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Of particular interest to me - if anyone who's posting responses cares to address it - is how to get help with social media for projects that nobody is paying for (yet), like free open source software. It's great if you have VC money or are established, but being part of an open-source project, all of my expenses for travel, promotion, and social media expertise comes out of pocket. As you might suspect, it's difficult to gather interest for any potential funding without being already tied in tightly to social media, and it's even more difficult to develop the project and be a social leader all at the same time.
My fundamental puzzle is over what it would take to get a consultant involved in FOSS, and whether that can be of mutual benefit to both the project and the consultant. Perhaps this is fodder for another article.
In any case, I'm interested in how this post pans out, and look forward to the responses, which are bound to be educational.
This is a great discussion to start. I look forward to seeing what others come up with in the near future.
@Brett S. Lane: Thanks for your 5 things post. Looking forward to reading it!
@Stef: Please, as the 5alist crew! Looking forward to what they come up with :)
1. Ask them what they do AND don't do. (If you can't understand in a couple of minutes, then it is a magic show - do not proceed.)
2. Ask them who their competition is - and why they are different.
3. Ask for real-world examples with actual results (sales, etc.)
4. Ask for specific recommendations on how they can help you.
5. Ask for a simple follow-up and see if it happens.
(Finally, remember - you get what you pay for!)
TO'B
MotiveQuest LLC
Your candidate must:
1. Understand and acknowledge that the social media component is part of an overall strategy, the purpose of which is to sell more of what your company makes or does. Using social media is a means to that end.
2. Speak clearly and use little or no jargon. The ability to speak and write precisely is critical. Reliance on jargon and buzzwords indicates unclear thinking. Further, it produces communication that may appear to be clear and precise but is not, thus misleading the participants.
3. Show you measurable, relevant results from his/her prior work. He/she must prove to you that XYZ prior client gained $abc sales, conversions or something else that would put money in your pocket as a direct result of his/her work.
4. Be willing to accept a significant portion of his/her payment based on results. It is fine to pay some amount simply for the time and effort of your consultant, but with something as imperfectly developed as the application of social media to marketing, you will want the consultant to bring more dollars in before you pay more dollars out.
5. Be able to explain how he/she would help your company in the event of a disaster (product problem, financial problem, etc.) Whatever visibility your company has, if your situation turns negative, how will your consultant use social media in your interest?
1) Improving sign up rates to your email newsletter - not just numbers in Twitter/Facebook or whatever - preferably to a database where you can carry out some profiling/segementation
2) Agree a continuation strategy - i.e. how in-house staff with minimum tech savvy will continue the platforms and engagement the consultant sets up.
3) Metrics for the consultation and continuation strategy - assign time invested in the engagement against hard measures including main database sign-up, conversion on promoted products/programmes in addition to sign-up numbers, page views, posts.
4) Agree the tone and type of engagement which suits the client and seek out spaces that match their aspiration - quality engagement, not just about volume of sign-up or just getting into every platform for the sake of it
5) Outline a risk analysis - what could go wrong through this new type of engagement? How can you both be aware of and minimise risk?
Not to be completely snarky, there are a lot of legit social media consultants out there (and at least one dangerously awesome one). Unfortunately, there are also a lot of hacks
Let's say I had a car and I wanted to become a better driver of that car. Let's say I was willing to pay a consultant for help. I'd likely look to hire someone who has built cars, or raced cars, or done something else successfully with cars. Hiring a "social media consultant" strikes me as hiring a "Midgrade Unleaded Consultant" in this horrible metaphor. Nothing wrong about hearing the excitement around midgrade unleaded. It really changed the game when it came out. Luxury car owners were able to start saving a little bit per gallon and driving farther for the dollar over the long haul. There's just, you know.. A lot more to consider.
Social media is important, it's enabled a lot of people to do things easier/cheaper than they were before in a lot of cases. Thing is, it's just a piece of the larger business puzzle. If someone can't speak intelligently about the larger picture from different stand points, you'll likely not get the ROI you're looking for. You'll just hear a bunch of dribble about "conversations" in 140 characters or less.
1) What's is the ROI on your services for my business?
Remember If it don't make Dollars it don't make sense.
2) How do we track the tangible returns and create benchmarks for your success?
If you can't see direct benefit in some measurable aspect than it's bunk.
3) How do I enhance the existing community around my products with Social Media?
4) Where have you done this before?
5) Can I call them for a reference?
I find it amazing that this company has the time and effort and money to scour blogs online for the pure purpose of giving away free Monitors, when they can't even repair or replace the broken ones they ship out every day.
If you ask me (and you kinda did) the best quality to look for in a social media consultant would be the 'down to earth' quality. Someone who understands that the smallest customer is the most important.
Man. I hate Samsung.
Shame, because your tip was really good!
If my tip is the best and I win, I would then bequeath the monitor to a charity of your choice. (It would end up with a dead pixel or 8 anyway)
Just my two cents. : )
http://socialmediaguide.blogspot.com/2008/10/so...
Save your marketing budget. Put an ad on craigslist searching for a high school girl. Give her a new Coach purse, or a T-Mobile Sidekick. She'll show you better returns on your social media campaign than any hired chump and in half the time.
Some people seem to take social media just a bit too far. It's not an analytical science. It's just online interaction with other community members in a social manner. Get off your asses and say something to your community and quite trying to "measure returns." Social media is for the anti-social. All it takes is a bit of personality and they'll follow your lead. Quite trying to define your brand by what you "think" the consumer wants. Talk to them. They'll talk back.
5 Tips:
1. Fire the guy that suggested a social media consultant.
2. Take his salary and use it hire 50 high school students.
3. Let them do what they do.
4. Take the money from your new sales and buy a computer with internet access.
5. Navigate to google, and then search for this answer next time you think you need a social media consultant.
1. This person should already know and love your brand. You can't fake passion successfully and authenticity is crucial.
2. They should have demonstrated their chops by building a strong brand for themselves, in large part through social media. If they can't do it for themselves, they can't help you.
@jehawbaker
who is the winner?