Social Marketing on the Cheap … Probably Not Prudent
Okay, I’ll admit it. I’m a strategist. I like to think about things, come up with a plan, work within my clients’ budgets and create marketing strategies that not only make sense, but which will … um, well … actually work for them. Go figure. Ready, aim, fire. Don’t spend money, time, effort or energy until it makes sense as part of an integrated marketing plan. Totally makes sense, doesn’t it? You’d be amazed at how many people forge ahead without a plan, looking for the least expensive “solution,” without any first-hand knowledge about what they’re attempting to undertake and without any understanding at how much potential damage they could do to their brand and brand image as a result of poor execution.
Well, after sitting in one too many meetings, listening to small business owners talk about social media – trying to get their heads around email marketing, mobile marketing and, heaven forbid, something like Facebook or Twitter, it’s my head that’s beginning to spin. And these same business owners just don’t seem to get it. Their eyes glaze over and they shake their heads and say “I know I need to do an e-newsletter, or write a blog, or investigate Facebook, but I just don’t have time. But I have a website!” Well I say “Woo Hoo for you!” Having a website does not mean that you’re on top of your game when it comes to promoting your business. In fact, having a website without doing anything to advertise, promote or draw traffic to it is about as useless as having a billboard in the middle of a corn field. Social media, email marketing, mobile marketing …. all of those things are tools that marketers use to promote brands, products and actually drive sales. Imagine that – doing something that would actually sell your product.
Well, in tough economic times, the gloves come off and it’s time to talk tough love. Don’t cry hard times because your sales are down. Of course they’re down. And the time to do something about it, to allocate some marketing dollars and some savvy tactics and stop the bleeding is now.
Social marketing is and should be a part of any serious business’s marketing and communications plan – especially today. But, the interesting thing is, that so often people (read that “business owners”) think that it’s just the perfect project to sink little Jenni on – you know, the one who just graduated from Community College last year and who just loooooves surfing the ‘net. Or, maybe Johnnie, who’s in college and has a Facebook page – that’d be something he could do for us and we could pay him $200 and save a bunch of money.
People – you don’t get it!
Social marketing is serious stuff and is well on it’s way to replacing the traditional kinds of media that we’ve known and loved. Display ads are going the way of the dinosaur. Who reads magazines and newspapers when you can get instant news and any kind of content you would ever want online – through more sources than I can possibly articulate.
Traditional media, while still an important part of brand management and strategy, is no longer the only game in town.
People are online. They are talking, sharing, opining, recommending, blasting, learning, blogging, ReTweeting and moving at the speed of sound.
The question isn’t “should I embrace this social media stuff and use it as part of my marketing strategy” … the question should be “how quickly can I find the right people to help me integrate this so that I can start taking advantage of the brand awareness – (and sales) that I can generate as a result.”
And the answer is that they are out there. People like my friends, Justin French at Social Networking San Diego (all things social media) www.socialnetworkingsandiego.com and Jason Werner at Opus Media (all things email marketing) www.opusbywire.com are knee deep in what’s going in their respective worlds. And there are a myriad of others – those guys just happen to be great friends of mine, and people that I would trust with my own brand.
Bottom line – DO get involved in social media. DON’T try to do it yourself (especially if you don’t know what you’re doing – and most people don’t). DO hire someone to help you not only do it correctly so that it produces real results, but make sure that it’s integrated with and compliments the other elements of your marketing efforts. And, most importantly, DO it now! And, if you don’t have the resources or know where to look ask me – I’ll be glad to help and/or refer you.
Shelly DeMotte Kramer is a marketing strategist specializing in planning, branding, product launches, creating buzz and awareness through non-traditional methods and is, clearly, a social media enthusiast. shelly@kramerandcompany.com
…
Tags: Business, Marketing, Marketing Plan, Marketing Strategies, Marketing Strategy, San Diego, Social Marketing, Social Media, Social Networking, Twitter
I am doing a website for one of those companies that does not get it. They needed an updated website, but when I suggested a blog to help drive traffic, they said that they had no one to spare to do it. I am still working on them. They will come around eventually.
Shelley,
Great thoughts If you don’t mind I may very well take this article, print it, laminate it, and give it to each of my prospective clients over lunch that way when they say oh now I get it and start to spill their third cup of coffee your great words will be protected.
BTW. One of my clients had the aha moment where they really started to get it last Friday it was fantastic and as of now they have a strategy that really embraces Facebook and Email marketing, twitter is coming to the party as soon as their ecommerce overhaul is completed.
Very well written Shelly and well said. We all have clients that just don’t get it. We just signed 2 new ones and basically told them what to do. We also told them if they want us to do it for them it would cost $X lolol funny thing was the client sent me an email and stated “you will be regularly managing these social networking accounts as far as adding profile, company logo ” I am like huh? Excuse me..lolol Err no we can but you have to pay for it. Doing what your friends are talking about would cost.
We will do the writing, submission, onpage optimization and “consult” them on how to get the Social bug. Holy criminy actively doing their social networking would be a full time job. With that said I am curious to the costs. Maybe we can send them to your San Diego buddies. I heard to run 6 SM accounts would run around $2.5K is that about right?
This topic is quite hot on the Internet at the moment. What do you pay attention to while choosing what to write ?
i pay attention to over 25 news websites relevant to this topic- social networking for business per week and research (lots of it) hours of time spent researching and consulting of course 🙂 mostly I’m twitter now cause its faster an easier than email!
Good day, i have now taken a time looking through your blogs and just thought i would like be courtesy enough to pass comment. i have enjoyed all your aticles and i hope you are going to continue upgrading it for me together with others who take pleasure in studying it.
Longtime reader to your blog. The more I take in, the more I keep coming back! 😉
Afternoon, It is nice to find a good blog like this one. Would you mind if I use some of the info here, and I’ll leave a link back to your website?
mobile marketing will be open another market for goods and services just like in the internet”-
there is a rising trend in mobile marketing as mobile users grow*:`
the concept of mobile marketing is not new, it is just the same as internet marketing,“
hmmm, mobile marketing is quite interesting, maybe there would be some more money making oppurtunities in it -;;
If you are a marketer or promoter and you are looking to hire an advertiser for cheap, this is a great source
We get over 2000 hits per day at http://mycheapjobs.com
Maybe you could list a few things? It’s free.
thanks,
Jim
Wonderfully!
wish to appreciation for the efforts you have made in writing this publish. I really hope the same best work by you sometime soon as well. The fact is your creative writing expertise has inspired me to begin my own website now.
veryy good
Продаю Редиректы:
ICQ 231538
– Редиректы Short URL
– Редиректы Mix
– Редиректы Cwahi.net
– Редиректы 0Webhost
– Редиректы 0catch
– Редиректы Dot.tk
По всем вопросам пишите сразу в аську ICQ 231538
Exceptional post however , I was wondering iif yyou could write
a litte more on ths topic? I’d be very grateful if you could elaborate a little bit more.
Thank you!
Visit my website :: Search Engine Optimisation Torpoint
If you desiree to increase your familiarity only keep visiting this web page and be updated with the hottest gossip posted
here.
My page – seo Bedford
справный вебресурс россия в опасности.
недорогая доставка – доставка дешево, доставка товаров.
havoc hailey roof top – havoc hailey sex with guy, havoc hailey stream.
adequate site hang her by her titties porn
Всем Доброе утро! Заходите на OFWOMAN OFWOMAN-кулинарный сайт с множеством различных рецептов как на каждый день так и на любой праздник или торжество
Magik-land – Самые лучшие обзоры оружия,снастей,способов рыбалки и охоты,охотничьи собаки и много др.