Friendemic Keeps the 'Social' in Business Social Media

Social media "experts" are quickly becoming a dime-a-dozen, according to Tyler Copier, media strategist for Friendemic.com, a Salt Lake City-based company that creates unique social strategies for its clients.

“There are thousands of self-proclaimed experts out there, but you need a professional that knows your business and cares about your success,” said Copier. “Every business and organization is not the same, so a one-size-fits-all social media strategy is generally a bad idea.”

Friendemic.com treats social media like a tight-knit-community. “We believe that businesses should treat social media more like a barbecue and less like a sales booth,” said Brian Rzentkowski, CMO and co-founder.

So how do you go about treating your social media fans and followers as you would your neighbors at a Fourth of July barbecue? For Friendemic it’s a simple equation. As Jason Barber, CEO and co-founder, told it, social media was created for the users, and businesses have reluctantly been let in. It’s still the mass public’s turf and you have to play by their rules. That means no spam and no hassling. Ride up to the party as a friend and create an emotional bond.

“After you’ve made friendships with these community members, then you can approach them for a sale,” said Barber.

The unique aspect of Friendemic is quite simply that it treats its clients as individuals with different needs, varied goals and a specific DNA for engagement.

The Friendemic team sits down with clients and drafts a customized social media blueprint. “We don’t believe in cookie-cutter solutions. It is based in [the client’s] voice, not ours,” said Barber.

Once the blueprints are in order, Friendemic takes the reigns, managing all aspects of a client’s social media presence. That includes posting on behalf of the client, engaging with clients’ growing communities, as well as signing the client up on more than 55 social media sites to build the client’s search engine optimization (SEO).

Through the entire process, Friendemic keeps the lines of communication open with its clients. If the strategy needs to be adjusted, it’s adjusted. If a client wants to implement a contest or give-a-way, it’s implemented. Concerns are addressed, and an open dialogue is constantly present between Friendemic and the companies it represents.

“Social media is a growing marketing and advertising medium; it’s gone from nothing to what it is now in a short period of time,” said Barber. “Brands of all shapes and sizes are using social media—some more effective than others—to increase their business.”

Friendemic currently has more than 80 clients, including national brands such as Chrysler and its individual brands like Jeep, Fiat and Dodge—no two brands with the same strategy. Jeep’s barbecue does necessarily have the same flavor as Fiat’s.

To make its point, the Friendemic website states, “Friendemic makes sure your business isn’t ignored (or attacked by a mob with digital pitchforks) but branding your business in a socially relevant way, creating a genuine and likable online voice, playing games with the fans, running contests to keep things interesting and sharing advocate reviews of not only your in-store business but your exemplary example of how businesses should really use social media. By that we mean you’re going to make your competition look silly. It’s awesome. Trust us.”

For more information, visit: http://friendemic.com/