Buzz Builder

I Love My New iPhone 4S and Chefs Lead the Way in Intriguing Uses of Smartphones for Building Repeat and Referred Business

I just received my iPhone 4S yesterday and couldn't be more thrilled. I'm amazed at its speed compared to my iPod Touch (third generation). The quality of the camera and video recorder are stunning. Even better, the phone works. Apparently, that's no small feat as I've heard many complaints from friends who have AT&T service for the iPhones. I'm so glad that I went with Verizon! 

I'm intrigued with how smartphones in general are revolutionizing the ways in which businesses interact with customers. I highly recommend the "@Foodies: Peek into My Kitchen" article in The Wall Street Journal which describes how chefs are taking tweeting to the next level and using it as a powerful tool to connect with their dining fans and drive repeat and referred restaurant visits.

Are you using a smartphone to build stronger customer relationships? If so, I would love to hear how you're doing this and perhaps share your story in a future case study on this blog.

How Scott Avery Is Using Social Media to Grow His Hardwood Floor Refinishing and Installation Business and His Content Marketing and Consulting Company

The in-home services sector has been slower to embrace social media than many other industries. However, this interview clearly demonstrates that social media offers tremendous advantages for companies in this niche.

Patrick Galvin (PG): What do you do for a living?

Scott Avery (SA): My primary business is Modern Tech Floors, a hardwood floor refinishing and installation company in Portland, Oregon. The success of the marketing practices I’ve used to grow the business has spawned Momentum Agents which is our content marketing and consulting company for service trades.

PG: How are you using social media to build your businesses?

SA: We started engaging in social media activities in early 2009 and maintain a presence on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.

I’ve used LinkedIn primarily to ask for warm introductions. I’ve not invested much time yet in the other arena of answering questions in my area of expertise on LinkedIn.

Our primary marketing focus is blogging which allows us to educate our prospects and customers and it pays huge dividends in establishing our expertise. The amount of content in our blog has positioned our wood floor business at the top of organic search rankings. I would advise anyone interested in drawing in clients who like to research prior to purchasing to focus first on blogging.

An overlooked area in social media for some businesses is also Flickr because we have seen queries about our projects originate from there.

PG: Which social media platform(s) do you find most useful?

SA: Blogging is where I cast my vote for effectiveness. Because a large part of winning in the game of SEO is the number of indexed pages matching a particular keyword or phrase, blogging allows you to outpace the market for ranking if you just keep adding good, keyword-rich content. In addition, blogging provides a real window into the mind of the writer and establishes credibility. It also provides a great forum to engage your prospects and customers in a valuable Q&A format.

PG: Does social media give you a competitive edge?

SA: In this tough economy, I’ve found that consumers are still spending but are cautious and want to ensure that they are getting good value and dealing with reputable businesses. Consumers believe that companies that maintain a regular social media presence are more likely to care about their reputations than businesses that haven’t embraced the digital world. I’m no longer surprised to hear customers tell me that they have checked out our Facebook fan page in addition to our website when they evaluate our services.

PG: What general advice would you give to a small business owner who hasn't embraced social media?

SA: The hardest part of engaging in social media is starting which isn’t that difficult. Investing the effort in producing a well-written blog will build customer confidence. Furthermore, once a blog is well populated and produces leads, the content is valuable intellectual property and can add tremendous value when determining the sale price of a business. As for specific content advice, I strongly suggest that new business owners mix up the type of blog posts using video, audio, or written content to make things more interesting.

PG: What would do differently with social media knowing what you've learned through experience?

SA: I simply would have started sooner. A well-executed social media strategy has been the equivalent of adding a goose that lays golden eggs to our payroll.

How Travel Agent Laurie Landers of Cruising.com Is Using Social Media to Build Her Business

When it comes to travel agents, Mark Twain's famous quote is particularly appropriate: "The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated." While many have written off travel agents since so many people plan their own trips online, Laurie Landers is a great example of how savvy travel agents can use the Internet in general and social media in particular to be relevant, valuable, and successful.

Patrick Galvin (PG): How would you describe your job?

