Social Media Revolution

My OPALessence Presentation today

I had a great time presenting at the OPALessence Online Library Conference today! Here's the presentation I did. Enjoy!

How American Libraries are using Web 2.0 tools to Market Libraries

View more presentations from Curtis Rogers.

10 steps to getting started on social networking at your library

I was just reading through the recent Marketing Charts posting 8 in 10 Execs Fearful of SocNet Risks and noticed this chart. How interesting that 81% of respondents would say that they believe social media enhances relationships with customers/clients and builds the company's brand.



Why don't all libraries use social media? Not enough time to fit it in? (this is the most common excuse)...

What you have to do is FIGURE OUT WHAT IS NO LONGER WORKING AND STOP DOING IT! However, take baby steps - don't try to do too much at first...

Step 1. Try to get into a mindset of "Let go of the past and what no longer works - move forward"

Step 2. Take a deep breath

Step 3. Set up a generic email account to use to manage your social media applications using Gmail or Yahoo or similar service

Step 4. Go to Facebook.com and set up a fan page for your library. (If you're a newbie, read, "How to setup a Facebook Fan Page for your charity" - a great web article that will talk you through the process...

Step 5. Plan to post weekly updates to your fan page. Mark your calendar if you need to.

Step 6. Go to twitter.com and set up an account.

Step 7. Send out a "tweet" 2-3 times a week. Make it meaningful like a new service you offer or announce an upcoming event.

Step 8. Watch a few YouTube videos on Twitter or Facebook or Social Networking to learn more... Common Craft has some good ones.

Step 9. Keep up - don't let these fall behind. And don't lose interest. Soon you'll forget what you stopped doing and wondered why it has taken you so long to jump on the Social Networking/Web 2.0 wagon.

Step 10. Share your ideas with colleagues and learn from one another.

Monday Minute 8/10/2009

This is a great example of a public library director using YouTube to get out the word about events and programs the library system is offering. It really puts a "face" on the library especially when it is the library director. Can't wait for the Spartanburg County Library's next Monday Minute! I just subscribed.

Can Social Media and Lead Generation Coalesce?

I just came across this great blog posting.  It directly relates to libraries and why libraries should be using social media to attract new patrons. There is a whole segment of the population you could get to come to library events or come in to check out books and DVDs! 


Can Social Media and Lead Generation Coalesce?
Written By: Chris Sietsema

By now, we all know that social media is a fantastic tool for gauging the audience and communicating with previous and current customers. But, can it also be used to lure in new customers? Can social media marketing be paired with other lead generation tactics to create new business opportunities? My initial response was, ”mmh, maybe”.

Recently, I was asked to speak about “Social Media for Driving Leads.” At first glance, it felt as though I had been asked to open a jar of pickles with my feet – there are so many better ways. After giving it some consideration and thinking about social media as a lead acquisition tactic, I suppose that it’s plausible. However, I will still contend that social media is best served as a method for retention and engagement, while social media marketing can be utilized to garner new leads and revenue.

If new, qualified lead generation is your objective, here are three strategies to employ within social media marketing.

1. Create – Develop Amazing Content Always. No matter what your marketing goal, people will always gravitate toward terrific content. Content that educates, entertains, inspires, enlightens and/or enrages has magnetism. By creating a content strategy for your social media program, the process for creating new content becomes much easier. Give your current contacts, followers and fans something they’ll want to talk about and share. In doing so, you’ll no doubt add some to the roster.

2. Listen – (Or at least eavesdrop). I recently introduced Twitter Search to a social media novice who sells pet products, specifically those for puppies and kittens. She was shocked to see how many people were using the words “new puppy” in their tweets. It also came as a great surprise to her how often these mentions just continually rolled in, minute after minute. The trick, then, is what to do about it.

Given a set of conversations that are contextually relevant to a product or service you provide, you could: a) follow those people, b) create and publish content that specifically addresses their issues/questions, c) identify other influencers within social media circles with whom you can create relationships, d) all of the above.

So what do you think? … The best answer in my humble opinion would be “d”. They are all viable options given the scenario, but show caution in exhibiting just one of these. Simply following an individual might not be enough (and could seem a bit creepy and intrusive). Creating new content can be ineffective if your real targets don’t know that it exists. Finally, developing relationships with other influencers is always preferred, but be sure you have the authority over your message so it doesn’t get muddled.

3. Engage – Spur On Those Already in Your Camp. This is going to sound like a Yogi-ism, but nothing is truly viral until it actually is. Developing a program with the intent of growing your base exponentially is often times wishful thinking. However, there are a few things one can do to encourage existing fans to spread the word.

