Archive for the ‘Social Media’ Category

Over the past 6 months I have proudly served as a coach/speaker at the Talk of the Town Social Media Workshop series at The Broyhill Inn in Boone, NC.

High Country Mom Squad founder, social media maven and close friend, Sarah Pinnix; created this series to help local businesses implement and execute social media and relationship marketing effectively. With her amazing experience and knowledge of the art form, I jumped at the chance to be involved.

Together with Sarah and website design/development expert, Boomer Sassman of Big Boom Design, we held hands with notable area businesses and walked through the social media maze together.

So…as we come to the end of our first round of Talk of the Town Social Media Workshops it’s gratifying to think back to where we all started more than 6 months ago. Most all of our attendees didn’t have a blog and few had a Facebook page or a Twitter account.

As more High Country businesses come to these workshops and jump online with social media marketing, these early adopters will already be masters of the art.

In our last session on Tuesday, February 15th we wrapped up and shared success stories. Mast General Store has nearly 5,500 Facebook fans as we write this. The NC Christmas Tree Association is getting tons of traffic on their blog and site. Appalachian Regional Healthcare System is setting up multiple Facebook pages, writing social media policies and growing followers like crazy on Twitter.

Doug Uzelac, General Manager of The Broyhill Inn & Conference Center and host of our workshop series states,

“Social Media Marketing is such a fast growing segment and it is the Broyhill Inn’s pleasure to be to be able to host these very informative sessions.  I would greatly recommend folks that have an interest in increasing their social media knowledge to attend.”

This is a serious workshop series where we get down in the hole with you and dig. We show you how to make relationship marketing work for your business. We give you the tools and help you understand measured results. We walk you through step-by-step from setting up your blog, Facebook, Twitter and much, much more. Most importantly, our team provides one-on-one personal coaching to make sure you’re getting it. We do much more than just helping you get set up.

Our smaller, more intimate and controlled setting makes it easier for you, the business owner…to learn, implement and execute effectively.

Vicki Stevens, Marketing Manager for the Appalachian Regional Healthcare System adds,

“The Talk of the Town series provided phenomenal insight to the world of social media and assisted our organization in establishing a new presence with our audience. I highly recommend the series!”

To learn more you’ll have to sign up for our next round beginning in March and we’ll share more personal testimonies and quotes in future posts. For details, CLICK HERE and register for our next series, beginning on March 2nd!

Visit http://talkofthetownworkshop.com, follow the workshop on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

“When are you going to do a workshop in the Winston-Salem area?”, you ask. It’s in the works and the wheels are in motion, so stay tuned for an announcement…coming soon.

For more information or to get help with your social media strategy, CONTACT US!

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By: Scott Dickson

With every agency in town pedaling their version of what Social Media can do for your business it’s very easy to get confused with where to go for answers. One person reads a book and suddenly they’re an expert.

Here’s the thing…opinion and theory are great, but no match for years of experience and a proven track record of execution and success. This is why you should do your homework before investing in a workshop that could potentially send your brain into a tailspin.

Sure, you can read books and blogs, go to workshops and learn the knowledge. But, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be able to deliver the goods. It takes real time experience to develop the ability to execute effectively.

Hiring a consultant takes the burden off you, the business owner or director of marketing….and puts it on them. You need to find someone you can strategize and plan with. You also need to hire someone you can trust…someone who can provide references and has proven the ability to navigate the maze of Social Media with measured results.

Hire someone who understands content development, websites, search engines and analytics. Many times these areas are overlooked and without the proper foundation, your Social Media marketing campaign will fail.

Sure, I participate in Social Media workshops as a speaker and coach on a regular basis. However, the people I particpate with are folks who also have the experience, knowledge and street cred to back it up. Their hands are dirty too.

Make the right decision and hire the right person. You have a business to run and other issues to deal with. Concentrate on what you do best. Let the consultant do what they do best.

And if you think this blog post was written to persuade you to hire me and others like me….you had better believe it.

For more information or to get help with your social media strategy, CONTACT US!

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Source: Center for Media Research

Most media professionals receive the Center for Media Research’s email newsletter. However, this one is definitely worth sharing…

According to a nationwide telephone survey in 2009 of the Inc. 500 list, under the direction of researchers Nora Ganim Barnes and Eric Mattson, social media has penetrated parts of the business world at a tremendous speed. It also indicates that corporate familiarity with and usage of social media within the Inc. 500 has continued to grow in the past 12 months.

