Creating Your Virtual Marketing Platform For Small Business

Social Media Camp Victoria Social Media Camp Victoria ‘11‘11

Creating Your Virtual Creating Your Virtual Marketing Platform For Marketing Platform For

Your Small BusinessYour Small Business

& Growing Your Platform in 10 & Growing Your Platform in 10 Minutes A DayMinutes A Day

By Robin HeppellBy Robin Heppell

@robinheppell #SMVC11 | Questions: (702) 487-@robinheppell #SMVC11 | Questions: (702) 487-30493049


Quick Snap Shot: Robin Quick Snap Shot: Robin HeppellHeppell

• Born & raised in VictoriaBorn & raised in Victoria• Funeral Director for 20 years at Funeral Director for 20 years at

McCall Bros.McCall Bros.• Resident techie & web guyResident techie & web guy• Became industry consultant / Became industry consultant /

speakerspeaker• Focused on Online Marketing for Focused on Online Marketing for

Funeral Homes & Local Funeral Homes & Local BusinessesBusinesses

• Started offering clients websites Started offering clients websites built with WordPress & configuring built with WordPress & configuring their Social Media – which their Social Media – which became their became their Virtual Marketing Virtual Marketing PlatformPlatform

• Church Church • Fraternities: Fraternities:

Freemasons, Freemasons, Eastern Star, Eastern Star, Knights of Knights of Columbus, ElksColumbus, Elks

• Service Clubs: Service Clubs: Rotary, Kiwanis, Rotary, Kiwanis, LionsLions

• Civic: Town council, Civic: Town council, Parent AdvisoryParent Advisory

• Sports: Coaching, Sports: Coaching, Managing, Managing, ParticipatingParticipating

• Business: Business: Chamber, Chamber, Leadership Groups, Leadership Groups, BNIBNI

Conventional Places to Conventional Places to NetworkNetwork



Goal: Build RelationshipsGoal: Build Relationships

Know, Like, TrustKnow, Like, Trust

What We Will Cover What We Will Cover TodayToday

• Your Virtual Marketing PlatformYour Virtual Marketing Platform• VMP Fast StartVMP Fast Start• Why You Should Become Your Why You Should Become Your

Industry ExpertIndustry Expert• Executing Your Virtual Marketing Executing Your Virtual Marketing

PlanPlan



Virtual Marketing PlatformVirtual Marketing Platform

Since the Internet continues to rapidly Since the Internet continues to rapidly change and more of the population are change and more of the population are

turning to the Internet for information, you turning to the Internet for information, you want to make sure that your website can want to make sure that your website can

grow with these changes.grow with these changes.

Virtual Marketing Virtual Marketing PlatformPlatform

Your Website is the Foundation of Your Website is the Foundation of your Virtual Marketing Platformyour Virtual Marketing Platform

WordPress for Business WordPress for Business WebsitesWebsites

• Easy to editEasy to edit• Easy to updateEasy to update• Easy to integrateEasy to integrate• Easy to remodelEasy to remodel• Easy to expandEasy to expand


EmailEmail


RSSRSS


Online Online ChatChat


SearchSearchEnginesEngines


BlogsBlogs


MobileMobile


MediaMediaSocialSocial


VideoVideoOnlineOnline


ViralViral


ManagementManagementReputationReputation


Build A Consistent BrandBuild A Consistent Brand

• Check available Usernames for both Check available Usernames for both personal and company profilespersonal and company profiles

• Go to: http://www.NameChk.com Go to: http://www.NameChk.com • Try to use a consistent photo / logo Try to use a consistent photo / logo

for your profilesfor your profiles• Know where you want to drive people Know where you want to drive people

(what URL do you want people to (what URL do you want people to visit)visit)



Besides Your Website, create Your Besides Your Website, create Your Power Platform Builder accountsPower Platform Builder accounts

• GmailGmail• YouTubeYouTube• FacebookFacebook• TwitterTwitter• LinkedInLinkedIn

Power Platform Fast Start Power Platform Fast Start



You Should Be The Expert!You Should Be The Expert!

The Paradox of the The Paradox of the Information AgeInformation Age

You have all of the You have all of the information you need information you need at your finger tips, but at your finger tips, but

you don’t have the you don’t have the time. time. So then it comes down to who you know So then it comes down to who you know

and what they know…and why would and what they know…and why would someone trust YOU?someone trust YOU?

