Video Marketing as a Valuable Tool

In the following video, Social Media Platform CEO/President Sonja Dyess spoke to a group of real estate investors in Jacksonville, FL about video marketing. She taught them everything they needed to know to help advertise their business using video marketing. Videos that are produced online tend to go viral in 24-48 hours depending on the content, the audience and how it is distributed. If you would like for Social Media Platform to speak at your event or coach your staff about the massive world of social media, visit the Social Media Platform website or send us an email.

How Press releases and social media work together

When you hear “press release,” what do you think of? If your thoughts tend toward the negative, try to consider a few thoughts. The press release often gets a bad rap as outdated and bland because they were originally used for print publications and too many lack value to the reader and don’t invite the reader to a call to action. Press releases are simply a tool that should be considered when forming a comprehensive marketing strategy.

Press releases can be submitted electronically, to print and online media outlets alike. In today’s world, social media and the internet literally put resources at the fingertips of those seeking answers. Traditional media outlets, such as newspapers, magazines, television and radio, still have a very wide reach and each have their strengths, also.

To avoid the common pitfall of bland press releases, use creative press releases that capture the attention of media and public alike. Concentrate on what is important to your audience. Consider their needs, challenges and most pressing concerns and how your product or services can improve their lives. With social networking, people are not only looking for your main product or services, but also advice, tips, and guidance that will help them do their jobs better or save time and money. Most likely, they will be looking online for these resources or asking friends near and far, for their input.

As social media allows for more two-way communication among companies and clients, press releases can be used to foster that sense of interaction. Use press releases, both in the local print media and online, to lure customers by offering them something useful like a free report, for example. Include in the press release the announcement of the availability of the report, example of some of the material inside, and how to send for or download the free report.

Print media and online media are not mutually exclusive. Many print magazines also publish online in order to capture both the paper-in-hand readers and online readers. Who says you need to choose one over the other?

My opinions of the social media marketing mind-set

I had been adding my own opinions of the mind-set behind what should be implemented in your social media marketing strategy. Here are my points. This is my opinion and the strategy has worked for me for the past 2.5 years of my social media strategy. I hope you find it helpful.

• A key strategy for your social media campaign is to make your prospects and followers feel part of the “group.” This is human nature; nothing feels better than being a member of the “group.” Studies have shown that the key reason people connect on various social media platforms is to have a sense of “belonging.” They want the feeling of being part of an important and valuable group.
Remember when you were in high school and all you wanted to do was belong, be accepted, be acknowledged and appreciated, that is what social media gives many people. When you focus your social media strategy on your target audience, your approach should stay simple. Include your audience in your communications, invite them to be a part of the discussion, ask them to share their knowledge and opinions and respond to their participation. This will make them feel that they are considered important and they will want to not only be a member of the group but they will be excited about being a contributing member of the group. Thanks to social media, businesses can now be that “group” that many want to be a part of.

• Now that we have acknowledged and began to pay attention to our patrons of our social media community we now need APPROVAL. Gaining and giving approval is a vital ingredient when you interact with your current and potential clientele. Many consumers and businesses don’t fully understand what to do on social media or how they should engage one another. If you convey approval of what your customers have to say, they will come to realize that there is value in their participation and you will see that your relationship will begin to flourish!

• We all hate feeling unappreciated. Social Media is an outlet for most to have a chance to be appreciated. Fan pages are well-known for receiving and giving appreciation to those deserving of it. When communicating to your clientele it is a smart move to show appreciation for their patronage and to express appreciation for your potential clients. Remember to pay close attention to what is important to them and try to help them find a solution to their problems or say thank you for their kind words.

• Assurance is another vital key in the psyche of social media engagement. We all know the importance of having assurance during a face to face conversation; it is just as important in the electronic world. It is not a secret that folks want to know they are saying and doing the correct things on social media. We all want to be reassured that our communication efforts are accurate and appropriate. This is critical when implementing your social media marketing strategy. You should be creating an atmosphere that gives people the feeling that when conducting business with you that they are lucky because you will be there for them in any format they need.

• Everyone wants their 15 minutes of fame. Now with YouTube, Facebook, Twitter and various other platforms, 15 minutes can turn into an eternity. Who doesn’t want to see their name in lights? Those in protective custody, probably not, but the average person wants to be noticed. It is important to give praise to your potential and current clientele. Through your communications, be sure to highlight your followers in discussions with other people and pass on their words to others as you respond to them. This is just one more way to show that you value your audience. Acknowledging your client is free, the feeling they get that the whole world knows you appreciate them… PRICELESS!

