IMPLEMENTING INTERNET AND MEDIA STRATEGIES THAT WORK

1. IMPLEMENTING INTERNET AND MEDIA STRATEGIES THAT WORK Presented by Marissa Schroder www.twitter.com/getoutthere www.facebook.com/getoutthere

2. The Marketing Trifecta

3. We’re better together! • Improve the effectiveness of the Marketing Trifecta by working together with organizations who share common goals

4. Public Relations - Overview • What is PR? • The business of generating goodwill for your organization • PR is free, but not guaranteed • PR is a sustained effort • PR is about generating buy-in from the public • PR is media relations

5. PR Strategies • Develop a Media Contact List • Find contacts online / get direct contact information • Differentiate between advertising and editorial • Don’t underestimate the value of local media • Go after niche • Categorize media into types and region • Develop relationships • Find media who have specific buy-in

6. PR Strategies • Create a Media Fact Sheet • A quick reference sheet for media • Include basic event details like: • Date, location, participation numbers (past and expected), race time, cost to participate, key event highlights like important anniversaries or well-known racers, website address, contact person • Post to website and include it with all media communications

7. PR Strategies • Create a media-worthy hook and target media with a specific interest in that hook • Unique characteristics of your story / organization • Hook must be of interest to the media – not just you • Tailor hook and pitch to suit specific media • Leverage existing media stories to help create a hook • Know your media!!!

8. PR Strategies • Find a celebrity or champion for your event • Someone with passion and buy-in • Someone with pull (be it in the media or in the community) • Someone who is recognized

9. PR Strategies • Take advantage of free calendar and newsletter listings • Magazines • Websites • Community TV/radio stations • Retailers / gyms • Chamber of commerce / tourism board • Targeted calendars (think outside the box!)

10. PR Strategies • Share news on websites and forums • Often these opportunities are free for the asking • Popular forums in your market • Draft and supply the content yourself • Include photos and logos

11. PR Strategies • Use the “Family, Friends and Sponsors” network • Leverage relationships you already have • Friends, family, sponsors, charity affiliations, partners • Utilize all available resources: websites, social media sites, their media contacts

12. PR Strategies • Schedule your PR initiatives • Write it down! • Separate media relations and PR initiatives • Set a year-long plan (remember, PR is a sustained initiative) • Schedule PR based on media deadlines

13. PR Strategies • Create a PR strategy for Social Media • Ask and ye shall receive! • Create verbiage and videos for their use • Leverage that “Friends, family and sponsors” network. Can they post to: • Facebook • YouTube • Twitter

14. PR Strategies • Write a press release (or three) • Issue in a timely fashion (again, know your media!) • Post to your website (along with a downloadable version of your logo and images for media use)

15. PR Strategies • Watch for opportunities • Ask editors in advance for their editorial plans or if they have any articles planned that relate to your organization

16. Social Media • Social media isn’t free. It requires: • Time • Human resources • Long-term commitment • Planning

17. Social Media • Social media is not a replacement for an otherwise robust marketing strategy which includes: • Advertising • Public and media relations • Other marketing strategies • Social media should be last on your list as it requires the largest investment relative to other strategies

18. Social Media • Social media grows quickly…at first • Largely appeals to your existing audience (participants, volunteers, friends, family) • Initial growth is quick then tends to slow when you’ve tapped your existing audience

19. Social Media • Social media is a two-way street • Engagement marketing • Growth is contingent on engaging with your audience • This is not a “push” feed

20. Social Media • Social media is not an ad for your organization It’s about creating a dynamic, content-rich community for your fans • “sales pitches” should be banned from your social media vernacular – this will quickly wear thin with your fans

21. Social Media Strategies It’s about quality not quantity. • You want fans who: • will support your organization • share your news with others

22. Social Media Strategies • Determine your ability to invest in social media over the long term. • Reflection of your company • Requires frequent updating • As important as having an up-to-date website • You’re in it for the long-haul

23. Social Media Strategies • Set goals • Why are you getting into social media? • What will you base your success on? • How will you measure the effectiveness of your social media campaign? • Are you using social media to grow your business or service existing stakeholders?

