A look at best practise for brands looking at targetting communities and forums as part of their social media outreach

1. Talking direct to online communities TLK2ME

2. What we will cover Why we should be talking to communities Public Relations vs. Blogger relations Engaging the social world What you should be looking for How to find them Creative searching How to sweeten the deal The initial approach The no-no’s Activity time

3. Why should we speak direct? Communities are a great way to spread your message widely in a group of likeminded individuals Specifically targets your online audience Potential ‘dandelion effect’ through shared content Taps into a conversation that has already started Is a ‘measurable’ coverage driver ‘Word of mouse’ is faster than traditional media

4. Communities already exist. [Brands] need to think about how you can help that community do what IT wants to do - Mark Zuckerberg, Facebook

5. The old model THE STAGE

6. The new conversation THE STAGE

7. Public Relations to blogger relations Bloggers/communities are not media They are under no obligation to get back to you You have NO control over the message PR needs to focus on listening in order to facilitate conversations Always respect the community guidelines of engagement They will shy away from big brand/corporate approaches

8. It’s the difference between.. Hey there, How you doing? I was just looking through your site and I really like the way you’re handling the beer reviews. It really sets you apart from the other beer blogs I have looked at  I actually work on the Chang Beer account and thought you might be interested in some of the promotions that we have…. & Dear Sir/Madam, I trust this reaches you in good health? I am contacting you with regards to Chang Beer. I am Account Executive at Chocolate Communications and would like to discuss working with your site to promote the product to your readers….

9. The moving audience Blogger Relations Your life Capturing imagination Listening to Product stories My media Right time Engaging consumers User-centric Public Relations Our product Capturing information Talking at Product benefits Mass media Right now Selling propositions Product-centric Move towards

10. How will you find them?

11. Get creative with your search Zombies/ un-dead Gaming Mobile Games RE Films Horror games N-Gage Character Fan sites Capcom Resident Evil

12. Get creative with your search Food Summer BBQ’s Beer Travel Style/ Image Thailand Competitor blogs Arts/ Culture CHANG

13. What would you suggest? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? G.E

14. Have you found what you're for? Sites that have accept 3rd party content Have predominantly positive posts Are posting regularly Able to imbed content (if applicable) Will be ‘on brand’ for your promotion Have decent regular levels of traffic

15. This is Conversational PR so be prepared to be engaged in a CONVERSATION!

16. Conversations travel…

17. What have you got? You need to engage the sites by offering content/assets Number of Assets = pieces of coverage Exclusive = attractive Devise a roll-out plan for the assets across multiple sites Make sure it isn't a ‘hit & run’ What is going to make them tick Sometimes you need to get creative about your assets

18. So what would communities find attractive? Video Content Product Images Reviews Collateral Competitions/ give-aways Interviews Insider exclusives TLK2ME

19. Making the approach Review the content of the site before engaging them What have you got that they want? Be respectful and honest Check how many unique’s/fans they have Relax your use of formal language - type as you talk Be transparent about why you are approaching them Remember this is a 2-way relationship Listen and respond to their needs Maintain contact – right time vs. right now

20. What not to do… Don’t pretend to be someone that your not Post independently promoting your brand Ignore emails until it suits you Be pushy or demanding in any way Misleading the members to generate interest Over-promise or under-deliver

21. Social media tips from Be transparent. Your honesty—or dishonesty—will be quickly noticed in the social media environment Write what you know. Make sure you write and post about your areas of expertise Perception is reality. In online social networks, the lines between public and private, personal and professional are blurred It's a conversation. Talk to your readers like you would talk to real people in professional situations Are you adding value? There are millions of words out there. The best way to get yours read is to write things that people will value Your Responsibility: What you write is ultimately your responsibility Create some excitement. As a business and as a citizen Be a Leader. There can be a fine line between healthy debate and incendiary reaction Did you screw up? If you make a mistake, admit it. Be upfront and be quick with your correction If it gives you pause, pause. If you're about to publish something that makes you even the slightest bit uncomfortable, don't shrug it off and hit 'send.'

22. Activity Divide into teams of two Select one of your clients Using a search tool find a relevant community Come up with your approach & share