Social Media Policies, Guidelines and Best Practices

in a Small Business Environment

How do you expect me to twitter when I don’t even have time to

shower?

KNOW LISTE

NENGAGE

RESP

ON

DAMPLIFY

MEASURE

Social Media

is still under

Construction

and it’s a wild ride!

Big Business

The Future of SocialMedia: A ForecastBased on ResearchPresented byJeremiah Owyang, Altimeter Group At the Social Media Success Summit 2011

Small Business or Self Employed

No BudgetNo StaffNo Time

• 20 million of the online community are involved in businesses with 10 or fewer employees

• 6.3% are Mass Connectors

• 15.5% are Mass Mavens

• Mass Influencers from this group are typical of their group with the exception of an increased use in mobile technology

Plan, Create and Educate• Plan for Social Media to have a

presence in every department and through out every stage of the customer lifecycle

• Create a strategy team with members from every department

• Educate and Empower your staff and advocates

• Design a program that is respectful of where your customers are and how they communicate.

HelpDesk

Choose an appropriate organizational structure.

Know your how deep your relationship goes.

Is your customer’s decision uncomplicated?

Concentrate on :ContentTrends in the MarketMaking Sharing EasyBeing Human and Accessible

Is your customer’s decision difficult?

Focus on :ListeningConnectingHelpingEnabling the community to help each other

• Set Expectations• Enable your advocates to

speak for you in the community

• Let go in a responsible way

You can always do more…… and

more

and just a little more

Systems vsTools

• Choose a few, robust platforms

• Set up all platforms to loop back to primary site

• Avoid the “Shiny New Gadget Syndrome”

• Use editorial calendars

Is it worth it?• 89.2 % of Small Business

Marketers saw increased exposure

• 59% Reported new partnerships• Small Businesses were 2x as

likely to find qualified leads• 48% saw improved sales• 59% saw a reduction marketing

costs

2011 Social Media Marketing Industry Report by Michael Stelzner, http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com

But you have to spend the time.

80% 0f all marketers with 3 yrs + experience saw new partnerships

75% of those spending as little as 6 hrs per week saw increased traffic.

2011 Social Media Marketing Industry Report by Michael Stelzner, http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com

“ ….customer-driven companies were

significantly more successful than

shareholder-driven ones, providing a 36

percent advantage in shareholder returns…...”Ranjay Gulati

Focusing on Customers = Making Money

References:Bernoff, J. and Schadler, T.,(2010) empowered:unleash your employees, energize your customers, transform your business. Boston, Massachusetts : Forrester Research Inc, Harvard Business Review Press

Happe, Rachel (2010.04.09) What a Difference A Community Manager Makes, The Community Roundtable. Podcast retrieved from http://community-roundtable.com/2010/04/what-a-difference-a-community-manager-makes/

Harte, B (2011.05.06) Your “Industry Experience Only” Requirement Is Hurting Customers, Employees and Shareholders. The Harte of Marketing. Retrieved from http://www.theharteofmarketing.com/2011/05/industry-experience-only-disadvantage.html

Owyang, J. and Li, C., How Corporations ShouldPrioritize Social Business Budgets: Corporations must budget spending basedon their maturity level.! [PDF Document]. May 2011. Retrieved from webinar at Social Media Success Summitt 2011. http://socialmediaexaminer.com

Stelzner, Michael A., 2011 Social Media Marketing Industry Report: How Marketers are using Social Media to Grow their Businesses. [PDF Document] Retrieved April 2011 at http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/SocialMediaMarketingReport2011.pdf

Storer, Jim (2011.01.20) Conversations with Community Managers – Jeff Esposito (Vistaprint) The Community Roundtable. Podcast retrieved from http://community-roundtable.com/2011/01/conversations-with-community-managers-jeff-esposito-vistaprint/

Storer, Jim (2011.01.06) Conversations with Community Managers – Janet Aronica (oneforty) The Community Roundtable. Podcast retrieved from http://community-roundtable.com/2011/01/conversations-with-community-managers-janet-aronica-oneforty/

Storer, Jim (2010.11.17) Conversations with Community Managers – Michael Pace (Constant Contact) The Community Roundtable. Podcast retrieved from http://community-roundtable.com/2010/11/conversations-with-community-managers-%E2%80%93-michael-pace-constant-contact/

 

Storer, Jim (2010.06.10) Conversations with Community Managers – Alex Plant (NetApp) The Community Roundtable. Podcast retrieved from http://community-roundtable.com/2010/06/conversations-with-community-managers/

Storer, Jim (2010.06.03) Conversations with Community Managers – Lisa Beatty (Jane Nation) The Community Roundtable. Podcast retrieved from http://community-roundtable.com/2010/06/conversations-with-community-managers-lisa-beatty-jane-nation/

Storer, Jim (2010.05.13) Conversations with Community Managers (Episode #7) – Brian Simpson, Roger Smith Hotel, The Community Roundtable. Podcast retrieved from http://community-roundtable.com/2010/05/conversations-with-community-managers-episode-7-brian-simpson-roger-smith-hotel/

Storer, Jim (2010.05.06) Conversations with Community Managers (Episode #6) – Sonny Gill, DeVry University, The Community Roundtable. Podcast retrieved from http://community-roundtable.com/2010/05/conversations-with-community-managers-episode-6-%E2%80%93-sonny-gill-devry-university/

Storer, Jim (2010.04.29) Conversations with Community Managers (Episode #5) – Shwen Gwee: Social Pharma, The Community Roundtable. Podcast retrieved from http://community-roundtable.com/2010/04/conversations-with-community-managers-episode-5-shwen-gwee-social-pharma/

Storer, Jim (2010.04.22) Conversations with Community Managers (Episode #4) – Rachel Happe, TheCR, The Community Roundtable. Podcast retrieved from http://community-roundtable.com/2010/04/conversations-with-community-managers-episode-4-%E2%80%93-rachel-happe-thecr/

Storer, Jim (2010.04.15) Conversations with Community Managers (Episode #3) – Ryan Paugh, Brazen Careerist, The Community Roundtable. Podcast retrieved from http://community-roundtable.com/2010/04/conversations-with-community-managers-episode-3-%E2%80%93-ryan-paugh-brazen-careerist/

Storer, Jim (2010.04.08) Conversations with Community Managers (Episode #2) – Tim Walker, Hoovers, The Community Roundtable. Podcast retrieved from http://community-roundtable.com/2010/04/timwalker/

Storer, Jim (2010.04.01)Conversations with Community Managers (Episode #1) – DJ Waldow, Blue Sky Factory, The Community Roundtable. Podcast retrieved from http://community-roundtable.com/2010/04/conversations-with-community-managers-episode-1-dj-waldow-blue-sky-factory/