We recently launched the social media division of our company and since the launch have received tremendous interest and feedback.  As many of you readers know, I am very excited about utilizing social media tools as a part of a design firm’s greater marketing program.

It’s important to remember that social media and networking are tools.  Much like offline networking and media, you should not expect a magical result after setting up a Facebook page or tweeting for one day.  Would you expect to go to a Chamber of Commerce meeting one time and immediately have clients knocking down your door?  No.  Just like offline marketing, online networking follows a simple rule: You get out of it what you put into it.

Here are some key ways that you can get the most out of your time spent on social media utilization to drive return on investment:

-         Determine your goals. What do you hope to achieve with your greater marketing program, both online and off?  Do you wish for all of your marketing to drive people to your website where you have the call to action?  If so, make sure that you are also using your social networking tools to achieve the same goal.  Don’t just use Facebook or LinkedIn for the sake of using Facebook or LinkedIn.  This is a waste of your time.

-         Join the conversation. With a medium like Twitter, it’s important to not just tweet (post), but to also be an active conversationalist with your followers and those that you follow.  Answer questions, be a resource, and lend a hand.  Similarly, closely follow a few blogs in and out of your industry.  Post comments on those blogs to add value and to become an active participant in the blogging world.  When you join the conversation in these ways, you will have a more active surrounding community and, in the case of the blogs, you will get many more readers due to trackbacks and mentions on the blogs that you comment on.

-         Devote time. Social media tools—like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter—can easily become addictive.  Decide that, like your email, you will check them a couple of times a day and add to the conversation if you have anything valuable to share.

-         Use time-saving technologies. For Twitter, we recommend using TweetDeck to create groups, monitor replies, and manage conversation.  For a free blog interface, we recommend WordPress.  There are many other plug-ins that can save you time.  For example, you may use a plug-in that tweets and updates your Facebook page every time you post on your blog.

-         Be real and have a personality. If you are all business all the time, you will not realize the value of social networking.  People like to do business with people they like and the new market wants the companies that it does business with to have personalities.  While it is up to your discretion how transparent you are, you should not only post as if a robot in your company runs the social media show.  Big surprise that this does not endear people to your firm.  John Byrne, the editor of BusinessWeek, is on Twitter and while much of what he tweets are things that could be found in his magazine, he also adds a human element to it.  As a result, I am more likely to visit the BusinessWeek site and to buy BusinessWeek at the stands.

Utilizing social media can extend your dollar and you can see a significant return on the investment if you follow the key steps.  Do not, however, think that creating a presence on a number of social networking sites will have clients knocking down your door.  It is not pulling a rabbit out of a hat but instead is nurturing a rabbit and then letting it play with its other rabbit friends and help spread the word—and we all know how quickly rabbits multiply.

I just returned from Designing Profits‘ winter conference for interior designers in Palm Springs.  As part of the faculty, we presented information for designers on outsourcing, on systems and efficiencies, on client surveys, and on direct response marketing.

There was a big void–a void that was very obvious when we had optional small group sessions and the social networking and social media group was OVERFLOWING.

I am bananas about this new way of marketing…yes, bananas.  I love the transparency of it; I love that it is fun and I love that it’s an inexpensive way to get the word out-much less than brochures and business cards and much more effective.  Our team utilizes it every day.  I also love that there are really no rights or wrongs but there is a way to use these tools to expand your business and to grow with the times (or in spite of them).

Today I spoke to John Jantsch on the phone for 30 minutes.  John is the founder of the extremely successful Duct Tape Marketing. He interviewed me for his new marketing book about referrals.  If it weren’t for Twitter, I would not have had this opportunity.  It is humbling and spectacular at the same time.

Two designers at the conference in Palm Springs–Mark Cutler and Tom Williams–both mentioned that their blogs have opened numerous doors for them, including two book deals and a blogging opportunity for Elle Décor.

Without further ado,

Introducing our new Social Media and Networking Starter Package!

Here’s what this social media package entails:

• Call to outline business and marketing goals with us
  • You have to know where you want to go before you start driving!
• From there, we’ll determine social media tools that will best help you achieve your goals.  They may include, but not be limited to:
  • Blogging
    • Set up blog using one of 100s free templates
    • Give list of 8 blog ideas to get you started
    • Give list of 10 blogs to follow to help get you in the groove and keep you inspired
  • Twitter
    • Set you up with a user name and password
    • “Follow” 50 people in the industry for you to get you started (don’t worry, we’ll explain what following is!)
    • Provide explanation and guide for use, including setting up your interface to efficiently and effectively organize your Twitter use
  • Facebook
    • Set up your profile and help edit information
    • Create group or business page for your firm
    • Provide explanation and guide for use
  • LinkedIn
    • Set up your profile and help edit information
    • Provide explanation and guide for use
  • Ava Living
    • Set up profile and help edit information
    • Includes uploading photographs from your projects to make sure that you have a complete profile
    • Provide explanation and guide for use
  • Vlogging (video blogging)
    • We’ll suggest the technology to utilize to start your own short video blogs
• We will HOLD YOUR HAND for the first month and ensure that you’re utilizing your new social media tools
• We’ll continue to follow up with you to see if you need anything
• After we get you all set up, you’re ready to go-to tweet, to post, to friend, to become a fan of, etc.  If you need us again or want help with anything else, we’re here for you.

The social media and networking starter package is $695.00.  In honor of the little Twitter bird, we’re offering an early bird special of $550.00 if you sign up before June 1st. If you sell one sofa, your mark-up should pay for this so no excuses.  Don’t be a dinosaur.  You can’t afford to not be educated about the new way of marketing.

Email address:

Email me at alexandra@gibsondesignmanagement.com if you have any questions.