Kirabo+Project+Strategy

__[]__ __[|https://twitter.com/#!/Kirabofairtrade]__ __[]__
 * Kirabo**

//**Very impressive and thorough analysis, Kendall. You might also consider them selling some things online (I sell my art at Esty.com) and offering deals, coupons and the like there. Same with Facebook and Twitter, even Foursquare to drive traffic there and have people share them. Obviously, you'll want to get icons to all their social media channels on the website. Making a video might be fun, too. Here's one of free trade some students did in my JRN 203 class.** **http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QzYK-J66aA**//

//**You're doing great! —karl**// //**ps: I'm sorry I didn't recognize you on Google+. I'm becoming an old man!!!!!!! o=**//


 * Capacity & Organization:**

Gail Catron has started both the Twitter and Facebook accounts for Kirabo under her name with the assistance of Jamie Clark, a local Social Media Specialist. When getting started, it was very new to Gail. She continues to learn something new everyday and struggles to find direction with posts and time taken to do so on both accounts. She has had one employee help update the Facebook page with a new banner photo. Gail needs to approve all posts, she would like to know everything that is going on the social media pages. For right now, she is the only one who controls activity on Facebook and Twitter. As of now, Kirabo is just beginning and has a lot of room to grow, gain more likes and comments, attract new followers and learn plenty on what social networks have to offer. The next step, defining what Kirabo has to offer to the online community of social media.


 * Listen & Research:**

Kirabo is located on Grand River Ave. in East Lansing, Michigan, Kirabo is a hand made, fair trade, specialty gift shop. Products include stone and wood carvings, baskets, jewelry, toys, musical instruments, coffee/tea, chocolate, soaps and much much more.

There are multiple ways to find or create content. Start with the actual social media pages, check out the conversations, look at what your customers are interested in or talking about. Second, use the regular search engine for related topics, specifics on certain products, information on similar organizations and start collaborating these findings via a Reading list, Google Reader, Social Bookmarking sites like paper.ly, delicious, or diigo. Third, start observing shoppers, analyze needs and concerns from emails and even ask customers questions to gain feedback. The more feedback the more you can satisfy your customers’ needs.

Establishing a successful social media presence does take time and effort, and with the help of Kirabo employees the job could get much simpler, but also needs to stay appropriate and match to their brand image. The workflow can be suppressed and handled many different ways. Suggestions for Kirabo are to use a Tweetdeck or Ping as a platform to access both Facebook and Twitter account at the same time and for employees. Another direction would be to make others an admin of the Facebook business page for Kirabo. Maybe encourage all employees to simply engage with Kirabo’s Twitter and Facebook accounts, post that they are at Kirabo and share the business page with their friends and family.

To Do List:

A.) Community Engagement B.) Cultivate new relationships C.) Brand Image Building D.) Customer Service E.) Measure, Analyze and Evaluate

Kirabo’s To Do List:

1.) Increase activity and conversations with brand centric and customer centric concepts. 2.) Integrate all marketing strategies. Email newsletter, website, social media & beyond! 3.) Establish ways to create great content in the most efficient ways 4.) Create guidelines for employees to follow or act on in regards to Kirabo’s image/mission for social media (define and share #1)


 * Content Based on Customer:**

Customer centric concepts are more like informal references to brand, retail merchandise, topics of interests to their needs, relevant news and simple conversion starters. Think of what kind of questions both current and prospective customers are asking. Getting customers to the website is one goal, but getting customers acutally into the store is another mission. So bring the store to social media (your customers), promote sales, images of displays/items, new and the old trends for the store, “unknown or unlikely” items. Talk the conversation, stay on the human level with the everyday things, like weather, sports, & events.

Demographics:

A.) Women, 45-65 years old, professionals or retired, church goers, supportive circles and missioned based people

B.) Students, 18-25 years old, MSU/LCC, sustainable and green thinkers, tight budgets, and tech savvy

needs: gifts for: holidays, birthdays, weddings, just because or for yourself. home decor, kitchen and dinning, seasonal apparel and accessories, books, coffee and tea

The need behind the need: each item has a story behind it and with each purchase there is a meaning behind it.

Principles of Fair Trade
 * 1) Providing opportunities for disadvantaged artisans
 * 2) Supporting environmentally sustainable practices
 * 3) Ensure fair local wages
 * 4) Respecting cultural traditions
 * 5) Building long-term trade relationships


 * Content Based on Brand:**

Start with brand centric concepts like, company name, hours of operation, principles and mission, products, services, executives, location and integrate other marketing channels as well. Links to the site, Facebook page and Twitter account or mentioning the e-newsletter/email will help others reach Kirabo. All information, keywords, history, location/address, hours and phone number found [|__http://kirabofairtrade.com__] / is free to use! Include facts about attending trade shows, traveling, industry related issues.


 * Overall Content:**

With every idea or thought, simplify it. Keeping things short and simple will make it easier to read on customer news feeds and mobile apps. Including visual aids, images, videos and links are very important to grab attention, get people to click or even to laugh or make them feel good. Kirabo can be the “non-invasive educator” on social media about fair trade and what it means.

Specifics Start the Social Media: Facebook: (2/27) 205 likes (3/14) 208 likes Twitter: (2/27) 57 followers

Facebook allows for rich-media content, USE it. Bring images, videos and links to your wall. Conversation starters and everyday info posts should be a good way to get comments and likes (people talking about Kirabo)
 * 1) Best time to post: 8pm-7am “non-busy” hours = more responses.
 * 2) Best day to post: Sundays & Wednesdays = more engagement
 * 3) How often?: 1-2 posts a day, at least 4 days a week
 * 4) Length of post: For retail, less than 80 characters = higher engagement (shorter the better)
 * 5) Content: spark dialoug, use keywords, post structures, coupon offers
 * 6) Keep is SIMPLE! a single photo or only a few words.
 * 7) Status (keep to only words)
 * 8) Tagging features: describe products or artisan stories!! (IKEA story)

Twitter is shortened with content by the 180 character limit, but acts like a real time news source and connection between people. The hashtags relate to certain trends, sayings, businesses, etc. And mentioning others in a tweet will also engage further across Twitter. Using Twitter as an update board or “what’s going on today at the store” message would work well for Kirabo. Most students are on Twitter, posting hours of operation or mentioning items specific to that day would help bring them into the store while walking on Grand River or to class. Tweet at least once a day. Each tweet throughout that one week should be completely different. Set up drafted tweets ahead of time!