As a product manager, it’s your responsibility to execute and deliver on your company’s marketing strategy and goals. To accomplish this, you may be using traditional outbound marketing tactics such as TV, radio and Newspaper. However these classic tactics may not always yield effective results without being integrated with Social Media elements.
This doesn’t mean that you are done away with classic methods; they still coexist and need an integrated approach by any smart marketer. Social Media enhance your brand awareness; boost your market share and sales. But how do you implement social media when you already have some really effective traditional marketing programs in progress? Here are few strategies that help you step into the world of social media by still retaining the good stuff you already have.
Know Your Audience
Are you still relying on traditional marketing such as ESPN or yellow pages while you can easily reach smart phone users? This is where you need to consider target market research. Find out where your clients are likely to see your ads. For instance, if your clients don’t read newspapers, there’s no point in using print for campaigning. If they don’t watch ESPN, there’s no point in buying TV spots.
Reach Out Your Audience in the Ways they like
Try to find out what are the other media that your clients use to gather news and other information. For instance if your audience are kids then get on the social networks catering to the kids group. If your clients are IT buyers then identify the bloggers who are influencing this community. Or if they are sales professionals then you need to deliver content on a Twitter.
Don’t invest on advertising outlets that yield nothing and focus more on social media advertising.
Maintain Consistent Marketing Strategy Throughout
Whatever be your goals, objectives and messages, they should be the same across all your marketing. But you don’t need to re-design this all out just for social media. It simply takes your existing design and extends it. Consistency builds trust and credibility while inconsistency leads to confusion.
Connect Print Media with Social Marketing
Place the links of your company website, Facebook, Twitter or Linkedin profiles on classic marketing tools such as business cards, brochures,etc. Awareness is half the job of social media engagement.
Post your print ads on social networking sites
Post your print ads that carry other customers’ and suppliers’ views of your product on any of the social networking sites. Your targeted audience is keen to learn the reputation of your company and nothing speaks better than a strong testimonial from a reputed source.
Engage Your Audience
Keep your fans always informed of upcoming events, promotions, discounts and other special deals. As long as you engage them with creative, fun and valuable information, it is OK to post several times a day. This promotes your brand in the social world.
Use Smart Social Media Tools
Make use of free tools like Facebook, WordPress blog and YouTube account to drive traffic inexpensively and quickly. For instance, you can include a code on each receipt that allows your customers to access a forum and interact with you and other users. Here they can post their comments about the product. At the same time, you will have an opportunity to share your new products with them. Moreover, you must participate by listening and conversing with your customers. Thus social media tools enable you to learn the customer’s view of your products.
Track the progress of your Social Media Efforts
Google analytics is the best tool that helps you track the overall progress of your business. Some other tools include tools from Hub Spot that tracks the quality of your website and Twitter page.
Keep these strategies in mind, integrate social media with traditional marketing and watch the revolution.
