4 Ways Brands Are Still Getting Social Networking Wrong (And What to Do About It)

By now everybody (unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past 10 years) is aware of how relevant social media is to brand-building and brand awareness. Not everyone has yet embraced its usefulness, but each day, more and more people get onboard. Facebook alone now has 1.5 billion users. Just think about the potential reach! If you’re not using social media to generate brand awareness, you’re not doing yourself any favors.  

That being said, if you are using social media, but not using it effectively, you’re wasting your time. Here are 4 ways that brands are doing it wrong – and how they/you can get it right…

1. Boasting & Hard-Selling Rather Than Engaging

Stop being so narcissistic! People don’t care about how wonderful your products or services are nearly as much as you think they do. At least not if you’re shoving it down their throats at every given opportunity. Take it down a notch. Engage with your social networking audience. Post things that are relevant, interesting, fun, engaging and most of all, useful. Not just things that tout your brand as being the best thing since sliced bread. You know the old expression, “If you build it, they will come”? Well, build your brand by engaging your audience and making them want to engage with you – and customers will start rollin’ in. Remember, people don’t like to be sold to – they like to be intrigued and informed and entertained.

2. Trying to Make Use of Every Social Platform Known to Mankind

There’s such a thing as overkill. Are you aware of just how many social platforms are in existence today? It’s not just Facebook and Twitter anymore. Not by a long shot. Here’s a list of just 21 of the most popular – and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. No matter how large your staff is, you couldn’t possibly have the resources to keep an engaging social media campaign going on each and every platform. Sure, your brand would be represented on all of em’, but not well and not effectively. So, focus on the sites where your most of your customers are – Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are good bets, but do your research – and limit your social networking endeavors to the sites that will bring you the most traffic.

3. Not Responding to Customer Comments – the Good, the Bad and the Ugly

Ah – now this is a biggie! What’s the good of being on social media if you’re not going to be social?? When a customer or prospective customer comments on one of your posts, whether it be on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ or your blog, whatever you do, RESPOND! And not just to the positive and happy comments. And none of that automated bull that so many brands like to make use of. Social networking is for being human – not for being a brand stuck somewhere in the vast cyberspace. Remember the part about engaging? Well, it’s a two-way street. If someone says something glowing about your product or service, or even just makes a nice comment on one of your posts, thank them and tell them that you appreciate their input/insight. And if someone posts a comment that’s not quite so complimentary or that voices a complaint or opposing view, thank them and tell them that you appreciate their input/insight – and then (if it’s a complaint), let them know that you’re sorry that their interaction with your brand wasn’t as positive as it could have been and offer them something that will hopefully rectify the situation. But whatever you do, don’t ignore people on social media. And double whatever you do, don’t engage negatively on social media. Telling someone to take a flying leap because they were less than satisfied with a service you provided isn’t the way to make social media work for you.

4. Creating Boring, Useless Content Rather than Helpful and Fresh Content

On Facebook, you know the guy who constantly posts what he had for breakfast or that his new baby just learned her fifth word? Well, don’t be that guy. No one wants to engage with that guy. No one, other than his mother, cares! What you want to post is useful content – helpful content that’s relevant to your brand and to your industry. Can you post the odd joke or general interest story? Of course. No one’s saying that you have to be all business all the time, but for goodness sake, don’t start boring the stuffing out of people, or you’re not only going to lose your social networking audience, you’re going to lose your customers due to lack of credibility – and boring people to death. Keep it fresh and upbeat and engaging and useful. Answer questions, offer solutions and keep people coming back to read your posts because they’re acquiring information there that they’re not going to get elsewhere. If you’re not already blogging, consider starting a blog – it’s one of the best ways there are of imparting relevant information to an audience who’s going to appreciate it. Don’t know what to blog about? Well, what questions are you asked by your customers? Most of those will make for wonderful blog posts that will be read and enjoyed.

Social networking isn’t rocket science, but it’s certainly something that requires attention, research, time, thought and strategy. And when done right, the rewards to your brand can be exponential.

