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Hopefully, by now you are at least thinking about your Social Persona, and beginning to test the waters. This blog post is going to show you one way to begin getting real value from your SM efforts.

One of the most powerful uses of social media (and one that seems to get little attention from ‘experts’ and the press) is as a real-time market research tool. There are both active and passive ways you can use all the chatter out there to find out about your customer’s needs and wants, what they are talking about, and what they tell each other about your business.

Passive listening is akin to old westerns where the cavalry scout puts his ear to the ground and tells the captain how many horses are approaching and how far away they are. You can pretty easily “read” the social media sites to get feedback on what is being said.

Most social media sites have search features that you can use to see what is being said. Twitter for example has two: Trending Topics are displayed on the right hand side of the Twitter home page. These are the most used terms over the entire twitter network. They are not likely to be of direct use, but can give you a feel for the current “mood”. Twitter also offers direct search capabilities. You can easily search for keywords and see what tweets recently contained those words. With many Twitter clients (programs such as TweetDeck or Tweetie that add functionality to Twitter) you can see recent tweets locally, within a range up to 100 miles from your location. Certainly if you are a cabinet shop, this is a big feature. You can literally see what is being said about cabinets or remodeling in your own neighborhood.

Facebook is a bit different. You can certainly search, but the results will be pages from people or businesses, not keyword searches within the conversation. This is useful to find connections and build your network. And as your network grows, you can easily see what people in your network are talking about.

For those of you who do more B2B marketing, Linkedin has some powerful “listening” tools. There are numerous groups you can join (or even start your own) and receive regular updates on topics of conversation among the group members. There is a Question and Answer section where users post questions and other users provide answers. Keeping track of the questions being asked, and reading responses to questions in areas of interest, is a way to see current thinking and meet new contacts.

In the next post, I will discuss more active methods of gathering market information through Social Media. I encourage you to comment of this post as well as suggest ideas you have used!

I can be found on Twitter, (@Consultingwood) on Linkedin, (http://www.linkedin.com/in/ralphbagnall) or via email at: rbagnall@consultingwoodworker.com

I supposed it had to happen, although I admit I didn’t really see it coming. After several months of coaching and advising people on Social Media strategies here and on other venues, companies have begun asking me if I can help them with their Social Media and marketing. I don’t want this blog post to be a sales pitch, but one of the questions that needs to be answered is; “How do I choose a SM consultant?”

Social Media is so new, and evolving so quickly that there are no real certification or even education programs for you to rely on. So you need to be asking the right questions to find the right person. In my opinion, the first question to ask is how well the consultant in question knows your industry and your customer base. Nearly any teenager knows how to set up and operate the various SM platforms, but if they do not know what your customers are talking about between themselves, how can they advise you on how to communicate with them?

Another area to ask about is their writing experience. Most social media is, in fact, written. Poor spelling, grammar and syntax will reflect poorly on your company. An effective communicator is deeply important, especially if they will be supplying you with copy for your newsletter, blog or website.

And that brings me to the next point; as I have been extolling on this blog for some time, social media marketing is NOT just posting on a couple of platforms. You need to be managing a comprehensive campaign utilizing the correct platforms for your audience, and those efforts need to be cross-promoting each other, with the ultimate aim of bringing customers to your website.

Lastly, I firmly believe that when all is said and done, “Content is King”. I advise providing solid content to your customers on your website so they come back regularly to learn new things. You become a trusted source for them. But you are also trying to run a business in a very tough time. Will your consultant be able to assist you by helping you create good content for your customers.

So, if you are looking to hire a consultant for your Social Media Marketing, be sure to “interview” them, and insure that they will be a good fit for your company, industry and customer base.

As I indicated in my last blog, the economy seems to be on the road to recovery. But I am convinced that this road does NOT lead back to the way things were. The business environment I see emerging from the market crash is a whole new, social, world.

I have written here before about Social Media strategies, but as time goes by, a broader picture is emerging, Social Media is no longer enough. The “Media” is NOT the message. I am looking to define a whole new “Social Persona” where your entire business is focused around your customers being participants in the “face” you present online. It is no longer enough to simply maintain a Twitter account and FaceBook page.