Key findings from the study are that:

 - The technology that continues to be the most familiar to the Inc. 500 is social networking with 75% of respondents in 2009 claiming to be “very familiar with it” (compared to 57% in 2008). Another noteworthy statistic around familiarity is Twitter’s amazing “share of mind” with sixty-two percent of executives reported being familiar with the new microblogging and social networking platform.
 - While social networking and blogging have enjoyed growth in actual adoption, the use of message boards, online video, wikis and podcasting has leveled off or declined. The addition of Twitter (considered by respondents to be both a microblogging site and a social networking site) in the latest study shows that 52% of the Inc. 500 companies are already using this tool for their business.
 - 43% of the 2009 Inc. 500 reported social media was “very important” to their business/marketing strategy. And 91% of the Inc. 500 is using at least one social media tool in 2009 (up from 77% in 2008). In addition, 36% having implemented a formal policy concerning blogging by their employees.

As of 2009, 75% of respondents claim to be “very familiar” with social networking tools.   In 2007, 42% percent were “very familiar” with social networking and 57% were “very familiar” in 2008.  However, as the chart shows, across the board a significant percentage of the companies are “very familiar” with each of the technologies studied.

From familiarity, the survey moved into the companies’ actual usage of social media. While familiarity is related to adoption, even the least familiar tool (podcasting) has 37% adoption. Social networking and blogging have enjoyed growth, while the use of message boards, online video, wikis and podcasting hasve leveled off or declined. The addition of Twitter in the latest study shows that 52% of the Inc. 500 is using this tool for their business.

When asked if the use of social media has been successful for their business, Twitter users report an 82% success rate while every other tool studied enjoys at least an 87% success level. Measuring success was investigated and most respondents report using hits, comments, leads or sales as primary indicators of success.

When asked if they plan to adopt any of the social media technologies that they are not currently using, they clearly intend to continue immersing themselves in these tools.  44% percent of those without corporate blogs intend to have one. 27% percent of respondents who do not currently have a business presence on Twitter plan to move into that space. Even though the use of online video appears to have dropped slightly, the intent to adopt it appears strong. 

With more than 20 million people on Twitter in the U.S.(50 million worldwide), there are ample opportunities for audiences to engage with corporations and brands, says the report.

The key is listening and engaging, says Weber, but the study indicates that companies are not engaging effectively. Among the Fortune 100 companies examined by Weber Shandwick, only:

• 26% of their Twitter accounts were primarily used as a one-way flow of information that offered no engagement with followers.
• 24% of the Twitter accounts were primarily used for brand awareness. Many appeared to be on Twitter simply to have an online presence.  
• 16% were used mainly as sales vehicles for company products and services.
• 9% were directed primarily to customer service
• 8% focused on Thought leadership it.
• 14% of accounts were used for other reasons such as recruitment or employee-specific information, or their accounts were locked and not visible.

And, the conclusion of the Weber Shandwick study is that for the majority of Fortune 100 companies, Twitter remains a missed opportunity. To maximize the benefits of Twitter, says the report, companies should offer opinions and encourage discussions, reach out to their communities of customers and advocates, build relationships with new customers and look for untapped supporters. 

For more information or to get help with your social media strategy, CONTACT US!

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While some companies have banned the use of social websites altogether, many still allow employees access in the workplace to sites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc.

The question is, “Are you being careful with what you post?” There are some legendary stories out there of people who have totally dissed their bosses on Facebook, only to discover that the boss was actually watching. Not smart.

Here’s a list of things you can do to stay safe and not run the risk of being incredibly embarrassed…or fired, some of which are pretty much common sense.

1 – Don’t post any comments or status updates that may bring your company/employer into disrepute.
2 - Don’t use social networks in any way to attack or abuse colleagues or competitors.
3 – Don’t post direct references to any business-related activities regarding your company/employer.
4 – Don’t post personal stuff during work hours. Do that away from the office.
5 – Only post positive work-related comments and information.

Remember, posts are time-stamped, so if you call in sick and decide to post a picture of yourself having lunch with your friends or shopping at the mall….you’re only asking for trouble.

Be careful out there. The boss might be watching!

For more information or to get help with your social media strategy, CONTACT US!

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By: Scott Dickson

It would be very easy to come up with more than 5 reasons why your business should be utilizing social media.

Here are 5 significant reasons to consider…

1 – Establish yourself as an expert – Blog about your business and share tips and advice to help you stand apart as the expert in your field. Share those blog posts on your Facebook page and Twitter profile and your audience will come to you with questions.

2 – Word of Mouth – Your potential customers are talking to their friends and family about their purchases. If your fans and follwers trust you they’ll tell others…increasing the chances they’ll buy from you.

