Be Creative! Think Outside the Box through Innovative Social Media Tactics

As I have mentioned in previous posts, I have been fortunate to have had the opportunity to attend the Social Media Success Summit 2009 and have been learning a great deal of information relating to social media marketing.

One very interesting presentation I attended was how to attract a large amount of people using creative social media tactics. The presenter was Michael A. Stelzner who is the author of the book Writing White Papers; How to Capture Readers and Keep them Engaged as well as the Social Media Marketing Industry Report.

Michael Stelzner explained how his creative social media marketing tactics created such buzz in the social media world that he ended up attracting over 500 media outlets and was the topic of countless blog articles worldwide (such as this one!). He goes on to describe, point by point, how he was able to attract so many people to his report using very little resources.

Here are some of the methods he used to create and distribute a report. A report that brought him countless new followers and endless coverage:

Think Exposure over Leads

While white papers create leads, Stelzner pointed out that social networking is more about exposure. So how do you create exposure and at the same time develop leads you may ask? Let me tell you that pitching and promoting yourself in the social networking world is a no no so the key is to provide valuable and insightful information to a specific audience, doing so in as low key a way as possible, so you are generating interest in a non intrusive way.

Consider a Survey

In order to create his report, Stelzner created a survey that was distributed to the social networking contacts he thought would bring him value. The survey was conducted using Survey Monkey and distributed with the help of his fire starter contacts.

Enlist the help of a Fire Starter

You may be wondering what a fire starter is. A first starter has established him/herself online and has a huge following. People already trust and understand and the opinion of this person really holds weight. If you do not already know a fire starter, consider introducing yourself to one! You would be surprised how helpful they can be and how much they can boost your online status.

Get Creative! Create a Video

Sometimes it’s easier to catch the attention of your audience when you provide visuals. Creating a video will allow your market to understand what you are trying to accomplish without having to read anything. Make sure your video is high energy and easy to understand. Some tools you can use to create your video are ScreenFlow if you use Mac or Camtasia for all other users. Once it is complete, place it on your profile pages. Remember to send a link to your video through Twitter, using exciting and enticing key words!

Create a Follow up Email

Don’t let your contacts forget about you after they take your survey! You had them provide contact information for a reason so send them an email and let them know how the survey and report is coming along.  Keep sending follow up information throughout the report creating process.

Send out a Press Release

Create a press release to generate buzz from people and the press. Once you have written your release, distribute it to major media outlets and online to such distribution sites as PR Web.

Use StumbleUpon

Another great way to generate interest is to post your survey on StumbleUpon. StumbleUpon is a site that allows users to discover and rate websites, and videos. If you are going to use this method, it is best to enlist in the help of someone who already has a reputation for providing honest feedback. You may wish to enlist in a firestarter!

Of course once you have generated interest about your report, you must deliver it! You can read more about creating an effective survey in my article Survey your Connections – A Creative Social Networking Strategy.