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Mar
12
0

Starting To See New Growth

By philanderson | Filed in Business, Facebook, Online Marketing, Social Media, Strategies, Twitter

by Philip M. Anderson
One of my clients is a garden center nursery and I had prodded them most of last year to jump into social media.  Their business is a perfect candidate to take advantage of the great “bang for the buck” that social media marketing can bring to a small business.  All summer long they put it off, explaining they “wanted to but it’s just so busy; we can’t be worried about that now.”

Here in North Idaho, most nurseries close for the winter.  My client tried to give it a go two days a week and ended up just giving up as business didn’t even pay for wages during a day.  During October they relented and I carefully guided them into this newfangled thing called social media.

I have to say, they have basically handed everything to me.  They really wanted a blog and to have a presence on Facebook.  I offered a discounted rate if they would add Twitter and Foursquare.  I built them a Facebook page from scratch and started a WordPress blog for them.  All through the winter months I have been strategically posting on both Facebook and Twitter.  One of the two owners of the nursery started a six part series entitled, The Winter Landscape, and we posted those articles every 10-14 days on their blog.  We extended the initial three month contract into another three months.  There was no way for them to measure the return on their investment (ROI) because they were closed, yet they continued along.

There we were, a presence through social media, gaining new “Likes” on Facebook and new “Follows” on Twitter.  Engaging with people in other cities and states, including a few around here.

And then, it happened.  In the course of just 24 hours, their Facebook Page received TWO questions from people who follow their page and another question from a form on their website!  One of the three had done business with the nursery last year and wanted some information about getting more Junipers because they loved the ones they purchased last year so much.  Another received a gift certificate for Christmas and was wanting to use that in early April.  And the third was a brand new customer asking questions about certain manures and which works best for what.  All three talked about coming into the nursery as soon as it opened.

What I try to explain to businesses is that social media doesn’t replace your current marketing and advertising, but it enhances it.  It pairs as well as a perfectly prepared rib eye steak and fine Cabernet Sauvignon.  This form of marketing is called RELATIONSHIP marketing.  It DOES take time.  But the fruits of this sort of engaged marketing is so much sweeter and juicier and plentiful than the other form of marketing because you KNOW your customer better.  If you know your customer better you will have a better idea of what to keep in stock.

And I haven’t even talked about the word of mouth from these new customers.  When you WOW them with your awesome products, services and customer service they will tell their friends and so on and so on.  This is what we fondly call a SUPER fan or SUPER customer or SUPER client because they are now marketing for you, to their friends, and it doesn’t cost you a dime.

The example I’ve shared with you is just about one new customer added.  But think about it, this was done in the middle of winter, when the nursery was CLOSED!  By putting their confidence in me, and letting me go, I have used my expertise in the social media world to slowly build a strong fan base.  Once this base gets going, and we’ve already seen it start to budge, it will start growing like a snowball (I know, NO MORE SNOW!) as it picks up more snow with every turn.  THIS is the power of social media.

My client has just seen the proverbial sprout push through the last grains of dirt as it peeks into the open air and the sunshine applauds the new growth.  And when the nursery opens, my clients’ business will be light years ahead of their competition as the season starts.

If you like what you just read would you please do me a favor and share the love?  There are convenient little buttons to do just that on any of your favorite platforms.  If you would like to “Like” MY Facebook Page just click HERE or if you’d like to “Follow” me on Twitter, click HERE.  And if you just love gardening, click HERE to “Like” the page I’ve been writing about in this post.

Thank you for reading and we’ll see you next time!

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Feb
1
0

Social Media Strategies For Small Businesses

By philanderson | Filed in Business, Social Media, Strategies

by Philip M. Anderson
I’m pleased to announce we’re teaming up with Shelley Webb of On The Webb Social Media to teach a ”Social Media Strategies For Small Businesses” seminar in the Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, area next Tuesday afternoon, February 7, 2012, from 1pm-4pm.  If you are a business that wants to be involved in this thing called, “social media”, even when you might not know what that means, it will be worth your while to attend.

