Purple Diamond Marketing Blog

Social Media Marketing is a key concern for most businesses today.  As social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and many others continue to grow, businesses scramble to use these sites to gain the eyes of their target audience.  But, what happens to the small business who has under 5 employees or no resources [time or money] to devote to this form of marketing?  Or, maybe they lack a strategy for their campaign or content to post each day, what happens then?  Their social media marketing ends up being less “social” and often falls to the bottom of the list of “To Do’s” which is the pitfall of social media marketing and why many businesses are not getting the results they had hoped for.

Should a business ditch the social media marketing campaign because they are not getting the results they had hoped for?  Not if they want to attract the next generation of consumers! The solution isn’t to ignore the problem, but to get the help you need to handle your social media marketing.  If your company does not have the resources to outsource your a social media marketing to a marketing specialist or to hire a person to handle your campaign in-house, consider hiring a marketing consultant to come in and brainstorm with you about a strategy and content that will work for your business. You can also attend seminars and training on how to use social media for your business. Research what is available in your area and take action. The more time you delay on adopting a sound plan for your business, the less chance you have to reach your desired marketing goals.

All my best to your success ~ Charlene.

“Success wears the Purple Diamond!”

How “social” is your Social Media Marketing Campaign? Do you understand how to actually get business from  Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and your Blog? If you are using Facebook and other on-line sites solely to push marketing messages about your business you are missing a great opportunity to create an effective pull marketing campaign to your business with something as simple as being “social”.  Interacting with others on these sites is how you build a relationship of trust, but it doesn’t happen instantly. Much like a friendship that is developed over time and with shared experiences, so is your interactions on-line with these social sites like Facebook and Twitter and how you present yourself to the world in your Blog.

Years ago people had time to connect face to face, but with a competitive global market and a generation of people that grew up with fast food, automated services that focused on speed, and the internet that gave them information at their fingertips, the way we communicate has changed.  Friends are now meeting on Facebook to share that morning cup of coffee and chat instead of walking across the street to sit in a neighbor’s kitchen or driving to a local coffee shop to socialize with other people.  This means as a business owner you need to find a way to position your business to maximize the impact you have in the on-line social arena because this is where your potential clients are.  They are sitting at their computers or searching their smartphones for updates to Facebook and Twitter and reading blogs.   So, how do you connect with these people without being annoying by bombarding them with your need to sell your products or services?  The key is to create a genuine connection and relate to them as you would if you went to a party tonight and chatted with a group of people that you were just introduced to by a friend.  You do not start by selling your stuff or asking a list of questions that feels more like a job interview or an interrogation than a natural conversation.  Take the time to “listen” on-line which means read what others are posting about. Notice when it is someone’s birthday or anniversary and comment on photos and videos that are posted with a sincere remarks.  Show up daily and often to the social site and don’t be stingy with your own information or adding photos. When you are open to people they are open to you.  You are forming connections on-line so use common sense as to what you share on-line and remember to post only pictures that you would be fine with having people see in years to come.  Allow time to build real connections and do not be in a hurry to collect friends that you don’t even know.

It is an investment for your business to allow the process to take place and it requires effort and patience, but it is a great investment if you do it well and one that will help you to grow in the future with the on-line marketplace.

All my best to your success! ~ Charlene

“Success wears the Purple Diamond!”

The Northeast got hit with a major snowstorm this past week that impacted travel and the ability for businesses to remain open as snow emergency declarations and road condition warnings kept people in their homes and off the streets.  During the 2 days of this winter storm and long list of cancellations some businesses thrived while others suffered from their slow to adopt approach to how they utilize the internet and position their businesses for success with e-commerce optimized websites, active blogs and effective social media marketing with Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter.

