Top 5 Reasons B2B PR Practitioners Should Embrace Social Media

Today’s guest post is by Paige Holden of BlissPR. Bliss PR specializes in creating and promoting thought leadership, using a variety of public relations and marketing communications techniques. They help their clients develop points of view, predictions, trend commentary and insights, positioning them as experts in the media and category leaders in their markets.

Top 5 Reasons B2B PR Practitioners Should Embrace Social Media

If you’ve seen any B2B public relations professionals recently, you may want to give them a gift certificate to a spa treatment or at least a pat on the back.  They’re feeling more than a little shell shocked.

I was, too.  Social Media is just beginning to hit B2B PR and our industry is scrambling to find our footing and help our clients. But it’s time to stop stalling and start learning.  Here’s why:

Traditional media is dying. It’s not a secret that traditional media is either dying or going online. This presents a slew of new challenges for public relations practitioners who rely on the media to help communicate clients’ messages. In our firm, we don’t throw splashy events or launch exciting new products. We clarify and refine complex stories for niche audiences. With business publications folding, our small universe is getting smaller and, unless we find new ways to communicate, we won’t be sustainable.

Know the news before it breaks. News breaks faster online than anywhere else. When the plane crashed in the Hudson River, the story was discussed ad nauseum on Twitter before it even hit television. Monitoring breaking news for my experts is a huge part of my job. I find that Twitter, and other networks, keeps me ahead of the media time curve.

Networking online is more efficient. PR is an industry fueled by networking, but who has time to go to out every night? Between Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and blogs, there is no excuse to be a stranger. Every day I touch base with peers, thought leaders and the media which helps me not only develop stronger relationships, but also become a smarter professional.

Social media belongs in the PR bucket. Public relations professionals have an opportunity to learn it, embrace it and start building services around it before another industry steals it. There has been some debate over which “bucket” social media should fall into, but I adamantly believe public relations should own it. Sure, the implementation is different, and it does get “techy” at times, but social media is first and foremost a communications vehicle. The principles inherent in using social media – creativity, transparency and responsiveness – are the same philosophies that we use in PR every day.

“Tribes” have replaced traditional audiences: As Seth Godin explains in his new book, the online community is actually composed of millions of smaller groups of “tribes” – people who are passionately devoted to their own interests. Whether it’s shoes, personal finance or accounting law, there is a group of people waiting to be found and activated. Understanding how to serve these new communities must be part of every PR professional’s “tool kit.”

Counseling nervous clients. Clients see social media as a PR tool, so they will ask you about it.  Because clients are likely nervous about social media, it’s important to “get” it before you sell it. Unfortunately, market demand for social media has incented people into selling it as a service before they are ready, which is not only dishonest, but it can also yield poor results that will send clients packing. Surely let your clients know that social media is all about testing and learning, but you shouldn’t be mastering the basics on their dime.

What do you think…what’s holding you back from using social media tools? Or do you have some “getting started” lessons you can share with us?

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Twitter Enhances Interpersonal Relationships

We have talked at length about the value of combining your offline and online networking. I have always been a believer in the absolute value of social networking sites being the pinnacle of true networking.

I was reading a post at the Winnepeg Sun called The Re-Wired Generation. Although this article was written about the Internet driven Generation Y it had an excerpt from University of Toronto sociology professor, Berry Wellman:

“Far from replacing face to face time and breeding a generation of reclusives, Facebook and Twitter are actually enhancing interpersonal relationships offline…

The Internet is complementing, continuing and maintains relationships,” he said. “It’s letting weaker relationships stay in contact.”

There was a time in the business world where you would meet individuals at networking events and forget them the next day. This “networking for forgetting” has been all but erased if the two people are connected on a social media platform (LinkedIn).

Instead of dismissing social media and using the old forms of communication. Try developing your weaker business or personal relationships using an online model. You may be pleasantly surprised.

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The Strange World of Social Media

The majority of us are strangers right? I mean… we talk on a regular basis and exhange links but there are few that you can actual call “trusted friends.” And yet we love what we do. 

I love getting up in the morning and having multiple conversations with people all over the world. I love sharing content with enlightened minds just trying to understand concepts of design, marketing, social media, the Internet, and life. 

The majority of us are strangers but we share a common bond: interest. There is a common thread that ties all of us together: the social web. Our interests keep us coming back and keep us in the loop.

When marketing and creating relationships with customers over the web it is important to remember this… the killer of all.

Your customers want to relate to you and in the strange world of social media it has become easier to relate, share, and communicate. 

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Number One Rule for Realtors Using Facebook

I stumbled across this video today (via Ribeezie) from CyberHomes. It is a simple (shockingly simple) video that describes the number one rule for realtors using Facebook.

