using story to connect in a social media landscape

Using Story to Connect in a Social Media Landscape

Thank you, College of Informatics!

(Full Discloser: I Love NKU)

What Happens?

Our vocabulary changesNew words: analyze, data, investment, benefits, pros and cons, ROI, end user, profit and loss, interface, customer retention, benchmark, best practices, RFPs, search engine optimization, social media, networking, sales cycle, accounts payable, apps . . .

. . . .retirement

3 Questions That Change Everything

Why a story?

What is your story?

How do you tell your story with social media? (6 tips)

My Story

Why a Story?“You have to tell a story, not give a lecture. You have to hint at the facts, not announce them. You cannot prove your way into a sale — you gain a customer when the customer proves to herself that you’re a good choice.”

— Seth Godin, from All Marketers Tell Stories

Why a Story?

Stories = Connection

Connection = Customer

Customers Who Connect = Growing Business

What is Your Story?It’s not what you do, it’s your whyWhat you stand for.

What you’re about.

What you want to be different in the world.

Your history, quirks, arguments, passions, daydreams, successes, failures, and future plans.

How Do You Tell Your Story with Social Media?

1. Shift your thinking.

Report, “Campaigns to Capabilities: Social Media & Marketing 2011” from Buddy Media, @BuddyMedia (posted on Fast Company’s blog, http://bit.ly/pR8AQx)

Primary use—96%—of social media platforms is advertising and promotion.

“Content creation” is top priority (people want to read stories).

Shift Your Thinking

Every social media interaction—every status update, Twitter link, video share, blog post or blog comment, podcast, web cast, LinkedIn update—is a chance to tell a story.

A chance to communicate your why.

How Do You Tell Your Story with Social Media?

2. Have a point of view.

Your point of view is what links all of your social media interactions.

Have a Point of ViewCreate an energy statement (think: thesis

statement).

Your energy statement represents your brand and your vision for how life should be, according to your business.

“Your story is your best thing.”

Let your energy statement(s) govern your posts. Ask yourself: is this in line with my energy statement?

How Do You Tell Your Story with Social Media?

3. Be targeted.

Who is your person? Who needs to hear your point of view?

Be Targeted

Narrow down by ruling out/ruling in, and then don’t try to be all things to all people.

Talk directly to your people.

Pick your social media platform(s) to focus on, and create specific intentions around them.

How Do You Tell Your Story with Social Media?

4. Have a voice.

The voice you use for social media should be the same voice you use on your web site—which should also be the same voice you use to talk to your people in person/phone.

Have a VoiceAvoid generic “social media” voice. (The voice of

random urgency.)

Say it aloud, and pay attention.

Links alone are useless. Your voice is what establishes context.

How Do You Tell Your Story with Social Media?

5. Share others’ stories.

Stories are meant to be shared. 50/50, or your own metric (but have one).

Share Others’ Stories Awesome article about the unexpected benefits of reducing

stress, from my friend Kate Hanley (http://msmindbody.com)! http://bit.ly/nuHen3

#gcva if you believe that you have The Thing, the thing that will make $, you will run into the right people.

@IncludeFitness Love the story of how you came up with the idea for the product. You should always start with that story!

New motto: if no one has thrown up yet, you have to keep going. Read why it's a great remedy for curing creative block! http://bit.ly/qxYX4z

See my art picks for today at Crescendoh @jennydoh @jenn_ski http://bit.ly/dAm7lN

How Do You Tell Your Story with Social Media?

6. Be a fortune teller.

Ask: Will this piece of content be relevant to my story ___ years from now? (I go with “2” because I’m toward the beginning of my brand cycle.)

Be a Fortune TellerHow is it building on my story? (Not every single

Tweet or FB post will, but they shouldn’t detract.)

If I took most of my blog posts, Tweets, Facebook posts, etc., over ___ years, could I merge them into a “brain map”? Would it tell a story?

Get in Touch!www.judiketteler.com

judi@judiketteler.com

@judiketteler

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