Still not convinced that your business needs to have a page on Facebook and the other social media sites? According to a recent report, as of 2011,  there were 500,000,000 active Facebook users and at least half of them are logged in on any given day and that includes snow days as I discovered this week.  Wednesday morning, at the height of the storm,  I logged in to my Facebook page as  I do every morning before I even have coffee and I saw numerous posts from family and friends who were without power, but still found their way to post and be on Facebook via their smart phones.  As I quickly made my coffee before I lost power, I was thankful for making sure that all my marketing clients used social media and were actively posting during this high volume day on-line. If you own a business and you are still struggling with social media please get the assistance you need.  Had you included a social media marketing plan in 2009 and 2010 as part of your marketing strategy you would not have been frustrated and suffering from cabin fever, but thrilled with how easy it was to connect with key people and potential clients.  Though I am an advocate for traditional advertising like TV, radio and billboards, many of my clients have seen profits from being early adopters to Facebook and other sites.  And this past December one of my TV advertising clients who has always spent significant money with traditional advertising was thrilled that I helped them with their Facebook and Twitter accounts in 2010 since they ended December with the best sales they have had in years and they directly attribute this to their social media marketing campaign and email newsletters.

This winter is just beginning and 2011 has great opportunity for business owners who want to be successful.  The key to success with social media marketing is “doing it” and “doing it well”.  If you are not sure if your business is getting the most from the sites you currently have set-up or you still do not know how to create a profile for these sites, be sure to contact a specialist in this field or call in a consultant like Purple Diamond.

All my best to your success! ~ Charlene

“Success wears the Purple Diamond!”

“Facebook…facebook….facebook….do I really need to use this social media service to help my business?”  That depends on YOU!  Being a business owner offers you a choice of what you want to do for getting the word out about your product and/or services.  However, with over 300 million users on Facebook and a growing number of  businesses using social media services like Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin and Blogging daily, it is hard to not reply with a loud YES to that question!

“But does anyone REALLY get clients from having a profile set-up?”  This is a mixed answer and for anyone who actively uses Facebook or multi social media services they understand why.  A profile is just a place holder.  It is like a name card that sits on a table at a wedding reception in front of an empty seat…without the guest physically showing up at the event and conversing with the other guests they are not seen.  Building your contacts, posting daily updates and interacting with the people you have on your  personal page and posting content to your business page is what will bring business to your door providing your product or service satisfies the needs of the targeted group and is at a price they are willing to purchase it at.  Social media marketing only works if you work at it!  There is no exact science to how many posts or comments you need to make in a day, week or month to attract business, but if you do nothing it has no chance to work.  Today, I mentioned a friend’s book on my personal Facebook page and included a photo of her and I got an email through Facebook from another friend saying she bought the book on-line after seeing my update.  And, last week I bought tickets to a concert because I saw it on Facebook.

The holidays are coming and right now people are on Facebook more than during the summer months when the weather is so nice. Be sure you are, too!

All my best to your success! ~ Charlene

“Success wears the Purple Diamond!”

Networking these days goes beyond attending a Chamber event or Trade Show.  Today’s businesses need to recognize that the marketing and sales process extends beyond attending networking events.  The key is to not only connect with potential clients at events in your geographical area, but to reinforce and build a relationship with these same people on-line through Facebook, Linkedin, Twitter and your own Blog.

Creating a strategy of what Business Events and Networking opportunities work best for your business is the first step to being an effective net-worker.  Time is the most valuable resource you have as a business owner and to waste it will cost you money and potential sales.  Consider if the people who attend the event are good prospects for your business or if there are better opportunities that put you in a room of potential key accounts.  The second thing to consider is what is the right number of events per week for you as a business owner.  This will vary depending on the type of business and the time you have to attend networking events which includes follow-up time with the new prospects you meet.  If you are out every night and spend zero time with follow-up calls, one on one meetings with the people you meet and extending invites on Linkedin and Facebook and other on-line social media sites this time was not well spent.  And, if you are someone who never ventures out of your office and you are not getting as many clients as you would like, then it is time to join a few groups in your area and get more involved.

