SOCIAL MEDIA WORKSHOP Friday, March 11, William B. Travis Building N Congress Avenue, Room T E X A S P R O P A N E F L E E T S P R E S E N T S

Social Media Channels

How Social Media Works Community is self-generating and is always looking for new topics Readership is unlimited as everything is searchable Anything can start conversations – opinion, idea, random thought, question Draws everyone in to either participate or shape opinion Organizations legitimize them and they legitimize the organization Links organization directly to consumers and influencers

The consumer has changed –With so many companies/messages vying for the attention of saturated consumers, buyers need a trusted advisor (influencer/evangelist) to help them make the right choice –Consumers are driven by research not advertising and look for independent, third- party endorsements,which matter more than ever The Internet has changed –Google and other search engines give priority to blogs, micro-blogs and YouTube –In most cases, third-party endorsements on the first 2 to 3 pages of search results define what brands and criteria the buyer will use to make a purchase Marketing has changed –People search for solutions and answers far more than products and brands –Since so many products/brands claim to be the best, consumer discount all and seek advice from influential people (i.e. people with a following) All of these changes enable you to create ongoing, HYPER-EFFICIENT programs that leverage social networks WOM, online advertising and third-party evangelism to drive demand Why Social Media Works

1.Be ethical and transparent 2.Set goals and develop a content strategy 3.Deliver the right content to the right audience 4.Listen to the conversation and engage the audience 5.Facilitate evangelism — show you are the right organization, doing the right things to earn it 6.Measure the effectiveness of the strategy and adapt Keys to Social Media Success

Buyers Driven by Research, Not Traditional Ads

BLOG = Better Listings On Google Most searches have a disproportionate number of blogs in the top 20 results Customers are looking for third-parties to help them decide These third-party endorsements are key drivers for: – Buying criteria – Price – Brands/products to consider/drop – Features to look for/avoid

It’s about people The rules are the same for corporations and separate individuals alike However, expectations of large institutions are different Identify and use the influencers – they are your allies Define, know and stick to the role you’ve identified for yourself Play active role in responding to inquiries and correcting inaccuracies Keep it personal by discussing your experience as an individual and telling your story Give first-hand advice, perspective, anecdotes Use phrases such as “I think…”, “It’s my feeling that…” and “In my experience…” Give back – every interaction must add value Principles of Community Interaction

Allow the community to norm itself instead of being prescriptive Publish simple rules of engagement from the outset and stick to them within reason You are there to interact, not direct – use a light hand When you generate content, you are giving an implicit promise of responsiveness Bring in others to state points you wish to make Comment on other sites to draw traffic to your site Don’t be afraid to establish your own unique editorial style and voice – people want to speak to another person Use SEO to increase your new community’s discoverability Getting Things Started

Find places where your customers and allies congregate Keep an open mind – customers may turn up in odd or unexpected places Identify and branch into tangential communities that match strategic objectives Always leave them wanting more This gives you an entrée to lead them back to your site Let the community do the heavy lifting for you Recognize champions and leverage their efforts when they align with your own Give credit for good ideas Link to others of like mind -- pull in others’ stories (tacit endorsement of individual as company envoy) Always respect existing norms Listen and learn before speaking Be judicious about entering conversation – avoid creating interference or noise Interacting with Existing Communities

Failing to be transparent: Transparency is the currency of the blogosphere – clearly disclose for who you are Appearing to bribe: Don't send stuff to influencers before asking them Not knowing the why and what of blogging: They are not journalists (despite appearances) Making a bad first step: Know the blog and what they talk about and cover and not sending press releases (press releases are for the media, conversations don’t start with them) Common Social Media Mistakes

Common Social Media Mistakes cont. Being scripted: Blogs are conversation tools and you would never recite talking points at a cocktail party – no sales pitches in s or phone conversations just be honest and open, not stiff and predictable Forgetting everything is on the record: You don't put anything in writing you wouldn't want to be online Making claims that can be easily disproved: Influencers love to call BS; don’t give them a reason to do so Using tools to talk: With all of the methods to contact someone; and sometime the phone is still the best way to build a relationship

Texas Railroad Commission Names Online Community Manager for Propane Initiative

Discussion and Questions

Thank You!