How Social is Your S-O-C-I-A-L Media?

by Felice Gerwitz

I do things for many reasons and many of them are not very well thought out. I have good reasons for this, of course. One is that I'm "creative" and people who think outside of the box tend to be cluttered, haphazard and well. . .disorganized. When I began social networking and looked into beginning my online social media campaign it was definitely not well planned. I jumped in as I normally do, with both feet and now feel like I will never reach the bottom of what seems like a never ending hole.

It is time to take a look, create a strategy and look at your ROI (return on investment). Is your time well spent? Are you making money from your time? Or are you considering the "social" part of the "media" a time of recreation to "chill," "hang," and "talk" with your friends? In some ways I wish that this platform was around when I was a teen, what a great time to enjoy the great assets of this venue. Unfortunately as an adult there are many responsibilities and constraints on my time. For me the ROI needs to be significant.

When I began these blog posts I explained you must give value in order to receive value. This is important and holds true then as it does now. The question is how to give value and still take something to the bank. Let's look at the word social and see where it takes us.

S is for search engine optimization. Do you use keywords in your article writing, your answers to posts online and in your blog? Did you place links in your keywords when possible? (You will I created an example in this blog for you with highlighted and hyper-linked words.) If you do you will find your time is well spent. When someone does a search online your name may pop up on occasion.

O is for organize and plan. I try to do things in blocks of time. In fact this is my third blog post this evening. I write all my blog posts at once, I'm in a "groove" my mind is geared to speak in short, concise sentences that have impact (hopefully) and address a need. Is your time organized and planned? Do you know when you are going to be on Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn? Do you know what you are going to say? By planning this out in blocks of time you can optimize your time online.

C is for caring. Do you really care what people have to say or are you so busy telling everyone about your products, services or needs that you don't listen. Take a few minutes of your time to give someone a "thumbs up" on facebook, read a blog post and COMMENT and do what it takes to get others encouraged and jazzed. Yes, this is a social community we are using our words to convey our thoughts, and while that may take some time a few well placed sentences will work just as well.

I is for intriguing. Do people stop and listen when you post a comment or write a blog. Do you have followers, do you follow other blogs? I found a radio show guest who is a new author by visiting her lovely blog. She obviously took great care in choosing the color scheme, the layout and the fonts. Her blog was warm and comforting. She told a story and drew you in... and when I learned she was an author I invited her to join me as a featured guest on my radio show. How do you draw people to you? Are you outlandish, loud or brash? Are you informative, ingenious and interesting? Whatever it is keep it up especially if it will bring you leads or referrals.

A is for attraction marketing. This term is widely bantered around in internet-guru-marketing-speak. It means how to you get people to come to you, hang onto every word and buy every single thing you produce, talk about or sell. It is easy for those who jumped on the internet first and now we are all wary of the latest-greatest way to sell or market online. In fact I believe that is why the tables have turned back again and relationships matter. In the days gone by relationships have always mattered. People want to do business with people they know and they trust. Be trustworthy.

L is for laughter. Yes, you can have a good time and market... ROTFLOL translation: rolling on the floor laughing out loud. It wasn't that long ago that our emails and instant messages were filled with that type of "speak". Today there is a reason for laughter and for joy! The market is still new and you are on board. Yes, it is growing in leaps and bounds but you are here, you have a presence and you, my friends are making an impact.

Grow your businesses, share your good news, and let others know what you do... make sure you give value and you will find many will come flocking to your door. It has happened to me in many ways recently. I have hired several new part-time staff members and we are forging ahead to build my publishing business with a drive and a focus I had many years ago and thought I had lost. I find myself excited once again with the resurgence of connecting to people I may never have met and opportunities I might only have dreamed about in the past.

Use your time online wisely and you will not be sorry. We are only a click of a mouse and a keyboard stroke away from some of the most influential people in the space. . . and I could be talking about you!



Felice Gerwitz is a wife, mother, author, publisher and radio show host. Her focus is on education, whether it is products, curriculum or teaching social media classes online. You can find her on her website at http://www.InformationInANutshell.comInformation in a Nutshell.com


Note: I am taking a break from my blog posts and won't be joining you monthly for a time as I listen to my own advice, plan and regroup. I want to thank Joanne for her encouragement and understanding, and the entire Empowered Women group for making me feel so welcome!