As I look back at some of my blog posts I have found most of the inspiration behind the posts stems from my OWN frustrations with businesses not understanding social media which leads them to either NOT participate or, almost worse, participate incorrectly.  This seminar will answer many, if not all, your questions regarding the strategies behind social media marketing.  I don’t even like to use that word marketing but it still is marketing to a degree.

Shelley Webb has been involved in social media almost since it’s inception, while I started a few months later.  Together we have eight years of social media experience.  And at the pace that it’s all changing, isn’t it time you jump on this train now so that you can bring YOUR business into the online conversation?  How long will you wait?  Don’t let the competition pass you by in the world of social media marketing.  Learn the correct way of ENGAGING with your customers with these easy to use strategies.

We will cover how to correctly use Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and more!  The new buzz word is Pinterest.  Have you heard of that?  We’ll talk about THAT, as well as what Foursquare is and how you can REALLY reach your future customers without paying a dime!  How cool is that?

Space is limited to the first 15 people to sign up and will cost $20 per person (prepaid) or $25 at the door.  You may call 208 699 7859 to RSVP for this event which will be held at the Coeur d’Alene Holiday Inn Express & Suites Boardroom at 2300 W. Seltice Way.  This is NOT a seminar where we will pressure you into buying our services.  This is strictly for those business owners who want to find out more about what it takes to have a strong social media presence and to teach them some simple strategies.  If you’re interested or want more information, please e-mail us at info@andersonsocialmediasolutions.com or Shelley at team@onthewebbsocialmedia.com, or, of course, call 208 699 7859.

Isn’t it time you catch up to your competition?  Hurry and sign up as space IS limited!  Sign up to catch up!

 

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Jan
9
0

A True Life Experience

By philanderson | Filed in Facebook, Social Media, Strategies, Twitter, Uncategorized

by Phil Anderson
I would like to share an experience I’m having with a company regarding social media.

A couple of weeks ago I wanted to book a room at The Red Lion Inn in the Seattle area because I was going to be visiting my family for a night of Christmas festiveness.  I looked the number up on my iPhone and called the number.  What I did not know was that the number I dialed was to a third-party discount hotel company called, GetARoom.com.  I told them the price I wanted to stay under and the operator told me the Red Lion wasn’t offering any of those rates but the DoubleTree was.  I accepted that and purchased the room for one night.

During this transaction, however, the operator kept putting me on hold, explaining that there seemed to be a glitch in the DoubleTree system and he wanted to make sure my card wasn’t charged twice.  Even though he repeated that my card had NOT been charged more than once, he was wrong.  I was double charged for my one night stay that had yet to happen.

After multiple phone calls to them I was assured they were taking care of the double charge.  When I contacted the hotel I was told I did, INDEED, have a room but that I was going to have to use my credit card since the one given to them (from GetARoom.com) was declined.  Can you imagine the red flags that were raised on THAT call?  After repeated attempts to get answers from GetARoom.com I pulled the plug on the reservation and found another hotel to stay (trust me, the night before Christmas Eve in Seattle, that wasn’t easy), primarily because I thought I might be out THREE charges for just one nights stay.  So far, not such a good discount.

The reason I am even writing this story here is because of the way they handled things through Twitter and Facebook.  Here is a situation built for Twitter.  The company has complete control in fixing this and quickly.  However, here’s what happened.

I wrote on Twitter from my handle, @PHILIPmANDERSON:  “I can’t wait to talk with @getaroomcom and see what they have to say about themselves after this weekend’s fiasco.  Stay tuned…”

Now, my thought behind writing this is that I would hear, from them, with many apologies and reassurances that I would be taken care of pronto.  I didn’t even bash them but did imply there was a bad situation I was experiencing.  Here was their response:  “Hey there, thanks for Following Us! Like Us on Facebook too! http://www.facebook.com/getaroom @vicconsult #AutoResponder http://goo.gl/CR8l1“.  Yes, it was a direct message that was sent through an auto-responder.  They even shouted to ME that it was an auto-responder!

