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While I think social media can backfire on the job and there are ways to be smart about how you use social media, I also think (as I’ve said many times before) that it’s a fundamental shift in how we communicate and while it’s not poised to replace anything YET, it’s very valuable and not a skill or set of tools anyone should ignore.

That being said, I like being on camera, it’s fun.

My job is to take any company, whether it’s one brilliant guy sitting in his living room or a nationwide corporation with thousands of clients, and create a strategy that encompasses those four things.

The right message. How are you different? Why are you different? How do you convey that in everything you do? Having the right message and sticking with it is what makes good brands, great.

The right people. Finding the right people is crucial to the success of a company. From interns to senior leadership, from partners to vendors, the right people ensure that the strategy is implemented.

The right network. Are you connected to the right people to advance your message? You know who you are but does everyone else? The right network is essential in today’s business economy, whether you believe it or not.

The right tools. What tools or technology do you need to create and distribute your story? How can you leverage those tools to make the most of your people and network? In a world where many confuse the tool with the job, your comapny can use each tool for its intended purpose to implement a wholistic strategy.

So that’s it. Message, People, Network, Tools.

Getting Marenated simply means I help you toward each one of those things. Below is a purposely INcomplete list of my services. If I am not the best person to do something, I’ll tell you. But the point is to start the conversation.

-brand identity

-logo design

-business strategy

-public relations

-new media navigation

-community building

-copywriting

-email marketing

-web design

-staff augmentation

-career coaching

-technology selection

-promotion

-media monitoring

Like I said, this is not all-inclusive. I have clients that need all of these things and clients that ask me to help with one or two. I charge hourly, monthly or by the project and my rates are reasonable. Call (402)215-4440 or email me at maren@marenated.com.

Oh, one more thing. I’m not a big agency. I won’t use the term “we” superfluously or act like I have or want a big schmancy office. It’s just me and a highly skilled netowrk of people I trust who are the best at what they do.

Areas in which I have worked in a corporate or ongoing consultative capacity:

-Finance/Insurance

-HR/Recruiting

-Travel

-Non-Profit

-Medical Technology

I get asked a lot for a sample proposal and I have those available. But perhaps the questions that’s really being asked is, “What do I get for my money?” and the answer to that is not someone else’s proposal with the names blacked out. The answer to that is an explanation of the process.

When I meet with a new client, the very first order of business is to find out what their budget is and what their timeline is. Once those two things are figured out, we can proceed with a much better understanding of how a social media consultation works.

(Note: Even if the answers to the above questions are: $0 and RIGHT NOW, Red Branch can usually help, with a quick brainstorming session or the suggestions of a hidden cost saving measure that might create funds for a social media campaign or strategy.)

Once budget and timeline are established, we can move on to marketing history. This is usually a casual conversation regarding where the company is currently spending resources to engage potential users or clients. Notice I said resources rather than money. We methodically establish what has worked for the company and what is currently not working. I also take an inventory of what resources the company does have (in house staff, design talent, travel budget, great network) that can be used to stretch their social media dollars.

Okay, by now we’ve established budget, timeline, history and resources to some extent. Next, we’ll talk about the GOAL. It really helps clients when we clarify exactly what their goals are. This way everyone can be held accountable for what they need to accomplish to reach those goals. Sometimes the goal is to increase sales, visibility, create a brand, attract advertisers. It all depends and is company specific. This is a very important part of the entire beginning meeting because without a clearly defined goal, there is no way of knowing which tools and strategies you can use to get there.

Now, this is where my expertise comes in. I take all this information and create a plan that charts out what you need to do, how long it will take you to do it, which goals you are hitting with which tactic and whether or not this is a task you should outsource or keep in-house. I explain which things must be carried out in chronological order and why. There are a lot of variables that go into creating a roadmap like this, which is why a sample rarely does it justice.

Once the document is finished, we all meet again so that I can explain which things are “musts” and which are “nice to haves”. I explain how the plan can complement (not replace) your traditional marketing plan and offer tips, suggestions or in-depth consulting to train your employees, if that is necessary. We establish how much of the plan is “do-able” and how we want to go about implementing that. If there is hiring to be done, I can assist with job descriptions and interview protocol. If the company should choose to want me to stay on to implement all or part of the plan, we discuss rates and calendar options.  My goal for this meeting is that you leave with three consecutive action steps for the client to accomplish and NO questions left unanswered.

Hopefully, this explains what you should expect from a social media marketing consult and what you CAN expect from me. If there is anything else you’d like to know, please call me at 402-215-4440 or email me at maren@redbranchmedia.net