If you are an entrepreneur and you don’t have either a Facebook account or a Twitter account for your business, then you are in some serious social media trouble. Social media is the easiest and most cost effective way to advertise your business and your products. But if you do have an account on these popular social networking sites and all you do is put “Follow us on Facebook/Twitter” on your traditional advertising media, then you have a serious problem. What problem, you ask? Integration.
In this rapidly growing and fast paced digital world, social media is king. Still, traditional advertising and public relations are not about to take a backseat. While more and more people are going online to do business, a majority of consumers still look to traditional media for information on the market. As an entrepreneur, it is your duty to integrate old and new media to come up with an effective communications plan.
Tom Martin, founder of Converse Digital, shares a “simple six-question integrated marketing development framework” in his article for the SocialMediaExaminer.com. According to Martin, social media and traditional media work best when they complement one another. He cited a report which revealed that consumers trust other consumers above all else. This is really where social media draws its strength from. Social media, as Martin puts it, brings back “believability in advertising.”
The six suggested questions around which to organize a truly integrated social media and traditional media marketing campaign are as follows:
1. What is the goal? Martin suggests that entrepreneurs start with the business goal rather than the communications goal.
2. Who is the audience? Find out who you’re communicating with, beyond just the demographics.
3. Where is the audience? By where, Martin means determining where your audience is in their lives.
4. How can I connect with my audience? This question not only refers to the channels by which you can reach your audience but also to the ways by which you can better connect with your audience.
5. How do I extend the conversation? As an entrepreneur, what do you plan to do next?
6. How can I get my audience to introduce me to others? Getting a recommendation from your audience is the key to expanding your business.
Remember, the keyword is integration. Use the strengths of both social media and traditional media to deliver a powerful message, not just to your target market, but to the entire world.
