What is Social Media & How Can You Use It to Increase Business?

Presented by Brian LintonFounder Sand Shack LLC

Brianlinton.comSandshack.com

January 2010© 2010 Brian Linton

© 2010 Brian Linton

What We’re Talking About

Social Media Definition

My Background and Why I am Here

Social Media Benefits for Retail Stores

Social Media Basic Uses with Examples

What to do First and How to Get Started

How Much $ and How Much Time Does this All Cost?

© 2010 Brian Linton

What is Social Media – A Definition

A few definitions…

An umbrella term that defines the various activities that integrate technology and social interaction online.

Social Media is a collection of tools and online spaces available to help individuals and businesses to accelerate their information and communication needs.

Online technologies and practices that people use to share opinions, insights, experiences, and perspectives with each other.

Social Media is slightly different for everyone and how it is used may vary

© 2010 Brian Linton

A Definition for Our Industry

Social Media is a collection of online tools (mostly free) that allow retail establishments to connect and communicate with their customers. Social media allows for instant communication and feedback about events, promotions, and allow retail stores to find out what their customers like and don’t like.

Proper use of social media by retail establishments does not entail mindless self promotion, it is about consistent communication with customers and providing free, useful content that will influence customers to make a purchase from an online or offline store.

© 2010 Brian Linton

Forms of Social Media

• Blogs• Facebook• Twitter• YouTube

There are hundreds of forms of social media…Let’s start with these 4

© 2010 Brian Linton

Social Media Definition

My Background and Why I am Here

Social Media Benefits for Retail Stores

Social Media Basics with Examples

What to do First and How to Get Started

How Much $ and How Much Time Does this All Cost?

What We’re Talking About

© 2010 Brian Linton

My Background

Grew up in Singapore and Japan

Founded Sand Shack while in college in 2006

Live and work in Philadelphia

Girlfriend’s name is Joanna and Dog’s name is Zoey

Speak Chinese, love to travel, write, and like to raise fish

© 2010 Brian Linton

Why You Should Listen To Me

I am not a social media expert

I grew up using forms of social media

I successfully use social media for my business

Most importantly, I am in your industry-Sand Shack is a brand of resort merchandise

© 2010 Brian Linton

Social Media Definition

My Background and Why I am Here

Social Media Benefits for Retail Stores

Social Media Basics with Examples

What to do First and How to Get Started

How Much $ and How Much Time Does this All Cost?

What We’re Talking About

© 2010 Brian Linton

Benefits

It Pays to Be Social

If you are not online, you will lose to those who are

Having a website is no longer enough

People will judge you based on your online, social presence

© 2010 Brian Linton

Benefits

Build your web presence -when people search for your business or thing related to your business they find you

Improve your public relations-get press coverage

Be able to hear what your customers are saying about you and your company

-If it’s bad you can improve it-if it’s good, you can focus on it

© 2010 Brian Linton

Benefits

Connect with your customers

Gain new customers

Find out where your customers are both on and offline

Build your brand

All business, not matter the size, can benefit

© 2010 Brian Linton

Social Media Definition

My Background and Why I am Here

Social Media Benefits for Retail Stores

Social Media Basic Uses with Examples

What to do First and How to Get Started

How Much $ and How Much Time Does this All Cost?

What We’re Talking About

© 2010 Brian Linton

3 Free Social Media Tools to Use Today

There are 3 social media tools you can begin using today

© 2010 Brian Linton

Blogging

•A Blog is the headquarters for all your social media activity.

•Landing spot for all online, social activity

•Static vs Dynamic

•Personal vs Business – or both?

