Social Media Minus The Bovine Feces

Alright, I know there are a lot of you in the managed print services industry out there who are not yet utilizing social media to market your brand or generate sales.

This ends today...

I present to you the book both you and your CEO need to read if your on the fence or not considering social media at all as part of your marketing plan.

"No Bullshit Social Media" by Jason Falls and Erik Deckers will show you the proof about the ROI inherent in social media and provide the kick in the pants needed to get you on the social web. It will also give you the tools and resources needed to succeed in said space.

The book is describe by Jason below...

"Erik and I walk readers through what social media marketing can do for business, how to decide what you want it to do for yours and how to plan, activate and measure what you do. This book is not about Facebook and Twitter. It’s about using social media marketing as a business driver. It’s no-nonsense, no smoke-and-mirrors … No Bullshit. It will reinforce what you know, give you more ideas and help those you work with see social media marketing as a viable mechanism to reach, involve and persuade consumers to do more than “Like” or follow."

Like it or not folks social media is here to stay and like I have said in the past, if your not involved yet your running late.

No Bullshit Social Media is a surefire way to start or improve your social media program. Whether your a recent adherent to the social realm or just getting started, this book is a tool that you must have in your arsenal for social media success.

Read more about the book here.

Why Sales Should Be Social

At this point in my career I believe that I have proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that social media can be most profitable, even if you are given no budget to work with.

While I manage social media for my company I am also a member of the sales team and all of the sales generated by social media within my company have (thus far) come from my clients, several of whom I garnered through or in conjunction with social media efforts.

So it is with true gusto that on this day I do declare...

Everyone in your sales department should be involved in social media.

Is there a learning curve? Yes, but really its not rocket science and the skills needed to be a great sales professional parallel many of the skills necessary for any social media pro.

Many dynamics of the sales culture (networking, after hours gatherings, schmoozing, building trust) can be taken to new levels when social media is applied to said culture.

Most of the information needed to become a successful social media professional can be found for free on the internet. With some time dedicated to self education any individual who is already a sales professional can easily become proficient in the realm of social media.

If nothing else starting with the "big 4" a blog, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn one can generate sales and buzz within a years time (I know, I have done it).

Reading other marketing and sales professional's blogs as well as spending a few pennies on educational sites such as lynda.com can launch an already successful salesman or woman into new heights.

MPS Contract Via Social Media

I believe that I have accomplished a unique acheivement this week.

Yesterday I signed a managed print services contract that was garnered through social media.

Let me explain...

A few months ago David Morrow (a friend of mine which I had not seen in over 10 years) reconnected with me through Facebook after stumbling across my profile. In addition to listening to some music I had posted to my wall, he also took the time to check out my company's Facebook page and read a couple of blog posts I had shared there.

I guess he liked what he read.

Dave works at a company called Tech Cavalry as part of a team of IT professionals who offer services ranging from computer installations and repair to network design and implementation.

I guess you could say that they love computers and technology. Printers on the other hand, well...

Let's just say that said hardware is not their cup of tea. That being said, printers are not only our cup of tea but the very foundation of our company.

Dave felt that we are a company who share the same kind of passion for quality customer service that Tech Cavalry has and since he and his boss Michael had been looking to find a company with said qualities who would be able to take the reigns in regards to their customers printer needs, I was asked to come and meet with Michael to speak about the possibility of doing business together.

While my conversation with Michael spanned everything from cigars and coffee to VARs and MSPs and every dynamic in between, the conversation ended with a referral.

I was given information about a company not far from where I worked.

Thanks to that information I was able to perform an analysis, present an MPS solution and sign a contract for said solution with the aforementioned company in record timing.

Had I not been actively involved in social media, this opportunity would most likely not have occurred and even if it had, the lack of a reference to the gentleman I was able to get the referral from would have almost certainly made the process move much slower.

The point I would like make here is that if your working in a B2B environment and your not involved in social media then you are falling behind.

Social media is here to stay and chances are, your competitors are already ahead of the game.

Paying It Forward

Over the past two years my work in social media for Expert Laser Services has acted as a catalyst for connecting with many wonderful, talented and professional individuals who are experts in their respective industries.

I have been humbled by these folks interest in my own work, namely my now infamous destroy your printer contest series. Thanks to the many retweets, blog posts, e-mails and referrals I have to my surprise, become at least somewhat "internet famous" and have managed to generate sales through social media, solidifying myself as my company's "chief social media marketing engineer".

Today I want to take the opportunity to shine a light on some of these incredible and talented people and suggest that you do yourself a favor by checking out their websites/blogs.

@markwschaefer (Mark Schaefer) This man is one of the few individuals who actually deserves the title "social media guru". Not only is he a true professional and gentleman but also one of the most kind hearted folks I have connected with. Marks blog posts are filled with excellent, spot on content relevant to multiple dimensions of the social media universe and are composed of priceless advice that quite frankly, I would pay for. Mark however authors his blog with a passion and love for the art and science of social media and these posts are free for the world to see, if your not already reading Marks blog {grow} do your self a huge favor and subscribe today.

