So many small business owners get on what I call the “marketing roller coaster.” One day they’re saying, “ Oh, my God, I need to market myself more.” Then they’re climbing that huge hill on the roller coaster saying “market, market, market, market.” After they eventually get to the top and clients come in, they’re enjoying the rush all the way down the hill, and then “Holy cow! I don’t have clients!” and it’s back up the hill!
Social networking helps you get off the roller coaster. It’s more like tending a garden — with consistent small efforts and attention, the seeds you plant will bring in a regular crop of clients. If you take small steps each day, your garden will flourish. This is my short story of how social media saved my business:
The truth is: social networking is a core business strategy. It’s not a fad, it’s not going away anytime soon.
Here are some interesting facts:
• LinkedIn was launched in May 2003. It has over 75 million registered users and 2.25 million login weekly.
• Facebook was launched in February 2004. It has over 500 million users and over 60% of them log in daily. The fastest growing population in Facebook is women ages 54-69. Over 70% of mom play games like Farmville on facebook.
• YouTube was launched in February 2005. There are over 2 billion videos watched a DAY. As of October 2010 over 1 billion subscriptions on YouTube-those are people asking to get notified when your channel loads a video!
• Twitter was launched in July 2006. There are over 100 million registered users and 40% login daily to the tune of over 3600 tweets per second. Regular users tend to be affluent, making more than $250,000 a year on average. Twitter indexes to search engines, so when used strategically, it expands your exposure.
The Key to your success? Know your target market and then develop a strategy to show up where they are. For example:
• Are you a speaker or coach where trust in important? Then build your YouTube presence.
• Do you work primarily with fortune 500 companies? Spend your time in the right LinkedIn groups.
• Are your customers moms? Get on facebook.
• Do you sell luxury or high priced items? Twitter is smart for you.
Remember, network online like you do in person and it will build your business.
Invest the time in your marketing online and it will reward you! Are you planning your marketing strategy for next year?
Ann M. Evanston is a “Chief Breakthrough Officer” teaching other Business Warriors how to slow down, and find the most unique part of their business that makes them stand out among the crowd. She has been named one of the top marketing consultants by About.com, is a guest blogger for Showcasing Women and takes pride in moving you from “blah, blah, blah” to “BOOM, BOOM. BOOM!”
Research shows that the majority of people are not active users of social media and the BIG FOUR: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and YouTube, and most small business owners and entrepreneurs are struggling how to accomplish more for their business through social media. My role, is to help you vision the why, determine the values, overcome the limiting beliefs that hold you back, and develop a system that accomplishes visibility and sales! It’s easy to learn “how to tweet” when you see the value of being online. Being amazing, and achieving what you want doesn’t have to be hard, you just have to be smart! I mentioned that social networking has increased my ability to grow my business, and find more new customers than ever before! Here are ten tips as simple starting points! Maybe you have made these changes, maybe you have not, check the list:
1 – If you do just one thing: Blog. Blogging increases credibility, authority, and ultimately sales!
2- There are TONS of “social media” sites out there. Choose to participate where your Target Market is, as well as where you will get the greatest exposure. Remember: Social media isn’t just about customers; it’s about referrals, raving fans, press.
3- Actively participate by commenting on discussions and starting your own discussions. At the same time, don’t be the person that only shows up to market YOUR stuff! When you do that you are NOT being social.
4- Social Networking is about showing up for others! It is social first and networking second. I firmly believe that good networking techniques work. Worry less about the sales and more about relationship building and sales will follow.
5-When you create your accounts make sure your name is the same for all account and you completely brand your page/profiles. Different names don’t help Search Engine Optimization.
6- Get a quality picture (head shot, known as an avatar) of yourself and use it – it will post everywhere you post! People always tell me they can feel my positive energy from my picture. (AND if you know me personally, not on the internet – that is MY personality!) A good picture should showcase your energy. Also, if you change how you look you need a new one!
7-Do not use a system that merges all your social media accounts and posts the same thing to all of them. Yes, great for time management, horrible sales strategy, which I teach my clients sales strategy without being slimy on the Social Networking Coaching Club.
8- Change how you feel about the word “friend” – it’s different online. Could that person be a raving fan, a referral source, a potential customer? Then friend them.
9- Make sure you set up your settings to get email reminders if people comment or leave messages for you! You do not want to forget, and you want to be prompt, and it’s a good way to remember to check out what’s going on, especially until you are in the habit of logging in everyday.
10- Lastly, Show up! Social networks will not help you grow if you do not show up! Plan to be on the site your customers are most on daily. 30 minutes is all it takes.
What things do you need to step up and do more of to improve your social media presence?
In October 2008 Ann created the Social Networking Coaching Club, a forum where you get personalized support to learn how to stand out among all the chatter online and sell more without being a slimy pushy salesperson!
Ann M. Evanston is a “Chief Breakthrough Officer” teaching other Business Warriors how to slow down, and find the most unique part of their business that makes them stand out among the crowd. She has been named one of the top marketing consultants by About.com, is a guest blogger for Showcasing Women and takes pride in moving you from “blah, blah, blah” to “BOOM, BOOM. BOOM!”
I met Dwana, creator of www.houseonahill.org and now entrepreneur of Healthier Happier You! on a social network site, WomenCo.com because we both get the basic concept of powerful networking, we connected. Then one day she asked if she could interview me for her blog. “Yes, of course!” was the answer!
