Good morning! (Wanted to start with that...)So I'm sitting outside with my laptop responding to a few emails, etc. this morning, and I got a message from a friend mentioning that she is starting up with doing a little Social Media, such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc. She has a great website that encourages people to navigate successfully through their midlife years with a variety of tools such as e-books, audio interviews and blog posts. Check her out here at http://www.midlifeunlimited.com/.
Anyway, since I am very big on Social Media I decided to give her some unsolicited advice about how to go about it successfully. Below is the message I sent her:
Social Networking: I recommend the book The Zen of Social Media Marketing, by Shama Kabani. I got it from the library last month and am just about done with it. Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter are all discussed, and ties in the importance of your website as the place where you want to attract people.
15-30 minutes a day in the morning, you should start by posting a status update, and then reach out to your friends, colleagues, clients and consumers (in that order) by simply saying hi and responding to their posts. Then, every week make sure you have a compelling offer that people see on their social about you...such as a sale, a new product or service or a new blog post / whitepaper. Add the link to your website or blog to bring them there and talk about it.
15-30 minutes a day in the morning, you should start by posting a status update, and then reach out to your friends, colleagues, clients and consumers (in that order) by simply saying hi and responding to their posts. Then, every week make sure you have a compelling offer that people see on their social about you...such as a sale, a new product or service or a new blog post / whitepaper. Add the link to your website or blog to bring them there and talk about it.
Wow that was so good I think I'll expand on it in a blog. Go tohttp://blog.rocklandwebdesign.com/ in like 15 minutes.
Aside from the last admittedly A.D.D. and slightly arrogant line, the information is sound. See, the problem with Social Media is that it is so easy to get sucked into it the wrong way - and instead of connecting with like-minded people that you can help and they can help you, you end up playing Farmville for 49 hours a week, and become addicted to responding to people that are ROFLing while 'doing laundry'. Oh the mirth of it all.
So what do ya do? Well the advice above, broken down a bit more, goes like this:
- Every week, start out with a plan to offer something new and compelling - a sale, a blog post, an e-book, a video, something that you feel will benefit others, and to a small degree, yourself. (Note: As I get older, I realize it is not a bad thing to offer something that benefits oneself - However it should always benefit others as well. If it is not a mutual benefit, do not offer it. Uh, did I stress that enough? :-))
- Now - go to your favorite Social site: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and start off the day with a nice basic post about something that is going on in your life. I don't recommend starting off with the offer. Hold it in your hand, like a good curveball that you can use when the time is right. So put something out there that is fun and interesting - not just doing the laundry. Post it across all Social Networks.
- Here is the important part: After you post, go to your news feed of where your friends and colleagues are posting, and respond back with genuine interest. You don't even have to say anything intelligent, you can simply 'like' their post, which is similar to voting in their favor. And truly empathize with people if they are having a difficult time. This should only take 10 minutes or so.
- Throughout the day, you'll get a smattering of emails here and there, with post updates from those you've commented on. You don't need to respond to all of them - just hit delete - but if there's any that you want to further the conversation on, click on the link to reply back.
- Sometime in the week, you will want to use your curveball. I can't explain exactly when the time is right...everyone has their own unique instinct to feeling out when it is right. All I can say is that when you feel the time is right, don't hesitate. As the late Patrick Swayze said in Point Break, hesitation will make your worst fears come true. Just do it, gosh darn it!
So...curveball = post the message about your compelling offer. For instance, right now we are offering a new service at Rockland Web Design: Digitize Your Business Documents. However the time isn't right to mention it right now, perhaps sometime this week! ;-)
Oh, one more thing...as Shama says in the Zen of Social Media (great book), "Always attract people back to your website." That is the end point where you want people to be.
I am so glad I saw my friend's message today. She gave me the inspiration to write this new blog post. I hope it is useful to her, and others that happen to come across it.
Tom Ossa
(845) 877 - 7333
P.S. If you want an early preview of the Digitize Your Business Documents Service, contact us by going here. Mention your interest in the comments area. Thanks!
