How to Harness the Power of

Social Media for Your Business

Caryn BrownCPE Expo

29 May 2013

Agenda

• Social media is one of the fastest growing and most powerful marketing tools for businesses.  

• The problem is that it can be overwhelming to start and keep up with all the aspects of social media.  

• This presentation will help you understand social media and how it can be used to promote your business.  

• We will cover the basic social media platforms and how each can help your business.  

• You will leave the presentation with tools and knowledge to help you incorporate social media into your current marketing plans and "beef up" your existing social media presence.

• It’s Free

• It’s Fast

• It’s Viral

• You Can’t Measure it

• It’s Optional

• It’s Hard

Social Media Myths

Customers Want to Interact

• American consumers believe a company should have a Social Media presence

– Most believe a company should be active in Social Media

– More than half feel a stronger connection with companies they interact with in social media

• 56% of Americans have a profile on a social networking site

– If you want to be where your clients are, more than half of them are on social media

“11 Shocking New Social Media Statistics in America” – Jay Baer http://www.convinceandconvert.com/the-social-habit/11-shocking-new-social-media-statistics-in-america/

• Reputation

Management

• Customer Service

• Public Relations

• Customer Acquisition

• Customer Loyalty

• Thought Leadership

• Networking

What to Use Social Media for

Reputation Management

• Pay Attention to the Conversations

• React Fast to Complaints or Compliments– React at the Flashpoint

• Use Social Media to tell the story–Make Bad News into Good News

• Use Social Media as a Opportunity to Win Back Trust

• Set up Google Alerts for your Company

Customer Service

• The New Help Line

– Customers are now using Social Media

to contact companies instead of

traditional methods

• Exceed Expectations

– Using Social Media for your Customer

Service gives your Company a chance

to exceed expectations

• Customer Service in Public

Public Relations

• Information and Coverage is instant

• Every customer is a potential

journalist

– Each client has the opportunity to

write anything from a blog post to a

simple Facebook Status Update about

your company

• Social Media Content is Delivered

Directly to Fans/Followers Screens

Customer Acquisition

• What is it that makes your company

interesting/different?

• Tell a story about one thing and

make it stick

– i.e. Subway

Customer Loyalty

• Create Brand Communities

• Create Co-Ownership

• Activate, Don’t just Collect

• Engage– Communicate– Tie Posts Together– Contests– Call to Action– Exclusive Content– Research/Survey– Combine

Online/Offline

Thought Leadership

• Everyone has expertise, what’s

yours?

• Distribute Content

• Establish your Company as an

Expert in your Field

Networking

• Local is no longer required

– You can connect with people worldwide

• Connect with more and different

people

• Understand your Spheres of

Influence

• Think Vertical

– Connect with others in your Industry

for ideas

• Facebook• Twitter• Blogging• LinkedIn• YouTube• Google+• Instagram• Pinterest• Foursquare

Nine Main Social Media

Channels

Facebook

• Create a Community

• Engage with your Community

– Share news and pictures about your

Company

– Create events to encourage involvement

• Educate others about your Company

Twitter

• Share your updates with an unlimited audience

• Drive traffic to your website

• Share your enthusiasm about your Company, great content you want others to know about, and news relevant to your clients

• Build real relationships by replying, retweeting, and joining discussions

Blogging

• Share the story of your

Company

• Give details regarding complex

ideas

LinkedIn

• Cultivate relationships with

other professionals

• Recruit Employees

• Collaborate with peers though

groups

YouTube

• Allows you to share videos of you in

action

• Users can subscribe to your

YouTube channel and get updates

when you add new videos

• Easily share YouTube videos

through your website and social

media sites

Google+

• Send specific messages to specific

circles

• Use Hangouts for video conversations

and meetings

• Not as widely used as other platforms

Instagram

• Share camera phone pictures on

Instagram and automatically

publish to Facebook and Twitter

• Easily share pictures in real time

of day to day operations or

special events

Pinterest

• Create boards for your Company’s

specific purposes

• Share content relevant to your clients

• Currently the fastest growing Social

Media site

• Users can “check in” when they are

at your Business

• The “check ins” can be shared on

the users Social Media platforms

• Businesses can offer specials to

users who “check in”

Foursquare

DON’T FORGET TO:

Create Good Profiles

• Have Consistent Branding (on-line

and off-line)

• Use your Company’s Actual Name

• Use your Company’s Photo/Logo

• Be Interesting

• Link to Content, Other Social Media

Sites, Website

Keep On-line and Off-line in Sync

• Integrated Campaigns

– Clients want your Social Media sites to

be familiar to what they have come to

know from your Company

• Use the same logo/avatar for all

Social Media sites

Get Active

• Assign a person (or department) to

manage Social Media presence

• Consistently update your Social

Media sites

• Respond and Engage with your

Fans/Followers

• It’s better to be consistent on fewer

sites than to be on every site

Social Network

Tips

• Add Value• Share Content• Be Personal• Ask Questions• Don’t try to “Game”

the System

Got Questions?

Caryn BrownWebsite Crafter/Social Media StrategistDigital Media Butterflycaryn@DigitalMediaButterfly.com

(254) 722-2991

Services Offered:• Set up and

Integration of Social Media Presence

• Website Implementation and Updates

• Technical Writing (including Social Media Usage Policies)

• Training and Public Speaking

Bio

• Caryn Brown is a Website Crafter and Social Media Strategist who founded Digital Media Butterfly  in 2012 because she has a passion for helping businesses and individuals find their way in this digital world.

• Caryn’s professional experience includes 12 years in the non-profit sector, where she managed technology and social media assets. Caryn has been designing websites since 1999 and has led the Waco Social Media Breakfast since 2008.

• Caryn’s volunteer experience also includes Planned Parenthood, Brazos Education Foundation, and the Waco Cultural Arts Festival.

• She is also passionate about the abolition of human trafficking and particularly the work of Love146.

• Caryn is married to Michael, and they have two sons, Lee (11) and Ed (10).

• In her spare time, Caryn enjoys scrapbooking, spending time with her family, great food, and, of course, social media.