Social Media Management: Why Engagement Should Be A Part Of Your Strategy

With social media becoming such a staple of daily life over the last few years, it is no wonder that businesses all over the world have begun to integrate social media into their marketing strategies. However, social media accounts for a very small portion of overall sales for many businesses. Why then, should companies devote time and effort to social media, if it does not engage sales in the way that traditional marketing tactics do?

When thinking about a social media strategy for your business, it is important to think about what the purpose of social media truly is. To do this, begin thinking about what you use your social media account for (if you have one). Chances are, you utilize social media in order to stay connected to the things and people in your life that you care about. You engage in conversations, share interesting content from around the web, and seek to nurture relationships between yourself and those you care about. Interestingly enough, that is exactly how your customers utilize social media as well. Therefore, it is not really a place where people go to buy products or services, and as such, many people are turned off my companies that constantly try to drive sales through social media.

Instead of constantly marketing products and services, companies should instead use social media as a way to foster connections with and engage customers. Tactics to engage customers can include posting open-ended posts asking customers for their opinions and encouraging open discussion in comments. Also, regularly sharing interesting articles or other content that pertain to your business or industry gives customers a reason to seek out your company's profile on a social media network, rather than simply coming across a post every so often on the customer's home page. It will also increase social sharing such as retweets on Twitter, likes and shares on Facebook and +1's on Google+ that can help to boost your site's SEO. By boosting your SEO, your sales will be boosted through search engines, which at the end of the day account for much more sales than social media.

Finally, and perhaps most important of all, having a social media presence that seeks to engage customers rather than sell to them helps build trust in your brand, which is the ultimate sales motivator. When a customer trusts your company, they become a customer for life, and may ultimately subscribe to an e-mail list, rewards program, etc. They will also be more likely to recommend your business to others, both of which can help your company exponentially in the long run.

At the end of the day, social media marketing accounts for just a small part of your overall marketing plan. However, your business would be at a huge disadvantage if you did not take the opportunity of creating a social media presence. This is because so many people are committed to social media, and access it every single day. Although you may not be able to drive sales with social media, you can build relationships with your customers, as well as reach new customers. When you engage with these people, you build trust in your business, which will increase sales in the future.


About The Author: Hannah Marr is the Content Director for BizBrag, a small business marketing platform. BizBrag helps small businesses, enterprises, and franchises to push their content to a larger customer base through social media and search engines. Hannah develops content for these businesses and would love to help your small business, enterprise, or franchise to reach a wider audience through BizBrag technology.

Did you find this article helpful? Please let Hannah and myself know by leaving us your valued comments below.

Related articles:
Engaging Consumers Through Social Media
Social Media Day Meet-ups: How Can They Work For You
5 Do's And 5 Don'ts In Social Media
Building Your Business With Social Media
The 10 Basic Rules Of Social Media Marketing
Top 14 Benefits Of Social Media Marketing
How To Use Facebook For Your Small Business
9 Tips For More Effective Facebook Marketing


If you found this or any of my other posts helpful, don't forget to +1 or share the posts to your favourite networks using the toolbar below or by using the "+1" and "Share" buttons located at the bottom of each post.

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Until my next post on Monday, have a fabulous weekend!

Social Media Management Part 3: Getting The Word Out

I hope you all enjoyed part one (You Do WHAT For A Living?) and part two (Handling Objections) of this three-part series on Social Media Management and Consulting by Dawn Sievers. In this third and final instalment, Dawn will be explaining how to market yourself in this growing niche.

Although this is the final instalment, Dawn and I have been in discussion about extending the series, given the huge response this three-part series has had. I'm happy to inform you that Dawn has kindly agreed to write more articles on this subject and these new articles will be available on the blog in the coming months. Until then, enjoy this final instalment and thank you for the support that you have shown Dawn. To learn more about Dawn's technical, creative, editing, blogging and social media management writing services, visit her website at
http://www.sdawnsieverswritingservices.com.


Social Media Management Part 3: Getting The Word Out

This third and final installment in this series on social media management focuses on how to market yourself. You've done your due diligence with learning your craft. You can schedule posts on Facebook, Twitter and other social media formats with the best of them. You can whip up content for blogs in various industries. All good, solid skills to have, but they'll get you nowhere unless you can effectively market yourself.

