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  • 17 Ways Membership Organizations Can Practice #AstroNetTurfRoots

    Gus Wagner - Comment (0)

    Traditional marketing and advertising was based on one-to-many communications. In other words, the handful of big business who had the budgets to make large media buys were able to broadcast their message to huge audiences.

    With the development of social media marketing, marketing and advertising strategy have undergone a paradigm shift. Gone are the days when marketing was all about big media buys. Today, businesses and organizations have the unique (and low-cost) opportunity to build authentic, transparent relationships with their customers, members, and advocates.

    This paradigm shift means that we can use social media marketing to build authentic, transparent relationships with our elected officials, too. These 17 tips will help your membership organization practice #AstroNetTurfRoots; engaging with elected officials online.

    1. Follow elected officials and staff members on Twitter. Here is a good place to start.
    2. Like the pages of or ask to Friend elected officials and staff members on Facebook.
    3. Observe (“listen to”) how those officials communicate. What is their tone? What topics do they tweet about?
    4. Match the tone your elected officials use online when you communicate with them on social media channels.
    5. When appropriate, respond to elected officials, retweet their posts, or share their messages with your community.
    6. Seek out press and media representatives that cover government affairs (at all levels) so they have a more familiar relationship with you.
    7. Create a social media directory or follow list that includes the names and usernames of those elected officials, staff, and press.
    8. Share your social media directory (see #7) with your members.
    9. Encourage your members to follow, friend, and engage with elected officials as well.
    10. Speak to elected officials as yourself (as in individual), rather than as your organization to separate yourself from the white noise the elected official is already inundated by.
    11.  Be an expert on your issue, whatever that issue may be.
    12.  Know the impact that an issue has on your area, the elected official’s area, and on your own business.
    13.  Be able to back your knowledge and expertise with real, factual information.
    14. Share upcoming events with elected officials when those events will give them real-world experience in your affairs, industry, or region.
    15. When elected officials attend your events, tweet about their attendance and Facebook it to your friends and followers.
    16. When you meet elected officials in the real world, gently remind them of your social media relationship.
    17.  Be aware that the Internet, like a diamond, is forever. If you put it out there it can help you or come back and bite you in the butt.

    One final note: Social media is changing constantly. Your goal shouldn’t be to follow hard-and-fast rules from a “social media expert”, but to apply — and test — best practices with your audiences. And when you think you’ve found what works, test it again! You might be surprised at how frequently social media platforms make changes that impact you.

    Need a hand with your social media strategy? Drop us a line.

    Thanks for the Time

    -Gus Wagner

  • AstroNetTurfRoots at #SocialIRL in Jefferson City, Missouri

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    Gus Wagner of The Rocket Group explains #AstroNetTurfRoots at #SocialIRL in Jefferson City, Missouri (#JCMO) in December of 2012.

    Speaking from the state’s capital, Missouri social media strategist Gus Wagner teaches the audience at #SocialIRL about engagement, advocacy, and developing relationships through social media.

    This process is one that Gus calls #AstroNetTurfRoots.

    Critics refer to organized groups building grassroots organizations as “AstroTurfing”. At The Rocket Group, we think that combining your real-life organized group with your online constituents creates #AstroNetTurfRoots.

    Watch the video to learn more.

    ***

    Gus Wagner is a multiple-certified social media strategist who served for more than seven years as a Chief of Staff in the Missouri State Senate, and for more than six years as the State Chairman of the Missouri Young Republicans. He has more than 21 years experience in business and more than 26 years total in political, charitable, and civic volunteerism and involvement.

  • 3 Ways You Are Crossing the Line on Facebook

    Gus Wagner - Comment (0)

    Be your own Facebook police: 3 ways you’re crossing the line on Facebook.

    Whether you’re a mid-Missouri business owner, a sales person from anywhere in the world or a member of an up-and-coming band from the grunge/red dirt/punk/orchestra scene, social media can be an effective marketing tool when it’s used correctly.

    When you’re invested in your business, though, it’s easy to get carried away, crossing the line between good marketing and going overboard.

    If you believe that “all publicity is good publicity,” you’re wrong.

    Your customers are smart people who see through obvious marketing ploys. While they welcome good information from you, they may not appreciate marketing popping up where it doesn’t belong.

