It’s hard to separate fact from hype when it comes to Social Media. Knowing where to start can seem daunting. With scores of tools available and a multitude of opinion concerning their application, knowing where to focus your time is half the battle. While much has been said about learning what the masses eat for breakfast, social media holds real value when applied in traditional business practice. Pick up hints, tips and tricks to get you started and avoid the pitfalls.

1. From the Trenches
Practical Advice for Making Social
Media Work for Your Business
Sarah Mitchell

2. Introduction
• Social Media is also called:
– Social Marketing
– Social Networking
– Web 2.0
• Hype and Confusion
• Goal for Today:
– Provide an approach that business people can
take to incorporate Social Media into their
professional lives.

3. Market Drivers – Word of Mouth
• July 2009 PQMedia study:
– Word of Mouth (WoM) spending expected to grow 10.2% during worst
economic recession in 70 years.
– Advertising and marketing decline for first time since 1930s
– $1.54 billion spent on WoM marketing in 2008
• Bridge Ratings Survey
– “Strangers with Experience” trumps:
• Teachers
• Newspaper/Magazines
• TV News Reports
• Traditional Advertising

4. What Social Media Won’t Do
• It won’t close deals
• It won’t generate a customer base if your
products or service are lacking
• Probably won’t replace your current
marketing strategy.

5. What Social Media Can Do
1. Promote your brand
2. Establish your Authority
3. Generate Leads

6. Two Things to Remember
1. It’s “social” meaning your activities have to
be centred on building relationships
2. You are representing your brand (or your
company brand). At all times you must
maintain a professional tone and attitude.

7. The Tools for Business
Twitter LinkedIn Facebook Blogs
• Generate
Leads
• Establish
Authority
• Promote
Your
Brand
• Promote
Your
Brand

8. Usage of Tools for Business
79.3 7877.2 7775.3
86
68
79
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
Social Media Success Summit Report Socialmediatoday Report
LinkedIn Facebook Twitter Blogs

10. Interesting Facts
• People aged 30 to 39 years are most likely to
use social media for business. (Stelzner)
• More women, than men, engage in social
media activities. (55% vs. 45%)
• People love to look at pictures. 70% of all
actions are related to photos or video. (HBS)
• Women say more. Men reference links. (HBS)

11. Establish Authority
• LinkedIn is a professional networking site
• Complete online curriculum vitae
• Find and connect with business colleagues
• List your company
• Special interest groups
• Polls
• Q&A
• 45 million members in over 200 countries

12. Lead Generation
• Twitter is a global instant messaging tool
• Micro-blogging
• Send messages to drive traffic to your website
• Networks consists of “followers” and is very
fluid
• 800,000 Twitterers in Australia – June 2009

13. Promote Your Brand
• Blogging is an online dialogue you have with
your customers and prospects
• Allows you to position your company against
competitors
• Excellent way to improve SEO
• Customers can leave their own comments and
opinions

14. Promote Your Brand
• Facebook allows you to create a business page
and find “friends”
• Most useful for B2C companies
• Post photos, documents or run advertising
• Blog feature
• More than 100 million users log on to
Facebook every day

15. Before you Start
• Pick a descriptive user id – Globalcopywrite
• Use a picture
• Use your real name
• Be transparent
• Be generous with information

16. Building Networks
It’s Professional Not Personal

17. Leave your Prints!
The best way to improve you SEO rankings is to leave comments on
articles or blogs. Join in the dialogue and do it often.

18. Get Started!
• Select a User ID
• Create a profile on LinkedIn and start sending
invitations
• Open an account on Twitter and send your
first Tweet
• Start making a list of blog topics
• Post your business on Facebook and LinkedIn

19. Sarah Mitchell
Copywriter/Consultant
office: (08)9336-2439
mobile: 0410 024 405
website: www.globalcopywriting.com
Twitter: twitter.com/globalcopywrite
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/sarahcmitchell