We frequently get calls from advertising and marketing agencies asking for help in crafting social media marketing strategies and campaigns on behalf of their clients. Although most of these requests are "buzzword" compliant (i want Facebook, MySpace, twitter, blog marketing, and the list goes on), not everyone "gets social media marketing" yet and that's okay! Social media marketing takes many shapes and forms and unless you immerse yourself in the stuff, it can be confusing. What social media marketing is (and is not) is the topic of another post but assuming you know what you want to do, here are some guidelines to help get your social media marketing campaign on track. I confess, I am not sure ALL of these 10 laws are immutable, but I have always wanted  to use the phrase "The 10 Immutable Laws of fill in the blank" in a post so enjoy:

• #1: Social media campaigns must make sense!
  Our goal is to try and educate clients so they know what they are talking about before they try and do it!  Many times the people driving these campaigns are not big social media users themselves or simply do not yet understand the medium. That's fine - but clients need a quick education to reduce confusion and wasteful spending.  I strongly suggest clients familiarize themselves with the lingo of social media marketing before trying it out (and I will post a social media marketing glossary of sorts later in the week).
• #2: Social media campaigns should be comprehensive
  Marketing on social networks and through social media channels requires a comprehensive approach to be truly successful - no social media channel is an island and social media works best when it is used to cast a wide marketing net. Tweeking on your mobile phone about a blog post, that mentions a new video widget, that users can also share on Facebook or MySpace is the way to go! Tag that, then bookmark it.
• #3: Social media campaigns should leverage existing resources
  Most clients see social networks and social media as a source of new customers or traffic but sometimes fail to realize that leveraging existing resources (such as traffic to their website) may every well be the key to their success. "Resources" can include existing traffic (that you can drive your "marketing virus" to social networks), existing content (that can be used to "fuel" your social media campaigns"), existing applications (that can be re-purposed as new social media apps) and existing relationships (the can be leveraged for added synergy on social networks).  Be sure do a resource inventory before rolling out your social media marketing strategy and make sure you are leveraging as many of these as possible.
• #4: Social media campaigns must be long-term
  There is nothing wrong with testing a strategy or two but clients that want to successful with social media must be committed to doing it for the long term. Start by getting your feet wet with a couple of "social media experiments" but once you get a knack for social media, go all the way! Its not about having one or two social media apps, its about having a portfolio of applications that drive users from one app to the other as you grow your user base. Its not about having one blog, but having a network of blogs that share and leverage common content. Its not about tweeting here and there but about putting together an enterprise-wide twitter management, permissioning, scheduling and distribution system.
• #5: Social media campaigns should be goal driven
  Understand your business goals and objectives before you start and decide what strategy or social media marketing mix is going to help you accomplish your goals. Is your goal to create awareness? to generate traffic? to acquire new customers? to promote a new product or service? Try and ensure your goals are measurable and achievable. Consider going after several smaller (more achievable) goals that you can build on as you roll out your long-term social media marketing strategy. Consider using one strategy as a beach head to achieve longer lasting success, but always understand your end goals.
• #6: Track your social media campaigns to understand your ROI
  Traffic everything that makes sense.  You would be surprised as to how many people simply don't bother to track or improve their results. When outlining your business goals and objects, devise a model that allows you to measure, understand and improve the success of your social media campaign and then put the necessary tracking mechanisms in place! For example, let's say you are promoting a new Facebook application on your home page.  Measure the number of people you are sending to add your Facebook application.  Measure the average number of friends each person invites. Measure how many of those friends actually add the application. Measure how many of their friends who add your application return to your site. Measure how many are new customers. Measure drop off rates at each step of the game and tweak your process to reduce these rates...the list goes on but hopefully you get the idea (and the process).
• #7: Use social media campaigns to own thought leadership in your market
  Promote your social media campaigns internally and externally. Talk about your social media marketing successes (and lessons learned) with the press, let your customers know that you indent to "get jigy with it", learn their language and set up shop on Facebook, MySpace, Twitter or wherever else they may live!  Let them know you are cool and you are hip and your competitors suck at social media. Use your "social media marketing campaigns" as marketing and PR! Send out press releases, feature social media efforts on your home page and own thought leadership and mindshare in your market.
• #8: Use social media yourself
  Its hard to be a successful social media marketer if you don't use or understand the medium. Education is one thing but experience is another! Start blogging, start tweeting, get an account on Facebook. If you are brave, venture out on MySpace, see who your customers are and what they are doing! Immerse yourself in the medium and you will master it!
• #9: Pick the right partners to implement your social media projects
  Just because you know what you are doing, doesn't mean that your partners or vendors do! The advertising agency that has been handling your traditional advertising for the last 20 years is probably not the best please to go for social media marketing advice.  Do your research and your homework, figure out who the players are and who the sleepers are! Anyone can build a Facebook application these days, find a firm they knows what application to build (and why), not just now to build it.
• #10: Practice, Practice, Practice, Perfect!
  Social media changes daily, what is vogue today is gone tomorrow. What works today, may not work tomorrow.  Until you starting dabbling in social media marketing, you won't know what works and what doesn't work with your particular set of customers. The adage "practice makes perfect" truly applies when it comes to social media marketing.  Don't stop with your first social media marketing campaign. Don't wait for conclusive results before starting your next. Learn as much as you can from other people successes and failures. Read about and research social media and before you know it, you'll be a social media marketing Ninja!!