“It seems so repetitive, doesn’t it?” It’s a common question I receive when working with people who are new to the social media scene. So common, in fact, I decided to write a blog post about it. Hopefully I can ease the fears of other people starting out with social marketing. [Read more...]
17
Aug 2009
You know the look…
August 17, 2009 By Leave a Comment
You know the look. That blank stare you get when you mention something the other person hasn’t the slightest idea what it is. Mention Facebook and people warm up immediately. Mention Twitter and they freeze. Why is it that Twitter is so hard for people to get? Well, there is good reason why people don’t openly embrace Twitter, and I believe it has to do with a sense of “lack of control”. We live in a country where we try to be in control of almost everything from our careers to the people we marry (both of which are predetermined for millions of people elsewhere in the world).
07
May 2009
Pure Joy
My 5 year old daughter came to my office last night to keep me company while I was setting up a computer training lab. At the age of 5, everything at the office is a new experience. To keep her out of trouble, I gave her a hammer. (Yeah, I know, but it seemed like a good idea at the time.) [Read more...]
27
Apr 2009
A Free Directory That Anyone Can Edit – BrownBook.net
April 27, 2009 By 3 Comments
BrownBook.net is a fledgling social networking site for businesses that is popping up everywhere lately. While this social media tool isn’t as high profile as some other tools, BrownBook.net is spending a lot of time marketing itself. Since it is free and includes some neat features, it’s worth a brief discussion. [Read more...]
16
Apr 2009
How Much Time Should You Spend on Social Media Each Week
April 16, 2009 By 3 Comments
I am often asked how many hours I spend on my social media sites every day. On average, I spend about 3 hours a day creating educational content for my clients and building stronger relationships with current and potential clients.
Something happens when you get involved with social media. You change. You realize that the more you give – the better you feel – and the more you get back. I am motivated to be even more active!
By the end of the week, I have created some terrific marketing materials that are customer focused. I have also created a bunch of ineffective materials that will not work, but here’s the thing – my social community helps me determine what is good or bad based on the comments I receive, the number of times an article is retweeted, or the emails that I receive with questions on the articles or tweets.
So – 15 hours per week [Read more...]
13
Apr 2009
Do You Have an Identity Crisis
April 13, 2009 By Leave a Comment
It’s a common problem. Marketers say one thing, but when it comes down to it, the business behind what they are “pitching” is different. One of the primary purposes of marketing should be to set expectations, so that when a new client has an experience with your company, they know what to expect. It is the start of a beautiful relationship. But is it really?
Is that really the case?
26
Mar 2009
If the White House Can Embrace Social Media Can Your Business
March 26, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Today we are going to explore how to use social media tools to gather feedback from your customers. A great example of this tool in use is “Open for Questions.” This is a tool that allows citizens to submit questions to the White House and vote on those questions that were submitted. 92,934 people have submitted 104,039 questions and cast 3,604,877 votes on “Open for Questions.” Not bad for a trial run. Many of the most popular questions were addressed by the President during his special online town hall meeting on March 26, 2009. Today, the trial of this new service has ending, but you can still view and vote on the questions submitted.
Questions on the following topics were submitted:
- Education
- Home Ownership
- Health Care Reform
- Veterans
- Small Business
- Auto Industry
- Retirement Security
- Green Jobs and Energy
- Financial Stability
- Jobs
- Budget
Is the White House embracing social media? I think so. I would expect that applications like “Open for Questions” will gain in popularity.
Here is the opportunity for your business
19
Mar 2009
Do You Make These Mistakes
March 19, 2009 By 3 Comments
This is our final day of exploring LinkedIn in this 30 day series on social media and marketing. I see several mistakes people make when they start using LinkedIn or any social networking platform. I want to address those now so you can avoid being just another statistic.
Mistake #1: Never Completing the Profile
By know you probably know that you need to get three recommendations to complete your profile. What is stopping you? There is no harm in asking for a recommendation. So let me tell you a little secret on how to get recommendations…..”Give and you shall receive.” Remember, networking is largely a give/get process. Be proactive and give recommendations to some of your contacts before they ask. A simple one or two paragraph recommendation is all that is needed. Give it a try. It feels good to praise others, and it will come back to you to fill you with more joy than you can imagine. REMEMBER: When someone gives you a recommendation, return the favor! [Read more...]
18
Mar 2009
What Everybody Ought to Know About Connections On LinkedIn
March 18, 2009 By 2 Comments
When I go about my week, I have about 50 people that I interact with frequently. From staff, clients, friends, and family – I am comfortable with that number. Online, (today anyway) I have 178 connections on LinkedIn, 140 friends on Facebook, and 320 followers on Twitter. Not huge numbers compared to some people. I have seen users on LinkedIn with 500+ connections, Facebook friends with 500+ friends, and Tweeters with over 100,000 followers.
I have 178 1st level connections. But I am connected to over 2.8 million people! How can that be? First level connections are those people to whom I am directly connected. These people can see my entire profile, but also have their own connections whom I may not know. These people would be considered second level connections. These second level connections may also be connected a third level of people I don’t know. The 2.8 million people includes not only my first level, but second and third level connections as well. People that are not first, second or third level contacts are ”outside of my network.”
So, is it about Size or Quality?
Anthropologist, Robin Dunbar, [Read more...]
17
Mar 2009
LinkedIn is one of the most powerful, yet mis-understood tools for building a professional network. Over the next few days, I am going to change that mis-understanding. A few small adjustments in your profile and how you use LinkedIn can make this your most powerful professional network.
What is LinkedIn
LinkedIn is an online network of more than 30 million experienced professionals from around the world. When you join, you create a profile that summarizes your professional accomplishments. Your profile helps you find and be found by former colleagues, clients, and partners. You can add more connections by inviting trusted contacts to join LinkedIn and connect to you. Your network consists of your connections, your connections’ connections, and the people they know, linking you to thousands of qualified professionals.
Today, lets take a look at creating your profile. [Read more...]
05
Mar 2009
Facebook Advertising is for Everyone
March 5, 2009 By 3 Comments
Today we are going to cover advertising in Facebook. This is the third and final lesson on Facebook that we are going to cover during this 30 day journey.
Advertising is really quite fascinating when you use Facebook. Let me ask you a question. Does traditional media, such as newspaper or radio, only charge you to advertise to those people that are interested in your product or service and are in your geographic area? No, when you advertise in traditional mediums, you pay to advertise to the entire circulation – hoping to those that fit your targeted demographic will see you ad.
But what if [Read more...]
I am President and Chief Evangelist for Vivid Image - a web design and social marketing firm located outside of Minneapolis, MN. 
