PDA

View Full Version : Just want to share a couple of things about social media



jamesray50
04-23-2011, 02:28 AM
I'm finding that unlike regular advertising where you just pay for an ad somewhere, whether it be a newspaper, magazine, TV, or radio social media advertising is a lot harder. You have to be proactive with it all the time. I find myself everyday logging into FB, Twitter and Linkedin to see what is going on and what I can retweet. I am constantly thinking of something to blog about. I am reading and commenting on blogs other people in my industry are writing.

But, what makes me think some of my efforts are paying off is that people are now asking me to connect to them on Linkedin. And they aren't just people who are new and trying to build their networks. They are people who are presidents or CEO's of major corps for products that my industy uses or companies that sells add ons for Intuit.

I have been able to start conversations on Linkedin that keeps a discussion going. One of my blogs was retweeted several times. And two of my blogs were linked to in someone else's blog.

On one of the groups on Linkedin there is a like exchange going on where you like a page and they will like your page in return. I have been liking some pages, if I really like them and I write a note on the wall about whatever their service or product is and ask them to follow my blog. (BTW - if anyone gets a chance, I only need one more person to verify that I am the author of my blog - my facebook address is listed below).

Seems like it takes me all day long to do all this. But, I actually like doing it. Is there anything I'm not doing that I should be doing?

Patrysha
04-23-2011, 02:47 AM
I don't think that advertising in newspaper or radio is any easier...not if you are doing it well. In the beginning, at the very least, it can take considerable effort to get all the elements just right so that the desired result is achieved. Personally, I think social media is much faster in zooming around the learning curve and getting from meeting to relationship to sale quickly and efficiently. Once you have a system going with social media and other online marketing aspects it takes much less time. (and you'll have much less time because you will have more clients...so you pretty much have to become more efficient with it)

If you don't have one already, then a prospect/client newsletter or email list would be a great thing to add to your mix.

greenoak
04-24-2011, 09:43 AM
well jo, whats turning into paying clients? thats the question i would ask.... [after a year not right away..]....
since im local mostly...i finally had to realize i was wasting time doing the things that a national blog should do.... like it would be great for my blog if i posted on 20 other blogs a week......but it just doesnt make sense for me..
.. the nicest folks i have met on line would never get here and be customers...and the blog is about the business mainly....and i dont want to put t hat much time into it....
so my social media goals are a lot more local than they used to be.... i would like to be known 1000 miles away but my money is probably going to come from a 2 or 300 mile circle... ..so ive pulled back on some things and tried harder at others...like facebook..
.i network a whole lot in the real world.... ...and get lots of referrals....
i might have joined linked in but never bothered with it.....
...and cant face twitter.
..back to my blog, i sure value the friends ive made from far away and i hope to keep some connecting with them...
i hear about facebook all the time in the store and they talk about the website a lot too......if i start hearing about twitter[in the s tore] i will probably get on that too...
what i think is hard is figuring our how to navigate facebook and google ads.... im absorbing the conversatioins here on it but its sure different..
i just dont get the hugly popular goal of exchanging facebook likes or website links..... ....for me... first i dont want to advertize for somone else...and second whats the point of being on a retail page 1000 miles away that i havent ever actually seen or been to and whos customers will probably never even get to indiana....... it seems like a waste of time...better to fish in the waters where your fish are....i see a lot of new stores wanting to trade links with other stores....... i think they would do better putting their efforts on getting their friends and customers to like them....for a store or resturant it might look nice to have 20 more likes even tho f ar away,,but you really need more in your area who might just come and enjoy your thing whatever it is....
i guess you just have to see where your time is the best spent.....im not selling stuff or services online so i know my view is different.... all i know is that a lot of common advice isnt right for everyone...
what i see happening for us is they see the billboard or an ad somewhere and cyber shop us then make the trip.....meaning our website brings them in ...our web is mostly about pictures...they say a lot in our world

websonalized
04-25-2011, 07:28 PM
I have not gotten many results with social media. I have a website where I have the "like" button from facebook, and I've gotten a few "likes." I feel good to have some likes, I think it may be like a badge giving some authority to the website. But for social media where I have actively called out, and twittered out, and such, I have not gotten many results (no leads). However, I like hearing about other's experience. I am yet to read a sotry where a person actually got many clients through facebook, twitter or linked.

