen to me, I don’t know what is. So…
IF YOU BUY SHOES ONLINE, GET THEM FROM ZAPPOS.

The Power of a Bad Post…

Keep track of the conversation

A Reminder Why Blogs Work…
Niches
Flourish
People Everyone
Don’t has a
The Web
Trust Ads Voice
Connects
People People
Trust Trust
Friends Strangers

Thanks!
Jennifer Evans Laycock
Director of Social Media
SiteLogic
jennifer@sitelogic.com