Holy #%&$!!We’re totally screwed!!

Social Media Marketing in Tough Times

Yup. Times are Tough.

2 Choices

2 Choices

• Get tough! Get smart! Get loud!• Market your way through the downturn• Why would you cut the resources that ensure

your brand remains front & center?

“Brands that increase (marketing) during a recession, when competitors are cutting back, can improve market share and return on investment at lower cost than during good economic times.”

» Marketing Your Way Through a Recession» Published: March 3, 2008

• Nail your Sales and Marketing message.

• Pound your competitors’ shortcomings. – They’re hurting and they will be quiet.

Take the offensive.

• In a downturn, aggressive PR and Communications strategy is key.

» Doug Leone, Sequoia Capital» Mandatory CEO All-Hands Meeting, Sand Hill Road» Oct. 9, 2008

Remember the Basics

• You don’t need to reach EVERYBODY• You just need to reach the people who will

buy your stuff

How Do Buyers Find You?

How Do Buyers Find You?

Oh yeah, and:And:

content

What Impacts “Findability?”

content

“Findability” is

TIME is Expensive

What to Do?

• Focus on impact!

• What do you kill?– SEM (PPC) – Good SEO is cheaper, more effective– Advertising – it’s expensive; it’s hit-or-miss– Layers – cut internal staff– Events – box-up the booth; visibility = speeches

What to Do?

• Where do you double-down?– Content creation – thought leadership

+ findability– SEO – findability – Listening – responsiveness scores points;

identifies red flags early on– PR – thought leadership + promotion

(read: findability) + responsiveness

Social Media = Virtuous Cycle

Whaddaya Mean by “Content Creation?”TODAY• We got the CEO a speaking gig!

– Media advisory!– Bylined article!– Proactive pitches! – On-the-floor interviews!– Go home!

TOMORROW• We got the CEO a speaking gig!

– Let’s send a camera crew along• Interview her on the way to the event• Podcast from a conference room• Document hallway chatter• Film or livestream the speech

– Share content all along the way• Twitpic & Utterz from the floor• #tag, tweet & liveblog the process

– Monitor response; interact with users– Do “the traditional PR stuff” too

• Content creates ongoing “exposure opportunities” … empowers your communities … boosts SEO …

“But My Prospects Don’t Tweet!”

• Chances are, most of your buyers don’t tweet, utter, flick, or ‘tube!

• Don’t matter. Not a lick.

’s SOCIAL MEDIA

mmmm … !!!

What About PR?

• PR is totally $%#@’ing necessary• For the FTE cost of 1 senior PR pro, agencies will

give you 5! - strategists, tacticians, writers, etc.• PR provides 3rd party validation– MSM is influential

• Most buyers still prefer a MSM write-up to a blog post (CREDIBILITY)• Most MSM sites have better PageRanks than blogs (FINDABILITY)• Agencies have long-standing relationships across the mediasphere, via

several clients (RESULTS)

– Industry Awards! Speaking Opportunities! Social Content Distribution! Oh my!

“Dude, I Need a Checklist”DO• Listen• Blog• Hire a PR firm• Focus on SEO• Create & publish relevant

content• Distribute content in places

where buyers can be found– Trust good SEO to do the rest

• Measure

DON’T• Advertise• Pay-per-click• Attend events

– Unless you’ll be a speaker

• Protect your fiefdom– Outsource vs. Hire

• And, Don’t Panic!

• Todd Defren• SHIFT Communications• tdefren@shiftcomm.com• 617-779-1853• www.shiftcomm.com (web)• www.pr-squared.com (blog)• twitter.com/tdefren (twitter)

Now What?

I’ve got more ideas… Contact me:

C’mon, they only gave me 10 minutes!