Social Media! This term is in the news, on the web, and just about everywhere you turn nowadays. But what exactly is social media, and what’s the big deal about it? Blogs, Facebook, and Twitter are just a few of the social media tools that have revolutionized the way the world communicates. In this seminar we will explore what social media is and how your business, no matter its size or industry, can use these low cost, virtually free, tools to increase your Internet presence and improve interactions with customers – and most importantly, look at how implementing a social media campaign can increase your sales both on and offline. This presentation looks at social media with a focus on how it can help offline and online retail stores in the gift and resort industries.

1. What is Social Media
and How Can You Use it To Improve Your Business*
Brian Linton
President and Founder
Sand Shack LLC
www.sandshack.com
*With Emphasis on the Gift and Resort Retail Industry

2. 7 Parts
1. What is Social Media
2. Why You Should Use it
3. Blog
4. Facebook
5. Twitter
6. What you can Accomplish
7. How to Implement A Social Media Strategy

3. Part 1
What is Social Media

4. What is Social Media
• An umbrella term that defines the various
activities that integrate technology and social
interaction online
• Online technologies and practices that people
use to share opinions, insights, experiences, and
perspectives with each other.
• Social Media is the collection of tools and online
spaces available to help individuals and
businesses to accelerate their information and
communication needs.

5. Wikipedia Definition
• Social media is online content created by people using
highly accessible and scalable publishing technologies.
Social media is a shift in how people discover, read and
share news, information and content; it's a fusion of
sociology and technology, transforming monologues
(one to many) into dialogues (many to many) and is
the democratization of information, transforming
people from content readers into publishers. Social
media has become extremely popular because it
allows people to connect in the online world to form
relationships for personal, political and business use.
Businesses also refer to social media as user-generated
content (UGC) or consumer-generated media (CGM).

6. Forms of Social Media
• Facebook
• Blogs
• Twitter
• YouTube
• LinkedIn
And Many Many More

7. Social Media, and the way it is used, is different
for everyone

8. Why You Should Listen to Me
• I am not a social media expert
• I grew up using forms of social media
• I successfully use social media for my business
• I am in your industry
– Sand Shack is an environmentally friendly brand of
resort merchandise. Products include has, belts, flip-
flops and jewelry

9. Social Media
Works in Your
Industry

10. Part 2
Why You Should Use It

11. It pays to be social
$

12. • If you are not online, you will lose to those that
are
• Having a website is no longer enough
• People will judge you based on your online, social
presence
• All Business, no matter the size can benefit

13. • Build your web presence
– When people search for your business or thing
related to your business they find you.
• Connect with your customers
• Find out where your customers are both on and
offline
• Build your brand

14. • Gain new customers
• Improve your public relations
– Get Press Coverage
• Be able to hear what your customers are saying
about you and your company
– If it’s bad you can improve it
– If it’s good, you can focus on it

15. Part 3
Blog

16. Blog
• #1 Most Important Social Media Tool
• Landing spot for all online, social activity
• Static vs. Dynamic
• Personal vs Business – or Both?
• Transparency

17. Personal
www.brianlinton.com

18. Business
www.sandshack.com/blog

19. Blogging Benefits
• Don’t just publish, interact
– Better communication
– Comments
• Build Community
• Low Cost and Easy
• Search Engine Ranking
• Create a blog of value
– Convert readers into customers

20. Part 4

21. Facebook
Pages
A Facebook
Page is a
public profile
that enables
you to share
your business
and products
with Facebook
users.
Tips for Using Facebook Pages
-Start the Conversation -Create a community
-Converse – don’t sell -Post regular updates

22. Facebook Search
-Search for what matters to
your business
-Find relevant groups and
pages
-Reach out and network with
leaders of relevant groups
Tips for Using Facebook Search
Build a relationship with the leaders of communities who have influence
over your potential customers
Leaders/Administrators can mass-message all members and fans about
your promotion

23. Sand Shack’s $5,555 Giveaway
Had numerous administrators
send out promotion codes to
their members
Put the Sand Shack brand in
front of thousands of
relevant people
100s of orders came flowing in
Multiple orders per minute!!

24. • Use of Facebook Groups
• The power of FREE in social networks
• 100+ New Customers
• The importance of execution

25. Facebook
Events
Organize and host
online or offline events
Use for competitions
Send invites
See who is attending,
maybe attending and
not attending
Success Story
Name our Lobster Competition

26. Over 100 name submissions on Facebook

27. Brought Polling and Results Back to Our Website
www.sandshack.com/blog

28. Part 5

29. Twitter

30. Twitter for Business?
Update Followers
Don’t just self-promote
Monitor conversations
Address problems (bigger brands)
Join a conversation
Be human – not a robot

31. Twitter Search
Different than Google because you can monitor conversations –
what people are talking about

32. Search for Your Topic of Interest
Join the
conversation
@ reply

33. Customer Service Example
Craigslist

34. Twitter for Research

35. Part 6
What You Can Accomplish

36. Increase Traffic to Your Website
Traffic on Sandshack.com over a 25 day period

37. Gain More Followers
Convert them to customers

38. Get Press Coverage

39. Part 7
How to Implement
A Social Media Strategy

40. Plan Your Attack

41. Steps for Success
1. Plan your attack
2. Set up a blog
3. Set up a Facebook, Twitter and other accounts
4. Make regular blog posts and other updates
5. Reach out and communicate with people
6. Learn from your customers/research them
7. Build a reputation of expertise

42. Successful use of Social Media is about COMMUNICATION
And
Consistency and Quality – Consistent Quality

43. Be Transparent
• Admit your shortcomings
• Show your successes
• Be Human – Be People, not a Company
• Use video to show your personality

44. Other Things to Consider
Don’t just use text
Use Pictures
Audio/Podcast
Shoot Video

45. Questions
For More information
Cell: 508-292-9427
or brian@sandshack.com
www.brianlinton.com
www.sandshack.com