How to Lose Friends & Alienate Clients: 7 Deadly Social Media Sins

The very purpose of using social media for business is to garner Friends & connections, to communicate and to network.  Social media have become an immeasurable tool for facilitating client relationship management as well as for your marketing initiatives.  But if you’re committing any of the following 7 deadly social media sins, your efforts might just be counter-productive.                                                         

Deadly Sin #1:  Promoting Yourself / Your Business Relentlessly

I’ve blogged about this before.  One of the most appealing characteristics of social media is that they displace the traditional advertising/promotion model of in-your-face, unsolicited interruption.  As the name predicates, they’re social – a means of connecting with people on a human, personal level.  There’s no room for blatant self-promotion within the realm of the social.  Unparalleled customer service is more like it. The idea is to connect and engage with clients/prospective clients so that they become interested in using your products and services. It’s inbound marketing. People are engaging with you because they want to be engaging with you.  It’s interactive, two-way communication. So,:

Deadly Sin #2:  Getting Into It (And Not in a Good Way)

Because social media is about two-way communication, it’s inevitable that people are going to butt heads and encounter differences of opinion, just as we would in every-day, face-to-face interaction. The worst thing you can do, however, is to engage in a knock-down, drag-out with someone over a social media platform for all to see. And you do see it all the time, especially in comments sections.  But as a business professional, if this is the way you conduct yourself, your clients are going to take one look at your social media interactions and run the other way – fast!  Which leads me to:

Deadly Sin #3:  Not Minding Your Manners                                              

It’s a no-brainer, but you’d be astounded at the number of people who don’t pay any attention to manners and etiquette while using social media.  Just remember to use basic politeness when engaging.  Would you be boorish in a face-to-face meeting with someone?  Likely not.  So just because you’re sitting behind your computer monitor and no one can see you, doesn’t mean that you can forget about social graces.  Pleases and thank yous go a long way. If someone pays you a compliment, acknowledge it. If a less than satisfied client comments negatively, acknowledge that, too – politely.  Now, off to:

Deadly Sin #4:  Not Responding to Comments, Complaints and/or Criticism

By not responding to your clients’ comments, you’re essentially saying, “I don’t care!”  If a comment is positive and complimentary, a great, big “thank you” is in order, along with a little response about why you’re so pleased that he’s pleased and about how much you value him as a client.  If a comment is negative – in the form of a complaint or criticism – a full response is warranted just the same. Again, it’s crucial that you make the client feel important and relevant by addressing the criticism and doing whatever is in your power to rectify the situation.  I posted an extensive blog some time ago on how to respond to criticism:http://escomputers.blogspot.ca/2013/04/your-customers-comments-on-social-media.html  Damage control is critical. And remember, others will be able to see how you respond, so do it eloquently and with finesse. Snark is never a good idea!

Deadly Sin #5:  Spam, Spam & More Spam

Everyone hates to be spammed.  Don’t spam people!  Enough said.

Deadly Sin #6:  Not Steering Clear of Religion & Politics

Oh, this is a slippery slope, my friends.  The basic rule to bear in mind is that your religious and political views have no place within your business networking.  Remember, wars are fought over religion and politics. Everyone’s view is different and you will in no way be able to avoid ruffling a few feathers if you pontificate with respect to your views or if you comment on another’s.  Just stay clear!

Deadly Sin #7:  Not Fostering Your Relationships

It’s all well and good to garner plenty of connections through your social media endeavors, but what good are those connections if you do nothing to cultivate meaningful relationships with them? The beauty of social media is that they allow you a relatively intimate glimpse into the lives of the people in your network. They can provide you with invaluable information about people. Using this information to help you provide better service to your clients is what it’s all about. Take advantage of that – get to know people and let them get to know you. That’s how trust is built and maintained.  If your clients don’t trust you, what’s the point?

9 Easy Things You Can Do to Build Your Brand

Your brand is your business’ very identity. Increasing your brand’s visibility, therefore, is a fundamental component to your marketing strategy. You can spend millions of dollars a year – not to mention an obscene amount of time – propelling your brand to the forefront of the minds of consumers. But are you aware that, thanks to social media, there are a few very easy and non-time consuming ways you can build your brand? 

Without further ado, here, courtesy of branding guru and author, William Arruda, are 9 nine-minute things (along with my own commentary) you can do…      

 

1. Build your Network. It doesn’t have to take hours &hours out of your schedule – even if you just connect with one person a day on Facebook or LinkedIn (it could be someone in one of your LinkedIn groups – or a connection of one of your existing connections), you’ll be amazed at how quickly your network will grow. It is, after all, called “social networking” for a reason!

