This document outlines 8 steps to becoming a contagious social brand: 1) Recognize the marketplace, 2) Understand your audience, 3) Balance story and telling, 4) Define your brand, 5) Align contribution, 6) Engage customers, 7) Grow community, 8) Measure and manage. The author argues that brands must act like social brands by telling a clear story, engaging customers, and contributing in a way that aligns with their values in order to succeed in today's marketplace. Examples are provided for each step along with action items brands can take.

1. Simon Mainwaring
EIGHT STEPS TO BECOMING A
CONTAGIOUS SOCIAL BRAND
@SimonMainwaring

2. Introduction
• Award-winning advertising writer
and creative director in Australia,
U.K. & U.S.
• Nike creative writer at Wieden &
Kennedy
• Worldwide Creative Director on
Motorola at Ogilvy
• NYT s, WSJ and Amazon bestseller,
We First, named Best Marketing Book
of 2011 (strategy+business)
• Blogger Fast Company, Mashable,
Forbes, GOOD, Huffington Post
@SimonMainwaring

3. Key Questions
• Do you think we can turn back the internet?
• Do you think we can turn back social media?
• Do you think we can turn back smart phones?
@SimonMainwaring

4. ? ?
The Obstacle
If you want to become
a large and profitable social brand,
you have to start acting like one.
@SimonMainwaring

5. The Solution
@SimonMainwaring

6. Step 1: Recognize the marketplace
@SimonMainwaring

7. Zuckerberg s Law
People will share twice as much
information as they share this year,
and next year, they will be sharing twice
as much as they did the year before.
@SimonMainwaring

8. Action Steps:
• Develop an enduring curiosity for new
technology that can build your profits.
• Read a technology blog: TechCrunch,
Mashable, The Verge.
• Periodically ask your customers if there are
new ways they d like to connect.
@SimonMainwaring

9. Step 2: Understand your audience
Source: Edelman GoodPurpose Report 2012

10. Source: Edelman GoodPurpose Report 2012

11. Action Steps:
• Identify your brand s core values.
• Ask your customers what they care about.
• Identify shared values and a common purpose.
@SimonMainwaring

12. Step 3: Balance Story and Telling
@SimonMainwaring

13. Story Strategies:
• Story transcends technology.
• You must tell a story worth telling to be a
brand worth sharing.
• How well you tell your story determines how
well your customers tell your story.
@SimonMainwaring

14. Telling: Choose best channel mix
• Facebook
• Twitter
• Google+
• LinkedIn
• YouTube
• Pinterest
• Instagram
• Vine
• Social ads
• Mobile ads
@SimonMainwaring

15. Social Media Around The World 2012 Report, InSite Consulting

16. Social Media Around The World 2012 Report, InSite Consulting

17. Action Steps:
• Ensure your marketing tells a clear and
consistent message (brand story).
• Ensure your marketing has a consistent look
and feel (brand identity).
• Identify new ways through which to tell your
story (brand channels).
@SimonMainwaring

18. Step 4: Define your brand
• What does your company do?
• What is its purpose?
• What are its values?
• Who does it serve?
• What is its mission?
@SimonMainwaring

19. Key questions to ask
• Values: Why did you start the company?
• Abstract: What is its purpose in the world?
• Competitive: What are you the only of?
• Skills: When you are at your best, what are
you doing?
@SimonMainwaring

20. Framing your story
• Make the customer the hero of your story.
• Be the celebrant not celebrity of your
community.
• Assume what you want to prove.
@SimonMainwaring

21. What does your brand own?
• Coca-Cola. Open happiness.
• Starbucks. Shared Planet.
• Nike. Better world.
• IBM: Smarter Planet.
@SimonMainwaring

22. STORY ARC
MISSION
STORY
TIME

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27. Action Steps:
• Work with employees and customers to focus
your purpose.
• Share that purpose in your marketing
materials.
• Periodically restate your purpose to your
community.
@SimonMainwaring

28. Step 5: Align contribution
• Make a contribution in alignment with your
core values.
• See customers as partners in business and
positive impact.
• Be transparent and accountable to avoid
accusations of green-washing or cause
washing.
@SimonMainwaring

29. Unilver sustainable living

30. Unilver sustainable living

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34. Action Steps:
• Commit to a cause that reflects the core
values of your brand.
• Engage customers in serving that cause as
part of your marketing.
• Share successes with your community to
maintain engagement.
@SimonMainwaring

