The First Lesson in Social Media Marketing

To have the mindset that the understanding and practice of core fundamentials will drive your business more than any system, gadget or gimmick -- your customers trust your sound business judgement and spread the word

Recap Week of November 9th, 2009

It’s been a week about you (U) as a brand, consumer and voice. The concept of “U” has been thrust upon the global marketing stage with plenty of personalities of humor, wit and logic. The social media community accepts this diversity of personality and is setting a standard for a strong social media character. While corporations and governments talk about transparency, many of U are demonstrating the power of honesty, trust, competence, influence and fairness.

Our fantastic free enterprise system allows the resourceful marketer to combine high tech widgets with a Keep It Simple & Social (KISS) strategy. The new voice of ”U” essentially circumvents traditional organic media streams from the Old School marketing heydays.
This quote seems appropriate when describing how we go from a social media newbie to a successful, influential marketer. The original author is unknown.

“Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your destiny.” -- To your success!

The marketing messages in recap are now categorized into core categories of U-Brand, Philosophy, and Strategy. As an alternative, you may read the messages day by day, which contain brief highlights of each article.


U-Brand
TGIF (Twitter Google Internet Facebook)

  • The Genie is out of the bottle. Daily (by theminute) social marketers are realizing that we have been set upon the global stage. The combination our innate socialmindset, technology and our free enterprise system now allows us to listen and speak from a venue that only the big boys once ruled. With a viable socialmedia strategy , we are now capable of branding ourselves for monetary gain -$$ . I am reminded of this article by Ian Laurie titled 14 Social Media Lessons We All Can Learn as way to remind us that we are now on the big stage and we dont want to trip, so here are some smart simple lessons to keep us going in the right direction.

  • What else can you add ?




U-brand

  • Simple ways to increase brand U (you) popularity
    • Have a smile ready for all -- hint more than just :-)
    • Display a genuine interest in others
    • Talk to your tribe by using their first name
    • Allow discussion to be about them not U
    • Be true to yourself online and off (reality shows -- virtual or not)


Consumer

  • Convergence: decades of PUSH marketing, the economy, technology and human nature has given todays consumer has more authority in the content being broadcasted and how it is presented.
    • The economy has cause for todays consumer to place emphasis on value
      which spells trouble for any brand that is puffed up with no authenticity
    • Standard features are great but will soon be the "same old stuff" -- Your (Ur) Unique value will deliver the $$$
    • "Because I said So" from brand X will no longer pass. The consumer will decide
      if enough value, authenticity, trust and transparency exists
      Ask for their advice. "What would you suggest we do to resolve this?" Everyone loves to be asked for advice
    • Consumers will talk/share with other consumers before, during and after talking to brand X
    • Consumerexpectations are growing at the rate of the latest technology
      inovations and saddled by smart marketers capitalizing on unmet expectations
    • MORE...


U-brand


  • Want to get creatively social? Demonstrate Ur Ingenuity, show off Ur Uniqueness, Showcase the real U
    • Diligence is the agency of advancement
    • Discipline is the hallmark of ingenuity
    • Small is the birthplace of big
    • Emotion is the arbiter of truth
    • One-pointedness is the grandfather of productivity


Philosophy
Trust


Trust builds traction giving brand X more stick. Found a similartopic from a trust article earler this week by Claire Rollinson , Johnathan Bailey is providing 5 tips for building trust for your blog but also explains that trust itself does land you on a pot of gold . This quote from Einstein sums Johnathans article, “Anyone who doesn't take truth seriously in small matters cannot be trusted in large ones either.”


Bottom Line
Sadly, trust is no guarantor of success. There are many bloggers who are widely trusted but aren’t famous or wealthy from their blogging activities. It is also true that not every blog that is successful got there on the back of their earned trust.



  1. Be Professional
  2. Admit mistakes
  3. Disclose
  4. Have a good Bio
  5. Treat your audience with respect




  • Whats Your Opinion?




