This document outlines a social media strategy created for Hearth and Hound, a small business in Grayslake, Illinois. The strategy was created to address issues like a lack of social media presence, brand awareness, and slow revenue growth. The plan focused on creating Facebook and Flickr accounts to engage customers and attract new ones. Key actions included regular posts, adding photos to Flickr, and training the owner to maintain the accounts to continue increasing online presence and drive more foot traffic to the store. While the owner's availability was an issue, the framework was successfully implemented and early results included a relatively increased traffic flow. Ongoing commitment from the owner will be needed to fully realize improved results from the social media plan.

1. "Hearth and Hound" Project
Glenn
Elmore
and
Rizwan
Pervez
Summer
2012

2. Hearth and Hound
A local small business in
Grayslake, Illinois
Background
Started 5 years ago after
successfully running a
grooming business at same
location
Problem Statement
Revenue struggling and slow
growth overall
Product Offerings
•Pet gifts
•Candles
•Cards
•Flags
•Signs
•Door signs/Decorations

3. Facebook site was created without a well crafted SM strategy and action plan
Little or no use of other social media platforms
No brand awareness on Social Media
Platforms
Main Concerns
Lack of SM knowledge and technologies for ongoing required maintenance

4. Goals
•Create social media presence
• Create Facebook account for
regular customer interacton
•Create flikr account to attract
new potential customers
•Train owner to easily use and
update both accounts once
project is complete
•Increase foot traffic!

5. Strategy
•Ensure customers understand
unique offerings by increasing
social media presence in Lake
County area.
Tools
•Facebook updates and
increased likes
•Linked flikr account

6. Timeline
Create FB account 7/16
Add photographs 7/30
Add “likes” 8/7
 Create flikr account 8/7
Input from owner 8/9
Update’s weekly 8/12
Owner presentation 8/18
Owner training 8/30
Owner turnover 9/6

7. Before
•Owner not aware of social
media’s uses/advantages
•No presence
•No growth
After
•Increased knowledge of
owner
•Growing online presence in
community!
•Increased traffic!

8. What didn’t work well
•Owner availability and full interest/understanding of S.M.
•Owner openness to other S.M. options
•Unknown hours of operation
Worked well
•Full access to create FB page and full approval to update
•Increasing “likes”/followers
•Growing interest by followers/customers
•Linking photos on flickr
What worked What didn’t

9. CONCLUSIONS
•Social media framework has been successfully implemented
•Already witness relatively an increase traffic flow
•Owners time, commitment and dedication is a MUST
•SM Requires patience, flexibility and persistence
•Laser focus on action plan to see improved results
•Customer intimacy is critical for business success