Know what people are saying about you online… even if you’re not saying anything?
Would you like to?
Or, have you heard so much about “social media” but are afraid to jump in because you may give a competitor valuable information?
This is where solid business meets Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and blogs.
It’s also full of advice and each chapter comes with an Action Plan for each platform.
The Action Plans are packed with immediate-action tips to keep you from looking like a beginner, even if you are.
They’re also written from the perspective of an executive who has been successful in off-line businesses, but used the internet to augment lead generation.
One tip could save you or make you thousands… or help you combat cyber-squatting and other brand-damaging internet iniquities.
But the key to this book is that it gives you helpful advice to get your team involved and buying in to the concept.
Because if they don’t come along for the ride, you won’t enjoy it nearly as much as you could.
Click the image to order and you will be able to download it immediately. As updates hit, you will receive them automatically. You will also have access to my exclusive newsletter… and this is the only way to get access to it.
Put your social media presence everywhere.
It’s so simple, it never occurs to many.
Look how long it took many businesses to get their website addresses on vehicles, business cards and ads.
And some still have yet to get with the program (very few).
In fact, I haven’t seen a sign like this yet… except at this business outside DC (a business very close to my heart!)
Of course, it’s bigger than this and there is other information on the door, but I know many clients both current and potential who’ve expressed delight at being able to contact this business in so many ways… especially since it’s closed on Sundays unlike many traditional retailers.
But, hey, who wants to be traditional?!
In fact, this business encourages people to friend them, fan them, tweet them, check in on foursquare, and anything else they can think of.
And they offer rewards like Starbucks gift cards, drawings and merchandise.
Give me your thoughts on this one because I humbly think it’s genius
If you’d like to learn more about social media and real business, even if it’s just to check on your brand, check out the book The Social Media Equation. One tip from it could save you embarrassment or make you thousands!
Click the image to order and you will be able to download it immediately.
Is it any coincidence that Target is the first big-wig to offer Facebook giftcards… and then change the url they show on TV commercials to Facebook.com/…?
Facebook.com/Target in this case.
Well, call me silly, but I’d say no.
Or nope.
Or hell no, it’s so friggin’ obvious that Target actually GETS IT!
You may be thinking “Hey, Chris, what’s this “it” you’re so jazzed about?”
Well, friends, the “it” is that the way business has been spoon-fed to us by ad agencies for hundreds of years SUCKS… to put it succinctly.
Social media represents the missing link for businesses not afraid of transparency, or at least savvy enough to curate their online real estate.
And don’t worry, I won’t say “make no mistake” anywhere in this post… except… ah forget that one.
Seriously, Target may be ahead of the curve in understanding that business is done with people, and we “people” value relationships.
Although I think the movie “The Social Network” is a piece of Hollywood overly-dramatized, soap opera-esque crap, Facebook is phenomenal and I truly enjoy the new connections made, and old ones re-kindled.
So, what are your thoughts on this?
What other businesses have you seen that have implemented the use of their Facebook.com/ url in advertising, if any?
Friends, I think we’re on the cusp of some really big changes and those of you who already get “it” are well-positioned to not be taken by surprise.
Maybe you’ve been there… the outside-of-the-box thinker who actually “got it” when it comes to social media -
aka the Social Media Lone Wolf.
Yep, you know what it’s like to look at a business’ Twitter posts and say, “Stop selling, idiots! It’s about relationships and branding first, business second… good, solid business.”
Or, maybe you’re less tactful -
“Cold selling on social media is like sex without foreplay, jackass!”
Guilty here on both counts.
Or maybe, heaven forbid, you share information with people in your field or those who may not know as much as you or be able or willing to pay you for that knowledge!
Mercy me.
Heck, maybe you’ve even brought your smartphone into the bathroom just to connect with your kind (yep, it’s more common than you think).
Hopefully, you’ve transitioned to a new industry and are welcomed among the understood of the pack, appreciated at last.
If not, you’re probably a masochist or you just don’t know how valuable you are.
Well, my friend, if you “get it” when it comes to social media, you’re valuable.
Just go to LinkedIn, Mashable, Monster, and any other employment site and enter “social media” into the search box.
Then hold onto your geeky hat and prepare to smile.
Here’s a hint, do whatever you can to get “social media” added to your business card…
And when “they” finally come around and see how blasted wrong they were to:
- force brick and mortar metrics on you;
- bring up ROI within the first month of a “campaign”;
- sift tweets through a committee of ignorant suits;
just try to hold your fingers down and not smile too broadly… but smile!
You deserve it
Now, watch this video and enjoy, my fellow “new dork”:
If you’ve not heard the term “freemium” you’ve more than likely at least participated in one.
Have a Flickr account?
I know, it’s free… but you can always upgrade once you’re addicted, I mean “acclimated.”
Think of it as a sea change in marketing or the biggest paradigm shift marketing has seen since television.
How so?
Well, instead of getting a piece of bourbon chicken on a toothpick to entice you to buy the entree at the food court, now, you get the meal but the drink or dessert are not free.
Make sense?
You’re reading a post on a WordPress blog right now.
These blogs are free to set up and you can take advantage of 95% of what they have to offer.
But down the road, you can pay for enhanced services like video hosting, which I’ve not chosen yet.
Instead, I like the idea of tying my social media real estate together by hosting video on YouTube and embedding videos in blog posts like this one.
Keep an eye out and you’ll start to see freemiums everywhere.
@Aronado turned me onto his interview with John. I’ve read his work (because I was self-employed for 11 years and HAD to make it work… it did) but I didn’t know he did an interview with StartupLucky.
Enjoy!
