The 4 P's of Social Media Marketing

Because Social Media Marketing is a function of an Integrated Marketing Strategy, The 4 P's of Marketing easily adapt to a Social Media Plan.

Just as with any other apect of your marketing strategy, social marketing requires planning and management.
 
Social Media Marketing Requires Careful Study, Strategy and Deployment of the 4 P's:

1. Product = Brand  
   Think of your profile and updates just as you would any other marketing medium: marketing collateral, direct mail, email, website or media advertising. You must own, manage and control your brand carefully, proactively and continuously if you wish to make social media work for your business.
   
   
2. Pricing = Social Media Objectives 
   Pricing in the truest sense should come from your integrated marketing strategy. However, when it comes specifically to social media, you must pre-determine the goals from which you will drive, deploy and manage your social media marketing efforts. Decide what you wish to accomplish, who you need to reach to achieve that goal, and how you will make the connection between the two. Your objectives will determine where your social marketing efforts are most likely to be received positively and when promotion can be appropriately introduced. (the last of the 4 P's of Social Media, below).
   
   
3. Placement = Platform 
   Because each social media platform has a slightly different user experience, it stands to reason that the demographics of each will uniquely represent users that prefer that particular social website and user experience. Take the time to study the personalities of the users of each social platform before choosing which to invest your time and energy in to. (or engage a social marketing firm to do this for you)
   
   
4. Promotion = Messaging
   Promotion within a social media platform is unlike any other marketing medium. Because the nature of the relationship with each and every individual is based on permission, care must be taken in pushing out promotion. Those who promote too directly, frequently or forceably risk turning off their audiences and losing them forever. Successful social media marketing communications typically deploy a strategy of balance between 1-to-1 communication, promotional offers and perhaps highly specific calls to action. There is no way around this. You must be prepared to have 1-to-1 dialogues with your audience if you truly want fulfill the potential of social media platforms for your organization.