Tag Archives | social media

The Perfect PR Pitch For Your Small Business

By on October 22, 2009 in Branding & Marketing, SmallBizChat, Social Media

Every week as SmallBizLady, I conduct interviews with experts on my Twitter talk show #SmallBizChat. The show takes place every Wed. on Twitter from 8-9pm ET. This is excerpted from my recent interview with @PRSarahEvans. Sarah is a public relations and new media strategist at @SevansStrategy.  Sarah has worked extensively in the non-for-profit, higher education and healthcare sectors, focusing on media relations, message management, coalition building, deployment strategies, and organizational change. A self-described social media freak, Sarah is the founder of #journchat and MediaOnTwitter. Her personal mission is to engage and employ the use of emerging technologies in all communication – that connects her with a rapidly growing base of more than 26,000 people. Contact Sarah online at: http://card.ly/prsarahevans


Smallbizlady: How much time should you dedicate to PR for your business?

@PRSarahEvans At least 10% of your time should be spent working on your business. That time should include building relationships with journalists and bloggers, identifying stories your public should know, reputation management, tracking who is talking about you…to name a few. Public relations is more than media relations. Here’s how I define it: Public relations is an ongoing conversation, which builds sustainable relationships between an entity and its publics resulting in change, action or influence

Smallbizlady: What’s the best way to generate traditional media coverage? What about social media?

@PRSarahEvans The best to generate traditional media coverage is to have a good story to tell to the right journalist with the right audience. That means knowing who covers topics appropriate to your business and reading/listening/watching their work. Nothing kills a potential relationship faster than an off-pitch. It’s not all about the press release (more on that later). Social media coverage means blogs, online news publications, content distributors and influencers. Same rules apple.

Smallbizlady: Are press releases still in vogue, does anyone read them?

@PRSarahEvans I host a Monday night chat on Twitter, #journchat, where journalists, bloggers and PR professionals discuss questions like this. Recently we had the New York Times social media editor @NYT_jenpreston who said this in response to the value of press releases, “Honestly? Minimum value.” @JeffJarvis recently told PRs that the press release is dead. However, I work with many local daily print publications who request press releases because of their cutbacks in the newsroom. If you really want to know if a journalist reads a release, ask them. There are other uses for press releases than for pitching stories. I’m the community manager for Pitchengine where we’re changing the way press releases are created, written and distributed–social media release (more on that in a bit).

Smallbizlady: How often should to use press releases as a small business? 

@PRSarahEvans It depends on what you’re trying to accomplish. The press release isn’t your magic cure all pill. Use the basics of “what is newsworthy” to determine whether you should write and distribute a press release: timing, significance, proximity, prominence, human interest. It’s not about how often, rather the quality of what you share.

Smallbizlady: What about social media press releases?

@PRSarahEvans I’m biased and I like the SMR. The social media press release is the first wave in the evolution of the release, there’s more needed to make it a truly great tool. Use the same rules as a traditional release. However, the caveat I offer is in regards to search engine optimization. SMRs are helpful in driving awareness to your site if they’re written and distributed effectively. I wrote a post for Mashable on this topic: 10 ways to make your press release SEO friendly http://bit.ly/GEdLx. 

Smallbizlady: How do you craft a pitch? How much time should you dedicate?

@PRSarahEvans One of the great things about social media is that I research a journalist or blogger’s online presence before a pitch. If they’re on Twitter I might check out what they’ve been talking about in addition to their recent work. It’s nice to add a personal touch–especially if it’s the first time you’re communicating. The research takes time. The pitch takes time. The follow up takes times. Your best bet is to create a small, targeted list of media you reach out to on a regular basis. You’ll put the bulk of your time into the initial contact and build a relationship from there.

Smallbizlady: What are your top 5 pieces of advice for small biz owners doing their own PR?

@PRSarahEvans 1. Develop a small, targeted list of media and bloggers (10-15) you communicate with on a regular basis

2. Engage a group of stakeholders (friends, family, customers) who serve as your third party coalition of supporters. When you have a message or story to share, include them and encourage them to share, too.

