Monday 4 January 2016

On Social Media, Share Content That Makes Your Followers Say 'Holy Smokes!'

Social media can be a great way to for entrepreneurs to engage with customers, provide customer service and even make a few sales. But it can also be time consuming and not immediately generate the results you might be after. social media marketing university review So what's a business owner to do? We spoke with online marketing expert Jason Falls for a live Google Hangout, "Tap Into the Power of Social Media for Business," during which he answered your most pressing questions.The point here is to give people a compelling reason to follow you on social media -- namely content that gives your audience value and evokes an emotional response. Falls cited a Cisco advertisement that uses humor to promote an otherwise boring product: its ASR 9000 router. "They were able to make a $150,000 router sexy," Falls said.Extend this philosophy to your social strategy. Instead of simply asking that people follow you on Twitter or "Like" you on Facebook, give them a compelling reason for doing so.Figuring out how to help your customers will grow your business. By understanding their needs, you can transform your business to suit them, not you, and you will flourish.This inside knowledge doesn’t automatically translate to sales. It’s what you do with it that makes a difference. This information must create an emotional benefit for your customers. Not just the functioning of your business, but a real emotional connection with your customers.By creating an emotional benefit you will do something magical: You will turn your business into a brand. You will create a brand that transcends your product and differentiates it from your competitors. You will transform your customers from needing your products to wanting your brand. facebook social media marketing That’s the power of an emotional connection: a brand that your customers will want over and over again, because they have an emotional attachment.Because you understand them, you get them and you serve their needs not just functionally but emotionally they will reward you for it.Spend the holidays getting to know your customers and creating an emotional benefit.
social media marketing campaigns

Share other people's content

Don't just broadcast your own marketing messages. Sharing other people's content can be an effective way to give your audience value without taking the trouble to create it yourself. " disadvantages of social media marketing Most mornings I get out there and select the 10 or 15 most useful articles on social media and digital marketing, and then share them throughout the day," Falls said. Sharing content from other sources can also go a long way to generating credibility for yourself as a subject-matter expert.If you start showing up to client meetings and hear, “Wow, you look different than you do in your profile,” call a photographer today. You may really love how you look in that headshot from the past decade, but unless you’ve found the fountain of youth, it’s out of date. A good rule of thumb is to update your photo every two to three years. This covers changes in hairstyles, fashion and -- sigh -- aging.Consider using the same profile pic across all the social media sites you're on -- LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and others. A consistent image across platforms can be a visual personal brand strengthener.Then it will be the most wonderful time of the year. As the rest of the world settles down for a long winter's nap, entrepreneurs have an opportunity to spend time plugging into their customers. But it isn't a time to focus on the business. It’s a time to learn about your customer’s lives -- stresses, happiness, worries, hobbies, families -- anything really important to them.Figure out what motivates your key audience. Listen to what is going on in their lives, so that you can figure out how your product fits in and where you can add value.This advice might sound obvious, but be honest: How well do you really know your customers? hotel social media marketing You can try getting to know them the old-fashioned way, in person or on the phone, but social media has opened up a whole new, more productive way. As one of the biggest advancements in market research and relationship marketing in decades, social media allows us to get to know our customers like never before, and observe how they are living.

Social media sites are not created equal

Different people use different social media sites for different reasons. Instagram, for instance, appeals to people who love sharing great photos. atlanta social media marketing And a business that has visually-appealing products or service might consider spending more time on Instagram or Facebook than others like Twitter or LinkedIn.The key for business owners, of course, is to know which social media sites your audience is engaged with most. A good way to find out? Ask them, Falls said.Unless the essence of your brand is a cartoon character you have created and whose face is what you show the social media world, skip the avatar. Let us see the real you.While sexy over-the-shoulder looks and sideways glimpses might work for a fashion shoot, they are the opposite of what you want in a profile picture. The best option is a shot of you looking straight into the camera, full face forward.The purpose of your profile photo is to give a visitor a quick hint about who you are as a person. Think carefully about the signals you'll be sending. Odds are good that you'll send the wrong message if you're wearing sunglasses, shown with someone else, or holding Fido, your surfboard or a glass of anything.Actually, we can do more than just observe, we can live right beside them.Social media gives entrepreneurs a window into what our customers are thinking, feeling, and doing, an inside window to discover ways that we can help them. That’s where the productive part comes in: creating ways to help customers.For many business owners, the lead-up to the holidays is jackpot time. It’s when we are the busiest, cranking through everything that our customers need. We’re on turbo-drive and it feels good.Then boom. The holidays hit, and the world suddenly stops. how to do social media marketing Most people see this as a relief, a time to unplug, have a few cookies and turn off the computer for a few weeks.Not entrepreneurs. There’s a hidden opportunity during this holiday lull, a time to be the most productive you’ve been all year.While others drink eggnog, you could be doing something that will set you up for success next year, something you rarely have time for.

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