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How to Build a Social Media Brand

By on May 4, 2012 in Branding & Marketing, Melinda Emerson @SmallBizLady, Social Media

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Social media has leveled the playing field for small business owners in today’s marketing environment. It’s all about two-way communication with customers. Building a social media brand is a major factor in small business success, but the key is being niche focused. Beyond having a website, you need to make sure that you are out there demonstrating your expertise and dominating your niche at every opportunity. No one is calling 411 or looking in the yellow pages for vendors, it’s all about what comes up in the search engines. Don’t forget about LinkedIn, too.  Many experts, consultants and professional service providers are sourced through LinkedIn.  Here are the answers to the top 10 questions on how to build a social media brand.

How important is an online brand to a small business owner? 

Once a month people should Google themselves to see what is out there on the internet about their business. If nothing comes up in the search engines, that is a problem too. Start building online credibility with a LinkedIn profile and a helpful website. I would also add a Twitter account, Google+ profile, and Facebook Fan page as well. Retailers and service businesses should have a Yelp profile too.

What is the biggest mistake small businesses make when building an online brand?

You must consistently talk to the same customer online every time you share content and understand that it takes 7 contacts to make an impression. Many people think it’s going to start raining money in their small business as soon as they start using social media.  Not so! It’s like building any other relationship. It took me 2 years of tweeting, blogging and sharing other people’s information to be recognized nationally.

How does one go about developing a strategy to build a brand online? 

Start with three C’s of social media Content + Community = Commerce. Your content is currency in social media. Once you pick a target audience, you must listen first to find out where they are spending time online. Then you must use your content to become part of the conversation on that social networking site. When you start to engage with people by sharing their content and commenting on blogs, that’s when you starting building community. Once you have established trust within your online community that’s when you can sell to them. If you try to sell too quickly, you will torch the relationship.  Think of social networking as “Give to Get.”

Can you explain what you call “The Triple ROI of Social Media”?

  • Return on Investment: All social media accounts are free. Your investment is your time. A smart social media program returns the time you put in, in terms of engagement with customers and prospects as well as word-of-mouth referrals.
  • Return on Influence: By sharing quality content, small business owners build influence, which they can eventually monetize online and offline.
  • Return on identity:  Everything in social media is about building your brand identity.

What is the HELP mantra?

The HELP mantra is how I think small business owners should approach social media: Help Others, Engage People, Listen Carefully and Promote Yourself With Care. Traditional selling is dead.  Use a 4:1 ratio of sharing other people’s content over your own. Your content will do the selling for you. No one will engage you if you lead with “Buy my stuff, buy my stuff.” They will always respond to great stories about how you can solve their painful business issues.

What is your best advice for a business owner trying to build their brand online?

Before you do anything, clearly identify your niche target customer. Research the keywords people use most to search for your topic, service or product. Then develop your content strategy to stand out amongst your competition. If you are planning to use blogging as your strategy, start working on an archive of blog posts at least 3 months in advance so writing does not feel stressful to you.

How important is it to choose the right social networks? Which ones work best for what, ie. LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Google+, Pinterest, Tumblr etc.? 

Everyone does not have to be doing everything. Twitter is a terrific listening device and is great for driving traffic to a blog. I convene my #Smallbizchat community live each week on Twitter, which has been a major factor in growing my online audience. LinkedIn is the most formal social network. It’s perfect for people who need to network with key decision makers.  Facebook groups and fan pages are great for engaging with retail customers. Google+ is also becoming a major factor in communicating with your entire social rolodex. Don’t forget about Pinterest too. If you have lots of great visuals Pinterest is perfect for target customers with that interest. Tumblr lets you effortlessly share anything. You can post text messages, photos, quotes, links, music and video from email and from any devices. If you use blogging as a key strategy, any of these accounts will help you spread the word.

Should a small business owner stay on message at all times? Is it ever okay to go off message?

It is critical to stay on message in social media. It should be obvious who your customer is by what you share online or what you write on your blog.  If you change your message too often, you will confuse people.  It’s ok to share personal things about yourself, so that people know that you are a real person, but be strategic.

Are there any special tools or apps on any social media sites that you would recommend? why?

I like www.Hootsuite.com to manage all my social media accounts. You can have up to 5 social accounts with the free version, but if someone is helping you with social media you may want to invest in a pro account.

How does one go about earning a community of subscribers, followers, friends, etc?  

Engagement is key. If someone leaves a comment on your blog, respond back quickly. In order to attract subscribers, followers, likes and connections you need to give them what they want – valuable content. Then, engage the people who like your content. Highlight a fan each week on your Facebook fan page, run a contest on Twitter. Be first to answer questions on LinkedIn to highlight your expertise.

On Tuesday May 8th 1-2pm ET I will speak with @FedExOffice during a live Tweet Chat #FedExOffice about how to build a social media brand as part of the Our Office Is Your Office Tweet Chat series.

Do you have any more ideas on how to build a social media brand? Your idea could be worth $50 bucks.

@SmallBizlady will offer two $50 gift cards for two more great ideas about building a social media brand.  To be considered, post your comment on this blog post until 10pm ET Friday, May 11, 2012. Winners will be announced on Twitter on Monday, May 14, 2012. FedEx Office has no involvement in the selection of winners.   This is sponsored by @SmallBizlady.

Disclosure:  FedEx Office compensated me to write this post and participate as a small business expert during the FedEx Office Our Office Is Your Office Tweet Chat series.  FedEx Office also provided the $50 gift cards. The ideas in this blog post are mine and are not ideas or advice from FedEx Office.

