All Entries in the "Small Business Development Center" Category
5 Ways to Prepare for a Launch with Social Media
I was talking to a coworker in the kitchen today. He’s co-writing a children’s book with his kids (aww!). The launch date is the end of this year, and he asked for some advice about how to promote the project on social.
A few ideas immediately came to mind. My coworker is a gifted artist and draws dragons on the whiteboards around our office. These dragons will also play a central part in his book. I suggested that he build affinity, attachment, and awareness for his book and the human story behind it—a dad writing a book with his kids—by posting images of the whiteboard drawings on Instagram, and behind-the-scenes content of the book creation process with his kids on Instagram Stories.
10 Social Lessons from Instagram Innovators
Instagram is a social network where a lot of parents spend time posting pictures of their children, as well as interacting with other parents and brands. It’s where his target audience is, and more importantly, where they are receptive to content like his.
As I continued the discussion with my coworker, it occurred to me that many of the principles I walked through with him could be useful to any business or individual launching just about anything. Here are the five noble truths of preparing for a product and/or brand launch with social media.
1. Get the Lay of the Land
Before you get too excited, take a deep breath. Survey your space. Get inspired by other innovators, from influencers and celebrities to brands. You’re looking for information in three categories:
- What your target audience is talking about. This is the organic conversation happening between likely buyers in your industry and around major events in your industry.
- What feelings provoke action in your target audience. Does your target audience engage most with content that inspires? That gets a laugh? That exposes vulnerability? That shows exactly what a product can do? That educates?
- Which content types provoke action in your target audience. Does your target audience engage most with produced videos, more unpolished videos, photos, carousels, etc.?
Sure, you can scroll through your various feeds to get the lay of the land, but we suggest investing in a listening solution for a broader, deeper view—with less heavy lifting.
Taking the time to research and gather this information gives you a prescription for exactlywhat you should do as you prepare to launch.
2. What’s Your Goal?
What are you trying to accomplish on social media? More awareness of your brand among people who have never heard of it before? Consideration for buying your new product among people who already know about your brand? Get as specific as possible with both your goal (“Generate X% more awareness”) and your audience (“People who have never interacted with our brand before on social”).
The 2018 Metrics Map can help you determine how to match your goal with KPIs, so you know what to track as you go along.
Finally, you’ll want to get your social media analytics solution nailed down. This will enable you to track your progress towards goals, from 0…to infinity and beyond.
3. Choose Your Network(s) + Your Top 3
Once you’ve picked your specific goal, and gotten very specific about what achieving that goal looks like, it’s time to choose the social network(s) and three major strategies that ladder up to your goals. Here’s what you need to know.
- Don’t choose too many social networks. Only choose as many social networks as you are able to nurture and/or maintain staff to focus on. Social media is not a second thought—it is a primary promotion and distribution channel. If you only have the time or resources to focus on one social channel, choose one social channel and make that your content hub.
- Create unique content for each network. Posting the same content across various networks is rarely successful and will dilute your social success and results.
- Choose the networks where your ads will be successful, too. Your social strategy should be a hybrid of organic and paid. That’s how you’ll have the most impact. Make sure that the social networks you focus on work well for brands like you for both organic and paid. That means it’s time to read some case studies.
- Choose the three strategies you will focus on before, during, and immediately after your launch. Distill all your bold ideas and excitement about the launch down to three strategies you will employ over the course of your launch timeline: three in the lead-up to the launch, three during the launch phase, and three immediately post-launch.
4. Create a Launch Schedule
Did you know there’s an app for that? Use a solution like Sprout Social to plan out your pre-launch, launch, and post-launch schedule.
Upload all your visual content, and partner with stakeholders across different parts of the organization or geographical locations.
This process will ensure that your efforts are strategic and aligned—and that you’re not scrambling for content at the last minute and/or having to focus on social scheduling when there’s so much else to deal with on launch day/week/month.
5. Prime the Pump
Don’t wait. Get started now. Begin telling your story. Is your team spending long days and nights agonizing over the details of your upcoming launch? Share this experience on your social network of choice. When people see your struggle and passion, they are more likely to become invested in your success—and, ultimately, buy your product.
