Flowtown Infographic: The Small Business Social Media Cheat Sheet

Contributed by my good friend and colleague Kristin Slice.

I woke up in early January (or was that early in January one morning?) and decided that a good New Years resolution would be to finally knuckle down and start doing Social Media.  Seems like everyone is doing it, and I have been so busy living life and doing what I do that I always found an excuse to blow it off, or rationalize that it was really for other people.  I have a Facebook page (yes, for a long time….I sit in the dark watching you all!  Kinda creepy, eh?), Twitter, Google Plus (required viewing for me as my son is a Google employee in Palo Alto), and Linked-In.  But until recently, I never really scratched the surface.  I started with a blog as a new years resolution solution, and populating my social media sites.  Oh, boy, I’m not contributing something to the cloud!

OK, so in the dating venacular, “enough about me, let’s talk about you!”  I have some very talented friends and colleagues who specialize in this stuff, and they take great pride in pointing out what I should and should not be doing.  They kind of smirk at my suggestion that my blog is improving my SEO while I sleep, and that I am not a demogog of the small business cyberworld!  So, like you do with that rich Uncle who is clueless and yet bold, they are trying to get me to do things the right way.

Which leads me to the purpose of this post (my god, Jim, that’s life….just not as we know it!) which is to share some wit and wisdom of how to get started.  Kristin is providing me with a roadmap for my cyber future, which I am putting into this post, to memorialize it, share with you all, and make it another goal.

Her latest advise is to consult an online primer, which can be found at the following link:

http://columnfivemedia.com/work-items/flowtown-infographic-the-small-business-social-media-cheat-sheet/

So happy blogging, posting, sharing, plusing, or whatever you decide to do to show all the Kristins in your world that you are really cool!

p.s.  I added tags to this post, which is something I just learned to do, also!

No Theory, Philosophy or Fluff

womensbusinessbootcamp.com

Three tricks will enable you to establish initial connections to new prospects and build your reputation with existing contacts.

#1 – Collect business cards. Notice I didn’t say hand out your card. It does not matter who ends up with your cards, you want to collect the cards of those with whom you want to build relationships.  This also allows you to control the follow up, which is really the purpose of attending events and trade shows and one that 97% of people neglect to do.

#2 – Establish the follow up. Tell others that you will follow up and how you intend to do so. Will you use social media, telephone or email to stay connected and schedule appointments? Stating your intention provides accountability and allows those you meet to prepare (and expect!) your call.

#3 – Listen. This sounds so basic but you will be more memorable if you offer to help others with their challenges and needs.

#3.1 – Take notes. Set a goal of how many new people you wish to connect with and write it down. Then keep track of those you meet, how you said you would follow up and an interesting fact or topic discussed.  This will make follow up much easier and you can track your follow up by event.

Expo and Event Sales Tips Card

Use these tricks and you will find that events and trade shows are a great way to build relationships and make more money.

Three Dog Marketing has designed a Relationship Building Tips card with the three tricks listed above along with a place to list names, follow up method and facts. If you are interested in a copy of Three Dog Marketing’s Build Relationships & Make More Money card, send an email to Nancy@ThreeDogMarketing.com.

You have probably figured out, you are in the relationship business. Not the financial planning business or the event planning business or even the marketing business. Your ability to build solid long-term relationships is the single most critical factor affecting your life, personally and professionally. If you are like most business professionals you struggle with developing and nurturing these valuable relationships.  Since this is the beginning of a brand new year, you can resolve to build strong relationships in 2012.

Relationships can grow into a strategic partnership, revenue, clients, friendships or referral sources but before they can develop or evolve, you have to start with the basics. In the business world we often over-look these critical first steps, because they are the most time consuming and have the most long term rewards. The following three steps support the growth of your relationships and your business.

1.       Consciously plant seeds.

Sometimes you meet someone and you just know you were supposed to meet them.  Or, you instantly want to know them better.  Or, you would like to help or support their business or favorite charity.  But you get busy with the other tasks on your to-do list, and you may ignore these promptings.  Don’t do it!  You may have just met your next life-long friend, client or champion.

And don’t wait to act on those messages, share your thoughts with your new connection.  Say, “I really enjoyed our brief visit and I’d like to continue the conversation.  Let’s get together for coffee or lunch.”  Chances are they feel the same way about you.  And even if they don’t, your new connection will be flattered and may see you in a different light.

2.       Nurture your valuable seedlings.

To develop strong and meaningful connections we can’t just call our friends or customers once a year, we need to stay in touch on a regular basis to build the connections we value.  But what is regular?  How often you stay in touch depends on your schedule, their schedule and how strong you want the relationship to be.  In some cases you might check in every few weeks, in others, every week or month, might be appropriate. Some people you connect to on a weekly basis.

And it’s not enough to just check-in and get caught up; we want to make a meaningful connection.  Demonstrate your value by sharing a relevant article from the local newspaper or forward a blog that your contact may be interested in. Offer to make an introduction to your budding friend or share a tip or suggestion that may help with a challenge they’re facing. The point is to strengthen your relationship in a meaningful way. This helps build your value to your connection.

3.       Enjoy the beautiful blossoms.

This article isn’t about turning your relationships into sales; the focus is on building the relationship itself.  Therefore, I am not using the word harvest.  Your immediate goal is to build sustainable relationships.  Of course eventually you will reap what you sow but that is not the initial objective here.

You may see referrals quickly blossom but that is not your goal.  You might grow a new client or gain referrals or testimonials.  You might get a generous donation to your pet charity.

