As a business owner you know there are new tools available to help you market your business.  I’m talking about what is called social media, mainly Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and blogging.

 You want to participate but sometimes your technical questions get in the way. Or, you’re not sure how you can use these tools in the most optimal way.

 Here are ten tips that you can use now to improve your social media marketing effectiveness:

1. If you have a cool resource or idea to share with someone, post it on their Facebook profile (or Fan) page instead of sending an e-mail.  Because if it’s something cool, other people would probably like to know about it as well.  And, this gives you exposure as well as positioning you as a resourceful person.

2. When you create a Facebook Fan Page (now called an official page) you get a really long url that you can change to one that’s easy to remember and share.  This short video will show you how. (If you don’t have a Facebook Fan Page, you need to create one, more on that here).

3. Comment on other people’s blogs.  And when you do, write something specific that is insightful (don’t comment, ‘great post’).  And be sure that your posts include a photo of you (not a blank box) so that when you do post people can see who you are.  This video will show you how.

4. If you write articles or blogs, add a ‘ReTweet’ button to every article or post.  This way when someone finds it valuable they can easily share it with their followers.  Here’s how to add the button (if html sounds like Chinese to you, then ask your web person to make it happen).

5. When you’re sharing links on social media use Bit.ly to turn a long url into a short url.  What’s so cool about bit.ly is that in addition to creating a short url, it also tracks how many clicks your link gets so you know how much exposure it generates.

6. Change your LinkedIn profile url from something long and unmemorable to something branded (your name or company name).  This makes it easier for people to find you and it will improve your Google ranking.  Here’s how to do it.

7. When you connect with someone on LinkedIn, be sure to check to see if he/she is on Twitter and Facebook and connect there as well. Same idea, if you’re connected with someone on Facebook, check for him/her on Twitter and LinkedIn.  You get the idea.

8. Put your social media links to Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn on your business card and/or e-mail signature.

9. When someone signs up for your ezine they are usually directed to a ‘Thank You’ page and/or receive a ‘Thank You’ e-mail from you.  These are two great places to add your social media links.

10. Ask questions and request comments on your Facebook posts.  You want to create a platform for interaction, not just a one way stream of communication.

These may seem like minor details but often small tweaks can make a huge difference in the amount of people you reach.  They’re like levers that can move heavy objects with minimal effort. So get started now and improve the effect your social media marketing is having on your business.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR NEWSLETTER OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this information with it: Stephanie Ward is the Marketing Coach for Entrepreneurs who want to set their profits on fire!  Grab your FREE copy of the special report ‘7 Steps to Attract More Clients in Less Time’ plus business building tips, at: http://www.fireflycoaching.com/.

A recent article in the Dutch business magazine Sprout said Twitter is expected to be the first internet medium that will reach one billion users.  

At PICNIC 2009 Maurice Beerthuyzen reported media futurist Gerd Leonhard as saying, “In two years you’re in social business or in no business.”

So, if you’re not yet on Twitter, sign up.  If you’re already using Twitter, why not make the effort to learn additional ways you can use it to grow your business.

I know, I can hear you saying that you barely have time to do all of the marketing activities you’re already doing!  But please consider the impact this new strategy can have on your business. 

Here are some basic facts.  Twitter is a free service where you can post messages (called tweets) of up to 140 characters.  This is also known as micro-blogging.  You can follow people’s tweets and share your tweets with people who follow you.

This isn’t going to be about ‘how to’ get set up on Twitter. There is a ton of marvelous information out there for free out on how to do that.  Here are two resources to get you started: Twitter for Business report and http://twitterwatchdog.com/ (scroll down to the bottom of the page and sign up for a free Twitter success report).

I want to focus on WHY you should get on board and how using Twitter can help you grow your business and be more profitable.

I’m not an expert on Twitter and I continue to learn more all the time.  I just started my account in March of this year.  As with any new service, you can actually learn by doing and watching what others do.

BENEFITS FOR YOUR BUSINESS:

1. Meet potential new clients you would otherwise probably never encounter
2. Discover new business opportunities
3. Connect with strategic alliance partners
4. Position yourself as an expert and attract media attention
5. Promote your events
6. A place to share your knowledge if you don’t have an ezine or blog (If you do have an ezine and blog, Twitter will complement them fabulously).

And yes, I have met some amazing people on Twitter and have discovered new opportunities for marketing my business.

WHAT TO TWEET ABOUT:

It’s true, some people do tweet about what they are eating or that they are going to walk the dog.  As a business owner you can make the majority of your tweets about your area of expertise, information that adds value.  For example, you can share:

- Fresh ideas and insights

- Practical tips

- Helpful resources (blogs, articles, quotes, etc.)

If you want to see what I tweet about you can follow me at: http://twitter.com/fireflycoaching.

As a time saver you can connect your Twitter account to your Facebook and LinkedIn accounts so that when you post something on Twitter it automatically shows up on Facebook and LinkedIn (for tips on these two services read my ‘Why Facebook and LinkedIn are Good for Your Business’ here. 

Are you starting to see how Twitter can help you expand your network and grow your business?  Make the decision to get an account and start using it today.  Invest the time to learning how it works so you can take advantage of this amazing marketing strategy and rock your business.

© Stephanie Ward, 2009

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR NEWSLETTER OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this information with it: Stephanie Ward is the Marketing Coach for Entrepreneurs who want to set their profits on fire!  Grab your FREE copy of the special report ’7 Steps to Attract More Clients in Less Time’ plus business building tips, at: http://www.fireflycoaching.com/.