connecting the dots - cdn july 2015
TRANSCRIPT
Michelle Kershner
Business Development Specialist
City of Frederick
“CONNECTING THE DOTS”
CONNECTING YOUR COMMUNICATION
Communication Strategies
Make the Most of Your Content
Integrating Your Messages
Real Examples
A FESTIVAL OF CONFUSION
1 2
“Join us this weekend at the
Zora Neal Hurston Festival of
the Arts and Humanities in
historic Eatonville, Florida.”
A FESTIVAL OF CONFUSION
3
Website
4 MAP
56.5 mi, 1 hr 1
min driving
5
Events
“Press” refers
to books for
sale.
6 7
Blog
HOW I FELT…
If something is…
• Important enough to post on
Facebook or Twitter (twice).
• Important enough to have
on the home page of your
website.
• Important enough to staff
and attend for multiple
days.
It’s important enough to
connect the dots in your
communication.
IF SOMETHING IS IMPORTANT ENOUGH TO…
Wild West of Social Media
Messages
“I’m outlawed and it wasn’t long since I was a law and old Pat an
outlaw. Funny thing, the law.''--Billy the Kid to Heiskell Jones, 1880
{@BillyTheKid} @HeiskellJones I’m
#outlawed and it wasn’t long since I
was a law and old Pat an outlaw
#wildwest
{@OldPat} LOL @BillyThekid
is an #Outlaw now! And I’m
law! #wildwestjustice
{@WildWestSherrif} News Release:
@BillyTheKid #outlawed; @OldPat
now legit ow.ly/hw5ac
{@Gentleman }FYI
@BillyThekid is an #Outlaw!
Knew it! RT
@OldPat LOL
@BillyThekid
is an
#Outlaw
now! And I’m
law!
{@CWyattEarp} @IkeClanton
You damn dirty cow thief, if
you’re anxious to fight, I’ll
meet you! #OKCorral
1. Craft a Solid Message
2. Control Your Message
3. Connect Your Message
HOW DO YOU WRANGLE IN WILD
MESSAGES?
By the time this session
is over, over 21 million
Tweets will be sent.
(2 years ago it was 16 million)
BUILD YOUR BASE, THEN CONNECT THE DOTS
Toolbox: • Facebook
• Twit ter
• YouTube
• eNewslet ters
• Press Releases/ Publ ic Relat ions
• Adver t is ing
• Pr inted Mater ia ls
• Annual Repor t
• Blog
• Websi te
Before you even THINK about socia l ly shar ing, th ink about your base.
BUILD YOUR BASE, THEN CONNECT THE DOTS
Image, Short & Sweet
Shorten
Those
Links:
Bit.ly
Ow.ly
Goo.gl
Ask yourself…
PRE-POST ANALYSIS
Someone in your office just won an
award. Your boss says, “Hey, that would
make a great Tweet or Facebook post.”
• Do I have an image of the person?
• Does the “rest of the story” already live online?
• Do I need to create online content first?
• Do I need to “tag” people, and therefore like their page or follow them?
• How is this post part of my overall marketing strategy?
TOUGH QUESTIONS
Be able to control your own content.
@CDNMaryland
Message
Other Social Media
Press Releases
YouTube
Website
•Blog Newsletter
Advertising
Printed Materials
Close the Loop
Everywhere
you turn,
there is
information.
CONNECTING THE DOTS BRINGS FOCUS
The way you communicate an idea allows an image to take shape. The
more you connect, the more your message comes into focus.
1. Craft a Solid Message
2. Control Your Message
3. Connect Your Message
HOW DO YOU WRANGLE
IN WILD MESSAGES?
33 – The percentage of
US Internet users who said
they ended a connection
with a brand on social
media due to the brand
sharing too many updates.
(Source: eMarketer)
• Corporate blogs are the most useful channels for media when searching for articles
• 81% of journalists are using Twitter (2014, Meltwater.com)
• 89% of journalists research their story ideas on blogs (2014, Meltwater.com)
• On average, 3 dif ferent social media channels are used to prepare each story (Holmes Report, March 26, 2012)
EXAMPLE: PUBLIC RELATIONS
“While traditional communications channels such as press releases remain
important, brands are missing out by not embracing a balanced approach
across all social channels.” - Dan Baxter
“America’s best small comeback towns”
FREDERICK IS ONE OF
AMERICA’S PRETTIEST
PAINTED PLACES
Put your Press Release Online
Set Your Foundation
Control Your Content
Press Release Links to Website, YouTube, Facebook
FREDERICK IS ONE OF
AMERICA’S PRETTIEST
PAINTED PLACES
Animoto Embedded video
Free Online photo editing tools
•PicMonkey
•Photoshop Express Editor
WIN: TRADITIONAL MEDIA
LINKS TO NEW MEDIA
• Guest blog posts
• Contributing article for
outside publication
• Use on homepage sl ider
• Share in newsletters
• Advertising
• Marketing Collateral
• Brochures
• Annual Reports
• Membership
CONNECTING THIS MESSAGE
WITH MARKETING
Foundation=Content & Images
Community & Relocation Guide, Winter 2013
Advertising
Message
Other Social Media
Press Releases
YouTube
Website/Blog Newsletter
Advertising
Printed Materials
Traditional Media
PLANNING
•Goals
•Target Audience
TOUGH MESSAGE CHOICES – BE CRAFTY!