About FedEx Office: FedEx Office, an operating company of FedEx Corp., has more than 1,900 stores and locations in the U.S., Canada, Japan, South Korea and the Middle East, providing convenient access to printing and shipping expertise with reliable service. The company’s network features retail stores, centralized production centers, corporate on-site print centers, and on-site business centers at hotels, convention centers and universities. Services include copying and digital printing, professional finishing, document creation, direct mail, signs and graphics, computer rental, free Wi-Fi, corporate print solutions, packing services, FedEx Express and FedEx Ground shipping, Hold at FedEx Location and more. In addition, InformationWeek 500 recognized FedEx Office® Print Online and FedEx Office® Print & Go solutions with the 2011 Most Innovative Products award. Products, services and hours vary by location. For more information, please visit www.fedex.com/office.

For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com.

Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is America’s #1 small business experts. As a seasoned entrepreneur, professional speaker, and small business coach, she develops audio, video and written content to fulfill her mission to end small business failure. As CEO of Quintessence Multimedia, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. Forbes Magazine named her #1 woman for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also publishes a resource blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com Melinda is also bestselling author of Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works.

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7 Must Use Social Media Platforms to Grow Your Small Business

By on February 21, 2012 in Guest Articles, Social Media

The best way to promote your business online is through social media platforms. 78% of people trust peer recommendations, whereas only 14% trust ads. Just think about how often you’ve tried something based on someone else telling you that it’s worth checking out.

Having a great online presence on the right platforms not only makes your business more personable and approachable, helping you build great relationships with your current and potential customers, but more importantly it offers you the opportunity amplify your message to millions of others.

That being said, for small business owners, time and resources is something they cannot afford to waste. With new social media platforms popping up all over the place, the choices can get overwhelming, but jumping into the right one can be tremendously rewarding.

Here’s my breakdown of 7 social media websites, and why they could be worth your time.

1.   Facebook - Most of you reading this probably have a personal profile on Facebook and possibly even a Facebook “fan page”

With over 850 million users, Facebook is the one platform that is pretty much a no-brainer.

As you may have noticed, Facebook recently updated the look of everyone’s profiles to display as timelines. Timeline is the Facebook’s new profile that helps tell your life story through photos, friendships and personal milestones like graduating or traveling to new places.

In the upcoming weeks, Facebook will be doing the same for brand pages. Timeline is a great chance to tell the stories that make your business unique. Also, Facebook ads have emerged as a popular and cost-effective way to promote your small business to targeted users online.

2. Twitter - Twitter is one of those platforms that has a steep learning curve, but once you get the hang of it, it can serve as a tremendous benefit to your small business.

It’s the perfect tool to directly engage with individual customers, and is an instant way to get feedback and learn from your customers to improve your product or service.

Twitter took me a while to learn, but I feel like it is the most personal of all the social platforms, and you can’t beat it for truly building relationships. If you’re looking to start somewhere, begin by reading Melinda’s post on how Twitter changed her life.

3. LinkedIn - LinkedIn works well if you are in one of the more professional fields. Along with yourself, you can create a company profile for your business.

Another useful feature is LinkedIn’s groups. Here you can connect with other like-minded folks as well as potential customers. In my opinion, this is the best part of LinkedIn. Groups allow you to gather and network with others in your industry.

4. YouTube – YouTube, which happens to be owned by Google, is the largest video platform and surprisingly enough, is the second largest search engine. You can create a branded YouTube channel, which is a positive addition to your social presence, especially if you’re committed to creating compelling and informational videos.

Video can be a very powerful tool to demonstrate your expertise. What’s great about YouTube is that it’s good for seo (search engine optimization), has a global audience, and has the potential for your videos to go viral.

5. Tumblr - Tumblr is a free micro-blogging platform and community where people set up blogs or “tumblelogs”. It allows you to post pretty much anything –videos, audio files, photos, links and text notes. In addition, people from Tumblr community can reblog your posts to share with their followers.

The best thing about Tumblr is that it’s dead simple. It’s easy to set up and customize, and you can start posting within minutes and it’s packed with great visually appealing themes.

If you want to start up a blog for your business, Tumblr is a good place to start.

6. Foursquare - Foursquare is different from the others mentioned here. It’s a smartphone based geo-location app that rewards users with points for every time they check in to various locations. The person, who checks into a place the most, claims mayorship of that particular location.

Registering your business on Foursquare, and then offering badges or special deals can be a compelling way of inducing people to check-in when they visit.

With over 10 million users, Foursquare is a nice platform to experiment with if you’re looking to set up a rewards based system with your loyal customers.

7. Pinterest - This platform is buzzing at the moment, and for good reason. In the past six months, visits to Pinterest grew by 4000%, receiving an amazing 11 million hits in just one week. One of the most interesting stats about Pinterest is the fact that over 80% of its users are women.

You can use Pinterest to host contests, inspire your customers, offer exclusive discounts to your followers and perhaps most importantly sell your products by adding a price to your pinned item and directing them to your online store.

I often hear Pinterest users saying, “I’m addicted!” For businesses, that can be a great thing.

Pinterest has also proved to be a great way to drive traffic to your site, and in some cases, has out-performed Facebook.

Choosing the right social media platform for your business comes down to where your users are, and which one you enjoy using.

I’ve enjoyed experimenting with all of these platforms. Each has its strengths and weaknesses. Personally, Twitter has been really working well for my startup PressPass.

Getting yourself involved in the right emerging social media websites can really benefit your business as you ride the platform’s rapidly growing number of users to acquire new customers.

Over to you now. Have you tried out any of these platforms for your business? What methods have you used that worked, and what didn’t?

