This Blissdom Blogging Conference Session was Saturday morning and taught by @JulieCole, @youcanmakethis, @LisaLeonard, @Dooblehvay, @KimbaASPTL, and @JesseKateDesign.
1- Build the buzz
You want people to start talking about it now
2- Be Yourself
Don’t be afraid to be imperfect – just be YOU
3- Be Specific
Sign up for the newsletter; ASK FOR WHAT YOU WANT (Go and register, get the free ebook, subscribe to the feed, leave a comment, etc.)
4- Bring on the Bookmarks
Social bookmarking. Put it on product pages and posts, etc
5- Be Appreciative
They don’t have to give you anything – thank them for their trust with their email, etc.
What social media tools have been most important to promoting your business and why?
Kris – Know your audience. At OpCentral, we survey our audience quite a bit and when surveying you have a better feel for which social media tools they are using. Their audience = 80% using Facebook vs 9% MySpace. Their niche had a lot of audience using yahoo groups.
How do you manage social media?
She does ALL the social media for the business herself – thinks it’s really important because she wants it to be very genuine and doesn’t know how that would happen if she were outsourcing that work. (Angela’s Note – When I have worked as a personal assistant I usually sort the emails, do the “office tasks” that don’t require the boss’s unique voice. Her advice is spot on, in my opinion.)
Building relationships to build relationships is key.
How much time is the right amount of time?
Kimba – Since my blog is my business I probably spend a higher percentage of time than some of the others. There’s a balance but she spends a couple hours a day on the blog usually.
Caitlin – Social Media for Mabel’s Labels means that social media IS my full time job. Reply to everyone, thank everyone. “It’s all about spreading the love”
Most successful social media campaigns?
Amy – Twitter has been very successful. Has a personal blog too. Contest to name the new bear, etc having the audience interact and have a personal role in what’s going on.
Can you share an experience with unsuccessful social media campaigns in the past?
Caitlin – Transparency is KEY. If someone posts something negative you need to address it personally to THAT PERSON but make it public in that same public space. You can change that situation around and creates an impression about how you handle things. Loyalty is important and vital – small readerships, small businesses, etc. Who knows where they will be in two years.
Network up, network down and network side to side – but NETWORK OFTEN.
“One ad and one giveaway does not a business make.” You have to build up your brand awareness over time through multiple efforts.
How do you find your voice and do you have rules?
First and foremost – a writer and not JUST a toy-maker. This panelist wasn’t afraid to put herself out there as a PERSON in addition to a business.
How do you monitor your business in the Social Media arena?
I had to stop trying to police the internet and put that energy into creating something new and to help my audience.
Google Alerts helps you monitor what others are saying about you. Address what needs to be addressed and leave the rest behind you.
Service selling vs product selling via social media?
- Learn to talk about our service more objectively – sell your SERVICE, not yourself as yourself.
- Sell yourself as a person PLUS your service.
- Add your professional activities on your Linked In profile to build up your online resume.
Entertainment + Education = Engagement
This was a good session. The only thing I wish was that the panelists would have answered our questions a bit more directly in terms of when the business you’re leveraging is a SERVICE and not a product. They really focused more on the product types of business and not service businesses.
Still overall, good session with some valuable information.