So, after you have made a strategy for what networking events you wish to attend be sure to go with a positive attitude and a clear thought of what you wish to achieve for the time spent and wear a name badge with your company logo clearly displayed [have one made up and handy for all events].  If you can find out who will be attending ahead of time be sure to check out their company website so that when you connect with them you can make a great impression and possibly secure a follow-up meeting all within the same 5 to 10 minutes.  Make sure you have your business cards handy and your smart phone ready with your calendar if the person happens to want to schedule a time right there.  The key for the night is to connect and leave a positive impression on all those you meet.  Do NOT revert to the “pushy salesperson” approach since that is the quickest way to watch people leave to go get a drink or visit the restroom, but allow the conversation to open opportunities for asking if they are on Linkedin or Facebook or if you can call them later in the week to go for coffee.  Be sure to come to the event already fed because if your hands are occupied with food you will not be able to shake hands and give or take a business card.  The time for eating is before or after the event, but standing near the food table does offer you a chance to connect with people since most people will go directly for food or coffee at these events.  Look for the people in the room who attract others to them and find out who they are and when possible introduce yourself to them and see if they are a good potential client.  These people are usually well respected and often influence others within the group so  by securing their business you can quickly be recognized by others within that networking group as someone worth doing business with.  Make them your target for future networking events, add them to your on-line social media accounts and this on-line networking application to keep your relationship with them current by reading their updated profiles and posting on-line to them daily.

Finally, following up with every key person you have met at the event…this is the most important part of why you attend networking groups.  You want to change the contacts or prospects you have made to sales and that requires building the relationship and helping the people you meet know why your product or service would be the right fit for their business and asking for the sale!

All my best to your success! ~ Charlene

“Success wears the Purple Diamond!”

[note: these tips are just suggestions and it is up to the individual business to determine what is best for their business.]

1.)    Frequency is key!

Posting an update at least once per day  and adding  “friends / fans”  to your personal and business page must be on-going and with effort.  Do not wait for people to friend you….find them and invite them to YOUR page!
*Inspirational Quotes, Questions that create discussions, Videos from YouTube and Posting about important upcoming events are great fillers when you are struggling for an idea to post for your daily update.
2.)     NO controversial posts or comments to anyone who has posted something that can have a polarized issue unless they follow your brand for your business.
3.)    Interact with Others!
Happy Birthdays / Like button when appropriate and genuine comments to their posts.
4.)    Add photos and videos!

*People are drawn to pictures so if you have something you want people to notice be sure to add a picture with your post.
5.)    Need both a Personal and a Business Page!

Building a Fans page [or Business page] without paying for a Facebook ad requires building it through your personal page so you must have both to grow your followers! If you are worried about your personal content being seen you can choose to use the new privacy settings.  But, if you are on Facebook to gain more contacts and help market your business it makes sense to keep your personal page free from embarrassing pictures or content you would not share openly.  Remember, you are on the internet and even the best privacy setting might not keep people out so think before you post or upload a picture, but don’t avoid Facebook because you are afraid to be found.  It is more powerful than your website and if used well it can drive traffic to your website….it offers a great opportunity to promote your services on a larger scale because it reaches more people daily!
6.)    Use the Event page when you have an upcoming event.

7.)    Invite your friends from your personal page to your business page at least once every 2 weeks.  If you have been building friends you will have new people each time to send an invite to.
8.)    Don’t be afraid to ASK for your friends help and be sure to give help to others!
9.)    JOIN JOIN JOIN……the more business pages and groups you belong to the more your business gets exposure!
10.)    Don’t hand this important job off to your staff…this is one of the fastest and quickest way to make a warm sales call and it has replaced COLD CALLING in a huge way.
11.)     If you have a blog be sure to post active links to your blog AND your website on a regular basis.
12.)    GAMES do not send a great message unless you sell games!

There is a tendency to get caught up in to the games and surveys on Facebook, but it clutters your wall and takes away time for connecting with others and growing your contacts.
13.)    Early posting in the morning can have favorable results.
14.)    Don’t sell sell sell…….remember that most people run from salesmen so be sure to not come on too strong.  Be genuine and represent your business with a positive voice.
15.)    HAVE A POSITIVE ATTITUDE & PATIENCE….this is a new marketing tool and has no exact numbers, but it is a great source that is still free and worth using!

If you are still struggling with Facebook, Linkedin or Twitter or you are not sure if having a blog is right for your business, consider hiring Purple Diamond for marketing coaching or a one on one consult.

All my best to your success! ~ Charlene

“Success wears the Purple Diamond!”