Do not lead with advertising. Get to the heart of the individual. Let them know that you care about what they think. They could care less about a home offer, or a discount, or a new showing. They care about the person behind the message. Period.

6 Posts Every PR Professional Should Read

There has been a lot of talk in the public relations world about social media and for good reason. I thought I would put together a list of the top 6 blog posts I feel every PR professional should read.

1. Public Relations Activities that Affect SEO
By Lee Odden of the Online Marketing Blog

2. Social Media is the Responsibility of Public Relations
by Jason Falls of Social Media Explorer

3. Social Media is Transforming Public Relations
by PodTech

4. Is Social Media Killing PR?
by Kara Swisher at All Things Digital

5. PR and Social Media Evolution Continues
by the BuzzBin

6. A Social Public Relations Survey
by Jennifer Leggio at ZDNet

That is your PR and Social Media reading for Monday. Take a look and digest ALL OF IT. Cheers!

Is Email Marketing Better than Social Media?

I was thrown into a conversation through the Understanding Marketing blog surrounding the concept of email marketing being better than social media… or vice versa.

I tend to agree with the editor over at Understanding Marketing when they say:

“So there’s a big conversation on which one is better. Here’s what I say – Who cares!? They both serve your audiences in their own way.”

I couldn’t agree more. There shouldn’t even be an argument over which medium is better. You should be using both mediums to develop your marketing strategy. Email has been successful over the years to drive valued buyers to a landing page, website, or phone. Social Media is used to build a brand, tell a story, and start a conversation.

They are two different mediums.. two different uses.. two different outcomes. If you are wanting an idea about how to combine the two mediums… Here is something to chew on:

1. Social Media is available to start building brand awareness around a specific product or service. It is also there to truly empower your employees and clients to talk about your company.

2. Email is the second tier of communication. Once a potential client buys into your conversation through social media.. Email can be there to deliver relevant and sales material to push the sales across.

These are just two uses for the HUGE mediums of email and social media. How do you combine both strategies?

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Business Is Always About Connecting

I was reading a post over at SmartBlog on Social Media and it had a quote by the Mzinga CEO Barry Libert:

“GM never thought of themselves of being in the business of connecting people, which is why they’re going bankrupt,”

Pretty valid thought if you ask me. Should all businesses be involved in connecting people with each other? Better yet… should businesses search for that lofty goal of connecting people who use their services to people who do not?

My opinion… Yes they should.

Business has always been about connecting. If you look back into history there has always been some type of connection between two people that created a company…

whether it was a deal that was signed or an idea sparked out of thin air.

The Internet has given way to a landslide of communication. You now have the ability to connect with every demographic on the face of the earth. What is your company doing to connect?

I am not going to sit here and say that the demise of GM was based around their inability to connect… but it is a valid point.

What are you going to do tomorrow to make it easier for customers and potential customers to connect?

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10 Tips to Build Trust with Social Media

In the new economy there is one major truth that stands above the rest. Trust equals revenue. If you are a small to mid-sized business it is the amount of trust you can build between clients that strengthens your brand.

With trust comes happy clients and with happy clients come referrals. Trust is a fundamental block of building business. Marketing is built under the assumption that stories can create an emotional bond between a consumer and a brand… a client and a service. Can you tell a story… create a service and en experience that builds trust?

Social media can help you build that trust.

1. Content

Content is the number one way you can build trust with potential clients. By creating meaningful and thought provoking content you are building a bridge to later sell that person on your services. Talk about what you do on a daily basis. When I  say you.. it means you are writing and communicating stories that happen to you on a daily basis.

2. Be Transparent

This can also pertain to content or how you use a specific social network. Be human. The people who are interested in your thoughts and suggestions want to know about you as a person. They could care less about a sale you are having or the amount of money you can cut off their bottom line. They want to know how you helped LARRY the plumber or Susan the account.

3. Picture of Your Day

When you are using social networks make sure you put up pictures of your daily life. If you have a cell phone with a camera takes some pictures of your daily routine and share them with your connections. Just don’t over do it. We can only look at so many professional business or glamor shots in a day.

4. Picture of You

Use your real picture. I don’t know how many times I have said this. Don’t use your logo. There is only one exception to this rule. If you are using Twitter for your business and personal (see my company @Brandswag for an example).

5. Saying Thank You

If somebody helps you share information or decideds to retweet a post.. make sure you thank that person. They are helping you spread the word… they are your online evangelists.. If you miss a thank you.. don’t let it kill you.. but try to make the most of the people that help you out.