So I continued to try and get a response from them with these tweets:

12/27  “Still waiting to hear from @getaroomcom regarding the fiasco I experienced this past weekend. Time is a ticking…”
12/31  “STILL waiting to hear back from @getaroomcom.  It’s been OVER a week now.  The discount was nice but not worth the hassle.”
12/31  In response to a tweet of theirs promoting a great rate on a hotel room (yes, they were still tweeting, just not to me!), ” @getaroomcom I wouldn’t do this deal.  They may double charge you and then not return your calls OR give your money back.”
1/1   “Day #9 to hear from @getaroomcom. Yet, they’re still tweeting.  I wonder if they ever look at their “ats”?”

Finally, after all this time, they responded with this:
1/4 “@PHILIPmANDERSON We do apologize for any inconvenience you may have experienced. We are looking into this matter. Thank you”

To which I responded:
1/4 “@getaroomcom Why did it take 12 days for you to respond to my tweets? Or, my Facebook comment, for that matter?”

From this point on they started communicating with me, attempting to solve this issue.  To be fair, they’ve finally done a good job of that, although they did ask for my e-mail address in an attempt to remove the conversation from a public platform to a private one.  I respectfully declined.  It should also be noted that I never said anything derogatory or that was not fact in my Facebook or Twitter posts as that is not in my DNA.  But the more time went by the further aggravated I became.

I STILL don’t have my money and it’s been 17 days but at least with each passing day I feel like I have a voice as I share this experience with all of my followers.  Companies HAVE to start learning that social media isn’t for THEM as much as it is for THEIR CUSTOMERS!  Gary Vaynerchuk, of VaynerMedia, was so incensed at something the Oprah network did recently, on Twitter, he made a video explaining the faux pas.

As I was explaining to a potential customer this morning, it’s no longer about the company.  Marketing the way companies USED to market is going by the wayside.  People don’t want to have ads and brands shoved down their throats.  They are tired of being bombarded by them.  If you want to connect with your customer these days, it’s real easy:  Engage with them and create relationships with them on Facebook and Twitter and make it worth their while to check in on Foursquare.

As for GetARoom.com?  They continue to only tweet about their specials and fares along with little interspersed tweets  to me regarding this situation.  I AM grateful that they continue to respond to me and my tweets, however, when will they learn that their customers will come flocking to them the more they connect with them instead of just promote their own agenda?

Thank you for reading!  If you found this post worth reading, I invite you to share it by clicking on one of the buttons right below this line.

 

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Dec
19
0

The Frustration In Talking With Business Owners

By philanderson | Filed in Blog, Business, Facebook, Social Media, Twitter

Today I’m doing something I’ve never done before:  Use somebody elses content.  There is so much great content out there today that when you run across something that you completely agree with it makes you want to share it wherever you can.  And this is what I’ll be doing today.  I read this in one of my daily reads, Social Media Today, and was written by Paul Gillin, who is a contributing blogger for Social Media Today.  What he writes about is what I continue to keep running into with business owners. 

I hope you enjoy.

As Business Goes Social, CIOs Sit on Sidelines

The disconnect between CIOs and the emerging world of social business became clear to me at a conference I attended about two years ago. I entered the room late, but figured I could quickly catch up on the proceedings by checking the Twitter stream of attendees. With an estimated 300 senior IT executives in the room, I expected there would be plenty of chatter going on.

To my surprise, not a single tweet had been logged during the past hour. A technology that was revolutionizing the way business people communicate was being completely unused by the executives who manage technology in America’s largest corporations. As I began prodding my network of CIO contacts, I learned that this was not unusual.

