Time allocation

If you are using social media for your business and have just started, you are bound to start to have the feeling of fatigue at times. It can be a bit overwhelming with all there is to do. There's the writing the blog posts, posting to Twitter, Google+ and Facebook, posting articles that you read, commenting and just trying to get it all done. Now to add to the fun, not everyone is on the same time zone so you could literally do nothing else. So how do you get it all done and stay sane?

Here's how I do things and handle it all.

1. Blog posts are done usually well in advance. Most times I'm a week ahead and I write them along the way so that eliminates the pressure to do one on a daily basis. 

• Twitter takes the most time but is the most rewarding and that goes on throughout the day and evening in various periods of time. I respond to others comments, post article that others have written, reply and thank people for RT (re-tweets) as well as posting my own work.

1. Facebook comes in sections too. Someday's it is virtually empty and others very busy and I find it the easiest to use. I post my own pieces and share content from others as well as using it to connect with people that are not on Twitter. Not everyone uses Twitter- that's another topic.

• Google + is much like Facebook- someday's there are many comments to reply to and others it's an easy day with little happening.

I also have a computer that I have modified to allow me to have up to 12 different tabs going at once. You really need to be a multitasker to do all of this. So I jump between tabs as needed while not closing any off and yet I still get the warning at times that I'm using too much memory. Next computer will be even better and of course I'm still hoping for cloning to come on line.

Now how I keep it in a level of saneness. I set times that I will be on line and times that I won't. These are not set in stone as it varies according to what is going on but I try every day to do other things and to get in a walk and at times just let it sit. Social media is work. Have no doubt about that but like most things, all work and no play makes Todd a grumpy guy.

Take the time you need to refresh. That's an individual thing but using social media is just like anything else. Some can do it for longer time periods and others for shorter.
Do what works for you!

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What's your social goal?

If you are thinking of starting a social media campaign for your business, one of the questions that you need to ask is - what is my goal?
Many of you may immediately answer - to make money of course. That's is a given if you are in business but how do you want to pursue that using social media. Maybe you want to try and focus on one item or maybe many but these are a few ideas that you could consider.

• Are you looking solely for customer feedback?

• Maybe product development and research to see what products or services customers would like in the future.

• What about using social media for customer service?

• It could be that you are just to expand your presence and build relationships for the future.

• You always could be using it as a tool to solely educate your customers on new information, techniques or anything that is pertinent to your business.

Then again you could also combine any or all of these. It really depends on what your business is looking to gain from using social media but all of these will help secure your place among what is just starting. Social media will be expanding it's reach and become the norm as opposed to the fade some believe it to be.

I thought as you think about what your goals for social media will be it would also be a good time to see the various platforms that you may still be considering using. They are not all the same and have pros and cons.

                   http://www.flowtown.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Social-Media-cheat-sheet1-560x1674.png


So what are your objectives and goals?

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Your name is...?

I actually posted this earlier but it's kind of a pet peeve of mine so I thought I would put it out there again. Actually there were a few instances this week that brought this back into my attention.



Ok so you say you understand that Social Media is about relationship building and you realize that even though you are blogging and Tweeting through your company you are using your own voice. But what's your name? Really people.

Even if you write and tweet under XYZ Company, who are you that does that? Is your name Jane, Tom Liz? You must have a real name right? So where is it?

How about this XYZ Company bio ..... and tweets by Tom Delaney. Wonderful! Now when I tweet or communicate with you I am talking with Tom. Tom is the real person behind what is said. It's not the company stapler speaking and writing. It's Tom.

See I like people that have names and look at friendships as people with names. I address very few, actually none, as "hey XYZ Company, how's everything?"  I do say- "Hey Tom how's everything going?"

So be real, put your name out there for others. I try as much as possible to use people's real name even when tweeting. Be real, be personable, be friends and friends have real names.



I stand corrected I actually do address some as XYZ Company but that's because it's my only choice.

And your name is....?

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A Social Strategy

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Outsourcing your Social Media Campaign

An interesting question came to my attention recently or actually it was more of a statement but it got me thinking.

I don't think I could have anyone do my social media campaign. They wouldn't have my voice.

So here are my thoughts:

Yes it is very possible but there are needed components for it to work properly.

If you hire someone to overtake or start your social media campaign they have to be intimately involved in your business. That takes time. They need to see where you are and what you make. Sending a brochure just won't do. That person has to have a feel and knowledge of what you do and why you do it. I may know about your product but I have to portray the same knowledge and passion for it as if it was you speaking on any platform.

