5 Social Media Success Tips
December 10, 2009 | Leave a Comment
1. Set goals, create a social media plan for your business and stick to it. For example, if you want to reach a fan base of 500 on Facebook, determine to be only about that goal when you login to Facebook during business hours. If you aren’t strategic in your use of Facebook, it can easily become a time waster.
2. In your status updates on all networks, answer this question: What information does my business audience need from me today?
3. Relate to people on the networks as if you are seeing them in person. Ask questions. Reply to comments or messages. Engage in conversation. Then, and only then will you see the value of social media.
4. Develop systems for growing your networks. Example: Invite all the decision makers you are working with into your LinkedIn network. Invite contacts from informal networking events into your Facebook network. Or, determine to invite 10 people from your business association memberships into your personal network each month. Having a system will ensure incremental growth of the right audience over time.
5. Don’t be afraid to experiment with new functionality. Social media tools are still evolving. Everyone is learning. You’ll get the most from these tools when you get comfortable with them. You don’t have to think about how to use the phone and email for business. Eventually, you’ll feel that way about social media. Dive in the deep end and have fun with it.
Online Boot Camp – Starts in January
November 12, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Want the best seat in the house for Social Media Boot Camp! Take the Course online at your desktop. Watch the recordings at your convenience. Interact in the private Facebook Group.
Read what Dorothy W. says about her online boot camp experience:
“Last week I didn’t know what LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter were. Today I have a presence on all three, not to mention my blog on WordPress. This is all thanks to Michelle Cullison’s five day Social Media Boot Camp. I can’t wait to recommend it to others. Michelle is an expert in a field that is changing every single day. My idea in enrolling was that I would learn the basics of using the new Social Media. Definitions would have been big news for me. And I learned those, but in addition with each section from Facebook to Twitter – and certainly LinkedIn, Michelle provided non-stop tips and ideas for using each category. My Social Media Manual, which she provides with the course, is crammed with notes to myself, and I am at work on a strategy that, I am confident, will provide growth and sparkle to my business in the year ahead. In these times, when the Social Media are growing explosively, Boot Camp is a necessity. Best of all, I am looking forward to the final webinar next week when Michelle will help me and other attendees fine tune Social Media strategy. Free copies of the webinars are provided for future reference. Michelle is personable and delightful, and being from Louisiana, she talks slowly and clearly enough that even computer illiterates like me can follow her easily. Don’t miss this opportunity.”
August 21, 2009 Top qualities: Great Results, Expert, High Integrity
I promise you won’t have to do push-ups or run an obstacle course, but you will get a social media workout to transform you from a cadet to a colonel who knows how to do business on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and more!
Are you ready for a rigorous (and fun) social media training session?
Don’t miss your chance to develop a social media strategy!
You start your experience as soon as you register by viewing three 30-minute pre-recorded Webinars!
You will learn how to build a professional personal presence on the top 3 social sites BEFORE you come to bootcamp!
The sessions are:
1. How to Create a LinkedIn Profile
2. How to Create a Twitter Profile
3. How to Create a Facebook Profile
In addition, you will receive the Social Media Manual, a 100+ page binder, filled with info such as Step by Step instructions, Quick Tips, worksheets for developing strategies and more! The binder will let you reference and review what you learned at bootcamp and give you the next steps to keep expanding your web presence after the full-day training is complete.
Who should attend:
Accelerate your learning. Expand your web presence. Grow Your Business. Stop wasting time trying to figure it out.
Sample Agenda for Live Events
8:30-9:00 Check-In and Network
9:00-9:50 Social Media: From Cadets To Colonels
9:50-10:50 Facebook Business Pages
10:50-11:00 Break
11:00-12 Twitter Training – Be the best “Tweeple” you can be
12-1:00 LUNCH Break
1:00-2:00 LinkedIn Line Up (Reaching the Officers)
2:00-3:00 Productivity Tools: Gearing up for ACTION and Repurposing Content
3:00-3:45 Social Media: Best Practices to keep from going AWOL
3:45-4:00 Time for Taps (the wrap-up)
Sign Up today if you want to:
- Accelerate lead generation for your business
- Stop wasting time trying to figure out social media
- Learn how to deliver your message to your target market
- Connect and engage prospects to build trust
- Develop relationships with influential decision makers
- Follow thought leaders in your industry
- Establish your brand with a large audience that may never visit your website
- Drive targeted traffic to your website so you can convert them to business
- Learn secrets for increasing ranking and findability on search engines
- Integrate your existing web site WITH your social media presence for maximum effectiveness
- Know WHY you are on social sites and WHAT you WILL accomplish for BUSINESS while there.
