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Other Considerations
• How to prioritize budget• How much time to dedicate• Do you need a full-time marketing
employee?
Effective PR and Social Media Marketing on a Shoestring Budget
Neeraj PeriwalProduct Marketing [email protected] linkedin.com/in/neerajperiwal
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Agenda
• Expert Introductions• What are PR and Social Media?• How can MSPs benefit?• Social Media and PR Best Practices• How to use PR and Social Media
Together• Getting Started• Questions and Discussion
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Expert Introduction
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Expert Introduction
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Types of Exposure Available to Your Company
• Advertising • Organic coverage • Social media platforms• Blogging• Speaking engagements• Industry events• Newsletters/Emails
Social Media Marketing for MSPs
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What is Social Media?
It’s not just for sharing photos, random thoughts, and memes
Social media opens the door to conversation with your clients and
potential clients
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How Does Social Media Apply to MSPs?
94%49%
3 in 42 in 3
SMBs who use social media use it for marketing
SMBs use social media for learning from peers and industry experts
SMBs believe LinkedIn helps build credibility
SMBs say that LinkedIn gives them the opportunity to connect with vendors and other partners
Sources: How SMBs Use Social Media: 15 New Stats You Should Know. Sibley. Hubspot Blogs, 24 Feb. 2014. Web. 14 Dec. 2015.
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Platforms That MSPs Should Use
• LinkedIn• Facebook• Twitter• Instagram
Expanding your brand across these platforms helps increase your online brand presence.
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Other Platforms to Consider
• Yelp
• Angie’s List
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MSPs Shouldn’t Waste Time On…
• Foursquare• Pinterest• Snapchat• Google+• Tinder
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How MSPs Can Benefit from Social Media
• Build relationships
• Show transparency in communication
• Position yourself as a thought leader
• Shape the perception of your business
• Analytics
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Social Media Best Practices
• Save links to interesting articles in a spreadsheet
• Schedule content ahead of time using a tool like Hootsuite
• Focus conversation around specific and relevant topics
• Monitor employee engagement to make sure it’s appropriate
Public Relations for MSPs
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What is Public Relations (PR)?
• A strategic communication process that builds mutually beneficial relationships between organizations and their publics
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How MSPs Can Benefit from PR
• Position your business as a trusted thought leader within your industry
• Be seen as an expert in your field
• Create buzz and draw attention to your company
• Improve search results, i.e. Google
Developing a PR strategy leads to business growth.
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PR Opportunities/Strategy
What is newsworthy?• News stories and how they relate to
your business • Customer success stories/case
studies– Media are more interested in this storyline than
hearing from vendors; more authentic and less of an advertisement
• Contributor articles – Such as Virtual-Strategy Magazine or Business
Solutions Magazine
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PR Services and Tools
• Press releases– Free distribution outlets:
– Valuable to announce partnerships, product launches, partner success stories as a means to garner attention
• HARO (Help A Reporter Out)– Where journalists are asking for help with an
article they are writing
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PR Best Practices
• Building relationships with local press within your community
• Being well-read in your industry, should you speak to media
• Being positive when speaking with media, there is no such thing as “off the record”
• Get involved in the MSP community• Work closely with social media platforms
to remain consistent in messaging
Using PR and Social Media Together
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The Value of Social Listening
Monitoring different media channels to listen for news and discussions related to your industry. You
can learn about:
Competitors Vendors
End Users Industry/Market
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Tactics
• Turn PR into a social media opportunity (or vice versa)
• Build brand awareness
• Use Google Alerts to gain valuable insights
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Other Considerations
• How to prioritize budget• How much time to dedicate• Do you need a full-time marketing
employee?
Getting Started
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What MSPs Need to Work On
• Establishing your brand
• Having/building a compelling website
• Connecting with industry leaders and local press
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The Hot Three
1. Register for your social accounts!
2. Start blogging
3. Start building relationships with local business press, publications, clubs, etc.
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Final Thoughts
• Don’t get frustrated!
• Don’t be afraid to experiment
• Don’t hesitate to copy success
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eFolder PR and Social Media Guide
Questions and Discussion
