Pinterest is the latest social networking craze, but not only that - it has some potential to be a useful tool that drives traffic to your website. For example, you can add pins to your boards that link back to your website.
Need a little help? Here are a few simple steps you can take to increase pins and links to your blog or website.
#1 Pin Using the Bookmarklet Tool If you’ve installed the Bookmarklet tool onto your browser then simply visit your blog or website and click the button to “Pin This.” It automatically includes the link with the image you’ve pinned so that if anyone clicks on the image or pin in Pinterest they’ll be taken to your website.
#2 Add a “Pin This” Button to Your Website or Blog There are a few ways you can add a “Pin This” button to your site. You can use the code provided in the “About” menu under “Help.” Choose “Goodies” (http://pinterest.com/about/goodies/) and you’ll see a few options to add buttons to your site. If you have a WordPress blog there are also a few handy plug-ins that do the trick. Once the button is on your site, then you simply visit the page you want to pin and “Pin it” to your board.
#3 Use the Add+ Feature You can also use the Add+ button located at the top right of your Pinterest page. Click it and you’ll get a drop down menu with a few choices. Enter your URL, click “Find Images” and choose from the selection of images shown. You’ll notice one image is displayed with the words “Prev” and “Next” underneath. Click “Next” to scroll through your images until you find the one that you want to pin.
#4 Write a Clear Pin Description If you prefer, simply type the link you want people to visit in the description area of your Pin. The thing to remember here is that when people repin your image, they can and probably will change the text in the description area to match their own purposes. The link and description will remain intact only on your boards. Depending on your goals this may be okay.
#5 Make Your Site Pinterest Friendly As my recent post about the 80/20 rule of content sharingsaid, you shouldn't be adding Pins from your own site too often. Remember, the point is that others will be motivated to pin images from your site onto their boards. That's a much more organic, less pushyway to get links to your site.
The more Pinterest-friendly your site, the better. That means making it visually interesting and adding “Pin This” buttons to your site.
You can build your Pinterest followers by becoming active on the site. Comment, “like” other pins, create boards and repin – USE the site. And remember to spend time integrating your activities on Facebook and/or Twitter to grow a larger following.
Want to know more about using Pinterest for your business? Check out my latest webinar: 4 Myths About Pinterest for Business, Tuesday, 6/12/12. Replay will be available for a limited time!
If you've been hearing a lot about Pinterest, it's because it has caught on like a really catchy phrase...it almost seems as though it just came out of nowhere and now it's breaking record speed for popularity, length of time on site (average? 90 mins+!), and more.
If you are a business owner, chances are you have not yet figured out how Pinterest could be used in your marketing strategy. Sure, you have established goals for each of your individual marketing tactics, like your content marketing. You have even created a step by step plan to achieve those goals, possibly with the incorporation of social media (why not, everyone else is). But I bet you didn't think that posting pictures could be much of a marketing boost, right?
Pinterest is boasting faster growth numbers than some of the more popular social networks when they first started out - i.e. Twitter, Facebook, etc. At my last reading, they had nearly 12 million monthly unique visitors and it hasn't even in existence very long. Creating a Pinterest profile could very well help you be exposed to new leads, drive traffic and boost your business growth.
Pinterest is actually catching on so fast, I suspect, because it's heralding the next social media phase - visual imagery. Remember when it was all about written content? Then we heard video? Pictures and visual imagery are hot right now because they speak to people emotionally. Visual aspects of how you market are becoming more and more important. And it would be very smart to develop an image sharing strategy to tell your story, to convey your branding, to make faster connections.
Here are a few ideas to help you get started using Pinterest in your marketing approach:
#1 Blog PlugIns
Blog plugins are one of the easiest ways to integrate Pinterest into your existing marketing tactics and strategy. There are several Pinterest plugins and more are being added as the site continues to grow and develop. In addition to “Pin This” and “Follow” buttons on your blog you can add plugins that allows you to share your most recent pins. This could be a way to motivate visitors to pin your images and also follow you on Pinterest.
#2 Content Marketing
Consider taking a look at your existing content marketing plan. Evaluate how you can add more visual interest to your blog or website. For example, can you add more images to your blog posts? Can you convert some of your content into short videos? You can pin videos on Pinterest. Do any topics lend themselves to infographics that you can share on Pinterest?
#3 Social Networking
Pinterest is intimately connected with Facebook and Twitter. In fact, if you don’t have a Facebook or Twitter account you can’t get a Pinterest account. And you can post any pin onto your Facebook or Twitter profile. You can also add buttons to your Pinterest profile so Pinterest followers can find you on Facebook or Twitter. Take a look at your existing Facebook and/or Twitter marketing tactics. How can you enhance them with Pinterest?
Remember to test and track your efforts. Add Pinterest to your analytics. Pay attention to who is pinning your content and repinning your pins. Track your Pinterest traffic and integrate your efforts with other traffic generation strategies you're using.
By the way, you have to be invited in order to set up an account. If you need an invite, simply visit me on Facebook and let me know you need an invitation. You'll be able to view my Pinterest tab there also (remember? integration :) ).
WANT TO RE-POST THIS ARTICLE ON YOUR BLOG OR USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE, E-NEWSLETTER OR WEB SITE? You may, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:
About the Author: Tanya Smith is a creative business strategist and coach specializing in showing independent service providers how to simplify, save time & stand out with simple strategies that engage more quality leads and clients. Her company Be Promotable provides fresh actionable strategies and virtual resources to promote business owners as power players in their market. For instant access to your free 7 secrets to online time management report, visit us at: www.tanyasmithonline.com.
Every speaker and author is told they must have a “PLATFORM.”
What exactly does that mean????
A platform is just your key message. It is the position and influence you have on a subject that is informative, interesting, inspiring and thought-provoking.
Your platform is the message that you STAND ON that reaches your core audience. It is your calling, your charge.