- Learn the secret to social media success: STRATEGY!
What participants are saying:
“The strategy-setting goals-section was most helpful to me. Social Media Boot Camp gave me a new perspective on the use of tools and how to approach my market. Very interactive!”
Peter Ranzino, President
Learning Sciences
“I enjoyed exploring the possibilities for using social media. I really liked the way you adapted the material to our specific needs.”
Bill Phillips, PhD., President
Success Labs
“Social Media Boot Camp provided a general but thorough overview of social media networks. I enjoyed gaining knowledge on how to develop and implement social media into a business marketing strategy.”
Renee Verma, President
Verma Communications
REGISTER NOW to attend one of these social media boot camps:
New Orleans/Metairie Boot Camp
Location: TBD
Date: Friday, December 4th, 9 AM-4 PM
Participating Chamber or Louisiana Technology Council members SAVE an additional $25 with your special coupon codes! Space limited to 20.
NEW: Social Media Boot Camp Online
Location: Front Row Seat at your Computer!
Date: Attend live webinars starting Tues morning January 12th-February 9th. This class will meet weekly from 9 AM-10 AM CST. Can’t make all the sessions? Don’t worry! You will receive a recorded copy of each session.
Private Facebook Group for Q&A with Michelle and other boot camp participants.
Participating Chamber of Commerce or Louisiana Technology Council members SAVE an additional $25 with your special coupon codes!
Does CoTweet allow Facebook Integration? Kind of..
November 10, 2009 | Leave a Comment
This question was raised today at online bootcamp: Does CoTweet.com have Facebook integration like Tweetdeck?
The answer: Kind of…
Ping.fm integration is available –very new since Oct 23— so that what you tweet on co-tweet can flow to your ping.fm account which of course flows to all of your accounts configured there.
Stay tuned for a detailed blog post on this subject.
You may also want to check out http://www.HootSuite.com for similar capabilities.
October 23, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Since founding Daystar Digital Development, Inc., in 2000, I’ve helped many companies establish an effective business website. But in a web 2.0 world, a website is not enough. I now help clients expand from a website to a web presence using social sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube. It’s similar to the concept of “Location, Location, Location” in the real estate industry. I position you and your web content where the people are. I help you place your website content in the best web locations–where the traffic is so you can build relationships, trust and grow your business.
I can help you succeed with social media. Here’s how:
Join Us Tues Oct 13 2:30 CST Facebook for Business Webinar
October 8, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Tuesday, October 13, 2009 | 3:30 PM EDT
Social Networking Best Practices Webinar:
Facebook For Business – Can You Afford to Ignore 300 Million Users?
With an estimated 300 million users, Facebook is THE most prevalent social networking application in the world! As such, it has become an on line community to reconnect with old friends & colleagues, build marketing campaigns and create critical awareness for your business.
For many individuals, Facebook is providing a human element or in essence a “face” to their professional presence. Our pictures, activity updates, circle of friends, causes we care about, all are helping others get a more holistic view of not only what we do when we work, but who we really are – including that which we find interesting, how we like to play, and those who are around us! For many, it’s a platform to engage and influence, and to share stories or perspectives.
How can Facebook help you? Join us-David Nour, Michelle Cullison and Nhat Pham-on Tuesday, October 13, 2009 at 3:30 PM Eastern (12:30 PM Pacific) for a look inside Facebook best practices to help extend the value of your on- and off-line business relationships.
>>Click HERE to register for this free webinar
Presentation Skills Teleseminar Series Starts Tomorrow
October 5, 2009 | Leave a Comment
Download Presentation Skills Seminar flyer for more information.