Valencio Cardoso is a product designer, and social media marketer. He is the co-founder of PressPass.me – an interactive directory of journalists and media organizations aimed at helping startups and small businesses find the right journalists for their newsworthy stories. Message him on twitter @ValencioCardoso

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How to Generate Revenue for Your Small Business

By on November 1, 2011 in Branding & Marketing, Cash Flow & Finance, Grow Your Business

Most people know they shouldn’t attempt to take on a mortgage without having some way to pay for it.  Yet small business owners do something quite similar every day.  How do they do this? Some small business owners focus on running the business before focusing on generating the leads that fund the business.  Sure, every business needs money to stay open, but without building a strategy to funnel the revenue into the business, the foundation is shaky at best.

Just like some new homeowners take on more mortgage than they can afford, eventually it catches up to them.  They are then forced to find more money or a smaller home.  After a few years, the initial rush of the business wears off leaving a gaping hole where lead generation would have been.  Small business owners may have quick sales in the beginning but without a long-term lead generation plan, they will go bankrupt.  The cash flow a business needs requires a sales funnel.  So how do you create that funnel?  Below are a few tips to make lead generation a priority in your business without taking away from your other activities.

  1. Create a list: Encourage people to opt in to your newsletter/free report or to a webinar/telesemiar.  Developing a list of people who have opted in to your communications is quite possibly one of the best lead generation tactics you can implement.  No, you shouldn’t buy lists or dump your contacts into your email newsletter program.  People need to sign up by themselves.  So incite them to do so.  Host a free webinar or offer a free special report.  Just offer them something.  Taking action is better than perfecting the freebie.
  2. Devote a set amount of time each week to lead generation.  Customer needs change.  Industries change.  Consumer expectations change.  Client budgets for your products and services may dwindle.  So you need an ongoing plan for lead generation. Set aside time each week purely for lead generation activities.  This could be list building activities social media marketing, warm calling, in-person networking, and many other activities. It’s easy to get caught up in your current client work, setting time aside for lead generation helps you bridge the gap between hunting for new business while producing the work you already have.
  3. Build leads offline.  Network, network, network. Have I mentioned networking? It’s a great way to build leads. Attend luncheons and business breakfasts to meet new people and expand your circle. Since your network of contacts will be in a constant state of flux, it’s important to keep adding to it. Some people will filter out, so replenishing is critical. Remember to tie your offline activities to your online activities, meaning connect to them on LinkedIn. Mention your e-report or other freebie on your business card.  Direct people to a squeeze page on your website where they can sign up for your webinar.
  4. Accepts “nos.” Getting a “no” is better than being stuck with a “maybe.” With a “no” you can move on to the next lead. Getting stuck with false hope maybes will, “bankrupt your business.”  Building in registration deadlines for webinars and teleseminars encourages action. Promoting your reports and newsletters with some mystery encourages people to sign up to find out the punch-line. Demonstrating scarcity, a limited number of copies of a book to hand out, for example, encourages people to take action now. These tactics also weed out anyone who simply isn’t interested.
  5. Make lead generation a priority.  It’s easy to stop spending time each week on sales activities.  But remember, quick cash creates a false sense of security.  Quick cash burns out fast too (if you don’t first!). Build your business the right way even if it means saying no to work that doesn’t fit your business model.  There are no shortcuts to success.

Lead generation is one of the most important things you can do to build and sustain your business.  Focusing on working in your business instead of on your business will keep you from achieving the profit and longevity you seek. Focusing create quality content that will attract your target customer. Building quality leads into your sales funnel is what will make your business stand out and help you avoid sleepless nights. 

Do you have any more ideas to share about lead generation and building a sales funnel?

For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com.

By day Morgan Leu Parkhurst helps individuals put the pieces of their marketing puzzles together.  By night she teaches
marketing communications to aspiring entrepreneurs. Reach her atwww.sharpmindmarketing.com or on Twitter at @Morgan_LP.

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10 Things to Grow Your Business This Summer

By on June 22, 2011 in 10 Things Lists, Ask Smallbizlady, Become Your Own Boss Tips, Branding & Marketing, Business Inspiration, Customer Service, Featured Post, Grow Your Business, My Recommendations, Social Media, Technology

growth, summer, Summer is here!  Now that the kids are out of school, you might be thinking about how to reduce your work schedule, but that’s the worst thing you could do.  It’s time to turn up the heat in your business. Third and fourth quarters are critical times in business. You may have customers who are in budget planning cycles, or have excess budget to spend. Now is the right time reach out to your existing customers and get your house in order to make your revenue goals for the rest of the year.

 

Here’s 10 Things to grow your business this summer.

1. Take a break. Even if all you can afford to do is a staycation, take a break from work for at least 7 days. You need to recharge your batteries so that you can go hard the rest of the year.

2. Attend a conference. The Summer is a great time to sign up for a course or attend a conference in your industry to learn the latest trends and techniques.

3. Read a great business book. Pick a book that’s you have been meaning to read and learn a few techniques that will help you grow your business. I really like 201 Great Ideas for Your Small Business by Jane Applegate. http://www.amazon.com/Great-Ideas-Small-Business-Bloomberg/dp/0470919663/ref=dp_ob_title_bk

4. Revisit your business plan. In the first few years of a business, you should be updating your business plan every 90 days.  When is the last time you reviewed your marketing plan and how well it was working to drive sales. Make sure your budget and revenue projections are up-to-date.

5. Organize a Business Retreat. Take your team offsite treat them to some good food in a lush environment. Brainstorm with them to solve the top three issues in the business.  Bring in a trainer.

