Strategic Planning for Social Media Marketing

I walk into the EDASC (Economic Development Association of Skagit County) presentation room, not feeling too networkish,or networkey, and choose a chair in the back of the room.  I immediately get heckled by the event coordinators.  So I move closer to the podium, choosing instead, the desk with an overabundance of trail mix packages.  Then for good measure, I grab a couple of cookies from the snack bar, set my water bottle where everyone can see I am health conscious, and slip slowly into a sugar coma.

The big question for me is, okay,  I am familiar with social media sites, twitter, facebook, myspace etc., and I am familiar with websites, weblogs and such,  but how can I be the most efficient at connecting all of the media venues to help my clients reach their goals?  After all, the world of marketing is getting turned on its ear, and its about time, but what does that mean for business owners who are trying to comprehend a world where the consumers have control of the marketing message, wait, what once was old is new again,  Well, the framework of an answer on how to adapt was nicely presented by Kevin Hoult, MBA, Certified Business Advisor from the Renton SBDC.

In attendance were business owners, managers, employees from private enterprise and public service institutions, all learning how to use social media to educate, inspire or motivate people to do something related to their own enterprise.  Social media sites are being used more and more in professional workplaces as a means for internal dialogue to exist between groups that would not normally have much contact with each other.  I heard of different Boeing engineering groups using a blog to discuss R&D successes, lessons etc., questions or problems being presented and solved by mean of a very efficient interface.

I have watched too much Star Trek, I think of Boeing Engineers wired like the “Borg” and their “hive mind” where all conscious is connected, the life experience of each individual added to the “collective”, is that where we are going?  Will we ask the collective their opinions of products before we spend?  At least our interface presents itself as tool, not yet “assimilated”, we can still unplug, for a little while longer, the writers obviously being aware of these societal issues/questions for some time now.

Okay so I can’t ask the “collective” for what to do next, I have to figure it out myself and let the masses tell me if I got it right.

What do we want to do?  What are our relevant business goals. What resources can I appropriately commit, we all know how the hours can fly buy once in the web.  We need to focus on actionable goals that are timely and sustainable.  It could be as simple as increasing visits to your website, just keep asking, “WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO”.

Strategic Planning in business means you use SMART goals:

• Specific, focused and detailed
• Measurable inputs and outputs identified and measured
• Assignable tasks that can be given to specific people
• Realistic and achievable given resource and time constraints
• Time-Bound with a time frame

Who do you want to reach?

• Who are your ideal customers?
• What is your unfair advantage?
• What are the target market segments for your social media campaign?
• What, specifically do you want these customers to do?
• How can these customers to take the desired actions using social media?

Now we have some goals, don’t forget the “Universal Truths of Social Media Marketing”.

• You must listen before you talk
• You must give before you can get
• You must be transparent and authentic
• You must facilitate rather than dominate
• You must follow rather than lead

How do you begin?

•  LISTEN – Start by listening, and tracking the relevant conversations taking place
•  RESPOND – Start participating, show gratitude for nice comments, fix problems
•  INITIATE – Invite the conversation into your space

Have fun and be careful to stay focused on your objective!