Posts Tagged ‘Social Media’

28 Dec 2015
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11 Social Media Tips to Jump Start Your New Year

Jump Start New Year with Social Media

Ready for a jump start? The New Year always reminds us of new and fresh starts. It’s also a perfect time to evaluate the past year and decide what worked, what’s still working and what needs to go away. This is true not only with life, but also with our businesses. Since I focus on social media for entrepreneurs, employee-preneurs and small business owners, let’s talk about what you can do to jump start your New Year.

1 – Goals: Create and solidify your social media goals for the New Year. Do you want more followers, engagement, prospects, brand awareness, website traffic, etc.? Each goal has different tactics, so choose just a few to focus on.

2 – Profiles: Take a fresh look at all of your social media profiles. Is it time for a fresh profile or cover image? How about your bio and about sections? Canva.com and picmonkey.com are great resources to help you create new cover images. Plan to change your cover images at least quarterly.

3 – Analytics: Take a look at your insights for your Facebook Business Page. Also, if you use a tool like Hootsuite, plan to review other social platform analytics. Resolve for the New Year to take a quick look, even just once a week, and learn at least one thing from your content’s performance.

4 – Planning Tools: Planning social media across multiple platforms can be complicated. Start with a content (editorial) calendar and updating strategy. Schedule a weekly planning and scheduling session just like you would any other important appointment. Choose a tool like Hootsuite, Buffer or Social Sprout for pre-scheduling your posts.

5 – Evaluate Platforms: Are the current platforms working for you? Is your ideal client still using them? Are there new platforms that you should be considering? Spend some time researching changes to social media that may impact your business.

6 – Training: Do you need to brush-up on any social media skills with some training? Maybe it’s time to hire a coach to help you take it to the next level. Don’t go it alone — social media changes quickly and the tactics you used this past year may not be what you should be focus on for the New Year.

7 – Facebook Ads: If you are use Facebook for business, ads are critical for expanding your reach. Facebook is the largest marketing company in the world. You can target your ideal client for a relatively small budget (as little as $5 to $10 per day). Review your social media goals and determine your ad budget for the next few months.

8 – Save This Link on Facebook: When Facebook introduced the “save” function, many content marketers were excited (I know I love this feature).  However, remember to review the file at least weekly. You saved content for a reason, so a quick review can help you unearth a few hidden gems of content to share.

9 – Use Hashtags:  Hashtags are important because they help increase social media engagement with new users on most of the top social media platforms. Find relevant hashtags to your business/niche so you can reach your target audience.

10 – Plan On Being More Human: Authenticity and candor are what people are looking for. You can build “Know-Like-Trust” much quicker when people feel they can identify with you. Consider doing at least one weekly behind-the-scenes image or video post.

11- Don’t Ignore Video: Many of us hate to be in front of a camera or to be on film, but video is a strong way for people to get to know you. Add at least one video update per week.

So there you have it – a New Year and many new ways to engage with your friends, clients and prospects. Also a roadmap to jump start your social media. If this seems overwhelming, reach out to me and we can discuss a coaching or training program to help you take the New Year by storm.

31 Mar 2015
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7 Reasons to Update Your Online Profile Picture Now

When was the last time you had a new picture taken for your social media platforms and/or website? If you are sitting there thinking “I don’t know, let me think” it has been too long.  Why update your pictures? Why worry about whether or not your social pictures are professional? Because your audience and prospects are already trying to figure out if they trust you. Not having a professional photo can hamper your interactions and impact on social media.

A good profile image is a vital piece of your branding and identity in the online world. Think of it as your visual signature. It is THE icon that signifies who you are. At a glance people should be able to quickly identify that image with your interactions elsewhere on any social network, on the web and also in person.

