LinkedIn is an outstanding social networking tool that often gets lost in the fray of the Facebook and Twitters of the world. Regardless of your current position as a business professional, LinkedIn can provide real value for you. Here are 10 ways to make sure you are getting the most out of your LinkedIn presence. (more…)
photo by rchiba
OK, pardon the Saved By the Bell reference (Jessie really should have laid off the caffeine pills). In short, time is a precious commodity, and I hate to break it to you, but there are only so many hours in the day. This means that it’s going to take time to make time for Social Media. The end goal should be for you to have someone or several someone(s) who are responsible for managing your own Social Media presence (in house is the way to go as a long term solution – YOU know your brand better than any outside consultant ever will) (more…)
photo by Horia Varlan
So here you are – thinking about jumping aboard the Social Media bandwagon. Everybody’s talking about it – everybody’s doing it – why shouldn’t you?
First and foremost – don’t ride the train because everyone else is. Above all, remember that Social Media is a tool – one of many tools, but a tool that can be extremely valuable to your overall marketing strategy.
Next, remember that just like any other medium you would pursue – there MUST be strategy involved here – before getting engaged and involved with Social Media, you need to figure out what you want to get out of it – you need to set both short term and long term goals – before ever stepping foot into the Social Media playground.
To get started, here are four key factors to think about when developing your Social Media Strategy: (more…)
photo by gillicious
Let me be the last to welcome you into the 21st century. In this day and age, where do you think you’re customers are going first to learn about you, your business, and your product? Yep, you guessed it – the Internet.
We’re living in an era where the old school sales process is nearing extinction, and your customers are becoming smarter than ever. They’re Googling, chatting with their friend on Twitter, and reading Yelp reviews before they even CONSIDER giving you any business.
Image by Bâ„®n
I talk to bloggers from all walks of life on a daily basis – personal bloggers and business bloggers who are in the process of of tapping into their respective markets – doing everything they can to customize and cater their content to a very specific niche. The first thing I tell these people? Stop.
My blogging background has gone through quite the evolution over the past year and a half, but if it’s one thing I’ve learning during that time, it’s that the moment you start to develop a narrow focus, the moment you start to become overly branded for one specific niche, is the moment you get burned out and start losing interest in your blog.
photo by assbach
Social Media. Yeah, we talk about it a ton here (that’s what you get with a site called Social Media Marketing, right?) It’s the latest trend, the newest fad, and it’s extremely buzz-worthy. Next week I’ll be speaking at a large retail conference – the topic? Marketing to Millennials. We’ll be sitting around a table chatting about how big companies out there should be selling there stuff to folks my age – the twenty-somethings of the world who, by the way, have completely different buying habits than you’re used to.
And the one thing I’m going to preach – the one thing I’m going to hammer in more than anything else? Transparency. (more…)
photo by Chinmong
I’ve been meeting with a lot of small business owners, non-profit organizations, and entrepreneurs over the last several months – talking to them about how they can soundly establish their web presence, monitor their brand awareness, and get involved in their customer’s conversations.
It sounds exciting – it sounds sexy – It pretty much sounds like a no brainer, right? Who wouldn’t want to climb aboard this bandwagon of Social Media? All the cool kids are doing it. And what better way to directly connect and talk to your clients and customers? (more…)
