In May, MarketingSavant and the Green Bay Area Chamber of Commerce conducted a comprehensive survey on the state of social media marketing in Northeast Wisconsin. The survey reflected the first attempt at a public survey to gather usage data and to determine the importance of social media to the business community of in Northeast Wisconsin.

The results overwhelmingly pointed to the fact that social media marketing is here to stay in Northeast Wisconsin! Some of the highlights from the Northeast Wisconsin Social Media Survey include:

• 100% of survey respondents indicated that they felt social media has a place in the business world
• 35% of respondents are “very” to “extremely” familiar with social media
• 69% of Northeast Wisconsin organizations reported that they were already using some form of social media in their business today
• One-in-three respondents reported gaining customers through using social media
• Social networking is the top tool of choice to enhance business marketing efforts
• 50% of organizations allow their employees to participate in social media
• Brand-building and the perceived low cost of social media are the key benefits that respondents derive from social media

Click this link to access your copy of the Report on the State of Social Media in Northeast Wisconsin.

Personally, I believe that social media is something that’s got to have someone on the ‘inside’ as the organizational social media steward to be really effective.

Maybe I’m being old fashioned, but when we started BlogSavant in 2004, we held the same position on blogging. It was something best done from inside. Sure, you could have lots of help, but the content had to come from you, and you had to monitor and respond accordingly. With each of these great new communication channels and opportunities comes the responsibility to manage them to your constituents’ expectations.

1. Sorry, but I’m a firm believer that if you’re going to engage on Twitter that you should engage on a personal level. Social media, for what its worth, is really about having human conversations online. I realize that your social media consultant is human, but if you’re trying to be open, transparent, honest and quick, and I’m sure that they’re all those things too, they are not those things ‘inside your company’ and don’t have the corporate DNA in them. Analogy: I you wouldn’t send me to a networking meeting to meet people on your behalf, so I won’t tweet on your behalf either….Read More…

NNSMB on LinkedIn

NNSMB on Ning

One of the most useful resources was this Facebook page from Dell with features eight different guides on using social media in small business.

Check out the Dell social media guides here.

Check out the slides here: http://whatthetweet.org/event-slides/

But, I had quite a few people approach me after the seminar and tell me they were still pretty bewildered. They seemed unsure how to best get their company or organization into SM without a lot of money or people to drive it.

So here is a few tips to help get you started.

1. Start small. If you want to just promote your brand, try starting a Fan page in Facebook based on who your target audience is or a Twitter blog that gives the latest product or industry tips that make you unique.

2. Focus. Keep to your core competencies and don’t try to be everything to everyone. People would rather see less frequent posts or tweets than lots of posts with too much fluff. Unless it’s the pistachio green fluff made with jello. That stuff is good all the time.

3. Have fun. This shouldn’t be something forced and trite. Your customers and audience will read your posts or tweets more often if you add humor or inject some of your own personality into your writing. Seriously, if I want to read your press release, I’ll click on it. But if you are talking about how you sneezed and drank an entire cup of coffee through your nose while writing that release, I’m so there. BTW, don’t do that unless you want to singe all the hair out of your nose.

Well, I hope this helps with any questions people may have. Dana and I are working on putting together some small group classes that will help businesses get a hands-on start in social media. If this is something that interests you, give Dana or myself a quick email or call.

Dana VanDen Heuvel - dana@marketingsavant.com - marketingsavant.com - 920-569-6535

Kiar Olson - kiar@goelement.com - goelement.com - 920-983-9700

If you look at a blog as education and serving your customers (current and future), you have the right mindset. To steal a line from Dana, “Think altruism before capitalism.”

Jeff - Nicolet Bank Marketing Guy

I was pretty nervous to enter into the Social Media world as a tactic supporting our overall strategy.  It would have been much easier to stick to the way things had already been done.  So, I’ve felt the same feelings that you may be now.  My advice to you is to take the risk.  More good can happen than bad.

Look at the risks as opportunities.  If someone says something bad about your company, at least they care enough to voice their thoughts.  Look at that as an opportunity to learn and grow rather than go into crisis-management mode.  Be humble, listen well and invite the person into the conversation, either in person or on a blog, Twitter, whatever.  You will be surprised at how few companies actually listen and how that can be turned into a competitive advantage.

If I can help talk you through any of the obstacles or issues, comment back.  Or call Nicolet Bank and ask for the marketing guy.  I’ll be happy to help.

Thanks for coming to the program.  Hope that it was helpful.

Jeff Gahnz - Marketing guy - Nicolet Bank