3 CRUCIAL TIPS TO STRATEGICALLY MARKET YOUR BUSINESS VIA SOCIAL MEDIA

Over the past several years, social media marketing has become not only more sophisticated in itself, but integral to the success of the more sophisticated business. More and more businesses are becoming familiar with and are better understanding social media and how to best leverage online resources to create networks and recognize that interaction and engagement are key with respect to social media marketing.  But, in order to take it to the next steps, it’s crucial that you implement more advanced social media strategies for your business!

So, you’re already aware of how to create an online presence and you already have an online community in place.  Now what?  Here are a couple of progressive social media marketing strategies shared by technology strategist, Samir Balwani, that will be sure to further enhance your business’s bottom line:

1. Include plenty of Photos & Video in your Message – You’ve heard the phrase, “A picture is worth a thousand words”?  So true!  People are using the Internet prolifically to garner information on products and services, and that includes your customers and prospects.  They want to read all about what your business has to offer, but they also want to see photographs or videos depicting this information.  People are very visual creatures.  And, nothing completes your social networking profiles more than some visual aids.

2. Adjust Your Message to Fit the Platform – Within your social media campaign, you are no doubt making use of several of the different platforms at your disposal, namely: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Blogging.  It’s important, however, to ensure that, rather than deliver an identical message over the multiple platforms, you try to tailor your communication to each individual site.  Certain information and how it’s presented on your blog might be considered “spammy” on Facebook.  It’s crucial to customize each message to each site to ensure that your messages spread optimally.  And, customizing your messages on each site also saves your network of customers and potential customers from receiving the same communication over and over again.  You can effectively maximize your business’ potential by sending out messages customized to each social media platform.

3. Implement Strategic Sales Tactics – Strategic sales tactics can include special offers, deals and discounts that you can offer through your social media platforms.  You can effectively drive business by generating some excitement within your online community and contests are a great way to do this.  If you conduct a contest, for example, that requires those in your network to share virally with their networks (i.e. whoever garners the most comments or “likes”, etc., wins a prize – be creative – it can be just about anything from concert tickets to a vacuum cleaner), your contest is sure to go viral and guess what that means for you and your brand  In doing this, you’re literally rewarding existing and future clients, not to mention reiterating to them that you are a brand to engage with as well as a brand to buy from or do business with.

To learn more about strategic social media marketing, join one of our Social Networking for Business workshops where we’ll teach you everything you need to know to enhance your social networking experience.  For a schedule of workshops in your area, please visit: http://escomputertraining.com/courses/details/industry/2/course/20

See you there! 

8 WAYS TO MAXIMIZE YOUR BLOG’S S.E.O.

Blogs are fun to write (I love creating them!!!), informative and a great way to promote & market your brand.  But, the challenge lies in getting them found on that vast information highway we know as the internet.  As enjoyable to write as they are, your blog posts aren’t going to do much good if no one actually gets to read them.  The question is, then:  how do you maximize your blog’s SEO (search engine optimization) and drive traffic to your posts so they can serve their purpose of marketing your business.

If you run a customer-facing business – let’s say you’re a mortgage broker – then your business blog will revolve around offering information and advice on all things mortgage.  When someone in your locale is looking for information on obtaining a mortgage, the first order of business will be to conduct a Google search.  What you want to ideally do is ensure that your blog ranks among the first two or three search results – or at least in the top 5!  If you’re way down at number 610, no one is going to find you. Over time and with some good old-fashioned work & polish, there’s no reason in the world that you won’t rank in the top 5!! 

Here are a few concepts to keep in mind that will be sure to maximize your blog’s SEO:  

1. Maximize your Links:

One of the most vital elements that you need to be aware of in order to garner that all-important search engine optimization, is “link maximizing”.  In plain English:  it’s imperative that you amplify as much as possible the number of links drifting around out there that direct people to your blog.  There are a few ways in which to accomplish this. You can add a link to your forum signature or forum block; you can submit links on website directories; you can trade links or you can even purchase links. 

But remember, it’s also crucial that you use the right link name.  If you’re a mortgage broker, examples of links that you should use are:  “top-notch mortgage advice” or “hot mortgage tips for first time homebuyers” or “mortgage numbers demystified”.  You get the idea.

