The document discusses building a "Corporate Mullet" strategy for socializing brands online. A Corporate Mullet is embracing a socialized business model online like having formality in the front but a social "party in the back". It recommends engaging customers on social media, monitoring competitors, and identifying evangelists. Case studies show how apartment companies like J.C. Hart and Urbane used strategies like blogs, videos and social networks to increase traffic, engage residents, and reduce marketing costs without traditional ads. The benefits included more conversations, awareness, and measurable results from adopting this mindset.

1. Building Your Online Corporate MulletIdeas you can implement tomorrow at workMark Juleen, J.C. Hart Apartment CommunitiesDuncan Alney, Firebelly MarketingTwitter: #corpmulletwww.corporatemullet.com

2. REQUIRED: Social Media Understanding

3. Do you know these guys?

4. Do you know these guys?Seth GodinMalcolm GladwellTom Peters

5. How about these guys?

6. How about these guys?Chris BroganGuy KawasakiGary Vaynerchuk

7. It’s tough out thereAlmost 10% unemploymentFinancial institutions collapsingAutomakers on the brinkConsumer confidence down

8. TheOpportunityDare to care about your customersBuild relationshipsTrust should be your goal

9. We’ll start with the Mullet

10. Famous MulletsBilly Ray CyrusDon JohnsonJohnStamosPhilCollinsBono

11. The MulletIt’s famousIt’s recognizableIt’s evolvedIt’s differentIt’s braveIt shows belongingness

12. The Corporate MulletIt’s a mindset: Dare to embrace a socialized business model onlineFormality is shrinking: Social is the normMake business social: social is the party in the backBe a part of the conversationsMake your brand relevant and open

13. How to build your Corporate MulletSocialize your websiteEngage with your customersMonitor your competitorsIdentify & activate your evangelistsEncourage interactions

14. Non-Apartment Industry Examples

15. Examples

16. ZapposCEO on TwitterFunny, helpful, trustworthy personalityA lot of employees “tweeting$1 million in Twitter-related salesAlso on Facebook and blogswww.zappos.com

17. Starbuckswww.MyStarbucksIdea.comConsumer feedbackSubmit, vote, review in actionAsking for involvementMaking it happen publicly

18. BlendtecWill it Blend? video series7 million views of iPhoneYouTube sensation5 fold increase in salesClever, low costwww.youtube.com/blendtec

19. YatsSmall restaurant group with 4 Indy locationsCEO leads and believes in social mediaVery active Facebook profile, group and pageMobile ramp up with promotionsTwitter presenceEvening out sales through the weekGrowing sales at weak locationwww.yatscajuncreole.com

20. Applying the Corporate Mullet to the apartment industry

21. Why does it apply?200,000,000 people onlinePeople businessPeople do business with peopleGo where the people are

22. “A real estate transaction is a social transaction”- Pete Flint, CEO of Trulia.com

23. What is the fear?Conservative financeFair Housing Law

24. Social media is really no different than …OutreachResident events and partiesTelephone or Email

25. Case Studies

26. http://www.homeisjchart.com

27. J.C. Hart objectivesIncrease exposure and traffic to company websiteIncrease online content and improve search resultsCommunity-building to help retain existing residentsReduce marketing expenses

28. J.C. Hart strategiesOptimize online content for keywords and searchReplace paper community newsletters with blogsFacebook, MySpace, Twitter, & Flickr accountsoptimized for brand and keywordsEstablish a YouTube channel and launch a resident video contest for user-generated content and testimonials

29. J.C. Hart resultsTraffic to website up nearly 75% compared to June 2008Social media sites deliver traffic to main websiteYouTube channel received over 10,000 views in 8 weeksEliminated Print/Guide Marketing Avg. Saving $35/unitPhysical Traffic/Showings up 4.15% YTD ‘08 vs. ’09In 6 months from page 53 to page 2 on Google for “Indianapolis Apartments”

30. Video contest a hit with residents and received good publicity

31. YouTubeWinnershttp://www.youtube.com/homeisjcharthttp://livethelife.homeisjchart.com

32. http://www.urbaneapts.com

33. Urbane ObjectivesOne recognizable brandUse no traditional paid advertisingBreak away from “Apartment Commodity”

34. Urbane StrategyEngage with customers and residentsCompany website, Blogs, and free tools likeCraigslist, Ning, Facebook, etc.Socialize with the local communityHave marketing create income

35. Urbane results12,000 website visitors a month for 360 units- ½ main website, other ½ to Blog and NingsiteGoogle page 1 for “Apartments Royal Oak”Traffic growing 35% month over monthVIP Program generating monthly incomeStill no traditional paid ads

36. Others using social media toolsBell PartnersCampus Living VillagesUDR

37. If you’re trying to build a brand online what might that look like?J.C. Hart ApartmentsUrbane ApartmentsUDR Apartments

38. Ideas you can implement tomorrowGet your brand name on all major social media assets.Set up Google Alerts for your brands and competitors brandsKnow what people are saying about you online, and participate in the conversation.

39. Ongoing strategyHire professional helpDon’t write policiesTrain people in best practices, learn from mistakesMonitor and measure effortsKaizen everything

40. The BenefitsConversationsTop of mind awarenessGoogle JuiceThe online friend MultiplierMeasurable ResultsReduce marketing budgets

41. Summary

42. Building your Corporate Mullet is a way of doing business. It’s not about social media. It’s about socializing your brand online and offline!Develop a strategy and best practices, not policies, to use online tools (just like email and telephone)Reach outside your industry for inspirationRemember the online “multiplier”Being all “business” is not remarkable. You need to collaborate with “the party” in the back.

43. Want More?www.multifamilyinsiders.com

44. Mark JuleenDuncan AlneyJ.C. Hart, Marketing Directormark@homeisjchart.comwww.theapartmentnerd.comTwitter: @mbjFirebelly Marketing, Presidentduncan@firebellymarketing.comwww.firebellymarketing.comTwitter: @firebelly