True Value’s Good Example of Social Media

Looking for a way to boast social media in ahigh traffic spot at your establishment? Create a sign that lists your website, social media sites and put it on your door. Use this example of a True Value Hardware store as a good example of what to do!

I am speaking @MarketingSherpa Email Summit 2012

I will be speaking at the Marketing Sherpa Email Summit 2012 on how to Jump Start Your Team with Social Media. Below is the synopsis of the session.

Social media governance and engagement is still a mystery to the business sector. Can your company survive without taking your social media presence to the next level? The Cleveland Institute of Art has implemented the third stage of social media engagement with fervor by incorporating a team dynamic. You need to determine first where your level of social media engagement is, and then implement policies and a triage plan.

The social media Swiss Army Knife can be sliced and diced many ways, but how are your utilizing its tools? Just like restaurants display the MasterCard, Discover and Visa symbols, does your business accept Facebook and Twitter? Email loves social media and your business needs to give love to get love. Are you using your ESPs ability to connect your emails to social media? Do your emails strengthen your social media efforts? Learn tips you can take back to your company and make an immediate impact with your social media integration.

http://www.meclabs.com/training/marketing-summit/email-summit-2012/agenda

Winking Lizard Social Media Napkin

I am huge fan of the Winking Lizard, as a matter of fact, I designed one of their first websites. However I recently dined at their new Independence location and I noticed their napkin was absent of their actual social network addresses. The napkin has the Twitter and Facebook icons, however where exactly on these networks are you located? A suggestion would be to list twitter.com/winkinglizard and facebook.com/winkinglizard to quickly access these sites instead of making the customer search.

Westfield Mall Social Media Ad

Westfield Mall got it right with their in-house social media display. Why? They actually list the address of their social media sites next to the icons instead of making you randomly search their sites. Facebook’s search is OK, but it really does show many results. Twitter’s search engine is less than desirable. The lesson here is to list your addresses next to your icons when directing users to social media sites.

Oh No… Coupons on Facebook

I was in the supermarket the other day and as I reached for a coupon, the customer in front me took the last one. I was surprised the sign underneath the final coupon told me to look up more on Facebook. However the sign didn’t tell me where I exactly needed to go. If I wanted more coupons, I would have to logon on Facebook and just aimlessly search?

You need to make sure that you use the latest technology but you still clearly guide users to what you want them to do. This Facebook Coupon Sign is a great example of how easy it can be to misguide consumers if you are vague.

Curated Social Streams

During the recent tragedy Norway curated social feeds really showcased social media’s potential. The Washington Post created handpicked Twitter lists highlighting local journalists, outside experts and the best social reporters. Gregory Ferenstein highlighted the hand-picked social media effort in this Fast Company article. He said, “For hard-hitting news, the Oslo attack hints at a future of interdependence between old and new media.”

A couple of years ago when social media erupted, the original fear was that it was going to put journalists out of a job. I am a firm believer that technology is only as good as the person using it. As a company or individual you need to embrace the current wave of tech, adapt and figure out how it translates to your business. I know I am making this sound easy and I know that making this transition is not. Don’t put a square pen in a round hole! Look at your organization and figure out how it makes best sense to use social media. In this day and age, you need to use Facebook and Twitter in addition to your website precense. Perhaps the example from the Washington Post will give a clearer meaning of how to use it.

How can you make social media work for your business and how can it impact the value of your website?
Fast Company’s Article on Curated Social Streams

Outback’s Good Use of Facebook

I am always fascinated when I see good use of social media using coupons. Outback Steakhouse has integrated not only a coupon with Facebook but they have given consumers the ability to inquire for seating and seek other promotions

http://www.facebook.com/outback

Twitter Tips From Twitter

I received an email from Twitter with tips to get in driver seat with Twitter. I thought these were relevant. If you signed up awhile ago and you’ve been gone, below are good reasons to check Twitter out again.

Twitter Tips from Twitter:
1) Follow your interests. We’ve found that the people who enjoy Twitter most tend to follow a variety of accounts: friends, family, people in their profession, local shops and events, and most importantly, people who share their passions.

2) Get specific. Like sports? Follow your favorite leagues, teams, players, coaches, commentators, writers and fellow fans. Love food? Follow chefs, restaurants, critics, bloggers, specialty shops and respected foodies.

3) Don’t panic. People turn to Twitter during emergencies. Snowstorms, power outages and fires are just a few emergencies where Twitter may be helpful. Search for #hashtags and follow local civic accounts to stay informed.

4) Return to Twitter. There are about 200 million accounts on Twitter now – that means new interests, new voices, and new ideas every day. We offer services in seven languages, apps for most devices, and SMS worldwide.

Red Baron Gets Social Media

Red Baron pizza is in the frozen section of your local supermarket and now being served in the social media sphere. I saw this coupon come into my email box and I immediately click on it. Who could not pass up saving $2 on one of my favorite frozen Italian treats? I actually didn’t proceed because it connected to a third party coupon site that was asking for access to my Facebook account. Besides this turnoff, I think the delivery and execution are an excellent example of how to use social media to connect to your consumers.

Sears Social Media Example

Sears has been getting in the game of Social Media. In the inside of their catalog they have a link to YouTube how-to vidoes. On the back of the catalog they have listed the networks Twitter, Facebook and YouTube. Sears could do one better by saving the consumer the hassle of finding them on the networks by listing their exact addresses.