Someone in your office just won an award.
Your boss says, “Hey, that would make a
great Tweet or Facebook post.”
What if… …you work for a Downtown Association?
You post information on • Fun community events
• New shop openings
• Food and restaurants
Your part-time accountant won this award.
Do you still share it? •What is your message? •Who is your audience? •Does this apply?
TOUGH MESSAGE CHOICES – BE CRAFTY!
Our accountant, Ann, was caught
sporting a jacket from downtown
shop Fine Threads when she won the
Young Accountant of the Year Award.
Learn more about Ann: Lin.k.ly
Creative Crafting!
Not every piece of news is worthy of
sharing socially over every network.
1. Craft a Solid Message
2. Control Your Message
3. Connect Your Message
HOW DO YOU WRANGLE IN WILD MESSAGES?
Nearly 60% of social media users of them
are willing to like or follow a brand on social
media.
61% will unfollow brands because the
content is no longer relevant, they no longer
purchase from the brand or because the
connection was tenuous to begin with.
-- socialtimes.com, 2014
When does this happen?
• Working with partners outside
your organization or company
• Different team members all
writing messages
• Influencers, members,
customers, etc. are sharing your
message
SHARING THE SOCIAL MESSAGE
Challenge:
Who owns the message? How do you share?
Tell people HOW to talk about you.
• Members
• Staff
• Partners
• Influencers
COLLABORATING: TALK THIS WAY
Encourage people to talk
about you by giving them:
•Suggested Facebook Posts
•Suggested Tweets
•Hashtags
•Images or Infographics
•Handles
Community development organizations employed 3,549
full-time employees and 431 part-time employees in
2014.
Community development organizations invested more
than $122.2 million in projects statewide in 2014.
50 community development organizations produced a
total of 1045 units of housing, and invested more than
$121 million.
There are 27 certified “main streets” statewide supported
by nonprofit organizations or government agencies.
@CDNMaryland
WORKING WITH PARTNERS
Establish Ground Rules for Sharing
•Organization that owns the content posts it.
•Share only most important posts.
•Others reshare the content.
WORKING WITH PARTNERS OUTSIDE OF
YOUR ORGANIZATION
Tools for Collaboration
•Private Facebook Group
•Email Group
•Linked In
•Basecamp
•Outlook
•Project
Tell people HOW to talk
about you, your product or
event.
COLLABORATING: TALK THIS WAY
Graphic to Share
#Hashtags
Sample Posts
Handles
Sample Press Releases
Advocacy Campaign
Follow CDN on Facebook and Twitter
Read reports and find information that
supports what your organization does
Craft a press release relating report stats to
your organization, site your organization’s
efforts as an example
Share partner information via social media
Use hashtags and handles
Follow partners
Identify photography
Remember your audience!
IDEAS FOR CRAFTING YOUR MESSAGE
WHAT DID WE LEARN?
Wrangling is Tough Work Craft + Control + Connect
“…Social Media is not an
island. It’s a high-power engine
on the larger marketing ship.”
Matt Dickman, SVP Digital Marketing at Fleishman
Hillard, technomarketer.typepad.com
Restore Order to Your Messaging
“I’m outlawed and it wasn’t long since I was a law and old Pat an
outlaw. Funny thing, the law.''--Billy the Kid to Heiskell Jones, 1880
{@BillyTheKid}
Outta here! RT
@WildWestSherrif: News
Release: @BillyTheKid
#outlawed & @OldPat now
legit ow.ly/hw5ac
#wildwestlaw
{@OldPat}
LOL RT
@WildWestSherrif:
News Release:
@BillyTheKid
#outlawed & @OldPat
now legit ow.ly/hw5ac
#wildwestlaw
{@WildWestSherrif} News Release:
@BillyTheKid #outlawed &
@OldPat now legit ow.ly/hw5ac
#wildwestlaw
{@Coyboy4} Knew it! RT @WildWestSherrif:
News Release: @BillyTheKid #outlawed &
@OldPat now legit ow.ly/hw5ac
#wildwestlaw
{@Coyboy3} Knew it! RT @WildWestSherrif:
News Release: @BillyTheKid #outlawed &
@OldPat now legit ow.ly/hw5ac
#wildwestlaw
{@Coyboy2} Knew it! RT @WildWestSherrif:
News Release: @BillyTheKid #outlawed &
@OldPat now legit ow.ly/hw5ac
#wildwestlaw
{@Coyboy1} Knew it! RT @WildWestSherrif:
News Release: @BillyTheKid #outlawed &
@OldPat now legit ow.ly/hw5ac
#wildwestlaw
Connect The Dots.
And You Will Build
Stronger Communities in Maryland
Michelle Kershner Business Development Specialist City of Frederick 301-600-6363 [email protected] www.businessinfrederick.com
@frederickded @mahker facebook.com/frederickded
QUESTIONS?