Common sense applies here. Get some business cards designed and printed. Keep them in your pocket or purse and have back-ups in your car. You'd be surprised how often you'll be having a random conversation with someone and they ask for your business card, so be prepared! Having a website is expected these days, but I'll be honest and tell you that I didn't have one for a while. I do have one now, but I don't find that it's the primary driver of interest and the most common avenue people use to find me. I have a Facebook Fan Page and I'm a member of LinkedIn.com. In addition, I have a lot of visibility from my personal blog, which actually doesn't really represent my social media consulting beyond the fact that it demonstrates my ability to navigate my way around a blogging format. If you're so inclined, you can also create brochures and/or flyers about your services. Brevity is best here - keep it to the point with clean, easy to read fonts and informative content. Remember, if you're doing ancillary marketing pieces like pamphlets and brochures to include your contact information! Yes, I can honestly tell you I've been given brochures by many a business person that didn't have contact information included anywhere on the brochure. It's all in the small details, people!

But I'm getting ahead of myself. First and foremost, whether you like it or not, whether you want to hear it or not, networking is key to building clientele. Social media management in particular is still such a new concept that it requires some explanation and offering examples to prospective clients. That's best done in an in person setting such as networking groups and events. So, the obvious question is, where do I start?

I mentioned LinkedIn.com above and that is a very good starting point. There are endless networking groups within the auspices of the LinkedIn.com website, and if you don't find what you're looking for, you can create your own group focused on your own goals. Here in the U.S., we also have BNI groups everywhere (Business Networking International) and you'll find many local chapters in your local area by going to the BNI website and typing in your search info. These groups usually meet weekly, very early in the morning around 7:30 am or 8:00 am, and they're very focused. The goal is to help one another with growing your respective businesses by providing referrals and to get through the meeting quickly so as to allow everyone to get back out and into the business day. There is a yearly membership fee that's somewhat hefty and a monthly fee, so I suggest calling some local BNI chapters and asking if you can come as a guest. Do this at a couple of different BNI chapters to get a feeling of the personality of each group, then decide if that type of networking group best suits your marketing needs. Many people sign up to become substitute presenters for chapter members who need to be absent for their weekly BNI group meeting; this is a good way to circulate amongst several BNI groups and do your own networking during the mingling period before and after the official meeting.

Another option to explore is Meetup.com. This is a website that allows you to find other groups of people focused on similar goals. Similar to LinkedIn.com, you can create your own new group and focus if you do not find what you're looking for.

My advice is to attend two to three networking functions each week to get yourself plugged into your local area. There are a surprising number of weekly functions - some are free, some require a nominal fee - ranging from informal to formal. I'll be very blunt with this next suggestion: dress and behave professionally! Most networking events are business casual in attire, and some of these functions do provide alcoholic beverages. Personally, I advise against imbibing alcohol when your goal is to present yourself as a business professional. So, dress professionally and behave professionally. Be cordial and friendly.

It is a smart idea to sit down before you attend a single networking event and write out a very brief, concise biography blurb about yourself and your business. Come up with a clear tagline and find a way to work it into that blurb. Practice saying this blurb in a polished, unhurried fashion but challenge yourself to get it all said within a three minute time frame. I suggest this because many of the networking groups you'll attend have a very clear format and oftentimes, someone is sitting with a stopwatch to time your presentation. You'll be asked to stand up in front of that group and pitch your presentation to them within a specifically allotted number of minutes. This has a dual purpose, with the first being to help you stay focused and the second being to keep the meeting moving in a timely fashion.

So, as boring as it sounds, take time to write that presentation down, then practice it. Time yourself if you need to, or ask someone to sit with a stopwatch while you practice. You'll quickly adopt a rhythm that suits you and your business pitch, and as tiresome as it sounds, the more you practice, the more comfortable you will be with this presentation. Remember to smile, remember to breathe and resist the urge to ramble or throw in "umm" when you're nervous.

Most importantly, enjoy yourself! Everyone who attends networking functions is there for a common purpose and that is to grow their clientele. I make a point of offering a firm handshake and I jot a few personal notes on the backs of business cards to prompt my memory when I get home after that function. When I do get home, before I do anything else, I sit down at my computer and I follow up with the people I've met at a given networking function. I email them, I look them up on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn.com and any other social media forums that we've discussed at that event and send Friend Requests (Facebook, Twitter) or a Request to Connect (LinkedIn). I do my best to schedule at least one follow up meeting per week - something as simple as meeting for coffee to sit down and learn more about that person. Following up in a professional manner is crucial to imparting a good impression and guaranteeing that when someone mentions social media, that person you met at that networking function will suggest your name as a point of contact.

Networking is key. It can be wearing over time, yes, but it is the most productive use of your time when you're getting a new business enterprise up and running. Once you feel you've acquired a good number of clients, don't feel that you can stop the networking activity. Yes, you can possibly scale back on the number of events you attend, but I suggest continuing to keep your name and your face visible. People quickly forget you unless they see and speak to you on a regular basis.

