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Social Media marketing strategies for launching successful events in a new media scape.
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Unimaginable Possibilities

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It’s interesting to see how event managers with old-school traditional marketing knowledge are using social media in the wrong way. When it comes to social media, you need to have a complete mindset shift or else you’d end up wasting time and energy with little or no rewards.

People who don’t change their mindsets want to see immediate results, want to get immediate outreach (outreach doesn’t necessarily mean better branding), don’t have the right conversations with their potential customers (have to be two way), don’t let communities evolve on their own (by trying to control everything), are not open to criticism , don’t switch to online mediums completely (still rely on offline techniques more), can’t synergize different mediums for planning and marketing their events.

Of course, I do understand that it can be difficult to just switch a perspective that has been embedded in our systems for years. If you are having trouble adapting your thinking process around the latest and newest technologies, here are some things that may help:

1- Be in the know of what’s going on. Subscribe to different authority blogs in your industry. Get Google alerts for updates on happenings that can affect your business. It is mandatory to keep yourself constantly up to date.

2- Learn from others. When other industry thought leaders share their experiences and ideas - be sure to learn from them. Often times, those people who close themselves up to what others are doing become increasingly averse to social media.

3- Keep a watch on new tools. Spend time playing with them or analyzing them regularly. Follow the latest internet marketing trends (Brad Fallon’s freelinereport.com or our eventslisted.info are good places to start) and keep trying them out off and on to see how your events and businesses can be improved by using them. If you don’t like a tool, you don’t have to use it - but at least give them a try. There are so many cool free online applications that can benefit you.

4- If you think you are still not the social media type - get tech friendly people on your team and give them the space and leverage to get creative with social media marketing. This is a great way of bringing in new ideas into your business. If you think you are up for it, you can even hire experts to do your events marketing for you.

Whatever road you choose, try not to stay stuck with the old methods of marketing. Open yourself to unimaginable possibilities; be innovative and adaptable.

Simon U Ford (SUF.EDBD)

Today’s tip! To get search engine traffic you must own software that’s capable of showing you everything the search engine spiders see.

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  • Sandie
    This is exactly why the nay sayers of social media come to their conclusions. Without a mindshit to the new media it is a waste of time and for little or no positive results. As anything new there is a learning curve. Like anything else, without a serious committment the outcome is less than desirable.
  • One of the most important things that I've learned in the last 3 months with Social Traffic's VIP Group is that you can't jump over the necessary steps in establishing yourself on the social grid. Although I've characterized it slightly differently than Simon, the Relationship Ladder (www.wordofmouthmedia.blogspot.com) really outlines the culmination of my own personal learning and takeaways. Today I'll be writing about "reputation" and that of course is the holy grail of the trip onto the social grid.
  • Simon suggests that to switch a perspective that has been embedded in minds and hearts is hard but I suggest that it is simply a choice - With Simon's guidance it is clear what those choices are - we need to keep abreast of what is going on through blogs and google updates, and of course we need to constantly pick up on what those in the know can teach us -if we DECIDE to Learn from others the curve is not so steep. In my experience those who say Social media is not for them are simply to scared to learn from others. Often those others are, as Rebeccahappy states our very own children. The point is it comes naturally to use social media for the younger generation - we have to learn the language but when we do it is so SWEET and so SUBLIME. Like learning a new language - you can literally see the smile on the screen when you try to connect with somone in the know. People step up to the plate to help and Social Media community gets bigger and better this way all the time. They keep us abreast of new tools, and my personal exp has been that most people out there will show you how to use them simply cause you show an interest. This notion of Simon's ...namely getting people on 'your team' is then taken to one level higher - all people using social media are on our team - we are here to make the system work by working iwth each other not against each other. What a new way to make a business work.
  • halicea99
    This speaks directly to me, and I like to try new tools but in today's online marketing there is a new tool everyday and it could become very distracting. If you are easily distracted as I am look for the authorities in your business and use what they are using.
  • David Loughnan
    Absolutely Simon ! All the posts here are SO true, Karen - do we want to take that step and transcend into the new Social Media challenge ? Yes we do. Jonathon and DeeJay - your words are so aptly put.

    "Open yourself to unimaginable possibilities; be innovative and adaptable." I wonder how many large and small business will be able to look back in 20 years and say either I/they did or did not get it. Jeffrey Cole made a very interesting comment today in a small forum I attended and that was "in 20 years print and TV advertising will be a thing of the past". Scarey for the Rupert Murdochs of this world....no wonder he is buying up 'techy' type internet businesses

    Already we read the news paper online, my 9 year old boy waltzes around the internet like it was part of his anatomy when born. We cant be scared by it, we MUST embrace Social Media or else we will be completley consumed. Yes Lisa - very exciting times ahead of us !!!
  • Someone wiser than I has pointed out the Glories of Citizenship in the IMAGI-Nation; that particularly Human Place where ANYthing is possible. There we can peacefully worship at the throne of belief knowing that we CAN achieve what we seek. The only requirements are honesty, steadfastness, thorough preparedness, and the genuine drive to serve. Here it is important to note the one barrier if allowed to take root that will suck the farmer's fields dry. It is for us to know -- deeply and in our heart of hearts WHAT we want, but the HOW is NOT for us to try and fathom! Doing so is stunting in the short term and killing in the long term. By working steadfastly toward our authentic goals to use what we know to be of service, we are assured of untold levels of astonishment, gratitude and expressions of OMGs when unimagined possibilities reveal themselves as paths to our purpose we never knew existed. Trying to imagine the how of stuff ruins the Universe's opportunity to delight! Why do that?

    Our job as human beings who have chosen to be marketers is to stay alert to possibilities; to be prepared to recognize and immediately take advantage of them when presented. Social Traffic, the book, is such an opportunity. Anyone reading these words MUST know, it is NOT by accident. Act on the still small voice that brought you here. Embrace the unimaginable possibilities.