@Greg_Walters (Greg Walters) I consider Greg Walters to be the managed print services industry's equivalent combination of Hunter S. Thompson and Larry Flint. His blog Death Of The Copier is a notorious medium known for publishing posts dripping with uber snarky yet spot on expertise regarding the realm of MPS. Most of the images on DOTC may be considered rather tasteless by some, but despite the blogs racy photography I can't help but to view Greg as a true MPS master and I would go so far as to say he may very well be the expert when it comes to managed print services.

@RecyclerMedia (Charlotte Hindle) Charlotte is the editor of Recycler Magazine, one of two (and in my opinion) the superior global trade publication reporting about the toner and ink cartridge remanufacturing industry. Smart, focused, kind hearted and engaging, Charlotte is the epitome of professional. I highly suggest checking out Recycler Magazine and opening your mind to the earth friendly and cost saving possibilities that remanufactured toner and ink cartridges can offer to your business.

From the connections above I have enjoyed other opportunities which have catalyzed relationships with other great people who are also experts in their own right as pertaining to their respective industry.

Below I have listed these new connections in hopes to offer you the chance to also connect with these awesome human beings.

Social Media, Marketing And Or PR Pros You need To Check Out:

@ginidietrich

@lauraclick

@julianng

@suddenlyjamie

@CKsays

@jonbuscall

@TheMikeEllis

@ShellyKramer

@allthingsfadra


Managed Print Services And Or Office Imaging Pros You Need To Check Out:

@ChangeForge

@Greg_VDW

@DFWMPS

@SHendersonIA

@jflyons

@artpost

Toner And Ink Cartridge Remanufacturing Pros You Need To Check Out:

@JetScapeink

Austin Bound

I am pleased to announce that I will be speaking at MarketingProfs Digital Marketing Forum in Austin, Texas on Friday February 4th in regards to my "Destroy Your Printer Contest".

I must admit I am rather exited, a bit taken aback and honored to be speaking at this event. The track that I will be speaking for will also be hosting three other case studies in addition to my own of which MarketingProfs is hailing as Four of the Hottest SM Case Studies Around!

My hope is that I will be able to inspire others who have yet jump into social media and provide them with a solid case study that proves you can be successful in B2B social media even with no budget.

Destroy Your Printer 2010 RECAP

In the above photo you will see "Destroy Your Printer Contest 2" winner Matt Soper of Matt Soper Marketing (right) and Dennis McCurdy (left), owner of The McCurdy Group in Sturbridge, MA. Matt Soper won this years contest with this over the top destruction of a copier as seen here:



Matt decided to give his prize of two free toner cartridges to Dennis who is a mutual customer of both Matt Soper Marketing and Expert Laser Services. Matt also chose "calling all crows" as his charity of choice for the $100 donation that was part of this years prize.

The destroy your printer contest which is now an annual staple here at Expert Laser Services has really proved to be an amazing tool for generating new business as well as acting as a catalyst to generate sales with current customers. Dennis who already does business with us was kind enough to refer me to The Law Offices of George & George, a firm located next to his office. After speaking with the receptionist at said law office I left with the afterglow of a new prospect and the enjoyable experience of meeting a new person and hopefully the start of a new relationship between our business and theirs.

It is really incredible to me how our destroy your printer contest in conjunction with our other social media efforts is proving to be so valuable to us as a mechanism which allows us to connect with new prospects and further deepen current customer relationships.

Social MPS

Although you see some examples today, social media still has a long way to go in the B2B realm. I am pleased to say that within the context of our company (a B2B and MPS provider) Social Media has proved to be a valuable addition to our marketing plan. For us, social media has spawned local and international media attention, several prospects and a new customer all in the short few months time that we have had a social media program. As the creative marketing professional who suggested, organized and launched Expert Laser Services social media program I am happy to say that I think B2B social media really has a place within the Managed Print Services Industry.

There was a time when the prospect of working in an office seemed like a creative and or mental death sentence for me. A fate where I would be stifled artistically yet able to pay my mortgage and have health benefits. How ever after several years of being tossed around my company in various odd jobs landing a web/graphic design, SEM/SEO and Social Media Marketing roll I realized this industry could indeed be creative and fun at least from a marketing perspective.

Through musical MPS experiments, printer destruction contests and other oddities I have made connections with a lot great people within the MPS industry and was surprised to find individuals with as much if not more creative flare for the MPS industry as me. Greg Walters "Death of the Copier" blog has provided some inspiration for my Adventures in Office Imaging blog. Granted our sense of humour is a bit different, My focus is a creative perspective on industry relevant topics mixed with humor and knowledge of said focus while "DOTC" has a slightly sarcastic, rather entertaining but very professional and very readable twist on its content which is very much focused on "as they happen" industry developments and industry wisdom as well as great technology tidbits.

Now with the MPSA in place we see people all over this industry starting to garner a focus and determination to move MPS forward (even if the buzz is the low hum of intense activity).

The MPS community is just that, a group of people from large and small companies alike exploring this brave new world of the imaging industry and I am happy to say that social media and creative minds have a place in said brave new world. Which for me is wonderful because being "trapped" in an office has the potential to be a rewarding, creative and humours realm of an industry that has uber potential for incredible financial growth.

To the future MPS and social media I say HAZA!