Here is a list of the reasons you should have a picture taken NOW:

  1. Gained weight? It’s ok. YOU are what is important, not the number on the scale!

  2. Lost weight? Even if not at your goal, go get them done! See #1.

  3. Changed your hair? This goes for color and/or length & style as well as beards or no beards, etc.

  4. New glasses? There are many wonderful and fun new frames out there, show off your new peeps.

  5. Lasik surgery or contacts? If people are used to seeing you in glasses, but you no longer are wearing them, be sure your photo reflects this.

  6. Aged a few years? Embrace your wisdom! Besides, you don’t want someone going into shock because you don’t appear as the 20 or 30 year old they see on your site right now.

  7. Changed businesses? If your business has changed from a button down to more casual or visa versa, it is important that your current images reflect the right industry. A banker/financial person will likely be dressed more professionally than someone in a landscaping business. If you picture does not reflect the type of business you are in, get it changed. I hate seeing men in ties and suit jackets that don’t normally wear one when meeting clients. They typically look very uncomfortable and that reflects out to the world.

Do you get the picture (no pun intended!) now? The key thing is that your image has to be recognizably you in the here and now.

You don’t need to be perfect! You just need to be YOU. 100%, wonderful, powerful YOU!! To recap, if you hair or glasses have changed, your current picture is more than 2 or 3 years old or you are now 15 pounds (over or under) since your last pictures, it is time for an update!

I know we all have our reasons why we don’t want to do it, but it all boils down to this: People are going to meet you in person. If who they meet is drastically different than who they think they were meeting from your online pictures, there is an instant disconnect and mistrust. It is much harder to come back from this than you can imagine. Don’t make me wonder about what else you are misrepresenting. Besides, embracing who you are is sexier and more powerful than you can imagine (and it inspires trust!).

Now go schedule that photography session!

Until next time…spread kindness wherever you go.

 

19 Dec 2012
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The Ripple Effects of Random Acts of Kindness

Dear Friends –

As I sat to write my blog post last Friday afternoon for this week, I couldn’t find the words to say. I was riveted to the TV and all of the news going on in Newtown, Connecticut.  I am still so saddened that so many innocent lives were lost.  I hope and pray that there will be comfort and peace on some level at some time for these families and the community.

Today I debated about talking about what I have been feeling over the past few days especially with all of the media coverage, but decided that this is a good forum to extend, engage & explore with all of you how we feel now and how we can show up differently in the days, weeks, months & years to follow. Read more

12 Dec 2012
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Excuse Me – Where Are Your Social Media Manners?

We’ve all had the social media friend or Facebook Page that has made us want to turn them off, right? You know the one where every post is about what they are trying to sell you. “BUY FROM ME, BUY FROM ME, BUY FROM ME!” If that is you, knock-it-off!

Social media is about being social. You wouldn’t sit down to a meal with someone and immediately ask them to buy from you, would you? The answer better be no!  We need to remember that when we are on social media sites, we are engaging in conversation. It is about building the know, like and trust so eventually the person may buy from you or at least be a good referral source.

In my training class this week I am sharing 12 tips on social media etiquette. I could probably make the list 3 times larger, but since it’s a busy month I will keep it short.

12 Tips on Social Media Etiquette:

1. Use your real name. People like to engage with real people.

2. Use a current headshot of YOU (not your child, husband, dog, niece, etc.).  As author & blogger Chris Brogan says in his 2011 blog: An Insider’s Guide to Social Media Etiquette, “It feels creepy friending a four year old kid (avatar).”

Also, on another note about having a picture: I don’t follow anyone that doesn’t have a picture. I don’t trust that the person is real &/or question if it is a spammer/phisher trying to gain access to me, my computer and my network. Remember, people like to connect with people, so put a good quality headshot of you on your profile.

3. Set your privacy settings to control who can tag you. Facebook offers the opportunity for you to review any post that you are tagged in before it appearing on your timeline.

4. You are not obligated to friend or connect with anyone. In fact, it is a great idea to use some discernment here. If you keep your personal and professional life separate, send a message to the person asking for the connection and tell them that you prefer to connect with clients in a different way on LinkedIn and/or your Facebook Page.

