I am sharing this presentation of best practices in using social media, specifically Facebook, to drive local traffic to local retail stores, restaurants, and outlets.
This is part of Engage121 and our clients’ ongoing work not only to grow clients’ communities and engage new customers, but also to generate new consumer leads. This is done via our successful formula of engaging organic posts and advertising placement!
If a picture is worth 1,000 words, a video is worth at least 500.
I recommend including photos and images over video on your brand’s Facebook posts in most cases. An image can let readers take the story in their own direction, while videos are at times too limiting.
More importantly, images with text are easier and quicker for your readers to consume and with which to engage!
How many times have you clicked an article from a news gathering site and were lead to a video that you had to watch? All you really wanted to do was skim down to read the part that interested you. Many readers simply don’t watch the video. Some watch it and may be disappointed.
Videos are fantastic for in-depth explanation and full feature story telling. But for faster interaction and engagement on your Facebook pages, nothing beats an image. Except images with dogs and cats.
I am excited to share a bit of a preview of one panel at this year’s IFA FranTech. This is the 4th annual event (formerly FranCamp) focusing on Marketing and Technology for Franchises.
I am even more excited to be moderating a panel of Franchisors including Paul Segreto, CEO of Franchise Source Brands International, and Gina Svendsen, Director of Marketing of Scooter’s Coffee.
We will discuss the most successful social media channels that franchisors and franchisees are using to:
If you’re looking for a conference to hear self-described “experts” drone on and on about how cool they are, then this is not the session for you.
No PowerPoints. No phony stories about how Harvard Business School was holding them back. No sales pitches.
This will be an open discussion with CEOs and CMOs chatting with you about what’s working for them in social media and what’s not.
See you in Denver!
What is everyone addicted to now? Interaction! Truer words were not spoken in 2013.
A colleague and I were trading some of the best ideas we heard in 2013 and I remembered a great keynote speech from Peter Guber at the 2013 Multi-Unit Franchising show in Las Vegas earlier this year.
Mr. Guber is a Hollywood legend, producing such films as The Color Purple, Rain Man, Batman, and Midnight Express and has conquered the interactive media & multimedia world as well. Oh, and he also owns the LA Dodgers!
But first and foremost, he’s a marketer; a really good marketer who gave us this best advice I heard all year:
“Whatever you’re pitching, if you go in and do a monologue, you’re screwed! People are addicted to interactivity.”
No one wants to see your PowerPoint slides or hear your case studies with charts, graphs, circles, and arrows. Talk to them. Listen to their stories and they just might be interested in yours!
Misguided information is hurting franchise marketing when it comes to Local Social.
A public relations firm focusing on the franchise space that has recently positioned its team as being “social media experts” told me that they are advising franchisor clients not to allow local Facebook pages for franchisees. They recommend having just one Facebook page for the brand.
I asked why … because of a concern over consistency? Workflow fears? Worries over customer response?
No. Their answer was that it’s easier for the PR firm to measure that way.
I was at a loss for words. Instead of localizing social and growing communities of customers and potential customers, this agency was counseling its clients to make the agency’s own work easier.
My only response was that their approach was that it’s like losing a contact lens in the bedroom, but looking for it in the kitchen because the light is better.
This is not just uninformed. It’s lazy. And, if I were their client already, I could not fire this agency fast enough.
The International Franchise Association’s annual convention returns to Las Vegas in February 16 – 20. As you get ready for the show, here’s a list of gear you’ll want to remember.
What to bring:
1. Business cards. Yes, we still use those. No one really wants to tap phones to exchange contact information because that’s just weird.
2. Hand sanitizer. You really don’t want this flu bug that’s taking people out of work for a week at a time. It’s killing our economy faster than Obamacare, which is ironic.
Stop by the Engage121 booth in the exhibit hall. We’ll have plenty to share. In fact, let’s all bathe in the stuff.
3. A pen. Because, no, I don’t have an extra pen. You would probably just get flu germs on it.
4. Your power cords. A colleague of mine forgot his and headed off to find the Apple Store in Las Vegas during the 2011 IFA. We’re still waiting for him to return.
5. All of the cash you plan on using. Nothing good happens after going to an ATM in a Las Vegas casino.
A few things to do before the show:
1. Download the IFA Mobile App
2. RSVP to the IFA Tweetup on Saturday 2/16
3. Sign up for The IFA’s new social network, FranSocial
4. Like Engage121 on Facebook. The Engage121 team will be posting live updates all week during the show.
5. Get a flu shot! (see above)
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I’m looking forward to moderating a panel of the Public Relations industry’s top agency leaders. These top industry executives will address current PR challenges and opportunities in a wide-ranging roundtable discussion. Our leadership forum is one of the most popular PRSA Chicago Chapter events held each year and is back by popular demand!
Issues to be discussed and debated include social, political, economic, and cultural trends affecting the practice of PR in agencies and companies including:
• The Communications role within the marketplace and current economy
• Issues that are critical to all in the C-suite, especially in driving economic growth
• New insights and innovations that agencies should provide clients
• How do forward-thinking agency leaders stay in front of clients’ needs?
• Predictions for the rest of 2012 and 2013!
Our panelists for the program are:
Rick Murray, President, Edelman
Patti Temple Rocks, Managing Director, GolinHarris
Bill Zucker, Midwest Director, Ketchum
Susan Howe, President, Weber Shandwick
Maxine Winer, Senior Partner and General Manager, Fleishman-Hillard
Erica Swerdlow, Midwest Market Leader / Managing Director at Burson Marsteller
Claire Koeneman, Executive Vice President, Hill+Knowlton Strategies
Moderated by Jack Monson, Vice President, Engage121
Register now for this September 18 PRSA event in Chicago!
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Originally posted at Engage121 Blog
You see it everyday in retail stores, coffee shops, and pizza places:
Like us on Facebook!
Here’s the issue for the owners and managers of these stores: the people reading that sign are already in your store!
And instead of engaging them in real life, having a conversation, or selling them stuff (!), some retailers are pushing them over to Facebook or some other online presence to Like them, take a survey, etc. Don’t fall into this hole! Again, these people are ALREADY in your store! And, don’t worry about Facebook; Zuckerberg’s traffic will be just fine.
Don’t get me wrong – it’s extremely valuable to have your current customers join your online community. Engaging those folks on Facebook or other social channels is key in cementing your relationship, offering customer service, and perhaps creating a returning customer. Also, I think many people are drawn to the Facebook logo and would read anything on that sign!
But please don’t let your engagement in social marketing end there! So far, you’ve preached to the choir. Now you need to find a congregation.
Focus your resources on attracting people who are not currently in your store to come to your Facebook Page. Find consumers who are not already customers and invite them to learn about your business. Use Facebook to drive store traffic, not the other way around.
Remember the progression you want:
Person living in your community —> Person interested enough to go to your Fan Page —> Person interested enough to go to your shop —> Person who buys a product or service
I am honored to be on a panel with my two favorite PR Measurement professionals next week at the PRSA Midwest District Conference in Chicago.
Please check out the full agenda here and be sure to join our breakout session:
Thursday, 7/19, 2:30 -3pm: “Measurement: The Evolution of Listening”
~ Johna Burke, Senior Vice President, BurrellesLuce
~ Pauline Draper Watts, Executive Vice President, StrategyOne
~ Jack Monson, Senior Vice President, Engage121
Thanks to Entrepreneur Magazine for giving me the opportunity to discuss Social Media and the Franchise industry in the July issue!
Check out my interview here:
The Biggest Lessons Franchisors Learned About Social Media
Yes, they put that Zuckerburg guy on the cover….maybe next time…
Social Geek Blog 