1. Be prepared to answer the ROI (Return on Investment) question. If you can’t articulate the dollars and cents of social media then you are not a consultant.

2. Have a deep knowledge of the measurement tools that are available. A good social media consultant knows what tools do what. Managing and measuring are what most good consultants get paid to do.

3.  Use images and video as much as possible to get your point across. Words like “tweets”, “pingbacks” and “follows” don’t make sense to everyone. Understand your audience and use images and video to convey the complex.

4. Be prepared to invest accordingly. Running an efficient, effective and engaging social media campaign requires a significant investment. Sure the platforms are usually free, but the tools we use to get results usually are not.

5. Communication is critical, keep it light and direct. Social media marketing (SMM) is still relatively new for most people. When you are following up with potential clients remain friendly and do it often. Real world communication values and ethics transfer to social media – show yours accordingly.

These are a few things I’ve learned as a social media consultant. There are literally dozens more. I’ll try to organize and post more as they reveal themselves.

What are a few things you’ve learned?

Survey respondents were asked about the top qualities they sought in their advertising and marketing agencies in the coming year. Based on the survey results a Top 10 Wish List for Agencies of the Future was created.

1. Greater knowledge of the digital space. With more than a third of marketers surveyed revealing that they are not confident that their current agency is well-positioned to take their brand through the unchartered waters of online digital marketing and interactive advertising, it’s clear that agencies need to have a greater knowledge of the digital space in order to thrive. In fact, nearly half (45 percent) of the respondents have switched agencies (or plan to switch in the next 12 months) for one with greater digital knowledge or have hired an additional digital specialist to handle their interactive campaigns. Further, when it comes to an agency’s area of expertise, 79% of respondents rated “interactive/digital” functions as ‘important/very important.’

2. More use of “pull interactions.” When trying to engage consumers with their brand, 90 percent of respondents agree that it is becoming increasingly important that their agency uses ‘pull interactions’ such as social media and online communities rather than traditional ‘push’ campaigns.

3. Leverage virtual communities. An overwhelming 94 percent of respondents expressed interest in leveraging virtual communities (public and private) to understand more about their target audience.

4. Agency executives using the technology they are recommending. Ninety-two percent of respondents said it was‘somewhat’ or ‘very’ important that agency employees use the technologies that they are recommending. For example, it is important that agency executives regularly use Facebook, Flickr, wikis, blogs, etc. in their personal social media mix.

5. Chief Digital Officers make agencies more appealing. Forty-three percent of marketers surveyed said that agencies with chief digital officers are more appealing than those without.

6. Web 2.0 and social media savvy. Sixty three percent of marketers surveyed said that an agency’s Web 2.0 and social media capabilities are ‘important/very important’ when it comes to agency selection.

7. Agencies that understand consumer behavior. Seventy-six percent of respondents deemed this as an ‘important/very important’ aspect of their agency’s online digital marketing and interactive advertising area of expertise.

8. Demonstrate strategic thinking. Seventy-seven percent of marketers surveyed ranked strategy/brain trust capabilities at the top of their agency wish list.

9. Branding and creative capabilities. Sixty-seven percent of respondents ranked branding at the top of their agency wish list while seventy-six percent ranked creative capabilities as ‘important/very important.’

10. Ability to measure success. It’s no surprise that marketers want an agency that can report on where campaigns succeeded, fell short and where they should be fine-tuned. Sixty-five percent ranked analytics at the top of their agency wish list.

Marketers want agencies that can deliver on these demands today – not by 2009 and beyond,” said Gaston Legorburu, chief creative officer, Sapient. “As the interactive channel becomes increasingly important, only those agencies that can create, manage and measure multi-channel campaigns will stay relevant and thrive in an uncertain economy. Marketers keep turning to agencies like Sapient to deliver more sophisticated, integrated digital marketing initiatives that truly deliver optimum levels of customer acquisition and retention.”

According to a recent Nielsen and Webvisible study, 82% of consumers & small businesses use search to find information online but only 44% of small businesses have web sites & half of those spend less than 10% of their marketing budgets online.

The changing trends in information production, distribution and consumption by consumers coupled with the uncertain times we live in create an unprecedented challenge for companies to better reach and engage with their customers.

Companies are responding to these changes in different ways. A recent epsilon CMO Study reports that “Nearly two-thirds (65%) of CMOs and marketing execs say their ad budgets will decrease because of the troubled economy, but more of their money will go toward digital/interactive marketing than before”.

According to the The DMA ‘Power of Direct Marketing’ report, “Expenditures in the newer online media will maintain significant growth in the coming year” and “internet advertising will claim more than 15% of all direct marketing advertising dollars in 2009.”

Whether the changes in marketing direction are motivated as a response to market and industry conditions, changing consumer behaviors or the need to stay competitive and cost effective, one thing is certain: companies that don’t nail down marketing efficiencies and customer retention are in for a long, cold winter.

Finding more efficient and effective ways to reach customers through digital marketing is what savvy Internet marketing companies like TopRank do best. Whether it’s expanding market share through broader exposure via search engines, building influence and reputation through online public relations or better connecting with customers through social media, now is the time for businesses large and small, to develop strategies that make the most out of the effiencies and measurable impact from marketing online.

Article Source: AllBusiness.com care of Lee Odden