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! 

FACEBOOK VALUED AT IN EXCESS OF 100 BILLION DOLLARS

“Facebook was just valued at $103 billion in a final private-market trade before the IPO.”

     – businessinsider.com - March 31, 2012

Wow!  I wonder if Mark Zuckerberg had even the faintest idea in October of 2003, when he first wrote Facemash (the predecessor to Facebook) that the little site he was to develop would take the world by storm to become the most prevalent social networking platform on the planet.  Anyone who has seen David Fincher’s brilliant film, The Social Network, can tell you that Facemash was first implemented as a means of comparing photographs of Harvard students to one another to discover who was the “hotter” of the two people in the compared photos.  A little crude?  Yes.  Kind of mean?  Definitely.  Facemash, however, according to Wikipedia, garnered 450 visitors and 22,000 photo views within its first few hours online.  And, once Zuckerberg wrote the code for Facebook in 2004, well… the rest, as they say, is history.                

Facebook today, is a medium that few people do without.  And, from a business standpoint, as any forward-thinking professional can attest to, Facebook is the vehicle to employ.  I’ve heard it said that if you’re not connected on social media these days, you simply don’t exist.  It’s an attitude worth considering in terms of your business, especially given the fact that Facebook will soon be able to pride itself on garnering over 1 billion users across the globe!

If you’d like some help getting started on Facebook as well as the other most prominent social networking sites, we’d love to see you at one of our Social Networking for Business workshops.  We’ll help you to create and/or optimize your social media accounts to best complement and advance your business.  For a schedule of workshops in your area, please click here: http://www.escomputertraining.com/courses/details/industry/2/course/20

5 THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND WHILE USING SOCIAL MEDIA FOR YOUR INSURANCE BUSINESS

Ah, the wonders of social media … imagine your insurance business optimized to its full potential.  Are you taking advantage of everything social media have to offer?  If you are, you’re on the road to a finely tuned operation and will be able to offer the ultimate in client care.  There are a few points you should bear in mind, however, to really take your social networking strategy to the next level!  

1. Your business should have a personality that shines through on social networking sites.  One of the most integral aspects to social media is that they enable you to bring forth your business’ human side.  Your business needs to be more than just a money-making operation – it needs a personality and a passion – and social networking is the most effective means of letting your clients and prospects know that your business’ perspective is a human one and its passion is client satisfaction.  Use social media to communicate ‘to’ and ‘with’, rather than ‘at’ your audience.

2. Really get to know your audience by listening to what they have to say.  Let them do more of the talking while you do more of the listening.  Social networking is nothing if not a great way to get to know people.  Take the time to visit your Facebook page, Twitter account, LinkedIn account and your blog‘s comments section at least a couple of times a day to hear what people are saying.  Listen to the good, the bad and the ugly and make sure that you respond to people where required in a timely manner.  Ask questions that provoke people to share information about themselves so you can get to know them better and anticipate what their needs are.

3. Build awareness and trust at the same time.  Of course you want people to know what you and your business can offer.  Social media allow you to get your message out there and to build brand awareness, while at them - keep the dialogue going, and showcase your industry knowledge all the while allowing them to believe and trust in you.  Social media allow you to become indispensible to your clients by giving them access to you 24/7.

4. Remember that social media are interactive and people will be sharing their opinions – good, bad or indifferent.  Use what people have to say a learning experience and as a means of changing and growing your business.  People’s opinions are important information for you to have and social media provide the best means for people to relay their messages.  Again, ensure that you address and respond to people where warranted.

5. Focus on generating “word of mouth” buzz by delivering engaging, relevant and useful content.  Be helpful and informative when engaging in conversations with your audience.  People will appreciate it and spread the word about your expertise and professionalism within the industry.  Social media make it very easy to do this.

Need help getting your social media endeavors on track?  Why not join one of our Social Media for Business workshops.  Just click on the following link for a schedule of upcoming workshops in your area!

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

PROMOTE YOUR BUSINESS WITH FACEBOOK EVENTS

Planning a special event?  An event is a great way to promote your business and Facebook makes event planning and promoting easy (whether the event is real or virtual).  Facebook Events allows you to organize gatherings, respond to invitations and is a valuable way of keeping up with what your friends are doing.  An Event can be anything from a store’s new location opening, to an Open House, to a charitable fundraiser sponsored by your business.  An Event can be used as a fundamental way to generate business.

