The document outlines the importance of social media for businesses, emphasizing its role in building brands, establishing expertise, and fostering customer relationships. It shares success stories and tips for using platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn effectively, stressing the necessity of a strategic approach to content and audience engagement. The document concludes with emphasizing the need for continual adaptation and the integration of mobile marketing techniques.

1. Social Media 101 Presented by: Jeanne Willson Markbeech Marketing www.MarkbeechMarketing.com

2. “ For a company not to market itself is like winking at a girl in the dark. You know what you’ve done but no one else does.”

3. Social Media When used properly…Social Media Will help build your brand build valuable relationships with your customers/clients, prospects, industry leaders establish you as an expert build your referral network give you a competitive advantage provide you valuable feedback Should be an essential part of your marketing mix

4. Social Media Success “ Toward the end of 2008, I realized that I would have no discretionary money for advertising in 2009 ,” said Leslie Saint McLellan, director of marketing and tourism. “Our county grant money would only allow us to continue on with our events and operate our visitor centers. I was just dumbfounded. What are we going to do? How are we going to manage?” McLellan had heard of Twitter and Facebook, but the part-time marketing director just hadn’t found the time to look into them yet. “ I knew this was something I had to know, but this was the kick I needed,” she said. With 2009 about to start, McLellan jumped head-first into researching social media and soon posted her first tweet. Now a year later, the community has completely replaced print advertising with social media and closed out 2009 with more lodge bookings than the year before. Twitter: 814 followers

5. Markbeech Marketing

6. Markbeech Marketing What we do Social media – training, management and consulting Facebook Twitter LinkedIn blogging Email marketing Traditional print/advertising Website design/online advertising Promotions Social Media Classes Feedback form

7. Social Media Success: Local The Cordial Cricket www.TheCordialCricket.com Chester, VA Elizabeth Howard wanted to throw a party for the first anniversary of her store, The Cordial Cricket. Since it was a social event, she decided to use only Facebook, Twitter and emails to promote it. When a line of customers wrapped around the building an hour before the store opened, she know social media was an effective way to reach her customers. Facebook: 724 ‘fans’ Twitter: 1,629 followers

8. Your Target Market Who are you trying to reach? Who are you talking to? What do you want them to know about you? Put together a profile of your perfect customer and then figure out where they are

9. What we will cover

11. Facebook Why is it important? 500 million active users Is your target market there? Be found by search engines (SEO) Drive traffic to your website, your blog, other social media outlets Direct communication with your clients/customers/fans Connect with influential people in your industry 500 (active users are people who have logged in over the past 30 days.)

12. Facebook Why is it important? Easily establish referral partners Promote your vendors/referral partners/network Generate good will and more referrals Establish yourself as an expert Gives you a competitive advantage

13. Facebook Profiles Personal Pages Cannot be used as a business page Build your friend/family base here Encourage them to join your business page Company Fan Pages Your business page

14. Facebook: Help people find you Customized URL http://www.facebook.com/username/ My Facebook page address is… http://facebook.com/MarkbeechMarketing

15. Facebook: Strategy Building your Fan (Business) Page – Six Steps Set your objective Design Strategy (Static FBML) Content Strategy Promotion Strategy Engagement Strategy Conversion Strategy

16. Facebook: Privacy Customize settings Be sure ‘posts by me’ goes out to friends of friends

17. Facebook: Privacy Account/ Privacy Settings Be sure to check instant personalization settings

18. Facebook: Promotion Add a ‘Like’ button to your blog Add a ‘Fan’ box to your site http://developers.facebook.com/plugins

19. Facebook: Updates How often should I update my fan page? Depends on your business At least 4-5x per week Better 1-2x per day Schedule it once a week on www.Hootsuite.com

21. Twitter Why is it important? 145 million active users 180 million unique visitors Is your target market there? Direct communication with your followers Connect with influential people in your industry Drive traffic to your website and blog 145 million

22. Twitter Why is it important? Easily establish referral partners Promote your vendors/referral partners/network Generate good will and more referrals Establish yourself as an expert Gives you a competitive advantage

23. Twitter Use Twitter for your own research B2B Find great content for your Facebook page, blog Articles Inspirational quotes Keep on top of news Industry trends/buzz Local events/information National news Find out about Online events “ Twitter is my morning paper”

24. Twitter B2B Use it to show your expertise Retweet (RT) other people’s tweets you think are valuable to your audience Use it to promote/discuss events and shows (use a hashtag #RVASM101) Promote other people’s Twitter accounts on Fridays (ex: #FF @RichmondMom)

25. Twitter B2C Restaurants use it for promoting special of the day, week, month Use it to offer specials (#special) Retail shops use it to promote monthly specials, discounts, rebates Used to promote/discuss events and shows Use Twitter to promote what you’re up to Van Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream @VLAIC

