The 9 Immutable Laws of Social Media Marketing 2014

Presented by James Gilbert, CEOApril 17, 2014, 561-302-1719

• 30 + year history in DM (old school > new school)• CEO, Gilbert Direct Marketing, Inc.• President, Florida DMA• Professor Direct Marketing• Author Target Marketing Group

• Return on Intelligence column• Guide to Social Media - Content

@gilbertdirect@gilbertdirect

• Above all - a direct marketer• Old school principles applied to new

channels!• MARKETING DISRUPTOR• HERETIC!

@gilbertdirect@gilbertdirect

““What can I What can I expectexpect from Social from Social Media?” Media?” “What kind “What kind ROIROI will I get?” will I get?” “I tried social media and gained “I tried social media and gained No Customers

No Customers!”!”

Then…

““My posts are not getting any My posts are not getting any response” response”

“What kind “What kind ROIROI will I get?” will I get?” “I tried social media and gained “I tried social media and gained No Customers

No Customers!”!”

Now…

"There is only one valid definition of business purpose – to create a customer.

Companies are not in business to make things… but to make customers.”

-- Peter F. Drucker

Orientation Orientation (What these laws are (What these laws are reallyreally about!) about!)

Customers via Social? How?Customers via Social? How?

Engagement!Engagement!

EngagementEngagement

Fulfills the DM Fulfills the DM

Promise of true 2 way Promise of true 2 way

communicationscommunications

Connect… be real! Connect… be real! Dialog! Two way street!Dialog! Two way street!

Social Media Law # 1 • The deeper the level of The deeper the level of

engagement, the deeper the engagement, the deeper the trust/bond with your company!trust/bond with your company!

• Nothing happens without engagement! • How engaged are your social media fans?

Social Media Law # 1 • But first, what are your goals:But first, what are your goals:– Build Authority, Credibility?Build Authority, Credibility?– Generate leads?Generate leads?– Drive ROI, Sales?Drive ROI, Sales?– Increase Engagement? (KEY to it Increase Engagement? (KEY to it

all)all)

Social Media Law # 1 • Who is using what?Who is using what?– Twitter?Twitter?– Linkedin?Linkedin?– Facebook?Facebook?– Instagram?Instagram?– Pinterest?Pinterest?– Blog?Blog?– Youtube?Youtube?– G+?G+?– Other?Other?

•Harsh reality: social Harsh reality: social has changed!has changed!

– (but we still need it right?)(but we still need it right?)

Social Media Law # 1 Social Media Law # 1

– Engagement more difficult– Have to work harder to “get ‘er done”– Everybody is doing it!–More message clutter– Facebook Algorithm make posts more relevant!• Kills engagement dead in reality with

Edgerank.• Forces paid advertising to reach hard won

fans!

Social Media Law # 1 Social Media Law # 1

The Law of Engagement! • The goals of every social media marketer The goals of every social media marketer

STILL ARE….STILL ARE…. – Engage!– Draw them out!– Get them involved!– Become a thought leader! – Generate Authority!– Tug at their heartstrings– Tell a story!!!!– Create drama!!!!– But now we have to be even smarter, better and

more engaging

The Law of Engagement! The 8 stages of engagementThe 8 stages of engagement

•Brand impression•Like – casual listener•Like - engages•Super like – engages often•Minor brand advocate – recommends brand•Super brand advocate – recommends brand and sells product!•Dislike – disgruntled like of advocate – goes away•Super dislike (engaged dislike) – goes away and talks about brand in a negative way •Goal move from 1 – 6•Goal move back from 7 and 8 to 6

The Law of Engagement! The 8 stages of engagementThe 8 stages of engagement •How do you find and create How do you find and create brand advocates? brand advocates? •Listen, spend time on sites. •See who retweets, shares, likes etc.•Make contact! •Yes make contact and build relationship!

The Law of Engagement! The 8 stages of engagementThe 8 stages of engagement

•Brand advocates are everywhere.Brand advocates are everywhere.•Carol!•Donna!•Josh!•Trevor!•Tina•Angel’s Aunt!•Its about the real-ationship to your social people and Its about the real-ationship to your social people and brands.brands.•Became my friends! Literally!Became my friends! Literally!

The Law of Engagement!The Law of Engagement!Real-ationships Real-ationships

The Law of Engagement! THEN:

The nameless faceless corporate entity

NOW:The nameless faceless corporate The nameless faceless corporate

social media postersocial media poster

• Its time to throw out what you have learned about social media and:– Lose the tools:• Forget Hootsuite, scheduled postsscheduled posts, and other

tools to make life easier. Get back down in the trenches, engage, delight and…

•BUILD RELATIONSHIPS!BUILD RELATIONSHIPS!• Today in social relationships are dying!

The Law of Engagement!

Case Study – The Fresh DietCase Study – The Fresh Diet

• About The Fresh Diet

• Focus on relationship building

• Facebook driver

FB Good news!FB Good news!• Facebook now allows contest to Facebook now allows contest to

be done right on the timeline!be done right on the timeline!–3rd party apps no longer needed– Engaging fans easier without “middle-man”

– Still some confusing rules so review before implementing!

