networks (4)

Fotolia_Social-Media-Puzzle-e1341972537587.jpg?width=590

With the vast amount of social media networks for businesses to select from, how do you narrow it down to the ones that are perfect for your needs? Having thousands at your fingertip to sift thru can become a daunting task!

To streamline the process, ask yourself the Who? What? Where? How?

  1. Who are your customers?
  2. What are their needs and desires?
  3. Where do they live?
  4. How much time do you commit to managing social media?
  5. How do you search for a ’niche’ network?
  6. How do you monitor and protect your online image?

Who are your customers?

There are literally thousands of social media networks. To decide which will work for your business, it is important to know your customer. Let’s get it straight… EVERYONE is NOT your customer. Though it would be nice to claim them all, it is impossible to be all things to all people. So, it is best to know and understand your target market.

 

What are their needs and desires?

Do you know why customers buy your product or service? If not, you should make it your business to find out. Ultimately, you want to increase sales and grow your business, right? Well, to do that, you must get inside their heads to learn their needs and desires?

In essence, understanding their needs is extremely important. Ask questions and concentrate on what the customer is really saying. Always paraphrase at the appropriate time to make sure you understand. Check out their body language. Are they at ease or in a defense mode? You should avoid making assumptions as it will only ignite the situation.

Did you know that it costs five to six times as much to get a new customer as it does to keep a current one? Make sure your customer’s needs are taken care of and that you have follow up procedures in place.

 

Where do they live?

Have you figured out which networks are most frequented by potential and existing customers, vendors or partners? If not, do the research! Developing a strategy begins with targeting the right people. Find the networks that work best. Doing so, you will eventually see a ROI (return on investment).

 

How much time do you commit to managing social media?

To manage time when using social media can be a juggling act. It is important to allocate a certain amount of time daily or weekly. Monitor what your top distractions are and eliminate them. Find tools that can help you manage multiple platforms.

 

4 MUST Have Social Tools:

  • Hootsuite: a social media management system for businesses to collaboratively execute campaigns across multiple social networks from one secure, web-based dashboard.
  • NutshellMail: takes copies of all your latest updates in your social networking accounts and places them in a snapshot email; updates are sent to your primary email address on your schedule.
  • Crowdbooster: offers social media analytics with suggestions and tools to help you improve your online presence.
  • Zite: a free personalized magazine that automatically learns what you like and gets smarter every time you use it; tracks your data to help personalize your magazine and the magazines of others.

How do you search for a ’niche’ network?

While it’s beneficial to be on major social media networks such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, it is equally important to connect to industry related networks. To find those related to your industry, simply search using key words such as ‘social networks for ‘…’

 

An Example of 4 ‘Niche’ Networks:


How do you monitor and protect your online image?

Do you know what people are saying about you or your brand? Negative comments can destroy your credibility. Google alerts will monitor you and your business name. Once you sign up, you will receive alerts when your name or brand is mentioned.


By using this process, will enable you to select the appropriate social networks for your business; thus, allowing you to reap full benefits of growing your virtual presence.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Sylvia Browder is a small business consultant, trainer and author. She is founder of National Association Women on the Rise, a virtual community for aspiring and established women entrepreneurs. She has served as an online volunteer SCORE counselor since 2004. For FREE weekly articles go to Sylvia Browder’s Blog for Women Entrepreneurs, www.sylviabrowder.com.

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You Got Friends!