3 – Build Relationships – The audience you develop through social media will be more loyal and feel more connected to your business. Communicate with them on a personal level and some may become ambassadors or even evangelists for your business.

4 – Increase Website Traffic – Once you develop a sizable audience and begin posting links to products, pages, blog posts, etc. you should see an increase in traffic to your site. Measure the analytics closely and record the metrics on a monthly basis.

5 – Search Engine Optimization – Google indexes content on Facebook pages, Twitter profiles and other social sites. This creates links back to your site, which should increase your search engine rankings and bring you more business!

For more information or to get help with your social media strategy, CONTACT US!

Visit: DicksonInteractive.com

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By: Scott Dickson

While the internet changed the way consumers shop for products, social media is also having a profound effect on the way consumers research and plan purchases. 

Wesbites like InsiderPages.com, Epinions.com and Yelp.com give people access to consumer reviews, which empowers them with information they need before they decide to go to a restaurant, for instance. 

But, with social media…people can have actual discussions online before they purchase. 

Case in point…below is a brief conversation on Facebook where someone is interested in potentially switching from cable to DirecTV. This is an actual thread pulled straight from Facebook. The names have been changed to protect the innocent… 

JOE: TWC wants mo’ money but since the converter box came in the door our cable has been icky. May look into #DirectTV.
Mon at 8:40pm • Comment •LikeUnlike • View Feedback (11) Hide Feedback (11)

Diane
I’m feeling the same way
Mon at 9:02pm

Sam 
Don’t do Dish Network. We did that and it never worked in the rain.
Mon at 9:26pm • Delete

Mary
I love DirecTV … we got it this summer after TWC made me mad one too many times. Before you sign up, let me or someone else with DirecTV know — they have a promotion right now where both people get $10 off a month for 10 months if you give them my (or someone else’s) account number when signing up. The DVR functionality alone was worth it — and we pay a lot less each month and will even after it goes up after the first year.
Mon at 10:56pm

Jane
We are considering moving away from TWC. This input from others is helpful.
Tue at 8:17am

Sam
How does DirecTV work during wind, rain and storms? Does it stay on? I know folks who have had issues with it.
Tue at 8:42am • Delete

Danny
Heavy rain and forget it, no tv. Still, I really like the info button – esp for movies – tells the actors, director, yr made, and synopsis.
Tue at 9:07am

Danny
Joe, I can give you a $100 coupon, if you want to go w/ Directv
Tue at 9:08am

Chris
DirecTV is good — we’ve had it for a few months now. It’s only had brief blips of non-service in bad rain/storms. (knock wood!) Plus I really like their customer service.
Tue at 9:16am

Matt
We switched last month and love it so far. No major problems so far even in the rain. Wife doesn’t love the dish in the back yard, but it’s not that bad.
Tue at 10:48am

Mary
Even with a really heavy storm a couple months ago, we had no blips or loss of TV, which used to happen at the drop of a hat with TWC!
Tue at 11:59am

Sam
wow…i’m sold…..joe – directv owes you!
Tue at 12:53pm • Delete

So, here’s the takeaway…

If you’re a business owner and you haven’t gotten started with social media marketing, then it’s time to take the plunge. Scared of opening yourself up online? Scared some people may talk about you? Well, guess what…they’re talking about you anyway…whether it’s on Facebook or in the grocery store.

Why not take the new media seriously and learn how to monitor your reputation and use these tools to your advantage? Not to mention it will change your entire perception of how you should be marketing your business.

To learn more, CONTACT US.

Visit: DicksonInteractive.com

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By: Scott Dickson

OK…admit it. One of your Facebook friends posts entirely too many times each day and you’ve made the difficult decision to either hide that person’s updates…or de-friend them completely.

Hopefully you just chose to hide them. I will confess…I have done this.

As marketers, that tells us that our “fans” and “members” don’t want to be bombarded every day with 4 or 5 posts and updates from us on Facebook. They want relevant, important and useful information that they can use and pass on to their friends…maybe once a day…depending on the size of your community. 

However, on Twitter…things are different. Twitter is a micro-blog with short, quick bursts of information. Users are accustomed to getting “tweets” from the people they’re following several times a day…if not more.

So, here’s my perspective. As a business or organization, if you link Twitter to Facebook…meaning everything you post on Twitter automatically shows up on Facebook…you could be causing people to “un-fan” your page or leave your group. Remember, your goal is for people within your communities to take your posts and share them with others.