3. Use traditional and online media to share your stories

4. ONLINE: Set up Google alerts for you, your business, your competitors to monitor your online mentions. Secure your user name across all social networks, even if you don’t use them (knowem.com). Use a resource like @alltop to aggregate your favorite media outlets so you can easily research trends.

5. Participate in discussions and chats like this to share with one another. It’s good karma.

Smallbizlady: How often should you pitch a particular media source?

@PRSarahEvans It depends on the frequency and reach of the media outlet. If it’s a blog written about one topic with a targeted audience and they recently wrote about you, pitching them the week after is probably not smart.

Smallbizlady: Do you need to have a media reel to get national media coverage?

@PRSarahEvans No. I would however, recommend an online newsroom. A place where journalists and bloggers can easily obtain your logo, photos and headshots, boilerplate, recent releases, bios, etc.

Smallbizlady: What determines a story?

@PRSarahEvans This goes back to the definition of newsworthy. I’d also encourage you to think about a story in this way: if you go home at the end of the day and can’t wait to share something with your significant other, parent, child, it’s probably a story. In fact, when I think about a story I ask myself, “would my mom care about this?”

Smallbizlady: Is PR only generating media coverage?

@PRSarahEvans No way! The larger umbrella of PR is communications and that encompasses a whole host of activities. It can include media relations, community relations, internal and external communications, and legislative affairs (to name a few).

Smallbizlady: What’s the benefit of hiring someone to do PR for my small biz?

@PRSarahEvans Do write your own legal documents? Unless you’re a lawyer, I’m going to guess no. I hired a lawyer and an accountant for my small business because they are the experts. There are some things small business owners can do on a PR front, but in reality do not have the time to conduct full PR outreach.

Smallbizlady: What are ways to use social media to further a story?

@PRSarahEvans 1. Write a blog post. This can be for your blog or as a guest post.

2. Check out CNN iReport to see if there’s an appropriate segment for your story.

3. Share information on social networks.

4. Use a social media release.

5. Include bloggers and online influencers in your media database.

Here are 5 case studies of small businesses successfully using Social Media http://ow.ly/vJW2

Great information on social media press releases: http://budurl.com/SMReleases

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 biz subscribe to Melinda Emerson’s blog  http://www.succeedasyourownboss.com

Comments { 5 }

Developing a Blog vs. Website Strategy

By on September 28, 2009 in Branding & Marketing, How to Start, Social Media, Your Small Business
Blog vs. Website in Business

Blog vs. Website in Business

This is the second of a three part series on blogging for business. It is such an essential issue for small businesses today that I felt it important to dedicate some real time to the topic.  The first article focused on building a small business blog. Today’s piece investigates the decision to have a separate website verses using a blog as your website. 

It used to be that all you had to worry about was having a website, now you need a blog and a complete social media footprint to go along with it to reflect the many ways that your customers are using the internet.  Whether you have a professional services business, a brick-and-mortar retail establishment or an online business.  Your business needs a website as the anchor of your online marketing!   All websites should include a static home page that has been designed and written to clearly explain what you have on offer to people who visit your site.  The question then becomes what kind of website do you need?

One of the most common questions I get about building an online brand is whether a small business should:

a)     Have a website and a separate blog

b)     Have a blog as the company website

c)     Import a blog into an existing website. 

I polled my @smallbizlady followers on http://www.twitter.com/ for advice on this:  Here’s what a few had to say:

“With the right web team, you can power the blog within the website using WordPress.”

 ”Unless one can add value and maintain a blog long-term, I suggest just developing a website and importing dynamic content like Twitter feeds.”

“If your goal is heavy on the commercial side then go with a web site. If you want to create a community, go with a blog.” 

Let’s define the basic business website terms:  A blog is an online journal written by one person, or a team of staff people focused on a particular area of interest.  Blogs are typically written in a conversational style and updated 2-3 times a week minimum.   Search engines love blogs because of the fresh content.  If possible, it’s best to have the blog as part of your website.  Then, the fresh content on the blog attracts the search engines to your entire website.