Your platform is the message you STAND FOR that gets people to move, take action, rally behind and/or solve a problem. It’s BIGGER than YOU!
A platform is like a “movement.” It is like a mission – and you feel you’ve been assigned to promote it. What does an established platform look like? 1. You generate excitement/energy to an audience
2. You have attracted national media attention, have star power or the “celebrity factor” – ready for the Red Carpet.
3. You are often quoted and looked upon as an expert by peers
4. You are sought-out to deliver keynote presentations or workshops or consult with “A” list clients / corporations
5. You have created a fan-base that promotes your message to others that gives you referrals
6. You have a large database, social media following and strong brand presence in the marketplace WHEW!
Now that we know what a “Platform” is and what a successful platform looks like, let’s look at how to build your platform for your book or your speaking career. Here’s how to establish a platform:
Have a spectacular biography. List your awards, activities, media hits, add testimonials and your photo to the bio sheet. This is called a “one sheet.”(see Candace’s above) I have launched many speakers careers by writing bios that became their “ticket” to where they needed to go – even before their book was published. I crafted their “speaking topics” and secured “A -list” endorsements. This was the foundation of their careers and they still use it to this day.
Speak, give workshops, seminars. Volunteer your times at churches, schools or hospitals. No one is calling to PAY you to speak YET, so speak for free! Just get shots of you in action and video.
Write. Yes, you hear that you need a platform to publish a book – but in reality a book can establish your platform. It’s easy to self-publish these days. Go to www.essence-publishing.com and get a free publishing kit. And if you need help, hire a ghost writer or a book coach.
Pitch yourself to the media as an expert. Contact radio, TV, newspapers or magazines and offer your expertise. A quick way to get exposure is to regularly call-in to talk shows and join the conversation. You can get to know the producers of the shows that way. If you are afraid to “sell” yourself – get a PR coach to help bolster your confidence and tell you what to say.
Write Op/Ed (opinion editorials) or columns for your local newspaper or regional magazine. Make sure your byline includes your “spectacular bio,” links and contact information.
Host your own conference, community outreach eventor mini-seminar series. Invite other expert speakers that will help “validate” your platform. Make the event FREE so you pack in as many people as possible to showcase your skill. Make sure you alert the media. Because the event is free, pitch a public service announcement (PSA) to broadcast stations. Get listings in the daily newspapers.
Secure a leadership position in a non-profit. Offer your expertise to the organization pro-bono and ask for letters of reference, testimonials and referrals.
Blog! Grow your social media following. Become a thought-leader by sharing your thoughts online. Dive into Facebook (set up a ‘fan’ page) and Twitter and connect them to your blog. Make sure you are delivering value and offering solutions to problems. Search out other blogs to guest blog too.
People have to hear you and see you. Set up a Youtube channel and post up videos of yourself in action. Post up videos of those who have heard your presentations too. Promote your videos via your social media channels such as Twitter, Facebook and Linkedin.
Podcast. Become a radio show host on Blogtalkradio. Interview other experts in your field and promote the podcast on your blog and syndicate it for free iTunes. Get an account at Cincast deliver messages anytime, anywhere across the internet.
Build a database. This is hub of your platform. Make sure you build an email database and regularly communicate with them via an email newsletter. Drive traffic to your website/blogsite from your social media sites and capture their email addresses by offering a “free” gift that is representative of your brand. This should be a free gift that is so convincing of your expertise that they will stay connected to you over time and eventually become a “raving fan.”
Joint venture and partner with others. Do teleseminars or webinars with other speakers/authors that compliment your platform. This is a good way to get exposure to a new audience. You promote them to your audience and they promote you to theirs. Win-win synergy
Bottom line: in order to have an established platform – you need numbers and influence. The more exposure you have, the greater opportunity for others to really know, like and trust you. Once you have their trust, they will spread the message of your platform to others. And word of mouth is still the best form of advertising.
It’s all about people and how you are positioned to make difference to make an impact in people’s lives. It’s ministry really. See www.LaunchLikeaSuperstar.com
Pam Perry, is a PR coach, social media strategist, co-founder Perry + Williams and chief visionary at Ministry Marketing Solutions Inc. in Farmington, Mich.
I know a lot of people who sometimes just “drop out” of sight. I believe it’s a sign of the times. Too much pressure. Too many expectations. Too much stuff going on. The only way people seem to handle the stress, strife and struggles of life is to hide.
I guess that’s normal. If you knew a storm was coming, you’d hide. If there was a tornado outside, you’d go in the basement. When a caterpillar wants to turn into a butterfly, it wraps itself up in cocoon.
Women need to refresh, reflect, and rewind. There is so much stuff. Dealing with illness of a loved on, financial struggles, depression, self-esteem issues, family crisis, work stress or just plain burnout!
Let’s unplug. Women need to let their hair down. Women need to talk. Women need to just getaway and do Girly Stuff.
Experience 3-days of discovery, strategies, growth and fun:
reconnect with your highest goals and deepest values
discover the Disney Secrets to grow your leadership, business or career
start or grow business to build your financial empire
know how to leverage your unique leadership style for success
be more confident asking for and getting what you want
finally balance your life so you enjoy more while achieving more
learn business and marketing strategies and systems proven to work
awaken your true inner beauty to live your best life
more from Passion to Profit, from Profit to True Wealth
learn to build and leave a legacy
connect with other amazing women — entrepreneurial peers, leaders and business owners — willing to encourage and support you … and more!
Walk away re-energized and ready to take your life, career or business to the next level!
Have a spa party. Sit on the beach (and not be judged) but just really talk about stuff.
Get inspired by others who are making money online. Get spiritual nuggets from real Christian Business Women.
Sound fun? Sound like what you need? Join Kim Coles, Dr. Stacia Pierce and friends at April Raine's Glamorous Getaway Conference.
