Shannon's thoughts on marketing, public relations, social technology, entrepreneurship and other things

Shannon Mouton
Shannon Mouton

the principal at Topaz Consulting, is a relationship marketing professional, with a passion for utilizing social technology for building B2B/B2C relationships, sharing information, networking and advancing the greater good. She has over 20 years of public relations, marketing and community building experience. Her combination of political, nonprofit, higher ed and corporate experience has afforded her opportunities to build communities where none existed, develop and launch innovative programming and bridge generational, economic and racial divides.

Shannon serves on the board of directors for the In Series, a Washington, DC performing arts organization. She is a regular contributor to Women Grow Business and Discover Exceptionalism, and her blog, Shannon Sez So, examines life's joys, pains and idiosyncrasies. Shannon is the founder of Topaz Consulting, a DC based marketing consultancy with a nationwide portfolio of clients. She graduated from Mount Vernon College (now part of The George Washington University) and is a proud native Washingtonian.

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2011 (31)
2010 (74)
 

And why are you investing in social media?

Does this conversation sound vaguely familiar?

Consultant: Your business should have a social marketing strategy.
Brand XYZ: Why?
Consultant: Because social technology will help you generate buzz, get people talking about our brand and in general help people know who you are.
Brand XYZ: Ok, but why is any of that important?
Consultant: Because you want to engage your customers and begin building relationships with them.
Brand XYZ: And why exactly do I want to build relationships with my customers?

Have you been on one or the other of this conversation?

Most communication vehicles had their turn as the shiny new marketing toy, billboards lined the horizon as cars began to venture cross country, radios gave voices to a generation and televisions brought products into homes like never imagined. By now, most businesses "get" they need some sort of social technology plan, if for no other reason than everyone else is doing it. However, remember what Mom used to say, "If your friends jumped off a bridge, would you jump to?"

Keeping the age old adage in mind, there should be solid business reasons for getting into the social space. Just as a business gives serious thought to choosing location, messaging and product delivery, so to should serious deliberation be given to social technology. It will take up resources, time, money, man power, etc. that could be used for other revenue generating activities. Is it going to be worth the effort?

To ensure your social technology efforts are yielding the expected results, you must first know what results you want from social technology. Right? Right. Begin by answering these basic questions: how is social media going to help your business and what are your objectives for your social media?*

Consider these sample objectives as you begin outlining your social marketing plan:

  • Bring fresh ideas into the organization
  • Create word of mouth
  • Increase customer loyalty
  • Increase product and brand awareness
  • Enhance public relations efforts
  • Lower customer acquisition costs
  • Lower customer support costs
  • Lower market research costs
  • Lower product development costs

Nugget of knowledge: Your business objectives should be SMART - Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-based.

*Social technology may not be the right communication or marketing vehicle for your business, and that is okay.

 

 

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The Rewards of Listening to your Customers

Social media marketing is the shiny new toy. Everyone is doing it, trying it and seeing how to make it work for them. Your president wants you to bring in a social media expert to help the organization understand and utilize it to increase the bottom line. A good consultant will tell you it is important to listen to customers. A better consultant will show you tools to monitor what your customers are saying. A great consultant will work with you to take what you hear and use it to improve your organization, product and brand.

Consider some of these marketing insights for your brand and how to use them:

  • Who are your best customers, biggest fans and most fervent defenders (brand advocates)?

Action: Reward their loyalty, invite them to be a Brand Ambassador or part of your Product Advisory Council*

  • Are you marketing campaigns reinforcing your brand?

Action: Adjust your marketing strategy to support the brand promise

  • Are your product development decisions based on what you hear your customers say they want?

Action: Give your customers what they are willing to pay for, not what you think they need

  • Who are the movers and shakers (aka influencers) in your industry?

Action: Find your E.F. Hutton and put her/him to "work" for you

  • What are your competitors doing and what do people have to say about them?

Action: Fill the gap of satisfaction for their customers

  • What insights can you glean around product satisfaction, product management and product development?

Action: Start discussions to garner information

*If your organization doesn't have a loyalty program, consider implementing one.

Nugget of knowledge: Having conversations with your audience, getting to know your clients and ultimately building relationships with your customers is invaluable for long term success.

United should've listened:

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The Urban Legends of Social Marketing (5-8)

A continuation from a few weeks ago, all myth, legend, folklore, even old-wives tales have some semblance of truth in them. Over time, the truth has become watered-down and people have added or subtracted details to make the story more interesting. And in the end, it is the enhanced version with which we are left.

Here are four more for you to consider:

Anyone can do it...only a few can do it right
There are any number of so-called, wannabe, self-proclaimed social media gurus, mavens, experts and wizards. They pass themselves off as authoritative because they have thousands of Twitter followers and Facebook fans; and their streams are filled with Mashable and TechCrunch retweets and posts. In 2010, bonafide social marketers have enough of their own work to stand on, make sure you do due diligence before hiring "anyone."

A Google search does not replace reference checks.

It’s a cure-all...like snake oil and "herbal" tonic
Social media can be used as a tool for communicating with your customers. It is NOT the end-all-be-all of the marketing world. In the same vein that email has not replaced direct mail, which has not replaced telemarketing, social marketing will not replace anything. It is an addition, an augment, a complement to what you are already doing. It can provide depth and breadth to a narrow and shallow campaign.

The only true cure-all in life is death.

You can do it all in-house...just like you tried (and failed) with TV advertising, direct mail and media buying
You have a direct mail vendor, an advertising agency and a PR firm, why wouldn't you hire a social marketing company or consultant?

Only a fool hires himself for a lawyer.

Social marketing results can’t be measured...hogwash
Any number of things can and should be measured:

  • blog comments
  • mentions in the media
  • traffic analysis
  • Facebook fans
  • Twitter followers
  • comments on your content
  • blog advertising results
  • click-throughs to your web site
Not to mention, new tools are coming online everyday to assist marketers with metrics, measurements, analytics and analysis.

What social marketing myths have you debunked?
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