2. Keep it Fresh and Engaging:

In order for your blog to be and remain successful, you need to keep it updated on a veryregular basis.  If you start to get a following and don’t post anything for over a month, it’s going to get stale; people are going to stop visiting and move on to find their info elsewhere.  Remember:  the more frequently you update, the more easily people will be able to find your blog on search engines, because search engines will more readily recognize your blog.

But, keep in mind that quality counts just as much as quantity.  Keep it interesting and engaging.  Your posts should encompass content that will appeal to your visitors – they’re reading your material for a reason and you want to maintain your audience.  

3. Create a Domain Name of Your Very Own:

Buying your own domain name is a really good idea if you’re serious about your blog and increasing its traffic.  Create a domain name that is easy for people to remember (size does matter – the shorter the better in this case) and that is relevant to your blog posts. 

4. Source Out and Follow other Top Bloggers:

Look for other bloggers in your industry genre and contribute by commenting on their posts.  Ensure that your comments are relevant, informative and that they intelligently enhance the content.  Also ensure that you include a directive link to your own blog, so that they’ll check you out, too!

5. Respond to Comments on Your Blog Posts:

Speaking of commenting on blog posts, when you do start to receive traffic to your blog and people comment, it’s essential that you respond in kind – this will assure your readers that you value their opinions and will establish a sense of loyalty between you and your readers.

6. Include Labels or Tags on Your Posts:

Once you’ve written your content, take the time to add a few labels or tags (these are keywords) to your posts.  Tags are easily recognized by search engines, much like links. This will be sure to drive additional traffic to your blog as tags are an excellent way of assisting readers in finding your blog when they use search engines.  To that end, ensure also that the tags or keywords are used as plentifully as possible throughout your blog posts as these words must be incorporated within your content for Google to consider recognizing the posts.  For example, if you use the word “finances” a lot throughout your post, ensure that you include that exact word “finances”  and not the words “financial planning” as a tag.  Likewise, if you use the term “retirement planning” plentifully within your post, make sure that you use that term as a tag and not just the word “retire” or even just the word  “retirement”.   And, bear in mind when writing your content, what keywords or terms readers will use to search for an article such as the one you’re writing – then use those words or terms as abundantly as possible and, of course as tags.

7. Syndicate Your Content with an RSS Feed:

It’s a good idea to set up an RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed tab on your blog. Doing so will make it easy to alert readers when you publish fresh content.  (You can use Feedburner or Feedblitz to do this.  Visit their websites for more information on how to share an RSS feed.)

8. Make the Most of Your Other Social Networking Sites:

To really leverage social media as a means of effectively marketing your business, you should (if you don’t already) also be making use of other platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.  Each of these networks offers you the opportunity to post content about and promote your blog posts.  And, again – don’t forget to include a link.

Above are just some of the ways you can maximize your blog’s SEO.  For a complete, informative lesson on “all things blog”, why not join one of our Social Media for Business workshops and we’ll help get you on the heavily trafficked road to a successful blog!  For a schedule of workshops in your area, please visit:

http://www.escomputertraining.com/courses/details/industry/2/course/20

SOCIAL MEDIA AND TAXES: The Two Constants in Life

We are upon the season that we all love (Yes, spring is coming, but that’s not what this blog is about-sorry.)  It’s tax season!  Pardon me; I couldn’t help the sarcastic tone. 

If you’re a financial advisor trying to help clients out with their taxes, social media is a very effective means of getting your messages / tips to people.  Through the wonders of social media, you can:   

- provide tips on tax planning

- provide tips on how to save for taxes

-provide tips on filling out tax forms

- make suggestions on how to receive the highest return possible

- inform clients of changes to tax laws and policies

- And so much more!!

Social media technology allows you to reach a wide audience to easily spread your messages.  Use Facebook and Twitter to post useful information and have conversations with people. Post links to websites or articles that you think might be useful.  Use your blog to impart more in-depth information – as a how-to forum or an explanation of something that requires more space than Twitter or Facebook allow.  And, don’t forget to link your blog / Facebook page / Twitter account.