35. Step 6: Engage customers
• Plan your marketing for the entire year.
• Co-create marketing with customers.
• Consistently reinforce the same brand story.
@SimonMainwaring

36. Tactics
MISSION
Tactic
Tactic
STORY
Tactic
Tactic
Tactic
Tactic
TIME

38. cocreate

40. Action Steps:
• Plan each tactic as a chapter in a longer brand
story.
• Use your common purpose as a guide in
marketing strategy.
• Market social impact to inspire more customers
to promote your brand.
@SimonMainwaring

41. Step 7: Grow community
• Constantly engage customers in new,
creative ways.
• Inspire existing customers to promote your
brand to new customers.
• Always engage, upgrade and reward
customers.
@SimonMainwaring

42. Grow community
MISSION
Upgrade
Reward Engage
Upgrade
STORY Reward Engage
Upgrade
Reward Engage
Upgrade
Engage
TIME

43. Action Steps:
• Identify brand ambassadors and help them
build your customer community.
• Consistently use different mediums and
channels to maintain community interest.
• Ensure sub-brands and product brands
reinforce the brand story.
@SimonMainwaring

44. Step 8: Measure and Manage
• Define success metrics to match your business
goals.
• Adjust strategies based on what data tells you.
• Always measure and manage your marketing
as your company grows.
@SimonMainwaring

45. Source: 2013 Marketo, 4th Annual Social Media Marketing Industry Report

46. Source: TBWA 2012 The Future of Social Activism Report (Millennials)

47. Action Steps:
• Create a dashboard that combines relevant
metrics for easy reporting.
• Track new social tools and how your customers
use them.
• Allocate your budget between different
mediums and channels to best reach your
customers.
@SimonMainwaring

48. Eight steps to leadership
1. Recognize the marketplace
2. Understand your audience
3. Balance Story and Telling
4. Define your brand
5. Align contribution
6. Engage customers
7. Grow community
8. Measure and manage
@SimonMainwaring

49. @SimonMainwaring

50. Self-sustaining profits + impact
MISSION
Tactic
Tactic
STORY
Tactic
Tactic
Tactic
Tactic
TIME

51. Brand Storytelling
@SimonMainwaring

52. Brand Platform
@SimonMainwaring

53. Leadership strategies
• The future of profit is purpose.
• Be the celebrant, not celebrity, of your
community.
• The evolution of revolution is contribution.
@SimonMainwaring

54. Leadership tactics
• Stop selling, start caring.
• Make the customer be the hero.
• Scale intimacy.
@SimonMainwaring

55. Social Branding Blueprint
1. How to talk about the good that you do so
customers buy more.
2. How to frame your brand story so
customers promote your business.
3. The best strategies, tactics and tools to
make sure you get results.
Get your Blueprint Special at: www.WeFirstBrand.com

56. Social Branding Blueprint
1. Save Time: 8-step, easy-to-follow program.
2. Less Work: Simple menu of the tactics to
choose from.
3. Less Effort: Get customers to build your
brand with you.
Get your Blueprint Special at: www.WeFirstBrand.com

57. Social Branding Blueprint
"Since taking the We First training, our new Customer CEO brand has had rapid
market acceptance, measured in three ways. In new business, we have seen our
client base nearly double within six months. In brand awareness, our social media
connections have exploded with thousands of new followers. Finally, in pre-sales of
our new book, several dozen organizations are placing bulk orders and booking us
for speaking and workshops. Simon's gift is understanding how to really make this
happen, not just talk about it.
Chuck Wall, Founder, CEO Customer
"After training with We First our engagement level on Facebook (people talking
about us) has constantly exceeded 10% and mostly stays between 20-30% with a
high of 70%. This is compared to good target range between 1-5%. We have seen
significant sales increases as a direct result of the high interaction levels."
Michael Jones, CEO, Thrive Farmers Coffee
After working with Simon, the number of new business leads increased 40% in the
past three months.
Mark Burgess, Co-founder, Blue Focus Marketing
Get your Blueprint Special at: www.WeFirstBrand.com

58. Training Clients
Get your Blueprint Special at: www.WeFirstBrand.com

59. Webinar Special on
Social Branding Blueprint
Step-by-step online Blueprint training course. $997
Free Ticket to We First Seminar in Fall 2013. $1997
Free online access pass for favorite non-profit: $997
Investment: $997 ($4000+ value)
Go to WeFirstBrand.com

60. Q&A!
For the special offer
on the Social Branding Blueprint
Visit WeFirstBrand.com now.
Will you be the NEXT contagious social brand?