Laurie Landers (LL): I’m a travel agent with an online company (Cruisingco.com and its division MouseEarVacations.com). I help people plan and book their dream vacations. My services don’t cost clients anything.

PG:  Then, how are you paid?

LL: When the travel industry began, people had to book through a travel agency to which suppliers (airlines, hotels, cruise ship companies, etc.) would pay commissions. Although the commission percentages have decreased, this practice still exists. In other words, no matter how travel is booked there is usually a small amount set aside for a travel agent.  If you call the Marriott and book directly, for example, you’ll pay the same price that you would get through me—but in this case the Marriott keeps the commission.

PG: Do you work full or part time? 

LL: I work full time plus - about 60 hours a week.

PG: Have you been in the travel industry a long time?

I have been with my current company for one-and-a-half years.  I used to work for Southwest Airlines but left to start a family and become a stay at home mom.  When my kids got older and went to school, I returned to the travel business. 

I’ve always loved to travel. I received a BA in International Business with a minor in Japanese from Linfield College. I was lucky to have had the chance to live and travel in Japan for about six months. Also, when I was in college, I would organize spring break vacations for fellow classmates and really enjoyed putting these trips together.

PG: Why do people use your services instead of booking directly through travel websites?

LL: Many people are overwhelmed with choices when trying to plan their vacations online. They choose me to help narrow down the possibilities based on their likes, dislikes, and financial resources.  In other words, I’m a personal travel shopper. Instead of feeling overwhelmed and confused, my clients feel confident and relaxed when they depart knowing that I’ve gotten them the best possible deal and taken care of all the details.

PG: When did you start using social media? 

LL: I was slow to embrace social media. I started using it for business purposes in March 2011 but now I’m hooked.

PG: How is social media important to your business?

LL:  I mainly use Facebook and Twitter to post vacation promotions or other items that I feel my clients and prospects would find interesting. It’s amazing how many people see these posts and forward them to friends or co-workers. Although I have just 189 Facebook “likes” and a handful of Twitter followers, I receive reports showing that nearly 700 unique visitors are checking me out through social media every month and many have booked trips with me.

I keep trying new things in social media as well. For example, I’ve just started using LinkedIn to connect with my clients.  I’m also on Google+ - actually I was a beta tester before it launched publicly. I can imagine that someday it might be more important than Facebook given its cool features and the popularity of Google. I haven’t yet started blogging. But I write articles for our company and these are published regularly in the weekly newsletter that we send to clients. I’m also active on several online Disney forums which helps people get to know me while increasing awareness of my travel expertise.

PG: Which social media platform is most useful for growing your business?

LL: So far, I’ve found Facebook to be the most useful. I like how it allows me to “talk” to my audience through short conversations that generate interaction and awareness.  I appreciate how Facebook posts are easy to share with others.  Also, I like how simple Facebook makes it to share links.  When I find articles my clients will enjoy, I use Facebook to share them quickly and easily. And, last but certainly not least, since more users are on Facebook than any other platform, that’s where I spend the bulk of my social media time.

PG: How does social media give you a competitive edge?

LL: It helps me deepen connections with clients and prospects.  Through social media, I’m able to boost my visibility and credibility as a travel agent since I use it to share interesting travel information and respond quickly to clients. Also, friends and clients recommend my social media sites to people they know creating a continuous stream of qualified new prospects.

PG: What advice would you give to peers in the travel industry on whether or not they should use social media? 

LL: If they’re willing to commit to social media, it can be extremely useful. But they have to stay current with what’s happening, such as supplier promotions, and know what they want to sell and promote. There are too many travel agents who have experimented with social media and haven’t been able to keep up. Then, when their social media efforts fail to generate business, they give up. It certainly takes time to have a strong social media presence but the results I’ve gotten have convinced me that it’s time well spent, and I’m sure that other travel agents could enjoy similar good results.

