Following all the Rules

One company that does a great job at branding across the board is Starbucks.  They are known for delivering a great quality product at a reasonable price and good customer service.  A lot of companies do that though.  What separates Starbucks though is their ability connect with their customer base.  They really understand their clientele.  The typical Starbucks customer is pretty tech savvy and concerned with current events.  They are on-the-go but still love the coffee house vibe.  Starbucks caters to this customer by providing online content that is relative and fun.  From their main website to their social media pages, even their cute boards on Pinterest, everything relates to their brand. Their customers reward them with loyalty and continuing to purchase their products.  Starbucks is truly a company that understands the value of good branding.

Facebook Flaw?

I am the administrator on several Facebook pages for different organizations and groups, and I have noticed what I believe to be a flaw in the way they are designed.  As a page (different from a personal account) you are allowed to post pictures, status updates, polls, etc. and comment on anything that is posted on your page. This is very useful for promoting events, products, or keeping in general communication with your followers.

PROBLEM! Facebook does not allow official pages to comment, like, or interact with anything that is not specifically on their page.  For instance, say that my organization saw one of their members post photos from an event that they hosted.  Wouldn't it be nice, if they could comment on the picture and thank them for their participation.  This simply is not possible.  The only thing we could do would be to share their photo on our page.

The screen shot on the left shows my options when I am logged in to my organization's page.  I would love to "like" the post where one of our members (me) made a cover photo promoting our event.  Maybe even comment so that people who see the post will have a place to link them to the actual page for our organization.  The most I can do is share it though.


I understand why it is set up this way.  It is most likely to prevent companies from spamming personal pages with advertisements or excessive comments.  I get it. But it seems like there could be a happy medium.

I don't know what the solution is exactly but for now I will continue directing people to our page, using Facebook's limited access.

Social Media Mistake

I'm always giving examples of good branding or tips for marketing a company online.  Today I want to talk about a bad example, though.  There is this t-shirt shop down the road that I absolutely love.  I started working with them about 2 years ago and have used them for all my screen printing needs ever since.  Between my designs for Lindenwood University, my church, and referrals to other organizations I have brought them business for over 10,000 t-shirts. (That's a lot of business!)

I recently found them on Facebook and noticed that they did not have a very good social marketing scheme.  The page looks fine, but the content is not updated that often.  I'll cut them some slack because they are a small business and I know that they can not employ a social media marketer full-time.  They do a decent enough job of posting pictures of their recent work and some basic posts about what's happening in the shop. They could definitely do better at supplying content, but it's not too bad.

The area where they go horribly wrong is in connecting with the customer.  I had no idea that pictures of my work were posted on their page for over a year.  All they had to do was tag me or at least tag my organization or church which are public pages.  I could have shared the picture with friends and co-workers much sooner, had I known it existed.  Once I did find it, I wanted to share it with my friends on Facebook.  I posted a link to the t-shirt shop's page and encouraged friends to "like" it, because I really do love working with them.  I went so far as to post a positive review on their page and comment on several pictures, thanking them for their work.

A social media savvy company would respond by thanking me for my business and at the very least "liking" my comments.  This company has been completely silent! It shocks me because, in person, their customer service is beyond parallel. They are extraordinarily accommodating and very friendly.  Because I know them pretty well, I trust that they do care about my business and appreciate my comments.  If I was a new customer though, I would be a little offended by the lack of social media connection.

My encouragement for this company and other small businesses like it is to stay on top of social media. Make sure that you are connecting with the customers that support you.  Dedicate 30 minutes a day to checking social media, posting something new, and responding to other's posts.  This will build your client support and ultimately your business.

LinkedIn

LinkedIn is a very valuable tool if you are looking for a job or seeking a promotion.  Unlike other social media outlets, it is geared towards the professional arena.  You're not going to put vacation photos or status updates on this one.  It is a very good way to connect though. Watch this informative video for a quick tutorial on all LinkedIn has to offer.

 

LinkedIn is an excellent way to connect to people that can provide references or job opportunities.  Make sure your profile is updated and very professional.  LinkedIn is also a great place to look if you own a business and are looking for new employees.  It offers their resumes and a list of their connections.  Checking for mutual connections is a great way to get feedback about the person of interest. If you stumble upon this blog and are looking for someone to work for you, here is a great example of a candidate seeking employment...

Social Media Vlog

Pin Your Way to Success

Pinterest is one of the newest Social Media Sites, yet it has quickly become one of the most popular.  The structure behind it is a little different than others in that you post pictures of things that interest you instead of status updates.  It is a favorite of crafty moms and brides, but Pinterest is also becoming a valuable tool for businesses.


There are several tips to successfully marketing your products or services on Pinterest.

• Relate to the users.  Posting products in a cold, sterile environment will only look like you are trying to sell something. Make the user feel like they need your product in their everyday life by pinning shots of the product in daily life.
• Connect your company. By posting pictures of your office or employees, you connect with the consumer and become relatable.
• Link to Social Media. Pin images that will encourage users to click-through to your blog or other social media sites.  This continues the process of connecting to the customer and building your brand.

On Pinterest, it's all about visual appeal.  Create interesting pins that draw in users and make that connection! Check out the infographic below for more tips and tricks for getting the most out of Pinterest. If you still want to know more check out an article from the company behind the graphic.

Why Use Social Media Marketing?

