THE PARKING SPOT FOR SOCIAL MEDIA

ByTedJanusz

hen most people think of parking," says Dennis Safford, director of marketing

for Propark Americ4 "they think of something rigid, like the asphalt or the curbs. Being engaged in social media allows us to show that there are real people behind our operations-people much like them."
Safford has been with Propark America for ll years and actively engaged in social media for the last five. The company owns, leases, or manages more than 500 parking facilities across the country, and its Expresso Airport Parking Facebook page has nearly Z,OOO likes. He recently told me about his marketing efforts.
TED JANUSZ:

team from the Facebook page. Our guests now feel as if we are more approachable. In the past, in those rare instances ofguest dissatisfaction, there may have been
times where we didn't hear about
a customer's complaint. This gives them someone with whom they can address issues directly, which allows us the opportunity to make things right. When people have a problem and abusiness corrects that shoficoming those customers often become more loyaI than they previously were.

What ere some of th* benefits ef having a soeiaI media pnesen*e?

DENNIS SAFFORD: Unlike other forms of marketing, It allows you to loosen your tie a bit and have some fun. Social media allows you to use humor, which people appreciate. But the most important benefit of social media that other forms of traditional marketing do not offer is that it allows you to engage your customers.
social media isn't as formal.

TJ: Some readers say they

don't have time for

*ocial med[a. What would ysu te[i them? DS: I can personally identifi. with that stance, because
an effective social media campaign is time-consuming.

Before you embark on one, you need to make sure that you are all-in and that everyone on yollr team is willingto commit to it for the long haul. It can be a huge detriment to your organization when people on Facebook come across your page only to find that you haven't updated it in several months. They may think, 'Tf they carr't even

TJ:

fiow have you been abie to do that?

DS: By way of example, one of our favorite promotions on our Facebook page is called "Where in the Bay Area is Scott Trout?" We dress up our general manager, Scott Trout, to look like Wald o from Where's WaldoP Scott is

then photographed in front of places like O.co Coliseum, home of the Oakiand Raiders, the USS Hornet, and Oakland International Airport. We post the photos on
TED JANUSZ is a

oftheir Facebook page, how can I expect them to take care ofmy car?" There are ways to get around this. You can get a professionaily-managed social media campaign, or find
take care
a social media-savr,T, person on your staff who may be lookingto contribute more and grow within the company,

Facebook to engage our guests in

guessinggame,

which

professional speaker on the topic of

we make aimost comically easy. This is because we want our guests to get as much engagement with us as possible.

and have them help manage your social media presence.

"Social Media for

Baby Boomers," author; and marketing consultant. He is the author of the Socral Media Marketing
Guide for Parking Professionals, which is a free publication

Those fans who guess correctly can win prizes, such as Raiders tickets, gift cards, or free parking. TJ: Have there been ather benefit*? DS: Absolutely. Social media marketing allows us to
make human connections. People

TJ: Sut are therq costs in not grarticipating in

soeial media? DS: Without a doubt, there is opportunity cost to not

gaged, you are actually

will

often come into the facility and

recognize our management

for lPl members and

can be downloaded lrom parking.org/
socialm ediag uide. He can be reached atted@ januspresentations.eom or 614.440.7487.

participating in social media. If you are not actively enputtingyourselfat a competitive disadvantage. If you aren't engaging your customers via social media, chances are your competitor is. O

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