Do you have advice for someone that is starting their business in 2012?? Do you like to keep it real, and share with others what they can expect from starting a business? Do you want to share with people all you've done and all of your progress over the last year? Well then, we've been looking for you! Currently, GPS is looking for People Who Prosper OR anyone that is successful, considers themselves successful, or on their way to success!
We are looking to feature and introduce people who are up and coming in their business or already there! PeopleWhoProsper.com is a place that will feature these business owners and share your stories with someone who just might be able to relate. Sometimes it helps to stay motivated when you hear other people's stories, and this is our goal: Not only to feature successful prosperous people, but to help keep others MOTIVATED.
The other part of this, is that we want you to tell US about YOU. It's easy for anyone to find your website, blog, Facebook page, or Twitter. But PeopleWhoProsper.com is a place for you to challenge yourself and put yourself out there. We give you a chance to brag about yourself! Because let's face it, if you can't talk about you, then who else will? Tell us about your business and services and how long you've been in business. We want to hear your story. Why did you decide to go into business for yourself?
I am challenging you today to step out and tell others about you! Here's what you have to do: Email with subject line PeopleWhoProsper to tamara@garrisonprosperitysolutions.com Include your business name, website and a synopsis of "your story".
After getting in touch with you, you will be sent a series of questions about yourself, your business and/or services. After you return the answered questions, you will then be featured on GarrisonProsperitySolutions.com, PeopleWhoProsper.com, PeopleWhoProsperTV, and up to 16,000 people on you tube! So, take the first step today and tell us about yourself! You never know who will need to hear your story or need your services!
Deuteronomy 8:18: But thou shalt remember the Lord thy God: for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he sware unto thy fathers, as it is this day.
Most of us think of celebs in terms of entertainers. But the category is far more vast. A celeb is anyone who has notoriety with the general public or a select group of people. So the range of celebrity talent goes from famous actors, dancers and writers to hair stylists, inventors or maybe even an industry expert. What determines brandability can be summed up with two questions. WHO would be interested? WHY would they care?
My determination process may seem a bit crass, but it cuts to the chase and saves loads of time. Once we determine theWHO, the WHY is almost as important. Its the WHY that dictates longevity and level of success. A fly-by-night sensation will lose its shine once the 15 minutes of fame or over, that is unless we keep giving them more WHYs.
EXAMPLE: Last year we were all singing the "Pants On the Ground" song courtesy of General Larry Platt. The General appeared on the season 9 auditions of American Idol. Platt then embarked on a whirlwind media tour that included appearances on The View and Ellen and even spawned his own You Tube Channel (click here to visit). There were posters and t-shirts and even an attempt at a iTunes single. Let's face it, General Platt became an epidemic.
Now fast forward one year. We could care less about the "Pants" (on the ground or otherwise). So what made the excitement fizzle? No rocket science required here, the reason WHY the General WAS famous, but ceased to be current or interesting. Of course there are other factors that contribute to brandability, I made a quick list below.
Here are the key factors to be BRANDABLE:
Be Clear - clearly determine your fan base
Be Interesting - can you keep the fans interested long term
Be Personable - can you connect to your audience on a personal and emotional level
Be Authentic - fans don't care if you are an angel or an ass, they just want it real
Remember Branding is all about 'promise of value'. Determine your value, and you determine your brand.
A few months ago, I went to a business meeting and it was very interesting. The featured presenter was there answering questions from prospects and he was taking 7-8 minutes to answer each of them! He would even get off track and lose focus of the question he was answering. And as I sat there, a bit annoyed by his tangents, I realized that ANYBODY can build a business! This guy literally makes MILLIONS of DOLLARS a year and all he does is just talk to people. He goes off on random bits of information, and gets so excited it seems he can't even breath but yet HE'S SO SUCCESSFUL! So, the key is to be yourself. Yes, we should study our business and know the "ins and outs", etc. But just being yourself and allowing people to relate with you is a huge factor in building a successful business.
That's a big part of Internet Marketing as well. Although you're not meeting people face to face, they need to and want to like you before they decide to do business with you. That's why it is important that you understand the concept of "branding" yourself. In a nutshell, you want people to be attracted to you. You should include photos on your website and offer training videos taped in your house so they can see you in your regular habitat. Give them ways to gain easy access to you. This makes people feel more comfortable with you and want to do business with you. Let's face it, we only have the friends we have today because something about them attracted us to them. Whether it was their personality or something they had to offer, that's the bottom line. Therefore, you have to do the same on your website to make people like you and want to do business with you! Market yourself on social network sites and leave your business cards with people you meet. Those simple things (to start) will help you get exposure to people that need your services.
You’ve joined a network marketing company….Now What? Wait for the sales and recruits to start piling up, right? WRONG!! It is not going to happen. Your upline is seeing great success, some of your team members are seeing great success, why aren’t you? The non-sugar coated answer would be that it is ALL YOUR FAULT!! Plain and simple. I know that you may be telling yourself that you are doing all that you can to succeed in your business, but are you really? Are you really taking all of the necessary steps to get where you want to be or are you only half-stepping and expecting to reap the full benefits? First of all let me tell you this….. Never base your expectations on anyone else within your organization. You will be disappointed every time. You cannot compare yourself to others especially those that you see doing extremely well in your industry. You should look to them for inspiration and encouragement and not as competition or comparison.As a new network marketer it is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to gain as much knowledge about your company, its products and services as you possibly can. How can you sell something that you know nothing about? How can you develop a passion for something that you yourself don’t understand? You can’t!! You should be a regular consumer of your products. Then and only then will you understand them, relate to them and be able to help others understand and relate to them. This is when your personal organization (your downline) will begin to take lasting shape.Sure, for some it can be easy to initially explode in the business without any real knowledge, but soon the flame will fizzle. I see it often in this industry, you have those that do absolutely amazing. Above and beyond what any others are doing in the company and then before you know it, they are back to square one. Don’t be one of those people. Build your foundation on solid ground from the beginning.If you have joined a company that you really believe in, why wouldn’t you give your all? Didn’t you join the company for specific reasons to begin with? More time, financial freedom, funding your retirement, etc. Whatever the case may be, remember that none of that is going to happen without your full undivided attention to your goals and expectations.Everyone is different. Find YOUR niche. Don’t depend on others to work your business and hold your hand the entire way. Sure your upline should always be available to help you, but that is not always a reality. More often than not, we are left to figure it out on our own. Use the resources and tools available to you. The internet is an excellent source for information about absolutely anything. Take full advantage of it. Your company website should also have tools, resources, tutorials, etc. to help you.Ask yourself a few questions like….. Have you established a clear goal? Have you set goals that are within your reach? What is it that you’re comfortable with? How can you more effectively work your business for maximum results? What knowledge do you need? Whose help do you need? What system should be in place? These are just a few questions that should be addressed. Don’t leave your success to chance. Be active and watch your dreams begin to take flight.