 “Social media isn’t the end-all-be-all, but it offers marketers unparalleled opportunity to participate in relevant ways. It also provides a launchpad for other marketing tactics. Social media is not an island. It’s a high-power engine on the larger marketing ship.”  Matt Dickman, technomarketer.typepad.com





Social Media is everywhere.  It's become part of the American culture over the last 5 years, so much that it seems crazy to us when someone is not involved in some sort of social media site.  The video above lists a number of statistics emphasizing the vast growth and spread of social media.  These stats aren't just for general information though.  They are valuable pieces of information for anyone trying to grow and expand a business. When any one person can reach millions and millions of people with a simple post, that is a technology to take note of.  When social media marketing is done correctly, the scope of where a company can reach is virtually endless.  The end of the video reminds us though, that with that power, it is very important to remain trustworthy.  As simple as it is to get positive information out to the public, one mistake and negative information will fly across the social media networks just as easily. In 24 hours, your information can reach a lot of people.  Make sure your content is interesting, reliable, and beneficial to the consumer, and you will have no problem tapping into the world of social media marketing.

KSDK's Olympics Marketing Campaign

With all eyes on the Olympics this week it puts local news station KSDK in the spotlight....and how do they respond to all the viewers? With a brilliant social marketing campaign called "17 iPads in 17 Days."  If you live in the St. Louis area, look at your news feed on Facebook and tell me you don't see a number of your friends liking KSDK's page in the hopes of winning an iPad.  The premise is simple.

• You see the ad on TV during the commercial breaks or click the link in your news feed from one of your friends who has entered.  
• All you have to do is "like" KSDK then fill out a form in order to be eligible for the free iPad.  
• The winner is announced each night after the games for all 17 days of the Olympics.  

This entire campaign probably cost the news station around $7,000 for the iPads, a small fee compared to many advertising campaigns.  It's so smart because everyone is watching the Olympics and hears about the contest, then they become followers of the stations Facebook page.  Once someone likes the page, KSDK's news updates will show up in their feed and this will likely drive viewership up for their news programs.  For KSDK the proof is in the numbers:

In July, KSDK's total number of followers was just around 60,000.

Today KSDK has 113,104 followers.

It is too soon to tell if this simple promotion will boost ratings for the network, but it certainly cannot hurt it.  Any promotion that nearly doubles an organizations followers is something worth looking at.  KSDK saw an opportunity to capitalize on the Olympics and they definitely did not disappoint.

Olympic Advertising

It only happens every 4 years...and with the excitement, heartbreak, feats of athleticism, and national heroes the Olympics brings, there is one part that can sometimes be overlooked- the ads.

Not to worry though, a Forbes magazine article made sure to give the Olympic advertisements their fair exposure.  They even cleverly ranked them with medals just like the Olympic sports they so brilliantly support.

They highlight the Proctor & Gamble ad for mothers as the "gold medal" Olympic advertisement, and I have to agree.  I know I've heard of the company before, but I could not definitively tell you what they do.  This ad grabbed my attention by tugging at the heartstrings.  I'm not a mom, but it made me feel proud of my country and the athletes that are representing the USA.

P&G supported their TV commercial with a social media campaign on Facebook starring Beijing Olympian Shawn Johnson as their spokesperson.  The site has numerous videos highlighting the mothers of star Olympians including Ryan Lochte, Gabby Douglas, and Jordyn Weiber. This emotional connection is sure to draw in fans wanting to know more about the athletes and their lives outside of the Olympics.  It already worked for over 700,000 people!

I still cannot remember all the companies that fall under P&G as they quickly flashed across the screen, but I will remember the ad and that is sure to build brand support.

Social Media: Branding

"How can you squander even one more day not taking advantage of the greatest shifts of our generation? How dare you settle for less when the world has made it so easy for you to be remarkable?" 
Seth Godin, sethgodin.typepad.com

What is this great shift marketing expert, Seth Godin, is talking about? Social Media of couse!   Social Media is a vital part to many people's daily communication, and businesses are starting to realize the power of marketing on the web.

"Social Media sites like Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin and YouTube are changing the way the world does business. I think this is in response to our desire to connect with others. Relationship Marketing is all about connecting with people first as human beings and then as customers later. For a real business relationship to work, both parties must receive value. If only one or neither does, that relationship won’t continue for long." 
Terry Brock, Marketing Coach & Syndicated Columnist, terrybrock.com


It's important for businesses to connect to their consumers on the a personal level when utilizing social media marketing.  There are several factors to consider while branding to customers:


1. Get Engaged. Not in the man getting down on one knee kind of way...but get involved in the consumers life by developing conversations.  Use Facebook and Twitter to pose interesting questions to your followers that they might share with their friends.  If you show interest in them, they will share that interest with others. According to an article on Mashable, 60% of consumers expect a brand to respond when they post a question or concern on social media.  It's all about the conversation.


2. Be Creative. Coca Cola came up with something as simple as a sticky hand to get users attention. The simple campaign was so successful they developed an app to continue it's appeal. It doesn't take a huge budget to make a successful ad.  All you need is one good idea to stick...sometimes quite literally.


3. Make a Presence.  When directing social media users to your brand, don't be a one-hit-wonder.  Keep content up to date and fresh.  Build the brand across different social media platforms to expand your target audience.

Student Information Sheet