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Six Steps To A Quick Launch Using Social Media

By admin on April 13, 2010

Quick launch using social media (Down Load The Quick Launch Social Media Mind Map full size image here)

Here’s an introductory procedure on how to do a quick product or new service launch using social media…

The assumption is that you are a business using traditional advertising most of the time. You are aware of social media but it seems complex and there’s no real road map. You know that traditional advertising is expensive and not working for you. You know that social media works; at least you think so because everyone is talking about it. You know that social media takes time but you want to start laying the foundation. But where and how do you start? I have many people asking me the same question.

You are today looking at a way of kick charging one of your products or services using social media. After you understand this I’ll teach your social media 101, 102 and then 103, and them more. I have here six steps you can follow to quickly launch a product or service using social media.

Step 1

The intention is to get back to basics.

Get out all the names

Create a list of all people you have ever made contact with and those who may benefit from you.

Check your phone list

Group them to see if they meet the niche product or service you plan to launch. Compile a list of the right names and their phone numbers.

Check your email address book

Check your email database and see if they fit your product or service launch. Find their phone numbers. The idea is that we make contact with them in a more personal way than a cold email.

Check your diaries

Go through all your diaries and create lists of names, phone numbers and email addresses of the right people who you had had contact with.

Make a list of potential clients

Make a list of all potential clients. This is a list of people who you have not made contact with in the past.

Define businesses

Brainstorm a list of possible businesses that may benefit from your product or service. List their names and phone numbers.

Define groups

Brainstorm a list of possible groups that may benefit from your product or service. This may be ladies teas, anti war, civic associations etc.

Step 2

Define a problem for each group

Each group has a unique problem or have many problems that your product or service can resolve. By defining the problem you can provide a solution. This may sound simple but it needs a creative mind. You can only provide a solution if you know what the problem is.

Write up a solution

Now that you know the solution you have to write it up. Start by talking about the problem and then show how you provide a solution. I know that some issues are not problems, they can be frustrations or you can move a person from being bored to having fun, or having little information to more information. You can solve these.

Step 3

Create a blog

Create a blog that can develop in a fully fledged social media tool.

Add pages

Add static pages to your blog with the following information:

· About me

· Contact details

· Testimonials

· Examples

Create posts

Create a blog post for each problem

Integrate a newsletter

Automation and integration of your blog publication, with your newsletter dispatch are critical. What I suggest is that you publish to your blog, your newsletter software takes the article from the blog and publish it automatically to your subscribers.

Add a subscribe box

Add a newsletter subscription box to your blog. Now subscribers can add themselves to your newsletter software.

Add auto newsletter publication

As I have said, when your publish anything online the story get emailed to all your subscribers at the same time.

Step 4

Create an invitation

When you create an invitation you have one objective. You want people to become part of your new social network or cultivation pool. You are going to be very through in preparing your invitation. Most of the people you are going to invite you have made contact with in the past. Some once and other more times. Their are people or businesses who you have never dealt with.

The most critical aspect of this procedure is to make physical contact. Face to face. If that’s not possible call them, if not send them an email. If all else fail sms them.

Never ever try and sell.

You have to be short and sweet. Do not stomp around.

1. Introduce yourself

2. Ask if this is a convenient time and offer an apology for intruding

3. Tell them about the problem people – businesses experience and that you believe you have a solution but you need help

4. Ask them if they would like to subscribe to your problem solving newsletter. Please do not take this problem solving approach as the only way. This is one way. If we can sit together we can create an approach for you and your business. For example; my wife opened her virtual real estate agency and we knew nobody in the village. She phone 300 home owners and said that she publish a village newsletter via email, “would that interest them?” 95% subscribe, 4% said they did not use email and 1% said they are not interested. The villagers had a problem that they did not get relevant and on time news about the village and property. Some could not believe the newsletter is for free.

5. In step 3. you have created a blog where they can go and read more.

Face to face

This is by far the best way of inviting people.

After your intros get their email address and subscribe them. See “Voice” for more details on the approach.

Voice

When you phone them make sure you follow the procedure. Be polite. Never sound like the cell phone or credit card company call centre. Phone them at times that you believe they will not be occupied. And ask them if they would like to attend your event, if you have one, if not ask if they want to subscribe. If they say yes, ask them for the email address. Then add them to your blog/newsletter integration software. When done send them a personal email thanking them and telling them what they can expect.

Email

You will email two groups. The one group exists of the people who you met face to face and those you spoke to over the phone. The second group consists of people who you only have an email address for. The first group is the easy group. Send them a short email thanking them.

The second group needs a longer email to explain what solution you have and where to find the solution. You should write them an email asking them if they would like to subscribe to your blog or become a fan of your social network. If they want to receive your newsletter they can just reply to the email. If they want to become a fan of your social network they can click on the link you provided.

SMS

Many times you only have a cell number. Then call this number and follow the “Voice” invitation. Sometimes people don’t have email or don’t visit the internet. I can think of people who are working with people all day long, who are influential but never use email. If you know such a group phone them and ask them if you can send them tips via their cell number. Never sell. Always share information they can use.

Step 5

Publicity

Gossipers

Gossipers are powerfully connected people in your business sphere. They are not necessarily celebrities. They are the kind of people that know all and everyone. You have to connect with them. Many times these people are coaches and teachers, gurus and leaders. They are good people who want to help. These people may be involved in social structures, civic organizations etc. They may be off line or online. You have to find them and ask them to help you. They will naturally help you if you come to them with a unique solution for a problem. If you are trying to sell anything for get it.

If you can win these gossiper’s trust you will have someone that will gossip to all about your product or service. These gossiping leaders are ethically stable and balanced. Never try to buy their goodwill. They are sensitive. But nothing stops you from asking them if they would like to sample what you have. The intention must be to help them know what you are doing, what you are providing etc.

Also ask them if they wouldl like to subscribed to one of our social networks (cultivation pool = blog, facebook, twitter etc)

When you connect with such a gossiper she will amplify and broadcast your message to all she knows, because that’s what she does best. And because she is who she is her followers will trust her judgement and support you.

Celebrities

If you know a celebrity then ask them to support your business. The best approach with these celebs is to combine your promotion with a charitable drive. This needs a lot of think and planning. If you do this well you can add a lot of people to your social networks. As long as you design as system to get these leads, who attend your launch, to subscribe.

Related industry

Identify who in your industry can benefit from your product and service. Make contact with them. Again never sell anything. All you want to do is give. Give them an invitation. Invite them to your launch. Whatever you do; always invite them to subscribe to your social networks.

Networks

On and off line networks you belong to are ideal places. They take time to develop but you can share solutions to issues and as you deliver they can become your fans.

Step 6

Roll out to more

As you get the hang of it you will start having more time to create more social cultivation pools

Facebook

You’ll learn how to use Facebook

Twitter

You’ll learn how and why Twitter is different and also effective.

Linkedin

When you do business to business then go here. If you want to teach business people how to use your services or products then go here.

Youtube

Videos are an important way of quickly and visually communicate what you do.

Keep them cultivated

Now that you have people at your social networks you have to keep them interested. This is the next phase of social media and I will not elaborate.

Give them what they want

The most important aspect is to teach and share

Teach them

Teaching is your new task. In the past your advertising was supposed to bring your customers. Now you will become a teacher for life. You will teach your existing clients and potentially new clients how to use or apply what you provide. Through applying social media well, this teaching becomes effective. This teaching approach will give more satisfaction than anything else (All most). You will be a happy teacher while your bank balance improves.