1. Facebook, twitter, websites, email, communication tips and tricks… oh my! Jesse Moriarity Coordinator Foster Center for Student Innovation University of Maine

2.  It will not make you smarter or funnier  It can be hugely time consuming  It can also be a sounding board both good and bad for your residents  It can help inform your residents  It can help bring folks together  It can reduce phone and foot traffic  It can bring about a sense of community Facebook is not the end all and be all…

3.  Text limits (140 vs unlimited)  Where is your audience?  Ask them!  65% of Facebook users are are 35 or older (55% for Twitter)  845 M vs 127 M Active Users  Interaction limitations  Likes vs Followers  Advertising Facebook vs Twitter

4. Killing two birds with one stone! However.. You are limited to 140 characters… that’s not a lot! If time is of concern pick one!

5.  Why do you want to be on facebook?  Do you have someone who can monitor it on a regular basis?  Do you have a plan for what you’ll post?  Is your target market on facebook?  Is bandwidth an issue? Things to keep in mind before you take the plunge!

6.  You must have a personal Facebook account  Multiple people can be admins of the page with their facebook account  A page may exist already!  Click create a new page and start entering the information about your town!  Pictures and logos are key!  Start “liking” the businesses in your town! Setting up a Page

7.  Events  Photos  Contests  Promote your departments  Brag about your residents  Talk about history  PHOTOS Now that you’re here what should you do?

8. Castine Calendar

9.  PHOTOS! (Text is easily ignored)  Post questions or images or contests for people to interact with  Use your cover photo to promote!  Make sure your profile photo says something about you… like your logo!  Set up events and invite your friends to them! Tips for getting noticed and staying in their newsfeed!

10. Cover photos… change them often!

11. Just in case… this is my newsfeed

12. Facebook Ads Check the Including cities within 10 miles box and suddenly I’m at 11,940!

13.  You only pay per click!  You set the daily dollar limit  Great for testing messages!  Target residents or tourists  You can also figure out how many people are using facebook in your town  Turner, Maine for examples has 2,680! Facebook Ads

14.  There are quick and inexpensive ways to get a new website… look at WIX or Wordpress  Check out Constant Contact or Mail Chimp  Don’t spam people. Every now and then is okay.  And don’t forget about paper… it still works! Flyers, posters, letters, mailers… they still work! Consider a website facelift and email blasts!

15.  Think about what your “products” are… could be events, social gatherings, trash collection, education, services  Think about your “customers”… could be taxpayers, tourists, retirees, students, employees Tips for Good Communication

16. 3 Parts of Persuasive Communication  Problem/Opportunity  Whose problem am I solving?  Promise  What am I promising?  Proof  Why should they believe me?

17. You Must Answer  Customer: “Which of my problems are you solving?”  Customer: “Why should I care?”  Customer: “Why should I believe you?”

18. Overt Benefit PROMISE  Always offers something to the intended audience  Answers the questions  “What’s in it for me?”  “Why should I care?” “Because our product will make you faster, smarter, sexier…”

19. Making the Overt Benefit Promise: It’s not boasting if you can deliver!

20. Benefits are “What’s In it for the Customer” What they will Receive, Enjoy, Experience In exchange for their Time, Trouble, Trust and Money

21. feature stabilization control benefit PROMISE reduces rollover risk

22. Why should I care?

23. It’s Simple BE REAL Tell the TRUTH & do what you promise.

24.  Identify your “customer”  Why should they care?  Focus, focus, focus  Confusion is not a strategy  What problem are you solving?  What promise are you making?  What is the proof that you can do it?  Keep it at a 5 th grade level! The rules of good communication

25. Jesse Moriarity jesse.moriarity@maine.edu (207) 581-1427 www.umaine.edu/innovation Questions?