My Marketing Trends Kelly Kressner, Marketing Specialist

Lately, it seems that no matter what website you’re visiting or what article you’re reading, you can’t get away from social media. These new technologies can work wonders to build brand awareness, develop and strengthen customer relationships, increase traffic to your website and help you be perceived as a resource.

While some of you may also be testing the social media waters, if you do decide to add them to your existing strategies, it is important to have a solid promotional plan. Without one, these new media can quickly become a source of frustration.

For example…Do you feel like your blog doesn’t have enough subscribers? Are not enough people following you on Twitter? Is your Facebook Business page lacking fans? Here are some helpful tips on promoting these new forms of social media:

• Add – the social media connections to your email signature, on business cards, newsletters (both print & electronic), and e-mail templates
• Facebook – use an application like RSS Connect, to promote your blog on Facebook. Once downloaded, this application will automatically list your last five blog entries – a great time saver!
• Twitter – tweet an intriguing soundbyte from your blog entries and e-newsletters along with a link that will make Twitterers want to read more!
• Utilize – your website by having links and icons to your blog, Facebook, Twitter and other social sites

What strategies have you used to promote your social media connections? What type of success or difficulties have you had?

Feeling concerned about budget cuts and how other marketing tools may help to spread your marketing messages? Register for our FREE webinar, Let’s Talk Strategy – Layering Online & Social Media with Traditional Marketing. Tune in on Wednesday, April 22, 2009 (8:30am PDT, 11:30am EDT) to hear from the faculty of our educational partner, Credit Union Marketing University, key tips on how to weave online solutions including social media into your marketing efforts to stretch your 2009 budget. As part of our commitment to marketing education through CU Marketing University, we provide webinars free of charge. To register, click here.