    There are a few things you might be doing on Facebook that are actually hurting you, not helping. Take a look. Are you a Facebook offender?

    Facebook Offense #1: Link Bombing

    What it is: Posting your band’s appearance, business’s open house or restaurant’s lunch specials on other local Facebook pages that have nothing to do with your business.

    Why it’s bad: This doesn’t do anything but annoy the page owners. And, the message isn’t broadcast any further than the page.

    Alternate method: Focus on growing your follower base. Promote your Facebook page at your place of business, on your website, during your show or other places where your customers and potential followers go by CHOICE.

    Ask them to “Like” your page. When they do so, they’ll see the updates when you post them from your own page. Since they’ve already invited the communication by liking the page, it’s more likely that your communications will be positively received.

    Good Example: In the restaurant business, some places offer a special (ex: a free appetizer) if you show your waitress that you’ve “liked” the page or “checked in” to the location. Not only do your customers get a free appetizer, but they’ll see any specials or promotions you post in the future, encouraging them to return for another great deal. You should also consider the Facebook Offers program.

    Facebook Offense #2: Making your personal page professional

    What it is: When 90{628954cb2bad821921117287c23504a7919be1893c483613421612ad8712cddb} of your personal postings are about your business. This occurs a lot with individuals in sales and service. It’s also a huge violation of the terms of service you agreed to when you signed up for Facebook.

    Why it’s bad: People want to be friends with you, not with your business. Sprinkling in a little bit of promotion is not a bad thing but that promotion should never exceed more than 10% of your total Facebook content.

    Alternate method: Link your promotional posts back to business website. For example: if you’re posting photos of your business activities, they should be posted from your business page. You can then tag yourself (personally) and friends in the photo. 

    Good example: See our personal Facebook page!

    Facebook Offense #3: Thanking fans, businesses or prize winners (but not really) 

    What it is: You thank people without tagging them in the post. 

    Why it’s bad: Unless you tag your customers in your photos or posts, chances are they will never know, unless they stumble across the page or someone tells them. 

    Alternate method: Tag your contest winners or the people you’re thanking. The key reasons to have contests and thank your fans are to spread awareness of your brand or to show appreciation to your customers. By tagging them, more people see it, expanding your brand’s reach, and leading to more feel good vibes and more eyes on your posts. 

    Good example: Our client,  The Missouri Trucking Association, acknowledges their new members by tagging them in a post. This alerts the new member that they’re being welcomed. Plus it gives them some extra promotion from an outside source, which is good for business. 

    One final point to consider: Facebook changes constantly. Your goal shouldn’t be to follow hard-and-fast rules from a “social media expert”, but to apply — and test — best practices with your audiences. And when you think you’ve found what works, test it again! You might be surprised at how frequently Facebook make changes that impact you.

    For more Facebook tips, check out this post: On Facebook, Do What Works

    Need help on Facebook? Drop us a line.

    Thanks for the time

    -Gus Wagner

  • Launching a Landing Page

    Gus Wagner - Comment (0)
    A recent client landing page we constructed. Check out the whole archived page here.n

    Crisp. Simple. On Message: Your quick guide to building a better landing page.

    If you have a website, you’ve probably considered (or are already using) a landing page. When done correctly, a landing page is an effective tool for a business website. A good landing page helps you capture leads, build awareness and close sales.

    What is a Landing Page?

    A landing page is a standalone page that’s distinct from your main site. Its purpose is to promote something very specific, like a workshop or new promotion, and to encourage the viewer to take a specific action.

    How do you plan a new Landing Page?

    First, keep in mind that a landing page is not meant to be a major source of information, like your homepage and the rest of your site.

    1. Determine your promotion

    What will your readers get, why do they need it and how much does it cost? Keep your promotion crisp, simple and on-message. Don’t give them more information than they need. In fact, the less copy you can use to get your message across, the better. If you need to, you can redirect them to more in-depth information by using embedded links in your text.

    2. Create your call to action

    Create a specific action for your customers to take, and place that call to action above the fold. In fact, if possible, keep all your content above the fold. What do you want them to do? Call, sign up or order right away? Make it easy for your customers by telling them exactly what to do.

    3. Use vivid imagery

    Images > Text. If you can show it instead of say it, do so. Always try to include some type of visual image to capture and retain interest. If you want to see what we mean, check out this collection of 40+ Best Landing Page Designs.