I highly recommend Myra’s program. She is the number one reason I am speaking successfully and for profit today. Take a minute to review her program. Since presentations are so crucial to business success, you won’t want to miss this chance to learn from an expert. —Michele
**************************
Myra says:
I am so happy to share with you a special teleseminar series that I will be hosting, along with talk-show host Monica Pierre, starting next Tuesday (Oct 6) from 4:00 to 5:00 pm CT and continuing at the same time period on Tuesdays Oct 13 and 20.
As you know, I’ve spent the last 25 years helping individuals and organizations develop and articulate their unique messages. Helping hundreds of people find their voice and package their presentations has been extremely rewarding and very enlightening.
I’m often asked “what are the most critical things a person should know/do in order to speak effectively?” Each year, I witness several hundred presentations. There is a real consistency in determining whether a speaker will be exceptional, decent, or just plain bad based on how well they adopt 10 basic principles.
This teleseminar series has been designed around my “10 Absolutes”. I believe, unequivocally, that every presenter can significantly improve his/her performance with the right knowledge, commitment and practice. And those improvements can happen very quickly!
Public speaking has greatly evolved over the last 15 years. Presentation software is now omnipresent (although rarely used to its potential). Multi-media is now easily accessible but underutilized. Audience demands of speakers have changed. They now want crisp, fast-paced, engaging programming. Even technical presentations must now balance a need for concrete information with enough motivation and audience connection to make the message heard, accepted and the new knowledge used. In short, the bar has greatly risen in all areas of presenting.
If someone is relying on principles learned in a college public speaking class 10 years ago, it’s unlikely they are performing anywhere near their potential. I should know. I taught those classes – and still teach them – BUT I also add the “tricks of the trade” that I’ve learned as a professional speaker along with all the new technology and online resources available at our fingertips. Together, it’s a great new way to look at speaking – whether you’re a business development specialist, a non-profit executive, an entrepreneur, a technical expert, or an emerging executive.
If you or some of your colleagues could benefit from some fresh ideas to liven up your programming, join us!! Attached is a flyer for the program and more information and registration can be found at: http://www.FindYourSpice.com/teleseminar . All three one-hour sessions are only $87 AND you get a recording of each session after its completion. That way, you can listen whenever you like – even if you can’t be with us “live” for one of the sessions.
I wish you all the best and thanks for helping us spread the word about this exciting program!
Myra
Myra L. Corrello, PhD
Spice Your Business. Growth strategies designed just for you
Spice Your Career. Knowlege & skills to take you to the top & keep you there
Spice Your Life. Enhance & enrich your personal time and relationships
5721 Magazine Street, #141
New Orleans, LA 70115
Office: (504) 899-8660
Mobile: (504) 453-3466
iPhone: (504) 812-5990
Myra@FindYourSpice.com
www.FindYourSpice.com
SBA 2007 Women in Business Champion of the Year – State of Louisiana
Call today to learn more about our
Presentation Skills training programs
coming in October!
How to Un-Fan a Page on Facebook
October 4, 2009 | 1 Comment
On Facebook, you can become a fan of a business page. However, you may want to bow out at a later date. Here’s how:
- Visit the business page.
- Scroll down to the bottom of the left hand column.
- You will see a link that says: Remove me from fans. See figure 1 below.
Figure 1-Screenshot from facebook fan page
To learn more about social media, sign up for social media bootcamp!
Meeting Planners Q & A about Facebook
September 28, 2009 | Leave a Comment
On Tuesday, August 25, 2009, Plan Your Meetings, sponsored a webinar, hosted by David Nour with Michelle Cullison and Nhat Pham. These questions were asked by the meeting planners:
1. Can a group created by an individual be moved to a public business page?
Moving from a group to a company page is a manual process. Create the page and then invite all group members to become a Fan of the new page. Some Group admins put a deadline on the move and close the group. You may also provide some new content on the page as an incentive to make the move.
2. How are people using Facebook to find potential partners/vendors?
You may find vendors/partners using the advanced search page on Facebook. It allows you to search for people, pages and groups by keywords. You can get to the advanced search page by typing search in the Search field. (Currently, there isn’t a link to advanced search on the menu.)
Another great way to find potential partners and vendors is groups. Join industry specific groups where your partners and vendors are spending time. Need to find the groups, search for them with the advanced search page.
