This month’s AiMA event was a good one (and not just because I got a cool social media t-shirt). The topic covered the social media initiatives of 3 big brands (Red Cross, AT&T, & Comcast). Below is a recap of what I learned from each speaker:
Wendy Harman (@wharman), Social Media Manager at Red Cross
- Using social media tools to execute Red Cross mission – to prevent, prepare, & respond to emergencies
- Listening to the conversations is key – uses tools to listen (Google, Technorati, Radian6, etc.)
- Emails internal stakeholders 15-20 social conversations each day to keep them in the loop
- Social interaction must meet at least 1 of their 3 Rules of Engagement (Incite discussion about organization’s relevant issues, Provide mission-critical information, Prompt immediate action)
Mimi Chan, Director of National Segment Marketing at AT&T Mobility
- Focused on Youth Marketing – ages 13-24
- AT&T sees that 95% of youth age 18-24 have mobile phones
- Go where your target audience goes – started in MySpace, went to Facebook, & now considering going back to MySpace
- Realized they could get more traffic on Facebook, AT&T moved youth website entirely to Facebook last year (AT&T Share)
- Using Facebook as a hub for activation, engagement, promotions, feedback, & insights
Frank Eliason (@comcastcares), Director of Digital Care, Comcast
- Marketing, PR, & Customer Service are coming together – whether you like it or not
- People recognize passion – that’s the Social Media strategy
- Users don’t want to have conversations with a logo – be personable with your customers in social interactions
- Next big thing for companies will be to aggregate other forums & blog communities to provide helpful service to customers
- Control factor is not with the brand – the conversations are going to happen, it’s your choice to engage
- Your employees are in social media – give them the tools & policies to succeed in the social space
At the conclusion of the event, the speakers provided key takeaways for the group regarding social media:
- “Let go“
- “Take a risk“
- “Let your employees be your brand ambassadors“
If you want to check out some of the great social conversations that were happening during the event, checkout the hashtag #aima in Twitter. 
What I learned at AiMA – Big Brands Discuss Social Media
This month’s AiMA event was a good one (and not just because I got a cool social media t-shirt). The topic covered the social media initiatives of 3 big brands (Red Cross, AT&T, & Comcast). Below is a recap of what I learned from each speaker:
Wendy Harman (@wharman), Social Media Manager at Red Cross
Mimi Chan, Director of National Segment Marketing at AT&T Mobility
Frank Eliason (@comcastcares), Director of Digital Care, Comcast
At the conclusion of the event, the speakers provided key takeaways for the group regarding social media:
If you want to check out some of the great social conversations that were happening during the event, checkout the hashtag #aima in Twitter.