Have you noticed that I have NOT talked about regular media advertising such as newspapers and television? That's because I don't use either. For social media in particular, it is a smart move to put your energy and time into that very world. People who are looking for your skills and services are not likely to look for you in the Yellow Pages or the local newspaper. They're more likely to be looking for you at those local networking groups and functions, and they're going to be looking for you online on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.com. Optimize your time, work smart and network in a professional manner. Be patient, because you'll rarely land clients in a short time period. Repetition will become your friend, both with your presentation skills and with just being that familiar face at those events.

Networking and word of mouth are synonymous, so remember to always put your best foot forward. Social media management is an exciting new niche market and I believe that those of us working in this medium have only scratched the surface regarding growth potential. If you've decided, after reading this series, to pursue social media management, good luck! It's a wide open world out there for you to create a lucrative career.


About Dawn: S. Dawn Sievers is a Freelance Technical and Creative Writer, Editor and Blogger, founder of Facebook group Authentic Blogger, and Social Media Management Consultant to a wide range of industries and corporations. To learn more about her technical, creative, editing, blogging and social media management writing services, visit her website at http://www.sdawnsieverswritingservices.com.

Additionally, you can follow Dawn's personal blog, Healing Morning at http://healingmorning.blogspot.com. You can also find her on Twitter at
http://twitter.com/sds2965

Do you like this guest post by Dawn Sievers? Please show Dawn your support by leaving her your valued comments.

Previous articles:
Social Media Management Part 1: You Do WHAT For A Living?
Social Media Management Part 2: Handling Objections

Would you like to guest post on the blog? Please use the Contact tab above to get in touch if you write business-related articles or articles on the topics of Internet Marketing, Affiliate Marketing, Social Media Marketing/Optimisation (SMO), Blogging, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) or Search Engine Marketing (SEM).


If you found this or any of my other posts helpful, don't forget to +1 or share the posts to your favourite networks using the toolbar below or by using the "+1" and "Share" buttons located at the bottom of each post.

As ever, if you want to stay up to date with the latest blog posts, don't forget to follow via Google Friend Connect (button on sidebar), on NetworkedBlogs, via Email (maximum of one email per day), on Facebook and Google+ or by subscribing to our blog feed at:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/DereksHomeAndBusinessBlog

You can also follow me on Twitter @djones1509, Google+ and on Facebook at:
http://www.facebook.com/djones1509
https://plus.google.com/104849975941505117776

Until my next post, have a wonderful weekend!

© 2012 Dawn Sievers. This article is DMCA protected. Republication is prohibited.

Social Media Management Part 2: Handling Objections

I hope you all enjoyed part one (You Do WHAT For A Living?) of this three-part series on Social Media Management and Consulting by Dawn Sievers. In this second instalment, Dawn will be explaining how to find clients and how to answer some of their objections.

I'm so delighted to have these articles published on the blog for all of you to read and I want to take this opportunity to thank Dawn again for agreeing to guest post on Derek's Home and Business Blog and for providing my readers with such great content. To learn more about Dawn's technical, creative, editing, blogging and social media management writing services, visit her website at
http://www.sdawnsieverswritingservices.com.

Without further ado, here's part two of this exclusive three-part series:


Social Media Management Part 2: Handling Objections

If you're reading this second article in this series about social media management, then you're already somewhat familiar with the concept. A social media manager or consultant handles the online daily duties, posting, blog writing, etc., for clients.

So, now let's move forward to finding clients and answering some of their objections. Being able to give effective answers to inevitable objections is about 80% of your battle to landing a paying client. My main advice to you is to research, research and research some more on your topic. Run online searches for social media reports. Find definitive evidence that social media can and does contribute to marketing and sales goals. Be able to offer specific examples of how social media broadens awareness of any business. Have print outs to show your prospective client. Clients love visuals like graphs, charts and percentages to indicate results. I suggest Mashable.com as a good resource for solid reports on social media, but you'll probably find a myriad list out there with any given key word search.

Let me give you common objection:

"Why should I pay you when I have a 14 year old at home who spends the majority of her waking hours on Facebook and can do all of this for me?"

How would you address this challenging question in your presentation? I'll share with you how I respond, as I hear this objection on a regular basis. By the way, you can substitute the "14 year old" with "secretary/assistant/receptionist/spouse/friend" and give the same general rebuttal.

