Find Your Pot o' Gold!

     It's St. Patrick's day, so we're all hoping for a bit o' the luck o' the Irish!   That's well and good when you're hoping someone will stand you a pint of Guinness, but you can't rely on luck ENTIRELY and hope to move your business forward in the online world.
     Herewith, we present some tried and tested tips for helping you compete in your business social media dealings.

1)  Get around.  Your online brand presence is not just your window to the world...it's the window through which the world sees YOU.  Drive your conversations to what your business needs - after all, you know best!  (Unless you are Netflix or Bank of America, but enough on that subject)

2) Quality vs. quantity.   This is a no-brainer.  Quality always wins.  Again, your online presence is your 24/7/365 representative.  It had better look good.  Better a smaller amount of really, really good stuff...than overwhelming your audience with a ton of bad stuff.  Think about it, and think about the websites you follow, then act accordingly.

3)  Content matters.  This goes hand in hand with number 2 above.  Keep that content fresh and relevant.  Honestly, is there ANYTHING as annoying as a website or communication system that hasn't been updates in months?  (Please don't say anything about THIS communication, I know it's been since February, but hey, I do other things, too!)

4)  Stay true to your message.   You're not the only one out there who can spot a fake a mile off.  Figure out what you want to say, say it, then say it again.  And again.  And again.

5)  Video is your friend.  Use multimedia efforts in your website and in your communications.  People expect it, it's easy to do and you'll reap benefits.  For example, why tell someone how your company refinishes flooring, when you can SHOW them?  Think of your multimedia as a movie trailer - you want to entice people into seeing the WHOLE PICTURE.

Follow these five tips, and faith and b'gorra, you'll soon find yourself discovering a pot o' gold - and maybe a lucky leprechaun or two in the bargain!

Twitter and the Telegram

     Is Twitter a part of your business social media plan?  It needs to be.  The latest figures show there are some 100 million active users.
     Now, granted, you can only Tweet a message of 140 characters or less, so economy and phrasing of message are paramount here.  For over 155 years, a telegram would have been the closest thing to Twitter.  Economy and phrasing of message ruled, since most telegram carriers charged by the word.  A Tweet costs nothing in the relative scheme of things, but that's still no reason to be a Chatty Cathy in its use.
     That being said, what's the best use of Twitter in your business social media portfolio?   Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey opines that "Social is just one part of what we do.  We think of it as an information utility...you don't have to tweet at all.  The biggest value is finding out what's happening in your world in real time."
     Use Twitter to promote your brand and get your message out to your followers.  Use it in conjunction with email campaigns and other methods of business social media. 140 characters can cover a lot of ground if you map out your message and get right to the point.  Unlike the old school telegram, Twitter is instant, is delivered to millions of people at the same time, and has virtually no costs associated.
     Oh, and if you're still old school, I have some bad news --Western Union shut down its telegram services on January 31, 2006.

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Brave New World

   

   2012 is here!  I hope everyone's year is getting off to a great start.  I enjoyed taking some downtime during the holidays, but now it's back to work on a new year of business social media blogging.

   First, "Cyber Monday" following "Black Friday" was huge.  More money was spent on that day than on Black Friday -- which should be a warning shot to everyone not practising their business social media.  If you're not online, you're offline.  And that means you're flatlined.  DOA.  Kaput.  Finished.

   More people than ever are connected via smart phones.  There is just NO EXCUSE for any business not to have a cyber presence in 2012.  Is your website up to speed and updated?  Are you sending out emails to customers and prospects?  Are you giving them a reason to click on your site?

   Advertising Age's digital magazine lists five facts to look for in social media this year.  The full article can and should be read here:  http://adage.com/article/digitalnext/social-media-facts-bank-2012/231859/

   For the quick takeaway, here's what to expect in 2012 from writer Matt Wurst.

  1) Facebook is going to continue to evolve.  The major fracas over changes a couple of months ago has quieted down now, but there are more changes on the way.  If you don't keep up with them, you're going to be more lost than the cast of a past show that crash landed on a desert island.

  2)  Google+ has passed the 65 million user mark.  Still not up with Facebook, but certainly a force to be reckoned with this year.  Is Google+ really something you should be interested in?  Well, think about this: When was the last time you heard someone say "I'll Facebook it" when they were looking for information?

  3)  It's time to get serious about paid media support for your Facebook and other pages.  A media strategy that combines fan acquisition and fan engagement tactics is now a must-have.

  4)  Mobile, mobile, mobile.  Your customers are no longer tied down to a home computer.  They haven't been for some time now, but the massive move toward smartphones has really set them free.  They expect to get things from you EVERYWHERE, and that means EVERYWHERE THEY ARE AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT.  Time is money?  Yes, but mobility is more money.

   5)  Lead, follow, or get out of the way.  It's an old saying, but it's true in today's digital business social media world.  You cannot set your yearly outlook and then stick with it no matter what.  It's got to change and adapt moment by moment.  Tattoo this thought on your soul:  business social media is a LIVING BEING that is CONSTANTLY in a STATE OF FLUX.   A shark that stops swimming sinks - and a business that stops monitoring their digital business will follow suit.

   Have a great and prosperous 2012, and keep your business social media running at full speed!   

Let's Make a Deal!!!!

     In these wonderful economic times, who doesn't want a good deal?  Your customers certainly do and they are looking for you to provide it through your business social media.
   
     A recent study posted in Online Media Daily says that deals remain the top economic driver to bring people to business social media postings.
   
     The study, by Nielsen/McKinsey's NM Incite reveals that a whopping 60% of Americans hit social networks looking for coupons and other promotional bargains.  Of that number, 23% say they do it on a weekly basis!  And maybe you thought only Donald Trump was interested in the art of the deal!  Need more proof of the interest in the search for a good deal?  Did you pay attention to Groupon's IPO on NASDAQ?
   
     On a global basis, consumers of all ages said that getting discounts and special offers was their main reason for liking or following a brand.  (Remember in the past we've discussed your need to get out their on Facebook and Twitter?  Are you there yet?)
   
     There is one demographic item of note in the study:  consumers aged 55 - 59 and those under the age of 20 were less likely to follow brands for this reason - but these folks are NOT the biggest spenders for most brands, either.
   
    Here's the real kicker, though.  Across a study of ten major markets, including the United States, what do you think is going on with these business social media consumers?  Nearly 40% of these active Web users were hitting the promotion and coupon sites like Groupon and others from their home AND WORK computers this past September.  If you want more, here's the complete study. http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/161754/study-deals-remain-top-social-marketing-driver.html         

     Your online presence and your business social media effort is your most tireless salesperson, working 24/7/365.  Are you giving this dynamo the tools it needs to complete your sales?  To drive people to your site?  If not....well....

     Ever see anyone compete in NASCAR without gasoline?

     It isn't pretty.