Archive for the ‘Examples’

Keeping an Eye on Tontine Massacre’s Social Media Strategy

Posted in Examples on June 28th 2010
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Today I stumbled across a neat example of an upcoming movie, Tontine Massacre, using social media to drive hype. (Think Paranormal Activity.)

Well, I actually found it via an old school method: an ad. But it was via an ad on my Haunt Jaunts blog. One that cost them, literally, all of three cents to post.

So they combined the old with the new there, but they’ve also been making the Twitter and Facebook rounds.

Tontine Massacre on Facebook

Tontine Massacre on Twitter

It’s their Facebook method I’m most excited and impressed about though.

The ad on Haunt Jaunts led me to their “Watch Trailer” Tontine Massacre Facebook page tab. Because I like both Reality TV shows and horror movies, it automatically appealed to me.

The trailer evoked flashbacks to Paranormal Activity’s trailer a là showing audience reactions during a screening. They might be copycating that technique a smidge there, but hey. If it’s effective, why not? (And I do believe that was a very effective component of Paranormal Activity’s hype machine. It was provocative. You wanted to know what they were watching that made them jump out of their seats.)

However, something fresh that’s entirely their own spin (or at least this is the first time I’m seeing it; I have to admit I don’t follow all that many movies on Facebook): they’re offering a free sneak peek on July 1.

To be granted “exclusive access” all a person has to do is “like” their page. The viewing will be online. If there’s enough demand from that, guess what happens next? Yep, it’ll hit theaters nationwide.

I love an underdog, but ultimately the proof is always in the pudding. Let’s hope they whipped up a tantalizing batch that has people demanding more.

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Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint: Social Media Served Up Southern Style

Posted in Examples on March 29th 2010
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If you’ve ever been to Nolensville, a little town south of Nashville, Tennessee, you know it’s just that: little. There’s not much there. Some homes, a couple of churches, a few antique stores, and a handful of eateries, the biggest of which are perhaps the Sonic and Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint, affectionately known simply as Martin’s.

Martin’s recently moved from a smaller structure on the west side of Nolensville Pike to a brand-new building across the street (actually, right in Sonic’s backyard). The location might have changed, and the outside is now brick rather than wood, but the inside and the food is still the same: distinctive and yummy.

We only live a little over 10 minutes from Nolensville. My husband and I often go down to Martin’s. (It’s about the best BBQ in town really.) Last Saturday was our first experience in the new digs.

But in addition to taking in the new scenery, this time I noticed something I hadn’t before: a sign explaining to follow them on Twitter and Facebook for deals.

Brilliant!

I never would’ve suspected Martin’s (a) even had a website (which it seems like they might have had for a while and which I’m sure they’ll be updating soon because the image on front is of the old restaurant), and (b) that they’d use social media.

But they do, and they’re doing it right. Here’s some examples of how:

  • They’re letting people know where to find them. Inside the store I saw the sign advertising they were on Twitter and Facebook. Same on their website. Boom! Right there are the Twitter and Facebook icons. Perfect examples of “let ‘em know where to find you and they will come.”
  • I noticed on their Facebook page they let fans leave comments. Most fans leave high praise the food, but some also leave complaints. Martin’s has answered all of those with apologies and promises to fix the hiccups. (They just moved to the new location and have incorporated more tech there too. There’s now a drive-thru and a whole computerized register system I don’t recall them having at the old store. So, yes, there probably are a few kinks to work out.) But that’s the brilliance of Facebook and Twitter: it gives their patrons a way to give them immediate feedback, and it gives Martin a way to immediately respond and let their patrons know their opinions are valued.
  • Twitter lets their personality shine through. On Twitter they’re a little less formal than they come across on Facebook, and a bit more relaxed. They’re Tweets included talking about problems they’d had with getting the new place built and then up and running. But I noticed they also interact with customers there too. Which is fantastic, because that’s what people want.

All around, Martin’s seems to be demonstrating an effective way to use social media to keep their clients engaged and informed, all of which serves the greater purpose of endearing customers to them and ensuring repeat and loyal patronage.

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Can Using Social Media Get You a Job?

Posted in "Net"working, Examples, Tips & Tricks, Twitter on March 18th 2010
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Can Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn replace a resume? Perhaps not totally, but they can definitely supplement them.

