PowerPoint Presentation - Down East IWW Presentation … · The$Marketas$asocial$network •...

social networking strategies

for farmers, markets and more

January 2011Maine Farmers’ Market Conven;on

Friday, January 28, 2011

What is a Social Network?


"Farm communi3es were the original social networks and my grandmother [Elizabeth Koester, Batesville, Indiana] was one of the hubs. Although she doesn't know TwiFer, it's a dynamic she would understand. Farming communi3es were the original social networks as everyone needed each other."

-‐-‐ Rachel Happe,


The Market as a social network• the market acts as a live, social network where people

are familiar with each other, and know each other at least in the context of the market

• u3lize the love your customers have for you by encouraging them to share informa3on with their own social networks

• brand your stuff, write on the bag

• ask customers ques3ons about what they would like to know about your business or your product.


Online social networks are much like the market:

• are people-‐centric

• are fast-‐paced, working in “real 3me”

• foster connec3ons to individuals

• connec3ons are without obliga3ons

• people can be introduced to new people or businesses

• encourage conversa3on and discourse


Online social networks also can be:

• essen3al ways to communicate quickly and inexpensively with your audience

• immediate: can send out an message to your list telling them what you’ll have with you that’s new, fresh, just picked, just baked – that morning before market

• bring out folks who may have usually skipped for a second cup of coffee


market

Use the web to increase your network

• the more you can connect online, the more in3macy you will have with customers online and offline

• this is part of how social networks work


What does this do?

You do not make money with social media. You develop rela3onships with people, who will then do business with you.

Find peopleGive them informa3onStay in touch with them


The current popular social network we will cover are:

• TwiFer, a micro-‐blogging tool

• Facebook

• YouTube

• Blogging (which is a liBle different, but closely related)

• E-‐newsleFers

• Google


Google

More than a search engine, even if you don’t have a website, be sure Google knows who you are. It’s easy and free.

For example, me....


http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=monique+bouchard+design&ie=UTF8&hq=monique+bouchard+design&hnear=&radius=15000&ll=44.941109,-68.655217&spn=0.008126,0.015965&z=16&iwloc=A

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=monique+bouchard+design&ie=UTF8&hq=monique+bouchard+design&hnear=&radius=15000&ll=44.941109,-68.655217&spn=0.008126,0.015965&z=16&iwloc=A

Blog

Having a blog is kind of fun for you and your audience. Generally folks subscribe to the blog, which means that when there’s something new, it’s obvious immediately.

Think of it like a business journal or diary which keeps all your supporters, customers and friends in the loop.

*Note: blogging does require a commitment and willingness to be a regular

updater and contributor for your own business! However, it is also wicked simple and also wicked cheap, or free.


A business blog should keep subscribers interested and entertained.

• Amusing or interes3ng stories, wisdom, anecdotes

• Photos of products/crea3ons• Opportuni3es for readers to comment

• Sugges3ons or hints

They are great for educa3ng people about your cra_, and also can help your website search rankings.


Enewsle+ers

Studies show that readers get an emo3onal connec3on to an organiza3on via enewsleFers and seldom unsubscribe – even if they don’t read the whole thing.

So, the key is to GET your enewsleFer read!


Blogs and E-‐newsleFers need:

• entertaining / amusing / educa3onal stories

• photos of products/crea3ons/foodstuff• opportuni3es for readers to comment

• sugges3ons or hints

They are great for educa3ng people about your cra_, and also can help your website search rankings.


Wri3ng for E-‐anything:

•write brief, interes3ng ar3cles•your subject should be 8-‐10 rive3ng words•the top two inches are the richest•use descrip3ve text•label all your images

•make it feel personal

•lead people to your product, offline or on


Social Networking

Use social networking sites like TwiFer and Facebook to grow support, interest and ac3vity in your target market.

Social networking sites allow you to update large groups of people (who are already interested in you!) and are easier than blogs or e-‐newsleFers.


market marke3ng

A 2009 survey by the American Farm Bureau Federa3on found that among the 92 percent of ranchers and farmers age 18 to 35 who use computers, 46 percent regularly use some form of social media. Nearly one-‐fourth of large-‐acreage farmers spend at least 10 hours a week online, according to the AgChat Founda3on.