Spider
04-26-2011, 09:18 AM
Likewise, I have heard no real success stories of social networking bringing new or increased business. I certainly don't have one. That is, apart from the people who are trying to sell me their latest e-book, program, service, widget or whatnot! They have some wonderful stories to tell!!

The closest I have heard is from our Ann, and even then I'm not sure if Ann has determined that the talk in her store is from new people who came because of her Facebook page, or from people who came as a result of other advertising who talk a lot about facebook.

I'd be interested in hearing some true-life success stories of people whose business has done well from Facebook and the like.

AaronConway
04-26-2011, 10:53 AM
I manage social media for 8 small businesses and all have had varying degrees of success with it. One recent case was a customer who hadn't stayed at the inn for several years and decided to try it again because of our social media interactions. He was very impressed and will return again. This came from an unsolicited email we received from him after his stay. Social media works when you realize it won't happen overnight and it's not all about sell, sell, sell.

Aaron

vangogh
04-26-2011, 11:31 AM
since im local mostly...i finally had to realize i was wasting time doing the things that a national blog should do

Many of the things a national blog does would also help your local one. It's true that reaching someone in California probably isn't bringing that person in as a customer to your store, but that person might know people in your area. More importantly that person might link to your blog, promote something you said on Facebook, Twitter, a forum, or any other place where people in your area might learn about you or be convinced to stop by the store.


But for social media where I have actively called out, and twittered out, and such, I have not gotten many results (no leads)

That's because when you spend too much time actively promoting yourself on Twitter and Facebook it comes across as spam and turns people off. With all social communities, including this forum, you get more out of the community when you spend your time contributing to it. I don't tweet or like my posts. I have buttons on the posts like you do and let other people tweet and like the posts. That didn't happen overnight. It happened as a result of me promoting myself in places and ways where it's more appropriate and by learning more about what makes a post more likely to be liked and tweeted.

Most people don't get anything back from social sites because they approach the site thinking how they can get something out of it and never think about what they can give to it. Most people also stop trying if they don't receive results in a short time. That's not going to work with social communities.

Give to the community and give the community time to give something back.

Harold Mansfield
04-26-2011, 12:56 PM
I can't say that I have gotten any business directly from Facebook. I think having a Facebook pages has helped me get business since I do the occasional Facebook page for clients. But I don't run any special offers on Facebook, talk Wordpress or web stuff with others on Facebook, or advertise on Facebook. I don't even communicate with existing clients via Facebook, they just call or email me.
Actually the only reason that having a Facebook page benefits me at all is to have someplace to direct clients to join to keep them away from my personal page, and I do post an occasional help article there.

I have a bunch of Twitter accounts but I stopped actively using them a long time ago for anything other than posting new blog posts on 1 or 2, and the others are just on automatic to post information and autofollow those who follow me until I can find something to do with them, or sell them with the corresponding domain.

No matter what, I still find the most effective way to get clients for me is being found in search engine results by people who are looking for services, and being listed in a few service provider directories.

I have not found that people will scour Twitter or Facebook when they need someone to provide services. They go to Google or niche specific forums and directories. Now they may look at your FB or TW pages to see how professional they are..and they definitely will benefit you that way. Actually having a bad FB page ( if you are going to have one) will definitely hurt you. If you are going to draw attention to it, people want to see that you are better at this than they are or how professional everything is, or you are just hurting yourself. It goes to your overall presentation.

I don't look at FB or Twitter as a place to get clients anymore like I did 2 years ago. I look at them like a restaurant looks at coffee. You don't make any money from them, but you have to have them.

It should also be said that I don't spend any money on Facebook specific tools, games, programs, coupons or anything else for business. I'd rather have someone go to my website, than my Facebook page.

