Marketing
Effective Marketing means a well-rounded combination of marketing mediums for every business. Yes, social media is a big part of it but it’s only one piece of the pie!
Social Media Engagement Success – It’s All in the Foundation
A question I get frequently from small business owners is “how do I get more fan engagement” This point usually points to the lack of a developed content strategy, or the need to tweak their existing strategy.
As marketers of any brand, there are two assets to work with – time and money. Large companies (Starbucks, Nike, etc) have almost endless amounts of money and time to spray content out to wide gamut of audiences. Small businesses have one of these assets and that is time, which we need to spend wisely targeting the people we enjoy working with, those who know, like and trust us and will recommend us to everyone they know. As you know, social media and contemporary marketing as a whole relies on ROE – Return On Engagement. There are many pitfalls small business owners fall into that contribute to minimal engagement in the content we produce – on your website (blog, vlog, audio) and on the social sites in which you participate.
The first is that you haven’t truly identified who your target market (or as I like to refer to it, tribe) is and therefore you are not creating content specifically for them, which means that you are probably trying to be ‘all things to all people’ which translates to serving no one online. The content that twenty somethings want to consume is very different from that of the sixty year olds, as one illustration of this point.
The second, is that you are not giving them content in the format they want to receive it. This point ties directly in with the previous because knowing the demographics and behaviors of your audience is key to deciding what type of content to deliver. For instance, is your content primarily text based and does it point people to countless articles on your site and other sites? This tends to work well for readers who are over 50, however, if you don’t shake up your content and delivery now and then, you may see drops in participation. As another example, is your content consumers and clients made up primarily of 30-somethings? In this case, you’ll definitely want a healthy mixture of video, images, audio, and some written content.
The third is the content itself. Producing content that is strictly related to your business can be boring, while producing “entertainment” content can muddle your message. A healthy balance of educational subject matter expertise content and entertaining content is best. For example, if you are a cosmetic dentist who’s clientele is affluent women 45-65 years old, a healthy mix of content would be related to cosmetic dentistry (showing before and afters, videos of case studies, etc.) and also would share information about the community events she’s interested in and the articles on topics that matter most to her). This all, of course, requires getting to know your tribe well. 
If you would like to create a DIY Content Marketing strategy, I recommend reading Get Content, Get Customers by Joe Pulizzi and Newt Barrett. Your content strategy is an important foundation of your social media strategy. If you already have a content strategy and you feel as though you are looking for more ‘tactical’ step-by-step ideas for Facebook fan pages and such, I recommend checking out Amy Porterfield or Hubspot. Your overall social media strategy is comprised of: Objectives, Tribe, Content, Team, Brand Guidelines, Onboarding, Channels, Tactics, Metrics, Monitoring, and Modifying. When these items are applied to your social media efforts, they will create engagement, and they will create habit that you and your staff can adhere to and re-examine semi-annually for ultimate social media marketing success.
What hit you as the biggest “aha” in this article? Or what’s one thing you can go and apply to your business?
Why Leaders Who Produce Regular Quality Content Will Win
Photo from Nielsen Norman Group
A concept I learned many years ago, which has helped me understand the psychology of Internet users and my clients, is known as the 90-9-1 theory of Participation Inequality. Studied and reported first and most by Will Hill and Jakob Nielsen. This theory states that, on the Internet, 90% of users are lurkers, producing almost no content, 9% of users are producing and contributing from time to time, and 1% of users are very active and produce most of the online contributions.
Why is this theory so intriguing to me? I would go to networking events, coffee shops, cocktail parties, and interact with people and time and time again I heard “Meghann, I just read your blog or watched your video or read your post on Facebook, etc. and I loved what you had to say.” And inevitably, looking at said blog posts, videos, other content, I noticed those people didn’t comment, share the content, or even “like” it! I was really befuddled by this because I am a flagrant commenter, interactor, sharer, and liker of other people’s stuff. I was having a conversation with a friend one day and he told me about this theory and it all clicked. A vast majority of people are lurkers.
What does this mean for my business and for my clients? I keep putting out quality content. Even if it seems like people aren’t reading, watching or listening, I keep creating. I use new tactics to draw comments and shares out of my followers. I niche in more to my tribe and laser-focus my content to them. After all, there are an estimated 7 billion internet users out there. Am I going to be reach all of them? No! Nor do I want to; I want to reach the members of my tribe with the content I produce.