How Brewer Dan Del Grande Is Using Social Media to Build Bison Brewing Company's Brand and Sales

I’m very grateful to Dan Del Grande, the owner and brewer of Bison Brewing Company in Berkeley, CA, since he took a leap of faith and became my company’s first client in 2002. Over the past few years, I’ve admired the creative ways that Dan has used social media to promote his company and products. Recently, I chatted with Dan about his social media usage and his answers provide valuable insight for any business owner looking to grow brand awareness and sales without advertising. Here’s the transcript of my conversation with Dan:

Patrick Galvin (PG): How long has Bison been on Twitter and Facebook?

Dan Del Grande (DDG): I've been on Twitter and Facebook since June 2009 and only got started because "I should" do it for my business (maybe like many of your readers).  I didn't really understand it.  Boy, was I impressed at the power of social media.  After three or four months, I was able to use the tools easily, and hopefully with focused business purpose, to engage people and build my brand.  I see social media is an accelerant for my brand and one of the main ways I generate word of mouth marketing. 

PG: I hear that Bison gained a lot of traction promoting #IPADay on Twitter. Please tell us about #IPADay and how it helped Bison.

DDG: Last month, Bison Brewing started a movement. We partnered with a few select craft breweries and social media sites around the world to launch the 1st annual International #IPADay. Our goal was to create a grassroots movement uniting the voices of craft beer enthusiasts, bloggers, and brewers worldwide, using social media as the common arena for connecting the conversation. It worked.

On August 4, craft beer drinkers from a dozen countries across the globe raised pints in a collective toast.  On August 4 alone, over 15,000 discreet tweets were recorded, and several hundred blog posts and online tasting notes were posted. We can't count the hundreds of craft beer bars, breweries and beer fans who organized and hosted “real life” #IPADay events, parties and tastings all over the world. Bison Brewing hosted two extremely successful events. At BoPGy G’s Pizza in Berkeley, CA, IPAs from five local breweries took over the taps and patrons enjoyed pint specials and camaraderie celebrating IPA. At the Napa Marriott, over 200 people enjoyed a sunny patio sipping IPAs from eight different local craft breweries, and raising over $1500 donated to V.O.I.C.E.S. Napa, a local non-profit committed to empowering under-served youth.

PG: Is the success of #IPADay inspiring any new social media efforts?

DDG: #STOUTDay is November 3 to build on a solid franchise for social media events and word of mouth marketing.

We are also planning fun, live beer-tasting events on a Big Red Bus where we invite good customers and supporters from Twitter and Facebook for a real world brand experience. Hopefully, the real world experience will live on in cyberspace as people tweet and reminisce about it in social media circles.

PG: What are other business benefits has Bison derived from being on Twitter and Facebook?

DDG: If "business benefits" is defined as "increased sales," the jury is still out on the absolute return on investment, but we are breaking even at least. I can say with certainty that we’ve gained several new points of distribution and tens of thousands of dollars of "new" top line sales, mostly with two new beer distributors, but also a couple dozen grocery stores and restaurants. We are looking more and more at Twitter as a consumer pull strategy. If you consider "business benefits" to be defined as "increased brand impressions," this is well underway but I'm uncertain how to measure it.

PG: Are the audiences and your intentions for Twitter and Facebook different?

DDG: Yes. My social media strategy is creating and sharing dynamic content. My Twitter audience seems to be 50% consumer and 50% opinion makers.  Facebook seems to be 100% consumer. You need to adjust the content accordingly.

My Facebook personal profile (Daniel Del Grande) and my Facebook Fan Page (Bison Organic Beer) are only about two things: (1) Bison news, recipes, events, and (2) sustainable lifestyle advocacy. I avoid personal things on Facebook, unless somebody posts a picture of me with family, which I usually delete or untag.

I try not to narrowcast my tweets. Anything goes. My tweets are about craft beer events, my beers, sustainability, and the fun "slice of life" of being a brewmaster, or my observations about life. I probably do about 1/3 consumer tweets, 1/3 sustainability tweets, and 1/3 "Dan is having too much fun" tweeting. I think I have finally found the balance between not sharing enough and sharing too much.

PG: What “secrets for success” do you have for a small business just getting started with social media?