5. When asking to make a connection, don’t use the default settings (for instance on LinkedIn). Include a personal note with the request that may include where you met the person, who you are, and why you wish to connect with them.

6. Be authentic.

7. Listen first and then join the conversation. Be sure you are always adding value.

8. Never spam. Ever.

9. Don’t repeat the same post on ever network within a 10-minute span. Change it up a bit and spread it out.

10.  Instead of selling, why not share with your followers why they should buy from you; what other followers got from buying from you; or some other relational fact.

11. Promote others.

12. Modesty is a beautiful thing. Don’t retweet and share every nice thing someone says about you and/or your company. Thank the person for the testimonial and leave it at that.

Your CANnon Do® for this week is to find a way to unselfishly promote someone else.

What other social media etiquette tips do you have?

05 Dec 2012
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Hanging Out with Google+

Last week I participated in a Google+ HIRL (Hangout In Real Life) event.  This event provided the opportunity for locals in the Kansas City area to get mini-sessions on how to set-up and use Google+.  If you would like to see more about it, follow the hashtag #LearnG+KC.  In case you don’t know what a hangout is, Google+ has this really cool feature where you can “hangout” with 10 people – share your screen and/or documents and see each person FOR FREE.  (Think Skype on steroids with free features.)

This real life hangout allowed 100+ people to gather, network & learn together.  What worked for this event was that it provided a social atmosphere – food, drink, & networking along with a give-back to SafeHome  (entrance fee was $5 or 5 canned goods for the non-profit).  According to recent stats on G+, the site is 63% male, but this HIRL attracted women along with the men.

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28 Nov 2012
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Trying to Out-Wit Facebook’s EdgeRank

Do you have a Facebook Page for your business?  How are you feeling about your “number of people who saw this post” count?  It seems like everyday we are needing to find new and different ways to outwit Facebook’s EdgeRank.  (For those of you not familiar with Edgerank – it is the algorithm that Facebook uses to determine who gets to see your Facebook post.)

For a while, the visual-media aspect of loading an image was given more exposure, but more and more studies over the past few months have indicated that text-only posts (no images or links) are gaining more views.  The question becomes, what do I post to get the most exposure without having to pay for it?

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14 Nov 2012
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You Never Get a Second Chance to Make A First Impression

Remember that phrase by Will Rogers? What first impression are you giving with your profile picture on your social media sites? In my opinion it is wise to use a professional photo (the same one) across all of your profiles.  For many business owners, we are our brand. Many people know my name better than they know the name of my business, Cannon Social Media Solutions.  If someone was going to look me up via social media, if they put in Vicki Cannon or Vicki S. Cannon, they will know that they got the right person if they have met me before, because my photo looks like me.  If the person has not met me, but is going to meet me in a public place, they would be able to see my profile picture and know who to be looking for.

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24 Oct 2012
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Lurking, Connecting or Not Connecting on LinkedIn

The other evening I was at a BNI (Business Networking International) social event and had a conversation with someone that had connected with me via LinkedIn.  I had told him that I was impressed with his willingness to extend himself to our group.  He then told me that someone in the group had messaged him back after his request and wanted more information from him about connecting.  I had to smile because the other person had taken one of my social media training classes and was doing exactly what I suggested!

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10 Oct 2012
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The Beginning

Blogging.  If you’ve been following social media marketing the past few years, you hear & read about how important blogging is to your online presence.  I’ve discussed it many times with my clients, but have avoided it myself (the old method of – do as I say, not as I do!).

Here are some of my hang-ups with getting started:  What do I call the blog?  What do I write about?  What if I am boring? What if I can’t really write? Will I have time?  Who will follow?…  Sound familiar for those of you procrastinating about blogging?  These are not very good excuses for someone who tells her clients of the importance of this platform in their social media marketing plan.

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