Linked In: The Story the Next Level of Networking

You may be comfortable with blogging, know how to use Facebook to connect with friends, family and customers and love the ease and convenience of using Twitter. Yet, for many LinkedIn is foreign territory best left for the marketing executive or those with a full time staff.

Well, if truth be told, LinkedIn is my favorite platform by far. It surpasses Facebook for quality connections, Twitter for informal chats and giggles, and Blogging for lead generation and follows. Why? Because LinkedIn is truly the cream of the crop when it comes to executives, high-level decision makers and those who are serious about the professional world of business.

Who is on LinkedIn? The demographics appear to say anywhere from those in the $80-$100,000+ category. These are many business owners but I have met my fair share of entrepreneurs, business owners, consultants, coaches, authors, publishers, and executives in mid-management and beyond.

The entire idea behind LinkedIn is building relationships and that is the corner-stone for those making the most impact on this platform. People who give value, no matter where on or off-line usually have a large following. The idea of LinkedIn is similar to attending a networking meeting. Instead of walking up to the person and introducing yourself, you ask a friend to handle the introduction. In this way, your friend or acquaintance can vouch for you giving more value to the introduction.

In the next few weeks we will cover some of the ways to improve your LinkedIn profile, content and most of all how to get connected. We will also discuss the value of obtaining good referrals, inviting your friends and learning about group activities. If you have a particular question about LinkedIn let me know and we will address these in the upcoming weeks.

More Twitter Success Stories Using Short Cuts.

Last week I explained an incident where I was publicly thanked on Twitter for following a lead to a blog and posting a response. So, I decided to conduct a little experiment on how many people actually clicked through on the links using Twitter to come to this blog. By all accounts there were almost 50 clicks.

So, 50 people saw my Twitter message, clicked through and looked at my post on this Empowered Networking Blog. How do I know? My bit.ly account tracks this for me.

I've explained in an earlier post that bit.ly is a URL shortening device. It takes a long-long URL address and shortens it so it can have a memorable extension.

For example my writers blog name is:

http://www.WritingandPublishingBlog.com 

Using the bit.ly extension shortening device it becomes: http://bit.ly/BlogForAuthors

The added bonus is the ability to track the number of people who have looked at my blog using this link. It is more than a matter of curiosity. This can be used for marketing purposes. Testing is everything. You can test the colors you use on your website, the changes you make when you phrase sentences and gauge who is stopping by and how that will translate into sales.

Another added bonus of the bit.ly shortening is a sidebar feature that will allow you to connect your Twitter account and tweet from a web page. The sidebar overlaps any page you are currently surfing and you can tweet the info and it adds your bit.ly account info so that you can later track the effectiveness of this effort.

Twitter deals with being social, interacting and having your information spread throughout cyberspace. Bit.ly is not the only URL shortener. In fact, HootSuite has one built in to the software.  You can use any of the devices that make your life easier. If you have to spend an undue amount of time going from one device to another in order to spread a message about a great website or article, it is definitely not worth it! These little devices not only make your life easier, then enable you to profit from the comfort of your own home, computer or office space in a way that saves time each day.


If you have any Twitter questions let me know... we'll be moving on to Linked In next time!

FaceBook: A Great Custom Look For Business Women

by Felice Gerwitz

Connecting and building relationships is what networking is all about. It is not surprising that companies large and small have joined the online networking revolution. "To have friends you must be a friend first," was the advice of my mother years ago, and still rings true today. Give value and you will have many friends flocking to your sites everyday. Using FaceBook to get them there works.

Letting customers know about specials, events or promotions via FaceBook, is an effective way to drive traffic to your site. Yet it is hard to stand out from the crowd when we all look the same. Facebook does not allow for many kinds of customization features...or does it? Women especially, and Business Women networkers in particular, are interested in using Facebook applications.

