Presentation I gave to the Order of the Golden Rule (industry association of independent funeral home directors) on social media marketing at their April 2012 conference in Alexandria, Virginia.

1. How to Integrate Social Media
Into Your Marketing Strategy
International Order of the Golden Rule
2012 Annual Conference
Arlington, Virginia
Saturday, April 21, 2012
Scott Swanay – Sherpa Social Media
www.SherpaSocialMedia.com 1

2. Presentation Outline
• Overview of social media
• Overview of specific social media tools
• Social media and the funeral industry
www.SherpaSocialMedia.com 2

3. Overview of Social Media
• Definition of social media
• Benefits of using social media
• Common misconceptions re: social media
www.SherpaSocialMedia.com 3

4. Social Media - Definition
• An online or mobile medium that facilitates
interactions between at least two people
www.SherpaSocialMedia.com 4

5. Social Media - Benefits
• Share information, ideas, and items
• Connect with people and businesses of
interest
• Demonstrate knowledge and expertise
• Give unfiltered feedback
• Receive unfiltered feedback
www.SherpaSocialMedia.com 5

6. Social Media - Misperceptions
• Only for narcissists
• Only for young people
• Too late to get started
• Doesn’t apply to my industry
www.SherpaSocialMedia.com 6

7. Overview of Social Media Tools
• Big 4
• 3 Up-and-Comers
• Others
www.SherpaSocialMedia.com 7

8. The Big 4
• LinkedIn
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Blogs
www.SherpaSocialMedia.com 8

9. LinkedIn
• Google for business
• Networking
• Researching people and companies
• Exchanging information
• Personal profiles and company pages
www.SherpaSocialMedia.com 9

10. Facebook Business Pages
• Administer from a personal page
• Basic information
• Engage in conversations with people who
“like” your page
• Customer service
• Opinion polls
www.SherpaSocialMedia.com 10

11. Twitter
• More limited than LinkedIn and Facebook
• Think and converse in sound bites
• Follow and interact with journalists and
influential thinkers in your industry
• Customer service
• Search for information on specific topics
and the people discussing them
www.SherpaSocialMedia.com 11

12. Blogs
• Blog is short for “weblog”
• Assume attention span of 500-800 words
• Have a point of view
• Post on a regular schedule
• Allow and respond to comments
www.SherpaSocialMedia.com 12

13. The 3 Up-and-Comers
• Google+
• YouTube
• Webinars
www.SherpaSocialMedia.com 13

14. Google+
• Hasn’t reached mainstream status yet
• Circles => selective sharing
• Can “add” whomever you want to your
circles
• Share information
• Video chats
www.SherpaSocialMedia.com 14

15. YouTube
• Google property => search result
implications
• “How to” searches increasingly common
• Demonstrate industry knowledge
• Humanize your business
• Keep videos short and simple
• Don’t plan on your videos “going viral”
www.SherpaSocialMedia.com 15

16. Webinars
• Most last 60 minutes
• Combination of education and marketing
• Require participants to sign up
• Often leads to doing business with
participants
• Leave time for Q&A
www.SherpaSocialMedia.com 16

17. Other Social Media Tools
• Pinterest
• Groupon
• Foursquare
www.SherpaSocialMedia.com 17

18. Social Media & the Funeral Industry
• Goals
• Managing across multiple channels
• Judging the results
www.SherpaSocialMedia.com 18

19. Goals
• Educate the public
• Answer questions from potential clients
• Become trusted source of information
• Share ideas and best practices with others
in the industry
• Connect with potential vendors
www.SherpaSocialMedia.com 19

20. Managing Across Multiple
Channels
• HootSuite
• TweetDeck
www.SherpaSocialMedia.com 20

21. Judging the Results
• # Followers/Fans by itself is meaningless
• Leading indicators of success
o # Interactions with others
o # Times your content is shared
o # Qualified leads received as a result
• Bottom line is always increase in earnings
www.SherpaSocialMedia.com 21

22. Social Media - Conclusions
• Too important to ignore
• Make sure communication is two-way
• Different messages for different audiences
• Listening more important than talking
• Use the feedback you receive
www.SherpaSocialMedia.com 22

23. Contact Info
• Scott Swanay – President & Chief Sherpa,
Sherpa Social Media
• Email: scott@SherpaSocialMedia.com
• Phone: (646) 483-3393
• www.SherpaSocialMedia.com
• Twitter: @SherpaSocialMed
• Facebook: Sherpa Social Media
www.SherpaSocialMedia.com 23