I have never played a game on Facebook, but I have gotten several clients this past year from effectively using this social networking site.  So, why are some people getting clients and others are saying it is a big waste of time?  “Attitude and aptitude!”  If a person doesn’t believe that on-line social networking is important to the growth of their business, it is as good as a salesman who doesn’t believe in his product trying to sell it door to door. After the 7th door slams on the salesman’s face he drags himself back to the office and announces that no one wants the product and it can’t be sold, but other sales reps still sell it with ease.   Business owners who  tell people that they haven’t gotten any customers from Facebook are like that same salesman who quit.  What is the difference? Well, many business owners tell me they play games or spend time reading other people’s posts and never comment and are lucky to get on Facebook maybe 2 times a week and rarely post an update.  YIKES!!! This is not the attitude you need to be successful with on-line social networking.  A positive attitude and the belief that on-line social networking is an important new marketing tool that will help your business if used consistently and correctly is half of what you need.  This brings us to the other half, the “aptitude” part of how both navigate the sites and what to actually post while there.  There are a list of  “do’s and don’ts” that I share with my clients, but they can differ depending on the industry you are in and what you are trying to achieve from using these sites.   For instance, for many businesses I warn that playing games or tending “farmVille” on Facebook is not the best use of your social networking time, but if you were an internet company about to launch a new on-line game this could be exactly where you want to be since your potential market is drawn to these programs.   Another “don’t” that I share with my clients is to stay clear of any topic that is political or religious based or could prompt people to be polarized in their views unless you are a political analyst or gain from taking a stand in such controversial discussions.  The “do’s” I tell my clients is to work on connecting with people and adding them to your personal page and to your business “Fan” page which has recently been renamed to the “Like” page.  If you are trying to expand your reach, why limit your contacts??? Unless you are saying no to a direct competitor, I would be inviting people to get to know you and your business.  And, once you have them there, you have got to interact.  Think of it this way, you have just invited 50 people to your home and instead of greeting them at the door and introducing them to others, you have gone to your bedroom to take a nap and to allow the party to go on without you.  WAKE UP SLEEPY HEAD!   The party is in the living room and it is filled with people who like you enough to show-up and they each know about 150-200 people and many of those people they connect with quickly with their own social on-line networking so if you are not being a good host, you just might lose out on a potential referral or introduction to key contacts.  Frequency of posting and interaction with other people when they post is how to use these sites well.  And, if your aptitude is such that you get confused when you are trying to navigate the various sites, then you need to call your kids in to the room and ask them for help because there are 10 year olds who are on Facebook setting up “event invitations” and  for their own birthday party or “surveys” for their school projects.  Your parents are posting photos of their grand kids and sharing them out to their friends so if you think that uploading a company photo to your business page requires your web designer, you are wrong….”tweet” or text your parents and ask for their help! And, if you still have not set-up a Twitter account and haven’t learned to text, please do so today.

I give one-on-one coaching to clients who are still struggling with the new technology, but every social networking site has a “help” section and commonly asked questions that will quickly make you an expert on how to gain the aptitude of how to navigate the site.  If you choose to embrace on-line social networking and have a positive attitude and a great aptitude for connecting with others and building your network, then you may be smiling as I did today when I received an email on Facebook with ANOTHER referral for my marketing services from one of the many contacts that are on my page!

All my best to your success!

~Charlene

“Success wears the Purple Diamond!”

Did you know that the 2009 Nielsen ratings showed the largest age group of people using on-line networking for  Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter fall in the 35-49 year old age grouping with the second largest being 50-64 year olds?!  Two weeks ago when I shared that information with a room of business owners during my seminar on Target Marketing I got many surprised looks.  On-line networking is not going to go away just because you do not have the time to work it in to your business marketing plan or understand how to build a following on these sites.  One solution for people who do not have many on-line contacts is to consider joining groups and being FANS of various different organizations that will connect you with people who may need your product or know others who could use your services.  A quick way to find great local groups to join is to view the profile pages of your contacts and see which ones they have joined.  Another is to use the search key to look for information about the topic you are interested in or find one of your competitors and look at their site.  You want to be EVERYWHERE that your target market might be and be sure to post comments or questions and use your company logo or the same profile picture so people become familiar with you.  Try to post comments on blogs and sites that allow you to link back to your own website.  The more you create an on-line identity the greater the chance you have of reaching potential clients.

