Social Media in 2011Few words on why it is important to understand the changing nature of communication - and how not to get hurt while trying...

We hear too much about social media• First: forget about the word

media and forget about pushing your message

• Second: listen to what others have to say about you - and learn something

• Third: use every channel - including your social presence - to help your customers and make them happy

• Fourth: really mean it, donʼt just talk about it - simply do it with passion

Be honest, talk to your customers with respect as if they are your friends. Treat

them the way you want to be treated.

What is ROI of a satisfied customer?• Internet marketers tend to believe

in numbers. It is important, but stories are more. You donʼt need to know exact number of people that got your message - you need to know why you tell them what you tell them and what it will make them do.

• You have to build trust and thatʼs a lengthy process. Itʼs still about money in the end, but it takes time to get there.

• Gains: PR, marketing, product testing and development, customer care, monitoring, HR ... and sales.

• Risks: caught lying, facing trolls, receiving the tough love, finding thr necessity of innter changes.

If you canʼt be a love brand, be a trustful partner

and a helping friend.

Are you ready to talk?• Webmarketing is no longer a

position that is here to spend your media budget in PPC and banners.

• If so - youʼre on the wrong train.

• Ideally, every employee is your social media evangelist.

• Learn from Zappos, Best Buy (Twelpforce) or Starbucks.

• Agencies can certainly help - but your own people must take part in the conversation. The higher, the wider - the better.

• Webmarketing should have a strong tie to customer care. Your company should become social to the insides.

Trust your own people, donʼt defame or pretend

What Facebook is not about

• We see too often leading managers to learn about Facebook in the most stupid way: from lifestyle magazines. They donʼt have it themselves, but their kids do, so they go there for the advice and often get a crippled image of what social media is. Everybody has a “different” Facebook.

• Number of fans is one of the most deceiving metrics ever.

• There are terms of service and rules on FB: you better know them before you break them. And donʼt forget they are unpredictable freaks: go and watch The Social Network.

• The networks change and evolve, but the principles stay. So make your own website social, donʼt count on FB as a miraculous cure.

Year 2011: which are the trends?

• According to Jeremiah Owyang (Altimeter Group) it will be a year of Integration. Monitoring, measuring, internal education and training and applying the social insights in roadmaps and plans.

• Creative mash-ups and connected services with an added value for the customer. Social gaming and location based services. No more “one-fit-all” solutions.

• There is no holy grail of social media. You donʼt need ninjas, but project managers eager to think smart, act creative and get along easily with people all over the company. Give them tasks, give them freedom.

• Learn about your customers, listen to them, help them with their needs. Give them a reason to return or better: to return with their friends.

Have a plan, learn from othersʼ mistakes• Define your goals in social media, learn

from your competitors, seek best practices.

• Itʼs not primarily about money, but about investing time and people. Of course, even great ideas lacking execution are worthless.

• Probably in every possible field, there are people eager to work for you for free. They will help you because they like it, they feel important, flattered, useful. You just have to reach out for them. And look inside first.

• People should be happy with the work they have - and then they will become ambassadors without expensive social trainings and courses.

This shall not be your plan.

For more information:

Adam Zbiejczukadam.zbiejczuk@ataxo.com+420725009745http://www.ataxo.czhttp://www.ataxosocialinsider.cz

Thank you for your attention.Iʼll be happy to answer your questions!

Great reading:

30 social media predictions:http://t.co/7JuxwUa

What the F**k is Social Media NOW? http://slidesha.re/9coYww

Why Social Media Projects Fail http://slidesha.re/cYilqw

Social media marketing, best practices http://slidesha.re/97BqGf

Social Business Forecast 2011:http://slidesha.re/e6P0Kb Pictures used:

2 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/rishibando/4432737271/3 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/jamesm/1075071764/4 - http://www.dilbert.com/5 - http://www.time.com/6 - http://www.flickr.com/photos/wwworks/440672445/7 - http://www.southparkstudios.com/