Leveraging Social Media - Five Lessons Learned

Tomorrow, April 21, is the first Dunwoody Business Expo.  Leading up to this event was a public online vote for "Good Eats" (aka, Best Restaurant) and "People's Choice" - general public favorite local business.

I used Drupal modules and a slew of other tools to create and tabulate the actual ballots.  To spread the word I went by the old standbys:  email, Twitter, and Facebook. 

The poll went viral in a number of venues starting with the above three and we had a full on, old-fashioned, Chicago-style Ballot Box Stuffing Jamboree!  Which is exactly what everyone wanted - it's all part of the fun!

I burned through weeks and weeks of 3G minutes on my iPhone watching the site statistics.  I saw a number of interesting trends:

First, all three of the "People's Choice" entrants had Facebook pages, but not all were getting even close to the same number of votes.

Second, only three of the four "Good Eats" entrants had Facebook pages, but the votes were close to even throughout the voting.

For all of its hype, social media is not necessarily the be-all and end-all of online promotion.  It only works under certain conditions.  Here's a checklist of how to get the most out of social media:

1)  You have to invest time and/or money to get results.
This is not the "Field of Dreams"  - "they" won't come just because you build it.  Before you get your own Facebook page or other online social outlet, be very honest with yourself about how much time you're going to spend using the medium to promote yourself.  Or, if you're going to hire someone to spend that time.  If the answer is "as little as possible", this isn't the place for you.

2)  The first word in "Social Media" is SOCIAL.
As archaic as it sounds, there are still people out there who are loathe to mix business and pleasure.  That's OK - but that means you want to invest in traditional media and go the extra mile in promoting it.  If you're comfortable with starting your marketing with friends and family, then sign up and get your page.  If not, then again, it's not for you.

3)  You have to be ready to change.
Before Facebook, there was MySpace.  Before MySpace, there was LiveJournal.  Before LiveJournal, there was America Online.  Before America Online, there was Prodigy.  Before there was Prodigy, there were UNIX-based email lists and bulletin boards.  Online forums wax and wane constantly.  Sooner or later, Twitter and Facebook will eventually fade into the background and something else will come to prominence.  Pay attention to the kind of results you're getting from your social media outreach.  When the flower fades, start looking for the next latest wave to ride.

4)  Offer something specific and unique in your Social Media outreach.
According to this article in Social Media Today, there are specific things the average Facebook user is looking for when they follow a company online.  In short:

1. 40% want to receive discounts and promotions

2. 37% want to show support for the brand/company to thers
3. 36% hope (want) to get free samples, a coupon (a.k.a. freebies)
4. 34% want to stay informed about the activities of the company
5. 33% want to get updates on future products
6. 30% want to get updates and information on future sales
7. 27% like to get fun and entertainment out of it
8. 25% want to get access to exclusive content
9. 22% mentioned they were referred by someone to follow this brand/company
10. 21% want just to learn more about the company

Why are you on Facebook or Twitter?  What are you offering that is unique to that venue?  Lots of people are looking for freebies or the latest scoop.  If you can plan that into your Social Media approach, you're more likely to get the results you're looking for.
5)  The biggest name isn't always the best route
Facebook isn't the only social network out there.  The AddThis bookmark tool (which I highly recommend to help your visitors do some promotion for you!) links directly to over 334 social media outlets.  Sure, you can take the shotgun approach to anyone and everyone on Facebook, the current big fad.  But on the other hand, with a little audience research, you may find some hidden treasure in another network that could give you a greater ROI. 


Social Media plays a large role in many of the promotions I create websites for.  The Dunwoody Chamber is making plans to make even greater use of social and mobile media in the coming months.  The social networks got the word out, but it was the users who made the votes in the poll count.  By the way, the winners are....













going to be announced at lunch tomorrow at the Expo at Crowne Plaza Ravinia!
(Gotcha!  Made you look!)  See you at the Expo!

Introducing.... Green Concepts Land Care

Yesterday evening I finished up a new project for Forsyth - based landscape company Green Concepts Land Care, owned by David McIlvane. 