Philosophy


  • If Trust is ingrained within U and Ur soicial media strategy Then Ur ROI is Influence.
    Now the valued currency ‘online’ is not the dollar or the pound, but trust, reputation and influence. “Think twice before you speak, because your words and influence will plant the seed of either success or failure in the mind of another.” Napoleon Hill


    • How do you gain trust?
    • Trust leads to a better online reputation
    • Trust leads to positive ROI


Listen


  • Amplify your social listening posts by asking the right questions. "Open Ended" questions usually result in a longer response and are best for gaining information on values and feelings,discovering the real issues, fostering opinions and probing details
    • Askopen-ended questions. Questions that can't be answered with a simple yes or no. "How could we do this?" "What do you think?" Your objective is to get them to talk as much as possible
    • Don't ask questions that put them on the defensive. For example, "Why?" is intimidating. Don't ask "why?" Ask "how come?"
    • Ask "What if?" What if we did it this way?Ask for their advice. "What would you suggest we do to resolve this?" Everyone loves to be asked for advice
    • Offer alternatives. "Which way would you prefer?" This demonstrates your respect for the other person
    • Ask about their feelings. "How do you feel about this?" People love to have their feelings validated
    • Repeat back what they said. "Let me be sure I understand what you're saying. you're saying that...?" This technique will prevent misunderstandings and convince them that you really are listening



Mindset


  • U dont make $ from social media - U make $$$ from those who know, like and trust U . Try this TOP of MIND anacrynm
    • Trust
    • Offer Your product or Service
    • Perceived as an expert
    • Outstanding visibility
    • Familiarity
    • Makes you creditible
    • Increase referrals
    • New relationships
    • Demand higher prices


Niche


  • What does work in marketing? Dominating a category. Nothing is as effective in marketing as dominating a category. What doesn't work is trying to stay somewhere in the mushy middle. Pick a strategy that is unique to U!
    • Bigger is not a strategy - read about GM
    • Copying the competiton is not a strategy - Read about BurgerKing


Philosophy


  • Taking care of its customers is a core focus, thats why social media is so successful for Zappos. Twitter has been a great way for us to reach customers who may not ever call in. We don’t use it to drive sales, we’re really there to offer assistance and to provide another
    forum for customers to provide us with feedback
    • Our best customer service, which proved to be our marketing strategy by word of mouth.
    • Our customer interaction has been the ultimate marketing tool
    • it’s the simple things that mean the most to everyday people, it’s about caring and listening to the customer
    • We see social media as another way to personally connect with our customers


Strategy
Strategy

Reality sucks even when its Virtual -What got my attention in Sonia Simone's article The 7
Harsh Realities of Social Markeitng
is the reality #4 Social Media hates selling. I am from the "affiliate" "MLM" side of the web and I have noticed a dramtic difference in sales methods and marketing strategies and I have been searching for a blog that discusses Sales and Marketing together within the social media sphere of influence. Here is a dose of reality that you need to be aware and if you know of some good thoughts on Sales & Maketing, post a comment.


Just remember Sean d’Souza’s bikini concept. You can give 90% of it away, but there will always be people who will happily pay to see that last 10%. .....Use excellent free stuff to build authority and trust. Then you have the right to make an offer and possibly do some business. Not before.

  1. No one is reading your blog
  2. You have got to give some of your best stuff away
  3. It will take your live - if you let it
  4. Social Media hates selling
  5. What they say is more important than what you say
  6. A blog is not a marketing plan
  7. You dont get to opt out


  • Whats Your Opinion?




Simple


  1. KISS Keep it Stategic and Social but it isn’t about
    campaigns
    . Bryan Howland's article Social Media - More on keeping it simple explains it this way:
    Many of our clients, and especially their marketing departments, have campaigns on the brain. This is understandable because most traditional marketing is geared around campaigns. But the problem is, unlike campaigns, social media doesn’t have a beginning or an end. It is continuous. So before
    you spend a lot of time planning for a campaign, take a second to make sure your overall social media strategy is already in place.

  1. Additional points that support his perspective:
    • Building Trust doesnt have an endpoint
    • The Mindsetof Communicate, Collaborate and Coordinate doesnt change
    • Keeping your Listening skills sharp provides value that won't stop when the campaign is over
  2. Whats Your Opinion?




The Plan

  • solutions, connections and satisfaction - it's no longer enough to blast out marketing pitches touting the virtues of your company's products and services. You need to create a marketing campaign that entertains, educates and adds value to your customers' lives. U
    need to market with meaning

    • Solution marketing
    • Connection marketing
    • Achievement marketing


Strategy


  • Its just human nature, now mix in some $$$ and Technology and hold on tight! Because you want your organization to be here for the long haul as well, you need to move now. Not next week. Not next month. But now.


    • Your smartest competition is gaining from it
    • Its your most cost effective strategy
    • Your "Old Style" strategy is costing more, getting less
    • BONUS Most of your competitors R not payingattention



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