Creating A Social Media Strategy: “Only we….”

A Social Media Summit 2014 Recap of “Unlocking Your Perfect Social Media Strategy”…

So there’s this super cool marketing genius I recently paid some extra attention to. You should go and follow Mark Schaefer, author of “Social Media Explained” and “Return on Influence.”

He worked with Social Media Summit 2014 to present the session, “Unlocking Your Perfect Social Media Strategy.”

He shares. I listen (and share too). You get the CliffsNotes (and share too). Pretty please? It’s easy. We put buttons over there and down there for ya. 😉

So, where do we start with this social media strategy thing?

Should your strategy be to increase traffic, likes, followers,etc?
NO! But thank you for playing. 

What we’re trying to do is something unique.

Do you think you will drive profitable growth by simply delivering exceptional products and customer service?

Remember this disaster…

Everyone wants to deliver good products. There is nothing unique about that.

Your marketing strategy needs to be an intentional path to maximize stakeholder value based on points of differentiation.

There are many “stakeholders” or people affected. Could be aimed at donors, community, etc.

Notice he/we don’t talk about sustainability.
In todays day and age, its difficult to come up with a 5 year plan. It needs to be adjusted every few years, if not months. We simply can’t create a strategy and sit on it. IT HAS TO CHANGE.

So, what’s the bottom line?

The bottom line is…  don’t do the same thing as your competition.

And here’s where to start. Ask yourself…

6 Questions That Will Create Social Media Fame & Fortune For  You:

1. Can you finish this sentence?
   

   “Only we…<fill in the blank>.”
   Figure out why you are distinctive. Figure out why people do or should love you. Figure out how you fit into the marketplace.
   Just reproducing what other people do won’t keep you competitive. It  won’t keep you in the market.Think…

   • Why do customer keep coming back to you?
   • Are they connected to you? Do they know you will take care of them.
   • Is it because they have no other choice?
   • Are you…
     • higher
     • faster
     • cheaper
     • most experienced
     • most fun
     • most flavors
     • most options
     • most convenient
     • best value
     • most luxurious
     • best location
     • largest
     • smallest
   • Get your team together. And ask them, “How do you finish this sentence?”
     “Only we . . .”

2. Can your culture nurture and sustain a social media transformation?
   

   The number one predictor of whether your strategy is going to work is not your budget. It’s not your content. It’s not your vision. It’s your company culture. We can’t do it alone.
   Are you prepared to publish? Prepared to take on the tough stuff? The negativity?
   Are you ready to entertain?
   We need to create compelling, gripping, entertaining content. Most companies are not sitting around discussing, “How can we be more entertaining this month?” But it’s actually important.
   This doesn’t mean an owner needs to blog or tweet. But they need to actively support it and demonstrate said support.

3. Are you a conversational brand? Or could you be?
   

   No one is forced to go to Facebook. People go to Facebook because it’s fun.
   They don’t go there to see your latest photo of your president giving a check to someone.
   People are tired of being marketed and advertised to. We don’t want to be sold to.
   Why would people pay attention to you? What would make you a conversational brand? Could you become one?

4. Where are your customers and competitors?
   

   Study your competitors to figure out where you can maneuver. But you can’t just simply copy them.While we’re at it, talk to your customers.
   Are there un-met needs? Under-served needs?

5. What is our source of rich content?
   

   Think about it. All content is NOT necessarily created equal.
   Maybe Facebook and Twitter alone aren’t going to cut it.
   Consider accompanying your social interactions with a blog post when possible Blog posts can inspire calls from reporters who “Google” a topic and can find your blog post. They interview you. Then what do newspapers do? Pick up other newspapers. Hellllloooooo referrals and advertising. Be the expert.

   • Key Things For Rich Content:
     The content didn’t really create the benefits. It MOVED it.
     Do you think that this would have happened if a company had only shared thoughts on Facebook, Twitter or 1 platform?
     No. And it certainly wouldn’t have been picked up by a reporter. It needed to be on the blog to be indexed.
     For us to have the best opportunity to have a strategy, you must have some FUEL.  Something RICHER than a tweet.
     Generally speaking there are 2 acceptable sources:
     • blogs
     • podcasts
     • series of video
   • NOTE: If highly visual, Pinterest and Instagram can be good for you. (Specifically industries with: food, travel, fashion, accessories, hair, and makeup.)
     But generally speaking, above are the resources FUEL that POWERS the social web.

6. What does success look like??!???

   This stands in the way most often to having a successful social media strategy. People are more often concerned with asking, “What’s the ROI of social media? “What’s the ROI of a billboard? Difficult question right? It’s not the right question. Lets just keep it simple. If staring out a strategy for the first time. Ask yourself this…

   “If we sat down a year from now and we were celebrating a great social media success, what would have happened?”
   
   Is it…

• Realistic?
• Achievable?
• Focused?

After all that, there is a promise. It works. It just requires time. Requires strategy.

Example Goals:

• Can you create blog posts on time to hit a schedule.
• Can you build a Facebook page and audience month by month.

Sometimes goals are small. But whatever the goals are, these 6 questions will help direct your paths.

After you brainstorm your goals, run them by one of our team members over here. Let us help you turn strategy into systems for your team and conversion for your business.