As everyone says, Social Networking is about building relationships and cultivating them to build trust and possibly turn those relationships into business. I don't have that kind of time to put into it. People go to Google, Yahoo, and Bing when they are actively looking for someone. If they find you, and like what they see...they contact you. It doesn't take weeks or months of cultivation.

I see other service providers on Facebook doing all kinds of things and interactions, but I have to wonder how much business it actually brings them They have a lot of followers, but they all seem to be people already in the business looking for free stuff, not people looking for someone to do work.

Personally, I just don't see Facebook or Twitter as the ideal marketing platform to get new business for service providers, as least not single handedly. Maybe as a part of a group or general community that encompasses many simular businesses, but not alone. For instance, I could see a plumber getting business if he were part of a local contractors page, but not as a stand alone business.

I still think SEO is going to be your best bet to get new business from your online endeavors and up until now , I have seen anyone or anything that says any different.

It should be said that I think FB is great for tangible products or companies that sell products, and physical businesses like a restaurant or clothing store. I also think it's great for entertainment businesses like websites and blogs, magazines, music, and so on.
But for us service providers, ( virtual businesses) I still think Google is going to be our best friend to get new business.

vangogh
04-26-2011, 01:21 PM
Harold what you're missing is that what you do on Facebook and Twitter could and very likely does have a great effect on how well your web pages rank in search engines. Not everything we do to market our site is going to show a clear direct benefit.

SEOmoz recently looked at a lot of data about how Facebook and Twitter, influence search results (http://www.seomoz.org/blog/facebook-twitters-influence-google-search-rankings). They found a very high correlation between pages that are shared on Facebook and how those pages rank in Google. So while people may not jump on Facebook to search for a service provider, having a visible presence on Facebook probably makes it more likely people will find you when looking for a service provider at a search engine.

Also people who ask a friend for a recommendation on Facebook aren't necessarily going to visit your site via a Facebook link (so your analytics won't show it) or even tell you that they learned about you through Facebook. They're more likely to say so and so told me you offer service x and recommended I give you a call.

Communities like Facebook are another way you can reach people, just like tv, radio, a newspaper, or magazine. Different communities have different rules and so require you do some things differently to succeed with them. They also share many things in common like people and so many of the things you would do to convince someone watching your tv commercial to buy from you will work equally well on Facebook or Twitter.

HomeToHeather
04-26-2011, 02:41 PM
Aaron is right - it's not about selling but connecting. People like to do business with people they know, like and trust. Social media is great at accomplishing this as long as you're not trying to sell or broadcast your agenda. Sure, you can do that sometimes...but it shouldn't be your goal. Another thing that social media is great for is just for staying in front of people. Just because a sales doesn't directly come from a link clicked in your tweet doesn't mean you aren't getting results....they're just harder to keep tabs on. I've gotten several opportunities from twitter and I don't spend much time on it at all.

Eborg you should do well in that space because most people who use wordpress also use SM. Maybe you just need to change up who you network with?

AaronConway
04-26-2011, 02:56 PM
Personally, I just don't see Facebook or Twitter as the ideal marketing platform to get new business for service providers, as least not single handedly.

That's correct...not single handedly. It's another tool to use in conjunction with your web site, blog, email newsletters, etc.

Aaron

Harold Mansfield
04-26-2011, 02:58 PM
Maybe I should clarify. I'm sure that FB is a good overall tool that helps along with many other things. I meant to say that I haven't had anyone tell me directly that "I found you on Faceboook". But what I have had is people that said they found me online, looked at my website, and Facebook page and decided to call because it seemed like I could help them with both.

So I guess having that FB presence helped, but it wasn't the sole driving force like ad would be. It's a tool, and a good one, but I don't expect anyone to contact me because of it alone no matter what I do on it.

KristineS
04-26-2011, 03:37 PM
We use Facebook and Twitter for one of our companies and we've had success with it. Customer talk to us and ask us questions on the Facebook page, and we get retweeted quite a bit on Twitter. I have, however, spent a great deal of time contributing to both communities and I'm very selective about who I follow/like/friend. I also try to make sure that my ratio of promotional tweets/posts is at least equal to if not slightly less than my general posts or my posts/tweets promoting or replying to other people.

