• Login

Do your marketing materials or strategies need a makeover? As prospective customers and employees become increasingly hard to reach, we are using a growing list of approaches, including video, audio, podcasts, blogs, and RSS feeds, to tell our client stories.

Consider this response from Starbucks after they were ridiculed for their coffee-buying practices:

A creative and forward-looking approach is essential to keeping your brand in front of key audiences. VHPR has developed the following social media modules to help you get started: 

Module 1 - Interactive Presentation
Two-hour presentation on social media covering what it is, how it works, and steps to getting involved. Several examples of successful and unsuccessful uses of social media will be shown.
Results:
 - You will understand social media and how it is affecting your industry.
 - You will understand the potential for integrating social media into your culture to extend your brand outreach.

Module 2 - Research
Hold two focus groups with customers and prospects to discuss their views on how your company should integrate social media into your communications plan and test possible approaches.
Results:
 - You will receive a summary of findings from the brainstorming sessions.
 - You will understand how your customers and prospects use social media, so you can know where to focus your energy.

Module 3 - Presentation to Team
Follow-up to Module 2. One-hour presentation to your team explaining research findings, and the creation of a preliminary plan. Discussion on what may or may not work based on your culture and audience characteristics.
Results:
 - You will receive a preliminary plan outlining specific steps to getting your company involved in social media.
 - Your team will understand how your company can use social media most successfully.

Module 4 - Media Monitoring
Identifying and monitoring websites (2-3 hours a week) where your company is mentioned.
Results:
 - You will receive a monthly report of the websites where your company is mentioned and what is being said about you, your company, and your employees.

Module 5 - Video Podcast Training and Plan
One-hour training session with company spokespeople on recording and uploading a video podcast, development of a plan and timeline for getting started, and 4 written video podcast scripts for the first month.
Results:
 - You will receive a plan with specific steps on implementing video podcasts into your communication strategy.
 - You will receive four video podcast scripts (one per week for four weeks).
 - You will have an understanding of how video podcasts work and how they can help you get in front of your most important audiences.

Module 6 - Integrating LinkedIn Into Your Business Development Efforts
One-hour consulting session with business development staff on the following:
 1. Understanding the rules
 2. Developing your profile (100% complete)
 3. Building your group and communicating with contacts and prospects
 4. Maintaining your profile
Results:
 - You will have a 100% complete profile on LinkedIn and understand how to use it to make business connections and obtain referrals.

Module 7 - Creating an Online Presence
VHPR helps your company harness social media tools to maximize contact with current customers, prospects, and employees.
Elements:
 1. Research sites where your company is already mentioned and evaluate those sites as a potential place for you to become an active participant.
 2. Develop a strategy for several social media sites and identify the purpose for being an active participant.
 3. Develop a plan for getting involved.
Results:
 - You will receive a detailed list of social media websites where your company is already mentioned and the benefits and pitfalls to becoming an active participant in each.
 - You will receive a plan with specific recommendations on which websites would be most beneficial and specific steps and timelines for becoming an active participant.

Please contact us at 206-236-6300 for more information.

Articles on Social Media you may be interested in:
"Let your employees use Facebook" - Times Online.uk http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/law/corporate_law/article2616593.ece
"Improve client relationships through social media" - Wall Street Journal
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB120282999125262383.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

A list of VHPR’s favorite blogs: 

http://www.toprankblog.com

 - This blog includes articles on social media, search marketing and online PR.

http://www.pr-squared.com

 - A blog about "PR 2.0”, also known as the social media side of public relations.

http://digg.com

 - A unique website that is constantly updated with interesting links from its users. Since the content comes directly from the site’s users some of the links may be inappropriate, but we find it to be a powerful tool to recognize what people are talking about before it hits most blogs.

http://newpr.crispynews.com

 - A website built on the Digg format that caters to the public relations community.

http://mentalfloss.com
 - A mentally stimulating blog that is full of interesting trivia and stories.