My tribe is women industry leaders and their teams who want to transform their marketing and catapult their business into the spotlight. Industry leaders are subject matter experts. They have a lot to say about their area of expertise. And for the most part, they are able to express their expert content well in one of three forms on their website: blog (written content with visual aids), vlog (videos), or plog (podcasts). And because their website is the hub of all of their marketing, and there is so much value in producing regular content for their tribe (and an unending supply of content ideas), I encourage my clients to strive to be part of the 1%.
What’s the general formula for becoming part of the 1% you ask?
- Hire a consultant to create your contemporary marketing strategy and train you on it
- Build a ‘sticky’ website, and content and sales funnels
- Connect with your tribe via your social networks, email distribution lists, websites
- Produce regular viral content your tribe wants to consume in the form they want to consume it
- Share that content with your tribe and ask them to share it
- Test new ideas with your tribe, find new ways and new places to engage them, provide them continuous value, evaluate your results
- Rinse and repeat
What will you get for being part of the 1%? Great SEO, a loyal tribe of raving fans who shares your viral content regularly, a positive reputation that precedes you and leaves you little need for introduction anywhere, more clients/customers than you know what to do with. Sound good? I think so!!
Here’s an incredible case study of an industry leader, Marcus Sheridan, who has proven this theory to be true. And to prove that this can be done by any leader in any industry, he’s the perfect example – he sells fiberglass pools.
Are you a leader? Do you have what it takes to be part of the 1%?
Networking Tips: Online or Offline, Connection is Everything
Whether you are just starting out in business or you’ve owned a company for years, you know that connections and authentic relationships are everything. And if you are a newbie entrepreneur, chances are you’ll spend a good amount of time your first couple of years running around town having way too many coffee meetings, resulting in repetitive caffeine crashes.
Why not save yourself some time, and some gas, by meeting new people online? I have met more quality business connections through online networking and have spent a fraction of the time that it takes to go to in-person events. This simple formula for networking success can be applied online and offline.
1. Form authentic, meaningful connections with members of your tribe. Your tribe is made up of the people you want to serve through leadership as a subject matter expert. They are your customers, prospects, referral partners, friends, supporters, and raving fans. Getting clear on the shared characteristics, habits, interests, and desires of your tribe is key when connecting with them. Figure out who they are, then ask your friends to introduce you to them at networking events. Similarly, ask your well-connected friends online to connect you (personally) with the people who fit the description of your tribe.
When you begin your new online relationship with a member of your tribe, make sure to personalize it as much as possible. Make note of the information they have on their profile and engage them in conversation. Send them a “new friend video” that is a non-soliciting introduction to who you are and what you’re up to in the world.
2. Figure out what’s most important to them by asking questions that help you get to know them authentically. Get more value out of networking by asking questions of those you meet like, “What do you do for fun? What is your favorite non-profit or cause you believe in? What’s an endeavor you’re working on right now in case I or someone in my network can help you?”
Ask those same questions of your new online connections. Show them they’re not just another friend on Facebook or connection on LinkedIn.
3. Perform systematic follow up. Don’t let networking connections go by the wayside; create a spreadsheet or use your CRM system to keep track of follow up. I suggest friending them on Facebook, connecting with them on LinkedIn, or, if you aren’t able to find them in either of those places, send them an email and ask if they would like to connect somewhere online.
When it’s a new friend you met online, following up is even more important. Put them in a new friends list on Facebook, create a spreadsheet of follow up sequence, and reach out to them on a personal level several times before you even begin talking about business.
4. Provide value in every interaction. In your follow up phone calls, meetings, and communication on social sites, help others as much as possible. Connect them with valuable resources, email them links to blog posts you’ve written that could assist them with a current project, comment, like, and share their content on social networks, and engage them whenever you can.
One last point to acknowledge. If you can approach it online and offline with the attitude of turning the people you meet into clients, you may be sorely disappointed. However, if you can go about it all with the attitude of getting connected to more people in your tribe who can be advocates of you and your brand, it opens you up to possibilities of endless referrals, and raving fans. Looking at networking as finding the golden geese will assist you way more than trying to find golden eggs everywhere you go.
What says you? Where have you found your golden geese?
GOTCHA! How to Market a Product or Service Visually
If you’re reading this blog post it’s probably because the image that goes along with it grabbed your attention. If not, you are now looking for the image within this blog post and you’re going to read it. Perhaps you came to this blog post from Pinterest, or maybe from Facebook or Twitter or an RSS. In any case, it worked, because you’re here.
Do you know why it worked?
I know my tribe. I know exactly to whom I am writing. When I write my blog posts or create videos, I visualize my tribe, I open up to the infinite energy that surrounds me, and I let the energy flow through that speaks directly to them as I write.
