Social Media and Real Business

March 22, 2012 by Leave a Comment

 

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The lure of social media is everywhere today. (I watched my Twitter stream all day yesterday to see the fate of Tim Tebow.) Nearly anyone can be found online and in the social media world. As recently as the last couple years the largest segment of growth online were Boomers and Seniors.

 

Businesses of all shapes and sizes are being inundated with “gurus” who are insisting that no business can survive without a social media marketing plan. Yet, thousands and thousands, and thousands, and thousands (you get my point) of businesses don’t really know what to do with social media or how to do it.

 

Let me give you three quick tips on how to use social media in a real business:

 

  1. Create a social media plan that is heavy on the social. The point of social media for business is to build relationships and to actually carry on conversations with your customers and prospective customers. Most companies believe that if they just send out enough information to enough people they will gain enough customers. (That is really just “old school” marketing in a new medium.) Social means social, so talk!
  2. Create a social media plan that allows your customers and potential customers to ask questions that then get answered for everyone’s benefit. The more you can answer questions before and after the sale, the more people will buy from you again and refer you to others.
  3. Create a social media plan that allows you to monitor your brand and respond quickly to any negative comments. People today are more apt to take their anger with you and your company online these days than they are to talk directly to you. If you are monitoring your name and the name of your company, you can usually respond to and defuse most complaints in real time. This kind of open and thoughtful response will go a long way in repairing relationships with an existing customer and showing potential customers the kind of effort you will make with them should an issue arise!

Real businesses (not the shame groups teaching you to make money online by teaching people to make money online to teach people to make money online) need to have an online presence these days. But, don’t let the lure of the online cause you to loose sight of the rest of your business planning, marketing, and efforts. Social media is one tool in the tool box. Essential …YES! But, not to the expense of all others!

 

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When Social Media Turns Ugly!

February 22, 2012 by 13 Comments
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I spend a lot of time on social media channels these days and I have found that since we”marketing experts” have discovered them, they have really lost their desire for simple people like me. I will admit openly and without reservation that I embraced these channels of communication and considered with glee the great opportunity they provided for business growth and expansion. However, after becoming the victim of the insanity, I finally came to understand that these wonderful opportunities for small and quiet voices to be heard had been overtaken by the loud voices of “the market” and their ability to control the whole system.

 

Everywhere you go (from Facebook to Pinterest to LinkedIn to Twitter and beyond) the social stream is less and less social and more and more another channel to inundate the public with more and more “stuff.” Even the concept of “inbound marketing” where content is supposed to be free and limited so as to create a greater sales cycle.

 

I am not against the use of social media for business purposes, but I am dismayed that nearly everything you read these days is a “not so veiled” sales pitch. This post marks a change in thought (as well as direction) for me. I am still going to provide what I hope will be great and informative content to my friends and readers, but I am going to let the decision to work with me professionally be entirely yours.

 

The result may be a lessening of readership, a fewer numbers of “lead captures,” and maybe even less income for our company as well as for me, but I am ready to do the right thing. How about you? What do you think would bring you to such a decision? Is it important for your company to be seen in this kind of light or is money and growth all that is important? Would love to hear your thoughts!

 

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Business Models and Baby Boomers

November 25, 2011 by 2 Comments
Business Model Concept

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I have been engaged in an interesting discussion on LinkedIn with several people about business models. Which models are viable and which one’s should be avoided. As a Boomer myself, whose desire is to build a strong and successful business for myself as well as for my clients, a conversation like this can be a constructive one (or destructive if you are not careful).

The business models in question in this conversation are not really relevant but the conversation is. Here are my thoughts:

  1. No one business model is right for everyone. In the conversation people have spoken both positively and negatively about every business model in the conversation. Some like the idea of finding that perfect, unique, niche business; some like the comfort of brick and mortar; others like franchise or “franchise-like” businesses. In the end business success comes when you find the business model that works for you and you pursue that!
  2. Everyone considering a retirement business needs to do their own due diligence. Even as a business development coach, I cannot do your due diligence for you. All I can do is to help you search out the facts and help you understand/interpret them. Ultimately you must make sense of the facts and choose the business model that best suits you.
  3. Don’t ever let one person (excited or angry) about a particular business model make this kind of decision for you. For every person who someone knows that has gotten “taken” by the bad people in one model, I can show you someone who was “taken” by the bad people in another model. I once had a car that leaked oil. Does that mean I should sway every person I know from buying that model car? (Even if I don’t tell you about my lack of care for the car as well?)

