Ottaway Communication, Inc.

Before we jump into what products may be a good fit for your business, let’s take a “beginner’s look” at Social Media, and more importantly, Social Media Marketing. As with so much on the Internet, fancy terms abound and they often are counterproductive since they seem so foreign and may be difficult to learn. This should not really be the case with Social Media Marketing (SMM). That’s because Social Media is nothing more than online communities where people interact with one another; like a chat room or a forum, or an email discussion list. Many people never really set out to use Social Media for the goal of gaining customers, or branding their business, but that is exactly what happens, generally not by some calculated plan, but simply by being one’s self and letting their passion for their business, service or product show through.

So there you have it. Social Media is not some big mountain to climb, but rather your voice on the Internet chatting about what you know and love. SMM is an extension of this as it becomes the voice of your business, product and/or service. Furthermore, there’s really no need to be afraid of Facebook or Twitter since they’re merely newer Social Media platforms with funky Web 2.0 names and cool appearances. In reality, they’re no different than old-fashioned chat rooms and
forums.

So, what should you consider in looking into how SMM fits for your business? According to Greg Ott, SVP of Marketing and Product at Classmates.com, here are five questions to think through in
establishing a SMM program:

1. What is your objective? What are you really trying to accomplish? Content contribution? Community development?

2. Who cares? We must understand your target audience and how they are spending their time on-line.

3. How will we reward them? We must give our audience something that is valuable and remarkable, such as unique content that’s worth commenting on; a tool for self-expression; or a community that’s
worth being a part of. The programs must be quick to take in and easy to digest.

4. Can they trust you? Both authenticity and openness are critical on social networks. We can excel here.

5. Are you committed? Running a token program is likely to fail. We must stick with it, test and learn, and become an expert.

Whether it’s now or later, SMM is not going away. According to an October 2007 survey of 116 senior marketing professionals, Coremetrics discovered 78% of respondents view SMM as a way to gain a
competitive edge. Yet, only 7.75% of total online marketing budgets are allocated to social networking sites as of June 2008. This disconnect reflects the perceived risk and learning curve that
marketers associate with advertising through any new medium. However, as noted above, many of these risks can be minimized through a deeper understanding of the opportunity at hand.

We’ve been working in this space for clients for over two years now and have learned that the need to work on it daily is the key. Your audience still expects you to be involved “all the time”. If
they’re going to be “friends” you must be a “friend”, and friends respond in a timely fashion. If they see you as being mainly “off line”, they’ll find a new friend, and the program will languish and possibly even fail. This must be a commitment, even a passion. Lets talk more!

Bob Ottaway
(248) 637-4600 x10
bottaway@ottaway.net