Wednesday, September 26, 2012
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.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
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.
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.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
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.
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.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
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...
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...
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
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.
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.
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.
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
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.
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.
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