How to Manage Your Time on Social Media to Strategically Market Your Business

So many people mistakenly believe that a good social media strategy for their business is a total time suck and not worth the effort.  Not so!  If you are one of the people living under that misconception and not taking advantage of what social media has to offer, you are missing out on important conversations and networking opportunities that can greatly benefit your business’ bottom line!          

I’m not going to lie to you and tell you that it takes no time at all to implement, develop and maintain a viable social networking strategy, but I can tell you that it’s not as daunting an undertaking as you might think – the risk of missed opportunities far outweighs the risk of time lost.  And, you are in complete control of how much time you put into it.  Here are some tips to help you manage your time wisely on social media activities for your business:

First, focus on why you want to use social media.  Depending on industry and company mission, business owners use social media for different business purposes.  Do you want to use it for research? Networking? Sales?  Or, a combination of all of the aforementioned?

If research is your aim, you’ll want to source out blogs and relevant news sites that provide you with the quality information you require.  You can subscribe to their RSS feeds (news feeds) so that you can keep up with any updates posted that are of importance to you.  Imagine having all of that information literally at your fingertips?  If you ask me, it sounds like this will actually save you some time!!

If you want to use social media for networking, it’s imperative that you build a community or audience.  This is easy to do on sites like Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.  Once you have created your accounts (a snap), it’s just a matter of building your communities by posting on a regular basis (again, this does not take a whole lot of time) and interacting with your audience.  Depending on how much engagement you’re interested in, this can take anywhere from only minutes a day to a couple of hours – not necessarily any more than that, unless you so choose.

If your motivation is sales and marketing, it’s important that you get your brand name out there. You’ll want to let people know what your brand is all about – what services and/or products you offer – how these services and products can benefit people.  Again, engagement with your audience via Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Blogging will be key here.  Social media sites are currently the most innovative methods of marketing your brand’s products and services.  They provide an unprecedented means of getting the word out.

Secondly, it’s important to develop a strategy to manage your time wisely.  Once you gain perspective on your purpose for using social media for your business, it won’t be difficult to determine how much time per day or per week you’ll require. Here are a few ideas that can help:

-          Create a schedule.  Set some time aside each day (at least at first) to check your Facebook, Twitter & LinkedIn accounts.  Take a few moments on each account to post something relevant and especially to respond to any inquiries or concerns that people in your communities may have.  Make it a point to join in on conversations/dialogue wherever you can contribute something meaningful.  (Remember, it’ll take a bit of time to build an audience.)   If you decide to blog, ensure that you post something at least once every other week or so.  Blog posts take on average anywhere between an hour to a few hours to research and compose, but unless you’re a very ambitious, avid blogger, a post a week or every other week should suffice.

-          Focus on activities that will have the most impact.  A crucial thing to remember here is that you have to be where your customers/clients are.  If you have identified that they are mostly on Facebook, then by all means, concentrate a good chunk of your social networking time there.   But, you don’t want to neglect the other networks, as they are all beneficial.

-          Although you want to garner a wide audience, it’s not necessary to overdo it.  You don’t have to be friends with or follow each and every person with whom you come into contact.  If a relationship will be mutually beneficial, you want to be connected to that person, if not, then don’t be afraid to be selective.  If you’re connected to absolutely everyone, you will be spending more time than you have to on social media.

-          By the same token, it’s imperative to stick to your purpose.  It’s easy to get sidetracked with irrelevant activity on social media (do you really have to watch that YouTube video right now??).  Stay focused on your business purpose and you will spend your time much more efficiently on social media.

If you use your time wisely and keep your focus in mind, you will find that you social media endeavors significantly pay off and that you actually enjoy your time spent with your connections.

HOW TO BRING YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE TO 100% COMPLETENESS (AND IMPROVE YOUR S.E.O.)