Posted by TurquoizBlue on April 13, 2011 at 4:33pm
The Million Dollar Equation is a simple and very easy to follow plan which was created by Richelle Shaw, and it guarantees to help you build a million dollar business in 3 years or less, even if your business is currently struggling.
Want to know the formula? Okay, here it is:
(1GS+TM+MC+85W+FU) + (RET + REA + REF + 3GR) = Million Dollar Equation
Be sure to like the page and leave a comment for Richelle because she is doing giveaways to celebrate her April birthday. I just won an MP4 Touch Screen Player yesterday, and there are more prizes.
Posted by Pam Perry on February 24, 2011 at 4:00pm
You’ve heard the term swag lately. Someone may say, “I like your swag” or “He’s got swag!” And although you may not find this popular term in Merriam-Webster’s version of the dictionary, it is used worldwide by teens, recording artists, TV critics and most importantly for your sake… social media!
I know, I know. Before you tell me how you don’t know how to tweet and have no desire to tweet, twit, or Facebook, for that matter, let me let you in on a secret. Social media can be your business’ ticket to success. Don’t believe me? I’ll prove it to you.
Swag is a term used to describe someone’s style, personality, the way they carry themselves, and their level of confidence. It’s a person’s walk, their talk. It’s their attitude, but in a good way! We’ve all got some level of swag… well, some more than others. But after reading the following, I challenge you to ‘get your swag on’ and make social media work for you.
Step 1
Don’t Hate on the Competition Just Yet…
In any business, the goal is usually to beat the competitor. But in order to beat the competition, you have to know what they are doing and what makes them a competitor. If they are still in the game, they have to be doing something right. So you need to watch, look and listen at what is going on around you. Put your head in the game! Take inventory of where you are right now and where you want to go from here.
For example, when you read a blog, you are studying your competition. And after you read so many blogs, you’ll not only be motivated to start your own, but you’ll know what to say, how to say it and who is listening. Read the responses to the blogs as well. This lets you know what your target audience is saying, which allows you to tailor your own blog to those respondents.
Though many like to think so, social media is not a magic lamp where you can rub it, and out comes a genie. It is just another spoke in the wheel for your overall marketing plan. The social media outlet door is wide open for you and the rest of the world to see, free of charge! So no longer do you have to play detective and act like a secret shopper to find out the best strategies of your competitors. Their marketing strategies have just become an open book. Read their tweets. Follow their Facebook posts. Find out who your top three competitors are and simply sit back and watch, look and listen. Then determine your own personal goals you want to achieve through social media.
Social media is more than an outlet to just post pictures and ‘like’ someone’s status. It’s essentially free advertisement. Let’s say that I have a client who has an article about them written in Essence or Ebony. They can then repost that article into a blog site, or even add a link to the article on their Facebook profile. So this not only allows the readers of these publications to read the article, but all of this person’s ‘friends’ and ‘followers’ also learn of the success. If someone is featured on The View or Oprah, they can obtain a copy of it from the TV station, upload it to YouTube, and then repost to whatever other social media sites they choose. So while your friends or family may not have picked up the latest issue of Essence and didn’t get to watch you on The View, they are sure to see it when you post it on your public social networking profile.
Watch, look and listen. The competitor didn’t become a competitor by doing something wrong. They have to be doing something right. Find out what it is and make it work for you. While watching the competition, you purposely position yourself to attract your target audience as well.
Step 2
Make Digital Footprints in the Sand
Who are you? What do you do? What do you specialize in? These are all vital questions to ask when it comes to branding yourself in the social media. Make sure that wherever you go, with every digital footprint you make, that your brand is the same. Be consistent. Don’t create a brand for encouragement and inspiration, but post negative, depressing updates on your Facebook and Twitter profiles. This contradicts your ultimate branding of being one who encourages and inspires. Your Twitter and Facebook page should match your professional website. Your website should match your fan page. Your fan page should match your YouTube videos. And so on…
Don’t confuse people. They need to see your brand and instantly know who you are and what you stand for. Take Coach for example. The Facebook page and website for Coach products should reflect the same brand. And because of the reputation Coach has built, when you see a product, you can immediately tell if it is created by Coach. The same should ring true of your brand.
In this digital age, people have ADD. You have to capture their attention within a split second or you could lose them forever. However, if you have successfully branded yourself, they will recognize you and feel comfortable with whatever product you are promoting. There’s a certain comfort level people search for in brands. For example, if you visit Paris, but aren’t familiar with the restaurants, and you see the golden arches, you will more than likely eat at McDonald’s. You already know what their food tastes like and you feel comfortable with the brand. The same is true of Starbuck’s. When you visit a Starbuck’s, you expect a certain level of quality and great atmosphere, no matter the location.
It’s not just the brand; it’s the logo. That logo signifies everything that is behind the brand. The time you’ve invested. The information you’ve shared. The trust you’ve built. The logo is a culmination of everything you’ve done for people to notice you, know you, understand you, and recognize your brand ultimately. It is the promise to your customers.
