This document provides an overview of social media and how to create an effective social media strategy. It discusses what social media is, why businesses should use it, how it has impacted marketing, and what elements a strategy should include. The key aspects of a winning strategy are to listen to your audience, talk about your brand and expertise, and energize loyal customers to spread word-of-mouth. The document provides tips on how to execute each of these elements successfully through social media engagement and content creation.

1. Social Media 101 How to create a winning social media strategy.

2. Topics covered today What is social media? Why should I care? How has it affected marketing? What does a social media strategy look like? What do I need to get started? How do I use social media in my business?

3. What is social media?

4. What is social media? Web 2.0 – The platform Social media is “an umbrella term that defines the various activities that integrate technology, social interaction, and the construction of words, pictures, videos, and audio.” (Wikipedia) But really, it’s the conservation happening online 24/7 around the world.

5. What is social media? These conversations are happening between friends and strangers on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Flickr, LinkedIn, personal blogs, private forums and many many more social media websites and tools Who in the room uses what?

6. Why should I care?

7. Why should I care? Because… 3 out of 4 Americans use social technology 2/3 of the internet population visit social media sites Visiting social sites is now the 4 th most popular online activity – ahead of personal email Time spent on social networks is growing at 3x the overall internet rate, accounting for ~10% of all internet time

8. Why should I care? It’s also changing the way we get information and news. BIG TIME. “ Technology is shifting the power away from the editors, the publishers, the establishment, the media elite. Now it’s the people who are in control.” – Rupert Murdoch And anyone who markets anything needs to know it’s like word of mouth, but 10x more powerful

9. SHOCKING, isn’t it?

10. How has it affected marketing?

11. How has it affected marketing? Recession caused marketers to look at social media as viable tool due to the low cost to set up and manage Social media is making it quicker, easier and faster to execute traditional marketing ideas Great news for small business Increased reach that was formerly expensive to set up and manage

12. How has it affected marketing? Shift from push to pull Traditional marketing = shouting for attention Seth Godin calls this “interruption marketing” “ Permission marketing” builds relationships first and sells second Turn strangers into friends and friends into customers

13. How has it affected marketing? 93% of social media users believe a company should have a presence in social media 85% of social media users believe that a company should go further than just having a presence on social sites and should also interact with its customers

14. What does a social media strategy look like?

15. It’s NOT just another marketing tool…it is an integrated strategy that can include: PR and Publicity Customer service Loyalty building Collaboration Networking Thought leadership Event Planning Research Testimonials Client/sales leads Promotions Relationship nurturing Community building Brand supporting Brand monitoring Storytelling Fundraising/Sales

16. Use together to create synergy. Understand each social media tool has its own community who are already using that medium to talk, share and listen. Use tools together to create campaigns to increase your visibility Tap into different users and communities that are already established and leverage the way they communicate online

17. Where do I start?

18. Where do I start? Who is my target market? How are they using the web? What are your competitors doing? What does my brand talk about? (messaging, values, personality) What am I an expert in? What social media tools and strategies make sense for me and my business? Who is in my tribe?

19. Where do I start? How much time am I willing to spend on this? What's my online persona? What boundaries do I want to set for myself? What is my comfort level with being online? What are my interests/values? Is there something you want to learn more about? Social media will school you!

20. What’s next?

21. What’s next? Know the winning principles of a social media strategy 1. LISTEN 2. TALK 3. ENERGIZE

22. Listen Private vs. Public listening What are you listening for? How do I listen? – hire help or do it yourself Use tools - @ replies, alerts, searches, newsfeeds, tags, groups, Hootsuite Tap into influencers online Invite feedback to generate new products and ideas

23. Listen Don’t forget a conversation isn’t just one sided Listen…and then respond. Now that’s PR, customer service, collaboration, networking, brand supporting etc. Choose someone internal to interpret and manage the results

24. Talk Traditionally marketers spend a lot of time speaking about their products using PR, advertising and flashy campaigns Traditional advertising isn’t talking though…it’s mainly shouting. With little to no control over middle stages of the thought process People have always had these conversations, just not online

25. Talk How do I talk using social media? Post a viral video – product info, education, how-to Engage in social media networks and user generated content sites (ie. Facebook, Twitter, MySpace) Start blogging Create a community

26. Talk What do I talk about? Be an expert Support your brand and beliefs How can you help your community and customers? Give information away, share, collaborate Respond to people online and engage in conversation Be supportive and community minded Make information useful Talk about what you like…be a spokesperson too

27. Energize Use the power of word of mouth to reach your most loyal customers and make them your number one spokesperson What energizes someone is a good experience with your brand…even a bad experience can energize your customer if you handle it right

28. Energize Why word of mouth is successful? It’s believable It’s self-reinforcing It’s self-spreading On average 1 out of 6 of your customers is already talking online

29. Energize 3 proven techniques for energizing your base Tap into your customers enthusiasm with ratings and reviews Create a community to energize your customers Participate in and energize online communities of your brand enthusiasts

30. Conclusion Review the topic questions – did I answer them all Did I answer your questions/goals What new questions do you have?

31. For more info: Created by Heather Briggs www.buddhabranding.ca Twitter: @heathrbriggs and @buddhabranding