Issue 1: Purpose + Passion

I've long been known as a fiscally responsible marketer. I learned early on in my career how to work within budget constraints and get the most bang for brands' almighty marketing dollars. Since 2009, I've been using this trait to craft social campaigns and help marketers become social savvy in a way that goes well beyond simply throwing posts at the proverbial feed wall to see what sticks. My passion is crafting content that's worthy of people's time, and my purpose - at least as it relates to my day job - is to do so in a way that exceeds expectations without exceeding budgets.

That's where the idea for The Social Savvy Marketer? came from. I've been many types of marketer: brand, sales promotion, product, event, mobile, social, content, digital - and I've held roles in nearly every aspect of an agency from Admin and Account Service to Creative and the C-Suite. So I get you, marketer. You are the octopus of your company who must transform into a unicorn at a moment's notice. You align teams to your campaign objectives, revise creative, edit copy, approve social media workflows, craft strategies, analyze data, report on metrics - and all of this while being told - continually no doubt - to cut budget here, shave costs there, and still make ROI magic happen.

This monthly newsletter is just the beginning, and my hope is that it sparks your imagination and brings a mix of creativity and clarity to you and your team. In that vein, I'll start this first edition with 3 pro tips to help you ensure your brand stands out in the best possible way across social platforms.

Tip #1: Know how your brand acts at a party.

Is your brand a connecter, introducing people? Is it a storyteller, sharing snapshots of life with personal anecdotes? Maybe it's a bit of a wallflower, the life of the party, or someone in between. What you don't want is to be the brand at the party that talks constantly about itself, the one that never asks questions or invites conversation. When you know how your brand acts at a party you have a clear vision for how your brand sounds and behaves on social channels.

Here's an example: People like Leigh Burgess , not just because she's incredibly kind and generous, which she is, but because they know what they'll get in their feed by following her: Consistent, uplifting, powerful messages around the idea of being BOLD in business and life. I know just by following her exactly how she'll show up, consistently, day after day. That makes her memorable to me and to the thousands of other LinkedIn members who follow her.

Tip #2: Think outside your target audience.

You might sell Managed IT services, but you can appeal to a much wider audience than just the CTO or CIO. Why should you do that? Because of Word of Mouth. Because today’s IT manager could be tomorrow’s CIO. Because people like to talk and share the things they care about - the things that move them. So when you share authentic stories, you're speaking to a much wider audience than you could just talking about your brand and your products. You have the ability to capture universal emotions that connect us all. And that's worth remembering.

Here’s a great example:

Real Sports with Bryant Gumble could have just appealed to sports zealots. There are millions of sports fans, and there are dozens of sports to choose from. He could have focused on the stats, data, games, averages, etc. But instead, the show was about so much more than sports – it was about the people, the stories, the triumphs, the struggles, the emotion. Each week you knew you’d be getting excellent journalism, you’d learn something, you’d lean in, your eyes might even well up a bit. For 29 years, they delivered on that promise. And because of their model, they captured a much wider audience than if they’d just chosen to talk about sports in general. ?

Tip #3: Do this one small thing for big impact

As I've matured in my marketer journey, there is one thing that I've not changed, and that's responding quickly and efficiently to emails. I know it might sound silly, but it translates to quick responses via other channels as well, and that's where social comes in. Customers think of social media as a communication tool, and not just any communication tool, but one that is fast and easy. That means they can quickly shoot a message to your brand and, remember this: expect your brand to respond quickly in return.

As Entrepreneur Editor Jason Feifer said in a LinkedIn post recently, People talk! Reputations are built! I’ve been hired for speaking gigs because I replied to inquiries faster. People tell me they’ve followed my work for years (and bought my stuff!) because I once replied to them. It's why one follower told Jason that he stands apart from others in his field. Just because he takes the time to respond! It seems so easy, doesn't it? But so many emails and messages, DMs and comments are left unheard. Jason went on to say this:

"More than anything else, people want to feel heard. When you give them that, you convert strangers into fans, and friends into partners."

This is such great marketing advice, because the same is true for your brand’s social media audience. They are people. And people want to feel heard. Social media’s intent is to convert strangers into followers, into fans, into friends, into partners or clients, into brand advocates and loyalists. Social media is the community you build around your brand. Make sure it's one you're proud to be a part of, too.

I'm so grateful you took the time to read this month's newsletter. Until next time - Stay savvy, marketers!