"It's great that your 14 year old is computer and social media savvy. I'm sure that she can do a great deal of what we're discussing. With that being said, let me remind you that you're not looking for a child's perspective here. You're running a business and you need a mature, responsible and experienced hand supporting your marketing plans. Your teenager will be easily distracted and might not always have the same dedication that a motivated professional will give you. If you're also thinking of handing this duty off to a current employee, consider that you'll run the risk of getting less than 100% attention to your social media presence while that employee splits their focus amongst myriad daily duties. What I can give you is an educated, focused, experienced management plan that will optimize your social media and grow awareness of your brand. I am dedicated to giving your social media presence the best possible support."

That's a rather lengthy example of what I offer as a rebuttal to that type of objection. Be aware that convincing people to pay for social media management can sometimes be a bit of an uphill battle to begin with. Occasionally, you'll meet people who are very aware of the value of hiring a social media consultant and are just looking for someone who has the skills they need. Those people are rare, however, so I advise sharpening your ability to calmly field endless objections and challenges when you're pitching your services to prospective clients.

Do your research and educate yourself about the growing niche market of social media management and consulting. Identify the components of this field that you want to pursue and study the dickens out of it. Become an expert in those components and project a sense of confidence that you are the best person to provide this service. Having facts and examples to offer in a presentation to prospective clients will set a professional tone. Being able to respond to objections with reasonable rebuttal will keep the balance of power in your hands when it comes to negotiating terms and contracts.

Social media management is not an exact science. I adapt my presentation and my fees to each client's needs. The field itself is constantly expanding and changing, as we all know that social media is also constantly morphing and growing. If you choose to pursue a career in this field, expect to constantly be kept on your toes to keep up with the equally constant changes in social media. You can rarely rest on your laurels in this field, and you are regularly expected to produce miracles. Polishing your presentation skills and having the ability to adapt to a wide range of personalities will stand you in good stead.

Personally, this constant change one of the aspects that I enjoy about my job, as it constantly keeps me challenged. If you prefer a job that is repetitive and comfortable on a daily basis, social media management might not be the field for you. If, however, you're a creative mentality who enjoys a fast pace and constant level of change, then I encourage you to give this career a try. The possibilities are endless for creating your own business in this market.

Social media management is still a young concept, but I do not see it going away. This means that employment opportunities in this field will grow right along with the life cycle of the two big dogs of Facebook and Twitter. Neither service is going to fall off the planet anytime soon; they are both here to stay, and smart entrepreneurs are going to grab onto those coattails to create attractive careers for themselves.

In the third and final part of this series which will be published on Friday: How to market yourself in this growing niche.


About Dawn: S. Dawn Sievers is a Freelance Technical and Creative Writer, Editor and Blogger, founder of Facebook group Authentic Blogger, and Social Media Management Consultant to a wide range of industries and corporations. To learn more about her technical, creative, editing, blogging and social media management writing services, visit her website at http://www.sdawnsieverswritingservices.com.

Additionally, you can follow Dawn's personal blog, Healing Morning at http://healingmorning.blogspot.com. You can also find her on Twitter at
http://twitter.com/sds2965

Do you like this guest post by Dawn Sievers? Please show Dawn your support by leaving her your valued comments.

Previous articles:
Social Media Management Part 1: You Do WHAT For A Living?

Would you like to guest post on the blog? Please use the Contact tab above to get in touch if you write business-related articles or articles on the topics of Internet Marketing, Affiliate Marketing, Social Media Marketing/Optimisation (SMO), Blogging, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) or Search Engine Marketing (SEM).


If you found this or any of my other posts helpful, don't forget to +1 or share the posts to your favourite networks using the toolbar below or by using the "+1" and "Share" buttons located at the bottom of each post.

As ever, if you want to stay up to date with the latest blog posts, don't forget to follow via Google Friend Connect (button on sidebar), on NetworkedBlogs, via Email (maximum of one email per day), on Facebook and Google+ or by subscribing to our blog feed at:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/DereksHomeAndBusinessBlog

You can also follow me on Twitter @djones1509, Google+ and on Facebook at:
http://www.facebook.com/djones1509
https://plus.google.com/104849975941505117776

Until the final instalment on Friday, enjoy the rest of the week!

© 2012 Dawn Sievers. This article is DMCA protected. Republication is prohibited.

Social Media Management Part 1: You Do WHAT For A Living?

This week, I'm delighted to bring you a three-part series on Social Media Management and Consulting by Dawn Sievers. Dawn is a freelance technical and creative writer, a social media management consultant, editor and blogger at Healing Morning, and founder of the Facebook group, Authentic Blogger. She is also a close friend who helps me with my administration duties at Bloggers Network.

In this three-part series which will continue on Wednesday and on Friday, Dawn will be explaining what is social media management, what a social media manager or consultant does, how to handle objections and how to market yourself in this growing niche. This exclusive three-part series will enlighten and hopefully inspire you to pursue a lucrative career in social media management.