6. Ask for testimonials. Go back to all of your customers that you worked with over the last six months and ask for testimonials. Get them in writing to update your website and ask them to post recommendations to LinkedIn.

7. Refresh your website and marketing materials. Take a look at your website and marketing collateral including your blog header, business cards, and newsletter template.  If something was just thrown together just to get some out or you’ve been using the same template for a whole, take the time to clean up your design elements to make your brand shine.

8. Update your personal bio and profiles across social media. Every small business owner should have a professional biography.  Take this time to update yours with any new marquee clients, non-profit board service, and speaking opportunities. Be sure to update your profiles on your social media accounts as well.

9. Do a waste walk in your office. Summer is a great time to chuck the clutter.  The shredder is your friend. Get rid of stray paper, conference bags, direct mail, magazines, equipment that doesn’t work, and giveaways you really didn’t want anyway.

10. Develop a special offer. You need a reason to contact your customers.  Nothing is better than a discount, coupon or special offer.  You use this as your excuse to call, email or snail mail your existing customers. They are the most valuable asset in your business.

Do you have any other tips to keep a small business growing over the summer?

For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com.

Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is one of America’s leading small business experts. As a seasoned entrepreneur, professional speaker, and small business coach, she develops audio, video and written content to fulfill her mission to end small business failure.  As CEO of MFE Consulting LLC, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. Forbes Magazine recently named her one of the Top 20 women for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also publishes a resource blog www.succeedasyourownboss.com  Melinda is also the author of the national bestseller Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works. (Adams Media 2010)

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Ask @SmallBizLady: How do I follow-up after a business conference?

By on June 17, 2011 in Ask Smallbizlady, Become Your Own Boss Tips, Branding & Marketing, Featured Post, Grow Your Business, Social Media, Technology

Every Friday, I answer your small business questions in a video blog segment called Ask Small Biz Lady. This week, I took a question live from the New York Times Small Business Summit.

Here’s the question: How do I make a plan to follow-up after a business conference? Here’s the answer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z3rKLFEkF_I

 

Immediately  reach out to all of your new connections on LinkedIn.

  • Separate your new contact into piles email follow-up vs. hand-written note.
  • Wait 5-10 business days to follow-up your initial contact with a personal phone call. I really enjoyed attending this year’s conference.

Here’s some key takeaways: It’s all about being ready to do commerce via mobile devices. All websites need to be mobile ready and google is coming out with some innovate tools to help…stay tuned.

LivingSocial.com CEO Tim O’Shaughnessy, enlightened the audience by explaining how important it is to have a local sales presence for an online business. He also made the audience aware of all the other services his company can provide for small businesses beyond daily deals, which I am intrigued to learn about that more fully.

Susan Sobbott, President of American Express Open, shared sobering statistics on social media use among small businesses. 35% are using Facebook, 14% are using LinkedIn and 10% are on Twitter regularly.

If you have a question for Melinda Emerson, Small Biz Lady, leave a comment on this blog using the contact us page or send me a note on Twitter @smallbizlady, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/smallbizlady or you can hit me up on www.linkedin.com/in/melindaemerson I’m always here as a resource.

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Are you Google-able?

By on June 6, 2011 in Ask Smallbizlady, Become Your Own Boss Tips, Branding & Marketing, Business Inspiration, Featured Post, Grow Your Business, How to Start, Melinda Emerson @SmallBizLady, Social Media, Technology, Your Small Business
google logo

google logo

If you’re ready for a midcareer makeover, you can get new clothes and a new haircut. But even more important, you must make yourself what I call “Google-able.” That means you need to create a smart social media footprint.

By day I work as a small-business coach, and I keep coming across amazing professionals with extraordinary credentials who want to build a consulting practice or establish themselves as thought leaders in their industry.

But here’s the problem: When I put their names in Google, I come up with nothing. No website, no social networking profile — not even a guest blog post. These people may have advanced degrees and impressive titles on their resumes, but there is no electronic evidence of their expertise and accomplishments. Since this has happened several times over the last few weeks, it dawned on me that I needed to help fellow midcareer folks understand this new paradigm.

Gone are the days of calling around to get the 411 on a potential business partner or new hire. These days, people do an internet search before you ever get a call about a new opportunity. Recruiters and corporate executives routinely conduct internet searches when looking for talent and don’t always advertise open positions. Many believe you don’t even exist if you don’t have a social media footprint.

Here are five essential steps to get started online.
1. Smile and click.

One of the key things you need prior to establishing yourself online is to get a professional headshot. Go ahead and spend money to get a good photo. It should be a smiling shot that is friendly. Even though you are communicating over the internet, people still want to see who they are talking to.

If you haven’t established an online presence yet, keep this in mind: You are using the skills you already know — how to communicate with people. Creating an online presence simply helps people find you. Think of it as your virtual business card, which is far more useful in 2011 than the paper variety.

2. Sign up at LinkedIn.

The first step to building your brand online is to stake your territory: One of the best moves you can make is to set up a profile on LinkedIn. Yes, you’ll also want to establish a Google profile and sign up for a Facebook or Twitter account, too. But LinkedIn is the most important.

“If you are looking to do anything in the professional world, LinkedIn is where you need to be. LinkedIn is the ultimate buyers’ market,” says Patrice Rutledge, author of Using LinkedIn.

Here are her top tips to make your profile shine on LinkedIn:

  • Add your profile and be sure to fill it out 100 percent. Your profile should use the appropriate keywords that your target audience would use to search for your expertise (including job title and certifications).
  • Use applications to enhance your profile (SlideShare presentations, Google presentations, portfolio display or box.net to add a resume).
  • A detailed company profile is important for a business owner. Be sure to link it to your personal LinkedIn profile.
3. Create a website.

