There are a number of misconceptions people have about marketing that makes it hard for them to get results. In the SOS 4 Your Business
in Business Blog Talk radio show I discussed them with host Yvonne McCoy.

Topics discussed were:

• not putting all your marketing eggs in one basket
• using the marketing medium your customers use
• having a marketing message geared to your audience
• marketing is usually a long-term strategy – you’re a farmer not a hunter
• and more

Listen to the replay of the show at SOS 4 Your Business or here by pressing play below.

You don’t want to be sharing what you ate for lunch or when you went to the bathroom.

On the other hand, you don’t want to be too promotional either; that turns people off. You need to find a balance.

What’s your social media brand?

No, I don’t mean your logo or your photo – although that’s part of it.

It’s how do you want people to think of you. If you’re a micro business – providing a product or service where your expertise is what sets you apart – then you probably want to be seen as an expert. You want to be the “go-to” person in your field.

How do you do this?

Be a resource

Provide useful information that your customers – and potential customers – need and want. You don’t have to create all the content yourself. Provide links to articles and blog posts that provide useful information. Using Google Reader and RSS feeds can be a great way to quickly and easily find content to share.

Someone who does a great job of this is Infinity Network Solutions. They’re an Owen Sound-based IT company and they populate their Facebook page with lots of great information about computers and how to use them safely or better.

Don’t forget to be social

However don’t forget it’s called “social” media. Part of the power of tools like Facebook and Twitter is it gives people a chance to get to know, like and trust you. But in order to do that, you can’t just be posting links. You need to spend some time talking about yourself, giving people a chance to get to know you..

For example, I Tweeted about washing my cell phone received tons of retweets and @replies like the one here.

So why would I send out a comment like this when I’m using social media for business? Because anyone who has had a similar experience suddenly felt a personal connection to me. I was no longer an anonymous business online but someone they could relate to. I’d gone from “know” to “like” because they could see how I’m like them.

Don’t forget to promote

After all, you’re using Facebook, Twitter or whatever for your business. So don’t go so far over to being a resource or being social that you forget to toot your own horn. Post about specials or new products you have. Post photos of work you’ve done for clients (with permission). Share news about hiring new staff, expanding or anniversaries. Just make sure the informational and social posts are more frequent. Only 1 in 5 or 1 in 10 posts should be blatantly promotional.

Someone who does a good job of this is Jennifer Harris of Keylime Creative in the Village of Paisley. She has a nice chatty style, shares information and promotes herself.

One final piece of advice

Don’t forget to reply to anyone who visits your page and takes the time to comment. It’s a great way to deepen the relationship and shows the world that you’re paying attention.

So go out and start posting!

Andrea J. Stenberg

If you liked this article, please share it with your social networks by clicking one (or more) of the share links. And feel free to join the conversation by leaving a comment here or at http://www.facebook.com/TheBabyBoomerEntrepreneur.

Others get it done, but they kind of have to grit their teeth to do it. They know it’s something that has to be done but they really hate it.

If that sounds like you, I’d like to suggest a paradigm shift, one that can make you love marketing. No, I’m not kidding. Nor am I crazy!

If you’re a regular reader of the Baby Boomer Entrepreneur blog then you’ve probably started your business later in life not just to earn a living but also to follow your passion. You wanted more out of your career then just a j-o-b.

And I’ll bet that whatever products or services you’re selling are special. You’re proud of what you do and you know that when someone buys from you, their life will be a little bit better because what you’re selling is awesome!

Did I hit the nail on the head?

So, when you go out and promote yourself on Facebook or LinkedIn, when you talk to someone at a networking meeting, when you write to your blog, don’t think of it as looking for more money for your business. Think of it as letting the people who need your products or services know where to find you. You’re showing them how to make their lives better … by buying your products.

There are people out there right now looking for what you have to offer. By being a better marketer, you are helping more people – people who need you. You are making it easier for those people to find you and making it easier for them to buy from you. And if along the way you can make a profit, well, everybody wins.