First, ask open ended questions to allow fans to provide answers for all (their friends) to see. By eliciting feedback and input from your loyalists, you may draw in others with similar interests and needs.

Second, develop incentives, contests and promotions only available to current fans and followers. Make the incentive great enough that others would want to join.

Finally, simply take part in the conversation yourself. Similar to asking questions, be proactive in commenting on your fans status, retweet their posts where it makes sense, and share information they have provided. Giving kudos, providing your own feedback and thanking your customers in this public forum not only serves your current fans well, but it solidifies the legitimacy of your brand in social media by making it human – a trait to which every company active in social media should aspire.

Tactically speaking, there are several methods of generating new business leads and prospective customers via social media marketing. Facebook, Twitter and Blogging are great for B2C companies. For B2B relationships, Jason has created a great presentation on using LinkedIn. No matter your marketing goals, consider social media as primarily a public relations, retention and customer service tactic. The new business you derive from it are simply gravy.

How do you or your clients use social media marketing for lead generation?

Reading Rooster Recommends August 6 2009

Looking for book recommendations for young readers about going back to school? Check out this edition of Reading Rooster Recommends.

Plan to attend the OPALessence FREE virtual conference!

Join us Thursday, August 13 and Friday, August 14 for OPALescence 2009: A Free Online Library Conference for Everyone!

Registration is free, easy, and online at: http://tinyurl.com/N4JMV7

Has your travel budget dried up? Still want that conference experience of fresh ideas, lively conversations, and networking with colleagues? Participate in OPALescence, a free online conference for everyone. Fantastic, nationally known speakers with interesting and informative presentations as well as "unconference" discussions spread over two days.

OPALescence 2009 is two online conferences in one:
•A "traditional" conference with scheduled speakers.
•An unconference with facilitators where you can discuss whatever topic interests you.

The conference will be held in OPAL: Online Programs for All: http://www.opal-online.org and is hosted by TAP Information Services.

Sign up & join the conference wiki today: http://opalescence.wetpaint.com/

Thursday, August 13, 2009
Noon Eastern Time, 11 Central, 10 Mountain, and 9 Pacific:
Opening Keynote: The Future of User Experience in Libraries
Speaker: Nate Bolt

1 p.m. Eastern Time, noon Central, 11 Mountain, and 10 Pacific:
Topic: Librarians in Virtual Environments: From Classrooms to Communities
Speaker: Alison Miller

3 p.m. Eastern Time, 2 Central, 1 Mountain, and noon Pacific:
Topic: Collaboration 2.0
Speaker: Robin Hastings

4 p.m. Eastern Time, 3 Central, 2 Mountain, and 1 Pacific:
Topic: Best Practices for Web 2.0 in Schools
Speaker: Erin Downey Howerton

Friday, August 14, 2009
Noon Eastern Time, 11 Central, 10 Mountain, and 9 Pacific:
Topic: Listening to the Future of Reading: Readers' Advisory and Audio Books
Speaker: Kaite Stover

1 p.m. Eastern Time, noon Central, 11 Mountain, and 10 Pacific:
Topic: How American Libraries Are Using Web 2.0 Tools for Marketing
Speaker: Curtis Rogers

3 p.m. Eastern Time, 2 Central, 1 Mountain, and noon Pacific:
Topic: Beyond the Basics: Training for Technological Fluency
Speaker: Brenda Hough

4 p.m. Eastern Time, 3 Central, 2 Mountain, and 1 Pacific:
Closing Keynote: Networking Library Services: A Glimpse at the Future--Moving Library Management Services to Web-Scale
Speaker: Andrew Pace

Or…Participate in one of the Unconference Sessions—Held throughout the conference on Thursday and Friday in one of the online rooms in OPAL: Discuss the topics and trends you want!

“Opalescence: The state or quality of being luminous, iridescent, and lustrous … like an opal”



Thanks!

Tom Peters, OPAL Coordinator

Tom Peters, CEO
TAP Information Services
6106 South Stillhouse Road
Oak Grove, MO 64075

phone: 816.616.6746
email: tpeters@tapinformation.com
web: www.tapinformation.com
Skype: tapeters4466

OPAL: www.opal-online.org
Unabridged: www.unabridged.info
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Social Media Policies Presentation Christy Season

Check out this SlideShare Presentation: It has lots of great stats and information on what to include in a Social Media Policy for Employees

Social Media Policies Presentation Christy Season

View more presentations from smcccolumbia.