Social Media Case Study # 4 – Skyland Distributing Company

Situation:
Skyland Distributing Company is one of the largest beverage distributors in North Carolina serving 24 western counties. Since the company is a wholesale distributor and only sells to other businesses; cultivating the general public as followers through social media was never a strategy that seemed worthwhile. Indeed, most companies with that type of business model don’t embrace the communication platform as necessary; but not Skyland Distributing. When G Social Media came on the scene they had no social media strategy in place. 


Problem/Target 
Skyland Distributing Company, being a wholesale distributor, had no need to build brand identity with the end consumer but wanted to use its regional muscle to promote the brands it sells to its vendors and at the same time promote their vendors. They wanted to create a win/win situation for everyone and at the same time drive sales of its products indirectly through their vendors. They needed to target beverage consumers in Western North Carolina.

Solution: 
Skyland had no social media strategy when they brought in G Social Media but they did have an idea. The idea was to create different online personalities among their staff and sales team to then promote their bands and customers’ businesses. They also wanted let people know they weren’t some old stogy company stuck in the 20th century. Instead, Skyland wanted be seen as a company open to community and new ideas; a company that supports its customers and wants to work with and connect with people. G Social Media set up everything including their corporate Facebook page and then the Twitter accounts for their staff and sales team.  


Results to Date: 
Skyland’s Facebook fan page is now at 1,000. Skyland’s whole sales team and staff can make instant updates concerning events and promotions in support of their brands and vendors. They’re created immeasurable good will in the community and proved that an old distributor can learn new tricks. Skyland Distributing Company is on the cutting edge and utilizing new communications platforms in support of their core business in ways not imagined before.