My point here is that in the world of business, every business model has its pros and cons. What you need to do is assess each model as to how well you could work with these pros and cons. Make your decisions based upon your investigation and due diligence, not based on someones hype or bad experiences!

 

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Four Seldom Used LinkedIn Features

September 26, 2011 by 4 Comments
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I personally think that LinkedIn is the best B2B and/or job search social media site currently available. It has a set of features that I think bring all that an existing business, someone looking to start a business, or someone looking to for employment needs to find what is right for them.

That said, I also think that very few people take advantage of all the features available to them and, by not doing so, limit the effectiveness of this wonderful platform. Today I want to talk about four seldom used LinkedIn features and how to make them work for you:

  1. First let’s begin in the “Groups” section. LinkedIn allows you to join 50 groups. This makes it possible for you to get noticed by a lot of people who have similar interests, knowledge, and passion as you. Many people join these groups, but my experience has been that very few take advantage of them. These groups give you a voice, they afford you a way to get your knowledge out, they can open doors if you will spend some time in them regularly. You outta give them a try!
  2. Next, consider the “Companies” section. Here you are able to follow companies in your industry (even your competitors) or even one’s you would love to work for. By following these companies you will know what they are saying, where they are headed, and in some cases what they are planning to do next. You can gain industry insight and, if you are looking to work for one of them, you might even find a solution for a problem or an idea that might move them forward (looks great on a job application).
  3. Have you ever explored the “Answers” section of LinkedIn? There are thousands of people asking questions about every subject under the sun. It is a place where you can let your knowledge and skill set shine. If I were looking for joint venture partners, answers to questions plaguing my business/industry, or an employer looking for answers that I have knowledge of, this is where I would start.
  4. Reading List is my fourth choice for seldom used features. This feature allows you to look at reading lists from people in specific industries. This not only allows you to see what is being read, but it gives you insight into the problems that some may see in that industry and allow you to position yourself as the one with the best solution.

There you have it. My list of four seldom used LinkedIn features that could make LinkedIn not only a compelling platform for you but could also make you a sought out expert in your industry!

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Make Time to Network

September 21, 2011 by Leave a Comment

I live and work in a very unique place. My local market is a small one, but within three hundred miles of me there are six major US cities. So, I have the benefit of both a small market atmosphere and a large market reach.

The best way take advantage of this situation is to make time to network. Networking in simple terms is reaching out to people who could be possible clients or business associates in your niche/industry. By networking with these people and companies you will have the inside track when they are looking for someone like you to benefit their business.

There are several things that are true in understanding the whole concept of networking:

  1. Networking takes time. You can’t just join a “networking” group or put a profile up on LinkedIn and Facebook and expect that new business will come pouring in the door. You must learn to “make a name for yourself” in these groups and online before people will see you as an asset to their business.
  2. Networking takes effort. If you plan to network with potential clients in your industry, you have to make the effort to know what they need and how your companies products/services can meet their companies needs. If you don’t do your homework, networking becomes nothing more than coffee table chat.
  3. Networking is not the same as sales. This to me is the biggest single truth that we have to overcome. When you are networking, you are not selling. Networking will certainly bring people into the sales cycle, but to make networking about sales will loose you more clients than it will ever gain. Networking allows you to become someone who is known, liked, and trusted. Sales results from that!

 

To make time to network, when done properly, will open the door for opportunities that would have never come about any other way. (Both from those we meet and from those they will introduce us to.) To not make time to network just makes growing your business that much harder.

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Social Media and Baby Boom Business – 7

July 26, 2011 by 2 Comments
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This is number 7 in our series: Social Media and Baby Boom Business. I hope you have enjoyed these short tutorials on the different tools Baby Boomers need to learn to promote their businesses in this tech savvy/social media world.

Today we are going to talk about LinkedIn. This platform is a great B2B social media tool. It allows you to be in contact with other business people and provides you ways to communicate direct with, learn from, and teach others in your industry or from any industry on the planet.

