How to Think Like a Social Media Cowboy

How to think like a social media cowboy

Brandon Chesnuttbchesnutt@identitypr.com

The Old West: a time of exploration, discovery and opportunity.

Cowboys were known for navigating this unfamiliar territory.

The Code of the West.

Brands are now entering the “unknown.”

The new digital frontier.

The new gold rush.

The new Code.

Thankfully, we have new cowboys.

Your brand and social media.

Practicing

Transitioning

Non-participant

How can YOU think like a social media cowboy?

Don’t get caught up in the technology.

Focus on strategy.

Bring teams together.

“With these tools, you are business development, marketing and customer service.”

Chris Brogan

Look for “smoke signals.”

Listening is a crucial step.

Social media shifts responsibility back to brands.

“Everyone is sharing how they feel, even about you, and now you have the ability to go out and fix it.”

Gary Vaynerchuk

Fortify your home base.

A “presentable” home:Dynamic/fresh contentUnique URLsSEO-friendlySubscription capabilityShareable documents/news

Create your outposts.

Elect your sheriff(s).

People are interesting.

Companies often aren’t.

“It’s a lot harder to screw a brand when there is a person behind it.”

Scott Monty, Ford Motor Company

External social media efforts should be communicated internally.

Have a social media policy in place.

Where does advertising and PR fit?

Takeaways.

Takeaways.

Thank ya, Pardner.

Brandon Chesnutt248.258.2333, bchesnutt@identitypr.comwww.brandonchesnutt.com@bchesnuttwww.delicious.com/brandonchesnuttwww.slideshare.net/brandonchesnutt

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Commons Photo Creditshttp://www.flickr.com/photos/affsum/2807324867/ - Chris Broganhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/wendypiersall/2890338419/ - Scott Montyhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/boboroshi/2352798684 - Gary Vaynerchukhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cowboy.jpg - Cowboy on horsehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/crowt59/1444807366/ - Cowboy Statuehttp://www.archives.gov/research/american-west/images/082.jpg - Sheriffshttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0d/Map_of_the_United_States_1823.jpg - map of the USAhttp://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7d/Homesteader_NE_1866.png - Homesteadershttp://www.flickr.com/photos/27380453@N08/2967717760/ - David Meerman Scott and Todd Defrenhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/gsloan/2776060103/ - Alamohttp://www.flickr.com/photos/a2gemma/1448178195/ - Pointhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/lorenjavier/3389559734/ - Outposthttp://www.flickr.com/photos/christinadickson/1321648098/ - John Waynehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/matttinsley/247503725/ - Sunset Cowboyhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/markhinds/2969468186/ - Good, Bad, and The Uglyhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/mrbill/40588740/ - Telegraphhttp://www.flickr.com/photos/nika/122095014/t - Lots of hatshttp://www.flickr.com/photos/stevendepolo/3618608792/ - orange hathttp://www.flickr.com/photos/nicholas_t/2081792812/ - Great Plainshttp://www.flickr.com/photos/potyautas/3259185396/ - Wireshttp://www.flickr.com/photos/ghewgill/324597704/ - Lionshttp://www.flickr.com/photos/faeryan/353278247/ - Chesshttp://www.flickr.com/photos/krcla/2037171170/ - Thumbs uphttp://www.flickr.com/photos/generated/501445202/ - puzzlehttp://www.flickr.com/photos/ajusticenetwork/164676583/ - holding hands