You can even ask your growing social audience for advice. Let’s say you’re opening a perfume shop. Should the walls be painted bright yellow or light green? Run a poll.
Offer a deluxe sample for the best advice. Make your audience feel like they’re a part of your growth.
Encourage content sharing—especially if awareness with totally new audiences is your primary goal. Build an in-person events schedule, and ask influencers and/or guests to share as much content as possible. Fuel your influencers/guests with everything they need to share your news, including messaging guidelines, images, video content, etc.
Rhode Island Limb adds physical therapy to services
RHODE ISLAND LIMB has recently begun offering physical therapy services at its East Greenwich location. / COURTESY RHODE ISLAND LIMB
EAST PROVIDENCE – Rhode Island Limb Co., a 75-year-old, third-generation, family-owned prosthetic and orthotic practice, is adding physical therapy to its services.
“We are very excited to join the expertise of prosthetics, orthotics and physical therapy to create a dynamic team to meet the needs of the community,” Rhode Island Limb said in a statement.
The business will host an open house to launch its new physical therapy clinic in East Greenwich at 2850 South County Trail, Suite 3, on April 13 from 4 to 7 p.m. to allow the public to tour the new facility and enjoy light refreshments.
Owner Jonathan Teoli has worked at the family business, Rhode Island Limb Co. in Cranston, for 19 years, the last five side by side with his father, the second-generation owner, before his retirement.
Teoli’s grandfather, Albert, who had lost a leg to a Japanese sniper in 1945 during World War II, bought a half ownership in the company and eventually worked to acquire the whole thing, according to a Providence Journal article posted on the Rhode Island Limb website.
In addition to its East Greenwich location, the company has offices in Pawtucket and Middletown.
Skyline at Waterplace, New England’s Premier Special Event Venue, Expands; Fine Dining Restaurant Experience Added to Skyline’s “Menu”
Skyline at Waterplace, New England’s premier special event venue overlooking the Gateway to Providence at the Basin, is set to expand into the latest exciting addition to The Renaissance City’s globally celebrated restaurant scene.
Michael Mota, Skyline’s managing partner, said, “Skyline just celebrated its One Year Anniversary. In our first nine months we hosted over 125 events, and we’re now on track to double that number. We’ve won the Best of the Knot 2018 and Wedding Wire Brides Choice awards. Partnering with the Providence-Warwick Convention and Visitors Bureau, we hosted numerous statewide events, including Providence College’s Centennial Celebration and the National Governors’ Conference.
“During its first year of operation,” Mota added, “Skyline has become renowned not just for its elegance and superb views, but also for a special event dining service second to none. Now we have added Dine with Skyline, a full service fine dining restaurant, to appeal to the world’s most discriminating palates.”
The addition of a signature fine dining restaurant stands as one more way that Skyline at Waterplace earns it national reputation as one of America’s most elegant and versatile venues for weddings, corporate events, and other special celebrations.”
Mota said, “We will be open for dinner from 5:00 – 10:00 pm, Wednesday through Friday, on all WaterFire nights, and for special outdoor Waterplace Basin events. We will be serving Sunday brunches from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. And there will be a Lounge Menu on Fridays.”
In addition, Skyline Express will deliver menu items to surrounding areas via Uber Eats and Grub Hub. And for parties of 10 or more, Skyline will utilize its own signature delivery service.
“We are honored to name Domingo Fernandez as Skyline’s executive chef,” said Mota. “He brings an astounding 45 years of experience to his role, having worked at multiple New York City restaurants. In Rhode Island he spent twelve years at Capriccio, four years each at Isabella’s and Bella Vista, and three years at Café Nuovo. The breadth of Domingo’s experience is matched only by the depth of his imagination and refinement of his skills.”
Scott Connery, Skyline’s director of sales, was quick to add that, “Russell Morin has been an incredible partner and will remain a preferred caterer at Skyline. However, we are now ready for our own executive chef to service all the events to which we are committed and which we continue to secure at a record pace.”
Visit wwww.skylineatwaterplace.com for more information or call 401.437.6480
What’s Happening in March at RI Telephone?
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