Most CIOs are taking an attitude of, at best, benign neglect toward social networks. A large percentage of them are still actively blocking employee access to sites like Facebook and YouTube. The most recent research by Robert Half Technology found that 31% of U.S. companies block social networks completely and 51% limit access to business purposes only. While those numbers have improved from two years ago, they still indicate an entrenched suspicion that social networks are at best time-wasting extravagances and at worst latent security threats.

Same Old Song and Dance

These fears are legitimate, but we’ve heard them before. The argument that employees will waste time on new technology goes back to the introduction of the personal computer. CIOs also closed ranks against Internet-based e-mail and the Web itself in the early days of those technologies, citing fears that employees would use their new toy computers for games or would subvert the central control of the IT organization.

In fact, that’s exactly what they did. And given access to social networks at work, people will use them to play and waste time. CIOs should not only accept this fact but embrace it.

Anyone who has children knows that playing is one of the most effective learning techniques humans have. Experimentation unearths ideas that have practical applications. On the early Web, people “surfed.” In the process, they learned the skills that have redefined office productivity. Today, the people who can quickly find, organize and interpret information are among the most valuable in the workforce. Playing pays off.

In its formative years, social media has been largely relegated to marketing departments under the assumption that it’s just another form of communications. BtoB magazine asked 375 marketers last year who was primarily responsible for social media within their companies. Only one person identified the IT department. My anecdotal observations pretty much echo that. CIOs just don’t see social as part of their charter.

What a shame, because social technologies has about as much to do with marketing as enterprise resource planning (ERP) does with accounting. This is about the finding new ways of doing business with a customer base that’s empowered with information. It’s the very center of where business is going.

Demand-Driven Economics

How Companies WinIn their book, How Companies Win: Profiting from Demand-Driven Business Models, Rick Kash and David Calhoun argue that developed economies are in the process of transitioning from supply-constrained to demand-driven. We are awash in goods and services today, they point out, and prices are flat to declining in many markets. That means that there’s little incremental benefit to be had from making supply chains more efficient. In the future, value will come from generating demand that never existed, as the iPhone has done.

A decade ago, CIOs played a key role in implementing ERP and optimizing supply chains in many companies around the globe. While some of that was a byproduct of the Y2K problem, their willingness to lead such mission-critical projects was a feather in their cap.

Now the rules have changed and the new challenge is to drive demand. The information-empowered customer will impact every business at every level. We are in the first stages of the shift in market conditions from supplier push to customer pull. Understanding the dynamics of these new interactions and organizing businesses around them will be the major business challenge of the next five years.

Why would CIOs not want to be at the center of all that?

Republished with permission.  You may find the original article at Social Media Today OR PaulGillin.com.  Thank you so much for reading.  You can follow me on Twitter, as well, or “Like” us on Facebook!

Paul Gillin helps organizations of all sizes understand the tools and tactics of new media. As a 25-year publishing veteran – with the past decade focused exclusively online – he knows what it takes to create compelling content that leads to customer affinity and bottom-line results.   You can reach him by e-mail at paul@gillin.com, Twitter at http://twitter.com/pgillin or his website at http://gillin.com/blog/.
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Dec
13
0

The December Bang! Full Year of Social Media Management Up For Grabs

By philanderson | Filed in Business, Facebook, Online Marketing, Promotions/contests, Twitter, Uncategorized

by Phil Anderson
There are so many businesses that are taking advantage of the tremendous, never before seen, benefits of marketing through social media channels.  Yet, it’s still a small percentage.

SO….

…we are launching an all out assault to find just ONE company that wants to take the plunge into the world of social media and we are enticing them with an offer they can’t refuse:  One full year of our most popular social media management package (a $12,564 value) for only $4,997!  That’s over 60% off!

