Archive for social media
How to Have Off-Line Conversations with Your Online Connections
Posted by: | CommentsTable of contents for Social Media Marketing Means Talking To More People
- How to Have Off-Line Conversations with Your Online Connections
Yesterday I wrote about why you need to take your online connections off-line. Today I’ll tell you how.
When you met somebody online and you’ve had some sort of an ongoing conversation, someone you think you might have a connection with, approach them about having an off-line conversation.
You can send them a private message on Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn, or send them an e-mail asking for a phone conversation.
Don’t make this a sales call! Really – I’m serious! Stress that this will be a “getting to know you” conversation. And mean it. Suggest a couple of dates and times and give them a time limit for the call – I suggest 30 minutes.
When the appointed time comes, ask a series of open ended questions that will allow you to get to know this person and their business. Of course you’ll want to give them the same information about yourself.
Types of questions to ask: Read More→
Social Media Marketing Means Talking To More People Not Less
Posted by: | CommentsOne of the biggest mistakes people make with social media marketing – Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter – is they think it means they don’t have to talk to people. They think if they’re posting to Twitter, updating their status on Facebook or posting videos to YouTube that’s it for social media marketing.
But making posts without any real connection to real people isn’t really marketing. The truth is everyone is doing that. There are 500 million people on Facebook, and while a significantly smaller number are businesses, everyone is doing the same thing. They’re all busy posting away and hoping that it will get them business.
But the real secret of social media marketing is that these online networking tools only allow you to get on people’s radar. It’s very rare that somebody who follows you on Twitter comes along and buys something. There has to be a step in the middle.
And that step is a real conversation.
You have to either get face-to-face with prospects or at the very least get them on the phone. The big difference with social media marketing is these are not cold calls. These are people you had conversations with, they’ve gotten to know you, and now the two of you are ready to take your business relationship to the next level.
Please don’t misunderstand me. I don’t think you should start Read More→
Are Large Corporations Beating Small Business At Social Media?
Posted by: | CommentsSometimes I feel like I’m living a slightly schizophrenic life. As a marketing consultant specializing in social media, I spend a large chuck of my life immersed in the online 
World. I’m connecting with other online experts, and using each of the tools. I’m looking at how other businesses are marketing themselves online. I’m online for hours a day. And even when I’m not talking to other marketing experts, I’m dealing with online business people who know what they’re doing.
But occasionally I need to get off my ass and actually leave my office. When talking to business owners in the real world, I see an entirely different perspective. In the last several weeks I can’t tell you how many conversations I’ve had with business owners were still trying to decide whether or not they need to bother with a website, never mind things like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
These two extremes in my life, have got me to thinking. One of the big rallying cries around social media is that it levels the playing field. Because most of these tools are basically free (as in no cash is needed to use them) it meant that solopreneurs and small business owners could easily compete with large corporations.
And on the surface this is true. After all, we can all create a Facebook account and set up a fan page, but only major corporations can run a television spot during the Superbowl.
However, when we dig deeper I believe social media is actually widening the gap between large corporations and micro business. Read More→