John Jantsch has been called the World’s Most Practical Small Business Expert for consistently delivering real-world, proven small business marketing ideas and strategies.
John Jantsch is a marketing and digital technology coach, award winning social media publisher and author
of “Duct Tape Marketing – The World’s Most Practical Small Business Marketing Guide” published by Thomas Nelson, with foreword by Michael Gerber, author of The E-Myth and afterword by Guy Kawasaki.
He is the creator of the Duct Tape Marketing small business marketing system and Duct Tape Marketing Authorized Coach Network.
His Duct Tape Marketing Blog was chosen as a Forbes favorite for small business and marketing and is a Harvard Business School featured marketing site. His blog was also chosen as “Best Small Business Marketing Blog” in 2004, 2005 and 2006 by the readers of Marketing Sherpa.
His “Hype” column can be found monthly in Entrepreneur magazine along with his podcast on Entrepreneur.com.
He is a presenter of popular marketing workshops for organizations such as the Small Business Administration, American Marketing Association, Kauffman Foundation, Painting and Decorating Contractors of America, Associated Builders and Contractors, National Association of the Remodeling Industry and the National Association of Tax Professionals
Robert Scoble… come on… you know who he is, right?
Well, if ever there were a king guru grand poobah of social media, it’d be Scoble, aka @Scobleizer on Twitter.
And one of my dream goal is to have Robert Scoble come to me one day and say, “Chris, you da social media man!”
I can dream, can’t I?
Get tuned in to what he has to say and you’ll see a history that is unmatched because no one has his history or name recognition in the industry.
Check out Scobleizer.com, his most famous of blogs and you’ll probably wind up stuck there for hours if social media buzz is what you crave.
Dig the “From Scoble’s Lists” widget on the right side and, if you’re anything like me, you’ll get stuck.
All the best and let’s have fun on this social media journey!
Drip Marketing professionals ask “why?!”
Because I told Amy Cosper… Entrepreneur Magazine‘s Editor, and @Aronado that I would.
And, my inner serial entrepreneur can’t resist a good business idea.
Just ask me about the time I beat a multi-billion dollar business to the web-url punch.
It’s just how I roll.
Besides, am I the only one who thinks “drip marketing” sounds like a way to sell venereal disease medication?
Of course, to get technical, here is Wikipedia on drip marketing:
“Drip Marketing is a communication strategy that sends, or “drips,” a pre-written set of messages to customers or prospects over time. These messages often take the form of E-mail marketing, although other media can also be used. Drip marketing is unique from other database marketing in two ways: (1) the timing of the messages follow a pre-determined course; (2) the messages are dripped in a series applicable to a specific behavior or status of the recipient.“
That said, I’ve been sorting through online material for some upcoming industry-specific presentations related to effecting social media plans for brick-and-mortar businesses. The name came up during an online “Ask The Editor” Ustream event with Amy and this is what happened.
Since I have years of experience as a business owner (and sold a successful business) I’ve found that being able to at once speak Web 2.0-ese AND sound business-speak has been very fruitful. Many who crave “startup crack” don’t have the real-world savvy to digest delivered sales reports and determine sales person effectiveness… much less look at PPC ROI to determine quarterly ad budgets.
And I believe the name will only be easier to convey and it sounds far better than “drip marketing”, although a little sexual inuendo never hurt anyone
Note – follow this advice, then keep reading for the most valuable tools to put it all together and combine your social media efforts, saving you time.
Look around and you’ll see examples of social media being used, and mis-used, in business.
Sometimes it’s properly employed to work within a plan of action to achieve specific goals.
Other times, it’s part of a “slap it on the wall and see what sticks” approach (not that it’s entirely bad, just not ideal).
But what happens if you really do make some rain and get those coveted click-throughs?
Is your team ready to respond quickly with a coherent plan of action?
Here are 5 tips to put to use immediately.
Refer to my other post about speed if you think you are handling web leads properly (hint: if you take longer than 5 minutes to reply to an email, you’re moving too slow.)
1 – Use geographically-specific terms in your posts
If you have a local business in Milwaukee, include the following things in your posts and on your website – Milwaukee, your zip code, your suburb (West Allis, etc…), even street names. You can’t expect for a moment that vague terms will get you into Google’s top 10, which is where I live (Google’s Top 10, not Milwaukee) and where everyone who wants to do serious business online wants to be.
Here’s a basic example:
Flooring business in Alexandria, VA on S. Pickett Street, 22304.
You’d be amazed how often zip codes are used for searches.
2 – Employ a call to action
What is going to trigger someone to click?
Give them an answer, a compelling “why?”
It’s always fun to uncover information and explore.
3 – Include a hyperlink to more information Once you get someone clicking, focus the clicks on where you want them to go.
You can lead, so you should, once you’ve gotten someone’s attention.
For example: Click HERE to see more.
In this case, clicking the above link simply opens this same post in another window so you can keep reading.
4 – Whenever possible, use video
Google ranks video high, and it’s just more interesting than text.
The web is a very silent place and you can use video to stand out.
If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video is worth more.
And a little music never hurt anyone…
5 – Be interesting
This one goes without saying. Everyone who knows me or my business knows that I skydive, have a purebred German Shepherd, 3 fantastic kids, am a former Marine… Get the picture? People are looking for commonality… some way to connect with you. Give it to them and don’t be shy.
6 – Spell check… I had to put this one in. Although you can use purposeful misspelling as a traffic-generating tactic, it can also backfire.
Once you’ve got them down, start using Seesmic,HootSuite or TweetDeck to really bring it all together.
You’ll then be able to coordinate your different social media efforts from one place.
Go for it and send me some examples!
All the best,