    4. Be specific

    Don’t be afraid to create more than one landing page for a single promotion. The more targeted you can get, the better! Do you use Facebook or have an email list? If so, create unique pages for each. It’ll also help you to track which of your marketing avenues are responsive to your landing page promotion.

    5. Monitor your results

    We use CampaignMonitor for our email marketing and they do a great job with landing page campaigns, too!

    At The Rocket Group, we have a lot of experience building landing pages and we’re here to help. Give us a call or shoot us an email. We’d love to help you build landing pages for your next campaign!

  • #LexPort15 Presentation Materials on Web Design and Marketing

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    Thanks to the Missouri Bar for having us present on web design and web marketing at the #LexPort15 conference recently. Slides and video from the presentation are embedded below. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comments below or use the contact link above to start the discussion!

  • How to Live Tweet a Public Meeting

    Gus Wagner - Comment (0)

    If you work for a membership organization, a policy group, or a civic organization, you may find yourself working round-the-clock to build — and keep — an engaged membership or constituent base.

    Something that’s commonplace on Twitter is live-tweeting events. If you’re a community organizer, elected official, advocate, or membership organization, you could easily begin to use live-tweeting to grow your next meeting or event past the “real life” audience and onto your larger #AstroNetTurfRoots community.

    If you’re having a meeting (of any size) you can set up live-tweeting. Here’s how:

    Before Your Meeting or Event:

    • Get/establish event hashtag, like #MoberlyChamber  or #JeffCityTownHall
    • Put the hashtag on your registration website and published materials, and make sure the audience (online and in IRL) know that that’s the hashtag for the event.
    • Tell your real-life and Twitter audiences that you’ll be live-tweeting.
    • Engage your meeting or event’s speakers online using their Twitter handles
    • Create and share a “follow list” IRL and online (include speakers, leaders, guests, and other participants on this list)
    • Use a client like Hootsuite or Tweetdeck (3rd party partners) to follow the Twitter conversation about your event more efficiently.

    During the Meeting or Event:

    You’re in the room during the event, and you have the twitter handles of your speakers. When those speakers share memorable or quote-worthy things, tweet those quotes out to your followers. Be sure to include the speaker’s handle (@name) and the event #. 

    • Quote speakers using their handles (I like to call these “tweetable moments”)
    • Pick and choose the best content, even if you need to take notes and share the content a few minutes later
    • Take and share photos of your audience & your speakers (Having a photo link in your Twitter stream will increase your interaction by 20{628954cb2bad821921117287c23504a7919be1893c483613421612ad8712cddb})
    • Watch the conversation around the hashtag that you’ve created, and interact with the people who are saying good (or bad) things about your event. (You’ll guarantee more success, connection with your audience by doing this.)
    • Hashtag your geographic location, too (#STL, #JCMO, etc). Hashtagging your location goes a long way toward helping the people in the area learn more about your organization or cause.

    After the Meeting or Event:

    • Thank new and old followers for support your event. Call individuals out by name (@) for their engagement
    • Write a blog post (tools like storify.com are great for this) that puts the tweets about the event in one place, and share it with your followers
    • Use hastracking.com to track your traffic & the ripple effect created by your live tweeting of the event.

    Live-tweeting your next public meeting or event will help you build — and engage — an #AstroNetTurfRoots audience that is passionate about your cause.

    One final point for you to consider: Social media (including Twitter) changes constantly. Your goal shouldn’t be to follow hard-and-fast rules from an alleged “social media expert”, but to apply — and test — best practices with your audiences. And when you think you’ve found what works, test it again! You might be surprised at how frequently social media platforms make changes that impact you.

    Need help? We’re here.

    Thanks for the time,

  • On Facebook, Do What Works

    Gus Wagner - Comment (0)
    Facebook is this big to your business, even if you don’t use it yet.
    Most Missouri businesses and organizations know that Facebook is a good way to communicate with customers, but many of those same businesses and organizations aren’t sure how to make Facebook work for them. If you’re one of them, this post will help.As you read this post, remember that Facebook makes regular changes to its user interface and algorithms. Your best results will come when you regularly test your methods, content, and post frequency to see what’s working.

    Sweet Spot for Post Length
    How many characters do you think it takes to get the most interaction from your Fans on Facebook?