Fact:  A LinkedIn profile is a fundamental element of a strong online presence.   But, did you know that, according to LinkedIn, you are actually 40 times more likely to appear in a search if your profile is complete?  That’s important stuff!

Think of your profile as your online resume, but with so much more.  Here’s how you can bring your LinkedIn profile to 100% completeness to improve your search engine optimization.

Ensure that your profile includes:   

-   Your Current and (2) Past Positions  –   Ensure that you include not only your current employment information, but past as well (from at least 2 jobs), so that people who know you from your past places of employment will know that it’s you when they search you out.  The “Experience” section is your employment history/resume in a little bit more depth.  Try to be brief, just as you would be on your paper resume, but ensure that you include all of your important accomplishment information.  Include the names of companies that you worked for.  Search out these companies on LinkedIn to ensure that you are connecting to the correct branch of the company.  This will make it easier for past co-workers to find you.  Include duties to fill out the description of your work.

If you don’t happen to be currently employed, it’s not a good idea to blatantly lie, but an idea might be to state that you do some consulting – that you’re self-employed.  Or, if you do any volunteer work, here would be a good place to showcase that.  Likewise, if you’re new to the working world and don’t have two previous jobs under your belt, again, be creative – what have you done in the past that might constitute ‘a previous job’? 

-   Your Educational Background  –  You want people with whom you’ve gone to school to be able to find you on LinkedIn.  Even if you’re not a university grad, ensure that you include any and all education that you do have.  It’s not practical to lie and include a degree that you have not earned.  Just make sure that you include any courses that you have taken.

- Your Profile Summary – This can be up 2000 characters, and although it’s not necessarily recommended that you use all 2000, it’s essential for you to use at least 100 characters.  In filling out the Summary portion, remember to include all of the crucial, need-to-know information about yourself.  Keywords are important here as brevity is essential!  Consider your summary your “Elevator Pitch” – you have less than one minute to share all the vital information you want people to know about you.  Ensure that it captures the essence of the ‘business you’ and that it specifically lets connections know exactly what it is that you can do for them. Make it quick, but make it count!

-   Your Specialties & Skills  –  Fill these items in as you would search terms or keywords.  Consider the position and mindset of a person searching for your skills or services.  What words would they use? 

-    Your Photo  –  This is important, as it is the means by which you are most easily identified.  There could be more than one person out there that shares your name!  Consider having a headshot done professionally - you want to put your ‘best face’ forward and you want to ensure that the photo is well lit and really does look like the professional you.  It’s also a good idea to use the same photo on all of your social networking profiles as your photo can be your brand identity. 

-    Your Recommendations  –  A minimum of 3 recommendations are required to post a complete profile (each is worth 5% on the completeness scale).  It is possible to solicit recommendations from colleagues, former employers, and people you have hired.  It is in fact a good idea to have at least one recommendation from each of your jobs.  It is within the culture of LinkedIn to request recommendations from others.  A good idea is to reciprocate and write one for someone from whom you want to request one. 

It’s also a smart idea to provide the links to your website, Twitter account and blog where applicable.  This enhances your online connectedness as well as your SEO (Search Engine Optimization). 

It’s imperative that your profile’s searchability be at its maximum potential.  Your profile should be searchable on all search engines as well as on LinkedIn.  To the right of your profile page, a narrow blue box appears that indicates you profile completeness – try to bring it to 100%.  

‘CUSTOMER SERVICE MARKETING’ VIA SOCIAL MEDIA

With social media altering the way we do business and how we interact with clients/customers, the customer service aspect of business has become emphasized like never before.  Social media have brought customer relationship management and customer service to the forefront and have rendered customer service a form of marketing unto itself.  Here’s how:

Social media have enhanced the customer experience by giving the customer a profound voice.  And, for most businesses, this has translated into having a favorable impact on overall sales and growth.  Social media are interactive and customers can communicate directly with businesses; whether it be to ask questions about products or services, file complaints or offer praise with respect to products & services.  