I do caution, though, that these sites are “social” sites and if you come on too strong with messages just about your business or you bombard your contacts with message updates that are not really important you may find that you lose your own following.  The idea is to “connect” and build a relationship and not to try to constantly “sell” them.   Since my husband  and I met on a social networking site 6 years ago in which I was the moderator of a group, I know first hand the power of on-line networking and building relationships.  The key is that you have to understand that social on-line networking is not a commercial or paid advertisement for your business.  It is a place where people share ideas and connect and build friendships.  Had the first time my husband posted to me on-line he proposed marriage I can guarantee that I would have been looking to drop him quickly from my network and I would have labeled him as “pushy and weird”.  This is what you want to avoid.   It takes time to develop relationships on-line and in person, but the number of people who use these sites cannot be ignored so create your accounts, look for on-line groups and FAN pages and be sure to make this as important as your other marketing projects by creating specific times during your work day that you check out these sites and post.

All my best to your success!

~Charlene

“Success wears the Purple Diamond!”

As January is hitting high gear for many business owners who are getting a jump start on closing sales for 2010, it is important to remind people that even busy people continue to network both in person and on-line.  This is one of the main reasons their business is so busy and successful, they understand that when you stop networking and connecting with others you stunt the growth of your business.  Think of it this way, if you were dating a person consistently for several months and then you did not hear from that person for the rest of the year, would you jump at a chance for another date with them? Maybe if you were desperate, but most of us would not feel as close to the person who dropped out of sight and would have moved on to connecting with new people.  These new people could be your competitors and that means you are losing potential business!

With the internet it is easy to connect with people on Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter and not need to leave your office.  However, I strongly recommend doing both face to face networking and on-line.  Schedule networking events in your agenda early in the month so that you make it a priority in your business and you do not miss out on opportunities to connect with the business groups in the area.  If you are someone who is shy and hates to network, serve on a committee or be part of a planning group for a local event that will have you connecting with other business owners or people who are potential clients.

If you are currently using the on-line social networking sites and you do not have many friends, fans or contacts, look for groups on the sites to join so that you increase the odds of connecting with more people.  If you are someone who is very private and uncomfortable with allowing everyone to see your profile you can choose to use the options that most of the sites now have for keeping parts of your profile hidden.

Finally, if you have not upgraded your cell phone in years you might wish to consider a trip to the store to see what great technological tools are available to keep you connected wherever you go.  A few extra dollars spent to upgrade your phone to a smart-phone will let you get out of the office more and out where potential customers might be.  Think smart and use your time effectively so that networking is part of your “to-do” list and success will follow!

All my best to your success!

~Charlene

“Success wears the Purple Diamond!

This morning as I attended the annual Kick-Off Breakfast for the North Shore Business Forum I was engaged in a conversation about having realistic expectations for our marketing efforts.  We all want to have HUGE success. Who wouldn’t love to join a business networking group and walk away with a client on the first day you attended a meeting? Or, how about getting mentioned  in the paper and having your phone ring instantly with a paying account! Chances are this is not really going to happen for the majority of us.  Networking either on-line through Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin  or at a local chamber event or business networking group requires consistent effort and time.  Creating a profile on-line and then not going back to the site for weeks or months is not actively working the on-line market.  Though these sites are FREE, they do require you to spend a percent of time each day and week to keep your content fresh and to reach out to those you are adding as followers or friends.  The same is true for face to face networking groups… you must allow relationships to build before you secure paying clients. And, you have to have “realistic expectations”!  Unless you are ready to invest  in an  advertising campaign that uses several forms of media to reach your target market and have a serious budget to accomplish your goals, you will not get a big boost in sales in a short time from on-line social networking, one press release in the paper or attending one or two chamber events.  The best advice I have for anyone who is out there daily trying to get more business with a limited budget is to have patience with the process and to not give up.  It may feel like posting on Linkedin,  Twitter or Facebook  or creating blog posts is not worth the effort, but that is where people are going right now.   So unless your clients are not human, your business New Year’s resolution is to be realistic in your expectations and to recognize the various forms of networking and relationship building that are part of cyberland and make it as part of your “To Do” list for 2010.  It will not be the huge money maker you want for this week….that requires some traditional advertising like Radio, TV, etc in a blitz campaign ….but it will start to build your brand recognition  and increase sales in the long run.

All my best to your success!

~Charlene

“Success wears the Purple Diamond!”