Are they searching like on Google? Yes. Business pages on Facebook are public so googling the company name and the term facebook as search words is a good way to see if a potential vendor has a facebook presence.
How does Facebook rank pages when a search is done?
Facebook doesn’t disclose how it ranks pages on its search results page. However, this page about the new Facebook Search may be helpful to you: http://www.facebook.com/help.php?page=923
3. I get feeds on my home page from groups/pages that I am member/fan of, what do we need to do as a company to get our updates to post to our friends pages?
4. Can you create an event for a Cause FB account?
A cause is an FB application. Anyone with an FB profile may create an event.
5. What is the difference between a group and a fan page – benefits of both?
Groups gather people around a topic of discussion and can be a good place for collaboration. FB fan or business pages are like personal profiles but for businesses. They have all the power of personal profiles including the ability to publish a lot of company info, install apps, communicate with and build a fan base.
6. Is it advisable to keep a “personal” Facebook page versus a “professional” page?
Having both kinds of presence on Facebook is important. You develop business relationships personally using your personal profile and as a brand using your (professional) company page.
7. If you post a blog to the notes section how do your friends see it?
Under the Settings menu, Choose Application Settings and then Notes under the Wall tab click on: Allow Notes to publish to Streams.
8. I am the director of communication for a small trade association – we have created a group on Facebook – so are you saying we should create a profile – if so, for me or for biz? How would you do this?
Groups are good for collaboration but do not have as many features a public profiles (business pages) have. As an association, you could benefit from the added features that public profiles have. To create a public profile for your association, go to Facebook.com and click this link: Create a Page for a celebrity, band or business. Having a personal and a business presence on Facebook is helpful as business relationships can be formed personally and organizationally.
9. How can Facebook give an incentive travel company an edge on the competition? Create a content-rich public profile for your company on Facebook Business pages. Make it a page that adds value to your audience and includes links to your website and industry specific keywords for Google. Invite your target audience to become fans. Engage your audience in conversation.
10. I’m looking for a job – any suggestions on how to use Facebook for that? Many times job leads come through the people you know. Make sure you’ve entered all your education and work history info in your personal profile. Communicate confidence and the value you bring to employers in your status updates. Do communicate that you are looking for opportunity. Don’t convey desperation in your updates.
11. How can you use Facebook for education/learning?
12. How can my company keep negative comments off our Twitter account? Controlling negative comments is a common concern across social networking platforms. Some of the blogging/microblogging tools allow you to turn off commenting but then you’ve shut down communication with the exact audience you want to build relationship with. Responding positively to the negative comments may indeed give you an opportunity to build repo ire with your audience and show how you are handling the issues that occur. Google the words “Transparency in blogging” to learn more about how companies are dealing with negative comments in the blogosphere.
13. How secure is Facebook?
I will talk about 3 common ways that FB accounts are compromised and how to prevent it from happening to you.
- Phishing: Do not give you account information to someone who claims to be an FB rep via email. FB will not ask you to update your account info via email ever.
- Hacking via email access. You can reduce your chances of having your account hacked by using a password on your FB account that is DIFFERENT than the password on the email account that you have associated with your FB account. If a hacker gets your FB password and it is the same as your email password, they can then take over your email account that manages your FB account and lock you out of your account.
- Applications are another door hackers use to compromise your account. Facebook is an open development platform meaning applications can be submitted by anyone. One way to reduce your vulnerability is by installing only verified applications. Read more about verified apps here: http://developers.facebook.com/news.php?blog=1&story=247
14. Looking to extend company community aspects while differentiating content on Facebook so it is not a duplication of efforts. With this type of strategy, you will need to communicate what type of content will be unique in the FB arena. I saw a site that week that gives tips on their FB page that they do not post anywhere else.
And, if the company doesn’t have a blog where interaction occurs, then of course, the FB page can be the place for customers to provide feedback and enter discussions with you. Open up your FB page wall for community interaction.