The particular business we're in is selling embroidery supplies to embroidery companies, so I follow a lot of embroidery shops. Many of them have had, or appear to have had, success using Twitter and Facebook in the local arena. The ones for whom these platforms work are the ones who spend time talking to the community, who use the platforms to promote their customers, and who have more of a personality and less of a "sell,sell, sell" mentality.

I think one of the things that can really impact the success or failure of a Facebook or Twitter effort is the people who are being followed/friended/liked. If you don't know your market and just randomly follow people, a lot of what you say is just going to be noise to a large part of your friend/follower pool. If you're strategic about it, however, you may have fewer friends or fans, but those you do have will be people who are interested in what you have to say.

vangogh
04-26-2011, 03:51 PM
That's correct...not single handedly. It's another tool to use in conjunction with your web site, blog, email newsletters, etc.

Exactly. It's one tool you have to market your business. It can be used well or poorly. It can be used to drive direct or indirect traffic. It can be used in a variety of different ways.

Marketing works best when there's an overall strategy connecting all the things you do and when you do that the whole ends up being more than the sum of its parts.

Spider
04-27-2011, 11:33 AM
... it's not about selling but connecting. People like to do business with people they know, like and trust. ...This is so commonly stated that is has become a maxxim of business, particularly small business. I have often quoted it myself. However, is it really so true? I'm not sure.

There is also a maxxim that says an expert is someone with a briefcase and away from home. Suggesting that someone who is personally less well know is often given greater status than someone who is known personally.

What do you say?

jamesray50
04-27-2011, 01:49 PM
I think one of the things that can really impact the success or failure of a Facebook or Twitter effort is the people who are being followed/friended/liked. If you don't know your market and just randomly follow people, a lot of what you say is just going to be noise to a large part of your friend/follower pool. If you're strategic about it, however, you may have fewer friends or fans, but those you do have will be people who are interested in what you have to say.

One of my Linkedin groups started a "Like me" and "follow me" on FB and Twitter campaign. While it does increase your numbers, if it's not the right follower or likes, it really doesn't do anything. I received around 50 new likes for my FB and some new followers (I didn't count them). The object was to reciprocate the like and follow. I didn't do that, unless the company was a company that I thought I may in the future get some business from. Then I wrote something nice about their page or website and asked them to follow my blog to be kept updated on bookkeeping tips for their business.

greenoak
04-27-2011, 10:55 PM
for me theres no doubt..
i put an album of counter pictures on facebook a few hours ago and have gotten 2 people tonight ask for prices and i think they will be coming to the store real soon...... im totally convinced...and my daughter is even doing better at it with her store......
we are getting several calls a week about things we have put on the internet..... its wonderful.....
but my thing is all about the customer and making her or his house fabulous....
the connecting is great but i want to have something they really want also....
Green Oak Antiques | Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/greenoakantiques) ...

Harold Mansfield
04-27-2011, 11:31 PM
There is also a maxxim that says an expert is someone with a briefcase and away from home. Suggesting that someone who is personally less well know is often given greater status than someone who is known personally.

What do you say?
At first my friends and family thought I was just playing on the computer. It took a while for any of them to actually look at what I have done for others and hire me. To date, I think I have done 6 jobs for friends, but sadly, while they are confident that I have the skills and knowledge, none of them have paid full price.

The rest of the sword is that they will also call for anything that is remotely connected to a computer or uses a computer. From problems with their ISP's and setting up a home network, to photoshopping old photos and burning disks. They also expect you to know every program ever written since Windows 2000.

Strangers that contact me, walk in thinking that I am knowledgeable and proceed expecting it.

On the same subject, there are very few friends that I know that I would hire. Mostly because of those that have a skill or knowledge, they don't do it as a business. I'd rather pay Best Buy to hang my flat screen, than to let one of my friends do it just because they did their own and say they know how.

Spider
04-28-2011, 12:14 PM
So, perhaps we should rewrite the maxims, Harold. What do you think, as far as "know, like and trust" are concerned?

