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 is a recent component of organizations' integrated marketing

communications plans
c Integrated marketing communications is a principle organizations follow to connect with their
targeted markets. Integrated marketing communications coordinates the elements of the
promotional mix²advertising, personal selling, public relations, publicity,direct marketing,
and sales promotion²to produce a customer focused message
c In the traditional marketing communications model, the content, frequency, timing, and medium of
communications by the organization is in collaboration with an external agent, i.e. advertising
agencies, marketing research firms, and public relations firms.[2] However, the growth ofsocial
media has impacted the way organizations communicate with their customers. In the emergence
of Web 2.0, the internet provides a set of tools that allow people to build social and business
connections, share information and collaborate on projects online. 
[3]

c Social media marketing programs usually center on efforts to create content that attracts
attention, generates online conversations, and encourages readers to share it with their social
networks. The message spreads from user to user and presumably resonates because it is
coming from a trusted source, as opposed to the brand or company itself.
c Social media marketing benefits organizations and individuals by providing an additional channel
for customer support, a means to gain customer and competitive insight, and a method of
managing their reputation online. Key factors that ensure its success are its relevance to the
customer, the value it provides them with and the strength of the foundation on which it is built. A
strong foundation serves as a stand or platform in which the organization can centralize its
information and direct customers on its recent developments via other social media channels,
such as article and press release publications
c he goal of a strong foundation is to create a platform that engages and empowers its customers
with the opportunity to communicate with the organization. This platform is important because it
also allows the organization to measure and monitor the effects of their organization on their
customers.

How organizations use social media

In order for organizations to most effectively use social media for marketing, they must recognize and
embrace that the emerging platforms are additional resources to complement and expand their entire
marketing arsenals rather than replacements for existing marketing initiatives. Among the goals for which
social media can be used are:

G Customer service, e.g. direct response to customer complaints

G Broadcasting updates, announcements, news, e.g. additional PR resource
G Promotions
G Behind the scenes look at the organization
G Advertising

Organizations need to define their goals for social media in order to be successful. Goals may vary
among platforms. For example, Facebook may be used for customer service and broadcasting updates
while Twitter may be used for promotions. YouTube could give the behind the scenes look at the
organization. The success factor may depend upon the goals: a certain number of new customers as a
result of a promotion may be one goal; another may be responding to all customer complaints within a
specified window of time in a customer service situation.

Because social media is emerging at a rapid pace (and is still quite recent overall), organizations often
[5]
establish a presence organically rather than strategically. In most cases, this evolution is appropriate to
a point at which the organization needs to develop a strategy for its social media use and integration into
the overall marketing strategy.

Social media has been adopted by a critical mass of the population which means it is important for
[6][7]
organizations to have a social media presence. Generally, some official presence is better than none,
even if a specific strategy has not been defined. With or without strategy and policy²just like with other
marketing initiatives²social media efforts can succeed or fail.

Most organizations have personnel for their marketing efforts. Public relations, advertising, web & print
communications are areas to which personnel and resources are devoted. Though social media is a
young area in marketing strategies, the most successful organizations have devoted personnel to
coordinate and aid the use of social media. These individuals should use the tools that are currently
popular but have the flexibility to experiment with new and emerging tools as they appear and evolve.

Some organizations actively use social media in their marketing plan to keep the brand fresh in
customers' and non-customers' minds. Linking with an organization on a social media site allows the
organization to stay connected with individuals who may or may not be customers instead of relying on
them to initiate a contact only when they are looking for additional information.

Social media is an enormous advertising platform. Organizations are able to target individuals based
upon specific interests shared on social media. For example, if an individual watches a YouTube video
about jogging, a shoe company can serve an ad, or a coffee company can target ads to individuals who
post on social media sites that they are tired. Social media has allowed advertisers to refine ad nets
extremely narrowly.

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Any and all forms of Social Media Marketing tactics fall under at least one of these five forms of action.
Often the same channel will incorporate two or more of these:

1. Declaration of Identity
2. Identity through Association
3. User-initiated Conversation
4. Provider-initiated Conversation
5. In-Person Interaction
6


6
  is your declaration of your value, who you are, and where you can be found.
Your customer happens upon your online identity that you, as a provider, define and declare. This is
anything from your About Us pages on your blog or website, to your MySpace profile, to your Naymz
profile. Here, there is very little interaction outside of your own declaration, but this becomes critical in
defining how you can benefit your marketplace.