    Peace and Love,
    DeeJay
  • bobbicknell
    Possibilities...Open the mind and dream and stay on the cutting edge to build your community. Great article sharing tips on subscribing to authority blogs in your field of interest and stay up with what is happening!

    For us to have an open mind to learning from other learners and not to be afraid to try out new tools that are cutting edge!Being adaptable and not afraid to outsource to folks who are having fun at what is a challenge for us like "tech" stuff for example. Thanks Simon for article to remind me to keep an open mind and to adapt to include new marketing concepts that are more effective and easier to test and less expensive in many cases than the old way of marketing.

    What a great book "Social Traffic" to learn more about marketing in this new media era!
  • I must admit, when you discussed that day about Igoogle and some other applications it helped me get so organised at watching. I pride myself on research, but now I have an edge with it. Its great having the VIp team, we have so many talents in our teams, no wonder we are doing so well...........but must keep with it. This is hugely exciting times.
  • New School Media needs New School thinkers.

    I think MOST people are using social media the wrong way because they approach it as a way to interrupt everyone's day with their "message." What they haven't figured out is we don't want to hear it. The web is moving toward human filters, so it will be very easy to identify who the good sources of information are.

    Social Media is about the conversation. He who has the best information will naturally be able to lead the conversation.
  • I'm with you, Jonathan: the person with the BEST information, who is also be the MOST responsive (because they are the best organized) MUST win and be seen as such by those who will begin to follow and friend them. Old-school marketers should not only read (until it sinks in) Simon's book; they should also give a quick read (and a long think) to a book called: Who Moved My Cheese by Spencer Johnson, MD. These two books are a matched pair for success today and far away into the future!
    Peace and Love,
    DeeJay
  • Simon, The possibilities are endless with all the opportunities available through the many social media sites. Relationships are always going to be King/Queen! What is so fun about the internet is that there is the opportunity to meet so many more people than we would otherwise and there is a lot of rom for creativity!

    Thank you for another great article!
    With gratiude,
    Dyann Lyon
  • Welcome back Dyann....should we be counting this comment for points or are you just joining the conversation....I saw your comment in YouTube. I can sense the competitive Dyann hungry to re-register the new premiership....<-;

    You would have most certainly would have been a top 10 player in the last wave. You know you are most welcome just give me the nod....<-;

    Common Dyann you can find time. You're a competitor. Nicole will have to watch her back if you're back in the game....<-;
  • Simon,
    Thanks for the nod...it's great to be back after 11 days on the road visiting friends and family with no ability to get online due to some remote areas we traveled!

    You are very funny as you try to tempt me! You are a good judge of character and I will happily admit that my competitive streak has been tempted. For now I am just joining in the conversation and having fun interacting with so many great folks I have come to know on the internet, many of them because of you!

    I appreciate the opportunity to join in the fun in a bigger way if the mood strikes!
    Have a wonderful weekend!
    Dyann
  • True Simon. Web 2.0 is a constantly evolving animal and if you want to ride it to build your business online you better start building a relationship with it based on trust, honesty and understanding.

    If you don't have the skills to tame it and build the right relationship then find someone who does.
  • Guest
    The nice part it that if you are open minded, trying to stay updated, you find out that there are many amazing tools out there for you. Every day you will find a new application that can save you time, allowing you to offer it to your team/clients. Was it who saying "ask and you shell be given?
  • Simon,
    I don't think it is just old-school event managers who use social media the wrong way. I believe that the delayed gratification of social media is what makes it hard for people in general to believe in it and stay with it. Social media has the name of instant results, but if you want to use social media to the fullest and with the best short AND long term results you have to invest before you can harvest.
  • annewalshcoach
    Hi Simon, I do think there are opportunities in this gap between the old marketers and the new social marketers. I wonder what wisdom the "new marketers" could glean from the old marketers. What worked before? What is a constant? Surely it's about the relationship building piece..old and new marketers "get" that it's all about the trust, credibility and marketing you talk about. It's just that the channels have changed...and it's opening up the prospects of to "unimaginable possibilities". Anne
  • karenvizer
    We are a product of what we allow ourselves to see so when we . . ."Open yourself to unimaginable possibilities; be innovative and adaptable." .... we move from the idea that seeing is believing to believing is seeing
    Thanks for this very timely post Simon
    with love and gratitude
    Karen
  • JoLynn_Braley
    "Open yourself to unimaginable possibilities; be innovative and adaptable." .... in that one line you said it all Simon....and don't you think that you really MUST be adaptable to work in the online environment? Things are always changing, there's always something new coming around the corner. That's good though, brings more possibility for growth and improvment.
  • As I go along through this course and meet so many new and different people in lal the social platforms we are being introduced to i can now recognize those business people who get it and those who do not. for sure it is a huge learning curve for all especially those coming from a different foundation. As I see it since I have kids who seem to get it with one try, the investment of time in the learning and regular pulse taking is essential for any business to remain viable today.
  • duncan_b
    I am beginning to appreciate the fundamentally different mindset that must be brought to bear when moving toward a social media model in business. Business owners who don't get that are likely going to be disappointed or frustrated with their results from their social media efforts. Those who do get it, and who are willing to apply time and resources to advance a well devised plan, will gain business momentum. The effort will create a business asset, not simply a quick fix income.
  • The possibilities are endless- only if we open our minds to it. Marketing is changing daily, but the relationships formed are still the most important part of marketing. Be open to changing the tools, but stay true and honest to yourself. This site has been key to opening my own mind to the possibilities of social media and networking.

    Thank you, Simon U Ford, for your vision and dedication to detail.

    :~) Robin
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