1. Professional Services Marketing:
Five Fears of
Social Media
Why your firm is scared of social media
marketing, and the secrets to change.
Presented by:
Josh Miles, Principal
// branding for professional services.

2. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
About Taryn Erickson:
A social media strategist and A/E/C
marketing specialist.
Business Development Manager for
Trindera Engineering, an electrical
consulting firm based in the Pacific NW.
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
2

3. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
Housekeeping!
:05 Introduction
:40 Content
:15 Links, Q&A, More...
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
3

4. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
About Josh Miles:
Specializing in branding, design and
marketing for professional services firms.
Bold Brand: Josh’s new book on branding
for professional services to be published in
2012 by CMI Books.
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
4

5. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
It’s a conversation!
- New? Ask questions. “Raise” your hand...
- Submit Questions. Answer Polls.
- Let’s hear your challenges & successes!
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
5

6. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
Tweet along!
@joshmiles @Taryn44
#MD_brand
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
6

7. F_ _ _ .

8. FEAR
F_ _ _ .

9. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
9

10. 10,000 hrs.

11. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
11

12. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
What I learned in CA:
- We’re still discussing if social is good/bad!
- “Fears” are common.
- Not all firms are “stuck.”
- Some firms are doing great things!
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
12

13. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
The most social industries:
- Software, Marketing, and Search
- TV & Entertainment
- Graphic & Web Designers
- Even Venture Capital
- (Not A/E/C)
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
13

14. Why?

15. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
What are the most
common fears of
social media in A/E/C?
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
15

16. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
What do these fears create
in our firm?
- Analysis paralysis
- Competitors are capturing mindshare
- Missing out on real-time leads
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
16

17. 5 fears:

18. 1.
Fear of
Negativity.
// branding for professional services.

19. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
OMG! YOU’RE
SO MEAN!
I KNOW,
RIGHT?
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
19

20. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
Users by network (The social
thing might be catching on)
Facebook - 800 Million
Twitter - 100 Million (adding 30k/day)
LinkedIn - 50 Million
Google+ - 40 Million and growing...
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
20

21. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
What to do? Tell stories.
• Play an active part in the conversation
• Tell your Story
• Make sure it is remarkable
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
21

22. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
Negative stories out there?
• SEO 101: fight content with more content
• Publishing your expert content
• Drive clients, users, and partners to you
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
22

23. 2.
Fear of
Polarization.
// branding for professional services.

24. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
negative SAFE? positive
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
24

25. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
Who is the topic of
conversation in the NFL?
Utility players?
Superstars and Super villains
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
25

26. GR8?

27. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
How to be polarizing...
• Make it personal
• Talk about your culture
• What do you think?
• Beyond robotic, focused language
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
27

28. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
28

29. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
Are you polarizing?
• What has worked?
• What has backfired?
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
29

30. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
It’s time to choose a side:
• Like is lethal. Love is a virtue.
• Be uniquely you.
• Recognize & Reward your core.
• Make it easy to engage with you.
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
30

31. 3.
Fear of
Commitment.
// branding for professional services.

32. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
Strategy Questions:
Who are we?
What do we do?
Who are we not?
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
32

33. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
I’m thinking of a frog.
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
33

34. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
Our customer isn’t here.
We’re not wasting our time.
(Especially on Twitter.)
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
34

35. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
Don’t confuse your client
(a person)...
For their employer
(an institution)!
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
35

36. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
36

37. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
37

38. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
38

39. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
39

40. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
?
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
40

41. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
“ Prospects tell us we
answer more of their
questions on our blog
than their current vendor.”
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
41

42. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
Why commit to content?
• Migrate from Intrusion to Permission
• Change the Relationship
• Educate and Entertain
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
42

43. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
What helps you commit?
• Is social too much?
• One network feeding others
• TweetDeck, Hootsuite, CoTweet
• How much time do you commit?
• Which networks?
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
43

44. 4.
Fear of
Change.
// branding for professional services.

45. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
“ Let me be clear. Marketing
isn’t going to help me sell a
$@%& thing... No offense.
But we know we need you.”
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
45

46. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
will not get you
what got you
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
46

47. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
47

48. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
Social Networking?
Social Notworking?
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
48

49. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
49

50. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
LET’S GET
A SALAD
I WANT
PIZZA!
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
50

51. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
What encourages change?
• Provide Inspiration.
• Educate Logic.
• Track results against goals.
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
51

52. 5.
Fear of
Greatness.
// branding for professional services.

53. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
Share your expertise
• Commit to being an expert
• 10,000 hours starts somewhere...
• Continuing education is a must
• Share your breakthroughs
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
53

54. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
Social Thought Leadership:
- leverage your content across platforms
- write
- blog
- speak
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
54

55. Let it
Shine!
// branding for professional services.

56. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
Want more info on 5 Fears?
- Copy of today’s slides?
- Free Social Media Chapter (coming soon)
- More?
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
56

57. Your SBA
Social Brand Audit
- Health of your firm’s social media activity.
- How do you stack up? Customized Report.
- Tips to improve: Twitter, LinkedIn, Blogging, & more
// branding for professional services.

58. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
Q&A // Share your stories
http://www.slideshare.net/milesdesign
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
58

59. Professional Services Marketing // Five Fears of Social Media
Thank you.
Josh Miles Taryn Erickson
milesdesign.com
317.915.8693
@joshmiles @Taryn44
// branding for professional services.
@joshmiles #MD_brand
59