Confusion destroys your brand. The equity and time you put into building your brand can be destroyed overnight by you simply doing something different and offbeat. Be known as an expert for whatever it is that you do. If you’re in business, your goal is to provide customers with your area of expertise. But it’s up to you to make sure you are known for just that. Share, don’t sell, information to your customers so that they not only come to know you as an expert, but they trust you. So as you make your digital footprints in the sand, make sure your brand tracks look identical to the ones you have made before!
Step 3
Content is King (Marketing is Queen)
People don’t follow a good salesperson. They follow good content. That’s one of the ways people will get to know you, by the content you offer and the value of it. In order to create valuable content, you must research keywords. Search for certain keywords and brand your content so that it contains those keywords. This will allow you to receive numerous hits without a potential customer ever knowing your name.
For example, if someone is searching for Pam Perry, they may use keywords such as PR coach, PR guru, ministry marketing, and so on. When someone enters any of these keywords, my website, blog or even my Facebook page should come up in the search results page. The ultimate goal is to be the first or second result on the search results page. If you come in any other place below that, you risk the user entering new search keywords, which may not be tagged for your business. Whether it’s a list of things to do (or not to do) or top ten tips, provide good, valuable content so that there is no question that you know what you are talking about.
A good resource to use when trying to determine keywords is Adwords.google.com. This tool not only allows you to enter keywords, but if you click Get Keyword Ideas, it will provide you with other keywords to use. Use these keywords in your blogs, eblasts, social media profiles and of course, your website. But even with keywords, if you have a similar name, like Jessica Jones, you want to make sure you are posting enough valuable content on the Internet so that you come up first in a person’s search results. Even though the other Jessica Jones in the world may have nothing more than a Facebook page, you don’t want customers to confuse the two. You have to constantly be active online. People love people that provide information for free. For example, author Seth Godin provided his entire book for free as an eBook before he released the hardcover copy. Because so many loved the electronic version of the book, they purchased a hard copy of the book once it was released, making it a New York Times Bestseller.
You can’t give away too much content. If it genuinely came from you, there is more from where that came from. With every article you write, every video you post, and every status you update, you throw more content out onto the web to brand you all the more. The more content you share, the more people come to recognize you as an expert and will realize the value of your information and ultimately, support your business.
Step 4
Are You Engaged?
Now, I’m not talking about the engagement where you get a ring and start planning a wedding for months down the line. I’m referring to interacting with others online. It doesn’t matter that you and I talk; we have to engage with others online. Create a community for isolated conversations to take place. Twitter actually uses hash tags, such as #GrammyAwards2011, which allows you to converse with all users who may be watching the Grammy Awards at the time. It’s all about engaging and establishing relationships. It’s not always about selling and marketing. Sometimes, you have to build up a group of ‘followers’ first.
Take Facebook for example. That’s great that someone wants to become your ‘friend’. But if you never engage them, and they don’t visit your page on a regular basis, what’s the point? How does this help your business? But also realize that while someone may not visibly engage on your page on a regular basis, they may still be watching you. They may still be taking all of the information you post into account, without ever saying a word to you about it. Personally, 90% of my clientele comes from online. I never know who is watching me. All of a sudden, I get checks for thousands of dollars from people that have been watching me for three or four months and appreciate the information I have shared.
I love this information age we are in. I’m like a kid in a candy store. While others feel overwhelmed by too much information, I consume myself in it. It’s what I’ve done all of my life. I reported information in high school, college, and even once I was out of school. It comes naturally for me. I’m always sending an eblast, conducting a conference call, tweeting a valuable website for authors, or even posting a video on YouTube of me speaking at a recent conference.
I give away a plethora of information. But it’s up to you to use it. The same should ring true of you and your social media swag. Give away so much information that people say to you, “You give away too much free information.” Then give away some more! You’re putting your best foot forward. You’re creating your own community and at this point, people are simply watching you to decide if they will conduct business with you or not. The benefits in the long run will far outweigh the cost to send out complimentary information. Get engaged!
Step 5
The Swag Tool Belt
As with any job, you have to make sure you have the essential tools to succeed. People are looking for a solution to a problem. So you must make sure that the content you provide or the service you offer solves a problem for the customer. For example, if you’re a plumber, you can provide content on taking care of pipes in the winter time.
More importantly, make sure that you not only have a website, but that it works properly. It doesn’t matter if your website comes up first in search engine optimization and you have a steady flow of traffic to your site, but you’re not capturing their email address to communicate with them in the future. As with any other social media, your website homepage should state very clearly the purpose of the business and what it is that you do. Your brand should be the same as it is everywhere else on the web. Make sure you have an opt-in box on your website as well so people can continue to interact with you.
You definitely want to invest in an AWeber or Constant Contact account. Constant Contact allows you to create and send eblasts in a click of a button. You can even create eblasts to be sent out on a certain date and at a certain time, without being anywhere near the computer when it goes out. Eventually, these eblasts will turn into blogs, which is where a significant amount of your social media will stem from.
Do you have to have a blog? Absolutely! I say it’s mandatory! It doesn’t make sense to have a Facebook page or a Blog Talk radio show, and not have a blog. Don’t be blog haters; get a blog! You’ll be surprised at the results a blog can bring.
If you really want to be found, you also need Google Analytics. This free service offered by Google actually tells you where your traffic is coming from and how long a person stays on your website. It will show you, for example, that 50% of your traffic is coming from Facebook and 25% is coming from Twitter, etc.
In this digital age, you definitely need high speed Internet access. Dial-up won’t cut it. It will limit your capability to interact with others online as fast and efficiently. Also invest in a webcam. A webcam runs approximately $30 to add to your computer if you don’t already have one directly installed. Video tape yourself speaking about your area of expertise and post it on YouTube and Facebook. This counts as content as well. People are visual. Don’t be left behind because you won’t participate in the video content wave.
As a side note, when using social media, use your real name. People may see your photo but if your Twitter name is GodselectLady, no one knows your real name to connect with you. If you won’t post your real name, at the very least make the name your business name. People trust the real thing, not a nickname.