With the opportunities that are available to join groups (communities) of like-minded people, the ability to connect with businesses literally around the world, and the ability to exchange meaningful information with those businesses and entrepreneurs, LinkedIn is a great source for expanding your business knowledge and skill set.

There are really only three primary keys to being successful with LinkedIn:

  1. Join – LinkedIn, like all the social media platforms I have brought you in this series have a “free option.” You can receive an amazing amount of insight, education, and can give back to your industry all at no cost!
  2. Participate – Look for ways to engage the LinkedIn community. Join (and actively participate in) groups that you click with. Ask and answer questions in the “Answer” section. Accept connection requests as people become aware of you. Comment regularly and do so constructively.
  3. Share – Share the value of LinkedIn with other businesses and entrepreneurs that you know. By bringing new people on to the platform, you make it more valuable to the whole community.

That’s it! Consistently use these social media tools and your baby boom business will create an online presence that cannot be ignored. Combine your online presence with a great customer retention program and you will not only gain and retain clients, but will also establish a powerful referral program. All of this adds up to a successful second career for you!

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Social Media and Baby Boom Business – 4

July 16, 2011 by Leave a Comment
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Remember the old saying, “A little bird told me?” Well, in the world of social media and baby boom business, this saying is more true than it has been for some time. The little bird is from Twitter and what he says comes from you!

Twitter is one of the “big four” in social media (facebook, twitter, youtube, linkedin). While there are those who use flikr, slidshare, and even do podcasting, the big four account for the overwhelming majority of social media for business. Today we are going to talk about Twitter.

As of March 21, 2011, Twitter has been around the net for five years. This 140 “micro-blogging” program has gain in popularity in the past few years as celebrities, sports figures, political candidates, and even the President have active twitter accounts.

So, what can you do with this 140 character platform to both engage the social media world while building your business? Let’s consider five things:

  1. Twitter gives you a real-time look into your business niche. By setting up simple searches, you can “check in” on your niche and see what the social media world is thinking about your industry.
  2. Twitter gives you a real-time look into what people might be saying about your business. Good comments as well as bad fly across this medium at speeds that would make you head spin. Keeping up with what people are saying is especially important if you need to deal with something negative.
  3. Twitter gives you a real-time look into what people are saying about your competition. Just like your business, you can watch the twittersphere for things said about your competition. Good things help you see where you may need to improve your own business, bad things may give you an advantage over your competition.
  4. Twitter gives you the opportunity to communicate directly with customers/potential customers. Engaging your niche with valuable content always brings more eyes to your blog and more sales to your business. In this engagement you can ask questions, do surveys, and provide your community information valuable to them.
  5. Twitter gives you an opportunity to put your products and services “on sale” to those who follow you regularly. Twitter coupons and sales are a great way to judge your social media reach.

The only thing that limits your use of Twitter is your creativity (and the terms and conditions of course!) The only thing you need to do is to start. Sign up, follow some people tweeting about your niche, engage them in conversation and you are on your way. Remember, don’t sell … talk. Ask questions … then listen. Answer questions that highlight your personality and skill set. Be patient, people need to get to know you before they will “buy what you’re selling!”

Next post – Facebook

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Social Media and Baby Boom Business – 3

July 12, 2011 by 8 Comments
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This is part three of the series Social Media and Baby Boom Business. In this post we will take a look at the tool of blogging to build interest in your second career. Enjoy and don’ t forget to comment!

Blogging …. sounds scary to most people. I hear all the excuses: I can’t write; Nobody would read my blog; What would I write about; Nobody sits around all day reading blogs; etc. and so on!

However, if you are like most people, you really do have lots to say about you, your passions, and why those passions turned into your second career! Folks do want to hear stuff like that. They have dreams and passions as well and your stories help them to breath life into theirs.

I truly believe if more people defined themselves and their passions and then lived those passions, told stories of those passions and built their lives/businesses around those passions, the world would be a much better place.

This, my boomer friend, is where blogging comes in!