McIlvane and his services are the ideal company to promote.  The man has education and experience in landscaping and water conservation that no other landscape company has. 

Check out this CV:
•Degree in Horticulture from Texas Tech University


•Professional Arborist Certification

•State of Texas License in Irrigation

•Category 24 Pesticide License from the Department of Agriculture, State of Georgia

Most importantly is David's experience in water conservation.  Georgia may be out of the deep drought trouble we had a couple of years ago, but there is still a lawsuit in play brought by Alabama and Florida challenging Georgia's (read:  Atlanta's) right to use the water in Lake Lanier.  Anything can happen with that suit.  So conserving water as we care for property has to be Priority One regardless of the budget and other services involved.
 
After discussing the demographics of David's audience and the services he wishes to promote, I created a custom original design for his site, based on his print logo.  It features a full photo portfolio and original blog - so check in to read the latest updates, advice and tips.  If you're in the Forsyth County/Cumming area and looking for an updated, functional, ecologically sound landscape for your home or professional building, drop David a line via the Contact form.
 
I'm proud to have created this website for this local company.

Dealing Effectively with Online Critics

I was inspired to blog on this topic when I received an email update from the Yelp directory.  The blog is for owners of businesses listed on Yelp (yes, including yours truly) and their most current post focuses on when a business receives negative feedback. 

Review the Yelp post here

The Yelp blog was inspired by a post on the New York Times Boss Blog regarding a negative review of a restaurant.

We're all human.  Humans have human reactions, including negative ones.  The Internet and websites that allow reviews are not the cause of these reactions; they are merely tools to convey them.  The difference is a keyboard is faster than a speeding word of mouth comment and hosting servers have longer memories than people.

If Yelp hadn't said it first, I would have advised the following on negative reviews.  I'll just quote it and give credit where it's due:

Give yourself a cooling down period. When someone is using a public forum like Yelp to attack something you’re pouring your heart and soul into, a very natural response is to get emotional. Don’t. The last thing you want to do is overreact to someone online (See: Streisand effect).

One of SDOC's more prominent website clients is the Atlanta Alumnae Panhellenic Association.  This is the Atlanta chapter of the National Panhellenic Conference, a group of 26 Greek-letter sororities.  Atlanta's chapter was founded in 1927 to promote sorority life among collegians and alumnae alike.  The website and its information and features are a nationwide destination for women looking to learn about sororities and get updates on activities in North Georgia.  Dunwoody has been its meeting home for years.
 
In spite of a documented track record of community service and emphasis of supporting women in advanced education, Greek-letter sororities are, at various times, the butt of jokes, the subjects of outlandish urban legends, and a tasty target for legal action.  In the 1950s, Life Magazine called NPC sororities "a growing societal problem"!  Many in the public have negative impressions of sororities either from a personal experience in college, or from movies and TV.
 
The leaders of AAPA are more than aware of this negative mojo.  It would be easy to turn up one's nose and become indignant at those who express their impressions.  But they don't take the easy route.  Atlanta Panhellenic has taken a bold and proactive approach to rumors and negative information:  they invite it and address it head-on.
 
AAPA holds an information called College Sorority 101 every spring.  High school girls and their parents who wish to attend RSVP online in a form I publish annually.  In that form there is an opportunity for questions.  Any questions.  About anything.  Some I've seen included "Is being in a sorority only about drinking and partying" and "Is it true that when you're in a sorority you can't wear the same dress twice".  (In case you're wondering, the answer to both of these is "no".  )
 
No matter how crazy some people may find these questions, they are all considered valid and are taken at face value.  No taking offense.  No getting frustrated.  No judgement of those doing the asking.  No speculation on their motivation for asking.  Just straight, honest answers - in person, looking the public right in the eye.
 
The discussions continue on the AAPA Facebook group.  Like the informational session, it is wide open.  News is discussed and questions get answered directly and professionally.  No one is going to get huffy and have other members "stand in agreement", squaring off for a flame war.  AAPA is looking to improve opinions, one person at a time.  That's why a well-run web presence is the best tool for the job:  it can foster positive communication where otherwise there would be none.