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Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter = Tools. So What's Your Strategy For Using Them?

toolsgeishaboy500Every business these days seems to know they need/should be on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and various other online social networking sites.  But too often businesses just signup an account and then do nothing.  Or they do more, but they can’t really figure out what they should be doing, so it all seems like a huge time sink.

When you’re starting a home improvement project, it helps if start by laying out what you’ll be doing.  Then you can figure out how much time it will take, what supplies you’ll need, what tools you’ll use and how much it will cost.  Home improvement projects that start just by using a crowbar to take out a wall usually turn out very badly (and often with a costly call to the experts).  But businesses are acting this same way by signing up for sites online without first understanding what they’re trying to accomplish.

In order to effectively use any tool, you first need to know what you’re trying to do.  You don’t use a screwdriver for pounding in a nail (although I’ve seen it done) – it’s just not the right tool for the job.  Figure out what business goal you want to accomplish.  It needs to be very specific with a time limit and needs to actually be reachable.  It should be the same goal you’ve set for your business.  Now you can take a look at what tools – both online and offline – you should be using to help reach that goal, which will help you setup a plan of action.

By following a process of determining a goal, then a strategy, then an plan with tools, you’ll be more effective and efficient in reaching your business goals.  And online tools won’t feel like a waste of time and resources.

What’s your strategy for social networking?

(photo by geishaboy500 @ Flickr CC)

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The Faceless Company

insightslogoI wrote a post yesterday at Insights Group about giving a face to your company.  Customers no longer want to just purchase a product from your company.  They want to know something about you.  They want your company to have a face and a personality.

People are more likely to do business with a company if they have some sort of connection.  Be it a referral or emotional attachment or just some type of experience that puts a face behind a company. – The Faceless Company – Sarah Worsham – Insights Group

Does your company have a face? What kind of face does your company have?

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9 Ways to Lose Business Using Twitter

angryhansvandenberg30Companies and inviduals alike have been flocking to Twitter.  Many companies are using Twitter to enage their customers in meaningful conversations, helping with support issues and questions, and gathering feedback to improve their products and services.  But some companies are just using Twitter as another broadcast medium, which can actually be harmful.  When using Twitter for business here’s what you shouldn’t do:

  1. Talk only about your company and products – Twitter is a social media for having conversations (that means two-way communication).
  2. Ignore what people are saying about you – Twitter gives your customers a voice.  Pay attention to what they’re saying.
  3. Fail to Respond – For very large companies with many followers, it can be difficult to respond to every request, but you should try as hard as possible.
  4. Talk about inappropriate subjects – This happens most often when personal and business subjects mix, but it could also be talking about controversial subjects.  Just keep in mind that whatever you say is out there for everyone to see.
  5. Sell to followers – Obviously some self-promotion is fine, but it should not be the main use of your Twitter account.  And you shouldn’t direct message every follower with links to your product or promotions.
  6. Ask for contacts – If people are interested in your products or services, they’ll contact you.  If you provide useful and helpful information, people will start to follow you.  People are very protective of their coworkers, friends and family, so don’t violate their trust.
  7. Ask people to promote your stuff –  If they find what you say valuable enough, they’ll tell others. Asking for a rt occasionally may be ok, but constantly bugging people to promote you will just annoy them.
  8. Don’t do anything constructive with feedback – Your customers are offering feedback because they care (if they didn’t, they wouldn’t bother).  If you don’t do anything useful with the feedback, they’ll stop giving it and it’ll be much more difficult to satisfy them.
  9. Take more than you give – If you fail to offer useful and helpful information, offer support and wisdom, and give information, your customers will stop listening and go elsewhere.

I think a lot of it comes down to acting the same on Twitter as you would in person.

(photo by hansvandenberg30)

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