Maybe you’re more used to being warned against using social media or combining it with your personal life for fear of how it will impact your professional one. Heaven knows there’s been a lot of horror stories about people using social media inappropriately and compromising their jobs, if not losing them all together.

However, I’d like to present some examples of how social media could help you find a job.

THE GRADUATE

Today’s post was sparked by something clever I saw someone doing on Twitter. His name is Jordan Barber (@JordanBarber31) and according to his Twitter bio he’s going to graduate from Ferris State University this May with a degree in marketing. He’s also got several E-Commerce, Advertising, B2B MKTG, Direct MKTG and Sales MKTG certificates to his credit.

Now I don’t know whether Justin’s looking for a job or not, but I’ll tell you what: if he was and if I was hiring, Justin’s the kind of candidate I’d consider.

Yep, that’s right, from nothing more than glancing at his Twitter page. Why? Two reasons:

  1. His bio let me know about his background and interest in online marketing and social media, and
  2. A quick scan of his Tweets confirmed he knew how to put it all in practice.

SKILL SET

That second one in particular is important. Anybody can hop on Twitter. You type your message, you hit send, done. But Justin did something a little different.

Partly, he flattered me with an “at” mention he made of The Sociable Scribe. Here’s what it was:

#mktg441 I suggest you follow @SociableScribe SM Marketing Consultant, provides advice & assistance for today’s top social media circles!!!

I of course went to check him out when I read it. But that’s when I realized Justin was on to something for a couple more reasons:

  1. He’d posted similar Tweets to the one he made for me about other marketing and social media companies and enthusiasts. I checked them all out and ended up following them all. They were great referrals.
  2. See the hashtag he used? Smart! That shows he knows not only what they are, but how to use them effectively.

Of course there’s a lot more that goes into offering a person a job than simply being impressed by their Tweets. However, it’s practical experience Justin could refer an employer to as an example of his skills. And if I was in the position to hire it would at least prompt me to request a resume if not set up an interview right out.

And, Justin, if you read this, feel free to refer this to any potential employers. It may help them see your value in ways your resume alone might not point out.

PUT IT IN PRACTICE

If you’re looking for a job in social media, do like Justin and make sure to show off your skills.

If there’s a company you’d like to work for, follow them on whatever social media sites they’re on. Be sure to interact with them. Let them know you’re there and are passionate about their company or product.

See ways they could improve their social media presence? Let them know by doing something similar to what Justin did. @ them or DM them and ask, “Hey, have you tried [YOUR SUGGESTION HERE]“. Explain how you think that would behoove their company and why. (Make sure to be nice about it, though. Try to avoid being a know it all. Just let them know you really believe in their product or what they do and saw something that might help them. It may not lead to a job offer but it helps in the making a good impression department.)

Looking for a job in social media? Check out Mashable’s Job Board.

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Twitter and Facebook: Let Them Know You’re There and They Will Come

Posted in "Net"working, Examples, Facebook, Tips & Tricks, Twitter on March 14th 2010
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Earlier this year Karen, who’s both my friend and co-owner of Michael J. Portrait, caught some of my social media excitement.  She decided it was about time they started being more participative with the Facebook fan page they’d created a while back. She decided it really could help them get more business.

It could…if anyone knew their fan page existed.

The biggest mistake my friend is making is assuming just being more active on their Facebook fan page will net them more fans.

Facebook doesn’t work that way. Twitter’s better suited to that approach.

That’s why I wasn’t surprised when a couple of weeks passed and my friend said, “I’m really disappointed we don’t have more followers yet.”

Here’s what they’re not doing right:

  1. They’re not maintaining a blog, and
  2. There’s no link to or mention of their Facebook fan page on their website.

How is anyone supposed to fan them if they don’t know they’re there?

You know what comes to mind? The saying from the movie Field of Dreams: “If you build it, they will come.”

Something similar can be said for the social networks your company’s active on: Let your clients, fans, and readers know you’re there and they will come.

I saw a great example of letting them know where to find you when I attended a women’s business networking meeting a few weeks back. Before the meeting we all passed around our business paraphernalia. (Biz cards, brochures, pamphlets, etc.)

One woman was a rep with Oli-Co Cosmetics, LLC. In addition to business cards she also had a rack card. The first thing that caught my eye and impressed me as being smart marketing was that in addition to her company’s website her card also listed where else people could follow them online: Facebook, Twitter and on their Skin Journalist blog.