According to an ExactTarget blog post by Kyle Sollenberger, “…tax preparation service TurboTax® …used CoTweet to streamline their approach to Twitter presence and enhance customer service with a response time of just four minutes. With CoTweet, TurboTax was able to generate measurable business results, including:

·         48% effectiveness in helping complete tax returns

·         46% follower rate of Twitter users specifically seeking tax help

·         71% likelihood of customers to recommend TurboTax

(CoTweet is an application used to help business teams manage one or more Twitter accounts.)

Social media are powerful and necessary in today’s market.  In a customer-facing business such as finance or insurance, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to make strides towards company strength and development without the use of these tools.  To learn more, we’d love to see you at one of our Social Networking for Business workshops, where we’ll show you how to make the most of social media to drive your business!  Just click on the following link for a schedule of workshops in your area: 

http://www.escomputertraining.com/courses/details/industry/2/course/20

MORTGAGE NEWS YOUR CLIENTS NEED TO KNOW

It looks like mortgage rates are on the rise!  Is a fixed rate now more economical than a variable rate?  As a mortgage specialist, this is the type of crucial information that your clients and prospects need to know!  Are you using social media as tools for communicating with your clients and prospects?  If not, you should be!  You can bet that your clients are on social media and what better way to connect with them?                 

An article on the December 6, 2011 edition of thestar.com spelled out how there has been, over the past few months, an increase among variable-rate mortgages and that experts are currently predicting that this will remain the case.  The article cites information from Kerri-Lynn McAllister, community manager at RateHub.ca. 

Ms. McAllister is quoted as saying that, “A few months ago, there was basically a one per cent spread between fixed and variable.   Now it’s .2 or .3.” 

Ms. McAllister maintains that the reason for the rise is at least partially due to the fact that , since mortgage rates have been so low, banks have had difficulty making any money. 

And, although fixed rates could also be slated for an eventual increase, the question seems to be:  Is it now better to go for a fixed rate than the traditionally more economical variable rate?  According to Ms. McAllister, fixed rates now seem to be the way to go.

Joseph Haimowitz, principal economist at the economic think tank, Conference Board of Canada, expects, however, that fixed mortgage rates could rise by as much as .25 per cent by the middle of 2012.  But, according to Robert McLister, editor of Mortgage Rate Trends, it appears that, for at least the foreseeable future, discount variable rate mortgages, which tend to offer rates half a per cent or more below prime, are no longer.

Something to think about!  And, to definitely inform your clients about.  Get connected today on social media.  Let us show you how.  Why not join one of our Social Media for Business workshops and we’ll teach you how to best leverage social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Blogging for your business’ marketing strategy.  Just click on the following link for a schedule of workshops in your area:

http://www.escomputertraining.com/courses/details/industry/2/course/20

SAFE WINTER DRIVING – ARE YOUR CLIENTS READY?

Winter is almost here again.  Now’s the time for you to let your clients know how to get ready for a safe, accident-free season! 

The most common types of serious accidents that occur on our winter roads include:

·         Rollover   accidents                                                       

·         Rear-end collisions

·         Pedestrian-automobile accidents

·         Collisions with man-made objects (i.e. telephone poles, highway medians, etc.)

There are three key things, according to Ontario’s Ministry of Transportation, that people can do to ensure that they are driving as safely as possible:  Stay alert, slow down and stay in control.  It’s essential to drive according to the weather / road conditions – slow down on snow and ice.  And, always maintain a safe distance between you and the vehicle in front of you in case you have to brake suddenly on a slippery road.  If your car unfortunately does start to spin out of control, it is recommended that you put it into neutral and look & steer where you want to go – this gives the car a chance to stop spinning and to regain traction on the road.  It is not recommended that you panic and slam on your brakes (as so many of us tend to do). 

Most of it sounds obvious, doesn’t it?  But, there are so many people out there that just don’t adhere to safety guidelines.

Accidents are accidents and sometimes occur without human error.  There are, however, ways that you can limit your chances of being a winter driving accident victim – simple things to get your car winter-ready:

1.       Invest in Winter Tires – so much safer for our potentially harsh Canadian winter road conditions.

2.       Replace your Wiper Blades – wear and tear can render them ineffective and when you can’t see out your windshield due to the slush and salt mixture being projected there, you’re in real trouble.