So the next time you think, “Yuck … time for marketing” give yourself a mental shake. Then picture the person who desperately needs you but doesn’t yet know you exist. Then go out there and make it easy for them to find you!

Andrea J. Stenberg

If you liked this post please leave a comment (or even if you didn’t). Also, please click one of the sharing buttons for Facebook, Twitter, Google + or the site of your choice. Help another business owner who is struggling with their marketing find me. We’ll both thank you!

If you’re one of that half who doesn’t have a website (or know someone who falls into that category) here’s a video I created about why you must get moving and create a website.

Enjoy!

Andrea J. Stenberg

Since I know blogging is important to my business – it drives traffic, gives me SEO, helps me focus my thoughts – I knew it was time to get back on track.

That’s why I joined the Ultimate Blog Challenge. People who join commit to writing 30 blog posts in 30 days. Each blog post must be a minimum of 100 words, and rated PG. You can tweet your post with the #blogboost tag. You are also encouraged to visit other blogs in the challenge and participate by leaving comments.

Throughout the month, blog challenge hosts Michele Scism and Michelle Shaeffer send e-mails with topic suggestions and encouragement.

Why would someone who’s been blogging for 3 1/2 years join the challenge? It doesn’t matter how much you love what you do, every once in a while you get stale or stuck. I thought the blog challenge would be a fun way to get me back into the groove of providing what I hope is great and informative content for my readers.

So hold on tight; I think April is going to be a fun month. Wish me luck!

Andrea J Stenberg

Today I’m the proud host of The Blogging Boomers Carnival – the longest-running blog carnival by and for baby boomers. Please visit this week’s posts and join the conversation by leaving a comment or two.

Enjoy!

Laura Lee the Midlife Crisis Queen says, “Lots of amazingly positive reviews of my new book! Check them out!”

Millions of Americans know all too painfully that alcoholism runs in families.  Children of alcoholic parents are four times as likely to develop drinking problems as the general population….and….SoBabyBoomer tells us that sons of alcoholic fathers face up to nine times the usual risk.

Have you heard of Charcutepalooza? It’s a yearlong charcuterie challenge, with the winner getting a trip to France! For the February, make your own bacon challenge, the Accidental Locavore makes two different flavors of bacon. See how hard it was, and more importantly what did it taste like?

Vaboomer tells us about Maine’s most loved comfort food, the Whoopie Pie.

When it comes to retirement planning, are you a Snoozer, a Wood-knocker, a Plan B-er or a Stewer and Brewer? Find out over at Contemporary Retirement.

And finally, don’t miss my Three Quick Tips for Making a Better Twitter Profile.

Andrea J. Stenberg

In an information age, one critical factor stands out – the likelihood that potential employers will investigate you anonymously is very high. The ease with which youronline presence can be pulled up and examined makes this the norm.

And potential employers believe what they find – for good or ill, this represents your brand. We’ve all heard stories of how a Facebook rant lost someone their job. What is less known is that sophisticated HR departments are using the Internet to ferret out information about possible new hires. The sophisticated job search now has to include an Internet presence that “brands” them as the right person for the job or career of interest. This branding can either help or hurt you.

With these considerations in mind, here are five ways to meet the challenge and brand yourself green:

1. Start by creating two clues. The first will be your name. If you have a common name (or your name is already “polluted” by things on the net) consider using a middle initial or even your full middle name. You can invent one if you like. The second is a catch email address. You’d like something that “says green” like, SolarRocks@hotmail.com or GreenEngineer@yahoo.com. This will then appear as your reply-to email address and in your signature line for forum posts. You should also use it as the signon name for forums. The reason is that searches will be conducted on whatever your email nick happens to be. You want those searches to point to forums and blogs where you have made relevant comments. The same set of information should appear across the net – in LinkedIn, Facebook and wherever you have a footprint. Use the same spelling for your name and the same nick as your email.
2. Collect testimonials. What is said about you weighs more than what you say about yourself. This means your comments on blogs and in forums have to be mature and insightful. If you have a website, add a “Thanks for the nice recommendations” section on the first page and put quotes in there – they do not have to be flat out testimonials, they can be anything nice someone said about you. For instance, “John nailed it when he pointed us to the Leaves to Compost program. It’s saved us time and money and benefited the community.” It is surprisingly easy to collect testimonials when you keep an eye out for them. You can always ask as well. Time and again, job hunters forget to get recommendations on LinkedIn or preserve
   testimonials on their Facebook page. These are gold.
3. Another way to “walk the walk” is through green networking, both online and locally. It is practically impossible to live in a community where something green isn’t going on. Anything you can find and volunteer for will spawn a resume entry, a blog post (or several in diary format) a Facebook mention and a topic starter on your favorite forum. When you get involved, both on and offline, don’t forget to mention that you are looking for work in the field. A signature line can work wonders here. You’ll need to sum up the essential picture in short-form: “Seeking career opportunities in solar energy engineering and willing to relocate.” This, again is a simple technique that isn’t used by most job seekers. Just make sure to keep it general, these little seeds may not flower for months or years.
4. Knowledge can’t be faked. Job seekers often make the mistake of trying to know it all or be everything to everyone. This is not only impossible, but faking your knowledge reflects poorly on your character. By being involved in the green movement, you will pick up and understand the
   broad picture – hopefully you will also drill down in your own area of concern. The only way to have the needed expertise in an area is to actually have the knowledge. The Internet is your friend here. It is quite possible to self-educate and gain the insider’s view. This advice goes double when you identify a company you want to work for. They will have information on their website about green initiatives and their stockholders report will also trumpet the good PR.
   Not doing your homework is a mistake.
5. Push the limits. Sometimes, the difference between a green job and a job is just a matter of attitude. Don’t limit yourself to only applying to companies with a green reputation. Some of the best positions are with companies who realize they have fallen down in this area and want to play
   catch-up. Other employers may understand the need to be eco-friendly without wearing it on their sleeves. By including your greed branding in an application, you can distinguish yourself as someone who is socially aware and multi-dimensional.

There is an old expression, “Opportunity dances with those already on the dance floor.”

The game isn’t just a temporary push to get a job. The game is ongoing and continuing and will only help you for your next job and the better one after that. Patience if a virtue and you have to stick with it. You will not know who is reading your blog and mentioning you to their colleague, or that your name is filed
with a link for a job offer that may not come for months. Having your brand in place and keeping it alive will only help you – as long as you care for it. A periodic review by again searching your own name and email handle will keep you focused. You will see what prospective employers see. Just make sure it’s attractive.

Brendan Cruickshank (Vice President of Client Services) – Brendan is a veteran of the online job search and recruiting industry, having spent the past 8 years in senior client services roles with major sites like Juju.com and JobsInTheMoney.com. He is quoted regularly as an expert in employment and jobs trends in major media outlets like the Washington Post, US News & World Report, and Forbes and has spoken at recruiting industry events such as Onrec and Kennedy Information’s Corporate Recruiting Conference.

Marketing is not a task.

Marketing is not a department.

Marketing is not a job.

Marketing happens every time you engage (or not) with your past, present, and potential customers.

Just like branding is not your logo, marketing is not something you do only when you need to get more customers. Marketing is about building relationships with people. It’s about giving them a chance to get to know, like, and trust you so that when the time comes for them to purchase what you sell, you’re the only person they think of.

So when you post a link to your sales page on Twitter and Facebook that’s marketing. But even better marketing is when you reply to somebody based on what they’ve said. Having a professional looking website is marketing, but so is taking the time to congratulate a past customer on winning an award. Returning phone calls promptly is marketing. Replying to e-mails is marketing. Giving great customer service is marketing.

I live in a small town where people like to do business with people they know. Word-of-mouth is key, and reputation is everything. Tools like Facebook and Twitter turn the online world into a small town. So we need to remember to act like it.

If you own a small business, particularly a service-based businesses, then in all likelihood you and your business are pretty interchangeable; it’s hard to tell where one stops and the other starts. In that case marketing is every interaction you have with a customer or potential customer. Treat them all like they’re your best customer.

Andrea J Stenberg