The next thing you can do is register your name or your business name as a website domain and create a simple one- to five-page website. If you are interested in establishing yourself as a thought leader in your industry, adding a blog to your new website is a great idea.

I realize that this might sound intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. You can register your own domain name and then hire a virtual assistant who specializes in social media to help you set it up. (By the way, a virtual assistant is an entrepreneur who assists business owners and busy people with time-consuming tasks, allowing them more time to focus on profit-generating activities.) With a few basic lessons, and time with tutorials, you can get going in no time.

4. Sign up for a Facebook account.

Cathy Larkin, founder of Web Savvy PR, conducts hands-on workshops to teach baby boomers how to use Facebook. Her clients often want to know what to talk about on their Facebook Fan Pages and how to create a good profile.

“I show people how to use Facebook rather than telling them how to do it,” Larkin says. “It’s all about figuring out what your intended audience wants to hear, learn or know about.”

She offers the example of a real estate agent who posted information about how to clear two feet of snow from your roof, which is much more creative — and useful — information than simply listing houses for sale.

Here are Larkin’s three tips for using Facebook Fan Pages:

  • Consider your keywords. Your domain name for your Facebook Fan Page should include keywords that people will use to search for you online.
  • Set your Info page as your default page. If someone visits you on Facebook, they will quickly get a sense of who you are and what you do (and hopefully fan your page).
  • Upload photos and online videos. It’s a great way to promote your products or services and add rich content to your Facebook Page.
5. Don’t forget Twitter.

Thomas MacEntee, the 48-year-old founder of High-Definition Genealogy, says its best to think of social media as a garden you have to tend.

Laid off from his tech job in Chicago in late 2008, MacEntee reinvented himself as a family historian — helping people investigate their family trees — and utilizes social media to connect with clients. It took MacEntee about a year to build his business.

He’s been so successful mastering the intricacies of Twitter — the free service that allows users to share information in 140 characters or less — that he now teaches a social media class for baby boomers called “Twitter: It’s not just what I had for breakfast anymore.”

He says the key to Twitter is giving as much as you get, and listening as much as you speak. He says some boomers have a problem with these concepts. “They think they are giving away their work for free, but it’s part of building yourself as a brand and an expert,” says MacEntee.

Here are some action steps to get you started building your online brand.

  • Decide what you wish to accomplish before using social media. Are you looking for a new work opportunity or simply want to connect with others who share a special interest or expertise?
  • Figure out who your audience is and where these folks hang out online. (You want to be as specific as possible in targeting your efforts.)
  • Create your LinkedIn account immediately. Add a great photo, import your contact database from your e-mail and join one group.
  • Expand to your own website, Facebook and/or Twitter.
  • Start developing a list of potentials blog topics. It’s a good idea to developed an archive of blog posts at least three months prior to launching your blog.
  • Remember that social media marketing is a marathon, not a sprint. You will get out of it what you invest in it.

If you follow all of these tips, when someone types your name into the world’s most famous search engine, they will immediately have your virtual business card — and so much more — right at their fingertips.

This article was originally posted on SecondAct.com. The content of this article is copywritten by Entrepreneur Media all rights reserved. www.secondact.com

Melinda F. Emerson, known as the SmallBizLady, is an entrepreneur, professional speaker, small business coach and the author of Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months. In 2010, Forbes magazine named her as one of the Top 20 Women for Entrepreneurs to Follow on Twitter.

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4 Things All Entrepreneurs Should Do On LinkedIn

By on May 31, 2011 in Ask Smallbizlady, Become Your Own Boss Tips, Branding & Marketing, Business Inspiration, Featured Post, Grow Your Business, Social Media, Solopreneurs, Starting A Small Business, Women in Business, Your Small Business

 

LINKED IN Logo

Linked in Logo

LinkedIn is important! 75% of all professionals in the US have a LinkedIn profile, which means if you want to do business you must have one too. LinkedIn is powerful tool that you can use to promote yourself if you are an individual consultant or a company with 2 or more employees. Here are my four tips that all entrepreneurs should do on LinkedIn.

Make sure your profile is 100%: If you do not have a headshot, please add a profession one. Typically, business owners who are not 100% lack recommendations. Look at your connections and ask at least three people to write why they love doing business with you. To make it easy, write the recommendation for them. This might be rough, but go ahead and do it.     Actually, you should get in habit of asking anyone you interact with to give to a recommendation. I have over 47 recommendations and counting, you can never have too many.

Know Your Keywords: Your keywords should be spread across your profile.  First your description of who you are should include keywords that your target customer would use to find you on the internet. Your summary and skills should also be peppered with keywords. This will also help you appear higher in Linkedin searches for experts.

Join LinkedIn Groups: You can join up to 50 groups on LinkedIn. You should join at least 10 groups that have your target customer in the group. You should have a strategy for how you will engage and attract members of the group to connect with you. Many groups allow fellow members to connect even though you do not know each other.
Answer Questions:  One of best ways to standout in LinkedIn is to answer questions.  It should become a part of your social media routine. Try to answer two to three questions a week and see how many new connections you will make for your business.

LinkedIn is a powerful tool and a great way to connect with decision makers.  Make sure you are in the best position to promote yourself and your business online. Do you have any other LinkedIn secrets to promote a small business? For more tips on how start or grow your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com.

Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is one of America’s leading small business experts. As a seasoned entrepreneur, professional speaker, and small business coach, she develops audio, video and written content to fulfill her mission to end small business failure.  As CEO of MFE Consulting LLC, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. Forbes Magazine recently named her one of the Top 20 women for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also publishes a resource blog www.succeedasyourownboss.com  Melinda is also the author of the national bestseller Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works. (Adams Media 2010)

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How To Build a Social Media Brand

By on October 18, 2010 in Branding & Marketing, Social Media

One of the topics I regularly speak about as I tour the country helping small business owners is how to build a social media brand. I am often inspired by questions I’m asked to write blog posts to further answer business questions. In this case, I realized that I have already written many articles on virtues of social media and how to get started. I decided to use today’s blog post to recap my favorite posts for getting started with building an online brand. The first step in building a social media brand is starting with a marketing plan. Then you need to figure out where your customers spend time online. From there, start slowly and figure out if LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook are the right social media network to launch your online footprint.  Plus, if you think blogging should be a part of your strategy, I threw in a three part series on blogging for business. 

How to Develop a Marketing Plan

http://succeedasyourownboss.com/09/2010/how-develop-a-marketing-plan-for-your-small-business/

Getting Started With LinkedIn

http://succeedasyourownboss.com/06/2010/getting-started-on-linkedin/

Getting Started With Twitter

http://succeedasyourownboss.com/06/2009/getting-started-on-twitter/

Using Facebook to Promote Your Small Business

http://succeedasyourownboss.com/10/2010/using-facebook-to-promote-your-small-business/

Blogging for Business Three Part Series

http://succeedasyourownboss.com/09/2009/how-to-build-a-small-business-blog/

http://succeedasyourownboss.com/09/2009/strategy-developing-a-blog-vs-website/

http://succeedasyourownboss.com/10/2009/10-ways-to-get-your-blog-to-shine/

I want to know — what’s your formula to build social media brand?

Become Your Own Boss in 12 Months Books By Melinda EmersonMelinda F. Emerson, known to many as Small Biz Lady (or on Twitter as @SmallBizLady) is one of America’s leading small business experts. As a seasoned entrepreneur, professional speaker, and small business coach, she develops audio, video and written content to fulfill her mission to end small business failure. As CEO of MFE Consulting LLC, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. Forbes Magazine recently named her one of the Top 20 women for entrepreneurs to follow on Twitter. She hosts #SmallBizChat Wednesdays on Twitter 8-9pm ET for emerging entrepreneurs. She also publishes a resource blog www.succeedasyourownboss.com. Melinda is also the author of the national bestseller Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works. (Adams Media 2010)

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Resources to Use Twitter to Grow Your Small Business

By on August 30, 2010 in Branding & Marketing, Grow Your Business, Social Media

I regularly get emails and direct messages asking me if I tweet myself or if use a team of people help me maintain my Twitter accounts.  I have two @smallbizlady and @smallbizchat.   Well, the answer is that I do it myself, and here’s some of the tools that I use to manage my online brand on Twitter.  Hopefully you’ll be able to build your business using some of these great tools—some of them will work with Facebook and LinkedIn, too.

Twitter Monitoring & Automation Tools

Backing Up Your Tweets

Website link Shorteners:

Finding New Friend Suggestions

Finding Conversations on Twitter

Participate on Twitter Chats 
such as #Smallbizchat (Wed-8-9pm ET)

Are there any other Twitter tools that you use for your small business? I am always looking for new resources.

For more tips on starting or growing your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog at www.succeedasyourownboss.com

Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is one of America’s leading small business experts. As CEO of MFE Consulting LLC, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. She hosts #SmallBizChat weekly on Twitter for emerging entrepreneurs and publishes a resource blog www.succeedasyourownboss.com.  Melinda is also the author of the national bestseller Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works. (Adams Media 2010) For more information http://www.becomeyourownbossbook.com

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How to Use LinkedIn to Grow Your Small Business

By on July 29, 2010 in Q & A Interview, SmallBizChat, Social Media

Each week as @Smallbizlady, I conduct interviews with small business experts on my weekly Twitter talk show #SmallBizChat. This is excerpted from my #SmallBizChat interview with @PatriceRutledge.  Patrice is a bestselling author of 30 books on business technology who has been interviewed by CNN, Inc., Fox News, MSN, AOL, and other media outlets around the world. Her latest book is Using LinkedIn, a complete training program for LinkedIn users that includes a print book, audio podcasts, and video tutorials. Patrice also offers business technology coaching for busy entrepreneurs who want to tap the power of technology to increase profits, promote their business, and save time and money. You can reach Patrice at her website: http://www.patricerutledge.com.

Smallbizlady: How can small business owners use LinkedIn to promote their businesses?

Patrice Rutledge: One common misconception about LinkedIn is that it’s primarily for jobseekers. LinkedIn is also a great tool for small business owners. You can use LinkedIn to create an online profile easily found by search engines such as Google or Bing, promote your products and services, find clients and customers, network with your peers, establish credibility as an expert in your field, do market research, find partners and sponsors, and much more.

Smallbizlady: What’s the first thing a new LinkedIn user should do?

Patrice Rutledge: The very first thing you should do is to create a quality profile. That’s the basic foundation for success on LinkedIn. When creating your profile, you need to really think about who you want to reach and what profile content will attract your audience and encourage them to do business with you. That said, you should never write your profile like an advertisement. LinkedIn is for networking, not direct selling, even if your goal is to increase sales and find clients.

Smallbizlady: What is the best way to approach LinkedIn as a business development tool?

Patrice Rutledge: With LinkedIn, as with other social sites, it’s important to engage with your target audience rather than broadcast to them. In other words, don’t just post sales messages to group discussion boards, engage your audience in conversation. Using features such as LinkedIn Answers and LinkedIn Groups can help you showcase your expertise, which encourages people to do business with you.

