Speaking @ PRSA Buffalo: Social Media – Strategy Over Tools (Part 1)

thanks for sharing last night at #nwkl! i really learnt a lot from you, as i'm so fresh in this line. :) i'm really looking forward to learning more from you and others who are more experienced in social media use at the corporate level. it was really good to see u again after 2 long years, too...!

This was a great deck of slides, Kevin. Between slides 21 and 33 you integrated some very thought-provoking charts. I plan to go back and digest some of this a little more later... thanks for sharing your work via Slideshare. The visual presentation style on this is also very nice, too. I could use this as a great example for some of my colleagues on how to design better visuals for their teaching, sharing, and storytelling.

John, coming from you, that's a huge compliment! I've gotten positive remarks about the visual style... I didn't think there was much coherence other than the consistent use of typography and color. Most of the diagrams were taken from publications I've read, which I've pointed to as reference below every slide :)

FYI: The typeface I used was Sketch Block, and it's free here: http://www.dafont.com/sketch-block.font

Very nice piece of self-explanatory slides, Kevin.

Congrats on the speaking gig Kevin, I wish I had known ahead of time. I would have love to attend. I have actually been thinking about joining the PRSA recently. If you speak there again, please let me know :) Great job!
Keith

Keith, the PRSA Buffalo/Niagara chapter has been conducting really interesting seminars lately. This talk is part of a series called Sunrise Seminars and each Wednesday, an online strategist / communicator is invited to speak. Thinking about it, you should join me in attending the next three events and get your name into the PR industry too. The speakers are superstars in their own right: http://secure.prsabuffaloniagara.org/events_lis...

Kevin,
Thanks for sharing. It was a great presentation--I am looking forward to the video to share with some colleagues.

are you posting the slides anywhere

Hello Joe, it was a real honor meeting you today! I've just updated this blog post with the slideshow. You can download and share the slides here, or view and embed it from Slideshare.net

I got two examples.

One was for a launch of a new coffee brand in Singapore and it was the first time the agency I worked for engaged bloggers.

During the brain storming session, I suggested that we do a coffee art session and I got Danny Pang of then Geek Terminal to be the instructor.

So instead of a boring conference, I got the bloggers to "play" with their coffee. With Danny around, he was also spoke of his experience with the new coffee and how it is different from regular coffee.

It went on well with the bloggers.

The 2nd event was for the launch of the makeup. It started off with a "press conference" with a makeup expert talking about the cool things about this new makeup. I had to do my best to keep the bloggers entertained.

But when the conference ended, the journos left, but all the bloggers stayed behind to get free makeup tips and were also given a quick makeover from this local makeup artist. Something they never experienced before.

Besides experience, the other important part of social media is the interaction. Usually during a press conf, the speaker will wait for the journos to ask a question. For blogger engagement, I usually have to remind the spokesperson that it is he/she that has to asked the questions.

I usually have to remind the spokesperson to treat the bloggers like their future customers. Future customers who enjoy the experience with the product or service that they would to share it with their friends so they can enjoy it too.

Rest assured these ideas worked... because I actually read about them! Well done. These strategies are really blogger specific, and it's great they you gave them something special to write about. It sounds similar to how PR agencies shouldn't simply send press releases to bloggers... there needs to be something personal and something exclusive, in a mutually beneficial sorta way. Would love to meet you in person if I return to Singapore. Always hear about you through friends, but we've not had a face-to-face! :)

Great slides!

I have learned from my experience that the top line strategy for any social media campaign is very similar to any traditional media company.

The difference is at the bottom level, the tactics, that requires a different thinking and approach.

Analysing social media and traditional media requires different skill sets and tools. For example, in traditional media, what is reported are verified facts and information. Social media blogs about the experience of the individual. Hence, that's why a press conference for bloggers don't work. On the other hand, an experience based conference won't work for media.

Thanks Aaron, that makes a lot of sense. I'm curious what an "experience-based conference" is like though. Examples?