3.       Ensure that your Windshield Fluid is Always Topped Up – for the same reason as in point #2.

4.       Have your Brakes Inspected – this is so important in any weather!

5.       Ensure that your battery is up to snuff – car batteries have a four to six year life expectancy and they tend to produce less power in cold weather.  It’s recommended that batteries be replaced approximately every four years to reduce that chances that you’ll wind up stranded somewhere because your car won’t start in the cold.

6.       Get your Vehicle in for a Maintenance Check-Up – let a professional give your car a once over just to make sure that it’s ready for the tough winter ahead.  When things are worn, severe weather conditions will tip them over the edge and that causes breakdowns.  Prevent this - don’t get stuck!

As an insurance professional, it’s more important than ever at this time of year to get the word out to your clients about the hazards of winter driving and how they can stay safe.  Social media is the fastest and most effective way of doing that. Get your messages out to your clients on Facebook, Twitter and via your Blog!  Please let me know what you think in our comments section below, about the content suggestion I’ve shared with you!

And, why not join us at one of our Social Networking for Business workshops - we’ll show you how to effectively communicate need-to-know information to your potential and existing clients so everyone stays safe this winter!

For more information, please visit:  http://www.escomputertraining.com/courses/details/industry/2/course/20

AS AN ADVISOR, COMMUNICATION IS PARAMOUNT: THINK SOCIAL MEDIA

As a financial advisor, how often do you think it’s prudent to be in touch with your clients?  How important do you think it is to impart crucial information, keeping your clients up to date regarding what’s relevant to them? 

Did you know that 65 per cent of Canadian investors have not been contacted by their firms in the past year with respect to product or service offerings?  This fact cites the recently released results of a 2011 survey conducted by J.D. Power & Associates, which posed a question to 5600 investors as to level of satisfaction with their firms.  It would appear that many respondents are underwhelmed with respect to investor communication.

Other findings of the survey include that four in 10 respondents had had no discussion with their advisors that resulted in appropriate alterations to their portfolios.  Furthermore, almost 30 per cent have disclosed that their advisors had not given them any effective indication as to why their portfolios are performing as they are.

Clients that feel neglected are ripe for poaching!  Some might move portions of or even their entire portfolios elsewhere.  How can you stay closer to your clients and keep that mindshare?  The easiest and most efficient way is to adopt Social Networking tools such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Blogs into your marketing and client service strategy.

Overall satisfaction with full-service firms was rated on a score of 1000, with the average being 733 – and this is down from one year ago.   Regular contact & communication between advisors and investors is imperative in order to maintain greater investor satisfaction. One of the simplest and most effective ways of achieving this is through social media.  Social media is all about contact / customer relations management. 

Join one of our Social Media for Business Workshops to make the most of the various social networking platforms and better serve your customers.  For further information and a schedule of our workshops, please visit:

http://www.escomputertraining.com/courses/details/industry/2/course/20 

INSURANCE PROS REACH MORE CLIENTS & PROSPECTS THROUGH BLOGGING

I was looking the other day for some information regarding a couple of insurance questions I had, and like most people, the first thing I did was conduct a Google search.  As an avid blogger, I fully understand and advocate the power of blogging for the business professional.  But, wow – you insurance pros are really up on the blogs!!  I was amazed and excited to see how many insurance blogs there are out there and how informative and interesting some of them are.

For those insurance professionals who have not yet begun to take advantage of blogging to drive business and reach more clients and prospects, I have just one question for you:  What are you waiting for???

Blogging is a very useful tool for insurance professionals to employ if your end game is to reach more clients and prospects.  Blogging should be an integral part of any social media campaign.  And, no, you don’t have to be Ernest Hemingway to blog.  You just have to know your stuff and write about it on a regular basis so your clients and prospects find you the next time they have insurance related questions and conduct a search on Google to obtain their information. 

Blogging provides you with an opportunity to showcase your smarts about all things insurance and it builds within your clients and prospects a sense of trust and reliability in you.  Wouldn’t you like to be the go-to -expert for these people? 

Okay, I know what your next question is going to be:  What in the world do I blog about?