As with any type of information, make sure that you advertise to the masses. You can use Twitter to post information about your updates on FaceBook. Make sure the topic or title is intriguing. And, make your Facebook site look special with a little known Facebook application, Facebook Markup Language or FBML app. In this application you can customize your Facebook page.

One of the best uses for this application is the ability to paste HTML code from another application, such as a opt-in box for your newsletter or email group. In this way your custom box will show up in your sidebar on Facebook or in a tab at the top. I increased my Newsletter opt-in's by the hundreds with this one little feature.

Even though I am not an expert in web based language, I was able to add this application easily with the directions found on Facebook. For a more detailed tutorial, look at the help tab on the FB website, or hire a web master. If you want a super quick tutorial, (or Information in a Nutshell!)...

• In the search box at the top corner of your FB, page type in FBML. It will take you to another page that has an icon for the FBML...http://www.facebook.com/search/?q=FBML&init=quick
• Once you are on the page (it is a fan page) you will see the icon and under it click, "Add to My Page" You will then see a pop up window with all the fan pages that you Administer and you can select the page to add your FBML.
• Go back to your Fan Page and click the edit page and viola! There is the device ready to be edited. It will show up as a blank box and there is where you add the code.

That is where you can place the HTML code generated from your newsletter provider, in my case I use Aweber as well as Vertical Response. Each of these sites gives the user HTML code to paste on a website and now you know how to add it to your FaceBook page. FaceBook will soon unveil another updated look. Some users already have the new home page. There is always something new to learn, so stay tuned!

FaceBook: Busy Business Women's List

by Felice Gerwitz

I have a love-hate relationship with To-Do lists. I like them because I can easily and quickly see what needs to be completed each day. I hate them because I am reminded of all the things I have not accomplished each day. So, in the spirit of liking and hating, I'm creating a To-Do list for your FaceBook page. See which of these things you have already done, and place the others on your list for sometime in the near future.

FaceBook for Women:

1. Professional Picture: preferably with make-up, collared shirt and photo-shop touch up
2. Lock Down: all settings are private to friends or friends of friends only with invitations enabled.
3. Organize Friends: Make groups for business, friends, families
4. Profile totally filled out: all information that you want the world to know or at least 400 of your closest friends (and their friends) completed
5. Search: For target clients, co-workers, and possible new customers
6. Check Friends Status: Try to post something personal on different clients walls to stay in touch
7. Post Value Info: at least weekly, daily is best...be personal 20% of the time
8. Connect FaceBook feed and Twitter: if your content is relevant and value driven this is important, make sure to still add new posts to Twitter
9. Add your FaceBook URL to your email address
10. Set your feeds: make sure your receive only the info into your email that is important
11. Join Groups: related to business 
12. Check FaceBook daily, but not too often!
13. Read FaceBook Rules: Beware, contests should be approved first via FaceBook
14. Share: Useful articles, your blog, stats related to business or target market
15. Engage follower: Ask Questions 
16. Post Pictures: Relevant to business
17. Blast News: Events, Promotions, Free Product
18. Join or accept "gifts" sparingly: These pull info from your FaceBook page, they are third party applications and not all are friendly. A warning box pops-up to advise you of the "threat"
19. Look at Apps: Facebook is constantly adding more applications for business, great blog with more info: http://mashable.com/2009/01/22/business-facebook-apps/
20. Add video: at least one time a month, fun to do and keeps the contacts guessing

That's it for today. If you can check all these off your list, great! Let me know what's on your FaceBook To-Do list, and I'll quickly add it to mine!

Simple Pleasures - Great for Reducing Stress

Ah, simple pleasures. You know, those little things that bring a smile to your face and to your heart. They are unique to each of us and when we experience them we subconsciously celebrate. The cliche says "The Best things in life are free!" and that is certainly true with most of life's simple pleasures. Here are a few of mine:

• watching the horses play in the pasture in the mornings
• sipping tea as the sun rises over our barn
• reading a book on my back porch with the pool fountain bubbling in the background
• walking/running with my daughter - always lots of laughter
• sneaking out midday to pet and give the horses a treat
• a moonlight ride with my husband
• window shopping

What are your simple pleasures? List them out for this blog activity. I would love to see your list posted in our comments.

