When launching a business it will likely be a good idea to share your idea and plans along the way. Building awareness, interest, test groups and a loyal base of early supporters could be the difference between success and failure. Social networks and social media have played a large role in making this possible. In this presentation - given at Kent start up Live 2012 - I outline the areas you will need to consider if you wish to create raving fans before launch.
3. Lean Start Up
• Old Way vs New Way
• What have you tested?
• Is anybody else doing this?
• Who will back you?
• How interested are target audience and key
influencers?
• Can you get some pre-orders?
• Who will talk to you?
• Who will talk about you?
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5. Test Your Idea
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6. What evidence can you find for interest?
• Social media is the most powerful search engine ever.
• Observe the views and needs of
– target customers
– influencers
• Look for expressed interest
– Amazon book sales
– eBay item views
– Google keyword search results
– Mentions on twitter
– Youtube video views
– PPC ads to a data capture pre-launch page
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8. Story Telling
• Successful social media is story telling
• People are interested in the story
• Be clear about what you stand for
– Create a manifesto
• Creates relatedness with others
• Helps people share you
• Kickstarter is all about the story
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9. Build A Presence
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10. Build A Presence
• Grab your name across all channels
• Define your social proposition
– What will people get from following and connecting with
you?
• Write a bio for yourself and your business
– Keywords
– Long, short and micro versions
• Logo and avatars that stand out
– Think small and square
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http://twitter.com/jonniejensen 10
11. Don’t Invest or Wait For A Website
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12. Create Content - share the story
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13. Create Content
• Whatever stage you are at you can create content
• Have fun and enjoy what you are creating
• Create a blog or video blog
• Produce a survey and/or white paper
• Write guest posts for other blogs
• Host a webinar
• Speak at events or be interviewed
• Re-imagine content into other versions
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15. Engage Key Influencers
• It is easier to talk with a few who know many
• Leverage other people’s audience
• Engage popular bloggers
• Offer early trials, tasters or review opportunities
• They get lots of approaches
• Be genuinely interested in them and their audience
• Be well prepared
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18. Noticing Others
• Go to where your target audience already exists
• Start to notice and share other people’s content
• Comment on other people’s blogs
• Participate in group and fan page discussions
• Engage key influencers
– Bloggers
– Video bloggers
– LinkedIn group managers
– LinkedIn LION members
– Twitter users with high Klout scores
– Podcasters…look in iTunes
http://linkedIn.com/in/jonniejensen
http://twitter.com/jonniejensen 18
20. Build Your Followers
• Begin to build your loyal network
– Email
– YouTube subscribers
– Facebook Fan Page Likes
– LinkedIn Company Page Follows
– Twitter followers
• Arrange face to face events
• Acknowledge key people
• Celebrate the community
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21. Establish
Relationships
• What your early
efforts can achieve
• Which step would you
rather be on?
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23. Creating Raving Fans
• Give your new followers a voice
• Get their opinion and buy-in
• Reward the most active supporters
• They will become part of your story
• They will share and promote your story
• They will become your test group
• They will be your raving fans
http://linkedIn.com/in/jonniejensen
http://twitter.com/jonniejensen 23
24. Tools you can use
• Socialmention.com • Google Reader
• Google Alerts • YouTube.com
• Hootsuite.com • Flickr.com
• Followerwonk.com • Twitter.com
• Socialbro.com • Facebook.com
• Animoto.com • LinkedIn.com
• Windows Movie Maker • Slideshare.net
• Camstudio.org • Wordpress
• Camtasia • Twittercounter
• iPadio.com • Klout.com
• Blogtalkradio.com • IceRocket.com
• Pinterest.com • Storify.com
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25. Creating Raving Fans Before Launch
Jonnie Jensen – Digital Coach
Presentation available at:
http://linkedIn.com/in/jonniejensen
http://twitter.com/jonniejensen
25
Hinweis der Redaktion
ExpensiveRiskyTakes a long timeSecret
Social media is the most powerful search engine ever. It is a real time always on tool that you can utilise.Don’t spend any money or time before you have observed the views and needs of the people you think you will sell your product to or the people who will be interested in talking to their network about your product.What evidence can you find for interest? Amazon book sales, ebay item views, google keyword search results, mentions on twitter, youtube video views
Expressed interestsSupportersAwarenessNot risky
Social media is the most powerful search engine ever. Observe the views and needs of target customersinfluencersLook for expressed interestAmazon book saleseBay item viewsGoogle keyword search resultsMentions on twitterYoutube video viewsPPC ads to a data capture pre-launch page
Successful social media is story tellingPeople are interested in the storyBe clear about what you stand forCreate a manifestoCreates relatedness with othersHelps people share youKickstarter is all about the story
From the moment you start
Grab your name across all channelsDefine your social propositionWhat will people get from following and connecting with you?Write a bio for yourself and your businessKeywordsLong, short and micro versionsLogo and avatars that stand outThink small and square
Whatever stage you are at you can create contentHave fun and enjoy what you are creatingCreate a blog or video blogProduce a survey and/or white paperWrite guest posts for other blogsHost a webinarSpeak at events or be interviewedRe-imagine content into other versions
Go to where your target audience already existsStart to notice and share other people’s contentComment on other people’s blogsParticipate in group and fan page discussionsEngage key influencersBloggersVideo bloggersLinkedIn group managersLinkedIn LION membersTwitter users with high Klout scoresPodcasters…look in iTunes
Begin to build your loyal networkEmail YouTube subscribersFacebook Fan Page LikesLinkedIn Company Page FollowsTwitter followersArrange face to face eventsAcknowledge key peopleCelebrate the community
Give your new followers a voiceGet their opinion and buy-inReward the most active supportersThey will become part of your storyThey will share and promote your storyThey will become your test groupThey will be your raving fans