Well, I can help you there.  As aforementioned, people have questions about insurance and their policies all the time.  What are some of the most frequently asked questions that you hear?  Jot them down and, voila!! blog content ideas abound.  Still need more?  One of my gurus, Chris Brogan, noted author and marketing consultant, created a list of 100 blog topics to write about, and below, I will share with you 50 of them:

1.       Why I love being an insurance agent

2.       What are your agency’s values

3.       How is trust earned

4.       Improving the insurance industry’s image

5.       My favorite social network and why

6.       How can agencies help the community

7.       What are “named perils”

8.       Obscure auto, home, or other insurance discounts

9.       Customer service vs. sales culture

10.   My favorite news sources

11.   I helped someone by…

12.   Spotlight local non-profit or charity event

13.   Importance of agency goals

14.   Pet and wedding insurance, when and why

15.   Insurance provider news

16.   High or low deductibles, the logic behind both

17.   I am motivated by…

18.   Attracting millennial talent to agencies

19.   Secret world of annuities

20.   An interview with someone older and deserving

21.   When to drop collision on your auto insurance

22.   Promo for business insurance client

23.   What (insert favorite show/movie) can teach you about insurance

24.   Comment on local news story

25.   Biggest misconception about insurance

26.   What “helping” means to me professionally

27.   Difference between “actual cash value” and “replacement cost”

28.   Publicly answer a client’s question (chances are someone else is wondering too)

29.   Why I love my community

30.   Small business marketing tips

31.   Common business insurance claims

32.   Advantages of agency over online insurance

33.   When is saving money NOT a value

34.   What is property cost evaluation

35.   Factors that affect health and life insurance coverage

36.   Testimonial for a vendor

37.   What you need to know about pet insurance and biting dogs

38.   Highlight benefits of local insurance trade organization

39.   Thank you blog to existing clients

40.   Weekly stories from the road

41.   A day in the life of an insurance agent

42.   My favorite hometown landmark

43.   Does my roommate need renter’s insurance too?

44.   Historic person I’d like to interview

45.   The importance of a proper greeting

46.   Local insurance risks (weather, crime, etc.)

47.   Video tour of the office

48.   When is umbrella insurance necessary

49.   My favorite social media users

50.   Blog topics I’d like to read

Be creative and remember, it doesn’t have to be all business all the time.  A funny story or anecdote makes for a great blog, too!  Have some fun with it and keep it engaging and you’ll see just how easy and profitable blogging can be! 

Happy blogging – and, if you want to learn more or need help getting started, why not join one of our Social Media for Business workshops and we’ll teach you everything you need to know to reach more clients and prospects through blogging. 

For a schedule of workshops in your area, please visit:  http://www.escomputertraining.com/courses/details/industry/2/course/20

INCREASE YOUR MORTGAGE BUSINESS’ BOTTOM LINE WITH BLOGS

Blogging is probably the most underrated of all the social media.  Everyone has a Facebook account; everybody tweets and, as a mortgage professional, you hopefully have a LinkedIn profile set up by now (if not, then you’ll need to see some of my other blogs extolling the virtues of LinkedIn for the business professional).  But, blogging, although certainly coming into its own more and more, is not a social medium that as many people take advantage of as should.

Blogging is an excellent way to further develop your online presence as a means of establishing your brand.  In fact, your blog is, arguably, your brand!  Creating a blog and maintaining it by posting regularly is a great way to put yourself out there and demonstrate to your clients and prospects that you are a cut above the competition. 

Your blog positions you as the industry expert – one who truly takes the time to educate and impart crucial knowledge on others.  It’s really not enough anymore to simply post information on your website – your website is not updated on regular basis and it’s simply not feasible to include a wealth of updated information within your website.  A blog will offer you the capability of thoroughly branding yourself and lets you make a marked impression on everyone who reads it.  This, in turn, builds a sense of trust and reliability in you and your services.

Blogs are furthermore a great way of generating traffic and establishing your business online.  It’s therefore imperative that you post updated, fresh content on a habitual and frequent basis.  This will ensure SEO (Search Engine Optimization) for your brand, making you more visible to existing & potential clients, again, positioning you as the authority of the mortgage industry.

And, best of all, blogging, unlike traditional advertising & promotional methods and maintaining a website, will cost you nothing other than your time.  Yes, your time is valuable, but once you get going and start to become established, you’ll soon find that you have so many brilliant ideas for content, that you’ll actually have some fun with it! 