Ok, so yes, ultimately your goal is for people to do business with you. But you must first work to establish relationships. If the first time someone hears your name is when you release your first book, they may be hesitant to connect with you because they think you are just trying to sell them. You have to let people know who you are, what you’re about and that you’re not just looking at them as a dollar sign. I would advise using the attraction marketing method. Simply go about life, doing what you do best, and sharing information on a regular basis. Eventually, people will see how much of a goldmine of information you are for them, and ultimately be attracted to connect with you further.
Step 6
Find Your Social Media Niche
So you’ve started hanging out online a bit more. You tweet more frequently and may update your Facebook status three times a day now as opposed to the one you were accustomed to doing in the morning before heading out the door. Depending on the audience you are trying to attract, you may need to reconsider which social media outlet you funnel your energy to. If you started a blog but you hate writing, then maybe you need to consider posting more videos of you speaking. If you like to speak, but you may not want your face plastered online just yet, consider starting a Blog Talk Radio show. Find three major outlets and master them.
Most of the social media outlets allow you to integrate others. While you can integrate Twitter and Facebook, you can also integrate Facebook with your blog. Remember, most times we are mobile. So consider mastering three outlets that you can update and monitor from your cell phone. FourSquare.com is another good one for retail businesses to use. This outlet can be monitored from a cell phone as well. LinkedIn is a more professional network where you can also connect with people worldwide.
You have to find what works best for you. Once you find your three prominent areas of your social media niche, master them. Become consumed with them. Begin to build relationships, which will ideally turn into clientele. Remember, people look for consistency and a business they can trust. Make sure your daily branding reflects this.
Step 7
If It’s Broke, Fix It!
The final step is to measure your results of your social media efforts. Maybe you got over 1,000 responses on your blog, but didn’t get any responses to your posting on Facebook. Maybe you gained 100,000 new followers from Twitter, but didn’t get any reviews on your YouTube video. This is where you have to decide where your most vital relationships will stem from based on social media efforts thus far.
Make sure your content is not boring. Add pictures and video, if possible. Make it eye-pleasing. The great thing about social media is that it’s your world! Be as creative as you want to be. The more creative your blogs are, the more people feel a personal connection to you and start to see your true personality. This will build trust early on and cause them to stay connected long term.
Don’t be discouraged if you don’t get one million ‘followers’ as soon as you create your Twitter profile. Social media takes time and dedication. It may not seem like anyone is paying attention to you; it may seem as though no one is listening. But believe this, someone is watching you. They’re just waiting to see how consistent you will be. Don’t change the message that you send out. If you’re a motivational speaker, your tweets and statuses should motivate, daily! Over time, you will see positive results from people you never even knew were watching.
The benefits of Facebook are limitless. You can not only create a personal page, but also create a fan page for fans of you or fans of your business. You simply ask your personal ‘friends’ to ‘like’ the fan page. Now you have two pages where you can post content. Your personal page lets a person get to know you from day to day. Your fan page may only contain information pertaining to your business or your area of expertise. Hootsuite.com is another site that allows you to share content with one click of a button to many social media sites.
As the old saying goes, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. But for the things that are broke when it comes to defining your social media swag, you do need to fix it. And quick! Don’t just hang out. Create an effective brand, build long-term relationships and get your swag on! Your business brand depends on it!
Posted by Dana Williams on November 2, 2010 at 5:12am
Create Your Online Branding Strategy in 5 Easy Steps
As a small business owner building your brand online is essential in this new economy. A few weeks ago I attended a webinar presented by Coach Tanya, of BePromotable.com, a branding consulting company in Dallas, Texas.
In the webinar, Coach Tanya detailed these five steps to online branding. Follow these five online branding tips and you’ll be on your way to creating a solid brand for your small business.
Develop a Visibility Strategy. Be seen and be heard. It used to said that– “it’s who you know”, but in this new economy, it’s “who knows you” that matters. To accomplish this strategy, create a blog for your business, use social media such as Twitter and Facebook but don’t forget about affinity groups like LinkedIn and Ning. Create a profile and get active on these sites.
Be Known for Something. Become a thought leader. Define your strengths. What comes natural to you? What are you good at? What makes you think “I can’t wait to do that again?” Determine whatever it is and become a known leader in that area.
Decide Your Style. Just because everyone else is doing it doesn’t mean it’s right for you. When it comes to marketing your business online, there are so many ways to do this. There’s social media, article-writing, press releases, blogs, etc. and so on. Don’t try to do it all. Test them out, then decide what’s right for you and go with that.
Manage Your Time. Outsource what you don’t have time to do yourself. A tool like HootSuite is a real time-saver when it comes to posting to your social media accounts. Another way to save time is to hire a virtual assistant or outsource company to handle administrative or marketing tasks you don’t have time to do yourself.
Monitor Your Brand. You can measure how well your brand ranks online by using sites like Klout.com and OnlineCalculator.com. These sites will let you know how strong your online brand is currently and give you some tips to leverage your online clout.
Dana Williams is an Internet Marketing Virtual Assistant specializing in online promotions for small businesses. Visit http://www.YourInternetMarketingAssistant.com for her special report "Internet Marketing for Small Business". Read more…
Posted by Tanya Smith on September 20, 2010 at 11:00am
I replied to a question this week on LinkedIn and thought I’d share my thoughts with you on the topic of mentoring. Here is a short excerpt from the comment and subsequent question submitted:
“I don’t know how to navigate the professional world. It is like I am an outsider looking in. As an African American woman, I don’t have any willing connections in my family. I am actively networking, taking classes to gain new skills, writing blogs, and interning; this way I can groom myself into the professional I want to be…”
My answer went like this:
Thank you for your note & for expressing your challenges so honestly. I will share that I have been mentored and I have mentored. In most cases where I was on the receiving end, I actively pursued the relationship. There have been both good AND bad experiences on either side – I chose to learn from both.
