NOWSOURCING

Ok, some of us had a good laugh on my previous humor post on selling social media. But when it comes down to it, this is no laughing matter. People want to know.

Prior to our 2nd meeting of the Social Media Club – Louisville chapter, folks wanted the topic of conversation to be about selling social media. I was one of the speakers of the night – my subject being on selling social media to clients.
(You can check out the rest of the updates on the SMC Louisville Blog, or Smorty71).

If you made it out, thanks for being a part of SMC Louisville! We are growing at a nice clip and look forward to making our little area of the world something to be reckoned with.

If you didn’t make it, here’s a brief outline on the presentation:

What is Social Media? – going through the basics of what this field is, and why it is important.
Who to Sell to – in short, just about any company can benefit from social media.
How to Sell it – you’re going to need to pitch to the folks that make the decisions and are probably not as heavily invested into social media as you are. Therefore they may question its value, keep terms flexible and consider a trial run. Show them that people are already talking about their company/brand as well as their competition, too. Social media is about conversation and putting one’s unique voice out there.
Expectations (from both sides) – any good consultant can tell you about the 50/50 partnership you should strive for up front with your client. Knowing who will do what is the name of the game.
Social Media Learning Curve – nobody is born with the innate knowledge of how to play in social media.
Do it Yourself / Not Doing it Hurts – simply not participating in social media could ultimately hurt you, your brand, or worse yet – your clients. Doing social media without learning the ropes could hurt, and ignoring what people are saying about you could turn into a serious PR nightmare.
Live Demonstration – Had a little fun with the audience with a live demonstration with some delving into people’s StumbleUpon accounts. Found some revealing things about how they were utilizing the accounts which I hope was helpful for all.

After several requests, I’ve decided to post the presentation: How to Sell Social Media.


Also, for those of you that hate downloading presentations, here’s the presentation on Slideshare:

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Recommended reading:

How to sell social media to your boss – Ebizz by Chris Salazar
How do Social Networks applications incorporate the ladder of engagement? – Beth’s Blog
How to sell the value of social media to your boss – Rohit Bhargava – Influential Marketing Blog
Web Strategy: How to Measure your Social Media Program – Web Strategy by Jeremiah
10 Reasons Why Social Media Marketing Sucks – Collective Thoughts – Andy Beard
Selling Social Media – Social Media Optimization