Our Process
Phase I: Set-Up
Our set-up is 15-30 days and depends on certain key client deliverables, such as passwords, brand assets, and approval of submitted content.
Part 1 – Administrative Set-Up & Client Deliverables
a) Paper Work
We start with two documents: our Service Agreement and our Statement of Work. At first glance they’ll look a bit long, but we like to be detailed so that everything is clear for all of us. Once everyone is in agreement about the content, please sign using our Docsketch digital signing tool.
b) Invoicing & Automatic Billing
Along with the documents, we send our first retainer invoice to initiate the set-up month. This is the only invoice that you’ll have to actively attend to. After the set-up month we’ll move to automatic credit card billing. We will always send you an invoice a few days before the automatic billing, so that you have a record for your accounting.
If the kick-off month started on an irregular schedule rather than on the first of the calendar month, we prorate the first month in order to transition the campaign to the calendar month.
c) Intake Forms
After these two signed documents and the initial invoice there are three forms to fill out:
All three forms here can be found here: barkersocial.com/intake/
d) Social Media Account Access
All social media accounts are collected and verified. Some of the social media accounts like Twitter and Instagram are easily collected through the secure form. Some other accounts will require some additional actions. Collection of this information is outlined in detail on our Welcome page.
We’ll send an administrative request to your Facebook account. We ask you to accept that request in the Page Roles tab.
We also send you connection requests on LinkedIn for either Mandi Gould or Ben Barker. We ask you to add us as admins on your LinkedIn business page.
If you already have Google Analytics, you can add us with our email address: barkersocialmarketing@gmail.com. Otherwise, we can configure it for you. The same address can be used for adding Barker Social as an administrator to your Google+ account
e) Brand Assets
We collect important brand assets at this time such as logos, photography, and other brand content that will be useful in the campaign.
f) Verification of Accounts
Once we have access to all of the accounts, we do what’s necessary to clean up the profiles and create new on-brand profile and cover images as necessary. We then connect the accounts to our social media scheduling software. We use a combination of Cloud Campaign and Buffer for all of our clients.
g) Preparation of Website
Whenever possible, we also take this opportunity to make sure that your website is backed up and up-to-date. We install Google Analytics and social cards (when possible)for the best possible integration with all of the social platforms. (There may be some limitations depending on your website platform.)
h) Investigation & Recording of Starting Data
We’ve created detailed monthly reporting so that you can see measurable results of the return on your investment. During the set-up phase, we record all of your starting data and take a detailed look at where you’ve been so that we can set a realistic course for where we can take you in the next 30 days, 3 months, 6 months, and year. We connect your accounts and do the necessary programming required for monthly reporting.
Part 2 – Strategy
Marketing Strategy
While the administrative side is being handled, we begin to delve into the detailed process of creating a Marketing Strategy. The purpose is to investigate marketing strategies to either complement or replace the brand’s current marketing efforts. We identify your Target Customers, and the platforms where those potential and existing customers can be found.
We look at social alliances and key players to be followed on social media–in the industry, niche, or geographic area–to help build relationships. We also take a detailed look at keywords and hashtags that should to leverage the campaign.
Once complete, the Marketing Strategy is submitted to you for approval.
Part 3 – Preparation
a) Written Content
We begin generating content to establish a robust social media library. We start by writing a large volume of content that we will then add to every month. This large initial push helps us to ensure that we’re on brand and that we’re creating the right overall balanced image for your social media platforms. **All content is submitted for approval before it goes live.
Brand Hooks – “Hooks” is the term that we use to identify the short pieces of written copy that we share on social media. These hooks are meant to be short, sweet, and enticing.
The idea is to build a brand relationship. This is achieved through a variety of content to build both awareness and trust. Content is designed to drive people to your profile and website in a value-added way, rather than with too much or too frequent of a sales push. Approximately 25% of the content is promotional, but the rest is predominantly conversational and social in order to build a trusting, comfortable relationship with your followers, and to build up brand recognition.
We create promotional messaging while also sourcing on-brand curated content that will be of interest to your followers. This helps to build relationships with other (non-competitive) information sources, and it shows followers that your brand isn’t self-centred, and that it cares about other things than just selling. This is very important when it comes to the “social” aspect of social media.
Blogging & Newsletters – If your package includes blog posts or newsletter services, that content is also prepared and submitted for approval before it goes live. The schedule can be set in advance, and we adhere strictly to deadlines to make sure that your content is always delivered on-time.
b) Visual Content
Images for social media should be thought of differently than traditional marketing brand elements. On social media, variety is important, both in the appearance of the visuals and in the messaging. We balance the content according to what your audience will not only read, but hopefully also like and even share. Social media moves very quickly, so variety is important, and directly promotional images are limited. As with the written hooks, we create an initial batch of visual content to help create the foundation for the social media library.
All written and visual content is submitted for approval. Once this content is course-corrected and approved, the campaign is ready to start.
Phase II – Launch
Ready for take off!
We share content daily, according to the volume listed in your package. This ranges from a minimum of one post a day to 25 posts a day, depending on your marketing goals. Our marketing philosophy is based on the strong belief in the power and value of “evergreen content”–content that stays interesting and relevant without becoming dated. Key content that has proven to be successful is sometimes used again after 3-4 months.
Social media moves quickly, especially on Twitter, but it’s true of all the platforms. How many of your followers are likely to actually see each individual social post that you share? The fact is, very few. The social media algorithms see to that, enabling only a limited amount of viewership, even with boosted posts.
Engagement takes place anywhere from 2x a week to 4x a day, depending on your package. We make sure that we aren’t just talking “at” people, but that we’re engaging with them, recognizing what’s trending and being talked about, responding to mentions, and embedding the brand into the conversation.
While this is taking place, we’re also boosting content and/or running ads based on the agreed budget or added budget. Every campaign includes a minimum of $25 in Facebook/Instagram boosting, which is an important part of a successful campaign because it ensures an expanded reach. Some clients choose to add more to their advertising budget, and we conduct A/B testing month to month to make sure that we’re investing that budget in the right places for the most positive impact.
While the current month’s campaign is taking place and engagement is in full swing, we also begin to prepare new written and visual content for the following month. This is submitted on the 20th of the month for client approval. If the 20th falls on a weekend or holiday, we’ll submit content for approval on the following business day.
Reporting
At the beginning of the new calendar month, we submit detailed reporting to you for review. We believe in measuring real data, and we use the analytics to determine what’s working and what isn’t, so that we can constantly evaluate your return on investment. If what we’re doing isn’t helping build your brand, then we aren’t satisfied, and we will continuously adjust our strategy to make sure that our campaigns are doing what they’re supposed to do–grow your business!
We believe in measuring real data, and we use the analytics to determine what’s working and what isn’t, so that we can constantly evaluate your return on investment. If what we’re doing isn’t helping build your brand, then we aren’t satisfied, and we will continuously adjust our strategy to make sure that our campaigns are doing what they’re supposed to do–grow your business!
We encourage our clients to be as actively involved as they would like, with monthly or bi-weekly calls to check-in on progress, but we also take full ownership of the marketing for clients who would prefer not to have to think about it. The report provides a high level as well as a detailed overview that’s useful for both hands-on and hands-off clients alike.
Guarantee
We offer a money-back guarantee on the first month of the campaign, after launch. If you’re not happy with the results after our first 4 weeks of activity, we’ll refund the cost of the first month, from the time of kick-off.
If you have any additional questions about how our campaigns work, don’t hesitate to ask!
