Instead of searching online, consumers and business buyers who have a need are connecting to people they trust and asking for referral sources. This is why it’s *more important than ever* to be connected.
As I was writing this post I was trying to come up with a punchy headline, and it occurred me that maybe I ought to write a headline that would appeal to the Ebenezer Scrooge in all of us. I too, was resistant to the social media bandwagon at first, I admit it… I didn’t get it.
One this is undeniable though–there are 500 million Facebook users and counting.
So if you’re a small business owner these days, while you’re counting your pennies and watching every expenditure, you’re also wondering “how do I leverage my network and tap into my market that’s on Facebook?”
To illustrate how this works, I’m using 3 Facebook plugins that illustrate how you can quickly and easily ”Like” my Facebook Page. Is that self-serving of me? Yes–absolutely! But I’m also helping you, so it’s a win-win!
3 Social Plugins to help you Build your Facebook Page
Facebook is, quite simply, social networking at its finest. Not only can you use the platform to interact with family and friends, but from a commercial point of view, it’s great for marketing as well.
It is a Marketer’s dream… You can connect with more than 500 million potential customers, you can choose your audience by location, age and interests… all with easy-to-target, self-reported demographics that are up-to-date and accurate.
If you own a business, or are responsible for marketing one, you’re right to think about creating a Facebook Page (formerly a Fan Page) and build community around your business. And you’re right to think about using a drawing, contest, or sweepstakes to grow your Fan base.
Be aware of the rules and regulations
Facebook has grown so much so quickly there’s still confusion about what you can and cannot do.
For example, it is against Facebook’s promotional guidelines to post this offer on the wall of your fan page:
“Like us and Win a $250 Shopping Spree (or some other prize)”
Blogging can be a great way to leverage social media to position yourself as an expert–the “go-to” resource whenever someone has a problem you can solve, but to blog effectively you should follow the best practices of business blogging.
I know that a lot has been written on this subject, but I’m putting up what I consider the top 5 Best Practices in Business Blogging for your review–if you feel I’ve missed something or I’m off the mark, please let me know!
When you discover you’ve made a bad hire, you usually don’t hesitate to fire the person–or to provide coaching and training to fix the problem(s), so that your employee is a happy, productive, contributing member of the team.
The same should be true of an unproductive website. You should assess your website so that you can determine whether you can fix it–or junk it, and start over.
Your website represents you. Some might even say, it is you. A finely tuned website could be working for you around the clock–helping spread the word about what you do, how you do it better than anyone, and creating opportunities with customers and prospects who need your products or services.
I realize that others have put together lists of factors that create a productive website, but I put this list together specifically for small business owners, if I’ve forgotten anything please feel free to add yours in the comment form!
Infusionsoft is simply the most powerful CRM/Marketing Automation tool for small business. There’s nothing better.
It’s like Salesforce.com + ExactTarget + 1ShoppingCart all-in-one.
And for two seats at $299/month, plus $59/month per additional seat, the price cannot be beat.
You will not find a better all-in-one CRM/Marketing Automation System. It includes: (1) CRM (2) Autoresponders (3) Web forms (4) Order forms (5) Sales force automation (6) Shopping cart (7) Affiliate marketing management, and (8) lots, lots more, and what’s best, you can get it all without spending tens of thousands of dollars, or cobbling together other systems that do parts of what Infusionsoft can do (like Salesforce.com + ExactTarget + 1ShoppingCart, which you’d probably spend 5 figures putting it all together anyway).
If you’re looking for a CRM or Marketing Automation System for your Small Business, but haven’t been able to decide which one is best for you, here are 5 good reasons to get off the fence:
So why aren’t companies more adventurous when it comes to trying new things?
It’s the “I hate brocolli” syndrome of marketing and business.
If you ask the average CEO, “What’s the rationale for the way you’re currently marketing your services?” Many say: “It’s what we’ve always done.”
The sad truth is that many companies are engaging in the same old tried marketing tactics rooted in strategies that were developed eons ago (a.k.a. 2007). They’re wasting money on tactics that are not rooted in any real, current strategy – or based on the realities of today’s marketplace.
How to get higher response rates and higher conversions
Blogging and Social Media Sitting in a Tree: K.I.S.S.I.N.G.
What is the purpose behind Blogging? It’s not to show how smart or cute you are. If it’s going to be a part of an effective business strategy, you need to provide value, to show people the way, and establish yourself as a thought leader.
What is the purpose behind Social Media? It’s to connect with People: Friends, Associates, Affiliates, Prospects, Customers, and let them know what you’re up to. If you are using social media, you get to build your own channel, and you are literally the Editorial Board, Editor in Chief, Writer/Anchor, and Ombudsman all in one person.
What’s the purpose behind integrating your Blogging and your Social Media? Quite simply, it’s a radical new opportunity to put yourself “out there” in front of your clients and prospects, to help them solve problems,and position yourself as a potential solution provider, so that when they have an itch they’ll remember that you provide the scratch.
How to Integrate Blogging and Social Media: In 8 Simple Steps
Why is everyone talking about “Inbound Marketing?” Who cares about the “Real-time Web?”
Several years ago when Google modified its Pagerank Algorithm, and started factoring in how other influential websites link to yours, few people really could imagine the explosion of social media engines like Linked-in, Facebook, and Twitter. Your search engine visibility is determined not only by the quality of the content on your website, but by who is linking to you.
Just recently, Google has launched the real-time web. Now more than ever there is an extraordinary opportunity for small businesses to carve out a niche in their social media marketplaces — effectively creating their own channel to communicate with their customers and prospects.
Facebook is changing consumer behavior.
Facebook is, quite simply, social networking at its finest. Not only can you use the platform to interact with family and friends, but from a commercial point of view, it’s great for marketing as well.
Blogging can be a great way to leverage social media to position yourself as an expert–the “go-to” resource whenever someone has a problem you can solve, but to blog effectively you should follow the best practices of business blogging.
You know the definition of insanity, right? “Doing the same old thing and expecting different results.”
Everyone says they want better results.
Blogging and Social Media Sitting in a Tree: K.I.S.S.I.N.G.