15. How do you get over the legal hump within a corporation to allow use of Facebook for the company and employees? Developing a policy and making sure all parties understand the rules is key to social networking success in a corporate setting. Here is a GREAT site, the Social Media Blog Council, to use a resource in the process of policy development: http://www.socialmedia.org/
16. As a non-profit with few resources, how do we figure out what the best use of Facebook for our situation is? If you have a small budget for education, invest that in learning social media strategy. Then, perhaps you can utilize volunteers or college students for implementation. The leaders must understand WHAT the goals are and who the audience is on these social sites. Social Media Strategy programs are offered by David Nour, Nhat Pham and Michelle Cullison.
17. How do you keep you personal Facebook and business Facebook separate? I don’t want to personally become a fan of a vendor but want to professionally become a fan. Only people (personal profiles) can become fans of pages. However, you can tag another page as Favorite page of your Business page. Go to the Vendor page on FB that you want to support as a business. Then, click the Add to MyPage’s Favorites and select your business page from the list. You won’t be a fan but you will be showing support business to business.
18. What’s the quickest way to add value to the lives of those we contact with in Facebook and to monetize opportunities for all parties involved? To add value, think about what tip you can give your audience today that will help them in business. Monetizing many times comes when a client trusts your business enough to close the deal, buy the product. What can you say today to build trust in your product or service?
19. What is the balance between being effective at promoting events vs. spending all of your time on social media sites?
It is best to determine 2 things before you login to social sites:
1. How much time do I have to give to this social media session?
2. What specifically do I need to accomplish when I login?
I would suggest allowing time to create the event in the FB events app and promoting it on your page and to your targeted friends list. You may also promote the event to select groups on FB that have the targeted audience on FB.
20. How do you show the value and utility of Facebook and social media when executive management doesn’t even understand social media? Case studies are really helpful to show what others are doing that is working. Mashable.com is a good site for breaking info on social media and web 2.0. Here is an article that highlights some big business success stories that you may want to share with your executive management: http://mashable.com/2009/02/06/social-media-smartest-brands/
21. Facebook comes across as a social site – how do you make messages more “business like”? In your status updates, answer questions like these, “What would add value to my audience today? What can I share that will help them professionally?
22. How do I get folks to register for my online training?
You may want to familiarize yourself with FB events. Another great way to get the word out on FB about products and services is to join groups with members who are in your target audience. Start discussions in the FB groups and offer the group members free pre-training teleseminars or webinars so you add value first and then plug the training on the call. You wouldn’t want to join a group and then start selling your training services.
23. How can I advertise my business on FB but not have it so “In Your Face” to my friends. You may want to consider a paid FB ad. You can get significant exposure for $30 a month. Or, segment your friends using Friend Lists and send targeted advertising messages to select groups. However, remember that social networking culture is somewhat averse to advertising. Try soft marketing value add messages that also include links to learn more about a product or service.
24. To me, Facebook is merely a social tool. I want to be convinced of it’s usefulness as a business tool. I’ll give you 3 reasons:
First is location, location, location. Facebook allows you to put your business where the traffic is flowing. There are many people you can touch in FB that will never come to your website. Secondly, google loves high traffic sites and a link to your website from within FB increases your findability on google and other search engines. Finally, on FB pages you are allowed the chance to have people build a relationship with your company or brand.
Strategize for Success Conference
September 28, 2009 | Leave a Comment
I am so excited to be a part of the Succeeding Women’s Strategize for Success Conference to be held Friday, March 20th at the W Hotel. Read more and register at www.StrategizeforSuccess.com!
When You Tune Out, You Lose Out
August 3, 2009 | Leave a Comment
When I ask participants in my leadership development programs to list the qualities and characteristics of an outstanding leader, they always list “good listener” in the top ten.
As a team member, leader, manager, (or “wanna be”), one of the most important skills you can develop is your ability to listen effectively. Often we’re so busy barking out directions, delegating, and giving instructions, we don’t think about taking the time to listen to what another person is trying to tell us.
By becoming a better listener, you will increase your own productivity, as well as that of your team. You will improve your ability to influence, persuade, and negotiate. What’s more, you’ll avoid conflict and misunderstandings and be able to resolve problems with customers, co-workers, and bosses – all necessary for workplace success.
Clearly, listening is a skill that we can all benefit from improving. You probably spend more time using your listening skills than any other kind of skill. Like other skills, listening takes practice.Who knows? Improving your listening skills may even enhance your personal relationships! All I know is that when you tune out, you lose out!
