Socializing Social Media: Getting to 'Yes' in Four Steps

By Andrew Worob (@Worob)September 16, 2011

Who Am I?

What We’re Really Here to Talk About

• How to overcome the fears still associated with social media

• 4 core principles that can help lead to brand success with social media

The Big Questions to Answer

• Will this really lead to sales?

• How much is this going to cost me?

• Who manages this effort?

• What if people talk negatively about us?

But really, the main concerns brands have…

The Concern w/ Customer Service

“If you make customers unhappy in the physical world, they might each tell 6 friends. If you make customers unhappy on the Internet, they can each tell 6,000 friends.”

- Jeff Bezos, CEO at Amazon.com

The Concern of Wasting Money

• “Senior executives within a company do not think about social media.”

• “You never know how engagement will lead to sales.”

How To Overcome These Challenges

4 Steps That Can Help

Step 1: Demonstrate Passion

• Have a team of passionate individuals in place:

• They are the ones who aren’t afraid to THINK BIG

• They will speak to your audience like a real person

• Showcase your knowledge and understanding of the space (and the brand, of course)

A Passionate Brand

Step 2: Define Goals

• Why social media?• Drive sales? • Support customer service?• Crisis Communications?• Thought leadership?

• Develop and implement a plan that tackles the issues and can help generate desired success. 

A Brand with a Plan

Step 3: Treat Customers Like Friends• Use social media to

demonstrate what a trustworthy, awesome friend you are

• Building a long-term relationship with current customers will help make you popular and attract new friends

Friendly Brands

Step 4: Commitment

• Make sure the team is comprised of people who WANT to work on the effort

• Reach out to all business units to ensure partnership and dedication at all levels

• Conduct an audit of competitor social media efforts

• Demonstrate knowledge of knowing the right tools to use

A Brand Committed

Summary

• Bottom line, it's never an easy task to eliminate concerns about the constantly evolving world of social media

• However, by taking the right actions it's possible to reduce the level of apprehension and get a brand on-board with doing social media, and doing it right

Thank YOUAndrew WorobManager, Digital CommunicationsRuder Finn/Finn Partners(212) 715-1536woroba@ruderfinn.com

@Worob

PR at Sunrise blog: worob.com