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Three Strategies for
Social Media Success by Jason Linett The Jason Linett Group LLC Publications Committee Member
With the innovations of wireless
internet and smart phones, it’s no wonder we’re in a world where the marketing game changes so quickly.
Social media gives us the ability to broadcast a message to the world with just one click. However, the simplicity of it often translates to a monitor filled with mundane status updates and egotistical rants. While the new technology has created a unique canvas on which to work, we can combine the following three strategies to put forth the best message, build and establish relationships with clients and empower our clients to become our best spokespeople.
Start With a Goal To most, social media is just a buzzword. We know it’s out there, but we may not know what to do with it. “The problem is most people are getting engaged in social media because they feel peer pressure, but the first thing you have to figure out is what you want it to do for you,” says Terrance Barkan, CAE, of SOCIALSTRAT, a social media strategy company. The best path to take will present itself if you have a clear goal in mind. It may only be self-serving to build a Facebook page for your business and hope the phone rings. Instead, use social media as a tool to enhance an upcoming opportunity or public event. For instance, consider using a Facebook page or blog to share content and encourage viral participation. Integrate the social media as part of the marketing strategy for the entire business, and not just as a generic informational page.
8 PMPI POTOMAC MEMO
Share Valuable Content If you have any involvement in social media, you’re familiar with the individual who updates their status a dozen times a day. Patrick O’Malley, a Boston social media expert and recent PMPI Learning Experience speaker, describes this as “yelling it out for anybody in the world to hear.” He recommended asking, “Is somebody going to get some benefit from this?” before posting. Meeting professionals should consider generating unique intellectual property, which will add value for your prospects and clients. For an upcoming conference, Terrance Barkan suggests involving speakers or presenters in social media to “get people engaged in the topic.” Possible options include webinars, special reports or online polls with visible results. Valuable content leads to active participation rather than a passive glance. Providing quality content breaks down the stigma that comes with asking someone to become your “follower” or your “fan.” As a stage hypnotist, I receive many invites to become a “fan” of individuals new to the entertainment industry. I’m more likely to engage if the goal is content sharing and not vanity.
Encourage Viral Activity Social media is like juggling. Your content stays up in the air and visible as long as people continue to share it. Your network of connections should be encouraged (and inspired!) to pass the information on to their like-minded peers. For example, an online video testimonial from a meeting planner is valuable to other meeting planners who may have a use for your services. The other strategies come into play, as if you are offering valuable information, and your contacts will be happy to share your video, invite their colleagues to your next event or “retweet” a post. Patrick O’Malley shared that this may be a part of the future of social media. If content that experiences a high level of approval becomes the most accessible information, we can avoid the mindless rants that can pollute social media. ...unless you really need to know what Lady Gaga had for breakfast!
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2010 VOL. 32, NO. 2
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