getting social strategically - the importance of social media strategy

@arengrimshaw

@arengrimshaw

Getting Social Strategically

@arengrimshaw

Before we get started… Who Am I?

Aren Grimshaw (@arengrimshaw)Strategic Marketing Consultant

• Specialise in Social Media and Innovation

• Background in Sales, Media and Marketing

• Freelance and In-house experience

• Work with large and small companies, public and private sector

@arengrimshaw

“A good strategy has an essential logical structure that I call the kernel.”

“The kernel of strategy contains three elements: a diagnosis, a guiding policy and coherent action”

Good Strategy, Bad Strategy - Richard RummeltBuy it here: http://www.amazon.com/Good-Strategy-Bad-Difference-Matters/dp/0307886239

@arengrimshaw

The problem with Social Media

Many marketers…

• Don’t know what it involves• Don’t know what they want to achieve• Don’t know how to measure effectiveness

@arengrimshaw

What is Social Media?

“Media for social interaction, using highly accessible and scalable publishing techniques.”[1]

“Tools that allow the sharing of information and creation of communities through online networks of people.”[2]

“How people read, discover & share information”

@arengrimshaw

The main themes

• People, and communities• Interaction, and dialogue• Information, and accessibility• Technology, and integration

@arengrimshaw

2012…

• 87% of mid-large size businesses plan to maintain or increase investment on SM

• 13% plan to cut spend on SM– More than 50% of those citing a lack of return

@arengrimshaw

@arengrimshaw

Your diagnosis is an understanding of the challenge to be overcome…

…allowing you to channel resources to most effectively meet that challenge

@arengrimshaw

Innovative thinking should be proactive first and reactive second...

Once a strategy is in place, reactive thinking can become more meaningful...

It provides the backbone for our actions so we can be confident that we’re reacting in the right way.

Chris Griffiths, Grasp the Solution - http://ow.ly/7mfDU

@arengrimshaw

Aims

Resources

Community

Approach

Technology

CARAT Planning Process

Research(Diagnosis)

Concept(Guiding Policy)

Implementation(Coherent Actions)

@arengrimshaw

Community• Customer (the decision maker)

A person or organisation that may purchase goods or services directly from you

• InfluencerA person or organisation that may influence another person or organisation’s decision to purchase

• Partner (an ally)Those that share a common goal with your organisation or customers

@arengrimshaw

Cust

omer

s • Common Characteristics

• Demographics

• Technical Ability

• Interests

• Geographic Location

Influ

ence

rs • Staff Members

• Family Members

• Journalists

• Bloggers

• Politicians

Part

ners • Allied Industries

• Other regions

• Suppliers

• Funders Investors

• Competitors

C I P

Identifying your Community

@arengrimshaw

Aims…

The specifics of what will need to be achieved in order to meet the business challenge, and over what timescales.

How will you and the client know that the strategy has been a success?

@arengrimshaw

Aims

• SEO: Link building, content factors

• Marketing: Promote organisation, brand awareness

• PR: Manage reputation, get news out

• Sales: New contact routes, increase sales

• Engagement: Increase loyalty, foster word of mouth

• Research: Identify trends / niches, consultation

• Management: Collaboration, knowledge sharing

Buying Processes & Lifecycles

Awareness Knowledge Consideration Selection Satisfaction Advocacy

Suspects

Prospects

New CustomersRegular

Customers

Brand Advocates

Inactives

@arengrimshaw

Resources

• Time• Money• People and Skills• Technology and Equipment• Business As Usual Activity (BAU)

@arengrimshaw

Your guiding policy is your big idea, the general concept you are working with…

…the later stage will define your specific actions.

@arengrimshaw

Approach• Visibility

... need to be visible to the target audience• Credibility

...“Don’t tell them you’re funny, tell them a joke”• Value

...establish a “What’s in it for me?” factor• Personality

...everything should be consistent with the brand profile• Responsiveness

...are they setup to deal with responses

@arengrimshaw

Approach – Practical Elements• Content Marketing• Aggregating or Curation• Networking or Events Marketing• Community Engagement• Word of Mouth or Advocacy Programmes

@arengrimshaw

Social Media Platforms

Blogs Social Networks

Wiki Sites

File Sharing Sites

Geo-tagging

Live StreamingForums

Aggregators

Review Systems

@arengrimshaw

Integration

• What can be outsourced and what needs to be done internally?

• What actions can be embedded within current processes?

• What needs to be done to empower the team to perform key actions?

• What actions can be automated?

@arengrimshaw

Measuring results• Link to your aims• Benchmark at the start• Establish Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)• Review results regularly • Tweak approach accordingly

“Not everything that counts can be measured. Not everything that can be measured counts.”

Albert Einstein

@arengrimshaw

Case Study:UKNetWeb Ltd

@arengrimshaw

Diagnosis (The Challenge)

• Limited Y on Y Growth• Association with smaller projects• Losing to design firms• Operating in small local market

@arengrimshaw

Guiding Policy

• Maximising Potential, Minimising Risk• Focus on technical development• Thought leadership around innovation

@arengrimshaw

Actions

• Webinars & Events• File-Sharing• Social & Professional Networking• Blogging & Micro-Blogging

@arengrimshaw

@arengrimshaw

@arengrimshaw

@arengrimshaw

@arengrimshaw

@arengrimshaw

@arengrimshaw

Results – Web Traffic

@arengrimshaw

Results – Bottom LineIn a 6 month period:

• 500% increase in new business enquiries• 2/3 of all enquiries through social networks• 100% increase in average order values• Opened up UK & international markets

• New company created to meet demand• 4 years on.... £100k to £1m+

@arengrimshaw

View the Like Minds talk on the UKNetWeb Case Study at http://wearelikeminds.com/videos/aren-grimshaw-how-a-small-company-made-a-big-change

@arengrimshaw

Next Steps…

@arengrimshaw

Consider your own position

• What are your strengths and weaknesses? • How can you play to your strengths?• How can you demonstrate your strengths via

Social Media?• What opportunities will your business take

advantage of, and just as importantly which ones will you ignore?

@arengrimshaw

What will your strategy be?

• Who are your customers, influencers and partners?• What are you aiming to achieve for your business - can

you be more specific than increased sales?• What resources are you working with? • How can you use Social Media technology to make you

more effective in your role?• What will be your approach to Social Media?• What actions do you need to do daily, weekly or

quarterly to achieve your aims?

@arengrimshaw

How can I help?

• Work with your team to develop your internal skills in Social Media

• Work with you and your clients to develop Social Media strategies

• Provide a sounding board for your own campaigns or strategies

@arengrimshaw

Getting in touch:

Mob: 07598 242212Email: info@arengrimshaw.co.ukWeb: www.arengrimshaw.co.uk

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