If you really want to look like a pro, try including some photos and/or videos within your blog posts.  Visually enhancing your blog will add an element of depth and increase interest among your audience.  You can use educational videos or photos illustrating your content as visual aids. 

To fully boost your SEO, be social!  Don’t forget to include links to your blog on your Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts.  Doing so will substantially increase traffic to your blog and, of course, your brand.

So, go ahead – get started, because the sooner you do, the sooner people will be searching you out for information on all things mortgage!   Need some help?  Just join one of our Social Media for Business workshops and we’ll teach you all you need to know to put together a truly remarkable blog that will be sure to ultimately increase your bottom line! 

Please visit  http://www.escomputertraining.com/courses/details/industry/2/course/20  for a schedule of upcoming workshops in your area!

FINANCIAL ADVISORS NOW USING SOCIAL MEDIA

The world of finance has been making great strides with respect to embracing social media as a form of cultivating strong customer relationships and maintaining powerful brand loyalty.  Only a short time ago, the financial community approached social media with some reluctance and reservation, in large part due to privacy concerns. 

As misconceptions regarding the nature of social media have over time been dispelled, the financial advisor is now more apt to be in tune with the diversity of the social media options and the resources each has to offer.

In contrast to traditional marketing and websites, which enable only a one-directional flow of communication to or ‘at’ the customer, social media allow users to interact with a brand, in turn, building a further sense of community and a much stronger sense of brand awareness and loyalty.  For you, the financial professional, social media have become a crucial means of diversifying marketing strategies and growing your business and customer network.

Online communities such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are currently the most productive ways of meeting prospects and maintaining contact with existing customers.  Yes, it’s imperative to invest some time and effort in creating and managing your social media accounts and profiles, but time is virtually the only thing you do have to invest – social media are of very little to no financial cost – but the benefits are nothing short of astronomical!  With over 20 million Canadians currently on Facebook and over 200 million tweets being posted per day on Twitter, just think about the implications these numbers have for your business.  Ten to 1, more of your customers and prospects than you think are connected and that means you should be too!!

Facebook can undoubtedly propel your business to the forefront of the financial industry.  By setting up a Facebook ‘Fan Page’ in addition to your profile, you are creating a stronger online presence for your business as well as enhancing its reputation. There are various uses for a fan page – i.e.: creating events; starting discussion posts; running social ads; sending simultaneous messages to everyone and viewing your page statistics – just to name a few.  Facebook truly is an exceptionally useful tool.

Twitter is a great way of distributing short, relevant bursts of information to an extremely wide audience.  To generate some buzz for your business, simply tweet away on its virtues to create interest and entice prospects to want to check out your Facebook page (you can link the accounts so that they’re interactive) and your website.  Twitter is a terrific means of support for your Facebook account, your website and your Blog (see below).

A LinkedIn profile is highly recommended, as LinkedIn has categorically become the number one connection-based referral source for business professionals.  LinkedIn is in fact the only one of the social networking sites that is truly exclusive to the business professional.  A LinkedIn profile is a crucial element within your social media campaign.

Perhaps the most meaningful of the social media in terms of the financial professional, is the Blog.  What can a blog do for you and your business? It can generate buzz as you blog to relay relevant financial news and information to your clients and prospects – information that they will find very useful.  You’ll look like the hero – the veritable go-to guru for all things financial!  A blog is a functional tool for building trust between you and your customers & prospects – a forum within which you can be as creative and descriptive as you wish. Have some fun!

For those still wary about the risks involved with marketing via social media, consider the unprecedented intelligence gathering prospects these platforms offer. The ability to better understand customer requirements and preferences is one of the strongest arguments for financial advisors to join the millions already connected within the realm of social media.

As you ponder, remember that delaying your foray into social media will not serve you well – while you’re waiting, your competitors are proceeding and evolving, establishing themselves as the experts in the financial industry.  To avoid the battle of winning over your competitors’ followers, let us help you get connected today! 

For a schedule of our full-day, hands-on Social Media for Business workshops, please just click here http://www.escomputertraining.com/courses/details/industry/2/course/20 and we’ll get you started!