One of the conversations that came out of the recent Women of Color Career Success telesummit I hosted focused on the topic of mentoring and where to find them. There were 3 strategies highlighted from the panel:
Pursue mentoring relationships with people who already at a level for which you are aspiring – seeking a combination of mentors with similar backgrounds as you AND those who can share a completely different perspective;
Peer-to-peer mentoring – reach out to positive, motivated colleagues and others within your field for idea/resource sharing; and
“remote” mentoring – seek out books, presentations, and media that may have messages you can apply to your own situation for growth. If something really appeals to you, consider contacting the author, etc to let them know how their ideas have helped you – social media really opens possibilities here. You never know until you try.
“Mentoring” was very loosely defined in each case but the ultimate message was that you can learn from just about anyone’s experiences.
Lastly I will add these tips:
* Don’t be intimidated to ask anyone you have identified as a possible mentor for you. The worst they can do is say no. * You should not expect someone else to invest in you what you don’t invest in yourself and others. Definitely look at ways you can mentor and give back. * And if you happen to run into that not-so-great experience, you can learn lessons from that too. It just may be “what not to do”.
I hope others will chime in and offer their advice and perspectives on your questions.
Best success to you, Tanya
What are your thoughts around mentoring and what advice would you offer someone for finding a mentor?
About the Author: Tanya Smith of Be Promotable helps ambitious professional women of color develop a competitive personal brand strategy for the career of their dreams. To get instant access to her free special report on Simple Steps High Performing Sistas Need to Know for Career Success stop by and visit http://www.bepromotable.com.
How to develop an online brand is arguably the hot topic for many of today's professionals. Not only is it critical for many, if not all, businesses these days to have on online presence, it is also fast becoming the way that career professionals promote their value to either retain a job, advance to higher levels, or transition to another career.
This article will cover 7 frequently asked questions about online brand presence for career professionals. Unlike most other articles and media that refer to social networking and online visibility, this message will address people who are still in a workplace setting and the relevance of getting engaged in the online wave of the future.
FAQs About Online Brand for Career Professionals:
Why do I need an online brand presence when I work for someone else? Competing in today's workforce has been quite a different environment these days. Employers are looking more meticulously and for skilled workers, if they're looking at all. Instead of distributing unnecessary salary dollars to have a recruiter travel to job fairs and collect a pay check all day, thousands of dollars can be saved when recruiting is sourced right from the computer. An article on InternetNews.com by Stuart J. Johnson followed a survey that indicated more than 70% of HR professionals and recruiters rejected job candidates due to what they found online about them. And I suspect that if employers cannot find you at all, they can see your competitor who has a tremendous online profile, and therefore an automatic advantage over you for the position.
How do I get started in creating an online brand presence, especially when I don't have these skills? There are lots and lots of social media experts and online tutorials. Once you have identified your personal brand strategy (perhaps with the help of a career coach specializing in this area), you can better determine what learning needs you have and find the resources to fill these needs.
Everyone has a blog and they're telling me I need one too. What if I'm not really a great writer? Part of your branding strategy should be to determine your communication style. Perhaps, instead of written material, your blog may incorporate audio or something else that suits your preference.
I don't know what to talk about. What if I don't have anything to say? We all know the old saying about opinions...everyone has one! What is a topic that you know very well, are passionate about, and would love to talk about with other people? Is it a topic that could open doors for someone, or make others feel like they have a strong emotional reaction to? Talk about your area of expertise - only you can share it the way you can.
My time is already so stretched. How do I fit in the work to really be visible online? This is another key area of your personal branding strategy - mapping out your time and intended frequency online can be one of the best habits to create right at the start. You actually can devote just 15-20 minutes per day once you have established the ground work. You might also consider outsourcing to a virtual assistant specializing in social media communications.
How do I get people to go see my online resources - e.g. CV/resume, website, blog? You can learn to use any of several different models. What works best for me is using tools like Twitter and Facebook to redirect viewers to links that have my content.
I'm afraid about privacy online. If I put myself out there, I'll be making myself a target for identity theft, right? Great question. I recommend spending time learning how to protect your data online and offline. Just because you don't have an online presence you have deliberately created yet, does not mean someone can't already access your personal information. The federal government actually has a site with some great tools and tips to protect your identity online: onguardonline.gov/">http://www.onguardonline.gov/. This may be a good place to start.
Creating an online presence can launch your career to the next level or set you apart from your competition in a career transition, when it is planned deliberately and with the right resources in place. Spend some time getting to know more about how you can strategically position your career with online branding techniques.
About the Author: Tanya Smith of Be Promotable helps ambitious professional women share their brand brilliance through a powerful online brand presence. To get instant access to her free special report on how to surefire steps to be promotable stop by and visit http://www.bepromotable.com.
When you look at marketing these days, most of the traditional strategies of advertising have become outdated. MLM network marketing has become a leading force in the advertising drive as it reacts to the consumer and includes the most updated strategies available. Traditional marketing such as TV, radio and print media focused on reaching as many people as possible in order to capture the attention of a particular few. This form of marketing has proven to be very pricey with no chance to track the success of various advertising programs. With MLM network marketing you take advantage of the next stage of advertising by embracing the idea of relationship marketing.
More companies are starting to realize the ineffectiveness of conventional marketing techniques. The internet has fast become the primary source of information, communication and shopping in the world. With MLM network marketing you have the opportunity to make an impact in the online environment through the utilization of relationship marketing and Send Out Cards.
Relationship marketing focuses not on attempting to reach a huge number of customers through generic advertising, but an effort to develop professional relationships with your customers. The advantages of the internet has attracted lots of clients and companies, but it has also turned businesses into faceless entities devoid of human contact. With relationship marketing you utilize the methods of MLM network marketing to help build relationships with your clientele, increasing consumer assurance and repeat business.
