Online Social Networks are the hottest tool used by professional associations to connect their members to each other and to connect the association with members in a fashion far more personal than ever possible before. Social Media Marketing is the newest approach to spreading the brand and the association’s message both to potential members and the public at large.
A review of the various listings under a given association’s brand related social network groups find that most are managed by active association members, while far fewer are managed by the association itself. Similarly, fewer than half provide coordinated, member oriented services consistent with the core values and brand identity of the association.
Making Associations
Associations seeking success in the online social networking / social media marketing arena must develop an overall plan consistent with the association’s comprehensive public relations, marketing and advertising plans. This overall online social networking / social media marketing plan should include an overarching “All-Chapter” online social networking / social media marketing plan for all association chapters and subordinate plans for each individual chapter based on the individual chapter’s needs.
Such an approach would include:
- A master Online Social Networking / Social Media Marketing plan for the association as a whole
- Overall plan for Online Social Networking / Social Media Marketing/ to guide all association activities and chapter activities in the Online Social Networking / Social Media Marketing space
- An “All-Chapter” Online Social Networking / Social Media Marketing plan to guide all chapter’s
- Framework for Online Social Networking / Social Media Marketing to guide all association chapters and chapter activities in the Online Social Networking / Social Media Marketing space
- Individual chapter specific Online Social Networking / Social Media Marketing plans
- Goal specific plans for Online Social Networking / Social Media Marketing for each chapter’s efforts in the Online Social Networking / Social Media Marketing space
- A Online Social Networking / Social Media Marketing brand protection plan
- A plan for unifying all association and association related brand activities in the Online Social Networking / Social Media Marketing space whether or not originated by the association or an association member
- Form a Online Social Networking / Social Media Marketing interest group within the association
Meet S.A.M.
This approach is used to develop plans not only for professional association, but for hospitals and communities. When applied to Online Social Networking / Social Media Marketing the approach is divided into three portions known as S.A.M. which reduces the work required of any one individual. The process includes:
- Strategic Planning
- Management of the Online Social Networking / Social Media Marketing plan including brand placement
- Oversight of the mechanics for implementation of individual social networking efforts
- Authorship
- Creation of content for use on multiple Online Social Networking / Social Media Marketing venues
- Mechanics
- Placement of content on Online Social Networking / Social Media Marketing websites
- Editing and parsing content for placement on micro-blogs, twitter and interlinked Online Social Networking / Social Media Marketing websites
Putting S.A.M. to Work
In practice, the S.A.M. process begins with strategic planning to determine what markets represent the most viable for the association and its members. Once these markets and online networking sites are identified, a detailed plan for participating on the various networks is formulated. This plan is re-evaluated monthly and refocused to maximize recruitment of new contacts as well as profile and website visitors.
Once a plan is in place, association members author articles and other content items for distribution through the planned social media outlets. This is the sum total of the member’s time commitment. The association answers specific replies from social network members. With this minimal time commitment, the association and its members establish rapport with other association members, build communications with industry customers and relationships with the entire market.
With the plan in place and the content authored, the daily mechanics of posting material to the networks and parsing compositions into microblogs is accomplished by the associations and the individual chapters under the oversight of the strategic planner. Because the content is not only in the voice of the members, but is the actual creation of the members, the relationships created are fostered even without further investment of time or effort.
As part of this process, the association and its trade journal chronicles the process of creating such a comprehensive approach to Online Social Networking / Social Media Marketing. This chronicle is an invaluable resource for association members and a revenue-generating product for the association when fully completed.
Online social networking and social media marketing are an amazingly cost effect means of spreading the brand message and building both member rapport and loyalty for a professional association. The use of the S.A.M. process increases the return on investment for this new form of info-communications.