How would this be possible?

The person or firm that you hire has to have the knowledge of your product. Hiring me to represent you concerning the art you do won't work. I don't have the knowledge or the passion. I'm just being honest.
Hire me for anything relating to construction, home building products and almost any facet of that industry, I'm there because I have actually done it for so long. Now all I have to do is learn what you do and why you are passionate about it. What makes your company tick? Why do your clients love what you do? What's the story you have to tell?
So bring them to your business, spend some time together, have them learn all the facets of your business, talk with your employees and above all have them learn who you are and why you love what you do.

Now once I've learned about you, using what I know about social media is easy.

Expecting anyone to just jump on and take over or start your program with out all the right information is a recipe for failure. Social media is about building relationships and starting a campaign is about building the right relationship and foundation with the person or firm that will be your public voice and face. Take the time to make sure they are you.

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I Met a Couple

The other day I was walking the beach and meet a couple from New York. We got to talking and I said I think we saw them looking at a rental property and they said it was them. So I naturally asked if they were staying there and their response was no.

Being curious I asked what was wrong with the place and the husband said nothing that we could see but his wife checks out everything on line and there were a couple of negative comments. Ok but that happens all the time to which his response was
"Sure, but if a place has any negative comments or such, she moves on to look at other places."
"Does she just look at like Trip Advisor and that kind of thing?"
"That's where she starts and then Google's it to see other things?"
"Very interesting" was my reply and thinking to my self that these are people in their late 40's and this is how they are searching for information. Social media.

http://www.tripadvisor.com/

We parted company and my immediate thinking was that it is not "kids" that are searching and not trusting what sites and businesses say, it is even people that are well established, working adults wanting to make informed decisions.

Sadly the people that had the house that was rejected probably knew little of the negative reviews and so can only wonder why these people came and left. Let's also remember that this is a home that is rented -1 home, not a hotel or a big business and the effects of social media have affected their bottom line.

Therefore when someone tells me that they are just a small business and there is no need for them to be participating in social media, I tell them a few stories and watch the look on their faces.

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Pinterest

It's hot. It's new and everyone seems to be jumping on board- Pinterest!
http://pinterest.com/
Now the other thing to keep in mind is that is an invite only mode, it's not open to everyone everywhere yet.
I've been using it since it came out and everyday there is more and more written about it.

Now according to this I'm in the 3% group- male and a fact I find very interesting. I started using it because I was thinking it could be good for business and there were tons of cool photos. I still feel that way and assume as it grows more males will join in.

Being a new platform there is much to learn so I am always reading and looking as well as accessing the value because lets face it there are only so many hours in the day and sooooo many options to consider.

Here is a great starter guide for your reading with great tips to get you going

56 Ways to Market Your Business on Pinterest

http://www.copyblogger.com/pinterest-marketing/

As a note: Since I first wrote this there has been some discussion about the legalities of pinning other peoples photos. I am not a lawyer and would encourage you to read through Pinterest's TOS (Terms of Service)  to make sure you are satisfied with the rules. I will probably write more about this topic as I learn more.

What is your thinking about Pinterest? 

Does it have any real business value or is it just a fun thing to play with?

Speak and be heard so others can make informed decisions.

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Everyone starts somewhere

I think many people are afraid to get into social media for many reasons but in reality these are not valid. Maybe you even had these thoughts:

1. Twitter is for people with no lives.
2. Facebook is for young people and has no value for business.
3. Social media takes too much time.
4. There's too much to learn and I don't have the time.
5. I just have to Tweet and put things on Facebook and business will be better. Really?
6. Listen and be social- to who?
7. Really - say things in 140 characters that matter?
8. How do I work all these things or platforms- Twitter, Facebook, Linkdin...?
9. Can't I just use Facebook? That seems easy.
10. I'm going to build relationships with people I've never met?
11. What do you mean be real. Be authentic?
12. I'm trying to run a real business here so what does it do to increase it. I can't see how or why.
13. Why can't I just post like I'm doing an advertisement?
14. What do you mean it's not all about me and my message?
15. How can I tell if this social thing is having an effect on my business?
16. I can't send my message to buy my service in 140 characters?
17. Tell me who else does this and has it work for them?
18. Why do I have to write a blog? Seems like even more work to me.
19. Google +, that's for searching things right?
20. This is silly.

Now if you have some that you have heard or would like to add, please do. I'd love it.