One of the most efficient methods to expand your MLM network marketing chance is with the utilization of an online tool, Send Out Cards. With Send Out Cards you're taking advantage of a technique which would allow you to often stay in touch with your clientele, developing that individual relationship which is so essential in relationship marketing. With Send out Cards you have the convenience of an online source which will offer you with a wide variety of templates that would merely require a personal message from you.
In addition, Send Out Cards could help your business in remembering important dates relating to your clientele including birthdays, anniversaries, holidays and more. Lastly Send Out Cards represents a low cost marketing source which will print, stuff and ship your custom-made cards at a fraction of the cost it will cost you to do it yourself.
MLM network marketing has surpassed the restrictions of traditional marketing and at present represents a crucial component of any successful business. The options which are offered to a business with Send Out Cards would drastically help your cause in building customer confidence in your business with relationship marketing.
To find out more, feel free to visit my website at http://www.sendoutcards.com/80793 or contact me by email at dbjdesigns@gmail.com.
"Send Out Cards- Building customer loyalty, one card at a time" Read more…
The American Marketing Association (AMA) defines a brand as a "name, term, sign, symbol or design, or a combination of them intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of other sellers.
Therefore it makes sense to understand that branding is not about getting your target market to choose you over the competition, but it is about getting your prospects to see you as the only one that provides a solution to their problem.
The objectives that a good brand will achieve include:
Delivers the message clearly
Confirms your credibility
Connects your target prospects emotionally
Motivates the buyer
Concretes User Loyalty
To succeed in branding you must understand the needs and wants of your customers and prospects. You do this by integrating your brand strategies through your company at every point of public contact.
Your brand resides within the hearts and minds of customers, clients, and prospects. It is the sum total of their experiences and perceptions, some of which you can influence, and some that you cannot.
A strong brand is invaluable as the battle for customers intensifies day by day. It's important to spend time investing in researching, defining, and building your brand. After all your brand is the source of a promise to your consumer. It's a foundational piece in your marketing communication and one you do not want to be without.
This is a post I recently wrote on my blog. Hope this helps someone:
I'm sure you know by now that branding any business is very important. (If you're not sure what branding is, check out this post).
Here are some tips you can use right now to build your brand:
Get a fabulous and effective website. By having a design that's professionally created (or at least looks like it), you'll gain credibility- and it's not as expensive as you might imagine. Two options to consider: 1) Use a theme that everyone and their grandma isn't using, or 2) Use a little money to hire a designer to modify an available, free theme.
Be serious about SEO (search engine optimization). Whatever business you're in, you don't want to spend a lot of time looking for clients/customers- you want to use your time to make money. If you take the time to work on your SEO, your name (or business's) will come up higher in search results; so, when someone is searching for the service/product you offer, they'll be more likely to choose you first.
Create compelling copy. You want the words on your website to convince others to purchase your product or service. However, it can be hard for you to write about how awesome you are, so you may want to think about hiring a copywriter. He or she can objectively convey why individuals should choose you.
Convey your brand to others. It's easier to form a brand following when you can "piggy-back on top of an exisiting brand." And with blogging being so popular, gaining recognition is pretty simple- one way to do this is by writing guest posts on other blogs.
Make a product to establish your authority. Having a product or download shows prospective clients that you know what you're doing. A couple of options: Write an ebook, or provide a free download that's related to your business's experience.
Posted by Robin Tramble on September 18, 2009 at 8:59pm
Who are you? Do your clients, customers recognize who you are? Would prospects recognize who you are and become immediately attracted to you? Or would theyturn away because there's nothing for them to identify with.If you answered no or I don't know to the above it's time that you learnedmore about personal branding.Think about Johnson and Johnson, Pepsi,Joyce Meyer, Kelloggs they are all branded and all you have to do is say the word and people know exactly what you are talking about. Some more than others, however, there is branding involved.So you may be asking how do I begin building my personal brand?Personal branding is the process whereby people and their careers aremarked as brands. It has been noted that while previous self-helpmanagement techniques were about self-improvement, the personal brandingconcept suggests instead that success comes from self packaging. The termis thought to have been first used and discussed in an 1997 articleby Tom Peters,Your brand is how people think about you. Learning more about you,self discovery and assessment is key in beginning the process ofpersonal branding. This process also involves developing your vision,what makes you unique and how you can help others.Your vision is like a compass a guiding light. It helps us to stay focusedon our goals and plans in life.When taking on the endeavor to build your brand keep the following in mind....It's important to consider how you communicate visually, verbally andin writing. If you don't know you're actually branding yourself in yourblogging.You also make it easier to develop your marketing plan when you build yourpersonal brand.What makes you different or unique?How would you say people describe you or better yet how do you describe yourself?Do you know who your target market or audience is?Some may consider this your niche. So very important and no it doesn'tcut off your reach in essence it expands it because instead of grasping for strawsyou know where to put your focus.It's also key to discover your why. Why do you do what you do?What motivates you?What sets you apart?Do you have a creative angle to what you do?If you want to accelerate the process towards your empowering successit's important to start developing your personal brand.Who are you? Start taking notes and write down your values, what you'dlike to do in life, how you'd like to be seen, what sets you apart and thenuse some of this to develop your vision statement andyou'll be on your way to a definite brand of YOU inc.If you'd like more information on discovering your authentic self andgetting started on your personal branding contact me or get connectedwith my Inner Circle.
At Springcart Design Lab we help you to make your business stand out among the crowd. We offer everything from branding to graphic and web design to sponsorship proposals. Contact us today for a quick no obligation quote. Make sure that you check in weekly to take advantage of our most current specials here: http://springcartdesignlab.com/specials
Pinterest is the latest social networking craze, but not only that - it has some potential to be a useful tool that drives traffic to your website. For example, you can add pins to your boards that link back to your website.
I replied to a question this week on LinkedIn and thought I’d share my thoughts with you on the topic of mentoring. Here is a short excerpt from the comment and subsequent question submitted:
