Presented at the May 2013 Sunrise Scrambler

1. Shawn Hilferty, Director of Digital Marketing and Media

3. What is
Social Media?
Forms of electronic communication (as Web sites for
social networking and blogging) through which users
create online communities to share information, ideas,
personal messages, and other content (as videos) -
Webster’s Dictionary (.com)
But what is it really?

4. Its really High School!
Popular Kids Not So Popular Kids
Which one are you?

5. Popular Kids
People with the most friends
People who comment the most
People that engage on most post
Seen the most in your news feed

6. Not So Popular Kids
People with the least amount of friends
People who comment the least
People that don’t engage on post
Not seen very much in news feeds

7. How do You
Become Popular
or
Likeable?

8. Invite your customers to be your fans –
Why should people like your page?
• It’s not about you its about your customers
• Just like the web became to big to just tell people to go to your website without
telling them why, so has social media…even with your customers.
• Top Five Reasons Consumers Like Pages
1. Discounts and promos
2. Show support for brand to friends
3. To get freebies
4. To stay informed on company’s activities
5. For update on future projects
• It’s essential to develop a value proposition statement
• You’re not going to get likes from anyone without giving them a valid reason.
• Where should you tell customers to like you
• Your website, email newsletter, email signature, business card, brochures, receipt,
in location signage, etc.
Remember to make it about them and not about you!

9. Listening - The most important thing is to listen and never stop listening.
• We do disproportionate amount of talking…even shouting on social
media platforms
Everybody loves to be heard
• You have the ability to check on customers and
prospective customers like you never have before.
• Even listening to your competitors customers has never been easier.
Benefits from listening
• Strengthen your relationship with your customers
• Knowing your customers will help you better plan offers, promotions
and contest to better drive buzz and sales
• Test new ideas and receive feedback quickly
How to listen
• Use free services like Google alerts, Twitter Search, Facebook
Search, etc.

10. Respond - We should be responding to everything. Regardless if its good or bad or
how trivial, the community is expecting a response.
Not responding at all…IS a response
Acknowledgment alone goes a long way
• By not responding you’re sending out a strong message that the
customer’s opinion doesn’t matter!
• Be Direct on responding to negative comments
• A genuine apology with how you are going to fix the problem.
• Do not delete negative comments, it is equivalent to ripping up a
comment card in someone’s face
• If further matters need to be handle take it private.
• Two simple words “I’m Sorry” or “Thank You” can go along way. These
two words say “We’re Listening”
Take them from complainers to supporters
• Be creative when responding to good comments, add some personality to the
brand.
• Thanks a lot Johnny, You rule!
• Thanks for the comment, and keep spreading the good word!

11. Share Stories – Stories are your social currency. Viewers want to know who you
are. Share stories about employees, charities that you are involved with and behind the
scene pictures. Stories can be as simple as one picture with 30 seconds of text.
Stories bring your company to life.
• How you started
• Every organization has humble beginnings, and by reminding people of this, you
can connect with your customers and keep them from considering your group a
faceless or too “corporate”
• What you do for your customers (testimonials)
• Remember its not about you it’s about your customers
• Share Successes
• Your key staff
• Your organization no matter what you sell or what services you provide, has
amazing people behind it. So share their stories.

12. Be Authentic– You have to be human and demonstrate a personality. No one
wants feel like they are talking to a machine or dealing with someone who cannot
empathize with their situation.
Develop an authentic voice
• You have to be an authentic human being in your interactions. Anything less and your
customers might consider your attempt as nothing more than a marketing ploy.
• You need to let the world know about your company’s, or brand's, personality while
showing that you truly care about your customers.
• Be willing to take the time to make a connection with them.
• Trying to keep staff from going “off message” is the wrong attitude to have on
social networks and often makes authentic communications nearly impossible
Don’t regulate discussions
• Create a set of guidelines for what tone of voice will be used and what you really
can’t say. Then make sure that trustworthy people are representing the
organization.
Telling everyone how awesome you are has no capital with
anyone…but you!

13. Provide Value - Why should people follow you? What are you providing? How
are you engaging? All questions should be asked internally with your company..
Providing free value builds trust, reputation and even sales
• In each of our business we can offer some expertise in a particular subject. Offer this
expertise for free, write or share articles about a service you provide, if you own a
restaurant share a recipe and if you are accountant write an article on tax saving tips.
• Creating and sharing valuable content will provide you with a great reputation and
return – but only over time and through consistent effort and commitment.
Couponing the difference between value and marketing
• Can coupons provide real value?
• 5 -10% off is perceived as marketing
• 50% off tells customers that you are providing something of actual worth.
• Free can result in lifetime loyalty. Offer a free gift with purchase is good compromise
will create a reason for customers to return to your social platforms for future
discounts.

14. Opportunity is Knocking – Understand what’s going on in the world or
national events.
You never know when you can interject into conversations
• The world moves at an incredible pace. Social media accelerates the conversations.
• Each one of your companies can join conversation during major events or specfic
times of the year.
DON’T SELL…JOIN!
• Being part of the conversation, allows people to build trust with you.
In an hour it was retweeted over 10,000 times and was liked over 20,000 times on Facebook

15. Consistently deliver excitement, surprise and delight!
The little things matter
• Listen to conversations that are not necessarily about your company and respond
to questions that aren’t aimed directly at you. Become part of the conversation
related to your industry.
• Remember don’t push your company or sales
• Contests and sweepstakes can create “WOW” moments. If you created contest
that bring customers closer to your brand or strengthen that emotional connection,
they will be more likely to have long lasting impact.
• Contests that create excitement for everyone has a chance to win can drive an
entire fan page to work together in promoting the growth of the community.

16. Cumberland Farms – New England based convenience store
Created 10,000 new fans and reached over
50,000 fans through the community sharing.

17. Integrate Social Media into the Customer Experience
Social Media Is Not Just Marketing
• Social Media cannot just be left to the Advertising or Marketing departments
• You have to integrate understanding across all groups in our organization.
• Determine who else besides you at your organization can have a role in social
media.
• Closely examine all your inventory, assets, time and space to promote your
Facebook presence. Where can you share your value proposition for liking your
company and following you. Have you integrated social media links into
traditional advertising, packaging and website?
• Customers don’t care what department you are in. If they have a problem, then
they want solutions.
Action Items
• Integrate social channels buttons into as many products and website as make
sense. Make it easier to like you.

18. Social Media Engagement = Increase SEO Rankings
YES!
Google, Bing and Yahoo now use Social Media Engagement
to Increase your ranking in search results.

19. What do we do first?
Get to know your audience.
How are you talking to them?
How and where are they talking on social platforms?
When engaging customers are you authentic?
TAKE SOME RISK.
There's no silver bullet! Be OK with failing
and learn from it.
During major events or sales help promote
engagement.
You need to get people talking! From there
they will share, engage and promote.

20. Questions