Twitter and Facebook: the basics explained

Promoting Country Markets via Twitter and Facebook

The basics explained

Pippin Consultancy Ltd Gloucestershire Country Markets AGM 15 April 2013

The presentation

• Online marketing– Websites– Directories– Social media (Twitter and Facebook)

• Offline marketing– Flyers/posters– PR

Pippin Consultancy Ltd Gloucestershire Country Markets AGM 15 April 2013

Online marketing

• Free / low cost promotion• Most people are online (84% of the UK

population)

Pippin Consultancy Ltd Gloucestershire Country Markets AGM 15 April 2013

Websites

• Great place to put all the information about your Market

• Keep it up-to-date• Link it in with everything you do• Facebook?

Pippin Consultancy Ltd Gloucestershire Country Markets AGM 15 April 2013

Directories

• Local information websites• Transition Towns• Big Barn

Pippin Consultancy Ltd Gloucestershire Country Markets AGM 15 April 2013

Social media

“Interactive platforms via which individuals and communities create and share user-generated content.”

J.H. Kietzmann, K. Hermkens, I.P. McCarthy & B.S. Silvestre (2011)

Pippin Consultancy Ltd Gloucestershire Country Markets AGM 15 April 2013

Social media

The online equivalent of a conversation or a gossip with friends, colleagues or acquaintances.

Catherine Every

Pippin Consultancy Ltd Gloucestershire Country Markets AGM 15 April 2013

Twitter?

Every day, millions of people turn to Twitter to connect to their interests, to share information, and find out what's happening in the world right now. Anyone can read, write and share messages of up to 140 characters on Twitter. These messages, or Tweets, are available to anyone interested in reading them, whether logged in or not. Your followers receive every one of your messages in their timeline – a feed of all the accounts they have subscribed to or followed on Twitter.

Pippin Consultancy Ltd Gloucestershire Country Markets AGM 15 April 2013

Twitter – usage statistics

• 34 million + active UK users• 25-34, 35-44 and 45-54 age groups each make

up around 20% of the Twitter population• 42% use it find out about products and services• 41% use it to provide opinions about products

and services• 31% use it to ask for opinions about products

and services

Pippin Consultancy Ltd Gloucestershire Country Markets AGM 15 April 2013

Twitter feed

Pippin Consultancy Ltd Gloucestershire Country Markets AGM 15 April 2013

Twitter – the basics

• Username (@CatherineEvery, @bohemianbeads)

• Mention• Retweet• Message• Hashtag

Pippin Consultancy Ltd Gloucestershire Country Markets AGM 15 April 2013

Twitter profile

Pippin Consultancy Ltd Gloucestershire Country Markets AGM 15 April 2013

Twitter and your Country Market

• Announcements about what’s on sale• Who’s cooking what• What’s selling well• What’s happening in the Market• Retweeting other Country Markets tweets• Posting photos• Link into special dates (Mothering Sunday, Easter, Bank

Holiday etc)• Retweeting / commenting on local community issues• Tap into food issues (e.g. beef in your lasagnes come

from your local butcher)

Pippin Consultancy Ltd Gloucestershire Country Markets AGM 15 April 2013

Hints and tips

• Tweet regularly• Have more than one person tweeting

(you can login with your twitter name and password)

• Stay positive and politically uncontroversial

Pippin Consultancy Ltd Gloucestershire Country Markets AGM 15 April 2013

Questions?

Pippin Consultancy Ltd Gloucestershire Country Markets AGM 15 April 2013

Facebook

Millions of people use Facebook everyday to keep up with friends, upload an unlimited number of photos, share links and videos, and learn more about the people they meet.

Pippin Consultancy Ltd Gloucestershire Country Markets AGM 15 April 2013

Facebook - statistics

• 200 million unique users (c.30 million in the UK)

• 57% of users are female• 46% of users are 45 or older

Pippin Consultancy Ltd Gloucestershire Country Markets AGM 15 April 2013

Facebook personal timeline

Pippin Consultancy Ltd Gloucestershire Country Markets AGM 15 April 2013

Facebook personal page

Pippin Consultancy Ltd Gloucestershire Country Markets AGM 15 April 2013

Facebook business timeline

Pippin Consultancy Ltd Gloucestershire Country Markets AGM 15 April 2013

Facebook business page

Pippin Consultancy Ltd Gloucestershire Country Markets AGM 15 April 2013

How can Country Markets use Facebook?

• Post photos• Post updates• Post questionnaires• Post information • Post recipes• Post special offers• Post about special dates (Easter, Mothering

Sunday, Breakfast Week etc)• Share posts and comments• Comment on postsPippin Consultancy Ltd Gloucestershire Country Markets AGM 15 April 2013

Hints and tips

• Get started at www.facebook.com/business

• Do it regularly• Have multiple administrators• Stay positive and politically

uncontroversial• Promote it in Market and all your flyers,

posters, press releases etc

Pippin Consultancy Ltd Gloucestershire Country Markets AGM 15 April 2013

Here’s what Ross Country Market said

“It’s still in its infancy in relation to getting a decent number of “likes” and is just starting in the last month or so to get people sharing statuses. The main benefit is that it’s free and a useful reminder for people, especially as you would otherwise not have any way of communication with them between markets.”

Pippin Consultancy Ltd Gloucestershire Country Markets AGM 15 April 2013

Here’s what Beccy Stephens said

“Just to spread the word and let local people know its there.”

Pippin Consultancy Ltd Gloucestershire Country Markets AGM 15 April 2013

Questions?

Pippin Consultancy Ltd Gloucestershire Country Markets AGM 15 April 2013

Offline marketing

• It’s making sure people know you’re there• More focused than social media

Pippin Consultancy Ltd Gloucestershire Country Markets AGM 15 April 2013

Flyers and posters

• Focus on USPs• Keep branding consistent• Get out to relevant places – i.e. where

your customers go – and where your ideal customers go

• Tailor to events: Christmas order forms, Easter treats, Breakfast Week

Pippin Consultancy Ltd Gloucestershire Country Markets AGM 15 April 2013

PR

• Draw up a press list of email contacts• Think about what’s newsworthy: new

producer, special items for key dates (e.g. Easter), local food that’s trustworthy, new season rhubarb, anniversary

• Plan

Pippin Consultancy Ltd Gloucestershire Country Markets AGM 15 April 2013

Conclusion

• All marketing, whether it’s online or offline is about letting people know you’re there and you’re worth a visit

Pippin Consultancy Ltd Gloucestershire Country Markets AGM 15 April 2013

Questions?

Pippin Consultancy Ltd Gloucestershire Country Markets AGM 15 April 2013