Published on January 30, 2020
Our industry is constantly evolving, and when it comes to marketing and sales, this is particularly true. While establishing and maintaining positive, productive relationships with clients is just as important as ever, there are now myriad tools to connect with customers and the public. At Shaw Centre, we are working to harness the power of social media in as many ways as possible.
Photo: Brittany Gawley
Social media is so prevalent these days; it is safe to say that it has become essential for businesses to have a strong online presence. We did not want to approach this ‘new world’ in a haphazard way, because there is nothing haphazard about the way we run Shaw Centre! Instead, our marketing and communications teams came together to create a comprehensive social media strategy; it is a helpful roadmap that we revisit regularly. Some of the questions we asked ourselves in developing this strategy included:
- What objectives are we hoping to achieve through social media marketing?
- Who is our target audience and where/how are they active on social media?
- What are the key messages we want to disseminate to our target audience on social media?
We use multiple platforms to execute our social media goals. Our comprehensive website is the backbone of our online presence, but we rely on also Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube. Each of these vehicles offers an easy, free and effective way to communicate to our target audience and to spread awareness of our brand and our facility. We have seen good returns from these efforts, as part of our overall marketing strategy. Here are some thoughts of what is working well for us:
- We showcase high quality imagery of our Centre as well as other key Ottawa-centric content. By featuring the region’s natural beauty and amazing infrastructure as well as the blend of historic and modern architecture, we aim to show off our city in the hopes that event planners will be enticed to hold their convention here.
- Images and messaging are also selected for their subtlety; the intention is to offer content that subconsciously makes viewers want to come to Shaw Centre and the national capital region.
- Because Twitter is a major platform for meeting planners, our sales managers are very active on this platform. Particularly proficient is Karen Wiersma, our Association seller – her hashtag #KonnectWithKaren is even starting to pick up! Delia Lapensee, our Senior Account Manager, is active on LinkedIn, where she shares relevant industry information and connects with key meeting industry professionals.
- Social media offers a way for our marketing team members to communicate with their clients in a friendly online environment; as those relationships flourish it can also become a convenient way to connect with them on a personal level.
Effective social media is very dynamic, meaning there is always new content being published and interaction is encouraged. Whether you want to send us a DM, comment on a post, send us an email or pick up the phone, we’re eager to connect. I hope you will engage with us using the platform of your choice.
