Just Do It! Again and Again, Week After Week!
One of the keys to building a successful social media presence is frequency
. If you're planning to use blogging, Facebook, or Twitter for promoting products and/or services, you no doubt have lots of info to share with readers. These may include tips, white papers, coupons, product updates and news, service offerings, fun facts, and all sorts of other messages. A good rule of thumb is to be patient and not share all musings at once. Plan messages as you would any other marketing plan be strategic and methodical.
Develop Your Voice Be Social Yet Professional
Think about the tone created for your messages professional and businesslike, conversational, or informal. Also consider whether to talk in first person or third person. This may depend on the size of your company and your role in it.
It's recommended that when using social media, you develop some sort of personal connection with readers. For example, tweets that intertwine business with a personal touch are interesting and helpful: "Just attended biz seminar in beautiful San Diego & was reminded of good time management tip - do emails at certain times only." This could spur a conversation about San Diego or time management tips.
Remember to be social', don't spew only tips, but weave in your personality (keeping to rules of etiquette without bashing others, getting onto heavy-duty political issues unless it's part of your agenda, and never use derogatory or swear words, even in jest). After all, social media is about establishing a connection with people.
Plan Topics
Making an editorial calendar is suggested; plan what topics to cover in the coming weeks, and do this ongoing. You'll be able to prepare and stay ahead in creating the content. Some considerations when creating a schedule are seasonal issues, industry changes, hot topics, company news and events, questions, and special offers. While following the schedule, you can also add in spontaneous messages should something important arise. For example, a computer services company may plan to blog about a different customer-relevant topic each week, then a new software program comes out and there are issues with it, so they add that to the conversations.
Establish Frequency
Putting enough messages out there is just as important as not putting too many. Set a manageable schedule - be consistent and regular. Most companies can see benefits from posting 1-2 messages per week on each of the social media channels (and items can be shared across the platforms to get the most bang-for-the-buck). Inundating readers with tweets and such will water-down messages and could be annoying to some readers. Tools such as Tweetdeck and HootSuite allow you to sit down and compose messages at one time, then schedule them to go out as desired. These are very effective time management tools so you don't find the process overwhelming.
Participate in Conversations
One of the biggest advantages of using social media is the real-time ability to interact with existing and potential customers. This means not just sharing your messages, but also watching what others are saying, and responding. Go ahead and participate! No, this does not mean being on Twitter and Facebook all the time, that's impossible and non-productive. It does mean perusing conversations regularly and contributing, not just on your sites but those of industry-influencers and other relevant parties.
Remember
When using social media to promote your products or services:
Be consistent and establish regular frequency
Plan topics and add in timely messages
Participate in conversations and engage readers
Use your own voice
All of these will evolve over time as you learn what works best for you, and that's the beauty of social media.
If you find that it's too much to take on, consider hiring a professional. The ROI will be significant as you watch your pool of customers grow.
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For professional help pinpointing the most effective social media tools for your goals and carrying out activities, Cynthia Cavoto of Marketing That Works for You can help. Contact her for a free consultation and customized plan. www.mymarketingthatworksforyou.com, 203.414.5509.
Just Do It! Again and Again, Week After Week!
By: Ilene Moyher
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