The ‘Magic’ of Social Media

 

Many businesses have taken a step in reserving their place in the communications engine of social media. For example, you can find businesses through Google, Websites, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. The logical conclusion that businesses are making, however, is that they have established a social media presence but the “Magic” of social media isn’t working.

So, what is the “Magic” of social media? That question can only be answered by knowing your overall expectation. Imagine having an opportunity to create a huge ad or commercial. You’ll need to produce it, decide when and how often to air it, and then find the perfect outlet to target your ideal audience. 

Then there’s the how? It’s the team that you assemble to accomplish the tasks that ensure the “Magic.”  You can hire someone just to repost news and information that is already flooding these outlets. Or you can be unique and get noticed by creating a competitive advantage. The easiest and most cost effective route to build a “Magic Team” is to hire specialists from the outside. 

The “Magic” team needs to consist of marketers, writers and web developers.  Each team member will impact the rate of success of a campaign.

Marketer: A marketer is essential in the initial strategizing process. You’ll have to determine a plan that fits best with the objectives of your business. Who is your ideal clientele, and what platforms will help you reach them best? This person will also help with innovation—keeping your business ahead of others through ongoing, creative new media campaigns.

Writer: A writer is vital in upholding your credentials. You’ll need someone who can write sharp copy.  Also keep in mind, you only have so many words to deliver a message—being concise and clear is key. Blogging is a great way to bring people to your website and establish your business as an industry expert as well—another task a writer/editor can perform.

Web developer: Before creating social media accounts, you’ll need to create a professional website with a clean look that reflects your message. If you already have one, make sure it’s up-to-date: Do all hyperlinks work? Have you integrated SEO? Can you easily find your blog and links to social media platforms? An experienced web developer will address these questions and, in turn, help drive traffic to your site. They will also be able to report the ROI from the traffic that is coming from your social media efforts.

 We know social media has proven itself to be an effective way of building a following and increasing clientele.  There are reliable traffic reports that indicate its success.  But, without a cohesive team you cannot gain the results and the impact of the “Magic” it can bring to the table.  

To stay on top, post three times a week, create blogs and newsletters, and create promotions and campaigns that offer value and link them to all of your accounts including your website.  The “Magic” can work for your business today.  To find out more about our team, click here.

Carolyn Martin is the Founder of Social Media Demand. The company focuses on providing digital marketing solutions. They create campaigns and promotions for their clients on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. For more information go to www.socialmediadand.com

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Maracay Homes taps social media

When Maracay Homes executives decided to use themes such as Disney and Valentine’s Day to increase their company’s visibility, they didn’t settle for someone in a Mickey Mouse costume waving at drivers whizzing past their housing communities or pass out roses to visitors.

Instead, this 20-year-old Scottsdale-based homebuilder used social-media tools to create a hunt for Mickey Mouse in its model homes that culminated in a drawing for a family trip to Disneyland.

In February, Maracay’s Love Thy Neighbor photo contest gave its Facebook fans the opportunity to share fun moments captured digitally.

In a time when the housing market is lethargic, Maracay is using the combination of social media and real-life interaction as a way to generate some spark.

“We’ve all noticed a huge impact from the economy. Everybody does business different now,” said Laurie Tarver, vice president of sales and marketing for Maracay. “We have to in order to survive.”

Maracay initiated its social-media promotion program this year. Three promotions have tripled its number of Facebook fans. Although it’s unlikely that many fans will purchase a Maracay home, it is likely it will amount to sales that otherwise would not take place, Tarver said.

“If people remember you, they’ll think of you when they need you,” she said.

Chandler homeowner Wrae Duncan-McCabe entered but did not win the trip to Disneyland, but her efforts did garner four free movie tickets. Because that contest utilized Facebook, contest posts that linked her page and Maracay’s p

rovided exposure for the company to Duncan-McCabe’s Facebook friends.

“Depending on how many people looked on my page, I could have advertised Maracay 30 times or 150 times,” said Duncan-McCabe, who owns a home in the Chandler community of Whispering Heights. “Social media is getting so big. . . . I think it’s a good way to get their name out there.”

Since 1991, Maracay has built more than 7,000 homes in 13 Arizona communities. But the increasing popularity of tools such as LinkedIn and Twitter was a signal that adjustments in marketing strategies were needed.

It started with a Facebook page and escalated from there to include iPhone applications. Some, like Tarver, were already very tech-savvy while others learned how to poke, tweet and like through their children.

Tarver said some homebuyers have purchased homes strictly based on the information they received online through the company’s website and via e-mail or social-media interactions.

After studying the options on Maracay’s website, Shane Roe was pretty sure he wanted to purchase a home in the Morada at Palm Valley community in Goodyear. Being prepared before taking a look at the model made the final decision easy for Roe and his wife, Mireya.

“We went online and saw this house and knew if it looked anything like (that) in person, it was going to be a slam dunk,” said Roe, who recently retired from the military and purchased his home about a month ago. “We walked through and knew in the first 10 minutes.”

Technology gives potential buyers flexibility and freedom that traditional home selling experiences lack. Instead of feeling the pressure of dealing with a real estate agent who’s on the phone, or getting interrupted during an inopportune time, social media puts the customer in control, Tarver explained.

“Traditionally, you call the person and it’s at the sales person’s convenience. If I call, I’m interfering with their day. But if I e-mail or post on Twitter, they’re choosing when to have me in their life,” Tarver said. “When the customer is interested, they’re reading more and with social media, it’s at the customer’s convenience. You can accept it and at anytime you can reject it.”

The key to utilizing the benefits of social media and achieving results is balancing virtual interaction with real-life contact, Tarver said. This is why the company will continue to develop promotions that incorporate both and emphasize Maracay’s local feel.

“There are a lot of builders who tweet or Facebook. But we’re a small builder, and we’re homegrown,” she said. “We want Phoenix to flourish. We’re local, and everything we do focuses on the local economy.”

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