When she emailed me final copy, I felt truly honored. First because I teach my clients that who you are is critical to what you do, and her blog proved the importance. Second, her personal description of me is truly a powerful testimonial:
“When I think of Ann Evanston, I immediately envision water. Ann is like water in that she gracefully fills up whatever space she is in, be it telecommunicating, on the web or in person, {or} while she conducts a seminar. You feel her and her presence is known.
Ann is powerfully demure (it’s possible), not easily contained, smooth, and douses any fire from fear. Need a life coach, mentor, leadership adviser or just a good friend- you can find it in Ann. ANN IS A WARRIOR-PRENEUR who has graciously honored my request to visit the House!!! I am SO excited that this vibrant spirit has taken a moment from empowering folks across this great land to share a bit of herself with us.” You can read the complete interview about Ann Evanston here.
Dwana and I have never met–>in person. My ability to project who I am online made this happen. There have been many interviews on radio shows and blog posts written over the years, Dwana was the first. Learning to project yourself online though all the chatter is what I teach my clients. Are you learning how to stand out, so that you aren’t just noise?
How are you projecting what you do online? And why is this important as a small business owner?
1. Google- visibility- this link consistently comes up on page 1 or 2 when you search my name. It’s a powerful interview that makes sure clients see how others feel about me, and adds to my credibility.
2. I have been able to use this to market myself on-line! I have frequently posted it to Twitter or Facebook; it’s great promotion!
3. Other groups you are involved with can use it as well. Womenco.com added it to their site as a featured article for example.
What’s the point?
You need visibility
You need marketing
You need exposure
You want credibility for your work
Learning to stand out and connect creates these opportunities for your business! Are you participating? Have you learned to project your unique voice?
Ann M. Evanston is a “Chief Breakthrough Officer” teaching other Business Warriors how to slow down, and find the most unique part of their business that makes them stand out among the crowd. She has been named one of the top marketing consultants by About.com, is a guest blogger for Showcasing Women and takes pride in moving you from “blah, blah, blah” to “BOOM, BOOM. BOOM!”
So often I “tweet” about the importance of commenting on blogs as a business strategy that I thought I would share a short blog about “how to” for the small business owner. If you do not have your own blog yet( ok, even if you do) this is a SMART strategy! My goal is to comment on ten blogs a week where I can offer my value – as a biz owner – do the same and watch what happens to your search engine visibility. This will increase your credibility with potential customers! If you are smart about how you language your comment on a blog it can invite people to be a part of what you offer. It can increase your credibility, and it can drive traffic.
The video below will share some great tips to commenting effectively! This is one of many videos I share with my clients on the Social Networking Coaching Club
Taking the time to think strategically about how you comment can really help. What change will you make next week? Maybe while you play Blogger Monday with Ann Evanston?
Ann M. Evanston is a “Chief Breakthrough Officer” teaching other Business Warriors how to slow down, and find the most unique part of their business that makes them stand out among the crowd. She has been named one of the top marketing consultants by About.com, is a guest blogger for Showcasing Women and takes pride in moving you from “blah, blah, blah” to “BOOM, BOOM. BOOM!”
I grew up in a rough neighborhood on the East side of Tacoma, and in neighborhood like that hustle is considered a strength, a great quality to have. The part of the definition that makes it so powerful is that hustle creates “energetic space” to sell. Being able to hustle is powerful when you are a solo-preneur especially, but I would argue in this day and age, hustle is a good thing PERIOD. Your ability to create the energy you need to do what needs to be done and get that sale is a good thing.
I believe I owe my small business success to hustle. Those of you that know me know how much I believe that SALES is a part of small business life. While talking on the phone today with Tory Johnson of Women for Hire, Good Morning America and Spark and Hustle she said that at her events she met many women that would start a business and then they were “hoping someone notices”. Don’t hope, learn how to sell, learn how to do it so it feels right! In February I will be on the Spark and Hustle Stage sharing what I know about sales and social media, come join us!
What will you do in 2011 to uplevel your hustle?
Ann M. Evanston is a “Chief Breakthrough Officer” teaching other Business Warriors how to slow down, and find the most unique part of their business that makes them stand out among the crowd. She has been named one of the top marketing consultants by About.com, is a guest blogger for Showcasing Women and takes pride in moving you from “blah, blah, blah” to “BOOM, BOOM. BOOM!”
I think in this day and age EVERYONE should be a brand. Relying on a company to define you is never going to make you stand out among the millions of people qualified to work in our world. Too often people find someone they admire (and if you read Gary’s book, he is very inspirational) and try and “imitate” or “be like” them, but learning to be uniquely you is key.
When I work with my clients this is a big part of what we work on. I find that many people think they know their voice and have a voice, but when you really get to know them, it’s someone elses voice, someone they just want to be like.
What are you doing to find the brand that is uniquely you?
Ann M. Evanston is a “Chief Breakthrough Officer” teaching other Business Warriors how to slow down, and find the most unique part of their business that makes them stand out among the crowd. She has been named one of the top marketing consultants by About.com, is a guest blogger for Showcasing Women and takes pride in moving you from “blah, blah, blah” to “BOOM, BOOM. BOOM!”
So many small business owners get on what I call the “marketing roller coaster.” One day they’re saying, “ Oh, my God, I need to market myself more.” Then they’re climbing that huge hill on the roller coaster saying “market, market, market, market.” After they eventually get to the top and clients come in, they’re enjoying the rush all the way down the hill, and then “Holy cow! I don’t have clients!” and it’s back up the hill!