Read more...


http://www.fb.org/index.php?fuseaction=newsroom.focusfocus&year=2009&file=fo0720.html




http://technorati.com/blogging/article/american-farmers-venture-into-new-field/%23ixzz1CIhi3O5h%0Dhttp://technorati.com/blogging/article/american-farmers-venture-into-new-field/%23ixzz1CIhi3O5h%0D

http://technorati.com/blogging/article/american-farmers-venture-into-new-field/%23ixzz1CIhi3O5h%0Dhttp://technorati.com/blogging/article/american-farmers-venture-into-new-field/%23ixzz1CIhi3O5h%0D

market marke3ng

So who’s using this stuff anyway?

Is it just a fad?

Let's check it out...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFZ0z5Fm-Ng

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lFZ0z5Fm-Ng

Basics of TwiFer

• 5.2 million users on TwiFer alone

• microblogging -‐ 140 characters per post

• direct people to your website

• direct people to your product

• collect people who “follow” you


Get your Tweet on

• follow savvy people in your industry

• ask your current customers to follow you

• follower collec3ng (you do not need to follow your followers)

• Use TwiFer’s search to find people interested in other industries like yours


Maximize your twee3ng• there are many programs online to make

it faster and easier

• do it on your phone

• use the # hashtag (a way for people to search for tweets with a common topic, try #AgChat)

• Use TwiFer’s search to find appropriate #s or create your own

• brand your page


https://twitter.com/moniquebouchard

https://twitter.com/moniquebouchard

Bonus: many people use TwiFer on their phones, meaning that if you tweet that you have fresh, ripe tomatoes NOW, there are people who will get that message immediately.

hFp://www.twiFer-‐howto.com/twiFer-‐how-‐to/how-‐to-‐write-‐tweets-‐that-‐get-‐clicks


http://www.twitter-howto.com/twitter-how-to/how-to-write-tweets-that-get-clicks




Facebook• more than 200 million Facebook users

• easily connect with people

• accepts auto posts/TwiFer feeds/etc

• has staying power

• ways to separate you and your business

• well documented


Mark O'Neill, a spokesman for the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau, couldn't provide any numbers of how many farmers are using social media or have joined a social media site.

"But we know that farmers are u;lizing social media," he said, "and that other farmers are becoming more aware of social media and are looking into ways that it might be used to inform the public about their opera;on, provide informa;on about farming prac;ces and animal care and even create opportuni;es to increase sales." This prac;ce is probably more common among farmers who can sell directly to consumers, he said.


http://dailyitem.com/0100_news/x1110253638/Farmers-use-Facebook-as-tool-for-marketing

http://dailyitem.com/0100_news/x1110253638/Farmers-use-Facebook-as-tool-for-marketing

YouTube

YouTube is a gigan3c search engine, and linked to Google it is a powerhouse.

Use it to upload short videos which give people a sense of your work, your life, your products, or which teaches viewers how to prepare a recipe, a vegetable or do something relevant to your work and their lives.


YouTube

• sign up for a membership (it’s free)

• it’s very, very easy

• create a channel for your business

• upload video of your own crea3on

• link/share videos of interest to your community from your YouTube page

• more than 70 million videos viewed daily


Use your website to help!

Post informa3on on your website or blog and send a link to the media for more informa3on.


Get your business or market listed in as many local areas as you can.

Make sure if you provide products for local merchants that your business is promoted.

A farm may be hard to visit, but a website is easy!

Here are two places as examples – the farmer’s market list, and the MOFGA CSA list:

hBp://www.getrealmaine.com/buy/farmers_markets.html

hBp://www.mofga.org/Resources/FindLocalFoods/tabid/221/Default.aspx


Social networks provide connec;on between people.

It’s that simple.

If you can handle the market, you can handle social networking.


Making your social networking plan Much like farming, it’s about providing • nutrients (content)

• sunshine (levity)

• rain (authen3c, real-‐life)

• careful tending (just enough, not too much or liFle)

Don’t over water, over feed, over tend -‐ and you and your social networking plan will be fine.


Monique Bouchard Design

www.mbouchard.com

[email protected]


PowerPoint Presentation - Down East IWW Presentation … · The$Marketas$asocial$network •...

Documents

Transcript of PowerPoint Presentation - Down East IWW Presentation … · The$Marketas$asocial$network •...