There has been a recent outcrop of websites created purely for this function. An expanded business card,
if you will. Most also include the opportunity to link to your other forms of presence online, bringing
together your presence in one place«well, kind-of. They include:
G Naymz
G Ziki
G ClaimID
G SuprGlu
G LinkedIn
  

6
  is your customers¶ opportunity to associate themselves with you and you
with your customers. Most obviously, this is accomplished through things like becoming ³Friends´ on
MySpace, you and your customers¶ BlogRoll, or through their social bookmarking. This is your customer
wearing your company¶s logo proudly ± Like Andy wears his Beatles shirts.

The most explicit form of allowing for this ability is through social bookmarking sites. I say this, and not
social networking sites, because this is the sole function of these sites. Make it easy for your customers to
bookmark your site, blog posts, etc with their favorite tool.

G del.icio.us
G Furl
G blummy
G Ma.gnolia
G StumbleUpon
G BlinkList
†


 
   is your users¶ opportunity to create their own declarations or questions, and
your opportunity to respond. This is your opportunity to be there and cater to them. Here, you serve your
customers.
Perhaps the most cut-and-dry examples of this lie in messageboards, forums and ³groups´ sites such as
Google Groups, Yahoo! Groups, community sites, etc. So, how do you find these conversations? Andy
Beal¶s Online Reputation Monitoring Beginner¶s Guide. Here, he walks you through, step-by-step, how to
find out what conversations are being initiated by others online.

In order to get directly involved with your customers, the most well-known example of this is ³GoogleGuy´
on the WebmasterWorld forums, is through your users¶ forums, and sites such as:

G Yahoo Groups
G Google Groups
G AOL Groups
G MSN Groups
G Topica EMail Lists
G Kaboodle Groups
G Eurekster
G tribe.net
G Ning
Π


 
   is your chance to find out what your customers think, feel, love and
hate about your product. Ask them. Challenge them. Present yourself to them, but do so respectfully. As
much as it¶s an opportunity for them to tell you what they love and hate about your product, it¶s also their
choice whether to do so or not. Be kind. Be respectful. Appreciate their time.

Although it¶s not a primarily online company, there is one company that has made this their culture.
Seeking feedback and input from its customers 24/7/265. And it is: Current.tv. There¶s little-to-no format,
except for about half of the content is contributed by its users. If you haven¶t seen it or don¶t have digital
cable, find someone who does and watch it. Do that this week, you won¶t regret it.

Social networking strategies for connecting with your customers can certainly be complex, tricky and
cumbersome, so I¶ll be writing up strategies in the very near future to hopefully assist on those fronts. In
the meantime, find your customers and interact with them here:

G Myspace
G Bebo
G Friendster
G Consumating
6Œ
 
6
  is the pinnacle form of interaction with your customers. You¶re interacting with
them online, why not in person? Does it get better than that? This is where relationships are built and
authentic conversation is had with so much more input, feedback, collaboration and communication. I had
a seven hour conversation with a good friend last night. It was one of the best conversations I¶ve ever had
about so many things, and I could have never had that quality of a conversation online. Nothing beats
face-to-face.

Get out there. Meet your customers. Let them interact with other customers. Build your community. Go to
conferences«better yet, organize your own gatherings.

To help this along, coordinating, managing attendee status, etc, there have been several sites that can
help in either finding local events or coordinating your own:

G Meetup
G BarCamp
G Evite
G Upcoming
G Eventful
Ô  

One thing about social media marketing: It¶s complicated for two reasons: no one has created a structure
to work from, and there¶s so much overlap in functionality of different sites, that it can be quite confusing
as to a site¶s single purpose because«well«there usually isn¶t a single purpose.

Don¶t let this hold you back. Get out there. Spend time with these sites. Sign up, Use them, meet your
customers, talk to your customers, and LOVE THEM.


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