•Transparency

© 2010 Brian Linton

Personal Blogging

Brianlinton.com

© 2010 Brian Linton

Business Blogging

Sandshack.com/blog

© 2010 Brian Linton

Getting Started

Host your blog on your .com website -don’t use ‘free’ domain names-integrate it with your existing

website

Use wordpress to manage your blog and content

-visit wordpress.org -Use one of 1000s of free

templates

Online resources abound-wordpress.org tutorials-1000s of blogs on the subject

(problogger.net)

© 2010 Brian Linton

Blogging Musts and Benefits

•Don’t just publish, interact•Better communication•Comments

•Build Community

•Low Cost and Easy

•Search Engine Ranking

•You Must PROMOTE your blog – this can be done free

•Create a blog of value •Convert readers into customers

© 2010 Brian Linton

Blog Promotion

•Write quality content

•Blog regularly

•Tag and categorize appropriately

•Make your blog search engine friendly

•Encourage comments, tweets, diggs, stumbles, etc.

•Comment on other blogs

•Be a guest blogger

•Participate in forums and discussion boards

•Email marketing with newsletters

© 2010 Brian Linton

Advanced Blogging

•Become a source on a topic

•Blog Promotion – Guest blogging,

•Understanding Statistics

•Create a family of blogs that drive traffic back to your main website and store• Ie. Sandshack.org, Stop Overfishing, Stop Shark Finning, Save our Coral Reefs

•Come to the Advanced Social Media Seminar

© 2010 Brian Linton

Facebook

•Create and use a Facebook Page

•Use Facebook’s Search function

•Organize and host online and offline events using Facebook.

•Drive traffic back to your blog

© 2010 Brian Linton

Facebook Pages

A Facebook Page is a public profile that enables you to share your business and products with Facebook users

Tips For Using Facebook Pages

-Create a community-Post regular updates

-Start the conversation

-Converse – Don’t Sell

© 2010 Brian Linton

Facebook Search

Find and connect with people or groups who have influence over your potential customers

Search for what matters to your business

Reach out and network with leaders of relevant groups

Join groups and make friends

Note: Only Leaders/Administrators can mass-message all members and fans about you

© 2010 Brian Linton

Some Benefits of Networking

You get mentioned on a popular Facebook page

You get listed on a website with link back to yours

Sandshack’s $5,555 giveaway

© 2010 Brian Linton

Facebook Events

Host online and offline events and promote them with Facebook Events

Name our Lobster Competition

-Over 100 name submissions

-Brought polling back to our blog

TipsBe creative Offer a prizeDon’t spam

The power of FREE

© 2010 Brian Linton

Twitter

Twitter is more important for larger brands, but small brands are having success with it as well

Use twitter to gain followers

Great real-time search engine

© 2010 Brian Linton

Twitter for Business

Update Followers

Don’t just self-promote

Monitor conversations

Address problems (bigger brands)

Join a conversation

Be human – not a robot

© 2010 Brian Linton

Twitter Search

Different than Google because you can monitor what people are talking about

Join the conversation with @ reply

© 2010 Brian Linton

Twitter for Research

Ask questions and get feedback

Not just your followers can answer you – anyone can

© 2010 Brian Linton

Social Media Definition

My Background and Why I am Here

Social Media Benefits for Retail Stores

Social Media Basic Uses with Examples

What to do First and How to Get Started

How Much $ and How Much Time Does this All Cost?

What We’re Talking About

© 2010 Brian Linton

Where to Start

Building a social media presence is a process and you can take it as slow or as fast as you want.

© 2010 Brian Linton

Social Media Definition

My Background and Why I am Here

Social Media Benefits for Retail Stores

Social Media Basic Uses with Examples

What to do First and How to Get Started

How Much $ and How Much Time Does this All Cost?

What We’re Talking About

© 2010 Brian Linton

What is Your Investment?

If you own your .com a blog can be added to it for free-Wordpress vs blogger

Facebook and twitter accounts are free

Digital camera that takes movie and photos: $200 -Imagery adds a lot to your social media presence

Largest investment is your time -2 to 20 hours / week-You get what you put into it

Tip – Get interns from local university to help build your social media presence

© 2010 Brian Linton

Help me Be More Social

• 15 second video testimonial– Good and the bad

• Seminar Review Sheet

• Business cards for Social Media Newsletter

• A video of this presentation and the powerpoint will be available on Brianlinton.com

© 2010 Brian Linton

Contact Brian: Tel: 508-292-9427 or brian@sandshack.com

Contact Information