26. Twitter: Privacy/Security Do not tweet about being out of town unless you don’t care that everyone knows about it www.PleaseRobMe.com Do not autofollow

27. Twitter: Promotion Add a ‘Tweet’ button to your blog Add a Twitter widget to your site http://developers.facebook.com/plugins

28. Twitter: Updates How often should I Tweet? Depends on your business At least 4-5x per day Better 8-10x per day Schedule it once a week on www.Hootsuite.com

29. 5 minute break

31. LinkedIn stats Over 75 million users August 2010 August 2009: 45 million users

32. Why Use LinkedIn? Great for SEO Drive traffic to your website, blog, Facebook, Twitter Connect with prospects Connect with influential people in your industry

33. LinkedIn Why is it important? Easily establish referral partners Promote your vendors/referral partners/network Generate good will and more referrals Establish yourself as an expert Gives you a competitive advantage

34. Why Use LinkedIn?

35. Who’s on LinkedIn? Average Age: 41 Male: 64% College Grad/Post Grad: 80.1% Average Household Income: $109,703 53.5% have a Household Income $100k+ 24% Have a Portfolio Value of $250k+ Business Decision Maker: 49% Own Smartphone/PDA: 34% Wow! Statistics from LinkedStrateies.com

36. How to use LinkedIn Create a polished & personally branded profile Connect and reconnect Join & use groups Research prospects Ask someone to introduce you

37. How to use LinkedIn Build your credibility Get recommendations Post relevant content on groups Answer questions Create your own group Update your profile regularly Weekly emails sent out

38. LinkedIn: Privacy Adjust your public profile settings Settings/Public Profile/ Put a check mark next to the items you would like to be visible on your public profile

39. LinkedIn: Updates How often should I update? At least 1x per week (email sent out) What should I do? Change your profile Answer a question Start a discussion in a group Post an event (does not have to be yours)

40. blogging

41. What is a blog? " A blog is a web page made up of usually short, frequently updated posts that are arranged chronologically—like a what's new page or a journal." The term is actually weblogs coined by Jorn Barger in 1997. According to Pyra Labs Blogger, The boom of weblogs happened in 1999 when several companies & developers made easy blogging software and tools. Since 1999, the number of blogs on the Internet has exploded from a few thousand to over 100 million.

42. State of the blogosphere 53% of professional Bloggers are interested in attracting new clients from blogging 72% of those who are self-employed and blogging are interested in attracting new clients 56% say that their blog has helped their company establish a position as a thought leader within the industry 58% say that they are better-known in their industry because of their blog Technorati.com

43. Why blog for business? Showcase your expertise Build your web traffic - Be found by search engines (SEO) Connect with customers or referral partners Content for your Facebook and Twitter pages

44. blog: updates How often should I blog? Depends on your business At least 1x per week More often the better Schedule it once a month on your CMS (ie: Wordpress)

45. Manage your updates Content Plan it Social Media calendar Schedule it www.HootSuite.com For Facebook For Twitter For LinkedIn CMS (ie: Wordpress) For blogs

46. Social Media Strategy Make a list of 25 prospects you would like to work with or 25 influential people you would like to be on their radar Check out their blog, comment on it regularly Link your blog to their blog Promote their blog postings on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn Follow them on Twitter RT their Twitter messages Become a Fan of their Facebook page ‘ Like’ their Facebook postings Comment on their posts Connect with them on LinkedIn See if you have anything in common on their LinkedIn page Ask for an introduction

47. Where do I start? Take the top 25% of your customers What social media do they use? Take your top prospects What social media do they use?

48. Where do I start? B2B LinkedIn Twitter Facebook blogging B2C Facebook/Twitter blogging LinkedIn

49. Social Media Content Be nice to people Answer their questions Respond to what they have to say Post your own take on what is going on around you Give them some interesting facts provide resources add a little fun

50. What’s Next? Mobile marketing development Location based marketing Foursquare Google Places Facebook Places Video YouTube QR codes http://createqrcode.appspot.com/

51. Resources Mashable.com SocialMediaExaminer.com SocialMediaExplorer.com SocialMediaToday.com OpenForum.com Facebook.com/MarkbeechMarketing

52. “ The Butterfly Effect is the theory that the tiny flutter of a butterfly’s wings can create enormous changes halfway across the world.” ~ Robert G. Allen

53. Thank you! Sign up for our other classes Facebook: Start to Finish Why You Need Twitter LinkedIn: More that Just a Resume Site Growing Your Business with Blogs Please fill out your evaluation Become our Fan on Facebook www.Facebook.com/MarkbeechMarketing