A Facebook Event is a useful tool for exposure, for fostering new and existing relationships, for generating sales and for sponsorship opportunities.

Example:  Say you’ve just started up in the real estate industry and you want to generate some buzz with a wine & cheese soirée.  Great start and an effective way to promote your new business! 

To Create Your Event: 

Clicking on the Events link brings you to a page listing upcoming events you`ve been invited to.  Clicking on an event will bring you to the event’s page, and will allow you to RSVP and see details such as the event’s time, location, and a list of invitees.  Clicking on Past Events will display a list of events you’ve previously been invited to.

To create your own event, click on Events at left on your homepage

Then, click on Create Event

It’s simple and fast.   Just fill out all of the relevant info.  Note the Add Event Photo option on the left.  And, you can add videos as well!

Once you have added a time and location, your event is created.

You can invite any of your Facebook friends to your Event, or you can invite people that are not connected on Facebook by simply entering their email addresses in the box on the Guest List tab of the Edit Event page.  You can invite as many people as you would like to an Event, however you can invite only 100 people at a time.  You can also make the event completely public so that anyone on Facebook can see the Event and sign up to attend.  People like to be invited to things – it makes them feel they’re a part of something. 

A good idea is to promote your event via Twitter and your blog as well.  Tell people all about it, especially if it’s open to the public (always a good idea when promoting a business). 

Once you’ve got your party started, it’s up to you!!  Work that room. 

See how easy it is to create an event all of your own on Facebook?  Just remember, you don’t want to overdo – a strategically timed event can be great for business, however, you don’t want to start scheduling them once a week – people will get bored. 

To learn how to effectively create interesting, successful events, why not join one of our Social Networking for Business workshops and we’ll teach you everything you need to know about Facebook Events, Facebook in general and all things Social Media!  Just click on the link below 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 

HARNESS THE POWER OF FACEBOOK & WATCH YOUR MORTGAGE BUSINESS FLOURISH

I ran into someone I went to university with a couple of weeks ago, and as we were both pressed for time and not able to catch up for more than a nano-second, we agreed to hook up (translation in Facebook speak: “Friend” each other) on Facebook.  We didn’t exchange business cards, telephone numbers or any other form of contact information, I simply asked if she was on Facebook, she replied that she was and we have since been in constant contact on this most fascinating of Social Media platforms.

Since we did not have a chance to even find out what the other was doing in terms of employment the day I saw her on the street, I was actually a bit surprised to find out that she was a big-time, very successful mortgage broker!  I was impressed.  But, even more impressed were two of my other Facebook friends, who both happened to be in the market for mortgages – one, a first-time buyer and the other, looking to renew.

Upon viewing Maddy’s Facebook Page, both of my friends have now hooked up with her and are pleased with the job she is doing for them.  Maddy has thanked me for the business, but in reality, I had nothing to do with setting her up with my other friends – that was all through the power of Facebook.  And, Maddy, like any other progressive-thinking mortgage broker, was smart enough to optimize a Facebook business page to help her business succeed.  And, voila – I saw how networking on Facebook worked for her firsthand!  Maddy has been singing the praises of something about which I already knew, being in the business of social media – that she obtains over half of her business via social media platforms, most specifically, Facebook.

So, if you’re new to the social media game, why not consider harnessing the power of Facebook to increase your bottom line?  Here are some unique advantages of Facebook marketing for the mortgage professional:

1. Facebook provides you with exposure to a very wide network of potential clients – Rather than being an annoyance, trying to “sell” your business to random people, you become a welcome “friend”. Facebook allows you to get in front of your existing clients’ friends as well as your referral partners’ friends and all of their families, colleagues, associates and clients, too – and it allows you to position & intersperse your marketing message alongside the Facebook updates of all of the people in your network and theirs!  Facebook closes the gap between blatant advertising and the social connection that you have with people.  It allows for social interaction, while at the same time, still relaying your message in terms of your products/services and what you can do for these people.