    The answer is that posts should be around 80 characters (one short sentence) long. Anything longer, and you’re going to lose your audience. If you post full paragraphs on Facebook, your audiences are going to scroll right past your post. No one in the history of Facebook has ever clicked on a “read more” link in a Facebook post.

    Keep your posts short and sweet to keep your audience engaged.

    Best Time & Day to Post
    There is no right answer to this question as every audience for every page is different. You need to constantly test and tweak with your content to see when your audience is online. Your Facebook insights also show some helpful information to this answer.

    It also depends bit on your geographic location. Here in Jefferson City, for instance, we’ve found that Saturday mornings are another highly effective time to post brand content to Facebook for our retail customers. Overall, though, brands tend to see the highest interaction rates in the evenings on Tuesdays, when people are at home, relaxing on their laptops, tables, or smart phones.

    Best Drivers of Interaction
    The best drivers of interaction, by far historically, are a combination of photos and videos. People want to see the smiling faces of the people behind your operation, in your business, or at your event.

    Think of all the pictures you’ve clicked through on your friends’ Facebook profiles. You’ve probably clicked through all 60 pictures in a friend’s Facebook album at some point. The same holds true on Facebook business pages — photos and videos drive more interaction that plain text posts do.

    Using a Personal Page as a Business Page
    Using a personal page as a business page is a big no-no. This is against the Facebook terms of conduct that you agree to when you signed up for Facebook.

    Using a personal page as a business page is frowned upon, and we highly recommended that you don’t do this. The Facebook police are real and they will shut you down!

    Don’t get busted. There is no way to get out of Facebook jail.

    How Many Times Per Day to Post?
    One post per day is great. Two posts per day is excellent. But three or more posts per day is probably pushing it. Again, test your audience.

    For more pages, anything more than four posts per day, and you’re probably going to see a decline in audience engagement.

    Check your Facebook Insights to see how many posts per day is too many — at some point, you’ll see a definite drop-off in interaction.

    Calls to Action
    Put calls to action like, “Follow Us on Facebook” in your restaurant menus and on your store receipts. You could even add a “Follow Us on Facebook” decal to your bathroom mirrors or your business’s front door.

    Remember to include your specific Facebook URL on those calls to action so that your customers can find you on Facebook when they search for you.

    See also: Get Found on Facebook: A Strategy for Businesses

    Even small efforts like those can remind patrons to interact with you — and help them find you — on social media.

  • Get Found on Facebook: A Strategy for Businesses

    Gus Wagner - Comment (0)

    How well do you think this is working for their #SocialMedia efforts? #RocketGroup

    A photo posted by Gus Wagner (@wagnergus) on

    Everyone wants more friends, likes, and followers in social media…and whatever Google is calling theirs…for their businesses, campaigns, and efforts. Many businesses are making basic Facebook Page mistakes that you can avoid by following the Facebook search tips in this post.
    One common call to action I see repeatedly in print and even local television advertising is the icon below:

    It doesn’t work like that. Not well at least.

    With that call to action, a customer might find you on Facebook if you are the only business with your name on the platform. But they might just as well find a similar-named firm in another region of Missouri, they may find nothing, or they may find a sneaky competitor of yours.

    What is the proper way to promote your Facebook presence in real life? It’s by using your full URL. For example, ours on Facebook.com/RocketGroup.

    Let’s assume that your customers are able to find your Facebook Page online. What are some of the common Facebook Business Page mistakes they might find when they get there?

    • The last time you updated your Page was over two months ago.
    • You have a Facebook Profile instead of a Facebook Page (a Cardinal Sin.)
    • The purpose of your business or organization has gotten lost.
    • You haven’t engaged with your Fans.
    • Your Fans have no idea what your brand stands for.

    Your business can distinguish itself from others by responding to posts, answering customer questions, and otherwise interacting with your Fans on Facebook in a way that’s true to your purpose and authentic to your brand.

    If you’re really serious about Facebook, here’s some more food for thought:

    • Empower someone dedicated to social media to manage your account.
    • Unlink your twitter tweets and your Facebook posts. They are two different audiences. And your ‘more than #140’ tweets are getting lost. Share the same info, just in different ways.
    • If you are going to schedule, which is ok to do, schedule at minimum two posts a day. Just like Raisin Bran it will do you good. Don’t lump all of your posts together at the same time of day or on one day of the week.
    • Ask questions. Customers will become accustomed to answering your questions. And when they do, you’ve engaged your customers with your brand.
    • Even if you aren’t on social media, your customers and prospects are, and they’re talking about your efforts and your business. Engage with them by paying attention to what they have to say and responding.