2. Bolster relationships.  What good is having a broad network if you do nothing to maintain and nurture it? Stay in contact with your connections. Recommend & endorse connections on LinkedIn. “Like” other brands on Facebook. Send complimentary and/or congratulatory messages to people in your network on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. You have to give to receive.

3. Get a seal of approval. In the culture of social media, it’s about give and take. As you recommend and endorse others, don’t be afraid to request recommendations, endorsements, shares and “Likes” from people in your network. Enlist these from colleagues, satisfied clients and coworkers, past and present.  
4. Record it. Nothing wrong with blowin’ your own horn once in a while either! Document your outstanding accomplishments and achievements for all to see.

5. Be current. One of the many fine attributes of social media is that they make it so simple to update your profiles as often as is necessary. Unlike websites, social media platforms take only seconds to update. So take advantage of that and ensure that all contact information and status postings are up to date.  And that goes for your photos as well!!

6. Expand on your thought leadership. Start your own group on Facebook or LinkedIn. If you haven’t already (and shame on you if you haven’t), start a blog and post to it often. Comment on other people’s blogs and answer questions on LinkedIn and Facebook. Post timely and relevant content to Twitter. These are all ways you can showcase your smarts and industry knowledge. Oh, and don’t forget to link your blog to your other social media platforms.

7. Be real in the virtual world. YouTube is a wonderful thing! Make use of it. Create a video – a bio of yourself or your business – or something that illustrates a facet of your business (a how-to or an informational piece). Go ahead – be a rock star in your own right!

8. Build a home on the Web. “Link the different places you reside on the Web into one place, with sites like about.me, flavors.me, or vizify.com. Using these tools, you can actually set a site up in nine minutes! Then you can use your subsequent days’ nine minutes refining and enhancing it.”

 

9. Research. Social media make it easy-peasy! Get to know all you can about your clients, prospects, colleagues and, yes, even – or, especially – your competitors. LinkedIn and Facebook are great places to get some investigating done!

6 Tips for Posting When You Don’t Have Time to Post

So your business is up and running across multiple social platforms and your blog is alive and well.  Good for you!  I’m sure by now you’re reaping the benefits of social media marketing. But if you’re like most of us, there are some days that social networking has to take a backseat because you’re swamped with other pressing matters. Well fear not!  If you have ten minutes to spare (Oh come on, you have 10 minutes to spare!), then I have  a few ideas for you that will make posting quick and easy on the days that  you don’t have a lot of time to put into it…                                  

1.  Scan the News – With an online version of almost every publication known to mankind at our fingertips, it takes only seconds to scan the headlines of two or three online daily newspapers. Make a quick comment or two on whatever captures your interest or whatever’s trending right now. Don’t forget to include a link to the article so others can have a gander at what you’re referring to.

2.  Share a Quote – The internet is ripe with quotes of all kinds – inspirational quotes, funny quotes and brainy quotes – some from people we’ve heard of and some from anonymous sources. Pick a few and post ‘em. Everyone loves a bit of inspiration or a great one-liner.

3.  Use Visuals  – See a photo or video that interests you or that is relevant to your business (or not)?  Then post away.  Images and video are wonderful for fan engagement. Make a quick, insightful comment about it and voila – you’ve got yourself a great post!

4.  Retweet or Share – It’s well entrenched within the culture of social media to share other people’s comments, photos, links and tweets. Hit your Twitter and Facebook accounts and share a couple of things that immediately capture your attention. If it’s piqued your interest, chances are it’ll pique the interests of others.

5. Stockpile – You know those quotes, photos and videos that I mention above?

Well, on days that you do have a little more time to spare – or even just as you see things that you know will make a great future post – save the link or photo to a special file on your desktop so you can just jump right on in and grab stuff to post when time is tight.  I have one – it’s named “Posts for Tomorrow” and it’s been a lifesaver for me on more than one occasion.  Just don’t forget to check it often – sometimes items are time-sensitive and won’t make any sense if they’re posted two weeks after they’re no longer relevant.  (And do the same thing for blog ideas – keep a file of ideas complete with links and you’ll never run out things to blog about.)

6. Take Advantage of HootSuite and the Like – Making use of HootSuite and other social media management tools (think Seesmic, TweetDeck & TwitterFeed) can be a godsend.  They’ll streamline things for you and make your life a whole lot easier!

