These days, a social media strategy is a must for any marketing effort. Where to start is often the biggest challenge. As mentioned in previous posts, I always ask, "What are you trying to do?"

 

One place to help you get started is the 2011 CMO Social Media Landscape, which will help you analyze what social media channels might be best for your brand. At the top of the page, you’ll see pre-determined objectives: customer communication, brand exposure, building site traffic and search engine optimization (SEO).

 

Here are some examples of using social media for your brand:

 

A new product is coming into your store. If the brand has a Facebook page, not only should you "like" the page, but you should also actively contribute to the conversation. Consider announcing events associated with the new product or sharing a drink recipe.

 

Have your trusted sales people build a LinkedIn page that communicates and features their wine and spirits knowledge. In the professional subject line, reference their unique knowledge such as "Expert in Fine Wine Pairings". Make sure your company name is included as the current employer so people will know how to contact them.

 

For building site traffic, I like Digg, a social media site where users can discover and share content. Go beyond sharing your site URL and leverage staff knowledge on wine regions or party planning.

 

 

Use your Flickr and YouTube to optimize your photos and videos since they rank high on Flickr and Google’s search capabilities. Also, LinkedIn profiles, which you developed as part of your brand exposure goals, often rank high as well.

 

Remember; monitor the landscape from time to time. What works today might not work tomorrow.

 

Tell me, what is your business goal and how are you using social media to achieve the goal.