Perfect!

Except, when I went to check out both their blog and website I noticed:

  • There’s no link or icon to their Twitter and Facebook accounts from either the blog or website. I was only able to find them because I knew they existed since I saw it on the product card.
  • The company name is Oli-Co Cosmetics. The product is Régén de Peau II. Their Twitter account is @olicocosmetics, but their Facebook page is Regen de Peau II Skin Care. That has the potential to be confusing. Especially because…
  • Both their Twitter account and Facebook page refers back to their blog, and their blog has a link back to their website, but all the names don’t jive with their links. The blog’s link comes up as http://blog.oli-co.com, but on the card, Twitter and Facebook it’s link is http://blog.phoenixskinsolutions.com. Yet the product link on the card is www.regendepeau.com, but the link that comes up in the  browser is http://oli-co.com. There’s no conformity, which makes branding the product in the customer’s mind more difficult.

Simple tweaks, such as sticking with either Oli-Co Cosmetics or Régén de Peau, and making sure all links are uniform, in addition to noting their social networks on their blog and website like they do on their product card, would improve their online presence and enhance their social marketing strategy.

Another example is Maggie’s Station. Plans are in the works to revamp the blog. We’re currently in the process of shuffling it from Blogger to Wordpress, and in turn have more active Facebook and Twitter accounts. All of the above  have been inactive lately.

However, Peggy understood the importance of (a) having a blog, Twitter and Facebook in place, and (b) letting customers know they could find her on them. (She just didn’t have the time maintain them. Happens when you run a successful business. You need help from someone like me!)

But what I want to really point out is that right on her homepage she’s got “Follow us on” followed by the icons of all the places you can friend, fan, or follow Maggie’s Station. (Which for now are Twitter, Facebook, and Blogger, which will soon change to a different icon.)

That’s what you want.

Well, that and as active a blog, Twitter account, Facebook page, and whatever other social networks you’re on as possible.

PUT IT IN PRACTICE

Add links and/or icons to any social media network you’re on, including but not limited to, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn, etc.

Cross-reference your social media networks as much as possible. Use your website (if applicable) as the hub that lets people know where to find all of your social media spokes.

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New Client: Maggie’s Station

Posted in Examples on February 25th 2010
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Maggies_Station logo

Tuesday I announced on my Facebook page that I’d officially hung out The Sociable Scribe’s “open for business” sign.

I was a little nervous about doing it. There’s always that fear of ridicule I guess.

However, it proved to be a smart move. As they say, it pays to advertise. In this case it netted me my first book of “official” business: Maggie’s Station.

I say “official” because even though I view it as a business and have it listed on my Client page, Haunt Jaunts is my own thing.  Yet, what better way to showcase my talents than that? It’s a gem of a social media networking success story in the making!

Then there’s Michael J Portrait. I’ve been consulting with Michael and Karen for months now on how to structure their social media business model. I was doing that long before The Sociable Scribe was officially born. (In fact, they’re in part how The Sociable Scribe even came to be. I enjoyed helping them so much it suddenly clicked, “I should be doing this for a living!”)

So…here I am. And not even a week after going live I landed my first account.

Although, I feel I should disclose something. Never know how things will get spun if people think you’re hiding something.

I do have pre-existing ties with Maggie’s Station. Its lovely owner, Peggy, is family.

We call each other “cousin” for lack of something better. Plus, we’re not really sure what we are to each other. Our grandmothers were sisters. So whatever that makes it, that’s what we are!

However, even though we’ve known of each other for all these years, it wasn’t until last January, after Peggy learned of my mom’s passing, that she called and we talked for the first time. I had just had my first chemo treatement actually. Peggy was horrified to learn that the first time she was calling me it was to discover I was now battling cancer. (I had only lost my mom due to cancer six months before.)

At any rate, we’ve talked on the phone a few times since, and we’ve kept up online via Facebook, but we still haven’t met face to face.

But Peggy knows all about my passion for writing, blogging and social media, and I’m a big supporter of her stationary company. (I love greeting cards. Smitten with them. Enchanted by them. Keep them stocked in my house even! Something about the writer in me I guess…)

Anyway, it’s a wonderful fit. I’m looking forward to helping Maggie’s Station develop more of an online presence.

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