Boom Boom Pow: How Not to be 2000 and late in 2012
November 25th, 2011 // 9:14 am @ admin
Just a few years ago you were considered technically hip if you had a website. Now, people have 2 or 3. We switch our websites like we do our smartphone covers, easily getting bored with the same design. I’ve changed my website at least 6 times. Now, if you don’t have an iPhone or smartphone of some kind, you’re way behind. Let’s face it. We Americans have a short attention span. If you don’t get what’s hot today well, you’re what the Black Eyed Peas are referring to…”I’m so 3008, you’re so 2000 and late.” Somehow, they manage always to stay ahead of the trends.
Now, with the rapid takeoff of Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook and now Google Plus, not to mention one must have a blog and a YouTube channel, how much is enough? Can you Digg it? Have you Reddit? Stumble Upon it and by God, “Share It.” Have you ‘mentioned’ me, ‘liked’ me, ‘connected’ with me? How many online profiles and communication channels does one need? How many ways do we need to “share” something? My share button has so many options, many I’ve got no clue about. Who keeps up with all that stuff?
More importantly, how do small business owners choose, navigate and successfully use this stuff? Notice, I don’t care what big business does. They hire people, mostly interns these days. But a small business owner is desperately seeking to differentiate themselves from the crowd, especially in this economy where the crowd seems to be online; that’s where all the action is.
As a website designer, social media consultant and marketing contractor, I hear two big complaints: 1) how does anyone keep up with all this stuff and 2) I feel so overwhelmed. So, here’s my advice to small business owners as they plan, budget and get ready for 2012 so they can keep up with it all and not feel overwhelmed:
1) Focus.
Choose 1 or 2 online communication channels and do it well. Be realistic. You don’t have the resources to do it all and if you do, then no need to read further. Set it up right. Use it regularly. Work it. I can’t stress these two enough. Here’s a brief overview (I’m not going indepth here – plenty has been written about these) Choose what’s right for you:
- Facebook Page – build your community of fans – B2C
- LinkedIn – connect with potential business decisions makers – B2B
- Twitter – create buzz around a specific and strategic marketing campaign – Both
Here’s the cost in dollars and time:
Facebook -Setup Time: 3 to 5 hours to properly setup. I stress properly. You can set one up in a lot less time but that means you’re not fully utilizing all the resources. When I say Focus, I mean focus. Set it up right. Interaction Time: After that, work it at least 3 to 4 times a week, 15 minutes each time. Not bad, really. Free to setup but if you’re willing to spend $150/year, that page can look, act and feel like a website. If you’re a B2C business, this is your place. If you can touch it, taste it, feel it, support it – this is your home.
LinkedIn – Setup Time: 3 hours to properly setup. Interaction Time: minimum 3 to 4 times a week, 15 minutes each time to interact with it. Every time you meet someone and you truly think they could be a potential connection, then connect with them on LinkedIn.If you’re a B2B business, this is your place.
Twitter – Setup Time: 1 to 2 hours to properly setup but 5 hours to setup properly setup STRATEGY. Twitter is all about strategy and being strategic. Use Twitter to create buzz around something specific. Interaction Time: Daily, 15 to 30 minutes. Note: Twitter is like a foreign country – it has it’s own language and culture. Get ready to learn the language and the cultural rules. Twitter has it’s own etiquette. Be careful when diving in.
YouTube – Setup Time: 1 to 2 hours to properly setup. Interaction time: that depends on your video – whose making them and uploading them.
Yes, there are tools to help you organize all of this, but that’s another thing to learn. Use HootSuite, TweetDeck and your smartphone if you want to do this stuff while you’re watching TV.
2) Match your Branding
I see a lot of businesses create several online profiles – Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook, YouTube and now Google Plus. In the rush to setup, they often just achieve the basics. Any marketing person will tell you – match your branding. There are ways in all of these onlnie profiles to upload your logo, match your colors, use the same boilerplate to define your business, your services, your mission. If you’re a consultant and you rely on your photo, use the same one – everywhere. People on Linkedin with a photo are 70% more likely to have profiles reviewed it. It’s how people recognize you and they know you’ve taken the time to do it right. You look more professional. Learn from the big boys. Coca cola is very particular about the color red they use and have created an online marketing portal so all their vendors use the same color red and the same logos on all campaigns whether they are in America or Africa.
3) Connect with your website. All digital roads should lead home.
I do quick searches of new clients and always find online profiles they don’t tell me about. My job is to determine whether or not you still use it and if so, how to incorporate it into your website. How else do you expect people to find you? Don’t make people go all over the place to find you. Your website is your online store, your online home. You control it. When you’re on Facebook or anywhere else, you’re on their territory. Because it’s free, they get to set the rules about how often they change stuff and how they share your stuff. Keep customers coming back to your website and let them choose the communication channel that fits them. A lot of businesses have dove into various online social networks but they fail to connect them all to their website. It is possible, even if you just put a hyperlink on your website to your YouTube channel or Facebook page or whatever. Just connect them.
4) Distribute & Keep With It. Social media is a digital sport.
Just because you have a blog on your site doesn’t mean anyone is going to read it. If you write a blog, share the blog post on your other channels and as many other locations as possible – pr-online, freepressreleases.com, etc. If you have a LinkedIn account, don’t just connect with people – share your updates, tell your connections what’s going on with you professionally, join discussions, start a discussion. If you have a Facebook fan page, post to it. You have to give people the opportunity to interact with you – that’s the whole point.
All too often I have business owners that get started, they’re eager. They’ve heard the sermon and are willing to pray and ready to become an online converted believer but after some time they loose focus and quit. Managing your online channels is a digital sport. It requires focus, determination and continued practice, not just prayer.
5) Network
It is still vitally important that we get dressed, leave the house, learn our elevator speech and network. Choose a networking meeting or group that fits your style. Not into the quickie handshake, business card transfer setting, the before breakfast or lunchtime professional networking groups? Then choose a civic club – they actually do stuff. Choose a meetup group. There are plenty of networking groups that do more than just handshakes.
6) Be Professional
No matter what, maintain professionalism. Have professional business cards – they’re not 2000 and late yet. It bugs me to see people with the free Vistaprint business cards. Why are you promoting them? Do they promote you? Besides, the fonts are really small. Yeah, the cards are free but these days you can spend less than $100 and get custom cards printed without promoting someone else’s business. I just bought 2,000 cards for $80 and they weren’t printed in China. If you’re not willing to put skin in the game and spend a few dollars on business cards, I’m not sure what that says about your business.
7) Get comfortable talking to yourself
A lot of business owners find it strange to start discussions online without speaking to someone specifically. We share our updates on Linkedin, write a post on Facebook and tweet like crazy but we’re unsure of our audience. Digitally speaking is a lot like role playing. Depending on which communication channel you’re on, you need to role play. Depending on where online you’re talking, imagine you’re talking to a friend, coworker, colleague, or client or potential client and you’ve run into them somewhere with just a few minutes to share. Talk in that voice. You will get comfortable and find your “online” voice. People are paying attention.
All in all, people look at your website and your other online channels/profiles to get a sense of who you are as a business owner or business. All of these come together to form an opinion of you and whether or not they want to do business with you. So, choose wisely. Set them up properly. Focus and don’t forget about actually networking.
Category : Non Sequitors