Inner Circle Media

Before you post one more thing on Facebook, Tweet on Twitter, or update your LinkedIn profile, ask yourself this – what’s my comprehensive marketing strategy? If you’re not sure why you’re on the web, how do you know if your efforts are successful? Just being there isn’t necessarily going to improve your business. In fact, without a strategy, your scatter shot approach and multiple online personalities could annoy, aggravate, or even scare away prospects, clients, press contacts, and potential business partners.

It seems people are in such a frenzy these days to jump on the online social media band wagon that they forget about marketing basics – who needs your product/service? And how will you reach those people?

Social media should be just a part of your overall marketing/communications plan. It should NOT replace your other efforts (advertising, press, media, website, etc.) Nor should the tools be used in standalone ways – i.e. you build a following on Twitter, but do nothing to reach out via email marketing, blogs, Facebook, etc.

As you create your strategy, consider your audience:

• Who are you trying to reach?
• What are they already doing online?
• Where are they finding out about you?
• Do they use online social networking tools?
• Are they talking about you online? What are they saying?
• What do you want your target audience to do – connect with you, repost your tweets, call you, email you, buy your stuff?

Now consider what tools and/or initiatives you already have in place. Which tactics do you use? Which ones work well for your audience? How could you make better use of these tools?

• Website
• Blogs (yours and others’)
• E-newsletter
• Personal
  
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