Obama & a Blackberry sittin’ in a tree

So we’ve all heard that Obama is addicted to a crackberry and we’ve also heard a great deal of credit for his win given to his use of the Internet. It’s not such an amazing feat, hundreds of companies are winning business by using the same tools. Sow how did he do it?

Well, not so fast…

First of all, as a business person, you have to understand that Obama isn’t responsible for his web efforts, he had a large staff heading it up and you can’t always match the efforts of a large team of specialists. That doesn’t mean that hope is lost for you- your target isn’t millions of people, it’s more defined.

So the first step to Obama’s social media strategy was beginning before the race started. Most politicians get a website when they’ve garnered a nomination or when it’s near time to vote, but the clock started long ago. Starting early is like preparing for a race- you don’t just show up at the starting line, you alter your diet, you practice, you hydrate, you stretch, and you meditate, right?

Just jump in!

The same goes for a social media strategy. Many social media advisers say “just jump in!” but we couldn’t disagree more- you’ll pull a hamstring, buddy! There is a great deal of preparation to be done before fully implementing your social media strategy. Depending on the size of your company, you may need to hire a social median (which we will cover more in depth over the coming weeks) or if you’re a freelancer, you ARE the face of the company.

Step One

The first step is determining your goals. Do you want to reach out for customer service and customer retention or is your ultimate goal to reach new clients or new markets? Or, would your time be best served as keeping tabs on trends by being present? Establishing your goals will help determine which direction you should head with your social networking efforts.

Step Two

Once you’ve determined your goals, you should check out what already exists. Take a look at your competitors and check out what is already being said about you (you do know that you or your industry is being discussed presently, right?). A multitude of listening tools are available to get started in getting to know your space… this could seriously change your entire set of goals.

Your Assignment:

Try this right now, search for your company name (or industry if you’re a freelancer) and then search your main competitor’s name and see what comes up right off the bat:

1. Google Search- you already know this one! The most highly ranked content shows up first.
2. Google Blog Search- see what bloggers are saying about you, your industry and your competitors.
3. SocialMention- search microblogs (like Twitter), bookmarks, comments, events, video, news and more, select “all” on the far right so you don’t miss anything!
4. Board Tracker- bulletin boards are still used in certain industries, so check out what is being said there as well to cover all of your bases.

Do you like what you’re seeing about yourself? What are people saying about you and your competitors?

Your Homework

So you’ve seen what is said online and now it’s time to do something with that information. Make a list of five positives and five negatives you saw about yourself (bonus points for doing the same regarding your competition). In Part Two, we’ll talk about how to set your strategy now that you have your goals in mind and you’ve scoped out the scene. Oh, and “the dog ate my homework” won’t cut it here, bud!