Beyond being free, simple pleasures play an important role in reducing stress. Stress is the result of negative emotions. Negative emotion can result from a variety of circumstances such as a worrisome thought, a unkind comment by a co-worker, or something tangible like a traffic jam. The higher the number of events of negative emotion that occur in a single hour or day the more stressed you will begin to feel. The best thing about simple pleasures are they are not only free, they are also great producers of positive emotions. How how does that relate to reducing stress, you say?

Psychologist report that it takes three positive emotion events to erase any single negative emotion event. In addition, if the negative emotion event was related to a spouse the ratio goes up to five to one. So that's where your simple pleasures come in. When your day is filled with negative emotion events (i.e., stress) it's imperative to your health and well being to offset those negative emotion events with positive ones. Otherwise stress becomes a dangerously unhealthy lifestyle if left unchecked.

So if you haven't already take a moment to make that list of simple pleasures and tuck it into your planner. Then next time you feel the stress building take a time out and spend a few moments indulging in one of your simple pleasures. You'll love it and your co-workers and family will likely appreciate it too.

For more on reducing stress visit my Compass website and try 3 days of the monthly action plans (MAPS) free. A great MAP for reducing stress is Step Into Balance - try your 3 days free. Also consider having Karen bring a stress reducing workshop to your office or women's organization. Click here to request Karen.

Karen Zeigler
Speaker & Life Coach

Another Sales Representative - Your Ads!

In a three part series on Sales Ads, I will give you some food for thought on what your ad is doing for you, what your ad should contain, and elements to make your ad better. So let's talk about what your ads should do.

So sales ads can be thought of as a sales rep for your business. When we network, the members of our networking circle, such as Empowered Network, are our marketing team, right? So your sales ads should be considered as part of your sales force. And one thing a company has is its first impression! You get one chance to make that first impression, so when you do it those that represent you, have the responsibility of delivering your expectations. We often teach our networking circle about what we do, and when we consistenting support one another and build repour that will build more opportunities.

However with a sales ad, You only get a short time frame to make the impression that is favorable for you, with a reader. You need to have an ad that will maximize the space, and the impact is crucial to its success. But first you should consider the objectives you want to achieve. Who is your target market? Are you in the right publication for that? What image and message do you want to convey? Have you considered the essential item you want the reader to know about your service?

Take a moment and think about the target audience you are placing the ad for. Have you considered what your service will do for them? Can they recognize the concept you are delivering? If you keep it simple and only provide limited facts, it is less confusing this way and it will have them also needing to contact you for more information.

This will give you enough to get started thinking about your ad. In my next post, I will provide you with a list of several things your ad should strive to do. Let me know if you have any questions I can help answer for you.

Networking & the Solo Entrepreneur

So what's the best part about working from home? You rarely need pantyhose or power suits, and you can have a conference call in your workout clothes. But the advantages have a drawback. Not needing to dress up for work means you may not encounter another living person outside of the mail carrier or family members. Running a small business can keep you isolated, minus the benefit of colleagues who can challenge, encourage and support you.

It's possible to partner with other women dedicated to entrepreneurial success; you just need to make an effort to find them. When you do, reach out, contribute, and it won't be long before you feel as though you have dozens of helpful colleagues at your fingertips.

LinkedIn, Facebook, Networking organizations Websites such as Advancing Women and Home Based Working Mom are great resources for networking, with forums for discussion, links for networking with international women and links to similar sites. Also known as forums, message boards on those sites are an opportunity to chat online with women who share similar interests and concerns.

Professional organizations, such as Empowered "Women's" Network in Fort Myers, Cape Coral, & Naples, is an important "in-person" networking resource. Find the one that works best for your schedule and business needs.

Reaching out Regardless of which tool you use to build your circle of colleagues, it takes some work. You could join every site mentioned here and still not make one acquaintance. You must make the decision to be an active member whether its online or in person. How? Genuially reach out to get to know members. A great way is to Ask questions.

Remember--never say anything online that you wouldn't say to your most important client. As long as your posts and discussions have integrity and professionalism, you are on your way to creating the perfect professional online networking group.