This is just my take on one of the many behind the scenes “tips” that I have found helpful when implementing my social media plan. If you have any questions, feel free to leave a comment below. I’m open for a good discussion!

Why in 2010 Does Your Company Need Social Media?

One-way communication such as magazine ads, commercials and postcards no longer have the same impact they did in the past. Today, companies are practicing two-way communication by engaging in conversation with their customers/prospects and delivering content before the consumer even requests it. Most companies are currently reevaluating their marketing strategies for 2010 due to the change in consumer habits.

Consumers these days are smarter and are easily annoyed, therefore when a company pushes their product and/or services onto the consumers, the more your consumer becomes annoyed. You have to be more of a friend to develop a relationship with your consumers, and ultimately, gain their trust.

Your consumer relationships can be developed by participating in free or low-cost social media applications such as blogs, vlogging (video blogging),podcastings, and social networking platforms like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

These social media applications and networking sites allow strategic, immediate-feedback conversations that create significant increases in your companies’ brand awarenes, user engagement, and grow loyal supporters with customized experiences.

Your company can also use these social networking sites to monitor your company’s reputation, stay abreast of your competition and conduct consumer research.

Flaky consumers are being weeded out and only prospective consumers are being reached with targeted messages. Since social media marketing and public relations efforts result in some form of feedback and measurable results, marketing campaigns can be quickly assessed to see if they are working or not.

Most businesses believe that online marketing is about how cool their website looks. Although having a nice website is a start, you need to know that it is more than that. Your website needs to be informative and engaging. A productive website should not be stale and should be consistently updated. Most web designers agree that your content should be fresh and your visitors’ reactions should be measured and reviewed. This action will help your business keep your website competitive and more viable.

Watch, study and listen carefully before you develop your company’s social media strategy. The best way to improve social media marketing skills is to find a consultant that can guide you or assist you in your campaign. There are dozens of social media platforms to support your social media efforts, and there are new platforms developed and released every day. Find someone who can evaluate these tools for you, stay up to date on the newly released platforms and is willing to assist you when you need them.

Do not misunderstand this posting as an end all to print media. Many companies are struggling and I want them to know that there is a successful alternative to print media that comes at a lower cost. Most important if you can engage in a social media campaign and a print campaign that is golden! Combine the two strategies and watch your business bloom.

Recession Got You in a Pickle?

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, I was driving from Jacksonville, Fla., to Pensacola, Fla., and I noticed there were a ton of empty billboards. I could remember years ago seeing billboard after billboard full of ads, and now they are empty or have vanished. Where did they go?

Once I arrived at my destination, home, I ,of course, logged on to Facebook.  The next thing I thought was there were all my billboards.  Facebook has its own billboards known as Facebook ads. Times have changed and for the better. Marketing now is much more affordable. Instead of waiting for someone to drive by, and hopefully, see your billboard that costs you $15,000 a month, they go to the internet, put in a great keyword, and there it is. Now don’t get me wrong. A few billboards, like the ones in Time Square, are useful to a point, but if you don’t have massive amounts of cash to fork over, than the point is mute. Another point is Time Square is probably one of the places this can possibly happen, even the billboards that are mobile, i.e. buses and vans with constant changing signs, are basically useless and a waste of money.

First of all, these means of advertising could one, not catch folks attention because they are busy driving. Another point is how many folks will pass your billboard before they see it, much less be interested?

Billboards are all over the internet, and they show up based on what you search.  How great is that? Another form of billboards are social networking sites.  This brings me to what I have been seeing in the news.

I was watching Charles Gibson on the nightly news, and there it was again.  One more way social media is a must in today’s economic survival.  Businesses are tweeting about their holiday sales, and hospitals are making videos to create awareness of breast cancer.  Social media has taken over large and far, therefore, it is not business as usual.

If you plan on surviving in today’s world of business, take in account that you must use social media in various lights.  Social media is not only a great marketing tool but a powerful public relations tool.  Best Buy uses Twitter to answer complaints, and now their customer satisfaction has increased significantly.

When looking at this year’s marketing budget and marketing plan, this is an area that needs to be pondered and strategically considered.

To learn more about how Social Media can drive your business to new heights, go to http://budurl.com/smp4you