Growing and nurturing these valuable relationships may be a slow process, but it’s critical for your business to thrive.  Remember, whatever business you think you are in, you are definitely in the relationship building business.

By building strong relationships and demonstrating your value, you will make more money.

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We love the sentiment and want to share it with you!

Tuesday’s Tip: Altruism-How Giving Back is Good for You

Regardless of the holiday traditions people practice, most involve giving or charity of some sort. Did you know that reaching out to help others, not only benefits the person being helped, but also has many benefits for the person doing the helping?

Altruism is an unselfish concern for the welfare of others. It is a generous way of expressing gratitude for all that you have been given.

Reaching out a hand to lift someone else up is one of the greatest gifts for the heart. The gifts that one receives from giving back and from reaching out to help others are immense and priceless.

Volunteering, giving back or reaching out to help eases the stress in the body and can result in beneficial health factors which may include possibly strengthening the immune system and reducing the incidence of attitudes, such as chronic hostility, that negatively arouse and damage the body.

Stephen Post explains in his new book, “Why Good Things Happen to Good People,” that new science shows giving — money or time — not only feels just as good as getting, but can actually improve your health.

“Giving is as good for the giver as it is for the receiver. Science says it’s so. We’ll be happier, healthier, and even — odds are — live a little longer if we’re generous,” Post said.

“Public health isn’t just about bugs and staying away from lead. It’s about doing unto others, and at the right dose, science says it’s very good for you,” he said.

Arthur Brooks, author of the new book, “Who Really Cares,” said, “There’s evidence that it (giving) helps people with their asthma, in cardiovascular disease, weight loss and insomnia. When people have a lot of happiness, they do a lot better in their health as well.”

National Institutes of Health neuroscientist Jordan Grafman discovered brain scans that demonstrated that those brain structures that are activated when you get a reward are the same ones that are activated when you give. In fact, they’re activated more.

You can call it selfish to help others, because it seems to help the givers more.

“If you want to define selfishness so widely as to include the warm glow that people feel in the aftermath of selflessly giving to others, guess what, we need more of it, not less of it,” Post said.

So try it.

Get out and give-whatever you can. You’ll help someone else. … And you’ll feel good, too.

[Source-various Internet resources]

Before we move forward with creating a plan for 2012, I would like to reflect on the biggest business and marketing lessons I (Kristin Slice) have learned in 2011.

1.)      Clarity is everything. When you are clear about what you do and the value you bring to the table, people will hire you. The more clarity you have about what your business is good at and who you want to work with, the easier sales and marketing is. This year we gained a lot of clarity about what we do and how we do it differently from others in our field. Many business owners are so good at something they don’t realize they are doing it! Find clarity, find clients.
2.)      Find your community. When you are running a business it is very easy to get caught up in the running. In the last quarter I have joined the National Association of Women Business Owners and have made an effort to get out of the office. I have learned that there are many amazing, strong, unique women running successful business across the state and country. While it sounds cliché, it has been very powerful to hear that the challenges and opportunities Three Dog Marketing faces are not unique. It reenergized me to learn that multi-million dollars businesses are facing the same issues. Plus, nothing supports your marketing efforts more than finding the right people to help you grow and support your business.

3.)      @#*+ happens, but it gets easier. This year I had to let go of team members, clients and (most challenging) beating myself up over it. There are a lot of people in this world. Not everyone is a good fit as a client (or teammate, or friend, etc.). Frankly some people are just mean. In the moment things can see so large and overwhelming (especially if you recognize your mistakes!) but it doesn’t necessarily mean they are as bad as they seem. When you start a business it often feels like every mistake is an indication that you are going to fail, when the truth is, it’s just another learning opportunity. Don’t get me wrong, more mistakes will happen but you will gain confidence and experience with those mistakes.

The last year has been a big year for Three Dog Marketing and me, personally. I look forward to sharing 2012 with you!

Any marketing discussion should initially begin with the end in mind.  What do you want to accomplish long-term, beyond the next 12 months?  Before establishing revenue/income goals, another commitment is necessary; that to your business.  Set aside time on at least a monthly basis (weekly is preferable) to work on your business.  What does it mean to work on your business? This is the time you work on creating more efficient systems and processes; develop new products; and get additional professional training. Next, establish sales and income goals.  How much revenue do you want your business to generate in the next 12 months?

Growth Strategies

You have your big picture goals (annual) but how will you accomplish those objectives?  You may want to look at where your revenue growth will come from.  If you have different service packages or product lines, what revenue will each category generate?

Review Messaging

Next, look at your marketing messages.  What is your UVP, or Unique Value Pedigree in Three Dog Marketing-speak?  Why do individuals and businesses work with you?  How does your marketing collateral and branded material reflect your value to prospective customers?

Strategic Marketing Activities

The next step is to decide which activities you are going to incorporate to achieve your objectives.  There are dozens of marketing activities but most fall into a handful of areas: advertising, direct marketing, events, public relations, web-based, and referrals.  Most successful businesses incorporate all of these marketing functions but you may have limited resources or may have found that concentrating on a few key activities yield the greatest return on your investment.

Needed Resources

These suggestions and guidelines require support.  Ask existing team members about their strengths and areas they’d like to develop.  What is still missing?

Action

Finally, how will you ensure that you meet the objectives identified earlier?  What kind of accountability tools – weekly meetings, calendar, coaching – will support you in making this year, your best year yet?

Next Steps / Things to Do:

-  Commit to work on your business

-  Establish sales and income goals

-  Break down your objectives – quarterly, monthly, weekly and daily

-  Create marketing strategies to support your annual objectives

-  Develop and enact accountability programs to support your objectives

-  Get support / partner / outsource