Here’s what is included:

Development 
Draft and post content 5 days/week 
Develop and post blog content 1 time/week
Promote blog content on SM channels
Assist in adding relevant connections
Daily oversight of the pages
Engage with audience in real-time

Monthly Reporting
Social media activity report
Website clicks from social media sites
Brand mentions on external social media channels and search engines

Research and Maintenance
Ongoing industry research

Monthly Cost for this is $1,047 (up to two media) which adds up to $12,564 for the year.  The first company that takes advantage of this offer will get the entire package for $4,997!

You’ll ask, “OK, what’s the catch?”

There IS no catch! The only thing I will ask you to do for me is help spread the word if you’re happy!  And when you ARE happy, I will ask for a testimonial.

If you’re a company that’s wanted to get into the social media arena and start connecting and engaging with your customers and clients, go to the “PROMOTIONS” page up top and get the ball rolling!  I’m only doing this for ONE company.  Once they’re signed, the promotion is done!

Be sure to “Like” us on Facebook and “follow” us on Twitter!  Thanks for reading and I look forward to helping YOU connect with your customers!

 

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Dec
11
0

BIG Announcement Tuesday, December 13, 2011

By philanderson | Filed in Blog, Facebook, Foursquare, Twitter

by Phil Anderson
It’s been over a month since my last post as I’ve been diligent in setting up and managing a client of mine. Their Facebook page is doing well and they are over 100 followers on Twitter. Their web site is now up and the first article is posted. Next will be creating their Foursquare account so that they can start rewarding their customers with little perks here and there.

I have found that managing somebody else’s company is vastly different than managing your own. Just before I press the “Post” button for any post I make on their behalf I stop and think, “Is this consistent with their brand and their voice?” When I’m satisfied that it is, I hit the button and off I go to the next task. Although there has been a learning curve, I am really enjoying doing this and watching the results come to fruition before my eyes.

Have you had a chance to check out our own Facebook page or follow me on Twitter? I look forward to connecting with you on these and other platforms.

Tomorrow, I’ve got a very BIG announcement. I hope you will stop by and check out what it might be! Until then, thanks for reading!

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Nov
8
2

Connecting With Your Customers

By philanderson | Filed in Business, Online Marketing, Social Media, Uncategorized

by Phil Anderson
I often hear from business owners that their business is “different” from other businesses and that social media won’t work for them.

I couldn’t disagree more.

Is there a business out there that isn’t counting on customers, in one way, shape or form? I don’t think so! High energy business guru, Carrie Wilkerson, The Barefoot Executive says, you have “either a customer or a business (which is ultimately the customer).”

That means every business should be trying to connect with their customer base! It’s funny, there are many business owners that WANT a lot of customers, especially those who spend money with them. Lots and LOTS of money! But they don’t want to engage with them. They just want the money.

In this day and age, most customers just don’t throw their money at just any company. Because of this (so-called) economic downturn our world is experiencing, consumers are much more selective at who gets their money. (Unless it’s for bad wine. People are STILL drinking bad wine! Why?) Those companies and businesses that have spent time developing relationships with their customer base are probably doing ok right now.

So, if we can agree that there IS a customer for every business, somewhere, then we can agree that there is a relationship to be had. Any business can have a honeymoon period with their customers (new busines, new product, etc…) but what happens when the honeymoon is over? Maintaining your customer base through realtionships is the most effective way to keep things going.

That’s where social media comes in. In all honesty, have we, as business owners, ever had this opportunity to converse and engage with the consumers as easily as we do now? Celebreties can connect with their fans (without feeling they’re going to be harmed by some fool) by tweeting on Twitter. There is a soccer team in Mexico that puts the players’ Twitter handles on the back of their jerseys so fans can interact with them like never before. Ashton Kutcher pushed for, and got, over a million followers (now he’s got over 8 million).

Wouldn’t it be nice to have a business that has even 20% of that number of people wanting to know about everything you’re doing? Your sales, your specials, your new products, your services, your this and your that… How much is that worth? Having a social media presence doesn’t cost even close to Yellow Page ads or direct mailings or billboards or newspaper ads or television and radio ads. The bang for the buck is very good. AND, you’re hitting your target market head on!