Rockler is an excellent example of a company developing a Social Persona. They have an active FaceBook Page, and their Twitter managment is a model that others should be emulating. But Rockler understands that they need to be integrating that those efforts deeper into their business. Rockler has recently unveiled a new gallery where customers can show off their projects and comment on others member’s projects. Rockler’s blog continues to evolve, and they are now beginning to link outside reviews and video demos into their own online product pages! The customers are helping to shape the “face” that other customers see when they connect with Rockler.

MicroJig regularly asks permission and posts user reviews directly on their site. They reaalize that their customers will use the products in ways they may not have envisioned. The accumulated knowledge base blows way beyond any reasonable FAQ page and adds an element of trust because Microjig’s advertising claims are backed up by customer experience. Another fine example of what I am discussing is a company called Indonique.

Indonique is a retailer of fine Indian tea and chai. The owner, George, is also a woodworker, and we began discussing how he could attract more woodworkers to his site. He has added a “Tea and Woodworking “page to his website where he is sharing information and plans for tea related woodworking. This in itself is excellent, but rather than simply filling the page himself, George is inviting anyone who wishes to contribute content. I have contributed plans for a tray, and will likely be “guest blogging” at some point.

None of us are yet sure exactly where all this may lead. What we do know is that consumers are wary of traditional advertising. They trust the people in their social networks, and are constantly seeking and sharing information; “I am car shopping, anyone have experience with the 2009….” “Rockler’s Bench Cookies look cool, but how do they work when they get dusty?” “ What chai should I try for my dinner party next week?” Your customers are asking a million questions a day. Let your OTHER customers help you answer them.

Built properly, your “Social Persona” (Website, Facebook, Twitter, Forums, Galleries, etc)becomes the portal that they will go to for answers, and they will in turn answer others. Got a fence to whitewash Tom Sawyer?

I know what you small business owners out there are saying: “ I do not have time with all the other stuff I am doing!” and you are right. My next post will be discussing strategies for dealing with this issue.

Homebuilders Merging? Banks reporting quarterly profits? These and other signs have me convinced that the economy has hit bottom and on the rebound. The road back is going to be long and hard, and many more companies are likely to fall by the wayside. So while we should be encouraged, we cannot yet relax. I am convinced that American consumers will be a changed group after this recession. The freewheeling spending will not recover with the economy. People are already increasing their personal savings rates. This is, long term, good for all of us. But it will slow the recovery somewhat.

The economy that emerges will be very different from the recent past. Will you be positioned to thrive? What steps can you take to read the tea leaves and be properly positioned? I don’t have the answers and neither do you. But I know who does; Your customers and potential customers. They are the ones who will be buying new homes, remodeling their kitchens, and thinking long and hard before committing their savings. So, how can you forcast the new rules and be positioned to be their “go to” company? ASK THEM.

The future can be very bright for those shops that begin now having a dialog with their client and customer base. By working with some of the techniques I have discussed in past posts on this blog, you can keep up with the wants and needs of the buying public and the contractors that will be serving them. An effective Social Media presence on Facebook, Twitter, and other sites will give you a feel for what folks are talking about, asking for, and asking questions about. You can use these sites, or your own newsletter or blog to answer questions, explain trends and introduce new styles, hardware and features. As I have written about before, being a trusted source of information for your customers will keep you “top of mind” when they are ready to hire a cabinet shop.

This is NOT a fast and simple method, but it is really effective. As I have indicated before, Social Media is just that: Social! You cannot, and must not, treat the new media as another billboard. This is relationship marketing. You need to be friendly, helpful and informative. Don’t worry about spelling out everything you do. If you are seen as a reliable and trusted source of the information they need, they will be talking to you when they are ready to pull the trigger.

A really good source of information on this marketing technique can be found in Seth Godin’s book, “Permission Marketing”. (you can find a link to it at http://www.consultingwoodworker.com/recommended_reading) Seth has written the seminal work on using social media, even before social media was big.

I also want you to take a look at a pair of your peers, and what they are doing. Thomas Clayton, at Georgia Casework Inc., is writing a very good newsletter aimed at informing his customers about the market, his business, and the market. It is well written, very professional, and my only criticism is that there are no links to his website on the mailing. It would be worth your while to sign up for Thomas’s newsletter and see how he does it.