I have figured out that my tribe thinks visually. They love images and if they love the content on or with that image, they will click them, and go to the source of the content. I have trained myself to think visually and can pick images and words that will speak directly to them and will educate, entertain, and/or engage them.
Marketing my business has become far more fun now that I understand and apply this concept. Understand who your tribe is, find out how they like to be communicated to, and deliver your messages in their language and in the way they like to receive it.
I bring up Pinterest in the image illustrating this blog because it is the fastest growing social media site and drives more traffic to websites than LinkedIn, Google Plus, and YouTube combined. There are many more women on Pinterest than men, by far. Women go on Pinterest to swap recipes, create virtual vision boards and wish lists, pin things that inspire them, and, they follow posts that intrigue them to their website of origination.
Once you’ve delineated your tribe and have determined whether or not they spend a good amount of their online time on Pinterest, and that they are drawn toward images, you can begin to get creative and think of ways to convey your expertise through images. These images should be housed on your blog and should contain at least a couple of paragraphs of keyword-rich content expanding upon the subject your image addresses. Then, the image should be pinned from your blog on one or more of your boards which you’ve titled creatively. I recommend you maximize other means of getting these images out to your tribe, such as email, Facebook, Twitter, QR code, etc.
Have you thought of some images you could create while reading this blog? Jot them down! Keep a list of topics you’d like to cover and start taking photos with your smart phone to build a stash of backgrounds or use royalty free photo sites to find photos from others.
And tell me, what business or personal development book is on your nightstand right now?
People Love Bacon
How do you, as the content producer for your company, create compelling content for your social media sites?
Make your content engaging and appealing to your target market. Simple.
A recent article in Fast Company, called the Art of Dialogue said “brands ought to start acting less like things and more like people, and they should engage traditional humans, their consumers, in dialogue.” After all, people don’t want to talk with a black and red icon representing your brand, they want to talk to someone representing it. “Consumers don’t want to have a relationship with just this cold logo.” So how do you make your brand more personal?
Give your brand a personality that matches your company culture.
Sit down with your creative team (whomever that may be; if you’re an entrepreneur, find someone like me, and some other marketing strategists and do a round table session) and figure out what are the elements (traits) that make up your brand. What do you stand for? How do you want to be recognized in the marketplace? What makes you stand out from your competition? What are the words you use to describe the characteristics of your brand? Are you funny like Southwest Airlines? Are you serious like Allstate? Are you lovey and cuddly like Charmin?
Make the lists, elaborate on them, and then take these traits, elements of recognition, and characteristics, and get creative with them. Weave them throughout your marketing. Tell the story of your business in new and interesting ways that get your tribe (target market) involved and entrenched in the story.
In your social media, make sure you use these creative elements to do (what I call) the three most important E’s in social media marketing: Educate, Entertain, and Engage.
Below are a couple examples of how to combine all three E’s:
“People love bacon. Sooo much. Every time I post anything about bacon, it usually gets really good engagement,” quoted the Fast Company article. This person, who is a social media coordinator for Denny’s, found a topic their audience liked through trial and error. She uses pictures of bacon to inform her audience of Denny’s specials, and to entertain them with humorous stats about American’s obsession with bacon.
Image origination: http://www.feydakin.com/bacon/bacon-roses/
Sometimes this is necessary in order to see what your tribe “likes” and comments on. Other times, you just know your tribe like it when you speak about certain topics. How do you know? Your clients, prospects, and loyal followers ask you questions about certain subjects all the time. The questions they ask you provide you with golden nuggets to take, and transform into value-add content on your blog and social sites, to enforce your subject matter expertise.
Here’s an example, applied to a solo entrepreneur so you can see that anyone can do this, not just Denny’s. You’re an esthetician. You want to talk about the importance of the brush and the sponge for everything. Applying makeup, applying masks, washing your face, whatever. Your primary clientele is young professional women, and they have communicated to you the difficulties they have adequately cleansing their faces, applying foundation, etc.
So do you just keep telling them over and over with words the various things they need to do with said brushes and sponges? No! You show them visually. Please, take some time to laugh at my amazing cartooning skills:
An original by the Mistress of Social Media
I have given some personality to this pretend esthetician’s brand, and it took me 15 minutes from start to finish to draw it, add captions, and put it up. If this caricature representation of your brand and subject matter is going to be something that you can repeat throughout your content, I would hire a cartoonist to do a much better job. They could make the cartoon representatives of your brand versatile – with different expressions, outfits, props, whatever – so that you can use these cartoons on your blog, Facebook, Pinterest, on printed postcards, calendars, you name it. Get creative!
There are, of course, countless other ideas of how to make your brand engaging, entertaining, and educational. I will share more in future blog posts.