Over time you hear all types of comments as to the problems that are associated with using social media. Yet there are so many people out there that are more than willing to help and get you going and it's really very simple- Just ask!

http://www.dailyseoblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/3.jpg

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Talking to strangers

 Some great information that many brands don't seem to fully grasp yet.

Source: bazaarvoice.com via James on Pinterest

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Business/Personal- What's the policy?

As in everything there tends to be a difference between our personal lives and our virtual ones. Indeed that line tends to be blurred with the advent of the internet and various social media platforms.  In the world of social media there truly needs to be some distinctions and that depends on a few things.

First are you using Twitter, Facebook and other platforms on a personal level or on behalf of your company? There is a major difference here. The level of honesty is the same but there are certain things that should not be part of your company's persona such as your personal relationships and all the juicy bits. That's a bit too much and really isn't  in the best interest of the company.

My advice to brands is to set up company policy that relates to your social media policies. What that policy is will depend on you and your team. I'll list some possible areas that should/could be addressed below:

• When posting for the company, only company accounts will be used.

• If responding to customer concerns the policy is....   http://www.businessesgrow.com/2010/01/24/it-worked-for-zappos-it-probably-wont-work-for-you/

• What responsibilities and authority do you have to assist customers?

• Do you have a guideline for all employees to sign for their social media, SMS and other communications concerning work and the company?

• Are you planning on having every post on your blog or comment made reviewed before replying? 

• Have you set up proper channels for communication within your company so that if a problem does arrive it can be handled quickly and effectively?

There are many things that should be discussed and guidelines set , whether it's a one person team or a multi person social media effort because this is a very public face on your company.

There are many sources on the internet that you can use as reference such as
http://mashable.com/2009/06/02/social-media-policy-musts/

and what every policy you end up deciding on, just makes sure everyone fully understands it and the possible consequences of not following it.


Have you developed a policy? Care to add your input as to whether you like it, what it is, how it was decided or any other relevant features? 

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Can you hear me now!

Yes we've all heard this and as you start out using social media you surely want to be heard. The temptation to just constantly blast out your messages for all to hear is a skill that must be mastered and there is a fine line between too little and too much. Part of this will, of course, depend on your audience and when they are around as well as what platforms you use. However this is something that you will have to personally experiment with to see what works for you.

http://www.nypost.com/rw/nypost/2011/04/15/news/photos_stories/15.1n033.verizonguy1--300x300.jpg

I am still experimenting and refining as I go along but the important part to remember is that if you send out your posts from your blog or website too frequently then you'll probably come across as spammy and we all know that's not good. 

My suggestion is to post early in the morning and then around 9-10am, next would be lunch time and then a couple of times in the afternoon say around 3 and 5 and once in the evening. Now here's why.

Early am- good for the early risers.

9-10 am is good for people have gotten to work and are ready to see what's new.

Lunch time- many people use their lunch time to eat and catch up on things they may have missed during the morning.

The afternoon posts are for people that may be taking a short break or are about to call it a day and have already had a busy day and hadn't previously had the time to check on posts.

The evening post is for those that may not have had time during the day to look through the favorite posts but now are home and can sit and do some reading. This is also good as I have friends around the globe on different time zones.

So if your just starting out try, evaluate and refine is the best system.

If you have developed a system we'd love to hear what's working for you  so drop us a comment so others will benefit too. 

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I think I see it now

I keep hearing more and more true stories on how small business is starting to benefit and see the advantages of using social media which is why I strongly believe that this year will see a surge in its use.

A friend in New England has a Building and Remodeling company and started using social media but I believe it was more of a - everyone's doing it type attitude. He wasn't thinking there would be any real change or direct benefit but people in the office were going to do it and as long as it didn't interfere with real work- fine.

But that attitude is changing. These are just short notes I've received via Twitter from the person that is handling their social media efforts.

 "Past 4 yrs 56% of our leads came thru referrals;2011~73% via referrals!RT @talv58: Building Your Brand via #socialmediahttp://goo.gl/0OXqH"


"Forgot to tell you.We received another signed Construction Contract Agreement @ begin of this week thru internet searches & SoMe. :)"




"Been told by several leads that even if they are referred to us by some1 they also had ck us out on the internet for good/bad info."




 Other "co and our co may start doing some work together. :)"  from relationship that has been built using social media.




"We have been receiving contracts thru internet searches as well. Talk later again."






This is a real company that does real business in the construction field and they are seeing real results.


So you're thinking you'll wait and see how it goes? Really?

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Make this go away!

Recently I was approached by a business person about things that were being posted about his business on review boards. Some of these comments were very nice and others- not so nice. Now I should mention that this person outright refuses to do anything via new technology and doesn't even own a computer that can be connected to the internet. He's older and says he's made it this long and he's not giving in. We've known each other for a few years and I've tried to sway him but to no avail.

So when he contacted me the first thing out of his mouth was - you know about this stuff so you can just make it go away right? Picking up the phone and hearing that sentence right after Hello... I admit I was clueless to what he was talking about. Then he explained the situation and  that he wanted the negative comments gone. Could I do that? No was my answer. I don't have that type of power or skills to hack into sites and change things.

I then went into the same explanations as I'd done before about the use of the internet and social media but it was the short version- I had done the long version before and that was a waste of time. I had no plans on prolonging this.

After what seemed like an eternity of listening to the rant of the ruins of the world and how he hated the internet and....I actually wasn't listening so I don't know the whole conversation to be honest, I'd heard it before anyway. But when he was done I said I was sorry and that was that.

Like it or not the internet is here to stay and so is social media so if you need to have total control of what is said about you and your business on line this is my best advice.




Sell! 
Sell now!
Sell your business to the next available buyer and move on.




P.S. The negative comments made concerned the physical condition of the actual building and during our chat I heard how stupid this social media/internet stuff all was and made no difference to anyone and blah, blah, blah...

P.S.S.
Heard from another friend that saw that business is undergoing a major remodeling and its in high gear.

I guess he decided that it did matter after all!

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Tips for using SoMe

Tips for your Social Media program.

Let  me what know you think?

Are you using these ideas already?

http://media-cdn.pinterest.com/upload/100486635405227013_rSMry3k2_b.jpg

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Sharing Posts

 This is about being a good neighbor in your social media program and helping others as well as learning new information.

In my social media circles I have many friends and many of them write their own blogs. Some of these are about kitchens, designing, others fashion and appliances and a multitude of topics in between. Now I also try to read all of them too as its another way to see what is happening and what topics are being discussed. The amount of information is wonderful and the perspectives diverse.

http://wowio.files.wordpress.com/2007/08/x61t-on-the-lap1.jpg?w=450

I find these blogs in a few ways:

My favorite is by email. If I read someone's blog and they have an email sign up, I'm there as now it comes right to my in box. No remembering, and when they post I receive it.

Next is by signing up via an RSS feed.

I also follow other blogs that are part of Blogger so that as they are posted, they show up in my list. The only issue here is that I have to remember to look.

Facebook, Google+ and Twitter are great sources for finding new blogs that others recommend and if they have some nice content, I subscribe by one of the above methods.

The key item is that no matter where or how I get blog posts, I share them with others. My thinking is that I enjoyed it and others may be interested too. That's what neighbors and friends do, right?

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Don't jump in if you can't swim!

Recently a situation happened to me that highlights what shouldn't happen if you use social media for your brand and no, I am not going to name names.

First let's assume that you are using social media to promote yourself and enhance your reputation. You want to stand out among the many as a brand that is knowledgeable and cares about their customers.

So here's the situation that happened to me:
I went to view a post from a brand and it was a great article and when I was done I wanted to re-post it on other platforms such as Twitter and Google + so that others could enjoy it. The site had the needed buttons to do that but... they didn't work.

I then looked through the site and found an email address and sent them a note stating the problem and hoping they could get it fixed as well as telling them how much I had enjoyed their articles. Then I sent them a DM - direct message on Twitter, as I saw no need to post the issue for all to see. Then I waited. And waited but yet there was no response and still hasn't been.

So what's the problem really?

Nothing really. I'm ok that they are trying to use social media and blogs to promote themselves but it leaves the impression that they really don't care about it that much.

Then again, maybe its just me.

Care to weigh on on what you think or what you would do in their situation?

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Sprint versus Marathon

Social media can indeed feel fast intense and constantly moving with all of the platforms that need to be monitored, posting articles, sharing others content and much more in the course of every day. You put your every once of thought and energy into making it work, checking for results, trying, analyzing and re trying to get results. It's very much like a hundred yard sprint at full tilt no holds barred.

Yet it isn't.

Social media should be viewed as a marathon. It is something that is indeed fast and requires a great deal of time but you need to look at it as a long steady race. Make your plans and continue along sure and steady.

