Happy New Year and Bon Voyage!

    A New Year, like many departing voyages, usually begins with high hopes and great expectations. Once the ship sets sail, however, the difference between “smooth-sailing” and “weathering the storm” is sometimes quickly evident.
Nowhere is this more true than in the planning and implementation of a marketing strategy, and even more-so in the media called “social”. The “catch of the day” can quickly turn into shark bait, in the rapidly flowing currents of information streaming through Social Media.


      The most adept sailors in the waters of Social Media often find themselves caught up in the winds of change which occur at the speed of thought and breaking news - finding themselves quickly having to learn a new swim-stroke or a better way to paddle the canoe.


     Even the most skilled and monied ad agencies and private businesses are not guaranteed calm seas. There are many examples of a well planned campaign being sunk by a blundering company spokesperson diving into the depths without knowing where the rocks are.


     In order to chart a safe and profitable voyage across the sea of Social Media, a business needs an experienced crew - ready to handle even the most ferocious storms which may suddenly whip up; familiar with the best ports of call. Putting the Office Intern at the helm is a recipe for disaster, but as was the case with the Titanic, the highest priced ticket isn't always a guarantee of a safe crossing either.


     When setting your course for marketing your product or service via Social Media in 2014, be certain that you take the time to chart out the waters before setting sail and be sure the price for your ticket is in line with the quality of the ship's crew. It is far easier to begin your voyage with a qualified crew than to find out halfway across the ocean that nobody knows how to swim. It's okay to think big, but make your objectives realistic and keep your plan simple and flexible. In keeping with the maritime theme of this blog spot : remember that Social Media marketing is not a speedboat race, it's an ocean voyage! With that in mind you will be able to let the currents carry you safely to an enjoyable and profitable cruise to your destination with a minimum of hard rowing, or worse - having to abandon ship!



      Contact us for a confidential consultation, no lifeboats required! : www.roambusiness.com

Your Customers Are Talking About You - Are You Part of the Conversation?

There is no question that Social Media has redefined the scope of customer service. Businesses using social media to its full extent are not only seeing the benefits in revenue from their efforts, they are also “being seen” to provide the kind of customer care people change brands for.


Take, for example, the recent campaign by WestJet Airlines they call “WestJet Christmas”. By carefully planning and executing a surprise “Oprah” style giveaway to two entire flights of passengers, with the help of no less than Santa himself dressed in WestJet Blue, they launched a YouTube video coupled with Twitter and Facebook feeds. Within 24 hours the video had over one million views and was being shared on every social platform. The gesture and timing were perfect and the video was reaching audiences well beyond Canada where WestJet is headquartered. The airline was “being seen” as Santa, making people's wishes come true! Who knows more about customer care than Santa?


“Caring” is a huge part of the WestJet brand and their use of social media to get the message across is inspired. While expensive giveaways may be beyond the budgets of most small and medium sized businesses, the use of social media to get across the idea that a company cares about its clients is not necessarily an expensive proposition. In the interactive realm of social media, caring about clients is largely listening to and addressing what they care about. How do your clients feel about your business and how do you respond to their feedback? If you aren't using social media to address these questions, you're missing out on a great opportunity.

Contact us for a confidential consultation. We can help you let your clients know you care! www.roambusiness.com  


RN