Twitter and Facebook are two separate and very different experiences. While Facebook is a more of a personal engagement, Twitter is more business-like and wide open. You should treat them as such and limit your posts on Facebook, but increase your frequency on Twitter. I hope that makes sense.

Other social media experts (hint: there is no such thing) might disagree with me on this and that’s fine. I’m merely sharing my perspective based on experiences I’ve had developing communities for my clients.

Feel free to contact me with any questions.

Visit: DicksonInteractive.com

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By: Scott Dickson
www.DicksonInteractive.com

According to a recent media study conducted by the Council for Research Excellence, advertisers need to keep traditional media in their marketing mix…for now.

While it’s true, there is phenomenal growth online with the explosion of Social Media…overall reach is still dominated by broadcast television with radio coming in second. The most notable development in this research is that the web has surpassed newspapers and magazines as the third best way to reach the masses with your message.

The study produced numbers based on the following key “advertising-based” media platforms:

• Television had the highest reach & daily usage among users (95.3%)
• Broadcast radio (77.3%)
• Web/Internet [excluding use of email] (63.7%)
• Newspapers (34.6%)
• Magazines (26.5%)

The print medium is dying. I’m sorry, but there’s nothing anyone can do about it. It’s not going to die today, but it’s hard to believe that it will be around in its current form ten years from now. Real growth amongst these platforms is only happening on the internet and the difference here is with engagement.

Think of engagement this way. Can you email a TV spot to a friend? No, but you can send a YouTube video link to your buddy via email or share it through Facebook and other forms of Social Media.

Did the newspaper ask your permission to send you that load of inserts in the Sunday paper? (Tell the truth…do you really look at every one of those?) No, they didn’t ask. But if you follow the independent, local furniture store on Twitter…you’ve given them permission to communicate with you.

Therefore, as an advertiser, the audience on your blog, fans of your Facebook page and followers on Twitter are incredibly valuable to you.  They want your marketing message. Don’t just spam them with discounts, etc. Engage them socially.

So, yes….traditional media still has the reach. Keep it in your mix. But, spend the time and make the effort to build a loyal audience online. The landscape will continue to change. Everybody’s getting in the boat. Don’t get left on the beach.

Feel free to contact me with any questions.

Visit: DicksonInteractive.com

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By: Scott Dickson

The art of the “re-tweet” is a great discussion that could go on for hours.

One big issue that can be addressed quickly is, “How can I get my message re-tweeted in order for more people to see it?”

Well, I don’t know how you folks are, but if I read something that I think is funny or interesting, I’ll re-tweet it. So naturally, you’ll see me re-tweet lots of posts by people like @chrisbrogan, @randyinman, @mashable, @reallifesarah, @guykawasaki, @andybeal and @hubspot, amongst others.

Here’s the thing…if I have to edit or abbreviate your tweet, I’m probably not going to re-tweet it and neither will others.

Time after time I see users post something that’s really funny or interesting and when I hit the RT button it ends up being 200+ characters…pretty frustrating to people who like to re-tweet. Remember, you only have 140 characters.

So, if you can condense your message, you’re much more likely to have it re-tweeted by your followers. Make it easy for them!

Feel free to contact me with any questions.

Good luck out there!

Visit: DicksonInteractive.com

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Source: 10e20.com
by Rebecca Kelley

When I spoke about Facebook marketing strategies at SMX East, someone asked the panel of speakers this question: “If you had to do only one to help your business, would you start a blog or focus on social networking?” The answer, I feel, is not necessarily a black or white issue. Obviously, if you can handle running a blog and social networking, the easy answer is “both,” but there are situations where one is more suitable than the other.

Why You Should Blog

Adding a blog to your site can be beneficial to your business in a multitude of ways, a few of which I’ll highlight below:

• It builds unique content. By posting new entries on a regular basis (daily, weekly, etc), you’re creating new, unique content for your site. You’ll get more pages indexed, meaning popular posts can pull in some good search traffic and other posts can rank for long tail search terms.
• It’s a great launchpad for linkbait and viral content. If you’re developing linkbait or viral content for your site, a blog is a great, easy way for you to launch the content. Deploying a piece of content via an active blog makes it seem less orchestrated/intentional than if you were to set up a separate page just for a list.
• It’s a good brand builder. Giving your company a voice via the blog can make your business stand out among the competition. If you provide really helpful information and stand out as an industry leader, your blog will become a valuable resource. Also, establishing a personality on the blog will create emotional ties to the reader and you can develop positive relationships with your audience (which can lead to sales!). You can also use the blog to address any reputation management issues and share company news with the public.

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