Blog-based websites are cost effective, search engine friendly and can have both static information (like a traditional website) and dynamic information by way of blog posts.  It is also very easy to update a blog without hiring a web designer every time you make a change. Cathy Larkin of  WebSavvyPR.com says, “Blog posts are a way for service businesses to build trust in their brand. A blog, done well, gives you and your staff a way to showcase your expertise in a way that makes people think of you when it comes time to buy.”

A website is a collection of related web pages, images, videos or other digital assets that are available under a specific domain name on the World Wide Web. Websites are essentially online brochures designed to provide information, build a contact list, make money, and raise awareness of a small business. Information on a traditional website typically does not change very often.  The static information on a typical website includes 5-7 pages: home page, about us, contact us, services/products, in the news, and an online store.

If you are just getting started, a self-hosted blog is the best option to help promote your business online.  If you are starting from scratch, I suggest using WordPress.org, with your own hosting package.  What I like about WordPress is that is designed to have both static pages and blog pages.  Go for a hosting company that has a one button install for WordPress.org blogs.  Customizing a WordPress blog can be tricky, but once its rolling along it’s pretty much maintenance-free.   

If you already have a website, adding a blog section to it can be a way to update your online presence, and bring more traffic to your existing site. It’s best to have the blog as part of your website, but this isn’t always possible.  “You may have started a blog a long time ago on a free hosted site such as blogger or typepad and may not want to go through what it takes to transfer a hosted blog to your website.  In this case, you should link your blog from your website (and vice versa) and add frequent new content to your website, such as articles, white papers and special reports to provide fresh content on the website,” says internet marketing consultant, Phyllis Zimbler Miller, Millermosaicllc.com.  The only downside is you will need to engage a professional web designer to upgrade your website to import your blog, and add the additional content unless you learn to do it yourself.

When would you use a blog and website separately? If your blog is targeted to a very specific niche market and your website is targeted to a larger market, two sites make sense.  Some advocate creating a completely separate blog and stand alone website if you are an infopreneur. This works for authors, coaches, professional speakers etc. (a micro-site designed to sell each book, for example).  I use Melindaemerson.com and Succeedasyourownboss.com.

To get up and running quickly, I advocate hiring someone to help you set up your blog. You will have an expert to help you build the most professional presentation, create a branded banner, customize your blog with a theme, and show you the ropes.

No matter what method you decide to go with, it is very important to have a static home page on website and/or blog where what you offer is clear the moment someone lands on your page.  The headline, banner graphic, and the text all work together to keep that unique visitor on your site.

Next week, the final part of the blogging for business series: 10 Ways To Get Your Blog To Shine.

Part 1 http://succeedasyourownboss.com/09/2009/how-to-build-a-small-business-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 “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 Start a Business that Works! is scheduled to be released by Adams Media in early 2010.

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

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How to Stop Wasting Time With Your Social Media

By on September 24, 2009 in SmallBizChat, Social Media, Women in Business

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 @Lenawest, Lena is a social media locksmith who helps dynamic women business owners untangle “social media spaghetti.” She makes social media easy-to-use, manageable and worthwhile. She also a columnist and blogger for Entrepreneur Magazine and Fast Company. For more information her website http://www.xynoMedia.com

Smallbizlady: Why does social media become such a black hole of time for so many people?

Lena West: Because for the most part, it’s easy to use. Notice I didn’t say easy to use effectively, I said, easy to use. And, the tools are mostly intuitive. Click here, type that, etc. And, people mistakenly equate easy-to-use with knowing what and why to do something and then it’s all downhill from there. It’s hour after hour of trying to get it right — to no avail.

Smallbizlady: Why is the source of where business owners get their social media information so critical to success with social media?

Lena West: Because everyone has an agenda. And, I don’t mean that in a bad way. I have an agenda, too. I am passionate about helping women CEO’s. So every word out of my mouth is going to be in favor of them and my agenda is to help them remove the “craziness” from social media and start using it as a marketing tool that gets results.  So, women CEO’s need to know where they’re getting their information. Is it from someone who’s just learning what it means to be a business owner or is it from a 12-year business veteran like myself?Understand to whom you’re listening and make sure you’re on their agenda. 

Smallbizlady: You talk a lot about people tapping into a “why” when they are using social media to market their businesses, how does that help them save time? 

