I recently attended a luncheon that discussed the topic of Social Media ROI or Return on Investment.  It was an interesting presentation but ultimately I came out with more questions than answers.

What that said, here are a few things that I did learn from the presentation:

91% of Online adults use social media regularly

Digital Brand Identity

This is the heart and soul of your business, especially as it relates social media.  You may have a company logo, letterhead, signage, business cards, etc, but what does your digital brand look like?

Outbound Marketing

  • Pushing information out to potential customers
  • Cold calls
  • Billboards / Ads
  • People tune these types of conversations out
  • Telemarketers

Inbound Marketing

  •  Pulling customers to your business
  • 61% cheaper in a cost per lead vs outbound

Social Media is used to:

  • Connect
    • Current and potential customers
    • Others in similar niche
    • Professional community
  • Communicate
    • Your corporate mission with confidence, clarity and integrity
    • Sharing of ideas, information and resources
  • Engage
    • With customers, clients, community, etc
    • Become known as an expert

What is my people strategy?

  • Don’t spam
  • Listen, engage and make new friends
  • Show interest
  • Add value

Social Media Goals:

  • – Control your image
  • – Build Community
  • – Position yourself and your company as an expert

Build a community:

  • Add insane value
  • Establish the right voice
  • Create real relationships
    • It’s not about the number of Twitter followers or Likes on a Facebook page
  • Position yourself as a leader in your industry

Set yourself up so that people search you out!

Steps to get started:

  • Secure
    • If you have not claimed your digital identity, DO IT NOW!!
  • Research
    • Look at how similar businesses are handling social media
    • Develop a strategy for implementing your digital identity
  • Develop
    • Establish your company into the social media arena and start engaging

So, do you have a social media / digital identity?  If not, what are you waiting for?