Once you have determined what your second career is going to be, you need to talk about it to as many people as possible. Blogging affords you that option. Whether you use words written, video presentation, or even podcasts, the place to find these things ought to be your “home base” which is your blog. With so many blogging platforms to choose from and so many easy ways to get started, this is a free (or nearly free) way to make yourself stick out from the crowd. To provide your potential customers with the information they are looking for and to provide access to your new businesses products and services.

Three things you need to understand as you begin the blogging process:

  1. Be yourself! I remember watching the movie Aladdin with my daughter many years ago and hearing the Genie remind Aladdin to “Be Yourself” as he sought to win the heart of the princess. In the end that is what won him the hand of his bride. Be yourself.
  2. Tell your story! In being yourself, tell stories about what has brought you to the place of offering your products/services. Many people become very health conscious after undergoing some major health challenges. Others find a particular hobby that really brings them to life. Some “have always known” that what they are offering now is what they wanted for others. Your story is unique, tell it!
  3. Bring good information to the forefront. Always provide information that has great value to those who will be reading your blog. Don’t just write sales letters or tech manuals. Tell people what you know and how that will help their lives/businesses just like it has yours.

When I first started my blog, I had all the questions that I listed at the top of this post, but what I have discovered is that there are lots of people in this world who are craving real, valuable content that will help them make the right choices in their lives about virtually any and every thing imaginable. All you have to do is commit to the process and you will find a niche looking to hear from you!

 

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Social Media and Baby Boom Business – 2

July 9, 2011 by 4 Comments
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Today I want to talk about the five social media tools necessary to create a powerful online presence for your Baby Boom Business. These tools are ones that I use personally and can make your business “pop” as you set out in your second career.

  1. A blog – it will become the central location for all of the information/answers that you provide your customers.
  2. Facebook – it is like a “back yard barbecue” for your business. A place to invite people to come, talk, and create/establish relationships. (Not a place for direct sales!)
  3. Twitter – this tool acts like your online billboard. You provide short messages, tips, new finds, and “specials” for current and prospective customers.
  4. YouTube – this tool is your own video channel to let people see what you have been talking about. If you can provide people with “tips and tricks” to make better use of your products or training materials about your services, you are more likely to gain/retain a customer.
  5. LinkedIn – while this tool is considered by most a business to business tool, it creates a great platform for keeping your eyes and ears open to the new and exciting things that are going on in your industry. Don’t over-look this great tool.

A word of caution here. While all of these tools can be launched at no cost and with no real difficulties, there are ways to use them the benefit of your business and to its detriment as well. You need to understand these tools and how they all fit together into a successful marketing strategy. Learn them one or two tools at a time and add others as you are comfortable with the ones you are already using. Order is also important, just be careful.

Starting next week we will look briefly at each of these social media tools and how they can bring success to your Baby Boom Business!

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Never Compromise Your Essence

June 24, 2011 by Leave a Comment

This is the final article of my five part series: Five Steps to Business Success. Building a business that is successful requires lots of things, but the thing that outweighs them all is: Never Compromise Your Essence!

This idea of your essence is one that is not often considered by people starting a business or business people who are looking to expand an existing business. However, in my opinion, it is the single most valuable consideration. Let me explain:

One’s essence is the person that they are at their very core. It is what makes them tick, what gets them up in the morning, the thing that keeps them up at night or provides them the sleep of a baby. It is who they are and the truth that they cannot get away from. To build a business while ignoring your essence is like proclaiming as truth something that you know is a lie.

This said, business owners/entrepreneurs set out nearly everyday to build or create businesses without even considering how these businesses will co-exist with their essence. Will their sense of honor allow for “little white lies?” Will their quiet nature keep them from “asking for the sale?” Will their outgoing and bombastic character drive customers away? You see, who you are at the core does effect your business and to deny or cover your essence will make your business a hurtful thing to your life.

My suggestion: Never compromise your essence!

Take time to examine yourself, find your essence, and then build your business around who you are at your core. Make your values the companies values. Make what is important to you important to the company. Let your personality become the personality of the company. Instead of molding your life around your business, mold your business around your life.

I don’t think that there is anything more important to a business owner/start-up entrepreneur than to discover their essence and to never compromise your essence to anything or anyone. Be you and build your business to reflect you!

Lesson five:  Never compromise your essence!

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