    Just like everything else in your business life, social media is a commitment. You must commit to using it well, and to adapting to its constantly changing landscape.  Your goal in social media should be to constantly test your methods, content, and timing to see what works best for your organization. And just when you think you’ve figure it all out, it’s probably time to test again. That’s how quickly social media platforms like Facebook can change.

    Need help? We’re here.

    Thanks for the time,

  • How to Get Hired Online

    Gus Wagner - Comment (0)

    Gus Wagner of The Rocket Group speaks to Jeff City Start in Jefferson City, Missouri on the controversial topic of social media and profile scrubbing. 

    On July 11, 2012 I gave a presentation to Jeff City START about using the Internet to begin and enhance their professional lives.

    In case you aren’t familiar with it, Jeff City Start is the one stop shop for interns and internships in our hometown of Jefferson City, Missouri, so it’s where college, graduate and law students connect with Jeff City employers.

    My presentation to Jeff City Start was focused on “Social Media: With an Eye Towards Your Future”. In other words, how can social media help professionals who are trying to launch (or sustain) their careers?

    You’ll see the slides from that presentation, above, and you can find parts of the video on our YouTube Channel.

    Here are a few of the key takeaways from my presentation to Jeff City Start:

    Tools
    There are lots of social tools out there for professionals, not limited to email, social media, and search (and search engine optimization).

    Own Your Name (& All Variations of It)

    • Secure your name online by setting up a website and a blog that use your name.
    • Purchase all of the dot com variations you can find that use your name (examples: GusWagner.com, GusWagner.net, etc.).
    • Write a blog in your area of expertise and keep it fresh.
    • Set up Google Alerts to let you know when your name has been mentioned online.

    Check out this video about owning your name when making your annual Christmas wish list as well!

    Email

    • Use your domain for our email address (example: Gus@GusWagner.com). @aol, @hotmail, and even @gmail email addresses don’t get to the top.
    • Use your snazzy new email address to contact industry leaders (and/or prospective mentors) and ask them probing questions. Develop those relationships.
    • Include your URL and your #SoMe links in your email signature.
    • Consider an email newsletter, especially if you’re producing good content on your new blog.

    Use Social Media

    (These 7 major benefits of social media are credited to @JasonFalls)

    n1. Enhance branding and awareness
    2. Protect brand reputation
    3. Enhance public relations
    4. Build community
    5. Enhance customer service
    6. Facilitate research & development
    7. Drive leads and sales

    What is Social Media?

    • It’s a consumer-driven marketplace.
    • It’s everywhere.
    • It’s a place of truth & transparency

    Why LinkedIn?

    • There are 69+ million US LinkedIn accounts
    • LinkedIn is used by 85 of the Fortune 100 for hiring
    • Every second, 2 new members join
    • In #MidMo, there are 78,225 LinkedIn members
    • In #Missouri, there are more than 2 million members

    How to Use LinkedIn

    • Join groups
    • Get to know connections of connections
    • Search for jobs
    • Ask questions

    How to Use Twitter

    • Segment important people in your industry
    • Follow them to learn and engage with them
    • Gain an insight into trends
    • Gain touch points into your industry
    • Find your own professional voice
    • Meet pros and other people who you may not have the chance to interact with in real life
    • Join Twitter chats
    • Search for opportunities

    Facebook is another great tool for professionals. Check out this post I wrote, called, “How Not to Get Hired: Facebook Scrubbing”. 

    Interested in having me speak at your event? Drop me a line!

    Thanks for the time,

    ***

    Gus Wagner has spent the last 10 years launching success stories for The Rocket Group. He is a four-time certified social media strategist (one of the few in mid-Missouri), and he has more than 26 years of total political, charitable, and civic volunteerism under his belt. Gus is an invaluable social media consultant and public speaker in Missouri and the Midwest.

  • Video: Missouri Travel Council MTCED13

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    Below is the SlideRocket presentation from our April 18th presentation to the Missouri Travel Council. The video from this talk to the statewide audience at their Jefferson City, MO conference appears below the SlideRocket show.