Appreciation or Depreciation – How Partnering with Speakers & Bloggers Helps Local Businesses

What about paying attention to someone, like Michele, who is smart, knows her stuff, is as connected via SM as anyone, who leads a MAJOR Tweet Chat (#SpeakChat), and is a dynamo to boot?

Not to mention, the incredibly smarts/synergy in this post! This is a “DUH, what didn’t I think of that?” and a classic Win-Win. And, because Social Media is NOW, it’s not too late to take advantage of BlogWorld LA all your LA based businesses!

Everyone talks about utilizing Social Media – now is the time, Blogworld is the place, and Michele is the person!

Thanks Bruce, having been a small business for over 25 years I know all too well their unique challenges.

There is a gap in what small local businesses need and what we have to offer that needs a bridge.  I saw this as that bridge.  Think how helpful it is for local businesses everywhere to benefit from speakers & bloggers-we are the new celebrity endorsement with authentic WOM.

Great article Michele! As opposed to sites like TripAdvisor and Yelp (which I do use), I more highly regard the recommendations of those I know and interact with on a regular basis on sites such as Twitter. 

As opposed to reading about an experience that someone had in the past, I can interact with someone who is having that experience now; ask questions and have faith in the information based on relationships that have been built up over time.  

Companies should take advantage of this word of mouth power!

Marie you make some great points I left out .  Live blogging is a great way to leverage WOM.  I am seeing so many opportunities for small businesses.  Now they just have to want to talk so someone who can help.

Michele, aloha. This article makes so much sense; it is something that needed to be said.  Thank heavens you finally said it!

Michele, with BlogWorld coming up this next week, what a perfect opportunity for people to leverage their businesses with the talented and CHATTY people who will be attending.  Gosh, as I type this, Michele, the possibilities are racing around in my head.

Can you imagine the NOW conversations that could be taking place?  Actually, they will be anyway, it’s just a matter of what businesses choose to be a part of those conversations.

Well said, Michele, for pointing out something so obvious it is most always overlooked.  Let’s hear it for “Megaphone Velcro!”

Look forward to seeing which companies that are socially savvy with a customer focus jump on this bandwagon and pull out way ahead of the others.  Until later, aloha.  Janet

Janet you Lei-ed ( is that how they spell those beautiful flowered necklaces) right on the line.

As a lifetime entrepreneur I am always “seeing things” that benefit businesses. 

So looking forward to our face to face soon.

Well said, Michelle.

Broadcast advertising is like wall-paper.  We’re so  in the habit of tuning it out, we barely even notice it’s there anymore.  When we do notice it, usually it’s because we find it annoying. So spending thousands on an advertising campaign seems somewhat wasteful to me. 

These days I look for recommendations from people I trust.  It might be a friend or it might be someone I’ve come to know through the a blog.  As a business owner myself, I’ve come to realize how valuable relationships with popular bloggers in my niche are. 

The points you make in this article are important for business owners to understand. This information can help them to be much more successful and economical in their marketing. 

Jenise it is funny how when you get business owners in a room, they can come up with some pretty amazing things.

We think from a different place, when you add our marketing minds and the ear we have trained to listen to the everyday person ( who is usually the customer) then you have a winning combination of mindsets.

Your opinion is always valued here, even when you do not agree

Michele all excellent points.  Since this is social media companies need to think about ways to add to the conversation without “selling” too much.  Yes it is OK to leverage products and services but additionally look for ways to add value to the event through sharing  valuable content or serving as a resource by helping possible attendees with suggestions about local information, this is just one example.  Social media can be a powerful ally for small businesses who know how to leverage it.
Well done Michele.

Thanks Joe.  When I work with clients at conferences and events it is always about what serves the end user the most.  Or as our friend Stan Phelps would remark how is it a purple goldfish.

Half the fun for me is creating spot on strategies that meet everyone’s needs.  SO, wish you were coming to Blogworld.

Michele,
I like the concept of the velcro megaphone. Velcro is one of my favorite examples of a portmanteau (two words that make one).  Velour (fabric) and crochet (hooks). An apt analogy here as the local business is the fabric in search of hooks. Connecting with influencers that can help tell the story sounds like a great way to cut through the clutter.
Best,
Stan

Stan you do come up with the best words.  Now I am thinking of others:)

Michele, some great thoughts on how local small businesses can get the maximum benefit from conventions, expos, training and other events that bring SoMe personalities to town. I really like Stan’s analogy explanation. Sounds like a future blog post for someone to further expand and explore.

