Using Social Media for Your Wedding Business

Using Social Mediato Build Your Wedding BusinessCrystal Olig / Oxiem Interactive

Facebook.com/crystal.oligTwitter @sparklegemLinkedIn.com/in/crystalaolig

Find today’s presentation online at Slideshare.net/crystalaolig

Getting StartedThe Basics

Social Media is MarketingTarget Market: Her Circle of Influence• Brides• Moms & Grandmas• Bridesmaids & friends• Grooms & Dads• Partner vendors

Goals & Strategies: What you want to do• Build credibility & professionalism• Create awareness• Attract new business• Create preference or a niche• Get referrals

Tactics: How you do it• Build an online presence for yourself and/or

your company• Show off your work• Position yourself as an expert

Social Media is JournalismThink like a journalist: You are the reporter• Choose to share items that are interesting• Edit and curate• Use your trained expert eye• Share your opinions• Be critical but positive• Be mindful of your reputation

Social Media is NetworkingYour social media toolkit: The New Little Black Book• Keep in touch with the click of a mouse• You don’t need their email if you can find them on

Facebook• You don’t need their phone # if you can tweet

them• Surround yourself with the best people, vendors

and clients• Just like in person, good karma, good will goes a

long way

What is your web home base?You must have a primary source of information about your business… otherwise, all your social media energy fizzles.

WebsitesAsk yourself:• How important is this to my marketing?• How easy is it to maintain?• Do I have any money to spend?• Is there anyone who can teach me how?

Cost considerations:• Hosting – think of it like your site’s rent• Domain name registration – your www. Address• Maintenance

Places to start:• GoDaddy• Wix• Intuit• Webs• Google website builder• Weebly• Yola

BlogsMany times, a blog is indistinguishable from a website• Wordpress• Blogger• Tumblr• Posterous• squareSpace

OffbeatBride.com

simplydazzlingevents.blogspot.com

earthfriendlywedding.blogspot.com

blog.prestonbailey.com

blog.emilieduncan.net

Fill up your toolboxPick a few tools you can use well.

Social Media MarketingYou don’t have to do everything. You just have to do a few things well.

Get Your Toolbox ReadyA few things everyone should have to use social media:

• A clear idea of your identity – is it you or is it your business?• Cohesive color scheme and visual identity • If it’s your business, you need a professional logo• A professional headshot

• A short biography of what you do:•Think of using keywords people might search for• Make sure it represents your voice – it shouldn’t be boring!• Use consistently in your profiles

FacebookWhat is it?• Top social network• One of the most popular websites in the world• 1 in 12 people worldwide have Facebook

Why use it?• Easy way to stay connected to brides, get referrals• People want to do business with people – you can be yourself!• Ability to create a constant stream• Keep growing your network• Photography looks nice on it• You can have a professional or personal page (or both!)

TwitterWhat is it?• Micro-blogging service – 140 characters or less• Uses SMS (texting) technology• People “Follow you” on Twitter• You “have Twitter” or you “Tweet”

Why use it?• Easy to update frequently• Versatile to incorporate into other sides• You can tie it to your blog, site, or Facebook• People can send you personalized messages without being a “friend”

YouTubeWhat is it?• Top video network• One of the most popular websites in the world• It’s a search engine, too

Why use it?• Great way to share experiences• 360 view of your events• Easy to send out as portfolio items• Easy to embed into websites or blogs• More and more people watch video online or on devices

LinkedInWhat is it?• Professional social network• Mostly used for building partnerships or relationships• Lots of discussion boards and groups

Why use it?• Builds your credibility as a professional• Connect to your partners/other vendors• Showcase your expertise and experience • Good for search engines if people search your name

FlickrWhat is it?• Photo-sharing network• Driven by beautiful images• It’s a search engine, too

Why use it?• Showcase your work • Share large and hi-resolution images easily• Group your sets in albums to show range

...just fun

Use your tools intelligentlyCreate content, share consistently and curate

FacebookTo Do’s: • Create a personal profile or a page for your business •Connect with clients & their networks• Share your content• Post photos of all your events• Interact with other pages/ partners

FacebookHow To’s: • Introduce yourself:• Say, “So nice to meet you at BRIDE NAME’s wedding/shower/rehearsal. Would love to keep in touch.”• Make a point to post on their wall with something kind, funny, personal:• “I loved your shoes! A very chic bridesmaid statement! Let’s keep in touch.”• Make a page• Check once a day• Mention someone in a status update by typing “@” then the name of a person. If you are connected to that person/page, it will link:

FacebookGood Examples

TwitterTo Do’s:• Create a profile• Use your headshot and profile statement• Link to your home base• Participate in Twitter chats like #eventprofs• Listen!• Create lists or find ways to manage• Tweet pictures from your phone

How To’s:•# is a Hashtag, used to create a topic• @YourName is your “handle” • You respond to someone using an @reply• Use search.twitter.com or Tweet Grid to search for a topic• Use Hootsuite to manage multiple feeds• Check a couple times a day

Twitter

FlickrTo Do’s:• Create an account• Create sets and galleries• Tag with keywords and link to your email or site• Use it to quickly share your work• Make sure you protect your photos

How To’s:• Just create an account and follow the steps• You can have a professional account very affordably, to be able to store large, hi-res photos• Make sure you ask your photographer for the rights to use their work, give them credit

FlickrShowcase your work!

FourSquareTo Do’s:• Create an account• “Check in” at locations using your smart phone• You can create an event at your venue• Create a special

How To’s:• Download the app or create an account online• Use the app to check-in• Log-in to your account to see who has checked in at your event

FourSquareBy showing who is at your event, you build awareness & attract that person’s connections.

Great examples

Ready2SparkLara McCullough• Event planner and business owner out of Toronto• Leader in local events market• Ready2Spark is her consultancy, and she also is part of a

family business in tents• She is a writer & speaker as well as an event

professional

Social Media Marketing

Ready2Spark

Pink Inc.

Bloomtastic

Fresh French Floral

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Using Social Media for Your Wedding Business

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