 

Direct dialogue is now possible via most mainstream social media platforms.  Within a business’ “online community”, the brand benefits via engagement with customers.  This is true both in terms of insight and ideas that can be garnered from customers as well as how brand loyalty is being constructed and promoted via word-of-mouth.  Listening to what customers are saying and responding promptly & directly to them is key.  Customer service becomes an effective form of marketing!

To implement customer service as a form of marketing for your business, ensure that you:

A)     Focus on conversation/engagement as being the core of your business – concentrate on the exchange of information and ideas with your customers – interact, listen and respond.

B)      Strive to excel at a more refined range of things – you can’t be “great” at everything and solve all of the world’s problems, but you can focus on the things that are most meaningful to your customers (things that you will come to identify through real dialogue with them).

C)       Break down the barriers that have traditionally segregated business and customer – make use of social networking platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn & Blogging to get conversations started and to maintain & manage ongoing, solid relationships with your customers.

Need some help navigating these social networking sites?  Then our Social Networking for Business workshop is for you.  Please check out our schedule at: http://www.escomputertraining.com/courses/details/industry/2/course/20

HOW SOCIAL MEDIA ARE AFFECTING THE TRADITIONAL WEBSITE

I have heard a lot of people saying, over the past year or so, that they are spending more time and energy on their social media campaigns and less time on their websites.  Case in point:  several of my colleagues are using Facebook Business Pages as opposed to websites these days.  So, the question is:  Are social media displacing the traditional website we’ve all come to know and love?    

 

In our Social Networking for Business workshop, we advocate the use of social media in conjunction with what is already working for your business.  If you have a dynamite website set up for your business and it’s serving you well, why scrap it?  Your website stands for constancy and familiarity with your existing clients and it’s a great testament to what it is that you do, for prospective clients.  Plus, you can never have enough of an online presence if you want to maximize your SEO (search engine optimization).  But, what we definitely recommend is that no business be without a social media presence in today’s market.  That would just be counter-productive, especially given the ease with which social media can be used.

A social media campaign is absolutely essential to the success of a business’ growth right now.  The fact is, people are on social media sites like Facebook on a daily basis.  Facebook has become a primary source of information for a lot of us.  And, with Facebook’s user numbers expecting to shoot upwards of a billion before this year is up, if your business isn’t on Facebook, you stand to be in a position where you will not be as easily found when people are seeking information about the very products and services that you provide. 

The same goes for other social media platforms.  Each has its own special features that make it unique and essential from a business perspective.   I’ve discussed them all in detail throughout some of my other posts:  Twitter is great for getting short bursts of information out there in real time – updates, event information, links, etc.  Blogs are a wonderful way to position yourself as an expert in your industry – to share valuable information and your knowledge with people.  LinkedIn is the place to connect with like-minded business individuals and to network within a comprehensive business arena.

So, what are some of the fundamental differences between social media platforms and a website in terms of your business?  First and foremost, social media are just that – social.  A social media site is not a platform for overt advertising and hard-sell tactics.  Social media sites exist to help you connect with people – to inform and enlighten – to engage in two-way dialogue with clients and prospects.  A website, on the other hand, is a place where you can more aggressively peddle your wares, so to speak.  A website is static – updated and changed, for the most part, on a not-so-regular basis.  Social media business sites can be easily updated and altered on a daily basis, whenever necessary, in real time.  That’s important for any business.  Social media sites also provide you with an opportunity to take part in ‘live’ conversations with people through messaging and groups features. 

Bottom line, a social media presence is a necessity for your business in the current market.  Websites are still important, too.  And, no, it’s not redundant to incorporate both a social media presence and a website into your business’ marketing strategy.  It’s important, in fact, that the two co-exist and even feed off of each other to allow for maximized SEO and a well-structured presence on the web.

