Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/326874
www.BoatingIndustry.com www.BoatingIndustry.com 42 | Boating Industry | July 2014 MARKET FOCUS SECTION { SOCIAL MEDIA } BY JONATHAN SWEET Y ou know you should be on social media. But how do you know if it's working? It's a common refrain for companies large and small, inside and outside of the marine industry. Oftentimes, that's because companies aren't exactly sure what they are trying to accomplish. One of the biggest mistake compa- nies make when it comes to social media is going in without a plan, said Lauren de Vlaming, social media manager at Domin- ion Marine Media. "Most people have a problem with mea- suring the success of social media because they haven't identified their objectives," she said. "They're there because they know it's the trendy place to be. They know it's im- portant to be there, but they've never sat down and said OK, this is what we want to use it to do." SETTING GOALS Your social media outreach is just like any other marketing effort. It doesn't do any good without a set goal. For example, most dealerships wouldn't run a direct mail campaign, sending out hun- dreds or thousands of postcards, without a clear message. Whether it's promoting an Measuring social ROI Tracking the success of social media efforts requires planning, analysis event, a special on winterization or increas- ing awareness of the company, there's a set goal. The same rules apply to social media. "Social is really a tool that you're using, and that tool can do different things de- pending on how you use it," de Vlaming said. "So once you clarify a goal, it's pretty clear what you should be measuring." Using a social media campaign to pro- mote a specific product – say a used boat you've had trouble moving – or event can be relatively easy to track because there is that specific call to action. Most companies look to social media for brand building, but developing that mes- sage takes more refinement and planning. Every company has a brand – an image that customers have of them. When working with its clients on brand building, ARI Network Services helps them define their unique value proposition – that thing that makes them stand out from the competition, said chief marketing officer Heather Blessington. That brand could be excellent customer service, a reputation for quality service work, the low price leader or a bevy of other things, good or bad. "I do believe everyone has one," Bless- ington said. "There's a reason people are coming to your dealership. There's some- thing there that's unique." Social media's effect can be difficult to measure when there's not an immediate call to action. Still, by making the effort, com- panies can more reliably track the results. "Sometimes dealers are their own worst enemies," Blessington said. "They want to measure their success, but some- times they don't want to put in the effort that it's going to take to get those analyt- ics at their dealership." It requires the sales team to always be asking that question of "How did you hear about us?" and drilling down to discoveer the different methods. If the first answer is, "We saw you at the boat show," find out if, for example, they also have been following you on Facebook. "Everything digital is trackable. It's trackable to the point of sale in the dealer- ship and that's where the dealer's respon- P42x43-BI14JUL-MF-new.indd 42 5/28/14 12:23 PM