Definitely an idea that I’ll be passing on to our local small business task force.

All the power of social media is at the local level. We want to connect to people, in our community, in our life.  Face to face networking isn’t dead, but you can be more effective by leveraging online and offline networking.  One should always be a path of entry for the other.  If you’re a local business owner, tools like Twitter that offer location-based tracking are an ideal way to find, attract and reward local customers.

Dean great, that is the idea to have everyone in all cities make a commitment to helping their local businesses to gain in-roads on how customers are looking for their “word of mouth”, which is the biggest source of referrals for many small businesses. 

The thing is that “referrals” are coming differently now as well, and I do not want to see small business take the same hit with not being connected to “social WOM” as they were when traditional advertising took a nose dive to  digital advertising.

Businesses have notoriously been hammered for comped services over the years with varied results. The challenge, as Michele aptly points out, is bringing to light how these partnerships can bring exponentially more reach and persistent visibility lift with very little effort and cost. I’m not saying that it is fruitless to sponsor an event through swag bags, banners, and advertising, just merely pointing out that those items have a high cost with low reach outside of the attendee base. And none of those are likely to provide any search engine optimization value. We need to help move them past the known methods.

An excellent follow up conversation would be to talk about methods for maximizing the return or value for businesses who do participate. An example timeline on staging the release of pictures, video, comments/posts, and honest reviews to yield long term benefits.

Kevin you are right, it is that person to person connection I am talking about, leveraging the people who for example tune in to Breakthrough Business Strategies radio each week because they know they will receive in-depth knowledge that they can take action on that day.

That type of word of mouth from us is where consumers are looking for recommendations today when they are wanting to buy products and services.  This makes digital WOM a powerful piece for local businesses when they use it.

Troy while I like what you said I am an example where “all” the power of social media is not at local level.  I have created an international presence that is heavily weighted nationally.  What it does do is make it even more powerful when I go visit local areas, they and I both get excited to meet each other face to face.

Having the vehicle of a show that is a pure give each week, listeners walk away with usable information to improve their business creates a loyal following.  Now most small businesses I know like doing business with other small business to support each other.  They just need to know about each other.

That is what I would like to see done on local level.

Michele – you hit the nail on the head. Small businesses have a great deal to gain by looking to see what events are in town and who shares common audiences. Time to start embracing what social media can do for small business and how amplified their message can be when partnered with the right people!

Locally captivating the market with smart social engagement and people alignment. Yes!

I think it is funny how many opportunities there are to implement real influence by real people.

Heads up post Michele…Let’s get the word out.

Locally captivating the market with smart social engagement and people alignment. Yes!

I think it is funny how many opportunities there are to implement real influence by real people.

Heads up post Michele…Let’s get the word out.

Great post Michele!  It makes sooo much sense, and is such a missed opportunity so often!  Speakers have tons of followers who trust them and their opinion. Why not take advantage of it! This could be the “Tipping Point” for a local business. 

I love your “Megaphone Velcro”. Too often companies attempt marketing that is more like teflon…

This its one powerful post you can/should take to the bank. This illustrates how small businesses can gain a competitive advantage.Partner with the meeting industry via a great social marketing strategy and watch profits grow. If I had a biz in LA during Blog World I’d ask this blogger for her advice on how to gain a strategic advantage!

Lois thanks, it is amazing how many possibilities and opportunities that are available when you “know what to look for” , “know where to look”, “know who to collaborate with”…all these are unknowns at one point for many small businesses.

Time to beat the drums and teach small businesses there is a new dance, it will not be last new dance, yet if you are not savvy of how to “do this dance” you will stand against the wall.

As a small business I want to dance, not stand against the wall.

Pam you have given me another idea from your comment-gotta love how social conversations generate actionable ideas.

It does make you wonder, social engagement is really simple when you operate from a place where you link your biz objectives to generate your desired results online.

Thanks for being a part of getting the word out.

I had a vision of my Megaphone Velcro ™ amplifying a small business message with their ideal consumer, in ways “they” love it and smile when they book a hotel room with you, or grin from ear to ear as they buy that next vehicle with you.

That is what we want for all local small businesses.  Man, can you see the difference that will make in our economy?