Smallbizlady: This is your second book on LinkedIn, and your third on social networking. Why do you think LinkedIn is such a great tool?

Patrice Rutledge: I’ve used LinkedIn since its early days, both as a recruitment tool when I was in the corporate world and as a business development tool now that I have my own business. I’ve found social networking—especially LinkedIn—to be one of the best ways to connect with a worldwide audience of potential customers and clients. Hopefully my LinkedIn books help people learn how to generate positive results with minimal impact on their time.

Smallbizlady: What’s your take on the ongoing debate about quantity vs. quality when it comes to the number of connections a LinkedIn member has?

Patrice Rutledge: This is definitely a hot topic right now with many varied opinions on the matter. There are basically three trains of thought when it comes to a connection strategy. There’s the more the merrier crowd who connects with anyone and everyone. This group tends to go out of their way to amass as many connections, followers, friends, as they possibly can and tout these numbers on their profiles. They’re the people who are upset with sites like LinkedIn and Facebook for imposing connection limits. At the other extreme are people who connect only with people they know and no one else. In a sense, they’re kind of missing the point of networking. I prefer a middle ground approach. Obviously, connect with all the people you know and then selectively connect with new people who share common interests to grow your network. The difference here is quality vs. quantity. I think you can generate much better results from a targeted network than you can from amassing tens of thousands of connections who don’t really care about who you are and what you have to offer.

Smallbizlady: How can a company profile help you promote your business?

Patrice Rutledge: If you have a small business—even a solo business—you should create a LinkedIn company profile. They’re definitely not just for large companies. It’s important to understand that a company profile isn’t the same as a personal profile, though. On a company profile, you can enter a company description, describe your specialties, and list job openings, company news, and blog posts. When LinkedIn members view your personal profile, they can access your company profile as well—which provides you another opportunity to showcase what you have to offer.

Smallbizlady: Can you explain how to become a LinkedIn service provider and the benefits of doing so?

Patrice Rutledge: If you provide any kind of professional service, you’ll want your profile information available in the LinkedIn service provider directory. To gain visibility here, one of your clients needs to create a LinkedIn recommendation for you as a service provider. You can’t enter yourself in the LinkedIn service providers directory, but you can send a request to your clients asking them to recommend you. They need to select “service provider” when filling out their  recommendation.

Smallbizlady: What are the biggest mistake small business owners make when trying to promote their business on LinkedIn?

Patrice Rutledge: I see three common mistakes. The first is having a weak or incomplete profile. Another common mistake is using LinkedIn as a direct sales tool rather than a business connection tool. And finally, a third mistake is that many people never really move beyond the basic profile, even if they do complete it. There’s so much more to LinkedIn than just creating a profile and adding connections. Check out LinkedIn’s other features—answers, groups, polls, events, and applications. Post your status regularly. Become an active participant, not a quiet bystander.

Read an excerpt from “Using LinkedIn” at http://patricerutledge.com/linkedin-excerpt/

If you found this interview helpful, join us on Wednesdays 8-9pm ET follow @SmallBizChat on Twitter.

How to participate in #SmallBizChat: http://bit.ly/S797e

For more tips on starting or growing your small business subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog at www.succeedasyourownboss.com

Melinda F. Emerson, known to many as SmallBizLady is one of America’s leading small business experts. As a seasoned entrepreneur, professional speaker, and small business coach, she develops audio, video and written content to fulfill her mission to end small business failure.  As CEO of MFE Consulting LLC, Melinda educates entrepreneurs and Fortune 500 companies on subjects including small business start-up, business development and social media marketing. She has been featured on NBC Nightly News, the Tavis Smiley Radio Show, in the Wall Street Journal, Entrepreneur and Black Enterprise Magazine. She hosts #SmallBizChat weekly on Twitter for emerging entrepreneurs and publishes a resource blog www.succeedasyourownboss.com.  Melinda is also the author of the national bestseller Become Your Own Boss in 12 months; A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business That Works. (Adams Media 2010)

Read an excerpt from “Using LinkedIn” at http://patricerutledge.com/linkedin-excerpt/ #SmallBizChat

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Getting Started on LinkedIn

By on June 21, 2010 in Branding & Marketing, How to Start, Social Media

Developing a LinkedIn profile is a great step towards building your social media footprint. LinkedIn is a professional sociallinkedin_logo networking application.  LinkedIn users tend to be more affluent and very well educated.  57% of users are men and 43% are women with 72% of users over the age 35.  According to a May 2009 survey, 82% of total users have a college degree and 30% of LinkedIn users are savvy networkers who earn more than $90,000 per year.  69% of users read blogs, and 9% maintain their own blogs.

Benefits of LinkedIn:

  1. Able to build a network.  LinkedIn makes it much easier to keep in touch with contacts. This is a great way to generate warm leads and access potential partners.
  2. Access to research. Having access to your contacts’ and/or targets’ resumes and background.  This information tells you not only where they have worked, but also their educational background and professional organizations to which they belong.
  3. Acceptable self-promotion. Be sure your profile highlights your best assets and current projects to attract people with whom you would want to be associated.
  4. Promote your events. LinkedIn allows you to put your rolodex on steroids. You can reach out to contacts all at once to promote your latest projects, activities and events.
  5. Job leads. LinkedIn helps you develop your network, which will be key if you are searching for a job or need to post one.  LinkedIn is a great source for job leads and tools to track down connections at a particular company.