2. Facebook enables viral marketing – Use Facebook to send out your industry news, updates & tips to your friends and fans – and in doing so, you are able to have your message posted to the same News Feed that these people check out on a daily basis to find out what’s going on with their Facebook friends. There’s magnificent power in that, as it is customary among Facebook users to “share” things they “like” with their friends, therefore allowing your messages to spread virally, reaching hundreds of people you would not have otherwise been able to connect with if not for the viral essence of Facebook marketing.

3. Facebook allows you build a vast network of “friends” and “fans” – Facebook is all about building a following for your business – a following of people whom you like and trust and who feel the same way about you.  As a mortgage professional, it’s essential for you to grow your following to as many people as you can in order to gain the highest level of connection and trust possible.  Remember, once you gain mindshare, bank account share is soon to follow!  And how do you gain mindshare?  You simply keep in touch with frequency and repetition, all the while providing helpful information, tips and insight that enrich the lives of the people in your Facebook network.

4. Facebook is completely free of charge and can be very profitable if used correctly – Have you ever spent a ton of money on traditional advertising only to attract rate shoppers and to later realize that the ROI was not as lucrative as you had expected?  Well, what have you got to lose by setting up a Facebook account and creating a business or fan page (see below)?  All you have to invest is your time in optimizing the account/page and you’re off!!

I just wanted to make the distinction here between a Facebook account and a Facebook Page:  Your account displays your personal profile, but you can also create a Fan/Business page where you can showcase your products & services and offer industry related news, facts and tips to people out there who are looking for mortgage guidance. People can “like” your page and this is how fans are generated.  Earn people’s trust and develop solid connections by offering helpful and informative advice to mortgage seekers and realtors.

A few things to keep in mind when creating your fan page:

·         Ensure that fans can post to your wall so that the page is completely interactive (this is the default setting when setting up your page – be sure not to change it).

·         Ensure that your page includes a “call to action” – i.e. “Need help making sense out of all the mortgage options out there?  Contact me/us today (and provide contact info such as telephone number or email address).

·         Ensure that you page includes an identifiable photo or logo.  Remember, the concept is all about branding yourself and your business.

If you need help getting started on Facebook, we can help.  Why not attend one of our informative and innovative Social Networking for Business or Facebook for Business workshops.  Simply click on the link below for a schedule of workshops in your area.  It’ll be worth your time!!

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!

INSURANCE PROFESSIONALS ARE JUMPING ON THE SOCIAL MEDIA BANDWAGON

It appears that more and more insurance professionals are looking to join the masses on social networking sites as a means of enhancing their business practices and reaching the clients in their communities – clients who are already making use of the many benefits of social media.

Life reinsurance experts, LOGiQ3, recently polled their community of clients at one of their annual events and the findings were very enlightening:

“26% of our attendees preferred to use email communication (not a surprise), but followed tightly by LinkedIn at 22%, Facebook and Phone calls, both at 18%, Twitter at 13% and lastly, traditional postage at 3%.” – Insurance-Canada.ca

This is very useful information for the insurance industry.  It enables focus on communication where it is most constructive – to these preferred social media sites. It allows insurance professionals “…to connect with their networks on a real time basis, providing relevant content…” and it furthermore enables them to “…listen to what is being said on their preferred channel.”

A search on LinkedIn conducted by LOGiQ3 showed that some of the top insurance companies do in fact have abundant followings on the very popular business-oriented social network:

ACE – 4,954 followers; Sun Life Financial – 7,280 followers; Swiss Re – 5,924 followers; AEGON – 5,226 followers; RBC Insurance – 1,302 followers and Partner Re – 677 followers.

Life insurers, according to the article on Insurance-Canada.ca, are furthermore now using social media as a means of detecting fraud in submitted claims - “Investigators are now using sites such as Facebook to investigate suspicious claims. They’re looking for clues that don’t add up to the claim submitted, such as someone bragging about running a marathon while submitted a claim for an injured back, etc. Though data gathered on these sites are useful, they can only be used as insight and never as final proof of fraud.”

There has also been speculation that social media data might be useful with respect to price policies.  Insurers are able to compare information posted by applicants on social networking sites with the information concerning their lifestyle choices and medical histories filled out on their applications.

Social media is undoubtedly one of the most valuable and functional tools at our fingertips and you, as an insurance professional, can make the most of the many features each social network has to offer.
  
Join one of our workshops and we can show you how to make the most of your social networking experience.  For information regarding our schedule, please go to:

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

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!