The document discusses four methods for staffing social media services at an agency: outsourcing to a specialty firm, hiring an internal social media guru, training existing agency personnel, or fully integrating social media capabilities. It analyzes the pros and cons of each approach and provides recommendations on which method may be best suited for agencies of different sizes. The key takeaways are that outsourcing is best for a first foray into social media, a guru is suitable for small agencies, and larger agencies can use specialized experts or a hybrid guru/trained personnel model.

1. A Guru or the Gang?
The 4 Methods of Social Media
Agency Staffing
@jaybaer
#GuruGang

2. Jay Baer
Convince & Convert
www.ConvinceAndConvert.com
www.OneSocialThing.com

3. digital marketing conference for agencies
Webinar Rate: save $200 today!
www.bolo2012.com
code = jbaer200

4. 1. The Greater the Pace of Change, the Greater the
Client Interface Requirement.
@jaybaer
#GuruGang

5. 2. The Greater the Measurable Granularity, the
Greater the Client Interface Requirement.
@jaybaer
#GuruGang

7. 3. The More Familiar the Tactic, the Greater the
Client Interface Requirement.
@jaybaer
#GuruGang

8. @jaybaer
#GuruGang

9. @jaybaer
#GuruGang

10. Ever-changing
Granularly measurable Perfect
Tactically familiar Storm
of
Client
Interfac
e
Require
ments
@jaybaer
#GuruGang

12. Show me a firm where the social media people
aren’t the busiest in the agency, and I’ll show you
an agency that isn’t very good at selling social
media.
@jaybaer
#GuruGang

13. Social media is much more about doing than it is
about making.
@jaybaer
#GuruGang

14. Social media (like SEM/paid search) is largely rooted
in arbitrage.
Can you do more or better work for your client
than she can do with internal resources, at costs to
her that justify your participation?
@jaybaer
#GuruGang

15. 1. Sell the Black Box (difficult in social)
1. Create true Economies of Scale
2. Buy cheap labor, prop it up, and sell it for more
@jaybaer
#GuruGang

16. 1. What social media services you sell
(see presentation: “23 social and digital services
you should be selling, but probably aren’t”)
http://slidesha.re/MTPMhs
1. How you sell your services
2. How your resources are structured
@jaybaer
#GuruGang

17. The 4 Methods of Staffing
Social Media

18. Social Media
Your Specialty Services
Firm Firm
Specialty
Firm
@jaybaer
#GuruGang

19. Pros Cons
Quick Ramp Up Lack of Control
Best-of-Breed Resources Slim Margins
Bi-Directional Revenue Pass Many Client Touch points
Education Reputation
@jaybaer
#GuruGang

20. Agency
personnel/acco
unt teams
Social Media
Services
Internal social
guru(s)
@jaybaer
#GuruGang

22. Agency
personnel/acco
unt teams
Social Media
Services
Internal social
guru(s)
@jaybaer
#GuruGang

23. Pros Cons
Ease of Implementation Talent Attraction
Go-to-Person Empires, Management, and
Risk
Lack of Agency Background Lack of Agency Background
Depth of Knowledge Breadth of Knowledge
@jaybaer
#GuruGang

25. Social Strategy
Influencer Social Analytics
Outreach
social guru(s)
Community
Contests/Promoti
Management
ons
Category
trained agency Social Listening
personnel/acco
unt teams
@jaybaer
#GuruGang

26. Pros Cons
Uses Existing Resources Lengthy Implementation
No Bottleneck Workflow & Communication
Deep Topical Expertise Account Team Coverage
Minimizes Risk Pigeon Holes Staff
@jaybaer
#GuruGang

27. Social media
Social Media
competent
agency
Services
personnel/acco
unt teams
@jaybaer
#GuruGang

28. Pros Cons
Fully Integrates Social Lengthy Implementation
No Bottleneck Leadership
Margin Training Costs
Flexibility Group Think
@jaybaer
#GuruGang

29. Which is Right for You?
@jaybaer
#GuruGang

30. First Foray: Outsourced (180 days)
5-10 Employees: Guru
@jaybaer
#GuruGang

31. 11-30 Employees (PR focus): The Gang
11-30 Employees (adv focus): Guru(s)
11-30 Employees (digital focus): Topical Experts
@jaybaer
#GuruGang

32. 31+ Employees (PR focus): Topical Experts
31+ Employees (adv focus) Topical Experts
31+ Employees (digital focus): Guru(s)
@jaybaer
#GuruGang

33. We Can Help
Social Pros on-call advisory services for agencies
Social/Digital business planning for agencies
Comprehensive social media training

34. digital marketing conference for agencies
Early Bird Rate: save $200 today!
www.bolo2012.com
code = jbaer200

35. Jay Baer
Convince & Convert
www.ConvinceAndConvert.com
www.OneSocialThing.com