AOL became famous for it's "you got mail" thingy and a lot of people join it because of it. They loved to hear the "you got mail" when they logged on to their computers. When I was first introduced to the online social networks, I admit it was amazing. It's been just over 2 years now, first I join Facebook, next it was MyChurch and then the others came... "Ning" and now my own Christian Soul Saving Network, Word4UTVNetwork.I learned a lot in the process, via blogging how other Christians from parts of the country and the world see, share and experience Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. I'd like to believe that I made a lot of friends, on these social networks, but the truth be told, "I don't think so."What I've come to realize is that the online christian community is really no different than the offline christian community. There are the good, the bad and the ugly; the naive, the wolves in sheep clothing, the whoremongers, false teachers and prophets, etc.; just to name a few. There are far to many people who pimp "My Jesus" for personal gain, and far too many control freaks, who feel really liberated because they can hide behind a computer screen. I see far to much manipulation and condemnation that leaves a bad taste in my mouth, but yet.... I still see Jesus! Yes I do see Jesus.I see Jesus in the few friends who show the love of Christ in their consistency, who have a genuine heart for the Lord, in their words alone. They care and are not afraid to show it. As friends we share this in common, the love of Jesus Christ, unconditionally. Yes, these few are my friends.But, talk about being naive! Well, that's my middle name. I thought that all these friends (almost 1,500 across the social networks), would also support me as well on Word4UTVNetwork. NOT! Well, reality is as reality does... Here I am with the few blogs I do write, posting them to each and every site I belong to, and yet... those same friends who asked me to join them... do not return the favor.Don't get me wrong, I'm blessed and highly favored! I just think it is so sad that we just don't get it. We don't see how our (yes I said our) talk doesn't line up with our walk. We are turfie, we are cliquey, and yes some of us are still to narrow, because we think that to support one is to deny another, why is that? But the real deal, the ugly reality is they never intended to be supportive, they only seek it from others.Now as for me, you might say, "hey, I haven't seen or heard from you lately, what's up with that?" Well, I've been quite busy, online and offline, plus it's a huge learning curve trying to grow your own social network, especially since I promote Jesus Christ, which on a global scale isn't very popular, and let's face it... I'm a woman and black, yeah I said it. Because it's the truth. Many of us still have issues. I live in a world where people still expect you to ask permission to be yourself, like who said you can do that, and where do you get off trying to do that? My answer is: Jesus!I don't have anyone to teach me except the Holy Spirit, and it does take a lot of my time, trying to understand concepts that I'm just not familiar with at all. Yet, I say this is all for "The Glory of God", not me. Word4UTVNetwork is a christian soul saving network, sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a dying global community. We are not the only one, just another one doing what we feel God has called us to do.To each of you reading this blog, you have a standing invitation to come and join us. Come and help us in the great commission. I'm not asking you to forsake where you are, rather, to extend your reach that's all.Jhn 15:13 " Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." You got friends! The truth be told, not really. These are just folk who want me as another notch on their friend list, and that's just the way it is.Pastor AminataCreator of Word4UTVNetworkCreator of "God Has A Word For You E-Telecast"CEO, Leadershipology, Inc.
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Emancipation from public education

As parents we must make tough decisions in regards to our kids. The decisions we make will impact their lives even after they are all grown up. Just imagine for one moment that a decision that you made ruined or deeply impacted your child’s life in a negative way. How will you deal with knowing that your decisions may have harmed your child.Well, believe it or not the decision to send children to public school has proven to have some major negative ramifications. Many children pick up some very bad habits and ways from being in public school. Many of our young people are exposed to drugs, alcohol, sex, homosexuality, violence and more just from going to public school. Some children face the pressures of bullying and not being able to keep up among other things. All of this is the result of being in an unstable and hostile environment.When a child is in a hostile environment they are unable to function properly. There is no such thing as telling your child to merely concentrate and ignore what‘s happening around them. A statement such as that , suggest that you don’t have an answer for your child and therefore can only put the situation on the back burner. Many parents find out the hard way that this decision may ultimately harm their child’s future. The instability in the public school environment has helped lead to the rapid decline in academic achievement in our schools. This is why there is such a huge increase in home education. The public school system has failed our children.Home education has such a rapid increase, especially amongst African Americans, which is primarily due to the insufficient educational process of the public school. It is estimated that more than 2,000,000 American children are home schooled. This number will continue to increase as parents awareness is sparked. More and more parents are taking the plunge into home schooling as they realize that they can better educate their children.Black home schoolers are especially motivated to take on the role as parent-teacher seeing that African American children have a higher dropout rate than any other race. The only way to protect your child from becoming a part of this dropout statistic is to become and early dropout through emancipating yourselves from the state institutional education. Please understand that I’m referring to having your child drop out of a failed institution and reviving their learning through home education. We here at The Black Home Schoolers Association would like to help in every way we can. Please feel free to contact us or visit our website at: www.BlackHomeschoolers.com
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SistasHappy Thanksgiving! Please get your notepad and write down 20 things you are thankful for today. List 10 ten people that mean the world to you. List 20 people you would invite to an intimate get together to share some very big success and seek their counsel how to move forward,,,,in some circles this is called an accountability circle.What industries to these make their living from? How can you form a support network with people on the above lists so that everyone of their needs are met? It is advsable to pull people from all age groups...make the back as diverse as you can.Share your findings and ask questions that come to mind.Have fun....and make sure you share this wit all in your circles..Shalom! Shalom! Let us muster some girl power and God's people through what we do so well.dr. pkPaulina Khumbah, Ph. D.Family SociologistThe NALA Grouphttp://nalainternational.tripod.comfamily21stc@yahoo.com
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