Engaging Others Through Social Media

Social media is a great way to establish and build relationships in the virtual world. Here are some of the advantages:

• You can connect with someone you ordinarily wouldn’t see because of geographic locations.
• It’s a 24/7 networking event!
• You can continue discussions over time.
• You can learn more about someone’s interests outside of work.
• If you’re having a “bad hair day” you can still benefit from social networking!

So, if those are some of the advantages what are some of the disadvantages?

• Drains you of your time.
• It can become “addicting”.
• At times, you might feel that you can’t truly “connect” with people.

Well, let’s address these challenges to figure out ways around them.

“Drains you of your time”: Quite simply put, yes this CAN be true. So, how do you get around this?

• Well, when I first started becoming involved in social media, I set a time limit for myself…15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes mid-afternoon.

• Set a time limit and once you are accustomed to it, you can ease up a bit and you won’t feel overwhelmed. There will be times, when you may need to spend more time.

• If you are introducing a new product/service, you will want to spend more time promoting this on social media to complement your offline marketing efforts.

“It can become ‘addicting'”: Well, I think anyone who has ever spent any amount of time on social media will recognize this can also be true. So, what do you do?

• This goes back to the first point of setting a time limit. Do whatever you need to do to prevent yourself from becoming “addicted” to social networking.

• Remember you have a life outside social media, but recognize there may be times when you’ll want to check interactions, mentions, messages, posts, and the like. Just make sure you know when to turn the technology off.

“You may feel that you can’t truly ‘connect’ with people”: So, how do you truly connect with others?

• Make it your goal to share information that is helpful to others. It doesn’t even have to be something that you wrote, but have it be something of interest to those connected to you. You’re adding value this way and not blatantly promoting yourself!

• Make sure you respond to and acknowledge your new fans and make sure you respond to every comment added to your messages and not just with a “like”. This will be a way to build a relationship with others and to learn more about your connections and they’ll learn more about you, too.

Let me know about some of the other ways you engage others through social media.

Do B2B Companies Need Social Media?

Everyone has read or heard that all companies, especially if you sell to consumers need to be actively involved in social media. If you’ve been on Facebook, then you’ve seen wide array of pages for various consumer products, not to mention movies, shows, performers, and the like. You’ve probably also seen some for certain small businesses that market to businesses. And you’re probably wondering, “Is it necessary if I market my products and services to other businesses to be active in social media?”

The short answer is “Yes! Absolutely yes.”

But there are some differences and some social networks are probably a better fit for your business than others. First, there’s clearly more than just Facebook. There’s Twitter, LinkedIn, blogs, YouTube, and Foursquare, just to name a few. So, how do figure out which one is best for your business.

1. Research where your clients or potential clients can be found. Start asking your clients, vendors, partners, and subcontractors what social media networks they follow and actively engage other people. Also, I’m going to suggest that you select a couple of networks in which to be active.

2. LinkedIn or Facebook. Which one? Now, you’ve probably heard that if you’re a B2B company, you need to be on LinkedIn and not Facebook. Well, let me present an alternate thought to you. You should be in both.

You can keep your personal Facebook page personal and your business page more professional. If your target is small businesses, I would also suggest being on Facebook, too. It’s a great way to work on building your awareness and develop relationships with people who may potentially hire you or purchase your products.

3. What can you do on LinkedIn? You definitely also want to be active on LinkedIn. Here is some of what you can do:

• Create your “personal” or individual page with your qualifications and expertise.
• Connect with friends, colleagues, employers, former employers, and anyone else you know.
• Post status updates several times during the week.
• Join groups based on your industry, interests, or expertise.
• Answer questions in the “Answers” section in your areas of expertise.

4. What about blogs? Should I be blogging? Also important is having a blog and blog regularly. Provide interesting information or educational information about topics related to your expertise. Make this your soft sell and don’t blatantly promote your products and services.  Provide tips to your readers that will make them think “Wow, she knows what she’s talking about.”

5. What should I do first? So now you’re probably wondering, “I don’t have time for all three. What should I be doing?” My suggestion to you is start by blogging if you’re not already doing this. It’s a great way for people to get a  glimpse of your knowledge and a way to start developing a relationship with people. Also, as you read blogs, don’t be afraid to leave a comment, even if you disagree with the author.

If you’re already blogging or still aren’t sold on the idea, then get active on LinkedIn. And then finally, depending on your product or service, create a Facebook page for your business.

6. Important things about social media. Just remember these 3 things:

1. Be consistent.
2. Don’t post the exact same content at the same time on multiple networks.
3. Start interacting with others. It’s the easiest thing to do even if you’re very shy!

Let me know your thoughts!

Diana Meyer
Community Manager & Content Strategist, Meyer Marketing Intelligence, Inc.
661.254.6141
dmeyer@meyermktg.com

Moving Volunteers and Customers towards Enthusiasts

It is towards the end of National Volunteer Week (April 10 – 16), and I thought it would be most appropriate to talk about how to transform your volunteers and customers into your Enthusiasts or Evangelists or Loyalists. Any of these names work and mean essentially the same thing. Volunteers are essentially people who believe in your organization, want to see you succeed, want to be associated with your organization, and will help spread your word to all.

So, what does this have to do with marketing or business you might ask?

Well, quite simply, not only are volunteers a source of free labor for you … especially if your organization is a non-profit … but it’s also a way for people to get to know you and your goals and objectives better. Volunteers also have a vested interest in your organization since they are willing to help you out.

So, how do use them to help market your organization?

Well, for starters, as long as you treat them with respect and remember the Golden Rule – treat others as you would want to be treated – they will gladly be your advertising and public relations source. They will tell others about your organization in person or online. When it’s done online, the potential for increased awareness grows exponentially because it’s not just one person who will hear something about you. It’s actually all of their friends and their friends’ friends!

Once you get your volunteers talking about you – in a positive way, of course – they are becoming your Enthusiasts or Evangelists or Loyalists.

So, now you’re probably thinking, “Great I’m ready for my volunteers to be Enthusiasts!”

And I would say, that’s wonderful and you’re probably a step ahead of your competition. Now dust off your customer service 101, and remember these basic principles:

1. Listen to your customers and your volunteers.
2. Be polite to your customers and volunteers.
3. If there’s a problem, fix it…even if it’s a problem only volunteers see.
4. Make your customers and volunteers feel appreciated.
5. Say “please” and “thank you” to your customers and volunteers.
6. Get regular feedback from your customers and volunteers. Ask “how are we doing?” “Is there anything else we can do for you?” How can we improve on our products and/or service?”
7. Apologize if you need to do so. If something goes wrong, own up to it and apologize then move on.

So whether you’re trying to convert your customer or volunteers into Enthusiasts or Evangelists or Loyalists, remember the old saying “You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.”

Diana Meyer
President, Meyer Marketing Intelligence, Inc.
661.254.6141
dmeyer@meyermktg.com