Browsing Tag measure success using social media

Dear Sony,

First, I wanted to make sure everything is good with you. I know its been a while since we have chatted. Actually, we have really never chatted. Though you did have Technorati reach out to me  in early March 2009. It was just before SXSW 2009. You probably don’t remember, I know your a really busy company. Well with E3, your Samsung LCD venture, and of course that exciting announcement that Sade has an album coming out for the first time in like 9 years No offense but waiting 30 years for that album would of been better.(I’m just saying.)

So what I wanted to share with you is an update on the partnership you did with Technorati just before the SXSW 2009. I know with everything going on you don’t remember it. Let me try to jog your memory.

You were kind enough to send myself and 9 other bloggers these really kick ass Webbie HD video cameras. All you asked is when we use it at the conference was to tag photos and pics with the hashtag #webbiesxsw. How could any of us say no? (Look we both know Julia Roy sure wouldn’t! I think she tried to steal mine, so she could have two.) So with my trusty Webbie HD I mad amazing, educational, social media  videos like this:

Pretty great huh? Fine, I suck at video taping. I get it. Okay, so Sony you may wonder, “why is this guy writing this letter to us almost 4 months after the fact? We aren’t sending you another free camera and you cant have a free PS3 either, so move along.”  Do not worry. I do  not want any free stuff, though if I were to hit you up for something it would be the PS3 Slim.

So back to my point of this letter. It must of taking some good faith in Social Media for a big company like you to the Webbie SXSW/blogger promotion. Not being able to directly measure the ROI for this campaign. Not knowing if it helped sell these devices. No doubt you could see the chatter on Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, and the other thousands of social networking sites. Yet, it is hard to measure if that chatter turned into sales.

Well, I have some good news for you. Social Media works. What you did worked. Let me give you some examples. I will do it in list form. People like lists!

-In the past 30 days 5. Yes, 5 families have bought the Webbie because they have seen me using at my kids school. Scary part is they all got the same color as me. So, now I have to put my initials on the bottom of it.

-At least 8  people have emailed me directly in the last 90 days to ask me about what video camera I use.  Of that I know of 4 people who have bought the camera.

-Facebook..where do I start. When I upload a video it has that HD logo in the corner. The number of people who have commented on the quality of the video and sound is crazy. I can not say I know exactly how many people have bought the Webbie. I do know that there have been a lot of comments and questions about it on my profile page and fanpage.(yes, I have a facebook fanpage stop laughing at me.) Done laughing? Here is a Facebook video example that got the parents fired up about the Webbie:

So, there you go. I can confirm at least 14 sales of the webbie as well as several more potential sales coming your way!! That is not a bad ROI for sending a blogger a $200.00 video camera. We do not even know how many sales the other 9 bloggers generated.  This is what I would call a success story, as well as a great case study showing that Social Media and Word of Mouth marketing do work.

Oh in case anyone at Sony sees this or who knows, maybe even reads my blog. No, I was not paid to do this. Yes, I got a free Webbie from Sony. There is your full disclosure at work!

Sincerely,

Dave Peck

Social Media Strategist

LSF Interactive

This post almost did not happen today. Way to much going on this week. Yet, I got a few emails asking if I was going to post today. It is things like that, which get a person motivated!  So, you ask, you shall receive!

- Looking for simple, easy ways to keep your cost down and your content new? Roland Legrand sums it up nicely here with  7 Ways To Keep Costs Low, Content Fresh Using Social Media. I think he sums it nicely!

-Okay, so you want to build a Facebook application you say. You want it to be a success (like everyone else does). Check out 13 Sure Fire Strategies for Launching Successful Facebook Applications by Nick O’Neill. Make sure to check the comments for more great ideas!

-Facebook, I know between that and twitter my posts are covered with links about them.  Facebook is growing like mad and its getting a little crazy in there. Seems sex offenders have begun hanging out there.  Read Wake Up Call: Facebook Isn’t A Safe Haven by Jason Kincaid. He details what is going on and how FB got to this point.

-How popular is the use of social media?  The FDA is using it to let people know about the Peanut Butter recall. Yes, they are on Twitter, Facebook, and more!

-Okay we know social media is popular. How do we measure success? That is a question that many people ask and have different measurements of. I think Mitch Wagner did a nice summary of it in his post How Do You Measure Success On Social Media?

-Me, I swear by my sattelite radio. I have XM Radio. Fingers crossed they will survive, what looks like a serious financial problem. Many are saying social media is something that can help them. Check out some great insight in the article Satellite Diss by Farhad Manjoo

Lastly, off subject:

- I am going to SXSW next month, so if you see me, please say hi.

- Yes, I am still doing the biggest loser at my gym. As of today I am down 16 pounds in 5 weeks. Thank you for all the kind words and encouragement on Twitter and Facebook.