FB Bad news!FB Bad news!• Facebook “Edgerank” algorithm Facebook “Edgerank” algorithm

changing against business’schanging against business’s– Spammy postsSpammy posts– Repeat postsRepeat posts– Emphasis towards friend posts vs BizEmphasis towards friend posts vs Biz– FB now a pay for play biz model!!!FB now a pay for play biz model!!!• Pay to build fansPay to build fans• Then Pay to reach themThen Pay to reach them

Fresh Diet Growth…

94 fans

24k Likes

60K likes

Building our brand via FacebookBuilding our brand via Facebook

• Our Facebook page is our calling card.• Many times we prefer to send to FB over web • More powerful than our website– People see engagement and want to join in– People see happy customers and order!

• Beyond our “likes” thousands of people check us out on FB daily.

Don’t be an info Don’t be an info

pusher! pusher!

How we got there – Goals!How we got there – Goals!

• Main goal!• Put a human face on the nameless faceless

corporate entity• Distinguish ourselves from big corps• We are real people, promoting a healthy

lifestyle• People respond to realPeople respond to real

How we got there – Goals!How we got there – Goals!

• Build relationships - Build engagement• Speak in a real voice• Develop trust

• Give to get world (FREEBIES)Give to get world (FREEBIES)• Time spent on site = engagement• Engagement = Sales• Sales + Engagement = Advocacy• I tease people, draw them out, call them out, etc

How we got to 66K – the basicsHow we got to 66K – the basics

• Call center• Collateral Material• Mailers• Email signatures• Email newsletters• Any place we can think of

How did we get there?How did we get there?Facebook ads

•Can be hit or miss, but test!•Effective in driving targeted traffic•Targeting better but still needs work•Boost Posts•FB now forcing business’s to pay!•Some controversy about REAL Likes

•Side note: Retargeting! Remarketing!

Step 2 building engagementStep 2 building engagement

• Back in the day…• It started with a single contest.– Carbometer

• Ran contests every day of the week

Contests mean to us…Contests mean to us…

• A way to seed the market with food• A way to have people come back and give

positive feedback• The Give to get!

• An engagement tool• Fun – draws people out

Contest examples

• Plate your favorite meals

Contest examples

• Halloween costume contest

Contest examples

• Motivation poster contests

Contest examples

• Fresh Diet-ize a Beatles Lyric (in honor of John Lennon)

• Fresh Diet-ized Haiku

Contest examples• Video

contests

• This contest coined the phrase, “the fresh diet delivery fairies?

Contests Recipe winner

Social Media Law # 2 • Brand + Channels = Revenue. Brand + Channels = Revenue. – The more channels a consumer interacts with

your brand in, the more likely they are to buy.

– Offering multiple engagement channels allows for consumer self selection of preferred channels.

– Being in the right social media channels based on your market increases channel interaction.

We do a lot of video

YouTube fun and relationship building

Building Traffic – Fans and Likes

Ad.ly network allows you to buy paid tweets from celebrities

Gained 400 fans in one day

Building Traffic – Fans and Likes

Tie ins with other sites drove major traffic and likes

We did this one in conjunction with a freebie every day.

Building Traffic – Fans and Likes

Tie ins with other sites drove major traffic and likes

We did this one in conjunction with a freebie every day.

Building Traffic – Fans and Likes

Paid tweets from Heidi Montag promoting a contest drove fans and contest entries

Building Traffic – Fans and Likes

Using the @ sign drives traffic

This post ran on TFD and Holly Madison’s FB page at the same time

Social Media Law # 3 • Brand + time + channels = advocates. Brand + time + channels = advocates. – Consumers spending time in multi channels

breeds customers more likely to become brand advocates and influencers.

– This is the new multichannel marketing model for the 21st century.

– Social media creates brand advocates and turns peers into your best salespeople.

Social Media Law # 3

•Brand + time + Brand + time + channels = advocates. channels = advocates. –How is it done?

–Content is king!!!

Cross pollinate content

• Blog as center of universe!

Amplify your content across channels

Forget ABC’s

A B P is the new model

AlwaysBePromoting

Need content?

• Wrap yourself around an issue or a topic

• Make it your own

• Provoke!

Need content?

•Or just share other Or just share other people’s content and add people’s content and add your opinion!your opinion!•Make the issue your own!•Be a curator of content!

Become a thought leader!

• Linkedin publishing Linkedin publishing platformplatform• Groups (social, DM Q&A)Groups (social, DM Q&A)• Tweet (yours, others)Tweet (yours, others)

My take on content• B2B social, Blog, Linkedin Key!B2B social, Blog, Linkedin Key!• Become a thought leaderBecome a thought leader• Always be promotingAlways be promoting• Amplify and share.Amplify and share.• Create share worthy contentCreate share worthy content

Social Media Law # 3

•Content ideas Content ideas for you…for you…

Tips for success…

• Use #hashtags• Tag others in posts (business’s, people)• Pictures and graphics a must• Video! (that’s a whole other presentation)• Create events (FB, G+)• Create and amplify a call in, webinar

Social Media Law # 3

Reviews?

