In the last year, social media has become very popular. Everybody is talking about it and almost every online marketer is using it. The experts are getting it however most small business owners either haven’t grasped it, or are just not sure how to get it working effectively for them.
I am about to share with you some of the things I have discovered from my good friend business growth and social media expert and also from observing the activities of many business owners attempting to create success via social media.
1. Be Unique, Create Your Own Following
I see this all the time. Someone takes the time to create a group, sends them great information, and builds a relationship with his followers. Then someone else wants to take advantage of this group that took the owner so much work to put together and starts posting promotional comments about his own company. Needless to say, these comments are always removed and the poster ends up looking like a spammer. If you want to succeed in Social Media, create your own group and post your own content, don’t try to cash on someone else’s efforts.
2. Avoid Self-Promotion
Remember, your prospects are tuned into WIIFM – What’s In It For Me so it’s important to talk about things that will add value to your prospects and not about things that blow your own trumpet. Aim to build a relationship with your fans and followers and you will build longer lasting relationships.
3. First Give, then Ask
Don’t you just hate it when someone sends you an email every other day asking you to do something (check out a website or register to get their free ebook) but they don’t do anything for you? Don’t do what others do, in fact i encourage you to do the exact opposite. If others are self promoting, give more interest about your prospect. If others want leads and are not willing to give leads then go the extra mile to add value and give to your prospects. Share your knowledge, share what you can and it will reward you tenfold and I guarantee that you’ll be noticed.
4. Use Your Real Name
I get about 10 friend requests per day on Facebook and other social networking sites from weird blended names. When surveyed, most said they prefered to ignore requests from identities who did not reveal their name. Success is relationship based. So build a relationship that begins with you
5. Do It Only if You Enjoy It
I love meeting people and networking. I love having conversations with strangers and exchanging ideas. I love the fact I can make a difference to someone just by having a conversation with them. I can guarantee you that it’s not about thinking how I can make money out of the person I am talking to. If you don’t enjoy the process, you are not likely to be successful at it. People can read between lines and they can tell if all you care about is their money.
6. Don’t Annoy Your Followers
Send them a message or a request only if they will be useful to them and don’t do it ten times per week. I immediately unsubscribe from lists that send me more than 3 messages per week. One company just recently sent me an email every day last week. It’s just overkill. Monitor the number of people that unsubscribe from your lists. If that number is too high, revise your strategy.
These are just a few tips that will support your social media strategy. Follow these tips and you’ll have a strong basis in utilising social media for your business!