My job title is Social Media Strategist. That means I help devise strategies for clients to incorporate social media into their corporate communications, marketing and even customer service practices. It includes blogger relations (which is interesting for me considering that I'm often on the receiving end of blogger pitches), and sometimes even handling a company's Facebook/Twitter/YouTube, etc. accounts on a day-to-day basis.
I've mostly been putting this expertise to personal use when it comes to promoting my bands. My current cover band, Rock Machine, has a Facebook fan page and a MySpace page, both of which come in handy for inviting people to come out and see us play.
I also recently started a Facebook account for Soroptimist International of Kansas City, MO. Even if you're not a member, you might enjoy "liking" the page to see how this venerable businesswomen's service organization is continuing into the 21st Century.
Just yesterday, I became an admin of the Facebook page for The Animal Rescue Alliance (TARA), a local foster-based animal rescue group for which I volunteer. Up to now, my work for them has been mainly to take a shift each Sunday morning caring for the cats that are up for adoption at a Petco store. The volunteer who had been handling the Facebook page recently passed away, so it seemed almost selfish not to offer to take on the updates considering how well-versed I am in the medium.
In addition to all that, I had an idea this week that I think will be a great value-added service for my husband's recording studio clients. He was talking to a band that had just recorded an album, urging them to start their promotion now - before the final CD copies are completed. I was eavesdropping (we were in my car) and said, "Tell them to submit it to Pandora now because they take a long time to evaluate songs."
Even though I could only hear my husband's half of the conversation, it's obvious that the reply was, "What's Pandora?"
That led me to a train of thought about offering a Band Promotion 101 session for the bands that record in the studio. I could spend a couple of hours teaching one or two of the most marketing-oriented members of a band how to optimize their Facebook and MySpace presences to promote their gigs and sell their songs. I could introduce them to the top online radio outlets, talk them through submitting their music to iTunes, CDBaby and other online stores, and basically just get them started down the path of growing their base of fans and customers. Sounds like fun!
I already eat, sleep and breathe social media, so I'm always happy to jump in and do something new there. It's work, but it's also fun. How great a career is that?!
As always, I think you are right on.
Posted by: LuAnn | May 04, 2010 at 08:04 AM
You are one busy lady! I don't know how you do it all. Love your ideas for the sites you're working with and the idea for a band 101. You should start a podcast on that topic. I bet it would be very popular!
Posted by: Marly | May 06, 2010 at 09:54 AM