The New Business Dingo

We’ve all heard of the “4 Ps of Marketing:” Product, Price, Placement and Promotion (and I would also add Positioning to this mix). Barry Lawence of BrandCottage would like to suggest that there are “7 Ps of Social Media Relations.” I think that these can be applied to ad agency new business, so I’ve edited them to be a little more relevant.

7 P’s of Social Media Relations for ad agency new business:

1. Participate: Old media relations meant sending out a press release — a top-down message that the agency controlled — and hoping for the best: positive news coverage that gets the word out. Today’s public relations, including social media, means dynamically collaborating with and exchanging ideas with clients and prospects. It’s a two-way conversation environment and today’s corporate marketers place more value on other marketers comments than on top-down driven company messages.

2. Pamper: Social media relations is the greatest prospect and client relations tool ever invented, yet few companies are taking advantage of its power. Encourage prospects and clients to provide feedback on your insights, thoughts and trend analysis, give clients tools to develop new product /services features — even marketing strategies. Respond promptly to prospect / audience questions, comments and concerns.

3. Platform: Most of the ad agency social media content we see is only about the agency and its services. In short, boring. While this is important, the most successful social media communities are built around platform or insights and trends / themes that are more attractive to generating audiences and keeping them coming back for more. Support a bigger issue or cause — related to your products and services, of course — if you want to take your social media program to the next level.

4. Pollinate: Don’t get stuck in the quiet car on the social media train. Social media is also the greatest networking tool ever invented. Reach out to blogs and link to related community content on other social media sites as often as possible. Grow your sphere of influence and grow your social media capital.

5. Prime with PR: Media relations isn’t dead. It’s just changed dramatically over the last decade. Media hits are still valuable goals — providing third-party testimonials and serving as powerful vehicles that encourage audiences / prospects to seek out more information about your agency. Search spiders love agency stories that link people to your company Web site and social media properties.

6. Promote: That’s right, promotion is not a bad word when it comes to social media. Promotion combined with engaging content are powerful duos, though timing is everything. Strike a good balance and suggest a solution after a conversation has started and you’ve identified a real business challenge, perhaps suggest a solution that has worked for a similar organization that you’ve had experience with.

7. Prompt: Lack of consistently updated content is a social media killer. As a new business consultant, I’ve talked with many agencies that have done a great job of starting a social media program, but somewhere along the line they lost steam and (thank you) they call Catapult New Business for help. Social media requires a lot of planning and perseverance. (Two additional Ps, that should perhaps be added?).

What P's do you think are important for a successful social media relations program?

Best social media story?

Happy Hunting,
The New Business Dingo