Below is a step-by-step instruction sheet for completing a LinkedIn profile.  The information you provide will appear on your public profile on LinkedIn. Your phone number and email addresses will only be shared with your direct contacts.

To Complete Your LinkedIn Profile

  1. Go to LinkedIn.com.
  2. Sign up for an account.
  3. Choose a password.

Contact info:

Full name: (Catherine Smith) (no place for middle initial, they are not used)

Display name: (Cathy Smith) Optional: if nothing is specified, LinkedIn will use full name

Email address:

Phone # with extension:

Former or maiden name: (Optional: but helps people who know you from college or job in the past can find and connect with you)

Headshot photo: Jpeg format—This should be a nice, smiling photo of you.

Create a Professional headline:

Examples: Experienced Transportation Executive, Web Designer and Information Architect, Visionary Entrepreneur and Investor. People also often include CEO, CFO, or Consultant etc. It is one of the first thing people see in your profile.

Zip code: this puts you in a metro region – use your work zip code, unless home or other Zip code is more appropriate.

Industry: Sample Options: Law Practice, Legal Services, Lobbying, Education Management, Public Policy Expert - Other industries are available.

(All of these sections have unstated word limits, so be brief, but thorough.)

Summary: Summarize your professional experience in paragraph form.  This is your chance to provide an engaging 30-second description that highlights who you are and what you do— think of it as your personal elevator pitch. (This section is limited to somewhere around 325 words.)

Specialties: The specialties field allows you to list your areas of expertise that will help potential clients find you when they are looking for a specific skill-set or knowledge-base.. 60 words max, but less is fine too.

Experience: Your position descriptions should briefly explain what the company does, and your main responsibilities and accomplishments. Be sure to include the exact time period – the month and year of your start and end date. Use clear, succinct phrases to streamline your information down to precise bullet points that highlight your talent and accomplishments.

Education: Make sure your profile lists any universities, colleges, advanced degree institutions, fellowships, and any certificate programs.  Be sure to provide any additional notes on your experience at each institution. Examples: Alpha Phi Alpha, Chamber Chorale, Debate Team

Additional Information: The additional information profile element allows you to give users more insight into your professional qualifications by providing the following:

  • Web or social networking profile URLs – Facebook, Twitter, personal blog, groups etc. All you need is the URL http://twitter.com/username etc.
  • Websites: list a link to your company website
  • Interests: list the things that you enjoy doing, learning about, etc. These can be a mix of personal and professional interests.
  • Groups and Associations: list professional organizations or display badges of LinkedIn groups that you are a part of.
  • Honors and Awards

Recommendations: In order to get a 100% profile on LinkedIn, you will need to secure three recommendations. Start thinking about who you can request recommendations from. It can be current or former employers or colleagues, clients and or associates with whom you have done volunteer service. You must be connected to a person in LinkedIn in order to receive a recommendation.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE, E-NEWSLETTER OR WEB SITE? You may, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:

Melinda Emerson “SmallBizLady” is a Veteran Entrepreneur, Small Business Expert and Social Media Coach who hosts #smallbizchat on Twitter. #Smallbizchat is the trusted resource on Twitter to discuss everything entrepreneurs need to know about launching and running a profitable small business. Melinda’s first book, Become Your Own Boss in 12 months! A Month-by-Month Guide to a Business that Works! will be released by Adams Media in March 2010.

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Is Your Linkedin Profile Lame?

By on May 3, 2009 in Social Media

linkedin_logo

Here are some tips to maximizing your Linkedin Profile

1. Complete your profile 100%

It not enough to add the basic data about who you are and what you do.  In order to get 100%, at least add three recommendations, two past job positions, and a list of your specialties. Also, consider adding a detailed summary of your professional accomplishments. It’s one of the areas that people read and it’s a great opportunity to tell people what you want them to know about you.

 2. Keep your Linkedin photo up to date

If you have gained or loss weight or are using a 10 year old photo, update your picture. It’s best to use a professional headshot which shows you smiling.

3. Grow your connections every chance you get

From now on whenever you meet a new contact connect with them on Linkedin to follow-up, in addition to adding their name to your contact database. If you are just getting started, import your contact databases (i.e Aol, gmail, MS outlook etc.) into Linkedin.

4. Update status on a regular basis

Your status updates appear on your connections’ home pages, giving you further exposure. Consider including links to your status updates to conferences you may be attending, or a new website you just launched or if you have a blog, it is great to add a link to you posts on occasion.  Use tinyurl.com or bit.ly to shorten longer links. An advantage of using bit.ly is that it tracks click conversions, which help you know what interests your connections the most.

5. Add the slideshare application to your profile

Forget about emailing information post what you want to share with an audience. Post it on your Linkedin profile using slideshare.  As a professional speaker I no longer travel with handouts, I make the audience contact me on linkedin to get my information.  Also make the slideshare presentation available to everyone. It will significantly increase your rankings in the search engines as well.  You can post PPT, PDF and files with audio and video as well.

6. Add your blog feed to your Linkedin profile

You can use the Blog Link application to show previews of your latest blog posts right on your Linkedin profile. Readers can get a glimpse of what you’re blogging about and click the Read More link to go directly to your blog.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE, E-NEWSLETTER OR WEB SITE?  You may, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:

Melinda Emerson is a Veteran Entrepreneur, Small Business Expert and Social Media Coach who hosts #smallbizchat on Twitter.  #Smallbizchat is the trusted Twitter resource to discuss everything entrepreneurs need to know about launching and running a profitable small business.  Melinda’s first book, Be Your Own Boss! How to Quit Your Job and Start Your Own Business 12 Months or Less! is scheduled to be released by Adams Media in early 2010.

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