6. Do Not Auto-DM on Twitter

See my post… I hate Twitter Auto-DM

7. No Hard Selling

I don’t care about your enewsletter or the new lotion you are selling. Also, just because I reply to a tweet or a message does not mean you can message me back and sell your wares. Social media is a long sell process. You are developing content in order to gain an order of trust with people in your area of influence. We are now experiencing a relationship driven economy… get on the train.

8. Time is Important

Remember that you are building relationships.. do not trust the people that tell you to add 1023920 friends and make $10,000 a month. It is a load of crap. Build your following slowly… create relationships in an online environment that can be transferred offline.

9. Criticism is Important

You will be criticized. It is a truth of open communication. Take it with stride and respond. If you are debated… make sure you debate back. Stand up for what you believe and you will gain trust with the people who are listening…. and watching.

10. Have fun

Good Lord… is it that hard? You have the ability to connect with thousands… and thousands… and thousands of people from every nationality… and life experience. Just imagine your ability to expand your knowledge base and learn?!

One thought: If you are not enjoying and having fun with what you do… quit… go find something else.

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#1 Reason Why Small Biz Should Use Social Media

Catchy title huh?

There has been plenty of talk from social media and small business consultants about the importance of fusing traditional networking with online “social” networking. It is one of the more important things you can do as a business development head or owner of a small to mid-sized business.

Networking has always been at the core of sales for small business owners. Since starting my company two years ago… networking (both online and offline) have driven business to my firm…But do you know what released the flood gates?

Combining my offline networking with my online networking.

John Jantsch hit the nail on the head when he said in his recent post about becoming a social company:

“(social) firms are much easier to refer because they are more deeply connected and socially involved in every facet of their ecosystem”

We can talk for hours about selling online but the real value for business owners is becoming social company and working hard to network both in an online environment and offline environment.

The main thing to remember is that you have to BELIEVE in networking. You have the opportunity to becoming involved with hundreds of people in your immediate location.

So what are the steps to networking online and offline?

1. Join an offline networking group. (I personally use Rainmakers and Confluence here in Indianapolis)

2. Join a locally based online networking group (ie Smaller Indiana)

3. Join a national network and use search functions to locate users in your area. (Twitter and Twitter Search)

You will be pleasantly surprised and remember… it is a way of life and a tool for your business.

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5 Quick Tools for Listening in on Social Media

I had the pleasure of speaking on a panel last weekend for the Hoosier Chapter of the PRSA’s Social Media Bootcamp. There was quite a bit of talk around tracking your brand through conversations online. How do you you track your brand online? How do you keep up with the mass of people joinging into the conversation? And the most important thing of all… how do you do it cost effectively and easily. 

There is a specific company (Radian6) that we talked about on the panel because of their UNBELIEVABLY cool tools for tracking and monitoring brands online. There is of course a cost involved for the Radian6 product. If you have any questions be sure to contact Amber Naslund on Twitter (@ambercadabra). But knowing Radian6… she has already posted a comment on this blog…

and I haven’t even published it yet. 

If you are looking for some quick and dirty ways to start following and monitoring your (company or personal) brand online… here are 5 quick tips to get started. 

1. Google Alerts

Google Alerts allows you to track your name or any keyword through an email notification. Any time your search term is discovered online you will receive an email from Google.. ALERTING you of the new link. Google Alerts can be a little slow in the long run but if you are budget sensitive this is a great place to start.

Watch the video below from Mindy at YourWebCoaches and learn how to setup an alert.

2. Social Mention

Social Mention is quick and easy way to search for the conveted keyword throughout the web. Simple user interface (much like google). If you want a quick way to search for brand names and conversation surrounding certain names… Social Mention is a good way to go. 

3. Spy

Here we have a new guy in the race for total brand monitoring domination. I was tipped on Spy from KDPaine’s post about monitoring your brand online. It is a pretty simple tool to use and is contained to more of the conversation’s happening online.. instead of direct links. The easy to use interface keeps it simple… and we love simple. 

4. Use Twitter Search

If you are using Twitter… which many of us are now… you know how hard it is to follow all the conversations. It is important to utilize this tool to follow conversations on this growing social network. If you are using TweetDeck it is extremely to follow the conversation surrounding your name. I like to use Twitter Search to follow certain trends (social media marketing) or people (competition perhaps?).

5. Track Blog Comments on Backtype

Backtype is a service that “lets you find, follow and share comments from across the web. Whener you fill out the “Website” or “URL” field in a comment form when you publish a comment on a blog of other website, BackType attributes it to you.” 

It is a cool tool because you can track your comments over the expanse of the web. One of the best features of Backtype is the Connect feature. The Connect feature allows you to search for comments and conversations around a specific post or article. Check it out and test it… pretty cool stuff! 

Now get out there and start tracking! It is important to be in the game and be involved in the game. 

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