In the meantime, I’d love to hear your thoughts. What ideas do you have?
Photo Editing Apps – Alternatives to Instagram
In response to the articles that have been posted in recent days regarding Instagram’s claim to sell the rights to their users’ photos (see article here,) And, as with anything you learn via viral flurry, it’s a good idea to check your facts. Here is a good article about the legal ease and the true meaning of Instagram’s new policies. I decided it would be helpful to share an overview of other mobile apps for fun photo editing; it’s always good to consider other alternatives. Some of them have direct Facebook and Twitter integration, some don’t. Some are paid apps, some are free.
- A newly updated iPhone app allows you to edit photos in your current photo library or take new photos inside the app
- There are 16 filters similar to those on Instagram
- Flickr lets you post directly to Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr
Fall photo with Flickr filters
- Complete with an auto-fix “Awesomize” button to enhance your photos with one touch
- 9 photo filters with sliding scale of distortion; you can upgrade from the free version to get more filters
- Easy sharing on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, SmugMug, Picasa, Photobucket and Flickr.
- A very simplified version of it’s desktop parent
- Crop, rotate, resize images
- Change the exposure, saturation and contrast features of images
- Add simple effects and borders (some for free, some are a paid upgrade)
PowerCam ($.99)
- Adds real time effects to pictures and videos!
- Over 60 filters/effects
- A ginormous amount of editing features, in 5 categories - Panorama, Tilt-shift, Color Splash, FaceTimer and Magic Shot
- Allows for filming video using effects!
ProHDR ($1.99)
- Capture an image exposed for the highlights and another exposed for the shadows
- Takes two images of the same scene, combines them, and adjusts automatically for the perfect image
- Allows you to make HDRs from your current photo library
- Share images on email, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, and Tumblr
This is just a quick list of apps that you can use to make your photos more eye-catching for your online tribe. I recommend trying a few, finding the one with the interface and effects you like, and using it. If you have others you enjoy, please comment below!
Networking – Don’t Be a Card Collector
Are you one of those people who’s Networking- Phobic? Perhaps you’ve been attending networking events for a while now and haven’t seen the results you would like to see? I’ve developed 5 easy steps for you to follow to get your networking actually working for you! This is #1.
1. Approach networking from a relationship building standpoint – don’t be a “card collector”
I can always sniff out a new networker (and yes, I will admit, I was one 4.5 years ago!) They’re the ones who approach you, business cards in hand, ready to thrust their card into your hand as fast as you’ll receive it. The conversation always starts with “so what do you do?” And they will usually speak about their incredible business or the new product that you’ve just got to try until your ears bleed. If they pause to ask you a question, you may be lucky to get in a short response before the topic of conversation returns to them. Then they will go back to their office and promptly enter your email address into their email newsletter database and begin the slow, painful drip of unwanted messaging ‘convincing’ you of your extreme need for their product/service, which is of course, the greatest thing since sliced bread.
Ok, so maybe I exaggerate a little, but I’m really not too far off!
What if we all approached it from a different space? What if we all cared more for the individual standing in front of us than the 2×3 piece of cardboard with their contact information? What if going to a networking event was a pleasant endeavor, filled with a series of delightful “getting to know you” conversations and, perhaps, a few commenced relationships? What if you let your intuition (yes, that inner energetic GPS) lead you to speak to certain people and begin to get to know them for the uniqueness they be?
Have you ever approached someone at a networking event and asked “so, what have you done that’s fun for you lately?” or “What’s the thing that has you most excited about life right now?” Give it a shot — try to ask a question that has nothing to do with business and see how that person responds. Then, let your intuition guide you to stay and chat some more, or move on to the next intriguing, authentic being. Chances are, you’ll feel much better about the conversation as a whole and if you’re lucky, you’ll have the beginnings of a great KLT (Know, Like & Trust) relationship — one that may actually turn into a great referral partnership, a friend, or possibly even a client!
I definitely recommend you try out a Behind the Moon networking event; I think you’ll find that this style of networking reflects exactly what I’m talking about! No membership is necessary but there are definite advantages to being a member! Check out the membership application here: BTM Memberships
What do you think? What makes for a pleasant relationship-building experience when you network? Ideas??
Social Media Strategy 101 Interview with ActionCOACH Susan Roberts on ESPN 102.3 Radio
*Click this link: http://www.stationcaster.com/player_skinned.php?s=96&c=2241&f=467601
From the show Coaching Not Just For Sports; Aired on April 1, 2012; 30 minutes in length
Susan Roberts, ActionCOACH Denver & Meghann Conter, the Mistress of Media – Owner and Founder of Your Social Source speak about marketing mediums for businesses, specifically focusing on the beginnings of a social media strategy
What did you learn that you didn’t know before listening to this?
