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Times are tough all over. When marketers are called on to cut budgets, or else, some hard decisions need to be made about how to achieve objectives on a shoestring. This decision-making process is complicated by the fact that Social Media concepts had most marketers on fire with curiosity and ambition just a few months ago. So, what are the "bare essentials" of Social Media Marketing? What's the right mix of internal and external resources? Is it time for a strategy do-over? Should marketers re-trench to old-style marketing approaches? Can marketers still have it all? Learn what happens when you ask some open questions, build a community platform to capture the conversation, and then implement what your stakeholders actually want.
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Holy #%&$!!We’re totally screwed!!
Social Media Marketing in Tough Times
Yup. Times are Tough.
2 Choices
2 Choices
• Get tough! Get smart! Get loud!• Market your way through the downturn• Why would you cut the resources that ensure
your brand remains front & center?
“Brands that increase (marketing) during a recession, when competitors are cutting back, can improve market share and return on investment at lower cost than during good economic times.”
» Marketing Your Way Through a Recession» Published: March 3, 2008
• Nail your Sales and Marketing message.
• Pound your competitors’ shortcomings. – They’re hurting and they will be quiet.
Take the offensive.
• In a downturn, aggressive PR and Communications strategy is key.
» Doug Leone, Sequoia Capital» Mandatory CEO All-Hands Meeting, Sand Hill Road» Oct. 9, 2008
Remember the Basics
• You don’t need to reach EVERYBODY• You just need to reach the people who will
buy your stuff
How Do Buyers Find You?
How Do Buyers Find You?
Oh yeah, and:And:
content
What Impacts “Findability?”
content
“Findability” is
TIME is Expensive
What to Do?
• Focus on impact!
• What do you kill?– SEM (PPC) – Good SEO is cheaper, more effective– Advertising – it’s expensive; it’s hit-or-miss– Layers – cut internal staff– Events – box-up the booth; visibility = speeches
What to Do?
• Where do you double-down?– Listening – responsiveness scores points;
identifies red flags early on– Content creation – thought leadership
+ findability– SEO – findability – PR – thought leadership + promotion
(read: findability) + responsiveness
Social Media = Virtuous Cycle
Whaddaya Mean by “Content Creation?”TODAY• We got the CEO a speaking gig!
– Media advisory!– Bylined article!– Proactive pitches! – On-the-floor interviews!– Go home
TOMORROW• We got the CEO a speaking gig!
– Let’s send a camera crew along• Interview her on the way to the event• Podcast from a conference room• Document hallway chatter• Film or livestream the speech
– Share content all along the way• #tag, tweet & liveblog the process
– Monitor response; interact with users– Do “the traditional PR stuff” too
• Content creates ongoing “exposure opportunities” … empowers your communities … boosts SEO …
“But My Prospects Don’t Tweet!”
• Chances are, most of your buyers don’t tweet, utter, flick, or ‘tube!
• Don’t matter. Not a lick.
’s SOCIAL MEDIA
mmmm … !!!
What About PR?
• PR is totally $%#@’ing necessary• PR provides 3rd party validation– MSM is influential
• Most buyers still prefer a MSM write-up to a blog post (CREDIBILITY)• Most MSM sites have better PageRanks than blogs (FINDABILITY)• Agencies have long-standing relationships across the mediasphere,
via several clients (RESULTS)
– Industry Awards! Speaking Opportunities! Social Content Distribution! Oh my!
“Dude, I Need a Checklist”DO• Listen• Blog• Hire a PR firm• Focus on SEO• Create & publish relevant
content• Distribute content in places
where buyers can be found– Trust good SEO to do the rest
• Measure
DON’T• Advertise• Pay-per-click• Attend events
– Unless you’ll be a speaker
• Protect your fiefdom– Outsource vs. Hire
• And, Don’t Panic!
• Todd Defren• SHIFT Communications• [email protected]• 617-779-1853• www.shiftcomm.com (web)• www.pr-squared.com (blog)• twitter.com/tdefren (twitter)
Now What?
I’ve got more ideas… Contact me:
C’mon, they only gave me 10 minutes!
