There's nothing we love more than solutions—top-notch insights from top-of-the-line experts to help solve common marketing problems. Here's this week's problem—and expert solution.
Problem: "How Can We Tell It's a Fit?"
You know your company needs to jump in to social media to compete in today's Internet-based marketing world. But which channel is right for you? Should you tweet, show your face, link up, blog, or all of the above and more? How can you find the right social-media fit?
Expert: Debra Ellis, Founder, Wilson & Ellis Consulting
Debra is a business strategist specializing in social media, traditional marketing, and service integration. Her solutions provide growth, profitability, and exceptional customer experiences. She co-founded Wilson & Ellis Consulting in 1995. Debra will be sharing her insights into integrating social media into your marketing strategy at the MarketingProfs Digital Marketing Mixer, October 22.
Solution
Debra agrees that the social-media goal of just about any marketing department these days is to "be where your customers are hanging out." But that's easier said than done, she admits.
So, how do you find your customers in the vast social media universe when your only interaction with them so far has been through marketing and order processing? Debra offers some practical steps to take to ease your company into the social space and find that fit.
- Decide. The first step is to decide clearly what you want to accomplish, she says. Without a clear-cut strategy, she notes, "your costs will be extensive and return minimal." Make sure your objectives are "clearly defined, tangible, and in line with corporate goals." Establish benchmarks of key metrics.
- Test the waters. "Every company should have a blog, so creating one is a good place to start," Debra advises. "Keep it as simple as possible, and test everything. Monitor your traffic, click-throughs, referrals, and revenue to see which posts move you toward accomplishing your objectives." That way, you'll form a picture of how you're connecting, and who is connecting with you.
- Dive in. "Create accounts in the platforms where you think you'll find your customers," she advises. Examples: "Twitter is good for a wide range of adult demographics. LinkedIn is mostly professional, and Facebook seems to be taking over the world." Key point: Don't be aggressive. "Since targeting people is hard (and slightly creepy) in social media, establish your presence and invite your customers to join you."
- Start chatting. "Use your traditional marketing tools to introduce your online presence to customers and prospects," she suggests. "Monitor everything and respond to each mention. Social media allows you to have conversations. Use it well."
- Measure, measure, measure. Regularly monitor those benchmarks you established in Step 1, she advises. "As your customer engagement improves, you'll be able to identify cause and effect. Let your customers guide you, and adjust your presence as needed."
What's the one thing to keep in mind as you reach out to customers through social media? "Never forget that it's all about them," Debra concludes.
Don't miss the dynamic panel discussion Debra Ellis will moderate at the MarketingProfs Digital Marketing Mixer in Chicago, October 22. Integrating Social Media into Your Marketing Strategy to Gain a Greater Response will provide B2B and B2C examples of how injecting social media into a "traditional" marketing plan produced terrific results. Learn step-by-step how to establish a social-media presence by studying these real-world campaigns that saw real success.