Social Media Law # 3

Info pusher?

Social Media Law # 3

Likers? Sharers?

Are they your next advocates?

(or are they ringers)

Social Media Law # 3 This needs fixing. Social stuff allows you to follow but not go to sites.

Had to do some searches to find social once liked!

Social Media Law # 3 These are better – getting a little engagement started…

But where is the video?

More content examples Glassesshop.com

More content examples Glassesshop.com

More content examples Glassesshop.com

More content examples MegaMotorMadness.com

Over promotional kills pages dead! (like/talking)

More content examples MegaMotorMadness.com

Fun and humor save the day…. Tag advocates to amplify!

Exceptional vacations

Happiness rules…

Here are your brand advocates….

Exceptional vacations

Happiness rules…

• Better imagery• Use pictures here• Create unique

content• Reach out to

likeminded individuals and organizations…

Exceptional vacations

Happiness rules…

• Where is your Youtube Channel listed!!!!

Dataman Group

• Where is your Youtube Channel listed!!!!

Dataman Group

• I know you have some video’s Dale!

• Make them stars!

Dataman Group

• Nice Linkedin Business Profile!

• But your linkedin link goes to your profile Dale

Dataman Group

• Google+

• Needs some tweaking!

Total Bank

• Total Bank Social?

• Need to hire me to develop strategy!

Total Bank

• Total Bank Social?

• Not much found

Total Bank

• Total Bank Social?

• But I did find this when I searched

Upfront Foods

Upfront Foods YouTube?

Upfront Foods

Upfront Foods

Upfront Foods

Images, engaging tweets, relationship building, tagging, a real voice… real deal!

Social Media Law # 4 • The exponential search factor. The exponential search factor. – Social media increases your search engine

rankings, and when combined with your website drives additional traffic via organic search.

–Google+ is a must–Increases search rankings–Sends social signals back to Google• (you need those)

Social Media Law # 5 • The new-fangled customer service The new-fangled customer service

factor. factor. – Consumers choose their contact preferences.

– Brands not having multiple channels for customer service risk losing customers.

– Consumers expect instant gratification and social media delivers.

Facebook as a customer service tool

• Sales and CS people inhabit our page

• Customer service is no longer limited to the call center!!!

• When questions get asked, we answer ASAP– Speed and agility in a social media world– If we don’t answer fast enough, we get grief– When issues come up we must address them

with speed, agility and accuracy, otherwise we will get skewered

Social Media Law # 6 • The behind the scenes factor.The behind the scenes factor.– People don’t buy from brands - they buy from

people.

– Social media puts a human face on the faceless corporate entity.

– The biggest opportunity around social media is to allow people to connect with your employees as peers.

The days of “big The days of “big

anonymous corp.” are over!anonymous corp.” are over!

Bio’s of our

employees bring

customers closer to

the company

Build involvement and trust

Be Transparent

Go behind the scenes

Bringing our customers closer

Image done by one of our customers of our CEO Zalmi Duchman.

He is officially Zman or Zuperman to our fans

Again, we do a lot of video

Social Media Law # 7 • Trust is the new black. Trust is the new black. – The aforementioned laws allow consumers to

build or rebuild trust if done correctly. – Social media harkens back to the days of the

corner store where consumers and brands had a cordial relationship.

– Social media builds relationships over time.

Trust? Our involvement devices

• Delivery fairies• Fearless FB leader• Overgiving• We let our customers run and judge contests• Brand everybody• Make fun of ourselves• Have all get involved in company• Ask questions, involve customers (bag, slogans)

Building Trust – Random Freebies

• Every day we give food away randomly on FB. • Other times we just give it away for no reason• Is it expensive? Sure, but the rewards are

enormous– People are always promoting us to our friends– Another way we seed the market and drive

positive reviews

Build involvement and trust

Give to get – Random Freebies

Social Media Law # 8 • The online reputation factor. The online reputation factor. – Whether you like it or not consumers are talking

about your brand.

– Social media is the great neutralizer.

– It allows your company to seek out negatives and turn them into positives via reputation management and communications.

Rep is everything

Social Media Law # 9 • The time spent factor. The time spent factor. – Customers are not always ready to buy. – Social media’s eight other immutable laws

prepares customers over time.

Social Media Law # 9 • Engagement + time + trust = Engagement + time + trust =

revenue.revenue. – When we run sales on FB sales come!– Use promo codes to track– Customers do the selling for us.• Must try this!

Get a copy…Get a copy…

• Drop me a business card and I will Drop me a business card and I will send you a copy of this preso!send you a copy of this preso!

– Feel free to pass it along too!Feel free to pass it along too!

Thank You!Thank You!How to reach me…

jimdirect@aol.com @gilbertdirect561-302-1719

www.linkedin.com/in/jimwgilbert