24. Social Media Strategies • Treat social media as a part of an overall marketing strategy • One part of a larger strategy • Not a replacement for other marketing initiatives • Think of your PR and advertising as the “bricks and mortar” foundation – these are the drivers to your social media sites

25. Social Media Strategies • Monitor your social media sites • Social media doesn’t take a vacation • Be prepared to respond to positive and negative comments in a timely fashion • Actively follow-back (Twitter) and engage in the conversations that are happening now • Monitor for misuse

26. Social Media Strategies • Be prepared to tackle negative criticism publicly • Once it’s there, you must deal with it • The way you deal with it will be seen by all • Have policies for how you’ll deal with various situations and complaints

27. Social Media Strategies • Develop a social media strategy (revisit and refine as needed). Decide in advance: • How much time you’ll commit to social media each week • Who will be responsible for updates • How often you’ll do updates • Whether you’ll use tools to schedule posts or post live • How you’ll respond to people advertising on your Facebook page

28. Social Media Strategies • Want to grow? Share and respond. • In Facebook tag people/organizations • Share links • Re-Tweet, use hashtags and Twitter names • Thank people with DM’s (direct messages) • Respond to those who post on your wall • Follow back • Post on other people and organizations’ walls

29. Social Media Strategies • Don’t treat social media as an ad for your organization. • To build community you must provide valuable content • Interest will fade if your social media site is a sales pitch • For every post directly about your organization plan posts not related specifically to your organization (great opportunity to work with other organizations)

30. Social Media Strategies • Post frequently and regularly • Give you fans a reason to visit • Stay top-of-mind • Do not let long periods of time pass without posting • Post (or schedule posts) on weekends, holidays and after-hours • There’s no “leaving the office” when it comes to social media

31. Social Media Strategies • On Facebook use a FAN PAGE not a GROUP • Groups are sooooo 2008 • Fan pages are the norm for businesses and events • Fan pages offer better tools to communicate with your audience • Unfortunately there is currently no (automated) way to migrate your followers from a group to a fan page

32. Social Media Strategies 11. Make your social media sites easy to find • Reference / link to them: • On your website • In e-newsletters • In your email signature • Include in print materials

33. Social Media Strategies 12. Ask for fans and likes – particularly at the beginning • Leverage those same “Friends, family and sponsor” networks • Announce your new social media presence on your website, in e-newsletters, etc.

34. Advertising Strategies • Choose your media wisely • Look at where you’ll get the most bang for your buck in terms of reach to your key target area or audience • Find out pricing on a wide range of media options (TV, radio, newspapers, magazines)

35. Advertising Strategies • Understand the numbers • Cost Per Thousand • Printed copies of a magazine versus readers • Advertising in a magazine or newspaper? Ask to see a copy of the last print bill • Ask for clarification on the numbers

36. Advertising Strategies • Set a budget for advertising • Consider sponsorship investment and what you need to do to satisfy sponsorship requirements / add value for your sponsors • Consider desire to attract sponsors • Look at cost of an ad relative to the numbers needed to recoup ad costs • Remember that this is an investment and should directly affect your bottom line

37. Advertising Strategies • Don’t spread yourself too thin • Every method has merit, but look at what works best for you • Pick a small handful of media channels to optimize your strategy

38. Advertising Strategies • Give the media outlet you’re working with a budget and a list of your goals and let them do the work • Ask them to come up with the most cost-effective ways to reach an audience • A reputable salesperson will be able to offer you ideas on how to maximize your budget • Your under no obligation, but it will give you a good sense of how an “expert” would spend your money • Be honest about your budget

39. Advertising Strategies • Bigger is not always better – but frequency is KING! • Limited budget? Don’t blow it on a single large ad • Frequency will result in ad retention by readers over the long term

40. Advertising Strategies • Ask (for added value) and ye shall receive • Ask your sales representative what added-value opportunities you can take advantage of as an advertiser(the worst they can say is nothing!) • Be realistic about your expectations (if you’re buying a $500 ad don’t expect $1000 worth of value added)

41. Advertising Strategies • Consider advertising a part of your PR campaign • You will have more leverage with media if you are advertising with them • But, don’t confuse advertising with editorial

42. Advertising Strategies • Include your partners or sponsors in advertising (or have them include you in their advertising) or combine your efforts with their existing ad programs • Can you pool resources with your sponsors/partners for a larger ad space? • Earmark sponsorship dollars specifically for advertising

43. Advertising Strategies 10. Hire a designer • Your ad is a reflection of your organization • If you want your event to look professional, make sure your collateral looks professional • There are many designers out there • Consider hiring recent graduates or students looking for work experience • Contact other companies’ whose ads you like and ask them who they use • Ask media you’re working with if they have designers they work with or recommend • Be consistent with your brand across all media (print, website, social media, etc.)

44. Advertising Strategies 11. Promote your advertising! • Ask for copies of magazines and newspaper articles in PDF format • Post articles to your website / social media sites (of course, linking back to media sites)