BlogWell is the only conference where social media executives from large companies come together to share their case studies, offer practical how-to advice and answer your questions. To learn more about BlogWell, visit the event site here: http://gaspedal.com/blogwell/ For $200, attendees spend the afternoon hearing case studies from companies like: * Walmart * The Home Depot * Allstate * H&R Block * Mayo Clinic * Sharpie * Procter & Gamble * UPS * Cisco * Kaiser Permanente * US Coast Guard * Graco * Intel Measuring ROI, managing teams, legal issues, B-to-B, working with agencies and creating great content are central themes at BlogWell. This is the best opportunity available for anyone looking to get started or improve their corporate social media efforts. In his BlogWell San Jose presentation, "You Can Do It. We Can (Still) Help," Nick covers how The Home Depot got started in social media and how the company uses tools like Twitter to reach customers.

1. October 28, 2008
www.gaspedal.com/blogwell
www.blogcouncil.org
© 2008 GasPedal LLC. You may share this presentation if it is not altered in any way.

2. You Can Do It We Can (Still) Help
It. Help.
Social Media and The Home Depot
Nick Ayres
10.28.08

3. Where Do You Shop?
Today,
Today it just depends.
depends
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4. Overview of the Landscape
 Traditionally, The Home Depot has been synonymous
with home improvement expertise and best-in-class
customer service
 In recent years this reputation has come under fire
years, fire,
impacting our brand preference
3

5. A Very Public Trial
March 2007 MSN article:
7,000+ comments
4

6. The Big Idea
 Social media gives us the opportunity to create
lasting brand differentiation by:
 Recapturing ground we've lost with existing
customers, or those on the fence
 Connecting with a new set of customers
 Engaging our associates in ways that are
relevant to their lifestyles
 Simply put, social media
is a growing part of our
digital orange apron
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7. Example #1: Twitter and Natural Disasters
 The Home Depot is a leader in natural disaster
preparation, repair and recover efforts, for both
our customers and our associates
t d i t
 The challenge: Could social media help us
reach further faster?
further,
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8. How Did We Engage?
 Trusted
 Ti l
Timely
 Relevant
 Accurate
 Appropriate
pp p
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9. The Results
 Extremely positive
commentary, both
externally and
internally
 Building block for
long-term brand
preference
 Added a human
face to the “online”
brand
 Did we drive short-
term sales?
Maybe. Was that
y
the point? No.
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10. Example #2: Video Syndication
 Reality check: homedepot.com is a destination – but not
the only destination – for home improvement know how
homedepot.com/tv
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11. Video Syndication Tactics and Results
 How did we engage?
 Identified destinations
that made sense and
were contextual to our
brand promise
 Started small and are
building over time
 Following the same
rules: Be trusted, timely,
, y,
relevant, accurate and
appropriate
 Response so far?
 Mostly positive, always
candid feedback about
content and context
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12. Tips and Best Practices
 Start at the beginning as often as possible
 Fi d others at your company who are passionate about
Find th t h i t b t
the brand and the space, and make them evangelists
 Scratch and claw for small wins, then use them to
capture the imagination of an executive champion
 Do not let social media turn into another quot;campaign”
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13. Q
Questions?
ti ?
Examples from the presentation:
Follow us on Twitter @TheHomeDepot
Check out our how-to videos @ homedepot.com/youtube
Nick Ayres
The Home Depot
nicholas_j_ayres@homedepot.com
Twitter: @nickjayres
FriendFeed: nickjayres
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