Lena West: Once you figure out what your company needs to get from the blogosphere, you can figure out how and what to contribute. It’s like being in a relationship with a guy. You can’t figure out what you want from him until you figure out where you’re going in life overall. Otherwise you’re just hanging around watching each other breathe and there’s no way that’s productive.

Smallbizlady: Social media has its own vocabulary, is it important for entrepreneurs to understand the lingo – even minimally?

Lena West: Absolutely, it is. Anyone who knows me knows that I do NOT believe women CEO’s should spend all their time thinking about and learning social media “stuff”. But, just like you need to know how to read a profit and loss statment without being a CPA and sniff out a crappy contract without being a lawyer — you need to understand the basics of social media. And, if you don’t know, ASK. Educate yourself so people can’t give you the ear hustle about social media, even if they try.

Smallbizlady: How can business owners resist the urge to join everything and accept everybody?

Lena West:  They can treat it like they do everything else — have rules. Whether we know it or want to admit it or not, we all have rules. Rules for how we allow people to speak to us. Rules for how we allow people to treat us. Same deal with social media and social networking. You need to have rules. I get invites to join other social networks all the time, but I ignore them. I know where my market is and that’s what I care about. What do I care if my friends are on some other social network? My market’s on Facebook and so that’s where I put my energy. It’s OK to delete and ignore requests that don’t meet your business needs.  

Smallbizlady: What’s the quickest, most effective way for CEOs to evaluate social media consultants?

Lena West:  I’ve met so many “so called” social media consultants. They have glossy websites and you have a conversation with them and they’re managing PPC campaigns or running website stats. Those are all honorable jobs, but if you’re a social media consultant, don’t you think you should be working with social media tools? The bottom line is this: unless someone makes the lion’s share of their livelihood providing social media services to clients, they’re a hobbyist. If they’re not writing and PAID to speak about social media topics, they’re a hobbyist. Again, know your information sources!

Smallbizlady: How can we make sure that we’re being effective with our social media work – what metrics should we measure, etc?

Lena West: This greatly depends on the business owner’s goal. If you are using social media to learn more about your market, then you should be measuring how your products and services are resonating with your market (one way to do this by asking and keeping track of the answers you get). If you’re measuring blog post comments or some other metric, you’re not connecting the metric back to your original goal.

Smallbizlady: Many business owners now have less staff and thus less time for marketing, What is your Social Media Auto Pilot Program?

Lena West: This is a program that I’m really proud of. Women Business Owners love it. They get to work with me to figure out the big picture and then our team of VA’s execute the day-to-day details. Many of our clients don’t have the time, interest or inclination to get deeply involved with social media and so based on a proprietary process we’ve developed we do everything for them yet 100% of the content comes from THEM, not us. Clients love it. You can read more about it here: http://ow.ly/pSjU

Smallbizlady: What do you think is next for social media?

Lena West: What’s immediately next is more adoption and understanding — and WAY more women CEO’s releasing the fear and confusion energy surrounding social media, getting the expert help they need and stepping up to claim what was ALWAYS ours — word of mouth.

Smallbizlady: How should people approach social media?

Lena West: I place a HUGE amount of importance on personal responsibility. I believe that you should do what you say and mean what you say. I’m not perfect, but I strive for excellence. And, I believe that social media, by virtue of the medium, is making more people accountable. If you’re not who you say you are in this day and age, you’re in for it. I LOVE LOVE that!

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

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25 Small Business Experts to Follow on Twitter

By on July 27, 2009 in Social Media, Women in Business

Social media is a powerful tool for would-be and existing small business owners. I have used Twitter often to reach out to people that I would never be able to reach otherwise. Now I am sharing my top list of professionals on Twitter, who I believe have real value, and are generous with their expertise.

If you’re serious about starting your own business, you’ll need first-hand advice from successful entrepreneurs.  Twitter is a great resource for making contact and learning critical business information, from small business experts, branding professionals and finance experts, so check out our list of 25 small business experts you should follow and learn from on Twitter.

