7 Secrets Using Social Media to Crush the Competition

Think Social Media is For Kids, Not Business? Think Again!Learn the 7 Secrets to How the Smartest Main Street Businesses-Just Like Yours-Are Using Social Media to Crush the Competition!

www.losangeleswebstrategies.com

What is social media marketing?

so cial me di a mar ket ing (noun)

1. The use of online social media sites (Facebook, Twitter, et. Al) to…

- Promote services, events, or products - Pursue branding goals - Increase market awareness - Efficiently reach and engage consumers - Drive more business/increase sales


Who cares?

2/3 of online adults use social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn (Pew)

AND

Facebook alone has over 750 million users…

Buyer attention-where is it?

Americans spent 53.5 billion minutes on Facebook in 2011

(Nielsen)


(In May alone…)


Naysayers

1. Social media is a waste of time2. Only young people are using social media3. Social media ROI cannot be measured4. Social media is pretty easy/unimportant-I’ll

give it to the intern to handle5. Social Media is no place for business


Pollyannas

1. Social media will replace real-life networking2. Social media can replace your website3. Social media is free marketing!4. Social media marketing gets immediate

results5. Social media marketing is the ANSWER!

Reality: It’s working, but it’s not the ONLY thing

• 63% of companies using social media say it has increased their marketing effectiveness (HubSpot)

• 88% of marketers have indicated that social media efforts have generated more exposure for their business (Harp Social)

• 73% of marketers plan on increasing their use of Facebook (Harp Social)• 90% of social businesses say SMM is important to their business (Social

Media Examiner)


Customers WANT YOU on social media

• 93% of customers expect companies to have a presence on social channels1

• 85% expect companies to interact with them on those social channels2

1,2 Cone Business Study on Social Media, 2008


And customers are rewarding businesses that do social

media…

How your business can benefit

• Increase engagement with customers and prospects• Affordably boost brand awareness• Boost website traffic• Grow your email list• Build your influence


How your business can benefit

• Promote events and special offers• Find new customers• Quickly address negative PR• Increase customer loyalty

Top challenges

• Overcoming cultural resistance to social media• Lack of resources to maintain consistent effort• Perceived as too difficult/overwhelming• Measuring ROI is not always easy (and requires some

savvy)• Devising a method to the madness


The 7 Secrets to How the Smartest Main Street Businesses are Using Social Media to Crush

the Competition!


1. Go where your people are…

2. Proactively cross pollinate


3. Use fan gating

• Fan gating = displaying certain content only to users who ‘Like’ your Facebook page

• Create an offer/incentive for fans only• Non-fans are encouraged to ‘Like’ in order to ‘unlock’ the

content behind the tab


3. Use fan gating

4. Collect email opt-ins

• Have people opt into your email list on your social media site

5. Run social promotions, contests, etc.

• People want to engage with brands!• Photo contests, sweepstakes, surveys, etc. drive

engagement• Engaged customers and prospects buy more

5. Run social promotions, contests, etc.

6. Be REAL

• Show that you are actually in the community and are real, human


7. Diversify

• Use multiple social media channels• YouTube is HUGE• Pinterest is taking off like a rocket!


BONUS. Advertise

• Amazing opportunity to target locally, specific interests, etc.

• Very affordable• Easy to do


Frequently Asked Questions


How much time will I need to spend each week on social media?

75% of businesses spending as little as 6 hours per week on social media marketing saw increased traffic.

(Social Media Examiner)

Which social platform(s) should my business use?

• Users?• Competitors?• Trick: Use the search function on a network to gauge

activity related to your industry/market vertical/audience

• Consider multiple channels!


How can I avoid the common mistakes that businesses make?

1. Have a plan/be prepared2. Don’t obsess3. Engage + promote4. Talk with (not at)5. No interns/nepotism


What to consider when evaluating the efficacy of social media?

• Bigger than sales!• Generating word of mouth marketing• Strengthening brand loyalty with your customers• Adding value


People are talking. Are you part of the conversation?

• Social media is not a passing fad!• 53% of people on Twitter recommend companies and/or

products in their tweets (ROI Research for Performance)• The average consumer mentions specific brands over 90

times per week in conversations with friends, family, and co-workers (WOMMA)

Questions?

We’d love to help.

• Just get in touch!


(213) 607-9100

7 Secrets Using Social Media to Crush the Competition

Technology

Transcript of 7 Secrets Using Social Media to Crush the Competition