4 WAYS TO GET CUSTOMERS TO WRITE GREAT REVIEWS FOR YOUR BUSINESS

A well-constructed website is crucial for any business, as is a solid & engaging social media campaign. These are things that can have a major impact on your business’ bottom line.  But do you know what’s even more important?  Yep, positive customer reviews.  I know I’m not alone in saying that whenever I decide to make a purchase or use a new service, the first thing I do is some online research.  I “Google” the product or service and, quite frankly, put a lot of stock in what other users or customers have to say.  For everything from choosing a doctor to trying a different brand of mascara, you can find reviews from people who have already been there.  And what better way to promote your business than to garner as many positive reviews as possible from satisfied customers. The key is, however, to solicit reviews in as unassuming a manner as possible. The last thing you want to do is to piss anybody off! Here are 4 tips for getting people to write rave reviews about you…                

1.  Be the best at what you do. I know – sounds cliché – but unless you’re just going to be soliciting reviews from your mom, best friends and people who owe you favors, you have to ensure that your products and services are great-review-worthy.  Go above and beyond to satisfy – no, not just satisfy – to please your clients – to make dealing with your business a pleasurable experience.  Offer the best services, top quality products and, most importantly, the ultimate in customer service. No one will be struggling to write only positive things about your business if they only have positive things to say.

2.  Ensure that writing a review is a quick & simple process.  People are busy, and most are not going to venture too far out of their way to write reviews. This is not to say that they’re not happy to do so, but if it’s a daunting process and they have to click through to a gazillion places, they may just opt not to do so.  Be sure to include a designated area – or a link to a designated area – that people can find easily and submit a review within a few moments.  Your social media sites are great and easily accessible platforms for people to leave feedback. Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+ & Twitter all make it simple for people to comment and leave reviews.  Your job is to ensure that your social media sites are engaging and inviting for customers.

3.  A ‘little incentive’ never hurts, but remember – there’s a fine line between asking people to kindly leave a review – and flat out bribery!  The reviewer is, after all, doing a favor for you (your business), so  while you don’t want to make it seem like you’re committing bribery or paying someone off to say something nice about you (all credibility will be lost), a little ‘thank-you gift’ (a coupon or small discount) is acceptable – just as long as you don’t discriminate. The ‘thank-you gift’ is for taking the time to write a review – for contributing some feedback – not for necessarily writing a positive review.

4. Pay close attention to the sites on which people review your business.  Ensure that your business profile is visible on these sites and interact on a regular basis with people.  Always acknowledge and thank them for taking the time to write their reviews. Being engaging and gracious will go a long way in enticing others to write positive reviews!

21 Social Media Statistics for 2014 (So Far)

Social media continues to be a widespread phenomenon – it continues to grow both in terms of the number of people and businesses who use it as well as the number of platforms it encompasses.  Insofar as its relevance to business is concerned, well, let’s just say that if you’re not social, you can’t possibly be competitive in the market as it exists in 2014.  Why?  Here are some insightful statistics courtesy of Jeff Bullas, social media guru and author, that will illustrate the importance and astonishing reach of social media:

An Overview:                                                                                               

• 72% of all Internet users are now active on social media
• 89% of those between 18 and 29 years old are social media users
• 72% of individuals aged 30 to 49 are engaged in social media
• 60% of people between 50 to 60 years old are active on social media
• 43% of those 65 years old and above are engaged in social media
• 71% of users access social media from a mobile device

Facebook:

• Facebook now has over 1.15 billion users
• One million webpages can be accessed with the “Login with Facebook” feature
• 23% of Facebook users login at least 5 times daily
• 47%  of Americans say Facebook is the top influencer of their buying decisions
• On average, Americans spend 16% of each online hour on Facebook
• 70% of marketers acquire new customers through Facebook

Twitter:

• Twitter now has over 550 million registered users and 215 million monthly active users
• Between 2012 and 2014, Twitter achieved a growth rate of 44%
• 34% of marketers use Twitter for lead generation

Google+:

• Google+ now has over 1 billion enabled accounts and 359 million active monthly users
• Google+ has a growth rate of 33% per year
• People aged 45 to 54 have increased their Google+ usage by 56% since 2012

Visual:

• YouTube has over one billion monthly active users
• Pinterest has 20 million monthly active users
• Instagram hs 150 million monthly active users

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Regardless of which social media platforms on which you engage (some work better than others for different businesses – it’s crucial to do your research to find out where your customers and prospects are), the bottom line is, there’s not denying that social media can actuate real sales and marketing results!