1.      @smallbiztrends: Anita Campbell is one of the top smallbiz experts as CEO of a Smallbiztrends.com an online community with business blog posts, marketing news, and industry trends.

2. @kgreenstreet Karyn Greenstreet is a business coach and mastermind group expert.

3.      @mashable: Pete Cashmore is the CEO at Mashable who frequently tweets really useful articles about business tools and technology.

4.      @zimblermiller is a social media strategist and branding coach.

5.      @chrisbrogan: teaches people how to use social media to grow  your small business.

6. @richelleshaw: small business expert for women

7. @sidehustlecoach: Lawrence McClutchen help you transition from moonlighting to fulltime entrepreneur

8. @Typeamom: is a great social media strategist, momblogger and expert work at home mom.

9. @Merylkevans: is known as the content maven and professional blogger since 2000.

10.  @copyblogger: Brian Clark is writer turned professional blogger.  He’s great on having freelance success.

11.  @cathywebsavvyPR: She’s a pro at social media strategy, web marketing, PR and more.

12.  @FranchiseKing: Joel Libava is a marketing and business consultant.

13.  @smallbiztweets: Alex Bellinger’s small business podcast is full of information for entrepreneurs.

14.  @dmscott: David Meerman Scott has written ground breaking books including The New Rules of Marketing & PR and World Wide Rave.

15.  @problogger: Darren Rowse teaches how to use Twitter and blogging to grow your business

16.  @deniseoberry: Denise O’Berry of justforsmallbusiness.com is author of cash flow management

17.  @getresults John Reddish is the succession planner, he helps you plan what comes next.

18.  @DIYMarketers: Learn Do It Yourself marketing tips from Ivana Taylor.

19. @taigoodwin The career makeover coach help you develop your entrepreneurial mindset as you transition for worker to business owner.

20.  @startupprincess: Kelly King Anderson helps women entrepreneurs grow their businesses.

21.  @shelisrael: Shel Israel has written books like Twitterville: How Businesses Can Survive in the New Global Neighborhoods.

22.  @StefanW: Great links to articles about starting a business, managing your money, using budget-friendly marketing techniques, etc.

23.  @lenawest: Social media maven and successful entrepreneur

24.  @absolutelytrue: This entrepreneurial mom shares tips for web design, content development, and more.

25. @TPEntrepreneur Mike Michalowicz, “Mr. TPE” gives great advice for first time entrepreneurs.

If this list has helped you, please Tweet it and help spread the word on what I am all about at www.succeedasyourownboss.com

Comments { 4 }

Blogging for Business

By on July 9, 2009 in SmallBizChat, Social Media

From time to time as Smallbizlady, I conduct interviews with small business experts that could benefit my audience.  This is excepts from my #smallbizchat interview with Meryl K. Evans @merylkevans about Blogging for Business.

Blogging is old news by today’s standards as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn dominate the social networking scene. But blogging continues to pick up speed especially as it matures with many businesses adopting them as part of their marketing and customer service strategy. The questions here quickly cover the basics of blogging with Content Maven and longtime blogger Meryl K. Evans.

Smallbizlady: Why should a business have a blog?

Evans: Businesses often need to work harder to earn trust and credibility before they make the sale. A web site with company information only tells part of the story. A blog helps close the gap because it’s real, updated and gives the company a voice. That voice gives prospects a chance to see if they like the company’s style and way of thinking.

Blogging isn’t for every business. The point is to be aware of them because they might be talking about your business.  So think in terms of tracking, monitoring and replying.

Smallbizlady: How do you decide if your business should have a blog?

Evans: You won’t have a black or white answer (of course). Rather, ask questions such as: Can you update regularly? Do you have something to say? Do you read others? Can you provide info of value? This two part article explores whether your business should have a blog and how to participate. Maybe the best answer is to participate rather than have your own.

At least, have a good web site with clear information about what your company does and what customers can get from you. When you leave comments or post tweets, you can link back to your web site.

Smallbizlady:  What about other social media tools?

Evans: Companies indeed need to look beyond blogging. They need to track and participate in conversations that mention the company, its industry, its product or service and its competitors. Conversations go far outside blogs to microblogs like Twitter and social networks like Facebook and LinkedIn. Many industries have their own specialty social networks, so don’t limit your research with the three big ones. Remember MySpace was bigger and then Facebook took over. Next month, it could be another site.