Paul Lesieur of Minneapolis Kitchen Remodeling writes a very entertaining blog at: http://www.minneapoliskitchenremodeling.com/ His style is breezy and a bit irreverent, but he absolutely comes across as an experienced professional. It should prove to be an effective resource for him.

Both of these communications have potential, but how do their customers find them? That is where the social media work comes in. If a Facebook “friend” asks a question that Paul has written about in his blog, he can provide a link. Not only will his “friend” check out the blog, but that person’s friends will see the interaction and may well check it out as well. Anyone who reads his blog can set up an RSS feed to have that blog sent to them automatically when a new post is made. They have given “permission” to Paul, to communicate with them, so as long as he provides useful information, his communications are not considered “spam”.

Thomas does the same thing, but through a mailing list. Everyone who subscribes to his newsletter has given him a valuable resource, their attention.

Both of these guys need to be very aware that the permission they gained is valuable and fragile. They must continue to be helpful and informative, and avoid being seen as a pushy saleman. The permission is very easy for the customer to revoke.

I hope that this gives you some ideas and inspiration. I also invite any of you who are producing content like Thomas and Paul to send me links, I’d love to see. I invite you to look me up in the Social Media realm. I can be found on Facebook and Linkedin as Ralph Bagnall, and on Twitter as Consultingwood. Come say hello and I will be happy to show you around.

Social Media sites are a place for casual connections with others. Sometimes we meet new people there, sometimes we can connect with those we know but don’t get to see regularly. We can meet at the water cooler to discuss the weather, TV shows or movies we have seen, last night’s game, our workday, or hobbies.

The real value here is being able to connect with people of like interests and needs. As a cabinet shop owner, you can “meet” people who are remodeling their homes, contractors who are looking for new sources, and suppliers who have new products or ideas on green building practices. Meeting people who you would like to connect with is much easier than you think online.
“Sure’” you are saying, “but how is chatting with someone in Singapore going to help my cabinet shop in New Jersey?” Well, virtually all Social Media sites can be tailored to specific geographic regions, so you can find fellow Twitter users in your city, region or state. You can search contacts on Facebook and Linkedin by area.

And there is one more arena that I consider Social Media that most Web 2.0 experts never touch on: Online Forums. There are dozens of online forums that cater to woodworking. WoodWeb (www.woodweb.com) has a forum for professional shops, where users can post questions in a number of categories, and other wood professionals from all over the country will answer. August Home Publishing, the publishers of WoodSmith and ShopNotes magazines has an excellent forum at www.woodnet.net While it is largely geared toward hobby woodworkers, there are a number of manufacturer’s employees and owners who are regulars and have gained excellent reputations by being helpful and informative on the site. Rockler sponsors the Women in Woodworking Forum (www.womeninoodworking.com/forum) While it’s focus is obviously for women, many men post there as well.

The rules on these forums are much the same as we have discussed before; Be helpful and informative. Build a reputation as a friend of the industry/hobby. Don’t solicit. (some forums do have places to post items for sale or trade, but follow the rules) The reputation you build will speak loud and clear for you. These forums are communities. You simply cannot post your first message telling everyone about your hot new product. I have seen the group react very badly to this. These forums are not another advertising space. Social Media is about relationships, not another screaming commercial. And don’t ever try to pose as a member and slip in sneaky ads that way. The group will see through that and you will never be trusted.
Use the forums properly, and the rewards can be great. I know a representative from a major tooling manufacturer who is a regular on one of the forums. He is always helpful and honest with the group. He is so trusted now that when questions come up about sawblades and router bits, either the poster will simply pose the question directly to this member, or other members will tell the poster to contact this rep! How much do you think that sort of “in” with your target market is worth?

So, try out the Social Media sites. Seek out some online forums where your potential customers may go to find advice and information. Be helpful. Be knowledgeable. Hang out at the World Wide Watercooler and see who drops by for a chat.

Again I invite you to look me up in the Social Media realm. I can be found on Facebook and Linkedin as Ralph Bagnall, and on Twitter as Consultingwood. Come say hello and I will be happy to show you around.