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

Your Target Audience: How to Find It on Social Media

Establishing and expanding your target audience is one of the most complex challenges you will encounter in growing your business and developing your brand.  Social media, with its mind-boggling broad-reach potential, is one of the best ways to achieve your goals.  Your objective, however, is not explicitly to reach as many people as you can, but, more specifically, to reach as many people as you can that are going to be fully interested in engaging with your business.  And, this is where the challenge lies – in determining who, or more to the point, where these people are. 

Do Your Research – Thoroughly

Although social media can make your life a lot easier (especially in terms of reaching people via a social media marketing campaign versus reaching people via traditional advertising methods), you definitely need to do your homework.  Knowledge is power and the more you know about your brand’s position within the social media cosmos, the easier it will be for you to find your audience. 

Conduct Advanced Searches

There are numerous social media sites of which you can make use to find out exactly who is buzzing about your brand and what, precisely, the buzz is.  Twitter and Facebook both offer inclusive search functionalities.  Google Blog Search is another appropriate choice.  It’s important to remember when conducting your research, to not just look for your own company, but also search out your competition – both direct and indirect. 

Using Lots of Keywords is Key

Search out industry-specific keywords.  Twitter further provides an advanced search feature that allows you to source out users based on keywords & phrases.  Think words that will generate the best matches in terms of your products and services, as well as competitive keywords. 

Make Use of Groups & Lists

The fundamentals of social media rely on the fact that we, as humans, are just that:  social beings that love to connect and need to feel like we’re a part of something.  The “sense of community” aspect is a central characteristic of each social network. 

Twitter thrives on lists and there are currently thousands of Facebook groups out there, not to mention the LinkedIn groups.  You can easily use keyword searches to access Twitter lists and Facebook & LinkedIn groups to source out people who could potentially be interested in doing business with you. 

Remember, patience is a virtue.  A social media marketing campaign can be a very effective and viable way of turning your business into an exceedingly lucrative venture.  But, it won’t happen overnight.  You need to invest your precious time and some energy into putting it all together - and gaining access to your target audience puts you halfway there.  

RRSP NEWS – GET IT OUT THERE WITH SOCIAL MEDIA

It’s RRSP season, and with the contribution deadline just around the corner, it’s important for all of you financial advisors and planners to get vital information out to your clients and prospects.  So many people don’t understand the in’s and out’s of RRSPs.  What better way to communicate with people than via social media? 

RRSP season is a great opportunity for you to get blogging.  There are a plethora of topics to blog about when it comes to RRSPs.  If you’re so busy that you don’t have the time to come up with any ideas, here are a few you can use:  

-          RRSP vs. Mortgage – Where should your extra dollars be going?

-          TFSAs – The New Alternative to Traditional RRSPs

-          How to Calculate What you Really Need to Retire Comfortably

-          How the Home Buyer’s Plan Program Works

-          What Do Index Numbers Mean and How to Read Them

These are only a few examples – for more ideas, just consider some of the most often-asked questions you hear and blog about them.  Blogs are a very effective way of imparting crucial information to very appreciative clients!

And, don’t forget to use Twitter and Facebook, too.  Tweet short bursts of relevant information and include a link to your blog & website, or to any interesting, helpful articles you think your community might benefit from.  Do the same on Facebook – remind people of the upcoming February 29 deadline and post your contact information so they can get in touch with you!  Post a reminder, for example, that the maximum contribution one can make to his/her TFSA in any given year is $5000.00 – let people know that they can be penalized for going over that limit and give them tips on how to ensure that they don’t accidentally do so.  Make sure your posts are useful to people – as I mentioned earlier, the average person does not know as much about RRSPs and retirement as we should know, and by sharing your expertise via the social media platforms that people are using, you are establishing yourself as the go-to person that people will want to deal with.

If you need help communicating via social media, why not consider joining one of our Social Media for Business workshops, where we’ll teach you everything you need to know to be effective on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and how to make the most of your blog!  Click on the following link to view a schedule of workshops in your area:  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