"How Do You Become More Likeable" by Shawn Hilferty

Shawn Hilferty, Director of Digital Marketing and Media

What is Social Media?

Forms of electronic communication (as Web sites for

social networking and blogging) through which users

create online communities to share information, ideas,

personal messages, and other content (as videos) -Webster’s Dictionary (.com)

But what is it really?

Its really High School!

Popular Kids Not So Popular Kids

Which one are you?

Popular Kids

People with the most friends

People who comment the most

People that engage on most post

Seen the most in your news feed

Not So Popular Kids

People with the least amount of friends

People who comment the least

People that don’t engage on post

Not seen very much in news feeds

How do You Become Popular

or

Likeable?

Invite your customers to be your fans –

Why should people like your page?

• It’s not about you its about your customers

• Just like the web became to big to just tell people to go to your website without

telling them why, so has social media…even with your customers.

• Top Five Reasons Consumers Like Pages

1. Discounts and promos

2. Show support for brand to friends

3. To get freebies

4. To stay informed on company’s activities

5. For update on future projects

• It’s essential to develop a value proposition statement

• You’re not going to get likes from anyone without giving them a valid reason.

• Where should you tell customers to like you

• Your website, email newsletter, email signature, business card, brochures, receipt,

in location signage, etc.

Remember to make it about them and not about you!

Listening - The most important thing is to listen and never stop listening.

• We do disproportionate amount of talking…even shouting on social

media platforms

Everybody loves to be heard

• You have the ability to check on customers and

prospective customers like you never have before.

• Even listening to your competitors customers has never been easier.

Benefits from listening

• Strengthen your relationship with your customers

• Knowing your customers will help you better plan offers, promotions

and contest to better drive buzz and sales

• Test new ideas and receive feedback quickly

How to listen

• Use free services like Google alerts, Twitter Search, Facebook

Search, etc.

Respond - We should be responding to everything. Regardless if its good or bad or

how trivial, the community is expecting a response.

Not responding at all…IS a response

Acknowledgment alone goes a long way

• By not responding you’re sending out a strong message that the

customer’s opinion doesn’t matter!

• Be Direct on responding to negative comments

• A genuine apology with how you are going to fix the problem.

• Do not delete negative comments, it is equivalent to ripping up a

comment card in someone’s face

• If further matters need to be handle take it private.

• Two simple words “I’m Sorry” or “Thank You” can go along way. These

two words say “We’re Listening”

Take them from complainers to supporters

• Be creative when responding to good comments, add some personality to the

brand. • Thanks a lot Johnny, You rule!

• Thanks for the comment, and keep spreading the good word!

Share Stories – Stories are your social currency. Viewers want to know who you

are. Share stories about employees, charities that you are involved with and behind the

scene pictures. Stories can be as simple as one picture with 30 seconds of text.

Stories bring your company to life. • How you started

• Every organization has humble beginnings, and by reminding people of this, you

can connect with your customers and keep them from considering your group a

faceless or too “corporate”

• What you do for your customers (testimonials)

• Remember its not about you it’s about your customers

• Share Successes

• Your key staff

• Your organization no matter what you sell or what services you provide, has

amazing people behind it. So share their stories.

Be Authentic– You have to be human and demonstrate a personality. No one

wants feel like they are talking to a machine or dealing with someone who cannot

empathize with their situation.

Develop an authentic voice

• You have to be an authentic human being in your interactions. Anything less and your

customers might consider your attempt as nothing more than a marketing ploy.

• You need to let the world know about your company’s, or brand's, personality while

showing that you truly care about your customers.

• Be willing to take the time to make a connection with them.

• Trying to keep staff from going “off message” is the wrong attitude to have on

social networks and often makes authentic communications nearly impossible

Don’t regulate discussions

• Create a set of guidelines for what tone of voice will be used and what you really

can’t say. Then make sure that trustworthy people are representing the

organization.

Telling everyone how awesome you are has no capital with

anyone…but you!

Provide Value - Why should people follow you? What are you providing? How

are you engaging? All questions should be asked internally with your company..

Providing free value builds trust, reputation and even sales

• In each of our business we can offer some expertise in a particular subject. Offer this

expertise for free, write or share articles about a service you provide, if you own a

restaurant share a recipe and if you are accountant write an article on tax saving tips.

• Creating and sharing valuable content will provide you with a great reputation and

return – but only over time and through consistent effort and commitment.

Couponing the difference between value and marketing

• Can coupons provide real value?

• 5 -10% off is perceived as marketing

• 50% off tells customers that you are providing something of actual worth.

• Free can result in lifetime loyalty. Offer a free gift with purchase is good compromise

will create a reason for customers to return to your social platforms for future

discounts.

Opportunity is Knocking – Understand what’s going on in the world or

national events.

You never know when you can interject into conversations

• The world moves at an incredible pace. Social media accelerates the conversations.

• Each one of your companies can join conversation during major events or specfic

times of the year.

DON’T SELL…JOIN!

• Being part of the conversation, allows people to build trust with you.

In an hour it was retweeted over 10,000 times and was liked over 20,000 times on Facebook

Consistently deliver excitement, surprise and delight!

The little things matter • Listen to conversations that are not necessarily about your company and respond

to questions that aren’t aimed directly at you. Become part of the conversation

related to your industry.

• Remember don’t push your company or sales

• Contests and sweepstakes can create “WOW” moments. If you created contest

that bring customers closer to your brand or strengthen that emotional connection,

they will be more likely to have long lasting impact.

• Contests that create excitement for everyone has a chance to win can drive an

entire fan page to work together in promoting the growth of the community.

Cumberland Farms – New England based convenience store

Created 10,000 new fans and reached over

50,000 fans through the community sharing.

Integrate Social Media into the Customer Experience

Social Media Is Not Just Marketing • Social Media cannot just be left to the Advertising or Marketing departments

• You have to integrate understanding across all groups in our organization.

• Determine who else besides you at your organization can have a role in social

media.

• Closely examine all your inventory, assets, time and space to promote your

Facebook presence. Where can you share your value proposition for liking your

company and following you. Have you integrated social media links into

traditional advertising, packaging and website?

• Customers don’t care what department you are in. If they have a problem, then

they want solutions.

Action Items

• Integrate social channels buttons into as many products and website as make

sense. Make it easier to like you.

Social Media Engagement = Increase SEO Rankings

YES! Google, Bing and Yahoo now use Social Media Engagement

to Increase your ranking in search results.

What do we do first?

Get to know your audience.

How are you talking to them?

How and where are they talking on social platforms?

When engaging customers are you authentic?

TAKE SOME RISK. There's no silver bullet! Be OK with failing

and learn from it.

During major events or sales help promote

engagement.

You need to get people talking! From there

they will share, engage and promote.

Questions