The least you can do is have a company profile or employees have a profile on the various sites, but pick a couple to participate in on a regular basis while tracking for name mentions everywhere. You might look into Ning, which lets you create your own social network.

Smallbizlady: What is the best blog site / applications to use?

Evans: It depends on your needs. But for beginners who don’t have tech help in setting up a site, using a developer-hosted solution is the easiest thing. This means the service hosts your blog already has the software installed, so you don’t have to mess with it except add your content. Blogger, WordPress.com and Typepad are the more common ones used for business blogging. The other developer-hosted solutions tend to lean heavily toward personal blogging.

You can pay a monthly fee to host your web site on a server. In this case, you might choose to install the blog on the server rather than depend on a hosted solution. If this sounds overwhelming, the developer-hosted solution might work better unless you have web developers who can help. For more on this, read the Easy and Hard Way to Start a Blog.

Smallbizlady: How often should one blog?

Evans: You’ll hear arguments from all sides. No one has won the argument. It depends on your needs and your target audience. But it helps to update the blog at least once a week. Wait too long and people will think your blog is dead, so they’ll unsubscribe to it. I’ve blogged four or five times to week, but currently blog about twice a week.

Participating in the blogosphere takes more than just blogging on your site. You need to visit others and leave comments. If another blog inspires a long comment, consider turning that into a blog entry. Trackback, a feature that connects a blog entry with another person’s blog entry, will connect the two together. Most blog apps have this feature built-in.

Smallbizlady: How long should entries be? Some are 750 words or more, others only 150. Is there an ideal length?

Evans: Like the “how often” question, this depends largely on your audience. Several bloggers always post over 1000 words, and their audience loves it. A good rule of thumb is 400 to 800 words. Of course, you’ll go under sometimes and over sometimes. No harm done. Format your content for easier scanning with short paragraphs, bulleted lists and bold headers. Many publications ask their writers to shoot for at least 400 words at a minimum for better search engine results.

Smallbizlady: Should there be links in every blog entry?

Evans: Linking keywords to your own content helps from a search engine perspective. Linking to others helps you build relationships as other bloggers love it when others link to them. It’s possible to overdo the linking. General rule is no more than one link for every 100 words.

Some people find it frustrating when there are so many links because they find they’re going all over the place trying to piece together the story and get all the details. Put the link on meaningful words not “Click here.” That’s old thinking. Also, selecting the right words to link gives people an idea of what they will see if they click on the link.

Smallbizlady: Does a well done blog replace a web site or add value?

Evans: Many people have nothing but a blog as their web site. To make it work from a business standpoint, however, you need to at least have an About page with your bio and contact information. Can people quickly figure out what you do? Do you provide enough information to help them determine if you’re qualified and credible?

Business web site blogs offer fresh content to make search engines happy, show how your business thinks and interacts, connect with customers and prospects, build relationships that lead to earning trust and gaining credibility.

Smallbizlady: Should the language be in first person?

Evans: Business blogs do better when they’re in first person. It’s an opportunity to put a human touch on what could be a cold and lifeless company web site. That’s why it’s important to have bios, photos and contact information of those who contribute to the blog.

Blog readers are a smart lot. They can tell when a marketing person is doing the blogging for the company rather than the company’s executives or managers. It’s better to be honest and authentic when writing in the blog. This doesn’t mean a marketer can’t blog, but the marketer will need to put away everything they know about marketing when blogging. It takes little effort to make a blog sound like a sales or marketing platform for the company.

Smallbizlady: How do we convince old school entrepreneurs that blogging is good for business?

Evans: Many employees in businesses of all sizes struggle to get buy-in to blogging and social media tools because of the difficulty in providing ROI data. Perhaps, the executives will listen to GM’s Bob Lutz, an executive blogger in GM FastLane Blog, wrote an article on the topic for Information Week. In encouraging executives to blog, he says, “No better opportunity exists to engage in an open dialogue and exchange of ideas with customers and potential customers.”