Is there someone you can share this with whom this would help?
Facebook Friend Requests – Do’s and Don’ts
I receive multitudes of friend requests from people who have profiles with no information filled in whatsoever or those that are on “lock down,” and from which I had received no personal introduction message. It just makes me wonder – why?
Would this person walk up to me at a networking event or in a social setting and simply stand in front of me with a blank stare and a mute mouth? Yeah, I don’t think so.
Why would it be any different online?
This is SOCIAL networking.
When someone does something like this, it helps me understand my clients’ frustrations. Many of them voice their concerns – “I’m getting all of these friend requests and I don’t know why. It seems I have nothing in common with them. They gave me no reason to act upon their request.”
I feel your pain!! So rather than dwell on the problem, I’m here to provide a solution.
It’s easy. It takes a few short steps.
1. Adopt a business casual strategy for online social networking – if you are in business for yourself or if you are using social media as a form of networking, this is essential!
This means:
- You will be connecting with people you do and don’t yet know who are in your target market (just as you do in a “real life” networking event!)
- You adopt a 50% personal, 50% professional philosophy on the web – in your posts, your comments, etc. (again, just as in real life, you share both parts of your life!
2. Set your privacy settings to reflect the above strategy – make sure that people can see the basics about you so that they can decide whether or not to network with you online. (see diagram below)
This means:
- When someone comes to your Facebook (or LinkedIn profile), they can see at least this information: a few photos of you, your current city, your favorite books, movies, interests, and, most importantly, your “About You” section – fill this out completely and use it as a section to tell people about you personally and professionally! “Locking down” your profile will do you no favors! If you aren’t going to let new people in, you may as well abandon using social media to grow a community!
- Let people find you based on your name and your email address (privacy setting – illustration below)
- Accept friend requests from people who send you private messages*, share common interests, and who fit in your target market. *Note that messages from those who are not your friends tend to end up in the “”Other” inbox, so be sure to check it for messages if you see a new friend request come through.
3. Treat each person you request as a friend as the unique individual they are – send personalized friend requests!
This means:
- To the right of the “Add as friend” button on someone’s profile is the “Message” button. Use it! **See example below, friend request message to Philip Halls**
- Send the person you’d like to befriend a message explaining why you would like to connect with them
- Let them know that if they do not want to accept the friend request it is OK and to please simply click “ignore” and wish them well with a smile
- Take it easy on the amount of friend requests you do each day… if you’re doing this right and seeking out people in your target market and truly personalizing your request, you won’t fall in to the “danger zone” on Facebook. (If you send out too many friend requests on Facebook in one day, they tend to slap your wrist and put you in the penalty box.)
4. Thank them for accepting your request – when people accept, acknowledge them and tell them more about you!
This means:
- Send them another message and make it personal… you are just starting out in this new relationship, so begin to build the know, like, and trust factor by connecting on a personal level
- Tell them about who you are as a person, tell them a story, tell them some interesting facts about you… make yourself stand out…
- It’s ok to mention what you do as a profession but again, do not go straight to promoting yourself or your business!!
- ASK them to tell you about them!
- Add them to a friend list (this is another blog post!)
- **BONUS**- create a video that thanks your new friends and tells them more about you and send them the link to the video
What are other ways you suggest building effective relationships online?
Personal Branding Traits – What Sets You Apart?
I had a personal branding expert whom I highly respect tell me yesterday that a key trait of my personal brand is that I pride myself on generating social capital – promoting others and being helpful to others, in person and on the web. I rave about others and promote them at least twice as much as I talk about myself and my company. I make it a point when I’m at networking events to connect the people whom I think would be power partners and would help each other out. I connect people on LinkedIn and Facebook all the time. I pride myself on being a connector.
One of my good friends who owns a custom embroidery & screen printing shop in Denver said one of the key elements to his personal brand is class. He has front row tickets to the performing arts center, tickets on the ice at Avs games, seats just off the floor at Nuggets games… the point is, whenever he gives his tickets to a potential client or a referral partner, they know without a doubt, that the seats are going to be killer!
We all have things that we do which set us apart from others, especially those of us who are entrepreneurs. We don’t have millions of dollars to spend on PR and marketing, and yet we need to formulate a positive and deliberate impression of ourselves in the eyes of our target market at all times. That means identifying our distinguishing traits and authentically flaunting them. Guess what that does for us?? It helps us attract the right kind of clients who really want to work with us! And then they become our biggest raving fans!
What’s a personal branding trait of yours??!