In one week, I have helped a new customer of ours get over 50 followers on Twitter and 25 “Likes” on their new business page on Facebook. Who knows what it will be in another week, or month or year. But, the more fans and followers you have, the more people hear about you as a business. And that’s what you want, isn’t it? To connect with your customers?

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Nov
1
0

What IS Facepage and Twitle and Gaggle+ and Hopscotch?

By philanderson | Filed in Business, Facebook, Foursquare, Google+, Online Marketing, Social Media, Twitter, Uncategorized

by Phil Anderson
Have you ever been talking to somebody and the conversation switches to social media (of course it does!) and the person you’re talking to says something like, “Yeah, I just don’t get this whole “facepage” thing”?  They go on to dice and slice other social media monikers by calling them the likes of “twitle” or “gaggle” or even “hopscotch”.

Without sounding condescending you carefully correct them by saying it actually is Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Foursquare and they are changing the way the world engages with one another.  They will argue that this is all just a flash in the pan.  Here today gone to Maui.  Just wait and see where all of these social mediums are in a year from now.

We can’t even get through an evening of television without hearing something about Facebook or Twitter, usually on the commercials.  There was one show where they used the word “tweet” AND referred to Facebook.  Both on the same show!

We cannot predict the future but we can use logic in determining what is likely to happen and with the way social media is moving it promises to stay around in one way, shape or form, for a very, very long time.  Keep in mind when this thing called the World Wide Web (WWW?) was introduced people scoffed.  Now it is such a part of our daily life we carry it around with us on our phones!  There is more information at our fingertips on our phones than there was on the computer that sent men to the moon in 1969!

So get the names right because, by necessity, you will need to know about them even more in the future.

Thank you, so much, for reading. If you found this article worthy I would appreciate you clicking any of the buttons below to foward it on. Thank you!

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Oct
28
2

Businesses STILL In Social Media Learning Curve

By philanderson | Filed in Business, Online Marketing, Social Media, Uncategorized

by Phil Anderson
I was at a networking meeting last night for the Coeur d’Alene Chamber of Commerce and had the opportunity to talk with a few business owners and representatives and I found something out that was very interesting.  Businesses STILL don’t understand the power of social media!

I talked with the representative of a high-end lighting company that said, “Most of our business is from word of mouth.”  She also went on to tell me how their marketing budget is already spent until the middle of next year.

When the economy is down, smart businesses continue to market and advertise their company.  To remove that from your arsenal is ludicrous.  And to continue to rely on word of mouth as your only source for marketing?  Laughable.  Is word of mouth marketing good?  Heck yeah!  It’s the best!  But you HAVE to augment that with other marketing channels.

Businesses are still spending on newspaper ads and yellowpage ads.  The cost for those is silly when you realize they really have no idea who is opening up those mediums.  Sure, you can choose a particular section to get close to your demographic but you don’t really know for sure.

With social media, your customers CHOOSE to follow you or CHOOSE to like you!  They want to HEAR what you have to say!  The cost is so much less for so much more it’s ridiculous!  PLUS, the  business can have an active and engaging relationship with them.

Here’s another example:  I had a phone conversation, just this week, with somebody I know who is working at a well-known car dealership around here.  He asked me what I was doing and I explained.  I then told him an average monthly price of what a business would pay me for managing their social media and he laughed.  He stopped laughing when I asked him how much they spend on newspaper ads ($15,000!) and yellowpage ads ($4,000!) per month.  Then I asked him who reads those ads.  Who EXACTLY reads those ads.

He couldn’t answer.  Because he didn’t know.

Yes, businesses are STILL in the midst of a learning curve regarding social media.  The good news is, many already understand the power AND the value of social media in their businesses.

Do YOU understand the power?

Thank you, so much, for reading.  If you found this article worthy I would appreciate you clicking any of the buttons below to foward it on.  Thank you!

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