Influence Weapon: Influence Weapon: AuthorityAuthority

Authority…Authority…

People will tend to obey People will tend to obey authority figures, even if authority figures, even if they are asked to perform they are asked to perform objectionable acts. objectionable acts. Cialdini cites incidents, Cialdini cites incidents, such as the Milgram such as the Milgram experiments in the early experiments in the early 1960s1960sDr. Robert Cialdini

Where To Find Where To Find InformationInformation



Why?Why?• Public is very uninformed Public is very uninformed

about optionsabout options• They don’t know what they They don’t know what they

don’t knowdon’t know• QSAs will help increase QSAs will help increase

averagesaverages• Expose competitors Expose competitors

weaknessesweaknesses• This is the easiest format This is the easiest format

to create contentto create content

How?How?• Ask staff what questions Ask staff what questions

they get asked the mostthey get asked the most• Make list of questions you Make list of questions you

wish customers would askwish customers would ask• Type out the answers: BlogType out the answers: Blog• Video: Create 4 PPT slidesVideo: Create 4 PPT slides

• Intro, Question, Answer, Intro, Question, Answer, More InfoMore Info

• Record and distribute videoRecord and distribute video

Your Content: FAQs & Your Content: FAQs & QSAsQSAs



Build A Massive Web Build A Massive Web PresencePresence

LEAD CAPTURELEAD CAPTUREName & Email Address:Name & Email Address:

Questions They AskQuestions They Ask Questions They Should AskQuestions They Should Ask



Maximum Effect – Min. Maximum Effect – Min. EffortEffort

Initial: Automation

Initial: Build Network

Weekly: Content

Daily: Pleasantries

Others: Viral

1: Initial Automation1: Initial Automation

Website must have RSS feedWebsite must have RSS feed Push posts to FacebookPush posts to Facebook Push posts to TwitterPush posts to Twitter Aggregate Social Media accounts with Aggregate Social Media accounts with

HootSuite or Ping.FMHootSuite or Ping.FM Install “Share Tools” on website like: Install “Share Tools” on website like:

ShareThis or AddThis or Facebook ShareThis or AddThis or Facebook ConnectConnect

2: Build Your Network2: Build Your Network



3: Weekly Content 3: Weekly Content SharingSharing

Go to iGoogle DashboardGo to iGoogle Dashboard

Find 1 – 3 – 5 articlesFind 1 – 3 – 5 articles

Schedule them in HootSuiteSchedule them in HootSuite

Share your own content 4 timesShare your own content 4 times

• Initial announcement: New video / article titled…Initial announcement: New video / article titled…

• Ask question that is answered: Ever wonder how many / Ask question that is answered: Ever wonder how many / what is?what is?

• Mention specific fact / nugget: Did you know there are? Mention specific fact / nugget: Did you know there are?

• Request feedback - Request feedback - What were your thoughts? Did you agree with What were your thoughts? Did you agree with me?me?







4: Daily Pleasantries4: Daily Pleasantries

Hepp’s 4 Quarter StrategyHepp’s 4 Quarter Strategy

• 25%: Personal Updates25%: Personal Updates

• 25%: Liking, Commenting on 25%: Liking, Commenting on OthersOthers

• 25%: Disseminating Useful Info25%: Disseminating Useful Info

• 25%: Indirect Business Promotions25%: Indirect Business Promotions



5: Viral Strategy5: Viral Strategy

Make it easy for others to spread Make it easy for others to spread the information to othersthe information to others



5: Viral Strategy5: Viral Strategy

Tell them how to spread the Tell them how to spread the information to othersinformation to others

5 Steps to Add an Obit to Facebook1.Go to obituary page2.Copy the web page URL 3.Log into Facebook and click on “What’s on your mind?” box4.Press Link and paste the link into the bar, press Attach5.Select picture, add a comment and press Share

Bonus: Leverage Old Bonus: Leverage Old NetworksNetworks

Since you are going to be spending Since you are going to be spending time at these events and meetings time at these events and meetings anyway…anyway…

• Update your status when appropriateUpdate your status when appropriate• Take your camera or video camera & Take your camera or video camera &

take pics and vids of Awards take pics and vids of Awards Ceremonies, Recitals, Civic Ceremonies, Recitals, Civic events – and then TAG!!!events – and then TAG!!!



Local Sites Are InfluentialLocal Sites Are Influential

Claim you Google Places PageClaim you Google Places Page

Review Site: YelpReview Site: Yelp

What’s Next: Mobile!What’s Next: Mobile!

Text your email address to:Text your email address to:

(702) 487-3049(702) 487-3049

Connect with Robin Connect with Robin HeppellHeppell

General / Local Business Gurus profiles:General / Local Business Gurus profiles:Website: http://www.localbusinessgurus.com/Website: http://www.localbusinessgurus.com/Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/robinheppellFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/robinheppellLinkedin: http://ca.linkedin.com/in/heppellLinkedin: http://ca.linkedin.com/in/heppellTwitter: http://twitter.com/robinheppellTwitter: http://twitter.com/robinheppell

Funeral Industry profiles:Funeral Industry profiles:Website: http://www.funeralfuturist.comWebsite: http://www.funeralfuturist.comWebsite: http://www.funeralgurus.comWebsite: http://www.funeralgurus.comFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/funeralfuturistFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/funeralfuturistYouTube: http://www.youtube.com/funeralfuturistYouTube: http://www.youtube.com/funeralfuturistTwitter: http://twitter.com/funeralfuturistTwitter: http://twitter.com/funeralfuturistSlideshare: http://www.slideshare.net/funeralfuturistSlideshare: http://www.slideshare.net/funeralfuturist

Creating Your Virtual Marketing Platform For Small Business

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