This is more important for small businesses because they work to build relationships with their clients and prospects. That can help the business stand out.

The connection between blogging and business may not clearly show up in return on investment data, but it certainly affects a small business’ ROI, return on influence. Rather than connecting blogging with transactions, look at it from a perspective in building relationships and credibility. It’s hard to measure increased customer service, increased brand awareness, increased loyalty, increased credibility and so on. But all of this happens when a small business’ employees get involved with blogging and social media.

Bonus Free report: “How to Start a Business Blog and Build Traffic” when you subscribe to meryl’s blog by email: http://feedburner.google.com/fb/a/mailverify?uri=Meryl&loc=en_US

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

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8 Ways to Attract Followers on Twitter

By on July 6, 2009 in 10 Things Lists, Social Media

When it comes to Twitter, attracting “followers” are key to building your online brand.

Here’s key information to attract followers:

1)  Use usernames which match your name or business service or other social networking sites. When you sign up for your Twitter account, use your real name or the name you use on other social network sites. If this name isn’t available, try to use something that describes what you do.  Thus my name is @smallbizlady to my surprise Melinda Emerson was taken.  Using the same picture on all social media sites is helpful as well.

2)  Make sure your bio gives a good reason for people to follow you. Do not be cute or sarcastic. Bios on Twitter are short and to the point. Focus on how people can hire you.  Consider this: do people hire “divas or gurus” or “coaches and experts?”  People will make a decision about following you in an instant.  It is not like the About Me page found on your website or blog.

3)  Be part of the conversation. Answering questions and joining conversations is a great way to build relationships on Twitter.  Asking questions when you need a resource is also a great way to attract people. This may result in you learning about a great tool or website you were unaware of and you could find out you have more in common with the person who answered your question. Participating in conversations also shows you are approachable.

4)  Always look to add value. Twitter is a give to get medium.  Always look to share when you communicate on Twitter. Personal comments are fine to help people get to know you, but if you constantly make irrelevant comments, people will unfollow you or consider you a spammer. Make sure you are adding something of value when you post. Be careful about selling on Twitter prior to building a relationship. Just like people do not like sales calls on their cell phone, they don’t like it in social media either.  Try to sell in the form of a question.

5)  Follow people from within your industry niche and geographic area. One of the best things about Twitter is how easy it is to search for information. You can search for other Twitter users by city and state. You can go to search and hit “smallbiz marketing” and anyone who has tweeted those exact words recently will come up. If that’s your industry, I would follow every one of those people. By following industry folks, not only will you be able to understand what they are talking about, but you may be able to partner with them on projects or create a weekly chat about your industry. Once you start to interact with your peers, they are more likely to follow back.

6) The best way to get referrals is to give them. Word of mouth referrals goes a long way on Twitter. You can ask others to recommend your profile, but the best way to get referrals is to give them.  Recommend people you interact with each week on #FollowFriday, and be sure to explain why they are a great people to follow.  Use a call to action at the end of your blog posts to ask readers could recommend your blog or social networking profile.  Recommend people to follow @mrtweet. If you work to give support to others on Twitter, you will get support back in the form of followers and friends.

7)  Connect your blog and social networks to your Twitter profile. Add a Twitter link to each of your social media profiles (Linkedin, FaceBook, YouTube, etc.) this will make sure everyone you know is able to connect with you across your entire social media footprint.  You can also have your twitter stream or blog fed into you facebook and linkedin profiles.

8)  Purchase banner ads. You can use the website Banner Ads on popular sites in your industry to drive traffic directly to your Twitter profile. When your banner ads are clicked on, the link is automatically connected to your Twitter page. This is a very aggressive thing to do, but if you have a specific product or service such as a book to sell on a specific timeline, it could be beneficial.

It takes time to build relationships online. Be consistent. Be helpful, and you will build a quality following. It does not make sense to use one of those programs that allow you to attract 10,000 followers in 60 days. None of those people will know you and they will be far less likely to be influenced by you. Quality followers trust you, and value you as a resource.  Take the time to let people get to know you. You will be amazed how quickly you get to 2001 followers and beyond.

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.

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

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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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