                                                       http://www.yojofitness.com/nivlocusyojo/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Marathon-Running-Tips1.jpg

This scene is exactly why you need to stay focused and continue steadily along. Have you figured out that you are one of many, many players using social media. Some will treat it as a sprint and will tire quickly and call it quits. Others will try to stay focused but will lose their determination as they move into areas that aren't seemingly giving them the results they had hoped for. That's where your determination and steady pace will pay off just as in the children's tale:

http://tummytime.onslow.org/tummytime/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/tandhare.jpg

Persistence and determination are some of the main components of using social media if you are planning to succeed.

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True story- Value of Social Media

Recently a friend here in the Bahamas was working on a renovation and ordered some new windows from a company in Nassau.

They said they were coming and would be on the next boat. He called them weekly and it was always the same- they,ll be on the next boat. Weeks went by and no windows so he'd had enough.
He made another call to the company and heard the same story and decided a new approach was in order.
Social media was something that he had heard about but didn't actually use but thought it was worth a shot. Having reached the manager, he blasted out just how unhappy he was and that he was going to start telling everyone about his experience on Facebook and everywhere else he could think of so that others were aware of this company's false promises and poor service.

Now as soon as the manager heard this part and Facebook he pleaded with my friend not to post anything and he guaranteed the windows would be there the next day on the boat. The next day the windows were here and my friend doesn't even have a Facebook account. It was an idle threat.

Next funny thing is, this is the Bahamas and it has an effect on business here? Yes it does!

And you're not using it? Kind of makes you wonder what comments you may be missing doesn't it?

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Social Media- Why you should care. (video)

I think the video will have enough impact so enjoy.

So what do you think?

Did you know all of this or...?

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Adding Value

You've probably heard the term "value added" at some point or another and its a simple concept. For instance if I have a log to sell, it will be worth "x" amount. Now if I take that log and mill it into boards, I have have added value  to the log's worth and going one step further, if I take the boards and make it a table the value increases even more.

How do you add value to a social media program?

• Helping to pass on useful information from others.

I do this constantly and find that it helps people who are looking for types of info they may not have seen before. I also retweet other people's blog postings so that others may enjoy them. Its a neighborly thing to do and helps others find new information.

• Writing a blog and providing content that others will enjoy and find useful.

Writing is a time consuming part of blogging but making sure you have content that is either entertaining or useful is the key to having people visit your site
 Think about it. If your material is old or not useful, would you go back?

• Do you add photos of your work or of others?

Photos are a great way to make a point in a very visual way. So if you are writing about kitchens or a certain aspect of a kitchen, add a photo from either your work or from a site. I would suggest using http://pinterest.com/ if you can because they have great photos and it creates a link in your blog which helps with traffic to your site via search engines.






So my question to you is this:

Are you adding value to your social media program?

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Retaining your present customers

There seems to be a constant need for brands to attract new customers and that's quite logical.  Isn't that where a great deal of advertising and marketing focus is or at the least getting new customers and past customers to make a purchase?

But what about retaining your present base of customers? Do you know how they feel about your product or service? Are you spending any time trying to find out or retain them as satisfied customers?

You should be! The reason is that satisfied customers add up in many regards. How about the service call you make and get put on hold for 20 minutes listening to a recording telling you that you are a valued customers and who doesn't enjoy-muskrat love? Charming! Personally I'm not a fan of this.

Let's look at Amazon. I'm a big fan for many reasons and one is if you have an issue they have  a service that will call you now or in 5 minutes. I've used it and hit "now" and 2 seconds later the phone was ringing. I like that. Kind of makes it seem like they care and want to keep me happy.

How about the store that I've shopped at for years that finally changes it's hours and it's service is going downhill. They now close at 5 and I don't get done till 5 and my Saturdays are too busy. Maybe I'll look around for a place that's open a bit later and wants my business. I'm not happy so I move on.

Part of what social media can help is in retaining customers by offering an outlet for customers to voice their concerns before they decide to move on. You could offer surveys asking- How are we doing? Are there things or changes you would like to see? What can we do to make you happy?
All of this falls under the area of customer service and if a customer is happy with what you are doing they won't move on but if they aren't they will contemplate the move and if you don't rectify what was bothering them, they will leave.

So spend some of your social media time retaining customers and not just searching for new ones. The cost of losing a customer is higher than you think and keeping them is easier than you think. It shouldn't be an either or campaign.

Someone asked how am I going to find out whether my customers are happy or would like to see a change and it's really easy:

Just Ask Them.


How you do it is up to you but again using your social media campaign is a great way to start.

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