Given the rise in social media and digital marketing over the last ten years, many businesses have scrambled to adapt to the daily rise of emerging platforms, networks and technology, often chasing the ball rather than staying in front of it.

At Pop Labs, we pride ourselves on remaining in front of the social media curve, pouncing on trends and adapting to the ever-evolving social media landscape. As true digital marketers, our social media plans are tailored to the needs of individual clients and platform-specific focus.

Consider these five ways to connect your offline and online audiences:

# 1 SPEECHES
Speakers always carry an air of authority because they have the official, granted command of the audience. Speeches are also very easily recorded, so any speech can be slapped up on the web and passed around. A few interesting presentations later and Voila! Your online audience can see that you have real life fans.

#2 NETWORKING EVENTS
An oldie but a goodie. Why go to these things if you aren’t getting some kind of audience out of it? Bring a stack of cards and a Smartphone with you at all times. Pull these people onto the web with you. Drive them to your blog so they can see you have something to add to the conversation.

#3 INTERVIEWS
Just like live conference speeches, interviews are easy media to kick around on the web. They also suggest some level of knowledge. The interviewer could theoretically choose anyone to jabber with, but he chose you. Answer the questions cleverly, then show the world you know your chops.

#4 PHONE CALLS
Not a fan of cold calling? Too bad. The phone is a tool that is used for 80% communication and 20% for information. Let your key audience members know you have something digital going on with a phone call. We have gotten to the point where taking the time to hit a few buttons and blab with your clients for a bit is a sign of politeness, almost like sending a handwritten letter.

#5 LUNCH
Lunch is one of the major weapons of the modern business networker. There is something about eating that opens people up. Or maybe a full stomach is just better protection against crankiness. Whatever the case may be, calling someone up for lunch is a kind gesture that reinforces what people see of you online in a very positive way.

(To see a prime example of an offline event driving digital branding, come see Pop Labs CEO Gene McCubbin and I speak at the Ignite Houston Conference this Thursday, February 23rd, 2012 from 6:30 – 9:00 pm at C2 Creative (2215 Taft Street) in Houston, TX. Tickets are $15. All proceeds go to charity).

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