In our first post in this series, we discussed the underlying basics
of social media marketing. And in the second post, we covered the
avenues you should use when executing a social media marketing
strategy. In this, our third and final post in this series, let’s go
through a couple of examples to help spark some more ideas. What
follows is a few sample business types with a list of items for them to
tweet, post, blog and provide guides and tools about, while also
encouraging community comments, photos and participation.
As you’ll see from the examples below, it would be easy to apply
these suggestion to virtually any business (particularly any
consumer-oriented business), so use your imagination and insert your
own company into the examples that follow:
Real Estate Social Marketing
Be the spot people come to to find a home, sell a home, improve a
home, conduct a move and get and stay involved in a local community.
Regularly Celebrate Your Wins
– Notification of Your Sales and Purchases
– Photos, Videos of home offerings – let the community help you market it – providing what they like best about it
Complementary Information
– Comparison grids of current homes for sale
– Mortgage rates
– Home owner incentives and tax rebate information
– Home owner guides to local resources and specials from local
businesses – carpet cleaners, window cleaners, furnace maintenance, etc.– Relocation information – where to stay, moving companies, packing
and planning lists, become an online concierge for move coordination– Reviews of local moving companies
– House remodeling contractors, contractor reviews, remodeling
investment guides about where to spend money, post photos of clients
before and aftersIndustry Information
– Local Housing Trends
– Tips on things including selecting a realtor, buying a house,
staging a house, selling a house, buying a foreclosure, making your
home green, etc.Community Information
– Local area events, annual festivals, attractions and activities –
include calendar, updates, summaries, photos, and videos; Map on your
website as a local guide– Community involvement opportunities
– Community organizations to join
Participatory Forums
– Yelp, Yahoo Answers, Craigslist, City Data, ActiveRain, Real Estate Forum, Agents Online, etc.
Restaurant Social Marketing
Be the spot they come to to find out
information about your restaurant, about the cuisine you serve, about
fresh local ingredients and shopping, and about local area
entertainment and logistics
Regularly Feature Your Differentiators
– Dinner specials, Happy Hour specials, games playing, restaurant events
– Photos of new menu items and specials
– Video tour of your restaurant
– Promotional rates to fans and followers
– Polls on favorite menu items; surveys for new menu additions
– Drink additions – have weekly cocktail specials including suggestions from community postings
– Welcome to groups who will be dining with you
– Photos of restaurant events and group parties
Complementary Product Information
– Nightlife guide – map, photos, reviews of all the close-by nightlife, new nightlife events
– Walking area map surrounding the restaurant – what else should they check out while they are with you?
– Parking guide and information
– Where to buy fresh local ingredients common to the type of cuisine you serve
– Information about the cuisine you serve – history, culture, health benefits, inspirations
Local Information
– Local area events (races), annual festivals,
attractions and activities – include calendar, updates, summaries,
photos, and videos; Map on your website as a local guide
Participatory Forums
– Yelp, Yahoo answers, Chowhound, City Data, Epicurious
Restaurant Forum, Craigslist, Zagat discussion boards, Fodors Forums,
local newspaper sites
– Reservations management via OpenTable.com
– Monitor and respond to negative reviews on local search sites
Wedding Planner Social Marketing
Be that one-stop shop for resources and information any couple might need when planning that special event.
Your Business Information
– Notification of upcoming weddings, wedding successes
– Photos, Videos of recent weddings
– Any specials on the services you offer
– Planning guides and checklists – be specific here – destination weddings, weddings with divorced parents, etc..
– Planning guide iPhone calendar app
– Tips on how to set the date, choose a location, get others involved, get prenuptials, amuse his mother, etc.
– Encourage recent newly weds and those currently planning to send in their own photos and videos
Complementary Product Information
– Current specials by wedding vendors – flowers, cakes, reception sites, hotel room blocks, etc.
– Comparison grids of wedding vendors by category –
flowers, cakes, reception sites, officiants, rental companies, catering
companies, hotels, limo companies, tux rentals, bridal shops, hair
dressers, registry stores, stationary shops, calligraphy artists, etc.
– include your own client reviews here
Industry Information
– Trends in wedding ceremonies, wedding attire, etc.
– Links to feature articles, photo spreads or other material by mainstream media or bloggers in the field.
Community Information
– Any news pertaining to local wedding vendors or local wedding trends
– Events in your local area such as wedding expos or trunk shows at your local department stores
Participatory Forums
– Yelp, Yahoo Answers, Brides.com Forum, SuperWeddings
forum, Top Wedding Questions, OneWed, Wedding Channel Forum, The Knot
Message Boards, etc.
Social media marketing — like all marketing — is only as good as the
planning, thought and commitment you bring to the effort. By following
much of the advice from this series of post, you should be off to a
great start with your own program. Good luck!
