Yesterday I stumbled across creativeLIVE broadcast online and caught the Social Media Bootcamp. I found it because Amber Naslund sent an email with the link encouraging readers to listen to her session on Wednesday (that’s tomorrow).
I tuned in, listening in the background while I worked. It’s free to watch it live. Ariel Hyatt of http://www.cyberprmusic.com/was presenting and she shared the six steps to make to a great social media plan.
1. Set goals
What really do you want to accomplish with your efforts at social media? Are you selling products? Are you building your brand and sharing information? Are you involved in tourism? What is your company’s mission statement, can you adjust your goals to match your mission statement?
2. Identify your niche
Do one thing well. No one can be everything to everybody. What is your niche?
3. Write your signature story
What story do you tell when you talk about your business? In Webster City we used to be a company town and then that company left. We don’t want our story to be a sad one. Instead we have realized that we have many businesses that started small and grew to be large companies. We have home grown businesses. We’re working on writing that story, and for getting known as a place to start your business and grow.
4. Build a website with a blog
We’ve already redone our website here at the Chamber (www.visitwebstercityiowa.com) and are now building the blog.
5. Keep the big six in mind: Facebook, twitter, youtube, pinterest, blog and newsletter
This is where your customers congregate. There are many ways to reach people, and these six are good starting points.
6. Create consistent, compelling content
If you’re not writing/filming/sharing good content, you’re missing the boat. It’s what brings customers to you.
ALWAYS make your mindset to be How Can I Help?
Don’t be the guy on the corner selling stuff — be the guy who wants to help.
I’m meeting with my marketing agency, intandem Marketing Friday to create our editorial calendar for the Webster City Area Chamber of Commerce. First we are going to look at these six steps and make sure we are creating a social media plan that ROCKS. Are you surprised we use a marketing agency for our online presence? It is probably one of the best decisions we’ve made. My job is to support our chamber members – that means I can’t be online all the time. What is your job? Are you using your skills as a leader to grow your business? I urge you to consider hiring an agency to assist you. I’m still very involved in the process, I’m just not doing all the day to day work. And by using a great agency, we are able to expand our efforts, create some serious magic for the community and really make a difference.
You can watch live (free) at http://www.creativelive.com/live3 I so much appreciated the information that I am going to purchase the package to be used over and over at my work!