DDG: We advertise by hand, like we brew by hand. I find that if you are genuine, there is a lot of camaraderie in the social media community. About 100 people I talk to on twitter I have also found interesting enough to meet when I’ve visted their hometowns.

There are lots of self-proclaimed experts out there and that can be intimidating. If you need some guidance, read the informative articles on www.mashable.com. You can do it! To get started, don't hire somebody to do it. Do it yourself. If you hire somebody, you will spend more time instructing the hired gun, checking the hired gun, and wishing the hired gun said it a different way. It’s pretty easy once you get started.

Get started with 1/2 hour a day and explore a little each day. Whatever voice you find, it has to be genuine and interesting--you don't need a pre-thought out strategy. Spend time reading commenting on other people's blogs that you find interesting and relevant to your business or brand, and tweet or share the blog on Facebook. Follow people that you think are interesting. They will probably follow you back unless they are a rock star.

Once you have a firm understanding and direction, and have established a voice (and this might take 6 or more months), you can give the daily responsibility to somebody in your organization that you trust to carry the torch. But stay involved, read what is going on, and tweet and post on Facebook at least one 1/2 hour session per week.

PG: What should a small business avoid doing in social media?

DDG: 1. Controversy. It is hard to win an argument in 140 characters. 2. Religion/Sex/Politics. You will surely offend somebody.

PG: What should the balance be between product promotion and other activities in social media?

DDG: I like the 33% promotion, 33% dialog with your consumers or potential consumers, and 33% about why you are compelling and interesting to your customers.

PG: Do websites still matter in our era of social media?

DDG: YES. Websites are still a requirement, but mostly as a catalog. It is an important place to archive your business achievement, product information, and act as a landing page to people interested in your business. It should be your primary SEO tool.  But most of my time online is centered on a blog, twitter, and facebook. 

PG: If websites do matter, how should they integrate with social media activities?

DDG: If put some really interesting links, commentary, or information out on Facebook or Twitter, I capture it in a blog post on the website for future reference.  Your website is also the place where you refer people back to when you comment on blog posts.

PG: Any other advice for social media newbies?

DDG: Get a smart phone with a data package. Period. Use the Facebook and Twitter applications daily.  It will allow you to respond to your customers within an hour. I do it while waiting at the bank, finishing my coffee, finishing lunch. Customers want to hear from you soon. Don't just do it once per week because you will fail.

Social Media Case Study: How Rebecca Fairbanks Is Building Her Farmers Insurance Agency in Oregon with Twitter and Facebook

When Rebecca Fairbanks opened a Farmers Insurance agency in Oregon last year, she decided that social media would be a great way to build her local reputation and kick start her new business. Prior to starting her business, she had worked for an insurance agency in Kansas City for ten years.

I learned about Rebecca six months ago when her name appeared in my “Who To Follow” recommendations on my Twitter profile page. Since becoming one of her followers, I’ve been intrigued with how she uses Twitter and Facebook because I’ve met few professionals who devote as much attention to social media as she does. Today, I chatted with Rebecca about the lessons she has learned from her online experience.

Rebecca decided to focus on social media because she was convinced that it was important to her prospects. For the first six months, her online activities generated conversations but not sales: “It took about six months to start seeing Twitter and Facebook followers become clients. But, once my online community got to know me, the requests for insurance information and quotes just started coming in. Now, social media is driving a significant percentage of my business.”

Today, Rebecca has nearly 1,300 followers on Twitter and 264 Facebook “likes,” both numbers far exceed what most large multi-location insurance agencies have. She’s more active on Twitter than Facebook because she believes that it’s better at reaching the middle class, low risk professionals who she targets.

Rebecca uses Twitter for making connections. “Most of my Tweets aren’t about insurance because that alone would be boring.” Instead, Rebecca provides her followers with useful and fun links to local news stories, restaurant recommendations, and events. Every once in awhile, she’ll mention an interesting insurance fact, story, or statistic but she doesn’t push products via Twitter. She believes that most Twitter users who become clients do so because she comes across as knowledgeable and involved in the community. Later, as she communicates with her followers via Twitter’s direct message system or email, some will request to meet with her or ask for insurance information and quotes.