"Know" - Being known is definitely better than being unknown! If people don't know you exist, you're not going to get much business. OTOH, we seem to agree that being known so well as to be intimate would be a disadvantage in business. Shall we try, "know of" - people do business with people they know of. (Which is a bit redundant, really.)

"Like" - Business could be hampered a bit if one is disliked, except that I think people would sooner hire someone they dislike but who does superior work than someone who is likeable but incompetent. How about "accept?" People do business with people they accept.

"Trust" - What can you say about trust? That one is pretty important, wouldn't you agree? Can't think of a more appropriate word, there.

So, we have "People do business with people they know of, accept and trust." But what of competence? Shouldn't it be, "People do business with competent people they know of, accept and trust."

What say you?

Harold Mansfield
04-28-2011, 02:17 PM
There are so many variables that's it's really hard to be definitive. I can certainly think of situations where opportunities are limited to people in the "inner circle" and that goes from main street to Capitol Hill.

I had a rule that I wouldn't do business with friends after the first few that approached me seemed not to respect me as a business person...they just wanted a deal. But, once I learned to handle those situations and demand respect for my time, I found it easier...even though you always end up doing more for a friend.

I think one variable that needs to be in there is "Credibility", and many times that can be perceived even if you know nothing about the person or the company.
If I had to choose, I'd probably take "credibility", whether it be actual based on a previous relationship or perceived because of presentation...because it is the embodiment of everything that makes the difference between just passing through and actually purchasing.

I can do business with someone that I don't care for if I perceive them to be knowledgeable and credible.

vangogh
04-28-2011, 03:02 PM
I think the original maxim still applies. I don't think it means you automatically choose a friend or relative over someone you think more competent. I think preferring to work with people you know, like, and trust always has been and always will be true. The maxim isn't meant to be taken in isolation, but more in a all other things being equal sort of way.

I don't currently have a lawyer that handles all my legal needs. If I need one I would first get in touch with people I know who are lawyers to see if they can help me. I know David here and I have some cousins who are lawyers. I wouldn't automatically hire any just because I know them, but I would certainly start my search for a lawyer with them. Say though that I didn't like or trust one of my lawyer cousins. I would exclude that person from search.

Also none of my cousins or David lives and works in Colorado so if my legal issues were specific to the state of Colorado I would think they might not be best to help me. I'd probably still contact one of them to ask questions about how to hire a lawyer here, what questions to ask, etc.

There are also many, many cases of people who continue to work with family and friends even though they know there are others who can do a better job.

In the end though I think all the maxim is really saying is most people will sooner contact someone they know to some degree before calling a complete stranger, unless of course they don't like or trust the person they know.

mhilliarda
04-29-2011, 11:50 AM
I'm just starting out in the social media sphere, so thanks for posting this thread. From the small amount that I've learned so far I would have to agree with Aaron and vangogh, it is slow progress that takes patience to develop a following. Also, as Aaron mentioned it isn't always about selling, and as vangogh said it isn't always about what is in it for us.

Thanks for contributing! As I learn, I hope to contribute more.

vangogh
04-29-2011, 06:36 PM
Patience is important in a lot of things. :)

Social sites are really just another way to reach people. Each has its own community and its own written and unwritten rules. Each ends up having different ways of using them for business. Some communities will likely be anti business and marketing. Others will embrace it. In the end a social site is a community of real people and the same things you would do to reach real people in a physical setting apply to social sites online. Naturally there are differences, but at the core there are a lot of similarities.

You probably wouldn't show up at a friend's wedding and start passing around business cards and posting fliers on the while. However you may strike up a conversation with someone about some random topic that ends up moving toward what you each do for a living. That conversation could lead to an exchange of business cards.


This forum is social media. So is any blog. Social media is really any community of people who congregate somewhere online. People tend to complicate social media. Social sites are groups of people, hence the words social. The reason it can be useful as a marketing tool is because information can spread much quicker online than offline. The guy you gave your card to at the wedding can only speak to so many people in person and he only has the one card. Online someone can say something to hundreds or thousands of people at once and only one card is necessary for everyone to have the information.