Thank you so much Dawn for agreeing to guest post on Derek's Home and Business Blog and I'm delighted and truly honoured to have your articles published on the blog and to have you as a friend. I'm sure my readers will thoroughly enjoy your series.


Social Media Management Part 1: You Do WHAT For A Living?

Social Media Management. Three words that can mean a great many things. The term "social media" is relatively new in the grand scheme of things, and it applies to the myriad social media applications that exist online these days. The most prominent are Facebook and Twitter. Multiple millions of people around the world use both services daily. It was inevitable that social media would eventually infiltrate the business world, and it is now one of the fastest growing methods of promotion and marketing for all manner of businesses. Using social media as part of your marketing and sales campaign can reach a far wider audience than was once possible to realistically achieve.

So, what does a social media manager or consultant do? If you're a small business owner, you know that your days are chock full of a wide range of responsibilities. Efficiently marketing and branding your business oftentimes falls by the wayside as you tend to the most important aspects of running your business. This is where a social media manager comes into the picture. We handle your online presence with various social media streams such as Facebook, Twitter, your business blog and more, which frees up your time to concentrate on the actual running of your business.

I am a writer by trade and the majority of my business used to be solely in the technical writing world. The economy turning upside down several years ago forced me to pursue ancillary options to widen my knowledge base and learn new marketable skills. People began asking me about the concept of blogging and how it and social media could benefit their business. I researched, I learned and I incorporated social media management and consulting into my business.

Social media, by and large, offers the opportunity to create relationships. Conversation on your Facebook wall and Twitter stream are vital to drive traffic to your company's website where those customers are more likely to purchase your product or service. Why are they more likely to do this because of social media? Consider the fact that marketing used to be relegated to newspapers, television and magazines and the goal was to make your branding a part of your consumer's household...you were there in their living room each time they saw a commercial about your company.

With the advent of the internet, social media, and most importantly, smart phones, marketing has now morphed into reaching people throughout the business day, where ever they might be. So, marketing that adapts to speaking to consumers via social media and their smart phones can be incredibly valuable and successful to drive business and create awareness. Think about it - your Facebook Fan Page or your Twitter page can be accessed on those millions of smart phones. If those same people have clicked to Like your Facebook Fan Page and/or are following you on Twitter, there's a sense of community that has been established. This, in turn, creates trust. As a result, when that consumer suddenly has a need for your particular product or service, they're going to be more likely to purchase from you. They know they can pick up their smart phone, pull up your Facebook page, access your website link and boom - you just landed a sale.

Savvy business owners recognize the power of social media. They also recognize the value of employing a social media manager to efficiently handle the daily supervision and implementation of their online marketing goals. Done properly, social media management can create a solid awareness of your brand that can broaden your market base beyond your wildest dreams.

In part two of this three-part series which will be published on Wednesday: Finding clients and answering some of their objections.


About Dawn: S. Dawn Sievers is a Freelance Technical and Creative Writer, Editor and Blogger, founder of Facebook group Authentic Blogger, and Social Media Management Consultant to a wide range of industries and corporations. To learn more about her technical, creative, editing, blogging and social media management writing services, visit her website at http://www.sdawnsieverswritingservices.com.

Additionally, you can follow Dawn's personal blog, Healing Morning at http://healingmorning.blogspot.com. You can also find her on Twitter at
http://twitter.com/sds2965

Do you like this guest post by Dawn Sievers? Please show Dawn your support by leaving her your valued comments.

Would you like to guest post on the blog? Please use the Contact tab above to get in touch if you write business-related articles or articles on the topics of Internet Marketing, Affiliate Marketing, Social Media Marketing/Optimisation (SMO), Blogging, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) or Search Engine Marketing (SEM).


If you found this or any of my other posts helpful, don't forget to +1 or share the posts to your favourite networks using the toolbar below or by using the "+1" and "Share" buttons located at the bottom of each post.

As ever, if you want to stay up to date with the latest blog posts, don't forget to follow via Google Friend Connect (button on sidebar), on NetworkedBlogs, via Email (maximum of one email per day), on Facebook and Google+ or by subscribing to our blog feed at:
http://feeds.feedburner.com/DereksHomeAndBusinessBlog

You can also follow me on Twitter @djones1509, Google+ and on Facebook at:
http://www.facebook.com/djones1509
https://plus.google.com/104849975941505117776

Until part two on Wednesday, have a fabulous week!

© 2012 Dawn Sievers. This article is DMCA protected. Republication is prohibited.