Because Rebecca believes that “websites are less relevant in a world that social media dominates,”  her Twitter profile links to her Facebook wall not her website. “People can’t connect to you on a website in the same personal way that they can via social media. That’s why I focus on driving traffic to my social media sites.”

Rebecca doesn’t spend as much time on Facebook as she does on Twitter because it doesn’t generate as many leads. But, she is careful about differentiating her Facebook and Twitter content. “I don’t like going to a company’s Facebook wall to just see a lot of automated posts coming in from Twitter. Facebook content should be unique. With automatic feeds, people don’t develop the feeling of connection that is necessary for building trust.”

To conclude, I asked Rebecca whether she thought other service professionals should be using social media, her answer was emphatic: “Of course!  For instance, just imagine all the great tips that a lawyer or CPA could share via social media and how that would build their credibility and connections. I’m sure that social media would offer them tremendous opportunities for business growth just as it has for me.”

How to Get Great Press Coverage Using Social Media Like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to Identify and Pitch Journalists

I've learned some interesting marketing lessons from promoting our book Secrets of a Working Dog: Unleash Your Potential and Create Success that should be useful for many business trying to create buzz.

When went to the Tampa Bay Area in Florida for Spring Break to get some much needed sun, we decided seek out press for our book. I couldn't find a producer for "Good Day Tampa Bay," the top-rated morning news program in the area on Fox. I entered the name of the show in the search bar of Facebook and discovered a producer who had listed the show on his profile. I knew I had the right guy when I saw him pictured with his cute dog in various photos.

I dropped the producer a note via Facebook messaging. After reading my pitch and seeing some of our previous media, he agreed to book us on for a segment which you can watch below. Since media folks get so much email, they often tune it out. I'm finding Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to be increasingly useful ways to identify and pitch journalists. 

Do you have a PR success story involving the use of social media? If you do, please share it here to inspire Buzz Builder Blog readers and shed a spotlight on your business.

 

How Do You Weigh Quality vs. Quantity When Determining Who to Follow and Who Follows You on Twitter?

Recently, I was hanging out at a meeting of the Oregon Chapter of the National Speakers Association and two of my peers were bragging about the number of followers that they have on Twitter. They were voicing a common belief. For many, including the mainstream media, success on Twitter is considered to be directly related to the sheer quantity of one's followers. That's one of the reasons why there is breathless reporting now taking place regarding Charlie Sheen's rapid rise in Twitter popularity. This reminds me of the incredible hullabalo that surrounded producer/actor Ashton Kutcher when he became the first celebrity to gain one million Twitter followers. 

Certainly, the number of people constantly flogging their products and services on Twitter is escalating which I suppose is the reason why many seem so desperate for followers. Although I'm a relative newcomer to active Twitter use, here are three reaons why I strongly believe that the quality of one's network is more important than its quantity.

1. Learning

Even with TweetDeck, the cool free social media management software I use to categorize and track my "tweeps", it's still hard to stay on top of what people I care about are saying since their volume of tweets is large (and growing). By monitoring what my followers are saying, I've gotten data and stories for presentations; ideas for for blog posts and eNewsletter articles; and, and a much better sense of trends in word of mouth marketing.

2. Opening Doors

After following Bob Burg, the co-author of the excellent book The Go-Giver: A Little Story about a Powerful Business Idea, on Twitter, he followed me back. Since then, we've exchanged messages via Twitter that have been useful to the marketing of our book Secrets of Working: Unleash Your Potential and Create Success. Since Bob is such a successful author with lots of people vying for his attention, I'm convinced that it would have been nearly impossible to get his attention through some channel other than Twitter.

3. You Are the Company You Tweep

When I check out the Twitter profile of a propect, client, journalist, blogger, I usually click to see who they follow and who follows them. When I see that these groups include people selling schlock or porn (sadly, two very large groups on Twitter), I wonder why they don't block these individuals from being followers which just takes one click of a computer mouse. Call me old-fashioned but I ascribe to the belief that you are the company you tweep keep.

How do you weigh quality vs. quantity when determining who to follow and who follows you on Twitter?