Matthew Regusci, Marketing and Business Director for the Santa Maria Valley Railroad, was a key panel speaker at the American Shortline and Regional Railroad Association’s Annual Convention in Orlando, Florida last month. Regusci’s presentation, “Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, What Are We Missing?” covered how railroad companies can utilize internet social media for marketing and other applications.

Regusci was the sole panel speaker among all presentations at the ASLRRA National Convention representing a short line railroad based in the Western United States. Matthew Rose, President of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad, was the main key note speaker. Over 1200 attendees representing over 550 short line and regional railroads across the nation attended the Convention held on May 1 – 3, 2010.

Regusci’s presentation covered how the Santa Maria Valley Railroad got its start with social internet media sites and how it evolved into a creative and cost effective marketing tool and an effective method of networking with industry people.

The Santa Maria Valley Railroad was the first railroad in the nation to have a presence on Facebook. Originally the Santa Maria Valley Railroad used various social internet media such as railroad fan bulletin boards, Facebook, and MySpace to convey to the general public that the Santa Maria Valley Railroad is an operating freight railroad hauling freight on a daily basis. Also the Santa Maria Valley Railroad made early presence on various sites to protect its brand and franchise and to eliminate misconceptions by railroad fans on various rail fan websites. One prevalent misconception was that the Santa Maria Valley Railroad was no longer in operation and was a historical museum.

Internet social media was found to be useful help to drive traffic to the company website. The past year, freight customers, potential customers, suppliers, political allies, and friends of the railroad used sites such as Facebook to communicate with the railroad. As a result, internet social sites have produced customer leads, sources for equipment and track material, increased sales for the company store, and an increased overall awareness for the general public.

The Santa Maria Valley Railroad recognizes that the future for interacting and communicating with customers and potential customers will be new forms of media and communication. Using internet social media to direct potential customers to the company website has been proving to be a very cost effective and creative marketing tool.

Social internet media such as Facebook and LinkedIn has proved to be an effective way to network with customers, potential customers, suppliers, shortline and regional railroad owners and managers, and supporters of the railroad.

The Santa Maria Valley Railroad offices and yard is located in the Betteravia Industrial Park at 2820 W. Betteravia Road, Santa Maria, California. The Santa Maria Valley Railroad is a 14 mile shortline railroad interchanging with the Union Pacific Railroad at Guadalupe and serves the Santa Maria Valley. Santa Maria Valley Railroad customers can ship or receive shipments anywhere in North America that is served by our national railroad system. For freight shipping inquiries contact Business Development Manager Dave Jennings at (805) 922-7941 or visit our website at www.smvrr.com.